The Black Cab Sessions

The Black Cab Sessions is a British website where they make a music video by recording a band playing a song while riding around London in a cab. What transpires is usually a stripped down version of the song and some real genuine moments. They've done over 40 sessions at the point and featured some bigger names like The National, Spoon, The New Pornographers, and The Raveonettes. They've also featured some bands that I wasn't as familiar with. One of those artists is Seasick Steve. A raw and gritty acoustic bluesman. After watching this video I went to youtube and found several clips from his appearances on the Jools Holland show. And I gotta say, Seasick Steve is thoroughly entertaining. Check out his Black Cab Session below...




If you wanna learn how to play some acoustic blues licks check out our Acoustic Blues: Intros & Endings lesson by Jody Worrell.

Funkiest Milk Commercial Ever!

The California Milk Processor Board has produced this surreal commercial that gives finally gives MILK the glam rock treatment it so richly deserves. You can get the back story on this commercial from this Newsweek article. I'm not sure if this video affects my desire to drink milk in any way, but I may try to search eBay for a milk filled guitar. Without further ado... White Gold and the Calcium Twins performance of One Gallon Axe




"It's super natural, milk magical"

New Slide Guitar Lessons

We have two new slide guitar lessons. The first lesson, Slide Guitar Basics, is a free video aimed at teaching a beginning slide guitar player some basic concepts. The lesson will look at right hand technique first and then delve into how to actually use the slide. You can view the Youtube version below.

We also have a new premium lesson called Easy Allman Brothers Style. The lesson will teach you some relatively easy slide guitar licks that can be played on just one string and in standard tuning. You can watch a demo here. If you're looking for something more advanced check out our Duane Allman Style Slide Guitar Licks lesson.

iPhone meets the Guitar

First we have an iPhone guitar tuner web app. Which basically works more like a tuning fork than a tuner. But I guess in a pinch this could come in handy outdoors somewhere.

We came across the next video thanks to iphonenewsblog. There's apparently a web app for the iPhone that simulates a guitar. You get all six string and a few frets to play with. You use one hand to simulate strumming or plucking and the other hand to fret the notes. It even can simulate slides.

Video Tutorial: How to Read Guitar Tab

One of the first stumbling blocks for a beginning guitarist trying to take guitar lessons may be trying to figure out what all of those lines and numbers in guitar tab mean. We've designed a series of free video lessons that will take the beginner through the basic concepts of guitar tab. Take a look...

How to Read Guitar Tabs

How to Read Chord Charts

How to Read Fingering Notation

Reading Double Stop Fingering Notation

Here is the youtube video of the How to Read Guitar Tab video

Ben Deignan video performance of "Fault Line"

A performance by Peter Vogl guitar student, Ben Deignan, of his original song "Fault Line". You can find more music by Ben on his bendeignan.com or myspace.View Quicktime video of performance

Bio: Like a crisp fall apple, Georgia native Ben Deignan is picked for pop stardom. The singer/songwriter started playing the family’s six-string at 15, formed various garage bands in junior high and has now blossomed into a 21-year-old funkster with a sound that’s turning heads in clubs around Atlanta and beyond. “A female friend of mine described my music as ‘orgasmic’ and I thought it was clever,” Deignan says. “I never really took it seriously, but for some reason it has stuck.” Sticky is a good thing in a crowded musical universe where the latest flavor is one record flop from obscurity. It was only a few years ago, while playing his dad’s company party at the Tin Roof Cantina in Buckhead, that Deignan was plucked from his own obscurity by an A&R rep for a major record label. That exposure led him to renowned Atlanta-based musician, arranger and vocal producer Jan Smith (Usher, matchbox twenty), who signed Deignan to a development and production deal. Together with production partner Huston Singletary, Smith is helping the fresh-faced Deignan prep his pipes. “This industry is tough and in order to keep your head above water, you have to know the business,” Deignan says. Busy playing gigs and writing songs (“Most of the time it’s in places like the shower or on the highway at three in the morning”), Deignan has a blue-eyed soulful, skatty and softly cranky mood—he cites Bono, Stevie Wonder and The Police among his influences—that sounds like something you’d hear on the radio, only more interesting. Deignan’s routine of vocal exercises and playing covers in seedy college dives is quickly receding in the rearview: He recently recorded an eponymous four-song EP with Smith & Huston Productions, available on iTunes, and he’s gotten more than 30,000 hits on his MySpace player in addition to major label interest. Dealing with the inevitable comparisons, Deignan remains philosophical. “Guys like John Mayer were compared to other artists for along time, too,” he says. “It’s a comfort thing. I find it interesting because alot of people compare me to the sounds of Maroon 5 and Jason Mraz, but I don’t hear anyone compare either one of those artists to each other. Maybe I’m the link between them.”

Elli Perry Performance

A short word of advice and performance by Elli Perry, a solo artist and Peter Vogl guitar student. Elli is performing her original song Let It Slide. To hear more of Elli's music visit her myspace page.

Watch the video in Quicktime

Bio: Atlanta based singer, songwriter, guitarist Elli Perry has been writing and performing music since childhood. After picking up the guitar at age 12, she quickly started to develop her skills as a songwriter. Elli recorded her debut independent album entitled "A Beautiful Chaos" at age 15, and now as a polished and professional 19 year old she is working on her new record with famed vocal coach Jan Smith and her production team. Elli's percussive guitar playing, soulful voice, and intensely personal lyrics lend themselves to her unique style. Her biggest influences as a songwriter show her mature and eclectic musical tastes.-The Beatles, Elliott Smith, and Fiona Apple. One of Elli's greatest strengths as a musician is her live performance. She continuously wins over new fans with her emotional and honest stage prescence. She performs frequently around Atlanta, and the first 2 tracks from her new record can be found on her myspace page.


Elli's thoughts on Peter Vogl:"Working with Peter Vogl has enabled me to expand as a guitar player and as a songwriter. Peter is truly an artist and his ability to provoke the very best from his students is unparalleled. Peter has helped me to better understand my instrument, my technique, and what it is to be truly a musician."

Adam Harris Performance

A quick bit of advice and performance by Adam Harris. Adam is a Peter Vogl student and will perform an original solo over a G Minor Groove jam track from the Let's Jam Jazz & Blues CD.

Bio: Adam Harris has been playing guitar for nearly six years. He was in several bands in high school that played a wide variety of genres including jazz, funk, blues, latin, rock and reggae. He is currently studying music at Presbyterian College in South Carolina with an emphasis in Jazz improvisation. Adam’s influences include Larry Carlton, George Benson, Joe Pass, Eric Clapton and Trey Annastasio.

On Peter Vogl: Studying under Peter’s instruction has taken my guitar playing to a very advanced level. He improved my technique immensely, allowing myself to play at speeds I had only dreamed of prior to taking lessons with him. Peter has given me a great depth in knowledge in theory along with many essential aspects of the guitar.

Watch the performance in Quicktime Video.

Mike Rickard Guitar Performance

Guitar playing advice and performance by guitarist, and Peter Vogl student, Mike Rickard. In the video Mike performs his original song "Lucky". To hear more of his music, visit mikerickard.com or his myspace page.

View the Quicktime video performance.



Bio: Atlanta-based singer/songwriter Mike Rickard sang with several vocal groups while touring the US and internationally before he began writing his own music and playing the guitar. In 2004, he released his debut CD, the critically praised “Stirred Not Shaken.” The CD, a collection of self-penned songs, displays Mike’s sensitivity and humor in dealing with the big issues of life: things like fear, loss, and loneliness, to finding happiness and love. The title of the CD comes from the irreverent line from the gospel rock track, “Who I Am” – “So here’s to all the therapy I guess I should have taken/If I had to sum it up, I’ve been stirred but I’m not shaken.” Mike loves to share his music with live audiences at various festivals, clubs, coffeehouses, and home concerts. He plans to begin work on his second CD in the fall of 2007.

Mike's thoughts on Peter Vogl: Peter Vogl is a masterful guitar player and a great teacher. But he is more than that – he is a true artist. Peter continually challenges me to develop new skills; but more importantly, he has taught me that music comes not from perfect technique, but from truly believing in, and communicating through, my songs. He has taught me to look for interesting chord variations, to “change it up” and improvise to keep it fresh, and to be willing to make mistakes and learn from them. He has also taught me a lot about song structure and has been instrumental in my development as a songwriter.

View all of our performance videos

Johnny Winter Guitar Lesson and Youtube Vids

Jody Worrell has a new lesson out where you can learn some blues guitar licks in the style of Johnny Winter. The licks will focus on Johnny's note selection and trademark wide vibrato technique. Watch a preview of this lesson.

If you're unfamiliar with Johnny Winter check out this vintage performance and recent interview.

Blog Roundup: Reading Material for the Weekend

- Hometracked.com has an excellent post that includes audio examples of 10 recording bloopers that appear in famous songs.

- Guitar MX has a how to guide on makin your own guitar picks

- Gibson has an interview with Emmylou Harris about music, her guitar, and well... her love of the Atlanta Braves.

- All About Jazz has an interview with guitarist John McLaughlin

- Interesting article on Mel Bay from the Indianapolis Star.

- Mark McGuigan posts his favorite guitar related Youtube videos of the past month. Which includes the video below entitled "Tomatito Bulerias"

Youtube: The Making of a Gibson Guitar

A short video on the making of a Gibson guitar by the Travel Channel's Made in America. The clip features interviews with Steve Earl, Dan Seals, Joe Diffie as well as a fantastic tour of the Nashville factory.

Ukulele

The Guitarz Blog linked to an article from The Independent on the resurgence of the ukulele. Here's a sample:

"Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes plays ukulele on "Cleanse Song", a track on his latest album Cassadaga, while Bill Drummond, the anti-hero of KLF, says he's so in love with his uke that he takes it to bed with him. The new ukulele brotherhood also apparently includes Pete Doherty, one of an unlikely trail of stars who frequent Duke of Uke, Britain's only dedicated ukulele shop, which does a roaring business in London's Spitalfields."

So I decided to look around the web myself and see what ukulele stuff was out there. The Uke.com was the most informative site I found. Most helpful is probably their chord charts section

I also ran across two ukulele blogs if you'll believe it. The first is the Uke Club, which features songs and even cartoons. The second, Ukulelia, finds everything ukulele related on the web.

And if you just want to enjoy some good uke playing check out the video below.

Blog Roundup

- It's attack of the Giant Flying V Guitar over at Music Thing. Do you think they keep strings for that in stock at Guitar Center?

- Guitar Wars has a review of the complete overhaul Fender has done to their website.

- Gotta Strat? Wanna leave the world of relative obscurity behind for the fast paced and glitzy lifestyle of internet semi-fame? Head over to Me and My Strat, where they will post a picture of you and you gorgeous stratocaster.

- The Guitar Channel has a review of Robben Ford's new album. If you're looking to learn some Robben Ford style riffs you should check out our Altered Blues Licks lesson.

- Guitar Stuff brought our attention to a fantastic lesson by flatpicking great Brad Davis on double down up picking. The video starts off with a somewhat cheesy interview but later moves on to some truly valuable instruction. Take a look and see what you think.

Youtube: Pink Panther Finger Tapping

This guy's ability to play the bass and melody at the same time is quite inspiring. His right hand control and precision on the tapping is just fantastic.

You can check out Peter Vogl's lesson on tapping as well checking out all the videos we have on Youtube