The Art of Music-Making on a 2-String Cigar Box Guitar If you are reading this blog post, you likely already own a cigar box guitar or are considering buying one. But have you ever played a two-string before? I admit I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of playing a...
Accelerate Your Musical Journey: 25 Expert Tips for Rapid Instrument Learning You likely don’t need to be reminded that only consistent practice will help you achieve your goals. Ultimately, it does come down to the time spent on the instrument. No matter how...
Unleashing the Blues: Mastering Dominant 7th Chords on Your Cigar Box Guitar If you play blues on your cigar box guitar, you must learn several ways of playing a dominant 7th chord. Dominant 7th chords are used in all styles of music, from classical to rock, country...
“Sleepwalk” by Johnny and Santo is a classic instrumental track covered by countless musicians. It was initially released in 1959 and became an instant hit, largely thanks to its beautiful melody and unique instrumentation. Sleepwalk featured Santo Farina...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will learn one of the most famous, if not the most famous, blues songs of all time – The Thrill is Gone. The song was written by Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell in 1951, but it was B.B. King’s recording in 1969 that...
Today’s cigar box guitar lesson will look at two country classics. The first is Lefty Frizzell’s “The Long Black Veil,” followed by a song that needs no introduction, “Tennessee Waltz.” Both tunes have found a place in the top 100...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will learn Blues Jam #2. One notable difference is that I’ve added some rhythm using a guitar looper pedal and a few other effects like the octave pedal. You don’t need a looper pedal to learn this blues jam – just a...
If you are a beginner at cigar box guitar, one of the first things you will want to learn is how to play a few basic chords. In a recent cigar box guitar lesson we learnt how to play 10 major chords. In today’s lesson, we will learn 10 minor chord shapes you should...
Classical music on a 3-string cigar box guitar is likely not the first thing you would think to play, but I have to say it works pretty well! Of course, there are limitations with only 3 strings, but that is why it works. You can’t add more than the melody and the...
Hello, here are a few Christmas holiday classics arranged for the 3 and 4-string cigar box guitar in GDG and GDGB tuning. We will learn one tune with the slide and the other with fingerpicking.  The first tune is O Christmas Tree and is suitable for most beginner...
Top 10 Tips for Better Music Rhythm If I could sum up the most requested question after 30 years of teaching music, it would be “I need help with strumming and rhythm.” While some students get rhythm right away, most need many hours of practice to develop...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will use your slide to jam on a 12 bar roots/blues.  We will learn to play some chords with the slide and review 5 basic slide techniques all players need to know. Check out the exercise videos and tabs below and download the...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, let’s learn 10 major chord shapes you should know. If you are a beginner at cigar box guitar, the first thing you will want to learn is how to play a few basic chords. We will use the open G tuning on the 3-string tuned G-D-G. ...
Do you use your fingers when playing the cigar box guitar? Do you want to find some fingerpicking patterns you can learn to sound better? Then maybe it’s time to master one of the most popular guitar fingerstyle techniques and apply it to your 3 or 4-string cigar box...
Improvising a music solo is intimidating when you first start out and also if you are a seasoned player. There is so much to consider when you make a solo. The theoretical part of knowing which scales to use to the emotional intent must be taken into account. It can...
Don Tucker handcrafts 3 and 4 string cigar box guitars and custom instruments from the Niagara region in Canada and owner of Blue Boy Guitars Canada. He was employed for 40 years as an aircraft fitter, retiring from Airbus Helicopters in Fort Erie. Don says...
Learning how to play the slide guitar can be one of the most expressive ways to play the guitar, be free of your tempered fret tuning, and seamlessly glide between notes. To make your guitar sing like an angel or stutter like a motorbike is possible with this tiny...
Cigar Box Guitars (CBG) are as you picture them—an instrument made with a cigar box, a wooden neck and steel strings attached. The instrument has grown in popularity as DIY kits, and building plans became readily available for hobbyists. However, the first mention of...
In today’s cigar box guitar lesson, we will learn Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. This is an approachable tune that would be a good challenge for a relative beginner player. You will need to understand how to read cigar box guitar tablature to play along with the video...
As complex as music theory may seem, always keep in mind, “theory is a means to an end” and not an end in itself. In other words, theory can only take you so far. Eventually, to play music, try to lock into the song’s particular feeling and play from...
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