Altered tunings can provide a wealth of inspiration when it comes to composing and exploring new avenues on the guitar, forcing you to think differently about chord voicings and making possible parts that are unplayable in standard tuning. Open D – where the guitar is simply tuned to a D chord – is a fantastic, rich-sounding tuning and the perfect place to start the journey if you’ve never tried alternate tunings.

No matter what level you’re at, your playing will always benefit from a good warm-up before practice or performance sessions. We all know that warming up can be dull though, so fresh inspiration is always welcome - and that’s just what Elixir® Strings artist Scott Goldbaum delivers with this short video tutorial!

When it comes to fingerstyle guitar, the traditional alternating thumb technique is a tried and tested way of filling out the bass parts with your picking hand. It provides a rhythmic drive and can outline simple basslines, perfect for solo performances.

Unlocking the fretboard and being able to play chords all over the neck is one of the most useful skills for a guitar player to master. Having the knowledge to locate chords all over the fingerboard allows you to be really creative with rhythm parts – and it will help with your soloing as well. 

Moving fingers “inside” chord shapes while keeping others in place can be a surprising challenge that requires practice, particularly where large fretting hand stretches are involved. So finding warm-ups that allow you to drill these moves, while also sounding good, can be really useful in improving accuracy and finger flexibility.

Nashville tuning is one of the classic "best kept secrets" of studio guitarists, and can add a beautiful, shimmering high-end to acoustic or electric rhythm guitar parts. Far from being a complicated alternate tuning, Nashville tuning simply requires the use of the "thin strings" from a 12-string guitar set, tuned as normal.

Rhumba-style chord progressions are an instantly-identifiable part of the New Orleans blues sound, but they're mainly associated with piano players like Professor Longhair and Dr John. The syncopated, rolling groove is adaptable for guitar with a little work however, and will add an unusual, distinctive rhythmic tool to your arsenal.

One of the wonderful, unique things about the acoustic guitar is the extent to which it allows you to introduce a percussive edge to your playing. The bright, powerful sound of steel strings combined with a resonant body allows for real expression and tonal variety when using hammer-ons and slap techniques. Add in the use of harmonics - those beautiful, ringing fundamental tones - and you have a recipe for a really dynamic style.

Acoustic guitar legend Alex de Grassi adds expression to his melodies with slides, hammer ons and pull offs.  Watch as he shows these 3 legato phrasing techniques to create fluidity and texture. 

Develop your fingerstyle techniques with these acoustic percussive slap exercises from Maneli Jamal.

In this acoustic guitar lesson, Marc Seal teaches us common bass-style techniques like slapping and popping to coax some different sounds from your acoustic.

In this easy-to-follow percussive harmonics lesson, Maneli Jamal demonstrates how to get this full and rich sound.

Use this easy riff to improve your hybrid picking.

Maneli Jamal demonstrates how to get percussive elements out of the acoustic guitar while playing a chord progressions in 4/4.

Fingerstyle master Alex de Grassi demonstrates the use dynamics (volume variations) to highlight and contrast the interplay between the thumb and fingers; and to add color, nuance, and refinement to any guitar performance.  

Seasoned guitarist Marc Seal demonstrates how to arpeggiate (play chords one note at a time) more efficiently and accurately using a technique known as “pick leading.”

Fingerstyle master Alex de Grassi demonstrates how to get the best tone, and more volume, from your acoustic guitar using the “preloaded free stroke.”

Endorsing artist Massimo Varini gives a close-up demo of his hybrid picking and percussive slap chops. Learn how to use these percussive techniques on your acoustic guitar to create a real beat.

Endorsing artist Ben Montague explains how experiences can inspire lyrics, chords can spark melodies and how he makes choruses "as big as possible." Learn this acclaimed British solo artist's songwriting tips. 

Mike Eldred, Elixir Strings endorsing artist, has been called "The best unknown guitarist in America." Watch as he demonstrates how to play key blues guitar turnarounds. Try playing different turnarounds to add variety to your blues. 

National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, Pete Huttlinger, demonstrates a terrific exercise to develop fret hand control. 

Los Angeles session guitarist, songwriter and teacher, Tom Strahle, talks about the importance of acoustic players knowing many grooves.  

Hudson Taylor, the Dublin folk duo, explain their jam-led approach to songwriting and reveal how they build complementary parts on two acoustic guitars. Hudson Taylor is made up of brothers Alfie and Harry.

Los Angeles session guitarist, songwriter, teacher and endorsing Elixir® Strings artist, Tom Strahle, shares what it takes to make it in the studio scene. 

Endorsing Elixir^® Strings artist Ulli Boegershausen shows how to arrange Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting For You" for acoustic guitar. 

Endorsing artist Tom Crouch breaks down the techniques behind his unique cover of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky." Tom slows the pace to show how chords combine with percussive effects to turn his acoustic into a one-man band. 

This is classic Phil Keaggy. If one capo is good, two are better. In addition to capos, he integrates looping into the demonstration. 

Elixir^® Strings caught up with George Marinelli while he was on the road with Bonnie Raitt. He talked about how he uses alternate tunings. 

Shun shares how he practices improvising, rhythms and more. 

Elixir^® Strings endorsing artist Arthur Lee Land shows, step by step, the art of looping. From percussion to banjo, watch as he builds the tracks for his song "Into the Waters." 

Eric Bibb discusses and demonstrates finger picking, good groove and guitar bass-line techniques.

While a bass player’s main role is generally to lock in with the drummer and make the music feel great (and the rest of the band sound great!), there’s always room for adding a little spice to your b-lines. 

While sustain and bright-sounding tone is sometimes exactly what you need for a bass part, there are times when punchy, fat, shorter notes are what’s called for. Motown-style lines, for example, often need that rounded, muted tone.

Although it’s often overlooked, warming up is one of the most important parts of your practice schedule. A good routine not only starts to gently stretch your hands and help to avoid injury, but helps to reinforce mind-muscle connection, which in turn will improve note targeting and articulation in both hands.

We all know that practicing is key to continuous improvement as a musician. There's no escaping the need to put in the time to develop great technique, but warming up even before a practice session or gig is equally important. Without warming up, your hands won't work efficiently, your technique will suffer and you increase the risk of injury too. But warming up is even more boring than practicing, right?

The most popular and solid interval in creating a bass line.

A common bridging technique in jazz and blues.

Take it to the next level with 16ths.

Endorsing artist Chris Hargreaves walks through the bass looping techniques he uses with Submotion Orchestra, demonstrating how even non-virtuosos can achieve atmospheric soundscapes and percussive effects with a blend of echo, reverb, delay, EQ and panning. 

Top session bassist and endorsing artist Dave Marks believes a knowledge of FX makes a musician more versatile and therefore, more employable. Watch as he talks us through his pedalboard - from drive to flange - giving insider tips and tricks for each stompbox. 

Hadrien Feraud shows us his warm up exercise. It starts out slow, but ends crazy fast. How fast can you play Flight of the Bumblebee?

Friend and German endorsing artist Hellmut Hattler gives us a quick look at how he uses a pick to get his distinct sound. 

Watch and listen as Yolanda demonstrates the exercise she uses to practice syncopation with drummer Phil Gould. 

Need help with your tapping technique? Watch as Derek Jones, Bassist for KÅ by Cirque du Soleil, shows us his tips for bass tapping.

Improve your timing and groove. Practice with a metronome! Check out personal tips from Derek Jones, Bassist for KÅ by Cirque du Soleil, for the best way to practice bass with a metronome. 

Want to improve chordal progressions? Watch as Derek Jones, Bassist for KÅ by Cirque du Soleil, performs. 

Bassist for KÅ by Cirque du Soleil, Derek Jones, demonstrates tips for great fretless bass intonation. 

Session luminary and Elixir^® Strings endorsing artist Yolanda Charles makes grooving on a busy bassline and counterpoint vocal look simple. Here she walks us through the art of juggling melody and rhythm using "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers. 

To prevent endless tweaking, your first move is to grasp each string where it passes over the pickups and gently pull it upwards away from the body, so eliminating slack at the nut, bridge and tuners.

John Carruthers shows us the proper way to fix a strap button. 

Rob Magargal at the Taylor Guitars repair facility shares how they clean and maintain guitars. 

Professional guitar technician and international roadie, Ryan Huddleston, shows 7 tips to troubleshoot why your electric guitar won’t stay in tune.

Professional guitar technician and international roadie, Ryan Huddleston, demos 9 tips to troubleshoot noise in your electric rig.

Is your guitar covered in grunge? John Carruthers will show you the best way to clean your electric guitar. 

Are the electronics on your guitar crackling? John Carruthers shows you how to clean your guitars electronics. 

John Carruthers shares tricks for making your restringing effort much easier.

John Carruthers shows us the proper way to adjust the Stratocaster Guitar Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. This is a 4 step series. 

John Carruthers shows us the proper way to adjust the Tune-o-Matic Guitar Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. This is a 4 step series. 

Learn how to restring your Bigsby equipped guitar with this simplified technique.

John Carruthers shows us the proper way to repair a broken jack. 

Is your bass covered in grunge? John Carruthers will show you the best way to clean your bass guitar.

Are the electronics on your bass crackling? John Carruthers shows you how to clean your bass electronics. 

Jeff Suta at Ibanez shows us how to tune a bass guitar. 

John Carruthers shows us the proper way to set up your Bass. This is a 4 part series. Videos include adjusting the Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. 

The string gauge used on an acoustic guitar makes a huge contribution not only to how the guitar feels but how it sounds and how it responds to changes in tuning etc. So it's a really important consideration. If you always buy the same string gauge out of habit, it's worth taking some time to think about whether they're really the best option for you.

In addition to the choice of which gauge of string to use on your acoustic guitar, the type of string is an important consideration. Elixir® acoustic strings are available in both 80/20 Bronze and Phosphor Bronze, but which one is right for you? And what are the differences in the way they sound?

Your preferred playing style - whether strumming with a pick or fingerstyle - has an impact on how your acoustic guitar needs to be set up. There's no "one size fits all" approach, just as no single string gauge suits everyone. In this video, master luthier Ron Ruggiero (who apprenticed under Roger Sadowsky and now operates Ruggiero’s Guitar Workshop in Yardley, PA.) shows the steps necessary to get your instrument playing exactly as you needed.

It's very good idea to experiment with different gauging – but it's essential that you prepare your instrument's setup before changing your gauge.

Rob Magargal at the Taylor Guitars repair facility shares how they restring guitars after cleaning the body. 

Jeff Suta at Ibanez shows us how they replace strings in the Ibanez workshop.

John Carruthers demonstrates in this how-to video the steps to take when restringing your bass guitar. 

Fingerstyle master Alex de Grassi demonstrates the use dynamics (volume variations) to highlight and contrast the interplay between the thumb and fingers; and to add color, nuance, and refinement to any guitar performance.  

Los Angeles session guitarist, songwriter, teacher and endorsing Elixir® Strings artist, Tom Strahle, shares what it takes to make it in the studio scene. 

Hudson Taylor, the Dublin folk duo, explain their jam-led approach to songwriting and reveal how they build complementary parts on two acoustic guitars. Hudson Taylor is made up of brothers Alfie and Harry.

Endorsing artist Ben Montague explains how experiences can inspire lyrics, chords can spark melodies and how he makes choruses "as big as possible." Learn this acclaimed British solo artist's songwriting tips.