Latest articles by Jimmy Leslie
GP Presents Julian Lage, January 18 - January 21 in San Francisco – win tickets
Lage epitomizes modern jazz guitar, and he’s going to be the Resident Artistic Director at SF Jazz over the third weekend of January, holding court at the Miner Auditorium
Gear of the Year: The best guitars, amps, pedals and more of 2023
Our guide to the greatest guitars, amps, pedals and accessories of 2023, handpicked by the Guitar Player team
GP Presents Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew’s Remain in Light, with X, December 30 in San Francisco – Win Tickets
GP Presents has joined forces with Goldenvoice for a Talking Heads rave up to round out the year at the Warfield Theatre
”If you don’t get your act together, then you can’t expect your band to be.” Session player and bandleader Ben Misterka shares his wisdom on playing savvy in the post-pandemic world
With performance budgets crunched to the max, life on the road these days is more challenging than ever. Here’s how to make the most of your opportunities
Plastic-free and fully FSC-certified, with a hemp gig bag, the Martin OM Biosphere must be one of the greenest guitars ever – but is it any good?
Martin’s second über-environmental guitar: the OM Biosphere reviewed
GP Presents Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel with GA-20, November 13 in San Francisco – win tickets!
Find out how you can win tickets to an evening of fiery Southern rock and blues
Adrian Belew recounts his audition with Frank Zappa: "We sat on his purple couch. I placed my Pignose amplifier face down on it so I could get a little bit of sustain... At the end of it, he reached out his hand and said, ‘You got the job’"
Belew got the gig in the end, but his audition was anything but smooth sailing...
Struggling to string bend on your acoustic? Here are 4 simple tricks that will help…
Outside of the box ideas for making string bending easier on an acoustic guitar
“Paul Reed Smith chooses wood like Stradivari, who used to walk around the Dolomites in Italy tapping on trees, saying, ‘I’ll take that one, not that one.’ He’s a maniac”: John McLaughlin on reuniting with Shakti, his bad year, and his signature PRS
As he reunites his Indo-jazz supergroup Shakti, John McLaughlin talks harmony, rhythm and good wood
GP Presents Pat Metheny, November 3-5 in Berkeley, CA – win tickets!
The jazz guitar legend is supporting his new solo guitar album, Dream Box, with solo shows in smaller venues, offering audiences an intimate look and listen to his signature style
How to Ditch the Pick and Engage Your Strongest Digits for Powerful Fingerstyle Action
Get inspired and expand your technique using this short lesson
The Acoustic Guitar Player’s Guide to Using Fake Nails
Once your nails are ready to roll, the power and flexibility of full fingerstyle will be literally at your fingertips
Hear These Fine Vintage Martins in Action on Collector and Bluegrass Ambassador Gary Brewer’s Latest Cut, ‘House of Axes’
‘House of Axes’ is a straight-shooting showcase for Brewgrass’s rarest and most prized acoustics from a collection of more than 100 vintage Martins
Bluegrass Master Gary Brewer of the Kentucky Ramblers Shares Some Guitar Pick Wisdom
Cop some plectrum pointers from a seasoned acoustic pro
L.R. Baggs HiFi High-Fidelity Acoustic Bridge Plate Pickup System Review
For ushering in a new chapter at one of the most innovative companies in the acoustic-electric arena, HiFi earns an Editors’ Pick Award
How to Advance Your Hybrid-Picking Technique in Four Easy Steps
Make the most of these simple exercises and tips and you’ll have a million songs in myriad styles at your fingertips
Five Great Ways to Improve Your Thumb Technique and Make Your Sound Stand Out
Free your thumb and fabulous fingerstyle will follow
“Success in Our Business Has Very Little Relation to Making Moving, Emotionally Meaningful Music”: Milk Carton Kids Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan Are Leading a Modern Folk Revival
While their exquisite new album, ‘I Only See the Moon,’ continues to draw high praise the Americana duo points the way for fellow artists and music fans with the ambitious Los Angeles Folk Festival
‘GP’ Presents Shakti 50th Anniversary Tour September 9 in San Francisco, CA – Win Tickets!
John McLaughlin brings his worldly ensemble to Davies Symphony Hall via SFJAZZ
“When Using an Open Tuning, Music Theory and Thinking in Terms of Scales and Chords Goes out the Window”: Acoustic Master Peppino D’Agostino Shares Insights Into Making Musical Magic
The “Transcendent Acoustic Superhero” explains how to free your mind and open the door to new creative possibilities using alternate tunings
Fishman AFX Mini Acoustic Pro EQ Mini, Broken Record, AcoustiVerb and Pocket Blender Effects Pedal Reviews
Fishman joins the revolution for effects tailored to acoustic guitars with four AFX Mini pedals
‘GP’ Presents Tab Benoit August 20 in San Francisco, CA – Win Tickets!
The Louisiana bluesman points west at the majestic Great American Music Hall
Four Easy Ways to Discover New Ideas on Acoustic Guitar
Shake up your songwriting using these simple tips
