Extreme close-up of a weathered electric guitar fretboard and strings
Lesson 01

The riff that changed everything

A guitarist striking the strings of a vintage electric guitar

Technical notes

Mastering the swing feel is non-negotiable. This isn't about speed; it's about the space between the notes.

Focus on the downstroke attack. The aggression comes from the wrist, snapping down on the low E and A strings. Mute the A string with the pad of your index finger when playing the octave shapes.

Essential gear

  • Gibson Les Paul Standard Bridge pickup, tone rolled off to 7.
  • Marshall JCM800 2203 Preamp 8, master 4, mids pushed.
  • Ernie Ball 11–48 Heavy bottom required for drop tuning stability.

Course timeline

Module 1 of 3
  1. 01 The riff
  2. 02 Swing feel
  3. 03 Bends
  4. 04 Vibrato
  5. 05 Arpeggios
  6. 06 Tone sculpt
  7. 07 Rhythm
  8. 08 Performance