Vivid Guitar

The newsletter for guitar players. Guitar lessons, today's top guitar players, guitar gear, and guitar news.

https://vividguitar.co/tag/newsletter/

Bite-sized guitar lessons & practice ideas, along with the most interesting guitar news, gear info, & more.

06/03/2026

🎸 NEW INTERVIEW: Dominyka Mauliūtė

Lithuanian guitarist Dominyka Mauliūtė has quickly become one of the most exciting young voices in jazz. In this interview, she shares how jazz taught her that there isn't just one "correct" way to express yourself, why sensitivity matters more than speed, and how philosophy influences her creative process.

We also discuss:
• Her current practice routine
• The influence of Wes Montgomery and Emily Remler
• Balancing technique with artistic authenticity
• Creating atmosphere with guitar and effects
• Her vision for immersive rock theatre performances

"If you're young, you often think becoming a good guitarist means becoming technically impressive. But music is really about emotional honesty and listening deeply."

Read the full interview at the link in the comments below.

06/01/2026

Based on guitarists interviews I've done, I created a FREE new guide called 'How Pros Practice; The practice habits of 20 professional jazz & improvisational guitarists'.

Discover the practice habits of 20 professional jazz & improvisational guitarists - featuring insights from Adam Levy, Cecil Alexander, Ariel Posen, Molly Miller, Tim Lerch, Charlie Ballantine, Scott Metzger, and more.

If you're interested, comment 'guitar' below, and I'll send you a link.

05/27/2026

Excited to share my latest interview with Will Brahm.

We talk about daily practice routines, the power of closed-position playing, staying melodic over fast-changing jazz harmony, and how he creates huge atmospheric textures in a trio setting without overplaying.

Will also shares insights on:
• Building fluency across the neck
• Improvising over complex changes
• Melody vs. harmony in composition
• His current live and recording setup
• Creating ambience with delay pedals
• His upcoming album TRUST and new single “In Dreams”

A thoughtful and inspiring conversation full of practical ideas for guitarists and musicians alike.

Read the full interview — link in comments.

05/20/2026

🎸 New interview with Harrison Whitford.

Harrison talks about improvisation, alternate tunings, songwriting, and the lessons he’s learned from playing with Phoebe Bridgers. He also shares insight into the making of Best of Kings, his project with Eli Hirsch, and why he tries to make playing guitar feel “as close to breathing as possible.”

Full interview at the link in comments.

05/06/2026

🎸 Guitarist Interview: Nick Granville

From jazz festivals to sessions with legends, Nick Granville has built a career around versatility, musicality, and deep improvisation.

In this interview, Nick breaks down:
• His evolving practice routine
• How he approaches improvisation
• What actually helps you improve (and what doesn’t)

If you're serious about getting better on guitar—this one’s worth your time.

👉 Read the full interview: vividguitar.co/interview-with-guitar-player-nick-granville/

04/28/2026

🎸 NEW INTERVIEW: Thor Jensen

From touring with Postmodern Jukebox to leading his own projects, Thor Jensen has built a career that blends rock, jazz, blues, and improvisation into a truly unique voice.

In this interview, we dive into:
• How he approaches practice and growth
• His perspective on collaboration and creativity
• Lessons from working across genres
• What it really takes to evolve as a guitarist

If you're serious about improving your playing and musical mindset, this is one you don’t want to miss.

👉 Read it here: vividguitar.co/thor-jensen-guitarist-interview/

04/14/2026

🎸 New Interview on Vivid Guitar

I recently caught up with guitarist, composer, and educator Jack Handyside to talk about his approach to practice, creativity, and counterpoint.

In this interview, Jack shares insights on learning jazz standards deeply, keeping a practice journal, collecting small musical “seeds” for composition, and how exploring counterpoint can expand the way guitarists think about melody and harmony. He also talks about the gear he’s been using lately—including his D'Angelico Guitars Deluxe Mini DC, which has become his go-to guitar for gigs and sessions.

🔗 Read the full interview: https://vividguitar.co/interview-with-guitar-player-jack-handyside/

02/17/2026

➡️ Just dropped: New interview with guitarist Adam Brisbin!

Perhaps best known for his guitar work with , Adam's playing is defined by space, feel, and purpose. In this interview, he discusses how restraint, listening, and trust have become central to his musical identity.

02/12/2026

Check out this 2-octave arpeggio riff that Julian Lage occasionally works into his solos.

While 2-octave arpeggio runs are certainly not uncommon across jazz and other genres, what Julian sometimes does is play the root note twice.

In these examples (which are shown in both B Major and B Minor), we play 4-note clusters.

The first part of the phrase (the first 4 notes) ends on B. Julian often repeats that same note on a different string - in this case the 14th fret on the A string. The examples below have this riff ascending and descending.

-For more bite-sized guitar lessons like this, subscribe to the Vivid Guitar newsletter at https://vividguitar.co

02/10/2026

In this week's Vivid Guitar newsletter, we showcased great folk guitarist and singer Jake Xerxes Fussell ().

Jake is a master of making old songs feel new again. Instead of writing original material, he reshapes traditional American folk songs with his own voice, touch, and thoughtful arrangements — connecting the past to the present in a way that feels both timeless and personal. 🎶

Raised in Durham, NC by folklorist Fred Fussell, Jake grew up surrounded by field recordings, songbooks, and visiting musicians — a foundation that shaped his deep respect for tradition and storytelling.

His playing and singing are gentle, precise, and never flashy. He keeps his tone simple: a Telecaster straight into a Fender Deluxe or Princeton Reverb — no pedals, no fuss, just feel.

With albums like Out of Sight, What in the Natural World, and Good and Green Again, Jake continues to bring centuries-old songs into the modern world without losing their soul.

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