New course, Beach Boys, Weezer & Brighton Guitar Show news

In this video

Connect with Andy and other AAA members between live sessions with the Andy Guitar AAA Discord community - the link is on the membership page here.

Quick summary!

  • New Beginner Electric Course levels 1-5 live from July 1st!

  • Andy is doing a live clinic/ workshop at the Brighton Guitar show on July 5th - info and tickets here

  • Weezer, Green Day and Beach Boys songs covered in depth during this livestream

We kicked off this bonus live stream by catching up with members and sharing some exciting news. After missing a few Monday sessions, we wanted to reconnect with the community and announce that the new electric guitar beginner's course will be launching on July 1st. The first five levels will be available initially, with more content to follow throughout the year. We also mentioned we'll be doing a clinic at the Brighton Guitar Show on July 5th, focusing on ear training techniques.

The new electric guitar course represents a significant departure from the acoustic beginner's course, and we explained how electric guitar techniques require different approaches to familiar concepts. We demonstrated how basic chords like G major and A major are taught differently for electric guitar, emphasizing rock-friendly fingerings and power chord foundations. The course incorporates more single-note work earlier on, including Stone Roses-inspired jam tracks and focuses on techniques that work better with overdrive and distortion.

Throughout the stream, we worked through several song requests from members, including detailed breakdowns of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" and "Say It Ain't So," as well as Sweet Home Alabama.

We demonstrated our ear training skills by figuring out "Crash" by The Primitives on the spot, showing how songs often use similar chord progressions and explaining the connections between different tracks. This led to discussions about how many popular songs share the same basic chord structures (one-four-five progressions).

We addressed technical questions from members, particularly around picking technique and fretting accuracy. We emphasized the importance of keeping arm tension minimal while maintaining pick control, and suggested that some players might naturally be better suited to fingerpicking rather than using a pick. We referenced guitar legends like Jeff Beck who abandoned picks entirely, encouraging students to find what works best for them individually.

The session concluded with us exploring some Beach Boys material, working through "Surfin' USA" and attempting "Good Vibrations," showcasing the complex rhythmic patterns and chord progressions that make these songs both challenging and rewarding to learn. We reminded everyone about the regular Monday live streams returning to normal schedule and encouraged students to submit questions through the Discord community for future sessions.


Join me here on the website for weekly live sessions where we can work directly on your playing & give the feedback needed for you to move forward and get inspired!

Every week we cover topics such as:

  • How to make the most of your practice time

  • Songs and exercises at your level and based on your music taste

  • How you can stay motivated and maximise your progress

You can also request a tutorial for a song YOU want to learn and Andy will teach it during the session live! Each live stream is automatically available as a replay so you can catch up anytime and never miss a beat!

Connect with Andy and other AAA members between live sessions with the Andy Guitar AAA Discord community - the link is on the membership page here.

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