John Bohlinger
John Bohlinger is a Nashville guitar-slinger best known for his work in television including leading the band for six seasons of NBC's hit program "Nashville Star" and the CMT Music Awards from 2009 through 2023. The consummate Nashville sideman, John has accompanied countless stars like Sheryl Crow, Joe Walsh, Jordin Sparks, Leann Rimes, Trace Adkins, Hank Williams Jr, Kenny Rogers, and The Beach Boys. A versatile multi-instrumentalist, John has recorded master sessions on electric and acoustic guitars, bass, pedal steel, and mandolin. John's songs have been recorded by many artists including Lee Brice, Joe Walsh, Chrissie Hynde, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. John writes a monthly column entitled "Last Call" for Premiere Guitar Magazine about the life of a Nashville touring musician. John is also Premiere Guitar's online Rig Rundown host and demo dude.
Elle Cordova
Elle Cordova is a songwriter and content creator based in Los Angeles, CA. In 2016, she began a song-a-week series on her YouTube channel Sunday Mornings HQ with collaborator and guitarist Toni Lindgren, and those videos have amassed over 120 million views and a dedicated following. She is also known for her viral space poetry, nerd culture raps, and short-form comedy sketches which she shares across other social media.
Sean Daniel
Sean Daniel is a man. A man of simple needs and desires. And the one desire, no, the one NEED, that stands above all is to spread the challenges, joy, and intellectual stimulus of music to people of Earth and beyond. Born on the mean streets of upper-middle-class suburban Chicago, Sean learned the ways of the world through the dizzying heights of success to the lonesome depths of failure and emerged with the promise of a better tomorrow reflected in his eyes and fiery passion in his belly. He plays and teaches guitar on his YouTube channel where he regularly releases original music and projects to the adulation of legions of fans, who often compare him to Chris Pratt and, one time, Ryan Reynolds. He’s currently in the market for a nice leather jacket.
Steve Howe
Since the 1960s, Steve Howe has been at the forefront of guitarists in popular music. Actually, simply referring to Howe as a just a guitarist is limiting. In addition to being a songwriter, he plays more instruments than just the guitar. If it has strings and a fretboard, Howe has mastered it and recorded with it at some point on one of the countless albums he’s been a part of as a group member, solo artist, and special guest.
Jimmy Leslie
Jimmy Leslie is the Frets Editor at Guitar Player, spearheading acoustic content since 2016. He also coordinates GP Presents events, sponsored by Martin Strings. Leslie is a “freehand” guitarist with a percussive style and a soaring singer. His primary artistic endeavor is Spirit Hustler playing modern classic rock born of an acoustic heart and layered with cosmic electricity. Spirit Hustler dropped its debut in 2022 and the epic first cut “The Spirit of ’69” showcases Leslie’s fingerstyle on the OM-28 Modern Deluxe he used to write the tune. The official video includes clips of Leslie playing it at the Martin Museum on an HD-28 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.
Brooke Ligertwood
Brooke Ligertwood is an esteemed platinum recording artist and Grammy-award-winning songwriter, producer, and worship leader. With a passion for art and theology, Brooke has served the church globally through her long-established tenure of writing congregational anthems, whilst also maintaining a mainstream career of over two decades under her maiden name, Brooke Fraser.
Steve Miller
Steve Miller is an American guitarist, lead singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the founder and only remaining original member of the Steve Miller Band, which he founded in 1966. He began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more pop-oriented arena rock genre during the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, releasing popular singles and albums. Martin recognized Steve Miller with Limited Edition Signature Models in 2000, 2005, and 2010. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and still tours to sold-out audiences throughout the world.
Zach Myers
Getting a guitar on your 12th birthday and a record deal by your 14th is not something Zach Myers had in his cards. Fast forward six years from 14, and Zach joined Shinedown and began a whirlwind career that has seen the band receive the honor of having the most Billboard Active Rock # 1 songs in the chart's history, along with the most top 10’s in the chart's history. Zach’s love of guitar has never changed or faded. Since he saw John Prine as a young boy playing a Martin, he knew that’s where he wanted his acoustic guitar home to be.
Paul Riario
Paul Riario has been the tech/gear editor and online video presence for Guitar World for over 25 years. Paul is one of the few gear editors who has actually played and owned nearly all the original gear that most guitarists wax poetically about, and has survived this long by knowing every useless musical tidbit of classic rock, new wave, hair metal, grunge, and alternative genres. When Paul is not riding his road bike at any given moment, he remains a working musician, playing in two bands called Super Trans Am and Radio Nashville.
samuraiguitarist
Samuraiguitarist is a Guitarist, YouTuber, and Samurai. Born in the Manitoba prefecture of Canada, he honed his discipline under the study of the country's most powerful musical sensei. Bred on rock, raised on the blues, and trained in jazz, samuraiguitarist creates incredibly innovative videos that showcase his talents on the guitar.
Mary Spender
Combining her sultry voice and electric guitar to create rock songs infused with blues and soul, Mary Spender’s songwriting showcases her virtuosic style of guitar playing as well as her wide vocal range. Mary has amassed over 70 million views on her YouTube channel with over 650k subscribers watching her weekly videos on life as a 21st-century musician.
Ask the Experts | November 29, 2023
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is just learning acoustic guitar, what would it be?
John Bohlinger
It’s not a competition. Enjoy the journey.
Elle Cordova
Just make a promise to yourself to get past the fingertip callus stage no matter what. By the time you get your calluses, you'll be pretty much unstoppable, and it only gets more rewarding and enjoyable from there.
Sean Daniel
I would advise people not to be a hero and put some light gauge strings on. There’s no shame in .10s on an acoustic guitar and it’ll make the early days a lot easier. Then as you naturally progress and become stronger, you can start to gauge up, eventually working your way to .13s and arguing with people at music stores about the thickness of your tone, even though nobody in the audience will ever care.
Steve Howe
Besides actual playing, think about the fingerboard. Learn and try things in different places on it in your head.
Jimmy Leslie
Just play. Don’t worry about the “right” way or the “wrong” way. There’s plenty of time for that later, but you only get one chance to do what comes completely natural to you in blissful ignorance before people start telling you what to do.
Brooke Ligertwood
Your finger pads will never be the same, but they will adjust.
Zach Meyers
Just keep going. If you get frustrated, take a walk and come back. There’s so many advantages to learning guitar now as opposed to when I did. I didn’t have YouTube or even the internet for that matter. I had cassette tapes.
Steve Miller
Relax, take your time, and enjoy yourself.
Paul Riario
Stick with it, even if you play a few minutes a day. Also, find a friend who is also learning and jam together.
Samuraiguitarist
Make sure the guitar isn't fighting against you. If your action is sky-high, if it won't stay in tune, if it is hard to play, if it's grimy, then no matter how many good practice habits you implement, it isn't going to be fun. Learning to play on a guitar that is a mess is like trying to learn how to swim in quicksand.
Mary Spender
Leave it somewhere visible, like on the sofa, or in a guitar stand, so you’re always tempted to pick it up, even if it’s just for a few moments. Little and often works so well when you’re starting out, but out of sight is definitely out of mind, so keep it in view. It’s too gorgeous to hide away in a cupboard!