jeffrey pepper rodgers

Learn an arrangement of the Grateful Dead’s classic “Box of Rain,” played on two guitars with different tunings and capo positions.

Learn a simple way to create powerful and distinctive chord voicings.

A dropped-D flatpicking arrangement of the great traditional song popularized by the Grateful Dead.

Learn the perennial favorite “Old Man,” from the signature riff to the chord shapes and groove.

Explore open-string chord shapes up the neck that give you alternate-tuning-like sounds with easy fingerings—while staying in standard tuning.

Play a funky dropped-D guitar arrangement of the classic traditional song, inspired by the Grateful Dead.

Introducing “Don’t Let AI Write Your Stinking Song”: a co-writing experiment with ChatGPT.

Learn an acoustic arrangement of the Cream classic, played in dropped-D tuning.

Learn how to play the original George Harrison guitar riff, and then how to adapt it for other keys and other songs.

Learn an acoustic arrangement of Don Henley’s classic song, with a guitar adaptation of the original synthesizer riff.

Dylan traces songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Boots of Spanish Leather” back to the folk songs that inspired them. An annotated excerpt from his 2015 MusiCares speech, with an accompanying playlist.

Try this exercise to improve your fretting finger dexterity and strength and practice alternate picking too.

Here’s a great exercise for warming up and playing melodies and lead too.

Read a deep-dive interview/profile on my path as a musician, writer, and editor.

Video lesson on the guitar style of Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins, with examples from their album Celebrants.

Video lesson with examples based on songs by Neil Young, James Taylor, Janis Ian, Dave Matthews, and more

Learn a fingerstyle guitar arrangement of the Jimmy Cliff classic from The Harder They Come.

A songwriter’s guide to arranging and performing other people’s songs

Tips and exercises to help you get out of ruts and discover new territory on the guitar

Learn the correct tuning and the intro riff for the Brandi Carlile’s Joni Mitchell–esque song.