Master the Guitar

with Colin Sapp

In this latest video, Colin demonstrates how to memorize pitch names on the fretboard one string at a time using the Chromatic Scale. For more in this series, check out the Lesson Videos page.

Fretboard Mapping

In this series of lessons, Colin outlines tools and techniques to map your knowledge of music theory to the guitar's fretboard, so it's available to you in a musical context.
Part 1  
Unlocking your fretboard is essential if you want to play guitar without limitations.
Part 2  
Applying theoretical knowledge to your instrument is an important step along your path to fretboard mastery.
Part 3  
In order to freely improvise outside of the proverbial “box” or be able to sightread a piece of music well on the guitar, one has to be able to see the pitches on their fretboard in as many ways as possible.
Part 4  
I hope you’ve gotten stronger at knowing your fretboard with the first three fretboard mapping lessons.

Playing Over Changes

In this series of lessons, Colin outlines techniques to help you better understand how to improvise over changes.
Part 1  
Improvising well over chord changes can be a major hurdle to overcome on the guitar.
Part 2  
As improvising guitarists, we need to be able to see possibilities on our fretboard in as many ways we can.
Part 3  
Targeting specific chord tones is a tried and true practice in many styles of music.
Part 4  
Knowing our chord tones all over the fretboard is an important first step when trying to play well over chord changes.

Song Breakdowns

Note-for-note breakdowns of notable pieces.
You’re Playing “Stairway to Heaven” Wrong!  
One of the most famous guitar songs of all time is undeniably “Stairway to Heaven”.