Overview

Course No. 7438

Perk up your ears to the stories behind unforgettable guitar-led songs—and the fire-fingered guitarists behind them. Hear the stories behind the music you know and love as Professor Colin McAllister walks you through the fascinating histories of some of our most iconic guitarists.

Video Lectures

01: Pink Floyd’s Second Guitarist: David Gilmour

David Gilmour wasn’t Pink Floyd’s first guitarist, but he was the band’s most well-known. Professor McAllister takes you into Gilmour’s early days and how he went from watching Pink Floyd to playing with them. See how his masterful string bending technique and lyrical vibrato has made him an icon.

Duration: 9 min

02: Eric Clapton’s Acoustic Blues

Eric Clapton got his first guitar when he was 13 and joined his first band a mere five years later. His unique mix of blues and rock brought him fame both as an ensemble player and as a soloist. Learn about his history as a musician and discover how to capture the heart of an acoustic blues piece as only Clapton can.

Duration: 8 min

03: The Watercolors of Pat Metheny

Jazz Guitarist Pat Metheny’s life changed within the first five seconds of hearing a Miles Davis record. Follow his road to success and how he bridged both the traditional and the new approaches to jazz with his innovative techniques. Discover the quiet beauty of his style through a waltz with loose rubato phrasing and arpeggio-based improvisation.

Duration: 11 min

04: Two-Handed Tapping with Eddie Van Halen

Van Halen’s guitarist was a fan of Eric Clapton and Cream, as well as Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin. He took the signature styles of his idols and made them his own with a two-handed tapping method, allowing him to play at a phenomenal speed. Find out more about Eddie Van Halen’s influences, style, and how he altered the perception of what rock guitar was.

Duration: 8 min

05: Andy McKee: 100 Million YouTube Views Later

The first guitarist to become a public sensation via social media, Andy McKee claims at the time he was first recorded, he “didn’t even really know what YouTube was.” It was just that medium that got him noticed by Tommy Emmanuel and Prince. Professor McAllister follows his road to becoming a guitar star.

Duration: 9 min

06: Surf’s Up: Dick Dale Channels the Ocean

The Del-Tones are well-known for bringing “surfing music” mainstream, but this iconic style started with Richard Monsour (later to become Dick Dale) and his cousin Ray Samra playing at the Rinky Dink Ice Cream Parlor in Newport Beach. Follow the evolution of Dale’s signature sound: instrumental, rocket-fueled guitar that sounds like surfing feels.

Duration: 8 min

07: The American Folk Ballad

Songs are frequently used to tell stories and histories. Nowhere is this practice more evident than with folk ballads. Professor McAllister walks you through the history of this practice and introduces singers and songwriters who have used music to depict their stories and the country they inhabited.

Duration: 12 min

08: Alex Lifeson and the Art of No Compromise

If you know Rush, you know they are anything but rushed. Combining heavy metal and progressive music, Rush was known as “the Canadian Led Zeppelin.” Follow the life of Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson from getting his first acoustic guitar at age 11 to becoming the “Musical Scientist” who invented “The Alex Chord.”

Duration: 7 min

09: Django Reinhardt and Gypsy Jazz

Born in a Romany encampment in Belgium, Django Reinhardt changed the music scene of 1930s Europe by introducing a swinging and folkloric version of jazz. Hear the turbulent story of Reinhardt’s music history and learn why diehard fans play two-finger arpeggios up the neck rather than four fingers across the neck.

Duration: 8 min

10: Andy Summers of The Police

It took phone calls from anonymous giggling girls after a school performance to make Andy Summers want to be a rock star. After a bumpy road, he landed with The Police, who allowed him to make “Every Breath You Take” his own. Learn more about Summer’s story and style.

Duration: 7 min

11: Muleskinners: Where Bluegrass Began

Explore the roots of Bluegrass, a uniquely American music style that emerged from English and Scottish folk songs combined with the isolation of early Appalachia. Professor McAllister introduces you to various Bluegrass stars such as Bill Monroe and Jimmy Martin.

Duration: 10 min

12: All Thumbs: The Wes Montgomery Revolution

A soulful melodist who played strictly with his thumb, Wes Montgomery changed the world of jazz guitar. Discover how this self-taught game-changer took up thumb strumming so his wife could sleep better while he practiced and other fascinating facets of his rise to fame.

Duration: 10 min

13: John McLaughlin: The Way Beyond

John McLaughlin may not be a name many people recognize, but the musicians he’s jammed with are notable, including Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix. Find out how his humble beginnings led him down a path of radical musical change.

Duration: 9 min

14: Adventures in Bossa Nova: Jobim and Gilberto

Explore the scope of Brazilian bossa nova and meet early innovators in this genre, including Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto. Learn about the exciting history of this style.

Duration: 10 min

15: Blue Note’s House Guitarist Grant Green

One of the most lyrical jazz guitarists, Grant Green was both a rival and an inspiration to fellow musicians. Get to know the man behind the Blue Note Records sound of the 1960s.

Duration: 9 min

16: Where Did Tal Farlow Go?

Professor McAllister takes you through the life and impact of Tal Farlow, a bebop jazz guitarist known for his rhythmic style. Learn about his innovative techniques that influenced future generations.

Duration: 9 min

17: Joni Mitchell in DADGAD

Dive into the flexible and nuanced strumming techniques of Joni Mitchell as Professor McAllister takes you through her history, starting with a ukulele and into the magic of her songwriting.

Duration: 9 min