The Acoustic Asylum

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a new rule of the Asylum: stop torturing yourself with the way you learn. Most guitarists quit because they think they’re not good enough, but often it’s cause the way they’re learning is actually torturing them. There is a better way. I take you through the most common mistakes people make and how to avoid them. Listen to discover the best ways you can appr...

Today, we’re going to talk about one of the Gatekeeper’s favourite pastimes, which is making you remember less. We’re going to flip it on its head so you can remember more and easier. I’m going to give you a test and a fun piece to play that will help your memory. A lot of students are frustrated about having poor memory, but there’s a method and technique to remembering. Take a listen to the epis...

Today, I’m going to talk about fixing the death grip. Most people might tell you to press harder, try harder, get more calluses, but this isn’t the case. The death grip is the main cause of buzzing, frustration, and in the episode, I take you through practical tips on how to conquer it, once and for all. The death grip is like your fingers being stuck in the mud, it will affect your chord changes,...

In today’s episode, I talk about the one phrase in the world of guitar teaching that I detest. This phrase is incredibly frustrating, and students really hate it, and I can see why. It’s the kind of phrase that sounds innocent, but when you think about it on a deeper level, it’s awful. For people who are serious about learning, this phrase is at the crux of frustration when learning through YouTub...

Today, I want to talk to you about a rule of the asylum – don’t fear the recording. Something I encourage people to do is to record themselves playing on a fairly regular basis. I want to give you some clear advice on doing this, so it doesn’t put you off recording yourself. Recordings are brutal because they often show you things you can’t see yourself. But one thing that’s important is to record...

In today’s episode, I want to talk about the six villains that are ruining guitar progress everywhere and how to defeat them. These villains include notorious figures such as the Time Thief, the Overwhelm Monster, the Coordination Chaos, the Musicality Void, and more! Take a listen to this fun, character-driven take on issues that plague most guitarists, how to face them head-on, and beat them onc...

Today, we’re talking about one of the most important things in guitar playing – the 3 Ps of guitar playing. Ignore them at your peril, they’re the key to staying relaxed, having fun, and playing well. These are the core essentials of playing guitar.  If you get one wrong, you’ll struggle to a certain degree, if you get two wrong, things are going to be harder, and if you get three wrong, you’ve pr...

In today’s podcast, I talk about the new rule of the asylum: stop being your own worst enemy. I offer some tips on how to counter this kind of thinking, including not letting a bad day lead you to spiral. We all tend to get stuck in some negative thinking, but it’s important to interrupt that and try to finish on a positive note.   Always aim to end your practice sessions by playing something fun...

In today’s episode, I talk about the good side of getting lost in my garage. I often talk about avoiding YouTube rabbit holes, but the difference is getting lost in content that is contained, like books and magazines. The point with the guitar is to be selective, but also to have fun.   So if you have a bunch of courses or books on guitar playing, great! Turn off the internet and use them. Once a...

In today’s podcast episode, we have a quick rule of the Asylum: do not just go through the motions. You should make the effort to make sure every single note shines. I’ll show you some examples of how to liven up your strumming and playing.   I talk about some easy ways you can experiment and practise to bring your music to life. It’s all about enjoying your playing, but also finding a way to add...

Today, we’re talking about a cool, fun technique you can do on the guitar: bass runs. Bass runs are a great way of linking chords together and making them sound much more melodic and interesting.   In the episode, I show you some simple examples of how to try this out. I use two chords to show you how to easily link them, and talk you through how to play this at home. Take a listen and give it a g...

In today’s episode, I’ll talk about making 2026 the best year for you on the guitar. It’s great to have a plan for the coming year, however, I want to talk about what you’ve achieved in the past year and how you’ve progressed.   Chances are, in 2025, you practised a hundred hours, and you’ve got to take some time to take stock. Did you master a chord change? Did you learn a barre chord? Did you le...

With the arrival of Christmas, Santa’s elves are getting busy. While they are skilled at all kinds of fun toys, they are not the best luthiers, i.e., they’re not the most skilled guitar builders.   So to avoid getting a patchy guitar from Santa’s workshop, I’m offering some advice on how to pick a proper guitar. Take a listen and hear all about my experiences with Santa’s elves.   If you enjoyed t...

I’ve spoken before about the Gatekeeper of the Acoustic Asylum. The Gatekeeper represents a lot of what’s out there in the guitar world. So today’s episode is all about beating the Gatekeeper as he tries to take your dreams and crush them.   The best way to defeat the Gatekeeper is to become the best guitarist you can be. One way you can do this is by working out melodies as a way of honing your s...

If you’ve followed my lessons and podcast for a while, you’ll know about my T.E.S.T. method. Today we’re going to talk about one of the key elements of the method – Time Management. So many people struggle with it, often they don’t have a practice routine.   In the episode, I give you some advice on how to tackle this common issue. You can create a “to-do” list, which will really help you organise...

Today, I'm bringing you a fantastic interview with Tomas Michaud. Tomas is a flamenco guitarist who has some great advice to offer on all things guitar. In the episode, we talk about Tomas’ continued journey of learning as an established and incredible tutor and guitarist. Tomas offers some excellent tips on how to avoid getting too fixated, but still stay motivated. We also chat about fun topics...

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a rule of the asylum, which is using the magnifying glass. A lot of people learn songs by practising the whole song. However, if you’re struggling with a song, it’s a really good idea to break it down. I talk about how to break down a song, giving you several examples of how to simplify learning a song. It’s all about working on the individual parts that mak...

In today’s episode, I’m going to talk about David Gilmour and a very interesting quote of his. A lot of people think they might have anything in common with David Gilmour, but there's a reason it's worth learning about your guitar heroes.    You don't need to be as famous as David Gilmour to express yourself on the guitar. There's so much you can do! I'll show you a couple of examples of what you...

Today, I want to talk about your guitar. It’s all about making sure the guitar you play is comfortable for you. Ideally, the best way to find the best guitar for you is to go to a physical guitar shop and try several guitars.   It’s important to remember that it’s all about your fingers, your body, and what you like the feel and sound of, without thinking about brand names or what others think. Ta...

In today’s episode, I talk about the worst way to practise or learn a song and how to avoid this. Time is limited, and you don’t want to end up feeling like you’re wasting it, struggling to learn a song. When you’re learning a new song, you really want to break things up into smaller sections to learn.   This is where the 10x Method really helps. In the episode, I talk about how to use and apply t...

Today, I'm bringing you a super fun interview with Robert Lunn. In the episode, we had a great chat on some really important topics, including why playing gig-ready, simple yet stunning arrangements of songs is so important, how to keep the passion when learning songs, and how Robert created a wonderful piece which started off as an exercise to just learn some new software! Robert is a great chap,...

Today’s episode is all about my recent trip, discovering music when you travel, and taking breaks from the guitar. When you travel, music is everywhere. It’s really fun discovering different street musicians and even taking trips down memory lane when you hear your favourite songs. Travelling for me often means stepping away from the guitar, but this can also be beneficial. There are even studies...

In today’s episode, we have a great interview with Andy Schneider. We had a chat on a whole variety of topics, such as getting ready to play live, bluegrass jamming, how to get started with the blues, and why playing with others is so powerful! Andy's a super nice chap to chat to, and I found that after this interview, I couldn't help but go have a good ol' jam of my own. I hope Andy and this inte...

Today’s episode is a fun story about Paul Simon and his way of playing. As a guitarist, Paul Simon does his own thing, and he does it really well. His sophistication, style, and the different elements of his playing often go unrecognised thanks to his incredible songwriting skills. So in today’s episode, I discuss the different facets of Paul Simon’s skills as a guitarist, a songwriter, and a sing...

In today’s episode, we continue with another special interview, this time with Brian Sherrill of Active Melody. Brian is one of the coolest guitar players and best online teachers, who’s blues playing is brilliant. In the episode, Brian and I talk about the journey, the process of guitar playing, and the really important mindset shifts that a lot of guitarists need. Brian talks about his own journ...