The Guitar Underground

The biggest lie in guitar practice is that mastering scales will automatically make you sound musical. If your solos feel like boring technical exercises, it’s time to stop climbing ladders and start making music. Summary: In this episode of Guitar Underground, host Neil Santos breaks down why treating scales as the "raw material" rather than the finished meal is holding back your creati...

Are you struggling to play without a guide or feeling stuck in your guitar progress? If you find yourself relying on backing tracks every time you pick up your instrument, you might actually be slowing down your growth as a real-world musician. In this episode of the Guitar Underground, Neil Santos dives deep into why jam tracks can become a "crutch" that removes necessary uncertainty fr...

Unlock your full potential on the fretboard by mastering the Pentatonic Scale using a "less is more" philosophy. Learn how limiting your choices can actually lead to faster decisions and more intentional, professional-sounding guitar solos. Most guitarists struggle because they know too many disconnected shapes and licks, leading to "decision fatigue" when it's time to solo...

In this episode of Guitar Underground, I sit down with my longtime friend and former Berklee roommate, Pedro Arevalo, for a wide-ranging conversation about music, creativity, and the journey of becoming a professional musician. We explore everything from early musical experiences and gigging to deeper topics like improvisation, global musical influences, and even the future of music in an AI-drive...

Ready to stop wandering aimlessly through scales and start playing intentional, professional solos? Mastering target tones is the secret bridge between hearing a melody in your head and making it a reality on the fretboard. In this episode of The Guitar Underground, Neil Santos breaks down the "Target Note Philosophy." Using the analogy of a pilot who can perform acrobatics but never lea...

I’m thrilled to welcome Justin Sours from GuitarMadeEZ to the Guitar Underground to discuss his journey building one of the web's most successful music channels. In this exclusive interview, Justin breaks down the teaching philosophy that has helped thousands of players finally master the instrument. Justin’s story is a masterclass in persistence—moving from an embarrassing high school "t...

Great guitar solos serve the song — not the ego. If your guitar solos feel impressive but somehow don’t fit the music, this lesson will show you why. Many guitar players fall into the trap of overplaying, trying to show everything they’ve practiced instead of creating a solo that connects with the song. In this episode of Guitar Underground, Neil Santos (creator of the Pentatonic Way) explains why...

Do you feel like you sound generic or just like everyone else when you pick up your instrument? In this episode of Guitar Underground, we dive deep into finding your signature guitar style so you can stop sounding like a carbon copy and start sounding like yourself. Neil Santos explores the common pitfalls that keep intermediate players stuck, such as having too many options or viewing default lic...

Master the pentatonic scale and learn how to navigate the entire fretboard by using the 5 secret "landmarks" that connect every shape. If you have ever felt stuck inside a single box or find it difficult to move beyond basic patterns, this video will show you exactly how to unlock your fretboard awareness for better soloing. Host Neil Santos explains that the five pentatonic boxes are no...

Tired of feeling like you're just guessing where to go next when you improvise? Discover how to stop the "noodle trap" and finally start hearing what to play before your fingers ever touch the strings. In this episode of Guitar Underground, host Neil Santos dives into the common reasons intermediate guitarists feel stuck playing repetitive shapes and patterns instead of real music. M...

Guitar courses are everywhere — but why do so many players still feel confused? If you’ve taken online guitar lessons and still don’t feel musical, this episode breaks down exactly why. In this video, I share 5 ways guitar courses overcomplicate learning guitar — and more importantly, how to fix it. From information overload to exercises that never turn into real music, we’re unpacking what actual...

Why do some guitarists sound musical… while others feel stiff and mechanical — even after years of practice? In this episode of Guitar Underground, Neil Santos breaks down the myth of the “natural musician” and explains why feeling musical on guitar is not something you’re born with — it’s something you develop. You’ll learn: Why most players get stuck in the “mechanical phase” The hidden habits t...

Fretboard mastery is one of the most misunderstood ideas in guitar playing. In this episode of Guitar Underground , Neil Santos breaks down what fretboard mastery actually means — and why it has far less to do with memorizing shapes and far more to do with clarity, connection, and confidence. We talk about: Why knowing “all the scales” still doesn’t equal mastery How the pentatonic scale fits into...

Why do so many guitarists quit — even after years of playing? In this episode of The Guitar Underground , Neil Santos talks candidly about the five most common reasons guitarists walk away from the instrument — and five powerful reasons they shouldn’t. Drawing from nearly four decades of playing, teaching, and learning, Neil breaks down: Why progress rarely feels linear How comparison and isolatio...

In this first episode of The Guitar Underground , Neil Santos takes a pressure-free look at guitar goal setting. Instead of rigid deadlines and unrealistic expectations, he explores a more sustainable way to think about progress—one built on direction, relationships, and long-term growth. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for decades, this episode will help you rethink what suc...