In this kickoff episode of the Guitar Freaks Podcast, Justin dives into one of the most frustrating experiences for guitar players: feeling stuck on the fretboard. Despite knowing scale shapes and practicing regularly, many players freeze when it’s time to solo or connect ideas. Justin breaks down the three major reasons guitarists hit this wall: Memorizing patterns without context Staying stuck in one key Lacking a system to visualize the neck He shares a powerful story about his student Darren — and how a simple deck of fretboard cards sparked a breakthrough moment. That spark became the foundation for FretDeck, a tool designed to help guitarists finally see and understand the fretboard in all keys. This episode kicks off an 8-part series leading to the launch of FretDeck. If you’ve ever felt boxed in by scale patterns or confused about what to play next, this series is for you. 🎯 Join the FretDeck Kickstarter pre-launch page for early access and exclusive rewards. [Link in show notes]

In this episode of In The Jam, we dive into 4 powerful blues guitar improvisation tips inspired by legends like B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, and Eric Clapton. Learn how to incorporate techniques like "less is more" phrasing, mixing major and minor pentatonic scales, targeting chord changes, and bending with purpose to take your solos to the next level. Plus, discover how these greats used these techniques to shape iconic solos and how you can apply them in your own playing. Stick around to hear about our SoloCraft and RhythmCraft eBooks, grab free guitar charts, and join our Discord community to connect with fellow guitar enthusiasts.

In this episode of In The Jam, we dive deep into five creative guitar soloing prompts designed to level up your improvisation skills. Learn how to craft memorable solos using techniques like call and response, chord tone targeting, dynamic shifts, rhythmic variation, and emotional bends. Plus, discover the secrets behind my two new eBooks, SoloCraft and RhythmCraft, packed with strategies to master both soloing and rhythm playing on the guitar. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, this episode has something for everyone. Tune in and start building better solos today!

In this episode of the Guitar Freaks Podcast, we dive into the soulful world of A minor slow blues, exploring essential guitar soloing techniques that will elevate your playing. Discover the art of phrasing and learn how to use pauses and dynamics to tell a musical story. We also delve into bending techniques, showing you how to make your guitar sing with emotional bends and vibrato. One of the highlights of this episode is the integration of both the A minor and A major pentatonic scales, offering a unique blend of sounds to keep your solos fresh and engaging. Whether you're bending up to sweet notes or mixing scales for a modern twist, these tips will help you master the nuances of blues improvisation. Additionally, we explore the impact of the Strymon Lex pedal, which adds a rich, rotary speaker effect to your tone, giving your guitar a dynamic, swirling presence. If you’re looking to improve your blues phrasing and understand how to incorporate major and minor pentatonic scales, this episode is packed with insights and practical tips. Tune in to discover how to bring out the best in your A minor blues solos and take your playing to the next level!

In this episode, I review the importance of guitar triads and using triads for crafting rhythm guitar parts.

In this episode Johnny Burgin joins us on the podcast to talk about his latest album "Ramblin' From Coast to Coast". Johnny talks about his songwriting process and how he creates guitar solos.

In this episode we interview Blues Guitarist, Seth Rosenbloom on his new album "As The Crow Flies". Seth also talks about his experience being the producer for his album.

In this episode we announce 3 new podcast guests that we will be on the show in the coming weeks.

In this episode Justin interviews guitarist Adam Levy. They talk about Adam's new e-book on Shell Chords and Adam demonstrates how to use them on the guitar. He. also tells us about his song "I Forgot About This Room" Adam Levy is a guitarist and songwriter with several original albums to his credit. He has also been featured on recordings by many esteemed artists including Norah Jones, Joe Henry, Allen Toussaint, and Vulfpeck. He has taught at University of Southern California, Los Angeles College of Music, and New York University. He is author of Play the Right Stuff [Alfred], as well as six TrueFire courses, and hosts the series Guitar Tips Pro on Patreon.

In this episode Justin interview Greg & Miles from Acoustic Alchemy. Acoustic Alchemy has received 3 Grammy awards for their music. They have been on the Contemporary Jazz scene for the last 3 decades. We talk about the inspiration behind a few Acoustic Alchemy songs, their recording process, and their latest "Live from Lockdown" videos.

We interview Alex & Nadav from Opal Ocean for the second time on the show. We talk about Opal Ocean's latest album "The Hadal Zone".

In this episode we bring on Blues guitarist King Solomon Hicks. We talk about his latest album "Harlem". We discuss the Blues and some gear options.

In this episode, Justin interview Blues guitarist Seth Rosenbloom. They talk about Seth's Blues influences. Seth dives into his latest album "Keep On Turning". They talk guitars and gear.

In this episode, Justin & guest co-host Stevan Hewett interview guitarist Andy McKee. We talk about Andy's guitar influences. Andy tells us about inspiration behind a few of his songs such as "Hunter's Moon" and "Rylynn". He also announces 4 EP's that he will release soon!

In this episode, Justin interview guitarist/vocalist Alan Nimmo from the band King King. They talk about Alan's Blues influences and his latest single "I will not fall". King King will be releasing their new album on November 6th, 2020

In this episode, Justin interviews Blues guitarist Walter Trout. They talk about his early Blues influences and dig into his new album "Ordinary Madness".

Justin interviews Adam Levy on the podcast. Adam has had an impressive career. Touring and recording with Norah Jones for her first 3 albums. Adam's guitar work is masterful to say the least. Adam demonstrates how to solo over basic changes on the podcast and talks about his gear. Adam has a patreon called Guitar Tips Pro.

In this episode, Justin interviews Blues guitarist Jose Ramirez. Justin and Jose talk about the importance of B.B. King. Jose talks about his latest album "Here I Come". The album is a beautiful combination of Blues and Soul.

In this episode, Justin speaks with Matt Richards from Square Amps again. Matt talks about his unique radio tube amps and Justin talks about his recent Square Amp purchase!

In this episode Justin interviews Adam Chiasson from Tree Picks. Adam has a passion for creating his wood picks. Go check out his jazz 3 picks at treepicks.com