The first of a series on a lifetime of experiences as a guitarist.

Simple is good. My student, Sammie, has made it all the way through “Mama I’m Coming Home” by Ozzy Osbourne except for the solo. I’ve been kinda dragging my feet on recording it because I knew it would mean some extra time and attention to technology/recording gear. I was just so inspired to get this right! Well here’s the funny part….your ear can advance faster than your brain and fingers 😂 I found the desired tone so quickly with my gear (A Marshall “drivemaster” pedal into my computer) and, the right delay and reverb in garageband. It just felt right. It sounded right. I also just set up my pawn-shop les paul with slightly thicker strings at Eb standard tuning. When your instrument starts out FEELING comfortable and SOUNDING great, honestly, it gets easy. I had just finished teaching Sammie her lesson, had a last-minute cancellation, and used that time to record in 1 hour’s time what I would call the quickest, cleanest and best solo of my 30 years playing. The perfect storm: quick, clean and comfortable (ok, and coffee). It’s an easy solo. Wanna know why it wins? 1. It’s simple 2. It’s recognizable 3. It’s melodic (you can hum it) 4. Clear rhythm 5. Short and sweet (radio-friendly!) Here’s the video. I hope you like it. A fitting tribute to Ozzy. PS if you’d like to REALLY improve your soloing chops - and all of your playing (including string gauge, guitar setup, and comfort aspect), message me! Happy to chat.