Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA
Professional Guitarist
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Co-authored Articles (25)
How to Play Wonderwall on Acoustic Guitar: Your Complete Guide to an Iconic Song
Impress your friends with this guitar classicIn 1995, British rock band Oasis released the song "Wonderwall," and the world hasn't been the same since. For better or worse, basically everybody who picks up an acoustic gu...
How to
Change Strings on an Electric Guitar
On the whole, the strings on an electric guitar will need to be changed more frequently than the strings of steel-string or classic guitars, depending on usage and bridges. While serious players will likely change their ...
How to
Take Your Guitar on a Plane
If you’re worried about whether or not you can take your guitar on a plane or whether it would survive travelling as checked luggage, don’t worry! It’s actually your legal right to carry a guitar in the cabin of a ...
How to Restring a Nylon String Classical Guitar
Replace your nylon strings and keep your instrument sounding freshIf the strings on your classical or Spanish guitar are dirty, sound blunt, or can no longer hold their tune, this may be a sign that it's time to change t...
How to
Find Out the Age and Value of a Guitar
Maybe you picked up an old guitar at a yard sale for a few bucks, or maybe you've noticed a few dusty axes in your grandparents' attic. These old instruments could be trash or treasure – you just don't know. That's wha...
How to
Fix Guitar Strings
It happens to even the greatest guitarists. You're playing a gig, or maybe out jamming with friends, and a string snaps. You don't have an extra set of strings with you, and you aren't in a place where you can easily buy...
3 Ways to Tune a Guitar 1/2 Step Down
Learn to down-tune your guitar to play music in a different key Tuning your guitar a half-step down is common practice in certain genres of music—like punk rock and heavy metal—and gives your instrument a deeper, ric...
4 Ways to Hold a Guitar Pick
Up your guitar game with the right pick gripLearning how to use a pick is an important milestone for any guitar player, but it can be tricky when you start. How you hold the pick will factor greatly into your comfort as ...
How to
Adjust the Truss Rod on a Guitar
Adjusting the truss rod of your guitar alters your guitar's neck relief (the amount of bow in the neck), which is measured by the distance between the strings and the frets. While the amount of relief is a matter of pers...
4 Simple Ways to Perfectly Tune Your 12-String Guitar
Start playing in the perfect pitch with our easy guideA 12-string guitar is the perfect instrument to play if you want a rich, resonant sound. But if you’ve never played before, tuning a 12-string can seem intimidating...
How to
Play the D Chord for Guitar
When learning guitar, the D chord can be a great item to add to your repertoire. It is easy to learn, and can help you play your favorite songs in no time. This article will cover three different versions of D-chord. All...
How to
Use a Guitar Tuner
While there are ways to tune your guitar without a tuner, if you plan to play your guitar frequently or perform on stage, a guitar tuner is essential. Beginners can start with a smartphone app, many of which can be downl...
How to
String an Acoustic Guitar
From time to time you need to change the strings on your acoustic guitar. This keeps the sound and feeling of the instrument fresh and bright sounding. If you want to be a serious guitarist, you'll need to know all the t...
How to
Play a Bm Chord on Guitar
The B minor guitar chord (Bm chord) is a very useful chord found in a number of songs, but can be a bit difficult for beginners. This is mostly because it requires a barre. In other words, you have to hold down multiple ...
How to
Adjust Acoustic Guitar Intonation
Acoustic guitars frequently sound a bit sharp. Simple intonation problems often can be corrected with basic adjustments. However, if you've tried several tuning techniques and still have a problem, you may need to compen...
How to
Clean an Acoustic Guitar
Showing your acoustic guitar some love by cleaning it regularly will keep it looking beautiful and new. Sure, you could just wipe down your guitar with a cloth whenever it looks dusty, but this article will teach you how...
How to
Practice Guitar Scales
Mastering your scales, above all, takes time and practice. That said, there are more efficient ways to practice than others, and you need to know how to make the most of your scale practice if you want the skills to tran...
How to
Play the Blues on Guitar
The Blues, a type of music originating from the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed...
How to
Practice Guitar with a Metronome
Using a metronome is one of the few ways to ensure that you stay on time and on beat. While you should also practice along with other musicians to get used to playing in "real time," the ability to hold a rhythm is inval...
How to
Use a Guitar Pedal
Guitar pedals, sometimes called effects pedals or stomp boxes are small electronic units that alter your guitar's sound. Traditionally, guitar pedals are used to produce special effects such as wah-wah, delay, overdrive,...
