Welcome to the latest episode of the ArtistWorks Music Roundtable podcast! In this new installment, our Director of Content and Production, Marcus Luscombe, is joined by the latest addition to the ArtistWorks faculty, world-renowned acoustic guitarist Andy McKee, and fellow fingerstyle guitar virtuoso and TrueFire and JamPlay instructor, Trevor Gordon Hall.

This morning, blues rock powerhouse and ArtistWorks instructor, Jared James Nichols released his brand new single, “Hard Wired,” on Black Hill Records.

Originally formed in 1973, the Great Guitars was a jazz supergroup comprised of three master guitarists: Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis, and Barney Kessel. Together, these three giants of six-string jazz toured the globe sporadically and recorded four live albums together between 1973 and 1992.

For jazz musicians of all instruments and skill levels, transcribing the melodies and improvised solos of some of the genre’s greatest masters is an essential practice and a guaranteed method for improving your playing, musical ear, and musicianship. Transcribing the work of our musical heroes does not necessarily mean putting pen to paper and applying notes to the staff, although that can be highly impactful. Transcriptions can more simply be defined as dissecting a piece of music by ear, translating it onto your instrument, and being able to perform it.