Mike Dawes

Latest articles by Mike Dawes

Mike Dawes in New York City composite image next to an airplane taking flight
The myths of flying with your guitar busted by a pro musician

By Mike Dawes Published

Mike Dawes is a touring guitarist playing over 200 shows every year, spanning everywhere from Iceland to Kenya. He lends us his top tips on keeping your guitar safe while traveling

Acoustic Guitars
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How to play guitar on your lap using two-hand tapping

By Mike Dawes Published

Mike Dawes shows you how to adopt a piano-style approach to your playing

Musical Tips & Advice
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Travis picking: how to fingerpick like Merle Travis

By Mike Dawes Published

Learn to alternate notes with your thumb and you'll expand your fingerstyle abilities no end

Lessons
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New Horizons in Acoustic Guitar: Using Unusual Techniques and Tunings

By Mike Dawes Published

Experimenting with new tunings can open up new creative avenues.

Guitar Setup
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Mastering Two-Handed Percussive Techniques

By Mike Dawes Published

Learn how to emulate the sounds of a kick drum, snare drum and everything in between on an acoustic guitar.

Techniques
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How to Combine Melody, Chords and Percussive Sounds

By Mike Dawes Published

Learn how to develop a melody and harmonic framework coupled with fingerstyle ideas and percussive elements.

Chords
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How to Develop a Simple Melodic Idea

By Mike Dawes Published

Learn how to put the melody first when writing a piece.

Lessons
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Utilizing Two-Handed Polyrhythms for Solo Guitar Performance

By Mike Dawes Published

Lessons
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Mike Dawes: The Influence of Celtic Music on My Acoustic Playing

By Mike Dawes Published

Lessons
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More on the Intricate Two-Hand Tapping in “Boogie Shred”

By Mike Dawes Published

Lessons
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Intertwining Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs with Both Hands

By Mike Dawes Published

Lessons
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How to Create Independent Polyrhythms

By Mike Dawes Published

Back in my October 2016 column, I detailed some of the concepts I utilize in the song “The Impossible,” from my album What Just Happened.

Musical Tips & Advice
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Boogie Shred: Exploring Percussive Acoustic Guitar Techniques

By Mike Dawes Published

People often ask me how to play "Boogie Shred" from my album What Just Happened?

Techniques
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Creative Ways to Incorporate Harmonics, and How to Play “Somewhere Home”

By Mike Dawes Published

For my original composition “Somewhere Home,” which appears on What Just Happened, one objective was to investigate musically creative ways to weave the sound of harmonics into the composed melodies.

Lessons