Paul McCartney's inspired playing on the Beatles' Blackbird has become a bit of a rite of passage for fingerpicking guitar players. But therein lies a problem – a lot of us are learning it wrong.

Guitar lessons: Before the chemical-fuelled studio experimentation of their psychedelic ‘middle’ period, The Beatles were a remarkably well-honed hit machine. Their live-in-the-studio performances ...

Guitar lessons: As John Lennon once claimed, “Before Elvis, there was nothing.” So it's not surprising that US rock ’n’ roll provided the major influence on his early playing style, as well as ...

Hold on, sparky! We know you're itching to jump onto the stage, but if this is your first time, there's a few things you've got to learn. Think of yourself like a martial artist, and remember that ...