I think this will be my last transcription from Gustavo Santaolalla’s music from The Book of Life. For those who don’t know, there was a secondary score released with a lot of instrumental music and guitar work — which is kinda more my thing. The […]

Calling all beginner and intermediate guitar players: you want to play this. Often times, there’s a single piece of music that can pay huge dividends across the rest of your guitar playing. Everything you learn is a stepping stone to the next. However, some songs […]

As a Gustavo Santaolalla super fan, I’m amazed that the same guy who composed the brooding score for Babel, can also be perfectly at home writing material for The Book of Life. You don’t see this type of seamless versatility very often. Especially from those […]

First and foremost, Gustavo Santaolalla is a craftsman of music. Whether it’s Brokeback Mountain, The Last of Us, or The Book of Life — he perfectly adapts his music to every circumstance. I’ve been a fan for a long time. After his score for Babel, […]

“I love playing instruments that I don’t know how to play – or that I’m not familiar with. I like the idea of danger and innocence that comes from it. As an artist, I feel I should be able to do something with anything I […]

“We’re like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.” ― Jerry Garcia With the release of The Last of Us last year, I finally feel as though the rest of the world has caught up to my Gustavo Santaolalla […]

“How did it get so late so soon?” ― Dr. Seuss So, what are you doing 3 years from now? Compared to others, I have only a tiny smigin of internet success. But at 1,400,000 views on YouTube, and roughly 15,000 people on the blog […]

“Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself- and thus make yourself indispensable.” ― André Gide Your specialty is the first ingredient Far be it from me to discourage you from living your desired purpose, but perhaps “your purpose” is that thing you’re […]

The Last Of Us music has yet another life with Volume 2. I’m not familiar with the game, but I remember an interview with Gustavo Santaolalla where he explained the music was interactive — in that, different boards unlock different elements of the music. So […]

This has been a busy few weeks for me, so I apologize for not having more substantive posts –other than the August: Osage County score. Even still, Gustavo Santaolalla offers a few short and nifty riffs that are perfect for beginner and intermediate guitarists. Also, […]

(Note: Riding is my premium material. Please comment to let me know what you think, or if you have any questions.) How to Play Riding by Gustavo Santaolalla from the August: Osage County original score. Riding is an excellent song to practice your (finger picking) […]

At the exact same time that my teaching career and website are doing great, a loved one’s career is in doubt. Their company unexpectedly let go of dozens of employees, and they’re transferring this person to another office farther away from home.  A situation that […]