The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the nominees for the 2026 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, and we couldn’t be prouder. Eight artists from the TrueFire and ArtistWorks family earned nominations spanning 14 categories, from Song of the Year and Album of the Year to nearly every instrumental…
“I find it hard to describe my own sound because I’m constantly trying to break it,” Cook says. “That’s what makes music interesting to me… a lot of the experimentation I’m doing in my own music is really to keep myself interested… just trying to stay engaged. In…
TJMLJSBW Published Jul 7, 2026 · Updated Jul 7, 2026 · 5 min read JS Featured in this articleFeaturing Josh Smith · TrueFire educator How Josh Smith builds a BB King-style shuffle solo is, at its core, a lesson in conversation. Every phrase Smith plays asks a question.…
What core philosophy has stayed the same since the days of Symphobia or True Strike, and what has changed the most about your approach? What has remained constant since we started ProjectSAM in 2001 is our absolute focus on sound quality and articulations. Back then, industry-leading libraries were…
TJMLJSBW Published Jul 7, 2026 · Updated Jul 7, 2026 · 8 min read MZ Featured in this articleFeaturing Mike Zito · TrueFire educator BB King didn’t just play blues guitar. He sang with it, and learning to hear that difference will change the way you play forever.…
The way you strike a string shapes your tone more than most beginners realize. Most new players spend hours reading gear reviews, comparing amps, and watching pedal demos in the belief that a shiny new piece of equipment will unlock the tone they’re chasing. The truth, as any…
TJMLJSBW Published Jun 29, 2026 · Updated Jun 29, 2026 · 5 min read JL Featured in this articleFeaturing Jason Loughlin · TrueFire educator Country soloing has a signature sound that most players recognize instantly, even if they can’t name the technique behind it. That smooth, lapping, almost…
TJMLJSBW Published Jun 29, 2026 · Updated Jun 29, 2026 · 5 min read JH Featured in this articleFeaturing Johnny Hiland · TrueFire educator Country soloing at its most explosive looks a lot like what Johnny Hiland does over a fast train-beat groove in the key of A.…
TJMLJSBW Published Jun 29, 2026 · Updated Jun 29, 2026 · 7 min read JL Featured in this articleFeaturing Jason Loughlin · TrueFire educator Country soloing has a sound so distinctive it even has its own name. If you’ve ever heard a guitarist snap a string with their…
Learning how to create interesting guitar solos is the thing that separates good guitarists from truly memorable ones. Most intermediate players hit a wall at some point: their scales are clean, their technique is solid, their tone is good, and yet their solos still sound like scale exercises.…
