Bluegrass artist Billy Strings nonetheless takes guitar classes to develop his technical horizons and enterprise out of his style.

Strings clearly doesn’t want classes, and his three Grammy Awards can show it, however he believes working with a tutor helps him to remain curious and impressed, as he begins to “get sick” of listening to himself play.

In The Interview podcast with The New York Occasions, he not solely explains additional why he takes classes, but in addition demonstrates what he’s been studying inside them to higher his taking part in.

“Oh, I don’t know. I really feel like I simply play so many gigs and stuff, I hear myself play a lot. I get sick of it, you realize? Bluegrass is loads of utilizing this a lot of the fretboard,” he says, starting to play, “I’ll often slide up right here, however there’s no cash previous the fifth fret.

“I’ve simply began to attempt to be taught some totally different kinds of music that I by no means actually acquired into, finding out with my man Rob that I’ve been taking classes with for the final couple years… Simply attempting to develop my horizons, I assume.”

Hear what he’s been studying and watch him play beneath:

Final yr, Guitar.com reviewed Billy Strings’s Martin D-X2E Signature mannequin, and awarded it 9/10 for its playability and balanced tonality.

The mannequin was a part of a drop of two signatures with Martin, the primary of which was launched at NAMM in January 2025 and was a $4,000 D-28 mannequin, launched as a love letter to his beloved 1940 D-28. The D-X2E is a extra reasonably priced possibility from Martin’s Remastered X-series.

Billy Strings has a brand new album, So A lot For Goodbyes, touchdown on 28 August. You’ll be able to pre-order it now.

Rachel started writing for Guitar.com in 2021 whereas ending up her diploma. A proud DIY guitarist, she has been taking part in for over 10 years and has written for the likes of Kerrang!, The Forty-5, and MusicTech. An enjoyer of all issues heavy, you’ll discover her at a pageant or downtuning her guitars when away from her desk.