In this week's issue đŠ
- Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man
- Spotlight on guitarist Tyler Ramsey
- New & Notes
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Guitar Practice
Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man
This week, let's take a look at Herbie Hancockâs classic âWatermelon Manâ, applying it to guitar.
âWatermelon Manâ is one of the most recognizable compositions from his 1962 debut album, Takinâ Off. Built around a funky, blues-inflected groove, the tune has a deceptively simple quality that makes it a great study in rhythm, harmony, and space. Hancock later revisited the composition in a radically different, more percussion-driven version on Head Hunters in 1973, turning it into a landmark of jazz-funk.
In the key of F, the main progression has a strong blues character, moving between F7 and Bâ7, with C7 providing the dominant pull back toward F. The repeated movement between F7 and Bâ7 gives the tune its earthy, bluesy foundation, while the dominant-seventh harmony keeps the progression from sounding like a conventional major-key pop progression. Itâs also a good example of how a relatively small harmonic palette can leave plenty of room for rhythmic and melodic creativity. When improvising over the progression, thinking in terms of F blues/F minor pentatonic language, while also targeting the chord tones of each dominant-seven chord, can produce a sound that fits the tune without becoming overly complicated.
Rhythm:
Head Lead Tab:
Guitarist Spotlight
Tyler Ramsey
Tyler Ramsey is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Asheville, North Carolina, whose music draws from folk, country, blues, and indie rock. His guitar playing is often quiet and spacious, with fingerpicked patterns, unusual tunings, and melodic lines that give his songs a strong sense of atmosphere. Thereâs a relaxed, natural quality to his playing that makes even intricate guitar parts feel effortless.
Ramseyâs musical roots run deep into American folk and blues. He has cited players such as Mississippi John Hurt, Mance Lipscomb, John Fahey, and Leo Kottke as influences, and you can hear that connection in his fingerstyle approach. Rather than using the guitar simply to accompany a song, Ramsey often treats it as another voice, allowing the guitar parts to carry as much emotion and personality as the vocals.
He became more widely known during his time with Band of Horses, joining the group as lead guitarist and songwriter in 2007. He spent roughly a decade with the band, touring extensively and contributing to several albums, including the Grammy-nominated Infinite Arms. At the same time, he continued developing his own music, releasing albums such as A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea and The Valley Wind.
After leaving Band of Horses in 2017, Ramsey returned his focus to his solo career. His 2019 album For the Morning featured a mix of intimate songwriting and atmospheric guitar work, while 2024âs New Lost Ages took his sound in a somewhat more expansive, rock-oriented direction. Throughout those records, his guitar playing remains central without ever feeling like it is trying to show off.
In 2026, Ramsey teamed up with longtime friend and My Morning Jacket guitarist Carl Broemel for Celestun, their first album together. The two had known each other for more than a decade and had spent years playing shows together before finally making a record. The album began during the pandemic, when they exchanged guitar parts and ideas remotely, eventually finishing the songs together in Nashville.
Celestun is a particularly good showcase for Ramseyâs guitar playing. The nine-song album was recorded almost entirely with acoustic guitars and was originally intended to be instrumental. Ramsey and Broemelâs parts blend so naturally that it can sometimes be difficult to tell who is playing what. There are only a few vocal tracks, including âFlying Things,â which features The Secret Sisters, and a version of Neil Youngâs âSail Away.â
What makes Ramseyâs playing stand out is that he rarely seems interested in playing simply for the sake of playing. His parts are carefully chosen, melodic, and full of small details. Whether heâs playing with a band, working on his own songs, or trading acoustic guitar lines with Broemel, he has a knack for making the guitar feel like an essential part of the story rather than just an instrument in the background.
News & Notes đď¸
- Guitar World posted a new interview with Julian Lage, where he discussed experimenting with different pickups, sitting in with the Tedeschi Trucks Band, advice for aspiring jazz guitarists, and more.
- Joe Bonnamassa joined the The No Cover Charge Podcast for a deep dive into guitars, amps, tone, and life on the road. Joe shares why he's now using digital Fender Tone Master amps alongside his legendary Dumbles, and explained what finally changed his mind about modeling technology.
- In other Joe Bonnamassa news, Martin Guitar announced 0-10E Retro Joe Bonamassa and 00-18 Joe Bonamassa signature acoustic guitar models.
- Fender released a couple new colors for their Player II Series guitars - Cactus Gray and Rallye Orange.
- Fender also released a few new colors for their American Vintage II guitars, including Surf Green, and 3-Color Sunburst.
- Jam Pedals announced a limited run of a 'Monterey '67' mini multi-effect pedals, which combines their Retrovibe and Fuzz Phrase Si together into one pedal.
- Jazz guitarist Tim Lerch posted a new video sharing his favorite chord moves.
- Paul Reed Smith joined Zzounds to discus the origins of the 25" scale length PRS uses on the majority of their guitars.
- Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy was interviewed by Guitar World, where he shared his greatest gear bargains, and offers a little advice for anyone who is in the market for a new guitar.
- Pete and Lee from Andertons posted a new overdrive pedal shootout vid, featuring pedals from Free The Tone, Shinâs Music, Vemuram, Wampler, Browne Amplification, Crazy Tube Circuits, Tone City, Mad Professor and more.
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