Wild Stringdom

A Clean Sweep: Mastering Sweep Arpeggios with John Petrucci

Posted 05/14/2013 at 11:58am | by John Petrucci

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I always get frustrated when I hear someone talking about sweep arpeggios. Though there are plenty of licks and examples out there, no one has ever really broken down the mechanics of the technique. As a result, guitarists have had to figure them out by trial and error.

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John Petrucci: Practice Tips, Part 2

Posted 04/23/2013 at 10:45am | by John Petrucci

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In order to become a well-rounded musician, you have to master the three major aspects of guitar playing: the technical side, the musical side and the creative side. The technical side comprises the actual physical components you need to have under your belt in order to get around your instrument.

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Fiddling Around: Building Left-Hand Strength Through Violin-Inspired Chromatic-Scale Workouts

Posted 04/15/2013 at 7:31am | by John Petrucci

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As I was walking around, I heard a violinist playing these wild exercises-he was wailing! I thought it would be really cool to adapt those licks to the guitar. Since the violinist didn't speak any English, I had to gesture for him to show me what he was doing. He gladly did, and then he showed me a bunch of variations, too. It was great; though we didn't speak, we nonetheless communicated very easily.

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Wild Stringdom: Expand Your Chordal Vocabulary with Open-Voiced Triads

Posted 03/12/2013 at 8:53am | by Eric Johnson

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I often get asked about my chord work, particularly about the voicings I use. My chord style initially developed as a result of my dissatisfaction with the way traditional guitar voicings, particularly triads, sounded.

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John Petrucci: Practice Tips, Part 1

Posted 03/08/2013 at 9:59am | by John Petrucci

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Dream Theater's John Petrucci helps you better manage your time in part one of his series of practice tips. "Of all the things that can frustrate a guitarist the most, it's the nagging feeling that he's not reaching a certain level of proficiency as quickly as he should."

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The Open String Thing: Movable Chords with Open Strings

Posted 06/14/2012 at 11:35am | by John Petrucci

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Using open strings is a great way to add texture and atmosphere to any chord progression. By adding open strings to even the simplest chords, you can create voicings that sound sophisticated, but are really easy (and fun) to play. They're practical, not intimidating, and most certainly don't sound like "jazz chords."

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