Tom Verlaine, influential Television guitarist, dies at 73 By Jackson Maxwell published 28 January 23 With fellow six-stringer and Television bandmate Richard Lloyd, Verlaine helped pioneer a nervy, avant-garde guitar approach driven by interlocking, weaving rhythm and lead parts
New book explores guitar journalist's friendship with Eddie Van Halen By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 23 Tonechaser – Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey with Edward Van Halen was authored by longtime Guitar World contributor Steve Rosen, and is available now
Watch Michael Angelo Batio rip a gonzo, supersonic solo onstage with Manowar By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 23 The shred legend is filling in for Evandro “EV” Martel on the New York metal legends' ongoing European tour
Mark Tremonti recalls his experiences playing a Kemper onstage with Alter Bridge – and explains why he didn’t stick with it By Matt Owen published 27 January 23 The Kemper Profiler only lasted half a tour before Tremonti decided to switch back to his tried-and-trusted PRS MT 100
Shakira's Swarovski crystal-encrusted, Super Bowl LIV halftime show Gibson Firebird to be exhibited at Grammy Museum By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 23 The guitar will be displayed, alongside some of Shakira's other dazzling custom six-strings, as part of an exhibit dedicated to the Colombian pop superstar
Watch Kayla Kent nail the solo to Ozzy Osbourne's Bark at the Moon – the first metal song she ever heard By Matt Owen published 27 January 23 Kent's first experience with metal came thanks to a free Guitar Hero rip-off, but she wasn't even allowed to listen to heavy guitar music until a certain age
Dave Mustaine responds to praise from Kerry King: “It's not every day one of the most fearsome guitarists in the world gives you a compliment” By Sam Roche published 26 January 23 The former Slayer guitarist calls the Megadeth frontman a “f**king great guitar player” in the latest issue of Metal Hammer
Tom Verlaine, influential Television guitarist, dies at 73 By Jackson Maxwell published 28 January 23 With fellow six-stringer and Television bandmate Richard Lloyd, Verlaine helped pioneer a nervy, avant-garde guitar approach driven by interlocking, weaving rhythm and lead parts
New book explores guitar journalist's friendship with Eddie Van Halen By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 23 Tonechaser – Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey with Edward Van Halen was authored by longtime Guitar World contributor Steve Rosen, and is available now
Watch Michael Angelo Batio rip a gonzo, supersonic solo onstage with Manowar By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 23 The shred legend is filling in for Evandro “EV” Martel on the New York metal legends' ongoing European tour
Mark Tremonti recalls his experiences playing a Kemper onstage with Alter Bridge – and explains why he didn’t stick with it By Matt Owen published 27 January 23 The Kemper Profiler only lasted half a tour before Tremonti decided to switch back to his tried-and-trusted PRS MT 100
Shakira's Swarovski crystal-encrusted, Super Bowl LIV halftime show Gibson Firebird to be exhibited at Grammy Museum By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 23 The guitar will be displayed, alongside some of Shakira's other dazzling custom six-strings, as part of an exhibit dedicated to the Colombian pop superstar
Watch Kayla Kent nail the solo to Ozzy Osbourne's Bark at the Moon – the first metal song she ever heard By Matt Owen published 27 January 23 Kent's first experience with metal came thanks to a free Guitar Hero rip-off, but she wasn't even allowed to listen to heavy guitar music until a certain age
Justin Hawkins brands Plini “a bit boring” By Matt Owen published 27 January 23 Despite suggesting Plini’s act lacks “attitudinal edginess” – and advising he swaps his Strandberg for a low-slung Les Paul – the Darkness frontman does pay tribute to the virtuoso’s “staggering musicianship”
Paul Gilbert’s guitar-loving cat, Juliette, has passed away By Michael Astley-Brown published 27 January 23 Guitarists have paid tribute to Juliette, whose curious inspections of the virtuoso’s guitar racks and pedalboards made her an Instagram star
Watch Måneskin’s Thomas Raggi trade licks with Tom Morello in fiery Gossip performance on The Tonight Show By Michael Astley-Brown published 27 January 23 The Italian rocker shone on his Strat while the Rage Against the Machine guitarist deployed his trademark Whammy tricks
Hear Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather’s isolated guitar parts from Michael Jackon’s Beat It By Matt Owen published 26 January 23 From Lukather’s iconic riff to Van Halen’s ground-breaking solo, listen to all the guitar parts behind Jackson’s 1982 smash hit in extreme clarity
Best practice amps 2023: 11 great picks for honing your guitar and bass chops at home By Chris Corfield last updated 29 January 23 These are the best practice amps for enabling you to keep the noise down when getting in some essential practice time with your electric guitar or bass
Which is better: 4- or 5-string bass? By Nick Wells published 27 January 23 “Unless you’re Les Claypool, more than four is unnecessary!” Duff McKagan, Adam Blackstone and Glenn Hughes weigh in on the age-old debate
Lemmy’s 5 greatest Motörhead basslines By Nick Wells published 27 January 23 "Lemmy’s bass playing was just so insane!" The bass playing legacy of one of the greatest bassists in the history of metal and hard rock: Lemmy
10 unsung female guitar heroes you need to know By Caroline Paone published 26 January 23 While not necessarily household names, these innovative and highly skilled players all made contributions to rock and metal guitar that are worth exploring
20+ grunge guitar heroes who took the instrument in a raw, heavy new direction By Andrew Daly published 26 January 23 After the guitar universe was dominated by the hairspray-drenched shredders of the '80s, these players shook things up and provided the alt-rock antidote
Ruby the Hatchet’s Johnny Scarps: “If a solo doesn’t evoke some sort of emotion within me, I toss it in the trash and start again” By Jon Wiederhorn published 26 January 23 The NJ modern masters of psychedelia want to take you on a cosmic, riff-packed joy ride, with Johnny Scarps as your six-string guide
How F*cked Up’s Mike Haliechuk wrote and recorded his guitar parts for the band’s new album in 24 hours – and why he gave up playing chords halfway through By Gregory Adams published 24 January 23 Ahead of their explosive new album, One Day, the ever-ambitious Canadian hardcore band's guitarist ruminates on his shrinking pedalboard, trusty Fender DeVilles, and eschewing chords in favor of "groovy one-note melodies"
Best noise gate pedals 2022: clean up your signal with the best noise gate pedals for guitar By Alex Lynham last updated 24 January 23 Unwanted noise in your chain? A noise gate pedal could be the solution
Best flanger pedals 2023: flange pedals options from Strymon, Boss, TC Electronic and more By Alex Lynham last updated 24 January 23 From jet flange to old school tape cool, we've got the lowdown on the best flanger pedals on the market
Need some inspiration? Liven up your playing with these 10 fresh techniques By Jon Bishop published 13 January 23 Welcome to electric guitar bootcamp, with quickfire lessons in techniques inspired by Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and Jimi Hendrix
Guitar lessons you can learn from Hank B. Marvin, instrumental guitar's first superstar and master of the whammy bar By Jon Bishop published 27 January 23 Hank Marvin's melodic sensibility and mastery of dynamics is second to none, and this lesson takes you deep into a style that influenced some of the greatest players ever
Get your alternate-picking lines swinging with these triplet and sextuplet solo ideas By Andy G Jones published 26 January 23 Humanize your lead playing with some rhythmic variety with this lesson inspired by the virtuoso solos of Mr Paul Gilbert
Take your playing from blues to jazz and back with this lesson in the great George Benson’s style By John Wheatcroft published 25 January 23 Explore George Benson's bluesier side with these blues-jazz phrases and double-stop chord voicings, and learn how to combine them in a way that's rhythmically captivating
How to use palm muting to add weight and tighten up your playing By Simon Barnard published 24 January 23 No rhythm game is complete without the ability to palm-mute and thicken up your riffs. Welcome to bootcamp for your picking hand, with rhythms in the style of James Hetfield, Al Di Meola and more
Master the guitar style of 8 folk-rock legends, from John Martyn to Jimmy Page By Stuart Ryan published 23 January 23 This lesson takes a deep dive into the '60s and '70s music that blurred the line between the acoustic and electric and spoke to a rich British folk heritage
Video lesson: Learn how to play Hair by Larry Graham By Nick Wells published 21 January 23 Jacob Umansky unravels the slap bass secrets of Sly and The Family Stone’s bass ace Larry Graham
Get to grips with eight-finger tapping with this lesson on master guitarist TJ Helmerich By Charlie Griffiths published 20 January 23 For those who have completed Woodshedding 101 and are ready to progress to the outer limits of shred, Charlie Griffiths offers five expert licks in the style of Todd Joseph Helmerich
How to play Master of Puppets on guitar By Jamie Hunt published 20 January 23 Learn the legendary Metallica riff that found a new lease of life on Stranger Things
How to play Greensleeves on guitar By Declan Zapala published 19 January 23 One of the most famous songs to have emerged from Renaissance England is melancholy and sublime, capable of melting hearts, and a real test of your classical chops