Charlie Griffiths
Charlie Griffiths plays guitar in acclaimed prog-metal outfit Haken, and has a wealth of experience handling corporate and session gigs for genres as diverse as rock, heavy metal and pop. He has been a regular contributor to Total Guitar, Guitar Techniques, and Guitar World for over a decade, and released his debut solo album Tiktaalika in 2022.
Latest articles by Charlie Griffiths
10 Metallica guitar techniques you need to know
By Charlie Griffiths published
How the rhythm and lead styles of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett will power up your metal playing fast
5 mind-blowing techniques you can learn from Polyphia’s Tim Henson
By Charlie Griffiths published
The G.O.A.T. of 21st-century progressive guitar, Henson has a style that combines technical brilliance with abundant imagination. This is a lesson in making the impossible possible
Learn the licks of speed metal messiah Joe Stump
By Charlie Griffiths published
A Berklee prof with neoclassical chops to burn, Joe Stump of Alcatrazz is a bona-fide shred legend, and these five examples will whip your metal guitar chops into shape in no time
Learn 5 George Lynch licks that demonstrate why the Dokken shredder really is Mr Scary
By Charlie Griffiths published
This shred lesson is so hot we've been keeping it under lock and key, until now...
5 soloing lessons you can learn from Zakk Wylde
By Charlie Griffiths published
There’s no rest for the wicked in Wylde’s world of fast alternate picking and pinched harmonics. It's time to light up the 'board in the style of Ozzy Osbourne's longstanding shredder-in-chief
Get to grips with eight-finger tapping with this lesson on master guitarist TJ Helmerich
By Charlie Griffiths published
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
Take your shredding skills to the extreme with this Michael Angelo Batio lesson
By Charlie Griffiths published
Good news and bad news. First, the good: we've adapted MAB's hyper-technical style for single-necked guitars. The bad? Welcome to the toughest shred lesson this side of Planet Gemini
Haken's Charlie Griffiths teaches you 5 shred licks to take your technical abilities to the next level
By Charlie Griffiths published
With a new solo album out, the Haken guitarist and Guitar Techniques tutor is on a mission to challenge your picking and fretting hands – and to test your theory skills
5 mindblowing Guthrie Govan licks you need to learn
By Charlie Griffiths published
In our great Erotic Cake-off, our star baker is the aristocratic Guthrie Govan. Here you’ll discover a handful of tasty licks from the UK guitar master
5 scorching shred skills you can learn from John Petrucci
By Charlie Griffiths last updated
Awaken your picking mastery with these prog metal techniques in the style of the virtuoso Dream Theater guitarist
Push your skills to the limit with 5 Steve Morse licks
By Charlie Griffiths published
Alternate picking, string skipping through the arpeggios... This dip into the former Deep Purple guitarist's playing is bootcamp for your shred chops
5 cutting-edge prog guitar licks you need to learn
By Charlie Griffiths published
Workshop your tapping, melodic phrasing, tech-metal riffing and more in this primer in contemporary prog guitar
5 ways to up your shred game in the style of Jason Becker
By Charlie Griffiths published
These five examples will help you set the fretboard alight with the pyrotechnic style of the legendary Jason Becker – bonus points for anyone who masters them while playing a yo-yo
Learn 5 licks in the style of one of the fastest guitarists who ever lived, Shawn Lane
By Charlie Griffiths published
Transposing piano for guitar, combining jazz, classical and rock, Lane was way more than just a speedster – this lesson will take you inside his imaginative phrasing and esoteric note choices
6 guitar tricks you can learn from Jack White
By Charlie Griffiths published
We look at some techniques and tonal tricks to help you nail White's unique style and sound, with a half-dozen tabbed examples to get you started
5 shred techniques you can learn from Bumblefoot
By Charlie Griffiths published
This lesson will guide your lead through the weird, wonderful and endlessly creative style of Ron Thal, and you don't even need a double-neck electric to take part
How to get 5 inspirational sounds from your delay pedal
By Total Guitar editors published
Our pedalboard primer demystifies delay and will help you take your first steps toward transforming your guitar tone and songwriting with atmosphere, rhythm and space
5 ways to shred like Buckethead
By Charlie Griffiths published
Top-tier chops essential, KFC bucket optional...
Learn 10 of Slash's key rhythm and lead guitar approaches
By Charlie Griffiths published
You’ll need a hearty appetite for destruction, a sense of groove, and no shortage of attitude for this in-depth lesson on the rock icon's rhythm and lead styles
5 soloing ideas you can learn from Richie Kotzen
By Charlie Griffiths published
From Fever Dream to Winery Dogs, Mr Big to Greg Howe and even Poison, we dig into Richie Kotzen’s rich back catalog to offer a lesson in legato-friendly pentatonic shred
5 soloing ideas you can learn from Tony MacAlpine
By Charlie Griffiths published
One of Mike Varney’s original Shrapnel shredders, MacAlpine marries speed and technicality with a strong melodic sensibility
5 ways to play guitar like Greg Howe
By Charlie Griffiths published
These advanced exercises in shred guitar will take you through the Shrapnel alum’s sweeping and tapping style, and offer a grounding in his quicksilver jazz-fusion improv concepts
Diversify your playing with these 10 genre-hopping licks
By Charlie Griffiths published
Here's a lesson to broaden your musical vocab with some country, neo-soul, thrash metal and more
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