Chris Bird

Chris Bird

Chris was Editor of Total Guitar magazine from 2020 until its closure in 2024, when he became Lesson Editor for Guitar World, MusicRadar and Guitar Player. Prior to taking over as Editor, he helmed Total Guitar's world-class tab and tuition section for 12 years, helping thousands of guitarists learn how to play the instrument. A former guitar teacher, Chris trained at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford, UK, and held a degree in Philosophy & Popular Music. During his career, Chris interviewed guitar legends including Brian May and Jimmy Page, while championing new artists such as Yungblud and Nova Twins. Chris was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in April 2024 and died in May 2025.

Latest articles by Chris Bird

Joe Satriani
The guitar solo Joe Satriani wished he never wrote

By Phil Weller Published

Tuning issues and a desperate need to blow off musical steam from limiting session work made it a lesson learned for the esteemed shredder

Guitarists
How to hold, picking and fret your first note
Beginners guitar lesson #1: How to hold the guitar, pick strings and fret your first note!

By Chris Bird Published

The very basics of guitar playing, from holding your guitar to using a pick and fretting your first note

Beginner Lessons
TG390
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 390

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 390

Magazines
TG389
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 389

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 389

Magazines
TG388
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 388

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 388

Magazines
TG387
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 387

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 387

Magazines
TG386
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 386

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 386

Magazines
Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd perform live at The Oakland Coliseum in 1976 in Oakland, California.
How to play Sweet Home Alabama on guitar

By Chris Bird Published

Learn one of the most iconic guitar intros of all time from this Lynyrd Skynyrd classic

Lessons
Fender Stratocaster
Fender currently makes over 100 Stratocasters – here’s how to choose the Strat that’s right for you

By Chris Bird Published

Stratocasters explained: from pickups to bodies, necks to hardware, this is what you need to consider when buying a Fender Strat

Electric Guitars
TG385
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 385

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 385

Magazines
Sheeran Loopers Looper +
“Its simplicity makes it a compelling, easy-to-use pedal”: Sheeran Looper + review

By Chris Bird Published

Is Ed Sheeran’s signature pedal a dream for the one-man jam band?

Effects & Pedals
TG384
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 384

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 384

Magazines
TGR383 Supplement
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar's Guitar Heroes

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar's Guitar Heroes

Magazines
TGR383
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 383

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 383

Magazines
Brian May
“Freddie was a good riffmeister! He was a devotee of Jimi Hendrix. People think he was just concerned with the lighter stuff but it’s not true. He did enjoy the heavy stuff”: Brian May reveals the inside stories behind 13 classic Queen tracks

By Chris Bird Published

In a world-exclusive interview, Brian May takes you behind the scenes of the making of 13 iconic Queen cuts, and reveals what inspired his magical guitar playing in Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now and many more

Guitarists
TGR382
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 382

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 382

Magazines
TGR380 CAGED chords lesson
How to master CAGED guitar chords and unlock the fretboard

By Chris Bird Published

The CAGED guitar system is a speedy route to fretboard mastery – and you'll learn some cool new chords along the way

Chords
Brian May
“I still don’t find it easy! It’s one of the most unnatural riffs to play you could possibly imagine”: Brian May finds Bohemian Rhapsody difficult to perform – and he points the blame at “riffmeister” Freddie Mercury

By Phil Weller Published

The Queen guitarist has called it “the most unnatural riff to play” and says even now he has to battle with adrenaline when he plays it live

Artists
Guitar Playing
Are you taking an honest look at your technique before you practice? By working on the fundamentals, you’ll get much more out of your routine

By Chris Bird Published

Your technique will improve tenfold if you know which areas of your playing need most attention. Follow our checklist to see where you can get better

Beginner Lessons
Brian May and David Bowie, in 1980 and 1982 respectively
“It’s probably the only time in my career I bowed out, because I knew it was going to be a fight… most of that heavy guitar was lost”: Brian May says David Bowie removed his electric guitar riffs on Under Pressure – and he never liked the results

By Matt Parker Published

The Queen guitar legend says the song originally sounded more like a Who-style rocker, but Bowie had other ideas…

Music Releases
Brian May
On sale now! Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: Queen's Greatest Songs Track By Track – By Brian May

By Chris Bird Published

Also in issue 381! Interviews: Yard Act, Sleater-Kinney, Ihsahn and more. Reviews: New gear from Gibson, Fender, Shergold and more. Learn songs by Queen, Bring Me The Horizon and U2

Magazines
TGR381
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 381

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 381

Magazines
TG380
Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 380

By Chris Bird Published

Download and stream the audio from Total Guitar 380

Magazines
Jimmy Page
“I had a couple of passes at the solo, and that was it. Keith’s playing great – and it’s unusual to hear me playing at full acceleration outside of Led Zeppelin”: Jimmy Page on his surprise Rolling Stones collaboration, and the gear that made rock history

By Chris Bird Published

In this all-encompassing 2020 interview, the Led Zeppelin legend reflects on the evolution of his guitar rig, writing rock’s greatest albums – and how the Beatles shaped the sound of Whole Lotta Love

Guitarists
TGR379
Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: The best of 2023!

By Chris Bird Published

Also in issue 379! Interviews: Kirk Hammett, Nuno Bettencourt, Cory Wong, Yvette Young, Nita Strauss and more. Reviews: New gear from Epiphone, Fender, Guild, Jackson and more. Learn songs by Led Zeppelin, Phoebe Bridgers and Blink-182

Magazines
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