Articles by: Chris Bird

Guitar World

Chris has been the Editor of Total Guitar magazine since 2020. Prior to that, he was at the helm of Total Guitar's world-class tab and tuition section for 12 years. He's a former guitar teacher with 35 years playing experience and he holds a degree in Philosophy & Popular Music. Chris has interviewed Brian May three times, Jimmy Page once, and Mark Knopfler zero times – something he desperately hopes to rectify as soon as possible.

Articles by: Chris Bird

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: The 50 Greatest Rolling Stones Riffs

By Chris Bird published 20 October 23

Also in issue 377! Interviews: Richard Fortus, Chris Shiflett, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Blackstone Cherry, Danny Bryant and more. Reviews: New gear from Shergold, Squier, Boss, Gibson and more. Learn songs by Queen, The Police and Rival Sons

The blues jam session is a rite of passage for every guitarist – here are 5 ways to improve your blues guitar solos

By Chris Bird published 11 October 23

Hone your phrasing and learn how to express your musical self

Are your drive pedals sounding the best they could? Here are 19 ways to get more from your overdrives, distortions and fuzzes – and make them work with your rig

By Chris Bird published 29 September 23

Whether you’re using overdrive, distortion, boost or fuzz, there are plenty of ways you can tweak your setup for maximum tone

Types of guitar pickups explained: learn the difference between single coils, humbuckers, P-90s and active designs

By Chris Bird published 28 September 23

If the wood is the soul of the electric guitar, the pickups are the brains of the operation. We walk through the most common pickup styles and what they mean for electric guitar tone

Not sure what all those guitar tone buzz words mean? Get the lowdown with our jargon-buster

By Chris Bird published 27 September 23

Fuzz this, intonation that – life can be confusing for the beginner player. This handy glossary explains what some of the most commonly heard terms mean

Unhappy with your electric guitar sound? Start with these 5 tone tips before you try anything else

By Chris Bird, Stuart Williams published 25 September 23

Because great tone begins with getting the fundamentals right, from picks and strings through to pedals

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: The All-Star Masterclass

By Chris Bird published 22 September 23

In issue 376: Interviews with The Darkness, Cory Wong, Sophie Lloyd, Baroness, The Hives and more; new gear from PJD, Laney, Squier, Positive Grid and EHX reviewed, and learn songs by Guns N' Roses, Nirvana and Blur!

Every guitarist wishes they were better at fingerstyle – and this lesson may make you want to ditch the pick for good

By Chris Bird published 8 September 23

Whatever style of music you play, these workouts will improve your fingerstyle technique – and that counts for both electric and acoustic guitar

“Johnny Cash inspired me to make music. I watched Walk the Line and it changed my life. I started playing guitar that night”: mehro is a self-professed scholar of the human condition – and he channels his thoughts via intricate fingerstyle meditations

By Chris Bird published 1 September 23

For rising star mehro, every song begins with an acoustic. His method? “Being open, being in tune and channeling the inspiration.” Here's how he does it...

Close up of a woman playing an acoustic guitar

There’s no such thing as an ‘acoustic guitar chord’ – but these 12 shapes sound amazing unplugged

By Chris Bird published 30 August 23

Learn a dozen chords that will expand your musical vocabulary and enhance your songwriting – and the best bit? They’re not that difficult

How to assemble the ultimate live acoustic guitar rig

By Total Guitar editors published 29 August 23

From how to banish feedback to sweetening your tone through EQ, get yourself gig-ready now

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: 99 Ways To Better Tone!

By Chris Bird published 25 August 23

Also in issue 375! Interviews: Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil & Mike Vennart, Nothing But Thieves, Ultra Q, Saint Agnes, Grace Potter and more! Reviews: New gear from Marshall, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and more. Learn songs by Pink Floyd, Greta Van Fleet and The Killers

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: The 50 Greatest Acoustic Guitar Songs Of All Time

By Chris Bird published 11 August 23

Also in issue 374! Interviews: Ben Howard, Skindred, Nat Myers, mehro and more! Reviews: Blackstar Debut 50R, Dave Mustaine 2023 Flying Vs, Danelectro Blackout '59M NOS, Fender Gold Foil Telecaster, EHX Lizard Queen. Learn songs by AC/DC, The Hives and Billie Eilish

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: Wolfgang Van Halen – Believe The Hype!

By Chris Bird published 14 July 23

Also in issue 373! Interviews: Nita Strauss, Jake Kiszka, The Lemon Twigs and more! Reviews: Gibson Kirk Hammett Greeny Les Paul Standard, Walrus Audio Fundamental Series, EVH 5150 Iconic Series 15w 1x10 Combo, IK Multimedia TONEX Pedal, Two Notes ReVolt Guitar, Apogee Jam X. Learn songs by Kiss, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: The Solos Issue

By Chris Bird published 2 June 23

Also in issue 372! Interviews: Nuno Bettencourt, Guthrie Govan, Tigercub, Island Of Love and more! Reviews: Cort G300 Glam, DOD Reissue Pedals, Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb combo, Walrus Audio Melee, Vox amPlug Brian May. Learn songs by Foo Fighters, Queen and Arctic Monkeys

Inside the new issue of Total Guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan – The Making Of A Guitar Hero

By Chris Bird published 5 May 23

Also in issue 371! Interviews: Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton, HMLTD, Indigo De Souza and more! Reviews: Charvel Jim Root Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1, Marshall Reissue Pedals, Strymon Cloudburst, Epiphone 1958 Korina Explorer, Crazy Tube Circuits Unobtanium. Learn songs by Mammoth WVH, The Clash and Stevie Ray Vaughan

Photo of a PRS guitar, Victory amp and Warm Audio effects pedal

18 ways to improve your guitar tone

By Stuart Williams published 19 April 23

Tone is one of the most hotly debated aspects of guitar playing. Read on as we look at the best ways to optimize your setup and get more from your guitar rig

Brian May (right) plays the Bohemian Rhapsody solo for Iain Lee (left)

Watch Brian May make a TV presenter's day with an unaccompanied Bohemian Rhapsody solo through his epic Vox AC30 rig

By Jackson Maxwell published 6 April 23

Iain Lee was like a kid in a candy store as the Queen guitarist demonstrated – up-close and personal – the magical, singing tone of one of his most famous solos

Brian May – the ultimate interview: the Queen legend reflects on his career highs and lows, songwriting with Freddie Mercury and 50 years of trailblazing guitar playing

By Chris Bird published 15 February 23

In this career-spanning interview, one of the all-time greatest guitar players talks through every era of Queen's career, and charts the evolution of rock's most singular band

How to play Money for Nothing on guitar

By Chris Bird published 7 February 23

Learn how to play Dire Straits' biggest riff – and how to nail its distinctive tone

Duff McKagan, Axl Rose and Slash of the rock group 'Guns n' Roses' perform at the LA Street Scene on September 28, 1985 in Los Angeles, California. Slash uses a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar for the first time onstage with the band.

How to play Welcome to the Jungle on guitar

By Chris Bird published 3 February 23

Learn the legendary Guns N' Roses riff that introduced Slash to the world

Brian May on how Led Zeppelin inspired Queen: “I owe a lot to Jimmy Page”

By Matt Owen published 18 January 23

The guitar icon said he and his bandmates looked up to Led Zeppelin from a musical and industry perspective, and labelled Page “the master of the riff”

Best guitar capos 2023: top choice capos for acoustic and electric guitar

By Chris Bird last updated 12 October 23

A capo is a great way to boost your creativity on the instrument. Here’s our expert picks for electric and acoustic guitar, ukulele, 12-string and beyond

How Brian May broke a golden guitar recording rule during the tracking of Queen's debut album

By Sam Roche published 17 January 23

The guitarist talks disrupting conventional approaches to recording in the early '70s in a new interview with Total Guitar

Brian Johnson (left) and Angus Young from AC/DC perform live on stage at the Cow Palace in San Francisco on February 16, 1982.

How to play Back in Black on guitar

By Chris Bird published 13 January 23

Learn one of the greatest riffs of all time from Australian rock legends AC/DC

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