David Gerrish

David Gerrish

David is a guitarist, producer, and educator. He has performed worldwide as a session musician, with artists and bands spanning many musical genres. He draws upon over 20 years of experience in both live performance and studio work, as well as numerous composing credits. As a producer, he's collaborated with artists across genres, including pop, RnB, and neo soul. David holds a master’s in jazz guitar and teaches at BIMM London and the London College of Music. He is also a regular contributor to Guitar Techniques magazine, sharing his love of blues in a monthly column.

Articles by: David Gerrish

A black-and-white archive photo of T-Bone Walker playing his Gibson Barney Kessel

His onstage antics inspired Jimi Hendrix to play with his teeth, while his groundbreaking solos influenced B.B. King, Chuck Berry and Albert King: T-Bone Walker changed the course of blues guitar playing – and the role of electric guitar in popular music

By David Gerrish published

The Texan troubadour knew how to give the crowd their money's worth, and players such as Jimi Hendrix were watching. This lesson in his playing style has plenty of biting string bends and blues flavor

Sister Rosetta Tharpe performs in the UK in 1964

Sister Rosetta Tharpe wielded her electric guitar with finesse and ferocity, creating the template for electric blues – this tutorial unpacks her full-force soloing style

By David Gerrish published

The Godmother of rock 'n' roll played in Open E but we'll make it easy for you with an audio and tab lesson in standard tuning that gets to grips with her gospel licks, double-stops and chromatic runs

Muddy Waters with his iconic red Fender Telecaster

Muddy Waters is a blues guitar icon who pioneered the sound of electric guitar in popular music – and invented a new soloing language as he did it

By David Gerrish published

In the smoky clubs of Chicago, Muddy Waters turned up the volume on blues guitar, electrifying it, and then the audience – and his slide and open-tuning approach to Chicago blues was integral to his early success

Robin Trower

A Stratocaster master and stompbox pioneer with an astonishing vibrato, Robin Trower's blues guitar style is up there with the best

By David Gerrish published

Learn the licks of the British blues guitar great who took Hendrix's six-string revolution and ran with it

Albert Collins

Albert Collins wasn’t just the ‘Master of the Telecaster’. His ferocious attack and tone also earned him the nickname ‘The Iceman’ – and with licks like this, it’s not hard to see why

By David Gerrish published

Put a cold shot into your playing with the ultra-cool licks from the one of the most vital guitarists in blues history

Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck was a master of string bends and the whammy bar – and this masterclass in his ‘blues and beyond’ guitar style will make your solos more expressive

By David Gerrish published

Jeff Beck was a player like no other. He was the GOAT. We can't make you play like him, but this lesson shows how you can incorporate his style and make your blues more expressive

Bernie Marsden holding a Gibson Les Paul

Bernie Marsden was British blues-rock's secret weapon – and his melodic, emotive approach to guitar solos is a must-learn

By David Gerrish published

In honor of the late, great Bernie Marsden, we put his solo style under the microscope with two lead workouts that showcase the former Whitesnake rock legend's chops and phrasing

B.B. King

Anybody who has picked up the electric guitar owes something to B.B. King – learn how to incorporate his lyrical style and immaculate phrasing into your own playing with these must-try solos

By David Gerrish published

Get to grips with the famed 'B.B. box', sharpen up your vibrato skills and conquer the 12-bar blues in this deep-dive into the King of the Blues' soloing style

Jimmy Page, live at Earl's Court in 1975

The pentatonic scale is the most important scale for guitarists – and these 40 licks will take your rock and blues chops to the next level

By David Gerrish published

When it comes to the guitar, the pentatonic is the one scale to rule them all, and despite its ubiquity, the possibilities are limitless – as our deep dive tab and video lesson demonstrates

Hubert Sumlin

Learn the guitar stylings of the pioneering Hubert Sumlin – essential learning for any aspiring blues player

By David Gerrish published

The six-string lieutenant to the immortal Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, Sumlin is one of the authors of the electric blues sound, and he was no slouch with country styles, either

Gary Moore

Learn Gary Moore’s soloing secrets

By David Gerrish published

The blues-rock great’s solos were expressive, emotive, peerless: this lesson unpacks the dynamics, phrasing and power behind his approach

Rory Gallagher

Learn Rory Gallagher’s soloing techniques

By David Gerrish published

These two in-depth solos take a whistle-stop tour of the Irish guitar hero's signature style

Eric Johnson

How to play blues like Eric Johnson

By David Gerrish published

Crank up the delay, and grab a Strat, SG or ES-335: it's time to take a look at the bluesier side of the Texan virtuoso and Grammy award winner