Latest articles by Jason Sidwell
How to get better at guitar – 10 proven ways to improve your playing fast
These small details can separate an amateur-sounding guitarist from a professional one
Unlocking the power of 7th chords: expand your guitar chords beyond the basics
From The Doobie Brothers to The Smiths, James Brown to Metallica, 7th barre chords are fundamental for playing with more color and sophistication
How to use guitar volume swells like guitar legends Eddie Van Halen, Allan Holdsworth and Larry Carlton
Volume down, pick, volume up... violining offers loads of potential as this lesson proves
Want to play Master of Puppets the right way? Here's how to get faster at downpicking so you can chug like James Hetfield
Downpicking is a fundamental and powerful pick stroke, and one of the mainstay techniques in metal and punk
Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
String bending is a core technique for lead playing. Here's how to take it from beginner to pro
This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger
Why the 7th fret is the magic position for your guitar capo
Rasgueado is a game-changing flamenco strumming technique – and it will give your picking hand a huge turbo boost
Learn the strumming style that will give your playing bravado, fire and passion
![[L-R] A composite image of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Joel Hoekstra, Marty Friedman all taking a solo live: Bumblefoot plays his double-neck. Hoekstra has his white Les Paul Custom. Friedman wears a plaid shirt and plays his PRS signature model.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VPKUYFpK9bsjnQdzekheeb-840-80.jpg.webp)
15 pro guitarists share their tips for memorizing music
We've all been there. Or worse still, you're playing, all is well, and then the mind goes blank. Here, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Joel Hoekstra, Marty Friedman, and a dozen of their fellow pros share their strategies for memorizing their parts
How a former Black Crowe changed Samantha Fish’s soloing style forever
Fish gives her take on what makes solos memorable – and why flashy playing doesn’t speak to the soul
Steve Morse is the guitar virtuoso's virtuoso – and his technique masterclass will push your upper-fret bending and phrasing to the limit
The former Deep Purple guitar legend checks in with an exclusive track – and tab to help you play along
Steve Lukather: “I played Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen’s guitars – and I sounded like myself. But some of Jeff’s guitars were set up so strangely only he could play them”
In this previously unpublished interview, Lukather explains why Jeff Beck’s untouchable, “alien” approach to the guitar made him the ultimate player
Intervals' Aaron Marshall takes a deep dive into his guitar-playing philosophy, and talks tones, tempos, modes and his favorite guitar instrumentals
After Wolfgang Van Halen named him his favorite guitarist right now, find out how the Canadian prog virtuoso tackles soloing, melodies, harmonies and other aspects of instrumental guitar from the man himself
Guthrie Govan: why I love guitar instrumentals
The Aristocrats and Hans Zimmer virtuoso on the art of a good instrumental, the limitations of vocals, and his favorite examples of the genre
Nick Johnston: “The first few Yngwie Malmsteen albums still make me smile. The ferociousness of that playing is still unequaled”
The Schecter-toting virtuoso details his musical approaches, influences and how his style came together
20 guitar virtuosos on their favorite Joe Satriani moments
Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai, Marty Friedman and more pay tribute to the maestro of instrumental guitar and give us the ultimate Satch playlist
John 5 shares his love of instrumental guitar music and names his favorites
Lyrics? Where John 5 is taking the electric guitar, we don’t need any lyrics. Besides, as the Rob Zombie guitarist admits, oftentimes he can’t remember them anyway
Paul Gilbert gives us a track-by-track tour of his new Christmas album, ‘Twas
Forget goose: here, Mr Gilbert shares his festive recipe for perfect Christmas electric guitar, and he's putting emu picking on the menu. You might never hold a pick the same way again
6 guitar pros on how to prepare your playing for tour
Paul Gilbert, Steve Lukather, Marty Friedman, Kirk Fletcher, Steve Morse and Michael Landau on how they get stage-ready
