Articles by Jenna Scaramanga

Jenna writes for Total Guitar and Guitar World, and is the former classic rock columnist for Guitar Techniques. She studied with Guthrie Govan at BIMM, and has taught guitar for 15 years. She's toured in 10 countries and played on a Top 10 album (in Sweden).

Articles by: Jenna Scaramanga

A portrait of Molly Tuttle wearing a patterned shirt, holding a Pre-War dreadnought

“Bluegrass is friendly competition – who can play the fastest, who can play the hottest licks”: Molly Tuttle on training her brain to catch her fingers and the pursuit of speed, feel and acoustic guitar virtuosity

By Jenna Scaramanga published 28 August 24

One of bluegrass's most gifted guitarists, Tuttle checks in to discuss the evolution of her style, and why it pays to subvert received wisdom and practice flat-out as fast as you can go

Carmen Vandenberg of Bones UK performs at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre on August 16, 2024 in Sterling Heights, Michigan

“The first time I went to Jeff Beck’s house, he sat me in front of a ton of amps and gave me a guitar… he wanted to see if I could get my tone no matter what”: Carmen Vandenberg recalls Jeff Beck’s ultimate tone test

By Janelle Borg published 23 August 24

Vandenberg discusses the invaluable lesson she learned from Beck about achieving your tone no matter what equipment you have at hand

20 covers hero image ft Joan Jett, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash

“A perfect example of interpretive genius from a visionary guitarist”: The 20 greatest guitar cover versions

By Jenna Scaramanga published 31 July 24

We asked, you voted, and the results are in, with a top 20 covers list featuring Guns N' Roses, Aretha Franklin, SRV and Joe Bonamassa. But who was voted number one?

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway performs during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2024 at Fair Grounds Race Course on April 27, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana

“When I hear a heavy metal guitar player there is that raw emotion that can maybe sound a little angry… I feel like bluegrass is more friendly competition”: Bluegrass virtuoso Molly Tuttle on the differences between metal and bluegrass shredding

By Janelle Borg published 31 July 24

Tuttle also shares the key technique that aspiring bluegrass guitar players need to master before they get on a stage

Joe Perry plays a red B.C. Rich Bitch live onstage

“I can put an amp up and 10 minutes into the show it’ll be on fire. It’s just how Joe rolls”: The secrets behind Joe Perry’s awe-inspiring guitar rig by our man on the inside, guitar tech Darren Hurst

By Jenna Scaramanga published 9 July 24

54 guitars. 8-gauge strings. A semi full of amps. Joe Perry's live rig is a changeable, often untameable beast, and Hurst has been in charge of it since 2019. With the Aerosmith juggernaut ready to pull in for good, he spills all of its secrets, from string gauge and intonation to a heck of a lot of gain stacking...

IDLES Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan onstage

“I keep blowing things up. I need things that are very dependable and findable”: IDLES’ agents of chaos Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan unleashed sonic anarchy on their new record – and coined the indie-rock equivalent of 'djent' in the process

By Jenna Scaramanga published 5 July 24

Tankg is a another tour de force of electric guitar provocations with Idles' dynamic duo finding wilder ways to take their sound to the edge of disaster then hold it there, just for kicks

Nancy Wilson of Heart performs at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds on August 25, 2015

“Jimmy Page said, ‘Wow, I love the way you play that song.’ I was like, ‘God, I could die now’”: Heart’s Nancy Wilson on their long road to the top, grunge friends – and that cover of Stairway to Heaven

By Jenna Scaramanga published 7 June 24

The band might have landed in the ’70s, but Nancy Wilson is inspiring more players than ever in 2024 – just glance at Instagram

St. Vincent performs onstage during 2024 BottleRock Napa Valley at Napa Valley Expo on May 24, 2024 in Napa, California.

“Guitar’s versatility is unparalleled. But it’s also an instrument with a lot of baggage. We all know the tropes we’re trying to avoid”: St. Vincent on returning to real amps, stealing Josh Homme’s secret weapon – and how she overcame her fear of Strats

By Jenna Scaramanga published 5 June 24

St. Vincent’s new album, All Born Screaming, sees her teaming up with two Foo Fighters, using Prince’s favourite pedal and embarking on a prog odyssey. It also sees her return to real amps played real loud…

10 things every beginner guitarist needs to know

By Jenna Scaramanga last updated 30 May 24

Chords and scales, rhythm and lead: these core skills set you up for success in any style

Collection of electric guitars and acoustic guitars

The 15 most expensive guitars of all time

By Jenna Scaramanga last updated 29 May 24

Fenders owned by Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan, Martins belonging to Kurt Cobain and David Gilmour, and one independently made axe headline the list of most profitable guitars sold at auction

“The coach of the Dallas Mavericks came up to me after the show and said, ‘What’s your dream guitar?’ I said a 1960 Fender Stratocaster. A few days later one showed up at my house”: Tyler Bryant on his remarkable Strat stories

By Jenna Scaramanga published 27 May 24

He's one of the hottest young exponents of Texas blues. So of course he plays Strats…

L-R) Nancy Wilson and Ann Wilson of Heart perform during day 4 of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2024 at Fair Grounds Race Course on April 28, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana

“I was no fool – I’d have guitars laying around my living room and a couple of little amps”: Heart’s Ann Wilson on how she convinced Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains to jam together at her house

By Janelle Borg published 22 May 24

Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson recount how they were embraced by Seattle’s music community after the band experienced a dip in popularity

“It makes me sick to even think that I spent that much money on a guitar. Nile Rodgers was like, ‘What is that?!’” Tash Sultana on the magic of Strats and blowing a guitar legend’s mind with an extremely rare model

By Jenna Scaramanga published 14 May 24

The musical polymath reveals what the future holds for their signature Strat, and why jamming with Nile Rodgers, Mateus Asato and Tom Morello was just what the doctor ordered

Left - Nancy Wilson of Heart opens for Styx at Abbotsford Centre on October 06, 2022 in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada; Right - Grace Bowers performs during 2023 Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on October 15, 2023 in Austin, Texas

“I would pick her out in a crowd... Like, ‘I know who that is,’ like David Gilmour”: Heart's Nancy Wilson says this “Clapton-type shredder” is her favorite contemporary guitarist

By Janelle Borg published 10 May 24

Nancy Wilson explains how the young guitarist has impressed her with her distinct conversational-type shredding

“I thought I’d make the notes count, like Jeff Beck. It doesn’t sound anything like Jeff, but that was the intention going in!” Phil Collen on how – by accident and design – Def Leppard reinvented rock guitar on classic album Pyromania

By Jenna Scaramanga published 9 May 24

Pyromania is 40 years young this year is still fresh as a daisy. Collen explains how tones, solos, Mutt Lange and the art of recording one string at a time forged a pivotal moment in rock

St. Vincent performs onstage at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles, California on April 13, 2024

“I was going for a sound where it’s like, ‘Is this person virtuosic, or do they totally suck?’ That’s kind of where I live”: St. Vincent on channeling Neil Young and embracing a less-is-more approach to guitar solos

By Janelle Borg published 7 May 24

St. Vincent took inspiration from one of Neil Young's “one note” solos on her new record, All Born Screaming

Annie Clarke, aka St. Vincent, performs live on stage at Brixton Academy on October 17, 2017 in London, England

“I’ve typically been afraid of Strats just because they carry so much baggage”: How a gift from Mike McCready helped change St. Vincent’s relationship with the Stratocaster

By Janelle Borg published 3 May 24

Listen to the song that St. Vincent reveals begged for a Strat moment

April Kae with the new Fender Vintera II series basses

“When I'm not playing online, I love to blend with the band. I'm not the one who wants to stand out. But online, that's what it's all about”: April Kae is on a quest to inspire new bass players – and it starts with making bass sound good on phone speakers

By Jenna Scaramanga published 27 October 23

From social media to the stage, the new face of Fender basses is broadening horizons for who can play the instrument. She reveals her secret to getting good bass tone on a phone, how she deals with trolls, and what it's like to jam with “the greatest drummer of all time” in Fever 333

Empire State Bastard's Mike Vennart and Simon Neil

“So much metal is gridded and sterile. We call it ‘CGI metal’. It isn’t real, and it just doesn’t sound heavy”: Simon Neil and Mike Vennart are making metal heavy again with Empire State Bastard

By Jenna Scaramanga published 9 October 23

The Biffy Clyro bandmates take us inside the uncompromising sound of metal’s hottest supergroup, revealing how they got Slayer legend Dave Lombardo to play drums, and the gear they used to “f**k up songs that were already completely f**ked up”

“How far can we push the prog, without sounding like it’s a cliché of a prog album?”: Nothing But Thieves are one of the UK’s breakout guitar bands – but their tonal tastes are anything but conventional

By Jenna Scaramanga published 22 September 23

On concept album Dead Club City, Nothing But Thieves not only ditched the amps, but the speaker sims as well. Dominic Craik and Joe Langridge-Brown share their love of “honky” tones, stacking Queen-esque harmony guitars and how Dave Grohl shaped the sound of the record

5 ways to use Mixolydian scale – the Goldilocks mode loved by the Cult, AC/DC and Eric Johnson

By Jenna Scaramanga published 20 September 23

Everything from feelgood rock to funk gets better with Mixolydian, a mode used to great effect by everyone from Guns N' Roses to Kool and the Gang

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

No, arpeggios aren’t just for jazz and shred solos – here are 5 ways you can use them to freshen up any style of guitar playing

By Jenna Scaramanga published 14 August 23

Your riffs, rhythm parts and solos can all benefit from a minor 7 arpeggio injection

How to play jazz guitar: 5 ways to get started

By Jenna Scaramanga published 21 July 23

Playing jazz doesn’t have to be scary – here are the fundamentals made easy

The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far

By Jenna Scaramanga published 17 July 23

Featuring every kind of guitar hero – from old-school to cutting‑edge. And not one but two Van Halens…

Jenna Scaramanga

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