Latest articles by Joe Matera
Al Di Meola: "I see a lot of young players online with such super-phenomenal technique – but very rarely do I see it in the framework of a composition"
The fusion guitar master shares his thoughts on the next generation of players, maintaining speed on the fretboard, and what makes his '59 Gibson Les Paul the best-sounding guitar he's ever played
Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik on taking the plunge on vintage guitars, longevity, and why he will never be a social media star
The Buffalo, NY, rock stalwarts return with Chaos in Bloom, a record produced by Rzeznik, featuring some truly epicurean tones. Here, the guitarist tells us how it all came together
Beabadoobee talks alternate tunings, “weird, strange” recording techniques, and the subconscious influence of ‘90s grunge and alt-rock
The self-taught Gen Z guitar hero returns with the brilliant sophomore album, Beatopia, and explains how fresh tunings spring forth fresh musical ideas
10 questions for Yngwie Malmsteen: “I’m an extremist in everything I do. More is more in everything”
The shred king talks regrets, first gigs and explains why he never has a bad show
Yngwie Malmsteen: "You can’t 'build' speed – you play it until you have it perfect. There are no shortcuts and no tricks"
In this 2010 edition of Dear Guitar Hero, the neoclassical shred great explains why the Strat is the Stradivarius of electric guitars, how he actually uses those Marshall stacks, and the biggest misconception people have about his playing
Steve Jones on joining the Sex Pistols: "The only spot open in the band was guitarist, so I had to do that or f**k off"
In this archival GW chat, the punk guitar ace discusses the Pistols' origins, and his first Les Paul
John Rzeznik reveals the experimental guitar tuning secrets behind Goo Goo Dolls’ classic hits
The frontman details his approach to creating sonically distinct guitar parts, and shares the real tunings behind Iris, Big Machine, Let Love In and many more
Steve Hackett: "My first professional gig with Genesis was a complete disaster. I forgot every single note I was supposed to play"
Inquirer: The former Genesis and GTR six-stringer talks nightmare gigs, his favorite piece of gear and new acoustic album
The history of instrumental rock
We look back at 60 years of the electric guitar-driven instrumental, from Link Wray and the Shadows to Dick Dale, Joe Satriani, Polyphia, Roopam Garg and beyond...
Def Leppard: "Steve Clark was a very unique player - he didn't get enough credit for the stuff he was doing"
Joe Elliott and Phil Collen look back at the band's first two albums - On Through The Night and High ‘N’ Dry - and the impact of guitarists Pete Willis and Steve Clark
How Entombed and Sunlight Studios gave birth to death-metal guitar tone
Studio founder Tomas Skogsberg discusses the gear and production behind Entombed's genre-defining debut, Left Hand Path, and what came next
The Six-String DIY Guide to Compression
A guide to compression—and how best to use it.
Joe Walsh: "You Have to Play in Front of People; Even if You Suck at It at First, You Have to Do It"
The legendary guitarist discusses his first song, first guitar, first show and more.
