Articles by: Mark Holcomb

Creative Legato Exercises with Odd Meters

By Mark Holcomb published 9 August 19

Learn how to execute “spider crawl” riffs.

How to Use Chord Changes to Devise Inventive Riffs

By Mark Holcomb published 28 June 19

Learn how to build a chord progression from interesting and unusual voicings.

How to Craft a Long Riff with No Repetition

By Mark Holcomb published 28 February 19

How to give the impression of repetition in a riff, without there actually being any repetition at all.

Creating Riffs from Arpeggios, and the Intro and Verses to “Priestess”

By Mark Holcomb published 7 February 19

Walk the line between playing only single notes while also outlining “wide” chord voicings via the use of arpeggios.

How to Incorporate Finger Slides and Legato Techniques into Intricate Phrases

By Mark Holcomb published 18 January 19

Employing finger slides can inspire new and different melodic ideas.

Using Quick Shifts and Long Slides to Add Interesting Movement to Licks

By Mark Holcomb published 3 January 19

Achieve a sense of movement with single-note riffs that incorporate dramatic position shifts up and down the fretboard.

Double Strummed Octaves, and My Solo in “The Price Is Wrong”

By Mark Holcomb published 31 October 18

Learn more about double strummed octaves in this lesson from Periphery's Mark Holcomb.

Exploring 12/8 Meter and Periphery's “Prayer Position”

By Mark Holcomb published 21 June 18

Navigating the Intricate Seven-String Licks in Periphery's “Flatline”

By Mark Holcomb published 16 March 17

Throughout the course of these columns, my focus has been primarily on the six-string guitar parts I’ve crafted that are featured in the music of both Periphery and my side project, Haunted Shores.

How to Play the Fast-Moving Licks in “The Way the News Goes”

By Mark Holcomb published 22 February 17

Mastering the Sliding Techniques in Haunted Shores' “Blast Inc.”

By Mark Holcomb published 24 January 17

A song that many fans have asked me about is “Blast Inc.,” which I recorded with my side project, Haunted Shores.

Using Unusual Tunings to Create Fresh, Unique Riffs

By Mark Holcomb published 11 May 16

A songwriting device I find very useful and inspiring and have explored extensively is to use alternate tunings.

Mark Holcomb Lesson: Devising the Unconventional, Acrobatic Guitar Riff in “The Bad Thing”

By Mark Holcomb published 11 March 16

A Periphery riff that people often asked me about is the bridge section to “The Bad Thing,” from our 2015 album, Juggernaut: Omega.

Mark Holcomb Lesson: Angular Rhythms and Unusual Chord Voicings, and More on “Mile Zero”

By Mark Holcomb published 17 February 16

Working with Five- and Six-String Chord Voicings, and How to Play Periphery's “Mile Zero”

By Mark Holcomb published 12 January 16

Holcomb-Mania with Mark Holcomb: Using Dissonant, Close Intervals to Create Jarring Chords — Video

By Mark Holcomb published 16 July 15

Holcomb-Mania with Mark Holcomb: Building Chords Into Single-Note Riff Ideas — Video

By Mark Holcomb published 18 June 15

Mark Holcomb of Periphery: My Five Most Influential Guitarists

By Mark Holcomb published 14 February 13

Hey, everyone. Mark Holcomb of Periphery here with a list of my five most influential guitarists. Enjoy!