Latest articles by Richard Barrett
5 easy ways to make open chords more interesting
Players such as David Bowie and Joni Mitchell have deployed alternate voicings to great effect in their songwriting, and they can be a powerful songwriting tool to have under your belt
5 weird chord shapes that will add mystery, suspense and drama to your songwriting
Aspiring film soundtrack artists, apply within, because with high drama, sometimes you need something more exotic than an open G...
Learn David Gilmour’s epic soloing style and take your blues playing to the Dark Side of the Moon
Here are four tabbed out examples of how Gilmour’s approach changed the way we play the blues, and it’ll whip your phrasing and feel into shape
Jazz guitar theory 101: 5 ways you can use tritone substitutions to jazz up your chord progressions
Tritone substitutions are jazz theory 101 – and you don't need a degree from Berklee to put them into practice
30 open tuning chords you need to know
Expand your guitar vocab with chord ideas for Double Drop D, Open G, DADGAD, Open D and Open C tunings, favorite tunings for Keith Richards, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Page and more
Dissonant guitar chords: 5 voicings that will add suspense and tension to your playing
The Asus2(addb5) might sound mind-boggling, but it's easy to play, sounds fascinating, and is one of five voicings to add to your chord vocabulary
Art-rock’s elder statesman Bill Nelson on his wildest guitar stories – and why he still swears by the Line 6 Pod
The Be-Bop Deluxe icon invites us into his guitar-packed home to talk about his endless drive to write and record, his six-string war stories, and why he hasn’t used guitar amps for years
Make like Joni Mitchell and Steve Hackett and freshen up your chords with 5 alternative voicings
By incorporating open strings, you can give your chords more color and keep the ear interested. Here are five voicings that are certified fresh
Learn the greatest licks from over 100 years of trailblazing blues guitarists, from Robert Johnson to B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Eric Gales and more
These 15 must-learn licks take you from blues guitar's acoustic beginnings to its electric present day
5 rock ’n’ roll ending chords you need to know
These jazz-inspired chords will class up any set. Simply add to the conclusion of your jam, et voila!
Lonnie Mack is an unsung hero in the development of the modern guitar solo – learn the blues guitar pyrotechnics that lit a fire under Stevie Ray Vaughan
A key influence on SRV classics such as Scuttle Buttin', Lonnie Mack's trailblazing style is worth another look
6 simple but super-effective ways to make easy chords sound great
Simply rearranging the notes can make basic chords sound infinitely more exciting
“Take Jeff Beck, David Gilmour and Allan Holdsworth – Alan should be seen as being in that company”: Remembering the late Alan Murphy, the player Fender trusted as a tone consultant, who played with Kate Bush, Go West, and more
As November 2023 would have marked Alan Murphy’s 70th birthday, we look back at the man and his music, with personal recollections from the collaborators who knew him best
Banish stock phrases with these smart triad chord ideas
It is all too easy to fall into familiar patterns when playing, but these five triads prove that it's just as easy to break out of them and find a fresh perspective on your playing
Understanding alternative chord shapes and inversions can have massive benefits for your lead playing – take a break from scales and give your solos a boost by incorporating these shapes
Step away from your usual scales by peppering your leads with some smart new chord shapes
Introducing contrasting open chords – the open-string shapes used by the likes of Alex Lifeson and Jeff Buckley in some of their dreamiest guitar parts
What is a contrasting open chord? It's simply an open chord that combines high-fretted notes and open strings, and it can be used to great effect on acoustic or electric guitar
If you're playing in a blues trio, you have an awful lot of freedom with your guitar parts – here's how to make the most of being the only guitar player in the band
These major-sounding blues ideas are ideal for those situations where you've only got the drummer and bass player for company
DADGAD guitar tuning: an introduction to the (not quite) open tuning favored by Jimmy Page
Here are five ideas to get started with DADGAD tuning, so you can get on with the important business of writing the next Kashmir
Bored with pentatonics? This lesson in superimpositions will make you think again
Get more out of the guitarist’s favorite scale and make it sound fresh again by learning how the notes relate to each other and their underlying chords
Crosspicking is an advanced picking technique that will lend your licks an authentic country flavor – test your picking skills with this lesson
You can apply crosspicking techniques to all kinds of styles, from country to the blues, bluegrass and more
Keith Richards' use of open G tuning is the stuff of guitar legend – take a leaf out of his book with these 5 must-learn shapes
No sixth string required…
Introducing polychords – the mind-bending guitar shapes that will take your playing into new harmonic and melodic worlds
Polychords are a neat way to expand your musical vocabulary and can be used in your rhythm and lead playing, as the great Larry Carlton has demonstrated time and time again
Your solos and rhythm playing will benefit from learning chords across the fretboard – and major 7ths are a great place to start
The major 7th chord is a favorite among guitarists of all stripes, including Nile Rodgers – here are 5 ways to take the shape to the next level, and your overall playing along with it, too
