Richard Barrett
As well as a longtime contributor to Guitarist and Guitar Techniques, Richard is Tony Hadley’s longstanding guitarist, and has worked with everyone from Roger Daltrey to Ronan Keating.
Latest articles by Richard Barrett
Learn the essentials of 12-bar acoustic blues
By Richard Barrett published
It's time to dig out the flattop and learn the blues with this exercise that combines elements of Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson, and Skip James
4 guitar tricks you can learn from Jimmy Page
By Richard Barrett last updated
With Led Zeppelin, Page drew from all quarters of the musical landscape, but his exhilarating style was rooted in the blues
How to play blues like the early electric guitar masters
By Richard Barrett published
This lesson takes electric blues back to the start, when electricity found its way to the guitar and players such as John Lee Hooker and Hubert Sumlin changed the world
Add suspense to your chord progressions with these augmented shapes
By Richard Barrett published
The music theory math is easy in this lesson, but can be devastatingly effective
How chords can literally be turned on their heads to produce interesting new harmonic effects in songwriting
By Richard Barrett published
Using inversions – or slash chords as they are more commonly known – is a great way of experimenting with familiar chords
Turn up the volume on your blues-rock soloing with this lesson in the style of Joe Bonamassa and Jimmy Page
By Richard Barrett published
Boost the gain, dig in, and don't let perfect be the enemy of good in this lead guitar workout
How to apply consecutive scale tones in your playing with cluster chords
By Richard Barrett published
Five inspirational ideas to take cluster chords out of the realm of fretboard theory and into something you can put into practice
How Eric Gales’ signature licks can hot-wire your blues playing
By Richard Barrett published
Gales’ genre-mashing guitar style is rooted in the blues but takes exhilarating detours through his expansive musical vocabulary. This primer establishes the mood with some jazz chord melodies before tackling his lightning quick picking
How to transform the C major chord into something magical
By Richard Barrett published
Few players go weak at the knees at the thought of a C major, but with a couple of different voicings it gives us a world of interesting and versatile sounds to work with
How to journey across the fretboard using wide-interval chords
By Richard Barrett published
Take the route less traveled when it comes to chord voicings, and add new shapes to shake up your songwriting
How to get more out of fewer notes in a guitar solo
By Richard Barrett published
Here are four blues solo ideas that demonstrate how sometimes less is more, reminding us that the space between the notes is music too
How to play Motown rhythm guitar
By Richard Barrett published
R&B, soul, Motown, it all goes well with the blues – and with the following four examples, you can add a little invention to your rhythm game
Funk up your blues with these Joe Walsh-style solo ideas
By Richard Barrett published
Four ways to supply fiery blues-rock leads over a two-chord vamp in the style of Walsh, Joe Bonamassa and Gary Moore
Extended guitar chords explained
By Richard Barrett published
Adding notes to a chord to enrich harmony can be a confusing topic – and gymnastic for the fingers. We're here to help
Stuck in a power chord rut? Try these 5 smart alternatives
By Richard Barrett published
Voicings that go beyond the usual ‘5’ chord can make for some impactful and harmonically interesting sounds
Funk up your chords with these minimal vamp-friendly blues shapes
By Richard Barrett published
When the mix is crowded by other instrumentation, simplifying your chords can help your playing stand out
How to play psychedelic Mixolydian blues
By Richard Barrett published
This lesson demonstrates how modal approach to blues can open up your musical options, adding some Mixolydian folk spice in the style of Robby Krieger, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix
Make an impact with 5 expansive open guitar chords
By Richard Barrett published
It’s time to make some noise as this lesson demonstrates how using all six strings can make for some big open chords in the key of E major
How to solo using the CAGED scale
By Richard Barrett published
Using partial chords and doublestops with regular pentatonics, this lesson offers a soloing strategy that's easy on the tendons and big on expression
How to play ragtime blues guitar
By Richard Barrett published
Learn the solo acoustic guitar style pioneered by trailblazing players such as Big Bill Broonzy and Memphis Minnie
Shake up your progressions with 5 chords that are neither major nor minor
By Richard Barrett published
How using the Hendrix chord and the sus chords favoured by Andy Summers can add intrigue and options for your songwriting
How to break out of the pentatonic box with your solos
By Richard Barrett published
Let linear patterns unlock the fretboard and take you out of your comfort zone
Expand your chord knowledge with these easy three-note Gypsy jazz voicings
By Richard Barrett published
Inspired by Django Reinhardt's ingenuity, we break down five simple three-note Gypsy jazz chords
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