Open Gsus4 tuning chords: 5 chords you need to know By Jon Bishop published 10 September 24 A must-learn tuning for folk acoustic styles, open Gsus4 makes for easy chords that sound amazing
The “train beat” is a staple of country and blues music – and learning to play over it will hone your hybrid picking and timing By Jim Oblon published 9 September 24 Jim Oblon's debut Guitar World column is all about country-fried rhythm guitar, but it's a lesson for any player who wants to understand pocket and groove
Why Toto guitarist Steve Lukather is one of rock’s greatest players By Andy G Jones published 9 September 24 Lukather's style is a case study in rhythmic variation, chromaticism and on-point phrasing that references the familiar but takes you someplace else
Jeff Hanneman gave Slayer an unholy dimension – learn his incendiary rhythm and lead style here By Charlie Griffiths published 6 September 24 Hell awaits your forearm in this punishing tutorial in the late Hanneman's style, but it will soon whip your downpicking and tapping skills into shape
Open Aadd9 tuning: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 5 September 24 A favorite of Australian virtuoso Alan Gogoll, this tuning will expand your acoustic horizons and add a touch of magic to your chord voicings
This country guitar masterclass that has everything you need to know to make it in Twang City By Daniel Donato published 4 September 24 With Daniel Donato as your guide, this video and tab deep dive offers a comprehensive primer in country guitar, from the fundamentals to the showpony licks
How to play surf music on guitar: 3 techniques that will make your playing sound authentic By Mike Olekshy published 3 September 24 This introduction to surf guitar will teach you the basics of the style popularized by Dick Dale, The Surfaris and The Ventures
Open G tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 3 September 24 Loved by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Keith Richards, open G makes a good tuning for bottleneck blues, and these chords are essential voicings for exploring its musical potential
As guitarist for 10cc, Eric Stewart created one of the most thrilling pop sounds in British music history By Martin Cooper published 2 September 24 Learn the chart-conquering guitar style of 10cc’s Eric Stewart, which puts melody to the forefront
T-Bone Walker changed the course of blues guitar playing – and the role of electric guitar in popular music By David Gerrish published 30 August 24 The Texan troubadour knew how to give the crowd their money's worth, and players such as Jimi Hendrix were watching. This lesson in his playing style has plenty of biting string bends and blues flavor
Open D tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 29 August 24 A favorite of Mumford & Sons, open D tunes your guitar to DADF#AD and makes a great platform for fingerstyle blues excursions
Vince Gill and Brent Mason are two of country music's most respected guitarists – and their supreme hybrid picking abilities are key to their success By Stuart Ryan published 28 August 24 This is a smoking hot introduction to one of Nashville's most important skills
DADGAD tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 27 August 24 Retuning your guitar can fuel your creativity, and when it comes to alternate tunings, DADGAD is a great place to start – especially on acoustic
How string skipping can present your playing with new melodic possibilities that were previously out of reach By Simon Barnard published 26 August 24 String skipping can introduce fresh arpeggios and wide interval phrases to your playing. Look no further than Sweet Child O' Mine for an example of its musical effectiveness
What is the Steely Dan “Mu chord”? Breaking down the left-field chord voicings that will open up your harmonic world By John Wheatcroft published 23 August 24 This deep dive into the Steely Dan chordal approach is a masterclass in Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s supreme harmonic awareness
“It’s like you’re hearing a song within a song”: How to turn a guitar solo into a mini composition By Andy Timmons published 22 August 24 Ibanez signature artist Andy Timmons shows you how writing a solo is like writing a song, and why you should apply the same dynamics
What do the finest blues guitarists have in common? These are the technique secrets behind 30 of the most iconic players By Jon Bishop published 21 August 24 Starting from ’50s electric blues pioneers, we're bending the blues scale into different shapes, with 30 licks taking us up to the present day as the art form continues to evolve and thrive
Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to Dickey Betts in this video and tab lesson By Joe Bonamassa published 20 August 24 Les Paul in hand, Bonamassa shows us two examples of how Betts might phrase a solo, one using the "country scale," the other using the minor pentatonic
From heartbreaking vibrato to fire-breathing leads, Gary Moore was one of the blues’ most versatile guitarists By Richard Barrett published 19 August 24 This Gary Moore lesson teaches you two sides to the late blues icon’s playing
How to use CAGED shapes in conjunction with pentatonic scales By Richard Barrett published 15 August 24 Breaking these well-known chord shapes down into single notes or triads creates a road map for experimentation, improvisation and an escape route from cliched licks
