Guitar Techniques Lessons

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Lonnie Mack plays a Flying V live onstage in 1985

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

By Richard Barrett published 28 March 24

A key influence on SRV classics such as Scuttle Buttin', Lonnie Mack's trailblazing style is worth another look

Progressive jazz and fusion players swear by the Lydian Dominant and Superlocrian modes – and they'll take your soloing in whole new directions

By George Karayiannis published 27 March 24

In this JTC Guitar collab, we meet a brilliant Greek guitarist, teacher and performing musician with a fusion lesson that will blow your mind – and fretboard – wide open

Jazz and blues are closer than you might think – with just a few tweaks, you can turn simple blues licks into sophisticated jazz phrases

By Cecil Alexander published 26 March 24

Cecil Alexander shows you how to take the blues scale and make it jazz

Janis Joplin covered his songs and he was in a supergroup with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings – Kris Kristofferson is a movie star and outlaw country icon with a classic acoustic style

By Stuart Ryan published 25 March 24

Kristofferson is one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, one of its biggest movie stars, and a master of making open chords work to a song's advantage

Eric Johnson performs on the 2024 G3 tour

A master of pickslanting, economy picking and pentatonic flurries, Eric Johnson is one of the smoothest soloists on the planet – and his techniques will really make your solos pop

By Andy G Jones published 22 March 24

Take a leaf out of the Texan Strat master's book and improve your picking technique, melodic sensibility and position shifting now with this lesson in Johnson's lead guitar style

Al Di Meola, Steve Vai and Tosin Abasi are in awe of his technique – learn the signature style of Matteo Mancuso, the maestro of fingerstyle fusion shred

By Charlie Griffiths published 20 March 24

Mancuso's debut LP The Journey is a tour de force of technique and imagination. We take a look at how the young Italian virtuoso's approach can make you a better player now

Judas Priest's K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton onstage in 1986

K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton brought British steel to the world with Judas Priest – learn the secrets behind the metal gods’ seminal rhythm style

By Jamie Hunt published 18 March 24

Fall to your knees and repent if you please, it’s time to dial it back to Priest’s glory days with a lesson that’ll whip your eighth and 16th-note rhythm playing into shape

Kings of Leon's Matthew Followill and Caleb Followill playing live in 2022

Kings of Leon are one of the biggest rock bands on the planet – learn the twin-guitar style that took them from club stalwarts to stadium royalty

By Martin Cooper published 15 March 24

The Followill brothers went from Nashville to global stardom via the UK pub circuit on the back of a sound referencing classic, garage and southern rock, and here we give it the tab and audio treatment

“I aim to paint myself into a musical corner and then try to find an interesting way out”: Introducing the ‘handcuffs’ approach to soloing – a simple way to improve your lead guitar playing

By Josh Smith published 14 March 24

Josh Smith shows you an arresting approach for establishing a melodic narrative in your blues solos

Django Reinhardt, playing live circa 1970

“Django stretched the guitar imagination to its limit. He was the fastest, the most creative”: What Django Reinhardt can teach today’s blues players

By John Wheatcroft published 14 March 24

Idolized by B.B. King and George Benson, Django Reinhardt was gypsy jazz guitar’s most legendary player. Improve your jazz vocabulary with this primer in his pyrotechnic style

Albert Collins wasn’t just the ‘Master of the Telecaster’. His ferocious attack and tone also earned him the nickname ‘The Iceman’ – and with licks like this, it’s not hard to see why

By David Gerrish published 14 March 24

Put a cold shot into your playing with the ultra-cool licks from the one of the most vital guitarists in blues history

Joe Bonamassa with the first black Stratocaster ever made

“This is the earliest known black Strat in existence. I first saw it when I was 11 years old – Guitar World featured it as the centerfold poster. I fell completely in love”: Joe Bonamassa on the guitar that represents his journey above all others

By Joe Bonamassa published 12 March 24

JoBo tells the story of the legendary 1955 Howard A. Reed Strat as he shares his favorite licks by blues great Ronnie Earl

The Eagles' Don Felder (left) and Joe Walsh exchange licks onstage in 1977

The Eagles are the undisputed masters of harmony lines blending country and rock – this video masterclass unpacks their signature guitar style

By Jamie Humphries published 11 March 24

If you've ever promised yourself that, one of these nights you're gonna play like the Eagles, take it easy... This video and tab lesson has everything you need to take your playing to the limit one more time

Technique, theory, taste and feel are the key ingredients in any guitar solo – work on these elements and you will play better, more expressive leads

By Jon Bishop published 6 March 24

There's no messing around with this tab and video lesson: it’s time to workshop some lead guitar ideas and get your solos spotlight-worthy

How to master CAGED guitar chords and unlock the fretboard

By Chris Bird published 1 March 24

The CAGED guitar system is a speedy route to fretboard mastery – and you'll learn some cool new chords along the way

Triads are integral to gospel, neo-soul and jazz guitar – in fact, they're essential for any style of guitar playing. Expand your repertoire now with these effortlessly cool licks

By Sam Blakelock published 29 February 24

Pickup Music founder Sam Blakelock drops by to reveal how triads can elevate your gospel game, and broaden your horizons when playing jazz, R&B and neo-soul

Tosin Abasi and Rick Beato love his playing. Now Josh Meader shows you how to solo over one of the most important chord progressions in jazz

By Josh Meader published 28 February 24

The II-V-I progression is a fundamental classic of jazz guitar – Australian virtuoso Josh Meader has three great licks to dazzle your digits (and they might just blow your mind, too)

Willie Nelson wrote his first song at 7 years old. Now he’s one of the music world’s true ‘hitmakers’ – and an outlaw country icon with a unique guitar style

By Stuart Ryan published 27 February 24

Fusing country, folk, jazz and blues, the Nashville country legend’s rhythm and lead playing approach is difficult to emulate

Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram is a modern master of blues guitar – and learning the Mississippi phenom’s soloing style will make you a better player

By Andy G Jones published 26 February 24

Any player nicknamed Kingfish is bound to know their scales, but it's how this young maestro uses them in his solos that's key. We look at his immaculate phrasing and note choice, with video and tab to guide you

Guitar solos feeling uninspired? Learn how you can breathe new life into your licks and make sure your solos always sound like they’re going somewhere

By Total Guitar editors published 23 February 24

Turn your attention to the more musical side of lead guitar with four ways to develop a solo

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