Guitar Techniques

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Left-Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush perform on stage at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, on December 3rd, 1977; Right-American rock guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) performs live on stage playing a black Fender Stratocaster guitar with The Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 24th February 1969

Frank Marino on the time he left a Hendrix gig early – and the truth behind the bizarre Hendrix haunting story

By Janelle Borg published

The Mahogany Rush guitarist sets the record straight on the Jimi Hendrix comparisons and a ghost rumor that dogged him for decades

Jeff Hanneman screams as he plays his Heineken/Hanneman graphic ESP signature guitar onstage with Slayer

Jeff Hanneman gave Slayer an unholy dimension – learn his incendiary rhythm and lead style here

By Charlie Griffiths published

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

Steve Lukather playing Jeff Beck's White Strat at the Hollywood Bowl

Steve Lukather confirms Jeff Beck guitar tribute project as he wields his iconic White Strat to cover Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing

By Matt Owen published

Lukather is one of the first players to use the late guitar great's old instruments as part of an ongoing “musicians’ project to honor Jeff’s legacy” – and many more are expected to follow

Musicians Alex Van Halen (L) and Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen perform at their dress rehearsal for family and friends at the Forum on February 8, 2012 in Inglewood, California

Hear Eddie Van Halen solo again in a preview of the last song he worked on with his brother

By Matt Owen published

Titled Unfinished, the full song will be released as part of the audiobook version of Alex Van Halen's forthcoming tell-all memoir

Alan Gogoll

Open Aadd9 tuning: 5 shapes you need to know

By Jon Bishop published

A favorite of Australian virtuoso Alan Gogoll, this tuning will expand your acoustic horizons and add a touch of magic to your chord voicings

John Lennon playing a Telecaster and an image of David Bowie and Carlos Alomar (playing a Stratocaster) onstage

Carlos Alomar recalls making Fame with two rock icons – and why he turned down dinner with a Beatle

By Matt Parker published

The long-term Bowie collaborator says he had to put his guitar ideas first

Eric Clapton performs on stage with singer Yvonne Elliman and guitarist George Terry at Crystal Palace Garden Party 31st July 1976

“Someone dosed Eric with LSD”: George Terry on stepping up during Clapton's bad nights on the road

By Matt Parker published

The session pro and former Clapton sideman has been reflecting on life on tour and in the studio with the guitar icon in the 1970s

A portrait of Daniel Donato with a Surf Green Telecaster in the forest

This country guitar masterclass that has everything you need to know to make it in Twang City

By Daniel Donato published

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

Brian May playing live onstage with Queen + Adam Lambert

Brian May recovering after suffering “minor stroke”

By Matt Owen published

The Queen legend's ability to play guitar was in “some doubt” following the health scare

Andy Summers and Robert Fripp Looking at their Hands

Andy Summers on his longstanding relationship with Robert Fripp – and their surprise new collab album

By Janelle Borg published

Summers and Fripp have known each other since childhood and decided to record three albums' worth of material back in the '80s after they both achieved success with their respective bands

Guitar instructor holding a Fender Stratocaster

How to play surf music on guitar: 3 techniques that will make your playing sound authentic

By Mike Olekshy published

This introduction to surf guitar will teach you the basics of the style popularized by Dick Dale, The Surfaris and The Ventures

Photo of ROLLING STONES and Keith RICHARDS, with the Rolling Stones, performing live onstage, playing Fender Telecaster guitar.

Open G tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know

By Jon Bishop published

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

Eric Stewart of 10cc plays a Les Paul Junior Doublecut, in a black-and-white image from 1976

As guitarist for 10cc, Eric Stewart created one of the most thrilling pop sounds in British music history

By Martin Cooper published

Learn the chart-conquering guitar style of 10cc’s Eric Stewart, which puts melody to the forefront

Left-Grace Bowers performs on Day 1 of BottleRock Napa Valley at Napa Valley Expo on May 24, 2024 in Napa, California; Right-B.B. King playing his guitar Lucille

Grace Bowers on how B.B. King completely changed her perspective on what makes a good guitar solo

By Janelle Borg published

Bowers discusses her transition from hair metal to blues

Left-Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter of The Doobie Brothers performing on stage at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, February 1979. He is playing a Burns guitar; Right-Disco diva Donna Summer, November 1978.

Skunk Baxter on how he recorded his classic Hot Stuff solo on a cheap guitar he bought right before the session

By Janelle Borg published

Baxter reveals he very nearly didn't do the Donna Summer session – and how the producer's willingness to experiment clinched the deal

Matteo Mancuso playing guitar, with his laptop and speakers in the background

Jazz fusion virtuoso Matteo Mancuso on why he prefers baritones to seven-string guitars

By Janelle Borg published

Mancuso worked with famed Italian luthier Bruno Bacci to bring his baritone guitar concept to life

Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd performs onstage during the 2024 CMA Music festival at the Nissan Stadium on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee

Rickey Medlocke on the first time he played Lynyrd Skynyrd’s iconic Free Bird guitar solo

By Matt Owen published

Medlocke rejoined Lynyrd Skynyrd as their new guitar player in the early 1990s, and one of his main responsibilities ever since has been to tackle Allen Collins’ legendary lead effort

A black-and-white archive photo of T-Bone Walker playing his Gibson Barney Kessel

T-Bone Walker changed the course of blues guitar playing – and the role of electric guitar in popular music

By David Gerrish published

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

Tomo Fujita and John Mayer

Tomo Fujita on what it was like to teach John Mayer – and how he indirectly helped him write Neon

By Phil Weller published

The guitar professor lifts the lid on his early lessons with Mayer and explains how Neon was born from his signature slap guitar technique

Grace Bowers playing a white Strat

Grace Bowers trades her Gibson SG for a Fender Strat to cover Stevie Ray Vaughan classics

By Janelle Borg published

The young blues virtuoso and her band The Hodge Podge pay homage to Vaughan with their own takes on Lenny and Scuttle Buttin’