Stop spending all your practice time on soloing: rhythm playing is even more important – and embellishing chords will seriously up your game By Andy Saphir published 18 January 24 We show you how to take regular chords and level them up with sliding shapes, doublestops and legato
“There are 8 people working full-time to review each and every one”: The Smashing Pumpkins receive 10,000 submissions for new guitarist role By Michael Astley-Brown published 17 January 24 The alt-rock icons have recruited an entire team to review every single application
“It’s a little bit softer and you get a different attack”: Matteo Mancuso took the guitar world by storm with his otherworldly playing style – now he’s revealed the secret to his flawless fingerpicking tone: fake nails By Matt Owen published 15 January 24 He's already given his advice on crafting better lead lines. Now, the young virtuoso has kindly revealed how you can get natural tones to match
Ditching the pick adds a whole new set of colors to your guitar palette – and these 10 fingerstyle jazz licks will class up your playing (even if you’re not a jazz guitarist) By Arianna Powell published 15 January 24 Pickup Music’s Arianna Powell shares a wealth of tasty jazz ideas that will work in any genre
“I’m a sloppy guitar player! I’ll be the first to admit that… In retrospect, I should have practiced more”: Ace Frehley isn't going to apologize for his loose playing style – but he also doesn't recommend that players follow in his footsteps By Jackson Maxwell published 13 January 24 The former Kiss guitarist has often been accused of sloppiness, a label he says he doesn't mind at all
“Ozzy knew that I was Randy’s favorite guitar player. The only way I could think of getting out of the gig was by making outrageous demands”: Why Michael Schenker turned down the opportunity of a lifetime with Ozzy Osbourne after Randy Rhoads died By Matt Owen published 12 January 24 The German virtuoso once received a call in the middle of the night from Osbourne asking him to join the band – but Schenker wasn't sold on the opportunity
“Do not try to play them like Edward – because you can’t”: Steve Vai says this is the secret to nailing Eddie Van Halen’s guitar parts in front of a live audience By Matt Parker published 11 January 24 Vai has been considering his experiences winning the hearts and minds of Van Halen fans back in the ’80s – as his friend Joe Satriani gets ready to do the same this summer
“I don't know if I can play like I played back then”: Alex Lifeson discusses how arthritis is affecting his playing – and why returning to the road might not be wise By Matt Owen published 11 January 24 The Rush legend is taking “very, very effective” treatments to deal with his arthritis, but concedes his joint issue is “slowly getting worse”
“I think it’s the challenge right now, as it is for a lot of musicians”: Pete Townshend pinpoints the one thing Instagram players get wrong – and reveals who his favorite social media guitarist is By Matt Owen published 11 January 24 The Who icon honed in on an aspect of guitar playing that many social media shredders overlook – but also offered a solution in the process
The doublestop is a neo-soul guitar staple – learn how it can add harmonies to your solos and spice up your chord transitions By Niklas Myhre published 10 January 24 Neo-soul is one of the hottest guitar trends of the moment – and in this lesson, Pickup Music's Niklas Myhre gives you a primer on one of its essential approaches
“I had a couple of passes at the solo, and that was it. Keith’s playing great – and it’s unusual to hear me playing at full acceleration outside of Led Zeppelin”: Jimmy Page on his surprise Rolling Stones collaboration, and the gear that made rock history By Chris Bird published 9 January 24 In this all-encompassing 2020 interview, the Led Zeppelin legend reflects on the evolution of his guitar rig, writing rock’s greatest albums – and how the Beatles shaped the sound of Whole Lotta Love
“I don’t like outward complexity – I enjoy being stealthy about it, and Steely Dan are beacons for that”: Meet Sam Vallen, the shredder swiping yacht rock chords and turning them into one of 2024’s best prog-metal albums with Caligula’s Horse By Phil Weller published 9 January 24 The Australian virtuoso explains how writing a dissertation on Steely Dan’s harmonic vocabulary helped him build a record full of ambiguity and tension in Charcoal Grace
“It's fun, it's loud, it's tricky in a few spots”: Guthrie Govan’s virtuosic trio the Aristocrats have just debuted their first new song in five years – and it’s about a duck going drinking By Matt Parker published 8 January 24 Listen to Hey, Where’s MY Drink Package? – the first taster from new concept album DUCK
“Are you improvising? Damn, you’re good!” Kiko Loureiro has released his first music since leaving Megadeth: a “harmonically weird” song he wrote with Plini in just one day By Phil Weller published 8 January 24 The two musicians met in the studio for the first time to showcase Neural DSP’s newly updated Archetype: Plini X plugin, with a mini-documentary detailing their creative process
The Smashing Pumpkins are looking for a new guitarist – anyone can apply, but securing the position won’t be easy. Here are 5 things you need to nail to get the gig By Michael Astley-Brown published 8 January 24 Reckon you’ve got what it takes to play alongside Billy Corgan and James Iha? It will take much more than just learning the songs
“My jaw was on the floor so many times!” Steve Vai once tipped Matteo Mancuso for greatness – now the two virtuosos have finally shared the stage in one of the most technically dazzling jams you’ll ever see By Matt Owen published 8 January 24 It's been almost two years since Vai hailed Mancuso as the evolution of guitar, and at long last the pair have locked fretboards in a no-holds-barred guitar dual
“Leslie West said: ‘I prefer your licks, Pete. Eric seems to be playing things he’s learned, that he’s picked up from other blues players’”: Pete Townshend says the Mountain legend favored his expansive rock licks over Eric Clapton’s blues vocabulary By Matt Owen published 7 January 24 “I think that is a fair comparison, although I have seen Eric play live, where he really goes sky high,” the Who hero added
“I was playing at three times the speed that I normally play at”: Pete Townshend resisted buying “heavy metal” guitars for decades – but he just got his first Jackson at the age of 78… and loves it By Matt Owen published 5 January 24 The Stratocaster loyalist decided it was time to branch into more metal territory with his latest six-string purchase – and he was pleasantly surprised with what he discovered
Jimi Hendrix smashed the barriers between lead and rhythm guitar with his revolutionary chord work. Learn how the most influential guitarist of them all worked his voodoo style with this essential chord lesson By Total Guitar editors published 5 January 24 Learn about the often overlooked rhythmic foundations of the guitar icon’s world-changing playing
Tired? Bored? Small hands? These are the top 8 excuses for avoiding guitar practice – and how to beat them By Pauline France published 4 January 24 A revealing (and possibly triggering) compilation of excuses for not practicing guitar