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![[L-R] A composite image of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Joel Hoekstra, Marty Friedman all taking a solo live: Bumblefoot plays his double-neck. Hoekstra has his white Les Paul Custom. Friedman wears a plaid shirt and plays his PRS signature model.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VPKUYFpK9bsjnQdzekheeb-840-80.jpg.webp)
15 pro guitarists share their tips for memorizing music
We've all been there. Or worse still, you're playing, all is well, and then the mind goes blank. Here, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Joel Hoekstra, Marty Friedman, and a dozen of their fellow pros share their strategies for memorizing their parts
Steve Stevens on following in Eddie Van Halen’s footsteps to record the ‘spiritual successor’ to Beat It
When Jackson and Jones sought to revisit the sound they experimented with on Beat It, they turned to the Billy Idol guitarist for a hard rock edge
Timothée Chalamet on playing guitar in the Bob Dylan biopic – and the song that made it all click
Chalamet discusses the nuances of Dylan’s guitar playing and the moment his portrayal of the legendary songwriter came together
Session bassist Sean Hurley on taking inspiration from Paul McCartney for a John Mayer session
Hurley aimed to build his Queen of California bass line around “the roots and flat sevenths” – taking a page from Macca's book
Steve Lukather on how Quincy Jones saved Michael Jackson’s Beat It from becoming a heavy metal track
Jackson wanted a rock track for Thriller – and Lukather says Jones had to step in to stop the song from entering fully fledged metal territory
Gary Rossington’s ‘Free Bird’ SG will be loaned out for a series of A-list gigs
The Chicago Music Exchange is working with Rossington’s family to help put the iconic guitar in the hands of big-name players, in a new initiative that aims to honor the late Southern rock icon’s legacy
David Gilmour on why the guitar is still a vehicle for giving “birth to new tunes” – decades deep into his career
Gilmour talks about how limitations and “getting discomfited” are crucial to his songwriting process – and to keeping things sounding fresh
![[L-R] Ozzy Osbourne and Jake E. Lee](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GsG64nBua4FkRe2KkMC4xc-840-80.jpg.webp)
Jake E. Lee on comparisons with Randy Rhoads – and what his fellow Ozzy shredder was better at
The virtuoso has weighed in on the decades-long debate that has pitted him against his Prince of Darkness predecessor
Ella Feingold auditioned to join Prince’s band – but was turned down because her playing was “too funky”
Feingold has discussed her 2005 audition, during which her chops proved to be too funky – and not enough ‘Elton John’ – for Prince
Billy Corgan on how watching Iommi taught him the key to the playing style of Eddie Van Halen
As Corgan explains, the distinctive aspect he observed of the ’Sabbath great, also shaped his understanding of players like Eddie Van Halen and Uli Jon Roth
Kenny Wayne Shepherd on why playing through a Dumble doesn't guarantee a great sound
While Shepherd is a proud proponent (and owner) of Dumble amps, he admits that if your technique is not up to scratch, using one of the legendary amps can be a humbling experience
How a 9-year-old Julian Lage ended up playing with Carlos Santana in front of 20,000 people
While Santana was touring the US with Jeff Beck, Lage turned up unannounced to meet his hero – and was invited onstage for a jam
John Mayer busts out his Charvel and an ultra-rare ESP as he breaks new ground during A-list R&B guest solo
Mayer has shared behind-the-scenes snippets as he composed his latest collaborative lead effort, which takes his solo chops to new experimental heights
Tele obsessive John 5 provides the ultimate test for Fender’s new American Ultra II series
The versatile shredder owns over 100 different Telecasters, but he’s full of praise for the upgrades that have been fitted to its latest iteration
Billy Corgan on why he thinks he’s still under-appreciated as a guitarist
The creative force behind Smashing Pumpkins is often overlooked in the 'greatest guitarists of all time' conversation
Ernie Isley on growing up with Jimi Hendrix and witnessing his fast-developing guitar playing in his living room
Hendrix lived with the Isley family from the spring of '63 through Thanksgiving of '65 – a period that was pivotal in shaping young Ernie Isley's musical taste
Hollywood's go-to guitarist, Andrew Synowiec, on how he ended up playing on a Who record
The seasoned session guitarist received a last-minute call to step in and play a guitar part in a style not typically associated with The Who and Pete Townshend
Grace Bowers continues her winning streak with a wah-laden rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at an NFL game
Over the past week, Bowers opened for The Roots, played with the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and made a surprise appearance at a Marcus King show
