Guitar truss rod adjustment: how to do it safely By Ed Mitchell last updated 7 December 23 Learn this essential part of guitar setup and make your guitar easier to play
If you're playing in a blues trio, you have an awful lot of freedom with your guitar parts – here's how to make the most of being the only guitar player in the band By Richard Barrett published 7 December 23 These major-sounding blues ideas are ideal for those situations where you've only got the drummer and bass player for company
Stevie Ray Vaughan virtually defined the art of the Texas shuffle – learn the playing style that shaped the sound of blues to come By Jamie Humphries published 6 December 23 The late, great Stratocaster master’s techniques will add some Texas heat to your blues playing, guaranteed
Known for his superhuman technique, Paco de Lucía is one of the all-time guitar greats – learn how to add his Nuevo flamenco flavor to your playing By Declan Zapala published 4 December 23 Uncover the explosive possibilities in your fingers with this crash course in flamenco guitar playing
With an anthemic, ultra-melodic approach, Neal Schon helped define the sound of ‘80s rock – upgrade your chops with a deep-dive into the Journey virtuoso’s legendary rhythm and lead styles By Martin Cooper published 1 December 23 Don't stop believin', but do start practicing on this video and tab lesson that unpacks Schon's tuneful, radio-friendly approach to rhythm and lead guitar
With over 700 recorded versions in the last 45 years alone, Silent Night is one of the world's most popular Christmas carols – learn a spellbinding solo jazz guitar arrangement inspired by Larry Carlton and Django Reinhardt By John Wheatcroft published 30 November 23 Get to grips with a Christmas classic that will improve your chord-melody chops and impress your family
Reach further on the fretboard and expand your playing possibilities with these guitar finger stretching exercises By Simon Barnard published 30 November 23 Reduce pain and increase your vocabulary of chords and techniques with this Andy Summers and Allan Holdsworth-inspired lesson – just be sure to warm up first
Jimmie Vaughan may be Stevie Ray’s older brother, but he paved his own way to blues guitar stardom – learn his red-hot brand of Texas blues that left even Clapton in awe By Phil Short published 29 November 23 Jimmie Vaughan is a bona-fide blues great, whose techniques are compulsory learning for any guitarist. This tab and audio lesson takes you into his style, and how you can spice up your pentatonic lines with Dorian flavor
DADGAD guitar tuning: an introduction to the (not quite) open tuning favored by Jimmy Page By Richard Barrett published 28 November 23 Here are five ideas to get started with DADGAD tuning, so you can get on with the important business of writing the next Kashmir
“String skipping can mimic sweep picking and cover a lot of ground”: Learn how to make your shred solos sound a whole lot more evil with this exclusive Josh Middleton video lesson By Josh Middleton published 28 November 23 The Sylosis virtuoso teaches you five approaches to improve your metal guitar solos – and make them that bit more sinister
Your acoustic blues playing will come on leaps and bounds with new fingerpicking patterns – here are 10 you need to know By Stuart Ryan published 28 November 23 Ditch the pick and dive into these fingerpicking style guitar lessons on some of blues guitar's finest fingerstylists, including Eric Bibb, Rory Gallagher and Leo Kottke
Gigging guitarists spend the majority of time playing rhythm, not lead – so here are 21 ways to improve your rhythm guitar chops By Jon Bishop published 22 November 23 Chords, picking, strumming, riffs, single-note accompaniments, timing: you can never practice rhythm playing enough, and this boot camp will hone your skills in all sorts of styles
Josh Smith shows you how to follow your musical inner voice and connect the dots in a blues guitar solo By Josh Smith published 17 November 23 The blues maestro shows you how to combine chromaticism, diminished patterns and ii-V-i's – but don't be alarmed: it's easier than it sounds, and opens up the doors for radical guitar improv
These guitar finger exercises will improve your finger independence and dexterity, and make you a better player By Simon Barnard published 15 November 23 Get your fingers working independently of each other and the fretboard will really open up
It’s been covered by Steve Morse, Steve Lukather and Eddie Van Halen – but if Joe Satriani and Brian May tackled Joy to the World, it would sound a little something like this By Jamie Humphries published 15 November 23 Learn a highly shreddable version of this Christmas carol classic, inspired by Satriani and May
Welcome to Sophie Lloyd's melodic rock soloing masterclass – essential techniques to take your lead playing to the next level By Charlie Griffiths published 14 November 23 The British shredder shares an exclusive video lesson in her signature soloing style – and it'll take you from pentatonics to melodic tapping and beyond
“If you want to get a visceral reaction from an audience, the bottom line is that you have to make your guitar sing”: Blues playing getting stale? Incorporating ideas from jazz guitarists will take your solos to the next level By Josh Smith published 13 November 23 At some point it is inevitable: our blues playing starts to get old. Josh Smith walks you through concepts to expand your blues vocab and help your solos stay fresh over those changes
"The diminished scale seems to loom large in my legend…" A blues masterclass from Robben Ford By Adrian Clark published 10 November 23 Video lesson: “For the most part, people just know three chords and the pentatonic scale. That is a cul-de-sac!" Let Robben Ford be your guide to the way out…
Country icon Dolly Parton has written over 3,000 songs, but her trademark ‘thumb and flick’ playing style is essential learning for acoustic players By Stuart Ryan published 10 November 23 Develop your alternating bassline picking and bluegrass soloing techniques with this country rhythm workout
Few players are doing more to write the future of blues guitar than Kirk Fletcher – banish clichés with his tasty soloing style By Andy G Jones published 8 November 23 Kirk Fletcher is destroying clichés one lick at a time, and this tab and audio lesson takes an in-depth look at his style
