Lessons

We might never reach Hendrix levels of god-like genius on the guitar, but how he phrased his leads is a lesson to us all. Here, we look at four examples that will expand your blues vocabulary

Tuning to perfect 4ths allows you to copy shapes across the fretboard and can even make lead lines easier to play – British jazz great Ant Law shows you how to make the most of this radical tuning

These chords have an orchestral quality that radiates a certain silver screen soundtrack magic

Unleash your inner blues guitar hero with these lead ideas in the style of Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Eric Clapton and more

Give your solos a satisfying ending with these foolproof lead ideas

Take a deep dive into the electric and acoustic techniques of one of the most influential blues, rock and folk guitarists of all time – and learn to incorporate them in your own style

There’s no rest for the wicked in Wylde’s world of fast alternate picking and pinched harmonics. It's time to light up the 'board in the style of Ozzy Osbourne's longstanding shredder-in-chief

Let's talk about sextuplets, baby... and all the good things they can do for your lead phrasing when combined with a Johnson-esque picking strategy

Armed with a Fiesta Red Strat and a dynamic style, Crayton was a powerhouse of '50s blues guitar. This lesson takes you inside Bonamassa's interpretation of the Crayton classic Win-O

Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter all used this technique to great effect – here's how you can make the most of it in your solos

Power chords are a rock rhythm guitar fundamental you need to know inside and out. Here are 5 options to spice up your hard-rocking jams

Let's dive headlong into the acoustic style of a Nashville superstar who’s better known for ripping out scary electric licks. Spoilers: he's just as spectacular unplugged

A more efficient way to pick, economy picking will make you a more fluid player, whether you’re playing jazz and fusion or shred à la Yngwie Malmsteen

A hero to the great Danny Gatton, Billy Butler was a trailblazing player, and this lesson into his jazzy blues style will underpin your technique and improvisational sensibility

This James Brown-inspired workout is not just for funk – all rhythm players can learn from these techniques and approaches

Scale the blues-rock mountain and balance on the edge of major and minor tonalities with this lesson in the style of one of rock's greatest players

Andy Timmons unpacks his chord/melody approach and explains how you can use it in your own songwriting ideas

Josh Smith is our guide in mixing flatpicking with fingerpicking for a piece that references Gatton's style along with James Brown

Joe Satriani is a fan. Danny Elfman, too. And by learning these chord shapes, you can drop some Lydian magic into your songwriting for dramatic effect

Give your lead guitar style a bowed quality à la Roy Buchanan, Walter Trout, Jeff Beck et al