Tuition

How to play B.B. King’s greatest song (with some help from Joe Bonamassa)

By Joe Bonamassa published 10 March 26

Bonamassa says B.B. King’s The Thrill Is Gone is so perfect that he initially couldn’t find anyone to cover it on his tribute album. Here, he unpacks the tones and approaches of the King of the Blues

Bopping blues and greasy grooves: Ally Venable's rhythm guitar tips and secrets

By Ally Venable published 8 March 26

Learn how to boost your blues to pro levels of authenticity with a handful of great chords and a rock-solid rhythm technique

Big jumps for a bigger sound: Steve Morse’s masterclass on wide intervals

By Steve Morse published 3 March 26

Deep-dive your technique for powerful intervals with six string-jumping, fretboard-stretching examples from one of the world's most influential super-pickers

What we can learn from Mike Oldfield about breaking free of the pentatonic box

By Richard Barrett published 24 February 26

In this lesson, we reimagine folk, jazz, blues and Celtic music for a blues roadmap that takes the road less traveled

KT Tunstall’s 5 guitar tips to boost your songwriting skills

By Jason Sidwell published 23 February 26

Learn KT's five go-to guitar techniques: from power strumming to rich chords, colorful picking, and unison vocal/guitar riffs.

Demystifying 13th chords, the voicing that Stevie Ray Vaughan used to stunning effect in Lenny

By Richard Barrett published 17 February 26

This primer in 13th chords will give you five voicings to use in your playing – and an explanation on how they get their name

How to play slide guitar in standard tuning

By Charlie Starr published 12 February 26

Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke demonstrates how slide playing in standard and drop D tuning can be the best of both worlds

What is “Dead thumb” fingerpicking? Jared James Nichols explains

By Jared James Nichols published 11 February 26

Jared James Nichols is a master of “Dead thumb” fingerpicking. The Blues Power fingerstylist explains how it gives the him freedom to cut loose

How to let it rip like the late, great Gary Moore

By Richard Barrett published 4 February 26

Time to show the Marshall amp no mercy and engage the Tube Screamer – this solo lesson works mid '70s Thin Lizzy into Parisienne Walkways and Still Got The Blues and doesn't hold back

“I met him in 1990 when I was 13 years old. We became lifelong friends”: Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to B.B. King

By Joe Bonamassa published 1 February 26

Bonamassa says King was the kind of player who could say it all with one note – “Just one stinging vibrato and you know it can only be him”