Tuition

Pete Townshend, Ray Davies and David Bowie all used third inversion chords – here’s why (and how) you should, too

By Richard Barrett published 10 December 25

If the idea of third inversions seems all upside down, fear not: these five examples show how easy they are to put together – and how musical they are when you apply them in a song

Cory Wong on how to arrange guitar and keyboards

By Cory Wong published 4 December 25

The funkmeister puts Direct Flyte under the microscope to deliver a masterclass in arrangement. It's funk, sure, but there's some operatic influence in there, too, because that's just how Wong rolls

How to use triads in blues solos like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix

By Richard Barrett published 26 November 25

When you’re the only guitarist in the band, triads are your best friends in a guitar solo – and Hendrix and SRV were the masters

Jared James Nichols shows you how to build a guitar solo to a powerful climax

By Jared James Nichols published 19 November 25

Ditch the pick and crank the amp for this Jared James Nichols masterclass in blues solo composition

Great tone starts with the pick – just ask Steve Vai. Here’s how honing your picking can improve your tone for free

By Charlie Griffiths published 18 November 25

Unlock every pick color – from warmth and brightness to the secretive clarinet tone

Sue Foley shows you how to nail classic blues turnarounds – and how to come up with your own

By Sue Foley published 13 November 25

In Foley's final column in the series, she completes her turnarounds masterclass – an essential skill for any blues player

Joe Bonamassa on the vintage Gibson that makes a great power chord guitar

By Joe Bonamassa published 10 November 25

What makes the Gibson ES-350 so good for rock? Bonamassa says they are a real live wire, with “a lot of pop” and no shortage of low-end

Cory Wong on how to create a bigger, wider sound by layering baritone guitar parts

By Cory Wong published 7 November 25

Using a Fearless Flyers classic as a case study in baritone layering, the funk-master GW columnist peels away the onion to explain how these individual parts all stack up

Explore open G tuning: a fresh perspective that reshapes your fretboard and inspired timeless blues and Americana songs

By Stuart Ryan published 6 November 25

Open G has been embraced by legends including Keith Richards, The Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin. Now it’s your turn to revel in its golden tones

David Gilmour is a master of melodic bluesy phrasing – here are 3 minor blues approaches you can expand your soloing vocabulary

By Richard Barrett published 31 October 25

Whether you call these solo ideas minor blues or embellished pentatonic/blues scale, the effect is the same, freeing you up from established patterns to hold your audience's attention