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Three funk guitar maestros [l-r]: Hamish Stuart of Average White Band crouches down to play his Telecaster; Nile Rodgers of Chic gives the audience some love; and Claydes Charles Smith of Kool and the King holds it down with sunglasses on in an archive B/W live shot.

The glitterball guitar heroes of ’70s funk were masters of rhythm guitar – and their techniques will make you a better player

By Jon Bishop published

Unpacking the techniques pioneered by the likes of Nile Rodgers, Hamish Stuart and Claydes Charles Smith

Artist Lessons
A portrait of Jim Oblon superimposed against a sky-high background as the sun is setting, the margins of the image look like an old photographic negative. Oblon wears a wide-brimmed hat and plays a Telecaster.

How you can use arpeggios to imply dominant 9th chords in your solos (it's easier than it sounds!)

By Jim Oblon published

Understanding the chord shape and the theory behind it is easier than you might think, and it offers another strategy for navigating the fretboard on the fly

Lessons
The Who's Pete Townshend puts his hands over his ears live onstage and wears a modded Gibson Les Paul.

How to understand the meaning behind guitar chord names – and why it matters

By Richard Barrett published

The Who's Pete Townshend made very effective use of suspended chords in tracks such as Pinball Wizard – and when you know the difference between your add9 and you sus4 maybe you can, too

Chords
The Edge of U2 plays his 1976 Gibson Explorer onstage in Milan, 2018. He wears a beanie and is illuminated by a white stagelight. The Explorer has a natural finish and a white pickguard.

When the band formed, they could barely play their instruments – then their guitarist bought a delay pedal and changed the sound of electric guitar forever

By Martin Cooper published

The Edge bought a delay just to fill out the sound out in U2 – it ended up all but defining them. But there's a trick to how to use it in tandem with your playing and make it sound huge

Artist Lessons
Robert Fripp of King Crimson takes a solo during the prog band's 1984 performance at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estate, Illinois.

Robert Fripp is a true prog virtuoso: this lesson delves into his mad/brilliant soloing style

By Charlie Griffiths published

We delve into the mad, brilliant lead phrasing and fearsome alternate picking of one of guitar's true masters

Artist Lessons
Gary Heimbauer presents his lesson in 5 simple acoustic approaches to strumming

5 essential strumming patterns for beginner guitar players

By Gary Heimbauer published

This lesson unpacks one of the fundamental skills of playing guitar, and offers a launchpad for budding singer-songwriters. All you need is three chords and the truth

Beginner Lessons
Jude Smith, funk guitar maestro and Pickup Music educator, poses with a Fender Telecaster Deluxe.

Palm-muting is the secret to good funk guitar – here’s how you can use it to funkify chords, double-stops and single notes

By Jude Smith published

Learn the secret ingredient to funk guitar parts that groove and swagger

Lessons
Andy Wood

Tapping on a country album? Don't knock it ’til you’ve tried it, says Andy Wood

By Andy Wood published

How Eddie Van Halen-style tapping can add spice to a country guitar solo

Artist Lessons
On the left, Jared James Nichols grimaces as he takes a solo on his 1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, the guitar named Dorothy after it was recovered and restored from a tornado. On the right, Nichols' hero, Leslie West of Mountain, solos on his Flying V.

Jared James Nichols explains why Mountain man Leslie West was the “king of heavy”

By Jared James Nichols published

In this video lesson, Nichols unpacks some of West's signature techniques and demonstrates how you, too, can scale the summit of tone and feel...

Artist Lessons
Michael Landau is feeling it as he plays a solo on this 3-color Sunburst Fender Stratocaster

Michael Landau has made harmonic changes his calling card – and this lesson in his soloing style demonstrates how you can, too

By John Wheatcroft published

Landau’s articulate playing and reference-quality tone makes him one of guitar’s unsung GOATs

Artist Lessons
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