Latest articles by Alex Lynham
Billy Howerdel: “With A Perfect Circle, I was always concentrating on bigger guitars – on this album, I wanted the compositions to take center stage”
The APC guitarist talks tapping into his formative years on his debut solo album, What Normal Was, and why it's hard for him to let go of physical amps in place of amp modelers
Cave In share how recording with Kurt Ballou and building a Covid-safe talk box helped them craft their biggest-sounding album yet
Adam McGrath and Stephen Brodsky discuss the next chapter in Cave In's history, and explore the guitar and studio secrets that helped them honor late bassist Caleb Scofield's legacy on Heavy Pendulum
15 cheap guitar mods you can try at home
From quick budget hacks to complete overhauls, learn how to improve the look, sound or feel of your guitar without busting the bank
10 free guitar plugins you need to download right now
On a tight budget? These free plugins will craft and hone your tone at no cost at all
How Failure built ambitious new album Wild Type Droid from 36 hours of jam session recordings
Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards share the gear and tone secrets behind the influential alt-rock outfit's latest full-length, which finds them indulging their love of baritones, Axe-Fx and even Gibson Explorers
Multi-effects pedal vs individual pedals: which is right for you?
We look at the pros and cons of running multi-FX versus multiple stompboxes
Maybeshewill: “On this record, we tried to lean less heavily on powerchords for the energy and find other ways to employ the guitars”
Guitarists John Helps and Robin Southby talk writing their latest album, No Feeling is Final, via Skype and Dropbox, the gear that played into its creation and how Robert Smith helped them reunite five years after calling it quits
Knobs: “The function of pedals has changed – they're collaborative devices that don't have a fixed function. They're instruments in their own right”
In 2014, this YouTuber changed the pedal demo game. We get the lowdown on their creative process, the joys of collecting guitar pedals, and why music making is all about intent
How to get killer guitar tones from the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
The million-selling Boss distortion pedal’s divisive reputation stems from its gargantuan array of tones – we show you how to unearth its best sounds
True bypass vs buffered bypass: what’s the difference?
We lift the lid on the pros and cons of both, and the impact they can have on your guitar tone
15 essential pedals for live guitarists
Want to play some gigs but unsure what guitar effects pedals you’ll need? Here's our definitive guide to the pedals you should consider for your ‘board
9 reasons you need a pedalboard power supply
From ditching batteries altogether, to running different voltages and the potential for 'board expansion, here’s why we’re big fans of the humble PSU
Jim Ward: “I've always written on an unplugged electric guitar. That's why I play a lot of bombastic stuff with open strings – it fills up the room”
The Sparta and At the Drive-In founder details the making of Daggers, his first solo album proper – and why he'll never exhaust the possibilities of his spartan setup
6 creative ways to use a wah pedal
Want to get more from your wah-wah? Here are 6 techniques to help you sound like Satch, Kirk Hammett, Matt Bellamy and more...
5 ways My Bloody Valentine changed the sound of guitar playing forever
A deep dive into the forces behind MBV's formidable shoegaze approach, and how their pioneering take on the electric guitar changed the future of the instrument
Blackstar Live Logic review
A compact MIDI controller for Ableton that's designed especially for guitarists
Alpha Male Tea Party's Tom Peters: "Throwing a simple major-key riff together wasn't doing it for me any more… I thought, 'How can I use melody differently?'"
The instrumental riff-meister and keen-eared producer details the personal struggle behind making monumental new album, Infinity Stare, and his secret formula for killer guitar tone
El Ten Eleven's Kristian Dunn: "I'm not even a guitar player, I'm a bass player. I'm faking my way through it!"
The post-rock duo's leader on how he builds a blockbuster bass sound, his expansive live rig and why Tautology ended up as a triple album
7 creative ways to use a looper pedal
Everything you need to start creating with a guitar looper, from stutter effects to drones
Why do guitarists love the Ibanez Tube Screamer? The story of the classic overdrive pedal
Everything you need to know about the world's most iconic overdrive pedal
A guitarist's guide to EQ: how to make your guitar tone bigger and better than ever before
Whether you're playing live to thousands or creating mixes in your bedroom, EQ is an essential but elusive tool. We break it down for you in this comprehensive guide
