Latest articles by Andy Aledort
“It was like watching a Polaroid develop": An oral history of Stevie Ray Vaughan's earliest days on the road
Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Vaughan's former bandmates and more recall the development of one of the greatest guitarists of all time
Learn to supercharge your blues solos by seamlessly switching between major and minor pentatonic scales
All of the greatest blues and rock guitarists - such as T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Albert King, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix - routinely incorporated this technique into their solos
10 things you didn't know about Stevie Ray Vaughan
Think you know everything there is to know about the late, great SRV? Read on!
Learn the hallmarks of the hugely influential guitar style of Mountain's Leslie West
Take a look at Leslie West's heavy, dense guitar work in this lesson
Why using the major third is crucial for your blues-based solos
When soloing over dom7 chords, the inclusion or substitution of the major third in a minor pentatonic line always sounds good
The major 3rd is the key to a killer blues solo - here's why
Get your minor and major pentatonic licks in shape with this essential lesson
Robert Johnson: Unlock the guitar mysteries of the Delta blues great
Learn the variety of picking techniques and tunings that Johnson used to craft his timeless, deeply emotional music
Freddie King lesson: go in deep with a blues guitar legend
King's hard-driving intensity gave his guitar lines and solos a fiery spirit
Make your blues solos awesome using dominant seven chords
Many blues songs are built around major-key progressions based on this shape
Building solos on specific adjacent string groups
Force yourself out of the same old, familiar position-based patterns and into new, uncharted territory
Finding Inspiration on Three Adjacent Strings
Applying this construct to any improvised solo will automatically force you away from playing familiar licks and standard melodic “shapes.”
Exploring Slide Guitar in Open E Tuning
Learn how to master one of the most distinctive sounds in blues and rock music.
Reuniting SRV's Double Trouble: Reese Wynans and Joe Bonamassa Talk Sweet Release
Learn how former SRV's Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Wynans teamed up with Joe Bonamassa and his former bandmates for 'Sweet Release.'
Want to Solo and Wail Like Peter Frampton? Let Us Show You the Way!
Learn the unique lead guitar stylings of Peter Frampton in this comprehensive lesson.
A Guide to Modal Slide Soloing in Standard Tuning
It's super useful to familiarize oneself with modal scale positions and patterns and learn how to navigate them with the slide.
Harmonizing a Melody with Major and Minor Thirds
Master the most common two-note harmony interval.
In Deep: Howlin' Wolf and Hubert Sumlin
Learn some of the tricks and stylings of Howlin' Wolf and Hubert Sumlin, one of the greatest blues guitar tandems of all time.
Blues Shapes: Using Triadic Forms as Soloing Templates
Chord forms can provide useful templates of fretboard shapes for improvising melodic lines.
How to Utilize Unusual Alternate Tunings Like Jimmy Page
Jimmy was often quoted as saying his true passion was to create a combination of “light and shade.”
Infusing Major Pentatonic Patterns with Chromatic Passing Tones
Learn some cool approaches to improvising over an Emaj7-Bm7 chord progression.
How to Develop a Great Slide Vibrato
One of the most challenging aspects of learning slide guitar is developing a consistently pleasing vibrato.
How to Create Flowing, Stylish Licks Like Eric Clapton
When it comes to spontaneous, improvised phrasing, there is perhaps no better blues-rock guitarist than Eric Clapton.
How to play slide guitar in standard tuning: essential tips
Learning slide guitar in standard tuning allows you to focus on fret-hand touch and pick-hand articulation without having to re-learn the fretboard and chord forms in an alternate tuning
