Latest articles by Jenna Scaramanga
21 ways to get more from your acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitars are arguably simpler than electrics, but there’s still a wealth of details involved in playing like a pro…
Molly Tuttle on bluegrass inclusivity and her search of speed, feel and acoustic guitar virtuosity
One of bluegrass's most gifted guitarists, Tuttle checks in to discuss the evolution of her style, and why it pays to subvert received wisdom and practice flat-out as fast as you can go
Carmen Vandenburg recalls Jeff Beck’s ultimate tone test
Vandenberg discusses the invaluable lesson she learned from Beck about achieving your tone no matter what equipment you have at hand
The 20 greatest guitar cover versions (as voted for by you), ft. Hendrix, Johnny Cash, LedZep and more
We asked, you voted, and the results are in, with a top 20 covers list featuring Guns N' Roses, Aretha Franklin, SRV and Joe Bonamassa. But who was voted number one?
Bluegrass virtuoso Molly Tuttle on the differences between metal and bluegrass shredding
Tuttle also shares the key technique that aspiring bluegrass guitar players need to master before they get on a stage
Here’s how to sound like Joe Perry, by our man on the inside, guitar tech Darren Hurst
54 guitars. 8-gauge strings. A semi full of amps. Joe Perry's live rig is a changeable, often untameable beast, and Hurst has been in charge of it since 2019. With the Aerosmith juggernaut ready to pull in for good, he spills all of its secrets, from string gauge and intonation to a heck of a lot of gain stacking...
“We’ve also embraced the jangly, the twang”: Idles’ Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan talk Tangk tones
Tankg is a another tour de force of electric guitar provocations with Idles' dynamic duo finding wilder ways to take their sound to the edge of disaster then hold it there, just for kicks
Heart’s Nancy Wilson on their long road to the top – and that cover of Stairway to Heaven
The band might have landed in the ’70s, but Nancy Wilson is inspiring more players than ever in 2024 – just glance at Instagram
St. Vincent on returning to real amps, stealing Josh Homme’s secret weapon – and how she overcame her fear of Strats
St. Vincent’s new album, All Born Screaming, sees her teaming up with two Foo Fighters, using Prince’s favourite pedal and embarking on a prog odyssey. It also sees her return to real amps played real loud…
10 things every beginner guitarist needs to know
Chords and scales, rhythm and lead: these core skills set you up for success in any style
From thefts to being gifted a 1960 Stratocaster aged 13 – Tyler Bryant on his remarkable Strat stories
He's one of the hottest young exponents of Texas blues. So of course he plays Strats…
Heart's Ann Wilson on how she managed to get Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains to jam together
Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson recount how they were embraced by Seattle’s music community after the band experienced a dip in popularity
Tash Sultana talks Strats and blowing Nile Rodgers’ mind with a rare vintage example
The musical polymath reveals what the future holds for their signature Strat, and why jamming with Nile Rodgers, Mateus Asato and Tom Morello was just what the doctor ordered
Heart's Nancy Wilson says this “Clapton-type shredder” is her favorite contemporary guitarist
Nancy Wilson explains how the young guitarist has impressed her with her distinct conversational-type shredding
Phil Collen on how Def Leppard accidentally reinvented rock guitar on classic album Pyromania
Pyromania is 40 years young this year is still fresh as a daisy. Collen explains how tones, solos, Mutt Lange and the art of recording one string at a time forged a pivotal moment in rock
St. Vincent discusses channeling Neil Young, and embracing a less-is-more approach on her new album
St. Vincent took inspiration from one of Neil Young's “one note” solos on her new record, All Born Screaming
How a gift from Mike McCready helped change St. Vincent’s relationship with the Strat
Listen to the song that St. Vincent reveals begged for a Strat moment
“When I'm not playing online, I love to blend with the band. I'm not the one who wants to stand out. But online, that's what it's all about”: April Kae is on a quest to inspire new bass players – and it starts with making bass sound good on phone speakers
From social media to the stage, the new face of Fender basses is broadening horizons for who can play the instrument. She reveals her secret to getting good bass tone on a phone, how she deals with trolls, and what it's like to jam with “the greatest drummer of all time” in Fever 333
“So much metal is gridded and sterile. We call it ‘CGI metal’. It isn’t real, and it just doesn’t sound heavy”: Simon Neil and Mike Vennart are making metal heavy again with Empire State Bastard
The Biffy Clyro bandmates take us inside the uncompromising sound of metal’s hottest supergroup, revealing how they got Slayer legend Dave Lombardo to play drums, and the gear they used to “f**k up songs that were already completely f**ked up”
“How far can we push the prog, without sounding like it’s a cliché of a prog album?”: Nothing But Thieves are one of the UK’s breakout guitar bands – but their tonal tastes are anything but conventional
On concept album Dead Club City, Nothing But Thieves not only ditched the amps, but the speaker sims as well. Dominic Craik and Joe Langridge-Brown share their love of “honky” tones, stacking Queen-esque harmony guitars and how Dave Grohl shaped the sound of the record
5 ways to use Mixolydian scale – the Goldilocks mode loved by the Cult, AC/DC and Eric Johnson
Everything from feelgood rock to funk gets better with Mixolydian, a mode used to great effect by everyone from Guns N' Roses to Kool and the Gang
There’s no such thing as an ‘acoustic guitar chord’ – but these 12 shapes sound amazing unplugged
Learn a dozen chords that will expand your musical vocabulary and enhance your songwriting – and the best bit? They’re not that difficult
No, arpeggios aren’t just for jazz and shred solos – here are 5 ways you can use them to freshen up any style of guitar playing
Your riffs, rhythm parts and solos can all benefit from a minor 7 arpeggio injection
