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Remembering the guitarists we lost in 2024
By Jackson Maxwell published
This year, we've sadly had to say goodbye to many guitar greats from across the world of music. Here, we recognize some of those guitarists, and their contributions to the instrument
The iconic charity rock song that missed out on its star guitarist due to illness – and why it could have sounded very different
By Michael Astley-Brown published
Do They Know It’s Christmas? could have ended up with more guitars had fate not intervened
“I was literally in tears”: Rex Brown on the Dimebag Darrell guitar solo he fought to keep on record
By Matt Owen published
The Pantera bassist picked his favorite Dimebag guitar solo, and recalled how it brought him to tears
Why Steve Vai dropped his anti-supergroup stance to help revive some of King Crimson’s most celebrated work
By Phil Weller published
BEAT has been celebrating King Crimson’s 1980s albums, with Adrian Belew and Steve Vai’s new guitar partnership at its core
Veteran session guitarist Tim Pierce on how his off-the-cuff solo ended up on a Bon Jovi classic
By Janelle Borg published
Pierce recalls laying down guitar parts for what was originally supposed to be just the demo of Jon Bon Jovi's debut single
That time one of the fastest shredders in guitar history auditioned to join Ozzy Osbourne’s band
By Matt Owen published
When the Osbourne camp began searching for Jake E. Lee’s replacement, a neo-classical speed shredder featured high up on their list
Tom Morello reflects on his high school band with Adam Jones – and how the guitarist shaped him into the player he is today
By Phil Weller published
Morello remembers how the Tool maestro helped kick-start his career by dragging him to gigs in a lengthy post that recalls the pair’s friendship
Mike Rutherford reveals his secret studio sessions with Eddie Van Halen – and sheds light on their unreleased songs
By Janelle Borg published
Van Halen had just come across Rutherford's second solo album when he called the Genesis co-founder to collaborate
When rhythm guitar hero Andy Fairweather Low was recruited by a Beatle to play slide – even though he’d never played slide before
By Matt Owen published
Harrison and Fairweather Low had a mutual love for Ry Cooder’s slide guitar playing, and the Beatle convinced the Eric Clapton rhythm guitarist to develop his own slide chops for a Japanese tour
Derek Trucks recalls playing with the greats from an early age
By Phil Weller published
Sharing the stage with his heroes taught Trucks a wealth of valuable lessons – and also showed him the difference between mediocre players and the greats
Dweezil Zappa shares the surprising beginner guitar lessons he learned from Eddie Van Halen
By Matt Owen published
Zappa first met Van Halen when he was just 12 years old, and it wasn’t long before he was receiving lessons from the guitar god – on his legendary Frankenstein
Introducing the PickTwist – a new 3D pick that will make you a better player
By Phil Weller published
The pick’s ergonomic and self-centering design is the result of two years of rigorous prototype testing
Steve Vai gives his seal of approval to the viral Hungarian high-schooler who nailed For The Love of God at his school prom
By Matt Owen published
Laci’s flawless performance of the gruelling fretboard workout has attracted the attention of the man who composed it
Steve Vai and Joe Satriani have formed a new band together – and will release new music ahead of upcoming tour dates
By Matt Owen published
The two virtuosos hit the road next summer for a string of European dates – and a new original track is set to land shortly before
Can’t figure out why your improvised solos don’t feel right? Here’s how to fix them
By Justin Sandercoe published
It's not uncommon for competent players to become unmoored from rhythmic reality when vamping in a solo, but it's crucial to keep the beat at all times, and there are some practical ways you can do that
Body Count rip through their Comfortably Numb reimagining on the Tonight Show, as Ernie C does his best David Gilmour
By Jackson Maxwell published
In an interview with host Jimmy Fallon, Ice-T recalled getting the approval (and assist) for the modern-minded reworking from Gilmour – while also getting the go-ahead from Roger Waters
Kiki Wong on how playing with Smashing Pumpkins has made her a better guitar player
By Phil Weller published
From bedroom riffing with a Line 6 Spider to playing through tube amps in stadiums, Wong says her time in the band has opened her eyes to a whole new world of tone
Bonnie Raitt on why pushing beyond the blues was key to her success – that, and making her guitar “sound like bacon smells”
By Janelle Borg published
Praised by the likes of B.B. King and Sheryl Crow, Raitt’s guitar playing continues to influence – and transcend – genres and generations