Betcha Can't Play This: Steve Dadaian's Monster Alternate Picking

Tuition
By published

In this latest edition of Guitar World's Betcha Can't Play This, guitarist Steve Dadaian unleashes some monster alternate picking while navigaving his way over changes.

Can you play what he's playing? Watch the video—and check out the tab at the bottom of this story—and get back to us!

Stay tuned for more challenging licks from Dadaian and other guitarists in the weeks ahead.

Guitar Wold Staff
More about lessons
TGR345 How to bend strings

“A few poorly intonated sustained bends in a solo can make the guitar's most emotive technique sound bad”: Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
capo at 7th fret

This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger – discover new sounds with familiar chord shapes by using a capo at the 7th fret
Left-Hans Zimmer performs on stage accompanied by The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra during The Sound of 007 in concert at The Royal Albert Hall on October 04, 2022 in London, England; Right-Paul McCartney performs on the Pyramid stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 25, 2022 in Glastonbury, England

“I had a phone call from Paul McCartney, and he wanted me to come in and work with him…” How a Beatle helped Hans Zimmer conquer his stage fright with some priceless advice
See more latest
Most Popular
TGR345 How to bend strings
“A few poorly intonated sustained bends in a solo can make the guitar's most emotive technique sound bad”: Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
capo at 7th fret
This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger – discover new sounds with familiar chord shapes by using a capo at the 7th fret
Marcin Patrzalek
Marcin’s percussive fingerstyle is dropping jaws with its stunning mix of speed, complexity and explosive dynamics. The warm-ups that fuel his virtuosity are guaranteed to boost your own playing
Spanish musician Paco de Lucia (born Francisco Sanchez Gomez, 1947 - 2014) plays guitar during the World Music Institute 'Flamenco Festival New York 2004' concert at the Beacon Theater, New York, New York, February 27, 2004
It’s the flamenco technique that lit the rhythmic fire under Marcin and Paco de Lucía, and treats all four fingers and thumb as separate plectrums – why learning rasgueado will give your picking hand a huge turbo boost
Jared James Nichols works the crowd in Nashville with his Goldtop Les Paul Standard. The stage is illuminated in purple.
“This is a technique that has been used to great effect by some of my biggest blues heroes”: By thumb-picking bass notes while playing a melody, you can be your own rhythm section – Jared James Nichols shows you how
The great Jimmy Reed wears a sharp suit and bow-tie and plays an Airline electric guitar in this archive live shot from 1960
Jimmy Reed was one of the most influential blues guitarists to ever live – and his fingerpicking style makes an incredible launching pad for improvisation
James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett performing live onstage, playing Gibson Flying V guitars
The gallop is the most important metal rhythm of them all – learn the breakneck guitar technique behind classic Metallica, Slayer and Iron Maiden riffs
Joe Bonamassa and Gary Moore: Bonamassa plays a '59 Les Paul Standard, wears a dark suit and shades, while this archive pick of the late Moore sees him embrace the '80s with a sleeveless red jacket and matching Strat.
“Gary’s approach to soloing was like placing a brick on a car’s gas pedal. Like SRV and Jimi Hendrix, he had infinite passion and musical ideas”: Joe Bonamassa explains the expressive soloing secrets of his hero Gary Moore
Parts of the guitar
What's a bridge? What's a headstock? What do we mean by a 'cutaway'? All the parts of a guitar explained
Joe Bonamassa plays a Gibson Les Paul Standard at the Grammys. He wears a dark suit, dark shirt and shade.s
“One of the hardest things about expanding our technique is going ‘against the grain’ of learned patterns”: Rewire your lead playing with four soloing ideas inspired by contemporary blues maestros