Lessons

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Jazz-fusion maestro Wayne Krantz is lost in the moment as he plays a solo onstage in the Netherlands

How Wayne Krantz forged his raw, rhythmic approach to fusion guitar

By Nick Mellor published

A lesson inspired by the jazz great that will help the advanced players out there take their improv chops to the next level

Artist Lessons
Jared James Nichols wails on his Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, aka Dorothy, while his hero, Free's Paul Kossoff, does likewise on his 'Burst. The influence is there for all to see.

“He had one of the greatest finger vibratos of all time”: Jared James Nichols on the guitar genius of Free’s Paul Kossoff

By Jared James Nichols published

Kossoff is one of Jared James Nichols’ six-string heroes: he unpacks the Free guitarist’s signature vibrato and phrasing

Artist Lessons
Rodrigo Gouveia wears a black ballcap and is seated with his headless Strandberg Boden 6 in sunburst

Rodrigo Gouveia masterclass: learn how to emulate horns and piano like the neo-soul maestro

By Rodrigo Gouveia published

Crossing the boundaries of jazz, soul and soul, this JTCguitar lesson presents practical strategies for expanding your sound with melodic embellishments and triads that fill the mix

Artist Lessons
Joe Bonamassa wears a blue suit, polka dot shirt and shades as he takes a solo on his signature Epiphone Les Paul. Josh Smith is in the background on rhythm guitar.

“It works every time… although you'll ruin your pick”: How to end a slow blues solo, by Joe Bonamassa

By Joe Bonamassa published

Drawing upon B.B. King's seminal Live at the Regal, JoBo offers pointers for "high-note activity" and the emotional build-up before deferring to Jeff Beck for the coupe de grace

Artist Lessons
Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo of Queensrÿche play ESP S-styles live onstage during the 1991 Monsters of Rock Tour in Belgium. Check out the Britney-style mics.

How Queensrÿche's Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo became two of metal's most cerebral riff-masters

By Jamie Hunt published

Queensrÿche's high-concept metal still feels cult even though the Washington band are bona-fide platinum-selling stars. DeGarmo and Wilton's approach can be applied across all metal subgenres, too

Artist Lessons
Woman playing an electric guitar at home

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

Musical Tips & Advice
The Pentatonic Scale being practiced using Elixir Strings

Proggy pentatonic! How to use the good ol’ pentatonic scale in cool new ways

By Guitar World Staff published

Beginner Lessons
Paul Kossoff wails on his Les Paul Standard in front of some NMV Marshall stacks, playing live with Free at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.

His playing had an intensity and drama that even Eric Clapton admired – and it all started with classical guitar: Paul Kossoff was a rare genius

By Richard Barrett published

It was Clapton's work with John Mayall that electrified the Free guitarist's imagination. Then it was Marshall stacks, a Les Paul and a wicked vibrato…

Artist Lessons
Three funk guitar maestros [l-r]: Hamish Stuart of Average White Band crouches down to play his Telecaster; Nile Rodgers of Chic gives the audience some love; and Claydes Charles Smith of Kool and the King holds it down with sunglasses on in an archive B/W live shot.

The glitterball guitar heroes of ’70s funk were masters of rhythm guitar – and their techniques will make you a better player

By Jon Bishop published

Unpacking the techniques pioneered by the likes of Nile Rodgers, Hamish Stuart and Claydes Charles Smith

Artist Lessons
A portrait of Jim Oblon superimposed against a sky-high background as the sun is setting, the margins of the image look like an old photographic negative. Oblon wears a wide-brimmed hat and plays a Telecaster.

How you can use arpeggios to imply dominant 9th chords in your solos (it's easier than it sounds!)

By Jim Oblon published

Understanding the chord shape and the theory behind it is easier than you might think, and it offers another strategy for navigating the fretboard on the fly

Lessons
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