Latest about Techniques
Want to play Master of Puppets the right way? Here's how to get faster at downpicking so you can chug like James Hetfield
Downpicking is a fundamental and powerful pick stroke, and one of the mainstay techniques in metal and punk
Learning how to bend strings correctly is one of the quickest ways to make your playing sound better
String bending is a core technique for lead playing. Here's how to take it from beginner to pro
This easy chord trick appears on classic songs by the Beatles, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Passenger
Why the 7th fret is the magic position for your guitar capo
Marcin's percussive fingerstyle is dropping jaws. The warm-ups that fuel his virtuosity are guaranteed to boost your own playing
Acoustic phenom Marcin Patrzałek shows you his favorite warm-up exercises
Rasgueado is a game-changing flamenco strumming technique – and it will give your picking hand a huge turbo boost
Learn the strumming style that will give your playing bravado, fire and passion
The gallop is the most important metal rhythm of them all – learn the breakneck guitar technique behind Metallica, Slayer and Iron Maiden classics
This rhythm found fame in heavy metal, but it's been used in all genres for decades – making it a must-learn for every guitarist
Rewire your lead playing with four soloing ideas inspired by contemporary blues maestros
Expand upon traditional blues approaches with this lesson in the style of Joe Bonamassa and Eric Johnson
How to palm mute on guitar – and take it from beginner to pro
First used by ’50s legends Chet Atkins and Les Paul, it is rock, metal and punk that have made palm muting so popular today
Everyone from Metallica to jazz pros have made use of the ominous sound of the Locrian mode – here's how it could shake up your guitar playing
The Locrian mode is the seventh and darkest mode derived from the major scale. Stuart Ryan takes you through the structure of the scale and gets creative with some rhythm and lead examples
Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour and Slash all love Aeolian – the minor mode that rules over them all. Here’s what makes this scale work
Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour and Slash are just three of the countless fans of this staple minor mode. Here, Stuart Ryan takes you through the structure of the scale, plus a handful of chords, riffs and licks
