We recently found this video by the gang at Reverb.com, in which Dream Theater guitarist—and certified shred master—John Petrucci gives an inside look at his technical and creative approach to the whammy bar.
“Whammy bar technique is one of those ways you can make the guitar sound bad,” Petrucci says in the clip.
Petrucci demos a variety of approaches to incorporating unique whammy methods into your playing: creating “the Horse” whinny made famous by Eddie Van Halen; Allan Holdsworth’s approach of using the system to slide into notes; and even more avant-garde techniques, like some of Petrucci’s own tricks.
Petrucci also demonstrates "the Satch method" and more—and offers plenty of helpful tips and guidelines.
“The skill is in choosing which notes to emphasize, or maybe skip entirely, while maintaining the alternate strokes”: Why rhythm is as important as the notes you play in a blues guitar solo
“We often overlook this humble technique, yet it’s such an important tool for expressive rhythm and lead playing”: Palm muting is an essential guitar technique – but there’s a lot more to it than just chugging. Are you using it to its full potential?
