Instrumental guitar was pioneered by Link Wray, Les Paul and Hank Marvin – and they shaped the sound of every guitarist who followed By Jon Bishop published 30 September 24 We pay tribute to the kings of twang with this electric masterclass in early rock ’n’ roll instrumental guitar
Trey Anastasio masterclass: nail the Phish frontman’s unique approach to songwriting and soloing By Jeff Jacobson published 30 September 24 Anastasio draws from influences across the musical spectrum. This lesson breaks down his dynamic soloing and songwriting approach
5 shapes to try using 6/9 chords – a voicing loved by the likes of Brian Setzer and a perfect closer By Richard Barrett published 27 September 24 What are 6/9 chords? Well, it might sound complicated but they simply have the 6th and 9th of the parent scale, and their stacking of 4ths gives them a sound like no other
Open G minor chords: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 26 September 24 Tuned D G D G Bb D, open G minor will give you a fresh perspective on the instrument, and with it new chord shapes to learn
Open C chords: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 24 September 24 Used by the likes of the Goo Goo Dolls, Open C tuning is a simple way to find fresh chord voicings – here are 5 to get you started
How fret-hand muting can clean up your picking technique – especially with gain By David Grissom published 21 September 24 Texan maestro David Grissom shows us how we can tidy up our hybrid picking and help accentuate syncopated rhythms in our playing
10 licks that prove the acoustic guitar can handle anything from folk to metal By Jon Bishop published 20 September 24 Become an acoustic polymath and be comfortable in any musical company with this lesson in styles spanning boygenius to Genesis
How Jeff Beck made his whammy bar sound like a slide – his soloing secrets revealed By Richard Barrett published 19 September 24 Nobody could bend notes like Beck – he took a glissando approach to blues-rock guitar, using the whammy bar when others might have used a slide
Introducing Rhythmically Dependent Alternate Picking, the lead technique that makes fast guitar lines flow better than ever before By JTC Guitar published 16 September 24 Fusion master Martin Miller takes you on a crash course through RDAP, an approach that ensures you keep the groove going no matter where your playing takes you
Learn how Pat Metheny's supreme soloing approach can elevate your jazz game By Nick Mellor published 13 September 24 In this deep dive into the fusion master's style, we’ll be exploring essential jazz concepts that will inject your solos with fresh ideas
Trying to craft a memorable solo? Revisit hooks from a song’s melody By David Grissom published 12 September 24 David Grissom grabs his PRS, gets in front of the camera and shows us how his solos don’t let any melody go to waste
Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to his favorite guitar player of all time By Joe Bonamassa published 12 September 24 JoBo digs out a vintage Beano Burst lookalike to break down the licks of Eric Clapton during his “Gibson years”
Open Csus2 chords: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 12 September 24 With its low C tuning on your sixth string, open Csus2 is a powerful tuning, used to great effect by powerhouse acoustic folk players such as Martin Simpson
Cook up your own “musical gumbo” with this lesson in how to use bluegrass alternate picking in rock By Andy Wood published 11 September 24 In Andy Wood's tribute to the Dixie Dregs' Steve Morse, there is plenty of insight into how bluegrass and rock can be great fretboard bedfellows
The Kinks are much more than You Really Got Me – and Ray Davies’ inventive acoustic style influenced a generation of players By Stuart Ryan published 11 September 24 Listen to the guitar work of the Davies brothers and you’ll gain a real insight into how it was all done back in the 1960s
Open Gsus4 tuning chords: 5 chords you need to know By Jon Bishop published 10 September 24 A must-learn tuning for folk acoustic styles, open Gsus4 makes for easy chords that sound amazing
The “train beat” is a staple of country and blues music – and learning to play over it will hone your hybrid picking and timing By Jim Oblon published 9 September 24 Jim Oblon's debut Guitar World column is all about country-fried rhythm guitar, but it's a lesson for any player who wants to understand pocket and groove
Why Toto guitarist Steve Lukather is one of rock’s greatest players By Andy G Jones published 9 September 24 Lukather's style is a case study in rhythmic variation, chromaticism and on-point phrasing that references the familiar but takes you someplace else
Jeff Hanneman gave Slayer an unholy dimension – learn his incendiary rhythm and lead style here By Charlie Griffiths published 6 September 24 Hell awaits your forearm in this punishing tutorial in the late Hanneman's style, but it will soon whip your downpicking and tapping skills into shape
Open Aadd9 tuning: 5 shapes you need to know By Jon Bishop published 5 September 24 A favorite of Australian virtuoso Alan Gogoll, this tuning will expand your acoustic horizons and add a touch of magic to your chord voicings