Table of contents for November 2024 in Guitar Techniques

While collaborations between musicians have happened countless times over the years, it’s always fun to mull over some that have happened infrequently or never at all. That’s the case this month where we wondered what the outcome would be if some of the most revered blues guitarists had got together for a series of jams. Freddie King and BB King, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour and Mark Knopfler are just three of the five pairings we came up with, inspiring us to create this unique feature for you. We hope you have as much fun learning these stunning guitarists’ licks as we did shaping the feature for you. A little later into the issue, I thought the topic of memorising music would make for a stimulating read. Talking…

GT: Do you have a type of pick that you can’t live without; shape, thickness, etc? TE: Ernie Ball medium for acoustic, and Ernie Ball heavy for electric guitar. GT: If you had to give up all your pedals but three, what would they be? TE: Nobels ODR-1, RMC Picture wah and Boss stage tuner. GT: Do you play another instrument well enough to do so in a band? If so, what, and have you ever done it? TE: Electric bass. GT: If a music chart were put in front of you, could you read it? TE: Nope. GT: There’s a lot of talk about whether guitar cables really make a difference to the sound. What make are yours? TE: Ernie Ball 12-foot for live, and Mogami cables forstudio. GT:…

Okay teams, fingers on buzzers, no conferring. What do the following musicians have in common? Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Plus Mick Fleetwood, Jack Bruce, John Mcvie, Ginger Baker and, as the great Ronnie Scott might have said, “a galaxy of talent”. The answer is that they were all graduates of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, that hugely influential precursor, catalyst and 'university' of the 1960s electric blues scene. Pretty much Anyone who became Someone passed through its riff-fuelled ranks on the way to Pentatonic fame and fortune. And then the supreme talent spotter moved to Los Angeles and did it all again, Stateside. It’s difficult to fully appreciate that, back then, interest in the American blues guitar tradition was a distinctly niche activity. Aside from a core following of…

GT: What is it about guitar instrumentals that appeals to you? MO: What interests me about guitar instrumentals is the variety of ways you can put them together. Depending upon the overall instrumentation I can decide at any given point in a song whether I’ll play a single note, a two or three-note chord, or a full chord. When doing an instrumental version of a vocal song, I enjoy the challenge of making the melodies feel vocal in nature. GT: What can an instrumental provide a listener that a vocal song can’t? MO: I think on a vocal song the listener is for the most part focused on the vocalist and lyrics. An instrumental gives the listener more of a chance to identify all the moving parts of the instruments…

Brought to you by… ABILITY RATING Moderate/Advanced Info Key: Various Tempo: Various https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Hybrid picking ✓ Making the changes ✓ Country-blues ideas We’re looking at another blues heavyweight this month. Known for his fiery technique and innovative style, Josh Smith has made a significant impact on the modern blues scene. His deep knowledge of blues history, combined with a forward-thinking approach, has allowed him to craft a sound that is both rooted in tradition and refreshingly contemporary. Born in Florida in 1979, Josh began playing guitar at the tender age of three and quickly displayed an extraordinary talent. By the time he was 12, Smith was already performing with veteran blues musicians, drawing inspiration from legends such as BB King, Albert King, and T-Bone Walker. Not…

Since the release of the 1984 debut album, Fistful Of Metal, thrash metal has provided the backbone to Anthrax’s unstoppable sound. In addition to fast down-picked sequences, alternate-picked riffs and serious palm muting, the band has no issues delivering a mid-tempo, heavy stomp. Or indeed blending grungy, alt-rock textures with sinister, menacing undertones. Anthrax has always been a two-guitarist band and, despite the lead guitar position moving through several players, Scott Ian has always been the driving force behind the group’s powerful rhythm guitar work. With that in mind this lesson delves into Scott’s unapologetic approach to thrash rhythmic precision, and the nuances that place Anthrax among The Big Four of thrash metal bands, alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer. “This lesson delves into Scott Ian’s unapologetic approach to thrash rhythm…

ABILITY RATING Easy/Moderate Info Key: E Minor Tempo: 127 bpm https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Melodic fingerpicking ✓ Touch and timing ✓ Sophisticated chords This month we are exploring the guitar style of one of the most celebrated ‘protest singers’ of America in the 1960s and beyond. A legend of the folk genre, Joan Baez was born in New York in 1941 but moved frequently as her father’s employment situation often changed. An early interest in music saw her learning ukulele as a child and this quickly led her to guitar. Watching Pete Seeger play live in her early teens re-enforced her goal to become a singer-songwriter herself. As a young adult in the late 1950s she found herself in Boston, where the popular folk club scene provided plenty of…

Brought to you by… FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES ABILITY RATING Advanced Info https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Key G Minor Tempo 120 bpm Will improve your… ✓ Alternate picking ✓ Knowledge of harmonic choices ✓ Minor chord vocabulary It’s fair to say that among fusion aficionados John McLaughlin is the ‘daddy’ of jazz-rock guitar. His experiments with complex harmony, Eastern scales and chromaticism in conjunction with the ‘rigs’ associated with the rock and proto-metal players of the late 1960s and early 70s, such as a Les Paul and Marshall stack, cemented his position as the well-spring of fusion guitar at a crucial moment in 20th-century music’s evolution. In some ways, the guitar had always lagged behind other instruments, both conceptually and harmonically as a cutting-edge voice in jazz. Despite the harmonic sophistication of leading players like…

Try GT’s digital edition on PC, Mac, Laptop, Desktop or Tablet! Tap the links Finding your way around the magazine is easy. Tapping the feature titles on the cover or the contents page, takes you straight two the relevant articles. Any web and email links in the text are tappable too Animated tab & audio All the mag’s main lessons have the audio built in with a moving cursor that shows you exactly where you are in the music. Simply tap the ‘play’ button and you’re off - you can fast-forward or scroll back at will. Play the videos Certain articles have accompanying videos full of useful insight and additional information. Once again, tap the play buttons to enjoy video masterclasses on your iPad (recommended) or smartphone.…

Lately I've spent a lot of time reviewing the performances of students as part of my Blues Immersion course. I've found that many guitarists can’t figure out why their improvised solos don’t feel right. And the answer is that they are not staying aware of rhythm when they're soloing. Quite competent guitarists that are confident with rhythm guitar, somehow lose the rhythmic connection when it’s time to improvise a solo. Let’s discuss the issue first, and then we can explore a few solutions. When we learn other people’s solos the rhythm of the solo is likely to be absorbed because the original player will have played in tempo, and we learn the notes and rhythm at the same time. I saw a chap recently in a pub band suffer from…

➊ Slow E♭ Blues We start with a slow blues in E♭, where you can use E♭ Minor Pentatonic (E♭-G♭-Ab-B♭-D♭) as well as E♭ Major Pentatonic (E♭-F-G-B♭-C) for a sweet, uplifting blues sound. You can of course play in E if your guitar is tuned down a semitone. ➋ Funky A Minor Jam Next up is a fun groove jam in A Minor. Try grooving along using A Minor Pentatonic (A-C-D-E-G) as well as A Natural Minor scale (A-B-C-D-E-F-G). ➌ Sweet Whiskey Blues (E) Here we have a sweet slow blues in the people’s key of E, where both E Major Pentatonic (E-F#-G#-B-C#) and E Minor Pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) should lead you on the right path to playing some tasty solos. ➍ Dub Reggae Blues (A Minor) We finish with a…

ABILITY RATING Moderate/Advanced Info https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Key Various Tempo Various Will improve your… ✓ Blues lead vocabulary ✓ Various playing techniques ✓ Stylistic awareness Blues guitar is surely one of the most pleasing and satisfying styles to play. So many guitarists gravitate toward this genre as it can be accessible to beginner and advanced players alike, due to factors like its basis in musical simplicity. Think of the hypnotically appealing, repeating 12-bar structure over which the sound of the Minor Pentatonic scale can wail so beautifully-Stevie Ray Vaughan, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix all make fabulous use of the scale. Certain other players incorporate intricate lines of musical complexity, like the mixing of Minor and Major Pentatonic scales and the use of jazzier harmony, as we hear with a…

ABILITY RATING Moderate/Advanced Info https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Key F Tempo 120bpm Will improve your… ✓ Jazz vocabulary ✓ Harmonic awareness and chord ideas ✓ |Improvisational approaches Bruce Forman is a jazz master, with a CV that includes jazz heavyweights such as Ray Brown and Bobby Hutchinson and a steady stream of successful recordings as a bandleader to his name. Add to this soundtrack recordings on not one, but three movies directed by Clint Eastwood and we should also acknowledge Bruce’s hugely successful career as a teacher, with a significant online presence alongside his role as acclaimed educator in residence at USC’s Studio/Jazz department. In recent years he’s divided his time between his trio project with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, celebrating the music of his one-time mentor, the legendary Barney…

ABILITY RATING Easy/Moderate Info Key: G Major Tempo: 120 bpm https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Major scale phrasing ✓ Melodic playing ✓ Part writing & arranging The Killers have become one of the most successful bands of the 21st century. They were formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001 by lead vocalist Brandon Flowers and guitarist Dave Keuning, and after a few short-stay bass players and drummers settled on bassist Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr on drums. While there have been replacements on tour for both Keuning and Stoermer, this line-up has featured on all The Killers albums and powers most of the group’s tours. The band’s style incorporates an eclectic blend of influences, from Bruce Springsteen and U2, to New Order and Duran Duran. Koening’s guitar parts are…

ABILITY RATING Moderate/Advanced Info Key: Various Tempo: Various https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Alternate picking ✓ Legato ✓ Tapping Born in Santa Monica California in 1956, Randy Rhoads was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1982 at the age of 25. Despite his young years, Randy had recorded four studio albums. He appeared on the first two Quiet Riot albums and two Ozzy Osbourne albums; Blizzard Of Ozz which was Ozzy’s 1980 debut solo release, and the follow-up, Diary Of A Madman released in 1981. Randy’s mother Delores was a professional pianist and ran a music school at which he was a student of classical guitar from a young age. This musical sensibility and theoretical knowledge undoubtedly permeated his heavy metal playing. This, along with his fiery technique, meant…

Missed one of our recent fabulous issues? Get one now while stocks last. NEVER MISS ANOTHER ISSUE Time to subscribe! OCTOBER GT365 TWAAAANG! INSTRUMENTAL INNOVATORS Five 50s legends who changed guitar playing forever: The Shadows, The Ventures, Link Wray, Dick Dale, and Les Paul. Plus: Philip Sayce, Jeff Beck, Townshend, Holdsworth, Tool, Kings X! SEPTEMBER GT364 GET YOUR MOJO WORKING Explore the ‘history of blues guitar in 30 awe-some licks’ with six decades of blues’s greatest exponents. Plus: Brett Garsed video, Dream Theater, T-Bone Walker, Steve Lukather, Steely Dan, The Kinks, Pat Metheny, 10CC, Slayer! AUGUST GT363 MATTEO MANCUSO Twelve fingerpicked licks from the man himself. Watch, listen and learn from the Italian prodigy. Go Global; six scales from around the world. Plus: five blues rhythms; Santana, Dickey Betts, Christone…

Brought to you by… ABILITY RATING Moderate Info Key: A Minor Tempo: 80/160 bpm https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Jazz guitar playing ✓ Melodic Minor scale licks ✓ Creating melodic phrases The Melodic Minor is another great scale choice to use over Minor chords and progressions. It’s not too dissimilar to the Harmonic Minor as it also features a Major 7th interval. However, the challenge with this scale when initially trying to incorporate it into your playing, is getting used to its sound. The Melodic Minor spelt out is 1-2-♭3-4-5-6-7, and it’s that 6th interval that supplies its almost Major tonality, and it’s this that can make it sound a little odd when first using it in a Minor scenario. There are a couple of ways of looking at the…

FEATURE VIDEO #1 YNGWIE MALMSTEEN Unleash The Fury Chris Brooks celebrates the 40th anniversary of Yngwie’s Rising Force album with key technique analysis. CLASSICAL VIDEO JOHANN KASPAR MERTZ Capriccio, Bardenklänge, Op. 13 Declan Zapala arranges a stunning piece from this amazing Austrian classical guitarist and composer. THE CROSSROADS MICHAEL LANDAU Ultimate Session Lines John Wheatcroft tackles a guitarist whose mighty chops, taste and feel make him an in-demand musician. FEATURE VIDEO #2 TROY REDFERN 6 Slide Examples This busy British bluesman takes time out of his hectic schedule to record six slide licks you’ll definitely want to try! Get your strumming hand ready for some… FUNK! Funk music of the 1970s was full of vibrant, upbeat songs played with groove, tightness and precision. We can all benefit from this, so…

WE’VE ALL PLAYED them, but how many of us can say we know how 7th chords actually work? There’s more to them than meets the eye… In this month’s Substitute column we’ll go through the difference between a Dominant, Major and Minor 7th, plus the apparent contradiction of the Minor/Major 7th. Let’s go. The first 7th chord most of us learn is called just that: C7, G7, A7, etc. It seems reasonable to assume these consist of the root, 3rd, 5th and 7th of the scale, right? Wrong! This would make a Major 7th chord. For a regular 7th chord, we need root, 3rd, 5th and ♭7 – but to say 'a flat 7' would be too easy to confuse with the chord A b7, a completely different thing. One…

Classic Country Bending Licks Country music is one of the best places to find (and steal) inventive and fun string bending ideas. This month we have four short licks. As you play through them relate each one to its nearest ‘CAGED’ chord shape. The licks are fully interchangeable and can, and should, be played in any order you desire. Lick 1, bar 1. This is based on descending chromatic 6ths. Think of this as starting on a D shape and descending to the E shape (both D Major chords). Keep the semitone bends as parallel and in tune as you can, using either hybrid picking or fingerstyle to perform this phrase. Lick 2, bar 2. Here’s an excellent pedal steel-esque country cliché based around a D-E shape, connecting to a…

ABILITY RATING Moderate/Advanced Info https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Key Various Tempo Various Will improve your… ✓ Use of open strings ✓ Fingerpicking techniques ✓ Combining bass, chords and melody Let’s welcome Clive Carroll, the stunning acoustic guitarist from Chelmsford in Essex. A busy gigging and recording artist, in this video Clive demonstrates six fantastic examples which, as always, we have tabbed and notated for you. The ideas are tasteful and well chosen, and are based around a mixture of fingerpicking patterns and open chord vocabulary. All the examples are performed using fingerstyle, and Clive generates a bright and balanced tone that comes from combining the nails and flesh of the picking fingers. Fingerstyle also promotes solid articulation and rhythmic delivery. Using the fingers to pluck the strings rather than a plectrum, provides a…

ABILITY RATING Moderate Info https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Key D Minor  Tempo Various Will improve your… ✓ Broken chord arpeggiation ✓ Knowledge of Baroque guitar music ✓ Fretboard trills Santiago de Murcia was born in Madrid in 1673, coming of age musically at the turn of the Baroque era. Though not much is known of his life, his collection of works, Resumen de Acompañar, printed in 1714 is the earliest known printed music for an early form of the modern classical guitar, known as the Baroque guitar. Similar in construction to the Spanish vihuela which was a popular instrument along with the lute during the Renaissance period, both the vihuela and the Baroque guitar were strung with courses (pairs) of strings. Most notably the standard tuning of the Baroque guitar has been the…

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ABILITY RATING Moderate Info Key: Various Tempo: Various https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Solo pacing ✓ Pinch harmonics technique ✓ Blues phrasing While ZZ Top achieved mainstream success and worldwide aclaim with the stream of hits that came from their Eliminator album in 1983, they had long been Texas blues-rock trailblazers. And it’s a testament to Billy Gibbons’ stong musical identity that he’s still seen as an influence in his genre, over 40 years on. Talking to Brian May about his impressions of Billy, the Queen guitarist told me:“I first heard Billy Gibbons because of Noddy Holder, the singer of Slade, in the 1970s. He had a couple of ZZ Top albums and was mad keen on the group. We were at his house and he played me La Grange…

ABILITY RATING Moderate/Advanced Info Key: Various Tempo: Various https://bit.ly/3SyHhN9 Will improve your ✓ Chordal double-stops ✓ Textural guitar playing ✓ Use of grace notes Over the past decade or so, we’ve seen the emergence of quite a distinctive approach to the electric guitar. Although not gone, the idea of the ‘rhythm’ side and the ‘lead’ side as distinctly separate entities, has become somewhat blurred. These days, certainly with some styles or genres, it’s equally rhythm and lead, chord and melody, pick and fingers, combining elements of funk, jazz and fusion, and borrowing vocabulary from piano and horn parts. This style is often labelled ‘neo-soul’ or ‘neo-soul fusion’, a nod to the similar genre-spanning developments in soul and R&B in the 2000s. We recently featured Melanie Faye, Chalmers ‘Spanky’ Alford, and…