1. Get an Education The standard method of playing with the "educated thumb" requires the ability to maintain a rudimentary bass line on the lower strings while plucking a synchronised melody on the treble strings. See John Hurt or Chet Atkins' "Mississippi" music for...
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian recalled taking part in the "Big Four" tour alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, recalling the moment when Lars Ulrich & Co. extended the invitation to his band. Arriving at a time when old-school metal was (yet again) at a...
1. Start Small For those who feel more comfortable using a standard pick, try a small pick. Eric Johnson influenced many guitarists, including myself, to play in a hybrid style. Use a small pick with a pointed tip, like Johnson's Dunlop Nylon Jazz III, or a pick with...
Dave Mustaine praised his former Metallica bandmate James Hetfield's guitar playing, admitting how he didn't think Papa Het was such a capable guitarist at the time. The current Megadeth mastermind has shared a complicated history with Metallica that caused intense...
Liona Boyd Boyd entered GP's Gallery of the Greats by winning the Classical Guitarist of the Year award five times. She has always been an ambassador of classical guitar, as well as open to spreading the word by collaborating with rock, blues, and country performers....
John 5 spoke about his first time in the studio with Mötley Crüe, noting how recording the band's new crop of songs proved to be unlike any other studio experience he's had so far.The former Rob Zombie guitarist seems to be growing more comfortable with his new gig by...
Pierre Bensusan This French-Algerian guitarist is widely known for his ability to blend musical influences from different cultures and present them in his compositions with great skill, using his guitar to drive the melody and rhythm, while often improvising vocals to...
In a recent Youtube interview with "John The Ninja", Michael Sweet of Stryper fame spoke about his decision to tune down, his second-guessing of the same decision, and finally finding comfort in the realization that many vocalists were doing the same (via...
Chet Atkins Although Chester Atkins helped introduce the electric guitar into popular music, his amazing fingerpicking and counterpoint also translated to acoustic versions. Many of his recordings offer multiple nylon and steel flat-top tracks; while 1967's Class...
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready explained why he started incorporating digital amps into his live rig, claiming that Fender's new digital series sounded almost identical to the company's old-fashioned amplifiers. The Seattle guitar hero is a self-professed vintage...