Players How Noel Gallagher and Beck helped bring the Black Keys' latest funky full-length, Ohio Players, to life The Black Keys began life as a bare-bones two-piece, but, as Dan Auerbach tells GP, collaboration and an open musical mind have expanded the duo's sound to thrilling new heights Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit In 2019, the late Dickey Betts sat down with Guitar Player to reflect on the Allman Brothers and his musical career, from his early influences to his last solo live album “We all knew it was really good… The guitar playing is just amazing”: How Dickey Betts made “Ramblin’ Man”, triumphed over tragedy and led the Allman Brothers to their greatest success Duane Allman’s death might have been the end of the Allman Brothers Band. Instead, led by Dickey Betts, it marked the start of a remarkable era in the group’s life – and rock history Latest Players Ritchie Blackmore on Steve Howe, Jimi Hendrix, classical influences and more By Martin K. Webb published 19 April 24 Chatting with GP in 1973, at the stratospheric height of Deep Purple's popularity, Blackmore offered insight into his hugely influential style – from his tremolo approach, to his deafening onstage volume How Robin Trower crafted his blistering tonal triumph, Day of the Eagle By Joe Matera published 17 April 24 With some help from legendary Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, Trower laid down an inspired tune that – 50 years later – remains, for his money, his “best rock and roll song” Gary Clark Jr. never asked to be a guitar savior By Joe Bosso published 16 April 24 Though he sometimes considers his own solos to be “gross,” the often-pigeonholed player took inspiration from the original G3 trio – alongside a potent cocktail of hip-hop, jazz, soul, R&B, and funk – on his stellar new album, JPEG Raw “We’re the birthplace of blues, country and rock and roll music, and the guitar is at the core of all of it”: The America at the Crossroads exhibit charts the guitar’s history with instruments owned by Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and more By Jim Beaugez published 11 April 24 A new exhibit at The MAX museum explores the guitar’s cultural impact through dozens of significant instruments – from a stunning custom Martin D-28 built for Elvis Presley's estate to a rickety Soviet-era Tonika model “A lot of guitarists don’t consider themselves part of the rhythm section. I could always count on Randy to come up with great rhythm guitar parts”: Rudy Sarzo on the magic of Randy Rhoads' rhythm work, and the tonal quirks that set him apart By Matt Blackett published 10 April 24 Rhoads' former bandmate details how the late guitar legend's rig changed over time, and what about his playing often gets overlooked “One of the beautiful things about Leo is one of the hardest things to do – forget that you’re playing a guitar and just feel like you’re playing music. He embodies that transcendence”: The lessons Julian Lage learned from acoustic master Leo Kottke By Jimmy Leslie published 9 April 24 As Lage further explores his unplugged instincts, he reflects on some of Kottke's humorous nuggets of wisdom – one being that readings from sometimes-unreliable electric tuners are “only a suggestion” “The music I might hear, I can’t get on the guitar. It’s a thing of laying around daydreaming... If you pick up your guitar and just try to play, it spoils the whole thing”: Jimi Hendrix on translating his ideas to the guitar, and the joys of club gigs By John Burks published 8 April 24 In 1970, at the peak of his stardom, Hendrix sat down with GP for a chat about songwriting, informal jams, and some of his favorite guitar players “The best solos have soul, feeling and chops. Players concerned with only playing fast are missing the point...”: With heavy themes and cameos from Alex Skolnick and Vernon Reid, Jane Getter's new album features her most inspired playing to date By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 Channeling a multitude of influences, Getter has delivered a spunky record that transcends genre and easy categorization “My 1939 Martin was in a garbage bag for 15 years prior to me getting it in pieces. The neck was off and the body was crushed”: How unplugging reshaped Julian Lage's electric approach By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 The jazz guitar virtuoso reveals how his Collings OM1 JL signature model came to be, and why a solo acoustic show can actually be more “raucous” than an electric-driven affair “I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster By Richard Bienstock published 26 March 24 The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1Best amp modelers 2024: Get your dream guitar tone with our top picks2Best overdrive pedals 2024: Strap in, it's time to drive3“A lot of times when someone says, ‘They have good technique, but there’s something missing,’ what’s actually missing is part of the technique”: Paul Gilbert on the essentials of great guitar playing4Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit5All-star tribute to David Lindley, one of the greatest sidemen of all time, announced
Ritchie Blackmore on Steve Howe, Jimi Hendrix, classical influences and more By Martin K. Webb published 19 April 24 Chatting with GP in 1973, at the stratospheric height of Deep Purple's popularity, Blackmore offered insight into his hugely influential style – from his tremolo approach, to his deafening onstage volume
How Robin Trower crafted his blistering tonal triumph, Day of the Eagle By Joe Matera published 17 April 24 With some help from legendary Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, Trower laid down an inspired tune that – 50 years later – remains, for his money, his “best rock and roll song”
Gary Clark Jr. never asked to be a guitar savior By Joe Bosso published 16 April 24 Though he sometimes considers his own solos to be “gross,” the often-pigeonholed player took inspiration from the original G3 trio – alongside a potent cocktail of hip-hop, jazz, soul, R&B, and funk – on his stellar new album, JPEG Raw
“We’re the birthplace of blues, country and rock and roll music, and the guitar is at the core of all of it”: The America at the Crossroads exhibit charts the guitar’s history with instruments owned by Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and more By Jim Beaugez published 11 April 24 A new exhibit at The MAX museum explores the guitar’s cultural impact through dozens of significant instruments – from a stunning custom Martin D-28 built for Elvis Presley's estate to a rickety Soviet-era Tonika model
“A lot of guitarists don’t consider themselves part of the rhythm section. I could always count on Randy to come up with great rhythm guitar parts”: Rudy Sarzo on the magic of Randy Rhoads' rhythm work, and the tonal quirks that set him apart By Matt Blackett published 10 April 24 Rhoads' former bandmate details how the late guitar legend's rig changed over time, and what about his playing often gets overlooked
“One of the beautiful things about Leo is one of the hardest things to do – forget that you’re playing a guitar and just feel like you’re playing music. He embodies that transcendence”: The lessons Julian Lage learned from acoustic master Leo Kottke By Jimmy Leslie published 9 April 24 As Lage further explores his unplugged instincts, he reflects on some of Kottke's humorous nuggets of wisdom – one being that readings from sometimes-unreliable electric tuners are “only a suggestion”
“The music I might hear, I can’t get on the guitar. It’s a thing of laying around daydreaming... If you pick up your guitar and just try to play, it spoils the whole thing”: Jimi Hendrix on translating his ideas to the guitar, and the joys of club gigs By John Burks published 8 April 24 In 1970, at the peak of his stardom, Hendrix sat down with GP for a chat about songwriting, informal jams, and some of his favorite guitar players
“The best solos have soul, feeling and chops. Players concerned with only playing fast are missing the point...”: With heavy themes and cameos from Alex Skolnick and Vernon Reid, Jane Getter's new album features her most inspired playing to date By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 Channeling a multitude of influences, Getter has delivered a spunky record that transcends genre and easy categorization
“My 1939 Martin was in a garbage bag for 15 years prior to me getting it in pieces. The neck was off and the body was crushed”: How unplugging reshaped Julian Lage's electric approach By Jimmy Leslie published 3 April 24 The jazz guitar virtuoso reveals how his Collings OM1 JL signature model came to be, and why a solo acoustic show can actually be more “raucous” than an electric-driven affair
“I was playing the Breeders' Divine Hammer, and my whole hand cramped up, I couldn’t move it... It seemed so simple, but it was something I would never play”: J Mascis went electric for his new solo album, but (mostly) without his usual Jazzmaster By Richard Bienstock published 26 March 24 The Dinosaur Jr. frontman and alt-rock guitar hero will always be associated with Jazzmasters and Marshall stacks, but for his new solo album, What Do We Do Now, Strats, Teles, Vox amps, and even Flying Vs were on the menu instead