music theory John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Marty Friedman and Yngwie Malmsteen Didn't Rely Exclusively on Western Scales - so Why Should You? Add intriguing twists to your playing with the tonal flavors of the Far East, Middle East, Africa and beyond Learn How to Use Suspended Chords in the Style of Jimmy Page, Van Halen, the Police, Pantera and Others Ditch the 3rd and explore sus 2, sus 4 and 7sus4 chords using open-position and movable voicings “I Was Instantly Humbled”: First Call Session Guitarist Carl Verheyen Shares Rare Insights Into Allan Holdsworth’s Unorthodox Chord Voicings – as Revealed by the Man Himself “This concept of spreading out the notes of a chord into wide-interval voicings like this resonated with me years later,” says the Supertramp alumnus and seasoned solo artist Latest music theory Have You Exhausted the Possibilities of Open Chords and Barre Chords? Here’s How to Make Your Progressions Sound More Interesting By Patrick Brennan published 21 March 23 Learn the art of ‘voice leading’ with examples inspired by Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and more The Mixolydian Blues Scale Could Be the Most Useful Scale of All By Guitar Player Staff last updated 15 March 23 This scale reigns supreme as the chief source for carving those major/minor blues-based licks that sound so good over dominant 7th chords Avoid Melodic Monotony and Predictability Using the Half-Whole Diminished Scale By Chris Buono published 15 March 23 Here’s how to create more effective lines by relating the “symmetrical diminished” scale’s recurring fretboard patterns to chords Expand Your Melodic Vocabulary and Attain Superior Fretboard Awareness With 'Parallel Pentatonic Modal Vision' By Chris Buono published 8 March 23 Learn PPMV – an insightful mapping of the pentatonic scale’s multifaceted natural order “Is the Music an Expression of Your State of Being, Or is it Something You're Just Taking On?” Vernon Reid Talks Jazz, Theory and the Spirit of the Blues By Joe Gore published 10 June 22 The Living Colour guitarist gets real in this interview from the GP archives. Need to Add Some Spice to Your Melodies and Solos? This Lesson on Chromaticism Will Give You Food for Thought By Scott Mercer published 20 April 22 Learn how to use non-diatonic “outside” notes for tastier licks in jazz and other styles. Want to Branch Out with Some Jazz Fusion? Learn Oz Noy’s Harmonically Inventive “She’s Not There” Solo By Mike Swickis published 23 March 22 Retrace the jazz fusion master’s instrumental version of the Zombies’ 1964 classic here. Break Out of Your Box with the CAGED System By Tom Kolb published 10 March 22 An introduction to the highly useful workings of this mysterious fretboard mapping theory. Black Hole of Confusion or Wormhole to Enlightenment? The Unique Relationship Between the G and B Strings By Chris Buono published 8 February 22 The guitar fretboard is divided into two separate and similarly ordered universes. Here's how to make it work for you. Acoustic Blues Musings, Part 2: Hip Tips and Tricks for Better Playing By Jimmy Leslie last updated 4 February 22 Add these helpful hints to your arsenal of blues moves. 1234Archives 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 READ1“Joe Walsh insisted that I buy it, and he was right”: Jimmy Page on his “Number 1” 1959 Gibson Les Paul2“My three mentors are B.B. King, Albert King and Jimi Hendrix. I don’t think it does Hendrix any service for me to be compared to him, because he was a genius”: How Robin Trower crafted his blistering tonal triumph, Day of the Eagle3“I remember seeing my posters everywhere. It was like, ‘Gary Clark Jr. – the new Hendrix.’ I was like, ‘Man, you’re not even giving me a chance to be anything but a blues or rock-star guitar player’”: Gary Clark Jr. never asked to be a guitar savior 4Best Travel Guitars 2024: Top Portable Instruments From Lowden, Furch, Martin and more5“I once asked Jeff Beck if he used Vox AC30s, and he said, ‘What? Those old Beatle bashers?’ Then he realized what he'd said”: Paul McCartney talks Vox amps, and his love of dirty tones
Have You Exhausted the Possibilities of Open Chords and Barre Chords? Here’s How to Make Your Progressions Sound More Interesting By Patrick Brennan published 21 March 23 Learn the art of ‘voice leading’ with examples inspired by Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and more
The Mixolydian Blues Scale Could Be the Most Useful Scale of All By Guitar Player Staff last updated 15 March 23 This scale reigns supreme as the chief source for carving those major/minor blues-based licks that sound so good over dominant 7th chords
Avoid Melodic Monotony and Predictability Using the Half-Whole Diminished Scale By Chris Buono published 15 March 23 Here’s how to create more effective lines by relating the “symmetrical diminished” scale’s recurring fretboard patterns to chords
Expand Your Melodic Vocabulary and Attain Superior Fretboard Awareness With 'Parallel Pentatonic Modal Vision' By Chris Buono published 8 March 23 Learn PPMV – an insightful mapping of the pentatonic scale’s multifaceted natural order
“Is the Music an Expression of Your State of Being, Or is it Something You're Just Taking On?” Vernon Reid Talks Jazz, Theory and the Spirit of the Blues By Joe Gore published 10 June 22 The Living Colour guitarist gets real in this interview from the GP archives.
Need to Add Some Spice to Your Melodies and Solos? This Lesson on Chromaticism Will Give You Food for Thought By Scott Mercer published 20 April 22 Learn how to use non-diatonic “outside” notes for tastier licks in jazz and other styles.
Want to Branch Out with Some Jazz Fusion? Learn Oz Noy’s Harmonically Inventive “She’s Not There” Solo By Mike Swickis published 23 March 22 Retrace the jazz fusion master’s instrumental version of the Zombies’ 1964 classic here.
Break Out of Your Box with the CAGED System By Tom Kolb published 10 March 22 An introduction to the highly useful workings of this mysterious fretboard mapping theory.
Black Hole of Confusion or Wormhole to Enlightenment? The Unique Relationship Between the G and B Strings By Chris Buono published 8 February 22 The guitar fretboard is divided into two separate and similarly ordered universes. Here's how to make it work for you.
Acoustic Blues Musings, Part 2: Hip Tips and Tricks for Better Playing By Jimmy Leslie last updated 4 February 22 Add these helpful hints to your arsenal of blues moves.