Lessons John 5's top tips for beginner, and veteran, guitarists A master of many styles who's played with Lynyrd Skynyrd, David Lee Roth, Rick Springfield, and, currently, Mötley Crüe, John 5 has pointers for players that go far beyond how to practice Expand your arsenal, and channel Lindsey Buckingham and Mark Knopfler, with this lesson in fingerstyle Fingerstyle playing can be used in a wide variety of settings and genres, and can inspire new songs, riffs, and solos. Heck, it can even boost your creativity when you return to using a pick June 2024 Guitar Player lesson audio Latest Lessons “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 playing By Paul Gilbert published 22 April 24 For beginners and remedial players alike, these pointers are crucial May 2024 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 8 April 24 Follow the lead of players like Mark Knopfler, Albert Collins, and Lindsey Buckingham, and open the door to new techniques and textures, with this primer in fingerstyle rock guitar By Jeff Jacobson published 28 March 24 Eddie Van Halen also incorporated fingerstyle to add another dimension to his playing, and so have modern virtuosos like Tim Henson, Lari Basilio, and Mateus Asato – learn how you can do the same April 2024 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 5 March 24 March 2024 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 4 February 24 February 2024 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 5 January 24 Learn to play like Snarky Puppy's Mark Lettieri with the ultimate funk baritone guitar lesson By Chris Buono published 7 December 23 Capture multi–Grammy winning Mark Lettieri’s signature baritone funk guitar style by learning how to write riffs while combining registers and using different tunings, plus nested chordal embellishments and more January 2024 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 29 November 23 Holiday 2023 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 8 November 23 Struggling to string bend on your acoustic? Here are 4 simple tricks that will help… By Jimmy Leslie published 23 October 23 Outside of the box ideas for making string bending easier on an acoustic guitar 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 READ1“Lack of use, plus three bouts of COVID, probably phased out the plectrum for me”: Mark Knopfler on why he’s ditched the pick in favor of fingerpicking 2“A three-in-one tribute to the best of British tone”: Carr Amplifiers' Bel-Ray excels at just about any vintage-voiced intentions a guitarist might have for a compact tube combo in 20243“When I told my father I wanted an acoustic guitar, he was thrilled about getting me an instrument that wouldn’t deafen the family, like my Les Paul and Twin Reverb”: With a spunky vintage National resonator, Tinsley Ellis has finally gone acoustic4“That guitar went through a lot of different phases and changes... I kept changing it because I was tired of people copying my guitar”: Eddie Van Halen on Frankenstein, and why he never apologized for modding 5“The only way I could afford my ’66 Strat was to take the ‘66 neck off and sell it to a guy across the street, then go back to Manny’s and buy an ESP neck”: Marshall Crenshaw looks back on the making of his unsung, under-appreciated masterpiece, Field Day
“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 playing By Paul Gilbert published 22 April 24 For beginners and remedial players alike, these pointers are crucial
Follow the lead of players like Mark Knopfler, Albert Collins, and Lindsey Buckingham, and open the door to new techniques and textures, with this primer in fingerstyle rock guitar By Jeff Jacobson published 28 March 24 Eddie Van Halen also incorporated fingerstyle to add another dimension to his playing, and so have modern virtuosos like Tim Henson, Lari Basilio, and Mateus Asato – learn how you can do the same
Learn to play like Snarky Puppy's Mark Lettieri with the ultimate funk baritone guitar lesson By Chris Buono published 7 December 23 Capture multi–Grammy winning Mark Lettieri’s signature baritone funk guitar style by learning how to write riffs while combining registers and using different tunings, plus nested chordal embellishments and more
Struggling to string bend on your acoustic? Here are 4 simple tricks that will help… By Jimmy Leslie published 23 October 23 Outside of the box ideas for making string bending easier on an acoustic guitar