Guitar Nine Columns: Guitar Technique

Guitarist Randy Ellefson hopes you never need this article. But if you do, read on.

Guy Pople delves into independence and rudimentary music theory.

A quick look at various picking techniques.

Neo-classical guitarist Tom Hess was a bad student too, but he got his act together, and you can as well.

Complex music requires thought and preplanning in order to get the best results.

How to avoid "wrong notes" on your way to creating interesting, improvised lines.

Can you cure a case of guitar hero "Clone-itus?" Here`s some cure-all.

Understanding how a key can be made to reveal its chordal treasure is invaluable knowledge.

What`s the best way to organize vast amounts of musical information in your mind? Kevin Buck has some ideas for you.

Regular rehearsals and practice sessions can help take you to the next level.

Using simple guitar overdubs to great effect.

Stimulate your guitar practice and composition by finding alternative angles and methods of reinterpretation.

Neo-classical guitarist Tom Hess lays out an effective, step-by-step plan for developing speed.

Patrick DeCoste discusses the essential art of two handed muting.

Revealing an altogether more subtle harmonic concept.

Think in terms of five, as you work on these 3+2 ideas.

Patrick DeCoste is back to help you push the boundaries of harmonics.

Terry Syrek will slap you silly if you even attempt a wank tap.

An inside look at how one key can affect the sound of another.

Give your picking a boost with German`s crazy ideas.

Patrick DeCoste returns to bring music theory to life.

Before you come down for one technique or another, check out Philippov`s discussion on the issue.

Here`s some ideas to help you reach the front gate of shredhood.

Examples and tips intended to help everybody who seeks ways to improve on their instrument.

What does it mean for one`s playing to be considered original? Let`s find out.

Enlist those underutilized picking hand fingers to facilitate string skipping and wider intervals.

Here are seven common problems guitarists encounter when learning to sweep pick, and what you can do about them.

Exploring the best use of swept arpeggios in a rock guitar player`s bag of tricks.

If you`re sitting there with a pick in your hand, throw it away, you won`t need it.

Simple knowledge of pentatonics is all you need to utilize the modes in your lead guitar playing.

The Mad Scotsman is here with the first in a series of lessons featuring cliche busting musical ideas.

Mike`s ideas will help you move up the neck very quickly.

Kevin Buck tackles the most technically challenging piece ever written.

Part two of Scott Allen`s exploration into the wonderful world of arpeggios.

Use the entire neck of your axe with these three octave ideas.

Here`s how you can go about creating a whole host of chords quickly and effectively.

Part three of Scott Allen`s exploration into the wonderful world of arpeggios.

Part four of Scott Allen`s exploration into the wonderful world of arpeggios.

Develop both dexterity and versatility with these fretboard exercises.

Here`s a closer look at playing 3 note per string scales as 16th notes.

Nick Kellie helps you to improvise through this standard chord progression.

Virtuoso classical guitarist and instructor Jamie Andreas believes it`s easy to memorize pieces, and has some tips to help the uninitiated.