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 How to Mix Guitar in a Headphones World By Craig Anderton published 12 April 23 As the way people listen to music continues to change, so too does the way it is mixed “Putting in the Work Is How You’re Going to Become a Better Player”: John Petrucci’s Top Ten Tips for Guitarists By Richard Bienstock published 11 April 23 The Dream Theater axeman offers advice to improve your chops and guarantee a long, healthy and knowledge-filled guitar life “Being Afraid to Try Is Not Going to Help You Expand”: Eric Gales Shares Some of His Best Guitar Playing Tips By Guitar Player Staff published 6 April 23 From runs in fives to using less obvious scales and extended chords, the electric guitar master explains how to “sound more unique and less predictable” Cop Some Electric Blues Wisdom From Gary Clark Jr. By Guitar Player Staff, Amit Sharma published 5 April 23 These sample licks will help you put his awesome technique to work in your own playing How to Play Guitar Like Jeff Beck By Tom Kolb published 4 April 23 Learn the signature techniques of the electric guitar master in this comprehensive tribute lesson May 2023 Guitar Player Lesson Audio By Guitar Player Staff published 31 March 23 Work Some Spanish Magic in This Acoustic Lesson on the Jeff Beck Classic “Beck’s Bolero” By Jimmy Leslie published 31 March 23 Explore this acoustic take on one of rock’s most iconic instrumentals Want to Add Intrigue to Your Playing? Try These Creative Ways to Harness the Ear-Catching Sounds of Suspended Chords By Chris Buono published 24 March 23 Give your improvising and composing a sharper edge 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 Learn All the Notes on the Fretboard in This Easy-to-Follow Lesson By Guitar Player Staff last updated 21 March 23 Elevate your playing with this simple guide to fretboard memorization 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“As soon as I started playing a Telecaster, I formed an instant connection with it. It’s like when you find the right person to marry. You just know”: John 5's top tips for beginner, and veteran, guitarists2“Whenever you switch back to your pick, it’ll be even more fun to have its signature attack back”: There’s a reason everyone from Eddie Van Halen to Lindsey Buckingham and Mark Knopfler have made fingerstyle part of their repertoire 3“I trade licks with Joe on Funk 49; that’s enough for me – my head would explode if I had to go back and forth with Joe on a song like Hotel California”: Vince Gill on his role in the Eagles, and the wonders of playing with Joe Walsh 4“Allan Holdsworth is untouchable, unimpeachable... He is just the total king. I would build a shrine to him”: Meet Max Light, the jazz guitarist who loves John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Meshuggah in equal measure5“Many young guitarists get discouraged because the comments sections on all platforms are somehow even more toxic than they were five or 10 years ago”: Slowly emerging from a hiatus, Sarah Longfield's ever-impressive playing is “more chill now”
How to Mix Guitar in a Headphones World By Craig Anderton published 12 April 23 As the way people listen to music continues to change, so too does the way it is mixed
“Putting in the Work Is How You’re Going to Become a Better Player”: John Petrucci’s Top Ten Tips for Guitarists By Richard Bienstock published 11 April 23 The Dream Theater axeman offers advice to improve your chops and guarantee a long, healthy and knowledge-filled guitar life
“Being Afraid to Try Is Not Going to Help You Expand”: Eric Gales Shares Some of His Best Guitar Playing Tips By Guitar Player Staff published 6 April 23 From runs in fives to using less obvious scales and extended chords, the electric guitar master explains how to “sound more unique and less predictable”
Cop Some Electric Blues Wisdom From Gary Clark Jr. By Guitar Player Staff, Amit Sharma published 5 April 23 These sample licks will help you put his awesome technique to work in your own playing
How to Play Guitar Like Jeff Beck By Tom Kolb published 4 April 23 Learn the signature techniques of the electric guitar master in this comprehensive tribute lesson
Work Some Spanish Magic in This Acoustic Lesson on the Jeff Beck Classic “Beck’s Bolero” By Jimmy Leslie published 31 March 23 Explore this acoustic take on one of rock’s most iconic instrumentals
Want to Add Intrigue to Your Playing? Try These Creative Ways to Harness the Ear-Catching Sounds of Suspended Chords By Chris Buono published 24 March 23 Give your improvising and composing a sharper edge
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
Learn All the Notes on the Fretboard in This Easy-to-Follow Lesson By Guitar Player Staff last updated 21 March 23 Elevate your playing with this simple guide to fretboard memorization