ISSUE 353 } NOVEMBER 2023
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ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOPICS we hear from readers of Guitar Techniques is either how to sound like someone, or how to get better. Two very understandable routes to deepen one’s connection with the guitar. We run a lot of the first topic in every issue - you can almost guarantee we’ve covered one or more of yours during any 12-month period (unless it’s a particularly niche player). We also run a regular improve your… series which is aimed at the lower and upper intermediate musician who has some ability with an approach, but wants to take the next step. This issue we thought it would be good to look at the whole gamut of blues-rock guitar playing, figure out the important musical strands that are constants and then create a feature that focuses on vital elements to get you sounding both authentic and professional. Quite an ask, isn’t it? Take a look through though (it begins on page 14), and you’ll soon clock that it’s crammed full of ‘the good stuff’ and will indeed enrich your chops and vocabulary. You’ve got approaches from alternate to hybrid picking, slinky legato flurries, highfretboard wailing with bends and vibrato, bluesy turnarounds and intros, string bending strategies, and from ‘close voiced’ to juicy 7th and beyond chords. What a collection of insights, tips and boosters to get you charged up for the next open mic night, blues jam or Saturday gig! If you need more to pump you up (if that’s even possible), Phil Short has filmed four videos in the style of this year’s hottest rock guitarist, Nuno Bettencourt. With Extreme’s latest album Six featuring hit single Rise, Nuno’s songwriting and guitar bravado is as good as ever - and I say that as a huge fan back during my Uni days listening to Pornograffiti. With two riff and two solo studies to watch and learn, it’s an involving dive into a special musician who combines tasty music with staggering guitar technique.
But there’s even more: US blueser Philip Sayce shows us six favourite licks; we have two Buddy Guy solos that celebrate his greatness; riff and solo like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s late, great guitarist Gary Rossington; Kirk Fletcher soloing insights; Josh Smith’s phrasing tips on blues soloing; and finally, shred like DragonForce’s Herman Li. As always, we hope you enjoy it all. So, until next issue: keep happy, keep listening and keep playing!
