Guitarist
Double Identity
Acoustic carbon-fibre guitar manufacturers Emerald take a bold step into the twin humbucker semi-acoustic market with one of the most versatile instruments we’ve encountered
9 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
THE FIRST Les Paul
The reason Gibson’s iconic Les Paul exists is because of its namesake. A star of the 1940s airwaves, Les Paul was also a gifted inventor who strived for 30 years to make his dream of a solidbody electric a reality. As his son Gene Paul says, “This is the reason music changed and rock ’n’ roll came to be… all because of this little guitar that sounded good.” Here is the story of how that very guitar – the first of the breed – was created
10+ min |
October 2021
Guitarist
TOM WEIGHTS
Gigs are back! Are we ready? Er… no. Some peculiar things are going on and Dave Burrluck needs to fix ’em
7 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
P-90 Revival
Bare Knuckle Pickups founder Tim Mills explains why so many of us are turning to this classic single coil
3 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
Postcards From NOW HERE
Phil Manzanera gave Roxy Music the taut riffs that made the band’s hits irresistibly danceable – but his latest album, recorded with Tim Finn, is about traveling without moving. We joined him to discover why a Firebird and an Ox make a powerful combination in any home studio, and receive a masterclass in the recording techniques he’s honed over 50 years of hits
10+ min |
October 2021
Guitarist
Lean & Mean
A weekly spot at Ronnie Scott’s provides Adam Goldsmith with the welcome challenge of a stripped-back setup
3 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
FRESH CREAM
Another UK-made guitar brand is always welcome, but rarely are they conceived by a meeting of great minds that includes a grizzled USA rock icon and a ‘mad scientist’ pickup maker from Norway…
9 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
Clockwork Echo
J Rockett reimagines the Deluxe Memory Man concept
4 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
BRIAN SETZER
Rockabilly’s top cat on beating tinnitus, resurrecting Dick Dale, why you’ll never catch him with a Strat, and why rockers can’t play the ’billy
10 min |
October 2021
Guitarist
Digitally Controlled Expression - Get Expressive!
Stefan Fast of YouTube channel ThePedalZone goes on a trip to the creative playground that is expression. Modern technology is taking it to the next level…
4 min |
October 2021
Guitar Techniques
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN
Phil Short checks one of the greatest and most influential blues players; the Texas powerhouse that was the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan.
2 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
THEM CHANGES
Andy G Jones shows how to improvise on the James Bond Em/maj9 chord, which requires a grasp of unique Minor scales, such as Harmonic and Melodic Minor Pentatonics.
3 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
THE CROSSROADS Repeating Licks
In this month’s Crossroads, John Wheatcroft explores the propulsive power of repetition via the playing style of legendary Blue Note powerhouse, Grant Green.
4 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
SHRED!
Charlie Griffiths peeks through green-tinted glasses to demonstrate five scarifying and lethal licks, inspired by Paul Gilbert.
3 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
OSCAR PETERSON
Swedish jazz great Ulf Wakenius takes another look at how Peterson adapted the blues for jazz piano, and how we too can exploit these ideas.
2 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
NEO-SOUL
To kick off his brand new series Simon Barnard analyses the playing of Chalmers ‘Spanky’ Alford, better known as the Godfather of neo-soul guitar.
3 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
Fernando Sor Study No 20, Opus 35
This month our classical expert Bridget Mermikides presents this beautiful arpeggio study by the Spanish guitarist and ‘Beethoven of the guitar’, Fernando Sor.
3 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
INSTRUMENTAL INQUISITION !
Guitar instrumentals have supplied some of music’s most evocative moments. Jason Sidwell asks some top guitarists for their take on this iconic movement. This month: Night Ranger’s outstanding guitarist, Brad Gillis.
6 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
BLACK SABBATH
This month Martin Cooper checks out the sound of heavy metal pioneers Back Sabbath, and their leftie guitarist the iconic, Tomy Iommi.
3 min |
November 2021
Guitar Techniques
Celtic Fingerstyle
Things are getting ‘reel’ this month as Stuart Ryan brings you an uptempo traditional Irish fingerstyle arrangement and new picking-hand possibilities.
2 min |
November 2021
Future Music
SONIC DESTRUCTION
From overdriven signal paths to rhythmic malfunctions, there’s plenty of creativity to be found by doing things just a little bit wrong
10+ min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Feed Me
EDM producer Jon Gooch revives his cartoonish Feed Me moniker. Danny Turner finds out how the use of live instrumentation changed his production approach
10+ min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Exploring Akai MPC
Leo Maymind takes a detailed look at an iconic groovebox whose influence helped shape modern hip-hop and much more besides
8 min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Liars
Dissolving the contours of rock and electronics, Danny Turner charts the making of Liars’ 10th album with Angus Andrew and Laurence Pike
10+ min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Jean-Michel Jarre
The pioneering musician who introduced generations to futuristic sounds the first time around is at it again. He joins Matt Mullen to talk experiments in VR gigging, spatial audio and more...
10 min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Noise
With roots as far back as 1913, noise is the genre that’s also a state of mind
4 min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
1010 Music Bitbox mk2 £549
Rob Redman finds out whether this updated sampler box of tricks contains any more surprises
3 min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Erica Synths and Sonic Potions LXR-02 £499
Rob Redman braces himself for another resurrected blast from the past
6 min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Modal SKULPTsynth SE £169
Modal are back with an update to their SKULPT synth. Bruce Aisher takes a listen to see if it can rustle up a big sound
3 min |
Autumn 2021
Future Music
Reason Studios Reason 12 £399
Now in both DAW and plugin realms, Reason gains a sampler and refreshed Combinator. Si Truss investigates
3 min |