Guitar Nine Columns: Guitar Technique

Take you guitar playing to the next level with Tommaso's best advice for the intermediate player.

Slide guitar offers a very cool and unique sound that cannot be emulated any other way.

Anyone (including yourself) can learn to develop creativity by using the proven methods and strategies for reaching this goal.

Mark covers the essential picking styles new guitarists need to learn (or at least be familiar with).

Mike shows you several ways to spice up your riffs, lines and solos with some chromatic passing tones.

A technique that allows you to play both the melody and accompaniment parts of a blues tune at the same time.

Mike teaches you scale sequences (in the Hanon style, adapted from piano) that are great for your dexterity and precision.

These exercises will help you to focus on string crossing with alternate picking, and also to help you develop left/right hand synchronization, speed and stamina.

If left unquestioned, these kind of thoughts can start to really build up and hurt your progress as a musician.

Here are more true reasons for Vai's world-class guitar playing and the lessons each one holds for you.

An expert knows to practice simpler things.

Mike shows you moveable type patterns for the harmonic minor scale, and some ways you can get some fresh new modern type sounds.

Don't go with what feels easy as opposed to what is right.

Studying other styles of music such as jazz, will only make you a better, more rounded acoustic guitar player and musician.

Here are the true reasons for Vai`s world-class guitar playing and the lessons each one holds for you.

Playing a chord progression accurately does not necessarily mean the progression will sound good.

focusing on picking and moveable shapes that will help to create longer lines.

Don`t waste another second of your time learning the guitar scales by using the CAGED system.

Is there any real benefit to learning more than one scale system? Here`s one opinion to consider.

Confused about the modes? Here is a way you can practice the modes that may help.

In part 3, you`ll learn how to easily play fast solo lines and riffs on your guitar.

And... a tasty lick to get your fingers working.

One of the oldest concepts in the book, adapted for modern rock guitar playing.

Why do people still use the CAGED system? Here are some answers.

Chris covers a classic 1980`s example of style over substance.

3-string picking ideas that are great for developing your picking, and to help create lines.

In part 2, you`ll learn how to create amazing blues guitar solos using open strings.

Chris takes you through every inversion on string-set G-B-E, allowing you to bust one out when called upon to do so.

These 2-string scale fragment examples will increase your speed and your picking technique.

How to create amazing guitar solos using open strings and pentatonic scale patterns.

Check in with Joe Nevin and his 10 rocking guitar techniques you need to know.

You will get your skills back again by using these five approaches.

Discover how learning scales actually fosters creativity.

Why you need to stop dividing your fretboard in 5 today.

Integrating scales and arpeggios mechanically.

Read about new ideas for using perfect 5ths in your playing.

How to develop a lightning fast tremolo picking guitar technique.

Drastically improve your acoustic guitar playing with these easy to play, advanced sounding chords.

Scales are important to learn, but most instructors have put them emphasis on learning them by heart and simply playing them up and down.

All of your favorite guitar players play in a way that looks amazingly easy.

Harp harmonics never fail to immediately grab the attention of those who hear you play them, leaving them spellbound by what they just heard.

Here are Mike`s technique to help spice up your solos, instead of just running up and down arpeggios.