Learning songs is the best way to master the guitar. You develop techniques as you go, expanding your musical vocabulary. When it’s time to play your first concerts, there will inevitably be a cover or two. But some tracks are best left in the practice space. These are the uncoverable…
01 MR. BRIGHTSIDE THE KILLERS
The anthem of student nightclubs across the UK, its appeal juiced by cheap hooch, Mr. Brightside is big, dumb fun – but perform it at your peril. It’s one of the hardest songs to play clean. Most will fall off the fretboard during the twisty chords and relentless picking of the opening riff. And if you make it through that, the five-fret stretch on the G6 chord in the pre-chorus will get you –guaranteed!
02 BEAT IT MICHAEL JACKSON
At first, this was in the list because the guitar solo is untouchable, a peerless cameo from an Eddie Van Halen at the peak of his powers. Inviting rock’s greatest player onboard with the King of Pop was an act of cultural alchemy. But even if you managed to nail the notes, what about the tone? And if when you finally get that down, the Variac glowing beetroot red, who’s going to sing it?
03 STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN LED ZEPPELIN
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Esta historia es de la edición August 2024 de Total Guitar.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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"You Can Imagine a Song in a Completely Different Genre" - The mysterious Lord Phobos, guitarist for TWRP, has covered everything from disco to Def Leppard in his collaborations with tongue-in-cheek duo Ninja Sex Party.
The mysterious Lord Phobos, guitarist for TWRP, has covered everything from disco to Def Leppard in his collaborations with tongue-in-cheek duo Ninja Sex Party. He explains what makes a great cover version - and reveals the one guitar and the one pedal he couldn't live without...
Some Things You Want to Tweak and Make Your Own- How the Foos' Chris Shiflett reworked two rock classics on his recent solo EP
Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett is also a solo artist in his own right, and his latest EP Starry Nights & Campfire includes Lights covers of two great old rock tracks - Thin Lizzy's Cowboy Song and the ballad Don't You Ever Leave Me by Hanoi Rocks, the Finnish band that did so much to inspire Guns N' Roses.
"It Gives Me Physical Satisfaction To Play Funk Riffs!" - Into the groove with Giacomo Turra, the Italian guitarist who made his name covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and more...
Into the groove with Giacomo Turra, the Italian guitarist who made his name covering classics by Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and more... Born in Milan, his funk guitar sensibility can be traced back to the dance studio where his mother taught, and the tunes he heard blasting out of her boombox. "I like to experiment with a lot of genres, but the really interesting thing for me is I really grew up on funk, and a little bit of jazz and fusion music," he says.
- Try out these creative tips and make your cover versions stand out
Try out these creative tips and make your cover versions stand out
BEAUX GRIS GRIS & THE APOCALYPSE
Heavily requested on rock radio stations thanks to their unique twist on bluesy Americana, Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse are the kind of band that thrive in front of large crowds on hot summer days just as much as more intimate performances inside sweaty underground basements.
BOSS KATANA-50 GEN 3
The Japanese giant cuts through the noise with its new practice amp
SOLOKING MS-1 CUSTOM 22 HH
A great value guitar looking to clash headstocks with the big boys
IK MULTIMEDIA TONEX ONE
The most powerful amp modeller for its size, bar none
YAMAHA PACIFICA STANDARD PLUS PACS+12M
Yamaha's long-running doublecut finally gets a makeover
NO MORE MR.BRIGHTSIDE!
The 10 songs you should never cover. Or at least think twice before trying...