“I Feel More Like a Guitarist Than a Singer”

Courtney Barnett is the singer-songwriter who doesn’t identify as one. Her secret weapon: “My ‘guitarmonies’...”

“I Don't Believe in Perfection”

The power of Volbeat comes from Michael Poulsen’s mighty riffs. But as a self-taught player, he admits: “I’m pretty terrible at solos!”

'I MAINLY PLAY A JAZZMASTER – AND THAT'S IT!'

Singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya on beating the lockdown blues – and why one guitar can be enough.

'INSIDE PICKING WAS A BIG DISCOVERY FOR ME'

Dream Theater’s John Petrucci on game-changing exercises and creating a solo that “feels like you’re floating”

GUILD A-20 MARLEY

Bob Marley’s songwriting tool reinvented

My 2021 Jake Kiszka

Voted the number one guitarist of 2021 by TG readers, the Greta Van Fleet star discusses the art of the five-minute solo and explains why playing live is all the practice he needs...

My 2021 Josh Middleton

It was a great year for the Architects guitarist, as the band scored their first number one album and his latest signature model was launched

My 2021 Samantha Fish

Samantha Fish ventured out of the blues-rock box in search of new sonic territory with her genre-bending album Faster. She also found that lockdown helped her fall back in love with playing...

My 2021 Tash Sultana

This year saw the Australian singer-songwriter make an international breakthrough with the album Terra Firma. And yet, Tash says, “I’ve only really been recognised as a guitarist recently.”

Riffs of 2021

A truly outstanding year for heavy music saw these mammoth riffs make TG's top five...

Solos of 2021

From blues battles and shredding prog metal heroics to Nigerian psych-rock, these are 2021’s finest solos...

Songs of 2021

Albums are an artist’s grand statement, but a truly great song will always stand out...

50 The Beatles Greatest Guitar Songs

The Beatles – the greatest, biggest and most influential band of all time. No band has inspired more people to play guitar than Beatles.

JOHNNY HEALEY (JOHN)

“Lots of two-piece bands fall into the trap of being quite bluesy,” says Johnny Healey of the amusingly named John, “whereas we’ve always had a punk, hardcore influence. I don’t want to just play power chords – I want to play nice, pretty chords with sevenths in and stuff, but with loads of overdrive, and really fast!”

MAGICAL GEAR TOUR

The Beatles revolutionised popular music. Here are the main guitars and amps they used to do it...

10 GREAT BEATLES GUITAR MOMENTS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE

Wild slide guitar, flamenco-inspired rhythm, raw 12-bar blues and more - the inner workings of The Beatles revealed

“WE'D JUST HIT OUR GUITARS SOMETIMES. ACTUALLY HIT THEM!”

Wet Leg are creating a buzz with filthy songs and a novel approach to playing

“REALLY, IT'S JUST ONE EXTRA STRING...”

DREAM THEATER’S JOHN PETRUCCI ON HIS NEW EIGHT-STRING GUITAR AND THE CHALLENGE OF PLAYING IT

Carlos Santana

AS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED GUITARISTS ON THE PLANET FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, HIS EPIC CAREER IS ALSO A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY.“SOME PEOPLE PRACTISE CHORDS OR THEORY,” SANTANA SAYS. “I PRACTISE MAKING MELODY BECOME ETERNAL...”

FENDER PLAYER TELECASTER AND STRATOCASTER PLUS

Fender’s Mexican series steps up with a premium line featuring expanded tones and bold finishes Are they worth the upgrade?

“THE CONCEPT OF RHYTHM GUITAR HAS BEEN LOST IN MODERN METAL.”

The new album from Trivium is a master-class in complex riffing and balls-out shredding. Guitarists Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu reveal how it was created – with what they call ‘organic improvisation’...

“WE'RE DIRTY NEANDERTHALS PLAYING HEAVY METAL, BUT THERE'S A DEEP SIDE TO MASTODON”

"With an unorthodox two-guitar attack and a mountain of gear, a band in mourning created a monumental double album. How Mastodon" dug deep: by guitarist Bill Kelliher

Improvising's Not Easy - And Ninety-five Per Cent Of It Was Just Sh*t!”

Australian psych rock band Pond have a strange approach to creating songs – applying modern editing to old-fashioned jamming. Multi-instrumentalist Jay Watson talks us through it...

ABBA'S SECRET WEAPON

Guitarist Janne Schaffer reveals his role in the biggest hit-making machine of the 70s

RELEASE VALVES

Blackstar unveils what it says are the “world’s most advanced valve pedals”

James Dean Bradfield

HE STARTED OUT PLAYING A LES PAUL TO SOUND LIKE THE SEX PISTOLS’ STEVE JONES. NOW, HE’S CHANNELING ABBA ON THE NEW MANIC STREET PREACHERS ALBUM AND DECLARING, “I LOVE MY STRAT!” JAMES DEAN BRADFIELD OPENS HIS ‘GUITAR DIARY’ TO TG AND EXPLAINS THE ORIGINS OF HIS SOUND. “IT’S NOT MAGIC,” HE SAYS. “THERE’S NO THEORY. IT’S JUST F*CKING AROUND!”

“WE'RE A VERY RIFF DRIVEN BAND”

For sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, the creative nucleus of Larkin Poe, the best songs come from riffing, natural chemistry, and playing cover versions as a way to raise their own game

“ALL MY TRICKS FOR WRITING COME DOWN TO THE FACT THAT I'VE GOT A GREAT RECORD COLLECTION”

The Wildhearts frontman Ginger channels everything from Motorhead to ABBA. His advice: “Educate yourself...”

“I START A SONG FROM A SPACE THAT FEELS CALM”

The War On Drugs leader Adam Granduciel reveals how he wrote their brilliant new album - and why he loves to record with one “magical guitar”.

“SONGWRITING IS LIKE TRYING TO CATCH LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE”

Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell is a master of the art who believes a great song requires only three key elements: “The riff. The melody. And something to say.”