Artist Studies

In this tutorial we're going to study the guitar tone and playing style of the legendary classic rock band AC/DC. AC/DC's legendary sound is built on the foundation of brothers Angus and Malcolm Young's playing. Angus played lead, while his older brother Malcolm handled the rhythm guitar parts. Combined they were the perfectly blended one-two punch of all the classic AC/DC rock tunes! Their playing styles were firmly grounding in the early rock & blues rock of the 60s bringing those traditions to the present and expanding on them into the future!

In this tutorial, Anders Mouridsen will reveal some of the secrets in the style of blues legend Albert King. We'll start off with an introduction to Albert's approach, then look at his touch, tone, and use of the pentatonic "box". Next we'll examine his aggressive bending style, then break down three licks: one fill lick between vocal phrases, a typical King-style soulful lick, and a turnaround lick. We'll conclude with a jam.

Our instructor Prashant Aswani takes you through some of the elements of style that make AC/DC one of the most popular bands in rock. In these lessons we'll look at the foundations of tone, the style in which Angus and Malcolm voice their chords and give them movement, some of the pentatonic licks they use, the use of open string licks, and double stops. In the final lesson you can jam along to a rockin' custom jam track!

B.B. King is one of the true all-time greats of the guitar; his style is synonymous with the blues! In these lessons we are going to show you some techniques and approaches in the style of B.B. King: starting off a blues tune, using space and phrasing, bending strings, the use of turnarounds, and some soloing approaches. Take these elements and work them into your own sound!

This tutorial will cover his gear and tone over the years, his rhythm playing, his approach to lead guitar, the 80s-era Eliminator style, and his take on slide guitar. So let's dive on in and check it out!

Mike will show you Brian May's playing style by breaking it down into several key factors, learn what makes it special and then learn to play some riffs and licks in his style! This tutorial will cover his gear and tone, his melodic approach to riffs, major scale licks, guitar harmonies, and using a delay effect to create a guitar orchestra.

Tome will show you essential aspects of Guy's playing style and music across many decades has inspired players to learn about the blues of the past, bring those traditions to the present and expand on them into the future! Through his playing and showmanship, he directly influenced the early rock legends of the 60s. Clapton, Page, Beck & Hendrix all took a cue & a few licks from Buddy Guy!

Several subscribers have indicated an interest in learning more about the Chet Atkins thumb and finger style, so this tutorial has been created to go into quite a bit of detail to show the learner how to learn it.

In this series of eight lessons, Andy Gurley will introduce you to the picking styles of Chet Atkins and Merle Travis. First up is the basic picking hand motion, then you'll start developing the use of your thumb. Adding finger syncopation is next, then we'll examine a progression using our basic pattern. Then it's time to develop independence with your fingers and thumb, and we'll conclude with some moveable shapes and final thoughts.

In this series, the guitarist will know how to treat a chord progression in the style of masters Chet Atkins and Merle Travis and what choices to make to play this style with great tone and equipment. This series also gives a great list of references so that you know which players and recordings to check out to master this style.

In this tutorial, I'll first introduce the elements of the Chet Atkins style; then for those of you new to fingerpicking, I'll also talk about how to use a thumbpick and fingers. We'll learn two pieces that I wrote - to learn how to play rhythm and melody at the same time - then walk through those pieces measure by measure, looking at both the right and left hands. Finally, we'll walk through several "banjo rolls" with Atkins-style chords.

This tutorial will teach you some of the elements of the Iron Maiden style. Instructor Mike Olekshy examines their use of rhythms, their single note lines, their "two guitar attack", some of the types of progressions they use, and how they achieve their tone. You can play along with a Maiden-esque backing track to top it all off!

Megadeth's legendary sound is built on the foundation of Dave Mustaine's rhythm riffing and various lead guitar players that have worked with the band. Combined they were the completely over the top metal sound of Megadeth tunes! These playing styles were firmly grounding in the early hard rock of the late 60s & 70s like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath & the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Megadeth brought those heavy riffing traditions to the present and expanded on them into the future!

In this artist study, Anders Mouridsen will show you some techniques and approaches in the style of the great David Gilmour. Anders will talk about tone and effects, and then examine triads. He'll then show how to use delay, and also look at a funkier side of Gilmour's style. Next, you'll learn ways you can make your guitar sound like a pedal steel. We'll look at an acoustic style example, then delve into some epic soloing!

Betts plays with a clean to sweetly rounded sustained tone using mostly pentatonic major scales with a country flavor adapted to the Allman Brothers rock style. He plays mostly simple, but flowing phrases that emphasized melodic devices of repetition, variation, and rhythmic displacement. Along with Duane, Dickey's style is a key component of the unique, instantly identifiable sound of the early Allman Brothers Band. Their sweet as sugar twin harmony leads are an iconic sound of rock and roll guitar vocabulary.

Dave will show you the signature licks and tricks including two VH inspired mini-songs and a stand alone guitar solo, fast boogie rhythms, two hand tapping, a solo using the MXR Phase 90, hybrid picking, and palm muting triads.

Tom will show you the essential ingredients of Eric Clapton's style ranging from his early fiery Blues with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, to Cream, to pop rock to acoustic blues work.

In this tutorial, Tony Lee will teach you elements of the Eric Johnson style. Tony will introduce the tutorial, then talk about EJ's gear and tone. Then it's time to learn the two rhythm riffs in this mini-composition; after that we'll learn the different licks that make up the full solo that's played over the rhythm riffs. We'll finish with a play along performance, then you'll take over in the jam along.

Freddie King is another essential figure in blues history, who's style has inspired many of the blues and rock greats that we know today! In this tutorial, we'll take a look at some ways that we can work some basic components of Freddie's style into our own playing by using double stops, outlining the IV and V chords, turnarounds, using a thumb pick and a metal pick on your first finger, and we'll jam with a backing track too!

George Lynch has been called one of the most influential guitarists of his time. In this artist study we're going to look at some of the elements of his style: solo motifs, slide vibrato, resolving licks, pick tapping, and tone.

George Lynch's legendary playing formed the foundation of Dokken's hair metal sound. His rhythm riffing held their songs together and his solos were often the high point of the songs. Like many 80s guitarists, Lynch was among the first generation directly influenced by Van Halen's innovative playing. This included hot-rodded, humbucker loaded guitars with locking vibrato bars, high gain tones, lots of heavy rhythm and speedy fretwork for solo lines!

In this tutorial we'll be covering topics ranging from moving chord shapes, to hammer-ons, to right hand strumming techniques. Each lesson will help showcase a different aspect of Jack Johnson's style, and will help you learn how using the acoustic guitar primarily as a songwriting tool can serve to better any player's approach to the instrument.

Within this set of lessons you'll learn some elements of the Jeff Beck style: how to choose notes and bend them, technique and phrasing, how to manipulate your guitar's hardware, and what hardware to choose to get the style of the master's tone. The ability to fight off fans afterward is not taught in this tutorial!

Even though the style of Jimi Hendrix was based on blues and rock techniques, he may have been from another planet. His style - a combination of melodic and rhythmic tools - made him stand out from other players of his time period. This tutorial will explain some of the core "tricks" in the Hendrix style that influenced the future of guitar playing.

Mike will cover the essential aspects of Jimmy Page's gear and tone, his single note bluesy rhythm riffing, blues solo licks, epic riffing, and acoustic playing.

In this series of lessons we're going to take a some of the elements of the style from the great Joe Pass, jazz guitar giant: how to orchestrate in his style by using jazz guitar drop 2 chord voicings and walking basslines. First I'll introduce the concepts to you, then show you how to play them. Then I'll show you how to use voice leading with these concepts, and finish off by putting everything together in a blues context.

In this second series of lessons in the style of jazz legend Joe Pass, we'll expand on the first series and apply drop 2 voicings and walking basslines to three typical types of 7th chords. First we'll look at what we'll be learning in this set, then learn drop 2 voicings with major 7th chords, minor 7th chords, and dominant 7ths. Next we'll learn how to use all three chord types in a progression, and we'll conclude with putting everything together.

Now we're going to move on to the third set of lessons in the style of Joe Pass, and learn to extend our drop 2 voicings and walking basslines across the fretboard. We'll start by examining the basic concepts here, then learn how to walk the G7 drop 2 voicing along the neck. Next we'll break down how to keep walking those chord voicings way up the entire fretboard, and we'll end by putting things in context and practicing the concepts.

In this final set of lessons on the style of master Joe Pass, we're going to learn how to play jazz lead lines. As always, we'll start with an overview of the concepts, then we'll look at using chord tones to solo, then practice chord tones with a backing track. After that we'll use scale tones to solo, also followed by a practice lesson with a backing track. We'll then break down two Joe Pass style lead lines, and follow it up with combining them.

Dave will show you Joe Perry's playing style by breaking it down into several key factors, learn what makes it special and then learn to play some licks in his style! His style was a key component of the unique, instantly identifiable sound of Aerosmith. Perry's playing was a great combination of powerful, but always grooving rhythm playing, electrifying lead lines that were informed by early 50's rockers up through his own 60's guitar heroes & blazed a path of his own to the future of rock guitar.

In this tutorial we’re going to study the playing style made famous by John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This style is widely regarded as one of the most influential of modern day pop rock music. The unique blend of technique and emotional expression has inspired countless musicians around the world. We'll break this style of playing down in into several key factors, learn what makes it special, and then learn to play riffs & licks. This study is not endorsed by the artist or the band. It is only done for educational purposes of teaching.

In this tutorial we're going to break down some of the key elements in Keith Richards style of rhythm guitar playing. His style of playing is inspired by everything from early rock 'n' roll and blues to country and gospel music. In these lessons we'll break down some rockin' vocabulary in an open G tuning, adapt it to standard tuning, and finally play through a series of musical examples in the style of this true rock legend.

In these nine guitar lessons, Ry Kihn will tune you in to some of the elements of the Metallica style. Ry will give an overview to the metal band's approach, then get into the gear and tones. Next up is using palm muting and power chords in a riff, then some galloping rhythm examples. You'll then learn some scales and patterns to apply to your "Metallica" style soloing.

This Megadeth artist study takes a look at some of the elements in the style of Marty Friedman, the band's guitar player from 1990-2000. We'll look at some of the dark modes, the rhythms and riffs, the "Marty Friedman bend", and some solo ideas. We'll top it all off with a play along to a custom backing track, so you can experiment with these concepts!

Mike will show you Pete Townshend's guitar style by breaking it down into several key factors to learn what makes it special and then learn to play riffs & licks in his style!

In this artist study, we take a tour through some of the elements of the late, great Randy Rhoads style of lead playing. Some of the tricks we'll look at are using the on/off toggle switch, neck-bending, trills, diatonic triplets, and pentatonic licks. Jam along with the backing track in the final lesson!

Rhoads was most famous for his role as guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne after Ozzy left Black Sabbath to start a solo career. Ozzy's first two solo albums were immediately metal classics largely due to the larger than life playing and sound of the young guitarist trying to make a name for himself. Rhoads's playing was influenced by earlier hard rock and metal players of the 60s and 70s, but he added a layer of complexity and neo-classical influence that was totally his own and very innovative.

In this set of lessons we'll learn some essentials in the style of legendary rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, starting with a look at his tone. We'll then lay out finger-plucked riffs, blues licks, and minor triad sweeping followed by a play along. Next up is octave riffing, scale sequencing, and 2-string arpeggio pull-offs and a play along; then we'll look at "snake charmer" riffs and licks and phrygian triads, and another play along! His unique blend of rock, classical, and blues through his guitar work catapulted the band to stardom. Blackmore's knack for creating intricate melodies paired with a formidable power on his guitar carved out some of the most enduring riffs in rock history. The hallmark of Blackmore's guitar playing includes his distinct use of the minor harmonic scale, the iconic tone of his signature guitar, and his precise, aggressive picking style. Beyond his prowess as a guitarist, Blackmore's contributions as a songwriter were instrumental in fusing rock with classical music elements, showcasing his vast musical interests and his command over his instrument. His solos, often laden with classical motifs and swift arpeggios, set new standards for guitar playing within the genre. Throughout his projects he delved into a more neoclassical vein, merging hard rock with medieval and baroque music elements. This underscored Blackmore's continuous evolution as a guitarist and composer, producing work that would influence the neo-classical metal and power metal movements significantly. The legacy of Ritchie Blackmore in rock music is profound. His innovative guitar techniques, from his rocking riffs to his progressive guitar sounds, have made a lasting mark on music.

"The Sky Is Crying" is a widely-covered blues standard; in this tutorial we're going to take a look at Stevie Ray Vaughan's powerful version of the song. We'll break down some key elements in his playing style, take you through some tricky spots, and finally play through the whole song "note for note". Take anything you like from this blues classic and use it in your own playing!

In this tutorial we'll be breaking down and playing through the classic Stevie Ray Vaughan song "Come On Baby (Let The Good Times Roll)". This song is a four and a half minute long goldmine of the Stevie Ray Vaughan vocabulary, and we'll break down every note he plays. I'm gonna walk you through his right hand rhythm technique and both of the rockin' solos. And since this song is very fast and challenging, I'll also play through both solos at a slower tempo, so you get a chance to pick up every little detail.

Dave breaks down Stevie Ray Vaughan's style into several key factors, showing you what makes it special, and then teaching you to play some licks in his style!

The Edge has a style that lays a foundation for one of the most popular bands in history. In this artist study we're going to look at some of the elements in his style: delay settings, rhythmic approaches, chord voicings, and harmonic techniques. The finale is a play along to a custom backing track.

Tony Rice fuses many elements into one distinctive style. This series of lessons will take a look at some of the concepts used in his style: jazz-influenced chords, syncopated and varied rhythm playing, unique use of pentatonic scales, and chords in lead lines and chord substitutions. We'll put them all together into a solo that exploits all of the techniques.

In this artist study, you'll learn some of the elements in the style of Wes Montgomery's playing: the use of octaves, the technique of playing with your thumb, and the style in which Wes used chords and single note lines. HP Kruesi will set all this against a backdrop of backing tracks in swing, latin, and latin pop styles.