Guitar Nine Columns: Guitar Technique

Italian guitarist Salvatore Vecchio with a column on mixing various pentatonic scales to achieve something fresh.

Getting the left hand to keep up with the right hand sweep through hand synchronization.

One of the things that makes the guitar different from other instruments is the fact that you can incorporate open strings into chord voicings. Here`s how.

Applying time-shifting to enhance tapped arpeggios.

Were you thinking, "Gee, there`s got to be a way to spice up a G...?" Zounds! You were right.

Virtuoso classical guitarist and instructor Jamie Andreas talks about penetrating the mystery of time.

Paul Nelson talks about the Ionian, or Major scale.

How to write something you cannot play, and then playing it.

Complete understanding of the modes has eluded many a guitarist. Here`s part one of Mike Campese`s multi-part lesson.

Sean Mercer teaches you a single right-hand finger tapping technique.

Add some excitement to your playing by playing outside the scale.

Steve Pappas is back with his arrangement of one of the most well known hymns of all time.

How to embrace the healing power of music.

More creative ways to use modal pentatonics in your playing.

Complete understanding of the modes has eluded many a guitarist. Here`s part two of Mike Campese`s multi-part lesson.

Sean Mercer returns with ways to help you break out of the 3 and 4 note sequence rut.

Constructing your own chord voicings and increasing your chord vocabulary.

Add some excitement to your playing by playing outside the scale. This time: the diminished scale.

Steve Pappas enhances his previous "Amazing Grace" arrangement with this variation.

Becoming a performer and a listener all at once.

Virtuoso classical guitarist and instructor Jamie Andreas discusses why, at times, you must make the difficult even more difficult.

Steve Pappas completes his "Amazing Grace" arrangement with this final variation.

Knowing the modes, and putting them to good use, are two different things. Here`s part three of Mike Campese`s multi-part lesson.

Add some excitement to your playing by playing outside the scale. This time: blending the Mixolydian with diminished scale.

The amazing Tom Yoder and his equally amazing arpeggios.

Virtuoso classical guitarist and instructor Jamie Andreas on how to make progress, real progress, in your abilities.

Mike Campese is back with more modal mayhem.

Steve Booke talks about how to use breathing to provide yourself with the necessary energy to play your more physically demanding licks.

Mike Campese is back with powerful compositional tool (and a play out of Satriani`s playbook).

Virtuoso classical guitarist and instructor Jamie Andreas answers the burning question.

Michael Knight looks at the elements of composition as they relate to the guitar solo.

Greg Brown talks about tapping into the power of visualization.

Mike Campese shifts into high gear with these high tech shred licks.

Mike Campese turns the tried and true triad into an improvisational treat.

Let the Sultan of String take you on the exotic scale ride of your life.

Hess guitarist Mike Walsh will help you become a better musician with his keys to success.

Small-handed Chris Juergensen shows you how to stretch to achieve great harmonic choices in chords.

Mike Campese again turns the tried and true triad into an improvisational treat.

Let the Sultan of String explain the finer points of the Yona Nuki and In scales.

Harmonic minor scale soloing and chord substitution made simple through theoretical refocusing.

Virtuoso classical guitarist and instructor Jamie Andreas talks about getting the most out of yourself in order to play at a higher level.

Use this scale to yield great sounds in jazz and ragtime, through perilous horror-film mayhem, cheese-metal and progressive rock fusion.