Mike O'Malley

Guest Columnists

• Playing With Another Guitarist

  Playing with another guitarist can open up a lot of new musical options.
  June-July 2011
• Don't Be Genre Specific

  How about opening your mind and opening yourself up to new styles of music? It can only help your guitar playing and musicianship.
  April-May 2011
• Finding Your Own Voice

  Internalize what you are learning and use it to develop your own style.
  February-March 2011
• Chasing The Perfect Tone

  There are a lot of ways to go about finding your signature tone.
  December-January 2010
• A Harmonic Minor

  You can use the Harmonic Minor scale to add exotic twists to your solos.
  October-November 2010
• Bending And Vibrato

  These two can be some of the most telling sign if a musician is good or great.
  August-September 2010
• A Minor Solo Ideas

  Solo ideas and strategies that will help you build a memorable solo.
  June-July 2010
• Are You Stuck In A Rut?

  Don't let yourself get worse but not trying to get better.
  April-May 2010
• How To Control A Melody

  Inspired by Jeff Beck's cover of "A Day In The Life"? Learn how you can play more melodically.
  February-March 2010
• Single String Scales

  How to get a better handle on the fretboard by concentrating on one string at a time.
  December-January 2009
• Skipping And Sweeping

  All about combining different techniques into a truly scary lick.
  October-November 2009
• What The 'F'

  Don't stifle your creativity by applying too much theory to the songwriting process.
  August-September 2009
• Practicing Strategies

  Have you played guitar for years and not gotten very far? Mike O'Malley has practical tips for your practice sessions.
  June-July 2009
• Preparing To Record

  What is the most important thing you can bring to a recording studio? Mike O'Malley has his own thoughts on the subject.
  April-May 2009
• The Right Hand Is Your Money Maker

  Don't ignore your picking hand in favor of the almighty fretting hand - you'll pay the price.
  February-March 2009
• The Importance Of Rhythm Guitar

  Technique is very important, but worthless if you don't know how to make your guitar groove.
  December-January 2008