Articles by Levi Clay
Twang 101: Bluegrass Goes Electric!
February 9, 2019
Steal inspiration, vocabulary, and picking techniques from legendary acoustic players.
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Twang 101: Hank Garland’s Nashville Jazz
January 5, 2019
Learn how to pick like one of the early pioneers of sophisticated jazz-influenced country guitar.
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Twang 101: The Bakersfield Sound
November 24, 2018
Learn how to cop the trademark sounds of country music’s California rebels.
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Twang 101: Scotty Anderson’s Double-Stop Sorcery
September 15, 2018
Blazing double-stop licks and a unique picking style are hallmarks of one of today’s most underrated guitar pickers.
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Twang 101: Vince Gill
August 25, 2018
Very few country stars have the chops, skill, and taste of this award-winning picker, singer, and songwriter. Here’s a look at how to cop his cosmic Tele vibe.
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Twang 101: How to Solo over “Folsom Prison Blues”
July 28, 2018
Develop a strategy to methodically work through the changes of Johnny Cash’s classic jam.
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Obsessive Progressive: John Petrucci
June 2, 2018
Progressive metal’s most influential guitarist combines immaculate picking technique with aggressive tones to create the most technically demanding licks around.
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Obsessive Progressive: Opeth
May 5, 2018
Rhythmic intensity and beautiful, crunchy dissonance fuel the prog-metal stylings of one of Sweden’s heaviest exports.
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Obsessive Progressive: Open-String Chords
April 7, 2018
Add ethereal layers to your chord progressions by inserting a few carefully selected open strings.
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The Envelope, Please!
March 3, 2018
It’s awards season, so we hand out some totally fictitious ones to honor some of the most deserving scales, techniques, and discoveries over the last year.
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Obsessive Progressive: Periphery
January 13, 2018
What do you get when you combine three fiercely unique metalheads with a love for down-tuned guitars, crushing rhythms, and a passion for odd-meter time signatures?
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Obsessive Progressive: Rush’s Alex Lifeson
December 9, 2017
We break down how prog rock’s most influential 6-stringer combines timeless riffs, a huge sound, and a penchant for experimentation.
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Obsessive Progressive: How to “Borrow” Chords
November 4, 2017
Once you break the shackles of diatonic harmony, you open the doors to a new world of sounds based on the simple major triad.
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Obsessive Progressive: Tool’s Adam Jones
September 23, 2017
One of the most mysterious and interesting guitarists to come out of the post-grunge scene is a master of dynamics, tone, and deceptive rhythms.
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Obsessive Progressive: How to Decode Advanced Polymeters
August 26, 2017
Bands like Opeth and Meshuggah are known for their warped take on ear-bending rhythms. Here are a few ways to break through the theory and learn how they do it.
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Obsessive Progressive: Get a Grip on Odd-Meter Time Signatures
July 29, 2017
Not all riffs need to live in a comfortable space. Some of the most iconic jams rely on adding or subtracting a few beats to create that perfect, yet uneasy feel.
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Beyond Blues: How to Play “Bird” Blues
June 17, 2017
Saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker’s challenging version of a 12-bar blues is one of his most enduring contributions. Learn how to navigate these tricky changes by combining bebop and blues.
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Beyond Blues: Roy Buchanan’s Tele Tricks
May 6, 2017
The legendary Tele player was a master at emoting the more vocal and expressive side of blues guitar. Here’s a look at some of his boundary-busting techniques.
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Beyond Blues: “Rhythm” Changes and the Blues
April 8, 2017
Learn how to bridge jazz and blues by tackling one of the most popular progressions around.
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Beyond Blues: The Allman Brothers Band
March 4, 2017
One of the most revered Southern rock bands of all time combined grit and soul with blazing blues guitar. Learn how Duane Allman and Dickey Betts forged an unforgettable sound.
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