
Crank up the ’verb and give that whammy bar a workout.
Intermediate
Intermediate
- Explore the basic concepts of surf guitar.
- Understand how surf tunes are arranged.
- Play melodies and leads in an authentic surf style.
Surf music coalesced as a genre in the early 1960s, borrowing elements from an eclectic range of musical styles, from early rock 'n' roll and country to more exotic Middle Eastern and klezmer sounds. At the forefront of this musical movement were such artists as Dick Dale—the self-proclaimed "King of the Surf Guitar"—and bands like the Ventures, the Surfaris, the Chantays, and the Astronauts. The genre itself is divided into instrumental and vocal camps, with the Beach Boys, of course, being the most popular of the vocal crew, though many purists only consider the instrumental music to be true surf.
When the British Invasion hit American audiences, it left instrumental surf music in the rear view of popular culture, but surf continued to exist as a more underground phenomenon. Currently, there's a grassroots resurgence of surf music, and bands like Surfer Joe, Black Flamingos, Messer Chups, and the Surfrajettes are touring all over the world, organizing festivals, running record labels, and keeping surf alive and healthy.
It's easy to define surf music by its aesthetics: Just throw a lot of reverb on a solidbody Fender guitar with a whammy bar—preferably a Jazzmaster or Jaguar—and you're already halfway there. But the characteristic musical elements are what really explain the genre. The guitar is the central instrument in surf music, so for this lesson, we'll unpack the characteristics of surf guitar.
Since many surf bands have two guitars, arranging is a key to the surf treatment. "Walk Don't Run" by the Ventures is a great song to consider. It's a cover of a jazz tune by guitarist Johnny Smith, which he based on the chords of the jazz standard "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise." It was first covered by Chet Atkins before the Ventures put their spin on it by getting rid of the swing feel and turning the descending bass part into an iconic riff. This treatment made "Walk Don't Run" an archetypal surf tune.
The Ventures "Walk Don't Run"
In Ex. 1, Guitar 2 plays power chords that outline an ascending bass line, while Guitar 1 plays a lead melody that floats over the power chords like the Ventures' take on "Walk Don't Run."
Ex. 1
Duane Eddy was an early innovator who influenced so many guitarists, including those in early surf bands that drew inspiration from his twangy sound. One of Eddy's pioneering ideas was simply playing melodies in the lowest octave of the guitar. As basic as that might sound, when arranging simple songs for an instrumental band, it's important to repeat themes without making them sound overly repetitive. With their take on Les Baxter's "Taboo," the Jokers made use of the guitar's full range by shifting the main melody down to the 6th and 5th strings.
The Jokers - Tabou (famous guitar band from Belgium) beroemde gitaar band uit België
In Ex. 2, the same melody from the previous example is now transposed to the lower octave. The very last note has been removed since it's below the range of standard tuning. Notice the heavy use of the whammy bar on a few of the longer notes.
Ex. 2
Miserlou
Much like the exotica craze of the 1950s and early 1960s that found artists like Les Baxter and Martin Denny recreating the music of other cultures, often creating a mix of influences within the same song, surf musicians embraced the use of exotic scales and modes, particularly drawing on Middle Eastern music for inspiration. Dick Dale most notably brought the traditional song "Misirlou" into the surf canon from the Eastern Mediterranean region and made it one of the most well-known and recognizable instrumental surf tunes.
"Misirlou" is based on an intriguing scale (Ex. 3) called the E double harmonic (1–b2–3–4–5–b6–7) in Western music, though it has other names in different cultures. Ex. 4 shows the melody and chords to "Misirlou."
Ex. 3
Ex. 4
The first surf guitar virtuoso, Dale relied on tremolo picking to play ripping versions of songs like "Misirlou," as well as the klezmer song "Hava Nagila" and many others. Ex. 5 shows a lick that's based on the same scale as "Misirlou," played only on the 1st string. It begins with a muted tremolo-picked slide, which is often used as an introduction to a phrase or as a fill in surf music. The first half of the lick uses tremolo picking to articulate the notes, followed by two descending trills that resolve back to the open string.
Ex. 5
Ex. 6 features a melody arranged in three different ways over a rhythm guitar part to show how the techniques in this lesson can come together to make a surf instrumental. First, the melody is played in the guitar's middle range. Then it's played an octave up with tremolo picking, trills, and a tremolo-picked slide. Finally, it lands in the lowest octave and is executed with some heavy vibrato. Notice the use of the Am(maj7) chord, especially in the last measure. Try this spicy voicing when you want to imply a noir-ish spy movie vibe.
Ex. 6
Experiment with these ideas to give some of your songs the surf treatment ... and don't forget the reverb!
This article was updated on August 30, 2021.
- Mod Garage: The Dick Dale Wiring - Premier Guitar ›
- Nada Surf: Caws and Effect - Premier Guitar ›
- Surf Guitar Basics - Premier Guitar ›
- 5 Beginning Rock Riffs for Guitar - Premier Guitar ›
- Hooked: La Luz's Shana Cleveland on The Trashwomen's "Aphrodesia" - Premier Guitar ›
- All Hail Dick Dale, King of the Surf Guitar - Premier Guitar ›
Two Iconic Titans of Rock & Metal Join Forces for a Can’t-Miss North American Trek
Tickets Available Starting Wednesday, April 16 with Artist Presales
General On Sale Begins Friday, April 18 at 10AM Local on LiveNation.com
This fall, shock rock legend Alice Cooper and heavy metal trailblazers Judas Priest will share the stage for an epic co-headlining tour across North America. Produced by Live Nation, the 22-city run kicks off September 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS, and stops in Toronto, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping October 26 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX.
Coming off the second leg of their Invincible Shield Tour and the release of their celebrated 19th studio album, Judas Priest remains a dominant force in metal. Meanwhile, Alice Cooper, the godfather of theatrical rock, wraps up his "Too Close For Comfort" tour this summer, promoting his most recent "Road" album, and will have an as-yet-unnamed all-new show for this tour. Corrosion of Conformity will join as support on select dates.
Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, April 16 at 10AM local time with Artist Presales. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 18 at 10AM local time at LiveNation.comTOUR DATES:
Tue Sep 16 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Thu Sep 18 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
Sat Sep 20 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Sun Sep 21 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Wed Sep 24 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Fri Sep 26 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat Sep 27 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
Mon Sep 29 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Wed Oct 01 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
Thu Oct 02 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sat Oct 04 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Sun Oct 05 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Fri Oct 10 – Colorado Springs, CO – Broadmoor World Arena
Sun Oct 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tue Oct 14 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Wed Oct 15 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
Sat Oct 18 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sun Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Wed Oct 22 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Thu Oct 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Sat Oct 25 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sun Oct 26 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
*Without support from Corrosion of Conformity
For two decades, Clapton's Choice Signature Strings have delivered the legendary tone Eric Clapton relies on every time he picks up an acoustic guitar. To celebrate this milestone, Martin Guitar is introducing limited-edition 20th anniversary packaging for these fan-favorite strings--available now through March 2026.
Every limited-edition pack also gives players a chance to win a Martin 000-EC 30th Anniversary guitar--a beautifully crafted instrument with a retail value of $4,999, inspired by the Martin guitars Eric played during his legendary MTV Unplugged performance. The guitar will be awarded to one lucky winner who finds a special ticket inside a pack of strings.
Fans can also enter a second-chance giveaway online for more opportunities to win exclusive prizes, including a Martin guitar strap, poster, collectible lanyard with three custom patches, or even a year's supply of strings.This contest is open to U.S. residents only and ends March 31, 2026. No purchase necessary.
Enter now and learn more at martinguitar.com/eric-clapton-giveaway.
The anniversary release also coincides with the upcoming arrival of Unplugged: Enhanced Edition on vinyl and CD, available May 9. The iconic installment of the MTV Unplugged series--and the greatest-selling live album of all time--returns over 30 years later in an all-new extended, remixed, and remastered version. Featuring never-before-heard commentary from Eric recorded just before the original 1992 performance, the release offers fresh insight into the inspiration behind the songs and includes tracks not featured in the original MTV airing.
Crafted from 92/8 phosphor bronze, Clapton’s Choice Signature Strings are known for their warm, rich tone, smooth feel, and long-lasting performance. They're the same strings Eric uses in the studio and on stage--including during his current eight-night residency at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo--and he calls them "the sound that I demand."
Whether you're chasing Eric's iconic tone or simply looking for strings that deliver great sound and playability, now is the perfect time to pick up a pack--available in a music store near you or online at
martinguitar.com--and celebrate two decades of signature sound.
Jackson's new Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut guitars, including the HT6 and ET6 models, are designed for classic and progressive metal players. Featuring premium construction, innovative pickups, and advanced bridge options, these guitars deliver the modern sound and performance needed to ignite your tone. Visit jacksonguitars.com for more information.
Jackson is once again partnering with Misha Mansoor to release three new signature guitars, The Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT6 in Red Crystaland Blue Sparkle and The Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET6 in Riviera Blue. Developed in close partnership with Misha, these Juggernaut metal guitars are built to withstand the demands of Misha’s steadfast and fleet-fingered technique. Perfect for both classic and progressive metal players, these guitars deliver the modern sound that every shredder needs to ignite their tone.
“This refresh came about because every few years we want to see what we can do…these guitars travel around the world and they need to be road ready,” said Misha Mansoor on his new signature guitars.“It’s a no-nonsense guitar that looks good, sounds good, and plays good.”
Djent forefather, Misha Mansoor, has gained widespread acclaim as the mastermind behind the axe-centric progressive metal band Periphery. Based in Washington D.C., Periphery is renowned for pushing the limits of progressive metal, using detuned, extended-range instruments to craft a sound that is both technically complex and unapologetically heavy. Misha Mansoor, guitarist and producer, co-founded the band in 2005. With the same precision and innovation that defines Misha's playing, the Juggernautsignature gives players the power to transform their sound.
The premium Juggernaut models feature a 25.5” scale length, poplar body, and bolt-on caramelized maple neck with graphite reinforcement, wrap-around heel, and oiled back finish for greater playing comfort. With a 20” flat radius ebony fingerboard that features rolled edges, fans can enjoy blazing fast leads. These models feature 24 jumbo stainless steel frets and offset dot inlays. Lastly, the Luminlay side-dots will guide the guitarist's path even on the darkest of stages, while the heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel allows for convenient neck relief tweaks.
Misha worked closely, as he did with past models, to develop the exceptional uncovered direct-mount Jackson MM1 pickups. Unwilling to sacrifice tone, these pickups can be shaped with a five-way blade switch, single volume control, and a single tone control with push/pull feature that allows for players to engage or disengage tone options. Designed for articulate heavy picking, the humbuckers deliver a well-balanced sonic range with rich dynamics, intentionally left uncovered to enhance brightness and clarity.
The Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET6 comes equipped with an EverTune F6Model bridge, engineered to maintain perfect tuning and intonation across the entire neck, even with low tunings. Its counterpart, the Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT6, features a string-through-body hardtail bridge that delivers enhanced sustain, rock-solid tuning stability, and simplified string changes. Both bridges are built to withstand intense playing conditions, providing the unwavering stability essential for Misha's signature heavy metal style.
“We’re beyond thrilled to be partnering with Misha Mansoor on his latest signature guitar collection. His innovation and vision perfectly align with our passion for pushing the boundaries of tone and design, ”said Jon Romanowski, VP of Product of Jackson Guitars. “This collaboration reinforces Jackson’scommitment of providing for players who demand nothing but the best.”
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.
Introducing The Pro Plus Series Misha Mansoor 6-String Juggernauts | Jackson Guitars - YouTube
“The Archon Classic is not a reissue of the original Archon, but a newly voiced circuit with the lead channel excelling in ’70s and ’80s rock tones and a hotter clean channel able to go into breakup. This is the answer for those wanting an Archon with a hotrod vintage lead channel gain structure without changing preamp tube types and a juiced up clean channel without having to use a boost pedal, all wrapped up in a retro-inspired cabinet design." - Doug Sewell, PRS Amp Designer