Shred
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ARTICLES
The Two Commandments of Shredding Chromatics
June 2, 2019
Look beyond playing the “right” notes.
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Guthrie Govan’s Single-String Arpeggios
March 16, 2019
Break free from tired old patterns by rethinking your approach to shred.
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How Yngwie Malmsteen Unleashes the Fury
August 4, 2018
So how exactly does the undisputed king of neo-classical shred do his thing? It’s mostly a combination of magic, dragons, and some hellacious picking.
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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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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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The Shred Decoder’s Guide to Sweep Picking
December 2, 2017
One of modern rock’s most buzzed-about shredders shares his insights on an often-misunderstood topic.
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The Shred Decoder: Expand Your Melodic and Rhythmic Control
October 14, 2017
Unleash the power of shreddy subdivisions.
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Supercharge Your Improv
September 30, 2017
Berklee rock-guitar guru Jon Finn shares secrets on how to kick your from-the-hip playing up a few notches.
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Future Rock: Shredding Enclosures
December 3, 2016
Step outside the comfort of your well-worn fingerings and create new sounds with an old bebop trick.
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Cram Session: Sweep Picking
October 8, 2016
Ten exercises to help you master blazing-fast pick runs.
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Cram Session: Two-Hand Tapping
August 20, 2016
Eddie Van Halen didn’t invent tapping, but he certainly popularized it. Learn how to unlock the fretboard with this collection of finger-busting licks.
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Future Rock: Syncopated Shred
June 4, 2016
A simple rhythmic shift can breathe new life into your trusty licks. Combine that with a few strategic rests, and you have a recipe for some truly twisted lines.
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Cram Session: The Ups and Downs of String Skipping
May 21, 2016
Legendary rock guitarists such as Paul Gilbert, Guthrie Govan, Shawn Lane, and Nuno Bettencourt created wildly interesting and provocative lines by simply skipping over the obvious choice.
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Shrapnel Shred
May 7, 2016
In her latest lesson, virtuoso Nili Brosh analyzes techniques and approaches made famous on records from the venerated '80s record label.
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Cram Session: Pentatonic Power
April 2, 2016
There’s a lifetime of learning packed into only five notes. Everyone from Clapton to Satriani has squeezed out the secrets. Now it’s your turn.
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Cram Session: Modern Legato Techniques
February 20, 2016
Stretch out those fingers and give your pick a rest with these twisted licks.
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Future Rock: Hybrid-Picked Shred Licks and the 2-1-2 Method
January 30, 2016
Perk up your scales with a simple idea and some deft picking.
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Future Rock: Expanding Your Pentatonic Horizons
November 14, 2015
Five-note scales go way beyond the basic major and minor pentatonic forms.
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World Gone Shred: Japanese Pentatonics
October 24, 2015
Not all pentatonic scales are created equal.
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