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Hooked

Before you can run, you gotta walk, and playing guitar is no different. This year, big names like Doug Aldrich, Devin Townsend, Andy Timmons, Eva Gardner, Matt Heafy, and others detail their earliest, biggest influences.

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Real Estate on Elliott Smith's "Condor Ave" | Hooked

Martin Courtney explains how the acclaimed indie songwriter's use of major-7th chords, "Beatles-y melodies," and fine-touch fingering subtleties laid out a storytelling blueprint.

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Crown Lands on Rush's "A Farewell to Kings" | Hooked

Guitarist Kevin Comeau details how his mind was blown by Alex Lifeson's playing dynamics that were both medieval and melodic, while also revealing the peculiar chord he lifts from their stash.

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Jen Majura on Steve Vai's "The Attitude Song" | Hooked

The shredmeister recounts how Vai's vocal-like delivery drew her in, while his use of groovy odd time signatures and pinch harmonics still pervade her rockin' repertoire.

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Zach Person on Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Texas Flood" | Hooked

The rising blues-rock riffmeister cops to his early obsession with SRV's iconic number that consumed his teenage brain and is still infused in his own guitar-playing vocabulary.

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