LESSONS INTRODUCTION

Lessons from the world’s greatest teachers and schools...

Jason Sidwell considers the diversity of styles in this issue of Guitar Techniques

One popular aspect of GT, you tell us, is our diversity of style, ability, technical approach and theoretical explanations. Take this issue: you’ve had a user-friendly analysis of the Altered scale (p12); a big overview of one of the world’s most popular rock bands, AC/DC (p28); a beautiful solo by Brett Garsed (p38) that, while filled with hugely impressive playing, shows just how good Brett’s ears are to navigate so many changes. Then there’s the last in Tim Lerch’s series on solo jazz-blues playing (p44); even if you only take a couple of chords from this, you’ll be the richer for it; and the jaunty Canarios by Gaspar Sanz (p54), a great fingerpicking workout that’s brimming with energy and upbeat major key joy! Theory, lead and rhythm, chords, genres, fingerpicking; that’s the diversity I’m talking about. Here in The Learning Zone, you’ve got numerous shorter articles. These are largely genre led but that’s not to say an acoustic player wouldn’t benefit from Creative Rock or a fan of Chord Camp won’t find a few new licks in 30-Minute Lickbag. So, get wise to the man who inspired many including SRV and Clapton - the late Lonnie Mack (p62); admire the fluidity of Vito Bratto in Hard Rock (p70); marvel at the rhythmic twists, picking chops and exotic scales of fusion legend, Al Di Meola (p74); the savvy acoustic arranging of John Mayer (p80); the blues rock appeal of Mixolydian lead lines (p84); and the eyebrowraising quality of augmented chords (p90). Enjoy the issue – and our never-ending diversity!