LESSONS INTRODUCTION

Senior music editor Jason Sidwell introduces this month’s broad range of lessons.

Fifty years is a long time, so looking back to 1971 was as much about nostalgia as it was about contrast. In many ways, that time period looks somewhat more vibrant and varied than what mainstream music seems today. Certainly as far as exciting and interesting guitar playing goes, on big songs that countless people cherish. So much has changed and yet much hasn’t; today’s guitarists are still strumming chords, playing riffs, taking solos and using effects. We just need to look a little further than what’s in the Top 40 charts by referencing, say, guitarstrong record labels like Mascot or Frontiers Music and various video sites online. We hope you enjoy our journey back to a time when the guitar was a shining, loud and vibrant thing, smack in the middle of great songs. As far as stimulating guitar playing goes, regular readers know that every issue of GT is crammed full of different band or player guides, technique tips, theory insights plus various playing contexts to keep your head and hands pumped. It’s no different this issue; you’ve already had funk jazz virtuoso Oz Noy, blues-jazz rakes and sweeps and a gorgeous Bach guitar duo. Now there are further nuggets from funky New Jack Swing rhythm (p53) to Walter Trout blues licks (p56); rock in the style of 70s band Chicago (p60), to bluesy bebop soloing (p64), Shed Seven indie Brit rock (p68), or stretchy 5th interval based rock soloing (p72). And if time is short you could always tackle 30-Minute Lickbag (p54) or Woodshed’s 9/8 time signature examples (p78). Have a great time with this issue and enjoy your playing, be it 1971 or 2021 style!