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EXPLAINED: 3 | Rare Historical Photos

“I got a writeup in a guitar magazine, and a gentleman from the UK sent me ahandwritten letter in the mail saying, ‘Hello, my name is Guthrie’”: Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal on the unifying magic of the guitar instrumental

The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist's new solo album features Brian May, Steve Vai and Guthrie Govan – and, yes, it does not disappoint

Guitar World

“I ended up getting three of them. I just fell in love with them”: Steve Vai on the affordable modeling amp that stole his heart

The small-but-mighty modeling amp has become a must-have travel companion

Guitar World

“My guitar was slightly out.Steve Vai walked past and said,‘Your low E was four cents flat.’And he’d been in the green room!” Meet Derek Day, the swaggering virtuoso who went from busking on the streets to touring with his hero

The 24-year-old explains how he merges prog and glam, and escapes the “originality ordeal” of an ancient instrument by hopping between Fender, Gibson, PRS and Ibanez (even if he prefers to write on cheap knock-offs)

Guitar World

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“I can tell you how to become a virtuoso very easily”: Steve Vai on how anybody can become an elite guitar player

Vai – who had a gruelling practice routine growing up– has shed some light on what it takes to become a virtuoso

Guitar World

“It was probably the greatest 10 seconds of guitar playing I’ve ever seen in my life”: Billy Corgan quizzes Steve Vai on his epic guitar battle with Yngwie Malmsteen – and the guitar lick that left them both in disbelief

The two virtuosos went toe-to-toe during the Generation Axe tour, and Malmsteen walked away as the victor

Guitar World

“He had his own vocabulary. He had his own way of constructing chords. His own understanding of how they go on the neck”: Steve Vai on why Allan Holdsworth – the fusion virtuoso who wrote his own rules – was the GOAT

Most players Vai can work out where they were coming from. Holdsworth, he admits, was something different entirely

MusicRadar

“As soon as I heard the news, I turned to my roommate and said, ‘That's my gig.’ The next day, Dave rings”: Steve Vai on how he joined David Lee Roth’s band – and Roth’s desire to “beat Van Halen”

In 1985, Vai was recruited to join Roth's post-Van Halen band – and the singer had lofty ambitions for his new project

Guitar World

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“Steve Vai walked me through the process – he’s had it done twice. He introduced me to one of the best surgeons in the US”: Adrian Belew on his carpal tunnel fears and recovery, working with Vai and Frank Zappa, and his next musical adventure

As he recovers from surgery, the progressive guitar icon draws a line from Frank Zappa through Talking Heads, King Crimson and Beat, explains his synergy with Steve Vai, and hints at the pedals that will drive his future creations

Guitar World

“The year that I spent with Frank was the first and only time that I’ve ever had serious instruction”: Adrian Belew reflects on his game-changing year with Frank Zappa – and what the avant-garde musician taught him about music and the business

Belew was discovered and handpicked by Zappa in 1977 after the latter saw him playing at a bar in Nashville

Guitar World

King Crimson affiliates Beat release live video for classic Frame By Frame

Starring Steve Vai, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin and Danny Carey, Frame By Frame comes from the upcoming album Beat Live, out next month

Louder

“I have none of that high-speed technical skill of a Steve Vai or a Joe Satriani. What I have is a connection between the mind and the fingers”: How Brian May plays off instinct – and how he and Freddie Mercury battled over a Queen classic

“Freddie was pushing up the guitar more and more”

MusicRadar

“My hand started getting numb and it would stay numb from the moment that I woke up, all the way until soundcheck. It was a little scary”: Adrian Belew reflects on having his left hand repaired – and how his playing is recovering

Belew was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome during his BEAT tour alongside Steve Vai, Tony Levin, and Danny Carey

Guitar World

“Yngwie had no stage etiquette. He’d walk in front of me going widdle-widdle-widdle over a verse of a song. It was very rude!”: How legendary rock singer Graham Bonnet was upstaged – and almost strangled – by guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen

MusicRadar

When tapping's not shredding: how to play tapped harmonics like Eddie Van Halen

Tapped harmonics were among Eddie Van Halen's trademark techniques. Learn how to make your guitar scream and sing

Guitar World

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Guitar World

“Ozzy changed the world. For millions of people, it’s nearly impossible to imagine where we might be if he hadn’t”: Ozzy Osbourne, 1948-2025 – the guitar world pays tribute

Zakk Wylde, Tom Morello, Yungblud, Slash, Ronnie Wood and more have all come out to remember the life and legacy of the legendary singer

Louder

“They use notes out of sequence – they’re more experimental than bands like Dream Theater, who are very respectful of tonalities”: Novelists’ Florestan Durand is passionate about Periphery (or at least their early albums)

Misha Mansoor’s work was the catalyst for Durand’s discovery of djent, as he moved on from the “simpler music” of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani

Guitar World

“I never thought I would ever see anything like this”: Steve Vai considers this solo to be his “ultimate achievement” – and one fan’s cover has left him in awe

Vai has singled out an aspiring player on Instagram for their flawless cover

MusicRadar

“It’s become clear that I need surgery to avoid permanent damage”: Joe Trohman to miss remainder of Fall Out Boy’s 2025 shows as he requires operation on injured right hand

Trohman says he will be out of action for the rest of the year but is "on track" for a full recovery

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Louder

BEAT share live clip of Neal And Jack And Me as they announce new live release

MusicRadar

“Nobody was going to freak out. We said, ‘This is going to get done. We just need to find the right person to join the family.’ And we got Steve Vai, thank God”: How the virtuoso Vai put the sizzle into the last big hair metal album of the ’80s

And he wasn't even supposed to be on the record in the first place

Guitar World

“Steve Vai goes, ‘I’ve been thinking about this a long time. He’s a really good guitar player.’ That’s unusual’”: Paul Reed Smith on the time John Mayer was hailed by a shred hero – and why he found it strange

Smith recalls Vai singling out Mayer for praise – and reveals what Mayer’s songwriting background means for his overall guitar style

Guitar World

“His future is as bright as his talent is undeniable”: Jason Becker hails Matteo Mancuso as a guitar hero destined for greatness – after the two virtuosos meet up

Mancuso impressed Becker with both his virtuosity and his heart

Guitar World

“My father was a big Pat Metheny fan – hearing him started to make me obsessed with the idea of playing music”: Berklee-educated and endorsed by Strandberg, meet Camilla Sperati – the fusion phenom hand-picked to open for Steve Vai

Is Sperati the next big name in fusion? Here she discusses moving to America (maybe), why she loves digital amps, and life as an educator

Guitar World

“I played the jam with Eric Johnson, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. I was like, ‘Uh, yeah sure. I’ll come and play G3!’”: All That Remains’ Jason Richardson on surviving the ultimate virtuoso jam, despite fearing improv – and why theory is not 'law'

AntiFragile finds All That Remains dialing up the action with dual solos and some of the most ferocious metalcore you will hear this year. Here Richardson talks technique, tones and explains why dynamics are essential

Guitar World

Their ranks have included blues-rock luminary Bernie Marsden, shred god Steve Vai, and journeyman virtuoso Reb Beach – here's the ultimate guide to the A-team guitarists that have shaped Whitesnake's blockbuster, stadium-conquering sound

David Coverdale’s revolving door of talent has included some of the finest rock guitarists of all time. This is how they each contributed to the many-times-platinum band's legacy

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