Amit Sharma
Amit has been writing for titles like Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Guitar World for over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences. He's interviewed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handling lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3).
Latest articles by Amit Sharma
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Rodrigo y Gabriela: “I listen to some of those early solos and think, ‘Did I actually play that?!’”
By Amit Sharma published
The Mexican mavericks dissect the key ingredients behind their cross-genre fusion
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The Analogues: “To play like The Beatles, you need to follow no rules and go everywhere”
By Amit Sharma published
What the expert tribute band learned from analysing The Beatles
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The Wildhearts: “My guitar has saved my life so many times”
By Amit Sharma published
On their 30th anniversary as a band, Ginger and CJ from The Wildhearts look back
![Steve Vai performing live](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2wQe3fje5XvKeg7Laws7BF-320-80.jpg)
Steve Vai: "I’m 59; keeping up those chops isn’t as interesting to me. It’s all about the bizarre and quirky ways to phrase"
By Amit Sharma published
The beloved virtuoso on Generation Axe's shredtacular live album, his upcoming solo record and what he thinks is the future of guitar amps
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Mark Lettieri: “Learn the differences in how a rock guitarist plays a chord and how a country musician plays a chord... because they exist!”
By Amit Sharma published
The Snarky Puppy virtuoso shares key session lessons and ponders his own success
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Robin Trower's top 5 tips for guitarists: "Repeating what other guitarists have done is not your emotion... it’s someone else’s!"
By Amit Sharma published
The blues-rock icon on injecting emotion into guitar playing and his secret to getting a big sound from a Strat
![John Baizley of Baroness](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wsvtRuxVHnbyQxdFibaemV-320-80.jpg)
Baroness's John Baizley: "Reversing that standard pedal signal flow is where the most interesting stuff happens"
By Amit Sharma published
The metal experimentalist on the band's new beginnings, guitar philosophy and pedalboard experiments
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Steve Stevens: these are the 10 guitarists who blew my mind
By Amit Sharma published
Deadland Ritual and Billy Idol's top gunslinger on his all-time faves
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The playlist: Megadeth's Dave Mustaine
By Amit Sharma published
MegaDave reveals the guitar tracks that shaped his life
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Jason Becker and Marty Friedman: “Music comes out of silence... and I have a lot of silent time, without a pesky guitar interrupting my thoughts!”
By Amit Sharma published
The duo open up on their remarkable journey as guitarists...
![Matthias Jabs](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/64CqHWrFKDmXjHX3PmRu7c-320-80.jpg)
Scorpions' Matthias Jabs: "Your solos don’t have to be easy to play, but they have to be easy to listen to"
By Amit Sharma published
The German rock guitar hero goes in-depth on Explorers, his tonal secrets and football with Ritchie Blackmore
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Duff McKagan's top 5 tips for bassists: "If you're going to be a bass player, learn how not to be the front guy"
By Amit Sharma published
The Guns N' Roses bass ace talks technique, honing his sound and new solo album Tenderness
![Marcus Miller](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/o4GRSQKimJxghKAL7uzZxb-320-80.jpg)
Marcus Miller: my 13 essential bass albums
By Amit Sharma published
The legendary virtuoso on the records every bassist needs to hear
![George Benson](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ESH4RDQ4gcLMj6VLHvsGRD-320-80.jpg)
George Benson: the 11 guitarists who blew my mind
By Amit Sharma published
Jazz icon names the game-changing greats every guitar player needs to hear
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Whitesnake's Reb Beach: "I was stoned out of my brain - that’s how I learned how to play guitar!"
By Amit Sharma published
The Winger guitarist on his technique secrets, songwriting with Coverdale and co, and his infamous whammy bar tricks
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John Petrucci: “People don’t want any old noodling thing that they’ll fast-forward; your solos need to give them something that’s part of the composition”
By Amit Sharma published
The Dream Theater guitar hero goes in-depth on technique, Distance Over Time and the most difficult song in his repertoire
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Jordan Rudess: "To go from not practising the guitar much at all to trying an eight-string was definitely intense"
By Amit Sharma published
The Dream Theater wizard talks combining guitar and keyboard on solo album Wired For Madness
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5 minutes alone - Gus G: “The biggest misconception about me is that I’m this mechanical shred machine”
By Amit Sharma published
A glimpse into the mind of a metal guitar maestro
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Jonny Lang's top 5 tips for guitarists: "Think of solos like a conversation"
By Amit Sharma published
Tele-toting bluesman reveals his solo and tone secrets
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Phil Demmel: “I think Slayer saved my musical career in some way”
By Amit Sharma published
The metal axe-slinger on his new signature Jackson guitar, filling in for Gary Holt and life after Machine Head
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Dave Keuning: “Learn more voicings if you want to express different emotions through your guitar”
By Amit Sharma published
The Killers’ guitarist on his chart-topping career, how to expand your chordal knowledge and his love of Metallica
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Mark Morton's top 5 tips for guitarists: “It’s not about playing as fast as you can, but assessing what kind of pulse you want a riff to have”
By Amit Sharma published
Lamb Of God guitarist talks technique, gear and influences as he stretches out on solo album Anesthetic
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