Best Guitar Techniques

A list of the best guitar techniques used by guitarists all over the world.
The Top Ten
1 Tapping

I don't think its objective that sweep picking is better than tapping. I mean all of these techniques are great. One could say that vibrato is the best technique. But for me both tapping and sweep picking are great. Tapping kinda sounds like emotional/crying to me. While sweep picking kinda sounds like some fighting/running, I mean fast paced.

Including the visitor's comment, "Eruption" is tapping.". Yes, Eruption is tapping. But doesn't mean it can't be shredding. What he did was shredding. How he did was tapping. Its just another example of shredding. The rapid tapping licks was a prominent part of the solo.

2 Vibrato

I though this list was BEST techniques, not hardest or most impressive. Vibratos bring music to life. You can create incredible solos without sweeping or tapping, but you'd be hard-pressed to find something that doesn't use any kind of vibratos or string bending and still manages to sound good or "alive". Of all techniques, vibrato is easily the most important to sounding good. Listen to the solo from "Tornado of Souls" by Megadeth. Proof that vibratos make music much better.

Vibrato should definitely be #1. All of those shred heads are choosing sweeps and tapping. I like sweeps and taps, but the vibrato and bends are the best and most important techniques in guitar because not only you can play good, but you can also add soul to your playing. You don't have to tap or sweep to be a better player than the other who doesn't use taps.

3 Hammer Ons and Pull Offs

I didn't want to repeat. But yes. Two of these should be separated. Its just hammer on and pull off that comes one after. But two of them are different techniques. Opposite techniques. Actually used to create more/different sounds from the notes.

Yeah, I agree they should be separated too. Hammer On's are useful for playing a lot faster, instead of picking all the time. Pull Off's too can be used for playing more fast.

Pulling off is flicking the note not just lifting it otherwise there will be a weak signal

Watch professional guitarists like randy rhoads steve via and paul gilbert to see that they FLICK THE STRING not lift it!

4 Sweep Picking

A very, and in my opinion (from experience), the most difficult technique to learn and one of the most versatile. From simple single string transitions (a term I use to describe it I don't know the actual term) and used in jazz to quick shredding in rock. Learning this skill was not only a task, but helped me more fully understand a lot of musical theory.

Not only audibly and visually pleasing, it takes a certain amount of skill to not 'eat' the notes with right hand technique. Extremely hard to master, with many shapes to learn, (did I mention that it is RIDICULOUSLY hard to integrate into a solo? ), it is the most impressive thing for a guitarist to master.

5 String Bends

Where would blues, rock and even metal for that matter be without the humble string bend?!

Including blues, rock and metal. I have also seen it in country songs.

6 Sliding

The most common and effective technique used in guitar playing. It involves the sliding of the fingers on the fret board on string.

7 Palm Mute

The palm mute is a playing technique for guitar and bass guitar, executed by placing the side of the picking hand below the little finger across the strings to be plucked, very close to the bridge, and then plucking the strings while the damping is in effect. This produces a muted sound. It was popularized by Black Sabbath in the song "Paranoid".

For rhythm guitar, especially in thrash, this is essential.

8 Dive Bomb

Dive bomb is a guitar technique in which the tremolo bar is used to rapidly lower the pitch of a note, creating a sound considered to be similar to a bomb dropping. One of the most recognized pioneers of this technique is Jimi Hendrix. Other notable musicians who are widely known for using this technique are Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani.

9 Tremolo Picking
10 Finger Picking
The Contenders
11 Pinch Harmonics

It is a popular technique in which the player's thumb or index finger on the picking hand slightly catches the string after it is picked, canceling the fundamental of the string, and letting one of the overtones dominate. It is used by popular guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani who utilize the tremolo arm and high gain amps together with the pinch harmonic to produce horse-like wails from the instrument.

12 Alternate Picking

This list is called "best guitar techniques" not hardest guitar techniques, people are looking at some of more shreddy elements first, but many other things are far more important. I think alternate picking is one of the most important because it is the technique that truly gives you control over individual notes (not chords). It is commonly used in both rhythm and lead guitar unlike sweep picking which is only used by shreddicus maximus/l0rd 5hr3dd0rz. All these techniques are important but think of some more basic techniques first.

13 Toque
14 Shredding

This literally is the stupidest list based on guitar I have ever seen on this website.

1) Shredding is not a technique, it's just the slang word for playing quickly. "Eruption" is tapping.
2) Tapping should not be in the number 1 slot. Please don't vote if you don't play guitar.
3) Hammer-ons and pull-offs should be two dofferent technique, because even though they are easy to use together, they are not the same

It's the most common technique used in heavy metal and is difficult to master. It was brought into the mainstream by Ulrich Roth of the Scorpions and was then used by Eddie Van Halen in his popular solo "Eruption". It involves extremely fast guitar playing with precision of notes.

15 Volume Swell

The technique is often executed by the little finger of the guitarist which is wrapped around the volume pot of the guitar. When the note is struck the volume is increased from zero by a rolling motion of the little finger. Alternatively, the effect is achieved with a volume pedal. It is sometimes called "violining", because the sound is similar to a bowed violin. Allan Holdsworth pioneered the technique of the pedal swelling along with a delay unit to create a thicker sound that is more associated with the cello.

16 Artificial Harmonic
17 Whammy Bar

Is whammy bar a technique or a style/mode?

18 Hybrid Picking

It's not on here but should be. Its like arming yourself with a few extra picks and then taking your playing speed to a new level. Very difficult to learn but when the effort has been put in, you will use it for everything!

19 Legato
20 Double Thumb/Pluck

This technique is achieved by slapping the string with a down and up motion (Like when alternate picking). Then once you've done that immediately follow through with a pluck.
You could also add in two plucks with your index and middle fingers.
Double Thumb + Index Finger Pluck + Middle Finger Pluck
Check out Victor Wooten for some tips

21 Scratching and Muting
22 Slapping
23 Harp Harmonics

Harp harmonics are a guitar technique which involve the guitarist pressing down on the fret they want, then lightly touching the fret an octave above the note, and finally picking on the string with one's thumb. This guitar technique is unique, underrated and rarely used.

24 Banjo Rolling
25 Three Finger Picking

This technique can be played in different patterns.
For Example: 1-2-3-1-2-3
3-2-1-3-2-1
I preferably use the 1-2-3 pattern to get high speeds

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