Any Way You Want It by Journey

Journey's timeless classic, "Any Way You Want It," is a perfect showcase for rock guitar techniques that have influenced generations of players. This LickLibrary guitar lesson breaks down every note, capturing the spirit of Journey's virtuosic guitarist, Neal Schon. This detailed lesson provides an in-depth analysis of the riffs, solos, and melodic nuances that make this song unforgettable. Designed to elevate your guitar skills, this lesson focuses on specific techniques used by Schon and explores how mastering each can benefit your overall guitar proficiency. Michael Casswell breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Guitarist: Neal Schon and His Impact on Rock Guitar

Neal Schon, the guitarist behind "Any Way You Want It," is renowned for his melodic style, blending elements of blues, jazz, and rock to create expressive solos and memorable riffs. Schon's playing on this track is packed with energy and emotion, exemplifying his technical prowess and instinctive feel for melody. As a co-founder of Journey and a former member of Santana, Schon's influence on rock guitar cannot be overstated. His work in "Any Way You Want It" showcases his seamless integration of technical mastery and creative phrasing, inspiring guitarists worldwide to develop both skill and soul in their playing.

Breaking Down the Techniques in "Any Way You Want It"

Alternate Picking

Alternate picking forms the backbone of many of the song's riffs, providing the song with a tight, punchy rhythm that drives the energy forward. In this lesson, you'll learn how to execute alternate picking with precision, enhancing your speed and accuracy. Mastering alternate picking improves your rhythmic control and lets you tackle faster passages without sacrificing clarity.

Power Chords

The song's main riff incorporates power chords to create a thick, full sound with just a few notes. Power chords are essential for rock and give the music its bold, punchy sound. This lesson demonstrates how to use power chords effectively and offers tips on getting a solid, clean sound. Mastering power chords adds a foundational skill to your guitar playing, allowing you to build rhythm and harmony with minimal movement.

String Bending and Bluesy Bends

Neal Schon’s solos in "Any Way You Want It" rely heavily on expressive string bending and bluesy bends, giving his phrases a soulful quality. Bending is a critical technique in rock and blues, allowing guitarists to “sing” on their instruments. This lesson teaches precise string bending, emphasising pitch accuracy and sustain. Learning these bending techniques can improve your ear training and add emotional depth to your solos.

Vibrato

Schon's vibrato adds a rich, singing quality to his notes, giving each phrase character and emotion. In this lesson, we’ll explore how to execute vibrato with control and depth, focusing on how to vary speed and intensity. Developing vibrato brings a personal touch to your playing, adding nuance to single notes and allowing you to convey a wider range of emotion.

Slides

Slides connect notes smoothly, making phrases flow more naturally. Schon uses slides throughout his solos, creating fluid transitions and keeping the music moving. The lesson demonstrates various types of slides and teaches how to control movement and timing. Mastering slides enhances your legato playing and can make your playing feel more lyrical and connected.

Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

Hammer-ons and pull-offs add speed and fluidity to Schon's solos, allowing rapid note changes without picking every note. These techniques are essential for building speed and achieving a smooth, connected sound. This lesson breaks down how to execute hammer-ons and pull-offs cleanly, building your finger strength and enhancing your ability to navigate fast passages effortlessly.

Unison Bends

One of the most notable techniques in this song is the use of unison bends, where two notes bend to the same pitch, creating a powerful, resonant sound. In the lesson, you’ll learn how to perform unison bends with accuracy, ensuring both notes reach their target pitch. Practicing unison bends improves finger strength, control, and your ability to create dramatic musical effects.

Double Stop Bends

Schon's use of double-stop bends adds harmony and a fuller sound to certain phrases in the song. Double stops involve playing two notes at once, with one or both bending to create tension and release. This lesson covers how to perform double-stop bends cleanly, a skill that adds richness to your solos and helps you develop control over multiple strings simultaneously.

Arpeggios

Schon incorporates arpeggios into his playing to break up single-note lines with harmonic richness. Arpeggios give his solos a sense of movement and sophistication. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to apply arpeggios to your own playing, allowing you to add harmonic depth to solos and better navigate chord progressions.

Benefits of Learning These Techniques

Learning these techniques will enhance your versatility as a guitarist, as each one serves as a building block for a wide range of styles. Whether you're focused on rhythm or lead guitar, mastering techniques like alternate picking, power chords, and vibrato can vastly improve your timing, control, and expressiveness. By exploring Neal Schon’s unique approach, you’ll not only recreate the sound of “Any Way You Want It,” but also develop the skills and confidence to apply these techniques to your own music.

List of Techniques Covered in This Lesson

• Alternate Picking
• Power Chords
• String Bending
• Bluesy Bends
• Vibrato
• Slides
• Hammer-Ons
• Pull-Offs
• Unison Bends
• Double Stop Bends
• Arpeggios

By mastering these techniques, you’ll not only learn to play "Any Way You Want It" accurately but also add a variety of essential skills to your guitar-playing arsenal.