“It is a daunting task, but it’s totally doable. Once you get it, it’s like breathing”: Eric Johnson has a valuable lesson for players “trapped in patterns”

Eric Johnson performs in concert during the Austin Blues Festival at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park on April 25, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

Eric Johnson is a bona fide modern day guitar great, so every time he talks tone and technique, we listen.

In a new interview with Guitarist, the Stratocaster master offered some sage advice for players that feel “trapped in patterns”, and shared a valuable lesson in the quest to achieve total fretboard freedom.