Guitar Delonge – 7 tips to play the guitar like Blink 182

Tom Delonge’s guitar skills may not be the most impressive thing on the planet, but he’s got enough chops to become a punk rock icon. Because of Blink 182’s catchy music, they have played hundreds of shows for thousands of dedicated fans.

But what does a beginning guitarist need to do to master Tom Delonge’s skills? Here are 7 tips that can hone your skills to become a rock guitar player.

1. Learn to play in different tunings.

Although Delonge’s guitar parts are generally played in standard tuning, some are played in other tunings such as drop ‘d’. Take a look at other tunings to really expand your knowledge of the strings and the notes on each fret.

2. Use a guitar with a thinner neck.

You may have noticed that punk rock bands often have Fenders and other similarly made guitars because of the thinner necks for faster playing action. Buy a guitar with a thin neck so you can increase the speed of your playing and play those fast chords.

3. Become a proper player with rhythm and lead riffs.

Tom Delonge is a decent guitarist because he is forced to mix lead and rhythm riffs into every song, being the only guitarist in the band. To get a real feel for playing like Blink 182, you need to learn catchy chords and lead sections for your guitar arsenal.

4. Master pull-offs and hammer-ons.

Two of the most common guitar skills in punk rock music for main riffs are pull-offs and hammer-ons. These are pretty easy skills to master and will make you look like a pro when you’re on stage.

5. Get a book of guitar tabs from one of Blink 182’s albums.

Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly what Tom Delonge was playing when he recorded on the Blink 182 albums? Well you can!

There is a book of guitar tabs for each album that counts every note you played. Come out and learn what Blink 182 was really doing in their songs.

6. Use a mix of open and flat notes with the palm of your hand.

Being able to show diversity in your playing is a big part of playing the guitar. Try switching your playing style between clap rests and open notes when playing guitar songs.

7. Practice Blink 182 songs to get a feel for how Tom Delonge writes and plays.

The more familiar you become with Tom Delonge’s guitar playing, the closer you’ll be to mastering his skills. See if you can play an entire Blink 182 album without causing too much trouble.

Getting familiar with Tom Delonge’s performance and game is the real key to learning his trade. He tries to develop his own style as he follows these tips so that maybe he can be the one on stage one day.