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Photo Credit: Li Roda - Gil
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Introduction
Great guitarists aren’t only defined by their speed, tone, or technical ability. What truly separates them is their ability to make the instrument “speak.” This quality—known as melodic phrasing—is what transforms a scale into a story, a solo into a voice, and a riff into something unforgettable. Melodic phrasing is the subtle craft of shaping notes with intention, emotion, and space, and it is the very heart of expressive guitar playing.
What is Melodic Phrasing?
In simple terms, melodic phrasing is the way a guitarist organizes and delivers notes in a line or solo, much like how a speaker delivers words in a sentence. Just as in conversation, pauses, emphasis, dynamics, and inflection make language meaningful, phrasing makes music come alive. Two guitarists might play the same scale, but their phrasing will determine whether it sounds mechanical or deeply moving.
The Tools of Expression
Melodic phrasing is not about playing more notes, but about how each note is delivered. Some of the most powerful tools include:
Note Choice – Selecting tones that highlight emotion, tension, and resolution within a scale or chord progression.
Dynamics – The variation between soft and loud playing, adding drama and contour.
Bends & Vibrato – Giving notes vocal-like qualities that emulate the human voice.
Timing & Space – Knowing when not to play, allowing the music to breathe.
Slides & Legato – Creating seamless, fluid connections between notes.
Influences & Examples
Legends like David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, and B.B. King built their reputations not on speed, but on phrasing. A single bend from Gilmour can cut deeper than a hundred lightning-fast runs, while Knopfler’s fingerstyle phrasing turns every note into a conversation. Even in heavier genres, players like Slash and Joe Satriani demonstrate how phrasing can shape a song’s identity, balancing technical ability with emotional resonance.
Why It Matters
For many guitarists, the temptation is to chase speed and complexity. Yet what listeners remember most are the phrases that sing—the solos you can hum long after the song ends. Melodic phrasing bridges the gap between technical skill and emotional connection, ensuring that your playing doesn’t just impress—it communicates.
Developing Your Own Phrasing
Building strong phrasing requires patience and listening:
Few guitarists embody the spirit of modern rock quite like Laura Cox. From her early rise on YouTube to commanding stages across Europe, she has built a reputation on fiery riffs, soulful phrasing, and a fearless blend of blues, classic rock, and Southern influences. With her latest album Head Above Water, Laura continues to evolve—balancing raw energy with melodic depth while staying true to her “Southern Hard Blues” roots. Guitar Thrills sat down with Laura to talk about her journey, her influences, and what it takes to carve out an authentic voice in today’s rock landscape.
Artist Bio – Laura Cox
Anglo-French guitarist, singer, and songwriter Laura Cox will release her highly anticipated fourth studio album Trouble Coming via ear MUSIC on Friday October 31, 2025. The album will be released physically as CD Digipak, 180g gatefold black vinyl, limited edition marbled white and black vinyl, and limited edition marbled transparent red and black vinyl.
In 2008, Laura embarked on her journey as a guitar prodigy on YouTube, where she captivated millions of people with her fiery classic rock covers and blues-infused solos. Her talent and charisma quickly propelled her from viral sensation to a celebrated figure in the rock scene, earning widespread acclaim for her raw, retro-inspired sound.
Laura is exactly what she promises to be: a badass rock’n’roll lady who makes her guitar produce sounds that are about to shake the world in a groundbreaking fashion.
After stepping into the spotlight thanks to her own cover versions of blues and rock classics on YouTube (903K subscribers - 105 million views), Laura quickly became the guitarist and singer with the most views in the French rock music scene thanks to her amazing first two albums Hard Blues Shot (2017) and Burning Bright (2019).
Laura continued to evolve with her sound with authenticity and power. Her 2023 album Head Above Water received praise for its classic-meets-modern rock fusion. Without question, she is highly regarded as the rising female rock artist in Europe.
Now, with her new album Trouble Coming, she strips things back to reveal a more introspective, soulful side without losing the edge that made her stand out in the first place. Recorded at ICP Studios in Brussels, the album features 11 fresh tracks, mixed and engineered by Jean-Marc Pelatan at Studio des Muses, with tracks mastered by multi-GRAMMY award-winning Ted Jensen.
Pioneer of the guitar on the internet, Laura has led the way for many young guitarists and is now at the forefront of the current landscape of guitarists in France and beyond. From bedroom recordings of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama and the like, Laura uploaded the tracks on YouTube as early as 2008. From there she built a loyal following of half a million subscribers. Her re-interpretations of classic rock songs (that also feature her on the banjo, lap steel or bass) have reached more than 100 million viewers across the globe.
The multi-instrumentalist is one of the few artists who managed to break out of the virtual bubble and bring her musical highlighted life with her own band: After two albums released in 2017 and 2019 (Verycords/Warner) and having played the biggest, most prominent stages for rock music in France (Hellfest, Download Festival, Guitare en Scène, etc.), Laura Cox released her third studio album Head Above Water, which highlighted a more personal take and a solid grasp on all things rock.
Head Above Water saw Laura re-inventing herself while revealing new facets of her musical talent. Recorded at the renowned ICP studios in Brussels, and mastered by Ted Jensen (The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, etc.), Head Above Water rocked the boat. In her riffs and solos, Laura masters both flow and precision and her playing clearly shows that this woman knows how to take a guitar apart. Blending classic rock with bluegrass elements in an unparalleled ease, Laura Cox once again illustrates that she will remain a driving force in a new generation of rock guitarists in the years to come.
Now, with her new album Trouble Coming slated for worldwide release on October 31, 2025, the best is yet to come. The new album features the singles “No Need To Try Harder,” title track single “Trouble Coming,” and the forthcoming single “The Broken.”
INTERVIEW WITH LAURA COX AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: Laura, congratulations on being the cover artist for Guitar Thrills Magazine! What does this milestone mean to you at this stage of your career?
Laura: It's an honor to be on the cover of Guitar Thrills Magazine! I grew up reading guitar magazines and never thought I would be on the front pages someday. I hope this can help other young girls and women pick up the guitar and believe in their dreams.
Guitar Thrills: You first gained recognition on YouTube with your covers and guitar solos—how do you reflect on that early chapter now that you’re a globally recognized performer?
Laura: It was the beginning of everything, even though I wasn't aware of this at the time. I think my strength was that I didn't have any plan or strategy in mind, and was just doing it for fun, to get some advice and share my passion.
My Youtube channel helped me build a fanbase before I even got on stage. I used it as a base to start my own project. I know it's not the typical way of evolving in the music industry, but this is my story and it helped me become who I am now.
Guitar Thrills: Your sound has been described as “Southern Hard Blues.” How did you develop this style, and what drew you to blend blues, rock, and Southern influences?
Laura: I grew up listening to Classic Rock and Country music, and I think these influences were a part of me. I tried to blend these different styles to come up with my own sound. There's an evolution on each of my albums. My new album Trouble Coming explores a more modern side of these bluesy tones. Each release is a challenge to reinvent myself and try to take my music somewhere else.
Guitar Thrills: Melodic phrasing seems central to your playing. How do you approach phrasing when writing or improvising a solo?
Laura: I like to write solos as if I was creating vocal melodies. To be catchy, you have to be able to sing your solos. If people can sing the main parts, they will be able to remember it. It's tricky because this approach wasn't really natural to me at first. I just tended to put licks together, without a real story, a main melody. In my previous albums, I feel like I was writing songs around my solos, but now I'm doing the opposite. Sometimes I realise the song doesn't even need a solo. It's all about finding the right balance.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve cited influences ranging from Slash and Mark Knopfler to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Which of your heroes has shaped you’re playing the most, and in what ways?
Laura: I would say Mark Knopfler shaped my playing the most. Like him, I'm a lefty playing like a right-handed guitarist, and I think that defines a huge part of the playing. My left hand can be fast, but sometimes the right hand can't follow, that's why I'm using chicken picking and finger picking. I find it more natural to play this way, as it allows me to play fast without moving my right hand so much.
Guitar Thrills: As a guitarist, gear is always part of the conversation—what guitars and amps have become essential to your tone today?
Laura: I'm a big fan of Gibson Les Paul Juniors; they are the perfect rock n' roll machines for the stage. Organic tone, simple set up, lighter than most Gibsons... I love playing them. I have a LP Junior Standard, and a Billie Joe Armstrong Signature with a humbucker pickup, for extra bite. They are my go-to guitars for the tour.
As for the amps, I've been using Marshall Studio Vintage 20 stacks these past years. They're compact but deliver a huge raw sound, and they match well with my guitars.
Guitar Thrills: Melodic phrasing seems central to your playing. How do you approach phrasing when writing or improvising a solo?
Laura: I like to write solos as if I was creating vocal melodies. To be catchy, you have to be able to sing your solos. If people can sing the main parts, they will be able to remember it. It's tricky because this approach wasn't really natural to me at first. I just tended to put licks together, without a real story, a main melody. In my previous albums, I feel like I was writing songs around my solos, but now I'm doing the opposite. Sometimes I realise the song doesn't even need a solo. It's all about finding the right balance.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve cited influences ranging from Slash and Mark Knopfler to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Which of your heroes has shaped you’re playing the most, and in what ways?
Laura: I would say Mark Knopfler shaped my playing the most. Like him, I'm a lefty playing like a right-handed guitarist, and I think that defines a huge part of the playing. My left hand can be fast, but sometimes the right hand can't follow, that's why I'm using chicken picking and finger picking. I find it more natural to play this way, as it allows me to play fast without moving my right hand so much.
Guitar Thrills: As a guitarist, gear is always part of the conversation—what guitars and amps have become essential to your tone today?
Laura: I'm a big fan of Gibson Les Paul Juniors; they are the perfect rock n' roll machines for the stage. Organic tone, simple set up, lighter than most Gibsons... I love playing them. I have a LP Junior Standard, and a Billie Joe Armstrong Signature with a humbucker pickup, for extra bite. They are my go-to guitars for the tour.
As for the amps, I've been using Marshall Studio Vintage 20 stacks these past years. They're compact but deliver a huge raw sound, and they match well with my guitars.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve grown from internet sensation to bandleader. What have been the biggest challenges in that transition, and what have you learned from leading your own group?
Laura: It takes time, but eventually, you learn how to handle this. The biggest challenge is learning to say “no” and not listen to the people telling you what you must do. Learn to trust yourself. Posting videos on Youtube on your own, and leading a band, are two completely different things and you must be able to adapt to all these situations.
Once you find the right people for your band, you'll know. Everything can be very easy and there's no need to fight all the time. I spent too many years fighting with people to be heard, and I'm glad I don't have to do this anymore.
Guitar Thrills: Many young players look up to you as proof that social media can launch a serious music career. What advice would you give to guitarists hoping to follow a similar path?
Laura: I would tell them to not take it too seriously. This is music, it's a passion, and for me it's supposed to stay fun, no matter where you want to take it. I think a lot of people care too much about the “likes”, the “views” ... But if you start with this in mind, you'll lose sight of what's important, and why you picked up the guitar initially. Focus on what you love doing, share it, then go from here and see if it can take you somewhere.
Guitar Thrills: Looking ahead, what excites you most—new music, touring, collaborations—and what can fans expect from Laura Cox in the coming year?
Laura: Now that I finished recording my new album, I'm just impatiently waiting for it to be released. My job is done and I can’t wait to share this new music with people and play these songs on stage. It's exciting to rebuild a show after a new album comes out and that's what we'll be doing soon.
My album will be out on October 31, then we'll go on tour, and I'll keep on writing songs because I want to release new material every now and then and not necessarily wait for the next album anymore.
Wrapping it up:
Melodic phrasing is what elevates guitar playing from technical execution to genuine artistry. It is the reason some solos echo through decades, touching listeners on a deeper level. At its core, phrasing is about communication—using the guitar as a voice to speak emotions words cannot. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, mastering phrasing is not just about improving your playing; it’s about finding your musical voice.
