PRETTY MUCH every front cover of Guitar Techniques has a ‘flash’ alluding to the total number of download or streaming files that accompany the magazine. This issue there are 191 files but we usually create 180-195 of these which comprise around 90 audio (tuning notes and full tracks through to backing tracks), and about 100 videos. The videos are a mixture of guitarists playing and explaining licks or a solo-someone like Steve Morse, Matteo Mancuso, or one of GT’s tutors and then many videos featuring audio that’s synchronised to the tab and notation. We call the latter videos ‘animated tab’ due to the music being heard while a cursor line tracks along with the tab (see the image below). As there are around 80-90 of these animated tab videos every month, they require a lot of work once the main issue’s layout and audio have been completed. This task is shared between three of the team; Chris Francis (GT’s music engraver), Adam Crute (our audio and video editor) and Cliff Douse (production editor). Using the final tab and audio files from Chris and Adam, Cliff spends up to four days creating the animated tab, carefully aligning the Finale software-created tab with the audio. It’s an intensive process that we’ve been doing for many years, creating content for GT that is unlike that of any other guitar magazine.