Bottlenecks, E-bows and distortion: Tom McKinney guides us through the gamut of extended technique for electric guitar employed by composer Rebecca Saunders in her piece A visible trace.

Saunders' pieces often feature the guitar, but used in completely unconventional ways. As Tom explains, in A visible trace Saunders requires the performer to affect the guitar with a whole toolbox of devices including slides, sometimes two, E-bows and to alter the signal itself through various effect pedals. The result: a whole spectrum of otherworldly sounds and textures, and the approach Rebecca often takes to all instruments in her pieces.