Many properties and functionalities of modern devices are governed by fundamental processes like quasiparticle interactions, interfacial transport or lattice vibrations. Naturally occurring on ultrafast timescales, a detailed understanding of these fundamental processes requires femtosecond (1 fs = 10^(-15) s) time-resolved techniques. This lecture will introduce state-of-the-art ultrafast methods for studying solid-state systems, based on fs table-top and free-electron lasers, such as optical, electron- and x-ray-based techniques. Based on this, the most recent progress in the understanding and manipulation of non-equilibrium physics of advanced condensed matter systems, ranging from low-dimensional structures and semiconductors, to complex quantum materials, will be discussed.