GuitarWorld032018 PDF

MASTER CLASS SPECIAL!
ISSUE JOE SATRIANI 'S SECRETS

2 OF 3: TO SHRED SUPREMACY!
GUITAR & BASS

TRANSCRIPTIONS
PORTUGAL. THE MAN
“FEEL IT STILL”
(ARRANGED FOR GUITAR!)
GRETA VAN FLEET

“HIGHWAY TUNE”
BILLY IDOL
Learn “WHITE WEDDING”
from the
MASTE RS
E
IS S U
2 OF 3!
THE DNA
OF TONE
ESSENTIAL
BUILDING BLOCKS
OF
CLASSIC ROCK,
JOE
METAL, BLUES AND
JAZZ SOUNDS!
SATRIANI
ENTER THE DOME AND LET THE
OTHERWORLDLY ONE DAZZLE YOU WITH
HIS MOST EPIC LESSON IN HISTORY!
PLUS
JOE PERRY MACHINE HEAD THE STORY OF RONNIE MONTROSE

History repeats itself...
Dean USA Patents Pending Series
In the early days, 1977-1978 after taking the guitar world by storm, Dean Guitars was
on the map as a great American guitar brand. Being such an innovator and pushing
the limits of guitar design and quality, all eyes were on the Dean brand. To make sure
the guitars and headstock would not be copied, each model of the original 3….ML, V,
and Z, were stamped with “Patents Pending” in the back of the now iconic headstock.
The early Deans are some of the most sought-after electric guitars ever and to find one
today is truly a blessing!
After countless hours of research and measurements taken from the private vintage
collection housed at Dean Guitars Headquarters……Dean Guitars is proud to introduce
the “Patents Pending” series! The first model in the series is the legendary ML. This
guitar is an EXACT replica of the ultra-rare and desirable 77’-78’ models. Features
never before offered, make this guitar a must have for any player serious about tone
and feel that in 41 years, has NEVER been duplicated!
Patents Pending ML USA

• Original series 1 Dean headstock with “Patents Pending” stamp
• Hand rolled neck binding, for that vintage “broken in” feel.
• Hand shaped bone string nut
• Original electronics cavity routes-circa 77’ and 78’
• Original guitar dimensions and radiuses
• Vintage Re-Issue Grover tuning machines
• ¼ North American Maple top
• Finished in nitro cellulose lacquer, just like the originals
• Red side dot markers
• Original style toggle switch and switch nut
• Original size rear string ferrules
• DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups
• American Made
• American Craftsmanship
• American Legend
Get your hands on a Dean USA

guitar and find out what so many
other great players already know.
Thoroughbred USA
• USA Thoroughbred
• North American Maple top
• Mahogany body and neck
• Top Mount Floyd Rose tremolo system
• DMT Baker Act bridge pickup and Nostalgia neck pickup
• Ebony fingerboard with pearl inlays
• Single ply cream binding
• Dean “Comfort-Heel” neck joint for amazing comfort and high fret access
• 2 Volume/2 Tone 3 way toggle switch controls
• Finished in Vintage Honey Burst
D U S T I N K E N S R U E
WITH THE MUSIC MAN G U I TA R
ISAAC BROCK / MODEST MOUSE
©2018 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. FENDER, FENDER in fanciful script, STRATOCASTER and the distinctive headstock
commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Registered in the U.S. and foreign countries.
THE ‘50s STRATOCASTER. AMERICAN ORIGINAL SERIES.

CLASSIC DESIGN MADE NEW.
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Keeping things imaginative and original over a 30 year career requires something special; a drive
and motivation to keep exploring, tailoring, and innovating ones craft, in order to achieve new
levels of prominence. Closing in on the release of his newest solo album, Joe Satriani has again
shown that level of commitment to his craft. However, in looking to the future the past must be
acknowledged, and Satriani has done this as he returns to using an updated edition of his classic
“Chrome Boy” guitar. Drawing on the past to bring his music into the future,
we will all witness….WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
Joe’s new, instrumentally electrifying album

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT features a power trio
of legendary status; SATRIANI on guitar along
with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees bassist
Glenn Hughes and drummer Chad Smith.
• Special Reflective Chrome finish

• JS 3pc Maple/Bubinga neck with 24 frets
• SUSTAINIAC® Driver
• DiMarzio® Satchur8™ bridge pickup
In support of the album’s release, SATRIANI

has revived his G3 tour. He will be joined by
Dream Theater’s John Petrucci and Def Leppard
lead guitarist, Phil Collen. The tour will officially
kick off January 11th 2018.
SATRIANI.COM
CON T EN TS
VOL. 39 | NO. 3 | MARCH 2018
FEATURES
38 THE DNA OF TONE
Our handy guide to the basic building blocks behind the
guitar tones for several popular genres.
42 MASTER CLASS, PART 2: JOE SATRIANI

Our three-part "Master Class" series continues—this time
with Joe Satriani at the helm! In this exclusive lesson and
interview, Satch shares his secrets to shred supremacy. 42
64 MACHINE HEAD
Frontman Robb Flynn sounds off about the ongoing evolution
of his Bay Area thrash metal outfit and how the politically
charged Catharsis represents where the band is in 2018.
70 JOE PERRY
The Aerosmith guitarist enlists the help of some legendary
friends on his sixth solo album, Sweetzerland Manifesto.
76 RONNIE MONTROSE
Exactly who was Ronnie Montrose? In this oral history,
Guitar World attempts to shed some light on the life and Raise your hand if
career of this mysterious guitar hero. you want to learn
some cool stuff!
TRANSCRIBED DEPARTMENTS
“White Wedding”
by Billy Idol 12 WOODSHED / MASTHEAD 90. New EQ Fender Pro Junior IV and
Prestige Guitars Troubadour RS
PAGE 14 SOUNDING BOARD 92 COLUMNS

100 Letters, reader art and Defenders of the Faith
92. String Theory
by Jimmy Brown
17 TUNE-UPS 94. In Deep
“Highway Tune” Greta Van Fleet, Umphrey's McGee, by Andy Aledort
by Greta Van Fleet
Dixie Dregs, Avatar, Jackie Venson, 96. Mob Rules
PAGE Ty Tabor, Fanny’s House of Music, by Mike Orlando
108 Jeff Waters, King Tone Guitar, Tesla 98. Wood Vibrations
by Mike Dawes
83 SOUNDCHECK
“Feel It Still”
83. Peavey invective .120 amp 99 PERFORMANCE NOTES
by Portugal. The Man and invective. 212 head
PAGE
86. EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
Translucent Drive Manipulator
122 TONAL RECALL
We reveal the secrets behind Jack White’s
112 88. Reverend Shade Balderose Signature guitar tone on the White Stripes' “Seven
L A R RY D I M A R Z I O
89. Marshall Stanmore Bluetooth Speaker Nation Army.”
COV E R P HOT OG R A P H BY LA R RY DI M AR ZI O
10 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018
DAVE DAVI DSO N
A L L - N E W P R O S E R I E S S I G N A T U R E
D A V E D A V I D S O N W A R R I O R ™ W R 7
REVOC ATION
GRE AT IS OUR SIN
www.revocationband.com
©2018 JCMI. Jackson® and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found on Jackson guitars are
registered trademarks of Jackson/Charvel Manufacturing, Inc. (JCMI). All rights reserved. jacksonguitars.com
WOODSHED
VOL. 39 | NO. 3 | MARCH 2018
EDITORIAL
EXECUTIVE CONTENT DIRECTOR Jeff Kitts
MANAGING EDITOR Damian Fanelli
TECH EDITOR Paul Riario
FULL SPEED AHEAD

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Andy Aledort, Richard Bienstock,
Alan di Perna, Chris Gill
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joe Bosso, Carrie Courogen, Mike Dawes,
Eric Feldman, Randy Har ward, Clay Marshall, Mike Mettler,
IT’S NEW YEAR’S DAY…the annual Honeymooners Mike Orlando, Jon Wiederhorn
SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER Mark Nuñez
marathon is playing quietly on the TV in the corner,
same as it was last year when I was writing my first MUSIC
Woodshed of 2017. The temperature outside as I write SENIOR MUSIC EDITOR Jimmy Brown
MUSIC TRANSCRIPTIONIST Jeff Perrin
this? Zero. Zilch. Like, no temperature. Yes, I’ll be MUSIC ENGRAVER Patricia Corcoran
staying right here in my PJs until I am forced to get dressed and brave the elements
later, thank you very much. ART
As I sit here thinking about what’s to come in the new year, I can’t help but take ART DIRECTOR Mixie von Bormann
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Alexis Cook
a brief moment to soak up the fact that Guitar World is still here as we round the
corner into 2018. To still be in business as a print magazine after 37 years is quite ONLINE
an accomplishment, especially with so many cards stacked against us: the mass clo- MANAGING EDITOR Jackson Maxwell
sures of newsstands and bookstores, the rising costs of paper and distribution, the EDITOR Damian Fanelli
younger generation of consumers barely knowing what a magazine even is—there

PRODUCTION
are plenty of reasons why many of the magazines we all grew up reading are now PRODUCTION MANAGER Nicole Schilling
gone. Yet somehow, despite all the challenges we face every day, we’re still cranking
out issues every four weeks. For that reason, I consider myself a very fortunate edi- BUSINESS
tor—and I hope to be right here a year from now, Honeymooners marathon running GROUP PUBLISHER Bob Ziltz
212-378-0471, [email protected]
in the background, talking to you all some more. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jon Brudner
As for the issue you are holding in your hands, yes, as previously promised, it is 917-281-4721, [email protected]
issue #2 of 3 in our epic, unprecedented Master Class lesson series. Last month it was ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Mari Deetz
the great Steve Vai imparting his wisdom when it comes to all sorts of guitar tech-
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jeff Donnenwerth
niques and philosophies, and this month it’s Joe Satriani’s turn. Next month, you’ll 212-378-0466, [email protected]
have John Petrucci as your instructor. And even though that will end the three-issue ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jason Perl
series, we won’t be stopping there. We’re planning to bring you all sorts of unique 646-723-5419, [email protected]
lesson content throughout the rest of the year, because our goal is to make each and ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Scott Sciacca
every one of you a better, more knowledgeable player with each passing year.
Lastly, a few issues back I asked you all to weigh in with your suggestions for CONSUMER MARKETING
song transcriptions, and I’m really enjoying combing through all of the emails be- ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Sheri Taubes
ing sent to our [email protected] address. Mountain “Nantucket FULFILLMENT COORDINATOR Ulises Cabrera
Sleighride,” Huey Lewis “I Want a New Drug,” Buddy Guy “74 Years Young,” Def
NEWBAY CORPORATE
Leppard “Lady Strange,” Thin Lizzy “The Sun Goes Down”…all great ideas that will PRESIDENT & CEO Steve Palm
be added to our ongoing list of transcription possibilities for future issues. Please, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Paul Mastronardi
keep ’em coming! CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Joe Territo
CONTROLLER Rick Ng
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huge thanks to Guitar World for someone who listens to all types humbucker on my Epiphone Les
printing this song [January 2018 of music, I get called a “Satanist” Paul Jr. Better than any custom
issue]. I heard this song before sometimes because of the heavier ’bucker I’ve heard and perfect
I really knew who Robert Plant music I listen to. Even if heavier for my thick but bright tone. Not
is and was (imagine my surprise music can be considered Satanic, too bright, not too one-dimen-
when I found out about Led Zep- we should use music to bring sional like a super distortion
pelin!). This song is an amazing us together, not divide us. What humbucker. People ask me how
study in rhythm and melody for makes Guitar World so special is I’m gonna customize my Epi. I
guitar. You crazy cats really hit that you don’t discriminate. You tell them fresh strings is all; love
the mark this month! are not afraid to show support those new Ernie Ball Slinky Co-
—Dean Adkins for everyone regardless of their balts. I don’t even play my Strats
beliefs, ethnicity, sexuality, etc. anymore because I love my Epi
I’ve been getting your magazine You guys do an amazing job at so much. My new motto is “one
for a few years and enjoy every showing the diversity of music pickup, two amps”—I’m cur-
issue. Just wanted to say I have and the widely diverse people rently rocking a 1971 Marshall
really enjoyed learning “Big Log” who make it. For that, I say, keep Artiste 2x12 and a 2003 Carr
Delayed by Robert Plant! Your magazine
always has a great variety of songs
on rockin’!
—Kevin Berry
Hammerhead 4x10. I’m gonna
check out the Guitar Tone Com-
Response to learn that I never think of pany Bloody Finger distortion
playing. pedal—thanks for the tip!
A few issues ago, you asked —Eddie Henry Ramblin’ Man —Paul Petraitis
in the Woodshed column for
feedback and ideas from your It’s the end of the year, so I’m
readers; knowing you would get Live and getting a few things off my Ink Spot
buried by responses, I wanted to chest. Hey, Dave Grohl! I love
wait a bit to weigh in. I’ve been Learn it that a drummer just had to A ’49 Merc and a vintage Strat—
a reader of Guitar World since come out front to sing and rock what more does a Detroit rocker
the beginning and can appreciate Just wanted to let you know how the guitar—Buddy Guy’s drum- need? Art and ink by Patrick at
what a moving target it is for you much I enjoyed the extra lesson mer, “Killer” Ray Allison, did Speakeasy Tattoo in Peekskill, NY.
to crank out an interesting, rel- content in the January issue. The the same thing and it made him —James Gardner
evant magazine 13 times a year. I transcriptions and instruction on real happy. Do you know what
just got the January 2018 issue in how to play all those Christmas would make me happy? Some
the mail, and have to say—I love songs was perfectly timed and nice juicy guitar solos to give
it. Love that you brought back came in handy for me at family the Foo Fighters’ music a little
Performance Notes; Tonal Recall gatherings, and the lesson with breathing room and variety.
is a bull’s-eye; and I can’t wait to Joel Hoekstra on adding color to Dave, you never shut up! I love
get into the Sabs article! In my a short sequence of notes looks your voice, but couldn’t you
humble opinion, keep the mix like it’ll be valuable well into the crank out a couple of long solos
of upcoming artists, legendary future. Please keep up the great now and then? Hey, Questlove
bands and the stories behind lesson features, and I can’t wait and the Roots crew—why are
their watershed albums, the to see the monster Master Class your mixes so lame coming
lessons and top-shelf transcrip- with Steve Vai in the February out of my television? All I can
tions, and you guys will be fine issue! hear is that tin-can snare, your
for a long time to come. —Delmar Barry rapper buddy and the guy next
P.S. (subliminal message): to you beating on bongos with
Blackberry Smoke transcription… sticks—never once heard that
Blackberry Smoke transcription… tuba player. Letterman had a
—Jaeden Pederson Devil’s great live mixer for his house
band—you could actually hear
Advocate the bass and the kick drum. On a GOT A TATTOO of your
Big Deal positive note, I’ve been playing favorite band or guitarist you want to
I just read the “Keep the Faith” guitar for 40-plus years profes- share with us? Send a photo of your
I want to personally thank Jeff letter from Chris Champion in sionally and have played every ink to soundingboard@guitarworld.
Perrin for his transcription of your January issue, and I would guitar through every amp, and com and maybe we’ll print it or post it
“Big Log” by Robert Plant, and a like to say that I concur. As I am currently in love with the on our Facebook page!
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READER
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or sketch of your
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and would like
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JERRY GA RCI A B Y MARK MEADOWS J IMMY PAG E B Y L E E T H O M A S
DEFENDERS of the Faith
Michael Condelli
AGE 45 Josh Gordon
HOMETOWN Cleveland, OH
GUITAR Kramer Focus 1000 AGE 43
SONGS I’VE BEEN PLAYING Van Halen HOMETOWN Toronto, Ontario, Canada Joe Marro
“Hang ’Em High,” Metallica “The Unfor- GUITARS 1992 Fender Standard
given,” Dokken “Kiss of Death” Stratocaster, 2015 Fender Standard AGE 44
GEAR I MOST WANT Eighties-era Ibanez Telecaster, 1992 Gibson Les Paul Classic HOMETOWN Hammonton, NJ
Tube Screamer, early to mid Eighties SONGS I’VE BEEN PLAYING Keb’ Mo’ “Dan- GUITAR Carvin DC127
Mesa/Boogie Mark II-C head, Slash model gerous Mood,” Allman Brothers Band “Mid- SONGS I’VE BEEN PLAYING Whitesnake
Marshall AFD100, late Eighties/early Nine- night Rider,” Colin James “I Can’t Hold Out,” “Still of the Night,” Fates Warning “Point
ties ESP Kamikaze, a ’91–’95 Ernie Ball Sam Cooke “Bring It On Home to Me” of View”
Music Man Eddie Van Halen model in Quilt GEAR I MOST WANT Seventies Telecaster GEAR I MOST WANT Another Carvin
Green, Quilt or Flame Red Custom, Electro-Harmonix Soul Food DC127
Are you a Defender of the Faith? Send a photo, along with your answers to the questions above,
to [email protected]. And pray!
guitarworld.com 15
TUNE-UPS
UMPHREY’S
MCGEE
DIXIE
DREGS
AVATAR JACKIE
VENSON
DEAR GUITAR HERO:
TY TABOR
SHOP TALK: INQUIRER:
FANNY’S HOUSE OF MUSIC JEFF WATERS
KING TONE
GUITAR
22
18
20 24 26 30 32 34
(from left) Danny

Wagner, Josh Kiszka,
Sam Kiszka and
The Fleet Is In…The Studio

Jake Kiszka
MIDWEST RETRO-ROCKERS GRETA VAN FLEET LOOK TO THE DEBUT Greta Van Fleet’s infectious brand of
ALBUMS OF THEIR HEROES IN VAN HALEN, ZEPPELIN AND THE BLACK high-octane rock, deeply influenced by
CROWES FOR INSPIRATION AS THEY RECORD THEIR ANXIOUSLY bands such as Van Halen, Led Zeppelin and
AWAITED FULL-LENGTH. Cream, ambushed streaming services and
By Joe Bosso radio with rip-snortin’ riffers “Highway
Tune” and “Safari Song.” Following up such
“THIS IS GOING to be a defini- be the real deal. I see it as a big-picture a big splash with an even bigger wave is a
tive statement,” says Greta Van Fleet look at where we are now and where we’re tall order, but Kiszka says the band (which
M I C H A E L L AV I N E
guitarist Jake Kiszka, discussing the full- headed.” includes his brothers Josh on vocals and
length debut album that the hard-rocking Few industry insiders would have Sam on bass, as well as drummer Danny
Midwestern quartet is busy recording. predicted that a young group of upstarts Wagner) is aiming high.
“Our first studio EP, Black Smoke Rising, from Frankenmuth, Michigan, with nary “We have certain debut records that
was kind of a snapshot of where we were a turntable or sampler in sight, stood a are like benchmarks to us—Van Halen’s
at the time, but the full album is going to chance in today’s musical climate. But first record, Zeppelin’s first, even the
guitarworld.com 17
NEWS + NOTES
WHAT'S ON MY
PLAYLIST
JAKE CINNINGER
AND BRENDAN BAYLISS
FROM UMPHREY’S MCGEE
1
“Silent Night”
Stanley Jordan
“It’s got a blues/funk vibe and amazing
pentatonic hot licks that are worth
taking the time to learn.” —Bayliss
2
Greta Van Fleet’s “Looking On”
Jake Kiszka with his The Move
Gibson SG Standard “Pre–Electric Light Orchestra, the
genius of Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne is
in full effect here, heavy and progres-
Black Crowes’ Shake Your Money Maker,” Rising and its companion EP, From the sive. Wood is a true multi-instrumental
he notes. “Those records really seemed to Fires, with producer/engineer Al Sut- monster.” —Cinninger
sum up each band so well. Those albums ton at his Rust Belt Studios in Royal Oak,
are like the gold standard, and they give us Michigan. For the full album, they plan to 3
something to shoot for. It’s like, ‘Can we be track the basics with Sutton at Rust Belt “Sultans of Swing”
that good?’ ” before heading down to Blackbird Studios Dire Straits
Kiszka estimates that the band has in Nashville for overdubs. Siszka will once “Mark Knopfler’s tone is perfect, his
amassed 30 songs that they plan to record, again rely on his trusty trio of electric phrasing is perfect and even when he’s
and then they’ll whittle the batch down to mainstays (a 1961 Gibson Les Paul, a Gibson squeezing lots of notes into a small
space, each note is crystal clear.”
the best 10. “There’s a few tracks that have SG Standard and a Danelectro) along with
—Bayliss
been hanging around a while, and there a newly acquired Gibson J-45 acoustic,
are some we wrote in the last month,” he but he’s looking forward to combing the
says. “We might focus on the newer songs music stores of Nashville for new axes. 4
because they’re the freshest. This time, “Oh, I imagine I’ll spend some money down “I Set My Face to the Hillside”
we want to showcase some of our eclectic there,” he says with a laugh. “Nashville is a Tortoise
influences and have more variety—light big guitar town, so I’ll pick up a few things.” “Jeff Parker sets a sleepy, ambient and
and shade. We might go from something Looking back on the band’s triumphs in tunneled guitar melody that is a total ear
worm. Very cool production to boot—
rocking and super-aggressive into a softer 2017, Kiszka says it’s hard to pin down a fa-
the playing children seem to be right
acoustic track.” vorite moment (“Our first headline tour sold next to the guitar take!” —Cinninger
For some bands, writing new material out in five minutes—how do you top that?”),
on the road is often a frustrating endeavor, but he was able to cross one item from his
5
UMPHREY’S MCGEE: SHERVIN LAINEZ
but Kiszka notes that touring provided a bucket list: meeting rock icon and fellow
fertile atmosphere for creativity. “It didn’t Midwesterner Bob Seger. “We opened for “Mandeville”
stop our songwriting, but it did change him on the first date of his tour at Dow Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian
“The guitar is so fluid it almost feels
how we wrote,” he explains. “A lot of the Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan.” Kiszka
like a horn to me. I think I understand it
songs we wrote on tour are more upbeat— says. “We grew up with Bob’s music, so we but still couldn’t play like that if I tried.”
we responded to the chaos and the pace. consider him to be a big influence. We snuck —Bayliss
But then there were those moments when in during his sound check and watched him
you’re about to pass out in bed, so you play ‘Let It Be’ on the piano, and then we
UMPHREY’S MCGEE’S 11TH STUDIO
might grab the acoustic and write some- got to chat with him. It felt like one of those ALBUM, IT’S NOT US, IS AVAILABLE NOW.
thing sweeter, and that’s cool, too.” magical passing-the-torch moments where
Greta Van Fleet recorded Black Smoke things just came full circle.”

"D'ADDARIO
MAKES
THE BEST THINK THIS ROCKS?
CHECK OUT JOE'S
GEAR. STRAP DESIGNS:
DADDARIO.COM/
I USE THE
SATCH
STRINGS,
CABLES,
STRAPS,
PICKS, &
CAPOS...
EVERY DAY
ON TOUR
& IN THE
STUDIO."
JOE SATRIANI
IN STORES NOW
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NEWS + NOTES
Dixie
Dregs
GUITARIST STEVE MORSE
GEARS UP TO TAKE A BREAK
FROM DEEP PURPLE TO RE-
UNITE WITH HIS OLD FRIENDS
IN THE FUSION ACT WITH
WHICH HE BEGAN HIS CAREER.
By Clay Marshall
DEEP PURPLE HASN’T yet

finished telling their fans goodbye,
but longtime guitarist Steve Morse has
already started getting reacquainted
with some old friends. This spring,
during a break from Purple’s ongoing
Long Goodbye tour, Morse will reunite
with the Dixie Dregs, the influential
fusion act he founded in the early
Seventies with bassist Andy West. The
group, which deftly mixed rock, jazz and
bluegrass and earned four Grammy
nominations before initially disbanding
in 1983, will commemorate the 40th
anniversary of their first proper album
Free Fall with three dozen performances
across America. It will mark the first
time in four decades that Morse shares
the stage with the other musicians who
appear on that recording—West,
drummer Rod Morganstein (Winger),
violinist Allen Sloan and keyboardist
Steve Davidowski.
While the Dregs have reunited inter-
mittently over the years with a somewhat
fluid lineup, Morse says he’s excited to
once again play alongside Sloan, currently
a practicing anesthesiologist, and West,
who recently retired from a career in
the software industry. Still, Morse didn’t
commit to the reunion until the group Steve Morse with his signature
broke the ice in person. “It was something Ernie Ball Music Man model
that I said, ‘Well, it sounds good, but
let’s get together and see how it
goes,’ ” he says. “We got together in Janu- be limited to Free Fall material, however. Morse isn’t sure if schedules will
ary 2017, and I thought it went really well. “Some tunes that we’re going to do, we align to allow for additional Dixie Dregs
We did stuff that everyone had played didn’t really play live originally—for shows—“I’m still full-time with Purple,”
on—basically, stuff from the Free Fall example, “Day 444.” It’s a complex tune he says—but he believes any future activ-
album—and we’ve been maintaining an with lots of parts and extras and things ity should be on the band’s terms. “I don’t
B I L L E VA N S
email and phone presence as we figure like that. That’s going to be one of my fa- think we have to turn into a corporate
out the arrangement decisions we have vorite tunes to hear. We’re also tackling industry machine of touring,” he says. “It
to make.” another tune that we’ve only played a should just be something for fun, I think.
Morse says the band’s set lists won’t couple of times called ‘Go for Baroque.’ ” That’s what this all started as.”

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NEWS + NOTES
Avatar’s Tim Öhrström (left)

and Jonas Jarlsby with their
Ibanez RG Prestige axes
Avatar to make sure they’re perfect.”

Jarlsby and Öhrström started writ-
ing Avatar Country in early 2017 and only
THE SWEDISH METALLERS UNLEASH AVATAR COUNTRY, planned to record an EP. By July, they
A CONCEPT ALBUM FIT FOR A KING. finished six songs but wanted to continue
By Jon Wiederhorn writing, so they penned the remaining four
tracks at Gothenburg’s Spin Road Studios
WHEN AVATAR GUITARIST Jonas think of. And then we mix it all together.” in August with producer Jay Ruston (An-
Jarlsby added the word “Kungen” The multidimensional songs are aug- thrax, Stone Sour).
(“King” in Swedish) to his social media mented by an abundance of solos from both “It was the shortest writing session
account, he had no idea that the move guitarists that range from undistorted me- we’ve ever had, but we worked hard every
would inspire the band to create Avatar lodic snippets to ripping, rapid-fire volleys. day,” Öhrström says.
Country, their most ambitious concept The second track, “Legend of the King” “We would have stuck to the EP idea,
album to date. Unlike 2016’s dour Feathers is an eight-minute-long microcosm of but when we listened back to the songs we
& Flesh, the new album is an upbeat romp Avatar Country, combining bountiful neo- liked everything. Then we decided to just
about the citizens of a wild kingdom. classical runs with melodic death metal go for it and make a full concept album to
From the album intro “Glory to Our shredding. Despite its length, the song was blow everyone away.”
King” to the closer, “Silent Songs of the one of the easiest for Avatar to write.
King Pt. 2: The King’s Palace,” Avatar
Country is powered by an eclectic batch
“When we did it, everything came quite
naturally,” Jarlsby says. “As soon as one AXOLOGY
of songs that range from quirky and part ended, it felt obvious that it was time • GUITARS (both) Ibanez RG Prestige
meandering to fluid and precise. Loosely to move on to the next section.” with “wizard” neck
described, it’s a maniacal hybrid of While Öhrström improvised almost all • AMPS (both) Kemper Profiler, Peavey
Iron Maiden, Frank Zappa, In Flames, of his leads on the album, Jarlsby was more Rockmaster and Peavey 5150 with a
JOHAN CARLEN
Aerosmith, Avenged Sevenfold and meticulous, determining exactly what he Marshall 1960s cabinet; Hughes & Kettner
DragonForce. wanted to play for each section. “What Tim TriAmp
• EFFECTS (Öhrström) Kemper flanger,
“We’re like sponges,” says guitarist Tim does is great, but we work differently,” he wah-wah; (Jarlsby) none
Öhrström. “We soak in everything from says. “I write everything out and then add a • STRINGS (both) Elixir Baritone
movie music to the most brutal metal you can lot of harmonies. And I listen to every note

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NEWS + NOTES
Jackie
Venson
THE AUSTIN BLUES GUITARIST
KNOWS WHAT IT’S LIKE
TO WIN OVER AUDIENCES,
ONE NOTE AT A TIME.
By Carrie Courogen
FOR AUSTIN GUITARIST Jackie

Venson, opening for Gary Clark Jr.
on tour this past fall began the same way
every night. Venson and her band would
walk out onstage to the sound of cheers
from sold-out audiences, excited because
the show was about to begin—and as soon
as Venson slung her Strat over her
shoulder, the crowd would go silent.
“They’re all just standing there con-
fused, and I know what they’re thinking,”
she says with a laugh. “ ‘Oh no. I hope
she’s good. I’ve never seen a girl that’s
good.’ It’s like they get this train-wreck
anxiety. There’s no other reason why
3,000 people would get quiet all at the
same time.”
The tension never fazes her though,
because she knows what’s coming next.
“They’re gonna love it and realize that yes,
I can stand up to Gary Clark Jr., and were
nervous for no reason. I start the song and
within four seconds, they’re screaming. I
love it.”
A classically trained pianist who didn’t
pick up an electric guitar until her final
year at Berklee College of Music (“It just
didn’t feel right, devoting my life to play-
ing old dead guys’ music.”), Venson credits
her return to her hometown in Austin and
its supportive artistic community with
shaping her skills so quickly. After sit-
ting in on blues jams for a few years, she
assembled her own band in 2013 and has
since released two full-length albums and
three EPs.
funk-influenced playing, full of empower-
ment to face the turbulent times we’re in.
AXOLOGY
Her latest EP, Transcends, was born “The state of the world when I wrote • GUITARS 2016 Fender Elite Stratocaster,
from a concept to craft an album out of the songs was bad, but that was before 1958 Les Paul Junior reissues
songs with one-word titles. An electrify- certain people took office. This was before • AMPS Fender Blues Junior, Fender Blues
ing five-song collection of those songs it got way worse,” says Venson. “It was Deluxe
• EFFECTS Boss DD-7 delay, Keeley-mod-
that shared a common theme of “universal a very strange coincidence. But that’s
JINNI J.
ded Boss DS-1 distortion, Boss RC-30 looper

love and acceptance and transcending alright. At least we’re all in it together and with an Electro-Harmonix POG for bass line
all the weird darkness we experience as music can give us all something to love loop, Roland SPD-SX drum pad
humans,” it showcases Venson’s blues and and have in common.”

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DEAR GUITAR HERO
Ty Tabor with his

Guilford Guitars
Ty Tabor 2.0 model

TY TABOR
He’s been the lead guitarist in King’s X for 30 years, has a new solo album out this
month and rides dirt bikes like Ricky Carmichael, but what Guitar World readers
really want to know is… Interview by Damian Fanelli
WHAT IS THE HARDEST SONG you where to put it.” They would
just be flabbergasted and say no
TO PLAY LIVE? THAT GOES way. There’s a special technique
FOR KING’S X OR ANY OF YOUR to using a 57 to get a killer guitar

sound; it usually involves aiming
OTHER SONGS. more toward the outer part of the
cone of the speaker instead of
—CHRISTOPHER GOODWIN the inner cone. Most people point
toward the inner cone. I hate that
Well, a lot of the songs I’ve never played live, so I
sound. The outer cone gives it a
don’t know. There’s a whole lot of music on my solo quirky, weird tone.
stuff that I don’t even know if I can play it live. As far as King’s X is concerned,
You pioneered the drop-D
believe it or not, “It’s Love,” one of our biggest hits in the early days [1990], is sound in rock. A quick
one of the most difficult songs for us as a band to play. It just requires more listen to “Pleiades” [from
coordination than most songs, as far as voice and hand coordination, doing Gretchen Goes to Nebraska]
and it’s clear that no one was
things at different rhythms and times that don’t hit at the same time togeth- using drop tunings like you.
er. It gets confusing. So that’s a hard one for us to pull off and do it well. What inspired you to experi-
ment with drop tunings?
—Wendell Lowder
The very first thing that inspired
I’m excited to hear your Is there a young guitarist also had a Marshall that belonged me to tune a guitar down was “I
new solo album, Alien or band that excites you? to [producer] Brendan O’Brien. Want You (She’s So Heavy)” by
Beans. What can you tell me —Chris Healey It was basically a combination the Beatles. When it gets to the
about it? Death Cab for Cutie. I’ve been a of the Dual Rectifier and the end of the song, that big riff, you
—Dutch Schultz big fan of theirs for years. Chris Marshall on a lot of things. As far can’t play those notes in regular
It was an idea that started with Walla, the guitarist that left the as guitars, I think I was playing a tuning. I was figuring it out and
my manager—to release a bunch band after their last album [2015’s Zion during that time and Strats I was like, my guitar doesn’t go
of the stuff I had released to Kintsugi], he’s someone I always also. So, kind of a combination. low enough. So I just tuned the
fans online, things that weren’t enjoyed watching play live and en- strings down to hit the note. That
on a major label. He suggested joyed what he does live. He’s just King’s X’s sound changes was my first time doing a drop
I should release some of the very atmospheric and different so much on each album, tuning—what was that, 1969?
catalog on a label so that more and quirky, but I loved everything from the reverb future of Out of After that I started realizing that
people would know about it. he did and what he added to the the Silent Planet to the a lot of blues players were doing
That was the original idea—but band. And for a while I was into tremendous heaviness of it on acoustic, and then I heard
as we were putting some of the Billy Talent pretty heavily, but I Dogman to the warm tones on Brian May do it on a song or two
old stuff together, I also was writ- haven’t listened to them a lot late- Ogre Tones. Which album do and Eddie Van Halen did it on Fair
ing new stuff, so I told Rat Pak ly. I’ve actually been going back you think best sonically Warning, but mainly Brian May on
Records, why don’t I write some and listening to a bunch of stuff represents the band’s sound? Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls.” That
more new songs and we can from the Seventies that I haven’t —Fitch Proctor drop tuning seemed heavy. I had
make it a bigger package, offer- heard in a long time. I’ve been do- Probably Gretchen Goes to Ne- already started experimenting,
ing more than just the old stuff. ing more of that than getting into braska [1989]. There are others but when I heard that, I said, yeah,
The intention was to have two new stuff. But any time Death Cab where I like the guitar sounds, but that’s a pretty evil sound. I started
or three new songs, but as I kept has something new out, I get it as with Gretchen, somehow we had writing things around that.
writing I kept putting it on hold, soon as it’s available. the mics placed perfectly. By the
saying I’ve got another one that’s way, the way we got these guitar How do you get your tone?
R E A M E S P H OTO G R A P H Y
almost finished and another I’ve always thought your tones was by using very cheap Better yet, how do I get
one that’s almost finished, etc. I tone on [the 1994 King’s X [Shure] SM57 mics. Every time your tone? What guitar, what
basically put the album on hold album] Dogman was amazing. someone tries to use something amp, etc. should I get? Is there a
for about a year to finish writing What amp and gear did you use? expensive on one of my cabinets, “Ty Tabor kit” I could assemble?
songs to have a new album to —Dan Coppola I hate the way it sounds. I can’t tell —Lance Daltrey
release at the same time with the I used more than one thing, actu- you how many engineers I’ve had I wouldn’t recommend anything
old. So we decided to make it a ally. I had a Mesa/Boogie Dual to argue with and say, “Just put a because people would buy some-
double album—old and new. Rectifier that was real hot, and I 57 by the cone and let me show thing and say, “This doesn’t sound
guitarworld.com 27
DEAR GUITAR HERO
WHEN IS KING’S
X GOING TO
RECORD A NEW
ALBUM?
—PAUL WALKER
We’re looking at the
beginning—some of the
demoing and record-
ing—of a new album
this year, actually. We’ve
been talking about it for
a couple of years, and the
anything like Ty Tabor.” That’s just times: If I could’ve made a living in young, like, three maybe. It was plan is, if everything falls
the truth. It doesn’t matter if I’m motocross, no one ever would’ve for my birthday, I believe. So they in line, to do a new album
using Orange amps or Boogies or heard me play a note of guitar. gave me this guitar and I knew it
in 2018.
Labs or Marshalls or what. People It was my true, true love and wasn’t real. It was a plastic acous-
tell me my tone doesn’t vary a passion. I’m still drawn to it, and I tic guitar, and it didn’t sound right taste, choosing what to play and
whole lot depending on the amp ache that I’m not physically strong and I just got really mad about it what not to play, it’s genius. He’s
I’m using, or the guitar. In general, enough to take that kind of abuse and I went to the living room, put one of the most gifted guitarists
the tone stays in the ballpark. Be- and do it anymore. I’ve broken too it on the floor and jumped up and we’ve ever had. The same goes
lieve it or not, that’s always been many bones, and now I’m paying down on it and smashed it into for Allan Holdsworth. He liter-
a problem for me because my the consequences of a life of rac- little pieces. I was just angry that it ally changed my life. He changed
tone is, well, I’ll just say it the way ing. There’s no high I’ve ever felt in didn’t sound right! I mean, I was so everything for me—my view of
[King’s X members] Doug [Pin- front of a crowd that can compare excited—I got a guitar, but no, it’s how to play got shattered when I
nick] and Jerry [Gaskill] always to the high of being in the middle not a guitar! But, instead of being heard the first U.K. album he was
say it: No matter what I pick up, it of a race. The adrenaline, the fo- very angry with me, my parents on [1978’s U.K.]. The solo on “In
doesn’t sound like anybody else. cus, everything is so much higher bought me a real guitar. They real- the Dead of Night,” I was shocked.
Every time, Doug will shake his because danger is involved. A mis- ized I could tell the difference— I was like, “What is this?” To me
head and say, “It’s in the hands.” take means bad things for you and and that I wasn’t just a kid saying, he was a god among men. Ace
Brian May can pick up whatever it others. Your focus reaches a place “I want this, I want this,” but that Frehley of Kiss because of his
is, and it’s gonna sound like Brian that fear puts you in that you can’t I really understood it. I know my choice of notes—he had some of
May because it’s in his hands. get to in normal life. That gives first electric was definitely a the greatest solos I’ve ever heard.
It’s not the gear. There’s no easy you a high like nothing I could Telstar. There was a kid down the Like on “Shock Me,” to me there
answer. Just plug into something explain. I used to tell people it was street with a Telstar and a little couldn’t be a more perfect solo for
and be that. I wish there was, spiritual. I played in front of over amp that had a three-inch speaker that song. Robin Trower had a big
because I’ve spent my whole life 300,000 people at Woodstock in it. He sold it to me—the guitar influence for obvious reasons, that
trying to get other people’s tones, [1994], and that feeling was lame and the amp—for $25. I mowed bluesy style, that touch. I saw him
but it just doesn’t work that way. compared to the feeling of being yards for six weeks to be able to recently; it was one of the best
in a race. That’s the honest-to-god pay for it. My dad bought it and I shows I’ve seen in years. Number
What’s your all-time truth. The ultimate to me is being mowed to pay him back. five is Johnny Winter, another life
favorite song that you in a motocross race and flying changer. When I heard him play
wrote and why? through the air. I used to love, love, Who are your top three blues on 12, it gave me permission,
R E A M E S P H OTO G R A P H Y
—Todd Teske love flying through the air. I got guitarists of all time based and it was life changing. Number
Probably “Ride” [from Tabor’s into it to do jumps! on a combination of technical six is Phil Keaggy. He’s one of the
2006 solo album Rock Garden] virtuosity, signature sound and greatest players I’ve ever seen
because it’s about motocross What was your first guitar influence on the world of music? live. I’ve seen him countless times
and racing, and those things are a and where did you get it? —Jeff Tiongson and I’m always inspired. It always
much bigger part of my life than —Jade Mitchell That’s tough. I don’t know if I makes me want to practice. The
people realize and always have It was a little plastic guitar my could do just three, but I’ve got six! first few times I saw him, it made
been. I’ve told people a million parents bought for me. I was really Brian May—ultimate style, tone, me want to quit.

© 2018 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Gretsch®, Anniversary™ and Bigsby® are registered trademarks of Fred W. Gretsch Enterprises, Ltd. and used herein under license. All rights reserved.
SHOP TALK
FANNY’S HOUSE 1101 Holly St.

Nashville, TN 37206
OF MUSIC Established: 2009

fannyshouseofmusic.com
ing an old Harmony Gene Autry guitar and above the photo is a
WHAT DO YOU GET when
1948 Gene Autry Melody Ranch guitar in her honor.
you put two female bass players
together with a mission to make MOST EXPENSIVE INSTRUMENT YOU’VE EVER SOLD
a music store targeted to men We sell affordable quality vintage gear. The most expensive for us
and women? You get the legend- was a $6,500 Gibson harp guitar.
ary Fanny’s House of Music in
Nashville, Tennessee. At Fanny’s, BIGGEST PET PEEVE AS A SHOP OWNER
music and fashion come together, My staff and I hate “hijackers”! These are customers that come
as the space is also used to sell wares from two of Nashville’s best in and hijack conversations and may sit with a guitar for an hour
vintage clothing stores. This unique location has been heralded as unaware of other players around them.
Nashville’s “Most Comfortable” music store and deservingly so. To
create such a relaxed and laid-back environment amongst the usual FAVORITE CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER
riffage and shredding that typically happens in a music shop isn’t When Robert Plant wandered in one day, we thought about clos-
easy, but Fanny’s and their amazing staff get it right. Go see why ing for the day after he left! Taylor Swift came in a couple of times
the readers of the local Nashville Scene newsweekly voted Fanny’s when we first opened, and eight years later young girls still come
the best place to buy an instrument. in to get their first guitar. When Brittany Howard of the Alabama
Shakes came in, we felt like our mission had been accomplished.
NUMBER OF INSTRUMENTS CURRENTLY IN STOCK
Pamela Cole (Co-owner): We are a small boutique house and cur- ONE THING EVERYONE SHOUD KNOW ABOUT FANNY’S.
rently have around 300 instruments, as well as vintage clothing. Fanny’s is one of only a handful of female-owned and operated
music stores worldwide!
MOST SOUGHT-AFTER INSTRUMENT BY CUSTOMERS
Fanny’s has developed a reputation as a place to get a cool old MOST COMMON SONG OR RIFF WHEN TRYING GUITARS
Chicago-made catalog guitar. Small body vintage and affordable The Beatles’ “Blackbird” is still a favorite for acoustic players. The
funky Japanese electrics are popular. White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” on electric for the kids.
THE ONE PIECE OF GEAR EVERY PLAYER SHOULD HAVE ADVICE FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO BUY A GUITAR
Every player should have a tuner. My personal mission is to make Don’t worry about brands. We have three rules: 1) How does it
sure every player has a Rickenbacker and a tenor guitar. look? If you don’t like the way it looks, you won’t pick it up. 2) How
does it feel? If it’s too big, too small or uncomfortable, you won’t
COOLEST INSTRUMENT CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP practice. 3) How does it sound? If you like the way it sounds, you
When you first walk into Fanny’s there are pictures of our mother’s will play it and most likely keep it for a long time.
and friend’s mom who helped us open the store. My mom is play- by Eric Feldman, guitarshoptees.com

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NEWS
NEWS +
+ NOTES
INQUIRER
JEFF WATERS
OF ANNIHILATOR
What influenced you to Magic” by Slayer. We did a

pick up a guitar? Venom song. I think we even
My mother told me we would did an Anvil song.
walk by this shopping mall
where we lived in Ontario, Have you ever had an em-
Canada, and there was a guy barrassing moment onstage
playing guitar all the time or a nightmare gig?
out in the street. I sorta had We were looking forward to
little temper tantrums when I playing the Alcatraz Festival
wanted to stop and listen and in Belgium. We went onstage
she would pull me away. So and I was trying to sing along
she picked up really quickly and find the pitch of the song,
that, out of the piano, which but my guitar was locked into
she played, and other instru- the wrong tuning, a half-step
ments, nothing sort of got my out from everybody else. My
attention [like the guitar]. I was tech obviously didn’t calibrate
a real ADHD kid. It just seemed the tuners right and just tuned
like guitar was something I them all wrong. Normally, I
could focus on. I was a zombie, would never do anything like
staring right at it. So she got this, but I got so frustrated
me into lessons when I was and was so adrenalized, going
probably seven, eight, nine onstage and the crowd was
years old. into it. I got extremely angry,
and didn’t think. I grabbed one
What was your first guitar of these Boss tuning pedals
that you owned? and threw it at the backdrop. Jeff Waters plays his
signature Epiphone
The first decent guitar I got All the crowd and the stage Annihilation-II Flying-V
was a Yamaha classical from crew saw was Waters throw-
1974, which I used on the song ing a tuner and figured I was
“Crystal Ann” on my band’s throwing it at someone. And
first album. I still have it in my I stormed off the stage like a I’ve got a mini collection of Van I’d probably say the same thing
studio today. I guess my first little diva and just left, didn’t Halen guitars. I’ve got a couple to somebody who’s trying
electric was from Sears. My say anything to the crowd and of top ones—a Frankenstrat to do this long term or as a
mom got me this totally cheap just bailed. That was the most and a Gibson SG Diablo. Those hobby. You’ve just gotta have
Les Paul copy. I’d gotten into regrettable moment of my would be the two favorites of fun with it. And it would be
Van Halen and started striping career for live stuff. mine. Then the real-world ones really cool to learn different
my guitar right away! I use in the studio, I’ve got two styles if you’re trying to do
Is there a particular mo- models of Epiphone guitars. it as a serious living. This is
What was the first song ment on Annihilator’s new I like the lower-cost guitars, the toughest time in the last
you learned? album, For the Demented, they just seem to have a twang 20–30 years to have an actual
It was called “Big Rock Candy that makes you proud as a and some life and bounce to career—and to last. You have to
Mountain,” a two-chord, simple guitar player? them. And there’s a Wolfgang learn everything you can about
song. I remember Elton John’s “Twisted Lobotomy” is more USA charcoal black guitar that not only your instrument, but
“Saturday Night’s Alright for of an older-school Annihila- I got a few years back from other instruments, and how to
Fighting”—tryin’ to figure out tor vibe from our early demo Van Halen’s guy, and one of the write. Even if you’re not great
those notes. days, back in the mid Eight- Epiphone Annihilation guitars at everything, you’ve gotta
ies. It’s real raw and thrashy, I have. And another store- multitask. Learn how to record
What do you recall about I’m not trying to play fancy or bought Van Halen guitar, one stuff at home. If your bass
your first time playing live? anything. “For the Demented” of the black/white striped thin- player doesn’t show up, grab a
It was in our high school is a swingin’, groovin’ tune gies that I use for almost all of bass and learn how to play it.
auditorium. But of course I with a Van Halen-y vibe in the my solos now. It’s amazing. And you’ve got to keep your
got caught the day before in solo. Sometimes I like playing brain clear. You can’t do that if
rehearsals smokin’ weed with fast, sometimes I like playing Do you have any advice you’re partying all the time.
KALEUN DEBUS
one of the other guys, so they bluesy, sometimes tasteful. for young players? —RANDY HARWARD
kicked us off and we never got Whatever the song calls for.
to play the show. The next one
was at another high school. What is your favorite gui- Annihilator’s latest album, For the Demented, is available now.
I think we were doing “Black tar or piece of gear?

NEWS + NOTES
1 2
Fit for a King

AN INSIDE LOOK AT KING TONE GUITAR, WHERE HANDMADE PEDALS,
PICKUPS AND UNIQUE SWITCHES ALL GET THE ROYAL TREATMENT.
By Damian Fanelli
JESSE DAVEY KICKED OFF his top-end bite—à la SRV.

six-string career with the Hoax, a cult King Tone Guitar’s line includes:
U.K. blues outfit that released a killer debut 1. THE DUELLIST: “I grew up with the
album, Sound Like This, in 1994. The Tube Screamer and Klon but found the
record, which features the ultra-funky drop in bass too much,” Davey says. “The
“Scaramouche,” got respectable airplay Duellist was created out of the need for a
around the world. But what really caught more versatile, organic-sounding overdrive.
listeners’ ears was the way Davey and his It’s actually two pedals in one.”
fellow Hoax guitarist, Jon Amor, convinc- 2. KING TONE SWITCH: “For years, there
ingly nailed the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s was a tone that was out of reach. I just
tone, style and feel. Davey—in particular— couldn’t get the edgy, warm sound I heard
turned it into an art form. in SRV’s and Albert King’s playing. One day
“I discovered Stevie when I was 15—only I was experimenting with putting guitar
three days before he died,” Davey says. tones through pickups, as in, using pickups
“Although I’d only known about him for as components, and I heard a glimpse of
a short time, his death was completely what I was after. It took three years till I
devastating to me. He’s gone on to have a worked out how to put it in a switch!”
massive influence on my life.” 3. VINTAGE FUZZ: “Germanium 5
Davey’s been busy since Sound Like This. transistors are so varied, and most don’t
Besides touring with the Hoax and the sound good in a fuzz. I bought and tested
Davey Brothers, he’s directed videos, re- thousands of germanium transistors. Only brighter, more bass—are often detrimental
corded soundtracks and played on sessions around three percent sounded good—and to tone. For me, the best pickups are slight-
for Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart and Ringo those are the ones I use in the Vintage ly under-wound with an extreme scatter-
Starr. He also launched King Tone Guitar, Fuzz.” winding pattern. Also, fewer windings on
a southern California–based company that 4. F•U•Z•Z: “The same tone as the the bridge is preferable, which goes against
builds—entirely by hand—pedals, pickups Vintage Fuzz but in a smaller, pedalboard- what’s done on most modern pickup sets.”
and a secret weapon called the King Tone friendly enclosure.” Davey says King Tone Guitar is growing
Switch, all of which help guitarists dial in 5. BLUEBIRD J1 PICKUPS: “The things fast and will be expanding in 2018. Check
a tone that’s fat and thick but graced with that make a pickup stand out—louder, out the rest of his line at kingtoneguitar.com.

BRENT HINDS
TERROR
DESIGNED WITH BRENT FOR BRENT
HEADROOM / BEDROOM SWITCH
TWIN CHANNEL DESIGN
SETLIST
FRANK HANNON OF TESLA

VENUE: Paramount Theatre DATE: July 25, 2017 LOCATION: Denver, CO
Interview by RICHARD BIENSTOCK
“MP3” “THE WAY IT IS”

“ ‘MP3’ is the opening track of our last “This is one of my favorite songs to play live. It’s a very
studio album, [2014’s] Simplicity. It’s melodic song in the key of D. I have an acoustic guitar on
fun to open the show with it because a stand that fits right into my pedal board, and I go to that
it starts off with this grandiose kind of for the verses. I strum the chords on the acoustic and then
bolero Spanish-style piece of music that from there I kick right into the chorus using my Leslie simu-
I wrote. It’s an operatic kind of theme lator pedal. It’s a DLS RotoSIM—a great pedal. For me, the
that opens up musically. The song just combination of the acoustic guitar and the electric guitar is
has this ‘grand entrance’ feel to it.” an influence that comes from Peter Frampton. And in this
song I do a little tribute to Peter by playing one of the licks
he uses in ‘Do You Feel Like We Do.’ ”
“CUMIN’ ATCHA
LIVE”/“TRUCKIN’ ” “HANG
“We’re really influenced by
TOUGH”
Seventies artists like the Stones
“ ‘Hang Tough’
and Peter Frampton and Led
is one we
Zeppelin. All those bands added a
transposed into
touch of class when they’d break
a different key
it down and play acoustic. But I “SIGNS”
and it sounds
have a little secret for you—the “ ‘Signs’ is just
heavier now.
first number we do [in the acous- an example of
We’ve made it
tic set], ‘Cumin’ Atcha Live,’ I play a great song. I
a little bit lower
a lot of slide on the acoustic gui- mean, I know a
so it’s a little
tar and there’s not quite enough lot of great guitar
easier to sing
grit when I go direct. So I plug it players, but the
30 years later.
into my amp. It’s still acoustic, but key is to be able to
And we actu-
it’s acoustic into an amp.” play great guitar
ally really enjoy
and also write a
playing it this
great song. We
way. It sounds
covered ‘Signs’ [on
‘tougher.’ ”
1990’s Five Man
“EDISON’S [laughs]
Acoustical Jam
MEDICINE” album] because
“This one is it’s a great song
Tesla at 10—high with great lyrics
energy, and it has and simple chord
everything in it. It changes. It just
has the theremin, “MODERN DAY COWBOY” really works.”
it has sound ef- “In the early days when Tommy [Skeoch,
fects, it has crazy former guitarist] was in the band, he and
whammy bar I collaborated on these riffs and hammer-
licks. It’s the song ons and chord changes. That song, every “LOVE SONG”
where I practi- part is put in by two different guitar “The intro is always fun to play live because everybody reacts to the
cally pull the players. It’s a collaboration. And then to very first note I play. It touches a soft spot. It’s rewarding to have
Floyd Rose off my top it off, Jeff [Keith, vocalist] wrote lyr- written something so simple and that so many people enjoy. You
guitar. I have a lot ics that are still so relevant today. We’re know, as a guitar player coming up in the Eighties, there was so much
of fun wanking on still going on in the news about the USA competition with how technical you could play. And it’s funny how the
that thing on this and the USSR, the foreign lands, and, you simplest things I wrote are the ones that touch people the most. And
S T E V E H U R TA
song.” know, we wrote that song 30 freakin’ in this song there’s a lot of feeling. The chord changes on the verse, I
years ago! I’m very proud of this song was strumming at four in the morning when I wrote it. I had just bro-
for many reasons, but especially for the ken up with a gal and was feeling really depressed. So the progression
lyrics and the collaboration of how we goes from major to minor in the same key. It goes from happy to sad.
worked together musically.” And the idea of going happy to sad, happy to sad, that’s what gives
the song a special feeling.”
36 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018 guitarworld.com 36
DNA
the
of
TONE
Our handy guide to the
basic building blocks
behind the GUITAR
TONES FOR
SEVERAL POPULAR
CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS TEND TO VIEW THE TERM “FORMULA”
as a dirty word, but most styles of music have specific parameters and characteristics that
define them. For several of the most common styles of popular music, the style itself is defined
predominantly by the guitar tone. For example, while punk and metal rely on heavily distorted
GENRES. guitar, most music fans can tell the difference between the two as much as by how the guitar
sounds as by how it is played.
BY CHRIS GILL While it would be nice to be able to buy just one guitar rig that could be used for every style
of music, the reality is that guitarists usually need to rely on separate sets of building blocks to
GUITAR WORLD play various styles. Below are a few basic guidelines to consider when putting together a rig,
whether you want to play jazz, blues, classic rock or metal.
MARCH 2018 ISSUE
PAGE THIRTY-SIX JAZZ
THE GENERALLY PREFERRED tone for The tonal palette for jazz expanded during
traditional jazz is not too far from the sound the early Seventies with the emergence of
of an archtop hollowbody acoustic guitar, jazz-rock fusion with guitar tones that would
only amplified to louder volume output to not be out of place on hard rock records of the
be heard over other instruments like drums, day, and during the late Seventies and Eight-
horns and electric bass and keyboards. ies many players took tonal cues from funk
Jazz
1. D’ANGELICO DELUXE
EXL-1
2. EVENTIDE H9 MAX
3. HENRIKSEN BUD
JAZZAMP
4. FENDER TWIN 2
REVERB
Blues
DUNLOP CRY BABY WAH

MARSHALL 1962 BLUESBREAKER
BLUES
1 4
BACK IN THE early days of the electric
guitar, jazz and country players demanded
only the cleanest tones from their amplifi-
and pop productions. However, over the classic tube-driven Fender Twin Reverb is a ers, and anything beyond the slightest hint
last few decades most jazz guitarists have good choice, as are solid-state amps like the of overdrive was considered vulgar and
returned to more traditional tones as a base. Roland JC-120, Polytone Mini Brute and undesirable. Whether it was intentional
The ideal electric guitar for traditional Henriksen Jazz Amp. Good traditional jazz preference or just a tendency toward play-
jazz is an archtop hollowbody with a “float- guitar tone should be clear, warm, rich and ing as loud as possible, blues guitarists
ing” pickup attached the end of the finger- dynamic with emphasized midrange and were the first to adopt the sound of a dis-
board instead of the top, to allow the top to bass and just enough treble to keep the tone torted amp during the early Fifties. The
vibrate and resonate with its full acoustic from being muddy and flat. raunchy tones of a primitive amp circuit
potential. Flatwound strings are also pre- An overdrive or clean boost pedal is pushed well into overdrive inspired Brit-
ferred. Archtop hollowbodies with top- ideal for players who lean toward fusion ish blues and rock players during the Six-
mounted pickups and controls are also pop- or just want a little rock or blues personal- ties, who developed their own signature
ular, as are semi-hollow models. While ity. Other effects are generally used spar- blues tones using British amps.
many jazz guitarists like Bill Frisell, Wayne ingly, although crisp, shimmering chorus is Pretty much any style of electric guitar
Krantz, Mike Stern and others prefer solid- often used for rhythm tones. The Eventide is acceptable for playing blues, including an
body electrics, the number of players who H9 and Mod Factor, TC Electronic Corona archtop hollowbody (like T-Bone Walker
prefer solidbodies is a smaller group. or various Boss chorus pedals (as well as the and Duke Robillard), semi-hollow (like B.B.
For amplification, a powerful amp with chorus effect in Roland Jazz Chorus amps) and Freddie King), or solidbody (Muddy
plenty of clean headroom is preferred. The are all popular choices. Waters, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan,
guitarworld.com 39
DNA
the
of
TONE
you name it). Even cheap pawnshop guitars
and shred axes are acceptable, although an
eight-string baritone may be pushing things
too far. While Stevie Ray Vaughan was
known for using exceptionally heavy strings 1
in his quest for the fattest tone, most blues
guitarists prefer lighter-gauge strings that
make it easier to bend notes.
When it comes to amps, Fender is the Classic
standard for American blues and Marshall Rock
reigns supreme for Sixties-style British
blues. Fender tweed amps are particularly
ideal for their harmonically rich overdrive 1. FENDER
and horn-like midrange, but more powerful AMERICAN
PROFESSIONAL
later Fender models like the Deluxe Reverb STRATOCASTER
and Super Reverb also are beloved. The
2. MXR CARBON COPY
most ideal Marshalls for blues are ones with
early, pre-master volume circuits. Dozens 3. MXR M108S TEN
BAND EQ
of amp builders from large corporations to
small boutique artisans offer a wide variety 4. EPIPHONE
JOE BONAMASSA
of amps based on Fender and Marshall cir- 1958 AMOS KORINA
cuits that are good alternatives. FLYING V
Like jazz guitarists, blues guitarists
generally prefer to use only a handful of 2
effects. Again, overdrive and clean boost

pedals are popular, but even a good distor-
tion pedal isn’t entirely out of the question.
Other useful effects include tremolo and
reverb if the amp doesn’t have these fea-
tures, and a wah pedal is acceptable both
as a midrange filter/boost or for typical
sweeping wah effects. For modern blues
à la Gary Clark Jr. or the Black Keys, an
octave-up pedal is a popular effect.
CLASSIC ROCK 3 4
Classic rock—which loosely spans a period

from the late Sixties through the early hollow and in a few rare instances a hol- monically rich distortion but at the expense
Eighties—has by far the broadest tonal pal- lowbody archtop (à la Ted Nugent or Steve of loose, flabby bass. Fender, Hiwatt, Mar-
ette of the genres discussed here, which Howe). The classic triumvirate—Gibson Les shall and Vox amps were the most common
means that there are many more options to Paul, Fender Stratocaster and Fender Tele- choices back in the day, and any of today’s
choose from and consider. Guitarists from caster—are reliable choices that can han- amps based on those classic models from the
this era tended to prefer distortion tones dle most classic rock tones, but variations on Seventies are good alternatives.
that were more saturated than typical blues these designs as well as the Gibson Explorer, When it comes to effects, pretty much
overdrive tones, and thanks to more power- Flying V and SG are good too. anything goes, including fuzz, compression,
ful amp designs players were able to achieve Distorted classic rock guitar tone is more rotating speaker/Leslie cabinets, delay/
this with tighter, more focused bass as well. about power amp distortion than preamp echo (particularly tape delay), modulation
However, modern multi-stage gain circuits gain, so you’ll want either a non-master vol- effects like phase shifting, flanging, chorus
were just in their infancy during the late Sev- ume amp (if you don’t mind the excess vol- and tremolo. A graphic EQ pedal with sev-
enties and distortion pedal circuits were not ume levels needed to push these amps to the eral frequencies boosted (like midrange)
as refined, so the tones are more “polite” sweet spot) or use a high-gain amp with the can push a moderately overdriven amp into
than the metal tones that became the norm volume control cranked all the way up and distortion, and hundreds of distortion ped-
shortly after the birth of thrash metal. the gain dialed up only moderately. Hun- als can transform any clean amp into a dis-
Like the blues, almost any style of elec- dreds of great classic rock recordings were torted classic rock beast—just go easy on the
tric guitar is acceptable, although a solidbody done with small Fender tweed combos like gain and try to retain some of the natural
guitar is usually preferred, followed by semi- the Deluxe and Princeton, which deliver har- clang of the strings.

1
2 4
Metal
1. FRACTAL AUDIO AXE-

FX II PREAMP/
EFFECTS PROCESSOR
2. ELECTRO-HARMONIX
METAL MUFF
3. DIEZEL VH4
4. FULLTONE OCD
METAL
While the definition of metal has changed scale lengths that can better accommodate Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff, Fried-
since the earliest days when Black Sabbath dropped tunings and heavier string gauges. man BE-OD, MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive,
and Led Zeppelin pioneered the genre (in A multitude of high-gain amps that pro- MXR Fullbore Metal and TC Electronic
fact, by today’s standards Zeppelin would duce modern metal tones are available from Dark Matter being among the more pop-
not be considered metal at all), the pri- companies that include Blackstar, Bog- ular choices. A good overdrive or clean
mary, defining sound of metal has always ner, Diamond, Diezel, Egnater, Engl, EVH, boost pedal like a Boss SD-1 Super Over-
remained a heavily distorted electric gui- Friedman, Fryette, Hughes & Kettner, Line drive, Electro-Harmonic Soul Food, Full-
tar. Over the years the amount of distor- 6, Marshall, Mesa/Boogie, Orange, Peavey, tone OCD, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer or
tion has crept up significantly, thanks to Randall, Soldano and dozens of other man- Klon KTR is ideal for players who want to
advances in high-gain amp circuits and ufacturers. Tube amps are still dominant, boost solos.
stomp box technology. but many players prefer the tighter tone To minimize noise and tighten rhythm
Because excess distortion and volume is and fast attack of solid-state amps, and an playing, a noise gate/suppressor is essential.
the goal, a solidbody guitar is the preferred increasing amount of metal guitarists are Because high-gain distortion tends to result
choice since semi-hollow and hollowbody using digital modeling products such as the in undefined, smeared tone when using
guitars tend to feed back when played at Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II, Kemper Profiling reverb, a delay pedal is a better alternative
the boosted levels of gain for metal. Stan- Amplifier and Positive Grid Bias Amp. for creating room- or hall-like ambience
dard six-string guitars are still the most Many great distortion pedals are now while preserving clarity and definition. A
common, but increasingly metal guitar- available that can produce credible metal graphic or parametric EQ is also helpful for
ists are playing seven- or eight-string gui- tones through almost any amp. There are sculpting tones with greater precision, par-
tars, baritones or six-strings with extended literally hundreds of options, with the ticularly when cutting midrange.
guitarworld.com 41
The Joe Satriani
Guitar Method
THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF OUR SPECIAL
THREE-ISSUE MASTER CLASS SERIES, THE FLEET-
FINGERED LEGEND OFFERS AN EXPANSIVE TAKE
ON THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEARNING PATHS FOR
DEVELOPING MUSICAL EXPRESSION ON GUITAR.
B Y JO E S AT R I AN I W I TH AN DY AL E DO R T
A
PH O T O G R AP H Y B Y J O SE P H CUL TI CE
R LD PR
WO ES
COOL THING ABOUT the guitar R thing, so why not drop it down on the high E
is that it’s different from a lot A string? There’s a certain design and geome-
EN
IT
of other instruments in terms Learn try to the guitar that allows for these explo-
GU
of what you can do with it and TS rations and discoveries, such as this type of
how you experience it. For me, from the embellishment on a G chord (FIGURE 3). I’m
it was so different from play-
ing the drums, which is the instrument I MASTERS thinking, what am I going to do with my pin-
kie? It’s just hanging out, so I might as well
started on. The drums were loud—every- ISSUE flutter it around!
thing you did was so completely “public.” 2 OF 3! That was the beginning of me feeling very
Growing up in a house with seven people, comfortable, even playing in the first posi-
they reminded me of that every time I sat tion, and that each one of these first-posi-
down to play. tion chords—whether it was a G or a D—
For three years I tried to be a drum- that I could do something with it by sim-
mer, but with the electric guitar, of course, ply lifting a finger off one of the strings, and
I could bash it and it was still quiet—until I ing her guitar, and I started to write a song then investigating what that was. It was
turned it up! But you could still get the same about that little drawing. part of my nature to write down these kinds
intensity with the guitar, even without it I wouldn’t have been caught dead play- of things, so I created a little pictogram
being plugged in. The drums are really not ing those chords, Em(add9) and Dmaj9, of these chords, such as the Dmaj9 shape,
like that. They are totally dynamic, acous- really loud when jamming with my friends, and told myself, “Find out what that is!” I
tically. but because the guitar is so intimate, I could scoured chord books in the guitar stores to
do it privately and get enjoyment out of it. try to find the particular fingerings I was
I think, for me, having the time to spend discovering on my own, until I saw that it
exploring what was so intimate about these could be written as a “Dmaj9” or D “trian-
F I R ST CHO RD S chords was important, and then figuring gle” 9. Those names sounded very impor-
The important thing about that was out the few different ways I could use them tant! The truth is, the chord just happened
the guitar allowed me to quietly play and became the next step. because that’s where I stuck my fingers.
develop ideas, such as this song (FIGURE It took years to figure out that this first Nowadays, I can use a single fingertip to
1). That was one of the first things I dis- chord, the Em(add9) with the added sec- fret two strings at the same fret, whereas I
covered on the guitar, which is something ond, or ninth (Fs), could eventually be inter- needed two fingers to do that in the begin-
that I would normally have been embar- preted this way (FIGURE 2), or played as an ning. Your fingers do get “smarter,” but
rassed to write as my first song. It was called arpeggio, or “broken chord.” But it all came back then I didn’t know any short cuts, so
“Lady in Pink” because there was a draw- from understanding the mood of the chord. I everything had to be painfully explored and
ing of a woman in pink that one of my sis- didn’t know the name of it, but I knew it was sometimes executed in the most difficult
ters had done and taped to her closet door. I an Em with a little extra something. I fig- way at first, until I gained experience.
was hanging out in her room one day, play- ured that my little finger wasn’t doing any- Another aspect of being quiet and private
guitarworld.com 43
Learn
from the
MASTERS
IS S U E
2 OF 3!
FIGURE
FIGURE 1
1
Em(add9) Dmaj9 Em(add9) Dmaj9

2

0 0 2 2 2

0 0 0 0 3 0



0 2 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 3 0
0 2 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 2 0
over it and I could start to find those 2 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

notes I was singing, which was my 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0
first attempt at understanding that
3 3 3 3
there were scales, a melody or a set FIGURE
F 2
IGURE 2
 2 
of notes that went well with a set of Em(add9) Dmaj9 Esus2 (Em11)
chords. I don’t know why I started to P.M.
2
 00 2 2

0 0 0

17

 11 

think about this so early in my play- 0 0 0 2 2 2 15
ing, but I thought that each of the 0
2  220
2
0
2
2
0
2
0 0
2
0 9 16
12

notes had an alphabetical letter, and 2 2 2 2 7 14
0 0 0 0 0 0000 12
if you arranged them alphabetically,
eventually that would be your scale. FIGURE
FIGURE 3
But it took quite a long time before G Gm7
I knew how to categorize scales or let ring
   
judge the intervals. I was just think- 35 3 3 5 3 35 3

3 35353 3
ing about the alphabet, and I related 4 4 4 5 4 45454 3
5 5 5 3
everything to the piano in my fam-
ily living room. If I had a question, 3
I’d go back down to the piano and I’d 3 3 3
just look at the keyboard and realize, FIGURE
FIGURE 4
        17 17   
okay, it is linear and it does work in 0 0 12 12 24 24

that fashion. 9 9
2 2 14 14
The first few months of play- 7 7
ing guitar were just about frets 1–3, 12 12
and everything further up the neck
was mysterious. It was like a fog had
FIGURE
FIGURE 5
 
0
E Fmaj7#11/E F#7add4/E Fmaj7#11/E E
rolled over the whole thing! So I tried let ring

0 0 0 0
 0 !
0 0


to get rid of the fog by gradually mov-


0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ing up higher and higher, to try and 1 2 2 2 3 2 1
2 3 3 3 4 3 2
 
find the same notes in as many dif- 2 3 3 4 3 2
ferent places as possible (FIGURE 4). 0 0 0 0 0
Those first few steps are very impor-
FIGURE
FIGURE 6
tant, because if they turn you off,
0 0 0
G G6 Aadd2 Cmaj7 Badd4 D6add9 B¨(¨5¨9)
you will never bother with the next
 
3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0





steps. For me, the guitar always felt 


3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
much friendlier than the drums. 4 4 4 6 0 8 11 7
5 5 5 7 10 9 12 8
Besides the fact that the drums were 5 5 5 7 10 9 12 8
3 3 3 5 8 7 10 6
loud, they were more complicated!
The guitar is a two-limb endeavor, FIGURE
FIGURE 7
7
whereas the drums involve the use
of four limbs. I didn’t have to worry
E  E5 E
  
4 4 4


so much about the coordination of all 12 12 12 5 5 5
1 9 9 9 9 9 13 13 13 4 4 4
four limbs until I started performing, 2 9 9 9 9 9 14 14 14 6 6 6
at which point you really do have to 2 7 7 7 7 7 14 14 14 7 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0 12 12 12
get your whole body into it.
Those first few chords were fasci- FIGURE
FIGURE 8
nating to me, and then I discovered

E
a chord that you could move around P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M.
  
by taking an open E shape and mov- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TO WATCH THE ACCOMPANYING

VIDEO FOR THIS LESSON, GO TO
GuitarWorld.com/Mar2018

FIGURE
F I G U R E 99
E Em E7 B7 E C G G7 D
 
0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 1 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
1 0 1 1 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 2
2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3
Dm D7 A Am A7 Asus4 F B¨ F B¨ E
I REALIZED I
1
3
2
2
1
2
2
2
0
1
2
3
2
2
3
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
3
3
1
1
2
1
3
3
6
3
3
6
6
7
10
11
10
0
0
1
0
0
1
NEEDED TO
0 0 2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
3 3 3
1
3 3 3 8 12 2
2
0
2
2
0
PRACTICE NOT
FIGURE
F I G U R E 110
JUST MEMORIZING
THE CHORDS AND
0
D7 D7sus4 D7 D Dsus4 D D7sus4 D7 D9 Dsus2 D5
     WHERE THEY CAN

2 3 2 2 3 2 3 2 0 0 5






1 1 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BE PLAYED ON THE
FIGURE
F I G U R E 11
11
GUITAR, BUT WHAT
E7
0 0 0 0
F#7add4/E

Fmaj7#11/E E
 WENT WITH THE
0
let ring

0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0
 CHORDS.”

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1
5 4 4 3 33 22 2 2
5 5 4 3 3 22 2
0 0

F I G U R E 12
FIGURE 12 FIGURE
F I G U R E 13
13
E D E 1 ing it up a fret or two (FIGURE 5).
  12 14 12 !   
0 2 0 5 5 That really fascinated me because
 
0 3 0 8 5 5 5 8 5 the sound and feeling of those new
12 1 2 1 7 7 5
14 2 0 2 7 chords was so different. I didn’t

2 2
0 0 know that playing an F triad over an
E pedal was applying a Lydian mode
3
or Phrygian or Phrygian-dominant. I
FIGURE

I G U R E 114
 
F 4
1 1 1 1/2 1/2 had no idea about any of that.
A
  5
5 5 5 5 5 When I started with barre chords,

8 75 7 5G5
5 85 5 5 5 7 7 5 7 7 5 it was the same kind of thing (FIGURE
5 75 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
57 7 7 7 7 6). I’d press my fingers down in a cer-
5 7
tain spot, and when holding down the
index-finger barre became painful,
3 3
I’d lift the barre, exposing the open B
  
FIGURE
F I G U R E15

15 1 1 1/2 and high E strings. I’d shift the fret-
1 1/2 1 1 1 1/2
A
  14 13 15 15 15 13 15 13 15 13 14 14 
8 8 5 5 15 15 ted notes all over the place while

7 7 5 88 8 85 15 15 15 13 keeping the open top two strings,
14
and I absolutely loved most of the
 sounds. And then, of course, you dis-
cover that some positions, such as Bf
3 3 major, don’t sound as good as some
 8 10 10   
1 FIGURE
F I G U R E 16
16
1 1/2 1/2 1/2 of the other positions. I’d think, “why
A isn’t that working?” which led to the
   
8

10 8 10 8 10 10 13 discovery that notes do matter, and
577 5 12 14 12 14 14
7 5757 7 there are good notes and bad notes,
3 at least in a basic sense. These aren’t
3535 5
necessarily “rules.” You get a certain
kind of response from your audience
when you play something discordant,
guitarworld.com 45
Learn
from the
MASTERS
IS S U E
2 OF 3! FIGURE
F I G U R E 17
17
 5 
C5 1/2 1 1
P.M.

5

8 5 5 8 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
7 7 7 7 7 7 5
7 5 7 5
!
5
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
and you learn that there will be a spot
for that one day. FIGURE
F I G U R E 18
18
1 
So I started to catalog these chords
 
A5 1 1 1 1
in my mind, and each time I played P.M.
 2 2 2 2 2 
with my friends, I had to remember 5 5 5 5

85 85 5 85 5 85
that this first E chord was chunky 7 7 7 7 57 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 5 7
2 2 2 2 2 5 5 5 5 5 5
(FIGURE 7), and this second one had a 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 3 3
lot of power and kind of sounded like 3
Jimmy Page, and the high one was
FIGURE
F I G U R E 19
19

cool but it was kind of out of tune and
B 1 1 1 A A5
had a lot of angst to it. And the one
based on the “C” shape didn’t work
   

15 17 17 17 17 15 15 17 8 5 5
so well for rock, so I avoided it. 16 16 7 8 7 5 2
7 5 2
I started to think that you could 7 6 5 3 0 0
take these chords and only hit a cou-
ple of strings at a time (FIGURE 8). 3
Once I realized that, I thought that FIGURE
F I G U R E 220
0
it could be the beginning of a song; E 1 1


 2 
it just needs the right lyric. I real- 0 12 12

0 3 0 0 15 12 12 12 15 12 12
ized that it really is quite simple 2 2 0 14 14 15 14 12
and doesn’t have to be so compli- 2 14
cated. I remember those first cou-
ple of jams with friends where I’d do 3 3
something like this and I’d get a rise FIGURE
F I G U R E 21
21
out of the bass player or the singer, 1 1 1
E
  
and it registered with me as “this is 12 12 0 0 0 0
3 0


working!” I wasn’t really doing any- 15 12 12 3 0 0 0 0
14 2 2 2 0 0 2 2 0
thing special with my fretting hand— 2 2 2 2
2 2 2
it was the picking hand that was cre- 0 03 0 3 00 0
ating the energy and suspense. The
whole design of the electric guitar FIGURE
F I G U R E 22
22 FIGURE
F I G U R E 23
23
turned out to be not only a genera- A 1/2  G 1/2  E 1/2
 G major scale
  
tor of chords and melodies but also 5 5 3 3 0 0
 
a way to reflect the sounds around 5 7 7 5 3 5 5 3 0 2 2 0
7 7 5 5 2 2 0
you. I didn’t know what musique con- 2
crète was back then, but that is kind 2 3 5
3 5 3 3 3
of what it is. It was just a question of
3
remembering these many ways to FIGURE
F I G U R E 24
24
make a variety of sounds and devel- G major scale
oping a strong opinion about these
 

sounds and techniques and hav-
2 4 5 2 4 5
ing them fresh in your mind so that 2 4 6 2 3 5
you can bring them out when you 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 5
think it’s going to work. And you 1 b2 1 ma3 1 #4 #5
(root)
avoid some of these things when that

inner arbiter of taste tells you, “what- 2 3 2
3 5 5 3
ever you do, don’t do a giant aggres- 2 4 5 5 4 2
sive pick slide right here! Not in this 5 4 2
5 3 2
song!” 5 3
Without a doubt, once I became a
teacher, I would sit down with each
of my first-time students and say,

“you’ve got to learn the first-position FIGURE
F I G U R E 25
25 FIGURE
F I G U R E 26
26
chords.” I had a piece of paper with E
the 17 magical first chords on it. You G major scale let ring
can jump-start the process by getting
  
 
68 9

a small chord book—not the one with
3 4 5 679
12,000 chords, but the one that has 2 3 4 5 6 7 79 7
only a couple of pages of them. You 3 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 !
0
really do want to memorize E, Em, F, 1 ma2 1 ma3 1 4 1 #4 1 5 1 #5 1 6 1 b7 1 ma7 1 octave
C, D, and just get used to those first.
If you acquaint yourself with those 15
let ring 
to 20 chords, the chords themselves 6 8 9 6 8 !
9
0 
6 8 9 6 8 9 6 7!
9 6 8 9
will suggest to you where to go from 7 9 7 9 7 9 7 9
there. You don’t have to sit there !
0 0
thinking, How do I do an E7sus4? It
FIGURE
F I G U R E 28

28
 
could take weeks to figure that out, FIGURE
F I G U R E 27
27
E Phrygian-dominant E Phrygian
let ring
 
but it would only take 30 seconds to
 
 
look at it on a chord sheet.
7 9 7 9
Let’s go through some basic 6 7 9 10 7 9 10
7 8 7 8 10 2 3 5

chords. You have to learn E, Em, E7, 0 3 5
B7, C, G, G7, D, Dm and D7 (FIGURE
9). Have I gone too far? I don’t think FIGURE
F I G U R E 229
9
so! A, Am, A7, Asus4, the dreaded
   C Lydian
   
F, and the even more dreaded Bf. 3 5 7 7

3 5 5 8
If you freak out, just go back to E! 16 17 19 2 4 5 9
It’s important to run through these 9 10 12 17 19 2 4 5
10 12 14 15 17
chords every day as a finger exercise. 15 17
You have to practice the thing where
the brain says, “fingers, go here!” and FIGURE
F I G U R E 30
30
0
they obey. C Cmaj13#11
 
Soon, you develop opinions about 12 12 15 14 3 5 7 7 7


12 12 15 15 5 1 3 5 5 8 7
these chords, often based upon the 12 9 14 14 9 5 0 2 4 5 7 9
music that you like. If you’re really 10 10 14 14 5 2 2 4 5 7 10
10 7 3 7
into metal, you might find every one 8 8 3 8
of these first-position chords not use-
ful at all, but if you’re into folk music, FIGURE
F I G U R E 31
31
0
D Dorian
0
you might say, “these 17 chords are

8 10 8 7 5 3 3 3 12 13 15 13 12 10 8

all I’ll ever need!” It’s important to 8 10 8 6 5 3 3 3 12 13 15 13 12 10 8
7 9 7 5 4 2 2 2 10 12 14 12 10 9 7
compare chord types (FIGURE 10), !
0 3 2 0 0 0 0
like D7sus4 versus D, or Dsus4, and
notice how they are different from
one another. FIGURE
F I G U R E 32
32
Freely
E 
   !
0 0 0 0

 0 
0 0 0
CO M BIN IN G C HORDS & LI CKS 99 9 9 9
9 9
We’ve started with this first-posi- 7 7 7 9 9 11 11 12 12 9 11 7 7  2 2 7 7 7
0 0 0 0 0
tion E chord, and I remember in the
early days my band did a version of
Cream’s “I’m So Glad,” which I tried
 3
0

9

to approximate like this (FIGURE 11).
9
I just played it in my own way. To 7  9 9 10 10 7 7 7 7 7  3 3 7 7 7 !
7 7 9 9 11 11 7 7 2 2 7 7 7 9 9 10 10 9 9 7 7 3 3 7 7 7
this day I don’t know the exact chord 0 0 0
shapes and pick-hand technique
that Eric Clapton used on their ver-
sion of that song. It was just E to D, so
how did they get so much music out
of it? It was amazing! When we first
started to try and play that song at
guitarworld.com 47
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from the
MASTERS
IS S U E
2 OF 3!
FFIGURE
I G U R E 333

3
 
N.C.(E) 

0

 0
0
7
98 !8  
10  7 9  6  7 7
9
9
7 910
8 9 8
10 9 7  6
  77
7 3  2  1 3
high school dances, we realized that 0 0

there was this magic that had to be
created by the four of us as a group.
0 0 0
 

We knew instantly that, once you 0 0 0 0
start performing in front of people,
 7 9 11 12
9  11 12 12 14 11 11 12 12 12 11  9 9 9 7 7 9
9
9

you become aware of the tools at your 7 7 7
0 0 0
disposal—not just the instruments
3
 
and the amps, but your music. You 1/2
come to grips with whether it’s good
0
enough. You have a song with just
a few chords, and you have nothing
9
 11 12 14
   
14 14 10 10 10 10 14 13 10 9 7 9 10 9  7 G 7 6 6 6
else with which to wow the audience. 7 7 7 0 11 12 14 7 7 2
0 0
So it becomes about playing those
3
two chords really well, and commu-
nicating with everyone else in the FFIGURE
I G U R E 334
4
0
band and creating some sort of magic N.C.(E) A/E
 
in the room on that particular night. 0


0 5
 7 7  7 7 9  11 11  14 14 11 11 11 7 !7
This is what got me thinking that 1 6 6
2 7 7 69
I really needed to practice not just 2
memorizing the chords and where 0 0 0 0
  
they can be played on the guitar,
 
but also what went with the chords,
and not just what you’d learn out of
8  6898 6  5
6 6 6 
a music theory book. You’d never 96 767 96 6 97 7 6 4  9 7 6
679 7  11  2 
find what Eric Clapton was doing in 00 0
those books, and he sounded com-
  
3 3 3 3 3 3 3
pletely free and perfectly timely with
what he played. When you have such 0

0
a great reference like Clapton and 9 7 7 6 6 7 7 6
Cream to point you in a direction, you  7
0
6
7
6 9 9 8 8 9 9 8 6 8  6 8 9 12 11 9
0
 9 11 
will hopefully realize, Okay, I’m in a
     

major key, but I can play blues on this 3 3 3 3
 
because I heard Eric Clapton do that,
and he’s God, so it must be okay for
14 13 9 9 9 9 6G 6  
me to try to emulate that!  12 12 9 6 9 7 7 4
3
4 2
2
6
2
Just knowing that a lick like this 0 0
(FIGURE 12) can somehow work per-
3 3
fectly with the E-to-D progression FFIGURE
I G U R E 335
5
is a big deal because it will expand
your musical universe. You have E A Am6
  

to be exposed to 1) what’s accept- 12 12 12 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7
13 13 13 13 13 13 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5
able, 2) what is possible in a particu- 14 14 14 14 14 14 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
lar chord progression, and 3) how far
is too far? When you make that jour-
0 
ney from a beginning player to an E Dsus2
 A5 N.C.(E) Csus2 E


advanced player, you find that there
0 0 0 0 5 5 0

 
are no rules and that anything is pos- 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 5 5 3 3 3 3 0
4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 1
 0
sible, although you will incur the 6 6 6 6 6 2 2 0 0 0 0 2

wrath of the audience when you go 0 3 3 3 3 2
0 0 0 0 0
too far. Some people will say, “I love
all the feedback and weird notes!”
while others might say, “I hate that
stuff; why can’t he just stick to the

FIGURE
F I G U R E 36
36 FIGURE
F I G U R E 37
37 FFIGURE
I G U R E 338
8
good notes?” That’s your lot as a per- Emaj 76 Csus2/E Emaj 76 Dsus2/E Gmaj 76 #11 Freely

0 0
forming musician—you can’t please
    
0
everybody, but you can use the song 0 2


  
4 3 4 5 2
as a form of exploration for yourself.
In your younger years, I think every-  6
6
5
5
6
6
7
7  4
2
5 11
9
one should explore these things, not 0 0 3
just within the scope of the band, but
in front of an audience, to see what
C#m  
slight P.H.


will and can happen in a live perfor-
mance situation when you try differ- 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 9 11 11  13 13 11 9 11 11 9
11 9  7 9 7 6
ent things. 9
3 3 3
 
Bsus2 F#sus2 C#m
S O LO I NG let ring

I started listening to the play-
4
6
6  !6 
9 11 11  13 14
ers at the time that I thought were 7 6 (7)  4 2 4 7 9 11 11 11
really great—and Jimi Hendrix was 2 7 9
 
my Number One—but that whole
group of rock guitar pioneers from
G 4  
the mid/late Sixties were the per-
13 14 13  11

fect mix for me, and I was the perfect 9 11 6 4 2 2 4 2 4 6 4 (6) 6 7
age at the time for that. I was listen-
ing to Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy 
  
3 3
Page, Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix
and about 100 other amazing guitar-
ists, and all of their heroes that were
a little bit older, the blues players like 6 7 6
9
6
9 7 6 6

7 9 7 6 7 9 7  6 (9) (7) 4 6 4 2  4 6 7 9
6 7 9
6  8 9 8
11
8
B.B. and Albert King. I’d pick out a
   

little lick here and there. 3 1 5 1
There was a very important posi-
9 10  11 11 9 11 19 9 9
tion that I didn’t know at all, the one 9 10 12 12 12  14 (14 ) 14 12 9 12  7 9 !
8
where all of the cool Albert King and 9 11
Chuck Berry licks were residing. I
did start to pick a few things out, and
at some point, I saw a young guitar 5 3
player do this (FIGURE 13) and the FIGURE
F I G U R E 39
39
heavens opened up! I thought, He’s
C#m
  16 
not moving his hand up and down, 1 1/2 1
and just that one lick sounds like a
 
14 16 16 14 12 14 16 16 19
combination of all of those guitar

players. Where did they all learn this? 18 16 18 13 14
They must have all traveled to some
distant mountain and paid 20 sacks  
of gold so that they could be given the
secret of the position (FIGURE 14)! All

3 3

of that stuff suddenly made sense to 13 14 13 11 9 11 13 11 13 11 9 11 8 9 8 6 8 9
me. Now I had this position, and that
was a big deal.
Here in an “A” position, I’m using 3 3
A minor pentatonic (A C D E G) and
throwing in the sixth, Fs, now and
then, and Ds, the augmented fourth,
11 8 9 8 8  
11 11 9 7 6 7 9 7 6 7 9 11 9 7 6 7 7 6
and two-string bends for a bluesy 11 9 7 6 7 9
effect. But it started out so inno-
3 3 5
cently; I must have played in that “A”
position for hours and hours every
guitarworld.com 49
Learn
from the
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FIGURE
F I G U R E 40
40
C# Aeolian (natural minor)   
 

9 10 12 9 10 9 9
8 9 11 11 11 9 8 9 8
9 11
day until my hand would not work
anymore.
I soon realized what the “anchor”
FIGURE
F I G U R E 41
41 FIGURE
F I G U R E42
42
 
notes—the root notes—were, so I
could move these licks wherever, and C#m C#m
I realized that it was the relationship      6
 
9
8 9 8 6 4  6  8  9  11
between the top three strings that 9  11  9  11  13  11 9  11 9 6  4  2  4

made that little “box” pattern sound
so cool. It’s the same with this posi-
tion (FIGURE 15), which is slightly 5

   w/bar  
   w/bar
different, in terms of the relation- FIGURE
F I G U R E 43
43
1/2 w/bar
ship between the G and the B strings. -2
All of these licks happen this way   

8 10 12 10 12 8
because of the way the strings are 5 7 9 5 4 4 42 2 0
tuned.
I began to look at the relationship
between just pairs of adjacent strings, 3 3 3
like this (FIGURE 16), and then it’s
FIGURE
F I G U R E 44
44 FFIGURE
I G U R E 445
5
    
different for the last phrase because 1/2 1 1/2
1 1
  
the B and G strings are tuned differ-

10 12 14 10 10 12 12 10
 
ently from the other strings, relative 13 11 11 13 11 11 12 12 12 12
to each another.
Then, something else happened:
I heard a song that was in C, but A
minor pentatonic worked over it
(FIGURE 17), which led to the discov-
ery of relative major and minor keys,
and that A minor pentatonic was the
same scale as C major pentatonic. I
thought, These are the same licks,
but they end in a different spot! And with it. Leslie West would do it up here (FIG- ger, but you can play it that way in 12th posi-
I thought, Well, there must be a rela- URE 19) with more economy of notes. Les- tion, too. You soon learn that every position
tionship here. I had already learned lie told me that he was instructed by [Moun- has its pluses and minuses—the intonation,
minor pentatonic all over the place, tain bassist] Felix Pappalardi to play a num- the size of the note, the envelope of the note.
so I just needed to change my percep- ber of solos over quite a few of those songs, And because of the structure of a certain gui-
tion of what the “one” is, which was like “Mississippi Queen,” and Felix arranged tar, some positions will feel good and some
a big deal. In other words, rockin’ out a “comp” track that combined different licks, won’t. On an SG, 22nd position feels tight, but
in A minor was pretty much the same and he gave it to Leslie and said, “Now learn on a 24-fret guitar, it feels great. Think of the
as rockin’ out in C major. to play this.” That little shift in perception “Stairway to Heaven” solo Jimmy Page played
In this example (FIGURE 18), I’m for beginning players is so important. What it on a Tele; that’s uncomfortable, but he went
comparing what the same lick sounds often reveals is, you already know that! Your right to the very top of the fretboard, which is
like when played over an A root, ver- fingers have already been here, so it’s just how just crazy. But it adds to the emotion and angst
sus over a C root. Each context has a you end it, or how you start it. of the solo.
completely different feel: when you Learning how to play is like building the I was playing a Hagstrom II in the begin-
bend D up to E, over A, it’s the fourth ultimate Lego tower; every little thing you do ning, and I learned that even if I learned a lick
to the fifth, but over C, it’s the second in the beginning creates this great foundation, in 12th position, it might actually sound bet-
to the major third, which has a “hap- and you don’t have to re-build every time. It ter in first position (FIGURE 21), especially if
pier” sound. I started to notice, that’s provides a mountain of experience that you you move between rhythm and lead. You learn
kind of what I heard on that Zeppelin can always draw upon. Everything you learn is that some positions are better for the middle
record, or that Hendrix thing here, going to be important. of the song, or for the end of the song when
and I definitely hear Clapton doing For soloing over E (FIGURE 20), it felt odd frenzy is called for. I tried to figure out that lit-
it. Some guitar players were sneakier because you don’t barre with your index fin- tle box position everywhere (FIGURE 22).

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L EAR N IN G S CA LES
For me, the whole idea behind
learning scales was revolutionized
by my high school music teacher,
Bill Westcott. He told me that, just in
case I didn’t become the kind of gui-
tar player I wanted to be, I shouldn’t
let any physical shortcomings hold
me back; the most important aspect
of musical development was going
to take place in my mind, which was
limitless, so just keep feeding it and
developing it.
One of the things he instructed
me to do was to sing scales, to learn
the intervals, to know what it was
on paper, and to be able to generate
it with my voice in any key that my
vocal chords could allow. Then I was
to translate that to the guitar, not for
performance purposes, but to learn
what the spaces between the notes
felt like. So I did start with something
like a G major scale, playing and sing-
ing each scale degree in pairs and in
relationship to the G root note (FIG-
URE 23). If any of the scale degrees
were altered, I’d sing and say what
those other intervals were. I had
flash cards with 15 different scales on
them, and I learned how to play those
scales in two octaves (FIGURE 24),
which may have come from these
books I bought from Billy Bauer, a
great jazz guitarist that was another
teacher of mine. It gave me a great
way to organize studying scales and
arpeggios, especially for the singing
exercises. I’d sing the different inter-
vals and I became aware of the differ-
ence of feeling in my body and voice,
and hear it, and look at it on the board THERE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT
to. My goal was, if I hear these two
notes on the radio, I want my brain to
say, I know what that is.
POSITION THAT I DIDN’T KNOW AT
And this is what Bill Westcott was
getting at (FIGURE 25), singing and ALL, THE ONE WHERE ALL OF THE
comparing each of the 12 tones to the
root note in order to learn exactly
what that was about. I would go
COOL ALBERT KING AND CHUCK
through the major scale, the Dorian
mode, Phrygian mode, Lydian mode, BERRY LICKS WERE RESIDING.”

Learn
from the
MASTERS
IS S U E
2 OF 3!
“VIBRATO IS REALLY PART OF THE MELODIC

INFORMATION, SO IT SHOULDN’T JUST BE POURED ON
Mixolydian, natural minor (a.k.a.
the Aeolian mode), Locrian, Phry-
LIKE HOT SAUCE!”
gian-dominant, harmonic minor and
melodic minor. I didn’t bother with
anything other than the seven-note
scales; I don’t think I was working
on diminished scales and arpeggios audience in the world! In the back of my then I heard those chords moving around.
yet, either. But working with all of mind, I knew it was about coordination and Soon, I addressed the “C” shape chords as
those scales was enough, and I think I teaching my body to get used to the guitar. D Dorian chords (FIGURE 31), which took me
stayed in the key of G because I could I had a long list of things to work on: I down yet another very important road.
sing everything there. Then I trans- don’t know what all the notes are; I don’t
lated this approach to the piano so know where all of the scales are; I don’t
that I could hear it in different keys know all of the chords; I don’t even know
more easily. what all of the scales are called and how
I N T E RVALS/MO D ES
On guitar, it’s easy to use an E they relate to each other. I realized, I’ve got As I was putting practice time into each of
drone and play different scales and to start somewhere, and the chord thing these different things—scales, chords, inter-
simply soak in the sound (FIGURE seemed like the easiest thing to do, because vals, riffs—they all started to connect with
26). Then I’d move on to other more I had some small, great chord books. The one another. A favorite exercise of mine is to
unusual scales (FIGURE 27), hearing thing was that they were finite, so my field of just meander around the fretboard and listen
the big difference between Phrygian- study was focused in a clear way. to the sound that is coming out (FIGURE 32).
dominant, which has a major third, I had a great Joe Pass guitar book that had I’d change a few notes, moving from major
and regular Phrygian, which has a the chords arranged in groups, like a cou- to minor, and I’d acknowledge the differ-
minor third. And I’d work out the fin- ple of pages under “C major” with no chord ent feeling in the musical sounds and refer-
gerings as I went along. names. I gave myself a couple of weeks and ences. Then I’d try pushing it a little further
Soon, I was figuring out different thought, I will simply play every chord in (FIGURE 33), using Aeolian, then dominant,
fingerings for one-, two- and three- this book every day before I do my home- or Mixolydian. I started to notice that when
octave modes, all over the fretboard, work. I opened to page 1 and played through I switched from one mode to another, that
playing scales on only one string, and them all, like this (FIGURE 29). Each chord “hand off” was an effect in and of itself. Some
learning the names of every note on was a C but it was C with something, with required more attention to the chord that
every string. I still had school to go to a sprinkle of this and a dash of that. Then was represented by the notes (FIGURE 34),
and trouble to get in, but I somehow there were a few pages of dominant seven like playing the four chord, A, over the “one,”
found the time to get it all in. I devel- chords, diminished seven chords and half- E, alluding to chord progressions.
oped a manner to get through all of diminished seven chords. This gave me great There are songs of mine in which the
the many things I wanted to cover in options for other sounds that I was learning band will hold a drone, and I’ll move through
each practice session, such as moving for the first time. seven different modes in the melody, sort
pieces of a scale to different positions Where I “connected the dots” was, as of imagining a chord progression that’s
(FIGURE 28). I played through the chord shapes (FIG- not really there (FIGURE 35). It sounds a
URE 30), I found chords that had almost bit corny just playing the chords, but it can
the entire scale represented in them. These sound majestic when translated in a single-
chords were so beautiful to my ear, even note melody that’s articulated with finger
PR ACT IC E R E GI MEN though I knew I’d probably not use most of slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and whatnot.
In regard to practicing, I started to them with my band. A few weeks later at a It’s like looking up at the stars, and suddenly
realize, in two- to three-week inter- jam session, I played some of these chords you go, “oh, there’s Orion’s Belt!” You’re
vals, that if I was really getting into and the guys all looked at me, like, “what just hitting on the particular notes you need
finger exercises, I’d end up with happened to you?!” “What is that? It’s to tell a harmonic story. This type of thing
a cold, empty feeling at the end of magic!” And I thought, You like that?! I said, made me realize that I was going to work
the practice session! No music was “it’s this chord book that’s really twisting my my hardest on developing opinions about
attempted, and no joy was experi- brain,” in terms of what a chord name was these modes, so that, eventually, if I wanted
enced. I began to wonder, Why am I suggesting to me. I still knew power chords to write a song wherein the harmony kept
trying to get good at these, and who were extremely important; it was just a mat- changing with every chord (FIGURE 36), I
would want to listen to me perform- ter of what the music called for. I heard some could find a melodic thread to connect the
ing this stuff? The answer was, no fragments of this in Hendrix’s music, and whole thing.

ships. I don’t think you really need to know Part of what has turned into my lan-
T E C HN IQ UE AN D MUSI CA LI TY the names of everything. Students have guage on the electric guitar in terms of play-
At the G4 clinics, a lot of times I like to asked me, “Why do I need to learn music ing melodies and solos has been depen-
start with an E drone, and I’ll tell every- theory?” and I’d say, “You don’t.” Then I’d dent upon techniques that go from Chuck
one that this is the way I like to warm up, play Gmaj7/6s11 (FIGURE 37) and they’d Berry to Allan Holdsworth, and all of the
when I’ve become so bored with finger and say, “What’s that?!” “gain” stuff that Hendrix used to tell his
scale exercises, and I just solo very slowly I will often pick up my guitar, plug in and story. I’m playing scales (FIGURES 40 and
for quite a while, making sure I can still play just wander about (FIGURES 38 and 39), 41) using vibrato, sounding notes and then
the guitar. I’ll explore everything we’ve just and a lot of little technique things will grab bringing the vibrato in afterward. Vibrato is
gone over, everywhere on the guitar. my attention and I’ll work on them. My gui- really part of the melodic information, so it
In order to be able to express yourself tar, and the sound I like, enables all of this shouldn’t just be poured on like hot sauce!
freely, you at least need to be familiar with legato playing, which wouldn’t work on a A great, sneaky technique is this slid-
scales and chords and intervallic relation- Tele through a ’59 Fender Champ. ing thing (FIGURE 42), which yields its own
specific results, in terms of presenting a
melodic idea.
VI BRATO AN D ME LO DY
When I’m putting instrumental music
together, I pore over the melodies like
crazy. It’s insane how deep I get into it. I’ll
investigate 600 slightly different ways to
play the same melodic phrase. There’s a
song on my latest album with a lot of Jeff
Beck–style bar vibrato (FIGURE 43). I was
thinking about singers in Eastern music,
from Japan to Eastern Europe, and their
use of vibrato is quite different from what
we’re accustomed to with Western music.
The idea is that the type of vibrato is deter-
mined by what is best for the flavor of the
song, and not just to shake a note for the
sake of shaking a note.
A great way to develop a good finger
vibrato technique is to bend up to a note and
then add vibrato (FIGURE 44), trying dif-
ferent types of vibratos, from slightly flat
to right on to slightly sharp. So, you could
bend up to a vibrato at least three different
ways. If you had to play a specific melodic
line along with other instruments, you
might play it completely straight (FIGURE
45), but if you played it on your own, you’re
free to add bends and vibratos as you see fit.
All of us have only a certain amount of
time to practice. As a teacher, I try to imag-
ine the best way within each player’s musi-
cal life for him or her to apply the many dif-
ferent techniques being learned, in order to
gain the most from working on these things.
If you can work on them within a song or
real-world musical application, you’re kill-
ing two birds with one stone. It might just
take that one gig, where you utilize a tech-
nique on a particular song in a performance
to make that essential realization, and it
didn’t take 16 hours of sitting in a room
practicing vibratos. It’s very difficult not
to gain insight from those musical lessons
learned when performing with a band in
front of an audience.
Kyle Shutt of The Sword knows you can’t be an original if you’re playing what everyone else is.
Visit reverendguitars.com to start your journey.
Be sure to look for next issue’s Master Class
with John Petrucci!
56 GU I TA R WOR L D
56 GU I TA R WOR L D • AUGUST 2015
GUITAR WORLD MARCH 2018 PAGE FIFTY-EIGHT
FUNK SOUL
BROTHER
THE VIRTUOSO TEAMS UP WITH CHAD SMITH AND GLENN HUGHES
FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, A NEW ALBUM OOZING
WITH FUNKALICIOUS GROOVES AND SOULFUL STYLINGS.
B Y J O E B O S S O
P H O T O G R A P H B Y J O S E P H C U L T I C E
J|O|E|S|A|T|R|I|A|N|I
AS JOE SATRIANI BEGAN WRITING MATERIAL

FOR WHAT WOULD BECOME HIS 16TH SOLO
STUDIO ALBUM, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, HE
SEIZED A RADICAL IDEA THAT HAD BEEN
BREWING IN HIS MIND FOR A WHILE: THERE
WOULD BE NO RADICAL IDEAS. IT WAS TIME
TO KEEP THINGS PURE AND SIMPLE.
Ever since his recording career began in
1986, the guitar virtuoso has worked fan-
ciful concepts throughout his albums—
there was time travel and intergalactic
space themes; there were Silver Surfers
and gigantic rock robots; and even Satri-
ani himself got caught up in the act, assum-
ing various guises and alien personas, such
as Professor Satchafunkilus and Shock-
wave Supernova. As the conceits piled up,
the music became more elaborate, with an
emphasis on extended arrangements and
shifting time signatures. For Satriani, it was
all becoming a bit too much.
“Eventually, you just have to sum-
mon the nerve to close one door and open
another,” he says. “I think I knew it on the
Shockwave Supernova album. It was a defin-
itive coming together of artistic explora-
tions that had lasted a couple of decades,
but I did end it with the track ‘Goodbye
Supernova.’ At first I didn’t think it was album in a text he sent to his old pal and a dynamite rhythm section for his latest
such a heavy statement; it was just a song Chickenfoot bandmate Chad Smith (also endeavor.
that encapsulated the narrative of the the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Pep- “Deep grooves were very important on
album. But as we played it on tour every pers): “No odd-time signatures, no pro- this record, so I needed players who could
night, it was cathartic. I started to realize gressive stuff, pure rock and soul.” Smith funk and rock,” Satriani says. “I grew up
that I was breaking away from the past.” was in immediately. And then the guitar- on that, and it’s something I miss. Every-
He pauses, then adds thoughtfully, “I ist had a wildcard idea to complete the stu- thing in rock has gotten so stiff over the
wanted to get my brain out of the cosmos dio trio—Glenn Hughes. The onetime Deep years. Glenn was part of the fabric of rock
and get back to being a guitar player with Purple bassist and vocalist (and current that had funk and soul in it, and obviously
two feet on the ground. I wasn’t trying to frontman for Black Country Communion) Chad lives and breathes that stuff. They
reinvent myself as much as I was trying to was already chummy with Smith—the two knew exactly what I was looking for, and
return to something that I was—me.” have recorded together over the years— they were right on the money the whole
Satch laid out his plans for the new and Satriani had a feeling they would make time.”

In your text to Chad, you wrote “no
Performing in
Columbus, Ohio progressive stuff.” But whenever you
touched on that genre in your music, it
never sounded like true prog. It didn’t
sound like math.
Yeah, well, that’s not me. I always keep
it real and natural—I try to, at least. Even
when I dip into the blues or jazz or some-
thing, you can hear that I’m not co-opting
or culture raiding. I’m still a rock guitarist.
Did the state of the world ever enter into

your writing? Songs like “Cherry Blos-
soms” and “Forever and Ever” are so
touching and wistful. Were you thinking,
People need this right now?
Oh, yeah. Escape. The world needs escape.
I know I do. I never put on music to remind
me of how terrible the world is or to digest
the subtleties of politics. I put on music to
make me feel good or to make me forget
what is happening. Yesterday I was paint-
ing, and I think I listened to the new TV on
the Radio album 20 times. It just put me in
this great place.
So yeah, there’s heartfelt stuff on the
record that takes you somewhere warm
and nice, but then I have stuff like “Energy”
that just rocks—and that’s another kind
of escape. It’s that feeling of being super-
excited and having positive energy pulsing
through your hands. And I want to spread
that around.
Do you still think about technical break-

throughs on the guitar when you write,
or is the focus solely on composing good
songs?
No, I’m still excited about that. I’m still a
little kid in the candy store when it comes
to doing crazy things with guitars and amps
and pedals. In the demo for “Cherry Blos-
soms,” I was really shredding in the solo—
it was nuts. But when I listened back to
it, it sounded embarrassing. There were
too many notes; it sounded like I was just
showing off. So I told the guys in the stu-
dio, “I want to do something different
The album’s title, What Happens Next, ody, suddenly explodes into schizo guitar there.” They were all in agreement—“Okay,
is as direct a statement as Satriani has ever rock, the effect is shattering, and this feel- do something different, but don’t suck.”
offered, and the same can be said about its ing is heightened because the moment feels [laughs] So I plugged into a whammy pedal
songs. There are relentless, riff-o-matic completely spontaneous. and a Micro Pog, and I think I had a Twin
rock behemoths (“Energy,” “Headrush”), “I wanted everything to hit hard but Bender into an old ’71 Super Lead Marshall
wild funk stompers (“Catbot,” “Super still have those unexpected ‘oh, wow!’ head, and I just went for it.
Funky Badass”) and laid-back groovers moments,” Satriani says. “And more impor- The sound was totally freaking out. I’m
(“Righteous,” “Smooth Soul”). Everything tantly, I wanted it to sound like three crazy doing all these crazy things, manipulating
is illuminated quickly and efficiently, but musicians making noise together. I have the pedals and going back to the guitar. The
that’s not to say Satriani’s perfectly crafted to give my producer, Mike Fraser, a lot of guitar was just ringing out in this ambient
CHAPMAN BAEHLER
songs lack dimension or surprises: When credit. He gave us just enough room to go way—it was cool and strange. I must have
“Cherry Blossoms,” a transfixing ballad nuts, but he always kept his eye on the orig- looked like an idiot to the guys in the con-
built around an elegant Santana-esque mel- inal idea of each song.” trol room, but when we all listened back to
guitarworld.com 61
“I WASN’T TRYING TO
REINVENT MYSELF AS
it, the stuff I was doing sounded really strik-
MUCH AS I WAS TRYING ular technique into a song—it never works
ing. But the reason I got there was because
what I did on the demo just didn’t work, the
TO RETURN that way.
shredding stuff. TO SOMETHING Overall, there’s a stripped-down quality
THAT I WAS—ME.”
to the sound on the record. Did you use
I asked that question because a portion of less gear and fewer guitars this time?
your fans still want to hear “Joe Satriani, I did keep it lighter than usual. I’m not
guitar hero”—like when they go to gui- signed to Marshall anymore, but I did use
tar clinics. my JVM410—the HJS. I think Marshall
“Show us the crazy stuff.” Sure, I get that. is still selling them. Eighty-five percent of
It’s always a balance. Some of the more tech- the time, that was the head I used for mel-
nically minded people want to hear that, within the first 10 minutes of playing with the odies and solos. I also acquired an MZero
but I think the majority of the audience just two of them at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, from Mezzabarba that’s pretty cool. I used
wants to hear music. I imagine that some it totally confirmed my feelings that this was a few vintage Marshall heads from between
guitar players might hear a song like “Righ- the right move. The ideas coming from them ’67 and ’75, and there were a couple of old
teous” and think, That sounds so simple. as a rhythm section were fantastic. Fender combos.
Anybody can play that. Then I’ll go, “Okay, I had three guitars that pretty much did
let me see you pull it off.” What sounds easy Chad and Glenn are both equally adept at everything. I had my number one Ibanez
isn’t always easy. rock and soul. Did they make you dig into MCO—that’s the prototype for the orange
your rhythm playing differently? JS2410—and then its brother, the DMCP.
That song reminded me of classic Al They did, and I needed it. I wanted play- My Ibanez JS25ART guitar sounded pretty
Green. ers who could fill the spaces and make them great on everything. Those were the main
Oh, that’s great! It’s from that period of exciting but not technical—and you know, ones. There were some bits where I used
music that was flying around when I was a that keeps me on my toes. Like a lot of this a Custom Shop ’69 Strat, and I paired that
young guitar player. I grew up with so much stuff, it sounds easy in principle, but you with a Custom Shop Flying V. Funny,
soul music in the house, Al Green in particu- really need the right guys to pull it off. though, I still can’t figure out how to sit
lar. When you live in a house of seven people, down with a V. [laughs]
everybody listens to what everybody else has. I’m sure you didn’t have to explain to them
I was the youngest, so as people started leav- the stone-cold grooves you wanted for Did you use new effects in the studio?
ing, a lot of records got left behind. “Catbot” and “Super Funky Badass.” There was definitely one that I found really
No, not really. “Super Funky Badass” is exciting—the Sola Sound Tone Bender, the
I imagine there was some Sly Stone in the pretty straight ahead, but “Catbot” is kind MKII. That thing just totally blew my mind.
house, too. “Smooth Soul” sounds like Sly. of weird. “Rock and soul” was definitely I think Sola Sound has a cease and desist
Sure. That’s Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Car- the phrase I used with them a lot. Because order against them, so I’ve been scouring
los Santana—I’m waving a big flag, saying, I didn’t want to scare them away thinking, the world trying to buy up various things. I
“You guys are awesome!” “Smooth Soul” Here’s this song in 17/8, and you gotta play also used a Ramble FX Twin Bender, which
sounds easy but was difficult to play. Songs this pattern exactly like my demo or some- is a cleaned-up version of the Tone Bender.
like “Energy” and “Head Rush” are easy to thing like that. I let them move around. What else did I use?... A little Voodoo Vibe
play—they just push you along—but stuff and the Strymon El Capistan—that’s a great
like “Smooth Soul” and “Righteous” can be On “Thunder High on the Mountain,” you little echo. Of course, there’s a little Pog
challenging. The weight is entirely on your do some hammer-ons, but they’re an and Micro Pog. There’s one song, “Looper,”
shoulders and how you finesse the melody. essential part of the melody. A lot of peo- that’s almost entirely SansAmp. So, you
ple still use that technique as a flashy know, some new stuff.
Obviously, you’ve played with Chad a trick.
whole bunch. Glenn Hughes is an interest- Yeah, it’s funny isn’t it? I don’t start out You recently turned 61, yet this album
ing choice: He’s primarily a singing bass- thinking that I’ve got to do hammer-ons. sounds just as youthful as Surfing with
ist, not a studio bass player. Sometimes it happens by accident onstage: the Alien.
And that was a concern for me at first. I didn’t The spotlight hits you and you lift up the Yeah, that is odd. What can I say? I feel 61,
know if he’d be willing to not sing—I didn’t guitar—“Hey, look at this!” But when I’m but hey, I’m pretty happy to be here. [laughs]
want to hurt his feelings by asking him that. writing, I’m kind of singing a melody and I’m also happy to take this shift in sub-
And he even said to me, “Are you sure you thinking, How many ways can I get this ject matter. I think that really helped with
want me to just play on this thing?” But I said, across? With that song, I tried it with the the energy behind the whole record. When
“Yeah, it’ll be fantastic,” because I knew he hammer-on thing and it sounded interest- you’re excited, it’s gonna come out. I hope
and Chad were already tight. And I gotta say, ing. But I’m never trying to get any partic- people can hear that.

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C HANGING
G EARS
MACHINE HEAD frontman ROBB FLYNN

sounds off about the ongoing evolution of his Bay Area thrash metal
outfit and how the politically charged, musically varied Catharsis
represents where the band is in 2018.
By RICHARD BIENSTOCK
Photography by ALBERT TATLOCK
65
GUITAR WORLD
Catharsis is not Machine Head’s
heaviest record.
When I first made those comments it was
because fans were asking, “What does the
record sound like?” And it’s such a cli-
ché that every metal band says, “It’s the
heaviest shit ever!” So I started think-
ing about it in real time, and I was think-
ing about songs like “Behind a Mask”
and “Bastards” and “Eulogy,” and I was
like, “It’s not the heaviest. And it’s really
melodic. And it’s really grooving. It’s
probably the least thrashy we’ve been in
a long time.” And when I started saying
that it freaked some fans out. But I think
you’ve got to be honest with your fans.
I could make someone think this album
is fucking Reign in Blood right now if I
wanted to. But that wouldn’t be very sin-
“YOU EVER GO DANCING?” cere of me. So I just told it how I thought
Robb Flynn is asking Guitar World a question and, it was.
to be sure, it’s hardly the sort of question one would
expect from the singer, guitarist and main songwriter Those songs you mentioned, in par-
of Bay Area groove-thrash kings Machine Head. But ticular “Behind a Mask” and “Bas-
smart money says that Flynn has a point to make. And so GW tards,” are pretty far from the nor-
offers the frontman a tentative answer: mal Machine Head fare.
“Not often.” Yeah. “Behind a Mask” is a first for
“Me neither!” Flynn quickly Machine Head. There’s no heavy gui-
responds. “But my wife loves to dance, tar riff and no heavy vocals throughout
and so sometimes she’ll drag me to the the whole song. And “Bastards,” it’s a folk
club. But a friend once told me: ‘You song. Lyrically, that song was written the
can pull off any dance move as long day after the [2016 presidential] election.
as you keep a straight face. Because It was based on a conversation that I had
you’ll fucking own it.’ ” And here, with my two boys. And it was a compli-
Flynn makes his point, using this story other perceived enemies of liberty over cated conversation. So the next day I just
to draw a parallel to Machine Head’s a musical backdrop that is equal parts started writing lyrics, and those words
new and ninth studio album, a mas- punk-metal anthem and folk-rock pro- just vomited out of me in, like, 60 min-
sive 15-song, hour-plus offering titled test song. And other tracks, from the utes. In order. And that doesn’t happen
Catharsis. “To me, there were a handful grungy “Screaming at the Sun,” to the too often. And when I was done I had that
of songs on this record where I was like, unplugged ballad “Behind a Mask,” melody for the chorus in my head and I
‘Can we own this?’ ” he says. “Because which features a full-on acoustic gui- picked up my acoustic guitar and I started
some of these songs are definitely out of tar solo, to the atmospheric, almost strumming four chords that I’ve heard
our wheelhouse.” post-metal closer, “Eulogy,” are sim- a million times over the years. It’s four
True to Flynn’s word, the new ilarly outside the standard Machine chords that have been around forever.
Catharsis is unlike any album Machine Head box. And I knew that and I didn’t care. And I
Head—which also currently includes In early interviews about Cathar- worked out the song right there. And then
guitarist Phil Demmel, drummer Dave sis, Flynn went so far as to warn fans the intro is like a six-fingered tapping
Machine head • Changing Gears
McClain and bassist and backing vocal- that they shouldn’t expect the record thing. It’s fucking insane.
ist Jared MacEachern—have released to rank among the band’s heaviest. But,
over the course of their career. To be he says, “You know what, man? We’ve At the same time, there’s also things
sure, there are plenty of tracks—the got some great fucking songs here. And like the opening track, “Volatile,”
throttling opener “Volatile”; the nihil- it’s still heavy, it’s still Machine Head. which is just a straight-up classic
istic thrash-’n’-roll workout “Razor- But it’s definitely not the traditional Machine Head rager.
blade Smile”; the grinding, downtuned Machine Head. It’s really different I wrote that the day of the Charlottes-
groover “Triple Beam”—that make it from what we’ve done in the past. And ville [far-right] rally. We were in the stu-
clear that, almost a quarter-century that’s a good thing.” dio and I’d been watching that shit unfold
after their landmark 1994 debut, Burn And lest any fans be concerned that on TV for two days. I literally watched
My Eyes, Machine Head are still one of Flynn and Co. bit off more than they Heather [Heyer] get murdered. And I
RICK KERN/GETTY IMAGES
the most ferocious and explosive units could chew with Catharsis, the front- was like, “What the fuck?” I went into
in modern metal. But Flynn also uses man returns to his earlier analogy about the lounge of the studio and just starting
the album’s ample run time to show- dancing. “We just decided, ‘Let’s put on writing lyrics, and 20 minutes later I was
case songs that explore other sides that straight face and fucking own it,’ ” singing them and we were recording the
of the band’s musical makeup. Chief he says. “And we did.” song. And that’s what you hear. If music is
among these tunes is “Bastards,” which a snapshot of somebody’s headspace in a
finds the singer ranting against politi- Since day one you’ve been pretty moment, you got a pissed-off, angry, frus-
cians, Wall Street, racists, rednecks and upfront about the fact that trated, confused moment right there.

Can you talk about your gear setup on erful statements, and they’re statements that
Catharsis? inspired me. So I just think it’s weird that
My main guitar is this custom baritone that metal bands have written so many songs about
I have had for about a decade now. I want a wars from 150 years ago, but they won’t write
tight downtuned tone, not something sludgy, about the wars that are going on now. I mean,
so getting the baritone with the longer scale there are some bands that have entire albums
neck was amazing. Because those three extra and careers based on wars that happened hun-
inches just makes the strings so much tighter. dreds of years ago! But we’re all afraid to com-
Not to mention I’ve got fat fingers! [laughs] ment on what’s going on today. That’s just
The guitar was handmade by this guy Dragan, strange to me.
and it’s just a fucking awesome guitar. I actu-
ally have a little arsenal of guitars from him. There also have been times when you’ve
Then my main amp was my old [Peavey] 5150, challenged your fan base from a musical
which I’ve had for like 23 years now. Its name perspective. For instance, some people
is Bubba. There’s nothing that’s been done to tend to slag on the Burning Red era of the
it—it’s just one of those heads that sounds bet- band, when you brought in some nu-metal
ter than all of the other heads for no reason in influences. But for a lot of your longtime
particular. I play all the rhythms on the album, fans, that period was probably their intro-
and we quad the guitar tracks—two on the duction to Machine Head.
left and two on the right. One side is the 5150 Yeah. I would say the majority of fans that we
through a Boogie cab and the other side is the still have with us are from the Burning Red era.
5150 through a vintage Marshall cab. And you know, in a lot of ways, to me, Cathar-
sis could have been the record that came after
How about effects? The Burning Red. And night after night we play
There are tons of effects. I’ve got a Bradshaw “From This Day” and “The Blood, the Sweat,
unit and also a bunch of old pedals from the the Tears,” and people lose their fucking
Seventies and Eighties. I love the [[Electro- minds. And The Burning Red was really when
Harmonix] Electric Mistress. That’s on pretty
Harmonix the more gothy influences came to the fore.
much every song on the record. Then there’s a Because we were always big Cure fans, and we
Boss chorus, a Boss delay, a Dunlop Jimi Hen- were also adding in the almost poppy elements
drix Fuzz Face, and those old Line 6 multi- they had in songs like “Pictures of You.” And I
effect units that have delays and filters and think with Catharsis, more so than with any of
phasers and shit like that. For me, I like to have our other records, there’s a lot of pop elements
a guitar tone for a minute and then it’s gotta go in there, too.
into some weird psychedelic shit that takes it
into another realm. And that kind of thing is all Does it feel like you really pushed the
over the record. But you know, as far as tones, envelope as far as your sound on this one?
there’s no Kemper or anything like that. In a I think so. And that’s exciting to us. We’re nine
lot of ways it’s a very raw record. albums deep, and I’m constantly asking myself,
“How do we make people go, ‘Oh shit! That’s
Lyrically, there are several songs on the Machine Head?’ ” It’s hard. Especially as you
album, including “Bastards” and “Vol- get older. But you have to look at your legacy,
atile,” that touch on political and cul- you have to look at good decisions and bad deci-
tural issues. You’re a guy who’s known sions you’ve made, and you’ve gotta just throw
to be outspoken about your views. Have all that away. You have to live in the moment
you experienced any backlash because of and go, “This is what we’re doing now.” I mean,
this? lots of people say, “We want you to do The
For sure. I mean I get “Shut up and play” every Blackening again.” Or “We want you to do Burn
day. Every time I post something on social My Eyes again.” And I’m like, “I’m 50 years old!
media. But for a long time now we’ve had these I’m never gonna be that fucking insane, pissed-
pretty political songs, going back to the first off 23-year-old kid running around the streets
album. So if someone says, “I don’t wanna hear of Oakland like I was back then.”
it,” it’s like, “What band have you been listen-
ing to?” [laughs] With all due respect, you still sound
pretty pissed off. The first words we hear
You would think fans would not only on Catharsis are you screaming “Fuck the
expect it from you, but that they would world!”
welcome it. [laughs] Thank you. I appreciate that! But you
P H OTO G R A P H E R T K T K T K
Well, you know, I think musicians have for the know, Keith Richards once said, “We’re all
longest time walked this line about being apo- just a vessel, and your job is to let the music go
litical, in order to not upset anybody. But the through you.” And I truly believe that. You’re
Beatles were writing about the Civil Rights just trying to channel whatever’s coming. I
movement with songs like “Blackbird,” and think that’s the way the best music is made.
Black Sabbath were writing anti-Vietnam War And I feel like we’ve got something really spe-
songs like “War Pigs.” Those are pretty pow- cial with this record.
T H I S C A N R E B U I L D A C O M M U N I T Y.
At the D’Addario Foundation, we believe the most effective D’Addario Foundation goes directly towards giving music
instrument for creating lasting, positive change for children education to children. So every dollar you give makes a real
and their communities is music education. That’s why we difference. Learn more at daddariofoundation.org
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A
JOE
P E R R Y
ROSS HALFIN
A
SWEET
TALK
AEROSMITH GUITARIST
JOE PERRY
ENLISTS THE HELP OF SOME
GU
ITA
LEGENDARY FRIENDS ON HIS SIXTH

R W
SOLO ALBUM, SWEETZERLAND MANIFESTO.
BY RICHARD BIENSTOCK
OR
D L
MA
RC
H 2
018
PA
GE
SE
VE
NT
Y-O
NE
JOE “I’M EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THIS What did Johnny Depp bring to the ses-
P E R R Y sions as executive producer?
record,” says Joe Perry about his new solo effort, Sweetzerland He was in the studio a lot and he always
has really creative ideas. As the tracks
Manifesto. “Because it’s not like every song is just a slammin’ rock were coming to completion he would
song. It’s more spread across the board.” come in and make suggestions. And
again, it was him that suggested I do
Indeed, though Sweetzerland Man- Your last solo effort, Have Guitar, Will Travel, came out nine the record, and at his studio. It was
ifesto is the 67-year-old Aerosmith years ago. What led you to do another album now? right around the time I was finishing
guitarist’s sixth solo album overall, It’s actually been kind of a work in progress over the last few up the book [Perry’s 2014 autobiogra-
it’s unlike anything he’s done previ- years. Between the Aerosmith tours and then the [Holly- phy, Rocks] and he said, “I’d really like
ously. Whereas his past records fea- wood] Vampires, it was something I would work on when I you to do your next solo record, if you
tured either Perry or another singer had time. I think the first track was actually done in 2012. But want to, up at my place.” So he was
as the primary voice, on Sweetzerland [in 2017], since January, I had quite a bit of time on my hands really an important part of this happen-
he’s joined by a variety of vocalists, in L.A. and I was able to finish it up. I just boiled everything ing at all. But again, he would come in
and they’re some of rock’s best and down to what sounded like it would make a good record and I and have suggestions, and sometimes
most distinctive, from legendary New started working on it. it would be a harmony, and sometimes
York Dolls man David Johansen (who it would be a thing that really glued
appears on “Haberdasher Blues,” “I What was that first song you did back in 2012? the song together. He helped to kind
Wanna Roll” and “I’m Going Crazy”), It was “Eve of Destruction.” Johnny [Depp] and I were talk- of guide the whole picture. It certainly
to Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander (“Aye, ing about a record, and I mentioned it was a song I’d been wouldn’t be the record it is if it weren’t
Aye, Aye”), to Terry Reid (“I’ll Do thinking about covering. So we went in the studio and started for him. I wouldn’t have even started
Happiness,” “Sick & Tired,” “Won’t fooling around and laid it down. And from there I started doing it if he hadn’t suggested it.
Let Me Go”), who, as legend has it, working on some other new things. It was a whole different
was offered—and turned down—the vibe. My last few solo records, I did them down in my base- You also have your sons, Tony and
frontman slot in Led Zeppelin prior to ment studio in Boston. And I had a great time doing those, Roman, on the record, adding synth and
Robert Plant. The guitarist received but this was the first time I was able to work in a place where drum programming to the instrumental
further assistance from his Holly- I could have a whole different batch of people come in and track “Spanish Sushi.”
wood Vampires bandmate Johnny play, while still having that same type of situation where Yeah. As you can imagine it’s a lot of
Depp, who served as executive pro- there were no time constraints. fun working with them in the studio,
ducer alongside Perry and producer and watching how the two of them
Bruce Witkin, as well as drummer How did all the guest musicians come to be involved? work together. Because they come at it
Zak Starkey, longtime Aerosmith pro- A lot of it was through Jack Douglas. He lives in the neigh- from different angles. And I certainly
ducer Jack Douglas and Joe’s sons, borhood and we’re good friends. So he’d stick his head in and kept my hands off the steering wheel to
Tony and Roman. listen to what I was doing, and talk about this track and that hear what they had to say. And I think
As far as the music is concerned, track. And he said, “You know, what would you think about that song, I feel like there’ll be a lot
the songs on Sweetzerland Manifesto having David Jo [Johansen] come up and sing over a couple of more like that coming down the pike.
run the gamut from swaggering rock these tracks?” And David and I go all the way back to the Dolls
rave-ups (“Aye, Aye, Aye,” “I’m Going days, to the very beginning of our careers. So I said, “Yeah, if What was your main guitar and amp
Crazy”) to exotica-tinged instrumen- he’s into it, that’d be great.” I’m always excited to hang around setup in the studio?
tals (“Rumble in the Jungle,” “Spanish with David. And he came in, picked a couple of tracks and said, TV Jones has made a couple guitars for
Sushi”) to darker, more R&B-influ- “Let me have a go at one or two of these.” So we spent the bet- me, and Gabriel [Currie] at Echopark
enced fare (“I Wanna Roll,” “Sick & ter part of a week and we turned some of these songs into what has been making some guitars for me.
Tired”), to a cover of P.F. Sloan’s pro- they are. One of them, “Haberdasher Blues,” that came at the I used those on the majority of the
test anthem, “Eve of Destruction,” end of the sessions. We went in and jammed, and I think it tracks. Then there were a couple of
made famous by Barry McGuire in went on for about eight or 10 minutes and we edited that down Strats—that left-handed, burned-up
1965 and here sung by Perry himself, into a more reasonable piece of music. one that I’ve had for almost 20 years
with Depp on drums. At the heart of Then the next thing I know, Jack is suggesting Terry Reid, now, I used that a lot. There’s also a
it all, however, is the blues, which has who I think lives out in Palm Springs. I had never met him few Gibsons—I know that the ’59 [Les
always been Perry’s musical foun- before, and I really didn’t know he was out there still sing- Paul] reissue was one that I played.
dation. “Well, I only know a couple ing and performing. But he came in, picked out a couple of But mostly it was those custom-built
of chords, you know?” he says with a the tunes, went back with Jack to work on some lyrics and Echopark and TV Jones guitars. I cut
laugh. “But, yeah, the blues, it’s just a then laid down some tracks. So it was kind of like that. There some of the best stuff with those. Then
natural tendency for me to go there. wasn’t a plan to go out there and work with a bunch of differ- for amps, for the most part I was using
It’s always the cake. I’m just trying to ent singers. It was more like the music kind of led the way. the Supro Black Magick. We had a
change the icing, that’s all.” setup that worked pretty well where
Perry recently sat down with Gui- Between Terry, David and Robin, you have possibly three of we had, I think, a Marshall out in the
tar World to talk Sweetzerland Man- the most powerful voices in rock history on this record. live room and then a Black Magick
ifesto, his gear (including the custom Yeah. I have to agree with you. When Terry opened up, I was going into an isolation box with a
guitars he used to record the album), really blown away. I was knocked out. So it was really a lot of 12-inch speaker. And that was pretty
and what’s on tap for Hollywood fun. After David did his stuff it started to feel like, okay, this is much it. I think the variety of sounds
Vampires and Aerosmith. the kind of path we’re going to go on… mostly came from the guitars.

How about effects? Vampires record it was a lot of fun. And they in Vegas. And we’re gonna do something a little dif-
I always have the Klon [Centaur]. Mine asked if I wanted to go out on the road with ferent from what I’ve seen other rock bands do that
is one of the original ones—Brad [Whit- them, and there you have it. It’s guys that love go in there and have that space where they don’t
ford, Aerosmith guitarist] and I were to play rock and roll, and there are no rules. It’s have to tear things down after every gig. That’s
each given one when they first came a really cool hang and it’s all about creativity. taken quite a bit of planning. So that’s what’s going
out. And it’s still a mainstay for me. Also, another very important element on with Aerosmith. I don’t know if we’ll actually
So that would be in there. And I had a to that band is Tommy Henriksen, who is get in the studio to cut something new, but we have
[Electro-Harmonix] POG and an old Alice’s right-hand man. I know people don’t talked about it. I really have no idea.
DigiTech Whammy Pedal, and also a know him as well as they would know me and
variety of fuzz pedals. Once in a while I Johnny and Alice, but he’s an integral part of Would you like to do another record with the band?
would just plug something different in. the Vampires. And he’s a really good song- At some point I’d like to. But like I said, creatively
writer as well. I don’t know, when we’re all in a our sights are aimed toward performing these
Are you planning to tour behind Sweet- room together it just seems to work. songs. Some are songs we really haven’t played
zerland Manifesto? much, or it’s been a long time since we played
I’d like to. I’m really excited about You’ve been out on the road recently with them. The show will include all the hits, but there
playing these songs live. When, I Aerosmith, and there’s also been some talk are other songs we want to bring to the stage, too.
haven’t figured out. Because right about the band possibly doing more recording. We’re not going to deviate from what we do, which
after we release the record we’re going Is that happening? is go up and put on a rock and roll show. But at the
to start working on a new Vampires There’s really nothing on the calendar at the same time, we’re going to make it an experience
record. Or at least that’s what we have moment. We’re actually planning a residency you won’t be able to see anywhere else.
on the calendar right now. And then we
have a Vampires tour booked in Europe
in the early spring. But there’s defi-
nitely going to be some time later in the Joe Perry performs
spring and the summer that I could go with a one-off Gibson
out with a band. So we’ll see. But the Custom Les Paul; it
has one humbucker
short answer is yes. I just don’t know and a Wilkinson
when yet. tremolo
JOE
P E R R Y
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME

I WAS ABLE TO WORK IN
A PLACE WHERE I COULD
HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT
BATCH OF PEOPLE COME IN
AND PLAY.
What do you like about doing the Holly-

wood Vampires project?
It’s just loose and a lot of fun. And the
guys are great. Johnny’s a really good
guitar player and he’s got a lot of good
ideas. He’s always writing and he’s
always got a guitar in his hands. And
he loves blues, he knows all the stuff,
and he loves to play live and to be part
of a band. And Alice [Cooper] is one of
my favorite rock singers. He’s prob-
ably one of the most easygoing guys
you’d ever want to meet. And it’s funny
because when I first really sat down
with him on a couch with a guitar in
my hands, I think it was right around
the time Aerosmith got back together.
A A R O N P E R RY
So we’ve been friends for quite a while

and I’ve always liked his whole atti-
tude about rock and roll and every-
thing. So when I got to play on the

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June 14, 1974: Ronnie
Montrose rocks a Gibson
Les Paul in New York City
GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018
Coupled with a pair of timely reissues, Ronnie Montrose’s

final album, 10x10, helps reclaim the legacy of a guitar
legend who forged a hot, sweet and sticky all-American
groove that influenced many axmen on both sides of the
Atlantic. But exactly who was Ronnie Montrose? In this
oral history, Guitar World attempts to shed some light on
the life and career of this mysterious guitar hero.
Rock
Nation
the BY MIK E MET T LER
“RONNNNIIIIEEEE!”
With that epic battle cry, Mr. Big vocalist Eric Martin opens the floodgates on
“Heavy Traffic,” the lead track on 10x10 (Rhino), the recently released final album
from the late Bay Area–bred guitar giant Ronnie Montrose. It’s a fitting call to arms
that immediately leads into a patented chunky power riff to signal that, yes, Mon-
trose is in the house, he’s kicking major fretboard ass, and he’s taking names.
The hardcharging and hellbent bed track of “Heavy Traffic” lays down the
gauntlet for a labor of love Ronnie initially set in motion with his early 2000s power
trio tourmates, bassist Ricky Phillips (Styx, the Babys, Bad English) and drum-
mer Eric Singer (Kiss, Alice Cooper), almost a decade before he passed away in
early 2012. With the full blessing of Ronnie’s widow, Leighsa Montrose, Phillips
took over the reins as executive producer and spent another five years bringing
10x10 to the finish line by enlisting 10 different soloists, including Rick Derringer
(“Love Is an Art”), Brad Whitford (“One Good Reason”) and Joe Bonamassa (“The
Kingdom’s Come Undone”), as well as 10 different vocalists such as Sammy Hagar
WA R I N G A B B OT T/ G E T T Y I M A G E S
(“Color Blind”), Gamma’s Davey Pattison (“Head on Straight”), Tommy Shaw

(“Strong Enough”) and Glenn Hughes (“Still Singin’ with the Band”). It’s a level
of egoless teamwork that enabled Ronnie’s razor-focused vision to finally achieve
fulfillment. “I had to make some hard decisions to get the album completed, but I
always followed the mantra of, ‘What Would Ronnie Do?’ He was right there with
me, on my shoulder and in my ear, as my spiritual guide,” Phillips says.
Late in his career,
Montrose often could
be spotted playing
Baker guitars
10x10 is awash in the seductive blend of “I do remember people saying Montrose lowed his own muse, commerciality and
harmony, tone and groove that fueled the was our answer to Led Zeppelin, which is lofty sales be damned. He was always on
internationally influential 1973 debut album a bold statement,” observes Phillips, who the hunt for the next challenge, rather than
from the singularly named Montrose. When spent many of his formative years gigging looking back on his past triumphs. Notes
Ronnie joined forces with then-unknown in the Bay Area. “I think we were all influ- Phillips, “People who truly want to break
vocalist Sammy Hagar, bassist Bill Church enced by what was going on in England, and ground and not repeat themselves leave
and powerhouse drummer Denny Carmassi, there were very few American bands firing themselves open to not reaping the obvi-
the Montrose blueprint had already been back. But Ronnie, Sammy, Denny and Bill— ous successes of a repetitive performance.
stamped during his stints with Van Mor- they were certainly firing back.” Adds Marc In many ways, Ronnie reminds me of Jeff
rison (that’s Ronnie driving the melody on Bonilla, the Bay Area guitar wizard who Beck.” Concurs Steve Lukather, “Artists like
1971’s “Wild Night”) and the Edgar Win- deployed Ronnie on a pair of his own early- Ronnie never stop wanting to push them-
ter Group (the chilling runs on 1972’s chart- Nineties solo albums and later filled Ron- selves to learn other stuff that inspires new
topping instrumental “Frankenstein” and its nie’s slot in a reformed Gamma, “The thing ideas and new music. That’s how Ronnie
galloping hit partner track, “Free Ride,” are that was most impressive with Ronnie is approached it.”
pure Ronnie to the core). what I call the deliberacy of his guitar play- In his later years, Ronnie continued to
Indeed, all throughout the self-titled ing. He was a carpenter, so he knew how veer between styles like a man possessed,
Montrose and its 1974 follow-up, Paper to build things, which is what he did with moving from more challenging solo ven-
Money—both concurrently reissued by War- his solos. He would start with a foundation tures (1978’s Open Fire and its massively
ner Bros./Rhino, each packed with a trea- down low on his Les Paul, and then he’d popular instrumental gem, “Town Without
sure trove of bonus tracks, live cuts and build his way up into a climactic event.” Pity”) to the secure structure of a four-piece
demos to boot—Ronnie forged an electrify- British players also recognized Mon- band (à la Gamma), seemingly at will. But
ing groove stencil that polarized guitar play- trose’s singularity. “I was a huge, huge fan,” like many a sensitive creative soul, Mon-
ers on both sides of the Atlantic. Songs drip- admits Def Leppard’s Phil Collen. “My trose suffered crippling bouts of depres-
ping with endless hooks like “Rock Candy,” cousin got me into Montrose when the first sion, ultimately (and quite sadly) culminat-
“Rock the Nation,” “Space Station #5” and album came out in England. I thought we ing in the taking of his own life at age 64, in
“I Got the Fire” were all seen as the sonic were the only people who had it. Years later, March 2012.
booms spearheading America’s mid-Sev- when I met [Def Leppard lead singer] Joe But with all the buzz surrounding 10x10
enties response to the British Invasion. Elliott, he said, ‘I thought I was the only per- and the pair of reissues, the subject of Mon-
Many players and listeners alike felt Mon- son who had that record!’ My wish would be trose’s legacy has moved back into the spot-
trose was the missing red, white and blue- for people to hear 10x10 and the two Mon- light for a timely reassessment and reaffir-
blooded answer to Led Zeppelin, Deep Pur- trose reissues and then go, ‘Ohh, this is mation. Echoing Collen’s thoughts, Bonilla
B I L L TO W N E R
ple and Black Sabbath all rolled into one, not where that legendary American rock gui- theorizes, “It may just take something like
to mention being the precursor to the ensu- tar archetype comes from!’ That’s my hope, 10x10 to spur questions like, “’Well, who is
ing virtuosic likes of Eddie Van Halen and anyway.” this Ronnie Montrose guy?’ It’ll all happen
Joe Satriani. Ronnie was the kind of artist who fol- at the time it’s supposed to happen.”

The time for it to happen is clearly now, when it was slowed down. When it wasn’t When Ronnie called, we hit it off and there
so with that in mind, Guitar World reached slowed down, it wasn’t as powerful. was talk of maybe doing something together,
out to many of Ronnie’s friends and peers Denny Carmassi was capable of coming but it never came to fruition, for whatever
to have them tell firsthand tales about the up with badass grooves like the one on “Rock reason. And when I got the call to do the
man’s highest highs, along with some of Candy” and Ronnie was capable of coming solo on [Hagar’s] “Color Blind” for 10x10, I
his lowest lows. Have you heard the news? up with badass riffs. I was capable of writing was very honored. I kept asking Sammy and
There will always be some good rockin’ in lyrics and coming up with the words and Bill Ricky, “Are you sure you want me to do this?
store tonight whenever Ronnie Montrose is Church was very capable on the bass. There must be other guys!” I was told, “No,
the one playing that guitar. Ronnie really liked your playing.”
MARC BONILLA Everything Ronnie did, he did There are no tricks. I brought a little Kem-
EDGAR WINTER When I put together the Edgar with his heart. Ronnie was definitely one of per profiling amp, plugged in, and that was
Winter Group in 1972, the whole idea was for those guys who never subscribed to, “Let’s it. There were no effects; nothing. I was try-
it to be the quintessential all-American rock just play ‘Rock Candy’ and get it over with.” ing to play something with a little heart and
band—guys who were not just good musi- He never did that. He always pressed the soul; I wasn’t trying to be the fastest gun in
cians but all-stars in their own right, fully envelope, probably much to his financial cha- the west. And I certainly wouldn’t try to play
capable of fronting their own band. grin and his popularity, because you couldn’t like Ronnie. That would be weird, because I
It was a huge talent search. We listened put him in a box. He’d slither out like an octo- respected him too much as a musician.
to a thousand demo tapes that were sent into pus. He was always onto the next thing. I thought about Ronnie the entire time
the office. When we were looking for a guitar Ronnie never traveled in a circle. He went I was working on that solo, and everything
player, I wanted contrast and balance. Ronnie in a straight line. He never repeated any- that had happened with him. I’ve lost some
had played with Boz Scaggs and Van Morri- thing. After the Montrose stuff was over, he close people in my life recently and it makes
son, and even before I met him, I said, “Well, said, “That’s enough of that. I’m not doing you become pretty emotional, to the point
he has to be good.” And as soon as I saw him vocals again. I’m doing instrumental stuff. where you go, “Wow, this is some heavy
play—even the way he flung the guitar over Then I’m gonna do acoustic stuff.” stuff.” I’m a very highly sensitive person, so
his shoulder—I said, “Ohh! This is the guy.” But that’s what a real artist does. They those sorts of things really affect me.
What I most appreciate about Ronnie was go from one thing to another: “Okay, I’ve
his total commitment. He wasn’t a technical already done that. Let me try and push the ED ROTH I had the good fortune to play all
virtuoso—but neither was B.B. King, and he envelope a different way.” He was always kinds of music with Ronnie, including his
was the king of the blues. What Ronnie had pursuing a place where he was a little out electric and acoustic instrumental music,
was a virtuosity of the heart. And that rebel- of his comfort zone—which is where you and some of his soundtrack music. Whatever
lious edge of his? It was very spontaneous. should be as a musician. You should be out he wrote and produced, he wanted to try dif-
there on the water enough to where you ferent and new things. Ronnie would always
SAMMY HAGAR We were thinking about calling don’t quite touch the sand. That’s a good say he never wanted to be a nostalgia artist.
ourselves Jupiter, and we were also think- place to keep your life. His career is proof of that.
ing about White Dwarf. We’d be the big- As OCD as he could be about some
gest planet in the solar system! That’s what DAVE MENIKETTI Ronnie was a big influence on things—like making sure each rack screw
Montrose would have been called, if not for me and the band when Y&T first got together matched in his rig, spray-painting the face-
cooler heads. [laughs] [in 1974]. The classic first two Montrose plates of some of his gear black, making his
Everybody else I’ve worked with, like Joe albums and Gamma were like the standard own cables so the lengths and looks were the
Satriani, Eddie Van Halen and Neal Schon— for hard rock tunes in the Seventies—they same—somehow, he wasn’t overly anal about
they wrote the music, I listened to it, and were always on our record players. Pretty his performances. He knew how to make you
then I’d write lyrics to it. When Ronnie and much every musician was playing one or feel comfortable and recognized when you
I used to write in Montrose in the Seven- more of these songs in their cover bands. had the right take. He was great to work with
ties, he would dig through my lyrics, and Ronnie and I worked together on song- in the studio, and knew when something had
he’d write music to them. That’s what he did writing in the late Eighties. It was a cool the vibe it needed. If something felt good,
for “Space Station #5,” “I Don’t Want It,” experience to see how he came up with song that was it, whether a clam snuck into the
“Spaceage Sacrifice,” “The Dreamer”—all ideas and arrangements. He had a knack for performance or not. If it had feel, Ronnie
of those different songs. I guess it was kind getting to the best bits of a song, and quickly. would go with it.
of like a Bernie Taupin/Elton John kind of Like me, he was a gear nerd and a tweaker. Everyone always talked about his tone,
thing, only with guitar instead of piano. He would do things like buy a console, com- and other players tried to use gear Ronnie
The weirdest thing about “Rock Candy” is pletely disassemble it, and then replace the used to try to emulate it. The truth was, his
the tempo we had on the first take. I wonder parts to make it better-sounding. He was tone was in his hands. He used super-heavy
how it got slowed down, because we didn’t always after something new and exciting to strings, which also contributed to it. And
know any better. When we were writing it mess with. I loved that about him—the quest he loved his Baker guitars, which he played
and jamming on it, it was all bouncy, almost for better gear, and the constant search for from the time he got them until his death.
like a shuffle. But then, somehow in the stu- interesting things on the horizon. Like all musicians, he had his ups and
dio—it might have been [producer] Ted Tem- downs. Sometimes he would sell some of his
pleman, Ronnie, or anyone in there saying, STEVE LUKATHER Ronnie was a star in his own gear and replace it with gear he was given by
“Slow it down.” I don’t know how that hap- right. A lot of people cite him as an influence companies, so it would change. No matter
pened, but it sure made a difference when that and those early records as great Seventies what he used, he had a rich tone that was all
song was pulled back into the right tempo. rock and roll. You can go to those YouTube his own. He played with conviction in a way
And that should be a lesson for any young clips and see him playing his ass off, and it’s that you felt every note.
bands out there—find the right tempo for all for real! It’s all very real and raw.
your song. The power of “Rock Candy” came We did have a brief conversation years ago. HAGAR I’m really surprised “Leaving the
guitarworld.com 79
Warmth of the Womb,” the track we did the four, I believe, but Ronnie put another to groove again, and he and I were getting
together for Marching to Mars [Hagar’s chord change in it, and he replayed the solo. back together. I was really looking forward
1997 solo album] with Carmassi on drums When I heard that, it was fucking goose- to that. I called him again to confirm it, and
and Church on bass, didn’t get a lot more bumps city, man. It just had it. he told me he was committed to doing it.
attention. I was really excited: “Hey, it’s A few years later, we were talking about And then a month later, Carmassi gives
Montrose Montrose Montrose!” I love that doing my 65th birthday in Cabo [in Octo- me the call. It was so shocking. [slight
song. I thought it was very deep, and very ber 2012]. I was going to have Ronnie and pause] I thought Ronnie was tortured.
cool. It’s a fucking killer track. everybody in Montrose come down. I was Sometimes it was so difficult, but that was
I actually left the studio for a bit after I saying to him, “I want to bring everybody the last thing I ever thought Ronnie Mon-
thought it was finished. I thought Ronnie down there and take it to another level trose would do. No one knew he was like
had done a great solo on it. When I came while we’re all still alive.” That was always that—that he had that ability; that he was
back about three or four hours later, he had our big joke: “We gotta do it one more really that tormented. He was so private.
redone it. Originally, the solo didn’t go to time.” I loved the fact that we were starting I don’t know what he was protecting, but
whatever it was, obviously, it tortured him
enough to have him take his own life.
RICKY PHILLIPS After Ronnie got prostate

cancer, he didn’t pick up a guitar for two
years. He went through a lot of stuff emo-
tionally and physically, not to mention pain-
wise. When he came out on the other side
of that, he put a band together, started gig-
ging, and he was playing so great. Hearing
about his passing was shocking news, espe-
cially after how positive he seemed to be in
the last conversation we ever had. Right up
to that, he still wanted to finish 10x10. Every
time I brought it up, Ronnie was really posi-
tive about working on it, as best he could.
LEIGHSA MONTROSE Ronnie once told me

his personal philosophy: “Listen—I don’t
want to live my life like this,” and he held
his hand out flat. “I want to live my highest
highs, and I want to live my lowest lows. I
want to be in both, and savor both.” And to
say that—I mean, wow. That means you’re
willing to feel the pain of the pain, and the
joy of the joy—and he sure did.
But you can’t define him by that one final
day. He always found a way to make all of
his interactions very personal, and he had
that ability to make you feel like you were
the only one in the room, even if it was the
first time he had met you. I still feel there’s a
piece of him that remains in all of us.
HAGAR I’m really glad Ricky Phillips took

the initiative to finish 10x10, because it’s a
nice little memory. It truly is Ronnie’s last
work. It’s a cool project. And it’s always
valuable to have something like this as a
last work, rather than digging up some stuff
from his past. This was something he truly
had a vision for. There was always a special
energy whenever I sang with Ronnie, and
I’m still humbled by that experience.
RONNIE MONTROSE [in conversation with

Ricky Phillips, explaining why he liked to
leave most of his takes “as is”] Let’s keep
it real. Those aren’t mistakes. That’s life.
That’s music breathing.
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MARCH 2018
GUITAR
WORLD
PLATINUM
AWARD
EX
CELLENCE
the gear
in review
86
EARTHQUAKER
DEVICES
We s t wo o d
Tran s l u ce nt D r i ve
88
REVEREND
Misha Mosh
S h ade Ba l de ro se
S ig nat u re
Peavey’s invective
.120 head has a
PEAVEY INVECTIVE .120 AMP HEAD three-channel
89 AND INVECTIVE .212 CABINET design
MARSHALL By Chris Gill
St an mo re B l u e to ot h
S p ea ke r MISHA MANSOOR, ONE of the most influential er cabinet with one Celestion Vintage 30 paired with
guitarists to emerge over the last decade, has one Celestion Creamback H 12-inch speaker. Unlike
played an important role in shaping the sound of mod- most signature amps bearing the names of relative new-
90 ern, progressive metal as a guitarist in his djent band

Periphery and in the studio as a producer and engineer
comers, the invective .120 is not a slightly modified ver-
sion of a pre-existing model but rather an entirely new
NEW EQ
Fender Pro Junior IV
for Periphery and other bands, including Animals As amp designed from the ground up with Mansoor’s input
a nd Pre s t ige Leaders, Veil of Maya and the Volumes. Thanks to his and including features not found elsewhere. As a result,
G u i t a rs Pre s t ige reputation, it makes perfect sense that he’s collaborated the invective .120 offers guitarists exciting new tonal
Tro u b a do u r RS with Peavey on a signature-model amp, the new invec- and performance possibilities that are as bold and vi-
tive .120 head and complementary invective .212 speak- sionary as Mansoor’s playing.
guitarworld.com 83
SOUNDCHECK
FEATURES The Peavey invective .120 fea- Threshold control. The amp’s Master sec- change 4 that enables the controller to con-
tures a power amp section driven by four tion features Resonance, Presence and trol external MIDI devices.
JJ 6L6 tubes to provide 120 watts of output Volume controls. A single ¼-inch input
(as suggested by its name). The 6L6s can jack, manual channel select switch and PERFORMANCE As anyone familiar with
be swapped for EL34, 6CA7, 6550, KT66 or standby switch round out the invective Mansoor’s playing might expect, the invec-
KT88 tubes for different tonal personali- .120’s front panel features. tive .120’s tones are familiar but refined in
ties and performance, and the bias is easily The rear panel is loaded with useful fea- exquisite detail, providing a range from the
adjusted by removing the rear panel cover tures, including a full/half power switch, cleanest cleans to densely layered high-
and using the bias test points and bias ad- speaker output impedance switch and a gain harmonic overtones with percussive
justment pot top loaded on the chassis. Six pair of ¼-inch parallel speaker output attack and tight decay. The Clean channel
12AX7A tubes provide gain for the clean jacks. The MSDI (Microphone Simulated is exactly that, remaining absolutely clean
channel and crunch/lead channels (with Direct Interface) section provides a bal- even with the Pre and Post Gain cranked all
six gain stages for crunch/lead) and phase anced XLR output, ground/lift switch the way up. If you want overdrive crunch,
inverter and loop driver functions. and tone and level controls for dialing in engage the Clean channel’s Boost section,
The invective has a three-channel de- optimal direct output tones for recording which is tonally and texturally flexible
sign, but that doesn’t mean it’s limited to or connection to a mixing console. There’s enough to almost be a separate channel.
three basic overall tones. The Clean chan- a Master Boost Level control, two effects The Crunch and Lead channels are aggres-
nel section consists of Pre Gain and Post loops with individual ¼-inch send and re- sive, but even with the Pre gain maxed,
Gain controls, low, mid and high EQ (pas- turn jacks, a pair of 9VDC @ 500mA jacks individual notes in chords retain definition
sive) and a Boost function with an on/off for powering effect pedals and MIDI Out/ and clarity. The noise gate section is essen-
switch and tone and drive controls. The Thru and MIDI Footswitch In jacks. tial for replicating the machine-like blasts
Crunch and Lead channels are configured One of the invective .120’s coolest fea- of Mansoor’s rhythm playing, and for this
in a separate section that provides indi- tures is the included MIDI controller with application or just killing unwanted hum
vidual Pre Gain and Post Gain controls for 10 footswitches that provides access to it works like a charm. The amp can push
each channel, shared passive EQ controls nine user-programmable presets or indi- high-gain distortion to extreme levels, yet
(low, mid, high), a Boost function also with vidual features like effects loop 1 and 2, the sound never turns to mush or becomes
on/off switch and tone and drive knobs Gate, Drive Boost (channel), channel 1, 2 overly compressed into a flabby, mushy
and a noise gate with on/off switch and and 3 and Master Boost, plus MIDI control mess.
LIST PRICE: Four 6L6 The Clean The Crunch The included THE BOTTOM LINE
CHEAT invective .120, power amp channel and Lead chan- footswitch can Packed with an outra-
SHEET $1,899.99;
invective .212, $750
tubes provide
120 watts of
remains clean
even at the
nels feature
a noise gate
control individ-
ual channels
geous variety of tones,
from the cleanest cleans
MANUFACTURER: output while highest gain function for and functions, to impressively dense
Peavey Electronics, six 12AX7 pre- settings, while dialing in tight, provide instant distortion textures and
peavey.com amp tubes pro- its Boost func- noise-free access to nine providing extremely ver-
vide up to six tion can dial in decay for play- user-program- satile functions and per-
stages of gain. varying levels ing respon- mable presets formance features, the
of overdrive. sive, percussive or control an Peavey invective .120
rhythm pat- external MIDI truly satisfies the needs
terns and riffs. device. and desires of today’s
modern progressive
metal guitarist.

SOUNDCHECK
Perfectly Clear
GUITAR
WORLD
GOLD
AWARD
EARTHQUAKER DEVICES WESTWOOD TRANSLUCENT DRIVE MANIPULATOR
P
ER
FORMA NC
E
By Chris Gill
TRANSPARENT OVERDRIVE center-detents at 0dB to make

(A.K.A. clean boost) pedals have it easy to dial in true transpar-
become the hottest item on the ent tone. The circuit has an all-
stomp box market ever since analog signal path, and the true
the legendary Klon Centaur was bypass switch is relay-based to
discontinued in 2009. Since then, provide silent, click-free on and
it seems every pedal maker has off switching.
offered an alternative—so many,
in fact, that you’re probably flap- PERFORMANCE
ping your hands above your ears, Many transparent overdrive/
sticking out your tongue and yell- clean boost pedals actually
ing, “I’ve already got one!” like color the tone slightly (usually
the obnoxious French knight in a midrange bump between 1.5
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. to 3kHz), but the EarthQuaker
Well, even if you already own a Westwood provides truly trans-
transparent overdrive pedal, you parent boost and overdrive when
should still consider the new the EQ controls are set to the
EarthQuaker Devices Westwood center detents. This is perfect if
Translucent Drive Manipulator, you already love the tone of your
which combines true clean boost amp but want more gain, push or
functions with a two-band active dynamics. But if you don’t en-
EQ to provide a wider range of tirely love your amp’s tone or you
musically useful tones and more need to make adjustments for
versatile flexibility. different guitars, the Westwood
gives you the option of sculpt-
FEATURES ing the tone with the active EQ
The EarthQuaker Westwood controls. I found the frequencies
features a simple, four-knob de- of the bass and treble controls to
sign that provides the usual Level be just right with a wide variety
and Drive controls plus separate of amps, with the treble boost
Bass and Treble EQ controls. and bass cut capable of add-
The Westwood differs from most ing attractive sizzle and slice,
other transparent boost pedals the bass boost delivering beefy
by providing more gain boost thump and “woman tone” howl
that pushes overdrive to the edge and the treble cut taking the edge
of distortion—and including an off of shrill single-coil pickups.
active EQ section that delivers In addition to sweetening the
up to 20dB of boost or cut to fre- tone of an amp you already love,
quencies around 2kHz (treble) the Westwood also can improve
and 80Hz (bass). The pots for the tone of a lackluster, dark or
bass and treble knobs have wimpy-sounding amp.
LIST PRICE: $179 The Level and Drive The two-band EQ THE BOTTOM LINE
CHEAT MANUFACTURER: controls can dial in section features a Bass If you want true transparent
SHEET EarthQuaker Devices,

earthquakerdevices.
anything from clean
boost to aggressive
knob that provides
20dB of boost/cut
overdrive with a wider range
of gain as well as flexible
com overdrive pushed around 80Hz and a EQ for refining your amp or
just to the edge of Treble knob with 20dB guitar’s tone, the EarthQuaker
distortion, but with no of boost/cut around Westwood Translucent Drive
signal compression. 2kHz. Manipulator will truly rock your
world.

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GOLD
GUITAR
WORLD
AWARD
A Deeper Shade
REVEREND SHADE BALDEROSE SIGNATURE
P
ER
FORMA NC
E By Ch ris G ill
RIGHT NOW WHEN you do a Google designation. Distinctive signature details PERFORMANCE I loved the gener-
search for “Shade Balderose,” his Rever- include a stop tailpiece, Tune-o-matic ous body contours and the medium oval
end signature model guitar shows up in 18 bridge, Railhammer Chisel bridge hum- neck profile of the Reverend’s Bayonet
of the first 20 results. That will probably bucker, Railhammer Hyper Vintage neck model that I reviewed back in 2013, and
change soon as his band Code Orange was humbucker, ebony fretboard, no pickguard the Shade Balderose Signature offers the
recently nominated for a Best Metal Perfor- and a choice of deep blue Midnight Burst same balance, comfort and fast playabil-
mance Grammy for the song “Forever.” But or Army Green finish. ity. The satin finish helps keep the guitar
from a guitarist’s perspective it’s still pretty The korina body is comfortably light stable against the player’s body, and it
cool to be known for your signature guitar and impressively resonant. Neck features also provides just enough resistance on
before your band reaches the conscious- include three-piece set-in construction, a the back of the neck, delivering a balance
ness of the general public. It’s even cooler 24 ¾-inch scale length, 12-inch radius, 22 between the slick feel of a gloss finish
that Reverend has given the same priority medium jumbo frets, a dual-action truss and the rougher, raw feel of unfinished
and attention to up-and-coming artists like rod easily accessible just above the syn- wood. Thanks to its light body weight, the
Shade Balderose as they have to established thetic 43mm Boneite nut, and Reverend’s Balderose can be played for hours with-
legends like Pete Anderson, Ron Asheton, famous comfortable medium oval neck out fatigue.
Billy Corgan, Reeves Gabrels and Rick Vito. profile. The hardware is chrome plated and The pickups and electronics make this
includes pin-lock height-adjusted tuners, guitar one that any rock or metal player
FEATURES The Reverend Shade a three-way pickup selector switch, and should check out even if they’ve never
Balderose Signature most closely resembles master volume, master tone and bass con- heard of Code Orange. While the tone
the Bayonet model from Reverend’s Set- tour control knobs. A two-tone teardrop- certainly has the overall personality of
Neck Series, featuring the same korina shaped case is available separately. Here’s humbuckers with more than ample body,
body with an angular offset shape and one “stealth” feature not mentioned in the depth and wide range, there’s also a crisp-
bound neck with block inlays. However, model’s specs or on the Reverend website: ness and clarity that normally only comes
most of the remaining features are differ- The master volume knob provides a push/ from single-coil pickups. The midrange
ent enough to justify the signature model pull kill switch function. roars and growls; the bass is big without

Buzz Bin
Marshall
GUITAR
WORLD
PLATINUM
AWARD
Stanmore EX
CELLENCE
Bluetooth Speaker
Amid the piles of guitars and ampli-
fiers we have stacked up in our of-
fices, it’s always nice to review
something slightly off the beaten path
that’s closely related to the gear we cover.
And as someone who loves and consis-
tently uses Marshall amps, imagine my joy
upon receiving the Marshall Stanmore
Bluetooth—a powerful active Bluetooth
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COLUMNS
For video of this lesson, go to
STRING THEORY GuitarWorld.com/Mar2018
By Jimmy Brown
JAW-DROPPING FIGURE 1 full barre chords in A minor

G#aug (F#m7b5 or D9)
with bass drop
RUNS T
Am
5
5
Am(maj7) Am7
5
5
5
5
(Am6 or D7)
5
5
5
7
Am
5
5 5
C/G
5
5
5
5
5
Shredding with the minor- A 5
7
5
6
5
5
5
4
5
7
5
7
5
6
5
5
5
4
5
4
drop progression B 7
5
7
5
7
5 5
5 7
5 4 3 2
5
G#aug (F#m7b5 or D9/F#)

open chords in A minor with bass drop
AS PROMISED LAST month, I’m now
Am Am(maj7) Am7 (Am6 or D9) Am C/G
going to demonstrate some fun, shred-y 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ways to play the standard “minor drop” 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1
2 1 0 2 5 2 1 0 2 2
progression, this time as single note arpeg- 2 2 2 4 4 2 2 2 2 0
0 0 0 0 5 0
gios. The examples are all in A minor and 4 3 2 2
~~~
are transposable to other keys, and they’re FIGURE 2
Am(add9) Am(maj9) Am9 Am6-9 Am
4 . .
performed with alternate (down-up) pick- 17 12 12 16 12 12 15 12 12 14 12 12 17
4 . .
ing. Each arpeggio includes the second, or T 13 12 13 13 12 13 13 12 13 13 12 13
ninth, B, added to the underlying triad or A
seventh chord, which makes for an even, B
four-note “cell” that lends itself well to
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
~~
picking two notes per string, as well as to FIGURE 3
Am(add9) Am(maj9) Am9 Am6-9 Am
4 . .
playing the same shape in a lower octave
1712 12 1612 12 15 12 12 1412 12 17
4 .
and pair of similarly tuned strings.
.
T 1312 1213
14
1312 1213
14
1312 1213
14
1312 1213
14
As a quick review, FIGURE 1 illustrates A
four sets of chord voicings for the minor- B
drop progression in the key of A minor.
G#aug(add#2)
Notice that the first and third sets keep FIGURE 4
Am(add9)
4 .
the A bass note as a pedal tone for the first
17 12 12 16 12 12
4 .
three chords, whereas the second and T 13 12
14 9 9 14
12 13 13 12
13 9 9 13
12 13
fourth sets have the root motion following A 10 9 9 10 10 9 9 10
the chromatic drop. B 12 11
Our first single-note example, FIGURE
F#m7b5sus4 ~~~
4 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 4 1 2 1
2, has us playing 16th-note triplets across
Cmaj7/G Am
.
the top two strings, starting on a high A 15 12 12 14 12 12 17
.
note, which then drops, and pivoting, or 13 12 12 13 13 12 12 13
12 9 9 12 11 9 9 11
“bouncing,” off of the B note on the second 10 9 9 10 10 9 9 10
string’s 12th fret, which, is the added sec- 10 9
ond, or ninth.
4 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 4
FIGURE 3 is a 16th-note variation that
adds a low A note on the G string’s 14th fret,
which now serves as our pivot note. In both Am(add9) arpeggio and are applying the separate and distinct.
examples, instead of playing the fourth ar- minor drop to each A note, which makes Another option with all three runs is to
peggio, Am6-9, you could alternatively, after the run work well with the descending- reverse the melodic contour and begin on
playing Am9, backtrack to Am(maj9), by bassline version of the progression. The the lowest note of each sequence instead
returning to the high Gs note at the 16th fret Fs on the fifth string’s ninth fret, on beat of the highest, which also makes for a good
instead of playing Fs at the 14th fret. This three of bar 4, and the B note that precedes alternate picking exercise variation.
creates the same kind of intriguing retro- and follows it at the same fret on the D Try shifting these shapes up or down the
grade harmonic movement that, as I men- string require a brief barring and rolling fretboard to different tonal centers, such as
tioned last month, occurs in Stevie Wonder’s of the fret-hand index finger to perform a G minor or E minor. You can also try playing
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” and “You double-stop. Practice this move slowly at the 16th-note triplet sequence from FIGURE
Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees. first, striving for clean articulation, then 2 on the middle two or bottom two strings
FIGURE 4 expands our 16th-note run gradually increase the tempo. Apply pick- and expand FIGURE 3 to encompass three
down into the middle register, by repeating hand palm muting to the lower strings to octaves. Experiment, and throw in an occa-
the first four notes an octave lower on the suppress ringing and help keep the notes sional pull-off or hammer-on if you like.
G and D strings, using the same fingering
shape, shifted down three frets, before
bouncing off the A string and ascending To purchase instructional lessons by Jimmy Brown—as
back across the top four strings. Another downloads or DVDs—visit guitarworldlessons.com or download
variation here is that we’re now elimi- the official Guitar World Lessons app in iTunes. LESSONS
nating the A pedal tone after the initial

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COLUMNS
For video of this lesson, go to
IN DEEP GuitarWorld.com/Mar2018
by Andy Aledort
DRONE YOUR FIGURE 1 A Mixolydian, open position  FIGURE 2 A Mixolydian, 2nd position

OWN WAY 
02 35

23 5


 
023 235
02 24
More approaches to drone- 02 4 24 5

024 245
based melodic solo passages 023 235
THIS MONTH, WE’LL continue our
  
examination of methods for improvising
FIGURE 3 A Mixolydian, 3rd position FIGURE 4 A Mixolydian, 5th position
melodic solos that incorporate a self-accom-
   
panying open drone string. Our approach 35 7 57 9
 
57 78
thus far has entailed using an open string as 467 679
45 7 57 9
a root-note drone, providing the tonic—the 457 579
357 579
home-key note, or the “one”—as a harmonic
reference point. We’ll now look at using
the open A string as the root-note drone,
with melodic passages based on the A Mix- FIGURE 5 A Mixolydian, 7th position
 FIGURE 6 A Mixolydian, 9th position

   
olydian mode (A B Cs D E Fs G). 9 10 9 10 12
 
Bear in mind, however, that an open- 8 1012 1012
79 11 9 1112
string drone does not always have to be 79 11 9 11 12
79 10 9 10 12
the root; using another interval, such as 7 9 10 9 1012
the fifth, minor third, fourth or second
will provide a variety of sounds, moods
 FIGURE 8 A Mixolydian, 12th position  

and impressions when incorporated into
FIGURE 7 A Mixolydian, 10th position
improvised solos, and I encourage you to
1214 15 17
  
experiment with these approaches as well. 1012 14

  12 1415121416
1214 121415
Let’s first review all of the positions of 111214 1214
1112 14 1214 16
A Mixolydian moving up the fretboard, 101214
10 1214
starting in first position and progressing
through eight different positions, culminat-
ing in 12th position with a replication of
the first-position form one octave higher. FIGURE 9

FIGURE 1 illustrates A Mixolydian in first, A7
1/2 1/2 1/2
or “open,” position, so named for the inclu-


sion of open strings. Notice that we start
5 2 0 2 0 0 2 2 5 7 5 5
on the open low E string, the fifth of A. As 0 2 1 0 7 5 5 5
 
we progress through each higher position, 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
we will start with the next succeeding scale

8
degree. For example, FIGURE 2 illustrates 1/2
9  
A Mixolydian in second position, so our 0
5
starting point is now Fs, the major sixth of 2 2 2 7 7 5 2 0 2
A, one whole step higher than the open low 5 7 0 2 2 1 0
   
3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
E note. FIGURE 3 represents A Mixolydian
in third position and starts on G, the domi-
nant seventh; FIGURE 4 begins on A, the
root note; FIGURE 5 starts on B, the major
second, FIGURE 6 starts on Cs, the major
third; FIGURE 7 begins on D, the fourth; of keeping the open A string drone go- to the fifth, fourth and third strings.
and FIGURE 8 starts on E, the fifth, one ing while performing lines that alternate Now that you have the idea, try connect-
octave higher than FIGURE 1. Be sure to between A Mixolydian in second position, ing every position of A Mixolydian in an
memorize each of these modal positions. fifth position, seventh position and open improvised solo while incorporating the
The purpose of memorizing each scale position, while limiting these melodic runs open A string drone.
position of A Mixolydian is to be able to
move freely through them, shifting from To purchase instructional lessons by Andy Aledort—as
one to another and playing up and down downloads or DVDs—visit guitarworldlessons.com or
individual strings, while performing me- download the official Guitar World Lessons app in iTunes.
lodic passages simultaneously with the Contact Andy at andyaledort.com.
LESSONS
open-A drone. FIGURE 9 offers an example

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COLUMNS
MOB RULES For video of this lesson, go to
GuitarWorld.com/Mar2018
by Mike Orlando
of Adrenaline Mob
GAME OF Tune down one whole step (low to high, D G C F A D).

All notes sound one whole step lower than written.
CHICKEN FIGURE 1
N.C.(E)

P.M. throughout
More ways to utilize “chicken * * * * * * * * sim.
 
 
12 1112 11 9 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

pickin’ ” in a metal solo 12 10 9 9 10 12 10 9
11 9 8 9 11 11 9

A FEW MONTHS back, I introduced the
concept of incorporating country-style *pluck each note on the high E string with the middle or ring finger.
“chicken pickin’ ” into metal solos. The FIGURE 2
N.C.(E)
technique, as its name implies, emulates

P.M. throughout
* * * * sim.
 
 
the clucking sound of a chicken and is 12 11 12 11 9 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

12 10 9
performed with hybrid picking, which in-
tegrates the use of flatpicked downstrokes,
11 9 8
11 9 7
11 9 7 9 11 7

performed with the plectrum, and finger-
picking, usually performed in an aggressive FIGURE 3
P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. sim.
manner that results in strings snapping

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12


against the fretboard. 8 9
In the previous columns that included 7 9 11
7 7 7 7 7 9 11
chicken-picked licks, I emphasized the el-
ementary approach of limiting yourself to
FIGURE 4
a pair of adjacent strings, beginning with a * * * * sim.
  
12 11 12 11 9 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

flatpicked downstroke on the lower of the

12 10 9
11 9 8
two strings, followed by a fingerpicked up- 11 9 7
11 9
stroke on the higher string, performed with
either the middle or ring finger. This month,

I’d like to demonstrate how to move the 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
flatpicked note to other lower, non-adjacent
7 7 9 7 9 11 7
strings while maintaining the fingerpicked 7 9 11 7 9 11 9 11 11
note on the high E string.
In the following examples, I play melo-
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
dies based on the E major scale (E Fs Gs A 9 10
8 8 9 8 9 11 8 9 11
B Cs Ds) through multiple octaves while 9 11 9 11 11
utilizing both string skipping and chicken

pickin’ techniques. The phrases involve the
use of a recurring high E note on the first 12 12 12 12

string’s 12th fret, which serves as a root-note 9
11 9 8 9 9
pedal tone above all the other melody notes.
In FIGURE 1, I begin with a high E note
followed by a hammer-on and double pull-
off that moves between the notes E, Ds and
Cs on the first string. Once I land on the and deliberately before ramping up the descend through the notes of E major as I
subsequent B note, second string, 12th fret, tempo. had done in FIGURE 2, followed by ascend-
I initiate the chicken-picked alternating- An effective practicing drill is to isolate ing back up through the scale in groups of
string technique, descending through the the technique in order to hone it on its own. four.
notes of the E major scale on the B and G In FIGURE 3, I begin with pairs of E notes Now that you understand the concept,
strings while repeatedly fingerpicking the two octaves apart before ascending through try devising licks of your own in as many
high E note between each of the other notes. the E major scale in alternating fashion other keys and fretboard positions as pos-
As you play this figure, try to keep your pick against the fingerpicked high E note. sible. I love using this technique in my
hand relaxed so that it will feel comfortable This technique and approach may be ap- playing, and, as you will discover, with a
and not become fatigued from unnecessary plied to ascending and descending patterns little diligent practice, the possibilities are
muscular tension. of threes, fours, fives, etc. In FIGURE 4, I virtually endless.
Let’s expand this approach to include
DANNY SANCHEZ
more notes of the E major scale on lower

strings. I begin FIGURE 2 the same way as Mike Orlando’s latest project is Stereo Satellite, which also
before and then descend through two and features Disturbed bassist John Moyer and Rock Star Supernova
a half octaves, bringing the fourth and fifth vocalist Lukas Rossi. LESSONS
strings into play. Practice this lick slowly

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COLUMNS
WOOD For video of this lesson, go to
VIBRATIONS GuitarWorld.com/Mar2018
by Mike Dawes
NEW HORIZONS
Tune to C#m9 (low to high: C# G# D# E B E).
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3

Asus2 C#m9 Asus2 C#m9
Using an unusual tuning
0
N.H. N.H. N.H. N.H. N.H.
N.H. *
and techniques   
T
    



12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
  88   88 
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 0
8 8




12 12 12 12 12 12 4 2 4 12 12 12 12 4 2 4
8 12 12 12 12 12



IN WRITING “The Old Room,” for my 8 12 12 12 12 12
8 12 12 12 12 12 7
latest release, Era, I was inspired by two
things: 1) a little gadget called the Tone- *pull off w/fretting finger while pick-hand index finger lightly touches strings at 12th fret
Wood Amp that affixes to the back of an FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5
0
acoustic guitar and enhances the natural N.H. N.H. N.H. N.H. N.H. N.H.
   
T T
   



sound of the instrument by generating 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
 88   88 
12 12 12 12 0 12 12 12 12 0 12 12 12 12
8 88   8



some great sounding reverb and delay ef- 12 12 12 12 4 2 4 12 12 12 12 4 2 4 12 12 12 12
12 12 12 12 12 12




fects, and 2) an unusual new tuning I had 12 12 12 12 12 12
12 12 7 8 12 12 7 12 12
recently discovered—open Bm9 (low to
0
high, B Fs Cs D A D). For this month’s N.H. N.H. *T.H. N.H. N.H.
let ring

T


12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 0
  
column, I will be demonstrating the guitar

12 12 12 12 0 12 12 12 12 12 12 0
8 8 8

12 12 12 12 4 2 4 12 12 12 12 12 12 0
8 8 8
parts from this song, tuned one whole step
!

12 12 12 12 3 5 5


higher, to open Csm9 (low to high, Cs Gs 12 12 12 12 3
8 12 12 7 8 12 12 8 3
Ds E B E). This tuning has a nice, haunting
*tapped harmonic

vibe that I find very inspiring.
 
FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7
The signature element in this piece is N.H. N.H. N.H. N.H. T.H. O T.H. O
**A.H. A.H. A.H. A.H. A.H. O
the variety of ways in which the strings are
  
12 12 0 12 12 12 12
 


  88 
12 12 0 0 0 0 12 12 12 12
8
“attacked” as it unfolds. Along with con- 12 12 0 12 12 12 12
8
 3 5 5 3 5 (12) 3 5 (12) 3 (12) 5 3 (12) 5 5 35 8



ventional picking, natural harmonics and

8 3 5 (12) 5 (12) 8
8 3 8
artificial harmonics, I also use fret-hand
**artificial harmonic = hit pick-hand palm on face of guitar.
pull-offs as a means to “attack” the strings O = snap pick-hand thumb against face of guitar.
in the execution of pulled-off harmonics.
 
FIGURE 8 FIGURE 9 FIGURE 10
In past columns, I had demonstrated this T.H. O N.H. O T.H.*S N.H. O
T.H. O O T.H. S

technique as applied to single notes, but T
   0 24024 


12 12 12 12 024542 !
0 12 12 12 12
 88   
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 0
8
here, I’m applying it to chords.




12 12 12 12 4 24 12 12 12 12 4 24
FIGURE 1 represents the first few ele- 12 12 8 8 12 12


12 12 8 8 12 12
12 12 12 8 8 12 12 12 7
ments of “The Old Room.” I begin by
 
strumming an Asus2 chord, barred across 3 3 3 3 *S = scratch
N.H. O T.H. S N.H. O
the bottom three strings at the eighth fret, O T.H.
 024024024542
T.H. S T.H. S


12 12 0 12 12 12 12 12 12
followed by natural harmonics performed 12 12 4 12 12 12 12 12 12


12 12 4 2 4 12 12 12 12 12 12 4
by laying my fret-hand pinkie across the


8 8 8 12 12 12 12 8 12 12


8 8 8 12 12 12 12 8 12 12
top three strings at the 12th fret, which is 8 8 8 12 12 12 12 12 8 12 12

also strummed conventionally. I then pull
the fret-hand finger off the strings while
0
 T.H.
0
N.H.
A.H.
N.H.
A.H. A.H.
N.H.
A.H. A.H.
6
O
6


lightly touching all of the strings at the 12th 0 0 0

fret with the index finger, sounding natural 
8
12
12
12
12
12
12
0
3
3
5 5 3 (12) 5 3 (12) 5 3 (12) 5 3 (12) 5
5 (12)
5
5 (12)
3 5
harmonics on all six strings. 8 12 12 3
In FIGURE 2, I repeat this pattern and
end with a hammer-on to the fourth fret
on the third string, followed by a pull-off to in FIGURE 6. At the end of this figure, the ascending hammer-on/pull-off phrase on
the second fret and a re-hammer back up to percussive elements are introduced as I the top three strings, shown in FIGURE 9.
the fourth fret. FIGURE 3 brings in the next strike the body of the guitar with my palm FIGURE 10 brings everything together
part, which is to add a fingerpick of the (kick drum emulation) and thumb (snare in the complete phrase. The challenge is
open second string, as well as a tap onto drum emulation). FIGURES 7 and 8 reveal in combining all of these different moving
the sixth string’s seventh fret. Cycle this further incorporation of these percussive parts, so close attention to detail is es-
pattern as shown in FIGURE 4. FIGURE 5 techniques. In bar 3 of the song, I play a fast sential.
illustrates the manner in which the first
L A R RY D I M A R Z I O
four bars should be played.

The next element involves steady al- Mike Dawes is a British guitarist and touring musician, hailed as one of the
ternation between the fourth and second world’s most creative fingerstyle performers. His new album, Era (Qten
frets on the third string while natural and Records), is available now. For more information, visit mikedawes.co.uk.
artificial harmonics are added, as shown

PERFORMANCE NOTES
••• HOW TO PLAY THIS MONTH ’S SONGS • • •
“WHITE “HIGHWAY “FEEL IT

WEDDING” TUNE” STILL”
Billy Idol Greta Van Fleet Portugal. The Man
GUITARIST PERFORM- WHILE THE

STEVE STE- ING THE main riff for
VENS employs NUMEROUS “Feel It Still”
palm muting to half-step was recorded
effectively add bends in the on bass, guitar
metronome-like main riff for players can
precision to his “Highway easily adapt it
rhythm parts in Tune,” each to their instru-
“White Wedding,” indicated by a ment, just as
such as in bars 6–13 (labeled Rhy. Fig. 1). curved arrow with a 1/2 appearing lead singer John Gourley does when he
Indicated by the abbreviation “P.M.” in the above it, is best accomplished by using performs the song live. Simply read
tablature, palm muting involves lightly rest- a quick, downward pulling motion through the tablature for Bass Figure 1
ing the outside edge of your pick hand (be- with the fretting finger, in toward the (see bars 1–8) as if it were the bottom
low the base of the pinkie) on the strings palm, to momentarily raise the pitch of four strings of a six-line guitar tab sys-
near the bridge as you pick or strum. As this the note the equivalent of one fret. In tem. This works because a four-string
contact dampens and reduces string vibra- fact, this is the only way to bend notes bass is tuned to the same notes as the
tion, the sound and decay, or duration, of the on the low E string, such as the Gs on bottom four strings of a six-string gui-
notes are directly affected by the amount of beat four of bar 1, as pushing the string tar, only one octave lower. And if you
palm pressure applied to the strings. In- would cause it to “fall” over the side of want to recreate the notes in the same
creasing it generally results in quieter and the fretboard. low register, use a pitch-shifter effect
more subdued notes with a quicker decay, The bends in this particular riff pedal to drop them one octave.
which is often ideal for the verse section of a go by quickly and are used more for Whether you perform the main riff
song, such as this one, where the focus is on attitude than melodic purpose, so on bass or guitar, a key component to its
the vocals. you needn’t fuss about nailing the sound lies in bassist Zachary Carothers’
Stevens performs these palm-muted exact pitches. For example, while the deliberate usage of palm muting. (See
strums with consecutive downstrokes transcription indicates in beat two the lesson for “White Wedding” for a
and essentially doubles the bass line’s of bar 3 that guitarist Jake Kiszka detailed description of this technique.)
“pumping” eighth notes an octave higher performs a quick half-step bend on the The amount of pressure you apply
while accenting the second and fourth beats Fs note on the D string’s fourth fret, to the strings with the palm greatly
of each bar with a B5 power chord, which a quarter-step or three-quarter-step affects the sound and duration of the
reinforces the backbeat feel of the drums bend will likely work just as well for muted notes, so spend some time
(where the snare hits). He uses the same imparting a similarly gritty, bluesy feel experimenting with palm placement
picking pattern over the E5, D5 and A5 to the note. and varying degrees of pressure. As
chords. The key to copping the song’s always, the key is to listen and adjust
Don’t let the seeming simplicity of this chorus guitar part (see section D) your technique to emulate the sound of
guitar part lull you into approaching it too is to first familiarize yourself with the recording as closely as possible.
casually. Any lapse in concentration or the chord fingerings shown at the Guitarists wishing to perform
deviation from the steady eighth-note attack beginning of the transcription. When “Feel It Still” solo should check out
will result in a painfully obvious break in the moving between the A and A6sus4 our special arrangement for Guitar
groove. As the song unfolds, Stevens adds chords in bars 25–28, maintain the A 2 throughout the transcription.
an additional rhythm track (see Fill 3 in the chord “grip” and then barre your ring Loosely based on Gourley’s live
transcription, on the bottom of the second finger across the D, G and B strings accompaniment, the tab and chord
page) comprised of sparse two-note chords, at the seventh fret to play A6sus4. frames found in this “bonus” part,
or dyads. What makes this fill interesting is During the second half of the chorus combined with an adaptation of
that it remains constant while the prevailing (bars 29–33), maintain the B chord Bass Figure 1 described above,
harmony underneath it keeps changing— fingering, which includes the thumb should provide you with a satisfying
the same dyads are played against each fretting the low E string, and use your way to perform the entire song
successive chord in the verse progression pinkie to perform the ornamental pull- unaccompanied.
(B5, A5 and E5). offs shown in the tablature.
—ASKOLD BUK —JEFF PERRIN —JEFF PERRIN
TRANSCRIPTIONS
WHITE WEDDING
Billy Idol
As heard on BILLY IDOL
Words and music by BILLY IDOL • Transcribed by JEFF PERRIN
B5 E D A5 E5 D5 Bm
5fr
133 231 132 11 11 133 3421
A Intro (0:00)
Moderately Fast Rock q = 142
N.C. B5
Gtr. 1 (w/dist.)
N.H.
1

*
 0
4
4
2
04
4
2
0
4
4
2
04
4
2


0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Lightly rest L.H. finger on at approx.

the 21st fret and gradually slide finger
down string while picking 16th notes.
Gtr. 2 (slightly dirty) 
P.M. throughout
      
 

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Elec. Bass (w/pick)
 
 2 2 5
2 4 4 2
5 2 2 5
2 4 4 2
5 2 2 5
2 4 4 2
5 2 2 5
2 4 4 2
5
E D
Gtr. 1

0
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 1 (see below)

0
6
0 2
0 0
0 X X 3
4
4
2
4
4
2
1
2
2
 X X
X X
2
0
0
Gtr. 3 (clean, w/chorus)  

2
3
4
4
4
3
2
3
0
0
0
1
2
 
0 2
3
2
0
 
Gtr. 2
Rhy. Fig. 1
       
4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 9 9 5 5
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 7 7 5 5 7 5 5 5 7 5
0 0 0 0 0 0
Bass
Bass Fig. 1
2 4 4 2 2 4 4 2
2 2 5 5 2 2 5 5 7 7 7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
0 0 0 0
Fill 1 (0:13, 2:00, 2:07) Fill 2 (0:19)

Gtr. 4 (w/dist.) Gtr. 4
(D)   (E) 

w/fdbk.
        
19 

7
7

7
7
 
7
7
7
7
7
7 0
7
7 0
7
7
pitch: B
“WHITE WEDDING”
WORDS AND MUSIC BY BILLY IDOL
COPYRIGHT © 1982 BMG MONARCH AND BONEIDOL MUSIC
100 GU I TA R WOR L D • F EBRUA RY 2018

ALL RIGHTS ADMINISTERED BY BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT (US) LLC
REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HAL LEONARD LLC
“WHITE WEDDING”
B5 D E
 
00
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 2 (see previous page)

0  
10
2 0
0 0
X X 3 X X 0
4
4
2
4
4
2
 X X
X X
2
0
X X
X X
1
2
2
 X X
X X
X X
0
 
2
3
4
4
4
3
2
3
0
5
3
2
 
4
5 
       
end Rhy. Fig. 1
4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 5 5 9 9
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 5 7 5 5 5 7 5 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0
 end Bass Fig. 1
2 2 5
2 4 4 2
5 2 2 5
2 4 4 2
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 7
 7 7 7 7 0 0
B5
14

0 4
4
2
04
4
2
0 4
4
2

05
3
05
3   
       
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
B Verses (0:28, 1:10, 2:31)

1. Hey little sister what have you done
2. Hey little sister who is it you’re wed with
3. Hey little sister what have you done
B5 E5
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 3 seven times on verses 2 & 3 (see below)
Gtr. 2
18
Rhy. Fig. 2
       

 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
0 0 0
2
2
0 0 0
2
2
0
9
7
9
7 0
0 0 0 0 0
Bass
 Bass Fig. 2
 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fill 3 (1:10, 2:31, 2:54)

Gtr. 4     
    

7 7 7 7 6 6 6 7
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
 
guitarworld.com 101
TRANSCRIPTIONS
(1.) Hey little sister who’s the only one

(2.) Hey little sister what’s your vice and wish
(3.) Hey little sister who’s the only one
B5 A5 E5
        
Gtr. 2 end Rhy. Fig. 2
22
4 4 4 4 4 2 2
4 4 4 4 4 2 2 9 9
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0
Bass plays Bass Fig. 2 (see bar 18)
Hey little sister who’s your superman Hey little sister who’s the one you want
Hey little sister shotgun oh yeah Hey little sister who’s your superman
I’ve been away for so long (so long) I’ve been away for so long (so long)
B5 A5
       
Gtr. 2
26
4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bass
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

C Chorus (0:50, 1:33, 2:54)
Hey little sister shotgun
Hey little sister shotgun It’s a nice day to start again
I let you go for so long
B5 A5 E5

Gtr. 1 Gtr. 2 plays Fill 3 four times on 2nd and 3rd Choruses
30 (see previous page)
  

 2
2
0 0
2
2
0
0
2
2
0
Gtr. 2        

 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 0 0
2
2
0 0 0
2
2
0
9
7
9
7 0
0 0 0 0 0

Bass Bass Fig. 3
 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
(3rd time) (Come on) It’s a nice day for a white wedding
B5 pick E5 D5

34 scrape
0 4
4
2 0 4
4
2
 X
X

 02
2
0 0
7
7
5
       
4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 9 9 7 7
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 7 7 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
0 0 0 0 0
end Bass Fig. 3 Bass Fig. 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

“WHITE WEDDING”
3rd time skip ahead to E (bar 70)

It’s a nice day to start again
B5 E5 D5
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 4 on 2nd & 3rd Choruses (see below)
38
0 4
4
2 0
4
4
2
02
2
0 0 7
7
5
      
2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2
0 0
9
7
0 0 0
9
7
0
0 2
3
2
0
 2
3
2
0
0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
!
5
1. 2.
Ow
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 5 (see below)

42
  
0 7
7
5 0
7
7
5
 
0 7
7
5
        

2 2
4
4
2
4
4
2 2
4
4
2
4
4
2 2
4
4
2 2
4
4
2
 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2
Bass Fig. 5
 Bass plays Bass Fig. 5 twice (see bar 42)
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2  2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
D Interlude (1:58)
B5 E D
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 1
Gtr. 1 Gtr. 2 plays Rhy. Fig. 1 (see bar 6) (see second page)
0 0
46
0 2
 
0 0
0 3
4 4 1 2
4 4 2 0
2 2 2
0
      
0 0
Gtr. 2 Gtr. 3
4 4 4 4 4 4
2
3
4 4
3
2
3
0
0
1
 
2
3
2
 
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Bass plays Bass Fig. 5 (see bar 42) Bass plays Bass Fig. 1 (see bar 6)
Fill 4 (1:46)
Gtr. 4 (E5)  
    

7
7

7
7

0 7
7
Fill 5 (1:49)
Gtr. 4 (D)
         
      

7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 7
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
   
guitarworld.com 103
TRANSCRIPTIONS
B5 D E B5
Gtr. 4 plays Fill 1 Gtr. 2 plays Rhy. Fill 1 (see below)

0
(see first page) Gtr. 4 plays Fill 6 three times (see below)

0 
52
2 0
0 0 0 0
X X 3 X X 0
4
4
2
4
4
2
 X X
X X
2
0
X
X
X
X
X
X
1
2
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
0
 
2
3
4
4
4
3
2
3
0 5
3
2
  0 4
5
4
 
2
3
4
4
4
3
2
3
    2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
E B5
0 0
Gtr. 2 plays Rhy. Fig. 1, fifth-eighth bars only (see bars 10-13)

58
0 0
0 0
0 0
1
2
2
1
2
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
 X X
X X
X X
0 0
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
4 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pick it up
D E B5
 
Gtr. 2 plays Rhy. Fig. 2 (see bar 18)
0 0
Gtrs. 1 and 4
 
62
2 0
0 0
3 X X 0
2
0
X X
X X
1
2
2
 X X
X X
X X
4
4
2
4
4
2
0

2
3
4 2 1 4 9 7 6
7 9 !
9

9
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Fill 6 (2:09)
Gtr. 4
(B5)   
  

6 7 7 7
6 7 7 7
6 7 7 7
Rhy. Fill 1 (2:09)

       
Gtr. 2
(B5) (E5)


4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 9 9 9 9
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 7 7 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

“WHITE WEDDING”
Go back to B 3rd Verse (bar 18)

Take me back home yeah
A5 E5 B5
 
Gtrs. 1 and 4

66

02
2
0
 X
X
X
X
X
X
0 2
2
0

X
X
X
 04
4
2 0
4
4
2
E (3:11)
Wow There is
Gtr. 1
70

0
7
7
5 0
7
7
5 0 7
7
5
Gtr. 2        
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Bass plays Bass Fig. 5 nine times (see bar 42)
F Interlude (3:17)
nothing fair in this world no There is nothing safe in this world
(B5) Bm (B5)
Gtr. 2 plays first two bars of Rhy. Fig. 1 seven times (see bars 6 and 7)
Gtr. 3
0
74

2 2
  3
4
4
3
4
4   
  9 
1/2 w/bar
Gtr. 4
  !
7
 x
x
!
9
 
And there’s nothing sure in this world And there’s nothing pure in this
Bm (B5) Bm
0 0
80

2 2 2
3
4
4
3
4
4    3
4
4
 
* +1/2 w/bar w/bar
w/bar

-1
!
4 !
4 !
4 G 4    !
11
*Pull bar up, pick note, release bar to normal position, then continue “dive” and return.
guitarworld.com 105
TRANSCRIPTIONS
G Outro Chorus (3:40)

world And if there’s something left in this world Start again
Gtr. 3 Bm E D
0 0 0 0 0
85 Gtr. 1
2 2 2 0 2
 
3 3 3 0 3
4 4 4 1 2
4 4 4 2 0
2
0

!
w/bar 1
Gtr. 4  10 *w/bar
  w/bar
 ! !  !
10 10 10 10 ( 10 ) 10 10


   
*pull bar up one whole step
Gtr. 2
   9 9 7 7
7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
0 0 0 0 0 0
C’mon it’s a nice day for a white wedding

B5 D E
 
Gtr. 1
0 
0 
90
2 0
0 0
3 0
4
4
2
4
4
2
2
0
X X
X X
X X
1
2
2
 X X
X X
X X
0
Gtr. 2        
4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 7 7 9 9
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0
(2nd time) Begin Fade

Whoa It’s a nice day to start again
B5 E
 D

0 
0
94
4 
 0 2
0 0
0 X 3
4   
4 X X 1 X 2
4 X X 2 X 0

2 2 X X 2
0
       

2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2
 9
7
9
7 5 5
7
5 5 5 5
7
5 5
0 0 0 0 0 0
Bass plays Bass Fig. 4 two and a half times (see bar 36)
Fade Out
It’s a nice day to start again
B5 E
 D

0 
0
98
 0 2
0 0
0 X X 3
4
4
2
4
4
2
 X X
X X
X X
 1
2
2
 X X
X X
2
0
0
       

2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2 2 2
4
4
2
 9
7
9
7 5 5
7
5 5 5 5
7
5 5
0 0 0 0 0 0

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TRANSCRIPTIONS
HIGHWAY TUNE
Greta Van Fleet
As heard on FROM THE FIRES
Words and music by JOSH KISZKA, SAM KISZKA AND DANNY WAGNER• Transcribed by JEFF PERRIN
E5 A6sus4 A B
7fr 6fr 7fr
11 2333 231 T 321

A Intro (0:00)
Moderately Fast q = 124
Ah mama Ah mama

N.C.(E5)
Gtr. 1 (elec. w/overdrive)
let ring throughout
1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
1


2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 2 0
4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 2 0
Ah mama
1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
5 Gtrs. 1 and 2 (elec. w/overdrive)
5 5
4 4 3 2 0
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 0
4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 2 0 0 4 4 0 0
B (0:15, 1:02)
Oh mama
Ah mama Ah mama
Gtrs. 1 and 2
Rhy. Fig. 1
1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
9

 2 4 2
4
2 2 2 0 2 4 2
4
2 2 2 0
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0
Bass

Bass Fig. 1
 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 2 0
Ah mama Ah mama
Gtrs. 1 and 2
Rhy. Fig. 2
1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
13 *
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 2 0
4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0
Bass plays Bass Fig. 1 (see bar 9) *Gtr. 2 lets note ring into next bar.
C Verses (0:31, 1:17)

No stopping at the red light girl ’cause I wanna get your signal
No stopping on the highway girl ’cause I wanna burn my gas
Bass
17 Bass Fig. 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
“HIGHWAY TUNE”
WORDS AND MUSIC BY JOSH KISZKA, JAKE KISZKA, SAM KISZKA, AND DANNY WAGNER
COPYRIGHT © 2017 YANKEE SPRINGS PUBLISHING
ALL RIGHTS ADMINISTERED BY YANKEE SPRINGS PUBLISHING

“ HIGHWAY TUNE”
No goin’ at the green light girl ’cause I wanna be with you now
There’s one girl that I know I’m never gonna pass
19
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
You are my special You are my special You are my midnight midnight yeah
She is my special She is my special She is my midnight midnight yeah
Gtr. 1

1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
21

4
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 2 X 4
4 4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2
Bass plays Bass Fig. 2 four times (see bar 17)
D Chorus (0:46, 1:33)

Ah so sweet So fine So nice
A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A
  
Gtr. 1

25 Rhy. Fig. 3
X

7 X 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7
7 6 6 7 X 6 7 7 6 6 6 6 7 X 6 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 X 6 6 7 6 6 7 6 6 6 6
7 7 7 7 X 7 X 7 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7
7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7
Bass
Bass Fig. 3
 6 7
7   6 7
7   6 7
7
 
5 5 0 5 5 5 5 0 5 5 5 5 0 5 5
Oh my My my My my
A6sus4 A A6sus4 A B end Rhy. Fig. 3
28 (let ring throughout) P.M. P.M. P.M.
0 0 7 7 7 7 7
X 6 6 7 7 6 X 7 X 6 6 8 8 8 X 8 9 8 8 8 8 9 8
X 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 X 7 7 4 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
X 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 X 7 7
7 7 X 7 7 7
end Bass Fig. 3

  6 7
7
7    

5 5 0 5 7 7 0 7 7 7 7 7 0 7 7 7
1. 2.
Oh
Gtr. 1 Oh 1/2 1/2
31 P.M.
9 7 7 7 7 7 9 7 7 7 9 7 7 0 0  7 9 7
9
8 8 9 8 8 8
9 9 9 9
8 9 8 8 8 8
9
8 9 8 0 0
0 0  9 8 8 8 8 9 8 0 0
9 9 0 0
7 7 7 3 0 3 0
Gtr. 2
    
  
12 15
11 0 14
 

Bass
7
7 7
 0 7 7
 7
9 7
9
7 9 9 7
9  9 9 9 9 9 9 7
guitarworld.com 109
TRANSCRIPTIONS
E Guitar Solo (1:48)

N.C.(E5)
  

Gtr. 2 1 1
34
12
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 12 15 15 12
14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 12 12 14 12 12 14 14 12 14
14 14 14 14
Bass plays Bass Fig. 1 twice (see bar 9)
  

Gtr. 1 plays Rhy. Fig. 2 (see bar 13) 1/2
37
  14 
15 15 15 15 15
14 12 12 12 12 14 12 12 12 6 16 16 16 12 14 12 14 12
14 14 14 14 14

1
40
12 12 12 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
12 15 12 12 12 12 12 12
12 14 14 12 14 14 12 12 14
14 14
F Break-down (2:04)
 ! 
Gtr. 2
42
15 15 15 !
15
 
1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4

Gtr. 1
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 0
4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 0 0 4 3 2 0
Bass
 
!
0 !
0
Gtr. 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2

46 Gtrs. 1 and 2
5 5
4 4 3 2 0
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 0
4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 4 0 0 4 4 0 0
Bass 
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
 
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

“ HIGHWAY TUNE”
G (2:19)
Oh Yeah
Gtrs. 1 and 2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4
50
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 2 0
4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0
Bass plays Bass Fig. 1 twice (see bar 9)

Gtr. 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2

54
2 4 2 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 2 2 2 0 4
4 4 4
0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2 0 0 4 4 0 0 4 3 2
H Outro (2:35)
Ah so sweet So fine Ah so nice
A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A A6sus4 A
*Gtr. 2
58
  
X X 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 X 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 X 5 5 5 5 5 X
*overdub
Oh my My my My my
A6sus4 A B
61

X 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 X 9 X X X 9 9 9 9 X 9 X
5 5 5 X X X X 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 X X 7 7
Oh Sugar
 ring
N.C.(E5) 2

Gtr. 1 1/2
64 let
9 7 7 9 7 7 7 7 9 7 7 0 0
8 8 8 9 7 8 8 9 8 8 8 8 9 8 0 0
9 9 9 4 !
4 !
4
7 2 0
Gtr. 2 

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 X X 9 9 X X X X 9 9 9 9 X X
 !
7 X X 7 0


Bass
7 7
 0 7 7
 7 7 7 7 7 7 12 !
0
guitarworld.com 111
TRANSCRIPTIONS
FEEL IT STILL
Portugal. The Man
As heard on WOODSTOCK
Words and music by ROBERT BATEMAN, ZACHARY SCOTT CAROTHERS, FREDDIE GORMAN , JOHN BALDWIN GOURLEY, JOHN HILL, BRIAN
HOLLAND, ERIC ANDREW HOWK, KYLE O’QUIN, JASON WADE SECHRIST AND ASA TACCONE • Transcribed by JEFF PERRIN
C#m E F#m E F#m C#m A

4fr 7fr 9fr 9fr 5fr
13421 231 134111 1333 13421 134111 134211

A Intro (0:00)
Moderately Fast q = 158
N.C.(C#m) (E)
Bass 1 (bridge pickup, w/reverb)
Bass Fig. 1
w/pick
(repeat previous bar)

 
1
 
P.M.
 
 
4 4 4 4 7 7 7 7
4 7
1. Can’t keep my hands to myself

(F#m) (C#m)
end Bass Fig. 1
5
   
 
9 9 9 9 4 4 4 4
9 4
B 1st Verse (0:12)

Think I’ll dust ’em off put ’em back up on the shelf
Bass 1 plays Bass Fig. 1 (see bar 1)
Bass 2 (neck pickup) (E)
9 Bass Fig. 2
   
 
4 4 4 4 7 7 7 7
4 7
in case my little baby girl is in need Am I comin’ out of left field

(F#m) (C#m)
13 end Bass Fig. 2
   
  
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 4 4 4 4 4
9 4
C 1st Chorus (0:24)

Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now I been feelin’ it since nineteen sixty-six now
Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now Let me kick it like it’s nineteen eighty-six now
(C#m) (E)
Gtr. 1 (elec. w/clean tone)
17 Rhy. Fig. 1

 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 7 7 7
9
7 7 7 7 7 7 7
9
7 7 7

1. 2.
Might be over now but I feel it still
Might be over now but I feel it still 2. Got another mouth to feed
(F#m) (C#m)
21 end Rhy. Fig. 1 Gtr. 1 (basses silent)
 
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

“FEEL IT STILL”
WORDS AND MUSIC BY ROBERT BATEMAN, ZACHARY SCOTT CAROTHERS, FREDDIE GORMAN, JOHN BALDWIN GOURLEY,
JOHN HILL, BRIAN HOLLAND, ERIC ANDREW HOWK, KYLE O’QUIN, JASON WADE SECHRIST AND ASA TACCONE
COPYRIGHT © 2017 WB MUSIC CORP., APPROACHING AIRBALLONS, WARNER-TAMERLAND PUBLISHING CORP., STONE AGATE MUSIC, JOBETE MUSIC CO. INC.,
EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC., EMI POP MUSIC PUBLISHING, RODEOMAN MUSIC AND TWONL DONKLIS
ALL RIGHTS FOR APPROACHING AIRBALLOONS ADMINISTERED BY WB MUSIC CORP.
ALL RIGHTS FOR STONE AGATE MUSIC , JOBETE MUSIC CO. INC., EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC.,
112 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018 EMI PUBLISHING AND RODEOMAN MUSIC ADMINISTERED BY SONY/ATV MUSIC
PUBLISHING LLC, 424 CHURCH STREET, SUITE 1200, NASHVILLE, TN 37219.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED USED BY PERMISSION
“ FEEL IT STILL”
D 2nd Verse (0:48)

Leave it with the baby sitter Mama call the grave digger
C#m E
*Gtr. 2 (elec. w/clean tone)
0 0 0 0
26
4 4 0 0
5 5 0 0
6 6 1 1
6 6 2 2
4 4 2 2
0 0
*Keyboard and guitar arr. for guitar.
Gone with the fallen leaves Am I comin’ out of left field

F#m C#m
0 0 0 0
30
2 2 4 4
2 2 5 5
2 2 6 6
4 4 6 6
4 4 4 4
2 2
E 2nd Chorus (1:00)

Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now I been feelin’ it since nineteen sixty-six now
N.C. E
Gtr. 1
34
 
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Gtr. 2
  9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Basses 1 and 2 * P.M.
     

7 7 7 7

7 7
*P.M. performed by Bass 1 only.
Might - a had your fill but you feel it still

F#m C#m
Gtr. 1
Fill 1
w/sub-octave doubling effect
38
9 9 9
12 12 9
11 9 11 9 9
11 9 11 11 9
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
Gtr. 2
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
Bass 1 plays last four bars of Bass Fig. 1 (see bar 5)

Bass 2 plays last four bars of Bass Fig. 2 (see bar 13)
Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now Let me kick it like it’s nineteen eighty-six now
E
Gtr. 2
Rhy. Fig. 2
42
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
guitarworld.com 113
TRANSCRIPTIONS
Might be over now but I feel it still We could fight a war for peace
(oh)
F#m C#m end Rhy. Fig. 2
46
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
F Bridge (1:25)
1. (Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now) Give in to that easy living Goodbye to my hopes and dreams
2. Start flippin’ for my enemies We could wait until the walls come down
3. (Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now) It’s time to give a little to the kids in middle But oh
(ooh)
A F#m C#m
Gtr. 2
(play 3 times)
Rhy. Fig. 3
50
 5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5 
 6
7
7
6
7
7
6
7
7
6
7
7
6
7
7
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
4
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4
6
6
4

5 5 5 5 5 2 2 2 2 2 2
Basses 1 and 2
Bass Fig. 3
 
* P.M.
   
**
   
 
2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 0 2 2 2 2 0 4 0
*P.M.: Bass 1 only. **Substitute note in parenthesis on repeats.
until it falls won’t bother me

A F#m C#m
Gtr. 1 (keyboard arr. for gtr.) (w/dist. and filter effect)
let ring
54
12 ! !
11 !
11
!
13
Basses 1 and 2 play Bass Fig. 3 (see bar 50)
G (1:49)
Is it comin’ Is it comin’ Is it comin’ Is it comin’
A F#m C#m
Rhy. Fig. 4
0 0 0 0
58
5 2 4 4
5 2 5 5
6 2 6 6
7 4 6 6
7 4 4 4
5 2
Basses 1 and 2 play Bass Fig. 3 (see bar 50)
Is it comin’ Is it comin’ back (Hee hee hee...)

A F#m C#m
Basses 1 and 2
62 * P.M.
  ! !
 
4 4
5 5 5 5 0 2 2 2 2 0
*P.M.: Bass 1 only.
H Break-down (2:01)
Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks Yeah your love is an abyss for my heart to eclipse now
N.C.(C#m) (E)
* P.M.

66


4 4 4 4 4 X 4 4 4 7 X 7 7 7
4 4 7
*P.M.: Bass 1 only.

“ FEEL IT STILL”
Might be over now but I feel it still

(F#m) (C#m)
Gtr. 1 plays Fill 1(see bar 40)
  
70 P.M.
4
4 6
9 X 9 9 9 9 X 9 9 9 X
9
I Outro (2:13)
Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now I’ve been feelin’ it since
Ooh I’m a rebel just for kicks now Let me kick it like it’s
C#m E
Gtr. 1
74

 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 7 7 7 7 7 7
Basses 1 and 2
 * P.M. 
 4 
 
4 4 4 7 7 7 7
4 7
*P.M. Bass 1 only.
nineteen sixty-six now Might be over now but I feel it still

nineteen eighty-six now Might be over now but I feel it still
E F#m
Gtr. 1
77
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
Gtr. 3 (elec. w/overdrive) (on repeat only)


 
12 9 9

12 9 9 9
!
11 9 11 11 9
9
Basses 1 and 2
P.M.
  
  
7 7 7 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 4
7 9
(2.) Might - a had your fill but you feel it still (Hey)
C#m
80
w/sub-octave doubling effect 
9 9 9
 9

12 12 9
11 9 11 9
11 9 11
9
11 9  11
 
!
11 9 11 X X X X X X X 
 
P.M.
   4  

4 4 4 4
4
guitarworld.com 115
PRODUCT PROFILE
ELECTRIC GUITAR With

Orig
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ina
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the tone of Rock n’ Roll music history forever. We’ve reached deep into fingering patterns that form the foundation for improvising over virtually any
our archives to bring you back the same string construction and material chords, in any key, across the entire fingerboard. All patterns are diagrammed,
used during that very era. There is nothing more vintage sounding for so note-reading ability is not necessary. Recommended by guitar legend
your guitar! George Benson.
STREET: $4.99 MSRP: $42.00 USD (includes delivery in the U.S.)
www.labella.com MarcSilverGuitarImprov.com
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HAND SHAPED GUITAR HANGERS

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work of art while enhancing the decor of any room. GuitarGrip is easy to variety of different tensions for and string gauge and tuning. Perfect for any
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PRODUCT PROFILE
LIL LUBER/ GROOVE LUBER / BENCH LUBER ACOUSTIC BRIDGE PINS

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Big Bends LLC is proud to introduce the complete line of Nut SauceTM FU-Tone Acoustic Bridge Pins are available in Brass or Titanium.
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SHREDNECK
BelAir Models
The new Shredneck Bel Air models draw on styling and color cues from
the vintage Bel Air car models. The Bel Air models feature a larger picking
route, pearl dot inlays on a rosewood fingerboard, chrome hardware and
white pearl pickguard material on the headstock which adds to the classic GUITAR WORLD
design of this model. Tuner Tips and a GB1 gig bag are included. If your company is interested in advertising in our Product Profile section,
SRP: $129.99 please call (646) 723-5404 or email [email protected] To subscribe
Shredneck.com to Guitar World, please visit our website at www.guitarworld.com or call
(800) 456-6441.
guitarworld.com 117
the
MARKETPLACE
®
If you want tomorrow to be different,

then you need to do something
different today.
Holeyboard™ Evolution Series

www.chemistrydesignwerks.com
www.SublimeGuitars.com @SUBLIMEGUITARS

the
MARKETPLACE
Tex Mex Effects

Custom Analog Guitar Pedals
TexMexEffects.com
[email protected]
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Hand Made In
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E D U C AT I O N
Online Vacuum Tube Guitar Amplifier
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Learn What Makes Them Tick
kendrick-amplifiers.com
INSTRUCTION
MUSIC THEORY
COURSE FOR GUITAR
Correspondence Course. Certificate issued on
completion. Beginning courses also available.
Course outline and enrollment order form for
this and other home study courses, write to: Jim
Sutton Institute of Guitar, 23014 Quail Shute,
Spring, TX 77389-3944, USA 1-800-621-7669
E-mail: [email protected]
NAMM Booth 4034 Web Site: www.JSIGuitar.com
guitarworld.com 119
SamAsh_GP_GW_1sixth_2.25x4.75_SEP16.indd 1 9/13/16 12:03 PM

the
MARKETPLACE
120 GU I TA R WOR L D • A PR I L 2017

the
MARKETPLACE
guitarworld.com 121
TONAL RECALL
THE SECRETS BEHIND
FAMOUS GUITAR
SOUNDS
“SEVEN NATION ARMY”

THE WHITE STRIPES ● ELEPHANT, 2003 ● GUITARIST: JACK WHITE
By Chris Gill
The White Stripes single “Seven Nation Army” is proof

that if you write a great riff, the world will beat a path to
your door. Simple and infectious, the descending “bass”
line (actually recorded and performed on a Kay hollow-
body electric guitar through a Whammy pedal set to the
octave-down setting) still lives on today, long after the
White Stripes disbanded, as a supporters’ chant at soc-
cer matches and other sporting events. “Seven Nation
Army” was also the White Stripes’ biggest hit, with frontman Jack White earning
status as a bona fide modern guitar hero for his cool riff, slick slide playing and
rough-in-all-the-right-places tone.
White’s performance of the song is characterized by three distinct tones that
add variety and interest to the otherwise simple song structure. In addition to
the “bass” line, White plays the same riff with his Kay hollowbody using a slide
to play jangly, mildly overdriven chords, and he performs a raucous overdubbed
slide solo with ripping distortion courtesy of an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
pedal (White places the Big Muff after the Whammy). Aspiring slide players, take
note: using a distortion or fuzz pedal can give single-note slide lines added body,
sustain and cut that boosts the guitar tone to the front of the mix. White says that
he uses whatever strings his guitar techs put on his instruments and has no idea
what gauge or brand they are. For the best tone, use the heaviest gauge you can
tolerate. The White
Stripes’ Jack
White per-
forms with his
vintage Kay in
GET THE SOUND, CHEAP! 2004.
Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin

Fender Pro Junior III
Mooer Pitch Box
Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff Pi
TONE TIP: Turn up the Pro Junior’s volume control until the tone just starts
to break up. This provides tone that’s clean enough for a convincing bass ORIGINAL GEAR
line with the octave-down effect and jangly enough for the main rhythm
guitar part. Kick on the Big Muff for the slide solo only.
GUITAR: Early Sixties Kay K6533 archtop
hollowbody with single Kay “cheese grater”
single-coil pickup (neck pickup only)
AMP: Mid Sixties Sears Silvertone 1485

(Channel 2, Volume: 6, Bass: 5, Treble: 7, Reverb
and Tremolo off)
CABINET: Sears Silvertone 1485 6x10

with Jensen C10Q ceramic speakers
EFFECTS: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

F R A N K M I C E LOT TA / G E T T Y I M A G E S
(Volume: 6, Tone: 7, Sustain: 9); DigiTech

Whammy 4 (Whammy 1-octave down setting)
STRINGS/TUNING: String gauge/brand

unspecified (use at least a set of .010–.046
strings); Open A (E A E A Cs E)
PICK/SLIDE: Dunlop Heavy 1.0mm Tortex,

chrome-plated steel slide

SATCHEL
STEEL PANTHER
ALL-NEW
SATCHEL SIGNATURE PRO-MOD DK
charvel.com
© 2017 JCMI. Charvel® and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found on Charvel® guitars are registered trademarks
of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and used herein under license to JCMI. All rights reserved.

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MASTER CLASS SPECIAL!

ISSUE JOE SATRIANI 'S SECRETS

GUITAR & BASS

GRETA VAN FLEET

JOE PERRY MACHINE HEAD THE STORY OF RONNIE MONTROSE

Patents Pending ML USA

Get your hands on a Dean USA

THE ‘50s STRATOCASTER. AMERICAN ORIGINAL SERIES.

Joe’s new, instrumentally electrifying album

• Special Reflective Chrome finish

In support of the album’s release, SATRIANI

42 MASTER CLASS, PART 2: JOE SATRIANI

PAGE 14 SOUNDING BOARD 92 COLUMNS

89. Marshall Stanmore Bluetooth Speaker Nation Army.”

FULL SPEED AHEAD

younger generation of consumers barely knowing what a magazine even is—there

SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE: Guitar World Magazine

BACK ISSUES: Please visit our store, www.guitarworld.com/store,

LIST RENTAL: 914-368-1024, [email protected]

REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS: For article reprints and or e-prints,

please contact our Reprint Coordinator at Wright’s Reprints,

EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES

12 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

(800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com

14 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

JERRY GA RCI A B Y MARK MEADOWS J IMMY PAG E B Y L E E T H O M A S

DEFENDERS of the Faith

(from left) Danny

The Fleet Is In…The Studio

18 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

GEAR. STRAP DESIGNS:

DEEP PURPLE HASN’T yet

20 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

Avatar’s Tim Öhrström (left)

Avatar to make sure they’re perfect.”

22 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

FOR AUSTIN GUITARIST Jackie

ded Boss DS-1 distortion, Boss RC-30 looper

24 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

Profiler Head Profiler Head Preamp Profiler Rack Preamp

Ty Tabor with his

26 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

FOR KING’S X OR ANY OF YOUR to using a 57 to get a killer guitar

28 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

FANNY’S HOUSE 1101 Holly St.

OF MUSIC Established: 2009

30 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

MESA/Boogie® | 1317 Ross Street | Petaluma, California 94954 | 707-778-6565 | mesaboogie.com

© 2017 MESA/Boogie Ltd.

What influenced you to Magic” by Slayer. We did a

32 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

Fit for a King

JESSE DAVEY KICKED OFF his top-end bite—à la SRV.

34 GU I TA R WOR L D • M A RCH 2018

FRANK HANNON OF TESLA

Interview by RICHARD BIENSTOCK

“MP3” “THE WAY IT IS”

DUNLOP CRY BABY WAH

effects. Again, overdrive and clean boost