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"Tons of F Ing Energy!": Inside The Biggest Guitar Album of The Year

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PIXIES RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS SHAME

WHERE IS MY MIND? OTHERSIDE SIX-PACK

“TONS OF F***ING ENERGY!”

INSIDE THE BIGGEST GUITAR


ALBUM OF THE YEAR

RIFF LIKE METALLICA


CREEPING SEEK & IF DARKNESS
DEATH DESTROY HAD A SON
EDITOR’S LETTER

Welcome…
Future Publishing
QUAY HOUSE, THE AMBURY, BATH, BA1 1UA
Tel: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822763
Email: totalguitar@futurenet.com
Website: www.totalguitar.co.uk

EDITORIAL
Editor: Chris Bird
Group Art Director: Graham Dalzell
Senior Music Editor: Jason Sidwell
Content Editor: Paul Elliott
Production Editor: Stan Bull
“The best Metallica album of
Music Co-ordinators: Zoe Maughan, Natalie Beilby the century.” That’s what TG
CONTRIBUTORS
Stuart Williams, Jenna Scaramanga, Amit Sharma, Ellie Rogers, Rob Laing, Charlie
contributor Jenna Scaramanga
Griffiths, Jon Bishop, Jonathan Horsley, Richard Barrett, Nick Guppy, Alex Lynham, excitedly announced of the band’s
Simon Young
Music Engraver: Simon Troup and Jennie Troup latest release 72 Seasons following
Photography: Neil Godwin, Olly Curtis, Phil Barker, Kevin Nixon
her VIP listening session in London
ADVERTISING
Phone: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 732285 in February. Of course, Metallica
Chief Revenue Officer: Zach Sullivan, zach.sullivan@futurenet.com
UK Commercial Sales Director: Clare Dove, clare.dove@futurenet.com have a distinct sound thanks to
Advertising Sales Director: Lara Jaggon, lara.jaggon@futurenet.com
Account Sales Directors: Alison Watson, alison.watson@futurenet.com
an arsenal of recurring techniques
Guy Meredith, guy.meredith@futurenet.com
and harmonic approaches that
MARKETING
Head Of Marketing: Sharon Todd
feature throughout their music.
Subscriptions Marketing Managers: Faith Wardle, Rachel Wallace But, despite the existence of a definite Metallica recipe,
PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
Production Controller: Frances Twentyman
the band’s mixing bowl of creativity is still being stirred,
Head of Production UK & US: Mark Constance if you see what I mean. Now into their fifth decade,
Printed in the UK by: William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf of Future
Distributed by: Marketforce, 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf Metallica are not resting on their laurels.
London, E14 5HU
Overseas distribution by: Seymour International
Head of Newstrade: Tim Mathers In this month’s exclusive interview, lead guitarist Kirk
CIRCULATION Hammett tells TG of the incredible energy the band felt
Trade Marketing Manager: Michelle Brock 0207 429 3683
upon reuniting after the Covid-19 lockdowns. He also
SUBSCRIPTIONS
New orders: www.magazinesdirect.com, phone orders: 0330 333 1113,
speaks about the rhythmic improvisation at the heart
email: help@magazinesdirect.com of his solos on 72 Seasons, and how that spontaneity 03
Renewals: www.mymagazine.co.uk, customer service: 0330 333 4333,
email: help@mymagazine.co.uk feeds into Metallica’s live shows.
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING
Total Guitar is available for licensing and syndication. We also speak to bassist Robert Trujillo. Together he
Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities.
Head of Print Licensing: Rachel Shaw, licensing@futurenet.com and Kirk take us on a deep dive through the new album,
MANAGEMENT track by track, revealing the inspiration and musical
Brand Director, Music: Stuart Williams
Head Of Design (Music): Brad Merrett
approaches behind each song. And producer Greg
Content Director: Scott Rowley
Group Art Director: Graham Dalzell
Fidelman outlines the recording process, the gear used
and how the band set about capturing a live feel.
It feels like a great time to be a Metallica fan, and this
issue is a big celebration of a band we all love here at TG.
If, like us, you’re feeling inspired to plug in and play, make
sure to follow our Metallica technique tutorial on p68 and
take a look at our riff lessons on three of the band’s
greatest songs, too.
As ever, I really hope you enjoy the magazine. It’s
All contents copyright © 2023 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence.
All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted
been a blast putting it together! See you next time.
or used in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England
and Wales. Registered office: Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1
1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as
far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept
any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised
to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other
details of products or services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites
mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for
their contents or any changes or updates to them.
If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to
publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including
licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world.
Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Chris Bird Editor
Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage.

We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from


responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Total Guitar (ISSN 1355504) May Issue 370, is published monthly with an extra issue in POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Total Guitar, World Container Inc., c/o BBT
The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable July by Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA, UK 150-15 183rd St, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA
managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic
standards. The US annual subscription price is $181.87 Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent Subscription records are maintained at Future Publishing, c/o Air Business Subscriptions,
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Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Brooklyn NY 11256.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


48
METALLICA

04
Cover image Tim Saccenti

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


CONTENTS

MONITOR
06 In The Picture
08 Scene
12 First Look

HOW TO...
14 Riff of the Month
Shame – Six-Pack
16 Five Ways To...
Use DADGAD

OBITUARY
22 18 Gary Rossington

COVET FEATURES
22 Covet

36 28 Crown Lands
32 Rodrigo y Gabriela
ENTER 36 Enter Shikari

SHIKARI 40 Voyager
44 Next-level solos 05

COVER FEATURE
48 Metallica

LEARN TO PLAY
72 Classic Track
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside
82 Open-Mic Songbook
Pixies – Where Is My Mind?

98 Audio & Video THE GAS STATION


MEET ME @ THE ALTAR Find your audio and video
84 The Gas Station
86 PRS SE DGT
content online at: 90 Blackstar Amped 2
92 Fender Acoustasonic
bit.ly/tg370audio Player Jazzmaster
94 Harley Benton Twoface
Type this link into a web browser on any
computer, smartphone or tablet and
you’ll be directed to TG’s website at
SUBSCRIPTIONS
96 Subscribe to TG!
guitarworld.com. Here you’ll find all the
audio and video for the issue, available
to download or stream. SPOTLIGHT
98 Meet Me @ The Altar

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


MONITOR
PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

Words Paul Elliott Photo Barry Brecheisen/Getty

ERIC & JEFF I


n memory of the
man who was
known as ‘the
guitarist’s
guitarist’, a host of
famous players will
perform in two concerts at London’s
Royal Albert Hall on May 22 and 23
– billed simply as A Tribute To Jeff 
Beck. The event was announced by
Jeff’s widow Sandra and his great 
friend Eric Clapton. Among the
guitarists scheduled to appear along
with Clapton are Billy Gibbons, Gary
Clark Jr., John McLaughlin, Susan 
Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. Also on
the bill are singers who performed
with Beck across the years, including
Rod Stewart, Imelda May and Joss 
Stone, plus Johnny Depp, who played 
guitar alongside Beck on his final 
tour. Pictured here are Eric and Jeff 
06 on stage in 2010 at the Crossroads
Guitar Festival in Bridgeview, Illinois 
– one of many times that the two
legends played together.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


IN THE PICTURE
PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

07

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


SCENE
YOUR NEWS IN GUITARS

08

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


MONITOR
PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

but there are also moments where


ALBUM it’s just supporting other things.
Usually, it’s about recreating

“IT’S AN
a certain feeling. I see music
through the general emotional
idea that it carries. Let’s say
I have a chord; I try to think of

INTERESTING
why I like this chord and what
kind of emotion it gives me.
The more I understand it, the
better I portray the emotion.

MOMENT FOR You’ve been quoted in the


past as saying that you
don’t listen to much guitar
music. Where does your

THE GUITAR”
inspiration come from?
I think that was maybe two
years back – maybe from the
previous record – and I was
feeling like that for many

JAKUB ŻYTECKI ON NEW INSPIRATIONS years. The last time I was


listening to guitar music was

AND TWO-MINUTE SOLOS as a teenager obsessed with


Dream Theater. Right now, it
feels like it came back to me
olish guitar Do your tones come a little bit. With the

P
virtuoso, solely from thing that Polyphia 09
multi- plugins or and Plini are
instrumentalist do you use doing, I feel
and producer pedals too? like it’s an
Jakub Żytecki I got some interesting
has solidified his position as pedals moment for
a trailblazer in progressive guitar thinking it the guitar
music with a brilliant new album, was going to and I feel
Remind Me. The shred-meets- change my inspired by
ambient specialist also teases an process, but it again.
eight-string signature and reveals still I’m ending
why it’s time to rip it up like his up recording super Can you single
teen hero once more. dry and changing it in out a performance
the post process. It was on on the record that you’re
Tell us about the one guitar you my first record that I started using especially proud of?
couldn’t live without... Neural DSP stuff because they’re This is the first time I actually
It’s probably the one that awesome, probably the best in the came back to the classic
I recorded most of the album with market. I’ve been using a Valhalla conception of guitar solos.
– my Mayones that they built for Reverb for years – it’s everywhere There are at least two solos that
me. It’s an offset model, a bit – and I use EchoBoy when it comes I wouldn’t have done three years
different from their catalogue. to delays. ago – typical high-gain, two-
It’s inspired by the Fender Jaguar, minute-long solos. There’s one
so it’s got this Kurt Cobain-ish How would you describe your in MOONGHOST alt which is kind of
shape. I actually received that approach to the guitar? like a John Petrucci-style solo with
guitar as an eight-string version It’s probably a bit cliché to say, but a wah pedal at the end. You can’t
recently. I haven’t shown anybody, it’s just a tool to tell some kind of get more classic than that and
but it’s a guitar that we’re working story. You’re a part of a bigger I like it because I haven’t done
on and there’s going to be the picture. Obviously there are places that in years!
signature coming this year. to have the guitar in the spotlight Ellie Rogers

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


MONITOR
PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

AMPLIFIERS

BLACKSTAR DEBUT 50R

B
lackstar has been on a busy run of 1x12” pedal platform combo. It has a MOSFET and Blackstar’s ISF control, switchable plate/
new gear lately, and the most recent preamp design, which Blackstar says is hall reverbs, FX loop and a power amp section
is the Debut 50R. In a world of virtually indistinguishable from valves. There that can go from 50 watts down to 5 watts.
10 do-it-all gear, this all-analogue are Clean/Bright voices on the first channel, The Debut 50R comes in Black or Cream,
combo is designed as a simple, two-channel, with overdrive on the second, three-band EQ priced at £209.

PICKUP

MODELLER
EMG JMASTER

A
ctive pickup purchase the pickups built

HEADRUSH PRIME purveyor EMG has


offset players in its
sights with its latest
into a black, white or red
tortoiseshell pickguard.
This option also has EMG’s

F
ollowing on the success of its Amp Cloning for capturing the sound Retro Active release – this SPC and EXG circuits
Pedalboard modeller, Headrush of outboard gear, plus an IR loader. time a pair of pickups wired-in, offering a mid
has unveiled the Headrush It’s also home to a mic input, complete designed specially for Fender or full-frequency boost,
Prime (£1,099). This feature- with vocal processing courtesy of Jazzmasters. The JMaster is a alongside a bass and treble
packed multi-fx/modeller is based Antares Auto-Tune. There’s a lot of noiseless, wide-stacked boost for “liquid tone with
around a 7-inch touchscreen interface connectivity, too, with its own WiFi singlecoil and is available as a full bottom end and
with a friendly, colour graphic display. connection for patch exchange and set in black, white or ivory. enhanced highs”. Available
As well as the expected guitar and bass streaming, Bluetooth, USB audio Alternatively, you can priced from $249.
amp and FX models, it’s got on-board and more!

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


MONITOR
PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

Words Stuart Williams Photography Phil Barker

Epiphone’s Inspired By Gibson Custom


Shop range turns its attention to two
of Gibson’s rarest guitars: the 1958
Korina Explorer and Flying V
ibson couldn’t the Explorer – with 22 medium

G
have conceived jumbo frets.
in 1958 just how There’s gold hardware abound
chameleonic its thanks to the tune-o-matic bridges,
‘futuristic’ V-shaped string plate (Flying V
12 Explorer and only) and pickup covers. Talking of
Flying V shapes would become. which, under the covers on both
Dress them one way and they’re guitars are a pair of Gibson USA
the archetype pointy, heavy metal Burstbuckers, controlled by two
blueprint. Go back to the originals volume pots, a master tone and
though, and the same shape gives a three-way switch.
us an entirely different aesthetic, The 1958 Korina Explorer
one of blues, psychedelia, classic and 1958 Korina Flying V are
rock and more. available with either white
Now, 65 years after they were or black scratchplates,
first released in hens’ teeth and all models come
numbers, Epiphone is bringing us in a road-ready
a mass-market, Gibson Custom hardshell case
version of the iconic designs. First priced at
up are the all-important Korina £1,219.
wood bodies and necks, with both
models having their neck carves
patterned to the vintage versions.
Both guitars feature an Indian
Laurel fingerboard – 24.75” scale
for the Flying V and 24.724” for

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


FIRST LOOK
PEOPLE ✪ NEWS ✪ NOISE

UP CLOSE

Korina wood
The original korina wood models were made in
extremely limited numbers – 81 Flying Vs and
fewer than 50 Explorers.

Pickups
Epiphone is pushing the boat out and supplying
these guitars with USA Burstbucker pickups. 13

Inspired by Gibson
We’ve seen some huge improvements
from the Epiphone stable in recent years,
these models are part of the Inspired
by Gibson range.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


HOW TO WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Drop E tuning
Alternate strumming
Auto wah effect

Get the tone CHANNEL OVERDRIVE


4 5
7 7

0
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

Use a bridge pickup into a


moderately overdriven amp. We
recommend using a humbucker-
equipped guitar with plenty of
treble and presence dialled in
to get close to the Shame duo’s
’bucker/single coil lineup. The riff is
played using an auto wah effect
with the sensitivity set at around
11 o’clock on the dial. Based on live
videos the guitars are tuned to
drop E (E B E A C# F#), which is
the same as drop D but with all
six strings tuned a tone higher.

Bridge humbucker

riff of the month

SHAME
Six-Pack
14 ix-Pack features on Shame’s third need to strum the strings continuously, but in triplets. We’ve played slowly through the riff

S album Food For Worms released in


February 2023. Guitarists Eddie
Green and Sean Coyle-Smith
play this post-punk-style riff
keeping your hand moving will help you lock
into the feel with solid, steady timing. Start the
riff with a hammer-on from A to B on the sixth
string, then strum the three-string D triad,
in our video so you can study the details.

CHEAT SHEET…
Appears at: 0:00-0:37
with high-energy strumming and an auto-wah played with the first finger. Next repeat the Tempo: 145bpm
effect. The riff is played with a fast triplet feel, hammer-on, then strum an E triad with your Key/scale: B Dorian mode
so keep your strumming hand moving down third finger. Play this C to D section three times, Main techniques: Alternate strumming,
and up with three strums per beat. You don’t before finishing up by strumming the C chord string muting, triplet feel

F#

F# G# C#

D E A

A B E

A B E

The notes of this riff fit within the B Dorian mode (B C# D E F# G# sixth string are played as single notes, with a B acting as the
Photo Getty

A), which is a minor scale with a ‘happy’ sounding major 6th root. Play the remaining notes (A D F#) and (B E G#) as D- and
interval (the G# note) brightening things up. The notes on the E-barre triads using your first and third fingers.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


HOW TO

FIVE WAYS TO...


16 USE DADGAD
Follow TG’s guide and get to grips with this versatile tuning
ot just the open tuning that’s most up in All Time Low’s 2008 pop-punk classic you to stick to the key of D, but you can use
fun to say, DADGAD is also one of Dear Maria, Count Me In, and 80s rockers Tesla a capo to reach other keys, as in Del Amitri’s
the most versatile guitar tunings. used it for the hard-driving riffs of Heaven’s Trail Tell Her This.
When you strum the open strings it (No Way Out). Slipknot, Ed Sheeran, and Johnny To get the benefits of DADGAD, most of the
produces a Dsus4 chord which, Cash have all used it, and it powers the solo time you’ll want to keep open strings ringing as
being neither major nor minor, has acoustic arrangements of Smells Like Teen Spirit much as possible. The main technical challenge
the potential to create a world of different by Eric Roche and Gabriella Quevedo. will be to arch your fingers enough to keep the
moods. Jimmy Page exploited it in Kashmir, If you explore the tuning, you’ll find that top strings clear while you fret the lower strings.
Black Mountain Side and White Summer, inspired powerchords are the same as in drop D, and If you can play open chords, you’ve already
by the folk guitarists Davy Graham and Bert with the top strings ringing, these can create conquered the technique. Remember to keep
Jansch, who popularised the tuning. some beautiful extended chords. You can play your thumb centred on the back of the neck and
Although best known as a folk tuning, a killer version of Everlong by the Foo Fighters use the tips of your fingers more than the pads
DADGAD has a world of applications. It crops with this approach. The tuning encourages for maximum clearance.

1 CASCADING MAJOR SCALE bit.ly/tg370audio


Words, guitars and backing Jenna Scaramanga Photo Olly Curtis

#
q = 55

& # 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
let ring throughout

D 0
T A
G
0 4 4 0
A D 0 4
0 4 4 0
4 0
B A
D
7 7

Sustain every note here for as long as possible. The main challenge is from the second to third note: keep your fourth finger down to sustain the second note without
choking the fourth string.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


FIVE WAYS TO…

2 EXTENDED CHORDS bit.ly/tg370audio

b
Free time
Dmaj 7 Em11 F#m 6 Gsus 2 Bm7 Dadd 11/F # Gsus 2
# 4 œ œœ
& # 4 ggg œœœ gggg œœ ggg œœœœ ggg œœœœœ ggg œœœœ
ggg
œœœ ggg ˙˙˙˙˙
ggg œ ggg œ ggg œœ ggg œ gg œœ ggg
œœ
œ ggg ˙
gœ œ g
ggg ggg gg 00 ggg 000 ggg gg gg 00
ggg gg 2 ggg ggg ggg 0
D

gg
0 0 0 0
T
ggg 44 ggg 5
A 4 0 0 2
A
gg ggg gg 55 gg ggg ggg 55
G 2 0 7 2

gg 4 g
D

g g5
0 2 9 4
B g g g
A 0 2 9 5
D 0 2 9 4

Have fun composing your own progressions with these. If F#m b 6 is too much of a stretch, you can leave the string open for a tense (but cool in the right context)
F#maddb9.

3 FOLKY STRUMMING bit.ly/tg370audio

q.= 55
D Aadd 11/D Gadd 9/D Aadd 11/D
Play 4 times

# 6 œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ .
& # 8 .. œœ œ
œœ
œ
œœ
œ
œœ
œ
œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ .
œœ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
D
T GA . 1100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
.
. 00 .
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A D 11
0
11
0
11
0
11
0
9
11
9
11
9
11
9
11
9
11
0
9
0
9
0
9
0
9
0
9
9
11
9
11
9
11
9
11
9
11
B A D 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
10
0
10
0
10
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

These simple shapes sound radically different from typical standard tuned guitar voicings. Keep your strumming wrist loose and experiment with different rhythms. 17

4 JIMMY PAGE-STYLE RIFF bit.ly/tg370audio

q = 80
b
nœ. œ œ œœ œœ œ.
Dm Dm 6 Gadd 9/D Am7/D Dmaj 7 D 5 Am/D Dm7 Dsus 4 D D5

# 4 nœ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& # 4 .. œœœ ... b œœœ œœœ n œœœ œœœ n œœ ... # œœ œœ œ.
œ.

œ
œ
œ œœ œœ
#œ.
œœ . ..
Play 4 times

œ. œ œ œ. œ œ . œœ œœ
œ œ
T
D
. 3 3 5 5 7 7 10 10 12 12
.
. .
A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A G
D
2
0
3
0
4
0
5
0
6
0
7
0
9
0
10
0
12
0
11
0 0 0
B A
D
0
0
0
0

You can also strum all six strings on these voicings, especially if you’re playing unaccompanied. As Zeppelin proved, these can work on electric guitar, too.

5 CASCADING LICK bit.ly/tg370audio

>
‚ ‚
rit.

# 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
q = 55 Freely

& #4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
˙ ˙
let ring throughout ˙ ˙ NH

D 0 0 0 12
T A 0 5 7 9 7 4 4 0 12
A G
D 0
0 4 6 4 0
4 2 0
B A
D 0
2 0
0

Here’s how you can use the cascading scale concept from Example 1 to create melodies. Again, the goal is to let every note ring into the next as much as possible.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


OBITUARY

Words Paul Elliott Photos Getty

1951 – 2023
The guitar hero who wrote Sweet Home Alabama
– and led Lynyrd Skynyrd out of the darkness
18 f all the guitar heroes that have come and gone, Gary Rossington
was among the most heroic.
As a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the three-guitar band
that defined Southern rock in the early 70s, Rossington played
with a swagger and a lightness of touch. He liked to play gritty, but
also, as he put it, play “pretty”. His instrument of choice was a
1959 Les Paul Standard, which he used on every one of the band’s together – me and Ronnie and Allen. I knew
first five landmark albums. And in those albums were so many a couple of chords, but we didn’t think we could
great songs that he wrote with singer Ronnie Van Zant – most ever write a song in our lives. We thought that
famous of all, Sweet Home Alabama. took talent! We just had a dream of making it
But Gary Rossington was more than simply a gifted musician. in a band.”
He was also a man of extraordinary character. In the wake of the At this early stage, Gary’s primary influences
worst disaster in the entire history of rock ’n’ roll – the plane crash during Skynyrd’s 1977’s US were Eric Clapton, then with Cream, and Paul
tour, which killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and four others, and left the surviving Kossoff of Free. “Everybody was blues-
members of the group and entourage with horrific injuries – Gary Rossington was able to influenced,” he said, “because rock ’n’ roll
rebuild his life and rediscover his love of playing guitar. And with Johnny Van Zant replacing evolved from blues. So I loved Paul Butterfield
his late brother as singer, Skynyrd was resurrected in the late 80s with Rossington as de facto and John Mayall, Muddy Waters and Son House
leader, a role he retained until failing health forced him to withdraw from touring in 2021. and Howlin’ Wolf.”
What also developed in the early days of
Throughout the band’s long recording career, his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and Lynyrd Skynyrd was a competitive streak
Gary Rossington was the sole constant, playing it pretty, like he always does.” between the guitar players, encouraged by
appearing on every studio album from the 1973 Gary Robert Rossington was born in Ronnie Van Zant. “Me and Al would battle
debut (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd ‘Skin-'nérd) to Jacksonville, Florida on December 4, 1951, and for solos,” Gary said. “We’d learn a song and
2012’s Last Of A Dyin’ Breed, and on every live it was there, in 1964, that he that he formed whoever played lead the best got it. So after
album. Apart from drummer Artimus Pyle, who a band with Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen a while we’d be fighting each other for it, and
left the band in 1991, all the others who played Collins and bassist Larry Junstrom. The band Ronnie saw that. He used to tell the other guys,
on the band’s 70s albums have now passed was called The Noble Five, then The One Per ‘Watch this – Gary, why don’t you play the lead
away: guitarists Allen Collins and Ed King, Cent, before they decided, with sweet revenge, there?’ And Al would be so pissed, he’d come
bassist Leon Wilson, keyboard player Billy to use the name of a schoolteacher who had back the next day and play it better than me.
Powell and original drummer Bob Burns. And it despised them as long-haired wasters. In And then it turned into real fights! But it was
was in their memory, and for Ronnie Van Zant ‘honour’ of Leonard Skinner, the legend of great. I had a girlfriend and every day I would
and Steve Gaines, that Lynyrd Skynyrd posted Lynyrd Skynyrd was born. go to her house after we practised for a couple
a poignant message following the death of Gary As Gary recalled, “Like every kid in America, of hours, and Allen didn’t have a girlfriend
Rossington on March 5, 2023: “Gary is now with we wanted to be The Beatles. We learned all – he’d go home and play, so for a while he

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


GARY ROSSINGTON

“We’d learn a
song and
whoever played
lead the best got
it. So after a
while we’d be
fighting each
other for it”
Gary Rossington

19

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


OBITUARY “RIP, Brother Gary. Thank you for bringing me so
much joy with your guitar playing and songwriting”
James Hetfield

20

was learning quicker than me. So I ended up breaking up with FLYING HIGH said, ‘Just go till I tell you to quit.’ So it just kind of evolved.
this girl so I could play more!” Lynyrd Skynyrd on The funny thing is, we didn’t think it would be a big song.”
stage at Oakland
The band also got tight by rehearsing in a backwoods shack Sweet Home Alabama was another team effort, built around
Coliseum in 1976.
named The Hell House for its superheated atmosphere. “We’d From left: Allen Rossington’s irresistible, swinging riff, and later finessed by
go out there at nine in the morning and stay there all day,” Collins, Ronnie Van Ed King. And throughout those early albums, Gary had a song
Gary recalled, “and it was so hot in Florida! There was no air Zant and Gary for every mood. Cheatin’ Woman is one of the funkiest blues
conditioning, and when the sun hit the tin roof it got even Rossington. numbers ever laid down by a rock group. The title track from
hotter. Then we had amps on high, back in the old days with Gimme Back My Bullets is as mean as they come. And in
tubes, they’d get hot – it was like sitting by a heater. It was contrast, What’s Your Name is pure feel-good rock ’n’ roll.
bad! But it was good in certain ways. We’d play in summertime The latter song came from Street Survivors, the album that
outdoors a lot, and all these other bands would come off stage was released on October 27, 1977 – just three days before
and go, ‘Man, it’s so hot!’ And we wouldn’t even be sweating, disaster struck.
because we were used to it.” “We were just starting to make it big and everybody was real
The band’s debut album opened with one of Gary’s songs, happy and we were doing good,” Gary recalled. “We were on
I Ain’t The One, and featured another of his which became tour with our own plane and we thought everything was good.
a classic, Simple Man. The most important song on that album And then boom... It was the worst thing that could ever
– arguably the most important song of the band’s career – was happen to anyone.”
Free Bird, the Stairway To Heaven of Southern rock. It was He described the aftermath of the crash. “I broke a lot of
written by Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant, but Rossington bones. Both arms, both legs, ribs. I remember screaming.
also played a part in its creation. “It started out as a simple I could see and hear my brothers dying. It was terrible.” He
love song about leaving a girl and being a free bird,” he said. also talked candidly about his experience of survivor’s guilt.
“I came up with the three chords at the end so Allen could play “I questioned it for years: why did I live and other guys didn’t?
lead, and when we were playing clubs, Ronnie would say, ‘Play You have to go through all of that, and it’s crazy. I think fate
it a little longer, so I can rest my voice.’ So it turned into two has a lot to do with things and that was just what was
minutes, then three minutes, then four. And then Ronnie supposed to be.”

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


GARY ROSSINGTON

21

In those dark days after the crash, Gary believed he would SIMPLE MAN Gary Rossington was proud of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s wonderful
never play guitar again. Gary, with his Les music and the influence it had on subsequent generations of
Paul, in 1976 and
“I didn’t think I could play again,” he recalled. “And I didn’t rock bands. Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose said in 1987 that
2019.
want to in the first place.” But fate played a hand again, when Right: the Skynyrd the “heartfelt feeling” in their song Sweet Child O’ Mine was
he was recuperating on vacation in Barbados, and attended line-up before the inspired by Skynyrd. “That was really a great compliment,”
a party with members of The Rolling Stones and Alan Price, disaster of 1977. Gary said. “A lot of those 80s bands listened to us when
formerly the keyboard player from The Animals. The various they were growing up.”
musicians had an impromptu jam, running through a few The same was true of Metallica, who recorded a version of
blues standards, and eventually Gary was persuaded to join in. Skynyrd’s classic ballad Tuesday’s Gone. “I loved that,” Gary
“Alan Price said, ‘Come up and jam with me.’ I said, ‘Man, said. “They put their heart and soul into it. I played that song
I don’t wanna play. I quit.’ And he said, ‘Your mates would with Metallica at their 30th anniversary show (in 2011).
want you to play. Do it for them.’ And so I did. I said, ‘Gimme They’re great friends of mine.” Metallica’s James Hetfield was
that guitar!’ We played a blues song and I loved it. I couldn’t one of many who paid tribute following the news of Gary
play very good. I was still hurt and broke up. But that’s when Rossington’s passing. “RIP, Brother Gary,” Hetfield stated on
I started back. My first wife was there, and she was crying Metallica’s Instagram page. “Thank you for bringing me so
because I’d told her so many times that I’d never play again.” much joy with your guitar playing and songwriting in one of
Rossington went on to form a new group with Collins, my all-time favourite bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd.”
Wilkeson and Powell. Named the Rossington Collins Band, In 2012, Gary Rossington was asked how he would want to
they made two albums in the early 80s before Lynyrd Skynyrd remembered. His reply said a lot about the kind of man he
reunited in 1987, with Johnny Van Zant alongside Rossington, was – his focus not on himself but on the band he served
Powell, Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle and Ed King, who had left the with such distinction. “It was our dream, back in the day,
band in 1975. Across the years there were numerous line-up to become a band that is known all over the world,” he said.
changes and further losses, but Gary Rossington never gave “We’re just a good, hard-working American band that’s
up on the band he loved so dearly, in which his second wife, stuck by our guns and tried to do what’s right. I hope that’s
Dale Krantz-Rossington, performed as a backing singer. our legacy.”

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


FEATURE

Words Jenna Scaramanga

“IT’S GUITAR
MUSIC, BUT IT’S
FOR EVERYONE”
Yvette Young is one of the most original guitarists on
the planet – combining innovation with accessibility in
a new Covet album. But she admits: “I’ve always felt
like an outsider to the guitar world...”
22
t’s a familiar story: the short,” she says. “I’d rather leave using the whammy bar more. My
Californian child of people wanting more than overstay playing totally evolved.” Tapping is
immigrant parents my welcome. I prank myself by still a major feature, but it’s now
turns guitar playing making the most difficult digestible one approach among many. “I just
upside down with music, so it’s hard for me but fun expanded my toolkit. When I went
a radical approach to for everyone else!” back to the studio after the tour
two-handed tapping. Already known as one of the most I ended up re-tracking a ton of the
Yvette Young’s music cutting-edge guitarists on the scene, songs because I play them differently
is nothing like Edward Yvette’s playing has evolved again now. The solos have a lot more
Van Halen’s, but since 2020’s breakthrough character and flavour.”
her story is similar. Self-taught on Technicolor. “It’s crazy,” she smiles. Covet get labelled shoegaze for
guitar after a background in classical “We tracked these songs and then we Young’s pedal-obsessed musical
music, they both found their own toured, and something happened to meditations, but Catharsis often
idiosyncratic approaches by fearlessly me on tour where my guitar playing sounds more like gazing at an open
chasing the sounds in their heads. changed. I started almost pseudo- sky. It’s not hard to guess the album
Like Van Halen, Yvette Young’s picking; instead of fingerpicking was made in California. With dreamy
technical wizardry is disguised by an I would use the tips of my fingers or extended chords and vocoder-
emphasis on memorable songs. For my nail to make a pick and get more drenched vocal harmonies, opener
a band sometimes categorised as attack. I started bending more and Coronal comes on like a grunge Beach
math rock, Covet are Boys, while first single
remarkably accessible. Firebird consciously

“I LOVE POST-ROCK,
“It’s guitar music, but evokes driving an
it’s for everyone,” says open-top muscle car.
Young, Covet’s leader “A lot of it’s joyful, but
and mastermind. “I just
love catchy music, stuff POST-METAL, EDM, AND then there’s two songs
that are heavier, so I’m

ROCK, AND I’M TRYING


that makes you want to excited to showcase
dance.” The new album, that sonic spectrum,”

TO CHANNEL THEM ALL”


Catharsis, zips by in Yvette reflects.
under 30 minutes. “I really love
“I purposely made a lot exploration of tones
of these songs really and using them like

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


COVET

23

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


FEATURE

24

“I’M JUST THIS KID WHO


FELL INTO THIS VIRTUOSO
GUITAR SCENE”
COVET

different colours to help a story come to


life. I love post-rock, post-metal, EDM,
and rock, and I think I’m trying to
channel them all. I’m trying to do
a whole love letter to all the sounds
and timbres that I enjoy, and I’m
proud of how diverse the songs are.”
Yvette has a parallel career guitar
influencer, and many of the tracks on
Catharsis began life as pedal demos:
Coronal originated as a fuzz showcase.
“I told my recording engineer: this is
a guitar album. It’s supposed to be
highlighting tones, highlighting
melody, highlighting songwriting.
The effects are like colours to me,
and they can colour the way you play.
Fuzz makes me write stuff that
sounds a lot gloomier and darker,
which I need. When I’m clean I just
want to fill up all the space, but
fuzz fills in the space for you with
interesting texture and I love that.
I wrote that song in one sitting, and
I added the middle solo later in the Compressors are important for ALL INCLUSIVE do whatever I have to do to make that
studio. All of that was just a stream Yvette’s clean tapping passages. “I get so excited happen. I’ve always felt like an outsider
because at our
of consciousness from a really cool “I would never practice with one though to the guitar world. If anything I feel like
shows the audience
fuzz sound turning into a song. because it just makes you not play as is so eclectic,” I’m doing catch up work. I’m just this
“I actually played with a bunch of hard,” she warns. “If you can make it Yvette says kid who loves guitar, loves music and
fuzzes,” she continues. “On my board sound and sustain without a compressor loves songwriting, who just fell into this 25
I use the ZVex Mastotron but I was also then when you add one it’s smooth virtuoso guitar scene. Because my whole
using the Collision Devices Black Hole sailing. I use the Earthquaker Devices background is in classical music, I am
Symmetry and a Moreland Magnetics Warden optical compressor. What I like really driven and motivated by chasing
707 fuzz. My friend from Dirge about that one is it almost acts like the things that I hear in my head.”
Electronics makes this pedal called a preamp, where you can push your Recreating the sounds in her head is
the Slowly Melting that I was playing amp a little more with it. I find that a constant search, but Yvette is finding
with as well.” The Slowly Melting’s things break up more if I crank it, it easier these days. “I decided to
distinctive broken sounds are clearly so it’s really versatile.” commit to one tuning!” she admits.
audible on tracks like Smolder. Her main amp is still the Vox AC30, “Most of the songs on this record are
One of the coolest pedals Yvette has but Catharsis sees it joined by a Roland in F-A-C-G-C-E. I feel more fluent
used is the Hologram Microcosm JC-40. “The chorus stuff has JC-40 in that and I’m able to come up with
multi-delay, which can pitchshift, Blended in and everything that’s broken melodies much quicker now. That’s
modulate, and radically reinterpret the up is the AC30,” she explains. “The just the tuning that spoke to me the
input signal in unpredictable, synth- heavier hitters are AC30. Things like most and I was the most comfortable
like ways. It gets an outing on Vanquish, Firebird and parts of Love Spell are with. I wanted this album to be more
but the main song to showcase it was JC-40.” Between the all-out fuzz of seamless, and to do that I have
dropped at the last minute: “It’s gonna Coronal and the jangle of Firebird are to stay in the same tuning.”
be on the next record,” she says. “I just beautiful, slightly broken-up tones. She Yvette’s signature Ibanez Talman
wanted to do it justice because it’s such pushed the AC30 into overdrive with the YY10, an offset body with three single
a cool song.” Ground Control Audio Amaterasu Bright coil pickups and a Wilkinson tremolo,
Another Young favourite is Boss’s Preamp. “Live, I do it by pushing my covered all the material on Catharsis.
classic DD-3 delay, which she exploits amp with a Electronic Audio The T-style YY20 doesn’t make an
on Bronco. “Yeah, the stutter!” she Experiments Longsword. It’s fun trying appearance, but she’s saving it for
exclaims. “I love the DD-3.” Unlike to recreate it live, because some of the a forthcoming solo record. “I think
some buffered bypass delays, the heavier stuff is stacked with synths.” I’m gonna use the Tele one for my
DD-3’s repeats stop instantly when Although Yvette’s guitar style is future solo stuff. My solo material
you turn off the pedal for sudden unique, she doesn’t put pressure on is more Midwestern emo singer-
stop-start effects. Yvette maxes the herself to be original. “I don’t seek out songwriter-inspired. Covet’s my outlet
level and feedback controls for brief to do anything new,” she says. “That’s for anything that’s heavy and big and
bursts of cacophony. “It’s just getting not my intention. If it happens, it not vocal-centric. My solo music maybe
Photo Olly Curtis

the timing right and getting it to happens, but I think it’s more a by- has more mass appeal. I really like
sustain. A compressor helps it cut product of me really wanting to help the bands like Pinegrove, so I’m looking
for a long time, too.” things in my head come to life, and I’ll for that Midwest, twangy tone.”

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


FEATURE

With Covet, Yvette is more focused on


making clever things sound simple. As
Yvette puts it, “My whole thing is I like
to package up secretly heady things, like
prog, in this accessible package that
everyone can get something from. I get
excited about that, because the more
people you can trick into listening to
something complicated, you’re helping
expand their tastes. You’re also raising
the ceiling for a whole genre because
more people are going to discover
other bands from that genre.”
Yvette is most animated talking about
songwriting. “Emotion and just how
enjoyable something is comes first,”
she says. “I’m not looking for there
to be a struggle to access this music.
I want to be immediately accessible,
and then when you sit back and dissect
it, if you put your little music brain hat
on, then wow there’s a lot of things
going on.”
At the same time, she isn’t afraid to
use well-worn ideas as long as she can
make them sound fresh. “I view it as
a challenge. I’m like ‘OK, this is a chord
progression I’ve used before. How can
I trick people into thinking they haven’t
26 heard it yet?’ You could do that through
phrasing, through transposing it, or
using really interesting passing tones.
The rhythm section has so much power.
You can take a chord progression you’ve
played before but what the rhythm
section does with it makes it feel like a
whole new song. I feel what takes a
something from being good

“MY PLAYING HAS


to magical is attention to all
the little details. That could

TOTALLY EVOLVED”
be your phrasing or
automating a delay on this
one note. Of course, your used in a really creative way and people
average listener isn’t going don’t know all the cool sounds you can
to say, ‘Wow, I really admits. “I’m really proud of these get from it. I get so excited because at
enjoyed the fact that they maxed out the songs. It’s now attached to a lot of really our shows I look at the audience and
rate on the delay’, they’re just gonna be stressful memories but I’m proud to get it’s just so eclectic, people from all
like, ‘That felt like a cloud; I don’t know it out finally.” backgrounds, all orientations, all
how they did that.’ Attention to detail Despite these challenges, she is still ethnicities. It’s hilarious: you get guitar
with the phrasing is like the difference excited for a more interactive writing dads and Gen-Z kids and Asian families.
between a person talking versus it process on the next record: “I’m really I love it. My goal as a player is to just get
sounding like a computer wrote it. I looking forward to it. I already have four as many people excited about music as
don’t stop working on a riff until I’m songs. I’m gonna demo them and we’re possible, because it’s been therapeutic
personally really excited by it.” gonna probably get a shared house and to me. It’s saved my life. Honestly, it
The plan for Catharsis, as Yvette told finish the songs as a band. I always has given me so much confidence and
TG back in 2021, was to write more of write the whole song and then let made me feel that I have a voice when
the material while rehearsing together everyone sit with the music for a I’m not the most outspoken or
as a band. In the event, the album had while before we come together and assertive person.”
a difficult gestation and Covet got a new try to make the best decisions She smiles. “I just want a lot of people
drummer (Jessica Burdeaux) and bassist for the song.” to have love for the instrument or
(Brandon Dove). “This record process Wrapping up, Yvette is extremely music, and have the courage to pursue
was really painful for me because I had buoyant. “I’m really optimistic about something creative for themselves.”
to make a lot of tough calls,” Yvette the future of guitar. I think it’s being Covet’s album Catharsis is out April 7.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


FEATURE

Words Amit Sharma Photos Jag Gundu

WHO IS THE HERO HERE?


THE GUITAR OR
THE BASS?
In prog rock duo Crown Lands, multi-instrumentalist
Kevin Comeau always has his hands full
he last two decades have witnessed the rise of some impossibly A Farewell To Kings – that inspired his
28 thunderous two-piece bands, from the lo-fi vintage crackle of own grandiose and elaborate musical
The White Stripes and The Black Keys to the modern-voiced experimentations. He says he owes
heaviness of Death From Above 1979 and Royal Blood – all of “everything to listening to Rush at the
whom have somehow been able to defy the laws of physics right time in life”, which led to him
in terms of sheer dimension and spread. You can now add going back to discover “the older,
Canadian duo Crown Lands to that list, given how singer/ weirder side of prog like Yes, King
drummer Cody Bowles’ melodies and rhythms are elevated Crimson, Genesis, Van Der Graaf
far into the cosmic beyond by multi-instrumentalist Kevin Comeau, who Generator and Tangerine Dream
– much like a mad professor – beavers away behind a fortress of equipment in instead of Dream Theater and
order to bring their sci-fi prog orchestrations to life. Instead of signal splitting more modern stuff.”
as per bands of the past, he switches between Rickenbacker guitar/bass double The opening track on Crown Lands’
necks, vintage Gibson SGs, inexpensive Strats, 12-string acoustics, Moog Taurus new album Fearless is an 18-minute epic
pedals and synths to create a world of sound that truly needs to be seen in order titled Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II. As far as
to be believed. opening gambits go, this one takes the
listener right into the deep end. “Most
“When we started out, I was really If I’m staying static on my guitar, I’ll of that was written over a couple of
influenced by all those two-piece play the melody on my Taurus and vice weeks,” Kevin says, “except for the
bands,” Kevin says, speaking from his versa. I prefer to let my guitar play end part which was going to be its own
home in Oshawa, Ontario. “I was doing a traditional role – it gives me more 15-minute song about black holes. We
that dual mono setup where you split low-end space for bass pedals.” found a Ted Talk by Stephen Hawking,
your signal, sending your dry to one amp Being a progressive rock band from so we sampled him into this
and an octave down to another. But Canada, Crown Lands are following in instrumental ’90s Floyd-esque piece
I found it was muddying up what I was the footsteps of legendary trio Rush. which ended up going nowhere, except
doing with the Taurus pedals. A lot of And for Kevin, having initially fallen in for that one section we moved over.”
those other bands tend to play just one love with punk rock during his early If this all sounds like the kind of thing
part and split. My bass pedals have their teens, it was the song Xanadu – the Rush would do, well, that’s because it is.
own lines. I do a lot of counterpoint. 11-minute epic from Rush’s 1977 album When Kevin talks about the first part of

“I L IKE USI NG TE X TUR E AND T IM BRE TO


TEL L A STO RY AS EFF ECT I VELY AS LYR ICS ”
TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023
CROWN LANDS
CROWN LANDS

Starlifter – what he calls “the opening – a 1969 transition model with ’68 pots wasn’t playing much. I used it for most THREE’S
overture”, which he says “represents a and a more recent SG Classic fitted with of the acoustic parts on the record.” A CROWD
Crown Lands’
fight between good and evil” – he likens P-90s, although he doesn’t tour with The rest of Kevin’s tone comes from multi-taskers
it to another classic Rush song from the them for fear of neck breakage. “I love combining Hiwatt with Fender amps, Cody Bowles (left)
70s, By-Tor And The Snow Dog. He also those late-60s Gibsons,” he says. a blend which the guitarist attests to and Kevin Comeau
acknowledges the influence of Rush “I find the necks are so interesting. being “the main secret of my sound”.
in how he mainly works in DADGAD You have the skinny nut and the neck is There’s something magical that
and open C tunings to help emulate slim but by the seventh fret it becomes happens when you marry the mid-
keyboard voicings. “I like using texture a baseball ball C-shape and fills your presence from the EL34s in a British-
and timbre to tell a story as effectively hand so nicely. The T-Top pickups in style amp with the scooped punch you
as lyrics. It’s all very hopeful with the that ’68/’69 SG has this clarity and get from American-voiced 6L6s, he says
big suspended chords and then we do sparkle you don’t get from any – demystifying how one person alone
this chromatic shift into B flat, which other humbucker.” can cover so much ground in a power
suddenly makes you feel like we’re in D He describes the tone as “slightly duo. “I ended up getting a deal with
minor. We live in a Mixolydian world of scooped”, especially when compared Hiwatt because all my favourite
always having that flat seven, and that’s to the Classic, which carries more guitarists sounded their best when they
the sound of Rush, to the point where mid-range grunt and sustain. Those used those amps. It’s that hi-fi sound
I’d say 90% of Rush’s music is in guitars were doubled and panned hard which shows every mistake, making
E Mixolydian. Xanadu is a perfect left and right, with his Rickenbacker you a better player in the long run! Alex
example, though the chorus is probably 12-string tracked dead centre to help Lifeson used them from Hemispheres in
more like D Mixolydian. While a lot of thicken out various parts. “I love that 1978 through to Moving Pictures in 1981,
classical musicians would frown upon kind of sound,” he continues. “Siamese my favourite era of his tone. Pete
that, we love those subtle modulations. Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins is Townshend had them for The Who’s
Starlifter mainly sits in this modal D area a huge benchmark for me in terms of Live At Leeds. Another favourite is Adam
which shifts between major and minor. guitar tone. I love how Billy Corgan Granduciel from The War On Drugs
Yeah, it’s a bit of a gauntlet to play layered dirty guitars with clean guitars – their Live Drugs record is the pinnacle
through it all!” to create a guitar orchestra.” of tone. It captures the raw ferocity of
If you’ve seen any footage of Crown Then there’s the black Mexican Strat Neil Young with the phrasing and magic
Lands live, you’ll most likely have he used for a lot of the leads, which he of David Gilmour, who typically used
30 already marvelled at the sheer “bought for $200, retuned to CGCGCE single-coil guitars through a sh*t ton
magnitude of Kevin’s rig. He agrees and never looked back”. Unlike Alnico of clean boosts, a couple of Hiwatts
that his somewhat unconventional role single-coils, he explains, the ceramics and a Leslie.”
does present its fair share of challenges, in that guitar have a darker thump that Speaking of pedals, there’s no
especially given he has to pay great sits closer to humbuckers. Its white shortage of shimmering modulations
consideration to the physical limitations pickguard was eventually swapped heard on the latest recordings,
of having only one pair of hands and out for a black one in tribute to David mainly courtesy of the Boss CE-1
feet for live performances. He also Gilmour (“it had to be done!” He grins). chorus that Kevin describes as his
admits his decision to track guitar and Another instrument of note is the “favourite stompbox ever”,
bass separately for parts of the new vintage K. Yairi-made Alvarez acoustic thanks to its triangle wave LFO
album became “a big point of heard on Penny. “The brass nut and instead of the sine wave usually
contention” for the duo, though stands bridge buzzes in a certain way while the found on other units. There’s
by his decision. “We’d arranged mahogany back and sides make it sound an unevenness to it, he
previous recordings on my very dark and folky,” he says. And then, explains, that adds even
doubleneck,” he explains. “This time I of course, there’s the Alvarez greater dimension to the layers
said ‘F*ck it! I’m tracking bass and doubleneck given to the band by none of noise. “I used my Eventide
guitar separately.’ I wanted the music to other than Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson... TimeFactor and MXR Micro
sound timeless... It will live longer than “We did a charity gig with Alex a few Flanger a lot, too,” he adds.
we will. I wanted to make sure the years ago, he was the nicest guy,” Kevin “I also love my Diamond
recorded version sounded more like recalls. “We played Led Zeppelin’s The Compressor when using singlecoils.
how I heard it in my head. Cody was like Battle Of Evermore and then went into I don’t squish too much, but I like the
‘How are you going to pull that off live?’ Stairway To Heaven. Alex lent me his extra push. And I love my Xotic EP
I’ve arranged the live versions thinking, white Gibson EDS-1275 to do the Booster, it’s a classic for a reason.
‘Who is the hero here, the guitar or the 12-string part while he ripped the solo. Everyone says when you get that pedal,
bass?’ – and that’s how I’ll switch I had the guitar for a bit then he asked you’ll never turn it off and that’s so
between the two on stage.” for it back when he did that charity true... it’s the ultimate ‘always-on’!”
All of the rhythms on the album were auction. He felt bad, so ended up giving Crown Lands’ album Fearless is out now.
recorded with Kevin’s two Gibson SGs me this old Alvarez doubleneck he

“I WA NT THE MU SIC TO SOU ND T IM ELE SS.


I T W ILL L I VE LON GER THA N WE W ILL”
TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023
31

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


FEATURE

32

Words Jenna Scaramanga Portrait Lewis Evans

“OUR MUSIC
CAN BE
EXPERIMENTAL”
Rodrigo y Gabriela are breaking new
ground – but for one half of the duo,
going electric means less shredding...
TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023
RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

33

wo decades ago, Rodrigo y time around, Rodrigo Sánchez has downed his of their generation has always been equally
Gabriela made a name for custom Yamaha NTX Series and gone electric. to do with their solid intuition for knowing
themselves as innovators of the Speaking from their studio in Ixtapa, Mexico, how best to interact musically, and something
nuevo Spanish guitar sound. Rodrigo describes the new album as “a natural intrinsically deeper than that. They’ve both
Coming from a shared progression” from 2019’s Mettavolution. always, as Rodrigo puts it, been
background in heavy metal, “I wanted to play electric guitar,” he says, “spiritual seekers.”
they could thrash as hard as “and I’d been doing that on the little part of the Consequently, their desire to explore
Hetfield, shred as fast as Vai, Mettavolution tour that we got to do before it was spontaneous composition came not from
and yet – somehow – they could take these shut down, because some of the songs on the wanting to jam or noodle in the sense that
ferocious chops and meld them with the album were recorded with a Jaguar. But, for this many guitarists understand improvisation,
traditional rhythms and flavours of the folk sound, when Gab and I were just sitting and but from wanting to allow a heightened sense
music they grew up hearing in and around suddenly writing a song, it was because I had of spiritual awareness – inspired by the slightly
their native Mexico City to create something my electric with me.” slippery philosophical concept of nondualism
beautiful, progressive and unique. They brought The word “suddenly” here is an important – to seep into their creative process and flow
their instrumental fury to vast festival stages. one, because another key point of departure back out in song form. Rodrigo opened his
They made nylon-string guitars cool. from their typical process was that they mind to the nondualist way of thinking in
Now, 17 years, six studio albums and one approached the entire project with a spirit of 2020, and as he explains: “It’s basically an
Grammy later, their impulse to break new sonic spontaneity, conjuring the guitar parts for interconnection between the mind and this
ground remains as strong as ever – as illustrated each of the album’s nine tracks through kind of matrix where all the information of
in their new album In Between Thoughts... A New improvisation, before hitting the record whatever we perceive is. It kind of shifted
World. Gabriela Quintero’s turbo-charged button just moments later. The longstanding my perception of reality. When you leave all
percussive techniques still provide the connection that has made Rodrigo y Gabriela the expectations behind, and you just allow
backbone of the duo’s signature sound, but this one of the most captivating guitar partnerships this awareness to be more present in every

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

usual playing style directly onto the Jag,


it becomes seriously funky. Tracks like
True Nature and Egoland pack so much
Nile Rodgers-esque syncopated
goodness that involuntary grooving is
an inevitability of listening. “I kind of
discovered that myself in Mettavolution,”
he smiles. “I started to include these
funky guitars, but it’s not new. When
I was playing acoustic guitars, I’d been
doing those rhythms for many, many
years. But, sonically, it’s not the same.
I really love the feel, and I love playing
those rhythms with that sound. I don’t
think I do the typical patterns of funky
guitar because I don’t even know how
to play them. But, I think they give
a good reference.”
Similarly, there’s a subconscious
channelling of Ennio Morricone’s desert
guitars on the evocative Descending To
Nowhere, and on heavier tracks like
action, that’s pretty much what art is used to listen to when we were kids is NEW BALANCE Broken Rage, clean tones give way to
all about.” really straightforward. We don’t come “We’re excited to do levels of distortion and feedback
things differently,”
In fact, when Rodrigo y Gabriela first from a jazz background where we want squawkery that we’ve never heard from
Rodrigo says
started experimenting, they had no to overcomplicate things. The songs are the duo before. Naturally, by moving
expectation that a release would ensue. actually songs. The melodies and the into the electric realm, Rodrigo was
As Rodrigo recalls: “When we recorded, structures are very clear. Even when we afforded a whole new palette of effects
we were not thinking that this was were working with the orchestra and with which to paint the sonic story.
34 going to be the next Rod & Gab album, the arrangements, we were trying to be But rather than going wild in the
and that gave us this limitless space to minimal, and let the Rod & Gab sound pedal shop, he used his long-favoured
work and add different things that still be there.” Fractal systems and a variety of
we probably wouldn’t have, had we While revered for his intricate lead self-designed plugins to hone the exact
known that it was going to be.” work, Rodrigo also refrained from using sounds he was after for each track. For
As well as diverging into electric the electric landscape as an excuse for example, for the squidgy, quacky groove
tones, the album also features the gratuitously flexing his speed chops, at the beginning of Egoland, he reveals
subtle use of analogue synths, Mellotron revealing that – actually – that was that it’s “not an auto-wah for real,” but
and even the entire Bulgarian never his style, even as a young rather something he engineered at the
Symphony Orchestra to further metalhead. “It wasn’t until I got the desk when no pedal in his collection
accentuate its dynamic drama with acoustic that I started to shred more,” would suffice. “I do use one live but it
strings and percussion. “We decided he says. “Maybe I was influenced by didn’t sound good, it sounded too
that we should add the orchestra,” he The Guitar Trio with John McLaughlin, obvious,” he says.
says, “because it’s cinematic and it is, Al Di Meola and all those guys. I felt like Looking ahead to how they’ll perform
in a way, the soundtrack to a story we I could play faster here. But with the the album during their extensive world
wrote based on the nondualist electric, I wasn’t really attracted to it.” tour, which runs from April through to
philosophy.” His electric of choice is a Fender November, Rodrigo y Gabriela are
While these new elements might Jaguar, but he stresses that he “didn’t aiming to deliver the kind of awe-
seem like a wild leap from the twin use it to shred in any way,” and – as inspiring duo shows for which they are
nylon string sound we know and love, a nod to his maturing sensibilities – he famed without compromising on the
Rodrigo is quick to remind us that the emphasises: “With every song I play, record’s ambitious sonic scope. “We
fundamentals of their craft remain I try to do less notes. Even on acoustic, are going to – for the first time – use
unchanged. “Our music can be my time of playing fast is gone.” backing tracks,” he says. “The sound
experimental,” he notes, “but at the One of the greatest revelations of the is pretty big and full, so the whole
same time, the metal world we grew record is that when Rodrigo shifts his production is changed and we have
up in and all the rock we visuals that are synced to all the songs

“WITH EVERY SONG I PLAY,


to portray the concept of the album.”
The open-minded spirit that birthed
the record will be carried through to

I TRY TO DO LESS NOTES”


its on-stage incarnation. As Rodrigo
concludes with a smile: “We’re excited

RODRIGO SÁNCHEZ
to do things differently.”
Photo Getty

In Between Thoughts... A New World is


released on April 21.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


36
ENTER SHIKARI

Words Ellie Rogers

I GOT USED TO
PLAYING ONE RIFF
AND THEN NOTHING
FOR TWO MINUTES!”
The genre- But now, with the benefit of so much
time spent making the “organic edge”

smashing of his guitar playing coexist with the


band’s unholy synth sounds and beats
sound of pillaged from the world of EDM, he

Enter Shikari
shrugs, “We know what works together
and what doesn’t. I mean, we’ve been

requires doing it for 15 years!”


“It’s just a sense of knowing your 37
a guitarist who place,” adds Rou, before quickly
clarifying to his bandmate that he
always thinks doesn’t mean that “in a demeaning

outside the box way.” Rather, he explains, it’s to do with


cultivating a sense for how to pen guitar
parts and dial in tones that interact with
n June 19, 2021, Enter Shikari overdriven guitar hook cuts in to really the electronic instrumentation in a way
headlined the Saturday night of heat things up in typical Enter Shikari that’s sonically harmonious. “Guitar,
Download’s 10,000-capacity Pilot style. “The guitars are always quite for instance, traditionally takes up the
Festival at Donington Park. After an central in developing a song and making same sort of frequency range as a lot
excruciating 20-month battle with it feel like it’s within the Shikari of synths,” he notes. “And if you’re
writer’s block, it was the catalytic event universe, because, obviously, the palette in a band that’s using other
that reignited frontman and principal that we write with is rather broad,” instrumentation or electronics, the
songwriter Rou Reynolds’ creative explains Rou, who doesn’t typically play traditional, ‘I’m the guitarist! I’m gonna
impulses, and which set the electro- guitars in the band, but who does rip out a guitar solo and everyone’s
rock four-piece barrelling forth on handle their production. Guitarist Rory gonna f*cking listen to me!’ approach
a trajectory towards their ecstatic new Clewlow puts it this way: “With our doesn’t really work. It’s more of a
album A Kiss For The Whole Word. electronics, we can go into so many collaborative or orchestral thing. You
“The thrill of suddenly being able to different genres and so many different have to think of yourself as being part
write music again, which is something directions – but the guitar is the one of this sound that’s way bigger than you
that’s been such a staple for me, made sound that stays solid throughout.” could make by yourself, or even than
the music come out in quite an excited As the pair talk together about the you could make within a traditional
fashion,” says Rou, who seems making of their seventh studio record, rock set-up.”
perceptibly relieved and reinvigorated as well as the genre-smashing magic Nodding in agreement, Rory can
by having 12 new tracks to demonstrate that has defined the band since their attest to having long since tamed
his return to form. “It is all quite 2007 debut Take To The Skies, Rory recalls a natural urge that exists in pretty much
energised, a lot of it’s up-tempo and where the original inspiration for their every young player who’s ever rocked
there’s a lot of positivity on this record trademark rock-meets-electronic up to a rehearsal room with other
because that’s naturally what I felt.” sound. “In the really early days when musicians, plugged in and turned up.
Fittingly, the album’s title track The Prodigy first came onto our radar, “There’s a lot of temptation to fill
opens with a literal fanfare of horns to that was very influential,” he says. everything and put a guitar in every
herald the band’s triumph over creative “They had a lot of those very cool rock section of the song,” he explains. “But
adversity, before a deliciously guitar sounds with dance music.” I have definitely had to get used to being

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


FEATURE

38

“I MISS MY PEDALS – BUT


THE KEMPER DOES SO MUCH”
RORY CLEWLOW
TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023
ENTER SHIKARI

like, ‘No. We don’t need a guitar in this There are also plenty of occasions on parts at Rou’s home, using anything and
section. We need to hold back a guitar A Kiss For The Whole World where Rory everything from Gibson SGs to Fender’s
to make this section better or more devised an array of synth-like guitar new Acoustasonic models – and
dynamic.’” He laughs: “I’ve got used to tones to help him blend – like a sonic a handful of these early takes actually
playing songs where I play one riff and chameleon – with the electronic found their way into the final mixes.
then nothing for two minutes!” landscape around him, while still “We just use whatever’s around,” Rou
Even so, on A Kiss For The Whole maintaining the “natural human says. “We’re not massively precious
World, Rory’s creativity shines as element” that a guitar can have, but about anything. When you have an idea,
a kaleidoscopic celebration of the a synth can’t. “It’s got sort of a more you want to get it down immediately, so
diverse array of sounds that can be organic edge, which I always like,” you just grab whatever’s there. That’s
extracted from the humble electric he says. the kind of purity that we aim for,
guitar, if you’re willing to get a little But, even for those with a keen ear, instead of the more anally retentive
experimental in the process. “Tom there are moments where it’s hard to approach of being like, ‘Oh, we need
Morello has always been a big differentiate between the two. Take, for these pickups, or this type of guitar.’”
influence,” he says. “The way he plays example, (Pls) Set Me On Fire, where the Speaking of which, for the actual
is amazing and everything, but it’s the main powerchord guitar riff is layered recording session, Rory brought with
attitude towards playing the guitar. with a synth part playing the same him a dependable old favourite. “I used
I remember seeing a video years ago notes in a very similar tonal space. a Tele for literally about 90 per cent of it,
where he’s like, ‘Look, it’s just a bit of “They melt together and you don’t and it was the same Tele that I use live”
wood with some strings and some perceive them as two different things,” – namely an American Ultra model with
electronics. You can do whatever you says Rou. “I love that kind of stuff! In Ultra Noiseless pickups, which he’s also
want with it. You don’t have to play it a band like this, the most important had retrofitted with an EverTune bridge.
in a certain way and it doesn’t have thing is fitting in – and how you work, For the remaining ten percent of the
to make a guitar-y sound.’” collaborate and meld with the other record, he used a Fender Stratocaster,
Rory recalls the time around the instrumentation.” He adds that when and that was it. “It’s not very exciting,”
band’s 2009 album Common Dreads, the guitars and synths collide, “You get he apologises. But, on the contrary,
when he took a “deep dive” into really interesting tones, and together what is exciting, is the degree to which
Morello’s work with Rage Against the they sound like something that you’re these de facto kings of the Fender
Machine, and experimented with stacks not really sure what it is.” catalogue have had their usually
of “weird pedals” – including one with Interestingly, amid all their open- recognisable tones tweaked, twisted 39
a theremin-style proximity plate – to armed embraces of market-leading and Shikari-fied beyond recognition.
get the most out the noise making guitar technology, the band opted not As Rou says: “You can, to a certain
capabilities of his instrument. Now, the to track the record in a purpose-built extent, get any sound from anything,
same spirit of sonic invention remains, or even adequately equipped studio, especially once you get into the world of
but Rory has forsaken his effects toy box and instead headed off-grid to a processing and post-production. I find
in favour of a one-stop shop that caters picturesque, solar-powered and slightly that stuff super-exhilarating. Anything
for all his sonic needs. “I’ve got rid of all derelict farmhouse near the South coast that’s slightly different or surprising,
my pedals,” he reveals, “and on this that they’d found on Airbnb. “It was I find thrilling. So, when Rory’s cutting
album – although I did a lot of a really wholesome experience,” says these strange sounds, I go into a fit of
experimenting with different sounds Rory, who, with his three bandmates inspiration.”
– it was all within my Kemper.” and an engineer, descended on the Again, all tonal roads lead back to
In particular, he notes “playing property for five whole weeks. the multitudinous possibilities of the
around with all the different wah Here, the band set up a drum room in Kemper, which Rory also uses live on
settings,” and – perhaps – “having a bit a crumbling barn, and made a live room, stage, with the sizable benefit of being
too much fun,” in the process. “There’s vocal booth and control room in the able to dial in those precisely calculated
about eight different wah pedals,” he open-plan living space. They travelled studio tones with total accuracy night
enthuses. “Some of them are like light, taking only Rory’s Kemper and after night. Rou distils their appeal:
Bitcrushers, some of them can make a Diezel VH4 for as far as amps were “It’s the avoidance of faff!”
vocal-like changes of timbre and concerned – and the latter of which only For Rory, there is no going back to
there’s a Formant Shift, which is one got turned on once during the whole the fiddly old way of doing things.
that I used loads for this album.” process. “We also used a lot of the “I remember watching a Biffy Clyro Rig
On new tracks such as Goldfish or Neural DSP Archetype: Nolly because Rundown thing,” he smiles. “The guitar
Jailbreak, this tone-altering effect is it just sounds amazing,” adds Rory, tech had built the most amazing series
deployed to spectacular ends. “I miss before Rou – who handled the album’s of amps and pedals. It was a work of art,
my pedals because they are literally production duties – expands upon on or a work of engineering genius in the
just little toys,” he says wistfully. the recording set-up. “Pretty much way it was all interconnected and you
“But sometimes I like having some everything we tracked was DI, Nolly and could control it. But at the very end, he
parameters to play within, and pedals Kemper. So, we could always make the was like, ‘And in case none of this
can go on forever if you just keep buying decision after, if we wanted to use one, works, we’ve got a Kemper!’”
them. The Kemper does so much, and none or manipulate the DI. There was Rory adds with a laugh: “We’ve just
honestly, stacking up different wah a lot of freedom.” cut out the middle man, really!”
effects can give you some unique sounds Prior to heading to their countryside A Kiss For The Whole Word is released
that I’ve not heard from any pedal.” retreat, the pair had demoed guitar on April 21.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


FEATURE

Words Ellie Rogers

“PROG IS
PERFECT FOR
EUROVISION!”
Can Aussie rockers Voyager win Europe’s favourite
song contest like Lordi and Måneskin before them?
“It’s a dream,” says guitarist Simone Dow
istorically, the Eurovision Song “Who doesn’t want to play on what’s quite possibly
Contest might not always have the greatest stage and greatest music experience in
made for essential viewing for the world?” Simone smiles. “I’m just thrilled and
40 those of a guitary persuasion. we all are. You dream of playing on a massive stage
But this year, it’ll be worth where you can actually go all out and have all the
tuning into the grand finale on bells and whistles at your disposal.”
May 13, if only to catch Simone Dow, of prog-metal As she says, Voyager are more accustomed to
quintet Voyager, tearing it up for Australia on what “playing at these small pubs,” but during the
is surely the first 7-string guitar to have ever contest, they will be beamed directly into the
graced the competition. homes of around 160 million viewers worldwide.
Honorary Europeans for the occasion, Voyager The big question is: will the voting public be ready
will be bringing the fretboard heat to the Liverpool for a progressive pop metal odyssey, or will it be
event with their genre-busting track Promise. “nul points” for the Aussie hopefuls?
Stuffed with chewy dual-guitar riffs,

“IN A POP SONG, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE


PLAYING A ONE-MINUTE SHRED GUITAR SOLO”
eighties pop synths, earwormy hooks, melodic “I think prog is actually perfect for playing at
soloing and – last but not least – a keytar, the Eurovision,” she argues. “The whole point of it and
adventurous tune packs everything you could the whole purpose is not just the music; they really
possibly hope for into three minutes of pure want you to demonstrate the theatrical side of it as
Eurovision excess. “We just can’t wait to well. It’s the visuals, how it looks and how you tell
showcase what Voyager is all about in a very that story on stage, as much as the music. Prog is
large, flamboyant and over-the-top fashion,” usually five-minute epics where you’re telling
Simone says from her home in Perth. a thousand stories, so why not?”
The band has been vying for the opportunity to Voyager will no doubt stand out against the
represent their country since Australia was first competition, but it’s not as if Eurovision hasn’t
invited to take part in Eurovision in 2015, and now seen its share of guitar-driven acts before. Most
that their time has finally come, spirits in the memorably, Finnish monster rockers Lordi got
Voyager camp are understandably sky high. their scaly talons on the trophy back in 2006 after

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


41

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


VOYAGER

storming to victory with their signature line with Music Man, it suits
thrashable, chantable anthem Hard Rock Simone as if it had been designed
Hallelujah – proving for once and for all especially for her.
that riffs and distortion have a place “Honestly, if I was to make a guitar
at the otherwise squeaky clean, for me – a signature guitar – those
poptastic affair. would be the specs that I would go for,”
“We actually went to see Lordi in she says. “It’s just been an absolutely
concert,” recalls Simone, who, along awesome tool. It’s the only guitar I take
with frontman/keytarist Danny Estrin, on the road with me. It takes a real
has long since been bitten by the bashing and it takes it well!”
Eurovision bug. “It was incredible. It Although the JPX’s Barolo finish
was a full stage show they put on with offers a subtle sparkle, changing from
props, not just wearing the outfits. It black to purple in different lights, the
was kind of Alice Cooper-esque. I guess pomp of Eurovision naturally calls for
that was the first time I thought, ‘Wow, something a little showier. Cagey on
okay – I guess metal does perform at sharing the exact details until the big
Eurovision!’” night, Simone does concede with
More recently in Eurovision guitar a smile that she may possibly have
history, we’ve seen the swaggering something surprising happening for
sexually-charged bombast of Måneskin Eurovision. “I’m not going to reveal it
take the title for Italy in 2021, and, of yet,” she teases. “But there may be
course, our own Sam Ryder so nearly a new guitar getting used – maybe a new
clinched it for the UK last year with Music Man getting debuted – something
Spaceman – complete with its Brian a little bit more glamorous than what I
May-inspired Strat solo. The crowning usually play. So keep your eyes peeled!”
glory of Promise is Simone’s own For tone, she relies on a Line 6 Helix
powerhouse solo, which burns for four HX Stomp to give her everything she
short but perfectly formed bars before needs, having recently “downgraded”
melting seamlessly into a fiery keytar – for reasons relating to touring cost
42 throwdown from Estrin – after which and convenience – from a Mesa Boogie
she and rhythm guitarist Scott Kay full stack amp rig. Weighing less than a
resume a powerful palm-muted chug kilo and small enough to pack as carry
that powers the song to its close. know how to not overplay. They know AUSSIE RULES on luggage, the amp modeller and multi
She says: “With that solo – and you’re the point to go hell for leather and play Simone has effects processor has revolutionised the
a surprise in store
going to laugh when I say this – I was lots of notes, but then they know how for≈Eurovision. game for her. “They are incredible,” she
basically thinking that I wanted it to to pull it back and play these really “Keep your eyes enthuses. “Myself and Scott have barely
sound kind of Per Nilsson-ish from tasty runs as well.” peeled!” she says. even scratched the surface with them.
Scar Symmetry, but simpler. Obviously, Looking ahead to her own moment in We basically just programmed in the
he’s just a phenomenal guitar player the spotlight, she laughs: “It’s probably basics that we need which are: a clean
and can play six billion notes. I can’t not the hardest solo I’ve ever had to play with some nice delays and reverb, a
play like that, but I wanted it to still on stage, but that’s probably a good main rhythm which is similar to a Mesa
sound interesting without it being thing, what with the nerves!” tone, a slightly boosted distortion with a
overly complex. Because it is a pop Guitar-wise, Simone’s main weapon delay for lead licks that need to poke out
song, you’re not going to be playing of choice is her Barolo finish Ernie Ball a little bit more, and then we’ve got the
a one-minute shred guitar solo. It’s Music Man JPX 7-string. She’s had an full on-a-mountain-top solo patch!”
just something that follows the melody endorsement with the brand for several Post-Eurovision, Voyager will be
of what’s going on and is still a little years, having initially been swayed away hitting the road to tour in Australia,
bit playful.” from playing Ibanez guitars by a desire putting the finishing touches to their
Simone cites progressive titans such to “move onto a guitar that had higher eighth studio album, which is tipped
as Guthrie Govan, Plini and David grade tone woods.” Built from for release later this year, and setting
Maxim Micic as having influenced her a combination of mahogany, maple, their sights on a return to European
technical yet accessible approach to and alder, the JPX fits the bill nicely, and soil for a winter tour.
soloing. “I just really like their note although the model itself was released Voyager rock the The Eurovision Song
choices,” she explains. “To my ears, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Contest on May 13.
it just sounds really playful and they Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci’s

“WE CAN’T WAIT TO SHOWCASE WHAT VOYAGER IS


ALL ABOUT – IN A VERY FLAMBOYANT FASHION”
TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023
LOVE TO PLAY GUITAR?

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NEXT-LEVEL
SOLOING!
Take your solos to another level
with our essential tips across
a range of musical styles

A
s guitarists, we’ve all been in want to give you the catalyst you need to
a situation where we know approach taking a solo with confidence.
what’s coming up but our We’re looking at a few different styles of
minds go blank, and this music, and identifying some strategies
probably applies to soloing you can adopt for each. Of course, the
above most other musical situations. truth is that each strategy can be applied
So here we’re turning our attention to to almost any style of music, which
just that – soloing skills. If it sounds means there are endless possibilities
intimidating, don’t let it. This isn’t an here. Plug in and rock out with our tab
44 out-and-out shredfest. Instead, we lessons and backing tracks.

1 BLUES: EASY PENTATONICS bit.ly/tg370audio

# ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1/4

‰ œj b œ œj œ œ œ œ
q =120 1/4

& 44 .. Œ ‰ j
œ n œ œ œ. œ œ bœ Ó œ ˙. Œ ..
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
. .
1/4 1/4

T
. .
BU BD

A 3 3 5
3
5
3 5 (7) (5) 3
5 5
B 5 5 5

This Eric Clapton-style line is derived from the G minor pentatonic scale (G Bb C D F), using quarter-tone and whole-tone bends through a thick overdriven tone. Notice how
the lick can be repeated over the I and IV chords of a I-IV-V blues chord progression; that’s G-C-D in the key of G.

2 BLUES-ROCK: MIXOLYDIAN/MINOR PENTATONIC MIX bit.ly/tg370audio

q = 108
A5 A 7sus 4
~~~~~~~
D/A F5 G5 A5

## œ nœ œ œj œ w nœ œ œ œ ~~~~~~~
& # 44 .. œ œ œ ‰ œ nœ œ w ..
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
. .
BU
5
T
. .
5 8 8 (10) 8 5 5
A 7
6 7 7
7 5 7
B

This Free- and AC/DC-inspired lick kicks off in the A Mixolydian mode (A B C# D E F# G) before switching to the noticeably moodier A minor pentatonic scale (A C D E G). This
five-note scale comes from the more substantial A natural minor scale (A B C D E F G). Compare this with the Mixolydian mode to see which notes are different.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


SOLOING

3 NWOBHM: PHRYGIAN MODE bit.ly/tg370audio

q =159

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
E5 5 F5 E5 D5 E5 F5 E5 D5 E5

n ˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
D

# ˙. œ nœ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ w
& 44 .. ..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T . .
A
B
. 9 10 9 10 9
12 10 12
9 10 12 10 12 10 9
.

Inspired by the heavy metal of the late 70s/early 80s, this Phrygian line uses a touch of finger vibrato and palm-muting to embellish what is actually quite a simple line.
It’s easy to play this kind of line faster, or add more notes, but does it add intensity? You decide...

4 POWER-METAL BALLAD: SLOW TAPPING bit.ly/tg370audio

q =128 Half time feel

œ œ œ
E5 F5

# œ œ nœ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& 44 ..

T .
.
9 10 12 13 12 10 9 10 12 13 12 10 9 10 12 13 12 10
A 9 10

B
1

45

# #œ œ œ œ œ nœ # œ œ
E5 F5
nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3
œ ..
&
PM

T .
.
9 10 9
A 10 9 [9 ] 10 13 10 13 10 9 7 9
12 9
B
3

It’s easy for a lead line to sound small against the backdrop of huge drums and rhythm guitars, but a little more midrange and a few more notes help this lick stand out.
Bars 2 and 4 feature tapping in a relatively slow, controlled way. Once you’ve mastered this, its a breeze to speed things up for most impressive results.

5 AMERICANA: 6TH INTERVALS bit.ly/tg370audio

œ
# 4 . œœ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œ œ œ œ
‰ œ ‰ œJ ‰ œJ
œ œ œ ˙
q =120

& 4 . J J ‰ œJ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œJ ..
J J J J
let ring let ring let ring let ring

T . 5 7 3 5 7 3 5 8 7 5 3 5
.
A
B
. 5 7 4 5 7 4 5 9 7 5 4 5
.

This clean-tone lick mixes simultaneous and staggered 6th intervals to create a melody that suits the Americana-styled backing track better than more conventional
rock or blues soloing. Try different pickup selections and a splash of reverb and you’re ready to go. Bernie Leadon of the Eagles had a nice touch with this kind of soloing.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


SOLOING

6 ACOUSTIC ROCK: MIXOLYDIAN OVER A V-IV-I PROGRESSION bit.ly/tg370audio

q =101
D Cadd 9 G/B D Cadd 9 G/B D Cadd 9 G/B
~~~~~~~D
j œ
Cadd 9 G/B

~~~~~~~~~~~~ œ nœ œ œ w
# œ œ
& # 44 .. œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ
3

n ˙ œ ..
3

œ œ
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~[ ]
T . 8 8 10 10
.
. .
7 8 10 10
A 4 5 7
5 7 5
7
5 7

This line shows just how good the Mixolydian mode can sound over a basic V-IV-I chord progression (D-C-G here). The major scale sometimes sounds too bright, too happy
and just not moody enough. The recurring C note lends a note of tension, acting as a b7 over the D major root chord and as an 11th over the G.

7 MELODIC ROCK: ARPEGGIO/SCALE MIXTURE bit.ly/tg370audio

q =105

œ œ œ œ œ
Em7 Cadd 9 Em7 Cadd 9
œ œ
G D G D

# œ œ œ œ œ
& 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
‰ œ œ
J
œ Œ ..

T . 7 8 7
.
. .
8 7 8 8 10 [10 ]
A 9
7 9 7
10 9 7 9
7 7

B 10 10 9 7

46 Here, we use a G major arpeggio (G-B-D) to ascend, before fleshing it out into a scale run (again, G major: G A B C D E F#) on the descent. This highlights the ‘chord within a scale’
principle, whereby you pick out the notes of a chord from a parent scale. Note how the simple rhythm contrasts with the more complex stop/start of the backing track.

8 ROCK BALLAD: ONE-STRING LICK bit.ly/tg370audio

q = 80
E b sus 2
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
F

b
& 4
b 4 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

T .
A
B
. 19 15 15 15 15 17 17 17 17 12 12 12 12 15 15 15 15 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 7 7 7 7 10 10 10

b
bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
B Gm

& œ œ œ œ w

T .
A
B
10 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 0
.
3

Using only the third string, this one-finger idea strips away all the habitual scale shapes that can actually stand between us and melodic invention. You may find you want
to cross to other strings and blend in a little traditional ‘position’ playing. Try the G minor pentatonic scale (G Bb C D F) in 3rd position for this.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


Make great music
on your PC or Mac!

Computer Music is the magazine for musicians with a PC or Mac. It’s packed with tutorials,
videos, samples and exclusive software to help you make great music now!

www.computermusic.co.uk
Available digitally on these devices
“YOU’RE GETTING
PULVERISED!”

48
72 SEASONS

Metallica are back in business with a crushing new album.


Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Robert Trujillo and
producer Greg Fidelman tell the story of its creation.
PLUS: 3 Metallica riffs to learn, including new banger
If Darkness Had A Son
50
The Album
Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo
on the making of 72 Seasons

56
The Producer
The view from inside the studio
– with Greg Fidelman

60
The Songs
72 Seasons: track by track.
Your guides: Kirk and Rob

68
Just Riffs For All! 49
Get ready for the onslaught of our
Metallica-style technique workout

71
Riff
Lessons
Creeping Death,
Seek & Destroy,
If Darkness
Had A Son
50

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


72 SEASONS

51

Words Jenna Scaramanga Photos Tim Saccenti

“THE GROOVE IS
EVERYTHING!”
The biggest guitar album of the year has arrived:
Metallica’s 72 Seasons. Lead guitarist
Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo tell
TG how this legendary band finds new inspiration
in the pursuit of heaviness...
MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR
irk Hammett which now come with more than 30 years of bringing it into an arrangement. That idea
has a attached memories and myths. Other legendary wasn’t really prevalent in metal. Jason was
confession bands have been intimidated into mediocrity just really solid. The Black Album has very
to make. by that kind of pressure, but 72 Seasons has well-produced bass parts.
Metallica’s Metallica operating at full power, drawing on Tonally, both Kirk and Robert’s choice of
lead guitarist everything from their thrash metal roots to the sound is influenced by James Hetfield’s
is talking heavy grooves of their classic early 90s songs gargantuan rhythm tone. “One of the
about the Enter Sandman and Sad But True. Some of 72 important things about being a bass player in
band’s Seasons will remind you of old Metallica Metallica is to find the sound that sits well
new album because this is Metallica. But all of it between James’s and Kirk’s guitars,” Robert
72 Seasons, and how the energy within it sounds reinvigorated. says. “Fortunately, our producer Greg Fidelman
comes from a spontaneous approach to Aside from 2011’s Lulu, the band’s one-off is really aware of that. On the record you can
writing and recording... collaboration with Lou Reed, 72 Seasons is hear every note of the bass. The way the parts
“First and foremost I’m an improvisational Metallica’s third studio album since bassist are slotted together, everything works so it
musician,” he says. “I’ve realised that Robert Trujillo joined the ranks alongside Kirk becomes a team effort. There’s a lot of energy
everything you do is pretty much improvisation. and the two founding members, guitarist/ in the songs, so the sound is important, the
Any songwriting is improv. Writing melodies is vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars attack of each note.”
improv. Improvisation is playing guitar.” Ulrich. And with Hetfield currently unavailable Kirk’s British blues-rock kick also influenced
And as he muses on this subject, he admits to for interviews, it’s Kirk and Robert who speak to his choice of gear. His main axe is Greeny, the
a longstanding ‘fixation’ with one of hard rock’s TG about how this album came together. 1959 Les Paul formerly owned by Fleetwood
greatest lead players, AC/DC’s Angus Young. For Kirk, the years between this album and its Mac’s Peter Green and then by Gary Moore,
“One of the things I love about Angus is how predecessor, 2016’s Hardwired... To Self-Destruct, which Kirk acquired in 2014 for an undisclosed
he never plays the same solo twice,” Kirk says, saw him rediscovering his earliest influences. price reportedly “less than $2 million”. His
before adding in a conspiratorial tone: “I have “I started a deep dive into all the guitar players amp choices also reflect the tones of that era.
to confess that this is the album that got my that really influenced me when I was a kid,” he When TG suggests it sounds like Metallica have
Angus fixation out of my system finally. says. “Hardwired was me listening to a lot of been using Marshalls, Kirk replies “We always
“I’ve been obsessed Michael Schenker use Marshalls.” But while Marshall amps are
52 with AC/DC most of and that generation almost always part of Metallica’s tonal
my life – Angus and of guitarists. On this equation, they have rarely been this prominent.
Malcolm’s guitar [album], I went back “I was so much more into Greeny’s sound,
tones, just their whole even further. and that classic British thing of plugging
approach. I don’t I realised that there’s a Gibson Les Paul into a 50-watt Marshall,” Kirk
speak too much about a generation of says. “I really fell back in love with that whole
it because it’s a real British guitar players sound. I have a special Marshall that I use in the
common thing. that I love. I even studio, a hot rodded 80s Marshall. It never really
Everyone’s blown like the obscure ones, leaves the studio, and whenever we record it
away by AC/DC. like Kim Simmonds always works its way into my setup.”
“But I’ve always of Savoy Brown. So The secret sauce on his tone is the Solodallas
marvelled at Angus’s I started relearning Schaffer Replica EX Tower, a replica of the tone
guitar style because all this stuff, and circuitry from the Schaffer Vega Diversity
it’s the perfect that British guitar wireless system most famously used by AC/DC.
combination of blues, player influence “It’s a type of preamp compression unit,” he
hard rock and boogie. really rubbed explains. “People like Angus Young, David
He has a lot of off on me Gilmour and Eddie Van Halen were able to boost
humour in his playing, and yet it’s just so when we started doing this album.” the output on that transmitter, hence Angus’s
intense. You can’t f*cking beat it! Coming from Incredibly, ‘new’ bassist Robert Trujillo has amazing guitar sound. So the Tower is a bit of
Angus it’s just so organic. You know he’s not now been in Metallica longer than Cliff Burton a secret weapon – I can’t believe I’m telling you
thinking about what all the guitar magazines and Jason Newsted combined. While Kirk about it! It’s a large part of how I got that super
are gonna say. He just goes up and f*cking revisited British blues-rock, Trujillo took cues dynamic lead sound. It’s really full sounding,
does it. And I love that.” from his predecessors in the band. “Cliff and there’s a lot of mid, but it doesn’t sound harsh
A similar ethos is at the heart of 72 Seasons, Jason were so different in the way they play, or too bold or solid. The harmonic distortion is
which finds Metallica doing exactly what they and in their approach to the instrument,” he amazing. I hit a note on Greeny and it literally
did in the 80s. Not always sounding like they explains. “It’s very exciting for me because will never quit.”
did in the 80s, but determinedly being I understand what they did best. I have what He continues: “The tone on 72 Seasons is
themselves without giving a single sh*t I can offer to the song, but I can also pull from based on my live sound, which is a Fractal
what other people think. that existing bag of possibilities from Cliff or Axe-FX modelled on a blend of my Fortin
The weight of history can be a heavy burden. Jason. I love Cliff’s melodic approach. If you Meathead amp and my Dual Rectifier. We took
Metallica’s key albums – such as Master Of take a song like For Whom The Bell Tolls, it’s that lead sound and tweaked a little EQ, added
Puppets from 1986, and their self-titled melodic yet edgy, and has that anthemic the Tower and we’re good to go. Maybe there’s
multi-million-seller from 1991, forever known quality. He was so great at that, and also a Tube Screamer in there also, because I just
as ‘The Black Album’ – are landmarks in metal, changing the sound of the instrument and love that sound.”

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


72 SEASONS

BACK IN BLACK
Kirk and James

53

“THE TOWER IS A BIT OF A SECRET WEAPON – I CAN’T


BELIEVE I’M TELLING YOU ABOUT IT !”
Photo Jimmy Hubbard

KIRK HAMMETT

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


The firm
Metallica (from left):
Robert Trujillo, Lars Ulrich,
James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett.

54

“WHEN YOU HAVE A GREAT RIFF, YOU CAN PLAY


WITH IT SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS”
ROBERT TRUJILLO
TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023
72 SEASONS

For parts requiring a Floyd Rose, Kirk used an He says that this desire for spontaneity Warming to his theme, Kirk argues that
old favourite. “Guitar-wise, I just went back and extends to the entire songwriting process. “If melodic playing is both more meaningful
forth from Greeny to my Mummy guitar. Why we get to the point where we’re agonising over and, counterintuitively, more difficult than
bother with anything else? The Mummy is my something, that means we need to move on to shredding. “I could fill up these songs with
best-sounding ESP, and Greeny... everyone something else fresh. The last thing I want to a bunch of really fast modal playing,” he says.
knows how that sounds! There was no need be is stuck on any music, like I don’t have any “I know my modes, Hungarian scales,
for a really crystalline clean tone. There’s more ideas and I’m too locked into this feeling. symmetrical scales, whole tone scales, I know
not even a ballad on this album.” We never agonise over anything, and if all that sh*t. Is it appropriate? Diminished runs
That lack of ballads reflects the incredible anything’s too complicated to play, that means – is that appropriate? Maybe earlier in our time,
energy Metallica felt when they first reunited it probably shouldn’t be on the album.” but not now. What’s more appropriate is
after Covid lockdowns. Instead of mellow Spontaneous or not, the songs on 72 Seasons coming up with melodies that are more like
tracks, Trujillo says there was one key are all meticulously arranged, and the intros vocal melodies. And guess what? The best scale
ingredient: big riffs. “You always go to that, are a particular highlight, as Robert points out: for mimicking vocal melodies is the pentatonic.
go back to your anchor. A great riff makes “Pretty much every song builds into something. There’s a reason why the blues is so expressive,
songwriting a lot easier. When you have that It doesn’t start out as the thing it’s ultimately and it’s because of pentatonics. I prefer
you can play with it so many different ways. gonna be,” he says. Similar care was placed in pentatonics because they’re more expressive.
That’s where we incorporate accented rakes, selecting the tracks for the album. “It’s like It’s actually harder to say stuff with pentatonics
muting, and all that kind of stuff.” you’re looking at works of art in an exhibition because you don’t have that many notes. It’s
One great riff is on Screaming Suicide, which and each song has its place in there,” he easier to play modal, because you’ve got so
found Kirk paying homage to another early continues. “You take songs like You Must Burn many notes. Okay, some of them are repeated
hero. “That is a complete tribute to Ritchie or Chasing Light, and then you take a song like in different octaves, but I will challenge anyone
Blackmore. The melody is very reminiscent Room Of Mirrors and it helps complete the on that. One, two, three, five notes – what’s
of what he plays in [classic Deep Purple song] overall picture.” more difficult?
Black Night. A large part of my guitar style and Kirk’s You tell me.”
attitude comes from him. He had such a vision contributions, What Kirk says in
and he wrote great songs. I just feel indebted meanwhile, are conclusion is that
to him for his music and his spirit.” focused on melody this passion for
In the first track released from the album, and hooks. In many improvisation will be 55
Lux Æterna, Kirk’s frenzied whammy solo drew songs he memorably carried forward into
a lot of criticism, of which he is well aware. doubles Hetfield’s Metallica’s live show,
“That solo seemed to get people talking on the riffs in a higher which UK fans will
Internet to the point where people were doing octave. “Sometimes witness over two
their own version,” he says. “I was just not playing a harmony nights at the
laughing the whole time. Yeah, anyone could but playing an octave Download festival in
do a technically better solo than anyone else is just as effective,” June. “I have every
on any song, but what’s the point? My f*cking he reflects. “We tried intention on playing
friends down the street could probably play harmonising a lot of every solo from this
a better solo than Lux Æterna, but the solo the stuff, and album differently
that’s on there is part of the experience. For me, sometimes harmonies when we play live,”
what’s appropriate is playing for the song and just make something he says. “If you
playing in the moment.” sound a bit more pretty than the intention. watch old videos of Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff
He speaks again about the value of If you play an octave, it kind of underlines the Beck, or even Michael Schenker, they’re not
spontaneity. “I’m constantly working on my statement. If I could sum up my playing on this playing the solos on the album – they’re playing
improvisation,” he says. “Constantly finding album, my solos are mostly rhythmic. That’s whatever the f*ck they wanna play. I love that
more ways to get within the groove. The groove just how I feel like playing these days. I really because it’s a moment of real honesty.
is everything. If you’re in the groove it really wanted to sit in the rhythm, lock in with the “With this album I went in intentionally to
doesn’t matter what you’re playing. You can groove and play for the song.” improvise 20, 30 solos, give them all to Lars
even play outside notes, but if the groove is For Kirk, playing for the song means more and Greg, and go ‘You guys edit them!’ I know
there you’re golden. You get a bad note? Play melody and less shred. “I don’t try to reach I’m gonna play something completely different
the next note and it’s good. After playing guitar outside the boundaries of the song,” he says. live, so I can offer something different every
for 40 years, I’ve come to this conclusion. I wish “I don’t think that’s appropriate. I could string time you see Metallica. When you buy a ticket
I knew back in the 70s and 80s, but that’s just together six or seven three-octave arpeggios, to a Metallica show, you’re not gonna hear
not how it was meant to be for me.” sit there every day and practise it and go, ‘Hey, carbon copy versions of the album.
This renewed enthusiasm for improvisation look what I can do!’ But where am I gonna put “At a time when it’s just so accessible to see
comes from another of Kirk’s recent it? Arpeggios mapped out like a lot of people do, videos of your favourite band, there needs to
discoveries. “I’m really into prog and jazz fusion four or five chords with a different arpeggio be some sort of impetus for people to go out
these days. A lot of those bands embrace over each one? Come on, it sounds like an and see live shows that are actually somewhat
everything that I was just saying. I missed out exercise. I don’t want to listen to exercises and spontaneous.” He laughs. “That’s my thing
on prog while it was happening because I was warm-ups. The only guys who I think play these days – and if people don’t like it,
into Tygers Of Pan Tang and Angel Witch. But arpeggios as a means of expression are Joe that’s just tough!”
I’ve discovered a whole world of music I love.” Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen and Paul Gilbert.” 72 Seasons is released on April 14.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


INTERVIEW

56

“SAD BUT TRUE IS THE CLASSIC REFERENCE


FOR METALLICA BEING SLOW BUT HEAVY”
GREG FIDELMAN

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


Words Jenna Scaramanga Photos Tim Saccenti

“WHEN JAMES PUTS THAT


GUITAR IN HIS HANDS HE
IMMEDIATELY WANTS TO
PLAY FAST RIFFS!”
Metallica’s co-producer Greg Fidelman reveals
how the new album was made – with Hetfield and
Hammett using battle-hardened gear, and the
57
whole band focused on capturing a ‘live’ feel
reg Fidelman When you started making 72 Seasons, hard rock record where there’s a drum
first worked what conversations did you have tracking session and then everything
with Metallica about how you wanted it to sound? else is an overdub. Big parts of it are
as engineer on Initially everyone was isolated. We from the live take with all four of them
the 2008 album started trying to write songs remotely. playing at the same time. When it
Death Magnetic So some of the usual chats you would happened it was still like, ‘Oh my God,
– a result of his have before walking into a project didn’t that feels great. We’ll never beat that!’
long association happen. It was more, ‘Do you think we Maybe there’s a vocal overdub because
INSIDE MAN
with that album’s could try to cobble together some riffs Metallica’s trusted
at that time he hadn’t written all the
producer Rick Rubin. Since the late and some song ideas while we’re waiting co-producer, lyrics, but trying to keep the live feel;
90s, Greg has served as engineer on this thing out?’ Then we got together for Greg Fidelman. that was in our playbook from the start.
numerous albums produced by Rubin, a Helping Hands benefit broadcast from
including System Of A Down’s self-tilted Metallica HQ. We thought, ‘Let’s show There’s more midrange and less gain
debut, the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ up a week early and stay a week after, on the guitars than some past
Californication, the posthumous Johnny and in person work on these songs that Metallica albums. Were you using
Cash release American V: A Hundred we had.’ Everyone was so excited to get more British-style amps?
Highways and Black Sabbath’s final started, and so excited to be playing James has always had one of the
album 13. together. We never really looked back. legendary José Arredondo-modded
It was on the 2011 album Lulu, Marshalls, a late-60s/early-70s
Metallica’s collaboration with Lou Was there a specific aim within the Superlead head. When we did
Reed, that Greg took on the role of band of what direction this album Hardwired... it wasn’t working very well.
co-producer alongside guitarist James would take? When we started this album I had
Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. No one felt there was a reason to stray a re-invigorated interest in this head.
He has continued in this capacity on very far away from what we had done on I was talking with Dave Friedman, who
2016’s Hardwired... To Self-Destruct, the previous record, Hardwired... To is very familiar with those old José mods,
2020’s live album S&M2 and now, Self-Destruct. We definitely talked about and he fixed it. When I got it back, I told
this year’s 72 Seasons. more of trying to capture a live feel, James I thought it sounded insane, and
“It’s not your traditional hard rock because everybody was so energized by he got really excited about it. It ended
record,” Greg says as he gives TG the being in the same room and playing the up on every song. I think that’s what
inside story of its creation... stuff together. It’s not your traditional you’re hearing.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


INTERVIEW

What other amps were in the mix? had from Kill ’Em All. It’s a Gibson copy, THE H-TEAM Parts of Inamorata have a real
James has combinations of multiple but that thing sounds incredible. When Right: Messrs Sabbath vibe.
Hetfield and
amps and the balance between them he puts that guitar in his hands he Yeah, I think Inamorata is in C# or some
Hammett.
changes from song to song. There’s immediately wants to play fast riffs. very bizarre key. It was a riff from the
always a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC++ that So if it’s a fast song, for sure it’s got that tuning room when they were warming
he’s had forever, and then this José on it. He double-tracked all of [his] up before a show. I don’t know why
Marshall – at least a combination of stuff; sometimes triple-tracks. We James was in C# when he was coming
those two. There’s also usually a Wizard usually double with the ESP Explorer up with it. When we started working on
100-watt head that’s usually got a Klon with the middle-finger inlays. I think it we said: ‘This is a weird key. Maybe
Centaur pedal on it. He also has a Diezel it’s the first ESP that he got – that guitar should try this in A or in E?’ But for
head. When we need to find a bigger sounds incredible. Then he’s got one of some reason that’s just not as cool.
bottom end, especially on the slower his signature model Snakebytes that is You’d think, ‘Let’s put it lower,
songs, we can bring that in. It has a strange copper colour. We’ve tried 15 it’ll sound even heavier.’ But it was
huge low end that the other amps or 20 different Snakebyte guitars, and the opposite. When we tried it in more
don’t have. this one just was a little bit nicer for common keys, everyone was like, ‘Now
whatever reason. The majority is the I don’t like it so much!’ So we embraced
And Kirk? V or the Snakebyte combined with the that challenge of writing a heavy song in
For Kirk it’s different for solos and for ESP Explorer on the double track. On C#. You don’t really have a lot of open
rhythm [guitars]. For rhythms, Kirk a couple of the mid-tempo to more strings as an option in that key, so it was
had a couple of different Friedmans. slow songs he used a Les Paul. to come up with some ideas that we may
Sometimes it was the HBE Deluxe and not have otherwise come up with.
sometimes it was some early HBE head A few songs have kind of a ‘Black
that Dave Friedman modded. We had Album’ vibe. Was that a conscious What direction did you give Kirk on
a Marshall a 50-watt master volume decision? his soloing?
JMP, I think a ’79, that just sounds I don’t think it was, but when we were I think it’s well-known that Lars likes
amazing. For solos we had a 100-watt putting songs together, it’s almost to be involved in solos, and they work
master volume JMP that’s a little more subconscious to want all these different together in a unique way. I’m sort of
58 gritty and scoopy, and we would styles. You want to have some fast- a third partner in that. Kirk comes in
combine that with a Mesa Boogie Dual ripping, thrashy songs, and some improvising most of the stuff, but when
Rectifier. Kirk also had an old Kirk mid-tempo Creeping Death thing that’s we’re recording or rehearsing the songs,
Hammett signature Randall head that not super fast but it’s not slow grooving every now and then something that
has a really clear, defined midrange. ‘Black Album’ either. Then you want to would go by that someone would say,
That was always nice to add to the mix have a Sad But True – that’s the classic ‘Hey, could you mark that for later?’
so it could be super overdriven but not reference in from my head anyways So when it came time to actually record
blurry and fizzy – you can still hear the for Metallica being slow but heavy. solos we always had that stuff ready to
notes. We’ve got hundreds of cabinets We didn’t write songs to fit any of those go. A lot of the songs had a bunch of
over there but James almost always ends categories as much as we had a bunch things that we thought were cool as
up on similar – the Mesa Boogie and of ideas, like, ‘We’ve got four or five big, a springboard, although they were
Marshalls go into old Marshall cabinets, heavy, slow riffs, and there’s one no improvised initially. We would listen
and the Diezel I think goes through one’s that excited about but everyone back to all these and start being like,
Mesa cabinets. Similar stuff for Kirk: a loves these others. Maybe we should ‘Oh that that’s a cool place to go there,
mixture of older Marshall cabinets with work on these.’ that’s a good entrance, that’s a great
either 30- or 25-watt Celestions. For ending.’ So he improvised to get the
solos usually we’ve got a cabinet or two Do you use classic Metallica tracks feel and ideas, but then we would
with 75-watt Celestions, and there’s a as references for writing or have a plan.
Mesa cabinet labelled Black Shadow. I arrangements?
think they might be Eminence speakers, I guess for arrangements. On the song This feels like the most cohesive
probably from the mid 80s, but those Too Far Gone, there was a section that Metallica album for a long time.
also sound really good. when we first started working on it we How did you achieve that?
Ed’s note: Kirk remembered using some would call the ‘Leper’ section because We talked about making it
other amp setups – see his interview on p50 something about it reminded James of a collaborative effort, more than the last
for more detail. Leper Messiah [from Master Of Puppets]. couple of records. [We wanted] all four
We have those kinds of references, guys to be more involved, to act together
What guitars were they using? a language instead of calling everything at the same time as opposed to working
Kirk used Greeny and his original ‘verse’, ‘chorus’ or ‘bridge’. It’s not on it separately. That’s a goal we set and
Mummy guitar. He’s got a hundred ESPs just Metallica references, either. There one I feel confident we hit. We had the
that look like the Mummy. I don’t know are definitely songs with ‘the Sabbath guys in the same room as much as
what it is about that one in particular, riff’. It’s not a Sabbath riff, but when possible when we were writing and
but it noticeably sounds a little different they’re playing it, this is like what tracking this record, and everyone’s
than all the other ones, and it’s just I remember Black Sabbath being getting their two cents in. It’s a better
great. James has his Flying V that he like when I was 13. record because of it.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


59

“WE HAD THE GUYS IN THE


SAME ROOM WHEN WE WERE
WRITING AND TRACKING”
GREG FIDELMAN

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


Words Jenna Scaramanga Photo Tim Saccenti

“IT JUST PUNCHES


YOU IN THE FACE!”
A deep dive into Metallica’s 72 Seasons with
Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo. Fast stuff,
bouncy stuff, thrashing riffs, evil tones, power
grooves and ‘total noise’ solos included!

60

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


TRACK BY TRACK

61

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


01 72 SEASONS 03 SCREAMING 05 YOU MUST
SUICIDE BURN
B
lasting out of the gate, the album’s

M T
title track is a statement of intent, etallica slow things down in the his is a standout track. A slow,
proving that Metallica are still intro of this 200bpm, half- stomping beast that reminds us of
capable of impressive ferocity. The time shot of adrenalin. The riff Sad But True and the heavy parts of
double-time blasts feel like 320bpm, and Kirk is in parallel 4ths, which makes The Unforgiven. Heavy, heavy stuff.
cleverly highlights accents from the main riff it come on like a turbocharged Deep Purple.
with a lead line packed with doublestops. The This is the first of many tracks to feature a Kirk: My favourite song on the whole album
wah-drenched solo is packed with Hammett memorable octave unison line between the – and I didn’t write any of it! That Sabbath-y
trademarks and comes out into a melodic guitars towards the end. middle riff that James wrote is epic. And I love
lead guitar hook. the guitar solo. I can’t remember playing any of
Kirk: I just love this song, because right off the these guitar solos to be honest, so it’s amusing
Kirk Hammett: It has all the elements – fast top I can just vomit out wacky wah pedal to hear them again! I get to get pick and choose
stuff, bouncy stuff, [a] super strong melody. It’s melodies. That wah pedal jumps and grabs you what parts I want to play live and what parts
designed to just suck you into the album. We all by the throat! The song really is a tribute to the I want to change, and that’s beautiful.
agree that the middle part of 72 Seasons is one of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal that we still
the most difficult Metallica riffs we have ever bow to even to this day. We use the parallel Robert: I have so much love for this song.
played. It’s not the choice of notes or how the 4ths a lot because it’s a dark sound without It resonates with me almost like an old horror
notes are played; it’s all in the timing and the being too minor. movie, like Nosferatu. It’s really got swagger,
phrasing. You have to use your head; you can’t like Clint Eastwood or something. The mid
just punt it. It shifts and it has weird counts. Robert: This track has an evil slide in it. I love section, James and I came up with this on the
those rakes and accents. It’s that classic road and there was originally a bass break. I was
Robert Trujillo: 72 Seasons has all the perfect Hetfield thrashing of the strings, and it’s straight out pulling from some of the classic
ingredients of an opening track on a Metallica something that you feel. James and I will double Ozzy songs like Believer [from Osbourne’s 1981
album. I love when it gets chuggy and falls into up on those so we’re both hitting the strings album Diary Of A Madman]. And there are
half-time. It strips down to just the guitar and as hard as we can but muting it so it becomes backing vocals by Trujillo on this one!
the hi-hat, but the energy is still pulsing a percussive effect. It’s just energy.
through with the guitar double-picking. Then
62 we all come back in and it blasts into the lead
06 LUX ÆTERNA
section, like ‘Hey Kirk, come on in – let’s party!’
04 SLEEPWALK

Y
ou’ve heard this already, but it
MY LIFE AWAY sounds even more frenetic coming

02 SHADOWS after the plodding You Must Burn.

T
his is the first of a few songs that Kirk’s whammy bar abuse riled
FOLLOW remind us of the band’s self-titled his haters, but we’re with him – the noise
album from 1991 – known to all as solo works!

T
here’s a distinctly old-school ‘The Black Album’. The four-on-
Metallica vibe in Shadows Follow, the-floor intro and Trujillo’s bass riff, Robert: I love the intro. I love that the snare is
with a riff that emphasises that together with some excellent pickslides, build in sync with our descending guitars. It’s like
most metal of intervals, the excitement for another riff that leans hard a beatdown. You’re getting pulverised, and
diminished 5th. Kirk’s doublestop licks in the on the b5th. The wah-fuelled solo sees Kirk there’s no time for a buildup – it’s just in! For
solo speak of the Angus Young influence he creating hooks with repeated rhythmic ideas, me this one’s an arm burner. Although I’m just
tells us about, and he also performs some and the band sounds thunderous as they exit pulsing on the A note, it’s a challenge, man.
classic pull-offs onto open strings, another the solo into a half-time section. You start to run out of gas. When we first
early AC/DC favourite. There is also an echo rehearsed it, I didn’t get a chance to warm up,
of Battery, the opening song from Metallica’s Robert: I could see the comparison with Enter so I tried to sneak a pick in there, thinking that
classic 1986 album Master Of Puppets. Sandman. It’s got that swagger and it’s not too our producer Greg Fidelman wouldn’t notice.
fast. There’s a feeling of simplicity but the pulse He immediately gets on the mic, ‘Robert!
Kirk: Shadows Follow falls in line with the takes you in a certain direction. It’s a power Are you playing this song with a pick?!’
second Metallica song on every album: usually groove. Before you even get to the riff you’ve
mid-paced, super rhythmic and has a real got that scratch on the bass that sends this Kirk: When I step up to solo, I’ll listen to the
driving quality to it. Someone said, ‘Hey, thing off. It’s kinda simple but I’m proud of it. song and say, ‘This one needs a total noise solo’,
why don’t we come up with a Battery type of or ‘This needs a really melodic solo’. Lux Æterna
rhythm solo?’ So that’s what you hear right Kirk: There’s a lumbering feel to it. Rob and was f*cking pedal to the metal, total adrenaline!
before the solo... I love this riff. It sounds like Cheech and Chong Trying to play a tricky melody when the band’s
in the lowrider cruising down Hollywood going all out – is that really appropriate? If I play
Robert: This does speak evil! This song has a lot Boulevard, smoking joints! a total noise solo, that’s gonna fit beautifully
of everything, but it definitely registers on the over what’s happening because what’s
‘evil tone’, the b♭ 5th. It just has a lot of Robert: In the descending part of the intro, happening is already chaotic. So I just went in
personality in that evil range. The accents play James is covering that and I’m just on root notes there and did my Judas Priest and KK Downing
a role in that, and there are a lot of variations, and stabs on the descend. Then all of a sudden it imitation. I love the chromatic thing that goes
too. I like how there’s a descending sequence. just punches you in the face with that riff. completely down because no one does that!

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


63

“THE MIDDLE PART OF


72 SEASONS IS ONE OF THE
MOST DIFFICULT METALLICA
RIFFS WE’VE EVER PLAYED”
KIRK HAMMETT
MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR
64

“SCREAMING SUICIDE HAS


THAT CLASSIC HETFIELD
THRASHING OF THE STRINGS”
ROBERT TRUJILLO

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


TRACK BY TRACK

65

07 CROWN OF 08 CHASING LIGHT 09 IF DARKNESS


BARBED WIRE HAD A SON

O
ne of many songs to switch

T T
he opening powerchords have the intelligently between half-time his has an insistent and menacing
5th in the bass, what Trujillo calls and double-time, this opens at reverse-gallop groove. Kirk’s solo
the “tension chords”, for an extra 90bpm but soon shifts to feeling draws on his Ritchie Blackmore
sinister crunch. A groovy, single- like 180. Kirk plays a lick in the solo that is not influence. There’s a string bend that
note riff is, as Kirk says, unusual for Metallica, unlike Jimmy Page’s repeating lick midway he repicks while gradually releasing the bend,
but sounds closer to their 90s output than through his solo in Stairway To Heaven. The and some pull-offs to the open string in
anything before or since. Kirk’s solo rhythm is not the same as Page’s, but it a slightly neo-classical style.
incorporates a Chuck Berry/Angus Young rock displaces on each repeat. A similar idea
’n’ roll repeating lick, and after the solo he shows up in Too Far Gone. Kirk: I gotta say, man, that riff is so weird to
doubles the main riff in a higher octave. me. It’s a riff that sounds like a guitar solo lick,
Kirk: That main riff is super cool. It’s a different but when you play it lower, all of a sudden it
Kirk: We haven’t really ever had a riff or part kind of riff for us in terms of hand-positioning. goes from a guitar lick to a really cool riff. This
that has ever sounded like this. It was on a tape James and I were looking at it one day and he song also has a technique that we’ve been doing
that I made and like Lars just loved it. I was like, said, ‘It’s weird, it’s like one riff fits inside the for the last few albums, which is taking
‘Really?’ James said, ‘I would have never other riff.’ It’s like a two-tier riff. Tons of melodies and turning them into chord
thought of using that.’ But Lars just went with energy. It has these rhythmic shifts that I just progressions. When James sings the title, the
it and said, ‘This riff has something you guys love doing, lots of stop-starts and rhythms that riff is really a melody, with those slides, but
aren’t hearing.’ Then we came up with this make us who we are, basically. That song is just we’re playing it on chords. We started doing it
song and, you know, he was right. I think that filled with them. on [2008 album] Death Magnetic and it’s really
song will become a deep cut that eventually cool. James likes it because he can do counter-
people will start asking us to play live. Robert: The thing with this song to me is the melodies and they just make the song
groove. It’s pretty much a song centred around melodically hookier.
Robert: The tension chords that James plays are the feel. James’s vocal approach is really cool.
kind of the setup to this. I’m playing a repetitive There’s a soulfulness to it, almost. Robert: You can sing the riff in that Cheech and
hammer-on riff, and the tension chords are the Chong style! It has a certain nastiness to it. I
strength in that issue. Then all of a sudden it’s really believe that if we play it live, you’re gonna
Photo Getty

just a pulse. The bass is carrying it through with get the crowd singing the riff – that happens
a nice power groove. sometimes, especially in South America.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


10 TOO FAR GONE in the solo, I showed up at the studio one day,
and Greg said, ‘You played this lick the other

W
ith a classic metal chord day. Let’s build a solo off that.’ So that’s what
progression moving from E5 to happened! It was a kind of Ritchie Blackmore
C5 and a melodic chorus, this approach, where he takes a melody and just
reminded us of early-80s expands on it.
metal. The rhythm guitar parts make heavy
use of triplets, which at this high tempo is
a different feel from any of the other tracks.
12 INAMORATA

M
Robert: This riff has been around for a while etallica’s longest-ever song is
and I’m so happy to see it made its way onto likened by Kirk to Orion from
this record. It has a New Wave Of British Heavy Master Of Puppets and To Live Is
Metal personality. It’s just a driving tune: To Die from 1988 album …And
old-school feel, banging guitar solo, banging Justice For All. There is an undeniable Black
riff. I like when a song takes you on a ride. Sabbath feel to Inamorata, although the
It’s got that forward momentum. harmonised guitars are a nod to Iron Maiden
and Thin Lizzy. Hetfield’s epic melody is
Kirk: We all love playing this song. It has all rhythmically intricate and makes for a strong
the elements that make a really pleasurable finish. Best Metallica album this century?
song: the guitar parts are really fun, the We think so.
arrangement’s really great, and it’s really
straightforward. This is another song where Robert: The ultimate closing statement to an
we turned melodies into chord progressions. album. I call it the shortest 11-minute song!
There’s a harmony solo that James and I do. It feels like it’s at least half that time because it
takes you on a journey. It’s sludgy, but I feel like
I’m in a convertible car driving up the coast.

11 ROOM OF It strips down to this minimal moment where


it’s just the bass, and I’m pulling from Geezer
66 MIRRORS Butler. James had a vision for really stripping it
down to rawness. Every note I played on this,

S
ome of the outro harmony guitars especially in the breakdown, I was closing my
remind us of the approach eyes and just feeling it. I almost felt like I was
Metallica took on their cover of floating in the bending of the notes, and then
Whiskey In The Jar, the traditional all of a sudden it just releases itself into these
Irish folk song popularised by Thin Lizzy. beautiful layers of guitar for this melodic
As the melody repeats, the interval of the statement that takes you on the journey out.
harmony changes for some nice development. You can feel the interplay when we start coming
out of the bass break. There’s this moment
Robert: There’s a bit of that punk feel. There’s where we’re almost dancing together
a couple things here that are challenging, between the instruments.
at least for bass, because you’re going from
straight pump-pump style and all of a sudden Kirk: One day James said, ‘You know, this song
you’re doubling it. It’s a challenge for a finger needs an extended harmony solo’, and he
player. It’s definitely a song that moves, but literally sat down and came up with the entire
some of the melodic and the guitar layers have solo one afternoon. I went in and learned the
that classic Metallica statement. Hopefully harmony to it and that was it. It is a little bit of
we’ll play this one live. a tribute to songs like Orion and To Live Is To Die.
When we were coming up with this song
Kirk: Again, that song is New Wave of British I thought, ‘Is this one even gonna make it on
Heavy Metal to the max. For the repeating lick the album?’ But it became a f*cking mammoth!

“TRYING TO PLAY A TRICKY MELODY


WHEN THE BAND’S GOING ALL OUT—IS
THAT REALLY APPROPRIATE?”
KIRK HAMMETT

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: David Gilmour by Marc Enguérand; Moon by Valeriano Antonini/Getty
JUST RIFFS
Guitars & backing Charlie Griffiths Photo Tim Saccenti

FOR ALL!
Dial in the distortion and warm up your
strumming arm for the onslaught of
our Metallica-style lessons
ames Hetfield and Kirk Hammett self-titled ‘Black Album’ sent the band to the from simple. Dual-harmony guitar lines are
have been kicking heavy metal ass stratosphere, hitting number 1 worldwide. often more complex than mere 3rd- and
for 40 years. In 1983 it was the Like most guitar bands who reach their fifth 4th-interval affairs, and syncopated riffs
band’s mission statement, with decade, Metallica’s back catalogue offers at fearsome tempos provide serious
their debut album originally planned a wealth of riches for any six-string slinger technical workouts.
to be titled Metal Up Your Ass until on a mission to play better. The Phrygian and For now, plug in, crank up the gain and let’s
Kill ’Em All eventually stuck. And if Aeolian modes are core harmonic essentials, look at Hetfield and Hammett’s most important
their debut set the scene for the with powerchords and downpicking techniques techniques, as employed from their ’83 debut
burgeoning thrash metal genre, their next appearing in almost every song the band have right up to this year’s 72 Seasons. Wah is
68 three albums defined it until 1991, when their ever recorded. But emulating their style is far optional. Downpicking is essential!

1 POWERCHORDS AND GALLOPS bit.ly/tg370audio

q = 160
A5 G5 A5 Bb5 A5 G5 G5 N .C . F#5 N .C . A5 G5 A5 Bb5 A5 G5 E5

#4
N .C . N .C . N .C .

& 4 .. ..
Play 4 times

œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œœ
œ #œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œœœœœ œœœœœœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œœœ œœœ œœ
. .
PM PM PM PM PM

T
A
B
. 7 5 7 8 7 5 5 4 7 5 7 8 7 5
9
7
.
0 0 0 0 5 3 5 6 5 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 5 6 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

We’re taking inspiration from 1984’s Fight Fire With Fire and the title track from the band’s latest release 72 Seasons here. Use alternate picking and palm-muting to play
the open sixth string, but lift your palm away from the strings for the powerchords. Strum these with downstrokes and use slides to shift between them where indicated.

2 SLOW STOMPING SYNCOPATION bit.ly/tg370audio

q = 85

#4
& 4 .. œ œ œ ..
E5 E5

‰ ‰ ‰
N .C . N .C .

j j j
Play 4 times

œ # œ œ œœ œœ n ¿¿ ¿¿ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ
. .
PM

T
A
B
. 5 0
7 0 2 2 ¿¿ ¿¿ 2 2 2 2
.
6 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0

Here we’re showcasing the pull-off technique of Sad But True and the stomping syncopation of this year’s You Must Burn. In bar 1, your aim is to sound only one note
at a time, so make sure to mute each open string after you’ve played it. For bar 2, it’s all about space. The syncopation comes from hitting those powerchords on the
offbeat while staying dead silent in the gaps.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


PLAY LIKE METALLICA

3 HIT THE POWERCHORDS bit.ly/tg370audio


legendary tone
machine the Red
q = 200 Special
E 5/B F #/C # B 5/F # C 5/G B 5/F # A 5/E B 5/F # E 5/B F #/C # A 5/E B 5/F # A 5/E F # 5/C #

### 4 . j
N .C . N .C . E 5/B

‰ œ n œ ..
& 4 œ œœ. j œ n œ œ œ œ ‰ œœ
œ œ œ œœ œœ ‰ j œœ œœ œœ œ
Play 4 times

œ œ ˙˙
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
. .
PM PM

T
. 22 44 .
BU BD
(5) (4 )
A 4
4 (5) (4 )
2
2
4
4
4
4 2 4
2
2
4
4
2
2 4 2
B 2 2 2 2
2 4
2 2 2 2
4 2

This riff demonstrates the kind of two-note powerchord shapes on display in tracks such as Hit The Lights, albeit in F# minor here. Play the doublestop shapes with a first
finger barre followed by your third and fourth fingers together. Turn your hand from the wrist for the semitone bend and release.

4 BATTERY STYLE GALLOP bit.ly/tg370audio

q =125
Bb

#4
E 5 N .C . F 5/C N .C . G 5/D N .C . N .C . Em N .C . E sus 2 N .C .

& 4 .. œ œœ .. œœ œœ .
.
Play 4 times


œœ œ œ œ œ œ .. œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ b œ ..
œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
. .
PM PM PM PM PM PM

T
A
B
. 22 3
3
5
5
0
1
5
7
4
7
.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Use tight palm-muted picking to play the Battery-style galloping rhythm on the sixth string here. This is played with a combination of downpicking for the eighth notes
and alternate picking for the faster 16ths. Use the tip of the pick to glide across the string for a consistent tone, and don’t pick too hard. 69

5 JUSTICE STYLE BLUES SCALE SOLOING bit.ly/tg370audio

œ œ œ œ~~~~
# 4 . œœœœœœœœ œ œœœ œœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœ œ œœœ œœœœœœœœ œ œœœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .
bœ bœ bœ
q =170 Play 4 times
Em

& 4 . .
~~~~
T . 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 10 7 7 10 7 7 10 7 7 10
.
. .
10 10 10
A
B
⇥ ⇥ ≤ cont. sim.
Kirk is a fan of soloing with the blues scale – and we’re channelling ...And Justice For All along with new track Shadows Follow here in a scalic line played along the first
string. For our repeating four-note phrase, use a downstroke followed by a pull-off, then pick ‘down-up’. Pull off with your first finger as you move up and down the neck.

6 CLASSIC HAMMETT REPEATING LICK bit.ly/tg370audio


q =150

~~~~~~~~~~~
E5 D5 C5 C5 B5 E5 D5 C5 E5 C5 B5

# 4 . œ œœœ œ œœœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
œ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ ˙˙
1/4 1/4 Play 4 times
j j j j j
1/4 1/4

..
œ œ œ œ œ
& 4 . J J
~~~~~~~~~~~
. .
1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4

T
. .
BU BD BU BD BU BD BU BD BU BD [12 ]
12 12 12 12 12
A 14 (16)(14 ) 12
14
14 (16)(14 ) 12
14
14 (16)(14 ) 12
14
14 (16) (14 ) 12
14
14 (16) (14 ) 12
14
12 12
14
12 [12 ]
14
12
14
12
14
12

This repeating lick is a staple Hammett phrasing idea, appearing in one form in Enter Sandman and being reinvented recently in Too Far Gone. Play the repeating lick with
a third-finger bend/release, pull off to your first finger, then finish with your third finger on the fourth string. This repeat is three beats long, but when played against the
4/4 drumbeat an interesting displacement happens.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


7 HEAVY HARMONIES bit.ly/tg370audio

q = 60

#
& 44 .. ..
Em E5

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ r
Play 4 times

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ
. .
PM PM

T
A
B
. 5 5 5 4 4 4
5 5 5 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
.
0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0

Harmony guitar parts have featured heavily in Metallica’s recorded output, from 1984’s Fade To Black, to 2016’s Atlas Rise and new album track Inamorata. Our lick here
is the higher part of a two-guitar harmony in E minor (E F# G A B C D). Listen to the guitar on the backing track to match the timing and intensity so the guitars blend as one.

8 TRIPLET-PHRASED LEADS bit.ly/tg370audio

q =180

w~~~~~~~~~~
D5 E5 F5 D5 E5 F5 D5

# 4 œj œ œ œj œ œ œj œ œ œj œ œ œœœœœ œœœœœœœœœ œœœœ


Play 4 times

œ œ œj œ œ œj œ œ œj œ œ
j

& 4 .. ..
j œ
œ

~~~~~~~~~~
9 9

. .
BU BU BU BU BU BU BU BU BU
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 15 14 12 15 14 12 15 14 12 15 14 12 15 14 12 15 14 12 15 (17)
T
. .
15 (17) 15 (17) 15 (17) 15 (17) 15 (17) 15 (17) 15 (17) 15 (17)
A
B

Recent single If Darkness Had A Son is our inspiration here as we home in on some repeating three-note phrases in bar 3. Use your third, second and first fingers
70 respectively, picking each 15th fret G note before pulling off to the 14th (F#) and 12th frets (E). Take care with the rhythm. Unusually, nine notes cover half a bar here.

9 JAMES STYLE DOWNPICKING bit.ly/tg370audio


q = 200

#
& 44 .. ..
E dim
Play 4 times

œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ
. .
PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM

T
A
B
. 7 7 7 3 2 1
.
0 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 2 0
cont. sim.

This riff is based on Heftield’s legendary downpicking technique which he uses in eighth-note riffs around the 200bpm mark in Master Of Puppets and Blackened. Use
your wrist to bounce the pick off of the string and keep your arm relaxed so as to maintain the movement for long periods. Your arm may feel more relaxed when
straighter, so try playing in a standing position with your guitar slung low.

10 SHAPE 1 PENTATONICS bit.ly/tg370audio


q =160

~~~~~~~~~
E5 G5 A5 G5 N .C .

# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
Play 4 times

~~~~~~~~~
T . 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12
.
. .
15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12
A 14

Kirk’s soloing style draws heavily on pentatonics – and our lick here is the kind you’ll hear in everything from Hit The Lights to Room Of Mirrors. It’s a simple pull-off idea
played on the two highest strings. Try adapting our lick through any two-note-per-string E minor pentatonic scale shape.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


Find your videos here
bit.ly/tg370audio VIDEO
RIFF LESSONS
BECOME A MASTER OF PICKING WITH TG’S VIDEO LESSONS ON THREE AWESOME METALLICA RIFFS

CREEPING DEATH SEEK AND DESTROY IF DARKNESS HAD A SON

his song is a prime example of nother Metallica classic here, ne of Hetfield and co’s most

T the down-picking prowess


on show in Metallica’s back
catalogue. The section we are
focusing on outlines an E5
A and a song that’ll see you
shifting between an A minor
and E minor tonal centre. The
intro is based around A minor
O recent tracks, Darkness...
is centred around the
E Phrygian mode but leans on
other modes for further mood
powerchord by alternating between the but leans on the b5th (Eb) and b2nd (Bb) for changes. The riff we’re focussing on uses
open sixth-string root note and the 5th/ extra tension. The riff begins with two the b5th (Bb), rather than the natural 5th (B),
octave of the root on the fourth and fifth palm-muted A notes on the open 5th string. bringing the intensity and drama of the
strings. To get the rhythmic definition and From here, you need to place your first Locrian mode. The opening notes move
shape you’ll need to palm-mute the notes finger on the 7th fret of the third string, between the 12th and 13th fret of the fifth
on the sixth string and leave the notes on strike the note then immediately hammer string, by means of a downstroke and 71
the fourth and fifth strings unmuted. Each on the 8th fret with your second finger. hammer-on. Next, you’ll move over to the
phrase concludes with a single-note figure This creates a grace note, from the D, before 12th fret of the fourth string, followed by
with picked notes played on the 2nd and 3rd hearing the main Eb note at the 8th fret. To a string hop over to the 13th fret of the sixth
frets of the fifth string. This is concluded by complete the phrase, re-pick the D note, string. Here, you’ll need to keep the idle
another picked note at the 2nd fret, a fast at the 7th fret and let it sustain. Next, the strings from ringing, by connecting the
hammer-on to the 3rd fret, and pull-offs sequence is repeated with a single palm- under side and tip of your first finger
to the 2nd fret and open fifth string. Try to muted A note on the open fifth string, and (fretting hand) against the neighbouring
use minimal finger pressure as you move the grace note, hammer-on, picked note strings. The phrase finishes with E notes on
through the hammer-on/pull-off sequence, figure moved down to the 7th and 8th frets the 12th fret of the sixth string, followed by
as this will help you to maintain the required of the fourth string. The riff concludes with a palm-muted, chugging sequence on the
pace. After eight cycles of the riff, the phrase a palm-muted A note on the open fifth open sixth string. To contrast the melodic
changes to two palm-muted open sixth string, followed by ascending two-note quality of the fretted notes, the open
strings, followed by an unmuted G5 sequences on the 8th and 7th frets of the sixth-string notes are palm muted and
powerchord. This sequence is played twice fifth string, 5th fret of the fourth string to introduce a 16th-note down-up-down
before playing two more palm-muted open the 7th fret of the fifth string, and 5th fret of picking sequence. This phrase reinforces
sixth strings and six palm-muted F# notes the third string to the 7th fret of the fourth the tonal centre of the riff and makes for
on the 2nd fret of the sixth string. To get the string. The riff repeats eight times before a some heavy, mid-tempo, aggression.
sound, use a decent amount of gain, a bridge run descending down an E blues scale. Dial
position humbucker, and play every picked in a moderate amount of gain, select your Appears at: 0:40-0:55
note with a downstroke. bridge pickup, and use downstrokes for Tempo: 124bpm
every picked note. Key/scale: E Phrygian/E Locrian
Appears at: 0:19-0:56 Main techniques: Hammer-ons, down-
Tempo: 200bpm Appears at: 0:00-0:29 picking, palm muted 16th-note chugging
Key/scale: E minor Tempo: 140bpm
Main techniques: Down-picking, hammer- Key/scale: A minor/E minor TG Tip: When playing the 16th-note
ons, pull-offs, powerchords, palm-muting Main techniques: Grace notes, hammer- chugging sequence, accent the
ons, down picking, selective palm muting downstrokes that land on the beat
TG Tip: To get sufficient speed with your to add power while creating sonic
down-picking, angle your pick by bending TG Tip: Palm-mute every note that lands landmarks that lock in with the groove.
the joint in the middle of your thumb, on the fifth string but leave the other
so it points upwards, allowing it to glide strings unmuted.
through the strings with less resistance.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


CL ASSIC
T R AC K

RED HOT
CHILI
PEPPERS
OTHERSIDE
Rock out with a red hot
stadium-filling anthem from
the Chilis’ 1999
Californication album

72

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


CL ASSIC
T R AC K
SOUND ADVICE
his month we’re
looking at the RHCP
anthem Otherside, one
of the band’s most
successful singles. The Everything you need to know before playing ‘Otherside’
track was recorded live

T
o play Otherside you’ll need two sounds
in the studio with no click track so ready to go. The first is a punchy clean
the original tempo ranges from
123 to 127bpm. However, to keep
Get the tone CHANNEL CLEAN tone with a neck humbucker selected.
John often turns to his hollowbody Gretsch
4 6 6 White Falcon in live performances, employing
things even we’ve chosen a steady
minimal effects and using the old school
124bpm for our audio jam track. 8 2
approach of plugging straight into a cranked
In terms of harmony, Otherside amp. If you’re playing at neighbour-friendly
is in the key of A minor, with the levels, a little compression can help spiky
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB
main guitar riffs being built out of clean tones sustain. The second tone you’ll
the notes of this scale. Only two need is a higher gain sound for the lead parts
– and this will sound most authentic with
actual chords are played – G and A a bridge pickup selected and some fuzz
– with the latter marking a brief distortion added.
foray into A major and brightening
up the end of the verses. Still,
Frusciante’s guitar lines
Switch between
harmonise with Flea’s bassline,
neck and bridge
implying chords as the song humbuckers for
progresses. We’ve shown chord the clean and dirty
names over the tab to help you sounds, respectively.
navigate our full transcription.

CHORDS SCALES
A Y
ll of the chords in Otherside are from the key of A minor. In the guitar part, ou can solo over any section of the song
the only actual chords played are the G and A chords at the end of the verses. fairly safely using the A minor pentatonic 73
However, the rest of the chords are implied by the way the guitar riff harmonises scale should you wish. The main vocal
with the bassline. We’ve provided some tried and tested chord boxes here should you melody uses notes from the A natural minor
wish to jam along with a strummed part. scale (A B C D E F G), so for an extra challenge
X X X X X O O X X X X you could try playing a version of the vocal
melody on the guitar by ear using this scale.
1 1 1 1 1
5 The end lead guitar sections use ringing first
2 2 and second strings (E and B) and this provides
a bit of extra body to the sound.
3 3 4 3 1

3 1 1 1 1 1 1
5
A5 F C G5
O O O O X X
3 3 3
1 1 1 1 T 1 1 T 1 1
5 3 5
4 4 4
2 3 2 2

3 4 3 3
A minor
pentatonic scale

Am Em G A
1
X 4
1 1 1 2 1 1
T 1
3
2
Photo Getty Guitars and backing Jon Bishop

3 4
3 3 3 4 3
4 4 4 4

A natural
minor scale
G6

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


CL ASSIC
T R AC K

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS FULL


TAB
OTHERSIDE
Words and Music by Anthony Kiedis, Flea,
John Frusciante and Chad Smith
© 1999 by Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited

OTHERSIDE
All Rights Administered by Peermusic (UK) Ltd.
International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Intro bit.ly/tg370audio

q =124

j
& 44 œ .
A5 G5
j
F C

œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ w
j
œ. œ œ œ

T
A 7 7 9 7
B 7 7 7 10 7 5 5 5

The intro features Frusciante’s single-note riff. It’s deceptively tricky to play with a consistent feel, so it’s well worth practising slowly to get all the transitions dialed in.
To help you lock in with the bass guitar at the start we’ve included a hi-hat rhythm.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Chorus 1 bit.ly/tg370audio

j
A5 G5

& 44 œ .
F C

j œ. œ œ œ œ œ j j ‰ j
74
œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ
0:08

T
A 7 7 9 7
B 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 5 5 5
1

j
A5 F C G5

& œ. j j ‰ œ. œ œ œ œ œ j j ‰ j
œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ

T
A 7 7 9 7
B 7 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 7 5 5 5
5

j j œ. œ œ œ
A5 F C G

j j œ.
œ ‰ œ ‰
& œ. œ. œ œ J œ œ œ ‰
œ œ J J

T
A 14 14 14
B 7 7 7 12 12 12 14 14 14 14
9

Chorus 1 follows the same riff as the intro, but watch out in bar 10 where you’ll encounter a shift up to 12th position. If you can land on the 12th fret with your first finger
you’ll be in prime position to play the 14th-fret notes with your third finger.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


FULL TRACK + BACKING (bit.ly/tg370audio)
This song comes with a full demo track and backing track.
Enter the above link into your web browser of choice;
press play and jam along, guitaraoke style!
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS / OTHERSIDE

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 1 bit.ly/tg370audio

Am
œ œ
Em
œ Am
œ œ
Em
œ
œ œ œ
4
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
0:33
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 15 8 15
T 12 12
A
B 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12
1

Am Em
œ G A

œ œ œ œ ww w ww
& ww # www ww
1

œ œ œ
1

œ œ œ œ œ w w
2

w
3

8 15 3 5
T 12 3 5
A 4
5
6
7
B 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12 3 5
5

This section is tricky to play consistently due to the skips between the first and sixth strings. You’ll need to pick accurately, of course, but make sure also to aim or clean
fretting so that the right notes ring out over each other.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 2 bit.ly/tg370audio

œ
75
Am œ œ Em
œ œ Am œ œ
4
&4 œ œ œ
0:51
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 15 8
T 12
A
B 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5
1

œ œ
Em œ œ Am œ œ Em œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
15 8 15
T 12 12
A
B 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12
4

w w ww w
# www # www
G A G A

& www ww
w w w w
3 5 3 5
T 3 5 3 5
A 4
5
6
7
4
5
6
7
B 3 5 3 5
7

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


CL ASSIC
T R AC K
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 2 (cont’d) bit.ly/tg370audio

ww ww w ˙˙
G A

& ww ww # www ˙˙ Œ œ œ.
w w w ˙
3 5
T 3 5
A 4
5
6
7
B 3 5
7 5
11

You’ll be starting out the same way as you did in verse 1, but note the extended ending on the G and A barre chords here. Frusciante favours the Jimi Hendrix fingering, with
the fretting hand thumb curled over the top of the neck to fret the sixth string.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Chorus 2 bit.ly/tg370audio

j
A5 G5
j
F C

& 44 œ . j
œ œ œ œ
j ‰ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ.
j j
œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ
1:18

T
A 7 7 9 7 7
B 7 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 10 10
1

j
A5 F C G5

& œ. j j ‰ œ. œ œ œ œ œ j
76 œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ ˙ ˙

T
A 7 7 9 7
B 7 7 7 7 10 7 7 7 5 5
5

j œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
A5 F C G

& œ. j œ œ. œ œ œ J J ‰
œ œ

T
A 7 7 7 14 14 14 17 17 17 17
B 7 7 10
9

Though the main pattern of the riffs from chorus 1 is repeated, Frusciante adds in some variations here. The main melody is embellished and the last two bars feature an
ascending part that helps transition nicely into verse 3.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 3 bit.ly/tg370audio

Am

œ œ
Em
œ Am

œ œ
œ œ
& 44 œ œ œ
1:41
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 15 8
T 12
A
B 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5
1

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS / OTHERSIDE

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 3 (cont’d) bit.ly/tg370audio

Em
œ Am Em
œ
œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
15 8 15
T 12 12
A
B 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12
4

w w ww ˙. œœ
G A

& www # www ww ˙˙ .. œœ


w w w ˙. œ œ œ
3 5
T 3 5
A 4
5
6
7
B 3 5 5 5
7

Verse 3 is much the same as previous verses. However, there is an extra bar of drums added to the end, plus a couple of 16th notes that act as a flourish into verse 4.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 4 bit.ly/tg370audio

Am

œ œ
Em
œ Am

œ œ
77
œ œ
4
&4 œ œ œ
2:01
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
8 15 8
T 12
A
B 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5
1

œ œ
œ œ
Em Am Em

œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
15 8 15
T 12 12
A
B 12 12 12 5 5 5 5 5 12 12 12
4

ww w ww w
# www # www
G A G A

& ww ww
w w w w
3 5 3 5
T 3 5 3 5
A 4
5
6
7
4
5
6
7
B 3 5 3 5
7

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


CL ASSIC
T R AC K
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Verse 4 (cont’d) bit.ly/tg370audio

ww ww w ˙˙
G A

& ww ww # www ˙˙ Ó
w w w ˙
3 5
T 3 5
A 4
5
6
7
B 3 5
11

If you’ve mastered verses 1 to 3, this section should be easy as there are no surprises. Ready yourself for the change that follows in chorus 3.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Chorus 3 bit.ly/tg370audio

A5
j j œ.
F
œ œ œ œ œ
C
j j G5
j
4 œ. œ œ œ ‰
œ. œ œ œ œ œ
œ. œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ
& 4 œ. œ œ œ J œ. œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ
2:28

T
A 9 9 9 14 14 16 14 12 9 9 9 7 7 7

B 7 7 7 12 12 14 12 10 7 7 7 5 5 5
1

A5
j j œ.
F
œ œ œ œ œ
C
j j G5

œ. œ œ œ ‰ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ
78 & œ. œ œ œ J œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

T
A 9 9 9 14 14 16 14 12 9 9 9 9 7 7 7 7

B 7 7 7 12 12 14 12 10 7 7 7 7 5 5 5 5
5

j j
œ œ ¿ œ ‰
A5 F5 C G5

œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿
& œ. œ œ ¿ œJ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
T ¿ ¿
A ¿ ¿
9 9 9 12 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 2
B 7 7 7 10 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3 0
9

Here, the melody from chorus 2 is played in octaves, beefing up the sound as the song progresses. To keep the delivery clean, make sure your fret-hand muting is sound.
This can be achieved by lightly resting your fingers on the strings behind where the fretting is occurring.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Bridge bit.ly/tg370audio

E5
œ œ œ. w C
œ œ œ.
G
w
4 œœ œœ œœ .. ww J œœ .. ww
&4 Œ J
Œ
2:51

0 0 0 0 0
T 0 0 0 0 0
A 21 21 21 16 16 16

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS / OTHERSIDE

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Bridge (cont’d) bit.ly/tg370audio

œ œ œ. w œ œ œ. w
œœ .. ww œœ œœ œœ .. ww
E5
J
C G

&Œ Œ
J
0 0 0 0 0
T 0 0 0 0 0
A 21 21 21 16 16 16

B
5

œ œ œ. w œ œ œ. w
œœ œœ œœ .. ww œœ œœ œœ .. ww
E5 C G

&Œ J
Œ
J
0 0 0 0 0 0
T 0 0 0 0 0 0
A 21 21 21 16 16 16

B
9

œ œ œ. w œœ œœ œœ . ˙˙ . œœ
œœ œœ œœ .. ww œ .. ˙ ..
E5 C G

&Œ J
Œ œ
J
œ œ

0 0 0 0 0 0 0
T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A 21 21 21 16 16 16 16

B
13 79

For the funky breakdown section, switch over to a bridge pickup and kick in some overdrive. The part here is relatively easy to play, but the ringing open strings are crucial.
Simple downstrokes will provide the most consistency.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Solo bit.ly/tg370audio

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ
A5 F C G6

4 œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&4 J
3:21

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 15 0 0 15 0
T 10 10 10 10 10 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17
A
B

Here the first string is left to ring out while various notes from the A natural minor scale (A B C D E F G) are played on the second string. This is a top trick for filling out the
sound when there is only and drums and bass guitar backing.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Chorus 4 bit.ly/tg370audio

œ A5
œ œ œ œ œ œ
F
œ œ œ œ œ
C

4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
&4 J ‰
3:29
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
T 17 17 17 17 17 13 13 13 13 13 8 8 8 8 8
A
B
1

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


CL ASSIC
T R AC K
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS OTHERSIDE Chorus 4 (cont’d) bit.ly/tg370audio

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
G6 A5 F

&

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
T 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
A
B
4

œœ
C
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
G6
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
A5
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
&

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
T 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 10 5 5 5 5 5
A
B
7

F
œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
C G6
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
A5
œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&
80
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
T 12 10 10 10 10 10 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 15 15 15 15 17 17 17 17 17 17 17
A
B
10

F C G6 Am

œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 0 0 20 0 0 20 0
T 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17
A
B
14

( œ) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Fmaj 7 C G A5

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ww
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 17
T 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 17
A
B
18

The theme of the solo continues here with an open first string ringing out against the fretted second string. There’s room for improvisation here as the song builds to its
conclusion. Just be ready for a slight slow down in the last two bars.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


LEARN
TO PL AY

OPEN-MIC SONGBOOK
PIXIES
WHERE IS MY MIND?
Learn the 80s alt-rock anthem that
influenced a new generation of
world-famous rock acts

T
he Pixies never had a Top 10 his trusty Japanese Fender
single or a No 1 album, but Telecaster in its case, opting to go
the cult Boston four-piece acoustic. The electric comes from
came to define the sound of the Pixies’ avant-garde guitarist
alternative rock in the late Joey Santiago, who played his
80s and beyond. They caught the ear trademark 70s re-issue Les Paul
of some of rock’s most established Goldtop. For strummers, it’s
figures and galvanised the next largely a barre chord-based affair,
82 generation’s leading acts such as so, though it’s a relatively
Nirvana. More importantly, their straightforward tune, your fret
debut full-length LP Surfer Rosa hand does get a bit of a workout.
included the angular, catchy number Of course, if you struggle with the
we’re looking at here, Where Is My constant barring you could play the
Mind?. Recorded in 1987 at Q Division A and Am chords in open position
Studios in Boston, Black Francis left to give your hand a brief rest.

CHORDS
O O O X

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

T
he chords shown here are 4 4 4
those played by Black 2 3 2 2 2
Francis on his acoustic,
3 4 3 4 3 4
though Santiago uses the same
voicings in the choruses. With
the exception of the open E,
the remaining shapes are barre
chords. Francis plays a C#m/G# E C#m/G# C#m G#
(a C#m chord with an added G#
note below the C# root), but
you may prefer to play a more
straightforward C#m. We’ve 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 5 7
shown both shapes here and
notated C#m in our song 2 2
Guitars and backing Simon Young Photo Getty

sheet for simplicity.


3 4 3 4 3 4

WHERE IS MY MIND?
Words and Music by Frank Black
Copyright © 1988 RICE AND BEANS MUSIC
All Rights Controlled and Administered by SONGS OF UNIVERSAL, INC. A Am B
All Rights Reserved Used by Permission

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


BACKING TRACK (bit.ly/tg370audio)
This song comes with a full backing track. Enter the
above link into your web browser of choice; press
play and jam along, guitaraoke style!

Where Is My Mind?
SONGSHEET

Intro E C#m G# A
E / C#m / G# / A x4 Break
E G# A B / / / x3
Verse 1 Wa-ay out in the water
E Am C#m B
Repeat verse 1
With your feet on the air See it swimming
C#m G# A Repeat chorus
And your head on the ground
E C#m G# A Verse 2 Break
Try this trick and spin it, yeah E E / C#m / G# / A
E C#m I was swimming
Your head will collapse C#m G# A Final verse
G# In the Caribbean E
But there’s nothing in it E C#m With your feet on the air
G# A
A Animals were hiding behind the rock C#m G# A
And you’ll ask yourself E C#m And your head on the ground
Except the little fish E C#m G# A
Chorus G# Try this trick and spin it, yeah
E C#m Bump into me
Where is my mind? A Outro instrumental
G# A Swear he’s tryin’ a talk to me E / C#m / G# / A x3
Where is my mind?
E C#m G# A E / C#m / G# 83
Where is my mind? Repeat chorus

PIXIES WHERE IS MY MIND? Intro (acoustic) bit.ly/tg370audio

C #m/G # G#
q = 80
E A Am A

# ## 4 œ œœ ¿¿ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œœ œ
& # 4 ‰ . œœ .. œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ # œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ n œœœ # œœœ œœ n n œœ œœ .
œœ .
R œœ œœ œœ œœ ¿ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ nœ
œ œœ œœ
œ œ œ >
> >
¿¿
0:03

T
0
. 0
¿
4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 0
.
. .
0 0 0 0 5 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 0
A 1 1
2
1
2
1
2 2
6
6
6
6
6
6
4
4
4
4
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
6
7
6
7
6
7
6
7
5
7
6
7
6
7
0
0
0
0
B 2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
4
4
4
4 4 4 6
4
6
4
6
4
6
4
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
0
0
0
0

Use an upstroke for the opening offbeat chord in the pick-up bar, then employ a relaxed 16th-note alternate strumming motion throughout the section. Using your second,
third and fourth fingers to fret the E chord enables you to maintain the same shape for the subsequent barre chords.

PIXIES WHERE IS MY MIND? Intro (electric) bit.ly/tg370audio

C #m/G # G#
# ## 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ .
E A Am A

& # 4 .. œ œ .
0:15 let ring throughout

T . 4 4 4 4 4 4 0 0 0 0
.
. .
5 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 4 5 5 0
A
B

Use alternate picking throughout this part. In bar 1, use your first finger to barre the first and second strings at the 4th fret and use your second finger for the 5th-fret
E note. Simply lift your second finger off the neck to play the 4th fret D# in bar 2.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


REAL WORLD REVIEWS OF THE 86
BEST NEW GEAR

Welcome to the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome*)


Station! Every issue, TG scours the market for the
hottest new gear and brings you transparent reviews
that you can trust. From the smallest of accessories
that make your life easier, to big investments, such as
brand new guitars, amps and effects pedals – if it’s
84 worth your attention, you’ll find it here!

HOW WE TEST BEST BUY AWARD


TG Best Buy Awards are
reserved for stand-out
CURATION NO SNAKE OIL products that earn a 4.5 star
Our product selection is You won’t find us getting overall rating. This is the most
driven by our love of gear. hung up on hokey mythology exciting new gear that you
need to check out
We select the most exciting or nonsense marketing
products on the market every speak: we aim to bring you
month to bring you opinions
you can trust.
bullsh*t-free opinions on
the gear you’re interested in.
92
FACE-VALUE REVIEWS WE CAN’T BE BOUGHT
We’re not gear snobs here at TG review scores are a true 85 START ME UP
Total Guitar. We judge it on reflection of our experts’ Five new products you need to check out
whether it looks good, sounds opinion on the product
PLATINUM AWARD
good and plays well – not by
the name on the headstock.
they’ve been testing. You’ll
never find a rating in our
Reserved for the very best of 86 PRS SE DGT
the best, TG’s Platinum Awards Long-running PRS signature artist David Grissom
mag that has been bought are given to class-leading,
finally gets his own SE guitar
and paid for. gamechanging products that
score a maximum 5 stars in
*WHAT IS GAS?
Gear Acquisition Syndrome
REAL WORLD REVIEWS
We test every product under
every category.
90 BLACKSTAR AMPED 2
is the guitar-player’s Blackstar’s amazing pedalboard amp gets expanded
never-ending urge to acquire the conditions that they were
new gear, irrespective of designed for. For example,
whether they actually need it.
Don’t pretend you don’t
if an amp is designed to be
played loud, rest assured
92 FENDER ACOUSTASONIC
have it – we all do!
that we’ll have tested it at PLAYER JAZZMASTER
rehearsal/gig volumes! Jazz oddity

SUPERB, A BEST BUY EXCELLENT ABOVE AVERAGE KIT SOME ISSUES POOR
94 HARLEY BENTON TWOFACE
A no-nonsense, one-stop blues box

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


GAS STATION

01

04

02

03

85

05

START ME UP!
Five awesome new products to get your gear engine revving this month…
BEETRONICS SEABEE FENDER X WRANGLER POSITIVE GRID MOOER CANDY CHIBSON CEASE & DESIST
HARMOCHORUS DENIM CASE SPARK GO FOOTSWITCH TOPPER TOGGLE RING

1 2 3 4 5
It’s undoubtedly one of the There is a place beyond Somehow PG has shrunk In the heat of the moment, Chibson’s take on a ‘poker
most expensive modulation triple denim that few dare a fully-featured modelling little things can matter. chip’ that pokes fun at
pedals we’ll see this year, but to go; but here is your amp with an eight-hour And that’s especially true guitar brand trademark
it’s also one of the most chance, and you can take your rechargeable battery down to when you’re glancing down to battles is inspired here. “Show
intriguing, introducing the Tele or Strat with you. Fender’s the size of a compact pedal. And switch on a pedal mid-song. your friends and family that you
concept of harmochorus second collaborative collection this five-watt wonder sounds Mooer’s toppers fit over your are no longer ashamed of your
pitch-shifting modulation. The with Wrangler also includes much bigger than you’d expect; switches and the assorted less-than-authentic instrument!
Seabee has three modes guitar straps, picks, and clothing, with four onboard presets and all colours can give you a quick Feeling wild?,” say the cheeky
dedicated to this, plus another but this is undoubtedly the the app and tone features of its reference point, as well as scoundrels. ‘Turn your vintage
three to the chorus. With 16 statement piece. Available in bigger siblings. You can even often making your pedals instrument into an illegal copycat
onboard presets and digital indigo or black, there’s even stream music to listen and easier to switch with your feet. with the all-new Chibson Cease
control over delay time, there’s a pocket for your plectrums jam along to. Place it on its But beware, it could lead you and Desist toggle ring.’ You might
plenty to explore here and get on the outside and a pink back for a more expansive down a rabbit hole of want to pick up an Insane Klon
warbly with. And it looks paisley-lined accessories omnidirectional sound, or coordinating your pedals to Posse t-shirt while you’re
fantastic, too! compartment inside. upright for a direct response. topper colours. Then you’ll be there, too.
£409 £229 $109 (special preorder price, doing it with patch cables... $11
www.beetronicsfx.com www.fender.com $149 full MSRP) £6.99 (for assorted www.chibson.com
www.positivegrid.com colours 10-pack)
www.mooeraudio.com

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


T H E GA S
STATION

86

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


REVIEW

PRS SE DGT 1 NECK, FINGERBOARD


£979 AND FRETS AT A GLANCE
Replicating the USA DGT’s
neck profile proved quite a BODY: Mahogany back

Long-running PRS signature challenge for the SE team.


David spec’d the SE shape
with maple top
NECK: Mahogany,

artist David Grissom finally from his own favourite 2010


DGT. Aside from the slightly
narrower neck in higher
glued-in
SCALE: 25” (635mm)

gets his own SE guitar positions, the jumbo frets


mimic those used on the USA
FINGERBOARD:
Rosewood/10” radius
model which were originally FRETS: 22, jumbo

D
Dunlop’s 6100 gauge. PICKUPS: 2x PRS DGT
avid Grissom might not McCarty Tobacco Burst, with
‘S’ humbuckers
quite be a household
name like John Mayer or
a figured maple veneer over a solid
maple cap and, yup, bird inlays. 2 PICKUPS
Before the launch of the
USA DGT in 2007, David
CONTROLS: Bridge and
neck pickup volumes,
Carlos Santana but he’s So what’s the deal? Originally master tone (w/
spent over a year evaluating
very much a guitarist’s the DGT was going to be called the coil-split pull switch),
prototype pickups from
guitarist. David has been a big part McCarty II and it built on that 3-way toggle pickup
Paul Reed Smith and other
selector switch
of the PRS family since, well, since model in numerous ways, not least aftermarket brands before
he found the recipe. The DGT HARDWARE:
the start of the company in 1985 the Grissom-recipe humbuckers,
‘S’ pickups were designed in PRS-designed cast
when, as a hot-shot Austin, individual pickup volume controls, the US but made in steel vibrato, PRS
Texas-based guitarist, he traded a unique neck shape, bigger jumbo Indonesia. designed enclosed
in a 1959 Fender Esquire for frets and a vibrato. Today’s SE tuners – nickel-plated
a new-fangled PRS Standard in sea
foam green. His hot blues-based
chases down those specs, but, of
course, it’s not made in Maryland 3 VIBRATO SYSTEM
The PRS unit used on the
SE models is cast from steel
FINISH: Gold Top w/
moons (as reviewed),
McCarty Tobacco
style was soon informing but in Indonesia by Cor-Tek. whereas the USA version is Burst w/ birds
Clash-favourite Joe Ely, then The thing is David Grissom is machined from brass. This
CONTACT: PRS Europe,
he became a part of John notoriously picky and told us same SE vibrato is also used
www.prsguitars.com
Mellencamp’s band and toured “I said [to PRS] so long as I can on the USA-made S2 and CE
PRS guitars.
87
and recorded with many, many pull the plug on it at any point if
artists from the Dixie Chicks to it’s not up to snuff then I’m cool
the Allman Brothers. with giving it a shot.”
Along the way he ‘invented’ the While the basis of the SE DGT
first vintage-aimed PRS guitar, the will be pretty familiar to PRS fans
1
McCarty Model, which, after he’d with its all-mahogany

CLOSE TO THE USA MODEL BUT


A QUARTER OF THE PRICE
gigged it for some 15 years evolved construction and maple cap, 2
into the DGT (David Grissom there’s a less dished ‘shallow
Tremolo) in 2007. He also applied violin’ carve to the SE’s top
his tone-tinkering knowhow to compared to the USA model and
the PRS DG Custom 30 amplifier. the overall body depth measures
Finally, after all these years, he 45.25mm, quite a bit less than the
gets his own signature SE model. USA DGT’s 52.2mm dimension.
The SE DGT might not have Of the two samples we hand
broken the internet as the launch our hands on, the Gold Top has
of John Mayer’s Silver Sky did a beautiful light weight of 7.72lbs,
but PRS certainly believes it’s with the Burst version only slightly
an important guitar, releasing heavier at just over 8lbs.
a trio of mini-docs outlining its The neck shape has its roots in
development before its early- PRS’s early ‘regular’ profile;
3
January launch. There are two there’s less taper so in higher
versions: the Gold Top with moon positions the neck is slightly
inlays (this SE and the USA DGT narrower than other current PRS
Photography Olly Curtis

are the only models in the entire shapes; the fretwire is the biggest
line that can be ordered with these PRS uses and the SE wire is
more demure inlays as opposed to marginally wider and fractionally
the ever present bird) or in lower than the USA guitar.

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


T H E GA S
STATION

McCarty Man
David Grissom was also
involved in creating
another PRS guitar:
the McCarty Model

A
fter playing PRS guitars
since 1985, in the early 90s
David Grissom custom-
ordered a guitar that was quite
different from anything PRS
were making at the time.
It included a 22-fret neck,
a thicker mahogany back
and PRS’s then brand-new
Stop-Tail wrapover bridge.
“When they bought it to the
Winter NAMM show in 1992,
I think there were a lot of people
88 who really dug it. That guitar
became the McCarty Model,”
says David, which launched in ALSO TRY...
1994.“It was the first PRS guitar
that had an 1/8th inch more
PRS SE CUSTOM £979
mahogany on the back; I think
22 SEMI-HOLLOW
Like the SE DGT, this semi
it’s the first PRS that has covers
uses the original PRS scale
on the pickups and the first length of 25” and has the SE
with Klusons. I think we used vibrato and two 85/15 ‘S’
two neck pickups just to try to humbuckers that are
get that clarity. This was the a little more modern
sounding than the
sort of beginning for me of DGT ‘S’ humbuckers.
getting away from the more ohms. Similar tricks are applied than happy not least with the
midrange-y Treble and Bass to the single coil voices which are very in-tune vibrato and the
accessed simultaneously via a slightly longer-than-Gibson
PRS SE
[early PRS pickups] and getting MCCARTY 594 £1049
it a little more full-range: pull-switch on the tone control. scale length giving a little more
Another new-for-2023
a purer clearer tone. The These ‘partial’ coil splits voice vibrancy to what we hear. But the
model, the SE McCarty
pre-McCarty McCarty.” primarily the inner slug single partial coil splits are key, a little 594 uses a shorter scale
coils with a little of the screw lower in volume with added length of 24.594”, with
coils left in circuit. sparkle on top, they almost hint a 22-fret neck and 58/15
There’s a subtle V’ing to the neck It’s a very well-voiced guitar: at Gretsch and give a very musical LT ‘S’ humbuckers,
plus PRS-designed
in the lower position too and the humbuckers provide a big jangle to the beef of the full two-piece zinc bridge
comparing the SE neck to the USA single-cut sound with, by design, humbuckers. What we hear is and tailpiece.
DGT, it’s pretty darn close. a slightly rounded high-end very close to the USA model,
Pickups too are unique to response that retains clarity into too – no mean feat when it’s EPIPHONE 1959 LES £769
the DGT and the SE DGT ‘S’ a cranked Marshall voice while a quarter of the price! PAUL STANDARD
humbuckers chase the ‘hot rounding that sometimes Dave Burrluck Part of the SE DGT’s aim is to
vintage’ voicing of the USA pickups annoying high-end ‘fizz’. The offer the sounds of a Les
FEATURES Paul. Here’s one of the best
closely. David, like Paul Reed Smith two volume controls – the bridge
SOUND QUALITY for the money, which
himself, is no fan of ice-picky high pickup’s volume is the first control
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY includes Gibson USA


end and as with the USA model – mean that Les Paul-style blends BurstBucker pickups
there’s a resistor across each of both pickups add to the subtly. BUILD QUALITY
and a ’59 hand-rolled
volume control to ‘tune’ the value To be fair, if you just use those PLAYABILITY neck profile.
of each volume to below 500k selections you might be more OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


T H E GA S
STATION

90

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


REVIEW
3 2
1 DISPLAY
Amped 2’s clean
design looks great,
while the ‘what you
see is what you get’
controls are easy
to navigate, with
feedback from the
OLED display.
1
2 REAR PANEL
I/O
Comprehensive In
and Out options cover
every need and let you
hook Amped 2 up to
amplifiers, consoles
and computers, as
well as speaker
cabinets.

3 SPEAKER OUTS
Amped 2 has
a pair of speaker
outputs and delivers
a full 100 watts of
class D power into

BLACKSTAR DEPT 10 AMPED 2 £539


any suitable 8-ohm
or 16-ohm cabinet.

Blackstar’s amazing pedalboard amp gets expanded AT A GLANCE


TYPE: Analog/digital

B
lackstar seems to have positively filthy and a 100-watt same display doubles as an preamp, Class D
power amp
a never-ending conveyor class D power stage, with three onboard tuner, activated by 91
OUTPUT: 100 watts
belt of new and exciting valve emulations and switchable pressing down on the delay and
RMS into 16 ohms or 8
products to tempt us power levels. The effects are reverb switches simultaneously. ohms, switchable to
with, many of which subdivided into modulation, delay Amped 2’s core tones are very 20 watts or 1 watt
like the award-winning St James and reverb, all independently useable, with high-headroom DIMENSIONS: 288mm
amplifiers, fall into the ‘why footswitchable along with the cleans, touch-sensitive crunch (w) x 149mm (d) x
didn’t we think of that?’ category. drive pedal. There are four tones and huge leads. The onboard 81mm (h)
Blackstar’s Amped 1 was a perfect modulation types, three delays effects are superb, with responsive CHANNELS: Two, with
addition for pedalboard users, including an exclusive ‘shimmer’ dynamics from the integrated footswitchable drive
and three selectable
putting real amp tones into effect, and three reverbs, with overdrives, lush warm choruses voices
a compact and powerful package. a tap tempo switch. Under the and smooth reverbs. The fuzz
CONTROLS: Gain, bass,
Now, the Amped 1 concept has hood, Blackstar’s superb Cab Rig drive is brilliant, as are all the middle, treble, master
been taken to its logical speaker emulation and a few extra delays, with various tempo sync volume. Drive gain,
options to expand your creative tone, level, three-way

COMBINES QUALITY EFFECTS options, as well as making it easy drive select switch.
Modulation time,
to emulate the signature sounds of depth, level, three-way

WITH VALVE-LIKE TONES


artists like The Edge and Hank modulation select
Marvin. switch. Delay time,
While Amped 1 is ideal for feedback level,
three-way delay select
conclusion, with the addition of hidden features are accessible with players with fully-loaded
switch. Reverb time,
high-quality built-in effects. Blackstar’s Architect app, which pedalboards, Amped 2 is the level, three-way reverb
Amped 2 keeps the same good connects via USB ‘C’. The same perfect all-in-one choice, select switch.
looks as its predecessor, with USB socket also allows direct combining quality effects with Three-way power amp
a candy-apple red anodised fascia recording into a PC or DAW, with convincing valve-like tones, and response type switch
and three-way output
and typical Blackstar clean looks other output options including the price is amazing when you power select switch.
and graphics, underneath which mono balanced XLR, stereo look at what’s on offer. Loop return level
there’s a tough steel chassis headphones/line out and an Nick Guppy switch, Cab Rig select
enclosing seriously high quality effects loop. Amped 2 also benefits switch and output
FEATURES level control
circuit boards. The list of features from MIDI, with practically every
SOUND QUALITY FOOTSWITCH: Five
keeps coming: an integrated parameter accessible from
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY integral switches for


Photography Olly Curtis

front-end drive pedal with three a compatible MIDI controller like drive and effects on/
distinct overdrives including a Blackstar’s own Live Logic, with BUILD QUALITY
off, plus tap tempo
fuzz, a preamp with three different a small but visible OLED display USABILITY
CONTACT: Blackstar,
voices that goes from clean to for control status messages. The OVERALL RATING blackstaramps.com

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


T H E GA S
STATION

92

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


REVIEW

FENDER 1 SIRS
You may call it a
soundhole, but Fender
3 VOICES
While the blend
knob moves between

ACOUSTASONIC £969
calls its ‘waterfall’ a rosewood concert
design the Stringed body and mahogany
Instrument Resonance dreadnought, the
System and it’s straight piezo and

PLAYER JAZZMASTER
definitely evident in the Shawbucker moves
sustain on the higher between clean and
strings, providing more driven – this active
than you’d expect from circuitry also means

Jazz oddity such a thin acoustic


guitar body.
that the guitar has no
output without its
battery power.

F
our years into Fender’s the upper frets further towards the 2 MICRO-TILT
The change here is
Acoustasonic project, it
still seems to be a
player when sitting down, making
it feel even more accessible in a
rosewood instead of the
US model’s ebony – not a
AT A GLANCE
misunderstood guitar way most acoustic guitars can’t be. significant tonal trade TYPE: Electro-acoustic
off for us and more BODY: Mahogany
series in some quarters. And it really is a fantastic neck
cosmetic preference, NECK: Mahogany,
It’s not a best of both worlds – once you tweak the action using but, like the US versions, Modern Deep ‘C’
acoustic/electric guitar; such a the Micro-Tilt system (see top of this has Micro-Tilt – a SCALE LENGTH: 648mm
proposition would only disappoint. page). So it’s a great house guitar, 70s Fender innovation NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech
Instead we see it as an electro- albeit an expensive one. It’s in live to alter the angle of the Black Tusq/42.8mm
neck with a hex key via FINGERBOARD:
acoustic guitar with enhanced use that the Acoustasonic begins the neck plate. It allows Rosewood, 12” radius
flexibility and playability. The to justify investment, but there you to fine tune your FRETS: 22, Narrow Tall
American Jazzmaster model was are some caveats. setup (especially as you TUNERS: Fender
the most successful example of The switch between position have no adjustable Standard cast/sealed
saddles here). Just chrome tuners
that to date – so how does its one’s electric pickup and position
remember to loosen the WEIGHT: 5.6lbs/2.54kg
Mexican brethren fare? three’s Fishman-designed rear two neck bolts ELECTRICS: Fishman 93
There’s no body sensor pickup acoustic imaging (a kind of IR of before making under-saddle
here like on the US model, a mic’d acoustic mixed with the adjustments! transducer, Fender
bringing the pickup sources down piezo signal) is the most usable Acoustasonic
Shawbucker, master
from three to two: an undersaddle here; well balanced and great for
volume, Blend knob,
piezo and a noiseless magnetic. looping layers, or switching in for three-way Voice Selector
Here the latter is a Shawbucker a lead line. These acoustic voices lever switch. Single mono
rather than the Tele’s single-coil. are not the kind of warm, broad output. 9-volt battery
There are four less ‘voices’ acoustic sound some “proper” power
CONTACT: fender.com
available via the blade selector as a systems offer on traditional 2
result; six here, grouped into pairs flattops (and the US model’s body
and selectable with the Blend knob sensor helped with). More a good
to move between the paired mix between that and piezo, plus
voices. What’s a clear upgrade for a little edge for holding ground in a
us is the 9-volt battery power band mix with some compression
source here instead of the and reverb on hand. We know
non-removable rechargeable because we took it to our covers
1
source of the US guitar. It’s much band rehearsal! And we actually
more practical for faster changes found it worked well through a
in a gig situation. clean Fender Deluxe Reverb, in
Though the Jazzmaster addition to a PA. But position 2’s
Acoustasonic is often hailed as the piezo clean and driven tones seem
loudest model unplugged due to its almost superfluous in comparison
larger body size, we didn’t find – the kind of standard electro
ours significantly so in direct acoustic sound some players may
comparison with a Player Tele be trying to get away from.
model. Don’t expect it to rival even Rob Laing 3
a parlor acoustic’s projection but
FEATURES
it’s great for unplugged practice;
SOUND QUALITY
responsive while quiet enough not
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY


Photography Olly Curtis

to get too many complaints from


unappreciative family members. BUILD QUALITY
The body and neck relationship PLAYABILITY
specific to the Jazzmaster brings OVERALL RATING

MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


T H E GA S
STATION

94

HARLEY BENTON TWOFACE £70


A no-nonsense, one-stop blues box

T
he Twoface is a combined results in punchy chords and even non-symmetrical. This more
Tube Screamer-style the ability to chug out some palm swampy sound really opens up AT A GLANCE
overdrive and tremolo muting. Depending on the amp, the pedal at hotter gain settings
SOCKETS: In/Out
pedal from Thomann’s some attention to level and gain and interacts nicely with a tube
POWER: 9VDC centre-negative
in-house brand. What it is needed to avoid fizz. amp being pushed at the end
CONTROLS: Depth, Bias, Speed,
perhaps lacks in style it makes up However, that style of playing of the chain.
Level, Tone, Drive, Hot/Warm,
for in efficiency. It’s housed in isn’t really what the Twoface is There’s little to fault the Twoface Effect order
a compact enclosure, with designed for. It’s more aimed at the on. The bottom line is that it’s BYPASS: True bypass
a footswitch for each circuit as well blues player with a small tube amp well-implemented, straightforward
CONTACT: harleybenton.com
as an order-switching toggle. that doesn’t sport a tremolo. Thus, and sounds good. Then again, it
There are two levels of clipping setting up the overdrive side as should. The Tube Screamer circuit
available on the overdrive side, a boost before exploring the tremolo is over 40 years old, and a simple
courtesy of the warm/hot switch. options yields the best resuts. It’s an tremolo is a weekend project for
Elsewhere everything functions as optical tremolo, resulting in a DIY pedal builder. It’s not
expected. Into a decent low-wattage a choppy effect with the depth all revolutionary. However, if you’re
tube amp, the ‘level up, gain down’ the way up. A more subtle approach looking for a drive and tremolo to
strategy yields tasty saturation and is possible, though. Pulling back the pair with a tube amp for blues and
compression for punchy blues licks. depth and setting the speed at rock, it’s a compact, great sounding
Pushing into modern rock is easy. something slower, but not lethargic, pedal that won’t break the bank.
Switching from a Fender neck single gives extra interest to chords and Alex Lynham
coil to a Gibson bridge humbucker, riffs. The bias control changes the
FEATURES
and toggling to the ‘hot’ setting colour by making the waveform
SOUND QUALITY

A COMPACT PEDAL THAT


SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY


BUILD QUALITY

WON’T BREAK THE BANK


USABILITY
OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


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TOTAL GUITAR 5/5/23

The MS-2 is a one-watt It is battery powered Even though it’s small, Its ¼-inch headphone
micro amp that delivers and can plug into mains, it packs a punch and socket can double up as
true Marshall tone with so the MS-2 is versatile includes an overdrive a preamp out, so you
a belt clip that means it enough to play on the channel for that can play in a variety
can be taken and played move or practise with dirty crunch. of environments.
anywhere you like. in your bedroom.

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


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MAY 2023 TOTAL GUITAR


IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Words Ellie Rogers

TÉA CAMPBELL
the three-minute mark. Yet Téa manages
to pack memorable hooks, ear-catching
textures and satisfying dynamic shifts into
its 30-minute runtime. As she puts it:

MEET ME @ THE ALTAR


“We wanted it to be really focused on variety
and not just writing the same song over and
over.” She cites Paramore, The Script, Kings
Of Leon and even Hannah Montana as

I
inspirations, but says: “You can really hear
n a genre that has historically been of the early-to-mid noughties, and its that I’m learning how to blend all of my
dominated by straight white males, influence is splashed across her playing as different influences into a sound that is us.”
Meet Me @ The Altar has a simple yet brightly as the ubiquitous skatepark graffiti For the bulk of the record, she professes
sizable mission: to dismantle rock’s that featured in every music video from the to having “used Dave Grohl’s Kemper tone”
stereotypes riff by riff. Their debut days when teen defiance and powerchords as a shortcut to those archetypally chunky
album Past / / Present / / Future is the very tool ruled MTV. But, as the album title suggests, sounds. But, just as it should, Meet Me
with which they intend to do so – and for Meet Me @ The Altar seeks to redefine the @ The Altar’s debut also captures the
guitarist Téa Campbell, a Reverend Billy present sound of the genre and pave its excitement of a guitarist embracing the
Corgan Z-One signature model will also future direction as much as honour its past. studio environment and experimenting
come in handy for the fight. Kitted out “We live different lives than most people with new tonal possibilities for the first time.
with Corgan’s star-etched Railhammer who are pioneering this genre,” says Téa, There’s a deliciously 2000s-esque phaser
Humcutters, it boasts what she describes as who advocates for “unapologetically making wash on Kool to listen out for, layers of Big
“that perfect balance in tonality where you the music we love,” and “literally just taking Muff-enshrouded rhythms that hit hard
can hear all the notes, but it’s still really up space” as the means for inspiring young in all the right places, and an ingeniously
heavy” – essential qualities for a guitarist players who are yet to see themselves deployed octave pedal that turns an already
who juggles rhythm and lead roles. sufficiently represented onstage. killer solo on Same Language into a joyfully
Like many her age, Téa’s interest in the Musically, the album is an all-killer-no- stratospheric one.
guitar was sparked by the pop-punk boom filler explosion, with just two tracks breaking Past / / Present / / Future is out now.

98

TOTAL GUITAR MAY 2023


9000 9001

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