Bruce Bouillet A veteran of the G3 tour, a former member of Racer-X, and a Grammy winning producer who rubs shoulders with some of music’s biggest stars on a regular basis...Just part and parcel of the day-to-day existence of Bruce Bouillet. In a sit-down with The Sound, Bruce lays out his infuences, gear, and dishes on his latest release, due out this summer.
The Sound:
Can you tell our readers about the new cd?
Bruce Bouillet: Yes,
I’ve taken my time to really put together something a bit more thought-out.This new album is a return to my metal roots. Heaviest record I’ve probably ever made.Plus having a couple years to practice stepped up my chops considerably. TS: So
what was the moment that hooked you into becoming a serious musician?
BB: I
think I was around thirteen, and I saw Judas Priest open up for Kiss, This would have been around the late 70’s, ‘Unleashed in the East’-era Priest. I worked my way pretty close to the front and Glen Tipton and KK Downing were killing it. I walked out of the arena that night knowing that I was going to be a guitarist. Seeing Van Halen on the ‘Women and Children First’ tour, and Randy Rhoads on the ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ tour sealed the deal. You’ve got a new instrumental album in the works… Could you give us some details? TS:
Well it’s got Glen Sobel on drums, and Dave Foreman on bass, some guitar and strings, and myself on guitars. We tracked the basics at my friend Willie Basse’s studio in Burbank. We monitored through an old Neve desk, but tracked through a bunch of old Telefunken v76’s and RCA tube preamps, as well as using classic mics, such as AKG c 12’s , and some Manley mics that sounded great. All the nal dubs were done at my writ ing room in north Hollywood. It really makes my previous efforts sound very demo-ish. So to say the least, I’m very excited to release this one. It should be released around late July early August. BB:
What are some records or songs that you go back to for inspiration? TS:
Well there is so much new and old music on the internet that is easily accessed these days that I rarely touch my music collection. So it’s usually more about nding perfor mances that I’ve never seen or artists that I never got exposed to. Inspiration for the new album also came from me moving into various rehearsal rooms around Los Angeles. I moved into a few of these 24hr rehearsal lockouts, in order to write and demo stuff for this album, and would be surrounded by some really heavy progressive metal, and death metal bands. It had to be some kind of luck of the draw but these were some really good bands and players. It made me want to do something heavy and hard hitting... I would also have to add that Paul Gilbert asked me to join him for a Japan tour and also a full tour of the US and Canada on the 2007 G3 tour… Hard to describe! All I can say is that it was one of the best times I’ve ever had on tour, and that feeling of real appreciation from the audience and all the great players in all the bands. Just the whole vibe of that tour was great. And that has stayed with BB:
me as an additional inuence and motivator to make something really special.
from-the-start-to-the-nish type of thing, and that appealed to me. And after lling out the entrance questions stacked in TS: You met Paul Gilbert at favor of Paul being my private GIT, when he was your teacher, instructor of course, I had about correct? Tell us about it. four of ve months once a week for a half an hour to learn some BB: Well the rst day I got to of his ideas and sequences. Hollywood, I went by GIT to We would try stuff in harmony check out the school. This was and it did sound good right out when it was above the Hollyof the gate. So some time in wood Wax Museum on Hollywood Blvd. By chance, I walked between September or October I went and ran lights for the into the main performance hall original line up of Racer-X at when the original Racer-X line the Waters Club in Long Beach. up was performing the ‘Street Shortly after that, I got asked to Lethal’ album for graduation join the band, and a couple of performance credits. It was weeks later Scott Travis joined great; I couldn’t believe how good Paul was. He was a VERY the band. Within a couple of aggressive player. His approach months, we were on our way up to the bay area to record the was sort of an over-the-topRacer-X album Second Heat.
do full time, money-wise. So really, the best thing happened and we were able to go out on top of our game as far as the band was concerned. My last really good memory of RacerX was being backstage after playing to a sold-out show at the Omni theater in Oakland, California. We all knew that we were breaking up as a band, and that Paul was forming Mr. Big. But I felt too good about just having a great show and what we had accomplished in a very short period of time to be mad about it all, I still couldn’t believe I had got to experience that. When Racer X reformed in 1999, you chose not to return with them; Why? TS:
Well there are a couple good reasons why. The biggest reason is because at that point in time my left hand was still blown out from the RacerX days and I had rarely picked up a guitar, much less really practiced for about 7 years prior to that. So there was no way I was going to try and play BB:
in at that time. It wouldn’t be TS: Amazing
that you ended up as a member of the incredible Racer X - got any stories you want to share about it? It was very fast-paced; we rehearsed a lot, and there were quite a few shows. Within months of joining the band, we were recording a new album, and within a month or so of its release, and the newly acquired BB:
Ibanez ad campaign, we were selling out some of the bigger clubs on the west coast. It was good times and it was great to be involved in something that had the ability to push the envelope a little. Sadly we all knew the band’s time was limited, nearing the end. I think we reached the peak of what it was going to be, and that wasn’t going to big enough to really
till 2005 after some technique reforming and years of research into carpal tunnel and tendonitis, that I was able to start playing for real again. You did do the mixing on their Superheroes album - how was that? TS:
It was great, I personally thought it to be one of the best Racer-X albums, certainly one BB:
Lee, to Steve Stevens, Ronnie of Jeff Martin’s best vocal perBB: Standard stuff; if I have Dio, to Ted Nugent, Tony Levin, formances on record. It was a the gear available, I’ll use two Edgar Winter, Vinney Caleuta, fairly simple record to mix. As mics, usually Shure 57 and a Aynsley Dunbar...members of a general rule of thumb, great Royer 121, although two 57’s Helmet, Slayer, Suicidal Tenplayers + great songs = great work great as does 57 and the dencies, etc. record. Yup, pretty much at that AKG 414. Then into API 312’s point in time there were no rook- or NEVE 1073’s then summed TS: What’s your current rig ies in the room. together on to a track. I don’t setup? have that luxury at my current TS: You won a Grammy for studio, so I’m using a 57 into a BB: At the moment it would your production and mixing on TLA tube preamp. The trick with Motorhead’s cover of Whiplash, recording guitars is moving the by Metallica. Got any good mic or mics till a good sound is Lemmy stories? What was winachieved. Also, having the amp ning a Grammy like? head in the control room will increase your ability to ne tune. BB: Well, all of Motorhead are Your ear is your best weapon very quick in the studio; it’s rare in the studio. If it sounds good, if drummer Mickey Dee doesn’t odds are, it is good. get it on the rst take. And Lemmy and Phil are equally as TS: What other artists have you fast, given that they have more recorded or mixed? tracks to record. This was also BB: I have been very the fth or sixth time for me to fortunate as far as engiwork with them; we had just neering, mixing, and pronished the HHH theme song for the WWE months prior. Win- ducing in the studio.I’ve gotten to work with ning the Grammy... Well the more big-name people track won the Grammy; it was a than I could have ever imagined little unexpected. Did I go? No, for me, the whole Grammy thing just from being in the studio and knowing other artists or producwas not that important. I mean ers. I can remember standing come on; I don’t know who these people are.... Who makes next to Ozzy listening to the playback of the No More Tears, the decision who is best? I do and Zakk had just laid down the know that in the prior years, nished solo....I think that was their picks were...to say the at Devonshire studios, or being least ......not always great in my at Sound City when R.A.T.M. opinion. I can name plenty of was recording their rst album. artists that have inuenced me Recording up at London Bridge in many ways that will never be mentioned on the Grammys. So in Seattle....etcetera.... At my I take it for what it is, you know? studio, it went from Joe Coolie to Anthrax, Ben Harper to Thank you for noticing; now I’m Buckcherry, and a lot of stuff in going back to work on some between. Working with Bruce new music. Kulick we did 11 plus tribute albums each, with 50 different TS: What are some of your favorite miking and mixing tech- name players, So I got to work with everyone from Paul Stanniques for electric guitars? ley to Roger Daltrey, Jake E.
be an early 80’s Mark 4 Mesa saw so I met with them at the Boogie. I have a 1978 Les Paul recent NAMM show and played standard, and a 1978 Ibanez some models they brought over. pf300 both loaded with Seymour And they played great! InterestDuncan JB’s, strung with d’ ing fact is, that they were the Adarrio XPs and a few stompcompany that made the early 80’s Squier Strats from Japan. boxes; Digitech, Boss, Fulltone, TC Electronics, Seymour DunThere is also the Boss Supercan. and that’s it. shifter that I use a lot. I don’t own a guitar with a bar so this TS: Have you found any new guitar or recording equipment pedal allows me to have similar that has inspired you lately? effects. Well this company in Japan named Fujigen is building me a guitar. I rst saw this player named Jeff Kollman playing one at the Baked Potato. He turned me on to the company. I was impressed by the stuff I BB:
You’re an active teacher in LA as well as via Skype - how can our readers nd you for les sons? TS:
This number, 818 209 8028, goes directly to a voice BB:
Discography With Racer X Second Heat (1987) Extreme Volume Live (1988) Extreme Volume II Live (1992)
With The Scream Let It Scream (1991)
With DC-10 Co-Burn (1995)
With Paul Gilbert solo King of Clubs (1998) Flying Dog (1998)
With The Bottom Dwellerz “Cracks Of The Concrete” (2006) “Old New Orleans - Autographed Charity Edition” (2006)
Solo Unspoken (2007) Interventions (2008) Interventions (Japan Release, 2009)
mail. Leave your name and number and I will call you back with available times. TS:
You’ve got the last word.
Well I’m thinking this new album will sum it up best. BB:
For more information on Bruce and his upcoming and current projects, please visit him at www.myspace.com/brucebouillet
Up Close & personal... Te Sound gets down with the exas axe-slinger extraordinairre on studios, touring, and his newest creation, Up Close. The the
Sound: new
Tell us about record Up Close?
Eric Johnson: Yeah, it was kind of like a new thing with 15 pieces. We cut about 23 pieces and 15 of them weren’t done, and I was happy to get some other people to come in like Jonny Lang, Jimmie Vaughan, Sonny Landreth, and Steve Miller. I just had some dudes come in and help. It was kind of cool to have some other people put their own designs into it.
TS: The song “Gem” from the new record is one of my favorite tracks. What is the story behind this song?
EJ: That was like an instrumental, one of those kinds of things that came prey quick. Yeah, I just had an idea, there really wasn’t a lot of sweat of that one. Once I laid
© Max Crace
the 3-piece track down I just had fun with it overdubbin’ stu, and I just made the moment with a bunch of rst-take chordal stu in the background.
TS: Let’s talk a lile about some of the other tracks such as “Soul Surprise”, “On The Way” and “Brilliant Room”.
EJ: “Soul Surprise” is the one I enjoyed. It’s kind of like the vocal piece and the lyric thing didn’t work out, so I just tried to just turn the song into an instrumental. There is a scratch piece singing along with the track so I le the lyrics in there with the guitar which is kind of weird; you can hear it in the background. Yeah, I never do kind of get the lyrics, so I just leave it with the scratch part with no words and just double the guitar and turn it into an instrumental. And the country tune- I just started working with Clint Black to write a country tune together that was kind of interesng. It has an actual vocal melody thing, but I just turned it into an instru-
mental as well. “Brilliant Room” was something I wrote with Bill Maddox and he wrote the lyrics to it. I said I liked that pinch kind of pop jazz kind of thing it had to it and it’s kind of fun.
TS: What is the story behind
“Fatdaddy”?
EJ: Well, it was a lick, and I hadn’t really had all the pieces to. The song was just kind of hanging around for a few years, but I nished the record. The record seemed a lile imbalanced and didn’t seem to be enough hard rock stu on it, then at the very last minute I put “Fatdaddy” together and recorded it and had it mixed, just as an afterthought at the end of the record process just because I wanted to get more instrumental guitar stu on the record.
TS: Connuing with Up Close, you did the Electric Flag cover ‘Texas’, which interesngly enough, you have two fellow Texans appear on with you; Steve Miller on vocals and Jimmie Vaughan on guitar. Was that by design or did it just happen that way?
EJ: That was a thing
© Max Crace
TS: A follow up to ‘T ‘ Texas’; there are very few people under the age of 50 who are familiar with Electric Flag… What prompted you to record that song?
EJ: Other than Steve wanting to sing ‘Texas’ it was one of my favorite blues songs as a kid. In my younger days I listened to Electric Flag frequently, I just loved that song.
TS: There are similaries between your rendion of ‘Texas” ‘Texas” and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Red House’, was that by design, or was that how Electric Flag recorded it?
EJ: No the original wasn’t like that, it was our interpretaon of it; I guess that›s what happens when you get 3 Texans who love the blues together.
TS: Performing live, is there anything that you thought really grabbed the audience in any certain songs?
EJ:
The Sound Sound The
that just happened. I went to see Steve Miller play in Ausn and Jimmie Vaughan was sing in with him, and we got together aer the show, and I asked them if they would like to go to my studio and cut something, to which they both
agreed. In the studio, Steve said he wanted to sing ‘Texas’ so we recorded it with Steve doing the vocal and Jimmie doing a ne solo; it was one of those unplanned events that worked out very well!
Well, the majority of the audience seemed to like “GEM”. We are doing a piece by John Coltrane which features Chris, and Wayne, the new drummer, and is one of the highlights of the show. show. The drum solo everybody seems to love, and we play a song o of Venus Isle at the end of the night and that seems to be enjoyed as one of the higher moments of the show. We are just doing a variety of other peoples’ songs that are just reworked and rearranged.
that is good because I just didn’t do the same old thing.
TS: You worked with Sonny Landreth on “Your Book”. How did you meet Sonny?
EJ: Well, I met Sonny Landreth years ago, and there have been mes where Sonny use to sit in with our band if we were in the same town together, gether, and we hung out a lile bit. He asked me if I would play on one of his records (if the opportunity came up) where he was actually having guest arsts on it - Bill, and Eric Clapton, and maybe a few others and myself as well. It was fun to play with Sonny on that song called “Milky Way”. And he said, “Man, maybe you can come play on one of my own records at some point” and I said “yeah, that would be great.” “Your Book” is a song that I wrote for my dad when he passed away, and Sonny’s dad had been recently passed away as well, and we kind of blended with the lyrics of what the lyrics meant on that.
TS:
TS: Since we just talked about that has worked with a mulsome of the musicians on the re- tude of people- he came cord, can you tell us who produced in and helped mix stu. And it, and anybody else on the record? what he did was he kind of took it in a dierent place. He EJ: Malford Milligan sang on also did something dierent “Brilliant Room”, and Jason Es- to the guitar that I wouldn’t kridge played and did some vocals typically do, and in some ways on part of the record. Andy Johns,
(to Sonny Landreth) Working on the song “Your Book” with Eric, Sonny, could you tell us a lile bit about this song and how you met Eric?
Sonny Landreth: Well, I rst met Eric when he was playing in a small town outside of Lafayee and it was really brief. It was a long me ago. Eric and myself didn’t actually get to know each other unl
many years later. We played here in Lafayee, and also at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads and the rst one he did outside of Fort Worth. And we became friends over the years. I sat in with him and he would come and sit in with me. I have of course been an admirer of Eric’s for many years. When he called about the song and sent me a copy of it, I was deeply moved because I had lost my father recently, in fact, not too long before he sent it to me. It resonated with me, and that’s a profound thing to have the opportunity to be a part of; that was really touching for me. I found it an honor to work with Eric on a personal
level; we had a common thing introduced as “yeah, he’s a that we both shared, and it Texan in Arizona”, and everywas very meaningful for me. body was talking about vortexes. They were like “yeah, TS: Eric, the song “Vortexan” you’re kind of like a Vortexhas a real great feel. Tell us an!” and I was like “Great!” about this song, where the idea of the name came from, and the TS: Can you tell us about story about wring this song? how the tour is going, and any plans to go overseas? EJ: This song is kind of like like a blues shue that I kind of EJ: We got o to a late kicked along like “Cat’s Squir- start in late December, but rel”, an old blues standard. In we just nished three weeks fact, it’s a lot like “Cat’s Squir - in the west part of the U.S. rel”, but it’s like a cross be- and then we are going out tween “Cat’s Squirrel” and me to the Midwest and the East ripping myself o the rights to Coast. And then we are going my song called “Righteous.” It’s to pick up some more dates kind of right between those two I think in early October. We blues songs. I was in Arizona are going to do some double vising some friends and was bills with Sonny Landreth
e c a r C x a M 0 1 0 2 ©
in Texas, and also Louisiana. And yeah, it’s going ne- we are planning a denive comprehensive tour of Europe for next summer, to go over there and do a whole full tour.
TS: Recently you have opened your own recording studio. Tell us about the new studio.
EJ: Yeah, it’s a place that I started years ago and I built it
from the ground up, so it’s all rooms inside rooms where it’s done right and is isolated and everything. I just wanted a real legit state-of-the-art recording studio, so I just spent years and years building it, whatever the royales would allow for me to do it. I would work on the studio, and aer a while I was like “wow, I have the whole thing built!”, and I did the whole re-
cord there from start to nish.
TS: On the topic of Jimi Hendrix, there is an obvious inuence and appreciaon of Jimi Hendrix in your music. To what do you aribute Jimi Hendrix’s music being so popular 40-plus years aer his passing? Did you ever see him perform, and if Jimi were around today and you had the op-
portunity to play with him make his music so meless. on stage, what song would TS: Staying with inuences, you like to play with him? I read that as a teenager you EJ: Oh man that’s a good travelled throughout Africa queson, what song would I with your family. Do you think like to play with Jimi...... all of travel is one of the best forms his songs (laughter)! Actually I of educaon, especially as a would like to jam with him on teenager, also what part of Afsomething new, which would rica did you travel through, and be fun to play on something did you acquire any musical new he was creang. I did see inuences from your travels? him perform twice and it was EJ: I think traveling can really really wonderful. First me was in late 1968, and then in open kids, well anybody’s eyes May 1970. I think the reason if they get the opportunity. It’s like looking through the world why he is so popular is because with a telescope, and realizing he was such a great songwriter, and his guitar playing is what the world is a lot bigger than our immediate problems, I think it catapults him to that status of can give kids a more tempered guitar god, but I think more imperspecve. I went through portantly he was a incredible musician who wrote wonderful Zambia and South Africa, and songs, and that’s what visited a lot of the game parks
there. I did get to hear some Zulu and other various tribal music. I brought back some kalimbas, various bass instruments made out of twine. I also brought back some drums; unfortunately they didn›t survive the trip back. I didn›t get exposed to African music as you can now, but there is so much of it now. I think there is a lot of great stu that is beyond your perimeter that can make you more open minded.
TS: Are you doing any producing with other arsts as well?
EJ: Not right now; I am doing some session work with other people on certain records, but mostly concentrang on this new band, wring, and doing gigs and stu. I’m trying to get back in the studio and work on a solo acousc record as well as a new electric record.
TS: How long have you been with
this
parcular
band?
EJ: I have played o and on with Chris (Maresh) the bass player. We haven’t played together for a few years, but we’re kind of back to that again. The drummer, Wayne Salzmann- I have only played with him for a few weeks, and never played with him before. He is a new addion and he is wonderful! We are having a great me.
TS: Any new plans for a tab book, or any new instruconal DVDs, or doing live © Park Street
performances
or
teaching? and to nd some music and playing that EJ: Well, we have a new in- really inspires you struconal thing coming out and gives you joy. And on iPad and should be com- don’t sele for just ing out prey soon. And yes, playing what you think there will be some tab books you should. Because coming out from Up Close. whatever you do, you TS: Couldyoudescribehowyou want to get enough typically go about praccing? joy and passion reinvested out of it to EJ: I try to put in a few where you want it to hours a day praccing. feed you, so that the world can pracce art. TS: Is there a favorite song It can be laborious as of yours to play live, and do much as it can be fun. you perform any covers? You need to nd that EJ: As far as covers, I am en- unique voice that turns joying doing “Mr. P.C.” by John you on, you know? Coltrane at the moment. And TS: Do you have any right now I am just enjoying thoughts on the muplaying pieces I don’t normally sic business today? (play). Of my tunes, I am en joying playing “Fatdaddy” right EJ: I just think that now, probably because I haven’t pop music as we know ran it into the ground yet. it, has been going on since the 50’s and 60’s. So TS: Is there any other projmuch of pop has been done, ect you are involved in other that some of us do the same then the new CD and tour? thing over and over and just EJ: No, not really. I’m just try to reinvent the wheel. going to try and do some But you cannot reinvent the more acousc guitar stu. wheel. There is some beauful stu that comes out, and TS: Is there anyone you’d some unique, and we run the especially like to play or col- risk of not really having any laborate with someday? saying just revoluonizing the EJ: I’d love to work dierence, so consequently with Stevie Wonder. there is so much music that it is hard to turn people’s head TS: Do you have any as- or have them go “Oh my God, piring thoughts for the fu- what is this?” Just because ture guitarists of today? of the sheer volume. When I was just (a kid) there was only EJ: Just try to nd that niche
a history of 15 years of guitarbased pop music, so you didn’t have as much history for this music to be over-saturated. Like when Jimi Hendrix came out I cannot even describe what it was like there wasn’t even anybody close to what he was doing. Jimi’s music was so whole, new, and dierent that his music created a whole new way. Today, it is hard to create a whole new wave.
TS: I understand that you had a great friendship and working relaonship with Chet Atkins, could you share a favorite experience with Chet to our readers?
EJ: I recorded on one of Chet ’s tars! And I sll have that guitar. to enjoy the mysteries in life. records and one of the songs went ne, when I sent him the track I did, and the other one I did I was so enamoured with the fact that I was recording with Chet that it was me copying Chet Atkins. He called me back on the phone and said: What is that you are doing, you don’t sound like yourself, and you need to redo that and sound like yourself. So he kinda of busted me on that. He always encouraging and willing to give me advice or a p, which was very nice, he was a perfect example of a great guitar player who was openminded to all styles of music.
TS: Can you share one more of Chet Atkins moments with us?
TS: Another fallen guitar TS: Have
any moments hero of ours- Jerry Reed… any with Johnny Hiland? special Jerry Reed moments? EJ: I only played with JohnEJ: I only have one and it’s ny on one show and I rekind of funny. I only met Jerry ally enjoyed that. It was one me, over the phone. My great. And he sounded friend Steve Wariner, a guitar great, it was wonderful. player in Nashville, he was good friends with Jerry. Anyways, he TS: I know you play a couple of called me one day and he said acousc songs on this tour; but “Hey, there is somebody here have you ever done an acousthat you’d like to meet.” And I c tour and does it present was like “Really? Who?”, and dierent challenges for you? he put Jerry on the phone and EJ: Oh yeah; you’ve got to I was like “oh my God!” And make the song work with just Jerry said to me “Eric, I just one guitar and you are out there have to tell you one thing.” by yourself. I try and do more ngerpicking on those gigs, which helps bring out the melody and bass more.
“Eric, I just have to tell you one thing....Don’t ever step in front of my car!”
EJ: I remember one moment where I played on one of his records. I did the track, and he called me on his record and he said “well, I want to send you your payment for playing on my record.” And I was like “Are you kidding? I ain’t taking any money for music- you are my hero, you already paid me, you did enough by letng me play on your record!” I didn’t want anything, so a few weeks later I get a package in the mail, and he had given me one his personal gui-
And I replied “Jerry, what’s that?” And he said “don’t ever step in front of my car!” So, I thought that was kind of funny.
TS:
Do you especially have any hobbies outside of guitar and music?
TS:
You are known for being a remarkable guitar player; however it seems that your vocals are overlooked. What was it like to do vocals on Steve Morse›s 2nd album STAND UP, on the song ‹Distant Star› and could we look forward to you and Steve working together again?
EJ: Just philosophy and spiri- EJ: I would love to work with tuality, just trying to get myself together as a person. That in itself to me is more important than music. I like going waterskiing, and being at the lake. I like hiking, and hanging out with my girlfriend, and just try
Steve again, he is great! I love his acousc playing as well.
TS: Jimmy Page, Brian May, and Trevor Rabin all have done soundtracks for moon pictures. Would you ever like to
score a moon picture, and oriented arsts you listen to? is there a parcular director I really enjoy Keith Jaryou would like to work with? EJ: re, Bill Evans, John ColEJ: Oh yeah, I would love to trane, Miles Davis, Claude Dedo a soundtrack, and it could bussy, Aaron Copeland, and be any kind of movie, as long Igor Stravinsky; ‘The Rights as I could add to it and make of Spring’ is something I reit beer. As far as a parcular ally enjoy listening to because director, gees that’s a good it is so much out of my ele queson......... I would love to ment. All of the above helps work on a Spielberg movie. me keep my focus on music. I wouldn’t turn that down, but I guess I would have to wait ll TS: What advice you could you give to an aspiring guitarist John Williams reres (laughs). who wants to make a career TS: Is there a rising star out in music, or to one who just there that most of us haven’t wants to improve their craft? heard of, and is o the ra I think the rst steps you dar, but you think is special? EJ: can do is pick out the people EJ: Yeah there is a phenome- you admire and try to emulate nal guitarist from Ausn by the what they do, not to stop there, name of Carson Brock; I think but that would be a step. The he is going to turn a lot of heads. reason I think that is good is that you can break down all the TS: What can your fans qualies and techniques they look forward to from you have that make them sound in the next 2-3 years? like they do and play like they EJ: I want to do a solo acoustic do. And if you do that you will record and I also have some automacally learn all their new electric songs I am work- styles and techniques that ing on and I want to get in the you like anyhow, you will have studio to record them as well. a lot of fun doing it, and you won’t get bored. It’s a process personal fa- in keeping discipline and getTS: What vorites do you like to lis- ng those sounds together ten to at home or when to where it›s procient and you are driving in your car? you are playing clean and you have a good sound, and then EJ: I like The Tallest Man On it has to be real musical and Earth, he is a folk singer. I enmelodic, and you have to be joy listening to Stevie Wonvery discriminating with yourder. When I’m driving I lisself, it helps to record yourself ten to Wes Montgomery. and listen back. You would TS: Who are the non guitar want to emulate 4 or 5 peo-
ple of who you really like then you start picking and choosing those pieces you want to keep and then do you own thing. TS:
Any nalizing interview comments or words? EJ: Thank you so much for
the opportunity.
TOURING ITINERARY Aug-16 ue Carrboro, NC ArtsCenter Aug-17 Wed Charlotte, NC McGlohon Teatre Aug-18 Tu Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse Aug-19 Fri Jackson, Mississippi Fire Club Aug-20 Sat New Orleans, LA HOB
The
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Mega-Chops! Mega-Bass!
Megadeth A founding member of the seminal thrash metal icons, Dave Ellefson is back and bigger than ever! The Sound sits down with the man who puts the `Mega` in Megadeth! The Sound: After
some time away, you’re back with the legendary MEGADETH. How’s the new record coming along, and what can we expect from it? The record is almost done now and will be mixed in July while we are on tour. Dave Ellefson:
What is it like playing with some newer blood, namely Shawn Drover and Chris Broderick? TS:
It’s been really good. Chris is such a guitar freak that he can literally play anything. Shawn has a great back beat feel and that creates a really tight and punchy rhythm section. DE:
© 2011, Bungee Brent Photography
How does the creative process happen in Megadeth? TS:
It always starts with a riff. We compile the riffs to create a song and then we work on vocal melodies and lyrics after that. DE:
There’s also a deluxe 25th anniversary “Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying?” box set coming out. What can you tell us about that? TS:
The Big 4 shows are really special and we go up and give it our all for the hour we have to play. Obviously, Yankee Stadium is just cool to play there, period! MAYHEM will be cool because we are the veteran band on that bill. In some ways to go up there lean and mean and just knock a 60 minute set out of the park without a bunch of DE:
It’s a celebration release for all of us, band and fans alike. It has some various mixes and a show that was recorded live from back in 1986 in Cleveland, OH with that recording’s lineup. It’s pretty cool to hear what the band sounded like back then, very raw and live! DE:
You’ve got some huge tours happening this year, with The Big 4 in Europe and also Yankee Stadium, as well as the Rockstar Mayhem Festival and some South America dates. What will you have up your sleeve for these shows? TS:
our career down there because we went there so early on. There is a real synergy between us and those audiences that can’t be duplicated anywhere else on the planet. That’s what’s cool about playing metal music is that it is popular everywhere but each culture responds to it in their own unique way that is really spectacular. South America is one of those continents who do their own special thing with the music and the live shows. In that touring schedule, who are you looking forward to most in terms of the hang? TS:
The Big 4 is a great hang, for sure. Likewise, MAYHEM will be cool because of the variety of bands on the bill. DE:
Do you have a special favorite place to play? TS:
Every place has its own unique vibe. Can you tell us if there are any talks to get any more Big 4 show dates in the US? TS:
frills is a throwback to our style of yesteryear. As for South America, that has been one of the most special audiences of
There is nothing planned after Yankee Stadium but then again, that show was announced only a few days after the Indio, California show, which was intended to
DE:
be the only USA date. So, we just roll with it because there is no deadline or end in sight with that lineup. What’s the scoop on the Dave Ellefson signature bass from Jackson? TS:
string because of the low, lows that really create a heaviness to the overall sound of the band. That is one good thing about tuning to standard A-440 tunings is that the instruments really respond the way they were intended to when they were invented. Modern music with lower tunings really creates intonation problems, as well as being able to properly capture that low bass guitar punch in those registers.
We rolled out the rst version through the Custom Shop, which are the exact same professional level basses I play on tour. We are now working on releasing a less expensive version so everyone can afford a David Ellefson signature TS: How have you been getting bass from Jackson, which I’m your tones in the studio? sure will make my fans quite happy. Stay tuned to www. DE: I do a DI and on this record jacksonguitars.com for more info used two microphones on a on that in the coming weeks. Hartke Hy Drive 810 cabinet. One created a low frequency DE:
powers two Hartke HyDrive 810 cabs. My tone settings are pretty much straight up at 12 o clock at with the ‘bright’ switch in. Those heads are so powerful we run the volume on ‘2’. The only effect is a Digitech stereo chorus. It’s pretty simple and straight forward because I want the tone to come from my hands, not an amp rig telling me how to play. What was the one moment in your life where you knew that your direction would be music? TS:
It was at age 11. I started hearing rock n roll on the radio as a kid so I asked my mom to buy me a bass, which I got the summer of 1976. That year I got a BTO album “Not Fragile” and KISS “Destroyer” TS: Also, SIT is and those albums “I think it is vital to follow your gut, your making a signature inspired me to get string set for you. heart and your dreams because when we are going on the bass Could you tell us guitar. Another young those are the times to really pursue about it? pinnacle age was at those things. We have the rest of our lives to 16 I had a powerful DE: I tried their instinct that hit strings a couple ‘have something to fall back on’ or go get a me at rehearsal years ago and they that I NEEDED really knocked me ‘real job’.” to get out to Los out. They have a Angeles ASAP. great feel, fantastic warm-ness while the other more Obviously when I went in the tone and they really do stay growl and punch. Together, all house and told my parents I in tune as they promise. My three signal inputs gave us a was going to quit school and strings are a custom guage of tight, punchy but thrash tone. move immediately they had .45, .65, .80, .105 and .128 for other plans! But, I followed the ve string sets. I denitely TS: What about your live bass that instinct and planned the recommend them! rig? remaining two years of my high school days accordingly by DE: Live I rut the Jackson practicing, gigging, recording TS: Are you playing both 4 Concert basses through a and doing every musical activity and 5 string basses on the new Shure wireless into a Radial I could nd. Then, ve days after record? DI for FOH and splits into I graduated high school I moved my onstage amp rack. That DE: I do play songs in both four to LA with three friends. Less consists of a Peterson rack and ve string tunings but most than a week after I arrived there mount Strobo-Rack tuner into of it is ve string. I’ve become I met Dave Mustaine and we a Hartke LH-1000 head that accustomed now to the ve started Megadeth that month, DE:
June 1983.
single with a b-side.
For that reason, I think it is vital to follow your gut, your heart and your dreams because when we are young those are the times to really pursue those things. We have the rest of our lives to ‘have something to fall back on’ or go get a ‘real job’.
Then, in the later 1960s and 70s it turned into an LP, or AOR (album oriented rock) format. That was the generation I was introduced to music in and it changed how the industry sold music, programmed radio and even promoted the concert tour business as we know it today. I remember bands I liked only got FM radio play but sold half a million albums and would sell out 10,000 seat arenas! Today, bands can sell a million albums, be played all over FM radio and barely sell 500 tickets to their shows.
The music industry has changed quite a bit since your book, “Making Music Your Business: A Guide For Young Musicians” was frst published. What additional advice would you give up-and-comers in the current climate? TS:
Interestingly enough, the nal chapter of that book was about the Internet, which was a brand new tool at that time in the mid 1990’s when the book was published. I think a volume two to follow up my book could be based almost entirely on the Internet and how it has changed the music business, its opportunities and really our lives in general. I think now musicians have to be entrepreneurial more than ever. The Internet now puts that power in every musician’s hands like never before. DE:
TS: As
an artist who plays in a band that focuses on albums as a whole, what do you feel about iTunes downloads of one song at a time?
Again, the Internet has let the public have a much bigger say in how they want their music rather than the industry dictating that to us anymore. So, if we only want to buy one song we can and most newer bands have to join that mind set in order to survive. Some of us long time legacy bands still get to make full length albums but even still we may only play a few of them live and then we revert back to the classics so many of our fans want to hear. The whole thing may even change for us at some point, too. How do you view social media in the role of a band’s marketing? TS:
With record sales down for record companies their DE: Historically, in the 1950s marketing budgets are smaller, and 60s the culture was much too. So, social media has once more based on singles, like again put the power/obligation in iTunes so we’ve actually kind of the hands of artists to promote returned back to that. That’s why their activities. I’m really active those themed 50’s type diners with it so I enjoy it. I think have juke boxes that feature a younger, newer bands today DE:
embrace it because computers and the Internet have been in their hands practically since birth, so they are used to it. What is the new business model for up-and-coming touring bands? TS:
I think the days of a record company handing you a huge check and tour support are denitely over. Once you make an album, you really have to get out and perform live. Fortunately, there are other outlets like energy drink companies and sponsorships that aid bands with this and I think that is denitely part of the touring model now. DE:
TS:
What about the recordi ng industry?
Labels get absorbed every week in our industry and now there are alcohol/energy drink companies who are offering up record deals for bands. I think the idea of a ‘label’ is changing and those names are becoming Red Bull, Jagermeister, etc. rather than just Warner Bros. and Sony. DE:
Will album-oriented rock music ever make a strong comeback in the mainstream versus the pop stars? TS:
Some genres endear their fans to album-oriented releases but more and more it is about e r u singles or at least EPs now, t u which for the artist may mean o C less songs per release but it m o also cuts down dramatically on T , album production costs, too. 0 So many start up bands make 1 0 a lot of their money by selling 2 © DE:
merchandise and even CD’s at their shows that the traditional channels of record stores is becoming the smaller piece of the pie now. Again, it comes down to artists being creative in carving out their unique business models and taking control of their destinies instead of leaving everything in the hands of the old record business model that is going the way of the dinosaur anyway.
something special with other unknown musicians. Fame is a byproduct, not THE product. If you could jam with anyone that you haven’t already played with, who would it be? TS:
I’ve jammed with quite a few people but I think Al Dimeola would be pretty rippin’. DE:
What current band would you most like to hear cover a Megadeth song, and what song would it be? TS:
On to some lighter topics - the bonus lightning question round! What are your top 5 DE: How about if Adele did “A personal most inuential albums? Tout Le Monde”?! TS:
DE:
Kiss-Alive
BTO- Not Fragile Iron Maiden- Killers Yes- 90125 Rush- All The World’s A Stage Do you have a “Number One” instrument? TS:
I have many instruments for many uses. Right now my Jackson Concert basses are really doing it well for me live. DE:
Who would be in your dreamteam rock supergroup? I don’t like super groups because its all based on marketing rather than creating great music. I’d much rather work with people who are creative together rst and foremost rather than trying to t a bunch of famous people in a room based on their names so someone can go out and ‘sell it’. At the end of the day, we were all unknown at some point and then got famous because we created
TS: Are
there any newer bands that are just blowing your doors off right now?
There are some great metal releases coming out this year. Everything from 3 Inches of Blood and Arch Enemy and I’m looking forward to hearing new Godsmack and other release from bands on the MAYHEM tour this summer. DE:
What interests do you have away from music and your family? TS:
We do a lot of sports together. We do everything from basketball to baseball, soccer, football, etc. The latest sport is now ping pong, which completely rules! DE:
Do you have anything else you’d like to share? You’ve got the last word... TS:
New Megadeth album out shortly. Until then, see you on tour! DE:
Return of
The King As hal o Quid Pro Quo, Brett Garsed was on the vanguard o shred usion playing. He`s worked with everyone rom pop sensations to guitar`s most acclaimed players. Afer enjoying lie and music in his native Australia, Garsed is back, and ready to talk chops, chums, and his latest offering, Dark Matter.
The Sound: Growing up
in Australia, do you have a parcular moment you knew music, guitar, and songwring would be a really big part of your life? Brett Garsed:
My brother was the original owner of a cheap Maton semi-acousc but as he was 10 years older than me and entrusted to running the family farm aer my father passed away he had no more me to play it. I used to get it out from under the bed when I was about 10 and look at it while listening to his Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin albums. My brother in law showed me how to read chord diagrams and then I just experimented from there. Mind you, AC/DC did a gig in the nearest city of
Castlemaine, Victoria in 1974 which I aended (I was 11) and that was the thing that sealed my fate so I blame Angus and Malcolm!
huge eect on me as well and is one of the most original musicians to emerge in a long me.
TS: Who are your earliest
as familiar with your work, can you tell us about your background and what projects you’ve been involved with, prior to Nelson, and then with Nelson and beyond?
inuences on guitar, and what got you into jazz and fusion? BG:
Ritchie Blackmore was my earliest inuence followed by David Gilmour, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton etc. It was all classic rock that my older brother listened to. Je Beck’s “Blow By Blow” and “Wired” albums prey much introduced to fusion and it was Larry Carlton that really sealed it. I was fascinated by how Larry could weave through the chords with the most beauful melodies but was playing with a rock sound. Then I heard Allan Holdsworth and considering it was already natural for me to be a legato style player I really loved his sound but I also loved his composions. I sll don’t have a hope of understanding any of it at any kind of technical level which to me proves that music far beyond the analycal mind of the listener can sll reach them at an emoonal level which is absolutely where Allan’s music reaches me. He’s as hearelt and emoonal as any blues musician in my opinion. Sco Henderson was the next profound inuence and he’s my favourite musician to this day. Frank Gambale had a
TS: For those that aren’t
BG: My rst professional gig
was with John Farnham who is sll Australia’s most popular arst, most denitely in terms of concert sales anyway. I was oered a gig with him aer sending out many demo tapes in late 1985 and then in 1986 I was the only guitarist on his “Whispering Jack” album which went on to become the highest selling album in Australian history. I toured and recorded with him unl 1990 when I moved to America to join Nelson. I prey much worked with John exclusively all that me as he was such a huge phenomenon that we were always busy. It was one of the most excing mes of my life. TS: The new record is “Dark
Maer” - can you tell us the story behind it, and how long it took to write? BG: The wring happened
surprisingly quickly to be honest. I had 2 songs that had been kicking around for a while and “Avoid The Void” was already wrien
but everything else was from a blank canvas and I was really glad to nd out that it was very dierent from the material on “Big Sky”. I wanted to explore some heavier textures as I’d had a 7 string for a while and aer recording “Quantum” with Planet X I wanted to use that sound more. I denitely don’t listen to other people or guitarists when I’m wring as my main focus in music is originality so I just dig into my own creavity and keep going unl I’m happy with the results regardless of style or whatever I think other people’s reacon to it may be.
I just thought it’d be funny to see James Bond as a stoner as he’s prey much a hard drinker. Perhaps Dave Chappelle could play him? :) TS: Can you tell us a
background with “Be Here Now”, “If Only”, and “Poison Dwarf”, my personal favourite cuts from the record? BG:
“Be Here Now” is actually my favourite song as it’s my purely melodic side and is also predominantly a slide guitar song. I love playing melody and to be honest, I think I screwed myself over by TS: Where was the “Dark geng caught up in Maer” disc produced, the whole “chops” thing. I recorded, and mastered at? believe my main strength as a musician is in wring BG: Everyone recorded at and improvising strong home in their own studios melodies but I’ve already type or rehearsal spaces and Ric cast myself as a “shredder” Fierabracci and I mixed and and I’ll probably never shake mastered it by sending Logic it. All the melodies and solos les back and forth to each on “Be Here Now” are rst other from LA to Australia. take improvisaons which Ric is the genius behind the why I love that song as it ’s sound, I just added some very honest. “If Only” was producon tweaks here and there but it certainly wouldn’t the rst new song I wrote sound the way it does without and just happened to be a ballad although I like the twist him! it takes in the mid-secon where I aempt a David TS: I think the song “James Gilmour impersonaon. I Bong (License to Chill)” has used my Gibson 336 for the to be my favourite tle of main melodies and solos, then the album - what’s the story switched to the ESP Horizon behind it? for the rock solo. “Poison Dwarf” had been around for BG: Well, that’s the danger a while in a general state of of working tles that sck! disrepair so I decided to nish
tunes. He’s such a unique and original arst so it was an honour to have him play on my song. Gerry Pantazis and Phil Turcio have been working with me in our fusion group “Damage” for about 3 years so it was an obvious choice to have them on the album. They’re just incredible, world class musicians who should be more well-known than they are. Ric has always been the man for my solo stu but I also wanted to have Craig Newman on a track so he played the main bass track on “Enigma” and Ric took the solo. I just happen to know 2 of the best bassists in the world and I wanted to have them both on the album. TS: Tell us about the gear
8 0 0 2 , i c s i t i P o i b a F ©
you used in the studio when recording this album... BG:
it for this album. It’s just a good fun blow but it seems to be one of the more popular tracks. TS: Can you tell our readers
who you played with on this album? BG: Virgil Dona guests on
the tle track “Dark Maer”. I really wanted to write a song specically for Virgil, especially aer working with him on so many of his own
My Bogner Ecstasy was the main amp although I used my THD BiValve for some of the clean, ambient sounds. Nave Instruments “Guitar Rig” was heavily used for ambient and eect sounds as well and it’s an amazing program. The blue ESP Horizon was the main guitar for solos but I also used my Steinberger GS which has the Fernandez Sustainer pickup built into it. The Gibson ES 336 was used extensively and as I said, an LTD 7 string was used for heavier textures. The Bogner ran into a Hughes & Kener 4x12 cab which was close miced with a Shure SM
57. I built a large box to put the cab in so it would cut down noise. I’d prefer to use a room sound but I guess I’ll need a room before I can do that! TS: Are there any upcoming
shows in the next couple of months with you and your band? BG: We’ll be doing some gigs
during July here in Melbourne but other than that, it’s impossible nancially to tour independently as it’s just too cost prohibive so there won’t be any more shows. I can barely raise the money to make the albums let alone take a band on the road so it’s just not going to happen unless a promoter puts their hand up. TS: How did you get into
playing such a unique legato style with hybrid picking, and also what got you into playing slide guitar? BG:
As I said, my focus my enre life has been originality instead of copying people. I did that out of respect for the musicians that moved me and it’s the main thing I recognized that I loved about their playing. David Lindley is my favourite slide player but it was Rick Formosa of The Lile River Band and Joe Walsh that got me started. I tried standard tuning at rst which was dreadful and a friend suggested I tune my
guitar to open E so I bought a cheap Les Paul copy and that allowed me to develop control over the mung to the point that I could go back to standard aer a while. Because of Joe Walsh, I wear the slide on my second nger so when I had the idea to angle it to achieve major third intervals it worked. It wasn’t unl a few months ago that I found an old YouTube clip of Je Beck doing it back in the early 70’s so he really is every bit the innovator we’ve come to know and love. I really must menon Sonny Landreth as a big inuence as well. I’ve adopted his approach of using my ngers in front of and behind the slide and it’s a great technique. Once again, a true innovator.
Pro Quo. I’d just nished a Fierabracci rst meet and jam year of touring with Nelson together? and of course ended up making no money from it, at BG: Back in 1995 TJ least no money considering Helmerich was running a live sound class at Musicians we’d had a naonal #1 single Instute and he had to keep bringing in dierent conguraons of bands for the students to mix. One of them was TJ and I, Virgil and Ric. To say I was blown away by Ric’s playing is sll an understatement. He is a true master of his instrument, a consummate professional and it’s a crime that he’s not a household name amongst all musicians, least of all bassists. We’ve been like family ever since and I’m sll trying to talk him out of working with me because he deserves much beer!
TS: What advice would you
TS: Do you have any plans to
give an advanced player to playing over fusion changes?
make another record with TJ Helmerich in the future?
BG:
BG:
Just take it slowly and even approach 2 or 3 changes at a me to develop a ow and see how they link together. There’s always a way to make even the most angular changes work and I’m denitely saying this from the perspecve of a listener and in no way as a master improviser! Listen to Sco Henderson, Allan Holdsworth, Michael Brecker or any of the true geniuses and let them lead the way. TS: How did you and Ric
No plans unfortunately but I’d love to do it. It’d be tough as TJ and I like to write together but seeing as I live in Australia and he’s in LA one of us would have to pay for a plane cket and there’s no budget for that I’m afraid. Never say never, though. TS: Could you share a story
from the making of the Quid Pro Quo or Exempt albums? BG:
Making those albums was probably the most posive experience of my musical life, especially Quid
and the album had sold 3 million copies. Ripped o by record and management companies again! TJ and I had been trying to gure out how to make individual solo albums for Mark Varney but his budgets were so small it was almost impossible unl we came up with the idea of combining our eorts and budgets to make one album so Mark agreed to that. TJ was working at Cherokee studios in LA at the me to so the Robbs who were the owners were very supporve and gave us a lot of down me. We did the basic tracks there with Bobby Rock on drums, Gary Willis on bass and Paul Mirkovich on keys. TJ then had the idea to put smpte code (me code) on one track of his Fostex 8 track reel to reel (this was LONG before ADATs) and put a stereo mix of the basic tracks on 2 more tracks, leaving us 5 tracks to do solos and melodies at his apartment. We weren’t sure if it’d work and we’d be able to y the tracks back to the original 24 track tape but we decided to go for it and it did indeed work which only proves what a visionary TJ really is, not only as a musician but as a recording engineer. Denitely ahead of his me! We wrote everything in a week and it was the most free-owing and enjoyable me I’ve ever had as a musician. We were both broke o our asses and ended up calling the rst song “Subway” because that’s all
we could aord to eat every day, Subway sandwiches. I’ve never had so many rst take solos as on that album, mainly because you could punch in but if you tried to punch out in the middle of a take it would leave a huge gap so it was beer to just go for full takes. None of those solos have any edits and we used the same process for “Exempt” as well. Every me I hear the songs from “Quid Pro Quo” I feel great as they hold very special memories for me and represent everything that I consider to be wonderful about music and being a musician.
he released “Powers Of Ten” and it was an experience I’ll never forget. He was a true genius and one of the most humble people so it was in itself a humbling experience to meet him. Such a powerful gi and so tragic that he’s not sll with us. Speaking of Shawn, I was touring with Bobby Rock and Carl Carter in early ‘92 I think and we were playing in Memphis so we met Shawn and I think Barry Bays at Shawn’s mother’s house. I’m hoping this is correct so forgive me if I’m a bit foggy on the details. He played us some of “Powers Of Ten” and I listened in total disbelief as he explained to me that he tracked the drums live and unTS: One last queson about quanzed by playing them on the old days - what was it individual keys on the piano like working on Centrifugal in real me. He then jammed Funk with Frank Gambale, with us later that night. We Jimmy Earl, and the late great were playing one of Bobby’s Shawn Lane? tunes which had a very involved melody and I showed BG: I did my solos rst which was just as well as if I’d it to Shawn and of course it heard what Frank and Shawn represented absolutely no were going to play I probably problem to him whatsoever. would have run away in fear! The drum clinic was at least 2 hours long and this was the I had just nished doing my tracks at Fast Forward studios last song and to my absolute in Orange County when Frank amazement, he got up on arrived and I got to meet him stage and remembered every note of what I’d showed for the rst me. He’s been him so he really did have such a huge inuence on a photographic memory me and it was an incredible honour to meet him, let alone for music and probably everything else. Like I said, a appear on an album with him. He is one of the greatest true genius in an age when that word gets thrown around musicians of our me that’s like confe. for sure. I got to meet Shawn a few years later, just before ,
TS: Do you have any
TS: Are you sll doing master TS: Are you involved in any
plans for any more books or instruconal DVDs in the future?
classes and teaching at Musicians Instute? BG: Seeing as I’m living in
BG: No, I can’t really think of Australia, no, but if I’m ever
anything to oer that hasn’t back in LA I’d be honoured already been covered by if they’d let me back in the people much more qualied door. It’s an amazing school than me. I like my latest and anyone that has the opportunity to study there is DVD as it covers my unique very fortunate. approach to hybrid picking and slide. I don’t recall anyone using the pick and remaining TS: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming players 3 ngers unl I did it and about pracce rounes or no one had ever discussed angling the slide the way I do what to study? it, at least in an instruconal BG: My best piece of advice seng. My rst video on is to keep it varied as it will REH was released back in ensure you’re a well-rounded 1994 and as I said, I’d seen musician and will also prevent most of the videos and no burnout. You can only pracse one had ever talked much your favourite things for so about hybrid picking, let alone long before they become incorporang the 4th nger boring so rotate the subject of the right hand so I feel that and keep the sessions short makes those instruconal so that it keeps movaon up. releases relevant in that the Instead of pracsing picking things I’m discussing seem to of whatever for 3 hours be unique to myself. straight, break the 3 hours TS: Have you sll been
teaching Skype lessons? BG: I’ve done a couple
but it’s a queson of me as I’m all the way over in Australia so the me zones can be a bit confusing. Also, if I have other work I have to priorize that. I’m not sure how much people are prepared to pay for a fuzzy image of a guy on their computer screen so I have no idea what to charge.
up into shorter sessions that are interspersed with other techniques and also a bit of reading etc.
other projects you want us to know about at this current me? BG:
Nothing at the moment... I have some touring coming up at the end of the year with John Farnham so I’ll probably wait ll next year before I gure out what I’m going to do next. TS: Do you have a favourite
career highlight with you and your guitar? BG:
The highlight to be perfectly honest is that I’m sll alive and making somewhat of a living as a musician. This is a really tough industry and I consider myself very, very fortunate for everything I’ve been able to experience and am sll experiencing so I’m an extremely grateful person. TS: What’s the best place for
our readers to pick up “Dark Maer”? BG: If they’d like a personally
autographed copy they can order it directly from me at www.bregarsed.com or they can get it from www. abstractlogix.com or iTunes. It’s easy to nd. TS: Ok, great! You’ve got
the last word. BG: I’ll quote Jimi. “Make
love, not war”.
! e l O
!
f o y r u f e h t d n a n o i s t Te pas t i w e H s s u R o r t s e a fla me nco m
Te contemporary wizard of the flamenco and smooth jazz genres talks song writing, making music in the digital age, and how to achieve success in music.
The Sound: When wring your instrumentals, do
you approach it as a guitar player or as a songwriter? Russ Hewitt: Always as a songwriter—you have to think of it that way. Otherwise, you won’t get
heard or if you do you’ll have a hard me maintaining the listener’s interest. Think of some of the great instrumentals like “Clis of Dover,” “Mr. Scary,” “Frankenstein,” “Far Beyond the Sun,” “Always With You Always With Me.” I could go on, but you see the point. Those are great songs that can be listened to over and over, and they happen to have great
guitar players. I really like the early Shrapnel Records recordings because of the focus on songs that gave the players a plaorm to showcase their talents. Carlos Santana isn’t going to scare anybody on guitar but he can write something that sll gets played on the radio 30 years later. I believe players like Eric Johnson and Joe Satriani have had tremendous success in bridging the gap from virtuoso playing to listener-friendly songs.
TS:
With the excepon of a couple of guest arsts I noced you used the same band and producer from your rst CD “Bajo el Sol.”
That was a very conscious eort on my part. Oen mes, once an arst nds success they’ll bring in a brand new RH:
team of people and players. Why mess with what works? Since what I play isn’t true amenco, Lan jazz, Cuban or South American, it’s essenal to nd players who are wellversed in many styles and feels, but are able to apply what they do to a commercial pop instrumental. They are also great guys and cool hangs. It doesn’t maer how
addion of Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bishart, whose incredible playing takes the song to a dierent level, I couldn’t be happier with the nished product.
with incredible players who understand your musical vision and who can add something to the song that you couldn’t
to. Ha! Your legacy as a player is what you leave behind and there are no do-overs. I’ve done projects in the past where I’ve made excuses as I’m handing someone a CD: “Our new stu is beer….” “We recorded this in a hurry at a friend’s house….” “Our singer was sick while recording....” “We got rid of half the band but this is all I have now….” “Only listen to tracks 1 and 3....” I could go on for days. I got red of doing that and I wanted to put out something that I was proud of from start to nish and that I felt was the best representaon of my
TS:
You took three years and completely re-recorded your rst CD, and then you took just over two years on your new one, “Alma Vieja.” good of a player you are, if What takes you so long? you’re hard to get along with RH: In this digital age it brings everybody down. The everything lasts forever, even key is to surround yourself things that aren’t supposed
have
thought
of
yourself.
TS: Your song “Dhanyavad”
is one of my favorites. Can you tell me about it? RH:
Sure. This was the only
song that was supposed to go
on my rst CD. But I thought it could be beer so I waited to record it. I worked on this song for four years and wrote ve completely dierent versions before the nal version, which is on the CD. It’s based on the A Hindu scale, A B C# D E F G, which gives me two dominant 7 chords (A7 and G7) a step apart, which doesn’t appear in any other scale. I worked on those two chords in dierent grooves and feels and nally ended up in a modied cha-cha style. The harmony lines are in thirds and the solos and remaining melodies modulate down a step (G7 and F7). With the
playing. You’re also going to
be judged on the last thing you do, so you beer be 100 percent happy with the nal product. If it’s not the very best you can do, why bother going through the eort? TS:
and with
I noced your songs solos are longer your new recording.
RH:
Yeah. When I play live I
tend to add another solo and feedback the guitar and do
chorus to the older songs, high kicks. I was in shock. so I went ahead and did it on the new songs. On the longer TS: What were some of the solos in “Tango for Ahn” and challenges you faced when “Gabriela mi Corazon” I added you sat down to write “Alma an addional solo melody Vieja”?
theme. The trick then becomes “How can you make a veminute song interesng?” The devil is in the details and some of these songs have up to 70 tracks going on. The reason is that if you crank it on a nice stereo you can hear and pick out something dierent each me.
TS: When you play live do you
improvise or do you play the recorded solo? RH: There are spots during
certain songs when we play live that I’ll do whatever I want, but for the most part I’ll play the recorded solo. A well-written solo adds to the song and
RH: One of the pleasant sur-
prises on “Bajo el Sol” was the feedback that people leave it playing in the car or during dinner pares or while they’re relaxing around the house. When I sat down to write “Alma Vie ja” I had to think in terms of “Is this song good enough for repeat listens?” not just if it’s good or bad. I also wanted to avoid having the CD sound just like the rst one, so I added a tango, milonga, samba and cha-cha to the new CD. I also added violin and saxophone just so every song isn’t a rhumba amenco. And, I wanted to be able to play both CDs back to back to make it seem like one long connuous CD.
can become as memorable as the melody itself, or at least it should. Unless you’re a master improviser, more than likely you’re just faking it and that TS: can get old real quick. I would the
What are some of challenges of belove to get to the point where ing an independent arst?
my improvs are the same as something that I sat down and worked out, but unl then I’ll play the recorded version. I remember seeing Deep Purple play “Highway Star,” and I was very excited to see Richie Blackmore play the solo. But when it was his me all he did was make faces, pick scrape,
Right now it’s nding the me to do everything. In between CDs is when I have me to work on my chops because when I start wring music, that becomes my primary focus and I don’t have me to do technique all day. For me, these are two completely different mind frames and I have RH:
yet to be able to do both at the same me. In the last couple of months I put out “Alma Vieja,” rehearsed and recorded a live DVD with my full eight-piece band, redid my website and press kits, and released my rst single from the new CD (which is now my third song to make the Smooth Jazz Top 40) and now I’m in “geng-publicityfor-the-new-recording” mode. While all that is going on, I’m sll gigging four to ve nights
peang lick or melody, lyrics, etc. Somemes it’s one chord that makes the song. I’ll listen to all kinds of music from pop, country, Lano or any of the Top 40 to try and gure out what it is that makes the song catchy or a hit. I can usually break it down and gure it out but somemes I come across something that dees all logic. Hello, Ke$ha.
a week as well as working on TS: Tell us about the song bigger fesvals and shows. “Soldade.” RH:
I really love odd me
signatures and this one is in You’ve menoned song 11/16, 11/8 or 11/4, dependwring several mes. What is ing on how you want to count your song wring process? TS:
it. I’ve listened to some songs in this me signature and they all seemed very chaoc and hard to listen to. My challenge when working in odd me signatures is how I can make this work in my style and whether I can make it ow and not choppy. In “Soldade,” I group
There is denitely an art and a science to song wring and I’m doing my best to immerse myself in that world. There are many hooks within a song other than the chorus. I remember reading an interview with Chad Kroeger from Nickelback on how he broke the intro, verse and solo in a down their hit “How You Re- 4+4+3 arpeggio paern and I mind Me” and he realized the group the chorus in a 3+3+3+2 song had three separate hooks rhumba paern to give it a feel in it. Or that Rivers Cuomo of 6/8 but without changing from Weezer carries around a meter. The rhythm guitar is in binder of 300 of the best songs standard tuning except for the ever wrien. You can happen high E, which is down a half upon a great song, but to be step. I wanted the verse meloconsistent you have to study dy open and airy and I wanted and work on it. A hook can be the chorus in a major key to a chord progression, a beat or feel upliing. The drums really groove, a me signature, a re- make the song because they RH:
give it a groove and the verseto-chorus transion is smooth.
TS: Do you think you have
your own style?
That’s a good queson and my best answer is, “I don’t know.” Ulmately that would be the goal with my playing and song wring. This new CD marks my sixth year of doing nuevo amenco full me and only playing electric guitar on session work. I’ve denitely noced that I have a dierent way of approaching and playing the guitar now than I did with all the rock stu in the past. I believe if I connue on the path I’m on, I have a good chance of developing a recognizable sound and style. Outside of the normal arpeggios, three notes per string and pentatonic scale, there’s also note choice, technique, and phrasing that play such a huge part in what denes you. The longer solos are also a by-product of my knowing more of what I RH:
want to do and play. TS: Your song “Samba Sam-
ba” sounds like a modern version of “Girl from Ipanema.” Where did you learn your samba rhythms?
Ha - through osmosis! My live drummer, Ivan Torres, who’s been playing with me for the last four years, is a selfRH:
taught Brazilian drummer. During gigs I would oen ask Ivan to give me a groove or beat and one day I just locked in. I was like, “Hey! I don’t know where that came from!” and Ivan responded,” My friend, we’ve been playing together for four years.
How could you not!” The song wring technique I used was called “modal interchange.” It’s where you can mix parallel major and minor chords together and I extended the chords to 9th and 11th shapes. I didn’t want to wait to get started on wring new songs aer we nished recording “Alma Vieja,” so I immediately went to work and “Samba Samba” was the next song I wrote. I was very happy with the song and although we were in
the mix phase already, I thought it would be a good addion. So we went back into the studio, this me with Ivan on drums, and knocked
on the track. TS: Your rst single,
“Pacic Sunrise,” features contemporary jazz saxophonist Michael Lington. How did that come about, and how is the track doing on the charts?
I co-wrote this song with my producer, Bob Parr. We wanted a top-down-cruising vibe and once it was completed we thought Michael would be a perfect addion. He was in the middle of a tour but ew out in between dates to keep our recording session. When we perform live, I end up playing the sax line on the guitar, which is trickier than RH:
you think. This week
the song is #32 on the Smooth Jazz charts, #13 on the Smooth Jazz indie charts, #33 Radio Wave Internet airplay chart and on Billboard’s New and Acve chart.
it out in a day. This song
TS: And the last word
is going to be my second radio release so my producer Bob Parr spent a lot of me on the overall sonic appeal. Bob
is…?
also played the organ
In hindsight now my words of advice to RH:
guitar players is to see
the bigger picture and
to work towards a goal. If you want to be a studio session player you have to read music perfectly and be well versed in many styles. You’ll want to move to L.A., Nashville or N.Y. and start doing sessions for free or for lile money unl you can break into the scene. If you want to be a Classical or Flamenco guitarist 90% of it is technique. The physical command over the guitar shapes your phrasing
and the ability to play the fast runs. Playing without a goal or purpose will lead to
ruts quicker and a lack of focus. The bigger picture goes beyond learning a song or lick but pung yourself out there whether it’s playing
live, meeng people and making contacts, moving to a city or state that will provide more opportunity and immersing in the community you want to be a part of. Find a musician that is successful at what you’re you ’re wanting to do and ask quesons or become a understudy. I spend much more me on the business side of music than sing down and playing but i nd it just as benecial if not more.
The Story Behind ... DLS ts DLS Effec Effects In 1998, my daughter was starting to play guitar and listening to some heavy bands. She came to me and said, “Hey dad, hear that heavy guitar sound? Can you make me something that does that kind of distortion?” Hum, I gured why not. I used to use overdrive and now that I had electrical engineering expertise, I could pull it off. So, I proceeded to make a distortion unit, which she used and liked very much. That enticed me to dust off my gear and play a bit more with my old effects. I tried my using my EH Memory Man delay, but it was not working. I thought a while and said, “Heck, I should be able to design something at least as good, and with some extra features”. So I did some research and proceeded to design my rst Delay pedal. It was oh so close, but after spending many months tweaking, I scrapped it in frustration because it did not meet my expectations. I literally threw it in the garbage! Being a persistent fool, I started all over again with a whole new hybrid electronic design approach. Five months later, success was at hand and the Echomaster Delay was born! Greg Howe actually ended up using that delay. From there I used a similar design philosophy and designed the stereo Ultra Chorus which exhibited some beautiful chorus sounds. Then I went on to design the EchoTAP and Chorus~Vib effects, which were very well accepted. Brad Whitford from Aerosmith used both effects after they were released.
Me wit h Alex an d Geddy f r om Ru sh
some really great user reviews, but I would say the RotoSIM™ is at the top of the list. I get emails quite often from musicians thanking me for designing that pedal! I remember being introduced to Joe Don Rooney from Rascal Flatts. His tech Dave Graef said, “hey Joe, this is Dave from DLS, the one who designed the RotoSIM”. Joe Don turned a huge smile and said, “Oh, hey, I love using that pedal!” The conversation got much easier from there.
studio, Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins, Keith Richards, Tyler Connolly from Theory of a Deadman, and a host of others. They can be found on our web site artist list at www.dlseffects.com, all though not all are on the list.
I would say the RotoSIM™ was the toughest to design and the most innovative. That pedal took over a year to get right, with many prototype revisions ying back and forth to my 4 beta testers in the US. There Other DLS players are Ben Carey is a great blend of technologies The whole pedal line seems to get from Lifehouse, Alex Lifeson in his to achieve that chewy Doppler
type effect, while maintaining We sell through dealers world-wide, analog warmth and versatility. but not direct. Check our website for a dealer list. About the Versa Vibe™ How we decide which pedal to make and CV2 Chorus Waves™ pedals. usually starts with a suggestion The Versa Vibe and CV2 Chorus from some of the pro musicians I Waves are our newest effects and am friends with. From there I think are much smaller in size, but packed of how I might cop that sound and with warmth and versatility. The what unique sounds and features Versa Vibe is a Vibrato/Univibe® I can bring to the table. I usually type pedal. In many Univibe® will test modules of my designs and style pedals, the bass throb totally then build them to work together overloads the sound. So, in our in a prototype. Beta testing is Versa Vibe we designed a rst ever a huge part of the R&D process Bass Throb control that allows you too. This is because multiple to control how much Bass Throb musicians have different sounds is added. We also designed a in mind and different expectations. Waveform control so the musician I try to make our effects so they can dial from mild to harsh vibes, plus can be tweaked to satisfy most. we added an expression pedal input. There are a lot of pedals out there. My goal is to never settle for just good, but have products that are great. We want every product we make be top quality in sound and construction and something we would be happy to buy if we were the customer. We will always stay true to that philosophy.
for stereo users. The 7 position Chorus Width control makes the chorus sound more tight and compressed starting with position 1, and gets wider, brighter, and more pristine as you go clockwise towards position 7. The Blend pot mixes as much analog instrument in the chorusing as desired.
All and all, we really love what we do at DLS Effects™! We want our products to satisfy every level of musician by offering the highest standard of sound and construction quality. DLS is thankful to all the musicians using our effects, and for driving DLS to deliver the sounds and features you desire The Vibrato is very warm and has a and deserve. Stay tuned to some Dry/Wet pot to blend some chorus wonderful new products to be with vibrato to taste. The Versa release in late 2011 and in 2012! Vibe can get that old Magnatone™ type vibrato sound, plus a lot more. The CV2 Chorus Waves™ is a beautiful sounding chorus and is very versatile. It can be used in mono, plus has wide stereo image
s e s o u h i f e L h i w t i n r e y g n H a n C a B e
**Uni-Vibe® is a registered trademark of the Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc.
’
’
T y ler f ro m T heor y of a D eadman
J o e D o n e y s o ut my R o on - c h p ed a l s! r i g ec k S we e t ! '
Picks of
Ston e
Our company, Fragments of the Past, has been in operaon since 2008. I lived in Wyoming, USA and spent 2 summers digging fossil sh. When we moved back to Canada I had a large amount of fossil sh so decided to open a business collecng, cleaning and selling fossils. During the summer I would head down to Wyoming for 2 months to collect fossils and head back to Canada to clean and sell them through the winter months.
While collecng fossils I was in the company of rock hounds who had been working with stone and fossils for decades and before long I found myself working with stone as well. The eureka moment came when a friends daughter menoned that a piece he was working on looked like a guitar pick. The idea took root and aer about 4 months of research and development the rst pick was sold to a customer that, to date, has over 80 of our stone guitar picks In his collecon. Every month we have more and more musicians trying and switching to our stone guitar picks. The tone of all stringed instruments is enhanced by our picks of stone and every genre of musician has been amazed at the sound, from country to gypsy jazz, we get feedback that our picks are producing a sound they have never heard before from instruments. A long me endorser of our Picks of Stone has been Warren Robert of Halifax, Canada.
Warren is an incredible guitarist playing shape. The picks then go into a 2 week with the band POGEY as well as doing polishing cycle which takes them from solo recording and teaching in Halifax, a rough texture to a glass like nish. in a private seng as well as seminars. Our picks of stone have recently been There is a denite tone dierence geng into the hands of some big between the obsidian/glass and the names in the music world and I am sure jasper/agates. The reason for the it won’t be long before Picks of Stone is tone dierence is the hardness of the a common name among musicians of stone. The MOHs scale is from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond), the agates/jaspers all genres and playing abilies. are 7.5-8 and the obsidians/glass are The most predictable and 5.5-6. The soer stone produces a hardest stone I work with is the Brazil- lighter tone than the hard stone. We ian Agate. The stone that is easiest to can’t detect a tone dierence bework with are the obsidians; they cut tween stone that is the same hardfast (about ½ the me it takes to cut ness, regardless of the density of the thru Brazilian Agate) so I can produce stone. more in a given me period and it is We just added a new design less stress on my saw blades and grinding wheels. The Jaspers are right in the to our stone pick line-up. We haven’t middle, they are generally less dense come up with a name for it yet; we than the agates so they cut fast but be- are currently running a “Name that cause they are less dense they are not Pick” contest, so stop by our website a predictable stone, meaning we may and check it out and submit a name. make 10 picks but get only 6 that we New designs are generally created at the request of customers who want deem playable. something a lile dierent than we I have a big saw with a 14” diamond currently oer. Our newest design is blade that cuts big rock into smaller a tradional shaped pick with a jazz bits that can t onto my smaller saws style p, the designer loves it and which have 10” diamond blades. The we believe it will become a favourite small saws cut the thin slabs that will among many players. I encourage evhave a pick template drawn on it so ery reader today to menon us on any the trim saw can cut away the excess of their social networks. rock from the template. Once the rock has been trimmed away from the pick template it goes to the grinding staon which consists of 4 diamond grinding wheels, where it is ground to its nal
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Gretchen Menn
2:47
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All About D7 By Jon Finn (Aug. 2011) D7 1
2 4 3
10fr.
Ex. 1:
So here's a D7 chord. No. Not all the inversions. Just this one for now. T A B
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Ex. 2: D7 Arpeggio:
Here's an arpeggio fingering that goes with it.
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Ex. 3: D Mixolydian Scale:
Now, here's the D mixolydian scale. It's commonly used as a companion scale for soloing over D7. Yes. There Certainly way more options. But this works pretty well.
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Ex. 4: D Mixolydian Pentatonic #1:
Cool. Now we got a little flow going. Here's a D7 pentatonic I like to use sometimes. You can think of it in at least two ways: 1) Dminor pentatonic with major 3rd.
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2) D7 arpeggio with 4th degree (G) added.
© 2011 jonfinn.com "Good Music People Like"
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All About D7 (cont.)
2
The basic idea is this: "Take what you already know, and find a different angle on it." I find that when I do that, I can come up with way more things than if I "just wait to be inspired." Of course, I have to be willing to wade through a bunch of bad ideas, but the good ones are always buried in there somewhwere. I just need to keep looking. Let's keep going and see where it takes us. Here's a D7 arpeggio with the 2nd degree (E) added. You may want to call this a D9 arpeggio. That's fine too, but to me the 9th implies an octave displacement. Ex. 5a: D Mixolydian Pentatonic #2:
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Here's another way to play the exact same thing. This one will "feel" kinda like an A minor pentatonic but with F# replacing G: Ex. 5b: D mixolydian Pentatonic #2
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This next one is tricky to think about, but sounds really cool. Because you never play the root of the chord, every note sounds like it "could" go someplace else. The root always works, but it has a way of conveying "I'm home now. There's no place left to go." It's based on F# minor pentatonic with b5. F# is the 3rd of D7. The b5 of F# is C; which is the b7 of the D7 chord. Verbally, this sounds much more confusing than it really is. Play it and see: Ex. 6a: D Mixolydian Pentatonic #3:
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© 2011 jonfinn.com "Good Music People Like"
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All About D7 (cont.)
3
This version of D Mixolydian Pentatonic #3 probably "looks" more like F# minor pentatonic b5. It might illustrate the idea a little better: Ex. 6b: D Mixolydian Pentatonic #3:
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Let's mess with it a bit more. Here's a D9 arpeggio. Notice that the 9th of the chord is played before you begin the next octave. Because of this the phrase "doubles back."
Ex. 7a: D9 arpeggio
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This is a variation where the 13th (B) is added: Ex. 7b: D13 arpeggio
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© 2011 jonfinn.com "Good Music People Like"
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All About D7 (cont.)
4
So what else? How about Chromatics? Ok, sounds good. I like talking to myself. This example is all the chromatic pitches I could find (using my ear to decide what I like/don't like). This is what I came up with.
Ex. 8a: Using Chromatics
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Here's another one using roughly the same concept. But here, there are some twists and turns. These were created by ordering the pitches a little differently. For the acsending part, the 4th degree (G) is played before the 3rd (F#). Descending, the b3 (F) is played before the 3rd (F#), and the b5 (Ab) is played before the 5 (A). Get the idea? Ex. 8b: Chromatics, but messing with the order of the pitches
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No. It's not really "All about D7" or "Everything I know about D7." Rather, these are more like "seeds." Most of these start and/or end on the 6th string. That was done so that you can see the range of possiblilities. When practicing, do these in all keys, all positions, different rhythms, different starting pitches etc. Always try new stuff!
© 2011 jonfinn.com "Good Music People Like"
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Page 1/1
Poison Dwarf Brett Garsed Dark Matter Music by Dark Matter - Transcription by Jason Spell Driving Rock Fusion
D D : D 44
h
Q B B B
= 160
Ethereal Guitar Effect Fade In
Drums Enter
1
3
c
*
)
(
BL B B B B B B Q B B B BL B B B B B B Q B B B B B B B B B B B
Head D#5 4
E5
B5
3
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3
( ) *
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B B B B B B B B B B B B Q B B B B B BB L BB B L BBBBQ B B B G#5
7
E5
3
3
! ( "" ! (
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B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B BL B B B B B B Q B B B
B5 10
3
D# 5
3
3
"" ! ( ! "" "# ! ""
!
( "" !
(
!
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"" "#
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Page 1/9
55
A Q BL LB. "# ""
58
B F B B B B F B B B F B B B B B F F BBBQ BBBQ B Q 3
3
3
3
3
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3
3
"# "% "& "% "# "# "% "& "% "# "%
"# "" "#
ZZZZB B B B ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ B F B B B B B F B B A B B B L F B B GB B B B F B B B QL Q ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZ ? full
"%
"% "%
"* ! "%
"# "%
FB F B B B B B B F B B B B B BI R B
61
Head D#5
"& "% "( "% "& "% "% "' "* "'"% "' "% "% "# "' "%
E5
BBBB
B5
B=
( * ** **
"# "% "" "# "" "% "" "# "% "# "" "% "$ "% "# ""
ZZZZZZZ = ZZZZZZZ
E5
67
B5
B B B ZZZZZZZZ BA
G#5
** ((
ZZZZZZZZ
*
((
ZZZZZ AP B B B U B ZZZZB B. B B B ZZZZB B. B B B L L ZZZZZ? ? ? ZZZZ ZZZZ @ D#5
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B5
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full
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full
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