Total Guitar Riffs.pdf - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2024)

Viaduedoio &

Technique Sweep Picking

Guest Lesson Marty Friedman

DV D

Shred like Yngwie

play better now! #258 October 2014 £5.50

Are these the

100 Learn

20 riffs

greatest guitar

Riffs

How To Write The Perfect Riff

of all time?

Say Wah?!

Make your guitar speak!

Call 999!

Ibanez goes one lower

AC/DC Jimi Hendrix Derek & The Dominos The Kinks

Guns N’ Roses

DAFT PUNK

Roy Orbison Nirvana Rage Against The Machine

Metallica Black Sabbath

Deep Purple

Cream

Free Blue Öyster Cult

The Beatles Michael Jackson arctic monkeys Dire Straits

The Rolling Stones

october 2014

PRINTED IN THE UK

£5.50

editor’s letter

Future Publishing Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA Tel: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822763 Email: [emailprotected] Website: www.totalguitar.co.uk Editorial Editor Stuart Williams Content Editor Rob Laing Reviews Editor Dave Burrluck Deputy Reviews Editor Michael Brown Managing Editor Josh Gardner Production Editor Gary Walker Art Editor Leanne O’Hara Senior Music Editor Jason Sidwell Music Editor Chris Bird Music Co-ordinator Natalie Smith Editor At Large Neville Marten Contributors Steve Allsworth, Owen Bailey, Phil Capone, Trevor Curwen, Rich Chamberlain, Sarah Clark, Matt Frost, Charlie Griffiths, Jonathan Horsley, Steve Lawson, Andy McGregor, Matthew Parker, Mick Taylor, Niko Tsonev, James Uings, Henry Yates Music Engraver Simon Troup Audio Mastering Duncan Jordan Video Production Martin Holmes Photography Joe Branston, Adam Gasson, Neil Godwin, Kevin Nixon, GavinRoberts, JobySessions Advertising Phone: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 732285 Advertising Sales Director Clare Coleman-Straw Sales Manager Amanda Burns, [emailprotected] Account Sales Managers James L’Esteve, [emailprotected] Alison Watson, [emailprotected] Advertising Sales Executive Simon Rawle, [emailprotected] Marketing Group Marketing Manager Laura Driffield Marketing Executive Richard Stephens Circulation Head of Trade Marketing James Whitaker Trade Marketing Manager Daniel Foley, [emailprotected] Direct Marketing Executive Alex Moreton Print & Production Production Manager Mark Constance Production Controller Frances Twentyman Prepress Future PreMedia Licensing Senior Licensing & Syndication Manager Regina Erak, [emailprotected] Tel: +44(0)1225 732359 Fax: +44(0)1225 732275 If you would like to purchase the images featured in this publication, please visit www.futuremediastore.com or email [emailprotected] Future Publishing Ltd Head Of Music Rob Last Group Art Director Rodney Dive Creative Director Robin Abbott Editorial Director Jim Douglas Managing Director, Future UK Nial Ferguson Subscriptions For orders and enquiries phone our UK hotline on: 0844 848 2852 For international order and enquiries phone: +44 (0) 1604 251 045 Subscribe online at: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk

Welcome… Good news! The guitar riff is alive and well… but you already knew this, didn’t you? Still, when we heard about the BBC’s Greatest Guitar Riff poll, we wanted to get involved. That’s why this issue, we’ve packed a cross-section of 20 classic video riff lessons onto a special edition DVD, complete with backing tracks for you to learn. In our cover feature, you’ll find an analysis of the entire list (including the ones that we disagree with) – plus, we’ve broken down the musical trends of the top 20 to find the formula for the ultimate guitar riff. We even picked the brains of some riff-writing heroes to find out which guitar riffs have inspired them the most. Finally, you might have noticed the large red circle on our front cover, too. This month, we’re offering you a free digital edition of TG for your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Just follow the simple instructions on p65 and you’ll be able to take this issue of Total Guitar with you wherever you go, complete with all the audio and video you usually find on your TGCD. If you haven’t checked it out yet, now’s your chance to see what you’re missing – and it’s on us! Now, let’s get riffin’!

Next issue on sale 29 September 2014 Printed in the UK by William Gibbons on behalf of Future. Distributed in the UK by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT. Tel: 0207 429 4000 The ABC combined print and digital circulation for Jan-Dec 2013 is: A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations

19,262 Print: 16,744 Digital: 2,488

Future is an award-winning international media group and leading digital business. We reach more than 58 million international consumers a month and create world-class content and advertising solutions for passionate consumers online, on tablet & smartphone and in print. Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR). www.futureplc.com

Chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick Non-executive chairman Peter Allen Chief financial officer Richard Haley Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)

© Future Publishing Limited 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. The registered office of Future Publishing Limited is at Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only and is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of going to press. Future Publishing Limited cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies that occur. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers direct with regard to pricing. All submissions to Total Guitar magazine are made on the basis of a licence to publish the submission in Total Guitar magazine, its associated websites and all world-wide licensed editions of the same. Any material submitted is sent at the owner’s risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future Publishing Limited nor its agents shall be liable for loss or damage. We encourage you to recycle this magazine, either through your usual household recyclable waste collection service or at a recycling site.

We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

Stuart Williams, Editor

making this month’s mag: Chris Bird In this month’s ‘Ask TG’, Tuition Editor Chris has been chatting with ace tutor Steve Allsworth about sweep picking. If this is something you’ve ever struggled with turn to p104 where we’ve tabbed 12 exercises that are guaranteed to help you master this challenging technique.

Michael Brown Gear man Michael spent the month prepping his nine-string skills for the demo of the Ibanez RG9, before busting out his finest riffs for our Xotic and EWS pedal round-up – once you’ve finished delving into this issue’s mountain of gear, see how he got on at www.youtube.com/totalguitar.

Rob Laing Our features boar has been sifting through the riff list, snout down and angry; muttering that Paranoid is Black Sabbath’s equivalent of Margarita Time. He would have had Into The Void…, Supernaut or Sympton Of The Universe. He won’t be sated until Iommi gets his own top 100… october 2014

HOW To USe Your DVD

how to use your TG DVD This month’s TG features a DVD rather than an audio CD. To access your video riff lessons follow the instructions below…

Insert your DVD ROM into your computer (the disk won’t work in DVD players)

avigate to the folder N 20 Classic Riffs - Video Lessons & MP3s

Select the video lesson or MP3, and double click to open in your media

Also on your DVD:

Free Play Guitar Now sampler

We’ve included six video lessons from the Guitar Techniques Play Guitar Now series, brought to you by the UK’s top tutors. To find out where you can purchase the Play Guitar Now series, check out the PDF in the Play Guitar Now Sampler folder. october 2014

contents monitor First Look Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster �� On The Road Motionless In White �� Riff Of The Month Pixies - Where Is My Mind? �� Scale Of The Month Phrygian mode �� Guitar Shop Ammo Latin Rock �� In Praise Of Electro-Harmonix Big Muff �� Splurge, Save, Steal Baritone electrics �� WTF? / Bring The Noise! �� Sound Advice Atmospheric volume swells �� In The Loop Folk reel �� In The Studio Sleeping With Sirens �� On The Up King 810, Fatherson, Alpha Male Tea Party��

Albums This month’s best guitar releases �� Five Minutes Alone Brian Setzer �� Rig Tour Winery Dogs �� Win! PRS SE ‘Floyd’ Custom 24 �� Feedback ��

008 010 012 014 016 018 020 022 024 026 027 028 030 032 035 040 042

Features We cast our critical eye over the BBC’s recent poll PLUS! We teach you 20 of the riffs featured ��

100 greatest guitar riffs 048 we dissect the bbc poll, plus 20 classic riffs to learn

070 6

steal their style: Yngwie malmsteen

october 2014

035

Marmozets Chatting guitar with the proggers�� Chuck Ragan Talks .acoustics and furniture�� Steal Their Style Yngwie Malmsteen�� The Horrors Joshua Third on why he loves DIY��

Rig Tour: WINERY DOGS

018

in praise of...

048 058 066 070 074

Cover: Neil Godwin Villalonga/Photoshot Disc: Neil Godwin Contents: Villalonga/Photoshot Simon Lees Dave Caudery Adam Gasson

Lonely The Brave UK rockers finally get one out �� 044 Cover feature: 100 Greatest Guitar Riffs

issue 258

lonely the brave

October 2014

044

Gear Ibanez RG9�� Freshman Songwriter SONGOCRW�� T-Rex SoulMate��

Round-up Vintage Reissued Series�� Vox AC15C1-V-RD ��

Ibanez rg9

082

008

Washburn LSB768SEK ��

first look

Round-up Xotic and EWS pedals �� Quick tests TC Electronic Alter Ego X4 Vintage

Echo, Seymour Duncan Dirty Deed Distortion ��

Accessories ��

082 084 085 086 090 091 092 094 095

techniques

066

Marmozets

058

chuck ragan

Guitar Workout Pentatonic Runs �� Guest Lesson Marty Friedman Pt 3 �� Ask TG Sweep picking�� Get Your Grades! Rockschool �� Get Your Grades! RGT �� Tab Guide ��

097 102 104 106 107 110

Subscribe now & Save! Subscribe to Total Guitar and get a Blackstar LT Dist pedal! p108

october 2014

first look…

Weapon of Troy QOTSA guitarist gets a signature Jazzmaster

e’re huge fans of Queens Of The Stone Age and A Perfect Circle here at TG, so we were thrilled when Fender announced the Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster, which comes complete with playing and spec tweaks from the renowned alt-rock guitarist. Although a relatively recent convert to the Jazzmaster fold, Troy knows how to make the model more playable: he’s swapped the oft-knocked rhythm circuit slider with a heavy-duty two-way toggle switch, while the string-popping bridge is replaced with the sturdier Mustang version. There’s also that stunning Oxblood finish and the four-ply tortoiseshell pickguard. The TVL Jazz has a vintage vibe, with ‘witch hat’ controls and block inlays, plus a pair of American Vintage ’65 Jazzmaster single coils, to capture the mellow, crystalline tones the model is famed for. If you’re after a classic Jazzmaster with a few playability tweaks, you can’t go far wrong with Troy’s model, but it’ll cost you: £1,306, to be precise, although street prices are closer to £1,000.

Troy’s signature on the headstock tops things off Photography: Simon Lees

october 2014

first look

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If you’re after a classic Jazzmaster with a few playability tweaks, you can’t go far wrong with Troy’s model, but it’ll cost you

October 2014

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on the road…

31 oct

nov

“ourliveshowis somethingwe’vebeen perfectingsincewe startedasaband. Weplayedover300 showslastyear” october 2014

on the road

Motionless In White

Goth-metaltwosomeprepareforaHalloweenhorrorshow

acabre metalcore upstarts Motionless In White and veteran Italian goths Lacuna Coil may not seem like the most fitting of musical bedfellows, but the pair kick off a co-headline UK tour in Bristol on 31 October, and Ricky Horror, rhythm player for MIW, reckons it’ll be a perfect match. “People should come and experience this,” he enthuses, “It’s going to be a really interesting tour. Lacuna Coil are not in the same style as us, they are completely different to us. But I love going to tours with bands that bring different dynamics to the show. You won’t see the same band playing over and over, when either band goes out there it will be completely fresh. We’re really excited for the tour. We can hit different markets with Lacuna Coil’s fanbase that we haven’t touched before.” Motionless In White head into the tour with a brand new album, Reincarnate, under their belts, and it seems that Ricky can’t wait to bust out a few new tunes on the road. “I’m excited to play the opening track [Death March] of the album. The first time I heard the demo version of it was just the heaviest thing I’d ever heard. I imagine that being the opener of the set at some point, with the sirens blaring and blowing people away with how heavy it is. MIW will be blowing people away at venues across the UK this year

“I almost want to take the last two or three albums we’ve done and throw them away. I want everyone to forget about them. I think we all feel the same because this album is so much more mature and it’s the album we wanted to make four years ago and the album that we wanted to make two years ago but we weren’t quite there yet.” Long-time fans shouldn’t worry though, as despite his eagerness to play Reincarnate front-to-back, Ricky adds that the UK jaunt will most likely see three new tracks aired, so all your old favourites will be on the bill. Ricky’s Ibanez Prestige and Roadcore guitars will also be present and correct, but the rest of his set-up is still up for debate. He tells us that he’s toying with taking a baritone out on the road and, while his Peavey 6505 is set in stone, he may team it up with an Engl Fireball. Whichever rig he goes with, Ricky is confident that a stunning show will be in store. “Our live show is something we’ve been perfecting since we started as a band. We played over 300 shows last year. I hate seeing a band where you can tell they don’t want to be there or they’re having an off day, we try to eliminate that as much as possible.”

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JACK SOCKETS BRIDGES SADDLES TRUSS RODS FERRULES JACK PLATES WASHERS KNOBS MACHINE HEADS TOPNUTS POTENTIOMETERS CAPACITORS PICKUP SURROUNDS STRING TREES STRAP PINS SWITCHES TREMOLO ARMS WIRING KITS TRUSS RODS SCREWS SPRINGS FRET WIRE TREMOLOS

Motionless In White’s co-headline tour with Lacuna Coil starts on 31 October. www.miwofficial.com

ONLY SOLID £7.50* METAL CAPO

*Price subject to availability

USE DISCOUNT CODE: TG10 limited time only

blackdogmusic .co.uk

THE ULTIMATE LINE UP

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OF THE MONTH

Phrygian mode

in association with

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Lydian Mode

b2nd. The b2nd’s dark sound lends itself he Phrygian mode is the third Lydian Scale of Mode the Month to the evil-sounding metal styles of mode of the major scale. For Scale of the Month Contributor: Charlie Grifﬁths Black Sabbath, Slayer and Lamb Of example, the A Phrygian mode God. The also has a flamenco has the notes A Bb C D E F G, which is theEngraved Contributor: Charlie Grifﬁths byscale DigitalMusicArt.Com flavour, which has been employed by same as the key of F major, just starting Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com guitarists such as Al Di Meola, Yngwie on A instead of F – think of the Phrygian Malmsteen and Marty Friedman. mode as the natural minor scale with a

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Reminiscent of Marty Friedman’s flamenco moments, this sets up the minor sound with an initial A minor triad before descending through one octave. Use one finger per fret, and keep your picked notes, hammer-ons and T pull-offs at similar volume.A

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MURKY FET E This summons 80s metal demons Mercyful Fate and Slayer. Slide the A5 powerchord up and down semitone; then, skip to the fourth string and descend through the lower octave. All the notes on beats 2 and 3 fall on the offbeat, so use upstrokes.

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Guitars: Charlie Griffiths

DIA BLO ’s DRI VIN G DAS H

Al Di Meola is the father of modern alternate picking, and this piece evokes his Race With The Devil classic. Start slowly and focus on making each note even in length while consistently picking down, up, down, up. Use palm-muting throughout.

october 2014

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TG helps you blag a new style

ammo

t h i s m o n t h…

Latin Rock

arlos Santana’s name has been synonymous with Latininfluenced rock since the late-1960s. His musical style is a fusion of classic-rock guitar with syncopated rhythms from traditional South American dance forms. Carlos frames most of his playing around the minor pentatonic, often adding major 2nd and 6th intervals to hint at the Dorian mode for a brighter vibe. Try out this month’s lick next time you’re in the guitar shop.

key players: Carlos Santana, Neal Schon, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter, Larry Carlton Key techniques: Syncopated rhythms, Dorian, pentatonic and harmonic minor scale solos

5 2

3 4

Traditional dances such as samba, tango, merengue and more form the rhythmic basis of many Latin rhythm grooves. Bossa nova and salsa are 20th Century styles.

x 5

What You Need To Know

Em9

Carlos Santana is PRS Guitars’ most notable endorser. His model has a mahogany body with a maple top and a mahogany neck with a 24-fret rosewood fretboard.

4 3

Steely Dan dipped their toes in the waters of Latin rock on tracks such as Do It Again and HaitianLatin Divorce. Rock

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Bend the notes at the 15th fret with your third finger and bunch your first and second fingers against it to add support. Add vibrato to the bend by slightly relaxing the string, then re-bending up to pitch, being careful not to over-bend. The held F# at the start of bar 3 enhances the Latin vibe. 1

October 2014

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in praise of…

ElectroHarmonix Big Muff

All hail the world’s most famous fuzz box

n 1969, Electro-Harmonix engineer Robert Myer delivered a dinky fuzz pedal to EHX head honcho, Mike Matthews. Matthews was impressed: unlike other fuzzes of the time, this had a sweet tone, which he described as “funky, soft, muffled”, dubbing it the ‘Muff Fuzz’. But Matthews wanted more. He tasked Myer with producing a new, bigger pedal based on the Muff Fuzz’s circuitry but with longer sustain and three knobs rather than the Muff Fuzz’s single pot. Myer’s solution was the Big Muff, named prosaically after its smaller forerunner and profanely after the slang for a lady’s front bottom. Carlos Santana and John Lennon bought their Muffs in 1971, but the pedal’s first notable outing came in 1972 when Tony Peluso plugged his Big Muff directly into the recording console for his solo on The Carpenters’ Goodbye To Love, while era-defining fuzz tones from Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan later followed. Today, Big Muffs can be seen on the pedalboards of everyone from Arctic Monkeys to U2 – and there’s a multitude of Muffs to choose from, with 14 different models currently in production.

1969

Electro-Harmonix hand-wires the first Big Muff pedals

1991

Cost-effective ‘Sovtek’ Big Muffs are produced in Russia after EHX goes bankrupt

2000

Assembly of Big Muffs is brought back to the USA

2007

EHX trims the size of the Muff down to create the Little Big Muff Pi

october 2014

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Baritone electrics

october 2014

Wanna go low? Check out these three reasonably priced ’tones with tone to spare…

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What the ∫

Theory for lazy b*st*rds

t h i s m o n t h … t h e s tav e

he musical stave (aka ‘staff’) represents the pitch of the notes you play. The idea is that notated music is useful for other players to learn from, especially non-guitarists who wouldn’t be able to learn a piece from a guitar demo. Each black dot represents a note, and the dots are positioned on or between staff lines. Notes that fall outside the pitch of the stave are placed on additional lines (called leger lines). Sharps and flats are shown with # and b signs. Of course, the challenge lies in memorising which lines and spaces refer to which notes. The easiest way to learn is to associate notes of the stave with notes you already know on guitar, such as open strings and chord root notes.

bring the noise!

Stave notes (lines)

Stave notes (spaces)

Open-string notes

Chord root notes on the stave

Remember the names of the notes on the lines with the mnemonic: Every Good Boy Deserves Fun.

From low to high the six open strings on a standard tuned guitar are E, A, D, G, B and E as notated here.

The names of the notes in the spaces are easy to remember with the word: FACE.

Remember your open chords? These are the lowest root notes from C, A, G, E and D chords.

All the notes!

This is as many notes as we could fit on one stave! This takes you from your open sixth string to the 12th fret of your first string, not including sharp or flat notes, or course.

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Coax crazy sounds from your axe

#13: say wah?

uitar wizard Steve Vai has used his guitar to emulate the human voice throughout his career, first with Frank Zappa on tracks such as The Dangerous Kitchen and on solo album tracks such as So Happy, The Audience Is Listening and Ya-Yo Gakk. Steve actually transcribed the notes and rhythms of human speech; the notes are usually a random series of semitones and even microtones, and the rhythms do not stick to a set tempo, which makes it quite a challenge to set to music. Use fret-hand tapping to produce the notes, and employ your guitar’s whammy-bar for pitch bending, and a wah pedal to shape vowel sounds more realistically.

october 2014

step 1 Produce a random series of notes by hammering-on with your fretting hand; try to avoid playing a scale shape and go for unusual intervals such as b2nds, b5ths and b6ths. We’re using E and Bb notes on the fourth and fifth strings.

step 2 Simultaneously use your whammy bar to ‘scoop’ in and ‘doop’ out of notes, as well as accessing microtones, which are tiny intervals ‘in-between’ standard semitones. These can only be played on the guitar by bending strings.

step 3 Use a wah pedal to shape the tone and create the effect of a mouth opening and closing to create vowel sounds. ‘Toe down’ position is mouth fully open and ‘heel down’ position has a ‘closed mouth’ sound.

tg dvd

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sound Advice

Atmospheric volume swells

In a new series, Niko Tsonev visits sonic realms usually reserved for sequencers and synths

volume to its maximum level as he guitar is a magical the notes are ringing. instrument that can create Most pros prefer a volume almost any sound, pedal for swells, the difference especially with the innumerable effects available to guitarists. This (from the guitar’s volume knob) being steadier, more controlled issue, we will look at volume and expressive volume changes swells, which, when combined allowed by pedals. with different effects and playing The trickiest element of this techniques can create chordal technique is timing. To play a beds, synth-like lines, pads and swell in time you must anticipate other-worldly textures. Swells and Pads the picked note, ie, play it before Volume swells are well known Sounddown Advice the beat with the volume to us guitarists; just play a note or Contributor: and take it up so the optimum chord with your guitar volume level is reached on the beat. down, then gradually raise the Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

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Here, we’re developing things by adding a fuzz pedal, which gives richness and body to the sound. Keep the gain low to moderate. Once again, crucially, the volume swells cut off the start of the notes, allowing them to ‘grow’. Delay time is now more than twice as long, at around 1400ms.

october 2014

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in the loop…

TGR258.mon_loop.ﬁg01.musx File Date: 10:10 07/08/2014 Page 1 of 1 Notes:

Folk jig Use your looper pedal to create traditional-style folk jigs and reels

raditional English and Irish folk music is often multilayered with, for example, guitar, violin, mandolin and percussive instruments such as the bodhrán drum. You can approximate these elements on the guitar, using a looper to create a full arrangement. 6/8 time provides the perfect rhythmic basis for a traditional folk jig. Our example is based in the B Mixolydian mode (B C# D# E F# G# A) – a common scale in folk music. On the accompanying audio examples, we used an electric guitar, but if you use an acoustic guitar you could experiment with adding percussive TGR258.mon_loop.ﬁg03.musx sounds by striking the guitar body. File Date: 10:12 07/08/2014

Guitars and backing: Charlie Griffiths

T A B

. .

File Date: 10:11 07/08/2014 Page 1 of .1 44 44 44 ¿¿ ¿¿ 44 44 44 T A . 46 46 46 ¿ ¿ 46 46 46 Notes: B 7 7 7 7 7 7 1

j j œœ œœ ¿¿ ¿¿ n œœœ œœœ œœœ ¿¿ ¿¿ . œœ œœ ¿ ¿ n œœ œœ œœ ¿ ¿ . nœ œ œ

œœ œœ

¿¿ ¿¿ ¿¿

5 4 6 7

¿¿ ¿¿ ¿¿

5 5 6 7 7 5

¿¿ ¿¿ . ¿¿.

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Loop 2: Mandolin style diads

#### 6 . œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ n œœ œœ œœ œœ n œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ . . & #8 . B

The mandolin is tuned quite high and has four pairs of strings. Emulate its sound by playing high on the fretboard and alternate-picking across two strings. A soft, flexible pick will work more smoothly.

into a DAW, such as GarageBand

# ## 6 n œ & # # 8 ..

#### 6 . œœ œœj œ ¿¿ ¿¿ œœ œœj œ ¿¿ ¿¿ # 8 . œœ œœ œœ ¿ ¿ œœ œœ œœ ¿ ¿ & TGR258.mon_loop.ﬁg02.musx œ œ œœ œ œ œœ q.=134

The B, E and A are played using three different barre shapes. The B and E chords can be played with a first finger barre at the 4th fret, but you could use a capo to make things easier.

Page 1 No of 1 looper pedal? We’ve included audio files on your TGCD for you to import Notes:

L o o p 3 : M e l o dy

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Loop 1: Chord strumming

Folk Reel

. .

T A B

19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19

In The Loop 19 19 19 19 19 19 16 16 16 17 17 19 19 17 17 16 16 16 19 19 19 19 19 19 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 . Contributor: Charlie Grifﬁths. Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

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œ œ œ

œ 9

nœ 10

œ 9

œ nœ

œ 9

œ 10

.. . .

Folk jigs typically have melodies that are fiddly and technically challenging on the guitar. The first two bars are played with your first, second and third fingers positioned at the 7th, 9th and 10th frets. Quickly reposition your hand to barre the 9th fret with your first finger when you reach bar 3. october 2014

in the studio

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In the Studio

LEGENDARY MUSIC STRINGS SINCE 1958

Jack using the Kemper Profiling amp during the recent studio sessions

Artist:

sleeping WiTh sirens

Post-hardcore workaholics bringing the edge back to daytime radio

“There’s no rock on the radio anymore,“ says Sleeping With Sirens’ Jack Fowler. “You can’t turn on the radio and hear rock, it’s all Iggy Azalea. Hey, I shake my ass to that sh*t all day long, but everything on the radio is in the pop realm, there’s no edginess. We’re going to try to change that with this album.” With that mission statement in mind, the US post-hardcore chart climbers are in the studio with John Feldmann, and Fowler admits working with the producer is a treat. “He’s helping our band become something different and original. After hearing The Used records and Story Of The Year records growing up, I’ve always wanted to work him him, so it’s a dream come true.” Jack tells us that the record is 70 per cent finished, and that it comes on the back of a period of reflection brought on by the departure of rhythm player Jesse Lawson. “I had a lot of time to think after Jesse’s departure, and we wanted to reinvent ourselves. We’re still the same band but this is the next step to changing the game.” That isn’t the only game-changing event to hit the band in the last year or

The Music Man Reflex suits Fowler’s penchant for slab bodies and twin humbuckers

so. The release of 2013’s Feel skyrocketed the band’s popularity, giving them a top-three chart place in the States in the process. “We love Feel, but we’ve toured that album. Kids have no attention span, they want something quick, something high-energy, and we’re going to give it to them. We’re not just going to disappear for a year.” But, despite the as-yet untitled album being set to be their fourth record in as many years, Jack is adamant that Sleeping With Sirens specialise in quality, as well as quantity. “We always push the limits and do something new that everyone else isn’t doing. It’s the same with this album, it sounds like nothing else out right now. This is a brand-new sound, it’s not a bullsh*t radio pop album, it’s a punk rock ’n’ roll record that the kids are going to want to hear.” Said kids will get a chance to hear plenty of the new tunes when Sleeping With Sirens team up with Pierce The Veil for a huge co-headline tour later this year. “We have this really fast song that’s slightly Rage-y, slightly punk-y. It’s one of those festival riffs, you will hear the riff and you won’t be able to stop yourself jumping to the riff.”

Album name and release is TBA. For more information, visit www.sleepingwithsirens.net.

MICHAEL AMOTT

ROTOSOUND PLAYER

NEW MOISTURE PROOF, PAPER FREE FOIL POUCHES KEEPING OUR STRINGS FACTORY FRESH

WORLD FAMOUS MUSIC STRINGS WWW.ROTOSOUND.COM FACEBOOK.COM/ROTOSOUND TWITTER.COM/ROTOSOUND_UK PROUDLY MADE IN ENGLAND

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 o n t h e

King 810

u L p

All hail the bearers of an inconvenient truth

istening to King 810 is like the first time you heard Slipknot: enthralling, inspiring and terrifying all at the same time. Formed and raised in Flint, Michigan (AKA ‘Murder Town’), they’ve spent their lives in one of the most dangerous cities in the US, witnessing people in extraordinary circ*mstances pushed to extremes. “Kind of… desperate,” is how guitarist Andrew Beal describes their hometown. “When you take away the jobs, people have still got to eat, they’ve still got to live and they’re going to do what they have to do –whatever that may be.” King 810 talk about the things that people don’t like to talk about and they don’t hold back –you have been warned. They’ve come under criticism for glorifying weapons and violence, which is kind of missing the point of a band using shock tactics to highlight a shocking reality. “It’s everywhere you go [in Flint], it’s kind of unavoidable, so of course it’s going to influence our music. How could it not?” says Andrew. “Music is the best way we know how to say what we need to say, so that’s what’s happened.” The sound is predictably heavy – Andrew plays an LTD EC1000 in drop-A tuning through two Peavey 6505s – but the album Memoirs Of A Murderer (out now) is far

OCToBER 2014

more varied than early EPs have indicated. “Everybody focuses on the heavy, or the violent aspect,” Andrew considers. “But when this album drops, they’re not going to be able to define it. It’s got a broader perspective.” The band were originally due to make their UK debut at this year’s Download Festival, but failed to make it after two band members were arrested (for an old GBH charge) shortly before they were to board their plane at Flint airport. “I don’t know how much I should talk about it. But everything’s going to be fine,” is all Andrew will say. Nevertheless, King 810 will now be heading UK-ward for a string of dates in late September. But will it work this side of the Atlantic? “I think it translates,” considers Andrew.“Because,yeah, it’s about Flint, but everybody has their own struggles and I think they can connect in that way, if nothing else. I know we’re definitely looking forward to it and expecting big things.” Fans of compelling, uncompromising metal should consider the tour unmissable. For fans of: Slipknot, Pantera Hear: Fat Around The Heart

on the up

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Fatherson

Glistening indie-rock from the great outdoors just bashing the guitar,” he recalls. “I wouldn’t even have my fingers on the fretboard! I would invite people up to my room and be like, ‘Go on, listen to this!’” These days, he’s mainly to be found bashing a Levinson S-type or a Gibson ES-335 through a 1973 Fender Twin. “I still like the sound of just a guitar and an amp,” says Ross. “So many people are running their guitars through something that looks like Battlestar Galactica, but I’m just like: ‘Get a guitar. Get an amp. And when you smash out that first chord, if it doesn’t make your skin crawl, it's not working.” Fatherson tour with We Were Promised Jet Packs this month. For fans of: Lonely The Brave HEAR: Mine For Me

Alpha Male Tea Party Riff madness that’s just our cup of chai

escribing Alpha Male Tea Party is something of a challenge, so let’s settle on ‘predominantly-instrumental, utterly exhilarating heavy rock’. The Liverpool trio are the brainchild of guitarist Tom Peters – a man who sounds as if he was birthed axe-in-hand and charged by the gods to destroy humanity’s meagre concept of rock music. The truth is a bit different. “I got my first guitar when I was 10. It was a right old sh*tbox and I couldn’t play it,” says Tom. “Then there was a gig in our local pub and one of the guitarists happened to be [Fairport Convention whizz] Jerry Donahue, so the first time I played a proper guitar was when he handed me his Telecaster and I tried to wrap my fingers around a D chord.” The Tele left a lasting impression, and Tom later

secured his own US model, which he still uses today, alongside a much-loved Laney Lionheart, a prototype Plexi clone, a Paul Cochrane Tim overdrive and a list of other pedals longer than a Rush bootleg. So why is Tom’s predominantly instrumental band not boring, when so many other predominantly instrumental bands are? “That’s a good question –and so loaded with judgement!” he says. “I just want to prove you can make energetic, fun-sounding music that doesn’t have singing in it. That it can be fun and bouncy and aggressive and evoke a sense of joy inside you.” If that’s the mission, AMTP are going the right way about it. For fans of: Mastodon Hear: I Haven't Had A Lunch Break Since Windows Vista Came Out

OCTOBER 2014

Photography: Jeremy Deputat Phil Sharp Emily Wylde

rom gritty Flint, to serene Loch Lomond – the stunning body of water has been both a refuge and an inspiration for Fatherson’s Ross Leighton. “People call me the ‘home and water boy’ because all I ever seem to write about is going home and being near the water,” says Ross. “I spent all of my holidays next to this loch. It completely shaped me and I still write best when I’m close to there.” With his Glasgow-based band, Ross translates this connection with the outdoors into airy, anthemic indie-rock songs that recall the likes of Lonely The Brave and fellow countrymen Frightened Rabbit – something no doubt aided by his other formative influence: loud noises. “I remember getting an amp with a distortion channel on it and

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Albums Weezer

Everything Will Be Alright In The End

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators

It’s not easy being a Weezer fan. Since the fuzzy pop perfection of 1994’s self-titled ‘Blue Album’ and 1996’s Pinkerton, Rivers Cuomo and co’s magic touch has revealed itself only in flashes, and gems have been frustratingly scarce amongst throwaway filler. For their ninth studio album, the twin decisions to allow Cuomo more writing time and to reunite with Blue producer Ric Ocasek have paid major dividends, with the band’s dense signature rhythm guitar sound, artfully skewed lead breaks and timeless vocal melodies all making a welcome return. Chris Vinnicombe Download: Lonely Girl

World On Fire

slash:

the last album i bought… gojira l’enfant sauvage “I’ve found recently, that the most innovative and interesting stuff is in the metal bands, it’s not really in straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. With Gojira, it’s the way they do the double bass and the guitar riffs together, and the chord changes. Then there’s a lot of harmonic parts going on, which make it very epic. But it’s very musical, and even with that vocal style, he manages to make it work in a very melodic way. I really dig it.”

exceptional

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| excellent

f he was so inclined, Slash could easily sit back and coast on his name and the undisputed classic songs he’s had a fretting hand in, while occasionally thinking back on the antics of the diva frontmen in his two previous bands with gritted teeth. But he’s still got far too much to offer; this whopping 17-strong surge finds him in rude creative health and, to be frank, he’s on fire. Clearly, Mr Hudson has found his perfect 21st Century muse in Alter Bridge’s Myles Kennedy – here focusing solely on vocal duties – and the synergy of the whole band feels honed; the songs are simply stronger and hit harder than 2012’s Apocalyptic Love. Shadow Life locks in with attitude before a surging chorus; Automatic Overdrive and Wicked Stone’s joyrides are even faster; the former’s weaving riff bleeds into the chorus melody beautifully. You wait for the filler, but it doesn’t come. Instead, there are premium Slash-isms (30 Years To Life’s Paradise City-esque pacing, the Battleground solo’s channelled emotion) and reminders that many try, but nobody can deliver proper balls to the wall rock ’n’ roll like an on-form Slash.

Rob Laing Download: The Dissident | good

| for fans of

| poor

Royal Blood

Royal Blood Brighton duo Royal Blood waste little time on this debut release, unleashing savage, hooky riffs and pulverising drums from the get-go. There are few concessions to light and shade, but the two-piece succeed in making a massive wanton noise, with bassist Mike Kerr’s closelyguarded rig firing out vertiginous pitch-shifted bass-as-guitar lines that evoke early Muse. From lusty opener Out Of The Black on, the subject matter is universally dark, and in Little Monster Royal Blood have a cast-iron contender for riff of the year. An uncompromising, exhilarating debut. Gary Walker Download: Little Monster

albums

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Grant Nicholas

Lower Than Atlantis

This Will Destroy You

Meshuggah

It’s not overly surprising that Feeder’s songwriter has taken a mid-paced, acoustic approach for his first solo record, opting to touch upon some of the more intimate side of his craft and eschewing the riffy fuzz-soaked side of his playing. But the anthemic is innate in his songwriting, regardless; the Pushing The Senses vibes of Vampires and Hope especially, with the more stripped Autumnal singer/songwriter fare Broken Resolutions and Soul Mates adding a less enticing flavour with their double-tracked vocals. But, all told, it’s a case of solid tunes over any self indulgence from Nicholas. David Hands Download: Vampires

For major-label debut, Changing Tune, LTA were rushed into recording and came out with an energetic record that, in hindsight, needed honing. Unceremoniously dropped, the Watford rockers spent a year assembling their own studio, management team and prepared to make this stupendous step forward. It’s their most accessible, varied record to date – and it’s got more hooks than a Peter Pan convention. English Kids In America and Emily are hits-in-waiting, but this is an album full of singles. Somewhere, in a major-label office, echoes the sound of an executive face-palm. Matt Parker Download: Emily

TWDY’s doomy second album, Tunnel Blanket, shrugged off a lot of the band’s post-rock characteristics to create something more esoteric and ambient. If that was them spreading their wings, Another Language is them returning to their post-rock heartland. From opener New Topia onwards, the combo of delicate delay-heavy clean lines and atmospheric sampling is the bedrock on which myriad textures are laid – from soaring lead lines, to crushingly heavy walls of sound. It’s a perfect example of using dynamics for emotive effect, and establishes TWDY as true post-rock heavyweights. Josh Gardner Download: War Prayer

The experience of seeing this band can take you by surprise: the Swedes are a disciplined live machine, with Hagström and Thordendal’s modelled tones nailing their recorded sound. Therein lies the rub; the production of their second live DVD delivers pitch-perfect renditions of mostly Koloss and obZen songs, bathed in red light on their 2013 European tour in front of crowds who seem confused as to how they should move to polyrhythms. With no extras, it’s simply not an essential purchase for the intrigued, though a clear demonstration of musical prowess. Rob Laing

Twin Atlantic

Joe Bonamassa

Earth

Paul Gilbert

2011’s Free catapulted Twin Atlantic from the inside of a battered van touring the circuit to Radio One A-listers. Now the songwriting gloves are off, but in the pursuit of larger venues and the requisite ‘big tunes’, some of the lyrics are perhaps a little heavy-handed (Heart And Soul, Be A Kid). On the plus side, lead man Barry McKenna has stepped up and become the tasteful Edge-like lead player we always suspected he could be, and songs such as Fall Into The Party prove that Twin have not lost the knack when it comes to penning an empowering riff or three. Matt Parker Download: Fall Into The Party

Joe’s 12th solo album claims to be his first without a cover, but opener Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) is actually a take on an obscure Hendrix track, with a slow, loping riff-based jam in E – er, nevermind, then… From there on in, he tackles horn-embellished, funky rock, scuzzy shuffles, ballads and stomping Zep-esque riffs, but every song has an unexpected chordal, rhythmic or soloing twist. Having said that, the standout track is the most traditional of the lot – I Gave Up Everything For You, ‘Cept The Blues sounds like a vintage slice of Buddy Guy. Bill Weaving Download: I Gave Up Everything For You, ‘Cept The Blues

10 albums in, Earth’s dedication to sludge-hammer riffery and fuzz-heavy drones continues, and with guest vocals from Mark Lanegan, this is one of the more accessible releases in a 25-year career. Dylan Carlson unleashes his trademark bursts of feedback and uneasy melodies throughout – Rooks Across The Gate conjures images of desolate Western plains, with bursts of clean lead over perpetual distortion, while There Is A Serpent Coming is as foreboding as you’d expect from the title, thanks to Carlson’s lithe fretwork. A masterclass in guitar-led atmosphere. Michael Brown Download: Rooks Across The Gate

Few guitarists have Gilbert’s unbridled sense of fun, and here, he reinvigorates his playing with instrumental covers of tracks by his favourite singers, including James Brown, The Beatles and, erm, Loverboy. This lends Paul’s licks a playful edge as he recreates each track’s vocal nuances, most notably on the heavily vibrato’d bends in Aerosmith’s Back In The Saddle. The incendiary solos on Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road are the highlight, though, and prove that whatever he’s playing, Gilbert’s incomparable voice on the guitar shines through. Michael Brown Download: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Yorktown Heights

Great Divide

Lower Than Atlantis

Different Shades Of Blue

Another Language

Primitive And Deadly

The Ophidian Trek

Stone Pushing Uphill Man

october 2014

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the magic for me. I’d be happy with that, y’know.”

There goes my hero… “You can always get a guitar lesson from someone. Even if you’re Chet Atkins, you can still learn. And I was actually gonna say Chet – but I did get a guitar lesson from him, so I’ve actually fulfilled that dream. Of course, he’s been gone a long time, but on the jazz side, wouldn’t it be amazing if you could get a lesson from Wes Montgomery? He was so outside the box. I’d just like to say to him, ‘What were you thinking?’” Built for speed… “It’s hard to talk about your own playing, but I think my biggest strength is my diversity. I mix everything up, all different styles. But there’s always room for improvement. Sometimes, I catch myself going a little too fast. Sometimes, I need to just stop and hold a note. It can mean more than playing a dozen of ’em.”

5 minutes alone

Brian Setzer Back with new album Rockabilly Riot, the quiffy king of twang guitar talks Beatles, Bb, and the magic of the Fender Bassman…

Brian once received a guitar lesson from his hero, Chet Atkins

was about seven, and I loved it, but my parents weren’t musical and I didn’t know what made that sound. So that’s when I thought, ‘That’s the thing that makes the sound I love.’”

of Jess Oliver put it back together for me. He was the president of Ampeg, but he was a local guy who loved kids, and he’d take you in his basem*nt and show you how stuff worked.”

Three steps to heaven… “The dream guitar was the orange Gretsch 6120. Y’know, the Eddie Cochran guitar. And I did get it. I found it in my local newspaper, in the ads. It was a hundred bucks. I went over and the guy had the guitar on one side and all the electronics in a shoebox – and no case. A hundred bucks: take it or leave it. A gentleman by the name

On an island in the sun… “My setup hasn’t really changed since I was 17 years old. I’ve never been able to beat the ’63 Bassman. It was a really odd year, because they only made it for about nine months, then they changed the circuitry. So I’d take the 2x12 Bassman to a desert island, along with my ’59 Gretsch 6120 and the Roland Space Echo. That makes

“There’s different tricks you can pull off in flat keys and sharp keys you can’t do in natural keys” 32

october 2014

Don't let me be misunderstood… “I think the biggest misconception about me is from people who think my style of playing has to be strictly limited to rockabilly. Everyone has a different opinion on what you should be doing. Some people want you to just do one thing, right down the middle… but that’s not me, y’know? I absorb many things, and it just comes outta my hands. I can’t even describe how it happens.” Brian Setzer's new album Rockabilly Riot: All Original is out now.

Photography: FilmMagic/Getty Images Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

I got my first real six-string… “My very first guitar was a Harmony Rocket. My dad was a labourer and he didn’t have any money, so that was a big deal. And the defining moment for me to play the guitar was seeing a picture of The Beatles in a record shop. George – just being a wise-guy – had the neck of his Gretsch across the necks of the other Beatles. I’d already heard The Beatles on a jukebox when I

Rock ’n’ roll high school… “I can give you a piece of advice on songwriting, actually, from that guitar lesson with Chet Atkins. He said to me, ‘It’s good that you’re playing in Bb and Db, because that’s thinking outside the box’. It’s funny the stuff that comes out of your guitar in weird horn keys. Most rockers play in E or A. But when you play in Bb, listen to how cool the riffs sound. There’s different tricks you can pull off in flat keys and sharp keys you can’t do in natural keys. Try fooling around in C# – you might come up with something.”

rig tour

winery dogs words: matthew parker

photography: will ireland

Richie Kotzen offers TG a forensic explanation of one of the most succinct, thoughtful and highly customised rigs we’ve seen…

video

w w w.b it .l y/

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october 2014

Richie with his rented Super Lead Plexi backline: “It’s loud and very percussive, which is important to me”

Fender Richie Kotzen Telecaster

“I still get a Tele sound when I roll the volume down. But when I roll the volume back up, it’s a little more aggressive than the average Telecaster” 36

october 2014

e’s toured with everyone from Poison to Mr Big and now – after the best part of a year with Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan as hardrocking power trio, The Winery Dogs –what Richie Kotzen doesn’t know about live tone ain’t worth knowing. Imagine our surprise, then, when we turned up for a guided tour of his rig and found it consisted of no more than five items. ‘Convenience without compromise’ is Richie’s, err, ‘dog-ma’, so while things may look simple from a distance, look closer and you’ll discover there’s some cunning custom gear at work.

“I’ll start with the guitar I play. This is my signature-model Telecaster. The original one came out in Japan in 1996, and it’s now available throughout the world. There are a couple of unique things on it I’ll talk you through…”

Neck

“First of all, the neck. It’s a maple neck and it’s thicker than your average Telecaster. We spent a lot of time getting the dimensions that I wanted – something that I felt fit my hand – and we settled on this [a large C-shape, in satin urethane finish]. It has large frets, I think they’re called 6100s [aka Jumbo frets].”

Body

“As far as the body goes, there’s a slight [forearm] contour that’s normally not

winery dogs

rig tour

Richie’s signature-model Tele has jumbo frets and a thicker-than-average neck

found on the Telecaster and then, on the back, it’s comfort cut, more like a Strat, but we put it on the Tele because it makes it more comfortable to play. As for the wood, it’s a flame [maple] top and a swamp ash back.”

Hipshot GT2 Electric Xtender

if you look at the headstock, you’ll 3 “Next, notice a drop-D tuner [a levered tuning peg that when engaged, drops the sixth, low E string a full step down to D]. It’s more commonly seen on a bass guitar, but I wanted one here. Like the rest of the hardware, it’s in gold.”

Pickups

pickups are made by DiMarzio and in 4 “The the neck, you have the Twang King Neck, and in the bridge, you have The Chopper T Bridge. It’s a higher output than a standard

Telecaster pickup, but it’s not nearly as highoutput as some of the humbuckers that you hear. It allows me to still get a Telecaster sound when I roll the volume down. Then, when I roll the volume up, it’s a little more aggressive than the average Telecaster.”

Electronics

“The electronics are pretty simple. The controls are just [the traditional] bridge, middle and neck switching. However, the tone knob is not just a tone knob. It’s a series/parallel switch for the middle position, so that gives you an extra tonality. The other thing that is aftermarket on the guitaris this white disc, which is a built-in guitar tuner. If I flick the switch next to it, it lights up and I can check my tuning. It mutes the input. If I’m in the dressing room, or even onstage between songs, I can check my tuning very quickly and it’s very accurate.”

This built-in tuner is a subtle yet useful addition to Kotzen’s touring guitar

october 2014

Richie plays with his fingers, so uses the dynamic range of his Marshalls to full effect

Tech 21 Fly Rig 5

Marshall 1959SLP Plexi head

“Normally, when I’m on my own gear –this is rented gear –I use the Marshall HW, which is a 100-watt Plexi, and it’s hand-wired. I don’t have that with me here in London, so we rented the 100-watt Super Lead Plexi. I like it because it’s a very simple amp. It’s loud and it’s very percussive, which is important for me, because I play with my fingers, so I need an amp that responds [to dynamic playing]. If I play harder, I want it to be louder, if I play soft, I want it to be quiet. This amp does that very well and that’s why I gravitate towards these. “I’ve run them many different ways. I used to jump the channels [the process of patching the amp’s two inputs together to double the available gain] but lately, I’m finding that I’m getting a better sound just by plugging into the second channel, the top input. Then I’m running the treble, the middle and the bass all the way up,

october 2014

presence is about halfway and then the volume just depends on the room. “Because of the overdrive pedal I’m using, I can actually have this amp relatively low and still get a good aggressive overdrive. Normally, to get these amps to give a good overdrive, you crank ’em, which I do in a larger room, but because of the pedal I designed, I’m able to get the sound I want and not have to drive the amp quite as hard as I used to.”

cabs

“As for the speakers, I’m using the 30-watt Celestions. I like them more than the 70-watt, because they have a smaller cone and somehow that changes the sound. Years ago, I AB’d a bunch of cabinets and I went through the 25-watt speakers, the 30s and the 70s and, for whatever reason, I preferred the 30s. I don’t even remember why, but now that’s what I always ask for when I don’t have my own rig.”

“Years ago, I had this idea to take an overdrive and a delay pedal and put it in one box, because I was doing a lot of travelling and a lot of fly dates where I was in and out and I didn’t want to have to deal with cables. I made this black box that had two switches that controlled the reverb and tremolo of the amp, with another two switches for the delay and another two switches for the overdrive. All of the components were inside one unit, hard-wired together and it was very convenient. Now I’ve teamed up with Tech 21 and we’ve found a way to make this in a much more professional – andmore reliable –way. It’s called the Fly Rig and this particular Fly Rig is my personal signature model. We spent about six months working on it to try and get the voicing correct for the distortion. If you look at it you see there are five buttons here. I’ll deal with the overdrive first…”

Overdrive section

“The ‘on’ button turns the overdrive on and off. Then you have the level, tone and drive control. The tone control works pretty much like the tone control on a guitar, where you’re actually removing the treble. We voiced it so that when it was somewhere around the middle, it sounded how I wanted it to sound – meaning you then have the option to add or subtract treble. It also has a boost function that you can use with the initial stage, or without. So, for example, you can set the overdrive to be your aggressive tone with the volume full-out on the guitar

winery dogs

and you can do solos, then, if you need a little more to push it over the edge, you can turn the boost on. Or you can do the opposite and leave the boost on [independently] and then boost the amp [by engaging the overdrive circuit] for a different kind of distortion – so it’s a pretty flexible situation.”

Delay section

“Over on the left is the delay. Again, the ‘on’ switch turns the delay effect on and off, then on the left you have a tap-tempo switch, which I use all of the time. You set the tempo of the song –once the drums start, or if I start it –and that way I can have the delay be in time with what I’m playing. If you notice here too, there’s also a ‘drift’ control. If you turn that on, it’ll give a slight chorusing effect.”

rig tour

production models, this is something we did for mine –was adding phantom power. “Now, when you plug in a stereo quarterinch cable [to the Fly Rig’s input] you have your audio going through there, but at the same time, it’s sending DC voltage to the wah, so the wah is seeing power from the Fly Rig. “To make that happen, you have to modify the wah, and modify the pedal, but once you do that you don’t need a battery or an adaptor for the wah pedal.”

Dunlop Cry Baby wah

“This is the last thing in my rig. It’s a standard Dunlop classic wah. There’s no extra boost, or voicing, or extra potentiometers. It’s a straight wah.”

SansAmp

“In the middle, the company, Tech 21, invented the SansAmp [an all-analogue amp and speaker emulator], so we decided to put a SansAmp in here as an extra option. Even if you don’t use the SansAmp, if you set it to neutral, you can still use the reverb circuit and use the middle ‘on’ footswitch as a reverb, which is what I do most of the time. Or, if you’re doing a fly date and you’re on an amp that isn’t what you’d normally play through, the SansAmp can be used to change the voicing of the amp to something that’s more like what you’re used to.”

phantom power mod

“The final thing that we did on the Fly Rig –and this modification will not be on the

Richie designed the versatile delay-and-drive Fly Rig in conjunction with Tech 21

october 2014

WIN!

Worth

£899

aSE ‘Floyd’ PRS Custom 24

Plus £100 worth of PRS goodies for two runners-up! If

you want to get going with this issue’s 20 riffs, you’ll need a guitar that’s up to the task. The PRS SE ‘Floyd’ Custom 24 is one axe that’s sure to deliver, and thanks to the good folks at PRS Guitars Europe, we have one of these Vintage Sunburst-finished beauties to give away, along with a host of PRS goodies for two runners-up. The SE ‘Floyd’ Custom 24 combines Paul Reed Smith’s classic Custom outline with a Floyd Rose 1000 Series vibrato for highly charged whammy thrills and red-hot tones, courtesy of the coilsplittable SE HFS Treble and Vintage Bass humbuckers. If you’re not quite lucky enough to get your hands on the ‘Floyd’, we have two PRS goodie packs to give away, including a t-shirt, cap, lanyard, four sets of strings, bottle of guitar cleaner and cloth – worth £100 per set! To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question correctly:

Which of these is the name of a PRS guitar line? a S2 b R9 c F1 Head over to www.futurecomps.co.uk/tg258prs to enter.

T&Cs: The competition is open to UK entrants only. Under 18s must obtain parental consent to enter this competition and be able to demonstrate this to Total Guitar’s reasonable satisfaction. Answers must be received between 23/08/2014 and 28/09/2014. The winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received between the relevant dates and will be sent the prize free of charge. Each winner will be notified within 28 days of the closing date and will be required to give details of a delivery address in the UK to which the prize should be sent. By entering this competition, you consent to us using your personal details to send you information about products and services of Future and PRS Guitars Europe which may be of interest to you. For full terms and conditions, please go to: www.futurenet.com/futureonline/competitionrules.asp

october 2014

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sta r p r i z e !

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TC Electronic PolyTune tuner No more tuning one string at a time – the PolyTune 2 lets you tune all six strings at once! www.tcelectronic.com

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Thrown for a loop

Hi, after reading your article on loopers, I took the plunge and got a Boss RC-30. Well, I have not spent so much time in the spare bedroom since the wife found out I spent 700 quid on a guitar just before out daughter was born! Anyway what a thing of joy the RC-30 is – I have already done a few solo gigs, still trying to master the effects and second channel change. Thank you for introducing me to loopers! Tony Gardner, email Hi Tony, glad you’re enjoying using your looper. Check out our regular In The Loop series omn p26 for more inspiration. For now, here’s a PolyTune to make sure those loops are all in tune!

Ta b l a s u r e ?

N o - way- s i s ?

Hi, I have been taking regular lessons now for four years after rediscovering my love for guitar as my two boys 11 and nine got interested. As well as theory, a good part of each lesson is taken up with learning new songs. Accurate tab is therefore important to me, even though I’m experienced enough to ignore the mistakes and string catches that get tabbed too! The statement that you can get any song you like off the internet for free, made when you decided to ditch that part of your mag, is true, but it’s also true that you get 10 different versions into the bargain, which can waste a lot of time. Bring back the tabs my friends, your magazine is just not the same without it. It also used to differentiate you from other magazines, not so any longer.

Hey TG, great magazine as always. But this year I have been a little dumbfounded as to why there has been no Oasis 20-year celebration of Definitely Maybe? Now, I know people don’t cut Liam or Noel much slack because of their ‘Manc Attitude’ but that’s not to say they didn’t reinvent 90s rock ’n’ roll. I’m no Oasis superfan or anything, but I think people deserve credit where it’s due, and they should get some. 21 Top 10 hit singles (don’t quote me on that) speaks for itself! And they were a guitardriven band! Come on TG don’t tell me you haven’t got a soft spot for the brothers? Or maybe, you don’t really wanna know!

David Ashdown, via email

facebook.com/totalguitar “Ibanez now makes a nine-string. Mother of God, where will it all end?”   Robert Bruckner, Facebook 42

october 2014

though Noel’s handsome visage adorns Final Countdown on p112…

’lock blocked Hi TG, I really enjoyed issue 255 - revisiting those classic Zeppelin riffs was a whole lotta fun, and I discovered I had quite a bit of brushing up to do when I thought I had them down. Reading Rich Sweeney’s letter has also inspired me to acquire some straplocks of my own (could you please recommend a good brand?). Oh, and the Nile Rodgers and Jeff Beck features are tremendous! Alfie Williams, via email

PS: Love the new layout and matt cover you’ve used on issue 257 – keep it coming!

Jonathan Henry, via email Hi Jonathan, we’re big fans of Oasis, alas, we haven’t been able to squeeze in a feature about Definitely Maybe,

twitter.com/totalguitar “Got my copy of @TotalGuitar and nice section on @RivalSons – the riffs will be #facemelting” Lisa, Twitter

“The new Slipknot track feels like a trip back to their roots. I like it, can’t wait to hear more.”  Craig Evans, Facebook

Hi Rich, there are loads of straplocks out there, but check out the Straptight Straplocks, reviewed on p95 – we were very impressed!

hot shots

Think we can all agree that this is a wheely impressive pedalboard

This James Kenyon, month’s winner Manchester

Send us your pics and win an orange amp worth £193! Email your shots to us with your full name and address. The best wins an Orange Crush PiX CR35LDX amp.

www.orangeamps.com

youtube.com/totalguitar “Just brought an old Satellite Les Paul from the 1970s, can’t wait to hear how it sounds @totalguitar”  Sound Unique, Twitter

#Speak up… Don’t be shy

interview

lonely the brave

video

w w w.bit .l

october 2014

y/tg258lt

lonely the brave

interview

brave|new|world From sleeping in their drummer’s dad’s van to gigging with Springsteen in the space of a year, Lonely The Brave’s astonishing rise continues Words: Stuart Williams Portrait: Adam Gasson

ambridgeshire rock band Lonely The Brave are one of the most exciting new bands in the UK. Despite having recorded their debut album, The Day’s War – a captivating mixture of post rock, grunge, punk and Britrock – over a year ago, numerous complications, including two record deals, have meant that it’s only just been released. In the interim, a four-track EP has seen LTB catapulted to sharing stages with bona fide legends such as Aerosmith and Neil Young, recruit and replace a guitarist, and sign a major-label deal. We caught up with gear-obsessed guitar mainstay, Mark Trotter…

When you started out, did you have an idea of how you wanted the band to sound? “Honest to god, we’ve never had any sort of formula or sat down and talked about it. It’s just the sum of its parts really, we’re all into such different music, it’s why it sounds like us. I don’t think I could be like, ‘Right, we’re gonna write a song like this’, or ‘We’re gonna be a band that sounds a certain way’, because it’s all so diverse. It’s all about soundscapes for me!”

what I call them. Bands like This Will Destroy You and Explosions In The Sky, who do that kind of textured/layered guitar thing so well. A lot of it is actually from film scores. I like the idea of trying to play string parts on the guitar, if that makes any sense…”

You have a big appreciation for huge riffs, too, though… “I really like big rhythm players, and they tend to be guys from bands that only had one guitar player. So, Peter Buck, he’s probably not the most technical guitar player in the world, but I like that. Big chords, and you can tell it’s him from a mile off. James Dean Bradfield, back in the day, did some great stuff. Technically they were a two-guitar band, but they weren’t really! He could riff, man, and he still can!

“We’ve played with Springsteen, but also opened for Deftones”

The album starts and finishes with some big, lush guitar soundscapes: was that your idea? “That was just me jamming around the studio and the producer just hit record. I was amazed because I got to play with a real Roland Space Echo! I was having hours of fun to myself with this little tape box fluttering away and making these bizarre noises and cutting out just when you didn’t want it to! Live, I use an Empress Super Delay that gets close. It gets a bit too digital at times, but any of those kind of delays do, because it’s not got that organic, ‘It’s gonna f*ck up at any time’ sound!” Where do your post-rock influences come from? “Again, it’s one of many things I adore, but the band that started that for me are Mogwai. Certainly over here, anyway. Even though they probably wouldn’t call it post-rock, it’s

The guitar work on Motorcycle Emptiness or something like that, there wasn’t a great deal of stuff like that happening at the time. “At the other end of the spectrum – I was a big fan of Radiohead growing up, and that’s probably where a lot of the textural stuff comes from. I love Jonny Greenwood because he’s kind of the anti-guitar hero in a lot of respects. It seems that the guitar is just a vehicle to get across what he wants, he’s not really that fussed about it even though he’s kind of reinvented it in his own way. The Wildhearts – Britrock was kind of my place to be, too.”

LTB are versatile enough to play at Download, but you wouldn’t sound out of place playing with an indie band either. Do you see that as an advantage? “It’s a really weird one, we say the same thing, I think people struggle where to put us, which I see as quite a great thing because we can do such a variety of shows. In the last 18 months we’ve played with Bruce Springsteen, but we’ve also opened for Deftones and we’re playing with Neil Young. So to be able to hop between those bands is a real honour. It’s just rock music, I guess.” The album has been finished, and delayed for quite a long time. Have you started writing new material? “Yeah, I’m actually at the rehearsal studio now, we’re writing at the moment. So we’re quite a long way into what will hopefully be album number two. We always kept joking that we wanted to finish the second one before the first one was out, just for fun!”

Mark’s beloved 1989 Gibson SG is all over Lonely The Brave’s debut

Did you record the album as a live set-up? It sounds like a band playing together… “We had so little money when we went to do the record, like literally no money. We scraped together every penny we had and could beg, steal or borrow to go and do it. All we wanted from it was a good, solid version of how we sound when we play live, and I think the producer Mark Williams did a really good job of capturing that. It was a october 2014

interview

lonely the brave

LTB, l to r: Andrew Bushen, Ross Smithwick, David Jakes, Gavin Edgeley and Mark Trotter

little studio in Aylesbury and every night we were sleeping in [drummer Gavin ‘Mo’ Edgeley] Mo’s dad’s builder’s van outside with the tools still in it. Then when we didn’t have that, every so often the guy who owned the studio would let us sleep on the floor in the studio, and we were going down the swimming pool every other day for showers because there were no showers there, but we couldn’t afford to go every day so we went every other day!”

Secondsmile for a long time, and he’s just a super-nice dude and so easy to get on with. That’s so important because you spend so much time in each other’s pockets. He’s a fantastic guitar player and has great taste in guitars. He’s gone on a mad Les Paul Custom quest, he’s just bought two. At his first gig, his Silverburst Les Paul Custom, the strap snapped and the guitar went headstock-down and snapped it clean off. I know how that feels, and I felt so sorry for him that I took it off of him

“At Ross’s first gig, his Les Paul’s headstock snapped clean off”

What other gear did you use on the album? “I had a Klon [Centaur], which I have to say definitely lived up to the hype. It doesn’t live up to the price! But it was great, one of the originals and it belonged to Mark. Aside from that, I used a Z.Vex Box Of Rock which is all over the album. It’s still on my ’board now, but I only really use it as a boost. I’ve kind of moved on from it and I’ve got a Love Pedal Amp 11 which kind of takes over those duties now. There was probably a TS-9 at some point, too. Every track on the album was through the Plexi apart from The Blue, The Green, which was an Orange OR50H.” You recently got a new guitar player [Ross Smithwick], too... “It’s working out great. Better than we ever could have hoped. He was in a band called 46

october 2014

and took it to my luthier and got it repaired for him.”

Do you think it’s changed the way you’re playing live at all? “We told him that we didn’t want him to come in and play the guitar parts that I wrote. Obviously, there are parts where he’s gonna have to play the right chords or whatever, but I wouldn’t expect him to match my rhythm patterns or anything. It’s gotta be him live, and it’s important for us not to be a four piece plus a guy that plays guitar with us. That’s not what it’s about, is it? So things feel really good in our camp right now, we’ve had some dark times and now it’s all good!” l

Trotter: Independent Trader Mark confesses to a GAS problem… “I’m terrible, GAS takes over and I just want to buy something else!” says Mark, whose collection of guitars is enough to make even the most seasoned gearhound foam at the mouth. “My SG and Les Paul are all over the record. At the time, I also had a Nash T2, one of the early ones which was banging, and a Gretsch Fire Jet, a really early 90s one which was very cool, but I used it once at a gig and it let me down, so it went. “[I have] another Les Paul Standard which is in the most amazing Honeyburst, it’s a ’95 and it’s absolutely spotless, but I sold it to buy a [Gibson Custom 1959 Les Paul Standard] R9. Then, about eight months ago, I actually bought it back, so that one might be coming out live with us soon. Then I have a Masterbuilt John English stealth Esquire, which is the most ridiculous guitar on the planet. I got it for a steal as well, so I’m a very lucky boy. If this was drugs it’d probably be better for my health… and cheaper!”

The 100 Greatest Riffs OF All time?

Are these the

Words: Chris Bird, Michael Brown, Josh Gardner, Rob Laing, Milton Mermikedes, Gary Walker, Stuart Williams Photography: Neil Godwin

100 48

greatest guitar

Riffs of all time?

Throughout the summer, the BBC has been celebrating its Guitar Season, with programs across its channels, culminating in a poll of the 100 greatest riffs of all time. The shortlist was limited to one riff per artist, compiled by a music industry panel, then voted for by the public, with the results announced on 25 August on BBC Radio 2, before we went to press. Thankfully the BBC gave us access to the top 20 early, enabling us to not only write about the 100 riffs in the list, but analyse the winners to bring you the musical DNA (see p60) for the perfect riff. Over the next few pages, we’ll dissect the list, commenting on our favourites, the ones that we don’t agree with and the ones we think are missing. We’ve also roped in a few riff-writing legends to help!

To find out more about the recent BBC Radio 2 Guitar Season go to bbc.co.uk/radio2 and search for ‘guitar season’ october 2014

The 100 Greatest Riffs Of Time?

What is a riff?

According to the dictionary, it’s “A short repeated phrase in popular music and jazz, frequently played over changing chords or harmonies or used as a background to a solo improvisation”. We’d largely agree with this, which is why we’re going to question some of the choices on this list. Of course, a riff can

A Girl Like You Edwyn Collins

be made up of chords or single notes (or both), however, it’s important not to confuse a lead break or strummed rhythm part with a riff. We’re also questioning any part that takes the place of the vocal as the main melody of an instrumental tune. For us, it has to be short, repeatable and memorable enough to form a standout guitar hook.

Are You Gonna Be My Girl Jet

Gorgeous George (1994) Edwyn Collins

This fuzzy delight comes from by far the highest point of former Orange Juice man Collins’ solo career – a Northern-soultinged corker that reached number four in the UK singles charts in 1995.

Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love Van Halen Van Halen (1978) Eddie Van Halen

Rumour has it Eddie didn’t think this riff was good enough for Van Halen’s debut. How wrong he was: this arpeggiated, flange-infused slice of hard rock is an era-defining belter.

Get Born (2003) Nic Cester, Cameron Muncey

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Hang on, haven’t we heard this one before? Yes, it’s called Lust For Life. But hang on, dig a little further into Motown history and listen to The Supremes’ You Can’t Hurry Love… then Tom Petty’s American Girl, and it’s clear where the lineage of this riff comes from. Yes, there are a lot of snouts in this trough…

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Slash “I was thinking Whole Lotta Love. I remember when that record came out – f*ck, I was a little kid. But you know, Black Dog is another one. Zeppelin had probably the biggest cache of killer riffs, more than any other band, y’know. I could go on… there’s so many great riffs it’s hard to go, ‘This is the one’.”

Apache The Shadows

The Shadows (1960) Hank Marvin

Long before they were using it to flog processed meat snacks, Hank, his Strat and Meazzi tape echo created one of the most recognisable guitar lines ever. But is it really a guitar riff? It’s catchy and recognisable of course, but as it’s an instrumental track, and this is the lead melody line, does that really count? We remain unconvinced.

Back in Black AC/DC

Back In Black (1980) Angus Young, Malcolm Young

The Young brothers are known for tight, driving rhythm guitar and this is arguably their finest work. Together they bash out the E, D and A chords before, crucially, Malcolm drops out as Angus plays the run down the E minor pentatonic scale. The chords are repeated and the brothers finish off playing the syncopated line in unison. Alive Pearl Jam Ten (1991) Stone Gossard

All Right Now Free

Fire And Water (1970) Paul Kossoff

The early 90s remix popularised this track with a new generation of rock fans, two decades after its release. Production values were updated and the double-tracked guitar parts were tightened up and swapped around. Still, Paul Kossoff’s unforgettable threechord rhythm idea was essentially unchanged.

Stone Gossard’s loose but iconic intro/ verse riff was originally the basis of an instrumental demo for his previous band, Mother Love Bone.

Are You Gonna Go My Way Lenny Kravitz Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993) Lenny Kravitz, Craig Ross

Lenny’s right-hand man (and co-writer) Craig Ross joins the guitarist to harmonise in a higher register to widen this bending beauty of a riff.

Atomic Blondie Eat To The Beat (1979) Chris Stein, Frank Infante

This 80s smash was originally intended to replicate previous Blondie single Heart Of Glass, but Chris Stein’s reverb’d guitar line transformed it into a very different spaghetti-western/pop fusion. october 2014

The 100 Greatest Riffs Of Time?

Block Buster! The Sweet Block Buster! (1973) Andy Scott

Glam, bam, thank you Nicky Chin and Mike Chapman, but their song boasts a riff coincidentally similar to Bowie’s Jean Genie, released just before.

Bo Diddley Bo Diddley Bo Diddley (1955) Bo Diddley

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Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000) Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Peter Holmström

Picasso once said that all art is theft, and the Warhols certainly ahem, borrowed, from the best with the Bohemian Like You riff, given its rather brazen similarity to Keith Richards’ legendary turn on The Stones’ Brown Sugar. It’s not the last time The Human Riff will feel like he’s due some credit for parts on this list, either…

Boom Boom John Lee Hooker Boom Boom (1961) John Lee Hooker

The loping rhythm and stop time of this blues riff had an influence that flowed into the lineage that followed, including SRV. Add some reverb for the full effect.

John Petrucci

“There’s so many, but the first one that comes to mind is Smoke On The Water. It’s so simple and everybody recognises it. There’s nothing technical about it, nothing like the modern riffs that are coming out nowadays. But that riff says it all. I wish I would’ve thought of it!” october 2014

It’s crazy that this fantastic barre chord strummer from the multi-tracking trailblazer and guitar hero Cochran was originally a B-side.

Last Splash (1993) Kelley Deal, Kim Deal

Marrying a simple sliding lick with a two-chord pattern proved a recipe for success for Kim Deal, and proved there was life after the Pixies.

Beat It Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) Steve Lukather

Bohemian Like You The Dandy Warhols

C’mon Everybody (1958) Eddie Cochran

Cannonball The Breeders

Bo makes this list, but if you ask us, this is more of a rhythm part than a riff. Nonetheless, his tremolo-drenched guitar part, employing what became known as the ‘Bo Diddley beat’, has found its way onto countless rock and pop tunes.

C’mon Everybody Eddie Cochran

Eddie Van Halen may have played the solo, but Toto axe man Steve Lukather is the man behind the riff, transcribing it for guitar after hearing Jackson’s early vocal demos. Like so many riffs on the list this isn’t too technically challenging, but you’ll need groove by the bucketload.

Cigarettes And Alcohol Oasis Definitely Maybe (1994) Noel Gallagher, Paul Arthurs

Noel was often caught ‘appropriating’ in Oasis’ early glory run. This dirty 12-bar blues riff that apes T. Rex’s Get It On, itself a nod to Chuck Berry’s Little Queenie, but there’s no denying its still a great riff.

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Born To Be Wild Steppenwolf Steppenwolf (1968) Michael Monarch, John Kay

This evolution of Chuck Berry’s shuffle rhythm revved guitarists’ engines back in 1969, and remains utterly iconic, thanks to its appearance in Easy Rider.

Born To Run Bruce Springsteen Born To Run (1975) Bruce Springsteen

The key song on the Boss’ ‘wall of sound’ album is driven by this sing-along twanging countryfied riff driving the intro and chorus.

Boys Don’t Cry The Cure Boys Don’t Cry (1979) Robert Smith

Robert Smith is highly underrated as a guitarist and songsmith, and this 1979 hit is a classic example of his proclivity for hooky singles.

Day Tripper The Beatles

We Can Work It Out/ Day Tripper (1965) George Harrison, John Lennon

The inevitable Beatles track on the list was assured partly thanks to Day Tripper’s inherent coverability: Whitesnake, Sham 69, Otis Redding, Type O Negative and James Taylor, among others, have recorded versions, and countless acts have included it in their live sets.

The 100 Greatest Riffs Of Time?

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Joe Perry

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“The best riff is The Yardbirds’ version of Train Kept A-Rollin’ because it sounds great on any guitar, it’s instantly recognizable and it sounds good on electric or acoustic guitar, banjo, sitar, whatever! Anything with strings!”

Every Breath You Take The Police Synchronicity (1983) Andy Summers

Andy Summers’ contributions to Sting’s songwriting were often more textural than hooky, but choosing Every Breath… over Message In A Bottle is borderline insanity. We blame Puff Daddy.

Do I Wanna Know? Arctic Monkeys AM (2013) Alex Turner, Jamie Cook

As a band who seem able to constantly reinvent themselves, the Arctic Monkeys impressed with their 2013 album AM, and Do I Wanna Know is the ultra-cool second single. Two guitars, bass and vocals are in unison here, so timing is crucial. Aim for a laidback vibe, rather than rushing ahead of the beat.

Don’t Believe A Word Thin Lizzy

Johnny The Fox (1976) Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson

We don’t entirely believe the inclusion of this Lizzy track; sure, the harmonised opening riff is a classic, but is it really an Emerald beater? Can it compete with Jailbreak? And what about The Boys Are Back In Town? The jury’s out on this one.

Down Down Status Quo On The Level (1975) Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt

Quo’s only number one is the ultimate distillation of their 12-bar boogie when it kicks in at 40 seconds.

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Enter Sandman Metallica

Metallica (1990) Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield

James Hetfield might be Metallica’s riff-meister general, but lead guitarist Kirk Hammett brought the Enter Sandman riff to the table. And what a riff; harmonically sophisticated, as it weaves through various modes, but ultimately pure metal.

Rivers Cuomo

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper Blue Öyster Cult Agents Of Fortune (1976) Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser

Reaper’s breakaway success helped establish BÖC as one of the mainstays of the US arena circuit in the late 1970s. However it was Saturday Night Live’s sketch with Will Ferrell that immortalised the riff in the public consciousness so much so that it’s hard to think of this riff today without the accompanying cries of ‘More Cowbell’.

“The first one that pops into my mind is… derrnder-der-unnn, der-der- unnn! What’s that riff? Oh, yeah – Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine. It’s just awesome.”

Eye Of The Tiger Survivor Eye Of The Tiger (1982) Frankie Sullivan, Jim Peterik

Sylvester Stallone originally wanted Another One Bites The Dust for Rocky, but we’re glad Queen didn’t sign up: Survivor’s battle anthem is prime arena-rock beef.

Fools Gold Stone Roses The Stone Roses (1990) John Squire

The funksome rhythm section of Mani and Reni are essential to making Squire’s hypnotic spin on rockabilly muted bass string plucking positively groove. october 2014

The 100 greatest Riffs Of All Time?

I Can’t Explain The Who

l e a rn the riff

I Can’t Explain (1965) Pete Townshend

This simple chord progression owes more than a nod of the head to The Kinks – as acknowledged by Townshend himself. A certain Jimmy Page was in on the sessions, but it’s claimed his take didn’t make the cut.

I Love Rock ’N’ Roll Joan Jett & The Blackhearts I Love Rock ’N’ Roll (1981) Joan Jett

Get Lucky Daft Punk

Random Access Memories (2013) Nile Rodgers

It’s a case of Get Lucky by name and get seriously lucky by nature: near-190 million YouTube views for this 2013 hit don’t lie. Disco pioneer Nile Rodgers’ syncopated 16th-note rhythm playing gives the track its groove. We challenge you not to tap your foot. Good Times Chic

Post-Runaways success, Joan Jett turned to a long-forgotten 1975 Arrows single – complete with stuttering 3/4 bars and tasty pentatonic runs – and made it a hit.

Joe Satriani

“Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones. Most bang for the buck. Plus, pure freakin’ voodoo magic.”

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Don’t be distracted by the yodelling from the Dutch progateers, Jan Akkerman’s looping riff burns this whole, slightly twisted circus of a song into your head.

How Soon Is Now? The Smiths © Redferns via Getty Images x2

Hatful of Hollow (1985) Johnny Marr

As brilliant as it is, How Soon Is Now? is more of a classic tone than a riff, achieved by Marr plugging into two pairs of Fender Twins on the vibrato channel. Hand In Glove and This Charming Man epitomise Marr’s unique guitar style far better.

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The cantankerous Cougar’s feel-good hit’s simple hook was arranged under the expert eye and ear of Mick Ronson, but in our book, it’s just a chord progression.

Johnny B Goode Chuck Berry Johnny B. Goode (1958) Chuck Berry

The intro to Marty McFly’s finest hour is one of the most imitated and instantly recongnisable parts in popular music… but is it really a riff? We think that, to be pedantic, it’s more of a lead solo, not a riff. Rock ’n’ roll owes it a pint, either way!

Life In The Fast Lane Eagles Joe Walsh played this storming pentatonic stomper while warming up, and the band made sure that he took note – good move: the Eagles never rocked harder.

Livin’ On A Prayer Bon Jovi

Nile Rodgers is one of only three guitarists to grace this list twice, and with good reason: his billion-dollar Strat chops are the perfect complement to Bernard Edwards’ groove-heavy bassline.

Focus II (1970) Jan Akkerman

American Fool (1982) John Mellencamp

Hotel California (1976) Joe Walsh, Don Felder

Risqué (1979) Nile Rodgers

Hocus Pocus Focus

Jack & Diane John Mellencamp

Slippery When Wet (1986) Richie Sambora

Richie Sambora’s talkbox ‘wow’s are as important as the notes he plays in this one, but it’s a huge, instantly recognisable glam-rock riff nonetheless.

(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction Rolling Stones

(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (1965) Keith Richards

Beginner guitarists, start here! This early work by Keith Richards is formed of just three notes on a single string. We’re not sure Satisfaction was voted for by guitarists, because we think Keef has bettered this many times over, but it remains one of the Stones’ most popular tracks.

Lonely Boy The Black Keys El Camino (2011) Dan Auerbach

No problem with Dan Auerbach appearing in the list, but is Lonely Boy really the best Danny Boy has to offer? When we pick up a guitar, it’s Strange Times, I Got Mine and Gold On The Ceiling that flow from our fingers, not this.

Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll Rainbow Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll (1978) Ritchie Blackmore

Lord Blackmore makes the list twice via his other classic band; a riff so strong Dio’s chorus melody simply takes its lead.

The 100 greatest Riffs Of All Time?

Mannish Boy Muddy Waters

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Mannish Boy (1955) Muddy Waters

Muddy’s response to Bo Diddley’s I’m A Man beefs the riff when it slides in at 30 seconds, and it now stands as one of the pillars of rock – George Thorogood’s Bad To The Bone is one of many songs to use it as a close blueprint.

Marquee Moon Television Marquee Moon (1977) Richard Lloyd

Killing In The Name Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine (1990) Tom Morello

What with 2009’s re-release reaching Christmas No 1, thereby keeping The X Factor champ Joe McElderry off the top spot, KITN is surely as close to mainstream as Rage ever came. Drop D tuning and a neck position single coil with a surprisingly not-verydistorted tone are all you need to deliver Morello’s magic.

Richard Lloyd’s melodic trills illuminate the 10-minute title track on an album that went on to become a post-punk cult classic and influenced scores of bands, including The Strokes.

Milk And Alcohol Dr Feelgood Private Practice (1978) John ‘Gypie’ Mayo

John Mayo’s heady brew of raw rock aggression and powerchord fury was a powerful antidote to prog, and did wonders for dairy-based co*cktail sales…

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Korn (1994) Munky, Head Simple, infectious… this down-tuned monster is a classic, even if it did spawn nu metal…

Breaking The Law Judas Priest

British Steel (1980) KK Downing, Glenn Tipton The Beeb’s list really gives metal short shrif, but to ignore Brum’s second greatest metal band and their great riff? It should be illegal.

Cochise Audioslave

Audioslave (2002) Tom Morello Tony Iommi’s favourite Tom Morello riff didn’t make the list. What?!

Crazy Train Ozzy Osbourne

Blizzard Of Ozz (1980) Randy Rhoads We’re getting angry now – take your pick from two classic riffs in this song.

Muse

Origin Of Symmetry (2001) Matt Bellamy No Bellamy in the list suggests a lack of acknowledgement to modern heroes from the BBC’s panel, and this neoclassical fuzzfest couldn’t be working any harder.

The Trooper Piece Of Mind (1983) Dave Murray, Adrian Smith A riff so good it took two guitarists to play it in glorious twin harmony. Iron Maiden are a British riff institution.

Played with a slide on an acoustic tuned to Drop D, this autobiographical, hip-hopinfluenced blues earned Beck a majorlabel record deal. Not bad for a guy who had been homeless a few years earlier.

Blind Korn

Iron Maiden

Mellow Gold (1994) Beck

On The Third Day (1973) Jeff Lynne, Marc Bolan

The BBC’s poll is full of classics, but here are a few riffs we feel have been harshly overlooked…

Plug In Baby

Loser Beck

Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Electric Light Orchestra

wish you were here

ELO mastermind Jeff Lynne echoes Keith Richards’ Brown Sugar riff (yup, that one again!) for this Stones-like track. We reckon the main reason this song makes the cut is thanks to the appearance of Jeff’s mate, T. Rex man Marc Bolan, on twin lead guitar.

Where Is My Mind? Pixies

Layla Derek And The Dominos Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) Eric Clapton, Duane Allman

Arguably one of the most epic guitar parts ever recorded, Layla’s riff was reportedly laid down initially by Duane Allman before Eric Clapton doubled up with his part. Cleverly written on a key change, there’s tension and drama every time the riff kicks in.

Surfer Rosa (1988) Joey Santiago, Frank Black With three basic notes (E, G# and E b ) and a howling bend, Pixies created one of the most simple and brilliant riffs of the grunge era.

No Muse? No Judas Priest? No wonder they both look so disappointed…

october 2014

The 100 greatest Riffs Of All Time?

Misirlou Dick Dale Misirlou (1962) Dick Dale

This old Greek composition was hotrodded by Dicky and The Deltones. As with Apache, we’d file this one under ‘melody’.

Money Pink Floyd The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) David Gilmour

This is arguably more of a bassline than it is a guitar riff, but Gilmour doubles the bass, so it qualifies. Plus, it’s in 7/4 time – instant kudos.

Motorcycle Emptiness Manic Street Preachers Generation Terrorists (1992) James Dean Bradfield

James Dean Bradfield’s love of Slash results in an emotive, skyscraping bendfest, though it was recorded on the very un-Slashy Tele Thinline owned by Richey Edwards, with a Marshall Shredmaster and Boss chorus.

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Tony Iommi

“Well, apart from ours... Smoke On The Water and some Led Zeppelin stuff. Actually, there’s a riff of Tom Morello’s I really like – Cochise.”

Mr Tambourine Man The Byrds Mr Tambourine Man (1965) Roger McGuinn

Bob Dylan may have written this song, but the ‘jingle-jangle’ of Roger McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker riff made The Byrds’ 1965 version, like Hendrix’s take on All Along The Watchtower, definitive.

My Sharona The Knack Get The Knack (1979) Berton Averre

Whatever you do, don’t think about this riff – it’ll be there for days. Simple, repetitive, and catchier than SARS at the World Coughing Championships…

Need You Tonight INXS Kick (1987) Andrew Farriss, Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly

The Australians’ signature tune has a funky chorus with three-note chords following a punctuating C barre chord that take us major to minor.

No One Knows Queens Of The Stone Age Songs For The Deaf (2002) Josh Homme

Money For Nothing Dire Straits

Brothers In Arms (1985) Mark Knopfler

You have to fingerpick if you want to play Money For Nothing, because it’s pretty much unplayable with a pick. That said, it’s pretty tricky played without a pick too, thanks to Knopfler’s unusual fingerstyle technique. Oh and those harmonics are tough as hell. Surely a candidate for the top spot? october 2014

Homme’s stomping leftfield chordal modern classic leads in and punctures the verse like an imp fuelled by Jägerbombs. It’s so good, it even works on an acoustic!

No Surprises Radiohead

OK Computer (1998) Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Thom Yorke

No surprises? We were surprised to see this glockenspiel-doubled slow-burner on the Beeb’s list: Thom Yorke and co have had some whopping riffs over the years, our favourites being that middle eight in Paranoid Android and My Iron Lung’s Whammy-laden glitch-fest.

Oh, Pretty Woman Roy Orbison

Oh, Pretty Woman (1964) Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss

Reaching No 1 in the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK, Oh, Pretty Woman was Roy Orbison’s biggest hit. Session guitarist Billy Sanford laid down the E9 arpeggio that formed the iconic riff. Now take a listen to Day Tripper again…

Johnny Marr

“I think the greatest riff of all time is Gimme Danger by James Williamson, off Iggy And The Stooges’ Raw Power album. It’s dark but beautiful, it’s got attitude but is not without subtlety. There’s dark and light in it, it’s druggy and sexy, and sounds like me… apparently!”

Oh Well Fleetwood Mac Then Play On (1969) Peter Green

An easy-sounding kinetic blues riff, but nailing Peter Green’s E minor pentatonic work relies on alternate picking chops.

One Vision Queen A Kind Of Magic (1986) Brian May

Everyone else makes way for May’s riff (tracked by around five guitars) when it breaks here based on a descending D D/C# C C/B chord progression.

The 100 Greatest Riffs of all time?

Peter Gunn Duane Eddy Peter Gunn (1959) Duane Eddy

Eddy’s reverb-drenched take (it was recorded in a giant steel water tank) on the Gunn theme needs all four fingers in action to nail it.

Running Down A Dream Tom Petty

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Full Moon Fever (1989) Tom Petty, Mike Campbell

A clever example of riff imitating title – Mike Campbell’s rockabilly rundown uses the notes B, Bb, A, G, and E, so it’s only missing a D to complete the hexatonic E blues scale.

Pretty Vacant Sex Pistols

September Earth, Wind & Fire

Never Mind The Bollocks… (1977) Steve Jones

According to Pistols bassist Glenn Matlock, the simple 8th-note repeated riff was inspired by ABBA’s SOS. Bjorn and Benny – punk rock pioneers.

Pride (In The Name Of Love) U2

The Unforgettable Fire (1984) The Edge

In the name of riffs, what is this doing here when Where The Streets Have No Name exists? Streets… is perhaps the archetypal example of The Edge’s delay genius, while Pride… is a mere blueprint of what was to come.

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The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol 1 (1978) Al McKay

Purple Haze Jimi Hendrix

Purple Haze (1967) Jimi Hendrix

After setting the scene with the Devil’s Interval intro, Hendrix unleashes a fuzz-laden riff that’s delivered with such flair and such precision, it went on to inspire just about every guitarist on the planet – as such, we’re glad it made the cut. Rocks Primal Scream

Now, we know that disco was the EDM of the 70s, and there are plenty of funky lessons to be learned from pioneers of the genre, but in terms of guitar playing, is September really one of the big riffs of all time? We don’t think it’s even among the biggest in its genre.

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Give Out But Don’t Give Up (1994) Andrew Innes, Robert Young

An indie-disco floor-filler it may be, but questions of whether it’s a riff or a chord sequence aside, this is a comprehensive enough tribute to Keef’s playing to be considered a Rolling Stones pastiche.

Rumble Link Wray

Paranoid Black Sabbath Paranoid (1971) Tony Iommi

Faced with the seemingly impossible task of choosing just one Sabbath riff, we have to accept that Paranoid takes the top spot thanks largely to its enduring popularity with the record-buying public. october 2014

Rumble (1958) Link Wray

So full of attitude, it was banned from radio, this instrumental may seem rudimentary to its detractors, but Rumble’s blues power is undeniable. Literally; it was one of the first songs to use the powerchord.

Run To You Brian Adams Reckless (1984) Bryan Adams, Keith Scott

There’s nothing like a moody Don’t Fear The Reaper-inspired arpeggio sequence to evoke the drama of deciding to cheat on your partner…

Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana

Nevermind (1991) Kurt Cobain

In the 80s there was spandex and shred guitar. Come 1991, Nirvana killed all that off with the release of Nevermind and, in particular, lead single Smells Like Teen Spirit. Kurt Cobain’s guitar riff is simple, but its alt-rock influence was absolutely game-changing.

The 100 Greatest Riffs of all time?

Seven Nation Army The White Stripes Elephant (2003) Jack White

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Old Kay guitar + octave-dropped DigiTech Whammy = sports ground singalong. Who’d have thought it?

Stay With Me The Faces

Shakin’ All Over (1961) Joe Moretti, Alan Caddy

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink… To A Blind Horse (1971) Ronnie Wood

Angus Young doffed his school cap to the influence this early British Invasion hit had on Back In Black; note the pull-offs.

Eliminator (1983) Billy Gibbons

Clean shirt, new shoes… and a dirty Gibbons riff that drags the blues into the 80s mainstream.

Brian May “You know, The Kinks, You Really Got Me. I mean, that’s got to be the archetypal riff. I think that’s going to be my vote. That’s the beginning of all riff-making, isn’t it really?”

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Superunknown (1984) Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell

This drop-D 7/4-time stomper is typical of Chris Cornell’s off-kilter approach to riffery, topped off by a corker of a solo from Thayil.

Shakin’ All Over Johnny Kidd And The Pirates

Sharp Dressed Man ZZ Top

Spoonman Soundgarden

Sunshine Of Your Love Cream Disraeli Gears (1967) Eric Clapton

You’ll need understanding neighbours if you’re planning to practise this classic riff as Clapton played it, because a key part of the sound comes from maxing out your amp’s volume and tone controls. A neck humbucker with tone controls lowered, and a half-co*cked wah pedal also contribute to Clapton’s signature ‘woman’ tone. She Sells Sanctuary The Cult

Ronnie Wood and the boys slow it down to half time for this 12-bar boogie after the intro’s lead bluster and Rod The Mod struts in.

Sweet Home Alabama Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping (1974) Ed King, Allen Collins, Garry Rossington

Inspiration hit Ed King in the rehearsal room with the band one night and the whole song flowed out of his muted pickin’ intro/verse riff.

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Love (1985) Billy Duffy

A classic driving delay riff, full of eastern promise, from Billy Duffy. He used an analogue Boss DM-2 in the studio, but now has a digital DD-3 for it live.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go The Clash

Smoke On The Water Deep Purple Machine Head (1972) Ritchie Blackmore

There surely must be witchcraft at play here as Blackmore’s diad-based Strat riff magically etches itself deep into the longterm memory banks of all who hear it. Could this be the ultimate guitar earworm?

Combat Rock (1982) Joe Strummer, Mick Jones

There’s a reason One Direction shamelessly lifted the opening chords from this pop-punk classic; it’s the kind of hook that grabs hold and won’t let go.

Song 2 Blur Blur (1997) Graham Coxon, Alex James

Yes, it might be an air guitar standard, but the only part of this riff that’s guitar is the clean bit in the intro and verses. The gut-punch ‘woo hoo’ part is Alex James’ bass, fuzzed up and double-tracked.

Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns N’ Roses

Appetite For Destruction (1987) Slash

This riff was to become the driving guitar part behind Guns N’ Roses’ biggest hit. It’s a bit of a finger-twister, but it essentially boils down to just one two-bar riff that starts on a different root note each time. october 2014

The 100 Greatest Riffs of all time?

Take Me Out Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand (2004) Alex Capranos, Nick McCarthy

Say what you like about Franz, this song was everywhere in 2004 – indie riffs don’t get much bigger.

That Lady, Pts 1 & 2 The Isley Brothers 3 + 3 (1973) Ernie Isley

The One I Love REM Document (1987) Peter Buck

Just don’t call this a love song. The glory of integrating arpeggios with single-note riffs is crystal clear here in the hands of Peter Buck.

The Riverboat Song Ocean Colour Scene Moseley Shoals (1996) Steve Craddock

Sometimes, you write a riff so catchy, you should probably just knock it on the head and retire. This Zep-influenced earworm was OCS’s first single, and by a country mile their best riff.

The Spirit Of Radio Rush Permanent Waves (1980) Alex Lifeson

Are the Beeb are referring to the flanged pull-off intro, arpeggiated verse or hard-rocking outro? Whatever, Lifeson pulls every trick out of the prog bag here.

Theme From Shaft Isaac Hayes

Theme From Shaft (1971) Charles Pitts

Pitts’ syncopated wah work is at the forefront of this funk monster, which – less impressively – inspired the music of countless blue movies and Lynx ads…

There She Goes The La’s The La’s (1990) Lee Mavers, Peter Camell, John Byrne

Another possibly misunderstood hit (is it about heroin?) with arpeggios out of the McGuinn school of Rickenbacker. october 2014

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Raising Hell (1986) Joe Perry

The original was huge, but when Joe Perry’s riff collided with Run-DMC’s rapping, Walk This Way laid the path for a whole generation of rap-rock bands, making it a worthy inclusion indeed.

Though first released nearly a decade before, they fuzzed it up 70s-style for the redux. The ‘riff’ walks a fine line between repetition and intro solo, so we’re puzzled to see it make the list – it doesn’t reappear in its original form after the intro.

Walk This Way Aerosmith & Run-DMC

Wheels Foo Fighters

You Really Got Me The Kinks

Kinks (1967) Dave Davies

If proof were needed that less is more, look no further than this. The iconic riff comprises just two powerchords (F5 and G5) and five downstrokes. Dave Davies’ minimalist riffing doesn’t come cheap, however; he sliced his speakers with a knife to get the distortion. Note: don’t do that! Unbelievable EMF Schubert Dip (1991) Ian Dench

Top 100? It’s unbelievable that this one is included, in our opinion. Still, the riff is easily the least annoying part of the song.

Tom Morello

“There are so many good ones. I’m partial to Led Zeppelin’s Out On The Tiles… when you hear that riff… Well, you hear a lot of the Morello catalogue in that riff.”

Under The Bridge Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1992) John Frusciante

Greatest Hits (2009) Dave Grohl, Chris Shifflet, Pat Smear

John Frusciante’s plaintive intro has flummoxed many beginners, but it is more of a guitar-based melody than a true riff. We’d have gone with Scar Tissue, Give It Away or Funky Monks.

What the Foo-k? We were baffled when this entry appeared on the list, not because it’s a bad riff, but because there are SO many better Foos riffs, as evidenced by the Greatest Hits album Wheels appeared on. Monkey Wrench, Stacked Actors, Enough Space, Weanie Beanie, even recent cuts such as Rope – all would have been more worthy. Weird.

Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969) Jimmy Page

If we had it our way, this list would be full of Zep monsters, but Whole Lotta Love is Page at his most swaggering and immediate, so we’ll settle for just the one.

Words Of Love Buddy Holly Words Of Love (1957) Buddy Holly

A favourite of John Lennon’s (and later covered very authentically by The Beatles), the vocal melody carefully mirrors the strummed/arpeggiated riff for an infectious one minute, 56 seconds of brilliance.

Ziggy Stardust David Bowie The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972) David Bowie, Mick Ronson

This two-bar riff – largely Bowie’s work judging by his original acoustic demo – was honed into an arpeggiated classic, after the G chord and single-note flourish.

20th Century Boy T. Rex 20th Century Boy (1973) Marc Bolan

An open E, low-string bends… sometimes the simplest ingredients create the tastiest riff pie. Bolan understood the art of distilling rock ’n’ roll down to its essential elements.

The Top 100 Riffs Of All Time?

Riffology The anatomy We analysed the makeup of the poll’s top 20 riffs – what can we learn? the top 20 (in alphabetical order): • Back In Black AC/DC • Do I Wanna Know? Arctic Monkeys • Down Down Status Quo • Enter Sandman Metallica • How Soon Is Now? The Smiths • Johnny B Goode Chuck Berry • Layla Derek And The Dominoes • Livin’ On A Prayer Bon Jovi • Money Pink Floyd • Money For Nothing Dire Straits • Motorcycle Emptiness Manic Street Preachers • Purple Haze The Jimi Hendrix Experience • Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana • Smoke On The Water Deep Purple • Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns N’ Roses • The Spirit Of Radio Rush • Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin • You Really Got Me The Kinks • Ziggy Stardust David Bowie • 20th Century Boy T. Rex

arrangement & structure The most common approach to delivering the epic riff is to just start the song with a solo guitar (maybe doubled or with simple background support) and then have the bass, drums and vocals enter strategically. This approach might be prefaced by an atmospheric (often rhythmically ambiguous) intro (Livin’ On A Prayer, Money For Nothing, Money). The essence of most of these riffs is delivered in two bars (or less), and even when it’s longer, it usually has a structure (such as ABAC) as in Layla, Smoke On The Water and Back In Black. Melodic & rhythmic features There seems to be a balance between rhythmic interest and melodic complexity in operation here. The most melodically active riffs here (Sweet Child O’ Mine and Spirit Of The Radio) have generally even and simple rhythms. However, the majority of the riffs are less notey and rely on a rhythmic ‘hook’, such as pushing into a beat early by a quaver (Down Down, Ziggy Stardust), or incorporate a significant amount of offbeats (aka syncopation), for example, in the answering phrases in Layla and Smoke On The Water.

Melodic & rhythmic features

Guitaristic features

Guitaristic features None of these riffs shy away from the idiomatic nature of the guitar. Open strings, standard chord voicings, slides, slurs, bends (quarter-tone, semitone and tone) and muted strings. None are alienatingly virtuosic. The guitar is allowed to be itself and is celebrated as such.

october 2014

Arrangement & structure Guitar & effects

Tempo / meter Register / range

guitars & effects Les Pauls, and then Strats, are the kings of the riff. Other guitars are used (most notably Telecasters), but even in the 2013 Arctic Monkeys track, it’s the classics that deliver. Effects are actually at a minimum – only How Soon Is Now? (panned tremolos), Livin’ On A Prayer (talkbox) and Spirit Of The Radio (flanger) use effects beyond a (moderate) distortion and modest reverb. Clarity is key, and effects should contribute to, rather than merely ornament, the riff.

The Top 100 Riffs Of All Time?

of the perfect riff tempo/Meter With the exception of Money (it’s in 7/4), all the riffs are in 4/4, but tempos range from a stately 84 to 85bpm (Ziggy Stardust, Do I Wanna Know?) to the region of a nifty 170bpm (Down Down and Johnny B. Goode), with a good portion around the 112bpm mark. The range may seem very wide, but consider that practically all the examples at 112bpm or slower include significant use of semiquavers, and there are hardly any semiquavers to be found above around 116bpm. So there’s a sweet spot of rhythmic density – no ballads, no speed metal.

So what, if anything, can be learnt from an analysis of the riffs? Well, here are the five (breakable) rules...

Rule #1 key/tuning It may come as no surprise that the most common key in the list is the guitar-friendly E. In fact E, E minor, ‘neutral’ E keys and capo’d keys based on an open E chord made up almost half of the cohort. What was a surprise is that 20 per cent of the riffs are in the not particularly guitarfriendly G minor, so it seems there’s something satisfying to play and hear around that 3rd fret.

Keep it simple and memorable – generally a handful of notes with the musical essence delivered in a couple of bars. If you can’t sing it back easily (or at least keep it caught in your head) you’ve done something wrong.

Rule #2

Include just the right amount of rhythmic interest. Unless the riff is actively melodic (Sweet Child O’ Mine and Motorcycle Emptiness), you should recognise the riff from its rhythm alone. This means a use of space and a simple but effective rhythmic hook.

Rule #3

If you want a fast tempo, keep the riff at quavers or longer, and at slower tempos make significant use of semiquavers; neither frenzied, nor laboured.

Scale / mode

register / range Most of the riffs employ the lowest available root in the scale, and many of them don’t travel much further than an octave or so above that note and are centered around roots and fifths (and pentatonic elements) of the scale, making them eminently singable (at least by a low-voiced male), which might contribute to their ear-worm status. There are exceptions: Sweet Child O’ Mine, Spirit Of The Radio and How Soon Is Now? all have a catchiness that doesn’t rely on singability.

Key / tuning

scale/mode Unsurprisingly, minor pentatonic/blues are the most common scales, making up more than a third. However the more ‘sophisticated’ Mixolydian, Major and Aeolian collectively account for half, showing that these riffs are certainly not ‘all blues’. The most complex scale represented is in Enter Sandman, which suggests Locrian with an added natural 2.

Rule #4

Embrace the idiomatic nature of the guitar (open strings, muting, bends and an interplay of chords and single lines) and use effects sparingly, and only if they add a musical element to the track (eg, How Soon Is Now?). Swamping your part with über distortion, delays and reverbs can compromise the catchiness of a riff when a raw guitar sound might deliver it more effectively.

Rule #5

Feel free to break any of the rules (including this one). Innovation comes from intuition: learn from the past, but don’t let it dictate all your choices. All these riffs are classics precisely because they broke a rule or two… october 2014

interview

marmozets

And

Weird

Wonderful october 2014

interview

marmozets

Words: Matt Parker Photography: Adam Gasson

With a major-label debut imminent, Yorkshire’s most exciting “alternative, but slightly tech-y” band, Marmozets, are all set to be kings of the swingers

How did you first gel as players? Jack: “We’ve been playing guitar with each other since we were 11. We met in school through the fact that we both played an instrument and were both passionate about it. It’s pretty lucky that we were selected to be in the same class. It’s weird how that happened – and that we were both the smallest in the year, as well! But I think, playing-wise, we’ve always complemented each other.”

downstrokes to a tee. It’s really abrasive and in-your-face, but in the coolest way.” Sam: “For starters, Jack’s tone is insane. It doesn’t sound like anything else I’ve heard. Then he is a great technical guitar player, in that he’s tight but still has feel –he’s a good, strong guitarist for the band. It means I can piss off and throw my guitar at someone and then go climb something, but he keeps it together.”

What do you recall about the band’s really early days? Sam: “When we used to play the 1in12 in Bradford it was awesome, wasn’t it?” Jack: “Yeah, they used to be really well promoted and it was when Bradford had a good scene. It was an 80-cap venue, but it would sell out every week and it was just full of kids that wanted to go to shows. Those shows used to be amazing. It gives you a taste of what it could be like, because it was before we could even record a track: we’d record demos on the laptop and put them on MySpace, and it would sound like, ‘SCCCCCRRRCCCHH!’”

Speaking of which, you have a reputation for a fearless live show. Have you broken anything as a result? Sam: “I broke all my amps recently!” Jack: “He stacked them all on top of a 4x12 on casters when we were in Oxford. I went to Sam: ‘Watch your head, there’s a bar across the top of the stage, so don’t jump’, but my hair was over my face and he thought I meant, ‘Get on your amps!’ So he jumped on top and they all started rocking about. He jumped off and they all fell back and there were just all these sparks!” Sam: “Our guitar tech was like, ‘Oh f*ck…’ I said, ‘It’s alright man! We’ll get ’em fixed!’”

“I can piss off and throw my guitar at someone, but Jack keeps it together”

ome bands just seem to be guided by destiny. Marmozets’ guitarists Sam MacIntyre and Jack Bottomley bonded in secondary school when, by fate or fortune, they were dropped into the same tutorial group. Then, in 2007, a band somehow fell into being – completed by siblings Will Bottomley on bass, Jack MacIntyre on drums and not-so-secretweapon Becca MacIntyre as frontwoman. The resulting sound has been honed by four years of tearing up the road. Exciting, focused and visceral: they’re a band that make crafting heavy, mind-bending prog rock into storming singalongs seem both easy (it’s not) and hugely fun. Now, as they prepare to release their superb debut album The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets on Roadrunner, we catch up with Jack and Sam to talk about the band’s thrilling new direction, the forthcoming record and why we wouldn’t advise standing next to them mid-gig…

Who are your current guitar inspirations? Sam: “Jack White, love him. He’s superb, isn’t he? The noises he can make… He’s a great player and a technical player, but it’s the way he plays it. The feel. You can hear a five-second clip of him playing and you know it’s him.” Jack: “It’s the same sort of thing with Josh Homme. You can learn the lead parts he plays, but it’s the feel. It’s a bit angular and weird. And he really holds back – he’s in no rush. Those two are massive influences, particularly on the new stuff we’ve been writing.” They’re both riff-y players. Does the album move more in that direction? Jack: “Definitely. And we’ve honed in on the guitar tones. We’re focusing on the sound of it and being really conscious about that as well as the playing. The playing is more solid now. The time signatures are still there, but they’re more subtle and it sounds a lot more together.” Sam: “It’s really hard to do math-y stuff and get different tones and character. At the end of the day, if you’re doing math-y, you have to have a really metal-sounding guitar tone. And we want to do more interesting things.” How would you describe each other’s styles? Jack: “‘Weird And Wonderful’ is Sam all over. It’s riff-y and punch-y and hammering

Born Young And Free seems like a song that a lot of musicians can relate to. The idea that you can do what you want with your life. Would you agree? Jack: “Yeah. At the end of the day, if you are a musician and you want to do that for a living, there shouldn’t be anything holding you back from doing that. But at the same time, you don’t want to worry too much about pissing people off. That’s the message!” That song felt like a huge step. How did it come about? Jack: “It was sort of the first song that changed us from being that math-core band into the alternative, slightly-tech-y band we are now. It was like, ‘This is an actual proper verse!’ Whereas, before, we’d have a chord sequence and be like, ‘We’ll have 5/4 for that bar, 7/4 for that bar…’ That’s literally how we wrote…” Sam: “It was just because we were having a laugh. We were just like, ‘That sounds f*cked! Let’s do it!’” What made you want to go the other way for Born Young And Free? Sam: “It wasn’t one of those things where we thought, ‘Actually, we need to start writing some more accessible songs.’ It was like, ‘You october 2014

interview

marmozets

Marmozets’ live shows are loud, chaotic, often dangerous affairs

know what? We have the ability to write really good tunes, so we might as well.’ It’s all good fun trying to impress people with your time signatures, but if you’ve got it in you to write a decent song that’s still different and not a generic, standard song, then you should write some.” Jack: “Yeah. And then we wrote Move, Shake, Hide just after that, and it was the same sort of thing again. I think the good thing is that Becca’s voice is a bit of a tool for us. Whatever we do, we’ve got her voice over it, which everyone will know; and it’s really distinctive, which helps.”

Who produced the album, and why did you choose to work with them? Jack: “Our good friend Larry Hibbitt. He’s the guitarist for Hundred Reasons. We had done Born Young And Free with him down in Brixton and that went great, and then we did Move,

all beaten up from where his rings have been and stuff. Then there was a Custom Shop Esquire that we used quite a lot as well.” Sam: “Amp-wise, we used Laney Clips, a Marshall JMP, and I used this Silvertone catalogue amp –and I loved that. It’s like made out of mesh!” Jack: “It’s the lightest thing ever, and it’s so badly built, but it sounds next-level. It’s a 1484 Twin Twelve, I think they call it. I normally had a Marshall JMP50 involved, then there was this 70s Matamp, the Laney Clip and my 1974 Fender Twin. Then, guitars, I used an SG quite a lot, a 1968 Les Paul, my dad’s Les Paul Standard, then a Mustang that we used on a lot of the twangier songs, and my American Select Tele.”

How does that compare to your live rigs? Sam: “I’ve just bought an AC30, the green tolex one. There was only, like, 30 of them and

“As long as you put the effort in, you can push yourself to get somewhere” Shake, Hide, so it felt like it would be wrong if we didn’t take it over to the album. He did such a good job and he really knows his sh*t, especially on the guitar side of things.”

What gear were you using for the album? Sam: “Larry’s Fender Telecaster, for me. It was the Mexican one that he used in Hundred Reasons for years.” Jack: “It sounds amazing and you’ve no idea why: it’s got sweat marks all over it, the neck’s 64

october 2014

it’s very, very new, but it’s bob-on! I also use a Marshall Vintage Modern and I’m playing both at the same time. So I’ve got that nice Vox tone with not a lot of gain on it and the Vintage Modern for the drive-y stuff.” Jack: “I’m getting a Matamp and cab with 15-inch Fane speakers in it. Then I have a 1974 Fender Twin. It’s sort of a mirror image of Sam’s rig in a way, where you have a dirty British amp and then a combo that’s brighter and does all the high-end stuff.”

Wild And Free Why Marmozets bring it live

Great songwriting is often half the battle when it comes to getting attention in the bear pit of rock. That’s why Marmozets have been making waves; their gigs get pretty wild… Jack: “The live show for us is the most important bit. Your crowd pay to watch you, so you want make the best show you can. We find it weird when you watch a band and they just stand there, whereas a lot of people find it weird that we go mental. We always find that the bands we’re into go nuts live. You can tell they’re really feeling it, and that’s what we try and put across. Watch At The Drive-In – it might sound like a train wreck, but it looks cool as hell. We try and take the trainwreck side, but make it listenable.”

You’ve signed to Roadrunner, and are becoming a big talking point at festivals such as Download, Glastonbury and Reading – why do you think you’ve got this far? What do you do that other bands don’t? Sam: “I think that if you set the bar for yourself, say, at supporting a big band, then you don’t have that drive. [Likewise], if you get to a strong point in your career and think, ‘I’m the bee’s knees now!’, it will really f*ck you up.” Jack: “We’re always one step ahead in our thinking, so by the time we get there, we’re thinking about the next thing.” Sam: “Most people, their expectation level is so mediocre. You have to have the thoughtprocess that you can actually do whatever you want, really. As long as you put the time and the effort into it, you really can push yourself to get somewhere.” l

interview

chuck ragan

october 2014

chuck ragan

interview

Wooden heart Whether it’s punk rock or Americana, Chuck Ragan’s approach to writing and playing transcends all definition of genre. We meet him to talk about his creative mindset and special connection with acoustics Words: Mick Taylor Pics: Adam Gasson

october 2014

interview

chuck ragan

e’re winging it to Brighton to see Chuck Ragan and The Camaraderie at The Haunt. It’s damn-near the perfect venue to create gut-stirring volume and power, yet still be intimate enough for the crowd to get a close-up sense of what this genial songsmith and his mates are all about. At first glance, Ragan is quite the musical chameleon, spanning punk rock in on-off-on band, Hot Water Music, all the way through to acoustic Americana via the folk-inspired Revival Tour. Tonight, we’ll hear pedal steel and fiddle cut through the bass, drums and acoustic guitar, all driven by that broken, gravelled voice and heart-on-the-sleeve writing style that binds the whole thing together seamlessly. So, with latest album Till Midnight released earlier this year – his fullest-sounding and most ‘band-like’ solo album to date – it seems we have a lot to cover. The first question is from Chuck, however: “Do you guys want a beer?” Um, okay.

How did you get into punk rock? “I wasn’t allowed to listen to rock ’n’ roll. I wasn’t allowed to go buy records and if I did, I’d have to hide ’em. I grew up in a somewhat conservative, Southern Baptist family, so I was surrounded by Cajun music, old gospel hymns; this Christian, spirit-driven music, bluegrass and a little bit of country… as long as it wasn’t secular country, [laughs]. “At the same time, I found skateboarding, which just spun my head around and I started finding bands; Bad Brains, GBH, Germs, Metallica, Public Enemy… just a wide and strange range of different cultures in music. We used to skateboard at a friend’s house, and we played all these tapes – all this crazy stuff that excited me and scared me! Then, every once in a while, my friend’s dad would say, ‘Alright boys, I’ll put my music on now!’ and he’d put on CCR [Creedence Clearwater

Punk roots and an acoustic obsession make Ragan a live draw 68

october 2014

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Ragan used an all-mahogany 1948 Martin on his latest record

Revival], Woody Guthrie, Townes Van Zandt, old Dylan stuff, a lot of Cajun music, too, because we were in Lafayette, Louisiana. All the music we were listening to kind of became seamless: Townes Van Zandt one minute, early Metallica the next!”

So the guitar was the obvious next move? “I was 12 years old or so when I begged for my first guitar; an electric. They finally broke down and bought me the package… And I didn’t even know the first thing! I didn’t even know you had to press down on the frets. I took it home, turned all the knobs all the way up and just started wailin’ on the thing. They gave me about 20 minutes of fun with it, then the door swings open and my father scoops it up, and I never saw it again: gone! But the cool thing is that the following day when I came home from school, there was an acoustic guitar laying up against my bed. So they were supportive… in a sense [laughs].” How does acoustic music square with punk rock for you? “People aren’t always aware how long I’ve been doing [acoustic music]. I think I first played with an

acoustic guitar by myself in front of people about 27 years ago, so way before Hot Water… I’ve always played solo stuff, and recorded a little bit, although I never had the resources that I had through the band… and definitely nobody cared as much [laughs]. “I’ve always seen a lot of parallels between [the genres]. You could probably say the same things about many genres, but those genres can be very personal, they can be very forthright, very political, angry or sentimental. And all of them can be used as a vehicle to help raise awareness towards social causes. I guess a lot of it stems from those memories from my friends’ house. It became a seamless soundtrack to our lives.”

It feels as though there’s more of a band approach on the new record... “I never want to write the same record twice, or have the same feel on a record twice. The last record we did, and the last tour, we were mostly travelling as a three-piece with Joe [Ginsberg] on bass and Jon [Gaunt] on fiddle. We loved doing it, but our shows started getting bigger. A drummer was an easy choice; David Hidalgo [Jr, Social Distortion] became available, then Todd [Beene, steel guitar, Lucero] became available too, and instantly we have this five-piece. This is it: that band vibe was what we wanted.”

chuck ragan

interview

Making A Connection We asked Chuck what he thinks it is about the acoustic guitar and a voice that connects so easily with people? “To me, it’s just raw; it’s organic. There are simple elements; it’s wood and steel, a larynx, some air and some spirit. You could be just about anywhere and make a sound; make something out of nothing, and that’s where singer-songwriters and acoustic music will always be relevant. “Its popularity will always grow then go back underground; it’ll always just do its thing in that way, but that’s part of the cycle of the music that we all listen to. But it will always be there. Every single person on this stage, whether it’s my fiddle player or my bass player, whoever – everybody plays guitar and at the end of the day, when we write, no matter what instrument we play on stage, we write on an acoustic guitar. Sometimes piano, but mostly guitar – it brings it all back to basics, but the possibilities are virtually endless.”

How did you go about recording Till Midnight? “Christopher Thorn [producer] and me, luckily, we’ve become real good friends and we’ve developed this language that comes when you make records with someone. You get on the same wavelength and understand each other. I did a lot of work writing tunes, then I cut a big list down in half. I try to start with twice as many, or three times as many as we need for the record. So I cut the list down, then brought Chris in to help me cut it further. Then we brought the guys in to my house. “We did a week of pre-production, where we set up in the house. Every morning, we’d wake up crazy early, get out on the lake and go fishing, then just dive into the songs until we were exhausted. Then we’d cook some dinner, sit out back around the fire and talk about what we were doing. It was a beautiful way to begin and it was about just finding that bond.”

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old Martin guitars, a 1948 parlour, all mahogany, a wonderful guitar! I used that a lot on Covering Ground, the record before this one, too. “Todd played his pedal steel, and a little bit of electric guitar; Joe bounced back and forth between electric and upright bass, but for me it’s all acoustic guitar.”

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it’s just tried and true – a beautiful thing to explore music on. The first time I pulled it out of the case I felt an immediate connection.”

How do you explain that connection? “Musicians will understand that; you understand it: we connect with our instruments. Guitars are made from materials that move and absorb sound, and even though they’re cut into pieces and glued together, it still moves and breathes. In that way, I believe that they can kind of accept and repel energies, sound and tone. Whatever is put into this guitar will stay in it, somehow… I don’t know, I could go deeper into that. The really important thing is that this guitar is rarely further than 50 feet away!”

“I have a lifelong dream of making guitars and making rocking chairs”

What are the main guitars on the record? “I mostly played an old Gibson, a ’67 little parlour that a friend of mine gave me, Lenny Lashley is his name. And it was broken! Truly – it’s cracked! But for some reason it stayed in tune and it had a great tone to it. So there was that one, and I also used one of Chris Thorn’s

What guitars are you playing on this tour? “I’ve been honoured to be taken in to the Martin Guitars family as an Ambassador – it’s pretty incredible! Exploring all the different body styles, types of wood, I chose a few models that are my dream guitars. One was the D-28 of course, which is just a classic workhorse; also a D-18. Actually while I’m on the road I usually have four different models; a D-28, D-18, 000-17M and also this beauty that I’m cradling, which is the most enjoyable instrument I’ve ever held in my hands. It’s a 00-28 VS with the V neck. A super old design,

Given your carpentry skills, have you ever been tempted to make a guitar? “I started one and I never finished it. I have kind of a lifelong dream of making guitars and making rocking chairs. What a rewarding thing as an old man, to make a chair, then sit my old ass in it and play that guitar! Then watch the sun go down around the people I love. What could be better than that?” Chuck Ragan’s latest album Till Midnight is out now on SideOneDummy Records october 2014

STEAL THEIR STYLE

yngwie malmsteen

THE TECHNIQUES & TONES OF YOUR HEROES In

a world of media-savvy, identikit rockstars, Yngwie Malmsteen is a glorious misfit, more likely to throw a curveball into an interview than a stock answer, while wearing what appears to be the contents of a 1970s gigolo’s wardrobe. And that’s not to mention his outstanding guitar playing. This Swedishborn virtuoso spent a large part of the 1970s copping the licks of Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore, another of his guitar heroes. The latter’s classical-influenced licks inspired Malmsteen to take the idea further, developing his own style, dubbed ‘neo-classical’. Yngwie’s stylistic pioneering was matched by an innovative approach to guitar design: the Swede had the fretboard of his Fender Stratocaster scalloped after seeing traditional stringed instruments with the same feature. He took a similarly off-the-wall approach to playing advice when asked by TG what a novice guitarist do to play faster. His response: “Eat bananas.” Malmsteen further endeared himself to humour-starved fans of guitar music when a recording of an incident onboard an aeroplane had Yngwie threaten to “Unleash the fury!” on a hapless flight attendant.

october 2014

STEAL THEIR Style

yngwie malmsteen

yngwie’s gigbag Get the right gear and you too can nail Yngwie’s tones, whatever your budget

The ‘bach to basics’ rig ➊ Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster £147 This budget Strat doesn’t offer a scalloped fretboard, but the chunky headstock is bang-on Mr Malmsteen.

➋

➍

➋ Seymour Duncan YJM Fury STK-S10 pickups £199 Upgrade your Squier’s pickups to those featured on Yngwie’s expensive Fender signature Strat. ➌ Marshall MG50CFX £279 Get in Yngwie’s ballpark (tone-wise) with this gig-able, affordable Marshall that comes loaded with effects.

➌

➍ Tesco ‘Eat Me’ bananas (min 5 fruit) £1 Yngwie says that bananas are the best way to improve your guitar playing, and for just a quid, you can!

➊

Total: £626

(approx based on web prices)

The ‘Sweet trilogy’ rig

➋

➌

➊ Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster £1,750 Yngwie’s signature Strat features that scalloped fretboard, a brass nut and a gorgeous Vintage White finish. ➋ Marshall DSL100H amp and Marshall MX412B cab £1,038 This is the actual amp Yngwie uses these days. For total authenticity, build a wall of them that “can be seen from outer space”, as Yngwie boasted of his own rig.

➌ Argos 9ct Gold-Plated Silver Solid Curb Bracelet £29.99 Nail that trademark Yngwie ‘jangle’ with this fine, gold-plated fashion disaster.

➊

Total: £2,817.99

(approx based on web prices)

Get the sound Yngwie’s setup is fairly straightforward, favouring, as he does, Fender Stratocasters plugged into Marshall amps. The smoother sound of a neck single-coil pickup together with a British-style valve distortion helps soften the edges of Yngwie’s fast-picking attack. Dial in plenty of reverb to add epic depth to your playing.

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can practise it in just one or two positions until it starts to feel familiar.

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This lick is typically fiery, so you’ll benefit from practising slowly until you get the hang of the nine-notes-per-beat pattern. That said, notice in bar 1 that the first note grouping is actually four notes in the space of three, so just play a bit faster to cram all the notes in. Switch to a bridge pickup for a snappier tone.

october 2014

.. . .

interview

joshua third

october 2014

interview

joshua third

The

Third Way

We meet the man behind The Horrors’ shimmering sonic soundscapes; guitarist, experimentalist and pedal builder Joshua Third Words: Matt Frost Photography: Will Ireland

ince they first hit the nation’s stages nearly 10 years ago – bedecked in funereal attire and pumping out a savage garage post-punk brew – The Horrors’ sound has been consistently evolving. And, while the band’s last three albums – 2009’s Primary Colours, 2011’s Skying and 2014’s Luminous – have seen a myriad of synths come to the fore, Joshua Third’s inventive guitar-playing and experimental use of effects have been ever-central constants. What really stands Joshua out from the majority of his peers is that his experimental dabblings are not just limited to the stage, studio or rehearsal room. Since The Horrors started in 2005, the guitarist – who has a first-class honours degree in physics – has designed and built “hundreds” of guitar effects units and pedals for the band. When it comes to carving out The Horrors’ pulsating psychedelic soundscapes, Joshua and his electronics workshop have played a more-than-essential role.

How did you first get into designing and building your own guitar effects and pedals? “I didn’t have enough money to buy my own! I got the Craig Anderton book [Do-It-Yourself Projects For Guitarists] when I was in secondary school and I made some PCBs [Printed Circuit Boards], but I never quite got around to actually building the pedals. When I was 20, I finally got round to doing it. The first thing I built was a Big Muff, but I didn’t like the sound of it and, in a rage, I broke it – but it’d taken me ages to do. I’d never used a soldering iron before and it was an absolute nightmare, but I didn’t stop, and I made another pedal pretty soon.” october 2014

interview

joshua third

What other pedals did you build during the early days of The Horrors? “Another early one was a Fuzz Factory clone, but that pissed everyone off endlessly and I didn’t really use it much. I also had a [Boss] DS-1 that I modified to sound like a Nintendo! I think a lot of people have done that. You just take the back off, connect the two bits in the back with a little wire and then it sounds like a Nintendo… and it’s useless! The damn thing doesn’t work in bypass mode anymore, but it was just quite funny, and I was like, ‘Wow I did that – that sounds really bizarre!’” Was there a turning point in terms of producing your first effect that worked really well? “Very early on, I took a small bunch of parts on tour so I could build a pedal, and I built a [Univox] Super-Fuzz because I love Poison Ivy and I love The Cramps. That’s my ideal way of how a guitar should sound. Their guitar sound is just the most beautiful thing in the world. Not only did it work really well but I also learned a lot about design and circuitry. I’ve built about six of them now, but the first one I built was the one with the crazy fabric on it. One big thing I realised was there’s two transistors in the circuit that would have been randomly selected, and they make each pedal sound completely different. I’ve had SuperFuzzes since, and played on other people’s, and they never sound the same. It’s all because of these two little transistors, which – when they’re different – just completely change the sound. If they match, it becomes like a super-clean octave, but if they’re completely off it just becomes this outrageous fuzz, and you can go everywhere in-between once you put a pot in to control how matched they are.” And have you used those on many recordings by The Horrors? “That’s the fuzz sound on the first record [Strange House], although I’ve used it on every record since. Even on the new record [Luminous], I would have used it on maybe

The Horrors are one of the most sonically adventurous bands in indie-rock music

october 2014

Get building Joshua Third gives us all a few tips on getting started in the exciting world of DIY effects design… • Get some proper tools “Buy an Antex soldering iron. That’s what I use. Silly things like tweezers can make your life so much less stressful when you’re trying to put tiny wires through tiny little holes.” • Experiment “Buy some of those cheap Korean knock-off pedals and start modifying them. They’re ready-made for you. Put little switches on and replace resistors with pots, so you can change the value of them.”

half of it. It’s really good for lead, especially the magic one I have where you can blend in how much upper octave you want! I’ve constantly developed it to do what I want it to. I’ve split the latest one into two pedals, so I’ve got the octave section in one bit and the distortion bit in the other. The octave bit’s really nice because it gives you really nice Krauty-type, almost sequenced-sounding lines. Sometimes, you just want that on its own, but then you can kick the fuzz in and it just goes crazy!”

How would you say your physics degree has helped you with your effects building? “Well, I really liked electronics, and I really wanted to go to university and learn to build musical equipment. Then someone told me that if I did electronics I’d end up working for a mobile phone company doing satellites, which was probably actually quite accurate, so I did physics instead! But, when I got there,

• Don’t go to Maplin “Buy your components online because Maplin never have enough of anything in stock! Rapid Electronics are really good.” • Use online forums “You can’t believe everything everyone says, but there are always some good people who are happy to help and give you advice.” • Don’t be afraid to learn the theory “It makes things a lot easier.”

I realised they had no interest at all in teaching anything like that because it was really beneath them to just play with these childish 60s analogue ideals. I did a really good cosmic ray muon detection system, though, and I quite enjoyed labs; but building musical equipment was just seen as silliness. However, it did teach me loads of maths – and maths is the hard bit. I remember learning that really early, way before university. It always amazed me, like ‘Why is a 100-watt amp twice as loud as a 10-watt amp?’ Then I read up on logarithms and I started seeing things exponentially, and then it all kind of makes sense. That’s how pitch works and how you understand how to make things musical and controllable, and you understand why pots work the way they do. You need to know all that stuff. I could then look at a circuit and understand why it sounded the way it did and how I could change things to sound different.”

When you’re designing pedals, how far are you aiming to match a sound in your head, or a tone on a particular record? “Kind of both really, or I’ll hear something and I’ll want to make it a bit different and more usable for me. I originally wanted every one louder and weirder and battier. I think I managed to make everything oscillate weirdly, like chorus pedals when they’re really extreme. I thought the normal chorus sound was boring and I wanted a sound like a really warped record, which is a really complex wave. I learnt how to put loads of sine waves in with loads of LFOs [Low-Frequency Oscillations] controlling chorus pedals, then I took the dry signal out so it sounded like a record going nuts. You would play it and it would go in and out and then stop, like a needle skipping, then it would come back on. It was the most fun thing to do, and I used it on Sea Within A Sea. There’s that little noise section where I was just making loops up and it was all coming through this thing. I just wanted it to sound absolutely mental.”

interview

joshua third

Joshua’s house: the little shop of effects pedal Horrors

“I’m always looking at ways to be able to do things guitars can’t normally do” Can you give some other examples of the home-built effects you’ve used with The Horrors? “On the third record [Skying], I built a modular synthesizer and just fed my guitar through. I built this really good pitch detection thing because I loved playing through [Korg] MS-20s. The basic idea was to have it start the pitch detection again every time you played a new note. I taught it what a pick sounded like – through building a circuit – so when you played with a pick, it would detect the burst of high frequencies present. And while I never ended up using the oscillators, I did use the filters in it, and that helped me develop the filter I use the most, which is a bit like a Steiner-Parker filter. It’s a really weird sound to describe, but you can really hear it on Mine And Yours from the new album. If you listen to the lead line on that, that’s the sound. If you don’t want a guitar to sound like a guitar, just get a moderate drive and a filter, and then you can start making different textures. On Jealous Sun, I built a box that took me ages to make. It basically has four filter banks, like parametric EQs, with Vactrols as the control elements so you can control the frequency. I built a small simple analogue computer, which I programmed to control the frequencies and the space between them. I basically wanted the guitars to sound like an army of people marching and shouting!” Do you have any new effects units in the pipeline? “I want to start programming digital pedals and I’m going to try and learn C++ on tour. You can do really crazy things with digital, like split the signal to bits and just affect one half of it. You could do things like effects loops on only the bottom three strings, or you can make all the bottom strings ring out and the top ones all glide between each other, so suddenly it sounds almost like you’re playing slide in a weird crazy way. I’m always looking at ways of opening myself up to be able to do all these different things that guitars can’t normally do.” l october 2014

Start writing songs today!

Total Guitar presents the complete guide to songwriting. Use chords, tunings, structure, lyric and gear tips to improve your songs; learn from successful songwriters including Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Pearl Jam, Frank Turner & Chris Cornell

091

Ibanez RG9

Nine strings, infinite possibilities��

082

Freshman Songwriter SONGOCRW

An electro-cutaway for all you budding troubadours��

T-Rex SoulMate

Where multi-effects meet stomps��

084 085

ROUND-UP: Vintage Reissued Series V100MU Midge Ure Signature Series, Vintage V58JD & Rock Series VRS150��

Vox AC15 Red Limited Edition

The era-defining combo sees red��

086 090

Washburn LSB768SEK

Get low-down with a long-necked acoustic baritone��

091

ROUND-UP: Xotic & EWS pedals

Xotic SL Drive, EP Booster, SP Compressor & EWS Little Brute Drive��

092

Quick Tests

TC Electronic Alter Ego X4 Vintage Echo, Seymour Duncan Dirty Deed Distortion

085

090

094

082 october 2014

REVIEw

ibanez rg9

video

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258ibanez

octobER 2014

gear

ibanez rg9

Ibanez RG9 £689 A nine that’s a sign of the times

When

it was first unveiled in prototype form at Winter NAMM 2013, the RG9 caused a fair bit of commotion, provoking delirium and bewilderment in equal measure. We understand the fervour: after all, it has 50 per cent more strings than your average axe. Now available to buy for a surprisingly reasonable price, the RG9 suggests Ibanez is putting its money on a new generation of nine-string players coming out of the woodwork – and hopes that this will be their weapon of choice. Let’s start with the strings themselves, which come factorytuned (low to high): C# F# B E A D G B E, with gauges starting at 0.009 inches for the high E, right down to a mammoth 0.090 for the C#, stretched out over a 712mm

for a glassy shimmer, while position four triggers a loweroutput, parallel connection of the neck humbucker’s coils. These yield sweeter, lower-output tones than you might expect, which lend themselves to melodic tapping and crystal-clear arpeggios, not to mention convincing bass tones on the lower strings. Yet this guitar’s natural territory is the gained-up, guttural roar of djent, and the bridge pickup capably delivers on this front. It’s not as high-output as an active humbucker, but has more than enough bite and brightness to cut through the dirt – although when you’re playing notes this low, you don’t need much gain to sound heavy. Sure, nailing staccato riffs on the low C# takes practice – it’s prone to ring out without careful

At A Glance Body: Basswood Neck: Maple/bubinga Scale: 712mm (28”) Fingerboard: Rosewood Frets: 24 Pickups: 2x QM-9 humbuckers Controls: 1x volume, 1x tone, 5-way pickup selector switch Hardware: Gibraltar Standard-9 hardtail bridge – Cosmo Black Left-handed: No Finish: Black only Contact: Headstock Distribution 0121 508 6666 www.ibanez.co.jp

(28-inch) scale neck. That’s a lot of tension, and consequently, the five-piece maple/bubinga neck is supported by two titanium rods, and features dual truss rods for neck adjustments. The RG series is known for its slimline necks, but – although we can’t imagine a nine-string neck getting much skinnier – it’s still one hell of an adjustment from a six-string. If, however, you’re already over the eight-string hump, it’s not that huge a leap, especially when you consider that the RG9’s factory tuning almost covers the range of a six-string guitar and five-string bass in one, and as such, invites you to learn a new vocabulary of playing. An unexpectedly inspiring palette of tones helps to galvanise your riffs. The RG9 has a clever five-way switching system onboard, enabling ‘in-between’ settings from the QM-9 humbuckers: position two activates both pickups’ inner coils

pick-hand placement, while transitioning between bottom-end riffs and top-string solos can be a bit of a struggle, but like any extended-range guitar, the RG9 is very much its own instrument, and requires serious dedication to get the most from it. Whatever the guitar’s merits, the question remains over whether you’d opt for a nine-string over an eight-string – that low C# might be a little too earth-shattering. Yet the RG9 remains a great compositional tool, able to cover all the bases (and indeed basses) – so throw your scepticism aside and open your mind to the power of nine. Michael Brown

SUMMARY

Photography: Dave Caudery

The RG9 invites you to learn a new vocabulary of playing

NECK Reinforced with a pair of titanium rods, the RG9’s five-piece maple/bubinga neck is seriously hefty, but its flat rosewood fingerboard ensures it’s still capable of handling speedy fretwork

Pickups Forget what you think you know about extended-range guitars; these QM-9 humbuckers are capable of much more than just heavy riffs, and offer plenty of tasty clean tones

looks Aside from the wider neck and pickups, the RG9 is the spitting image of Ibanez’s recent Iron Label RG series – and it only comes in black, too

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality PLAYABILITY Overall rating

october 2014

REVIEw

Freshman Songwriter

Freshman Songwriter SONGOCRW £599 Songwriter by name, songwriter by nature; see where this electro cutaway will take you

Talk

about covering all the bases. There are 13 models in Freshman’s new Songwriter Series: dreadnoughts and OMs, including cutaway versions and left-handers, a 12-string dreadnought and a mini-dreadnought. We’ve been living with this OM cutaway electro for a while, and it’s one of the cornerstones of the new range. A friendly 14-fret cutaway with solid AA Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides, the SONGOCRW sports a pretty conventional look, but its matt finish and mahogany binding create an artisan-style, classy

them here. But the voicing is near-perfect in a band, for overdubbing on recordings or simply to support a solo voice. The OM’s clarity sits happily in a mix without muddying up the low-end, and there’s a delicate, almost harp-like tonality when tuned low to DADGAD, capo’d at the fifth – it’s chiming and very modern. Although the custom AER pickup system bares the moniker ‘Tube System’, there are no valves; it’s an under-saddle pickup with endpin jack and active preamp, developed for this range. Plugged in, it’s an impressive system that reproduces the guitar’s unplugged

This OM is crisply made and has a bright-voiced tonality

october 2014

tonality with clarity. There’s just a soundhole volume control but no EQ, indicating the confidence in the pickup’s sound. If you want an all-solid wood guitar, with a price point reserved for instruments with a solid top but laminate back and sides, the Songwriter Series is well named and aimed. This OM is crisply made, stylish, playable and has a bright-voiced modern tonality and impressive electro performance. That bright voice might be seen as lacking low-end, and it’s not the most dynamic, but for the money, it’s a tidy job, and if your budget is tight, it’s worth checking out. Isobel Morris & Jim Kimberley

SUMMARY

appearance that nods towards more costly USA brands such as Taylor and Larrivée’s start-up models. But our OM was designed in Scotland and made, to a very good standard, in China. All 13 of Freshman’s new models feature scalloped X bracing, and – rare at these prices – bone nuts, along with more commonly-used synthetic compensated saddles. Good fretting and neck profile, plus a low, slinky setup, make for a good player, perhaps for someone with a slightly lighter touch. At first, we were underwhelmed by the SONGOCRW’s sound. However, a fresh set of strings and a lighter gauge – Rotosound TB11s – livened up the tone and sorted a couple of intonation anomalies. Some lube on the open-backed tuners made them smoother and more responsive. There’s a bright, contemporary voice to this guitar – if you hanker after earthy lows, you won’t find

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality playability Overall rating

at a glance Top: Solid Sitka spruce Back & Sides: Solid rosewood Neck: Mahogany Scale: 650mm (25.6”) Fingerboard: Rosewood Frets: 20 Electrics: AER Tube System under-saddle/active preamp Controls: 1x soundhole volume Hardware: Vintage-style open-backed tuners – gold-plated Left-handed: Yes, acoustic only Finish: Natural satin only Contact: Freshman 01355 228028 www.freshmanguitars.net

Nut One high-level appointment is the nicely cut and polished bone nut – it’s not too common at this price

Body With a solid Sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides, the SONGOCRW offers impressive spec for the money

Pickup Under the compensated saddle is an AER pickup, which passes signal to an active preamp, controlled by a single volume control in the soundhole

gear

t-rex soulmate

Bank/live With only five effects, you might not use them, but the SoulMate offers 10 presets – the live footswitch swaps between preset and live modes, the bank switch alternates between two banks of five presets

at a glance Type: All-analogue multi-effects pedal Controls: Overdrive: overdrive, level, blend, tone; distortion: distortion, level, tone, presence; delay: delay, chorus, feedback, time; reverb: reverb, tone, decay, type; boost Sockets: Input, 2x output, loop in, loop out, power in, power out Bypass: Buffered Power: 12V power supply only (included) Contact: Westside Distribution 0844 326 2000 www.t-rex-effects.com

Boost Need to up the stakes for your big solo? The boost footswitch is the answer, and offers up to 14dB of extra volume

Tap tempo

T-Rex SoulMate £459

This handy switch allows you to set the delay time, and if you hold it down, you’ll mute the output and activate the built-in tuner

Meet the multi-effects with a stompbox soul

Not

looking to stick a modulation pedal into the mix, T-Rex has included an effects loop positioned post-dirt, pre-delay in the chain – there’s even a power output jack for extra stompers, although its 12-volt rating won’t suit all pedals. T-Rex designed the SoulMate with gigging guitarists in mind, and judging from its substantial

tone – so much so that you may never want to switch it off. The distortion ups the ante with everything from crunchy ‘Plexi’style dirt to full-on British-style chunk at higher levels of gain, while the presence control dials in harsher sounds for filthy metal grind. Combine all that with the almighty boost (controllable via a

T-Rex designed the SoulMate with gigging guitarists in mind 2kg enclosure, it will survive stomps from the most gargantuan of clodhoppers – it even comes with its own gigbag, and trust us, these tones are worth protecting. For starters, the overdrive has a pushed-amp style grit, with a bright tonality and slight mid hump, plus an effective blend control for balancing break-up crunch with your natural guitar

small dial on the rear), and there’s huge potential for dirt textures. There’s not quite so much versatility in the delay and reverb sections. The former offers one setting: a modulatable tape-esque decay, where the low-end gradually rolls off the repeats, while the latter provides four ’verbs (spring, room, hall and LFO), none of which take you into

ambient territory, but liven up a dry tone. Whether they’re extreme enough for your tastes or not, you’ll struggle to get a bad sound. We love the SoulMate concept – it encourages you to play more and worry less, while providing a smattering of sonic options. Whether it’s worth £459 is another matter, particularly if these effects aren’t to your liking – a six-strong pedalboard may cost more, but at least you have the option of swapping a few pedals out. That said, there’s great potential here, and anyone after a fuss-free alternative to modelling multieffects and pedalboards would do well to find their SoulMate. Michael Brown

SUMMARY

everyone enjoys the usual multi-effects trawl through screens of signal chains, yet stompboxes present their own problems: loose jacks, dodgy patch cables and knackered power supplies among the most persistent offenders. What’s a guitarist to do? T-Rex reckons the SoulMate’s the answer. Essentially, the SoulMate is five T-Rex pedals in one: the Møller overdrive, Mudhoney distortion, Replica/Reptile delay and Room-Mate reverb, plus a separate boost, controlled by five effect footswitches. The furthest-right switch acts as a tap tempo for the delay and, held down, activates a built-in tuner, viewable via a bright display on the top-right of the unit. While you can operate the pedals as individual stompers (we reckon that’s how most guitarists will use the SoulMate), there’s also the ability to create presets, which you can assign to the five footswitches. And for anyone

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality playability Overall rating

october 2014

round-up

Vintage Reissued Series

Vintage Reissued Series round-up

It might lack the big-brand profile, but Vintage has a formidable complement of mid-priced electrics for guitarists who don’t worry about the name on the headstock Words: Jonathan Horsley Photography: Simon Lees

october 2014

GEAR

For

anyone who just wants to play guitar, Vintage is a brand to watch. Making his name in top-quality components, Trev Wilkinson is respected throughout the guitar industry; think of him as some kind of Maharishi in boot-cut jeans and a sensible shirt. Here, Wilkinson has helped design and equip three electrics in the Vintage Reissue Series, which give you plenty of change out of £500: the Vintage Rock Series VRS150, V58JD and V100MU Midge Ure Signature Series. The Vintage Rock Series VRS150 is a 24-fret double-cutaway electric, a budget option for those who secretly covet a 24-fret Custom from a certain US

Round-up

manufacturer but baulk at the four-figure price tag and MOP fretboard aviary. The V100MU, meanwhile, is a smart-looking, LP-inspired Goldtop, developed for former Ultravox and Thin Lizzy man, Midge Ure. It should go some way to compensating Midge for the 1980 chart fiasco that saw Joe Dolce’s Shaddap You Face beat Vienna to number one in the UK Singles Chart, and it even has a vibrola vibrato – very nice. And finally, if you’ve ever wanted to play a T-type electric bearing the name of former Fairport Convention guitarist and esteemed Hellecaster Jerry Donahue, you now can, thanks to the V58JD.

october 2014

round-up

Vintage Reissued Series

VINTAGE V100MU MIDGE URE SIGNATURE SERIES £499 Ure new guitar has arrived

Midge

Ure is an unlikely guitar hero: he made his name with Ultravox, but earned his stripes after replacing Gary Moore in Thin Lizzy, learning the setlist on the plane over; he also co-wrote Do They Know It’s Christmas? He’s had an interesting career, and his guitar’s interesting, too. Initial impressions suggest it’s just another riff on the classic LP outline: the V100MU has a slimmish neck profile, and has a drop shoulder curling in towards the fretboard, plus an offset heel to improve upper-fret access. Two of Trev Wilkinson’s WP90SK soapbar pickups handle plugged-in duties,

Vintage V58JD £399 Jerry Dona-who?

Famous

first for his work with woolly folk-rockers Fairport Convention, Jerry Donahue is now a feisty member of The Hellecasters. Breezily described by the Vintage website as ‘the doyen of the string-benders’, we can imagine Jerry leading the stringbenders into war with the V58JD. Ash Blonde with classic 60s ‘Woman’ tone – the guitar, that is, not Jerry – it’s a simple weapon for a man of simple yet refined tastes. We love the no-nonsense construction; a satin-smooth and comfortably clubby onepiece maple neck is bolted to an American alder body, with a hardtail ashtray bridge making for a stable, solid guitar that rewards aggressive picking and more gentle fingerpicking alike. Sure, the V58JD is built for boogie-woogie blues, and bend-

october 2014

laden country chicken-pickin’, but with a five-way pickup selector, there’s a smorgasbord of tones available, from overdriven blues to snappy cleans. We can’t entirely endorse the V58JD’s claims to ‘Woman’ tone, though – the neck pickup and custom capacitor combo, residing at position four on the five-way switch, sounds warm, woody, and bright, so not like ‘Woman’ tone to our ears. We can, however, definitely endorse the Vintage marketing department’s promises of ‘quack-tone’ and ‘country twang’ – there’s a pleasing elasticity to the V58JD’s voice. Just don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a guitar that might sound too tame; drive your amp hard and it will show more than a little attitude. It looks like a house cat, but it’s really a complex tiger, a bit like Jerry. Either way, it’s a wrench to put down, which is how it should be.

with a Vari-coil control to convert them to single coils. Somehow, despite the design oddity of fitting a vibrola to a contoured body, it all holds together, stays in tune and plays great. There are a lot of features on the V100MU, but it doesn’t take long to find its sweet spot. With a little classic-rock crunch, the V100MU has a punchy, bright tone that cleans up nicely; using the Vari-coil just adds a little extra subtlety for crisp cleans. The vibrola takes plenty of wobbling before retuning’s required, a welcome addition to a guitar that’s hugely playable, affordable and endearingly eccentric.

GEAR

Round-up

Vintage Rock Series VRS150 £419 Double-cutaway, double cream

Unlike

its siblings, the VRS150 doesn’t have a celebrity player’s name on the headstock, but this shouldn’t set it apart. Jerry and Midge’s signature models meet the first test of any good signature guitar; namely, that anyone could pick them up and make them their own. Similarly, the VRS150 invites you to make your own mark, and like its siblings, it’s a versatile electric that offers a lot of tone and playability at a competitive price. The double-cutaway body is carved from mahogany, capped with a flame-maple veneer. It has a set maple neck with a profile that’s reminiscent of Midge’s but a little flatter, and thanks to its superstable Wilkinson Compensating GBT vibrato unit and E-Z-Lok

Vintage V100MU Midge Ure Signature Series

At a glance Body: Mahogany Neck: Mahogany Scale: 628mm (24.75") Fingerboard: Rosewood Frets: 22 Pickups: 2x Wilkinson Stacked WP90SK Controls: 2x volume, 1x master tone, 1x Vari-coil Hardware: Vibrola vibrato, Wilkinson GBR roller bridge, Wilkinson E-Z-Lok tuners – chrome Left-handed: No Finish: Gold only Contact: John Hornby Skewes 01132 865 381 www.jhs.co.uk

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality Playability Overall rating

Vintage Rock Series VRS150 At a glance Body: Mahogany w/ flame maple veneer cap Neck: Maple Scale: 635mm (25") Fingerboard: Rosewood Frets: 24 Pickups: 2x Wilkinson Double Coil MWCHB humbuckers Controls: 1x volume, 1x tone, three-way pickup selector Hardware: Compensating GTB vibrato, Wilkinson WJ04 E-Z-Lok tuners– chrome Left-handed: No Finish: Tobacco Sunburst, Honeyburst (shown)

SUMMARY

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality Playability Overall rating

Vintage V58JD At a glance Body: Alder Neck: Maple Scale: 648mm (25.5") Fingerboard: Maple Frets: 22 Pickups: 2x Custom Designed Wilkinson WJTD single coils Controls: 1x volume, 1x tone, 5-way pickup selector Hardware: Chrome Left-handed: No Finish: Ash Blonde only

tuners, it’s another dependable electric from Vintage. The bridge humbucker has plenty of punchy midrange and is dynamic enough to handle subtle cleans and hard, driving rock alike. It’s just how we like it: raucous at the bridge, creamy at the neck – well, it’s not quite that hot at the bridge, but the neck pickup has a reassuring, abundantly thick, highcalorie tone. It plays fast but, for some, the neck would benefit from more girth to seat your fretting hand for long sessions. It also lacks a little of the charm that makes Jerry and Midge’s guitars such a pleasant surprise. Still, it’s worth checking out, particularly for those players with long-term aspirations of more expensive, similarly named guitars.

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality Playability Overall rating

october 2014

REVIEw

Vox AC15 red limited ed.

Grille This AC15 certainly looks the part – the Tygon grille cloth and gold badge are a perfect match for the Garnet Red vinyl covering

Effects Reverb and tremolo effects add to the AC15’s vintage vibes, and they’re footswitchable, too

Speaker A Celestion V-Type loudspeaker is the AC15 Ltd’s driver of choice – it doesn't quite nail the classic Vox chime, but it’s packed with mids for epic leads

Vox AC15 Red Limited Edition £599 Time warp alert: plug in to the look and sound of the swinging 60s

HAVING

october 2014

trademark Tone Cut control, which works backwards, rolling off treble as you turn it up. On the back panel, there are extension speaker sockets and a socket for the optional two-button footswitch, which toggles the reverb and tremolo effects. The build quality is excellent – since all its amp production was moved to

to that vintage vibe, with a creamy midrange bias that sounds great for lead stuff. However, the higher harmonics you might expect to hear from a Vox are less obvious, even using bright single coils, with the treble maxed out and no cut on the power amp. They’re there, sure, but just not as defined as we’d like.

T he reverb and tremolo effects both sound really impressive China, Vox has had plenty of time to get its processes right, and it shows in details such as the custom cream corners and carry handle. We love the retro colour scheme, reminiscent of the vintage Dansette record players that were so popular in the 50s and 60s, although it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. The new Celestion V-Type loudspeaker definitely adds

The reverb and tremolo effects both sound really impressive; it’s just disappointing that the two-way switch needed to remotely control them isn’t part of the package. With plenty of volume for small to medium gigs, the AC15 holds its own with a full drum kit, although with the master right up, things can get a little too muddy, especially if your axe of

choice is powered by humbuckers. Compared with some of the closest competition, the Vox could be viewed as a little quirky, lacking many of the modern features some of us take for granted. However, if you’re looking for an amp that typifies the early Brit Invasion sound, then the AC15 is the one – but we’re not sure the V-Type is the right speaker for this amp, unless you want a great creamy lead tone and nothing else. If you really want to hear Vox’s trademark complex high-end sparkle, you might want to think about saving up for the Alnico Blue-powered version, which costs slightly more, but in our opinion is definitely worth it. Nick Guppy

SUMMARY

been designed by audio genius Dick Denney and launched way back in 1958, Vox’s AC15 was the early sound of The Shadows and The Beatles, before the higher-powered AC30 version arrived and fuelled most of the classic ‘British Invasion’ sounds of the early 1960s. Here, we’re taking a look at a special limited-edition version of the modern AC15, which comes in a super-cool retro Garnet Red vinyl, with Tygon grille cloth and a Celestion V-Type 12-inch speaker. Circuit-wise, the Red Limited Edition is an evolution of the original, with two channels, dubbed Normal and Top Boost, accessed via separate input jacks. The Top Boost channel features volume, treble and bass, while the Normal channel has a single volume knob. Both channels feed into the AC15’s reverb and tremolo effects, before arriving at a global volume control and Vox’s

at a glance Type: All-valve 2-channel combo Output: 15W Speaker: 1x 12" Celestion V-Type Valves: 2x EL84, 3x 12AX7 Controls: Normal volume, Top Boost volume, bass, treble, master volume, master tone cut, reverb level, tremolo speed, tremolo depth Sockets: 1x normal input, 1x Top Boost input, 1x footswitch, 1x external speaker, 1x extension speaker Weight: 22kg Dimensions: [HxWxD] 450x600x265 Contact: Korg UK 01908 304600 www.voxamps.com

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality playability Overall rating

gear

Washburn lsb768sek

Washburn LSB768SEK £429 The longest-scale acoustic baritone known to man or beast

The

acoustic baritone guitar took a big leap when Taylor added a six- and eight-string to its line-up in 2011. Tuned down, typically, B to B, it means you can play the same fingering but the pitch is lower – the reverse, if you like, of a pitch-raising capo. You can tune how you like, so long as you respect string gauge and tension. This Washburn baritone – we’ll shorten it’s name to LSB, aka Lakeside Baritone – is a large and deep, round-shouldered predreadnought design that debuted in 1912. But the baritone scale length is more contemporary and, if our research is correct, unique. Acoustic baritones are rare; aside from Taylor, Walden has the futuristic B-1E, and Alvarez’s

features a compensated saddle. The electrics are from Fishman: a Sonitone active preamp system with Sonicore under-saddle pickup, soundhole-placed volume and tone wheel controls, and base output jack/strap button. So, big body, ultra-long scale… well, check the string gauges of D’Addario’s EXP-23 phosphor bronze bari ropes: 0.016, 0.022, 0.029, 0.048, 0.060 and 0.070inch – the top two are plain, the others wound. Our first hours with the LSB were a little unmusical and quite painful on the left hand. The depth of the tone makes everything you play sound slowed down, but slowly, we got our hands around it. It’s a huge sound, and acoustically well-balanced and projecting.

It’s a huge sound, acoustically well-balanced and projecting

Tuning The LSB’s standard tuning, from low to high, is B E A D F# B. The top string is the same pitch as a standard guitar’s B string; the low B is the same pitch as a bass guitar’s A string played at the 2nd fret

Body This big Lakeside jumbo shape first appeared in 1912, a precursor to Martin’s dreadnought shape

Pickup There’s no side-mount preamp, but this is still an electro: Fishman’s Sonicore system uses volume and tone thumbwheel controls placed inside the soundhole – it’s powered, as usual, by a nine-volt battery

Plugged in, it’s not the hottest output we’ve encountered, and the low B is a little quiet. But plugging into an acoustic pedalboard with compression, EQ, reverb and delay/looper, we really begin to hear the potential. A simple low bassline/percussion slap loop becomes a solid foundation for upper-fret parts, which after recording and adding overdubs, becomes an almost orchestral, piano-like soundscape: tremendous. For any creative musician looking to expand their pitch, this is a great place to start. It won’t overly hurt the wallet, either… just your fingers! Dave Burrluck

SUMMARY

ABT60E is highly affordable. In addition to the bulk of the body, the scale here is the longest we’ve encountered. While the aforementioned baritones aim for a 686mm (27-inch) scale, Washburn has gone for 737mm (29 inches), just 25.4mm short of the standard ‘short’ bass scale of 762mm (30 inches). Irrelevant of the maths, it’s huge! Overall construction is very tidy, though: from the bound rosewood ’board with diamond and dot inlays through to the not overly thick-looking gloss natural finish that covers the solid Sitka spruce top and laminate rosewood back and sides. The 15-fret neck join is usual and it means the neck feels even longer: played seated, it’s really quite a stretch to play a root position E major chord. The neck width and depth isn’t excessive – 43mm (1.69-inch) wide at the nut with a 56mm (2.2-inch) string spread at the bridge, which

at a glance Top: Solid Sitka spruce Back & Sides: Laminated rosewood Neck: Mahogany Scale: 737mm (29”) Fingerboard: Rosewood Frets: 20 Electrics: Fishman Sonitone under-saddle/active preamp Controls: Soundhole volume, tone Hardware: Vintage-style open-backed tuners – nickel-plated Left-handed: No Finish: Natural gloss Contact: Sound Technology 01462 480000 www.washburn.com

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality playability Overall rating

october 2014

round-up

Xotic & EWS pedals

Xotic & EWS pedal round-up £113-£130

Tiny they may be, but there's nothing small about the tones emanating from this fresh batch of mini pedals, featuring a range of drives and compression

Wait

a second: pedals from two different companies in one round-up… how does that work? Well, California-based Prosound Communications is the parent company of Xotic and EWS, which have different designers and design philosophies. Xotic is the high-end boutique brand, with pedals designed and built in the USA, while EWS pedals are designed and built in Japan. Xotic introduced its first guitar and bass pedals in 1999, with the idea of creating pedals with a transparent sound so as not to interfere with the characteristics of your guitar and amp. This resulted in pedals such as the AC Booster and the RC Booster, which quickly found their way onto the pedalboards of LA's finest. The key factor that connects these three Xotic pedals and the EWS Little Brute Drive is their size – these are solidly built mini pedals that can fit onto any pedalboard, no matter how crowded.

october 2014

Xotic SL Drive £121

Xotic EP Booster £113

Compact drive for super leads

Vintage-style tonal enhancement

Based on Marshall’s 1959 model amps, the SL Drive has a series of DIP switches inside its enclosure, which call up the characteristics of the Super Lead or Super Bass amps. Once you've found the combination that suits you – the Lead having more top-end crunch, the Bass a smoother heft – you can use the three knobs to dial in authenticsounding late-60s/early-70s Marshall drive sounds. It’s just the job if you don’t have a lot of pedalboard space but you’re on the lookout for some classic rock tones.

It's been well documented that certain well-known guitarists, Jimmy Page and EVH included, utilised the Echoplex EP-3 tape echo’s preamp to add a bit of tonal mojo to the front of their amplifier, and this pedal aims to recreate that classic crunch. There’s 20dB of boost available from the single knob if you want to drive your amp, but even at minimum boost, the pedal’s unique EQ naturally improves your tone, enhancing top- and bottom-end. So stomp on one, and you might never turn it off again.

GEAR

Round-up

Xotic SP Compressor £130 Compress and boost in one The SP offers three compression strengths alongside a blend knob that mixes compression with the dry sound, plus an output volume with up to 15dB of boost. Now, you can use it purely as a compressor – it sounds great, and you can dial in a very natural mix with the blend knob, but turn up the volume and you can boost your amp while adding as little or as much compression as you want for fat, juicy overdriven tones. You may think you don’t need a compressor, but at this size, you may think again.

EWS Little Brute Drive £121 This Brute is a beaut Derived from the larger Brute Drive pedal, this bijou Brute still offers a very useful range of overdrive and distortion, from a smidgeon of crunch to fully cranked amp gain. There’s just one knob, but you get internal trim pots to adjust output volume and treble, which goes from neutral settings – letting your amp tones shine through – to searing, ‘take your head off’ tones. The Brute is a practical little box that can add an overdrive channel to a clean amp, or get an overdriven one screaming.

At A Glance

Solidly built mini pedals that can fit on any ’board

EWS Little Brute Drive Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality USability Overall rating

SUMMARY

Xotic SP Compressor Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality USability Overall rating

Xotic EP Booster Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality USability Overall rating

SUMMARY

Xotic SL Drive Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality USability Overall rating

SUMMARY

Type: Overdrive, boost, compressor & overdrive pedals Controls: SL Drive: Drive, tone, volume, 4x internal DIP switches; EP Booster: Gain, 2x internal DIP switches; SP Compressor: Blend, volume, hi/lo/mid switch, 4x internal DIP switches; Little Brute Drive: Gain, internal treble cut and output level trim pots Sockets: Input, output, power Bypass: True bypass Power: 9V battery, 9V power supply Contact: Xotic Effects, EWS www.xotic.us www.ews-us.com

october 2014

REVIEw

tc/seymour duncan

TC Electronic Alter Ego X4 Vintage Echo £209 Retro delay tones aplenty, courtesy of Pro Guitar Shop

Type: Vintage-voiced digital delay pedal Controls: Mode, time, feedback, delay level, looper level, subdivisions switch, looper/delay switch Sockets: 2x input, 2x output, expression pedal, power, USB, MIDI in, MIDI thru Bypass: Buffered or true bypass Power: 9V power supply only (included) Contact: TC Electronic 0800 917 8926 www.tcelectronic.com

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality USability Overall rating

SUMMARY

crunchy repeats capture the classic Shadows vibe to a tee, while modulated settings such as the Echo Rec and Echoflanger have an ambient haze, perfect for spacey rock. Some modulation – such as the Deluxe Memory Man’s vibrato – is too seasick, and will have some hankering for an intensity control. But considering the quality of sounds such as the gradual tapelike decay of the EPlex 2 setting, it’s hard to complain. If tape delay means nothing to you, you could save the extra £30 and pick up a regular Flashback X4, but for vintage delay connoisseurs, this is as close as you’re likely to get to these echoes from the past. Michael Brown

SUMMARY

love TC’s original Flashback X4: it’s easy to use, has great delays, and comes with three assignable presets and a 40-second looper. For this Alter Ego incarnation, American retailer Pro Guitar Shop presents all-new models of classic tape delays, such as the Maestro EP-2 Echoplex, Roland RE-201 Space Echo and Watkins Copicat, all according to genuine vintage examples. There are 12 new sounds in all, as well as four TonePrint slots, which allow you to beam preset sounds to your pedal via your phone or computer using TC’s TonePrint app. You can’t fault the PGS guys’ attention to detail: all of the Alter Ego X4’s retro voicings are utterly convincing. The Copycat’s warm,

Features sound quality Value for money Build Quality USability Overall rating

Seymour Duncan Dirty Deed Distortion £139 Duncan does distortion

well as its legendary pickups, Seymour Duncan is forging a name in FX, too. The Dirty Deed Distortion is part of its latest compact range, and, as you might expect, deals with the filthier side of gain. The DDD falls on the classic-rock side of distortion, with a presence and mid kick aimed at the stage. It boasts full-bodied gain at any drive level, courtesy of a circuit based around MOSFET transistors, which feature a dynamic response similar to a cranked amp. That keeps the higher-gain sounds clear for liquid legato lines, and ensures they clean up with your volume knob for lighter crunches. Although SD reckons the DDD is also great for boosting alreadydistorted amps, we preferred

october 2014

running it into a clean valve amp – if you’re using humbuckers, you’ll struggle to get low-gain sounds from the pedal on its lowest drive setting, and this can mean an overly saturated tone when combined with amp gain. The treble and bass controls’ active EQ helps to maintain the distortion’s clarity, though, with up to 12dB of cut or boost for beefing up single coils or brightening ’buckers. We’ve tried plenty of distortion pedals over the years, but the DDD ranks among our favourites: it’s full of gain, low-noise and never fizzy. In this case, dirty deeds ain’t done cheap, and more versatile drives are available, but for amplike, balls-to-the-wall distortion, the DDD is worth plugging in. Michael Brown

Type: Distortion pedal Controls: Level, treble, bass, drive Sockets: Input, output, power Bypass: True bypass Power: 9V battery, 9V up to 18V power supply Contact: Rosetti 01376 550033 www.seymourduncan.com

gear

accessories

Korg Rimpitch Acoustic tuning, soundhole-style The internet exploded when Korg announced this soundholemounted acoustic tuner – probably something to do with the name. The Rimpitch slides onto your acoustic’s soundhole, and fits any ‘hole with a diameter of 100mm +/- 3mm. When fitted, it’s certainly discreet, and once activated via a small push-button, its piezo pickup makes for quick, accurate tuning. However, with no chromatic mode, alternate tunings are out, and if you strum too hard, you could knock it into your soundhole. Players who standard tune and strum light will be alright. (£15.99, www.korg.com)

Dunlop Primetone Sculpted Plectra Plecs primed for tone

Curt Mangan Custom Signature Set strings

Dunlop, legendary purveyor of picks, has launched a new range of plectra for 2014 dubbed Primetone, which boast ‘hand-burnished sculpted edges’. Basically, that means a worn-in feel, with a smoother, darker tone than pointier picks. They come in a variety of shapes, too – we had the Triangle, which was great for smoky blues, while the Semi-Round’s blunt edges made it an ideal choice for strummers looking to tone down the sizzle of a spruce top. If you find your high-end overbearing, a Primetone could be the first step to toning it down. (£3, www.jimdunlop.com)

They’ve got your name on ’em want your own signature string set? Yes you do. Curt Mangan provides a choice of gauges, and your name printed on the packaging. For anyone who mixes and matches individual strings, it could be a convenient solution. We opted for a set of 0.010-gauge strings, with a 0.056-inch sixth string, which we used to drop the low E to a B: the strings retained their tuning well. £86 for 12 sets isn't the best value, but there’s a wealth of options for string-gauge sticklers. (from £86 for 12 sets, www.curtmangan-eu.com)

Straptight Strap Locks Strap goes in here There are few onstage situations more nightmarish than your strap falling off and your guitar hitting the floor. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to Straptight's co-founder, but fortuitously, it inspired this new Joe Satriani-approved strap lock solution. Made from a ‘strong yet flexible high-grade material’, the Straptight is incredibly easy to fit, yet near-impossible to take off unless you want to: simply twist and push to put on, twist and pull to take off. Despite rocking out to the best of our abilities and tugging with all our might, our strap wouldn’t budge, and for that kind of piece of mind, £7.80 isn't much to pay. (£7.80, www.straptight.com)

october 2014

techniques Complete your workout in

12 mins

guitar workout

Your 12-minute Workout guide… 1. CHOOSE AN EXERCISE… EX 1 Ascending 4ths Three minutes EX 2 Descending

three-note pattern Three minutes

EX 3 Descending

four-note pattern Three minutes

EX 4 Rhythmic displacement

Three minutes

Words and guitar: Phil Capone

2. SET YOUR METRONOME These exercises can be played to a metronome for a greater technical challenge (we’ve suggested tempos). For best results, play with strict alternate picking to ensure you build a rock-solid picking technique. 3. START THE STOPWATCH… All of the exercises are suitable for all players except absolute beginners to attempt. Either dip in and try the exercise that interests you most, or for a tougher challenge mix and match any or all of the exercises. Don’t stop before three minutes is up, though!

On your TG DVD

Pentatonic runs Improve your soloing skills and your picking technique by applying sequencing to the minor pentatonic scale Practising the pentatonic scale ascending and descending is a good way to learn the shape, but just climbing up and down the scale won’t prepare you for improvising a solo. That’s why the pros don’t just practise scales, they practise sequences; sequences are repeating note patterns that effectively program melodic fragments into your muscle memory.

guest lesson: marty friedman p102

Historically, pentatonic scales can be found in both Western and Eastern culture; they are believed to be some of the earliest scale forms in human history. There are many different types of pentatonic scales, but the one dearest to guitarists’ hearts is the ubiquitous minor pentatonic. It’s featured in guitar solos ever since Robert Johnson made his mythical deal with the

Ask Total Guitar p104

devil, but became syonymous with rock guitar in the 1960s: legends such as Eric Clapton and SRV built their careers on it. So whatever music you play, the minor pentatonic scale can’t be ignored. Whether you’ve just learned the shape, or you’re tired of the same licks, these exercises will make you think differently about the humble minor pentatonic scale.

Grades: ROCK SCHOOL p106

Grades: RGT p107 october 2014

techniques pentatonic runs TGR258.workout.ﬁg01.musx File Date: 20:42 28/07/2014

Pentatonic Runs Guitar Workout

Page 1 of 1

Contributor: Phil Capone Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

ExNotes: 1

TG DVD

This ascending 4ths sequence can be used to create weaving, angular lines

T A B

. .

œ ⇥

≤

⇥

≤

⇥

≤

⇥

≤ etc.

80bpm

45 seconds

95bpm 110bpm

45 seconds 45 seconds

125bpm

45 seconds

œ 5

.. . .

Angus Young is a

20-second challenge Descend through the scale using the same pattern

TGR258.workout.ﬁg02.musx File Date: 20:44 28/07/2014 Page 1 of 1 Notes:

Use alternate picking throughout to build your picking technique

YOUR workout routine… 1

TG TIPS

Play the first note with your first finger then, instead of lifting your finger off of the string, flatten it so that it lies across the fifth string. The pad of your finger should now be fretting the fifth string while the tip mutes the sixth. Repeat the process as you cross from fifth to fourth strings.

2 3

master of minor Pentatonic Runs pentatonic phrasing Guitar Workout Contributor: Phil Capone Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

Ex 2

q = 80-125

& 44 ..

TG DVD

Create cool pentatonic licks using three-note sequences

T A B

. .

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3

⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ etc.

Although it may seem a little awkward, it’s important to use strict alternate picking throughout this exercise (if you’re picking correctly you should finish on an up-pick). To increase speed and accuracy, try to keep your fingers hovering close above the strings when not fretting.

YOUR workout routine… 1

70bpm

45 seconds

2 3

80bpm 90bpm

45 seconds 45 seconds

100bpm

45 seconds

20-second challenge Ascend through the scale using the same pattern

october 2014

œ œ œ œ 7

.. . .

TG TIPS

Thinking of a blues shuffle will help you to get in the groove

Listen to the notes Jimmy Page chooses to bend while playing the minor pentatonic

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 . &4 . q = 70-100

techniquesPentatonic guitarRuns workout

TGR258.workout.ﬁg03.musx File Date: 20:47 28/07/2014

Ex 3

Guitar Workout

Page 1 of 1 Notes:

Contributor: Phil Capone Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

TG DVD

Supersize your soloing skills with these pentatonic four-note groupings œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œœ œ œœœœœœœœœœ ˙

q = 60-90

& 44 .. T A B

. .

TG TIPS

. .

Use alternate picking throughout, as indicated in bar 1. To increase accuracy and speed, use the finger-rolling technique from exercise 1 to play notes on adjacent strings.

YOUR workout routine… 1

60bpm

45 seconds

2 3

70bpm 80bpm

45 seconds 45 seconds

90bpm

45 seconds

Zakk Wylde links

20-second challenge Transpose the lick to E minor in the open position

sequences TGR258.workout.ﬁg04.musx pentatonic at lightning speed File Date: 20:54 28/07/2014

Ex 4

⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ etc.

Accent the first note of each four-note grouping to help with timing

Pentatonic Runs Guitar Workout

Page 1 of 1 Notes:

Contributor: Phil Capone Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

TG DVD

Learn how to use rhythmic displacement to give your solos an unusual edge œ œœ œœ œ œœœ œœœœ œœ œ œ 4 . œ œœœœœœœœœ œœ & 4 ‰ R .. œ œœœ ˙ q = 60-90

T A B

≤

. .

⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ etc.

TGTIPS Practise by

emphasising the first note of each group, then the second, then third, etc

Listen to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythmic displacement in the solo to Honey Bee

‰.

œ R .. 8

. .

w complex, but it’s actually a simple technique. Basically, the whole of exercise 3 has This sounds been shifted so that it starts a 16th note earlier; so, although it contains the same notes and uses the same four-note pattern, it sounds very different because different notes fall on the beat.

YOUR workout routine… 1

60bpm

45 seconds

2 3

70bpm 80bpm

45 seconds 45 seconds

90bpm

45 seconds

20-second challenge Swap between exercise 3 and exercise 4

october 2014

next month on sale 29 september

Slash & Myles Kennedy New guitar-mag exclusive album interview! Learn five brand-new Slash riffs! New Epiphone Slash models reviewed! Win! Dunlop pedals signed by Slash Interviews Avenged Sevenfold Chevelle J Mascis Lower Than Atlantis Steal Their Style Zakk Wylde Technique Alternate Picking Maximise speed and efficiency with our technique workout

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guest lesson

Marty Friedman

video lesson w w w.bit .l y/ tg258ma rty

In his final lesson, Marty covers Japanese sounds from traditional Hirajoshi to J-Pop Marty Friedman has lived in Tokyo for more than 10 years, and has absorbed Japanese musical culture and assimilated it into his own playing style. On his Tokyo Jukebox albums, Marty performs arrangements of J-Pop tunes. Marty has also become a Japanese TV personality, with his own show Rock Fujiyama. In this lesson, ‘Hebimeta-san’ (Mr Heavy Metal) starts by demonstrating the traditional Japanese sound by improvising around the E Hirajoshi scale.

Also known as the ‘Japanese Scale’ in western circles, ‘Hirajoshi’ has five notes/ intervals (1 2 b 3 5 b 6). This is the same as the natural minor scale, or Aeolian mode, only with the 4th and b 7th intervals removed. This Japanese pentatonic scale is an easy way of creating exotic sounds over minor tonalities. Finally, Marty plays a typical Japanese pop, or ‘J-Pop’, chord progression that uses lots of interesting chord changes within the key of C major.

Hirajoshi Scale Diagram 1 4 4

3 3

1 1 1

3 3

2 2

1 1 4

4 4 3

1 3 3

1 1

4 4

Transcription: Charlie Griffiths Picture: Tom Couture

TGR258.guest_mfriedman.ﬁg01.musx Guest Lesson File Date: 14:03 11/08/2014 Marty Friedman This1 diagram shows two positions in which the E Hirajoshi scale can be played across the neck; the first one starting with the open sixth string and the second Page of 1 Contributor: Charlie Grifﬁths shape starting at the 7th fret, sixth string. These shapes can also be started from the note B and used as a mode known as the ‘Kumoi’ scale (1 b 2 4 5 b 6). Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

102

Hirajoshi improvisation #4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & 4 q =120

let ring 7

T A B

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ let ring 0

&october 2014 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 3

œœ œœ œ œ 0 0 0 2 2 0

& 4

œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ let ring

let ring 7

T A B

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

0 2

œœ œ œ

techniques guest lesson

0 0 0 2 2 0

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

T A B

#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ

let ring

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

TGR258.guest_mfriedman.fig02.musx Guest Lesson Marty plays around with the E Hirajoshi notes and uses slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs to move smoothly through the scale. He also incorporates open Lesson TGR258.guest_mfriedman.fig02.musx Guest File Date: 15:09 11/08/2014 Marty Friedman TGR258.guest_mfriedman.fig02.musx strings to cluster notes into chords. As Marty plays quite freely and pushes and pulls the tempo, the rhythmic notation shown is intended to be a guideGuest only. Lesson TGR258.guest_mfriedman.fig02.musx Guest Lesson File Date: 15:09 11/08/2014 Marty Page 1 of 15:09 1 Contributor: Marty CharlieFriedman Griffiths File Date: 11/08/2014 Friedman File Date: 15:09 11/08/2014 Marty Friedman Page 1 of 1 Contributor: Charlie Griffiths Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com Page 1 of 1 Contributor: Charlie Griffiths Page Contributor: Charlie Griffiths Notes:1 of 1 Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

J-Pop progression q =104 q =104 C q =104 C q =104

4 & 44 & 44 & &4

T A T B T A T1 A B A B1 B1 1

& & & &

T A T B T A T5 A B A B5 B5 5

& & & &

T A T B T A T9 A B A B9 B9 9

& & & &

T A T B T A T13 A B A B13 B13

0 1 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 7 Dm 3 Dm7 Dm7 Dm7

œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ 5 6 5 6 7 5 5 6 5 7 5 6 5 7 5 5 7 5

Am9

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ0

Am9 Am9 Am9

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 5 5 0 0 5 0 5 0

Em7

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Em7 Em7 Em7

7 8 7 8 9 7 7 8 7 9 7 8 7 9 7 7 9 7

œœ .. œœœ ... œœ ... œœœ .. 1

œœ œœœ œœ œœ œ1

C C

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5 6 5 6 7 5 5 6 5 7 5 6 5 7 5 5 7 5

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0 1 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœ œœœ œœ œœ œ1

0 1 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœœ œœ œœœ œ œœ 1 2

F/G F/G F/G

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 5 5 0 0 5 0 5 0

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ 7 8 7 8 9 7 7 8 7 9 7 8 7 9 7 7 9 7

1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3

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Gm Gm Gm

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 5 5 0 0 5 0 5 0 Am9

Am9 Am9 Am9

œœœ œœ œœœ œ œœ 1 2

2 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0

1 1 3 3 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Gm 3

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ0

0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 5 5 0 0 5 0 5 0

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E 7sus 4 E 7sus 4 E 7sus 4

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5 6 5 6 7 5 5 6 5 7 5 6 5 7 5 5 7 5

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E 7sus 4

3 3 3 5 3 3 5 3 5 3 3 5 5 3 3 5 3 5 3

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E E E

2 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œ3 œ33 3 5 3 3 5 3 5 3 3 5 5 3 3 5 3 5 3

œœœ œœ œœœ œ œœ 1 2

1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 C 3

œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ0 1

C C C

0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ0 0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 5 5 0 0 5 0 5 0

1 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 2 0

œœœ œœ œœœ œ œœ 1 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3

œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ

œœ œœœ œœ œœœ œ0010 œ200

œœœ œœ œœœ œ œœ 1 2 œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ0 1 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 3

1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3

œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ0 1 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœ œœœ œœ œœœ œ0010 œ200

1 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 2 0

œœ œœœ œœ œœœ œ0010 œ200

1 1 2 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 7 2 Cmaj 2 0 0 Cmaj 7 Cmaj 7 Cmaj 7

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ00 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ0 1 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 2 0 1 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœœ œœ œœœ œ01 œ 0 2 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 2 0

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ00

œœ .. œœœ ... œœ ... œœœ . œ00 ..

0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 2 0 3 2 3 Fmaj 7

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœ .. œœ .. œœ .. œœ .. œœ . .

Fmaj 7 Fmaj 7 Fmaj 7

Dm7

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

Dm7 Dm7 Dm7

5 6 5 6 7 5 5 6 5 7 5 6 5 7 5 5 7 5

8 10 8 9 10 8 9 8 10 8 10 9 10 8 10 9 8 10 8

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ 5 6 5 6 7 5 5 6 5 7 5 6 5 7 5 5 7 5

0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

8 10 8 9 10 8 9 8 10 8 10 9 10 8 10 9 8 10 8

Am/G

œœœ œœ œœœ œ01 œ

Am Am Am

œœœ œœ œœ œœ0 œ1

Am/G Am/G Am/G

0 2 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 2 0 2 0

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ00

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 2 0 3 2 3

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 2 0 3 2 3

1 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 3 3 2 1 3b 17 5 Bm3 1b Bm7 b 5 Bm7 b 5 Bm7 5

œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœ bFm Fm bFmœœœœ bb œœ œœ œ Fm

3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2

œœœ ... œœ ... œœ . œœ .. œœ . .

Cmaj 7 Cmaj 7 Cmaj 7

1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3

8 9 8 10 9 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 10 9 8 10 8 10 8

3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2

œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ

F/G F/G F/G

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ 1 2

8 10 8 9 10 8 9 8 10 8 10 9 10 8 10 9 8 10 8

œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ

1 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 3 3 2 1 3 1 3 1

F/G

1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3

8 10 8 9 10 8 9 8 10 8 10 9 10 8 10 9 8 10 8

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ00

0 2 1 2 0 2 1 0 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 3 3

œœ .. œ. œœ ... œœ .. œ. œœœ11 .. 1 2 1 3

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ11 1 2 1 3

F F F

8 9 8 10 9 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 10 9 8 10 8 10 8 Cmaj 7

œœœ œ œœœ œ œœœ 1 2

8 10 8 9 10 8 9 8 10 8 10 9 10 8 10 9 8 10 8

0 2 1 2 0 2 1 0 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 3 3

œœœ œœ œœ œœ0 œ1

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ 1 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 3 3 3 3

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ11 1 2 1 3

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ11 1 2 1 3

œ b œœœ b œœ bb œœ œœ 6

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

1 1 2 2 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 Bdim71 3 3 1 1 Bdim7 Bdim7 Bdim7

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

8 9 8 10 9 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 10 9 8 10 8 10 8

7 6 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 7 7

6 7 6 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 7 7

8 9 8 10 9 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 10 9 8 10 8 10 8

1 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 3 3 2 1 3 1 3 1

6 7 6 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 7 7

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

8 9 8 10 9 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 10 9 8 10 8 10 8

1 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 3 3 2 1 3 1 3 1

6 7 6 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 7 7

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

8 9 8 10 9 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 10 9 8 10 8 10 8

ww www ww www w00 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0 3 2 0 3 2 3

This progression is typical of contemporary Japanese pop music. Most of the chords belong to the harmonised C major scale. Cmaj7, Dm7, Fmaj7, G11, Am9 and Bm7 b 5 are all diatonic to C major. The Gm and Fm chords are borrowed from the parallel C minor key, and the E7 hints at the relative key of A minor.

october 2014

103

techniques sweep picking

Sweep picking

ask TG TG’s top tutors talk on video to help you beat your technical difficulties

video

This issue, Luc and Annie Di Gerlando, Wayne Ryles, Sam WelshBoi Elliott, Brendan Lanigan and Jimi Fernando Kannisto all asked…

w w w.bit .ly/t

“Dear Total Guitar – please help us improve our sweep picking…” Sweep picking takes its name from the continuous sweeping motion of your pick when you play adjacent strings, usually in the form of an arpeggio. What differentiates this technique from basic strumming is that every note should be heard one at a time without ringing over one another. This tricky technique requires you to instantly remove each fretting finger as soon as you play a note on a new string, so the previous string is kept silent. The sweeping pick motion and the swift fretting technique should all be part of one TGR258.askTG.ﬁg02.musx

fluid motion. It’s vital that you don’t play single pick strokes. The technique lends itself particularly well to arpeggios over three or more strings and allows for fast, smooth movement between notes. Players such as Yngwie Malmsteen and Alexi Laiho are experts in the field, often combining the basic sweep technique with legato to create more interesting ideas. Check out the video and tab as TG’s ace tutor Steve Allsworth helps you through the early stages of this notoriously tricky technique. Sweep Picking File Date: 13:16 11/08/2014 Ask TG GET in1touch... your technique? Struggling with Page of 1 Are you having trouble with Contributor: Steve Allsworth sweep picking? Lamenting over your legato? Email your questions to Notes: by DigitalMusicArt.Com [emailprotected] with ‘AskEngraved TG’ in the subject header and one of TG’s

Lightning-speed fretting is vital with sweep picking

About your tutor… Steve Allsworth is one of the UK’s most versatile rock guitarists. He has toured Europe with various high profile artists and played on the recordings of many indie and signed acts. Steve has taught at many TGR258.askTG.ﬁg01.musx top music colleges File Date: and has been13:16 one of 11/08/2014 Total Guitar’s Page 1 of 1tab and technique Notes: contributors for nearly 15 years.

world-class tutors will tackle your problem in a future issue.

Basic three-finger sweep

œœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ. . & b 44 .. œ 3

TGR258.askTG.ﬁg03.musx .7 6 57 6 5 76 5 7 6 T A . File B Date: 13:15 11/08/2014 etc. Page 1 of 1 Notes:

5 7

. .

This three-string arpeggio is great for beginners. Rake your pick across the strings and lift each fretting finger when you start the next note.

Rolling ‘rubber stamp’ motion

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ 4 œ b ‰ & 4 3

T A B

8 5

5 8 5

8 5

5 8 5

⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ etc.

Here, you must roll your first finger across three strings at the 5th fret. The rolling motion is a crucial part of keeping the strings quiet after picking them.

104

october 2014

g258askt g

Changing direction & b 44 ‰ œ

œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ

5 TGR258.askTG.ﬁg04.musx Sweep 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Picking T 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 A File Ask TG B Date: 13:15 11/08/2014 Page 1 ⇥of⇥ ⇥1 ≤ ⇥⇥ ⇥ ≤ etc. Contributor: Steve Allsworth Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com 5

5 8

This lick includes an upstroke on the high C note. After the initial downward sweep, hit the C with an upstroke to prepare your hand for full upward sweeps.

Re-using one finger & b 44 ‰ œ

T A B

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ

3 6

3 5

8 5

3 5 8 5

3 5

8 5

3 5 8 5

⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ etc.

Often, you’ll need to re-use a finger on different strings. Here, the first finger skips from third string to first. Don’t barre the first finger; it’s better to be mobile.

File Date: 14:18 12/08/2014 Page 1 of 1 Notes:

Ask TG File Date: 14:19 12/08/2014 Contributor: Steve Allsworth Page 1 of 1 Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com Notes:

techniques ask TG

Reversing the sweep

Neoclassical arpeggio

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ. &4 œ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8 12 8

œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..

& b 44 ..

TGR258.askTG.ﬁg07.musx . 8 5 65 8 5 65 8 5 65 8 5 65 8 5 65 8 5 65 8 5 65 8 5 65. T A . FileBDate: .14:18 12/08/2014 Page 1 of 1 ⇥ ≤ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ≤ etc. Notes: This is the basically a repeat of the last arpeggio, only in reverse. Aim for

Sweep Picking Ask TG ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ Contributor: Steve Allsworth Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com The pull-off on the first string gives you a short pick-hand pause before you T A B

fluid pick-hand wrist motions as you change from downstrokes to upstrokes.

Moving in both directions œ

œ & 44

TGR258.askTG.ﬁg08.musx 8 12 8 10 T 9 File 14:18 12/08/2014 A Date: B Page 1 of 1 ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ Notes:

≤

⇥

≤

play the second string. Don’t rush! Just resume the upstroke at the same speed.

6 10

≤ etc.

Sweep Picking 8 10 Ask TG Contributor: Steve Allsworth Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com 10

This exercise will help you connect upward and downward pick strokes in one fluid motion. If you struggle, practise the picking and fretting separately.

Bluesy sweep lick & 44

TGR258.askTG.ﬁg09.musx 12 8 10 12/08/2014 10 T File Date: 14:18 9 A B Page 1 of 1 ≤ ≤ ≤ ⇥ Notes:

bœ

nœ bœ œ œ

3 8

⇥ etc.

œ œ œ œ œ œ.

œ J

1/4

‰

TGR258.askTG.ﬁg10.musx Sweep Picking 1/4 8 5 10 8 10 8 File Date: 14:18 12/08/2014 Ask TG 9 Page 1 of 1 Contributor: Steve Allsworth Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

This lick combines the previous lick with notes from the A blues scale (A C D E b E G) to take us away from neoclassical territory.

Gilmour-style sweep œ

& b 44 ‰

⇥j œ

Pentatonic rake

& b 44 ‰

3 BU

12 15 (17 ) TGR258.askTG.ﬁg11.musx 13 T 14 A File B Date: 14:17 12/08/2014 ≥ ≥ Page 1 of 1 ≥ Notes: As with Ex 2, your rhythmic target is the fourth note of the sweep, so try to

land this note on the beat. Use your third finger on the 15th fret bend.

Pentatonic Sweep No 1 4 œœ &b4

T A B

œœœœœ

œœ œ

œœœœœ

8 12 8 10 9 12

œ œœ

œœœœœ

8 12 8 10

10 12 9 12

œœœ

œœœœœ

8 12 8 10

10 12 9 12

8 12 8 10

10 12 9 12

10 12

⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ≤⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ≤

Breathe life into sweep picking with the minor pentatonic scale. Here, we’re ditching the 10th fret D to maintain a similar fretting pattern to before.

œ œ ~~~~ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 ~~~~ 5

~~~~ œ œ œ œ œ Œ ~~~~ 1/4

1/4

1/4 1/4 TGR258.askTG.ﬁg12.musx Sweep Picking 5 T 5 5 A Date: 14:17 7 5 7 7 7 5 7 7 File 12/08/2014 Ask TG 7 7 B Page 1 of 1 Contributor: Steve Allsworth Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com This backwards rake is essentially the reverse of Example 3. It’s used a lot 1/4

in many guises throughout the blues, so it’s worth practising.

Pentatonic Sweep No 2 œœœ & b 44

T A B

œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ

10 15 10 13 12 14

10 15 10 13 13 14 12 14

10 15 10 13

13 14 12 14

10 15 10 13 13 14 12 14

13 14

⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ≤⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ≤

This lick moves everything up to the next pentatonic note in the sequence, creating a wide interval gap between the 10th and 15th fret on the first string.

october 2014 014

105

video lesson

get your grades!

rockschool / lesson one / grade five

w w w.bit .l

y/tg 2 58 ro

Swing rhythm

In the first part of Rockschool’s series on Grade Five guitar it’s time to get stuck into some pop-punk…

Over the next six lessons you will be working through the Rockschool Grade Five exam piece Geek. You’ll start by working through the notated sections of TGR258.grades_rock.fig01.musx the piece before moving onto TGR258.grades_rock.fig01.musx TGR258.grades_rock.fig01.musx creating your own solos and File File Date: Date: 10:48 10:48 31/07/2014 31/07/2014 chordal backing parts for other File Date: 10:48 31/07/2014 Page 1 of 1 Page 1 Geek of 1 is a full-on popsoloists.

start with an upstroke, rather than a downstroke. This may feel Grade Five Book unusual at first, so start slowly until you feel comfortable with the Buy the Rockschool technique. Be sure to watch the Grade Five book to Geek video for a full breakdown on how get the rest ofGeek the Geek to play Geek’s A and B sections. syllabus. Go to: Rock School Rock School For more information, go to www.musicroom.com Rock School Contributor: Contributor: James James Uings Uings www.rockschool.co.uk

punk piece that has a swing feel and features lots of triplets. The odd number of notes in triplets (three notes per beat) can make picking a challenge. At this high tempo, they will almost certainly have to be played using ‘down up’ style alternate picking/ strumming, so some beats will

Page Notes:1 of 1 Notes: Notes:

Contributor: James Uings Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com DigitalMusicArt.Com Engraved by Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

geek a and B sections q= q =137 137

## 4 & # 444 & & 4 pp p

5 q =137 B B5

œœ œœ œ

j qq qq == qq qqj j = q q q q

3 B5 3 3

PM PM PM

T T A A T B B A B11

9 9 7 7 9 7

tg dvd

3 3 3

j œœjj œœ œœ œœ œ œ 9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

9 9 7 7 9 7

j œœjj œœ œœ œœ œ œ 9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

9 9 7 7 9 7

j œœjj œœ œœ œœ œ œ 9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

9 9 7 7 9 7

j œœjj œœ œ

œœ œœ œ

9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

j œœjj œœ œœ œœ œ œ 9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

9 9 7 7 9 7

j œœjj œœ œœ œœ œ œ 9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

9 9 7 7 9 7

j œœjj œœ œœ œœ œ œ 9 9 7 7 9 7

3 3 3

9 9 7 7 9 7

j œœjj œœ œ

œœ œœ œ œ

9 9 7 7 9 7

9 9 9 9 7 9 7 9 7

3 3 3

œœ œœ œ. ffœ.. f 9 9 9 9 7 9 7 9 7

3 3

œœ3 œœ œ.. œ.

œœ œœ œ.. œ.

9 9 9 9 7 9 7 9 7

## & & T T A A T B B A B

j œœœjj ‰‰ œœ ‰

9 9 7 7 9 7

5 E E5 E5

... .. .. . .

5 5

j œœjj ‰‰ œœ ‰ œ

5 5 3 3 5 3

5 C C5 C5

5 G G5 G5

## & & T T A A T B B A B88

1. 1.

G 1. G5

j ‰ œœœjj ‰‰ œœ

5 5 3 3 5 3

5 B B5 B5

j ‰ œœœjj ‰‰ œœ

5 5 3 3 5 3

2. 2.

œœœ œœ

œœœ3 œœ

œœœ œœ

9 9 7 7 9 7

PM PM

j ‰ œœœjj ‰‰ œœ

3 3

... .. .. .. .

G 2. G5 G5

3 3

œœœ œœ

œœœ3 œœ

œœœ œœ

5 5 3 3 5 3

PM PM PM

5 A A5 A5

œœ œœ œ

œœœ œ œ

œœ œœ œ

7 7 5 5 7 5

7 7 0 0 7 0

7 7 5 5 7 5

7 7 0 0 7 0

5 A A5 A5

3 3

œœœ œ œ

œœœ3 œ œ

œœœ œ œ

7 7 5 5 7 5

PM PM

j œœœjj ‰‰ œœ ‰

9 9 7 7 9 7

5 E E5 E5

5 B B5 B5

œœœ œœ

3 3

œœœ3 œœ

œœœ œœ

9 9 7 7 9 7

PM PM

j œœjj ‰‰ œœ ‰ œ

5 5 3 3 5 3

5 C C5 C5

œœ œœ œœ.. . 9 9 9 9 7 9 7 9 7

œœ3 œœ œœ.. . 3 3

9 9 9 9 7 9 7 9 7

œœ œœ œœ.. . 9 9 9 9 7 9 7 9 7

These two sections are based entirely on two- or three-note powerchords. These are fairly easy to fret, so it’s best to focus on picking, maintaining a steady swing groove and playing a smooth, gradual crescendo (gradually getting louder) through the first four bars.

106

october 2014

techniques gET YOUR Grades

rGT / Performance Award / Level One

Heavy metal lead

video lesson w w w.bit .l

y/tg 2 58 rg

Performance Awards

Try out heavy metal in your Level One RGT Performance Award…

Nearly everybody that plays electric guitar loves playing a solo, and this is of course included as an essential section of RGT’s electric guitar Performance Awards. For this section of the Level One exam, you choose a track from RGT’s book Improvising Lead Guitar:

Beginner Plus to play over. A choice of 10 tracks is provided, and the chord chart for one of the tracks is shown below. This track is in the key of A minor, so the A minor pentatonic scale can be used for lead playing. This track is in a heavy metal style, so dial in some

RGT is the UK’s only specialist guitar examination board. You can download a free Performance Awards syllabus and find a registered guitar tutor to help prepare you for RGT exams at www.rgt.org

distortion on your amp (or using a pedal) to get a suitable guitar tone. At this level, a fast solo is not expected; aim to play accurately, clearly and in time with the backing track. Check out the video lesson for an example of the type of lead playing that is expected.

A minor pentatonic scale 1 1 1 1 1 1

4 3 3 3 4

TGR258.grades_rgt.ﬁg01.musx Rhythm Playing File Date: 20:23 28/07/2014 RGT As the certain Page 1 ofchord 1 progression is in the key of A minor, all the notes in this scale will fit with the chords. However, some notes will sound better than others over Tony Skinner chords; experiment and let your ears guide you as to which sound best. Notes: Engraved by DigitalMusicArt.Com

Level One lead chart 4 .. 4

’

Dm 5

’

’ ’

tg dvd ’

’

’ ’

’ G

’ ’

This is a typical Level One lead guitar chord chart. Although the backing track sounds quite fast, you can use long notes to contrast effectively with this. Dial in a distortion tone on your amp (or with a distortion pedal) to assist in sustaining those long notes.

october 2014

107

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october 2014

109

techniques tab guide

Tab Guide

Get more from TG by understanding our easy-to-follow musical terms and signs

What is tab? Tab is short for tablature, a notational system used to give detailed information as to where notes should be played on the fretboard. Tab appears underneath conventional music notation as six horizontal lines that represent the strings of the guitar, from

Unfretted strings are shown with a ‘0’. The key and time signatures are shown in the traditional notation. TG also includes a timestamp to tell you where in the original track you’ll find each example. Finally, a tempo marking is expressed in beats per minute.

the sixth (thick) string at the bottom to the first (thin) string at the top. On these lines, numbers represent the frets where you should place your fingers. For example, an A note on the 2nd fret, third string, will be shown as a number ‘2’ on the third line down on the tab.

FRET BOXES: chords, scales and capo notation Hand labelling 3

Nut and Fretboard i

Chord example

o o o o o o

o o o

4 T

G Here are the abbreviations used for each finger. Fretting hand: 1, 2, 3, 4, (T) Picking hand: p (thumb), i (index), m (middle), a (annular), c (little finger)

This fretbox diagram represents the guitar’s fretboard exactly, as seen in the photo. This design is used for ease of visualising a fretboard scale or chord quickly.

This diagram represents a G chord. The ‘o’s are open strings, and a circled number is a fretting hand finger. A black ‘o’ or circled number is the root note (here, G).

capo example

capo notation

scale example

o o o

CAPO 2nd FRET >

4 4 4 4 4 A major scale

D (C)

The blue line in the diagram represents a capo – for this A chord, place it at the 2nd fret. Capos change the fret number ordering. Here, the original 5th fret now becomes the 3rd fret, 7th fret now 5th fret, etc.

1 2 2

3 3

A (G)

1 1 1 2 2

Here the chord looks like a C in the tab, but the capo on the 2nd fret raises the pitch to make it a D. The 2nd fret capo’d notes are shown with a ‘0’ in the tab as ifthey were open strings.

The fret box diagram illustrates the fret hand fingering for the A major scale using black dots for root notes and red dots for other scale tones. The photo shows part of the scale being played on the fourth string with the first, third and fourth fingers.

Guitar techniques: Picking Down and up-picking

Tremolo picking

Palm Muting

pick Rake

Appreggiated chord

The symbols under the tab tell you the

Each of the four notes are to be alternate-picked (down and up-picked) very rapidly and continuously.

Palm-mute by resting the edge of

Drag the pick across the strings shown

Play the notes of the chord by

first note is to be down-picked and the second note is to be up-picked.

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your picking hand palm on the strings near the bridge saddles.

with a single sweep. This is often used to augment a rake’s last note.

strumming across the relevant strings inthe direction of the arrow head.

techniques tab guide Fretting Hand Hammer-on & Pull-off

NOTE TRILLS

Slides (glissando)

fret hand tapping

Fret hand muting

Pick the first note then hammer down on the string for the second note. Pick the third note and pull-off for the fourth note.

After picking the first note, rapidly alternate between the two notes shown in brackets using hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Pick the first note and then slide to the next. For the last two notes pick the first, slide to the next and then re-pick it (RP).

Sound the notes marked with a square by hammering-on/tapping with your fret hand fingers, instead of picking.

X markings represent notes and strings that are muted by your fret hand when struck by your picking hand.

Bend and Release

re-picked bend

pre-bend

quarter-tone bend

Vibrato

Fret the first note (here, the 5th fret) and bend up to the pitch of the bracketed note, before releasing again.

Bend up to the pitch shown in the brackets, then re-pick the note while holding the bent note at the pitch shown.

silently bend the string up from the 5th Pick the note then bend up a quarterfret (PB5) to the pitch of the 7th fret note, tone (a very small amount). This is pick it and release to the 5th fret note. sometimes referred to as a ‘blues curl’.

Your fretting hand vibrates the string by small bend-ups and releases. Exaggerate this effect to create a ‘wide’ vibrato.

pinched Harmonics

Tapped harmonics

touched harmonics

Place your finger on the note as shown, but sound it with a quick pick hand tap at the fret shown (TH17) for a harmonic.

A previously sounded note is touched above the fret marked TCH (eg,TCH 9) for it to sound a harmonic.

Gargle

Whammy bar vibrato

Bending And vibrato

Harmonics Natural Harmonics

Pick the note while lightly touching the string directly over the fret indicated. A chiming harmonic results.

Artificial Harmonics

Fret the note as shown, then lightly place your index finger directly over ‘x’ fret (AH‘x’) and pick (with a pick, p or a).

After fretting the note in the triangle, dig into the string with the side of your thumb as you sound it with the pick.

Vibrato bar / whammy bar Whammy bar bends

Scoop and doop

The note is picked as shown, then the vibrato bar is raised and lowered to the pitches shown in brackets.

Scoop: depress the bar just before striking the note and release. Doop: lower the bar slightly after picking note.

A Note is sustained then the vibrato bar is depressed to slack. The square bracket indicates a further articulation.

Sound the note and ‘flick’ the vibrato bar with your picking hand so it ‘quivers’. This results in a ‘gargling’ sound!

Gently rock the whammy bar to repeatedly bend the pitch up and down. This sounds similar to fret hand vibrato.

Pick scrape

Violining

Finger numbering

pima directions

Pick hand tapping

The edge of the pick is dragged either down or up along the lower strings to produce a scraped sound.

Turn the volume control down, sound the note(s) and then turn the volume up for a smooth fade in.

The numbers in the traditional notation refer to the fingers required to play each note.

Any kind of fingerpicking requirements are shown at the bottom of the tab notation.

Tap (hammer-on) with a finger of your picking hand onto the fret marked with a circle. Usually with ‘i’ or ‘m’.

Sustained note and Divebomb

Others

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The Final Countdown

Guitar Heroes and their Football Teams 9. Serge Pizzorno – Leicester City

For the Kasabian man, the Midlanders’ chilling mediocrity is the whole point. “The great thing about Leicester City is we’re sh*t,” he told Four Four Two. “We are absolutely rubbish. But that doesn’t matter, because every so often when we do achieve something, it’s all the sweeter after so much suffering.”

8. Bryan Adams – Chelsea

The wedding-dance king adopted the Blues when he moved to London. “It’s easy to walk to,” he reasons. “My first game was in 1985. The fans recognise me, but they don’t hassle me, It’s just [co*ckney accent] ‘Alwight…?’”

7. Steve Jones – Fulham

As a teenage oik, the Pistol was a face in the Craven Cottage stands. “I never watched the game,” Jones clarifies. “I used to go for the aggro.” Pete is obsessed with both kinds of scoring

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“I’m a football fan and I always root for Stoke, because they’re the underdog,” said the guitarist, interviewed at half-time in the 2011 FA Cup Final between Man City and Stoke. “They’re a great team, but they never quite make it.” [They lost 1-0].

5. Simon Neil – Rangers

“I’d rather not say who I support,” squirmed the Biffy Clyro singer, in a 2010 video interview ahead of the Old Firm clash with Celtic. “It’s a family thing. I don’t go to the games, but that’s my team.”

4. Ronnie Wood – West Bromwich Albion

The Black Country sloggers are the unlikely choice of rock royalty, with Eric Clapton wearing the club scarf on the sleeve of Backless and the Stones’ guitarist admitting a “soft spot” for the Baggies: “They were very big in the 50s. It’s a bit like my boys now supporting Arsenal and Chelsea.”

2. Paul McCartney – Everton & Liverpool

“My family are officially Evertonians,” Macca explained of his dual allegiance. “But I thought, ‘You know what? I am just going to support them both, because it’s all Liverpool and I don’t have that CatholicProtestant thing’.”

3. James Allan – Celtic

As a flying teenage winger, the Glasvegas frontman played 105 games in the Scottish Football League, but daydreamed of a place in the double-winning Celtic side of the late-80s: “I’d love to have been a sub or even just trained with them. The players around that time were as artistic as any painter.”

Strawberry midfields forever? The Beatles didn’t do football rivalry – they were happy to let it be

1. Noel Gallagher – Manchester City The former Oasis guvnor is a ‘proper’ fan – he supported City before the 2008 injection of sheikhdosh that transformed them from whipping boys to champions. Noel also hates local rivals Man United with such venom that when their defender Gary Neville quoted an Oasis lyric, he threatened to “tie him to a chair, pull his tash out and sh*t in his manbag”.

Words: Henry Yates Photography: Starstock/Photoshot Getty Images Lillian Evans/REX

10. Pete Doherty – Queens Park Rangers As a teenage stoner, the Libertines frontman edited a QPR fanzine called All Quiet On The Western Avenue and treated the team’s ground like his own personal squat: “I would climb into Loftus Road in the summer when the stadium was empty and sit there with my little book and pen, smoking a spliff behind the goal.”

6. Slash – Stoke City

Standing on the shoulders of Al Nahyan: Noel and Johnny Marr celebrate a Man City victory

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