Six String Obsession

A Players Mind: From Shred to music. How to stop the wanking

2012-02-24T11:00:00.002-05:00

Here's the thing... shredding can become a preset... just something you do. You need to understand, or at least be observant to, what you are thinking while you are playing.

Try this
Put on a backing track and do your thing. But take special notice of what you are thinking. Ego plays such a HUGE role in how we play. The "problem" is, most of us strive to be known as a great player... I mean who doesn't want that right? This fuels the need to "be impressive". Problem is, when you TRY (at really anything) the forced attempt is usually pushing you farther from your goal of "impressive". You shouldn't be 'trying' AT ALL! You should be listening and reacting. Play one phrase... Then play the next BECAUSE of the first phrase. It should be a narrative of some kind. Call, respond, call, respond. Leave some holes between - just like when you speak.

Bottom line
You need to ask yourself some really hard questions about your motives and be brutally honest. I suspect most of you you won't like the truth. I didn't. Some excellent books for helping put that mental interference aside are "Effortless Mastery" (Kenny Werner) & "The Music Lesson" (Victor Wooten). Get em, read em, apply em.

Truth is
95% of the people who listen to music, or see live shows have NO IDEA what is 'impressive'. Hell, most of them can't play a simple C Chord! They just know what sounds good. Humans can sense melody and are drawn to it. MOST run-of-the-mill shredders habitually run up and down scale forms. I mean really... is that interesting? I guess some of the technique is momentarily dazzling, but by the end of the first song you have heard all they got.

I believe that the bigger the interval, the bigger the melodic content. By this principle, the above shredder is moving in mostly minor 2nds or 2nds.... the LEAST melodic of intervals. Can you really expect huge melodic impact with a strategy like this?

What the??
Shredding is GREAT! Love it - when done well. You really need to listen to HOW your favourite shredders use their speed. WHEN exactly do they burn? WHAT does that make you (the listener) feel? Usually it is for an impact - tension... or a transition to a new part of the neck or a new idea. Few of the 'known players' just mindlessly blast scales. There is a musical purpose to it. It just makes sense, feels like it belongs.

Speed is another tool in your box. Sure a wrench is pretty darn handy to have... but there are times when a hammer would be much better for the job! (I love this analogy and use it often so forgive me) Don't just work with the wrench. Develop your other tools equally. Then try to build things with them, actual ideas with purpose. Not just finger movements that you are good at.

Spend the necessary time with some personal introspection. Then begin anew. Set up some loops and record yourself playing over it. Take notes of which phrases worked then ask yourself: WHY YOU FEEL THEY WORKED. Very important. Develop STRONG opinions and try to learn to listen as a listener would. Would you want to hear yourself if you were just the listener? Learn what works, then begin to give back.

Giving back
Playing isn't ALL about you, its about making connections with the audience. On a deeper level than "wow he has fast fingers". Give them a chance to join you once in a while on the adventure. Get them invested by giving them something they can follow. Maybe tap their foot to. "Sing" them a melody. Remember, most of them have no idea what is "hard".

They aren't as impressed as you think they are. Most of them are just confused. That's why they are talking to their friends instead of watching.

The Ear Training Challenge - Take it.

2012-01-24T15:58:00.002-05:00

Many guitar players are often searching for that missing practice element that will make a difference in their playing. My contention is the #1 "secret" to playing well - if there is one - can be found in learning songs and solos from the recordings - using only your ears.

A lot of players may know a lot of songs, but how many of them were learned with the help of TAB's? If the answer is "a lot" then this challenge is for you.

Conversely, many players DO spend a good deal of time learning songs by ear. But many of these cats may be missing one critical element - analysis. After a song or solo is learned, it should be checked over to see what makes it tick. It is during this process that really valuable observations happen.

The more you do this, the more these observations become increasingly clear. Insight like this can be very handy the next time you are required to improvise, or work your way through an unfamiliar song.

So here is the challenge.
ONE MONTH, nothing but this process for the entire practice month.
Here is what I want you to do.

Pick a guitarist that you know is good and really like how they play (eg - David Gilmour of Pink Floyd)
Pick your favourite album (eg. Dark side of the moon)
Learn EVERY SINGLE guitar solo on the record, using only your ears
As you complete track one, go back and figure out:
- What key the song was in
- What chords were played behind the solo
- What scale was mostly used in the solo
- What notes were chosen and how many of them were chord tones from the underlying rhythm part
- Were there any triads, or chord fragments present in the solo, played as single note lines
- When there is a bent note what was the note bent to?? A chord tone or non?
- What was the time signature
Track how long time-wise did it take you to complete. (Track this so you can see your progress and your ears improving.)
Move onto track two, progressing until you complete the album.
Pick a new album and carry on...
- If you choose another album of the same artist, you will gain a MUCH deeper insight into that players habits and approaches.
- If you pick an album from the same genre, it will give you a better understanding of that genre.

Print this out and fill it out like a questionnaire as you do this process.
Use a software like Transcribe! to assist you.

Some people will say "this is too hard"... or that "I guess I just don't have good ears". If this is you, you need to read this... in fact, read it any way!

Scott Henderson - Again-derson! Friday fun

2012-01-13T15:36:00.003-05:00

Man am I am fan of this cat's playing. Here is Scott Henderson playing the title tracks from two of his albums. I am particularly a fan of his monstrous Strat tone! Between 94 & 2002 he released three 'blues' albums - Dog Party, Tore Down House & Well to the Bone. If you are a fan of the Blues style and you like severely GREAT guitarists, then these albums should be in your collection.

So grab a cold one, turn em up loud, and ENJOY!

Speed vs Melody - a rant

2012-01-10T11:10:00.001-05:00

It takes a good deal of skill to create something that is both fast AND melodic. But the catch is, if you always stay with what your idea of "melodic" is, then you can become very one-dimensional. Speed has an emotional content... it says something - if done right that is. Problem is, It often is not "done right". As witnessed on YouTube or in many bars across the globe. I think this is the crux of it.

How you execute melody really depends on the point of the skill curve you are on... If you can play fast passages as well as slow ones - yet remain melodic - then to me, this is the best-case scenario. Players who own this are likely what lured you to play fast in the first place.

If your skill isn't quite there yet to execute fast, then when the "tape" is rolling, it may be the best choice to keep it simple. As you improve, your version of what is "simple" also moves along in lock-step. All of a sudden you can execute more technical parts, yet remain musical. So playing within your abilities is the key.

The Genesis of the 'simple' mindset
I think a LARGE part with what is (in my opinion) "wrong" with a lot of bands these days, is they grew up listening to grunge. Their bag of tricks is SO small that they really have no idea how to expand on a theme, or create a decent solo. So they just plod along with cowboy chords, lots of distortion and syrupy, predictable melodies. They don't know what to do... and they don't know why they don't.

For those unfamiliar with the term; "grunge" was a brand of stripped down rock, born in Seattle in the 90's. Pioneered by bands like Nirvana. Great music no doubt... I take no issue with the music itself. But the mind set of a grunge player was one of 'anti-skill'. They didn't want to be seen as technical. They were down and dirty, garage bands and proud! Young players of that time were so sick of the over-playing and shred heavy soloing that much of metal and hard rock had become. So grunge was anti...

Which is fine for the players who created it! They had their stuff together. But for the kids learning to play at the time, these were their role models.

The great early masters grew up learning classical and with that skill set created jazz. Players who created the classic rock of the 60's-70's grew up learning from these players ... They knew their stuff. The next era learned from these slightly less skilled guys ... and knew a little bit less..... Like a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy - degrading in quality and getting further removed from true musical skill with each step.

Shred Anonymous
The truth of it is, the VAST majority of us are not honest with ourselves. Not honest AT ALL. We don't produce ourselves well. without ego, as a listener would. You really need to understand WHY you are shredding. If it is deep down a need to impress people, then maybe you should hold off. I suspect far more of us than are willing to admit shred because we want to be thought of as a top-notch player. It comes from a place of ego. THIS undermines ALL the hard work we are doing. If you always play the best part for the SONG... not for YOU, but for the SONG, then you can't go wrong.

Simple Anonymous
But none of this in my opinion means you shouldn't try to be the best you can be. The flip side is a LOT of players simply aren't willing to do the work it takes to master speed. So they call themselves "feel players". Then go around mocking more technically skilled players with words like "widdly, widdly" or tags like "self indulgent". It can be a BS cop out too.

So what does all this mean?
If you like simple melodies because you like simple melodies - GREAT! Play simple.
But - if you like simple melodies, because you maybe lack the skill to play more complex ones... then perhaps you should get to work.

All this relies on you being truly, deeply, heart-breakingly honest with yourself.

A Song for your Seasonal pleasure

2011-12-15T15:41:00.001-05:00

cover art: Gary O'Brien

I just wanted to take a minute to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays - whatever your preference : ) This time of year, it is good to share with those around you some good vibes. So through the magic of the interwebs here are my best 1's and 0's to you and yours.

Each year, a local studio puts out a Christmas CD called "Figgy Pudding". It is a fun-filled project with lots of different contributors - of which I am one. Here is my track from this year's CD. It is a rendition (an extremely loose one!) of Jingle Bells ... We titled it "Slay Ride". It's on my myspace page so head over and give it a listen:

http://www.myspace.com/jeremygreenspage

The song features Rahlen Sullaphen on bass, Rob Brown on the kit for your smashing pleasure. Two wonderfully skilled players whom I have the privilege of working with. Thanks boys!

A Merry Christmas to all!

Rhythm Trainer

2011-12-09T11:01:00.001-05:00

Some rights reserved by kamalaboulhosn

I wanted to share with you all a rhythm trainer I created for myself.

What is it?
It is a small audio file for you to use or click here to download. The file contains a drum click type track which moves you through the even breakdowns of a beat up to a 32nd note (Quarters, then eighths, triplets, 16ths, sextuplets, 32nds). There are 2 bars of each. I didn't put in odd numbers (5's or 7's) as I wanted to make this accessible for everybody.

The idea is to play back the sound file on a loop setting in your audio application. You can practice scales, arpeggios, improvs, whatever you choose, along with the click. I personally use an App called Transcribe! which allows me to slow it down or speed it up, it also has a gradual speed increase feature which is super handy.

Working on rhythm is probably the most important thing you can do for your playing. No matter your level. You can get away with almost any note if it is solidly placed in time. So working on this should be a regular part of your routine.

So have at it and enjoy!

Rhythm trainer by Jeremy_green

The Blues - get you some!!

2011-12-05T11:31:00.001-05:00

This post was written in response to a thread on one of the forums I frequent. The topic was that the Blues are harder than some players think. I COMPLETELY agree with this. Below is my post and I thought it came out pretty succinctly. So I thought I would share with y'all:

As a youngin I grew up in the birthplace and blossoming of shred - late 70's early eighties and beyond was where my awareness of guitar was born. So I spent most of my formative years learning to shred with EVH and Randy Rhoads, Vai, Malsteen, Satch, Gilbert, Eric Johnson - and grew VERY technically proficient fast. I remember listening to the blues and thinking ... "pffft! That's way too simple, it's boring".

Before long... actually it was quite long, but in the grand scheme, not really... I uncovered the link between it (blues) and most of the hard rock I was playing... I learned that it was the father and grandfather of all these genres that I loved. Players like SRV, who could shred in their own right, drew me in to investigate more. The more I learned the more I realized that is a DEEP genre filled with subtlety and really a different brand of "shred".

Today I have a GREAT respect for it. Not because I am older and sentimental but because I now truly understand it's complexities. It makes me laugh when I hear youngins or player says "I hate the blues" meanwhile MOST of the stuff they play was born there. So I am glad to hear when players start 'getting it'. They are going through the awakening I had.

Learning the Blues was a HUGE leap forward in my rock playing abilities. More-so, learning to respect it and study it opened my eyes to a great many things. It is NOT a simple genre just cause you can play the notes. Playing it well is an art form and few bands really have it down. Sure they THINK they do - just as I thought I did.

I really believe if you want to learn to solo well, you need to spend some quality time getting the blues under your fingers. Not just the cliche licks, but the whole trip - MOSTLY the harmonic understanding (chords, substitutions, turnarounds, forms, Major(dominant) and minor, scale forms and strong resolve points). This stuff gets into your playing in the larger picture.

Above all else subtlety, dynamics and learning how to express yourself in an emotional way. THIS forms a bond with an audience - they can feel it... they may not know what it is, but they respond to it when you really dig deeper emotionally. THIS you can take back to your genre and instantly improve it.

"I don't really like the blues" huh? Dislike taxes, or government or the dentist or something. But the blues??? Hell we all owe those boys and girls a debt of gratitude. Ya gotta investigate deeper to know if this is true or not... least I did

Functional Harmony ... for everybody!

2011-12-05T08:20:00.001-05:00

Here is a REALLY great video that demonstrates functional harmony in a way anyone can understand. This is so well done.

For those of you who don't know what this term means here is an excerpt from Wikipedia that will help you understand:

In tonal music theory, a diatonic function (also chord area) is the specific, recognized role of each of the 7 notes and their chords in relation to the diatonic key. In this context, role means the degree of tension produced by moving toward a note, chord or scale other than the tonic, and how this musical tension would be eased (resolved) towards the stability of returning to the tonic chord, note, or scale (namely, function).

See the entire page here

Pat Metheny - 3 part video lesson

2011-11-30T15:33:00.001-05:00

These are simply great. A 3 part video of a private lesson with Pat Metheny. This is the stuff the internet is invaluable for! Pat's comments about "time" are just so accurate. Enjoy.

The lost Art of Prog - Steven Wilson

2011-11-17T08:50:00.001-05:00

Some rights reserved by Shirin Kasraeian

Last night I went out to see a Steven Wilson at a local concert venue. He did not disappoint. I have long been a fan of his band Porcupine Tree and him in general.

Being an old 'prog-dog' myself I have, with some regularity, missed the heady days of Prog Rock. When bands like Yes, Genesis, Rush, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and others were making waves with epic 7-20 minute songs.

For those of you who don't really understand the term, 'prog' is a short form for Progressive Rock. A style of music that features many twists and turns. Volume dynamics, time signature changes - often in rapid succession, soft musical interludes, long 20 minute pieces etc. It shares as much in common with a symphony as it does a blues rock.

Back to Steven Wilson's show; The show could be described as nothing short of the word 'Art'. It was SUCH a breath of fresh air and made me remember all the things that have been severely lacking in music these days.. More than just in music in society these days - Patience.

In this A.D.D. society we live in these days, it is not often we hear a performer play something a single deep bass note on a piano - and let it hang there for over 10 seconds. Leaving the audience to bathe in the pure depth of its sound.... I mean really, how cool is the sound of something like that? Especially at concert volume! You maybe haven't thought about it for a while - I haven't - but the raw sound of an instrument is an incredible thing. The distance your mind can travel as you listen to its majesty - if allowed - is truly a gift. One in this fast paced society we seldom take advantage of.

The show, which featured incredible musicianship, was in and of itself a canvas. Full of imagery and symbolism, presented with such passion. Steven is a true master of the form - and I don't throw that term around lightly. I often wonder what Peter Gabriel and Genesis would sound like if they came out today... I suspect it would be similar to what I heard last night.

In truth, I am not sure how many people in this world would actually 'get it', what he was trying to do. Some people seem to not give art any thought whatsoever.... They will walk right past a beautiful painting and not even bother to turn their head..... I have a hard time relating.

To some, I am sure last night's show could have been odd... perhaps even uncomfortable at times. It required the audience to be patient and let him set the mood and deliver his visions... It also required an open mind. Open to seeing something presented in a way it seldom is anymore. To be clear: this wasn't your typical concert presentation.... and for me it was SUCH a breath of fresh air.

With a sold out building and a roaring ovation, I was thrilled to see I am not alone. Music is meant to have rests in it. Silence make sound more vivid by its contrast. Miles Davis knew this, as did Peter Gabriel, the classical masters and a select others. Well, you can add Steven Wilson's name to that list as far as I am concerned. He is a rare beast these days... and I love the guy for it.

A Players Mind - potholes on the road to mastery

2011-11-10T10:11:00.003-05:00

I thought that from time to time, it may be helpful to share what goes through my mind while on the road to learning guitar. We all have these feelings and no matter your level, they remain shockingly similar. By airing out some of these thoughts and epiphanies, it may help provide you all with some insights. I sure as heck would have liked to know that even advanced players have the same frustrations as I! So I will try to fairly regularly do a series of "A Players Mind..." type posts. Here is the first on mastery.

I used to think mastery was some sort of born-in thing....
...so I spent some time analyzing the lifestyle and habits of a couple players I personally know, who are world-class. What I discovered was a very distinct similarity. It wasn't WHAT they learned, it was HOW they learned.

Firstly, they played ALL THE TIME. Well so did I...or did I? As I thought about it, I don't remember these guys at ONE SINGLE party during high school. They were cool guys who must have known about all the cool happenings, yet they weren't there?? Hmmm.

Secondly, when they practiced, they played MUSIC all the time... lifting other players' songs by the hundreds. All ears, no TAB. While I was running scales, and doing exercises that I believed -- scratch that -- that I was TOLD would move me towards mastery, THEY were playing pretty much only music. TONS OF IT. Upon reflection, is it really a surprise that when they play, they just seem more "musical" than me?

My biggest personal obstacle these days is that I fight with periods of "mindless" playing. On recording playback, I can actually HEAR me 'thinking'. When it happens, my playing falls out of the pocket rhythmically and the musical content goes to shiz. Well, DUH!!! I spent all that time mindlessly running scales.

The best part: I TAUGHT myself to play like that!

Why am I surprised??? You always hear people saying "develop your muscle memory" and all that. That's what I thought I was doing! What a pile of dung. What I was ACTUALLY doing was teaching myself to play in a disengaged state. Brutal.

I stopped all that over a year ago and my playing and phrasing has changed a LOT - to the positive. No more mindless playing - EVER. Even if I pick up the guitar for two seconds, I set up a tempo in my head first and I set up some kind of musical phrase. It has been a hard habit to break, but it is breaking slowly.

I am on the path to rectifying that now, but there was a LOT of wasted time. It is EASY to get distracted during the process. You spend so long staring at the one tree, that you fail to see the forest. Music is that forest.

Who cares about you!? Where does that leave us?
Yeah, yeah. I am getting to it!

"Those guys" (masters) were:

Willing to sacrifice everything: their time, memories, relationships - EVERYTHING in the name of music
They were playing music all the time, minimal exercises. When they were doing exercise, they made music out of them
When they weren't playing, they were discussing, listening to, seeking out music. Hanging with MANY other musicians and generally 'geeking out' on it

So it all boils down to dedication and singular focus. Of course I can't play like they do. I didn't give to it what they did!

I don't feel much better...
Well you should! I'm sure you are thinking, "Man, I'm not willing to give up everything for guitar", it should be empowering. It means it IS there for you if you want it badly enough. Personally, I would rather think this than some cop-out such as, "I guess I wasn't born with it". You can master this thing, but you gotta' give into all of it. You will get precisely what you put into it. NO MORE, NO LESS. Don't whine about not having some "God Given Talent". You're basically stating that the possibilities are impossible. The good news: I've removed this excuse we have all hidden behind.

Sounds nice but I already put everything into it and I am not a master...
Do you deem yourself at a higher level than other guitarists? This could be your folly. In my travels I have met more than a few musicians. Many of them buy into their own press. Many of them have been the best in every circle they travel in. Many of them have studied far more than me. Most of these cats have written books on playing, taught hundreds of people... maybe at a college level of loftier perches. Perhaps this is you, yet you haven't developed into the 'master' you want to be.

During this self-validating process, a massive ego has built up; an ego which is unwilling to validate another's perspectives or truly hear themselves as they play. Anyone of a lower level is unworthy to comment or offer anything of value. Oh, and "I CERTAINLY wouldn't play with THAT player - they suck"

If this or the paragraph's title resonated with how you felt as you read this article, perhaps this is you. This is pointless because people like this CAN'T see themselves this way. It's a protection device.

Listen up Yoda, There is SOMETHING that is holding you back. So drop all the attitude, get a little humble for a second and do some soul searching. Because there is a REASON you are not where you want to be. Perhaps it is that you are "always right" - except this time! Get humble and learn to learn from everybody. Even a very beginner has something of value you could learn. Stop thinking about this 'concept' or 'this scale over this chord' or the worst being 'correct'. Mostly: STOP BEING 'RIGHT' ALL THE TIME. We are all wrong at times. Make a musical statement. One full of feeling and passion.

A musician needs to be an open portal; open to all the beauty and inspiration of the world around us. This is what connects to people - not correctness. Where you place your mind is a HUGE part of the finished product. Ya' gotta have ... wait for it ... a *Players Mind!

*very clever the way I tied in the title, huh? So proud : )

Players that inspire me - Oz Noy

2011-11-05T09:07:00.000-04:00

My good friend and sporadic teacher Oz Noy, has a new album slated for release November 15, 2011. It is to be called the "Twisted Blues" - that is precisely what it is! The 'blues' as seen from the land of OZ - which can truly be a funny funny place! His takes on the genre are deeply respectful and well - twisted! He is such a cool person and player. I implore you all to grab this album when it hits. It will be full of killer performances just like this one.

From the Oz-man's site:
The album was recorded in New York and Austin in November and December of 2010.
In New York, Oz worked with Anton Fig and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Will Lee on bass, Jerry Z. and John Medeski on organ, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Allen Toussaint on piano. In Austin, Chris Layton played drums, Roscoe Beck played bass, Reese Wynans played organ, and Eric Johnson joined in on guitar.

How can THAT be bad!

Seeing both sides of the Root - paternal twins

2011-11-04T06:41:00.002-04:00

To continue on with my series of related posts designed to help you understand the fretboard, I wanted to examine different approaches to any root note. The gist of it is this:

Any chord or scale can be viewed from either side of the root note.

What I mean by "side" is moving up the neck in the direction of the guitar's body OR moving down the neck in the direction of the guitar's headstock/tuning machines. This series of interlocking shapes can really help you in your playing relatively quickly. This is one of those little "tricks" that can instantly make you sound more pro.

You've Got Rhythm
Blues and soul players have been using this technique for years to give them options in their rhythm playing. Jimi Hendrix, despite being an incredible improvisor, was probably best known for his rhythm skills. He regularly employed this way of seeing the neck in his revolutionary rhythm style.

Jimi (and others) would pivot off the centre of both chords using notes from the shapes on either side to add embellishments. Take a look at Fig 1:


Figure 1

This major chord can be approached from either side allowing you to slide or hammer into it (a la Hendrix) adding melodic content to what could otherwise be just a simple chord vamp.

See the chart at the top. I have demonstrated Major, minor & Dominant chord shapes as viewed from either side of the root note.

Going Solo
This same concept is also applied to scale forms. Viewing scales this way can similarly open up your single note or lead playing. To make this clear, at the bottom of the chart I included how a major scale can be viewed from either side of the root.

The Assignment
Spend time with all the forms presented here. Most importantly, mix and match during songs to add embellishments or even just a different timbre to a mundane, old progression. Play all the chords you normally play... only this time from the 'other side'. This can really open things up for you or, at very least, give you an enjoyable way to approach basic chord changes.

Almost forgot! I should mention that the same principal stands; no matter which string the root resides on. So spend some time playing the above forms. Then write out the major scale on neck paper and work out what forms lie to either side of each note.

Like every lesson, you will get MUCH more from it if YOU do the investigation. All I hope to do is open doors for you with these concepts. You must walk through them.

Hit me up with any questions by way of a comment below.

Understanding the fretboard

2011-10-28T17:07:00.004-04:00

Anyone who has played guitar for any length of time comes to appreciate the power of movable shapes; the shapes your hands form when you move up and down the neck when playing power or barre chords.

Maybe you haven't formally expanded on what this truly means, or how powerful that little bit of information can be. So this post is designed to investigate this further and help you see the neck in a whole new way.

The Shapes of Things
The guitar, because of its tuning, lends itself perfectly to repeating shapes. If you take any finger pattern and move it up the neck, the notes change, but it won't change the type of chord or scale or arpeggio etc. (i.e.: Major, minor, etc). So a CMaj chord, slid up one fret, becomes a C#Maj chord. If you move it again, it becomes a DMaj form. If you are playing an F diminished arpeggio and you move it, it is still a diminished arpeggio. It is now F# diminished... blah, blah, blah. You get it, right? Good.

Let's take a look at the chart at the top of this post. Click the image to download it as a pdf. At the top of the chart, I show the pentatonic minor scale form, neck-wide. It shows all five fingerings, ending back at the first fingering. In the second diagram, I want to focus on the first form, and is highlighted so you can see it clearly. On the bottom diagram, I use the first four notes of the scale and colour-code them. I have removed all the other notes of the scale for added clarity. Notice that no matter which root note you begin on, the shape is unchanged. You can continue on up the scale from that point and all the associated fingerings remain right where they should be.

Liar!! Liar!!
I hope you notice that the shape seems to change as you cross the B string. In truth, the shape doesn't change; it just gets adjusted for that pesky B string. If the guitar was tuned consistently across the 5th fret, then it wouldn't change at all. My previous entry was designed to help explain why that happens. Read over that if this aspect confuses you. The B string is one of the instrument's little hiccups. The sooner you understand how it affects you, the better.

So as you can see, if you know any pattern for any specific chord, scale, arpeggio etc, all you need to do is find the closest root and apply it. Try practicing this with a major scale form, then a minor, then try some altered stuff like the melodic minor; whatever your taste. Wander up and down the neck to hook into the next root pattern and riff your brains out.

Extra Credit Reading
Pick up the masterful Jon Finn's book, "Advanced Modern Rock Guitar Improvisation". He does a wonderful job explaining this concept in greater detail.

Fretboard Geography - understanding the B string

2011-10-15T09:14:00.004-04:00

I want to take a minute to address one of the very basic pillars of the guitar. In future posts, we will be discussing more advanced topics where this becomes a 'given'. So in preparation for that, you more advanced players please bear with me as we bring some of the newbies up to speed.

I am sure many of you newcomers to the instrument have a common reaction when you learn about tuning: "What the heck is with the B string?". Whenever I teach someone how to tune a guitar for the first time, they always ask "why is the B string tuned at the 4th fret instead of the fifth like the others?". I always answer pretty much the same way:

"Because it Just is"
(nice teacher huh?) I usually follow that with "You will grow to understand why as you learn more chord forms". This really is the crux of the reason (I mean aside from the uneven tone/semitone pattern the musical notes are governed). It just ISN'T mathematically even. But rest assured, knowing that the designers of the instrument were pretty smart cookies. Imagine all the chords you know, with the notes on the high E and B string back one fret - what a mess! This offset truly makes the best of a bad seeming situation. So let's just accept it as it "is" and discuss understanding how to deal with it.

The Conveyor Belt
Many different people over the years have come up with many different ways to describe the tuning anomalies affect on fingerings. My favourite is Jon Finn's "Warp Refraction Threshold". To me, it is most simply described as being akin to a conveyor belt; meaning all notes on the B string slide forward by one fret in order to correct the offset in tuning. Like on an airport conveyor belt... any note on it makes the journey forward before continuing on.

Click on the images below and you will see animated versions that demonstrate. As you can see, if the guitar were tuned straight across at the 5th fret, then the high two strings would become C & F (as opposed to B & E). I created a uniform geometric scale fingering to more clearly show how the shape is effected by the 4th fret tuning. As you cross from the G to the B string, there is a momentary shift upwards by one fret. So, to reiterate, the effect happens as you cross from the G to B string.

With this in mind, let's look at how this offset affects chord forms. In the below diagram (again, click to view), I placed a Major barre chord form. Let's say we want to move that whole shape up to a higher string. As you cross the B string you see that we need to raise the note on that string (conveyor) up by one fret. The resulting shape should be familiar to most of you.

This anomaly effects all shapes on the guitar. Chords, scales, you name it. When you cross the B string, you have to alter your pattern to adjust. One of the strengths of the guitar is that it is very shape-friendly... meaning you can take any pattern, starting on any note, and apply a shape to it. This results in the desired chord or scale. The problem is many newbies fail to make this observation; giving them the unnecessary feeling that there are a vast number of more shapes to learn.

So take a minute and spend some time drawing out some scale forms and chords. I think if you look closely, armed with this post's info, you will discover some things that may have eluded you in the past.

Pentatonic Spice - Adding Major sounds to your boxes - Part 3 of 3

2011-10-07T17:43:00.000-04:00

OK folks, so here we are at the end of the line with this series. In Part One, we discussed Adding minor Modal Spices to your pentatonic box. In Part Two, we did Blues Sounds. So here, in Part Three, let's talk about Adding Major Tonalities. By the way, if you haven't checked out those previous entries, I suggest you do as some of those concepts are expanded on here.

Major Pentatonic? What the...?
I remember the first time I realized a player was using a Major pentatonic for soloing instead of the usual minor approach (I believe it was Lesley West on Mountain's "Mississippi Queen" if I am not mistaken). It absolutely blew my mind that if I use my pinky as the root, instead of my index finger, then the SAME scale suddenly became Major! DAMN! All of a sudden, in that instant, I doubled my scale knowledge. Before that moment, and the subsequent digging that followed, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Major pentatonic (this is what happens when a 12 year old self-teaches!).

So for those of you who are at this level, hopefully that same door just opened for you (make the cheque payable to Jer... : ).

Let's assume that we now all know that a Major scale and a minor scale are the same fingering, but in a different location. Let's move on to the point of this entry -- adding new sounds to that Major skeleton.

There are three Major modal shapes that can be used to create different sounds.
They are:

Ionian (the I chord sound)
Lydian (the IV chord sound)
Mixolydian (the V chord sound)

If these terms are confusing to you, you may want to read my post on Interval ID (click here).

Download this chart I prepared and take a peek. At the top of the chart, you will see an unaltered Major pentatonic scale. I darkened the root note so you can see which note will be used to make it Major. For example, if you want to play A-Major Pentatonic, place your pinky on the 5th fret (A) of the low E-string and play the scale. This scale is the same exact fingering as F#min. Even though its the exact same fingering, the focus of the tonality shifts to the note 'A' as opposed to F#. If you play this A-Scale over an A-chord, you will hear a distinctly brighter or happier tonality. This is the vibe of the Major scale. Incidentally, country players typically use a pentatonic scale in its Major form. So if you are at a jam night or around a campfire, this little insight can be quite handy!

Referring to the chart again, below the unaltered form, there are three above-mentioned modal forms. I have colourized the added notes, so memorize the additions and apply at will.

The pentatonic Major works best over -- you guessed it -- Major chords... but it also works great on more ambiguous chords like dominants. A dominant chord, or (7) chord, has a Major 3rd like a Major chord, but a minor 7th like a minor chord. This is why dominant chords are frequently used in blues and jazz or any improvisation-based music. Over dominants, your scale choices for improvs are truly many because of this ambiguity. But I digress.

Adding to the pentatonic framework can be a very powerful and quick way to increase your knowledge of the neck. Once you have all three parts to this series down cold, you should have a large working palette of musical colours to choose from.

How Do I Practice This?
Set up a loop or a backing track and spend time with each and every scale form. Try to understand its distinct sounds and tonal colours. I think it is VERY important to form an opinion on them and find a way to catalog these sounds in your mind. This kind of 'mental tagging' can come in very handy when you are searching for a specific sound during an improvised solo. The more time you spend with each of them, the more natural they will sound when you use them.

Next Steps
Take each one of these forms, with their added notes, and apply it to the other five shapes of the pentatonic scale. Learn this form first, then move on each side of it, practicing the neighbouring shapes as you work outwards to one day mastering the entire neck. I would work on the ones to either side of this first form (so if this is form 1, then do form 2 and 5 first). Doing it this way allows you to apply it quicker.

With all these forms mastered, imagine the freedom this could bring to your playing. Better still, you won't be stuck in a box any longer. Take your old cliche licks and rework them with these new spices.

Good luck! Hit me up if you have questions or add comments below if you think something needs expanding.

Below are some samples of all scales covered in parts one to three. For the sake of consistency, even though it may not be the best choice for Major pentatonic application, I kept the same backing track on all takes. That's right. There is no "one size fits all" application for any of these. You must put in the time, then use your taste and judgement to determine when or when not to call for that sound. Have fun and pay me back by making some truly great music for us all!

Sixstringobsession files by Jeremy_green

Pat Metheny - improvised chord etudes

2011-10-06T08:54:00.001-04:00

Check out this rather astounding video of Pat Metheny demonstrating his warm-ups routine. On the fly, he improvises chord etudes... That's right, just makes em up on the fly... gulp!

Pat is a true genius and quite possibly the greatest guitarist of our time. I am sure he spent considerable hours working this up to this level. What this demonstrates to me is how important the focus on practicing being musical is. If you PRACTICE making music... AT ALL TIMES. When you play live, that is what you will come out. So even when working on mundane scales and arpeggios, with Pat's approach, you can learn the fingerings certainly... But also something far more valuable - how to use them musically.

Pentatonic - power workout

2011-10-03T15:59:00.001-04:00

Just came across a timely pentatonic workout that ties in with the series I have been presenting. Check it out.

Interval ID

2011-09-30T16:07:00.004-04:00

This post is for my good friend Darryl. He brought it to my attention that many beginners would have no idea what I am talking about when I say things like b3 or #5. So I created this chart (click to download) to explain the concept behind those terms.

A brief explanation
The notes of the major scale are numbered 1 through 8, then they repeat*.
(see the foot note here)

C major
C is 1, D is 2, E is 3 ... on and on.

In between those notes there is what are called alterations or accidentals... fancy terms for sharps and flats. Between C and D there is an empty fret between. This note could be called either C# OR Db -> they are the same note. The sharp of C is the same as the flat of D. All notes have a sharp/flat between them except for E-F and B-C. So if I typed out a chromatic scale (a scale that includes ALL notes) it would be like so:

C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C

Which is the same thing as:

C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, C

Get it?

So when I say a major chord is just 1,3,5,7 or a Minor chord is 1, b3, 5, b7 or a Dominant chord is 1,3,5,b7, you should understand what I mean. If not hit me up with a question.

*Notes above the first octave are typically named 9 (for the 2nd) 11 (for the 4th) and 13 (for the 6th). The notes 1, 3, 5 & 7 names are typically not changed. These are critical notes of the scale so general awareness of them is pretty important. So the numeric scale really goes.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 9, 3, 11, 5 ,13, 7, 1....

So when someone says #9 they mean raise the 9th note of the scale by one fret. I realize this is confusing at first but you do get used to it.

Pentatonic Spice - Adding "Blues" sounds to your boxes - Part 2 of 3

2011-09-30T13:58:00.001-04:00

In Part One of of this series, we covered adding "modal" sounds to the pentatonic boxes you already know. If you didn't read that post, click here so that you're up to speed prior to this next installment.

In Part Two, let's discuss adding "Blues" spices to the pentatonic. But before we do, I first want to give a shout out to Stevel over at the Gear Page for suggesting I make this a series. Great idea. Thanks brother.

The "Blues" Scale

One of the staples of capturing a blues sound in your solos is the use and understanding of the "blues" scale (as it is commonly referred).

From wikipedia:

The hexatonic, or six note, blues scale consists of the minor pentatonic scale plus the ♯4th or ♭5th degree^[1]^[2]^[3]. A major feature of the blues scale is the use of blue notes,^[4] however, since blue notes are considered alternative inflections, a blues scale may be considered to not fit the traditional definition of a scale.^[5] At its most basic, a single version of this "blues scale" is commonly used over all changes (or chords) in a twelve bar blues progression.^[6] Likewise, in contemporary jazz theory, its use is commonly based upon the key rather than the individual chord.^[2]

In essence, the only difference between the regular pentatonic and a blues scale is one note: the b5. But what a difference it makes. Understand that this is not a note you can stand on for any length of time. More, a note you pass across to add that dissonant/consonant resolution that the blues live on. The b5 and the 3rd are at the core.

To me, there are three spots where I really "hear" the blues:

the b3rd - bend or slide it up to a major 3rd-ish then resolve down to the root
the b7th - roll across it to the major 7th then resolve to the root
the b5 - 7, 5, b5, 4, 3, 1 BAM! There it is!

There are other spots as well, but these are three moves that are ALL OVER the blues. It took me quite a while to really understand the power of such a simple-seeming genre, but having a solid grasp of the blues has improved my soloing like no other study. I HIGHLY suggest learning this to ANYONE who wants to solo. Rant over : )

Anyway, let's have a look at the chart prepared at the top of this entry. Click here to download it if you so choose. What you will see, as in Part One, is the first position pentatonic at the top. Then below to the right, is the "Blues" version of the scale with the added b5's.

Another very commonly used scale with blues spices is the Dorian mode, also covered in Part One and shown on the left of the chart. The natural 6th and 9th are other very common blues notes. Again, they are used mostly as pass-throughs, but they can add a powerful dimension to a solo.

At the bottom, I added a combined "hybrid" version. VERY usable scale.

The key to this is trying to figure out where your original scale lives. At first, only stop on the safe notes of the original pentatonic minor form. As you gain confidence, you can stand on these other notes... maybe not the b5... like, EVER! But certainly the 6th and 9th are pretty consonant. They tend to add a suspended, dreamy-type sound to my ears. But I am sure you will have your own way of describing them.

As with all the concepts I am covering here, to take it to the next level, find these added notes in all the other shapes of the pentatonic scale. If you master them with each shape, your pool of available sound options becomes immense!

Below is an example of the Blues Scale in use. What a great sound! One of my faves.

P.S. I added an explanation of intervals for anyone confused by the terminology. Click here for that post

Blues example by Jeremy_green

Pentatonic Spice - Adding modal sounds to your boxes - Part 1 of 3

2011-09-23T14:19:00.002-04:00

When a student of guitar walks into a lesson, asking to learn how to solo, the pentatonic scale is most often the first scale a teacher will present. Why? Firstly, it is simple to memorize. Secondly, it sounds pretty great! Players such as Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Tony Iommi, David Gilmour, SRV and MANY MANY others use this scale as option A. So if you like their music, or any music that was influenced by them or the blues (which is almost all!), then this sucker is worth owning.

The Problem
I suspect most people reading this lesson already know all this. As a matter of a fact, I suspect most of you know this scale very WELL. So well, in fact, that you now feel trapped by it. If this is you, then maybe some of these ideas will help a brother out.

Let's Get to Work
Have a look at the diagram at the top of this post. Click the image to download a pdf of it (or click here). At the top of the diagram, I have placed the most common form of the pentatonic scale. Let's imagine for a minute that you are soloing. Typically, players use this scale as a minor scale -- meaning using its lowest note as the root. So if you are playing over an A chord (or 5th fret power chord for you metal heads) then plant this baby on the 5th fret and have at 'er.

Being a minor scale ... incidentally, it's really only a partial scale ... the pentatonic is really just a skeletal version of the 7 note major scale shapes. Pent - meaning "five" - gives you some insight into this. It is simply a 5 note scale, with the "handle with care" notes removed - which is why it works so well.

From Wikipedia:
"The ubiquity of pentatonic scales, specifically anhemitonic (without semitones) modes, can be attributed to the total lack of the most dissonant intervals between any pitches; there are neither any minor seconds (and therefore also no complementary major sevenths) nor any tritones. This means any pitches of such a scale may be played in any order or combination without clashing."

Because of this, you have the option of re-introducing some of these removed notes to access more "modal" type sounds. Only 2 little notes can change a LOT.

STOP! YOU USED THE "M" WORD! (modes)
The word "modes" causes more stress, arguments and confusion than any guitar topic! Before any of you theory police dive down my throat, let me just take a minute to say making something modal is about the underlying chordal harmony. No scale can make something modal in a true sense. I am using that word because it is very commonly used - and well misunderstood. But let's not go there for now.

Some quick theory you need to know:
In any key, there are 3 minor chords.
They occur off of the 2nd, 3rd & 6th notes of the scale.

Some examples:

Key C - C, Dmin, Emin, F, G(7), Amin, Bdim
Key G - G, Amin, Bmin, C, D(7), Emin, F#dim
Key A - A, Bmin, C#min, D, E(7), F#min, G#dim

If you look at all those keys, you should notice that all the chord TYPES remain unchanged.

The first, fourth and fifth chords are Major.
The second, third and sixth chords are minor
The fifth, while being major, can also be dominant - This is a very critical note of the scale. Especially in Jazz.
The 7th is a diminished chord - some opt for min7b5

So from this quick glance, you hopefully see what I mean when I say that the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th notes' chords are minor. The "modes" or scale shape that goes with these chords are named:

Dorian (from the chord built off the second note of the scale)
Phrygian (off the 3rd note of the scale)
Aeolian - a.k.a. natural minor (off the 6th note)

In other words, these scale forms are directly associated with specifically minor chords.

What does all this mean?
What it means is that when you are playing a minor pentatonic solo and you want the listener to hear it sound as if it is the II (two) chord of the key, you would add some Dorian notes. If you want the chord to sound as if it is the III (three) chord, then Phrygian is your woman (or man if you are so inclined). Leaving Aeolian as the VI (six) chord sound.

So this is the "why" behind all this. To summarize, by adding 2 notes to a shape that you already know, you now have access to a whole new world of sounds.

The bottom line in all this is to hear it. So have a go.
On my chart you will see that I colour coded the added notes, so try out each form. Get a backing track or loop going. Pick a chord and start with your ever-comfortable minor pentatonic and solo as you usually do. Then start adding in notes from the Dorian. When you got that sound in your ears then move to the Phrygian, on and on. With each shape, really listen and try to understand its nuances, its character.

I should say (although I don't really want to influence your tastes) that the Dorian is the most common sound... followed by Aeolian. The Phrygian has somewhat of a Spanish sound (at least that is the description I have most commonly heard). This likely comes from the addition of the b2 & b6.

Oh! At the bottom, just for laughs, I added a shape that includes all the notes combined. You truly do have access to all these notes but in doing so, you really get into ambiguous territory harmonically. So it must be used with great care. Ultimately, your sense of creativity and good taste will rule the day.

These simple additions to something you already know can have powerful and immediate changes to your sound. So dig in!

Here are some examples of how they each sound. I tried to use similar phrasing and tone so that you can hear the nuances of each scale form.

Click Here to read Part 2 of this series. Adding Blues sounds.

P.S. I added an explanation of intervals for anyone confused by the terminology. Click here for that post

Sixstringobsession files by Jeremy_green

Guthrie Govan lessons

2011-09-20T16:44:00.000-04:00

Came across these great vids from Guitar World magazine, featuring Guthrie Govan. He covers modes, adding chromatics and other ideas into your playing. Guthrie is an incredible player. A ridiculously proficient shredder, BUT one who plays with phrasing and musicality. Big fan.. seems like a cool guy AND a good teacher too. Pretty great package.

Check them out:

Jimmy Bruno Guitar Workshop

2011-09-17T10:41:00.003-04:00

Very recently, I joined jazz guitar master Jimmy Bruno's "Guitar Workshop" website. I have been silently following this site for a long time and finally decided it was time to give it a shot.

First impression: Fantastic!

Guitar Workshop, is a lesson site designed to allow you to study jazz guitar with Jimmy in a one-on-one type format. All the lessons have detailed video instruction, plus the other info you need to succeed. He is an excellent teacher and conveys his thoughts clearly and in an organized manner.

A very valuable part of the site - Jimmy also gives masterclasses. Where you can submit a video of yourself performing a piece or exercise. He views your take, then makes comments and suggestions to help you improve it. You don't have to do this part if you don't want to. But it is pretty cool that you can.

After exploring the site, I must say, he/they have done a fine job organizing and presenting the material. It appears to be a vibrant community and a glimpse into a very real future for instrument school sites. This is the future of online guitar instruction. I can one day picture many of the top players having this type of school available. Opening up potential revenue streams for musicians globally. With the ability to reach unlimited amounts of students globally. Very cool.

If you have any interest is learning jazz guitar this site is pretty amazing. Even if you just need help learning theory, scales or chords. I would recommend this site. The price is very reasonable (As of Sept 2011 $60 a quarter year).

Hats off to Jimmy! I have always loved his playing. It feels like quite an opportunity to study with him. Now we ALL can!

Here is the link

Music Theory ... and the Brady Bunch?

2011-08-23T13:54:00.001-04:00

In a recent discussion, the question was asked (paraphrased for clarity):

"How does music theory apply to songwriting or improv"

In an attempt to clarify this, I came up with the following, bordering-on-nonsensical response. It is not quite perfect, but close... More importantly, it made me laugh and I hope it does you. Here goes:

Think of a key as a family.
Each chord represents a child of that family. The parents are the scale. So each child, has pieces of the parents ... therefore a similarity ... But, unique in and of themselves. No two are the same. Some, get along REALLY well with certain members of the family. Some not so much, but none of them truly hate one another. This key, is like the Brady Bunch!

A song is like an episode.

The other 12 keys are cousins to the Brady's. Some are more closely related than others. Some members of these closely related cousin families, actually look a LOT like one of the Brady's ... and get along really quite well. These cousins come on family trips, in fact, strangers think they are one of the kids. Sometimes these cousins will invite their favourite Brady kid over for a sleepover. Now the focus of the 'episode' is on THAT cousin's family and their house ... maybe just for a momentary part ... or it could be for the rest of the episode. They could even go to other houses from there ... but they are usually brought there by one of these 'friendly' cousins (pivot chord) who is welcomed.

These more distant other cousins and their families are more removed from the Brady's ... Some, to the point where they bear zero resemblance. Several of these distant relatives actually have a dislike, even a hatred, for the Bradys. These characters will not work at all with most (if not ALL) of them. So they stay to themselves and live in their closer family circles.

The moral of this fanciful tale:
Just like people, certain notes and groupings just plain work.
Others just do not.

Theory, is the writing down and the formalizing of all this. Like drawing out a family tree hierarchy chart.

No musician is truly making progressions up as they go. Even if it seems like - or SAY they are. The chords are grouped, whether we like it or not, naturally by your ears. Because they just flat out work. Over centuries, scholars have written all these relationships down. Made groupings and formalized the presentation of all this information. Now they teach it universally, to any who wish to know.

When more advanced musicians compose or improvise (to use our analogy), they know which family members get along... So armed with this knowledge, they can skip comfortably through the family tree. Recruiting the best member for the task at hand. The more time they spend getting to know the different family members, the more comfortable they are inviting them over for the BBQ or perhaps unload the cube van! Some players never bother going beyond their small tight 'family' circle. It is comfortable, feels right, they know who to call and life is good. It just works.

So your understanding of the dynamics of the musical family tree, really relies on how "social" you choose to be.

Music Theory Resources site

2011-08-15T12:49:00.000-04:00

Hey all,

A recent discussion reminded me of a really great site. Musictheory.net is designed to help musicians with their study of general theory. This is not guitar specific, but more music theory in a broader sense. There are some great tools, templates, flashcards, and interactive trainers (including a cool fretboard trainer!). Some really great tools for students and teachers alike offered for free.

So have a look. Here is the link

Bebop Cookbook - the musings of JKChang

2011-08-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

I recently came across this very cool site by musician and PhD. Jen-Kuang Chang. It is an absolutely jam packed site, with loads of downloads and writings on some of the greats of Jazz. Most notably Charlie Parker and his approach.

Any fan of Jazz, or just someone who is interested in its approaches, will find this more than worthwhile. Plus he has some very cool art posted for those visual folks. Very worth the visit.

Enjoy! Here is the link.

Van Halen Asteriods .... yes I said it!

2011-08-03T13:40:00.000-04:00

This post has ZERO to do with anything educational, or guitar related AT ALL. I just loved it and wanted to share with you all.

Get out cho Spandex and let the games begin! Click here

Friday fun - guys who make me want to play - Matt Schofield

2011-08-01T11:32:00.000-04:00

One of my favourite guitarists these days, is England's own Matt Schofield. Matt plays an inspiring blend of traditional blues, fused with a modern feel and jazz inflections. The player he is compared to most would be Robben Ford. But calling him a copy of anything, is ridiculous. A player of deep influences, he combines sublime playing, with some good songwriting and vocal talents. The dude's got it going on!

What GREAT tone too! Fender Strat, through a simple pedal board (with a Klon overdrive, a clean boost and a delay. Dat's it). Plugged directly into a Two Rock amp (4 x 10" speaker cabinet). Simple, clean, and articulate tone that brings the most out of Matt's hands.

He has just recently released an excellent guitar instructional DVD in conjunction with Hal Leonard Publishing called "Blues Guitar Artistry". The DVD features lots of band performances and Matt explaining in some detail his approach to learning. Get it if you don't have it already.

From Wikipedia:

Influences

Schofield's guitar playing is often likenedto Robben Ford in reference to his melodic and fluid style, and jazzy lines. However, Schofield was also majorly influenced by B. B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan^[3]. The influence of funk bands such as The Meters and Soulive can also be heard in his music.

Recordings

Schofield has four studio albums and two live albums. The first of the live discs, The Trio, Live was recorded at the Bishops Blues club at The Half Moon, Bishops Stortford in 2004 and, funded and released by Richard Pavitt on his Nugene record label, gave the band their first breakthrough. The first studio album, Siftin' Thru Ashes was released in 2005. This album showcases not only Schofield as a virtuoso contemporary blues player, but also as a very competent songwriter, writing or co-writing eight out of eleven of the tracks on this album. AllMusic.com calls Schofield's approach "an enjoyable demonstration of what can happen when blues-rock and blues-jazz are united". The second live album, Live At The Jazz Cafe! was recorded at the London Jazz Cafe in April 2005, and was made available as a web only release. Schofield is one of only two living British artists to be given a four star (excellent) rating in the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings. The release of The Trio, Live prompted Schofield to be featured in a Guitarist magazine article listing the nine notable up and coming blues guitarists, Schofield being the only non-American. Of the album they said 'britblues meets jazz via N'Orleans - all played with the kind of sizzling guitar that just does not often surface in Fairford, Gloucestershire'. In 2007 Guitar & Bass Magazine picked Schofield as one of the "Top 10 British Blues Guitarists of All Time".

EDIT: Matt just released his fifth studio effort "Anything but Time"

Check out Matt Schofield if you are unaware of him. If you are a fan of the blues in any way, you will likely not be disappointed. Matt joins the ranks of other young great blues players like Joe Bonamassa and John Mayer etc. World class, young, and playing their behinds off. Love seeing this generation bring it!

Just like the title says "Guys who make me want to play!"

P.S. To digress slightly, what inspired this post, I recently saw Matt perform at the coolest venue I have ever attended. A small club in Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada called Peter's Players. Seriously, if you are anywhere near this venue GO SEE A SHOW THERE! Peter essentially hosts shows out of his house (which includes a slippers only rule!) and you will NEVER see a more intimate performance. Here is some info about Peter, he deserves our support!

Hal Galper - Damn these videos are great

2011-07-27T11:35:00.000-04:00

I first came across these videos over a year ago... but a recent discussion over at my good friend Mark Wein's place reminded me of how valuable they truly are. Stuff this good MUST be shared!

Most all instrumentalists are always looking for those little 'tricks' or insights, that make certain players better improvisors than others. I believe Hal does a wonderful job giving us some insight into that process. The longer I play an instrument, the more I realize that playing well, is much more about how you approach it mentally than any physical aspect. Most players I know exercise our hands regularly ... yet much less time on our minds and ears? Doesn't that seem crazy? It does to me.

Hal Galper has many of these videos on YouTube, so after watching these, do yourself a favour and go through some of the others. These are game changers.

Picking Technique - The day it ALL changed

2011-07-15T09:37:00.000-04:00

For over 20 years, I listened to the conventional wisdom among the guitar 'shred' community. Play with a stiff, thick pick for speed. At first, I used a full size one. Then I switched (thanks to an Eric Johnson VHS tape) to the under-sized Dunlop Jazz III's, which I swore by for many, many, did I say many years? For the record, I was always considered by my peers to posess an above average picking technique. Not exactly Shawn Lane or anything, but certainly capable.

Then, for completely inexplicable reasons, it ALL changed. I went back to a full size pick and I turned it sideways, so that the pointy tip, points towards the bridge. Allowing me to play with the shoulder of the pick. The draw for me was I liked the scratchy tone. It seemed to give the notes more heft, more Sco! It also emulated that "cello sound" I heard Paul Gilbert speak of. Simultaneously, I also changed the weight to a medium gauge (pictured above for anyone curious). The interesting part is all this was done for tonal reasons. I thought it may actually slow me down, but I didn't care, if it sounds better - that's all I care.

Strange thing happened, my picking technique got MUCH better. I am WAY faster today. Breaking through MANY barriers I used to have when I followed conventional thinking. PLUS, it sounds a lot cooler tonally IMO.

It got me to thinking about Gilbert's "cello tone" comment. The 'scratch' comes from a sharp angle attack, so that a smaller part of the pick gets into the string wind. So he MUST be using a fairly steep picking angle.... I guess my technique was too 'flat' before, thereby slowing me down without my notice.

The point with all this is: Your technique is tied to how you hold, what weight and what angle your pick is to the string. There may be some subtle glitch holding you back. Try EVERYTHING because you NEVER know. I would have NEVER tried what I am doing presently ... I still don't really know why I did it... but it worked!

You are never too old or experienced to find something new. I strongly recommend switching things up once in a while as there truly is no 'way'. What works for someone, no matter how fast they are, may NOT work for your body and playing style.

Robben Ford

2011-07-14T12:10:00.000-04:00

Robben Ford with the Yellowjackets in 1981 ... What is to be said! DAMN!

From noodling to music - learning how to create a good solo.

2011-07-04T15:09:00.000-04:00

Some rights reserved by pfly

A quote that changed the way I practice guitar soloing came from Joe Pass. It was from a long time ago, so this is complete paraphrasing. Forgive me Joe! The gist was:

"Every single thing you play, you should be able to play a second time EXACTLY the way it was the first. If you can't, then it is just random finger movements that happened to work out. If you can't repeat it, it didn't come from your heart and it is not music."

This is VERY true IMO. Try practicing like that. What happens is, it FORCES you to really listen to what you are doing, because you have to play it again. Also, repetition instantly sounds like music. Listen to most great soloists and they use repetition a TON. Even if the notes aren't the same, the rhythm is. Or if the rhythm isn't, then the notes are. Repetition is one of the core building blocks you need to construct meaningful solos.

Some other approaches

Record EVERYTHING and listen back with a critical ear. This is the only chance you have to hear you the way others do. Make this part of your regular routine. Slowly weed out the crap-isms we all have. You know, those annoying little phrases you ALWAYS play, that you CAN'T STAND! Weed them out.
Try ONLY playing an idea as it comes into your head. If you don't hear anything, don't play for a minute. Wait until you hear something and THEN play. Remember this is practice and nobody is watching so take your time. At first, there will be big holes of silence. Before long as you improve there will be more and more actual music happening. The best part is it is ALL organically based - NOT pattern based.
Sing AS you play a line on your guitar (a la George Benson). Make the connection between your ears, your voice and the guitar. This INSTANTLY affects your phrasing.
Simplify for a bit. Grab a small idea and really milk it. Save the shred for flourishes that tie your ideas together. Fast stuff really doesn't say much.. it really mostly creates intensity. Would you want to hear someone speaking or singing in an intense state all the time? Likely not, plus the melodic stuff makes the flourishes SEEM faster. Not ripping on shred at all or insinuating shred is bad, just saying in general - mix it up. The best shredders do this.
Learn other players solos - NOTE FOR NOTE using your ears - not TAB. Don't cheat or fudge, get in there are get every note. Then get the chord changes behind. Then analyze what is going on (if you dont know some basic theory, it is very helpful. Utilize sites like this to read, ask questions and generally help you understand some basics). Do this all the time and before long you will see patterns or approaches that just work. I can't understate this. You want to become a good soloist? Become a student of solos. Many genres - even ones you don't like. Learn your favs... then learn your favs favs. Jazz, Country, Blues, Rock solo and analyze. Spend a year doing this and you will be a different player on the other side no doubt about it.
Focus on hitting chord tones as you solo. Look at the progression you are soloing over and practice nailing some of the tones as they pass by. I did a detailed post on this topic. Click here to read it. When I say "analyze" this is largely what I am referring to. What notes are being used and why do they work... likely a chord tone.

Changing how you solo isn't a miraculous process. It boils down to spending the time it takes to learn the art of spontaneous composition. When I say it that way it sounds pretty serious doesn't it? Well it is exactly that. Think more like a composer and less like a blues box guitar player and you are on your way.

P.S. Read the below comment section of this post. John King raised some valid discussions on this topic.

Keeping your Strat stock tremolo in tune

2011-06-28T10:19:00.000-04:00

Just came across this great video by luthier Galeazzo Frudua that addresses an issue many Fender Strat guitar players deal with: using your whammy bar and staying in tune.

He goes over the proper way to string the guitar and it works like a charm! Least it did for me. Watch the video, grab your guitar and give it a try.

The Gateway to Jazz

2011-06-23T15:58:00.000-04:00

For all you rock guitar players out there who have always wanted to get into Jazz, but just frankly didn't get it, there are certain bands who can help you make the transition.

For me, there have been several bands in the Jazz Fusion category that helped me go from distant admirer, to a real jazz fan. "Fusion" as it is most commonly referred, is essentially the fusing of rock rhythms, with the complexities of jazz. It was guitar based bands such as Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs (and later Steve Morse's solo albums), Tribal Tech, John Scofield, Mike Stern, & Return to Forever among others that had a significant impact on me. But one particular band I would like to feature here is Uzeb.

From Wikipedia:
UZEB was a Canadian jazz fusion band from Montreal, Quebec, who were active from 1976 to 1992. The members were Alain Caron (bass guitar), Michel Cusson (guitar), and Paul Brochu (drums). UZEB had a blend of skilled playing and modern synthesized timbres, along with an emphasis on original compositions. The band won a number of Canadian awards during the 1980s. By 1989, international sales of UZEB's first eight recordings had exceeded 200,000 units, which the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada calls "an unprecedented figure for a Canadian jazz group."

I have always felt that Michel Cusson is one of the most under appreciated players of all time. Not only does he have immense chops, but his chording knowledge and use of synth technology, make him nothing short of astounding. Dig into this clip then tell me I am wrong!

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For those of you who are not familiar, I strongly recommend the albums 'Noisy Nights' and 'Club' as excellent points of entry. While you listen to Uzeb, remember that it is only 3 guys doing EVERYTHING! All synths on those albums are triggered by one of the 3 members and all reproduced dead-on live. Yeah, yeah, I know, some of the sounds (and fashion!) scream of the 80's but listen to the groove! These guys are immense!!

Whatever your tastes, the point of this article is that if jazz hasn't struck you yet, perhaps it is not because you don't like it.... Perhaps it is just that you haven't found the road IN yet!

Check out some of the other bands I mentioned and those related. The jazz and fusion genres are just so huge and there is just so much talent that you can learn from. It is well worth the effort, if effort is what is required - as it was for me!

Thanks boys! Now get me my hollow body guitar damn it! There are min7b5 chords to be had!

Cheers

Danny Gatton's First Instructional Video online!!

2011-05-31T08:13:00.000-04:00

This was brought to my attention by my good friend and guitar wizard Stomias over at the Lesson Loft. (Thanks brother!) For those not familiar, Danny Gatton was just one of those monstrous players. Gibson.com ranked Gatton as the 27th best guitarist of all time. Plagued by depression, on October 4, 1994, Gatton locked himself in his garage and shot himself. A HUGE loss for the guitar and music community at large.

From Wikipedia: Gatton's playing combined musical styles such as jazz, blues and rockabilly in an innovative fashion, and he was known by some as "the Telemaster" (a portmanteau of "Telecaster", Gatton's guitar of choice, and "Master"). He was also called "the world's greatest unknown guitarist". His most common nickname was "The Humbler", owing to his ability to "humble" or out-play anyone willing to go up against him in "head-cutting" jam sessions. It was Amos Garrett, guitar player for Maria Muldaur, who nicknamed Gatton "The Humbler". After a successful gig, Garrett would pull out a tape of Gatton and tell his band, "You think we played well tonight. Let's take a minute to listen to the Humble-lizer." A photo published in the October 2007 issue of Guitar Player magazine shows Gatton playing in front of a neon sign that says "Victims Wanted".

In 1987, a video produced by Pro Video Corp, titled: Gatton's Tips & Tricks for Guitar was released on VHS. It can now, thanks to the internet, be watched in its entirety at this link.

So head on over. But be prepared to spend a serious amount of time. Once you start into it, you likely won't be stopping!

My new fav Distortion pedal

2011-05-27T15:57:00.000-04:00

"For many, many years you've basically had 2 choices for your Overdrive;/Distortion pedals... You could either get "Soft-clipped" Bluesy, slightly compressed, (Toob Screemer, FD2, etc etc etc etc etc etc) type Overdrive pedals... or you could get "Hard-Clipped" (OCD, Distortion+, Boss DS-1, etc etc etc etc etc etc) type Distortion pedals.

What if there was a pedal that offered both?"

This above quote comes directly from the mouth of Micheal Fuller President of Fulltone. To it I will respond with two words:

Mission Accomplished!

Damn this is a seriously nice sounding guitar pedal!

I am quite quickly believing Mr Fuller to be a man of rather extreme talents. A few years back, I purchased the Fulltone DejaVibe2 (univibe style pedal). I was, and remain, blown away by its authenticity to the original. So when I came across the PlimSoul at the store counter I was quite optimistic. After only a few days I am beginning to feel I will have a similar affection for this little beauty. I suspect it, like the DejaVibe2 will be a permanent resident on my pedal board.

I spent a good deal of time in the local music store, trying out numerous pedals - one after another. I must have tried 15-20 distortion/overdrive/fuzz pedals of all makes and models. In the end the Fulltone PlimSoul was the one I decided to take home for a demo with my guitar and live rig, before making the commitment to buy. It only got better!

Tuesday night - rehearsal with a 80's style metal project. The distortion provided was thick and clear. Through a Marshall 4x12 it sounded very authentic. Very cool! Thursday night - rehearsal with jazz/rock fusion instrumental project ... playing through a Dr Z Maz 38 (twin style combo). Again the beautiful distortion, had a warm bluesy density to it BUT it also maintained complete clarity. Wanted a tube screamer tone - it was there. Wanted a wide open Eric Johnson style lead sound - it was there too! Even full out, wide open, super saturation, I could hear every note in extended chord forms. SOLD!

In this corner of the world Fulltone is 2 for 2.... and I am becoming a big fan and believer. Thanks Mike! You made my guitar playing more inspired and enjoyable this week. Without folks like you, musicians would not be able to fulfill their tonal wishes. Great sounds breed inspiration, inspiration breeds great music. I am sure your pedals will play a big part in a lot of great music and its performance. I salute you.

Check out Fulltone, here is their PlimSoul website link.

I should say I have ZERO affiliation with Fulltone. This is the best kind of promotion: FREE!

The Metronome AND Victor Wooten

2011-05-09T21:50:00.000-04:00

Some guys ya just gotta love and for me Victor Wooten is one of them. A monster player, and a very giving, spiritual guy (the support he gave to this very blog - on the sidebar - are a testament to that!)

Check out this very cool video on how to use a metronome in your practice sessions. This is solid gold right here! A guitar player's tempo or "pocket" is the least spoken of - yet easily most important aspect of one's playing. If your playing lacks conviction then this is likely the place to look.

Take us away Victor!

The bad gig - survival and recovery

2011-05-09T15:07:00.000-04:00

We've all been there! One of the biggest mental disappointments, and often beginning of the next great slump is the gig that goes awry. I hate them when they happen, but always learn from them, so I guess that makes them ... good?? This past weekend, I played with a blues/rock band at a private party function. It was a 50th birthday party for a very cool guy who frankly deserved better.

Firstly, the crowd was slow to warm up. Appreciative definitely, but not a dancing group - least early on. I find that whenever it is a get-together of old friends, they are MOSTLY interested in catching up - as they should be - and less interested in listening or dancing. There is nothing less inspiring than looking at the backs of people's heads all night! But you still gotta bring it.

Secondly, they had a series of speeches / announcements that came at impromptu times. Nothing can kill momentum more than sudden stoppages in a set. All agreeable and all handled with care and respect by all parties, but a momentum killer for sure.

Thirdly, and really totally, was the smoke that started coming out of the PA!! Then again out of the back-up PA! Which abruptly ended our evening with a splat. Just before the final knockout it began cutting out intermittently, all but destroying some otherwise fine performances. We FINALLY had them up dancing for 7 or 8 songs when WHAM! Show OVA!

The hosts were super cool and understanding, we got paid, and all was enjoyed. Fortunately, we performed for a couple of hours all totaled so the mission was at least mostly accomplished. But it left me with some crappy negative feelings that I am still in the wake of.

Whenever this happens the only thing that you can do is accept it. It was bad - OK now GET OVER IT! Seriously, the best thing you can do is try to laugh it off. At very least - get to the root causes of what went wrong and take whatever steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. Feel good? How bout if I tell you it WILL happen again!! Maybe not that same scenario but one equally bad ... or quite worse! Anyone who has performed can rattle off stories for you. So if you don't have the ability to bounce, ya better acquire that skill. Performing is not for the faint of heart.

Bad gigs happen, just like bad notes happen. So accept them, welcome them, laugh at them and MOVE ON. These are the stories that grow funny with the passing of time. You are earning your stripes so learn to at least tolerate them. One day you will be laughing as you tell the story of the gig where, "not one but TWO P.A.'s crashed and burned!". People LOVE hearing these tales.

What can be done?
Well in the case of equipment failure it's tough. The best thing to do is to have back-up gear of your critical components. Make sure you have GOOD power bars with surge protection. Another handy thing for total Armageddon is to bring an acoustic guitar so that at very worst you can go into campfire mode. Be ready! Bring flashlights, songbooks - whatever you need to entertain. I have an assembled 'gig box' that houses all my emergency items: Tape, mics, markers, flashlight, picks, guitar strings, slide, cable ties etc. It grows with each passing need, so the next time you are playing and you need something, remember it, and add it to your box.

The cool thing is, in the end if you can put on a good show, in light of these conditions, people can be MORE entertained. Remember, they are in it with you. They came to be entertained. They are bummed out when the power crashes. They will also appreciate your professionalism more if you can rebound and still put on a good show! Plus preparation is the key to not being nervous. If you know you have what you need, plus a plan in place you are golden. Turn it from "I saw this band, their PA blew up - it was hilarious!" to "I saw this band, their PA blew up, so they pulled out acoustics and rocked the place. We had a sing-along it was awesome!"

Nobody is happy about a bad gig, but you CAN learn to live with and eventually accept them. The worst thing you can do is get mad and start throwing blame around. Give it a smile and a hearty nod of acknowledgement - then throw its sorry ass out the door!

Friday fun - guys who make me want to play - Wayne Krantz

2011-04-29T10:07:00.000-04:00

If you are not familiar with Wayne Krantz, and you are a guitarist looking for new ideas, do yourself a favour and rectify that! Wayne is a monster beyond my comprehension.

The thing that always grips me about Wayne Krantz is his completely unique style. To be able to say that 'nobody sounds like him' is an amazing feat these days in music, as seemingly much of the sonic ground has been covered.

From Wikipedia:

Wayne Krantz (born July 26, 1956 in Corvallis, Oregon) is an innovative American musician, who is widely recognized as a technically advanced jazz fusion guitarist.^[1] He has played with top artists such as Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham, and others, but is most active as a solo performer.

Three things set him apart from other guitar players in my opinion:

First, his incredible sense of rhythm. His rhythm or 'pocket' is nothing short of astonishing. Usually I am gripped by his placements of accents within the groove.

Second, is his willingness to forge for sounds where mostly dissonance is found. He will sit in non-diatonic, essentially random intervallic patterns and hammer away at them. Almost imposing music upon the notes. Demonstrating that if your conviction is solid enough, there really is no such thing as a wrong note.

Third, his tone is unmistakable. The way he attacks the string with a percussive 'click' behind his notes. He digs in and snaps and pops the strings with hybrid picking (using a pick and picking hand fingers). He also employs lots of open strings in his approach which leads to wide leaps and open suspended chord voicings giving him his signature tone.

A very cool thing is that Wayne has detailed his practicing approach in his book 'An Improvisers OS' which can be purchased through AbstractLogix (click here). This book is really cool and there is, like him, nothing else like it on the market.

His latest album Krantz, Carlock, Lefebvre has been a staple on my playlist for almost a year now. It is an intense and raw as any jazz fusion type album I have heard. But the playing is infectious! ... and I highly recommend you get infected by it!

Have a great weekend all!

All in the same boat

2011-04-25T16:54:00.000-04:00

I had an awesome night this past Saturday. Killer guitarist and my newly adopted teacher Oz Noy came to town. So we arranged to hook up and have him give me another lesson. We did the lesson at his hotel, then went out for dinner prior to his second night of a weekend set, here in Toronto. He along with bassist Will Lee and the truly awesome Anton Fig, played a great night of Oz's groove-based fusion all in attendance won't soon forget.

During the course of the day, along with cool gig tales of playing with other guitar masters like Eric Johnson, Steve Lukather, Pat Martino and many others. Oz revealed to me that he really doesn't like his playing that much. Least not as compared to other cats he hears or plays with. Which was wild to hear.... He feels he has so much to learn and that his chords "aren't that cool".

Huh? Does he know what he sounds like?

Now don't get me wrong Oz certainly wasn't all Eeyore and down on himself, he is a killer and confident guitar player and he knows it. But these comments, no matter how slight, just stuck with me and inspired me to know that: No matter our level, we all go though these types of feelings.

COOL! It ain't just me!!

As far as the lesson goes: Oz talked about the need to force structure on your practice. Otherwise you can waste away noodling and generally 'not getting better'. He suggested - each time you practice - to decide BEFORE you begin what you are going to work on. Be it scales, sequences, reading, writing - whatever. Make a mental or physical list and make sure you accomplish those micro-goals within the scope of that session.

Fast forward to later that night. As I dropped Oz and Anton back at their hotel. The knowledge that these 2 monstrous players, sitting in the back of my truck, were just like me in many ways - only far better - was inspirational beyond comprehension. It made me realize we are all in the same boat, on at least that level. Maybe some are just further down the path than others. But we are all human, we all make mistakes and sometimes we ALL don't feel so great about our playing.

Maybe this is the fire that fuels some to greatness OR drives weaker, less committed to give up and utter the dreaded words: "I guess I just wasn't born with it". The thing is, the journey IS the trip. You WILL NEVER get 'there'... wherever 'there' is to you. Least not in terms of any kind of being 'done'. Thinking of it this way can make the journey far less frustrating I think. Who knows, maybe your personal 'suckiness' will inspire others! Because you are better than you think you are GUARANTEED!

Make sure you check out Oz! He is now and will always be pure inspiration for me! Thank you brother for your kindness and musical gifts!

How to steal like an artist

2011-04-11T15:43:00.000-04:00

A GREAT Non music specific article by Austin Kleon crossed my path and I felt the need to share it. Learning about creativity is one of the best things any of us can do. So enjoy!

http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/3...obody-told-me/

Sound Reasoning - Anthony Brandt

2011-04-09T10:20:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, just was directed to this great site for all us musical eggheads who love to read the more theoretical aspects of the art. As I was reading this I thought 'wow! What a great piece of work!' and it should be shared.

Short post I know, but hey, why listen to me talk when Mr Brandt does it so much more eloquently.

Here is the link

Friday fun - guys who make me want to play - Joe Bonamassa

2011-04-08T16:08:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I took my son and a friend to see one of my absolute favourite young guitarists - Joe Bonamassa. If you haven't heard of him - you should fix that! IMMEDIATELY! This young man CAN PLAY!! At a ridiculous and humbling level. Not only that but the man has a set of pipes! AND he can write songs. Bound for greatness or I'll eat my hat. Grab his 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall' DVD. It's a keeper for those days when you need a little guitar-istic inspiration. This young man is a testament to what true love, a passion for music, combined with a boat-load of practice can bring. In the spirit of the end of another hockey season - Go Joe Go!

Some background from wikipedia:

Bonamassa was born and raised in New York State. His parents owned and ran a guitar shop. As a fourth-generation musician, he recalls knowing he wanted to be a musician as early as age four. With a great-grandfather and grandfather who both played trumpet, and a father who plays guitar, Bonamassa credits his parents with fostering an appreciation of music in his life as early as he can remember. When he was a young child, he would listen to his parents' large record collection. He recalls at age 7, sitting with his parents on Saturdays and listening to Guitar Slim; Bonnie Raitt; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; Eric Clapton; and Jethro Tull. Thus, he sees his music as an amalgam of all the various rock and blues he heard as a child.^[1]
He received his first guitar from his father at the age of 4, and by age 7 he was playing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix tunes note for note. At the age of 11, during a short period of being mentored by Danny Gatton, he learned such styles as country and jazz as well as Polka. During this time with Gatton, Bonamassa sat in with Gatton's band whenever they played in New York. He first opened for B. B. King at 12 years of age. After first hearing him play, King said, “This kid's potential is unbelievable. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface. He's one of a kind.” At 14, he was invited to attend a Fender guitar event; during that trip to the West Coast he met Berry Oakley, Jr. Bonamassa and Berry founded the group Bloodline with Miles Davis's son Erin and Robby Krieger's son Waylon. They released one album which produced two chart singles — "Stone Cold Hearted", and "Dixie Peach." He has since played with other music greats including Buddy Guy, Foreigner, Robert Cray, Stephen Stills, Joe Cocker, Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood, Paul Jones, Ted Nugent, Warren Haynes, Eric Clapton, and Derek Trucks.

The Importance of practicing MUSIC - Rudy Sarzo on Randy Rhoads

2011-04-04T08:59:00.000-04:00

I am presently reading Rudy Sarzo's truly excellent biography (any Randy Rhoads fan should own) called "Off the rails". Rudy: extraordinary bass player and hard rock legend, was the touring bass player for Ozzy during the Randy Rhoads era. He was also was a member of the band Quiet Riot among others. Go to his website to check him out.

During reading, one quote stood out with me, so I thought I would share it:

"Randy's priority was his songwriting. Even when he practiced his guitar, he always played songs rather than doodling on scales or finger exercises. Every single time I saw Randy pick up his guitar he played music"

I hear this type of quote a lot as I read bios or watch famous player DVD's. It seems to me this is a common thread amongst many of the greats. Their fabulous technique seems to radiate out from this central pillar. Their technique and knowledge of the neck of the guitar is formed by the music rather than imposing technique ON the music.

This can be rather insightful, as I have spent ages running through scale patterns etc. In hopes of amassing some extra control of the neck through a mastery of the individual nuts and bolts. Perhaps such a mechanical way of looking at mastery promotes mechanical expression? The more I read bios of famous musicians (my favourite topic on which I am pretty well read) the more this nugget appears.

Food for thought for a Monday!

Forming a Practice routine

2011-03-19T13:33:00.000-04:00

My new strat!! Not relevant ... just because I am stoked!

Today we have a guest entry from a fine musician. One Mr. Jeff Stocks. In a discussion we were having about forming a guitar practice routine, his post stood out as one of exceptional quality. It needs to be shared as I couldn't have worded it better! Jeff you have the floor:

"Forming an efficient practice routine is a topic near and dear to my heart . Mostly I love it because I spent years, literally, practicing stuff that ultimately didn't serve the music I was playing. I learned the hard way, and only because I finally found a great teacher, how to translate practice room material into actual music! It is something I work on and think about often.

A few bits of wisdom I have gleaned:

Everything you do must serve the music. I honestly ask myself when working on some random, abstract concept 'Would Keith Jarrett practice this way'? I make my decision based on that answer.
Apply whatever you are working on to tunes. This could be voicings, lines, concepts, etc. By rote exercises played in a vacuum never 'stuck' with me and I have anecdotal evidence they don't with many players.
Ear training and slow metronome work will change your playing more than just about anything.
Sing everything.
Spend some time transcribing, even just a line or two.
Limit whatever you are working on to a few concepts/voicings/etc.

I often think how much more valuable my practice would have been, had I taken a few tunes and used them as vehicles for concepts. Instead of just reading notes on a page or working through the cycle.

I guess a practical example would be to take a tune like 'All The Things You Are'. It goes through multiple keys, moves in common harmonic cadences, has pretty much all chord types represented, is a nice, strong melody and is a good tune to shed ideas.

Just a small sample of what you could work on:

Play the changes using shell voicings (3rd & 7ths). Sing the root movement. Then the thirds. Now 7ths.
Play the changes using triads with nice voice-leading. Sing the top note of the triad. Sounds like Bach w/ this tune.
Pick a certain chord extension and play through the changes using that as the top voice of the chord (9ths for example)
Improvise using guide tones (3rds and 7ths) resolving on strong beats.
Improvise using only triads.
Pick a 'constant' set of intervals and solo (3-5-7-9, for example) using only those notes over every chord.
Play a certain number of notes/bar.
Play only on certain beats through the changes.
Improvise using modes of the melodic minor for every chord.
Improvise using upper structure triads.
Improvise using only pentatonics.
Treat everything like a tri-tone sub.
Play completely free over the entire progression.

The benefit is that you will learn a tune really well, will get a real-world use of whatever concept you like, and are making actual music in the practice room. I wish I would have started this type of work decades ago as opposed to years ago....."

THE Foundation - A salute to bass players everywhere

2011-03-16T10:08:00.000-04:00

I came across this clip and was inspired to share it here. It is from Sabian Live 2011 NAMM Party soundcheck with my fav Tim Lefebvre on bass. As far as a piece of music there is nothing really interesting here (it is just a sound check jam in E) but what IS HERE is massive groove!

Listen to the solid table Jeff Kollman (guitar) has to work with as Chad Smith (Chili Peppers drummer) and the aforementioned Mr. Lefebvre lay it down. Listen also, at the end of the clip, as Chad changes the feel to a swing - Lefebvre doesn't miss a step. While soloing, Kolman can lay out altogether and it STILL sounds great. A bass player like this allows the soloist intense flexibility to phrase and build in holes. My hats off to him and all of his kind.

What is really cool to me about that kind of bass playing, is that it is really not flashy - it is responsible. The harmonic framework is strongly reinforced and he adds colours in the holes. But NEVER sacrifices holding it down in the interest of self satisfaction.

Many of today's bass players, when I hear them, I think they are really just guitar players in hiding. Many seem to have a quest for the spotlight ... cool... but that is really not the job. Truly great bass players get excited about holding it down. Playing around roots. Defining chords. They have the most power in the band and wielded properly it can be a thing of beauty.

I love working with great bass players. It changes the game entirely. To all you bass players learn to admire the real power of the instrument. Sure poppin and slappin is cool, but NOT if it sacrifices the task at hand. A band is like a sports team - every member has a job to do. Doing someone else's job not only breeds contempt but it will sacrifice the greater sound as a whole. AND lose you gigs!

Check out Tim's work with another fav of mine Wayne Krantz on their album Krantz, Carlock, Lefebvre. After seeing the Krantz trio live I was gripped by his bass playing. Wayne obviously heard what I heard! Tim Lefebvre is monstrous. He is a BASS player and God love him for understanding what needs to be done.

< jG >

Teaching - some tips on where to begin

2011-03-10T11:26:00.000-05:00

Teaching is a lot of fun and can be a great job - but to do it well it is a lot of work. Just because a person is a good guitar player does not mean he or she can teach. There is a great number of unschooled, mediocre guitar teachers out there. You need to take steps to ensure you don't become one of them. First I should say: Teaching is VERY important job so if you dont have time to commit to it fully - then DON'T. For this discussion let's assume you do.

How much do I charge?
I am not up to date with current rates as I haven't done it full-time in a few years. These days, the people I teach are friends or friends kids. My suggestion is make some calls to local schools and find out what they are charging. I would say NO LESS that $20/half hour.

What about payment policies?
You should request the full month in advance (at the beginning of each month) and be firm that any last minute cancellations are billable (2 days notice OR doctors note). People will cancel on you at the last minute and you are stuck with nothing to do for that half hour. Which isn't really enough time to get into anything or go anywhere. Be firm on this and explain well up front so they all know the policy. If you are firm and professional with this people will respect your time better. If you get all loosey-goosey they will respond in kind. You can and will be left with those, above mentioned, pockets of empty time. OK once in a while, but can become a major drag if it happens often enough. If you want to make an exception, do it ONCE, but make sure you say "I'll let it slide this time but the policy is... next time you will be billed"

As far as the lesson itself:

BE ORGANIZED!! Form a plan of what you are going to do with students. Spend a weekend or two and chart out some courses of instruction. Figure out a bunch of beginners songs, exercises, reading and theory material. Then do the same for the intermediate and advanced levels. Students like when teachers are organized and have a plan they are working through. Go through all the basic chord shapes and rank them in terms of difficulty (F & Barre chords are the hardest for beginners). Present them and everything in an order.
First lesson - interview the student and listen to what their goals and dreams are. If they want to go to school for it or play professionally then more formal reading and theory heavy approaches are required. If all they want to do is have fun and bang out some songs follow that road. Be flexible, always considering their goals - even when THEY aren't.
Make part of the lesson teaching them ear training or how to lift a song on their own. (I did a blog entry on this with a list of songs may be helpful Six String Obsession: How to learn to play by ear - The Great Secret revealed!)
Keep a journal and take notes at the end of the lesson as to where you left off with the student. So as he comes back the next week you can pick up right where you left off. You can also chart progress for them - very handy for when they reach a plateau and feel down that they are not progressing as they had hoped.
Don't force note reading or theory on anyone who you aren't sure is in love with the instrument. Nurture the love FIRST and everything else will organically fall into place. Many bad teachers drive kids away from playing because they think they are doing the right thing by forcing them to learn to read etc. DON'T do this! Listen to the student and regularly ask them if they are enjoying the lesson. Or what could be done to make it more fun. It's amazing, but people don't offer this info up. You have to drag it out of them. Make sure you do.
Communicate EVERYTHING with the parents and explain what you are doing with their kid. Especially if you are NOT teaching them reading and text book stuff. Some parents get very uptight that "all the kid is learning is songs and stuff" - make sure they understand what you are doing, more importantly - why.
Use your creativity to come up with exercises to address specific problems. If they are having trouble moving their little finger - design a drill that has them using it a lot. OR better yet think of a song that requires a lot of little finger use. I always had better results when drills were hiding in songs a student liked.
As they advance and the hooks are in - begin introducing more theory and reading to the lesson. It is very important to their overall development as a musician but make sure their mind is open and ready to 'work' otherwise you may lose them.

Most important make it FUN FUN FUN!! Keep it light and try to inspire them with great videos, expose them to good players, show them exciting pedals and stuff that excites you. Go to a concert with them. Support and help them to form a band - explaining the vast importance of this step. Make them a part of the guitar culture in general as quickly as you can. All this stuff can be as enticing as the pursuit itself.

Without great teachers great music's future is in jeopardy. We are the guardians of this trust and it is our responsibility to share and grow the community for the betterment of us all. Don't be a good teacher, be much better than that.

P.S. > I would like to add a valuable tip that came from a discussion about this post with Mr. Ken Rosser - instructor at G.I.T. in California. What Ken likes to do, is to just chart everything for the students in standard notation. Don't discuss it, just write everything down this way. I think this is a tremendous piece of advice. It presents it to the student in a "just the way musicians communicate" way, without making the student commit to some formal, perhaps intimidating learning. Great idea and thanks Ken!

P.S.S > Here are further words of wisdom from the masterful Jon Finn. Instructor at the prestigious Berklee Institue in Boston. Author of the books:

Advanced Modern Rock Guitar Improvisation
Blues/Rock Improv
Foundations of Rock: Guitar Riffs in the Style of the '60s & '70s
One Guitar, Many Styles

"I've been teaching for a really long time (25+ years!). Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I learned along the way:

If you convey to your students how much you love to play guitar, they will pick up on that. It might be the single most important thing you can teach them.
There's a saying: "When a man makes plans, the Universe laughs." Make your plans, stay organized, but be flexible too.
Never work harder than your student. If you do, no-one benefits.
Focus on what they CAN do, not what they can't.
Remember that your student is a different case than you.
Your student will "get it" when they're ready. No matter what you do, you cannot speed that up.
Your best students will learn despite your best efforts to sabotage them.
Your worst students won't learn despite your best efforts to advance their knowledge.
The more you learn about yourself, the less likely you'll be "taken in" by your student's issues.
Start on time, end on time, be sure to get paid.
Really, guitar teachers are therapists who subscribe to the "strum" method."

Monk - words of wisdom from a master

2011-03-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

I am straight up stealing this from my friend Sean Driscoll. Thanks brother! Sean is a wonderfully gifted New York based guitarist. I was reading his blog (So Much Sound) where he plugged us all into these very cool hand written notes from the masterful Theolonius Monk. There is some real gold in this advice and applicable to players of all instruments in all genres. So it needs to be shared.

The older I get, the more I realize how important the mental aspect of playing is. At a point in your development, it can supersede the scales and chords. These days, lessons I often gain the most from have more to do with approach and less to do with the nuts and bolts. So for me these notes went right to my core.

Here is a written out transcription of the notes to help your tired eyes.

Just because you’re not a drummer, doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep time.
Pat your foot and sing the melody in your head, when you play.
Stop playing all those weird notes (that bullshit), play the melody!
Make the drummer sound good.
Discrimination is important.
You’ve got to dig it to dig it, you dig?
ALL REET!
Always know….(MONK)
It must be always night, otherwise they wouldn’t need the lights.
Let’s lift the band stand!!
I want to avoid the hecklers.
Don’t play the piano part, I’m playing that. Don’t listen to me. I’m supposed to be accompanying you!
The inside of the tune (the bridge) is the part that makes the outside sound good.
Don’t play everything (or every time); let some things go by. Some music just imagined. What you don’t play can be more important that what you do.
A note can be small as a pin or as big as the world, it depends on your imagination.
Stay in shape! Sometimes a musician waits for a gig, and when it comes, he’s out of shape and can’t make it.
When you’re swinging, swing some more.
(What should we wear tonight? Sharp as possible!)
Always leave them wanting more.
Don’t sound anybody for a gig, just be on the scene. These pieces were written so as to have something to play and get cats interested enough to come to rehearsal.
You’ve got it! If you don’t want to play, tell a joke or dance, but in any case, you got it! (To a drummer who didn’t want to solo)
Whatever you think can’t be done, somebody will come along and do it. A genius is the one most like himself.
They tried to get me to hate white people, but someone would always come along and spoil it.

The Rabbit Hole - Stretching your options on a dom7 chord

2011-03-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

For me I have had several "Eurekas!" over the years on the guitar. One of the cool ones was the day I realized the power of the min7b5 (or diminished) chord, when combined with tritone substitutions. I know I know - jazz terminology. But stay with me. When you are trying to grip this, get your guitar and play the chords I am referring to in the examples. It is the best way to make something that sounds very complicated much simpler.

Getting back to our concept. Let me explain how this pretty simple concept can open the fretboard right up for you. Some basics you need to understand:

A min7b5 chord (said minor seven flat five chord - sounds fancy ... easily played) can very commonly substitute for a Dom7 chord - starting of the chord's 3rd. So instead of A7 you could play Dbmin7b5. (Min7b5 chords are essentially diminished chords. Or commonly referred to as half-diminished. A slightly different chord - but follows similar rules)
Diminished chord repeat, or invert, every 4 frets (a minor 3rd apart) so the above Dbmin7b5 chord can be slid all around the neck in minor 3rd intervals. As the Mall Cop would say "Fun fact for ya" - A diminished chord can be named by any of the notes of the chord. Any of the notes in the chord can act as the root.

Pretty cool right? There's more:
A very common substitution for a dominant chord is it's tritone - so for our A7 example you can sub Eb7. Very quickly, using all of this, you have 3 different chords possibilities - A7, Eb7 and Dbmin7b5 (plus all the sliding inversions of the diminished chord) next time you are playing a blues in A.

Feeling good? Got it? Let me throw a wrench in it!
NOW, what if you do the same diminished chord swap for A7's tritone sub (Eb7) - with ITS min7b5 substitution? Remember - that THIS diminished chord is also found every minor 3rd (4 frets). We are moving away a hair from consonance here but still very much in.

All of a sudden on a simple Blues vamp where all chords are dominant (which is 90% of the blues) you now, armed with this knowledge, have a HUGE amount of available chord options for creating melody or vamping for EACH dominant chord. The same principal applies to any occurrence of a dominant chord. All of which sound pretty damn cool. All of which are still pretty 'inside' sounds.

Now if this works with chords ... could it work with their scales?

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

The rabbit hole is truly deep folks!!!!

Jazz fusion lovers

2011-02-22T08:36:00.000-05:00

Hey folks, been pretty shabby about posting here lately, my apologies. This will sadly be yet another short entry. I suppose it is a good thing to be busy but I would like to get back to better quality content.

Here's a start: I came across this site and I thought anyone interested in fusion should be aware. Pretty darn cool. Click here.

Great iPhone app for guitarists

2011-01-30T18:29:00.000-05:00

Need something to practice soloing over? Want to be able to specify the chords and their durations? Quickly and easily? Say hello to chordbot. A very cool 'Band in a box' type app. There is a free version with basic features and a full blown one with many more as well. Great for casual unplugged type chord/scale practicing, or traveling/hotel type situations.

Some of the features:

60 chord types
Including classics like Aug7(#9) and Min11(b5). Should be enough for anything but the most esoteric bebop songs.
20+ comping styles
Simple but usable guitar/piano/synth based backgrounds.
Auto inversion
Chordbot will automatically select the inversion that is best suited to follow the current chord.
Slash chords
Lets you specify the bass note for each chord.
Transposition
Easily transpose songs to any key.
Song-O-Matic
Automatic song generator with profiles for pop, jazz and avant-garde.
MIDI/WAV file export
Refine your compositions in Cubase/Logic/GarageBand, etc.
Live editing
Change chords/tempo/style while the song is playing.

You can download it from the itunes app store or similar type source for Android. Or here is the link:

http://www.chordbot.com/buy.php

Pretty excellent little find. Thanks to my good friend Mo!

Internet Lessons Made Easier - The Guitar Lesson Guide

2011-01-25T09:24:00.000-05:00

Hey all, just wanted to take a minute to throw some support behind a friend of mine from over at the Lesson Loft, known to us as GreenAsJade. A great guy, who has built an excellent resource for any level of guitar player. This is a completely non-commercial site built for nothing more than the love of studying guitar - and making that process easier so let's share the love.

Jade takes the time to review the myriads of guitar based instruction on the net, reviews it, ranks it with stars and presents it to you. So if you want to save some valuable time bookmark this site. When you want to find a quality lesson it's a simple thing to do.

Here is the link

Check it out and if you have any comments or suggestions for him let him know. Nice job Jade!

Having writers block?

2011-01-24T08:50:00.000-05:00

A great site that explores the beauty of chord progressions. Well put together and a nice little resource for any guitarist who is interested in writing. Enjoy!

Here is the link

No charge sheet music - damn!

2011-01-19T09:17:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my good friend Jon Phillips, Today I stumbled across a great, bordering on overwhelming, resource for anyone looking for sheet music. All scores are 'public domain' so there is no cost. Although as their disclaimer says "all copyrights are to individuals countries" so do check that before you distribute.

For those of you who don't read, I would highly recommend rectifying that. The process of learning to read can very much speed of the process of learning the notes on the neck. Plus you have access to a greater range of music, are able to communicate your ideas with not guitarists and improve your ability to land a gig. There are far more pros than cons so get yourself a method book and get going.

Isn't the method book good enough?
The problem with most method books is that they lack material for you to work on. With printing cost being what they are having pages and pages of reading material goes beyond the typical publishing budget. So it is important to have a large library of music you can blindly read. Once a piece is memorized, it is no longer of use to you. So resources such as this, or the "Real Book" for those jazz fans can really help speed up the process and generally make it more fun.

Here is the link

Also violin or clarinet scores can work well for guitar reading. So peruse and enjoy more than just the guitar area. Man, this interweb can be a useful thing! Who knew?

Game on!

2011-01-14T11:43:00.000-05:00

Some rights reserved by NVJ

"What happened to all the good music?" or "It seems like musicians have run out of ideas" How many times have you heard (or felt) these feelings? Personally, I have heard many people pondering these pretty valid questions.

Ever the optimist, I have always held tightly to the theory that in popular music's 'heyday' there were hundreds of smaller record labels producing music. Therefore, the ability for an artist to produce their craft unmolested, was quite common. In the years that followed the 'suits' came to realize how much money was to be made in, what was at the time, a fairly untapped resource. One by one small labels got consumed by larger corporate entities. With each take-over the amount of voices with a say in the industry, became smaller and smaller.

Over the last 2 decades, what we have been 'allowed to hear' has been largely decided for us, by a small group of individuals. What's worse: these individuals ONLY interest has been making a buck.

Along comes the internet!
More specifically - high speed internet. Followed by sites like MySpace and YouTube. These great equalizers will once again splinter the control and the old boys club hopefully for a long time. At least this has been my theory! Until recently it was a theory ... then along comes a band like Project RnL to brighten my day.

Check out this sonic coolness:

Big fan. These guys aren't alone either. The emergence of other cool young bands seem to be happening with increasing frequency. Bands like Black Dub - to name another.

Hold onto your hats my friends. I believe we at the beginning of a musical renaissance. Hearing young cats playing with such soul and intensity only strengthens my resolve. The old system IS losing control. Musicians are beginning to take the power back (come on COME ON!)

Get your ears on and get out there. It's an exciting time to be a music lover.

Happy Friday indeed!

Friday Fun - guys who make me want to play - John Scofield

2011-01-12T14:01:00.000-05:00

Seriously, this guy is the man. If you aren't familiar with the brilliant Mr Scofield, you should spend some time getting acquainted with the man and his career. He has played and collaborated with Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Charles Mingus, Joey Defrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham, Medeski Martin & Wood, George Duke, Jaco Pastorius, John Mayer, and many other well known artists.

While on my quest (better known as YouTubing : ) I came across this old series from the years of VHS, called "John Scofield on Improvisation". If you can get your hands on this DO IT. It is chock full of great insights and a very close-up and personal look and one of America's leading guitarists.

Here are the bits that i could find, enjoy!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_hdsf32Pvo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0al0A81NNs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-IcS1E0q94&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htGcLZJrstQ&feature=related

For more information on John and his career click here

155 Strum Patterns

2011-01-05T14:56:00.000-05:00

Hey all! Short post today. I happened across a great site resource you may enjoy. It was assembled by Heartwood Guitar Instruction (I have zero affiliation with these folks). The site demonstrates 155 songs, by showing the strumming patterns. Also including chords and video in many cases. Check it out.

Here is the link

Constant Inspiration

2010-12-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

My idol Frank Zappa on a 1977 cover - is there anything more to say really!

I wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to one of my greatest resources of regular inspiration. In my part of the globe, there are many guitar-based publications, but none hold the caliber of U.S. based Guitar Player magazine.

For almost 30 years, I have been purchasing and reading this magazine - many of those years as a subscriber. Over those years, Guitar Player wasn't always my first choice. I had been drawn to other, more specific, song teaching-based publications like the now defunct 'Guitar for the Practicing Musician'. Its content included many more pages dedicated to transcriptions (written out TAB's) of some of my favourite songs (whose value, over time, has proven somewhat limited). Translation: I still regularly read decades-old issues of Guitar Player while the others gather dust.

With age and maturity, I began to discover that the real value of Guitar Player, and likely the reason it has not disappeared, lies in its content. In those early years, simply put, I failed to understand the truly cerebral nature of playing. Learning the exact notes of a certain piece of music is valuable, certainly. But learning WHY the artist chose those notes and his/her approach in general, is timeless.

There are plenty of licks and lines tabbed and scored within their pages (along with a ton of quality teaching content and columns). Because Guitar Player devotes most of its energies to famous player interviews, new artist profiles and gear round-ups, it adds regular inspiration to my listening and enhances my tone (while keeping me aware of gear trends). All on a regular monthly interval!

The key to all this is simple - BUY IT & READ IT! Cover to cover. Seriously, do it. Read all the articles and every interview, especially if you dont' know the player. Then jump on You-Tube and have a listen to the players featured. It's a great way to expose yourself to some new musicians and their sounds. My collection has grown exponentially through this method. It has kept me plugged-in to the ever-changing music scene out there, exposing me to the great, lesser-known players I would likely have never found otherwise.

Over time, I have come to learn that Michael Molenda (editor-in-chief) and his staff, do a great job of digging up content worthy of its valuable real estate. These guys are all players - you can tell. Do they make mistakes? Sure they do. Do they have to devote space to advertisers? Of course. It's a business. But overall, this is the most trust-worthy mag in my neck of the woods. Plus, I was in it once! A sincere honor for me, but not why I am praising it here.

The message here is: wherever you live, find a magazine that clicks with you and subscribe to it. Take the time and read it all. The regular immersion in the guitar community is worth its weight in gold. So do yourself and your playing a favor and click here.

1,2,3,4's ... is it just me?

2010-12-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

We've all been taught 'em.

For years I just did these without questioning them... kind of an eat your vegetables type thing. But in the past several years I have begun to question everything - and it has helped my playing immensely to do so. I think we should question the logic of non-musical drills on a musical instrument. Sure they are cultural to the guitar, sure many advanced players endorse them, we have all been shown them. But dont they seem kind of ... dumb? Or as one forum poster put it "akin to those "fret-hand exerciser" devices that provide spring-loaded resistance training for your fingers"

This you could make a legit argument for:

---------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------------
-----------------------------------------2-3-4-5---------------------------
-------------------------------2-3-4-5-------------------------------------
---------------------3-4-5-6-----------------------------------------------
-----------4-5-6-7---------------------------------------------------------
-5-6-7-8-------------------------------------------------------------------

But this?

---------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------------
-----------------------------------------1-2-3-4---------------------------
-------------------------------1-2-3-4-------------------------------------
---------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------
-----------1-2-3-4---------------------------------------------------------
-1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------------------------------

My issue is that 1,2,3,4's are not a chromatic scales, as many call it - there are notes missing:

1 (F) 2 (F#) 3 (G) 4 (G#)
1 (A#) 2 (B) 3 (C) 4 (C#)
1 (D#) etc......

No A or D notes here. This scale has odd whole tone leaps every 5th note.

The discussion isn't one of doing or not doing drills - it is one of "why" are we doing certain exercises. What gains are in 1,2,3,4's that are NOT found in licks and scales? After a bit of time you should be able to easily, mindlessly run a major scale - it uses all fingers? Many solos and etudes have the same advantages .... wouldn't you be better served to memorize and etude and use that as a warm-up?

From Wikipedia
Practicing: a method of learning by repetition

So I ask what exactly are you 'learning' from the second example? What you ARE learning is to 'play without thought'. You are also learning 'pattern type thinking'. You are also learning a phrase you WON'T use in actual performance ... These are ALL very bad things IMO.

To be 100% clear - for a raw beginner who knows nothing and has a hard time remembering these are great. Their simplicity to remember is the only tangible advantage I can identify. But to a player with a scale or etude memorized I dont see the advantage over those forms.

Why are you being such a wanker about a stupid exercise?
I know, I know, it seems odd for me to get all up in arms about a simple exercise. But I am, as of yet, to hear a compelling reason why these are so good they warrant regular use. Other than "awesome player X said to do them". To not bore you too much with my personal details, but it is kind of important to understand my stance, so let me say this.

These days looking back, I divide my years spent playing in 2 phases:

The years before I learned to listen
The years after

The first part was 20+ years. I fixated on technique and drills etc. Did pretty well - lots of live experience etc. But in the last 7-8 years something has clicked. All of a sudden, I stopped mindlessly playing and started to treat each note with respect (as if I would run out). I haven't slowed down, or use less notes per se... just really listen deeper. I started scrutinizing EVERY SINGLE NOTE - even during drills. I NEVER play anything anymore that doesn't have time, tempo or key - NEVER. Music first, all else a distant second. This has been like an epiphany to me.

My playing and understanding has gone way beyond those early years. I get more calls for projects, more compliments, despite the fact that I 'play' LESS actual hours. I am faster RPM too shockingly.

I always remember, years ago when I was a Steve Morse disciple. He said (paraphrasing) "Someone should be able to walk into the room, at any time you are practicing and feel the groove and hear music" - this single statement did almost NOTHING for me when I first heard it. But now, when I read it it speaks to my core. If I had have understood this - really understood this - I think I would be further ahead. His advice sounded so simple ... too simple. It was almost a throw away. I was so busy listening for him to say mode this and scale/chord that.

This 'epiphany' is right at the core of my mindset these days. I am not saying I am right or this is for everyone, but it is worthy of discussion before you blindly blast through them or teach others to do so I think. I am of the opinion that people should never forget we are playing a musical instrument. So keeping everything musical is of the highest importance.

I guess my core message with this post is to question everything. Especially, question pattern-type thinking. On a guitar, it is so easy to learn by memorizing patterns. Quite easily that mind-set can become entrenched in your routine - and it's a killer to undo.

You want to practice these abominations? You HAVE to do them? Fine, write a song that uses them! Then practice that song. Stop memorizing shapes and start truly playing using notes. I believe you will be a much better player for doing so.

Should this be my last post prior to Christmas, let me take this chance to wish you all the happiest holiday season! Take the time to enjoy the things that ultimately matter most - your family and loved ones. The guitar will be right there waiting for us all ... unlike the turkey!

Maybe, just maybe, if i was a good boy. Santa will have tucked that Moog Ring Mod pedal, or the Wampler Pinnacle Distortion snugly under my tree this year. .... Santa are you listening .... Santa?

Great Backing Tracks

2010-12-14T16:21:00.000-05:00

The fine folks at Line6 have been so kind as to create some professional backing tracks and offer them for free on their website. The tracks feature performances by musical giants such as Carmine Appice, Tony Franklin, James Santiago, and Simon Philips.

You will need to create an account, but then you can download them at will. There are some other great resources there as well so explore and enjoy!
Here is the link

This site is fantastic: click here

Creativity - you were born with it

2010-12-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

To my friends over at the Lesson Loft, I apologize, this will be a duplicate post. During a thread, the discussion of ones 'lack of creativity' arose. The following was my response. I thought it had some merit for others to maybe think about, so I wanted to add it here.

Here goes: When I was in college studying art the prof presented some factual info about children and their playing habits. Since I have had my own children, that lesson rings truer than ever - I never forgot it. Here is the crux of it: People ARE BORN creative. Life and institution teaches them NOT TO BE. The whole concept of 'right and wrong' and 'facts', completely undermines a child's imagination.

Creating an imaginary friend is something many kids do. Once upon a time, you looked to the sky and saw animals or other wondrous shapes and creatures. Perhaps you wondered what clouds taste like, or if you could bounce on them. Today, those same clouds are just tasteless water, suspended in the atmosphere, waiting to return one day as rain. Education, peers, life experiences slowly push the creativity out of you. If you relate to any of this, it further supports the premise that you were BORN WITH IT.

I think some personality types are promoted to stay with it. As a child, I was always a good artist. I could draw at a level higher than most of the other kids. So my teachers and peers promoted me to do this more. It made me cool and it separated me from the herd. My creativity became not silly - but artistic. I could pull the same BS as some other kids, but because I was deemed one of the "art" kids, I was allowed to roam with it. I could grow my hair long or wear whatever I wanted and it was cool on some level. People LOOOVE putting others in boxes. I was in the art box therefore left to let my imagination continue.

Now I am not saying genetics have zero to do with it - they do. What I am saying, is that whatever your level, you are far more creative than you think. You just haven't likely allowed yourself, or should I say your ego or your peers have not allowed you to truly let go and play like a child. It is hard as an adult to get this back - but I believe you can.

Seriously try this, take a canvas (or paper) and some paint, get your hands in it and start chucking it around. Learn to play again - not the guitar but with your mind. Create imaginary landscapes, write stories about things not real, use the wrong colours - paint the sky purple, the wrong words. There is no harm in any of this! But somehow we are uncomfortable with the idea of doing so. If reading this gives you a pang of discomfort that is EGO - validating, judging. This 'I cant it is wrong' feeling is anti-music. It is the death of your dreams of playing well. Exorcise this crap from your being.

Then take these 'I can try anything' approaches to your playing and I think you will be surprised what you have within.The next time you learn a box pattern or some chord form ... pull out the old canvas and chuck it around a bit!

Chords in the Major scale - seeing the forest in all the trees

2010-12-07T11:01:00.000-05:00

Today I want to cover a topic, that seems so obvious once you see it, that you may wonder why you never saw it before. I suspect every advanced player knows this, but perhaps showing it this way, will help in some way open a new door.

A question I hear all the time is "How do I know what chords go with what key?" On the surface, having this concept mastered, seems like an advanced theory topic ... but is it really? The question is: Can you answer this question for yourself, using simple observation? The answer is - yes! So let's get down to the real reason why chords can be grouped so predictably.

The major scale pattern
Most Western music is based around the major scale. Of course there are other scale harmonies that can be used (melodic minor, harmonic minor etc). But for the sake of simplicity this discussion will center around the major scale. Apply these same principles to any scale to explore its harmony. I recently did an entry on building box patterns that you should read if you are new to this concept (or just need a refresher) it can be found by clicking here.

Assuming that you have read that, and know how to build a major scale; lets look at the first pattern of the major scale (also known as Ionian mode). Take a look at these forms, and join me on the other side!

As you can see just by looking there are familiar chord shapes that can be found (highlighted in red) simply by clustering together. OR it can be said that each note has a natural strong connection with other notes of the scale. It is these connections that define the sounds of the chords. Translation: the chords are simply children of the scale. (The shapes I selected above are the ones I thought most people would easily recognize, so understand that there are other ways, perhaps better way of building these chords.) It was huge for me, the day I realized that a G chord wasn't ONLY played as the first position chord I learned long ago. That chord, or any chord, is just a collection of notes. Those notes found in any order, in any place on the neck, are all equally G chords.

Chord Order

To expand on this, there are certain observations that can be extrapolated. If you look at the type of chord off of each note you will see a pattern of:

I Chord - Major

II Chord - minor

III Chord - minor

IV Chord - Major

V Chord - Major (This is actually commonly a V7 chord)

VI Chord - minor

VII Chord - dim (I have shown the min7b5 as the seventh chord as it is the one I prefer. Classical formal theory calls for a diminished chord, but a half diminished or also named m7b5, will work as well. It is actually equally common in my travels.)

So we can then say that in any major key the chords within will follow this set order:

Major, minor, minor, Major, Major (7), minor, diminished (m7b5)

So for other keys simply:

- pick note (key) of choice

- apply the major scale formula (as outline in my previous post click here)

- apply the above chord order

Cool! But what comes next?
The best part is; by looking at how the chord is surrounded by the scale tones, you now have the ability to add extension notes to the chords (7's, 9's, 13's). Basically, number the scale: 1 being the root note the next note is 2, then 3 etc. So you want an add9 chord? No problem! Take a chord, count up 9 notes in the scale and 'add' it to the chord you are altering. You can add any note from the scale to any of the chords and explore new sounds without leaving the key - remaining diatonic (a fancy word for 'of the key')

Another easy way to find common chord shapes, is to select every other note of the scale. This stacking of 3rds process is the building block for creating the chords and the rules generated above. But dont stop at the fifth, extend them out to 7ths, 9ths whatever you like. Extra credit: You are also simultaneously assembling arpeggios for all you lead players. Need a Maj6 arp? Get the paper out and get busy!

So pick away and explore as many new voicings as you can. Apply the same ideas to other patterns of the major scale (Dorian, Phrygian - you know the names). I think you will be surprised by all the new chording ideas you will find. The point of all this is: the information is there for you. Locked inside scales you already know. You just need to apply some observation skills to extract it.

Having some time to practice wouldn't hurt either!

Overcoming adversity

2010-11-30T09:32:00.000-05:00

We all have challenges to overcome in life. Sadly, it's just part of being a human. With guitar, there seems to be so many hurdles due to the physical nature of the instrument. 'Was I born with the dexterity? - It seems so easy for him? - I can never play like that' ... Sound familiar?

No matter how hard I try to feel sorry for my short-comings, I am hit in the face by a guy like this. Can you imagine the dedication and passion one would need to summon, to learn to play without arms? But yet there he is, a constant reminder of what humans are capable of. My hat is off to him and others like him, whoever and wherever you are. For climbing Mount Everest without legs. For running across a country, with cancer, on a prosthetic limb - Thank you.

So for all of you, who feel like your fingers are too short, or stumpy; throw that guitar down on the floor. Stick that pick between your toes; and find out what it would mean to have a real, tangible physical disadvantage.

Residing at the core of learning any instrument is one basic premise - music! We play so that we can be a part of it, and its wonderful community. With all the love and joy that comes with being given the ability to play. I bet when you first dreamed of playing, your goal wasn't to be able to wiggle your fingers faster than anybody? So how did we get so off-track to become almost singularly focused on technique? It's not now - nor has ever been, about that.

The next time you feel like this, grab your guitar and play a song that you love. One that moves you. Listen to it, I mean REALLY LISTEN as you play. Think about how good it feels and how far you have come. You are one of the few, able to make a sound like that. A sound that can move another human being at their core. Now THAT is cool.

You are already incredibly blessed, this is something you - we - may have temporarily forgotten. So let's remember ... and THEN, get back to work!

: )

Build your own box patterns

2010-11-26T09:57:00.000-05:00

I quite regularly see forum posts from players looking for a resource for "box patterns" of the major scale. In the spirit of the old saying: "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime" here is a method for the 'do-it-yourself-er' inside you. The process of writing this out, can help you see the fretboard in a new light. So grab some neck paper and lets get started.

It is easy to do, you just need some very basic theory to do it.

All notes have 2 frets (whole-step) between them EXCEPT:
E to F and B to C - they only have one fret between them (half-step)
So if you start on the note C and end with the note C you get the major scale formula:

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

(W= whole-step, H = half-step)

The cool part: Armed with this pattern memorized, you can build ANY major scale on the guitar. Start from any note on the neck, and move up in this pattern and voila! Major scale of note started on.

That's fine that there are those two fret distances.. but what is in between?
In between those is where the sharp or flat note resides. The note F#, for example, is located between the notes F & G. To make a note sharp you raise it by one fret. This same identical note is also referred to as Gb. To make a note flat you lower it by one fret. Let me reiterate: these 2 notes are exactly the same in pitch and location. They are named differently because they are needed to build all the major keys. It would get too confusing if the system wasn't so. To have all the possible variations you need both sharp and flat keys. This is a topic for another day so lets leave it at that for now.

Let's build some patterns

Put circles on the notes, as you find them, So if you started on the C note (8th fret) E string and draw out the neck on a piece of paper here is how you would work it out:

C to D (two frets between) = W (whole step)
D to E (two frets between) = W
E to F (one fret between) = H (half step)
F to G (two frets between) = W
G to A (two frets between) =W
A to B (two frets between) = W
B to C (one fret between) = H

Remember the distance between the notes themselves is fixed - it never changes. There is ALWAYS only one fret between E to F and B to C.

So if you start on the Low E string it will looks like this:
E|F| |G| |A| |B|C| |D| |E|F| |G etc
Then do the A string:
A| |B|C| |D| |E|F| |G| |A|
Keep going and do all the strings. If you do this, over the whole neck to ALL strings you will have just mapped out the entire neck for CMaj (Which is also the same notes as A natural min or Aeolian for you mode fans)
Next step, subdivide those patterns into 3 notes-per-string blocks and WHAM! - your box patterns. The C pattern will look like this using 3 notes per string

You can finger these any way you like so I find it is better to work out your own. Then you can customize the blocks to suit your comfort.

With all this, I will add that you need to be aware of where all the root C notes are. Also the note A. It is prudent to always practice these forms, coming off of those primary notes, to make them applicable. Many players, focus on the lowest note on the E string (barre chord-style thinking) and always start the pattern from the index finger - which can lead to real clashing when you start trying to use them.

OK, OK, for those of you who just have to have it now (you guys are probably already searching the house for your Christmas presents aren't you)! I have created a full neck matrix here (click to download the pdf). Maybe this is old hat to you, and you just want a clean copy. Whatever the reason use and enjoy. I will stress, for your own good, you should use this file to check or formalize your work. Go through the process of writing this out for yourself a couple of times first. FYI - I have labeled the modal shapes and also colour coded which form has a major or minor feel. It is a good bird's eye view of the entire form.

Remember these are C SCALES - the note and chord C is very important to these boxes (A minor too). Internalize these patterns, being very cognizant of the location of those 2 notes and their associated chord shapes that lie within the forms. Then do up some other keys with a different starting note. You will begin to see this, as a large sliding form, that simply moves the same way a barre chord does. Very powerful stuff!

Remember, patterns are great, but to really understand the neck, you need to begin to think notes and their relationships. Patterns, over time, can become a serious crutch ... take a look at how many "I cant break out of the box" threads there are internet wide. The guitar is a very visual instrument - that is one of it's strengths. But that same strength can end up working against you. Ultimately you must let your ears, and the music, NOT YOUR EYES be your guide.

Good luck!!

P.S. I just published a follow up to this post on figuring out the order of chords within these scales. Check it out click here.

Book review - The Jazz Theory Book

2010-11-23T15:47:00.000-05:00

Well I do believe it is about time for another book review. I can't think of a better follow up than a wonderful, detailed book by Mark Levine called 'the Jazz Theory Book'. Mark Levine, is a jazz pianist of some acclaim, he does know of which he speaks. For a full biography on Mark click here.

Of all the theory books in my collection, I would recommend this one first, to anyone interested in understanding some of the common theoretical concepts used in music. Most specifically Jazz - hence the title! Does this mean only a Jazz player will get something from this? Absolutely not. All the concepts covered are devices used in all genres of Western music.

Of course the theory discussions within are great, but the one thing about this book that sets it apart, is the amount of research that went into it. Mark did a wonderful job, backing up each concept introduced with real-world examples of the concept in action. The sheer volume of research and information - including one of the deepest 'Recommended Listening' sections I have seen - makes this book a 'must-have' for any musician's library.

If you have an interest in learning the theory behind the music, put this book on your Christmas list for sure. You won't be disappointed. From chord/scale relationships, to re-harmonization s, to the inside scoop on 'Coltrane changes', plus lots more - this book covers it.

Is it the 'be-all-and-end-all' of theory publications? Likely not, but there is certainly something in it to benefit any level of player. It's clear, concise, well-presented and researched. It certainly made me a fan.

Happy Reading!

The art of Shred - the lighter side

2010-11-18T09:28:00.000-05:00

Sometimes things are just too funny for words - this is one of them. I happened across this site a year or so ago and it made me laugh. It is a funny, interactive spoof, on one of the more popular forms of guitar that has come to be known as "Shred". Click here to check it out... you will be glad you did.

What is Shredding?
Honestly, I have never been sure? Sometimes people use it as an insult: "Buddy is just some shredder". Translation: He just plays fast with no feel. I have also heard it used as a compliment: "That was wicked - dude, you shred!" (no translation necessary). The only thing I am absolutely certain of, is it means to play FAST! When I hear the term, instantly Steve Vai and Joe Satriani come to mind.

Whatever 'Shred' is it has created some very funny spoofs.
There is a whole other series of spoofs called "(insert player name) shreds". If you go to YouTube, and search the word "Shreds" you will get a whole list of famous video performances, by some of the biggest names in guitar. These were made by funny man Santeri Ojala. He very cleverly, removed the original audio track from the performance, replacing it with hilarious 'beginner-type' playing and crowd noises. Man these are funny! (Particular hats off to the Paco DeLucia one!!).

Here is his take on Eddie Van Halen.

Ojala actually got banned from YouTube, for what somebody deemed "copyright infringement". (I wonder which cry-baby legend filed that claim!). Here is the story.

No disrespect intended to the fine art that is shred guitar with this post. It has inspired some of the most technically advanced players and performances on the planet. Players like: Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, Guthrie Govan, John Pattrucci and many others. Shred is here to stay... and I am glad, because i am a fan of both the style and the light-hearted stuff that comes with it.

If it's here to stay I guess I better figure out what the name means!

Getting 'it' back - after a long break

2010-11-16T23:32:00.000-05:00

Walking away from a career in music was one of the hardest decisions in my life.

Some personal background: As a young man just finishing High School, I began a career in music. During that period of several years, I worked in almost every possible musical situation. I worked and recorded with many talented and wonderful people. Taught as many as 75 students a week at my peak. Generally lived a wonderful blessed lifestyle, filled with daily workouts, followed by regular weekly late-night city performances and small town shows across southern Ontario, Canada.

I never really thought of the strain this could put on my playing. Sure my chops improved immensely, but what began to erode was some of the love. Turning the thing I love into a business, had an odd and deep-reaching effect. Instead of enjoying the freedoms and experiences that came with the life of a professional musician. I slowly grew more and more tired of its gypsy lifestyle. The desire to have a family and a home of my own lead to three dreaded words: Back to school.

So began the ever-popular career to "fall back on". During my time in college I played little, due to the workload. In third year, I went on to meet the most beautiful creature I had ever seen - then married her - played less. Upon graduation, a college placement / turned job at a busy downtown studio ate up large portions of my available time. Then the mother of all time consumers happened - a baby! Boom, boom - two more! In rapid 18 month intervals! For the first time since the early years of my personal history, I was no longer technically a musician.

Life -10
Guitar - 0

Ouch! Hurts even typing it.

Without boring you with too many details, let me just say that as the children aged, and the new career settled in, eventually the desire to play returned. Which brings me to the reason for this post: How do you return to a life in music while balancing your responsibilities? It may seem impossible but it is not, here was what I did.

First things first
Talk to your mate. This is critical! I explained how much my playing meant to me, and that if I don't get it back, in some sense, I will be a less-happy person. Music was a huge part of my life - it is part of what made me the person she fell in love with. This meant that I would need to practice every night; so could no longer hang out with her once the kids were in bed. It was important she knew this was nothing personal. Also, that I would need to dedicate a room in the house for my practice studio.

Turn off the TV or video games
This needs little elaboration. There is completely ZERO reward for time spent watching television or playing games. Only days rolling by on the calendar. If you want to waste your precious time here these are great ways to do it. I enjoy both but they HAD TO GO. Non-negotiable. During the week, it's a no-fly zone.

Remember the love
With the wife on-board, studio set-up and television off, the first thing I did was get back to what it was that made me play in the first place. I went through old magazines and plastered the walls with pictures of my favourite guitar hero's from long past. It felt a rather teenage thing to do... but somehow, it just felt right to do it.

Then, I bought some guitar hangers and rather than have them in their cases I hung my old soldiers out to enjoy. It is amazing, the raw beauty of an instrument, and its ability to inspire at a glance. This was a great motivator in retrospect.

Once the 'cave' was assembled, I pulled out all the old albums that I used to lift songs from in my earliest days. I decided to re-learn all of these songs, only this time I would play them properly, note-for-note. So I did, one by one. Once I had my legs under me again, slowly the posters and pictures came down. Soon the song lifting spread out to new, uncharted (literally) pieces. I must say a word of gratitude to Mr Randy Rhoads though!

Get your A$$ downstairs!
There is nothing like a long day, to drain the desire to do anything. Set a practice time and DO IT. No excuses! Go down there and practice. You will be glad you did. This feeling fades after 10 minutes of playing. At first you will have to force yourself. Before long you will be dying to get down there.

Call the boys
Once I felt some of the chops coming back, I picked up the phone and called some of the old jam buddies. Spending time with other musicians is a HUGE way to grab some mojo back. Piece by piece, I assembled a weekly basement jam band. Having a set-list of songs to learn with people counting on you is a great way to work out the kinks. I cannot understate the importance of playing with others - DO THIS.

Be protective
Once I started playing again, the "make money" gene started to reactivate itself. Friends with children in need of lessons, gigs playing music you aren't into and many other distractions can arise if you aren't very protective. Learn to protect your time playing, and cherry pick only musical situations that excite you.

Go see live music
Kind of goes without saying, but nothing can fast forward you like some good old-fashioned inspiration. Seeing a great performance always leaves me reaching for the guitar.

Start a music program
These days, with the many online resources we are truly blessed with convenience. There is nothing like a live teacher still, but in lieu of that, some of the online institutions are excellent. There are also DVD guitar courses and sites available, so do your homework and begin some sort of program.

Learn a new style of music. Force yourself out of your comfort zone and watch your wings spread. New chords, new feels, new music to explore. The world is full of some truly great music, and most of us only ever hear a small sampling. You got the net! Seek it out.

Get a subscription
One of the biggest sources of inspiration to me during these years was guitar publications like Guitar Player Magazine. Wherever you live, find a magazine and get on their subscription list. Then, most important read them cover to cover.

The trick to all of this is immersion. Immerse yourself in as much guitar and guitar culture as you can. The difference between a pro and an amateur has a lot to do with simply the company they keep. The more musicians you have in your circle of life, the more sources for inspiration you have access to. Re-connect with old players, hit jam nights and meet new ones, answer ads for players, join online forums - just get back out there.

After all this, you will be happy to know I currently enjoy an active life of playing again. I am back involved in several group, gigging and recording projects as well as teaching. The best part - I have made more personal gains in the last many years, than in all my time as a pro. How can this be? One main difference: passion. This time I am doing it for me. You can get back to where you used to be - and even beyond. All it takes is dedication, organization and a desire to return to the simple joy of playing.

Life: 5
Guitar: 5

That was one hell of a come-back! Now if only the Leafs could figure out how to do that!

Make your own picks?

2010-11-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

This is just too funny not to share.

Imagine being able to punch a pick out of any plastic-based material you can get your hands on? Custom colours, finishes, no more spending money on picks. Apparently, now it is all possible; from the fine folks at PickPunch

Does this work?
I have absolutely no idea! It seems like a cool idea so that is why I am sharing it with you. It made me laugh with its ingenuity so who am I to keep that happiness to myself!

If anyone has any experience with this product, please add a comment here. I would love to hear if this thing really works well.

Friday fun - guys who make me want to play - Eric Johnson

2010-11-12T12:31:00.000-05:00

I thought, being a Friday, I would end the week by posting some inspirational material for you all. Eric Johnson was one of my earliest influences, a guy who just makes playing looks so damn fun! His tone is always off-the-hook cool! His control of the instrument: nothing short of incredible.

As added inspiration to you all, MOST of Eric's insane shredding lines: are almost entirely pentatonic scales. To those of you who are "bored" with them - look what can be done, in the hands of a person not willing to use them just like everybody else. There is much music, that lies buried, in the smallest spaces in music - so dig deep.

FYI - to those not familiar: At the beginning of this clip, he sets up a nice little loop using a footpedal. I did a post about these great devices - click here to read.

Hope you enjoy. A-happy Friday to you all!

Chord tone soloing - I wish someone gave me this lesson!

2010-11-11T15:04:00.000-05:00

On the journey that is guitar, there are certain observations you make over time. Over these many years, and after learning how to play countless guitar solos, one thing above all else has become abundantly clear. Most soloists use chord tones during their solo.

What is chord tone soloing?
Well, it is exactly what it sounds like. It is using predominately the notes, that make up the chord you are playing over, in your solo to make melodies. So, if you are playing over a C Major chord: The notes in C Major are - C, E, G. Therefore, if you are soloing, what 3 notes on the neck do you think will likely always sound good?

You got it! C, E, & G!

For you advanced people you would probably say "Well that is just an arpeggio*?" To which I would respond "Yes it is!". I have always maintained, that for actual application, arpeggios are actually far more usable than scale forms to the beginning soloist. But that discussion is for another day!

So how do I use this?
OK, down to the nitty-gritty! Let's say you have the following chord progression:

| C / / / | G / / / | Dmin / / / | C / / / |

This progression is in the key of C, so theoretically any note of the C Major scale will work over this.

Here is the scale form for C Major. The darker circles form the scale pattern.

However, for this chord-tone approach; over the chord C you would want to stress the notes - C. E. G. For the chord G you may want to stress the notes - G, B, D. For the Dmin chord you would want to stress the notes - D, F, A. All these notes reside inside the C major scale.

As the progression passes these notes of the scale should "light up" in your mind. These notes represent home-base for each chord if you will. They will always sound good for the beginning, or more importantly, the ending of your phrases.

Here are the 3 chords in their "lit up" state. The coloured notes are your chord tones for each corresponding chord.

- Here is a chart of all the chords in C Major, click to download the pdf.

So why wouldn't I just save time and use the C Major scale for all 3?

Sure you can, that is one approach and it is MUCH easier. But herein lies the crux of why most players don't learn this. It takes work to not only learn the scale form; but then learn how each chord within breaks out of the form. It is this "work" that is the gate between many, and the promised land of melody we all seek. If you can do yourself one favour, do this: stop looking for shortcuts! Face the work head-on and you will get there quicker. Take it from the KING of all shortcut lookers. Let me help save you the wasted time. Rant over : )

Consciously changing your notes, with the chords going by underneath, takes a lot of practice to get smooth at. But trust me, you will get better at it, once you begin approaching it this way. The first time you try, you will think "this is WAY too hard" and many will give up. But I urge you, for the good of your playing and for all those that will listen to you, forge onward. It WILL get easier with each passing session.

OK buddy, you got my interested ... now inspire me.

Honestly I could post many examples of famous players doing this for your listening pleasure... but I won't. I will do one better! One of my favourite all-time guitarists, is the masterful David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Known for his melodic singing-style solos. Over the years, I have had many students eager to learn how to play the way he does. There is one element to David Gilmour's playing that many fail to recognize - he uses chord tones constantly. He is ALWAYS addressing the chords.

The following is an analysis of the first solo in Pink Floyd's classic song 'comfortably numb'. Take a look at how often David hits chord tones in this very cool solo. I have coded the chord tones in colour, with their corresponding chord above. I believe, he views each chord change as almost a key change... with minor pentatonic lines mixed in.

Click here to download a pdf

As you can see at a quick glance, there are more coloured notes than non-coloured. This demonstrates the power and melody that chord tones can bring your solos. Actually some of the non coloured notes are the 7th's! So if we extended out the chords by one more note almost all of them would be labeled. (Remember as you look at this, when you bend a note, it is now a new note regardless of the fret number - a full bend is the note 2 frets higher and a half bend in the note one fret higher. )

Is it the only way to solo? Of course not. But it is certainly a skill all advanced guitarists have. As I said in my rant, there truly is no one-size-fits-all solution where music is concerned. Some players do all of this by ear. Many dont realize they are doing it... they just think that note sounds "cool" over that chord. OF COURSE IT DOES YOU FOOL! It is most likely part of that chord.

This approach is not genre specific. Rock, Jazz, Country, you name it. The chord types change but the principle of the approach remains the same. Do yourself a favour and get this skill in your pocket. You will be glad you did.

Then send me a cheque : )

* from wikipedia: In music, an arpeggio (plural arpeggi or arpeggios, or known as a broken chord) is Italian for broken chord where the notes are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously.

How to learn to play by ear - The Great Secret revealed!

2010-11-09T13:54:00.000-05:00

Over the years, I have heard many, many excuses as to why people "can't figure songs out by ear". To be more accurate, I should say: excuses as to why people "WON'T figure songs out by ear".

The most common by a mile, is the ever-popular: "I just wasn't born with it I guess". Or the sublime: "I tried and just can't do it.". Then there is my personal favourite: "I dont want to learn something wrong - accuracy is important to me.". I am sure many of these well meaning guitarists actually believe what they say. I mean, ... they must... They deliver the lines with such sincerity and gusto.

All kidding aside, learning to figure out songs using only your ear, or "lifting" is I'd say the single best skill any guitarist can have. If you devote yourself to learning how to do this, I promise you, the rewards for the time spent, will appear in your playing for years to come. Not only are you learning great licks and ideas, but you are also developing the single biggest asset you as a musician has - your ears.

These days, with the ease and availability of internet-based video lesson and tab resources; it makes it THAT much harder to force yourself to do the work. Don't fall into the trap of internet reliance that many young players fall into today. The 'net is a wonderful resource, but should be used to supplement your current learning - NOT direct it. There is a growing number of tin-eared, yet highly advanced technical players coming up. Don't let this be you.

The key to lifting success in the earliest stages definitely lies in one decision: song choice. Trying a song that is above your level is usually the catalyst for creating the negative "I can't do it" thoughts.

The first thing you need, is a song that has a VERY strong and obvious riff. Deep Purple's classic 'Smoke on the Water' is the poster-child for what you are looking for: a riff that is clear, repeats and is memorable.

The second thing you need is PATIENCE! (and a tuner helps! Be in tune). Listen to the riff several times first before you even pick up the guitar. Sing along with it and get the pitches in your head. Then, try to find the first note. All following pitches are relative to this so find the starting point, then stop the music and find the notes as best you can. Start the music and play along listening for notes that sound a little off. Keep at it, be patient, until you have it down.

The third thing that is an immense help is one of the software packages that will assist you in the process. Lucky you! I just did a post about my personal favourite (Transcribe!) - click here to see that post. There are other products on the market but these will help you. I WISH they had these when I was learning! I ruined more than a fair share of records, slowing them down with my finger, or moving the needle in fractions of an inch endlessly (yes i am that old!)

So here comes your homework! I have assembled a list of songs that I feel are excellent gateways into the world of non-tab-reliance. I want you to figure out as many parts of as many of these as you can. Don't get frustrated! If you can't get a part, simply move on. The more you do it, the faster you will get.

These songs all reside in the rock genre. So if this isn't your taste - too bad! : ) Treat it as a truly academic exercise. Once you have the basic principles down, you can venture off into whatever style you choose.

What we are looking for here is the riffs. The chords and solo sections will come later. Start slow and get the feel for how this process works. Before long you will be wondering why you avoided doing it.

Here are the songs:

Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
Iron Man – Black Sabbath
Aqualung – Jethro Tull
Heartbreaker – Led Zeppelin
Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
Paranoid – Black Sabbath
Breaking the law –Judas Priest
All Right Now – Free
Wipeout - The Surfaris
Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Lets get it up - AC/DC (I could list almost all of AC/DC's catalogue on this list)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) (Same comment as AC/DC)
Crazy Train (main riff) - Ozzy
When I come around (Green Day) (Same comment as AC/DC)

Please feel free to add comments to this post with any questions as you go through the process. Or song suggestions for the list. If you are truly serious about learning to play the guitar, you owe it to yourself to learn this skill. Trust me, once you get good at it it gets FUN!! With this skill you have access to the whole world of music. No more searching for tab books or sites.

Just grab your guitar, hit the 'play' button, throw on your spandex* and rock out!

Good luck!!
* spandex optional

Can a pedal actually improve your playing?

2010-11-08T14:09:00.000-05:00

YES! Believe it or not, it CAN.
For those of you who haven't been formally introduced, this little parcel of unbridled sonic joy is the Boss LoopStation.

What does this strange sounding thing do?
Well, it is quite simple; insert this little sucker at the end of your effects chain between your guitar and your amp. To engage it, hit the left foot-switch as you play a riff (in time). When you are finished your riff hit the same foot-switch (again in time) and, just as simple as that, the riff you just played will begin looping over and over. Hit the left foot-switch again and you are now into "overdub" mode. This mode allows you to add more layers to the current loop: Chords, bass line, percussion - wherever your imagination takes you! The right-side foot-switch acts as a stop function, or hold it down for 1-2 seconds to erase the created loop.

If you want to keep your creation, you can easily save it in one of 11 "Phrase Select" locations in the on-board memory for later recall. The 'Loop Station' also comes with on-board, pre-recorded backing tracks. These can be used to practice endless hours of soloing. Or, free up space by simply erasing them.

Can it be used in performance?
You bet! Artists such as Bill Frisell (check this clip - the green box on the floor is his looper. It is made by Line6), Oz Noy (same, Line6 green box) and many others (look how much fun this dude is having!) have used this wonderful device to create new sounds and textures. These things are so cool there are even "looping competitions" where guitarists DJ style create spontaneous music on the fly in the hopes of taking home prizes top spot. Actually not many shows go by these days that I don't hear one of these suckers being used. The best part: the audience is ALWAYS blown away by it. Even if you know how it is done, it still IS very cool.

There are many different manufacturers and different makes and models featuring varying levels of complexity. Pick your favourite; in essence they all do the same task: record a part you play in on the fly, and create an instant seamless loop.

Sounds great... but how can it improve my playing?
Since I purchased this little beauty, very rarely does a practice session go by where I don't use it. You want to find out how an Amin7 arpeggio sounds over a C chord? No problem, hit the left pedal, record a C chord vamp, and arp to your arp's content. Need to work on your rhythm? No problem, hit it and slap and pop the strings making pant-splitting rhythmic loops. Then solo over them! You are a jazz guy? Grab a 'RealBook', lay in the chords, then sight-read the melody or improv on a standard. Why not record the melody, loop it, and practice comping. The sheer speed with which you can record and get to playing, is the real strength of these things.

Any learning player really should have a device like this in their arsenal. I list it right there alongside the great books and lesson DVD's in my collection. To this old-school guy, rarely does a foot-pedal earn the right to be listed alongside these types of learning resources. But in my practice room, these days - this one has!

The best part: it is SUPER fun to to boot. So I guess it's goodbye Clark Kent! Hello .... Looperman? ("enjoy your dinners folks - I'll be here all week!" : )

For more information or to purchase here is a link.
Here is a shootout article in Guitar Player Magazine.

Book review - The Music Lesson

2010-11-06T11:42:00.000-04:00

There are some really great books out there, by many wonderful and gifted musicians. From time to time I will present the ones that had a meaningful impact on my playing. First up is a gem authored by bass player extraordinaire Victor Wooten called 'The Music Lesson".

This is a book that goes beyond notes and scales, dealing directly with the head-space and mental aspects involved in playing well. Victor delivers this message through a fun-to-read story of a somewhat mystical and very unorthodox teacher named Michael. This character one day just shows up, as if summoned, and takes Victor on a strange adventure - that is both enjoyable and filled with very usable tools for any musician.

The older I get and the more advanced I become as a player; the more I realize that the mental aspects of playing, is another aspect that separates good players from great ones. Many times we get so caught up in technical aspects of learning, that we can forget the most important mental elements required.

This book helped me get back in touch with that which is most important - making the emotional connection between you, the music, and its listeners. Highly, highly recommended.

Here is the link for info and purchase if you are interested

Artist Profile - Scott Henderson

2010-11-05T11:26:00.000-04:00

Inspiration is a huge part of the process when learning to play at a higher level. Many players out there have given me the fuel to carry on by demonstrating what is possible with passion, dedication and determination. One of the mainstays on my journey has been Scott Henderson.

Henderson first came into my world as the founding member of the fusion* group 'Tribal Tech'.

From Wikipedia:

"Henderson formed Tribal Tech with bass player Gary Willis in 1984. Under the direction of Henderson and Willis, Tribal Tech became one of the most highly-regarded fusion bands of the 1990s. He toured and recorded with the band up until their dissolution following the 2000 album Rocket Science, and during that time brought himself to the forefront of modern jazz/fusion guitar playing. In 1991 he was named '#1 Jazz Guitarist' by Guitar World magazine, and in January 1992 he was voted best jazz guitarist in Guitar Player magazine's Annual Reader's Poll."

- For a full bio click here

After Tribal Tech, among many other projects, Scott went on to record three of the most listened-to albums in my collection: Dog Party (1994), Tore Down House (1997) and Well To The Bone (2003). I almost consider these as tools, or lessons in and of themselves. These vastly underrated, lesser known recordings, house samples of some of the finest blues guitar playing these ears have heard.

Granted, it is difficult to classify these albums as traditional blues per se ... or Mr. Henderson as a "blues" player (more like a blues player on steroids!). This classification confusion has been. I think, one of the difficulties for Scott to overcome in his career. Also likely why, despite his incredible talent, he remains lesser known to the general public at large. Similar to Alan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson has always been seemingly too unique to categorize.

I can categorize him: AWESOME!

What grabbed me about Scott's playing instantly, was his adventurous spirit and AMAZING phrasing**. He seemed to have the ability to freely flow, with a series of ideas that could go on forever. I had then, and still have today, the feeling this guy could solo on the same chords for hours, yet continue to be entertaining. Listen to the above clip; specifically the way he takes us on a sonic journey, with sounds and spaces that go beyond the notes. His vision helps disguise the fact that he is playing for long stretches over what could be deemed a monotonous one chord vamp.

For those of you who feel "Stuck in the pentatonic box" during your solos, I urge you to get your hands on one of Scott's albums and begin lifting lines out of the songs within. His blues albums are a great place to start because much of the chord structure is based around the ever popular I, IV, V progression***. This stuff is instantly applicable in most blues based rock situations.

Even more exciting, many of the phrase's notes can be found in the pentatonic minor scale. The way he musically places the notes makes them sound fresh and new - a lesson of its own. Often times when I feel creatively dry, I pull out one of Scott's songs (and my handy copy of Transcribe!) and by the end of the process, I always have some new tricks to work with.

So do your playing and your ears a favour: spend some time looking into Scott Henderson's catalogue. (Also, check out his website).

BTW - Scott also released 2 of the more impactful and informative DVD's in my travels ("Jazz Fusion Improvisation" and "Melodic Phrasing"). This guy is that rare combination of sublime talent while remaining a great teacher. Likely why he has been employed for well over a decade by one of the top music schools in the world - G.I.T. in Hollywood, California. I highly recommend both his videos.

(Cool News: Alfred Publishing has released Henderson's instructional DVD entitled "Scott Henderson - Jazz Rock Mastery", which is a compilation of his two videos "Jazz Fusion Improvisation" and "Melodic Phrasing".). Click here buy... seriously DO IT!

* Fusion is an offshoot of jazz music. It is the "fusing" of Jazz with it's celebration of improvisation (soloing) with the more accessible feel of Rock. Fusion has long been the gateway for many rock guitarists into the world of jazz.

** Phrasing is a term that means the way a soloist groups their notes together in a more vocal type approach.

*** I, IV, V is a standard progression of chords within most blues songs. I = One chord, IV = Four chord, V = Five chord. These chords start off each progressing note of the parent key's scale. i.e in the Key of C: C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7. So a I, IV, V in C would be: C, F, G

Free theory lessons??? Can it be so?

2010-11-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

I wanted to write a special post to THE coolest place I have found on the net. This place has by FAR helped me more than any other in my understanding of the principles of music and it's related theories. It is a wonderful forum, hosted by Harmony-Central, a place called the "Lesson Loft"

Here is the link

This place is home to many gifted regulars. Names like Jed, Poparad, mosiddiqi, Trickyboy, meganutt, jonfinn, JonR, jonPhillips, GreenasJade, bydoempire, 3shitfgtr, Jasco, 1001gear, yours truly and far too many others to mention (no slight intended to any of you guys I failed to mention - you know who you are). These players - many of them pros - take their time to answer questions of all varieties to players of all levels. For nothing more than maybe the good karma and the joy of simply helping others. Their collective experience and knowledge is a asset I can no longer live without. It's like having 50 guitar teachers!

Seriously, I never thought myself a "forum" type guy ... sounds weirdly geeky somehow. I just, one day, stumbled across the site several years back. Very tentatively put up my first post - a question to the group. Once I saw how quickly the answer came, I immediately saw the value and was hooked.

I can't stress enough how great it is to have a place you can go online, where you can openly share ideas, ask questions, hear new music, speak to musicians from around the world, meet name players, do "backing track jams" and generally be inspired and re-focused daily.

Many of these types of sites exist. I have been on many (another great one I frequent is over at the Gear Page it is very similar in it's quality of great minds, players and info. I have just not been there as long as I have with the 'Loft'. It takes time to make the same friendly connections.). Sure, every once in a while in these places an argument breaks out, but it is rare and almost always handled with mutual respect - a rare commodity on the internet.

I urge you all to stop in for a visit and, more importantly, join in on the conversation. Just reading the existing posts will help you ... but being involved in the discussions will help you learn faster than you can imagine.

Seriously, don't be shy! Who cares if you are wrong - don't be intimidated or embarrassed. Every advanced player has learned from raw beginners so your input HAS value to the collective whole – no matter your level. Besides, you don't know these people and will never likely meet them in your life. Remember they hail from all over the planet and are all there to learn. Just like you.

The best part - IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE!

I urge you to come on by and join me in the conversation. Or find your own "loft". Whatever you do, internet guitar forums are one of the best resources this "picker and a grinner" has ever found.

Get some "umm hmm" into your playing

2010-11-03T16:16:00.000-04:00

The image kind of says it all! NOW have a listen to the masterful Oz Noy Trio and check that GROOVE!!

Of course it never hurts to have a machine like Keith Carlock on the drums layin in something that tight!

Where am I going with this you ask? Well over my years of teaching, there is an observation I have made. THE one principle aspect to many people's playing that divides the good from the bad OR the good from the VERY good - is GROOVE. Some call it pocket, tempo, timing they all essentially mean the same thing: One's sense of rhythm. Typically many players are weak in this area without being aware of it. How can this be?

Well:

Many people are (sad to say) just born with it - an over-abundance OR lack thereof. (I'll expand on this in a minute)
Much of the time many devote to practicing is typically devoted to harmony*. Internet forums are full of chatter about musical theory and what scale goes with what chord etc.
Music magazines seldom cover the topic of rhythm. The topic apparently lacks the sizzle to move magazines off the shelf.

As far as being born with it, we all have a natural sense of rhythm. This is visible in even very young children. Truthfully some people are just more naturally rhythmic than others. Some of it is cultural too (i.e. latin or african music and culture is more closely tied to rhythm that some other cultures). This creates a situation where those who are good at it - don't know why they are. These players never really needed to consciously work on it, so therefore have a tough time relating the "how" to those that are less funk-sional. It's not all that bad, don't jump yet! In my experience there is a quite small percentage of lost causes. There is conversely a small percentage of strong rhythmic people. The vast majority of us lie somewhere in the middle of all that.

Which brings us to the reason for this post. What can you do to improve this area?
These are in no set order but ALL have impacted my funk-meter to the positive:

LEARN TO DRUM!!! Hands down the simple most effective thing you can do - and FUN! You don't need the 20 piece Neil Peart kit (including gong and tubular bells). You can start the process with a hand drum. I do however believe the most effective is using a full kit though - as it gets all the limbs into the process. Rhythm is a full body experience.
Record yourself - this is a HUGE way to hear yourself as others do. Listen to your phrases... are they landing right where they should be? Make them.
Practice with a metronome a LOT. When it is clicking away you will know when you are landing in the right spot because the click disappears. Test yourself and see how many clicks in a row you can make vanish. Or imagine the clicks are on 1 & 3 of the beat... or 2 & 4 if you want some swing.
Use jam tracks - these are like karaoke tracks for the guitar. It is the songs without the guitar track. Just google jam tracks - there are many sites with these available - like this one
Listen to some funk!! James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Red Hot Chili Peppers whatever your taste. Listen to how the apply the phrases - then play along.
Move your body to the music. Whether it is dancing or just putting on a set of headphones and going for a walk. Walk in TIME. Stay on the beat. You can fix your "issue" you just need to reset the internal clock.
Awareness - this is honestly the most important thing of all. If you are aware you have an issue with anything (in life and guitar) that is the first step towards fixing it. Record yourself - listen back and be honest. Don't get discouraged but constructively critical. Learning to play well isn't something that happens overnight. There are no shortcuts so learn to enjoy the process.

So grab that guitar. Hook up a nasty 7#9 chord and make some funk happen. Just remember - it's all about the ONE two three four , ONE two three four , ONE two three four

(Insert James Brown splits here)

* In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches (tones, notes), or chords.^[1] The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. (source: wikipedia)

The coolest software EVER!!!

2010-11-02T22:41:00.000-04:00

Man, am I a geek to be so excited about this.... you have no idea.

THE greatest software this guitar player has ever come across is a wonderful package called "Transcribe!". This joyous bundle of code allows you to import a sound file of a song you are trying to learn. Once imported, you can slow it down to less than half speed. The best part: you don't alter the pitch at all! You can also maintain the tempo but raise the pitch in semitones. All you floating tremolo system guys can celebrate; no more retuning songs in Eb! Just pitch adjust that sucker up one semitone and whammo! Instant Stevie Ray Vaughan!

Even cooler, with a click and a drag of your mouse across the file, you can highlight any piece and endlessly loop it until you figure it out. What?!? There's more?? Yes!! You can EQ out the bass part or any other interfering frequency. My personal favourite: flip it into Karaoke mode to remove those annoying "it's all about me" vocalists (yeah I said it!). Honestly, it does more than all this. There are so many features I don't even know yet.

For the record, I am no company shill. I have no affiliation with these guys and stand to profit zero from its promotion. I am just SO darned happy that someone has used their skills to make my life so much easier. Long gone are the days of dragging my finger across my vinyl to slow the turntable down (destroying yet another album). Priced at a mere $50, this packs so much value for the money.

There is a free, fully- functioning demo to boot:

http://www.seventhstring.com/

Putting on my teacher's hat for a moment - ANY guitarist who is serious about improving MUST learn to use their ears to figure out songs. This is a critical skill all pro players have. In this era of internet Tab and YouTube lessons, extra steps must be taken to avoid falling into the trap of getting someone else to do the work for you. If you don't learn at least one song per week using only your ears, you are (as the singer of Japanese metal band Loudness used to say) CLAZY!

The world of guitar could use all the good ears we can get!

Welcome to Six String Obsession!

2010-11-02T17:05:00.000-04:00

Hey all!

Welcome to the first official post in my new blog. I'm a blogger?? Seems inconceivable somehow, yet here I am writing.

I have had a lifelong journey with the coolest instrument of all - the guitar. Since the age of 12 when I used to sneak into my older brother's room without his knowledge and play his (then new) Ibanez Roadstar Custom. For reasons only my 12 year old self knew, I didn't want anyone to know I was learning. This went on for almost a year before I was found out.

Once "out of the closet", the world of music opened its arms to me and, since then, has filled my life with such purpose and passion that only a creative art can give. I have taught likely over 400 people over these years (at one point around 75 a week!) and most recently my children. Let the torch be theirs to hold high or so they say!

Which brings me to the reason for this blog: In my travels I come across tricks, gadgets, performances, lessons, insights and a whole gamut of guitar-istic madness. My intention is to post all that stuff here so that we can all learn and grow together.

So join me in all this! If you have never played, hopefully I can help inspire you to do so. If you do play, hopefully you will get something from this - or maybe even contribute to it. If you come across anything particularly cool, please drop me a line through this blog. I would love to have a community of like-minded individuals to share info with!