The following content is related to the October 2013 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now, or in our online store.
Guitarists hold the Carvin Corporation in high esteem for many reasons, not the least of which include the reasonable direct-from-factory sale prices, consistent top-shelf quality and hassle-free custom-shop design options.
But in the strictest sense of instrument crafting, Carvin is known for having, essentially, perfected neck-through-body guitar construction, such that playability is effortless and specific tonal attributes are superior. Carvin’s new DC800 eight-string is no exception, with excellent feel and balanced tone across its extended range.
The following content is related to the October 2013 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now, or in our online store.
Hi everyone, and welcome to my new column for Guitar World. Over the next few months, I will be demonstrating many of the totally awesome solos, rhythm parts and techniques I use in creating the incredible music for my band, Steel Panther, surely one of the greatest heavy metal bands to come out of Canoga Park in the last three years.
I’d like to kick things off with a song of mine called “Gold-Digging Whore.” This is a topic I think everyone can relate to, even you eight-year olds out there, because there’s always some girl that is just talking to you because you have extra lunch money. It never stops. At my age, ladies see me driving by in my ’92 Toyota Corolla with 22-inch rims and they know immediately that I have a lot of expendable money.
The solo in “Gold-Digging Whore” is a timeless classic, so let’s focus on the rhythm and lead parts for this section of the song in this column. Before we get to the solo, let me tell you that, even though they don’t have Grammys for guitar solos, this solo was nominated for a Guammy on the island of Guam, for Best Solo, based on the note choice alone.
Containing eight hours of lessons on three discs, How to Play All of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Electric Ladyland will show you the guitar parts to the entire album, including tracks like "Voodoo Child,""All Along the Watchtower,""Gypsy Eyes" and "Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)."
Plus, the accompanying 12-page booklet is filled with the behind-the-scenes story of the making of Electric Ladyland, complete with rare photographs of Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix authority Andy Aledort walks you through every guitar part on Jimi's timeless masterpiece. What's more, each track was meticulously recorded and videotaped at Electric Lady Studios in New York, the facility that Hendrix owned and helped design.
* This Booklet Does Not Include Tablature.
Songs from the album include:
"Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)" "Crosstown Traffic" "Voodoo Chile" "Little Miss Strange" "Long Hot Summer Night" "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)" "Gypsy Eyes" "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" "Rainy Day, Dream Away" "1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)" "Still Raining, Still Dreaming" "House Burning Down" "All Along the Watchtower" "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"
The Making of Electric Ladyland
Guitar World editor-in-chief Brad Tolinski presents a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the brilliant third album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The video includes rare footage of Hendrix and additional commentary by legendary Experience engineer Eddie Kramer and many others.
A few years ago, the editors of Guitar World compiled what we feel is the ultimate guide to the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time.
The list, which has been quoted by countless artists, websites and publications around the world, starts with Richie Sambora's work on Bon Jovi's “Wanted Dead or Alive” (100) and builds to a truly epic finish with Jimmy Page's solo on "Stairway to Heaven" (01).
On June 10, we kicked off a summer blockbuster of our own — a no-holds-barred six-string shootout. We pitted Guitar World's top 64 guitar solos against each other in an NCAA-style, 64-team single-elimination tournament. Every day, we asked you to cast your vote in a different guitar-solo matchup as dictated by the 64-team-style bracket. Now Rounds 1 and 2 have come and gone, leaving us with 16 guitar solos and eight matchups.
So ...
WELCOME TO THE SWEET 16 ROUND, where all 16 still-standing solos will go head to head before your eyes! As always, you can vote once per matchup, and the voting ends as soon as the next matchup is posted.
In some cases, genre will clash against genre; a thrash solo might compete against a Southern rock solo. But please get real, people! They're all guitar solos, played on guitars, by guitarists, most of them in some subset of the umbrella genre of rock. When choosing, it might have to come down to, "Which solo is more original and creative? Which is more iconic or important? or Which one kicks a larger, more impressive assemblage of asses?"
Winner:"Stairway to Heaven" (75.66 percent) Loser:"Heartbreaker" (24.34 percent)
Today's Sweetwater Sweet 16 Matchup (4 of 8) "Comfortably Numb" Vs. "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Today, two Top 20 guitar solos square off! We have a heavy favorite, Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" (04), featuring a truly classic solo by David Gilmour, against Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (20), which features some lovely playing by Brian May. While this is Gilmour's only solo in the Sweet 16, May is also represented by "Brighton Rock," which will face the Eagles'"Hotel California" (08) in the days ahead.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
• "Comfortably Numb" defeated Metallica's "Master of Puppets" (61) in Round 1 and Steve Vai's "For the Love of God" (29) in Round 2.
• "Bohemian Rhapsody" defeated the Doors'"Light My Fire" (45) in Round 1 and Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Texas Flood" (13) in Round 2.
Get busy! You'll find the poll at the very bottom of the story.
How do you reason with two guys who once went to court over the artistic ownership of a big rubber pig? That was Bob Ezrin’s mission when he agreed to co-produce Pink Floyd’s The Wall with guitarist David Gilmour and bassist/vocalist Roger Waters. The legendary tensions between the two feuding Floyds came to a head during sessions for The Wall in 1979—which was why Ezrin was called in.
“My job was to mediate between two dominant personalities,” recalls Ezrin. However, the producer turned out to be no mere referee, but contributed plenty ideas of his own. “I fought for the introduction of the orchestra on that record,” says Ezrin. “This became a big issue on ‘Comfortably Numb,’ which Dave saw as a more bare-bones track. Roger sided with me. So the song became a true collaboration—it’s David’s music, Roger’s lyric and my orchestral chart.”
Gilmour’s classic guitar solo was cut using a combination of the guitarist’s Hiwatt amps and Yamaha rotating speaker cabinets, Ezrin recalls. But with Gilmour, he adds, equipment is secondary to touch: “You can give him a ukulele and he’ll make it sound like a Stradivarius.”
Which doesn’t mean Gilmour didn’t fiddle around in the studio when he laid down the song’s unforgettable lead guitar part. “I banged out five or six solos,” says Gilmour. “From there I just followed my usual procedure, which is to listen back to each solo and make a chart, noting which bits are good. Then, by following the chart, I create one great composite solo by whipping one fader up, then another fader, jumping from phrase to phrase until everything flows together. That’s the way we did it on ‘Comfortably Numb.’ ”
20. “Bohemian Rhapsody” Soloist: Brian May Album: Queen—A Night at the Opera (Hollywood, 1975)
“Freddie [Mercury] had the whole piece pretty well mapped out, as I remember, but he didn’t have a guitar solo planned. So I guess I steamed in and said, ‘This is the point where you need your solo, and these are the chords I’d like to use.’
The chord progression for the solo is based on the verse, but with a slight foray into some different chords at the end, to make a transition into the next part of the song. I’d heard the track so many times while we were working on it that I knew in my head what I wanted to play for a solo. I wanted the guitar melody to be something extra, not just an echo of the vocal melody. I had a little tune in my head to play. It didn’t take very long to record.
“The next section of the song, the heavy bit, was really part of Freddie’s plan. I didn’t change what he had very much. Those guitar riffs that everybody bangs their heads to are really more Freddie’s than mine. And at the end of that section, I sort of took over. I wanted to do some guitar orchestrations—little violin lines—coming out of that. And it blended in very well with what Freddie was doing with the outro.
“We were stretching the limits of technology in those days. Since ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was entirely done on 16-track, we had to do a lot of bouncing as we went along; the tape got very thin. This ‘legendary’ story, which people think we made up, is true: we held the tape up to the light one day—we’d been wondering where all the top end was going—and what we discovered was virtually a transparent piece of tape. All the oxide had been rubbed off. It was time to hurriedly make a copy and get on with it.”
Last night, during a TeamRock Radio interview, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian made it public that the band's new guitarist is Shadows Fall axman Jon Donais. Donais has been filling in with Anthrax since Rob Caggiano left the band in January to join Volbeat.
“Jon is a bro and he’s also a total fucking ripper,” Ian said during the interview, which you can hear below. “I’ve worked with him twice before on side projects and he tears it up. I’m excited to have him on my right burning up the stage with Anthrax. '13s gonna be a good year.”
Donais said:
“I grew up on Anthrax, they’re the thrash scene, they’re one of the Big Four, I’d be crazy to not want to play with them. Initially, Rob called and told me he was leaving the band, and asked if I’d be interested in filling in.
"Then Scott called me and everything fell into place. Rob and I are using Skype to work on solos and other guitar parts, so he’s being great. I also have to give special thanks to my band — Brian, Matt, Jason and Ed — who have been incredibly supportive and encouraged me to do this."
Two former members of Metallica were part of this year's Gigantour 2013 — Megadeth‘s Dave Mustaine and Newsted's Jason Newsted.
As a result, fans of both musicians were hoping the guys would — at some point — take the stage together to run through one or two Metallica tunes.
It finally happened August 11 in Toronto, when Newsted joined Mustaine and the rest of Megadeth to perform Metallica's "Phantom Lord." You can check out a fan-filmed video of the performance below (fan-filmed, as in, we apologize for the quality).
Not long before the live collaboration, it looked like it might not even happen at all.
"We’ve traded lyric sheets,” Newsted told Team Rock Radio. “We’ve traded down-tuned versions of ‘Phantom Lord’ and ‘Metal Militia’ to try to figure out what song we’re gonna play. But it has never come to fruition, and we only have a few shows left. So I’m not sure if it actually ever is.”
Although Gigantour wrapped up over the weekend, Megadeth will appear with Iron Maiden September 3 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
TC Electronic has announced the followup to its popular PolyTune pedal, the PolyTune 2. The pedal will retail for $99 (estimated).
The original PolyTune changed the way we look at tuning. Key features, such as polyphonic tuning, bright LED matrix with auto dimming, the tuning magnet (which slowed the needle as guitarist approached the correct pitch) and the mono/poly technology that sensed whether guitarists played one or six strings cemented PolyTune as the new standard in tuning.
With PolyTune 2, all of these features make a return with a new level of optimization and polish. And some new features have been added. The display is bigger and super-bright, which allows for optimal visibility no mater what the circumstances. An ultra-precise strobe mode was added, offering unparalleled levels of precision and speed.
Tore Mogensen, business manager for guitar at TC Electronic, adds: “The original PolyTune just struck a chord with guitarists. But we’re all about moving forward and pride ourselves to be smack in the middle of the guitar community. Those two things, our own need to be better and feedback from the guitar community drove us to evolve the tuning revolution we started.”
PolyTune 2 Main Features
• PolyTune - Tune all strings simultaneously • New chromatic strobe tuner - 0.1 cent tuning accuracy • New bigger and brighter LED display with ambient light sensor • Drop-D and capo tuning modes • True bypass with silent tuning • DC output for powering other pedals • 3M Velcro for pedal board attachment
Steve Vai will present The Story of Light Live, a full-on spectacle of a concert performed live in Los Angeles, on AXS TV.
The network will premiere the performance 8 p.m. ET August 25 with an encore showing 12:10 a.m. ET August 26.
Vai will take the audience on an instrumental journey playing songs from his latest album, The Story of Light. The album was released on Favored Nations Entertainment, the label Vai founded in 1999.
After an enthusiastic response to his 90-plus shows performed last year on his Story of Light 2013 Tour, Vai continues to tour in Europe and the US.
Vai will kick off a US solo run October 16 in Santa Cruz, California. The Story of Light 2013 Tour will take him throughout the country, with shows in San Diego, Las Vegas, Birmingham, Austin and Houston.
The Story of Light 2013 tour will feature a unique premium package: the Evo Experience, which includes a meet-and-greet pass, Q&A session with Vai, access to sound check, an exclusive EVO Experience laminate and other Vai merchandise items. EVO Experience premium tickets will be available through vai.com. A limited number of EVO Experience tickets are available for each show.
I began to seriously play guitar at the impressionable age of 11 (It would have been earlier if my parents hadn’t discouraged me) by receiving an acoustic and some lessons. Two years later, I had my first electric guitar and joined a band. I haven’t stopped consistently playing live since.
When I started, my intentions of playing guitar were pure; I was perfectly content to be in the background, in the shadows of stage right, as the foundational rhythm guitar player. The Brad Whitford, The Malcolm Young — they were all I strived to be.
But as anyone will tell you after playing in many bands, things change, and you either evolve or be eaten alive. So after the lead guitar player in my first band departed, I was told, “Hey man, you’re the lead guitar player now.”
I was terrified. This was not my chosen path, up front and sharing all the glory with the lead singer. No thanks. But you know what? I rose to the challenge.
So with that, I learned to swim rather than sink, and these are five of the many songs I was playing at the time that I believe carved out the lead player I am today. Even though these songs will teach all you’ll need to know about rock playing, with barre chords, chugging, single-note riffing, double-stops and arpeggios, they also contain all the rudimentary moves that bridge the gap from being just another rock guitar player to being a lead guitar player — and I’ll tell you why:
01." Iron Man"– Black Sabbath
Many of you will say, “Bro! What about "Smoke On The Water"?” To which I will respond, “Sure, the riff is easy, but try playing the solo if you’ve never soloed before,” which is why “Iron Man” is a better starting point. The riff is essentially the same plodding riff as "SOTW," but it has so much more going on.
Outside of the main riff, guitarist Tony Iommi does a break in the middle that was easy to learn and got my fingers used to moving quickly.
The box pattern of the break also revealed how I could connect those notes all along the neck and helped me see how Iommi constructed the solo using that little break as a launch pad for his very measured solo, which is perfect for the overall feel of the song.
02. "Living After Midnight"– Judas Priest
This song was the very first solo, I think, I learned. It’s one of those solos that feels so good under your fingers because it taught me pinch harmonics and some blues bending that AC/DC’s Angus Young hangs his hat on.
Let’s not forget the muscular guitar parts of the verse or the catchy riff that accompanies this song: The barre chords ring out during the chorus while the low E chugs the verses so it sounds muted and aggressive, all of which make this heavy metal anthem so appealing to play as well as a great lesson in playing dynamically.
03. "Rock and Roll"– Led Zeppelin
What can I say about this song that hasn’t been said? This song made me realize I could pedal the A, D and E strings while bouncing off the other strings for the riff. It’s all about the accents and timing, which helped me inject small blues jabs and learn to be on time with a drummer.
The solo is great because Jimmy Page starts in one box pattern, moves to the next position then climbs with some triplets to finally shift into the last box position and end with another cool triplet lick. Now, see for yourself, you don’t need to learn the solo exactly because whether you’re a shredder or a slow-hand, you can do either and inject your own personality into it.
04. "Gimme Three Steps"– Lynyrd Skynyrd
This song is an exercise in double-stops, and it would be years before I even knew what that term meant even though I was doing it. Playing this song correctly involves bending and holding multiple strings in tune.
There are some other cool descending patterns and clever blues riffs that boogie, but the heart of this song is making those double-stops sound Southern and convincing — like you meant to down that whole bottle of Jack Daniels in one swig.
05. "Message in a Bottle"– The Police
This was the song that made me say, “I didn’t know my fingers could do that!” Up until that point, I had lived in a bubble of barre chords, single notes and cowboy chords. This song had propulsion and a finger workout that helped me stretch to notes I didn’t think I could reach previously, and gave me my first taste of learning syncopation.
In addition to its being very progressive sounding, it was an easy song to learn. The whole arpeggio is only a two-bar figure and provides the movement during the verses and ends by giving both hands a break by reverting to simple barre chords and some chugging during the choruses.
Now I know nothing is a greater motivator to putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard than a “best Of” list. Just ask Rolling Stone or even us here at Guitar World when a “Best Guitarists” or “Best Guitar Songs” list is created. Some readers freak out because their favorite players or songs always get omitted.
Keep in mind, my list is what worked for me (It’s just for rock, anyway), and I gave you solid reasons why it works. It’s also what helped me approach the guitar in a way that gave me freedom to express my identity. I’m absolutely interested to hear what works for you. So I encourage you all to comment and let me know your five foundational rock songs that changed the way you look at and play guitar.
I try very hard to remain under the radar despite being on camera as gear editor, but in this age of social media it was only a matter of time before it had to come to this. So with that, I will make my blog painless and a quick and easy read so you can get on to more important things like practicing guitar and sweep picking, or if you’re like me, obsessing how to race the Tour De France and trying to be Kristen Stewart’s next mistake. I will use this blog to inform you of things I find cool; like new gear I’m playing through and what I’m watching, reading or listening to at any given moment. So feel free to ask me anything that’s gear related — or if you have a problem with your girlfriend, you know, life lesson stuff, I’m pretty good at that too — and I’ll do my best to answer or address it here.
In my previous column, I briefly touched upon how polarizing the topic of music theory can be for some musicians.
I described it as being a false choice, a line in the sand between the ardent supporters of theory and those who believe it's a hindrance to the creative process.
I say this is a false choice because it is not a cut-and-dry issue. Depending on your perspective, music theory can be thought of as a rule book or a road map. I prefer the latter.
The main benefit in treating music theory like a road map is that it can alleviate the perceived burden it holds over creativity. In this context, music theory offers us various options, not fixed rules.
We can now envision the process of songwriting as if we are driving on a main road or highway. Knowing even a little bit of theory will allow us to better navigate the ride. If we want to take detours, perhaps shift the tonal center in a given progression, then we know there are proven methods (reliable off-ramps) that can make the transition seem more deliberate and less random.
The subject of altering the tonic (root) chord in a given progression is of particular importance. Before understanding theory, I used to think that dramatic shifts in musical keys were truly an example of "outside the box" thinking. I still believe this, but I was also surprised to find out how much of these abrupt movements were explainable by certain precepts of music theory.
Transitions from one musical mood to another can be the most challenging component of writing a good song. If hastily constructed, some transitions will sound too indiscriminate and can upset the fluidity of the entire piece. For some listeners, this randomness can add an interesting and unexpected dimension.
But what if you want your transitions to sound smoother? Luckily, you have some alternate routes if you know how to read your road map. Changing from a major progression to its relative minor is one path that can yield a "best of both worlds" result. This clearly alters the mood and vibe of the entire song, yet it is still pleasing to the ears because no outside notes are being introduced into the equation. The alteration occurs within the boundaries of the same seven notes. (Check out my two-part column, "Knowing 'a Ton of Scales' Made Simple," for more clarification.)
However, this approach might be too predictable for your ears and you might instead want to introduce a chord that does not belong to a given diatonic progression. A common option is a secondary dominant chord. If we follow the "guidelines" of a diatonic chord progression, the V chord is what is known as dominant. A dominant chord usually gives the impression that it wants to resolve to the tonic (root) chord and is built upon the foundation of a major triad with an added flat or minor 7th.
So, logically, whenever we play a dominant chord during our progression, it's going to tell our ears that it wants to go back to the tonic chord (or a perfect 5th interval below its position). So what happens if we throw in a dominant chord that is out of place? By "out of place," I mean it's no longer the V chord, but instead, it's now the ii chord (for example). In a major progression, the ii chord is usually minor. If we swap out this minor chord for a dominant chord, that dominant will gravitate toward another chord aside from our established tonic note.
Depending on how long we sit on this secondary dominant, we can totally reshape our listeners' perception of the tonal center. If this hypothetical progression started out in the key of "G" major, then the secondary dominant in place of the ii chord can shift our attention to the key of "D" major.
These are just two ways in which you can surprise your listener in a clever and creative way. You could also utilize the circle of 5ths to modulate your progressions, or you can dabble in the more advanced concepts of jazz chord substitutions.
The point is, there really are no right or wrong ways in the world of music theory. Just suggested paths. You don't have to do any of these things. You might even want to try your own thing and see where it takes your song. But wouldn't it be nice to have all of your options laid out for you in a logical manner? This is what music theory offers. Not a restrained way of thinking, but a plethora of potential scenarios where your music can flow seamlessly from section to section — or stagger unexpectedly.
Going back to the driving analogy, it's like having a GPS system built inside your head. You're no longer driving blind, afraid of getting too lost in your own creation. You know when you can diverge from the main road, and when to get back on, all without going too far off course.
Chris Breen is a New Jersey-based guitarist with 14 years of experience under his belt. He, along with his brother Jon (on drums) started the two-piece metal project known as SCARSIC in 2011. Due to a lack of members, Chris tracked guitars, bass and vocals for their self titled four-song demo (available on iTunes, Spotify and Rhapsody). They have recently been joined by bassist Bill Loucas and are writing new material. Chris also is part of an all-acoustic side project known as Eyes Turn Stone. Chris teaches guitar lessons as well (in person or via Skype). If you're interested in taking lessons with Chris, visit BreenMusicLessons.com for more info.
This week, I'd like to expand a bit upon my last column, in which I discussed some basic fingerpicking patterns.
We are going to take those basic patterns and expand upon them — but not with more right-hand patterns. This time, we will change the left hand.
In this exercise, we will keep the right-hand pattern/approach the same: The index, "i" finger, will be on the third string; the middle, "m" finger, will be on the second string; the ring, "a" finger, will be on the first string; the thumb, "p" finger, will bounce from the sixth, fifth, fourth and finally back to the fifth string.
The only challenge is that the E major chord we were playing in the left hand will move up one fret at a time once the pattern is completed. For example, play the pima pattern until completed, then move the E major chord up one fret, then play the pattern again until completed, then move the chord up another fret and play that pattern once again. Do this with all six patterns; pima, pmia, pami, piam, pmai and paim.
The challenge here is to disconnect your ear from what your right hand is playing. Since you will have open strings ringing everywhere, some of the harmonies will sound dissonant, and some of the notes will double themselves when playing these patterns. This will require extra focus on your part.
Examples 1, 2 and 3 below are the music and tabs for the pima, pmia and the pami patterns, but I suggest you add the other patterns I mentioned also. You get the idea. And as always, practice with a metronome, starting at a slow tempo, maybe about 80 bpm. Never sacrifice speed for accuracy!
In case you are inspired and want to continue with some fingerpicking studies, I highly recommend The Aaron Shearer Classical Guitar Method (books 1 and 2) and Pumping Nylon by Scott Tennant.
Once again, thank you for reading. Now pick up that guitar and play, just like yesterday. Get to work. As always, comments are always welcome and appreciated.
Guitarist Richard Rossicone is a veteran of the New York City and Long Island original and cover band scene. He's been playing since he was 8, when he attended his first concert (Kiss) and saw Pete Townshend smash a guitar. He has studied with various instructors over the years, which led him to a career in music therapy. He began his educational journey at Queensboro Community College, where the faculty introducing him to classical music. He received his associate's degree in fine arts in 1997 and went on to receive his bachelor's in music therapy in 2001 and his master's in music therapy from New York University in 2004. He's been Board Certified as a music therapist since 2002. Richard continued his studies at C.W. Post University, pursuing a second master's degree in classical guitar performance and music history, studying under Harris Becker. He's been teaching guitar, piano and theory since 2002 and in 2006 started his own company, Rossicone Music Studios. Visit him at Axgrinder.com and his Complete Guitarist Facebook page.
Guitar World magazine has launched its Ultimate Subscription Offer!
Receive 12 (13, actually — let's not forget the holiday issue!) issues of Guitar World AND instantly download four exclusive tracks: "Optimist" by Tosin Abasi and Misha Mansoor, "Pessimist" by Tosin Abasi and Misha Mansoor, "Nanna Banana" by Ben Weinman and Kim Thayil and "Vices" by Ben Weinman and Dweezil Zappa.
As another bonus, you'll receive Asking Alexandria’s EP of covers, Under The Influence: A Tribute To The Legends of Hard Rock! This latest collection features the band covering songs by their idols.
Songs include “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake, “Separate Ways” by Journey, “Hysteria” by Def Leppard and “Kickstart My Heart” by Mötley Crüe.
A few years ago, the editors of Guitar World compiled what we feel is the ultimate guide to the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time.
The list, which has been quoted by countless artists, websites and publications around the world, starts with Richie Sambora's work on Bon Jovi's “Wanted Dead or Alive” (100) and builds to a truly epic finish with Jimmy Page's solo on "Stairway to Heaven" (01).
On June 10, we kicked off a summer blockbuster of our own — a no-holds-barred six-string shootout. We pitted Guitar World's top 64 guitar solos against each other in an NCAA-style, 64-team single-elimination tournament. Every day, we asked you to cast your vote in a different guitar-solo matchup as dictated by the 64-team-style bracket. Now Rounds 1 and 2 have come and gone, leaving us with 16 guitar solos and eight matchups.
So ...
WELCOME TO THE SWEET 16 ROUND, where all 16 still-standing solos will go head to head before your eyes! As always, you can vote once per matchup, and the voting ends as soon as the next matchup is posted.
In some cases, genre will clash against genre; a thrash solo might compete against a Southern rock solo. But please get real, people! They're all guitar solos, played on guitars, by guitarists, most of them in some subset of the umbrella genre of rock. When choosing, it might have to come down to, "Which solo is more original and creative? Which is more iconic or important? or Which one kicks a larger, more impressive assemblage of asses?"
Today's Sweetwater Sweet 16 Matchup (5 of 8) "Eruption" Vs. "Little Wing"
Today (and through the weekend), two guitar solos that have cruised through the competition are squaring off. It's Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" (02) against Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" (18). Two giants of the electric guitar from two different eras! Follow the path of each solo, and read more about both solos below:
HOW THEY GOT HERE
• "Eruption" defeated Red Hot Chili Peppers'"Scar Tissue" (63) in Round 1 and Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" (31) in Round 2.
• "Little Wing" defeated the Allman Brothers Band's "Jessica" (47) in Round 1 and Deep Purple's "Highway Star" (15) in Round 2.
For a visual aid, check out our photo gallery of the complete bracket below! Anyway, get busy! You'll find the poll at the very bottom of this story.
02. “Eruption” Soloist: Eddie Van Halen Album: Van Halen—Van Halen (Warner Bros., 1978)
It is hard to imagine a more appropriately titled piece of music than Edward Van Halen’s solo guitar showcase, “Eruption.” When the wildly innovative instrumental was released in 1978, it hit the rock guitar community like a hydrogen bomb. Two-handed tapping, gonzo whammy bar dips, artificial harmonics—with Van Halen’s masterly application of these and other techniques, “Eruption” made every other six-stringer look like a third-stringer.
But the most remarkable thing, perhaps, about the unaccompanied solo is that it almost didn’t make it on to Van Halen’s debut album.
“The story behind ‘Eruption’ is strange,” says Van Halen. “While we were recording the album, I showed up at the studio early one day and started to warm up because I had a gig on the weekend and I wanted to practice my solo-guitar spot. Our producer, Ted Templeman, happened to walk by and he asked, ‘What’s that? Let’s put it on tape!’
“I played it two times for the record, and we kept the one that seemed to flow. Ted liked it, and everyone else agreed that we should throw it on the album. I didn’t even play it right—there’s a mistake at the top end of it. Whenever I hear it, I always think, Man, I could’ve played it better.”
As for the distinctive echo effect on the track, Eddie recalls that he used a relatively obscure unit—a Univox echo chamber. “It had a miniature 8-track cassette in it, and the way it would adjust the rate of repeat was by the speed of the motor, not by tape heads. So, if you recorded something on tape, the faster you played the motor back, the faster it would repeat and vice versa. I liked some of the noises I got out of it, but its motor would always burn out.
“I like the way ‘Eruption’ sounds. I’d never heard a guitar sound like that before.”
18. “Little Wing” Soloist: Jimi Hendrix Album: The Jimi Hendrix Experience—Axis: Bold as Love (Experience Hendrix/MCA, 1968)
Covered by artists like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Sting, “Little Wing” is one of Jimi Hendrix’s most beautiful and enduring compositions. It’s easy to see why. The original is seductively warm, poignant and light as a feather. Engineer Eddie Kramer explains how Jimi achieved the song’s ethereal glow in the studio.
“One of my favorite touches on that track is the glockenspiel part, which was played by Jimi,” says Kramer. “Part of the beauty of recording at Olympic Studios in London was using instruments that had been left from previous sessions. The glockenspiel was just laying around, so Jimi used it.”
Hendrix’s rich and watery guitar solo was, says Kramer, in part the product of a secret weapon. “One of the engineers had built this miniature Leslie,” continues Kramer. “It was like it was built out of an Erector set and had a small eight-inch speaker that rotated. Believe it or not, the guitar solo was fed through this tiny thing, and that’s the lovely effect you hear on the lead.”
If you’re looking for a soundtrack for the last gasp of summer, try a set of sweet singles by singer/songwriter Tawny Ellis.
A native of Savannah, Georgia, Ellis splits her time between Los Angeles and New Orleans, and it shows in her music. A sultry compilation of twangy strings and smoky vocals, Ellis delivers a collection that showcases her considerable talent.
In a move that seems to be indicative of the future of how music is released, Ellis is doling out her creations one by one over several months, one tasty morsel at a time.
With her first release, “What She Don’t Know” (available on iTunes) Ellis gets her Sheryl Crow on. A cautionary tale of love and loss, this song’s strong chorus, complemented by a compelling vocal track, draws you in even further after the second and third listening.
Her August 6 release, “Love Is Your Name” (available on iTunes) has a more anthemic and serious message with some nicely contrasting string arrangements. Angst-ridden vocals and a building percussion track round out the intensity.
But it’s the yet-to-be-shared “This Great Divide” that really caught my ear. Tight harmonies add to its achy pull. It's a lovely and soaring ballad that showcases Ellis' knack for intertwining melodies and strings.
You can find the first two songs below and at her website, tawnyellis.com. But don’t forget to come back for the third, and more, I’m sure. It’s worth it!!
Laura B. Whitmore is a singer/songwriter based in the San Francisco bay area. A veteran music industry marketer, she has spent more than two decades doing marketing, PR and artist relations for several guitar-related brands, including Marshall and Vox. Her company, Mad Sun Marketing, represents Dean Markley, Agile Partners, Peavey, Jammit, Notion Music, Guitar World and many more. Laura was instrumental in the launch of Guitar World's Lick of the Day app. She is the founder of the Women's International Music Network at thewimn.com, producer of the Women's Music Summit and the lead singer for Summer Music Project. More at mad-sun.com.
These videos are bonus content related to the October 2013 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now, or in our online store.
In last month’s column, I discussed a variety of phrasing techniques that can be applied effectively while creating improvised solos—for instance, starting each phrase from a specific chord tone, such as the root, third or fifth of the “tonic,” or “home key.”
We used as our rhythm track a chord progression along the lines of the classic Allman Brothers Band song “Melissa,” with the improvised solos based on both the E major pentatonic (E Fs Gs B Cs) and E major hexatonic (E Fs Gs A B Cs) scales. This month, I’d like to expand upon our exploration of phrasing approaches and use the A minor pentatonic (A C D E G) and A blues scales (A C D Ef E G) as played over a rhythm part along the lines of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Cold Shot” (Couldn’t Stand the Weather).
The following content is related to the October 2013 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now, or in our online store.
The name D’Angelico is spoken in reverence, like the names of artistic masters such as Michelangelo, da Vinci and Stradivari. Luthier John D’Angelico and his apprentice, James D’Aquisto, made only 1,164 D’Angelico archtop guitars, and today original D’Angelico guitars command impressive prices on the vintage market.
John D’Angelico died in 1964, but during the late Eighties a Japanese company started to build new D’Angelico guitars in limited numbers, with meticulous attention to detail. A few years ago, guitar collector John Ferrolito Sr. purchased the D’Angelico brand with the intention of reviving it.
In addition to offering USA Masterbuilt reissues of original D’Angelico models, made in limited amounts by luthier Gene Baker, D’Angelico recently introduced a new line of affordable Standard Series guitars, which consist of an archtop hollowbody, a chambered solidbody and two semihollow models, including the double-cutaway EX-DC.
As the photo gallery below clearly illustrates, Framus — the Germany-based manufacturer of guitars, basses, banjos, amps and more — has made some very distinctive and cool-looking instruments over the years.
Electric Framus models really took off in the 1950s, due to the success of rock 'n' roll. By 1966, Framus was one of the biggest guitar producers in Europe, employing about 300 workers. Eventually, competition with Japanese manufacturers and other factors led to the company going bankrupt in the late '70s.
Of course, Framus has been associated with other artists besides The Beatles and Earl Slick. There's Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones (a major fan of the Star Bass), of course, plus Jan Akkerman, Blackbyrd McKnight, Uli Jon Roth, Rik Emmett, Bruce Palmer, Jet Harris and many others.
Be sure to check out the 10 most iconic Framus instruments, below. Note that the name of each guitar contains a link to that guitar's page at the Framus Vintage Archive.
GUITAR WORLD: What inspired you to start playing the guitar?
ERIC JOHNSON: It was Nokie Edwards of the Ventures. He was one of the first guys I ever heard play guitar, and I really enjoyed the sound. And when I was a kid it was something new and different to try. Then I got into guys like Clapton and Hendrix, who had these amazing sounds, which further inspired me to play.
Do you remember your first guitar?
It was a white Fender Musicmaster that my mom and dad bought for me when I was 11. There was a student model in a local music store that I had seen, so I talked my parents into getting it.
What was the first song you learned to play?
It was “Your Cheatin’ Heart” by Hank Williams. A friend taught me how to play it. From there, I moved onto listening to the Ventures’ records and trying to pick out the songs by ear, listening to them over and over until I could play them.
Do you remember your first gig?
It was at a club in Austin called the Eleventh Door. I was 13 and playing in a Top-40 band that did parties and little club gigs. We were called the Sounds of Life. Our set consisted of everything from Wilson Pickett to Steppenwolf. It was a great first gig, and I had so much fun doing it for the next couple of years. When I got to around 15, I thought, Wow, I want to do this for a living!
Ever had an embarrassing onstage moment?
Oh yeah. Once, I was playing in Corpus Christi, Texas, and there was a hole in the stage that was there for when the venue presented theatrical plays. They used to cover the hole when they didn’t need it. I was performing onstage and happened to break through the cover and into the hole. It wasn’t a really deep hole, but it was big enough for me to fall into. Luckily enough, it didn’t break my guitar, but it broke the cord off it, so we had to stop so I could crawl out of the hole and get another guitar cord.
What is your favorite piece of gear?
My Dumble amplifier, because Dumbles have a one-of-a-kind sound. There really is nothing else like them, and I have never heard any other amps do what they do.
Got any advice for young players?
It’s important to find two or three players that you like and really try to emulate their style. Doing that helps you learn all the ins and outs of what makes them play the way they do, and it gives you a guideline by which to really hone your craft. Listen to their tone, the way they pick or fret the instrument and how they go about their approach. Once you hit that point, take all the bits and pieces you’ve gleaned from those players and start creating your own thing.
He's a perfection-driven, genre-bending ax slinger from Texas with one of the most distinctive electric guitar tones in music. But what Guitar World readers want to know is ...
How did you get that fantastic liquid tone on “Cliffs of Dover,” and was that one cohesive solo or an amalgam? — J. Paradis
I played a Gibson ES-335 through a 100-watt Marshall. I put it all together by playing sections, then dropping them in and connecting them into a seamless whole.
What is the greatest misconception about you and your music? — Ray Wilson
That’s hard to say. The music business constructs an image of an artist based on what it wants, and that image tends to stick around. Sometimes, no one bothers to look between the cracks to see if the image resembles the truth. That can be frustrating, but it’s also the responsibility of the artist to obliterate that image by making something powerful enough to dispel it.
There is certainly a stigma to being a “guitar hero.” But I know what music turns me on and how I want to fit into the world of guitar players. I try to keep on that journey with everything I do, without worrying too much about how others perceive me.
What would you suggest for someone on a limited budget who wants that trademark Texas-sized Eric Johnson tone? — Voltage
Good tone, whether it’s based around mine or not, begins with a versatile amplifier. I recommend a silverface Fender Twin or Pro Reverb, especially if you can get one with a nice old Jensen speaker. You want an amp with pure tone, something with which you can create a clean and simple sound. From there, you can add an overdrive pedal or any other effect you want, but you have to begin with a good clean sound. To make another point, I think people overemphasize the importance of gear in their search for tone. Your sound comes from how you pick and dampen the strings, and from your attack, as much as anything.
Who are some of your favorite classical composers? — Joe Sweep
Aaron Copland, Maurice Ravel, Béla Bartók, Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky and Mozart. Franz Liszt and Chopin are way up there. Georg Telemann is a very interesting guy, and I also love George Gershwin.
Was Chet Atkins an influence on your hybrid-picking technique? — Sandy Halliday
He was, but Chet is so special to me that I’ve always tried to just enjoy his music and not dissect it. I like the overall effect of his playing, in a reverent way, and I don’t want to make listening to his music an effort. However, a lot of Chet’s picking technique came from Merle Travis, who I have studied pretty intensely, so I’m sure I have a lot of Chet in my technique, whether I realize it or not.
I’ve heard about your “koto” technique. What is it? — Stratoblaster
It’s really pretty simple. You just fret the note with the index finger of your right hand, then pick directly behind it with your right hand. Because you’re picking so close to the fret, the picked string sounds thin and twangy, like a koto [a traditional Japanese stringed instrument]. I’ll also place my left hand on the string to stretch it. This also allows me to pull off my right-hand finger; since my left-hand finger is still in place, doing this can create a nice pull-off sound.
Why are there no string trees on your signature Strat? — Ben Ford
String trees hinder a guitar’s ability to stay in tune, but they’re necessary because of the headstock’s pitch — that is, the degree to which the headstock is tilted. We changed the pitch slightly, which, in combination with the staggered tuning keys, allowed us to eliminate the trees. As a result, you can actually use the guitar’s vintage tremolo system a small amount without the guitar going out of tune.
Rosewood or maple fretboards, and why? — Frank Stokes
Maple seems to have a purer fundamental tone, and that’s what I generally use, though I think rosewood has a better rhythm tone for complex harmonics. I own one rosewood Strat, and I like it.
What is in your rig? — Nikili Kite
It’s very simple. I have three amp setups that produce tones ranging from really clean to very saturated, though I never use them all at once. The first setup consists of two Fender Twins with a Princeton Chorus stereo chorus. The second is a Marshall 100-watt set around 7.5 to 8 on the first channel for a Keith Richards–style crunch rhythm. I have a Fuzz Face on there, so I can also kick into a Hendrix-style sound. The third setup is a Marshall with a Tube Driver, for extra saturation; the Marshall’s volume is all the way up, and the EQ is set for a classic Clapton tone. Occasionally, I use a CryBaby wah with any of these, but I run it through a rack.
Given your penchant for vintage Strats, how do you manage extraneous noise at high-gain levels? — Anonymous
The noise is pretty bad. I don’t like it, but you have to pick your poison. I’ve chosen to wrestle the beast, but I would really like to slay it. I’m working with Fender’s Michael Braun to create a hum-canceling pickup that sounds like a singlecoil. I think he may well crack that nut. In the meantime, the middle pickup on my signature Strat is wrapped differently from the other two, and I can always use it if the noise is overwhelming.
You’re famous for obsessing about your tone. Have you learned to relax and let the music and ideas flow and let go of the technical stuff? — Mike Kretz
I’ve gotten better. There is certain music I would like to advance and implement on guitar, and pulling it off is a real challenge, so it’s hard not to obsess over it. If you want to make the guitar into a sustaining, ferocious sound, you have to use distortion, which is a beautiful thing, but it creates all sort of problems. Having said that, I’m not obsessing as much as I used to.
You have a very unique style. Who were your prime influences? — Paul Chase
When I was a kid, my dad played all types of music. It ingrained in me the idea that all music has something to offer. If you listen to the spirit behind the music, you can connect the dots between players like John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery…not to mention Mozart, Debussy and Gershwin. They were all big influences to me.
During the Seventies, you and Stevie Ray Vaughan were Austin’s primary guitar slingers. Was there a lot of competition between you? — Stephen Hung
No. We were playing different kinds of music. I always enjoyed hearing Stevie and his group play. It was nice to have him around in the clubs. You could go see him every night, and his greatness was readily apparent.
Would you consider doing the G3 tour again? — Chad Osborne
Absolutely. The tour was fun. Steve [Vai] and Joe [Satriani] are great players, and I would welcome the opportunity to perform with them again. That said, I have to add that it was a very tough period for me. For two years prior to the tour, my ears were damaged; I could hardly listen to the radio or TV at more than a whisper volume. I was in the middle of this horror during the tour, so while I may have looked fine walking around and smiling, it was tough. It was a difficult time for me, but I got lucky and rebounded.
Will we be seeing a concert DVD from you any time soon? — Charles Johnson
I hope so, though I don’t have any plans for one at this time. I just finished an instructional DVD on which I explain the 10 essential points to creating great music. I tried to keep it simple and straightforward, without getting into too much flamboyant technique or gear.
Why did you segment your 2005 album, Bloom, into three sections? — George Stolz
On the album, I was trying to explore different types of music that I like, and I came up with a wide range of sounds. I tried so many ways of sequencing the songs, but nothing seemed to work; the songs were too dissimilar. I ended up following a friend’s suggestion to segregate the music into three separate stanzas, rather than try to segue from one song to another.
I really enjoy the acoustic tracks on Bloom. Do you think you’ll ever make an all-acoustic record? — Evan Adkins
Actually, I’m working on one right now. I’ve already cut about 13 songs for it, and I hope to have it out early next year.
I was amazed by the cascading harmonics you demonstrated on your instructional video. What is the origin of this delicate technique and how long did it take to master it? — Charles Manthy
I don’t know the origin, but [seven-string jazz fingerstyle guitarist] Lenny Breau made it popular, and that’s where I got it, though someone may well have done it before him. As for mastering it, it’s an ongoing process, especially if you change the harmonics’ voicing. Just break it down and take it step by step.
