9000 9001

OASIS OZZY OSBOURNE TOOL

CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL MR CROWLEY LATERALUS
LATERALU
* Rockschool version * Video Riff

LEARN TO PLAY
ELTON JOHN
ROCKET

50
MAN

SNARKY
PUPPY’S
MARK
LETTIERI
WAYS TO PLAY
BETTER NOW!
TIPS FROM
THE PROS
SOLOING
RHYTHM
TONE IGGED
DEATH
CAB FOR
CUTIE

INTERVIEWED
REVIEWED INSIDE! BRIAN FALLON
AND CRAIG FINN
THE CRANBERRIES
Ed’s new signatures t s ! YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
 EDITOR’S LETTER

Welcome…
Future Publishing
QUAY HOUSE, THE AMBURY, BATH, BA1 1UA
Tel 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822763
Email totalguitar@[Link]
Website: [Link]

EDITORIAL
Editor: Rob Laing
Group Art Director: Graham Dalzell
Senior Music Editor: Jason Sidwell
Guitars Feature & Tuition Editor: Chris Bird A band rehearsal last week was a painful
Content Editor, [Link]: Michael Astley-Brown
Music Co-ordinators: Zoe Maughan, Natalie Beilby reminder of what happens when I don’t take
CONTRIBUTORS my own advice. I knew that dialling in what I
SteveAllsworth,RichardBarrett,JonBishop,SimonBradley, JackEllis,
CharlieGriffiths,NickGuppy,CatherineHood,GeorgineHodstonJonathanHorsley, thought were ideal overdrive tones at home
StephenKelly,AlexLynham,MatthewParker, AmitSharma, Henry Yates, Phil
Capone, James Uings with a pair of headphones and a loaned Line 6
Music Engraver: Simon Troup
Helix Stomp (see Gear Diary next issue for
Photography: Phil Barker, Olly Curtis, Will Ireland
more on that) is a very different scenario to
ADVERTISING
Phone: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 732285
playing at rehearsal levels in a band mix. I
Director of Agency Sales: Matt Downs, [Link]@[Link]
Commercial Sales Director: Clare Dove [Link]@[Link]
knew that leaving my usual amp at home and
Advertising Sales Director: Lara Jaggon [Link]@[Link]
Account Sales Directors: Alison Watson [Link]@[Link]; Steven
going straight to a PA for the first time with
Pyatt [Link]@[Link]; Guy Meredith [Link]@[Link] an electric would impact on that sound too. I
MARKETING
Head Of Marketing: Sharon Todd
also knew I shouldn’t still be learning how to play a song at a time
Subscriptions Marketing Manager: Tom Cooper that’s meant for rehearsing as a band. But I was guilty on all charges
PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
Production Controller: Frances Twentyman
that night. And after I’d spent too long faffing about, hired an amp
HeadofProductionUK&US:MarkConstance from the studio’s front desk, frantically changed all my settings and
PrintedintheUKby:WilliamGibbons&SonsLtdonbehalfofFuture
Distributedby:Marketforce,2ndFloor,5ChurchillPlace,CanaryWharf blew my ill-prepared singing voice out, I was actually glad. I’d
London,E145HU
Overseasdistributionby: Seymour International learned some valuable lessons and wouldn’t make those mistakes
Head of Newstrade: Tim Mathers
again… for a while at least!
CIRCULATION
Trade Marketing Manager: Michelle Brock 0207 429 3683 Our 50 Ways To Play Better Now feature is about saving you those
SUBSCRIPTIONS kinds of mistakes, and plenty of other things you may not have 03
UK reader order line & enquiries: 0844 848 2852
Overseas reader order line & enquiries: +44 (0)1604 251045 considered that will massively improve your playing. Yes, I’m going
Online enquiries: [Link]
Email: totalguitar@[Link] to be reading and reminding myself too, because we’ve been careful
LICENSING to make sure these are tips you’ll always need and will always
International Licensing Director: Matt Ellis, [Link]@[Link] Tel: + 44
(0)1225 442244 benefit from as players.
MANAGEMENT
Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford
I hope you’ll find them as useful as I will!
Brand Director, Music : Stuart Williams
Head Of Art: Rodney Dive
Content Director: Scott Rowley
Group Art Director: Graham Dalzell

Rob Laing Editor

Future is an award-winning international media group and
leading digital business. We reach more than 49 million
international consumers a month and create world-class
content and advertising solutions for passionate

Future plc is a public

consumers online, on tablet & smartphone and in print.

Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne

MAKING THIS MONTH’S MAG
company quoted on the Chairman Peter Allen
London Stock Exchange Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand
(symbol: FUTR). Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London)
[Link] Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)

All contents copyright © 2017 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No
part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used in any way without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered
office: Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this
publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press.
Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised
to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other details of products or
services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our
control. We are not responsible for their contents or any changes or updates to them. CHRIS BIRD MICHAEL ASTLEY-BROWN PHIL CAPONE
If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission
in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical TG’s tuition editor recruited longtime Mike was in Rig Tour heaven this “That’s my favourite Elton song,”
or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every contributor and prog genius Charlie month as he sat down with Death TG contributor Phil Capone
care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage.
Griffiths to assist with the music and Cab For Cutie’s triple-headed exclaimed excitedly when we
We are committed to only using magazine paper
which is derived from well managed, certified
technique lessons in this month’s guitar force to get the lowdown asked him to record the backing
forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future frankly massive cover feature. It’s on the lustrous gear that makes music for Rocket Man (p86). It
Publishing and its paper suppliers have been
independently certified in accordance with the
fair to say the pair have covered a fair their sound tick. Then he only sounds like he got pretty
rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). bit of ground, looking at rhythm and went and fell in love with this immersed in the job too, recording
lead skills, essential scale shapes, issue’s cover star, D’Angelico’s all those tasty slide guitar lines and
timing, feel, changes… And that’s only delectable Premier Brighton – even rigging up his Joe Meek
about half of the feature! what is he like? compressor for a bit of vintage

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 #319
Contents
SUBSCRIBE!
Subscribe to Total Guitar
and get a G7th Performance 3
Capo worth £40 – turn to page
112 for full details

04

048
50 WAYS
TO PLAY
BETTER
NOW
We’ve selected the best
of the best tips with
input from the pros to
Cover Image: Olly Curtis

help you improve

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 CONTENTS

MONITOR
006 First Look
008 Scene
010 Five Minutes Alone:
Yngwie Malmsteen
012 On The Up
014 Me & My Guitar: Duff McKagan
016 Back Track: West African Guitar

HOW TO
018 Riff Of The Month: Tool – Lateralus
020 Getting Started With… DADGAD
022 What The F? Major Key Signatures

FEATURES
024 Rig Tour: Death Cab For Cutie
030 Mark Lettieri
036 Brian Fallon & Craig Finn
042 The Cranberries
048 50 Ways To Play Better Now

LEARN TO PLAY
024 064 Classic Track: Ozzy Osbourne –
Mr Crowley 05

DEATH CAB 072 Rockschool:

Oasis – Cigarettes & Alcohol

FOR CUTIE 076 The Turnaround: Billy Gibbons

078 Jam Track: Funk-Metal
086 Open-Mic Songbook: Elton John –
Rocket Man

090 SHEERAN BY LOWDEN TG UNPLUGGED

082 News
084 Interview: Lucy Spraggan

THE GAS STATION

088 Start Me Up
090 Sheeran By Lowden W02 and S02
094 D’Angelico Premier Brighton
096 Blackstar HT-20R
098 The TG Test: 335-style Electrics
104 Pedal Round-Up: Analogue Delay
106Orange Pedal Baby 100
108 Fix Your Guitar
114 The Playlist: Stijn Vanhoegaerden,
Brutus

095
D’ ANGELICO PREMIER BRIGHTON
JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR
 MONITOR
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

Photography: Phil Barker

TRIPLE THREAT
Fender expands its
stompbox line with
three new effects

06

arly last year, we got

hands-on with what was
hļhfwlyho|#Ihqghuġv#Ľuvw#
rĿfldo#irud|#lqwr#wkh#hļhfwv#
shgdo#pdunhw/#dqg#iru#534<#
six of the best wkh#frpsdq|ġv#olqh0xs#kdv#
Fender has unveiled the first
three of a sextet of new h{sdqghg zlwk#d#vh{whw#ri#qhz#vwrpser{hv1#
effects pedals for 2019 Qrz/#wkh#Ľuvw#wkuhh#kdyh#odqghg#lq#WJ#Wrzhuv=#
wkh#Wuh0Yhue#+†4<<,/#zklfk#frpelqhv#fodvvlf#
dps0vw|oh#wuhpror#dqg#uhyhue>#Orvw#Kljkzd|#
Skdvhu#+†44<,/#dq#dqdorjxh#irxu2hljkw0vwdjh#
skdvh#vkliwhu>#dqg#wkh#PWJ#Wxeh#Glvwruwlrq#
+†48<,/#d#ydoyh0htxlsshg#glvwruwlrq#shgdo#
fr0ghyhorshg#zlwk#Euxfh#Hjqdwhu1#Doo#kdyh#
ehhq#ghvljqhg#lq#Vrxwkhuq#Fdoliruqld#e|#
lq0krxvh#h{shuw#Vwdq#Frwh|#dqg#klv#whdp/#dqg#
lqfoxgh#wkh#ihdwxuhv#zh#oryhg#wkh#Ľuvw#wlph#
durxqg/#lqfoxglqj#vohhn#dqrglvhg#doxplqlxp#
hqforvxuhv#dqg#vzlwfkdeoh#OHG0edfnolw#nqrev/#
soxv#d#zkroh#orw#ri#erqxv#ihdwxuhv#ehvlghvĩ

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 FIRST LOOK
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

UP CLOSE

Tre-Verb Lost Highway Phaser MTG Tube Distortion

There’s a choice of ’63, ’65 and plate A choice of sine and triangle waveforms, This is packing a three-band EQ, Tight
’verbs, plus opto, bias and uni-vibe-like plus a sensitivity knob and slow/fast control and boost footswitch with its own
harmonic tremolo footswitch make this a versatile beast level and boost controls

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 Monitor people ✪ news ✪ noise

scene
Your news in guitars
geaR
The age of ultra
Although leading British
string maker RotoSound is
known for its range of
mid-priced sets, it’s
making a step into the
high-end sector with its
new Ultramag electric
strings. Made with Type 52
Alloy - a composition of
52% nickel and 48% iron –
the highly magnetic steel is
claimed to accentuate mids
and low end more than
steel strings, and should
help maintain tuning
stability in wide ranging
environments.
The new Ultramag sets
08 are initially available in
three gauges: .009, .010
and .011.
WHEn Now

event

GuiTarisT of The year 2019

ollowing on from last year’s For 2019 the existing Young Guitarist,

F
RIP storming return for our Acoustic Guitarist and Guitarist of the Year
Guitarist of the Year categories will be joined by a Bass Guitarist
Paul raymond competition, we’re category. Ourselves and co-organisers
TG is sad to hear of the delighted to announce the Guitarist, Guitar Techniques, Bass
passing of UFO guitarist launch of the 2019 contest. And this time Magazine and MusicRadar are already
and keyboardist Paul it’s even bigger with a fourth category lining up a stellar cast of judges including
Raymond, who died from a
open to worldwide applicants. John Petrucci and Steve Lukather for the
heart attack on 13 April,
Guitarist of the Year 2018 received video stage before the finals at the UK
aged 73. UFO had just
hundreds of high-standard entries from Guitar Show on 21 and 22 September, with
begun their final tour,
around the world with judges including great gear prizes to be won.
a celebration of their
Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Mark Tremonti, Past winners include Guthrie Govan and
50th anniversary.
Jon Gomm, Mike Dawes and Tommy Dave Kilminster plus 2018’s Gabriel Cyr
After work with blues
Emmanuel helping to choose the players (above left) and Young Guitarist Hunter
bands Chicken Shack and
Savoy Brown, Raymond who would go through to the finals at the Hallberg (right). The 2019 competition is
joined UFO in 1976 as a sold-out UK Guitar Show in London in now open and we’re looking for one
September last year. Those guitarists performance video (though you can enter
Andrew Benge/Getty Olly Curtis

keyboardist and would later

take on rhythm guitar included players from as far as Singapore multiple categories with a different video
duties too. He also played and the US with footage of their each) that clearly showcases your
in Michael Schenker’s MSG performances generating over four million individual playing talents.
for their second album. views online. Enter at: [Link]/GOTY2019

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 scene
people ✪ news ✪ noise

event six of The besT

arc De
Our favourite songs
this month…

TriomPhe
ugust’s Arctangent

A fest now has its

headliners with
Coheed And Cambria
1. Deutschland
Rammstein
joining Battles and Meshuggah for Exactly the kind of
the three-dayer at Fernhill Farm comeback we’d expect
on the Mendip Hills near Bristol. – with added hammer-ons
Joining them on a bill of and pull-offs.
progressive and experimental rock
and metal are instrumentalists 2. lo/hi
Polyphia, Covet’s Yvette Young, The Black Keys
Sithu Aye and Russian Circles, A catchy ZZ Top-shaped
blues and gospel metal mixers Zeal fuzzy blues return for
& Ardor, Finland’s Cult Of Luna, Auerbach and Carney.
Daughters, Palm Reader, Brutus
and the wonderfully-monikered 3. stairway To heaven
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs. Mastodon
For more info and tickets visit This surprise and faithful
[Link] rendition with Brann
WHEn August 15-17 Dailor on vocals is a tribute
to late manager Nick John. 09

4. 2 late
event The Cure
The 30th anniversary of

blues Trio Disintegration is not just a

reminder of the album’s
greatness, but also their
rovogue Records’ excellent b-sides.

P second Rockin’ The

Blues tour will hit
London’s Kentish Town
Forum in June, showcasing the
label’s blues talent and the 2019
line-up does not disappoint with
Jonny Lang, Walter Trout and rising
star Kris Barras hitting Europe.
After his 2013 London Borderline
show ended a decade wait to see 5. fear of flying
Lang back on these shores, this Feeder
return is a welcome one for fans. A promising first cut from
“It will be a five-piece band the band’s tenth album
including me,” he tells us of his Tallulah (released 9 August)
jens Koch Olly Curtis Harry Herd engelke/ullstein bild/Getty

band for the Rockin’ The Blues run. recalling Grant Nicholas’
“My current line-up includes Barry band’s earlier days.
Alexander on drums, Zane Carney Telecaster with a couple of drive anything. Other people need more, I
on guitar and Tyrus Sass on keys, so pedals, a wah-wah going into two guess, ha ha! It all depends on what 6. here comes your man
it should be a lot of fun.” And he’s Fender Deluxes. It’s a pretty simple you listen to or like, and personally Pixies
keeping a less-is-more approach to rig.” And when you hear Lang’s speaking, what I prefer to hear is It’s Doolittle’s 30th
his touring rig: “I haven’t had a new playing on his last album, 2017’s either a Telecaster or a Les Paul!” anniversary too – and the
pedal on my ’board in a long time,” superb Signs, his reasoning seems For tickets and more info on the TG team’s covers band are
he confesses, with a laugh. “I kinda sound enough… Rockin’ The Blues tour visit currently rehearsing this
just stick to the same stuff I’ve “Some people can use just one [Link] one for their next gig!
always used: my Les Paul or guitar and make it sound like WHEn 4 June

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 Monitor
people ✪ news ✪ noise

room and just paints. I do the foreground, I do

Yngwie hasn’t looked back the background. I frame it. Then I take it
since he got his first guitar,
aged just five outside and say, ‘Here’s my painting!’. I don’t
let anyone else put their paintbrush near it.
People might think that’s an egomaniac thing
– no, it’s an artist thing; I’m a creator.”

Riding with the king

“If I could pick any guitarist alive to jam with,
Eric Clapton would be good. Or maybe Eddie
Van Halen; I love that guy but he doesn’t say hi
to me. I don’t really know what he’s doing
these days, so probably Clapton then! I think
the first kind of blues I ever heard was that first
John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers record. And
then what he did later with Cream on songs like
Steppin’ Out was also really good. I’ve never met
him, which is too bad because we’re both Strat
and Ferrari men… he knows the deal, ha ha!”

How to win friends and influence people

“It depends on where you are coming from,
what you want to do and how good you want to
be. What are you aiming for? I’ve found being
focused is a very important thing. There will
always be a lot of bullshit going on in the sides;
the less of that distraction you have the better.
I’m not preaching to anybody, but I don’t drink,
smoke or do anything. I’m clean-living, I
10 wasn’t always, though I have been for the last
15 years. That makes me function at my top
level all the time. I can stay focused through the
distractions. There’s only one way to find
yourself and that’s your own way.”

Break on through (to the other side)

five minutes alone “I’m not sure if I’ve had one major

YnGwie MalMsTeen
breakthrough, but I guess there were some
watershed moments. I started playing the day I
saw Jimi Hendrix on TV and no one taught me
how to do anything. Everybody in my family
Returning this year with Blue Lightning, the shred lord was a musician; they might have shown me a C
chord at one point but that’s about it. I realised I
ponders breakthroughs and misunderstandings could figure it out myself pretty quick and
within days I had some shit already down… at
seven years old! Later on I heard Niccolò
I got my first real six-string… buy me the guitar from my brother and he got a Paganini, who pointed me in a new direction –
“It was a cheap steel-string acoustic that I got Les Paul. Eventually I started to own good to apply virtuoso violin techniques on guitar,
for my fifth birthday. I don’t know the brand guitars, but those were my first.” which had never been done before.”
but I started modifying it – putting a pickup in
there, a whammy bar and all this shit that Say what you want Breaking the bank
totally ruined it. Then a little later, my older “There are quite a few misconceptions about “My most expensive guitar? That’s hard… I
brother realised I was getting pretty good and me. I think some people misunderstand what own the first 10 Fender Strats [produced]
started getting jealous, so he bought a Strat I’m doing; they believe I’m an egomaniac. The during that first year, in March 1954, and all
copy… But he was never home, so I got to play truth is, I’m a very focused person. My way of made by hand. Then later in October, they
the guitar all the time, through his wah pedal creating things is unlike rock ’n’ roll musicians. started to get the equipment to make them by
and all his gear… I was only seven or eight I don’t have a band; I’m not in a band. I look at machine. I have ’55s, ’56s, I have them all, plus
years old! My mum saw this and decided to it more like a painter who locks the door of the a shitload of Les Pauls, Flying Vs and more.
Actually, I’ve been offered a lot of money for

“I’m not preachIng, but I don’t drInk, smoke [prized ’72 Strat] The Duck – it could be that!”
Photo: Austin Hargrave

or do anythIng. I’m clean-lIvIng…” Yngwie Malmsteen’s new album,

BlueLightning, is out now via Mascot

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 Monitor
PeoPLe ✪ news ✪ noise

Using his ambidextrous, tapping-led

style, Felix Martin mixes Venezuelan
folk with jazz and tech metal on
new album Caracas
12

Felix MarTin
Two worlds collide with this ambidextrous folk/metal maestro
nspiration is was always natural for me, it and teachers. The learning to say – reworking his home

I a form of
hope – and
Venezuelan-
born tech
was easier than fingerstyle,
for example.”
While tapping is now more
commonly associated with
process was harder, but at the
same time it helped me be
more creative.”
Listen to new album Caracas
country’s folk at a time of
huge political upheaval.
“Venezuela is going
through a difficult chapter
metaller Felix Martin has metal, the technique has its and you’ll hear a guitarist right now,” says Martin. “This
plenty of it. In his world, you roots in folk and classical finding common ground latest album was inspired
can play two guitars at once. styles the world over – not between influences like Marty after attending many bloody
You can redesign your least Venezuelan folk. Friedman and John Petrucci protests in Caracas in 2017. I
instrument to mirror itself. “The way I learned guitar, and the tapping leads, had to leave to tour and it felt
And you can seamlessly blend especially tapping, was by cascading 6/8 rhythms and really bad to leave my people
Venezuelan folk music with learning the repertoire of local exotic scales of his Venezuelan there, fighting. I wanted to
jazz and tech metal. folk bands while growing up,” forbears. But beyond all that, make something to give
“There are just a lot of new explains Martin. “My town it is a record with something people hope and inspiration.”
possibilities when you play was really small and
two guitars simultaneously,” undeveloped, so I didn’t have For Fans oF Plini, Pomegranate Tiger Gear 16-string Kiesel, 14-string
explains Martin. “Since you access to learning material JP Laplante, Line 6 Helix
don’t overlap fingers, it’s
possible to play different
chord shapes and other “There are jusT a loT of new possibiliTies
techniques that you can’t play
on a regular guitar. Tapping when you play Two guiTars simulTaneously”
ToTal GuiTar june 2019
 on tHE UP
PeoPLe ✪ news ✪ noise

Black PuMas orville Peck

Soul hot-tips preparing to pounce Dark tales and burnished Western dreams
uitarist and co-founder hear - so I tend to palm mute and ou can’t miss Orville Dead Of Night is a fine example of

G of Austin soul outfit

Black Pumas, Adrian
Quesada is a muted
chop things a lot.” Quesada has
previously had professional
associations with Prince and Wu
Y Peck’s fringe-laden
costumery, but his
quivering vocals and
his dreamy country sound
– picturesque but slowly revealing
a darker tale under the rhinestone
player who cuts deep with stilted Tang Clan, forming backing bands Gretsch-powered, reverberating veneer. “I’m a visual person -
chord progressions and room-y for both, so has an ear for Western twang are equally especially when it comes to
Motown-like arrangements. arrangement. His new project distinctive. “All my favourite music,” he adds. “The common
“I like to serve the song and be a therefore ably balances classic soul guitarists, songwriters and country thread for me is certain guitarists’ 13
part of the rhythm section, it’s and folk influences in a post-hip icons treated their guitars like ability to transcend something
infinitely funner to me,” says hop world. When we ask him for extensions of their personas,” says musical to a visual place.
Quesada, who blends both pick some wisdom, he says: “Don’t Peck. “I can’t really picture Johnny Storytelling through sound – that’s
and fingerstyle in his rhythm overplay just to be noticed.” Cash without picturing his Martin. how I approach the music I write.”
playing. “I tend to approach it As a cowboy, my guitar is so much
more like a percussive instrument For Fans oF dan auerbach Gear more than just an instrument. It’s For Fans oF william Tyler
Gibson es-446, Fender deluxe reverb Gear Gretsch G6119T, Fender Tele
- piano or drum sounds are what I like a travelling companion.”

Greys anGelDu$T knuckle

wHo: Shehzaad Jiwani and Cam Graham wHo: Pat McCrory, Brendan Yates, Justice Tripp wHo: Jonny Firth
Photos Merrick Ales, Carlos Santolalla

soUnds LiKe: A solid composite of Fugazi and soUnds LiKe: A talented supergroup (inc. soUnds LiKe: A blues-y, garage rock core,
contemporary post-hardcore compatriots Metz members of Turnstile and Trapped Under Ice) further roughed-up by sandpaper riffs and
Gear: Shehzaad - ’71 Fender Mustang, Music updating classic melodic punk acerbic, witty lyrics
Man HD-130. Cam - Fender Tele Deluxe and Gear: Pat - Jazzmaster. Brendan - Stratocaster. Gear: Fidelity Oxblood Double Standard,
Super Bassman Justice - Telecaster Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

For Fans oF Metz, Jesus Lizard For Fans oF Violent Femmes, all For Fans oF idles, Pulled apart By Horses
Hear These Things Happen Hear Big ass Love Hear Life is Hard when You’re soft inside

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 MONITOR
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

Interview: Joel McIver Photography: Tessa Angus

ME AND MY GUITAR
“At the end of Velvet
3 Revolver’s last tour
in the UK, Reggie sent

DUFF me out a modded Geddy

Lee Jazz bass. It had a
Hipshot Xtender, so I
grabbed that bass for
the Walking Papers tour,

MCKAGAN so I could just Hipshot

between those drop-D
songs and songs with
standard tuning without
switching basses.”
The Guns legend talks through
the evolution of his signature
“We started talking
Fender Deluxe Precision Bass 4 about doing a cross
between my Special and
this bass that I was
playing. Then, when
Guns came back
together [in 2016] I
brought that bass into
the arsenal, and we
“When I started
14
1 playing with
Walking Papers in
started chopping out
what would become this
new signature model. I
2012, they had still use my Jazz Special
recorded part of their on all the Appetite For
first record in Seattle Destruction [1987]
with [singer] Jeff songs and a lot of the
Angell, who is a Use Your Illusion [1991]
Seattle treasure and stuff. On a lot of the
deserves 1
Chinese Democracy
international [2008] songs there’s a
attention. I came in lot of detuning, so we
and played, and there brought the new bass in
were a lot of songs in and I started using it a
drop-D tuning. I lot in our set.”
brought my Fender
Jazz Special, which is
my first signature
model – an amazing
recording bass – and I
was dropping the E 3
string down to D. One
thing led to another
and we went out to do
a tour. At the time I
2
was taking lessons
4
with [legendary
session bassist]
Reggie Hamilton.”

“I wanted to know more about the neck [with my lessons]. My

2 playing was fine: I felt comfortable, and whenever I play live I
play in anger and I dive in, but I wanted to dive deeper into playing
with my fingers on my right hand a bit more, and seeing what that’s Duff McKagan’s new solo album
all about, so I listened to Booker T & The MGs and Donald ‘Duck’ Tenderness is released 31 May via UMC.
Dunn and James Jamerson and Larry Graham. I’m a huge Prince fan, He plays the UK and Ireland in August
too, and I wanted to know how to play like that.” and September

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 Monitor
people ✪ news ✪ noise
Mdou Moctar (pictured
centre): a player with a
dazzling ability to fuse
genres on his first full-band
studio album this year

Back track
16

A GuitArist’s Guide to the Artists You Need to KNow

WesT african
GuiTar
Recent years have seen an upsurge of
worldwide interest in the guitar music start with
emerging from West African Mdou MocTar
Words Stephen Kelly Photo The Washington Post/Getty

countries, particularly Mali and Niger, Ilana: The CreaTor (2019)

where a profusion of cultures in flux

1
has been fertile ground for guitarists Despite his denials to the contrary, if Mdou Moctar doesn’t know what rock
’n’ roll is, then, frankly, neither does Keith Richards. In lesser hands, this
keen to adapt folk traditions for full-throttle hybrid of Afro-psychedelia and blues rock might have stumbled,
modern rock instrumentation. The but it soars: stylistic boundaries blur as Asshet Akal boils over from reggae skank
offerings here range from guitar gods into a call and response between vocalist and guitar, while Inizgam is like a
Saharan Red House in miniature. The centrepiece is Tarhatazed, a sprawling epic of
to jam bands, all of them essential for
locked-down groove and hysterical blues shredding, but even here, Moctar’s
anyone who’s ever wondered if there’s much-feted guitar chops avoid any unfocused noodling. It could have been a
more to life than Smoke On The Water. mess, but the songs are concise and the musicianship tight. And it really does rock.
Recommended track Tarhatazed

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 back track
people ✪ news ✪ noise

then try don’t miss out also recommended

rokia Traoré BoMBino TinariWen
TChaManTChé (2008) noMad (2013) TassIlI (2011)

2 3 4
An ambitiously cross-cultural musician, One of several virtuoso West African An understated but hypnotic sense of
Rokia Traoré follows the local precedent of guitarists lauded with Hendrix groove lies at the heart of Tinariwen’s
melody over chords but forgoes her native comparisons, Bombino can certainly walk sound (“An expression of what we see
Mali’s syncopated fingerpicking in favour of the walk: a serpentine blend of Africanised and feel in the Sahara,” says founding guitarist
Western guitar influences, like Tracy Chapman. funk, blues rock and reggae underlines his Ibrahim Ag Alhabib), with Tassili taking their
Much of Tchamantché is built around the earthy richly detailed playing (which, like many others Grammy-winning, pan-African folk rock down
tone of her ’67 Gretsch Country Gentleman here, he performs pickless), perfected in the a more unplugged path. Imidiwan Ma Tennam
(backed by an accompaniment that includes acid-tinged Santana licks of Azamane Tiliade slowly piles up layers of droning chords and
ngoni, a relative of the banjo), and her voice and Her Tenere. “My objective is to get people percussion into something that would make
drifts across the arpeggiated sinews of Dounia, moving,” he observes, and these songs surely The Grateful Dead blush, while other tracks
Aimer and the title track, at times evoking Billie do that. Shredders like Niamey Jam sit slow things down to a trickle of acoustic
Holiday or White Chalk-era PJ Harvey. Wary of comfortably alongside traditional Berber folk fingerpicking, notably Iswegh Attay and a
the ‘world music’ tag (“Too many things in a covers (Imidiwan), with even the countrified lap funereal Ya Messinagh, complete with snorting
small place,” she says), Traoré’s music is steel of producer Dan Auerbach finding a home New Orleans brass. A force of nature, all the
intimate stuff without borders. without too much fuss (Tamiditine). more remarkable for its gentleness. 17
Recommended track Dounia Recommended track Azamane Tiliade Recommended track Imidiwan Ma Tennam

worth a spin wild card

sonGhoy Blues ali farka Touré & aMadou & MariaM
MusIC In exIle (2015) TouMani diaBaTé reMIxes (2010)
In The hearT of The Moon (2005)
5 7
While the kinship between West Africa Propelled by Amadou Bagayoko’s fluid,
and American blues can be overstated, vibrant guitar lines and an adventurous

6
there’s a whiff of Chicago R&B on this This collaboration between two Malian knack for collaboration, husband and
debut from Mali’s Songhoy Blues: Nick channels legends is an instrumental masterclass wife duo Amadou & Mariam have become
the simmering boogie of players like Magic centred upon acoustic guitar and one of West Africa’s most successful musical
Sam, and Soubour strides out with attitude and a 21-string kora (a kind of West African harp). exports. This collection of dance and hip-
blues rock riff straight from the The Black Keys’ Touré is the straight man here, eschewing hop remixes feels sadly redundant by
songbook. No mere Windy City wannabe, much of his usual flare to lay the acoustic comparison, the grist of their performances
however, lead guitarist Garba Touré weaves groundwork for Diabaté to improvise over, with stripped out and replaced by listless Pro
Arabic colour into the trance-like melodies of mesmerising results: Kala and Mamadou Tools beats. Amadou’s guitar work blazes
Wayei, and his intricate runs complement the Boutiquier’s supple rhythms bring to mind briefly up on La Réalité and Masiteladi, and
accented rhythm of dancefloor numbers Al famous Cuban ballads like Drume Negrita, while while there’s nothing offensive here, there’s
Hassidi Terei and Irganda, the latter having more Ai Ga Bani and Simbo shift tempo with bursts of also little of real interest, particularly for
in common with Afrobeat funk like Fela Kuti skittish, flamenco-style picking that give the those inclined towards six strings.
than any Waters or Wolf. whole album a charming, idiosyncratic flavour. /Recommended track Masiteladi
Recommended track Soubour Recommended track Kala

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 HOW TO WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Drop D-tuned powerchords
Offbeat strumming rhythms
How to change between
time signatures

Get the tone CHANNEL DISTORTION

5
3 3
8
9

GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

Adam Jones is a Gibson Les Paul

devotee, so a guitar equipped with
a bridge position humbucker is a
must to obtain the song’s weighty
drive tone. Live, Jones uses a
multi-amp setup, and, as the
recording features multi-tracked
guitars, emulating the tone
involves a bit of trial and error. If
you have a digital modeller, opt for
a modern high-gain amp such as a
MESA (Jones uses Diezel, Marshall
and MESA amps). A low mixed
chorus or delay effect will help give
an impression of double tracking.

U RO
YO E
Bridge humbucker

ON I D
riff of the month
CD
V

TOOL
Lateralus

W
18 lwk Wrroġv Ľiwk vwxglr doexp iru wkh kl0kdw lq wklv prqwkġv ylghr wr Ilqdoo|/ qrwh wkdw wkh jxlwdu lv wxqhg wr gurs G
uxprxuhg wr eh gursslqj dq| khos zlwk |rxu wlplqj1 Wkh vwduw ri edu 6 lv +GDGJEH, dqg |rxġoo eh sod|lqj wkh rqh0Ľqjhu
wlph vrrq/ zkdw ehwwhu wlph wr hvshfldoo| wrxjk1 srzhufkrug vkdshv vr frpprq lq wklv wxqlqj1
wdnh d orrn dw rqh ri wkh edqgġv Wkh odvw fkrug lq edu 5 ulqjv rxw ryhu wkh
ehvw0nqrzq wudfnv Ğ Dgdp grzqehdw vr lwġv qrw wkdw hdv| wr klw wkh J8 CHEAT SHEET…
Mrqhvġ ulļ iurp 5334ġv Lateralus. fkrug wkdw frphv qh{w edqj rq1 Dv zh vd|/ wu| Appears at= 4=4604=5<
W|slfdoo| ri Wrro/ wkh uk|wkp iru wklv ulļ dqg olvwhq rxw iru wkh rqehdw kl0kdw Ğ |rxġoo Tempo= 4:7esp +hljkwk qrwh sxovh,
lv frpsoh{/ iroorzlqj wzr eduv ri <2; dqg Ľqg lwġv hdvlhu wr mdp dorqj zlwk rxu vorz Key/scale= G plqru
rqh ri 92;1 Li |rx vwuxjjoh wr frxqw wkh sxovh sod|0wkurxjk dqg ohduq e| ihho wkdq wr jhw Main techniques= Srzhufkrugv2
ri wkh pxvlf zkloh vwuxpplqj/ olvwhq rxw wrr dqdo|wlfdo1 rļehdw uk|wkpv

O O O X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

1
5

3 4 1 1 1 1
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty

3 3 3 3 4
D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E
D5 D5 F5 G5 C5
These are all powerchords. That means there’s no 3rd interval giving the happy harmony of major chords or the sad feel of the minor variety – just a solid rock and metal sound.
Two shapes feature in the riff: the one-finger shape played on the three bass strings; and the more standard shape played on the third, fourth and fifth strings.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 HOW TO
GETTING
STARTED WITH…
DADGAD
TUNING
Get some basics covered WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
with TG’s lesson on this How to tune your guitar to DADGAD
One easy strummed rhythm part

staple altered tuning An authentic fingerstyle folk line

“Another altered tuning this month then…” “How do I tune to DADGAD?”

We’re looking at DADGAD here, a fairly easy Take a look at the boxout on the right. You’ll see DAD-ROCK…
tuning to understand because, unlike drop D or wkdw#|rx#rqo|#qhhg#wr#uhwxqh#|rxu#jxlwduġv#Ľuvw/# A GUIDE TO RETUNING YOUR
open G, its name tells you the notes you’ll be second and sixth strings, provided you’re GUITAR TO DADGAD
tuning to – which is pretty handy! You’ll be starting in standard that is. The other three
changing your standard tuned guitar’s strings strings are the same in both tunings so you can 1 STANDARD TUNING NOTES
(E, A, D, G, B and E notes from the lowest note leave them as they are. You’ll need to tune the In standard tuning the open strings are:
to the highest) to D, A, D, G, A and D. strings in question down by two semitones. EADGBE
“Why not just stick to standard tuning?” “I’m getting there, but it’s not very 2 DADGAD NOTES
It’s all about experimenting. Changing your accurate. What’s the secret?” In DADGAD tuning the notes are (obvious, right?):
guitar’s tuning means all those chord shapes Use a tuner. It’s not cheating! Even pros need
20
you spent hours learning have new sounds. help to tune up accurately, so either buy a
DADGAD
Jamming around shapes you already know is an hardware device or download a tuner app for 3 ADJUST THE SIXTH, SECOND AND
easy route to creative playing, so, if you need your phone. There are countless free ones. FIRST STRINGS
inspiration, just give DADGAD a go. Three of the notes are the same in both tunings,
so there are three strings to retune; all three go
“Got it! Shall we play some music?” down by two semitones.
“Do lots of players use DADGAD?” Orrn#dw#rxu#Ľuvw#wde#h{dpsoh1#Wkhuhġv#mxvw#rqh#
Sure! The tuning was popularised in the 60s by chord shape here. DADGAD’s open strings give DADGA D
folk guitarists Davey Graham, Bert Jansch and a rich sound as you move the chord around the
John Renbourn amongst others. Famous songs fretboard. It’s a typical DADGAD kind of sound. 4 TAKE IT EASY…
Gradually ease the tension from your
by other artists include Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir
guitar’s first, second an
nd sixth
and Black Mountain Side, Ed Sheeran’s “How about the second example?” string tuners. Each of th
hese
Photograph and Pink Floyd’s Poles Apart. Ben Wklv#lv#d#vorz#Ľqjhuvw|oh#olqh/#ghvljqhg#wr#khos# strings needs to go dow wn by
Howard used DADGAD on In Dreams and more you get to grips with some new shapes. two semitones – the same as
extensively on 2018’s Noonday Dream album. If Experimentation is the name of the game so let two frets. The third, fou
urth and
fifth strings are the sam
me
you want an authentic folky acoustic sound, |rxu#Ľqjhuv#uxq#zlog#dqg#wu|#rxw#qhz#fkrugv# notes in both standard
DADGAD’s for you! dqg#Ľqjhuslfnlqj#sdwwhuqv1 and DADGAD.

1 STRUMMED CHORDS TRACKS 07-08 2 FOLK FINGERSTYLE TRACKS 09-10

q = 66
q = 85
G/B C sus 2 D sus 4 D m add11 D add 11 G 5/D N.C. D 7sus 4 D6 G sus 2

.. ... .. .. 2
4

1
3
..
œ ..
1 1

4
œ
let ring throughout
T
D
A . 020 0
3
0
3
0
5
0
5
0
5
0
5
0
8
0
8
0
9
0 0
9 10 . T
D
. 5 4
.
. 02 .
A 3 2 0
. .
G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 G 2 2 0 0
D 0
B A
D
3 3 5 5 5 5 8 8 9 9 10
5 B A

≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥≥≤ ≥≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ D 0
p i m a
0
p i m a
5
p i m a m

There’s only one shape here so practise moving it around the fretboard before you Learn the chords before attempting to pick the strings. The first four notes held
try strumming the rhythm. Play slowly until you get a feel for the music. down together make up the D7sus4 chord, the second four notes form the D6.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 HOW TO WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
The structure of the major scale
Chords to use to stay ‘in key’
One simple major scale lick

WHAT THE F?
MAJOR KEY K
ey signatures help musicians by telling us which notes we’ll
eh#xvlqj#lq#wkh#vrqjv#zh#sod|1#Ri#frxuvh/#pxvlf#lv#lqĽqlwho|#
complex, and many, perhaps most, songs use notes from

SIGNATURES
Get the major key basics down before
outside their keys. So ‘why bother at all?’ you might ask!
Well, though rarely painting a full picture, a key signature
keeps you focused on things like the song’s root note and the chords you
might encounter. Think of a key signature as a safe, predictable sound.
Then it’s up to you to decide how to introduce other more colourful notes
you move out of key to add more colour from outside the key. Read on and we’ll explain more.

1 C MAJOR SCALE NOTES

Zlwk#qr#wulfn|#vkdus#ru#ľdw#qrwhv#wr#zruu|#derxw/#F#pdmru#lv#wkh#
easiest place to start – all the notes in the key signature and the gaps 1 1 1 1 1 1
7 2
(aka ‘intervals’) between them are shown here. Simple! If you play
any other note (say, B b#ru#I&,#wkhq#|rxġuh#whfkqlfdoo|#rxwvlgh#ri#wkh#F# 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1
pdmru#nh|#vljqdwxuh#dqg#|rx#pd|#eh#sod|lqj#d#Ġprghġ1
3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3
4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C major scale C major scale

C D E F G A B C
Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone
To play in a major key you need to know the major scale – and these two shapes will help
you get started. It’s fine to use notes from outside the key in your music, but it’s best to
22 know how and when you’re doing it so you can create the sounds in your mind.

2 CHORDS IN C MAJOR

X G B E X X D E G E X X E D G B X A G X X

C F C F C

E A B E A B E B A

C D F G G F D

Cmaj7 Dm7 Em7 Fmaj7 G7 Am7 Bm7b5

We usually show finger numbers on chord boxes in TG, but, for this lesson, it’s more important to see the notes that are used. These chords only use notes from the C major
scale, which means you can safely use them and stay ‘in key’. Once again, notes from outside the key will add colour, but the art is knowing when to go in and out of key.

3 C MAJOR LICK TRACKS 11-12

3

q = 90 q q =q q

..
C
.. ..
3 2
4 1 3 2
3
1
1 3

T . .
¿ 5 7 5 5
8 8 5

B
. 10 10 10 7 9
10
9 10 10 9 7
10 10 10 10
7 9
10
7
.
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤
Inspired by The 1975 and staying in C major throughout, this guitar part is backed up by the other instruments – both the bass and synth stick to C major too. It gives you a
steady, predictable sound and you could easily jam along to the backing track using the C major scale as the basis for your improvs. Next month, we'll head out of key!

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

24

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 rig tour
Words Michael Astley-Brown Photography Olly Curtis
slfnxs0vzlwfkhuv dqg Lġyh
removed the tone knob, and
Lġyh#mxvw#zluhg#wkhp#lq#wkh#
middle position. I have one
fdsrġg#lqwr#srvlwlrq/#exw#lwġv#
doo#vwdqgdug#wxqlqj>#wkhuhġv#
one song called You Moved
Away where the low E is tuned
xs#wr#dq#I/#mxvw#ehfdxvh#wkhuhġv#
d#kdug#fkrug#yrlflqj1#Lġp#75#
|hduv#rog>#Lġyh#rqo|#mxvw#
realised you can change the
tuning to make it easier to
sod|#vwxļ$Ĥ#

FANO ALT DE FACTO PX6 &

NOVO SERUS J
2 2 Dave Depper: “This is the
2 sort of non-reverse
Iluhelug jxlwdu wkdw Lġyh ehhq
playing. I also have this lovely
Novo Serus J that Denis Fano
himself built for me, and I put
Lollar Firebird pickups in it to
match the PX6s.
“On the last tour, I had six
glļhuhqw hohfwulf jxlwduv rxw/
and then all the pedals would
1 3 uhvsrqg glļhuhqwo| wr wkhp/
and I kind of got in over my 25

DEATH CAB
khdg zlwk doo wkdw vwxļ/ vr L
just wanted a very consistent
wklqj wr exlog rļ ri1 Dqg
that guitar is the perfect one
for me, because in the neck

FOR CUTIE
position, those Firebird
pickups can do a very
convincing bell-like Strat kind
ri vrxqg1 Dovr/ wkh plggoh
position, you get that lovely
out-of-phase thing. But the
As the indie-rock heroes embrace a digital future, we find bridge pickup breaks up just
like a Gibson with the
an analogue theme to their triple-pronged guitar attack kxpexfnhu1 Lwġv olnh d Vzlvv
dup| nqlih ri d jxlwdu1Ĥ

GUITARS RICKENBACKER 12

W
hen we arrive at o|ulfdo#derxw#wkh#ehqhĽwv#ri wkhlu
indie-rock titans new setups and the integration of ’70S FENDER MUSTANGS Dave: ģWkhuhġv vrph
Death Cab For
Cutie’s sold-out
their existing analogue gear, they
apologise for the lack of visual 1 3
Ben Gibbard: “I got a
Mustang in a trade, and I
450vwulqj vwxļ/ dqg Lġyh
been using this Rick; it
show at Bristol’s appeal. “Whether it’s Fractal or just really liked that the neck actually belongs to Ben. I play
O2 Academy, Kemper, the one thing they do not was so easy to move around it on Crooked Teeth and What
we’re told not to photograph any of have going for them is they are not on; it was very similar to the Sarah Said1Ĥ
the Fender Deluxe combos that line sexy-looking,” Ben laughs. “We Fender Bullet I played when
the stage. Why? Turns out they’re could bring a bunch of cool-looking the band started, so I found RICKENBACKER 330
dummies, and the band – which and unique collectable amps on my hands moving around the Dave: ģLġp mxvw xvlqj lw
includes Mustang-toting frontman
Ben Gibbard, gearhead six-stringer
tour with us, but that really would
just be for the sake of the people
neck in a similar fashion as I
did in some of the older
4 for the song Gold Rush,
ehfdxvh lwġv lq rshq I1 Wkdw
Dave Depper and multi- who knew what they were!” material and that re-inspired vrqj zdv wkh Ľuvw vlqjoh/
instrumentalist Zac Rae – have Fortunately, there’s plenty of me to play more guitar. and there were a ton of
made the leap to Fractal Audio’s drool-worthy gear between the trio ģL kdyh d ľhhw ri ġ:3v/ promotional appearances and
Axe-Fx. Although the trio wax to sate your rig lust… maple-necked Mustangs vwxļ/ dqg lw mxvw vhhphg hdvlhu
zkhuh Lġyh wdnhq rxw wkh to have a guitar dedicated to

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 rig tour
5
4

26

playing that song. It responds ģWkh Md}}pdvwhu L riwhq light, they play really well, they
uhdoo| zhoo wr volgh1Ĥ leave in a double drop-D tuning; I 7 vrxqg#juhdw1Ĥ
Ľqg zkhq |rxġuh sod|lqj lq d
CUSTOM-MADE group with other guitar players, it FENDER VILLAGER
JAZZMASTER & JAGUAR jlyhv |rx vrph glļhuhqw yrlflqjv/ 12-STRING
Zac Rae: ģWkh|ġuh erwk idnhv1 L and that can be helpful to avoid Zac: “It has that weird
5 glg wkh Ľuvw |hdu ru vr rq wkh
urdg zlwk p| ġ94 Md}}pdvwhu dqg
piling up too much in the exact
same range. The Jaguar is
8 signature Fender hockey stick
headstock, like their electric
ġ98 Mdjxdu dqg ghflghg wkdw wkh| wxqhg vwdqgdug1Ĥ 450vwulqjv1#Lw#sod|v#uhdoo|#zhoo/#dqg#
should not be subject to the rigours sounds very good plugged in,
of touring, and I went to great GIBSON J-45 which is what you need on a stage
pains to reproduce them for this. Ben: ģLġyh kdg wkrvh iru 45/ 46 jxlwdu1#Prvw#ri#wkh#wlph#wkdw#Lġp#
Wkh eodfn Md}}pdvwhu lv dq PMW
body and neck, and it has Curtis
6 years – I got them when we put
out Plans1 Dqg Lġyh kdg wkrvh vdph
sod|lqj#wkdw/#Lġp#xvlqj#wkh#gluhfw#
vrxqg#ri#lw/#exw#Lġp#dovr#prghoolqj#
Novak pickups in it, which are wzr zlwk ph hyhu vlqfh1 Dw krph/ L it through an amp to create almost
actually copies of the Wide Range have the acoustics I love to play a doubled electric rhythm part and
humbucker but built inside the and would not want to take out, but dfrxvwlf#uk|wkp#sduw1Ĥ
fdvlqjv ri Md}}pdvwhu slfnxsv1 Dqg wkhvh duh zrunkruvhv1 Wkhuhġv d
like many people, I use the Mastery
bridge and tremolo systems.
“The Shell Pink Jaguar is a
E0Edqg suhdps lq erwk1Ĥ

FENDER PM-2E PARLOR

AMPS
FRACTAL AXE-FX II XL+
relatively new clone I picked up, Dave: “Fender sent us a couple Dave: “It became apparent
and that body and neck was made
e| Jxlwdu Ploo> L fdqġw uhphpehu
7 of their new parlour guitars to
try out when we were recording,
9 that it would be a really
good way of translating the
what the pickups are. But that is and I was just blown away by the vshflĽf#jxlwdu#wrqhv#lq#wkh#vwxglr#
wired like the Johnny Marr Jaguar, direct sound of them, which is the wr#wkh#olyh#vkrz1#Zhġyh#dovr#kdg#d#
with the four-way sliding switch only thing that matters in an lot of consistency issues with
lqvwhdg ri wkh Ľggo| olwwoh vzlwfkhv1 hqylurqphqw olnh wklv1 Wkh|ġuh amps, and we just realised it

TOTAL GUITAR NOVEMBER

JUNE 2019 2015
 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

“THE FENDER VILLAGER SOUNDS VERY

GOOD PLUGGED IN, WHICH IS WHAT
YOU NEED ON A STAGE GUITAR”
zrxog#eh#dpd}lqj#wr#kdyh#wkh# have hyper-extreme settings to
exact consistent sound from mimic a lot of the tones on the last
qljkw#wr#qljkw1Ĥ uhfrug/#vshflĽfdoo|#rfwdyh#vkliwv#
Ben: “I was probably the dqg#jxlwduprqlhv1Ĥ
most reticent, but all I really
wanted was the way my Supro at
home sounds, with real pedals, BEN’S
and once we got that dialled, it was
olnh/#ĠRk#|hdk/#zhġuh#qhyhu#jrlqj#
PEDALBOARD
edfnġ1#Lġp#jodg#zh#zhqw#lq#wklv# EARTHQUAKER DISPATCH
direction, although initially I was a MASTER & EVENTIDE
olwwoh#elw#ri#d#oxgglwh1Ĥ TIMEFACTOR 9
Dave:#ģLw#zdvqġw#olnh#soxj0dqg0 “One of my default tones is
play instant success, either; it was
weeks and months of dialling in
10 a reverb with a slight bit of
delay, just to give a little bit of
wkh#vrxqgv/#exw#zh#jrw#wkhuh1Ĥ roominess, and that pedal just on
Zac: ģPlqhġv#prvwo|#vhw#wr#mxvw#d# its own is the perfect blend of
typical Blackface Fender kind of those two things.
sound, with a few weirder things “The Eventides do not do
iru#vshflĽf#vrqjv/#olnh#zhlug# zhoo#zlwk#^wudyho`#Ğ#|rxġuh#lq#
k|shu0vwhuhr#h{djjhudwhg#hļhfwv# Nruhd/#qrz#|rxġuh#lq#Dxvwudold#Ğ#
dqg#gluhfw#ix}}1Ĥ and it would just freak out at
Dave:#ģLġp#prghoolqj#d#Klzdww# random times. Not only did I want
with a lot of headroom the whole d#uhyhue#wkdwġv#qrw#grlqj#wkdw/#exw#
time, and that closely emulates also that I had a delay pedal in the
wkh#Gu#]#Pd}#6;/#zklfk#L#zdv#xvlqj# Dispatch Master that I could use as
the last tour cycle. Like Zac, there a delay in case the TimeFactor
duh#d#ihz#vshflĽf#sdwfkhv#zkhuh#L# zhqw#grzq$Ĥ

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 rig tour
14

15

13
10

12

11

STRYMON BLUESKY mxvw#iru#jdlq1#Li#zhġuh#uhfruglqj/#

ģL#Ľqdoo|#zhqw#wr#wkh# zhġuh#xvlqj#uhdo#dpsv/#ru#li#
11 Strymon reverb after the
last tour, because Dave had been
zhġuh#xvlqj#wkh#D{h0I{/#lwġv#mxvw#
nice to be able to make a little
using it, and I had been using an wzhdn>#li#Lġp#qrw#ihholqj#lwġv#
Eventide reverb along with the breaking up enough, I can just
28 delay, and it just was taking up a rshq#lw#xs1Ĥ
orw#ri#urrp#rq#wkh#shgdoerdug1Ĥ

ZVEX BOX OF ROCK & DAVE’S

XOTIC BB PREAMP
“The Box Of Rock is a great
PEDALBOARD
12 pedal, but I found it was a
little dark. The big distortion was a
XOTIC SP COMPRESSOR
“The Xotic SP Compressor
little bit murky, so the BB pedal
has been doing all the big
16 has been my go-to
compressor for years and years
glvwruwlrq#vwxļ1#Dqg#wkhvh#dfwxdoo|# dqg#|hduv1#Lw#zdv#wkh#Ľuvw#
layer pretty well; you can use the compressor pedal that I found that
yellow side of the Box Of Rock, the allowed you to blend in the dry
16
overdrive side, with the BB, and with the compressed signal, so I
wkh|#gr#jdlq#xs#udwkhu#qlfho|1Ĥ just have it on a low compression
setting, blend it in about noon. It
ELECTRO-HARMONIX just adds a nice little bit of
17
MICRO POG vklpphu#wr#wkh#jxlwdu1#Lwġv#rq#<:#
ģPrvw#ri#wkh#vrqjv#Lġp# shu#fhqw#ri#wkh#wlph1Ĥ
13 using it on are just for any
big delay swells, just to give it ARC EFFECTS
dqrwkhu#glphqvlrq1Ĥ KLONE V2
“My favourite pedal of all 18
MXR STEREO CHORUS
“The chorus is used a lot on
17 time is a very accurate – or
vr#Lġp#wrog#Ğ#idfvlploh#ri#wkh#Norq#
14 I Dreamt We Spoke Again and
Summer Years. On some of the new
Fhqwdxu/#zklfk#lv#d#shgdo#Lġyh#
qhyhu#dfwxdoo|#sod|hg#wkurxjk>#Lġyh#
record, Thank You For Today, we just heard the myths and legends.
ohdq#d#olwwoh#pruh#rq#fkruxv1Ĥ Lwġv#p|#jr0wr#orz0jdlq#shgdo1#L#ulgh#
wkh#jdlq#nqre#iurp#derxw#43#shu#
ZVEX SUPER-DUPER fhqw#wr#durxqg#73#shu#fhqw1#L#wklqn#
HARD-ON anyone who plays a Centaur will
ģLġp#frplqj#lqwr#wkh# whoo#|rx#lwġv#qrw#dpd}lqj#dw#
15 Vxshu0Gxshu#Kdug0Rq# high-gain sounds; it gets a little

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE

NOVEMBER
2019 2015
 DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

19

21
20 22

thin. But up to about medium

jdlq/#L#oryh#wkdw1Ĥ ZAC’S
XOTIC BB PREAMP PEDALBOARD
“My main medium-to-high-gain STRYMON BRIGADIER
sound is the pedal Ben mentioned ģLwġv#edvlfdoo|#iru#lqĽqlwh#
hduolhu#^vhh#45`/#wkh#[rwlf#EE1#
Exw#]df#khoshg#ph#ulj#wklv#xs>#lwġv#
20 vxvwdlq2ihhgedfn>#lwġv#iru#
jrlqj/#ĠZrs#zrs#zrs#zrs#zrsġ$Ĥ
29

lq#wkh#hļhfwv#orrs#ri#wkh#D{h0I{#
xqlw/#vr#lwġv#dfwxdoo|#lq#wkh#udfn1#Zh# BOSS PS-3
took it apart and removed the PITCH-SHIFTER/DELAY
vzlwfk#iurp#lw#vr#lw#zrxog#Ľw# “This is my all-time
klgghq#lq#wkh#udfn1Ĥ 21 favourite pedal I use for a
ihz#glļhuhqw#vrxqgv1#Wkhuhġv#d#
AXE-FX MFC-101 ľxwwhu|#vkruw#uhyhuvh#hfkr#wkdw#lv#
CONTROLLER yhu|#sduwlfxodu>#wkhuhġv#vrphwklqj#
“It took me a while to about how the pedal responds for
18 be convinced that I could
part with the Strymon TimeLine
nlqg#ri#dpelhqw#hļhfwv#wkdw#L#xvh#
wkdw#iru1#Wkhuhġv#dovr#wklv#jolwfk|#
and BigSky, which are my way it does short delays I use when
bread-and-butter pedals at we play You Are A Tourist to emulate
home, but I got very close with wkh#hļhfwv#Fkulv#^Zdood/#ruljlqdo#
wkh#Iudfwdo#D{h0I{1#Lwġv#suhww|# DCFC guitarist] did in the studio
dpd}lqj#zkdw#|rx#fdq#gr#zlwk#dq# with a Lexicon rack or something
expression pedal hooked up to the – these kind of glitchy delays that
Fractal, and assign it to basically vwduw#wkh#vrqj#dqg#uhrffxu1Ĥ
whatever parameter you want.
Vr#lwġv#rshqhg#xs#d#zkroh#qhz# CATALINBREAD MANX
world for me in terms of delays LOAGHTAN
dqg#uhyhuev1Ĥ ģLwġv#dq#hpxodwlrq#ri#wkh#

SUSTAIN PEDAL
22 Udpġv#Khdg#Elj#Pxļ/#exw#
uhsodfhv#wkh#Elj#Pxļġv#vlqjoh#wrqh#
“One of the things I missed control with a treble and bass
19 most about not having the control, which sounds better with
Strymon pedals is you can step on
the left-most switch, and it goes
the type of pickups I use. I use that
iru#elj#ix}}|#wklqjv#rq#The New “I DECIDED MY ’61 JAZZMASTER AND
Year and Bixby Canyon Bridge1Ĥ
lqwr#wkh#vhoi0rvfloodwlrq#lqĽqlwh#
orrs1#Dqg#vr#L#kdyh#wkh#vxvwdlq#
pedal doing the exact same thing in Thank You For Today is out now
’65 JAGUAR SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT
wkh#D{h0I{1Ĥ via Atlantic Records TO THE RIGOURS OF TOURING”
JANUARY
JUNE 2019
2017 TOTAL GUITAR
 bringing the funk
Mark Lettieri has
performed alongside the
likes of Erykah Badu, Nelly
and Dave Chapelle

30

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 THE INTERVIEW

Mark
Words Amit Sharma / Photography Olly Curtis

31

Lettieri
The Snarky Puppy virtuoso looks back on the
lessons and experiences that have made him one
of the masters of contemporary funk fusion…

M
ark Lettieri’s CV alongside Eminem, Snoop Dogg, the road on either side of the pond and
reads a bit like 50 Cent, David Crosby and Xzibit, as Ľoolqj#xs#klv#gldu|#wkurxjk#wr#
make-believe. well as playing in the house band for Fkulvwpdv/#kdylqj#nlfnhg#rļ#534<#
Beyond winning the Marcus & Joni Show, a Christian touring through Japan, Australia and
Grammys in fusion variety programme that gets broadcast New Zealand. Here, the busiest man in
collective Snarky to over 200 countries. He is most funk not called Nile Rodgers gives TG a
Puppy and fronting his own trio, the ghĽqlwho|#qrw#|rxu#dyhudjh#jxlwdu# run through the secrets behind those
Californian-born, Texas-based 35 player. This year, he’s already released zdwhuwljkw#uk|wkpv#dqg#Ľqjhu0
year-old has performed with the likes new music in Snarky Puppy’s twisting chromatic leads, explaining
of Erykah Badu, Nelly and Dave Immigrance and solo album Deep: The how discipline and versatility helped
Chappelle. He’s appeared on tracks Baritone Sessions – both bands hitting get him to where he stands today…

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 mark lettieri

A lot of your playing comes down to

feel and playing in the ‘pocket’. How
exactly did you hone in on that?
“You know what’s interesting? I think
most of my time-feel came from
playing to records rather than practising
to a metronome. I did that every now
and then, but mostly it was just learning
parts from R&B and soul albums. I
would learn the guitar parts and play
along to the record as close to possible
– I think doing that is what could really
help people. To give you a blanket
answer, any Stevie Wonder, Prince, Sly
And The Family Stone or James Brown
would work well for this. Especially
James Brown, that stuff is like going to
the gym for funk guitar!”

Is that how you warm up for shows?

“Honestly, I don’t really warm up before
shows… sometimes I don’t even have
time to. If it’s my own gig, I’m usually
running around trying to make sure all
the other logistical things are ready to
roll, then I just pick up the guitar and
hopefully it will sound the same as it did
at the end of soundcheck. There’s a
Prince song called Lady Cab Driver and if
32 you can nail the guitar parts on that, it
will be great for you. There are two “that was pretty cool,
stereo parts, one doing a certain voicing
and the other doing a similar thing. hearing my guitar
behind snoop dogg!”
Train your ear to hear them separately,
dig in and play it like the record. You can
sound like Prince, though it’ll never feel
exactly like him. There’s also the James
Brown tune Super Bad; during the B above there’s a restraint involved, it’s all about their own language that I respond to.
section it goes to the four chord and the With so many of not doing more than what the song They also respond different to what I do.
guitar plays this little screwed-up single them playing at once needs. That’s the kind of approach that But a solo like that, because it’s so open,
in Snarky Puppy,
note line… to play it just like the record, Mark says he has to will see things come together.” the main thing is to keep the audience
that will take some serious discipline. be really specific in interested. The contrast or question and
It’ll be good for your right hand because what he plays It seems to be working for Snarky answer stuff is done on purpose because
you are just focusing on one string, but Puppy, who you joined in 2008… I want to keep people on their toes about
listen out to the dynamics being used “Playing in that band, I have to be really what might happen next. I might play a
– that’s a big part of funk playing.” specific in what I play – there’s so much blues phrase, then play it again but
going on and a lot of people playing at adding some chromatic tones – similar
A lot of funk guitar comes from a the same time. Whatever I play has to but different – in order to move things
more restrained place, ultimately fit in the right spot, not just in the forward in the arc of the solo. Then
serving the song… arrangement, but in the groove. We’ve maybe I’ll switch to a rhythm thing, I do
“Yes, though I wouldn’t say those parts all probably studied the same stuff, so that a lot on that particular solo, where I
are simple – and they’re not co all coming from the same place mix in a lot of chordal stuff. I find when
either. What they are is very we groove together. A lot of my you are playing with drummers that
accurate and straight. Sometim ying comes from playing off the great, you want to play rhythms not
they don’t change. You might rummer, even my soloing…” solo! I try not to make it too showy,
have a guy on a track playing a though it should be entertaining in
ninth chord for seven What About Me? feels like a some respect. I’d rather see one
minutes. If you have the good example of that – lead simple part played tastefully and funky
discipline to do that, that’s playing with rhythm in than something complex that drags,
how you learn to play in the mind perhaps even more rushes and shifts.”
pocket – it’s much harder to han melody…
nail the rhythmic side without efinitely – and whichever Since then, you’ve also shared the
that kind of discipline. I think mmer I’m playing with will have stage or played on tracks with some

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

of the biggest names in hip-hop and
soul. How exactly did that happen?
“There’s an interesting story behind all
of these. Erykah Badu is a local Dallas
artist, she grew up here and always had
her band based out here. I’ve been
working with her in the live arena for a
frxsoh#ri#|hduv#qrz/#rq#dqg#rļ/#lq#dqg#
out of tours. Through her is how the
Snoop Dogg thing happened, her band
leader RC Williams has his own band
called RC & The Gritz. He used to play
with Snoop Dogg, so when he was
pdnlqj#klv#Ľuvw#uhfrug/#kh#jrw#Vqrrs#lq#
to spit a couple of verses on a tune that I
played on called That Kinda Girl. That was
pretty cool, hearing my guitar behind
Snoop Dogg! When I was 11, I never
would have thought I would end up oh my grosh
playing on a track with him. I don’t even Mark's “dream Strat” was custom-built for
him by boutique luthier Don Grosh
know if I was allowed to play his music
when I was that age!”
luthier for quite some time now. I think
Was it similar with Eminem? he was with Valley Arts or something
“Sure, I worked with a producer called S1 like that way back in the day but he’s
zkr#kdv#grqh#vwxļ#iru#Eh|rqfË/# had his own company for quite a while
Madonna, loads of people. I don’t even
think he knew where this track would
end up being placed, maybe he did, but I
SOUL POWER now. I emailed Don explaining I played
in this band called Snarky Puppy and for
whatever reason seemed really
certainly didn’t. I came over to his and
Mark Lettieri talks TG through infatuated by his guitars even though 33
did this song in about 15 minutes, it his favourite pedals, including I’d only played one or two of them.
really was that quick. We plugged the They were great but I felt he could make
guitar straight into the computer and I his signature overdrive… me something that was awesome. So I
don’t even think there was a sound… I put in an order and he built me this
“The thing I’m most proud of right now is the pedal I
was playing dry! He put a plug-on on dream Strat and that’s been my main
designed with J. Rockett Audio called The Melody. That
the loop and then told me a couple of comes out with me all the time and remains on all the guitar for a long time. People think it’s a
weeks later that my guitar would be on time. It’s an overdrive with a six-band EQ, so I can tailor Fender because the headstocks are
50 Cent’s record with Adam Levine it to any guitar, amp or room. It’s not quite my do-it-all kinda similar.”
singing the chorus and Eminem doing overdrive; it certainly can do most of it. I also have the
the verses. I was like, ‘What?!’. In just 15 Keeley Monterey, which is like a multi-effects unit but And you have no shortage of
minutes I managed to kill three birds not in a crazy digital way. It has rotary, uni-vibe, boutique amps too, blending the
with one stone. That’s how a lot of envelope, octave and fuzz all in one box – it’s really sounds of Pure Sixty Four, Naylor,
session work happens these days, so flexible; you can get all sorts of sounds of it. I’ve been Supro and vintage Fenders…
playing the Pigtronix Octava quite a lot recently. It’s an
much is done remotely that I don’t “The one I use live is a Supro Statesman,
octave up, so if you listen to the new Snarky record, the
know what happens to the tracks after which is a 50-watt head and a 2x12 cab. I
guitar solo on Chonks is that. That’s actually the Octava
they leave my computer or after I leave and the Melody at the same time, a great example of record with that one as well, but my
the producer’s house. S1 is constantly two of my favourite pedals behaving well together! studio setup tends to be more involved,
writing, producing and submitting “Surprisingly, I don’t really use compressor pedals at least amp-wise. I usually plug in at
tracks that end up on big records. I much – but of course, I have some that I’ve used least two amps at a time. I have a record
suredeo|#qhhg#wr#jr#edfn#dqg#Ľqg# occasionally. There’s a really nice one called the RAF coming out later this year that had
these things!” Mirage and there’s this other one that came in the other stereo guitars, either the Naylor and the
day called the Walrus Deep Six. But generally, I don’t use Supro, or the Supro and the Pure Sixty
Your main guitar is a Grosh. How did them unless the session absolutely requires one in-line. Four. Though sometimes it was the Pure
The main compressor I use is my fingers! The way I play
you first find out about such a niche Sixty Four and the Naylor… ha ha! So I
uses a type of strumming that uses the fingernail to hit
and boutique brand? the string right before I strum down. It hits the string guess I like to have everything turned on
“I got pinged to him through a mutual right before the pick does. You get this, not quite delay, and then when we’re mixing the tracks,
friend of mine. I was in the market for but sag to the note, which I think is what makes people we’ll either blend the amps or use one.
something that was like a boutique think I’m using a compressor when I’m not. It’s almost The Statesman has found itself on stage
Strat. The Fender I had at the time was like a pillow for my pick. Someone pointed it out at a at pretty much every gig. It records great
great but there were a couple of things clinic I did at the Musician’s Institute, I didn’t even know too, it has characteristics of both the
about it that I felt could be more precise I was doing it… Maybe it developed from trying to get a Pure 64 and the Naylor. It’s very reliable
or generally cooler. Don Grosh builds his really even sound without a compressor, I guess I and takes pedals really well too… all my
guitars in Colorado; he’s been a boutique figured out a way to do it without a pedal.” amps are really good at that.”

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 understand why are you playing all
these random notes?!’ I guess he didn’t
get it and I was a little too far outside for
him… ha ha!”

Any parting advice for all the session

hopefuls out there?
“There are two sides to it. The first is the
artistic and musical side. If you want to
do session or freelance work where you
get called upon to do a number of
different styles, you have to study those
styles. When you do, make sure you
listen to it beyond the notes. Listen to
the feel. Learn the differences in how a
rock guitarist plays a chord and how a
country musician plays a chord…
because they exist! It’s in the tone, feel,
timing that goes beyond just learning
the notes. Know why it sounds the way
it does. Heck, learn what gear was being
used if you really want to go that deep…
it’s all about the nuances. Of course, no

“listen to it beyond the one can do everything perfectly, but you

can be convincing at least. I can do an

notes. listen to the feel”

R&B session and then be a relatively
convincing country player later that day.
I’m not Brent Mason of course, but I’ll
get the job done.
34 You occasionally use your vibrato above around in that scale and find those “On the business side. if you show up
arm to glide between different Mark Lettieri has no outside notes, even just a flat five, and on time, have a good attitude and come
shortage of boutique
chords. What’s the secret to this? build another picture off that. I try to prepared – you can work in the music
amps. For his studio
“I have to give credit where it’s due, I setup he usually make it sound unusual, but not to the business. You really can. For guitar
saw a video of Phil Keaggy, a guitar plugs in at least point where I can’t bring it back in or players that have the chops, forget
player in Nashville, doing a similar two at a time lose people who might not like that about that for five seconds and go meet
thing. I had to go back and watch several stuff. The day I learned you could play some people. Get off your computer or
times to figure out how he was making the half-whole diminished scale over a phone, go to a jam session, introduce
that sound. He was doing it with other 7#9 chord, I felt like I’ t your butt kicked
voices but I noticed if there’s one finger a jazz guitarist! It’s si me back next week to
that stays put, then that’s how you can but became a big part t all again. That’s just
do the trick. So in terms of the right my phrasing. I ow things happen.
hand, I’ll play the chord, push the bar remember reading Nowadays with
down but let the springs bring it back up YouTube comments Instagram, YouTube
– I don’t physically pull it up – I use the on one of my videos and all these ways of
tension. As it comes up, I make a slide once and a guy learning guitar, it
motion with other fingers, my first asked, ‘I don’t feels like everyone is
might go up, my fourth one down and good. The talent level
the middle finger stays in place.” see out there is
azing. That stuff is
Some of your fusiony solos mutate keep learning, but
outside notes, even the wholetone involved with other
scale, into a pentatonic framework… people that are doing what you want
“Say if you’re in the key of B minor, you to do – and then do it with them. A lot of
could play the whole tone scale over it guitar players wonder why things don’t
and it will be what it is. What I tend to do happen for them and I guess they might
is go from B minor pentatonic to Bb not be out there trying to make things
whole tone, it’s more about connecting happen. You really have to put in the
the dots. I think I heard Allan grind… I’m still paying my dues and it’ll
Holdsworth say that once, he saw the probably never end!”
fretboard as a series of ways to draw
pictures. If I can draw a picture that Snarky Puppy’s new album
relates to something I’ve already played, Immigrance is out now on the band’s
it usually sounds cool in my head. Mess own GroundUP Music label

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 Words Rob Laing / Photography Olly Curtis

WHEN THE FRONTMEN

FROM THE TWO FINEST
PUNK ROCK AMERICANA
BANDS OF THIS CENTURY
WENT SOLO, IT SEEMED
LIKE FATE THEY WOULD
END UP ON TOUR TOGETHER
WITH ACOUSTICS. WE MEET
THE HOLD STEADY’S
CRAIG FINN AND THE
36
GASLIGHT ANTHEM’S
BRIAN FALLON ON THEIR
NEW PATHS AS PLAYERS
AND DISCOVER WISDOM
ALONGSIDE SURPRISING
REVELATIONS…

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 FINN/FALLON

raig taught me an incredibly valuable trick about

C
zulwlqj#vrqjv#uhfhqwo|1#Fdq#L#whoo#wkhp#|rxu#wulfn/#FudljBĤ#
One of our favourite things at TG is listening to players who
are happy to share their knowledge. Especially when we
have two of them together. “Write your song as fast as you
fdq/Ĥ#frqwlqxhv#Euldq#zlwk#Fudljġv#dssurydo1#ģDqg#wkhq#
every day go back and change the line that you like the least. Just edit, one
at a time. It’s turned insurmountable tasks into manageable ones. So that
was probably the best piece of advice I’ve been given in the last 10 years.

The warm mutual admiration between

The Gaslight Anthem’s songwriter and
The Hold Steady’s lyrical genius frontman
is clear, but the connections between
them go deep musically. Both grew up on
a healthy diet of seminal punk rock heroes
(Paul Westerberg, Joe Strummer) with the
canon of Americana (Dylan, Springsteen,
Petty, Waits). It showed in the bands they
would form, breaking through over in the
UK during a two-year period that saw
Gaslight’s second album, The ’59 Sound,
and The Hold Steady’s third, Boys And Girls
In America, resonate with a sound that felt
both classic and fresh, celebrating their 37
roots while evolving into distinct sounds.
Qrz#wkh|#Ľqg#wkhpvhoyhv#lq#d#yhu|#
glļhuhqw#vlwxdwlrq#exw#xqlwhg#djdlq1
Zh#phhw#wkh#dļdeoh#sdlu#rq#wkhlu#
second joint solo acoustic tour following a
US run last year. Both their bands are still
active and have regrouped for sporadic
dates in recent years but are not now
their main focus. Sitting down with Brian
and Craig isn’t just an opportunity to
listen to the experience of great
contemporary songwriters, but also two
musicians now carving out new paths for
themselves as guitarists…

What was it like for you going from

electric bands to playing solo acoustic
shows? Did you start out like that?
Craig: ģL#fdqġw#uhphpehu#wkh#Ľuvw#wlph#L#
glg#lw1#Lġyh#grqh#lw#pruh#lq#wkh#sdvw#Ľyh#
years. I don’t think I was bold enough to
do it before… it took the right material to
do it. I hadn’t played that much alone until
Ľyh#|hduv#djr1Ĥ
Brian: ģL#frxogqġw#Ľqg#d#edqg#zkhq#L#zdv#d#
kid, so when I started out I had no choice. I
was playing all these cafes. I don’t know if
they had that here but remember when
wkhuh#xvhg#wr#eh#frļhh#vkrsv#zkhuh#wkhuh#
would always be an open mic night? I did
those for a year or two and then I got gigs
from the owners of the venues from doing
open mic nights. It was kind of like how

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 finn/fallon

below
Craig’s go-to for
touring, the Gibson
J-35 is great for
fingerpicking

38 Jeff Buckley did it – just totally on your and you, some you wrote on your own,
own until you found a band. And I found Craig, but some were collaborations.”
a band really late.” Craig: “A lot of The Hold Steady stuff,
Craig: “Did you have to play all night the majority of it, I’m only writing the
long and do covers?” lyrics. Then when I started writing my
Brian: “All night and every cover… for own records I was writing all of it. That’s
three or four hours. We played forever. why the material I play, almost all of it
So I kind of went back to that mindset comes from the solo records. There’s a
doing this and that’s where I learned couple of Hold Steady songs I feel
how to talk to everybody – tell them comfortable playing because those are
jokes and makes them laugh. So I kind the ones I wrote 100% so that’s a
of figured how to manoeuvre. Because different thing too. But now I have four
no one cared at a cafe, they were like, solo records so I feel there’s plenty
‘Who’s this joker?’. You’d have to get to pull from.”
their attention somehow.”
Did going solo take you both down
So this is like full circle for you…? new paths as guitar players?
Brian: “I didn’t ever think about it until Craig: “I’ve gotten a little better and got
Craig Finn’s just now but yes! I’d done [acoustic
shows] periodically when people had
some more fingerpicking things
together. Also for this tour, going in, I’ve
Gibson J-35 asked me to. There were a couple I did found just using my fingers on every
and my manager came up and said, ‘You song I’ve come to really love. Just the
“Gibson gave it to me a long time ago,” Craig says of his should do a [solo] tour like this’. I said it dynamics of it. Even like what my friend
touring go-to. “I kept asking for a J-45 and they said, ‘What would never work but okay if you can get calls, ‘a pathetic thumb’, sometimes it’s
about a J-35?’. So they sent one over and I tried it, liked it somebody cool. They said how about the right thing because a lot of my stuff
a lot.” Both are slope-shouldered dreadnoughts, but the Craig and the rest is history. Worst case is story-forward. I’m pushing the story
J-35 can offer more balance for fingerpicking compared to scenario I thought well at least I get to forward with my voice and
its more famous strum-happy brethren. And hearing hang out with Craig so it will be okay.” accompanying with guitar. So in some
Craig’s, we find it has all the right hallmarks in its strong cases that’s the most appropriate way
woody sound. He uses a capo to give flexibility over key You’ve always done acoustic [to play]. To back down the guitar and
too. “I tend to write a lot with capos,” he adds. “it brings versions of songs too, even push the vocal.”
out new things that excite you. You can write something with Gaslight…
and then try it in different places.” Brian: “I think we’re different though The last time we spoke to you
because I wrote all the songs on acoustic Brian, you said fingerstyle was

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

something you were exploring as a in a band scenario, even with
player too… your solo bands, do you both feel
Brian: “Now I’ve found there’s room for re-inspired after having that break?
both. There’s certain things that I think Brian: “Sure, I think so.”
you sound better playing with a pick and Craig: “I know that when I go back to
get more control. This show, the The Hold Steady people are like, ‘You
majority is fingerpicking. Funnily got way better at guitar’. In that I play
enough, for all the studying I did, Craig’s with a pick and I’m staying out of the
favourite pattern that he uses is one I way of two very good guitar players but I
did not know. Craig actually taught me. still feel like I’m holding my own a little
So you’re thinking it’s not that technical more than I used to.”
but it is.”
Craig: “It’s my natural pattern. That’s You both came from bands that
what fingerpicking sounds like to me.” became three-guitar lineups too
Brian: “That’s cool though because it’s Brian: “That was more a free for all,
something you wouldn’t normally do there was no discussion about that.”
and sounds great. So yeah, now I’ve Craig: “Ian [Perkins, Gaslight Anthem
found both things work.” touring and Brian’s solo band guitarist]
plays what he wants to play, right?”
Those dynamics are good for the Brian: “Yeah, kinda. That’s a stew you
listener too rather than a barrage… get thrown in so it’s try to just duck. In
Brian: “Right. A barrage of strumming my [solo] band there’s two guitarists
is not my favourite thing.” and I get to do the talking and Ian has to
Craig: “That’s not my favourite style of hold down the rhythm.”
music; punk without amps.” Craig: “When you have a solo in that
band, do you generally take it?”
When you go back to playing electric Brian: “Yes, I used to let Ian do it but

now he doesn’t want to do it and he 39

says, ‘Well you’ve been taking all these
lessons why don’t you do it?’. So now I
do. But he was saying you have to play in
between the vocal. Is it like that for Tad
[Kubler] and Steve [Selvidge]?”
Craig: “Tad and Steve really work out
parts [in The Hold Steady]. They talk a
lot about it and one guy goes up, one guy
goes down, that kind of thing. There’s
definitely like vocal and then an answer.
That’s like a Memphis, soul thing.”

Can reworking your songs for an

acoustic performance surprise you?
Craig: “I’ve been playing this song
Magic Marker every night pretty much,
unless the audience is too unruly. It’s
like a soul song on the record and it’s
left
When Craig goes very much a story folk ballad when I
back to playing play it here. But I like both and I even
electric guitar with have an extra verse that I cut on the
The Hold Steady he
record. Then I was like, well it kind of
says, “people are like,
‘You got way better makes more sense to have it on this
at guitar’” acoustic version so I popped it back in.”
Brain: “I love it. I made him send me
both versions because they’re both

“i wrote these sonGs equally as cool.”

like this. it’s the

Brian, Great Expectations from the
Gaslight catalogue takes on a very
different feel acoustically…

oriGinal version” Brian: “A lot of them do. It’s odd

because that’s how they started. And

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 finn/fallon

it’s weird for me after so many years I’d my own life and write about them, blow
forgotten how they all started. And then up the details a little so they were more
to go back, especially now at the piano, interesting. So they weren’t going to
now it really has taken on a life of its Dunkin’ Donuts.”
own now, and a new life. I guess I stayed Craig: “We were talking earlier about
away from them on the first tour, I when I was younger. My parents didn’t
stayed away from a lot of the older have a lot of records but one of the ones
Gaslight songs, also because we just did they did have was Paul Simon’s greatest
The ’59 Sound tour. Then I was like, I hits. And I’d listen to Slip Slidin’ Away
wrote these songs like this. It’s the and [sings] “I know a man / He came
original version of how they were from my home town / He wore his
done. I’m having fun exploring that. passion for his woman like a thorny
American Slang was like that, it had a crown / He said ‘Delores, I live in
whole new thing.” fear’…” I thought, oh my god, I do that
Craig: “Also for me, Forget Me Not, all the time. I’ll just drop in a name in
that was my favourite song on your the middle of the verse that you didn’t
last record but it brings out a whole know before. And it sharpens up the
new thing acoustic and live. It’s focus in songs. I think that’s where I got
not as joyous… it takes on a it; I think it goes all the way back to
different personality.” being five years old.”
Brian: “The lyrics come across a lot Brian: “All of a sudden it becomes
more. It’s cool to hear both versions, personal, in the middle of a song.
especially with a song you’re familiar Which is really cool. Paul Simon is
with. I have all of Craig’s band and solo great at that.”
records and I’ve listened to them for
years and now, even me, getting to hear Craig, as a writer are you in a
them in a new way, it opens up the lyrics collaboration with producer Josh
in a new way too. It gives a double life Kaufman now?
for the song which is cool.” Craig: “Yes, he did some co-writes
40 on this record [new solo album I Need A
Characters appear in your New War] and we made it with the
songwriting… Was that present early same core of people. So it becomes like a
on or did it come with confidence, band making it. And you can say, ‘You
the ability to invent characters know what? That sucks.’ There’s a very
and situations? easy communication happening and it
Craig: “I always liked writing in can be as harsh as it needs to be and
characters because for a long time I that’s very helpful.”
didn’t believe in myself as [interesting
enough]… my joke was that if I wrote Brian Fallon’s How do the skeletons of the songs
about myself it would be going to the
grocery shop and post office. Those Martin 00-42 form? Because the songs don’t
sound like they necessarily started
wouldn’t be exciting songs to listen to. Brian let us play this Custom Shop model and we quickly on guitar…
As a big reader of fiction it’s always been understood why he fell in love with it… though it cost him a Craig: “But they did.”
of interest to create these worlds for few guitars. “It speaks,” he says with understandable Brian: “They did!? That’s crazy.”
people to run around in. And I think enthusiasm, “You can make it really sing. It’s the first Craig: “I’d bring in just a real simple
there’s that weird expectation attached guitar that I’ve ever had that is like a piano. Meaning, if you structure just with guitar and vocals,
to songwriting in being confessional. bang it it’s loud and if you are quiet, it responds. My friend then I’d say that I don’t necessarily want
I’ve said this forever but no one thinks owns a guitar shop in Ashbury Park called Russo’s Music. this to be a guitar song. How are we
Quentin Tarantino shoots people or He bought this in and it had all the trimmings. I didn’t going to present this? Remove the song
does karate on people. If you write a [spec] it, he did and so it has everything you would want on from the instrument and just treat it as
song about something that happens, a guitar. And he’s like, ‘Do you want to try it?’… ‘Well, not a song. How do we instrumentise? I
people assume it’s you. And that’s just a really. How much is it?’ And he told me and it was absurd. don’t think that’s a word!”
weird thing that’s attached to So I thought, okay whatever. I’m not gonna buy this thing
songwriters, I find.” it’s ridiculous. And honestly it sounded better than any So you’re very open-minded?
Brian: “I hadn’t thought of that. Mine guitar I’ve ever played in my life. Including old ones. I’ve Craig: “Very. I’ll say, ‘Let’s talk about
just came from traditionalism. Growing played 80-year-old Martins and thought, well this sounds tempo, let’s talk about key.’ We’d use it
up, that’s what I heard from Tom Waits, awesome but I’m not going to own it because it’s so much as a jumping-off point. I’d got in with a
Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Bob money. And this was not that much money and it was drummer and then Josh the producer
Dylan – they spoke in characters and amazing. I told him, ‘I don’t have that kind of money,’ but who plays everything and say, ‘Let’s do
they had these inventions. Like, Visions he said, ‘How many guitars do you have around the house a take with Josh [Russo] playing piano,
Of Johanna – who is Johanna and why is that you don’t use? Start bringing them in.’ So I started Joe playing drums and I’ll sing.’ Then
she important? What did she do and bringing them in until I didn’t owe him anything anymore!” if we like that start adding to it, or
what’s the story? So I’d find people in maybe step back and Josh plays bass

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 above left through. Or else it’s not going to work.”
“It sounded better Craig: “I’ve never been around anyone
than any guitar I’ve who is working so hard to get better at
ever played in my
life,” Brian says of his guitar pretty far in.”
first go on his
Custom Shop Martin What has that meant as a player?
00-42. “It speaks… Brian: “I’ve been taking guitar lessons
You can really make
now for a year with the same guy. I
it sing,” he adds
started in August but at first I began
taking them online. I found 41
and I’ll sing. We’ll do a lot of stuff where never been able to express myself the [Link] who’s great, and
it’s just bass, drums and vocal. Then way I want to’. And I had to sit for a few there’s another site called
decide what it takes. The nice thing months and say, ‘Well why is that?’. So I [Link] with John
about being a solo artist is if you decide learned how to play the piano a bit and Tuggle as the guy who teaches. John is
a song doesn’t need bass, you don’t that’s not it. That helps, it does help, but very specific and blues, Justin is all over.
have to have that conversation with it was the guitar thing. I’ve never been He does a lot of things. Without Justin’s
the bass player.” able to express this part of me that I site I probably wouldn’t have been able
hear in my head. And it’s different, it’s to get anywhere at all. And then I
Brian, you’re unusual in that you’re not a shreddy thing; it’s a note thing wouldn’t have been able to find my way
years into a successful career as a and hitting the right note at the right and learn. But it has become ritualistic
musician but you seem more driven time. And for me it’s been really hard – every day it’s like brushing your teeth.
to improve as a guitarist than ever. because I started when I was 35, doing I have to do it. And I’m searching and
What’s that journey been like in the this, and the first record I noticed it was searching, and I’m learning the theory I
last year for you? on [first solo album] Painkillers. Because never learned. Everyone will tell you,
Brian: “Dude, to be honest with you it’s Butch Walker, who produced it, is an ‘You’re wasting your time, you write
a nightmare. Because I’m sitting there incredible guitar player and really songs and you write words’. But it’s just
next to guys like Tad and Steve, even tasteful too. And I started to express not good enough for me. Because I’ve
watching people like Jason Isbell out these ideas and I couldn’t do them. So I got something I’m trying to achieve that
there and Sadler [Vaden, Isbell’s band would have to lean on Butch. Which was has nothing to do with success or
The 400 Unit’s guitarist]. All of these great because Butch is great, but there awards or anything. It’s something I can
guitar players just destroying it and came a point where I can’t lean on put down myself and feel like I’ve
they’ve been playing since they were anyone else. Because if I’m going to do a achieved what I’m looking for. It has
kids. But all of a sudden about two or solo thing it’s got to be my way, my been extraordinarily frustrating at
three years ago I sat up and said, ‘I’ve expression and I have to see this points because when you’re starting
something new at 35 it’s not easy. I
don’t know if I’ll ever get to it but the

“i’ve been takinG search is exciting for me.”

lessons now for a

Craig Finn’s new album I Need A War is
out now via Partisan Records. More
info: [Link]

year… it’s ritualistic” Brian Fallon is currently working on

his third solo album

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 Words Matthew Parker

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

HIT WITH THE PASSING
OF THEIR ICONIC
VOCALIST DOLORES
O’RIORDAN, IRELAND’S
INDIE ICONS THE
CRANBERRIES HAVE
WRUNG A REMARKABLE
FINAL RECORD FROM
THEIR GRIEF. GUITARIST
NOEL HOGAN REFLECTS
ON THE BAND’S
THERAPEUTIC FULL STOP

T
kh#Ľqdo#o|ulf#rq#Wkh#
Fudqehuulhvġ#odvw#
uhfrug/#In The End 43
Ğ#ĠLwġv#vwudqjh#zkhq#
hyhu|wklqj#wkdw#|rx#
guhdpw#ri#zdv#
qrwklqj#wkdw#|rx#
guhdpw#ri2#lq#wkh#
hqgĩġ#Ğ#lv#wkh#odvw#olqh#Wkh#Fudqehuulhv#zloo#
hyhu#uhfrug#Ğ#ri#wkdw#pxfk#jxlwdulvw#dqg#
vrqjzulwhu#Qrho#Krjdq#lv#fhuwdlq1#Lw#
vxpv#xs/#lq#wkh#w|slfdoo|#srlqwhg/#|hw#
guhdp0olnh#kdqg#ri#yrfdolvw2fr0zulwhu#
Groruhv#RġUlrugdq/#wkh#srlvrqhg#fkdolfh#ri#
vxffhvv#lq#d#urfn#edqg/#ri#khu#olih#dqg/#
xowlpdwho|/#khu#wudjlf#dqg#xqwlpho|#sdvvlqj#
lq#Mdqxdu|#534;1#
Zkloh#ghdwk#dozd|v#vhhpv#xqmxvw/#lq#wkh#
fdvh#ri#RġUlrugdq/#lw#ihhov#sduwlfxoduo|#fuxho1#
Wkh#vlqjhu#idfhg#rqjrlqj#sk|vlfdo#dqg#
phqwdo#khdowk#lvvxhv/#exw#zdv#uhsruwhgo|#
grlqj#zhoo#lq#khu#shuvrqdo#dqg#surihvvlrqdo#
olih#lq#wkh#shulrg#ehiruh#khu#sdvvlqj#rq#
Prqgd|#48#Mdqxdu|/#534;1#
ģL#kdg#vsrnhq#wr#khu#rq#wkh#Iulgd|#d#orw1#
Qhduo|#doo#gd|#orqj/#rq#dqg#rļ/#vr#lw#zdv#
dfwxdoo|#d#uhdoo|/#uhdoo|#jrrg#gd|/Ĥ#uhfdoov#
Wkh#Fudqehuulhv#jxlwdulvw#dqg#fr0zulwhu#Qrho#
Krjdq1#ģWkhq#Vxqgd|#pruqlqj#L#jhw#dq#
hpdlo#iurp#khu#zlwk#d#vrqj1#Vkh#zdv#dw#wkh#
dlusruw#ľ|lqj#wr#Orqgrq/#dqg#L#wkrxjkw/#
ĠFrro/#Lġoo#olvwhq#wr#wkdw#wrpruurzġ1#Wkh#qh{w#
wklqj#L#nqrz/#lwġv#wkh#Prqgd|#pruqlqj#dqg#L#
jhw#d#skrqh#fdoo#iurp#khu#eurwkhu#whoolqj#ph#
zkdw#kdg#kdsshqhg1Ĥ

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 THE CRANBERRIES

O’Riordan had been found in the

bathtub of her room in London’s Park
Lane Hilton hotel. The inquest ruled the
cause of death as accidental drowning
following intoxication. Aged just 46, she
left behind three children, her partner
Olé Koretsky and the rest of The
Cranberries – her friends and
frqĽgdqwhv ri 63 |hduv1
“It just didn’t feel right,” Noel tells
TG, pausing periodically. “I know it was
vkrfn exw L mxvw nhsw wklqnlqj wkdw Ľuvw
day, ‘It’s a mistake. There’s been a
mix-up.’ I felt like that for a good few
weeks afterwards, especially around
wkh ixqhudoĩ L irxqg wkdw yhu| glĿfxow
and I couldn’t come to terms with that
dw doo1 L jxhvv lw pdgh lw Ľqdo1 Vlwwlqj
wkhuh/ orrnlqj dw khu lq wkh frĿqĩ wkdw
was one of the hardest things I think
I’ve ever done.”

DOLORES’
DEMOS
It was at the funeral that O’Riordan’s
eurwkhu Ľuvw dvnhg Krjdq derxw klv
plans for the material that had been
demoed for the Cranberries’ next
record. “I was like, ‘It’s there, but I
44 haven’t had the guts to look at it yet’,”
uhfdoov Qrho1 ģKh vdlg/ ĠVkh uhdoo|
wanted to do this album. You should
listen through…’”
Hogan eventually built up the courage
to compile the demos that, as per their
habit, he and O’Riordan had recorded
remotely and traded between
themselves. “That’s when I kind of
realised what we had and what I felt was
a very strong album,” he says. “Dolores
was such a strong vocalist that her
demos were always really good.”
The band had used vocal demos in
Ľqdo pl{hv rq sdvw uhfrugv/ vr wkh when we did. If we were going in a Starting out as a olvwhqlqj#wr#hyhu|wklqj#zlwk#glļhuhqw#
precedent was already there. Bassist year or two later, I don’t think it would bunch of introverted ears, lyrically.”
kids from Limerick,
Mike Hogan (Noel’s brother) and feel the same and we might not even do Indeed, listening to the resulting
The Cranberries
drummer Fergal Lawler were duly the album.” found international album, In The End, it is nigh-on
consulted and agreed, as was Dolores’ Of course, alongside losing the one success, taking impossible to avoid applying new
family and the band’s longtime person he had written songs with for America by storm posthumous meaning to O’Riordan’s
surgxfhu Vwhskhq Vwuhhw1 63 |hduv/ uhshdwhgo| olvwhqlqj wr wkh lyrics. All Over Now is ostensibly the
ģLw#zdv#Vwhskhq#zkr#vdlg/#ĠOrrn/#L# voice of a loved one so soon after story of a tumultuous and abusive
think we should do this now’,” says their death must have presented a relationship, but the repeated refrains
Noel. “He said, ‘The momentum is vljqlĽfdqw#fkdoohqjh1# of “do you remember?” and “it’s all
there. You’re very emotional about this “It was really hard,” Hogan over now” almost wilfully veer
dqg#lw#pljkw#eh#wkh#ehvw#wlph1ġ#Vr#L#wklqn# acknowledges. “It was a case of having into new context. A small mercy of its
it was April when we went into the to walk out of the room and come back tragic conception is that the forced
studio… and it was really weird those in again a few times. You think, ‘I’ll decision to rely on demo recordings
ihz#zhhnv1#L#nhsw#wklqnlqj/#ĠVkhġv#jrlqj# eh#Ľqhġ1#Wkhq#|rx#jhw#wkh#guxp#wudfnv# xowlpdwho|#ehqhĽwv#wkh#doexp/#
to call any day now’. In hindsight, I up and the bass and you’re going roughing up a sound that has grown
guess doing the album when we did, it through it individually and then you slicker over the intervening decades,
was almost like therapy, for us. We bring in the voice… It was so fresh and recalling the band’s early years as
realised that , ‘This is how it’s going udz1#Vrph#ri#wkhp#zhuh#yhu|/#yhu|#kdug# painfully shy indie outsiders in
wr#ehĩġ#Vr#L#wklqn#lw#zdv#uljkw#wr#gr#lw# to listen to. You, obviously, then, start the process.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 The band used the
demos that Dolores
and Noel (the latter
pictured right) had
worked on to compile
their final album, In
The End, out now
via BMG

45

“We were not the most obvious

“DOLORES WAS SUCH rockstars,” admits Noel, chuckling.

“We were very quiet. You had to drag

A STRONG VOCALIST conversation from us. We were not

frqĽghqw1#Zh#zhuh#yhu|#dzduh#Ğ#p|vhoi#

THAT HER DEMOS WERE and the two boys, especially – that we
hadn’t been playing that long. You felt
like an imposter at times. We had all

ALWAYS REALLY GOOD” this fame or whatever and the band

were huge but I’d only been playing two
or three years. You don’t have the
The artwork – a mocked-up group of proper guitar that I still use today, which frqĽghqfh#wr#jr/#ĠDuhqġw#L#eulooldqwBġ1#
four ‘kid Cranberries’ holding cardboard was a Telecaster. When we got signed, Dolores had been playing since she was
instruments and mics – further the minute we got a bit of money, I went a kid and, musically, she was miles
reinforces that link to their origins in xs#wr#Orqgrq#dqg#erxjkw#d#4<:6# ahead of the three of us at that time. We
odwh0;3v#Olphulfn1#Edfn#wkhq/#lw#zdv#d# Telecaster. I still have that to this day had a lot of catching up to do, but even
school friend passing Noel a Cure and I use it all the time.” then Dolores was very shy in her
frpslodwlrq#wkdw#Ľuvw#vsdunhg#klv# shuvrqdolw|#dw#wkdw#wlph1#Vkh#vdqj#zlwk#
obsession with guitar music. He had ON THE her back to the audience.
been playing for less than a year OUTSIDE “But it’s like anything, you do enough
when the band started in 1989 and a The band were discovered relatively of it and you start to get used to it. I
cardboard guitar doesn’t seem too far quickly – an early demo caught the ear hated it at the beginning, the live side of
from the truth. of a few labels and they signed to Island lw1#Lġg#eh#Ľqh#xqwlo#derxw#9#rġforfn#lq#wkh#
“My parents bought me this big in 1991 – so that unbranded guitar didn’t evening and then you’d feel that sick
sunburst guitar that didn’t even have a last long, yet it never felt like entirely feeling coming on you again – and all
qdph#rq#lw/Ĥ#uhfdoov#Qrho#ri#klv#Ľuvw# plain sailing for The Cranberries. you ever think about is what’s going to
years as a guitarist. “When we did our Perhaps due to an existence entirely go wrong at the gig. You never think: ‘I
Ľuvw#ghpr/#L#xvhg#lw#dqg#lw#vrxqghg#pruh# outside of the London music and can go on and nothing’s going to
like a banjo, to be honest! I learned on media bubble, the four-piece seemed happen – it’s just going to be a gig.’ But
that thing and I did have it for a few dogged by an almost group-wide as time goes on you get used to it. [It
|hduv#ehiruh#L#frxog#dļrug#wkh#Ľuvw# inferiority complex. wasn’t until] the second album we felt,

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 THE CRANBERRIES

‘Actually, people like what we’re doing,

so maybe don’t be so self-conscious
about the whole thing’.”
It was ultimately to be success in the
XV#wkdw#surylghg#wkdw#ylqglfdwlrq/#zlwk#
four introvert kids from Limerick
succeeding where umpteen mouthy
Brit-poppers so feted by the UK music
press of the time had failed.

AMERICAN
DREAM
ģWkh#Ľuvw#doexp#fdph#rxw#dqg#lw#glhg#d#
death on this side of the world,” says
Noel. “We were in Europe at the time
when we got the call about America –
that we just needed to drop everything
and come over, that Linger was doing
uhdoo|#zhoo#rq#froohjh#udglr1#Vr#zh#
duulyhg#lq#Ghqyhu/#Frorudgr#iru#wkh#Ľuvw# A CAREER
jlj#^47#Mxqh#4<<6`1#Zh#zhuh#rshqlqj#xs#
for The The and I’ll never forget it. Four
IN GEAR
days earlier we were the opening act on
Noel on the favourites
d#wrxu#zkhuh#zh#zhuh#sod|lqj#wr#Ľyh# behind The Cranberries’
people each night and no one knew any iconic sound
of the songs. And we didn’t think we’d
have a long career doing this because of Vox AC30 &
wkdw1#Exw#zh#zhqw#rxw#wkdw#Ľuvw#qljkw#^lq# Fender Twin
America] and the place just went crazy. “It’s been mostly the same since Noel used Dolores’ to. It’s hard to explain how much of a
We couldn’t believe it. We started with the beginning: a Vox AC30 with a white Gibson SG for change it was. Only a couple of years
46 Fender Twin. Though for some of
Linger and they knew all the lyrics. It some of the album, earlier I was in my bedroom trying to
the heavier stuff, like Zombie, I’ve saying: “I felt that if
was night and day to what we were used Ľjxuh#rxw#wkh#fkrugv#wr#wkh#prvw#edvlf#
used a Marshall JCM800. she was there she
Otherwise we tend to drive the would have done this of songs.”
Vox for heavy sounds. We keep the as a rhythm, so it Dq#dvwrqlvklqj#73#ploolrq#lq#doexp#
Fender clean for the jingly stuff.” was nice” vdohv#dqg#Ľyh#wrs#53#doexpv#rq#wkh#
Billboard chart followed in the
Telecasters intervening decades. In The End,
“I have two main Telecasters. I however, is their best record since
have the original 1973 one that I 1994’s No Need To Argue#Ğ#d#Ľwwlqj#
bought in the early 90s, which is tribute to those career highs. It’s a tough
your bog standard Telecaster and call as to whether the return to form
then I’ve got a Thinline Telecaster
makes O’Riordan’s passing harder to
with humbuckers in it that I use
take, or if the record’s qualities are the
for the heavier stuff.”
result of her bandmates paying her the
DOD FX68 best compliment they can in their
Chorus performances. Regardless, the decision
“I don’t use a lot of pedals, but I wr#shuvhyhuh#vhhpv#xwwhuo|#mxvwlĽhg1
have this old DOD chorus. It’s
cheap as anything, but it A FINAL
became very much a part of The TRIBUTE…
Cranberries sound and it’s on “In The End, the title track and the last
every album we’ve ever done.” one on the album – that kind of sums up
hyhu|wklqj/Ĥ#uhľhfwv#Qrho1#ģWkh#edqg/#
Dolores’ everything we hoped it would be and
Gibson SG how when we got it, it’s not what you
“I used Dolores’ white SG a fair bit
expect… It was the last song we
on this album. Particularly, on the
recorded together. You’re sitting
songs that Dolores wrote, I felt
that if she was there she would there listening to that lyric and I’m
have done this as a rhythm, so it looking at the other two going: this is
was nice. I’d never played it before the end of it here, for the three of us,
S mone Joyner/Getty

because, you know, you can’t be sitting and recording together as The
picking up other people’s guitars!” Cranberries, this is the last time we’ll do
it – these few takes.”
 COVER FEATURE

Contents
50 Practise Smarter
52 Get More From Your Guitar
55 Boost Your Confidence
56 Revitalise Your Rhythm
57 Pedal Power-up
59 Supercharge Your Solos
61 Recording Hacks

48

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 50 WAYS TO… PLAY BETTER NOW

WORDS GUITARS AND BACKING PHOTOGRAPHY

CHARLIE GRIFFITHS, CHRIS BIRD, ROB LAING CHARLIE GRIFFITHS OLLY CURTIS

50 WAYS TO
PLAY Skills CD

BETTER
NOW!
We’ve selected the very best ways to
49

improve your playing – from tone to

technique and recording to rhythm

W
hen we think about improving as players, we usually
think about what we’re playing – and we should. But
what inspires us and drives us to improve is about
more than that. And it doesn’t mean spending money
either. It can be everything from using an old pedal in
a new way, to changing your tuning or using the
frqwurov#rq#|rxu#jxlwdu#pruh#hĿflhqwo|1#Dqg#vrphwlphv#sod|lqj#zhoo#lv#mxvw#
derxw#ihholqj#pruh#frqĽghqw#dv#d#pxvlfldq#lq#zkdw#|rxġuh#grlqj1#Wkhuh#duh#
many diverse ways to get better, and that’s why we’ve made this monster
feature of 50 carefully chosen tips and lessons digestible for you in sections.
Wkhvh#duh#doo#lqydoxdeoh#wlsv#zhġyh#glvfryhuhg#dqg#ehhq#lqvsluhg#e|#dv#
sod|huv#rq#wkh#WJ#whdp/#dqg#frqwlqxh#wr#xvh1#Iurp#jhwwlqj#pruh#rxw#ri#|rxu#
limited practice time to nailing great guitar tones, we guarantee you’ll
improve with this feature!

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 cover feature

Practise smarter now

Cover some essential basics before you tackle the advanced stuff
and you’ll see improvements in your playing fast…

L
et’s start with one vital tip that’ll see every minutes spent honing timing, chord changes,
guitarist right: practise basic techniques every rhythm, strumming and so on will help you improve.
day. Sure, there’s always loads of music to learn, Not convinced? Follow our exercises and focus on
but neglect those basics at your peril! Just a few clean fretting and steady timing.

01 Steady Strumming traCK 13 02 sharper chord chanGes traCK 14-15

q = 80 o o o o o o x x o o
G5 Cadd 9 Play 8 times
1

# .. .. 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 3

2 3 2

3 4

. 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
.
. .
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 E G Bm A
B 3 3 3 3

⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤
3 3 3 3
1 Choose your chords. We’ll get you 3 Check for fretting errors, string
started with a handful of easy scuffs, muted strings and make
open shapes and a barre chord. any adjustments.
ForthisnoelGallagher-inspiredpart,strumtheG5chordwitha‘down,down, 2 Play the chords at a slow tempo 4 Now try speeding up as you
down-up’motionthenusethesamepatternonthecadd9. Keep your wrist loose
– slow enough that you don’t make change, and, for a challenge, play
and don’t grip your pick too tightly.
any mistakes. the chords in a different order.
50
03 uSe drum loopS for better timing traCK 16 04 play tight or play looSe traCK 17

q.= 60
D/F # D/F # D/F #
q =100

>
Play 4 times

>
A E

#
A/E A/E A/E Play 4 times

# .. .. .. ..
let ring let ring

. . . 5
.
. . . .
3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 5 9
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 6 9 9
4 4 2 4 4 4 2 4 4 2 7 9 9
B B 5
7 5 7

Practisingwithametronomeordrumloopwillimproveyourtimingasyou’llhearif [Link]’verecordedthisexampletostrict
[Link]-style riff going to timing,[Link],laid-backstyle–atechnique
the end of the drums and bass backing music! knownasplaying‘afterthebeat’.

05 Build speed wiTh a meTronome

There’s nothing like the unrelenting click of a metronome to help
you improve timing, accuracy and playing speed. Choose any short
section of music you’re trying to learn and apply this process.

1 Play your riff to a super-slow metronome beat – so slow you

almost can’t make a mistake. If the metronome is too slow to latch
on to, then set it to double time.
2 Repeat your riff a few times to get comfortable with the changes.
3 Increase the tempo in steps of four to five bpm. It’s a tiny increase
in speed, but each step will challenge you further.
4 As the speed gets more challenging, increase in smaller
increments, say, one to two bpm.
5 Finally, drop your tempo back to your starting speed and repeat
the process.

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 50 ways to… play better now

06 SCale runS for finger independenCe traCK 18 07 arpeggioS and dexterity traCK 19

q =110

œ œ œ œ
q = 110 Play 4 times

#
Cmaj 7 Cmaj 9

.. .. .. ..
Bm Play 4 times

œ 1
œ 1 3
œ 1 3 4 3 1
œ
3 4 3 4 4 4 3
1

. . . 7 8 7 7 10 7
.
. . . 10 .
8 8 8 8
9 9 9 9
2 2 4 2 4 5 4 2 10
B 2 4 5 4 5 5 5 4 B

ithappenstoeveryone–youtrytomoveafingerbutitjustwon’tgo!this Herewe’[Link] keeping the

Muse-style riff will help you develop independence in your fretting fingers and chordnotesringingfirst;thenhaveago at keeping each note separated from the
synchronisation with your picking. [Link]’s tough, so practise slowly!

08 pro tip The fallon scales, Theory and jamminG plan

Gaslight Anthem frontman and solo artist Brian 2 “You have to learn theory to explain why am I
Fallon tells us he abides by three fundamentals for hitting this note at the time when this chord is
getting better, and we think they’re spot on… being played; what is the relationship? And it’s an
“JustinGuitar said, ‘A lot of people say practice makes incredibly important thing that people do not spend
perfect. It doesn’t. Practice makes permanent,’” enough time on.”
explains Brian. So you have to practise correctly or you 3 “The third thing is create with complete abandon;
will inherently make mistakes over and over again. you must jam alone. So when you find a backing track,
And the other thing, and this is for anyone searching, download that thing. It doesn’t matter if you’ve taken
what do I practise to get better? What is going to get one lesson or 100, just jam, because you will learn
me to the goal?” more from jamming than you will learn from
anything else in a book or in a lesson. But you need 51
1 “You have to learn technique. Meaning your diligence in those three things to progress, or you will
fingers have to move correctly and a lot of this just spin your wheels. Which I did for months and it’s
comes from scales.” horrible, so listen to what I’m telling you.”

09 learn Challenging liCKS now! traCK 20

q =110
Am D 5/A
~~~ Am A5

.. œ
j
œ
j
œ
j ..
~~~~
. 5
.
.0 .
5 5 8
5 5 5 5 7 7 5 5 5
7 5 7 7 5 5 5 7 7 7 5 7 7 5 2 2 2 2 2 2
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 Bite-sizedphrases:don’ttrytolearnthistrickylickin 2Jointhedots:Makesuretopractise across thebar 3Getcreative:tryrewritingandrephrasingthelickor

[Link] one-bar phrases are easiertoplayand [Link]’seasytoneglecttheall-importantchanges [Link]‘reverse’picking,
quicker to memorise. frombartobar. swappingyourdownsforups!

10 divvy up your pracTice

Time To see resulTs
Being realistic with your time will improve. Adapt this one-hour
help you identify what to practise, plan according to your own goals.
whatever level you’re at. Basics
come first – you mustn’t let those 1 Warmups and basic skills:
skills slip. Next up, dedicate 10 minutes
roughly equal time to learning or 2 New songs and riffs: 30 minutes
Photo noam Galai/Getty

writing songs – it’s why you play 3 Rhythm guitar technique

guitar, right? Finally, a small workout: 10 minutes
amount of time spent pushing 4 Lead guitar technique workout:
technical limits will help you 10 minutes

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 take it down
tuning a half step
down, Jimi-style, gives
a heavier sound and 12 drop your
makes the band
sound bigger e sTrinGs
We’ve all heard of Drop D tuning, right?
This is an interesting addition to that old
favourite: Double Drop D. Simply drop
your high E down to D too. It’s not just a
metal move, and works especially well
on acoustic. Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl,
The Doors’ The End and Zeppelin’s folky
Going To California are three classics that
utilise it and Craig Finn (interviewed
p36) uses it in The Hold Steady. Indeed,
dropping your high E can be good for
slide blues parts.

13 use volume
conTrols as BoosTs
You can control your gain without
touching a pedal. Here’s how…
1 Turn your guitar’s volume up to full.
2 Set your amp to a usable medium to
high gain tone for your playing.
3 Dial back your guitar volume and it
should clean up, allowing you to dial
back in gain as you need – for example,
a lead break.
4 If your guitar has a volume control for

Get more From

52 each pickup (Les Paul, SG etc) you could
keep two different gain levels on call by
following the previous steps and dialling

Your Guitar
in different volume levels on each one.

Sometimes you have everything you need to play and sound

better at your fingertips

11 play flaT! Extra tip: Want to play in standard

again? Put your capo on the 1st fret if
Many great players have tuned a half you’re half a step down or 2nd if you’re a
step down – from our lord and master full step down.
Jimi to SRV, Jerry Cantrell and Slash.
But why? A darker and heavier sound is
an obvious trait, and as a band it makes
14 GeT your pickup
you sound bigger. You may find it opens heiGhT riGhT
up more songs as a vocalist too – Your pickups are the heart of your
making high notes easier to get to guitar’s sound, so it’s vital you set their
(many bands tune down as their singers height right to get the best out of them.
get older to lower the key – Whitesnake The closer they are to the strings, the
being one). You’ll need to consider louder they will sound. But louder
whether you need to go up a gauge when doesn’t necessarily mean better. For
you tune down as it will affect humbucker height, start by fretting the
intonation. Some players may prefer the top and bottom E strings at the final
looser feel – especially for easier bends. fret. Using a steel rule, adjust the
Remember though – playing in E b (D#) humbucker’s height until its treble and
or D (whole step down) will affect your bass sides both sit evenly 2.5mm
bass player and fellow guitarists too, and beneath the fretted strings.
your bassist may choose to transpose if A Strat-style single coil should be
it’s only a couple of songs you’re tuning adjusted to sit with the treble side
down for. slightly higher than the bass for a good

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 50 WAYS TO… PLAY BETTER NOW

balance. Again, fret the two outer it is possible to get extremely high
vwulqjv#dw#wkh#Ľqdo#iuhw/#wkhq#dgmxvw#wkh# output from pickups, while retaining a
pickups so the pole piece tops sit 2.5mm good degree of clarity, although the
dqg#618pp#iurp#wkh#wuheoh#dqg#edvv#H# higher in output you go, the more
strings respectively. But watch out for compressed the tone gets. A lot of
zroi#qrwhv#Ğ#wkhvh#rffxu#zkhq#wkh# shrsoh#grqġw#uhdolvh#orzhu0srzhuhg#
slfnxsġv#pdjqhwlf#Ľhog#lv#wrr#forvh#wr# pickups can work really well in
wkh#vwulqjġv#Ľhog#ri#pryhphqw/# applications usually reserved for
preventing it from vibrating naturally. kljk0rxwsxw#slfnxsv1Ĥ
Because strings vibrate more freely
near the neck than at the bridge, neck Do pickup covers matter?
pickups sound louder for a given height. “When it comes to putting covers on
We’d advise experimenting with height pickups, the cover material will
settings for pairs or trios of your pickups probably be of more importance than
to establish a good balance in volume anything else. Using brass as your base
when switching between them. pdwhuldo#Ğ#zklfk#lv#dq#hdv|#pdwhuldo#wr#
Dgmxvwdeoh#srohv#doorz#|rx#wr#Ľqh0wxqh# gudz#lqwr#d#ghhs#fryhu#Ğ#fdq#fuhdwh#d#orw#
things further. of extra capacitance. In other words, it
knocks a lot of highs out. Change to
15 PRO TIP UPGRADE qlfnho#dqg#wkdw#hļhfw#lvqġw#dq|zkhuh#
near so pronounced, but it’s a much
YOUR PICKUPS harder material to draw in a tool.”
Before you know what you want from
d#qhz#slfnxs/#|rx#Ľuvw#qhhg#wr# Is hand-wound better?
understand some fundamentals about “The bottom line is you get a better
wkhp1#Khuhġv#Eduhnqxfnoh#Slfnxsv# dynamic response from the coil. Most
chief Tim Mills with some essential shrsoh#zkr#sod|#d#kdqg0zrxqg#slfnxs#
points to remember when shopping say it sounds more ‘open’. It’s easy to
for new pups:

Pickups are about frequencies

“You’ve got to remember that a pickup
“MOST PLAYERS THAT USE A LOT 53

doesn’t generate frequencies, it

reproduces them very much like a
OF GAIN AND VOLUME, WILL BE
microphone. I think that’s a mistake a
lot of people make. They tend to think
that, ‘I’m going to use X pickup because
BETTER OFF WITH A POTTED COIL”
it’s going to give me more bass’. Well, unpotted coil is generally lost at that above make a pickup sound brighter but to
the pickup itself won’t generate that, kind of volume level anyway. Bareknuckle Pickups have a truly open voice it’s got to be
because nothing comes out of it until a Exw#iru#wkh#sxuh#wrqh0krxqgv/#dq# chief Tim Mills is a g|qdplfdoo|#uhvsrqvlyh#Ğ#dqg#wkdwġv#
pro player who has
vwulqj#yleudwhv#lq#lwv#pdjqhwlf#Ľhog1#Vr/# unpotted pickup does give you this become one of the zkdw#vfdwwhu0zlqglqj#^lqwhqwlrqdoo|#
it’s about what frequencies does that wrxfk0vhqvlwlylw|>#lw#jlyhv#d#pruh#yrfdo# world’s most luuhjxodu#kdqg0zlqglqj#ri#d#slfnxs#frlo`#
pickup listen to?” tone and arguably a little bit more respected pickup grhv1#Dovr/#frpsduhg#wr#d#pdfklqh0
kljk0hqg#dv#zhoo1Ĥ# designers wound coil, the frequency response is
The magnet influences the tone slightly extended. So the sound is bigger
“This is very important; the two most Low output pickups have their and you hear more not just in the high
common magnets used in guitar advantages frequencies but also in the depths of the
pickups are Alnico and ceramic. They “If you overwind a pickup or use a frequency response.”
uhsurgxfh#yhu|#glļhuhqw#wrqhv iurp gnet that is too strong, all the high
guitar when used in a pickup. Alnico,
a general rule, always produc s a fu
jhwv uroohg rļ1 Wkdw ohdyhv |rx zlwk
l u
16 HANDLE IT WELL
warmer tone with pronounce dqg odfnlqj lq dq| vruw ri ghĽqlw 1 hands we need to make
plg0udqjh#dqg#vzhhwhu kljk 1 Fhud / vxuh zhġuh jhww j wkdw#sduw#uljkw#Ğ#iurp#
by comparison, produces a uch selection of wire gauge and magne { qwlq lwk glļhuhqw#nlqgv#
brighter high, smoother mids and ht, plectr an not just sticking with
idvw0wudfnlqj#erwwrp#hqg1Ĥ same old, to questioning
wa e hold them for
Potted or unpotted? huh dssolfdwlrqvĩ
“As a general rule, most pla rs
that use a lot of gain, and a l or d
yroxph/#zloo#eh#ehwwhu#rļ zl d ctr m: This is about
potted coil. Anything gaine q1 Krog#|rxu#sohfwuxp#
dynamic sensitivity in an so onl he very tip is visible.

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 cover feature

lead guitar
Hand: The ideal place is to rest your
For lead, hold the
hand on the bridge with the plectrum plectrum so only the
positioning to touch the string you tip is visible and keep
want to play. Keeping your hand hand movements to
movements at a minimum is vital to a minimum
reducing string noise.
2 For rhythm
Plectrum: Strumming requires a wide
hand movement, as you’re covering
several strings on every stroke. Let more
of your plectrum show for that flappier
sound of pick on string.
Hand: In general, your plectrum should
touch the strings halfway between the
bridge and the end of your fretboard. So
to add more treble to your sound, strum
closer to the bridge.
rhythm guitar

17 Tune more For rhythm, let more

of your plectrum
accuraTely show and use a wider
hand movement
Plugging into a tuner? Use your neck
pickup and roll your tone right down.
You’ve now reduced many of the
overtones that can interfere with
electronic tuner accuracy and created a
clearer signal.

18 emBrace your
54
Tone conTrol
It’s a sad fact that many of us will very
rarely touch the tone controls on our
guitars. But it’s an instant low-pass
filter to change its personality; bright to

“you learn a ThinG or Two if

warm, thick to thin. Because sometimes
guitar players need to back off, it’s a
quick way to reduce your treble or round
out your overdriven tone. Make sure to
give it a try! you Go Back To elecTric afTer
19 pro tip sTudyinG acousTic GuiTar”
use a BiGsBy
on chords 0 pro tip
They’re not just for rockabilly licks, you lay acousTic
know! Both Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard here’s some clear gains to be made by
and the late, great Chris Cornell are n electric player picking up an acoustic
players who introduced them to their egularly; you’ll build finger strength
rhythm roles. “It ended up being hat will benefit your vibrato, and it’s a
something that I really, really reat way to learn to play riffs cleanly.
appreciate,” says Stone. “And I think ut most of all, it’s great for strumming.
the main reason why is even as you s Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt says… “It’s
play less and as you deconstruct your mportant to be able to strum properly.
parts for songs, you’re hitting chords ive an acoustic guitar to a shredder and
and just as it’s dying out if you can sk him to strum on an E major and see
give something – the chord can still ow it sounds. A lot of them are going to
speak in the part. But it doesn’t have ail miserably. You need that kind of
to do anything more than a little mooth, calm strumming like David
wiggle. They’re a really expressive kind ilmour. You learn a thing or two if you
of tool that isn’t like the divebomb o back to your electric guitar after
tremolo either.” tudying acoustic guitar.”

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 Boost Your
conFidence
Arming yourself with a few jamming and improv
tips, and getting your onstage environment
organised, you can make sure you’re at your best

21 one shape, Two scales, traCK 21

25 make a checklisT
jam wiTh any music you like! Before you play live
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 The C major and A minor pentatonic scales It’s easy to get distracted in the rush setting up before
5 5 are essentially the same – they just start on a gig, but forgetting things can affect your
different root notes (black dots). Our short performance later on. Try this checklist before you
U2-style progression alternates between C play to ensure you’ll have some peace of mind up on
3 3 3 3 3 3
and Am chords. Not exactly classic improv the stage…
4 4 4 4 4 4 material we admit, but it shows you how one
easy shape is all you need in the event of an 1 Tune your guitar and the backup guitar.
impromptu live jam. Here are your options… 2 Double-check your amp settings but don’t change
C major A minor your volume from soundcheck (it’s already set).
pentatonic scale pentatonic scale 3 Make sure none of your pedal patch cables have
become disconnected. Check your pedal knobs.
1 The easy choice: Use the A minor pentatonic scale throughout. 4 Can everyone who’s playing see a setlist?
2 The alternative choice: Use the C major pentatonic scale throughout. 5 Keep a spare plectrum handy in case you lose one.
3 The logical choice: C major pentatonic scale over C; A minor pentatonic over Am. 6 Make sure you have water before you play to stay
4 The bigger picture: Both scales work over any chord in the key of C major or A minor, so try hydrated, especially if you’re singing too. 55
writing your own progression then jamming with the scale. Learn more in What The F on p22.

22 Jam for longer with pentatoniC SequenCeS traCK 22 23 repeat-peat-peating iS good traCK 23
j 3

q =120 q q =q q q = 130

œ œ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ #
A5 A7
Play 4 times j
.. .. .. nœ
..
Play 3 times
j j
œ nœ j
nœ
3 3 3
3

. . . .
BU
5 5 5 BU BU

. . . .
8 5 8 5 5 8 (10) 5 5 5 BU
7 7 5 7 5 7 (9) 5 ( 7) 7 7
7 7 5 ( 7) 7 7 7
B B
1 1

Everfeltlikeyouranoutofideastoosoon?thisangusyoung/JimmyPage-style repeatinglicksisn’[Link]’savitalpartofmusic,keepinglisteners
lickusesshort,repeatingphrasestokeeptheminorpentatonicgoodnessgoing [Link]-yrock’n’rolllickwillhelpyouget
[Link]’sworth! morefrompentatonics.

24 pentatoniCS for Jazz traCK 24

j 3

q =120 q q =q q
Am6
n Am6

#œ #œ œ œ
Am Am

.. œ bœ œ ..
3 3

. 5 8 5
.
. .
4 5 7 7
4 5 7 5 6 6 5 4
7 7 7
B
1

[Link]–[Link]
red ‘non-pentatonic’ notes use the jazz trick of [Link],[Link] jazz!

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 COVER FEATURE

REVITALISE YOUR RHYTHM

Get some essential chord shapes and changes down, then take your timing
to the next level with our 16th note strumming exercises

26 PRACTISE TRICKY CHANGES TRACK 25

27 FIVE CHORDS TO CROSS
X X X X
Before you even THE FRETBOARD
1 1 think about your X O O X
6 6
strumming hand,
2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
take a moment to 3 5
3 3 check you’ve got any 2
tricky chords or
4 4 3 2 3 4 2
changes down.
Remember this for 3 4
any rhythm part you
Bmaj7 G#7sus4
play. And, if you’re in
X X X X the mood for a C (C shape) C (A shape) C (G shape)
Ľqjhu0wzlvwlqj#
1 1 \hs/ zhġuh vwloo wdonlqj derxw fkrugv$ Wkhvh Ľyh
6 6 challenge, try cycling
shapes will help you traverse the whole 1 1 1
2 2 through these four 8
iuhwerdug#zlwk#|rxu#ulļv dqg uk|wkpv Ğ wkh
shapes to see 2
3 3 vhfuhw#olhv#lq#krz#wkh| olqn xs1 Hdfk fkrug
improvements right
shares at least one note with its predecessor. 3 4
4 4 away. Don’t worry
Vr#zkdwB#Zhoo/#duphg zlwk Ľyh vkdshv ri wkh
about the
same chord, you can start to think of ways to
complicated names.
transfer your ideas from shape to shape,
56 G#maj7b5add11 Bm/maj7#5 Just play the chords.
unlocking new creative ideas in the process.
C (E shape)

28 BUILD SPEED AND STAMINA WITH DOWNPICKING TRACK 26 X X

q =110 1
F#5
10
# ..
E5 Play 4 times
..
#
œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 3

PM 4

T . .
B
. 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4
. C (D shape)
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2

This thrash metal-style riff starts slow, like a jog, before doubling speed witha gimme five
quick sprint finish. This short burst of speed should be manageable without Use these five chord
tensing up and is something to build upon with longer ‘speed sprints’ over time. shapes to cross the
whole fretboard

29 FEEL THE DOWNBEAT AND BUILD A GROOVE TRACK 27 30 DEVELOP YOUR TIMING WITH SYNCOPATED 16THS TRACK 28
q = 110 q = 110
Em7 Play 4 times Em7 Play 8 times

# .. .. # .. ..

let ring

T . 7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
10 10
8 8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
8 . T . 7
7 8
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
7
7
8
7
8
7
8
7
7
7
7 .
. 7
9
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
9
7 7 7 7
9
7 7 7
. B
. 7
7 9
7
9
7
9
7
9
7
7
7
9
7
9
7
9
7
7
7
7 .
B 7 7 7 7

≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ cont. sim. ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤
This Nile Rodgers-style rhythm is played using constant 16th notes. Emphasise Another funk/disco riff, this rhythm includes space for a more creative sound. For
beats 1, 2, 3 and 4 with a heavier downstroke to lock in with the backbeat and play perfect timing, use constant down- and upstrokes, strumming slightly away from
the other pick strokes more gently. the strings on the rests.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 50 WAYS TO… PLAY BETTER NOW

you get things like the Klon, they take

away from the actual sound and you lose
wkh#erwwrp#hqg1#Dq#HT#shgdo#oliwv#wkh#
whole sound.”

33 AVOID ‘TONE SUCK’

If you’ve got a larger than average
pedalboard the issue of signal quality
orvv#wkurxjk#orqj#fdeoh0uxqv#yld#
multiple pedals comes into play. This is
the dreaded ‘tone suck’. You can lose
kljk#hqg#dqg#jhqhudo#Ľgholw|#zkhq#
xvlqj#orqj#fdeoh0uxqv#dv#d#uhvxow#ri#
fdsdflwdqfh1#Zkloh#exļhuhg#shgdov#fdq#
help deal with the losses (capacitance),
vrph#shgdov#wkdw#duh#exļhuhg#zkhq#lq#d#
bypassed state can be tone suckers
wkhpvhoyhv#ehfdxvh#wkhlu#exļhuv#frorxu#
wkh#wrqh1#Hyhq#zruvh#duh#shgdov#zlwkrxw#
true bypass. So tone sucking is really an
lvvxh#zkhq#shgdov#duh#vzlwfkhg#rļ/#dqg#
xvlqj#d#wuxh0e|sdvv#orrs#ru#orrs#
switcher keeps them out of your signal
chain when you’re not using it. Using
true bypass pedals and shorter cable
runs also helps minimise tone sucking.

PEDAL POWER-UP
Getting more from your pedals can inspire great things
57

– and it doesn’t mean spending boutique money

31 IMPROVE YOUR 32 PRO TIP MAKE driving school

LOW VOLUME TONE YOUR SOLOS HEARD When using

overdrive, you need
to balance the
Two pedals can help simulate a valve When you want to cut through the mix relationship
amp turned up, but at low volumes. A with your solo, stomping on a higher between your gain
clean boost and compressor can both gain pedal isn’t necessarily the answer. and mid frequencies
enhance your dynamics, especially Indeed, the more gain you add, the less
when practising at low volumes in the headroom you’ll have because you’re
home. The boost will push the front end compressing more and the audience 34 PRO TIP DIAL IN
of your amp a little harder. The
compressor can reduce the front attack
won’t hear you as clearly. Again, the
jrrg rog fohdq errvw ru dq HT shgdo
YOUR AMP FOR GIGS
of your notes while sustaining their might be your friend here for enhancing Hyhu#jrw#|rxu#vrxqg#mxvw#wkh#zd|#|rx#
decay, giving you a great base for blues what you already have; cut the bass level want it at home, only for it to seem
rock especially. a little and up the mid and treble. frpsohwho|#glļhuhqw#zkhq#|rx#jhw#
Stereophonics guitarist Adam Zindani wr#d#jljB#ģ\rx#qhhg#wr#HT#|rxu#dps#
subscribes to these principles live. and your rig to that particular
ģZlwk p| Rudqjh ^dps` L xvh wkh ^Ervv` environment,” Adrian Thorpe of
HT d orw/Ĥ kh whoov xv/ ģehfdxvh lw mxvw Thorpy FX explains. “Typically, if
oliwv wkh yroxph1 Zkdw |rx Ľqg zlwk |rxġuh#uxqqlqj#orxghu#0#xvxdoo|#wkh#
overdrives, or what I’ve found, is until fdvh#dw#uhkhduvdov#ru#jljv#0#|rxġoo#qhhg#

A CLEAN BOOST AND COMPRESSOR

CAN BOTH ENHANCE DYNAMICS
JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR
 COVER FEATURE

to lower your treble and upper mids as

well, just to make sure your tone is
not a scythe that cuts through the
audience. Treble and mids can get
harsh at higher volumes, which is to
gr#zlwk#Iohwfkhu0Pxqvrq#fxuyhv#dqg#
how your ear perceives certain
frequencies at certain decibel levels.
At higher volumes, your speaker is in
its optimum zone as well: it is just
pumping out the decibels and working
dw#lwv#prvw#hĿflhqw/#vr#lwġv#deoh#wr#
beam sound outwards very
hļhfwlyho|1ģVr#li#|rxġuh#uxqqlqj#dq#
dpsolĽhu#uhdoo|/#uhdoo|#orxg/Ĥ#dggv#
Dguldq/#ģĽuvwo|#L#zrxog#vxjjhvw#|rx#
get someone in the band to go and
stand where the punters are going to
stand while you do a soundcheck. If
|rx#grqġw#jhw#|rxu#HT#uljkw#dw#surshu#
gig volume, with someone you trust
standing where the audience will
spend all this money on a good guitar, a above left
Daniel Steinhardt
38 PRO TIP DON’T
stand to help you dial it in, all that top
good amp… and sometimes, if you use a
generous amount of gain, you can’t
recommends dialling ALWAYS PLAY ON 10
end is going to cut the audience’s back the gain a little
even hear the sound of the guitar itself. to let the guitar’s We’ve already talked about the potential
khdgv#rļ1Ĥ So sometimes just dialling back on that character come dw#|rxu#Ľqjhuwlsv#zlwk#|rxu#jxlwduġv#
a hair lets you hear some of the through more volume and tone controls. Keeley
35 GET HEAVY BUT characteristics of the guitar come
wkurxjk1#Dqg#|rx#pljkw#Ľqg#zkhq#|rx#
Hļhfwvġ#Urehuw#Nhhoh|#eholhyhv#wkh#
advantages apply to pedals too: “I’ve
NOT LOST turn the gain down you have to work a noticed that guitars don’t always sound
58 D#kl0jdlq#vrxqg#fkrsv#rļ#wkh#yhu|#wrs# olwwoh#elw#kdughu#0#rqfh#|rxġyh#irxqg#wkdw their best with the volume and tone all
and the very bottom of the signal beautiful sound, you may have to work the way up. If you give certain pedals a
Ğ#frpsuhvvlqj#lw1#Wkdwġv#dxwrpdwlfdoo|# harder to get it to come through than if little less signal they do something
limiting how much you’ll be heard, you had endless gain and sustain. But glļhuhqw1#Lw#grhvqġw#zrun#lq#hyhu|#fdvh#
especially if you’re making the old that can actually be a real gift, making Ğ#iru#h{dpsoh/#zlwk#frpsuhvvruv/#
metal move of scooping your mids. you more thoughtful about your note jhqhudoo|#Ğ#exw#wkh#wrqh#fdq#eh#
So there are two factors at play; choices, dynamics and all the rest of it.” gudpdwlfdoo|#glļhuhqw1#Olvwhq#zlwk#|rxu#
frpsuhvvlrq#dqg#HT1#\rx#qhhg#wr# eyes closed and use your ears!”
consider balancing them with any quest
37 PRO TIP
for heaviness and the fact is, you really
need some of those mids in the mix. INVEST IN A QUALITY 39 USE A
Ehfdxvh#wkh#jxlwdu#lv#d#plg0khdy|# POWER SUPPLY Cock o’ the walk
Get your wah in a
COMPRESSOR
instrument, after all. If you do insist on sweet spot for mid Wklv xqvxqj hļhfw#kdv#sohqw|#ri#xvhv1#
scooping them (and yeah, we’ve all been Zkr#zdqwv#wr#vshqg#wkhlu kdug0hduqhg
g hduqhg goodness Place it at the start of your pedal chain
tempted) consider dialling back the gain cash on a power supply instea ad of a new to tamme peaks, while giving you a
a bit and compensating some of that pedal? Well, it could be the wisest voluume boost. It can smooth
mid level you’re lacking from the pedal, investment you’ve made for youry ‘board an
nd fatten overdrive response.
with the amp. according to one of the most respected
r Orr, put a compressor on at the
hļhfwv#exloghuv#durxqg#uljkw q qrzĩ Lwġv ennd of your chain and it can
36 PRO TIP vital to use a quality power suppply,”
vd|v#MKV#Shgdovġ#Mrvk#Vfrww1 ģLqyhvw
g
give you a more consistent
signal level as you switch
TAME THE GAIN in a good, clean power supply,, glļhuhqw#shgdov#lq#dqg#rxw1##
“Just dialling back on the gain a little like a Voodoo Lab Pedal
can make you sound much better,” says
Daniel Steinhardt of The GigRig and
Power, or one of the new
Strymon power supplies.
40 C OCK YOUR WAH
That Pedal Show. “There are times, for The sound of your drive Fixing your wah
w in a sweet spot of
sure, when loads of gain is really pedals, particularly, will be midrange frequency (sweep slowly and
dssursuldwh#0#olnh#zlwk#ix}}1#Exw#|rx# much more consistent.” |rxġoo nqrz zkhq#|rx#Ľqg#lw,#lv#d#juhdw#
wrqh iru vror
rv Ğ dqg#wkh#odwh#Plfn#
Ronson mad
made great use of it in his work

“CERTAIN PEDALS WITH LESS with David Bowie (hear the solo on
Moonage Daydream,1#Dqg#Ľ{lqj#lw#

SIGNAL DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT” wrh0grzq#pdnhv#iru#d#orz0Ľ#lqwur#ru#

breakdown tone.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 SUPERCHARGE
YOUR SOLOS
Start with some scale basics
then think outside of the boxes
with our creative tips, tricks
and lessons

41 LEARN PENTATONICS ACROSS THE FRETBOARD TRACK 25

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 7 9 12 14
2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4

A minor pentatonic A minor pentatonic A minor pentatonic A minor pentatonic A minor pentatonic
scale (shape 1) scale (shape 2) scale (shape 3) scale (shape 4) scale (shape 5)
Many guitarists get a bit hazy when venturing outside the minor vkdshv1 Wkh|ġuh doo wkh vdph vfdoh exw hdfk vkdsh vwduwv rq d glļhuhqw# 59
shqwdwrqlf vfdoh1 Wdnh |rxu vrorlqj wr wkh qh{w ohyho e| ohduqlqj wkhvh Ľyh note. You’ll be racing around the whole fretboard in no time.

42 TARGET CHORD TONES FOR SLICKER MELODIES TRACK 29

q.= 60
Am7
œ
j . Dm7
~ j .
~~
Play 4 times

.. j œ œ
j ..
œ
.
BU BD
RP
~~~ ~~~ ~~
T . 5
5
8 (10) (10 )( 8 ) 6 .
B
. 5 7
5 5 7 5
7 5 3
5
.

ThisbluesideaisplayedoverAm7andDm7. Intheory,theAminorpentatonicscale
isfineoverbothchords,butspelloutthechangebyplayingadifferentscalefor
eachchord.UseAminorpentatonicoverAm7andDminorpentatonicoverDm7.

43 SYNC YOUR PICKING TO THE MUSIC TRACK 30

b .~~~~~~~..
q =120 Play 4 times

..
~~~~~~~~
T . .
B
. 0 0 0 5 7
5 7
0 0 0 7 10
7 10
0 0 0 10 12
10 12 13 12 10
12 10 12 .
≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
Photo: Daniel Knighton/Getty

[Link]‘downup’[Link]
ofitabitlikestrumming,[Link].

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 COVER FEATURE

44 PLAY RHYTHMICALLY TRACK 31

q =110
j
Am œ Play 4 times

.. ≈ ..
3
3
BU

T . 5 8
5 8 8 (10)
.
B
. 5 7 5 7
5 7
5 7 5 5 7
.

One of the most important factors for creating cool solos is to think rhythmically before adding notes. This John Frusciante-style lick uses lots of funky 16th note syncopation
in bar 1 before switching to a triplet feel in bar 2. Practise the lick on a one-note rhythm, getting comfortable with the feel before introducing the notes.

60

FOR CREATING COOL SOLOS

THINK RHYTHMICALLY

red hot
Practise our John
Frusciante-style lick
and take your soloing
to the next level

45 BUILD SPEED WITH LEGATO TRACK 32

q.=110
Am Play 4 times
.. 1
3 4
1 3 4
4
2 1
4 2
1
..

T . .
B
. 7 9 10
7 9 10 12 10 9
12 10 9 7 9 10
7 9 10 12 10 9
12 10 9 7 9 10
7 9 10 12 10 9
12 10 9 .
Photo: Chris McKay/Getty

Trainingyourfrettingfingerstoplayfluenthammer-onsandpull-offsisagreatwaytobuildswift,[Link]-stylelick,hammeronwithyourfirst,third
andfourthfingersforthefirstsixnotes;pulloffwithyourfourth,[Link].

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 50 WAYS TO… PLAY BETTER NOW

46 PRO TIP input of the amp. The sound of the delay

zloo eh glļhuhqw ghshqglqj rq zkhuh
PAN YOUR PARTS you put it in the chain so experiment
\rx#grqġw#kdyh#wr#xvh#glļhuhqw#jxlwduv# and see where it sounds bigger to you.”
for rhythms, overdubs or leads, but
consider how your tones can be panned
and separated in the mix. That could
phdq#d#glļhuhqw#slfnxs#srvlwlrq/#dps#
prgho#ru#ryhugulyh#shgdo1#Hyhq#yhwhudq#
players have to consider it when they
Ľqg#wkhpvhoyhv#dv#wkh#rqo|#jxlwdu#
sod|hu#lq#wkh#vwxglr#Ğ#dv#Vodvk#glg#zlwk#
his World On Fire album with Myles
Kennedy & The Conspirators… “I really
wanted to go in and do a proper
recording where you have harmonies
and rhythms maintained throughout
and the guitars go on the top,” Slash
tells us. “Like pretty much every record
I’ve done, up to Apocalyptic Love.
What I did was I treated the speaker
right guitar as my tone, and the solos in
the middle. But for the speaker left
jxlwdu#L#xvhg#glļhuhqw#jxlwduv#dqg#
48 TRY CHORD
glļhuhqw#dpsv/#mxvw#vr#lw#glgqġw#vrxqg# INVERSIONS
olnh#rqh#wklqj1#L#kdg#d#ihz#glļhuhqw# Wkhuh#duh#glļhuhqw#zd|v#wr#sod|#wkh#
Marshall combos that I used for my same notes on the guitar and you can

HACKS
vrxqg#dqg#iru#wkdw#vlgh#L#xvhg#glļhuhqw# use that to your advantage when
combos that could be anything from a recording. If you have a chord
KlZdww#wr#d#Phvd2Errjlh#wr#dq#Rudqjh/# surjuhvvlrq/#wu|#lw#lq#wzr#glļhuhqw#zd|v# 61
then maybe a Marshall combined (eg open chords and bar chords). You
with those.” can then pan the two approaches to add
Sound better, play better, track width to the guitar. This is all something
better – check out these simple to consider before you even think about
tips for your next session |rxu#jxlwdu#wrqhv/#ehfdxvh#vshflĽf#
voicings will just sound better for
certain parts. Sit down with an acoustic
recording for that reason. “It’s nice to above and test them out.
have a bit of delay,” he tells us, “because As the only guitarist

49 UNDERSTAND
on the World On Fire
in the studio it can be really dry and you
album, Slash panned
want to feel you are in a live situation
where you have that hall echo that you
the tones of one
guitar, as well as MIC PLACEMENT
fdq#sod|#rļ1Ĥ#Urfn#dqg#phwdo#surgxfhu# bringing in different Positioning One Mic
guitars and amps
Urphvk#Grgdqjrgd#lv#d#Ľup#idq#rq# Positioning your mic close to the
delay for his recordings: “With lead speaker is the easiest and most
guitars, delay units can be your friend in convenient way of recording your guitar.
getting things to sit on the edge of the A dynamic mic will handle the high SPL
vshdnhuv/Ĥ#kh#vd|v1#ģWu|#d#427#rq#wkh#ohiw# of your cab, so you can place it as close
dqg#42;#rq#wkh#uljkw/#iru#d#vwduwlqj#srlqw1# as you can physically get it. Start in the
Wkh#glļhuhqw#ghod|#wlphv#rq#wkh#ohiw#dqg# centre of the speaker cone, and move it
47 PRO TIP USE right will create the illusion that the
guitar is wider. I use this quite a lot for
towards the edge of the speaker.
Wkh#euljkwhvw#wrqh#lv#irxqg#ghdg0
DELAY FOR GIRTH lqwhuhvwlqj#uk|wkp#hļhfwv#lq#vwhuhr1# fhqwuh#ri#wkh#vshdnhu#Ğ#uljkw#rq#wkh#gxvw#
Dialling in a short slapback echo can Sxwwlqj#wkh#ghod|#lq#wkh#hļhfwv#orrs#ru# cap. As you move the microphone to the
give your leads more thickness and also after the mic will give you a cleaner hgjh#ri#wkh#vshdnhu/#|rxġoo#Ľqg#wkh#
inspire you. Iron Maiden’s Dave Murray sounding delay, which may sound wider sound gets progressively darker.
always uses it in his monitor mix when than using a delay straight into the
Wkh#Hļhfw#Ri#Glvwdqfh
Distance will also play a key role in your

“A BIT OF DELAY IS NICE – IN THE uhvxowlqj#wrqh#Ğ#sodflqj#wkh#plf#yhu|#

close to the speaker will capture the

STUDIO IT CAN BE REALLY DRY” amp’s sound in detail, with a lot of

dwwdfn#dqg#ghĽqlwlrq1#Zlwk#wklv#w|sh#ri#

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 pass the mic
The distance of the
mic from the speaker
plays a key role in the
resulting tone of
your recording

setup you’re recording the sound of the

speaker, with hardly any room sound.
The further you move the microphone
away from the speaker, the more you’ll
fdswxuh#wkh#urrp#uhľhfwlrqv/#dgglqj#
62 ambience and depth to your sound.

Ambient Mic’ing
Iru vrph vw|ohv ri pxvlf Ğ ru mxvw
shuvrqdo wdvwh Ğ |rx pd| suhihu wr
left
50 PRO TIP BALANCE
capture the sound of your amp in a more
natural, ambient way. Ambient mic’ing
Producer / guitarist / IMPROVISATION
will capture more of the sound
cape fan Adam D
finds that if he
WITH PLANNING
uhľhfwlrqv lq wkh urrp/ dv zhoo dv wkh backs off the mic Nobody likes to enter a recording
amp, and can really help your guitar to about six inches he situation completely unprepared, but
gets a more
sit in the mix well later. Because you’ll there’s also a lot to be said about what
balanced EQ curve
be placing the mic further from the you can create ‘in the moment’ when
source, we’d recommend using a PRO TIP ADAM D |rxġuh#sod|lqj1#Hxurshġv#Mrkq#Qruxp#
condenser mic; the extra sensitivity and tells us how he blends both elements in
frequency response will keep your
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE the studio…
sound full, even at a longer distance. “I personally have the best “I usually like to work out something
Start with your microphone about a oxfn 0 ru dw ohdvw L wklqn vr 0 ahead of time with a nice melody. I can
irrw +63fp, dzd| iurp wkh julooh1 Dv when I back the mic usually get some ideas from the vocal
with close mic’ing, the tonality of your rļ d olwwoh elw1 L nqrz d or
rw dqg#wkh#phorg|#zlwk#wkdw#Ğ#dqg#pd|eh#
captured sound will change, depending of engineers throw it incorporate some of it into the solo. But
on which part of the speaker you aim right on the grille if it’s uptempo I usually just go for it and
wkh plf dw Ğ krzhyhu ehdu lq plqg wkdw to get the bass boost, vhh#krz#lw#frphv#rxw1#Krshixoo|#L#fdq#
wklv hļhfw zloo eh ohvvhqhg wkh ixuwkhu wkh sur{lplw| hļhfw jhw#lw#rq#wkh#Ľuvw#ru#vhfrqg#wdnh1#L#grqġw#
you get from the speaker. and all that garbage, xvxdoo|#gr#pruh#wkdq#Ľyh>#Lġoo#vwrs#
The rule here is simple: move it exw L Ľqg wkdw li L edfn because you can lose that intensity and
further from the amp to record a more it up about six inches, it starts going downhill. That’s what I’ve
distant, roomier sound, and closer to the I get a more balanced qrwlfhg#zlwk#p|vhoi1#Diwhu#Ľyh#li#L#fdqġw#
amp to capture less ambience. HT fxuyh1Ĥ Ľqg#dq|wklqj#wkdwġv#jrrg#Lġoo#mxvw#hudvh#
it and start all over again. It’s about
83283#zlwk#lpsurylvdwlrq#Ğ#wkdw#

AMBIENT MIC’ING CAN HELP YOUR spontaneity makes it fun and I want to
surprise myself too. I don’t like to have

GUITAR TO SIT IN THE MIX LATER everything planned ahead of time, it

gets kind of boring.”

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K

64

OZZY
MR CROWLEY
Tackle Randy Rhoads’
crowning solo achievement
with TG’s tab of Ozzy’s
classic metal masterpiece
TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019
 CL ASSIC
T R AC K

W
ritten by late guitarist
Randy Rhoads with
Ozzy Osbourne and
GET THE SOUND
bassist Bob Daisley, Mr
Crowley is about Everything you need to know before playing ‘Mr Crowley’
lqľxhqwldo#rffxowlvw# or the rhythm parts, use the
Aleister Crowley. The inspiration for the
vrqj#fdph#zkloh#wkh#edqg#zrunhg#rq#wkh#
doexp#lq#Ulgjh#Idup#Vwxglrv#lq#Vxuuh|1#
Get the tone CHANNEL OVERDRIVE F distortion channel on your amp with
a low to medium gain setting, so
that you get a crunchy but not too
saturated tone. A distortion pedal is
Hyhq#zlwk#fxuuhqw#Ghhs#Sxusoh#nh|v#pdq# 3 7 3 handy to up the gain for the solos. If you
Grq#Dluh|ġv#hhulh#Kdpphu#kruuru#lqwur/# don’t have one, set your amp to a higher
8 8
Udqg|ġv zrun lv wkh vrqjġv pdlq hyhqw1 gain setting and lower your volume for
Wkh vrorv ixvh vwudljkwdkhdg urfn olfnv the rhythm parts. Rhoads double-
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB tracked the rhythm guitar, so if you’re
zlwk fodvvlfdoo| lqvsluhg dushjjlr olqhv Ğ playing alone, try adding chorus to fatten
vrphwklqj ri d fdoolqj fdug iru Udqg| your tone. Ideally, use a guitar with a
Rhoads, whose hunger for learning never bridge humbucker and vibrato arm too.
glplqlvkhg Ğ kh hyhq kdg fodvvlfdo jxlwdu
Typically for the style,
lessons while touring with Ozzy. The you’ll get the most
opening bars of the outro solo are great suitable sound from
h{dpsohv ri Udqg|ġv vzliwo| gholyhuhg your guitar by Effects
dushjjlrv1 \rx grqġw qhhg wr pryh |rxu selecting a bridge CHORUS
position humbucker Rate: Low Level: 2
kdqg wrr pxfk khuh/ vr exloglqj xs wkh with the tone and Depth: 3
uhtxluhg vshhg lvqġw dv wrxjk dv lw pljkw volume controls set DISTORTION
eh1 Wdnh lw vorzo| dqg sudfwlvh rqh olfn dw to maximum. Level: 5 Tone: 7
d wlph1 Lwġv juhdw ixq zkhq |rx qdlo lw$ Drive: 6

CHORDS SCALES
M M
rvw#ri#wkh#fkrugv#lq#Mr Crowley#duh#vlpsoh#srzhufkrug#vkdshv#+G8/#F8#dqg#E b8,# r Crowley#lv#lq#wkh#nh|#ri#G#plqru/ vr wkh 65
sod|hg#dfurvv#wzr#ru#wkuhh#vwulqjv/#vr#eh#vxuh#wr#phprulvh#wkhvh#Ľuvw1#Wkh#Ľuvw# G#plqru#shqwdwrqlf#vfdoh#+G I J D F,
G8#fkrug#vkdsh#lv#d#fkdqjh#wr#wklv#sdwwhuq/#wkrxjk/#dqg#lv#pruh#forvho|#uhodwhg# ihdwxuhv#kljko|/#hvshfldoo| lq vror 41 Wkh
wr#dq#rshq#G#fkrug1 uxq#lq#edu#46#ri#vror#5#lv/#krzhyhu/#edvhg rq wkh I
pdmru#vfdoh#+I#J#D#E b#F#G#H,1#Lwġv#sod|hg ryhu d E b
fkrug/#wkrxjk/#vr#|rx#frxog#fdoo#wklv vfdoh wkh E b
X X O X X X X X X X O|gldq#prgh#+E b#F#G#H#I#J#D,#Ğ#lw#kdv wkh vdph
qrwhv#dv#I#pdmru/#exw#vwduwv#rq#E b1#Iroorz wkh
1 1 Ľqjhu#qxpehuv#lq#wkh#gldjudpv1
5 5
2 2

3 3 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
10
1 1

3 3 3 2 2 2 2
D5 D5 F/A 4 4 4
4 4 4 4
X X X X X X X X X X D minor F major scale
1 1 pentatonic scale
6

1 1 1
Guitars and backing: Charlie Griffiths Photo: Fin Costello /Getty

5
3 4 3 4 1
2 2

3
3
4 4
Bb5 Bb5 C5

F major scale

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K

OZZY OSBOURNE FULL

TAB
MR CROWLEY
Music & Lyrics by Randy Rhoads,
Robert John Daisley, Ozzy Osbourne.
© 1980 Blizzard Music Ltd.

MR CROWLEY Reproduced by kind permission of Blizzard Music Ltd.

All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Verse 1

q =106

D5 Bb5
..
.
0:57
.
PM

T ¿¿
¿
3 3
2 2
0 0 3 3 3 3
B 0
1
1 1 1 1 3 1 0 1 1 3
1

D5 Bb5
..
. n
. PM

T ¿¿
¿
3 3

¿¿
2 2
0 0 3 3 3 3
B 0
1
1 1 1 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 2
5

66
C5 F/A D5

PM

T 5 5 5 5
6
5
5 5 5 5 7 7 7
B 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 5
9

Verse 1 only Verse 2 only Verse 3 only

j
œœ

T 5
5
6
7
5
5
6 8
7 9
6
7
3 4 3
5
3
5 3 5 3 2 7 9 10
8 10 11
5 7 5 3 5 3 2 7 7 8 10
B 5
10
7 8 10 10 8 10
12

C5 Bb5

PM
w/bar

T 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3
5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
5 [5 ]
15 w/bar

This section features a memorable riff and gets played three times in total. Guitarist Randy Rhoads develops the verse each time by varying the fill in bar 12. We’ve tabbed out
each one and labelled them for you. Just make sure you don’t accidentally play all three bars in one verse!

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 OZZY OSBOURNE / MR CROWLEY

OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Solo 1

Dm Bb
j j j j
œ œ œ œ

6 6 6 6 6 6
2:08 6
6

BU 10 10 10 10 10 13 10 10
T 10 13 10 BU 10 13 10 BU 10 13 10 BU 10 13 13 13 10 13 10 10
12 (14 ) 12 (14 ) 12 (14 ) 12 (14 ) 12 12 10 12 10 10
12 12 10 12 10 10 10
B 12 12
1

C
√ Dm
~~~~~~
C

6
b œ œn œ
j
œ
j

6
~~~~~~~~
6 6
BU BU BD
13 13 16 15 13 18 16 15 20 18 17 20 (22) 20 (22) (20) 20 17 20
T 10 10 10 12
10
12
10 10 10 15
12 10 12
B
3

Bb Edim
( ) ~~~
67
6 6 5 3
~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 6

17 18 17 18 17 15 17 15
T 20 17 20 17 18 17 20 0 18 17 15 17 15 13 15 13
14
13
15 12 12
15 14 12 14 [14 ] 0
B
5

√
A

j
œ > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3
BU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
¿¿
BU
15 (17) 15 14 15 13 12 13 12 12
T
¿
15 15 (17)

B
7

Dm Bb

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

13 10 10 10 13 10 10 10 13 10 10 13 10 10 10 13 10 10 10 13 10 10 13 10 10 13 10 10
T 13 13 13 13 13 13 10 13 13 13 13 13 13 10 13 13 10 13 13 10

B
9

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K
OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Solo 1 (cont’d)

C Dm C

œ œ
j .
6 6 PH
BU BD
5 6 5 5
T 8 10 8 6 8 6 5 6 5 3 5 6 5 3 5 6 8 8 (10 ) 10 (10) (8)

B
11

Bb
>. ~~~~ Edim

~~~~~
T 6
7 7 7 5
6 5
7 5
7 5 6 5 5 6 5 5 5 3
B 8 8 8 5 3 5 3 5 8 5
13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A N.C.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ w/bar

T
68 B 7 7 7 0 w/bar
15

This first solo features the D minor pentatonic scale (D F G A C), with a few moments in the blues (D F G A b A C) and natural minor (D E F G A B b C) scales. The trickiest parts are
the pentatonic run in bar 2 and the sextuplets in bars 9 and 10. Practise both licks slowly to a metronome until you start to get a feel for them.

OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Twin lead section

Bb ~~~~~~~~
Dm C
~~~~~~~~~~C Dm

. .

3:19
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
5 5 6 8 6 5 6 5
T 5 6 8 8 6 5
7
6 5 8 8 6

B
1

Bb
~ Edim
~~~~~~~~~
A

~~~~~~~~~
.
~~ 5
~~~~~~~~~ 5
~~~~~~~~~~
T 7
5 6 8 6 5
7
8 5 6 8 8 6 5
8
B
5

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 FULL TRACK + BACKING (TRACKS 33-34)
This song comes with a full demo track and a backing
track (minus guitar) on your CD. Simply insert the disc in
your player, press play and jam along guitaraoke style!
OZZY OSBOURNE / MR CROWLEY

OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Twin lead section (cont’d)

Bb
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
Dm C C Dm
.
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
5 5 6 8 6 5 5 6 5
T 5 6 8 8 6 5
7
6 5 8 8

B
9

Bb
œ
Edim
~~~~~~~~ A
~~~~~~~~~~
.
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
5 5
T 7
5 6 8 6 5
7
8 5 6 8 8 6 5
8
B
13

Rhoads’ classical guitar schooling shines through here with a neatly orchestrated twin-guitar section. We’ve tabbed the higher of the two guitar parts and left the lower part
on the backing track for you to jam along to. Aim to match your vibrato to the guitar on the backing track to help the parts blend more effectively.

OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Solo 2 69

Dm Gm7

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
3:54
17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 18 13 18 13 18 13 18 13 18 13 18 13 18 13 18 13
T 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

B
1 ≥ ≥≥ ≥≥ ≥≥ ≥≥ ≥≥ ≥≥ ≥≥ ≥

C F
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15 12 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13 17 13
T 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13

B
3

b
Bb Em7 5

15
æ æ
12
æ æ
12
T 15
15
16
17
15
15
16
17
15
15
16
17
15
15
16
17
18
19
16
17
15
15
16
17
11

B
5

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K
OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Solo 2 (cont’d)

Asus 4
(
A
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
6
æ9 æ æ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 12 13 13 13 12 10 12 10 12 10 12 12 0
T
B
7

Gm7
( √
Dm

~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 6 6

9 10 9 10 9 10 ~~~~~~~~~~ 9 10 12 10 12
T 10 11 10 11 10 11
9 10 9 10 9 10 9 10
9 10
11
B
9

C F

70
.
5 6 5 5
T 8 8 6 5 6 5
7 5
8 7 5 5 7 5
B 8 8 7 5 7 8 8 0
11

b
Bb Em7 5
6
6

œ 6
6

5 6 8 6 5 5 5
T 2 3 5 3 5 7
5 6 8 8 8 6 5 6 5 8 8 6 5
2 3 5
B 1 3 5
1 3 5
13

Asus 4 A ~~~~~~

7 7 7 7 7
7
~~~~~~~
7

T 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 5 3 5 3 5 3 5 6 5 6 5 6 5 6 8 6 8 6 8 6 8 10 8 10 8 10 8 10 11 10 11 10 11 10 11 13 11 13 11 13 11 15

B
15

The arpeggios at the beginning of this solo are played by picking the first and third notes of each triplet, using a fourth finger pull-off to sound the second note. The rest of the
solo breaks down logically into two-bar phrases, so work through it in sections and gradually piece the part together.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 OZZY OSBOURNE / MR CROWLEY

OZZY OSBOURNE MR CROWLEY Outro solo

Dm
~~~~~~~
Gm7
~~~~~~~~~ C
. . . œ
j

4:28
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ rake

17 18 17 17 17
BU
20 (22)
T 17 18
19 17 19
17 18
19 19
18 20 20 18 17 18 20 20 18 17

B
1

F Bb
( ) ~~
œ
j > > > b > n > b> >
6 6 6

BU
20 (22)
~~~~
20 18 17 20 18 17 20 18 17 20 18 16 18 17 15 17 15 13 16 14 12 14
3

13 11 13 10 9 10
T
B
4

b
Em7 5 Asus 4 A
1/4

71
3
7

T 13 11 10
12
10
12 10 9 7 9 10 7 1/4
10 8 7 8 10 8 7 5 5 7 5
B 7 8 8 7 5 3
5 3 1
6

Dm Gm7

j
œ
PM PM

T
3 6 3 5 3
B 3 5 5 3 5 5 3 5 5 3
9

C F ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
j
œ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T 5 7
6 5
7 5 7
3 5 5 7
B 5 3 5
11

A notable point of this solo comes in bar 5, where Rhoads uses a descending, partly chromatic run to create tension (chromatic just means you move in one-fret steps via
notes that may not be in the key signature). Try using a mixture of your fourth, third and first, and fourth, second and first fingers for each triplet.

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 ROCK
SCHOOL

OASIS
CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL
Try out Rockschool’s Grade Three
version of this classic single from Oasis’
era-defining debut album

T
his Noel Gallagher-penned lick and some brighter sounding E
Britpop banger opens with an fkrugv1#Wkh#jxlwdu#sduw#lq#edu 45 lv d
xqdffrpsdqlhg#jxlwdu#ulļ1# classic rhythm guitar move used by
Hvvhqwldoo|#d#eoxhv#errjlh#ulļ# sod|huv#dv#glyhuvh#dv#Nhlwk#Ulfkdugv
+dqg#vrxqglqj#vlplodu#wr#W1#Uh{ġv#Get It dqg#Qloh#Urgjhuv1#I&#dsshduv djdlq lq
On,/#|rxġoo#qhhg#d#vwhdg|#Ġlqwhuqdo# edu#48/#wklv#wlph#dv#dq#dushjjlr1
phwurqrphġ#khuh#vr#frxqw#wr#irxu#iru# Practise the picking slowly to start
dw#ohdvw#d#ixoo#edu#wr#jhw#d#ihho#iru#lw#li# frqvlvwhqwo|#klwwlqj#wkh#uljkw vwulqjv1
|rxġuh#sod|lqj#zlwkrxw#wkh#ehqhĽw#ri# Dial in a dirty overdriven tone,
wkh#edfnlqj#wudfn1# lghdoo|#iurp#d#Pduvkdoo#dpsolĽhu dqg
Wkh#lqlwldo#ulļ#rshqv#rxw#lq#edu#:/# kxpexfnhu0htxlsshg#jxlwdu1 Ilqdoo|/
going via the Lydian-like F# chord pdnh#vxuh#wr#dgg#sohqw|#ri#uhyhue wr Ľoo
ehiruh#vzlwfklqj#wr#d#grxeohvwrs0edvhg# rxw#|rxu#vrxqg1
72

FULL
Rockschool Classics
TAB
features a collection of
iconic rock tracks which can CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL
be used as Free Choice Words and music by Noel Gallagher
Pieces in Guitar Grade © Copyright 1994 Creation Songs Limited/Oasis Music (GB).
exams. For more info visit: Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
[Link] All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

OASIS CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL TRACKS 35-36

q =112

E5

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T
2 2 2
B 2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2 2 4
0
2
0
2
0 3 2
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
1

F#
#
n
Photography: Chiaki Nozu/Getty

T
2 2 2 4
B 2 4
0
2
0
2
0 3 2
2
0
2
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
0
2 2 4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
4
2
4

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 FULL TRACK + BACKING (TRACKS 35-36)
This song comes with a full demo track and a backing
track (minus guitar) on your CD. Simply insert the disc in
your player, press play and jam along, guitaraoke style!
OASIS / CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL

OASIS CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL (cont’d) TRACKS 35-36

A5 E

# ...
œ
12 12 12 12 10 10
T 3 3 3 3
12 12 12 12 10 10 9
9
9
9
9
9
4 4 4 4 4 9 9 9
B 4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2
4
2 0 0 0
7

# ...
nœ
T 9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
9
9
9
10
9
9
9
9 9 9 9 9 9 11 9 11 9
B 0 3 2 0 0
10

E5 F # 7add 11
# ..
73
let ring
Vary on rpt.

T . 0
0
0

B
. 2 2 4 4 2 2 4 4 2 2 4 2 2 2 2
4
3 3
4
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13

A5 E

# ...
n
12 12 12 12 10 10
T 12 12 12 12 10 10 9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9 9 9 9 9 9
B 0 0 0 0 3 2 0
16

1 2

# ... .. ... A5

T 9 9 9 10 9 10 9 . 10 9 10 9

B
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
11
9
9
9
11
9
9 . 9
11
9
9
9
11
9
9 2
0
0
19

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 ROCK
SCHOOL
OASIS CIGARETTES & ALCOHOL (cont’d) TRACKS 35-36

E5 A5 E5
#
1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4

n n n # n n n
T 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4 1/4
2 2
B 0 3 0 3 0
3 0 0 3 4 0 3
0 0 3 0 3 0
3 0
22

A5 E
#
1/4 1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4

n # n n n n # n
T 1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4 1/4
2 2 2 2
B 0 3 4 0 3
0 0 3 0 3 0
3 0 0 3 4 0 3
0
25

D sus 2 A E D sus 2
#
74
let ring
0 0 0 0
T 2 2
3 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3 3 3
2
0 2 2 2 2 0
B 0 0 0 0 0 2
0
28

A E D sus 2 A

0 0 0 0 0 0 0
T 3 2
2
2 0 3 3 3
2
3 2
2
2 0
2 0 2
B 0 2
0
0
31

Guitar Solo Freely

# ..
E D sus 2 A E D sus 2 A
..
E

T . . 0
0

B
. . 1
2
2
0
34

Rockschool’s Grade Three arrangement allows you to experiment with your own ideas in the solo. For an authentic Oasis vibe, use four- to six-note phrases from the E
minor pentatonic scale and repeat them before bringing in a few loose, drawn-out string bends – just as Noel does.

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 TURN
A ROU N D

THE TURNAROUND LICKS OF THE BLUES GIANTS

BILLY
GIBBONS
Learn the playing style of ZZ Top’s main man, one of
the greats of Texas blues, aka The Reverend Willy G

B
orn into a musical family, Billy Gibbons humbucker-equipped instrument (though he
zdv#sod|lqj#lq#edqgv#e|#djh#47/#Ľuvw# plays single coils too!) and a rich, valve drive
with The Saints, then Billy G And The tone are all you need for a typical ballpark
Eoxhľdphv/#Wkh#Frdfkphq/#dqg#Wkh# sound. Most notably, he’s used Fender Tweed
Moving Sidewalks – who were signed and and Marshall Plexi amps. Nope, we haven’t got
recording before Gibbons even reached 18. Of one either – but any modelling amp will have a
course, ZZ Top brought Gibbons major success. suitable patch! Skinny gauge-seven strings and
With a unique brand of down ’n’ dirty blues- a Mexican peso for a pick are the icing on
rock, the Texan trio’s early hits included La Gibbons’ rich, harmonic-laden tonal cake!
Grange and Tush, and, in 1983, the Eliminator ZZ Top’s records are littered with minor
album sent the band to the stratosphere. pentatonic lines alongside traditional blues licks
As for tone, Billy’s ’59 ‘Pearly Gates’ Les Paul and Gibbons’ trademark pinched harmonic
dqg#zklwh0ixu#fryhuhg#H{soruhu#duh#wkh#vwxļ#ri# Ġvtxhdolhvġ1#Zhġuh#dovr#orrnlqj#dw#vkxŀh#ulļv/#
76 legend, but, with a huge collection to draw Ġslfn#dqg#Ľqjhuvġ0vw|oh#sod|lqj#dqg#wzr0qrwh#
from, you’ll see various guitars in his hands – a chord shapes. Let’s dive in…

1 EASY ZZ TRACK 37
3
j
q =142 q q =q q
A5 3
1/4

. .
1 3

. .
1 3 3
3 1
3

PM on bass notes throughout

1/4
T 5 5 7 5 [5] 7 7 5
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 5 5 7 5 [5] 7 7 5 7 5 5 5
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7

≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ a
m ≥ ≥ a
m ≥ a
m
a
m ≥ a
m ≥ ≥ a
m ≥ ≥ a
m ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥
Herewe’reoutliningaZZTopstyleshuffleriff,usingapickonthebassnotesandplayingfingerstyleonthehigherstrings,[Link]
mutedtohelpthemoremelodicstuffonthethird/[Link]’sbridgewhereyoucanrestyourhandtomutethestring.

2 JUST GOT PLAYED TRACK 38

A5
Guitars and backing: Richard Barrett Photograph: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

. .
# #
PM on bass notes throughout

T 7 5 7 5 0 0 2 2 2
7 5 7 5 0 0 2 2 2 2 2
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 5 3 0 0

≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥
2 0 3 0 4 0
a a a a a a a a a a
m m m m m m m m m m

Muchoftheadvicefromexample1appliesagainhere,thoughyou’llseethatthesecondhalfislesstightandfocused,introducingsomepull-offsandallowingnotestoring
[Link](the5thfretinbar3forexample),sobepreparedtomakeuseofthisoft-neglecteddigit!

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 FULL TRACKS (TRACKS 37-43)
These tab examples come with audio tracks
on your CD. Simply insert the disc in your player,
press play and jam along, guitaraoke style!
TURNAROUND / BILLY GIBBONS

3 BLUES LICKS AND PINCHED HARMONICS TRACK 39

A5
j j 1/4
j
1/4
j j 1/4 1/4
œ œ œ œ œ

1/4 1/4 1/4

~~~~~~~
PH
1/4
BU BD
T 7 9
8
9 7 5 5 7 (8) (7) 5 7 9
8
9 7 5 5 [5 ]
7 5 7 7 7 5 7
B

This lead guitar lick incorporates bluesy slides and quarter-tone bends. There’s an element of feel here, so be patient and let your technique develop gradually. Notice the
pinched harmonics in bar 4. The idea is to make contact with the string with your thumb as you pick it. Dial in a biting but not too heavy distortion tone to help generate a squeal.

4 TRADITIONAL BLUES INFLUENCES TRACK 40

œ
j
A5
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
j 1/4

3 3 3 3
let ring
1/4

T 7 9
8
9
8
9
8
9
8
9
8
9
8
9
8
9
8
9 7 5
7 5
B
1

77

1/4
j
œ

PH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1/4
BU BD
T 5 7 (8) (7) 5 5 [5 ]
7 7 5 7
B
3

Let the notes in bar 1 ring together – it’s Billy’s take on a traditional blues line and it’ll groove better with a little fretting hand vibrato. There are pinched harmonics in bar 4.
Touch the string roughly 24 frets higher than the fretted note for a loud, clean squealie. Most guitars don’t have enough frets so estimate where they would be positioned.

5 SHARP PICKED RUN TRACK 41

A5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1/4
1/4
1/4
j j
œ œ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 PH
1/4
1/4 1/4
5 5 BU BD BU BD
T 5 6
5 8 [8 ] 8 5
7
5
7 (8) (7) 5 5 7 (8) (7) 5
7 7 7 5 7
B

We’re getting a little more sophisticated in this phrase, but it’s more about the finer details than any especially complex licks – typical Gibbons then! Keep a close eye on the
quarter-tone bends and see how much they add to the feel by playing the line without them. The 5th- to 6th-fret move in bar 1 is a cool blues idea that many players use.

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 JA M
T R AC K

JAM TRACK PLAY GUITAR WITH A BAND

FUNK-
METAL
Get into the groove and improve your funky
phrasing with TG’s authentic track

F
unk-metal combines the with lots of legato and tapping – as
attitude and hard-hitting demonstrated by Nuno Bettencourt
distorted guitar tones of heavy throughout the entire Ihkgh`kZưmmb
metal with the syncopated, album. You can also take the more
swinging grooves and rhythms of jazzy, progressive approach of
funk. The style was at its peak in the Primus’ Larry LaLonde or Living
early 90s with Extreme, Red Hot Chili Colour’s Vernon Reid.
Peppers, Primus, Living Colour and This month’s jam track is a
Faith No More blazing a trail. Primus’ medium-paced, heavy tune that
Tommy The Cat and Extreme’s Get The provides a perfect canvas for funky
Funk Out are great examples of how rhythms and extended solos. As ever, Primus’ Larry LaLonde
has his own unique
heavy and funky coexist. we’ve provided chord boxes so you
jazzy approach
Lead guitar styles are often rooted can jam along, plus scales and a lick to funk-metal
78 in blues-rock and of course metal, for you to try out over our track.

SCALES CHORDS
T T
he verse and bridge sections are based in A, kh rshq fkrugv lq wkh yhuvh duh sod|hg lq d v|qfrsdwhg uk|wkplf ulļ vw|oh/ xvlqj
whereas the chorus is in E. If you’re wkh irxuwk Ľqjhu wr dgg d kljk vwde wr wkh rshq D8 vkdsh1 Wkh eulgjh ihdwxuhv
struggling to wrap your brain around the srzhufkrugv lqfrusrudwhg lqwr d vlqjoh0qrwh ulļ1 Wkh fkruxv kdv d pruh ulqjlqj/
hybrid blues scale/A7 arpeggio pattern, try using epic style with sustained chords and rhythmic strumming added into the mix.
just a few choice notes from the shape.

X 0 X 0 O X X X 0 X X X X

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

3 2
4 4
4 3 3 A5 G5 D5 G#5
4 4 4 4 X 0 X X X X X X X X X X

1 1
A7 / A blues scale 4 7
Guitars and backing: Charlie Griffiths Photo by Nuno Bettencourt / Larry LaLonde

hybrid 1 1

1 3 4 3 3 3

1 1 1 1 1 1 3 4
12
2 A5 C5 C#5 E
X X X X 0 X X X
3 3 3
1 1
5 5
4 4 4 4 2 1 1

3 3 3 3 4

E blues scale
D A E5

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 BACKING TRACK (TRACK 44)
This song comes with a backing track on your CD.
Simply insert the disc in your player, press play and
jam along, guitaraoke style!
JAM TRACK / FUNK-METAL

JAM TRACK FUNK-METAL LICK TRACK 44

q =100
G#5
#
A5 G5
~~~~ D5 G5
1/4
A5
~~~~
G5

. œn
~~~~~ 3
1/4
~~~
¿¿ ¿¿ ¿¿
5
T
¿
8 5
5 6 7 5 6 8 7 5 7 5
5 7 5 7 5 7 7 7 7 5
B 7 5 3
5

Our lick uses an A7 arpeggio and the A blues scale. You can also see this as the blues scale with an added major 3rd. In bar 1 strum the doublestops with a loose
wrist and hammer on from the 5th fret to the 6th. In bar 2 aim to keep the notes even and clean as you descend through the blues scale-based lick.

CHEAT SHEET
Tempo 100 bpm
Time signature 4/4
Key/scale A blues / E blues

JAM TRACK

F 79

VE RS E
||: A5 / G5 / | D5 / G5 G#5 :|| x4
BR IDG E
||: A5 / / C5 :|| x3 | A5 / D5 / |
||: A5 / / C5 :|| x3 | A5 / D5 D#5 ||
CH OR US
||: E / / / | D / A / |
| E / / / | E5 / / D5 E5 :||

The verse and bridge are both based in A but try approaching each section differently to complement the riffs. For example, you might play in a
funky, rhythmic or syncopated style first, then take a more sustained and bluesy approach over the flowing feel of the chorus.

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 ACOUSTIC

82
Unplugged
YOUR MONTH IN THE ACOUSTIC WORLD

083
ACOUSTIC NEWS
084
LUCY SPRAGGAN
086
ACOUSTIC TAB:
ROCKET MAN

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 ACOUSTIC
HeadRush’s looper with
7” touchscreen is a
TRACKS 45-49
serious investment with
serious features
FIVE
DOMINANT
7TH CHORDS
Essential chords to
fuel your creativity

1 1 1 1

GOING LOOPY 3
2

Has HeadRush just unveiled thet F#7

mother of all Looper pedalss? X X X

T
he art of looping is serious potential for the player. Its tracks. And then there’s the
business, and anyone who zrunľrz fdq eh fxvwrplvhg hļhfwv |rx fdq dsso| wr |rxu orrsv=
has tried to record just a according to your needs with four reverse, fade, time-stretching via
couple of samples to run mono or stereo looper tracks the tap tempo and multiply, plus
behind their live playing will know which can then be run in any of you can also divide the length and 1 2
it’s a skill that takes time to wkh Ľyh dydlodeoh wudfn prghv= speed for the whole loop. 3
develop. But if you want to get Fixed, Serial, Sync, Serial Sync/ There are eight hours of internal 83
really ambitious with it HeadRush Sync and Free. recording time with the option to G#7
might just have your dream There are 12 footswitches expand via SD, USB-A or computer X X
machine with its Looperboard. featuring LEDs, which can be used through USB-B. There’s a
With a quadcore processor and for a variety of functions including comprehensive range of outputs
the 7" touchscreen seen on its record, overdub, reverse, as you’d expect for £769 street and
Pedalboard and Gigboard transpose, bounce, undo/redo, also 300 drum loops included.
pxowl0hļhfwv#shgdov/#lw#rļhuv#kxjh# peel, fade and clear individual loop More info: [Link] 1
2
3 4

SMALL THINGS X X
D7

Once, twice, three times a

1
TC Electronic PolyTune Mini 7

A
2
fter its big brother got an
update, it was only a matter of 3 4
time before the PolyTune Mini
6#vxuidfhg#Ğ#lq#wzr#Ľqlvk#rswlrqv/#qr#
less. Whether you opt for the white
or noir you’ll not only be saving A7
v
valuable real estate on your
X
pedalboard, you’ll be getting the 3’s
new ‘always-on’ mode that enables 1
3
y
you to tune even when you’re not
muted and playing – useful for those
mid song ‘is this string out?’ 3 3 3
prphqwv1#Wkh#wuxh#dqg#exļhuhg#
4
bypass PolyTune Mini 3 (£TBC)
features an 108-LED, along with
dropped and capo tuning modes.
C7
A
Available later this summer.
More info: [Link]

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 ACOUSTIC Words Matt Parker

LucySpraggan
THE STOCKPORT-DWELLING SONGWRITER AND CAREER CONTRARIAN TALKS
STORY-TELLING, STIGMAS AND STICKING TO HER GUNS
ru#shukdsv#wkh#Ľuvw#wlph#hyhu/#dw# p|#jxqv#rq#wkdw#dqg#wkdwġv#vrphwklqj#wkdw# lv#d#jxlwdu0ohg#vrqj#dqg#wkdwġv#sod|hg#rq#wkdw1#

F ohdvw#lq#khu#surihvvlrqdo#olih/#Oxf|#
Vsudjjdq#lv#ihholqj#vrph#vhqvh#ri#
frqwhqwphqw1#Diwhu#khu#dsshdudqfh#
Lġp#txlwh#surxg#ri1Ĥ
Lq#wkh#surfhvv/#Oxf|#kdv#irujhg#d#edfn#
fdwdorjxh#ri#vrqjv#dfurvv#Ľyh#doexpv#wkdw#
rq#X Factor#lq#5345#wkh#Ex{wrq0eruq# frpelqh#shuvrqdo#wdohv/#kxprxu#dqg#krqhvw|1#
vrqjzulwhu#irxqg#d#uhsxwdwlrq#exlow#sod|lqj#Ľyh#
qljkwv#d#zhhn#zdv#txlfno|#hudvhg#e|#wkh#
Flqghuhood0vhhnlqj#sxeolflw|#mxjjhuqdxw#
Lw#doo#vwduwv#zlwk#mxvw#khu#yrlfh#dqg#dq#dfrxvwlf#
jxlwdu1#ģLw#lv#wkh#edfnerqh/Ĥ#vd|v#Oxf|1#ģWkh#
dfrxvwlf#dqg#wkh#sldqr1#Hvshfldoo|#wklv#uhfrug1#L#
Wkh#dfwlrq#zdv#d#olwwoh#elw#kljk#exw#lw#mxvw#kdv#d#
wrqh1#L#oryh#wklqjv#olnh#wkdw/#wklqjv#wkdw#|rx#orrn#
dw#dqg#jr=#ĠWkdwġv#jrlqj#wr#eh#vklw$ġ1#Dqg#wkhq#
|rx#sod|#lw#dqg#|rxġuh#olnh/#ĠZrdk$ġ1Ĥ#
Connie’s Bar#lv#d#vwuxpphu#zlwk#d#wdoh/#vr#d#
jrrg#h{dpsoh#ri#Oxf|ġv#dssurdfk#wr#o|ulfdo#
vwru|0whoolqj/#wrr#Ğ#d#whfkqltxh#ghyhorshg#
vxuurxqglqj#wkh#vkrz1#Qrz#uhvlglqj#dzd|#iurp# kdgqġw#uhdolvhg#lw#xqwlo#L#olvwhqhg#wr#wkh#doexp# olvwhqlqj#wr#wkh#olnhv#ri#Grq#PfOhdq/#Nhqq|#
wkh#pdmruv/#rq#Frrnlqj#Ylq|o/#khu#qhz#uhfrug# ixoo|#pdvwhuhg/#exw#L#zdv#olnh/#ĠVklw/#wklv#lv#d# Urjhuv#dqg#Nluvw|#PdfFroo1#ģWkdw#zdv#wklv#wlph#
Today Was A Good Day#lv#lpexhg#zlwk#d#sdosdeoh# jxlwdu#doexpġ1#Prvw#ri#lw#vwduwhg#rq#wkh#dfrxvwlf# lq#Qruwk#Iorulgd/Ĥ#h{sodlqv#Oxf|#ri#lwv#ruljlq1#
vhqvh#ri#fhoheudwlrq#dqg#olehudwlrq1#Wkh#wzlvw/# dqg#wkdwġv#p|#jr0wr#hyhu|#wlph#L#sod|1Ĥ ģP|#iulhqg#zhqw/#ĠJr#dqg#jhw#d#exujhu#lq#wkdw#
krzhyhu/#lv#wkdw#kdylqj#zrunhg#vr#kdug#wr# D#Jlevrq#M04;8#lq#urvhzrrg#lv#khu#fxuuhqw# eduġ1#Zh#zhqw#dqg#lw#zdv#wklv#properly#vfdu|#
84 uhhvwdeolvk#khu#dxwkhqwlflw|/#Oxf|#kdv#fkrvhq# jr0wr/#exw#Oxf|#vd|v#wkhuhġv#dovr#d#†83#ģfkdulw|# elnhu#edu1#Wklv#wlq|#zrpdq/#Frqqlh/#zdv#
wklv#srlqw#wr#pdnh#d#uhfrug#ri#k|shu0lqihfwlrxv# vkrs#jxlwduĤ#doo#ryhu#Today Was A Good Day1#ģLw# ehklqg#wkh#edu#exw#vkh#zdv#olnh/#ĠGrqġw#zruu|#
srs#edqjhuv#Ğ#doehlw#jxlwdu0fhqwulf#rqhv1# vkrxogqġw#vrxqg#jrrg/Ĥ#vkh#vd|v1#ģConnie’s Bar derxw#wkhvh#sxvvlhv$ġ#wr#wkhvh#jx|v#zlwk#doo#
ģLwġv#ixqq|/Ĥ#vkh#whoov#WJ1#ģL#frxog#kdyh# wkhvh#vfduv#rq#wkhluv#idfhv#dqg#wdwwrrv#
jrqh#grzq#wkdw#Ġlqwhuqdo#pxvlfġ#udeelw# dqg#vkh#mxvw#wrog#xv#khu#vwru|1#L#olwhudoo|#
kroh#dqg#L#uhdoo|#glgqġw#zdqw#wr#gr#wkdw1#Vr# ohiw#wkhuh#dqg#zurwh#Connie’s Bar
lwġv#nlqg#ri#lurqlf#wkdw#suredeo|#wkh# vwudljkwdzd|1#Ixqq|#vwru|=#vkh#khdug#wkh#
eljjhvw#srs#uhfrug#Lġyh#pdgh#kdv#frph# vrqj#dqg#vhqw#ph#d#ohwwhu#vd|lqj#vkh#
zkhq#Lġyh#hvfdshg#wkh#udw#udfh#dqg#Lġp# oryhg#lw1#Vkh#vljqhg#lw#rļ=#ĠJrwwd#jr/#wkh#
grlqj#wklqjv#L#zdqw#wr#gr1#Lġyh#pdgh#wkh# sdsdud}}lv#duh#xs#p|#dvv$ġ1Ĥ
uhfrug/#suredeo|/#wkdw#Vrq|#zdqwhg1#ĠIxfn# Wkhvh#fkdudfwhuv#dqg#vlwxdwlrqv#vhhp#
ġhp/ġ#edvlfdoo|$#L#glgqġw#gr#lw#rq#sxusrvh/# wr#Ľqg#Oxf|1#ģL#mxvw#ihho#olnh#wkdwġv#zkdw#L#
exw#L#pljkw#vwduw#whoolqj#shrsoh#L#glg111Ĥ gr/Ĥ#vkh#vd|v1#ģVrph#shrsoh#zulwh#gldulhv#
Wkdw#erog#dqg#dpxvlqjo|#frqwuduldq# ru#mrxuqdov1#L#mxvw#wxuq#lw#lqwr#d#vrqj1#Lwġv#
qdwxuh#kdv#ehhq#nh|#wr#Oxf|ġv#sdwk# doo#h{shulhqfhv1#Li#|rx#vwxfn#ph#lq#d#zklwh#
wkurxjk#wkh#pxvlf#lqgxvwu|1#Lwġv#dq# urrp/#Lġg#eh#olnh/#ĠZhoo/#wkhuhġv#qrw#jrlqj#
dwwlwxgh#zh#fdq#lpdjlqh#pdmru#odeho#h{hfv# wr#eh#dq#doexp$ġ1Ĥ
irxqg#lqixuldwlqj/#exw#lw#lv#Ğ#hvvhqwldoo|# Zh#fdqġw#lpdjlqh#khu#doorzlqj#d#
dqg#hqghdulqjo|#Ğ#nh|#wr#khu#fudiw1# vlwxdwlrq#olnh#wkdw#wr#rffxu1#Khu#hqwluh#

IN-DEPTH
ģWkhuhġv#ehhq#d#orw#ri#grlqj#wklqjv# fduhhu#vhhpv#wr#kdyh#ehhq#edvhg#rq#grlqj#
shrsoh#kdyh#wrog#ph#qrw#wr#gr/Ĥ#vkh# wkh#rssrvlwh#ri#zkdw#shrsoh#whoo#khu1#ģMxvw#
dfnqrzohgjhv1#ģLwġv#ehhq#uhdoo|#glĿfxow# Why Lucy favours a bigger-bodied build nhhs#grlqj#zkdwhyhu#lw#lv#wkdw#you#gr/Ĥ#lv#
ehfdxvh#Lġp#dq#duwlvw#wkdwġv#ehhq#sod|lqj# Oxf|ġv#dgylfh1#ģLi#|rx#qrwlfh#wkdw#|rxu#
vkrzv#vlqfh#L#zdv#45#dqg#zulwlqj#vrqjv# “I feel like Gibson has got the edge,” says Lucy of her dxglhqfh#Ğ#hyhq#li#lwġv#vhyhq#shrsoh#Ğ#li#
vlqfh#L#zdv#hyhq#|rxqjhu1#Wkhq#L#zhqw#rq# acoustic choice, the J-185. “The acoustic guitars, wkh|#olnh#wkdw/#wkhq#nhhs#grlqj#lw#dqg#
The X Factor#wklqnlqj#L#frxog#eh#wkh#rqh# especially. I’m also a massive fan of Freshman, I played eholhylqj#lq#zkdw#|rx#gr1#Lq#wklv#lqgxvwu|#
wkdw#glgqġw#kdyh#wkh#vwljpd>#wkdw#shrsoh# the FA500 DCE for a really long time and that actually lwġv#vr#hdv|#wr#eh#srooxwhg/#olnh#lqn#
zrxog#wklqn/#ĠWkhuhġv#d#fuhgleoh#duwlvwġ1# contended with the Gibson for me. It’s the feel and the gursslqj#lqwr#d#jodvv#ri#zdwhu1#Lwġv#vr#hdv|#
body that I look for. That depth. I always play
Exw#wkdw#vwljpd#lv#wrr#kdug#wr#xqvwlfn1#L# wr#ohw#wkhp#lq#dqg#L#glg#iru#d#orqj#wlph/#
dreadnought guitars – and they look massive on me.
zdv#hqfrxudjhg#vr#pxfk#wr#jr#dqg#gr# exw#qrz#Lġyh#irxqg#p|#rzq#vwulgh#dqg#p|
Most of them are as tall as me – but I think it’s that
Photos: Andrew Gannon

wkh#^jrvvls`#pdjd}lqhv#dqg#jr#rq#I’m A depth that the full body gives. And, tonally, the Gibsons rzq#zd|#ri#zrunlqj1#L#zlvk#vrphrqh#kdg
Celeb…#dqg#jr#dqg#gr#Dancing On Ice1#Dqg#L# are really versatile – whether you’re picking or wrog#ph#wkdw#dw#wkh#ehjlqqlqj=#wr#mxvw#
zdv#mxvw#olnh/#ĠL#uhdoo|/#uhdoo|#mxvw#zdqw# strumming, it’s really resonating.” nhhs#rq#grlqj#zkdw#you#oryh#grlqj#dqg/#
wr#gr#pxvlfġ1#L#ihho#olnh#L#uhdoo|#vwxfn#wr# hyhqwxdoo|/#wkdw#zloo#zrun#rxw1Ĥ#

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 INTERVIEW

“SOME PEOPLE
WRITE DIARIES
OR JOURNALS.
I JUST TURN IT
INTO A SONG”

85

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 LEARN
TO PL AY

OPEN-MIC SONGBOOK
ELTON JOHN
ROCKET MAN
With this month’s cinematic release of the
Rocketman biopic, Elton John’s space race
single just has to be in your repertoire

R
eleased in 1972 at the height of given you all the chords you need to
the space race, Elton John’s play along. The original recording is
now classic single captured the played with a capo on the 3rd fret; this
zeitgeist of the era. And, with makes the guitar-unfriendly key of B b a
EJ biopic Rocketman landing in cinemas doddle to negotiate using easy open
right about now, it’s a great song to shapes. Guitarist Davey Johnstone’s
add to your repertoire. strumming pattern is quite complex,
Rocket Man is primarily a piano song, using a mix of 16th-note rhythms and
but the chorus is lifted by a great occasional 32nds, but you can simplify it
acoustic guitar part, and, in open-mic as much as you want. The song sounds
busking spirit, it’s fun to experiment great with even the most basic rhythms
86 with the rest of the tune too. We’ve Ğ#mxvw#sod|#frqĽghqwo|#lq#wlph1

X O O O X O O O X O X X O O O

CHORDS CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret

T
hese are simple open chords, easy to play
thanks to a capo at the 3rd fret. We’ve omitted 2 1 1 1 1 2
the E b add9 and Csus4 chords from the song 3 4 4
sheet to keep it easy to read. They’re not essential so
feel free to leave them out all together or to
Bb Bb/D C C7
improvise with them if you prefer. Note that the B b , (G) (G/B) (A) (A7)
F/A and E b /B b #fkrugv#kdyh#wkh#Ľiwk#vwulqj#rplwwhg#
X O O X O X X O O X O O
Ğ#vlpso|#dqjoh#|rxu#wklug#iuhwwlqj#Ľqjhu#vr#wkdw#lw#
CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret
gently rests on the string to keep it quiet.
1 1

2 3 1 1 2 1
2 3 2 3

Cm Csus4 Eb Ebadd9
(Am) (Asus4) (C) (Cadd9)
Guitars and backing: Phil Capone Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

X O X O X X X O 0 O O O 0

CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret CAPO – 3rd fret

1 1
ROCKET MAN
Words and Music by Elton John and Bernie Taupin 2 1 2 2 3 2
Copyright © 1972 UNIVERSAL/DICK JAMES
MUSIC LTD. 3 4 3
Copyright Renewed.
All Rights in the United States and Canada
Controlled and Administered by UNIVERSAL
– SONGS OF POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL, INC. Eb/Bb F/A F7 Gm7
All Rights Reserved
Used by Permission of Hal Leonard Europe Ltd. (C/G) (D/F#) (D7) Em7

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 BACKING TRACK (TRACK 50)
This song comes with a backing track (minus guitar) on
your CD. Simply insert the disc in your player, press play
and jam along, guitaraoke style!
ELTON JOHN / ROCKET MAN

SONG SHEET

M
Verse 1 Eb B b /D Cm E b /B b F/A
Gm7 I’m not the man they think I am at home
C7 And there’s no one there to raise them if you did
She packed my bags last night pre-flight B b /D C
Oh no no no… I’m a rocket man
Gm7 C7 Eb Verse 4
Zero hour nine a.m. Eb Bb Eb
Gm7 C7
B b /D Cm E b /B b F/A
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
And I’m gonna be hi – igh as a kite by then Bb E b /B b
And all this scienc e I don’t understand
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time Gm7 C7
It’s just my job five days a week
Verse 2 Bb
’Till touch down brings me round again to find E b B b /D Cm E b /B b
Gm7 C7 A rocket ma – an
I miss the earth so much, I miss my wife Eb
I’m not the man they think I am at home F/A F7
Gm7 C7 Eb A rocket
B b /D C
man
It’s lonely out in space
Oh no no no… I’m a rocket man
B b /D Cm E b /B b F/A F7 (Repeat chorus)
Eb Bb Eb
On such a ti – imeless flight
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Outro
Chorus 1 Verse 3 Eb Bb
Bb E b /B b And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Gm7 C7
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids
Bb (Repeat outro to fade)
’Till touch down brings me round again to find
Gm7 C7 Eb
In fact it’s cold as hell 877

ELTON JOHN ROCKET MAN Chorus TRACK 50

q = 68
Bb Eb E b add 9 Bb E b/B b Bb Eb B b/D C
(G ( C) ( C add 9 ) (G ( C /G (G ( C) ( G/B (A
Capo 3rd fret
..
.. ..
.
œ œœœœ œœœ œ œœœœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœœœ œ
0:56

T . 3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
1
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
2
0
2

B
. 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
2
2
0
2
2
0
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
1
 






 
 



 

 





 





C sus 4 C Eb E b add 9 E b E b add 9 E b Bb E b/B b Bb Eb E b add 9 E b E b add 9 E b
( A sus 4 ) (A) (C) (C add 9 )( C )(C add 9 )( C ) (G) ( C /G ) (G ) (C) ( C add 9 )( C )(C add 9)( C )

..
.. ..
.

T
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
3
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
3
0
1
0
3
0
1
0
1
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
1
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
3
0
1
0
3
0
1
0
1 .
B
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
5






 





 















Less experienced players will find it’s best to begin with a simple strumming pattern. Try starting with eight downstrokes per bar and add in the upstrokes only once
you’ve mastered all the shapes and memorised the chord changes. Look out for the quick 32nd note strums leading in to bars 5, 6 and 8; you’ll need to play at double
speed for these.

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 THE GAS
STATION
96

94

REAL WORLD REVIEWS OF THE

BEST NEW GEAR

Welcome to the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome*)

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

HOW WE TEST BEST BUY AWARD

CURATION NO SNAKE OIL

TGBestBuyAwardsare
reservedforstand-out 089 START ME UP
productsthatearnafive-star Five new products to tempt you
Our product selection is \rx#zrqġw#Ľqg#xv#jhwwlqj# [Link],most
driven by our love of gear. hung up on hokey mythology excitingnewgearthatyou
We select the most exciting or nonsense marketing
need tocheckout 090 SHEERAN BY LOWDEN
products on the market every
month to bring you opinions
speak: we aim to bring you
bullshit-free opinions on the
WO2 AND SO2
you can trust. gear you’re interested in. Ed Sheeran collaborates with Lowden Guitars

FACE-VALUE REVIEWS
We’re not gear snobs here at
WE CAN’T BE BOUGHT
TG review scores are a true
094 D’ANGELICO
Total Guitar. We judge it on uhľhfwlrq#ri#rxu#h{shuwvġ# PREMIER BRIGHTON
whether it looks good, sounds opinion on the product A solidbody that stands out from the crowd
good and plays well – not by they’ve been testing. You’ll BEST FOR…
the name on the headstock. qhyhu#Ľqg#d#udwlqj#lq#rxu## Differentguitaristshave
mag that has been bought
[Link]
highlightsaparticularstrength
096 BLACKSTAR HT-20R
and paid for. thataproducthasinaTGTest The compact combo gets a stunning revamp
orGroupTest,soyoucan
*WHAT IS GAS? REAL WORLD REVIEWS choosewhat’sbestforyou
Gear Acquisition Syndrome
is the guitar-player’s We test every product under 98 TG TEST: 335-STYLE
never-ending urge to acquire the conditions that they were Four semi-hollow electrics go head to head
new gear, irrespective of designed for. For example,
whether they actually need it.
Don’t pretend you don’t
if an amp is designed to be
played loud, rest assured BEST 104 ROUND-UP:
have it – we all do!
that we’ll have tested it at
rehearsal/gig volumes!
FOR… ANALOGUE DELAYS
Four of the best pedals for characterful delay

SUPERB, A BEST BUY EXCELLENT ABOVE AVERAGE KIT SOME ISSUES POOR
106 ORANGE PEDAL BABY 100
A neat solution for pedalboard and multi-effects users

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 GAS STATION

01

04

02

03
89

05

START ME UP!
Five new products to fuel your GAS this month…
RICHTER MATT HEAFY ROCKBOARD MOD 5 POSITIVE GRID BIAS FX 2 KEMPER REVERBS ERNIE BALL ULTRA AND
DOUBLE GUITAR STRAP Kemper’s new OS 5.7 adds BURLY SLINKYS
4
RockBoard’slatest

2
Version 2 of the awe-

1
Trivium are one of metal’s
leading purveyors of heavy
riffs, and Matt Heafy wields
pedalboardmoduleisthe
MOD5,anIRloader,DIand
connectionboxthat’sdesignedto
3 inspiring effects modelling
plugin delivers a re-
engineered DSP engine, new amps,
Spring, Natural, Echo, Cirrus
and Space reverbs to the
Profiler’s already-extensive sonic 5
Us guitarists have never had
it so good when it comes to
the sheer range of string
one of the heaviest guitars with bemountedintothecompany’s pedals and racks, advanced Fuzz, arsenal. The Spring reverb is choices out there. Now the iconic
his signature Les Paul Custom. His [Link] Time and Harmonizer modellers, directly inspired by the legendary Ernie Ball have made our situation
strap collaboration with Richter collaborationwithMooer and a Guitar Match system that’s Reverb Tank from 1963; Natural is even better and announced the
aims to alleviate the weight – an featuressixselectablestereo/ designed to make one guitar a more utilitarian affair and company’s first new gauge
extra strap for the other shoulder monoIRspeakersims,with sound like another, enabling you to recreates a range of rooms, as electric guitar strings in over a
wraps around the guitar’s body to supportforupto1,024userIRs; well as plate reverb and synth-like decade with the Ultra and Burly
emulate the pickups, body type
plusanactiveDI,headphone effects; Echo is simply a delay Slinkys. The Ultra set combines
spread the weight. “Guitar straps and body thickness of a range of
[Link] plus reverb; Cirrus specialises in Regular and Power Slinky sets,
are not ergonomic,” says Heafy. classic guitars. The amp engine is
long, ethereal tails with with gauges spanning .010, .013,
“The concept of a weight on one alsofunctionsasapatchbay, the same as the one from BIAS exceptionally slow reverb onsets; .017, .028, .038, and .048", while the
side of a trapezius/shoulder joint offeringthreeins/outs,aswellas Amp 2, including Celestion cab IRs, while Space produces the natural Burly set combines Power and
for an entire musical lifetime is aparalleloutandXLRout,with and it’s been made easier to reflections of a small, neutral- Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinky
detrimental to the balance of balanced/unbalancedandlift/ configure your virtual pedalboard sounding room. sets for gauges of .011, .014, .018,
your body.” groundswitches. setups and switch between them. (free for Kemper owners,
(€159, [Link]) .030, .042, .052".
(€179,[Link]) (from $99, [Link] [Link]) (£6.99, [Link])

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 t h e ga s
station

90

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 REVIEW

W02
2
£750 1 SHAPE
TheWs
E
series is the S’s little brother –

SHEERAN BY 40mmnarrrower and 5mm shallower.

TheWeeLowden actually originated
becauseoofSheeran when Snow Patrol’s
GaryLighttbodyasked if George would
makehism musician friend a guitar;
hecameupwith a whole new model
inrespons
se!

The dawn of a new acoustic guitar era

e for 2 RANG
Liketh
GE
heSseries, there are three
both Ed and George othermoddels;the cedar/walnut
non-electrroW01 (£595), cedar/
rosewood W03 (£805) and spruce/
walnutW0 04(£840)
ack at the end of January, made in County Down, Ireland in a

B TG was huddled together new facility. A huge undertaking

1 2 BRAC
CING
outsider the Anaheim
Convention centre at
lq#surgxfwlrq#dqg#uhľhfwlr
the commitment and care the
rq ri 3 Bothg
guitars feature Lowden’s
A-framebrracing – it dates back to 1976
NAMM lamenting the maker and artist clearly haave to whenheproduced his first builds with
3 thedesign
[Link] the wood choice
lack of any surprise big product quality control here. It sho
ows in hereithelp
pstoaid bass response as
launches at the show. A couple of tidy builds with unfussy aeesthetics muchaspossible to avoid the boxy traits
hours later a whopper of a – ‘bare’ by Lowden’s own ofcompacctacoustics
hoodwink duly landed in the form admission with no binding g,
TOP:SolidS
SitkaSpruce
of Ed Sheeran and a range of eight abalone or gloss here.
BACKAND SIDES: Laminate Santos
models courtesy of a collaboration With the LR Baggs VTC rosewood (five-piece construction)
with Lowden Guitars. Whether you systems on both these guitars NGTH: 609.6mm (24")
SCALELEN
care for his music or not, Ed is the it’s unsurprising to see prices NECK:Mahhogany
OARD:Ebony
FINGERBO
biggest guitar player on the planet above the £650 street price e
S:LRBaggsElementVTCwith
ELECTRICS
right now in terms of recognition Sheeran’s ‘Divide’ edition Little toneandvolumecontrols
and commercial success. So this Martin electros fetch, bringing HARDWAR RE:Ebonybridge,Tusqnutand
Eb b id T t d 91
was big news. The new ‘Sheeran these guitars into a higher price saddle,Low
wdendiecasttuners
By Lowden’ name on the territory than even some ofo LEFT-HAND
T DED:: No
CASE:Gigbbagincluded
headstock was also a surprise and Taylor’s GS Mini-e range.

S02
THE SO2 BRINGS MORE 1 SHAPEOF 2
TheS02is based onLowd den’spopular
£880
BOTTOM END TO THE PARTY S (small) body shape andtheeSheeranS
series features four guitars includingthe
S03 and S04 cutaways(£93 30and
e

a new spin on the idea of signature Wkdw Wd|oru prgho uhghĽqhg £965), plus the cedar top,walnutb&s
guitars. Now they’re ready for expectations of ‘travel-size’ S01 (£700) non electromodel
their full curtain call. acoustics. And like it, the
BEVEL
All this might not have been as
big a surprise to anyone who had
diminutive scale of the W02 is
deceptive. The longer scale length
2 All the S series Sheerang
guitars
feature a soundbox bevelforpickingarm m
3
been watching Sheeran’s stage compared to Sheeran’s Martin comfort over the relativelyd deeperbody.
performances in the preceding rļhuv zlghu sod|hu dsshdo exw Its low-key integrationwith hthedesign
fits in well
year. His previously ubiquitous shares its neck-heavy balance –
Little Martins (the company’s though this is mahogany rather STRINGS AND CONTR
ROLS
biggest selling models for some
time) had been phased out in
than Martin’s laminate. The
projection here feels richer, the
3 Both these guitarsship withLowden
12-53 strings and the controolsforthe
n
1
favour of Lowden guitars. He’d mids less compressed and brighter Baggs’ preamps can befoun ndinsidethe
body at the top of the sound
dhole
already been using the Northern with a ringing sustain that belies
Irish maker’s instruments for the dimensions. The bass response TOP: Solid Sitka spruce
some time in the studio, forming a is a surprise too – while it’s BACK AND SIDES: LaminateS
Santos
friendship with the luthier along understandably no boomer with rosewood (five-piece constru
uction)
SCALE LENGTH: 630mm(24.8 8")
the way. Even so, nobody expected this body depth, it feels balanced
NECK: Mahogany
a range of eight models to land and doesn’t become swamped by FINGERBOARD: Ebony
encompassing electro and cutaway the treble frequencies here, where ELECTRICS: LR Baggs Elemen
ntVTCwith
options in two body sizes. We’ve other travel acoustics’ low ends tone and volume controls
Photography: Olly Curtis

HARDWARE: Ebony bridge,Tusqnut and

got two of them here, and there’s a might sound shallow.
saddle, Lowden diecast tuners
lot to talk about… The S02 unsurprisingly brings LEFT-HANDED: No
Like every one of the Sheeran By more bottom end to the party with CASE: Gigbag included 2
Lowden models, these guitars are its 105mm body depth, and CONTACT: [Link]

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 T H E GA S
STATION

Wood Stock
The Sheeran series’s
sustainability The ‘Sheeran by Lowden’
name on the headstock is a
n addition to Ed’s aim to

92
I bring high-quality guitars to
his fans and promote the
instrument for future
new spin on the idea of a
signature range

generations with this series,

another positive element is that
the Sheeran series uses
ALSO TRY...
sustainably-sourced woods MARTIN LX1E
including reclaimed material as LITTLE MARTIN
well as naturally fallen trees. It’s easy to see why
“One of the things that really this was a huge seller
pleases me is when we can use after Ed’s fame. This
non signature version
wood that’s reclaimed in some
offers Fishman
way,” says George, “or wood though we couldn’t help wishing superlative Baggs system here is Sonitone T
that comes from trees that have for a low-end shaping bass control above much of the competition . system and a
fallen down naturally, such as on the guitar too. But we’re left with two fan-friendly price.
the cedar and spruce used in Though Lowden has previous fundamental questions – can these
these guitars.” form with its small Wee Lowden pricepoints attract Sheeran’s TAYLOR GS
model that the W02 shape and younger fanbase and moreover, MINI-E WALNUT
scale is based on, it’s hard not to will the prominent Sheeran name With rosewood not
something we’ve not heard from make comparisons with Sheeran’s on the headstock deter players who currently available, this
laminate walnut b&s
Sheeran’s live sound before. But previous Martin signatures, and on aren’t his fans? Time will tell.
and Sitka spruce top is
wkrvh fohdu uhvrqdqw#kljkv#rļhu#d# price these come in higher. But What we do know is this is a a serious competitor
more detailed separation and an wkh|#duh#dovr#wkh#prvw#dļrugdeoh# surprising and bold new chapter with an Expression
inspiring strumming experience Lowden guitars to date. The for Sheeran and Lowden, bringing System ES-B
that makes it the better guitar for assured UK build, performance and the luthier’s superlative design system and
swish gigbag.
those who want a more rhythmic even the durable high-quality gig skills to a new market. One we can
muse. It’s certainly a guitar that bags here add up to a higher quality
questions the validity of the ‘solid experience certainly, and the
frqĽghqwo|#vd|#wkh|#vklqh#lq1
Rob Laing
YAMAHA CSF3M
An all solid spruce/
is better’ claim against laminate. mahogany build with a
Plugging in with an electro often passive system, the
SUMMARY WO2

FEATURES FEATURES
SUMMARY SO2

equates to compromise but here it 600mm scale compact

SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY folk design offers a tone
feels less. The quality of the Baggs
VTC is certainly aided by the VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY that punches above its
BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY size, with its 105mm
inherent sustain in the higher body depth and 16"
mids. The S02’s highs need the PLAYABILITY PLAYABILITY fretboard radius.
wrqh frqwuroġv wuheoh#uroo#rļ#pruh/# OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 t h e ga s
station

94

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 REVIEW

CLASSY

D’ANGELICO £699 1 What sets

D’Angelico’s electrics
AT A GLANCE
apart is the attention BODY:Basswood

PREMIER BRIGHTON to detail, like these

gorgeous Stairstep
tuners and that
inimitable headstock
NECK: Maple
SCALE: 629mm
(24.75")
FINGERBOARD:

A solidbody double-cut that does VERSATILITY

Ovangkol

2 As on D’Angelico’s 1 FRETS: 22
PICKUPS: 1x Seymour
things a little differently other solidbodies,
lifting the tone
Duncan Designed
HB-102 (neck), 1x
controls splits the Seymour Duncan
ince D’Angelico ’board binding and sharp nut Duncan Designed Designed HB-101

S
humbuckers’ coils (bridge)
lqwurgxfhg lwv Ľuvw hgjhv/ wkh Rfhdq Wxutxrvh Ľqlvk
CONTROLS: 2x volume,
solidbodies last year, lv ľdzohvv1 Wkh vdwlq qhfn frxog HORNS
we’ve been big fans of its divide opinion; it’s a little alien to a 3 Look at the
upper-fret access on
2x tone (with push/pull
coil-split)
HARDWARE:
fresh approach to guitar body shape like this, but quickly
that! The dusty end Tune-o-matic
design, melding aspects of tried- proves part of its charm, enabling
will be dusty no more bridge, Rotomatic
and-tested formats with inspiring speedier position shifts while with those cutaways Stairstep tuners
new shapes. The Brighton is the retaining the satisfying buttery LEFT-HANDED: No
latest to join the mid-priced ihho ri d 571:8% wxqh0r0pdwlf FINISH: Ocean
Premier line-up and, although it bridge setup. Don’t underestimate Turquoise (as
reviewed), Black
looks to be the most conventional wkh ehqhĽwv ri wkrvh fxwdzd|v/
CASE: Gigbag included
yet, the features it shares with its hlwkhu> |rx pd| Ľqg |rxuvhoi CONTACT:
D’Angelico brethren set it apart spending more time at the widdly D’Angelico Guitars
from the crowd. end with that unlimited access. [Link]
That shape, then: the Brighton’s The Brighton is surprisingly
horns echo a 335, but the body has resonant unplugged, and there’s a 95
d zklļ ri \dpdkdġv VJ5333 dqg real midrange bark to its plugged-
Revstar outlines, albeit packing in tones. Like the last D’Angelico
Florentine rather than Venetian we looked at, the neck humbucker
cutaways, and a lighter weight is a little dark, but splitting the
owing to the basswood coils brightens it up considerably.

THERE’S A REAL MIDRANGE

BARK TO ITS PLUGGED-IN TONES 3
construction and a welcome belly That bridge humbucker will please
fxw durxqg wkh uhdu1 \hw udwkhu blues and rock fans no end, with a
than the painted, chunky neck you raw, mid-output snarl that lends
might expect from such a design, itself well to vintage styles and
the Brighton mirrors D’Angelico’s grungier tonalities, while those
other Premier solidbodies with a splits add just the right amount of
vdwlq0Ľqlvkhg volp0F pdsoh qhfn glassiness for fat, compressed
pruh dnlq wr d Vwudw1 Dqg olnh rwkhu single-coil tones that make this
humbucker-equipped solids, more than capable of funk.
Vh|prxu Gxqfdq lv ehklqg wkh In a lot of ways, the Brighton is
pickups, which are also packing D’Angelico’s most successful
coil-splits via the tone controls. solidbody yet: it’s familiar, while
It’s a curious hybrid of specs – and adding enough new ideas to set it
we’ll concede it does look a little apart from the competition.
odd where the unpainted set neck Michael Astley-Brown 2
mrlqv wkh Ľqlvkhg erg| Ğ exw dv dq
FEATURES
instrument, it just feels… right.
SOUND QUALITY
Up close, it’s a beauty, too: the
SUMMARY
Photography: Phil Barker

elqglqj durxqg wkh Ľqjhuerdug VALUE FOR MONEY

and body is another nice visual BUILD QUALITY
touch and, while we did note some PLAYABILITY
slight untidiness around the OVERALL RATING

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 t h e ga s
station

96

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 REVIEW

SPEAKER
1 Lurking behind the
grille cloth is a
specially-designed
12" loudspeaker that
helps the HT-20R
punch well above
its weight, with
ample volume for
smallergigs

VERSATILITY
3 2 2 There’s a choice of
20watts or 2 watts
output;combined
withthe balanced DI,
w
tthismakes the
HT-20R ideal for home,
1 studioand stage use

CLEAN
3
T
CHANNEL
Thisdeceptively
simplesection of the
control panel opens
tthedoor to some truly
stunning clean and

BLACKSTAR HT-20R
mildoverdrive sounds,
£649 helped by a superb
digital reverb

Blackstar’s new pocket rocket hits the bullseye

t’s no easy thing to take low-end, to a more responsive combos, while the overdrive AT A GLANCE

I your bestselling amp range

and completely revamp it,
but that’s what Blackstar
has recently done with its
HT series of heads and combos.
Of course, the improved Mark 2
HT range has been a resounding
Class A jangle with a focused
midrange. Meanwhile, the
Classic and High Gain overdrive
voicings will take you from mild
crunch to mega-gain rock.
Along with master volume and
reverb level controls, there’s also
sounds are jaw-droppingly
excellent. The big lead sounds in
High Gain mode are instantly
gratifying, while the tonal depth
and range of the Classic voice is
supremely versatile, going from
‘ready to blow up’ vintage tweed
TYPE: Hybridvalve/
solid-statepreamp,
valvepoweramp
OUTPUT: 20W,
switchableto2W
SPEAKER: 1x12"
97

VALVES: 2x12AX7,
success, and now there’s a new a useful power reduction switch to Plexi thump, helped along by 2x EL84
addition in the shape of the that drops the output from 20 to a revoiced digital reverb that’s CONTROLS: Clean
HT-20R combo. Promising just 2 watts. Back panel features better than many studio plugins. volume,cleantone,
power and portability, the include a USB socket for audio There are many competitors in cleanvoiceswitch,
the ‘multi-purpose small overdrivevoiceswitch,
gain bass,mid,treble,

THE OVERDRIVE SOUNDS ARE combo’ market, however few if

any combine sensibly thought-
out features and core tones this
ISF, [Link]
volume,reverblevel,

JAW-DROPPINGLY EXCELLENT good, even at three or four times

the asking price. Like the rest of
effectslooplevel
switch,cabinet
emulationvoiceswitch
HT-20R’s control panel is and a balanced XLR output for the HT range, the new HT-20R SOCKETS: Guitarin,
MP3linein,effects
feature-rich despite its compact direct to desk connections, as has been tweaked, retweaked
loop send/return,
dimensions: the clean channel well as a stereo headphones and tweaked again to bring it as stereoheadphones/
has a simple volume and tone socket that can be adapted to close as possible to perfection. directout,balanced
arrangement, while the send a stereo output to a desk, a Consequently, we’ve found it XLR DI,speakerjackx
overdrive channel has vhulhv#hļhfwv#orrs#zlwk#d#ohyho# glĿfxow#wr#sxw#d#Ľqjhu#rq# 3, USBaudioout,
footswitchjack
conventional EQ and Blackstar’s switch, and an MP3 line in. The anything that’s less than great. (changeschannels
patented ISF control, which [OU#dqg#mdfn#rxwsxwv#ehqhĽw# Possibly the best small combo on and voices)
shifts the amp from British to from Blackstar’s excellent the market at the moment. WEIGHT: 16.1kg
USA voicing, with all points in speaker emulation, which has a Nick Guppy DIMENSIONS:
between. Both clean and choice of 4x12 or 1x12 cab EQs. [HxWxD]487x513x
FEATURES
overdrive channels have two In use, the HT-20R’s sounds 270mm
SOUND QUALITY
distinct sounds to switch are superb, with sparkling, CONTACT: Blackstar
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY

Photography: Olly Curtis

between: the clean channel’s highly nuanced cleans and mild Amplification
American and British modes go overdrives from the clean BUILD QUALITY [Link]
from sparkling treble with channel that wouldn’t be out of USABILITY
slightly scooped mids and a tight place on some exotic boutique OVERALL RATING

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 t h e ga s
station

98

Words Jonathan Horsley / Photography Phil Barker

335-sTyle
round-up
The classic archtop will never go out of style, and with these
semi-hollow options it has never been more affordable
ToTal GuiTar june 2019
 the tg test

99

I
n 1958, Gibson debuted the ES-335, a course, the Epiphone Dot Deluxe has the
semi-hollow electric guitar that soon pedigree, the Mickey Mouse ears, orange
became known as the Dot for its Gibson sticker in the f-hole, and can use the
minimalist pearloid inlay. It was the name. And, okay, the meticulously appointed
first thinline archtop to hit the mass Vintage VSA500 is maybe just close enough for
market, a jazz box on a diet, and comfort. But still: Gretsch is doing something
players couldn’t get enough. Chuck different with the G2622 Streamliner, riffing on
Berry, BB King, Clapton… The list is its own storied history and taking it forward
long and distinguished. So it’s little wonder with an affordable yet authentic instrument;
that other manufacturers would take the ball and in Ibanez’s stately Artcore AS83
and run with it. These four semi-hollow Expressionist you’ve got a semi-hollow electric
electrics are no doubt inspired by, or at least that wishes we were still in the 1950s with its
share some of the character of the ES-335. Just effortless jazz cool. After playing these four,
don’t expect an out-and-out Dot clone. Of you might just think you are already.

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 T H E GA S
STATION

EPIPHONE £429 IBANEZ AS83 ARTCORE £535

DOT DELUXE EXPRESSIONIST
ES, please Our kind of blue
What’s the difference between the Dot Deluxe and regular Dot? This looks fancy…
Qrw#d#zkroh#orw1#Wkh#Grw#Ghox{h#kdv#d#ľdph#pdsoh#yhqhhu#erg|/#dv# Zh#oryh#wkh#Vwhho#Eoxh#Ľqlvk/#wkh#jrog#kdugzduh#dqg#wkh#fodvvlf#
rssrvhg#wr#pdsoh#odplqdwh/#zklfk#dggv#d#olwwoh#elw#ri#ylvxdo#krw#vdxfh# fxvwrp0vkrs#yleh#ri#wkh#dfu|olf#eorfn#lqod|#rq#dq#herq|#iuhwerdug1#
wr#wkh#wlfnhw/#exw#wkh#hohfwurqlfv/#vfdoh/#ihho#dqg#wrqh#duh#suhww|#pxfk# Exw#wdnh#d#orrn#dw#wkdw#eulgjh#dqg#wdloslhfh1#Wkh#Txln#Fkdqjh#LLL#
lghqwlfdo1#H{shfw#wr#sd|#derxw#†73#pruh#iru#wkh#Ghox{h/#dqg#ehdu#lq# wdloslhfh#lv#vr#wlg|>#lwġv#dq#Ledqh}#ghvljq/#pdqxidfwxuhg#e|#Jrwrk/#
plqg#lw#lv#surgxfhg#lq#olplwhg#qxpehuv1 dqg#lw#pdnhv#vwulqj#fkdqjhv#d#flqfk1#Erqxv#srlqwv#iru#wkh#
wruwrlvhvkhoo#slfnjxdug1
What are the pickups like?
Wkhuh#lv#dq#Hslskrqh#Doqlfr#Fodvvlf#kxpexfnhu#lq#wkh#qhfn#dqg#dq# What is the neck like?
Doqlfr#Fodvvlf#Kxpexfnhu#Soxv#lq#wkh#eulgjh1#Erwk#duh#pruh#ylqwdjh# Idwwhu#wkdq#Ledqh}ġv#pruh#kljk0surĽoh#vkuhg#jxlwduv/#phdvxulqj#

100

yrlfhg#wkdq#wkhlu#krwwhu#fhudplf#frxqwhusduwv#exw#wkh#Doqlfr0Y# 54pp#dw#wkh#Ľuvw#iuhw#dqg#57pp#dw#wkh#qlqwk1#Lwġv#e|#qr#phdqv#
pdjqhw#lq#wkh#Fodvvlf#dqg#Fodvvlf#Soxv#sdfnv#d#olwwoh#pruh#rxwsxw# foxee|/#exw#lw#grhv#ihho#d#olwwoh#pruh#vxevwdqwldo1#Lwġv#dovr#pdgh#iurp#
wkdq#wkh#SDI0vw|oh#ylqwdjh#slfnxsv#|rx#pljkw#h{shfw#zlwkrxw# q|dwrk1#Lwġv#qrw#dv#ox{xulrxv#dv#pdkrjdq|#iru#d#kdugzrrg#exw#fdq#eh#
ryhusrzhulqj#wkh#lqvwuxphqw1# zrunhg#hdvlo|#iru#exloglqj#jxlwdu#qhfnv1###

Is there a lot of feedback? Those tone and volume pots look old-school.
Wkdw#uhsxwdwlrq#zdv#jdlqhg#iurp#hduo|#vhpl0dfrxvwlf#lqvwuxphqwv# Wkh|#gr1#Wkh|ġuh#fdoohg#Vxuh#Juls#LLL#frqwuro#nqrev#dqg#duh#fohdu#
wkdw#zhuh#ixoo|#kroorz0erglhg1#Wkh#HV0668ġv#fhqwuh#eorfn#ri#zrrg# sodvwlf#zlwk#jurryhv#vr#|rx#grqġw#vols#zkhq#dgmxvwlqj#wkhp1#Qr/#
pdgh#lw#vhpl0kroorz#dqg#wdphg#wkh#ihhgedfn1#Dw#uhdoo|#kljk# wkdwġv#qhyhu#kdsshqhg#wr#xv/#exw#lwġv#d#qlfh#wkrxjkw/#dqg#ehvlghv/#
yroxphv/#zlwk#jdlq#pd{hg#rxw/#HV06680vw|oh#jxlwduv#pljkw#ihhgedfn/# wkhvh#ihho#yhu|#pxfk#rog0vfkrro#dqg#frqvlvwhqw#zlwk#d#jxlwdu#wkdw#
exw#lwġv#qrw#dq#lvvxh#khuh1 ihhov#dv#wkrxjk#lw#zdv#eruq#wrr#odwh1

AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE
KEY FEATURES:Laminatedmaplebody& KEY FEATURES:mapletop,backand
top w/flame maple veneer, mahogany neck sides, nyatoh and maple neck (set),
(set), 24.75" scale, 22 medium jumbo frets, 24.7" scale, 22 medium frets,
pau ferro fingerboard, 1x Epiphone Alnico ebony fingerboard, 2x Super 58
Classic Humbucker (neck), 1x Epiphone Humbuckers, 2x volume control,
Alnico Classic Plus (bridge), 2x volume 2x tone, three-way pickup selector,
control, 2x tone, Grover Rotomatic ART-1 w/ Quik Change III tailpiece
machineheads, three-way pickup selector, FINISH: Steel Blue (as reviewed)
LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge & stopbar
CONTACT: Headstock Distribution
FINISH: Aquamarine [Link]
(as reviewed), Blueburst
CONTACT: Gibson Guitars
[Link]

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 THE TG TEST

GRETSCH G2622 £435 VINTAGE £369

STREAMLINER VSA500
Genuine Gretsch, counterfeit price Vintage by name…
This is so cheap for a Gretsch. What’s the catch? I don’t have my contacts in. Is that a genuine ES-335?
Wkhuh#lv#qr#fdwfk/#ironv1#Fkdon#lw#xs#dv#dq#hfrqrplf#pludfoh#li#|rx# Hk/#qr1#Exw#|rxġg#eh#irujlyhq#iru#wkh#plvwdnh1#Ylqwdjhġv#YVD833#lv#
zloo/#exw#wklv#zkroh#Vwuhdpolqhu#vhulhv#iurp#Juhwvfk#lv#ghvljqhg#wr# idu#hqrxjk#dzd|#lq#vshf#dqg#ghvljq#wr#eh#d#ľdw0rxw#frs|#ri#wkh#Grw#
gholyhu#jhqxlqh#Juhwvfk#ihho#dqg#wrqh#dw#orz#sulfhv1#Dqg#wklv#lv# exw#lw#lv#h{solflwo|#lqvsluhg#e|#lw1#Wklv#lv#zkdw#Ylqwdjh#h{fhov#lq1#Lw#
wkh#uhdo#ghdo1 lghqwlĽhv#wkh#txlqwhvvhqfh#ri#d#fodvvlf#jxlwdu#dqg#exlogv#vrphwklqj#
wkdw#surylghv#d#vlplodu#wrqh#dqg#ihho#zlwkrxw#kdylqj#wr#zruu|#derxw#
What is this centre block I’ve been reading about? Jlevrq#ru#dq|rqh#hovhġv#ohjdo#whdpv#jhwwlqj#lq#wrxfk1
Wkh#J5955ġv#erg|#lv#exlow#ri#odplqdwhg#pdsoh#rq#wkh#edfn#dqg#wrs/#
exw#uxqqlqj#wkurxjk#wkh#fhqwuh#ri#wkh#jxlwdu/#zkhuh#wkh#slfnxsv# This is a Trevor Wilkinson design, isn’t it?
duh#vhdwhg/#olhv#d#fkdpehuhg#eorfn#ri#vsuxfh1#Wklv#grhvqġw#dgg# Zhoo#vsrwwhgĩ#Wuhyruġv#Ľqjhusulqwv#duh#lqghhg#doo#ryhu#wklv1#

101

wrr#pxfk#zhljkw#wr#wkh#jxlwdu#exw#lw#grhv#khos#holplqdwh#wkh# Wkrvh#vqrw0juhhq#ehdxwlhv#ehklqg#wkh#khdgvwrfn#duh#d#vhw#ri#
ihhgedfn#wkdw/#dv#zh#phqwlrqhg#ehiruh#zlwk#wkh#Hslskrqh#Grw# Zlonlqvrqġv#Ghox{h#Z7MM#wxqhuv1#Klv#ylqwdjh0yrlfhg#kxpexfnhuv#
Ghox{h/#fdq#sodjxh#vhpl0kroorz#jxlwduv#dw#kljk#yroxph#dqg# fdq#eh#irxqg#lq#qhfn#dqg#eulgjh/#dqg#vr#wrr#rq#wkh#wlg|#wxqh0r0
kljk#jdlq1 pdwlf#vw|oh#eulgjh1

Do I want to be playing this at high gain? And the nut?

Zhoo#Juhwvfk#hqwhuwdlqv#wkdw#rswlrq#zlwk#lwv#qhz#EurdgġWurq#EW05V# Zhoo/#hyhq#Wuhyru#kdv#d#gd|#rļ1#Wklv#lv#d#Judsk#Whfk#QxErqh#qxw/#d#
kxpexfnhuv/#zklfk#zhuh#lqwurgxfhg#iru#wkh#Vwuhdpolqhu#vhulhv#wklv# v|qwkhwlf#dowhuqdwlyh#wkdwġv#uhodwhg#wr#Judsk#Whfkġv#WXVT#pdwhuldo1#
|hdu1#Wkh|#duh#d#olwwoh#wklfnhu/#zlwk#d#elw#pruh#edvv#dqg#ohvv#ri#wkdw# Lw#lv#wrqdoo|#vlplodu#wr#wkh#vxshu0h{shqvlyh#ylqwdjh#erqh#qxwv/#
wljkw#vqds#zhġg#h{shfw#iurp#d#Juhwvfk#slfnxs1#Wkh#J5955ġv#yrlfh#lv# dqg#pruh#uhvrqdqw#wkdq#wkh#fkhdshu#sodvwlf#qxwv#wkdw#fdq#gdpshq#
pruh#HV0668#wkdq#Euldq#Vhw}hu1 |rxu#wrqh1

AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE
KEY FEATURES:laminatedmaplebody KEY FEATURES:maplebody,mahogany
with spruce centre block, nato thin-U neck (set), 24.75"scale,22medium-
neck (set), 24.75" scale, 22 medium- jumbo frets, lignumrosafingerboard,
jumbo frets, laurel fingerboard, 2x 2x WilkinsonWVCvintage-voiced
Broad’Tron humbuckers, 1x master humbuckers,2xvolumecontrol,
volume control, 2x volume control, 1x 1x tone, three-waypickupselector,
tone, three-way pickup selector, nickel Wilkinsonmachineheads,
Adjusto-Matic bridge with V stoptail WilkinsonTune-o-maticbridgew/
stop-bartailpiece
FINISH: Walnut Stain (as reviewed),
Phantom Metallic, Single Barrel Stain FINISH: HoneyBurst(asreviewed),
CherryRed,Sunburst
CONTACT: Fender EMEA
[Link] CONTACT:[Link]

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 the tg test

If the Epiphone’s Aquamarine

Head to Head
finish doesn’t light your fire,
it’s available in Cherry too

Which of these 335-alikes

has the Dot factor?

t
here’s something reassuring about
the feel of the ES-335. Maybe it’s the
shape, like throwing your arms
around a lifebuoy. Those early guitar
designs are classics not just because
famous players used them but because the
design works with the human body. Here, the
Epiphone Dot Deluxe sits kindly when seated
and is lumbar-friendly when standing. The
upper frets are right there, easily accessible.
The Vintage VSA500, with its asymmetric offset
shape, performs similarly, and has a nicely cut
heel to access the top-end. Sonically, these two
make an interesting comparison; both have
vintage-voiced humbuckers and similar
switching, tone and volume controls. The Dot
Deluxe comes out a little hotter, a little more
aggressive when overdriven, while those
Wilkinson pickups do a really neat line in chewy
blues-rock tone. Roll back some of the tone on
102 the neck and it’s more soupy when overdriven,
and woody jazz-precise in cleans.

the g2622 delivers

high-volume crunch
without the squAwk
of feedbAck
The AS83 feels a little more confrontational;
it’s funny, George Benson likes his jazzboxes to
make you work, and he, a long-time Ibanez
endorsee, might see this appeal in the AS83. The Sure Grip III control
The neck is comfortable, but perhaps owing to a knobs on the AS83 look
slightly dry ebony fretboard or maybe frets suitably old-school
needing dressed, it feels a little scratchy. Some
oil should help with that, though, and its tone is
superlative. The Super 58 humbuckers are
capable of sparkly crunch, but that neck pickup
with some of the treble rolled back is crying out
for a Cm9 and a drummer who’s good with
brushes. It’s a beautiful guitar. As is the
Gretsch. With its very brand-appropriate
V-shaped stoptail, Walnut Stain, and teardrop
pickguard in tortoiseshell, the G2622 is
stunning. The new Broad’Tron pickups
challenged our expectations in that the G2622
sounds very much like it’s wired to rock, with
the chambered spruce centre block integral to
delivering high-volume crunch without the
squawk of feedback.

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 T H E GA S
STATION

FINAL VERDICT
Which semi-hollow electric is right for you?
khuh lv rqo| rqh Grw lq wklv qdph rq wkh khdgvwrfn> |rx khdu wklv dgylfh |rx grqġw plqg iruhjrlqj dq|wklqj deryh wkh

T urxqg0xs dqg wkdwġv wkh Hslskrqh/

vr li |rx duh fkdvlqj dxwkhqwlflw|/
wkdw jxlwdu/ zlwk lwv Jlevrq
GQD/ zrxog eh lw1 Lwġv dovr dq
h{fhoohqw lqvwuxphqw/ zlwk txdolw| kdugzduh
dqg hohfwurqlfv dw dq h{fhoohqw sulfh1 Wkh
Ľqlvk zloo glylgh rslqlrq> jlyhq wkh fkrlfh/
wlph dqg wlph djdlq exw rqo| ehfdxvh lwġv
wuxh1 Wkh ydoxh Ylqwdjh suhvhqwv dqg wkh
txdolw| ri lwv lqvwuxphqwv ghpdqg wkh|
vkrxog eh wdnhq vhulrxvo|1 Jlyh d Classic Rock
vxevfulehu d YVD833 dqg d 4<95 Pduvkdoo
Eoxhveuhdnhu frper dqg |rx pljkw qhyhu
vhh wkhp djdlq1
4<wk iuhw/ wkhq wkh J5955 zrxog eh wkh rqh1
Wkh ydjdulhv ri wkh Juhwvfk wrqh dqg yroxph
frqwurov rļhu kxjh srwhqwldo iru iuhtxhqf|
h{sorudwlrq1 Wkh urfnlqj EurdgġWurq
kxpexfnhuv duh d kdss| vxusulvh1 Lw pljkw
vhhp zhlug sod|lqj Ohg ]hssholq ulļv rq d
Juhwvfk vhpl0kroorz/ exw wkh J5955 kdv
zhġg oryh rqh lq Fkhuu|1 Wkh DV;6 odfnv wkh hdv| ulgh ri lwv ulydov exw sohqw| pruh wrqh zkhuh wkdw fdph iurp/ zlwk
Wkh Ylqwdjh YVD833 lv d pruh vrehu pdnhv xs iru lw zlwk vhulrxv md}} wrqh dqg d dzhvrph urfn ġqġ uroo dqg eoxhv srwhqwldo/
dowhuqdwlyh/ dqg rqh zh zrxog hqgruvh iru lwv Ľqlvk wkdwġv vr fodvv| |rxġoo eh uhqwlqj d jhqxlqh khulwdjh nxgrv/ dqg d shuvxdvlyh
Ġvpdoo0Yġ ylqwdjh wrqh1 Grqġw eh irrohg e| wkh wx{hgr mxvw wr sudfwlvh lq |rxu ehgurrp1 Exw li HV0668 yleh dw d iudqno| lqvdqh sulfh1

EPIPHONE IBANEZ AS83 ARTCORE GRETSCH G2622 VINTAGE

DOT DELUXE EXPRESSIONIST STREAMLINER VSA500

103

BEST FOR 335 BEST FOR BEST BEST

DIE-HARDS JAZZ ALL-ROUNDER VALUE

FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES

SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY
SUMMARY

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY PLAYABILITY PLAYABILITY PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 T H E GA S
STATION

106

ANALOGUE DELAY ROUND-UP

A Maxon £235 Supro Analog

nalogue delays occupy
an interesting middle £259
ground. Introduced
originally as an
alternative to expensive and
AD9 Pro Delay
failure-prone mechanical tape PRO TREATMENT SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE

T T
delays, they quickly developed a
his reissue of the Maxon AD9 is in most kh|#vd|#Ġgr#rqh#wklqj/#dqg#gr#lw#zhooġ/#dqg#
following of their own that
important respects a faithful recreation wkdwġv#zkdw#wkh#Vxsur#grhv/#zklfk#lv#qr#
endured after they were made
of the original unit. Its main concession surprise given that Howard Davis of EHX
obsolete, from a technical
to additional functionality is a toggle switch Memory Man fame was reportedly involved in
perspective at least, by the
that is supposed to emulate a multi-head tape the design. Its core sound is smooth and
advent of the digital delay. Partly
machine, doubling the delay line with a clever musical, encouraging you to explore picked
due to wanting to sound similar
hack of the feedback loop. This lends the arpeggios and sparse chord passages that
to the tone of a tape delay, and
delays an interesting timbre, but it gives the bring out the rich sound of this delay. The
partly due to the inherent
impression of the lines treading on each other Ľowhu/#zklfk#lv#d#orz0sdvv#dqg#edqg0sdvv#
character of the BBD delay chips
a bit at anything but longer delay times. As a combined, is a welcome addition for tone-
used, they have a dark, warm-
result, we stuck mainly to the single mode, wzhdnlqj/#dqg#wkhuhġv#dq#h{suhvvlrq#shgdo#
sounding delay tone. The delay
Ľqglqj d ghfhqw/ li vrphzkdw Ġwljkwġ0 input, which can be assigned to time, feedback
times available from a BBD
sounding BBD delay tone with a good range of or mix. This is a solid, no-frills analogue delay;
device are dwarfed by digital
delay lengths available. for a shopping list of features, look elsewhere.
devices, and additional features
are harder to come by as the BBD FEATURES FEATURES
is a one-trick pony, unlike the SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY
SUMMARY

SUMMARY

embedded computers used in VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY

most digital delays. But what a BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY
trick it is… USABILITY USABILITY
OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 PEDAL ROUND-UP

107
Not as organic as tape, not as pristine as digital,
the analogue delay has a sound all of its own…

Sinvertek Fluid £179 MXR Carbon £219 AT A GLANCE

Time Mk II Copy Deluxe BYPASS
Maxon: Buffered bypass
Supro, MXR: True bypass
THE BLACK SHEEP THE MODERN CLASSIC Sinvertek: Selectable bypass

A T
sduw iurp Fkdvh Eolvv/ lwġv kdug wr wklqn khuhġv#d#uhdvrq#wkdw#wkh#Fduerq#Frs|#kdv# POWER
of another manufacturer that can cram been the gold standard for analogue Maxon, Supro: 9V DC centre-
negative, 9V battery
as much functionality into as small a delays for a decade now: it sounds
Sinvertek, MXR: 9V DC
sdfndjh1 Wkh Ioxlg Wlphġv fruh ghod| vrxqg lv excellent. This Deluxe version adds a few more centre-negative
brilliant, voiced somewhere in the ballpark of prghuq#dļrugdqfhv#wr#wkh#ihdwxuh#vhw#ri#wkh#
a Boss DM-2: warm yet characterful. It has a ruljlqdo1#Iluvw#rļ/#wkhuhġv#d#Ġeuljkwġ#vzlwfk#wkdw# CONTACT
Audio Distribution Group
uhvshfwdeoh :33pv ri ghod| wkdqnv wr Ľyh toggles the voicing of the pedal between its
[Link]
reissue 3208 chips. There are several fodvvlf#wrqh#dqg#wkh#uhfhqw#Ġeuljkwġ#yhuvlrq# JHS [Link]
expression modes, but more interesting are with more treble content. In addition to the Zoom UK [Link]
the weird and wonderful second functions. Ġprgġ#wrjjoh#exwwrq/#wkhuhġv#d#ghswk#dqg# Westside Distribution
[Link]
Wkh Ľuvw doorzv wkh vhfrqg irrwvzlwfk wr eh speed control for the modulation, which adds
able to toggle between two preset delay time a whole new dimension to the pedal. An LCD
ohqjwkv/ dqg wkhuhġv d slwfk0vkliwhg ihhgedfn screen tells you the current tap division, and
mode, plus a momentary oscillation mode. wkhuhġv d ghglfdwhg#irrwvzlwfk#iru#wds#whpsr1

FEATURES FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY
SUMMARY

SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY

BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY
USABILITY USABILITY
OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 T H E GA S
STATION

106

ORANGE PEDAL BABY 100 £299

Put some Orange juice into your pedalboard
nnounced at this year’s an 8 ohm cabinet, or 70 watts with 12 o’clock as the neutral

A Winter NAMM show, into 16 ohms. It’s designed to ‘straight-thru’ position.

AT A GLANCE
Orange’s Pedal Baby 100 respond like a guitar amp, while In use, the Pedal Baby’s beefy TYPE: Solid-state
is a neat solution for remaining transparent. output stage turned our budget poweramp
pedalboard and Built into a tough orange- pxowl0hļhfwv shgdo lqwr d OUTPUT: 100Winto
pxowl0hļhfwv xvhuv zkr zdqw wr painted steel chassis, the Pedal Ľuheuhdwklqj vwdfn/ zlwk yroxph 8ohms,70Winto16ohms
CONTROLS: Volume,
get their sound into a speaker Baby’s electronics are typically wr vsduh dqg fodulw| wkdw ľdwwhuv
bass,treble
cabinet at proper gig volume robust and built to endure life on the overall band mix, keeping SOCKETS: inputjack,
levels, without the hassle of the road. There are just three things easy on the ears, even at 2xspeakerout
lugging big heads around. While controls, for volume, bass and averagely loud volume levels. WEIGHT: 3.2kg
many small amps use Class D treble, with a pair of speaker Li shgdov ru pxowl0hļhfwv duh DIMENSIONS: [HxWxD]
77x300x195mm
flufxlwv ehfdxvh ri wkhlu hĿflhqf|/ output jacks on the back panel. your thing, the Pedal Baby 100 CONTACT: Orange
the Pedal Baby has a guitar- Unlike conventional guitar could be just what you need to Amplification
friendly class A preamp mated to a amps which use passive tone bring them to life, and at a 02089052828
proper class AB output stage that controls, the Pedal Baby’s EQ is tempting price, too. [Link]
punches out a full 100 watts into active and can cut or boost, Nick Guppy

FEATURES
ITS BEEFY OUTPUT STAGE TURNED SOUND QUALITY
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY

OUR BUDGET MULTI-EFFECTS PEDAL BUILD QUALITY
USABILITY
INTO A FIREBREATHING STACK OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 t h e ga s
station

top ti
For this pro p!
jec
socket sold t a jack
ered onto
two croco
dile clips w
invaluable as
for testing
the circuit
as we wen
t

108
Fix Your GuiTAr

GeTTinG series and parallel

sounds from your pickups
Grab a bonus sound from a humbucker with this neat hum-cancelling wiring mod
Words:JackEllis

E
verybody’s heard of coil Our patient today is a
splitting as a guitar Gibson RD Artist that is
wiring mod but the having its active pickups
lesser known series/ transplanted. In go a dashing
parallel wiring mod holds a pair of gold DiMarzios
key advantage. When you coil complete with the all
split a double-coil humbucker important ‘4 wire’ cabling.
you create a thinner single- The plan is to have a series/
Meet Your expert
coil sound with some single- parallel switch for each pickup Jack ellis runs Jack’s
coil hum too. The parallel coil and we’ll use two push-pull what you need Lighter 0.047μFcapacitor Instrument Services
Wirecutters PH1screwdriver Jacksocket from his workshop
connection sound is almost pots to do that so that there
Wirestrippers 3-waytoggle in Manchester. In his
the same but still hum cancels. are no extra holes drilled in Adjustable new Parts switch career he has worked on
thousands of instruments,
A humbucker out of the box the guitar. spanner Pairofpickups from simple fixes and
is connected in series for a This specific diagram can Newcable (withwiring skill level upgrades, to complete
warm round sound, whereas easily be adapted with a little (we’vegotsnazzy colourcode) Intermediate rebuilds. For more info,
clothwire) A500kpush-pull see: jacksinstrument
connecting the two coils in imagination to any guitar potsx2 [Link]
Solder
parallel gives a brighter, less with a humbucker. So, let’s Shrink tubing A500k pot
weighty sound – very useful. get soldering!

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 fix your guitar

1 Youcanseethereasonforremoval;theoldGibsoncircuitusedquickconnectports
[Link]
[Link]
2 Here’s the diagram we’ll use. We’ve drawn this one out in a repairer’s eye view as
it’s soldered. On the left are the two push-pull pots. Here’s the sequence: pickups
➔ series/parallel switch ➔ pickup selector switch ➔ master tone ➔ jack socket. This
blankcanvas–takingcarenottoscratchthepaintjobofcourse! circuit uses the backs of the pots as a ground which makes soldering easier.

109

3 Asthisguitardoesn’thavearemovablecontrolplateorscratchplatetosolder
directlyonto,we’llneedtosolderwhatwecanoutoftheguitartomakeiteasier.
Payingcloseattentiontothewiringdiagram,addyoursmalljumperwiresontothe
4 In this example we’re using a pair of DiMarzio humbuckers. Each pickup company
has wiring diagrams to help you identify the different connections so make sure you
check. These ‘4’ wire humbuckers clearly have a fifth wire. That bare wire is absolutely
[Link]’resendingmostearthsymbolsonthediagram( ) to the back of the pots. always ground. We’ve prepped the pickup wires with shrink tubing.

5 With the pickup wires prepped it’s time to install the pickups. Pop them into their
pickup rings, making sure you have them the right way round. You must also get
the rings the right way round or they tilt wrong! Feed in the neck pickup first (or you
6 With a complicated circuit it’s a good idea to split up the process into stages. Time
to connect the four coloured pickup wires to the push-pull pot according to their
colour codes. Pre-tinning the solder terminals and the wires is a great help here. The
won’t get it past the bridge pickup wire) so the wires end up in the electronics cavity. tiny wires are easy to melt for sure…

june 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 t h e ga s
station

7 Solder the push-pull pots’ output wires onto the bottom two terminals of the pots’
six terminals. We’ve made a tester tool – a jack socket linked up to two crocodile
clips. Attach onto the hot and ground wires, fire up the amp and with one guitar string
8 Assuming that’s all good let’s move on, leaving the ground connections off for now.
The next step is to connect to the pickup selector. Sometimes those Gibson-style
toggle switches take a bit of time to heat up properly. The enlarged tab usually on its
on you should hear the series and parallel connections changing the sound. own is another ground connection point.

110

9 Next in the chain is the tone control. As this is a master tone control the output
from the pickup selector is where the single hot wire comes from. The middle leg
of the tone pot will need two wires; one from the pickup switch and one to the jack
10 Primarily we’ve been dealing with hot wires and forgetting about those poor
ground wires – this is their invite to the party. As they all go to the same place we
can twist them together and blob them onto the back of a pot. The guitar has a string
socket. Connect this up as well while we’re here. ground wire as well so we’ll bundle that into this same connection too.

11 Time to test the circuit. If you didn’t wind on one string earlier you can use a metal
tuning fork to test output from each pickup or tap a screwdriver on the pickup.
Test each push-pull pot and volume, and tone too. If you have a silent output it’s likely you
12 To finish up, tighten the front fastenings. Before you tighten the pickup
selector check you have the right orientation – some people like it diagonal,
some up/down! We personally like to get the knobs all facing the right way too so turn
have a short circuit; extreme humming can be the jack wires fitted the wrong way round. up the pots to 10 and make sure the numbers match up! Boom – we did it!

ToTal GuiTar june 2019

 THE UK'S NUMBER 1

ON SALE
NOW

All about the bass, every four weeks

Also available to order online at [Link]
 Subscribe to
Total Guitar and get a
G7th PERFORMANCE
FREE 3 CAPO HURRY!
GIFT worth £40 OFFER ENDS
WORTH 31/8/19
£40

112

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019

 SUBSCRIBE TO TG!

Print Edition For just £22.50 every 6 months

Every issue delivered to your door with a Guitar Skills CD
Print & Digital Bundle For just £25 every 6 months
Save 58% – upgrade to include digital for just an extra £2.50

113

Fitted with Adaptive Radius

dius The Unique Tension Control
Con system gives near-infinite
Technology, the Performance 3 will adjustment AND an easy, one-handed action.
actively adapt to match the Inert silicone wrap around rubber eliminates
curvature over the strings in EVERY deadening of tone and avoids dangerous metal to
position, on ANY guitar neck. This wood contact on your guitar neck.
means the pressure is always evenly Performance 3 is perfect for both acoustic and
distributed over the fingerboard, electric steel string guitars and comes complete with
giving unrivalled tuning stability. a Free Lifetime Warranty.

ORDERING IS EASY. GO ONLINE AT

[Link]/g7th19
OR CALL 0344 848 2852 and QUOTE G7th19
*TERMS AND CONDITIONS: *Gift is only available for new UK subscribers. Please allow up to 60 days for the delivery of your gift. Gift is subject to availability. In the event of stocks being exhausted we reserve the right
to replace with items of similar value. Prices and savings are compared to buying full priced print issues. You will receive 13 issues in a year. You can write to us or call us to cancel your subscription within 14 days of
purchase. Payment is non-refundable after the 14 day cancellation period unless exceptional circumstances apply. Prices correct at point of print and subject to change. UK calls will cost the same as other standard
fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) or are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). For full terms and conditions please visit: [Link]/magtandc. Offer ends 31/08/2019

JUNE 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 THE PLAYLIST

dqg L vwduw sod|lqj vrphwlphv1 L nqrz li

The Playlist
Vwhidqlh vwduwv kxpplqj dorqj wkhq lwġv
jrlqj wr wxuq lqwr vrphwklqj1 Wkdw vrqj ihhov
hļruwohvv wr ph1 \rx kdyh wkrvh prphqwv
zkhq |rxġuh lq wkh uhkhduvdo vsdfh dqg zulwh
d vrqj lq dq krxu1Ĥ

Brutus’ hardcore-playing, Americana-loving Stijn A song with the perfect guitar sound…
Holy Water – King Dude
Vanhoegaerden picks the songs that shaped his sound ģWkhuhġv rqh vrqj iurp Nlqj Gxgh/ dq
Dphulfdq vlqjhu0vrqjzulwhu/ kh grhv
uhdoo| gdun Dphulfdqd1 Lwġv w|slfdoo|
tune I’d play to someone new

A
frxqwu| exw lq d uhdoo| gdun vhwwlqj
to our band… War – Brutus wkdw jlyhv lw d uhdoo| vsrrn| yleh1Ĥ
“Normally I would say All Along,
iurp rxu Ľuvw uhfrug ehfdxvh zh My favourite guitarist to
ihow dw wkh wlph wkdwġv wkh vrqj watch live… The Shape I’m In
wkdw zh wulhg wr sxw hyhu|wklqj wkdw zh gr – George Kilby Jr
lqwr lw/ exw qrz L zrxog vd| War1 Wkh lqwur lv ģL vdz d vkrz zkhq L zdv uhdoo|
vrphwklqj L mxvw sod|hg/ dqg Vwhidqlh |rxqj lq Euxvvhov/ Jhrujh Nloe| Mu/
^Pdqqdhuwv/ Euxwxv guxpphu2yrfdolvw` dq Dphulfdq jxlwdu sod|hu1 L hyhq
vwduwhg vlqjlqj dqg zh glgqġw hyhq zrun rq kdyh wkh doexp L erxjkw wkdw qljkw
lw> lwġv mxvw vrphwklqj wkdw kdsshqhg1 L uhdoo| dv d olwwoh nlg1 Lw zdv wkh Ľuvw wlph Lġg
olnh wkh g|qdplfv dqg wkhuhġv wkdw vwxslg vhhq vrphrqh sod| hļruwohvvo|1 Kh
kdugfruh ulļ lq wkh plggoh/ zh zhuh mxvw zdv vlqjlqj wkh zkroh wlph/ qrw
pdnlqj ixq ri rxuvhoyhv1 Lwġv jrw d pl{wxuh ri hyhq orrnlqj dw klv jxlwdu/ dqg
hyhu|wklqj zh oryh/ dqg zh grqġw wdnh vrorlqj dqg sod|lqj dqg lw doo
rxuvhoyhv wrr vhulrxvo|/ lw kdv vr pdq| wklqjv vrxqghg vr shuihfw1 Zrz1Ĥ
lq rqh vrqj wkdw vkrxogqġw eh lq rqh vrqj1Ĥ
114 The song I want played at my
funeral… Alone And Forsaken –
Townes Van Zandt
ģWrzqhv Ydq ]dqgw kdv d fryhu kh grhv ri d
Kdqn Zlooldpvġ vrqj> lwvġ wkh vdgghvw
vrqj hyhu1 Zkhq L glh/ L zdqw hyhu|rqh
wr fu| dw p| ixqhudo1Ĥ

My favourite song to play live…

Baby Seal – Brutus
ģL kdyh iulhqgv zkr duh vfkrrohg pxvlfldqv>
sod|lqj olyh/ lwġv olnh vhfrqg qdwxuh iru wkhp/
exw Lġyh vwloo jrw qhuyhv hyhu| wlph L jr
rqvwdjh1 Wkdwġv wkh rqh srlqw lq wkh vhw
zkhuh Lġp olnh/ L grqġw jlyh d ixfn uljkw qrz1
Lwġv mxvw fkrugv dqg vlpsoh phorglhv> wkdwġv The song I play in every bar…
qrw d kdug vrqj wr sod|/ qrw wkdw wkdwġv zk| L There Is A Light That Never Goes
oryh lw/ exw lwġv vwudljkwiruzdug1 Lwġv d Out – The Smiths
euhdwkhu iru ph lq wkh vhw1Ĥ ģLq#rxu#krphwrzq#hyhu|#wlph#L#zdon#lqwr#d#
edu/#L#kdyh#wr#dvn#wkhp#wr#sod|#There Is A Light
A solo I love… That Never Goes Out1#Lw#kdv#ehfrph#d#wklqj/#
Freezin’ In Hell – Mitch Ryder wkh|#pdnh#ixq#ri#ph#ehfdxvh#ri#lw1#L#grqġw#
ģWkdw vror lv wkh ehvw vror L hyhu khdug1 L fduh1#Zh#kdg#wr#gr#vrph#vrqjv#rq#wkh#udglr#
uhphpehu wkdw iurp zkhq L zdv d nlg dqg lq#Ehojlxp#dqg#Vwhidqlh#sod|hg#wkdw#vrqj#dv#d#
lwġv vwxfn zlwk ph hyhu vlqfh1 Lwġv vrphwklqj L sldqr#yhuvlrq/#mxvw#khu1#L#uhdoo|#olnh#wkh#zd|#
mxvw sxw rq iru wkh vror1 L oryh lw1Ĥ vkh#sod|v#lw1#Lwġv#rqh#ri#p|#idyrxulwh#vrqjv1#
Zkhuh#L#xvhg#wr#olyh#wkhuh#xvhg#wr#eh#eduv#
The track that came together the zkhuh#Lġg#mxvw#zdon#lq#zlwk#p|#iulhqgv#dqg#
smoothest… Space – Brutus wkh|#zrxog#sod|#lw#mxvw#wr#jhw#lw#ryhu#zlwk1Ĥ
Photo W Ire and

ģWkdwġv vrphwklqj L zdv mxvw Ľqjhuslfnlqj

Ğ zkdw kdsshqv d orw zkhq zhġuh lq uhkhduvdo Brutus’ new album Nest is out now on
dqg hyhu|erg| lv vhwwlqj xs/ zhġuh wdonlqj/ Hassle Records

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2019