Led ZeppeLIn U2

I Can’t QuIt You BaBY one

play better now!

#284
september 2016

Jeff IntervIew
Jeff talks Strats,
The Yardbirds, his
how To Build
A fuzz pedAl
+
beck
new album
& more! feeder
inside Grant
nicholas’
studio
20 lessons, tips & tricks
to help you play like the
guitar hero’s guitar hero

hotone
Xtomp
learn 300 fX in
to play one pedal!

Led ZeppeLIn
I Can’t Quit
You Baby The
U2 BeaTarlnes
Le
ab
one three f* wilSon!
rIffs ÅkerfeldT!
prophets Soord!
of rage
Learn Morello’s new riff*
*video riffs online
 editor’s letter

Welcome…
Future publishinG
Quay House, THe ambury, baTH, ba1 1ua
Tel: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822763
email: [email protected]
Website: www.totalguitar.co.uk

Editorial
editor stuart Williams
Content editor rob laing
reviews editor Dave burrluck
Production editor Josh Gardner
art editor leanne O’hara
senior music editor Jason sidwell How often do you use the controls on
Guitars Feature & Tuition editor Chris bird
Content editor, musicradar.com michael brown
music Co-ordinator polly beauchamp
your guitar? We spend forever worrying
editor at Large neville marten
about everything from technique to which
ContributorS
richard barrett, phil Capone, rich Chamberlain, Charlie Griffiths,
nick Guppy, Jamie hunt, Andy mcGregor, ed mitchell, Kerry moyle,
new piece of gear we’re going to buy to
Andy Ounsted, matthew parker, Adam rees, Amit sharma,
James uings, David West, Frank White, henry Yates
help make us sound better, and while that’s
music engraver simon troup
audio mastering Duncan Jordan
all totally valid – it’s important to be able
Video Production martin holmes
Photography Joe branston, Adam Gasson, neil Godwin, Olly Curtis,
to play well, and good gear does inspire
Joby sessions, Jesse Wild, Will ireland

advErtiSing
as well as improving your sound – all the
Phone: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 732285
senior advertising manager lara Jaggon, [email protected]
while there’s a world of often untapped
Director of agency sales matt Downs, [email protected]
Head of strategic Partnerships Clare Jonik, [email protected] potential built into our guitars.
MarkEting
marketing Director sascha Kimmel
Don’t believe me? take some time to
marketing executive Kristianne stanton
watch Jeff beck play. Yes, he’s got monster
chops, and some of the nicest gear money can buy, but he also
ProduCtion & diStribution
Production Controller Frances twentyman
Head of Production uK & us mark Constance
printed in the uK by: William Gibbons & sons ltd on behalf of Future
Distributed by: seymour Distribution ltd, 2 east poultry Avenue,
pays a lot of attention to wringing every last variation of sound
london eC1A 9pt, tel: 0207 429 4000
Overseas distribution by: seymour international that he can out of his trusty Fender strat, most importantly,
CirCulation
Trade marketing manager michelle brock 0207 429 3683
the controls. Watching Jeff beck is like watching a pilot control
SubSCriPtionS
uK reader order line & enquiries: 0844 848 2852
a plane, he’s constantly tweaking the volume, tone, pickup
Overseas reader order line & enquiries: +44 (0)1604 251045
Online enquiries: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
selector and of course, his whammy bar. You don’t have to be
email: [email protected]
a fan of Jeff’s music to get something out of it – although he’s
covered a lot of ground stylistically over the years – which is
liCEnSing
senior Licensing & syndication manager
matt ellis, [email protected] Tel: + 44 (0)1225 442244

ManagEMEnt
why we think he truly is the guitar player’s guitar player.
managing Director, magazines Joe mcevoy
editorial Director, Film music & Technology paul newman
Group editor-In-Chief Daniel Griffiths
Get inside his style starting on p38 and if you enjoy this issue,
Group art Director Graham Dalzell check out our subscription deal on p106 where we’ve teamed
up with Andertons to offer you a free Golden plexi pedal when
Next issue on sale 23 september 2016

you subscribe. see you next time!

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All contents copyright © 2015 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No
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Chris josh roB
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usually to be press No remembers
found pick in hand, this month’s Man’s Sky, is still a day or two from bouncing around in the crowd to
We are committed to only using magazine paper
which is derived from well managed, certified
Jeff beck lesson has given Chris release, and Josh is very excited. Feeder at reading Festival in 1999,
forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future the chance to hone his fingerstyle While he waits, he’s been passing but it was an older and wiser
publishing and its paper suppliers have been chops. As if that wasn’t enough, he time listening to the game’s Grant nicholas he meets for a chat
independently certified in accordance with the
rules of the FsC (Forest stewardship Council). there’s more of the same on p102 superb soundtrack from in the main man’s home studio
where we’ve tabbed the edge’s 65daysofstatic – find out about on p24. We find his contagious
fingerpicked intro from u2’s epic behind its creation in our feature enthusiasm for guitar and making
track, One. Fingerpicking good! with the band on p44. music is completely unchanged.

september 2016 3
 contents
monitor
First Look blackstar ID.·Core 100/150 .......................... 006
Riff Of The Month prophets Of rage – 
Prophets Of Rage .................................................................... 008
On The Up the Hunna, Wild throne, Waterparks  ...... 010
On The Road London Acoustic Show ........................... 012
In The Studio Korn .............................................................. 014
Five Minutes Alone… John rzeznik ............................. 016
Me And My Guitar benjamin burnley .......................... 018
Feedback Your letters and emails .................................. 019
Competition Win! A blackstar Artist 30 ..................... 020
Albums this month’s best guitar releases ................... 022

Contents: Will Ireland Joby Session Bill Orchard/REX/Shutterstock Jay Good/Frank White Photo Agency Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
features
Feeder Grant Nicholas talks vintage gear and recording  
at home as the Welsh rockers mark their 20th  
anniversary with a first new album in four years ............. 024
COVER FEATURE: Jeff Beck tG sits down with a bona  
fide living guitar legend to talk reinvention, hating  
the limelight, and expressing his real identity .................. 030
65daysofstatic the UK instrumental band discus their 
groundbreaking work on the soundtrack of one of the  
year’s most anticipated new games, No Man’s Sky ......... 044
Build Your Own Fuzz ever fancied building your own  
fuzz box? Our handy guide shows you how easy it is .... 050

030 Jeff Beck

tg talks to a genuine guitar legend
Round Table We sat down for a three-way guitar chat  
with porcupine tree’s Steven Wilson, Opeth’s mikael 

Cover & CD: Joby Sessions Jay Good/Frank White Photo Agency
Åkerfeldt, and the pineapple theif’s bruce Soord .......... 054

steven Wilson, mikael

feeder 024 054 Åkerfeldt, Bruce soord 044 65daysofstatic

4   September 2016
 issue 284 septemBer 2016

Blackstar
id:core 100/150 006
gear
Guild Newark St bluesbird ................................................. 066
Gretsch G9241 Alligator biscuit resonator.................. 070
peavey 6505 piranha ........................................................... 072
Round-up Wylde Audio electrics .................................. 074
Washburn WLO12Se ........................................................... 080
Round-up Seymour Duncan pedals ............................. 082
guild video riffs: 084
BluesBird 066 the Beatles 062 Hotone Xtomp .........................................................................
086
electro-Harmonix meL9 .......................................................
boss Ce-2W ............................................................................. 087
Accessories ........................................................................... 088

techniQues
The Guitar Mastery of Jeff Beck Learn the  
boundary-pushing technique secrets of this  
month’s cover star ................................................................ 038
Five Ways To Play Sus Chords Spruce up your  
chords by getting some sus in your life .......................... 060
Three Beatles Riffs Learn to play three classic  
Fab Four riffs with our online video lessons .................. 062
Classic Track Led Zeppelin – I Can’t Quit You Baby .... 092
u2 102
‘one’ 102 Open-Mic Songbook U2 – One  ......................................
Get Your Grades! rGt ...................................................... 108

led zeppelin 092 SubScribe now & Save!

‘i can’t Quit you BaBy’ Subscribe to Total Guitar on p106 and get a Tone City Golden Plexi

September 2016  5
 first look…
Core,
blimey!
Blackstar launches
affordable, giggable ID:Core
Stereo 100 and 150 combos

O
ver a few short years, Blackstar’s
versatile and keenly priced ID:Core
Stereo combos have become the
practice amps du jour for many of us, but
a pair of new additions are set to take its
features to the stage. Clocking in at 2x50
watts and 2x75 watts respectively, the
ID:Core Stereo 100 and 150 are high-
power entries in the range, and offer
gig-ready volumes and supreme tonal
flexibility from seriously lightweight
combos. Best of all are the prices: £229 for
the 100 and £299 for the 150. As well as the
features we know and love – including
Blackstar’s ISF control, USB recording and
Insider editing – these fresh amps bring a
few new tricks to the table, too… “the ID:Core stereo 100  
and 150 offer gig-ready 
volumes and supreme tonal 
flexibility from seriously 
lightweight combos”

Photography: Neil Godwin

6   september 2016
first look monitor

1 octaver
By comBining chorus
and flanger effects,
Blackstar has made way
for a new polyphonic
octaver, which handles
one octave up or down,
plus both together for
beefy riffs and organ-
esque tones

2 looper
There’s also a nifty
built-in looper with
unlimited overdubs, plus
undo and clear functions
via the included two-
button footswitch. May
we remind you these amps
are under £300!

3 voices
The comBos retain the
ID:Core’s six voices, but
they’re tweaked for the
100/150’s traditional (rather
than full-range) speakers,
while Super Wide Stereo and
modulation, delay and reverb
effects also return

september 2016  7
 monitor secti n

riff of the month

MissiNg LiNk
swap pickups in 30 seconds?!
AusTrALiA’s PrATLEy Guitars could have
a game-changer on their hands with its P-Link
interchangeable Pickup System. While the likes of
dan Armstrong have developed interchangeable
pickup systems in the past, the P-Link is so potentially
exciting because once installed it’s claimed to work
with any pickup and any guitar with a humbucker
cavity. You don’t even have to remove the strings.
Time to throw out the soldering iron? Pratley’s
Kickstarter funding scheme for it is now live.
www.pratley.co

tracks 07-08

Prophets Of Rage
souNds good
 ProPhets of rage 0:53  affordable ear protectors aim
to enhance live music

T
he new supergroup  CHANNEL Overdrive WE sHouLd all care about protecting our hearing,
featuring members of Rage 
but Flare Audio doesn’t just aim to safeguard your
Against The Machine,  ears with its isolate plugs, but provide clearer sound,
Public Enemy and Cypress Hill is  too. Launched off the back of a successful Kickstarter
off to a flying start with this heavy,  campaign, the idea is that, rather than absorbing
groove-laden four-bar chorus riff.  gain bass mid treble reverb sound like regular earplugs, the isolate’s (£23) metal
core reflects overbearing bass frequencies away from
The guitar is in standard tuning, so  your lugs. This is said to increase sound detail at safer
tune to EADGBE to play along.  levels, attenuating the frequencies equally.
Tom Morello uses the F blues  Use a bridge position
scale (F Ab Bb Cb C Eb) to create 
JArMAN’s
humbucker and dial in a
moveable one-bar phrases.   medium overdrive tone.
Set your amp up with a
The first three bars use the same 
melodic shape and rhythm so 
decent amount of middle
and treble to help your
NEEds
listen carefully to pick up the feel.  sound cut through – a
squier sigs for the Cribs
Bar 4 uses a contrasting rhythm to  ‘scooped’ sound with less
midrange will likely be
bring the riff to a tidy end.  thinner and weaker. The squiEr HAs announced signature
Take note to emphasise beat  bass guitar doubles up an models for The Cribs’ Jarman twins.
one of each bar. It adds energy and  octave lower so try rolling “Collaborating with Squier is something
i have genuinely dreamed of since i was
drive, and can be achieved by  off your bass a little to give
a kid,” says guitarist ryan Jarman. My
digging in with the pick and using  the two instruments more
of their own sonic space. first quality guitar was a Fender
a downstroke for the first note of  Single coil-equipped Jag-Stang i got when i was 17, and
Guitars and backing: Jamie Hunt

each phrase. There are some  guitars may need a little after reading about its conception
quick position and string changes  more gain and bass. i started doodling ideas for my
own dream guitar, which now has
within the first three bars. Make  become a reality.” His Jaguar/
sure you look at your target fret  all the video lessons in this issue of Total Guitar are Mustang hybrid will be released in
and plan ahead of each change, as  available to view online at www.bit.ly/tg284video addition to brother Gary’s offset
these are the points where you’re  Precision/Mustang bass. See
likely to have timing issues. next issue for more on The Cribs.

8   SEPTEMBER 2016
 monitor secti n


o
n
t
h
e
The Hunna
u W UK indie-rockers straddling genres and starting fires…
hen you hear Hertfordshire
rock band The Hunna’s
chart-bothering hit Bonfire,
In contrast to the usual high-end gloss
of a chart act backline, Dan’s Fender
Jazzmaster is paired with a rig that’s

p
you might make the mistake of suspecting pretty rough and ready.
the shadow-y employment of major label “My set-up hasn’t changed since I got it,”
ghost-writers. However, their climb up says Dan. “I’ve got an old Marshall AVT50H
the greasy ladder of commercial rock has head and a 2x12 Hayden cab. I’m not made
been a slow process. of money and never have been, so I just got
“We spent a long time writing music,” my hands on what I could get and, luckily,
explains guitarist Dan Dorney. “It didn’t just it sounds great. People I work with keep
happen over a couple of months, it took a telling me to keep what I’m using.”
really long time. I think everyone thinks Now signed in the US to ex-Warner/Def
we’re manufactured and we were given the Jam execs Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles’
songs and that’s not the case at all. I had no 300 Entertainment, we suspect the big
money, all I could do was write music for connections will keep on coming. “In New
two years.” York, Lyor invited us around his house for a
The Hunna was born when Dan met Hunna party at his five-storey house,” says
frontman Ryan Potter at music college. Dan. “There was mad stuff: he had original
They bonded over an un-snobbish love of Andy Warhol polaroids – just in his toilet!
mainstream music, from classic rock to rap That whole night was unreal.”
– eventually deriving the name ‘The With debut album, 100, due 26 August
Hunna’ (as in the hundred) in tribute to and a rabid fan following developing,
Potter’s passion for hip-hop. what’s Dan’s advice for other artists
“AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, that hoping to see Lyor’s WC?
was pushed on by my Dad,” explains Dan. “You need good music,” insists Dan. “Just
“I used to go see tribute bands like be grateful for what you have and write,
Words: Matthew Parker

Limehouse Lizzy. Those old-school rock write, write, write!”

songs just used to excite me. Also, your
magazine, I used to buy all the time and For Fans oF: Catfish & The Bottlemen,
learn loads of riffs! Then I just kept learning The 1975 Hear: Bonfire
as much as I could.”

10   SEPTEMBER 2016
 on the up monitor

Wild Throne
Ross Robinson-crowned prog-metallers

r
aised just outside of melodious malcontent and
Seattle, it’s unsurprising searing seat-of-the-pants solos.
that Josh Holland, guitarist “There was a sense of urgency,”
with Wild Throne, grew up confirms Josh. “We felt like it had
idolising the brooding talents of to be something different, it had
players such as Billy Corgan and to be confrontational. We had
Kim Thayil. Now in his own band something to prove and I think it
he melds these influences with shows how far we took it. That’s
those of prog innovators how it turned-out to sound the
Mastodon and Mars Volta. way it does.”
“I’m very open-minded, or I try It’s rich pickings for guitarists,
to be,” explains Josh. “When but Josh favours Blood Maker as
we’re writing we really try to his choicest cut. “The song closes
make it a mesh. From Judas out with a solo and I remember
Priest, to ABBA, it should all be thinking that I was not that good
represented. When we can pull at guitar when we did it, but
that off it’s some of the most I listen back now and I’m like,
unique stuff.” ‘Motherfucker, I pulled that shit
The group’s Ross Robinson- off!’ I was so scared when we did
produced new album Heart Of that, but I did it!”
Darkness is certainly unique stuff.
Powered by Josh’s diverse Guild For Fans oF: The Mars Volta,
S-100 and Marshall/Soldano amp Mastodon Hear: Blood Maker
blend, it’s a whirlwind of

Waterparks
Whipsmart Texan pop-punks induce cravings

F
ull disclosure: TG didn’t apart from the guitar so I just sang
want to like Waterparks. the part and then I pitch-shifted it
This is one of the first things and put a lot of different guitar
we tell enigmatic frontman effects on it.”
Awsten Knight, before admitting Wholly unconcerned by the
we can’t stop playing his stupidly rules that govern many players,
more-ish Benji Madden-produced we’re intrigued by Awsten’s live
breakthrough hit, Crave. set-up. “You’re going to laugh at
“Sick! We got you!” laughs this, but live – and I wouldn’t
Awsten, unperturbed. “We record with this – I’ve got this
actually made shirts that said, custom Daisy Rock…” he begins.
‘I really didn’t want to like TG does laugh. “People are always
Waterparks’ because we’ve always like, ‘Is that a PRS?’ And I’m like,
got guys coming up to the merch ‘Nah, dude. That’s my Daisy
table and be like, ‘Yeah, I didn’t Rock!’ But it’s so light and it
really care about you guys, but my sounds good, too!”
girlfriend made me come along It’s bold and unexpected, but
and it was so good!’” that’s Waterparks all over. Catch
Crave’s manipulated vocal the inimitable Awsten in full
hook is a powerful ear worm, on bloom at Reading/Leeds and on
a par with the pop-punk greats. tour with Good Charlotte.
“What you hear is what I recorded
in my room on the demo,” says For Fans oF: Good Charlotte,
Awsten. “I wanted to experiment All Time Low Hear: Crave
with other things being the lead,

SEPTEMBER 2016   11
 monitor section

on the road…
10
Sept

11
Sept
Fingerstyle virtuoso
Richard Gilewitz will hold a
masterclass and perform

“Prettymucheverywhere
youturntherewilleitherbe
acousticguitarsandrelated
gear,orlivemusic”
You’ll be able to learn
from percussive maestro
© Richard Ecclestone

Preston Reed at the show

12 SEPTEMBER 2016
 on the road monitor

London
Acoustic Show
Strummers,flatpickersandfingerstylersunitefora
weekendofallthingsunpluggedatLondon’sOlympia

T
ry out dream dreads, learn from the performances, and Turin Brakes will drop
pros and see world class talent by on the Saturday afternoon to perform.
perform all under one roof in Other performers and masterclass hosts
September as the London Acoustic Show include Stuart Ryan, Richard Gilewitz and
returns with uke, mandolin and banjo Rock School classes led by Carl Orr and
players catered for, too, as well as the Total Guitar contributor Andy Jones.
wealth of guitar-focussed activities on offer. There’s also going to be a first for the
“The London Acoustic Show is unique show, as attendees get playing along with
because it’s a multi-feature event,” says Guitar Revolution. “Acoustic columnist and
Acoustic Magazine editor Steve Harvey, guitarist extraordinaire, Chris Woods has
who helps put the show together. “There composed a special piece consisting of four
are three main areas. Firstly we have an separate ‘layers’ to it,” explains Steve. “The
exhibition hall full of all the latest and best four layers range from very easy to fairly
gear from all over the world. We also have challenging. We’re encouraging show
a 450-seater, purpose-built auditorium for visitors to choose one of the four layers,
our main stage, where show visitors can learn it, and come to the show with their
watch some of the best acoustic bands, own guitar to play it on the main stage with
virtuosos and performers around today. Chris for one big performance. There are
Lastly there’s a 300-seater Masterclass instructional videos on the mag’s YouTube
room, which is more of an intimate clinic/ channel. It’ll be a fantastic opportunity to
workshop set-up. Show visitors can learn have one mega acoustic band!”
from and question key educators and Once you’ve been inspired, you can head
clinicians. Pretty much everywhere you down to the exhibitors to convince yourself
turn there will either be acoustic guitars why you need that new jumbo. There’s a
and related gear, or live music – not least of host of brands to tempt you too, including
all at the Acoustic Café, which is a busker- Taylor, Yamaha, Lowden, Cole Clark, Faith
type stage where upcoming artists play and Blueridge. We hope to see you there!
throughout both days.”
So who are the players we can see there? For tickets and more information on the
Virtuosos Preston Reed and Clive Carroll London Acoustic Show, point your browser at
lead the roster with both masterclasses and www.londonacousticshow.com

Turin Brakes are one

of the acts playing
over the weekend
 monitor secti n

In the Studio
The guitarists did
a lot of tracking
at the same time

Munky (l) and

Head (r) have got
their mojo back

Artist: ‘The Serenity Of

Suffering’ drops

Korn on 21 October

Nu metal kings look to the past to beat back the trolls

In thIs world of online trolls, releasing the  Shift, but Munky reckons the benefit is really  You can hear the Memory Man on the verse 
first track from a new album is a nerve- felt on their new record. of Rotting In Vain.”
wracking prospect, even for Korn – a band  “On the last record we were remembering  Raskulinecz also encouraged Munky and 
that are 20-plus years and 12 records into  things… ‘Oh yeah, you used to do that.’ We  Head to track together in the control room 
their career. were reminded of our strengths. This time  for the first time in their career.
They need not have worried – when the  we were able to use them in all their glory.” “That added a whole life to the songs and 
band dropped Rotting In Vain,   helped us refine our parts,” says 

“We were able to use our

lead single from new album, The Munky. “Nick didn’t like editing 
Serenity Of Suffering, reaction  though, so we had to try and get 
was overwhelmingly positive. through the whole song, so if 
“People seem to like it, thank 
God,” laughs guitarist James 
‘Munky’ Shaffer. “You spend 
strengths in all their glory” one us made a mistake we 
would start all over again. Head 
was like, ‘Can’t we just copy and 
months working on this shit and you never  But it wasn’t just the full reintegration of  paste it? C’mon man!’”
know what people will think.” Head into the mix that helped the band fire  While Rotting In Vain is a good indication 
The crux of the feedback is that Korn have  on all cylinders. Producer Nick Raskulinecz  of the album’s general vibe, there are plenty 
gone back to their roots, and Munky agrees. was also eager to rediscover the classic   of treats in store, says Munky.
 “I feel like the song ends up somewhere  Korn sound, and that involved some pedal  “The opening track is called Insane. There 
around Issues and Untouchables,” he says.  board experimentation. are two riffs in that song that are pretty 
“That is a great era for me.”  “We used a lot of our DigiTech pedals on  crazy. It has this heavy riff in the bridge 
Key to re-discovering their own identity  our ’boards – they have that Here To Stay  section and then this next riff comes in and  
© Sebastien Paquet

was the band’s reunion with Brian ‘Head’  octave sound that is a staple of ours. I love  it blows your face off.”

Welch. The guitarist left Korn in 2005,  the DigiTech Synth Wah and I used a lot of 
returning in time for 2013’s The Paradigm Micro Synth pedal from Electro-Harmonix.  The Serenity of Suffering is released 21 October.

14   SEPTEMBER 2016
 monitor secti n

– they made those for like two

years. They made those in ’58 and
’59. I would use an Echoplex and
a 335, that would be it. Boom.
I love that you can wind up the
335 and it gets dirty and fat like
a Les Paul but it still has clarity
to it and it cleans up and just
sparkles beautifully.”

If I could turn back time…

“I was 19 when I made my first
record and we recorded all the
guitars through a Rockman
[headphone amp] because the
engineer told us to! If I could go
back and beg someone to borrow
a Fender Princeton and a Tube
Screamer from them, I would do
that because that album has the
worst sound ever.”

In too deep...
“We played a gig inside the dome
of a dormant volcano in Italy.
It started pouring with rain and
the water was getting deeper and
deeper. It started filling up like a
swimming pool. But that wasn’t
the worst gig I’ve played, that was

5 minutes alone a radio festival show in the States

in a huge amphitheater opening

John Rzeznik
for Korn. It was the worst. People
were throwing bottles of piss at us
and lighting chairs on fire.”

I just want you to know

As the Goo Goo Dolls return with their 11th album, John Rzeznik talks who I am…
“The biggest misconception about
punk heroes, dodgy tone and being more than a one-trick pony… Goo Goo Dolls is that all we do is
write ballads. I love that our new
Got my first real six string… This is just a punk-rock song… underground rock star guy. album has a lot of teeth and
“The first guitar I ever owned was “Punk was key to the early part of I asked him if he could teach me interesting things going on.”
a Kay SG copy. That cost like $35. me playing guitar. I was really into how to play guitar. He said yes
Man, that was a terrible guitar. melodic punk-rock. I related to and I asked him how much it Music is the gift...
That guitar went when I learned punk more than Lynyrd Skynyrd would cost and he said to bring “I love it when somebody covers
how to play a little bit and I got a or Yes or Van Halen. I got into him a case of beer! I would go to Iris, that song is entering its
Univox copy of a Les Paul. There alternative rock in the early 80s, his house and mostly just drink second generation. That is so cool,
was always a guitar hanging bands like Husker Du and The beer but he would show me some that song is a gift. That song was
around the house when I was a Replacements. Bob Mould’s cool licks and tell me awesome on a soundtrack album with U2,
kid. It was a much lower impact playing was a huge influence. It rock ’n’ roll stories. His whole Alanis Morissette, Peter Gabriel.
instrument than me playing the was very heavy with a lot of open thing was learning enough guitar They gave us a $20,000 advance
drums, which is what I really tunings, which was great because to look like a rock star.” for that, and we had no idea how
wanted to do. My mother put I played in trios, so I used open big that song would be. That song
a stop to the drumming.” tunings to get a fuller sound.” Just a castaway, an island gave us a career. It gave us the
lost at sea… momentum to keep getting more
Show me the way… “If I could get my hands on one songs on the radio. It’s funny, I’ll
“I met a guy from Buffalo named on a desert island, I would have a be in airport and a really pretty
Mark Freeland. He was the local, Fender High Powered Tweed amp 20-year-old girl will come ask me
for a picture. My ego will get
“Opening for Korn was the worst…  inflated, and then she’ll say, ‘My
© REX/Shutterstock

mom loves that song, Iris.’”

People were throwing bottles of  Boxes is out now. The Goo Goo Dolls
piss at us and lighting chairs on fire” tour the UK in October.

16   SEPTEMBER 2016
 monitor secti n

Me and My guitar
Benjamin
Burnley
Breaking Benjamin
On their first ever UK
date we met BB’s
founder and his
custom LTD model

“We estaBlIshed a really

amazing relationship with ESP
because the company built
these amazing custom guitars
for me and are very supportive
of us, and what we do. They’re
really hospitable to the band –
and make great guitars. This is “I love the feel of it. It’s [neck-] through,
a maple top, mahogany body. one piece. There’s no separate neck piece
It has my band logo inlaid, to it. It’s a really solid, well resonating-
and these red Seymour sounding guitar. This is a standard scale
Duncan pickups.” but I also have a baritone scale; same exact
guitar, same specs and wood, but baritone.
We track with many guitars in the studio,
including a Les Paul Baritone and we will be
including the LTD Signature Baritone in future
recordings. Unfortunately it wasn’t made at
the time of the recording of the last album
“It’s got a piezo pickup that but we will use it for future albums. The
can be run simultaneously live baritone songs we use it for right now
with the electric signal. I are Diary Of Jane, Failure, I Will Not Bow and
run the piezo through a Breathe to name a few.”
tuner pedal to bypass the
signal and turn it on and off.
We have songs that have
acoustic guitar in them
that run along side electric
guitars. In certain songs
the piezo allows us to play
acoustic and electric guitar “We prefer it to be wireless on stage. It’s
simultaneously with one guitar. a standard three-way toggle switch, but it’s
Some of the songs we use it wired to just have the tone and bass all the way
on include Sooner Or Later, up. I keep it simple; I run through an Axe-Fx
Home, Breathe, Give Me A processor, made by Fractal, so that does all of
Sign and Simple Design.” the work, and we let the guitar be simple.”
© Will Ireland

18   september 2016
 HOME
GROWN
TONE
SINCE 1958
[email protected] letters emails etc…

letter
Wes-imist
I was just reading issue 283 of TG and
wanted to write in response to the Wes
Borland interview, and the comments
he made relating to “the end times for
musicians” and that “we are making
records like the guys on the Titanic
playing instruments on a sinking ship”.
I couldn’t believe a working musician
and role model
would make such comments. I’m an average
guitarist who still falls in love with records over
and over. Please don’t lose the faith, I understand
where Wes is coming from to an extent, but don’t
underestimate the positive influence musicians
have on our world. There will never be an end of sta r
Choo
yoursE
PrIzE
WIL TAYLOR
time for musicians – never stop trying to be prize! INGLORIOUS
musicians because the world needs you. TC Electronic TonePrint pedal
ROTOSOUND PLAYER
Pat Elsworth, via email Take your pick from TC’s
TonePrint series, including
There will always be music in the world, Pat – we’d pack up and go home if
we thought otherwise! But Wes makes a fair point about how hard it is for the Corona Chorus,
musicians to make a living in the current climate. It’s a well-worn theme, Flashback Delay, Hall Of
but if you want the artists you love to keep doing what they do, it’s vitally Fame Reverb and more!
important to support them with your hard-earned when you can… www.tcelectronic.com

On the mend(es) hell Brent fOr letters

Thanks for the article with Shawn Mendes in TG, you bloody nutters! The Gervais interview
issue 283. After spotting the interview in her in issue 283 was a stroke of genius, and adding
‘old dad’s magazine’ my 13 year-old daughter the tab for Life On The Road was the icing on
now thinks I’m cool, and wants me to teach the cake. I can’t wait to see the movie, long live
her to play the guitar. Just goes to show that David Brent!
inspiration can come from outside of distortion Finchy, slough
and Marshall stacks (that’ll come later!) I like Thanks for the feedback, ‘Finchy’ – we’re sure you’re
the fact that he’s a big fan of John Mayer, too a bloody good rep…
– but I draw the line at Bieber!
DamiEn GoulDinG, via email
We all draw the line at Bieber, Damo… Brent Out Of shape
Dear TG, why oh why, when there are true
guitar heroes still walking the earth did you feel
QuestiOn Of tOne the need to waste ink and paper on a so-called
Dear TG, I have been buying your mags for comedian, Ricky Gervais, last month!? 2016
over a year, and I love them. I am in a hard-rock has been bad enough for music, what with all
band, and I was wondering if you could do an the legends dying and that. You should hang WORLD FAMOUS MUSIC STRINGS
article on how to get a good hard rock tone for your heads in shame.
live and studio? It’d help me out, and help a lot Ps Please tab some Poison. WWW.ROTOSOUND.COM
of other people out, too, I’d imagine! kEv BraDBury, oxford INSTAGRAM.COM/ROTOSOUND_UK
scott ParkEr, new Zealand Nah, you’re alright thanks Kev.
FACEBOOK.COM/ROTOSOUND
TWITTER.COM/ROTOSOUND_UK
facebook.com/totalguitar twitter.com/totalguitar youtube.com/totalguitar
PROUDLY MADE IN ENGLAND

PHOTO CREDIT: DARREN GRIFFITHS

 WIN! Worth
£849

a Blackstar
artist 30 comBo! It’s
Bag yourself a
hard to believe that Blackstar mind. Also on board is Blackstar’s ISF control,
is coming up to its 10th delivering US and British tonal response, plus
anniversary. In what seems like no time at a world of sounds in-between – there’s even a

gig-ready comBo
all, the company has grown from a small built-in digital reverb. In short, it’s a whole lot of
operation with a handful of employees to valve amp, mixing classic sounds with modern
one of the biggest names in the game. The functionality. To be in with a chance of winning

to celeBrate
first Blackstar amp was the Artisan; a pure one, answer the question below correctly.
valve amp focused on tone. Since then, we’ve
seen everything from high-gain metal amps What year was Blackstar launched?

a decade of
to Bluetooth-equipped practice amps. Late
last year, Blackstar took things back to basics a) 2005
with the Artist Series: simplified valve amps b) 2007
c) 2009

Blackstar tone
at an affordable level. The Artist 30 offers a
giggable, yet manageable 30-watt output,
and the two-channel design has pedal fans in to enter, visit bit.ly/tg284blackstar

T&Cs: The competition is open to UK entrants only. Under 18s must obtain parental consent to enter this competition and be able to demonstrate this to Total Guitar’s reasonable satisfaction. Answers must be received
between 22/08/2016 and 22/09/2016. The winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received between the relevant dates and will be sent the prize free of charge. Each winner will be notified within
28 days of the closing date and will be required to give details of a delivery address in the UK to which the prize should be sent. By entering this competition, you consent to us using your personal details to send you
information about products and services of Future and Fender that may be of interest to you. For full terms and conditions, please go to: www.futurenet.com/futureonline/competitionrules.asp

20 september 2016
 Monitor secti n

Albums

Joanne Shaw Taylor

Wild

Heading to Nashville with 
bonamassa producer Kevin 
shirley, working with his hand-
picked session band, and being 
open to collaboration with 
co-writers demonstrates taylor’s 
willingness to try something 
different on this fifth album. And 
the stateside input pays off big 
time. If you’re thinking this is all 
variations on 12-bar you’re very 
wide of the mark; there’s real 
variety here. Ready To Roll, In
Chains and the sizzling texas blues 
Wanna Be My Lover are riff-led but 
the big band r’N’b of My Hearts
Got A Mind Of Its Own and her spin 
on Wild Is The Wind feel like 

Opeth
exciting new ground for her.
Rob Laing
Download: No Reason To Stay

SoRcERESS
Hwas more than the jettisoning of death metal vocals.
eritage was a line in the sand for Opeth in 2011. And it

BoB Mould: Tonally Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson had taken
a conscious path away from high gain tones and into
the last single-coil excursions and a clarity to their clout. But as

alBuM Pale Communion proved three years later, they hadn’t

thrown the baby out with the bathwater; timbres change
Jamie T
trick
i Bought… but Opeth still have the signature ethereal traits to their
melodies. And the heavy is here, too, on a record stronger
FolloWing 2014’s more 
METZ than those two predecessors. The catchy folk rock of Will O introspective Carry On The Grudge, 
II The Wisp and ghostly fingerpicked Sorceress 2 are classic Wimbledon wastrel Jamie t turns 
mellow Opeth, while the build and fall of The Wilde Flowers his gaze outwards on fourth album 
and pace of Chrysalis hit hard with a punchy bottom end, The Trick, channeling 17th century 
“This is the last guitar record that slinky riff work and aggressive/calming lead dynamics composer/doom-monger 
really struck me. METZ are a
group from the Toronto area, this that showcase the equilibrium of musicianship and solomon eagle in the delivery of a 
is their second album and it’s just melodicism that shines in this lineup. That’s epitomised by powerful post-millennium fire and 
really, really great They’re a the twisty Strange Brew with Åkesson showing bluesier brimstone message. reggae and 
three-piece with a very, very hip-hop-influenced basslines are 
aggressive delivery and are a really feel in an intense duel and majestic phrasing for A Fleeting
at the core of things, alternately 
intense live band. I think they’ve Glance. In general, it feels like Åkerfeldt himself is menacing, mournful and vibrant, 
got a winning formula with really
jarring sounds at all tempos. IIf you
continuing to grow as a singer and it’s indicative of how augmented by fuzzed-up, effected 
like that kind of stripped back, the post-Heritage Opeth allows the band’s character to guitars and Clash-style top lines. 
aggressive approach, you’ll enjoy breathe more organically without losing their impact. Trick is far from pastiche, though. 
this quite a bit.” A diverse, unflinching portrait, in 
Rob Laing Download: Chrysalis both sound and thought, of a 
country seemingly ignoring its ills.
ExcEPTIonaL   |  ExcELLEnT   |  gooD   |  foR fanS of   |  PooR Matt Parker
Download: Solomon Eagle

22   september 2016
 alBuMs Monitor

Books: 

The Dead Daisies King 810 Beach Slang

Make soMe noise la petite Mort or a a loud basH oF
conversation WitH god teenage Feelings Les paul: In His Own 
tHree albuMs in and Aussie- Words (Centennial ed)
American rock collective the Dead  despite tHe notoriety and hot  tHere’s a strong argument for  les paul &
Daisies are still struggling to pin  air that accompanied their arrival,  evolution between albums, but  MicHael cocHran
down exactly what they want to  King 810’s debut Memoirs Of A then there’s AC/DC’s; if it ain’t 
be as a band. John Corabi brings   Murderer’s intelligence and depth  broke… beach slang have a foot  
a punk-rock mötley Crüe snarl to  lived up to the hype. two years   in each camp here and it’s to their  les paul was far more than 
Mainline, while ex-Whitesnake  on, frontman David Gunn’s grim  credit. there’s James Alex’s giddy  the player whose pioneering 
man Doug Aldrich opens up the  lyrical diatribe remains repetitive,  punk-rock-soundtracking-a-John- solidbody Log guitar led to 
AC/DC riff songbook for album  but musically La Petite Mort...’s  Hughes-film that kept their debut  collaboration on a classic 
highlight, Long Way To Go. On the  breadth of influences is even  on replacements fans’ turntables  design. A genius studio mind, 
whole though, Make Some Noise is  richer than its predecessor. there  (Spin The Dial, Punks In A Disco Bar)  he invented multi-track and 
solid, rather than spectacular.  the  are strings, pianos, stabbing  but their 80s indie british  sound on sound recording, the 
band’s fluid line-up doesn’t help,  electronics, minimalist trip-hop,  influences and ruben Gallego’s  flange effect and even echo 
rhythm player David Lowy is the  jazz moods and a saxophone  dissonant shoegaze leads are  during his experimentations. 
sole founding member left. It begs  bustling for position, but aside  given a freer reign in The Perfect On the one hand he deserves 
the question, are the Dead Daisies  from Alpha & Omega’s monolithic  High, Young Hearts and Art better than the underwhelming 
a credible band or a place for  wall of sound and raging Give My Damage, too. Clocking in at under  typographic presentation of his 
skilled sessioneers to stop off  People Back the songs are more  30 minutes, it’s also the perfect  anecdotes here, but you won’t 
between big gigs?  interesting than instantaneous. length to encourage repeat plays. get closer to the truth of a 
Rich chamberlain adam Rees Rob Laing game-changer. 
Download: Long Way To Go Download: Black Swan Download: Punks In A Disco Bar Rob Laing

Warpaint Joe Bonamassa Devin Townsend Project Bastille

Heads up live at tHe greek tHeatre transcendence Wild World

tHe la four-piece are  tHere’s isn’t another  leFtField tHinking has  uk indie-rockers bastille 
predominantly known for their  bluesman on the planet who could  always been Dt’s stock in trade,  have a complicated relationship 
jammed-out indie rock tunes,   take on the challenge of a whole  but rather than go it alone in his  with the guitar. Letting Will 
and also for playing shows that   set devoted to the work of the  usual style, here he’s sought  Farquason’s funky chops take 
lull you a dream-like, half-hypnotic  three Kings (bb, Albert and  creative rejuvenation from his  centre stage one minute, burying 
state. this third album, sees them  Freddie) and make it sound so  bandmates, and the results are  it under a torrent of synths the 
stretching and prodding this  effortless. perhaps because there  impressive. the reworking of Truth  next. but it’s always intriguing to 
formula, bringing more pre- are clearly traits of those late  – a track from the late 80s, that  hear a guitarist sensitively work in 
formed ideas to the fore. Don’t Let legends in his own guitar DNA.  predates his work with steve Vai  genres where other instruments 
Go’s balmy acoustic intro and  Here with a seven-piece band   – along with recent creations such  take the lead. And throughout 
descending vocal comes  and three backing singers he digs  as Failure and Higher are life- Wild World, Farquason sprinkles 
dangerously close to becoming   into the classics and some deeper  affirmingly euphoric, reminiscent  just the right amount of tasteful 
a hook, similarly Dre’s drum  choices over a two-disc 22-song   of the cosmic wackiness explored  guitar to enhance the songs – from 
samples and ghostly vocal melody  set, wringing screaming emotion  on 2009’s Addicted. best of all,   the delicate tremolo-drenched 
skirt into Grimes territory. It’s a  from his ’58 korina V on Angel Of the musicianship always serves  picking that dominates Two Evils, 
drifting evolution, rather than a  Mercy and commanding a 335   the song; only Hevy Devy could  to the brooding scuzzy solo that 
giant leap – but then that’s  on the feelsome rendition of   make such technicalities feel so  closes out Four Walls (The Ballad
Warpaint all over. Freddie’s Going Down. damn catchy. Of Perry Smith).
Matt Parker Rob Laing amit Sharma Josh gardner
Download: Don’t Let Go Download: Angel Of Mercy Download: Higher Download: Power

september 2016   23
 grant nicholas interview

Coming
Home
Words: Rob Laing
Photography: Will Ireland

As Feeder return all fuzz blazing with a

new album in time for their debut EP’s 20th
anniversary, we visit Grant Nicholas in his
home studio to hear some valuable recording
and gear wisdom from a British rock hero

m
“ usic just brings a spark to me,” lot more state of the art but I like the fact it’s a really good fuzz box, just a really good
smiles Grant Nicholas. “I still quite rock ’n’ roll and relaxed in here as well. all-rounder. Even the Ibanez Turbo Tube
feel excited about it. How can Obviously I can’t do drums in here but you can Screamer, that’s a fantastic pedal and I use
you not?” We’re certainly do pretty much anything else. I’ve had to work that a lot. I just find the modes are really
standing in an exciting space out different ways, not having loud amps all good so if you want a scratchy clean sound
– a line of vintage guitars from Feeder history the time. But I really don’t think it’s affected with a bit of drive that is really good. And
hang on one wall, AC30, Fender Hot Rod my sound at all, I think I’ve got some better I use the Fender Blender – that’s pretty old
Deluxe, Blues Jr and battered 70s Marshall sounds on this record just by trying different school! Loads of Memory Man too, that’s
JMP amps sit proudly at the back. There’s a things out. You really don’t need loud amps to quite an important pedal for me. But it’s all
recording rig on one side, and a collection of record. You do get a certain amount of air with pretty simple. If you see me when I’m
pedals on the floor, including no less than them so what I’ve done with some of the tracks recording guitars there’s pedals everywhere,
three Tone Benders. There are framed gold on the album is we’ve taken DIs as well which I leads everywhere. And I like to work that way.
discs and album covers dotted around, it’s got don’t normally do. We did do a bit of re- When I’m recording I want to be free, that’s
leather seats… there’s probably a CD player, amping, putting it back through the Marshall why I don’t even use my live pedal set-up
too, ahem. But Grant Nicholas’ cozy Treehouse and my main rig which is either a Vox or a JMI, when I’m recording. Okay, I’m lucky enough
studio in the garden of his suburban London and I either use a Deluxe or some sort of to have four Tone Benders and they all sound
home has become more than the writing Fender combo, like a Twin, or whatever is a bit different, but it’s usually the one that’s got
haven he envisioned; it’s evolved into a available. My live rig is the Deluxe and the the battery working that I’ll pick! It’s as simple
creative HQ where his solo releases, Yorktown JMI, so I pretty much record my main sound as that sometimes.”
Heights and Black Clouds, took shape, and with my live rig and then I normally do some
where he wrote, recorded and co-produced main rhythms and sometimes some overdubs fender blender
much of Feeder’s storming new album, All using that old Marshall head that’s been on Combining different amps is a vital
Bright Electric. TG took a snoop around inside, every Feeder record. And we fed the bass back component of feeder’s sound
and also into the mind of a musician who has through that on virtually every track as well.” “I’m not into a very aggressive guitar sound,
kept his creative mojo firing for two decades I like the sound to be quite fat, almost subby.
since debut EP Swim was released in 1996. Comfort in fuzz I think with the recording it’s just getting the
feeder are moving forwards, but Grant’s guitars to sound a bit different to everything
new headroom still got his 90s approach to pedals else that’s around at the moment. There’s a
a home studio has changed Grant’s “The guitar tone is a massive part of my few that are doing different things like Band
approach to tracking guitars personality. I’m not a technical player but Of Skulls and even Royal Blood, because they
“I built it just as a working space first of all, it I know what I want with the guitar sound. touch more on the old-school 90s sound, the
wasn’t meant to be a studio. I could make it a I used a lot of the Pete Cornish pedal – that’s time when we started out. I’ve always liked

september 2016 25
 interview grant nicholas

Fender bass vi
“With certain
tracks it doesn’t
matter how many
guitars you put
on it doesn’t seem
to get any bigger
or heavier but
when you add
that, it does do
something
different. It just
gives it a bit
more weight.”

“the guitar tone is a massive part of gibson explorer

“I think it belonged to Mick Ralphs
from Bad Company. I bought this

my personality. i’m not a technical back when they were considered

metal guitars, but being Cherry it

player, but i know what i want”

looked a little less rock. It’s probably
my favourite humbucking guitar.”

that kind of sound, whether it be Smashing without the parts the track will still hold like that. When you take them off you miss
Pumpkins or Dinosaur Jr. I’m not a fan of the together as a three-piece band. Of course them but they’re not distracting you too much.
typical modern rock sound that you hear on you’re going to miss that little cool line here If I do the next Feeder record I’m going to try
radio. It’s just not what I’m into, personally. It and there. For this album I did a lot of parts on and have all the vocals, or at least a demo
sounds great, it’s powerful when Boogies slam the Wurlitzer keyboard and then tracked some vocal, on there. It makes a massive difference.
in, but I find it very formulated. I know it with guitar and vice versa. It gives it a really And if I was going to produce another band
sounds a bit harsh but it’s almost like that interesting sound. With overdubs, I try to I wouldn’t want to leave it to the end. You have
conveyer belt of rock sound. It’s a perfect have fun with it. There’s always a danger – to be really disciplined, because it’s very hard
guitar sound, everything’s perfect but I don’t for me included, even after doing it for this once you get into the guitar world to stop.”
think that’s Feeder. But it’s getting a good long – that you need to find what are really
source sound, that’s really important. Don’t the key elements because if you have one strunG out
worry about having stacks of gear because you too many it’s confusing. It might be that one who says that you can’t use old strings
often don’t need it. I just like Voxes because of those parts is the best part ever and as soon for recording?
they have quite a dark tone to them and I quite as you put the vocal on, you barely hear it. “This will shock people reading this, but
like that. I like the blend of that mid dark tone You can have too many parts. So what I did I didn’t want to change the guitar strings on
you get with a Vox or JMI blended with the on this record is I made sure I had the vocals my ’59 Jazzmaster because I loved the sound.
more top and bottom you get from a Fender, on the tracks quite early, which I don’t The last time I changed the strings was when
and I find that fills the hole. It’s always been normally do. I started doing it on the solo I was recording the last Feeder album
that combination that has worked for me and record so I didn’t leave all the vocals at the end [Generation Freakshow] four or five years
kind of been the Feeder guitar sound really.” like singers always do. Then I could live with ago. It’s so dead [plays Jazzmaster] but I love
the vocal and I knew what the track needed. it. It gives it that real woody organic sound that
on sonG It didn’t need those 50 guitar parts and it I love. Even for clean. I’m not really into that
don’t always record vocals last… needed that one, that one and that one and super bright sound. So you don’t need new
“I do a lot of overdub parts, but some of them they needed to be more atmospheric. So strings on for recording, and I hate the sound
are quite subtle. I always make sure that a lot of the guitar parts I did are very much of acoustics with new strings. Especially for

26 september 2016
 sweet six
Grant takes us on a tour
of the Treehouse’s guitars

1972 Fender
telecaster deluxe
“I bought this guitar
1959 Fender Jazzmaster before we were signed
“This is all-original. and it always sounded
1967 gibson es-340 I did a lot of almost 1964 guild m-20 great. It was used on
“This was not used like Duane Eddy-style “This was the main [1997 debut] Polythene,
on this album, but guitar overdubs, a lot acoustic used on the and our producer, Chris
features in the Feeling of rockabilly sounds album. It was also used Sheldon, hassled me to
A Moment video. incorporated among a lot on [solo records] sell it to him. I gave in,
It was also used for the big guitars. I did Yorktown Heights and but bought it back off
the Pushing The most of it with the Black Clouds. Its one of him five years ago as
Senses [2005] album Jazzmaster with a my favourite acoustics I always regretted it. It’s
recording sessions.” tremolo arm.” and records so well.” back where it belongs.”

fingerpicking. Having said that, if you want together, credit where it’s due. Tim’s quite
a real rocking sound with a bit of edge to it, a musical guy as well, not necessarily a
yes. But rather than change the strings on songwriter guy. He’s got some good ideas
my ’59 I’d just use another Jazzmaster if and he does a lot of remixing work, so he’s
I wanted that. Even with bass I think that really good at getting drum loops and that
the strings have been on there for a while sort of stuff. It’s good to work with creative
– Taka [Hirose, bass] hates the sound of people, it keeps you inspired but at the end
new bass strings. Unless you’re going for a of the day I have an overall vision for it, it’s
real clanky sound, Taka prefers the organic finding people that can help you get there.”
sound for recording. In the 70s I don’t think
they changed their strings. I don’t think remote Control
they could afford to, they used to boil Grant has found bandmates don’t have
them, didn’t they?!” to be in the same place to record
“I put down a lot of bass and send it to
be Cooperative Grant and Taka Hirose (left) Taka [Hirose, bassist] and some of the
if you’re a home recordist, it’s good to were joined for the album by times he loves the bass parts and just does
Karl Brazil on drums
have someone to collaborate with that in his style. Because he wasn’t here a lot
“If I was doing it on my own I’d still be of the time so I was sending him tracks and
doing the album now, I’d probably be on he was doing stuff at home. He’s got a rig at
the first song! I find that being involved in the reckon?’ And that’s why I ended up doing home, then he’d send it back to me and I’d
production side of it, thinking about all the co-production with Tim [Roe], it was great re-amp it. So we did a lot of bass like that on
other stuff, I’m not good enough on that and to have him here and I think the engineer this record because he lives up north. It was
it would hold me back. And also, I’d find it becomes part of the band if you click with quite a fun way of doing it. We’d talk about it
really boring. Even if that person is just there them. It was never, ‘Can you co-produce the on the phone, then I’d send him a track and
pushing buttons it’s nice to ask, ‘What do you record?’ It was that we worked so well he came down here as well so we did some

september 2016 27
 The Treehouse’s recording
set-up has all you’d need

Grant’s Tone Bender-heavy

studio pedal collection

That Marshall JMP has been

used on every Feeder record

bass in the studio up at Angelic [Studios, of noise. A trio does challenge you a little bit. headspace. I think it’s made us a better band,
Northamptonshire]. Ideally he would have In some ways it can be a good way of getting a I honestly believe that. Even though we’re no
been here every day with us but everyone style of your own. Some of my favourite bands spring chickens, the weird thing about being in
has their own lives. He doesn’t live in London have two or three guitarists in them but a a band is almost like being Peter Pan. Whether
anymore. He doesn’t need to be here every three-piece is a good starting point, it people like Feeder or not, or they like my
day. Maybe it’s good to have that, maybe him especially was for us. It restricts you in some songwriting, I don’t we can ever be accused of
not hearing it all day every day has given him ways but it makes you work a lot harder. not writing the best music we can. Have we
a fresh ear on it all. It’s a pretty interesting way I think it’s that challenge of trying to do got it right every time? Of course we haven’t,
of working but that seems to be the way a lot something in a very small set-up. There’s a but we’ve always tried to move forwards and
of bands work, especially a lot never really tried to live off the
of bigger bands who live all
over the world.” “a trio does challenge you a past hits. And some bands do get
to a point where something goes
wrong or dries up or something
three’s Company
playing in a trio can be little bit. it can be a good way of – that drive – and it just feels it’s
gone its course… fine. I’m not

getting a style of your own”

character building saying there’s anything wrong
“We’re not always a three-piece with that but I don’t want to be
live but the chemistry is always in that kind of band. And I don’t
a three-piece. When we have any burning desire to rush
rehearse for a tour it’s always the three of us certain chemistry you get with a three-piece back and do another solo record. If a time
and I love playing as a three-piece, even band that’s unlike any other setup. It’s intense frame comes up and it doesn’t get in the way of
though you can’t do everything. I think it’s a but exciting.” Feeder plans I may do a little bit and Taka can
good way of finding your sound because in a do a bit in Japan with his side project. If that
three-piece band something has to fill that Come baCk briGhter happens it happens. But at the moment Feeder
hole sometimes. So you’ve either got a bass feeder taking a four-year break is going to is my priority. I’m back in Feeder mode!”
player who has the heaviest fuzzy bass sound reap rewards
that will fill a gap in the guitar solo, or you do it “Going away was so important. I think this All Bright Electric is released 30 september
with the guitar. You just go for this massive break and doing other projects has been really on Cooking vinyl. feeder tour the uk and
sound with the delays going and this big wall good for Feeder, and certainly good for my ireland in september and october

28 september 2016
30   september 2016
 jeff beck interview

Words: David West

Hail
Portraits: Joby Sessions

To T He
K ing
On an endless ques
hor
t
iz
to
on
fin
s,
d
Je
fr
ff
es
B
h
ec
ta
k
le
te
n t
lls
an
To
d to
ta
conquer
l Guitar
new musical e lim el ight, ignoring
y he n ev er so u gh t th
about wh ex pressing his
Er ic Clap to n’s ad vice , an d
true identity on his latest
album, Loud Hailer

M
ost people in their 70s are she said Albert Collins that was it, because
picking out a comfortable I think he’s the coolest. She goes, ‘I’ve got a
chair to nap in, but not Jeff band with a girl called Rosie and if you want
Beck. The guitar hero’s to hear us, we’re playing at this place.’ So we
guitar hero is back with hot-footed it up there not knowing what to
a new album, Loud Hailer, that sees him expect and there they were just giving it large.
reinvent himself once again. From playing I thought, ‘This is great, maybe we should ask
blues with the Yardbirds in the 60s, Beck has them down, go outside of their style, try to
taken his beloved Fender Strat into the worlds challenge them to do something else.’ My job
of fusion and jazz-rock, rockabilly, electronica, was to instigate the proceedings. It was joyous
and now he’s plunged into straight-ahead hard watching them get stuck in – I just had to put
rock by teaming up with Rosie Bones and the idea on the table and they were all over it
Carmen Vandenberg from the band Bones. with a freshness that’s so lacking nowadays.”
Loud Hailer was written by the trio at Beck’s
house, a process aided by several crates of Were you and Carmen coming from the
Prosecco, and is released alongside BECK01 same place musically speaking?
– a book of photographs chronicling both the “The big joiner was the blues, and the fact that
guitarist’s long career and his lifelong love of she could really play made me think, ‘Wow,
hot rods. Preparing to mark 50 years in music this is incredible, maybe this is the right choice
with a huge gig at LA’s Hollywood Bowl, Beck’s for me.’ And to have Rosie as well – I hadn’t
engine shows no signs of slowing down. envisaged a time when somebody would sit
down in my house and literally write lyrics as
What was it about Carmen Vandenberg as I was coming up with the ideas. We made the
a guitar player that made you want to work demos and they weren’t great sound-wise, but
with her? the content was there. You could see what was
“First of all, I couldn’t believe that a young going to unfold with very little effort. Then the
22- or 23-year-old girl would be in love with third thing that cemented it was Filippo
Buddy Guy, or even know about him. When [Cimatti], who produced it. To have those

september 2016   31
 cover feature jeff beck

32   september 2016
 jeff beck cover feature

“i didn’t want to be in the middle of a fusion

confusion, i wanted to be me again”
Beck loved his time working
with keyboard maestro Jan
Hammer in the 1970s

Beck with his ‘Loudhailer’

collaborators Rosie Bones
and Carmen Vandenberg (r)

three people of one accord joining up with me got to hand it to the Fender Strat, because That whole scenario of reciting a series of
it made a pretty slick outfit.” there are songs in [that guitar]. It’s a tool of instrumentals, I’ve done it – I’ve done it with
great inspiration and torture at the same time an orchestra, I’ve done it with fusion, and it’s
Any young guitarist might feel intimidated because it’s forever sitting there challenging okay but it’s so wearing. It’s very difficult to be
at the prospect of playing with you. Was you to find something else in it, but it is there if entertaining. That was okay in the day,
Carmen nervous? you really search. It does respond to touch and especially with Jan Hammer [Mahavishnu
“She probably was, but I tried to instil the tonal variation is unlimited really, Orchestra keyboard and synth maestro that
confidence so I was playing tutor as well. It especially with the whammy bar. I have it set Beck collaborated with in 70s and 80s],
wasn’t any high pressure thing, ‘You’ve got to up so it becomes almost like a pedal steel.” because there was gymnastics that were
learn this,’ but she treated it as though it was. beyond belief – but there is no Jan Hammer
She’d go on YouTube and check me out. The You’ve played other guitars over the years, anymore – he doesn’t play live shows, he’s
last six months hasn’t just been doing the are you ever tempted to use a Les Paul or a folded the tent, gone into the studio. I’d love
album, she’s been learning all the stuff and Telecaster again? him to come out to the Hollywood Bowl,
following my career, so there’s been just about “My Strat is another arm, it’s part of me. maybe give him a little tweak in this article
enough time to get comfortable and I’m It doesn’t feel like a guitar at all. It’s an – ‘Jan! How can you not be there when you’re
confident that she’s going to deliver.” implement which is my voice. A Les Paul feels such a major part of my career?’ But I think
© Eddie Malluk/Atlas Icons.com Paul Natkin/WireImage Ross Halfin

like a guitar and I play differently on that and he has a fear of travelling… or a loathing for
You obviously have a reputation for musical I sound too much like someone else. With the airports. I also have a loathing for airports –
reinvention – how many times do you think Strat, instantly it becomes mine so that’s why it’s only by the grit of my teeth I get through
you can do it? I’ve welded myself to that. Or it’s welded itself them. But I didn’t want to start becoming elite
“I think it’s good to do that and it’s been easy, to me, one or the other.” and above [guitar magazines] – they’ve been
because if you have a massive hit, where are great to me. I didn’t want to be in the middle
you going to go? You’ll make the worst step You recently said that Loudhailer was you of a fusion confusion, I wanted to be me again.
ever and slip over, but not having any big hits trying to get away from music that only The real me is on this record, more of the real
– and I mean giant hits – it makes it a lot easier pleased guitar nerds and guitar magazines… me musically.”
to just jump into another genre because you’re “That came out as a little bit of slur on [guitar
not cheating somebody out of something they magazines], it was never intended to be that. That makes sense, after all your fan base is
like. I’m an experimenter. It’s rich because I just didn’t want to be a central figure in a very broad church…
every album I’ve done, except for a couple of muso-land. I want to be doing more than “Yeah, but because the guitar is what it is –
techno-y records, are different. Really you’ve being on the cover of Guitar World magazine. there are magazines that just focus on

september 2016   33
 cover feature jeff beck

Beck (front right) in the

Yardbirds – after he left, he
was replaced by Jimmy Page

NothiNg but the truth

© Dezo Hoffmann/REX/Shutterstock Chris Walter / Contributor/ Getty Images

Jeff on the alchemy he found with Rod, Ronnie
and others on his seminal 1968 solo debut, Truth
“We’d done all the donkey work playing the clubs and we didn’t
have the time or the money to dial in to drum sounds, we just
plugged in and played,” says Beck. “We more or less played a show
in the studio. It was a real trip, it was the first time we actually got to
hear how we sounded. We’re all looking at each other, ‘We sound
pretty good!’ And it’s raw, it’s a snapshot of what it was. We didn’t
really want to mess around with any trickery or double-tracking or
anything like that. The Beatles were doing all kinds of stuff, all good
– but raw blues doesn’t sound very good if you mess with it too
much. It was great fun having Keith Moon on a couple of tracks, and
John Paul Jones is on Ol’ Man River on Hammond.”

fuzzboxes and string gauges and stuff like that [Wonder] in Electric Ladyland, and I’ve got a Benny Benjamin, Pistol Allen? But that’s just
– the average girl in the street wouldn’t even rare shot of me in Motown. There are only two the way he was.”
know what they’re talking about. This album in existence, faded Polaroids of me sitting at
will enable a much broader scope to be drawn the desk in Motown when I was there in After you split from the Yardbirds, were you
in to who I am. Who knows, it might work in ’70/71. It was right before they folded and instantly comfortable leading a band under
my favour!” went west, and I think there is one with your own name?
[producer] Mickie Most posing outside “No, hated it. You can’t hide because your
Your new book, BECK01, is an interesting Hitsville [USA – Motown’s original name is out front, on the tickets, on the front
idea – how did that come about? headquarters in Detroit]. What a time – of the buildings. I wasn’t really ever after that
“Genesis Publications had already done 10 days of racism and abuse! They didn’t like but the fact that I could be somebody elusive
Jimmy Page [2010’s Jimmy Page On Jimmy me and Cozy [Powell, Beck’s drummer at the in a band and be ridiculously badly behaved
Page], so I supposed I was in their sights. time] until we started playing. ‘Hey Whitey! musically, that was a job that you die for. You
I didn’t want to do it at all and they said, ‘But What have you got?’ Cozy comes out with his could hide within the name of the Yardbirds
you can choose what photos go in there.’ double bass drums and it’s deafening and and get people talking about you without you
So I agreed a bit reluctantly. Because my they’re not used to that. But after a few days having to run the risk of being shot down in
autobiography was delayed and I thought this they really took to us. We were trying to flames individually. That’s what the whole
would be a missed opportunity to have an super-charge what Motown were offering. essence of the Yardbirds was about – they gave
album and a tour and not to have something They had these very tasteful, beautifully me that licence to experiment within a certain
there, so I agreed, at least that photographic played pop singles, we came along and put framework, so I didn’t like seeing my name in
album will be out. I’ve seen it enough times metal to it – Metal Motown. The funniest thing lights at all.”
to start worrying about what’s in there! was one of the tape ops said, on a coffee break,
Hopefully somebody will get some enjoyment ‘You guys came here for the Motown sound?’ What about taking on the burden of writing
out of it, there are some rare pictures in there.” ‘Yeah, man!’ ‘It just went straight out the door!’ the material?
because Cozy moved the drum kit! I said, “It’s so difficult because I didn’t sing. Eric
Was it an emotional process going through ‘What are you doing, Cozy?’ He said, ‘Well, [Clapton] said, and it was words of great
all your photos? I can’t play that kit. If you want, I’ll play badly wisdom, ‘Get used to the fact that you hate
“Yeah. The first day we’d look at a picture and on that kit or really well on my kit.’ I went, your voice, because I did.’ And I went, ‘But you
talk about it for 20 minutes. ‘We’ll never get ‘Okay’. He didn’t realise that was the Holy sound good, I sound unbearably bad. I loathe
there! Come on! What about this one?’ There Grail of that studio. They were tuned for the it. I would never enjoy it even if we had
were the obvious ones of me and Stevie room, how could he not use that kit played by another single like [Hi Ho] Silver Lining, I just

34   september 2016
“with a Strat, it
instantly becomes
mine, that’s why
i’ve welded
myself to it”
couldn’t bear it.’ He said, ‘I’m telling you, if you
don’t, it’s going to be tough.’ And it was tough,
but then I can turn around and say, ‘Blow By
Blow, put that in your pipe and smoke it, mate.’
But he’s right, if I did come up with a song and
everybody loved it, it would instil confidence
automatically and I might even get to like
what I sound like but letting that out there is
more than I can bear. It’s just not me. I listen to
Jimi who had a peculiar voice and it wasn’t a
great voice but it was just magic. He never did
scream, it was always the guitar that screamed
for him and I still marvel at him even today.
I never listened to more Jimi than I do now
because I’ve got some really rare recordings,
it’s just humiliating to know that he was doing
that up to 1970, all in a period of about three
and a half years. Things took a funny turn in
the early 70s. It all turned out well when
I heard John McLaughlin, because his
performance on the Miles Davis Jack Johnson
album and with Mahavishnu Orchestra said,
‘Here’s where you can go’. And every musician
I knew was raving about them. I thought, ‘This
is a little bit of me, this. I’ll have some of that.’
The mastery of the playing, it was unequalled.

Your work in that first Jeff Beck group they just ate it up. Unfortunately, I don’t know whoever the artist is, you know that those
with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood was what happened [with the band breaking up]. players are the same fabulous players that
so important in the development of the It was lack of material or I think Rod had it in were the studio players. I looked up and
heavier side of blues-rock – were you trying his mind he was going to go long before there’s a bloke in the corner like that [slumped
to push the boundaries? I found out about it. I think he wanted to see over] with a beer and I thought, ‘I’m getting
“What I was trying to do with Rod was take his name up there instead of mine.” out of here’, so I said, ‘Hey mate, you all right?’
a little bit of Motown, put in some heavy He looked up and it was Rod. I said, ‘We’re
backbeat. The drummer at the time was How did you end up playing with Rod in the both fucked. What about we go together and
trained by one of the Motown drummers, who first place? get a band?’ He went, ‘If you mean it, then put
I think was over here on a Motown revue, so “Let’s not beat around the bush, I was pretty your number on this piece of paper.’ I had a
he had all the chops of Motown, but with more down at the time – I’d lost my girl, Hendrix had phone call, we arranged to meet and that’s
rock ’n’ roll power behind it for live stuff. The come and smeared everybody across the how it started because I’d already heard him
combination really worked, especially with floor… it wasn’t looking too rosy. I’d fallen out when he was with [English blues singer Long]
Ronnie on bass. He played a big Fender with with the Yardbirds –whatever happened I was John Baldry and really – I liked him better than
a Marshall and it was great and I think he’s a out, and I’m facing a Monday morning just Baldry. But he only did three or four songs as
better bass player in some ways than he was a outside London thinking, What’s the point? It’s a guest. The next time I heard him was at a
guitarist. And with Rod, it was like a black soul all gone against me. So I went to the Cromwell festival, Richmond I think it was. We played,
singer, the gruff voice – unfortunately it didn’t Inn, which was my last hope of preventing and then he was on afterward with Baldry.
last long. We did all the dirty work over here anything silly happening. It was the flattest, The sound was blasting out of a big PA and
and it wasn’t until we went to America that most boring Monday and I remember sitting I thought, ‘That man, there he is, that’s the
I was able to plug into my reputation from the there listening to Motown, thinking, this isn’t geezer we need!’ And I never did anything
Yardbirds for my first outing as a solo act and a bad move, such great songs, great playing – about it because he was already involved with

september 2016   35
 cover feature jeff beck

John McLaughlin was

hugely influential on Beck’s

“i’m still
exploration of fusion

finding more
who i am…
steering
clear of jimi
and Les Paul”
Stratty LarceNy
Why you should never leave a guitar in your car…
In Beck’s new book, he mentions how he left a Strat that John

© LIvEPIX Paul Natkin / Contributor / WireImage

McLaughlin gave him in a car outside Ronnie Scott’s… but it wasn’t
there for long. The man himself recalls the scene when he came back
out of the famous jazz club… “This guy goes, ‘He go up there!’” Beck
remembers. “I went, ‘Why didn’t you chase him, you bastard?’ It was
stupid. I only went in to say, ‘I’m here,’ tell the lads I’m here, and I got
back… literally eight seconds. I went in there – gone. Mind you, it was
in an El Camino pickup so you’ve got a short cab and big, wide back
He’s used other guitars
over the years, but Beck’s window and the case is sticking out with Fender written on it, clearly
heart belongs to the Strat visible through the window…”

them. Then I heard that he might be free, and ‘Sorry, Rod would love to do it but he’s doing “Yeah, little bits. It’s difficult not to. It’s getting
as luck would have it, he was the last, dying Vegas.’ I said to him, ‘Why doesn’t he get on a less, because I’m finding more who I am,
ember in this club I was in, and I’m glad I went! jet and come? If he does the Vegas show early steering clear of Jimi, steering clear of Les Paul
It’s always a good idea to go out somewhere, and gets on a plane, he could be in LA in 35 – but they’re there. With Cliff, it’s less of a
because you’re not going to have anybody minutes!’ But it’s not going to work out. Really, problem because the sound is organically
knocking on the door, are you?” he’s a Vegas singer now. You can’t be 11 again, different. [My] Fender Strat is loud, it’s
you can’t put your jeans on and start shouting distortion and wild – whereas Cliff is crystal
Ronnie has said that he used to use a coin and screaming [laughs].” clarity and brilliant top end. But the phrasing
instead of a pick when he played bass… – I still have his phrases because those are the
“He may well have done. Out of his comfort There’s a huge difference between the first solos I learned. There’s nothing wrong with
zone, that’s fine because you don’t get too Jeff Beck Group albums, with their soul and copying solos as long as you don’t say they’re
fancy, you just play the raw bass ingredient. R&B, and the fusion on Blow By Blow. Was yours. As a matter of fact I’ve had some news
Good fun, in fact it gave birth to Aerosmith that John McLaughlin’s influence? about his guitar – the guitar on Be-Bop-A-Lula,
– they told me it did! Billy Gibbons, when he “That was always lurking because of the Cruisin’ – that’s come to light from Gretsch,
was in The Moving Sidewalks, said that when mastery of the playing, it was unequalled and and I’m just putting out feelers. It was sold by
we appeared at this club, his life changed. I don’t think there will ever be a four-piece somebody who ran out of cash. It’s the original
I don’t know if it was for the better, but he’d with that kind of [talent]… it’s as peculiar as Duo Jet – the ’56. He didn’t like it apparently.
never seen amps that touched the ceiling.” the gathering of the Monty Python guys. The Come on! That was the guitar on all those
incredible individual talent of those players – early records and he engraved his name on the
Would you play with Rod and Ronnie again they had Billy Cobham for crying out loud, he fingerboard. When I saw it I went, ‘Did he have
some day? became a household name. Jan Hammer. two and that one is custom engraved?’ No, he
“Yeah, I asked him to do the Hollywood I was so thrilled to have Jan for two years and engraved the original. So they think they know
Bowl gig that’s coming up. With Woody, for him to be enthusiastic about being on an where it is. Imagine having that – just imagine
I kept bumping into Woody at parties over album and a tour. It was just a natural thing, to it. I don’t know if I could deal with it. I’d just
Christmas, I said, ‘Listen, I’m not going to follow your heart. That’s what I do and so far it look at it and put it away.”
contact him. If you want to do the Jeff Beck has served me quite well.”
Group, you’ve got to get Rod.’ He goes, ‘Oh, BECK01 is a signed, limited edition book by
he’s up for it! You need to talk to Arnold (Rod’s Gene Vincent’s guitarist, Cliff Gallup, was Jeff Beck from Genesis Publications. Only
manager).’ I thought, ‘No, I’m not talking to one of your first musical heroes, do you still 2,000 copies of it are available worldwide,
Arnold.’ The next thing I know Ronnie says, hear his influence in your playing now? buy it at www.jeffbeckbook.com

36   september 2016
 T he
GuITar
M asTery
of Jeff
Beck
Learn the licks of the
guitarist’s guitarist…
I Tracks 38-41
n a career now spanning
over 50 years, Jeff Beck
Four full-length
can truthfully be said to
have pushed the boundaries
backing tracks to
of contemporary electric
jam over
guitar playing consistently
and beyond the expectation of
his fans. Often cited as the
guitar hero’s guitar hero, he Jeff’s pick hand technique
wows audiences and fellow
musicians alike with his
unique playing style, which It all starts here! Get to grips with Jeff’s unusual fingerstyle lead technique
has evolved so much through and you’ll soon be playing his signature fluid, expressive lead lines
the years. We could fill the
mag many times over with
lessons on Jeff’s style so what
follows is just a taster of some
of his key tricks, starting with
the Yardbirds, taking in some
of his 70s fusion era and
culminating in his whammy
bar- and volume swell-infused
fingerstyle lead lines. Try out
the tab examples and then jam
over the full-length backing
tracks we’ve provided.
From his efficient movements you’d be hard pressed to tell Jeff generally fingerpicks using just his thumb and first
just how much is going on when it comes to Jeff’s picking. finger. This gives the best economy of movement and…
© LARRY MARANO/ ATLASICONS.COM

…picking with his thumb and first finger, Jeff can operate Jeff’s efficient technique leaves him with fingers free to With just a short move, Jeff will press the bridge plate
the whammy bar with his remaining fingers. give the volume knob a spin for a wailing ‘violining’ sound. down for ‘upward’ bends, gargles and vibrato.

38   september 2016
 the guitar mastery of jeff beck interview

the Yardbirds era

Beck’s big break came in 1965 when he replaced Eric clapton in the Yardbirds – let’s check out Jeff’s early style…

riffing with the birds Track 09 bluesy lead Track 10

j
~~~~~~~~~~~~
3

q =134 q q = q q
~~~~~~~ .
q =134

# # 4 .D œ n œ œ bb 4 œj w
5

& 4 . œ œj œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ
1. 2.

& 4 œ œ ˙ œ . œJ
1 3
3
1 1 †
1 1 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
let ring throughout RP

T . . T
. .
BU BU BD

A 0
7
0
5
0
4
0
0
0
0 2 9
0
5
0
5 7
A 5 (7) 5( 7) ( 7) ( 5) 3
5 3 5
3

B B
⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥≤ ⇥≤ ≤⇥ ≤ ⇥≤ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥
† slightly sharp
≤
This riff is based around the open fourth string, picking out a typically psychedelic melody Blues was a big part of Jeff’s early style and this I’m A Man-style lick imitates expressive harmonica
on the adjacent third string. Use a pick (as Jeff did in the early days) and dial in some overdrive. pitch bends. Check out bar 2, where the B b note is played slightly sharp, blues style. Jeff’s playing is full
At this point in his career, Jeff was playing a Telecaster, but his fluid style is still recognisable. of these details – if you can capture these, you’re on course for some of the later examples.

70s Jazz-rock fusion

as Jeff steered into fusion in the 70s, so his sound changed. Here, we look
at some of the chords and scales at the heart of Jeff’s jazz
Tracks 11-20
x x x x x x
x x

3 1 1 1 9 1
6 4
2 2 3 2 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 1 1 1 1 3 4 4 These shapes are not

generally played by Jeff
himself (he’s usually busy
playing lead!) but they give
a good overview of the kind
C C11 Bb/C D7#9 D7#9 of chords you will hear in
both his fusion era and his
more recent material. Don’t
x o x x worry about the unusual
1 chord names. Think of
8 1 1 11 8 1 1 1 1 1
8 1 1 1 1 8 1 1 1 1
them simply as names for
2 3
different sounds – that’s
3 4 3 3 4 3 4 all they are, after all!
4

a7#5#9 a7#9 Cm7 Cm6 Cm9

Tracks 21-22
8 8
1 1
1 3 4 1 3 4
If you want to jam, try the shapes. You’ll hear how well
1 3 4 1 2 4 C Mixolydian scale over the the scales fit with the
1 2 4 1 2 4 first seven chord shapes chords and hopefully they
1 2 4 1 2 4 above and the C Dorian will give you some fresh
scale over the last three ideas, too.
2 4 2 4
C Mixolydian scale C Dorian scale

september 2016   39
 technique the guitar mastery of jeff beck

cold fusion
Track 23
q = 82

##4 A5

& # 4 œ œ #œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ nœ œ
⇤ j Œ
œ œ œ nœ œ œ. nœ . œ.
T
A 4 7 5 4
B 4 7 6 7 5 4

⇥ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥
5 7 5 3 5 3 5

The liCk we’ve written here is typical of Jeff’s jazz-fusion-style playing on tracks such as Led Boots and a track he’s played live, Eternity’s Breath. Place your fingers in a ‘one-finger-per-fret’ arrangement on the
fretboard until you reach the last note of bar 1, where you’ll need to stretch down to reach the 3rd fret.

a change of direction
Jeff was playing fingerstyle as far back as the 60s, but ditching his pick all together in the early
80s saw him establish the sound that’s since become his signature

all fingers and thumbs

Track 24
q = 80
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# 4 F/G nœ œ œ œ G5 w/bar

& 4 œ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ
j
œ œ œ. ˙
œ
œ.
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
w/bar

T 6 6 6
A 5 7 7 7 7 5 3
5 5
3
5 (5)
B 5
p i p i p i i m i p i i p

You will see on the tab we have marked the notes with ‘p’ (thumb) and ‘i’ (index finger) instructions. The basis of Jeff’s fingerstyle is to switch mainly between thumb and first finger – you can think of this as a
more tactile approach of alternate picking if you like. Of course, he does use his other fingers, as indicated at the end of bar 1.

blue fingers Track 25

F/G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ G5
w~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# œ œ.
& 44 œ
œ œ
3
j

œ bœ œ œ œ œ
j nœ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3
3
BU
3
T BU
3 3 6 (8)

A 5
3
5
5 3 5 (7)

B
p i p i p i m i i

here’s a Beck-style bluesy line using the same fingerstyle technique. It’s pure minor pentatonic scale so it should feel familiar – you can the hear the difference in tone very clearly by swapping between
fingerstyle and standard picking. Also note the slight bouncy ‘swing’ feel here – a device Jeff often employs in his solos.

40   september 2016
expressive techniques
The transition to fingerstyle saw Beck introduce a whole bunch of fluid, expressive
techniques into his lick bag, each delivered with his own unique stamp

bend it like beck can Track 26

F/G G5
n˙ œ œ bœ ˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~
j

# nœ œ
œ
œ œ œ
& 44 ‰
j
œ
1/4
œ
J Ó

BU BD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T 1/4
15 (18 ) (15 ) 13
BU

A 15
12 14 (15 ) 14 12
14
12 12

B
p i i i i p i i
Jeff Being Jeff, there is always a twist, even on staple techniques like string bends… In our lick the slight bend at the beginning of the line is closely followed by a wide three-fret bend. This swoops back down
and is followed by a short, staccato bend at the 14th fret.

people get bending Track 27

F/G
œ.
G5
~~~~~~~~~~
#4 œ. bœ œ
j
. œ œ. œ ˙
1/4 1/4

nœ œ
œ
œ œ
1/4 1/4

& 4 . Ó

1/4
1/4 BU 1/4
1/4
~~~~~~~~~~
T 11 13 (15 ) 11
A 10 12
10 12 12
12
10 12 [12 ]

B
p i p i p m i p i p

Jeff’s plaYing is often about the small details. Here, you’ll need to watch out for the staccato hits and quarter-tone bends that occur throughout this short phrase. If you miss these, the whole lick becomes a
bit ordinary. These are not difficult things to master but they can make so much difference to a basic lick.

strat-ivarius Track 28
G5 E b/G Fsus 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
F/G F

# 4 ˙~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ b œ~~~~~~~ ‰
w/bar

.
w/bar

nœ w
w/bar

œ w œ.
w/bar

& 4 ‰ J ‰ J
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
Vol. Vol. Vol. Vol.
w/bar w/bar w/bar w/bar

T 8 4 6
A 7

known as violining, this signature Beck technique involves playing a note with the guitar’s volume control rolled off, then ‘swelling’ the note as you gradually raise the level. Keep your hand on the whammy bar
to apply vibrato and use spare fingers to pick the strings and adjust the volume. Use a volume pedal if your guitar’s control is out of reach.

september 2016   41
 technique the guitar mastery of jeff beck

beck’s blazing bar Track 29 whammy bar harmonics Track 30

~~~~~~
F/G G5 F/G G5

nœ w
w/bar

bœ œ œ
# œ #4 · n‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚
Scoop

& 44
Doop Scoop w/bar

Ó.
Doop Scoop

& 4
Scoop Doop

~~~~~~~
NH
w/bar
Doop Scoop w/bar Scoop

T Doop
15
Scoop
18 T [ -0 ]
Doop

A
(-2 ) (-3 ) (-2 ) (-0 )
A
Scoop
15 15 5
17
B B
Jeff’s will often play long lines of whammy-inflected notes. It takes patience and practice, Bringing harMoniCs into the mix gives a rich, fluid and highly expressive sound. In this
but the results are stunning when you get it right. Here, we’re simulating a slide guitar effect typical line we’re using a natural harmonic at the 5th fret, then moving the pitch around with
similar to Jeff’s solo on Bon Jovi’s Blaze Of Glory. ‘Scoops’ are whammy bar dips before the note. the whammy bar. Start with ideas like this, then gradually get more adventurous. Check out
‘Doops’ come after. Where Were You from the Guitar Shop album.

rocking the wah

q = 82
Track 31
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ˙˙~~~~~~~ œj ˙˙
~~~~~~~ ww~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A5 C G/D A5

œ.
& 44 œ œ. œ œ œ. œ. œœ œœ
j
œ
j
œ œ
j
œ
j
œ œ œ œ œ
j œ

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

T BU BD
5 5 5 8 10
A 7
5 7 7( 9) ( 7) 5 7 5 7 (9) 7 (9) 7 5
7
5 7 (9) 10 (12 ) 12 (14 )

B BU BU BU BU BU

p i i i i i m m i p i m m m
i i i i i

Though Jeff doesn’t use a wah wah that often, his approach is typically eccentric. Rather than simply rocking the treadle in time with the beat, he enunciates each phrase with vocal-like phrasing. This is
obviously not practical to transcribe, so listen to the audio examples and experiment with sweeping through the range of the wah to get the feel.

the best of the rest round off your Beck-style workout with a handful of extra
lead guitar techniques
guitar shopping Track 32
q = 82

& 44 œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œ. œ œ œ œ œ
. œ . œ
œ. . œ. œ. . œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ . œ. œ. 3
3

T BU BD

A 5
5
7
7
5
5
0
0
0
0
5
5
7
7
5 7 ( 9 )( 7 ) 5
5 7
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
p m cont. sim.
i
This exaMple shows you how Jeff’s fingerstyle approach works in tracks such as Big Block and O.I.L.
(Can’t Get Enough Of That Sticky). The tough-sounding, staccato doublestop riffs should feel natural for
most fingerpickers. Cut each diad short and pick with a fair amount of force.

more doublestops Track 33

~~~
4 œœ œ œ œ œ # œœ. œœ œ
œ œ œœ œœ œ. œ œ œ ˙
3

&4
1/4

~~~
3 3
3 3
1/4

T 8 10 8 7 7 5 [5]
A 9 9 9 7 7 7 5
7
5 [5]
7 7 5 7
B
i i p i p i i p p m p p p p
p p p i

here’s anoTher flavour of the doublestop idea, this time played as a lead line. It’s based around a
blues style lick, but using distortion and letting the notes ring together gives a more aggressive effect.
Jeff sometimes combines this kind of idea with whammy bar wobbles or a ring modulator pedal.

42   september 2016
 the guitar mastery of jeff beck interview

indian spice
Track 34
~~~~~~~
w/bar

~~~~~~~~ œ. nœ ˙
q = 82

œ œ œ
#4 œ
G5
3

œ nœ œ œ
F/G

œ œ œ œ œ
1

œ
4

& 4 œ œ
1 3
2 2 4
4 1 1 1
4
2
4 1

~~~~~~~
2

~~~~~~~~ 10
w/bar

13
T 10 12 13
A 9 10 12
9 10 [10 ] 9
12
9 10 12

B 10 12
p i i p i i i i

here The Mixolydian scale gives a psychedelic and subtly Indian-tinged sound. This phrase ascends with very little departure from the scale, so you can hear how it works in context. It’s actually only one note
different from the major scale – having a b 7th – but this is enough to set it apart.

more mixolydian flavours Track 35

F/G
~~~~~~~~~~~
G5

# 4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ nœ œ œ. œ ˙.
j

œ œ œ
3œ

& 4 œ œ Œ
3 1 2
2 3 1 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3

BU ~~~~~~~~~~~
T 8 10 (12 ) [12 ]
A 9 10
7
10
10 10

B 10
p i i p i i p i

using a slighTlY different fingering/register, this line also has the b 7th, giving it a more mystical feel than the cheery sounding major scale. Playing around with this will yield lots of useful and interesting licks,
so don’t feel tied solely to this scale – if you hit any wrong notes, just keep a straight face and carry on!

’cause we’ve ended up tapping Track 36

. nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
G5
˙
F/G

# œ bœ œ bœ ˙
j
1/4

& 44 ‰
œ

6 6 6
†
1/4 BU BD

T 11 13 13 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) 18 (15 ) (13 ) 11
A 12 12

B
† hold bend and tap 16th fret

Jeff ofTen brings tapping in at random during a performance – a good example of this is when he plays Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers live. Our lick borrows again from the blues harmonica style, trilling between
D and F natural as it accelerates. Note that you should hold the string bend then tap at the 16th fret.

loose time tapping Track 37

F/G G5

# œ œ nœ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& 44 ‰
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ nœ ˙
3 6 6 6 6 6
6
10 12 13 15 13 12 10 12 13 15 13 12 10 12 13 15 13 12 10 12 13 15 13 12 10
T 13 12 15 13 12 10 12 13 15 13 12 10
A 12 10 12

This sTYle of lick works well when played gradually accelerating without locking into the beat. In fact, it can sound more interesting and complex this way. However, to get things rolling and make the idea
easier to learn, we’ve stayed in strict time. Once you’ve digested the basic idea, be as ‘out there’ as possible – that’s what Jeff would do!

september 2016   43
 New Sky
ThiNkiNg
Words: Rob Laing

N
o Man’s Sky is one of the most
ambitious and anticipated games
of the year, in which the player is
cast as an explorer in a vividly
realised open universe of, we’re not making
this up, over 18 quintillion unique,
randomly generated planets. Tiny
Guildford-based developer Hello Games is
responsible for this mammoth undertaking,
but head honcho Sean Murray entrusted
the soundtrack to some kindred spirits –
a group of self-confessed geeks who are
more progressive than practically any
band we can name who calls themselves
prog, a band capable of helping to push the
boundaries of how music is created and
experienced – 65daysofstatic.
Over two years, the Sheffield four-piece
created a huge library of music and sounds
for No Man’s Sky’s audio director, Paul Weir,
to feed into a sophisticated system that
allows music to respond uniquely to what a
player is doing in the game, known as
Generated Audio. During the process, this
music coalesced into a superb conventional
album, No Man’s Sky: Music For An Infinite
Universe, but it’s the game that could really
represent a paradigm shift. A band’s music
has never been heard in such a unique way
before – indeed every player will have their
own bespoke experience, as the vast library
is pulled together subtly differently
depending on their actions. But how does
an instrumental rock group even begin to
score such a gargantuan experience? Joe
Shrewsbury and Paul Wolinski explain how
they’ve boldly gone where no band has
gone before…
 65daysofstatic interview

The most ambitious video game of the year needed a band

brave enough to take on the challenge of helping to create the
soundtrack for an infinite universe – we find out why the only
possible candidates could be 65daysofstatic
 interview 65daysofstatic

So this all started when Hello Games asked

to use one of your songs for the No Man’s
Sky’s launch trailer?
Paul Wolinski: “Yes,
it was a song called
Debutante from [2010
album] We Were
Exploding Anyway.
They e-mailed us, and
there was a little bit of
back and forth – we
asked them what the
project was about to The project began from a
check it was something simple request to use a
interesting, not terrible. song on the NMS trailer…
We were kind of sold straight
away when we started communicating and
seeing some of the screenshots and concept
art. We’d been looking for a soundtrack for a
while, and in our heads that was going to be
some kind of film score. But it hadn’t
occurred to us that a computer game might
be an interesting place to take our music. In
hindsight it couldn’t be more perfect for us.”

What inspired you about No Man’s Sky?

Joe Shrewsbury: “One of the ideas Hello
Games and 65daysofstatic share is that
innovation is really exciting and interesting,
but if it doesn’t produce something that’s
aesthetically and artistically of value then
it doesn’t really matter. You can be as
innovative as you want but if you’re not Guitarist Paul Wolinski is
equally at home behind a
making something that people respond to keyboard or synth
on an emotional level, you might as well be
building cars. There has to be soul to these
ideas – No Man’s Sky can be as procedural the game designers decree are worthy of a system that would use them. It was less
and ground-breaking as it wants to be, but if different soundtrack. You just never know focussed on narrative in terms of the music or
it doesn’t have that core idea aesthetically, when they’re going to come so it’s a bit of a the kind of usual arrangements that we’d try
people won’t respond to it. So I suppose as balancing act writing music that’s ready to and force songs into. So it was almost like a
we were reacting to that, we could see they follow the player’s agency rather than dictate thought experiment, it forced us to think of
were trying to make something that had this its own terms.” music in this other way and at the same time
great scope that had a subtext that was create even more sound palettes and textures.
asking questions about humans and their The Generated Audio system must have “The third part was when Paul (Weir) was
interactions with their environments and been hugely comprehensive, what was the ready with the audio system and he started
with technology, and questions about process from your perspective? discussing the logic [of it] with us; the way it
loneliness as well. It’s quite a lonely game. Paul: “Paul Weir had built this system, but we was going to work in the game. It was really
To all intents and purposes you’re on your started the way Hello Games suggested; we nice because he took on board a lot of our
own in 600 million years worth of universe. just started writing songs. We did that, but suggestions about how it could be added or
I think that’s very inspiring to begin with, to while we were writing, we had [the game’s altered slightly to fit better with the way we
capture that with music… that’s a big ask.” system] in mind, so for every song that we thought about making music work. I think
were writing, we’d also be trying to collect there was something in there that points to the
And soundtracking a game, especially with the sounds, melodies or textures in a kind most interesting future for music, or at least
this kind of scale, is obviously very different of ongoing sound library. So we had all that future for music in video games. Because Paul
to working on a film score… while we had the songs, too. is a sound designer, he’s a musician as well –
Paul: “You can score music with a narrative “The second part was creating the and a really good one – but his role in this
and a purpose in time. But for a game, soundscapes. It’s kind of interesting looking game was a sound designer. And the people
especially one like this because they wanted at it now because the soundscapes on our building this system were programmers. Our
a responsive soundtrack, it’s an open record [these form the second disc of the perspective was purely from a composition
universe in the most literal sense. That album] are not going to sound exactly like angle, wanting to make the songs as good as
means that from our perspective the music’s the soundscapes in the game. We made them possible. Because we weren’t putting game
never really going to be able to look very far ourselves and they were put together in quite mechanics above our music. We were pushing
© Peter Hayes

ahead because they never know when a a linear way, so this was us trying to figure out for the music, knowing that wasn’t the most
player is going to land on a planet or get in a how the soundscapes might work [in the important thing but fighting that corner to
dogfight in space – any number of things that game] before we had access to the actual make it as good as possible. And that led to

46   september 2016
 65daysofstatic interview

I could definitely think of worse ways to spend

The band recorded a vast
number of sounds for the
my time!”
game’s audio library
It would be quite easy for a game soundtrack

“ambience is like a get-out clause in to fall into the kind of beige ambience of
background music and you’re a rock band, so
is that something you and Paul Weir actively
games… that was something we wanted to avoid?
Paul: “Basically ambience is sort of like a

were trying to battle against” get-out clause and you can hear it in computer
games going back 20 years now. I’ve got vague
memories of playing Amiga games with
generative music soundtracks that would be
some really exciting collaboration with Paul, fanfares, I think it might have tried our MIDI-based but very long, dawdling melodies
to adapt the logic of the system and how it was patience a little bit more. But, again, it’s a and phrases. This soft, soundscapey thing that
going to use our music. Then it was us pulling growing awareness of how lucky we are to be you couldn’t really hum and be more of a
apart everything that we’d done and working on this particular project because background presence. So that was something
reformatting it into a pool of audio that would the brief was so vague, in the best way. It was we were definitely trying to battle against, and
exist within the game.” ‘Be 65daysofstatic’ and we were like, ‘Okay Paul Weir had the same idea from the outset as
cool, we’ll just keep making noise until you well. So we were all pushing in that direction.
Did compiling the sound library for that say stop.’ And they didn’t so we did record a But again, even a single melodic phrase has to
pool involve playing and recording a lot of lot of drones and spent a lot of time playing exist through a certain amount of time, even if
repeated variations on things within a the same note through different guitars or it’s just a few seconds. So rather than writing
theme, and did that test your patience? different synths, amplifiers or pedals and every single piece of music in the same key and
Paul: “It absolutely did and I think it’s fair to every combination of those things. Over and the same tempo, you have to figure out fuzzy
say that if we were doing a different type over again. Then tidying up every single thresholds to see how far you can push songs
of computer game, if we had to do 100 audio file that we’d recorded and then mixing into the ambient state of the game.”
variations on a theme for when you storm them to collect these big pools of stuff. But Joe: “The idea is that as you move through the
a castle and it needed loads of synth brass that meant listening to loud drones all day… game, the player is providing the linear

september 2016   47
 interview 65daysofstatic

narrative, and they can choose any path they

want, so the game is responding to them and
likewise the music is creating iterations of
music in that moment. That’s the idea. I don’t
know to what extent that will be executed.
The last time I saw the game it was really,
really good and it was instances of music that
had been generated from this mega library of
audio. I think we see the game as part of a
conversation that is happening in gaming and
technology in general about procedurality.
I think the game will be superseded in the
end by something that pushes that technology
further, but the point is not to make the
definitive article, but be part of that
conversation. I think the game audio does
something that hasn’t quite been done before.
This tries to move away from the sort of
granular ambience audio to something that,
while it’s being constructed in a unique
instance in the game, also has more
recognisable dynamics and changes with the
action. I think that’s what the project has tried
to do and to a large extent succeeds.”

The lines between synth and guitar sounds in

the music are blurred, you don’t always know
what you’re hearing – does that reflect how
you treat both instruments when recording?
Joe: “Totally, I’ve given up between the Technical wizardry puts the
textures together to create
distinction between the two things. There’s a a unique soundtrack
healthy attitude in 65 – I really respect classic
guitar tones and I really respect vintage synth
sounds, but I don’t respect them enough to
stop me from totally destroying them by
pushing them through cheap old broken
“i respect guitar tones and i respect
distortion pedals because you just end up
somewhere else. At the moment I’m using a synth sounds, but not enough to stop
me from totally destroying them”
guitar set-up that has a synth pushed through
it as well at all times. The beginning of tracks
like End Of The World Sun is actually a synth
and guitar being played at the same time
through the same rig. It sort of bleeds into amps with as many different mic placements quite often sounded horrible. Just a tinny,
itself. I think a healthy disrespect for until we’ve got the sound we want. And Joe’s thin reedy guitar tone that you would never
equipment is absolutely key to finding new got a couple of amplifiers that are very low ever want if you were playing by yourself. But
sonic possibilities. You can’t respect things wattage, cranked really high and they used sometimes that’s exactly what a song might
too much. You have to push instruments to to be antique radios with some nice old need. It might need a guitar sound that has
the brink of their capabilities.” scratchy valves in that a guy we know has no body whatsoever but can just be heard
converted into amplifiers. Those have got buzzing away in the background.
But are there traditional set-ups in the studio a really nice, buzzy, waspy quality. But also Joe: “The radio amps tend to have a single
with guitars going into pedal chains into there’s a really old Vox amp there, and old valve in, and quite often that’s a Russian
amps, or are there some leftfield choices? listening to [some of these tones] in isolation valve that’s not made anymore, so I suppose
Paul: “We build a wall of amps in the live room it’s like a Neil Young approach – you’re
of the studio with everything we have, and really pushing those to become very hot
everything Dave Sanderson who co- where they’re almost going
produced the record, has. Anything that to break the amp. So that’s
the studio happened to have lying around, really interesting.”
too. They’re all mic’d up and when we
record guitars we do it through whatever Are there any particular pedals
amp sounds best at that moment for that that you find yourself going
particular song, take or part. Then also record back to as workhorses in the
the DI cleanly and if we can’t get the guitar signal chain?
Joe’s go-to pedals are a pair
© Peter Hayes

exactly right in terms of the sound quality, of EHX classics – even if he Joe: “Most of our last two
as long as we get the take then we just found his Muff in a puddle! records have been put through
re-amp it through as many combinations of a Memory Man in some sense,

48   september 2016
 65daysofstatic interview

 ebow  
 selecta 
Paul Wolinski
explains how the
band are breaking
new tonal ground
with EBows…
“It all came off the back of a
sound installation we did in
Sheffield. Basically we designed
this little black box together, Si
[Wright, bass] did the hard part
of writing the code and
soldering it together. It’s called
an Arduino. It’s a tiny little
The band built a “wall of circuit board that’s all open-
amps”, and used whatever
sounded best at the time
source hardware, and you can
plug it into a USB on your
computer and flash some
even if the delay is mixed out, there is was specifically interested in some quality of instructions to a little chip on it
something in those capacitors that warms our music that moved him in a certain way.” that can do any number of
everything up so we’ll often record drum Paul: “This is clearly going to be some kind things. You can build one for
parts and then put them through the guitar of landmark game, to take on this kind of £10, and you get a little
rig, through the Memory Man and re-record ambition. So maybe there will be areas where electronic box that will just do
them out of the guitar amp. I’ve got an old Big it could do better, and certainly even from your bidding.
Muff that I found in a puddle in Paris, it was what we’ve learned about procedural music So using the Arduino, we built
in this flooded venue years ago and they over the last two years, if we went into this little box that converted
didn’t want it. So I rehoused that and I think another project like this tomorrow, there’s so MIDI commands to electrical
that’s an old 70s one. Again, that sounds like many things that we would do differently. impulses, and then we bought a
nothing else, so I suppose I am a big fan of That’s not to say that we’re not happy with bunch of EBows and we hacked
analogue gear, but it’s not my religion.” what we’ve done, it’s that you can’t know them so the Arduino would
these things until you’ve gone through it. switch the EBows on and off at
By the time people read this, the game will And compared to the music industry where an incredibly fast rate. For No
be out. How do you feel about the project it feels like everyone is treading water just Man’s Sky, we used it for the
looking back on the last two years? figuring out how to pay their bills and not get song Red Parallax – the lead
Joe: “I think we got really lucky with No a proper job. It’s not the most inspiring place guitar part. It’s MIDI sending
Man’s Sky because as well as being a game to be. Whereas seeing the game industry, on and off signals to the EBow
project, it is a unique project in its own right. which has its own set of pressures, and it’s got that’s resting on a guitar. Joe is
We were given a lot of free rein, and the its own version of capitalism bearing down fingering the frets along with
procedural nature of the audio was a project on it, but the creativity and the feeling of the song but instead of it being
in its own right. It’s a hard distinction to being at the forefront where there are picked it’s the EBow.
make, but a band is different from a genuinely new things happening, it’s really There’s an interesting future
composer for hire, and I think that’s where exciting. And I just hope we get to do it again, in all of that, and I think it’s only
things are changing. Games companies are and I hope that music at large – not that it’s going to get more so because
hiring bands or artists for music because of demoted to being a soundtrack in a subset to it’s slowly getting more
the specific qualities those bands and artists a ‘greater’ art form, as it’s still integral to it – accessible to people who don’t
have in their other work. I think that’s very but I think having more places to exist could have to know how to code.
interesting and I certainly think that’s what be beneficial to music as a concept.” If you’re looking to do weirder
Sean [Murray, Hello Games founder] was stuff, the kind you’re not going
getting at with No Man’s Sky. He wasn’t just No Man’s Sky: Music For An Infinite Universe is out to find elsewhere, then it’s quite
looking for any instrumental rock band, he now on Laced Records an interesting area to explore.”

september 2016   49
 BUILD YOUr
OWN FUZZ PeDAL
If you’ve ever fancied getting into the DIY gear scene, building an
effects pedal is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to start…

There are few things

more satisfying
whaT You’ll neeD
Top TIps for happY solDerIng
than bursting eardrums with a pedal
that you made yourself. think it’s only
1 Solder in a well-ventilated area and
always wear your safety goggles. Solder

for pros? think again… If you have the

✓solDerIng Iron ✓roll of leaD-free solDer can ‘spit’. Trust us, you don’t want this stuff
in your eyes.
internet, a soldering iron, a steady hand ✓a solDer sucker ✓safeTY goggles
and a brain, you’re more than qualified
to build your own transistor-driven fuzz ✓wIre cuTTers ✓plIers ✓a couple of screwDrIvers 2 Don’t let the tip of a hot soldering iron
touch anything vulnerable like pets,
soft furnishings or your own flesh.
box. It’s so easy, we can even show you A soldering iron burn is very painful.
how to do it yourself!
the most straightforward way to get
started with DIY pedal building is to buy 3 A good solder joint always looks
shiny. If your effort appears dull,
try applying a little more solder to the joint
a kit from the internet – a Google search
will turn up hundreds to choose from. until it gleams.
We’ve opted for the most simple thing
we can find – a single-knob fuzz. Our
example uses old-school ‘veroboard’
4 Buy a solder sucker (shown left). This
inexpensive spring-loaded gadget
(you can get one for less than £2 at
instead of a modern connect-the-dots hardware stores) sucks up excess solder
pCb – that means you have to solder when you’ve applied too much or let it flow
carefully and precisely, and really think in the wrong place – you’ll thank us!
about where all the components go and “Future Publishing Limited provides the information for this project in
how they work in relation to each other good faith and makes no representations as to its completeness or
accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions in this project do so
– but it’s all part of the DIY fun! at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in
For less than £50 we picked up a kit determining the appropriateness of parts and equipment for a
particular use. Anyone under the age of 18 should be supervised by a
that gave us all the components we responsible adult when carrying out this project. Protective clothing,
gloves and goggles or safety glasses should be worn at all times when
needed to assemble a great-sounding using soldering equipment, tools and adhesives. Modifying your guitar
retro fuzz, and clear instructions that may void its warranty. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Future
Publishing Limited takes no responsibility for any person relying on the
helped us build a playable pedal in just information relating to this project and disclaims all liability for any
errors, omissions, damage or injury to users or their equipment as a
over two hours – let’s dive in… result of or relating to the modifying of their guitar.”

50 september 2016
 how To buIlD Your own fuzz peDal

1 2

Our kit is available with a choice of enclosures. Despite the mini-pedal Our kit comes with a bunch of resistors and the transistor, the three-
fad, we plumped for the bigger one, as it offers more space to work in, plus it legged black thing in the pic above. this is the component that amplifies
gives us the flexibility to fit a battery clip in the future, should we want to. then clips your guitar’s signal to create the fuzz. It’s kind of a big deal.

3 4

We’re gOing to attach your transistor, resistors and various wires to this POke each component’s legs through the holes in the circuit board,
postage stamp-sized circuit board to create the pedal’s brain. the then heat them and the copper tracks with the tip of your soldering iron.
underside (shown) has copper tracks that attract and secure molten solder. Flow some solder onto the legs and tracks and let it cool.

5 6

PrOvided nothing goes wrong and you follow the instructions provided, the underside of the circuit board doesn’t look quite so pretty, but
your board should look something like this once the transistor and resistors as long as the joints are good, and you don’t accidentally connect the
are fitted. We can’t help feeling chuffed that it looks so good! copper tracks with rogue lumps of solder, the circuit will work.

september 2016 51
how To buIlD Your own fuzz peDal

7 8

YOu nOW need to connect the circuit board to the other components (the When YOu’ve soldered the wires to the board, you’ll have something
pot, switch and DC power socket) with some wires. prepare each wire by that looks like this. Don’t be tempted to cut the length of the wires just
stripping either end with your snips and applying some solder. yet, though. You might cut ’em too short and have to start again.

9 10

We fOund it easier to solder the pot and footswitch while they were in place Our Pedal comes with an on/off indicator LeD, and fitting it is fiddly.
in the enclosure. the input and output sockets are easier to solder before You have to solder on another resistor and attach the LeD to the
they’re fitted to the enclosure because their contacts sit so close together. footswitch and a wire running from the DC power socket.

11 12

OkaY, it looks like spaghetti Junction in there. Again, we’ll trim the wires to the Pedal didn’t work the first time we plugged it in. After meticulously
size later, once we know the circuit is working. Now, wrap the circuit board retracing our steps, we found a bad solder joint on the circuit board.
in a piece of foam to prevent it shorting out on any metal parts. A drop of clean solder and it sprung into filthy life – now try it yourself!

52 september 2016
 Three progressive rock
visionaries gather with us
in baking hot Barcelona to
muse over recorder
lessons, slap bass bans
and taming shredders…
WilSon & Bruce Soord
Mikael Åkerfeldt, Steven
round taBle:
Words: Rob Laing Photography: Joby Sessions
 round taBle

T
he be prog! my Friend festival is a hard
proposition to argue with. set in the hazy
sunlit square of barcelona’s historic and quite
stunning poble espanyol, it certainly beats
the sodden mud of the british festival season.
And the opportunity it offers to grab a cool mojito
and see three of progressive rock’s modern kingpins
on the same bill is irresistible. It was also our chance
to coax steven Wilson, Opeth’s mikael Åkerfeldt
and the pineapple thief’s bruce soord towards our
table for their first ever interview together…
You were all involved with the Bruce: “How many tracks were
recent remixes of Opeth’s they using then?”
Damnation and Deliverance Steven: “16. They were being
albums for their reissue – does very economic.”
dissecting other artists’ classic Bruce: “So did they bounce
albums give you an extra down stuff?”
insight as a musician? Steven: “They did bounce
“Steven: “For me it’s down, but still most of what
an education. I’ve you’re hearing when you hear
done albums going that record is what they played
back to the late 60s and it’s an live in the studio. And I’d say
education to deconstruct and 25 per cent at most is tracked
reconstruct music like that. [overdubbed].”
And also that music was made Bruce: “Because when I was
in a completely different era, a [remixing] Deliverance, that
completely different recording was an early Pro Tools
philosophy. And I learned so session… but even that wasn’t
much from mixing these many tracks actually.”
albums made at a time when Mikael: “I can’t
recording was basically, get a remember. I didn’t
bunch of guys in a room, play even know who
together. Minimal overdubs had the tapes…”
– there’s your album. And that Steven: “You didn’t even know
blew my mind in a way what was going on when you
because, like these guys, were making that record.
I’d grown up with computer I remember you were like in
recording where you’re another place because your
unlimited in the amount of grandmother had passed
tracks you can do. And you away… you were fucked up…”
kind of get an okay guitar Mikael: “And I can’t remember
sound but you track it 12 times much. Andy Sneap did the
and it sounds massive. These original mix so once they
guys couldn’t do that. They had started talking about this thing
to get one massive guitar tone that [Bruce] mixed it was,
because they couldn’t afford where is the album? Whose got
to double track it, because it? Who’s got the files?”
they didn’t have enough tracks.
And that’s just a completely Going back to your roots, was
different way of thinking. guitar your first instrument?
And so for me it was really Mikael: “It was the recorder for
an education to mix those me, but not my choice!
old records.” I wanted to play guitar and
Bruce: “Those early take guitar lessons and my
Yes ones, like Fragile parents said, ‘Yes’ and then
– you did Fragile after school one day, I was in
didn’t you, Steve?” second grade maybe, someone
Steven: “Yes I did.” came to fetch me in the

september 2016 55
 round taBle

classroom saying that I had a

music lesson… recorder.”
“music is something that in terms of his technique. He’s
never going to produce a single
Bruce: “But did you get good touches your heart, not appeals note of music that anyone’s
at recorder?”
Mikael: “I could play… but to your intellect” ever going to want to listen to.”
Bruce: “I had a kid send me a
no I wasn’t good. I actually video of playing and it was
learned to read some music  Steven WilSon  seven-string, and he was
so I could play a melody, in doing all this stuff. And I said,
Swedish it basically translates ‘There’s some really nice
into ‘buy a hotdog’. And I could experimenting with a computers came around melodies in there, do you want
play that [hums it]. It was just reel-to-reel tape machine that everything was there to write to turn it into a song?’ Because
three notes.” my dad had and making silly songs. So I think that’s why you’re only going to get guitar
Steven: “Aren’t there recorders sounds. So in a sense I feel that I’m similar in that I’m not nerds that are going to want to
on Fernando?” was my first instrument.” particularly a great guitar listen to that.”
Mikael: “Yes. That was me, too Bruce: “When was that?” player. I get other people to Mikael: “Guitar nerds, too –
– I did that.” Steven: “That was in the late play guitar.” they’re special. A lot of guitar
Steven: “I had no interest in 19th century… No, it would Mikael: “It’s great, like Steve players – shredders – you play
playing the guitar, and I still have been the late 70s. It was said, the band – Opeth in my some music to them, whoever
don’t actually. This is a slightly still reel-to-reels but I think case – they’re great musicians. it might be, and they get
evasive way to answer your my dad had one of the early I’m horrible…” impatient, ‘Where’s the solo?’
question, but my first cassette players. What about Steven: “I think, like me and There’s no solo in this song.
instrument was a tape recorder you Bruce?” Bruce, you’re instinctive about ‘Sorry, I’m not interested.’”
because I was really interested Bruce: “It was a guitar, a Marlin the way you approach music. Steven: “That’s extraordinary,
in what you could do with Sidewinder. A terrible, terrible You’re not a technician, you isn’t it? I find that absolutely
sound. And actually this comes thing. It took me years to figure don’t have the chops, but for extraordinary… ‘I’m only
back to my real feeling of what out how to play it and I never some people a great musician interested in this tiny little
I do, I write and produce music had any tuition, my technique would be that; someone who’s component.’ There’s this
– I’m not a musician. The guys is terrible and I can’t read naturally instinctively able to beautiful tapestry of sound.
in my band are much better music. But then, like [Steven] make great music. I would It’s like you play a song to a
musicians than me because I’m I really then got into question, [Bruce] mentioned drummer and the drums
not really interested in being a songwriting. And when you’re [instrumental shredding], haven’t come in and he’s just
‘musician’. I like the idea of a songwriter it’s just a tool. So that’s not music for me, that’s tapping his foot. ‘When do
being an auteur, for want of a I was never the guy who was… science. There’s nothing the drums come in then?’ It’s
possibly-couldn’t-be-more- well I did try for a bit, in the musical about that for me at when the song starts that the
pretentious-word, that’s kind Joe Satriani, Steve Vai days, all. Music is something that drums come in.”
of what I feel, and I started I wanted to do that [widdles] touches your heart, not Bruce: “When they start doing
but I couldn’t do appeals to your intellect; ‘Wow their air drumming. It’s the
it, or I didn’t have listen to how many notes he’s same people that only want to
the patience – so playing there.’ That for me was listen to long songs.”
it just became a always the problem with those Steven: “There’s a lot of
tool for writing so-called musicians, it was drummers that have gone the
songs. And then reducing music to this level of Olympic route, too. Isn’t there
you end up, an Olympic sport. Which an event, the fastest blastbeat
because you’re a unfortunately has only got drummer, or something?
songwriter, being worse in the YouTube I think there is. It is like a sport.
able to find your generation, where you can How fast can you play? Who
way around a go on there and find a fucking cares? It’s music, it’s
keyboard and five-year-old kid who could not sport.”
then when play all three of us out the park
With that in mind, you’ve
worked with some extremely
technically proficient
musicians. Is there a fine line
between directing them
towards your vision of a song
and retaining that individual
flair that attracted you to them
in the first place?
Steven: “I worked with one of
Steven playing his innovative
the great… well he’s known as
Babicz signature acoustic a shredder, Guthrie Govan, but
on stage in Barcelona he’s not really. He almost feels
like people expect him to do

56 september 2016
 round taBle

Poble Espanyol in Barcelona

– the stunning venue for the
Be Prog! My Friend festival

that. My instruction to him was he does slow down he plays the how to do that, it’s hard [not crank it up. You don’t have to
always the same; slow down, most divine [parts]. But his to]. For me the great analogy is do that anymore.”
play less notes. I want you to natural inclination… I’d have Picasso. Picasso was a brilliant
break my heart with one note, this thing where I’d be on the technician as a painter, but he You’re all involved in the
not blow my mind with 300 road with him and I’d ask him painted in this primitive style, bigger picture of songwriting,
notes. And when I could get to slow down at the beginning which was so powerful. And he is being involved with
him to slow down he played of the week. By the end of the could do all that other stuff but writing drum parts inspiring to
so divinely… and I think this is week he’s kind of sped up he chose not to. And that’s such you as writers?
where he differs to most again and I’d have to have the a hard thing to do. Once you Mikael: “That’s probably the
shredders, most when you tell conversation again. And he’d know how to do all that thing that gives me the most
them to do that they’re just slow down again for a few gigs technical bullshit. That’s why inspiration. I think a lot about
completely lost. It just does not but then it would gradually I’m saying it’s good that you Axe [Martin Axenrot] our
compute… illogical. With speed up again and again. It’s didn’t manage to nail all that drummer when I’m writing
Guthrie it’s not the case, when almost like once you know [Bruce] because it would have music, what sort of thing
only spoiled you, in a way.” does he like to play? It’s my
Bruce: “I wouldn’t have written favourite instrument.”
“How fast can you play? any songs. I would have spent
all my time going…”
Bruce: “Whenever I go to
a gig I’m always watching
Who f**cking cares? It’s Steven: “Twiddly, twiddly, the drummer.”

music, it’s not sport” twiddly, twiddly.”

Bruce: “I’ve only recently
Mikael: “Me too.”
Bruce: “As an instrument, it
brought in other [guitarists] as must be one of the hardest
 Steven WilSon  I used to do everything myself. things to be innovative with.
And then the last album I did, I guess you can be, but each
I got my mate Darran [Charles] thing can only make one note
to do the technical guitar – you’ve got a kick, toms, high
playing. Then I thought, ‘He’s hat and snare. Whereas with a
better than me’ – so I did less guitar and keyboard there’s so
and less guitar playing.” much more scope.”
Steven: “That’s what’s Mikael: “Also, I think
happened to me.” drummers seem to have their
Bruce: “And also we have such own little club. Drummers like
a good relationship that he other drummers. They’re pals.
would send me stuff, and now It seems to be that there’s
everyone’s doing their own less competition between
thing, you can do really good drummers. So every time we
quality tracking because he’s play a show, the drummer is
got an Axe-Fx and I’ve got a always watching Axe. He
Kemper, so it’s really easy. In doesn’t give a fuck about what
the old days you’d have to get the rest of us are doing.”
all your expensive mics out or Steven: “I think that’s true.
even go to a studio to record a I think the drums are the
guitar because you’d have to instrument that can change the

september 2016 57
 round taBle

Power Trio Bruce: “I’ve got alright on the Bruce handles guitar duties
with this PRS SC 250 and a
bass because when you’re
Bruce, Steven and Mikael all custom Kingdom guitar
demoing you’re always, ‘Right,
share 70s influences and a love
let’s pick up the bass.’ And, like
of unsung guitar heroes
you said, sometimes a song
Ian Bairnson (Kate can just take a completely
Bush, Andy Parsons) different identity.”
Bruce: “The one guy
I was really inspired by
Steven: “Don’t just play the
as a kid was a session root notes. Listen to what Paul
guitarist called Ian Bairnson. He did a McCartney played or Colin
lot of lan Parsons solos and he was a Moulding of XTC, they always
little like Andy Latimer style, I think he had these amazing [lines].”
had a Les Paul. He was just so melodic.
He wasn’t like a widdler, you could sing
Bruce: “He played like a guitar
all of his solos. But no one ever cites player, Paul McCartney, didn’t
him. Say Ian Bairnson, they say ‘Who?’” he? He was so melodic.”
Steven: “Totally, and he’d
Brian Godding always find something
(Mike Westbrook
Orchestra)
interesting that would be a
Steven: “I love a guitar counterpoint to the guitars, the
player called Brian vocals and the drums, but not
Godding, he was a British jazz player, seem gratuitously so. That’s
and Mike Westbrook wrote these the problem, sometimes
amazing pieces for jazz orchestra.
He was in Magma, and he was in
something just becomes too
Blossom Toes. About 20 years after tricky or too clever. But you
that he played this solo in the Mike wrote some great bass is, for me, I’ve always been Mikael: “You did that on one of
Westbrook Orchestra and it’s my [Mikael], what was that track, slightly disappointed with the our records. The ending of the
favourite guitar solo ever. That’s pretty Lines On Your Hand?” lack of imagination in terms song Bleak [Steven produced
obscure, but he’s amazing.”
Mikael: “Lines In Your Hand.” of sound. Going back to that Opeth’s 2001 Blackwater Park
Jerry Donahue Steven: There’s an amazing thing with the shredders, they album], do you remember that
(Fotheringay) bass [part].” all have the same sound.” one? When you made the song
Mikael: “I don’t have Mikael: “Yes I was happy with Bruce: “Super high gain.” deteriorate, so in the end is
any obscure [choices]. that one, but I’m shit at playing Steven: “You’ve learned actually sounded like a fart.
I like some of the more
famous ones that everyone loves but,
bass. And I don’t like the sound unbelievable things technique- Production skills!”
Jerry Donahue, who was in Fairport of a pick. I want to play with wise, but you’ve got no Steven: “Making a guitar
Convention and especially on the my fingers. And I can’t.” imagination when it comes to sound like a fart! That’s on the
record he did with Sandy Denny called Bruce: “I wish I could, too, but guitar tone or sound. There is top of my CV. Mikael Åkerfeldt:
Fotheringay. I loved his guitar playing I’m like you [Steven], I play it this incredible range of sounds ‘He made my guitar sound
on that. Also I want to mention Clem
Clemson. Alex Harvey Teargas –
like a guitarist.” you can make. [Bruce], you like a fart.’ I was probably
bluesy-type playing.” Steven: “I should listen to use a lot of plugins don’t you?” reducing the bitrate. There
more dub music!” Bruce: “I do, yes.” used to be a plugin…
Mikael: “That’s forbidden Steven: “I use plugins to create Bruce: “A Bitcrusher.”
whole complexion of a piece of in Opeth.” keyboard-like tones. A lot of Steven: “A Bitcrusher, where
music more that anything by Steven: “What, dub music?” what people think are you could go from 24-bit to
feel and the way they play. Mikael: “No, slap bass. That keyboards on my records are like one-bit. It’s quite handy
But these days I love bass, and the chorus effect.” guitars. I process them to the sometimes. A very Trent
I write on the bass. Sometimes Steven: “I can’t stand chorus, point where they’ve been Reznor [-style technique]”
it’s nice as a guitar player, you no. The first thing I do when a abstracted from even sounding Bruce: “I was going to say
approach the bass in a guitar player joins my band is like a guitar. I love that, too, because I remember Trent
completely different way. A lot I look at his pedalboard and if and it’s disappointing to me Reznor, that’s his philosophy
of bass players just go, play the he’s got any chorus pedal, that there seems to be so little isn’t it, fucking up sounds.”
root and lock in with the kick I throw it away. I said, ‘If you in terms of imagination. And Steven: “For me production-
drum, but guitar players don’t. want to go back to the 80s, go I love the vintage sound wise, particularly with guitars,
They sort of play all this shit up fucking back to the 80s.’” through an amp… the Andy he was a massive influence;
here and I’m doing that all the Latimer sound, that’s great, what he did with guitars.”
time as well. And that’s been How have your tastes in guitar too. But I also love to fuck up Bruce: “I remember seeing a
really inspiring to me to write tone changed over the years? guitars and make them sound video of him and he was just
on the bass sometimes.” Mikael: “My own tone is quite like nothing you’d ever using Guitar Rig to do all of his
Bruce: “Is that a recent thing?” inspired by 70s guitar players. associate with a guitar.” effects, for everything. He said,
Steven: “Yes, the last couple of Andy Latimer, Clapton… Bruce: “It’s much easier to do ‘Guitar Rig is just amazing’.”
albums I think I’ve written a lot those guys.” that now as well, there’s so Steven: “It is amazing, but
more on the bass.” Steven: “I like a lot of jazz many tools out there.” that’s the thing; a lot of people
Mikael: “It’s difficult to play guitar players like Ray Russell, Steven: “There is some that use Guitar Rig don’t even
bass. I’m absolute shit.” John McLaughlin… The thing amazing stuff.” scratch the surface of what it’s

58 september 2016
 round taBle

capable of. They just go for that

generic regular heavy metal
Bruce: “Yes, just like walking
on with a toaster and there “I can’t stand chorus. When a
guitar sound, which is like a
preset. But what you can do is
you go.”
guitarist joins my band, if he’s got
incredible. It’s the same as all
technology isn’t it. It’s only as
And Mikael, you’re using
Axe-Fx tonight?
a chorus pedal, I throw it away”
good as the way you choose Mike: “Yes, we have the fly  Steven WilSon 
to use it.” rig. But it sounds okay.”
Mikael: “We did that very Bruce: “I do miss having an
metal guitar sound for a long amp onstage, but it’s so
time. And we tracked the much easier.” Steven: “But if it’s not fun? Mikael: “And I get so insecure
guitars in the studio four times Mike: “We don’t have it now, That’s also an important when I hear myself too clearly.
with the rhythms. But I got so but we’ve started doing these component of a live show ‘That was horrible’.
sick and tired of that whole things at front of house called because you want to enjoy the Steven: “Try using just one.”
sound. Something had to give, Box Of Doom.” show, because the audience Mikael: “I did.”
it had to change. Now we Steven: “I like the title of it.” pick up on that. If you’re just Steven: “It didn’t work
record with very little Mikael: “Basically it’s a sealed feeling like you’re locked inside for you?”
distortion. You struggle a little box with a speaker in it. You this antiseptic bubble, I don’t Mikael: “It was better.”
but it sounds heavier to me mic up the guitar and there’s think you project.” Steven: “I just pop mine in
with less distortion. We even no leakage. So it’s easier to Bruce: “It does take you when I need to sing, when it’s
have a thing on the new record mix. But the in-ears are really away from it.” the band just rocking out,
where it’s a metal riff but difficult to play with it so we Mikael: “I get like a deer in the I take it out. It works for me.”
there’s no distortion at all. And have cabs blasting out as well.” headlights with that. It takes a Mikael: “I need to get an
that’s probably the heaviest- Steven: “There’s no substitute long time for me to warm up assistant who comes up
sounding part on there.” for air moving, let’s face it.” during a show, it’s almost like onstage [to do that].”
Bruce: “I miss that.” I developed stage fright Steven: “Oh I see, because you
Bruce, we noticed you were Steven: “Feeling your trousers because of fucking in-ears.” don’t have a chance.”
using a Kemper onstage at the flapping around your ankles. Bruce: “I keep taking mine out Mikael: “It’s all tax deductible
festival last night… I can’t even use the in-ears. to check that, ‘Oh shit, they do isn’t it?”
Bruce: “I did. I feel a bit dirty I have one in-ear monitor that like it.’” Steven: “You need an in-ear
sometimes using that. But it’s I just pop in and out all night Steven: “Oh we do sound like monitor monitor!”
just so much easier, especially just so I can hear my voice a rock ’n’ roll band! It’s like
when you’re doing festivals better. I can’t stand them.” listening to a [sound]board Thanks to Be Prog! My Friend
and plus, I can just fly in with Mikael: “I hate them, too. tape, that kind of sound. And for their help in arranging this
it and there’s my sound.” I actually hate them. But I think I know you can get this thing interview. The Pineapple
Mikael: “It’s hand luggage- maybe you play a little bit with ambient mics. I’ve tried all Thief’s Your Wilderness is out
type size?” better with the in-ears.” that, it doesn’t sound good.” now on Kscope. Opeth’s new
album, Sorceress, is out 30
While Bruce holds court, September via Nuclear Blast.
Steven is more concerned that Steven Wilson will tour the US
his drink is getting a bit low…
this November.

Mikael is no
great fan
of in-ear
monitors

september 2016 59
 START PLAYING NOW!

From the folk styles of Nick Drake and Led Zeppelin

to 80s power ballads and even jazz, sus chords
have earned their place in music history, but how
do they work? Read on to get it sussed…

5getting started
ways to play
sus chords
SuS chordS (short for ‘suspended’ – we’ll explain all about why Wizard or Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love and you’ll immediately
shortly) are simple changes to basic major chords. Sus chords are pick up on the signature sound of these chords. However, in order to
usually easy to play, and can add sparkle to almost any chord understand what’s really going on here, you firstly need to know what
progression. Think of the acoustic guitar parts in The Who’s Pinball notes make up each chord…

Major chords sus4 chords

x x D x x D

1   2   3   4   5   6   7

A F# 1   2   3   4   5   6   7 A
D  E  F# G   A   B  C#
D  E  F# G   A   B  C#
d d G

d dsus4

Major chords (such as C, G, D and so on) use the first, third and fifth notes from their sus chords are different. They drop the 3rd from the chord all together (known as
major scale. So, for example, a D chord uses the D, F# and A notes from the D major scale. ‘suspending’) and introduce a different note from the scale.

sus2 chords add9 and add11 chords

x x D E x G

3 d
A 1   2   3   4   5   6   7 F#
1   2   3   4   5   6   7    8    9    10   11  12  13  14
d
D  E  F# G   A   B  C# d A
D  E  F# G   A   B  C# D   E   F#  G  A   B   C#

dsus2 dadd11

obviously, sus4 chords include a 4th and sus2 chords use a 2nd. The notes rarely fall in if you keep the 3rd and add a 2nd or 4th it is called an ‘add’ chord. The theory is complex
the ‘right’ order on the guitar fretboard, but it doesn’t matter as long as they are all there. because ‘added’ notes usually have ‘octave up’ numbers: so a 2nd becomes a 9th.

sus chord shapes

Try ouT these chords – most of them x A E x A B E x G x x x A x D G x x G
are easy to play. Of course, it takes a while 2 B c c F
to learn everything because each chord E A E A E E A
is built from the notes of its own scale d c d G F# B d G G G F
(for example Gsus4 is built from the G E
major scale) so treat learning the notes
as a longer term goal. Asus4 Asus2 cadd9 Bsus4 A7sus4 Gsus4 Fsus2

60   september 2016
 START PLAYING NOW!

1. sus-piciously easy tRacks 42-43 2. a Minor challenge tRacks 44-45

Basic open-chord line Minor chords and sus chords
q =100 q =100
Asus 4 Asus 2
œœ
Dsus 4 Dsus 2 Am Am

# œœ œœ ˙˙
D D

& # 44 .. œœ œœœ œ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œœ œœ ˙˙ .. & 44 .. œœœ ..
4

œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 2
3

œ œ œ œ œ
4
1 1 1
3
2

T . 3 2 0 2
. . 0 0 0 0 0
.
. .
T
. .
3 3 3 3 1 3 1 0 0
A 2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0 A 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
B B
⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ≤ ⇥
0 0 0 0 0

ThE BASic open D shape is perfect for anyone trying out sus chords ThiS idEA is similar to our previous example, but this time we’re
for the first time. D is easy to play and the sus2 and sus4 variations jamming around a minor chord instead of a major one. Again, the
are simple changes on the first string. You can probably hear that our fingering is easy if you’re used to playing the basic Am chord –
tab example seems to want to end on the D chord and not on the just drop your fourth finger onto the second string for the Asus4
Dsus2 or Dsus4. This ‘unsettled’ feel is a key sound of sus chords. chord; the sus2 uses an open second string. Tangerine by Led
Listen to GN’R’s Patience and you’ll hear sus2s and sus4s creeping Zeppelin is a great example of these sus chord variations on the
in around many of Slash and Izzy’s D chords. basic open Am chord.

3. adding it all up tRacks 46-47 4. in the Mood for jazz tRacks 48-49
Add11 and add9 chords Instant jazz sound
j 3

q =100 q =140 q q =q q

j j
Dadd 11 Cadd 9
œ œœ œœ œœ œœ j œœ ‰ n œœ ‰ ‰ œj ˙
Bsus 4 Asus 4 Bsus 4 A 7sus 4 Asus 4

# œ œœ œœ œœ œœ ### 4 .
Play 4 times

œ
& # 44 .. œœœœ œœœ œœ .. œœ ‰ ..
Play 4 times

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ & 4 . Œ œœ ‰ œ œœ œœ ˙˙

4

œ
4 3

nœ œ œ œ œ
1 3 2 2 2

J
1 1 1
2
1 1 1 1
3 2

T . 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3
. . 3
.
. .
T
. .
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 3 5 3 3
A 0
4
0
4
0
4
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2 A 4
4
2
2
4
4
2
2
2
2
B B
⇥ ⇥ ≤ ⇥ ⇥ ⇥ ≤ ⇥
5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3

ThErE’S A folky vibe here with these add11 and add9 chords. More WE’vE SWiTchEd to electric guitar here as we take a look at sus
experienced players can try fingerpicking here or experiment with chords in a simple jazzy vamp. We’re staying on the sus chords
pull-offs to open strings. Most important, however, is to try and pick without moving back to a major or minor root chord and you should
up the different sound of the add chords compared to the sus kind. be able to hear that this approach sounds instantly jazzy. Use a neck
Generally, add9s and add11s sound rich and majestic, and they tend position humbucker with the treble rolled off a little and for the full
not to pull back to the major chord in the same way as a sus chord authentic vibe. The A7sus4 in bar 2 is an A7 chord (A C# E G) with
does. They can sound great in Bon Jovi-style power ballads, too. the C# note (the 3rd) suspended and replaced with a D (the 4th).

5. dust off the acoustic guitar   Fingerstyle melody ideas tRacks 50-51

q = 85
C G Dm F

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙
& 44 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ..
4

œ
1
4 1

œ
1 4 1 3 1
2 2
3
3
let ring throughout 3

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

B 3
3
p i m i a m a m i m i p i m a m p i m a i
p

SuS chordS feature in a more subtle way in this fingerstyle example, because we’re treating the all-important sus notes as passing notes. That
just means you don’t stay on them for long – you pass through them. The result is that the momentary sus/add notes have more impact on the
melody and less on the sound of the chords. Nick Drake’s Day Is Done is a fine example of this, as is Dust In The Wind by Kansas.

september 2016   61
62   september 2016
 techniques

Video r if f le ss ons

Beatles ’66 TG celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ revolutionary

Revolver album with our fab three video riff lessons
video
w w w.b it .ly/t
g28 4v id eo

1966 was a turning point for the Fab Four – while it marked
arguably the peak of Beatlemania hysteria, it was also
the year they stopped playing live after years of relentless touring.
rhythm. The classic riff on the ’66 non-album
track Paperback Writer sees the band in
harder rock territory, while As Your Bird Can Sing opens
What followed was a surge of creativity – the ‘studio years’ saw the on a harmony line – a technique that would become commonplace
band begin to use the recording studio to experiment and innovate, in the 70s, as bands such as Wishbone Ash, Thin Lizzy and The
and the result was the groundbreaking genius of Revolver. Allman Brothers made their names playing twin-lead. Read on for
George Harrison’s abrasive album opener Taxman has a great more advice on how to play the riffs and remember to check out our
guitar vamp, based on just a handful of chords and a sharp, attacking video lessons to see how it’s done .

taxman PaPerback and

Comprising just four  TG Tip Writer TG Tip Your bird TG Tip
chords, the intro and  Don’t get too excited!
verse in Revolver’s 
George Harrison-
Keep your picking the opening riff in 
Paperback Writer is 
Use a first finger barre
at the 3rd fret – your can sing Practise short phrases
to commit the tricky
motion tight and other fingers will fall weaving melody line
penned opener is  controlled based around a G7  naturally into position this riff is a harmony 
to memory
fairly easy to play. As  barre chord with a  line, so there are two 
with any chord-based  few easy variations.   guitar parts to play. the 
riff, start by practising the  If you happen to know the   main challenge is playing 
changes so that you don’t run into  G mixolydian scale (G A b C D e F), the  through that weaving melody and 
difficulties when you play at full tempo  structure of the riff should make a bit  committing it to memory. We’ve broken 
– we’ve demonstrated the chord shapes  more sense – we’ve demonstrated both  it down note by note and played it slowly 
at the start of the video for you.  the chord and the scale at the start of the  for you in the video to help you pick it up. 
Harrison strums hard here so you’ll  video to help you out.  As this is a harmony line it’s meant to    
need to keep your picking tightly  the line is played with a ‘ringing’ feel,  be played by two guitarists. Of course 
controlled to avoid hitting idle strings.     which just means that notes played one  that’s not always practical but an 
A more restrained approach to practice  after the other ring out over each other.  intelligent harmoniser would allow you  
may help you rein in your picking motion  It’s simple enough to do – just hold down  to play the line on your own. simply play 
– most players use broader pick strokes  each fretted note for as long as possible,  the lower melody line and set your 
when playing hard. Your fret hand can  rather than stopping and moving on to  harmoniser to produce ‘diatonic 3rds’. 
assist by muting out the idle strings. Just  each new note. In Paperback Writer, a first  ‘Diatonic’ means your pedal will produce 
‘stub’ a fretting finger up against the  finger barre at the 3rd fret keeps most of  notes from the key signature (AYBCS is in 
strings you’re not playing. Don’t think     the notes ringing and you can add the  e major: e F# G# A b C# D#) and ‘3rds’ 
too hard about it – simply mute out the  remaining notes at the 4th and 5th frets  means it’ll play two notes higher up in the 
strings you can easily reach. Finally, to  with your other fingers. Keep your thumb  scale than any note you play. A few of the 
create the space between those chord  roughly opposite  your first or second  notes in the recording are harmonised in 
stabs, release the pressure from your  finger for maximum strength in your  4ths, but the 3rd harmony is a good work 
fretting fingers. barre chords. around and it sounds really good.
© Bill Orchard/REX/Shutterstock

Cheat sheet… Cheat sheet… Cheat sheet…

appears at: 0:06-0:32 appears at: 0:06-0:11 appears at: 0:00-0:07
tempo: 134bpm tempo: 157bpm tempo: 132bpm
Key/scale: D mixolydian Key/scale: G mixolydian Key/scale: e major
Main techniques:  dominant 7 and 7#9  Main techniques: barre chords/ Main techniques: Harmony lead/
chords/accents hammer-ons position shifts

september 2016   63
THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE
FOR PS4 OWNERS
NO
MAN’S
SKY
SIX-PAGE
REVIEW

On sale 30 Aug
In print. On iOS. On Android
http://bit.ly/officialplaystation

Find it in the Official PlayStation Magazine App

066

Guild Newark St Bluesbird

Guild revives an old design that’s looks
like a solid, but is actually kinda semi ���������� 66
Gretsch G9241 Alligator Resonator
retro round-necked biscuit resonator ������� 70
Peavey 6505 Piranha
tiny all-valve head that packs a punch ������ 72
RouNd-uP: Wylde Audio
Zakk Wylde’s guitar brand finally lands
with three metal-focussed electrics ����������� 74
Washburn WLo12SE
elegant, solid-topped affordable electro �� 80
RouNd-uP: Seymour duncan Effects
Four high-end stompers from the US
pickup-making giant ����������������������������������������� 82
Hotone Xtomp
bluetooth-controlled multi-effects unit ���� 84
Electro-Harmonix MEL9
A mellotron that works with guitar ������������� 86
Boss CE-2W
two classic boss chorus pedals in one������� 87
Accessories
D’Addario Nickel bronze acoustic strings,
boss tuner App, Fender DXA1 pro In-ear
monitors, Vox V860 volume pedal ������������ 88

072 080 070

September 2016 65
 REVIEw
Guild BluesBird

66 september 2016
 Gear Guild Newark sT BluesBird

Guild Newark
St BlueSBird £875
AT A GLANCE
Guild continues it phoenix-like revival with a modern BODY: Chambered mahogany
single-cut that’s worthy of a whistle or two w/ carved maple top
NECK: Mahogany, glued-in

Since the 2013 reboot

of Guild’s
electric series with the launch
didn’t last long and all too soon the
Guild electric range disappeared…
until their reappearance in 2013,
SCALE: 629mm (24.75")
FINGERBOARD: Bound rosewood
FRETS: 22
of the Newark St Collection, we’ve of course!
seen the return of numerous As we’ve reported previously, PICKUPS: 1x Seymour Duncan JB
models that first appeared in the Guild was sold again in 2014, this SH-4 (bridge), 1x Seymour Duncan
50s and 60s, not least the Starfires. time to Cordoba. And although it’s ’59 Neck SH-1 (neck)
One guitar in the modern range early days, the new owners seem CONTROLS: 3-position pickup Pro ToNe
that you might have missed looks intent on giving the name a proper selector toggle switch, individual More pro spec comes with
like a Les Paul but with a slightly home and have continued and the tone Pros locking
bigger body: the M-75 Aristocrat. expanded the electric line – along pickup volume and tone controls tune-o-matic-style bridge
and stud tail piece. the locking
This new version is actually a with introducing new acoustic (with pull/push coil-splits) aspect squeezes maximum
sustain from the guitar and
pretty close repro of Guild’s ranges, including the long-awaited HARDWARE: Nickel-plated Tone means the parts won’t fall off
original Aristocrat, introduced return of the USA-made higher- Pros NVR2 Locking tune-o-matic when you re-string
back in 1954. Despite its looks end acoustic classics. with stud tailpiece; Grover Sta-Tite
it was a hollowbody, a down- So, while the majority of the
sized archtop with a sealed top new electrics so far have all been open-backed tuners
that was described by Guild as a based of historic models, this new LEFT-HANDED: No
“light weight, semi-solid midget Bluesbird is a bit of a departure FINISH: Ice Tea Burst (as
model… in a class by itself.” that in essence takes that late-90s reviewed), Jet Black
The midget description is where model Bluesbird construction CONTACT: Selectron UK Ltd 01795
the ‘M’ of its name originated and it but retains the shape of the sealed-semi
lasted in the Guild line until 1963. original ’bird.
419460 www.guildguitars.com it looks like a solidbody,
but its light weight (6.56kg)

This is a lighter weight single-

indicates it’s built more like
an eS-335 with a solid
centre and some
air on either side

cut with typical Guild class Pukka PuPs

While Guild has its own
classic-sounding HB-1
Four years later it reappeared as As you can see, it retains Guild’s full-size humbuckers
just the M-75 before it was classic ‘centre raised’, or ‘domed’ (which are available as
retro-fits), the Bluesbird
renamed the Bluesbird M-75 in headstock and that distinct uses a classic uSa-made
1968, its new name reflecting the Chesterfield logo, but aside from combo from Seymour
duncan: a JB at bridge and
Aristocrat’s use by blues players. those transparent ribbed control ’59 at neck: perfect for
It lasted until 1972, two years after knobs it’s a more modern affair. Its classic rock and more

Guild had introduced a proper back is mahogany, routed out to

solidbody version. Over a decade leave an ES-335-like centre block,
later, in 1985, Guild returned – which is then topped with a carved
slightly – to that original hollow maple top that here is faced with a
version with a semi-solid, more Les figured maple veneer (it’s also
Paul-looking sealed-body electric, available in Jet Black). Its slightly
the Nightbird. wider body with its rounded horn
So what became of the and the lightweight build counters
Bluesbird, you ask? Guild, which what some of us don’t like about
was purchased by Fender in 1995, the Les Paul: its weight and small
reintroduced the Bluesbird – size. But the Bluesbird retains
modelled seemingly on the what we love about that Gibson
Photography: Neil Godwin

Nightbird rather than the original classic: its scale length and easy
M-75 shape – as a USA-made high- bendability, the dual humbuckers/
end model in the late 90s. It was four-control electronics set-up not
joined by more affordable versions to mention its adjustable bridge
in the DeArmond by Guild line, and stud tailpiece, which here are
which were made in Korea. These by Tone Pros.

september 2016 67
 REVIEw
Guild BluesBird

All That Jazz Blues

The Bluesbird uses a very
famous pickup… just don’t Guild has used some
mention Jeff Beck! quality parts, such as
Tone Pros hardware
Back in the day, Seymour Duncan
(along with DiMarzio) pretty much
invented the after-market pickup
A small rivet in the body
game, and the JB is the company’s
best-selling unit. The birth of the
helps you easily tell also tRy...
where your pots are set
JB came when Seymour Duncan
(the man) installed a couple of pRs sE Zach myERs
rewound PAFs onto a guitar named £709
the Tele-Gib for Jeff Beck in 1974, Another great Korean-made
who used it on the influential Blow By guitar, this semi-solid
Blow album. Duncan nicknamed the
bridge pickup the ‘JB’, and by today’s Singlecut sports
standards its large 16.6kohm DC fine-sounding
resistance puts in to the ‘high output’ SE 245 ’buckers
category but players found it gave and a one-piece
increased output without sounding wrapover bridge
harsh or dark like other high-output
pickups of the time. In 1976, when
the Seymour Duncan Company was gREtsch
formed, the JB, became the SH-4 ElEctRomatIc
JB Model; not ‘the Jeff Beck,’ as it’s g5435 pRo JEt
often erroneously called – there £539
has never been an official product Gretsch’s attempt at
endorsement agreement between
Jeff and Seymour Duncan. If you ask
a Les Paul uses a
Seymour Duncan what JB stands for, sealed semi-soild
you’ll be told ‘Jazz Blues’. body like the
Bluesbird. There
are many models,
An initial unplugged strum you’ll have heard countless times: single-coil voices and this really is including a Bigsby-
reveals plenty of zingy, ring; the a JB at bridge and a ’59 at neck. a guitar you could take on your equipped version
neck is very Guild – a slim slightly The ’59 puts us in PAF-alike low volume jazz gigs or to your
flat-backed D – but with pretty territory that on cleaner amp tones more rock out party performances. ItalIa
chunky frets and a sharp setup, does great woody jazz and blues. A lighter weight, resonant mondIal dEluxE
it makes for a very contemporary Mixed position gets a little funkier, single-cut with typical Guild class. £769
blues and rock-friendly player. while the bridge sounds a little Dave Burrluck This retro design
In fact, only the rather too-shiny honky without some volume and sports a semi-
finish hints at its relatively lowly tone reduction. But pull up your FEatuREs solid mahogany/
Korean-made origins – other than gain a little and the JB comes alive maple body with
SuMMArY

sound qualIty
that it feels like a much more with a meaty upper-mid kick that ValuE FoR monEy
dual ’buckers
expensive instrument. suits anything from classic to plus a piezo.
BuIld qualIty
Plugged in, however, we’re in for pretty heavy rock without getting Bonkers… but in
a treat with a classic pair of USA over-dark or one-dimensional. playaBIlIty a good way!
Seymour Duncan pickups that Coil-splits add some usable oVERall RatIng

68 september 2016
 REVIEw
gretsch aLLigator

70 september 2016
 gear greTsch g9241 alligaTor

Gretsch G9241 AlliGAtor

Biscuit roundneck
resonAtor £579
We sink our teeth into a new resonator. But will it give us the blues? V neck
this resonator’s set

A
mahogany neck comes
member of the well-respected pearloid-decorated headstock at a glaNce spec’d with the kind of
vintage V-profile that was
retro-tastic Gretsch Roots for some vintage eye candy.
Series, the G9421 Alligator Biscuit Playability is great, with a low Body: Laminated mahogany popular on acoustic guitars
of the 30s and Fender
Round Neck resonator offers a action, and that V-profile neck Neck: Mahogany, set-in electrics of the mid-50s

classic delta blues and bluegrass shape, which fits snugly in the Scale: 635mm (25")
tone with a side order of cool retro palm. The 0.012 to 0.053 gauge FiNgerBoard: Rosewood Plug in
looks and an onboard pickup. strings are easier to handle than FretS: 19, medium jumbo the Alligator comes
Picking that model designation you might fear. Besides, you need loaded with a quality
apart, beneath the weathered (aka a chunky set of strings to get the
PickuP: Fishman Nashville Fishman nashville pickup

satin-finish) Poinsettia-decorated best from the resonator’s cone. coNtrolS: N/A that feeds off the bridge
saddle and cone to
metal cover is the Ampli-Sonic Acoustically, the Alligator is your Hardware: Gretsch Ampli-Sonic faithfully reproduce the
guitar’s acoustic tone
diaphragm, a resonating metal classic resonator. Aided by the stiff Biscuit w/ weathered Poinsettia
cone ‘hand-spun in Eastern Europe body shell, the aluminium cone cover, trapeze tailpiece and
from nearly 99 per cent pure acts like a mechanical speaker,
open-back Grover Sta-Tite tuners resonaTor
aluminium’, according to Gretsch. providing bags of volume while BeneAth the Alligator’s
You’ll also encounter the ‘Biscuit’, each note is launched like a leFt-HaNded: No faceplate lurks a spun
a hard maple disc topped with a projectile. The tone is like a banjo FiNiSH: Chieftain Red (as aluminium cone that
acts as a mechanical
maple/ebony bridge saddle that with a bit more sustain, and a little reviewed), 2-Colour Sunburst speaker providing a
classic resonator tone
transfers the vibrations from the more depth and warmth. In other coNtact: Fender GBI and bags of volume

01342 331700

The cone means each note is www.gretschguitars.com

launched like a projectile

strings to the cone. The model words, it’s your classic bluegrass
name also makes clear that this is sound. Plugging in, the Fishman
a ‘round neck’, as opposed to the Nashville pickup is faithful to the
‘square neck’ style, which is played acoustic tone with a scratchy
laid flat on your lap with a slide. top-end that works great for delta
The Alligator’s lightweight blues slide licks. The pickup has no
hollow body is all-laminate active preamp so you have to crank
mahogany. While it’s preferable to your amp a bit, but that just adds
have freely vibrating solid woods to the agreeable lo-fi output.
in a regular acoustic, for decent You can’t move for affordable
volume and tone, laminate woods resonators these days, but the
provide a stronger foundation for Gretsch Alligator is up there with
the cone in a resonator. After all, the best we’ve tried. It scores big
it’s the cone that does all the work on tone, playability and good
here, not the guitar’s top. looks. If you’re ready to dunk your
Our resonator’s mahogany neck head in the Biscuit market, we
has a vintage-style V profile, which suggest you give the Alligator a try.
was popular on acoustics of the And make it snappy.
1930s, and Fender electrics in Ed Mitchell
the mid-50s. The rosewood
Photography: Joseph Branston

fingerboard harbours 19 medium Features

jumbo frets, a dozen of which are
sUMMArY

sound quality
free of the body and therefore easy Value For money
to reach. The spec list is completed
Build quality
by a well-cut bone top nut,
half-a-dozen classic open-back playaBility
Grover Sta-Tite tuners and a oVerall rating

september 2016 71
 REVIEw
Peavey 6505 Piranha

72 SEPTEMBER 2016
 GEAR PEAvEy 6505 PiRAnhA

EFFEcts LooP Looks

THe Piranha has a proper Cool styling, graphics
buffered effects loop that and red LED lights give the
works well with delay and Piranha a very professional
modulation pedals finish that works just as well
for stage and studio

aT a glanCe
Type: Solid-state head with
part-valve preamp
OuTpuT: 20W
ValVes: 1x 12AX7
COnTrOls: Gain, EQ, volume
sOCkeTs: Input, aux in,
EQ headphones out, speaker out,

Peavey 6505 THe clever EQ knob has

a very wide range, going
from typical 6505 scooped
effects loop send/return
WeighT: 1.1kg

Piranha £185
thrash to 80s Brit-rock
grunt in a single twist DimensiOns: [HxWxD] 80 x
180 x 130mm
COnTaCT: Barnes & Mullins 01691
Maximum bite from minimum size – handle with care 652449 www.peavey.com

THe Peavey 6505 Piranha

micro-head was
introduced at this year’s Winter
another for headphones, while on
the rear panel you’ll find a series
effects loop and a single speaker
mid-boost/cut, giving you a great
scoop tone fully anti-clockwise,
or a vicious grunt at the other
There’s no doubt that the
Piranha is mostly aimed at
metalheads, but the lower gain
NAMM show, and is one of those jack that can produce 20 watts extreme, with a lot of variation levels are worth exploring, as there
products that has instant ‘I want’ into a minimum load of four ohms. in between. Clean sound lovers are some good 70s and 80s classic
appeal. This is thanks to its good There’s also a power switch and should look elsewhere, though, rock tones to be found here as well.
looks, clever design and minuscule a jack for an external laptop-style since the Piranha isn’t really about Set against its biggest competitor,
dimensions, which mean you can power adaptor. subtlety and nuance. Orange’s Micro Dark head, the
practically carry it in your pocket. The Piranha fires up with a The inclusion of a proper effects Piranha comes off fairly well
It’s taken a while for the Piranha to proper rock ’n’ roll thump; there’s loop adds quite a bit of extra sonically, but it is quite a bit more
swim across the pond, but it’s here, very little hum but some players versatility – for instance, you can expensive, and the noise levels
at last, and ready to assault ears. might find the hiss level a bit on stick a chorus and delay in there mean it’s not as useful at low
Despite its small size, the volumes as the bijou Orange.
Piranha is a proper amp, with
a preamp stage that crucially
includes a 12AX7 valve, fed into
For gain, gain and more gain, One thing there is plenty of is
the Piranha’s killer 6505 metal
tone, which sounds equally great
a powerful solid-state 20-watt
output stage. We like the pressed
steel case with its honeycomb
the Piranha doesn’t disappoint with humbuckers or single coils.
If gain, gain and more gain is
what you crave, then the Piranha
ventilation slots and funky the high side for home or recording to open up the sound. And certainly doesn’t disappoint.
black-on-black graphics, almost use. For gig use, it’s no problem. although the Piranha works Nick Guppy
as much as we like the LEDs that The Piranha’s crunch and lead okay with pedals, there’s so much
bathe everything in a red glow at modes cover a wide range of drive gain, your overdrives are probably Features
Photography: Neil Godwin

power-on. The Piranha’s front effects, ranging from a decent going to be surplus to
SUMMaRy

sound quality
panel gets straight down to classic rock bark, to a modern requirements. There’s plenty of Value For money
business with a single input jack, metal sound that’s unmistakably volume, too, and when we pair
Build quality
crunch/lead mode switch and 6505, and not that far away from the head with a Vintage 30-loaded
gain, EQ and volume knobs. its bigger brothers. The clever EQ 2x12 cab, it’s more than enough playaBility
There’s an aux input jack and control works as a variable to cope with a small gig. oVerall rating

SEPTEMBER 2016 73
 round-up
wylde audio

74 SEPTEMBER 2016
 GeaR Round-up

Words: Ed Mitchell Photography: Joseph Branston

Wylde Audio Round-uP

Black label Society’s Zakk wylde has been one of metal’s most prolific endorsees
over the last decade, so it was a logical step for him to set up his own brand. wylde
audio has kept us waiting for a year or so, but it was worth it – they’re some of the
best- playing and equipped metal guitars you can get your hands on…
SEPTEMBER 2016 75
 round-up
Wylde Audio

When he’s not trying to

convince us that he’s the Wylde audio
ODiN £999
metal Elton John with his anguished piano
ballads, Zakk Wylde is one of the most
exciting lead guitarists alive. And you
wouldn’t dare say otherwise to his face.
The big man also knows his gear, and as The hammer of the gods…
such, has been head-hunted by Gibson,
Epiphone, Dunlop, MXR and Marshall to
represent their goods as a signature artist.
Now, the hirsute riff-monger of Black
named after the
one-eyed Norse
god with an affinity for ravens, in case
been playing. It’s that neck that’s got us
hooked. In common with the rest of the
Wylde bunch, the Odin has a fat-profile
Label Society has launched his own guitar you were wondering, the Odin is a cool neck, like something you’d find on a pre-
label tailored, unsurprisingly, to his metal twist on Zakk’s beloved Gibson Les ’59 Gibson Les Paul. It’s made from three
brethren and sistren. Built by the good Paul format. The Death Claw Molasses pieces of maple and that, along with
people of South Korea and distributed by model in our clutches has a mahogany its substantial girth, makes the neck
Schecter, the Odin, Warhammer and Viking body core topped with a slice of flame feel rigid. That’s great news for tuning
V share a bunch of features. At their core, all maple, but you can opt for the all- stability and tone.
three guitars have mahogany bodies (with a mahogany Blackout Bullseye model The active EMG 81 bridge unit is
flame maple top for our Odin’s Death Claw (£1,019). What’s the difference? Well, a metal staple, stuffed with ceramic
Molasses finish), a three-piece maple neck you might simply prefer the classic Zakk magnets for powerful output and
with ebony ‘board, Zakk’s longtime favourite Bullseye finish, but more importantly, sustain, and the razor-sharp response
EMG 81/85 active humbucker layout and maple adds some weight and top-end to that you need with high-gain distortion.
some cool finish options with daft names. a guitar. That said, we don’t know how The 85 neck ’bucker is a bottomless pit
C’mon… Death Claw Molasses? While thick the maple is on the Death Claw of low-end, but in typical EMG style
Wylde has had a bit of fun with the names, Molasses. It could be a thin veneer to doesn’t sound muddy when you kick
his approach to the playability of the guitars make the see-through finish look smart. in the dirt. The fat neck and bright
is deadly serious. All three models on review The Odin is the only Wylde model attack of the Odin’s ebony fingerboard
here possess fat necks, 22 jumbo frets and a you can play sitting down. That’s a good propel riffs and licks through your amp.
14-inch fingerboard radius. These are not thing, ’cos this guitar is so addictive you You really couldn’t wish for a better
your typical metal guitars… might lose track of how long you’ve guitar for metal.

These are not

your typical
metal guitars…

76 SEPTEMBER 2016
 GeaR Round-up

Wylde audio
WARhAMMER FR £1,199
Choose your weapon…
There’s no getting
away from it.
The Warhammer FR looks like a subtly
super-low, and it’s buzz- and choke-free
everywhere up the ’board, if you have
a light touch. Heavy-handed shredders
tweaked take on Zakk’s Gibson ZV may want to lift the action a little.
Custom Signature mode – the one that The Floyd Rose is recessed into the
looks like an SG had a Flying V shoved Warhammer’s top for a bit of pull back
up its arse. The ‘FR’ part of the guitar’s and, as expected, maintains its tuning
model designation refers to its satin faultlessly, no matter how many times
black Floyd Rose Series 1000 double- you dump the strings on the pickups.
locking vibrato. If you’re not a whammy Speaking of which, the EMGs sound as
aficionado, you’ll be pleased to know brutal as they do on the Odin and Viking
that this model also comes as a hardtail V, but there’s an increase in clarity to our
in the same Pelham Blue Vertigo finish, ears here likely thanks to the big hole
or our old friend, Death Claw Molasses. occupied by the Floyd Rose.
Both variants retail at £1,099. Again, The Warhammer FR is an out and out
the satin black hardware is completed metal machine – with its looks, it could
with the same well-regarded Grover hardly have been anything else – and
Rotomatic tuners found on the other it excels in build quality, playability
Wylde models. and sheer brute force. Add in a neck so
The playability of our review guitar sturdy that you could use to ram a hole
is, like its Odin and Viking V brothers, through a concrete wall, and you have
exceptional. The string height is set a spectacular package.

Wylde audio
ViKiNG V £1,099
Come on feel the norse...
This prickly customer has the
same neck profile and
flat 14-inch radius ebony ’board
dirt. Suddenly, pinched harmonics feel
easy to launch, and the sustain on offer
is of Spinal Tap-esque proportions. That
as the Odin and Warhammer. We really response is boosted further by the Viking
like that consistency. You know you’re V’s string through-body construction
getting a great playing instrument; you and the chubby neck.
just have to decide on the body style This guitar kills, but before you
and finish. Tonally, the all-mahogany make your mind up you should know
Viking V roars through its bridge pickup. there’s a Bloodburst finish on offer at
Bottom-string riffs sound monstrous, £1,099, also hardtail but with a quilted
while the articulation on extreme gain maple top, and a Floyd Rose-equipped
settings is impressive, meaning you version in the same Pinstripe finish as
can hear every note. Like the other two we have on test for £1,199. Also, while
Wylde models here, the Viking V has we like the stylised Les Paul headstock
two volume controls, and a master tone. on the Odin, the fearsome-looking
The control nearest to the bridge is the beast protruding from the Viking V and
neck pickup’s volume, the one in the Warhammer couldn’t look more metal if
middle is for the EMG 81. The furthest it were being used for a spot of pillaging
away knob handles the tone. by a horde of Norsemen. Yeah, Zakk
Active EMG pickups are driven by a Wylde has done a good job with these
nine-volt battery. While there’s no law guitars, but with the Viking V, he’s taken
against running an EMG 81/85 clean, a well-worn concept and made it feel
they come to life when you dish out the fresh and dangerous again.

SEPTEMBER 2016 77
 round-up
Wylde Audio

Verdict
While The beautifully constructed, Wylde Audio guitars are imagine. Those of you that think slim is best when it comes
aimed at a very specific audience – you know who you are – we guitar necks and shredding may just be surprised how easy it
like the fact that Zakk has dared to push through with his own is to adapt to some extra beef. The reward? Gargantuan tone
preferences. The fat neck profile makes these guitars feel and sustain – there isn’t a rock or metal guitarist alive who
indestructible, addictive to play and way faster than you would couldn’t use some of that.

Wylde AuDiO ODiN £999 Wylde AuDiO Wylde AuDiO ViKiNG V

At A glAnce WARhAMMER FR £1,199 £1,099
Body: Mahogany w/ flame At A glAnce At A glAnce
maple top Body: Mahogany Body: Mahogany
neck: 3-piece maple, set neck: 3-piece maple, set neck: 3-piece maple, set
ScAle: 625.5mm (24.6") ScAle: 625.5mm (24.6”) ScAle: 625.5mm (24.6”)
FingerBoArd: Ebony, 14” radius FingerBoArd: Ebony, FingerBoArd: Ebony,
FretS: 22, jumbo 14” radius 14” radius
PickuPS: 1x EMG 81 (bridge), FretS: 22 jumbo FretS: 22, jumbo
1x EMG 85 (neck) PickuPS: 1x EMG 81 (bridge), PickuPS: 1x EMG 81 (bridge),
controlS: 2x volume, 1x tone, 1x EMG 85 (neck) EMG 85 (neck)
3-way pickup selector toggle switch controlS: 2x volume, controlS: 2x volume, 1x tone,
HArdwAre: Satin black TonePros 1x tone, 3-way pickup selector 3-way pickup selector switch
LPM04 Locking tune-o-matic bridge toggle switch HArdwAre: Satin black
and tailpiece, Grover Rotomatic tuners HArdwAre: Satin black Floyd TonePros T3BP Locking
leFt-HAnded: no Rose 1000 Series locking tune-o-matic w/ string-through
FiniSH: death Claw Molasses vibrato and top nut, Grover V plate tailpiece, Grover
(as reviewed), Blackout Bullseye Rotomatic tuners Rotomatic tuners
(without maple top) leFt-HAnded: no leFt-HAnded: no
contAct: Westside distribution FiniSH: Pelham Blue FiniSH: Pinstripe
0844 326 2000 (as reviewed) (as reviewed), Bloodburst
www.wyldeaudio.com (w/ quilted maple top)

FeAtures FeAtures FeAtures

summary

summary

summary

sound quAlity sound quAlity sound quAlity

VAlue For money VAlue For money VAlue For money
Build quAlity Build quAlity Build quAlity
plAyABility plAyABility plAyABility
oVerAll rAting oVerAll rAting oVerAll rAting

78 SEPTEMBER 2016
80 september 2016
 gEar WaSHburn

Washburn Woodline
10 SerieS Wlo12Se £329
The curious case of the little guitar that thinks it’s an orchestra...
PLayabiLiTy
The new Washburn
Woodline 10 Series
is a range of affordable but
impressive amount of sound when
strummed hard. Then there’s the
tone. While a dreadnought
aT a glaNce
Top: Solid mahogany
This Washburn punches
way above its price tag
with a great playing
well-appointed guitars based on generally offers a solid blend of Back & sides: experience, thanks to a
slim neck, 20 beautifully
the vintage Martin OM body style. bass, mid and treble, the orchestra Laminate mahogany finished vintage frets and
a low action
Our WLO12SE model’s spec kicks is more about the sparkling highs Neck: Mahogany
off with a solid mahogany top and and tight bottom-end. Figure in scale leNgTh: 648mm (25.5”)
laminate mahogany back and the inherent brightness of an TOnE WOOdS
sides, protected by a flawless gloss all-mahogany construction, and
FiNgerBoard: Rosewood
finish and pimped with black you’re rewarded with a guitar FreTs: 20, vintage The Wlo12Se features an
all-mahogany construction
binding and light pinstriping. The that’s perfect for fingerstyle elecTrics: Fishman 301T with a solid top and laminate
back and sides. The body is
slim C profile neck is mahogany, players and self-accompanying w/ tuner; volume, bass & protected by a flawless gloss
too – this time with a sleek satin singer-songwriters. treble controls, phase button finish with black binding
feel – and its rosewood ’board is Handling the WLO12SE is a joy.
hardware: Die-cast
home to 20 thin frets. A set of The action is low – something that
die-cast machineheads and a will appeal to electric players machineheads – chrome
well-cut top nut do their bit to keep looking for a stress-free transition leFT-haNded: No ELEcTricS
the WLO12SE tuning in check. to an acoustic. The frets are FiNish: Gloss natural This little electro-acoustic
The neck is the only place we can beautifully finished, and the slim coNTacT: Sound Technology comes loaded with the
Fishman 301T preamp with
see evidence of budget price. It’s neck allows you to noodle away
01462 480000 onboard volume, bass and
made from three pieces of timber, for hours without cramping up. treble controls, an easy-to-use
www.soundtech.co.uk tuner and a phase button to
help eliminate feedback

Handling the WLO12SE is a joy,

you can noodle away for hours
with a separate heel and a scarf As expected, the Fishman provides
joint connecting the headstock a good representation of the
to the rest of the neck. It’s not as guitar’s acoustic qualities through
pretty as a one-piece job, but an amp, and we like the wide
this guitar is only £329, and this tone-tweaking potential of the
construction method does provide bass and treble controls.
a robust neck, which is good news The electro-acoustic market is
for tuning stability and strength. so swamped these days, it can be
Plugged in fun comes from a tempting to just grab the first
Fishman 301T preamp, which has decent dread you see and scuttle
volume, bass, treble and phase off home. The WLO12SE is a
controls – plus a built-in tuner with beautifully realised reminder that
an on/off button and LED display. you should take the time to narrow
The volume knob is bigger than your search and find a playing
the others, and is rubberised, experience and tone that suits your
making it easy to find and grip in needs perfectly. In this case, it
a dark environment. The phase happens to be at a price that makes
button, meanwhile, helps dial out this guitar virtually unbeatable.
any annoying feedback. Ed Mitchell
The WLO12SE’s spec is spiffing,
Photography: Joseph Branston

but it doesn’t answer the question Features

of why you would want an
suMMarY

sound quality
all-mahogany orchestra-bodied Value For money
guitar over, say, a regular spruce-
Build quality
topped dreadnought. Well, despite
its sub-dreadnought dimensions, playaBility
the WLO12SE pumps out an oVerall rating

september 2016 81
 round-up
rounD-up
SeyMour Duncan peDalS

Seymour Duncan pedals

There’s more to Seymour Duncan than pickups; feast your eyes on four
stompers that add a twist to tried-and-tested formulas

Back in 2002, Seymour Duncan

branched out from its
comfort zone dominating the world of
after-market pickups, and dipped its toe into
the much bigger ocean of stompboxes. Its first
attempt was the Pickup Booster – a clever little
box that beefed up single coils to make them
sound like vintage humbuckers, and added a
boost to humbuckers in order to maintain
clarity and fidelity from your signal chain – it
was an immediate hit. That was 14 years ago,
and since then the Pickup Booster has
received a makeover, while becoming part of a
whole extended family of effects. We got hold
of four stompers from the range: the Catalina
Chorus, Vise Grip compressor, Palladium
Gain Stage and 805 Overdrive, each of which
takes a staple effect and adds some extra
functionality, too.

Seymour Seymour Duncan

Duncan 805 Catalina ChOrus
Overdrive £179 £299
Dream Screamer? Modulation innovation
It’S an overdrive. Its model number choruS haS a bad rep, but it’s not all
starts with an eight. It’s… almost green? power ballad cheese – analogue chorus
No prizes for guessing what have here. can give a deep, rich mod effect. The
Still, if the most famous overdrive of all Catalina is fuelled by bucket brigade
time has a ‘flaw’, it could be argued that circuitry, just like the classic Boss CE-1,
it’s the lack of EQ to even out that mid but it does it with a twist. By engaging
hump. The 805 remedies this with three the Expression footswitch and selecting
mini-pots for bass, middle and treble, a threshold level, the pedal will react to
and it sounds immense. The stack-in-a- how hard or soft you hit the strings.
box sound is all punch and harmonics, These dynamics add a creative edge to
but with the added bonus of proper one of the most Marmite effects on the
tone shaping if you want it. We like! block, but it comes at a price…

82 SEPTEMBEr 2016
 Gear rounD-up

Seymour Duncan
palladium Gain
staGe £394
your extra channel
SIngle-channel ampS are all over the
place at the moment, but that does mean
relying on pedals to bring different sounds in
or out, and they aren’t always that well stocked.
Think of the Palladium as adding an entire
preamp section, plus an additional boost to
your amp. You get beautiful valve-esque drive
with a lot of gain on tap, a comprehensive EQ
section with sweepable mids, plus amp-style
resonance and presence controls. It’s a fully
formed channel in its own right, and it sounds
absolutely incredible.

Seymour Duncan
vise Grip COmpressOr £209
Squeez-y does it
StuDIo BoDS love compressors, but for
guitarists they’re often overlooked. Use it
wrong and it can destroy your sound, but use it
correctly, and you’ll reap the benefits of sustain
for days, punchier picking and substantial
boosts. We like the Vise Grip, because where
other pedals can squash your sound out of
shape, the Vise Grip’s blend control and
frequency switch allow you to mix your dry
signal (or just the dry highs or mids) with the
compressed sound. If you want the benefits of
compression without the dynamic-killing side

The palladium is a fully formed affects, this is the squeeze box for you.

channel in its own right, and it

sounds absolutely incredible
805 oVerDriVe catalina choruS
FeatureS FeatureS
Summary

Summary

SounD quality SounD quality

at a glance Value For money Value For money
type: Overdrive, BuilD quality BuilD quality
compressor, preamp and uSaBility uSaBility
chorus pedals oVerall rating oVerall rating
BypaSS: True bypass
power: Battery or
pallaDium gain Stage ViSe grip compreSSor
psU (Vise Grip, 805)
FeatureS FeatureS
psU only (palladium,
Summary
Summary

SounD quality SounD quality

Catalina Chorus) Value For money Value For money
contact: Rosetti BuilD quality BuilD quality
01376 550033 uSaBility uSaBility
www. seymourduncan.com oVerall rating oVerall rating

SEPTEMBEr 2016 83
 REVIEw
hotone xstomp

84 september 2016
 gear hotone xstomp

Controls
tHe six controls are
reassigned for every
pedal, and illuminate
to show which ones
are active

effeCts
Hotone is aiming to
smart Control
release up to 300 amp, effect no tiny screens or button
and cab models – at time of pushes here; you load in
writing it had just over 70 the effects from your ioS
or Android device

aT a glanCe
Type: Modelling stompbox
ConTrols: 6x knobs, 1x bypass
switch, Xtomp app
soCkeTs: Stereo input
and output, USB
Bypass: Switchable
buffer/true bypass per-effect

Hotone Xtomp £179 power: 9V adaptor

ConTaCT: MusicPsych
Distribution 0207 607 6005
Can one tiny pedal deliver 300 effects? this smart-stomper reckons so… www.xtomp.com

Gear you can control

from your phone
is all the rage these days, and the
expensive features such as screens.
Hotone promises it’ll be releasing
regular updates, which will grow
It’s all very intuitive, and there’s
an impressive range of effects
on offer, ranging from the staples
nothing to say that couldn’t
happen in future.
Now for the sticking points.
latest unit promising Bluetooth- the library to the 300 target – we (Muffs, Screamers, etc) to the If you want to use this live, you’ll
enabled effects wizardry is the were a bit sceptical, but during our boutique-aping of brands such as most likely want to ‘set and forget’
Hotone Xtomp – a sharp-looking few weeks with the pedal, it was Providence, Hermida, Fulltone your model. Many of the patches
stompbox, housing a growing list indeed updated three times, each and others. Outside overdrives, took between one to two minutes
of pedals, amp and speaker models time adding new stuff to the list. our favourites are the Backmask to load, and while that isn’t too bad
(it’s up to 72 as we write). Still when you’re sat watching TV, it’s
confused? Let us explain.
The Xtomp was launched at
NAMM earlier this year, with bold
It’s very intuitive, and there’s an eternity if you’re on stage and
your singer is ‘doing banter’ at the
crowd. Not to mention that radical
boasts from Hotone that it will one
day host to 300 different effects
models. It’s got six assignable pots
an impressive range of effects jumps between effect types will
likely require you to physically
reorder your pedals. All in all,
to take care of your controls, as The models are categorised (reverse delay), Spaceko though, the Xtone is a solid
well as a mushroom-shaped on/off by Amp, Distortion, Dynamic, (modulated delay), Toucher proposition, which could deliver
switch. The onboard Bluetooth Frequency, Modulation, Ambient, (envelope filter) and, quite where others haven’t managed to.
talks to your phone via the free Combo (not that kind, more on surprisingly, the AC acoustic Stuart Williams
Xtomp app, which in turn hosts a this later), and Cabinet. Each simulator, which was one of the
menu of gear. You pick your pedal, model in the category is named, most impressive we’ve tried. FEatuREs
Photography: Neil Godwin

amp or speaker model from your with familiar graphics to give you The pedal can also load preset
SUMMarY

sound qualIty
phone and the hardware loads it. a clue as to what it’s modelled after. ‘combo’ effects, where it’ll pair ValuE FoR monEy
It’s a concept that’s been done Should you load it into the pedal, mod and drive sounds, fuzz and
BuIld qualIty
before (see DigiTech’s iStomp, or you can choose the bypass type octave, reverb and delay et al. We’d
the Eventide H9) and is becoming (true or buffered) and trails on/off like to have the option to create usaBIlIty
more popular, as it cuts down on for delays and reverbs. our own dual-patches, but there’s oVERall RatIng

september 2016 85
 REVIEw
EHX MEl9

In its quest seemingly to make

keyboard players redundant,
EHX has produced the Mel9

The Mel9 features nine

classic Mellotron
sounds to choose from

ElEctro-Harmonix The Mel9 brings classic

Mel9 £170 Mellotron sounds to a

compact guitar pedal

A keyboard classic that you can play from your guitar… Type: Mellotron emulator
ConTrols: Dry/effect volumes,
WHEn The Beatles
used a
Mellotron on Strawberry Fields
warbly alternatives that became
the sound of the instrument in
their own right.
Tonally, the Mel9 is our favourite
of the range so far. The nature of
the sounds mean that latency is
attack, sustain, model select
soCkeTs: Input, dry and
Forever, it immediately elevated In its quest seemingly to make less of a problem – strings don’t effect outputs
the instrument to ‘must-have’ keyboard players redundant, EHX need an immediate attack to Bypass: Buffer
status for many bands in the late has produced the Mel9 – a box that sound convincing. The flute, cello, power: 9V adaptor (included)
60s/early 70s. The legendary allows you to play Mellotron strings and orchestra sounds are ConTaCT: Electro-Harmonix
instrument was sort of a forbear sounds from your guitar. great, and we reckon anyone from
www.ehx.com
to the digital sample-playback It features nine classic Mellotron covers bands to post-rockers could
keyboards that are made today, sounds, includes a blend between find a use for them. The clarinet,
except it used tape loops to offer your guitar and the Mellotron brass and choir sounds are more Features
recreations of orchestra, flute, sounds, attack and sustain controls ‘nice to have’, but there is a big
SUmmarY

sound quality
cello, strings and more. The nature to manipulate the shape of the elephant in the room here. It costs Value For money
of the technology meant that effected sound, and has dry/effect £170. At this price, it’s a definite
Build quality
unlike today’s pristine duplications outputs so you can run your guitar luxury that will never trump staple
of samples, the sounds actually and the effected sounds to effects on the wishlist. usaBility
ended up being slightly crunchy, different outputs if you like. Stuart Williams oVerall rating

86 september 2016
 geAr Boss Ce-2W

The sounds are as

authentic as can be thanks
to an all-analogue circuit
A simple slider switch
chooses between the
three chorus modes

Boss CE-2W Chorus £199 The Waza Craft name

signifies the pinnacle of
A rousing ensemble performance Boss’s stompbox range

Ask any wizened effects

buff to name the best
chorus pedal of all time, and they’ll
right engages its full-on vibrato
mode for proper pitch-bending
goodness. The sounds are as
Despite its all-analogue nature,
the CE-2W is remarkably low-
noise and doesn’t mess with your
likely cite the first one ever, Boss’s authentic as can be, too, thanks to guitar’s core tone, yet retains the
iconic 1976 CE-1 Chorus an all-analogue circuit, complete three-dimensional nature of Boss’s
Ensemble unit, or perhaps its later with all-important bucket brigade legendary originals. Whether
compact-sized incarnation, the delay chips. you’re willing to fork out just shy
CE-2 Chorus. It’s a savvy move, Kicking off with the CE-2 mode, of £200 for a chorus pedal is
then, that Boss has combined these its liquid, watery shimmer thickens another matter, but none can
two classic effects for the latest rather than drastically alters your match this Waza winner. Type: Chorus pedal
addition to its high-end Waza Craft guitar tone, but flicking over to the Michael Astley-Brown
ConTrols: Rate, depth, mode switch
series, while adding a few new CE-1 Chorus yields a much deeper
features along the way. modulation with more movement. soCkeTs: Input, 2x outputs, power
Features
A tiny slider switch holds the key The vibrato mode, meanwhile, Bypass: Buffered
sUMMARY

sound quality
to the CE-2W’s versatility. On the should be your first port of call for Value For money power: 9V battery, 9V power supply
left is the standard position for SRV Cold Shot-style Leslie leads, (not included)
Build quality
smooth CE-2 sounds, but shift it while its extreme depth makes it a ConTaCT: Roland UK 01792 702701
over to the middle and you get the dab hand at copying Come As You usaBility
CE-1’s definitive swirl, while the Are Small Clone tones, too. oVerall rating www.roland.co.uk

september 2016 87
 Accessories
All the smAll things

d’addario nIckEl BronzE Vox V860

AcoustIc strIngs VoluME PEDAl
Gold medal for bronze strings Volume with a V8
conStructed From a combination of nickel-plated phosphor it’S alwayS been a big name in wah, but Vox’s V860 is “a new
bronze wrapped around a high-carbon NY steel core, D’Addario’s standard in guitar volume pedals”, the company reckons. With a
new Nickel Bronze strings promise to bring out the unique tonal hand-wired design and not a circuit board in sight, the V860 is as
characteristics of any guitar and allow it to shine. According to the string transparent as volume pedals get, promising zero changes to your
giant, the strings’ nickel-plated wrap wire enhance your acoustic’s guitar signal. The chassis is a reimagining of the Vox pedal design
clarity, resonance and projection, while offering improved string balance with an aluminium body, while the pedal mechanism utilises gears
and harmonic overtones. Tuning stability and break resistance claim with a high tooth count for increased durability. Jacks consist
to be stronger, too, courtesy of the NY Steel core, as previously seen in of input, output and tuner out, and a torque adjustment screw
D’Addario’s NYXL electric strings. Gauges range from 0.010 to 0.013. allows you to adjust the feel of the treadle, too.
(£11.49, www.daddario.com) (£118, www.voxamps.com)

BoSS tunEr APP

It’s your Boss on the phone
BoSS haS been making
tuners since way back – 1983,
to be precise – but the Boss
Tuner App now brings the
company’s pitch-perfect
tuning to your phone. This free
download takes visual cues
from Boss’s TU-3 pedal tuner,
and offers chromatic tuning for
guitar, bass, ukulele and other
instruments using your device’s Fender DXA1
built-in mic. A 21-segment
meter and note display provide
Pro In-EAr MonItors
visual feedback, while two Music to your ears
arrow indicators show you
when a note is in tune. If you’d Stick the Big F in your lugs with these natty in-ear monitors,
rather tune by ear, you can do which promise “unprecedented clarity, precision and impact”.
so via the audible reference The DXA1 is the most affordable in Fender’s new range of IEMs,
pitches, too. The app’s available and its custom 8.5mm titanium micro drivers cover a wide
now from the App Store and frequency range for an accurate onstage mix, not to mention
Google Play – just try to avoid top-notch offstage music listening. Meanwhile, 18dB of noise
stomping on your phone. reduction protects your hearing and rejects ambient noise. The
(free, www.roland.co.uk) package boasts a deluxe carrying case, secure-fitting tips, cleaning
tool and detachable cable, and it all looks rather chic to boot.
(£75, www.fender.com)

88 SEPTEMBEr 2016
 Classic
track

led Zeppelin
I Can’t QuIt
You BaBY
© Jay Good/Frank White Photo Agency

This track is like one big guitar solo that lets Jimmy show
off his blues skills with the minor pentatonic scale!
 classic track Led ZeppeLin |
SOUnd AdViCe
ZeppelIn’s mix of Celtic, Arabic and
Indian styles was underpinned by blues,
and on this track from their self-titled
debut you can hear the band in their Everything you need to know before playing ‘I Can’t Quit You Baby’
rawest, bluesiest form, self-financed
and with no overdubs!
Jimmy Page is on blistering form,
showing no mercy to his Fender Get the sound CHannel oVErDrIVE
Telecaster and a tiny Supro amp turned
up to 10. Though his phrasing is mostly Jimmy used a Fender Telecaster
and a small Supro valve amp. To
based on the minor pentatonic scale, the emulate this on a larger amp keep
rhythm of Page’s phrasing is incredibly the mids high but lower the bass.
complex, as a quick glance at our Boost the treble and slightly reduce
transcription will confirm. A lot of phrases the gain if you’re using humbucking gaIn Bass mId TrEBlE rEvErB
are repeated though, so take it one lick at pickups, or reverse this process for
single-coil pickups.
a time. In particular, the very first lick in
the first verse is repeated throughout
the track.
In typical bluesy style Page varies the
lick every time. Unless you’re dead set on
learning every note as transcribed you
can make up your own variations, so
make sure you know the minor pentatonic
scale in a few positions on the neck.

x x x x x x x x
Chords
1 1 1 1 1 1
Page’s Bluesy noodling
5 5 6
takes centre stage here, so 2
there are only a few chords
to play. The track is a I-IV-V 3 3 3
in the key of A, which means
A, D and E chords outline the
main progression, although
the chords are ‘implied’ by
the bass guitar most of the a a5 Bb5
time. Keep an eye on the
chord names above the
notation to show you where
x x x x x
the changes occur.
1 1 1 1 1
6 3 4 6
2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3

Bb Db9 D9 e9

scales
most of Page’s licks are
1 1 1 1 1
based within these three A 4 7 9
minor pentatonic scale shapes.
Practise the shapes and you 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1
should get a feel for how Jimmy
pieced his lead lines together. 2 2 3 3
Notice that we’ve added a few
extra notes highlighted in 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3
green. Jimmy frequently
targets these non-scale notes 4 4 4 4 4
but without really leaving the
minor pentatonic framework. a minor pentatonic scale a minor pentatonic scale a minor pentatonic scale
(shape 1) (shape 2) (shape 3)

SEPTEMbEr 2016 93
 classic track Led ZeppeLin | full track + backing
(tracks 52-53)
tHIs song comes with a full demo track and a
i can’t Quit you BaBy backing track (minus guitar) on your CD.
Music and lyrics by Willie Dixon Simply insert the disc in your player, press play
©1956 (renewed 1984) Hoochie Coochie Music (bMI). and jam along, guitaraoke style!
bMG rights Management (US) LLC
WW reproduced by kind permission of Hal Leonard Corporation
All rights reserved. International Copyright Secured.

led Zeppelin
I Can’t Quit You Baby
Verse 1
full
taB
q.= 81
D9
2 w. œ.
A
# # 12 œ œ nœ œ œ œ œœœ
j

& # 8 n www .. Œ. œ
j
œ nœ #œ ‰
w ..
RP 3
BU BD
5 BU
T 5
5 7(9)
5 8 5 8 (10) (10)( 8 ) 5
7 5 6
A 4
B 5
1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
œ. œ œ. ˙ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
D
## œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙˙ ..
j

& # Œ J Ó.
j
œ Œ
BU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RP
BD BU BD ~~~~~~~~~~~~
BU
T 7 (9)
5 8 5 8 (10) (10) ( 8 ) 7
7
10 (14) (10)
A
B
4

~~~~~~ √.
n œ œj œ œ œ œ n œ # œ~~~ œ ˙. œ .
### A j
œ. œ œ nœ œ
j E

‰ ⇥ œ œ œ J ‰ œ œ nœ
œ œ
Ó.
j j
&
œ Œ œ
‰
3
. œ
BU BDBU BD ~~~ ~~~~~~ 20
BU 5 BU 5 BU
T 7 (9)
8 5 8 (10) ( 8 )(10) (8)
7 5 6 7 (9)
8 5
12 (14)
15
2
A
B 10 0
7

Bb5 Bb5
D9 A5
. A5
.
# # # n www ... œœ .. n b œœ œj œ. œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ~~~~~~ œœ .. n b œœ
3

Œ. œ. bœ œ ⇥ . œ. bœ œ
j œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ j œ
& ww .. nœ œœœ œ œ

5 5 6
3
~~~~~~ 5 6
BU BU BU
T 5
5
5 6
7 (9) 7 5 5 7 7 7 7 (9)
5 6
7 (9) 5 7 5 5
A 4 7 8 7 7 8 7 7 5 7 5 5
B 5 7 7 5
10
Guitars and backing: Richard Barrett

Page’s very first lick finishes on a 6th fret C# note. Adding this note into the minor pentatonic scale gives an A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G) tonality that you could experiment with yourself. Just take
the notes Jimmy has used and try rephrasing them with a few of your own ideas.

94 SEPTEMbEr 2016
 classic track Led ZeppeLin |
Verse 2

Db9
A
nœ D9 A
~~~~~
# # 12 bœ ˙. œ œ œnœ œ œ œ œ.
j j
œ œœ
‰ b b n œœœ n ˙˙ ..
œ

& # 8 œ. Œ. Ó. Œ. nœ #œ
j
j ˙˙ ..
œ ‰
œ œ bœ
3
0:57
~~~~~
RP
slow
BU BD
15 4 5 BU 5
T 4
4
5
5 7 (9)
5 8 5 8 (10) ( 10 )( 8 ) 5
7 5 6
A BU BD 3 4
B 4 (5) (4) 4 5
1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ D
n œ œ. œ œ. œ.
### œ. Œ
j
œ œ œ
œ
Œ. Œ. Œ. Ó.
j
& Œ J #œ
j œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ nœ œ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
grad.
BU BU BU 0
T 7 (9)
5 8 5
12 (14) [14 ] (16) 3 4 3 4 3 4 2 4 2
A
B 4 5 4 5 4 5 3 5 3
4

##
A
œ œ n œ œ. œ œ
j œ. œ œ œ œ œ b œ. . n œ œj œ œ œ œ n œ # œ œ œ Eœ~~~~~ nœ
& # Œ nœ #œ ⇥ œ. . œ œ œ . Œ. Œ. Œ J
j j
œ œ Œ œ J
J
3 4 3
BU
5
BU ~~~~~
BU 5 BU 5
T 7 (9)
8 5 8 (10) 8 5
7 5 6
5
15
0
7 (9)
8 5 8 (10) 8 5
7 5 6
5
6
5 13
A 7
B
7

Bb Bb
œ
D
œ n œ ~~~~~~ A
.
A

### œ.
Œ.
nœ œ
‰ œœ b œ œœ œ œœJ Œ
œœ ..
œœ .. n bb œœœœ œj œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿ j œ
bœ
œ œ œœœœ ... n b œœœ .... Œ.
& œ œ
.
BU BD ~~~~~~ BU BD BU BD
5 6 BU
3

BD 5 6
T
A
[13 ] (17) (13) 10 7 (8)(7)(8) (7)
7 (8)(7)(8) (7)
5
6
6
7 7 (9) 5 7 5 5 7 7 7 7 ¿ BU
7 (9)
5
[ 9 ]( 7 ) 6
6
7
7 8 7 7 8
B
10

Bars 1 and 2 feature a sliding chord change from D b 9 to D9. The D b 9 is a passing chord that draws out the change from the A to the D9 so Jimmy doesn’t hang on it for too long. If you’ve played through
verse 1 already, the licks in bars 3, 4, 7 and 8 should all be starting to feel familiar.

SEPTEMbEr 2016 95
 |
classic track Led ZeppeLin

solo 1
A
~~~~~ œ œ 1/4

nœ #œ œ~~~~~ n œ
j
# # 12 œœ j œ œ ⇥ œ

œ œ œ —
nœ
& # 8 ‰ ‰ Œ.
1:51 PH
5
~~~~~ 8 9
BU
10 (12)
~~~~~ 1/4

8
T 6 7
5 5 8 10 10
A 7
B
1

D A

. œ nœ ⇥ œ . œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ. œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œj œ
1/4 1/4

œ œ~~~~ j
œ. œ~~~
. nœ
### œ œ
œ

& ⇥. J ‰ Œ J

10 8 8 8
~~~~ 8 9
BU
10 9 10 9 10 (12) 8
1/4

8 9 9 10
BU
9 10 (12)
~~~ 8
1/4

T 10 10 10 10 10 10
A
B
2

œ. √. œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
### œ œ œ œ nœ
j j œ. j œ œ #œ œ
œ. œ.
œ nœ
& nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 6
4
BU 6 BU BU
12 12 (15) 12 (15) 13 (15) 13 12 10 10
T 0
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 13 13 13 12 10
11
10
11
A
B
4

œ. nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ~~~~~~~ œ
### œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ
D j
œ

& ‰
3 3

BU BD BU BD ~~~~~~~
T 10 12 10 12 10
11
10
11
10 13 (17) ( 13 )(17) [17 ] (13) 10 10 13
A
B
5

### œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ # œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ. nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ
& œ. nœ œ œ #œ œ n œ œ œ j
œ
3
9 6 3

BU 5 8 5 5
T 6
5 8 5 8 5
7
5
7 5 6 5 5 7 (9)
5 8 5 8 8 5 8 5
8 7 5
A 7 5 5 6 7 7
B 7
6

96 SEPTEMbEr 2016
 classic track Led ZeppeLin |
solo 1 (continUed)

~~~~
### A
œ 4

œ œ nœ #œ. œ nœ #œ nœ
4 4

& œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ ⇥ œ œ œj œ.
j
œ
œ œ œ
3 3 ~~~~
T 5 6
5
7 5 6
A 7 7 5 5 7 5 5
B 0 7 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 5 7 0 0 5 7
17 0
0
7

nœ . .
6 6

### œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ⇥ œ œ œ
E

⇥ n œ œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3
8 5 5
T 5 5 7 7 5 7
5
7
5 8 5 8 5 8 8 5
7 5 7 5 5 5 9
8 10
A 5 5 7 5 7 7 7
B 5 7 5 7 7
9

D
nœ œ. œ. œ œ œ œ j
œ ~~~~~~ A Bb
œœ .. n b œœœ
j œ
## œ œ œ
& # Œ
J R ⇥ . RÔ œœ .. bœ ‰ œ œ. œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
j
⇥

BU BD BU
RP
BD BU
12 (14) 12
~~~~~~ 5 6
3
BU
T 13 (17) ( 13 )(17) (17) (13) 10 10 5
6
6
7 7 (9) 7 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7
A 7 8 7
B
10

~~~~~~ Bb
### œ œ œ
A
œœ .. nœ œ œ. œ
&
œ
j
‰ œ. b œœ œ
j
nœ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. # œ.

~~~~~~ 5
BU BU
T 7 7 (9)
5
6
6
7 7 (9) 5 7 5 5 5 6
5
A 7 8 7 7
B
12

the whole track is an extended solo for Jimmy Page so the same rules apply throughout. Make sure you know your A minor pentatonic scale (A C D E G), A blues scale (A C D E b E G) and A Mixolydian
(A B C# D E F# G) scale. You can improvise with any of these scales at any point throughout the track.

SEPTEMbEr 2016 97
 |
classic track Led ZeppeLin

Breakdown
N.C.
œ
j œ œ nœ œ
j œ œ œ
j œ. œ nœ œ.
1/4

œ œ. œ
# # 12 J
& # 8 Œ Œ. Œ J Œ J
2:48 1/4
BU BU BU
10 (12) 10 8 10 (12) 10 (12) 10 8 [8 ]
T 10 10 10 10
A
B
1

œ
j œ œ
j œ œ nœ œ
j œ œ œ
j ˙. œ œ œ œ œ
### J J J
& Œ. Œ
RP
BU BU BU BU BD
10 (12) 10 (12) 10 10 (12) 10 (12) (12) [12 ] (10)
T 13 10 10
A
B
3

the licks are relatively simple in terms of the tab here, but it’s hard to get the hard-edged blues inflections that Page extracts from his axe. Dig in and pick each note with attitude. We’ve tabbed the top
line melody here but listen closely to the recording to hear how Jimmy occasionally hits the second and third strings.

solo 2

œ n œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ b œj
D
# # 12 œ œ œ œ nœ
3
œ œ œ œ œ
j
& # 8 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ
j
œ n œj œ œ œ œ œ ‰
œ
œ œ œ
3:05
3 3 3 3 3
BU BU 5 8 5 5
T 9 (11 ) 9 7 7 5 5 5 7 (9)
5 8 5 8 5
8 7 5 7 5 5
A 7 7 7 7 5 7 5 5 7
B 7
1

nœ œ œ œ œ
# # # œj œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ
Œ.
j j
œ œ
&

BU BD BU BU 8 5 5
T 9 (11 ) (9) 7 7 (9) 7 5 5 5 7 (9)
5 8 5 8
A 7 7
B
2

A 6

##
& # ⇥ œ n œ œ n œ œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ n œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
T 5
A 7 7 5 7 5 7 5 5
B 7 7 5 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 6 5
8
5
8 5 8 5 5 8
6 5
8 8
5
3

98 SEPTEMbEr 2016
 classic track Led ZeppeLin |
solo 2 (continUed)

### 3

& j œ nœ œ nœ nœ œ œ ‰ j bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ
j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
#œ
œ œ œ œ
œ

T BU
A 5 5 5 7 7 7 (9) 7 5 7 5 5 5
B 6 7 7 3 5 3
5
3
5 5 0
5 6 7 7 7
4

œ. œj œ n œ —~~~~— œ œ. œ œ œ œ
E D A
œ
1/4

n œ œ œ œ j œ œ # œ œ
## j j œ œ nœ œ œ œ ⇥ œœ ..
& # n œ œj œ œ œ œ Œ œ.
œ

3 3

~~~~
1/4 PH PB 10
BU BD
BU 8 5 5 5 8 9 10 9 10 10 (12) 8 8 10 (12)(10) 8
T BU 7 (9)
5 8 5 8 8 10 10 10 5
6
A 5 7 (9) 5 7
B 7 7
5

Bb œ
# # # b n œœœ. œ
j œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. n œ œ œ œ œ œ
j
Œ ‰ œ
j œ. œ œ œ œ
&
3 3
BU
BU BD 5 10 BU
T 6
7 7 (9) (7) 7 5 5 5 7
5 5 8 5 8 8 (10)
7 (9) 7 5 7
A 8 7 7 7
B
7

Bb
##
A

# œœœ ... nœ bœ œ œ œ œ
& # n œJ b œœ œ œ œ œ œ
j
Œ œ

BU BD BU BD BU BD BU BU BU BD
T 5
5
6
6
7 7 (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7)
A 7 8
B
8

Jimmy maDe life easy for himself during some of his fastest playing by using hammer-ons and pull-offs instead of trying to pick every note. Wherever you see two consecutive notes on the same string
connected by a ‘slur’ symbol in the tab/notation you must play a hammer-on or pull-off. String bends are notated with BU (bend up) and BD (bend down).

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 classic track Led ZeppeLin |
Verse 3

A Db9 D9 A ~~~~~
# # 12 ˙~~~~~~~~~ bœ
†
œœ nœ œœ œœ .. œ œ œj œ œ n œ œ. œ œ œ .
j
.
& # 8
. Œ. ‰ bn n œœœ n n œœ œ œ. Ó. Œ. ⇥ œ œ œ nœ
j j
œ œœ œ
b œ œ n # œœ œœ œœ ..
3:40
~~~~~~~~~ 4 5
BU ~~~~~
BU BU 5 BU 5
T 7 (9)
4
4
5
5 7( 9 ) 7( 9 )
8 5 8 (10)
7 6 [6] 0
A 3 4
B 4 5
1 † to neck p/u

œ nœ œ
œ œ nœ œ œ œ
D
### j
œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
J Ó. ⇥ œ # œ nœ #œ nœ #œ nœ #œ nœ #œ nœ Œ. Ó.
j
& Œ œ ‰ J Œ
BU BD BU BD BU BD BU BD BU BD
BU 5
T 7 (9)
8 5 8 10 [10 ] 13 15 7
7
(8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7)
(8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7) (8) (7)
[7 ]
[7 ]
A
B
4

√
œ n œ œ œj œ~~~~ œ œ n¿ œ n œ œ œj œ~~~~~~
E9
###
A
œ œ j œ . ˙˙ .. œ œ
‰ œœ œ nœ #œ œ J ‰ œœ
œ
& œ
j
œ
j
Ó. ˙˙ .. ‰ œ œ
3
3
3
œ
5
BU ~~~~ 5 ¿ 5
BU ~~~~~~ slow
17
BU 5 BU 5
T 7(9)
8 5 8 (10) 8 5
7 5 6
5 8 10
7(9)
8 5 8 (10) 7
7
17
17
A 6 17
B 7
0
7

D9 A Bb
# # ˙. œœœ .. b n œœœ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& # n ˙˙˙ ... Ó. Œ.
j
. œ

BU
T 5
5
5
6
6
7 7 (9) 5 7 5 5 7 7 7 7 7
A 4 7 8 7
B 5
10

A Bb A Bb

# # # œ œj œ~~~~~œ n œ. nœ œ nœ œ œ nU˙ .
œœ .. b œœ œ œ nœ
j
œ œ œ œ œ jœ ⇥ œ Œ. œœ .. b ˙˙ ..
& œ. nœ œ œ.
~~~~~ 3
8 5 5
BU BU
T 7 7 (9)
5
6
6
7 7(9) 5 7 5 5
8 8 5 5
6
6
7
A 7 8 7 7 57 5 7 8
B
12

in Bar 5 there is a two-string bend. It’s fitting of the blues style to use the flat of your fingers laid across two strings at once to play it. Aim for a loose, drawn out feel and don’t worry too much about
hitting the notes exactly as transcribed.

100 SEPTEMbEr 2016

 - mic
Open b o o k
S o n g

U2
One
This anthemic U2 classic can
be an easy acoustic strummer
or a cool fingerpicked electric
riff. The choice is yours!

I
rish rock band U2’s career is littered
with multi-platinum selling albums
and legendary concert performances,
including Live Aid and Live At Red Rocks.
One was the third single to be released
from their hugely popular 1991 album,
Achtung Baby.
Often with fingerstyle lines you can
simply assign your fingers to specific
strings, but things aren’t quite so
straightforward here. Take a look at the
tab and you’ll see that in bars 1, 2 and 3
alone your first and second fingers move
across all of the top five strings. Still, each
phrase can be distilled down to a bass note
and two higher notes, so use your thumb
(p) on the low notes and your first (i) and
© Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

second (m) fingers for everything else.

Just like U2’s original recording, the
guitars in our backing track are in standard
tuning. Be aware that live versions are
mostly played in E b tuning (E b A b D b G b B b
E b ), especially when checking out concert
footage on YouTube.

102 SEpTEmBEr 2016

 guitar tab Open-Mic SOngbOOk |
U2: The BesT Of 1990-2000 One
(Guitar Tab with chord boxes, 152pp, £18.95 ref. Am976327) music and lyrics by Adam Clayton, David Evans, paul Hewson
This comprehensive songbook includes authentic sheet music (Bono) and Laurence mullen.
for all the songs from the best-selling compilation album © 1991 Universal – polygram International music publishing
featuring U2’s best 90s songs, from Beautiful Day to One. B.V. Blue mountain music.
An ideal choice for any guitarist, this book is arranged for UK/EU reproduced by kind permission of music Sales Ltd.
guitar tab, standard notation and lyrics, with chord boxes US/CAN reproduced by kind permission of Hal Leonard
and strum patterns where appropriate.
Available from: www.musicroom.com
U2 Corporation.
All rights reserved. International Copyright Secured.

One
Intro / verSe / chorUS
q = 90

œœ .. œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ .. œ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ .. œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ .. œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ ..
Play 3 times

& 44 ..
Am D5 Fmaj 7 G

œ œ œ œ j œ
œ
œ
j
œ
0:00 3

. .
let ring throughout
0 0
T
. .
5 5 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 3
A 5 7 5 7 5 5 7 5
12 10 12 10 12 3 3 5
4 4 5 4 5 4 0 2

B 5 5 10
12 10 12 10 12
1
p m i i m i p m p m i i m i p m i m i
i i i i i i i

œœ .. œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ .. œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ .. œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœ .. œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ ..
Fmaj 7

& .. œ
C Am C

œ œ
œ
T . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
.
. .
1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1
A 3
B 3 0 3
5

hOld dOwn the full chord shapes and only pick out the notes indicated in the tab for a ringing sound. The Edge plays this part with small variations throughout,
usually on the single-note flourishes at the end of each bar so check out live performances on YouTube if you want to mix it up.

Chords electric guitar chords

x x x x x o x x x
The firsT four chord
shapes shown here are 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
used for the electric 5 10 3
part as notated in the 2 2
tab. Note that The Edge 3 3 3 3 3 3
uses his fourth finger
to fret the 12th fret
when playing D5, but
you may prefer to use Am d5 fmaj7 G
your third. The next
five shapes can be
used as a strummed Acoustic guitar chords
accompaniment for
the whole song. x o o x o o x x o x o o o o
1 1 1
Guitars and backing: Phil Capone

2 3 2 1 2 2 1

3 3 3 4 2 3

Am C d fmaj7 G

SEpTEmBEr 2016 103

 guitar tab Backing track (track 54)
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!

SOng Sheet
On e
Intro Verse 3
Am / / / d5 / / / fmaj7 / / / G / / /
Am d fmaj7 G
Have you come here for forgiveness, have you come to raise the dead?
Am d fmaj7 G
Verse 1 Have you come here to play Jesus to the lepers in your head?

Am d fmaj7 G

Chorus 3
Is it getting better, or do you feel the same?
Am d fmaj7 G
Will it make it easier on you, now you got someone to blame? C Am fmaj7 C
Did I ask too much, more than a lot, you gave me nothing, now it’s all
I got
Am
Chorus 1 We’re one, but we’re not the same
fmaj7 C
C Am fmaj7 C Well, we hurt each other, then we do it again
You say one love, one life, when it’s one need in the night
Am

Bridge
One love, we get to share it
fmaj7 C
Leaves you baby if you don’t care for it Am
You say love is a temple, love a higher law
C Am
Repeat intro Love is a temple, love the higher law
C G
You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl
fmaj7
Verse 2
C
And I can’t be holding on to what you got, when all you got is hurt

Am d fmaj7 G
Did I disappoint you or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
Am d fmaj7 G Chorus 4
You act like you never had love and you want me to go without
Am fmaj7 C
One love, one blood, one life, you got to do what you should
Am fmaj7 C
Chorus 2 One life with each other: sisters, brothers

C Am
Am fmaj7 C One life, but we’re not the same
Well, it’s too late tonight to drag the past out into the light
fmaj7 C
Am We get to carry each other, carry each other
We’re one, but we’re not the same
Am fmaj7 C
fmaj7 C One,
We get to carry each other, carry each other… one one

Repeat intro Outro

C / / / Am / / / fmaj7 / / / C / / / x4

104 SEpTEmBEr 2016

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106 September 2016
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September 2016 107

 GeT youR GRAdes! video
RGT / AcousTic GRAde Two lesson
w w w.bit .l
y/tg28 4v

Rhythm playing
id e o

Get some groove and feel into your rhythm playing with
RGT’s Grade Two acoustic guitar lesson RGT Exam
rGT is the UK’s only
Last month, we looked at the Two, these pieces are decent are denoted in music notation with specialist guitar
chords set for RGT’s Grade Two rhythm workouts that will help you symbols for loud, soft and gradual examination board.
acoustic guitar exam, but there's improve your playing, and we’re volume change. It all comes down view info on rGT’s
guitar and bass guitar
no point in just knowing the chords playing through one this month. to how hard you strum and making exams, and find a
– you need to play progressions Introduced at Grade Two is the sure you don’t accidentally speed registered guitar
with feel and rhythm. RGT includes concept of ‘dynamics’ – how loud up when you play louder. Use a tutor at www.rgt.org
a selection of study pieces at Grade or soft you play. The instructions fairly thin pick for the best sound.

p
ChoRds dynamiCs in tRaditional notation
x o o x o o o x x o x x o

f
1 1 1 1
soft
2 2 2 2

3 3 3

loud
C Cmaj7 Dm7 Fmaj7
o o o o x o o o x x o o o gRadually
1 1 1 1 loudeR
2 1 2 2 2

3 3

gRadually
softeR
Em Am7 F G7

represented in music with p (soft) and f (loud) symbols. You’ll also see
ThEsE ArE the chords you’ll need to know to play this month’s study piece. DErivED From the Italian words ‘piano’ and ‘forte’, dynamics are
Some of the shapes are from RGT’s Grade Two syllabus; some are from
earlier grades, but they’re all common. Before attempting the study piece, crescendo (gradually play louder) and diminuendo (gradually softer)
check you are playing each shape cleanly and practise any tricky changes. denoted with < and > symbols outlining the relevant section of music.

Rhythm study
.
With movement
j
44 .. Cœ
œ œ œ œ œ throughout
Cmaj 7 ’ ’ ’ D m7 ’ ’ ’ Fmaj 7 ’ ’ ’
1 f

’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ .. ’ ’ ’
p
Em A m7 F G7 C
5
f
ThE noTATion above bar 1 indicates the rhythm of the piece. Listen to our video if you’re not used to notation. The f symbol below bar 1 tells you play loudly at the
start and to continue playing loudly until the p symbol in bar 5, where you play quietly. Continue quietly until the crescendo in bar 8 where you can gradually play louder.

108 sepTembeR 2016

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 techniques tab guide |

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

What is taB?
Tab is short for tablature, a the sixth (thick) string at the Unfretted strings are shown
notational system used to give bottom to the first (thin) string with a ‘0’. The key and time
detailed information as to at the top. On these lines, signatures are shown in the
where notes should be played numbers represent the frets traditional notation. TG also
on the fretboard. Tab appears where you should place your includes a timestamp to tell
underneath conventional fingers. For example, an A note you where in the original track
music notation as six on the 2nd fret, third string, will you’ll find each example.
horizontal lines that represent be shown as a number ‘2’ on Finally, a tempo marking is
the strings of the guitar, from the third line down on the tab. expressed in beats per minute.

FRet BOXes: chORds, scales and capO nOtatiOn

Hand labelling nut and Fretboard cHord example
2 m o o o o o o o o o
3 1 i a
4 c
1
T p
2 3

G
Here are the abbreviations used for each finger. Fretting hand: 1, 2, 3, 4, (T) This fretbox diagram represents the guitar’s fretboard exactly, as seen in the photo. This diagram represents a G chord. The ‘o’s are open strings, and a circled number
Picking hand: p (thumb), i (index), m (middle), a (annular), c (little finger) This design is used for ease of visualising a fretboard scale or chord quickly. is a fretting hand finger. A black ‘o’ or circled number is the root note (here, G).

capo example capo notation scale example

o o o x o o
CAPO 2nd
FRET >
CAPO 2nd
FRET > 4 1 1 1 1
1
2 2 2 2
1 2
3 3
2 3 3
4 4 4 4 4

A major scale
A (G) d (C)
THe blue line in the diagram represents a capo – for this A chord, place it at the Here the chord looks like a C in the tab, but the capo on the 2nd fret raises the THe fret box diagram illustrates the fret hand fingering for the A major scale using
2nd fret. Capos change the fret number ordering. Here, the original 5th fret now pitch to make it a D. The 2nd fret capo’d notes are shown with a ‘0’ in the tab as black dots for root notes and red dots for other scale tones. The photo shows part of
becomes the 3rd fret, 7th fret now 5th fret, etc. if they were open strings. the scale being played on the fourth string with the first, third and fourth fingers.

GuitaR techniques: pickinG

down and up-picking tremolo picking palm muting pick rake appreggiated cHord

THe symbols under the tab tell you the eacH of the four notes are to be Palm-muTe by resting the edge of Drag the pick across the strings shown Play the notes of the chord by
first note is to be down-picked and the alternate-picked (down and up-picked) your picking hand palm on the strings with a single sweep. This is often used strumming across the relevant strings
second note is to be up-picked. very rapidly and continuously. near the bridge saddles. to augment a rake’s last note. in the direction of the arrow head.

112 sepTember 2016

 techniques tab guide |
FRettinG hand
Hammer-on & pull-oFF note trills slides (glissando) Fret Hand tapping Fret Hand muting

Pick the first note then hammer down afTer picking the first note, rapidly Pick the first note and then slide to the SounD the notes marked with a square X markingS represent notes and
on the string for the second note. Pick the alternate between the two notes shown in next. For the last two notes pick the first, by hammering-on/tapping with your fret strings that are muted by your fret hand
third note and pull-off for the fourth note. brackets using hammer-ons and pull-offs. slide to the next and then re-pick it (RP). hand fingers, instead of picking. when struck by your picking hand.

BendinG and viBRatO

bend and release re-picked bend pre-bend quarter-tone bend Vibrato

freT the first note (here, the 5th BenD up to the pitch shown in the SilenTly bend the string up from the 5th Pick the note then bend up a quarter- your fretting hand vibrates the string by
fret) and bend up to the pitch of the brackets, then re-pick the note while fret (PB5) to the pitch of the 7th fret note, tone (a very small amount). This is small bend-ups and releases. Exaggerate
bracketed note, before releasing again. holding the bent note at the pitch shown. pick it and release to the 5th fret note. sometimes referred to as a ‘blues curl’. this effect to create a ‘wide’ vibrato.

haRmOnics
natural Harmonics artiFicial Harmonics pincHed Harmonics tapped Harmonics toucHed Harmonics

Pick the note while lightly touching freT the note as shown, then lightly afTer fretting the note in the triangle, Place your finger on the note as shown, a PreviouSly sounded note is
the string directly over the fret place your index finger directly over ‘x’ dig into the string with the side of your but sound it with a quick pick hand tap at touched above the fret marked TCH
indicated. A chiming harmonic results. fret (AH‘x’) and pick (with a pick, p or a). thumb as you sound it with the pick. the fret shown (TH17) for a harmonic. (eg, TCH 9) for it to sound a harmonic.

viBRatO BaR / Whammy BaR

wHammy bar bends scoop and doop sustained note and diVebomb gargle wHammy bar Vibrato

THe note is picked as shown, then the ScooP: depress the bar just before a noTe is sustained then the vibrato SounD the note and ‘flick’ the vibrato genTly rock the whammy bar to
vibrato bar is raised and lowered to the striking the note and release. Doop: bar is depressed to slack. The square bar with your picking hand so it ‘quivers’. repeatedly bend the pitch up and down.
pitches shown in brackets. lower the bar slightly after picking note. bracket indicates a further articulation. This results in a ‘gargling’ sound! This sounds similar to fret hand vibrato.

OtheRs
pick scrape Violining Finger numbering pima directions pick Hand tapping

THe edge of the pick is dragged either Turn the volume control down, THe numbers in the traditional any kind of fingerpicking TaP (hammer-on) with a finger of
down or up along the lower strings to sound the note(s) and then turn the notation refer to the fingers required to requirements are shown at the bottom your picking hand onto the fret marked
produce a scraped sound. volume up for a smooth fade in. play each note. of the tab notation. with a circle. Usually with ‘i’ or ‘m’.

sepTember 2016 113

 The Final Countdown
Great Guitar
GiGs We Wish
We’d seen
9. Guns N’ Roses – The Marquee,
London, 19 June 1987
Seeing the Gunners reunite for an enormodome
show is one thing. But imagine crushing into a
sticky-floored sweatbox for their debut UK gig –
live and dangerous in every sense of the word.

8. Nirvana – Sony Music Studios, New

York, 18 November 1993
Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged set had the makings of
a disaster, with Dave Grohl recalling two days of
“horrible” rehearsals. But on the night, everything
clicked, resulting in a truly classic live album.

7. Oasis – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut,

Glasgow, 31 May 1993
Arriving unannounced in Glasgow, the Mancs
threatened to smash up the club unless they were The Pistols’ audience
Being up front in Leeds on that night in
– awesome. Deafening allowed onstage. According Alan McGee, the gig Manchester was full of
yes… but awesome was historic: “It’s what the Stones must have been future music legends
like in the early days. Brutal, exciting, arrogant…”
2. Jimi Hendrix 1. Sex Pistols –

Words: Henry Yates Photography: Jeffrey Mayer / Bob Baker /Paul Welsh /Getty
6. The Ramones – CBGB, New York, – Bag O’Nails,
10. The Who – Leeds 16 August 1974 London, 25
Manchester Lesser
University, Leeds, New York dive bar CBGB hosted punk pioneers’
November 1966 Free Trade Hall,
first ever set. Kicking off with the obligatory ‘one-
14 February 1970 two-three-four!’, it was all over in 12 minutes – but
Jimi’s touchdown Manchester,
in London, saw
“It was packed to the music would never be the same again.
him tearing up the
4 June 1976
rafters and then some,” 5. The Beatles – The Kaiserkeller,
rulebook in front of Only 40-odd punters
an astonished A-list
recalls Roger Daltrey Hamburg, 4 October 1960 crowd. “He hit me like
paid 60p to see the
of the dynamite set In between enjoying what a Harrison called an earthquake,” recalls nascent Pistols, but
“the naughtiest city in the world” a bum-fluffed
recorded for 1970’s Beatles earned their corn smashing out rock ’n’ roll
Jeff Beck. “I had to think
long and hard about
having witnessed
deathless Live At Leeds. standards on a stage made of beer crates. what I did next.” their route-one punk,
“I heard there were a 4. Bob Dylan – Newport Folk Festival,
attendees such as
thousand fans on the Newport, 25 July 1965 Morrissey and Joy
roof.” As the band’s Imagine the spectacle of the one-time folkie Bob Division’s Bernard
striding onstage in a leather jacket, cranking up
most mythologised Maggie’s Farm and sign-posting the future of rock,
Sumner went on
show, we’d sell our despite the bleating of the crowd… to shape British
kidneys to have been music. “It changed
3. Queen, Live Aid, Wembley Stadium,
down the front, with 13 July 1985 Manchester,” recalls
Townshend’s Hiwatt Geldof’s charity gig rolled out the big guns, but no Steve Diggle of the
one could touch Queen as they smashed through
making our cheeks all the hits in 20 minutes. “Queen smoked ’em,”
Buzzcocks, “and it
and trousers flap. Dave Grohl recalls. “They just took everybody.” changed the world.”
Hendrix set new standards
when he arrived in London

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