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<title>Review: Brett Garsed - Dark Matter</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/review-brett-garsed-dark-matter&amp;link_id=19815</link>
<description><![CDATA[I have to admit that although I&#8217;ve heard Brett Garsed&#8217;s name a thousand times I never really knew anything about him about a year ago when I was interviewing Michael Dolce and he cited him as one of his main influences and inspirations. I started checking out live video performances of Brett on YouTube like this one &#8216;Got The Horn&#8217; and was incredibly impressed by the Aussie Fusion guitarist so when I saw that he had a new album available recently I didn&#8217;t even preview a single track before buying the album, I knew it was going to be good but in fact it&#8217;s way better than that.

Brett Garsed definitely falls into the Fusion category, this album twists and turns between Jazz and Rock and you can hear how Brett has been influenced by players such as Jeff Beck and Alan Holdsworth and yet in the opening track which is also the title track &#8216;Dark Matter&#8217; there are sections that get really heavy too with great drumming from Virgil Donati. This opening track is like a Brett Garsed showreel showing off his virtuosity and versatility.

The second track &#8216;Android&#8217; is what I imagine Joe Satriani would sound like if he was to venture into the Jazzier side of guitar, in fact I thought the same thing about &#8216;Avoid The Void&#8217; another cool track that shows off Brett&#8217;s phrasing, melodic sensability. &#8216;If Only&#8217; is a slow paced ballad that reminded me of Chick Corea but the playing is more bluesy, think Andy Timmons rather than Frank Gambale. Brett has such a great tone on this track both for the clean parts and the overdriven tone which is really rich and thick.

&#8216;James Bong (License to chill)&#8217;, how can you not like a track with a name like that?! This is as the title suggests a fairly laid back funky track with a quirky melody but it does ramp up for the chorus sections with some heavier backing. There are some great dynamics in this track, well all of Brett&#8217;s music actually, he seamlessly shifts gears between heavy rock back to semi-clean melodic passages. The guitar solo in this track is a lesson in legato, something that is a signature sound of Brett.

Brett Garsed is really quite handy with a slide, his technique of using his second finger is a bit unconventional but it certainly doesn&#8217;t hinder him at all as you can hear in the track &#8216;Be Here Now&#8217; which has moments that made me think of Pink Floyd. This track is a lesson in how to build dynamics in a track, alternating between a slow clean section and the slide melody with a heavier backing, this pattern of building and then breaking down continues until it reaches a crescendo with Brett&#8217;s solo.

&#8216;Poison Dwarf&#8217; seems quite familiar to me for some reason, the intro sounds like a throw back to Shrapnel days of shred where the guitars were drenched in reverb and delay while the guitarist pulled off an absurdly complex riff, this totally changes after a minute though when the main melody enters. The solo in this track is a lesson in how little gain you need to create a great sounding tone, he has a light overdrive and yet pulls off some of the most amazing legato lines that demand the strongest fingers, a flawless technique and a complete mastery of the fretboard.

The final track on the album is titled &#8216;Enigma&#8217; and features and extended keyboard solo intro by Phil Turcio before launching into a crazy jazzy melody that Brett plays in unison with Craig Newman on Bass, it also features a bass solo from Ric Fierabracci who plays on the other tracks on the album. This is an epic track, 10:44 in length that constantly morphs into new sections. It has a solo from Brett where he is either using an ebow or a sustainer not sure which but it sounds cool. At the halfway point in this track things there is a really cool section with a syncopated riff that comes out of nowhere and then just as quickly ends and yet it fits so well, I&#8217;d love to hear this riff extended out into an entire track.

Brett Garsed is a total master of the guitar, his playing is always inventive, interesting and never repetitive which is probably the hardest thing to achieve as a guitarist in my opinion it shows that you don&#8217;t rely or fall back on patterns but just play what you hear in your head. This album has something for everyone even though it leans more toward the Jazz Fusion side of things, try if you like Greg Howe, Andy Timmons, Joe Satriani&#8230; no actually just buy it, it&#8217;s awesome and you will love it.

To buy the album head over to www.brettgarsed.com.   
Follow Guitar Noize on Twitter (@guitarnoize)This rss feed is the property of GuitarNoize.com]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:00:52 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/review-brett-garsed-dark-matter</guid></item>

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<title>Blues Show 117 playlist, stream</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://thumbrella.blogspot.com/2011/07/blues-show-117-playlist-stream.html&amp;link_id=19817</link>
<description><![CDATA[Album Of The WeekShow broadcast Sunday July 24th 6-8pm 105.9 BishopFM and on BishopFM.comBarry Levenson - Whole Lotta BluesScott Ramminger - Give A Pencil To A FishVirgil &amp; The Accelerators from Album of The Week - BackstabberSkyla Burrell - Real LoveMississippi John Hurt - Candy ManVirgil &amp; The Accelerators from Album of The Week - Low Down &amp; DirtyThe 44s - So Low DownLucy Zirins - Live at Morpeth Roots n Blues Club - Feel Like Going HomeFranc Roberts - Cotee River BluesVirgil &amp; The Accelerators from Album of The Week - 88Randy Stephens - Tickets and TaxesThe Hokum Hotshots - Everybody Ought To Make A ChangeLucy Zirins - Live at Morpeth Roots n Blues Club:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- Wayfarin' Stranger&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- Feelin' Good&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- Fumblin' With The BluesVirgil &amp; The Accelerators from Album of The Week - Working ManRomi Mayes - Achin' In Your BonesPhilip Sayce - Powerful ThingLucy Zirins - Live at Morpeth Roots n Blues Club:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- Hours To Waste&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- Summertime&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- 'Nother Woman On his MindThe Robert Ross Band - '69 ChevyVirgil &amp; The Accelerators from Album of The Week - Bad GirlGeorge Thorogood &amp; The Destroyers - 2120 South Michigan Avenue]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:42:00 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://thumbrella.blogspot.com/2011/07/blues-show-117-playlist-stream.html</guid></item>

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<title>Bull Session: The Cowcaster Guitar Is a Texas-Size Tribute to Billy Gibbons.</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarworld.com/bull-session-cowcaster-guitar-texas-size-tribute-billy-gibbons&amp;link_id=19816</link>
<description><![CDATA[The Cowcaster is guaranteed to turn heads. That?s because it is one. 
The one-of-a-kind guitar, designed and built by artist Brent Gandy of Amarillo, Texas, brims with custom features ? from Von Dutch?style pin striping on the back of the neck to a hand-carved bull?s head headstock ? all of which are connected to an authentic bull skull.
?I?ve been messing with bull skulls since I was little kid,? says Gandy, 46, the ranch-raised son of a former professional bull rider. ?My brother and I would put bull heads in ant beds, and the ants would clean them down to the bone.? Gandy, who runs an auto body shop, began creating works of art with the skulls, polishing them with the same process he employs to finish cars and inlaying the natural indentations with turquoise.
But with the Cowcaster, a bovine ode to his idol, fellow Texan Billy Gibbons, Gandy cranked things up a notch. Along with friend and guitar builder Bud Herber, he put together a wish list of Gibbons-preferred components and specs. Then the duo went to work. 
?We knew Billy used Seymour Duncan BG-1400 Pearly Gates pickups, so we called and spoke to Maricela Juarez,? says Gandy, referring to Seymour Duncan?s custom shop manager. ?She said she was winding two Pearly Gates pickups for Billy. We asked her to wind a third for us.?
The 11-pound guitar has a beefy Warmoth maple neck with a ?boat-neck? profile, 22 stainless frets, abalone inlays and Steinberger gearless tuners. Other features include abalone-capped volume and tone knobs and a billet aluminum spine to support the neck. This raging bull blows smoke from its nose and ears, and its eyes and nose light up with red LEDs. 
So how does it sound? ?Badass,? Gandy says. ?It?s throaty and has lots of sustain. Because of the pine body that?s integrated into the skull, it resonates like no other guitar.? 
To see more of Brent?s work, visit brentshouseofheads.com.

Photo by RALPH DUKE
Additional Content
      Related Artist:&nbsp;
    
            
                    ZZ Top        
              
                    Billy Gibbons]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:31:08 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarworld.com/bull-session-cowcaster-guitar-texas-size-tribute-billy-gibbons</guid></item>

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<title>Asking Alexandria's Cameron Liddell Reports from Warped Tour</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarworld.com/asking-alexandrias-cameron-liddell-reports-warped-tour&amp;link_id=19812</link>
<description><![CDATA[So i'm supposed to tell you fuckers about my Warped Tour experience so far. 
Sorry i've been exceptionally late doing this; it's due to the excessive amounts of drinking and "too much" partying. Wait, "too much" partying ... fuck offffff.
Besides all that bollocks, the shows have been killer! It's been propa fucking hot, however our fans destroy everything no matter what time it is and what temperature!
Next point I will raise, which I think my fellow guitarist Ben has already brought up ... the toilet situation ... Having to shit in a plastic box, the temperature of a fucking sauna, and smells worse than dead rotting animals ... actually makes you want to hurl as well as shit! 
Warped Tour!! SORT IT OUT! haha
So yeah, Warped is everything I expected it would be for me ... lots of girls with no clothes on, too many drugs to consume and handles of liquor to down before we go on stage.
It is a hard life ... for the best band on Warped Tour ;)
Cameron Liddell plays guitar in Asking Alexandria.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:02:03 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarworld.com/asking-alexandrias-cameron-liddell-reports-warped-tour</guid></item>

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<title>Classic Rock to release Chickenfoot III fan pack</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/StD7vypx0ro/classic-rock-to-release-chickenfoot-iii-fan-pack.html&amp;link_id=19813</link>
<description><![CDATA[Wow, those fine folks at Classic Rock Magazine have done it again! After killer fan packs for Motorhead and Whitesnake, check this out from the Classic Rock website: Classic Rock is cock-a-hoop to announce the launch of its latest Fan Pack, dedicated to Chickenfoot. The Chickenfoot Fan Pack includes Chickenfoot III, the band?s eagerly anticipated [...]]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:18:00 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/StD7vypx0ro/classic-rock-to-release-chickenfoot-iii-fan-pack.html</guid></item>

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<title>So it turns out ProTools 8 might run on Lion</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/15bz4aPe6AY/so-it-turns-out-protools-8-might-run-on-lion.html&amp;link_id=19814</link>
<description><![CDATA[You may remember this post from a few days about about Pro Tools 9&#8242;s incompatibility with Apple OSX Lion at this time. (For a refresher, According to Avid, &#8220;As of this writing Pro Tools 9 and all earlier versions of Pro Tools software are not compatible and will not work with OS X Lion.&#8221; Well [...]]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:09:10 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/15bz4aPe6AY/so-it-turns-out-protools-8-might-run-on-lion.html</guid></item>

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<title>NEWS: Aerosmith, Pearl Jam/Soundgarden, Disturbed, KISS, Uriah Heep</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/Qh_ub802sas/news-aerosmith-pearl-jamsoundgarden-disturbed-kiss-uriah-heep.html&amp;link_id=19811</link>
<description><![CDATA[Epiphone Les Paul PlusTop PRO/FX &#8211; click the pic for more info or read my review here. Here are my latest news stories for Gibson.com. Enjoy! Aerosmith Continue Work on ?Old School? Album Pearl Jam Guitarist Jams with Soundgarden (with Video) Disturbed Singer Announces Indefinite Hiatus New KISS Album Sounds Bigger than a Sonic Boom [...]]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 05:49:45 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/Qh_ub802sas/news-aerosmith-pearl-jamsoundgarden-disturbed-kiss-uriah-heep.html</guid></item>

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<title>Slash Pick Holder Necklace</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/slash-pick-holder-necklace&amp;link_id=19804</link>
<description><![CDATA[Check out this exclusive guitar pick holder necklace designed by Slash &amp; Perla Hudson released today on Slash&#8217;s online store.

*Exclusively designed by Slash &amp; Perla Hudson for the Slash Online Store
*Limited Edition custom made Necklace, Silver Pick Holder &amp; Brass Pick
*Stainless steel ball chain rope
*Lead-free White Metal Skulls &amp; Dagger
*Casted, Assembled, Polished
*Heavy plated with .925 Silver Alloy
*Antiquated and Re-Polished
*Brass Pick engraved with the official Slash RFN&#8217;R Logo
*Each necklace comes with a foil embossed black velvet bag   
Follow Guitar Noize on Twitter (@guitarnoize)This rss feed is the property of GuitarNoize.com]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:49:45 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/slash-pick-holder-necklace</guid></item>

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<title>The Bangles to release Sweetheart Of The Sun</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/LJC1yV_pT9U/the-bangles-to-release-sweetheart-of-the-sun.html&amp;link_id=19808</link>
<description><![CDATA[The Bangles always played some of the coolest guitars in rock. Plus Susannah Hoffs was my first crush. PRESS RELEASE THE BANGLES ?SWEETHEART OF THE SUN&#8217; DUE OUT SEPTEMBER 13 FIRST NEW ALBUM IN EIGHT YEARS FROM SUSANNA HOFFS, VICKI PETERSON AND DEBBI PETERSON On their forthcoming album, SWEETHEART OF THE SUN, THE BANGLES capture [...]]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:13:06 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/CNYC/~3/LJC1yV_pT9U/the-bangles-to-release-sweetheart-of-the-sun.html</guid></item>

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<title>USA VOX Guitars Made to Order</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarsite.com/news/electric_guitar/VOX-USA-Custom-Guitars&amp;link_id=19805</link>
<description><![CDATA[At the recent Summer NAMM Show, VOX were showing off their new line of USA built custom guitars.read more]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:08:39 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarsite.com/news/electric_guitar/VOX-USA-Custom-Guitars</guid></item>

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<title>5 Part Suhr Guitars Factory Tour Video</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/5-part-suhr-guitars-factory-tour&amp;link_id=19800</link>
<description><![CDATA[I somehow missed this amazing 5 part behind the scenes tour of Suhr Guitars with head honcho John Suhr himself from Accordo.it when they posted it. John takes you through the process of creating his guitars from the wood stores in the video above and the various stages of the build as well as the creation of Suhr amps. It&#8217;s great to see some background for how my guitars and pedals were built.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

http://www.suhrguitars.com   
Follow Guitar Noize on Twitter (@guitarnoize)This rss feed is the property of GuitarNoize.com]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:37:31 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/5-part-suhr-guitars-factory-tour</guid></item>

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<title>Controlled Burn: The Basics of Economy Picking</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarworld.com/controlled-burn-basics-economy-picking&amp;link_id=19807</link>
<description><![CDATA[One aspect I?ve noticed many players overlook in their quest for ?ultimate shred-dom? is the ability to control their instrument. 
Now, I?m all about blazing through scales and sweeping like hell, but a gratuitous display of such can compromise the melodic development of a line. 
And when we?re programmed to simply run up and down patterns while taking a solo, our lack of control can get the better of us when we run into speed bumps (pun -- sort of intended).
This is where economy picking comes into play. For those of you not too familiar with the technique, it?s when you keep the same picking motion when crossing strings. Rather than picking up your pick when switching to the adjacent string, you simply let it fall onto that string, providing a more natural transition. 



  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
brightcove.createExperiences();
In my experience, it not only smooths out the rough edges in your playing but allows you to think more melodically in terms of your soloing. For years I was stuck rehashing the same old ideas over and over and becoming frustrated with my lack of progress. One day I heard the story of Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and how he injured his left hand in a fire, allowing him to fret notes with only his middle and index fingers. 
I decided to check out his music and was knocked off my feet by how fluid his playing was. I remember texting my guitar teacher at the time, telling him how I had ?rediscovered music.? If the guy was able to do with two fingers what most of us couldn?t even dream of attempting with four, then I was definitely missing something.
Then one day I learned the secret to his fluidity ? it was economy picking, and it got me excited about playing again. And while I admit I don?t use it exclusively, the technique lends itself to vast melodic possibilities while avoiding fretboard awkwardness. 
Now, they call it economy picking is because you?re conserving motion by not changing the pick?s direction. Therefore, your right hand demands more focus as you?re ?economizing? its movement. You?re not only playing faster but smoother, and you?re able to gain more control as a player. 
Many guitarists whose repertoires demand technical proficiency will often use this style of picking, as it?s a much more elegant alternative to, um, alternate picking.
Players ranging from jazz to metal, such as Frank Gambale, Django Reinhardt and Jeff Loomis, have all used it at one time or another. In fact, Gambale, who simply calls it ?sweep picking? (It must be an Aussie thing), swears by it. The reason economy picking is a benchmark in modern guitar playing is that it forces you to play things you?re not used to, and are therefore more inclined to think your lines through. 
When it comes to developing speed, one thing I will mention, which contradicts what most guitarists advise, is that you don?t necessarily need to start at an incredibly slow tempo. I remember practicing this way for hours with the monotonous click on my metronome annoying the hell out of my parents. When I got comfortable playing at a slow pace, I upped the tempo and began playing fast, only to be met with disastrous results. I soon discovered this is because you hold the pick differently when you play slow than when you play fast! 
Picture the difference between running and jogging: While both require that you move your legs to travel a specific distance, you?re using different muscles for one activity than for the other. Much like this, you unconsciously hold the pick differently when playing fast, because more muscles are required for you to guide the pick, and if you get too comfortable enjoying your leisurely stroll, you become more reluctant to pick up the hustle. 
Therefore, I recommend playing at a fairly moderate tempo ? a jog, if you will ? while every so often having short bursts of speed at a tempo far beyond your current playing ability. While you do expend more energy this way, you will get results a lot faster.
We?ll get more into this in a second, but for now, here are some examples for you to practice.
One of my favorite things to do is to sequence minor sixths (A-C-E-F#) and sevenths (A-C-E-G). Here are two examples in A-minor, both of which work well with the A-dorian mode. (Ex. 1 and Ex. 2)

Remember that the key is consistency and nuance. Make sure you learn the picking pattern I?ve provided for you in the tablature before you kick it into hyperspeed. You might find that you?re able to play most of these examples at a slower tempo without following them but you?ll soon find yourself stuck at certain parts. That?s because the picking patterns are specifically designed for you to play the licks in one fell swoop. 
When played just right, we?re able to rapidly glide over the notes with ease. This technique may seem awkward at first, but it?s guaranteed to make you a more well-rounded individual, er, player. Here?s one where the transition from alternate picking to sweep picking becomes more apparent. This one?s a scalar-based run in A-melodic minor: (Ex. 3).
 
Once we?ve gotten this down, we?re able to ascend the scale with ease, and I even think this delivery gives the lick a bit of a punch. 
Now that we?ve seen this little handy device in action, let?s get more ambitious. Remember how I talked about thinking outside the box? Another one of my favorite things to do is establish the harmony and then add some diatonic color into the mix. How about the same melodic minor-based idea but expanded little? Here we take the idea from ex. 3 and start it down an octave, descending in an A minor arpeggio and landing on the ninth (B) to give the run some flavor. (Ex. 4)
 
John Li plays lead guitar in Order of Ennead. John, a musician, composer and featured columnist for Guitar World's "Betcha Can't Play This," lives in New York City and attends New York University as a full-time music and music business student. He occasionally gives guitar lessons.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:10:50 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarworld.com/controlled-burn-basics-economy-picking</guid></item>

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<title>Montreal Guitar Grand Prix - is your playing up to speed?</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarsite.com/news/guitar_festivals/Montreal-Guitar-Grand-Prix&amp;link_id=19806</link>
<description><![CDATA[Canadian based Godin Guitars is proud to once again present this years Montreal Guitar Grand Prix.read more]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:02:08 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarsite.com/news/guitar_festivals/Montreal-Guitar-Grand-Prix</guid></item>

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<title>Get Rhythm</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.fifthfret.org/2011/07/get-rhythm.html&amp;link_id=19803</link>
<description><![CDATA[Get RhythmWhen I was first learning to play my well-meaning father stressed to me the importance of not just being a rhythm guitarist.  He was most likely repeating something he had heard from a co-worker or friend but in any event I listened and worked towards becoming a "soloist".  And over time I learned to play chord melody arrangements of various songs using complex chord voicings to convey the melody with a built in backdrop of harmony.  I've always felt that good chord melody work was one of the most enjoyable and challenging things a guitarist could do but over the years I've learned a bit about rhythm guitar as well and what I have learned has been transformative, informing my playing on all levels.Guitar was historically considered a peasant's instrument and strumming out a few chords while singing a song didn't get much respect from classically trained musicians.  There were always people working towards expanding the guitar's role in music, Francisco Tarrega coming to mind as a man that advanced classical guitar greatly.  But the instrument had a rough ride in ensemble music.  By the late 19th century banjos were used with bands to act as a rhythm instrument, the extra volume of the resonator making it audible even in a larger ensemble.  Now the banjo is a fine instrument but it's a bit bright compared to a guitar and definitely affects the overall sound.  In the Ragtime era it was great but as music changed the sound of the banjo just didn't fit in with some of what was happening.  In the meantime a mandolin fad had swept the nation and indirectly gave us the archtop guitar which was copied from the archtop mandolin.  The archtop guitar could provide a deeper sound than a banjo and a well made archtop acoustic can be quite loud.  This is when the term rhythm guitar took on its greatest meaning.  A Swing era big band could really be driven by a good rhythm man chunking out the tempo in carefully chosen chord voicings.Perhaps the greatest of all rhythm guitarists was Freddie Green of the Count Basie Orchestra.  Green used three-note chords almost exclusively and he stayed on the lower four strings.  His rhythm playing sounded almost like a bass line and indeed, I've heard guitarists using Freddie Green style voicings that could back a solo instrument and keep it sounding like a bass and guitar playing very tightly together.  Freddie Green didn't play one chord voicing per measure, he usually changes chords with every beat.  He was incredible!Rhythm guitar was an integral part of the big band era and a great moment in the history of guitar playing but the story didn't stop there.  The electric guitar gave guitarists the power to play solos and be audible.  It also allowed rhythm playing to take on new directions.  Comping like a piano player was possible with an electric guitar and chord voicings that played in the upper register allowed guitarists to play accents and be heard.  The development of the electric guitar allowed the guitar to compete with the horns in a band and to give the piano a run for its money too.  It was a major factor in the ascendance of the small ensemble.  The electric guitar could do a lot of things for a band and the development of the electric bass made it quite possible to have a full sounding band with only a relative handful of instruments.  On the heels of these developments came Rock 'n' Roll and major changes in Country music too.  Bo Didddley used the electric guitar as a rhythm powerhouse while Chuck Berry adapted a Boogie Woogie piano trick to the guitar and gave us the honky tonk pattern which is still in use over 50 years later.  And on it went to power chords and drop D tunings.  Forty five years into being a guitarist I have strong feelings of my own regarding rhythm guitar and sadly they are quite at odds with my father's views.  In my opinion well played rhythm guitar is a very high aspiration for any guitarist.  Soaring leads are important and certainly take skill to master but I've learned that good rhythm playing can drive a band in a unique manner.  There's a lot more to it than just playing a C chord when the song calls for a C or a D chord when the song calls for a D.  There are numerous voicings that can be employed along with techniques like voice-leading which keep your harmonies moving in parallel.  A good rhythm player keeps the chords working together to present a smooth, even sound.  It's also possible, even desirable, to limit the number of notes played in some situations.  I find myself using triads frequently and sometimes simple double stops.  There's no one correct way, it has to adapt to the needs of the music.  One thing that is fairly rare, however, is the use of six-note, grand barre chords.  They come in handy on occasion but in most situations they cause more harm than good.  Lots of notes do not automatically translate to a big sound.  It's been my experience that the opposite is usually the case.  A grand barre chord has three octaves of the root, two octaves of the fifth and only only instance of the third.  It can get pretty muddy to say the least.  Actually, the voicing I tend to use when I want a big sound is a I, V, X.  The tenth voicing of a Major chord is incredibly powerful, yet very clear.  It can be played with the root on the sixth, fifth or fourth string and it's easy to play.  The best resources I've ever found for playing rhythm are still relatively obscure.  One of the best I've found is Rhythm Guitar the Ranger Doug Way  .  There are also occasional books teaching the Freddie Green Approach to Rhythm Guitar.   There is also Ranger Doug Rides the Rhythm Range, a DVD which I recommend highly for its entertainment value not to mention first class instruction.  Just hearing Ranger Doug playing that Stromberg is worth more than the price of admission.  So, 45 years after my father told me not to settle for being rhythm guitarist I find myself writing a missive of sorts extolling the virtues of that very thing.  My father wasn't really wrong in what he said, indeed, many players that called themselves rhythm guitarists in those days were not good examples of the type but the bar has been raised significantly in the years since 1966.  Music has evolved, de-volved and re-evolved many times since then and the definition of a rhythm guitarist has changed as well.  Today's players are exposed to music that pre-dates the early years of Rock 'n' Roll & the British Invasion not to mention some great music that has developed since then.  A solid rhythm player in the 21st century has plenty of examples, both good and bad, to peruse when learning their art.  Resources are available today that didn't exist 45 years ago and a dedicated guitarist can become a great rhythm player; someone that bears the title with pride.]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:41:00 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.fifthfret.org/2011/07/get-rhythm.html</guid></item>

<item>
<title>Perspectives on Solid-Body Guitar Design</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarworld.com/perspectives-solid-body-guitar-design&amp;link_id=19801</link>
<description><![CDATA[Is anyone else annoyed when someone refers to how conservative the guitar market is? 
I am, since in the broader context this is just baloney. Also prompting this post is the comment, ?Great, another Strat copy,? in response to a review I did on a Magneto Guitars Sonnet model. 
The solid-body electric guitar is still a recent addition on the historical timeline for musical instruments. It continues to evolve in some ways while in others, certain characteristics are already iconic. Still, a guitar player is offered much more variety, at least cosmetically, then, say, a horn player.  
Judging from the number of guitar magazines, it may be the most popular instrument of all. How many flute magazines are there? The guitar-playing public has, by far, the most choices in terms of finishes, materials, configurations, shapes and price points. Not to mention the endless peripherals of amps, pedals and accessories.
Guitar brand and model popularity is certainly player-driven. In other words, Gibson continues to sell Les Paul models because people dig Jimmy Page, Slash, Gary Moore, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Slash and Joe Bonamassa ? oh yeah, and Slash! 
Fender Strats are ?sold? by Hendrix, Clapton, Jeff Beck, Robin Trower, Rory Gallagher, Ritchie Blackmore, Stevei Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and John Mayer. Likewise, Teles, SG?s, V?s, Jazzmasters and 335?s are associated with iconic players. Sorry if I left out your favorites. 
This is why people prefer these guitars, as much as the companies themselves may believe they have brilliant marketing staff and ad campaigns. 
Conservative? That depends on who?s talking. Certainly some builders are frustrated when their own vision of an ergonomic design or a creative and unique shape doesn?t catch on. Also, larger companies competing with Fender and Gibson must work extra hard to position themselves and their instruments for market attention. The most successful of them offer guitars that stick closely to the standard designs, i.e. PRS and EB-Music Man who have pretty stout endorsement rosters of their own ? player-driven.
Meanwhile for many more decades or even centuries, clarinets, violas, oboes and various brass instruments remain basically the same cosmetically as they always have. On the other hand, various ?classic? electric guitar shapes, which even include the Explorer, Firebird and Flying V profiles, are more than 40 years old. But what more should guitar players want or need? 
Just because Leo Fender, Les Paul and Ted McCarty aren?t around right now texting and tweeting doesn?t mean their ideas, designs and methods are obsolete any more than concepts of Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin. Between their brilliance, good sense and the number of iconic artists playing their designs, we see a crystallization of the guitar?s profile. 
Terms like ?retro,? ?vintage? and ?conservative? with regard to taste, attempt to explain and label market preferences and designs. Contemporary indie artists have revived interest in J-types, not the older couch potatoes who used to play Jags and Jazzmasters. When my kid took me to a Broken Bells &amp; Morning Benders concert, I saw plenty of tweed cabs and a couple old Gretches. Not a conservative crowd there. 
So I?m not simply pimping Fender and Gibson here. They are in a fortunate position because of their founders, historical timing and musicians attracted to tried-and-true configurations that their heroes played ... or still play. People aren?t in love with these companies as much as with legendary artists associated with their lines. 
Builders like Suhr, DeTemple, Collings, Roukangas, Magneto and dozens more boutique builders continue to refine these platforms in terms of materials and craftsmanship, maintaining strong emphasis on quality and tone. It?s extremely shallow when someone offhandedly refers to their work as ?another Strat or Les Paul copy? or labels the market as ?conservative.? 
Just because the guitar market doesn?t want instruments shaped like Transformers action figures or some mythical battle dragon scrotum doesn?t make most of us conservative. Solid-body electrics are still a modern phenomenon ? even the 50-year-old ones ... And feature more variation than most musical instruments.
So don?t accept the ?conservative? label! History shows otherwise.
JP Holesworth authors the Stratoblogster Guitar Blog and resides in rural Oregon, surrounded by Pinot Noir vineyards, hop plantations, medical MJ farms and extreme environMENTAL consciousness. But he loves red meat and vacuum tubes!]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:07:05 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarworld.com/perspectives-solid-body-guitar-design</guid></item>

<item>
<title>I'm in the press</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://thumbrella.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-in-press.html&amp;link_id=19798</link>
<description><![CDATA[This appeared in our internal staff magazine:Don't forget there is still time to vote for me here]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:44:00 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://thumbrella.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-in-press.html</guid></item>

<item>
<title>Learn to Play Black Mountain Rag</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.freeguitarvideos.com/blog/2011/07/learn-to-play-black-mountain-rag.html&amp;link_id=19802</link>
<description><![CDATA[David Ellis has two new guitar lessons that will teach you an intermediate version of the old fiddle tune Black Mountain Rag. The lessons cover the flatpicking solo style of Doc Watson that has influenced just about every picker that&#8217;s come along since.  David will teach you the solo measure by measure and then [...]]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:36:59 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.freeguitarvideos.com/blog/2011/07/learn-to-play-black-mountain-rag.html</guid></item>

<item>
<title>Irina Kulikova plays Tedesco</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheClassicalGuitarBlog/~3/w3NTczVb2RE/&amp;link_id=19799</link>
<description><![CDATA[Yesterday&#8217;s post about competition winners included a video of a piece by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Naturally, I was sucked into Youtube for a chunk of time and came across this video of Tedesco&#8217;s concerto in D major. The soloist is Irina Kulikova. If you like what you hear, check out Irina&#8217;s Guitar Recital CD from Naxos. [...]Irina Kulikova plays Tedesco from Classical Guitar]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:00:20 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheClassicalGuitarBlog/~3/w3NTczVb2RE/</guid></item>

<item>
<title>The Aristocrats get social</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/the-aristocrats-get-social&amp;link_id=19791</link>
<description><![CDATA[If you STILL haven&#8217;t heard about the new, dare I say it, supergroup the Aristocrats it is a trio consisting of 3 of the most talented musicians on the planet: Guthrie Govan on guitar, Bryan Beller on bass and Marco Minneman on drums. They are currently building up to the release of the their debut album and in doing so have opened up their social channels with a new Facebook and Twitter account so here they for you to like and follow:

https://www.facebook.com/aristocratsband
https://twitter.com/#!/acratsband

The Aristocrats website has also been updated with their brand spanking new graphic and has some news and tour dates but is still in development so the rest of the sections are still not live at the time of writing:

http://the-aristocrats-band.com/   
Follow Guitar Noize on Twitter (@guitarnoize)This rss feed is the property of GuitarNoize.com]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:38:03 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.guitarnoize.com/blog/comments/the-aristocrats-get-social</guid></item>

<item>
<title>Eric Johnson Keepin' Busy!</title>
<link>http://www.guitarlead.net/redirect.php?url=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Stratoblogster/~3/dsOqD3hL9Zk/eric-johnson-keepin-busy.html&amp;link_id=19793</link>
<description><![CDATA[EJ Performing With Sonny Landreth




Eric Johnson is a busy cat! Besides touring his latest UP CLOSE album, he also does an acoustic trio tour, the Experience Hendrix tours and side stuff like this Texas based fest with Landreth in April. Then in May, EJ did a series of gigs in NYC with Will Lee and Anton Fig (Letterman's band) at The Bitter End.

So when you see EJ interviews where he looks tired, he probably is tired. Oh yeah, so he's also in progress with his studio construction. And I recall a few months ago he'd put his Austin home up for sale, which sold quickly, leaving him between places for a bit.

What's Eric doing right now? I dunno, but hope he's gettin' some sleep once in awhile too!


www.ericjohnson.com - Latest tour info!


CLICK HERE for CURRENT EJ Strat eBay listings!]]></description>
<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:37:00 -0500</pubDate>
<guid>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Stratoblogster/~3/dsOqD3hL9Zk/eric-johnson-keepin-busy.html</guid></item>

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