Sommaire pour Spring 2023 de Guitar Techniques

Try GT’s digital edition on PC, Mac, Laptop, Desktop or Tablet! Tap the links Finding your way around the magazine is easy. Tapping the feature titles on the cover or the contents page, takes you straight two the relevant articles. Any web and email links in the text are tappable too Animated tab & audio All the mag’s main lessons have the audio built in with a moving cursor that shows you exactly where you are in the music. Simply tap the‘play’button and you’re off - you can fast-forward or scroll back at will. Play the videos Certain articles have accompanying videos full of useful insight and additional information. Once again, tap the play buttons to enjoy video masterclasses on your iPad (recommended) or smartphone.…

ABILITY RATING Info https://bit.ly/3kHqYzp Key Various Tempo Various Moderate/Advanced ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Will improve your… Expressive delivery Articulation and attack Blues and rock vocabulary Everyone at Guitar Techniques was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Jeff Beck earlier this year, at the age of 78. The music community was hit hard and the tributes came in thick and fast. Jeff was a truly special and significant guitarist, with a unique and constantly evolving sound and a true artistic sense of exploration and rediscovery that spanned his entire career. This started way back in the 1960s with The Tridents and The Yardbirds, right up to the present day, with two collaborative projects released in 2022 with Johnny Depp and Ozzy Osbourne. TECHNIQUE FOCUS Slide and Harmonica…

The electric guitar is one of the key instruments in the country music ensemble, providing as it does the backbone of the groove and often playing exciting single-note solos. Country guitar is a blend of many styles including, jazz, blues, cowboy, swing and gospel styles. In this feature we will focus in on three core picking techniques with a view to developing the facility required to play some hot country lead guitar. The first of these is flatpicking, the country name for picking with down and up (alternate) pick strokes. TECHNIQUE FOCUS Practicing the swing feel One of the areas to develop in your quest to play country, is the ability to play with a swing feel. The swing groove template is in 4/4 with a heavy accent on…

Brought to you by… Blues and rock - arguably one of the greatest pairings in music history and one that few artists are able to embody as fully as Gary Moore. Born in 1952 in Northern Ireland, Moore picked up a guitar aged 10, taking inspiration from players associated with the British blues boom, most notably Peter Green and Eric Clapton, with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. This blues influence was integral to his style but he moved away from this in his early career, instead making music based heavily in the rock camp as both a solo artist as well as briefly with Thin Lizzy. Through the 80s, fans saw Gary move further in to hard rock and even heavy metal territory, but his love of the blues underpinned everything and…

Brought to you by… Joe Stump hails from Queens, New York and spent the 80s shredding with his band Trash Broadway. In 1993 he became a Berklee instructor specialising in metal guitar. He has also released a host of solo records, as well as albums under the Joe Stump’s Reign Of Terror moniker, plus recording with ex Malmsteen singer Michael Vescera. And as if that wasn’t enough, Joe is currently the guitarist for Alcatrazz, picking up the gauntlet originally laid down by Yngwie himself, and later Steve Vai. Joe’s playing is heavily neo-classically influenced, a style which he traces back to a love of Ritchie Blackmore, JS Bach and Prokofiev, and he was at the forefront of the neo-classical shred guitar movement throughout the 80s. With the folowing five examples…

Americana superstar Jason Isbell is the quintessential guitarist’s guitarist. Equally at home on both electric and acoustic he is a master fingerpicker, riff writer and lead player. He’s a vintage guitar connoisseur, too, and famously possesses ‘Redeye’, the legendary Les Paul once owned by Lynyrd Skynrd guitarist Ed King. A winner of four Grammy awards, Isbell first found success as a member of the Drive By Truckers before going on to work as a solo artist and alongside his band, The 400 Unit who also feature guitar ace Sadler Vader. Growing up in rural Alabama, Isbell took up music at the age of six starting with mandolin, trumpet and French horn before moving to guitar. His first musical experiences were in bluegrass and country and by the time he was…

SIMON BARNARD Simon is a graduate of ACM and The Guitar Institute, holding a Masters degree in music. He teaches, examines and plays everything from rock to jazz. DECLAN ZAPALA Declan is one of the UK’s top classical guitarists and teachers. He is a Master graduateofRCM andhissolo arrangements are sublimely creative. JON BISHOP Jon is one of those great all-rounders who can turn his hand to almost any style. He’s also rock legend Shakin’ Stevens’ touring and recording guitarist. MARTIN COOPER A tutor at BIMM Brighton, Martin’s Rock columns show an incredible breadth of technique and style. His 2006 album State Of The Union is out on iTunes. CHARLIE GRIFFITHS Charlie is a well studied guitarist who specialisesinhighendrockplaying and plays with top UK metal-fusion band Haken. His debut album is…

When it comes to making practice decisions, the biggest differences between beginner and intermediate routines are musical choices and a need for honest self assessment. The techniques you develop and the knowledge you learn, should all be driven by the music you want to play. What skills do you need to play stuff that inspires you. When it comes to musical taste, almost everyone is a little different. I might listen to Neil Young, Harry Styles, John Coltrane and Metallica all on the same day. Other people’s taste will obviously be different. Have a think about what things you would love to be able to play, then think about the steps you would need to take to get there. I have lessons and articles on setting realistic goals; you might…

➊ Chicago Blues Jam (E) We start with a fun Chicago blues shuffle in E.Try mixing E Major Pentatonic (E-F#-G#-B-C#) - same five notes as C# Minor Pentatonic – and E Minor Pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) for some classic blues sounds. ➋ Sweet Slow Blues (A) Here's a blues in A but with a few alternative chord changes. For a lovely, uplifting vibe, use A Major Pentatonic (A-B-C#-E-F# - same five notes as F# Minor Pentatonic) - while switching to A Minor Pentatonic (A-C-D-E-G) for the D7 chords. Dig in! ➌ Easy Jazz Blues (Am) This is a slightly simplified jazz-blues in A Minor, with a slow swinging feel that should make it easy to navigate. A Minor Pentatonic (A-C-D-E-G) is a great place to start. Try to get some of the…

ON VIDEO This month we have a superb masterclass with Italian virtuoso Daniele Gottardo. In the accompanying video Daniele provides a detailed explanation of his approach to playing on Jason’s orchestral rock track, The Parade. It features a medium 120bpm tempo with a straight quaver feel, with four main sections to negotiate: verse, chorus, pre-chorus and middle eight. The chords and harmony are dense and complex so instead of taking an improvised solo Daniele composed one so he could navigate the changes while allowing for dynamics and emotive articulations. Each chord in the verse is tackled individually to ensure that the harmony is perfectly framed. Certainly, no one scale can be used over The Parade as the key centre continually shifts. An important theme in Daniele’s approach is the use…

ABILITY RATING Moderate ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Info https://bit.ly/3kHqYzp Key D major Tempo 115bpm Will improve your… ✓ Sustained upper pedal notes ✓ Guide fingers ✓ Knowledge of the fretboard Sor was born was in Barcelona in 1778 into a family with a longstanding military history and it was expected for him to continue the tradition. Thankfully before honouring this family convention Sor’s prodigious talent for music was awoken when his father introduced the young Sor to opera music and the classical guitar (albeit the slimmer form of the instrument that predated the de Torres design we are used to seeing today). While still a young boy Sor went on to enrol at the Monastery of Montserrat where he received extensive musical training. This set in motion a…

Brought to you by… Ted Nugent was born in Michigan, USA in 1948 and is still playing today after enjoying a career that has spanned more then 50 years. Nugent formed The Amboy Dukes in 1965 and released several albums under that moniker before dropping the name and using his own to front the band on both tours and recordings. Along with guitarist and vocalist Derek St Holmes, bass player Rob Grange and drummer Clifford Davies, Nugent signed to Epic Records and proceeded to write and record some of the most classic hard rock riffs of the coming decade. A good amount of commercial success followed subsequent tours and record releases, and Nugent himself became known as one of the ‘guitar heroes’ of the 1970s. However, there was internal arguing…

Brought to you by… This month I’ll be delving into the much maligned (and perhaps misunderstood) genre of disco funk and three of its most iconic players. The style developed during the thriving nightclub scene of the US in the late 70s, and is perhaps best represented by the infamous Studio 54 in Manhattan. Unlike earlier funk, this music was much more heavily produced, and costly too, with the addition of lush string sections and more complex arrangements. One of the most influential funk guitar players known for this style is Nile Rodgers. Best known for his work with Chic and Sister Sledge, Nile’s incredible career as an artist, producer and writer has seen him sell cumulatively over 100 million albums. The incredible roster of artists in his production back…

Brought to you by… Compound time is where the beats are subdivided into groups of three or six - for instance in 6/8 or 12.8. If you’re a blues-rock type of player, the most familiar use of compound time might be in a slow 12/8 blues or a shuffle. It’s common for soloists to use even subdivisions of the beat to float over the pulse. These also add greater rhythmic variety to the palette of rhythms that we as soloists can call upon. Fantastic exponents of compound time range from Frank Zappa to Robben Ford. We’ll start by exploring the pulse of these time signatures. When you start experimenting you should aim to find various rhythms within the pulse. Our first Example shows some options beyond just playing a swing…

FEATURE VIDEO #1 ALLAN HOLDSWORTH Style study with Brett Garsed To commemorate five years since Allan’s passing we take another look at Brett’s great video appraisal. FEATURE VIDEO #2 TROY REDFERN Five slide licks The UK’s slide guitar master joins GT for a one-off masterclass where he demonstrates five favourite licks. CLASSICAL VIDEO JOSÉ FERRER Ejercicio No 7 Declan Zapala plays a sparkling arrangement of Ferrer’s uplifting piece, with full performance notes. FEATURE THE CROSSROADS Roy Buchanan John Wheatcroft delves into the hybrid picking and string bending style of the troubled Telecaster titan. 50 years on from Dark Side we celebtrate... DAVID GILMOUR Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here and Dark Side Of The Moon are two of the biggest albums of all time. David Gilmour played the sounds and…

THE PASSING OF JEFF BECK on 10th January saw a huge outpouring of emotions around the world. From individual fans applauding gigs to guitar icons discussing their shared moments, he inspired and enthused many over the decades. To the world of guitar playing he brought endless creativity, stylistic breadth and a high benchmark for quality. He was a Mount Rushmore guitarists’ guitarist with many Grammys and yet for the average person on the street, not many can name his songs. Of course, we’d all offer up favourites like Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers, Led Boots, Blue Wind, The Pump, Brush With The Blues, Angel or Over The Rainbow. These tracks, and others, are shining examples from his celebrated career. And then there is that piece, the late 80s instrumental that…

HERE we’re going to look at targeting specific notes within a chord and establishing ways to analyse the chord to do this. There's no need for detailed music theory knowledge at this point, though you may find a few of the terms explained here useful when dabbling in these waters in the future. So here are three different variations of a Major chord and a scale or arpeggio that fits with each. This approach allows you to absorb chunks of information in a musical context, rather than a theoretical one. Have a listen then play through the Examples and all will be clear. Example 1 THE A MAJOR chord consists of the notes A-C#-E – not necessarily in that order, especially on the guitar, where we need a flexible approach…

GT: What is it about guitar instrumentals that appeals to you? SH: As I am a guitarist first and foremost, guitar based compositions will always be of interest. If you look at the history of music you will find that a high proportion is in fact instrumental-based rather than featuring a singer. The guitar can be used both for melodic lines and for chordal accompaniment, and so it can be used in a variety of ways to create instrumental compositions and evocative parts. GT: What can an instrumental provide a listener that a vocal song can't? SH: The human voice is a primary way of communicating emotion in music, plus the use of words brings an additional dimension of artistic experience. But non-vocal musical instruments can also convey emotion in…

ON VIDEO During his summer semester at Berklee College Of Music, Boston, Ant Law discovered and started using perfect 4ths tuning. According to The Guardian he’s “a game changer”. Ant released his fifth album, Same Moon In The Same World (Outside In Music) in 2022. In addition to leading his own projects, he also plays in Tim Garland’s band with Jason Rebello & Asaf Sirkis. Ant is also the ‘L’ in Trio HLK who record and tour with Dame Evelyn Glennie. His book on 4ths tuning is ‘3rd Millenium Guitar’, published by Mel Bay. NEXT MONTH We have four immensely cool slide licks from the great Troy Redfern NEW ALBUM RELEASE Ant Law and Alex Hitchcock’s new release, Same Moon In The Same World is on sale now. For more…

Brought to you by… EXAMPLE 1 RIC OCASEK (THE CARS) This sequence uses two-note diads, on the third and fourth string, to imply a chord progression in A Major. Each one is positioned closely to the neighbouring notes to create smooth voice leading within the phrase and making the part sound like a well-constructed phrase from a song, For a bright, lively, tone, use your bridge pickup, set the amp clean, and boost the treble. A compressor will balance the dynamics between your pick attack and the sustained notes. EXAMPLE 2 RITCHIE BLACKMORE This riff uses the open sixth string to establish the root note (E), and features the first three notes of the E Minor scale. Downstrokes add authority to each note but look out for the pull-off in…

NEVER MISS ANOTHER ISSUE Time to subscribe! MARCH GT345 12 STRAT BLUES PLAYERS The Strat is a mainstay of modern blues. We check out 12 who make California’s finest wail! Also: Carl Verheyen soloing video; play Hendrixstyle fiery Pentatonics, learn the tricky El Colibri, plus Rory, Steve Morse, George Lynch & more! FEBRUARY GT344 JIMMY PAGE Play like Jimmy Page! Plus: 9 stunning video examples from Eric Gales. John Wheatcroft gypsy jazz video. Caro Mio Ben classical; James Brown funk, Brad Paisley acoustic picking, Dan Patlansky blues-rock, AC/DC rock, and more! JANUARY GT343 HANK MARVIN Three full pieces to demonstrate Hank Marvin’s iconic style plus interview. Exclusive Joel Hoekstra & Emiliano Sampaio videos, Greensleeves for classical guitar; George Benson, Paul Gilbert, Robert Cray, Keith Urban & Pearl Jam. DECEMBER GT342 FOLK…

Brought to you by… Sweep picking is an efficient technique, combining elements of alternate picking with logical economy of motion. Typically, sweep picking found favour in 80s rock to play fluid arpeggio runs, where for the most part, a single note is played on each string. However, sweep picking is found in many genres where the use of arpeggios is prevalent such as jazz and fusion as well as rock and metal. I have chosen to focus on the latter two genres this month, and have showcased a number of common three and five-string arpeggio shapes. As mentioned, sweep picking is incredibly effective for playing arpeggios where one note is picked on a string. Of course, alternative picking could be used (check out Tumeni Notes by Steve Morse!) but sweeping…

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