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GUITAR INTERACTIVE_WELCOME
Welcome to
Guitar Interactive
Welcome to
Issue50 Editor -
Gary Cooper
gary@guitarinteractivemagazine.com
There can’t be many better ways to celebrate our Contributors -
50th issue than to catch-up with John Petrucci - Gary Cooper, Jamie Humphries, Lewis Turner, Tom
the guitarist who gives the lie to the saying ‘There Quayle
aren’t any guitar heroes any more’. And in a way, Review crew -
having John on our cover for such a memorable Andi Picker, Bob Thomas, Lewis Turner, Tom
Quayle, Dan Veall
issue is a statement because GI is definitely
Columns -
looking forward, for all that we like to indulge in Joe Pesce, Tom Quayle, Giorgio Serci, Lewis Turner
nostalgia as much as the next guitarist! Advertising Manager -
Helen Bavester
Over the next few issues we’re planning several helen@guitarinteractivemagazine.com
new features and columns - at least two of USA Media and Sales -
which we’ve been quietly working on for several Lisa Spiteri
months. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t still LisaSpiteri@guitarinteractivemagazine.com
Design and layout -
looking for fresh ideas from you, our readers.
Simon Gibbs
Please do keep sending them in and rest assured simon@guitarinteractivemagazine.com
that even if we don’t get back to you that we do Animation -
read and consider every email that we get. Even Dwight Sicobo
the rude ones! Video Editors -
James Masterton & Dave Kidd
Finally a word about our competition. we’re Sound Engineering -
giving away one of the amazing new Fishman Martin Hayles & Gwyn Mathias
SA 330x Performance Systems which is one of Cameras -
the most valuable prizes we’ve offered. This is an James Masterton & Mike Thorpe
Social Media Managers -
amazing piece of kit and we’re very grateful to
David Jones & Dan Smith
our friends at Fishman for helping us celebrate a
Publishers -
milestone issue with a milestone prize! Guitar Interactive Ltd
Publishing Directors -
So there we are - 50 issues of Guitar Interactive. Kim Waller and Stuart Bull
And for those who said it couldn’t be done - it has
been, so there! Contact -
Sales and Information line:
+ 44 (0)1708 757 337
Fax Line: +44 (0)1708 757 528
Gary Cooper - Editor web. www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com
twitter. @iGuitarMag
Gary
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GuitarInteractiveMagazine
Address: Unit A, Chesham Close,
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(c) Copyright 2017 Guitar Interactive Ltd. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior
permission of the copyright owners. The views expressed in Guitar
Interactive are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of
the Editor or Publisher.
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 05
GUITAR INTERACTIVE_CONTENTS
Interviews
12 John Petrucci:
Tom Quayle meets one of his own guitar heroes!
22 Marcus King -
He’s the protégé of Warren Haynes, who
produced both his albums, and he’s hailed as
one of the rising stars of Blues guitar.
Lewis Turner meets a man on the move.
32 Download
Report
Festival
Tech Session
36 Angus Young
Jamie Humphries shows you how to master the
master of modern Rock ‘n Roll!
Column: Columns
170 Giorgio Serci’s 204 Tom Quayle - Tuning in perfect 4ths
Creative Fingerstyle 208 Lewis Turner - The Art of Jazz Soloing
212 Joe Pesce - How to sound Country
when you’re not - yet!
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ROTOSOU
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INTERV HOT LICKS AND LIFE STO
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INTERVIEWS_JOH N PETRUCCI
Interviewing
Your Heroes
– John Petrucci
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INTERVIEWS_JOHN PETRUCCI
‘W
orking for a magazine such of the guitar superstar. They’re usually a lot
as Guitar Interactive gives you of stress beforehand, but great fun and very
opportunities that would never enlightening, no matter who you’re speaking
come up in the normal life of a musician. to. Yet, the feeling you get from interviewing
Having incredible pieces of gear (and some a true hero of yours is totally unique,
not so incredible!) arrive at your house every producing a level of combined excitement
week for review is a fantastic privilege. But, and nervousness that would make a neurotic
it pales in comparison when you receive the chihuahua proud.
much-anticipated phone call from the editor,
offering you the chance to interview one of So, I find myself on a typically murky morning
your lifetime heroes. in the UK, driving down the M62 on my
way to Manchester, running mental checks to
Adding music journalism to your bow gives ensure I have all the mics, cameras and other
you quite a lot of stabs at trying to be the gear I need for my latest attempt at besting
next Johnny Carson, David Letterman or Jimmy Fallon in the interview game. Only this
perhaps Oprah Winfrey, trying to deliver that time it’s different – this time I’m interviewing
killer interview, revealing the inner workings one of my biggest heroes, John Petrucci. John’s
playing literally changed the direction of playing. Needless to say, they weren’t my
my life when I first heard him on ‘Images finest years from a fashion perspective…such
and Words’ in 1995. I was 15 years old and was my level of hero worship.
all I wanted to be when I grew up was the
great man himself, even going to the lengths Sat next to me in the passenger seat is an
of dressing in black silk shirts and Reebok equally over-excited friend of mine, tasked
Pumps to get the look down, let alone the with being cameraman for the day, and we’re
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INTERVIEWS_JOH N PETRUCCI
PRS
singing the lyrics to Pull Me Under at the they mind turning the music down a
top of our lungs, while it blares out of my little for 30 minutes. While we’re looking
car speakers so loud that we might as well around, marvelling at how fantastic
be at a Dream Theater gig. To onlookers this interview is going to look, a short,
it must look like a scene from Wayne’s suited man arrives and informs us that
World but, in reality, I’m trying to disguise we can’t film in the hotel without written
my nervousness since interviews always permission and said permission will take
come with their own set of challenges and at least two weeks to arrange. We are of
I really want this one to go well. course welcome to film in John’s personal
room – yeah…I’m sure he won’t mind at
We arrive in Manchester with tons of all…err... will he?
time to spare. Our first mission…locate
the hotel. The interview is taking place at At this point I do my best Hugh Grant
The Principal Hotel, a rather strange but impression, immediately transforming
luxurious Art Deco style establishment, into the finest English Gentleman I
so posh that my first concern was whether can summon from my Yorkshire roots,
my cameraman and I would even be explain the situation and ask if they
allowed to enter in the first place. John can accommodate us in any way. The
is running late, so we find the stunning suited man disappears to make some
looking 1920s style hotel bar and wait. phone calls and probably fill in copious
The stress levels are high, since we have amounts of paper work, before returning
no direct contact for John we have to keep with a man who looks like he has just
darting back to the foyer to check for his won first place in ‘The World’s Angriest
imminent arrival. Man’ competition. This man, I swiftly
learn, is part of the Dream Theater
The first thing you learn with interviews management team and he would like to
is that nothing ever goes the way you know ‘where the hell we’ve been?’ and
hope. This bar would make an incredible ‘why the interview hasn’t started yet?’ We
backdrop for my interview, so we ask the are ushered into a corridor and given the
hotel if we can film in here and would option of filming in the ‘IT Suite’ or a
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INTERVIEWS_JOHN PETRUCCI
Considering how much press work John must do on the average tour (and this wasn’t an
average tour, being the 25th Anniversary of Images and Words) it’s amazing how polite and
gregarious he is on every occasion I’ve had the privilege to meet him. He immediately greets
us and shakes both our hands, asking how we’re doing and making funny comments on the
bathroom bar. I’ve interviewed John before for GI magazine and he has been gracious enough
to write about me in other interviews, so he makes a point of asking me how my career is
going and we talk about our kids whilst he puts on the lapel mic.
Reverand
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INTERVIEWS_JOHN PETRUCCI
TBA
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INTERVIEWS_MARCUS KING
Marcus King
STEPPING
OUT OF THE
SHADOW
Hailed as a future Blues star by no lesser being than Warren Haynes,
Marcus King is a soulful player with a fabulous voice. Lewis Turner
meets - and gets to jam with - one of the US’s fastest rising Blues/Soul
stars. Gary Cooper offers this profile.
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INTERVIEWS_MARCUS KING
‘B
eing ‘born under a bad sign’ is
one thing but if you want a real
serious curse on your career in
music, being dubbed a ‘prodigy’ is the real
deal. It’s much the same in cinema, too,
come to that. How many movies have you
seen where the credit ‘and introducing
Zach Wunderkind’ is the last time his
name ever appears on screen? Still, despite
that handicap, occasionally a musician
manages to transcend such a career
dampener and the 21 year old American
guitarist and singer Marcus Young looks
like he is one of the few in that category
who will reach escape velocity.
priest succession ring to it. King ‘The majority of our songs are
recorded his first album ‘Soul Insight’ specific to situations I’ve lived,’
for Warren Haynes’s label in 2015, King has said. ‘I write as a form of
which was young to be making an therapy, to release my emotions into
album. A critical success, he followed a musical expression. I want people
this with the absolutely essential step to know they’re not the only ones
of hard touring, learning his craft going through that pain. Music is the
on the road. As the fan base grew, true healer. And when we perform,
the band gained bigger gigs and we want the audience to leave feeling
when a second album was offered, as tired and as emotionally freed as
material that had been written on the we do. It’s all about getting the stress
road was recorded in a series of live of the day off your chest. It’s like
takes at Carriage House Studios in therapy.’
Stamford, CT.
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INTERVIEWS_MARCUS KING
PRS
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INTERVIEWS_MARCUS KING
You can hear the influences, but it all comes playing a brown SG from the early ‘60s that
through him in his own unique way. He has I found at a Christian bookstore when I was
one of those voices that instantly draws you 11 years old. It has Grover tuners and mini
in, and his guitar playing is an extension of humbuckers. But for the past couple of years,
his voice and vice versa. I’ve been playing what was my grandfather’s
guitar. It’s a ’62 Gibson ES-345. Once I
‘This album is a big melting pot of different switched to that hollowbody, man, I couldn’t
kinds of music,’ says King. ‘It’s the sound turn back. I used the SG one a couple of
of everyone taking their own influences and tunes for the record, but for the most part
collectively coming together as a group. it was the 345.’ As for amps, it seems to be
We’re all really hungry to play, and we’re so a classic Fender Super Reverb pushed by a
passionate about this music. I want people Tubescreamer and a wah pedal, though we
to feel the same thing we feel — to leave the have read that when recording the latest
show feeling some sense of release. It’s almost album he used a variety of amps, including
like the show ends, and everyone can take a models by Marshall and Supro.
deep breath together.’
Make a point of checking out Marcus King.
As for what he uses to express that Blues- If nothing else, when he’s a superstar of the
fuelled sound, Marcus is pretty much a Southern Rock/Blues scene you’ll at least be
Gibson player through and through. When able to say, like Warren Haynes did when he
he started out he was mostly seen with an spotted King as a teenager - I saw this coming.
old SG, as he recalls: ‘ I had been mostly END >
Reverand
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INTERVIEWS_DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL
Festival
g h t s f r o m W h er e A e r o s mith
Highli Perform their Final UK Show
‘E
arlier this month, the biggest UK (featuring members of Cyprus Hill,
event in rock and metal took place as Rage Against The Machine and Public
over 80,000 people descended on the Enemy) deliver epic performances
hallowed and historic grounds of Donington of their respective band’s politically
Park for the 15th annual Download Festival charged hits, also paying tribute to their
and the Guitar Interactive Magazine “fallen comrade”, Chris Cornell. Pop-
team were on-site to document some of punk royalty Good Charlotte thrilled by
the highlights of the weekend, including performing their classic pop punk anthems
interviews with Devin Townsend, Mark before second stage headliners Sum 41
Tremonti, Doug Aldrich, Satchel from Steel provided huge servings of nostalgia, ending
Panther and many more. their set with classics ‘In Too Deep’ and
‘Fat Lip’. Sleeping With Sirens made their
Headliners from the weekend included rock Download debut with a storming headline
giants, Aerosmith performing their final set at The Avalanche Stage, which was this
UK show, System Of A Down who made a year hosted by Fresh Blood’s Alex Baker. The
welcomed return and Biffy Clyro, taking their crowd went wild for Machine Gun Kelly’s
place closing proceedings on the Saturday injection of rock-infused hip-hop, while metal
night. legends Exodus fired on all cylinders as they
The first full day of music on Friday saw brought The Dogtooth Stage to a close, with
metal super group, Prophets Of Rage a ferocious set of unhinged thrash for the
history books.
Gi Weekly | Download Festival 2017 Special | Devin Townsend, Mark Tremonti, Doug Aldrich, Satchel
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INTERVIEWS_DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL
TBA
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TECH
SESSIO PUTTING I
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TECH SESSIONS_ANGUS YOUNG
TABLATURE DOWNLOADS
BACKING TRACK
GUITAR PRO 6 PDF BACKING TRACK
DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD
TECH
SESSION
To celebrate our 50th issue we have a very special
Tech Session looking at the guitar style of the master
of pure Rock and Roll - AC/DC’s Angus Young. We
wired Jamie Humphries up to the mains and let
him rip....
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TECH SESSIONS_ANGUS YOUNG
‘F
ormed in Australia in 1973 by be Rock”, “Back in Black” and “For Those
Scottish born guitar duo brothers About To Rock We Salute You”, to name but
Angus and Malcolm Young, AC/ a few.
DC are without a doubt one of the world’s
most successful and influential hard Rock Undoubtedly the most iconic and best
bands. Known for their tight “four on loved figure in the band is lead guitarist
the floor” grooves AC/DC have sold over Angus Young, whose slight frame clad in a
200 million records world wide, and are school uniform brandishing a Gibson SG
responsible for such classic rock albums as is a legendary image in Rock and popular
“High Voltage”, “TNT”, “Dirty Deeds Done culture. The band’s outrageous on stage
Dirt Cheap”, “Highway to Hell”, “Let there antics were matched by their hard drinking,
hard living off stage life style, a life style that Bars 1-9 kick off our piece with a stylistic
tragically claimed the life of singer Bon Scott opening intro riff based around the chords
in 1980. The position of lead vocals was of G major, E5 and A5. The rhythm makes
filled by English vocalist Brian Johnson, who use of “pushes” with the chord accent falling
recently (and controversially) was replaced by on the offbeat. The riff also features the note
Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose. of G played on the 3rd fret of the 6th string,
performed with a quartertone bend for a
Angus Young’s guitar style is firmly rooted in bluesy sound. The riff concludes with the
Blues and Rock and Roll, his main influence chords of G major, D/F#, resolving to A5.
being Chuck Berry. As well as imitating
Berry’s famous ‘duck walk’ Angus blends his Bars 10-17 include the first half of our
“Johnny B Goode” style string bends with verse riff, and are based around tight chords
high-octane pentatonic runs and licks. Angus performed against a static driving E note on
also includes arpeggio licks that make use the bass guitar. The verse concludes with an
of the open strings. Sometimes criticised for additional rhythm figure, with the A5 chord
their simplistic songs structures (not that performed on the up beat.
the band’s audiences could care less!), often
based around a handful of chords, AC/DC Bars 18-27 include the second half of
have penned countless classic rock riffs, that the verse riff, but with a slightly different
feature the brothers’ (Malcolm and Angus’s) conclusion before leading to our chorus
tight driving rhythm riffs, a hard edged progression. Bars 26 -27 includes more up
vocal style as well as Angus’ electrifying lead beat accenting based around the chords
playing. of D major and G/D, with the bass guitar
remaining on the D root note.
For our Tech Session, I have borrowed ideas
from such classic tracks as “Let There Be Bars 28-35 includes our chorus riff based
Rock”, “Highway to Hell” and “Thunder around the chords of A5, G/D, and D
Struck”, although there are countless other major. Once again the harmony provided
tracks in AC/DC’s vast catalogue that you by the guitars moves against the static bass
could relate this track to. In classic AC/DC note performed underneath. The chorus
style, although not transcribed, the left hand concludes with the chords of C major, A5
channel features a Malcolm Young style and D major.
rhythm part, which sonically is a slightly Bars 36-49 include our break down which
thinner and cleaner tone. is inspired by “For Those About to Rock We
Salute You”, and features a melodic figure
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 39
TECH SESSIONS_ANGUS YOUNG
performed with the picking hand fingers. This figure use minor 6th shapes, (inverted
major 3rd), and a major 6ht shape, (inverted minor 3rd), on the 3rd and 1st strings, whilst
the open 2nd string is used through out all of the changes. Pay attention to the accents, as
they really affect the dynamic of this section.
Bars 40-43 kick off our guitar solo, and see us modulation to a B Mixolydian key
signature. This section features a Blues-based lick mainly around the B minor pentatonic
with an added major 3rd. This section concludes with the start of a new phrase based
around B major pentatonic.
Talon Pics
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TECH SESSIONS_ANGUS YOUNG
Bars 44-47 continue with our B major over our verse progression. Bars 48-49
pentatonic phrase, that shifts up and include a cycling E minor pentatonic
repeats a minor 3rd higher, resulting string-bending lick, which is quite tricky
in B minor pentatonic. This section on the picking hand, so start off at a
concludes with some higher register slightly slower tempo and build it up
string bends and rapid vibrato. to speed. Bars 50-51 include some fast
pattern based E Blues scale licks, similar
Bars 48-51 see us modulate back to to something Angus might play when
an E Mixolydian key signature, with achieving speed.
the second half of our solo performed
Bars 52-53 references a lick seen in the unit, which is basically the pre-amp part of
open section of the solo, with the licks the old wireless system, which Angus uses
shifting between both E major and E minor to add boost and compression.
pentatonic scales by shifting in a minor 3rd
interval. For this Tech Session I used an original
1974 Gibson SG plugged into my Mesa
Bars 54-57 conclude our solo with a TC50 head, on the green channel. This
descending E minor pentatonic lick that head uses EL34 valves so it has a very
uses the open 1st string as a pedal tone. The British sound when in the normal mode.
track concludes with some free time 6th I ran the speaker output into a Two Notes
based Blues licks. Torpedo Studio digital load box, and used
an impulse responses by Celestion (see our
The Gear review in this issue’s Making Tracks - Ed), two
Angus Young’s choice of guitar is as iconic V30 cabs, with both ribbon and dynamic
as the man himself, and favours a variety mics, blended together in the mixing stage.
of Gibson SG guitars, although his main The reverb on the guitars, more apparent in
SG is a 1968 standard. This guitar was the break down, was courtesy of the UAD
used as the inspiration behind his signature Ocean Way studio plugin, which provides
“Thunder Struck” Gibson SG guitar. His an impulse response of the famous studio
choice of amplifier is the Marshall 100 live rooms, and a variety of mics. This is a
watt Super leads from the early ‘70s, some fantastic plug in for adding a really live vibe
of which feature a variety of modifications and depth to your recorded guitar tone!
including extra valve in the pre-amp stage, Before signing off I would like to thank
and a master volume. Although Angus my good friend Michel Santunione at
doesn’t use effects, part of his sound was DLX Music in Stockholm for the loan of
achieved by an early wireless system - the the beautiful SG guitar for this session; I
Shaffer Vega Diversity System. Due to couldn’t play Angus-style on anything else!
signal loss in these early systems a pre-amp
was used, which added a little extra gain https://www.dlxmusic.se
and body to the tone. The company Solo
Dallas now produces the Schaffer Replica
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COMPET YOUR CHANCES TO
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 45
COMPETITIONYOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
‘F
ishman has become not just the go-to
maker of acoustic instrument pickups but
lately of high-end electronics of many
kinds, including the revolutionary Fishman
Fluence electric guitar pickups and a string of high
quality amplifiers for electro-acoustic instruments.
But now Fishman has excelled itself with the new
SA Performance Audio System, as reviewed in
this issue. And to celebrate GI’s 50th issue, we are
actually giving one of these amazing audio systems
away to one lucky winner!
As Bob Thomas, writes in this issue’s review: ‘In its designed role as a vocal and acoustic
instrument amplification system the SA330x performs to a very high level and I’d have
absolutely no hesitation in gigging with it in any room with an audience capacity of 100-
150 – so that’s folk clubs, restaurants, medium-sized village halls etc.’ and ‘There’s a lot
to like about the Fishman SA Performance Audio System – it is a high quality system that
sounds really great, it’s extremely portable and is simple and intuitive to operate.’
Just one lucky winner is going to scoop the board this time around, so make sure you enter
right now! (Hint - read the review first!)
1/ All entries must be received by 21st August 2017. 2/ Only one entry per person is allowed 3/ All entrants must be registered readers of
THE RULES
are ineligible for this competition. 5/ One winner will be chosen, at random, from registered readers of Guitar Interactive who provide th
respond to email notification of having won within 10 days, otherwise prizes may be forfeited and alternative winners chosen. 8/ Winners
always be possible. 9/ Prizewinners must consent to having their name and city/country (e.g. ‘Andres Segovia, Madrid, Spain’) published i
How do you win? It’s easy! All you have to do is click to enter, simply answer the simple
questions (tick A, B or C) and fill out the form! One lucky winner with the correct
answers will be chosen at random and will receive a Fishman SA 330x Performance
Audio System!
Questions
Q1. Who founded the Fishman Q2. The Fishman SA Performance
company? Audio System uses a modified line
array speaker arrangement. Is this
A/ Bill Fishman True or False?
B/ Tony Fishman A/ True
C/ Larry Fishman B/ False
Guitar Interactive 3/ No cash alternative is offered instead of the stated prize. 4/ Employees of Guitar Interactive or Fishman Transducers Inc
he correct answers. 6/ The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding this competition. 7/ Winning entrants must
s may be responsible for import duty where levied. Where possible prizes will be despatched from the winner’s own country, but this will not
in a future issue.
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 47
COMPETITIONTHE WINNERS!
WINNERS
B U L O U S LU NA S T O N E P E DA
GI’S FA
GIVEAWAY –THE RESULT!
‘W
e reviewed the latest edition of Tony Bacon and Barry Moorhouse’
Bass Book from Backbeat Books in GI 46 and we had two copies t
away.
Packed with information on the history and development of the bass guitar
written by two of the instrument’s foremost experts, The Bass Book is fascin
ALS
nburgh, Scotland.
’s The reading. As we said in our review: ‘It is an essential part of the library of any serious
to give bassist and will no doubt be a very welcome gift!’
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 49
50 Guitar Interactive Issue 50
INHOUSE_DOWNLOADS GI47 EDITION TABLATURE DOWNLOADS
TAB
DOWNLOADS
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 51
ULTIMATE MEMBERSHI
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Want to play faster? Master the Blues? Get to grips with And there’s more. As a Licklibrary Ultimate member
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LICK LIBRARY_GET INVOLVED!
Watch our expert presenters – all top players and teachers in their own
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segments are played slowly first, then brought up to speed – all you have to
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Learn Eddie Van Halen’s exact solo for Eruption, get Comfortably Numb
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www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 55
THE
REVIEW GUITARS, A
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 57
REVIEWS_GUITAR REVIEW
‘J
ohn Petrucci’s relationship with Ernie custom designed shield inlays and intricate
Ball Music Man has to be seen as one ‘Majesty’ logo at the 1st fret. As with the
of the most successful partnerships other Majesty models, the Monarchy guitars
between a manufacturer and artist of include high end hardware, including 24
recent times. John has no less than 10 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets, Schaller
different Music Man signature models, the M6-IND locking tuners, a custom John
latest of which is an update to the Majesty 6 Petrucci Music Man piezo floating trem with
and 7 string guitars, coinciding with Dream stainless steel saddles and a custom active
Theater’s 25th anniversary of their landmark preamp circuit.
‘Images and Words’ album and current
celebratory tour. The biggest change from the Artisan is in
relation to the pickups, where we find a pair
The 2017 Majesty guitars have been named of DiMarzio Sonic Ecstasy humbuckers,
the ‘Monarchy Series’ and bear more of a originally designed for John’s JP16 guitar,
resemblance to the 2015 Majesty Artisan as opposed to the DiMarzio Illuminators
than the Majesty 6 and 7 that were originally found in all previous Majesty guitars. The
released back in 2014. Like the Artisan series, Sonic Ecstasy pickups have a much more
the Monarchy 6 and 7 are built using an pronounced mid-range and low-end response
African mahogany body with a highly figured compared to the Illuminators, with a slightly
flame maple ‘shield’ top. Both guitars feature rolled-off high end, but retain the ceramic
a Honduran mahogany, through neck design magnet and relatively high output.
with an ebony fretboard, sporting John’s
STAR RATING PROS Useful and well executed update to the Majest
High end hardware » World class construction and finish
ty guitars » Beautiful design in some lovely and striking new colours » Awesome new pickups »
» Incredibly comfortable to play » Highly versatile tonal palette » Included high end hardcase
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split for stereo operation via a TRS cable if dynamics very accurately and can be both
required. This all combines for one of the subtle and raging when required. The
most versatile guitars in the Music Man line clean tones are warm and round, perhaps
up - not that surprising for a guitar player only lacking in terms of no glassy, jangly
who covers so much musical ground in one split single coil bridge only and neck only
show, but still a great achievement. sounds, but in combination with the piezo
you can totally live without those. Drive
The Sonic Ecstasy pickups sound huge sounds are massive with tons of sustain and
with both clean and drive tones, without width for both rhythm and lead work in all
any of the clinical feel and tone that can four positions. Every sound is useful and
be associated with high output, ceramic musical – a good match for such a superb
magnets. These pickups retain your pick playing and feeling guitar.
Carlsbro
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The Majesty was already a great guitar when it launched, so it’s great to see the Monarchy update
the series with a mahogany body variant available in a range of colours with new pickups and 6
and 7 string options. The 6 and 7’s are essentially identical except for the extra low B string, so the
choice is based purely on how much low end you need rather than specific spec differences.
Check TH
Music Man Majestic Monarchy 6 Scale Length 25-1/2” (64.8 cm) Neck Radius17” (43.2
cm)
& 7 string
Headstock Size Angled & 5-7/8” (14.9 cm) long
MSRP 6st £3,499.99 & 7st £3649.99 US 6st $2,999 &
7st $3,199 (street) Frets 24 - Medium Jumbo profile, Stainless Steel
Made in: Handmade in USA Neck Width 1-11/16” (43.0 mm) at nut, 2-1/4” (57.2
mm) at last fret
JP Majesty Monarchy 6
Neck Wood Honduran mahogany
Size1 2” wide, 1-3/4” thick, 37” long (30.4
cm wide, 4.5 cm thick, 94.0 cm long) Fingerboard Ebony
Weight 6 lbs, 12 oz (3.06 kg) - varies slightly
Fret Markers Custom JP Majesty Inlays
Body Wood African mahogany with maple top
and mahogany through neck Neck Finish Matte - Color matches body
Body Finish Glossy Front, Matte Back Tuning Machines Schaller M6-IND locking
Body Colors Black Knight, Majesty Purple, Royal Truss Rod Adjustable - no component or string
Red, Imperial Blue removal
Bridge Custom John Petrucci Music Man Piezo Neck Attachment Through neck design
floating tremolo
Electronic Shielding Graphite acrylic resin coated
If you’re a Petrucci fan then this will instantly become the new must have guitar, but for everyone
else, the Majesty Monarchy represents a fantastic instrument in terms of ergonomics, tone and
construction that is incredibly versatile and beautiful to look. Highly recommended if you have the
budget! END >
HE SPEC
body cavity and aluminum control cover Weight7 lbs, 3 oz (3.24 kg) - varies slightly
Controls Custom Music Man active preamp; push/ Body Wood African mahogany with maple top
push volume for gain boost, 500kohm push/push and mahogany through neck
passive tone for custom 2 pickup configurations -
.022F tone capacitor Body Finish Matte
Switching 3-way toggle pickup selector, with Body Colors Black Knight, Majesty Purple, Royal
custom center position configuration; 3-way Red, Imperial BlueBridge
toggle piezo/magnetic selector, momentary
mono/stereo output knob (Piezo Volume) Custom John Petrucci Music Man Piezo floating
tremolo
Pickups HH - DiMarzio Sonic Ecstasy; Piezo bridge
pickup Scale Length 25-1/2” (64.8 cm)
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‘T
he McCarty series represents of 50’s Gibson production, they used this
Paul Reed Smith’s take on a more 24.594 scale length and, whilst the difference
vintage ‘50s Les Paul style guitar, is very subtle indeed, it should greatly please
but brought up to date with a double cut those who want modern build quality
design and modern construction techniques, without trading any of the authentic vintage
tuning stability and playability. The range feel that they know and love. For 2017,
is named after Ted McCarty, president of the McCarty 594 is available in both single
Gibson during the ‘50s and ‘60s, and a big cut and double cut variants – we checked
influence on Paul’s development as a luthier out the double cut, since it fulfils the
and guitar designer, originally appearing in brief of vintage-inspired but with modern
the company’s line up in the early ‘90s. effortlessness in a very interesting way.
The McCarty 594 was introduced in the Of course, the 594 is constructed with
2016 and would really appeal to the player a mahogany body and a carved, figured
who loves vintage single cut guitars from the maple top, matched with a mahogany neck
‘50s but wants that modern playability and and rosewood fretboard. For maximum
intonation that can only come from modern authenticity, a bone nut (of the faux variety)
production techniques. The name is derived is used and is combined with PRS Phase III
from the seemingly unusual 24.594” scale Locking Tuners for excellent tuning stability
length as opposed to the standard 25” that but with a Kluson-like feel and sound.
PRS guitars, including the original McCarty, Interestingly, the tuners are tweaked from
have become known for. In the heyday the standard Phase III models, with an added
set screw that pulls the tuner’s gear and worm together
to provide better tone transfer from the string to the
guitar. The two-piece PRS bridge design is reminiscent
of a Tune-o-Matic and stop tail piece, but brought right
up to date for better intonation, sustain and longevity.
vely neck carve » Superb tones with lots of versatility for dual humbuckers » Excellent tuning
s
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that allows the player to roll the volume lovingly constructed with a genuine sense
and tone of both pickups up or down of premium workmanship throughout.
together, just like a Les Paul. The 594 is also wonderfully comfortable
to play thanks to the contoured top,
Build quality is incredible, as it should excellent neck profile and vintage inspired
be at this price point, of course. The fretboard radius. Unlike a vintage guitar
fretwork is simply as good as it gets and however, intonation and tuning stability
every element of the guitar feels solid and are excellent across the entire guitar.
Chords and double stops sound lush even LT humbuckers have a lovely clarity
above the 12th fret and the locking tuners and detailed nature to them that works
keep even the wildest of bluesy bends in beautifully for sparkly cleans or thick
check with no tuning issues whatsoever. Jazz tones. Roll on some dirt and you get
classic ‘50s and ‘60s Blues and Rock tones
Tonally this is an equally impressive and that should feel instantly familiar and
premium sounding guitar, with incredible comforting to anyone who loves a vintage
resonance and sustain both acoustically single cut sound! The tone is always warm
and plugged in. The lower wound 58/15 and inviting without ever becoming too
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Roland
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‘M
any fine guitars pass through that he is one of the finest luthiers currently
GI’s doors but every now and at work in the UK, so we were certainly keen
then we get something a little to see what he had come up with this time!
bit special that everyone wants
to play. This time it was the Redwood GTO Straight out of the case let’s just say that this
made by Sussex-based James Collins. We all guitar looks amazing - somehow familiar
know about custom shop guitars available yet unique. The body shape has a classic
from the big brands but having a guitar hand feel with interesting alterations such as the
built from scratch is a whole different ball crescent F hole and a cool maple line pattern
game and this is every inch a craftsman made that snakes down the fretboard. The high
instrument. gloss finish with matching headstock gives it
an extra classy look. Finish and attention to
Regular GI readers will recall that we have detail throughout were above and beyond.
reviewed Collins guitars before (GI issues 37 Even if you don’t play guitar you could be
and 41) so you will already know that James forgiven for just buying it to hang on your
is one of the very few authorised Gibson wall as a piece of art!
repairers in the UK, and you don’t just get
that from doing a few good set-ups here and This GTO is constructed with a two piece
there - you need to be the very best. The hollowed-out Honduras mahogany body,
two guitars that we have seen in the past, meaning it started out as a solid piece, and
plus the work on our editor’s ancient and is not just a hollow guitar with a centre
very worn Les Paul, which was when we first block. To make matters even more luxurious,
encountered James’s skills, have convinced us this sample came with a beautiful curly
redwood carved top. The mahogany neck
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really couldn’t hear anywhere where it Controlling the GTO’s output comes
sounded out. courtesy of a push function on the tone
pot that splits the bridge pickup, and
The pickups James had chosen were a pair a push volume pot that splits the neck
of Bare Knuckle Calibrated Mules, which, pickup. This is further controlled by a
as you might expect are a high end choice five way rotary selector, which gives you a
mated with two CTS 500K Push-Push variety of different settings to experiment
Pots, along with Jensen Capacitors.
with, all of which are demonstrated in the So was there anything I didn’t like about
video. the GTO? In fact my only issue was the
five way rotary switch. Yes it looks in place
This guitar really can do it all when it with everything else, and it works, but
comes to tone. Warm Jazz, out of phase making quick/seamless pickup changes
‘quack’, shimmery clean, Country twang, on the fly is not easy. It’s of course doable,
classic Rock, biting lead are all at your but nowhere near as slick and quick as
finger tips. Sure it’s probably not going to just flicking a blade switch. I’m sure it’s
be a Metal shredtastic guitar but that’s not something you could learn to live with
down to sound or playability - more to the and get used to though. And, of course,
styling, but there are plenty of pointy ugly this being a handmade guitar, I’m sure
guitars out there to cover that.... (now, it’s something you could discuss with the
now! - Ed). builder.
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was an instrument with the finest materials all guitars in the world end-up hanging on
ay it has put together by an expert builder and walls just being admired by people. That
ariety of for that you are going to expect to have first group of potential buyers, though, is
ll rounder. to pay some serious money and this is as going to include the sort of owners who
h a mighty good as it gets. realise that however good a top of the line
nd finish factory-made product may be, there is
was the Who is it for? I think this guitar is always something even better, something
kups probably going to appeal to two different handmade by a great craftsman. That’s
ntioned types of people. The serious player who a rarefied world where the world’s most
of this demands such high build quality/tone/ demanding customers are willing to go
first playability but wants something a little that bit further to get the absolute best.
d built different, or a rich dude who can hang It’s the world this guitar comfortably
thing?’. it on his wall purely to appreciate its inhabits and if you ever get the chance
we are beauty! That may sound sacrilegious but you really have to try one to fully
m scratch we have to face facts and a lot of the best appreciate its brilliance. END >
wood Cocobolo fretboard with maple wave Grover Quick release locking strap
- 4mm ‘mop’ dots cocobolo/maple buttons
binding - 2mm ‘mop’ side markers
Bare Knuckle calibrated “Mules” 2 CTS
Cocobolo truss rod cover laser engraved Push – Push 500K Pots Jensen Oil 0.022
serial no. inset coin bone nut Capacitor 5 Way Rotary Switch with
2mm MOP Markers.
ith Grover Machine heads
ood carved Volume Pot splits Neck Pickup - Tone
Gotoh Nashville Tune-o-Matic stop Pot splits Bridge Pickup
tailpiece
veneered More info:
Recessed Dome V&T Knobs www.jamescollinsguitars.com
maple wave
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Flaxwood Liekki
Concern about the use of tropical hardwoods reached a peak early this year with
the introduction of controls on supplies of rosewood. This is not likely to be a
passing fad and it is certain that other woods will wind-up on the so-called CITES
list before long. Which makes the drive to move away from traditional guitar
tonewoods all the more urgent. Cue the innovative composite bodied Flaxwood
range, which has been around for a few years now, vying for attention. Has its time
finally come? Lewis Turner checks out the fine looking Liekki.
‘G
etting to play lots of different guitars As I said when I reviewed a plastic topped
is cool, but let’s face it most are Supro in GI not long ago, resin guitars are
based around a few tried and tested nothing new and I used to own a very nice
construction techniques, using ‘plastic’ Ibanez that was perfectly pleasing to
materials that have been employed for many the ears, so why are these different materials
years. There are good reasons for sticking to quite often not given the time of day? Do they
tried and tested materials and techniques, really sound different? Or is it just snobbery
not the least of them being that using a new and lack of understanding that makes
material, or even slightly different shape, can guitarists turn their noses up at the idea? As
be met with a few raised eyebrows. Guitarists always be sure to check out the video to see
just don’t like change! Well, that’s what we’re and hear it for yourself, and make your own
in for here - and how! Flaxwood is a Finnish decision.
company that has developed a waste wood
fibre reinforced thermoplastic material which Visually, you would be hard pressed to find
can be injection moulded - even into the anything to object to about the Liekki. Pulling
shape of a guitar’s neck. Flaxwood guitars have it from the case, it looks cool - very cool!
been around since 2005 and have generated a From the headstock to the fretboard markers
reasonable amount of interest without having everything is just a bit different and unique,
set the world on fire. Is that about to change? but never odd. There are lovely contours on
the body with a striking F hole. Ours was
finished in a very clean white adding to the
sleek look. It was also light, and if you have 25.5” scale thin C shape and 22 X-Jumbo
ever read any of my other reviews then you frets it felt comfortable and effortless.
will know that I think this is a good thing,
back saving aside, light guitars just sound A nice big cutout for the lower horn and
better... (ducks for cover from a flying Les a 3-D glued neck joint made upper fret
Paul..). access a breeze, the set-up was spot on, nice
and low but there wasn’t a trace of fretbuzz
The Flaxwood neck is fitted with what I took or intonation issues. It’s clearly set up as a
to be a rosewood fingerboard but, as you shredtastic guitar and it does that job very
might expect, that turned out to be made well.
from Flaxwood too. Either way, it was a
pleasure to play. At a 12” compound radius, The Flaxwood is completely hollow and
thanks to its contours was super comfortable,
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feeling small and unobtrusive. Flip it over and and once you have seen it (it’s shown in our
things start to disappoint a little in the looks video) you can understand why.
department, however. Screwed to the body is
a resin resonator backplate that just strikes me But does it work? Well, we didn’t really run
as ugly. Presumably due to the fact the guitar it at any great volume in our studio plus the
is hollow they needed to add something amp is in another room, although the PA
to prevent feedback and keep its strength speakers are pretty close, I didn’t have any
and this is what they came up with. On the issues during this review with feedback, but
Flaxwood website there is an FAQ which sets you would have to live with it for a bit in real
out to explain why the resonator plate is there life to see if any issues crop up.
but I didn’t feel it really explained it. In any Our Liekki was fitted with a Schaller LP
case, look on the website and I bet you will tremolo and Gotoh tuners keeping everything
be hard pushed to find a picture of the back
stable and in tune. The trem was great and same being true for Yngwie style vibrato and
could probably take a fair bit of abuse. This bends. Once the strings are bedded in, this
set-up makes it a lead player’s dream because thing is as stable as anything.
you can really dig in, scoop, dive etc. with no
concerns about things going out of tune, the
Flaxwood Liekki
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The Liekki uses two Seymour Duncan SP90- it? Well, the makers claim it’s impervious
1 Vintage soapbar humbucker pickups with a to moisture and that can be a good thing,
three way selector switch. These are great and especially if you are travelling across all sorts
further reinforce this guitar’s intentions. The of climate zones. But the main reason has to
bridge pickup is bright and cutting, whilst be if you are particularly concerned about
the neck is mellow and scooped for smooth playing a guitar made from a wood which
lead lines and a mixture of the two gives you is considered ‘endangered’. In the end, no
a fairly decent clean tone. As an overall tonal reviewer can help you there - it is a purely
spectrum this guitar has a bit of everything personal decision. Of course, in time you
and will suit many styles. The hollow body may not have the choice, but for now you
with F hole gives a fairly decent warm Jazz have and it’s up to you.
tone on the neck pickup, too, while the
bridge enables a smooth scooped lead tone. Ignoring the material for a moment, this is a
I’m loath to say the word but it’s a bit of a very good guitar that looks (apart from the
‘Fusion’ guitar! back), plays and sounds great, comes with
superb hardware and really is just a very nice
So what about the Flaxwood and its effect guitar indeed. It has a fresh feel and look
on tone? It sounds fine and I don’t think I about it that will turn heads. It’s perhaps a
could tell in a blind test against a ‘normal’ shade expensive but you really have to judge
guitar. It perhaps lacked a little mid-range it not against mass produced guitars but
scoop but that could be down to the lack of specialist built ones because that is the class
density. So it doesn’t sound any worse than it’s in. If you’re in the market for something
the norm, but it also doesn’t produce a whole a little different and unique, go give one a
new tonal spectrum that blew my mind, so spin. END >
that inevitably raises the question, why do
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Epiphone Wildkat
If you’re more into Eddie Cochrane than Eddie Van Halen, Epiphone’s Wildkat might
be just your thing. Why, it even comes with a Bigsby. Lewis Turner slips on his blue
suede shoes.
‘E
piphone may be one of America’s The Wildkat is a cool looking guitar, our
oldest instrument makers, having sample finished in a lovely Wine Red, with
been around since 1873 and now the Bigsby and double F holes giving it that
in its 143rd year, but to a whole real retro look. Fit and finish throughout was
generation of players today it’s known as the excellent and it will certainly turn heads. The
cheaper version of Gibson. But that shouldn’t body is mahogany with a laminated flamed
take anything away from the quality of the maple top and coupled with the fact it’s an
company’s instruments and recent years have archtop with a centre block (much like the
seen some really good Epiphones come onto 335), that this makes for a very light guitar.
the market, often at pretty stunning prices. The weight factor is not only good for saving
That must certainly apply to the subject of your shoulders and back, it’s also great for
this review, the semi acoustic Wildkat, which resonance and increased sustain, and this
is a lot of quite complicated to make guitar is certainly true with the Wildkat. Even
(well, compared to a Strat or an SG) for what unplugged the guitar resonates well and you
is not really very much money at all. can feel every note that is played, which is
great.
As before with Epiphones we borrowed our
sample from a leading retailer (DV247.com) The traditional style headstock is quite a
which has the added advantage that this large affair, making it slightly top heavy
accurately represents the condition you are but the tuners were good and stable. The
likely to find one in in a store. glued neck is maple with a rosewood
fingerboard, 24.75” scale with 22 frets. I
found the fretboard and shape of the neck
very comfortable to play as was the action
» Good price
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Epiphone Wildkat
if pitch bending harmonics are your thing, my picking hand, but that could just be a
this isn’t going to cut it, though for a little personal thing.
shimmer on chords it works fine. Tuning
wise it seemed to stay in place, but only I have played a fair few Epiphone guitars
time and hard use will tell. I’m not a fan of over the years and have always liked them.
Bigsbys in general as they get in the way of As with many people when I first played
one I was a little dubious after reading the end woods and the headstock makes it
spec and noting the price and I admit I a little unbalanced, and there’s also that
approached them with a bit of a snobbish bulky Bigsby, but for the price you really
attitude, only to be pleasantly surprised can’t fault it, especially not in terms of
with what was on offer. That was true playability. END >
of the Wildkat, as well, except by now I
know to expect a whole lot better from an Our grateful thanks to DV247 for the
Epiphone - and this one delivered. Sure, loan of this review sample:
it’s not quite up there with the higher www.dv247.com
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‘T
he Sonzera 50 is a 1x12 combo controls plus their own bright switches,
built in a fairly large poplar voiced to match each channel’s specific tonal
plywood cabinet that looks just characteristics. The clean channel has Master
as striking as PRS’ high end amps which and Volume controls, whilst the Drive side
sell at twice the price or more. The black uses Level and Drive for the same purpose.
frame looks great contrasted against the gold A shared Presence control resides on the
lettering and piping while the light-coloured, far left of the control panel for controlling
black and cream grill cloth highlights the upper frequencies, the only other front panel
‘Paul Reed Smith’ signature, lending the control being a channel select switch with
amp a perceived boutique quality, matching matching green and red LED’s to indicate
the company’s more expensive amps and which channel you are currently using.
guitars at a much lower price point. How Around the back you’ll find your standard
has this come about? Well, by making it in array of speaker outs, adjustable biasing
China - and why not? The build quality on jacks, a footswitch input (the footswitch is
our sample was very good indeed with the included and controls channel selection and
Sonzera feeling solid and well put together reverb operation - well done for including
in every respect. The included faux-leather it in the price, PRS!) a series effects loop
handle feels very firm, which is a good thing and your standby and power switches. The
too as this is a heavy amp considering its size. Sonzera is a very easy amp to operate and
understand with no need to read a manual to
Available as 20 and 50 Watt combos and a get up and running quickly.
50 Watt head, the Sonzera range feature two
channels – Clean and Gain – each offering The internals of the amp are powered by
independent three-band EQ and Reverb an ECC83S common gain stage tube for
STAR RATING PROS Well made, affordable all tube combo » Versat
tones » Great pedal platform » Tons of clean headroom an
tile two channel design » Independent EQ and Reverb controls » Excellent clean and drive
nd volume » Effects loop » Included footswitch
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The Sonzera 50 is a great amplifier from PRS at a very attractive price. Its drive channel
won’t appeal to everyone, but for Blues and Rock players and those looking for an
affordable, versatile pedal platform that feels and sounds like a much more expensive amp,
it should serve as a superb choice. Switchable power options would have been a fantastic
addition, the lack of which means that this amp is really only suitable for those that can
make the most of its huge volume levels. But, if you can, you will most likely be very
impressed with the results. Recommended! END >
Bias Adjustable (bias jacks accessible from Amp Width 24” Depth 10.5” Height 19”
back panel)
Weight 56.6 lbs.
Extension Speaker Jacks 5, Parallel Ohm
Total Impedence 16 OhmsACCESSORIES
Switching 4 (x2), 8 (x2), 16 (x1) Ohms
Included Accessories 2-Button Footswitch
Channels Gain & CleanHARDWARE
(Channel Gain/Clean, Reverb On/Off)
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‘L
ittle amps are definitely all the rage one. As always be sure to check out the video
- especially little valve amps. Gone to see and hear this head for yourself.
are the days where you need 16 100
Watt heads with matching 4x12 cabs This little Vox is about the ultimate in playing
and even the guys that claim to use that kind simplicity, sporting just three controls on the
of set-up are usually fibbing, with 15 of them front panel, Gain, Tone and Volume along
just for show. OK, it may not look as cool to with a power meter. It’s hard to believe but
have an amp the size of a toaster on the stage, this head has the maximum power of 50
but it’s far cooler than putting out your back Watts depending on your impedance output
lugging heads and cabs up 32 flights of stairs setting (via switch on the back). 4 Ohm =
for a 30 minute set. Veteran brand Vox has 50 Watt, 8 Ohm = 25 Watt and 16 Ohm =
been up there at the front of this downsizing 12.5 Watt. We ran ours at 8 Ohm into a 4x12
movement with a number of great little amps cab. So how does such a tiny unit produce so
to choose from. However, this new MV50 much output? Well there is some clever new
range of heads takes compact to the next level, technology in these little heads. The MV50
this thing is tiny! boasts an all analogue pre-amp circuit, and
features the brand new ‘NuTube’ - a vacuum
The MV50 heads (they come in AC, Clean tube that promises to deliver authentic valve
and Rock versions - the names telling you all tone at a fraction of the size. This is coupled to
you need to know about their purpose!) can be a Class D power amp.
connected to any speaker/speakers - and there
are two bespoke speakers to go with them, The Rock version of this amp is designed to
more of which, later. I checked out the ‘Rock’ deliver more aggressive tones reminiscent of
high gain British amps. I mentioned earlier
that it can be plugged into any cab and straight off the bat. I was really impressed
that wasn’t me being deliberately vague as with the depth and response it delivers,
Vox has thought the possibilities through not to mention the impressive volume.
and provided a ‘Flat or Deep’ setting It delivers a good quality clean tone, and
switch on the back that helps with this. with just a little gain you start to get that
Selecting Deep will suit small cabs by classic Vox broken-up tone. Happily, this
emphasising the low frequencies, while the varies depending on how hard you pick,
Flat setting keeps it all level, suiting larger making this a very dynamic and responsive
cabs. amp, as all good tube amps should be.
There is a ton of gain available, and using
This is a classic plug in and play head the volume control on your guitar you
where you can get a good usable tone can really clean it up to get meaty chord
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sounds. Pushing the gain right to the What I haven’t mentioned yet, not least
max it’s amazing how much volume this because we weren’t able to get a sample in
little amp can produce, and it’s still good time for this review, are the new mini cabs
useable volume that doesn’t turn to mush. which Vox is offering to go with these MC
OK, let’s be reasonable: it won’t give you a heads. They come in 8” and 12” versions
big saturated gain sound that suits Metal and look very retro. So far the only models
but then that’s not what this amp is about, we’ve seen offered by retailers have been
but for classic Rock and Blues this is just the 8” speakered version but Vox’s press
fine. information suggests a 12” model is on
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the way. Office opinion was divided as to All in all, the Vox MV50 is an amazing little
whether the amps look a bit silly on top of head. It looks a bit gimmicky but trust me
full-sized cabs (they really are very small) and that this is a serious bit of kit. It’s ideal for at
they do look quite cute in pictures showing home practice and studio recording and it’s
them with Vox’s matching boxes. It would be small enough to fit in your gig bag to take
nice to see how they work together tonally. to a rehearsal or gig, maybe to use with a
serious FX processor like an Axe-FX to drive sure how it would handle a really loud band
a monitor, while still being loud enough to situation, but as a highly portable, great
stand its ground if you do wish to use it as sounding head it’s hard to beat! END >
your main amp for smaller venues. I’m not
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‘G
ive a budding guitarist a good It is, in fact, the very definition of a plug
guitar and decent amp, what’s the in and play pedal with the most simple of
next thing they are going to need? layouts, offering just Volume, Tone and
A Drive pedal of course! Be it a Drive. It’s interesting how LunaStone has
boost/overdrive/gain/fuzz they just want decided to set the controls in a diagonal
that ‘loud’ pedal straight away. The result, of position with a massive red light. The design
course, is that the market is saturated with not only makes this pedal stand out, but I
overdrive pedals and with so many on the suspect that making changes on the fly will
out there, trying to find the right one for you be somewhat easier as there is plenty of space
is a challenge. Now here comes LunaStone, between the knobs and, in fact, you could
the Danish effects company, to make it even probably turn them with your foot. Soft
more difficult by offering two versions of its switching with Relay, as well as being True-
own take on the drive pedal, the TOD or bypass and an all analogue design makes
True Overdrive. these desirable pedals on paper, LunaStone
also claim they sound and respond like a
The name explains what these pedals are all tube amp, which is a key attraction.
about: pure and true overdrive. The TOD-1
builds on the backbone of LunaStone’s most Plugging in the TOD-1 and turning it
popular drive pedal, the Big Fella (reviewed on with the controls around 12 the word
in GI 44), giving you the Big Fella tone that sprung to mind was ‘modern’. It has
without a built-in booster, meaning a smaller a contemporary voice, reminiscent of high
footprint and arguably a more user friendly gain British amps, with plenty of gain to get
pedal. a really saturated sound. The simple controls
EACH CONS Colours your tone in a way that may not suit ev
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REVIEWS_PEDAL REVIEW
all worked as expected, and I was able end was tight and responsive, meaning I
to dial in some very usable OD sounds. could play chords and all the individual
Backing the gain down and controlling notes could be heard. However, I wasn’t
the tone from the guitar volume did give able to really tune in a more vintage type
a valve amp type of response in terms of smooth, less gainy, OD. Whatever gain
lowering the crunch (without losing too level I had it on it still coloured my tone
much top end), and responding to my in a certain way, where as a good pushed
playing dynamics. valve amp would still keep your original
sound.
This pedal really suited the humbucker
bridge setting on the guitar that I was The TOD-2 is essentially the same pedal
using, delivering plenty of bite but never but with a shade more gain and a beefed-
sounding harsh, thin or fizzy. The bottom up bottom end, which can be clearly head
TBA
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in the video. This pedal would be ideal that may or may not appeal to all, but
running into the front of an amp that for high gain clarity these are great. I do
lacks a bit of bottom end beef or is a bit think rather than making two separate
woolly, this is a tight clear low end with pedals, they could probably have made
much the same gain sound as the TOD-1. one with a switch on it that delivers a bit
more bottom end. Deciding on which one
The LunaStone TOD-1 and 2 are well to use will depend on your personal tone
made high quality overdrive pedals with taste and what type of amp you use, both
a unique design. They are simple to use will work really well in front of a clean
and have a high quality OD sound that amp to give it some grit and dirt that we
can be used for both single line playing all yearned for on that fateful day when we
and beefing up chords/riffs. I did find decided, ‘I need a loud pedal’... END >
that they have a definite unique sound
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‘H
ere at Guitar Interactive we’re big applied to each. Compression and filtering can
fans of Eventide’s H9 pedal. One be applied before or after the distortion for
of the things that we love about some very interesting effects and Eventide has
it is the slew of new algorithms even included an envelope control for the filter
that Eventide has released since the pedal stage, allowing for some truly unique wah-
was originally brought to market a few years style (and way beyond) effects based on your
ago. Previously, we have checked out the pick attack.
‘SpaceTime’ algorithm, combining Delay,
Reverb and Modulation into a single effect As with all of the H9’s algorithms, you are best
block, but this time we will be looking at editing sounds from the H9 Control software
two algorithms combining drive sounds with on a PC, Mac or iOS device. This gives you
other effects for unique and highly interesting a complete overview of the controls with
results. Mix, Bandmix, Crossover, Low-Drive, High-
Drive, Compressor (pre or post distortion),
The latest updates for the H9 are the Sculpt Low Boost (pre or post distortion), Filter-Pre,
and PitchFuzz algorithms. Sculpt is a very Filter-Post and Env-Filter on offer. This is
unique multi-band distortion effect that pretty overwhelming at first, but selecting the
would normally require at least three separate included presets gives you a good idea of what
pedals to produce. Sculpt splits your signal Sculpt can do and how it achieves its unique
into two bands, high and low, and allows sounds.
different amounts of gain and filtering to be
The Crossover control allows you to select can be placed before or after the drive for
the range of frequencies that each band will different feels and sounds. Low boost allows
contain, whilst the Bandmix allows you to you to add low end before the drive or to
control the level of each band in the mix. smooth it out after the drive whilst the filter
Low Drive and High drive control the section allows you to cut or boost frequencies
amount of distortion for each band whilst before or after the cut-off of each band. This
the compressor acts as you’d expect, but allows for highly some unique tone shaping
to use after a short time » High quality analogue feel for both fuzz and distortion sounds »
od price » Free for H9 Max owners!
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that can be effected by the envelope filter for The drives are digital, but have a distinctly
some seriously cool funky sounds. analogue feel, reacting very well to pick
attack and volume changes in a very natural
These controls can be mapped to an manner. You can even send the signal out
expression pedal for realtime control of drive in stereo with the low and high frequency
amount, filter frequencies, crossover or drive bands going to separate amps if you want.
mix for example. The possibilities are truly A switchable noise gate keeps things under
endless and the sounds on offer are incredibly control when you’re not playing and Eventide
good for getting creative with and inspiring have even included an EQ curve view within
you to write new riffs around a particular H9 Control so that you can really see what
effect. the effect is doing and edit sounds in a more
graphical manner.
Sculpt is a completely unique algorithm and around a core Fuzz effect, combined with
at the asking price is well worth checking up to three pitch shifters and a pair of delay
out. You can even demo it first and check blocks that can be used purely as delay or to
out the presets to see if it’s for you. create arpeggiated effects when combined
with the pitch blocks. You get controls for
The second algorithm is called PitchFuzz Fuzz amount, Fuzz Tone, Pitch Amount
and is the newest kid on the block – based (up to three voices), Pitch A, B and C (up
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REVIEWS_PEDAL REVIEW
to +/-2 octaves or micro pitch shifting +/- analogue feel without any digital aliasing
25c), Delay Level, Delay 1 and 2 times and or fake sounding note releases. The tone
Feedback for the delays. control allows you to dial in anything from
a thin, raspy fuzz to a fat, woolly distortion
The pure Fuzz tone is fantastic without even that is worth the asking price alone. Adding
engaging the other effects. It has a distinctly in the delays you find some highly inspiring
lead and rhythm sounds that can be tempo amazing arpeggio effects that can sound
mapped or dialled in with the tap tempo lush or menacing from just a single note.
button as required. The pitch effects are polyphonic and track
incredibly well, even with very fast playing
Bringing in the pitch effects is where things and of course all parameters can be mapped
get very interesting and unique. Each of to an expression pedal for even more creative
the voices can be mixed in using the Pitch possibilities.
Amount dial, so you could have a little of
pitch one and then mix in pitch one and Both of these algorithms are a fantastic
a little of pitch two for example, all the addition to the already highly impressive
way up to all three voices at 100%. In the H9 line up. For Core users they are a very
standard delay mode, all the pitches happen attractive price and for H9 Max owners you
together. But in the arpeggio mode voices can download them for free with the latest
B and C are mapped to Delay 1 and 2 version of H9 Control. Fantastic stuff! END >
respectively, allowing you to create some
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‘T
he Kongpressor is Orange’s take King Kong’s fist clasping a defenceless Ann
on the guitar compression pedal, Darrow-esque maiden looks great against
but it is certainly more than just the white, oversized dials and metal bar,
another compressor slugging it out in an protecting said dials from your size 12
already crowded marketplace. Rather than boot. The pedal is housed in a bomb-proof
relying on the standard OTA (Optical metal chassis, with side mounted jack
Transconductance Amplifier) type of sockets and a standard 9v DC input that
compression found in the vast majority of is doubled internally to 18v for increased
compressor pedals out there, the Kongpressor clean headroom via Orange’s Internal Charge
uses a Class A, Optical design, offering a Pump technology. A large LED is mounted
very smooth, musical response and bloom. at the top of the unit to indicate bypassed
Orange claims that the pedal adds an organic or active state from the solid feeling latching
three-dimensional quality to any rig by footswitch.
utilising a re-issue of the famous vactrol
VTL5C3 optocoupler, responsible for the The pedal features controls for Volume,
sound heard on countless hit records. Squash (compression amount), Chime,
Attack and Release. The Chime function
Like all of Orange’s pedal designs, the controls an active treble boost or cut for
Kongpressor is a wonderful looking stomp shaping your tone whilst the attack and
box that doesn’t take itself too seriously from release allow you to shape the transients
a visual point of view. The fantastic London and tail of your notes. Optical compressors
backdrop in blue, yellow and orange, with have a naturally longer release time that is
EACH CONS Won’t suit those looking for the ultimate in tran
dds depth and warmth to any tone » Nice transparent boost from the Volume control » Chime
lease controls for transient and feel shaping » Bomb-proof build quality
nsparency »
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REVIEWS_PEDAL REVIEW
less transparent than an FET or VCA perception of warmth not found with
compressor, but the Kongpressor can give more transparent compression methods.
you a nice tight, transparent release at its The Kongpressor is no exception - at unity
lower settings if required. gain, with the compression set half way
and medium attack and release times, the
The wonderful thing about optical pedal imparts a lovely extra dimension to
compression is the way in which it does your sound that fills it out in a thoroughly
change your tone - adding a depth and pleasing manner and makes playing
both easier and more satisfying without The attack and release controls are also
being over the top in squashing your very effective, slower attack times giving
sound. Rolling the compression off and more punch to the note and more pick
boosting the volume control can net you attack whilst slower release times give more
up to +12dB of volume boost that is very sustain and a warmer sound. Dial in a faster
transparent with the compression out of attack time to give a more compressed and
the picture. Dialling the compression back consistent attack and faster release times for
in adds warmth and richness to both clean a more natural note decay and transparency.
and overdrive sounds without ever losing A lot of compression pedals don’t include
low end or totally killing your dynamics. a release time dial, so it’s nice to see one
Orange describes the Kongpressor as a included on the Kongpressor.
‘leave on all the time’ pedal and it’s easy
to see why. No matter where you set the Orange has bucked the pedal market trend
controls, your sound gets bigger and more for ‘True Bypass’ operation here, instead
fun to play. opting for a highly transparent, ultra-linear
buffered bypass circuit instead. The benefit
The Chime control is very musical, is that you can run long cable lengths
allowing for significant boosting or cutting and complex pedal boards with tons of
of your high-end frequencies. This could be patch cables without any loss in your high
a very useful tool for brightening up dark frequency range or upper harmonics.
humbuckers or taming spiky single coils,
but is also useful for taking the edge of the The Kongpressor is a superb compression
drive channel of your amp or adding some tool that really has a voice all of its
detail and pick attack to smooth lead tones. own. The unique optical circuit design
There was no perceptible noise increase offers benefits not found in most other
whilst boosting with this control - the compression pedals. If you are looking
Kongpressor is a very quiet compressor in for the ultimate in super transparent
terms of signal to noise performance. compression then the Kongpressor is
probably not for you. But, if you are
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REVIEWS_PEDAL REVIEW
looking for a pedal that you can switch on and instantly improve whatever tone you
had already, whilst providing great sounding and feeling compression at the same
time, then you must check this pedal out. Fantastic stuff from Orange once again
and great value for money. END >
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SOUND
ALL YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR S
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LIVE SOUND_PA REVIEW
Fishman SA Performance A
Fishman doesn’t just make a huge variety of pickup systems for acoustic (
track record for making acoustic instrument amplifiers. But its new SA Per
Bob Thomas investigates.
‘B
ack in 2008, Fishman released match acoustic instrument and vocal horizontally
the SoloAmp – rebranded amplification system featuring the soundfield t
in 2009 as the SA220 Solo uprated and more powerful SA330x, a of fulfilling
Performance System – which was 4-channel mix expander (the SA Expand) amplificatio
the US company’s entry into the portable and an active subwoofer (the SA Sub). medium size
active line array market category. Depending on your band’s line-up, you
Being not only acoustic instrument can start with a SA330x, add a SA Sub to The front pa
amplification specialists, but also one of give you more bass output and then add 2-channel m
the more innovative companies around, the SA Expand if you need more inputs. the SA330x
Fishman equipped the SA220 with an jack combin
on-board 2-channel mixer and gave it The SA330x, with its thin, stand- gain, 3-band
a full-range frequency response. This mounted vertical configuration, will (with integr
combination produced a highly-portable be familiar to anyone who knows its reverb level
amplification system that was ideal for a predecessor. Delivering 330W RMS (-14dB at 15
solo singer-guitarist. bi-amplified (280W bass and 50W channel. Ph
treble) through its uniquely-configured inputs is swi
Fast forward nine years to 2017, ‘Modified Line Array’ setup of six reverb prese
where Fishman has updated the SA patented 4” dual-gap, neodymium levels of the
220 to the SA Performance Audio woofers and a single 1” soft-dome the Aux In a
System, a portable, modular, mix-and- tweeter, the SA330x produces a the signals fr
Audio System
(and recently electric) instruments - the US company also has a fine
rformance Audio System takes the whole idea one stage further.
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LIVE SOUND_PA REVIEW
mini-mixer allows you to add additional summed to mono to drive the sub, which
microphones, instruments, keyboards and means, for example, that two SA330x
electric guitar pre-amplifiers if required.units could share one sub. Although the
SA Sub can be crossed over at 80Hz,
Although the SA330x itself delivers a 100Hz and 125Hz, the 100Hz setting
71Hz – 20kHz full-range output, if is the one to use with the SA330x as its
you’ve got a keyboard or bass guitar in output is high-passed at 100Hz when its
your band you’re going to want a bit more Sub Out is in use. Completing the control
low-end in your sound, which is where complement are a volume control and
the 30Hz-125Hz output of the 300W switches for phase, ground lift, front LED
active SA Sub through its 8” custom on/off and LF Extension on/off, the latter
driver is going to come in handy. The removing the lowest frequencies to help
separate left and right inputs (with pass- compensate for a bass-heavy room when
through full-range outputs) are internally set to off.
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LIVE SOUND_PA REVIEW
In Use
Conclusion
Various accessories are available in addition
to the twin footswitch mentioned earlier, There’s a lot to like about the Fishman SA
and include an accessory mounting kit that Performance Audio System – it is a high
enables you to pole mount the SA330x on quality system that sounds really great,
top of the SA Sub, a slip cover for the SA it’s extremely portable and is simple and
Sub and a deluxe, wheeled carrying case intuitive to operate. Although in comparison
to many of its competitors it isn’t exactly If you have the budget and you’re
cheap, it does offer a level of quality, looking for a vocal/acoustic instrument
performance and convenience that many amplification system for small to medium
potential users will find attractive. The sized venues, then the Fishman SA
fact that you can start out with a SA330x Performance Audio System deserves to be
and then upgrade, if necessary, by adding on your audition list – you could well find
a SA Expand and a SA Sub to build up that it is exactly what you’re looking for.
a fully-configured system may also suit END >
many users.
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Topp Pro makes its GI debut with a fascinating and affordable digital mixe
analogue consoles from even the most modest venues.
‘T
opp Pro Music Gear is a relatively new via its individual Select buttons, at which po
name to the market whose full range of PA parameters, other than the signal present/cli
products is being distributed in Europe by that sits next to its hardware gain controls, a
Italy’s Proel. The company recently launched and programmed on the touchscreen via a se
the T2208, a compact 22-input, 8- aux, 1-main screens.
stereo output digital mixing console that features a
user interface that is accessed via a combination of 7” The individual screens for a channel can be
colour LCD touchscreen, a 100mm motorised fader either through on-screen soft switches or thr
and more hardware switches and controls than are hardware buttons that sit to the left of the sc
normally found on small digital mixers at its price the channel’s parameters are adjusted depend
point. selected screen but, in general, you usually h
option of working both on the touchscreen
The Box in hardware. The same holds true for all the
relating to the aux and main stereo outputs.
The T2208 carries 16 mic/line analogue inputs on control combination of hardware and touch
XLR/TRS jack combination connectors and two stereo is extremely well thought-out and makes the
line-level inputs on paired TRS jacks. Analogue insert extremely fast, accurate and easy to operate w
points are available on the first eight channels and compared to other small digital consoles tha
phantom power can be switched on an individual basis an entirely touchscreen-based control paradi
to each XLR mic input. A channel can be selected
Mixing Console
accessed
rough the
creen. How
ds on the
have the
and also
e screens
. This
hscreen
e T2208
when
at rely on
igm.
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The T2208 is also well equipped when it The T2208 comes as standard with an
comes to analogue outputs. In addition to Ethernet/USB module sitting in the separate
the TRS jacks for the eight aux outputs and module bay. This module allows for remote
the separate left and right XLRs and TRS control and firmware updating of the TT208
jacks of the main stereo out, the console also via either of the two protocols. Topp Pro also
carries a pair of TRS jacks for its control supply an excellent free iPad app that gives
room out and two stereo headphone outputs. you remote control of the T2208 over WiFi,
however that requires the purchase of the
On the digital side, a 2-channel USB I/O optional WiFi module 67, which you then
allows for stereo recording and replay and an install in place of the standard USB/Ethernet
option card expansion bay can take either the module.
T32 32x32 USB 2.0 audio interface (£155)
that allows you to record from the T2208 to Touchscreen
your DAW or – if you’re working in a top-
end pro-audio environment – a 32x32 Dante The T2208’s touchscreen is where all the
interface (£399). console’s parameters are displayed and is
essentially where everything happens. get to grips with than most. Although it
With the exception of the overall view is a complex console, the T2208 is not a
of the overall mixer meter view (which complicated unit to operate – although I
shows the signal level, fader position and would advise a careful study of the manual
any compressor limiter activity for every (available from Topp Pro at http://bit.
input and output on a single screen) ly/2r9Na3D) as there are a few little
every screen has something that you can operational quirks to get to grips with - as
work on, be it for a channel, channel there are with every single digital console
assignment, gate, compressor, parametric that I have worked on.
EQ, graphic EQ, internal FX1 and FX2,
mixer routing, system/setup or the paged When it comes to the features and
large fader view. functions of its internal 32bit, floating
point DSP, the T2208 is extremely well
To make the necessary adjustment specified at its price point. Its channel
you can, depending on the selected EQ is 4-band fully parametric with both
screen, use the touchscreen itself and/ high and low pass filters. Each of the four
or (in hardware) the large Parameter bands can be configured individually to
Adjust continuous encoder, the 100mm be parametric, high-pass, low-pass or
motorised fader and the four smaller band-pass – a feature that I haven’t found
Parameter Controllers that are dedicated on many other consoles at any price
to EQ, gate, compressor, sends for FX 1 point. The 32-band graphic equaliser
and FX2, sends for Auxes 1-4 and sends is only available on the main and aux
for Auxes 5-8. Virtually every on-screen outputs – which is where you need it in
parameter that you will want to adjust can a live situation. The gate and compressor
be accessed by two button presses either have every control that you’d expect to
on the touchscreen or on the physical find, giving you complete control of your
console surface and this flexibility is what channel and output dynamics. The twin
makes the T2208 such a speedy console to FX engines each feature three reverbs, a
operate. mono delay, a stereo delay, a tremolo, a
flanger, a chorus, mono and stereo reverbs
In Use with room reverb, a stereo chorus with
As with any digital console, there is a reverb and a rotary speaker simulation
learning curve to negotiate when you first with reverb – a good practical selection,
come into contact with a T2208 however, each of which has a comprehensive set
perhaps down to the clear graphics of its of parameters to tweak to set up just the
touchscreen and the clarity of its front effect that you want.
panel layout, the T2208 seems easier to
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MAKIN
TRACK RECORDING FOR THE R
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‘T
here’s a lot about producing Level) involved, listen to the sound in the
recorded music that isn’t very room, and carry-on (oh, do watch out for the
obvious, especially for someone neighbours though!).
who’s still working through the
basics. Some questions crop-up over and over For the analogue part of the signal chain,
again, and the basic fallback answers of “try we can read the spec sheet for recommended
it and see (and hear) what it does”, and “if it levels, but in reality we’ll just watch the
sounds good then it IS good” can sometimes meters and overload lights; it’s generally OK
be seriously unhelpful; so I thought I’d to abuse these levels a bit to get character
lend Making Tracks to a Q&A format for a out of a device; just keep an ear on creeping
while to see if we can set some of the more noise and distortion levels and you won’t go
common puzzles to rest. far wrong.
One incredibly common question is about Where it really can go wrong is when we
how loud to record; and as this is pretty move from the analogue to the digital world.
much at the beginning of the process, it’s a Our electrical signal is now going to be
great place to start. “How Loud?” can be a sampled and converted into digital data by
pretty big question, so I’ll break it down into an ADC (Analogue to Digital Converter).
a couple of parts: analogue and digital. The number of times a second we sample is
called the “sample rate” (this is the 44.1, 48,
First off, how loud should the actual source 96, 192 kHz part of the spec), and each time
that we’re recording be? Basically, as loud as we sample we create a “word” which is made-
it needs to be to sound good: so let the guitar up of a number of BITS (BInary digiTS)
player turn up that amp until it explodes, let which is the 16, 24 bits part of the spec.
the drummer split the skins and break the Each bit can have a value of 1 or 0, and if all
sticks, and let the singer work those big notes of the bits in the word are equal to 0, then it’s
until he faints. If you need to record very mighty quiet, if they’re all 1, then it’s as loud
quiet (or distant) sources, be aware that every as it’s going to get.
dB of gain we later add to the signal also
raises the background noise that surrounds Now back in the analogue days, tape
it, so healthy levels and/or low background machines would be calibrated around
noise will give cleaner recordings so long as average levels of 0 dBVU, which basically
we don’t overload the signal chain. Use mics gives us around 20 dB of recording
that will cope with the SPL (Sound Pressure headroom above 0. Tape is a nice sounding
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MAKING TRACKS_MAIN FEATURE
just pull down the level hitting the converter until the highest peak you ever see is at least -0.1
dB below FS and you’re safe; if it doesn’t then allow an additional 1 or 2 dB safety margin.
That said, the only reason to not leave lots of headroom in a digital recording is to keep the
quiet parts above the noise floor of the digital system, and seeing as every part of the analogue
world, including the performer, the air con, the mic, the pre-amp, even the cable, is creating
noise at some level, that digital noise floor is most likely to be buried anyway. A good modern
audio interface recording in 24 bit mode can have a dynamic range of over 100 dB, so make
life a bit easier; allow a real-world 6 to 10 dBFS above your loudest peaks and don’t worry if you
need to record with -20dBFS or lower average levels on the louder passages; you won’t run out
of headroom, you won’t hear the noise from your converters and you will probably find that
everything sounds better because the analogue circuits around the converter chips in your
audio interface are operating in their optimum zone.
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The single biggest improvement ever in my recorded sound - far, far more than any piece
of hardware or plugin I’ve ever bought - was after I read about optimising levels into my
converters. I grabbed a software VU meter for the sake of a bit of old time vibe, calibrated it
for 0dBVU to be the same as -20dBFS, set my levels and then never looked at it again because
everything just worked. END >
Any questions, things you’d like to see covered in Making Tracks? Drop me a line at
You can talk to me to me at ..and you can find more stuff about
recording and music at
http://facebook.com/AndiPickerMusic
http://www.TheDustbowlAudio.com
or
http://www.TheMortalGuitarist.com
http://twitter.com/DustbowlAudio
https://www.youtube.com/user/andip5150
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MAKING TRACKS_MICROPHONE REVIEW
‘A
few issues ago (GI45) I reviewed the Lewitt LCT640TS Large Diaphragm
Condenser microphone and was very impressed by the whole package: I called it a
‘clever’ mic because of its multiple switching options and very effective ability to
change polar patterns after recording, and to record in stereo with a single mic.
witt might be a fairly new name in the mic business but this young Austrian company has
en the market by storm with a range of super quality mics. Andi Picker tries its latest in-
duction - a budget priced workhorse.
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MAKING TRACKS_MICROPHONE REVIEW
it be great if we could get that Lewitt sound and rising again to +4.9dB at 12,800 Hz
and convenience in a simpler and cheaper (I’m not showing off, the diagram on the
package? website shows numbers when you put your
mouse cursor on it). This looks about right:
See what I did there? Say hello to the Lewitt it isn’t quite the same as the 640 trace, but it’s
LCT440 Pure Large Diaphragm Condenser very close, other than having a more gentle
microphone. low end fade (and no low cut) and it most
The LCT440 Pure is a 1” capsule, cardioid- certainly has the family sound to it. The top
only true condenser microphone. It needs end is bright enough to sparkle, and the off-
phantom power, has no switches, has axis response is smooth enough that turning
freaky-low self noise, and will put up with the mic a few degrees gives a more ‘vintage’
140dBSPL for 0.5% THD. The published sound without having to resort to EQ. The
frequency response shows a gentle low-end great thing about mics like this is that when
roll off from around 60Hz, then a mostly flat the pressure’s on and the clock is ticking (and
response up to 1.2KHz, climbing to +3.4dB the clichés are stacking-up), you can stick one
at 4kHz, back down to +2.5dB at 6.5 kHz on a stand and be ready to go without getting
option-anxiety; it might not always be the best possible mic for the
job, but it will give you a recording that you can use, and in front
of a musician who just wants to get-on with making music that’s
sometimes more important.
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MAKING TRACKS_MICROPHONE REVIEW
I’m honestly not sure what’s got into microphone manufacturers in the past few years. There
seem to be a lot more well-made, attractive, great sounding, cost effective original designs than
there were half a decade ago, and Lewitt has delivered another mic with all of those features
and its own family sound as well. The LCT440 Pure is a workhorse mic with a look and feel
and, most importantly, a sound that defies its price. Someone at Lewitt deserves a balloon for
this one! END >
Rode
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MAKING TRACKS_SAMPLE REVIEW
‘I
’m a big fan of speaker impulse responses. Used either with a live amp and a load box (see
GI Issue 42 for a Making Tracks feature about this) or with an amp simulator, a good
impulse is a quick and convenient way to really bring a guitar sound to life.
STAR RATING PROS They sound great » Well chosen options give v
constantly being added
s never-ending quest for the perfect recorded guitar sound, Andi Picker delves into the
d of impulse responses with the expanding collection from loudspeaker kings Celestion.
variety without drowning the user in hundreds of very similar sounding files » New models
get a bit expensive if you wanted to collect every model (but a lot cheaper than real cabs and
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MAKING TRACKS CELESTION SPEAKER IMPULSE RESPONSES
on a couple of projects that I’m working on useful if Celestion provided an impulse loader
because the sonic signature of the Celestions to complete the package: certainly there are
seems to sit in the specific tracks better (to my a number of options available (including
taste at the moment). some very good freeware) and some amp-sims
allow third party impulses to be loaded into
All impulses are available for purchase as them directly, but not all loaders are created
individual cabs, or as collections with a hefty equal, and it might be nice for a new user to
discount, though it still adds up a little if you be able to use their libraries “straight out of
want to have everything. Celestion’s digital the box” without having to research and hunt
products website has up to date details of around for another component to do them
available options justice (and I suspect that a top-quality loader
https://www.celestionplus.com/ with a well designed file organiser could put
speakers/ the Celestion brand onto a lot of computer
screens).
with sound samples, and there is a free
impulse available to download and try. Just All the same, these are excellent impulses
by way of a suggestion, I do think it would be that sound just like very well engineered
recordings of the real thing. END >
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 149
THE
QUIE
ROOM
WHEN ONLY ACOUSTIC WI
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
‘G
eorge Lowden has, for many years now, produced some of the best acoustic
guitars in the business. His ‘Original’ series were the first guitars produced under
his own design from 1976 onwards, featuring a large distinctive body shape and
an equally large and distinctive tone.
The O-23 is a variation on the first O-22 model, featuring a stunning walnut back and sides
with a beautiful red cedar top, 5-piece mahogany and maple neck matched with a pitch black
yle tries really hard not to get out his credit card....
ebony fretboard. The O-22 was constructed with more
traditional materials - a mahogany back and sides, so the
O-23 variant is much more striking from a visual perspective,
thanks to its significantly more figured walnut build. In typical
Lowden fashion, the guitar includes some stunningly executed,
yet subtle, appointments such as flamed maple binding, rosewood
headfacings and a rosewood and maple rosette and purfling. Each
of these elements adds to the classic good looks and feel of earthy
sophistication that exudes from Lowden guitars – the O-23 being
a particularly handsome example.
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
huge levels of strength and rigidity to the tone on offer. A simple strum of the open
neck, making it far less prone to warping or strings reveals a level of richness from the
the effects of climate changes. O-23 that many other guitars can only
dream of. The sound has bags of authority
Whilst the O-23 is undoubtedly a big guitar, or subtlety depending on how you play with
especially at its back end, it never feels like a an incredible frequency range and sustain
handful or unwieldy. The satin finish used on that just makes you feel great about every
the body and neck feels remarkably smooth note you play. If the guitar was hard to play
under the hands, protecting your investment you could be pulled away from this tonal
without ever sacrificing the playability of the experience, but the O-23 is such a pleasure
guitar. The factory set-up is also superb, with in the hands that you can just enjoy the
a low to medium action that makes playing incredible sound it produces, helping to
fast or slow a breeze, thanks to the neck bring forth your best musicality and playing.
profile that will feel extremely comfortable A lot of superfluous terms get floated around
and familiar, even to electric players. when describing guitar tone, but it’s safe
As with all Lowdens however, the real treat to say that this guitar just sounds exactly
begins when you start to experience the the way you want a larger body acoustic
to sound in an ideal world. Warm and
Cort
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
satisfyingly rich with detailed highs and crisp countless hours of experience in getting the
attack, it just embodies everything you think very best tone and quality out of the humble
of when imagining great acoustic guitar tone. guitar. Of course, you get a lovely deluxe
hardcase to store your prized possession
As far as Lowdens go, the O-23 is a relatively and can custom order all manner of options
affordable guitar – relative to other acoustics such as pickups, cutaways, fanned frets and
of this level on the market of course, different neck profiles. If you have the cash,
since the O-23 is still a very expensive the Lowden O-23 is as good as it gets and
proposition for any guitar player. It has to we are all very jealous indeed! For the rest
be considered worth every penny though, of us, George Lowden once again gives us
since the workmanship, tone and playability something to aspire to. END >
are simply as good as it gets, representing
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
‘T
he FC550EQ/MS is an a subtle bowled contour for comfort and
affordable, Korean-made added tonal punch. The FC receives a highly
electro-acoustic from Crafter, figured ash top and a mahogany neck with
based on its popular but now a rosewood fretboard. The body and neck
discontinued FX550EQ model. Whereas the feature cream binding and you get a simple,
FX550EQ had a fibreglass back and sides yet attractive rosette for a bit of detail around
with a spruce top, the FC550EQ retains the sound hole. The neck features some
the shape and form factor of the FX, but is lovely offset dots that start at the top of the
constructed from real wood throughout, for fretboard, moving to the lower part after
a more natural acoustic tone. Both guitars the 12th fret. The entire body and neck are
are designed to be electric instruments first stained in an attractive deep blue/black burst
and foremost, but the FC550EQ/MS is a that is very well executed and leans the guitar
much more traditional guitar in terms of the very much toward the Pop/Rock aesthetic,
materials used in its construction. rather than the look of more reserved
Blues or Folk style acoustics. The result is
Just like the FX, the FC550 is a small a good-looking guitar that won’t appeal to
bodied, almost thin-line acoustic guitar traditionalists but isn’t too over the top to
with a bowled back and a brightly coloured scare away the average buyer.
stained finish that is very much in the
electro-acoustic vein, rather than a more To bolster its electro-acoustic credentials,
sedate looking traditional acoustic guitar. Crafter have included a very nice LR Baggs
The plastic back and sides have been replaced Element pickup and their own LR-T FX
with mahogany, with the back displaying pre-amp system, comprising a three band
Acoustic Guitar
o using a mega-bucks condenser mic. What you want is an
its the bill.
EQ, Presence and Phase controls, plus a high contrast LCD tuner and
Volume control, mounted on the upper bout of the body as normal.
The hardware feels great throughout, with high quality die-cast
tuners and a well-cut nut and bridge/saddle, neither of which give
the impression of corner cutting or cheapness. Build quality, fretwork
and finishing are excellent throughout, especially when you consider
that this very affordable price includes a perfectly usable, padded gig
bag too.
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 159
v
Cort
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
The somewhat metallic acoustic sound control is very subtle but allows you to cut a
transforms into a rich electric tone that is little more in a mix, whilst the phase button
much more natural and acoustic in nature is as effective as any other at combatting
than you might expect, with no quack or feedback on stage.
brittleness at all.
The three band EQ is powerful and can take The Crafter FC550EQ/MS is an average
you from mid-scooped strumming tones acoustic, but a superb electro-acoustic guitar.
to lovely, rich single note tones with ease. If you are looking for a highly affordable,
Dynamics are very well represented for a very well made guitar and only really need
musical playing experience that never gets in plugged-in tone with modern, colourful
the way of artistic expression. The presence looks, the FC550 would be a great choice.
Well worth checking out. END >
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
‘S
eagull is the budget friendly offshoot of Canadian company Godin Guitars.
Impressively for a budget minded line of guitars, all Seagull instruments are
handmade in Canada from start to finish, with the idea of producing the highest
quality guitars possible at an affordable price. One of the company’s latest designs
is the Coastline Momentum A/E HG – a large bodied Dreadnought style guitar based on
Seagull’s popular S6 model.
m A/E HG acoustic
better known Godin company, using local tone-
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
Admira
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
with very little fuss. The lack of more in- nice addition to the Seagull range thanks to
depth EQ control doesn’t matter too much, great tone that will improve with age, lovely
since the natural tone of the guitar is very amplified sounds and superb build quality.
good to start with and the Momentum The included padded gigbag makes the
sounds superb miked-up too. already great value even more enticing. Just
make sure that you are physically up to the
Seagull make impressive handmade guitars task of handling such a large guitar. Excellent
at a price that is incredible for an instrument stuff from this enterprising Canadian
not mass manufactured in a factory in the company! END >
Far East. The Coastline Momentum is a
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THE QUIETROOM_GIORGIO SERCI
Giorgio Serci
CREATIVE
FINGERSTYLE
‘H
ello there and welcome to Guitar NB. Am/D = Am chord over D bass. Most
Interactive’s Quite Room. of the triads described above have been just
implied, as often they don’t include the 5th.
In this column, I would like
to share a short and relatively simple This piece provides an opportunity to
composition of mine called Spanish Sunset. improve interpretation skills and presenting
This piece was created utilising a D minor the melody in a singing-like manner
scale and its harmony in conjunction with a (cantabile), while complementing it with
D dorian mode, utilizing pedal notes to make countermelodies happening in various
the most of the open strings D and A. registers.
The harmonic content of this piece is very For example, inversions have been utilized
common and popular in most music styles to create melodic bass lines, which act as
and it is illustrated in the table below: countermelodies in the lower register. This is
evident throughout.
Am/D G/D Gm/D DmAm/D G/D
Gm/D Am/DAm/D G/D Gm/D The term inversion refers to the way a
DmDm A7 DmAm/D G/D Gm/D harmonic structure (a chord) is voiced or
DmAm/D G/D Gm/D Am/DAm/D organised.
G/D Gm/D DmDm A7 Dm
DAm/D Gm/D Gm/D DmDm Triads can be voiced in three different
A7 Dm DAm/D Gm/D Gm/D positions/inversions:
DmDm A7 Dm
TABLATURE DOWNLOADS
GUITAR PRO 6 PDF
DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 171
THE QUIETROOM_GIORGIO SERCI
a): Root position: root is lowest note in the singing and playing it at the same time, in
chord order to be sure we are emphasising it as
needed.
b): 1st inversion: 3rd is the lowest note in the
chord – (b) As always, I would like to recommend
researching the above-mentioned techniques
c): 2nd inversion: 5th is the lowest note in the in order to be able to use these to compose
chord – (c) your own pieces. We have to allow ourselves
Seventh chords could also be voiced as a 3rd to make mistakes and reflect on the reasons
inversion (7th in the bass) For example D/C = why we like, or not a particular sound, a
D7 3rd inversion, described by (d) chord progression or modulation. Eventually,
these sounds will become part of your
One of the technical hurdles of this piece musical lexicon and we should be able to use
is the need to keep the melody at the fore these effectively and creatively.
of the arrangement. To do this, it may help
Bar 2: While playing an open D pedal as 8 Bar 18: While playing an open D pedal as 8
notes, position the ring and little f on fret 3 notes, position the ring and little f on fret 3
of G and e, followed by middle f on fret 2 of G of G and e, followed by middle f on fret 2 of G
and index on fret 1 of e. and index on fret 1 of e.
Bar 3: As bar 1 Bar 19: As bar 7
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THE QUIETROOM_GIORGIO SERCI
Congratulations, you have completed accurate and consistent manner, while saving
‘Spanish Sunset’! energy.
As always, you will be able to download a This will complete this creative fingerstyle
transcription by selecting the menu option in lesson.
this page.
I hope you will enjoy playing this tune and
I strongly recommend experimenting with a that this will give you some ideas on how
few picking variations, changing the chords to write your own solo guitar compositions
as you wish in terms of voicing (higher or and re-arrangements. If you would like to
lower), as well as trying the same picking listen to any more of my compositions,
pattern on a different chord progression, please check the previous issues of Guitar
or using a ‘capo’ on fret 2 for a brighter Interactive magazine as well as any of my
outcome. CDs, available from my website:
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 175
THE
BASSME THE
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THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEW
‘W
e feature some of the very in GI 40 (although a more understated
best basses from the globe instrument in look), was a simply superb
over, both in ‘off the peg’ bass guitar, so I had extremely high hopes
and custom formats for your enjoyment for this one!
and I get a great deal of pleasure doing
these demos. As you would expect, there The Jabba we have in here is a custom
are brands that I know will deliver every order for UK retailer Bass Direct, which
time and one is the Polish manufacturer, kindly loaned us the instrument for
Mayones. review. It’s certainly a great demonstration
of just some of the options available when
Mayones has been making beautiful putting together your custom Mayones
and quality instruments since 1982; this order and if you either can’t wait for a
example offering a familiar outline update custom version, or don’t want to have to
and a wonderful stage on which to create think through all the many options, it’s
and enjoy. The Jabba is the Mayones’ take good news that the Jabba is also available
on the Leo Fender’s classic 1961 design as an ‘off-the-shelf ’ specification too.
yet brings elements of modern thinking,
encompassing both looks and playability. This particular Custom model is graced
with facings of buckeye burl both on the
I’ve hopefully shown in the video those body and headstock. No two tops will be
areas that demonstrate an attention exactly the same, so you could call this
to detail and as I’d mentioned in my one unique and it certainly is a handsome
introduction the BE 4 that I reviewed beast, as our pictures and video reveal.
s
ars to the landed gentry in recent years.
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THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEW
In terms of feel and playability, you can who like to plant their thumb or ‘broom-
expect it to be set up very well out of the handle’ the neck. The facings get the gloss
box. Ferd Wagner fretwork is expertly treatment making the woodwork ping in
installed with no signs of edges or unfinished the light. Topping off, you have Schaller
installation. They are of the jumbo size strap locks, a Switchcraft Jack and a Graph
variety and there are 24 of them, all the way Tec Nut, all of which lets you know that
up to the second octave on each string. no expense has been spared, even going as
far as an 18v power supply rail for the pre-
On this particular bass, we have a 17.5mm amplifier.
string spacing which is super comfortable.
I’m used to a spacing around this Whether fancy tops are your thing (it’s
measurement so found very few problems OK if not, Mayones will happily do a solid
with getting my fingers in between the colour spray job instead, I am sure) this
strings. The neck profile in conjunction manufacturer of fine instruments will no
with this string spacing does mean the bass doubt excite your wallet grabbing tendencies.
is very playable indeed. In fact I understand I’m yet to find fault with any Mayones
that this bass has a custom profile on the instrument I’ve ever played. This might seem
neck making it slimmer than standard quite an expensive bass but it’s not it terms
specification. It’s nice to know you can order of what you are getting for your money - fine
that if it’s your wish. The Jabba 5 Custom quality workmanship, the best hardware and
has a 34.25” scale length and retains a good electronics and a bass that plays and sounds
modern sounding low B string, just what you like a dream! END >
need.
Our grateful thanks for Bass Direct for
Round the back of the bass, you have a matte the loan of this instrument
finish on the neck, so no sticking for those www.bassdirect.co.uk
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 181
THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEW
v
Check THE SPEC
Mayones Jabba 5 Custom Fingerboard - Maple, 20” radius Pickups & Electron
DCB pickups
Bass Scale - 870mm (34,25”)
MSRP £2,659 US $ Check with Active MBP2 2 ban
String spacing at bridge - 19mm
manufacturer
Control - 2 x Volum
Frets - 24 medium jumbo Ferd bass/treble, tone, a
Made in: Poland
Wagner switch
Body - Swamp ash
Markers & inlays - Black blocks Body finish - Gloss
Top - Buckeye Burl/Matching and binding + side-dots
Headstock Neck finish - Natur
Tuners - Hipshot Ultralights finish (T-NAT-M)
Construction - 6 Bolt - on
Bridge - Chrome bridge, 17.5mm Hardware colour -
Neck - Maple string spacing
s Website:
www.bassdirect.co.uk and
ral wood / Matt www.mayones.com
Chrome
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 183
THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEW
‘C
ort’s GB JJ basses are all new for 2017 and the company’s aim with this series
seems to be to offer traditionally styled instruments that, while they don’t
break a lot of design ground, get all the basics right at great prices. This is
obvious from the moment you pick up the GB74 JJ and spot the official, lightweight
ion as the maker of instruments sold with other peoples’ names on the headstock.
ent prices in the past few years. But can the new GB74 JJ bass keep the Cort flag waving?
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THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEW
Hipshot tuners - this is quality hardware. Then rod adjusted wheel! More of this please! No
there’s the big and chunky bridge, which is messing with removing pick guards, so easy to
reminiscent of Leo Quan’s ‘bass guitar beast’ access and tidy too! Full marks here too, Cort.
that has been used on countless mods. Cort
reports that its bridge is machined from solid All that said, a solid instrument is nothing if
steel and I have to say looks bold, if but a little you can’t hear it in a live setting, so turning
less curvy than other examples of high mass our attention to the electronics, we have a pair
bridges that we’ve seen. Again, at the price of Cort ‘Voiced Tone’ pickups. I am inclined
point, I can’t complain. For this sort of money to agree with all that Cort say on its website
you might have expected to find a cheap cast about these. Through our reference rig, I have
bridge and this is a cut above that, make no to say these Alnico ‘Jazz noiseless’ units offered
mistake! a chiming clarity and good note definition
with enough mids in the sound to give the bass
The fretwork on our sample was really tidy. its characteristic ‘Jazz’ sound. Interestingly,
In fact I’ve played basses considerably higher when I grabbed the electronics manual off of
in price that I felt were let down by the finish Cort’s website I was very interested to see that
on the edge of the fretboard and which were the EQ circuit on board is a Sandberg 2-band
inferior to this one’s. system according to the download. Either way,
I have to say that again through a Bergantino
Again, the Cort scores on its woodwork. On B|Amp, all I wanted was a smidge of low end
this example, under that rather lovely ‘Aqua boost from this circuit and I was graced with
Blue’ stained finish is a swamp ash body the Jazz bass tone I really like. Clear with just a
which is light and as can be expected, resonant nice dollop of low end thump!
acoustically.
Controls for master volume, pickup balance
I’ve never been totally sure about having a clear and treble and bass make for quick adjustment
pick guard on a guitar, but when you have a and I am glad to see one single master volume
grain like this, it seems a shame not to show it here rather than a pair.
off. You could of course argue that there’s no
point having a pick guard at all, but for me I think it’s pretty clear that I’m impressed with
personally, I prefer the benefits they bring. this bass. Is there anything I’d like to change?
Well not really, though colour choices are
Bolted on with a great ‘easy access’ joint is a limited, but certainly not boring. You can, if
Canadian hard rock maple neck with a maple you want more options, select the GB74JH
fretboard. Again, Cort has gone for some that features an MM style pickup in the
really nice touches - I mentioned the fretwork bridge instead of the usual Jazz configuration.
earlier on this 22 fret example (yes, that high Then, just to mix things up even more, Cort
E is important to me ha ha!) but also the truss delivers us another favour in the shape of a 5
string version, the GB75JJ, so maybe you’d There’s no doubt that this new GB series
rather have one of those? It has a very similar means business. It has hardware a good class
specification to the model we are reviewing or two above what you’d expect for this sort
here, but of course on 5 strings and yes, of price and the sound is fabulous. As a
thankfully a 35” scale too and available in a hardworking bass for a player who wants that
wonderful honey hue to the ‘natural glossy’ traditional image, it’s hard to see how you
finish according to the Cort website, if the could go wrong here. If Cort keeps this up,
Aqua Blue isn’t your thing. some of the big boys are really going to have
to up their games. END >
Frets 21 Frets
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THE BASSMENT_HEAD REVIEW
‘T
his newcomer from veteran builder seeing lots of controls. On the left hand
Orange offers a different take on side there’s a master volume control and
bass than the OB1s that we’ve next to that a ‘one knob’ compressor. The
looked at previously in the Bassment. The compressor onboard is a little different I
all-analogue Class AB ‘Four-Stroke’ (that would say than standard optical limiters
I understand is being used by Steve Harris that eat away at the bass attack on heavy
of Iron Maiden, looking at the Orange settings, offering a fattening effect by leaving
website), is essentially in the same shell as initial attack alone (to my ears anyway)
the OB-1, coming in a 9Kg rack mount yet increasing the level on the dial, Level is
type case with the same clear labelled icons brought up across the board of the decaying
which we recognise as an Orange feature, but signal. It’s hard to explain (we could tell - Ed),
what it delivers is quite different. It’s about but it feels a bit like parallel compression,
a return to a traditional all-analogue bass where I didn’t feel that I was getting as
sound. much squash in my bass tone, but in lighter
passages, quiet bass lines were louder and
In the video I have gone into detail about jumped from the speakers more. Orange
the front panel, so as a quick run through says that the compressor uses a carefully
here, we have only two main sections despite
STAR RATING PROS Built for the road » Clear sound » Useful comp
h both guitarists and bass players. Can the new Four Stroke 500 bass head maintain the
developed side chain to control the action of white knobs is a typical four band EQ
of the compressor. I’m not sure what exactly with centres for low, low-mid, high-mid
has gone it to it, but it’s a handy ‘add more’ and treble frequencies. The bottom row of
effect rather than wringing out the dynamics white controls gives access to adjustment of
through rudimentary limiting of the signal. those equaliser band centres. It’s quite a wide
Finally, with regard to the input and volume adjustment too. In use, there’s plenty of gain
control, your bass tone is handled by a Class on each band and I could easily dial in a big
A input buffer stage keeping things clean, scooped rock or slap tone. A tweak of the
clear and dynamic. midrange and finger style bass is rounded
with a nice ‘burp’ to the sound, plenty
Moving on to the right hand side, you of volume on tap and the amp, with the
find a semi-parametric EQ. The top row compressor down, remained clean.
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THE BASSMENT_HEAD REVIEW
Round the back, like the OB1 we are slouch. The cabinets I tend to use for gigging
greeted with a pair of Speakon connectors, purposes would happily accommodate the
the standard IEC mains input socket with output levels capable and I’d rather have
a voltage switch depending on where you too much available than risk running out of
are using the amp in the world. There’s also steam.
a DI output for connection to your PA or
recording devices. Keeping things cool, a fan In summing up, this amplifier isn’t
ejects unwanted heat. pretending to be a super light weight D
Class amplifier, in fact to me it seems like a
The Four Stroke is available in two versions ‘Cure For The Common Groove’ (if I may
- 300 Watt and 500 Watt. I have to say quote an old album lyric). You must have
personally, I’d go straight for the 500W seen those Internet discussions pondering
version - not that the 300W would be a the question ‘did you go back to non- D
Class amplifiers?’, well, I suspect that’s exactly what this amp is designed to satisfy and it does
so very well indeed. This amplifier will certainly find its home in many a rig and if you are
starting to feel those Class-D blues and are hankering for the full-fat analogue bass sound, you
have to give this newcomer a try! END >
Input [-6DB Pad] | Treble (550- 5500hz) 48.2 × 10 × 26.5cm (18.97 × 3.93 × 10.43”)
| High Mid (250-2500HZ) | Low
Unboxed Weight:
Mid (80-800HZ) | Bass (40- 400hz)
| Compression Level | Volume | 4 Stroke 300: 9.45kg (20.83 Lb)
Footswitch Input | Power
4 Stroke 500: 10.05kg (22.16 Lb)
Rear Panel:
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THE BASSMENT_PEDAL REVIEW
‘I
n a departure from our normal bass reviews, we found ourselves wandering around our
local music shop, DV247, looking at bass related music products whilst chatting to the
sales guy behind the desk, whom we shall call Luke (which he will be pleased about, as
that is indeed his name). Under Luke’s guidance and with the kind indulgence of DV247, we
walked out of the store with three EHX pedals on loan: the Bass Blogger, Bass Metaphors and
Bass Micro Synth.
In the three separate review videos we recorded, I share with you my thoughts and
demonstrate some of the cool sounds available from these devices given a reasonably short
amount of time to prepare our footage. Everything from the mildest warming of your bass
tone through gritty drives and in to the realms of making our instrument of choice sound like
an Organ... or in some cases, like a crazy out-of-space 1950’s film sound track! So much fun!
EACH
192 Guitar Interactive Issue 50
THE BASSMENT ELECTRO-HARMONIX BASS BLOGGER, BASS METAPHORS AND BASS MICRO SYNTHESIZER
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THE BASSMENT_PEDAL REVIEW
another amplifier or for later mixing back in with your signal sound should you also favour
running ‘dual signal paths’. Could be useful to include a dry blend too? Power for the Blogger
is care of a 9v battery or you should use a suitable mains adaptor plugged into the socket on
the top of the pedal.
Much like the Blogger, the Micro Synth is a mentioned above each level the amplitude
bass orientated pedal - and it’s quite a beast! of very separate effects. One for a -1 Octave
Four separate ‘voices’ that are manipulated type tone, the next marked ‘Guitar’ is your
via manual controllers which deliver all instrument sound with a certain amount
manner of bass tone goodness from the of ‘extra’ added and for a +1 Octave tone
sublime to the near ridiculous. The simple the following slider advanced brings in
to use sliders will have you losing hours just a ‘chiming’ additional unison voice an
trying things out without getting lost in a octave higher. The final white capped slider
manual. This has got to be a ‘player’s pedal’ unleashes mayhem, an angry drive that
and will reward you quickly with some very when mixed up with the other voices takes
fun sounds indeed! your bass from Bootsy groovin’ funk to F-15
Eagle taking off!
In summary of the layout, from left to right:
a trigger control chooses at what amplitude To be honest there’s enough already to
the pedal filters start affecting your bass keep you busy for an age, but EHX isn’t a
signal. Next, the four voice mix sliders company to do things by half and a whole
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THE BASSMENT_PEDAL REVIEW
the north end of the scale. Start and Stop a player able to use ‘time based’ pedals and
sliders as you’ll also hear in the video set the set them so the effects drop in time with the
frequency at which a filter sweep travels. This accompaniment. I feel it brings additional
could be a narrow band for subtle wah- like dimension to what we can offer as keepers
sounds to wide ‘sub-drop’ sort of effects. of the low end, but also when we do get a
The rate slider sets the speed that the sweep chance to venture up the dusty end, to do it
travels from the Start point to End point. with a range of different voices. Ultimately,
Short ‘quack’ effects are easy to tease out of to get over what it is we are trying to ‘say’ as
the Micro Synth’, but I couldn’t resist finding a musician. Well worth exploring if you like
a sweep that I could play in time with, using weird and adventurous sounds and have the
the pedal to set my tempo and be part of time to get into its depths.
a rhythmic bass line. I really think this is
where the pedal can really shine - that is, for
Pros:
Three effects in one!
Useful pre-amp with a specific voice
Cons:
See text regarding drive and EQ
vice versa, a dynamic distortion that only
starts to bite when I dig in. I think Bass
Metaphors is on the way to doing that by
Wrapping it up for the EHX reviews here, giving me access to drive saturation and
certainly another useful addition to anyone’s compression ‘amount’ on separate knobs.
pedal board or recording set up - a channel Treble and Bass tone control knobs offer
strip designed for bass with some useful rudimentary but useful sculpting, which
features. is useful for adding zing to a passive bass
or fat low end to a naturally thin sounding
Whereas a channel strip is a set of separate instrument. In this case I’d probably leave
tone sculpting tools, the Metaphors pedal the pedal on and just punch in the drive
I feel takes three very specific flavours when needed. On the far right hand side a
with a tuned breadth of effect reach to dry mix knob for blending the natural bass
deliver as one. Or to put it another way, I voice back in to the chain. A nice addition.
think this is a distortion pedal with a lot
of access to how it ‘feels’ to play it and of Like a good pre-amplifier pedal should have,
course how it sounds. I like how some bass there are the usual input and output sockets,
pedals ‘compress’ but I sometimes would but also a direct out for the unaffected
like to have more ‘squish’ and less drive, or instrument signal and an XLR socket for
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THE BASSMENT_PEDAL REVIEW
feeding a D.I. (Direct Injection) line to say, a recording device or PA, making this in
effect a very useful D.I. for those preferring to gig with just in-ear monitors.
I think treating EHX’s Bass Metaphors as one single tone generator rather than three
channel strip separates seems to resonate with me, but I am not suggesting that the
pedal isn’t a jack of all trades - it still does a great job, but I feel that like with the
Darkglass Vintage Ultra, for me, the EQ is for the drive section rather than for use
separately. Just my thoughts.
Power, like the Micro Synth is via adaptor only, but an adaptor is provided. The pedal
looks like it will serve you well on the road in its metal casing. Decent heavy duty foot
switches and indicator LEDs top off the layout. END >
Our grateful thanks to DV247 for the loan of these review samples: www.
dv247.com
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THE BASSMENT_PEDAL REVIEW
Check TH
EHX Bass Blogger True bypass
MSRP £71 (DV247 £64) US $100 All analog design
Made in: USA Design optimized for bass gui
True bypass 3-pole analog resonant filter
Selectable fuzz or drive 4 Voice mixer section mixes: s
up and square wave
Controls include drive, tone and volume
Square wave voice can be use
Individual dry and effect out
Start, stop filter frequency slid
Compact die-cast chassis
full control over the filter’s swe
9-volt battery included
Adjustable filter resonance co
Optional 96DC-200BI power supply available
Adjustable attack time contro
Dimensions in inches: 4.0 (w) x 4.75 (l) x 2.25 (h)
Compact die-cast chassis
Dimensions in mm: 102 (w) x 121 (l) x 89 (h)
96DC-200BI power supply inc
EHX Bass Micro Synth Dimensions in inches: 4.75 (w
MSRP £246 US $286 (street)
Dimensions in mm: 146 (w) x 1
Made in: USA
HE SPEC
EHX Bass Metaphors
MSRP £122 US $125
sub octave, original, octave Balanced XLR output at +4 dBu line level
121 (l) x 64 (h) Dimensions in inches: 4.75 (w) x 5.75 (l) x 2.5 (h)
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COLUM YOUR FREE GUITAR UNIVER
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COLUMNS_TOM QUAYLE
Tuning in
Perfect 4ths
Tom Quayle is back with a brand new column
‘H
i guys, and welcome back to my what this weird tuning is, why I use it and
column for this issue. I’m back what the benefits and disadvantages of
after my nasty elbow break – using an alternate tuning for all of your
it’s healed well and I am almost guitar playing are.
back up to full playing strength again, so
let’s get back on with some learning. Before we start, let’s have a quick discussion
of standard tuning and the reasons why
For this issue, I wanted to talk about the vast majority of guitar players utilise
something that may have been confusing/ the same tuning. Standard tuning uses
interesting some of you for quite some time the notes E, A, D, G B and E from low to
now. You probably notice that, during the high, giving us the interval of a perfect 4th
opening section to almost all my lessons, between all of the strings, except the G and
I mention that I am tuned differently, and B strings where we get a major 3rd interval.
not worry about it, since all of the TABS This major third interval is the reason why
will be in standard tuning and I’ll show we tune the B string to the 4th fret of the G
you any shapes required during the lesson string, as opposed to the 5th fret relationship
anyway. Some of you may be wondering between all the other string pairs. This kink
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COLUMNS_TOM QUAYLE
in the standard tuning is very important, is to compensate for that rogue major 3rd
especially for chordal playing since, without interval between the G and B strings. It
it we can’t play barre chords, making the follows that the same will be true for any
transpositional nature of the guitar far less scales, arpeggios or interval shapes – they will
effective. All our open string ‘cowboy’ chords change whenever the shape falls between the
rely on this major 3rd interval between the G D and B, G and B or G and E strings within
and B strings, and so much of the standard an octave. This makes learning the fretboard
guitar repertoire in every genre is based a pretty challenging task, since you have to
around the combination of the two open E learn each chord, scale, arpeggio and interval
strings at the top and bottom of the guitar. in a number of different permutations,
as opposed to just one. Of course, 99.9%
One of the problems of standard tuning is of guitars players who ever picked up the
that it is non-symmetrical. In other words, instrument have battled this challenge with
if you play a chord shape on the middle great results, so I am not suggesting that you
four strings, it requires a different shape all immediately switch your tuning – I just
on the upper four strings and a different want to tell you why I did.
one again on the lowest four strings. This
I use a tuning called ‘4ths tuning.’ As the Country or Blues, you lose almost all of
name implies, this tuning removes that major the open string lick and chord repertoire
3rd kink from standard tuning and replaces that these styles rely on so heavily. Chord
it with another perfect 4th interval, giving us melody playing is significantly harder
4ths all the way down. In this way, the guitar because barre chords are no longer an
becomes completely symmetrical, removing option and you lose some of the coolest
the need for multiple shapes for a given chords that standard tuning offers, since the
chord shape between different string sets. A fingerings are now impossible to play. You
root position C major7 chord played on the do gain some gorgeous chords that can’t
middle four strings at the 3rd fret is the same be played in standard tuning but, for most
shape an octave higher on the upper four players, especially those that play covers or
strings at the 10th fret and in the same octave particularly guitaristic genres of music, the
on the lower four strings at the 8th fret. The benefits do not outweigh the disadvantages.
same goes for scales, arpeggios and intervals Teaching also can become very difficult
with everything mapping out with just a if your brain has to flip between the two
single shape on the fretboard. This makes the tunings every time you have a student in
fretboard learning process far easier – it’s like standard tuning. This is one of the reasons
cheating at guitar in a way, since it simplifies I do very little private tuition these days,
the visual nature of the instrument so much. especially at the beginner to intermediate
For reference, I have included some chord, stage as it would just confuse the student,
scale and arpeggio shapes in 4ths tuning for and me!
you to check out, so that you can directly see
the symmetrical nature of this tuning. I very rarely play any cover music and
am lucky enough to play my own style
Since I play over such complex music a almost exclusively. For a player like me who
lot of the time, with many chord changes, improvises over complex harmony a lot, 4ths
key centres and harmonic structures, this tuning is perfect for streamlining the process
tuning appealed to me a great deal and I of visualising the fretboard in order that the
decided to switch over all the way back in more musical considerations can come to
1998, influenced by a great guitar teacher I the fore. It’s certainly worth exploring, but
had at the time who used the same tuning. bear these caveats in mind, perhaps keeping
However, this tuning should be used only one of your guitars in this tuning for
with caution, since there are some pretty exploratory purposes.
significant downsides to changing away from
standard tuning. Have fun and don’t hurt yourselves! END >
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COLUMNS_LEWIS TURNER
THE ART OF
JAZZ SOLOING
Top session player, teacher and Guitar Interactive regular, Lewis Turner continues his exclusive
series - The Art of Jazz Soloing
‘I
n the last couple of lessons we have looked at soloing over the ever popular Major
and minor II V I progression using a Modal/Key centre approach. To recap, this is
the method of taking a bunch of chords and finding the key centre they belong in.
Before this we looked in great depth at learning how to use arpeggios to solo and really outline
the changes. In this lesson I have taken a very popular 16 bar chord sequence that uses both of
these progressions and have written two solos over it. One that uses the Key centre approach,
and one that uses just arpeggios. You will also find a backing track to practice over, and of
course the video to see and hear the examples for yourself.
This progression can be viewed as having two key centres. The first 8 bars are in C minor,
then the next 4 bars move to D flat major, before returning back to C minor for the remaining
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COLUMNS_LEWIS TURNER
4 bars. By using good phrasing and note up sounding quite predictable as there is only
choice, you can construct a fairly convincing so much you can do with it because there
Jazz solo by just using those two scales. are no “danger notes”. The best approach in
Notice how the solo uses an almost constant a normal situation would be to use a little
stream of 8th notes occasionally broken up of both. Using just arpeggios does make for
with a rest or a couple of 16th notes. This great practice. This is the most technically
is the rhythmic aspect that will help to give demanding of the two solos, as the fingering
you that authentic Jazz sound. You may also for these arpeggios is not always natural. Also
notice that on the harmonic side of things, remember this is not an exercise, we are not
the intervals between notes are much larger just running up and down shapes, we are
than you may play in a Rock or Blues solo. using them in a musical way and this makes
When playing Jazz (or indeed any style) try for big leaps across the fret board. This can
thinking in leaps, 5th’s, 6th’s and 7th’s rather clearly be seen within the first two bars using
than steps, 2nd’s and 3rd’s as this will give just a C m7 arpeggio in different positions.
greater harmonic depth to your solo. This You can see a strong outlining moment over
can be clearly seen with a tricky line over the the G7 chord in bar 6. Strictly speaking,
D flat Major II V I starting on bar 9. G7 does not exist within C minor the V
chord should be Minor, but it gets changed
Solo #2 Using Arpeggios: to dominant 7th in Jazz to give a stronger
resolution back to the I chord. Therefore,
In the very early days of Jazz, this was the here we are outlining the major 3rd of G7
common approach to soloing, changing a B note and this gives a real impression of
with every chord and this is very tricky to the soloist following the chord progression
do especially at a high tempo on a tune but not just outlining the root notes. Bar
with a lot of changes. It was not until the 11 is the only straight forward arpeggio run
be-bop era that players also started to use you will find but it has been rhythmically
the ‘modal approach’ (grouping a bunch altered to 8th note triplets, this can prove
of chords together in one key). Being able quite tricky to play at 160 bpm. The solo
to improvise using just arpeggios, is a great ends with the use of arpeggios high up the
skill to have, this will make your solos sound fretboard.
much more sophisticated as you outline the
chords underneath. However, it can also end
Aim to learn the solos but more importantly player’s lines, they have learnt from this
learn from them and not just copy them method and used them in their own playing.
‘parrot’ fashion. Try making some of the Try to get in the habit of deconstructing
licks and lines your own by phrasing any solo you learn. Whatever the style, try
them differently as well as trying them in to understand the thought process behind
different keys and tunes. Many famous Jazz it. All this can only make for a better player.
players, when interviewed have stressed For all things guitar please check out
the importance of transcribing a favourite www.lewisturnerguitar.com END >
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COLUMNS_JOE PESCE
‘H
ave you ever studied the genealogy of your ancestors? It’s a fascinating topic. Here,
we’re doing a bit of musical genealogy. Whether you’re currently aware of it or
not, most of your Country, Soul, and Blues guitar heroes have their influences
down the line in Gospel music. Marty Stuart and many other Country guitarists
still profess how much Gospel music has affected their Country guitar playing. I
think it’s worthwhile to venture a bit in this hybrid that is in more songs than you can imagine!
Grab your guitar, sit back, relax, and let me show you some great, effective, and relatively easy
(theoretically) techniques to infuse a bit of Gospel into your Country; and at the same time
show you another perspective on voicing chords for Country and Blues too.
try
Yet
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COLUMNS_JOE PESCE
EX.1 EX. 3
Here are the inversions of F I’m using in the The V chord in the key of F is C. I’ve
song. The notes to a F major triad are F, A, explained earlier the inversions of C, but
C. Inversions would then be A, C, F, and C, look at the video and tabs for a visual
F, A. presentation.
EX. 2
Bb is the IV chord in the key of F. The notes Extra Tips:
of Bb are Bb, D, F. The inversions are D,
Occasionally, I’ll voice a chord in root
F, Bb with the major 3rd in the bass, and F,
position, but use a different fingering
Bb, D with the 5th in the bass.
position from the “Caged System” If you’re
not familiar with the Caged System, I
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COLUMNS_JOE PESCE
The IV of IV
encourage you to go check out Danny Gill’s
tutorials on this at Lick Library. They are
extremely useful and easy to follow, even if
theory isn’t your thing. In Blues and Gospel, it’s common in
instances to follow the “circle of fourths” to
Other extra embellishments I do, “here and an extent. A useful technique is when on the
there” are adding sus chords in the mix. IV chord to go back and forth between the
That means that I’ll replace a standard major IV chord and the IV of the IV chord. Ex:
chord with a sus 2 or sus 4 chord; OR, use If Bb is your IV chord, briefly go to the IV
the “sus” as a grace note to getting to and of that, which is Eb. It’s a little more bluesy
from the major chord, by using hammer- than just making a sus 4 chord out of Bb.
ons and pull-offs. This is also very typical
for pianists to do in their arrangement; Lastly, pedal steel type bends are also
especially in Gospel music. This technique considered “icing on the cake” when doing
can be heard by Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray any kind of genre where Country is infused
Vaughan, John Mayer, and many others in in it.
their playing. I hope you get a lot out of this lesson. It truly
To get a slow swing approach in Gospel, is a “go-to” approach in my way of thinking
Blues and Country, the time signature of and expressing myself on guitar over many
6/8 is used here and worth exploring in your genres; not just Country. …Looking forward
own music. to see how you use these techniques yourself!
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