9000 9 1

THE METERS JIMI HENDRIX SLIPKNOT LEWIS CAPALDI

FREE CD CISSY STRUT
* Rockschool version
HEY JOE UNSAINTED
* Video riff
SOMEONE YOU LOVED

11 PAGE
SPECIAL!

ADAM JONES
INTERVIEWED

The
TG LESSON

CHORDS
ISSUE
108 CHORDS
…AND HOW TO USE THEM
ROCK, SOUL, FUNK & MORE
ESSENTIAL CHORDS
RHYTHM TONES

BIL LY D U F F Y ’ S
GRETSCH
WHITE
FALCON
PLUS
ZAKK WYLDE REVIEWED INSIDE!
BEETRONICS SWARM
DYLAN CARLSON SQUIER CLASSIC VIBES
PLAY LIKE JEFF BECK Classic designs… classic value?
 editor’s letter

Welcome…
FuturePublishing
QuayHouse,THeambury,baTH,ba11ua
Tel: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822763
Email: totalguitar@futurenet.com
Website:www.totalguitar.co.uk

ediTorial
Editor: Rob Laing
Group Art Director: Graham Dalzell
Senior Music Editor: Jason Sidwell
Guitars Feature & Tuition Editor: Chris Bird While I was reviewing the
Content Manager, Guitars, Musicradar.com: Michael Astley-Brown
MusicCo-ordinators:ZoeMaughan,NatalieBeilby ToneWoodAmp this issue (p104) it
ConTribuTors
Steve Allsworth, David Von Bader, Richard Barrett, Phil Capone, Jack Ellis, Charlie
reminded me how inspiring new gear can
Griffiths, Nick Guppy, Catherine Hood, Jonathan Horsley, Stephen Kelly, Alex
Lynham, Kit Morgan, Matthew Parker,Amit Sharma, Stuart Williams
be – having effects on call on my trusty
Music Engraver: Simon Troup and Jennie Troup
dreadnought while sitting in front of the
Photography: Olly Curtis, David Edward, Adam Gasson, Neil Godwin, Will Ireland,
JobySessions
lounge TV in the evening made me want
adverTising to play more at home. However, there’s
Phone: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 732285
Chief Revenue Officer: Zach Sullivan, zach.sullivan@futurenet.com been plenty of times when it wasn’t a
UK Commercial Sales Director: Clare Dove, clare.dove@futurenet.com
Advertising Sales Director: Lara Jaggon, lara.jaggon@futurenet.com piece of gear that’s done that. Tool’s
Account Sales Directors: Alison Watson, alison.watson@futurenet.com
GuyMeredith,guy.meredith@futurenet.com Adam Jones (p30) talking about his
markeTing positive energy for music is a case in point; he’s a hugely
Head Of Marketing: Sharon Todd
SubscriptionsMarketingManager:TomCooper successful musician who is still looking for ways to challenge
ProduCTion&disTribuTion
Production Controller: Frances Twentyman
himself and retain the joy that made him pick up the guitar in
HeadofProductionUK&US:MarkConstance
PrintedintheUKby:WilliamGibbons&SonsLtdonbehalfofFuture
the first place.
Distributedby:Marketforce,2ndFloor,5ChurchillPlace, Canary Wharf
London,E145HU
A guitarist’s inspiration comes from many sources; it can be
Overseasdistributionby: Seymour International
HeadofNewstrade:TimMathers
as wallet-denting as a £1,000 tube amp or as simple as a new
CirCulaTion
chord… and because we can’t cover-mount amps we’re giving
TradeMarketingManager:MichelleBrock02074293683
you a whopping 108 chords. We all need to increase our chord
04 subsCriPTions
UK reader order line & enquiries: 0844 848 2852 vocabulary – because we constantly need them. So even if
Overseas reader order line & enquiries: +44 (0)1604 251045
Online enquiries: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk you just absorb a handful into your playing, we know they
Email:totalguitar@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
have the potential to get your creative fires stoked to write a
liCensing
InternationalLicensingDirector:MattEllis,matt.ellis@futurenet.com song, or to rethink one you already know.
Tel:+44(0)1225442244
managemenT Have fun and strum!
Non-executive chairman: Richard Huntingford
Brand Director, Music: Stuart Williams
Head Of Art: Rodney Dive
Content Director: Scott Rowley
Group Art Director: Graham Dalzell

Rob Laing Editor

Future is an award-winning international media group and

leading digital business. We reach more than 49 million
international consumers a month and create world-class
content and advertising solutions for passionate

Future plc is a public

consumers online, on tablet & smartphone and in print.

Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne

making this month’s mag
company quoted on the Chairman Peter Allen
London Stock Exchange Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand
(symbol: FUTR). Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London)
www.futureplc.com Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)

All contents copyright © 2019 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No
part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used in any way without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered
office: Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this
publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press.
Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised
to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other details of products or
services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our
control. We are not responsible for their contents or any changes or updates to them. CHris bird sTuarT williams jonaTHanHorsley
If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission
in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical Currently seeing chord boxes in his We are in esteemed company this With autumn just around the
or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every sleep after laying out this month’s issue as the former TG and corner, TG contributor Jonathan
care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage.
mammoth cover feature lesson, Rhythm editor, multi- has turned his attention to finding
We are committed to only using magazine paper which is Chris has professed a wish never to instrumentalist maverick and a comfortable pair of warm cords.
derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and
chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was look at another chord again - well, all-round fantastic guy joins us to Power cords, if you will. Failing in
sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, until next month at least. You can oversee all things gear-related. this mission, the present editorial
conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic
standards. The manufacturing paper mill and printer hold full check out Birdman’s chord It’s great to be back with TG,” focus on chords has been some
FSC and PEFC certification and accreditation. proofreading skills on p48. Just don’t says Stu, “and I’ll be hunting down compensation. After all, what is
write in if you spot any mistakes. We the very best gear to test like a warmer or more comforting than a
don’t think he’ll be able to take it. hog on a truffle.” gently strummed Gsus4?

ToTal GuiTar OCTOBER 2019

 #324
Monitor
006 First Look
008 Scene
010 Five Minutes Alone:
James Walbourne
012 On The Up
014 Me & My Guitar:
Johan Söderberg, Amon Amarth
016 Back Track: Modern Americana

How to 090
018 Riff Of The Month:
Slipknot – Unsainted cort
020 Getting Started… Octaves
022 The FX Files… Boss MT-2
062 What The F? Chord Structures tHe Gas station 05
088 Start Me Up
090 Cort G290 FAT
Features 094 Beetronics Swarm

048 024 Rig Tour: Dylan Carlson

030 Tool
096 Laney IRT15H-2
098 TG Test: Squier Classic Vibes

108 chords 042 Billy Duffy and Jack Edwards

048 108 Chords
104 ToneWoodAmp
108 Fix Your Guitar
112 Subscribe
Learn to PLay 114 The Playlist: Zakk Wylde

066 Classic Track: The Jimi Hendrix

Experience – Hey Joe
074 Rock School: The Meters – 042
Cissy Strut
076 Jam Track – Jazz Funk
white
078 The Turnaround – Jeff Beck falcons
tG unPLuGGed
082 News
084 Interview: Chelsea Wolfe
086 Open-Mic Songbook:
Lewis Capaldi –
Someone You Loved
Cover Photo: Olly Curtis

030
tool
 Monitor
people ✪ news ✪ noise

Boss’s new premium

pedals combine classic
features with modern
execution

The New Boss

Photography Olly Curtis

The effects icon evolves with its new 200 Series pedals
ToTal GuiTar OCtOber 2019
 FIRST LOOK
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

THE DETAILS

Sounds 07
The DD-200 packs 12 delay types including
the retro Space Echo (Tape), Binson Echorec
2 (Drum) and the textural Pad Echo

Channels
The EQ-200 has two 10-band EQ
channels, with its graphic display
showing the current EQ curve

T
kh#hļhfwv#shgdo#pdunhw#kdv#qhyhu#ehhq#Ľhufhu#dqg#Ervv/#ghvslwh#lwv#
uhsxwdwlrq#dv#d#fuhdwru#ri#fodvvlf#xqlwv/#lvqġw#vwdqglqj#vwloo1#D#fdvh#lq#srlqw#
lv#wkh#irxu#qhz#prghov#lq#lwv#suhplxp#533#udqjh=#wkh#PG0533#
Prgxodwlrq/#RG0533#K|eulg#Gulyh/#GG0533#Gljlwdo#Ghod|#dqg#HT0533#
Judsklf#Htxdol}hu#+doo#†57<#hdfk,1#Khuh#zh#kdyh#wkh#ghod|#dqg#HT#dqg#Ervv#
lv#gudzlqj#rq#lwv#h{shulhqfh#wr#rļhu#ihdwxuh0sdfnhg#shgdov1#Wkh#GG0533# Total Recall
frqghqvhv#ihdwxuhv#iurp#wkhlu#ľdjvkls#GG0833#lqwr#d#frpsdfw#|hw# The DD-200 also offers a 60-second
srzhuixo#ghod|#sdfndjh1#Judsklf#HT#lv#dq#riw0ryhuorrnhg#zhdsrq#lq#wkh#shgdoerdug#duprxu|/# phrase looper and four onboard
exw#wkh#HT0533#lv#qrqhwkhohvv#d#srwhqw#dgglwlrq#wr#dq|#duvhqdo1#Ohwġv#wdnh#d#forvhu#orrnĩ memories to call up when you need

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 MONITOR
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

SCENE
Sumptuous
photography of
Jimmy Page
memorabilia and
gear is in evidence
throughout the Led
Zep icon’s new book

YOUR NEWS IN GUITARS

08
BOOK

PAGE TURNER
J
immy Page’s six decades as a 5/833 frslhv dydlodeoh1 Lwv 6;7 sdjhv duh
guitar icon are documented Ľoohg#zlwk#ylqwdjh#skrwrjudskv#dqg#
in a forthcoming signed pdwhuldo#iurp#wkh#]hssholq#ohjhqgġv#
olplwhg#hglwlrq#frļhh#wdeoh# dufklyhv/#dorqjvlgh#klv#rzq#zrugv#rq#klv#
errn1#D#frpsdqlrq#slhfh#wr# fduhhu1#Txduwhu#erxqg#lq#eodfn#ohdwkhu#zlwk#
2010’s Jimmy Page By Jimmy Page, Jimmy jrog#ohdi#eorfnlqj#dqg#jlow#sdjh#hgjlqj/#lw#
Page: The Anthology lv#d#frpsuhkhqvlyh# frphv#vljqhg#e|#]rvr#klpvhoi1#Wkh#sulfh#
wrph#rq#Sdjhġv#zrun#dqgv#lq#Ghfhpehu# wkrxjk#lv#d#zkroh#orwwd#fdvkplu#dw#†6<81#
zlwk#suhrughuv#qrz#ehlqj#wdnhq#iru#wkh# More info: genesis-publications.com
Photos © Jimmy Page Archive 2019

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 scene
people ✪ news ✪ noise

The change will put

most rosewood five of The BesT
types back on the Our favourite songs
menu as a this month…
tonewood for many
guitar brands again

1. atta Blues
Emily Wolfe
The Austin Epiphone
335-playing blues artist
hasn’t made waves in the
UK quite yet – but she will
with songs like this.

2. richard iii
Supergrass
The Oxford indie icons’
surprise reunion
performance at
September’s Pilton Party
gear and vow to “bring joy into a
slightly disturbed world”

rosewood redempTion
for next year’s tour is a
welcome return after nine
years away. 09

ack in issue 314, we had guitar market – especially the more conference (Convention on

B cause for optimism

when we reported the
signs that musical
affordable end. So we’re now
delighted to confirm that the
popular fingerboard tonewood is
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in
Geneva on 28 August, although in
instruments could become exempt coming back – mostly! terms of value and volume,
from the import and export Brazilian rosewood will still rosewoods are the world’s most
restrictions that have seen rosewood require permits to be exported in illegally trafficked woods, CITES has
disappear from much of the new any quantity, but at the CITES acknowledged that musical 3. locomotive
instruments are not a substantial Big Wreck
contributor to the trade. Ian Thornley takes the
In announcing the change, CITES Jimmy Page torch on and
Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero reminds us he’s Canada’s
said: “During three years of most underrated guitarist.
thoughtful discussions, CITES
Parties needed to analyse the 4. no leaf Clover
different kinds of commercial trade Metallica
that had significant impact on the The band’s recent return to
sustainability of the rosewood San Francisco to play and
species. In classic CITES style, record a follow-up to
Parties demonstrated once again 1999’s orchestra-backed
their shared spirit to find solutions S&M recording has us
for the most effective revisiting this cracker.
implementation of the
Photos Steve Jennings /Lestercohen/Getty Images

Convention’s regulations, and as a 5. unbroken

result they have agreed to exempt The Butterfly Effect
rosewood musical instruments.” The Australians’ first new
The changes are due to take material with original
effect in 90 days from the vocalist Clint Boge in 11
conference so look out for more years finds guitarist Kurt
rosewood-featured models Goedhart picking up where
starting to surface again at the he left off.
beginning of 2020.

OCTOBER 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 Monitor
people ✪ news ✪ noise

is a funny one. When watching a gig, it’s

James on stage with The horrible. It’s baffling. I see it especially when
Pretenders – he’s also one half
of folk rock duo The Rails with we play bigger gigs, like at an arena or
wife Kami Thompson something, and there people just talking on
their phones in the front row. Some people
encourage it, though. Adele would encourage it.
There is a whole generation that has been
encouraged to take pictures, so when they go to
another gig and someone doesn’t like it – like
Jack White – and then they get annoyed by it.”

We Are Family
“It is a unique band that way, where it is an
extended family. I think part of that is from me
growing up in and around music. The Allman
Brothers was a big, crazy, dysfunctional family,
but it was a family, and when I first started
travelling at nine, 10 years old and playing, my
dad was always on the road with me. When you
put as much time as we do into this – especially
the early days when we were on the road 300
days a year – these are the people who you are
closest to in life. Those bonds are serious.”

Are You Experienced?

“I remember that Sinatra played with Johnny
Dankworth and Cleo Laine, and it was at the
Albert Hall. I think I was about eight years old. I
loved New York, New York and all the big songs.
10 My dad took me to everything, like everyone. We
sat in the cheap seats at the back, and that’s
how we did it. I remember seeing him up there
and singing. The same year my dad took me to
see Stevie Ray [Vaughan] at Hammersmith,
and the glitter-ball was going round to Life
Without You. He was very loud; I remember that,
five minutes alone and seeing some sick on the floor! Stevie Ray

James Walbourne
then became a huge influence on me after he
died. It’s funny how it works. I would not be
doing it if it weren’t for those experiences.”

The Pretenders and The Rails guitarist on rock ‘n’ roll, American Honey
“My dad took me to the States when I was eight
nostalgia, not collecting guitars, and seeing Sinatra years old. We went on a Greyhound Bus all the
way around. We went to New Orleans, to
when he was eight Memphis, all these amazing places. I was very
lucky. We went to see music. America was
always the place to be, musically. I mean, I am a
Rock ‘N’ Roll Train not look back. She has done a jazz record, with true Londoner. I would never move. But,
“When I listen to music on shuffle, and then an orchestra, we’ve just did Hollywood Bowl musically, America is still that place.
Mystery Train comes on – it’s so primitive, and with an orchestra. We’ve reached a strange
sounds so great, it takes me back. I always point, the way [nostalgia] has manifested itself Knock On Wood
think, ‘Jesus Christ!’ It’s the sensibility of it.” as heritage acts. It’s just about bands coming “I have acquired guitars. I am not a collector. I
back – it’s a very strange thing.” play all of them. Chrissie gave me a ’57 Strat
Quarantine The Past and I play it every night. Constantly. I’ve been
“I see it with Chrissie [Hynde]. We’ve just People Take Pictures Of Each Other told not to. Well, y’know people, they just said
made a record and it is ‘The New One’. She “That’s something we talk about constantly. it was worth too much money, too expensive to
always thinks about the next thing. She does It’s unbelievable. It’s unbearable. Yeah, yeah it play. They should be played! I can’t really collect
anything. My flat is so fucking small.”
Photo: JJeff Spicer/Getty

“these are the people who you are closest to The Rails’ new album CancelTheSun is

in life. those bonds are serious” out now on Thirty Tigers. See
TheRailsOfficial.com for more details

ToTal GuiTar OctOber 2019

 MONITOR
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

12

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS

Aussie pub-punks making rounds and roughhousing into a six-string art

B
orn out of Dec’s style draws from Amyl’s vocalist Amy Taylor showcasing Dec’s brutalised
Melbourne’s these players, but you’ll also vwdqgv#dw#derxw#Ľyh#irrw# blues-y licks in all their glory.
vibrant scene, hear a fair whack of Fast nothing but sounds like she “I often do that thing where
Australia’s Amyl Eddie-era Motörhead, Stevie gargles gasoline and is a you bend the G string up a
Dqg#Wkh#Vqlļhuv# Ray Vaughan and Richie perpetual propulsion step and bar the B and E,”
may be signed to UK indie Blackmore in his playing. machine. Dec is more static, comments Dec. “I call it ‘the
titans Rough Trade, but they “They’re all Stratocaster but seems to channel a huge rock n roll thing’! You hear
carry the lineage of Aussie players,” notes Dec. “I love amount of energy into his that at the beginning of the
pub-rock bands like Cosmic Billy Thorpe, Lobby Loyde, Strat, which builds and erupts Some Mutts… solo. It’s a great
Psychos and Drunk Mums – Peter Wells and Malcolm into brilliant, madcap lead pivot point in a solo and you
groups that specialise in Young too – all great runs. Take Some Mutts (Can’t fdq#gr#glļhuhqw#yduldwlrqv#
rib-rattling rhythm sections Australian guitarists. They Be Muzzled) – it closes in a rhythmically – it’s a bit of a
and petrol-powered solos. pioneered the Australian rock thrilling two-minute James security blanket but a bit of a
“Cosmic Psychos made the ’n’ roll sound and pretty much Williamson-esque solo run, weapon too!”
template for Australian made the rule book for what
punk,” Amyl’s guitarist Dec an Australian guitarist should FOR FANS OF Miss June, IDLES GEAR Late-90s Fender Stratocaster (with
Photo Jamie Wdziekonski

Martens tells us. “It’s lyrics sound like.” Seymour Duncan Hot Rails bridge pickup), Marshall JCM 800, Boss DD-7
about the Australian working
class and tongue in cheek
humour, combined with
unapologetic bass tones and
“TONGUE IN CHEEK HUMOUR, UNAPOLOGETIC BASS
talented guitar playing.” TONES AND TALENTED GUITAR PLAYING”
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 on tHE UP
pEopLE ✪ nEws ✪ noIsE

oSo oSo danny beardSley

Dashed confessionals Prog whiz’s surprising pared down solo record
so Oso is the brainchild flickering moments of happiness anny Beardsley has part has been learning how to do

O of Long Island’s Jade

Lilitri. His heart-on-
your-sleeve emo rock
among the wider gloom, laying
lyrical content on catchy chord
sequences. There’s courage in his
D featured in these pages
before with his
mind-boggling prog
both at the same time.”
As such, the record focuses on
Danny’s melodicism, but still finds
is reminiscent of the era of Jimmy confessions, though blink and trio The Parallax Method. Now the ways to veer into showier territory.
Eat World and Get Up Kids, when you’ll miss them. Midlands man returns with his “I’ve been driven for a long time
kids would mosh wearing “I just plug my nose, close my debut solo album Blood From A chasing perfection,” he reflects. “I
backpacks, like sweaty terrapins. eyes, and jump feet first,” says Stone, which offers a heavy slice of think that can be become a little 13
“The guitar is there to get the Lilitri, when we ask how he southern rock. unhealthy and I’ve learned to
song across rather than to be the conquers that element of fear. “If “I was hoping to create a country continue to push myself without
song,” Lilitri says. “I’m pretty you’re breathing you’re album,” says Danny. “Eventually applying too much pressure.”
conscious of whether the parts I’m achieving!” my rock roots took over and ended
writing support that objective.” up where I am now. The big part I For Fans oF BlackstoneCherry
New record Basking In The Glow, For Fans oF allGetout,TheGetupkids wanted to explore was interactive GEar prssinglecuts,Bareknuckle
his third, is about capturing those GEar strat, Fender Deville guitar and vocals, so the real hard pickups,orangerockerverbMkIII

TheParanoydS lauranhibberd hammerhandS

wHo: LA guitarist Lexi Funston wHo: Isle of Wight-based songwriter wHo: Canadians Collin Young and NJ Borreta
sounDs LIkE: Where surf pop and cynicism sounDs LIkE: A Weezer-y take on slacker pop sounDs LIkE: The sludge monster from FernGully
combine. Canning both the sunshine and sickness that trades the D&D references for smart, forms an inexplicably brilliant doom band.
of present day ‘merica. conversational reflections Envelops planet.
GEar: 2007 Fender Deluxe Roadhouse MIM Strat, GEar: 1973 Fender Mustang, TP Customs GEar: Collin - Hagstrom Viking Baritone. NJ -
Vintage MusicMan 112 RD 50 ’Skeezer’, Fender Blues Junior Fender Jaguar Baritone Special HH

For Fans oF pinky pinky, audacity For Fans oF Indoor pets, Zuzu For Fans oF Daughters, swans
HEar Carnage Bargain HEar Frankie’s Girlfriend HEar Dad sludge

october 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 MONITOR
PEOPLE - NEWS - NOISE

“This is my main guitar that I use most

1 of the time when we play live. It’s an
ESP Standard but they call it E-II. I used
to play Gibson for a long time but then we
toured with Children Of Bodom once and
they had ESP guitars. I tried them and I
thought the neck felt a lot nicer. That’s the
main thing about guitars for me, it’s how
it feels to hold. It’s well-balanced. You can
get a decent sound from pretty much any
guitar but the important thing for me is how
it feels to hold and play.”

1
Interview Rob Laing Photography: Olly Curtis

ME AND MY GUITAR
JOHAN SÖDERBERG
AMON AMARTH
The Swedish metallers’ “James Hetfield was

rhythm berserker gave 2 one of my favourite

guitar players when I
started, and he used this
14 his ESP E-II EX the kind of shape. It’s also
about the balance. When

personal touch you let the guitar go [on

the strap] it doesn’t go
anywhere. It hangs in
the same position all of
the time.”
“I made the
3 scratchplate myself.
It was pretty complicated!
2
The reason I came up with
the idea is because of the
neck pickup. I took that out
and wondered what am I
going to do with the cavity
there. I came up with the
idea to put a light in there
3 “I popped out the neck pickup
instead. I have a separate
9-volt battery back here
and instead of the pickup
4 because I never use that when
we play live. In the studio I have other
switch it’s a light switch. I guitars that I use sometimes when
have another guitar that’s I need a neck pickup for some clean
the same model that I use sounds, but when we play live I only
in the set and I pretty much 4 use this [bridge] pickup so I don’t
did the same thing to that.” really need anything else. It’s an EMG
57. I’ve put that in some of my other
guitars too. This guitar came with an
EMG 81 but I swapped it out – the 57
has a slightly more rounded sound I
guess. I think it works for everything.”

Amon Amarth play Birmingham,

Manchester and London in November.
More info: amonamarth.com

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 Monitor
people ✪ news ✪ noise

Former Drive-By Truckers

six-stringer and Grammy-
winning solo performer
Jason isbell shows the
power of modern Americana

Back track
16

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

Modern aMericana
Originating with the folk and
country rock of the late 1960s,
Americana saw a resurgence with
the arrival of alternative country
groups like Uncle Tupelo in the 90s, start with
and bands have been blurring the
line between North American roots
drive-By Truckers
music and conventional rock ever Southern rock opera (2001)

1
since. For guitarists, it means Long considered to be the band’s definitive statement, Southern Rock Opera is
Words Stephen Kelly Photo Joby Sessions

adopting techniques pioneered by an ambitious concept album that reflects on the complex nature of Southern
identity (especially around race and poverty) through a fictionalised retelling
musicians working in traditions of the rise and demise of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band convincingly integrated
stretching from the Appalachian Skynyrd’s three-pronged guitar attack into their hard-edged alternative rock
backwoods to Bakersfield honky- sound to create their own countrified, stadium-conquering riffs on songs like
Ronnie And Neil, Zip City and Dead, Drunk And Naked. Despite the hooks and
tonks, from bluegrass and gospel to Patterson Hood’s whiskey-warmed vocals, there’s a bittersweet, thoughtful tone
country and folk. throughout, culminating in Birmingham’s reflections on the Civil Rights struggle
in Alabama, and the moving, eulogising ballad, Angels And Fuselage.

ToTal GuiTar october 2019

 back track
people ✪ news ✪ noise

then try don’t miss out also recommended

Gillian welch sTurGill siMpson sonGs: ohia

the harrow & MetaModern SoundS In the MagnolIa
the harveSt (2011) country MuSIc (2014) electrIc co. (2003)

2 3 4
A long-awaited return to form after Drawing comparisons to heavyweights Jason Molina spent half of his career
2003’s so-so Soul Journey, The Harrow & like Merle Haggard, Sturgill Simpson’s performing as Songs: Ohia. His folkish
The Harvest finds Welch and her musical sound is rooted in 1970s country rock, and indie rock drew comparisons to Harvest-
partner David Rawlings revisiting the lean yet his Kentucky brogue conceals psychadelic era Neil Young, but it’s the thunderous power
instrumentation of their earliest outings. philosophical lyricisms; the magnificent Turtles chords of Crazy Horse that come to mind on
Rawlings’s hybrid picking sparkles throughout, All The Way Down namechecks Buddha, LSD and Farewell Transmission and the Zeppelinised John
particularly when framing Tennessee’s “reptile aliens made of light” in the album’s Henry Split My Heart. Mellower numbers hold
honey-smooth vocals, while Welch’s rhythm opening minutes. Simpson’s bluegrass their own, with touches of classic Nashville in
guitar recalls the warmth of The Carter Family’s strumming is great on the Nashville Skyline- the keening lap steel accompaniment to Just Be
Maybelle Carter on songs like Scarlet Town and esque Voices, but it’s lead guitarist Laur Joamets’ Simple and the honky-tonk underscoring The
The Way It Goes, the latter combining a bluegrass mind-bending slide work on Just Let Go and Old Black Hen. “Swing the heaviest hammer you
sound with modern country hooks and lyrics space rock freak-out It Ain’t All Flowers that seal got,” Molina sings on John Henry, “Hit this one
befitting the finest trailer psychodrama. the deal. Three chords and the truth, indeed. out of the park.” This album does just that. 17
Recommended track The Way It Goes Recommended track It Ain’t All Flowers Recommended track John Henry Split My Heart

worth a spin wild card live!

JusTin our naTive Jason isBell &
Townes earle dauGhTers The 400 uniT
harleM rIver BlueS (2010) SongS of our natIve lIve froM alaBaMa (2012)
daughterS (2019)
5 7
Justin Townes Earle has followed in his Never underestimate the
honky-tonkin’, hell-raisin’ father Steve transformative energy a crowd can

6
Earle’s footsteps, but while Harlem River Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina impart to familiar songs; Live From
Blues is undoubtedly an album born of that Chocolate Drops created this project to Alabama sees Isbell playing country
lineage, it also evokes the 1970s sound of Gram reaffirm the role of women and people of barnburners from his solo career and his
Parsons and the Topanga Canyon crowd. colour in North American roots music. It’s a time with Drive-By Truckers to a sold-out
Notables like Jason Isbell and Calexico’s Paul melting pot; Moon Meets The Sun uses Afro- venue on his home turf. The usually acoustic
Niehaus flesh out Earle’s acoustic work with Caribbean guitar lines over fretless banjo, while Alabama Pines goes electric, adding just
electric guitar and pedal steel respectively, as on Blood And Bones combines contemporary blues enough grit to deliver a stadium-sized high,
the feather-light Learning To Cry and Workin’ For with a minstrel tune. The vocals are superb, while a fiery rendition of the Truckers’
The MTA; but it’s the Springsteen-esque particularly Amythyst Kiah’s deep soul holler Decoration Day and a cover of Like A Hurricane
Christchurch Woman and Rogers Park that really r on Black Myself, and the multi-part harmonies showcase Isbell’s chops as a lead player.
with all the ambition of heartland classics. on a cover of Bob Marley’s Slave Driver. Recommended track Decoration Day
Recommended track Christchurch Woman Recommended track Blood And Bones

october 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 HOW TO WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Drop-B tuned riffing
Palm-muting
One-finger powerchords

Get the tone CHANNEL DISTORTION

5
6
8
9
0
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

Active humbuckers are key to

Slipknot’s tone, but in their
absence, raise the gain on your
amp, keep the treble high to ape
their clarity and keep reverb to
zero to maximise definition. You
may need to use a distortion pedal
– Mick and Jim don’t use them, but
they turn their amps up louder than
us! If you have a valve amp with a
heavy metal character, try an
Ibanez Tubescreamer overdrive to
push it farther into its sweet spot.
If your amp is less ‘gainy’, try
Boss’s Metal Zone or, alternatively,

U RO
an MXR Fullbore Metal.

YO E
Bridge humbucker

ON I D
riff of the month
CD
V

SLIPKNOT
Unsainted

D
18 espite drawing comparisons with Lq#vrph#uhvshfwv/#wkh#ulļ/#gholyhuhg#e|#erwk#Mlp# wulfn| dw dq| sdfh Ğ dqg wkdwġv zkhuh zh frph#
the late-90s nu metal scene, Root and Mick Thompson, is remarkably lq$ Rxu vorzhg grzq uxq wkurxjk ri wklv vkruw#
Slipknot would always contest simple. It uses a two-note powerchord shape ulļ zloo khos |rx slfn lw xs1 Doo wkh lqir |rx qhhg#
that label, seeing themselves as a played on the two bass strings, albeit in is below.
purer metal act. The lead single super-low drop B tuning. You only need one
from the band’s 2019 We Are Not Your Kind Ľqjhu#wr#sod|#wkh#vkdshv#Ğ#qr#wulfn|#fkrug# CHEAT SHEET…
album, Unsainted strikes a balance, with an Ľqjhulqjv#khuh$# Appears at: 1:00-1:19
uplifting, groove-led chorus hinting at ‘nu’, and Wkh#pdlq#fkdoohqjh#lv#uhsolfdwlqj#wkh#Ľhufh# Tempo: 204 bpm
wkh ulļ zhġuh orrnlqj dw#khuh#Ğ#wkh#erqh0 tempo of the recording. Getting the timing of Key: E Phrygian / E Phrygian dominant
crushing metal pre-verse line. the chord changes and palm-muted notes is Main techniques: Powerchords / Palm-muting

O O X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
These simple shapes should pose no
1 1 problems. You can play them with one
finger, so choose whichever feels most
comfortable for you. We opted to
switch between first and third fingers.
3 3 Finally, remember that you’ll need to
tune to drop B (B F# B E G# C#) to get to
3 3
Photo: Mariano Regidor/Getty

the right pitch.

B F# B E G# C# B F# B E G# C# B F# B E G# C# B F# B E G# C#
B5 C5 D5 D#5

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 HOW TO

GETTING
STARTED WITH…
OCTAVES
Get to grips with this tricky
technique – as heard in jazz, WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
punk-rock and various other Four different octave shapes
A jazz-style octave melody

styles of music One punk rock-style line

“What exactly are octaves?” “These are tricky. What am I doing wrong?”
BOX CLEVER…
X X X X
Wherever two notes have the same name but \rxġuh#suredeo|#qrw#ghdghqlqj#wkh#lgoh#vwulqjv1#
glļhuhqw slwfkhv/ wkh|ġuh vdlg wr eh vhsdudwhg Wu|#wr#srvlwlrq#|rxu#iuhwwlqj#Ľqjhuv#vr#wkh|#
Our essential 1
e| rfwdyhv1 Iru h{dpsoh/ wkh wrs dqg erwwrp wrxfk#wkh#xqxvhg#vwulqjv#dqg#pxwh#wkhp#rxw1#
vwulqj H qrwhv rq wkh jxlwdu duh wzr rfwdyhv Wkh#Ġvwdqgdugġ#vkdshv#duh#hdvlhu#wr#sod|#wkdq#
octave fretboxes
dsduw> wkh H qrwh rq wkh 5qg iuhw ri wkh irxuwk wkh#Ġdowhuqdwlyhġ#rqhv/#ehfdxvh#wkhuhġv#rqo|#rqh# 1 STANDARD SHAPE:
4
vwulqj lv rqh rfwdyh deryh wkh rshq vl{wk vwulqj vwulqj#ehwzhhq#wkh#iuhwwhg#qrwhv1# THIRD/FOURTH
STRING ROOT
dqg rqh rfwdyh ehorz wkh Ľuvw1 Lwġv dfwxdoo| Use this shape if your root note X X X X
uhdoo| vlpsoh Ğ mxvw sod| wkrvh H qrwhv dqg “I’m starting to get it. Any more tips?” is on the third or fourth string.
|rxġoo khdu wkdw wkh| vruw ri vrxqg wkh vdph1 Shuvhyhuh=#wklv#vnloo#fdq#wdnh#wlph#wr#ghyhors1#
2 STANDARD SHAPE: 1
Ehjlqqhuv#zkr#pd|#kdyh#vshqw#wkhlu#Ľuvw#
FIFTH/SIXTH STRING
20 “That’s simple enough. Anything else I need zhhnv#dqg#prqwkv#ohduqlqj#wr#iuhw#Ġfohdqo|ġ#
ROOT 3
to know?” pd|#Ľqg#vwulqj#pxwlqj#ihhov#d#elw#zurqj0 This shape is the one to use
Wklv lghd dssolhv wr dq| sdlu ri qrwhv zlwk wkh khdghg#Ğ#exw#lwġv#zruwk#jhwwlqj#wr#julsv#zlwk1# if your lowest note is on the
vdph qdph1 Iru h{dpsoh/ wkh wzr G qrwhv lq dq fifth or sixth string.
X X X X
rshq G pdmru fkrug duh vhsdudwhg e| dq rfwdyh> “Okay, I’ll stick with it. Shall we play
3 ALTERNATIVE SHAPE:
dq rshq F fkrug ihdwxuhv wzr F qrwhv dqg wzr H some music?” SIXTH STRING ROOT 1
qrwhv/ hdfk sdlu dq rfwdyh dsduw1 Lwġv d frqfhsw Vxuh$#Wdnh#d#orrn#dw#rxu#Ľuvw#wde#h{dpsoh1#Lwġv# This is a less common shape
|rxġoo h{soruh lq doo vw|ohv ri pxvlf1 d#md}}#olfn#lqvsluhg#e|#wkh#juhdw#Jhrujh#Ehqvrq1# and a bit of a stretch, but still
Qrwlfh#wkdw#erwk#ri#wkh#vwdqgdug#vkdshv#dsshdu# worth knowing.
4
“How can I be creative with octaves?” khuh/ vr |rxġoo ehqhĽw iurp sudfwlvlqj vorzo|
4 ALTERNATIVE SHAPE:
Wkhuh duh orwv ri zd|v wr xvh rfwdyhv lq |rxu ehiruh |rx mdp dorqj zlwk rxu edfnlqj wudfn1 FOURTH/FIFTH STRING X X X X
pxvlf Ğ wkh|ġuh sduwlfxoduo| kdqg| iru idwwhu ROOT
vrxqglqj phorglhv dqg olfnv zkhuh d vlqjoh0 “How shall I tackle the second example?” Another less well-used shape,
qrwh olqh zrxog vrxqg wrr zhhg|1 E| dqg odujh wkh vdph uxohv dsso|/ exw/ dv lwġv but again, worth learning.
1
Doo |rx qhhg wr gr lv ohduq vrph rfwdyh sxqn0urfn/ gldo lq d olwwoh gulyh rq |rxu dps ru TG TIP Try to stub your fingers
vkdshv rq wkh iuhwerdug1 Wdnh d orrn dw wkh glvwruwlrq shgdo1 Qrwlfh wkh Ġ[ġv lq wkh wde up against the idle strings to 3
sdqho rq wkh uljkw/ zkhuh |rxġoo Ľqg wkh prvw zkhuh |rx vwuxp wkh pxwhg vwulqjv1 \rx pd| keep them silent.
lpsruwdqw rqhv1 Ľqg lw hdvlhu qrw wr sod| wkhvh dv |rx sudfwlvh1

1 JAZZ-STYLE MELODY TRACKS 07-08 2 PUNK-ROCK LINE TRACKS 09-10

3
j
q =115 q q =q q q =150
Em Bm Em add9/F # Em D5 A/C # E/G # A5
Play 4 times

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

T . . T . ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ .
¿ ¿ .
10 12
. 9 12 11 9
. . 9 11
¿
9
¿ ¿
9
¿ ¿ ¿
7 9 7
B 7 10 9 7 B 7 9 7 7
5

If you’re muting the idle strings just right, you should be able to strum across Hold your fingers steady in the octave shape as you slide between positions.
the octave shape and only hear two notes. Pick with care! The less movement you make, the cleaner your octaves will sound.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 HOW TO
THE FX FILES TG’S CLASSIC STOMPBOX GUIDE
LEVEL EQ: MIDDLE/MID FREQ
The output of the pedal is The Middle control can cut or boost
governed by the Level by 15dB, and the Mid Freq changes
control. Like most the frequencies that are affected
distortion pedals, there’s a by the pedal. The Q is constant at all
large dB gain on offer, so points of the sweep of the Mid Freq
the pedal is able to function control, but the effects in the
like a boost with the gain treble range are greater when the
rolled back. control is set to cut, not boost.
Although this control is incredibly
flexible, it’s relatively difficult to sit
EQ: HIGH/LOW and tweak towards the perfect
This dual control is for the tone without understanding how it
high and low of the pedal. interacts with High and Low. That
Both can be boosted or cut said, it is possible to tinker until
by about 20dB, resulting in good sounds come out – just set
quite a large range of the High and Low to 12 o’ clock
possible tones. The Low before experimenting.
control is around 100Hz,
created using a gyrator to
boost or cut a relatively DIST
arrow band around that Q Unlike the BOSS HM-2, which had
point, whereas the High basically only two gain settings,
control is a shelf EQ that ‘off’ and ‘full’, the distortion control
starts around 1kHz. on the MT-2 Metal Zone actually
does reduce the amount of gain on
tap, in a similar way to the ProCo
22 RAT. For most amps, with the level
control set around or above
12 o’ clock, the gain control won’t
need to come above 12 o’ clock.

Loved and hated the world over, for many teenage metal guitarists, the Boss
Metal Zone is the holy grail… or a stunning let-down. So what’s the deal?

T
he Boss Metal that change the EQ character of the second factor at work is that the success since its initial release, and
Zone hit the pedal, but for the most part, its pedal has, like its predecessor, has been in continuous production
market in 1991 as a failure to impress can perhaps be almost too much gain on tap. Most ever since. For every detractor
semi-successor to put down to two prosaic factors. usable settings for the MT-2 start there is a player like Simon Neil
the Boss HM-2 Wkh Ľuvw ri wkhvh lv vlpso| wkdw d at lower gain settings and then up iurp Elļ| Fo|ur/ zkrġv irxqg d
Heavy Metal, which was produced lot of players don’t know how to the level depending on the amp. great tone with the MT-2 and has
between 1983 and 1991. Like the use EQ to get the sound in their Rarely will you see the gain notch just cracked on with it. Even so, it
HM-2, it’s designed to emulate a head – and the powerful, yet above 12 o’ clock. is perhaps a little surprising that
cranked amp stack, with loads of frpsoh{ HT rq wkh Phwdo ]rqh lv Despite being one of the most Boss chose it as one of their pedals
gain on tap. Unlike the HM-2, it perhaps too complicated for many controversial pedals in the Boss to reissue in an enhanced Waza
has a highly tweakable EQ that was players to get to grips with. The line-up, it has been a commercial Fudiw hglwlrq1
leagues ahead of anything else
when it came out.
So why did it fail to land with
some players? Internally there are
THE POWERFUL, YET COMPLEX EQ ON THE METAL ZONE IS
wzr Ľ{hg sduwv ri wkh vljqdo fkdlq PERHAPS TOO COMPLICATED FOR MANY PLAYERS
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 THE FX FILES

# UNDER THE INFLUENCE

BOSS MT-2W BOSS HM-3 AMPTWEAKER

WAZA METAL ZONE HYPER METAL TIGHT METAL JUNIOR
£119 £75 APPROX (USED) £179
With a second mode that offers a djenty vibe, the When BOSS came to build the new version of the Arguably the best metal pedals currently on the
Waza Metal Zone has a drier tone than the original, HM-2, they ended up coming out with quite a market, the Tight Metal ST, Pro and its Jr sibling 23
and is less prone to oscillation with the gain up. The different beast. Although the controls on the front aren’t only indebted to the Metal Zone for
question is not whether this is a worthy heir to the panel are the same as those on the HM-2, and the enlarging the metal pedal market and being the
Metal Zone; the question is, as Spinal Tap might EQ profile sounds similar, that’s where the gateway pedal for most players. There’s also the
have asked, “How much more metal could this similarity ends. To Metal Zone owners, on the other matter of their nifty colourway. Now, orange on
be?”. And the answer is none. None more metal. hand, the voicing of the pedal will sound familiar. black, where have we seen that before…?

# CLASSIC TONES
GET THE TONE #1 GET THE TONE #2 GET THE TONE #3
AT THE GATES FILTER INDUSTRIAL DROP-D HEAVEN
Wkh#HT#dqg#jdlq#qhhghg#rq#wklv#h{dpsoh#zloo#eh# For a thick, punchy industrial tone, the Metal If you’re playing in Drop-D and palm muting,
very amp-dependent, but At the Gates are Zone is perfect, so long as you make sure you EQ the complicated EQ settings can help you get a
known to have got their tone on Slaughter of the it carefully. In the studio, the Metal Zone is grip on low-string bloom, and rein in the mud.
Soul from an HM-2 with the level up and incredibly useful for double-tracking gain parts, Into a high-headroom tube amp, this setting
distortion on minimum into a Metal Zone. and with two guitars this tone can ascend into will push the amp into saturation for
Without the boost in front, it might not work as the realms of earth-shattering heaviness. Only Swervedriver-like tones. Turn up the gain for
well, but you can still get in the ballpark. use this power irresponsibly. thick, grungy sounds in the vein of Silverchair.

Get the tone Get the tone Get the tone

LEVEL HIGH LOW MID DIST LEVEL HIGH LOW MID DIST LEVEL HIGH LOW MID DIST

MID FREQ: 3 o’ clock MID FREQ: 3 o’ clock MID FREQ: 3 o’ clock

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

24

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 rig tour
Words Michael Astley-Brown Photography Joby Sessions
Erdug Hļhfwv Orrs,/ zklfk
1 2 3 I’ve almost never used.
“So, basically, especially if
you’re using wahs or fuzzes
– old pedals that want to see
the full signal – it bypasses the
volume and tone controls and
jrhv#vwudljkw#wr#wkh#hļhfwv#
before coming back into the
jxlwdu#srvw0hļhfw1#Diwhu#wkdw#lw#
goes out through the tone and
volume knobs. I used it a bit
zkhq#L#Ľuvw#glg#lw/#exw#diwhu#d#
while it got to be a pain,
because I had to make the TRS
cables and then stock cables
that I zip-tied together. It has
the Gibson bridge with the
Ľqh0wxqhuv#rq#lw/#zklfk#L#mxvw#
liked better than the standard
tune-o-matic.
“I use the Super Distortion
mainly because Jerry used
wkhp$#^odxjkv`#Dqg#lwġv#ixqq|/#
because even though they’re
called Super Distortions,
compared to modern
high-output pickups, they’re
not that hot; they’re about
medium-output now. I tend 25

DYLAN
to prefer lower-output
pickups to high-output
pickups. Over the years, I’ve
gravitated more towards the

CARLSON
orz0rxwsxw#slfnxsv1#Doo#p|#
guitars have Tele bridge
pickups of some kind, either
the Fast Track, the Chopper or
the Tone Zone. I pretty much
mxvw#xvh#wkh#eulgjh#olyh1#Rqfh#
in a while, there’s a couple
The Earth leader relies upon a wild assortment of songs where I’ll switch
pickups, like Old Black and Bees
affordable, convention-busting gear Made Honey/#exw#xvxdoo|#L#mxvw#
keep it in the bridge position.”

GUITARS EPIPHONE GOTHIC ’58

S
eeing sonic whatever I play, I’m gonna be me,”
conjurer Dylan Dylan muses. “And so I started EPIPHONE SG EXPLORER
Carlson live is a downsizing and getting smaller “It’s in the ‘61 style. I like “I have the Explorer
meditative
experience. His
gear, just because I’m getting old
and tired of carrying it!”
1 DiMarzio pickups, so all
my guitars have ’em. I took
2 dropped a step on the top
string for Conquistador. That
show is one man, It’s an especially honest and out the stock ones, and then rqh/#L#mxvw#wrrn#rxw#wkh#eulgjh#
a guitar and cyclical waves of gritty sobering ethos, and one that – because I’m really into Teles, pickup and put in a Super
textural playing – there’s no eschews the learned rig rituals: I like a Tele bridge pickup – I Distortion Tele pickup. I’ve
looping, no vocals, nowhere to there aren’t many guitarists gave it a [DiMarzio] Tone Zone done two myself; that’s the
hide. It’s a scenario where every vhoi0dvvxuhg#hqrxjk#wr#Ľw#Whoh# Tele bridge pickup and a Super second one I did, so the
tonal articulation counts, yet for bridge pickups into SGs, or rely on a Distortion humbucker in the wiring’s a bit wonky. [laughs]
the Earth drone-metal pioneer, ridiculously tiny bass amp for their neck. I got that one a little I’m not the master solderer.
gear is always secondary to his guitar tones. With plenty more while back, around when we But it works!
individuality on the instrument – revelations in store, let’s dive into did the Bees Made Honey [In “I had to get the nut
and, at this stage, practicality. “I how Dylan produces his The Lion’s Skull] album [2008], replaced. We played Temples
Ľjxuhg#rxw#d#frxsoh#ri#|hduv#djr/# mesmerising soundscapes... and I was on a big Jerry Garcia Fest in Bristol; it was during
kick, so it has the OBEL (On the set, we were playing Bees

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 rig tour

26

Made Honey, and I hit the E string Belgian one,’ and I’m like, ‘Okay, British amp company from
really hard and it snapped the nut, frro1ġ#L#olnh#qdwxudo#zrrghq#vwxļ/# Newcastle – I have a 100-watt
so I had to get a new nut put on it, so it was in the ballpark. It was power amp and their preamp from
and the crew at the festival were 300/400 euros, maybe. But it had the 70s as well. That’s my lone
nice enough to put one on. the Wilkinson pickups and wxeh#dps#qrz1#Dqg#wkhq#L#kdyh#d#
“It’s the Goth model! [laughs] I hardware, so my thinking was: at DV Mark Micro 50 that I use and a
mean, I thought it was kind of least it’s nice hardware; at the very Dietz 1x12 cab. I also bought that
ixqq|/ ehfdxvh L mxvw#vdz#lw#dqg#lw# worst I can get some good Ihqghu#odvw#|hdu#mxvw#vr#wkdw#L#frxog#
zdv d eodfn H{soruhu1#Dw#Ľuvw#L#zdv# hardware out of it! have a cab over here. I was going to
like, ‘Oh cool, my Matthias Jabs “But then it kind of sat in bring the DV Mark, but then I
fantasy’s come true!” But then I Dpvwhugdp#zlwk#p|#rwkhu# bought that Trace Elliot, and it’s
found out later it was the Goth Hxurshdq#jhdu#iru#d#zkloh1#Dqg# like, even smaller! [laughs] I mean,
model, so I was like, ‘Okay, I guess I then when the driver went to pick it’s actually kind of ridiculous – the
can only play Siouxsie and the up the gear, they threw it in there, I carrying case looks like a little
Banshees on it!’” guess, thinking I’d need a backup, lunch sack!
even though I already had the ģLġp#derxw#Ľqglqj#vpdoo/#
JACK & DANNY DOUBLE-CUT Explorer. Maybe I’ll use it powerful solid-state amps – it
“I don’t know anything about somewhere along the line so it seems like the bass companies are
3 it! I got it when we were in this
little town in Belgium, and I
doesn’t feel lonely!” on the case, but none of the guitar
companies are for some reason;
honestly can’t remember exactly
what happened. I remember that
something happened to my guitar.
AMPS
TRACE ELLIOT ELF & FENDER
they’re still all about tubes. I mean,
don’t misunderstand me, I love
tube amps – I have nothing against
There was a music store a block BASSBREAKER BB112 CAB them. It’s funny, because usually
away from the venue, and the “It’s a 200-watt bass head, and wkhuhġv#qr#glļhuhqfh#dw#doo#ehwzhhq#
promoter knew the guy at the
pxvlf vwruh1 Dqg L#zdv#olnh/#ĠL#qhhg#
4 L#mxvw#oryh#lw1#P|#pdlq#dpsv#
that I have back in the States
a bass amp and a guitar amp,
except on some resistor at the
a guitar’, and he was like, ‘This is a include an old Burman – the old input or something.”

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER

NOVEMBER2019
2015
 DYLAN CARLSON

5
“GUITAR LIVES IN THE MIDS. THAT’S 27

WHERE ALL THE ‘TONE’ COMES FROM”

BOSS KATANA-50 “With this one, MXR got
ģWkdw#rqhġv#mxvw#d#edfn0xs1# together with Shin [Suzuki], this
5 I have used it live, though; I did
a four-month [residency] at
Japanese amp tech. I like a lot of
mids, and that’s basically what
[London’s] Cafe Oto with it, and I Dumble drives do: boost the mids.
think they sound great. I love ’em, For years, on Hex [; Or Printing in the
and they’re cheap. I mean, I Infernal Method] and Bees, I was
prvwo|#mxvw#xvh#wkh#fohdq#fkdqqho# doing the big clean sound, which is
dqg#p|#hļhfwv/#udwkhu#wkdq#wkh# lots of highs, lots of lows and kind
presets or anything.” of scooped mids, and then I started
wanting more oomph. I used to

EFFECTS
MXR SHIN-JUKU DRIVE
use 15-inch speakers a lot, but
then I started to want that snarl
that 12s have, then I realised that
ģL#Ľqg#wkh#zkroh#Gxpeoh#dps the guitar actually lives in the
6 thing absolutely fascinating.
I learned about them because I was
mids. That’s where all the ‘tone’
comes from, and that’s when I
reading about builders, and he started gravitating towards those
^Doh{dqghu#Gxpeoh`#lv#txlwh#d# kind of drives.
fkdudfwhu1#Dqg#wkhq#wkhuhġv#wklv# “I mean, I’m interested in
zkroh#p|vwltxh#durxqg#wkhp1#Vr# Dumbles because I’m interested in
any time a pedal comes out that’s amp building and circuits, but the
like a Dumble drive, I get it right idea of paying that much for an
away. I’ll never play a Dumble or dps#lv#mxvw#plqg0qxpelqjĩ#Lġp#
own a Dumble probably, so I have a cheap gear enthusiast; $600 is
no idea, but I’ve found that I pretty much my limit on a guitar,
generally like the drives that claim and I try not to spend more than
to be that. $150 on a pedal.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 rig tour

6
8

28

ģZkhq#L#Ľuvw#fdph#edfn#wr#sod|lqj# a compressor and you don’t need MXR ECHOPLEX DELAY

guitar in the early-2000s, I was wrĩġ#Dqg#vr#Lġyh#dfwxdoo|#gursshg# “I use the Echoplex combined
uhdglqj#derxw#vwxļ#dqg#L#jrw#lqwr#
gear mode, and then I realised one
the amount of overdrive I use over
the years, now that I realise
9 with the [Boss FS-5U] tap
tempo for long delays. That’s what
day it doesn’t matter what I play; compression can get me the I use on Conquistador and Scorpions
it’s me. Certain things will help sustain. I mean, I like overdrive, In Their Mouths, and then at the
me get what I want, but ultimately, but over and above that I want end of Old Black and for parts of
it’s the player. Billy Gibbons, clarity, because I like to use some Bees Made Honey.”
Hendrix, those kind of guys, they extremely weird chords, so
all have themselves, and it doesn’t compression’s always on.” KORG PITCHBLACK
pdwwhu#zkdw#wkh|#sod|1#Vr#L#mxvw# 9 “That’s my favourite tuner.
vwduwhg#wu|lqj#rwkhu#vwxļ#dqg#qrw#
worrying about, ‘Oh, is it this kind
MXR UNI-VIBE
“The Uni-Vibe is on the
10 It’s funny, because I have
the newest iteration in my guitar
of amp?’ I mean, I’ve had a Plexi 8 chorus setting. I used to case; I have every iteration of it
dqg#vwxļ#olnh#wkdw1#\hdk/#wkh|#zhuh# 10 always use the vibrato setting, and because I’m always like, ‘Oh, I
great, but it’s not like they made then during this last album we did forgot my tuner!’ [so I keep buying
me; I make them sound that way, [Earth’s Full Upon Her Burning Lips], wkhp`1#Wkdwġv/#L#wklqn/#wkh#Ľuvw#
qrw#wkh#rwkhu#zd|#durxqg1#Vr/#L#mxvw# L#Ľjxuhg#rxw/#ĠRk#zdlw#d#vhfrqg/#L# iteration, which is still my
stopped worrying about that kind fdq#xvh#wkh#fkruxv#qrz1ġ#L#mxvw# favourite. The new one looks
ri#vwxļ/#L#jxhvv1Ĥ kdyh#wr#sxw#lw#lq#d#glļhuhqw#vsrw#lq# vqd}}|/#exw#L#Ľqg#wklv#rqh#d#olwwoh#
wkh#fkdlq1#Dqg#wkhq#L#uhdolvhg#wkdw# txlfnhu1#Lw#orrnv#ehwwhu/#exw#lwġv#mxvw#
MXR CUSTOM COMP it doesn’t like lots of gain or qrw#dv#txlfn1#Lwġv#vrphwlphv#d#elw#
“I always compress into the kljk0rxwsxw#vwxļ/#rwkhuzlvh#lw# too bright. The only thing I wish is
7 drive. That was my big
discovery when I came back to
gets muddy. I use it for Bridge Of
Sighs, and sometimes for Reaching
they did a [power-]through on it
like on the Bosses, but that’s my
playing guitar: it was compression, The Gulf as well.” only little complaint!”
because I’d always want lots of
sustain. In my youth, I was like,
‘Oh, more overdrive, more
overdrive, more overdrive!’ and
“I GOT INTO GEAR MODE, AND THEN I REALISED ONE DAY IT
then I was like, ‘Oh no, you can get DOESN’T MATTER WHAT I PLAY; IT’S ME”
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER
NOVEMBER2019
2015
 hi i b h Al hill

IN THIS
LONG-AWAITED
GUITAR
30
INTERVIEW,
ADAMM JONES
TALKS GEAR,
PERFECTIONISM,
THE STRANGE
MAGIC OF THE
NUMBER SEVEN
AND — ALMOST
FORGOT! —
FEAR INOCUL LUM
M,
TOOL’S FIRST NEW
ALBUM IN
13 YEARS...

RIGHT
Tool’s Adam Jones
with his Silverburst
Gibson Les Paul,
photographed by
David Edward in London

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 tool

31

OctOber 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 tool

it’s
been nearly 5,000 days
since the release of Tool’s
last studio effort, 10,000
Days. That’s 13 years
since the genre-busting metal dissidents
have put out any new music — the lion’s share
of which have been characterised by vague
progress reports, a ceaselessly active
rumour mill, overly optimistic release dates
and an ever-passionate but deeply
frustrated fanbase that’s been kept busy
32
with conspiracy theories and conjecture
about whether or not they’d actually ever
hear new Tool music again. However, on
August 30, one of the most influential and
mythicised bands of its generation finally
added a new chapter to its discography...
As Tool cap off a triumphant run of So, what exactly has 13 years of toil nothing in the way of potential singles
European festival dates, guitarist and and tension yielded? An exceptionally or traditional song structure. Neither
conceptual luminary Adam Jones cohesive 80-minute prog-metal has any place within this record’s
ruminates on the creation of his band’s odyssey that unfurls over seven tracks concept, emblematic of a band that’s
latest album – Fear Inoculum – from the (plus three interludes), most of which leaned in even harder on its disregard
confines of a hotel room in Belgium. consist of multiple movements. It’s a for industry norms.
Fuelled by exhaustion, relief and pride, dynamic, intensely wrought and often While Jones is the first to point out
Jones muses on the experience. meditative album, and – as is often the that Tool’s creative process demands a
“The writing process can be magical case with Tool’s releases – Fear Inoculum complicated but balanced dance
and rewarding, or it can make you want serves as a vehicle for a mysterious between all four of its members, his
to kill the other person. It really comes larger concept that aptly orbits the guitar work plays no small role in
down to having the communication, number seven. All of the elements that defining Fear Inoculum’s sound. His
discipline and respect to believe in the delivered this band from 90s alt-metal playing here is absolutely bone crushing
other person when you might not standouts to the genre-bending at times, but also brilliantly economical,
necessarily believe in what they’re revolutionaries they are today are subtly technical and doused with clever
bringing in. It’s hard for us to get to the represented in spades. It’s high concept, and colourful effects – all of the
end result sometimes, but it’s that thing the musicianship is otherworldly and its guitarist’s calling cards. There’s even a
where you do something difficult and production (helmed by longtime four-minute solo section counted in 21
sometimes you hate it, but when it’s collaborator ‘Evil’ Joe Barresi) is a work (or three rounds of seven)! Perhaps
done, you’re like, ‘Let’s do it again!’ ” of art in itself. The album also offers more so than on any past Tool album,

ToTal GuiTar OctOber 2019

 “The whole thing is
really about finding your
roots again and
remembering why you
started in the first
place, finding the fire
that burned in you”

33

Fear Inoculum#Ľqgv#Mrqhv#zrunlqj#dv#wkh# lqwhuylhzv#iru#wklv#doexp1#Lwġv#glĿfxow# ABOVE Tool records often have a larger

edqgġv#dqfkru#lq#wlph/#wkh#joxh#wkdw# ehfdxvh#L#zlvk#L#kdg#vrphwklqj#qhz#wr# Tool’s Fear Inoculum concept at play lacing things
elqgv#wrjhwkhu#guxp#zl}dug#Gdqq|# vd|#diwhu#vr#orqj/#exw#wkh#idfw#lv#wkdw#lw# has proved worth together, like sacred geometry or
the wait, and the
Fduh|ġv#dwkohwlfv#zlwk#edvvlvw#Mxvwlq# zdv#yhu|#pxfk#wkh#vdph#dssurdfk#
album debuted at
references to numerology hidden in
Fkdqfhooruġv#hoderudwh#vwdwhphqwv1 zhġyh#dozd|v#kdg1#Zhġuh#mxvw#roghu/#zh# number one on the the music through time signatures or
Mrqhv#wdonv#derxw#wkh#prxqwdlqv#wkh# kdyh#glļhuhqw#wklqjv#lqľxhqflqj#xv#dqg US charts patterns. Is there something like
edqg#pryhg#wr#fuhdwh#wkh#qhz#uhfrug/# rwkhu#glvwudfwlrqv#lq#rxu#olih#wkdw#vorz#xv that going on with the new album?
dqg#hyhu|wklqj#hovh/#iurp#klv#oryh#ri# grzq/#exw#dw#lwv#khduw#wkh#surfhvv#lv# ģLw#zdv#uhdoo|#zhlug1#L#wrrn#d#slfwxuh#
Vloyhuexuvw#Ohv#Sdxo#Fxvwrpv#wr#krz#klv# edvlfdoo|#wkh#vdph#wklqj#lwġv#dozd|v# srlqwlqj#wr#wkh#qxpehu#vhyhq#zkloh#zh#
sod|lqj#uhodwlrqvkls#zlwk#klv#edqgpdwhv# ehhq1#Wkh#wkuhh#ri#xv#phhw/#zh#vwduw# zhuh#uhfruglqj/#dqg#d#orw#ri#wkh#ulļv#
kdv#hyroyhg#ryhu#wkh#odvw#46#|hduv1# wkurzlqj#ulļv#durxqg#dqg#whdulqj#wkhp# Mxvwlq#^Fkdqfhooru/#edvv`#dqg#L#eurxjkw#
dsduw/#zh#uhylvlw#wklqjv#zh#zurwh#d#orqj# lq#zhuh#lq#vhyhq#^hlwkhu#:27#ru#:2;#
Fear Inoculum sounds gigantic. It’s wlph#djr#wkdw#pd|#zrun#zlwk#wkh#qhz# wlplqj`1#\rx#grqġw#uhdoo|#jr/#ģLġp#jrlqj#
got a meditative, cinematic vibe and vwxļ1#Wkh#zkroh#wklqj#lv#uhdoo|#derxw# wr#zulwh#d#ulļ#lq#vhyhq$Ĥ#\rx#mxvw#zulwh#d#
sounds like a single, cohesive piece Ľqglqj#|rxu#urrwv#djdlq#dqg# ulļ#dqg#|rx#frxqw#lw#rxw#dqg#lw#wxuqv#rxw#
of music. Where were you guys uhphpehulqj#zk|#|rx#vwduwhg#lq#wkh# wr#eh#lq#vhyhq1#Zlwkrxw#ehlqj#wrr#
coming from when you were writing Ľuvw#sodfh/#Ľqglqj#wkh#Ľuh#wkdw#exuqhg# ghvfulswlyh#derxw#wkh#frqfhsw/#wkh#pdlq#
this one after so much time away? lq#|rx#zkhq#|rx#vwduwhg/#dqg#qrw#ohwwlqj# wklqj#lv#wkdw#wkh#vhyhq#ehdw#mxvw#nhsw#
ģLwġv#vr#zhlug#ehfdxvh#dowkrxjk#lwġv#ehhq# vxffhvv#glvwudfw#|rx1#Zh#vwloo#uhdoo|#wu|#wr# frplqj#xs/#dqg#ulļv#lq#vhyhq#nhsw#
vr#pdq|#|hduv#Lġp#guhdglqj#wkh# eh#wuxh#wr#rxu#duw#irup1Ĥ# frplqj#xs1#Lw#zdv#uhdoo|#zhlug$#Zkhq#zh#

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 FEATURE
Ľqlvkhg uhfruglqj/ L zhqw wr wkh jx|v olnh d vsrqjh dqg yxoqhudeoh/ dqg L wu| wr BELOW LEFT needs at a given time and really dial it in,
dqg vdlg/ ģL wklqn zh vkrxog fdoo wkh dvn d orw ri txhvwlrqv dqg ohduq1 L dovr wu| Adam says that a lot and there are times when my part on its
uhfrug Volume 7Ĥ ehfdxvh d orw wr orrn dw wkh zruog Ğ wkh nh|zrug ehlqj of his creative own might sound stupid or childish, but
process stems from
ri wkh vrqjv duh lq vhyhq dqg wkhuh duh Ġwu|ġ Ğ lq d pruh irujlylqj zd|1 Zkhq L trying to remain
it’s what the song needs to drive
vhyhq wudfnv rq wkh uhfrug1 Wkhq zdwfk d prylh/ L suhwhqg Lġp 45 ehfdxvh open and vulnerable everything else. I think all of us have
Pd|qdug ^Mdphv Nhhqdq/ Wrro yrfdolvw` zkhq L zdv 45 L olnhg hyhu|wklqj1 Vr in order to find the that understanding.”
wrog ph derxw d zkroh frqfhsw kh kdg pdq| shrsoh duh vr mdghg derxw good in music
derxw wkh qxpehu vhyhq1 Zh zhuh doo hyhu|wklqj dqg L wu| wr dyrlg wkdw1 L mxvw Your playing relationship with Justin
olnh/#ģRk#p|#Jrg$#Wklv#lv#vr#zhlug$Ĥ# wu|#wr#gr#wkdw#zlwk#wkh#duwv#dqg#pxvlf#lq# is very symbiotic, and you guys often
Wkhq/#Doh{#Juh|#^Wrro#doexp#duwlvw`# jhqhudo/#dqg#zkhq#L#khdu#vrphwklqj/#L# complete each other’s musical ideas
edvlfdoo|#vdlg#wkh#vdph#wklqj/#dqg#kh# dvn#p|vhoi#zkdw#wkh#lqľxhqfhv#fdph#lq# on the new album. How has that
kdv#d#frqfhsw#wkdw#zloo#uhyhdo#lwvhoi# zkhq#vrphrqh#zdv#fuhdwlqj#lw#dqg#L# playing relationship evolved since
wkurxjk#ylghr1#Vr#wkhuh#duh#d#orw#ri# dfnqrzohgjh#wkdw#d#sod|hu#pljkw#qrw#eh# the last album?
uk|wkpv#dqg#sro|uk|wkpv#zkhuh#zh# Hgglh#Ydq#Kdohq/#exw#wkh|ġuh#jrrg#dqg# “Dan and Justin work very much
h{soruh#:27#ru#:26/#dqg#wkhuhġv#d#ulļ#zh# wkh|ġuh#jrrg#lq#wkhlu#rzq#xqltxh#zd|/# ‘complex-to-simple’, and when we start
frxqw#lq#54#Ğ#zklfk#zh#frxqw#dv#wkuhh# dqg#L#wu|#wr#slfn#xs#rq#wkdw#dqg#wu|#wr# jamming, they play the craziest stuff
urxqgv#ri#vhyhq1#L#zurwh#d#irxu0plqxwh# wklqn#iurp#p|#fkhvw#lqvwhdg#ri#iurp# they’ve got and then whittle it down to
ohdg#ryhu#vrphwklqj#frxqwhg#lq#54/# p|#khdg1Ĥ# the thing that gets fine tuned that’ll
zklfk#lv#fud}|$Ĥ# work for a song. I do the opposite. I like
It’s funny to hear that a forgiving finding the simplest thing that works
With so many years since Tool’s last gaze is the key for you, considering and I look for a catchy riff. I’m not
release, how would you say you’ve how legendary Tool’s worried about what kind
evolved as a guitarist since 2006? perfectionism is. of tone I have or the
ģWkdwġv#d#jrrg#txhvwlrq$#Lġyh#ghĽqlwho|# ģL#grqġw#nqrz#li#L#zdv#wkh# pedals I’m using – all that
ehhq#sudfwlvlqj#pruh#wkdq#hyhu1#Vlqfh# Ľuvw#shuvrq#wr#vd|#lw/#exw#L# “There are times when stuff comes later. But you
wkh#odvw#uhfrug#fdph#rxw/#zkhq#L#phhw#d# dozd|v#wkrxjkw#lw#dv#d#nlg# my part on its own have to have faith in the
jxlwdulvw#L#olnh/#Lġoo#dvn#wkhp#zkdw#wkh|# dqg#L#vwloo#wklqn=#lwġv#qrw# other people involved and
gr#wr#zdup#xs#ru#wr#vwd|#jrrg1#Prvw#ri# jrrg#zkhq#lwġv#grqh/#lwġv#
might sound stupid or let them work the way
wkhp#vkrz#ph#d#whfkqltxh/#d# grqh#zkhq#lwġv#jrrg1# childish, but it’s what they’re used to working.
34 vwuhwfk#ru#d#sudfwlfh#lghd1#Lwġv# Wkdwġv#krz#zh#jr# the song needs to drive So, it hasn’t really
dozd|v#uhdoo|#lqwhuhvwlqj#iru# derxw#zkdw#zh#gr1Ĥ## changed, but we’ve
ph#wr#vhh#zkdw#wkh|#gr/#dqg#L#
everything else. I think explored different ideas
uhdoo|#wu|#wr#sudfwlvh#wkh# There’s a lot of all of us have that together. One of the songs
wklqjv#wkhvh#shrsoh#jlyh#ph1# really interesting understanding” on the record has these
L#dvnhg#Nlun#Kdpphww/# texture and volume swells, and we had
dqg#kh#vhqw#ph#d#ylghr#ri# atmospheric the idea for a call-and-
wklv#iruzdugv2edfnzdugv# playing on the new album answer between Justin and me – where
uxq#jrlqj#xs#dqg#grzq# that’s very anti-rock I’ll swell up and then Justin will swell up
wkh#qhfn#ri#wkh#jxlwdu/# guitar at times. Could with the same note, but I’m on the beat
dqg#lw#uhdoo|#khoshg#p|# you expand on your and he’s on the offbeat. That kind of
sod|lqj#d#orw1#Lqvwhdg#ri# approach to that side experimentation is really cool and we
grlqj#vrphwklqj#olnh# of things? really work like we’re the same
mxvw#wu|lqj#wr#ohduq#wkh# “Danny [Carey, drums] instrument – like I’m the right hand and
ohdg#lq#Master of and I both took band in he’s the left hand on a piano.”
Puppets/#L#dvnhg#zkdw# school, and while Justin
kh#grhv#wr#nhhs# knows music theory, Danny That swelling, synthy guitar on
klpvhoi#jrrg1#L#wklqn# and I really understand the Invincible is really interesting. Do you
lwġv#ehwwhu#wr#ohduq# way everyone’s parts work recall what gear you used for the
krz#vrphrqh# and what’s needed as a sound during that passage?
sudfwlvhv#dqg#dsso|#lw# whole. You’re dedicated, but ģWkh#Ľuvw#sduw#ri#wkdw#vrqj#lv#d#jrrg#
wr#|rxu#rzq#lghdv1Ĥ# not necessarily attached to h{dpsoh#ri#zkdw#zh#glg#zlwk#ulļv#lq#
ideas. It’s a system and it’s a vhyhq1#Zh#h{shulphqwhg#d#orw#zlwk#
You’ve always been a group effort, so you get used vrxqgv#dqg#glļhuhqw#jxlwduv/#dqg#lwġv#
player that takes to asking, “What does it suhww|#dpd}lqj#krz#zkhq#L#xvh#p|#
influence from places need?” and not trying to play jxlwduv#olyh/#lwġv#wkdw#vrxqg/#exw#zkhq#
outside of the guitar world leads the whole time or |rxġuh#sxvklqj#lw#wkurxjk#d#wlq|#
– art, film, science. Was worrying why your guitar vshdnhu/#|rx#uhdoo|#zdqw#wr#jhw#wkh#uljkw#
there anything like that isn’t loud enough. It’s wrqh1#Dv#wkdw#vrqj#exlogv/#L#wklqn#wkh#
that had an impact on your about focusing on the jxlwduv#fkdqjh#pd|eh#wkuhh#wlphv1#Lwġv#
writing on this record? four parts making a uhdoo|#wrxjk#wr#uhfdoo#vshflĽfv#ehfdxvh#ri#
ģLwġv#krqhvwo|#doo#vxfk#d# whole. It takes a lot of krz#pxfk#vwxļ#zdv#xvhg#lq#wkh#surfhvv1#
eoxu1#Krqhvwo|/#lwġv#doo# discipline to think Mrh#Eduuhvl#^surgxfhu`#kdv#dq#dpd}lqj#
frplqj#lq#dqg#L#wu|#wr#eh# about what the song jxlwdu#froohfwlrq/#L#eurxjkw#d#orw#ri#

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 tool

mod done to it — so it’s the best-sounding

Diezel in his arsenal of VH4s. The mod gives it a
different responsiveness somehow; it just
feels a bit punchier all round. It’s also highly
volatile because of that, but amps seem to
sound better when they’re about to explode! It
has a powerful quality and it definitely
complements how Adam plays. The Marshall
fills in the clarity and articulation that’s missing
from the Diezel when we put it into high-gain
mode. I brought in the Uberschall for some
overall beef and the Riveras for some extra
muscle as their EQs are so flexible, and they
work nicely for both dirty and clean sounds.
Since the signal was split to at least four heads,
I decided to put a pedal in front of everything
and it helped shape the front end of all the
amps a bit. I used an MXR Micro Amp +, which
gave us a little more EQ flexibility, so I could
crack in some top or take out some bottom
where I needed to. We also ended up using a
SoloDallas wireless preamp unit to drive the
front of some amps and give a little extra push
on some songs.
“It was nice to have the time to experiment,
and those guys are all about whatever it takes
and really encouraging of it. We ended up using
a 60s Gretsch Jet Firebird for some clean stuff,
which has that semi-hollow tone and rings
differently. Adam brought in a Gibson Marauder 35
— which I thought was the ugliest guitar I’d ever
seen — but it has the pickups Bill Lawrence
designed for Gibson and it blew my mind how
much clarity those pickups had; with that
five-way varitone switch, you can dial in almost
any sound.”

KEEping Up The record has a lot of heavily effected

guitar sounds that make for some major
with thE JOnEs impact points. Can you give us some insight
into how the two of you go about crafting
Tool engineer ‘Evil’ Joe Barresi on Adam Jones’ gear those tones?
“Adam’s main delay is a Boss DD-3 and as we
didn’t track to a click, we spent a lot of time
What was the starting point for Adam’s What cabs did you use? getting the delay in time with Danny’s drums
guitar tones on the new album? “The body of it was Mesa/Boogie 4x12s loaded while we overdubbed. Sometimes we would run
“His sound is definitely his Les Paul Custom into with 8-ohm Celestion V-30s. The Riveras went two or three Boss DD-3 Digital Delays in a row
his main Diezel VH4 and that Marshall into a Rivera 4x12 loaded with 75-Watt and turn them on or off for different sections.
Superbass, but like the last record, I also used Celestions, which is my favorite speaker Once the delay was perfectly in time, the whole
a Bogner Uberschall and a Rivera Knucklehead because they have a tight bottom end. The sound we’d created really made sense to me
Reverb or a Knucklehead K Tre as part of the Uberschall was in a Mesa cab and the Marshall because it opened up this space between the
equation. I recorded both of Adam’s personal was in Adam’s own Marshall cab that had beats that allowed Danny and Justin be clearly
amps to their own track and combined the either Celestion V-30s or Greenbacks. The heard. There was a lot of experimentation
Bogner and Rivera to a single track, plus we ran Sound City stuff went through 50-Watt Fanes involved with reverbs and room sounds, too. We
a mic’d Leslie cab in stereo, which gave us five that were in a new Sound City 4x12.” did all kinds of weird shit with interactive
tracks of just guitar. That was the main dirty effects like Caroline’s Kilobyte and Meteore,
sound, but the clean sound varied a lot. Besides The four amps besides the Marshall that which you can step on and latch to do
cleaning up and dropping the gain on the amps were used for the dirty sounds have a lot of regeneration feedback. But for the most part
we used for distortion sounds, I used an old sonic overlap. Could you explain what each Adam really liked to get feedback by playing in
photo timothy Hiatt //Getty

Orange, an old Peavey, a new Fryette-made one brought to that core sound? front of his amps and we spent quite a bit of
Sound City halfstack, an old Kustom and a For this record, we ran the Diezel on channel 3 time doing that, it’s such a big part of his sound.
Naylor. Adam was really into experimenting with with a good rock sound, pretty saturated. It’s A lot of the really weird and wonderful effects
stuff — guitars included — this time around.” actually a modified Diezel that’s had a preamp stuff was done in mixing.”

OctOber 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 “it’s nOt gOOd whEn it’s dOnE.
it’s dOnE whEn it’s gOOd”

36

ToTal GuiTar OctOber 2019

guitars, and my friends like Buzz
Osborne from the Melvins and others
brought even more stuff. We tried tons
of stuff! We worked hard to find the
things that really worked because we
wanted to make a quality record that
lasts, that we’re happy with 20 years
from now and can step back and say it
still holds up. The process was great and
really satisfying and I’m really happy we
took the time to do it the way we did.”

The sounds on the record are very

much your signature tonal palette
– but expanded and exaggerated in a
lot of places. Did you start with your
stage amps for the core
sounds? guitar down to Drop C for Your left-hand strum/pull-off
“I used my regular setup The Pot, which is a little technique on tracks such as Jambi
with my Marshall “For a guitar player — easier for Maynard to sing has mystified a lot of Tool fans. How
Superbass and my Diezel
VH4s. The transformer in
regardless of what your and he can really let go
every time.”
did you develop that idea?
“The pull-off thing I do? That started
that Marshall is hand- level is — it’s about because I play in Drop D, where you can
wound in an old-school doing what you can do Do you modify any of hold down the top three strings with
those guitars at all
way that they don’t really
do any more, and the wire
and trying to do it well these days?
your first finger and use your third and
fourth fingers to hold the fourth and
used is an old-school type instead of worrying “I use the thickest frets fifth string to create a cheater’s barre
of wire and it has a unique about how someone possible because I pull off D-shape chord. I used to play the first
thing to it. Joe also a lot and I also like to use strings, then dramatically pull off to get
brought out so many cool
else does it” kind of a sitar technique to the next chord – then I noticed a 37
things! I was really blown where if you push down rhythm in that dramatic pull-off. I often
away by the Rivera stuff; really hard, the note will try to emulate Danny because he’s the
those amps sound amazing and the guys ABOVE go sharp, and the big frets make that world’s best drummer. With all the
at Rivera are so helpful. I’m kind of Adam has a work. I still use just the original Seymour weird shit he does, I have to figure out
scratching my head about moving over particular affinity Duncan Super Distortion pickups. I buy things I can do between my left and right
to Rivera because I was so impressed with Les Paul those up whenever I see an old one from hand that are percussive and accent his
Custom Silverbursts,
with their stuff.” the Gibson variant the 90s. Every guitar sounds different thing. I noticed I could pull all of the
first issued in 1979 and every pickup sounds different; strings with one finger on my left hand
How many old Silverburst Les Paul Joe has this guitar that someone and pick at the same time. I did that
Customs do you own at this point? I basically gave him, just a cheap early on with Tool and you hear it in a lot
see you post newly acquired ones on Japanese Les Paul knockoff that’s had of our tunes. I see kids do that song on
Instagram and I can’t imagine there wallpaper applied to it, and it’s amazing YouTube and they usually play it wrong.
are many left in the wild. for clean sounds! It’s honestly an “I use that technique in the middle of
“That’s funny! I remember buying my amazing, really cool-sounding guitar. So Invincible on the new record on a part in
first one and the guitar salesman really you never know!” seven, and I’m pulling off that whole
tried to talk me out of it. It was the early sequence. I honestly use the shit out of
90s on the Sunset Strip and it was like There are many unique combinations that thing. Again, I’m not Eddie Van
Guitars R Us or one of those shops where of effects here. Did you find any new Halen, but I try to figure out other things
all the guys running it were very pretty, effects particularly inspiring for I can do that are mine. I love Eddie and I
had hair-sprayed hair and jeans tucked these songs? Did any have riffs wish I could play like him, but it’s been
into their cowboy boots. I have a true hiding in them? done. For a guitar player – regardless of
love for that colour and that guitar in “Patrick Emmons from Abominable what your level is – it’s about doing what
general, and I believe that particular Electronics sent me a care package and you can do instead of worrying about
metallic paint does something to the Joe and I put all of his stuff through its how someone else does it. It’s not a
tone or the resonance or the polarity paces. We also got these pedals by a video game where you have to master a
somehow. Right now I have six actual company called Ogre from Korea that are sequence exactly or you don’t beat the
vintage Silverburst Gibson Les Paul shaped like robot faces, which I saw level. That’s not what guitar playing is.
Customs and I have some others that Richie Faulkner from Judas Priest using. Emulating someone else can help you,
people have given me that have been We bought their whole line and that but if you get lost in that pursuit you
painted Silverburst. I bought a couple delay [Kronomaster] is really, really cool! won’t do anything worthwhile. I play
extra because I used to only bring two Also Richie Faulkner is awesome; I could with emotion and from my heart, and
guitars on the road, but now we use Drop watch him play all day. He really get myself excited while doing the best
B for Prison Sex and then we tune the deserves that gig – and he’s an animal.” job I can do.”

OCTOBER 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 TOOLED UP!
Learn the tools of Adam Jones’ trade with
TG’s lesson on the prog-metaller’s style

I
n celebration of the release of Fear This results in a nice easy way to play
Inoculum we’re looking at some of powerchords on the lower strings, which
Adam Jones’ trademark techniques you can see in our Stinkfist inspired first
as heard on this year’s new album as example. Next we use those powerchord
well as throughout Tool’s back shapes with volume swells and venture into
catalogue. some open string drones for a Fear
Drop D tuning (DADGBE from low to high) Inoculum atmosphere. From there we
is essential to the Tool sound – simply cover tight, palm-muted triplet hammer-
down-tune your guitar’s sixth string by two ons as heard in Schism and Vicarious, as
semitones. Adam occasionally uses drop B well as a heavy Forty Six & 2 style pedal riff.
(B F# B E G# C#), but we’ve stayed with the Finally we’re looking at some Rosetta
more common drop D so you don’t have to Stoned influenced syncopation – complex
down-tune your whole guitar. rhythms which will require careful practice.

DROP D TUNED POWERCHORDS TRACKS 11-12

q = 95

G5 Gsus 2 Fsus 2 F5 Fsus 2 N.C.

.. .
.. ..
. RP

let ring
38 T
E
.
¿¿ 7 ¿¿ 3 ¿¿ 5 ¿¿
B
G
. BU BD
¿ 55 ¿ 33 ¿ 33 ¿ 0
D 5 5 7 3 5
B A
D
5
5
5
5
5
5
3
3
3
3
5 (6) (6) (6) (6) (5)
1
≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥
G5 Gsus 2 F5 Fsus 2 D5 C5 D5

..Play 4 times..
.. .. .
. .
T .
¿¿ 7 ¿¿ 3 ¿¿ 5 ¿¿ 0 .
¿ 55 ¿ 33 ¿ 33 ¿ 00
5 5 7 3 5 0 10 12
B 5
5
5
5
5
5
3
3
3
3
0
0
10
10
12
12
≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤
3

Play the G5 and F5 powerchords with a first finger barre, then add the sus2 interval with your third finger on the fourth string. Keep your strumming hand moving down
and up throughout and use your fretting hand to mute the strings where you see ‘X’s in the tab.

2 MAKE A FIST OF DROP D CHORD

X X X X X X
In drop D tuning, powerchords
can be played with just one 1 1 1 1 1
Ľqjhu#eduulqj#dfurvv#wkh#wkuhh# 5 5
bass strings. Easy! And for an
epic sus2 chord, try adding your
wklug#Ľqjhu#wr#wkh#irxuwk#vwulqj1# 3
Also pretty easy! These are staple
Guitars and backing: Steve Allsworth

shapes in contemporary rock,

metal and prog, and Adam Jones
has used them numerous times
with Tool. Consider these shapes
D A D G B E D A D G B E
essential.
G5 Gsus2
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 TOOL

AMBIENT VOLUME SWELLS TRACKS 13-14

q = 90
A5 D5 F5 G5 A5
.. . ..
Play 4 times

. .
. ..
Vol. Vol. Vol. Vol. Vol.

T
E
B . .
B
G
D
A
. 7
7
0
0
3
3
5
5
7
7
.
D 7 0 3 5 7
1

Dm7

.. ..
let ring

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

Start with your volume knob turned down then strum each chord before raising the volume to fade in. Add reverb or delay for extra sustain; we’ve added a panning delay
effect set to a dotted eighth note rhythm. In bars 3 and 4 allow the two strings to ring together and keep your delay pedal engaged.

THREE-NOTE-PER-STRING D MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE

This is a cool way to play the D E
minor pentatonic scale in drop D
B 39
wxqlqj#Ğ#dq#dssurdfk#|rxġoo#Ľqg#
used in Schism and Vicarious. The O 1 4 G
idea is to pick an open string then
hammer on to two more notes on
O 1 3 D

the same string. Opt for a triplet O 1 3 A

feel (a three-note grouping) for a
w|slfdo#Dgdp#Mrqhv#vw|oh#ulļ1 O 1 3 D

PALM MUTED TRIPLETS TRACKS 15-16

q =110
N.C.
3 3 3 3
œ
3 3

..
3 3

PM throughout

T
E
B .
B
G
D
A
. 3 0 3 5 3 0 3 5
0 3 5
0 3 5
D 0 3 5 2 0 0 0 3 5 0 3 5 2 0 0 0 3 5
1

3 3 3 3 Play 4 times

..
3 3

(◊)
3 3

T .
B 3 0 3 5 3 0 10 12
0 10 12
0 10 12
.
0 3 5 2 0 0 0 3 5 0 3 5 2 0 0 0 10 12
3

This riff is palm-muted throughout so keep your palm resting lightly on the bridge; your picked notes and hammer-ons should sound as similar as possible in tone and
volume. The coordination between the left and right hand is key, so practise slowly to make sure the notes are even before speeding up

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 TOOL

ALTERNATING TIME SIGNATURES TRACKS 17-18

e = 200
N.C. Play 4 times

.. ..
◊ throughout
PM

T
E
B . .
B
G
D
A
. .
D 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 3 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0
1

Eb5 D5 C5 D5 Eb5 C5 D5 F5 D5 Eb5 D5 C5 D5 Eb5 D5 C5 D5

.. ..
Play 4 times

(◊)
T . .
B
. 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 3 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0
.
13 0 10 0 12 0 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 3 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0 13 0 10 0 12 0 0
3

In bar 1, pick all the fretted notes, then follow up each one with a pull-off to the open D root note. Once you have learnt bar 1 (in 4/4 time), bar 2 (in 7/8) is essentially the
same thing with the final two notes missing. After four repeats, the riff changes to weighty powerchords for a heavier sound.

COUNTING ODD TIME

40

Time & & 3 & 4 & & & & 4

Playing in odd time signatures is strange at first but becomes easier if you compare the signature to the good old familiar feel of 4/4 – the most common time signature in
all rock and pop. Here you can see that a bar of 7/8 time is just one eighth note shorter than 4/4. Simply follow our counts to keep in time.

CROSS RHYTHMS TRACKS 19-20

q =100
E5 N.C.

# ..
5 5 5 1

‰ ‰

T .
.
B
1
2
2
2
2 ¿ ¿ 2
2
2
2 ¿ ¿ 2
2
2
2 ¿ ¿ 5

D5
Play 4 times

# 5 5 5 51
..
œ œ ¿ ¿ œ œ ¿ œ œ ¿ ¿

T .
.
B 2
2
2
2 ¿ ¿ 2
2
2
2 ¿ ¿ 2
2
2
2 ¿ ¿ 0
0
3

In 4/4, two bars contain 16 eighth notes and these can be divided up however any riff writer chooses – an idea that Tool explore a lot. Our riff has five eighth-notes (played
three times), followed by one eighth-note (played once). Count ‘1 2 3 4 5, 1 2 3 4 5, 1 2 3 4 5, 1’ to keep time. For more of a challenge the bass and drums move out of sync by
one eighth note in bars 3 and 4 – the ultimate foot tapping challenge!

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 Words Amit Sharma / Photography Will Ireland

BIRDS
OF A
FEATHER
BILLY DUFFY, FOUNDING GUITARIST OF 80S
43

HARD ROCK HEROES THE CULT, TALKS ALL

THINGS WHITE FALCON WITH THE FAST-RISING
PISTON’S JACK EDWARDS…
eptember 24, 2006 is a certainly day that left its mark on

S
an 11 year-old Jack Edwards. For his first gig, he was taken
by his mother to see The Cult on their A Return To Wild
tour at Birmingham’s Carling Academy and found himself
awestruck by the sheer size and sound of Billy Duffy’s
Gretsch White Falcon. After the show, the band’s roadies
came over to hand out some plectrums and his fate was
sealed – the young musician had found his true calling.

Left Twelve years and three and a half London rehearsal spot John
Fellow Falconers Billy
Duffy of The Cult and grand later, Edwards finally Henry’s – a facility used
Jack Edwards of managed to get his hands on extensively by The Cult over the
Piston come together
to share their love of
Duffy’s signature for use in his years, and where some of their
Gretsch’s iconic White own band Piston, and not long equipment is kept in deep storage
Falcon guiitar
after that ended up signing his – to discuss the art of songcraft
own endorsement deal with and why they put their trust in
Gretsch. On a late summer White Falcons to do things other
afternoon, the pair meet at guitars simply can’t…
OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR
 feature
What do you remember most about
that night in Birmingham?
Jack: “I’d never seen a guitar player
before, let alone anyone playing a guitar
like that. To my 11 year-old mind, it all
felt really huge. I was brought up on
records by The Cult and Guns N’ Roses,
so it was very special to see Billy right in
front of us.”
Billy: “That’s how it goes for every
musician! We all have that gig where we
breathed the same air as our heroes.
Sure these days you can go on YouTube
or whatever, but when you are in that
room and get a glance at a musician, it
can be transformational1#P|#Ľuvw#jlj#zdv#
Slade… I’m not afraid to say it! I also
saw Thin Lizzy with Eric Bell, who were
on the bill along with Suzi Quatro. That
zdv#p|#Ľuvw#jlj#lq#4<:5/#zklfk#p|#gdg#
took me to, so I must have been… 11! As
iru#wkh#5339#wrxu/#lw#zdv#suhww|#fdvxdo1#
We’d gotten back together, for the
second time might I add, and before I
knew it, we were making an album and I
wasn’t even fully aware we were doing Did you ever get the feeling these Above the sparkle but lose the unappealing
Billy’s all-out style in
it. I never expected it to go from then to guitars were a little less fashionable The Cult has put the
low-end feedback. Once that starts, you
now consistently.” and harder to play, at least for heavy White Falcon on the wdnh#rļĩ#dqg#wkdwġv#qrw#wkh#vh{|#
rock music? map in the world of feedback you want. But actually I prefer
44 Who were the players that made you Billy= ģWkhuh duh ghĽqlwho| d orw ri surv heavy rock the feel of them, built for comfort rather
want to pick up a Gretsch in the first and cons. Funnily enough, I never got than speed. To get anything out of
place, Billy? dorqj zlwk 83v ru 93v Juhwvfk jxlwduv/ them, you really have to dig in and
Billy= ģWkh Ľuvw zrxog kdyh wr eh Qhlo which are the ones most people want. I wrench them to get the right sound. I
Young in my pre-punk high school dozd|v olnhg wkh :3v rqhv/ zklfk had a cream Les Paul custom and a
group, the late, great Four Way Street weren’t considered very desirable. They Fender Twin, and I still didn’t sound as
Band. As you can imagine by the name, were made by a company called Baldwin good as Steve Jones, so I gravitated.
there were a few Crosby, Stills, Nash and because Gretsch were a drum Punk was great while it lasted, but it
Young fans in there! I was fascinated by manufacturer who licensed guitar didn’t last as long as some people
Gretsch guitars, they looked magical. I designs. The Baldwin era wasn’t thought it did. It all morphed into this
saw some pictures of Sylvain Sylvain considered fantastic. Mostly because of elj#hduo|#;3v#vfhqh/#srvw0sxqn#pdgh#e|#
from the New York Dolls… his guitar wkh slfnxsv/ zklfk lv dq hdv| Ľ{1 Wkh| fans who’d learn to play a bit and
zdv hqwlflqj1 Wkh Ľqdo vwudz zdv vhhlqj stay in tune well, you have to do a few wanted to experiment and make music
Erz Zrz Zrzġv Ľuvw0hyhu jlj dw d wklqjv olnh slq wkh eulgjh ru Ľoo lw zlwk wkdw#zdv#glļhuhqw111#jx|v#olnh#Wkh#Hgjh#
roller-rink in Hammersmith and foam. It was actually my techs who or Will Sergeant.”
Matthew Ashman, who’d been in Adam started doing that to stop them from Jack: “After seeing Billy a few times, I’ve
And The Ants, had one. I knew I had to going into therapy… especially back learned you just need to hit the thing
get one. I liked AC/DC too, obviously when I was drinking, I wanted to be so hard! He really beats his guitars. Early
Malcolm had one and I always thought loud. I was the guy with loads of on, I used to be quite shy with this
the tonality of their guitars were great. Marshall stacks and they were all on. I guitar, but then I started giving it some
Do you really want to go to your grave didn’t really get the thing about not welly. That’s the only way to get the full
having never owned a Gretsch? It should needing all of them switched on. It was sound out of them. You have to truly
be on the bucket list! Step up to the creating nuclear, seismic problems. play them.”
White Falcon challenge...” Padding them helped, you keep a lot of
You both have played Gibsons as

“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO well. What kind of situations tend to

work better with Gretsch?
Billy: “Les Pauls bring a certain
GO TO YOUR GRAVE percussion that only a solid-body guitar
can give you. They are very dense
Photo: Scott Legato/Getty

HAVING NEVER OWNED sonically while these don’t quite have

that, although I’ve managed to get as

A GRETSCH?” much of it as I could. Gretsches are more

fragile. I feel they have more like the

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 WHITE FALCON

FLYING MACHINES
Billy and Jack give us a closer look at the
Falcons they’ve brought with them…
Billy: “My signature is based on my
original White Falcon that I bought in
London around 1981. I wanted the
double cutaway but couldn’t find one
so went with a single. It has a slightly
different paint job; I wanted it to look
vintage without being a reproduction in
any way. So there are little
improvements here and there, like the
Black Top Filtertron pickups, which are
reverse-engineered from something
Seymour Duncan made me in 1986.
When we were making the follow-up to
Love, I was trying to get a heavier
sound and just couldn’t ring it out of
the original pickup. It just didn’t have
enough output or horsepower. In
typical American fashion, Seymour told
me to send him a recording of the
sound I was looking for and I sent him
one of a Telecaster with a humbucker.
You can see the pickups on this one
have oxidised after being kept in
storage… they’ve relic’d! I find these
guitars age differently to others. If you 45
look at a lot of older White Falcons, the
head will be a different colour to the
body because of the paint. If you’re a
nerd, you can trainspot your heart out
with these guitars.”

Jack: “I always wanted to be the guy

that brought the White Falcon back
into rock. Everyone else in our scene
seems to play Les Pauls or Fenders. A
lot of things have been done before
with those guitars, so I feel like there’s
more I could achieve with a Gretsch.
Billy had pioneered these guitars in
heavier rock, but I couldn’t find one
anywhere! I finally spotted one at PMT
in Bristol. I called them up and had
them send it to Birmingham. I was
broke, but had been scraping every
last penny I had together for years to
finally own one. I don’t think anybody
realised what I went through to buy
the thing — I’d been living off beans on
toast for months! I just knew that I
had to have it to fulfil my dream. I
spent my life savings on it and I
remember bringing it out on the road
for the first time. We literally had
people turning up just to see and hear
it in person — the Falcon gave me an
identity that I had never had before.”

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 Right atmosphere of walking into a church...
Inspired by Billy’s wow, that’s the best analogy I’ve ever
playing, Piston
guitarist Jack has come up with in a million years of
developed his own playing them. They have that space and
aggressive, hard rock reverb, it’s very church hally. And that’s
style on the Falcon what makes them so soundscapey and
cinematic, like reaching for more of a
Ennio Morricone tip, it was more
cinematic. Especially going through two
cabinets – the other guys in the band
say one sounds better, but I prefer the
width… and the volume! You just have
to know how to control it. There are
limits with how rock you can take it
– look at AC/DC, Angus didn’t play
those leads on a Gretsch. So that’s why I
got into hotter pickups and trying to
rein in the feedback. Ian [Astbury] calls
lw#d#jurzq0xsġv#jxlwduĩ#lwġv#ghĽqlwho|#
not for children! To play one of these,
you really have to mean it, be aggressive
and control it. These guitars get wild and
crazy at full-pelt in bigger rooms.
Wkhuhġv#qrwklqj#uhdoo|#olnh#lw1#83(#ri#wkh#
AC/DC sound is right there.”
Jack=#ģH{dfwo|$#Lw#pdgh#vxfk#d#glļhuhqfh#
when we changed from two Les Pauls to
one against a Gretsch. Our sound has
really opened up.”
46
Both of you have fairly streamlined
setups, sticking to just a few basic
ingredients…
Billy=#ģLġyh#ghĽqlwho|#ehfrph#pruh#
pragmatic over time. I guess I went
through the same route that most
shrsoh#glg#lq#wkh#;3v/#jhwwlqj#d#pdvvlyh#
rack of all bells and whistles. It was like
an enigma code-cracking device. I’ve
enjoyed going back to using regular
gear, I’m not a fetishist. I use these
Friedman Brown Eyes, which are like
the best Marshalls you’ve ever heard, in
conjunction with Chinese-made Vox
DF63v1#Ruljlqdoo|#Yr{#jdyh#ph#wkh#qlfh#
ones which were all hand-made. They
were too clean and honest, the cheaper
ones had more punch. I also used
Urodqg#MF0453v#iru#d#zkloh#Ğ#L#wklqn#p|#
original is actually sitting in deep
storage here so I will have to go say
hello. It’s probably the one I recorded
She Sells Sanctuary with!
ģHyhu|#jxlwdulvw#qhhgv#wr#Ľqg#dq#
overdrive they love – that’s the key.
Right now I use a Klon but not the two
million dollar one. Mine’s a remake and
I own a couple of the ones I like the best.
I also like the Lovepedal Kalamazoo.
Those two are similar yet dissimilar. I
got rid of a lot of my modulation... I
actually get the chorus put on out front!
I only control delay and overdrive.”

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

Jack: “My rig depends on the gig – I’ll
have either my Kemper or my Marshall,
which I prefer. I use a Voodoo Labs
Proctavia to get a beefy tone for solos. I
have a Custom Audio wah which I use
for a lot of the Jack White sounds, with
the boost cranked over some cool delay.
There’s a Pog I use for a couple of songs,
but anything more than that and things
get too complicated. I get scared when
I’m using more pedals, because know
that it means there’s more that can go
wrong. I don’t get nervous about playing
but I get anxious about plugging in and
getting nothing. That’s my worst fear,
nothing coming out and everyone
looking at me!”
Billy: “It’s happened to me all too
frequently. If you can get the sounds you
need without overdoing it, then less will
always be better.”

There’s a fair few Cult hits that utilise

an open D ringing against higher
notes on the G-string with a
generous helping of delay. Does was the Eddie Van Halen thing with the overbending. Billy Gibbons can make Above
that ever feel like your secret gluhfw rq rqh vlgh dqg hļhfw rq wkh one note sound more important than a Billy is hitting the
road with The Cult
weapon, Billy? other. That’s how he got all that width. thousand from anyone else. I’ve been
celebrating the 30th
Billy: “Yeah, it has this chime and makes You can dial it in pretty easily and it can playing with him a fair bit over the last anniversary of their
everything sound bigger! I saw AC/DC take your guitar from one dimension to few years, when he starts talking about Sonic Temple album in 47
really early on and even when they were another level entirely. On the next tour, wrxulqj zlwk Khqgul{ lq wkh 93v/ wkdwġv October while Jack’s
doing simple things, it always sounded Slash was there drinking and shredding some trippy shit. It’s like going right band Piston have
just released their
incredible. It wasn’t about the schoolboy ha ha! The one thing I learned from back to the source. If you know your
self-titled
rxwĽw#ru#dq|#ri#wkdw#qrqvhqvh/#lw#zdv#wkh Slash was that no matter how much you history – there were guitar guys like debut album
guy on the Gretsch digging into his party – and he partied a lot – you should Scotty Moore and then came Hendrix,
guitar with heavy strings and the other dozd|v Ľqg wlph wr sudfwlvh1Ĥ this monumental seismic shift in the
jx|#sod|lqj#wkh#vdph#ulļ#hovhzkhuh#rq# whole game.”
the neck. Put those two elements What kind of players influenced your Jack: “Through The Cult, I’ve learned to
together and it sounded huge. I wanted approach to leads? not worry about being technical because
to sound like two guitarists, so I’d use Billy: “When I was growing up, I always playing for the song is the most
delay to make it all bigger. It was almost liked guitarists who wrote solos you important thing. When I was younger, I
olnh#kdp0Ľvwhg#frxqwu|#zrun/#sod|lqj# could whistle. That was the genius part didn’t think that way. I just wanted to
bottom and higher strings against each for me. I didn’t like the ones who just put all my best licks into every solo.
other. There was a lot of single-note and played for themselves, the swots who Sometimes, a song will require fast
vlpsoh#wkuhh0fkrug#vwxļ#hduo|#rq/#olnh# would stay at home and practice scales playing, but there’s no need for it a lot of
Spiritwalker, and then I started coming without living life. They’d be brilliant the time. There needs to be insecurity
xs#zlwk#wkh#pruh#idprxv#ulļv#olnh#She technically, of course, but they had no and danger. My favourite solos and
Sells Sanctuary with the droning D soul. Listen to guitar players who have guitar players are the ones who almost
string… which I guess you could say was lived a life… As a kid, I’d listen to Jimi sound like they’re second-guessing
the money-maker! I’ve always been Hendrix. I think the drugs played him themselves. I like to be able to hear that
pretty loyal to Boss delays once I got out with a little fear. I do admire technical danger; it shows we’re all human and
ri#wkh#udfn0prxqwhg#rqhv/#L#Ľqg#wkhp# excellence but it doesn’t excite me. I like there’s fragility in there…”
bomb-proof. I have mine going into the
front, I’m sure technically they sound
better in the loop, but I like a more raw
vrxqg1#Lw#grhv#pdwwhu/#doo#wklv#vwxļ#Ğ#zh# “TO PLAY ONE OF THESE,
zhqw#rq#wkh#urdg#lq#wkh#;3v#djdlqvw#jx|v
like Slash and Steve Stevens….” YOU REALLY HAVE TO
And what did you learn from them?
Billy: “Steve would come out shredding.
MEAN IT, BE AGGRESSIVE
He’d use delay to trick the ear, you’d
hear these little trails and I learned it
AND CONTROL IT”
OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR
48
 COVER FEATURE

ON
YOUR DISC
Find audio tracks
for every example
on your Guitar
Skills CD
GU
IT
AR
S&

108

BA
CK
IN
GR
ICH
ARD
BARR
CHORDS
ETT WORDS CHRIS BIRD,
RICHAR
…AND HOW TO

D BAR
49

R
USE THEM
ET
T

and the styles of music they’ll

work best with to make yourself a
more rounded player
hatever kind of music you’re into, you doubtless

W
left
Barred E-shape
chords are a rock
play a few chords every time you pick up the
workhorse for a good guitar. Indeed, we’d argue that learning chords is
reason. Use them an open-ended, life-long process – there are
and love them. But
don’t let yourself be always new shapes to discover. It’s also worth
constrained to your taking time to rethink the chords you already
comfort zone.
There’s a world of nqrz1#\rx#vhh/#vrph#fkrug#vkdshv#dqg#glļhuhqw#kduprqlhv#zloo#vrxqg#
chordal magic to be more authentic in certain styles of music than in others. Get to grips
discovered!
with these nuances and you’ll become a more rounded player before
you can say C#m7b5b9.
So, with that in mind, this month we’re looking at a range of
glļhuhqw#fkrugv/#iurp#ehjlqqhu#ohyho#wr#dgydqfhg1#\rx#pd|#zhoo#nqrz#
plenty of these shapes already. If so, make it your mission to see how
wkh|ġuh#xvhg#lq#wkh#vw|ohv#ri#pxvlf#zhġyh#lghqwlĽhg1#Dqg#zlwk#rxu#wde#
lessons alongside, there’s more than enough to keep you busy until
next month. Have fun!

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 COVER FEATURE

O 0 0 O 0 O 0

1 1 1

01 2 3 2 3 4 2 3

DON’T LEAVE
HOME
E E6 E7
4 OPEN E BASED CHORDS
The E chord and these variations could fit well together in a blues song. The E6 makes

WITHOUT ’EM…
a great ending chord for Beatles style songs and the E7 is a nice way to lead into A.

X X 0 X X 0 X X 0

24 essential chords for beginners 1 2 1 1 1 1

3 3 4
asy shapes are the order of The variations give an idea of how

E the day here. So, if you take

nothing else from the entire
feature, make sure you’ve
got all of these chords down. We’re
orrnlqj#dw#hljkw#glļhuhqw#vkdshv=#
versatile these chords are.
Remember, even if they seem
simple, most of the shapes can be
transposed across the fretboard as
barre chords or as arpeggios too -
D
5 OPEN D BASED CHORDS
Dsus4 Dmaj7

Many a famous song has included these chords, so you’ll be in excellent company.
C, A, G, E, D, plus Am, Em and Dm. so there’s masses to learn. There are a few more variations hidden away here too – see if you can discover some!

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

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 3 2 2 3 4

50 3 3 4 3 4

C C7 Csus4 Am Am7 Am6

1 OPEN C BASED CHORDS 6 OPEN A MINOR BASED CHORDS
The sixth string is muted on all three of these shapes. C7 is easy - just put your fourth The ‘sus’ chords shown with A major also work well with Am and Am7 offers up jazzy or
finger on the third string. Press down on two strings with your first finger in Csus4. jangly sounds, depending on your approach. Am6 has a darker flavour.

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

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

A Asus4 Asus2 Em E7sus4 Emadd9

2. OPEN A BASED CHORDS 7 OPEN E MINOR BASED CHORDS
You will often find these variations side by side in songs. There are still many ideas yet Some of the most distinctive chords on the guitar, these variations are all about lush
to be discovered too – for example, try placing a finger on the first string. open strings. Used Neil Young, Metallica… and almost everyone else, too!

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 X X 0 X X 0 0

1 1 1 1

1 1 2 2 2 2 2

2 3 3 3 3 3

G Gmaj7 G7 Dm Dm7 Dsus2

3 OPEN G BASED CHORDS 8 OPEN D MINOR BASED CHORDS
The G chord has an nice, open sound suited to acoustic guitar. Gmaj7 has a mellow, These variations fit together beautifully, or each could be used as the starting point
relaxed feel and G7 gives a bluesier feel. for a new idea. The Dsus4 chord we’ve already seen can work with these too.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 noel gallagher
The bantering Britpop
legend loves a retro
rhythm method

02
RETRO
POP
Put some of those open chords into
action alongside a few barres with our
60s pop inspired rhythm
he clean strummed chords Arctic Monkeys. They’re simple

T in our tab example have a

60s pop Yardbirds or
Stones-y vibe, but could be
equally at home in something
more contemporary like Noel
shapes, though the barre chords
(A, B and D) could pose a challenge
for some. Stick with them though
– you can move them around the
iuhwerdug#wr#sod|#lq#glļhuhqw#nh|v1#
VOLUME BASS MID TREBLE

CHANNEL OVERDRIVE It’s a simple sound. Just dial

in a basic clean sound with plenty of midrange,
REVERB

Gallagher’s High Flying Birds or Branch out further with ‘5’ chords. then just push the gain up so that it sizzles.

0 O 0 X X X X X X

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 7 10 5 7
1 2 2 2
51
2 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4

G A B D A5 B5

OUTTA MY YARD TRACK 21

3
j
q =135 q q =q q
E G A

# ..

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

B
. 1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
2
2
0
2
2
0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0 3 3
1
≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤
E A B

# Play 4 times
..

T
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
5
5
5
7
7
7
7 .
.
Photography: Javier Bragado/WireImage

1 1 1 1 1 0 6 6 0 8 8
2 2 2 2 2 0 7 7 0 9 9
B 2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
7
5
7
5
9
7
9
7
3
≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥
Manybandsofthisstylewoulduseanacousticguitartoplayamoreopen-stringbasedchordpart,withanelectricguitarprovidingthetightersoundingbarrechords.It’s
entirelyuptoyouhowyouapproachourrhythmthough.Noticetheopenstringsattheendofbars1to3.Theseenableswift,easychordchanges.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 COVER FEATURE Stuart Braithwaite
Mogwai’s man crafts
layered sonic edifices

03
POST-ROCK
A mix of ambience and clashing dissonant
tones characterise this style of music
ost-rock tends not to rely side of rich harmonies and

P rq#edvlf#srzhufkrug#ulļv#
for weight and depth,
instead opting for layered
textures of chords, arpeggios and
distorted melodic lines. Chord
experiment with uncomfortable,
dissonant sounds too. All of the
chords shown below lend
themselves well to post-rock;
Amadd9 generates a touch of
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

CHANNEL CLEAN We’ve used a neutral sounding clean tone with a tape
delay effect adding colour. Set at just over 400ms, the delay is a
types vary greatly, but err on the darkness too. post-rock trademark dotted eighth note at 110 bpm.

X X X X X X X X X X 0 0 X X 0

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 5 5 5

52
3 3 1 3 3
4 4 4 4 2 4
3 4

C5/G Cmaj7/G Am7 Gadd9 Fmaj7sus2 Amadd9

IT’S IN THE POST TRACK 22

q =110
C Cmaj 7

..
let ring throughout

T . 8
8
8 8
7
8

B
. 5
5
5
5

Am7

..
Play 4 times
Photography: Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto via Getty Images

T 8
5
8 8
5
8 .
B
7
5
7
5 5
.
3

Here we’re avoiding weighty bass notes, concentrating more on higher ethereal pitches which we’ve enhanced with delay and a little chorus. The arpeggios outline a melody
on the first string, going from the C note in bar 1 to B and A in bars 2 and 3.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 04
DISCO
Learn the trademark shapes at the heart nile rodgers
A chic-styled legend of
of the 70s pop and dance music style funky disco grooves

hese shapes typify the used, giving a clearer guitar sound

T guitar’s role in disco. It’s all

about choppy, staccato
rhythms and simple parts
combining to make a whole. These
are all barre chords, but you’ll
and allowing the bass to cut
through. Chic’s Nile Rodgers is the
undisputed king of disco,
pioneering the style in the 70s and
80s. Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

CHANNEL CLEAN Use a neck position single coil pickup for authentic Nile
Rodgers tones. He’d often record without an amp, plugging direct into
notice that the sixth string isn’t kdyh#ľrzq#wkh#ľdj#lq#uhfhqw#|hduv1# the mixing desk, so aim for a balanced sound with a slight treble boost.

X X X X X X X X X

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 5 8 6 7
2 2 2
53
3 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 3 4 3
4

Dm7 Am7/G Gm7/F F Bb/F A7sus4

FEELING CHIC TRACK 23

q =110
Dm7 Am7 Gm7
. ...
..
.

T . 5 5 5 5 5 5
¿¿ 33 3 3 3 3 3

¿ 33
6 6 6 6 5 5 3 3 3 3 3

B
. 5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
5
5
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

1
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
Am7 Dm7
..
..
Play 4 times
..

T
3 3 3 3 5 5
¿¿ 56 5 5 5 5
.
¿ 57
3 3 3 3 5 5 6 6 6 6
Photography: Carla Speight/Getty Images

B
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
5
5
5
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7 .
3 ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
Here’sanexampleofhowaguitaristplayingdiscomightarrangeachord-basedaccompaniment. Withonlythreeshapes,itprovesdiscoisasmuchaboutrhythmasitisabout
the chords you use. For a true Nile Rodgers vibe, use the tab to tell you which chords to play, but never hit more than two or three strings at a time.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 COVER FEATURE

ROCK IN A HARD PLACE TRACK 24

05 q =80

MODERN
Dm Fsus 2 G5 Bb5
Play 4 times

.. ..

HARD ROCK
Learn the riffing tricks of Mark Tremonti,
T
B
E
B
G
D
A
.
. 2 3 2 0
0 0 0 0
5
3
5
5
5
7
5
5
7
5
5
7
5
5
5
5
5
11
10
8
8
11
10
8
8
.
.
D 0 0 0 0 3 5 5 5 5 5 8 8
Zach Myers and more with these hard
rock chord shapes
odern hard rock bands ‘post grunge’ sound than the Here we take the classic drop D one-finger powerchord and extend it into bigger

M such as Alter Bridge,

Shinedown and Black
Stone Cherry often use
drop D tuning (drop C# and drop C
too). The sus2 chord is a basic
common or garden powerchord.

0 0 X X X 0 0 X X X
fatter sounding shapes. Try to make more out of the interwoven melody of bar 1.

X X X X X

5
1 1 1
X X

8
1 1 1
X

1
powerchord with a major 2nd
lqwhuydo dgghg1 Zh dovr Ľqg wkh 1 1 1 3 3
root and 5th doubled in some 4
chords, expanding the shapes
3 1 1 1 1
potentially over two octaves or
D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E D A D G B E
more and giving a fatter, more Dsus2 Dm Fsus2 Gsus4 G5 Bb5

X 0 0 0 X X 0 X O 0
54

06
1 1

2 2

INDIE JANGLE
3 3 4 3

G C Am7
Dial in a rich, chorus-drenched clean tone and try out X O X X O X X X O X
a mix of arpeggios and strumming for an indie vibe 1

2 3 4
hese shapes are fairly standard, but zlwk#wkh#Dp:1#Dqg#wklv#J#lv#d#vlpsolĽhg#

T do check out the C – we’re targeting a

kljk#J#qrwh#rq#wkh#Ľuvw#vwulqj#wr#
make it more jangly and sit in with
the other chords. The same thing happens
open G. It’s well worth experimenting with
glļhuhqw#yrlflqjv#ri#wkhvh#vkdshv#Ğ#dqg#
have a listen to Talk Of The Town by the
Pretenders to hear some of these in action.
B7
3

G5
1

Dadd11/F#
1

JINGLE JANGLE TRACK 25

q =129
G C D Am7 Play 4 times

# .. ..
let ring
let ring

T . 0
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1 3
2
3
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1 .
B
. 0
0 0 0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2
3
0
2 2 0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
.
3
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤
This indie styleexampleismodelledafterTheSmiths(JohnnyMarr)andREM(PeterBuck),butalsoharksbacktoearlyPretenders(JamesHoneymanScott).Janglingopen
strings are the name of the game, sometimes picked, sometimes strummed. A chorus pedal does a nice job of recreating double-tracked recorded sounds.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 Jimmy page
When one fretboard just
ain’t enough, Led Zep’s
riff lord rolls out the
double-neck

07
CLASSIC
ROCK
Dial a medium drive tone and
d try out
these 70s rock inspired chord shapes
ote the slash chords’ three- or four-note shapes and

N alternative bass notes

(notes shown after the /
mark), giving a subtly
glļhuhqw#ihho#wr#edvlf#pdmru#
chords. For example, D5 and A/C#
slfn#Ľupo|#iru#d#wljkw/#irfxvhg#urfn
style delivery. Alternatively, make
use of the open sixth string in the E
and D/E chords for a weightier
impact, the way Jimmy Page does
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

CHANNEL OVERDRIVE Aim for the mid-rich tones of 70s rock here - that’s
is the kind of move you’ll hear in in Led Zeppelin’s roof-raising before the high-gain madness of the 80s and 90s really kicked in, so keep
Queen’s One Vision. Use two-, classic Whole Lotta Love. the drive at a medium level for authenticity.

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

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 4 7 7
1 1 1 1 1 1
55
3 2 3 4
2 3 4 4

B A/B D5 A/C# E D/E

TOP OF THE CLASS TRACK 26

q =118
B A/B B D5 A/C # D5

..

T . 4 4 4 2 4

B
. 4
4
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
2
2
2
4
4
2
7
5
7
5
7
4
7
5
7
5
1

E D/E E D/E E

# Play 4 times
..

.
Photography: Michael Putland/Getty Images

T 9 9 9 7 9 9 9 7 9 9

B
9
9
7
9
9
7
9
9
7
7
7
7
9
9
7
9
9
7
9
9
7
7
7
7
9
9
7
9
9
7
.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3

This 70s rock style example is a cross between the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, but also in the territory of Paul Kossoff of Free. A slash chord puts an alternative bass note
at the bottom of a chord, giving it a slightly different feel. This is great for creating riffs, as you will hear!

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 COVER FEATURE

Cory wong
Modern funk-meister
and master
chords-man

08
FUNK
Use these three-note shapes
h for
f
traditional funk style chord melodies
s with the dance-oriented to create melodic interest. Notice

A disco genre, funk guitarists

favour smaller chord
voicings using fewer
strings – mainly the higher pitched
ones. It’s also easier to move these
that the lowest note in each shape
isn’t a root note; looking at the D
chord, for example, you’ll see its
lowest note is F#. Still, it’s easiest
to think of it as a D chord rather
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE

CHANNEL CLEAN Funk rhythm is all about compressed clean tones. Go

REVERB

easy on the bass and dial in more presence in the mid and treble range.
small shapes around more quickly than as a D/F# inversion. Reverb adds ambience, so only add it if you want a less upfront sound.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2
12 10 8 7
56 3 2 2 3

1 1
2
1 1 1

Am7 (no root) D C G Am7 G

FEEL THE FUNK TRACK 27

q =100
Am7 D/F # Am7 G/D

.. ...

¿
T . 121312 121312 121312 121312 121312 10
10
10
10
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
7
8
7
8

B
. 11 11 9 9 9 9 9 7 7

1
≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥
Am7 G/D Am7 G

..

¿ ¿
T
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
3
3
3
3 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 .
5 5 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4
.
Photography: David Redfern/Redferns

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
B
3 ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤
Thisfunkstyleexampleusesonlythreestringsatatime,givingafocusedsoundandleavingspacefortheotherinstruments.PlayedovertheAbassnotes,themovement of
the chords outlines a neat melody – primarily a funk device, but you’ll hear it on various Motown tracks, plus Prince and even Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall Pt2.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 Joe Pass
Leaves a jazz legacy
that no player
should pass by

09
JAZZY
EXTENDED
CHORDS
Use more complex sounding chords
h d to
outline jazz style melodies
hese shapes all lend rxwolqh d pruh ghĽqlwh fkrug

T themselves nicely to jazz

thanks to their complex
sounds. Diminished 7th
chords sound great as passing
chords – slightly dissonant shapes
change. They’re also ‘symmetrical’
– simply move any dim7 shape up
three frets and you’ll have an
inversion of the same chord. You’ll
have the same notes, but in a
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

CHANNEL CLEAN Joe Pass’s guitar tones are generally pretty warm and
bassy, so roll of the treble and raise the bass a touch. George Benson
|rxġoo#odqg#rq#eulhľ|#wr#khos# glļhuhqw#rughu1# style tones are more ‘modern’, with more treble, compression and reverb.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1
6 7 9 10 10 9
3 4 3 3 4 3
57
4 4 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
2 3 4

Am6/F# G#dim7 Am6 G#dim7/B Am6/C E7b9/D E7/D

PASS MASTER TRACK 28

j
3

q = 110 q q =q q
Am6/F # G # dim7

..

¿ ¿
T . 5
5
5
5
8
7
8
7
7
6
7
6
10
9
10
9

B
. 5
4
5
4
9
7
9
7
7
6
7
6
10
9
10
9

1 ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥
b
Am6 E 7 9/D E 7/D
.
..
Photography: Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images

¿ ¿
T
8
7
8
7
12
10
12
10
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12 .
B
9
7
9
7
10
10
10
10
10
12
10
12
9
12
9
12
9
12 .
3 ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≤ ≤ ≥
Thesejazzyextendedchordsarearrangedsothatthevoicingsfunctionnotonlyasanaccompanimentbutthemelodyitself.JoePasshasdemonstratedmasteryofthis
approach, as have more recent players like Gilad Heskelman and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Try to emphasise the downpicked chords for a driving, jazzy feel.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 steve cropper
COVER FEATURE A legendary soul man of
many barre chords.

10
SOUL
A few two-note shapes is all you need to
start playing in the style of greats like
Steve Cropper and Joe Messina
oul and Motown players worry though! These note pairs

S such as Steve Cropper, Joe

Phvvlqd#dqg#Ghqqlv#Frļh|#
would often strip their
chords down to just two notes,
creating memorable melodic
invariably come from well known
standard shapes. Summoning the
soul vibe is just a matter of getting
comfortable with playing the
essential notes rather than
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

CHANNEL CLEAN Dial in a light, bright tone with plenty of treble bite.
Go easy on the bass though - guitar rarely has much weight in soul
dffrpsdqlphqwv#dqg#Ľoov1#Grqġw# grabbing for the whole chord. mixes. Spring style reverb will give an authentic vintage vibe.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

1 1 2 3 1 1 2 3
5 8 7 5 7 11
2 2 2 2
58

E G G (no root) A B B (no root)

WE’RE SOULED TRACK 29

q =110
E G A
# .. œj j j
œ œ
.
let ring let ring let ring let ring

T . 5 8
7

B
. 4 6 6 7 9
4 7 7 6

# . B

..
let ring let ring let ring

T
5 9 7 11
.
9 9 8 11
.
Photography: David Redfern/Redferns

B
3

Though these are basically all the same movable shape, the tab allows you to see exactly where the two-note pairs have been cherry picked for the melodic demo piece. In
addition to the first and third string played together, you will find the fifth and third gives further possibilities. Simple, but very effective!

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 30-DAY WORKOUT

11 GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

PROG-STYLE TAPPING
CHANNEL CLEAN Aim for a balanced tone without
too much top end. Use a compressor to even out
the volume. We used a delay set to 500ms.

Start with basic

ba shapes and use tapping to take your chord ideas to the next level
sing these simple chords and our audio example chords are simple – identifying cool sounding notes to

X X
U
X
as a starting point, try creating a chord
progression of your own, then tapping extra
notes or intervals as outlined in the tab. The

X O X X 0 0 O X
wds lv wkh fkdoohqjh1 Wkh Ľuvw Ľyh ri wkhvh fkrugv duh lq
G major (G A B C D E F#) so tap notes from this key for
your initial ideas.

X X

1 1 1 1
5
1 1 2

1 3 3 3 T 1 1 2 3

2 3 4

3 3 3 4

C D Em G Bm Fadd9

THE HOT TAP TRACK 30

q =110 59
C D Em G

# .. 3
3 ..
3
1 œ
T . 5
7
7 10
0
0 7
3
3 7 .
B
. 5
5
3
7 7
7
5
10
0
7
4
7 .
0 3
a m a m
m i m i
i i

Thiscanbetrickyatfirst,butfun!Bybringinginthepickinghandtotapnotesonthefretboard,wecanexpandchordsfarbeyondwhatthefrettinghandalonecanachieve.
CheckoutJoeSatriani,StanleyJordanandPlinitohearmore.Alittlecompressioncanhelpthetappednotespopoutmoreeasily,especiallyifyou’reusingacleantone.

GREATEST HITS! Six of the most famous chords in the history of rock
O X X X O 0 O 0
X
1 1
T 1
7 6

2
2 2 3 1 CAPO – 2nd fret

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

Fadd9 G7sus4
3 4

Em/maj9 E7#9 F#7add11 F#m7 (Em7 shape)

1 A HARD DAY’S NIGHT 2 JAMES BOND THEME 3 JIMI HENDRIX CHORD 4 HEMISPHERES 5 WONDERWALL
(THE BEATLES) Fret this and let it transport you Combining G and G# within the (RUSH) (OASIS)
This Fadd9 was played on a to a world of intrigue. Played by same chord was always going One hit of this chord with some Though forever associated with
12-string, which adds a lot to session guitarist Vic Flick, this to be interesting – and though light distortion and chorus and Oasis (when capo’d at the 2nd
the sound; the bass guitar adds chord must be one of the most this had been heard in jazz you’ll instantly be in the sonic fret) this is a staple Em7 chord
a different root note, plus universally recognised in the standards decades before, it territory of Rush’s Alex Lifeson. shape used by acts as diverse
there’s piano and John Lennon’s world. Combining a minor 3rd must have been mind blowing Alternatively, play it around the as Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd
acoustic guitar! Try the G7sus4 and a major 7th gives it its to hear it played on a Strat 5th and 7th frets for a Jerry and Smashing Pumpkins. A
as an alternative ‘solo’ voicing. contradictory sounding name. through a Marshall in 1967… Cantrell vibe. great chord in any key.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 COVER FEATURE ben howard
The experimental
singer-songwriter makes
creative use of
finger-picked chords

12
FOLK
Take a look at a handful of shapes that
lend themselves to fingerstyle and flat-
picked arpeggios alike
otice that a few of these it up with a Cmaj7 or Bm7 as

N chords feature a D on the

3rd fret of the second
vwulqj1 Wklv jlyhv d ľrz wr
these chords when they appear in
sequence. If you don’t want this on
shown? And perhaps experiment
with playing the shapes with a
capo on the 5th or 7th fret. You’ll
change the key but the higher
pitch is great for a modern
BASS MID TREBLE REVERB

CHANNEL ACOUSTIC Your tonal concerns are simpler with an acoustic

amp. Start with the tone controls at their mid setting and add or take
every single chord, why not break indie-folk vibe. Just add ukulele! away bass, mid and treble to taste. Generally avoid extreme settings.

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

1 1
10
2 3 1 1 2
60
4 2 3 2 3 1 3 3 4
2
3

Em7 G Cadd9 Dadd9/11 Cmaj7 Bm7

FOLKY FOLK TRACK 31

q =169

Em7
# ..
G

œ
let ring throughout
T . 3 3

B
. 2
0
0
0
2
0 2 3
1

Cadd 9 Dadd 11
..
Play 4 times

T 3 3 .
.
Photography: Joseph Okpako/WireImage

0 0
2 4
B 3 3 5 5
3

Folk style fingerpicked chords often include fragments of melody or bassline to help the arrangement gel – artists like Ben Howard, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Ed Sheeran
use these devices all the time. You could play our example fingerstyle or with a pick. The former is the folkier option, but flat-picking has a strident feel you might prefer.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 13
NEOCLASSICAL
Try out some chords as used by neoclassical
i l
pioneers Jason Becker and Yngwie Malmsteen
hese chords include the C and Cm together. Why not apply the approach used

T from the demo piece, but go on to

suggest a dramatic neo-classical style
chord progression when used
in the tab to the other shapes? Note that you
zloo qhhg wr xvh wkh Ľiwk vwulqj dv |rxu
starting point on most of these chords.

X X X
GAIN BASS MID

CHANNEL DISTORTION Opt for a mid-rich, distortion tone.

TREBLE

Don’t push the gain too hard or you’ll lose clarity and bite.

X X
REVERB

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
8 8 10 10 6 6
2 2 2 3 2

3 4 3 4 3 2 3 4 3 4

4 4

C Cm Bb B bm Eb E bm

IT’S A CLASSIC! TRACK 32

61
q =106
C 3 3 Cm 3 3
3 3 3 3
.. ..
3 3

3 3 3 3
PM throughout 3 3

. .
Photography Scott Legato/Getty Images

T 8 8

B
. 10 10
10
10
10
9
10
9 9
10
9
10
10
10
10 10 10 10
10
10
10
8
10
8 8
10
8
10
10
10
10 10
.
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ cont. sim.
8 8 8 8 12 12 8 8 8 8 8 11 11 8

Ratherthanplayingfullchords,thearpeggiosinourriffspellthenotesoutoneanoteatatime.The‘parallel’majortominorchange(CmajortoCminor)isasneatwayto
generateakeychangeortoplayacoolvampoverastaticCbassline.ItwasalsooneoftheBeatles’harmonictricks–soit’sabroaderideathantheclassicalheadersuggests.

5 GREAT CHORDS IN ALTERED TUNINGS

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

1 1 1
3
2 1 1 2 2

D G D G B D D A D G A D C G C F C E C A D G B E D A D F# A D
Cadd9/G D5 C Fm11 Gadd9/D
1 CADD9/G IN OPEN G 2 D5 IN DADGAD 3 C IN OPEN CADD11 4 FM11 IN DROP C 5 GADD9/D IN OPEN D
TUNING (DGDGBD) TUNING TUNING (CGCFCE) TUNING (CADGBE) TUNING (D A D F# A D)
This would give an Am7 in Move the fretted note from the Nick Drake’s From The Morning Check out John Mayer’s Neon Add a capo at the 2nd fret and
standard tuning, but this is 2nd to 3rd, 4th, then 5th frets to is in this tuning, which is again and you’ll hear this lovely Fm11 you have the makings of Joni
something very different. This get an idea of how Jimmy Page about moving one note around. chord about two bars in. Adding Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi under
is as much associated with came up with Kashmir. Some Put a capo on at the 3rd fret and an F bass note below what is your fingers. Yes, there is a bit
Keith Richards as E7#9 is with tunings facilitate moving one try the 2nd fret above it on the basically an A b sus2 chord more to it, but try sliding the
Jimi Hendrix, especially when note around, rather than using 3rd, then 4th, then 5th strings changes things completely – shape around and moving odd
played as a barre chord. lots of different shapes. for Pink Moon. like a slash chord. notes and you’ll find more!

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CHORDS WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How basic chords are built
Five different chord structures
A handful of arpeggio patterns

WHAT THE F?

H
opefully you’ve played through some of the tab examples in

CHORD our cover feature and picked up some new chords along the
way. One thing many guitarists struggle with, however, is
how chords are constructed and what their names mean, so

STRUCTURES
Here’s a little theory explaining how to
we’ll try and explain it here for you. It can be dry at times but
it’s worth persevering. Remember, once you understand the basics, you
can apply it to any key – that’s a boatload of chords for you!
Our lesson’s based in C in this case, but it’s fairly easy to play in another
key. You just need to know how the major scale is constructed, and that’s
build some of the most common chords exactly where we’ll begin…

C MAJOR SCALE 1 C MAJOR TRACK 33

O O O

1 C

2 2 1 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3 3 2 2

3
C D E F G A B T
1 3 5

4 4 4 1 3 5 3
2
0

C major scale C major scale

Try playing these two shapes of the C major scale. The idea is to learn to
move the shapes around the fretboard. For example, if you move either You’ve played the C major scale, now here are the notes. Major chords are made up
of the first, third and fifth notes of the major scale; in C that’s C, E and G – which you
shape two frets higher you’ll be starting on a D note – so you’d be playing can see played as an arpeggio in the tab.
the D major scale. Another two frets higher and it’d be E major.
62

2 C MAJOR 7 TRACKS 34 3 C7 TRACKS 35

Cmaj 7 C7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
C D E F G A Bb
b7
C D E F G A B 1 3 5 7 1 3 5

b7
T 0 T
1 3 5 1 3 5
0 0 3

7 3
2
3
2

To play a Cmaj7 chord all we have to do is simply add the seventh note of the major
C7 is just like Cmaj7 except that the seventh note is lowered by a semitone to B b .
scale (B) to a C chord (C E G). Different key signatures have different notes, but the
This is known as a flat 7th (written b7th or b7).
formula is always the same.

4 C MINOR TRACKS 36 5 C MINOR 7 TRACKS 37

Cm7

1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 1 2 b 3 4 5 6 b7
Cm

C D Eb F G A B C D Eb F G A Bb
1 b3 5 1 b3 5 b7

1 b3 5 T
3
1
0

1 b3 5 b7 T
3
1
0 3

C minor is like C major but with a b 3rd. Guitarists often duplicate notes in the Finally, Cm7 takes a Cm chord and adds a b7th. Any arrangement of the notes is fine,
chords we play because we’ve got so many strings to cover – and three notes as long as you play the right ones! For example you could play C-G-B b -E b -G and it’d
might sound a little bit thin at times! still be Cm7.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 TG TIPS

64
Words: Rob Laing
above

WAYS TO… IMPROVE

Rhythm is our
most essential

07 YOUR RHYTHM TONE

skill as players
but is often
overlooked when
it comes to tones

Liven up your chords now by trying out these easy steps

hythm playing is the need to be aware what happens to However when there’s another

R most important skill

in guitar, and yet
often the most
overlooked tonally.
Making yourself heard and hearing
your own guitar are vital, but so is
creating inspiring sounds for your
it in the context of a band mix
– your rhythm may shine brighter
if you remove some of the low
end frequencies.
You’ll need to be aware of the
room you’re in when playing – and
your amp settings will probably
guitarist in the mix you need to
make space for each other, so one
of you may go fatter and lower
(Malcolm Young) to bed in behind
a spikier mid-hump sound for the
other player (Angus).

rhythm parts. Here are some

fundamental, simple ways to
enhance your rhythm tone
need to be changed from when you
play at home or in the practice
space. Most of all, as you get louder
2AGOES
BIT OF WAH
FAR
A wah isn’t just for funk players
right now… vwduw uroolqj rļ wkdw orz hqg rq wkh and Kirk Hammett’s solos – it’s far
amp and let the mids and higher more versatile than it gets credit
MEETING IN
1 THE MIDS
The rhythm section’s bass guitar,
frequencies come to the fore.
An overdrive with a mid
shaping control proves very useful
for. Cocking a wah into one
srvlwlrq jlyhv |rx dq lqvwdqw Ľowhu
for upper midrange frequencies.
kick drum and toms occupy a here too – you have more room to You might want to bring it in and
lot of low end, so it makes sense manoeuvre in the mid frequencies out for parts when you need to
for you not to be injecting yourself than you might think, so look to stand out more, or just have it on
Photo: Marie Korner

into that all the time when you shape and boost this rather than permanently! Experiment with
can complement elsewhere. volume and gain to separate your Ľqglqj d vzhhw vsrw rq wkh wuhdgoh
We all like bottom end but you guitar from the other instruments. that isn’t too nasally.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 THE CHORDS ISSUE

soundman. The master volume on

3DON’T PLAY THE

SAME THING
Your rhythm tone can be about
your overdrive can be changed
whenever you want to use it.

COLOUR YOUR
what you play just as much as how
it sounds. Is there a second
guitarist? Playing duplicate parts
5 CHORDS
Fkruxv/#ľdqjhu/#wuhpror/#urwdu|#
fdq#eh#jrrg#exw#vr#fdq#Ľqglqj# vshdnhu#Ğ#juhdw#hļhfwv#iru#
new voicings of chords with providing atmospheric textures to
inversions, picking arpeggios or your chord parts. A tremolo set to
even using a capo to stay distinct dotted eighth notes can create a
from each other. idqwdvwlf#vwxwwhulqj#hļhfw#iru#
vshflĽf#fkrug#sduwv#dqg#dovr#wdph#

4GAIN UP,
VOLUME DOWN
You can play softer but, if you
your level under the vocalist (it’s
fxwwlqj#rļ#kdoi#wkh#vljqdo#diwhu#doo,1#
It can also work in a much subtler
really want to serve the song and way with a faster speed too. But
the other musicians in your band lwġv#qrw#mxvw#hļhfwv#shgdov#wkdw#
during the times when you need to can be great tools for your
take a subtle background role as a chordwork either…
rhythm player, you need to take
MAKE TIME AT
control of your pedals.
For example, letting a
powerchord or arpeggiated chord
6THE BAR
The tremolo/vibrato/whammy bar
ring out with more gain than usual is often thought of as something
under the other guitarist’s part to that enters the spotlight during
create a moody dramatic leads, but that’s just self-imposed
atmosphere and a thicker band restriction. It’s great for adding
sound. In this sense you’re expression to your chords with a
creating a ‘pad’ of sound but you little squeeze – especially to spice above Mdp#kdv#wkhp#Ľwwhg#wr#klv#Ohv# 65
can’t overpower everyone else. So up the tail end of them as they Cocking a wah Pauls for this very purpose.
into one position
turn down – don’t leave it to the ring out. Stone Gossard of Pearl gives you an But Kevin Shields of My Bloody
instant filter for Valentine has a Jaguar and uses it
upper midrange in a much more pronounced way
YOUR RHYTHM MAY SHINE frequencies as he strums. In tandem with
hļhfwv#dqg#jdoorqv#ri#ihhgedfn#kh#
BRIGHTER IF YOU REMOVE SOME OF make sit sound like “a mermaid
falling into a black hole,” as critic
THE LOW END FREQUENCIES John Doran memorably put it.
Shoegazers even have a name for
his technique – ‘glide’ guitar.

A LITTLE REVERB
7 GOES A LONG WAY
This is about the art of balance –
too much reverb on rhythm guitar
parts can undermine your
articulation so be wary with tight
heavy metal picking, for example.
\rx pd|#Ľqg#wkdw#d#gulhu#dwwdfn#
works better there.
But for clean work and mild to
medium overdrive, using some
reverb can add space and
atmosphere to your rhythm work.
Keep it short and sweet with a
‘room’ sound and a quick fade to
avoid chords blending and things
jhwwlqj#pxvk|1#Mhļ#Exfnoh|ġv#Grace
and Scotty Moore’s slapback echo
on Elvis’s early work is are great
examples of how clean guitar
uk|wkpv#fdq#ehqhĽw#iurp#uhyhue1

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K

THE JIMI
HENDRIX
EXPERIENCE
66
HEY JOE
Sort out your sus4s from your
add9s with TG ’s tab of Jimi
Hendrix’s defining version of
this classic track

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE / HEY JOE

I
t may surprise you that a song so
famously recorded by a guitar
wizard of Jimi Hendrix’s calibre
GET THE SOUND
can be distilled down to just a
few chords. Jimi’s take on Hey Dial in that clean, raw Hendrix tone and solo with swagger
Joe sees him working his magic,
o really nail the Jimi Hendrix sound,
embellishing shapes with clever melodic
Ľoov#dqg#vxv#fkrug#h{whqvlrqv/#exw#dw#wkh#
vrqjġv#fruh#duh#mxvw#Ľyh#hdv|#rshq#fkrugv=#
Get the sound CHANNEL CLEAN T a Fender Strat is an absolute must.
That said, there are many guitars
equipped with a neck-position single-coil
7 6 6 pickup that will give you a similar vibe, if
C, G, D, A and E. If you’re not that
not the exact sound. The guitar tone is
surĽflhqw#dv#d#jxlwdulvw#vlpso|#mdp# 3
remarkably clean, so use the clean
around these chords – it’s an easy way to 1 channel of your amp with the gain set
jam along with the track. low. You’ll need to employ a touch more
GAIN BASS MID TREBLE REVERB drive for the solo, so either use a
Jimi’s version of the song has more
separate amp channel, an overdrive
than enough meat on the bone for more pedal, or set your amp to a crunchier
h{shulhqfhg sod|huv wrr1 Wkrvh Ľoov dqg tone and back off your guitar’s volume to
extensions appear throughout the track keep the tones clean.
and there’s arguably more to learn from
them than from Jimi’s solo. Whether
|rxġuh sod|lqj wkh wudfn iru wkh Ľuvw wlph Jimi was of course
or taking a fresh look at the tab, see if you famed for using a
Fender Stratocaster;
can identify the basic chords and scale opt for a neck position
vkdshv Ľuvw1 Lwġv d juhdw zd| wr single coil pickup for a Effects
understand the basics of how the song is ballpark tone. DISTORTION PEDAL
pieced together. Gain 50% Level 50%

CHORDS SCALES
his song is based on a simple repeating chord sequence of C, G, D, A, E. Each of here’s a lot of confusion as to Hey Joe’s key

T T
67
these chords is played in at least two positions on the fretboard, often with sus4 or signature (E major, E minor and G major are
dgg<#hpehoolvkphqwv1#Ohduq#wkh#Ľyh#pdlq#fkrugv/#lghdoo|#lq#wzr#srvlwlrqv/#dqg# popular suggestions). The confusion arises
you’ll see how the embellishments are simple changes to the main shapes. because no single key contains all the notes, and
X X X 0 O X X X
just playing the chord progression takes you
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
through two keys. Our tab is in G major (G A B C
7 5 5
2 2
G#H#I&,/#vr#wkh Ľuvw wkuhh fkrugv +F0J0G, irup d
1 1 1 3 T 1 1 2 3 3 4
LY0L0Y#surjuhvvlrq1 Wkh D dqg H fkrugv vxjjhvw d
2 4 2 nh|#fkdqjh#wr H pdmru +D wr H lv d LY0L
3 4 3 4 4 progression) but it’d be pointless to notate a key
G G Gadd9 Gsus2 G5/D A change every bar, so we stay in G. Jimi’s solo uses
the E minor pentatonic scale (E G A B D). This
X X X X X X X X 0 0 X X
scale is in key over the C, G and D chords, but
1 T 1 1 1 1 1
5 5 5
occasionally dips out of key over A and E. Still,
2 2 2
this ‘minor scale over major chord’ is a typical
3 4 3 4 3 3 1 1 2 3 4
blues trick that explains why Jimi never sounds
2 3 4
out of key.
A5 Aadd9 A/C# C C D

X X O X X X O X X X O 0 O X O
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 12
7 7 4
1 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 1 2
3 3 4 2 3 4 3

3 3 3 3
Guitars and backing: Steve Allsworth / Photo: David Redfern /Getty

D5 Dsus4 D/A E E E
4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4

X X X O 0 O O 0 0 O O X X X X X X X X 4
1 1 1 1 1

2 3 4 2 4 1 1
9 4
G major scale E minor pentatonic
1 3
scale
2 3 3

E7 (no root) Esus4 E7sus4 E5 E/B F#/C#

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K
HEY JOE

THE JIMI HENDRIX FULL

Words and Music by Billy Roberts
Copyright © 1962 Third Palm Music and Ensign Music
Copyright Renewed

EXPERIENCE HEY JOE

All Rights Administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC
TAB All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission
Used by permission of Hal Leonard Europe Limited

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Intro

q = 84
N.C. E G 5/D F #/C # E5 N.C.
3
j j
œ œ j j
œ j #œ
œ
œ #œ

0 0 0
T 3 5 5 3
4 2 0 0 1
0
1 6 7 7 6 4 4 7
7
7 7
7
7
0 2 2 5 4 2 2 7 9 7 9 9
B 0 0
4 5
0
5
0
4 2
0
2
0 0

The pick-up bar is played with quite a bit of pick attack, but the first half of bar 1 is much softer. In the second half of bar 1 the open sixth string notes are gentler than the
chords they alternate with. These small details are essential if you want to recreate that Hendrix vibe.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Verse 1

C5 G D5 A5 E

#
3 3 1/4
3

œœ
j ..
. œ ..
j
0:08
œ œ œ œ
68 T 1 3 3 ¿¿ 1/4 0
¿¿ ¿¿
¿ ¿¿
0 4 4 7 7 1 1 1 1 1
0 7 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 2
B 3 3 3
3
2
35
5 7 7 9 7
5 5
7 7
5
7 7
5 5 0
2 0 0 2
3 0
2
0
0 2
0
1

C Gadd 9 3 D5 A5 E
3 1/4

#
3 3 3
3

j
œ

¿¿
5
T 5
5
3
4
3 3
4
3
4 7 7
0
2 2
0
2 2
0
1
0
1
0 0
1 1
1/4
5 5 5 5 7 7 7 2 2 2 2 2 2
B 3 3 3
3 3 5
5
5
7 9 0
3
2
0
2
0 0 3 0 3
5

C5 Gadd 9 D Aadd 9
3

# j
œ

3 3 3 3
0 0 0 5 5 7 7 7
T 1
0
1
0
1 1
0
2 4
3
4
3
4
3
4
0
0
1
0 0 4
3
4
3 3
4
3
4
3
4
7
7
5
6
5 5
6
5
6
2 2 2 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
B 2
0
2
0
3 3
3
7 9
8

E 3 C Gadd 9

# 3 1/4
...
j
j œ
œ œ œ
œ œ
T ¿¿ 0 5 3

¿¿ ¿
9 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 3 3 3
9 9 9 1/4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 0 0
9 9 9 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 5
B 0
7
5 7 5
5
3
0 2
0
0
0
3 3 3
11

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE / HEY JOE

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Verse 1 (cont’d)

D A E
3 3 3 3

# 3
j
3

œ
j œ
œ
#
5 0 0 0 0 0
T
¿¿
7 5 7 5 5 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 5 7 5 6 6 7 7 1 1 1 4 0 1 1 1 1 1
7 7 5 7 5 7 7 7 7 7 2 2 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 2
B 7 9 9 7 9 7
5
2
0
2
0
2
0
2 0 2
4 4 4 5
2
14

Jimi plays different embellishments on every chord here, but the basic chord progression is really simple: C, G, D, A, E. If the tab is a challenge for you, simply jam around these
chords. If you’re following the tab, try to spot the chord shapes Jimi bases his riffing on.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Verse 2

C G D A E
3

#
0:55

¿
0 3 0
T 1
0
3
4
3
4 7 6 6 1
0
7 9
9
9 9 9
9
9
5 7 7 7 7 7 2 7 9 9 9 9 9 9
B 3 3
3 3 3 5
5 5 7 8 9 7
5
7
5
7
5 5 7
2
0
7 7 7 7
1
69

D/A E/B A/C # E/B C G D5 Aadd 9

3

j
œ
œ
PM
0 7 7 7 7 5 5
T 9
9
7
7
7
7
7 7
7 7
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
7
7
9
9
10
9
9
9 0
1
0 4 0 0 0 0
3
2
3
2
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
9 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 9 7 9 11 9 0 5 5 5 5 5 0 0 2 2 4 7 7 7 7 7 7
B 3 3 3 5
3
2 0
4

E C Gadd 9

#
3
j
œ
œ
j
œ
3 3

T
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 0
¿¿ 0 5 5 3

¿
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 0 0 4 4 4 4 2
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 2 2 2 2 2 5 5 0
B 0 0
2
0
2
0 3 5
3 3 3
3
7

D5 A 3 3 E

# œ
j

T
0
¿¿ BU
¿
3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 12 12 (13)
0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 12 14 14
B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
0
2
0
14
10

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC
T R AC K
THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Verse 2 (cont’d)

C Gsus 2 D A

œ
0 5 3 3 5 5 7 5
T 0
1
0
1 1 0 1
1
0 0
0 3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
3
0 7
7
7 7 7
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
2 2 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 7 7 9 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
B 0
2 2
0 0
2
0
3 3
3
7 9 9 9
5
12

E E7

# œ
j
œ

œ œ
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
T 9
9
9
9 9 9
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1 2 4
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
9 9 9 9 9 2
B 7 7 7
0
7 7 2
0
15

Jimi stretches out a bit more here, using D, E and A triads (three-note chords) for a bit of variation over the E chord in bar 4 as well as bluesy Red House-style 6th intervals in
bar 8. Once again, your aim is to spot the chord shapes Jimi is riffing around and how these ideas are linked together.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Solo

Gadd 9
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
C D A E
j j
70
#
œ œ œ ~~~~~~~~~~
.
œ œ œœ 1/4
~~~~~ ~~~

3
~~~~~~ œ
BU ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ 12 12 ~~~~
1:41
BU 1/4
12
T 15 (17) 15 12 BU BD 15 (17) 15 12 BU 12
14 (16)(14 )12 12 14 (16) 14 12 14 12 12 12 12
14 14 14 12 14
B 0
14 14
1

E7 Gadd 9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C

œ
j
œ
j . 1/4
~~~~~~~~~~~
#

BU BU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 12 12 12
1/4
~~~~~~~~~~~~
T 15 (17) 15 (17) 12 15 12 12
14 (16)
12 15
14
12
14 12
BU 0 14
B
4

Dsus 4
j ~~~ A N.C. E7

j
œ
j ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
# œ œ

BU BD ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3
~~~~~~ 3
BU 12 15 (17 ) (15 ) 12 BU 12 BU
T 14 (16 )
12
(
14 16 )
15 15
14 (16) 12 12
14 16 14 16 14
B 0
16 14
10
14
6

This solo is a great example of how to take a basic lead concept and develop it with new ideas. Bar 2 partly repeats bar 1 but finishes on a root note (E). The whole second half
of the solo is a development on the themes of the first half.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE / HEY JOE

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Middle

N.C.
#
n # # # #
2:03 œ
T
B 3
0 1 2 3
2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5
4 5 6
1

# j œ
j
œ œ

œ
0
T 9
7
7
7
7 7 7 9
0 9
9
7
7
9
9
9
9
7
7
9
9
9
9 9 9 7 9 9 7 9
9 9 7 9 7 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 9 7 9 9 7 9 9 9 9 7 9 9 7 9
B 7
0 12
3

This classic line is based around a walking bassline that connects C, G, D and A (the first four chords of the repeating progression). This way Jimi still outlines the sound of the
chord progression, even though he’s playing single notes.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Outro

C G D A Aadd 9 A E7

2:15
8 8 7 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
71
T 9 9
8 8
7 7
8 8
7
8
7 7
7
7 7
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5 5 5 5 5 3 5 0 0
1 1
10 10 7 9 9 9 9 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 2
B 8
5 5 5 5 5
5 5
1

C Gadd 9 D A

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 5 5 3 5 5 5 5
T 1
0 0 0 3 5 3
4
3 3 3 3
5
3
4
3 3 3
4
3
4
3
4
3
7
7
7 7
7
7 7
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
5
6
0 2 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
B 2
0
2
0
0 3 3 3
3
7 9 9
5
4

E C Gadd 9

0 0 0 0 0 0 5 3
T 1
0
1
0 0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
12
12 12 14 12 12 14 12 12 5 5 5
3
4
3
4
2 2 2 2 2 2 12 12 14 12 14 14 5 5 5 5 5
B 0
2
0
12 14 15 14 14 3 3 3 3
2 3 3 3 3
0
7

D A E
1/4

#
j
œ

5 5 0 1/4 0 0 0
T 7
7
7
7
7
7 7
5
6
5
6
0
1 2 4
0 0 0
1
0
1
0 0
1
0 0
1
0
0
0 9 9 9 7 7 7 7 2 2 2 4 2 0 2 2 2
B 9 7 5
5 5 0 0 0
2
0
2 2 2
0
10

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 CL ASSIC FULL TRACK + BACKING (TRACKS 38-39)
This song comes with a full demo track and a backing
track (minus guitar) on your CD. Simply insert the disc in

T R AC K your player, press play and jam along guitaraoke style!

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE HEY JOE Outro (cont’d)

N.C. E D/A E

# ..
n # # # #
.
0
T 9
9
9
9
7
7
7
7 9
9
9 9
0
9 9 9 7 7 7 9 9 9 9
B 3
0 1 2 3
2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5
4 5 6 7
0
13

A/E E E7 A/E E C Gadd 9 Dsus 4 A5

j
# œ

œ
0 5 3 5 3 5 3
T 9
10 10
9
9
9
9
9 9
9
9
9
9
9 9
9 9 9 9 9
1
0
1
0
0
0
3
4
3
4
3
4
3
4
3
4
5
4
3
4
3
2 2 2 2
9 11 12 12 12 12 11 11 9 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 2 3 2 2 2 2
B 3 3
3
0 0 0 0
3 0
16

E N.C.

# 3

72
n # œ #
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
T 0
1
0
1
0
1 1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
2
0
1
0
2
0
1
0
1
2 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
B 2
0
2 2
0 12
3
0 1 2 3
2 3 4
19

E E7 E Esus 4 E 7sus 4 E

.. œ
j
..
œ .. œ
j

# # ..
3
0 0 0 2 4 4 0 0 0 0 BU 0 0
T 0
1
0
2 4 4
3
4
3
4
0
1
0
2
0
2
0
2 2 (4 )
0
2
0
1
2 2 0 2 0
B 5
2 3 4 5
4 5 6 2
0 0
2
0
22

#
N.C.

# # #
œ n #
T
B 3
0 1 2 3
2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5
4 5 6 7
25

Once again, Jimi cycles through the main chord progression, constantly inventing new ideas to prevent the chords from sounding stale. If you want to improvise your own
ideas, perhaps follow Jimi’s approach of playing rhythm over C, G, D and A, but using E minor pentatonic lead ideas instead of the E chord.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 ROCK
SCHOOL

THE METERS
CISSY STRUT
Take a look at Rockschool’s Grade Two
arrangement of this classic track
epitomising late 60s New Orleans funk
riginally written as a piece of Rockschool’s tab focuses on the two

O music for The Meters to open

sets with, Cissy Strut has since
risen in prominence to become
the band’s most famous track. It’s also
a fantastic piece of music to help you
pdlq#ulļv1#Wkh#rshqlqj#ulļ#lq#edu#4#lv#
essentially a C minor pentatonic
phrase, however, there are some
glļhuhqfhv=#e|#ehqglqj#wkh#9wk#iuhw#H b
note by a quarter-tone Nocentelli hints
develop groove and feel. The bass dw#dq#H#qrwh/#lpso|lqj#d#Ġgrplqdqwġ#F:#
doubles Leo Nocentelli’s guitar line fkrug#lqvwhdg#ri#Fp:>#wkh#J0J0D#
rhythmically, though not always phrase on the sixth string along with
melodically, and, in the absence of a the B b and F/C chords in bar 2 further
vocal line, Ziggy Modeliste’s drums lessens the blues feel, bringing a
have freedom to play around with sweeter twist to the track that verges
space and timing. on light funk or even gospel.
74

Whether you’re taking your first steps on guitar or

moving into further/higher education, a Rockschool
Grade will improve your playing ability whilst you
learn iconic tracks from the world of popular music.
For more info visit: www.rslawards.com CISSY STRUT
facebook.com/rslawards Words & Music by Arthur Neville,
Leo Nocentelli & George Porter
instagram.com/rslawards © Copyright 1969 Marsaint Music Incorporated.
Ardmore and Beechwood Limited.
@RSLAwards @mikegoodmanguitar All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

THE METERS CISSY STRUT TRACKS 40-41

q = 89
C7 Bb F/C
/
b
1/4

.
T . 6
6
6
6
5
6
5
6
.
1/4
5 3 7 7 5 5
5
B 6 3
3 3 5
3
5
3
1

C7 Bb F/C
/
b
Words: Mike Goodman Photography: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty

1/4

..
.
T
6
6
6
6
5
6
5
6 .
.
1/4
5 3 7 7 5 5
5
B 6 3
3 3 5
3
5
3
3

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 FULL TRACK + BACKING (TRACKS 40-41)
This song comes with a full demo track and a backing
track (minus guitar) on your CD. Simply insert the disc in
your player, press play and jam along, guitaraoke style!
THE METERS / CISSY STRUT

THE METERS CISSY STRUT (cont’d) TRACKS 40-41

C7
. ‰

T 5 5 3 5 3 5 5 3
5 5 5 5
3
5

T 5 5 3 5 3 5 5 3
5 5 5 5
3
7

T 5 5 3 5 3 5 5 3
5 5 5 5
B 3
9
75

. ‰

T 5 5 3 5 3 5 5 3
5 5 5 5
3
11

C7 Bb F/C
/ C7

b
1/4 1/4

‰ ‰ ‰ ‰
.
6 6 5 5
T 5 3
1/4 6
7
6
7
6
5
6
5 5 3
1/4
5 5
B 6 3
3 3 5
3
5
3 6 3
3 3 5
3
5
13

Bb F/C
/
C7

b
1/4

. .
6 6 5 5
T 6
7
6
7
6
5
6
5 5 3
1/4
5
3 6 3 3 3
3 3 5 5
16

There are no difficult fingerings or fast licks here but some ‘syncopated’ phrases may prove tricky. This means notes that are ‘in between’ the main musical pulse are
emphasised – and getting the feel is a bit of a challenge. Practise slowly with a metronome before building speed. Listen to how the guitar part sits with the bass and
drums and aim for a relaxed feel.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 JA M
T R AC K

JAM TRACK PLAY GUITAR WITH A BAND

JAZZ
FUNK
With its disco beats and demanding chords,
this musical fusion will help develop groove
he fusion of jazz and funk cleans, while others experimented

T appeared in early ’70s USA,

pioneered by jazz pianist
Herbie Hancock before being
taken up by jazz luminaries (Brecker
Brothers, George Benson, Lee
zlwk qhz hļhfwv ri wkh wlph olnh
fkruxvhv/ ľdqjhuv dqg dxwr0zdkv1
High-gain settings weren’t common,
but the style has evolved – if you opt
for distortion, aim for a glassy,
Ritenour, Tower Of Power) and moved compressed medium drive with some
out of America. Considered to be a bit delay and reverb for smoothness.
of a sell-out by purists, the style had Our track moves between Bb
disco-based rhythms, early synth Mixolydian in the verse and Bb minor
sounds and technical challenges for in the chorus. Take a look at the
the improvising musician. scales, chord shapes and our typical Jazz funk guitar icon
Guitar tones were varied: some lick before taking a look at the chord George Benson
76 players stuck to traditional jazz chart and jamming along.

SCALES CHORDS
ur backing track opens in Bb Mixolydian. ith only eight chords to learn, our track isn’t too challenging to play over –

O Don’t worry about this scale’s technical

name – just follow the dots in the shape
shown here as you play over the verses. There’s a
W many songs in the genre employ far more involved harmonies. Still, take a
look at the chords and practise any shapes that are new to you to get the
most out of the jam track.
key change to Bb minor as you reach the chorus,
so use the natural minor scale for more melodic
X X
licks or the blues scale for the funkier and
bluesier lines. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
6 6 6 8
2 2 2
1 1 1 1
5 5 3 4 3 3 3
2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1

3 2

4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 3
Bb7sus4 Bb7 Ebm7 Fm7
4 4 4 4

Bb Mixolydian Bb natural minor X X X

mode scale 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
10 6 8 7
Guitars and backing: Kit Morgan Photo: Rob Verhorst/Getty

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

3 3 3

4 4 4 4
Gmaj7 Bbm7 Gb9 F7#5#9

Bb blues scale

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 BACKING TRACK (TRACK 42)
This song comes with a backing track on your CD.
Simply insert the disc in your player, press play and
jam along, guitaraoke style!
JAM TRACK / JAZZ FUNK

JAM TRACK JAZZ FUNK LICK TRACK 42

q = 96 1. 2.
B b 7sus 4 Bb7 B b 7sus 4 Bb7 B b 7sus 4 Bb7

.. . . .. .
. # œ.
. b n# . .
T . 3 . 1 3

B
. 1
1 3
3 4 5
3 5
6 3
6
3
3
BU
(4) 5
. 3
1 3

4 5 6

More of a riff than a lick, this typical funky groove works just as well here in our jazz-funk track as it would in a purer straight funk or disco context. Take note of
the notes marked with dots. These are to be played staccato, which means they should be cut short and played with a snappy attack.

CHEAT SHEET
JAM TRACK
Tempo 96bpm
Time signature 4/4
Key/scale Bb Mixolydian /
Bb minor

VE RS E 77

||: Bb7sus4 / / / | Bb7 / / / |

| Bb7sus4 / / / | Bb7 / / / :|| x4
CH OR US
| Ebm7 / Fm7 / | Gbmaj7 / Fm7 / |
| Ebm7 / Fm7 / | Bbm7 / / / |
| Ebm7 / Fm7 / | Gbmaj7 / Fm7 / |
| Ebm7 / Fm7 / | Gb9 / F7#5#9 / ||
DR UM SO LO
||: N.C. / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / :|| x4

After looking at the chords, scales and our riff, take a moment to think about how you’ll approach playing over the track with a broader perspective.
You could ebb and flow with solos as the track builds and backs off, or, alternatively, switch between light funky chords and short melodic phrases.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 TURN
A ROU N D

THE TURNAROUND LICKS OF THE BLUES GIANTS

JEFF BECK
Emulate this electric guitar genius with five tab
examples, plus a specially recorded backing track
hļ#Ehfn#lv#dq#duwlvw#zkr#kdv#iroorzhg#klv# prqwkġv#ohvvrq1#Li#|rxġuh#idploldu#zlwk#Mhļġv#

J lqvwlqfwv#wr#sodfhv#wkdw#pdq|#jxlwdulvwv#
ihdu#wr#wuhdg1#Ruljlqdoo|#lqvsluhg#e|#4<83v#
urfn#ġqġ#uroo#sod|huv#olnh#Folļ#Jdooxs#dqg#
Kdqn#Pduylq#ri#Wkh#Vkdgrzv/#Mhļ#dovr#wrrn#wkh#
eoxhv#rqerdug/#wkhq#sv|fkhghold#zlwk#wkh#
zrun#vlqfh#4<;<ġv#Guitar Shop#doexp/#|rxġoo#
nqrz#wkdw#kh#kdv#dq#xqfdqq|#nqdfn#ri#sod|lqj#
wxqhv#xvlqj#klv#zkdpp|#edu#wrr$#
Zhġyh#nhsw#wkh#zkdpp|#edu#dfwlrq#wr#d#
plqlpxp#iru#qrz1#Wkhuh#lv#dq#rffdvlrqdo#
\dugelugv/#ehiruh#uhlqyhqwlqj#klpvhoi#dv#d# zreeoh#zlwk#wkh#edu/#exw#qrwklqj#wkdw#fdqġw#eh#
md}}0urfn#slrqhhu#zlwk#d#vhulhv#ri#fodvvlf#doexpv# dssur{lpdwhg#zlwk#Ľqjhu#yleudwr/#mxvw#dv#Mhļ#
lq#wkh#4<:3v1#Kh#frqwlqxhv#wr#lqqrydwh#dqg# klpvhoi#zrxog#kdyh#grqh#lq#klv#hduolhu#Ohv#Sdxo2
edŀh#klv#ihoorz#jxlwdulvwv#wrgd|1# Whohfdvwhu#gd|v1#Dq|zd|/#dv#|rx#jdlq#frqĽghqfh#
Lq#wkh#odwh#:3v#Mhļ#ehjdq#wr#vzlwfk#ryhu#wr# zlwk#wkhvh#olfnv/#wkhuhġv#qrwklqj#wr#vwrs#|rx#
sod|lqj#Ľqjhuvw|oh#hohfwulf#jxlwdu/#fuhdwlqj#klv# h{shulphqwlqj#zlwk#zkdpp|#edu#yleudwr1#Gldo#
78 xqltxh#dqg#qrz#wudghpdun#vrxqg1#Lqghhg/#lwġv# lq#d#ulfk#ryhugulyh#zlwk#d#vsodvk#ri#uhyhue#dqg#
wklv#dssurdfk#wkdw#zhġoo#eh#orrnlqj#dw#lq#wklv# ohwġv#jhw#sod|lqj$

1 BECK TO BASICS TRACK 43

3

q = 81 q q =q q
F/G G E b maj 7 F
~~ . ~~~~~~~~~~
1/4
1/4 1/4 3 w/bar
j j
œ œ
nœ
j
.
. . .
~~~~ 1/4
~~~~~~~~~~~
w/bar

T 0 0 ¿ 1/4
0 3 0 0 0 0
1/4
0 5 3 0 3
BU
3 5 (7)
3 6
BU BD
5 (7) (5 )
0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 3 5 5
B 3 3 3 3

Thisistheclosestwe’llgettochordplaying,playingopenstringsoveralowGnoteonthesixthstring.You’llnoticethebouncy‘swing’feelisrestrictedtothe16thnotes
(semiquavers),leavingtheeighthnotes(quavers)andquarternotes(crotchets)unchangedwithastraightfeel.Thisreallyhelpstogivethephrasescharacter.

2 DEVELOPING MELODIES TRACK 44

E b maj 7 b
F/G
~~~~~~
G5
. ~~~~E /F~~~~~ F
Guitars and backing: Richard Barrett Photograph: Scott Legato /Getty

w/bar

œ. œj œ w œ. b b œ ~~~~
j
# . . œ

. 3

3
~~~~~~
w/bar
BU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
T 4 5
3 6 6 8
10 12
11 13 (15) 11 13 [13 ] 11
12 10
3 5 10 12 12 12
B

Thisideatakesarhythmandassignsittotwosimilarphrases,imitatingthewayJeffpreferstodevelopmelodiesratherthanjustfireoffscalepatterns.Playingfingerstyle
enablesyoutoreallydiginattimes,foranexpressive‘snappy’feel.Thefinalnotestruckfirmlybeforeaslidedownthestringaddsatouchofquirkiness!

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 FULL TRACKS (TRACKS 43-48)
These tab examples come with audio tracks
on your CD. Simply insert the disc in your player,
press play and jam along, guitaraoke style!
THE TURNAROUND / JEFF BECK

3 WHAMMY BAR AND FINGER VIBRATO TRACK 45

E b maj 7
F/G
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
G F

#
œ
j
œ
j b nœ
j
j j
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
w/bar

œ œ
. .
BU ~~~~~~~~~~ BU BD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
w/bar

BU BUBD
T 13 (15) 10 (11) (10) 8
10 12 12 0 3 5 (7) 5 (7)(5) 3 0
3 [3 ]
B

We’re less rhythmic and more melodic here, though the phrase still has two recognisable halves. After a more sustained first half, bar 3 features an accented faster phrase,
that flies by, to be superseded by a held F note. If your guitar has a whammy, give it a wobble here, then a dive just as the note fades out.

4 CHORD FRAGMENTS TRACK 46

E b maj 7 E b/F
√
F/G G F

# ~~~~ j b 1/4
. ~~~~~
w/bar

œ
j
. œ
j
nœ . œ
j œ
j

. .
15 15
~~~~~~ grad
6 6 1/4
~~~~~~~
w/bar

BU BD BU
T
¿
15 17 17 6 8 6
14 (15) (14) 12 12 14 (16) 10 12
17 14 8 8 10 12 12 10
B

79
Jeff really knows his way around all the chord fragments and inversions found on the fretboard, and this example demonstrates the way he often embellishes single note
lines. You’ll notice the pattern from bar 1 is moved to fit over the Ebmaj7 chord in bar 3, before a final melodic phrase.

5 BEND IT LIKE BECK TRACK 47

√
F/G G

. ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
# nœ
j
j j
œ
.
œ
.
BU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BD ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
BU BD BU
T 18 (20) [20] (18 ) 15
14 (15 ) (14) 12 12 14 12 14 (15 ) 12
13 15
14
B
1

E b maj 7 F
(
#
w/bar
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
œ
j . œ
j .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 3
w/bar

13 13 13 13 13 13
T 15 15 15 15 15 15 13 11 11 13 [13 ]

B
3

=The opening melodic line, complete with wailing string bend, breaks into the kind of rapid phrasing (in bar 3) that would actually be harder to play with a pick. You can keep
the notes separate, or, alternatively, play a little messy and let the notes ring out together. It’s up to you!

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 ACOUSTIC
TRACKS 49-53

FIVE BLUES
RUN CHORDS
Essential chords to
fuel your creativity
X X

1
9
2

3 4

B7
X X

1 2
9
3 4

82
MAKE THE GRADE
New Rockschool acoustic syllabus launched
Bdim7

R
X X

1
egular readers will and vintage classics from artists Debut syllabus. The pieces in 8
recognise Rockschool lqfoxglqj#Ere#Pduoh|/#Sdxo#Zhoohu/# each grade book can be used 2 3 4
as our partners from Hg#Vkhhudq/#Ndvh|#Pxvjudyhv/# for both the Grade Exam and
wkh#Ohduq#Wr#Sod|# Django Reinhardt, Robert Johnson, Shuirupdqfh#FhuwlĽfdwh/#zkloh#
vhfwlrq>#qrz#wkh# James Taylor and Nick Drake. wkh#whfkqlfdo#frqwhqw#dqg#
music grades provider Grades one to eight are covered ohqjwk#ri#slhfhv#duh#ghvljqhg#
kdv#odxqfkhg#lwv#eudqg0qhz# lq#vhsdudwh#errnv#+iurp#†481<<,/# so candidates can demonstrate
Dfrxvwlf#errnv/#Ľoohg#zlwk#prghuq# dqg#wkhuhġv#dovr#d#ehjlqqhu0ohyho# the required assessment criteria. Em6/B

OUT OF THE LOOP

Ed Sheeran to retire his trusty sample pedal?
7
1

3
1

2
1 1

N
o guitar player has done Towards the end of his set on
more to popularise the wkh Ľqdo gdwh ri klv 5930vkrz
looper pedal than Ed Divide World Tour in Ipswich, B7
Sheeran. Indeed, Ed told the crowd: “This might
X X
whatever you think of his music, be the last loop pedal gig.”
it’s hard to think of a Wkh Fkhzlh LL zdv ghvljqhg e| 1
7
contemporary guitarist who is his tech Trevor Dawkins and is
2
more well known on the planet vdlg wr ihdwxuh d Ervv UF053 dqg
right now. d Flufxodu Odev Prelxv soxjlq> lw 3 4
As a live performer, Ed’s looper, helps Ed to build intricate layers
Photo Europa Press News/Getty

dļhfwlrqdwho| qlfnqdphg Fkhzlh for songs in his set. So without it,

LL/ lv d kxjh sduw ri wkh Vxļron are we looking at Ed forming a
songsmith’s sound. But now band around him like he did at
F#7
he’s gone public with plans to wkh 534: EulwvB Ru vrphwklqj
retire the custom unit. ohvv suhglfwdeoh/ shukdsvB
 ACOUSTIC Words Jonathan Horsley

ChelseaWolfe
THE CALIFORNIAN SINGER-SONGWRITER TALKS ABOUT THE EQUILIBRIUM OF
LIGHT AND DARKNESS ON HER NEW ALBUM, BIRTH OF VIOLENCE
helsea Wolfe was lying on a riwhq#lq#d#ixfnhg#xs/#olnh/#Qdwxudo#Eruq#Nloohuv# ģvrphsodfh#hovhĤ#dqg#khu#vrxqg#kdv#wkh#

C frqfuhwh#ľrru/#khu#khdg#vslqqlqj1#
Lw#zdv#edfnvwdjh/#Vhdwwoh/#wkh#Ľqdo#
show on a seemingly interminable
uxq#lq#zklfk#vkh#kdg#mxvw#iroorzhg#
vhyhq#zhhnv#rshqlqj#iru#Plqlvwu|#zlwk#|hw#
pruh#gdwhv#ri#khu#rzq#wr#frph1#Wkh#sv|fklf#
lqhuwld#kdg#ehhq#exloglqj/#vr#wrr#wkh#
phhwv#Gdylg#O|qfk#nlqg#ri#zd|/Ĥ#vkh#odxjkv1#
ģVrphwlphv#lwġv#pruh#Zhuqhu#Khu}rj#phhwv#
Kd|dr#Pl|d}dnl/#wkrxjk/#vr#lw#edodqfhv#rxw1#
Gdunqhvv#dqg#pdjlf1Ĥ
Zroih#eulqjv#rwkhu#uhdo0zruog#frqfhuqv#lqwr#
vrqj/#wrr1#Little Grave was written from the
shuvshfwlyh#ri#d#fklog#zkr#glhg#lq#d#vfkrro#
glvhperglhg#ihho#ri#d#guhdp1#
Duwlfxodwlqj#wklv#rq#uhfrug#lv#qrw#vr#hdv|1#
Zroihġv#yrfdo#vw|oh#hyroyhg#iurp#sod|lqj#
ydulrxv#vsdfhv#rq#d#shuirupdqfh#duw#wrxu/#
vlqjlqj#lqwr#dq#hljkw0wudfn#lq#sdunlqj#jdudjhv#
dqg#dedqgrqhg#exloglqjv/#lq#rog#krxvhv1#
Uhyhuev#dqg#ghod|v#fdq#khos1#Zroih#zrxog#
h{kdxvwlrq1#Exw#uljkw#wkhuh/#rq#wkh#ľrru/#wkh# vkrrwlqj1#Erde is another of Wolfe’s love songs vzlwfk#wkh#oljkwv#rļ#dqg#h{shulphqw#vlqjlqj#
chorus for The Mother Road#fdph#wrjhwkhu/#dqg# wr#qdwxuh1#ģL#wklqn#wkh|ġuh#jhwwlqj#d#olwwoh#pruh# wkurxjk#wkhp1#D#Ervv#53[O#orrs#vwdwlrq#kdv#
khu#vl{wk#doexp/#Birth Of Violence/#ehjdq#wr#wdnh# ghvshudwh#dv#wkh#ghvwuxfwlrq#ri#Prwkhu#Qdwxuh# vhuyhg#khu#zhoo1#
vkdsh1#Iluvw/#vkh#zrxog#kdyh#wr#jhw#rļ#wkh#urdg1# lv#ehfrplqj#pruh#lqwhqvh1Ĥ#Zroih#zurwh#wkh# Birth Of Violence#zdv#uhfrughg#dw#Zroihġv#
Vkh#kdg#wr#jhw#krph1 lion’s share of the acoustic guitars on Birth Of krph#zlwk#orqj0wlph#frooderudwru#Ehq#
84 ģL#zdv#vwduwlqj#wr#ihho#wkh#sdvw#|hduv#ri#ehlqj# Violence#rq#d#Wd|oru#7491#Little Grave saw her use Fklvkrop1#Zrunlqj#dw#krph#phdqw#wkh|#frxog#
rq#wkh#urdg#fuhhslqj#xs#rq#ph/Ĥ#vkh#frqihvvhv1# d#Vx}xnl#fodvvlfdo#jxlwdu#vkh#jrw#dw#khu#orfdo# zrun#572:1#Wkh|#frxog#h{shulphqw1#Wkh#uhfrug#
ģL#nqhz#L#qhhghg#wr#wdnh#vrph#wlph#rļ#ehiruh#L# jxlwdu#vkrs1#Zroih#wdonv#derxw#zulwlqj#iurp# zdv#ruljlqdoo|#jrlqj#wr#eh#vwulsshg#edfn/#d#
exuqhg#rxw/#exw#zh#kdg#wkh#uhvw#ri#wkh# plqlpdolvw#dssurdfk#zlwk#mxvw#dfrxvwlf#
|hduġv#wrxuv#wr#Ľqlvk#rxw1Ĥ#Zroih#khdghg# jxlwdu#dqg#yrfdov/#exw#wkhq#Mhvv#Jrzulh#
wr#Hxursh#iru#d#vxpphu#wrxu#dv#wkh# fdph#lq#dqg#sod|hg#vrph#guxpv1#
frqwlqhqw#hqgxuhg#d#uhfrug#khdwzdyh1# Fklvkrop#vd|v#lw#ģvkliwhg#wkh#ihholqj#ri#
Vkh#zrxog#jhw#olwwoh#vohhs1#ģP|#rqh#vrodfh# wkh#uhfrug#dqg#wrrn#wklqjv#lq#d#pruh#
zdv#wr#sod|#p|#dfrxvwlf#jxlwdu#rq#wkh#edfn# frpsoh{#dqg#od|huhg#gluhfwlrq1Ĥ#
ri#wkh#exv1#L#hqghg#xs#zulwlqj#wkh#vrqjv# Fklvkrop#wkhq#dgghg#vrph#Surskhw0933#
wkdw#zrxog#ehfrph#Birth Of Violence1Ĥ dqdorjxh#v|qwk1#Kh#wudfnhg#d#qxpehu#ri#
Zkhq#wkh#euhdn#fdph/#Zroih#krohg#xs# Ironwhn#Uhvrqdqw#Jdughq#Ġmdpvġ#wkdw#
in her home in the North Californian zhuh#vdpsohg#dqg#xvhg#iru#wkh#
prxqwdlqv#dqg#frxog#Ľqdoo|#xqsdfn# surjudpphg#shufxvvlrq1#H}ud#Exfkod#
wkrvh#lghdv1#Wkh#zulwlqj#zdv#Ľqlvkhg#e|# dgghg#ylrod1#Zroih#dovr#sod|hg#vrph#
Iheuxdu|/#exw#Zroih#kdg#douhdg|#irxqg# hohfwulf#jxlwdu#rq#wkh#uhfrug/#zlwk#d#Qdvk#
the emotional tenor of Birth Of Violence on WPdvwhu#ru#Juhwvfk#Eurdgndvwhu#
wkh#urdg#zkloh#ģgd|guhdplqjĤ#derxw# semi-hollow each going through a
krph1#Pd|eh#wklv#lv#zkhuh#wkh#whqvlrq#rq# Ihqghu#Edvveuhdnhu#dps#ru#Iu|hwwh#
Birth Of Violence comes from always being
IN DREAMS
Ydoyxodwru#GL1#Vkh#xvhg#ydulhw|#ri#shgdov/#
vrphzkhuh#exw#qhyhu#dw#krph1# lqfoxglqj#d#Ghdwk#E|#Dxglr#Guhdp#Hfkr#
ģLw#ehfdph#wklv#uhfrug#ri#dq# Wolfe on writing from the subconscious 5/#dq#Hyhqwlgh#Vsdfh/#dqg#d#wuxvw|#
dzdnhqlqj>#wkh#ehjlqqlqj#ri#d#shuvrqdo# HduwkTxdnhu#Ghylfhv#Glvdvwhu#Wudqvsruw#
khdolqj/Ĥ#h{sodlqv#Zroih1#ģL#qhhghg#vrph# “I’ve struggled with sleep problems and nightmares iru#surfhvvlqj#khu#yrfdov1#Wkhq#wkhuh#zdv#
wlph#dzd|#wr#fuhdwh#shuvrqdo#ulwxdov#dqg# since childhood. So much so that my parents admitted wkh#Hohfwurqlf#Dxglr#H{shulphqwv#
khdowklhu#kdelwv/#vr#wkdw#L#fdq#attempt to me to a sleep research centre to figure it out – turns Ehkroghu1#ģL#nqhz#L#zdqwhg#lw#dw#Ľuvw#
take these things with me when I start out I had an overactive imagination. In adulthood that vljkw/Ĥ#vkh#vd|v1#ģLw#uxqv#wkh#uhyhue#Ľuvw/#
has manifested as insomnia and sleep paralysis. The
Photography:John Crawford Nona Limmen

wrxulqj#djdlq#wklv#idoo1#Wlph#zloo#whoo/#exw# wkhq#glvwruwlrq2ix}}#zklfk#lv#frqvlghuhg#
space between being awake and falling asleep is often
Lġyh#ehhq#uholvklqj#wklv#wlph#rļ/#uhdglqj# wkh#Ġzurqjġ#rughu#+oryh#wkdw,#dqg#
saturated with lyric and song ideas, so I force myself
dqg#ohduqlqj#d#orw/#dqg#zulwlqj#d#wrq1Ĥ#Iru# out of bed to at least write them down, if not record jhqhudwhv#wklv#uhdoo|#vsdfh|#gurqh1Ĥ#
Zroih/#zulwlqj#lv#lwv#rzq#uhzdug1#Vkh# some kind of melody idea. With sleep paralysis, the Birth Of Violence might have grown
dssurdfkhv#vrqjzulwlqj#ylvxdoo|1#ģL#zulwh# place between sleep and waking is unclear and the eh|rqg#Zroihġv#h{shfwdwlrqv#exw#lw#
d#orw#ri#p|#pxvlf#zlwk#p|#h|hv#forvhg#dqg# figures from my nightmares are still in the room…” uhwxuqv#wr#wkh#ixqgdphqwdov#ri#khu#
wkhvh#ylvlrqv#dqg#ylvxdov#lq#p|#khdg/#exw# vrxqg/#khu#yrlfh/#khu#dfrxvwlf1#

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 INTERVIEW

85

“MY ONE SOLACE WAS TO PLAY

MY ACOUSTIC GUITAR ON THE BACK OF
THE BUS. I ENDED UP WRITING THE
SONGS THAT WOULD BECOME
BIRTH OF VIOLENCE”
OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR
 LEARN
TO PL AY

OPEN-MIC SONGBOOK
LEWIS CAPALDI
SOMEONE YOU LOVED
Get your fingerpicking technique kick-
started with our guitar arrangement of this
song’s piano arpeggios
omeone You Loved was Lewis sxw#|rx#rļ>#wkh#zkroh#vrqj#fdq#eh#

S Fdsdoglġv Ľuvw klw/ sxwwlqj klp

dwrs wkh vlqjohv fkduwv iru dq
lpsuhvvlyh vhyhq zhhnv lq wkh
dxwxpq ri 534; dqg vhhlqj klp euhdn
wkurxjk lq wkh XN lq wkh surfhvv1
sod|hg#xvlqj#rqo|#|rxu#wkxpe#dqg#Ľuvw#
Ľqjhu#Ğ#yhu|#dffhvvleoh1#
Wkh#ruljlqdo#uhfruglqj#lv#lq#Gb#exw#
zhġyh#wudqvsrvhg#lw#wr#wkh#nh|#ri#F#wr#
pdnh#lw#d#olwwoh#elw#pruh#jxlwdu#iulhqgo|1#
Li |rxġuh zrqghulqj zk| zhġyh Wkhvh#nh|v#duh#mxvw#rqh#iuhw#dsduw#vr#li#
fkrvhq d sldqr vrqj ri doo wklqjv iru |rx#zdqw#wr#sod|#lq#wkh#ruljlqdo#nh|/#mxvw#
wklv prqwkġv fkrlfh ri Rshq0plf exqj#d#fdsr#rq#wkh#4vw#iuhw1#Li#|rx#gr/#
Vrqjerrn/ olvwhq wr rxu edfnlqj wudfn uhphpehu#wr#sod|#wkh#lqwur#gldgv#
86 dqg |rxġoo khdu mxvw krz zhoo lw zrunv +wzr0qrwh#fkrugv,#rqh#iuhw#kljkhu#wrr#
rq jxlwdu1 Rxu wde lv sod|hg Ľqjhuvw|oh Ğ#lwġv#hdv|#wr#irujhw#zkhq#wkh#iuhwwlqj#
exw |rx ghĽqlwho| vkrxogqġw ohw wkdw srvlwlrq#lv#vr#idu#iurp#wkh#fdsr1#

CHORDS
qh#dgydqwdjh#ri# X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

O Ľqjhuslfnlqj#lv#wkdw#|rx
grqġw#dozd|v#qhhg#wr#iuhw ixoo
fkrug#vkdshv/#vr#wkh#rshq#
12
2 3
12
2 3
8
2
1
10
2 3
8
1

srvlwlrq#F#dqg#J#fkrugv#fdq#eh 2
iuhwwhg#xvlqj#mxvw#|rxu#wklug#Ľqjhu
rq#wkh#urrw#qrwhv1#Zhġyh#vkrzq
wkh#ixoo#vkdshv#khuh#Ğ#uhdg#wkh wde
wr#lghqwli|#zklfk#vwulqjv#wr#slfn1
C (no root) G (no root) Am (no root) F (no root) Fsus2 (no root)

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

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 1 2 3 2 2
Guitars and backing: Phil Capone Photo: Javier Bragado/Getty

3 2 3 3 4 3 4 3

C G Am F Fsus2 Dm

SOMEONE YOU LOVED

Words and Music by Lewis Capaldi, Benjamin Kohn, Peter Kelleher, Thomas Barnes and Samuel Roman. Copyright © 2018 BMG Gold Songs, BMG Rights
Management (UK) Ltd. and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro (UK). All Rights for BMG Gold Songs and BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd. Administered by
BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. All Rights for Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro (UK) Administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church
Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219. International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of Hal Leonard Europe Limited.

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 BACKING TRACK (TRACK 54)
This song comes with a backing track (minus guitar) on
your CD. Simply insert the disc in your player, press play
and jam along, guitaraoke style!
LEWIS CAPALDI / SOMEONE YOU LOVED

Intro Am
C G Am F Fsus2 I was getting kinda used to being Repeat Chorus
F
Verse 1 someone you loved Bridge
C G Dm Am
I’m going under and this time
Am F
Verse 2 And I tend to close my eyes
C G G
I fear there’s no one to save me When it hurts sometimes
C I’m going under and this time
G Am Dm
This all or nothing really got a way of Am F
I fear there’s no one to turn to I fall into your arms
Am F
C Am G
Driving me crazy G
I’ll be safe in your sound ‘til I come back around
C G This all or nothing way of loving
I need somebody to heal, somebody to know Am F
Am F Got me sleeping without you Repeat Chorus x2
Somebody to have, somebody to hold C
C Now, I need somebody to know
G
It’s easy to say, but it’s never the same G
Outro
C
Am Somebody to heal
I let my guard down
I guess I kinda liked the way Am
G
F Somebody to have
And then you pulled the rug
You numbed all the pain F
Am
Just to know how it feels 877
I was getting kinda used to being
Chorus C G
It’s easy to say but it’s never the same
F C
C G someone you loved
Now the day bleeds into nightfall Am
Am I guess I kinda liked the way
F
And you’re not here to get me through it all F
C G You helped me escape
I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug

LEWIS CAPALDI SOMEONE YOU LOVED Intro/Verse TRACK 54

C G Am F Fsus 2
q =55

let ring throughout

12 12 12 12 8 8 8 8
T 12 12 12 12
12 12 12 12
9 9 9 9
10 10 10 8
12 12 12 12 10 10 10
B
1 i p i p i p i p i p i

1. 2.
C G Am F Am F Fsus 2

.. ..
œ œ œ œ
T . 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1

B
. 3
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0
2 2 2 2
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
. 0
2 2 2 2
2
3
2
3
2
3
0
3
3
3 1 1
i p i p
p

The intro is outlined in bars 1 and 2. It’s a simple alternating pattern between the first finger (i) and thumb (p) – just take it slowly at first as you gradually develop your timing.
In bar 3 (that’s verse 1) you’ll need to play a ‘pinch’ – where two notes are played simultaneously with your first finger and thumb.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 THE GAS 90

STATION REAL WORLD REVIEWS OF THE

BEST NEW GEAR

Welcome to the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome*)

Station! Every issue, TG scours the market for the
hottest new gear and brings you transparent reviews
that you can trust. From the smallest of accessories
that make your life easier, to big investments such as
brand new guitars, amps and effects pedals – if it’s
88 worth your attention, you’ll find it here! 98
HOW WE TEST BEST BUY AWARD
TG Best Buy Awards are
reserved for stand-out
CURATION NO SNAKE OIL products that earn a five-star
Our product selection is \ou won’t Ľnd us getting rating. This is the best, most
driven by our love of gear.
We select the most exciting
hung up on hokey mythology
or nonsense marketing
exciting new gear that you
need to check out 090 START ME UP
Five new products to get you started
products on the market every speak: we aim to bring you
month to bring you opinions bullshit-free opinions on the
you can trust. gear you’re interested in. 090 CORT G290 FAT
Boutique tones and features for £549?
FACE-VALUE REVIEWS WE CAN’T BE BOUGHT
We’re not gear snobs here at
Total Guitar. We judge it on
TG review scores are a true
reľection of our experts’ 094 BEETRONICS SWARM FUZZ
whether it looks good, sounds opinion on the product A fuzz harmonizer with a buzz surrounding it
good and plays well – not by they’ve been testing. You’ll BEST FOR…
the name on the headstock. never Ľnd a rating in our
mag that has been bought
Different guitarists have
different needs. This badge
highlights a particular strength
096 LANEY IRT15H-2
and paid for. High gain at an affordable price
that a product has in a TG Test
or Group Test, so you can
*WHAT IS GAS?
Gear Acquisition Syndrome
REAL WORLD REVIEWS
We test every product under
choose what’s best for you
098 TG TEST: FENDER SQUIER
CLASSIC VIBES
is the guitar-player’s
never-ending urge to acquire the conditions that they were
new gear, irrespective of designed for. For example,
The popular range returns as a trio of vintage
whether they actually need it. if an amp is designed to be
Don’t pretend you don’t played loud, rest assured BEST flavours with a Strat, Tele and Jazzmaster
have it – we all do!
that we’ll have tested it at FOR…
rehearsal/gig volumes! 104 TONEWOODAMP
Add eight effects to your acoustic without pedals?
We’re all ears!
SUPERB, A BEST BUY EXCELLENT ABOVE AVERAGE KIT SOME ISSUES POOR

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 GAS STATION

01 04

03 05
02

89

START ME UP!
Five new products to fuel your GAS this month…
IK MULTIMEDIA ELECTRO-HARMONIX ROCKBOARD TC ELECTRONIC HALL OF MOOER CT-01
AMPLITUBE BRIAN MAY MOD 11 ISO POWER BLOCK V10 FAME 2 X4 HEADSTOCK TUNER

1 2 3 4 5
It’s Brian May’s turn to have Doing for modulation what Power up to 10 effects TC Electronics has added This neat, little tuner clips
the full-on AmpliTube EHX’s ingenious Canyon pedals with this new four pressure-sensitve on to the headstock of
modelling treatment. did for delay and Oceans 11 beauty from RockBoard. MASH footswitches for your guitar or bass and
Collaborating with the Queen did for reverb, the Mod 11 Woah! Wait a minute, are we toggling between tones, eight gives you a fast, accurate
legend at every stage of the houses 11 different modulation really describing a power brick presets and Shimmer reverb. reading on it’s bright,
process, IK Multimedia has effects in one small enclosure, as “a beauty”? Well perhaps The MASH footswitches make easy-to-read digital display. The
lovingly modelled every one of using similar controls to access after it has liberated you from for really intuitive control but CT-01 is affixed via a 180º hinge,
May’s live and studio rigs and its features. You can dial in the bane of high frequency this is all about the reverb. so you can manoeuvre it to a
made these iconic tones vintage chorus sounds and interference, even you will be There are 10 types, space for convenient angle instead of
available on Mac, PC, iPhone and keep it subtle, sure. Or go nuts whispering sweet nothings into six TonePrints, plus that awkwardly contorting your
iPad. The plugin debuts 11 new with the “FILT” setting’s classic its highly filtered power slots. Shimmer reverb – pioneered by neck just so you can see it while
models, with two amps, three analogue synth madness. We LEDs will let you know if there is Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois – you tune up. Feed this sucker a
cabinets, and up to six effects. love the Univibe-inspired a short. It ships with doubling which layers reverb up an 3V lithium battery and you can
It even has an option to setting, bringing chorus, cables for 18V effects. It may octave, delaying it behind the have your guitar in – what the
emulate the sound of the Red overdrive and vibrato together seem a little pricey, but trust us, dry signal for ethereal, spaced heck – an open G tuning in the
Special on a stompbox. for ‘60s rock chaos. it’s absolutely worth it. out tones. blink of an eye.
(£110, ikmultimedia.com) (£141, ehx.com) (£119 approx, rockboard.de) (£205, tcelectronic.com) (£19, mooeraudio.com)

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 t h e ga s
station

90

ToTal GuiTar OctOber 2019

 REVIEW

G290
1
CORT The G290 is actually
a longstanding Cort
model but the new FAT
AT A GLANCE
BODY:Swampash/

G290 FAT £549

is adding boutique-
esque features to the
successful doublecut
formula
flamed maple top
NECK: Birdseye maple
SCALE: 25.5” (648mm)

Is affordable boutique possible? CORT CFA III

FINGERBOARD:
Birdseye maple

Cort makes its case 2 TREMOLO

The advantage of a
FRETS: 22
PICKUPS: 2x Cort
recessed tremolo is an Voiced Tone VTH-77
increased range when humbuckers with
e’re always looking stainless steel saddles, block and

W
pulling up coil-splitting
for an excuse to buy baseplate are here to aide sustain
COIL-SPLITS CONTROLS: Five-way
another guitar to add
to the collection,
and those saddles look especially
well matched to the brushed-look
3 The five-way
switch produces
pickup switch,
volume, tone
right? But we also chrome pickup covers. coil-split tones in the HARDWARE: Cort CFA
have a contradictory impulse. Some players think swamp ash second and fourth III two-point tremolo
Many of us are looking for the one is a lightweight tonewood. Cort is positions for with steel block and
signficant versatility steel plate, Cort
– the do-it-all wunderaxe, the keen to stress this too, but the
chrome locking
Swiss army knife of six-strings, uhdolw| lv glļhuhqw1 Vzdps dvk fdq machine heads
the workhorse weapon of tone… be light, but we’ve played heavy LEFT-HANDED: No
you get the picture. Wouldn’t it be swamp ash doublecuts too. At
CASE: No
nice if we could develop as players 7.4lbs our test guitar weighs
FINISH: Antique Violin
with one well-chosen instrument around the same as an average Burst (reviewed),
that can pretty much cover Strat. This guitar’s action is slinky, Bright Blue Burst
everything we need. We think we vr lw grhvqġw vxļhu grzq0wxqlqj CONTACT:
might have a candidate here. too well without changing the 440Distribution 91
Cort has been building a rep for strings from the gauge 9 set 440distribution.com
high quality electrics in the included here – but bluesy bends
mid-range price bracket. This duh hļruwohvv dqg Fruwġv qhz Hujr
looks like a distillation of that from Y0qhfn surĽoh kdv d frpiruwlqj
wkh Vrxwk Nruhdq Ľup/ rq vshf dw Fendery feel. It’s a joy to play

THIS G290 IS VERSATILE AND 1

PLAYABLE. FAT TONE INDEED
least. Visually it’s a treat; a swamp before we even plug in. Cort’s
ash body with an Antique Violin claim that its shape provides
Exuvw ľdph pdsoh wrs +rqh ri wzr enhanced comfort across 22-fret
dydlodeoh Ľqlvkhv,1 Wkh erow0rq neck and the playability here is
birdseye maple neck is a stunner undeniable. It’s a fast neck for
that looks like it was handpicked legato lovers but the 12’’ to 15.75’’
for a more expensive guitar – frpsrxqg udglxv Ľqjhuerdug lv
especially when you factor in the just a great all-rounder for us.
upmarket features that adorn it. When Cort call this a ‘session-
Locking machine heads, and a style’ guitar it alludes to the
spoke-nut truss rod adjuster workhorse idea we spoke of
3
+zklfk wdnhv d qrg iurp prghov hduolhu1 Lw vxjjhvwv vljqlĽfdqw
like Misha Mansoor’s Jackson versatility because nobody needs
Mxjjhuqdxw vljqdwxuh, duh that more than a session guitarist.
contemporary rock guitar features And that’s where the pickups
designed with quick, easy come in. Cort’s VTH-77s are high
functionality in mind. The truss output humbuckers with a twist: 2
rod adjuster’s proximity wkhuhġv d Ľyh0zd| vzlwfk1
Photography: Olly Curtis

encourages you to precisely tailor The three main ’bucker

the neck bow to suit your needs positions are impressive enough.
rather than be afraid to touch it. The bridge is bright, chimey and
Cort’s recessed CFA-III Tremolo’s articulate and the neck position

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 T H E GA S
STATION
The recessed tremolo and
five-way selector help to
create an instrument with
versatility to match its looks

Cort In The Act

A brief history of
Cort guitars
he G290 FAT is the latest

T iteration of a model that’s

more established than
many realise. And Cort itself
92 has been around since 1973,
beginning by manufacturing
guitars for other companies. It
started producing its own line in
ALSO TRY...
1982, and now has factories in IBANEZ AZ224F
South Korea, China and Launched last year,
Ibanez’s AZ series offers
Indonesia – the G290 FAT is
great playability, with
made in the latter. In 2014 Cort nine different
began working with the UK’s combinations of
Manson to produce models like Seymour Duncan
the hugely successful MBC-1 Hyperion pickups and
a Dyna-MIX9
Matt Bellamy signature.
switching system.
Hqgruvhg duwlvwv qrz lqfoxgh
Frank Gambale, plus TG faves
CHARVEL PRO MOD SAN
Bombino and Yvette Young.
DIMAS STYLE 1 HH FR M
The winner of issue 318’sTG
Test, this 80s legend still
avoids the dreaded darker tonality useful and distinct options to feel also appeal. If you’re the delivers, with a recessed
wkdw srvlwlrq fdq vxļhu#iurp#lq# switch to. Tonally it is like having guitarist in a covers band then this Floyd Rose 1000 vibrato
favour of glassy FAT punch. Lastly, two guitars in one. Fancy some could easily get you through a and push-pull
activated coil-splits
the middle position – always an Morello-esque spank for your varied set. And the strong range of
on its Seymour
underrated place to visit – is vlqjoh#qrwh#ulļvB#Zhoo#nlqgo|# features that accompany this sonic Duncan
reassuringly lively. It convincingly switch to position 4 and enjoy! fdsdelolw|/#rļhuhg#dw#†87</#lv#zk|#
sells itself as a smoother and Texas blues bite? Position 2 will see we think Cort has issued another
EPIPHONE LEE
compelling alternative to the you right. Indeed there’s much fun strong claim to be a go-to
MALIA SIGNATURE
eulgjh iru vzlwfklqj#rq#wkh#ľ|# to be had for blues here between frqwhpsrudu|#dļrugdeoh#eudqg1
ARTISAN
between and lead and rhythm the buckers and splits, but the Rob Laing
The Bring Me The Horizon
tones. But there’s much more… same could be said of jazz, metal man’s Epiphone signature
FEATURES
The second and fourth positions and everything between too. has a USA Gibson P-94 in
SOUND QUALITY
here are coil splits to get you in the You probably get the picture by the neck and bridge
SUMMARY

single-coil game. If you demand now; this G290 is versatile and VALUE FOR MONEY Gibson 84T-LM
BUILD QUALITY humbucker with
Fender twang and jangle it’s a tall playable. FAT tone indeed, sounds
PLAYABILITY coil-splitting for
order for any humbucker wiring wkdw#zloo#vxlw#pdq|#glļhuhqw# tonal breadth.
mod like this but what it delivers is rock-based players if the look and OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 t h e ga s
station

94

ToTal GuiTar OCTOber 2019

 REVIEW
1
QUEEN
2 1 The Queen knob
controls the pedal’s
3 harmony level n

DRONE
2 The drone control
handles the sub
harmony level

SPECIES
3 The species knob
selects the Swarm’s
harmony interval

BEETRONICS SWARM £270

I, for one, welcome our new robotic bee overlords
eetronics are known for harmonies available - the most was a sub-harmony heavy

B
95
their impressive-looking ‘drone’ pot is for the sub- sound that reminded us of the AT A GLANCE
enclosures and cool harmony, and the ‘queen’ pot is MXR Blue Box, as used by Jimmy
POWER:9VDC
designs, so it should come for the regular harmony. Finally, Page on the solo for Fool in the centre-negative
as no surprise that their to select the harmony interval, Rain. Messing around with the BYPASS:Truebypass
latest and greatest, the Swarm, there’s a large central rotary less high-pitched sounds proved
CONTACT:
should be a looker. Besides being control labelled ‘species’. While wr#eh#pruh#surĽwdeoh/#hyhq#li# FaceMI
visually fantastic, it’s also we’ve got to admire Beetronics’ there are still only really lead +32 38446797
well-built; it feels heavy enough to commitment to their theme, wrqhv#rq#rļhu1 face.be
throw clean through a partition these aren’t the most obvious The thing that’s closest to the
wall, and the PCBs inside are small names, and we found ourselves Swarm, to our mind, would be a
works of art, with a custom-cut referring back to the manual Z-Vex Fuzz Factory, although
honeycomb shape and an card a lot. In terms of sounds, compared to the Swarm the Fuzz
Factory is almost conventional.

THE CORE OF THE PEDAL IS A There are other analogue pedals

with interesting octave behaviour
like the DIY TMK Fuzz, but this
DECENT SINGLE-KNOB FUZZ again is somewhat more
pedestrian and you’ll have to build
elaborate print on the upper face. the core of the pedal is a decent it yourself. As for the Swarm, it
At its core, the Swarm is an single-knob fuzz, with the looks beautiful and it does its one
analogue fuzz with a harmoniser. additional harmony controls thing with genuine panache - the
That said, it isn’t a simple pedal pushing it more towards only question is whether you can
- there’s six controls on the noisemaker territory. It’s justify dedicating precious pedal
upper face and a knob on the exciting when the Swarm glides real-estate on your board to an
side as well. The side control is up to a note behind the one hļhfw#wkdwġv#wklv#qlfkh1
the master volume, while the you’re playing, for sure, but it’s Alex Lynham
fuzz knob is marked ‘worker’. not really usable for rhythm
FEATURES
Wkh#Ġľljkwġ#dqg#Ġvwlqjġ#frqwurov# playing. We found a number of
SOUND QUALITY
are highly sensitive pots that the harmony options exciting for
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY

Photography: Olly Curtis

control the modulation applied unusual, squealing lead lines,

to the harmony notes, with the wkrxjk#wkh#slwfk#jolgh#hļhfw#lv# BUILD QUALITY
‘sting’ focused on the tracking. something of a one-trick pony. USABILITY
Phdqzkloh/#wkhuhġv#wzr#glļhuhqw# The sound we returned to the OVERALL RATING

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 t h e ga s
station

96

ToTal GuiTar OCTOBER 2019

 1 REVIEW

AMP SLEEVE
1 The IRT15H-2’s
plywood sleeve gives it
a ‘proper amp’ look and
feel. The corner grab
handles are a cool
detail that’s also very
practical.
3 2 PRE BOOST
2 CONTROL,
SWITCH AND LED
The IRT15H-2’s
footswitchable Pre
Boost control sits at
the very front of the
amp chain and
behaves just like a
boost pedal, pushing
the valves harder.

EQ CONTROLS
3 The IRT15H-2’s EQ
network includes bass,
mid and treble
controls. Although the
panel markings might
suggest they can cut

LANEY IRT15H-2
and boost, the EQ is
£419 passive.

A little head with a lotta rock from a British amp legend

yndon Laney was playing 15-watts or 1-watt output, dqg#yroxph#0#lghdo#iru#uk|wkp2

L
97
in a group called Band of selected by plugging into the solo switching. Push drive and AT A GLANCE
Joy with John Bonham appropriate input jack. As well as boost knobs up to three quarters
TYPE:All-valvehead
and Robert Plant in 1967, volume, drive and EQ controls, and you’re in metal territory, withdigitalreverb
rļhulqj#d#wdqwdolvlqj# the IRT15H-2 has master with smouldering harmonics and OUTPUT:15-watts/
glimpse into an alternative controls for dynamics and tone, nearly endless sustain. Despite 1-watt
time-line. In our world, his together with a footswitchable all the high gain, the IRT15H-2 VALVES:3x12AX7,
destiny was to build guitar amps preamp boost that behaves like a doesn’t smother the guitar’s 2 xEL84
and a few years later in 1970, built-in stompbox pedal, driving tone, sounding great with both CONTROLS:Reverb,
Laney amps featured on the the front end of the amp to add single coils and humbuckers. tone,dynamics,
original Black Sabbath album, distortion and volume. Rear Speaker-emulated line out, aux volume,treble,mid,
bass,drive,preboost
introducing the world to the panel features include a series in and headphones sockets make
level,prebooston/off,
sound we know today as heavy hļhfwv orrs zlwk d ohyho2e|sdvv the IRT15H-2 ideal for recording effectslooplevel/
and practice, while the built-in bypassselect

SMOULDERING HARMONICS digital reverb, designed in-house

by Laney, is smooth and warm,
going from subtle ambience to
SOCKETS:Full/low
powerinputjacks,
speakeroutx2,

AND NEARLY ENDLESS SUSTAIN cavernous depth.

Laney’s IRT15H-2 is a strong
footswitch,effects
loopsend/return,aux
in,lineout,phonesout
metal. Ever since, the West switch, speaker-emulated choice for players looking for WEIGHT:7.5kg
Midlands amp manufacturer has headphones, line out jacks, and portability and versatility. You DIMENSIONS:180mm
been at the forefront of rock and an aux in for mp3 players. jhw#d#orw#ri#ľdvk#iru#zhoo#xqghu# (h)x456mm(w)x
metal, with users including Despite the menacing red £500 cash - it’s good-looking 242mm(d)
George Lynch, Vinnie Moore, and LEDs in the internals, the IRT15H and sounds great in many CONTACT:
of course Sabbath legend Tony isn’t just a metal monster; drive genres, particularly classic rock Headstock
Iommi. The original had an settings between one and two and metal. Check it out soon. Distribution
01215086666
all-metal case, but the Ironheart produce spanky clean tones that Nick Guppy laney.co.uk
IRT15H-2 is more conventionally are ideal for funk and country, as
FEATURES
built, with robust printed circuit well as being a perfect platform
SOUND QUALITY
boards inside a welded-corner iru#hļhfwv#shgdov1#Kljkhu#gulyh#
SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY

Photography: Olly Curtis

steel chassis with tough corner settings add touch-sensitive

handles. It’s a no-frills, single distortion that’s great for blues BUILD QUALITY
channel all-valve head, with and classic rock, with the USABILITY
digital reverb and a choice of preamp boost adding extra drive OVERALL RATING

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 T H E GA S
STATION

98

Words Jonathan Horsley / Photography Olly Curtis

SQUIER CLASSIC VIBES

Vintage Fender guitars cost so much it makes us want to weep… but this
vintage-inspired series from their sub-brand should stop some of the tears
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 THE TG TEST

99

ince its launch in 2012, Squier’s Classic Vibe series has Custom and Stratocaster, with a 1960s-style Jazzmaster rounding out

S
brought classic designs from Fender’s storied history wkh#wulr1#Doo#wkuhh#pljkw#zhoo#kdyh#ehhq#eruq#|hvwhugd|/#uroolqj#rļ#wkh#
and scaled back the spec so that beginner and production line in Indonesia – but, crucially, they look like they were
intermediate players – and players whose budget there back in the day. Look at the neck, the lacquer a second-hand
excludes them from the vintage market – can all get vwruh#vkdgh#ri#qlfrwlqh#|hoorz1#Dqg#wkrvh#Ľqlvkhv=#uhdo#rog0vfkrro1
a taste. And it has proved extremely popular. But do they sound authentic? That is the question. At this price
The Classic Vibe series was revamped at NAMM point, we can’t really expect exact reproductions of vintage
2019, with 13 new additions in January and another nine instruments with decades of playing behind them. But, as the
electric guitars and basses introduced in June. This month’s roundup name suggests, it’s all about the vibe. These instruments were
sees Squier raid Fender’s 1970s catalogues to reproduce a Telecaster made to create the tone and feel of a bygone era.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 T H E GA S
STATION

The narrow-tall frets

are a compromise
between vintage £379
guitar design and
contemporary needs
STRATOCASTER
That CBS vibe

AT A GLANCE
BODY:Poplar
NECK:Maple,bolt-on
SCALE:650mm
(25.5")
100 FINGERBOARD:
Indianlaurel
FRETS:21,narrow-tall
PICKUPS:3xFender
DesignedAlnico
singlecoil(neck,
middle,bridge)
CONTROLS:1x
volume,1xtone,
5-wayselector
for with stability. This guitar was in switch
tune straight out of the box. HARDWARE:Nickel,
The three Fender Designed Alnico 6-saddlevintage-
stylesynchronised
single-coil pickups are each controlled tremolo,bonenut,
e|#wkh#wlph0krqrxuhg#frqĽjxudwlrq#ri# vintage-styletuners
Ľyh0zd|#slfnxs#vhohfwru#vzlwfk/# LEFT-HANDED:No
master volume knob and two tone FINISH:Olympic
he 1970s was an era of wide thinner vintage fretwire and the jumbo knobs, and they’ve got plenty of White[reviewed],

T neck ties and wide Fender gauges that are all but ubiquitous in authentic Strat tone going on. What’s Natural,Black
CONTACT:
headstocks. Under CBS’s contemporary guitar design. This always amazing about a good Strat tone
fender.com
ownership, Fender introduced Vwudwġv#qhfn#lv#d#sod|deoh#F0surĽoh/# is that it can do all the glassy cleans,
the larger, reshaped paddle- with a 9.5-inch fretboard radius that’s but it’s every bit as happy when
style headstock in December 1965, and d#ľdwwhu/#pruh#prghuq#sursrvlwlrq# dialling in more gain. We found the
it would become known as the ’70s than the 7.25-inch radius you might neck pickup a little shrill at high
headstock. Purists were livid, but the Ľqg#rq#roghu#Ihqghuv1#Lw#ihdwxuhv#d# volumes, but the neck pickup on this
CBS-era instruments would go on to six-saddle synchronised tremolo, really sings, and if you are looking for
accrue their own cultural cachet. zklfk#lv#suhww|#gduq#vwlļ#Ğ#exw#zkdw# Hendrix tones on a shoestring budget,
This Classic Vibe ’70s Strat has this tremolo lacks in range it makes up you could do a lot worse.
plenty of it. Look at that four-ply
tortoiseshell pickguard, that silhouette
– this Strat could have teleported here
from the set of The Midnight Special.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HENDRIX
In terms of feel, Squier has gone
with narrow-tall frets that feel like
TONES ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET,
a happy compromise between the YOU COULD DO A LOT WORSE
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 THE TG TEST

The controls could

have come off a
vintage amp, but the £379
fretboard has a more
modern feel
CUSTOM
Enter humbucker

AT A GLANCE
BODY:Poplar
NECK:Maple
SCALE:650mm
(25.5")
FINGERBOARD: 101
Maple
FRETS:21,narrow-tall
PICKUPS:1xFender
DesignedAlnico
singlecoil(bridge),
1xFenderDesigned
WideRange
humbucker(neck)
CONTROLS:1x
volume,1xtone,
3-wayselector
switch
HARDWARE:Nickel,
3-Saddlevintage-
stylestrings-
through-bodyTele
bridgew/chrome
barrelsaddles
he Fender Telecaster Custom bridge, the four-screw neckplate with you’ll wonder why it took Fender so

T
LEFT-HANDED:No
was made in 1972 in response Squier branding – this is all period- long to think of using a humbucker as
FINISH:3-Colour
to the growing appetite for appropriate, and we love that you Sunburst[reviewed], an option. There’s all the attitude and
thicker humbucking tones. can get all that for less than £400. Black sting you’d expect from a Tele in the
Gibson’s success in catering But, again, there’s that 9.5-inch single coil – a pickup that is incredible
to the classic rock crowd had not gone udglxv#iuhwerdug#wr#rļhu#d#pruh# at all gain stages – and having that
xqplvvhg=#Ihqghu#zdqwhg#lq/#jhwwlqj# contemporary feel. Does that spoil the rounder tone in the neck makes the
the pioneering pickup guru Seth Lover vintage illusion? No. Think of it like Tele Custom a guitar for all seasons.
to wind it a humbucker that would jrlqj#edfn#lq#wlph#dqg#Ľqglqj#Zl0Il1# Sod|delolw|0zlvh/#wkh#qhfn#surĽoh#Ğ#
complement the zing and brilliance The takeaway from playing this as used throughout this series – is
of the Tele’s single coil. Classic Vibe ’70s Tele Custom is that comfortable enough, though some
Why the history lesson? Well, players might have wished for a
because this Classic Vibe Squier is
pretty much a history lesson in guitar
form. Look at those volume and tone
HAVING THAT ROUNDER TONE foxeelhu#surĽoh#khuh1#Wkh#vzlwfk#lv#d#
little noisy, but we can live with that.
With its maple fretboard, its tight
nqrev=#wkh|#frxog#kdyh#frph#rļ#dq#
old Fender amp. The three-colour
IN THE NECK MAKES THIS A upper-midrange and sheer versatility
– handling blues, country, rock – this
burst, the ashtray-style nickel-plated GUITAR FOR ALL SEASONS Tele is a real charmer.

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 The Jazzmaster’s
floating bridge design
£399 just needs a bit of

JAZZMASTER setup TLC to make it

sound really solid

Thumb-wheels and weirdness

AT A GLANCE
BODY:Poplar
NECK:Maple
SCALE:650mm
(25.5")
102 FINGERBOARD:
Indianlaurel
FRETS:21,
narrow-tall
PICKUPS:2xFender
DesignedAlnico
singlecoil(neck
andbridge)
CONTROLS:1x
volume,1xtone,
3-wayselector
here were no gear forums in

T
switch,rhythm/lead
the 1960s, so we can’t go back circuitswitch,
and see if the Jazzmaster was thumb-wheel
considered weird back then. volumeandtone
But with its arcane switching controlsfor
neckpickup
system, asymmetric body and
HARDWARE:Nickel,
soapbar-style single coils, the vintage-style and we didn’t have any issues. Indeed, yroxph#dqg#wrqh1#Vrph#Ľqg#wkh#
Jazzmaster sure is weird today – and tremolowith the Jazzmaster bridge is often unfairly rhythm circuit muddy, but there are so
that’s why we love it. Nothing floatingbridge maligned when really it’s only a good pdq|#frro#wrqhv#|rx#fdq#jhw=#md}}#li#|rx#
compares, really – and when you get LEFT-HANDED:Yes setup away from being solid. want, grungy, woolly distortion too.
down to it, that switching system is FINISH:SonicBlue Electronics-wise, the Jazzmaster has The hot soup tone of a Jazzmaster
[reviewed],Olympia
actually pretty intuitive. a quick conventional three-way pickup neck pickup is a wonderful thing,
White,3-Colour
First, let’s look at the build. Like the Sunburst selector, master volume and tone especially addictive to pedalboard
Classic Vibe ’70s Strat, this Jazzmaster nqrev/#exw#rq#lwv#vkrxoghu#|rxġoo#Ľqg#d# enthusiasts, and the Classic Vibe
kdv#wkh#vdph#F0surĽoh#qhfn#zlwk# switch for engaging the rhythm circuit. ’60s Jazzmaster can ladle it on thick.
9.5-inch radius Indian laurel fretboard Flick it on and you take out a whole lot Elsewhere, this does what a Jazzmaster
and 21 narrow-tall frets. Yet altogether of high-end, and the thumb-wheels always does, excelling in trebly surf
wkh#ihho#lv#txlwh#glļhuhqw=#wkhuh#lv#vr# allow you to adjust the neck pickup’s rock twang.
pxfk#erg|#zlwk#wklv#lfrqlf#rļvhw1#
There’s a lot more wobble and play
on the tremolo, too.
Floating bridge designs can give you
WITH ITS ARCANE SWITCHING SYSTEM,
some tuning headaches, but here the
strings are threaded over barrel saddles
THE JAZZMASTER SURE IS WEIRD – AND
to help minimise lateral movement, THAT’S WHY WE LOVE IT
TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019
 T H E GA S
STATION

FINAL VERDICT
Which Squier Classic Vibe will you add to your collection?
hat Squier’s Classic Vibe series is at the nut, but that is to be expected at this instruments. Which is best? Well, sometimes,

T expanding year in year out is no

surprise, because these guitars
really have the vibe. There are some
Ľqlvk lvvxhv/ olnh xqwlg| odftxhulqj
sulfh1 Wkh Lqgldq odxuho Ľqjhuerdugv ri wkh
Strat and Jazzmaster are uninspiring. But
more importantly these guitars bring an
approximation of vintage Fender
you just need a Strat. Nothing else will do.
The Jazzmaster is the answer if you want
something unique. The Tele Custom? Well,
that is Old Faithful. It won’t let you down.

’70S ’70S TELECASTER ’60S

0
STRATOCASTER CUSTOM JAAZZZMASTER

103

FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES

SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY SOUND QUALITY
SUMMARY

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY VALUE FOR MONEY

BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY PLAYABILITY PLAYABILITY
OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING OVERALL RATING

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 t h e ga s
station

Turntopage106for
fullreviewofthe
ToneWoodAmp

104
Photography O y Curt s

ToTal GuiTar OCtOber 2019

 T H E GA S
STA ION
3
OUTPUT
1 Stage use is
encouraged too – via
the output from the
ToneWoodAmp and
2 enter D.I Mode to
enable the effects to
1 be heard through an
amp or PA as well as or
instead of your guitar

BODY SIZE
2 Fit the
ToneWoodAmp
different distances
from the bottom of
your guitar depending
on the body size – for
our dreadnought
45mm from the
bottom was advised

BATTERY
3 COMPARTMENT
The ToneWoodAmp
requires three AA
batteries for around 10
hours of playing time

£225
Add effects to your unplugged acoustic’s sound… AT A GLANCE
t’s impossible for us to talk ToneWoodAmp for testing and Wkrvh#hļhfwv#zrxog#eh#hqrxjk# TYPE: Mountable

I
106
about this product without wkh#frpsdq|ġv#fodlp#lw#wdnhv#Ľyh# but there’s also Tremolo Delay, acoustic body-
resonating
making reference to the plqxwhv#wr#Ľw#lv#dfwxdoo|#suhww|# Leslie, Autowah and even effects unit
Yamaha TransAcoustics accurate – providing you watch Overdrive. A software update via
CONTROLS: Effects
we’ve reviewed in the past. their tuition videos beforehand. USB can replace the latter with (also Save and Load),
Because anyone familiar with In brief, slacken your strings, Chorus, which is just as well as Parameters, Amplitude
those will know they also provide place an X-brace unit on the lw#whqgv#wr#vxļhu#wkh#prvw# (FX volume, gain, D.I
sounds via the guitar’s vibrations inside back on the guitar. It stays from feedback. functionality), Power
on/off
without an external amp. Like in place via sticky pads on four It’s a fantastic creative tool to
FEATURES: Eight
the TransAcoustics, the points that also have magnets use at home… or anywhere else
effects (Reverb: Plate,
ToneWoodAmp also has reverb that will hold the amp unit itself – getting sounds for your ideas Room, Hall; Delay,
and, through a software update, in place on the other side of the fast that wouldn’t be possible Tremolo: Tremolo/Delay,
fkruxv wrr1 Exw glļhuhqfhv duh wood. It’s vital to get the zlwkrxw#Ľqglqj#|rxu#jxlwdu#ohdg# Leslie-style Tremolo;
and booting up a computer or an Autowah; Overdrive –
option to replace this

IT’S A FANTASTIC CREATIVE dps#zlwk#hļhfwv1#Dqg#wkh#

sounds here feel organic, even
pleasingly gritty and analogue-
with a chorus effect in a
firmware update). Three
programmable
TOOL TO USE AT HOME esque at times when you play
harder. Though you need to be
parameters per effects
and 10 memory
locations per effect,
vljqlĽfdqw> wklv fdq eh Ľwwhg wr positioning right as there’s careful with the ‘Amplitude’ LED screen, magnetic
the back of any acoustic, and ghĽqlwho|#d#vzhhw#vsrw#zkhq#lw# volume and gain levels to avoid X-brace
uses an output from a piezo or comes to capturing the optimum clipping when digging in. It’s SOCKETS: Guitar
magnetic soundhole pickup, yleudwlrqv1#Wkhq#diwhu#Ľwwlqj# easy to see why players like Mike input, optional output
producing sound waves and three AA batteries in the unit it’s Dawes love this device, and you to amp or PA, iDevice
jack output
altering the signal of the pickups time for the fun to start… can even use the output to gig
POWER: 3 x AA batteries
wr surmhfw hļhfwv edfn#wkurxjk# And it really is fun – three with it too.
offering approx 10
the guitar’s body. There are eight types of lush-sounding reverb Rob Laing hours playing time
rqerdug hļhfwv khuh#wrr/#hdfk# dqg#wkh#ghod|#duh#rxu#Ľuvw#sruwv#
FEATURES OPTIONS: Right and
with editable parameters and of call and the fact that the latter left-handed models
SOUND QUALITY
saveable presets. Impressive has editable speed and feedback, available
SUMMARY

specs, but how well does it as well as its own reverb, means
VALUE FOR MONEY
CONTACT:
actually work? you can really tailor it. We even BUILD QUALITY ToneWoodAmp
We’re using our Sigma vwduwhg#ohduqlqj#wkh#ghod|hg#ulļ# USABILITY tonewoodamp.com
guhdgqrxjkw wr Ľw#wkh# from Tool’s new song Pneuma. OVERALL RATING

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 t h e ga s
station

Fix Your GuiTAr

Setting Up Strat
108
reme
Moder mber
br n style
idges w Strat
it
away w h two posts
d

tremolo ScrewS
these s ith the need f o
ix misu or
screws nders
and red tood
friction uce
at the
same t
ime

Your guide to understanding and setting the

coupling screws that hold your bridge on
Words:JackEllis

I
n this article we’re Why are there six of them?
covering a strange, small Each screw increases the
but crucial part of setting surface area that’s connected
up a ‘vintage’ Strat-style to the wood. This is called
tremolo – you can have coupling – you can set up your
as many goes at it as you like six-screw trem with only the
until you’re happy, but once outer two screws, but you’ll
it’s set properly there’s no suffer a worse coupling.
reason to ever change it. Coupling is responsible for the
transfer of string vibration to
Meet Your expert
What do these screws do? the guitar body and therefore Jack ellis runs Jack’s
Well for a starter they’re the sustain and tonality! Instrument Services
what you need from his workshop in
fastening wood screws for the There’s one true setting for
tremolo. That’s not all though; these screws that allows your
Newtremolo
toinstall
Tremolosprings
6xTremolo
Skill level Manchester. In his career
he has worked on
Easy thousands of instruments,
they also allow the trem plate tremolo to be set floating, flat Tremparts: fasteningscrews
from simple fixes and
to tilt just like a hinge thanks or even blocked – they all need Tremoloclaw Tremoloarm upgrades, to complete
Tremolo claw WaxCandle rebuilds. For more info, see:
to a bevel on the rear of the the same. We’ll show you how screws PH2 Screwdriver www.jacksinstrument
tremolo plate. this mysterious task is done. services.co.uk

ToTal GuiTar october 2019

 t h e ga s
station

1 This new bridge came with a tremolo spring claw to install. This fellow goes into the
back cavity and is held in with two screws. As these screws are quite girthy and are
likely being screwed into hardwood, so let’s give them a fighting chance. Rubbing the
2 Our six-screw vintage-style bridge absolutely needs the corresponding holes in
the guitar body to line up perfectly. We have a match here, but mismatches are
common, and never good. If your bridge is mismatched or wonky then it needs taking
screw threads on wax really helps them in. We’ll need the claw later on. to a pro. Alternatively, you could buy another bridge with a matching hole spacing.

109

3 It worked well last time, so let’s wax the wood screw threads again. This is one of
the six screws that fasten the tremolo to the body; getting a good quality bridge
will also ensure that you get decent screws. We’ve seen some very sketchy, soft
4 Pop all six screws in, but leave the middle four proud. Here’s the technical part:
we’re going to first focus on the outside two screws. If these are tightened all the
way then the tremolo will dump forward and won’t sit flat. On the other hand, leave
screws in our time, which are bad because they can shear off inside the body. them too loose and the front can tip up – it’s a fine balance.

5 Here’s what it looks like when the screws are too loose. This allows the tremolo toe
to be pulled upwards by the springs, causing bad tuning issues, excessive
crunching from the tremolo and irregular sustain as you move the tremolo. Think
6 Here the screws are too tight, which stops the trem resting down properly, even
when you pull the tremolo arm upward. If you force it you will bend parts of the
tremolo. It will sound terrible after this, and again it will be awful for tuning stability. At
about it – when you dip the tremolo arm the contact point on the body will shift. the extreme, the timber may be damaged and lose its flat surface. Very, very not good.

october 2019 ToTal GuiTar

 fix your guitar

7 Balance is restored. This is what you want: a nice even contact at both the toe and
the heel of the tremolo plate. Bear in mind that this also needs to be identical on
both sides of the tremolo, bass and treble. Can you see that we’ve only been tinkering
8 If only we had a little handle so we could easily check our settings… ah! The
tremolo arm. Screw it in all the way down so there’s no clunking between the
thread of the arm and the block, then test that the tremolo has free movement and is
with the outermost two screws? not sticking (or rubbing on anything in the rear cavity!)

110

9 Top tip: without springs or strings in the way we can use the sound of the tremolo
hitting the paint to determine its settings. You should have a nice crisp “thunk”
when the trem reaches the paint, indicating a solid contact. If the screws are too tight
10 With your “thunk” achieved, you can now edge the middle screws down. Keep
testing the sound and feel to make sure you don’t disturb it. Our method is to
bring the screw down to the point where it affects the sound and then slacken it off. If
then it will soften that sound. Experiment and set the outside two screws. in doubt it’s better to unscrew a quarter of a turn. Keep testing until it’s bang on.

11 Pop those springs in, you’ll be thankful that you didn’t crank up the tremolo claw
loads in step one now. Choosing a tension setting for your tremolo is a whole
other article, but it runs in tandem with your string gauge and tuning choice. Setting
12 Here’s the bridge after setup. The saddle’s radius, action and intonation have all
been set up and the tremolo, by the owners choice, has been set flush to the
paintwork. Now that the fastening screws are set you’re free to set the tremolo flat or
these three or so springs allows you to also tilt the tremolo – go nuts! floating as you like. This is set for life now – or until you change the bridge again.

ToTal GuiTar october 2019

 Subscribe to
Total Guitar and get
FREE SOUNDMAGIC
E11C EARPHONES
FREE
GIFT
WORTH
£49.99
112

HURRY!
OFFER ENDS
31/12/19

y KEY FEATURES
Ergonomically shaped housing and a Phone-friendly with an in-line Silver-plated copper cable makes
selection of silicone eartips included for microphone and volume for enhanced signal transmission
complete immersion and privacy control buttons and interference elimination

TOTAL GUITAR OCTOBER 2019

 SUBSCRIBE TO TG!

Print Edition For just £22.50 every 6 months

Save 37% – Every issue delivered to your door with a Guitar Skills CD
Print & Digital Bundle For just £25 every 6 months
Save 59% – upgrade to include digital for just an extra £2.50

113

ORDERING IS EASY. GO ONLINE AT

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/magic19
OR CALL 0344 848 2852 and QUOTE Magic19
*TERMS AND CONDITIONS: *Gift is only available for new UK subscribers. Please allow up to 60 days for the delivery of your gift. Gift is subject to availability. In the event of stocks being exhausted we reserve the right to
replace with items of similar value. Prices and savings are compared to buying full priced print and digital issues. You will receive 13 issues in a year. You can write to us or call us to cancel your subscription within 14 days of
purchase. Payment is non-refundable after the 14 day cancellation period unless exceptional circumstances apply. Prices correct at point of print and subject to change. UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed
line numbers (starting 01 or 02) or are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). For full terms and conditions please visit: bit.ly/magtandc. Offer ends 31/09/2019

OCTOBER 2019 TOTAL GUITAR

 THE PLAYLIST

royalties to buy more razors so I can shave

The Playlist
p|#ohjv1#Wkdw#zd|#L#zrqġw#qhhg#wr#vshqg#dv#
pxfk#rq#Ľvkqhwv#dqg#jduwhuv#zkloh#Lġp#rxw#
sduw|lqj1#L#uhdoo|#eodvw#wkurxjk#wkrvh#wklqjv#
dqg#hqg#xs#zlwk#txlwh#wkh#eloo1Ĥ

The song I tried to learn that I just

The Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society six-stringer couldn’t nail...
Letters Of Marque - Allan Holdsworth
Zakk Wylde reveals the soundtrack to his journey… ģKhġv#qxpehu#rqh#iru#Ġlpsrvvleohġ#vwxļ1#
Doodqġv#vrorv#zhuh#lq#d#odqjxdjh#doo#ri#wkhlu#
rzq1#Hyhq#zkhq#|rx#duh#zdwfklqj#d#ylghr#ri#
he first song I remember…

T
klp#grlqj#lw/#zkdw#|rx#khdu#uhpdlqv#
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - xqeholhydeoh#dqg#plqg0erjjolqj1#Lw#grhvqġw#
Elton John hyhq#pdwwhu#zklfk#vrqj#|rx#slfn/#wkh|ġuh#doo#
“I saw him on The Sonny And Cher frpsohwho|#dolhq#wr#wkh#uhvw#ri#xv#jxlwdu#
Show, probably around 1975. This sod|huv/#exw#L#jxhvv#wkh#Ľuvw#doexp#L#kdg#zdv#
zdv#wkh#Ľuvw#wklqj#wr#pdnh#ph#uhdolvh#wkh# I.O.U.#vr#lw#zrxogġyh#ehhq#vrqjv#olnh#Letters Of
power of music. Early Elton was a lethal Marque#wkdw#whuulĽhg#ph$Ĥ
frpelqdwlrq#ri#hyhu|wklqj#Ğ#wkh#
vrqjzulwlqj/#wkh#pxvlfldqv#lqyroyhg#dqg# The song that
then the production of it all. Even today, it reminds me of
vwloo#vrxqgv#dpd}lqj1#Lw#doo#vwduwhg#iurp# home...
there for me, afterwards came all the Never Say Die
Vdeedwk#dqg#khdylhu#vwxļ/#zklfk#lv# - Black Sabbath
zkhq#L#vwduwhg#wdnlqj#ohvvrqvĩĤ “For some reason,
wklv#lv#wkh#vrqj#wkdw#
The first song I learned to dozd|v#wdnhv#ph#edfn#wr#
play… New Jersey. The later Ozzy-era
114 Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix doexpv#olnh#Never Say Die! and
“It was probably Technical Ecstasy#duh#wkhlu#gdun0kruvh#
vrphwklqj#uhdoo|#edvlf#rq# uhfrugv1#Wkh|#pljkw#eh#xqghuudwhg#lq#
rqh#vwulqj#wr#ehjlq#zlwk1# zd|v/#exw#L#vwloo#oryh#wkhp1Ĥ
Zkhq#L#vwduwhg#wdnlqj#
jxlwdu#ohvvrqv#wkh#Ľuvw# The greatest example of how
vrqjv#L#ohduqhg#zhuh#Hey powerful a guitar solo can be…
Joe and after that Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Tangerine by Led “With Ozzy, I play solos that Tony
Zeppelin. Every Lrppl/#Mdnh#H1#Ohh#ru#Udqg|#Ukrdgv#
pxvlfldq#jrhv#rq#d# wrote. I play them as written, because
journey, we all have wkh|#pdnh#d#
this point after our statement within
formative years where all wkh#vrqj1#Wkh#vror#
wkh#pdjlf#vwduwv#kdsshqlqj1# in Stairway is as
Guitar techniques are a bit much a part of the
olnh#vrffhu#ru#dq|#vsruw1#\rx# vrqj#dv#wkh#pdlq#
ohduq#krz#wr#nlfn#d#edoo/#wkhq# melody and lyrics.
krz#wr#pdnh#fxuyh#dqg#doo#wkh# Lwġv#olnh#wkdw#iru#doo#
rwkhu#wulfnv1#Zh#doo#vwduw#iurp#wkh# juhdw#vrorvĩ#
vdph#srlqw1#Wkh#rqo|#wklqj#wkdw# Hotel California is
pdwwhuv#lv#sxwwlqj#lq#wkh#zrun$Ĥ wkh#vdph1Ĥ

The riff I wish I had written… The last song I listened to…
Smoke On The Water - Mint Condition - Caroline Spence
Deep Purple ģWkhuhġv#d#phoorz#vlqjhu2vrqjzulwhu#fdoohg#
ģWkhuh#duh#vr#pdq|#vrqjv# Fdurolqh#Vshqfh#zkr#L#olnh#d#orw1#L#mxvw#
zlwk#phprudeoh#ulļv# olvwhqhg#wr#wkh#wlwoh#wudfn#ri#khu#odvw#uhfrug1#
Photo: Eleanor Jane Parsons / Future

that you wish you could Lwġv#qrw#vr#pxfk#derxw#wkh#jxlwdu1#Wkh#

have written for the surgxfwlrqġv#vsduvh#durxqg#khu#nloohu#yrlfh1Ĥ
sxeolvklqj#dorqh#kd#kd$#L#
jxhvv#Smoke On The Water is Ozzy Osbourne tours the UK in February
wkh#rqh#xqlyhuvdo#ulļ#wkdw#zh# 2020 and Black Label Society’s Grimmest
all#nqrz1#L#zrxog#xvh#wkh# Hits is out now via Entertainment One

TOTAL GUITAR October 2019