Here is a backing track to jam with in the key of E minor. This is a great practice tool. The pentatonic scale works great, also the blues scale will sound good. As always experiment and sharpen your licks. The track is inspired by Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats. Read more…
Here is a jam track I just put together in the style of Funk R&B. This song is great to help refine your funky guitar leads. It works great with the D minor pentatonic but definitely experiment. The main section is a I IV vamp. The second progression slides up Read more…
Hi guys I just got the Boss GT-100 and am really happy with it so far. The effects are definitely greatly improved over the much loved Boss GT-10. I did a quick video showing some of my ambient type tones I was getting. Hope you enjoy. I am using the Read more…
I recently got stirred up tolisten to some Skankin Pickle. Sadly I dont have my old cassette tape anymore, it must have gotten lost in one of my many moves since 97. But thankfully I was able to easily find the exact track I was looking for “Gas in my Read more…
‘http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXiGb_0hwUc&list=UUH_7mgsZYHenFh0U17isHpQ&index=10&feature=plcp’] “Using our new voicings and adding suspended movement” In the previous lesson we talked about the D hand fingering of the 2nd inversion. I also spent some time on it in the video above. Now lets talk a little about suspending these new voicings. The D suspended chord is Read more…
Inversions and alternate chord voicings Some chord construction, and an understanding of triads is recommended to get the most out of this teaching. ‘http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXiGb_0hwUc’] Technical terminology There is a technical way to identify inversions. Knowing these phrases will not only make you smarter, but it will increase your musical vocabulary, Read more…
Chord voicings you MUST know! Fill your tool bag! ‘http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKHlbT1zMmg’] I use these chords constantly with my praise and worship team. They also work great for Post Rock stuff and even Shoegaze styles. The idea here is it gives your guitar a different range to go to other than the Read more…
Student Spotlight for July Phil Critchfield Our student spotlight this month is Phil Critchfield. He is progressing at an excellent speed and is developing his own style. This is an original composition written and performed by Phil Critchfield. I think he is really applying the concepts we have been talking Read more…
How much should I practice? How should I practice? Can I practice too much? These are very common and pertinent questions I am often asked by students. I want to direct you to this excellent article HERE by Dr. Noa Kageyama. Click here
Inversions When I was a teenager everything I played was either power chord driven, clunking along, or some super flashy shred guitar meant to melt your face off. But now that I am advancing in years and my musical taste is evolving I have ventured in quite a few styles Read more…
Menatone King of the Britons (KOTB) clone built using a pcb from GuitarPCB.com and can be found here. This is a clone, not built by Menatone, it is the 6 knob version of the KOTB. Its got a master, gain, level, high, mids, and bass knobs for maximum tweak ability Read more…
“In the Pocket” What? This mystical term “Playing in the Pocket” may sound like nonsense to the uninitiated or untrained, but to any serious bass player or drummer it is absolute necessity. “In the pocket” is where a solid rhythm section lives. Lets discuss exactly what this phrase means. Some Read more…
the Wampler Cranked AC vst (FREE) Here is a free VST plugin of the Wampler Cranked AC Drive pedal. Looking for dimed Vox AC-30 in a can look no further. This pedal was outstanding but is no longer made any more. The Free VST however is still available and is Read more…
Attached is an audio file where I test two different VST plugins of different amp models. One is a freeware favorite, the Wagner Sharp tube guitar preamp from 07 and the other a Recently released, 2011, designer amp model plugin from Amplitube 3, the highly esteemed Soldano SLO100. The Wagner Read more…