Ibanez RG Kaoss gibson Les paul studio 2015
t s e b e Th gear new
play better now! #262 january 2015
rock Ov e r
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Pink Flo David Gilyd
wo r ko u t
m gear & tech our's niques
lessons io including tab & aud
Learn The Essential Techniques Of
the rhythm masters!
Faster down-picking Tighter Palm muting Expand your chord progressions Syncopated picking Co-ordinate your picking & fret hands
Plus! Motionless In White Rise Against Rig Tour Foo Fighters ‘The feast & the famine’ (video riff) january 2015
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editor’s letter
Future Publishing Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA Tel: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822763 Email: totalguitar@futurenet.com Website: www.totalguitar.co.uk Editorial Editor Stuart Williams Content Editor Rob Laing Reviews Editor Dave Burrluck Deputy Reviews Editor Michael Brown Managing Editor Josh Gardner Production Editor Gary Walker Art Editor Leanne O’Hara Senior Music Editor Jason Sidwell Music Editor Chris Bird Music Co-ordinator Natalie Smith Editor At Large Neville Marten Contributors Steve Allsworth, Phil Capone, Darran Charles, Trevor Curwen, Rich Chamberlain, Stephen Daultrey, Charlie Griffiths, Nick Guppy, Jonathan Horsley, Steve Lawson, Andy McGregor, Matthew Parker, Adam Rees, Mick Taylor, Niko Tsonev, James Uings, Chris Vinnicombe Music Engraver Simon Troup Audio Mastering Duncan Jordan Video Production Martin Holmes Photography Joe Branston, Adam Gasson, Neil Godwin, Kevin Nixon, Gavin Roberts, Joby Sessions, Jesse Wild, Will Ireland Advertising Phone: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 732285 For advertising queries, please contact Alison Watson alison.watson@futurenet.com Marketing Group Marketing Manager Laura Driffield Marketing Manager Kristianne Stanton Production & Distribution Production Controller Frances Twentyman Production Manager Mark Constance Printed in the UK by: William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf of Future Distributed by:Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT, Tel: 0207 429 4000 Overseas distribution by:Seymour International Circulation Trade Marketing Manager Michelle Brock 0207 429 3683 Subscriptions UK reader order line & enquiries: 0844 848 2852 Overseas reader order line & enquiries: +44 (0)1604 251045 Online enquiries: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Email: totalguitar@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Licensing International Licensing Director Regina Erak, regina.erak@futurenet.com Tel: +44 (0)1225 442244 Fax: +44 (0)1225 732275 Management Content & Marketing Director Nial Ferguson Head of Content & Marketing, Film, Music & Games Declan Gough Group Editor-In-Chief Daniel Griffiths Group Art Director Graham Dalzell Next issue on sale 19 January 2015 Printed in the UK by William Gibbons on behalf of Future. Distributed in the UK by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT. Tel: 0207 429 4000 The ABC combined print and digital circulation for Jan-Dec 2013 is: A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations
Welcome… A quick question. Do you consider yourself a rhythm or lead guitarist? If your answer is the latter, think about the sort of parts you spend most of the time playing for the majority of songs… we’re guessing it leans strongly toward the rhythm side of things. Ask any session player why they get hired, and they’ll tell you that the majority of the time it’s to lay down a solid foundation with a rhythm track. The truth is, we’re all guitarists, most likely incorporating bits of rhythm and lead into our playing, but simply knowing open and barre chords does not a rhythm ace make. That’s where this issue of your favourite guitar mag is gonna help. It’s easy to overlook the foundation of our playing – whether that be chord vocabulary, timing or stamina – but these are all key to becoming a rocksolid rhythm player, regardless of what style of music you happen to be playing. So this month, we’ve put together a list of skills that can be developed at any ability level, for any of the rock subgenres from singer-songwriters to metal monsters. We hope you enjoy it, and we’ll see you next month for TG’s 20th anniversary celebration, where we’ll be bringing you 20 guitar lessons to change the way you play!
19,262 Print: 16,744 Digital: 2,488
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 consumers online, on tablet & smartphone and in print. Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR). www.futureplc.com
Chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick Non-executive chairman Peter Allen Chief financial officer Richard Haley Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)
All contents copyright © 2014 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. 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 or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
This month’s disc is a CD-ROM. Insert it into your computer and use Explorer (Windows PC) or Finder (Mac OSX) to navigate the folders to your mp3s.
Stuart Williams, Editor
making this month’s mag: Chris Bird This month Chris and contributor Steve Allsworth put their heads together to conceive TG’s mahoosive 19-page Rock Rhythm Workout (p46). Elsewhere, Chris has been honing his David Gilmour style chops (also courtesy of Steve) and trying Ola Englund’s pre-gig warm-up.
Michael Brown It’s been a busy month for our resident gear mogul: first, he touched base with the Ibanez RGKP6 and its Kaoss Pad effects wizardry (check out the review and demo on p82 to see how he fared), then donned his intensive testing hat and plugged in a trio of Squiers, and four Yerasov pedals.
Rob Laing Rob combined two of his favourite things this month: Grant Nicholas and casual chat about acoustic pickups, interviewing the Feeder man on hs recent acoustic solo tour. Check out his interview on p70. He’s off to drink the Killer Queen vodka and Bloodbath wine he blagged. Cheers! january 2015
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contents monitor First Look Fender California Series ������������������������������� 006 On The Road Amaranthe ������������������������������������������������� 008
Scale Of The Month Mixolydian mode ���������������������� Guitar Shop Ammo Surf-rock ��������������������������������������� In Praise Of Music Man Axis ����������������������������������������� Splurge, Save, Steal Eight strings ������������������������������� WTF? / Bring The Noise �������������������������������������������������� Sound Advice Ducking Delays ��������������������������������������� In The Loop Prog metal ����������������������������������������������������� In The Studio While She Sleeps ������������������������������������� On The Up Brett Dennen, Radio Alcatraz, Pale Seas ��� Albums 2014’s best guitar releases ����������������������������� Five Minutes Alone Max Cavalera ������������������������������ Rig Tour Rise Against �������������������������������������������������������� Win! Supro S6420 Thunderbolt �������������������������������������
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Features
rock rhythm workout up your picking speed, hone your technique and learn new chord sequences in our in-depth guide to rhythm playing
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steal their style david gilmour
january 2015
044
Angels & Airwaves An unlikely collaboration ���������� 044 Cover feature: Rock Rhythm Workout ������������ 046
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Angels & airwaves
Motionless In White Metalcore upstarts ������������������ 066 Grant Nicholas Feeder man goes acoustic ���������������� 070 Steal Their Style David Gilmour ����������������������������������� 076
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in praIse of…
Cover: Joby Sessions Disc: Joby Sessions Contents: Bob Leafe/Frank White Photo Agency Jesse Wild Joby Sessions GrigorievAlexander
Riff Of The Month Foo Fighters – The Feast And The Famine �������������������������������������������������������������������������������
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round-up Squier
Gear Ibanez RGKP6 ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 25 ����������������������������������������������
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Round-up Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster ’50s,
Classic Vibe Stratocaster ’60s & Vintage Modified ’72 Tele Thinline ��������������������������������������������������
Caparison C2 ANG-QE �������������������������������������������������������
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Gibson Les Paul Studio 2015 ���������������������������������������������
Round-up Yerasov pedals ������������������������������������������������ Strymon Deco ������������������������������������������������������������������������
Quick tests TC Electronic T2 Reverb, Finhol Auto Stomp Player & Kickbox Mark III �������������������������� Accessories ���������������������������������������������������������������������������
086 090 091 092 095 096 097
techniques 092
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Guitar Workout Scale position shifts ��������������������������� Guest Lesson Ola Englund ���������������������������������������������� Get Your Grades Rockschool ������������������������������������������ Get Your Grades RGT �������������������������������������������������������
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Subscribe now & Save! Subscribe to Total Guitar on p108 and get a Blackstar Fly 3 amp!
january 2015
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first look…
Colourfornia Fender introduces new models to its brightly finished California Series
F
or anyone tired of plain old sprucetopped acoustics, we suggest you turn to Fender’s California Series, which now adds the FSR Malibu CE Mustang to its existing range of models, such as the Sonoran SCE – as you can see, neither guitar conforms to the notion of ‘traditional’ in the looks department. The FSR Malibu CE Mustang acoustic celebrates 50 years of the Mustang electric, and comes in Candy Apple Red, Olympic White and Sonic Blue (as pictured), all with an iconic racing stripe. It boasts impressive specs, too, including a laminated spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, Graph Tech Nubone nut and saddle, and Fishman Isys III preamp. Meanwhile, the Sonoran now comes in a whopping seven finishes, including the Candy Apple Red we have here, all with matching headstocks. You also get a solid spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides, as well as a vintage-style Fender Viking bridge and Fishman Isys III preamp. The FSR Malibu CE Mustang and Sonoran SCE are available now for £365 and £310 respectively, making them a lot cheaper than actually going to California…
The racing stripe is a nod to the Mustang electric
Photography: Dave Caudery
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“Neither guitar conforms to the notion of ‘traditional’ in the looks department”
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on the road…
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© Grigoriev Alexander
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“youhavetobe constantlytouring. TheuKisimportant becausethereareso manybands” january 2015
on the road
Amaranthe
SwedishmetallershonethestageshowforbiggestUKtouryet
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ince 2011, Swedish mash-up metallers Amaranthe have gone about their business the old-fashioned way, touring relentlessly, gaining new ground across Europe, the US and Japan inch by inch. On the back of their recently-released third record, Massive Addictive, the band – featuring a trio of vocalists in Jake E, Elize Ryd and newest recruit Henrik Englund – are able to see the fruits of their labours as they head out on their biggest UK tour yet, a six-date jaunt, with a show at Islington Academy up first on 17 March 2015. Looking ahead to the band’s UK return, guitarist Olof Mörck is acutely aware of how vital being seen over here is. “It’s super important to be seen in every territory,” he says. “Albums aren’t as big of a deal as they used to be, so you have to be constantly touring. This is what we live for. The UK is extra important because there are so many bands competing for attention.” Since the band’s last stop on these shores they have, by Olof’s reckoning, played 100 shows or more, with each seeing a tiny evolution in the Amaranthe live experience. “With every show, you develop a slight percentage,” he explains. “When you bring in new songs they give you a different energy as well. On our last tour, we would open up with a new song and that sets a new standard and a new energy for the show. We’ll have a new stage set-up, new setlist, we’ll play older songs
we haven’t played before. Anyone that saw us before and thought they got the complete Amaranthe experience so they don’t need to see us again should think again and come and see us.” The success of Massive Addiction means fans can expect to hear more than a smattering of new cuts, and Olof admits that the record is a blast for him to play through, whether it be the straight-up simplicity of Drop Dead Cynical or the complex riffing of Trinity. “I love the technical, musically satisfying songs and the simple ones with a big sound,” he adds. “With simple songs you can concentrate on your stage moves and running around the place, because that’s important as well. Having a big show can be the Rammstein thing with big-ass pyro; we’re not there yet, but we are improving our stage set-up all the time.” Olof signs off by promising that the UK shows will be a gear fest as he fills venues with his Engl Powerball rig. “Sound-wise, profilers come close, but I’m old-school,” he laughs. “When you’re at a festival with 16 cabinets behind you, when you strike a chord you feel the wind in your hair from the amps, that is a whole different feeling. It adds five or 10 per cent when you have real tubes reacting in an amplifier.”
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JACK SOCKETS BRIDGES SADDLES TRUSS RODS FERRULES JACK PLATES WASHERS KNOBS MACHINE HEADS TOPNUTS POTENTIOMETERS CAPACITORS PICKUP SURROUNDS STRING TREES STRAP PINS SWITCHES TREMOLO ARMS WIRING KITS TRUSS RODS SCREWS SPRINGS FRET WIRE TREMOLOS
For more information on Amaranthe’s UK tour, which begins on 17 March, visit www.amaranthe.se.
ONLY SOLID £7.50* METAL CAPO
*Price subject to availability
USE DISCOUNT CODE: TG10 limited time only
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THE ULTIMATE LINE UP
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riff of the month
video lesson w w w.bit.l
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his month’s riff is a great example of how moveable chord shapes and open strings can be used to create a strong, melodic sequence. This song is in standard tuning, so tune to EADGBE to play along. Dave Grohl opens the song with this unsettling guitar motif, which includes jarring open-string notes as he moves the phrase across the fretboard. It is important to let each note ring out clearly, so keep your fret-hand thumb near the middle of the neck, rather than sitting over the top. This makes it easier to use your fingertips to hold down fretted notes and will keep the side of your fingers from muting the treble strings. The notes jump across the strings fairly quickly, so use alternate picking to get the sequence up to speed. The fretboard position changes constantly, so try to look ahead to each next set of frets just before you make the transitions.
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5 6 5 6 4 is Dave’s4 guitar tone 3 3 7 7 7 bright, trebly and crunchy. 2 2 8 8 8 To this, need 9 1 1 9 achieve 9 you’ll 0 0 10 10 10 to use your bridge pickup 4 5 6 6 and max out the volume 3 7 7 and tone controls on your 8 2 8 guitar. Set enough gain on 1 9 9 10 your amp to achieve0a 10 4 5 6 6 gritty rock sound, but don’t7 3 7 use lose 8 2 8 too much or you’ll 9 the distinction and 1clarity 9 0 10 10 of the higher notes. We5 4 recommend using a3 fairly6 7 thick pick, as this will give 8 2 9 you greater control1 and 0 10 help you to achieve a 5 4 6 consistent volume 3as you 7 2 8 play across the strings. 6
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All our Video Lessons are online at totalguitar.co.uk/ 3 7 2 into 8 video. To go to this lesson, type www.bit.ly/tg262rotm 1 9 your browser. 0 10 3
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If you’ve ever fancied the idea of TG’s photography on your bedroom wall, you’re in luck. Big prints of shots from TG and our sister mag Guitarist are now available from Photos.com – head to www.photos. com/guitars to take a look. If you buy before 31 March 2015, you can use the promo code GUITAR20 for 20 per cent off, too!
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The PRS SE series is set to be expanded by the new SE Standard range, with price tags as low as £399. The guitars feature all-mahogany construction and PRS-designed pickups, plus a PRS SE gigbag, and come in Standard 24, Standard 22, Singlecut Standard and Tremonti Standard forms, with Santana models arriving in early 2015. Check the PRS website at www.prsguitars.com for more.
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Plug In Baby Manson Guitar Works and Cort announce MBC-1 Matt Bellamy model we’re big fans of Manson’s Matt Bellamy models, but most of us couldn’t afford one, until now: Manson Guitar Works and Cort’s new signature guitar for the Muse frontman, the Cort MBC-1, costs £499, with two Manson-designed pickups and a killswitch. See next issue for the exclusive first review.
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OF THE MONTH
Mixolydian mode
in association with
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ixolydian is the fifth mode of A perfect choice for rock and blues, the File Date: 20:48 18/11/2014 the major scale, and the two scales share many intervals. 1 basis Mixolydian mode canPage form1 of the The first six intervals are identical, but Notes: for riffs, melodies and chord parts the seventh note is flat (giving the scale
Foo Figh ting This riff, based in the lower octave of the scale, shows that you don’t have to use long scale runs to give a Mixolydian sound. Instead, we’re playing arpeggios of A5, Gsus2/A, A6 and G/B chords. Think of it in simpler terms as an ‘A, G, A, G’ progression.
Atk ins Diet Here, we’re using the A Mixolydian mode in a Chet Atkins-style country groove. The shape can be hard to spot thanks to the use of partial two- and three-note chords, but we assure you all the notes come from the scale, so we’re in pure Mixolydian territory.
Guitars and backing: Charlie Griffiths
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In typical Brian May style, we’ve used a harmoniser set to generate ‘diatonic’ 6th intervals (ie, the harmoniser always plays 6ths from a set key signature) above the line we played. A Mixolydian uses the notes of E major, so set your harmoniser to this key.
january 2015
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