Riff Journal | Autumn 2017 | Issue 12 by Riff Journal

alternate (Tunings) Universe

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS 5 A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER Is the guitar weepin’ or wailin’?

6 RIFF RAFF WITH SHANE THERIOT:

EPISODE 03 WITH JON HERINGTON

Shane and Jon talk about Steely Dan, filling shoes and Black Friday

STRIKING MATCHES

10 OZ NOY: THE WIZARDRY OF OZ

Guitarists and songwriter duo Sarah Zimmermann and Justin Davis on stage at Guitar Town

Oz shares the goods with Riff’s Brad Wendkos and Brad shares why he thinks Oz is blazing new frontiers

18 CONTROLLING YOUR G.A.S.

Rob Garland helps us put our gear acquisition needs in perspective

24 LESSON: STEPPING UP YOUR GUITAR

ARTISTRY

Joe Dalton helps us think deeper and further about playing guitar with video examples

CONTROLLING YOUR G.A.S.

28 LESSON: THINK INSIDE THE BOX-SUPER

JON HERINGTON

If you suffer from this guitarist malaise, help may be on the way

Shane Theriot sits with Jon and makes music (to our ears)

EASY PENTATONIC SHAPES WITH COOL EFFECTS FOR BASS Cool bass exercises with Ariane Cap to springboard your creativity

32 LESSON: THE WIZARD OF ODD

Scott Allen shows us how to play with time for cool and odd results

38 LESSON: PLAYING THE BLUES WITH THE

DOMINANT 6/7 ARPEGGIO

ARIANE CAP

Student favorite educator makes the box beat

Dig deep on your soloing with Maurice Arenas’ approach

CIAO RHYTHM 28

Massimo Varini share his acoustic rhythm approach

42 LESSON: CHORD TONES FOR MELODIC

SOLOING

Looking for roots with Robert Renman AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OZ NOY: THE WIZARDRY OF OZ

“Best guitar riff on a record”, “Best new talent”, and “Best out there guitar player”

LESSON: ACOUSTIC GUITAR FROM PAUL MCCARTNEY TO JOHN MAYER

GUITAR TOWN IS YOUR TOWN TOO

STUDIOWIRE: A MEANS TO AN END (PART IV)

Massimo Varini gives us video approaches to inspire our acoustic rhythm chops

The free and fabulous festival for guitar aficionados and music lovers

TrueFire’s Tommy Jamin reflects on our production evolution and what the new challenges are in the next phase of construction.

FOLK ALLIANCE FESTIVAL + CAMP

TRUEFIRE STUDIO UPDATE

Your StudioWire on TrueFire’s new studio construction with Tommy Jamin

Learn about the Louis Jay Meyers Music Camp for world class folk inspiration

RIFF JOURNAL ARTIST DIRECTORY

Full listing and interactive links from the featured artists and educators

RIFFAGE: FEATURED ALBUM COMPILATION

Get your FREE download of featured music from Riff artists

CLOSING SNAPSHOTS

Photos from backstage, behind-the-scenes and on the road

FOLK DAY CAMPING

The Folk Alliance’s festival and learning camp is smokin’

84 RIFF 3

CONTRIBUTORS “Love is friendship set to music.” - Jackson Pollock

Meet the Riff Band. We can’t wait to present our edition to you and share our passion with readers each quarter. In the meantime, shout out to us anytime online with feedback, questions and tasty tidbits.

RIFF BAND

riffjournal@truefire.com

@riffjournal

ALISON HASBACH Editor-in-Chief

Ali (a.k.a. prioress of the ‘Fire) is a founding partner and chief shooting & branding officer who likewise holds a M.B.A. (master of brewing administration) in Coffee Imbibement. She is fanatical about all things artistic (especially TrueFire Artists).

BRAD WENDKOS Publisher

Born in a cross-fire hurricane to itinerant Appalachian mountain people and then sold for a barrel of gunpowder to a wandering clan of Eastern European gypsies, Brad (thankfully) found his way home at TrueFire.

TOMMY JAMIN

Studio Department Editor

Tommy Jamin is a graduate of the Recording Arts program at Full Sail University and has been crafting top-quality video and audio content as a professional digital media producer over the last 14 years. In addition to being Director of Production at TrueFire, he’s also a singer-songwriter, production gear & tech enthusiast and family man.

AMBER NICOLINI Creative Director

Amber is an easy going pixel crafter with a flair for all things typographical and music related. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design & Digital Media from the University of North Florida and has cozied into her niche as Creative Director here at TrueFire. AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

facebook.com/riffjournal

JEFF SCHEETZ

Educational Department Editor

Jeff is the Director of Education at TrueFire, has released 8 music CDs, and 6 video instruction courses. He’s been a teacher for over 30 years and brings his own method and style to students from around the world. He has written guitar columns for many magazines and conducted workshops and clinics throughout the US, Europe and Mexico.

ZACH WENDKOS

Technology Department Editor

Zach holds a real M.B.A. and scavenges the planet for the latest and greatest in online marketing and technology applications. He leads the charge in honing the student online experience at TrueFire and dreaming up the new and cool.

KYLER THOMANN Music Editor

With Creative Utility Knife skills, Kyler bridges web and print, video, and digital images and has a passion for live events and all things musical. With his finger on the pulse of the live music scene, Kyler brings a keen editorial spirit to the magazine..

A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHER ZAKK WY L D E PLAY IN G HIS GUITAR TO D EATH - IN COLORAD O || PHOTO BY AL ISON HASBAC H

GUITAR IS DEAD?

he Washington Post recently published, “Why My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Slow, Secret Death of the Six-String Electric. And Why You Should Care.” Very provocative article for anyone who makes, sells, teaches, or plays guitar. I’m not sure anyone else would really care. You’ve probably read the article yourself, have formulated your own opinion, and have read or listened to the many varied opinions of others. There are thousands of posts, videos, comments and the like responding to that particular article, most of which make very good points. After reading the article myself, I wondered why the Washington Post hadn’t called us, or any of the other guitar education companies, as they were researching the article. We would have reported a contrasting view to those of the makers and sellers that they did interview. Guitar sales may be down, but more people than ever before are seeking and taking guitar lessons. Where are they getting their guitars? The vast majority are used instruments from their own closets, pass-alongs from their parents or friends, pawn shops, flea markets, eBay, Reverb, Craigslist and countless other means that don’t appear on the industry sales radar screens. Let’s face it — there’s a glut of instruments out there. The article reported declining sales, but I’d love to know how many new guitars have been force-fed into the market, over the last decade or so, by the hundreds of makers that exist today. Supply clearly exceeds demand, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that demand is declining. I’m happy to report that guitar is very much alive and well here at the ‘Fire and so no need to send cards and condolences — buy a guitar instead (or play the one you have). This Riff’s for you!

Brad Wendkos || Head Smoke Jumper

RIFF 5

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

RIFF

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12 P H OTO S BY A L IS ON HAS BAC H

THE RIFF-RAFF J O N

H E R I N G T O N

NYC S NAP S HOT PROV I DED BY S HANE T HERI OT

E P I S O D E

N º

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EPISODE NO 4: JON HERINGTON My guest today is Mr. Jon Herington. Currently the guitarist for Steely Dan, Jon has long been one of NYC’s top tier musicians and first call cats. His resume boasts many credits, (including Boz Scaggs, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Bette Midler, Madeleine Peyroux and many others,) but the mainstay of his workload is the coveted guitar chair with Steely Dan, a gig he has held since 1999. As you’ll hear, Jon and I have been friends for a while and it was great to catch up and have some laughs. You may say “wow if someone had to go in and sub for Jon those would be some huge shoes to fill” and yes you would be correct ‘cause I’ve had to do it! - not just once, but twice. Jon was gracious enough back in 2007 or 2008 (can’t remember) to recommend me for the Boz Scaggs gig while he was out with Steely Dan and then also to Madeleine Peyroux. I kept both those chairs “warm” for a quite a few years while he moved in and out of Steely Dan tours which resulted quite a bit of work for me for 3-4 years.

Episode No 3: Jon Herrington

In this little hang I ask Jon about his early years, Jack McDuff, what his first break was in NYC, his first solo record - The Complete Rhyming Dictionary, (now retitled “Pulse and Cadence”, Broadway gigs, how he landed the gig with Steely Dan, what it’s like to play with those guys and much more. He also shows me his approach to soloing over the quick chord changes to the classic tune “Black Friday” and we jam on the tune. We also talk about his current Jon Herington Band and his new transcription of chord melodies. Lot’s of nuggets of career advice in this one for you younger musicians! Recorded SoHo NYC, Aug 2017

RIFF

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

Oz Noy

Written By

Brad Wendkos

RIFF

“It happens every blue moon or so. One moment you think you know what’s happening on the scene, and then everything changes in a New York minute. It might happen for you one night, in some random club, in some random city. Or you might stumble into it as you’re streaming tunes. More than likely, someone hips you to it, which is what I hope to do in the following paragraphs if you haven’t yet tuned into the wizardry of Oz Noy..” n silicon valley speak they call it a “paradigm shift,” defined as “an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.” I’m not sure what it’s called in the world of music, but I’ve frequently heard the phrase, “WTF” used when one sees or hears a guitarist that takes the instrument way beyond the current state of the art. I certainly used that phrase when I first heard Oz. And in my opinion, he belongs on the short list of legendary players who have also blazed new frontiers on the instrument, across the history of music. I am not alone as you will discover when you google Oz up, visit his site, and read what his peers have to say about him. I could tell you his story but; a) you’ll find that elsewhere as you peek behind the wizard’s curtain, and; b) I’d rather take advantage of Riff’s interactive format to share a few of my favorite Oz videos and give you a taste of his wizardry.

He’s performed, toured and recorded with The Allman Brothers,

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P H OTO S BY A L ISO N H AS BAAC H

I will tell you this though…ask Oz how he would describe his sound and he would tell you, “It’s Jazz. It just doesn’t sound like it.” Gotta love that and many top recording artists, across a wide variety of genres, do indeed love what Oz brings to table.

RIFF

Allen Toussaint, Eric Johnson, Mike Stern, John Abercrombie, Gavin DeGraw, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper, Clay Aiken, Wonder Girls, Toni Braxton, Phoebe Snow, Nile Rogers, Dave Weckl, John Patitucci, Bill Evans, Warren Hayes, Steve Lukather, Jennifer Hudson, Don Henley, Patti Austin, Take 6, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Phil Ramone, Paul Shaffer, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Sting, Steve Perry, Allison Krauss, Foreigner, Patty Smyth, Average White Band, Christopher Cross, and the list goes on and open and on. Talk about a pedigree! Oz is amazing to work with. Super humble and laid back, yet very confident and direct. Knows precisely what he wants to do and is very well prepared, yet open to suggestions and collaboration. Most of all though, I just really enjoyed his company and we connected right away. Follow your ears down that yellow brick road.

As usual, we asked Oz to answer our Proust-like questionnaire so that Riff readers could learn a little bit more about him. That’s Oz playing jazz that you’re hearing — it just doesn’t sound like it. Dig in!

What is it about the guitar that attracted you to it originally, and still fascinates you today? I don’t really know why I started to play guitar, I wanted to be a drummer, but a friend of mine took me for a guitar lesson and that was it…I think the Beatles was a big reason why I’m playing guitar…I also really love the tone of an electric guitar, a good tone of a Fender strat can get me emotional! I’m still as fascinated by the guitar as I was when I started 35 years ago. Once that ends (which I hope will never happen!), I will stop playing and become a gardener or something like that.

Your idea of happiness? Health, love, good food, and good music.

Whether living or dead, who would you like to have dinner with? Hendrix, SRV, Miles, Wes, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, and Katy Perry.

Name three things a player can do to improve their musicianship. Practice with a metronome, learn jazz theory, play with better musicians then yourself.

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OZ NOY VIDEO SELECTIONS OK friends, both volumes of Oz’s Twisted Blues albums and the below e playlist should get you started on your own yellow brick road discovery of the wizardry of Oz Noy!

GET DOWN

STERIODS PERFORMANCE

Oz with Keith Carlock (my personal drum hero!), Will Lee and John Medeski in the studio for Twisted Blues Vol 2…

The first video is one of the performance studies from his first TrueFire course, Improv Wizard. Here’s Steroids…

OZ AND KEITH KARLOCK

SCHIZOPHRENIC

FEAT. KEITH CARLOCK & JOHN MEDESKI

REGATTABAR IN BOSTON

Oz with Keith Carlock and Oteil Burbridge at the Regattabar in Boston…

JUST GROOVE ME WITH DAVE WECKL AND MICHAEL RHODES

Oz with Dave Weckl and Michael Rhodes performing “Just Groove Me” at the 2013 PASIC…

SELECTION FROM IMPROV WIZARD

WITH ANTON FIG, ROSCOE BECK AND ERIC JOHNSON

Oz with Anton Fig, Roscoe Beck and special guest Eric Johnson…

PERFORMING STEVIE WONDER MEDLEY FEAT. ELY JAFFE, MATT KOZIOL, KEITH KARLOCK, JAMES GENUS + FRIENDS

Oz with Ely Jaffe, Matt Koziol, Keith Carlock, James Genus and friends performing a Stevie Wonder Medley…

Look up “funky white boy” in your Webster’s and that’s Oz you’ll see pictured there, clearly validated by his second TrueFire course, Funk Rhythm Guitar Essentials. Here’s two performance vids from those lessons, Shining Rhythm and Funk Injection…

SHINING RHYTHM

FUNK INJECTION

ESSENTIALS: RHYTHM GUITAR

Oz with Dave Weckl and Michael Rhodes performing “Just Groove Me” at the 2013 PASIC…

Oz with Ely Jaffe, Matt Koziol, Keith Carlock, James Genus and friends performing a Stevie Wonder Medley… RIFF

If not yourself, who would you be?

Your favorite heroes in fiction?

Hugh Hefner

Superman of course.

Given the changing business landscape of the music business and how tough it is to sell records etc, what are the positives about the current evolution of the music business?

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

None! The music business model right now makes absolutely no sense. Unless there’s a serious change in the digital royalties domain it won’t be possible for musicians to keep making original new music. You need money to make music (or any type of art really) and if there’s no money, it can’t survive. It’s really that simple!

Your favorite motto?

Still looking….

Your favorite food and drink? Any real good Middle Eastern, Italian, Japanese food…and a bottle of Coke.

In your next life, what or who would you like to come back as and why? An Astronaut. I think it’s a hip job.

Have high hopes and low expectations.

The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with (other than music)?

What do you dream about? Literally.

Photographic memory.

I hardly ever remember my dreams.

In life or in music, what is the one central key learning that you’d like to pass on to others?

What are your aspirations? I really just hope to keep making good music and becoming a better musician.

What one event in music history would you have loved to have experienced in person? SRV live at El Mocambo - I would have loved to hear that tone in that room. Mile Davis Live at the Plugged Nickel. Those nights of music changed jazz and modern music forever!

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Have fun and do what you love to make you feel good! If you love what you do and it makes you feel good, then everybody around you will feel the same. I know it sound cheesy, but it’s true.

RIFF

By Rob Garland

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

Yes, a new pedal can inspire new ideas, but so can digging a little deeper into music itself

W W

e all know G.A.S can be uncomfortable. Not in the way that it makes your stomach hurt, but more in the judgment you feel from family and friends when they walk into your living room and see two Marshall half stacks. And if you’re one of those people wondering if those two Marshall half stacks are Marshall ’68 Plexi’s, then you’d better read on!

Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a common curse among musicians, the all-consuming desire to add more equipment to an already overloaded collection of music gear. It is an affliction that has caused the dissolution of marriages, relocation to troll-like living quarters (under bridges obviously) and bank balances that plunge into the red. In the same way that the internet has had a profound impact on all aspects of the music business, the availability of new shiny products demonstrated in high definition video before one’s quivering eyeballs has made the acquisition of gear for many an ongoing Grail quest. Years ago the only way to hear what a piece of gear like an amp did was to trek down to the local music shop and plug your guitar in, but now just check your Google search history and you’ll find an endless stream of forums, YouTube demos and gear review websites. Oh and hopefully some TrueFire lessons! So let’s address an age-old debate.

RIFF

G.A.S

GEar aquisition syndrome

Is good tone in the fingers or can it only be attained with a Dumble? I’m paraphrasing the question slightly there, but you get my point. Somewhere the germ of an idea was propagated that there is a mystical piece of gear out there that will allow you to play like your favorite guitar hero, if only you can find it. This may surprise many to learn, but I’m much less interested in gear and the acquisition of it than most of my students. I spent 10 years performing at clubs and festivals with a trio and for most of that time played one guitar and used a Fender Vibrolux amp. I used one pedal for overdrive and clean boost, an occasional vibe and/or delay and that was pretty much it. I used the pickups, plus the volume and tone controls

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on the guitar a lot to vary the sound. A funny side note to that is the guitar was such a work-horse that people used to come up and ask if it was “relic-ed” meaning artificially aged, but no, I just had that one guitar and I played it a lot! Fast forward to now and yes, my tastes have changed - I now own a 20th Anniversary Bogner Shiva (EL34) amp, my current go-to guitar is an Xotic XSC and for effects, I recently delved into an Eventide H9, so it’s fair to accuse me of upgrading a tad into G.A.S. territory. But I do tend to stick with the same gear for a long time. When it comes to chasing tone, I like to reference Jeff Beck, the man has consistently amazing tone and tends to stick with a strat into a Marshall.

But also watch the constant adjustments the Guv’nor makes to his tone and volume controls on the guitar. A tip I learned from reading about Beck is to never play with a strat volume all the way up. I tend to stick to around 6-7 for rhythm and 8-9 for lead. Go above 9 and to me the pickups start to sound too glassy. I also like to run the amp treble control up pretty high and take the guitar treble down, especially on the bridge pickup. Now before I offend some of you who may be a tad bloated with G.A.S. let me say that there’s nothing wrong with being interested in gear and for some players it’s as much fun as the actual playing, especially when you enjoy discussing gear with others online and feeling like you’re part of a community. I get that and it’s great, but for me there

aren’t enough hours in the day as it is (especially with a 4 year old), so I’d rather find something I like that works and then focus on the playing aspects rather than the equipment tweaking. Maybe you’ve seen some YouTube clips of players like Eric Johnson and Steve Vai playing other people’s equipment and sounding exactly like themselves? This I would argue is pretty definite proof that tone is in the fingers and the heart of the player. But that said, they don’t tend to use cheap gear, so having nice equipment that is well made and reliable takes the tone you have in your fingers and amplifies it (pun intended). But players like these have put in a massive amount of time on the instrument learning how to play and defining their tone from

RIFF

A tip I learned from reading about Beck is to never play with a strat volume all the way up. I tend to stick to around 6-7 for rhythm and 8-9 for lead. Go above 9 and to me the pickups start to sound too glassy.

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My advice, rather than spending a massive amount of money on a signature model, take a basic guitar and make your own adjustments and changes to it

within. I bet they learned on basic equipment. The first guitar I ever owned was made by a company in the U.K. called Axe and had the word ‘AXE’ displayed in massive letters on it. It was red, subtle in no way whatsoever and played about as badly as any instrument ever could, the action was so high it had snow on it, but I loved that guitar and by the time I upgraded a couple of years later to a better playing guitar, the Charvette (Charvel’s illegitimate child), I was in heaven. I find the idea that people want an exact replica of their favorite players gear a little odd though. Especially in cases like the replica models of Edward Van Halen’s Frankenstrat, which are basically falling apart at the factory. And that’s on purpose! I love seeing well-worn gear, but often there are features and adjustments to guitars in particular that are very specific to the individual. My advice, rather than spending a massive amount of money on a signature model, take a basic guitar and make your own adjustments and changes to it, ones that make sense to you, to benefit the way you play, the style you like, make it comfortable and put pickups in it (or even leave the ones in it that came from the factory) that help define the sound you’re after and then you have your own signature model instrument. So the thought I’ll leave you with is if you’re a hobbyist player that revels in your G.A.S. then good for you. However if you’re frustrated with your playing and feel you’re not progressing in some way, but tend to spend a lot of time on gear forums and reading about equipment then perhaps reevaluate the use of your time and try to balance your G.A.S with playing the guitar. You can pick up different guitars, plug them into different amps and pedals but what is it you’re actually playing through the equipment? Yes, a new pedal can inspire new ideas, but so can digging a little deeper into music itself and finding inspiration within those same 12 notes can be life affirming. The hardest part of practicing is opening the guitar case. Remember the instrument will always give back to you what you put into it and then some.

Written By Rob Garland

RIFF

LESSONS

SKILL LEVEL - INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED

INTERMEDIATE PEDAL STEEL

SOLOING

STEPPING UP YOUR GUITAR ARTISTRY Written by Joe Dalton

Some of the most complex licks or passages have simple origins and sometimes curiously interesting influences. Where did they come from? How can I make it my own? For example: There is an obvious difference between a musician and an artist. Musicians can play notes, artists make the music come alive and give it soul and purpose, by adding accents, dynamic changes, (volume), etc. Well then, what makes a pioneer…the people we may call musical geniuses. If you take a musical phrase/idea/ theme, then blend some musical thoughts and influence from another style, then maybe add some technique, attack, or tone that a different instrument might use, you now have something new and completely innovative. I’d like to show you one of my more advanced pet licks and discuss these properties. This pedal steel emulation lick is of the Western-Swing variety and something steel players might play on the C6th neck. Many people have asked me for a transcription of the Panhandle Rag from a recording in the 1980’s. I played something like this during the improvised chord/melody solos. We are in the key of E with a swing groove. The melody line is a chromatic run from B down to G#. (Example 1) The signature ending riff Count Basie played is the inspiration here. He played it ascending with an E on top in pairs. Les Paul used something like this on the intro to “How High the Moon”. Next, we are going harmonize it in thirds. (Example 4) I use my second finger for the second-string notes and my third finger for the third string notes and I use my 1st finger for the E and B notes at the 9th fret. Next, we can add the E note to the chord. Changing things up a bit to make it different, we will put the E note on the bottom of the chord. As you recall Count Basie and Les Paul had the E on the top. We will re-finger this to accommodate the added note. (Example 5) In the first measure, for the left hand, the first finger gets the secondstring notes; the second finger gets the third string notes; and the pinky gets the fourth string notes. I am usually using the pick and fingers technique for the right hand. The ring finger picks the second string notes; the middle finger picks the third string; and the pick gets the fourth string notes. To achieve the pedal steel guitar effect, we are going to bend strings two and three a half step. I practiced this move for hours just trying to get the notes in tune. It is difficult to hold one note while bending two others. The trick to the four-string chord in the next measure is the thumb position. If your thumb is in the correct position behind the neck, you can stretch far enough and play the chord cleanly. The right hand fingers alternate between the groups of three strings. At this point, you want to take some time to solidify this phrase.

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The first chord in Example 6 uses the pinky on the fourth string and the first two fingers for the other two notes. The second chord uses the first three fingers. For the picking hand, use the same technique used in example five to alternate between the strings. Bending the third string ninth fret one step up make the chord an A13th just for the half of a beat. Once you get this note in tune and master this phrase, you may want to play them back to back. Example 7 is the next phrase. When I’m soloing, I try to create phrases that compliment each other. Example 7 is the answer to Examples 5 and 6. In the left hand, I use the pick and the middle finger for the pairs of notes on the 5th and 4th; and then the 4th and 3rd. I use the ring finger and the middle finger for the pair of notes on the 2nd and 3rd strings. The first measure is fingered in the left hand as a chord. The pinky gets the fifth string, the middle finger gets the 4th string, the index finger plays the 3rd and 2nd strings as a barre. Work on this phrase slowly at first as well. When you put the whole thing together, you will have a I-IV-I-V progression. So, let’s get back to this whole pioneer thing and forging new ground and new sounds. This is what will put you on the map as being different and not just another guitarist. We always hear that we are “a dime a dozen”. Now you have your formula to stand out. Listen to all of your favorite guitarists. Blend in different instruments and different styles. Keep it simple for the listener and stay true to your roots and make some new music with some new sounds. I always loved (and still do) the sounds of the big bands from the 1930’s and 1940’s. I love those big sounding harmonies with the close voicings. I wanted to be a big band. Yes, that’s right. Not necessarily in the band, I wanted to be the entire trombone section or the sax section. That’s where I got the influence to play these sounds. So, that’s the truth. Early on, I didn’t know about the C6th pedal steel guitar neck. What I was after and what it became are two different things, but I came up with something new. That’s what you need to do. Good luck and happy picking.

RIFF

LESSON RIFFS

Swing 8ths

#### 4 Œ & 4

Example 1

Guitar

T A B

Guitar

Gtr.

œ # ## # œ

bœ

œœ

Count Basie ending lick

# œœ

‰

œœ J

12 9

Gtr.

12 10

œœ œœ œœ # œœ # # # # œœ œœ œœ n œœ & Les Paul lick

Gtr.

12 11

œ œœœ

œœ œœ

œœ # œœ œœ n œœ

12 11 12 11

12 10 11 11

12 10

12 12

œ œœœ

œœ œœ

12 11 12 11

12 12 11 11

Gtr.

####

12 12 11 11

Example 4

12 11 12 11

œœ

n b œœ

œœ

12 13

11 12

10 11

9 9

Gtr.

Lesson Riffs AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

LESSON RIFFS (CONT) 2 10

Gtr.

####

Example 5 j E œ b n œœ

‰

n b œœœ

11 12 12 13 14 14

11 12 14

œœœ œ œ Jœ

œœœ ˙˙˙ J

9 9 9 11 11 14

9 9 9 9 11 11

10 11 13

Example 7

#### ‰ &

œœœ

nAœœœ7

j œœ nœ

œœ œœ ˙˙ œ œ ˙

Gtr.

# n œœœ ...

Example 6

œœ # n œœ # œœ E6

œœ

‰

8 9 11

œ n œœ

9 11 11 11 10 10

9 11 10

ww w

Gtr.

s 11 14

10 13

11 14

9 11

9 9

11 13 12

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR Joe Dalton When country guitar master Joe Dalton picks up a six-string; everyone listens. His great-grandfather conducted the City of Rome Orchestra in Italy; his grandfather was the leader of the New York Philharmonic; his father is solely responsible for bringing mallets into the U.S. Army Band Corps; his brother teaches at the Boston Conservatory...we could go on, but you get the point, right? Musical prowess runs through his veins; it’s the nucleus of his existence.

VIEW JOE’S COURSE LIBRARY

RIFF

LESSONS

SKILL LEVEL - INTERMEDIATE

BASS PENTATONICS

CHORDS

THINK INSIDE THE BOX: SUPER EASY PENTATONIC SHAPES WITH COOL EFFECTS FOR BASS Written by Ariane Cap

Ah, boxes…and it’s not even Christmas yet! Box shapes are easy: two notes per string and two fingers plucking in the right hand. It’s super comfortable and lends itself to doing hip riffing and cool filling even at higher tempos. The trick about pentatonics is knowing which scale to use and when. I lay it all out in my Pentatonic Playground for Bass Course: the five shapes to know and what to do with them. I give the shapes descriptive names because that makes them stick better. But whether you are hip to “The Boot”, “Little Box/Big Box” and the others, here is a super easy trick for some pentatonic coolness. Think inside the box! Let’s take just the top two strings of your bass and play the pattern below by “boxes”. The two purple ones you’d finger with the first and third fingers, and the brown one with one and four. Like this:

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TAB and score:

Now that you have them under your fingers, the fun can begin! First, let’s figure out the chords over which we can play this. Then I will show you how to use these boxes as a spring board for a variety of ideas.

THE CHORDS There are quite a few possibilities of chords where these boxes will fit. In fact, every single one of these notes could be the root of a possible chord. And because part of the coolness of pentatonics is that there are no bad sounding notes, you can box away to your heart’s content.

E MIN, G MAJOR

The notes of these boxes are the E minor pentatonic, which shares its notes with the G major pentatonic, so both of these chords work. The resulting sound is very “inside” and stable, pretty much the notes you’d expect. Can’t go wrong here! E7 would also work, resulting in a bluesy effect. We can, however, also impose this E minor/G major pentatonic over other chords. This creates a pleasant sounding mild polytonality effect.

A MIN7 OR A SUS

We got the root, the fifth, the seventh, the ninth and the 11th (or fourth). Beautiful over an A min or A sus chord!

B MIN7 OR B SUS7

For B minor we got the root, flat three, flat seventh and the flat sixth. For B sus7 we are getting a bluesy feel (#9!) and the b13 as well. A bit tense, but works given the right context!

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D SUS9

Here we get the natural 13 and the 9 in addition to 1-4-5. How about some chords not in the boxes? C major would work great. The boxes give us the sixth and major second (or ninth), and the chord tones of a C major 7 chord without the root. Very sweet.

F MAJOR

The box notes create a beautiful lydian effect: maj7, 9, #11, 13 - gorgeous! Now that’s a smorgasboard of chords for just a few notes, isn’t it? Notice that it’s all the chords of the G maj scale (or E natural minor) except for the 7th degree (half dimished), which is replaced by the flat seven in maj (F major).

THE RIFFIN’ Come up with a riff in the first purple box (basically you play the box corners in any order or rhythm you like). Then, move the same pattern through the brown and second purple boxes. Voila, you have a cool strategy for coming up with riffs. Below are some examples for soloing licks. When you use them going up like this in your solo, make sure to resolve the tension created with a target note and clear resolution.

SOLOING SAMPLES

Keep in mind that as bassists most often our number one job is to play the root on beat one, so, unless you are soloing, keep these riffs for beats 3 and 4 in the bar. It sounds neat if you groove on the root (see slash notation, use any of the chords we identified above) and fill with this material over a few measures going up in your boxes. It sounds dramatic! Like this:

GROOVE SAMPLE

Now put on a groove of that one chord and go to town, grooving and soloing! Within songs and on the bandstand make sure to use devices like this with taste - they need to fit in with what the rest of the band is doing. Placed at just the right spot in the arrangement, this is sure to have big impact. You can also check out more on cool boxes with Pentatonic Playground for Bass!

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR Ariane Cap Bassist/composer/educator Ariane Cap has recorded and/or toured with Generation Esmeralda, producer Keith Olsen, Muriel Anderson, The Sippy Cups, Raj Ramayya, Girls Got the Blues, The David Haskell Fusion Group, Jean Finebergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Partymonsters, Tempest... She co-leads the innovative and melodic Chamber Jazz duo OoN - The Bass-Bassoon Duo of Ariane Cap and Paul Hanson.

VIEW ARIANEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COURSE LIBRARY

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LESSONS

SKILL LEVEL - ADVANCED

ODD TIME

ADVANCED TAG

THE WIZARD OF ODD Written by Scott Allen

You know as guitar players we are often obsessed with learning new scales. We think if we can just master Hungarian Minor or the Dominant Pentatonic scale that we will reach the level of virtuosic nirvana only glimpsed in one of Steve Vai’s fever dreams. But there is a dirty little secret that most of us miss and that is that rhythm matters when we play lead guitar too. No, I am not talking about actual rhythm guitar (rhythm guitar, for the uninitiated, is that boring stuff between our solos!) but playing leads with an interesting rhythm and not falling back on just regular old sixteenth notes and eighth notes. This is something all of the greats from Eddie Van Halen, to Albert King, to John Coltrane knew well. But sometimes even just regular syncopation isn’t going to cut it. Want to know what might? Then you should read on. One easy thing we can do that will instantly spice up the proceedings is to use odd groupings of notes. This isn’t using odd time signatures, but staying within the structure of a sixteenth note and grouping it in 5’s or 7’s. What will happen if you do this is you will have one extra sixteenth note over the beat when you group in 5’s and one fewer than two beats if you group in 7’s. The sound makes what you are playing instantly interesting and catchy to the ear.

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5"s sequence Wizard of Odd Scott Allen

Check out the 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grouping here applied to the G Major scale.

Standard tuning

= 120 1

E-Gt

8 7 5 7 8 5 7 8 7 5 7

5 4 5 7

4 5 7 5 4 7 5 3 5 7 3 5 7 5 3

The big challenge is to overcome your inclination to want everything to be right on the downbeat, but of course that is exactly what we are trying not to do. It takes a little practice, but it is well worth it. Just go slow and play it to the metronome until you can feel it. Want something even more exotic?

7's sequence

Check out the 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pattern this time appliedWizard to the A Phrygian of Oddscale.

Scott Allen Standard tuning

= 120 1

E-Gt

6 8 10 8 6 8 10 6 8 10 8

6 8 10

5 7 9 7 5 7 9 5 7

8 7 5 7 8

5 7 8 7 5 7 8 5 6 8 6 5 6 8

Not only does the Phrygian scale bring an exotic flavor to the party, but it is being enhanced by the odd grouping. This is something that can be a powerful tool when improvising if not over used. These groupings are also very effective when used in a linear fashion along one string. It takes something that might sound a little unimaginative and adds a little zazz!

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Linear 5's

Here is the linear 5’s grouping along the high E string A Minor. Wizard ofinOdd

Scott Allen Standard tuning

= 120

E-Gt

17 15 13 15 17 12 13 15 13 12 13 12 10 12 13 8

10 12 10 8 10 8 7 8 10 5 7 8 7 5

Linear 7's Here is the same scale grouped in the 7’sWizard sequence.of

Odd Scott Allen

Standard tuning

= 120

E-Gt

17151315171513151312131513121312

10121312101210 8 10 1210 8 10 8 7 8

10 8 7 8 7 5 7 8 7 5

Of course, you don’t have to go to something unusual like a pattern of 5’s or 7’s to get the job done. You could take a familiar idea like a group of 4 sequence and just do a little rhythmic displacement. Now this is not nearly as complicated as it sounds, all you have to do is start the sequence on a sixteenth note other than the first one of the beat. It will feel like a much hipper version of a regular run of the mill scale sequence. In other words, you get a lot of bang for your sequence buck when you phrase this way.

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Offset Sixteenth notes #1 Wizard of Odd Scott Allen

Here is the group of 4 sequence starting on the second sixteenth note of the beat on G Major.

Standard tuning

= 120 1

E-Gt

5 57 578 8578 78 8

4 3

35 357357 357 57 7

57 57 5 45745 7 57 7 7

4 4 45 4 57457 57 7

Offset Sixteenth Notes #2 Wizard of Odd

Here is the same sequence starting on the third Scott sixteenth note. Allen

Standard tuning

= 120 1

E-Gt

5 5 4 4 3

3 5 7 35 7 3 35 7 5 7 7

45 57

457457

45 5

457457

57 57

578 57 8 7

Offset Sixteenth Notes #3 Wizard of Odd Scott Allen Finally, the coolest one which is the same sequence starting on the 4th sixteenth note. Standard tuning

= 120 1

E-Gt

5 5 4 4 3 3 5 35 7 3 3 5 7 57 7

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45 57

457457 7

45 5

457457 7

57 57

578 57 8 7

Remember that the world is your oyster here and these can be applied to any sixteenth note grouping, sequence, or lick you might know. One thing to keep in mind is that just like how a powerful spice can add a lot to any dish, using too much can ruin it. So it is with these offset sequence concepts. They are best used as a little spice to add flavor to any solo phrase you can think of, but if you use it too much it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give the listener anything to hold on to. Always remember that music is meant to be listened to and while we guitar players might find it incredibly clever that we included all of these interesting concepts, the average listener just wants to be entertained by what they are hearing. As we all learned from Uncle Ben in Spiderman, with great power comes great reasonability. So use these tools with economy and finesse and your playing will stand out from the crowd in the best of ways!

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR Scott Allen Scott Allen is a graduate of Musicians Institute GIT, and has been a recording artist, performer, instructor and session player for the past 19 years. He has released three albums of high-energy instrumental progressive hard rock. His band, Scott Allen Project has opened for such notable artists as Steve Morse, Lynch Mob, Michael Schenker, and the Aristocrats to name a few.

VIEW SCOTTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COURSE LIBRARY

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LESSONS

SKILL LEVEL - iNTERMEDIATE

DOMINANT GUITAR

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ARPEGGIOS

PLAYING THE BLUES WITH THE DOMINANT 6/7 ARPEGGIO Written by Maurice Arenas

As guitarists we are consistently working on our soloing skills with the pentatonic scale, the blues scale, various modes and more, but one sound we should definitely get very acquainted with is the Dominant 6/7 arpeggio. How is the Dominant 6/7 arpeggio formulated? It is constructed by building a chord as follows: root, major third, perfect fifth, major sixth and lastly minor seventh. For a G6/7 the notes you get are: G B D E F. For a C6/7 the notes you get are: C E G A Bb. Why learn this arpeggio? Because the sound is so strong, it is found in virtually almost every American style of music. Whether it is blues, country, funk, jam band rock, jazz and fusion, this tonality is utilized by professional musicians to the max due to the fact that it sounds so good! How would I practice this? Well I would learn all the first 6 examples and from there I would use them on the first eight bars of the G blues. Please be mindful of knowing that the G7 licks must be played over the G7, and the C7 licks must be played over the C7. If your ear is real strong and you’re a slick blues player you can even make them overlap, but it’s kind of tricky at first. The first example is showing a typical blues lick that works in a variety of different situations using part of this arpeggio. The second example is a theme and variation of the first example, so you can do a call and response over a G blues progression. The third example, as well as the fourth example, are used over a C7 chord which is the 4 chord in a G blues progression. These two ideas were also designed to work as a call and response if you wish to use them that way. The fifth example is using the arpeggio in a lower register of the guitar, once again this time defining the G7 chord in a G blues progression. The sixth example is using the arpeggio in a lower register of the guitar as well, this time defining the C7, or as we already mentioned earlier the 4 chord of a G blues progression. I left the last four bars open for you to do anything you’d like, so that means you can go pentatonic, or you can use the blues scale, go modal, or you can throw in some licks in the end. Heck, if you’re like me you might even throw in the kitchen sink.

RIFF

Dominant Arpeggios Maurice Arenas

DOMINANT ARPEGGIOS

MAURICE ARENAS

= 90 G7

Gtr. 8

Example 1

T A B G7

Example 2

T A B

(

)

Example 3

T A B 3

Example 4

T A B G7

Example 5

Lesson Examples

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1/2

DOMINANT ARPEGGIOS (CONT)

MAURICE ARENAS

Gtr. 8

Example 6

T A B G7

G 6/7 Arpeggio T A B C7

C 6/7 Arpeggio

T A B

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR Maurice Arenas Maurice Arenas is a studio musician with over 40 years of playing and over 25 years of teaching under his belt. Originally from NYC and with some time also in Long Island, he absorbed the best musical scenario for his musical tutelage in classical, jazz and modern guitar. Projects for 2015 include a self-titled album, a TrueFire course and online workshops and writing columns for TrueFire and Just Jazz Guitar Magazine.

VIEW MAURICEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COURSE LIBRARY

RIFF

2/2

LESSONS

SKILL LEVEL - INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED

SOLOING

CHORD TONES

PROGRESSIONS

CHORD TONES FOR MELODIC SOLOING Written by Robert Renman

When it comes to lead guitar playing, a common approach is to play the pentatonic scale or the blues scale over a chord progression. This is especially common in blues based music, and it works great. For example, if the song has the chords A7, D7, E7, you can sound great just using the A minor pentatonic scale. This is also true for a minor song, where they chords might be Am7, Dm7, E7, and the A minor pentatonic can be put to great use there too. However, you can run into some difficulties when songs deviate from those typical I - IV - V progressions we usually find in blues tunes. For example, if your approach is to use the minor pentatonic over a song like “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” for example, you’ll likely find that it’s hard to make it work well. Granted, with some experience and skill, it will be possible to sound great with that approach, but it’s not easy. Luckily, there is another way. Melodic soloing, in my view, means having the skill and fretboard knowledge for finding chord tones without hesitation, as the chords go by. At the core of this idea is highlighting the root, third and fifth from the chord, in musically attractive ways. These are the first three notes that make up the chord (there can be more notes, depending on what the chord is), so when we make these stand out in our solos, it’s going to sound as though they fit like hand in glove - because they do!

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Obviously, it’s not enough to just play three notes for each chord, as we are playing a solo. We need more than that. By using the associated scale to find other notes for approaching and tying together these chord tones, we get what we need. In this example, as well as in much of popular music, that is the major scale. Additionally, I can also assure you that this approach also works great in combination with the pentatonic concept, so we can still play our favorite blues licks. Let’s take a look at an example solo and relate the licks to the chord tones. I have indicated the intervals in the neck diagram, so you can easily see where the root, 3rd and 5th intervals are. You can view this solo on YouTube:

Soloing with Chord Tones

It’s a very melodic sounding solo, and it’s all because I’m constantly emphasizing the chord tones for each chord. All the chords come from the key of C major, and chord progression goes like this: C | G | Dm | F Am | G | Em | F

Lick 1

For the first chord, C major, I’m playing this lick. Let’s ignore the last two notes in this bar, since they are pick-up notes for the next lick. There’s only one note of the first six that isn’t a chord note, the 2nd, and it’s used as a passing note to go from root note to major 3rd. No wonder these notes fit so well here. You will notice that the last note of the lick is C, and ends on a downbeat. Playing chord tones on downbeats makes for a very strong statement, and that approach is quite apparent in this solo.

C MAJOR

RIFF

Lick 2

For the 2nd chord, G major, I start with two pick-up notes at the end of bar 1, going from C to D to B, which is the major 3rd for the G chord. The note B comes on beat 1 of bar 2. This is a strong little melodic statement in itself, because the notes are not far apart, and the B note comes on a downbeat. From there, I play a G major triad, but with one extra note, C. The reason I do that is because I want the last note in the lick (B), to come on a downbeat, and I’m approaching that last chord tone from a half-step above. I’m also playing triplets here, as a way to make a more interesting rhythmic phrase. Study the first five notes that happen on the G chord, and you can see that they are all chord tones, except for that passing note C (p4). The next note in this measure is a pick-up note for the next lick, which happens of the A minor chord. Therefore, we can view that note as belonging to the next chord.

G MAJOR

From here, I suggest you analyze the rest of the solo in this manner. Doing so will help in you in more than one way: 1. 2. 3.

You will improve your fretboard knowledge of where the chord tones are for these chords. You will improve your ability to hear these chord tones, since you will listen over and over to the solo. Over time, you will be able to instantly recognize when the notes from a triad are used in a solo. You will improve your ability to improvise melodic solos.

Keep in mind that you should vary your rhythmic phrases, length of notes, and how fast the notes go by. As you listen to the full solo, you will doubtlessly notice that I’m playing a standard pentatonic blues lick over the E minor chord, and it sounds just so right. This means we can for sure combine more obvious chord-tone lines with standard blues licks! Well executed blues licks can fit in almost everywhere, but playing only blues licks over a chord progression like this can sound a bit boring. By combining more than one approach to soloing, such as chord tone licks, scale sequence runs, blues licks, long notes, short notes, for example, we draw the listener in, and we’ll sound more interesting in the process. It will also likely be more fun for you as a player!

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ABOUT THE EDUCATOR Robert Renman Robert started out playing blues and heavier rock, but turned towards L.A. pop-rock music in his later teen years. Eventually he returned to his blues roots, but he also discovered jazz and fusion. Tribal Tech and Chick Corea Electric Band were huge influences for him, as well as Weather Report, Miles Davis and all the jazz from the 50s and 60s. He has also been influenced by country guitar players such as Albert Lee and Brent Mason, and by listening more to song writers such as John Hiatt and Joni Mitchell. An avid teacher, Robert won TrueFireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next Top Guitar Instructor Competition in 2013.

VIEW ROBERTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COURSE LIBRARY RIFF

LESSONS

SKILL LEVEL - INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED

FINGERSTYLE

PATTERNS

ACOUSTIC

ACOUSTIC GUITAR: FROM PAUL MCCARTNEY TO JOHN MAYER Written by Massimo Varini

While working on compiling the content for my Rhythm Factory: Acoustic Rock course, I thought that it was important to have something inspired by the technique used by Paul McCartney in “Blackbird”. Plus, I hear a lot of Paul’s influences in the music and guitar style of John Mayer’s acoustic music. A lot of my students want to play in this musical style. With this in mind, I suggest to try to play with a perfect groove, but with a random right-hand picking. What do I mean by this? Let me try to explain. Typically when we play an arpeggio in fingerstyle guitar, we must play the strings involved in the melodic pattern, usually in a pattern fingered with the left hand. For random right-hand picking I mean that, while the thumb is playing the bass line, the index finger should think of something closer to a strumming accompaniment rather than an arpeggio: the melodic pattern is decided by the left hand using the muting, to mute the strings not involved in the chords and melody. This become very clear during the “main riff”. So, while I was writing and preparing the exercise for that course, I wrote a song that I called TrueFire, dedicated to my “American family” (I’m Italian and I live in Italy). This song was chosen by Tommy Jamin to be the soundtrack for the video presentation for the new TF video/audio studio. Let’s see how it’s done and learn to play it!

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Video Lesson

Video Performance

Get it on iTunes

Hear it on Spotify

| ONLINE LINK DIRECTORY | RIFFJOURNAL.COM/LINKS-V12

RIFF

Drop D / CAPO CII (Real Notes) each note at 2nd Fret

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AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

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RIFF

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r œœ ¿ œ ™™ ‰ œœ œœ ¿¿ œœ ¿¿ ≈ œ œ ¿ œ ¿ ‰ œ œ œ ¿ œ ¿≈ œ œ œ ™™ ≈ ≈ ¿ ¿ ¿ Œ ¿ œ œ R r ™ 2 ‰ 5 5 X 5 X≈ ‰ 3 X 3 ™ 4 6 7 X 6 X 6 6 X 6 X ≈ X Œ5 7 X 5 X≈ 5 7 ≈2 ™ X 5 7 X X R Copyright © 2016 Kymotto Music - Rome - © Massimo Varini

28 ° ## ‰ ≈ œr ¿ ™ ‰ ≈ œ & œ ¿ œ œ œ™ r ™ ‰ ≈ ‰ ≈3 X 4 ¢⁄ 2 X 2 2 5™

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

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AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

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TRUEFIRE (CONT) 64 r r r ≈ œ ≈ ° ## ™ ‰ ≈ œr ¿ œ ™ ‰ ≈ œ ¿ œ ™ œ ¿ œ™ ‰ œ ¿ œœ ™™ ‰ & ™ œ œ ¿ œ œ ¿ œ œ™ ¿ œ œ ™ œ ¿ œ œ r r r r ™ ™ ™ ™ 2 2 ‰ ≈ ‰ ≈ ‰ ≈ ‰ ≈ 3 X X 3 5 X 5 X 5 ™ 4 6 6 2 ™ ¢⁄ 2 X 2 2 5™ X 5 5 7™ X 7 7 X 7 66 ° ## ‰ ≈ œr ¿ ™ ‰ ≈ œ & œ ¿ œ œ œ™ r ™ ‰ ≈ ‰ ≈3 X 4 ¢⁄ 2 X 2 2 5™

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r r œ ° ## ‰ ≈ œ ¿¿ œœ œœ œ œ œ ¿ ≈ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ & œ ¿ œ œ œ œ ¿ r r 7 X 5 2 2 ‰ ≈3 X 3 3 3 5 X≈3 3 5 5 2 2 4 6 6 ⁄ ¢ 68

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AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

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AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

U ˙˙˙ ™™™ ˙˙ ™™ ¿ U ™ 2 3 4 2 2

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR Massimo Varini Composer, arranger, producer, Grammy-winner, renown educator, monster acoustic and electric guitarist, Massimo Varini is a modern day Renaissance man of music. Fittingly a native Italian, Massimo’s credits span 45-million records sold, two Grammy’s, 12-million YouTube video views, multiple Top 10 listings in the charts, a signature PRS guitar, dozens of top-ranked educational publications, and dozens of successful collaborations with some of the most famous International singers, arrangers, producers and musicians. Nearly every album Varini is involved in lands at the top of the European charts for weeks on end.

VIEW MASSIMO’S COURSE LIBRARY

RIFF

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

Text and Images by Alison Hasbach

RIFF

OF THE BETTER KEPT “ ONE SECRETS IN THE GUITAR WORLD - JOE ROBINSON

“

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

TH E INIM ITA BLE TO MMY E MMA N UE L

hat happens when you mix world-class guitar music, beer and nachos all nestled at the foot of a scenic mountain at the slightly staggering 12,000 feet? You get Guitar Town of course! Now in its 13th year, the world’s best guitarists come together for the annual Guitar Town festival, which features three days of free performances, guitar & songwriting workshops and kids music activities. Joe Robinson calls it, “one of the better kept secrets in the guitar world.”

RIFF

VIEW OF THE C OPPER M OUN TAIN VIL LAGE FROM THE BIKE PATH U P TH E MO U NTA IN

Located just 75 miles west of Denver, Colorado in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Copper Mountain Resort sits at just over 12,000 feet of elevation. The pedestrian-friendly village areas provide a central community for both winter and summer activities. And while the average snowfall in winter is over 250 inches per year, at Guitar Town in the summer, the days clock a sunny mid 60s in the day and a smore-eating 40s at night. It makes for perfect concert-going weather while gazing at the stage and the mountain pass. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free to attend and there is always plenty of the local community who turns out (with their dogs in tow), along with fans from all over the world. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acoustic day and electric day with performances by seasoned pros and stunning up and comers. Fans are treated to performances by musicians they may know and others they may not (yet). But in all cases, the music is magical.

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

YE P, S K IS A N D F L IP F LOP S O N A S UMMER’ S DAY - MAK ES P ERF ECT S ENS E I N CO PPER M OUN TAIN

WAIT…W H O ’S GEA R IS TH AT?

ROUGH J OB, BUT SOM EBO DY’S GOTTA D O IT!

TH E G UI TA R TOW N G R AN D MASTE R H IM SE LF, S C OTT G O LD MA N

DI EGO F I G U E IR E D O, C OR EY C ON G IL IO, JO E RO BI NS O N ( NEWBI E AND V ET ERAN G UI TAR TOWN HEROES)

This year featured Zepparella, Tommy Emmanuel, J2B2 (which is John Jorgensen’s bluegrass band), Doyle Dykes, Joe Robinson, Striking Matches, Diego Figueiredo, Richard Smith, Corey Congilio, Zakk Wylde, Harvey Mandel, Guitar Army, Bob Margolin, Casey James, Stig Mathisen, all of which was MC’d by Scott Goldman. It was TrueFire artist Corey Congilio’s first time on the roster. He says of the experience, “If you’re a fan of guitar driven music then Guitar Town should be on your list of destinations. The amount of talent that’s compiled during the weekend is second to none. It was truly an honor

to be associated with the show and the list of awe-inspiring players. Hard to beat!” For Guitar Town veteran Joe Robinson, the event is inspiring as well. “I’ve seen some of the most amazing musical performances at the festival. I think as a player, having some of your most respected musical colleagues alongside the stage watching pushes you to play better and really give it your all. The audience really gets to see a show they couldn’t experience in a typical music venue. During the day there are workshops and interviews with the musicians, and in many cases, you can bump into the performers walking around the Copper resort.”

RIFF

NO E L L E D OU G H TY, L EA D VOCA L IST O F ZEPPARELLA

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

D OUGHTY AN D GRETC HEN ME NN O F ZE P PA R E LLA

SA R A H Z IMME R MA N N (ST R IK ING MATCHES ) - MEAN S LI DE G UI TAR P LAYER S P O RTS A KIL LER HAL F BOOT

D IEGO FIGUEIRED Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BO S SA NOVA MOV ES

RIFF

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

G UI TAR TOWN G OD FATHER J OHN J ORGEN SON W ITH STRIKIN G M ATC HES (N ASHVILL E’S SARAH Z IM M ERM AN N AN D J USTIN DAVIS)

A FAN OF GUITAR DRIVEN MUSIC THEN GUITAR TOWN SHOULD “ IFBEYOU’RE ON YOUR LIST OF DESTINATIONS. THE AMOUNT OF TALENT THAT’S COMPILED DURING THE WEEKEND IS SECOND TO NONE. “

C OR EY C O NGI LIO TA KES TH E STAGE W IT H NEW SO NG S

- COREY CONGILIO

Each morning commences with sound check wafting through the morning light, as you head to the conference center for master class workshops with the performers. While you wait for them to commence, you can watch the die-hard snowboarders practice their tripods and dismounts in the manmade snow mountain. The workshops give attendees a chance to hear unique perspectives on collaboration, inspiration and improvisation. We have informally recorded these events for Riff readers who can check them out online.

View Videos Online

RIFF

GUI TAR AR M Y ME MB E R S J OE R OB IN S ON A ND JO HN JO RG ENS O N

AS A PLAYER, HAVING SOME OF YOUR MOST RESPECTED MUSICAL “ I THINK COLLEAGUES ALONGSIDE THE STAGE WATCHING PUSHES YOU TO PLAY BETTER AND REALLY GIVE IT YOUR ALL. “ - JOE ROBINSON

During the lunch break one can take a play a game of corn hole, mini golf or grab a chair lift up the pass. While deciding on lunch, you can watch the kids trampoline bungee jump through the sky. Scott Goldman, the longtime MC of the event leads the afternoon yoga and stretching between the musical sets and the artists who have played already join down in the crowd to watch the music unfold. There really is something for everyone with the common denominator being a love of music and the guitar. Even if it’s just for the weekend, life is good as an honorary Guitar Town citizen.

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

JO E R OBI NS ON O N AC OU STI C DAY

SI N GE R /S ON GW R IT E R , A ME R ICA N IDO L CO NT ESTANT, CAS EY JAMES

ACOUSTIC DAY WOULD N â&#x20AC;&#x2122;T BE COM PLETE W ITHOUT TOM M Y EM M AN UEL

ZA KK WYL DE H EA D L INES E LECT RI C DAY

B O B “STEA DY R OL L IN ’ ” MA R G OL IN , B LUES MAN AND S LI DE MAST ER

HERB PED ERSEN , SON GW RITER AN D BLUEGRASS M USIC IAN ON BAN J O

R I C H AR D S MIT H WOWS T H E C R OW D WI T H HI S S O LO F I NG ERSTYLE AND WI T TY P I ECES

F IN G E R STY L E M AST ER DOYLE DYK ES

L EG E N D HA RV EY MANDEL DURI NG HI S S ET O N ELECT RI C DAY ( HEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S O N E OF THE FIRST ROC K GUITARISTS TO USE TWO-HAN D ED FRETBOARD TAPPIN G)

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

DOGS OF COPPER MOUNTAIN Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funny how a community event sporting our canine friends tends to bring out the best in a crowd. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the quintessential ice breaker and (next to music) we think happens to be the great unifier of strangers from around the globe. Well-behaved dogs of all shapes, sizes, colors and breeds came out to support the music and were its furriest honorary citizens.

RIFF

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

a means to an end (Part IV) WRITTEN BY TOMMY JAMIN

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

S T U D I O W IR E

T E C H TA L K

“

W HEN Y OU H E A R T H I N GS A R E GOI N G T O TAKE A FEW M ON T H S L ON GE R T H A N Y OU EX PECTED, Y OU E M OT E A L I T T L E M OR E , AND THEN YOU M OV E ON T O Y OUR N E X T CONTING ENC Y P L A N .

“

he first framing infrastructure went up in the studio about 5 months ago assembling the large wall that splits the tracking room from the rest of the facility. Since that time, each month has brought about another thin sliver of definition for both the size and ultimate shape of the room(s) we’ll soon call home. Each month, and its successive trade, has brought about its own set of challenges. We’ve seen some setbacks, none of them out of the ordinary for a project of this scope, and we’ve achieved a lot of small victories along the way. Experienced architects of war will tell you that no plan of operations extends with any real certainty beyond the first contact with hostile forces, and this is in line with one of the key learnings I’ve taken away from this project. You prepare your strategy for your goal, and then you prepare to quickly change strategy as the journey develops. We started our shooting hiatus in August of 2016. Before we moved out of our old facility over 15 months ago, we drafted a series of contingency plans to ensure our survival without an active factory. Because our contractor told us we could be without a studio until October 2016, we ramped up production in the early summer and stockpiled enough new courses and products to get us not only through the fall, but through the end of the year. That was plan A and B. Turns out it still wasn’t enough. We parted ways with one contractor and picked up with another at the beginning of the year as we prepared to break ground on the new studio. The timeline extended. Plan C took shape in winter. Our cache of new course content was thinning and although large scale roll outs like the learning paths and other new programs helped prolong our stream of new launches, it was time to find a local studio to set up temporary shop so we could bring in a slew of our artist/educators and crank out new courses. We were lucky enough to find a great local soundstage that had a large white cyc wall and decent acoustics. That February we hosted eight artists and shot fifteen courses between them. Fortunately we were able to bring our primary shooting equipment too, and although it was a grueling load-in/load-out, our artists and students will attest to the consistency of the products we netted. We

RIFF

S TU DI OWIRE

AUTUMN 2017 | ISSUE 12

T E C H TA L K

S T U D I O W IR E

T E C H TA L K

“

W E’V E SEEN SOM E S E T BA C K S , N ON E OF T H E M O UT O F THE OR D I N A R Y F OR A P R OJ E C T OF T H I S SCOPE, AND W E ’V E A C H I E V E D A L OT OF S M A L L VICTO RIES AL ON G T H E W A Y .

“

performed that same heavy setup and tear-down routine on four more occasions over the following months. I remember wrapping each with the same sentiment, “Well, that was fun, but here’s hoping our next shoot is in the new studio.” We were well aware that the new studio project was going to be a long haul, but hey, it would be worth the wait, and we were up for the endurance challenge considering the payoff. So, when you hear from your contractor that things are going to take a few weeks or so longer than expected, you shake it off. When you hear things are going to take a few months longer than you expected, you emote a little more, and then you move on to your next contingency plan. We’re all in at this point. By the time September 2017 rolled around, I think we must’ve been on plan D or E. Because we were getting so close to a shootable space in our new studio, we adapted the construction strategies to allow for completion of the 600 sq.ft. tracking room first, in which we could temporarily set up shop and resume shooting new courses whilst continuing to construct the control room and other areas. That means having each of the subcontractors do half of the job now and half the job later, which added logistical complexity, but we have a great team and they were able to make it work. So here we are, it’s been a rough six months, but the studio is coming out to be an outright incredible space, and we’re finally in the comfort of our own facility, albeit temporarily in a single room configuration. We fabricated and hung our own temporary acoustic panels and made some other plan alterations like drywalling over some of the future door and window openings. One could say it’s a bit cozy with all of the equipment, studio engineers, and artists all doing their thing in the same room, but hey these are “first world problems” in our overall universe. The beauty of this whole experience has been in what our students have experienced; every financial and timeline setback, every additional contingency plan, the tactical grinds to make post production fit launch schedules, and the sweat and stamina we’ve laid out to build and breakdown temporary studios along the way; it’s all been in an effort to maintain an uninterrupted learning experience for our students. You’d never know we’d been homeless for a stretch if we hadn’t pulled back the curtain and showed you the machinations along the way! But we’re loving this journey, and hopefully you’re loving it too. Here’s to the journey, and having our first official shoots under our belt.

RIFF

Music News

music News

Louis Jay Meyers Music Camp ABOUT

The Louis Jay Meyers Music Camp (recently re-named for its late founder), is celebrating 5 years offering the finest musical instruction. It is a camp like no other, where pros study with legends and dedicated hobbyists learn from the best in the field. Held in conjunction with Folk Alliance International’s annual conference, “campers” experience masterclasses with premier instructors at a discounted rate. Class offerings include songwriting, banjo, bass, fiddle, dance, guitar, mandolin, percussion, ukulele, voice, and more. Held February 16 - 18, 2018, in downtown Kansas City. The camp is open to the public with single day passes and multi-day day passes available. Register early for the best rates, space is limited. Register at folkcamp.org

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Music News

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Louis Jay Meyers was the Executive Director of Folk Alliance International (FAI) from 2005 – 2014. Under his leadership, Folk Alliance International made the move from Washington, DC, to Memphis and then to Kansas City, transforming FAI into the thriving and stable organization it is today. Louis Meyers was a native of Austin, Texas and one of the founders of SXSW (South by Southwest). An avid banjo and pedal steel player, Louis was a tireless champion for musicians and throughout his career took a lot of pride in knowing the people in his community. His creation of the Music Camp is perhaps the greatest example of his vision for community and his passion for great music. Louis’ vision for the camp was clear: a community built around learning and playing music, where the focus is on exchange of knowledge and sharing of traditions, where world-class musicians serve as instructors to students of all ages and levels. Louis’s unique vision continues today.

ABOUT FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL

Folk Alliance International (FAI) was founded in 1989 to connect folk music leaders aiming to sustain the community and genre. The leading international voice for folk music, FAI is a 30-year-old arts nonprofit based in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. The organization’s expanded global network now includes more than 3,000 members, a worldwide community of cultural sector entrepreneurs and leaders that includes artists, record companies, publishers, presenters, agents, managers, arts administrators, diplomats and more. FAI produces the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community at its annual conference. Thousands of performances have been booked, networks and teams have been built, and careers developed though the opportunities of this event. Held February 14 - 18, 2018 in downtown Kansas City. www.folk.org

Video Overview

Camp Website

RIFF

HOUSE NEWS

ARTIST DIRECTORY Artists Featured in this Edition of Riff

ARIANE CAP Bassist/composer/educator Ariane Cap has recorded and/or toured with Generation Esmeralda, producer Keith Olsen, Muriel Anderson, The Sippy Cups, Raj Ramayya, Girls Got the Blues, The David Haskell Fusion Group, Jean Fineberg’s Partymonsters, Tempest... She co-leads the innovative and melodic Chamber Jazz duo OoN - The Bass-Bassoon Duo of Ariane Cap and Paul Hanson.

JOE DALTON When country guitar master Joe Dalton picks up a six-string; everyone listens. His great-grandfather conducted the City of Rome Orchestra in Italy; his grandfather was the leader of the New York Philharmonic; his father is solely responsible for bringing mallets into the U.S. Army Band Corps; his brother teaches at the Boston Conservatory...we could go on, but you get the point, right? Musical prowess runs through his veins; it’s the nucleus of his existence.

JON HERINGTON Jon Herington is a longtime New York city based guitarist, singer/songwriter, producer, and bandleader. He is the leader of the Jon Herington Band and has been the guitarist of choice with the iconic band Steely Dan for both recording and touring since 1999. With the launch of Adult Entertainment, Jon now has five solo releases in his discography. His previous release, Time On My Hands, was nominated for Vintage Guitar Hall Of Fame Album of the Year.

MASSIMO VARINI Composer, arranger, producer, Grammy-winner, renown educator, monster acoustic and electric guitarist, Massimo Varini is a modern day Renaissance man of music.Fittingly a native Italian, Massimo’s credits span 45-million records sold, two Grammy’s, 12-million YouTube video views, multiple Top 10 listings in the charts, a signature PRS guitar, dozens of top-ranked educational publications, and dozens of successful collaborations with some of the most famous International singers, arrangers, producers and musicians. Nearly every album Varini is involved in lands at the top of the European charts for weeks on end.

MAURICE ARENAS Maurice Arenas is a studio musician with over 40 years of playing and over 25 years of teaching under his belt. Originally from NYC and with some time also in Long Island, he absorbed the best musical scenario for his musical tutelage in classical, jazz and modern guitar. Projects for 2015 include a self-titled album, a TrueFire course and online workshops and writing columns for TrueFire and Just Jazz Guitar Magazine.

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OZ NOY Since his 1996 arrival in New York, Oz has made a huge impact on the local and international music scene. His unique and intoxicating style has broken all the rules of instrumental guitar music by focusing on the groove. All stars such as Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Dave Weckl often contribute on drums, with bassists Will Lee, James Genus, and Reggie Washington.

ROB GARLAND Rob Garland is as completely obsessed with music and the guitar now as he was as a teenager! He has performed hundreds of gigs across Europe and the US, worked as a session musician, written an instructional book for Cherry Lane, given tuition clinics and been featured in magazines such as Guitarist & Guitar One. Rob is extremely proud to be a TrueFire Artist with a new course “The Guitarists’s Pentathlon,” 3 workshops and an interactive classroom “Guitar Babylon,” which he describes as “twenty years of teaching all in one place.” He currently lives in sunny Los Angeles where he teaches and performs live with several bands. His original music is available through his website, iTunes, Spotify, etc.

ROBERT RENMAN Robert is a guitar instructor in Alberta, Canada, and he was the winner of TrueFire’s Next Top Guitar Instructor Competition in 2013. He has been teaching for over 20 years, in the styles of rock, blues, country and jazz. With an eagerness for teaching music theory, rhythm guitar, lead guitar and improvisation together, his instructional approach has become very popular at his website. Robert regularly performs locally, and he has a large YouTube following at youtube.com/user/rotren.

SCOTT ALLEN Scott Allen is a graduate of Musicians Institute GIT, and has been a recording artist, performer, instructor and session player for the past 19 years. He has released three albums of high-energy instrumental progressive hard rock. His band, Scott Allen Project has opened for such notable artists as Steve Morse, Lynch Mob, Michael Schenker, and the Aristocrats to name a few.

SHANE THERIOT Shane Theriot is a guitarist, composer and Grammy award-winning producer. He is a highly sought after sideman/studio guitarist, he has recorded and or performed with The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Jewel, Beyonce’, Sammy Hagar, Willie Nelson, Rickie Lee Jones, Larry Carlton, Branford Marsalis, Hall and Oates, Harry Connick Jr., Boz Scaggs, Amos Lee, LeAnn Rimes, Little Feat. Shane is currently on the TV show “Live From Daryl’s House” featuring Daryl Hall, in which he serves as Music Director/Guitarist.

RIFF

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Lessons COMPILATION ALBUM

RIFFAGE: VOLUME 11 We return this issue to our compilation of original music by our Riff featured artists and educators. Each of them in their own way is wailingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on their instrument in spirit of the strings that move and inspire them daily. You can click to download the free copy of Riffage Volume 11 and listen to what they have to tell you!

I Hear They Shoot Horses - Jon Herington Of Peace (Guitar Meditation) - Rob Garland Pebble Stone Meditation - Ariane Cap Supernatural Man - Oz Noy The Texas Way - Scott Allen Thrill is Gone - Robert Renman TrueFire - Massimo Varini Yerba Mate Blues - Shane Theriot

Download the FREE Album

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BEHIND THE MIX We can’t say it enough — the not-so-secret ingredients of TrueFire are the artists and educators that we are privileged to collaborate with. Not just amazingly talented educators, they are also brilliant composers, arrangers and recording artists in their own right. Enjoy their music and please visit their websites and social media networks.

Of Peace (Guitar Meditation) - Rob Garland ““I wrote, performed and mixed this homage to the kind of guitar ballads I grew up loving as teenager by musicians such as Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Gary Moore and Jeff Beck. ”

Pebble Stone Meditation - Ariane Cap ““This is the all bass contribution me and our producer Wolf put together from Polaris. It captures a tranquil and mysterious mood (for that it got recently picked up by a documentary).”

Supernatural Man - Oz Noy ““This tune is from my new album, with my band called Ozone Squeeze, featuring Australian singer/keyboardist Rai Thistlethwayte and amazing drummer Darren Stanley. Ozone Squeeze bills themselves with “no rules, set parameters – or formula at all.”

I Hear They Shoot Horses - Jon Herington “For me, “I Hear They Shoot Horses” is one of my favorite tracks on Time On My Hands. I like the variety of sonic influences that somehow manage to coexist in the track. There’s a bit of funky rhythm guitar partly inspired by Prince, there’s the two slide guitar accompaniment that sounds kind of wacky but appropriate to me, there’s lead guitar with (only a partial) nod to Jimi Hendrix, and though it’s a pop/funk kind of feel, there’s a clear jazz influence in the soloing and some unusual harmony borrowed from my jazz experience, too. All that with our over the top, tongue in cheek lyrics and high drama ending (complete with a Fender Rhodes a la Herbie Hancock and an imported sound effect!) makes for a fun, wild ride.”

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The Texas Way - Scott Allen ““This tune is a tip of the cap to one of the all time great rock bands, but I tried to put my own style in there too. The solo is equal parts loving tribute and personal style. This is also the only track I have ever released where I play slide.”

The Thrill is Gone - Robert Renman ““Here is an mp3 of a tune I played on for my friend Rikard From’s album. The tune is Thrill Is Gone, played by an organ trio. I was a guest artist on that one song.”

TrueFire - Massimo Varini ““I wrote this song preparing the course “Rhythm Factory Acoustic Rock”, it evolved in a very natural way. I wanted to dedicate this song to my “American Family” in Florida...all the friends who work and live in TrueFire!”

Yerba Mate Blues - Shane Theriot ““Yerba Mate Blues” is a tune from my latest solo record entitled “Still Motion”. It was recorded in New Orleans, LA with drummer Johnny Vidacovich and bassist James Singleton. The track was recorded mostly live with minimal overdubs. ”

RIFF

SNAPSHOTs

or rformed f e p s i a g group yo l antics Afternoon evity and optima long

Flavored Oxygen Bar at 12,000 feet for altitude sickness (and hangover) relief apparently

Rif f Sta f f er s

jump e e bung g e in l po ou goin m a y ce tr get i n to a like r lunch g in afte Noth

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during the eclipse o f 2017

etting snapped g ef hi C in r Rif f Edito g Zakkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set on stage durin

Hmmmâ&#x20AC;Ś.do you go or do you have cold feet?

Artist and performer Richard Smith takes it all in from the audience lounge chairs after his set

Summer a s pens in the afternoon li ght RIFF