1) I really love your tone on New Born Race. I think I saw once on a video that you were using a Pod Pro thru a Marshall, and was wondering what you recorded that solo through? Also the envelope filter/wah effect you are using in it, what is it? I love it, It’s sort of bubbly round and screamy all at the same time (can’t find a better description) – I just cant seem to come up with that tone/effect my self (always comes off sounding more ‘whiny’ and ‘thin’ rather than screamy and round)

First of all Lainee, thanks for the compliments! In the video below, you can see the solo Lainee is referring to (playback version for the album trailer):

For Newborn Race I used the bridge pickup on my Luna Andromeda, the Pod Pro, and the Dunlop 535-Q wah pedal, recorded directly into my computer’s sound card (the photo shows the whole chain). I always record with no added effects or EQ. During mixing, Arjen made many adjustments: EQ, compression, limiting, short reverb, long reverb, and delay. EQ usually involves hunting down and reducing any ugly frequencies, and often adding a bit of top. It depends on the solo sound used, and the characteristics of the backing.

You mention having a problem with only getting thin, whiny sounds. The only solution I know of is to try a load of different wah pedals until you find one you like. So far the Dunlop 535-Q is my “go to” wah, but sometimes I use a Bad Horsie II. The Dunlop Crybaby classic seems good as well — that will probably be the next wah pedal added to my own collection.

Another thing you can try is to “tune” your wah by opening it up and adjusting the range of the pot under the treadle to find the “sweet spot.” (see img below)

2) Your trem technique is brilliant, so fluid. Was wondering (for example on the Luna andromeda) when you set up your trem, how many springs do you have on the Floyd to get such a smooth and fluid motion and tone with it?

There are 2 springs on my Luna Andromeda (9-42s, standard tuning).The number of springs will depend on what gauge strings you use and whether you tune to standard pitch or some other tuning.

All of my guitars’ bridges are set up to be “floating,” which means that I can pull slightly up on the bar as well as press downwards towards the body. Floating trems have both advantages and disadvantages: you get a silky smooth trem action, but have to be careful when muting so as not to press too hard on the bridge and make the tuning go sharp. In general, tuning takes longer with a floating trem (for me, anyway).

I hope this answers your questions, Lainee. Best of luck with your music!

When it comes to music and creativity, for the past year I’ve been heavily involved with my partner Arjen’s new project, Guilt Machine, having had the honor of both playing the guitar solos and writing lyrics for the entire album. The album, called “On This Perfect Day,” will be released by Mascot Records in Europe on 31 August, and in the USA on 29 September. In addition to the video trailer (below), the Guilt Machine Myspace has two full songs uploaded, as well as all the links you need to find out more info about the project and pre-order signed Limited Edition copies of the album.

On the personal front, since late 2007 I’ve mainly been focusing on adapting to my new life in Holland as well as getting (and staying) healthy. It’s a slow process, but the trend is inching steadily upwards. I’m learning a lot as I go, and may eventually share some of it here. Until then, I hope you’ll like what you hear from Guilt Machine!

Tab coming later Thanks to Rob for reminding me to post some more of my glorious tabbing art. Here it is:


[update: Frankly admitting that I hate jazz has has sure ruffled some feathers. I had no idea that complete strangers would be so emotionally invested in my private musical tastes. It's actually quite flattering.

Thanks for confirming my suspicion that the "if you don't like jazz you are an ignorant cretin" attitude is expressed by self-important, pretentious, holier-than-thou asshats who, by appointing themselves the arbiters of the musical tastes of others, give jazz a bad name amongst those who dislike its characteristic sound. I hate jazz, big f'n deal; I also hate Swedish "dansmusik," but love Mussorgsky, meerkats, and effervescent vitamin C. The difference is that I respect your right to hate the things I cherish. It just leaves more for me to enjoy.

I have, however, amended some sloppy wording in my original post: 7ths and 9ths are, of course, used in many genres of music -- not just in jazz-- and often to beautiful effect. But in my own experience, it's only the way they are used in many genres of jazz that is particularly vile. Of course I would change my opinion if I ever heard a piece of jazz music that didn't make me want to pour boiling water into my ears to drown out the discordant noise. Call me a "jazz agnostic."]

Here’s another quick’n'dirty sweeping arpeggio video for ya. E-minor sweeps have of course been done to death by guitar players since Yngwie made them compulsory for everyone in the early 80s. But even so, this one might be a good starter arpeggio for those of you who are still relatively new to sweep technique. It will at least get your fingers moving up and down the neck, rather than just sticking to one position. And what the heck, it will give all the knee-jerk contrarians and lowest-common-denominator, auto-fellating flamethrowers on guitar forums something new to bash me for…
…always happy to put my neck on the chopping block (so you won’t have to) :p

You can download the WMV or the MOV (about 1 mb each). Please don’t hotlink to the video files; it’s better if you just send people to this page (the URL is in the hot pink post title above).

Behold the awesome wonder of my TAB

[Or live large and download my even more stupendous powertab file.]

                                                                            T
                                                                             |----3----|
|-----------------------------------------------15h19-24p19p15--------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------17--------------------17-----------------------|
|-----------------------------------------16--------------------------16--------------------|
|--------------------------------------17--------------------------------17-----------------|
|----------------------------10-14-/19--------------------------------------19-\14p10-------|
|-0h3h7p3-/7-12p7-12------------------------------------------------------------------12----|

Tab key
*********
 h   — hammer-on
 p   — pull-off
 /\  — slides (ooh, baby!)
 T   — tap

Humble request: If you want to tell people about these videos, please link to the blog article’s permalink (it’s the url in the title above) so people can see the vids in context. Please don’t hotlink to the video files. I provide downloadable copies as a courtesy to those who (for whatever reason) can’t stream media.
Download Quicktime (25Mb)
Download WMV (25Mb)
[Update] We now have TAB, courtesy of Altruizine (thanks!). Here it is

h - hammeron
p - pulloff
~ - crazy loonie whammy bar vibrato insanity
t - tap harmonic
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
x - raked 

 C#5&n                    F5        A5          F5
-9h12p9p8--------------------------------------------------------
----------11p9p8---6-9-8-6---------------------------------------
---------------------------9-6-5~--------5-4~---2~---1--(t13)---
---------------------------------------3---------------------------
-------------------------------------3------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

              G#5                                        F5
-------4-6-8-/16~----\11-8----------------------------------------------
-4-6-8----------------------11-9----------------------------------------
---------------------------------8--------------------------------------
-----------------------------------10--------------------------------------
--------------------------------------11-\-6-3-------3-6-8---h9p8\6/8----
-----------------------------------------------6-4-6-----------------------

                    A5                              G#5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------10-12-17---13-17-16--13------
---10-----12-----13/14-----------9-------------------------------
--------------------x---------10----------------------------------
-8----/10----/11---/12-----12------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------

                           G5
---------10-11-13-10-11-13-15----------
-9-11-13-------------------------------
----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Making guitar videos for the site also gives me a reason to actually practice. The only guitar practice I get is when I’m recording or getting ready for a tour: I *never* work on technique. Ever. That’s something I’d like to change for 2007 (call it a New Year’s resolution).

Here’s the first guitar video: it demonstrates of my favorite sweeping arpeggios. The idea for this sweep came to me when trying to figure out part of what the first violin plays in Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (my favoreeeet). It’s a three octave major shape with an added 2nd (or 9th, whatever you want to call it). And it has some slides in it too (I love doing little sliding thingies).

If you guys like these, I’ll record more.

Download: WMV (10 mb) ::: MOV (10 Mb)
[Update: here's the tab...what I won't do for you, my little chickadees...;-) ]

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