Posted March 30, 2011 at 6:21 am | No comments
It’s a testament to the level of skill and musicianship possessed by the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan that he could take a children’s nursery rhyme and turn it into a guitar-laden powerhouse, one that would receive radio play and become a staple of the live show of one of the greatest guitarists that ever walked this earth. Not only did he take a simple tune and breathe new life into it, he came up with a classic blues riff at the same time, sending thousands of budding blues guitarists into the woodshed to get this classic line under their fingers.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 29, 2011 at 5:25 pm | No comments
Through this article I’ll explain the basics about major scale. It is a fundamental and rudimentary scale in music because everything relates to it. Sooner or later, you will realize that you can’t progress as a guitarist without knowing about this scale.
Posted in: Beginning Lessons, Guitar Lessons
Posted March 29, 2011 at 7:07 am | No comments
Recorded on the fourth day of a 10-day fast, which Vai used to bring himself into an altered state of consciousness to reach a deeper level of creativity, the song “For the Love of God” has become a staple of his live shows and a fan favorite since being released on the 1990 album Passion and Warfare. The song not only features a memorable melody line and ear grabbing chord progression, but it showcases all of the extended guitar techniques that have since become characteristic of Vai’s playing, including whammy-bar dives, harmonics, two-hand tapping and volume swells.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 28, 2011 at 10:02 am | No comments
Kicking off with a distinctive cowbell sound, no it’s not “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” the Rolling Stones’ mega-hit “Honky Tonk Women” has a curious story behind its lyrics, opening guitar riff and where it was written. Though the song talks about a “bar-room queen in Memphis,” the song was originally written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in Sao Paulo, Brazil while they were on vacation there in December and January of 1968-1969. As well, the song’s lyrics appeared in two different forms early on in its life, and the scene for the song’s narrative moved from Memphis to Jackson, before settling on Memphis in the most famous version of the song that we still hear on the radio today.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 27, 2011 at 8:53 am | One comment
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been known for their funky influences and deep groove, and their 2002 single “Can’t Stop,” which was originally released on their album By the Way, is a prime example of these two RHCP characteristics. Kicking off with a two note riff, guitarist John Frusciante then dives into a counterpoint-based lick that has since become a favorite of guitarists who are learning the RHCP catalogue. Though the song features more of a rock beat, this intro and verse riff are as funky as they get, and are a great intro to the Chili Peppers approach to riff writing.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 26, 2011 at 5:08 am | No comments
At the Iridium Jazz Club, where the legendary Les Paul played weekly, on the night of what would have been his 95th birthday, Jeff Beck and a slew of guests honored the guitar great. An avid fan of Les Paul, Jeff Beck seemed the obvious selection to host Rock & Roll Party: Honoring Les Paul. The two guitarists became fast friends after a brief encounter in the ‘80’s, shared a similar playing style, and both experimented with the idiomatic guitar sound.
Posted in: Classic Rock, DVD Reviews, Reviews
Posted March 26, 2011 at 5:01 am | No comments
When Radiohead broke into the charts with their song “Creep,” they fit right in with the grunge-alternative sound of the times, but they’re foray into the harder side of modern rock took a more personalized and unique twist when they wrote and recorded the song “Fake Plastic Trees.” While the song would mark a step in a different direction for the band, away from the grunge sound of “Creep” and more towards the haunting and experimental sound of their later work, the song almost didn’t happen.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 25, 2011 at 2:03 pm | 2 comments
Steve Stevens is most notably recognized as the guitarist for Billy Idol, a partnership of 30 years that has produced countless Top 10 singles and platinum LPs. He is by far one of the most gifted guitarists to emerge from the ’80s music scene with his background being forged with the greats of the early ‘70’s like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Unknown to most, Steve also became an avid prog-rock fan, especially the likes of King Crimson and Yes.
Posted in: '80s Rock, Guitar Hero Interviews, Interviews, Rock Interviews
Posted March 25, 2011 at 8:45 am | No comments
Besides being a classic track from Pink Floyd’s album Wish You Were Here, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is also tied into one of the strangest moments in the band’s long and storied history. After leaving the band years earlier, on the day that Floyd was recording “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” which they would later dedicate to Syd Barrett, the former singer walked into Abbey Road studios and listened to the track being played back to the band. Not recognizing him at first, mostly due to the weight he had gained in the meantime and that he had shaved his head, the band quickly realized that is was Barrett sitting there with them, an unplanned reunion of the band that would move bassist Roger Waters to tears.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 24, 2011 at 10:37 am | No comments
Originally written by Hip-Hip, R&B megastars Outkast, “Hey Ya” has won a special place in guitarist’s hearts since it was released on their 2003 album Speakerboxxx. Though many fans still love the original version, it was Matt Weddle’s 2006 acoustic guitar version, which was recorded at an open-mic night, which brought the song into whole new light for guitarists the world over. Currently sitting at over 7 million views on YouTube, Weddle’s cover has grown to become a massive viral hit for the Obadiah Parker frontman, a then unsigned band that nobody had really heard of until the video went viral.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
