Guitar Interactive Issue 93 1

Wa l t e r Tro u t a n d J o h n n y G r i p a r i c k e e p t h e b l u e s b u r n
02 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

ing with Rotosound strings
www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com 03
93
WELCOME TO ISSUE
Hello and welcome to issue 93 of Guitar Interactive Magazine!

Easily one of the flashiest guitarists— length record ‘Navigation Blues.’ Gi talks to Thorbjørn
Editor
// Jonathan Graham
both visually and instrumentally—to Risager about the incredible new release and much
emerge from the ‘80s rock scene, Steve more in this exclusive interview.
Stevens is the total package when it
If that’s not enough, Danny Gill breaks down the
comes to being a Guitar Idol. Best
blues-filled rhythms and soaring leads of guitar icon Joe
known for his 30-plus-year partnership
Bonamassa in this issue’s Tech Session.
with Billy Idol, his work on Michael
Jackson’s classic “Dirty Diana”, his Grammy Award- As usual, with every issue, we have a whole host of the
winning performance on the iconic “Top Gun Anthem” latest and best gear reviews from around the world
and his work with Vince Neil on “Exposed.” Guitar of guitar, with our team of world-class gear reviewers
Interactive Magazine editor Jonathan Graham sits down offering their unique insight, expertise, and personality,
with Steve to talk about his incredible career, future which as always, I hope you will enjoy. However, if
music releases, signature gear and so much more in this that’s still not enough, don’t forget all of our exclusive
exclusive interview. lessons from, Tom Quayle, Sam Bell, Nick Jennison
& Giorgio Serci.
With over two decades of experience under their belts,
Denmark roots-rockers Thorbjørn Risager & The
Black Tornado have just dropped their eighth full-
Review crew USA Advertising Sales Sound E

Nick Jennison, Sam Bell Lisa Spiteri Dave Kid
Columns LisaSpiteri@guitarinteractivemagazine.com Cameras
Tom Quayle, Sam Bell, Nick Jennison & Design and layout James M
Editor Giorgio Serci Simon Gibbs Publishe
Jonathan Graham Advertising Manager simon@guitarinteractivemagazine.com Guitar In
jonathan@guitarinteractivemagazine.com Helen Bavester Video Editors Publishi
Contributors helen@guitarinteractivemagazine.com James Masterton & Dave Kidd Kim Wall
Jonathan Graham, Danny Gill
(c) Copyright 2022 Guitar Interactive Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners. The views expressed in

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INTERVIEWS
ine.com
73
Steve Stevens:
Jonathan Graham sits down with Steve to
talk about his incredible career, future music
releases, signature gear and so much more
in this exclusive interview.
010
Thorbjørn
Risager:
With over two decades of experience under
his belt, the Denmark roots-rocker has
just dropped his eighth full-length record
‘Navigation Blues.’
022

REVIEWS - GUITARS,
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Interviews
THE
C L
Easily one of the flashiest guitarists—
both visually and instrumentally—to
emerge from the ‘80s rock scene, Steve
E X
With over two decades of experience
under their belts, Denmark roots-
rockers Thorbjørn Risager & The
S
Stevens is the total package when Black Tornado have just dropped their
it comes to being a Guitar Idol. Best eighth full-length record ‘Navigation
known for his 30-plus-year partner- Blues.’ The band’s fusion of blues, soul,
W
ship with Billy Idol, his work on Michael boogie and rock’ n’ roll has seen them
Jackson’s classic “Dirty Diana”, his tour across multiple continents to wow
Grammy Award-winning performance many a crowd with stellar performanc-
on the iconic “Top Gun Anthem” and es. Gi talks to Thorbjørn Risager about
his work with Vince Neil on “Exposed.” the incredible new release and much
Guitar Interactive Magazine editor Jon- more in this exclusive interview.
E
athan Graham sits down with Steve to

talk about his incredible career, future
music releases, signature gear and so
much more in this exclusive interview.
V I
R

I V E
GI93
U S I N
IN-DEPTH CHATS WITH
L T
GUITAR’S BIGGEST NAMES
ER
C LU S I V E
EX I
NT
S
RV I EW
ERVI EWS
T E
N
EX I
C LU S I V E
X
INTERVIEWS_STEVE STEVENS
Steve Stevens -
Easily one of the flashiest guitarists—

to emerge from the ‘80s rock scene
when it comes to being a Guitar Ido
partnership with Billy Idol, his work
Diana”, his Grammy Award-winning p
Anthem” and his work with Vince N
Magazine editor Jonathan Graham
his incredible career, future music re
more in this exclusive interview. »

STEVE STEVENS - ATOMIC IDOL
—both visually and instrumentally—

e, Steve Stevens is the total package
ol. Best known for his 30-plus-year
k on Michael Jackson’s classic “Dirty
performance on the iconic “Top Gun
Neil on “Exposed.” Guitar Interactive
m sits down with Steve to talk about
eleases, signature gear and so much
BORN in Brooklyn, New

York, on May 5,
vens to offer a third album, 1986’s Whip-
lash Smile, and although it was another
1959, Stevens first picked up the guitar big hit, Stevens longed to launch his own
when he was only seven years old, and solo career and exited Idol’s band by the
relatively quickly became an avid prog end of the decade.
rock fan—especially the likes of Emerson,
Lake & Palmer and Yes. His early career Stevens also remained an in-demand
saw him honing his craft while playing in hired gun, as he guested on recordings
Manhattan, where he recorded an unre- by Michael Jackson (Bad), Ric Ocasek
leased album with his band, Fine Mari- (This Side of Paradise), Thompson Twins
bus, and also played as a session guitarist (Here’s to Future Days), and Robert
on Peter Criss’ somewhat-forgotten sec- Palmer (Don’t Explain), among others.
ond post-Kiss solo outing, 1982’s Let Me Additionally, Stevens appeared on the
Rock You (although Stevens did earn his mega-selling 1986 soundtrack to the Tom
first songwriting credit for the track “First Cruise movie Top Gun, for which he col-
Day in the Rain”). laborated with keyboardist Harold Fal-
termeyer on “Top Gun Anthem” (which
It was also during the early ‘80s that earned Stevens a Grammy Award for Pop
Stevens hooked up with ex-Generation Instrumental Performance that year).
X singer Billy Idol, who had relocated to In 1989 Stevens formed his own group,
New York in hopes of launching a solo ca- Steve Stevens’ Atomic Playboys, but de-
reer. Idol found the perfect foil in Stevens, spite all the hype, the band only lasted for
and with ex-Kiss manager Bill Aucoin a single release, Atomic Playboys.
backing them, Idol’s career skyrocketed.
Combining Idol’s punk and Stevens’ hard The early ‘90s saw Stevens keep up his
rock backgrounds with dance music, Idol busy schedule, as he attempted to form a
became one of MTV’s early video stars, new group with ex-Hanoi Rocks singer
as such albums as 1982’s Billy Idol and Michael Monroe, named Jerusalem Slim,
1983’s Rebel Yell became blockbuster hits which to the dismay of fans never got
-- spurred on by Stevens’ shredding guitar much further than the planning stages.
licks (and outrageous glam rock looks). It In a strange twist of fate, Stevens then
took an extended period for Idol and Ste- signed on to back ex-Mötley Crüe singer
“Stevens appeared on the mega-selling 1986 soundtrack to the

Tom Cruise movie Top Gun, for which he collaborated with key-
boardist Harold Faltermeyer on “Top Gun Anthem.”

Vince Neil, the same man responsible when he united with bassist Tony Levin
for the dissolution of Monroe’s previous and drummer Terry Bozzio in the bom-
band, Hanoi Rocks. Stevens hung in for bastic outfit Bozzio Levin Stevens, issuing
an album, 1993’s Exposed, and its sup- a pair of releases thus far -- 1997’s Black
porting tour, before departing for greener Light Syndrome and 2000’s Situation
pastures. Dangerous. Around the same time, Ste-
vens reunited with Idol, appearing along-
Stevens finally got his chance to show side the singer on 2002’s VH1 Storytell-
off his lifelong appreciation of prog rock
ers, and also found time to issue another In 2014, Stevens released new music
solo release, Flamenco A Go-Go. with Billy Idol for the first time in almost
a decade, with extensive international
In 2010 Stevens welcomed reality TV touring which will follow in to 2015 and
cameras into his home and appeared 2016. Knaggs Guitars also released the
alongside his wife, Josie, on the inter- second Steve Stevens signature model
national hit E! channel show, “Married guitar (SSII) in January 2015.
to Rock”, which allowed viewers a look
behind the curtains into his life, both on For the follow-up to their 2021 EP The
and off the road. 2013 saw Stevens writ- Roadside, Idol and Stevens reunited with
ing and recording with Sebastian Bach, songwriters Tommy English and Joe
touring internationally with Billy Idol and Janiak to create four songs centred around
Kings of Chaos, as well as the release of a the pandemic.
signature amplifier with Tone Merchants
and a signature guitar with Knaggs Gui- The pair had reportedly really enjoyed
tars. working with Joe and Tommy on the song
Steve Stevens - Interview

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“Stevens also remained an in-demand hired gun, as he gue

on recordings by Michael Jackso
Billy Idol -
Running From The Ghost
(Official Music Video)
‘Bitter Taste’ from The Roadside EP, so the zombies at the window have got in
started writing with them. We realized and we’ve had to make friends with them.
they could produce as well, so we started The lyrics practically wrote themselves
recording the music as we went. because we were so in touch with what
we’d been going through. Even though it
Below, Idol discusses each track. “Cage” was written during the pandemic, it could
“Because we’ve been living with the coro- really apply to any time in your life when
navirus so long, we’d all gone through a you feel society or everything around you
couple of years of not really knowing what is constraining you.”
was gonna happen to us or what the long-
term effects of the virus really were. So it “Running From the Ghost”—”For us, the
was easy to come up with the idea that we ghost we’ve been running from for years
all felt caged in. We all felt like we’d been is the drug addiction we got involved
living in Night of the Living Dead, where with in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. We’ve been

sted
on.”
Billy Idol -
Cage (Official Music Video)
running away from these desires that we’ve suggested changing it to ‘I never thought
built up in ourselves. Of course, drug ad- I’d meet another rebel like you! It seems
diction feels like you’re going nowhere. like I could be singing about anybody in
You’re in a dark void of your own making, the audience, but it just so happens I’m
really. Somehow, you’ve got to get yourself singing about my little granddaughter,
out. who’d been dressed up like me.”
Like “Cage,” it’s another thing that holds “Miss Nobody”—”We were in down-
you back and you’ve got to break free. town LA recently, and there were so many
Steve Stevens told us about how he’ll wake homeless on the streets. It was a massive
up from a nightmare and still thinks he’s problem-still is-but a lot of people just
high for about 15 minutes. He wakes up couldn’t help it. It’s just what’s happened
fighting the ghost in his sleep. For me, it’s to them during the pandemic or over the
a Jekyll and Hyde thing-I change person- years. Life has dealt them these cards, and
alities. it’s not really their fault. There was one
lady in particular that we talked to, and
So we just put all these things that hap- she was kind of owning her situation, even
pened to us into the song. It came out like though it wasn’t her fault and there was
a sort of miniature epic.” nothing she could do about it. I never re-
“Rebel Like You”—”My little granddaugh- ally thought of a song from a lady’s per-
ter, Poppy Rebel, she’s a year and a half, spective-or from the perspective of some-
and she’d just come to see one of my shows one living on the street-so that’s what we
in Vegas. She’d never seen what granddad did. It’s about somebody coming to grips
does for a living. They dressed her up like with their circumstances but deciding that
me in the ‘Dancing With Myself ’ video they’re still going to be themselves.”
from back in the ‘80s, with the skeletal top Billy Idol and longtime collaborator, co-
and pleather pants. We’d been working on writer and guitarist Steve Stevens are back
a song that had a line ‘I never thought I’d with The Cage EP, which is available now
meet another friend like you; but then Joe via Dark Horse Records.

BILLY IDOL – THE CAGE – EP
Tracklist:
1. Cage
2. Running from the Ghost
3. Rebel Like You
4. Miss Nobody
For more information on Steve Stevens, please visit:

stevestevensguitar.com

INTERVIEWS_THORBJØRN RISAGER
Thorbjørn
Navigatio
As a band known for blurring the lines between contemporary h
upon the sound that has won them worldwide critical acclaim an
& Kings,’ which is out now worldwide in all formats. Guitar Inter
Kennedy and Mark Tremonti for an exclusive interview to discu
this edition’s cover feature. »

THORBJØRN RISAGER : NAVIGATION BLUES
n Risager -
on Blues
hard rock and heavy metal for almost decades—Alter Bridge builds
nd a devoted global fan base, with their latest studio album ‘Pawns
ractive Magazine editor Jonathan Graham catches up with Myles
uss the new album’s creation, upcoming tour and much more in
WITH over two decades

of experience under
and Little Richard - listening to his neigh-
bours’ record collection before discovering
their belts, Denmark roots-rockers Thor- the music of B.B. King and Ray Charles
bjørn Risager & The Black Tornado have in his late teens. This changed everything.
just dropped their eighth full-length re-
cord ‘Navigation Blues.’ The band’s fusion He had long been singing the blues, often
of blues, soul, boogie and rock’ n’ roll has playing with friend Emil Balsgaard, when
seen them tour across multiple continents he enrolled to study music at the Rhyth-
to wow many a crowd with stellar per- mic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen.
formances. Gi talks to Thorbjørn Risager “The most important thing that came
about the incredible new release and out of studying music was that I began to
much more in this exclusive interview. write music. For many years I had consid-
ered myself a singer who interpreted other
The young Thorbjørn Risager grew up in people’s songs. I didn’t consider myself a
the small town of Jyllinge, about 30km writer of music. But I discovered it was
from Denmark’s capital city, Copenha- not as difficult for me to write a piece of
gen. The former fishing village sits on the music as I thought.”
eastern shores of Roskilde Fjord with a
bustling harbour that has stunning views When this clicked, he left behind his
where the sunset meets the distant hamlet fledgling career as a teacher and threw
horizon. Staring out into the expanse of himself heart, soul and body into his
clouds and the undisturbed landscape op- music. As he saw his 30s approaching on
posite as the breeze ambles past, blowing the horizon like the sun breaking into a
on the fjord, which hides Viking stories brand-new day, the former interpreter of
of times past, watching the sun go down other people’s music took control of his
– it’s hard for anyone not to sit, think, destiny and has not looked back since.
reflect and dream of the world beyond. He formed Thorbjørn Risager Blue 7 in
He grew up in a household where both 2003 before swapping it to Thorbjørn
parents were music teachers. “It was very Risager & The Black Tornado in 2014,
natural for me to pick up an instrument and over the last twenty years, has sent
and play,” he says. “I started with the them on their way to become Denmark’s
mandolin, then guitar, then saxophone premier roots-rockers.
until high school when I discovered that The Rhythmic Music Conservatory was
singing was even more fun.” not only beneficial to opening the door
He was introduced to the sound of the for his writing, but he also met future
Rock ‘n’ Roll greats – Elvis, Fats Domino bandmates Kasper Wagner and Hans

“Writing new songs is what I love to do the

most, and every situation of my life serves
as an inspiration to me.”
Nybo there, whilst Peter W. Kehl was Sax, Flutes, Clarinet), Hans Nybo
also a former student. (Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet), Peter W Kehl
(Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trombone, Perc),
The band are; Thorbjørn Risager (Vo- Søren Bøjgaard (Bass, Moog Bass, Bari-
cals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar), tone Guitar, Synthesizer, Piano, Percus-
Emil Balsgaard (Piano, Organ, Wurlitzer, sion), and Martin Seidelin (Drums,
Clavinet, Farfisa), Joachim Svensmark Percussion.)
(Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Syn-
thesizer, Piano, Viola, Drums, Percus- They’ve released twelve albums, in-
sion, Glockenspiel, Mandolin), Kasper cluding seven studio albums – From
Wagner (Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Baritone the Heart (2006), Here I Am (2007),
Thorbjørn Risager - Interview
“I still sometimes find it a little surreal to

make my living playing my own music.”
Track Record (2010), Dust & Scratches (2012), the multi-award-winning Too Many Roads
(2014), Change My Game (2017) and Come On In (2020) as well as last year’s Best Of.
They’ve won two Danish Music Awards (with seven nominations), the “Best Band” in the
European Blues Awards and the winner twice of the prestigious German Preis der Deutschen
Schallplattenkritik Jahrespreis - German Record Critics’ Awards.
The septet has blazed a trail across Scandinavia, Europe, Canada, the US and Asia for the
past twenty years. They’ve been captivating crowds with their dynamic stage presence and
a sound that fuses soul, Chicago blues, boogie and rock ‘n’ roll with a voice where Ray

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Watch The Sun Go Down - Thorbjørn Risager

& The Black Tornado (Official Music Video)
“Two decades on the road, touring across 21 countries,

have given the band an incredible ability to know
what makes people move – in both feet and heart.”

Charles, Van Morrison and Billy Gibbons meet in the middle. They’ve brought dancing shoes
to Europe’s largest festival stages and low-light noir-ish blues to Jazz clubs around the globe.
Risager also had the honour and “surreal experience” of sharing the stage with Buddy Guy
and Doyle Bramhall II in India. He’s played with Robben Ford and Kim Wilson (The Fabu-
lous Thunderbirds) and opened for the legendary Bonnie Raitt and Tedeschi Trucks Band.
In every aspect, they are real road warriors, spending 9-10 months a year touring, but it’s
something that they’ve never taken for granted. “I think every line of work can be hard some-
times,” he reflects. “Sure, you can get fed up with travelling around all the time, but on the
other hand, the job is never boring because you never know what the evening will bring. You
never know what the audience is going to be like. Every concert is a unique experience. You
just look at the audience’s smiles and reactions, and you know that what you’re doing makes
sense.”

On their prolific travels around the globe, Benson and more – for their brand-new stu-
they’ve swept-up fans across every corner, dio album Navigation Blues. They recorded
including non-other than Elwood Blues once again at Heyman Studios and MillFac-
himself, Dan Aykroyd! Who hailed their tory NuVenue Studios in Copenhagen and
“Hot rhythm and blues”, saying Risager has produced by Søren Bøjgaard. The album will
“got a great voice, great delivery and feels be released on 30 September on vinyl, CD
the blues. The songs are original, but sound and digitally.
like they come from a Stax recording session
circa 1965.” The album opens with the title track, a
sepia-tinged pre-war blues stomp that sees
In June 2022, the band announced that Risager yearn, “Truckloads of darkness here,
they had signed to Provogue/Mascot La- and my matches are soaking wet…will this
bel Group – home to Joe Bonamassa, Beth black night ever end.” Offsetting this is the
Hart, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, George rolling rhythms and searing guitar licks of

“Watch The Sun Go Down” - a ZZ Top- after Norway beat England in a football
styled southern rocker that soundtracks a match in the 80s. He was ecstatic. Here’s
glorious dusk desert sunset with a fizzing an extended version of what he said: “we’re
coolness that puts its foot on the pedal and the best in the world, we’re the best in the
rides off into a Tarantino horizon. world. We beat England in football. Mar-
garet, Thatcher, can you hear me? Winston
“I know what the songs mean to me and Churchill, Lord Nelson, we beat them all;
why I wrote them. But, I don’t want to we’re the best in the world”.
deprive the listeners of creating their own
images and ideas about what the songs mean “I think what drives us is the love of play-
to them,” says Risager, allowing the mystery ing music,” he continues. “It’s also the fact
to pervade the album. that we’re always developing, always moving
in the right direction. We’re always gaining
Two decades on the road, touring across 21 more and more fans, always conquering new
countries have given the band an incred- territories. And I guess we’re good at having
ible ability to know what makes people fun together in the band. You need to have
move – in both feet and heart. On Naviga- some good fun once in a while.”
tion Blues, they use this skill with complete
precision, whether it be the front-porch From the humble beginnings staring out
blues of “The Way You Make Me Feel” to from that harbour in Jyllinge, to the bars of
roof-raising rockers such as “Fire Inside” or Copenhagen singing other people’s songs
“Headed for the Stars” to the gentle ache of and now, regularly selling out 1000 capac-
“Blue Lullaby” and “Heart Crash.” But their ity venues in their native Denmark, Sweden,
showmanistic sense of adventure is never far Germany and beyond, having their own
away, which can be seen on the rock’ n roller songs sung back to them. From internation-
“Hoodoo Lover” or the boogie of “Taking al awards to National TV performances and
the Good With the Bad.” praise lavished on them from a Hollywood
legend - Thorbjørn Risager & The Black
The band have a battle cry that they shout Tornado feel like they are only just getting
out together before every concert - “We’re started.
best in the world.” “Let me explain that” he
says. “We used to have a Norwegian guitar- “We built it up from the ground the old-
ist. He was with us for the first 5 years or fashioned way,” he reflects. “We would play
so. The battle cry “we’re best in the world” in a very small venue with around 20 people
(which we shout out in Norwegian) origi- in the room. Next time maybe 80 people
nates from a legendary Norwegian football would come. A couple of years later, we sold
commentator who shouted out this sentence out the place with 350 people and another
couple of years later, we sold out two nights At twenty years in, the band are in white-
in a row. If you wanna make a living out of hot form and will be showcasing their new
playing the blues, it’s not enough to play material across Europe for the rest of 2022.
only in one country, so we’re thrilled to be
able to play all over.” “Playing live in front of an audience makes
you feel alive, that’s the best way to describe
“When I decided to form a “serious band” it, I think. It’s good to feel alive,” he smiles.
of my own where I was to make the deci-
sions about the music and write the songs, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado -
the reality has totally surpassed my expecta- ‘Navigation Blues’ is out now worldwide on
tions. I still sometimes find it a little surreal all formats via Provogue Records/Mascot
to make my living playing my own music.” Label Group.
Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado -

‘Navigation Blues’ Tracklist
1. Navigation Blues 7. Whatever Price
2. Watch The Sun Go Down 8. Time
3. The Way You Make Me Feel 9. Something To Hold On To
4. Fire Inside 10. Hoodoo Lover
5. Blue Lullaby 11. Headed For The Stars
6. Taking The Good With The 12. Heart Crash

Bad

For more information on Cardinal Black,

please visit: risager.info
Tech Session
THE
C H
T E
In each issue, the Guitar Interactive Tech Session shines the spotlight on
one of guitar’s biggest icons. These in-depth lessons look to break down
style, techniques and individual nuances that make these great players
stand out from the crowd in the form of a tailor-made composition.
N
All Gi TECH SESSION are accompanied with full tablature and a backing track —
to help you learn, practice and utilise these new techniques in no time.
S S I O
E

S E S S
GI93
H I O
UNDERSTANDING WHAT
MAKES THE GREATS GREAT
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TECH SESSION_JOE BONAMASSA
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JOE BONAMASSA TECH SESSION
Tech Session
With a solo career that has spanned more than 20 years and with 15 studio
albums to his name, Joe Bonamassa’s influence on modern electric guitar is truly
remarkable. By drawing influences from many blues greats of the past, and fusing
it with contemporary stylings, he has crafted his very own masterful blues styling.
Danny Gill explores the Joe’s incredible techniques in this issue’s Tech Session. »
Lick 1: Played over bars 1-4. The bass is

JOE Bonamassa is a great blues
player who is also influenced groovin’ on G
by guitarists outside of the blues genre
such as Eric Johnson and John McLaugh- Lick 2: Played over bars 5,6. The bass is
lin. It’s this mix of old school Blues feel now playing C
and great technique that we’re going to try Lick 3: Played over bars 7,8. The bass is
and capture in this lesson. back on G.
What we’re going to do is take an up- Lick 4: Played over bars 9,10. In bar 9
tempo 12 bar Blues in the key of G and the bass plays D; in bar 10 the bass plays
solo over this 12 bar round one time. The C.
licks will follow the basic structure of a 12
bar in G. Lick 5: Played over bars 11,12. The last
2 bars are known as the turnaround. Eve-
ryone who plays the Blues should have a
few turnaround licks up their sleeve! »
Joe Bonamassa - Tech Session Performance

The thing that is intriguing about Blues the major pentatonic gives a sweet sound a
soloing is the fact that there is no single la BB King whereas the minor pentatonic
scale that fits over all three chords.* In the is much more aggressive. Combining these
key of G we’re soloing over G7,C7 and D7. two gives a good balance. This is sometimes
Sounds simple but… things get complicated referred to as the ‘hybrid pentatonic’ scale.
by the fact that we need to switch scales
(licks, arpeggios,etc.) as the chords change. Lick 2
This is what keeps Blues players coming The second lick is a fast repetitive phrase
back for more; the dichotomy between the outlining the notes of a C7 chord. The only
simplicity of the chords and the challenge of note missing is the root note C.**
sounding natural while navigating the ter- Lick 3
rain.
The third lick highlights a ‘mirroring’ tech-
Lick 1 nique where the same idea is repeated in
The first lick combines G major pentatonic different octaves. In this case we repeat in
along with G minor pentatonic. Either scale three octaves. The first two notes hammer
would work well on its own but Joe B. (and on from the minor 3rd (Bb) to the major
others) often combine these two scales to 3rd (B) This interplay between the 3rds is
get that ‘bluesy’ sound. Generally speaking where the Blues lives and breathes.

Lick 4 Bonus notes
The fourth lick is something Joe B may have *the exception is if all of the chords are ma-
gotten from a player like John McLaugh- jor triads (OK to use the major scale) or if
lin. It is a descending sequence using the G all of the chords are minor triads (OK to use
dorian mode. Strictly speaking, G dorian the minor scale). In the real world of play-
works best over the C chord but it’s the ing Blues this is kind of boring and doesn’t
Blues so (almost) anything goes. happen very often.
Lick 5 **ironically it is often the root note that is

the least important when arpeggiating. This
The fifth and final lick is a turnaround idea is because the root is covered by the bass.
using hammer-ons and pull offs. You’ll need
to have fast fingers to pull this off but hey… END <<
it’s Joe B styleJ
Joe Bonamassa- Tech Session Lesson
Reviews
THE
At Guitar Interactive, we pride ourselves on bringing you in-depth

reviews and demonstrations for only the best products the world
of guitar and audio electronics has to offer.
If it’s in Gi, then it’s gear we’d buy! All of our written reviews and breakdowns are
accompanied by a detailed video — so you can see and hear for yourself if it’s
right for you.

GI93
GUITARS, AMPS
AND EFFECTS
C OM ME N
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THE REVIEWS_GUITAR REVIEW
Cort X500 Menace

For over two decades, the KX Series has represented the most exciting and aggressive
guitar lineup with sleek, stylish looks, unique features, and determination to explore in
of extreme guitars. The KX700 EverTune is the most daring KX Series guitar yet, with a
redesigned body contour for a more aggressive and organic look, Seymour Duncan Se
Humbucker set for that center- of-the-earth growl, and EverTune bridge system for ma
stability. Sam Bell tells us more.
X500 isernbornaesthetic
again with a mod-
and feature
more popular maple top on mahogany body
combination, reverse headstock, 7-piece Ma-
upgrades to become the new darker and ple / Purple Heart / Panga Panga neck and
aggressive X500 Menace, making it highly compound radius fingerboard. Nick Jennison
suitable for metal and extreme music guitar- tells us more.
ists. While maintaining the neck-thru-body
construction for exceptional sustain and high I remember a hilarious piece of market-
frets access, the X500 Menace now features a ing blurb from back in the day. It was after
Cort X500 Menace

THE REVIEWS CORT X500 MENACE
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side of Cort’s
ED
P RO D U C T
P RO D U C T
nto the realm
a completely
ED
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entient & Nazgul COM M E ND
aximum tuning Cort X500 Menace

MSRP: (UK) £999 / (US) $TBC
The Breakdown
Vintage Modern
Specialised Versatile
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Crushing riffs
Shredding solos
Bringing death to all but metal…
For more information, please visit:

cortguitars.com
“Let’s start with the playability: The X500

absolutely RIPS...”

THE REVIEWS CORT X500 MENACE
Gibson’s buyout of Kramer, which saw Series tremolo for screaming dive-bombs,
the legendary brand laid low and sold via gargles and warbles, along with a pair of
“MusicYo”. The infamous website said of legit Seymour Duncan Nazgul and Sen-
the now sadly deceased Kramer Baretta: tient humbuckers (aka, the “metal player’s
“some guitars try to all styles of music JB/Jazz”).
(country AND rock!)”. As statements go,
it’s up there with “we play both kinds of Let’s start with the playability: The X500
music: country AND western”… absolutely RIPS. The thin, wide neck, tall
frets and compound 12”-15.75” ebony
They were TRYING to say that the Baret- fretboard all make for a playing feel that’s
ta was a guitar that was laser-focused on like a high performance car. If you have
doing one thing really well—a bit like the the skills, it’ll keep up with you no mat-
Cort X500 Menace. As if the name wasn’t ter how fast and twisty your playing gets.
clue enough, this sleek and aggressive gui- There is a bit of a trade off with things
tar is a shred machine and it’s proud of it. like Mayer-esque thumb-bass chords and
There’s no fluff, no concessions to other bluesy thumb-over-the-top bends… but
styles - it’s a guitar with no “plan B”, and if that’s your bag, are you really going to
that’s what makes it brilliant. reach for a guitar named “Menace”?
Finished in a matte grey that’s somewhere Sonically, this guitar delivers the goods
between a battleship and a shark, the in the three key areas for a heavy guitar
X500 Menace is a two-humbucker mon- player - crushing riffs in the bridge posi-
ster with a bunch of premium features tion; smooth and articulate leads in the
that you’d normally only see on guitars neck position; fat and chimey cleans in
that are much more expensive. Perhaps between. There are no coil splits, and no
most impressive is the 7-ply neck-thru fancy wiring—even the inclusion of a
construction. For many, a neck thru is tone control feels a little superfluous! It’s
the absolute apex of playing comfort a refined and focused palate of tones that
and high-end luxury, and it’s beautifully give shredders and purveyors of chuggy
executed on this sub-£1000 instrument. riffs the tools they need to to the job with
It also sports a recessed Floyd Rose 1000 no distractions.
“This is a guitar for a very

specific kind of player..”
The Cort X500 Menace is a

guitar with evil intentions. It
laughs scornfully at your Clap-
ton licks and your weekend gig
playing pop tunes at weddings. It
wants to chug, it wants to shred,
and it won’t take no for an an-
swer. Less a “guitar for all sea-
sons” and more “Seasons In The
Abyss”, this is a guitar for a very
specific kind of player—it that’s
you, you already know it, and
you need to check one out.
END <<

THE REVIEWS IBANEZ PIA3761 STEVE VAI SIGNATURE ONYX BLACK
GOOD TO GO
WHEN EVER WHERE VER •
A passion for playing means that inspiration can strike anytime, anywhere.
With Elixir® Strings you know that when you pick up your guitar it’s going
to sound great—time and time again. That’s because our featherweight
coating protects your strings from the elements, keeping corrosion away
and allowing your tone to sound great for longer, in any environment.
Elixir Strings. Performance-ready with long-lasting tone.

GORE, Together, improving life, ELIXIR, NANOWEB, POLYWEB, OPTIWEB, GREAT TONE • LONG LIFE, “e” icon, and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. ©2009-2021 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
Fret-King FKV3CTSB Elise Custom

We’re big fans of Fret-King here at Gi. They seem to have a knack for taking clas-
sic designs and filtering them through the lens of the “working pro player”. The
result is something familiar but with unique aesthetic touches and important
upgrades to the playability and versatility without sacrificing the fundamental
character of the instrument. Nick Jennison reviews Fret-King’s FKV3CTSB
Elise Custom.
THE Elise is Fret King’s take on the classic “ES” semi-hollow design. It has all the
hallmarks of the instruments that inspired it, with a large body, f-holes, centre
block construction, two humbuckers, a two-piece bridge and a 24.7” scale length. Even visibly,
though, the Elise is anything but a straight copy of a classic design. The offset body horns look
not only striking but also improve upper fret access, while the 6-in-a-line headstock provides
Fret King FKV3CTSB Elise Custom

THE REVIEWS FRET-KING FKV3CTSB ELISE CUSTOM
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Fret-King FKV3CTSB Elise

Custom
The Breakdown
Vintage Modern
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Classic “ES” vibes
Unique looks
Tonal versatility

https://www.jhs.co.uk/collections/
all/brand_fret-king
straight string pull behind the nut and buckers. These vintage-voiced pickups
a unique visual that’s a little like a Trini have loads of detail and character, with
Lopez. the almost-single-soil clarity that defines
the best PAFs on display in abundance.
Construction is a little different to the While most builders would settle for the
classic “ES” recipe, too, with a maple cap traditional palate of three humbucker
over a chambered mahogany body, mak- tones—or maybe a coil split if they’re
ing for a lighter guitar than your typi- feeling fancy—Fret King has taken their
cal maple-on-maple semi-hollow. The usual “the more tones, the better” ap-
neck is mahogany, too, with a long neck proach with the inclusion of a Varicoil
tenon for better transfer of resonance knob. This variable coil-cut allows the
between the body and neck. While it’s player to go from full humbucker to tele-
almost impossible to isolate a single vari- esque split-coil tones on a continuum,
able like this, the Elise is certainly plenty with a practically unlimited number of
resonant when played unplugged and variations in-between. That’s not all,
feels very “alive” under the hand. though - there’s also a push-push “out
Electronics come courtesy of a pair of of phase” switch on the master tone
Wilkinson-designed “Fifty Five” hum- control. This switch has no effect on
the tone of either pickup in isolation,

THE REVIEWS FRET-KING FKV3CTSB ELISE CUSTOM

THE REVIEWS ARIA PE-590 AF AGED CHERRY
“If you want some of that timeless semi-

hollow goodness with none of the
drawbacks, this might be the guitar for you...”
but in the middle position, it yields not intended to be a shred machine,

that classic “Peter Green” middle you can definitely set it up like one if
position sound, which is also killer you so desire!
for squawky funk lines or adding a
gnarly, wiry character to a fuzz tone. The Fret-King Elise Custom is a
unique and highly versatile take on
Playability is predictably excellent, the classic “ES” recipe. There are a
with a slim “soft C” neck profile and number of very useful “tweaks” to
22 frets that Fret-King is calling “me- improve playability, versatility and
dium”, but it feel more like “medium reliability, but the “soul” of the classic
jumbo” to my hand. This makes for design this guitar is inspired by re-
effortless string bends, and the flaw- mains 100% intact. If you want some
less fretwork meant I could dial in of that timeless semi-hollow good-
my preferred action of 1mm on the ness with none of the drawbacks, this
treble side and 1.5mm on the bass might be the guitar for you.
side with no rattles, buzzes or dead
spots. While this guitar is probably END <<
THE REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
Blackstar St James 6L6 Head

Everyone from jazz box architects to 8-string sweepers will find a lot to love in the Blac
lightest and most innovative head available, the St James is tailor-made for studio and
dle everything from DI recording to live performance and beyond. Nick Jennison tell
GUITAR amp technology has come a very long way since the “golden era” of
valve amps in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Faced with the impracticality of hulk-
ing stacks of speaker cabs and amplifiers that had to be paint-feelingly loud to sound good and
would blow up if the wind blew the wrong way, designers the world over have sought to give us
a solution. Fast forward to 2022, and we’ve been through the transistor amps of the ‘70s, “hy-
brid” amps from the ‘90s, the low-wattage “lunchbox” craze of the late 2000s, and more recently
the advent of modern modellers and “pedalboard amps”. But as good as modern solutions have
become, valve amps remain the gold standard for both tone and - most importantly - feel.

THE REVIEWS BLACKSTAR ST JAMES 6L6 HEAD
COM M E ND
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P RO D U C T
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ckstar St. James 50-watt Tube Head. As Blackstar’s
stage musicians seeking an all-in-one amp to han-
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ls us more
MSRP: (UK) £999 / (US) $1199
Enter Blackstar with a very impressive answer to the

“valve amp conundrum” - the St James. Available in
two distinct flavours, these fifty watt all-valve amps The Breakdown
offer the authentic tone and response that only glass
Vintage Modern
bottles can provide, but with none of the drawbacks.
Firstly, there’s the weight - or lack thereof. Thanks
to a new proprietary transformer design, the head
clocks in at just 6.7kg (or the same as a medium-
Studio Stadium
sized Lhasa Apso), and the 1x12 combo isn’t much
more at just 12.6kg (about the same as a 24 pack of
Affordable High-end
your favourite carbonated beverage) - despite sport-
ing a ferrite magnet speaker (the new Celestion
Zephyr) and not a neodymium one!
The weight the only modern convenience here For fans of

though - the St James sports some exceptional con-
nectivity too. The built-in load allows it to run Killer high-gain tones
without a speaker cabinet connected, offering silent
operation via the XLR output, headphones, or even Valve amp touch response
direct to your DAW via USB, all of which sound
Modern convenience
fantastic thanks to Blackstar’s “Cab Rig” speaker
simulation technology.
Both EL34 and 6L6 models share this impressive For more information, please visit:
feature set, but are sonically very different. The EL34 blackstaramps.com
model offers classic British crunch and stunning
American-style cleans, while the 6L6 model we’re
looking at today is a much more aggressive affair. It
sports two channels, with a footswitchable “voice” on
END <<
channel 2. Channel 1 is a gorgeous high-head- sponse in a really useful way - leave it off for a
room clean sound with a warm and breathy full-throated and vocal lead tone with tons of
low end, but still plenty of sparkle. Channel 2 authority, engage it for a huge and aggressive
is very much the star of the show here though, rhythm sound with a gentle midrange scoop
with Blackstar’s highest gain circuit to date. and some high end extension for extra “cut”.
The tone is modern, massive and articulate, It’s footswitchable too, meaning you can easily
but with a really pleasant bouncy playing feel. poke a lead tone out over a busy band mix
The voice switch re-shapes the midrange re- without having to resort to a volume boost.
Video Coming Soon!

Other features include a killer-sounding digi- running on the verge of catching fire. This
tal reverb and a power scaling feature, allow- switch alone will take you from “5150” punch
ing you to run the St James at either it’s full to “Dual Rec” sludge on the dirty channel,
fire-breathing 50w or all the way down to 2w while adding a great old-school squish to the
for killer honest at bedroom levels - and in clean channel.
between there’s a “SAG” mode, which changes
the compression characteristics of the power The Blackstar St James is an incredibly well-
stage to respond more like a vintage amp thought-out and equally well executed valve
END <<
“The Blackstar St James is an incredibly well-

thought-out and equally well executed valve
amp for the modern era...”
amp for the modern era. It has all the incredible tone and feel that we love from
traditional valve amps, but with the kind of portability and connectivity that would
make even the most full-featured modeller blush. If you’re a guitarist that needs mod-
ern convenience, but yearns for the magic of a valve amp, the St James is probably the
amp for you.
END <<

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

The PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo provide musicians with the
versatility of wielding both acoustic and electrics tones in one
instrument. It’s designed with two discrete volume controls
(magnetics and piezo) that can be run to the same amp with
one cable – players can use the volume controls to blend the
pickups. Or, you can run two cables and have the magnetic
pickups go to your favorite amp while running the piezo signal
straight to the board for a huge sound. To find out more and to
hear how versatile this guitar is, go to www.prsguitars.com.
© 2020 PRS Guitars / Photos by Marc Quigley
Positive Grid Spark Mini

You’ve never heard a small amp sound like this. Positive Grid’s Spark Mini is a
battery-powered portable practice amp and Bluetooth speaker with smart app
integration and big, beautiful multi-dimensional sound. Take your tone any-
where! Nick Jennison tells us more.
WE love our big amps here at Gi.

In fact, we have a whole studio
wall in a hotel room, on a train, a 12v charg-
er in your car or even a portable power bank.
full of them! I always get a little sulky when
I can’t take my Super Kraken to a gig/ses- The top panel is very simple, with three
sion/rehearsal etc, and I know many of you knobs for guitar volume, music volume
feel the same about your favourite amp. But (more on this in a bit) and preset selection.
what about a front room jam with friends? A The amp can store up to four presets, but
late night practice session at home? A lesson you can access a near-infinite number from
across a busy city? What about a trip to the the Spark app, including user-made tones
beach? on Positive Grid’s ToneCloud. You can also
upload your own tones here to share with
Enter the Spark Mini from Positive Grid. your friends!
Following in the footsteps of their hugely
successful Spark line of amps, this tiny little Within the app, you also have access to a
amp is possibly the ultimate jamming and huge arsenal of amps and effects that draw
practising tool for pretty much any guitar powered by Positive Grid’s award-winning
player. Despite being insanely compact and Bias software. There’s everything from Delux-
lightweight, it offers a crazy level of punch es and Dumbles through to SLO100s, Dual
and width thanks to the stereo speakers un- Rectifiers and Friedman BEs, complemented
der the grille cloth and the omnidirectional by a whole host of overdrives, distortions,
bass woofer on the bottom. It’s powered by fuzzes, reverbs, delays, modulation effects…
an internal battery that offers up to 8 hours if you want it, chances are it’s in here. Edit-
of playtime without needing to be connected ing is super intuitive too. There are no menus
to a power source. When it’s time to charge, to delve through; you just touch the virtual
you can use any standard USB-C cable (like knob you want to adjust and tweak it as if
the one that comes in the box) and your you were using the hardware equivalent. The
phone charger, the USB power supply on the amps and effects all sound and feel »

THE REVIEWS POSITIVE GRID SPARK MINI
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MSRP: (UK) £199 / (US) $299
The Breakdown
Vintage Modern
Studio Stadium
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Playing music
Listening to music
Doing those things literally

anywhere

positivegrid.com
“The Spark Mini is more than just a fun

jamming and practice tool though, and offers
a ton of functionality to pro users too...”
phenomenal too, with huge spatial width, also perfect for everyday music listen-
great touch sensitivity and no perceptible ing and wipes the floor with many of the
latency. portable systems on the market in terms
of both battery life and sound quality. You
As well as being a killer-sounding amp, the can stream from any app on any Bluetooth
Spark Mini is also an absolutely excellent equipped device or directly from the Spark
Bluetooth speaker. It’s true stereo with a App where you’ll get a curated list of back-
powerful low end and a very smooth up- ing tracks and lessons, all with chords and
per mid and treble delivery. It’s great for tab on screen. »
playing backing tracks through, but it’s

Don’t wait any longer....
SUBSCRIBE
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FREE!
go to
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“The Spark Mini is something literally

no guitarist should be without...”
The Spark Mini is more than just a fun jamming and practice tool
though, and offers a ton of functionality to pro users too. If you’re a
content creator, you can capture video directly from the app to your
smart device with the audio from the Spark, making it a breeze to
post-playing clips on your socials or to prepare videos for your stu-
dents. You can also record using either the headphone output or over
USB direct to your DAW of choice, or the include copy of Studio
One.
The Spark Mini is something literally no guitarist should be without.

It offers a near-unlimited spectrum of superb tones, it’s an outstand-
ing Bluetooth speaker, it has incredible practice and productivity
functionality, and you can take it literally anywhere. Colour me
impressed!
END <<
THE REVIEWS_PEDAL REVIEW
Orange Sustain Pedal

Redesigned with the help of a few old tea-stained original schematics, the Orange Vint
compressor reborn! Orange kept the Sustain’s basic design as close as possible to the o
troduced for improved tone and functionality. The introduction of a differential sidech
centre now provides visual feedback, switching colours depending on your gain reduc
class 2-knob compressor. Here’s Nick Jennison to tell us more.
COMPRESSION Enter Orange, with a re-issue of their 1970s

“Sustain” pedal. A compressor by a different,
is perhaps the most misunderstood (and un- more guitarist-friendly name, this big slab of
fairly overlooked) effect in a guitarist’s toolkit. orange-coloured metal has been re-engineered
We look upon compression pedals with suspi- for a smoother bloom and a lower noise floor
cion, covetous of an imagined dynamic range than the originals, but it’s fundamentally the
that is already being evened out by all but the same beast. It has a very simple two-knob in-
absolute cleanest and stiffest of amps. That, or terface, with “sustain” and “output” knobs and
we just don’t really know what a compressor that’s it. This may have some snobs out there
even does. turning their noses up at the lack of attack,
release, ratio, mix, knee, sidechain HPF, key
Well, dear reader, let us consider a term that’s input and any number of other fancy accou-
doing the rounds right now - “a compressor is trements found on more modern compressor
an overdrive for your clean sound”. While this pedals, but let’s not forget that some of the
is a little simplistic, it certainly gets the point most coveted studio compressors in the world
across. A compressor adds sustain, makes the have just two knobs, and nobody’s turning
guitar feel easier to play, and evens out the their nose up at an LA-2A (apart from at the
dynamic extremes of your playing style. The price, that is!).
only difference is it doesn’t add any distortion
of its own.
“The Orange Sustain is a pedal that does exactly

what it says on the tin with a minimum of fuss...”

THE REVIEWS ORANGE SUSTAIN PEDAL
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tage Series Sustain effects pedal is a classic ‘70s
original, with only a few minor changes being in-
ED
hain results in a smoother bloom. The LED in the
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ction level. Apart from that, it’s simply a world-

MSRP: (UK) £195 / (US) $249
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Affordable High-end
Studio Stage
For fans of
Smooth sustain
1970s aesthetics
Making playing feel easier

orangeamps.com
In use, the Orange Sustain does exactly If your sustain has been lacking, this
what it purports to: it adds deliciously might be the very thing you’ve been
spongy sustain to your guitar signal, missing.
without fundamentally changing the
sound of your guitar even at extreme set- END <<
tings. It’s great for a little subtle levelling

for funk rhythms and ambient clean,
while dialling up a more extreme squish
is perfect for frenetic country playing.
Throw it into a broken-up amp and you
can get some of that “always on” magic
that makes your blues and slide play-
ing feel effortless, and there’s more than
enough output range to take an 800 into
screaming lead territory.
The Orange Sustain is a pedal that does

exactly what it says on the tin with a
minimum of fuss. It’s a little on the
large side, but it’s robust, easy to use and
sounds fantastic in a variety of settings.

THE REVIEWS GIBSON 1961 ES-335 MURPHY LAB ULTRA LIGHT AGED
Victory V1 “The Copper”

Victory Amplification’s V1 series of pedals packs the power of their full-size tube amps
The Copper may not have any tubes, legendary British stompbox guru Adrian Thorpe
to perfectly capture the voice, feel, and vibe of their valve-powered siblings. Their rese
packed to the brim with EL-84-style classic rock bite and jangle, taking a cue from som
signs in history. Nick Jennison reviews.
VICTORY’S ongoing
quest to
disposal expert, but is also closing in on a
200kg bench press - I want a poster of him
squeeze their signature tones into ever-small- on my bedroom wall!), the V1 range take the
er boxes began with the V30 Countess - an five flavours of Victory and re-package them
amp designed in collaboration with Guthrie in a standard sized, 9v powered stompbox.
Govan, which crammed a gorgeous Califor- We’ll be looking at the whole range at some
nian clean and a thick, vocal overdrive into point, but let’s begin with my unexpected
an enclosure compact enough to fit in the favourite - The Copper.
overhead locker on a commercial flight. Con-
sidering their previous offerings had been Based on “AC” style British combos of the
hand-wired 50/100 watt monsters the width 1960s, the V1 Copper packs the sparkle and
(and almost the weight) of a Marshall 4x12, chime of these famous designs into its rug-
this tiny amp was something of a revolution, ged little enclosure, with an enormous range
and one that set the British amp brand on of gain available from shimmering cleans
the path it’s been following ever since. and Liverpudlian bark all the way through
to Rory Gallagher blues and Brian May-
Present day, then. The V30 has not only un- esque solo tones thanks to what sounds like
dergone significant revisions and a re-brand a Rangemaster style treble boost that kicks in
as “The Jack”, but it’s been joined by four at around 12:00 on the gain control.
other “families” of amps: The Kraken, The
Sheriff, The Duchess and the Copper. All of The EQ controls on the V1 Copper are
these are available in the same “lunchbox” slightly different to the rest of the V1 range,
head format, and all of which look positively with treble, bass and tone in lieu of the
gargantuan next to the new baby of the fam- three-band EQ found on its V1 siblings. This
ily: the V1 range. might sound like a fairly standard set of con-
trols for a pedal, but there are some interest-
Designed in collaboration with British pedal- ing “quirks” that see the V1 Copper behaving
building genius Adrian Thorpe of Thorpy FX more like an amp than a stompbox. First, the
(who is not only a knight and a former bomb tone is a mighty global high-end cut that’s

THE REVIEWS VICTORY V1 “THE COPPER”
COM M E ND
RE
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P RO D U C T
P RO D U C T
s into a pedalboard-friendly package! While V1
e was tapped to fine-tune the entire V1 series
ED
earch has certainly paid off—V1 The Copper is
RE
COM M E ND
me of the most renowned British amplifier de-

MSRP: (UK) £199 / (US) $249
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Straightforward Feature-rich
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Clean sparkle
“AC” Jangle
Mid-boosted classic lead tones.

victoryamps.com
brightest at its fully counter-clockwise Boost” lead tone through a dirty amp.
position, much like those found on It sounds killer on its own, and it stacks
“AC” amps. The treble and bass knobs well… it’s fantastic.
come before the final gain stage too (like
an amp being driven into poweramp Victory’s V1 Copper - and the entire V1
distortion), meaning you can use these series - packages Victory’s signature amp
controls to shape the response of the sounds in their smallest and most afford-
distortion and not just the EQ curve. able form to date. Any smaller and more
affordable, and they’d be giving them
Sound-wise, it’s business as usual for Vic- away - provided you bring your own mi-
tory here, with every “AC” tone under croscope. Whether you’re someone who
the sun delivered with incredible amp- gets their whole tone from gain pedals,
like touch response and authenticity - no someone who’s been lusting after Victory
mean feat considering the idiosyncratic tone but can’t justify the price of a new
topology of the amps this pedal seeks to valve amp, or someone who wants an
emulate! It can take your JCM800 and incredible version of an “AC” tone with
clean it up into an Americana jangle, it their existing rig, you need to check out
can take your Fender Twin and turn it the V1 Copper.
into a burning classic rock riff machine,
and it even does a really good version END <<
of the Andy Timmons squeaky “AC

THE REVIEWS VICTORY V1 “THE COPPER”
MINI GO series
The VOX MINI GO covers all the bases from practice
to live performance — at home, in concert venues
or out on the streets.
These amps are lightweight, compact and can be

powered by a mobile battery. They also offer
powerful and realistic amp models, onboard
effects that let you create a diverse range of
sounds, and a rhythm machine that can play
back patterns from many genres.
PLAY
ANYWHERE.
Quietroom
THE

right for you.

GI93
W H E N O N LY
ACOUSTIC WILL DO
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THE QUIETROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe

Nick Jennison takes a closer look at the OM-28 Modern Deluxe from Martic Guitars. P
tom features and modern technology, it’s the brand’s new take on Martin classic.
LAUNCHED at this year’s NAMM show, Martin’s Modern Deluxe line

of guitars represents a serious shift from the Vintage line it
replaces. The Modern Deluxe guitars bring a wealth of appointments previously only available
on custom shop instruments to production guitars. The four guitars in the range (D18, D28,
OM20 and the 00028) all sport titanium truss rods, open-gear gold tuners and matching
“evo” frets, carbon fibre bridge plates and asymmetrical slim necks. There’s still a very strong
nod to the old school though, with the Modern Deluxe guitars retaining the VTS-treated sitka
spruce tops, protein glues and dovetail neck joints found on their previous models.
Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe

THE QUIET ROOM MARTIN OM-28 MODERN DELUXE
SPONSORED BY
e COM M E ND
RE
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P RO D U C T
P RO D U C T
Packed with cus-
ED
RE
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Martin OM-28 Modern

Deluxe
MSRP: (UK) £4295 / (US) $5199
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Gorgeous looks and sound
Comfortable neck
Clever modern updates

martinguitar.com
Playing comfort is the name o

THE QUIET ROOM MARTIN OM-28 MODERN DELUXE
of the game with the Modern Deluxe series...”
If you’re unfamiliar with Martin’s body rosewood back and sides are beautifully
shapes, the OM28 is a mid-sized, fairly offset by the flamed maple binding. The
shallow body with a pronounced “waist”. headstock sports a classic 1930s style
From my tastes, it’s about perfect, sitting mother of pearl inlaid logo and six very
between thunderous-but-bulky dread- handsome open-geared gold tuners.
noughts and dainty parlour shapes. It’s
super comfortable in both regular and Sonically, the OM28 is rich and com-
classical playing positions, and it looks plex, with detailed highs and a slightly
timelessly elegant. “tucked” midrange. The slightly stiffer
bracing offers lots of sustain: perhaps
Playing comfort is the name of the game at the cost of absolute projection, but
with the Modern Deluxe series, and if there’s still plenty of volume available,
you can get past the fairly hefty action especially if you really dig in with a firm
height (we measured just over 3mm pick. Interestingly, the entire dynamic
on the bass side at the 12th fret, and a range of the guitar is very tonally con-
hairless on the treble side) the OM28 sistent. There are no barky or boomy
feels superb. The chunky V-profile neck tones when you start to wind up the
found on the Vintage series guitars has intensity, and there’s no loss of defini-
been replaced with a slim asymmetrical tion or warmth during more delicate
neck based on a 1930s OM45 (com- passages. I think the best way to describe
plete with the thinner fretboard found the tone is “silky”.
on guitars of that era). The profile still
has a pronounced shoulder slope, but it’s The Martin OM28 Modern Deluxe is a
more “slim boat-back” than a sharp V, superb update to their production gui-
with the apex offset slightly towards the tars. It looks stunning, feels plays very
treble side. It also feels very light in hand comfortably and handles any playing
thanks to both the slim profile and the style with grace. It even smells good!
lightweight titanium truss rod. While the hefty list price represents a
serious investment, it’s much easier to
Visually, the OM20 Modern Deluxe justify the cost given how good this
is stunning. The top is clean, and light guitar is.
without any “vintage” tint, and the
END <<
Takamine GY51E New Yorker

With the Takamine GY51E, the iconic Japanese manufacturer presents a com-
pact Parlor Western guitar equipped with an in-house pickup system. Thanks
to its small size, the GY51E produces clear mid and treble frequencies and is
thus excellently suited for expressive picking and fingerstyle. At the same time,
the round neck offers superb playability in all 21 frets. Nick Jennison takes a
closer look at this new release.
PARLOUR
guitars are some of my absolute favourite acoustic guitars out
there. I love the petite body shape; the softly-spoken, detailed
tone; the playing comfort when reclining on a sofa - these little beauties have so much to offer.
The “New Yorker” - Takamine’s smallest body shape - is just such an instrument, with a few
more unique features that set it apart from the pack. Part of the ultra-affordable G Series, the
GY51E comes costs less than some high-end overdrive pedals, but don’t be fooled by the price
tag: this is a serious little guitar.
Takamine GY51E New Yorker

THE QUIET ROOM TAKAMINE GY51E NEW YORKER
COM M E ND
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Takamine GY51E New

Yorker
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
“Pre-war” aesthetics
Delicate and detailed tones
Names that roll off the tongue

takamine.com
“It’s with flatpicking and fingerpicking styles where

this guitar really shines...”
Sporting a solid spruce top over black wal- Electronics come courtesy of Takamine’s TP-
nut back and sides and paired with a slim 4TD proprietary preamp system. I’ve made
mahogany neck, the GY51E is quite impres- no secret of my disdain for large, shoulder-
sively spec’d for its price. The headstock is a mounted preamps on acoustic guitars, but
gorgeous slotted design with open-gear tun- even I have to admit that this is a well-
ers that is reminiscent of treasured “pre-war” thought-out and great-sounding system. The
guitars. I often lament the “anonymity” of core tone is very natural, with just enough
entry-level acoustics (usually with the deri- options to be flexible without giving you
sory term “sea of spruce dreadnoughts”), but enough metaphorical rope to tie yourself in
happily, this guitar is anything but. knots.
Sonically, the GY51E is delicate, refined and The GY51E “New Yorker” is a really attrac-
articulate. You’d be foolish to expect jumbo- tive little parlour guitar at an equally attrac-
Esque strumming authority out of a tiny tive price point. That’s not all, though - this
body shape like this one, but even laying in gorgeous petite little instrument sounds and
with a heavy pick is pleasantly rewarding. plays the business too.
It’s with flatpicking and fingerpicking styles
where this guitar really shines, though, with END <<
detailed mids and highs that really make

single notes pop.

THE QUIET ROOM VINTAGE HISTORIC SERIES ‘ORCHESTRA’
WANT TO FEATURE IN THE

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IT’S SIMPLE. TO ADVERTISE...

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Takamine GD11M-NS
Sam Bell reviews the Takamine GD11M-NS acoustic—featuring an all-mahogany const
viding an authentic, familiar sound. Guitarists and music enthusiasts alike will have al
over old-school recordings, including Bob Dylan and many other artists. It›s time to exp
resonant tone with a beautiful warmth and a punchy, earthy character without breaki
TAKAMINE is well
known
The GD11M-NS features a Mahogany Top,
Back, Sides and Neck. There’s no finish on
for its high quality and great-sounding the wood, so there is a lovely matt texture
acoustic instruments. Often high-quality to the guitar, it feels very natural. The fin-
build and sound comes with a price tag, gerboard is made from Laurel. There are no
but in this review we’ll be taking a look at electronics with this guitar, so no tuner or
a highly affordable, all-round dreadnaught preamp. This is a very basic guitar, but with
acoustic guitar from Takamine. reason. The guitar looks and feels great to
play, no sticking out frets or rough patches of
Takamine GD11M-NS

THE QUIET ROOM TAKAMINE GD11M-NS
SPONSORED BY
COM M E ND
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P RO D U C T
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ruction, pro-
ll heard it all
ED
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plore a rich,
ng the bank. Takamine GD11M-NS
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Bright Dark
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Old-school warmth
Superb value for money
Sleek looks

takamine.com
If you’re starting out on your guitar journey and

you’re feeling fairly committed, this would be a
great guitar to get started on...”
wood, the hardware feels solid, quality tuners so how you play will directly affect the tone.
and bridge pins. The dreadnaught body of This is an obvious point, but some instru-
the guitar resonates really well; it doesn’t feel ments which are built badly can really put
dead in any areas. limitations on the potential of the player.
The GD11M doesn’t burn any bridges in
When it comes to playing, the guitar rea- this respect, it’ll play your game. The frets
sons well to dynamics; there’s a fair amount feel good, medium and tall, slightly abrasive
of sustain in the lower regions of the neck. at first, especially in the upper register, yet
However, on single notes higher up the again, nothing a bit of playing in wouldn’t
neck, the tone does slightly thin out. This solve.
for me isn’t too much of a concern, playing
differently can help add depth to a note, so For a retail price of around £200, you’re
there is nothing that technique can’t help in paying for a solid basic acoustic guitar, no
solving. In fact, the guitar allows the tech- thrills, but something sturdy, which will age
nique to come through very transparently, well with your own playing. If you’re starting

THE QUIET ROOM TAKAMINE GD11M-NS
out on your guitar journey and you’re

feeling fairly committed, this would be a
great guitar to get started on. Or if you’re
an electric player and looking for a
basic, high-quality acoustic guitar
for the studio or some local gigs
(stick a pickup on it maybe?) then
you’ll have a brilliant foundational
acoustic instrument for your gui-
tar armoury. Takamine makes bril-
liant instruments, and they do make
an effort to make their instruments
accessible for all tastes, budgets and
purposes. Big respect!
END <<
Cort Flow OC
Cort’s new Flow Series is the result of expertly carried out research and tests to launch
tive guitar most suited for fingerstyle artists and enthusiasts. In this review, Nick Jenn
look at the Cort Flow OC featuring an OM body-sized guitar with completely redesigne
neck profile. Billed as a playing experience that is more comfortable yet faster, that fac
versatility than ever—Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.
IF guitarists are notoriously conservative when it comes to advances in technology, then

acoustic guitarists are positively puritanical. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a fine motto,
but there are times I find myself craving some modern creature comforts in an acoustic guitar.
That said, I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and I’d still like a guitar that
looks and sounds like a traditional acoustic. Fortunately for me, Cort has struck this balance just
Cort Flow OC

THE QUIET ROOM CORT FLOW OC
SPONSORED BY
COM M E ND
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h an innova-
ison takes a
ED
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ed asymmetric
cilitates more Cort Flow OC
MSRP: (UK) £1049 / (US) $1500
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Super-easy playability
Killer fingerstyle and flatpicking tones
“Classical”-inspired looks

cortguitars.com
“The body shape is a compact “orchestra”

shape that has a little of that “classical
guitar” look about it...”
right with their new “Flow” series. These at- exchange is some wonderful detail and pro-
tractive spruce-topped instruments are posi- jection for flatpicking, fingerstyle and hybrid
tively dripping with player-focussed tweaks picking - which makes sense given this guitar
that add up to a fabulous playing experience. practically cries out for intricate styles.
Perhaps the least visually obvious feature Electronics come courtesy of an LR Baggs
- but also the one that’s the most immedi- Anthem system, which is unquestionably
ately apparent to the player - is the neck. one of the best pickup systems on the mar-
It’s a super ergonomic asymmetrical “C/D” ket. Nestled neatbly in the soundhole, you
shape with plenty of meat on the bass side get a volume, a tone control and a phase
for grabbing “thumb-over” chords, but a switch to defeat feedback, and that’s it -
slimmer treble side for easy stretches and fast which is frankly more than enough given the
passages. Combine this with rolled fretboard natural, clear tone this pickup produces.
edges, fatter-than-usual fretwire and a wider-
than-usual 44.5mm string spacing, and you It’s a common epithet to say that a player-
have a guitar that’ll keep pace with even your focussed acoustic guitar “plays like an elec-
trickiest chops. tric”, but that’s not the case here. The Cort
Flow-OC is its own beast entirely, and is an
The body shape is a compact “orchestra” acoustic through and through, but it also
shape that has a little of that “classical gui- happens to be one of the easiest (and most
tar” look about it. It’s made entirely of solid rewarding) to play acoustics I’ve ever laid
woods, with rosewood back and sides and hands on. If you’ve got the chops and don’t
a red cedar top, which lends a “seasoned” want to be held back by your guitar, then
quality that you won’t find on a spruce- this might be the instrument for you!
topped dread. There’s a bit of a trade-off on
strumming authority, but what you get in END <<

THE QUIET ROOM CORT FLOW OC
Enya X4 Carbon Fiber Acousti

In a world where traditional guitar-building woods are becoming more scarce,
many builders have started seeking out alternative materials for ethical and
economic reasons (you’re free to speculate on how this breaks down behind
the scenes). While alternative woods are the most common substitute, one of
the most interesting materials being used is carbon fibre. Nick Jennison re-
views Enya’s impressive X4 Carbon Fiber Acoustic.
CARBON fibre acoustics have been around for a while now—and are rightly
treasured for their bright, powerful tone, resilience and consistency
- but usually not their price. Carbon fibre acoustics have traditionally been prohibitively expen-
sive, which is why the Enya X4 is such a pleasant surprise, coming in at just three figures.
Enya X4 Carbon Fiber Acoustic

THE QUIET ROOM ENYA X4 CARBON FIBER ACOUSTIC
SPONSORED BY
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Enya X4 Carbon Fiber Acoustic

MSRP: (UK) ? / (US) $899
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Super-easy playability
Killer fingerstyle and flatpicking tones
“Classical”-inspired looks

enyamusic.co.uk/products/enya-ea-
x4eq-carbon-fibre-electro-acoustic-
guitar

THE QUIET ROOM ENYA X4 CARBON FIBER ACOUSTIC
The Enya X4 is a unique sounding, allowing you to dial in everything

from subtle thickening to a pseudo-12-string
instrument in so many shimmer with just the single mix control.
ways...” The delay is a little more “situational”, as the
mix is set to a fixed amount, with the single
There’s not a single piece of organic material control adjusting delay time. This feels like
on this guitar, with a carbon fibre weave top an oversight to me, and I’d much prefer a
and what appears to be a resin back, sides, mix control with a tap tempo to control de-
neck and bridge. The result is a guitar that’s lay time. Similarly, it feels a little odd to have
quite heavy, but reassuringly solid feeling, all this tech on board - a mic, a piezo, built-
with a very clear and “well organised” sound. in effects and an actuator (more on that in a
There’s a weight to the low transients that second), but no tuner.
I haven’t heard from a traditionally made
wooden acoustic, but there’s still a ton of Speaking of the actuator though, this is one
sparkle and detail in the highs and upper of the X4’s best party tricks. You can engage
mids. Played fingerstlye, it provides killer the actuator to turn the top into a “speaker”
projection and consistency, but doesn’t col- of sorts - one that allows you to use the ef-
lapse under heavy strumming like many fects with the guitar unplugged! Being able
other “fingerstlyle-oriented” guitars. Quite to add a little reverb to your sound in a
the opposite, in fact: the X4 roars like a full- dead space like a living room (or our studio)
blooded mahogany dreadnought. makes for a very fun playing experience, and
one that you’ll no doubt miss when turning
Aside from the unique construction, the oth- it off, or switching to another guitar.
er big surprise the X4 has up its sleeve is the
electronics. Plugged in, you’re treated to a The Enya X4 is a unique instrument in so
very accurate and natural-sounding rendition many ways. It’s the most affordable carbon
of the X4’s acoustic tone, but with the op- fibre acoustic I’m aware of, and it comes with
tion to blend in the on-board reverb, chorus a host of electronic toys and tools to make
and delay! The reverb comes in two flavours your playing experience that little bit more
- room and hall. Both sound very pleasing, pleasant. Traditionalists will scoff, but if you
and add a three dimensional depth to the can open your mind wide enough, this guitar
tone without ever becoming corny or over- will reward you.
powering. Similarly, the chorus is very classy
END <<
Aria FET-R1
Nick Jennison reviews Aria’s FET-R1 passive electro-acoustic guitar. Featur-
ing an onboard piezo pickup that makes it simple to amplify or connect with
your PC via interfaces for home recording use, the FET-R1 continues Aria’s
legacy of Great tone and playability at an affordable cost.
I OFTEN lament the “sea of spruce dreadnoughts” that make up the entry-level
acoustic guitar market. That’s not to say there’s anything *wrong*
with spruce dreads (to quote the great Guthrie Govan, “nothing ever became cliché by being
bad”), but like eating spaghetti bolognaise every day, the classic recipe gets tired after a while.
Aria FET-R1

THE QUIET ROOM ARIA FET-R1
SPONSORED BY
COM M E ND
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Aria FET-R1
The Breakdown
Traditional Modern
Warm Bright
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Warm tones
Eye-catching looks
Electric Playabilityi

ariaguitarsglobal.com/aria-pro/

THE QUIET ROOM ARIA FET-R1
It looks cool, plays well, has a really pleasant

warm tone...”
I often lament the “sea pickup requires no power, sparkle, you’ll get a warm
of spruce dreadnoughts” and comes with no con- and round tone that’s perfect
that make up the entry- trols. This can be a bless- for blues, down-home coun-
level acoustic guitar market. ing, because it’s easy to get try or other rootsy styles.
That’s not to say there’s any- lost in your acoustic guitar’s
thing *wrong* with spruce preamp, sliding your tone Another area where Aria
dreads (to quote the great into oblivion, one slider at have separated themselves
Guthrie Govan, “nothing a time. Instead, the FET-R1 from the pack at this end
ever became cliché by being gives you a clean, natural of the market is playabil-
bad”), but like eating spa- sounding rendition of your ity. While many entry-level
ghetti bolognaise every day, acoustic tone that sounds acoustics play just fine in the
the classic recipe gets tired great into an acoustic amp, open position, but become
after a while. or DI into a PA system or a finger-breakingly stiff past
recording interface. A word the fifth fret, the FET-R1
This is why I’m always of warning though - you will plays like an electric guitar.
happy to see guitar like need to use a high imped- The action is low, the neck is
Aria’s new FET-R1. It’s a ance “instrument” input, or fat but comfy, and the fret-
“large parlour” guitar, with a you’ll likely lose some high work is very good, even up
gorgeous metallic (Pelham?) end detail. into the dusty end.
blue finish, Aria’s classic
3-a-side headstock and an Acoustically, the FET-R1 Aria’s FET-R1 is a refresh-
electric-esque D-shaped sounds warm and rustic, ing change to the “sea of
neck. It’s a bold aesthetic with a full midrange and a spruce dreadnoughts” in the
statement that harkens back rolled-off low and high end budget acoustic space. It
to the “Headbanger’s Ball” that lends itself very well to looks cool, plays well, has a
era, and I’m very much here single-note playing. That’s really pleasant warm tone,
for it. not to say that this guitar and offers a no-fuss way of
can’t handle heavy-handed amplifying your acoustic
It’s also an entirely passive strumming - it absolutely tone. It’s also crazy afford-
electro-acoustic. What this can, but instead of dread- able!
means is the undersaddle nought punch or jumbo END <
Studio to Sta
THE

right for you.

age
GI93
PLAY IT - RECORD
IT - PERFORM IT
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STUDIO TO STAGE_SOFTWARE REVIEW
Hit’n’Mix RipX DeepCreate

Nick Jennison reviews the newest member of the RipX family. DeepCrea
dio system that inspires you to generate original ideas and create music fr
controller, microphone or samples. DeepCreate integrates seamlessly with
Audio pro-editing and clean-up workflows. Use alongside your DAW or as
hear, and once your music is inside DeepCreate, you won’t need to think a
inspiring boundless creativity!
BACK when
I was
kids (translation: people
in their 20s) would say:
Thunderstruck? You can
mute just Angus’s guitar.
working full-time as a lec- “we have an app for that Karaoke? Mute the vocals.
turer, one of the questions now”. RipX is the brain- Wanna learn exactly what
I’d regularly get from child of the clever folks at Malcolm is playing? Solo
my first-year production Hit’N’Mix, and it es- his guitar. Wanna use the
students is “can I remove sentially uses the kind of drums from If You Want
(X instrument) from this digital wizardry I haven’t Blood for a demo you’re
song? My answer was a hope of understanding writing? Solo those.
always the same: “unless to take an audio recording
you have access to stems, and separate it out into it’s RipX comes in a bunch
it’s impossible”. I’d usually constituent parts. Drop of different flavours, with
use an analogy like “try- an AC/DC song into the various levels of com-
ing to remove the drums “Ripper” and (after a min- plexity. We’ve covered
from a finished mix is like ute or two of witchcraft) the most basic version
trying to remove the flour you’ll get a version with (“DeepRemix”) in a previ-
from a cake - unless you independent tracks (“lay- ous edition of GI, but
do it at the mixing stage, ers” in RipX parlance) today we’re taking a look
it’s not possible”. for Angus, Malcolm, at the version aimed at
Phil, Cliff and Bon/Brian musicians and songwrit-
Well, turns you you which you can manipulate ers: “DeepCreated”. This
don’t know what you to your heart’s content. edition keeps all of the
don’t know, and as the Doing a guitar cover of same powerful features as

STUDIO TO STAGE HIT’N’MIX RIPX DEEPCREATE
e RE
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ate is a unique, easy-to-use, yet powerful au-
rom scratch using any instrument, MIDI/MPE
ED
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h the DeepRemix stem separation & Deep-

a standalone app. What you see is what you Hit’n’Mix RipX DeepCreate
about audio and MIDI—they become one, MSRP (MSRP (UK) / £ (US) $
The Breakdown
Studio Stage
Straightforward Feature-Rich
Affordable High-end
For fans of
Getting creative with audio
Learning hard-to-hear guitar parts
Having fun with sample librarie

hitnmix.com
STUDIO TO STAGE_SOFTWARE REVIEW
DeepRemix, but with several new crea- tune them, adjust the timing, change the
tive tools. For example, you can take any pitches… whatever you can dream up.
“layer” and manipulate the pitch, timing
and inflexion just as you would in Deep- If you’re doing a cover of, say, a live Jimi
Remix, but you can also use these layers Hendrix track, but you feel like the drums
to trigger virtual instruments. There are aren’t punching hard enough, you could
several of these included, but you can isolate the kick drum and blend in a sam-
of course use your own favourite VSTi ple with the original for more “oomph”.
plugins too. For example, if you don’t Or, you could take the original kick drum
own a bass, but want to play a part in on and turn that into a sample, which you
a recording you’re working on, you can can then layer over another instrument. If
play the idea in on your guitar, drop it by you want the “When The Levee Breaks”
an octave, then replace it with an electric kick as an instrument you can play, or just
bass sample. Then, if you weren’t happy the guitar chucks from “In The Midnight
with the notes you’d played, you can Hour”, you can grab then with absolutely
minimal effort.
Video Coming Soon!
Hit’n’Mix RipX DeepCreate

STUDIO TO STAGE HIT’N’MIX RIPX DEEPCREATE
In to fully explain the feature set of this incredible piece of software in a written review
would take the entire magazine, so instead, I’m going to recommend that you go grab a trial
version and start playing around. The interface is simple enough that you’ll have it figured
out in minutes, and the results you can get will leave you amazed - I certainly was!
END <<
STUDIO TO STAGE_AUDIO INTERFACE REVIEW
Focusrite Clarett+ 8PRE

Focusrite’s Clarett+ 8Pre 18-in/20-out audio interface is a powerful foundat
It sports eight great-sounding Clarett+ microphone preamplifiers, an outst
latency performance enabled by USB-C. The magic starts as soon as you p
feature Focusrite’s switchable Air effect, which gives your microphones th
mic preamp. With comprehensive connectivity including analog I/O, S/PD
is ready to integrate into virtually any recording rig. Nick Jennison review
WITH the well-deserved ubiquity of

their ultra-affordable Scarlett
performance, the Clarett+ range may be the v
thing.
audio interfaces, Focusrite has become synony-
mous with the “home studio”, enabling budding Built on the same platform as the highly resp
artists and enthusiastic hobbyists to take their first Clarett USB range of interfaces, the Clarett+
steps into recording without the usual barriers to range is largely the same, but with one very s
entry - namely price, complexity and quality. For nificant upgrade - the converters. They say th
many people, a Scarlett will be as much interface necessity is the mother of invention, and that
as they’ll ever need, but for musicians looking very much the case here, as the Japanese facto
to take the next step up in terms of quality and that produced the chips used in the previous
range was sadly destroyed in a fire during the

STUDIO TO STAGE FOCUSRITE CLARETT+ 8PRE
COM M E ND
RE
ED
P RO D U C T
P RO D U C T
tion for your studio or mobile recording rig.
ED
tanding dynamic range, and ultra-fast, low-
RE
COM M E ND
plug your microphones in—the mic preamps

he air and clarity of an ISA transformer-based MSRP (UK) £779 / (US) $1249
DIF, and ADAT I/O, the Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre
ws
The Breakdown
Studio Stage
very “Chip Shortage” of 2021, leading to Focusrite’s

decision to upgrade the Clarett+ range with Cir- Specialised Versatile
rus Logic converters. While it’s hard to isolate the

pected contribution of a singe component in a complex Straightforward Feature-Rich
piece of equipment like this, there are some very

sig- clear performance improvements over the previ- Affordable High-end
hat ous generation of Clarett interfaces - around 3db
t’s lower THD+N on all analogue I/O, greater line
ory output dynamic range and significantly improved
headphone performance. For fans of
e
Ultra-low latency
Superb sound quality
Rock solid performance

focusrite.com
The Clarett+ 8Pre we’re looking at here and two cumulative high shelf boosts are
has the most I/O out of any model in added for a total of +4db of extra high
the range, with 8 combined XLR/jack end. Unlike some DSP solutions though,
inputs and Focusrite’s excellent Clar- this all happens entirely in the analogue
ett+ preamps. With 118dB of dynamic domain. The result is a gorgeous “sheen”
range and +57dB of gain on tap, these that sounds fantastic on vocals, acoustic
preamps will handle even the most gain- guitars, drum mics, and can even add
hungry dynamic mics without breaking sparkle and realism to dull-sounding IRs!
a sweat (SM7b, I’m looking at you). The The two front-facing inputs can also be
frequency response is impressively flat… switched to high-impedance “instrument”
unless you decide you want some charac- inputs for connecting guitars and basses
ter, in which case you can enable the “air” with passive pickups without the need for
feature. Emulating the response of Focus- a separate DI box.
rite’s legendary ISA 110 mic preamp. The
input impedance is changed to 2.2kOhm,
Video Coming Soon!

“The Clarett+ is still a significant upgrade in

sonics, performance and build quality...”
The output section is similarly full- Connecting over USB, you may find
featured, with no less than 10 analogue yourself wondering how the Clarett+ will
outputs and two separate headphone perform in comparison to thunderbolt
amps. I run a pretty complex setup with offerings. Well, let me tell you this - the
two sets of monitors, a permanent reamp Clarett+ is absolutely blazing fast. I’m
feed and dedicated stereo mixes running hyper-sensitive to latency, but my buddy
to my main camera and my Blackmagic Jon Page is positively princess-and-the-
switcher, and I sill have an output to pea-esque with his intolerance for even
spare. Of course, if you need more you the slightest bit of “lag”, but neither of us
could always expand up to 18 in/20 out could feel a thing when playing through
via ADAT… virtual amps or monitoring through
plugins.
I’ve long been skeptical about whether interfaces have a

“sound”, but in a direct comparison between the Clar-
ett+ and my previous interface, the difference in sound
could not be clearer. Transients are snappier, the high
end feels clearer and more “cohesive”, and there’s an
overall feeling of being “truer” to the source material
with the Clarett+.
You may be wondering if the Clarett+ is really worth

the money when you can a very similar feature set from
the equivalent Scarlett for significantly less outlay. Well,
that depends on your application I suppose. For many, a
Scarlett will be more than enough in terms of both qual-
ity and performance, but the Clarett+ is still a significant
upgrade in sonics, performance and build quality - one
that competes favourably against Thunderbolt interfaces
that retail for more than three times as much.
END <<

Columns
THE
C L
E X
Inside each and every issue, we have a host of exclusive lessons —
with our team of world-class contributors offering their unique
insight, knowledge and expertise to help you get the most out of
your own playing.
S
Also in this edition, Gi’s Jonathan Graham exclusively sits down with Adam
“Nergal” Darski of black metal pioneers: Behemoth.
U M N
L

S I V E
GI93
LU C
CLASS IS BACK
IN SESSION
OL
COLUMNS_TOM QUAYLE
C O L U M N
Tom Quayle T H E

TOM QUAYLE PLAYING OVER MODAL CHANGE USING FORMULAS
PLAYING OVER
MODAL CHANGES
USING FORMULAS
ONE of the problems that many
guitarists face when trying to
tened we simply lower it by one fret, if the
interval is sharpened we raise it by one fret.
get some changes playing under their belt is Here are all the formulas for the major scale
the sheer number of scales and patterns that modes. Once you’ve learned these we’ll fig-
must be learnt. If you take the major scale ure out a way to make learning these much
for example, it has seven different modes easier.
built from each of its notes. If you then
imagine that those scales must be learnt in Dorian Scale – 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7
all 12 keys that’s 84 different scales to learn! Phrygian Scale – 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
That’s before we’ve even started with melodic
minor and harmonic minor and their modes Lydian Scale – 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7
let alone the diminished scale and other syn-
thetic scales. This is daunting to say the least Mixolydian Scale – 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
– yet it needn’t be if approached correctly. Aeolian Scale – 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Every scale that we play has what’s called a Locrian Scale – 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7
formula and it describes how the notes in
that scale differ intervallically from the major Try to figure out each scale through one oc-
scale. The major scale has a seven-note for- tave using the major scale as your base.
mula because it contains seven unique notes.
We simply number the notes from 1 to 7 This formula idea makes learning these scales
giving us the formula: - much easier than looking at patterns and try-
ing to learn them in all 12 keys all over the
Major Scale – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 neck. First of all, start with the root note for
each scale and learn what the first interval of
Play through the major scale and number the the major scale looks like on the fret board.
notes for yourself through each octave get- This would be 1 moving to 2 or C to D in C
ting used to where each interval within the major. Try to find every combination of these
scale is. Every other mode of the major scale two notes that is within a reasonable stretch
has a formula that differs in some way from of your root note in each octave. Now move
the major scale itself. If the interval is flat- to another root note and repeat the process
COLUMNS_TOM QUAYLE
Tom Quayle - Playing over Modal Change using Formulas

TOM QUAYLE PLAYING OVER MODAL CHANGE USING FORMULAS
mapping out what all the 1 to 2 combina- so once you’ve learned all twelve you will be
tions look like all over the neck. able to play any scale from any root note pro-
vided you know the formula for that scale.
Now, look back at our modes and you’ll see On the video I demonstrate this principle for
that you’ve learnt the first two notes of Ma- each of the major scale modes and then im-
jor, Dorian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Aeolian. provise over a chord progression that outlines
Because you were doing this from the root each mode in turn.
note if you change the root note the physical
relationship between the root note and the In order for you to practice playing over each
2nd degree is still the same. In other words it mode in turn and learn the intervals within
looks the same anywhere on the neck. Now the scales I have also provided you with a
repeat the process for the 3rd degree, then chord shape that outlines the sound of each
4th, 5th etc trying to visualise all of those mode. You can play these chords and create a
intervals from the root note of the scale mak- backing track over which you can improvise
ing a reference in your mind as to how they using the relevant modes using your new-
look in relation to one another. found intervallic knowledge to help you.
Over a period of time you’ll build up a cata- Good luck with this method and I’ll see you
logue of interval relationships and be able to next month!
find any interval from any root note on the
fret board. You have twelve intervals in music END <<
COLUMNS_SAM BELL
PART6
EXTR E M E
R E DD I N G
SH with Sam Bell
Sam Bell concludes his inspiring column on the
ultimate high energy playing. Watch out for more from
Sam next year, exclusively in Guitar Interactive!
HELLO and welcome to the final instalment of my extreme shred column.

For regular viewers of this section of the magazine I hope you have
been enjoying the series so far and for newcomers, please enjoy this instalment and be
sure to check out the previous five to check you aren’t missing out on any juicy details!
So far we have been delving into the wonderful and slightly terrifying world of extreme
legato techniques and with the addition of two finger tapping. We have been looking into
diatonic arpeggio lines, super imposition and even some lines that dip their tone outside
of the diatonic major scale into melodic minor territory.
Today we are going to take a look at some more scary melodic minor lines that sound
very mystical and we are going to be visualising them with some more traditional arpeg-
gio shapes. As with all the columns in this series please be sure to check out the video and
accompanying tab for fingerings and line details.

SAM BELL EXTREME SHREDDING
COLUMNS_SAM BELL
Here in the written section I would like to This line highlights an Am triad, the shape I
talk about how I came up with the lines and am using is a ‘C’ shape however we are fill-
maybe more about the concepts behind them ing in some notes from the A Melodic Minor
that you could take from these lines and scale (A, B, C, D, E, F#, G#). We start with
insert into your own playing style. This way an ascending phrase on the high E which is
you will be able to build your own unique topped off with a two finger tapped 16th and
vocabulary of extreme legato lines and phras- 17th fret with the middle and ring finger on
es whilst also having a deeper understanding the picking hand highlighting the major7th
of what makes them work for your own style, degree and the route note. If you’re not
this means you can use them much more totally comfortable with the two finger tap-
naturally in your improvisation, writing and ping technique still, be sure to check out the
day to day playing styles. 3rd instalment of this column where I break
down the two finger tapping technique in a
Something I must address before taking a bit more detail. My main advice for it would
look at our first line is how versatile some of be to practice implementing it ensuring you
these phrases really are… For this column I have even and smooth timing between the
have been playing with a crunchy/overdrive notes, keep relaxed and the muscle memory
sound, however these lines take a different should kick in and speed will be on its way
vibe completely when played with a clean to you in due course! This line continues
tone or even a more fusion/sax style tone down our Am triad shape with a 3-1-3 pat-
with less treble and gain. Be sure to experi- tern (as we have been looking at in these
ment - each tone brings its challenges, but I columns) the tapped notes on the G string
am a big believer in being versatile with our this time highlight the route note and the
techniques for different playing situations 9th degree of our melodic minor scale. The
at all times. A line might be physically easer lick then descends the rest of the triad arpeg-
with more gain and compression, but is the gio to the A string finishing on the 9th fret A
muting holding tight? Always check, maybe string highlighting the natural 6th degree of
it’s easier to play with less string noise with the Melodic Minor scale.
less gain but maybe it also highlights timing
issues. Practising with different tones is going This next line is an example of how we can
to help solidify your technique and hopefully change between different tonalities using the
make your extreme legato playing indestruct- 3-1-3 legato technique with two finger tap-
ible! That’s enough with the speech, let’s take ping. The chord progression I am thinking
a look at our first line. about highlighting in this phrase is Bm to
F#7 altered. For the first half of the phrase

SAM BELL EXTREME SHREDDING
we ascend a Bm7th arpeggio using triad So there we have it, two more terrifying
shapes in octaves to move the line up to just 3-1-3 lines to add to your playing! Be sure to
above the 12th fret before we descend an F# study the lines in the tab and see how many
altered arpeggio line which uses notes from different arpeggios you can outline using
the F# altered scale. The altered scale that I similar twists and turns. Be sure to dig deep
am using can be found as the 7th mode of and find your own lines within these pat-
the melodic minor, due to its nature I find it terns. We have come to the end of this 3-1-3
handy to think of F# Altered as G Melodic segment, but not to worry as I will be back
Minor a half step up from the route of the with some Modern Advanced Techniques to
F# chord I am playing over. This is a very add to your playing that are super versatile
common scale for playing over altered chords for many professional playing situations. We
with scale degrees that highlight the b9 and will be looking deep into chord embellish-
#9 (in this case F#7#9 otherwise known as ment, liquid legato lines, hybrid picking,
the Hendrix chord!) sequences and much, much more. I shall see
you soon with a brand new series, until then,
happy shredding!
END <<
Sam Bell: Extreme Shredding Part 6
COLUMNS_GIORGIO SERCI
Giorgio Serci
CREATIVE
FINGERSTYLE
HELLO there and welcome to Guitar Interactive’s Quite Room.
In this column, I would like to share a new composition of mine written for the Guitar Inter-
active community, called ‘Paco’ dedicated to the late Paco DeLucia, one of the greatest guitar-
ist of all times. This piece is in standard tuning and utilized a simple type of rasgueado (finger-
style strum) to add rhythmic propulsion to this piece, which is in 3/4. The harmonic content
of this piece is prevalent and still popular in most music styles, and it is illustrated in the table
below:
| Bm | A11 | Gm/D | D | Bm | A11 | A/C# | D |
| Bm | A11 | Gm/D | D | Bm | A11 | A/C# | D6/9 D7 |
| G | C#m7b5 A#O7 | Bm A11 | Gmaj7 D/F# | Em | A13b9 |
| Dmaj7 | Em13 Bbmaj7 | Bm A11 | Gm/D | D | Bm | A11 |
| A/C# | D | Bm | A11 | Gm/D | D | Bm | A11 |
| A/C# | D6/9 D7 | G | C#m7b5 A#O7 | Bm A11 | Gmaj7 | D/F# | Em |
| A13b9 | Dmaj7 | A13b9 | Dmaj7 | A13b9 | Dmaj7 | A13b9 | Dmaj13 |

COLUMNS GIORGIO SERCI CREATIVE FINGERSTYLE
Giorgio Serci - Creative Fingerstyle
(*) All the Bm are should be voiced like an Triads can be voiced in three different posi-
Em9/B tions/inversions:
NB. Gm/D = Gm chord over D bass. a): Root position: root is lowest note in the
chord
This piece provides an opportunity to im-
prove interpretation skills and presenting the b): 1st inversion: 3rd is the lowest note in the
melody in a singing-like manner (Cantabile), chord – (b)
while complementing it with countermelo-
dies happening in various registers. c): 2nd inversion: 5th is the lowest note in
the chord – (c)
For example, inversions have been utilized to
create melodic bass lines, which act as coun- Seventh chords could also be voiced as a 3rd
termelodies in the lower register. This is evi- inversion (7th in the bass) For example D/C
dent throughout. The term inversion refers = D7 3rd inversion, described by (d)
to the way a harmonic structure (a chord) is One of the technical hurdles of this piece
voiced or organized). is the need to keep the melody at the fore

of the arrangement. To do this, it may help Bar 2: Open A, little f on fret 4 of G, index
singing and playing it at the same time, to be on fret 3 of B, open e, little f on fret 5 of e
sure we are emphasising it as needed. and slide back to fret 3.
As always, I would like to recommend re- Bar 3: Open D, middle f on fret 3 of G, ring
searching the techniques mentioned above f on fret 3 of B, little f still on fret 3 of e, fret
to be able to use these to compose your own 3 of B again and middle f on fret 2 of e.
pieces. We have to allow ourselves to make
mistakes and reflect on the reasons why we Bar 4: Open D, index on fret 2 of G, ring f
like, or not a particular sound, a chord pro- on fret 3 of B
gression or modulation. Eventually, these Bar 5: As bar 1
sounds will become part of your musical
lexicon, and we should be able to use these Bar 6: Open A, little f on fret 4 of G, index
effectively and creatively. on fret 3 of B, open e, little f on fret 7 of e
and slide back to fret 5.
The picking-hand pattern is predominantly
as follows: Bar 7: Index on fret 4 of A, open G, ring f on
fret 5 of B and little f on fret 5 of e. Repeat
(Please note E=low E string, e= high E the last two notes.
string)
Bar 8: Like bar 4 but voice the last D chord
‘p’ plays al the ‘ostinato’ pedal parts through- with little f on fret 5 of e.
out.
Repeat from bar 1 to bar 7:
Play each part in a relaxed and clear manner,
making sure your thumb is a little forward Bar 16 (bar 10 on the transcription): Similar
compared to the ‘i, m, a’ fingers, in order to to bar 4 and 8, but with index on fret 4 of
prevent it from colliding with the ‘i’ finger. G, ring f on fret 5 of B and little f on fret 5
As always, focus on attack and tonal con- of e. Add middle f on fret 5 of G for the last
sistency. The melody and the supporting strummed chord.
harmonies will be played with the ‘i, m and
a’ fingers, so attack is needed to outline the Bar 17: Index on fret 3 of E. Open G and B
melody. with little f on fret 7 of e. Next, open D, G,
and B with little f on fret 5 of e, followed by
Next, we are going to look at the left-hand middle f on fret 3 of e.
part (chord shapes):
Bar 1: Index on fret 2 of A, ring f on fret 4 of

D, open G, middle f on fret 3 of B, open e Bar 18: Ring f on fret 4 of A, open G, and B
and index on fret 3 of B. with index on fret 2 of e, followed by open e.
Next, index on fret 1 of A, open G and mid- of B, followed by index on fret 2 of G and B.
dle f on fret 1 of B, followed by ring f on fret
2 of B. Bar 26: Open G and B, open A, open e, fol-
lowed by little f on fret 5 of D middle f on
Bar 19: Index on fret 2 of A, open e, ring f fret 4 of G and index on fret 2 of B.
on fret 4 of D, open G, middle f on fret 3 of
B, followed by open A with the 3rd fret of B. Repeat bar 25 and 26 3 times (6 bars in
total)
Bar 20: Index on fret 3 of E, ring f on fret 4
of D, open G, middle f on fret 3 of B, fol- Final Bar: Little f on fret 5 of A, ring f on fret
lowed by index on fret 2 of E with the 3rd 4 of D, index on fret 2 of G, open B, and e.
fret of B. Congratulations, you have completed ‘Paco’!
Bar 21: Similar to bar 17, but with open E, As always, you will be able to download a
G and B with little f on fret 7 of e. Next, in- transcription by selecting the menu option in
dex on fret 2 of A, open G and B with little this page.
f on fret 5 of e followed by index on fret 3 of
e. I strongly recommend experimenting with a
few picking variations, changing the chords
Bar 22: Open A, middle f on fret 3 of G, as you wish regarding voicing (higher or low-
index on fret 2 of B and e. Little f on fret 5 er), as well as trying the same picking pattern
of D, middle f on fret 3 of G and open e. on a different chord progression, or using a
Bar 23: Open D, index on fret 2 of e, then of ‘capo’ on fret 2 for a brighter outcome.
B, with middle f on fret 3 of G. Middle f on When repeating any section twice or more,
fret 4 of G, index on fret 5 of B, then open you may want to play ‘sul ponticello,’ (closer
G. to the bridge) or ‘sul tasto’ (over the frets) for
Bar 24: Open E, D, G and ring f on fret 2 more contrasting results.
of B, and open B. Next, index on fret 1 of A, Make sure you highlight the melody (singing
open D and ring f on fret 2 of G and open is a great strategy to play the melody in more
G. assertive and singing-like manner)
Now, repeat from the top with repeats: AA Focus on minimum-movement approach, as
B, until bar 22 (15 on the chart), then take this will help to deliver the piece in a more
the Coda sign. accurate and consistent manner while saving
Bar 25: Open D, middle f on fret 4 of G, energy.
ring f on fret 7 of B, index on fret 5 of e. This will complete this creative fingerstyle
Ring and little f on fret 7 of G and B. Open lesson.
e, ring f on fret 4 of G and middle f on fret 3

I hope you will enjoy playing this tune and that

this will give you some ideas on how to write your
own solo guitar compositions and re-arrangements.
Please continue to get in touch via my interactive

website below, for feedback and to suggest areas
you’d like me to cover within this column. If you
would like to listen any more of my compositions,
please check the previous issues of Guitar Magazine
as well as any of my CDs, available from my web-
site:
END <<
You can also find me on instagram on giorgio_serci

or twitter @giorgioserci as well as on facebook.com/
giorgiosercimusic
Until the next time -

Good-bye.
Check me out here at

www.giorgioserci.com
COLUMNS_NICK JENNISON
SPONSORED BY

COLUMNS TAKAMINE - SONGWRITER ESSENTIALS
SPONSORED BY
TRANSPOSE
WTHOUT A CAPO
SPONSORED BY
IN every song that features them,

lead vocals are king. They are
With this simple tool, you can easily
move your song’s chord progression up
the thing your audience go away sing- a semitone, two, ten… It’s a wonderful
ing, and convey so much of the emo- trick to have in your arsenal, and please
tional content of your work. With that don’t think I’m denigrating capos - I use
in mind, it’s very important to make them all the time! However, the issue is
sure that the melody is positioned in that a capo can only move your chords
a spot in your singer’s range (or your to a higher register while maintaining
own) that sounds great. You don’t want their relationship. This is fine, but if
the emotional impact of your heartfelt you’ve written a song using open chords
ballad being ruined by a chorus melody in the key of C and you want to play it
that sounds thin and strained just be- in Bb, you’ll be putting the capo on the
cause you wrote the song in G but don’t 10th fret. This will result in some chord
know how to move it down to F… voicings that, while probably very pretty,
will no doubt lack a little low end au-
The most obvious choice for transposi- thority.
tion on guitar is to reach for a capo.
Takamine - Songwriter Essentials Part 2

SPONSORED BY
The solution? Learn to transpose without a capo.

This is actually a very simple process, but it in-
volves a little understanding of how chords inter-
act within a key. Let’s take the example of a chord
progression in G major that goes…
| G | D | Em | C |
You’ve played this a million times, right? Well, let’s

examine this a little more closely and see if we can
sot some relationships here. The key of G major
contains the following seven notes…
G A B C D E F#
…which we can assign numbers to. We could call

them…
G = 1 (or I); A = 2 (or II); B = 3 (or III), C = 4

(or IV); D = 5 (or V); E = 6 (or VI); F# = 7 (or
VII)
It’s common practice to use roman numerals when

numbering scale degrees like this. Don’t worry
about why, and definitely don’t try to pronounce
them when explaining this to someone. Anyway,
with this in mind, we could express our chord
progression as the following…
(Key of G) | I | V | vi | IV |
…the lower case “vi” meaning “minor”. This is

VERY useful to know, because if we were to play
SPONSORED BY
the same chords with a capo on fret 2, The same is true if we go in the opposite
we’d still be playing… direction. Let’s go down two frets from
G - something our capo cannot do.
| I | V | vi | IV | Two semitones down from G major is
…only this time in the key of A (the F major, which contains the following
note two semitones up from G). Let’s notes…
work out what we’ve got here. A major
contains the following notes F G A Bb C D E
A B C# D E F# G# …which gives us “I” = F, “V” = C, “vi”

= Dm, “IV” = Bb. Use a first fret barre
…meaning “I” in our new key is now chord for the F and the Bb and you have
A, “V” is now E, “vi” is now F#m (note the same chord progression as before,
the lower case) and “IV” is now D. Well, but in the key of F - without having to
with the inclusion of a barre chord on play it with a capo on fret 10!
the 2nd fret for the F#m, we can now
play all of these chords in the open posi- The uses for this go beyond just find-
tion, without the need for a capo. ing the best spot for your singer’s range
though - suppose you want to double

SPONSORED BY
track your guitar in the studio, and want to play different chord voicings on each
track? Well, you could play one track as open chords and the other with a capo on
fret 2. You might even just prefer the way a particular set of chord voicings sounds!
How you use this information is totally up to you. The important thing here is that
your capo should be a creative tool in your toolkit - not your only means of trans-
posing a song.
SPONSORED BY

COLUMNS LET’S PRACTICE TOGETHER — ACOUSTIC GUITAR EDITION
SPONSORED BY
Nick Jennison
LET’S PRACTICE
TOGETHER —
ACOUSTIC GUITAR
EDITION
Sponsored by ELIXIR Strings
Nick Jennison guides you through the practice

process—and shows you how to get great results
every time you sit down to practice!
ELECTRIC guitarists are thor-

oughly spoiled when it
comes to customising the sound of their guitars. Pick-
up changes, pedals, amps, modelers… is it any wonder
so many guitarists spend more time fiddling with their
gear than actually practicing?
SPONSORED BY
LET’S PRACTICE TOGETHER! PT1 | Pro Level Guitar Technique | Gi Livestream

COLUMNS LET’S PRACTICE TOGETHER — ACOUSTIC GUITAR EDITION
SPONSORED BY
LET’S PRACTICE TOGETHER! PT2 | Pro Level Guitar Technique | Gi Livestream
But what about acoustic guitars? Surely an acoustic guitar sounds the way it sounds
and that’s that, right? Well, not so much. Even ignoring the plugged-in sound of
your acoustic (we have another lesson on that!), there’s plenty you can do to make
your acoustic guitar sound it’s best.
Are you and uncoated string player? Now is the time to try Elixir Strings’ NA-
NOWEB Coated acoustic guitar strings. A featherweight coating protects your
strings from tone-killing elements like corrosion, dirt, oil and sweat.
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much for longer.
END <<
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Go beyond just licks, and learn the secrets of
how to construct the perfect melodic guitar solo
packed with head-turning phrasing.
Improvisation guru Nick Jennison presents the key ingredients that make up modern blues,
progressive rock and minor blues guitar phrasing; including note choice, resolution and
nuance—combined into study solos to engage your ears as well as your fingers! Want to truly
master your craft? Then check out part one of this exclusive Guitar Interactive course.
Ever wondered what goes into writing a truly great melody? What about solos that take you
on a journey with them, like a story within a song? In this course, Nick Jennison guides you
through the process of creating the kind of evocative, memorable lines that are the hallmark of
not just great guitar players, but all great musicians.
The Ultimate Guide to Melody & Phrasing includes 50 examples of melodic development
exploring everything from note choice, intervals and melodic contour to timing, expression
and dynamics, along with and three full-length solo studies in three different styles: “Modern
Soul,” “Melodic Prog” and “Minor Blues.”
Each of these solo studies is accompanied by
note-for-note tuition, as well as a complete
masterclass explaining the rationale behind
the composition.
If you want to become a more musical player,

this is the course you’ve been waiting for.
Watch this entire course and more

incredible lesson content with a Gi Plus
‘Ultimate Guide - Part 1 subscription.
To find out more, visit: guitarinteractivemagazine.com/ gi-plus/

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Wa l t e r Tro u t a n d J o h n n y G r i p a r i c k e e p t h e b l u e s b u r n

02 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Hello and welcome to issue 93 of Guitar Interactive Magazine!

Review crew USA Advertising Sales Sound E

04 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Welcome to Guitar Interactive Issue 93

iGuitarMag facebook.com/ www.guitarinteractive

s + 44 (0)1708 757 337

Masterton & Dave Kidd

Fax Line: +44 (0)1708 757 528

ers Address: Unit A, Chesham Close, Romford,

ISSUE 93 At Guitar Intera

06 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

052_Fret-King FKV3CTSB Elise

064_Positive Grid Spark Mini

074_Victory V1 Copper 118

084_Takamine GY51E New

092_Cort Flow OC GIORGIO SERCI

STUDIO TO STAGE SONGWRITING ESSENTIALS

110_Focusrite Clarett+ 8PRE 130

athan Graham sits down with Steve to

08 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Easily one of the flashiest guitarists—

10 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

—both visually and instrumentally—

BORN in Brooklyn, New

“Stevens appeared on the mega-selling 1986 soundtrack to the

12 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Steve Stevens - Interview

14 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

“Stevens also remained an in-demand hired gun, as he gue

16 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

18 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

BILLY IDOL – THE CAGE – EP

2. Running from the Ghost

3. Rebel Like You

For more information on Steve Stevens, please visit:

20 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

22 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

WITH over two decades

24 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

“Writing new songs is what I love to do the

Thorbjørn Risager - Interview

“I still sometimes find it a little surreal to

26 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Play video or tap anywhere for more details

Introducing our LTD2022 model

Takamine Guitars are distributed by Korg UK & Ireland Limited

Watch The Sun Go Down - Thorbjørn Risager

“Two decades on the road, touring across 21 countries,

28 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

30 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

32 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado -

2. Watch The Sun Go Down 8. Time

3. The Way You Make Me Feel 9. Something To Hold On To

4. Fire Inside 10. Hoodoo Lover

5. Blue Lullaby 11. Headed For The Stars

6. Taking The Good With The 12. Heart Crash

34 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

For more information on Cardinal Black,

36 Guitar Interactive Issue 93

Lick 1: Played over bars 1-4. The bass is