This post was written by Anne who writes her own blog on My Guitar Buddies
Much has been said on the blogsphere about this young phenomenal guitar player,and at the risk of being mundane and boring - I am going to say it again:
Dusty Ciggaar Must have been kissed by god when he was born, or had a fairy god mother who shook some magic all over him because rarely have I heard any other guitar player who can do what he does - as a teenager!
listen to this:
Dusty guitar with his band the Rythm Chiefs all teenagers - Dusty being the youngest at 15, the eldest being 17
Dusty and His buddies have grown some since then, but he will probably allways be known a a phenomena, as He entered the prestigious SENA Guitar Awards at the age of 14 and…. was voted the overall winner of ALL age categories. He has also regularly appeared on Dutch national TV, in shows such as “Villa Life” and on Jetix, and has been featured as an upcoming talent in the Dutch lifestyle magazine “Living”.
Last year The Rhythm Chiefs were offered a record deal by Cool Buzz, after they had seen them performing on several occasions (these guys have been really really busy over the passed few years)
And their album, “The Ship of Wonder” was released earlier this year
this is a sample of what they are doing now.
August 4th, 2008 · Posted by Regisson Silva · 1 Comment
Cycle of Fourths & Cycle of Fifths
It’s easy to find any diatonic major scale based in this short cut I’ll give to you. It’s not necessary even to know the basic structure of a major scale, you just have to know the name of the musical notes as well as the accidental forms (sharps and flats).
Let’s start with the purest scale - C major (I mean “pure” because there are not any accidentals in there).
Now we take the fifth degree of this scale (G) and start a new one from that. After doing that you just have “corrected” the new scale putting a sharp in the seventh degree.
Well, now you have the second scale from the cycle of fifths. If you continue this exercise from the G Major scale, taking its fifth degree plus a Sharp in the seventh degree of the new scale, you will know all the major scales with their corresponding sharps. It is Important to maintain the accidentals in the next scales of the cycle.
S – step HS – half-step
Now you have to find the major scales using flats through the cycle of fourths. It’s as easy as the last example. You take the C major scale, break it in the fourth degree (F) plus a flat in thefourth degree of the new scale. Keep on this movement to find the other scales.
Its very important to say that there is a relative minor scale starting from the sixth degree of any major one. For example, C Major and its relative A minor scale, with the same notes.
Now you know all diatonic major and minor scales, keep on practicing that to further your studies.
Writing 600 pieces of astounding music before age 36 ain’t too shabby. Mozart’s legacy is legendary. Over 200 years after his death, his name is still synonymous with great Classical Music.
Do you think Jimi Hendrix or Van Halen’s name will be remembered this long? I sure hope so!
For the readers who may be unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe your music? Who are your main influences?
My main influences, as far as guitar playing goes, are Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, and David Gilmour. Paul Gilbert, perhaps, has the most influence on my playing style; whereas, Steve Vai was the one that really got me interested in the instrument. One thing that I would argue is true in all of these players’ unique styles is that they let emotion guide their guitar playing. While I do love technicality and speed, emotion goes a lot farther in music. Through emotion, a musician can connect with others that are not actually partaking in the making of the music. For example, David Gilmour clearly is not the “fastest” guitarist; however, every note he plays seems to be perfect—which, for me, gives a sense of closure, completeness, and just satisfaction. Some bands that I enjoy are Alice in Chains, Symphony X, Rush, Nirvana, Queensryche, Pink Floyd, Shiny Toy Guns, Smashing Pumpkins, Liquid Tension Experiment to name a few. My music is a culmination of my favorite music/artists, geography/socio/economic influences that shape every individual, and, I’m sure, popular media. I fuse progressive metal influences with 90’s alternative rock, with electronic sounds, and classic hard-rock.
Check out Tino’s Song, Crawl (To Me) and keep reading to find out more about this talented guitarist!
Our great friend and amazing guitar talent, Eric Brewer has been selected by Michael Molenda, editor of Guitar Player Magazine, to perform at this year’s Guitar Superstar Contest in San Francisco on Sept. 13th.
He will be judged by guitar greats Joe Satriani & Greg Howe among others.
You better go check him out and leave him some love on his Myspace Page right now!
July 16th, 2008 · Posted by daveisaacs · 2 Comments
On one of my first gigs after arriving in Nashville, the drummer turned to me and said “it’s really nice to play with a guitarist who listens”.
I was a little surprised at this, being a new arrival in Music City and knowing the old joke about how if you come to Nashville to be a guitar player and the first guy you meet after entering the city limits plays better than you, you turn around and go home. (And odds are that happens frequently, there are a LOT of phenomenal guitar players in Nashville, my drummer friend’s somewhat cynical comment notwithstanding).
But he does raise a good point. Just because a group of people are onstage playing a song together doesn’t mean they’re listening to each other. And I don’t mean that in a mean-spirited or overly critical way….there is hearing and there is listening, so I’ll take a moment to elaborate on what I mean.
PS…Check out Dave’s song Swamp Hog Blues while you are reading!
Let’s define “listening” from a musician’s perspective as an active rather than a passive activity. In other words, a musician who is listening is constantly evaluating and reacting to what they hear, and those reactions are expressed in how they play or sing. Simple example: if the lead singer feels that a certain part of the song should be delivered with a softer, more relaxed energy, a band that is listening will simply react and follow the singer’s lead. The first rule of accompanying is that the lead voice/instrument sets the tone: volume, intensity, feeling - and the accompanists (e.g. the rest of the band) follow suit. In a good band, this happens easily and the entire performance is dynamic and musical.
So why WOULDN’T someone not be listening? It’s generally not a question of ego, or childish onstage behavior…..for the most part, people want to do their best and for everyone to sound good. But because playing an instrument or even singing comes from certain physical/mechanical movements and actions, it’s often easy to get more focused on that aspect than on the sound that’s being produced. Guitar players have a (somewhat deserved) reputation for being the worst offenders in this area….playing too loud being the most obvious expression. But I’ve seen players who sounded incredible warming up who suddenly seemed lost when the band started to play. What happened? Their fingers can lead the way, but place them in a musical context where the ears have to come first and the fingers don’t get the guidance they need.
Singers do this too. The old gag about how you know when there’s a singer at your door because he/she doesn’t have the key and doesn’t know how to come in. But well-arranged music has a natural ebb and flow, an energy that moves and leads the ear…..a singer who is REALLY listening will naturally hear when the spotlight is shifting to them, because the band’s performance will make it clear. (For example…..when the song begins, the intro may be high energy to grab the audience’s attention, but then the volume comes down and the texture softens at the beginning of the verse to make room for the singer).
What all of this means to any musician is that your goal is to be an active, attentive listener. And while musicians who study formally take classes in “ear training” these skills can be picked up simply by paying attention to the right things. Listen for dynamics, the rise and fall of volume and energy. Listen for who has the primary voice at any moment….if it’s you, grab the spotlight, and if it’s not, stay out of the way until your turn comes. If you’re jamming along with a band you’ve never played with before, don’t play your guitar licks WHILE the singer is singing but in the spaces in between. A great performance in almost any genre of music is a conversation in which each member gets to have the floor….sometimes the spotlight shifts quickly and you might only have a moment to add something, but a moment is all you might need. It’s as simple as choosing to pay attention and being as aware of what’s going on around you as you are of what you’re doing yourself…..and that’s a worthwhile thing to strive for in many aspects of life, not just music.
Be sure to leave him some love at his websites and check out his awesome blog!
“Do I listen to Pop music because I am miserable, or am I miserable because I listen to pop music?”-John Cusack
I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the second one, John. After all, how could Kid Rock’s new rip-off of Sweet Home Alabama NOT make you miserable?
At times, guitar players can be an egotistical bunch. Always desiring to be the center of attention. We want things done our way. We want to be in control of the musical situation. And we want to solo for at least 20 minutes each song.
Ok, so maybe it’s more like all the time. Don’t you dare sing during my guitar solo!
It may be predisposed in our nature to be musically selfish, but if we work towards increasing our awareness, we can really elevate our levels of musicianship.
“Listen a hundred times; ponder a thousand times; speak once.”
-Turkish Proverb
By sitting back and listening, we become more aware of our environment, and thus can more effectively react to it. You don’t need a million notes to get your point across. The bass player and the drummer are already laying down the vibe for the song. Now all it needs and all the crowd really wants is for that sexy crying-like guitar solo.
Or maybe the best complement to the piano player’s groove is some beautiful chord melodies laid nicely over the top.
It is amazing what you can learn by really listening. Quit trying to play so damn much and just sit back and appreciate what is going on around you!
A good friend Brian Lowe described his guitar work as being the “icing on the cake.” The drums, bass, and other instruments he described as the cake mix.
Interval Ear Training can help increase your skill levels immensely, and if you aren’t working on it yet, why not start now! These applications and websites will really help out your playing!
Alright enough writing, time to listen what you have to say!
Even though scandal between these three have been dominating the tabloids recently, they all actually have some pretty damn good career and motivational advice.
You may not like these guys, but you have to respect their success. Their mindsets are what set them apart. Set yourself apart by adapting their ways of thinking:
I realize that I don’t have limits. Limits are always influences that come from outside, from people who don’t believe in themselves and their abilities. I firmly believe in myself.
-Madonna
Thanks Madonna! Why limit yourself to one man anyways.
I’m a terrible singer. I feel lucky to play baseball. You can’t be gifted in everything.
-A-Rod
You may not be the fastest shredder out there, but damn it your vibrato is so sweet it makes B.B King jealous. Exploit your strengths while working on your weaknesses to become a more rounded player. Just be sure to remember what it is that makes you unique from others. It could be something as simple as using a different tuning to utilizing your effects rack to make some wicked soundscapes.
I just need to know that I did the very best I could and that I was true to myself.
-Lenny Kravitz
Quit comparing your playing to others. You aren’t them. Sure it is a great way to push yourself to new levels, but be sure that you hare having fun and staying true to the music within your soul. A passionate performance is infectious. Music without passion is just pointless. Think about your how your favorite guitar solo makes you feel when you hear the first few notes.
I would put money on it that it gets you pretty damn pumped up.
Don’t worry about expectations or how others will perceive you. Even if they might not like your music, they still must have appreciation to your art.
Oh and of course A-Rod’s wife hooked up with Lenny. How could she resist? He is a guitar player!
