We reviewed Paul's shred filled album "Machined" late last year, and now he's back to tell us about his passion for guitar and share some secrets about forging a career in music.
What steps have you taken to forge a career in the music industry?
I had to ask myself, “What is it I really want to do?” I think one needs to have some pretty specific goals to start with, and then you can work backwards to fill in the steps with the things you need to do in order to reach those goals. There is so much I want to do—both from an artist/composer/guitarist perspective and as a music teacher/guitar instructor.
What advice do you have for people looking to get into the music industry?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people that have been there—and don’t take advice from people that aren’t qualified to give it. And be willing to pay for the best advice and help. Once you have some goals and have a good idea of what you want, find the people that can help you figure out how to get there—people that have already done what you want to do.
Look at your goals often and be persistent. Do something every day that helps you get closer to reaching them. The combination of time and taking small steps on a regular basis is what will get you there—both as a guitar player and in your music career.
What are the pressures in the industry and how do you cope with them?
I think the biggest pressures are the ones we put on ourselves. You have to be able to find that motivation within and find ways to keep it going on a day to day basis. There are so many great musicians out there.
During your formative years, what sort of practice regime did you have?
I got serious about guitar when I was in high school—when I was about 15 or so. I practiced and jammed with friends a lot and picked people’s brains for information. So most of my early years were spent learning songs and parts of songs and solos. Most of the time, I tried to emulate the feel and phrasing of the guitar players I liked. I was never really good at totally copying solos and playing stuff note for note.
I learned some theory and scales from books and tried to apply it—stuff like the modes and different scales. I studied music and majored in classical guitar in college and that was where I formally learned a lot about music theory. I never took lessons on the electric guitar back then and I’m sure that held up my progress a lot. So much of what I did on the guitar was a trial and error kind of thing.
So I practiced and jammed with other people a lot the first couple years. I started teaching guitar about four years after I started playing. When I was in college, I was pretty much immersed in music—between school, teaching and playing in local bands. Music was all I did then—and that was when I made a lot of progress as a musician.
What advice do you have for beginner and intermediate players who are trying to achieve a highly advanced level of playing?
Figure out what it is you want to be able to do and then find someone who can help you get there. Don’t be too proud or whatever to take lessons—find the guitar teacher in your area that can do what it is you want to be able to do and take some lessons—that will save you a lot of time and eliminate the time wasting “trial and error” effort. There’s so much info out there on the internet, some of its good and some is not so good. Find someone who can help you learn to do what you want to do.
If you’re a beginner, you can start off right, get a good foundation and advance much more quickly. No matter what style of guitar you want to play, whether you want to shred or just learn to strum some chords and play songs, you can learn what you need in order to be able to do what you want to do and not waste time on things that aren’t going to help you.
For an intermediate player, a teacher can help you refine things and show you ways to improve much more quickly than if you stumble around looking for the solutions on your own. Sometimes very small adjustments or changes to your technique or the way you are doing something can give you big results or a breakthrough in a relatively short amount of time. This is where a good teacher is most helpful. You can learn a lot from books, videos and the internet, but there’s no substitute for what you get from a good teacher—they are going to help you the most. They will be able see and hear things in your playing and how you are doing things that you won’t be able to see and show you how to improve the fastest. You might struggle with something for weeks on your own that can be fixed in the course of one lesson—it’s definitely worth it.
Like I said, I didn’t take lessons at first and ended up having to “unlearn” some things that were holding me back as I went along. If I could do it all over again, I would have taken lessons from the best teacher I could right from the beginning.
What gear do you use and why?
I’m not all that picky, really. I’ve played everything from Gibson to Kramer to Ibanez to Carvin over the years. But, I’ve played the Strat-style body guitars for so long now that it feels really weird to play a Les Paul or something like that. My two main guitars are a Carvin DC127 and an Ibanez PGM 301. Between those two, I get the best of everything. The Carvin has a Floyd Rose and the Ibanez is a hard tail.
What parts of your playing reflects your personality and self expression most accurately?
I was influenced and inspired by so many different guitar players and bands so there are a lot of sides to my musical personality and self-expression that I try to get out. To me, a guitar solo is more like a mini-composition within the song and I try to approach it like that, rather than just trying to string some licks or technical stuff together and calling it good. Technical skills are really just a way to add more expression to your playing—the more things you can do on the guitar, the more ways you can express yourself—you’re not as limited.
Vibrato is really important to me. I love players that have that wide, singing vibrato. Most people, when they start playing guitar, they get so hung up on trying to shred, sweep pick, etc., that they forget about vibrato and how important it is to developing your own sound. People listen to players like Yngwie or Paul Gilbert and get so hung up on learning all the technique involved in the styles of guys like that, that they forget that these guys have absolutely killer vibrato. You don’t hear that mentioned that much—listen to Yngwie’s vibrato. Man—it just sings and it’s just as important to his sound as all the technical stuff in there. George Lynch, John Sykes and guys like that—great players and great vibrato, too—smooth.
What are you trying to achieve compositionally? – You can mention your influences, techniques you’ve spent a lot of time with, concepts, etc.
I’m really a huge music fan and have been influenced by so many artists—everything from the Beatles and Led Zeppelin up to newer metal stuff coming out today. When I started playing, I was really into the 80s style and all of those players—everything from the NWOBHM, the LA bands and guitarists as well as all the shred stuff that exploded during that time period.
So, compositionally, I was really influenced by songs that have a great melody and usually some sort of a hook in there. Whether it is an instrumental or a vocal tune, having a hook and a melody that sticks with you has always been an influence on me and I think that comes out in both my songwriting style and approach to soloing.
Talk about the process of recording your album. Are there any tips and tricks that you could pass on? How did you choose the other instrumentalists (if you did).
“Machined” was written and recorded over about a two month period in the summer of 2008. I was getting ready to go on a tour doing some guitar instructional clinics and wanted to have a CD to be able to take out with me and promote. So it came together pretty quick. When I started working on the album, I was debating whether I wanted to go instrumental guitar-oriented music or a vocal melodic/heavy rock format. So I compromised and did two songs of each.
Technology and amp modelers really make it easier to get a half way decent sound for writing and recording and with the computer you can do so much on your own now. So many people do albums right in their home studios today. Having that flexibility really allows you the time to write and record your own material at a relatively low cost. You don’t have to worry about the studio meter running and you can record at 3 in the morning without waking anybody up.
Right now, the band is myself and my good friend Jerry Keyzer (vocalist.) We've known each other a long time--we played a lot of shows together and did some recording with one of our old bands in the past. Even though we live in the same city, we lost track of each other for awhile and then reconnected. We've known each other for so long we've almost got a sixth sense musically when we work together. Our musical tastes run similar and we complement each other well.
We are currently writing and demoing material for a full length CD which will be out by fall 2009. I plan on adding a drummer and bassist later this year and then some live shows will follow—probably by some time early in 2010.
Thanks, Guy!
http://www.paulkleffmusic.com/
Showing posts with label shred. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shred. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Album Review - Paul Kleff "Machined"
Paul Kleff is a rock/metal guitarist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, and has over 20 years of experience as a musician, instructor, composer and performer. He was originally inspired by artists like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and The Who, which got him started on acoustic guitar, learning some chords, songs and the basics of guitar playing.
Paul was soon drawn to the fire, expression and speed of artists like Edward Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, George Lynch and Yngwie Malmsteen. He then set out to learn the styles of his heroes and began practicing and developing a lead guitar style based on both blues-influenced rock and the neoclassical shred styles of his newer influences.
Paul was featured on the 2008 compilation CD, “Guitars from the Shadows,” along with 12 other musicians from all over the world.
In mid September 2008, Paul will be participating in a seven city instructional clinic tour through the Midwest USA, along with six other guitarists and international touring and recording artist Tom Hess. The clinics will be held at Guitar Center and local music stores in each city.
Paul teaches private lessons at his studio in Grand Rapids. Having successfully helped hundreds of students, he continues to develop specialized programs of study for each individual student based directly on their musical goals. Paul has also featured as an instructor on cyberfret.com and shredknowledge.com, and will be featured on additional guitar instructional websites in the future. He is also developing new instructional products set to be released in late 2008. A full-length CD is also planned for release in 2009.
Paul’s debut solo release is a four-song EP called “Machined”. It was written during late spring and summer 2008 and recorded during July 2008. The CD is made up of two instrumental songs and two songs featuring guest vocalist Jerry Keyzer.
Paul was soon drawn to the fire, expression and speed of artists like Edward Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, George Lynch and Yngwie Malmsteen. He then set out to learn the styles of his heroes and began practicing and developing a lead guitar style based on both blues-influenced rock and the neoclassical shred styles of his newer influences.
Paul was featured on the 2008 compilation CD, “Guitars from the Shadows,” along with 12 other musicians from all over the world.
In mid September 2008, Paul will be participating in a seven city instructional clinic tour through the Midwest USA, along with six other guitarists and international touring and recording artist Tom Hess. The clinics will be held at Guitar Center and local music stores in each city.
Paul teaches private lessons at his studio in Grand Rapids. Having successfully helped hundreds of students, he continues to develop specialized programs of study for each individual student based directly on their musical goals. Paul has also featured as an instructor on cyberfret.com and shredknowledge.com, and will be featured on additional guitar instructional websites in the future. He is also developing new instructional products set to be released in late 2008. A full-length CD is also planned for release in 2009.
Paul’s debut solo release is a four-song EP called “Machined”. It was written during late spring and summer 2008 and recorded during July 2008. The CD is made up of two instrumental songs and two songs featuring guest vocalist Jerry Keyzer.
The songs cover elements of rock, metal and shred. All the tracks are melodic, but what I find most pleasing is Paul’s ability do drop an unexpected twist into his riffs and leads.
All music was composed and performed by Paul and all lyrics were written and performed by Jerry Keyzer. The CD was mastered by Rob Perez.
Looking at the individual tracks:
The first track, “Grind”, has one of the best verse riffs I’ve ever heard. Heavy, driving, and mean, with some trademark Kleff twists. The solos are great compositions in their own right and, while showcasing Paul’s awesome chops, they remain fresh and melodic. “Grind” is a great opener to the CD.
Track two, “Last Stand”, is the first of two vocal tracks featuring vocals by Jerry Keyzer. I hear a lot of Iron Maiden and old Queensryche in both the vocals and guitars in the chorus section. The solo is great and fits the song well, as opposed to being a gratuitous flash of skill, and it remains tasteful and nothing sounds forced.
The third track, “Dead Line”, is the second vocal track. Building from just a clean guitar and vocals, it morphs into a mid-tempo metal anthem, bridging the gap between an air punching epic and a metal ballad. Keyzer’s delivery is powerful, emotional and raw. The fast linier runs, pedal-point ideas and swept arpeggios, combined with Paul’s excellent vibrato create another melodic mini-composition for the solo section.
The opening guitar phrase to the fourth track (and second instrumental) “As If…”, is so cool I immediately picked up my own guitar and learnt it. It floats over a piano-based rhythm section which eases off as the lead guitar builds for the chorus. The melody over the opening and verse sections has a vocal-like quality in both the tone and phrasing. The bridge and outro section show a great use of vibrato and harmonized lines to express a great deal of emotion. The song is essentially a hard-rock ballad and it ends the CD off well.
As a whole, the production is clear and balanced, while Paul’s melodic sensibility is fresh and often unexpected. I can’t wait for a full album.
All music was composed and performed by Paul and all lyrics were written and performed by Jerry Keyzer. The CD was mastered by Rob Perez.
Looking at the individual tracks:
The first track, “Grind”, has one of the best verse riffs I’ve ever heard. Heavy, driving, and mean, with some trademark Kleff twists. The solos are great compositions in their own right and, while showcasing Paul’s awesome chops, they remain fresh and melodic. “Grind” is a great opener to the CD.
Track two, “Last Stand”, is the first of two vocal tracks featuring vocals by Jerry Keyzer. I hear a lot of Iron Maiden and old Queensryche in both the vocals and guitars in the chorus section. The solo is great and fits the song well, as opposed to being a gratuitous flash of skill, and it remains tasteful and nothing sounds forced.
The third track, “Dead Line”, is the second vocal track. Building from just a clean guitar and vocals, it morphs into a mid-tempo metal anthem, bridging the gap between an air punching epic and a metal ballad. Keyzer’s delivery is powerful, emotional and raw. The fast linier runs, pedal-point ideas and swept arpeggios, combined with Paul’s excellent vibrato create another melodic mini-composition for the solo section.
The opening guitar phrase to the fourth track (and second instrumental) “As If…”, is so cool I immediately picked up my own guitar and learnt it. It floats over a piano-based rhythm section which eases off as the lead guitar builds for the chorus. The melody over the opening and verse sections has a vocal-like quality in both the tone and phrasing. The bridge and outro section show a great use of vibrato and harmonized lines to express a great deal of emotion. The song is essentially a hard-rock ballad and it ends the CD off well.
As a whole, the production is clear and balanced, while Paul’s melodic sensibility is fresh and often unexpected. I can’t wait for a full album.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Roo interview - The Frenchman talks about the 66 Licks programme
How did you come up with the concept for your 66 Licks lesson
programme?
Well, the whole concept isn’t from me but from Ben (Perchard). He asked me if I was interested in recording 66 guitar licks for him and being paid for that, of course.
I thought it would be a kind of sample licks CD. It sounded very easy to do at the beginning. I sent a rough 4 lick demo and he liked it.
It was about recording very short licks, about 2 seconds long, one lick per bar. That was the first challenge, because it’s not that easy to play something interesting that only lasts 2 seconds. The weeks passed and the idea of including them into a program came.
It was about 3 different levels, from very easy to pretty challenging. I sent back a few samples but my licks were too difficult. Then came the idea of licks combos. I was asked to record 12 different examples to demonstrate them in a "live" situation. So I realised that I would have to do everything in the same key, making part of the previous work useless.
The concept was now to have 66 licks of 3 levels, that would fit in any order, to build little solos. The 12 examples had to be recorded "live" (no copy/paste) and the licks had to flow together. That was actually the biggest challenge we had between Ben, the programmer and me.
The program had a glitch, leaving a small gap at the beginning of each lick, so they didn’t flow properly. It took time to solve this problem and the fact that I added a metronome click into the licks helped to check the time accuracy.
I also had to re-record some of the licks that were cutting abruptly. Some lick chains sounded great in a certain order but sucked running in a different order. So I had to work on having the licks fading at the right time and removing the "bad licks".
When I finally played the finished program, with the tablature appearing in perfect time with the lick combos, playing in any order, that was a great feeling. I felt "It's alive! Alive". The concept of 66 Licks lesson programme was born. Ben really did a great job.
How is 66 Licks different to the average guitar magazine or
guitar video lesson?
I'd say 66 licks is a “Tool” which includes musical material, so it's a new concept.
It's an enhanced vocabulary of licks, phrases and ideas to incorporate into your own playing, song writing and improvisation. You increase your ability to construct your own solos from the licks provided and perfect or learn new techniques. The program comes with backing tracks so that you can jam with what you've learned. It's also very easy and fun to use. It is definitely interactive. I can not compare this to a stock standard magazine or video lessons.
Will there be an upgrade or maybe a version 2 for the 66 Licks?
Yes, I have a volume 2 in progress and as you know there are other Shred Academy artists working on their own version. The program will receive plenty of regular and cool updates to make its use even more enjoyable. So it's constantly evolving. Joe Stump's 66 licks will be out soon, I heard a preview, it's absolutely killer material! I ran through a few licks, it was so awesome that I instinctively picked up my guitar to try them out.
What does a normal/average day in your life entail?
The winter, I go to the lake, make a hole in the ice and fish till dusk, hehe. Well, life is always in motion so I can't tell what a normal day for me is. I wish I could do more physical activities and get rid of all the boring daily duties...
Is Finland turning you into a blackmetal fan?
Hehe, yes indeed! Finland is a kind of promised land for metal lovers and there are countless bands here who have international success, especially those from Spinefarm records...
Sure I see the other styles aren't as popular, but as far as the material and the musicians go, they are good. I don't really think "is it BlackMetal or something". When you gig, it just feels great to perform before a lot of metal fans who express their enthusiasm.
What is it like living in Finland as a Frenchman?
Oh God! Haha, they forbid me to eat frogs and garlic snails! I was forced to eat reindeer and moose instead! Hehe, they’re gonna trash me now... Seriously, I'd say Finland is worth the trip!
It's a very modern country, but with strong traditions. People might talk less but things are done more efficiently somehow. Women are more respected here. There are actually a lot of female bands, more than what I figured before.
I like the Finnish way of life very much. Sure, sometimes I am surprised by some culture difference, but I learn how to behave from my experiences... I have a bunch of funny anecdotes. For instance, as we talk about music now: In a musical instrument shop, you can try instruments without asking the salesman. You are being too polite if you ask or else it means you're somehow interested in buying... In France, you can't come in, say nothing, and plug a limited Les Paul in a Mesa, hehe, otherwise it's a lack of respect for the salesman ( "S'il vous plait monsieur")...I even test drove a car alone, the salesman left me the keys.
That's it. Thanks for the interview.
http://wwww.rooguitar.com
http://wwww.myspace.com/rooguitar
http://wwww.youtube.com/rooguitar
programme?
Well, the whole concept isn’t from me but from Ben (Perchard). He asked me if I was interested in recording 66 guitar licks for him and being paid for that, of course.
I thought it would be a kind of sample licks CD. It sounded very easy to do at the beginning. I sent a rough 4 lick demo and he liked it.
It was about recording very short licks, about 2 seconds long, one lick per bar. That was the first challenge, because it’s not that easy to play something interesting that only lasts 2 seconds. The weeks passed and the idea of including them into a program came.
It was about 3 different levels, from very easy to pretty challenging. I sent back a few samples but my licks were too difficult. Then came the idea of licks combos. I was asked to record 12 different examples to demonstrate them in a "live" situation. So I realised that I would have to do everything in the same key, making part of the previous work useless.
The concept was now to have 66 licks of 3 levels, that would fit in any order, to build little solos. The 12 examples had to be recorded "live" (no copy/paste) and the licks had to flow together. That was actually the biggest challenge we had between Ben, the programmer and me.
The program had a glitch, leaving a small gap at the beginning of each lick, so they didn’t flow properly. It took time to solve this problem and the fact that I added a metronome click into the licks helped to check the time accuracy.
I also had to re-record some of the licks that were cutting abruptly. Some lick chains sounded great in a certain order but sucked running in a different order. So I had to work on having the licks fading at the right time and removing the "bad licks".
When I finally played the finished program, with the tablature appearing in perfect time with the lick combos, playing in any order, that was a great feeling. I felt "It's alive! Alive". The concept of 66 Licks lesson programme was born. Ben really did a great job.
How is 66 Licks different to the average guitar magazine or
guitar video lesson?
I'd say 66 licks is a “Tool” which includes musical material, so it's a new concept.
It's an enhanced vocabulary of licks, phrases and ideas to incorporate into your own playing, song writing and improvisation. You increase your ability to construct your own solos from the licks provided and perfect or learn new techniques. The program comes with backing tracks so that you can jam with what you've learned. It's also very easy and fun to use. It is definitely interactive. I can not compare this to a stock standard magazine or video lessons.
Will there be an upgrade or maybe a version 2 for the 66 Licks?
Yes, I have a volume 2 in progress and as you know there are other Shred Academy artists working on their own version. The program will receive plenty of regular and cool updates to make its use even more enjoyable. So it's constantly evolving. Joe Stump's 66 licks will be out soon, I heard a preview, it's absolutely killer material! I ran through a few licks, it was so awesome that I instinctively picked up my guitar to try them out.
What does a normal/average day in your life entail?
The winter, I go to the lake, make a hole in the ice and fish till dusk, hehe. Well, life is always in motion so I can't tell what a normal day for me is. I wish I could do more physical activities and get rid of all the boring daily duties...
Is Finland turning you into a blackmetal fan?
Hehe, yes indeed! Finland is a kind of promised land for metal lovers and there are countless bands here who have international success, especially those from Spinefarm records...
Sure I see the other styles aren't as popular, but as far as the material and the musicians go, they are good. I don't really think "is it BlackMetal or something". When you gig, it just feels great to perform before a lot of metal fans who express their enthusiasm.
What is it like living in Finland as a Frenchman?
Oh God! Haha, they forbid me to eat frogs and garlic snails! I was forced to eat reindeer and moose instead! Hehe, they’re gonna trash me now... Seriously, I'd say Finland is worth the trip!
It's a very modern country, but with strong traditions. People might talk less but things are done more efficiently somehow. Women are more respected here. There are actually a lot of female bands, more than what I figured before.
I like the Finnish way of life very much. Sure, sometimes I am surprised by some culture difference, but I learn how to behave from my experiences... I have a bunch of funny anecdotes. For instance, as we talk about music now: In a musical instrument shop, you can try instruments without asking the salesman. You are being too polite if you ask or else it means you're somehow interested in buying... In France, you can't come in, say nothing, and plug a limited Les Paul in a Mesa, hehe, otherwise it's a lack of respect for the salesman ( "S'il vous plait monsieur")...I even test drove a car alone, the salesman left me the keys.
That's it. Thanks for the interview.
http://wwww.rooguitar.com
http://wwww.myspace.com/rooguitar
http://wwww.youtube.com/rooguitar
Friday, December 14, 2007
Album review - Theodore Ziras "Hyperpyrexia"
The 3rd instrumental album from Theodore Ziras, Hyperpyrexia, is here and "The new Ziras Era" is upon us. Featuring the legendary Derek Sherinian (ex Dream Theater), the guitar/keyboard solo duels are enough to leave any shredhead for dead.
Ziras blazes through all 10 tracks at speeds that must have almost set his Palm Bay guitars on fire. But as speedy as he is, Theo’s got some interesting things to say as well (instrumentally speaking). Having your chops together is one thing, but if your phrasing is anywhere nearly as good as Theo’s, then you’re on the right track.
The first track, “Child of Scotland”, reflects "The new Ziras Era" in a big way. The Celtic melodies are light hearted and easy on the ear, while Derek’s solo remains faithful to the theme.
You can immediately hear one of Ziras’s biggest influences on the second track, “Such and Such”. The dance between the Dorian and Aeolian modes in the solo are undeniably “Satch”.
“Rapid Eye Movement” is the burner of the album. Theo cranks the Greek God speed up to 280bpm in some runs, sweeping and shredding his head off. Look out for the keyboard and drum solos at the end.
Track 4, “Solitude”, is very dark and broody. You can tell that Theo was in an intense place in his life when he wrote this track. Purists might not call the solo shredding, while others might say that it’s the best solo Theo has ever played.
A first for Ziras, the odd time signature in “Seven Courses” is a great match for the powerful Phrygian Dominant melodies. Yngwie Malmsteen, another massive influence on Theo is hugely present here.
“Salvation” is probably the easiest track on the album to listen to. The melody is singable and apparently even Theo’s mom likes this track.
In the seventh track, “Number One”, Derek cunningly uses traditional Greek grooves in his solo. (Some licks to steal, for sure)
“Night of the Dead” has gone down very well when Theo has played it live. Some might hear a bit of Metallica in the mix, others might not. All I know it that the riffs are huge.
Number nine is the title track and it’s a mind-blower. A nod to John Petrucci, with diminished intro, a mystical verse, a catchy chorus and odd meters floating all over the place. This is my favourite track.
The last track, “Go East”, showcases the insane drumming chops owned by L.A. resident Brian Tichy. But don’t be fooled, Theo comes to the fore with some tasty “East orientated” melodies.
A unique blend of progressive, fusion and shred comes together in this masterpiece. Definitely Theodore Ziras’s best yet.
Ziras blazes through all 10 tracks at speeds that must have almost set his Palm Bay guitars on fire. But as speedy as he is, Theo’s got some interesting things to say as well (instrumentally speaking). Having your chops together is one thing, but if your phrasing is anywhere nearly as good as Theo’s, then you’re on the right track.
The first track, “Child of Scotland”, reflects "The new Ziras Era" in a big way. The Celtic melodies are light hearted and easy on the ear, while Derek’s solo remains faithful to the theme.
You can immediately hear one of Ziras’s biggest influences on the second track, “Such and Such”. The dance between the Dorian and Aeolian modes in the solo are undeniably “Satch”.
“Rapid Eye Movement” is the burner of the album. Theo cranks the Greek God speed up to 280bpm in some runs, sweeping and shredding his head off. Look out for the keyboard and drum solos at the end.
Track 4, “Solitude”, is very dark and broody. You can tell that Theo was in an intense place in his life when he wrote this track. Purists might not call the solo shredding, while others might say that it’s the best solo Theo has ever played.
A first for Ziras, the odd time signature in “Seven Courses” is a great match for the powerful Phrygian Dominant melodies. Yngwie Malmsteen, another massive influence on Theo is hugely present here.
“Salvation” is probably the easiest track on the album to listen to. The melody is singable and apparently even Theo’s mom likes this track.
In the seventh track, “Number One”, Derek cunningly uses traditional Greek grooves in his solo. (Some licks to steal, for sure)
“Night of the Dead” has gone down very well when Theo has played it live. Some might hear a bit of Metallica in the mix, others might not. All I know it that the riffs are huge.
Number nine is the title track and it’s a mind-blower. A nod to John Petrucci, with diminished intro, a mystical verse, a catchy chorus and odd meters floating all over the place. This is my favourite track.
The last track, “Go East”, showcases the insane drumming chops owned by L.A. resident Brian Tichy. But don’t be fooled, Theo comes to the fore with some tasty “East orientated” melodies.
A unique blend of progressive, fusion and shred comes together in this masterpiece. Definitely Theodore Ziras’s best yet.
Track listing:
1) Child of Scotland
2) Such and Such
3) Rapid Eye Movement
4) Solitude
5) Seven Courses
6) Salvation
7) Number One
8) Night of the Dead
9) Hyperpyrexia
10) Go East
2) Such and Such
3) Rapid Eye Movement
4) Solitude
5) Seven Courses
6) Salvation
7) Number One
8) Night of the Dead
9) Hyperpyrexia
10) Go East
Line-up:
Thoedore Ziras - Guitars
Derek Sherinian - Keyboards,
Brian Tichy – Drums
Manos Markopoulos - Bass
Derek Sherinian - Keyboards,
Brian Tichy – Drums
Manos Markopoulos - Bass
Visit http://www.theodoreziras.com/ for more info
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Album review - Katrina Johansson "Love Surrender Forgiveness"
Influenced by Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Satriani, Michael Angelo Batio, Jimi Hendrix, Ty Tabor and Peter Lindgren, Katrina Johansson is back with a follow-up to her first EP, Guitarsongs Volume I (2005).
Produced by Mike Hoffmann, with additional recording and mixing at Studio One with Chris Djuricic, Katrina’s new EP, Love Surrender Forgiveness, shows an undeniable leap in composition and technique.
The first impression I had after listening to the first three of the four tracks, was how much self expression was conveyed and how personal each song sounded.
Katrina has garnered a lot of respect and become a female icon in the male dominated genres of shred and instrumental rock, and this new EP puts her in contention for the “new queen of shred” title.
The first track, “Scar Tissue”, starts with a big, foot-stomping riff and a very singable melody line. This track really shows off Katrina’s legato phrases and the outro solo has some amazing alternate picking.
The “eastern” feel of track two, “Bellydance”, has a very interesting melody (something to do with Katrina’s love of sweat inducing Indian food, maybe?). Look out for the nice build-up of tension before a very seductive break at around 2:24. This song got me thinking about Mesopotamia and pretty ladies behind coloured veils.
The title track, “Love Surrender Forgiveness”, is (to my ears at least) the most personal and reflective track. Katrina plays beautiful phrases throughout the song which keeps a very tender feel compared to the rest of the tracks on this hard rocking EP.
The remix of K-9 Lullaby showcases (for those who missed her first EP) Karina’s wonderful call and answer phrasing, with none other than the powerful Michael Angelo Batio on bass.
This new EP is definitely a step in the right direction for this vegetarian and Dean Guitars endorsee. Just one question: When will we see a full album?
Track listing:
1. Scar Tissue
2. Bellydance
3. Love Surrender Forgiveness
4. K-9 Lullaby
Line-up:
Katrina Johansson - Guitars
Wolfe - Drums
Mike Hoffmann - Bass, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar
Michael Angelo Batio - Bass (K-9 Lullaby)
Brad Rohrssen - Drums (K-9 Lullaby)
For more about Katrina visist www.katrinaguitar.com/
Produced by Mike Hoffmann, with additional recording and mixing at Studio One with Chris Djuricic, Katrina’s new EP, Love Surrender Forgiveness, shows an undeniable leap in composition and technique.
The first impression I had after listening to the first three of the four tracks, was how much self expression was conveyed and how personal each song sounded.
Katrina has garnered a lot of respect and become a female icon in the male dominated genres of shred and instrumental rock, and this new EP puts her in contention for the “new queen of shred” title.
The first track, “Scar Tissue”, starts with a big, foot-stomping riff and a very singable melody line. This track really shows off Katrina’s legato phrases and the outro solo has some amazing alternate picking.
The “eastern” feel of track two, “Bellydance”, has a very interesting melody (something to do with Katrina’s love of sweat inducing Indian food, maybe?). Look out for the nice build-up of tension before a very seductive break at around 2:24. This song got me thinking about Mesopotamia and pretty ladies behind coloured veils.
The title track, “Love Surrender Forgiveness”, is (to my ears at least) the most personal and reflective track. Katrina plays beautiful phrases throughout the song which keeps a very tender feel compared to the rest of the tracks on this hard rocking EP.
The remix of K-9 Lullaby showcases (for those who missed her first EP) Karina’s wonderful call and answer phrasing, with none other than the powerful Michael Angelo Batio on bass.
This new EP is definitely a step in the right direction for this vegetarian and Dean Guitars endorsee. Just one question: When will we see a full album?
Track listing:
1. Scar Tissue
2. Bellydance
3. Love Surrender Forgiveness
4. K-9 Lullaby
Line-up:
Katrina Johansson - Guitars
Wolfe - Drums
Mike Hoffmann - Bass, Slide Guitar, 12 String Guitar
Michael Angelo Batio - Bass (K-9 Lullaby)
Brad Rohrssen - Drums (K-9 Lullaby)
For more about Katrina visist www.katrinaguitar.com/
Monday, December 3, 2007
Keep this name on mind - SIMONE MULARONI
I have discovered that player recently and I can say nothing else than: he simply blew my mind! Just have a look. Up to date I've managed to learn only that he plays in a prog-metal band called "Empyrios" and is working on a solo material... well I suppose it will be something big. Now all we can do is to remember this name and keep track of his career... at least I wanna do so :)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Mike Philippov interview – One of the nicest guys in shred shares some secrets
Mike Philippov is a guitarist, instructor and music composer based in Indianapolis, playing in the neo-classical and progressive styles.
He began playing guitar when he was 14 and has had 2 years of formal classical training at the Jacob's School of Music at Indiana University. He also studied virtuoso guitar playing and music composition with world renowned virtuoso Tom Hess.
He has taught instructional guitar clinics as well as private guitar lessons.
Let’s see what keeps this shredder so insanely busy.
What steps have you taken to forge a career in the music industry?
Currently I am writing and recording music for two albums. The first one is my upcoming debut solo CD, "Reflections" and the second one is an album that I am writing together with a great metal player and songwriter, Dave Cardwell (www.cardwellmusic.com). Both albums will be all instrumental and will feature music in the neo-classical and progressive styles. I am also going to be playing on a Compilation CD, “Chronicles-City of Sound” to be released later in 2007. I also co-manage and run an instructional website: www.thenextstepguitar.com as well as teach guitar privately and through clinics. I am also involved in several partnership projects with Tom Hess. (www.tomhess.net)
As far as what I did to get started, one of the most important steps for me was to join Tom Hess' Music Careers Mentoring Program. The things that I've learned in that program redefined the way I approach my career in some huge ways and helped me get off the ground. Anyone interested in a music career must check this program out!
What advice do you have for people looking to get into the music industry?
Many musicians make the mistake of spending all of their time only polishing their musical skills, but completely neglect studying the music business. This is one reason why there are many musicians who are great musically but cannot make enough money with their skills. Of course, it is important to work on the musical skills, but studying music business is equally important for becoming a music pro. Nowadays it has become easier to search for resources and advice on music business. If you can find a successful musician to take lessons on music business from, that will be a very smart thing to do and will save you A LOT of time and frustration! Other than that, be determined, motivated and ready to work really hard for your success. But success will come if you work on it the right way.
What are the pressures in the industry and how do you cope with them?
One of the benefits of being an independent artist is that there are no pressures on me by anyone other than myself. This is good from a creative and artistic standpoint. However, the biggest obstacle for me right now is lack of time to do all that I want to accomplish. This is probably the one thing that all professional musicians have in common! It’s a great place to be though, being a professional musician sure beats any other kind of job!
During your formative years, what sort of practice regime did you have?
During high school I played and practiced 4-7 hours a day on most days. I was always highly organized in my practice, and would write out practice routines for myself every day and change things that were not bringing results. I also had the opportunity to study with some truly amazing teachers that helped me tremendously in getting my playing together. In 2003 I had a consultation on virtuoso guitar technique with Ney Mello, and in 2004 I started studying music composition, improvisation and virtuoso playing and music business with Tom Hess and he has been a tremendous sort of wisdom inspiration (musically and personally) on many levels. In 2005 I began attending Indiana University Jacobs School of Music to study music theory, ear training and music composition. I firmly believe in studying with the best teachers that you can find and practicing constantly. I was also always very motivated and passionate about everything to do with music and guitar. I believe that the above mentioned things (strong desire, great teachers and lots of practice) contributed the most to me developing my skills.
What advice do you have for beginner and intermediate players who are trying to achieve a highly advanced level of playing?
Find the best teacher(s) that you can and practice constantly! Surround yourself with the music that you love to keep your motivation and desire strong. Find out about proper practice methods and apply them every day to develop your technique. If you plan to write your own music and/or learn to improvise, then study music theory and develop your Aural Skills (ear training)! The more you practice the faster you will get to your goals, so make time for practicing something every day!
Who are your most significant musical influences?
I have many influences in various areas of music, so I can break them up in different areas of musicianship:
For composition: George Bellas, Tom Hess, Vitalij Kuprij, L.V. Beethoven, J.S. Bach, Ennio Morricone, Fryderyk Chopin, Dream Theater, Symphony X
For guitar technique: Rusty Cooley, Theodore Ziras, George Bellas, Paul Gilbert, Shawn Lane
For phrasing: Tom Hess, Andy Laroque, Mike Walsh, Vinnie Moore, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker.
There are many more, but this is my top list. All of the above players and musicians are incredible!
What gear do you use and (more importantly) why?
I love Ibanez guitars for their playability, tone and feel. I use an Ibanez RG 42. I like this model a lot because of the neck through body that allows great sustain. Sustain is a huge part of my sound and tone. I use Seymour Duncan Metal Live Wire Pick Ups for the same reason (they are the hottest pick ups around!). I like the tone and feel of D’addario strings (I use string gauge 0.10-0.46). The string action on my guitar is incredibly high, higher than that of any other guitarist I’ve ever met. I do this also for sustain. Also the string tension is pretty tight to fit my playing style and the strong pick attack that I like to use. As for amps, I like the sound of Peavey 6505, the rhythm tone on it is very heavy and tight! For my lead tone, I like the sound of the guitar recorded direct through a pre-amp and I do not use an amplifier or mic the guitar when recording lead.
Talk about the process of recording your album. Are there any tips and trick that you could pass on? How did you choose the other instrumentalists (if you did).
For recording, one of the most important things is to have your music ready to go! The other is to have some idea of the sound/tone you are going for before you start recording. Otherwise, you are going to spend a lot of money in studio costs (if you record at a studio) by changing things around to experiment with different sounds. The other option is to buy your own gear if you can afford it and learn to use it yourself (which can be frustrating at first but has its advantages over recording at someone else’s studio)About other instrumentalists, I worked with an awesome bass player from Milwaukee, Ben Kuzay to play bass on a tune that will be featured on the Chronicles-City of Sound compilation release. Ben is an awesome player technically and has a good sense of counterpoint and melody. Check out his myspace at: www.myspace.com/benkuzay
What parts of your playing reflect your personality and self expression most accurately?
Interesting question… I would say that my phrasing and harmonic ideas are pretty strong in reflecting my personality. However, this is a never ending process, as any self-expressive artist knows… I am always working on bridging the gap between all my musical skills and complete self-expression. The art of self-expression is one of the most important things I have learned from my friend and mentor Tom Hess during my years of lessons with him.
What are you trying to achieve compositionally?
As I alluded to above, self-expression and personal fulfillment are my two biggest musical goals. I am not interested in writing music for the whole world to like. I would rather write the music that fulfills me personally and artistically. I believe that if the music is truly expressive and creative in the artist’s own unique way, then there will always be enough people to like it for that music to get noticed.
If the readers want to get in touch with you, what is your website and e-mail address?
www.mikephilippov.comwww.thenextstepguitar.com My e-mail is: mike@mikephilippov.com
I always respond to e-mails, so don’t hesitate to write to me.
He began playing guitar when he was 14 and has had 2 years of formal classical training at the Jacob's School of Music at Indiana University. He also studied virtuoso guitar playing and music composition with world renowned virtuoso Tom Hess.
He has taught instructional guitar clinics as well as private guitar lessons.
Let’s see what keeps this shredder so insanely busy.
What steps have you taken to forge a career in the music industry?
Currently I am writing and recording music for two albums. The first one is my upcoming debut solo CD, "Reflections" and the second one is an album that I am writing together with a great metal player and songwriter, Dave Cardwell (www.cardwellmusic.com). Both albums will be all instrumental and will feature music in the neo-classical and progressive styles. I am also going to be playing on a Compilation CD, “Chronicles-City of Sound” to be released later in 2007. I also co-manage and run an instructional website: www.thenextstepguitar.com as well as teach guitar privately and through clinics. I am also involved in several partnership projects with Tom Hess. (www.tomhess.net)
As far as what I did to get started, one of the most important steps for me was to join Tom Hess' Music Careers Mentoring Program. The things that I've learned in that program redefined the way I approach my career in some huge ways and helped me get off the ground. Anyone interested in a music career must check this program out!
What advice do you have for people looking to get into the music industry?
Many musicians make the mistake of spending all of their time only polishing their musical skills, but completely neglect studying the music business. This is one reason why there are many musicians who are great musically but cannot make enough money with their skills. Of course, it is important to work on the musical skills, but studying music business is equally important for becoming a music pro. Nowadays it has become easier to search for resources and advice on music business. If you can find a successful musician to take lessons on music business from, that will be a very smart thing to do and will save you A LOT of time and frustration! Other than that, be determined, motivated and ready to work really hard for your success. But success will come if you work on it the right way.
What are the pressures in the industry and how do you cope with them?
One of the benefits of being an independent artist is that there are no pressures on me by anyone other than myself. This is good from a creative and artistic standpoint. However, the biggest obstacle for me right now is lack of time to do all that I want to accomplish. This is probably the one thing that all professional musicians have in common! It’s a great place to be though, being a professional musician sure beats any other kind of job!
During your formative years, what sort of practice regime did you have?
During high school I played and practiced 4-7 hours a day on most days. I was always highly organized in my practice, and would write out practice routines for myself every day and change things that were not bringing results. I also had the opportunity to study with some truly amazing teachers that helped me tremendously in getting my playing together. In 2003 I had a consultation on virtuoso guitar technique with Ney Mello, and in 2004 I started studying music composition, improvisation and virtuoso playing and music business with Tom Hess and he has been a tremendous sort of wisdom inspiration (musically and personally) on many levels. In 2005 I began attending Indiana University Jacobs School of Music to study music theory, ear training and music composition. I firmly believe in studying with the best teachers that you can find and practicing constantly. I was also always very motivated and passionate about everything to do with music and guitar. I believe that the above mentioned things (strong desire, great teachers and lots of practice) contributed the most to me developing my skills.
What advice do you have for beginner and intermediate players who are trying to achieve a highly advanced level of playing?
Find the best teacher(s) that you can and practice constantly! Surround yourself with the music that you love to keep your motivation and desire strong. Find out about proper practice methods and apply them every day to develop your technique. If you plan to write your own music and/or learn to improvise, then study music theory and develop your Aural Skills (ear training)! The more you practice the faster you will get to your goals, so make time for practicing something every day!
Who are your most significant musical influences?
I have many influences in various areas of music, so I can break them up in different areas of musicianship:
For composition: George Bellas, Tom Hess, Vitalij Kuprij, L.V. Beethoven, J.S. Bach, Ennio Morricone, Fryderyk Chopin, Dream Theater, Symphony X
For guitar technique: Rusty Cooley, Theodore Ziras, George Bellas, Paul Gilbert, Shawn Lane
For phrasing: Tom Hess, Andy Laroque, Mike Walsh, Vinnie Moore, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker.
There are many more, but this is my top list. All of the above players and musicians are incredible!
What gear do you use and (more importantly) why?
I love Ibanez guitars for their playability, tone and feel. I use an Ibanez RG 42. I like this model a lot because of the neck through body that allows great sustain. Sustain is a huge part of my sound and tone. I use Seymour Duncan Metal Live Wire Pick Ups for the same reason (they are the hottest pick ups around!). I like the tone and feel of D’addario strings (I use string gauge 0.10-0.46). The string action on my guitar is incredibly high, higher than that of any other guitarist I’ve ever met. I do this also for sustain. Also the string tension is pretty tight to fit my playing style and the strong pick attack that I like to use. As for amps, I like the sound of Peavey 6505, the rhythm tone on it is very heavy and tight! For my lead tone, I like the sound of the guitar recorded direct through a pre-amp and I do not use an amplifier or mic the guitar when recording lead.
Talk about the process of recording your album. Are there any tips and trick that you could pass on? How did you choose the other instrumentalists (if you did).
For recording, one of the most important things is to have your music ready to go! The other is to have some idea of the sound/tone you are going for before you start recording. Otherwise, you are going to spend a lot of money in studio costs (if you record at a studio) by changing things around to experiment with different sounds. The other option is to buy your own gear if you can afford it and learn to use it yourself (which can be frustrating at first but has its advantages over recording at someone else’s studio)About other instrumentalists, I worked with an awesome bass player from Milwaukee, Ben Kuzay to play bass on a tune that will be featured on the Chronicles-City of Sound compilation release. Ben is an awesome player technically and has a good sense of counterpoint and melody. Check out his myspace at: www.myspace.com/benkuzay
What parts of your playing reflect your personality and self expression most accurately?
Interesting question… I would say that my phrasing and harmonic ideas are pretty strong in reflecting my personality. However, this is a never ending process, as any self-expressive artist knows… I am always working on bridging the gap between all my musical skills and complete self-expression. The art of self-expression is one of the most important things I have learned from my friend and mentor Tom Hess during my years of lessons with him.
What are you trying to achieve compositionally?
As I alluded to above, self-expression and personal fulfillment are my two biggest musical goals. I am not interested in writing music for the whole world to like. I would rather write the music that fulfills me personally and artistically. I believe that if the music is truly expressive and creative in the artist’s own unique way, then there will always be enough people to like it for that music to get noticed.
If the readers want to get in touch with you, what is your website and e-mail address?
www.mikephilippov.comwww.thenextstepguitar.com My e-mail is: mike@mikephilippov.com
I always respond to e-mails, so don’t hesitate to write to me.
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