Guitar movie: Notes on "It Might Get Loud"

notebook entry:

Jimmy Page is the royalty here, what with his early history as a first call London session guitarist (Kinks, Joe Cocker, played on "Goldfinger") and his later association with those bands whose names I can't remember right now. When he plays the intro riff to "Whole Lotta Love" for Mr. White and Mr. Edge,  they are reduced to adolescents in awe of black magic, as most of us would be. Their faces must have hurt from grinning for so long.

Jack White and Jimmy Page seem to have the most in common in terms of a musical aesthetic derived from the blues and are thus able to play music in various situations with a minimum amount of electronic gak. Edge requires U2, and so much gear that it makes him look ridiculous one on one with the others. Although clips of Edge w/U2 reveal the singular location of his mojo...in collective expression.

Jack White building a guitar in minutes is the opening of the film. "Who says you need to buy a guitar?" is his question. Then some wicked low slide riffs. Gibson and Fender take note and fuck you for your extortionate prices.

The jams between them are mildly interesting, but good inspiration for aspirants. Lots of mistakes = lots of encouragement.

Jimmy Page on the music that influenced him and showing you via gestures the techniques/touch used is awesome. He really studied these things. And he still loves it. Jack White too.

Although the movie bills itself as a history of the electric guitar through they eyes of three guitar icons. It's really about the personal history of music and guitaring in their lives. No Les Paul, no history of the electric guitar--let's face it.

It's hard to remember that Edge came of age in the punk era, and he is committed to the punk ethos and narrative of playing and performing without knowing much about music, at least in terms of his musical formation. Page and White come from a deep reverence for tradition and American roots music while simultaneously trying to forge their own individual voices.

It seems that Mr. White is not too enamored of Mr. Edge.

Concert footage you've seen and loved before--a million times. Stories you already know and love. I like Jack White bleeding on his Gretsch--very dramatic. Led Zeppelin--absolutely. Edge--where is U2 when you need them?




 

Guitar Gak: Talent Booster pedal for your shit licks!

Brian Wampler, the pedal designer/guru has finally designed the perfect pedal for the Guitar Hero generation desirous of glory without effort--sound without practice.  It's the Talent Booster* pedal that morphs your half-ass blues licks into monstrous Buddy Guy tones with just a click of the footswitch....click. Now you can be a badass half-ass in disguise, a turd cloaked as a hot shit guitar player....click. Yeah, I'm bad. I'm nationwide-tatatatatatata..., but, not really. :)

http://www.wamplerpedals.com/talent_booster

No women are referenced in this post (except as lookers on), since they don't fall for stupid stuff like this. This is male only stupid. 

* The Talent Booster is really a JFET based booster with a gain control.

 

Guitarist practice of the day: RELAX (those stupid guitar faces) and/or Try Yoga or end up looking like Yoda

“Named must your fear be before banish it you can.”

One thing that master guitarists (across styles) seem to have in common is total relaxation of the body and hands while playing.*  For guitarists raised as rock and blues players (the majority), this can be difficult because of the "guitar faces" and "fastest gun hung low" requirements of the genre. Of course, every body is different and by extension the natural strength and dexterity of hands.

Edward Van Halen is a guitarist whose guitar faces and extreme use of his body do not hinder the relaxation in his playing. The dead give away of his relaxation is his penchant for smiling in the midst of his testosterone-driven guitar face displays. It's as if he's putting you on with his non-playing antics. Maybe he is naturally able to relax of disconnect  his relaxed guitar playing faculties from the tight guitar faces and acrobatics, or maybe that is something gained from practice. Can you do this? Or is all that tightness giving you constipation and slowing down your musicality instead?

Your  hands and arms are not disconnected from the rest of your body. Tension anywhere in your body is going to show up in your hands, and tension is not what you want in your guitar playing (or sports or anything) as it can be a hindrance to the free-flow of your ideas, and ultimately a path toward injury. Strength is a part of economy of movement, not an end in itself. All you need is the optimum amount of work (remember physics) necessary to achieve the "sound" of the technique you're working on (bends, vibrato, whatever). Everything else is overkill and a waste of your finite energy.  Sure. some sounds require some smack, but how much is the question. Too much and you actually shrink the amplitude of the string vibration (killing the low frequencies in the sustain) while over-emphasizing the transient (initial pick)....click, click, click.

We all have different bodies and different hand strengths (think of the difference in sound between Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn). Try to gauge yours by feeling it out and by conscious, wide-awake, wide-eared, practice.** This is especially true for rockers from blues to death metal who could use a little chill factor anyway (I imagine Satan was a pretty relaxed, if fallen, angel.-lol).

Also, try yoga so you don't wind up looking like Yoda.

* Look at past Guitarist of the Day video postings of Vicente Amigo, Carlos Hayre, Joe Maphis, George Benson, Jerry Reed, etc. for examples of this.

** It also varies from instrument to instrument, and also on the particular techniques used. Hey, I didn't say it was easy.

- thanks to my wife Dana for advice and on-going corrections on this important subject.

 

Guitar CD of the Day: For A Few Guitars More: A Tribute to Ennio Morricone

There are lots of Morricone tributes, but I like the unpretentiousness of this one. No fancy "new" classical musicians ironically slumming for street cred, but rock/blues musicians who proceed with genuine affection for the man and the material. Lots of good, bad, and ugly guitar playing and tones. The CD is hard to get so, I've included links to homepages and sounds of participating musicians and groups. Make some pasta and let this collection be your cheese. Bust out your cheapest amp and crankiest Danelectro distortion, drench in reverb, and proceed to have some fun al dente. Ole!

Compilation organized by Larry "Moon Dawg" White and Dalibor Pavicic
Artwork and package design Don Vigeant, Ltd.
 

For ongoing discussions about the music and films, check out Listservs: Ennio Morricone, Spaghetti Westerns
Surf/instro music: Cowabunga, Reverborama

THE TRACKS/LAS PISTAS:

1. Guns Don't Argue
from Guns Don't Argue [Le Pistole non Discutono], dir. Mario Caiano, 1964 
performed by The Penetrators
(Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
Rip Thrillby (lead guitar), Spanky Twangler (rhythm guitar), Trace Lugar (bass), Illya "Stix" Stechkin (drums)

 

2. Titoli (A Fistful of Dollars)
from A Fistful of Dollars [Un Pugno di Dollari], dir. Sergio Leone, 1964
performed by Bradipos IV 
(Caserta, Italy)
Franz (g/k), Enrico (d), Ghigo (b), Max (g) 

 

3. For A Fistful of Dollars
from A Fistful of Dollars
performed by Dave Wronksi
(Los Angeles, California, USA)
Dave Wronski (guitars)

 

4. For a Few Dollars More
from For a Few Dollars More [Qualche Dollaro in Piú], dir. Sergio Leone, 1965
performed by Cosmonauti
(Rome, Italy)
Stefano Giustinani (g), Andrea Lauri (g), Massimo Petrozzi (b), Alessandro Petrozzi (d)

 

5. Sixty Seconds To What? [aka La Resa dei Conti]
from For a Few Dollars More
performed by Brent J. Cooper
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Brent J. Cooper (guitar, Fender Bass VI), Russell Broom (faux Mellotron, bass), Jim Atomic (drums, percussion).
Recorded by Russell A. Broom

 

6. The Vice Of Killing
from For a Few Dollars More
performed by The Langhorns
(Lund, Sweden)
Michael Sellers (guitar), Rikard Swärdh (drums), Martin Berglund (bass), Petter Lindgard (trumpet)

 

7. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly [Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo], 1966
performed by The Atlantics
(Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
produced by Martin Cilia in cooperation with Sirena Music
Martin Cilia (g), Jim Skiathitis (g), Bosco Bosonac (b), Peter Hood (d)

 

8. The Ecstasy of Gold
from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
performed by 3 Balls of Fire
(Austin, Texas, USA) 
Burniní Mike Vernon (guitars, six-string bass, dust storm), Mike Robberson (bass), Freddie 
Steady Krc (drums and keyboard) and The Amazing Sophomores (vocals)

 

9. A Gun for Ringo
from A Gun for Ringo [Una Pistola per Ringo], dir. Duccio Tessari, 1965
performed by the Bambi Molesters
(Zagreb, Croatia)
Lada Furlan (bass), Hrvoje Zaborac (drums), Dalibor Pavicic (guitar), Dinko Tomljanovic (guitar)

 

10. Navajo Joe
from Navajo Joe, dir. Sergio Corbucci, 1966
performed by Pollo del Mar
(San Francisco, California, USA)
Ferenc Dobronyi (g), Jono Jones (g), Jeff Turner (b), Jeremy Rexford (d)

 

11. The Big Gundown (Seconda Caccia)
from The Big Gundown [La Resa dei Conti], dir. Sergio Sollima, 1966
performed by The Irreversible Slacks
(New York, New York, USA)
Circus Slack (guitar), Havana Slack (sax), Idlewild Slack (guitar), Professor Slack (drums), Skipper Slack (bass), Wee Slack (saw)

 

12. The Hellbenders
from The Hellbenders [I Crudeli], dir. Sergio Corbucci, 1966
performed by The Hellbenders
(Detroit, Michigan, USA)
Rick Mills (guitar), Chris Flanagan (guitar), Bill Bowen (drums), Bill Rowe (bass); 
mixed by Jim Diamond

 

13. The Great Silence
from The Great Silence [Il Grande Silenzio], dir. Sergio Corbucci, 1968
performed by Kim Humphreys
(Sidney, New South Wales, Australia)
Kim Humphreys (guitars); produced by Kim Humphreys & John Roy, Now Hear This 2002.

 

14. Once Upon a Time in the West 
from Once Upon a Time in the West [C'erauna Volta il West], dir. Sergio Leone, 1969
performed by In the West 
(Hollywood, Florida, USA)
Dean Sire (Hammond organ, bass), Eddie Gregg (guitar), Lou Abbott (drums)

 

15. As a Judgment [Come una Sentenza]
from Once Upon a Time in the West
performed by Bernard Yin and David Arnson
(Los Angeles, California, USA)
Bernard Yin (guitars), David Arnson (guitars) 

 

16. Farewell to Cheyenne
from Once Upon a Time in the West
performed by Di Dollari 
(Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA)
Glen Jones (4-string guitar, whistle), Paul W. Horn (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, jaw harp, recorder), Dave Onnen (bass), Mike Croswell (french horn, accordion, mouth organ, whistle, penny whistle), Matt Zaun (drums, percussion).

17. The Loud, the Loose, and the Savage
composed by Davie Allan (inspired by Ennio Morricone)
(c) 2001 Arrow Dynamic Music (BMI)
performed by Davie Allan
(Los Angeles, California, USA)
Davie Allan (guitar, bass, keyboard, drums)
 

Above songs composed by Ennio Morricone

 

The Guitarist of the day is the Vicente Amigo

What do you do in a style that, at a minimum, is already hyper-virtuosic? Is it even possible to play with more eloquence, dexterity, force, and speed than Paco de Lucia? The smart way is to take another musical path entirely. Well, Vicente has somehow found a  personal path down calle flamenco.  You’ve got to have big ones to even imagine being a rudimentary flamenco guitarist, much less a classic one. Vicente Amigo (no relation) is of the latter type and brings an original tone, rhythmic astuteness, and a fresh musiclity to the art. Check out his fandangos and bulerias and switch styles fast. I like to think he’s my Spanish cousin and that this type of playing runs in the family, but I was only dreaming. hijo de puta!

brain-droppings: A Les Paul is a Les Paul*

 

I am troubled by the observation that the rhetoric of invention is currently being used by artists to describe what, in previous times, was simply thought of as imitation, research, or curating. Calling the latter three “invention” would have been plagiarism or ignorance.  Perhaps the elevation of the DJ to the role of central creator is having unintended consequences in current generations of artists, or perhaps the desire for reputation has finally and completely eclipsed the desire for creation? I guess that is not new either, but it seems a cultural impulse now rather than a strictly personal one. I cannot believe that listening to or studying Bach makes you Bach. Maybe these are postmodern times after all.

The act of naming is an implicit claim to creation, discovery, and invention. But a Les Paul does not need renaming.

* It would be more re(f/v)erential and perhaps artistic, but less guitaristic, to say a rose is a rose.

The guitarist of the day is the "maestro" Carlos Hayre

The Maestro Carlos Hayre  

Carlos Hayre is a celebrated guitarist and recognized “maestro” of Peruvian criollo and Afro-Peruvian music.  In the 1960s, he worked alongside the noted Peruvian musicologist and decimista [author and performer of décimas] Nicomedes Santa Cruz, recreating and introducing music pieces into the Peruvian repertoire which have become classics, such as “No me Cumben,” “La Raiz del Guarango,” and “Manuel Antonio.”

As a guitarist, bassist, arranger, conductor, director, and accompanist, he has recorded over 80 albums with major Latin American orchestras and recording stars including the renowned singer and composer Alicia Maguiña with whom he set new performance standards. Carlos pioneered the use of the cajón as a percussion instrument in the vals, one of the most typical popular and folkloric musics of Peru. Additionally, he innovated this musical genre by, as musicologist William Tompkins writes, “introducing new harmonies and dynamics which gave the vals new life and developmental impetus, thus shaping its contemporary performance style.”

Carlos is also a foremost interpreter of the marinera limeña, recording the 1970 album La Marinera Limeña es Así with the renowned singer Abelardo Vázquez, and the previous generation of Peruvian masters that included guitarist Vicente Vázquez, singers Augusto Asquez and Curita Gonzalez, and cajón player Canano. He is credited with reviving interest in the marinera limeña within Peru in the late 1960s and 1970s when interest in this criollo genre waning.


He was also one of my teachers and perhaps the only musical "genius" I've ever known. :)

5/11. I've added some links to video and music (courtesy of NYU). Carlos is currently living in Lima, Peru where he has received the accolades and respect that he has earned through his dedication and talent.

music and video:

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/global/peru/jazz/carlos/

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/global/peru/jazz/carlos/la_marinera_limena_es_asi

Quote of the day

Oye, major? minor?...whatever.

- Hector Viera

editor's note: a delicious admixture of supreme wisdom, total ignorance, 

and dismissive disdain as only a Miami Cuban and rocker could provide. :)

brain-droppings: Ryan Bingham and the Oscar

Well, 'round here we knew Ryan Bingham was gonna be a big star since first seeing him and the Dead Horses at Pinala's in Lubbock, when me and my Tejas honey was like...who's that man floatin' in a sea of plastic country poseurs? Then again on Austin City Limits they were smoking. But we didn't imagine that in six months, he would go from a decent house at the boozy Mercury Lounge in NYC to the Academy Awards, and taking an Oscar for song of the year for the theme from Crazy Heart--I mean, shiiiiiiiiiiit! I guess if T-Bone Burnett gets a hold of you, things happen fast.

Maybe Bingham can put Oscar in his bathroom over the toilet so guests can see he remains humble and true to his honky-tonk, rodeo-riding vision of things. Them hard times is over except for the internal ones. Congratulations to you and to the Big Lebowski. Here's to real music and honest expression, god damn it!

  
p.s. Dead Horses guitarist Corby Shaub is a mighty fine player we'll feature soon. 

p.s.s.  I guess George Clooney was pissed because the only Ryan Bingham that got an Oscar was the real one.

The Guitarist of the Day is youngblood James Moore

(James with arrow)

James Moore is in many ways typical of the best musicians of his twenty-something generation: fiercely eclectic, concise, training to die for, open-minded, and non-elitist. For James, difference is not a concept or a lifestyle, or a too self-conscious artistic orientation. His music has the honesty element that compels a listen and the sonic signature that says "here is an interesting new artist." Whether playing crazy electric and nylon string classical, new music, and unclassifiable stuff, his personality comes through.


James' guitar quartet is Dither, and they are coming to an experimental venue near you. Request some Bach and he'll pull out a lute suite, some David Lang or Eve Beglarian and he'll hit it. But really, ask him to play whatever he wants and you'll be satisfied.

Of course, he has the extensive inflato-bio and credits so necessary in the economy of prestige that is such a cumbersome part of the NYC new music scene, but don't hold that against him. It's the system, mon.

homepage: jamesmooreguitar.com
sounds: http://www.ditherquartet.com/audio.html

Guitarist notebook: secundal (seconds) harmony

 

Notes:

1. On the guitar, there are 16 three-note (cluster), closed-position, combinations with one open string. (see matrix above)

2. In a secundal context, two-note combinations w/unisons in one voice give the impression of a three-note combination.

3. Try different combinations, per matrix above, emphasizing one or two chords as goals or cadence.

4. Apply as units in traditional (jazz or other) voice-leading.

5. Good voice leading contextualizes and clarifies increasing dissonance.

6. In clusters, think of outside voices as what is heard melodically. The inside voices yield weight, color, and vibration (through beats).

7. Imply consonant, standard progressions.

8. Think about chord movement in seconds. The main cadences are ii-i and vii-i in major and minor.

9. Three note groupings are clusters

10. min/min (symbol on right of matrix) is read from the bottom up and indicates two stacked minor second intervals. The four possible combinations are min/min, min/maj, maj/min, and maj/maj.

The (displaced) Chilean Guitarists of the Day are victims of the earthquake: HELP OUT!

Help traditional musicians displaced by the earthquake in Chile

I received the following email from Chilean ethnomusicologist Christian Spencer in Santiago, Chile.  It says it all:
  
Dear all:

The last earthquake affected severely jobs and lifes of popular musicians in Chile, specially the oral singers from remote provinces, whose feeble houses came down entirely. There is a centralised and reliable webpage to help both in national or international levels. Here is the link:

http://chileayuda.com/
Christian Spencer Espinosa

Puerto montt está temblando
Es un acabo de mundo

- Violeta Parra 

Puerto Montt is trembling/shaking/quaking

It's the end of a world

- Violeta Parra

Guitarist practice of the day: LISTEN

LISTEN

Although we generally think of practice as an expansive activity, years of solid practice can also obscure alternate pathways, even those that are simpler and clearer solutions to musical questions (i.e., problems). This is especially true for guitarists who are typically addicted to hands and eyes over sound. This is why practice has to be rooted in the here and now and not just automatic repetition of patterns and shapes. Pay attention and listen as well as think about solutions. Emphasize the former and find yourself awake and flying.

Thought and language give impetus, shape and focus to action, but are not action itself. Listening is a part of action, but action is ultimately one thing.