GUEST COLUMNIST:

SHRAPNEL RECORDING ARTIST

DEREK TAYLOR
DT3: AN EVENING WITH DEREK TAYLOR

Be sure to check out Derek's first, second, and thirdcolumns at Chops from
Hell...plus Derek's instructional CD Extras "Extreme Legato Chops", "Advanced
Legato Phrases"" and his new instructional CD ROM "DT3: An Evening With Derek
Taylor"!

The following lick is a "chicken pickin" lick taken from my new instructional release
"DT3: An Evening With Derek Taylor". The pick is to be held between the thumb and
index finger. "P2" indicates notes to be "chicken picked" by plucking the string with
the 2nd finger.

For MP3's/LESSONS/INFO/DISCOGRAPHY...
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

RYAN MAZA
of Warp 3
Fun with Pentatonic Tapping

Performance Notes:

Ok, if you see the video clip below you know that this one's pretty difficult. However,
upon closer examination this lick is just the same simple A blues/pentatonic scale
repeated up 3 octaves...that's the good news. The 'not so good' news is that there is
a lot of fast left and right hand motion, and that can get a little confusing. I would say
that this lick would be a accurate representation of my soloing style, so I feel very
comfortable discussing this technique with you.

At the beginning of the video, I demonstrate this phrase at a slow speed so you can
see the intricacies involved. In a soloing style that uses a lot of tapping, you almost
always start off by hammering down the first note with your left hand....no pick
here...followed up by another 'hammer-on' with a different finger, and then by the
right hand 'tap.' This assumes that we're playing 3 notes per string. Anyway, this
same type of rhythmic pattern is repeated through the scale. In descending motion,
you would tap the note first (right hand), then pull-off to the 2nd note (left hand) and
then pull-off again to the 3rd note (left hand). This sounds more difficult than it really
is, so watching the video to understand what the hell I'm talking about would be a
good 'thang!'

Another important technique used is right hand control/anchor. By lightly grasping the
edge of the neck with your right hand thumb, 3rd finger and 4th finger, you can
control your hand motion with ease. Without this, the right hand would have no base
thus making it very difficult for you to 'lock-in' and synchronize with your left. It will
also sound real sloppy as you will pick up 'undertones' and feedback from the other
strings. Which leads me to say that this technique also acts as an all-important string
dampener.

Once you've got this lick down (slow), you're now ready to take part in extreme self-
indulgence at a quicker tempo! Kinda like I did....well, I gotta show off a little."
Ryan Maza / Warp 3

the following bio material provided by Ryan Maza

Ryan Maza, Warp 3 - B I O G R A P H Y

From their formation in 1999, WARP3 has since captured a sizable
niche audience in the states as well as overseas, particularly in Italy,
where Maza writes an ongoing instructional column for the Italian
publication 'Guitar Chef Magazine.' Ryan has recently been asked to
contribute similar articles for the 'Guitarapalooza.com' website.
Along with last year's release of their debut CD, 'Music has Evolved,'
the band launched a companion website which has catapulted to top
positions in major search engines on the World Wide Web. The eye-
catching site has also received critical acclaim in Internet circles,
leading to product endorsements for Maza from Elixir Strings and
Kradl Picks.

Guitar virtuoso Ryan Maza founded Warp 3, and also writes and arranges most of the
band's music. Dense close-voiced harmonic structures, clean, chopping stabs of chords
and horn-like "sheets of sound" round out the guitarist's arsenal. Although he can
execute intricate passages with speed and finesse, Maza prefers to 'hold-back,' focusing
the listener's attention on the song. In fact, he considers his compositions to be an
integral part of his playing style, in which leaving space for other instruments to share
the spotlight is a major component.

Maza is no neophyte to the Arizona music scene. Well known and respected as a 'hired
gun' for studio projects, and as an 'on call' fill-in for other bands, he has done demo-
compilation work for the Roland music company as well. Ryan, who plays a custom
Warp 3 guitar built by renowned luthier Bob Mick, was nominated for the 'Best Guitarist
1999' award in the band's hometown.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

JON BJORK
Expanding Technique Practice

One of the most frustrating things when practising is lack of progress, I thought I
would show you what has helped me in this area. Usually when you´re practising an
exercise you only do it one way, lets take a “standard” exercise like this three note
per string pattern: D-string 4-5-7 G-string 4-5-7 alternate picking starting with an
downstroke. What usually happens here is you sit there and repeat it over and over
until your blue in the face, this is perfectly alright and if you endure long enough it will
help your technique. But the thing is that while you might get that pattern up to “insert
speed of your dreams here” you´ll probably not be able to use it while improvising
fluently and with little effort. The reason for this ( at least in my case) is that you
practised the pattern only one way. There´s a pretty big possibility that you´ll find
yourself in the middle of a solo and when you´re about to play the pattern you´ve
practised so hard it all falls apart just because you start the pattern with an upstroke.
What I do when I practise a new pattern is the following: Let´s take that same pattern
on the D and G strings that I described earlier.

1. Using 16th note triplets, practise it first starting on an downstroke.

2. Starting on an upstroke.
3.Now here´s where it will get interesting: Start with an downstroke BUT start on the
second note of the pattern.
4. Do the same thing with an upstroke.
5. Next start on the third note of the pattern with an downstroke.
6. Same thing but with an upstroke.
Continue in this fashion throughout the rest of the pattern.

This REALLY helped my technique AND my timing, since starting on each note in the
pattern turns the rhythm around. When you´re comfortable with each variation at your
desired speed you can be sure that you´ve really mastered it and most likely be able
to use it wherever and whenever you like.

The following is a short improv clip from Jon.

 GUEST COLUMNIST:

DAVY HO THONG
Full Throttle Staccato Playing

Hi, everybody! My name is Davy Ho Thong, and I'm the guitarist for InDescent, a
French prog-metal band.

The following 2 licks have been played on my Ibanez RG2027 7-string , straight
through a POD LINE 6. They're going to work on your right hand, since every note is
picked. Sadly, alternate picking is overlooked by many players, to the benefit of more
"flashy " techniques, such as sweeping or legato. I stress working with a metronome:
that's the surest way to play in measure, and build a strong, accurate picking hand.
Begin at a slow tempo, then progressively speed it up. IMPORTANT: keep the same
exact picking pattern, and keep your playing clean. Be consistent, practice slowly,
and don't waste your time meditating or praying the buddha to see results.

Lick 1 is basically an E Dorian run (I'm tuned to Eb). It's strictly alternate picked.
Jumping from D to the high E is a bit tricky. Play it as sixteenth notes triplets. Begin
with a downstroke.

normal slow

Lick 2 is a C major run. Be careful about the position shifts. Begin with a downstroke.
Sixteenth notes triplets too. Remember: no sweep, no slur!

normal slow

Here's the fun stuff! Lick 3 is a sweeping exercise , with a tapped high note. Starts
out like a DM7 arp, second octave is a DM9, third can be described as an Esus4
arpeggio (BORIIIIING!). I emphasize the fact that each note has to sound disctinctly:
that's sweeping, no rake! Too many players tend to only play the high and low notes,
with a bunch of ghost notes in between. To avoid that pitfall, begin to work on it very,
very slowly. Then ONLY speed it up.
 normal slow

Well, that's all, folks! I hope you liked those few licks. If you have any question or
comment, you can mail me at : sameziani@hotmail.com.

You can also visit my band's website, at: http://www.indescent.org. You'll find a
bunch of other licks, as well as mp3s of our songs.

See ya !

Davy

the following bio material provided by Davy Ho Thong

AKA dmetal, Davy Ho Thong was born near Paris, France, on July 7,1979. His first
musical instrument was air guitar, which he incessantly played in front of his mirror.
Following his mom's advice, he began studying wood guitar with private teachers for
a while,then decided to continue on his own.A self confessed technique freak, Davy
was a demonstrator at the French Music Exposition, and is now a happy IBANEZ
endorsee.

Still practicing his chops like mad, DD only swears by his masters: J.Petrucci, S.Vai,
E.Johnson, P.Gilbert, R.Thal, and M.Romeo. He leads InDescent, his prog-metal
metal band, nfluenced by DREAM THEATER, VANDEN PLAS, SYMPHONY X, and
is currently looking for a record deal. You can check out the band on their website at
: http://www.indescent.org
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

MIKE KRUG
Swilling Whiskey with Back Porch Mary

And now for something completely different...

For reasons known only to him, the administrator here at Chops From Hell thinks that we
can contribute to his site. Personally I believe that we'll just screw it up, but what the hell?
Don't feel bad if you haven't heard of our band Back Porch Mary. No one else has either.
It's a real problem. A total hassle actually. We tend to believe that we're famous. How can it
be our fault that the world doesn't know? Anyhow, Back Porch Mary is a two guitar band.
My name is Mike, and with my partner Slim, we manage to present the illusion that we can
actually play. We got this Chops from Hell guy fooled. For our first column I thought I would
comment on the ups and downs of being in a band with two lead guitar players.

First of all, when you play with another guitar player you will instantly realize that you just
aren't loud enough. At first all you will be able to hear is the other player. This will piss you
off. My advice is to immediately start a volume war. Turn your shit up as loud as it will go.
He'll do the same. You will glare at each other. At the next practice you will both bring more
amps and shit. It will sound like a big mess. The drummer and the bass player will think that
the two of you have lost your minds. Ignore them. A good volume war will establish who is
in charge. Make sure that you win at all costs. If this doesn't work, put your guitar down and
kick his ass. At this point he will need a good ass kicking.

After you have figured out who is in charge, it comes down to the serious business of
deciding who gets to solo. Being the better player, you should solo. If he starts to solo, play
a solo right over his. Act like he isn't playing. Hopefully he won't be able to stand it and will
go back to playing chords. If this doesn't work, kick his ass again.

Once the solo thing is out of the way, work on guitar parts. Your part should be the part that
lets you act cool while you play it. You should be concentrating on your stage show. If you
make a mistake, glare at the other guitar player like he's an idiot. The crowd will think he
made the mistake. Meanwhile, you're just standing there and looking cool. Never
underestimate the value of a good onstage ass kicking. He may need one.

Now that you have firmly established yourself as the dominate player, make him carry your
gear around and drive you places. Spread rumors that you nailed his girlfriend. Kick his ass
in public.

I hope these have been helpful tips. Next time I'll tell you how to deal with a drummer. They
are way easier to fool. Oh, and they are sitting down onstage, so you have the jump on
them when it's time for an ass kicking.

Later,

Back Porch Mary

 GUEST COLUMNIST:

SHELBY WILLIFORD
The Road To Hell: Part 2

Hello to all and welcome to my next column. I see that there have been quite a few
new columns added to the site since I put my first one up. I've seen them all and I
must say that I have yet to see one that I didn't like. They're all very good and packed
with cool licks and useful info.

If you've been practicing the exercises in my first column then you should have a
fairly good and accurate picking technique buy now. Now that we can jam away on a
single string, it's high time we started moving around a bit. By the way, The principles
that I outlined in my last column are applicable to all other categories as well such as
legato, sweeps, string-skipping, etc. Also, last but not least, I just wanted to add that
even though I will use 1-2-4 examples here, make sure you use all your fingers in
every variation. For these exercises, I recommend starting your metronome at 40/45
bpms, doing each exercise 10-15 times each and then when you have it mastered
on your current bpm level, move your metronome up another 5 bpms and continue
on.

In the next column, I'll get into my string-skipping and legato stuff. Until then, enjoy
these and keep on the quest for shredder-dom.

Any questions, or comments can be e-mailed to me here: shredderdude@usa.net

 GUEST COLUMNIST:

CHARLES BROWN
Classical Guitar: The Rest Stroke

Greetings! I'd like to spend a few minutes and share a little bit of info on Classical
Guitar.

What I'd like to talk about is a classical technique called the Rest Stroke, which I use
throughout the "Sarabande from violin Partita #1 in Bm" by Johann Sebastian
Bach. This piece can be found on my CD "MYSTICS", which is available through
Fossil Records: http://www.fossilrecords.net. It can also be heard at my MP3
website: http://www.mp3.com/charlesbrown-ASCAP.

The Sarabande is one of the movements from the Baroque era "Suite", and was a
stately dance movement that is played in ¾ time. The reason the rest stroke is an
important technique, is because it helps to bring out the melody line which is so
prominent in slower movements like a Sarabande or Adagio.

The Rest Stroke is a right hand fingering technique in which the string is played with
a combination of nail and flesh; and then the finger rests against the adjoining lower
string after playing the note. This technique allows for better leverage and control
when playing single note passages, and produces a richer, fuller tone, which helps to
accentuate the melody line. The following example is a simple rest stroke exercise
based on a C chord. It's an excerpt from a study by Francisco Tarrega, who was one
of the most important composers for the Classical Guitar. Play the exercise slow at
first and make sure every note sounds smooth and clear.
The next example is an actual excerpt of the Bach Sarabande from my CD. It's a
beautiful piece with a strong melody. Since this piece was originally written for violin,
it's useful to try to listen to a recording by the original instrument to hear how the
notes are phrased. There is also a beautiful version of this piece by the great guitar
maestro, Andres Segovia.
Classical guitar is a whole world of beautiful music that can bring a lifetime of
enjoyment. Also, the technique gained through learning Classical guitar carries over
into becoming an overall more proficient player in Rock, Metal, Jazz, and other guitar
styles.

For more great Classical guitar inspiration, check out the playing of other great
Classical players such as Christopher Parkening, Sharon Isbin, Julian Bream, Liona
Boyd, and Manuel Barrueco. Enjoy, and Practice Hard!
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

THEODORE ZIRAS
"Dash" Intro
 the following bio material provided by Theodore Ziras

Theodore Ziras born 1975 in Poros, Greece. His music training started at the age of
13 with Music Theory and Piano lessons. His main influences include F Liszt, J.S
Bach, N Paganini, J Becker, Allan Holdsworth, Y. Malmsteen, J. Becker, S Vai, G
Bellas, V Kuprij, J Petrucci, G Howe and generally anything from Classical Music,
Rock & Progressive Metal and Jazz/Fusion.

Two years later he also started studying guitar, which became his main instrument.
From the beginning of his music carrier Theodore was fascinated by musicians with
high level of Technical ability regardless of style etc. At the age of 18 he moved to
Athens and he continued his studies in Music Theory, Jazz Harmony, Rhythm,
Counterpoint. The next two years found Theodore practising very hard.

His first appearance with a band was in 1994 when he joined the progressive power
metal Greek band Ice Divine as the lead Guitar player. With Ice Divine he released 2
demos and he appeared in 2 compilation CD's. Ice Divine appeared in many gigs in
Athens with more important the shows as a support band with Iced Earth (Rodon
Club November '97) and U.D.O. (Rodon Club February '98). Ice Divine voted in 1997
Metal Hammer's magazine Best Newcoming and Best Live band. In October 97 they
signed their first contract with "Noise International" but finally this cancelled 2 months
later under strange circumstances. This incident had as a result the split up of Ice
Divine…

So, in early '98 Theodore joined the Greek progressive metal band Guardian Angel.
Theodore as a member of Guardian Angel didn't release any demo or CD but he
played a lot of gigs all over Greece. After all, his cooperation with Guardian Angel
was a very important experience and established Theodore as a great soloist and
solid performer.

In late '98 Theodore decided to leave Greece and he registered at the Guitar Institute
of London for further studies in Music performance and composition. He developed
further his Technical and composition skills, also he deal with different styles as Jazz
and Fusion. He started working on his first solo instrumental release. He graduated 3
years later getting his degree, Bachelor (Honours) in Music Performance &
Composition. In early 2001 he returned to Greece and he signed a record deal with
Steel Gallery Records.

His first instrumental solo Cd called "Trained To Play" released in April 2001. It's a
mix of Orchestral Neoclassical & Power Metal with complex harmony/orchestration
and mind-blowing lead guitar parts.

Theodore keeps extremely busy dividing his time between studying, composing,
recording, teaching guitar and trying to develop his style and grow as an performer
and composer.

Contact: tziras@hotmail.com Website: www.thodoris.cjb.net

 GUEST COLUMNIST:

DARAN AMOS & RICK LAND

Old School with THUNDERBREW - #3

We're back with the third installment of "Oldschool with THUNDERBREW".

Lick 1. This is a lick using a double tapping technique using the A Dorian Scale and
resolving on the root.

Lick 2. This riff uses a combination of double stops, bends, and heavily muted pull-
offs. This works well over anything in the key of G.

Lick 3. This lick screams through the G minor pentatonic scale and adds a classic
sweep technique through an A minor arpeggio.
Lick 4. This is a great lick to practice shifting through several 3 note per string scales.
This works well over Bm, Bm7, or D major.

Lick 5. This lick moves through pentatonic and Dorian, using a series of full and 1/2
step bends.

Lick 6. This is a sequence moving through the D minor pentatonic box. Try using this
through other scales and arpeggios.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

FRANCESCO FARERI
Arpeggio Sequence

This exercise shows some position of arpeggios as Bminor, Amajor, F#minor, Gmajor...this
is an example of how to combine them and create a sequence of arpeggios, you can add
more figures and positions of the same arpeggios or new chords in this sequence. I really
hope you like my idea and for any kind of questions please email me or visit my Site where
you can find monthly exercises and transcriptions of Greg Howe, George Bellas and Vitalij
Kuprij and above all you can order my first instrumental shred CD called Suspension

#------------------------------------PLEASE NOTE------------------------------------#
#--This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the--#
#-song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research.--#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
Written by Francesco Fareri on June 2001.

|--------------------------------14-19-14-----------------------|
|-----------------------------15----------15--------------------|
|---------7/11----------11/16----------------16-----------------|
|-------9------12----12-------------------------16----------16--|
|-----9-----------14-------------------------------17-14-17-----|
|7-10-----------------------------------------------------------|

|------14-19-14----------------------------14-17-12-------------|
|---15----------15----------------------15----------14----------|
|16----------------16----------------16----------------14-------|
|---------------------16----------16----------------------14----|
|------------------------17-14-17----------------------------16-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------12-17-12----------------------------12-21-17----|
|------------14----------14----------------------14----------17-|
|---------14----------------14----------------14----------------|
|------14----------------------14----------14-------------------|
|12-16----------------------------16-12-16----------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------17-21-17-----------------------------17|
|---------------------17----------17-----------------------17---|
|18----------------18----------------18-----------------18------|
|---19----------19----------------------19-----------19---------|
|------19-16-19-----------------------------19-16-19------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|15-10----------------------------10-15-10----------------------|
|------12----------------------12----------12-------------------|
|---------12----------------12----------------12----------------|
|------------12----------12----------------------12----------12-|
|---------------14-10-14----------------------------14-10-14----|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|------10-14-9---------------------------9-15-10----------------|
|---12---------10---------------------10---------12-------------|
|12---------------11---------------11---------------12----------|
|--------------------11---------11---------------------12-------|
|-----------------------12-9-12---------------------------14-10-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------10-14-9---------------------------9-15-10----------|
|---------12---------10---------------------10---------12-------|
|------12---------------11---------------11---------------12----|
|---12---------------------11---------11---------------------12-|
|14---------------------------12-9-12---------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------10-17-12----------------------------12-19-14-|
|---------------12----------14----------------------14----------|
|------------12----------------14----------------14-------------|
|---------12----------------------14----------14----------------|
|14-10-14----------------------------16-12-16-------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------14-19-----------------14-19-14------|
|15----------------------15--------------------15----------15---|
|---16----------------16--------------------16----------------16|
|------16----------16--------------------16---------------------|
|---------17-14-17-----------------14-17------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------14-19--------------------14-19-14---------|
|------------------15-----------------------15----------15------|
|---------------16-----------------------16----------------16---|
|16----------16-----------------------16----------------------16|
|---17-14-17-----------------14-17-14---------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------15-19--------------------14-19-14------------|
|---------------15-----------------------15----------15---------|
|------------16-----------------------16----------------16------|
|---------16-----------------------16----------------------16---|
|17-14-17-----------------14-17-14----------------------------17|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------14-19"""""--------------------------------------|
|------------15-------------------------------------------------|
|---------16----------------------------------------------------|
|------16-------------------------------------------------------|
|14-17----------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

AARON HARRIS
Modal Pentatonics

"If I hear another cover band play 'Kryptonite' by 3 Doors Down, I think I'll go postal!"
- Tom Lounges, editor of 'The Midwest Beat' magazine.

I certainly agree with Tom on that. That song has somehow become the one thing
that every teenager in America magically learns after a month of guitar lessons. I
imagine that music store employees would prefer to listen to the sound of fingernails
raking a chalkboard than have to listen to anyone play that song, again. For that
reason I've decided to have some fun with it. Here's 'Kryptonite' Chops From Hell
style!!

What I've done is take the chorus chord progression (Bm - G - A - Bm - Em - F#m)
and play the corresponding modal pentatonic scale over each. I took the formula for
the minor pentatonic (1,3,4,5,7) and applied it over the appropriate mode for each
root note. In the key of B minor those end up being: B minor, G lydian, A mixolydian,
E dorian, and F# phrygian. It's interesting to note that the three 'minor' mode types
yield the same pentatonic scale while the three 'major' mode types are each different.
Likewise, if you follow the major pentatonic formula (1,2,3,5,6) the three 'major' types
are identical and the three 'minor' types differ.

The first of the two examples is a legato sextuplet pattern. It's easy to see the basic
scale shapes in this one.
The second example adds some tapping into the mix. The tapped notes and the first
finger notes overlap giving it a neat repeated note sound.
Have fun with those guys and I'll catch you later.

the following bio material provided by Aaron Harris

Aaron Harris is one of Chicago's top guitar instructors and head of the guitar department at O'Day
Music Studios. He has a degree in guitar performance from the University of Evansville where he
studied with Renato Butturi who also taught guitar virtuoso Andy Timmons and concert classical
guitarist Joseph Fratiani.

In 2000 Aaron's first instrumental LP 'In Essence' made waves in the online guitar community. He is
sponsored by Dean Markley Strings and is a contributing columnist for Chops From Hell as well as
New Music Edge (newmusicedge.com). Aaron is hard at work recording both a new instrumental
album and a band album. Aaron can be found online at:

www.aaronharris.net
www.mp3.com/aaronharris
email: sabre@aaronharris.net
 GUEST BASS COLUMNIST:

KYLE HONEA
Moving Arpeggios 1

the following bio material provided by Kyle Honea

I started playing bass when I was 17, influenced heavily by Billy Sheehan, Geddy Lee (and the inspirational lyrics of Neil Peart). I became
motivated to practice for hours on end, always trying to better my fingers. By the time I was 19, I had landed a "spotlight column" feature in the
May '92 issue of Guitar Player magazine.

DISCOGRAPHY:

Ominous Guitarists From The Unknown - "Mercury Bath" ('91)

Derek Taylor's Dystrophy - "Ain't Got No Use For It" ('94)
Scot Stine's Broke - " Hey Lejato" ('94)
A couple of tracks on Guitars On The Edge CDs - ('91-'93)

I must also mention that Carvin was kind enough to endorse me for a couple of years ('92-'94). So where have I been since '94? I returned to
being a musician a year and a half ago. My bass slept for 5 and a half years! Laughed at by time, tricked by circumstances. So now I'm back and I
hope you'll enjoy some of my playing.

For my current instrumental project, I am attempting to enlist virtuoso drummer Robin Qubty. My new musical project is in full-swing, however, I
am constantly writing and introducing new ideas into my compositions. Maintaining my technique takes a lot of time also. Keeping the moving
parts, moving! I currently play a 4 string custom bass, and I love Dean Markley medium gauge strings. My amplification remains Peavey. I have
no official endorsements. My string gauge is:

medium
G - .050
D - .070
A - .85
E - .105

website: www.geocities.com/kyle_honea
email: between_frets@yahoo.com
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

CONRAD SIMON
E Minor Arpeggios

E minor 32nd note arpeggio sequence:

To start off, I would suggest you familiarise your self with this pattern using the first
twelve notes of the sequence, and explore the fingering possibilities that will help you
resume to the next twelve notes effortlessly. The last eight notes of the sequence are
another manipulation of this arpeggio that lead to the conclusion of this monster lick.

norm med slow

E minor Eighth note triplet sequence:

This is a great sequence to use over an up tempo swing, a la Satch boogie drum
pattern between 200 and 250 bpm.

norm med slow

Conrad Simon
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

ROLF MUNKES

This is a longer phrase in the key of G-Major. It combines running up and down the
strings and the neck. Lots of people use running up and down the strings. It makes
your playing much more interesting if you are able to play around the neck. Try also
arpeggios on one string (hard stuff)!!
This one is a tune called "Legatomizer". It's an instrumental tune, and the title
describes the music and my style of playing. It's in the key of E-Aeolian (GMajor)
BTW the modes helped me a lot to improve my playing. It's not only that you learn
your scales, it's also that you get familiar with all the fretboard (not only vertically but
also horizontal). You can call it "The Big Form"! Too many guitarists think and play
vertically!!
That is from my CD "No More Obscurity". It has a little 5/4 rhythm inside which
makes it a little interesting. I like that!!

Here is a little combination of a riff and a following lick. Mute the strings in the
chromatic run a little and mute the strings with your right hand behind your left when
playing the last lick. So, no picking in the last phrase!
The following includes one possibility to move down the neck without picking the
strings. Slide always on your index finger down. It's possible for exercising to move
from very high to very low without picking. Try it!

This is a typically repeating pattern. Check out Jimmy Page for that! He did that a lot.
Very small amount of notes and very fast repeating. I did it with a bigger amount of
notes here. That's what I like more. The most of the guitar player I know, do
repeating stuff!

This is a part of the song "Where do we go from here". Mute the strings with your
right hand behind your left. Experiment with these kind of ideas. It's fun!! Be creative
with all these ideas because there is no reason to "only" learn them. Look at the
technique, change the notes, vary them and make it your lick!
This is the beginning of a tapping solo peace called "Tunnel strut". It's not very hard
to play these kind of tunes but it's real fun! Actually it's recorded with a second guitar
on the album. It adds the higher notes. I picked that kind of playing up from Joe
Satriani.
We did a cover of "Message In A Bottle". Here is the (for the original song very
untypical) solo. It's in the key of Cm. The arpeggio in the end is played like that: Pick
the first note(15) with the pick, pick the next(16) with your middle finger and the last
one(18) with the ring finger. No sweep!
 the following bio material provided from www.empire-rock.com
Rolf Munkes was born on December 10th, 1966, and
started playing guitar when he was 12 years old. In
1990 he decided to become a professional musician
and co-founded the band Abra, which released two CDs
and played several hundred gigs. In 1996, Rolf
attended the Music Academy in Remscheid and
successfully finished his studies.

In 1998, after having set up his own digital studio, Rolf

dedicated himself to working on the songs for his solo
project. At the 1999 Frankfurt International Music Fair
Rolf presented his demo CD live, where he received
excellent feedback. In September 1999, Rolf won the
German Rockprize in the category "Best
Instrumentalist" and he showed his versatility as
guitarist on two Michael Suljic productions for Walt
Disney Enterprises.

Rolf`s first CD "No More Obscurity" was released in

November 2000 by the Finnish label Lion Music with
guest musicians Anders Johansson and Lance King.

Aside from his solo work, since October 2000 he has been guitarist with the German
metal band Vanize, and he will be recording a new CD with the band in 2001.

Together with Lance King as singer and Gerald Kloos as drummer, he has taken part
in the Jason Becker tribute album "Warmth in the Wilderness" with the song "The
Dogtown Shuffle".

For his second CD "Hypnotica", he searched for some world-class musicians and
with them he has now founded the band Empire. In January 2001 ex-Whitesnake
and Black Sabbath bassist Neil Murray came to his studio to put down the bass
tracks, and in April Rolf travelled to Minnesota to record the vocals with Lance King.
His good friend Gerald Kloos was once again on the drums.

As an extra highlight, Rolf found three superb guest musicians: Anders Johansson
played the drums on two songs, Mark Boals sang on two tracks and Don Airey added
keyboards to the ballad "Spread My Wings".

In June, Rolf goes to Stefan Kaufmann's Roxx studios in Cologne, where the CD will
be mixed. The worldwide release by Lion Music is planned for September.

www.rolfmunkes.com
www.empire-rock.com
www.vanize.com
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

DAVY HO THONG
Pick Lazy

Hi folks!

Today, for all you pick-lazy, I'm gonna show 3 fairly simple tapping licks . There's
absolutely no use of holding a pick : happy ? ;-) the gear used here is still an IBANEZ
RG2027 7-strings (tuned a half step down) , straight through a POD LINE 6.

The first lick involves a little position shift (A mixolydian). As always, begin slowly,
then speed it up. Keep an eye (or an ear) on cleanliness. Use your right hand palm to
dampen strings.

normal slow

The second one (D Major) doesn't show any particular difficulty. As ever, work on it
slowly with a metronome, avoiding string noise.
The last one is the big one: this string skipping stuff is a bit tricky ! I personally use
my first and middle finger successively, to tap with more convenience. Of course,
that doesn't mean you should do the same: you can use one finger exclusively. Be
careful about cleanliness, and don't play it fast unless you can play it slowly and
accurately.

Well, that's all for today. If you have any question or comment, please mail me at:
contact@indescent.org.

You can also visit my band 's website (with new licks!) at : http://www.indescent.org.

See ya!

the following bio material provided by Davy Ho Thong

AKA dmetal, Davy Ho Thong was born near Paris, France, on July 7,1979. His first
musical instrument was air guitar, which he incessantly played in front of his mirror.
Following his mom's advice, he began studying wood guitar with private teachers for
a while,then decided to continue on his own.A self confessed technique freak, Davy
was a demonstrator at the French Music Exposition, and is now a happy IBANEZ
endorsee.

Still practicing his chops like mad, DD only swears by his masters: J.Petrucci, S.Vai,
E.Johnson, P.Gilbert, R.Thal, and M.Romeo. He leads InDescent, his prog-metal
metal band, influenced by DREAM THEATER, VANDEN PLAS, SYMPHONY X, and
is currently looking for a record deal. You can check out the band on their website at
: http://www.indescent.org
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

STEVE YOKUM
Left Hand Help

I have a strong tendency to rely on my left hand (hammer ons & pull offs) when it
comes to playing fast passages. The example below is how I might approach a
modal line over a V-IV-I-V progression in D Major. Normally, I just reach a
compromise between phrasing, left hand comfort and right hand pick strokes.

the following bio material provided by Steve Yokum

Steve Yokum is a rock/experimental guitarist with over 21 years experience. A 1987

graduate of G.I.T. in Hollywood CA, Steve taught privately from 1989-1997. He
currently resides in Nashville TN where he is employed by a major guitar
manufacturer . Steve has recently finished his 2nd self-released cd "Virtuoso What!"
available on MP3.com.

ssyokum@msn.com

http://www.mp3.com/steveyokum
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
PROGRESSIVE ARTS MUSIC RECORDING ARTIST

DERRYL GABEL
"Visions & Dreams - Part I" CD Rom Sampler

Be sure to check out Derryl's new Chops from Hell instructional release "Visions & Dreams - Part I"
from which the following example is taken (check out the link for more details). Please note that the
video included on the actual "Visions & Dreams - Part I" instructional release is larger (320x240,
instead of 240x180 as it is here) and of better quality than that of this column. This was done to
reduce the file size for this column to help those who are bandwidth-challenged (considerate as
always, aren't we?).
 the following bio material from Derry Gabel's website

Derryl Gabel was born in 1970 and has been playing guitar since the age of 15. Derryl was featured on the 1992
George Lynch solo CD "Sacred Groove." Derryl beat out several other guitarists in a contest to win this coveted
opportunity. He was also featured on the 1994's "Guitar on the Edge #4" performing "Blue Fingers." In 1995
Derryl's "Nathaniel" (later renamed "Song For Jessie") was featured on "Guitar on the Edge #5".

Magazines which have covered Derryl's music include: "Guitar World" Sept. '90 (page 124), "Guitar for the
Practicing Musician" May 1992 (page 168), and again in "G..P..M" Oct 1992 (page 11) and in Oct 1993 (pages 93
& 150)

Derryl is excited about the release of his new CD entitled "Visions and Dreams".
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

CHARLES BROWN
The Power Of Guitar Synthesizer

The Guitar Synthesizer is an incredible, powerful instrument that gives guitarists

practically an unlimited amount of sounds to create and experiment with, as well as
the ability to explore other musical areas and opportunities. Imagine a world of
possibilities and opportunities that only certain other instruments have been able to
enjoy: Film & Soundtrack music, Video & Computer game soundtracks, Sound
Design, Electronic & Experimental music, Pursuing gigs emulating other instruments.
It's a powerful tool indeed! Just ask Jeff Beck why he had Jennifer Batten on tour
with him performing MIDI Guitar and reproducing all the keyboard parts off his
albums!

The main thing to realize, however, is that even though Guitar Synth is played with
guitar technique and can utilize the unique and expressive qualities of the guitar,
such as string bending, hammer on's, fingerpicking, and 2 handed tapping, certain
adjustments in technique need to be made in order to make things work and sound
properly. Extreme string bending, and blistering fast picking ala Yngwie Malmsteen
just isn't going to work with certain patches. The whole trick is to adapt your
technique to the patch you're using, or the sound of the instrument you're trying to
emulate.

Listen to as many non-guitar instruments as possible: Keyboards, Violins, Trumpets,

Ethnic Instruments, even Bagpipes! Listen to how they phrase things, and what type
of scales and melodic techniques they use. Shown below is a moveable major scale
that can be used for technique practice. Try playing it all over the neck, try it slow,
then fast. Try it with different types of phrasing. Even try throwing in chromatic and
passing notes. Not only will this help with guitar synth technique, but it will help in
your overall playing, and isn't that what it's all about?!

An audio sample of my song "Earth Voyage" that demonstrates some of what can be
done with the guitar synth can also be heard at my mp3 website:
http://www.mp3.com/charlesbrown-ASCAP along with my other music that utilizes
guitar synth. "Earth Voyage" was done completely on Guitar Synth, with the
exception of the classical guitar intro, and the opening guitar solo.

For more examples of guitar synth, check out the music of Pat Metheny, Al DiMeola,
John McLaughlin, and Robert Fripp. There's an incredible musical world that
guitarists can also be a part of!

Enjoy, and practice hard!

 GUEST COLUMNIST:

MICHAEL ABRAHAM
Guitar Synthesizer 101

I still remember the first time I heard someone play the guitar synthesizer. It was a
1984 release on Warner Brothers Records by John McLaughlin called Mahavishnu.
One of the credits on the liner notes read… very special thanks to New England
Digital for the creation of a revolutionary instrument: the Synclavier II digital guitar.
From the very first note, I was awestruck by the sonic possibilities now available to
guitar players.

Many years later, I purchased my first guitar synthesizer. It consisted of a Roland

GK2A pickup and GI-10 guitar-midi interface, a Yamaha MU80 tone generator, and
an old 286 computer with an early version of Cakewalk music sequencing software. I
eagerly began work on my first composition for guitar synthesizer, entitled "Legends".
It can be heard at my MP3 website: http://www.mp3.com/michaelnoise.

I quickly discovered that mastering this instrument would require many old and new
skills. Many guitarists have difficulty getting the sounds to track properly without
glitches. To me, extreme accuracy in all stages of execution is paramount. Clean
playing technique is an absolute necessity. I had a few minor problems with tracking,
but all in all, many years of practice with a metronome, playing lots of scales, and
countless hours of finger exercises seemed to pay off.

The next hurdle was selecting sounds. The tone generator had literally hundreds and
hundreds of sounds to choose from. I finally came across a sound from the Yamaha
DX7 keyboard, labeled DX Legend (hence, the name of the composition). It sounded
so incredible, I couldn't believe that kind of sound was being triggered by my Les
Paul. I began to play chord progressions. Am, Dm/A, G/A, Am, I liked what I heard, I
recorded it, and I was on my way.

Next, I added a church bell part. After that, piano layered with strings. Then, some
percussion parts. Middle C was the kick drum, E above that was the snare, A,G, and
F above that were the rack and floor toms. Again, I couldn't believe it. I was playing
the drums with an electric guitar! Fretless bass, harp melodies, even cimbalom
sounds followed (I had heard Alan Parsons use this instrument before). A quasi
electric guitar solo even found it's way into the mix. In my more recent pieces (like
"Isys" or "Chardon Road"), I've started to use my guitar and a Line6 Pod for the
solos. At the time I recorded "Legends", the ability to record digital audio along with
the midi tracks was not available to me. Before I knew it, I had a complete song, with
dozens of tracks, all performed on the electric guitar.

In the years that followed, I've found the incredibly diverse sound palette offered by
the guitar synthesizer to be very rewarding. A good grasp of basic fundamentals, an
open mind, and a willingness to work hard at something new, can pay big dividends
towards a very satisfying musical experience!
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

THEODORE ZIRAS
 the following bio material provided by Theodore Ziras

Theodore Ziras born 1975 in Poros, Greece. His music training started at the age of 13 with Music Theory and Piano lessons.
His main influences include F Liszt, J.S Bach, N Paganini, J Becker, Allan Holdsworth, Y. Malmsteen, J. Becker, S Vai, G
Bellas, V Kuprij, J Petrucci, G Howe and generally anything from Classical Music, Rock & Progressive Metal and Jazz/Fusion.

Two years later he also started studying guitar, which became his main instrument. From the beginning of his music carrier
Theodore was fascinated by musicians with high level of Technical ability regardless of style etc. At the age of 18 he moved to
Athens and he continued his studies in Music Theory, Jazz Harmony, Rhythm, Counterpoint. The next two years found
Theodore practising very hard.

His first appearance with a band was in 1994 when he joined the progressive power metal Greek band Ice Divine as the lead
Guitar player. With Ice Divine he released 2 demos and he appeared in 2 compilation CD's. Ice Divine appeared in many gigs in
Athens with more important the shows as a support band with Iced Earth (Rodon Club November '97) and U.D.O. (Rodon Club
February '98). Ice Divine voted in 1997 Metal Hammer's magazine Best Newcoming and Best Live band. In October 97 they
signed their first contract with "Noise International" but finally this cancelled 2 months later under strange circumstances. This
incident had as a result the split up of Ice Divine…

So, in early '98 Theodore joined the Greek progressive metal band Guardian Angel. Theodore as a member of Guardian Angel
didn't release any demo or CD but he played a lot of gigs all over Greece. After all, his cooperation with Guardian Angel was a
very important experience and established Theodore as a great soloist and solid performer.

In late '98 Theodore decided to leave Greece and he registered at the Guitar Institute of London for further studies in Music
performance and composition. He developed further his Technical and composition skills, also he deal with different styles as
Jazz and Fusion. He started working on his first solo instrumental release. He graduated 3 years later getting his degree,
Bachelor (Honours) in Music Performance & Composition. In early 2001 he returned to Greece and he signed a record deal with
Steel Gallery Records.

His first instrumental solo Cd called "Trained To Play" released in April 2001. It's a mix of Orchestral Neoclassical & Power
Metal with complex harmony/orchestration and mind-blowing lead guitar parts.

Theodore keeps extremely busy dividing his time between studying, composing, recording, teaching guitar and trying to develop
his style and grow as an performer and composer.

Contact: tziras@hotmail.com

Website: www.thodoris.cjb.net
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
SHRAPNEL RECORDING ARTIST

SCOTT STINE
"Interview With A Psycho From Texas" CD Rom Sampler

Don't miss Scott's new Chops from Hell instructional release "Interview With A
Psycho From Texas" from which the following example is taken (check out the link
for more details). Please note that the video included on the actual "Interview With A
Psycho From Texas" instructional release is larger (320x240, instead of 240x180 as
it is here) and of better quality than that of this column. This was done to reduce the
file size for this column to help those who are bandwidth-challenged (considerate as
ever, we are).
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

MIKE KRUG
Swilling Whiskey with Back Porch Mary - no. 2

And now for something completely different...

Ahem....it was brought to my attention by the administrator here at "Chops From Hell", that a few of you really
enjoyed my first column about playing with another guitar player. I hope that some of my tips were useful, and I
hope you did some ass kickin'. Anyhow, I feel compelled to give my public what it is obviously starved for.

For those of you who don't know, I'm Mike from Back Porch Mary. If you don't know who we are, you must be
living in a cave or something, 'cause we are HUGE. We have a van and everything. Anyhow, let's get down to the
serious business of guitar playing.

The reason it has taken me so long to turn in another column is because I lost my computer. "He must have a
laptop" you say. No. I have a really big computer with a huge monitor and a big keyboard that I spilled beer in one
time. It never moves from its place in my home. No, I lost my computer around the time I lost everything else. It
was the day that I drank myself blind. I couldn't find anything for about two months. The band just led me
onstage, thrust my guitar in my hands and prayed that I wouldn't fall down. Okay, I wasn't completely blind. I
could make out large objects. What does this have to do with guitar playing? Everything. This lesson is about
playing drunk.

Many guitar players will tell you they can't play drunk onstage. This is because they haven't practiced drunk
offstage. This is key. Most people don't want to practice their guitar and stage show while drunk. They might play
for fun while drunk, for friends or whatever, but no serious practicing goes on. Change this habit. I myself like to
get really drunk and get serious about practicing. I strap on my Les Paul, stand in front of the mirror, and play as
hard as I can as I practice my stage moves and facial expressions. It is always better to have a large amp at
home to practice on. Turn that fucker all the way up. You want it to be as close to the actual show as possible.
Make it really really loud. Unless the authorities are notified, it's not loud enough. Tubes gotta run hot. Practice
your stage kicks and whatnot. Make sure that you continue drinking. Spit beer a lot. Make sure that you look cool
while you do it. Practice onstage drunken banter. Practice yelling at the monitor guy when you can't hear yourself.
Watch Keith Richards. He's the best drunk guitar player in the world. He's got his cocktail with him at all times,
cigarette always lit, Telecaster hung low, and he's stomping ass at all times. You probably don't know it, but he's
fucked out of his mind. He's not even sure if there's a crowd there. You know why? Keith is loud, drunk, and he IS
Rock 'n Roll. And you will be too if you practice the things we've discussed here.

It's like my Grandaddy used to say as he was crackin' the seal on a fresh bottle, "Kickstart this bitch, son, I got a
show to do."

Later,

Back Porch Mary

 GUEST BASS COLUMNIST:

SCOTT HUBBELL
Terrifying Taps

This first lick is a killer way to get a flurry of notes while tapping, this trill is from Mr. Big's
"Addicted to that Rush" It involves tapping and hammering on the same note, it takes a little
bit of practice to get the coordination down but it is well worth it the next time you step out
front for your bass solo, or that unision tap line that your guitarist has been wanting you to
play with him.

Trill from Hell

This next one is the tap lick from the Racer-X tune "Scarified", it is a little more involved than
the trill, but the concept is the same.

Tappified

Since Kyle Honea is now on board, I decided the leave the arpeggios to his more than
capable hands, if you havent checked out his video clip, do so now! I recorded the audio
clips with my modified Ibanez SR890, "Trill from Hell" is a patch from my Line 6 Bass Pod,
"Tappified" is the same patch but, with both pick-ups on and no dirt. The following audio clip,
"Sheehan-ized", lets you see what can be done with this technique kind of a "Shy Boy" lick
on steroids, same patch as "Trill" Front pick-up (P style) only.

Enjoy
HUB
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
THRILLJOY RECORDS RECORDING ARTIST

DOUG STAPP
Oops! 101

We're thrilled to have Doug involved with CFH...check back for more information on
Doug's upcoming instructional Chops from Hell CD Rom release!

Hello!!!

Welcome to my column at CHOPS FROM HELL!!! First I want to thank Chris and all of those great
players for putting the best "crazy licks" site on earth and second I want to thank you for staring at our
computer screen. On with the show!!!

Imagine yourself playing the craziest guitar solo you've ever played in front of 10,000 screaming fans
treating you like you're the second coming omf the Beatles and oops!! You forgot what came next in
the yzm scale (not a real scale!). What do you do? Well if you ask me you bust out with one of your
dumb ass licks! "Dumb ass licks" you ask? A dumb ass lick is a lick you have played a billion times
that you know will get you out of any bind in any situation. Here is one of mine. This is a string
skipping lick in D. The trick to this one is keeping all of the skips clean. Pick the first note of each
string, hammer and pull the rest. Fun for kids of all ages!

Doug Stapp
Record label: ThrillJoy Records
Website: www.dougstapp.com

E-mail: dougstapp@dougstapp.com
Instrumental Artist
My record STATIC will be released in October.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

RUSTY COOLEY
Maximum Shred Factor II
Down On All Fours

Here's Rusty's second issue in his new column series at CFH. Be sure to check out
Rusty's new instructional release "Shred Guitar Manifesto".

Well hello shred-heads ands fellow guitar geeks. I'm back to give you your second
dose. This time around we are going to be doing four note per string ideas. So what
are ya waitin' for? Grab your geetar!

Lick 1. This is an E minor single string run based on the number 7. Each group has
seven notes that alternates between ascending and descending before finally ending
on the 2nd string.

Lick 2. This is also E minor and it's the same type of idea, except that we use two
strings. One ascends, the other descends.
Lick 3. Example three is in A minor. This idea uses all six strings, also using groups
of seven. The tricky part is that you alternate between 4 and 3 note groups / fingers
(1 2 3 4, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 etc...4+3=7, you know...).

Lick 4. The last example is A minor also. You first descend two notes, followed by
two notes ascending.
That's all for now. Have fun and be sure to e mail me with any questions or
suggestions for future columns. On another note, I have just relocated to Atlanta, GA,
so anyone in the area interested in lessons, let me know.

Rusty
rusty@rustycooley.com

the following bio material from The Rusty Cooley Online Experience

I started playing guitar on my 15th birthday. Frustrated with guitar lessons, I decided to study on my
own. I remained almost exclusively self-taught until my junior year of High School when I was offered
music theory courses in which to enroll. That summer I attended the National Guitar Summer
Workshop in Conncecticut.

I obtained my first teaching job my senior year of High School. Upon graduation, I went on to further
my studies at North Harris County Community College. My first sigificant band was "Revolution", with
whom I recorded and performed original music. We were fortunate to open for such headliners as
Badlands, Nitro, Every Mothers Nightmare, and Southgang. Upon my departure from "Revolution", I
formed the band "Dominion" with bassist Brent Marches.

In '95 I entered and won the "Guitar Master Series" in Houston. It was during this period that I began
to work on my own original guitar compositions. These songs represented my desire to record an
over-the-top guitar instrumental release featuring state of the art chops and strong melodic content. I
was also selected as a runner up in the AIM "Jason Becker Scholarship Search". I got my first seven
string in early 96 and have played them exclusivley ever since. I also hosted 3 episodes of a local
access cable show called "World Class Guitar Techniques", which airs in the Houston area. In March
'98 I was invited to join Shrapnel recording artists Haji's Kitchen but declined due to relocation
problems.

My demos have been reviewed at Guitar 9, Guitar 2001, and numerous other sites. I have been
featured on numerous compilation CD's such as the Guitarapalooza compilation, and currently
perform in the group "OutWorld" along with bassist Brent Marches, and keyboardist Bobby
Williamson. We are currently in the process of writing and recording instrumental as well as vocal
music.

I have recently gained an endorsement with Jackson guitars and Seymour Duncan pickups.
Remember...live, eat, sleep and breathe music for the mind!
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

TERRY SYREK
"Unnearthed Arcana" CD Extra Sampler

Be sure to catch Terry's new Chops from Hell instructional release "Unearthed
Arcana" from which the following example is taken (check out the link for more
details)!

From the song "To the Peril of Low Flying Birds" found on the accompanying CD, I
bring you more sweeping and 2 fingered tapping (guess I'm really into this stuff). This
one's an F#dom9(add11) arpeggio. Notice the crossing on the top 2 strings. By
utilizing tapping, we can really cover some ground and make those arpeggios much
wider. This is followed by C#min6(add11) and G#min7b5 arpeggios. Don't try this
stuff over AC/DC songs (CD track 40 & 41)!
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS' ARTIST

CHRIS BRODERICK
of JAG PANZER
Excerpts from "Take To The Sky" and "Scarlet Letter"

Chops from Hell is extremely pleased to present the first of four columns from Chris
Broderick of Jag Panzer!

Hello, I'm Chris Broderick Guitarist with Mark Briody in the band Jag Panzer (Century
Media Records) and Industrial Eden, my own project. The following two examples
are excerpts from Jag Panzer's new album Mechanized Warfare; "Take To The Sky"
& "Scarlet Letter" and are shred oriented. My recommendation for these is to break
them down into exercises because of their lengthy nature. I hope these examples
challenge and inspire you. Be sure to check out the other columns on this site (there
are some monster players here!!!) and jagpanzer.com for more info and downloads.
"Take To The Sky" excerpt
"Scarlet Letter" excerpt
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

JOHN REDDEN

Hello there and welcome to my 1st Chops from Hell guest column. For this lesson I
would really like to open your ears up to some fresh ideas that go beyond the typical
"shredder" way of playing. Most of us have already learned and know all the Paul
Gilbert 3 note per string alternate picking sequences and Van Halen-esq tapping
lines. But I would like to show you some licks I learned from a great player and
teacher, whom you all should know by the name of Greg Howe. Greg has opened my
playing up to many new heights. By introducing me to the playing of Allan
Holdsworth, Greg has totally inspired me to expand my legato playing. And from
Greg's own book, some WAY COOL tapping lines.

To start, let's look at a really cool Holdsworth-inspired 4 note per string legato line.
Allan has the most unique and original approach to playing hammer-ons and pull-offs
in a linear scale sequence. To start, WARM UP. This lick can be a killer if you don't
have the fretting hand nice and loose. This is a typical (yes we all know) G Major
diatonic scale, but the tonality will be A dorian. We will begin on the 7th fret and
move up to the 14th position using only hammer-ons. Pick the first note of each
sequence for fluidity and to help keep the pulse of where the rhythm is. You will use
all 4 fingers on each string..so watch where the 1 is and play the whole thing as 16th
notes. Here goes…

Now, let's take a look at a very cool tapping lick I created on a variation of a lick I
learned from guitar master Greg Howe. This lick is in the key of G minor and is
basically what I like to call a "theme lick". What does that mean? Well, this lick can
be used very effectively in the context of a solo or improvisation. However, I like to
use licks like this to establish a melodic theme in a song. On my upcoming CD I use
a lick similar to this as the intro to a song. It sets up the song and also is used to
bring it to completion. The technique is fairly simple. Start with a hammer-on from
nowhere or (ghost note)…then tap, pull-off, and hammer-on (ghost hammer) again
until you get through the sequence. I would recommend you use your right hand
middle finger to execute this passage. Makes it easier that way to switch back to
using a pick for the rest of the song.

Well, that's all for now. I hope you have really enjoyed my column and will check out
my website at http://www.johnredden.com There's a mailing list there if you would
like to sign up and my demo CD will soon be completed and ready for shipping.
Godbless….
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
THRILLJOY RECORDS RECORDING ARTIST

DOUG STAPP
Cover Song Madness

We're thrilled to have Doug involved with CFH...check back for more information on
Doug's upcoming instructional Chops from Hell CD Rom release!

Hello!!!

Welcome to my 2nd column at CHOPS FROM HELL!!!

There is nothing I love more than a good cover song. But why play the songs how
they were recorded? You break your neck learning all these wacky licks, why don't
you use them to confuse people...rearrange a cover song! The next licks come from
my deranged version of a Britney Spears song called "(You Drive Me) Crazy". I
arranged all of the keyboard parts into string skips to lay under the vocals in the
bridge of the song. The files below are of a new take I did without the vocal parts so
you can hear the lick clearly (check my website for the full version). Make sure you
watch for what gets picked and tapped, that's what brings the flavor to the skips. Try
this trick with your favorite bubblegum hit, the nighborhood kids will think there is a
pop icon hiding in your house!
Doug Stapp
Record label: ThrillJoy Records
Website: www.dougstapp.com
E-mail: dougstapp@dougstapp.com
Instrumental Artist
My record STATIC will be released in October.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS' ARTIST

CHRIS BRODERICK
of JAG PANZER
Mozart's "Alla Turca"

Chops from Hell is extremely pleased to present the second of four columns from
Chris Broderick of Jag Panzer!

Hello, I'm Chris Broderick Guitarist with Mark Briody in the band Jag Panzer (Century
Media Records) and Industrial Eden, my own project. The following example is from
a 2 handed tapping excerpt from Mozart's Alla Turca. My recommendation for these
is to break them down into exercises because of their lengthy nature. I hope these
examples challenge and inspire you. Be sure to check out the other columns on this
site (there are some monster players here!!!) and jagpanzer.com for more info and
downloads.
 GUEST BASS COLUMNIST:

SCOTT HUBBELL
Slap Paradiddles

This is a line to get your slapping chops into shape. It is based on a drum rudiment
called a paradiddle. A drummer plays a paradiddle by alternating stick strokes: right-
right, left-right, left-left, right-left. For this slapping example it will be done like this:
slap-slap, pop-slap, pop-pop, slap-pop. This example will also help you with 2 finger
popping. Feel free to email me with any questions. hub@colbyweb.com.

T=thumb slap

P1=index finger pop

P2=middle finger pop

On the news front: I am pleased to announce that I just recently signed an

endorsement deal with Seymour Duncan/Basslines pickups. I have used their
pickups for years, and in my opinion, they have no equal.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who suffered losses in the WTC attack. God
Bless.

Scott Hubbell
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

THEODORE ZIRAS
Advanced Neo-Classical Soloing
 the following bio material provided by Theodore Ziras

Theodore Ziras born 1975 in Poros, Greece. His music training started at the age of
13 with Music Theory and Piano lessons. His main influences include F Liszt, J.S
Bach, N Paganini, J Becker, Allan Holdsworth, Y. Malmsteen, J. Becker, S Vai, G
Bellas, V Kuprij, J Petrucci, G Howe and generally anything from Classical Music,
Rock & Progressive Metal and Jazz/Fusion.

Two years later he also started studying guitar, which became his main instrument.
From the beginning of his music carrier Theodore was fascinated by musicians with
high level of Technical ability regardless of style etc. At the age of 18 he moved to
Athens and he continued his studies in Music Theory, Jazz Harmony, Rhythm,
Counterpoint. The next two years found Theodore practising very hard.

His first appearance with a band was in 1994 when he joined the progressive power
metal Greek band Ice Divine as the lead Guitar player. With Ice Divine he released 2
demos and he appeared in 2 compilation CD's. Ice Divine appeared in many gigs in
Athens with more important the shows as a support band with Iced Earth (Rodon
Club November '97) and U.D.O. (Rodon Club February '98). Ice Divine voted in 1997
Metal Hammer's magazine Best Newcoming and Best Live band. In October 97 they
signed their first contract with "Noise International" but finally this cancelled 2 months
later under strange circumstances. This incident had as a result the split up of Ice
Divine…

So, in early '98 Theodore joined the Greek progressive metal band Guardian Angel.
Theodore as a member of Guardian Angel didn't release any demo or CD but he
played a lot of gigs all over Greece. After all, his cooperation with Guardian Angel
was a very important experience and established Theodore as a great soloist and
solid performer.

In late '98 Theodore decided to leave Greece and he registered at the Guitar Institute
of London for further studies in Music performance and composition. He developed
further his Technical and composition skills, also he deal with different styles as Jazz
and Fusion. He started working on his first solo instrumental release. He graduated 3
years later getting his degree, Bachelor (Honours) in Music Performance &
Composition. In early 2001 he returned to Greece and he signed a record deal with
Steel Gallery Records.

His first instrumental solo Cd called "Trained To Play" released in April 2001. It's a
mix of Orchestral Neoclassical & Power Metal with complex harmony/orchestration
and mind-blowing lead guitar parts.

Theodore keeps extremely busy dividing his time between studying, composing,
recording, teaching guitar and trying to develop his style and grow as an performer
and composer.

Contact: tziras@hotmail.com

Website: www.thodoris.cjb.net
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS' ARTIST

CHRIS BRODERICK
of JAG PANZER
Excerpt from "The Downward Fall"

Chops from Hell is extremely pleased to present the last of three columns from Chris
Broderick of Jag Panzer!

Hello, I'm Chris Broderick Guitarist with Mark Briody in the band Jag Panzer (Century
Media Records) and Industrial Eden, my own project. The following example is a
from a re-recorded version of "The Downward Fall", a flamenco piece found on Jag
Panzer's last CD Thane to the Throne. My recommendation is to break this down into
exercises because of its lengthy nature. I hope these examples challenge and inspire
you. Be sure to check out the other columns on this site (there are some monster
players here!!!) and jagpanzer.com for more info and downloads.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

MARCELO BARBOSA
Pentatonics with Two Handed Tapping

This is my second column at Chops From Hell and I hope that you enjoyed my first
one. In my first column I talked about two hand tapping using only three fingers of
your right hand. It is a technique that I like very much and it gives you a big
opportunity to create new sounds that would be impossible playing without tapping.
At this time, I will apply this technique to the Pentatonic Scale, which is very useful in
any style of music. Take a look at my first column to see the tab staff and let's go!!!

The first one is in the key of A minor and starts on the fifth fret with a pattern that
repeats itself octaved at each eight note group. The note to be tapped will always be
between two adjacent strings. When I play the C note at 20th fret on the first string, I
change the pattern to go back. The descending pattern repeats itself octaved at each
eight note group also, but this time we will always tap two notes on the same string.

fast slow

The second one is in the key of E minor and starts on the 12th fret with an E minor
triad arpeggio. On the first string I play four notes with my left hand: root(E), b3(G),
11(A) and 5(B). At this point, I start using tapping. On the same string I tap the 22nd
fret, adding a b7(D) to our arpeggio, and come back passing through every note that
I played on this string. Now I hammer the D note on second string with my left hand's
pinky, to start a pattern with two hand tapping, which sounds great.Take a look at it!!

fast slow

Remember to mute the strings that aren't been played while you play these licks. It is
very important to make sure that your playing is clean and precise.

For any question or comment e-mail me at marcelobarbosa@gtr.com.br

Name: Marcelo Barbosa
Age: 26 years
Main influences: Greg Howe, Ritchie Kotzen, John Petrucci,
Frank Gambale and Eric Jonhson.
Projects: Khallice - Brazilian Prog metal band, that you can listen
to at www.mp3.com.
GTR Quintet of Guitars - Classical Music, you can listen at
www.gtr.com.br.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

PETER HURST
First Column

Hi, this is Pete Hurst, 16 year old guitarist hailing from Thunder Bay Ontario, Canada.
I currently play with the hard rock band A Vagrant World and the rather progressive
80's hair-metal rivival band Twisted Steel and Sex Appeal. My major influences
include Al Di Meola, Jani Liimatainen (Sonata Arctica), Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve
Vai, and Joe Satriani. This is my first column at this site and I'm just going to give
some various shred-oriented exercies that I hope you can find useful.

Exercise One: This is an alternate picking exercise using the D Natural Minor scale,
with some basic string skips, and also using the 3-1-2-3-2-1 fingering pattern.
Exercise Two: A couple three octave long arpeggios, up and down. The first is a C
the second is a Bm. They are executed using rather large sweeps with hammer-ons
and pull-offs.

Exercise Three: A little pedal tone action using economy picking. You probably have
done stuff using an open string for a pedal tone and then playing notes on that string
in between maybe a couple of the open string tones. This little technique can be
used to imitate that to an extent, but using any note as the pedal. Try making some
stuff up like this and moving your pedal tone with the chords next time you're doing a
solo, or maybe, writing a lead. This one is in A Major.

Exercise Four: A legato run using the A Harmonic Minor scale. This is done entirely
legato, no picking whatsoever. Various techniques are used to achieve complete
legato on this lick, left-hand taps (cross-hammers), hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides and
taps. This may seem difficult if you've never tried something like this before, but once
you practice it for a just a little while, it seems easy. And make up your own stuff
using double hand legato, this lick is basically nothing compared to what one can do
with this way of playing.

Exercise Five: My last lick for this column is another one using the A Harmonic
Minor scale, using sweeps and taps. It starts off with a sweeped Am arpeggio, which
is then furthered with some tapping, and then a small B Half-Diminished arpeggio,
and then back to an A Minor which kind of merges into some sort of sweeped Eb9,
and ends on an A note.
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
PROGRESSIVE ARTS MUSIC RECORDING ARTIST

JIMMY WILLIAMS
Horizontal Pentatonic Movement

We're thrilled to have a second Progressive Arts Music recording artist, Jimmy
Williams, as guest columnist at CFH!

Hello everyone, thanks for checking out the column. First I want to say thanks to
Chops From Hell, Steel Prophet and Progressive Arts Music for letting me share
some ideas with you. You can check out my playing on Steel Prophet's "Book of the
Dead" and Progressive Arts Music will release my debut instrumental CD "Guitar
Concepts" early 2002.

This column will deal with an easy and efficient way to play the pentatonic scale. It
only uses 2 strings so it allows for quick execution and also an ability to move
horizontally around the fingerboard (something that the "box" pentatonic doesn't
easily allow you to do). It uses an unorthodoxed fingering, but this allows you to play
the scale much faster than the traditional fingering. I play it legato with hammer ons
and pull offs, but if you want to try it with alternate or economy picking go for it. The
hardest part about playing the pattern is playing a 5 note subdivision of the beat, it
isn't a very natural division. Try to get it to sound like an even group of 5 notes, not a
group of two 16th notes and group of three 16th note triplets.

If you apply this idea to all 6 strings starting on the low E string the pattern would look
like this:

Starting on the 5th fret of the low E string, an Am pentatonic scale will give this
fingering:
If this pattern is started on the A string, there is a fingering problem on the the B
string:

I don't change the fingering pattern, I just move my hand up one fret. If this fingering
doesn't work for you, try another fingering choice on the B string. Here is the
fingering of the Am pentatonic scale starting on the 12th fret of the A string:

This is a pattern that combines both the Am (A, C, D, E, G) pentatonic and the Em
(E, G, A, B, D) pentatonic scales. If you combine these 2 scales you get the Am
hexatonic scale (A, B, C, D, E, G) which is worthy of an entirely new column, more
on that at another time. You'll notice that you get from the 5th fret all the way up to
the 22nd fret in no time flat:

Until next time...Jim

http://www.jimmywilliams.musicpage.com
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

RICK RENSTROM
"Lix"

I'm extremely pleased to present Rick Renstrom as a new guest columnist at CFH!

For a long time I used to have tons of lix and riffs to play at any given moment, but
there came a time when I tossed that out and just played what I feel. Never really
playing any "stock" lix. Just going for it and letting the backround chords be my
guide.

Here are a few lix that I sometimes incorporate in my playing...

Notice: the current PowerTab setup is to 1 whole step down. You may want to adjust
the guitar tuning to match your own guitar. Press ALT G and select guitar. Adjust the
tuning of the PowerTab to your guitar.

A lot of people ask me how I can go from a really high speed at one moment, then go
right to a different note speed. I look at in one way...a Ferrari Formula One engine.
Starting at a low gear and flying down a straight at 190mph and gearing way down
for a turn. Since we have no engine components in us, we must start very slow and
build our "engine" up to accomodate various note speeds. First, get your
metronome!! If you dont have one, get one today. Start it off very slow...between 80-
100bpm. With the PowerTab you can adjust this lick down to quarter notes, then
eighth notes, then 16th notes, 16th note triplets, and the elusive 32nd notes. Take
the very first part...you can apply the method above to this exact lick. For you players
just starting out, it could seem very boring and possibly painful to play that slow.
Trust me, it will be worth it. Using alternate strokes (down-up-down-up) and playing
at a slow rate will truly strengthen your ability to have full synchronization of your
right and left hands. Practice it for a month straight and you'll be amazed at the result
of your picking abilities. Practice for at least 1/2 hour per day on this method using
this lick and any others you find or can come up with. For the younger players...if you
have the time to practice, then go for an hour or two. Honestly, and it has been said
by many, the more you practice the better you will get. There was a time when I
found a way to practice at least 6-8 hours a day for a few years. If guitar is your
passion then you will find the way...
 normal 16ths 8ths

Something totally different here. I do know a lot of tapping sequences, but rarely play
them or do much tapping in any of my songs, but I came up with this tapped pedal
tone sequence. The pedal note is played with the left hand along with the first notes
on the high E string. The right hand plays the 2 note pattern throughout. You can
also easily expand on this type of lick by playing 2 and maybe even 3 notes with the
left hand. Experiment! That's what it is all about.

Finally, here's a shredfest..based on a few of the principles of the column.

I want to thank you for checking some of my "Lix" out. It has been my pleasure to
write this column and hope it brings inspiration to you. My newest album "Until The
Bitter End" will be released early next year and you will be able to hear plenty more
techniques just like these.

Please visit my site at http://www.rickrenstrom.com

the following bio material provided by Rick Renstrom

Rick Renstrom is the guitar world's newest hope for a guitar hero. Taking from the
old and adding the new, all language of guitar is spoken. Rick's musical influences
are Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, Al DiMeola, Andy
LaRocque, Ronni Le Tekro, Bach and Mozart.

Rick delivers with control, fury, and passionate fire. At the age of fifteen, after seeing
Yngwie on a TV special, Rick decided to start playing guitar. By the time he was
sixteen, he was attending the University of Akron majoring in music, playing with his
band Shattered Innocence 3-4 nights a week, and still in high school. Rick studied
classical guitar, jazz guitar, theory, composition and overall musicianship. Rick also
played in other bands during this period: China Blue, Bastille, Metal Wolf and Wicked
Ways.

Rick's current endeavors include guitar duties for Rob Rock’s Rage Of Creation band
and a full length solo album accompanied by Rob’s band and virtuoso keyboardist,
Mistheria.

Rick has won the "Best Lead Guitarist" at the 1996 CFMA Awards, in 1998 won the
M.A.R.S. Guitar challenge, and in 2001 received "Best Metal Guitarist" at the
Orlando Metal Awards.

With the advent of MP3 technology, Rick has converted his music to MP3s and has
received huge success on the worldwide MP3.com. Rick’s song "Opus Lix" went to
#1 on 6/27/2000 and held on to the spot for over 3 weeks, has remained in the top 10
for over 3 months, and "Symphony #40" reached as high as #2. Over 50, 000
downloads and still counting. His other songs were close behind, making Rick one of
the premier unsigned guitar players on the Internet.

Rick has also been featured on "The Guitar Odyssey: Tribute to Yngwie Malmsteen"
(GNW Records and JVC/Victor), Massacre recording artists Powergod "Bleed For
The God's" metal tribute, and Lion Music’s "Warmth in the Wilderness: A Tribute to
Jason Becker."
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

MIKE CAMPESE
Musical Segments and Coordination

We're very happy to have Mike involved as guest columnist at CFH!

Hello Everyone!!! Thanks for checking out my lesson. Today we are going to learn
some musical examples that will help your coordination between your left and right
hands and help develop your speed and accuracy. Most of the examples we will
learn are short phrases. First learn them in one location and then move them around
the neck. It is very important to start off playing very slow at first then gradually
building speed, with your left and right hands in sync. The musical examples have
tempos indicated. Work up to those speeds, don't start there. Play the following
segments with alternate picking, also play them with all upstrokes and all
downstrokes, and use right hand palm muting. Ok, get your metronome and lets get
started...

Ex. 1 - Here we have a short musical segment in A major (A,B,C#,D,E,F#G#). In bar

one we have a pedal point, which is used in classical music and makes a great pinky
exercise. Then we move to an adjacent string looping back to the first string. Start
this phrase very slow and then bring it up to tempo. This example is played in 5/4,
but it can be played in any time signature. Also make sure you accent on the
downbeats.

fast slow

Ex. 1a - Now we will take the same phrase and move it down the neck in the key of A
Major. Play this phrase on other strings too. This kind of practice is great for learning
the neck.
 fast slow

Ex. 2 - In this Example we use the same phrase, but now we are using string
skipping. This adds an interesting twist. We are still in A Major. Move this one around
the neck and experiment with other scales. Again, don't forget to accent on the
downbeats, as this will make these examples more effective.

fast slow

Ex. 3 - This is a 2 string phrase great for developing your coordination. This example
is in E minor (E,F#,G,A,B,C,D) using 16th note triplets. Repeat the main phrase over
and over and then move down in key. Strive for accuracy, gradually building speed.
 fast slow

Ex. 3a - These next 4 examples are short segments that can be moved around the
neck. In this example we are using the same phrase as ex. 3 but we're using string
skipping again. Loop this over and over, then move this up and down the neck in the
key of E minor. You will notice in the audio example I move this phrase down the
neck.

fast slow
Ex. 4 - This is a great single string idea for developing your picking. It is in the key of
D major (D,E,F#,G,A,B,C#). Move this one up the neck. Also make sure your right
and left hands are in sync, starting slow, gradually building up to the marked tempo.

fast slow

Ex. 4a - Now we have a 3 string idea in E Lydian (E,F#,G#A#,B,C#,D#). This is more

of an arpeggio style phrase. It is based on an F#m7 arpeggio. Move this up the neck
moving through each arpeggio in E lydian. In the audio example, I move up to the
next arp, G#m7b5 (G#,B,D,F#).

fast slow

Ex. 5 - Our final example is another 3 string phrase using the notes from a D minor
pentatonic scale (D,F,G,A,C). Move this pattern up in 4th intervals. For example, the
first phrase will start with F then the second one will start with Bb, etc. In the audio
example I move this pattern in 4ths. This is a cool way to make use of patterns.
 fast slow

That wraps up our lesson!!! So remember when practicing, it is really important to

start slow then gradually build speed. Make sure your left and right hands are in
sync. This is how you develop your coordination. Also check out my CDs "Full Circle"
and "Total Freedom". For more info visit www.mikecampese.com. Good Luck!!!

Mike Campese
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

RUSTY COOLEY
"Extreme Pentatonics" CD Extra Sampler

Be sure to check out Rusty's new instructional release "EXTREME PENTATONICS"

of which the following example is taken. Please note that the video included on the
actual "EXTREME PENTATONICS" instructional release is larger (320x235) and of
better quality than that of this column. This was done to reduce the file size for this
column to help those who are bandwidth-challenged (ever considerate, as you know
we are...).

Rusty can be reached via e mail here.

the following bio material from The Rusty Cooley Online Experience

I started playing guitar on my 15th birthday. Frustrated with guitar lessons, I decided
to study on my own. I remained almost exclusively self-taught until my junior year of
High School when I was offered music theory courses in which to enroll. That
summer I attended the National Guitar Summer Workshop in Conncecticut.
I obtained my first teaching job my senior year of High School. Upon graduation, I
went on to further my studies at North Harris County Community College. My first
sigificant band was "Revolution", with whom I recorded and performed original music.
We were fortunate to open for such headliners as Badlands, Nitro, Every Mothers
Nightmare, and Southgang. Upon my departure from "Revolution", I formed the band
"Dominion" with bassist Brent Marches.

In '95 I entered and won the "Guitar Master Series" in Houston. It was during this
period that I began to work on my own original guitar compositions. These songs
represented my desire to record an over-the-top guitar instrumental release featuring
state of the art chops and strong melodic content. I was also selected as a runner up
in the AIM "Jason Becker Scholarship Search". I got my first seven string in early 96
and have played them exclusively ever since. I also hosted 3 episodes of a local
access cable show called "World Class Guitar Techniques", which airs in the
Houston area. In March '98 I was invited to join Shrapnel recording artists Haji's
Kitchen but declined due to relocation problems.

My demos have been reviewed at Guitar 9, Guitar 2001, and numerous other sites. I
have been featured on numerous compilation CD's such as the Guitarapalooza
compilation, and currently perform in the group "OutWorld" along with bassist Brent
Marches, and keyboardist Bobby Williamson. We are currently in the process of
writing and recording instrumental as well as vocal music.

I have recently gained an endorsement with Jackson guitars and Seymour Duncan
pickups. Remember...live, eat, sleep and breathe music for the mind!
 GUEST COLUMNIST:
ZOINK!!! Records RECORDING ARTIST

DOUG STAPP
Oops! 101 - Revisited

We're thrilled to have Doug involved with CFH...check back for more information on
Doug's upcoming instructional Chops from Hell CD Rom release!

Hello!!!

Welcome to my 3rd column at CHOPS FROM HELL!!!

Did you get yourself in another bind? Nothing sucks worse than taking a nose dive in
the middle of a solo you've played a hundred times. When I hit a rough spot live I like
to use something I call a "dumbass lick" (nobody's perfect)! I call them "dumb ass
licks" because that's what I feel like when I have to use them but they work like a
charm every time! This is a legato lick. Only the first note (5th fret, high E) gets
picked, the rest of the scale is legato. But think of the possibilities, after you pick the
first note you can raise your hand and wave to your mom in the audience! Enjoy!

Doug Stapp

Record label: ZOINK!!! Records

Website: www.dougstapp.com

E-mail: dougstapp@dougstapp.com

Instrumental Artist

My record STATIC will be released in October.

 GUEST COLUMNIST:

JERE HAAKANA
7 String 101

Hi I'm Troy McLure and you might remember me from films such as.. Um, actually
I'm Jere Haakana and you might remember me from my first column here at CFH
called Use Your Fingers. This time, as the topic of the lesson might reveal, we will be
dealing with 7 string guitar stuff only. You see, what usually happens when one gets
a 7 string geetar, is that the person in question will have to mess around with it for a
while to get anything cool sounding out of it ( of course you can choose to play your
favourite Limp Bizkit tunes on it, keep Rollin' dood ). In time you'll probably discover
some things worth going "wheee" about, but I thought it would be helpful to have
something to give you a slight idea of the world o' possibilities the extra string offers.
A head start so to say. As with my first column, this is not a "licks" type of lesson.
The examples are there to give you new ideas and approaches, not necessarily for
you to learn exact.

One more thing before we start. I use drop-A tuning ( low to high: A, E, A, D, G, B, E
) throughout the lesson. I just think that this is offers more benefits than the standard
B, E, A, D, G, B, E, you'll see why when you read further.

Ok, here we go. The first example is a new way to look at heavy riffing on the low
strings; sliding power chords around with tapped chords included. This is from a song
of mine called 7 Lil' Muthafuckaz ( available at http://www.mp3.com/jerehaakana ).
You hear how the technique creates this smooth, cello like legato growl that is pretty
darn heavy. Without the drop-A tuning it would be heaps harder to play this, as you
find out when the riff moves to the higher strings.
One of the first things I wanted to do when I got my 7 string was seven string
sweeps. On a 6 string these would span so widely that it would be very hard to play
them with any kinda fluency happening. On a 7 it's a different story. The drop-A
tuning helps when moving to and from the 7th string as it eliminates the need of a
position shift. Here's some basic shapes to show you what I mean, try to come up
with your own cool thingies.

You can even come up with arpeggios that would span from the 24th fret high E
string to the open low E on a 6 string guitar like this one. You start the lick with
tapping with 2 right hand fingers, I use my ring and middle fingers, you use whatever
you're most comfortable with. It's all good. Try arpeggiating different modes too, don't
settle with just major and minor ( aeolian and ionian, if you like it better that way. )

As always, executing sweeps cleanly is much more important than the speed you're
doing them in. A super fast sloppy sweeping line sounds like shit to be frank, and
your best friend in getting your sweeps-ah together is.. you guessed it, Zamfir, the
master of the pan... Uh, I mean, da metronome.
The next lick introduces a technique I really like, slap guitar. It's from a song of mine
yet to be named. Check out my first column here for the scoop, it can be found here.
Scott Mishoe has developed his own great method of slapping, incredibly fast and
flashy, but since I look at slapping more like a bassist, with groove in mind, I'm doing
it differently. When playing slap guitar, timing is all. Metronome is the key bro.
Ok well, I guess I had to include some fast stuff as well heh, here goes. You probably
all know that playing pentatonics with string skipping is mighty big fun indeed. With a
7 string you can do 4 string-string skipping, and since you're tuned to A, the first 2
strings have the same patterns if you wanna remain in the same position. This
makes the patterns introduced here quite effortless. Since I'm just flailing about in the
context of the 2 given patterns, no real tab of the lick is provided. I'm playing this by
using 2 left and 2 right hand fingers but if you want you can use 3 left hand fingers
and add a tap, or if you're feeling a bit McGyver-ish you can even try to play this with
4 left hand fingers, adding tapped notes here and there. But here are the 2 patterns.
The first is just A minor pentatonic and the second is some kind of idiot bastard son
shape of a G7-ish variety.

Whee, whee I say! To bring this column to a nice end I demonstrate a short & sweet
(?) example of piano style playing on a 7 string. By piano style I mean both hands on
the fretboard ( duh ). Anyways, with the extra string in there it's a lot easier to play
things like the thing below, on a 6 things can get a bit too tight string wise, there's just
not enough strings for both hands! Learning this technique is painstaking and I'm
nowhere near good with it, but I'm getting there some day I hope. Practise and
wonderful things might come out of yer git-box. I had to include a maj7 "Love Boat"
sounding chord in the end.
Well, I think that's about it. If you want to hear my music, my mp3.com page is the
place to go. Also, visit my homepage for all the things you never wanted to know
about the 'artist' currently known as Jere. Hope you enjoyed the column, do great,
see ya!
 GUEST COLUMNIST:

WILLIE LOGAN
"De Folk"

This is a great exercise for control in alternate and sweep picking. It's quite tricky.
The second section is based around a swept AbMaj7(b5) and is really easy to pick
evenly at speed. But try keeping the tempo down to the speed of the drums and it's a
different story. If you want to hear the track in full it can be found at:

http://www.mp3.com/willielogan

http://www.besonic.com/willielogan
Listen to original music by Willie Logan :)
http://www.mp3.com/willielogan

View the CITRUS FACTORY, Willie Logan's official web site :)

http://wakeup.to/willielogan