Downtown Tommy's Guitar Lesson of the Month: This month I would like to touch on
the subject of guitar instructional videos and tabs. Since the 80’s heyday of Metal
guitar, to the dawn of the internet revolution, there are thousands of resources at your
disposal to learn to play well. I sent away for several popular courses when I was a kid,
read the lessons in the backs of the Metal mags, and played along to boom boxes to
get my chops down.
Even now, I regularly subscribe on YouTube to many instructional guitar channels, and
glean useful info all the time. I will never criticize guitar teachers who make these
videos for putting licks with tablature up for aspiring students to learn from. That said,
I encourage guitarists to learn their basic scales thoroughly. Nothing can replace the
solid foundation of knowing and being able to improvise over chord changes with a
core choice of scales. Licks learned from tablature that you cannot identify the origin
will do you little good in the long run.
An example of this is the plethora of Neo-Classical Metal Guitar videos and tabs out
there. I watch them and learn also, but I also took the time to learn the correct
Harmonic Minor and Phrygian scale structure, how to trace the modes up the neck an octave and back, one string at a time,
and how to improvise over chord changes. Why? Well, by doing this, you won't need to refer to tabs and videos to figure solos
out, even really tough ones like YNGWIE MALMSTEEN’S "Far Beyond The Sun". If you know your scales inside out and upside
down, you can figure out the modes derived from them. Then you just say, "Oh that Yngwie song is in F, and it's a diminished
mode, harmonic minor, etc., without having to look up ANYTHING. Just play the appropriate scale and mode to fit. In the
following months, I will pass some pointers along that will help you sail up and down the fret board like a wizard--if you are
willing to put the time in to do so. See y'all next month.
***
A dear friend and colleague in "the biz" imparted some advice to me a few months ago on the phone. I have covered this topic
in editorials before, but figure it bears repeating. If at all possible, be on civil terms with your peers in the entertainment
business. If you absolutely despise someone who has wronged you, keep it off your social media and private. If you have to go
against them in a court of law, that is one thing, but a reputation as a mouthy pain in the ass will not help you get work. You
ideally want to get along with most everyone. If you are feuding with an ex-agent or band mates, retain your dignity and keep
it off Facebook and Twitter. It only escalates and makes you unmarketable. Karma will catch up with everyone someday.
***
The ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME’S 30th Annual
Induction Ceremony took place at Cleveland’s
historic Public Hall on Saturday, April 18, 2015, and
was celebrated with a series of events for fans as part
of Cleveland Rock Week, April 11-Inductees included
RINGO STARR, BILL WITHERS, LOU REED, THE PAUL
BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND, GREEN DAY, STEVIE RAY
VAUGHAN, THE “5” ROYALES and JOAN JETT AND THE
BLACKHEARTS. This dramatic photo of fireworks over
the Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, was
taken by Photographer CHAD SCOTT on April 11,
2015.
WWW.ROCKHALL.COM