Black Friday Super sale on Guitar Creativity

Yes it is that crazy day of the year again, and this year I thought...you know what I am going to give me loyal readers a chance to get their hands on my book with a crazy 66% off the asking price!! #blackfriday GET 66% OFF Guitar Creativity | A new way of thinking NOW!!  #specialoffer #guitar #guitarlessonsSo click here and get yourself a copy of a unique book which will change the way you play and look at the guitar, and most importantly help you improve fast!!GET 66% OFF Guitar Creativity | A new way of thinking NOW!! EnjoyPeaceNeil

Bulls on Parade Guitar Tab - Rage Against the Machine

I have recently transcribed Bulls on Parade a totally awesome song for one of my guitar students. So, I thought I would share the tab FREE with you, my awesome readers. Bulls on Parade Guitar Tab (pdf version) is a pretty funktastic and energetic song by Rage Against the Machine and should be played with plenty of energy and attitude. The key to the song is also sitting back into the groove, but striking the strings with plenty of power and precision.The original version (on the record) is tuned down a half step to Eb, but if you listen to any live version, it is as transcribed in E.

The Solo

The solo is tricky and pretty un-transcribable as it is used by sliding the hand across the strings above the pickup whilst flicking between the bridge and neck pickup (you will need separate volume controls for each to achieve the stuttering effect), this is also played with a whammy pedal, so you will need to use your imagination to mimic what Tom Morello is doing here. Give me a shout if you would like some more information on how to do this and I will be able to instruct you. If I have time I will try and put out a video lesson for this track. The best way to figure out this solo though, is to check out some of the live videos of Tom playing this track on youtube. This will enable you to see exactly his hand movements and how he is applying pressure to the strings to achieve the DJ scratching style effect, and it will also help improve your ears but trying to match the sound (rather than actual notes).

Download the TAB (PDF)

Bulls on Parade FREE Guitar Tab - Rage Against the MachineEnjoyPeaceNeil

Bulls on Parade Guitar Tab - Rage Against the Machine

Stagg UPC-688 Guitar Effects Pedal Case Review

Stagg UPC-688 Guitar Effects Pedal Case Review

Okay, some of you out there have said that many of my reviews are quite positive and gushing about the product. Well, that is kind of true and that is mostly because I am not paid to review products, nor am I endorsed by any of these companies. The main reason for my positive reviews are that I have actually brought these products, and I tend to put a fair amount of time and effort into resarching and testing out the products before I made the purchase.So, in a nutshell, I knew what I was looking for, I researched the hell out of the options and brought the item which turned out to be awesome for me. So, this reason that most of my revews are positive.......well aside from this one!I should add that I didn't actually but this case, it came 'free' with my Boss GT-100 as an incentive! Well, you shouldn't really complain about a free gift should you?Well, of course not.But, I am just writing this for the people out there whom are looking online for a pedal case, and have come across this one and are about to part with cold hard cash for it.

The Good

Okay, I might have hinted that this isn't a great product, but I need to put it in some context. I gig regularly, I have proper flightcased gear and I know the abuse it can handle and the reasons why it needs to handle that abuse. I would suggest given the cost of the Stagg UPC-688 Guitar Pedal Case and the overall construction this is in no way a pro flight case solution and my review of it is based on that.This case would be great for someone to keep their pedals in at home for example, keep them tidy and the dust off of them. It would be okay for someone who goes to the odd rehearsal or pub/club type gigs and is careful with their gear. This is not a case to be thrown about or dropped.What I like about this case (a lot) are the dimensions. Ironically, this case is the ideal size for me, you can fit about 8 pedals and a full size wah in with no problems, it looks tidy and the material takes velcro quite well. I'd love full flightcases to come with this width dimension, as most are about double the size are shorter (or too much longer) in length.This is a very lightweight case, so it works well if weight of gear is an issue for you. Erm and.....okay I might come back to what else is good about this case.

The Bad

Okay, I am sorry Stagg, but there are a few things about this case which are not great. I have gigged this case 4 times, for small gigs (including acoustic gig), I was very careful with the case on each occasion, but you can tell from the pictures it is pretty scuffed alreadly, that was from putting in the boot of the car (trunk for those in the US).The handle really does not fill me with any confidence that it would hold out in the long term, it feels like it could break at any time. The hinge idea for the lid is great, but the material the the hinges are made from bent on the first time I tried to reconnect the lid, that is pretty shocking. The metal is pretty flimsy, so I was able to bend it back roughly into shape, but this doesn'y promote confidence and I don't think would take to many removals of the lid before they bent and perhaps snapped off.The big one for me was the tiny rubber feet on the bottom of the case. On a stage they are pretty much next to useless and turned the case pretty much into a big skateboard. The first time I went to engage the Wahwah in nearly did the splits , as the case slide right across the stage!! The case would not stay put and had to be wedged under monitors on the occassions I used it. It is fine on carpet!!The Pros

• Weight
• Dimensions
• I got mine 'free' (ish!)

The Cons

• The construction
• The hinges
• The Handle
• The feet

In conclusion

• If you want somewhere to store your pedals at home or have them mounted on. This is perfect!
• If you have a few pedals and your rehearse and play out very occassionally. This is perfect!
• If you play out a lot, are in usual gigging environments where wear and tear is everyday issue, then look elsewhere, this probably wouldn't last 3-4 gigs before it got seriously damaged or actually broke.

I am thankful that I got something free, I use the case for pedal storage at home.....just not live!If you are just starting out and don't have much cash, this might work for you but bare in mind that you will have to replace it. So, is it not better to save up and get something proper in the long run, rather than buy twice?I will actually go out on a limb and say that ElectroHarmonix Gig Bag is a better option, even if it is a bag, it is certainly more robust.EnjoyPeaceNeil 

Groovething in the recording studio

The function band that I am part of Groovething, have recently been in 80 Hertz studios in Manchester to record a couple of new demo tracks for the 2016 season. We had a great time in this fantastic studio, and here are a couple of pictures from the day itself. We are busy working on the mix now and will hopefully have the tracks ready in the next couple of weeks, when I will post links to them of course! If you are looking for a studio in the Manchester area, then you couldn't wrong by giving the guys at 80 Hertz a ring and see if they can't help you out!Really happy with the sound of my Strat into my Fender 68 Deluxe reverb, with a bit of Xotic effect SL Drive (review coming soon!) for distortion and not much else in terms of effects (oh some wah!)As for me, it is back to being locked in my own studio now, working on a whole host of projects, watch this space!!!

EnjoyPeaceNeil

25th Anniversary of Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare

It is nearly the 25th Anniversary of Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare Album (where has the time gone?). Passion and Warfare at the time and still today is a groundbreaking and crucial album, so I thought it was time to write a few thoughts about it, and also hear what your thoughts are on this seminal guitar album as well.

For the love of god

Now, there is no denying that I could easily write a thesis on the album, but I will try and keep it consise. I would also say, that there is probably a fair amount of bias in my opinions of this album, but I will try and be as objective as I possibly can.So, I will get this out of the way straight away......personally for me it is probably one of the most important albums I own and one of the most important 'guitar' albums out there. It is also without doubt Steve Vai's greatest masterpiece, which is amazing given what he has written subsequently, but I feel nothing comes close to the perfection of composition that is Passion and Warfare.Now, I know it isn't for everyone, and I think that is the point.Passion and Warfare is NOT in my opinion a guitar excess album, it is a piece of compositional art, from an artist (who's brush is the guitar) not afraid to explore the medium and push boundaries of the medium. If you read Steve's accounts of the creation of this album, one of the most crucial points seems to be that it was made without (at that time) any constraints (or at least not that many) from record companies.Steve was earning money (and experience) firstly from Frank Zappa and then as Dave Lee Roth's hired gun (Eddie Van Halen replacement!). With borrowed equipment and the ability to work and jam with great musicians (who helped out on the recording process), Steve, also had a backlog of great material he had (at that point) been working on for most of his life. So, there was in one sense,  no pressure on this album, at least commercially. Steve himself stated that he never expected to sell a single copy.Steve (and he has said this himself) made an album for himself, pushing and exploring his own boundaries.

Stunt guitar

I feel when considering this work, you have to consider that it is not a 'guitar instrumental' album in it's truest sense, it is a compsitional work of creative art, pushing boundaries of music composition (e.g. Alien Water Kiss) and not just guitar histrionics. I feel that one needs to consider that the 'stunt' guitar is part of the narrative of the album, it simply forms part of the entire artwork.To fully understand it, and what I believe Steve was trying to acheive, you need to consider Passion and Warfare from a structural and compositional perspective. I believe that is where it's success lies and what has not only made it stand the test of time, but has propelled Steve to the guitar diety that he is.From the beginning of album, kicking off with Liberty, you are drawn in to a strong narrative form, guiding you through Steve's inner thoughts and feelings at the time. Each composition telling you it's story and each indvidual story forming part of an overall cohesieve narrative. Unlike many of it's predecessors and those whom came after, it is NOT, as many guitar albums (even the good ones!) are, some one noodling away over a relatively static backing track, trying to use flash and gimmricky to lure you in...all form without substance.This is also something early Satriani, with Surfing with the alien and (some of) Flying with a Blue Dream was able to do.....guitar compositional story telling.It is this story telling, which I believe listeners are drawn to and keeps you going back for the repeat listens, you want to hear these stories again and again, because there is depth and nuance to them. Perhaps, lacking in later works (controversial I know!).

"I am that..." - Steve Vai

Passion and Warfare takes you on full in the face and tells you it's story. The greatest thing about Steve (and I have been fortunate enough to study on his course at Berklee....and also fortunate to gain his Berklee Scholarship) is that his message is to be individual, to find your own voice on the instrument, to write and produce the music YOU love!It doesn't matter what it is or what form it takes,.What matters is that it is personal to you and has all of your internal energy in it. If it has these elements, then whatever your art, it will be good, even if it is just to you and it is good to you then you have realise thati it will be good to other people. I mean think about it, think of the music, art, photography, films you like, you like them and so do other people, these are the people who are on your wavelength, so don't be surprised that in the world/universe that if you produce something from your heart, others will like it.I really think that message is lost in this day and age and probably the reason we will never really experience the glory years of 80's guitar instrumentals.....there aren't enough unique voices willing to explore their art at all costs.You can purchase Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare here (should you not own it already....shame on you!)What are you thoughts? What are you favourite tracks?Top 3 Favourite tracks

• The Animal
• Answers
• For the love of god

EnjoyPeaceNeil

Hotcovers Cover for Cornford Roadhouse 50 Watt Head

HotCovers 600 Denier Cover for Cornford Roadhouse 50 Watt Head

So I have done another review of a Hotcovers Cover which I brought for my Cornford Roadhouse 50 Watt Head. I have also done a video review too. (This review is similar to the one I did for my Fender Deluxe Reverb 68 as the general parts of the cover are the same). Please read that review here.

HotCovers

Some amp maufactuers do provide a thin amp cover (Fender did for my deluxe reverb, thanks guys that is a nice touch! I wish more companies did this!). These covers on the whole are pretty good for dust protection, travel to rehearshals etc and if you are very careful when gigging. I actually had the Fender cover for my Blues Junior and gigged with it for nearly two years! Now the cover is pretty scruffy now, and the amp actually does have quite a few bumps, but it did an over all good job!I decieded to look for a cover which wasnt a flight case but also offered a tad more protection for my prde an joy! That is when I discovered hot covers and their excellent range of covers.I opted for the 600 Denier cover (not a fan of PVC and the way it looks!) and I ordered away! I was surprised that within a couple of days my cover had arrived. So full marks for customer service! The cover fitted perfectly and adds what feels like a decent amount of protection around the amp.So I am vey happy.You can see all the details in the video below.In short.ProsGreat over which offers a good amount of portection for the gigging muscian and ampGreat range of covers availableFantastic customer serviceConsNon really, although you could (if you are that way inclinded) think that the prices are a little pricey. But what price on protection?EnjoyPeaceNeil

Pond 5 Royalty Free Content

Pond 5 Marketplace for Creativity

I thought it was time to do a blog post on Pond 5.com. Pond 5 is an online repository for royalty free photography, music, sound effects, and footage (well to be honest, you name it!) and a great resource for an creative person looking for a creative element for their project which that haven't been able to source.

Royalty Free

So, why am I blogging about this?Well, I have to be honest....it is a little bit of self interest really as I have a fair amount of content on the site, so I thought I would bring awareness to the great site via my blog.You can visit my profile here and check out some of the material I have on offer.I am primarily producing audio content both music and sound design elements suitable for film, corporate videos, computer games etc, but there are some film clips and photography from my previous career! If you are looking for some music for your project then why not have a look, of course if you can't find what you are looking for, please contact me and we can discuss the benefits of creating your own bespoke soundtrack or sound design elements. That is what I am here for.I am producing new material all the time, so do check back if you are looking for some stock material.EnjoyPeaceNeil

Standback Stand Review

The Amazing Standback Stand Review

Wow, just wow and wow again! The Standback stand is just one of those things that comes into your life and you wonder where the hell it has been all your life, and crucially why no one has made one before??It is simply brilliant in it's simplicity and it is without probably one of the best guitar products I have ever brought!!

All Stand

The premise is simple, most guitarists are know for being LOUD and dominating the stage (as of course we should be ;) ) but in real world situations this isn't a good thing and you end up upsetting a lot of sound engineers. The primary reason for a lot of guitarists being so loud is that they have their amps flat on the floor pointing directly at their legs (and the front row of the audience when on a stage), so a large part of the amps sonic projection (and tone) is going towards the back of a pair of legs in jeans and a front row of an audience wincing at the loudness and the high frequency offerings of the amp.So one solution has always been to tilt the amp back. It isn't really a solution, but something that I think most guitarists should ultimately do. Why? because you will instantly realise how loud you are, and also more importantly be able to hear yourself better and crucially dial in yourr tone correctly (i.e. not over compensate for lost highs and mids). Tilting also decouples the amp mostly from the floor, so you will get a more accurate bass response from the amp and not suffer from bass transmitted into the stage (which can act like a massive bass amp depending on the nature of the stage!)So stands are good!! And yes there are some out there already. Fender do tilt back legs for some amps, but they can be a PITA to install. Other companies offer massive stands (I have had a few) and I always feel that this is yet another couple of bits of gear you need to lug around to gigs.So, some of us (myself included!) may be tempted to improvise solutions to tilt the amp back. Which generally mean resting it insecurely on an object not desiged for the job!! I was doing this for a while (using a bass drum mic stand!) until my lovely valve amp fell forwards due to the stage rocking and that is never a good thing for a tube amp!!Then Standback appeared! Three bits of plastic and some strapping...which collapses to the size of a ruler and you can stuff in the back of your amp with ease. It is so simple there isn't really much to say. You pull it out of your amp, arrange it into a triangle shape, lock the triangle together, drop your amp down on the foam holding plate and tilt your amp back....and it is done!! SO SO SIMPLE!!I am not suggesting though that this would take the weight of a stack, but it supports my Fender Deluxe Reverb perfrectly and my Zilla 2 x 12 cab.It is very, very secure, I used it last week on a very bumpy floor and it help secure and firm with no wobble!!What can I say, get one!! ! (NOTE I AM NOT ENDORSED BY THIS COMPANY!)Here is a short video review I did.ProsSimple designFantastic implementationYou can hear your guitar better in terms of level and toneConsThey didn't make it years ago :)EnjoyPeaceNeil

HotCovers Cover for Fender Deluxe Reverb Review

HotCovers 600 Denier Cover for Fender Deluxe Reverb

When we have things we love, we always want to do whatever we can to protect them! With any piece of gear, be it musical or otherwise, using it in a working context can put it at great risk from not just bumps and bangs but all manner of other enviormental factors. Gigging is one area where gear gets severely tested, not just during a performance, but afterwards, especially when you are in a hurry to load out of a venue at 1.30 in the morning.Of course, if you are on tour then most gear would be at home in flight cases, and on the whole I tend to opt for flight cases for everything. So why am I not writing a flight case review now?Well, the only downside of a flightcase is that they can add considerable weight to any item by their very nature of being big strong cases! When thinking about flightcasing an amp, you have to bare in mind that this may double it's weight! which is find if you have a roadie to help you manage the beast, but not so good when you are getting home at 4am and having to carry the amp up four flights of stairs by yourself.So, one option is no protection (now kids you all should have had the lesson that you should always wear protection right?) and if you take this option, you will find that your beloved piece of gear will start looking very shabby very soon, let alone start suffering from GTD's (gear transmitted diseases!).So, the other option is to get some form of protective lightweight cover, which might not prevent major damages, i.e. your amp being thrown down stairs or the general abuse that being on the road may warrant, but something which will protect it from the general gigging knocks and bumps, throws into the back of vans and cars etc.

HotCovers

This is where HotCovers step in. Some amp maufactuers do provide a thin amp cover (Fender did for my deluxe reverb, thanks guys that is a nice touch! I wish more companies did this!). These covers on the whole are pretty good for dust protection, travel to rehearshals etc and if you are very careful when gigging. I actually had the Fender cover for my Blues Junior and gigged with it for nearly two years! Now the cover is pretty scruffy now, and the amp actually does have quite a few bumps, but it did an over all good job!I decieded to look for a cover which wasnt a flight case but also offered a tad more protection for my prde an joy! That is when I discovered hot covers and their excellent range of covers.I opted for the 600 Denier cover (not a fan of PVC and the way it looks!) and I ordered away! I was surprised that within a couple of days my cover had arrived. So full marks for customer service! The cover fitted perfectly and adds what feels like a decent amount of protection around the amp.So I am vey happy.You can see all the details in the video below.In short.ProsGreat over which offers a good amount of portection for the gigging muscian and ampGreat range of covers availableFantastic customer serviceConsNon really, although you could (if you are that way inclinded) think that the prices are a little pricey. But what price on protection?EnjoyPeaceNeil