September 30, 2011 by John.

Album Notes

Peter Gabriel – So

            For me it’s difficult to really categorize Peter Gabriel and I like that fact. He’s got some super popular songs that put him in high rotation when the “M” in MTV still stood for “Music”. So is he a “pop” artist? The high level of musicianship on his albums might suggest a “progressive” label much like Rush or Yes. This is another reason I’m not a fan of labels and categories.

            First off, I think this is one of those fantastic “complete” albums, one that can and should frequently be heard as a complete work from beginning to end with no disruptions or any “shuffle” buttons. I also recommend listening to it on the cleanest source you can get. My dad wasn’t very musically inclined, but he did give me some great advice that still holds up today with all of the technology that has changed the way we find, purchase and listen to our music. He said, “Spend some money and get yourself a really great pair of headphones”. He was right. If you don’t have a studio quality environment, you can really get the music into your head with a great pair of “cans”. I’m not talking about those white earbuds, I’ve got a bunch of those and they are fine for something portable and convenient. Go get yourself some nice headphones.

            So, I’m just going to throw in my 2 cents as an educated and professional musician. These are my own observations and you may or may not agree with them. Whichever way you look at it, remember – you are right. Music is an art form and a form of communication. This is just how I see it for myself.

            Red Rain: It’s in E minor which is a great key for us guitar players! We LOVE E minor! For the most part, the verse is an E minor groove. This is a great example of being able to create melody over a single chord. I do this kind of idea frequently with clients. If you are a guitar player, or play any melodic or harmonic instrument for that matter, I suggest learning the vocal melody to this song. It will open up melodic possibilities to you and also show you how the writer is using scales, triads etc in order to create his melody. The chorus is a standard progressions in a minor key – VI / VII. Something else you practicing musicians should be familiar with. It’s a funny coincidence to me that so many Judas Priest and Iron Maiden songs use the exact same chord progressions but create totally different styles of music.

            Sledgehammer: a huge hit for Gabriel. E flat Mixolydian this time. It’s a major scale with a flat seventh. Once again – learn the melody on your instrument and it will teach you things. “You could have a steam train, if you just lay down your tracks”. Hmm… think about it.

            Don’t Give Up: If you don’t know by now, I have playlists in my iTunes that are for specific musical examples – songs that use modes, certain chord progressions, odd meter etc. This one is in my playlist for odd meter. It’s ¾ time. To me, ¾ can be quite powerful. It makes you think a little about the timing and it also pushes and drives the song. I think the time signature really drives the song even though the dynamic is very soft. So the combination of “drive” from the time signature and “passion” from the soft dynamic and the fantastic vocal performances to me equal “powerful”.

            That Voice Again: C# Mixolydian for the chorus, and C minor for the verse. The progression for the verse is very close to All Along the Watchtower. In fact try playing the solo for Hendrix’ version of “Watchtower” over the verse. This songs tempo is a little quicker, but not much.

            In Your Eyes: Bm for the verse, E Mixolydian for the chorus. Are you starting to see some recurring patterns here? There’s such a tremendous value in analyzing your favorite artists albums, not just one or two songs. This gives you great insight into the songwriting characteristics that make them your favorites. Maybe you like the artists so much because whether you know it or not, they are using your favorite scales or modes, progressions and musical ideas. Hmmm …more food for thought.

            Mercy Street: If you don’t know the meaning behind the song, Google it and read about it. Then listen to the song again. The key is C# minor. Notice how the verse melody cascades its way downward to eventually land on the root note at the end of each verse phrase. When he reaches that note, I feel his performance is indicating a sense of surrender or resignation. Is this a part of how Gabriel communicates the sadness in the content? Just an observation. It’s a brilliant track, dark, but brilliant.

            Big Time: G# minor. If you take the notes in the bass line and the notes in the verse melody you essentially get G# Dorian, for a little while. Listen to the chords changing making it Aeolian and Dorian. Notice how he can use some nice key changes and still make the song flow without any disruption to the flow. When you can do this in a pop song like this it’s fantastic. At the end of the song his descending melody “big, big, big …” skips right over the 6^th, which would define the key as Dorian or Aeolian. But he goes right around it. Pretty cool idea.

            We Do What We’re Told to Do (Milgram’s 37): Wait, this was 1986 right? Before the terms “techno” or “emo” were used? Nice example of how you can create a terrific track and still have no definable verse or chorus. The track almost sounds incomplete, like you’re waiting for the rest of the song, then it fades out.

            This is the Picture (Excellent Birds): Ok, so what do I want you to notice in this song? Essentially it’s F minor, but what is the other twist that he’s used already once before on this album? It’s in the chorus. It’s the use of ¾ time again. Notice how it goes back and forth between 4/4 in the verse and ¾ in the chorus.

            “So” there you have it. Peter Gabriel’s So. I hope you enjoyed my take on the album. Maybe you’ll hear some different things in it the next time you listen to it. Maybe some of these ideas will find their way into your playing and writing. Thanks for reading!

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August 31, 2008 by John.

So you’re thinking of buying a new amp? Oh what a great day when you get to go amp shopping. I frequently have conversations with my clients and students about this subject. I love talking about gear! Here are some ideas to think about when you are considering buying a new amp.
Let’s say that you are an intermediate player. You’ve been playing for a year or two. You have a small practice amp that sounds great in your bedroom or garage, but when you play with a drummer, it’s not loud enough. I would highly recommend getting a 2×12 amp so you’d have enough power to play in any band situation. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term “2×12”, this means that the amp has 2, 12-inch speakers. So of course a 1×12 has one 12-inch speaker and so on. I believe that a 2×12 should be your goal. This will ensure that you have an amp that you will never “outgrow”. Meaning you will never need more power. You may catch the “gear bug” like me and want to add more amps to your collection! But you want to get an amp that will last you forever, or for as long as you want to keep it. My first amp was a Peavey 1×10. It sounded great for practice, but it couldn’t keep pace with a full band. My second amp was a Marshall JCM800 100 watt half stack. My dad bought it for me in 1986 and I still have it to this day. Now when thinking about wattage, I really believe that most 2×12 amps will have plenty of wattage for you. Therefore I won’t get into how much wattage you’ll need for each different situation.
In another article, I’ll talk in more detail about the differences between half-stacks, full-stacks, and 2×12’s and more. For our amp shopping today, we’re going to be looking at 2×12 amps. Now, let’s get back to our amp shopping! I recommend figuring out what your budget is going to be. I suggest $700 and up for a 2×12 amp that’s going to stay with you for a few decades. Find a guitar store near you that has lots of variety in brands and size in new amps, maybe even used amps. Bring your guitar along and play every 2×12 amp that seems cool. By playing your guitar through the amps, you’ll know exactly how it will sound and feel.
Another thing to consider is digital vs. tube amps. If you’re looking to get some built-in effects, you can look at the digital amp companies like Line 6. Standard effects such as reverb, delay, flanger, and more are built in to the amp and can be a nice bonus. I’ve got a Line 6 Flextone II and I love the versatility that it offers. If you want to get a tube amp, you could be looking at a great sounding amp with only a few different tones. That doesn’t mean that you should pass over looking into a great Marshall, Fender or Mesa 2×12. These are the classic amps that the digital amps are “modeling”, or trying to sound like.
After playing through a few great new amps, go home. That’s right. Don’t buy anything quite yet. Let your experience sink in a little. The rest of the week you’ll be thinking of those amps and comparing them in your head. After a couple of repeat visits to the guitar shop, you can narrow down your choices and make a decision. I think it’s better to spend a couple of weeks thinking about it rather than fall into an impulse buy. Remember that you want to buy an amp that you’re going to love for years and years. Good luck!

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November 30, 2007 by John.

Great albums. You don’t hear too many truly great complete albums these days. I think the music industry has shifted towards the three minute radio-friendly hit song and away from the art of created musical ideas. Gone are the days of Bohemian Rhapsody (5:54), Stairway to Heaven (8:03) or even Freebird (9:07). These are all timeless classic rock songs and yet it will be difficult to find artists these days getting songs over 3:30 played on the radio.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite complete albums. The kind of album where you don’t want to hit “shuffle” when you listen to them. There’s more, but these are some of my favorites. Do yourself a favor and check out some of these albums. Listen to them from beginning to end, you’ll enjoy the ride!

AC/DC – Back in Black, Highway to Hell
Aerosmith – Get Your Wings, Rocks, Toys in the Attic
Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape
Frank Zappa – Joe’s Garage
Judas Priest – Sad Wings of Destiny, Screaming for Vengeance
Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
Metallica – Master of Puppets
No Doubt – Return of Saturn
Oasis – Be Here Now
Ozzy – Diary of a Madman
Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall
Queen – A Night at the Opera, II
Radiohead – OK Computer
Rainbow – Blackmore’s Rainbow
Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed
Rush – Moving Pictures, 2112, Signals
Stabbing Westward – Darkest Days
Stevie Wonder – Innervisions
Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
Ted Nugent – Tooth, Fang & Claw
U2 – Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree
Van Halen – Van Halen, Van Halen II
ZZ Top – Eliminator

Enjoy them!

John

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