PETE ede matey Ly <3 SONGS) NST 3} ory Peart The Magazine You Can oO coe ex oe tease Seay The Mazic Bus a Cad yes aaa Greensleeves Ua eG 4 Cnewenerty = Pratt) ; 5 aa ay ‘ p ircle’ Bote aye) -] de of Rock See TTT tr] Nickelback BTS rd Powerman BIT] ae ) * ~~ Se (How a — rong Music ts Cae @.) Ml fa aMui) ANSWERED aise Feedback Dear GuitarOne: Why is Robert Johnson considered by ny to be the father of modem blues And did he really sell his soul to e devil? Jack Harris ia e-mail Dear Jack: Robert Johnson is not only considered be the "father" of moder blues guitar but one of the greatest musicians of the oth century. The Delta-blues era from nich he sprang lasted roughly 10 years, rom the mid-'20s to the mid-'30s, In a mere handful of recording sessions November 23, 26, and 27, 1936; and June and 20, 1937) Johnson recorded his 29, classic compositions, which not only summed up the previous developments offs peers and predecessors, but also set the standard for virtually the entire future of the blues. Building upon the music of guitarists Charley Patton, Lonnie Johnson (no rela tion), Son House, Skip James, Johnny Temple, and Scrapper Blackwel, as well as numerous st, Louis piano players, he fash- ioned a solo-guitar style that combined ‘amazingly independent bass lines with freshly-voiced chords and. surprisingly ‘agile fills. His exceptional slide work, along with his popularization of boogie patterns in songs like “Sweet Home Chicago” and 1 Believe TI) Dust My Broom,” had an enormous influence on eleetic-blues pio: neers Muddy Waters and Elmore James and virtually every blues guitarist since. It has been theorized that had he lived past 1988, Johnson would have taken up the electric guitar; in fact, there isa plausible story that he was seen in Mississippi fronting an ensemble with an amplified iguitat just prior to his death, It is evident from his music and the personal accounts of his contemporaries that Johnson was extremely serious about his gultar playing as a separate entity from accompaniment (o his vocals. The we he inspired in those who witnessed his fretboard sleight-of-hand and the dedication he applied to his axe would seem to qualify him as the first guitar hero, As for selling his soul to the devil it is a myth created in the ’60s, long after Johnson's passing, by a blues scholar tak ing a remark by Son House (00 literally and by Erie Clapton adding the line "I saw the devil, Lwent up and I said, “Take me if to Creams version of Dave Rubin (Fig 38) root postion open ene Fig. 3A Drop 2 Voicings | Fig. 38 Drop 3 Voicings ‘pen voicing (Fig. 30 ron 4 Voicing 4 Doar GuitarOne: Could you tell me how the terms “closed voicing." “open voicing,” and “inversion” relate to chordst And what exactly is a“Drop 2" chord? Larry Henderson Detroit, Mi Dear Larry: Lets begin with inversions, which are “restackings” of the notes within a chord. In Fig 1A, you will see a simple G major chord in what is called “root position” because the root (G) is the lowest note in the chord. In Figs, 1IB-C, the notes have been restacked to cxeate what is called the "Ist inversion” and the “2nd inversion” of the chord. The term ‘yoicing” when applied to chords, refers t0 the distance between notes within that chord. Ifyou replace the word "voicing" with “notes,” you'll see more clearly what voicings are about For example, Figs. 1A-C are all “closed voicings” {also called “close voicings") because the notes areas close as they can be. by taking the middle note ofa closed voicing and shifting itup an octave, “open voicings are created, as in Figs 2A-C. When chords have more than three notes, it becomes ‘more dllficult to keep track of whether they | are in closed voicing, partial open voicing, ‘or fully open voicing, so some musicians ‘employ the “drop” system. I'you think of the highest note in a elosed voicing as “," the second-highest as "2." the third-highest as "3," ete., you can then “drop” them to achieve the results in Figs. 34-C. Notice, by the way, that since a "Drop 1° voicing just igves you an inverted closed voicing, you'll never hear the term “Drop 1” used. Douglas Baldwin Dear GultarOne: Tim looking to buy a distortion pedal preferably one with a large arsenal of tones. Could you shed some light on the different types that are available Dear Jason: Distortion pedals seem as prolific as #01 Tre Magus Poy 18bits, dont they? Just when you think you've narrowed your choices down to a couple dozen, another hundred appeat! But there is hope. Distortion pedals ean be broadly clas sified as ranging from “overdrive” pedals to fuzz" pedals. The sound of a circuit on the ragged edge has held immense appeal to guitarists for as long as they've been using Distortion pedals that focus on an overdrive" approach attempt to capture that kind of sound without having to turn youramp up to "10." Interestingly as circuits were developed to re-create that tone, mus cians nd engineers veered offto explore dis torted tones for their own sake, and the “uz box” was born, As new amplifier circuits and new forms of recording and transmitting sound are developed. new forms of distortion are dis: covered and exploited and new pedals arrive. Here isa brief overview of some elas sic distortion pedals and where they fallin the Yoverdrive-fzz box” spectrum: The MXR Micro Amp and Electro: Harmonix LPB-1 Power Booster are two clas sicpedals designed to push aclean amp into the overdrive zone. Similar pedals include the BOSS OD-$ Overdrive and Daneleetro’s Daddy-O Overdrive Twwo classic “hot-overd:ive” pedals are the ProCo Vintage Rat and the Tbanez.TS9 Tube Screamer. You'll hear a little more crackle and “edge” with these pedals. For bright, '60s-flavored psychedelic fuzz, try the Dallas-Arbiter FuzzFace by Dunlop, or any ofthe many “fizz face" vai: ations. Alternatively, the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff nails the thick, downed-out “sludge fuzz" favored by Kurt Cobain and Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan, Multifunction foot pedals are an excel lent source for the widest ranges of distor tions coupled with immense processing power. The GI'3 by BOSS, for example, Incorporates no fewer than 11 different dis- tortions (and an external loop for any others you might care to add), along with compres- sion, amp simulations, reverb, echo, equal- lzation, modulation effect, wah and volume pedal options (and more! all for the cost of our or five independent pedals. The bottom ine, Jason, is to read up on what your favorite players use, then hit the musie stores armed with your guitar and try as many as they'let you! Douglas Baldwin Dear GuitarOne: T've been trying to figure out the intro riffto Metallica’ “Bad Seed” off oftheir Re bum. Ifyou could help me out with reatly appreciated, Mau via e-mail Dear Matt: ‘oad choice! “Bad Seed nstrous rif from Metal Is yet another the maestios Fig. 4 "Bad Seed”) Sera Rock J 182 of modern metal! One of the things that might've hampered your ability to pick this nif off yourself is Hetfield and Hammetts tuning on this track. AS a general rule of ‘thumb—regardless of the tune you attempt to transcribe—the first thing you need to determine is what tuning the guitarists) ‘employed. Though there are several things through the course of a song that may tip you off a5 to the guitar’ tuning, keeping Your ears peeled for open strings is a great place to start. And, even f the riff you've iso Tated for study doesnit yield any dead give aways to the guitars tuning (eg, no open strings), clues will likely emerge somewhere else in the song, Im the case of “Bad Seed,” the growling sound of the low, open D/C heard at various points in the intro hints at a de-tuned 6th string, which pretty much nar rows down tunings to two possibilities, At this point, put your money on either Drop D, tuned down 1/2 step (low to high Di-A~-Di-Gr-B-F4), or standard tuning, tuned down a minor 3ed (low t high D»-Gi-B-E-At-D3) Without going into the various ways to differentiate these two tun ings by ear, let approach tacking this song as if the latter tuning a slack version of standard tuning, where each string i tuned down, orslackened,” 1 steps (the distance ofthroefrets)—Wwas used, (This is also a safe bet, given that Metallica historically hasn't dabbled much—it ever—with derivatives of Drop D tuning) Since slack tunings merely lower the ‘overall pitch ofthe guitar without forcing a change in fretting positions, its easiest to transcribe the parts as if they were played in standard tuning, Using our assumed tuning and the aforementioned notation approach, the four-bar intro figure of “Bad Seed’ appears as an E minor pentatonic passage EG A-B-D), confined to the lower str (Fig. 4) little later in the song, inthe mid- dle ofthe first and second verses (when the band launches into half-time feel), notice that this riff is restated verbatim, only trans posed upa perfect 4th by shifting the entice figure across the fretboard to the next higher string set. A this point, the riff becomes anchored around the guitar's open A string (which sounds as an F#/G). Considering the open Sth stringin Drop D tuning, tuned down 1/2 steps A\/GE, access to both C# and F#on the bottom pair of strings pretty much confirms that Hetfield and Hammet used the afore mentioned slack tuning, Dale Turner To plug your questions and input into “Guitar Noise & Feedback, address all correspondence to: Cra ae) a eae nae NO Eee ee Sey PSU Rees a It you have any special requests, Mae Cou a Pa ee eats era rk ets Sentatives will go to work to help you pert Se ad cee rel ney Cer Gteocuo ee Ce ee erSY atta Ped ‘10 Riffs from South of the Mason- Dixon Line here must've been something in Florida's water during the late “60s. ’As the British Invasion unfolded, with heavy guitar-based bands like the Who, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin pushing the envelope of rock ‘n’ roll, guitarists in the deep South began taking their roots—biues, coun- ‘ry, and gospel—and sprinkling them with the crunchy guitar tones of the ‘times. Peouliary, this phenomenon appears to have been largely concentrated in Florida cities like Jacksorvlle and Tampa, where bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Outlaws, Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, and .38 Special would eventually spring up. But “southern rock,” as it came to be known, could perhaps more accurately be traced to the pioneering efforts of two brothers from Macon, Georgia: Duane and Gregg ‘Aman. Jn 4974, with the success of the Allman Brothers Band's live alourn At Fillmore: East, bands from other southern states—like South Carolina and Texas, home to the Marshall Tucker Band and ZZ Top, respectively—also began garnering atten ton. By the time Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album hit the record racks in 1973, south- ‘ern rock was on its way to becoming a nationwide sensation. TTeday, as GuitarOne looks back on the riffs that shaped southern rock, it's clear ‘that these bands have much more in common than simple geography. During 30- plus years of history, nearly every band covered in this issue's installment of Riff Box has experienced a tragic loss along the way. And, each time, the surviving ‘members persevered, sometimes returning to the spotlight as a member of anoth- cer band entirely LTE ER “One Way Out” The Allman Brothers Band, 1972 After fronting several bands’ together throughout the mid-to-late 60s (inluding the Allman joys, Almanac, and Hourglass, in 1968, Duane and Gregg Allman finally managed to piece together the sextet that ‘would make their lastname legendary: the Allman Brothers Band. Formed in Macon, Georgia, the Allman Brothers Band featured the then-unprecedented lineup of two lead guitars (Duane Allman and Dickey Bets) and two drummers (Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe" Johanson), in addition to vocalist/keyboardist Gregg Allman and bassist Berry Oakley, To say the least, their ‘unique instrumentation set the standard for virtually every southern rock band that fo lowed. Between 1969 and 1971, the band recorded a pair of studio albums, The Allman Brothers Band and Idlewild South, and released a breathtaking live double LP At Fillmore East. But it was the band's 1 effort, Fat a Peach, that became regarded as the Allman’ pivotal album—in more ways than one. (On October 29, 1971, during a break in the Eat a Peach recording sessions, Duane Allman was Killed in a motorcycle acci ddent—one month before his 25th birthday Despite theirloss, the Allman Brothers Band forged onward in a single-guitar format with Dickey Betts taking the helm. In February 1972, Eat a Peach was released, containing three studio tracks the Allman Brothers recorded before Duane’s passing as well as leftover live material from New Yorks Fillmore East concert, which included the Allmans’ cover of Marshall Sehorn and Elmore James' “One Way Out." In the Allman Brothers’ rendition, Dickey Betts com mences the tune with a palm-muted version of the song’s signature riff [Fig, 1), which is later doubled an octave higher by Duane Allman, singing through his 1961 Gibson SG Standard in his inimitable slide style “Can't You See” ‘The Marshall Tucker Band, 1973 In 1971, guitarist George McCorkle anc the Caldwell brothers—Toy (guitar) and Tommy (bass)—first formed the origins c what would become the Marshall Tucker Band, After the addition of fello Spartanburg, South Carolina natives Gray (vocals), Jerry Eubanks woodwinds), and Paul Riddle then-unnamed sextet, while busy polishing their tunes at a local rehearsal stud day came across a key ring. Icturn the key ring, which had a rnametag, belonged to another thelr rehearsal space—a bl sar 23named Marshall Tucker. Tucker Band was born! In 1973, shortly after the release of their self-titled Capricorn Records debut, the Marshall Tucker Band scored their first hit with the Toy Caldwell-per See"—a southern rock gem that C kicks off with a fancy fingerstyle acoustic fT (Fig. 2). Three years later, Waylon Jennings would cut his own version of the track and rack up a Top Five hit on the country charts. On April 28, 1980, bassist Tommy Caldsvell, then age 30, died in an automo: bile accident, Shortly after, the Marshall “Tucker Band's two founding guitarists, Toy Caldwell and George McCorkle, left the lineup to pursue other interests, and were eventually replaced by Rusty Milner and Stuart Swanlund. Tragically, on February 25, 1998, shorly after releasing his frst solo album, Toy Caldwell died in his sleep ‘of respiratory failure, Today, the Marshall (Fig. “One Way Out The Marshall Ce Fig. 2 “Can't You S00") (Fig. 3 la"La Grange” "adres J 16 S260 3) SR Se va” 26 Guitarone ScFTENEE Tucker Band still tours, and has released four CDs since 1998: Face Down in the Blues, Keeping the Love Alive, Gospel, and Walk Outside the Lines. “La Grange” ZZ Top, 1973 In 1969, a trio of Texans—Billy Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums)—formed the future '80s MTV sta ple known today as ZZ. Top. Even before they had a record out, Gibbons and compa ny had been household names in Houston, and were highly regarded among serious players. (For example, Jimi Hendrix cited Billy Gibbons as “one of Americas best Young guitarists” during an appearance on The Tonight Show) However, ZZ Top—as a radio-friendly entity—didn’t break on a national scale until stations started spin- ning a track called “La Grange.” Released in ‘August 1973 on the band’s third record, Tres Hombres, "La Grange" became ZZ Tops first Top 40 hit and helped earn them thelr fst ‘gold album, la ge" [named in honor of the ‘Texas town that houses the Chicken Ranch, the inspiration for the film B Whorehouse in Texas is driven by ‘greasy guitar riff—an A minor-based finger- style nugget found in the open position [Fig 31, Wit arff somewhat similar to John | Lee Hooker’ “Boogie Chillen,” in 1991 “La Grange" would become the subject of alaw suit filed by Bernard Besman, who co-wrote the track with Hooker in 1948, (The suit was dismissed in 1996.) ZZ. Top, who are stil eranking out thele unique brand of chicken-fied boogie blues, released their latest dise, XXX, in September 1999, “Jessica” The Allman Brothers Band, 1973 Released on August 25, 1973," Brothers ‘and Sisters became the Allman’ Brothers Bandl’s biggest commercial success, spend: ing five weeks at No. 1. Nestled among bits like “Ramblin’ Man” was the instrumental jewel “Jessica,” a track that apparently orig, inated from Dickey Betts’ experimentation trying to compose a guitar melody th could be played using only two fingers (la fone of his heroes, Django Reinharde) During this process, he began focusing his attention on his daughter Jessica, who was playing nearby; thus the song’ tte Jessica" welcomed a few newcomers to the Allman fold, including Les Dudek, who strummed an infectious acoustic figure throughout |Fig. 4). Meanwhile, bassist Berry Oakley, who appears on a portion of Brothers and Sisters, met with a fate eerily similar to that of Duane Allman, dying in a motoreyele accident on November 11 1972—before “Jessica” had been cut. Between 1976 and 1989, the career of the Allman Brothers Band had several stops and starts, and several second guitarists[Fig 5 “Gimme Tivos Steps} (Flu. 6 “Groen Grass & High Tides") net Je were added along the way—Dan Toler (4978-82) and Warren Haynes (1989-1997), After Haynes’ departure, Jack Pearson took ‘over briefly, only to leave on March 1999 and be replaced by Derek Trucks nephew of the band's founding drummer, Butch Trucks. The Allman Brothers Band, \with their new lineup, will cour throughout the summer of 2000, but for the frst time, they'll be leaving Dickey Betts behind (replaced by Jimmy Herring). An official statement issued by Betts himself implies that the band, feeling Betts’ past substance abuse has had a detrimental effect on his present playing abilities, voted to boot him off the tour “Gimme Three Steps” Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1973 As arly as 1965, the initial lineup of the famed southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was conceived by Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), and Bob Burns (drums) while the four were still attending their Jacksonville, Florida high school. Named in honor of their gym teacher, Leonard Skinner (who, in an effort to enforce his school’s dress code, sent Gary Rossington to the principal’ office for a “hair length violation,” resulting in Rossington’s sus pension), Lynyrd Skynyzd would in the next decade become one ofthe mos inf ential bands in rock After the addition of second drummer Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson (bass), gui tarist Fd King joined the band, creating their soon-to-be-widely-imitated three guitar lineup in 1973 (King would leave the following year). Besting Allman’stwin-gui tar attack and armed with tightly focused songs, Lynyrd Skynyrd set about cutting their frst record with famed producer andl session ace Al Kooper Released in September 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd’ creatively titled debut Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, featured 2 pair of southern rock classics: an epic slide workout (and heartfelt tribute to Duane Allman) called “Free Bird,” and a niffdriven rocker, "Gimme Three Steps (Fig 5) “Green Grass & High Tides” The Outlaws, 1975 Im 1975, the Outlaws became the first act signed to music mogul Clive Davis new label, Arista Records. Formed a year carlier in Tampa, Florida, the original Outlaws lineup featured guitarists Billy Jones, Henry Paul, and Hughie Thomasson the band's primary songwriter) along with drummer Monte Yoho and bassist Frank O'Keefe, The Outlaws’ self-titled debut was released in August 1975 and contained the ‘crowd favorite "Green Grass & High Tides" IFig, 6)—a burning country-rock boogie featuring all three guitarists attempting to gun each other down with theirsixstrings.Riff Box ; 7 “What's Your Name") een The track got the band recognized by radio and helped the album go gold, peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard albuim chart. By 1980, Henry Paul, Monte Yoho, and Harvey Amold (who replaced O'Keefe in 1977) would all eave the group. The release of Ghost Riders in December 1980 was fo lowed by Billy Jones’ departure, and Thomasson became the bands only origi- nal member. Disappointing sales of the band’ follow-up, Los Hombres Malo (Spanish for'"The Bad Men’), prompted the Outlaws to disband in 1982. Four years later, Thomasson and Henry Paul reunited to release Soldiers of Fortune, and over the next decade an ever-evolving Outlaws line up (including former Molly Hatchet drum- mer Barry Borden, and Henry Paul's replacement, guitarist Chris Hicks) toured up to the late '90s, until Hughie joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1997. “What's Your Name” Lynyrd Skynyrd, 197 By 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd featured a pai of new members, drummer Artimus Pyle (joined in 1975) and Ed King’ replacement Steve Gaines (joined in 1976). The band’s double-platinum smash, Steer Survivors was released in October 1977, and opened ‘up with the Rossington/Van Zant-penned Power chord romp “Whats Your ‘Name (Fig. 7) Tragically, around 7 p.m. on October 2, three days after the release of Stee Survivors a private plane carrying Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed into a swamp outside of Gillsbung, Mississippi, kiling lead vocalist and co-founder Ronnie Van Zant and gul- tatist Steve Gaines, along with several crew and family members. Several band mem: bers were also seriously injured. Alarmingly, the cover art for Street Survivors depicted the band standing in flames. In a tasteful move, MCA immedi ately issued a new sleeve for the album, eliminating the flames from the shot Skynyrd surviving members (with the exception of drummer Artimus Pyle) con- tinued as the Rossington-Collins Band. performing and recording throughout the early ’80s until 1987, when Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited with voealist Johnny Van Zant (Ronnie's brother, and former .38 Special vocalist) fora tibute tour. Today the band continues with guitarists Rick Medlocke formerly of Blackfoot), Hughie Thomasson formery ofthe Outlaws), and Randall Hal ‘Train, Train” Blackfoot, 1979 Blackfoot founding guitarist Rick Medlocke actually began his career as an carly Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer, appearing along with future Blackfoot bassist Greg Walker on the 1978 release, skynyrds First...And Last (a collection of unreleased tracks recorded between 1970 and 1972) Like Skynyrd, Blackfoot also hailed from Jacksonville, Florida, though they eventu:rat 4-10 (12-13) (Fig.20 “Hold On Loosely ally relocated to New Jersey. In addition to ‘Medilocke and Walker, by 1972, Blackfoot's lineup included guitarist Charlie Hargrett and drummer Jakson Spites. In May 1979, Blackfoot released their third album, Strikes, a record which became the bana!’s most successful effort, ‘courtesy of heavy guitar riff-driven tracks like “Train, Train’ (Fig. 8) For the curious, Train, Train” was actually written by Rick Mediocke’s grandfather, Shorty Medlacke ‘who also wrote "Railroad Man" from the band’s 1975 debut, No Reservations) In 1983, guitarist Charlie Hargret left the band, and several other members soon followed, leaving founding member Medlocke with the rights to use Blackfoot’s name. The band was still in action, with former WASP. drummer Stet Howland, guitarist John Howsley, and bassist Bryce nes, all the way up until 1997, when Medlocke left to join Lynyrd Skynyed. 30 GuitarOne SEPTEVBE: “Flirtin’ with Disaster” Molly Hatchet, 1979) Taking their name ‘from “Hatchet Molly." a notorious axe-wielding prostitute from the 17th century who had a habit of ccastrating/mutilating her clients, the Jacksonville, Florida-based sextet known ‘as Molly Hatchet specialized in a unique ‘metal-edged form of southern rock. (In fact, their pulverizing sound eventually led to them performing alongside ‘80s Euro. metal favorites like the Scorpions.) Formed in 1975, the massive three-guitar lineup of Dave Hlubek, Duane Roland, and Steve Holland, along with Danny Joe Brown (vocals), Banner Thomas (bass), and Bruce Crump (drums), would venture into Top 40, territory with the release of “Flrtin’ with Disaster” (Fig. 9) the tile tack from their 1979 sophomore effort. Chock full of gui- taristic goodies, Flirtin’ with Disaster appealed to a wide range of rock fans and 00 + wn gutaronemag.com | ron provided Molly Hatchete with thelr firs platinum recore In 1985, shortly after the release of The Deed is Done, Molly Hatchet went on hia. tus, reconvening in 1989 without found: ing member Dave Hlubek (who was replaced by guitarist Bobby Ingram), only to disband again a short time later. In the mid-'90s, Molly Hatchet reunited with Bobby Ingram and Brian Bassett on guitar releasing Devil's Canyon in 1996 and Silent Reign of Heroes in 1998. Currently, the band isin Germany putting the finish. ing touches on a new album, slated for Telease this. summer on CMC. International “Hold On Loosely” -38 Special, 198: Before 38 Special had decided upon a name, a. police squad—with guns drawn—paid the Jacksonville, Florida natives an unexpected visit while they were rehearsing in an abandoned ware house. After several band members def antly questioned the cops, an officer sternly advised them to remain silent, tating “Our 38 Specials will do the talk ing!” Formed in 1975, the original lineup of 38 Special included vocalist Donnie Van Zant (younger brother of Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant), guitarists Don Barnes and Jeff Carlisi, and two drummers, Steve Brookins and Jack Grondin. By the 1981 release of the band's platinum-selling blockbuster, Wild-Eyed Southern Boys, Ken Lyons had been replaced by one-time Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Larry Junstrom, That year, the new lineup scored a major hit with “Hold On Loosely” a crunchy gu tar track written by guitarists Don Barnes and Jeff Carlisi along with Survivor's fim, Peterik [Fig. 10} Today, .38 Special continues to tour with much of its long-standing lineup, with the notable addition of guitarist Danny Chauncey (who replaced Barnes in 1988; Barnes returned in 1991). Most recent releases include Resolution (1997) and Live at Sturgis (1999).THEPOWEROFPENTATONICS /¢ssontab | A Comprehensive Lesson on the Popula Five-Note Major and Minor Scales CF many of us, the minor pentatonic was the first scale pattern we learned on the guitar. Next came the major pentatonic scale, and _P/ fomter its ono tn sexes aa wears uno note how far we go in our studies of the fretboard, it seems our fingers Sen stray back to those beloved pentatonic scale pattems. Nothing seems o capture the comfort and familiarity of the two-notes-perstring scale, And we're not alone—analyze any rock, blues, county, or jazz solo, regardless of “s complexity, and you're almost guaranteed to find the pentatonic scale at s very foundation In this month's Lesson Lab, we'll investigate the mysterious appeal of the gentatonie scale, taking an in-depth look at its many endearing qualities wrile =xploring lots of interesting application for the “ivenote wonder.” Aud Theoretical Background A pentatonic scale is a scale that con: tains five notes (from the Greek language: penta means five, and tonie means tone- thus five-tone scale). Although there are many pentatonic scales used in different cultures throughout the world, in rock, blues, country, jazz, and pop, the major and ‘minor pentatonic scales are by far the most prevalent, and will be our focus in this les: Let's take a look at the major pentatonic scale first. As the name suggests, it is derived from the major seale—that is, five selected notes from the major scale. Take a look at Fig. 1. The notes in the top staff spell out the C major scale (1-2-' while the notes on the bottom staff the C major pentatonic scale (1-2-3-5-6) Notice that the 4th and 7th scale degrees have been omitted. This eliminates the awkward half-step intervals, and replaces them with wider, minor 3rd (step-and-a half) spacing. The result is a user-friendly scale in which none of the notes have a strong tendency to resolve to one another: therefore alleviating any melodic difficul ties. (The 4th has a strong tendency to resolve down to the 3rd, and the 7th has a strong pull up to the tonic.) This goes a long, way in explaining the wide usage of the ‘major pentatonic scale in popular melodies and solos where major tonalities are called upon, The minor pentatonic scale is derived from the natural minor scale, Fig. 2 illus: trates how the 2nd (B) and the b6th (F) are removed from the complete A minor scale a 6-57) to form the A minor pentatonic scale (1-x3-4-5-47). Again, this omits the half-step intervals of the minor scale, where the 2nd pulls to the s3rd, and the s6th wants to resolve tothe 5th. In very simple terms, the major penta- tonic scale can be used as a stripped-down version of the major scale, and the minor pentatonic can replace the minor scale. 0: course, there are many more application possibilities for the pentatonic scale, and ‘we will explore some of them later in this lesson. But frst ler’s take a look at some fin ‘gering patterns and how they lay across th fretboard, Pentatonic Mapping Pentatonic mapping is the art o laing the fretboard as a series of intere necting pentatonic scale patterns ir key. This helps you to play pentaton fluidly up and down the neck, bi importantly, it lays a skeletal found which to build more complex. chords, and arpe 2000 #4 33Lesson Lab (ra) CETTE ww guitaronemag.com ‘hie See Fig. 3 shows the five two-notes-per ae 1 er ee ee ee) string box patterns of the G major pen. tatonie scale (G-A-B-D-E), the under- lying major chord voicings, and how these patterns and chords fit together along the fretboard like puzzle pieces (notice how the patterns start over Ra Se , again at the 12th fret). Fig. 4 depicts the five box patterns of the E minor pentatonic scale (E-G-A-B-D), the : SON YY lndetlying minor chord voieings, and (re?) ODT how they lay along the fretboard Tee By now you've probably discovered that the five patterns of the G major pentatonic scale are identical to the five pattems ofthe E minor pentaton- ic scale—only the roots have been relocated, This is because the G major scale and the E minor scale are rela tive—they share the same notes, Just we OY YX ow a this is true, the G major pentatonic THEARTTONLINE: and E minor pestatonie scales rere ative also (G major pattern 5 is the Pas Pew Pate Same as E minor pattern 1 refer to Figs. 3 and 4)). ‘Be aware that while many guitarists use this “theory of relativity” to great advantage (borrowing from relative minor scales to play major ideas, and vice versa), some rely on it too heavil only to fall into a trap of confusion and limitations. Take the time to learn them and to hear them as 10 patterns, rather than as five patterns that share the same notes. This will help you to Visualize the neck in both major and minor keys, and the benefits and rewards will be much greater. I's okay ten Es Eee (o “feel” them under your fingers as being identical, but be acutely aware arom of where the roots are for either major or minor. Pratern | Patern2. Patten 3 Pattern Pattern 5 ‘A good way to practice these pat ty oo + ERTS terns is to follow this procedure: 1) t Play the chord that overlaps the pat- tern, 2) Starting from the lowest root of the pattern, play up to the highest note, come back down to the lowest note, and back up to the root again. 3) Play the chord again, 4) Go to the next patiern and repeat the process. Take a Te ROH 10k at Fig. 5 to see how this looks on paper. Do this using alternate picking, but also try experimenting with ham: —— 4 ; mer-onsand pulls | ‘Once you're familiar with the pat- : teams a8 Separate entitics, start Con. er eo necting them with their neighboring eee vatterns, For example, play through G (Fe5] EO aloe penistorie| pare iT ueH Set © reach the top note (A), then shift to 5th | position and come down with pattern 2, finally resolving with the low G—the starting point. This type of practice routine will help you escape the penta- tonic box to play fluidly up and down the neck. It also helps you jump posi- tions more smoothly. ‘84 GultarOne SEFTEVBER 2000 + ws gataronemag.com(re 6] COON SSS (rez) CTO aoe a Pan Soneeeeeeee (Fes) CORTON pei es (re 9 | TOT HEAR TLONLINE ATOM TTT Fig. 6 is a G major pentatonic run that travels through three patterns (1, 2, and 3) on its way to its final desti tion. The E minor pentatonic burner in Fig. 7 also takes advantage of three neighboring patterns. Starting out in the lower regions of pattern 3, it shilts up to the midsection of pattern 4, and slides home at the top of pattern 5, For a cool descending G major lick that crosses all five patterns, check out Fig. 8. This one also works well over an E minor chord—just resolve to the open low E string. And finally, check ‘out the A minor pentatonic lick in Fig. 9. Employing a rhythmic motif (Le, repeated rhythm with alternating pitches), it climbs the neck on the top ‘wo strings of all five patterns. ‘Sequences If you like to hang out in box pat terns, but you're sick of the same old licks you've been playing to death, then a new set of sequences might be just what the doctor ordered. Figs. 10A-H give you bunch that are tailor- made for any of the pentatonic boxes. These are all shown in the classic sth position box of A minor pentatonic (pattern 1), but work just fine in any of the other patterns, Remember that this isalso C major pentatonic pattern 5, so these sequences will work for that key as well, Although they are not transcribed in their entirety, there should be enough information for you to under- stand the sequenced pattern of each example. Pick the ones you like best and work them out in the other boxes. Also be aware that the first four sequences can be played in reverse order—ascending from the 6th string. Likewise, the last four can be trans- formed into descending sequences from the high E string. Double-Stop Fills ‘The pentatonic scale is also the launching point for many R&B double stop fills. Fig. 114 is in the style of the influential R&B guitarist” Cornell Dupree. Constructed from C major pentatonic patterns 1 and 3, it features his trademark sliding 4ths on the top ‘wo strings, ending on a major 3rd interval on strings 2 and 3. ‘The double-stop fill in Fig. 11B is from G major pentatonic pattern 1 and is in the style of Jimi Hendrix and Curtis Mayfield. Notice how the lick nails the chord tones (root-3rd-sth) All of the pentatonic patterns lend themselves to double-stop licks, so experiment with them and come up with some of your own, 26 GuitarOne SE=TEVEER 2000 « wi utarcremag.comTo Coos (Fig. 124) (TON (rig. 22) EO: Dorian Mode Phrygian He STerss TOT (rig. 228) (TUCO Mode Blues Scale Mixolydian Mode (= undeyng minor penton He Fig. 14A C? Minor Pentatonic (Pattern 4)] (J?) JM LII8 a we * (Fe.23) CTU: Lydian Mode ce (0 underying major pemstonic se “sesseaaeennnnnnnannnnnnnans - a Fig. 148 C Major Pentatonic (Pattern 3)| [771 MMIII Other Pentatonic Applications So far we've explored major penta: tonics for major scale applications, and ‘minor pentatonies for natural minor scale applications, but there are many ‘more possibilities for both, Let's take a look ata few of them, Since the minor pentatonic scale leaves out the 2nd and bth degrees of the natural minor scale, you can say ‘that it lies within” that scale. With that in mind, the minor pentatonic scale also lies within the Dorian mode (1-2-43-4-5-6-47), the Phrygian mode (1-4243-4-5-46-47), and the blues scale (1-43-4-45-5-57), Fig, 12 illustrates this using pattern 1. The white circles sketch, ‘out the minor pentatonic pattern that lies within each scale. Notice that the half-step intervals are omitted in these scales, just as they were in the natural ‘minor scale. So whenever the E Dorian ‘mode (Em-A chord progression), the E Phrygian mode (E5-F5 chord progres- sion), or the E blues scale (I7-1V7-V7 in E or an E749 chord) is called for, the E ‘minor pentatonic scale can be utilized. Inlike fashion, just as the major pen- tatonic scale lies within the major scale, it also lurks beneath the surface of the Mixolydian mode (1-2-3-4-5-6-47) and. the Lydian mode (1-2-3-#4-5-6-7), Check out Fig. 13 for an illustration using pattern 1. Again, the half-step Intervals are omitted, So whenever the E Mixolydian mode (E7 chords) or the E Lydian mode (Emajzadd#11 or an E-FHE progression) Is called for, the E ‘major pentatonic scale is a good alter nate choice, Using pentatonic scales as substitu: tions for certain chord types is a com= mon practice among players of all styles. The following is alist of three of the most common. (Figs. 144-C give a ‘musical example for each one.) 1) Minor pentatonic scale played from the 3rd of a major chord (Example: C# minor pentatonie played over an Amaj7 chord). This adds a major ‘9th quality to the chord. 2) Major pentatonic scale played from the $7th of a minor chord. (Example: C major pentatonic played over a Dm7 chord). This adds a minor ‘th quality to the chord. 3) Minor pentatonic scale played from the ‘8rd of a m7%5. chord, (Example: D minor pentatonic played over a Bm7S5 chord). This offers a sim- ple approach to a chord which is notori- ously difficult to solo over Mixing Major and Minor Pontatonies ‘The abundance of dominant sev- tenth chords in styles such as blues, jazz, funk, rockabilly, nd country proposes a ‘38. GuitarOne S are in existence, youre sure to find ens 4 | exceptions to the rule. But give this method a try. You may be surprised at how often it works for you—especialy ina pinch! Control the voices in your head. » LOLOLO | You'll wonder how you ever coped without it. [ARTs new HPFX gives you the contol fo sound ary way you want when you're laying down tr big, wit lots of reverb; gutsy, witha ite slap and some chorus; or exact the way you sound in the + independent, adjustable shower, The HPFX gives any singer the confidence to delver the best take. Plus, it contro ti headphone outputs additonal sets of headphones and isthe perfact cure forthe latency-affct of recording 2 monitor mic preamps puter. Ifyou ke what you hear in your cans, you can even send it recty 10 your recorder. The isthe ulimate headphone system. See it at your local dealer, or check out cur web site Built-in stereo and dual digital effects Pe yeas Coosa Pe eg cer Mounts in rack or on mie stand panera Monitor eve, mix. and effects adjustment controlsRoland V-Guitar System WG-60 Amp Modeling? How About Everything Modeling? allitmorphing, modeling, or madness, but guitar, as well as providing cool effects and amp is clear the slightly mad programmers at simulations (Therea trove of VG-8 info available several guitar product manufacturershave at VG-8.com and VG-8#.com, which provide uset been engaged in an astounding game of forums, tips, and downloadable patches to fone-upsmanship. The resulthas been severalfan- enhance the box) The VG-88 adds more presets, tastic pieces of technology for the player who more models, a controller (CTL) switch, and an © 160 Preset and 100 wants to get more than one sound out ofhis gear. expression pedal, which greatly enhances the User patches Ityoute familiar with the sounds of many differ-- flexibility ofthe unit. cent amps and distortion pedals, and are in the Although you can plug a guitar directly into market for an amp or processor that emulates the VG-8and use it forits amp and speaker mod- © Modeling of them, you've never had as many choices of tools eling, its true power is unleashed only with the acoustic guitars, to make your tig sound like something its nol, use of Roland’ GK-2A divided hexaphonic pick pickups, amps, cabs, and mics © Gk-Ready 13-pin input plus 1/4 guitar input © Harmonic Restructure ‘Modeling for synth- type sounds © Multi-etfects including reverb, chorus, hexa pan, delay, flanger, and parametric EO © Onboard expression tckily forthe companies making all his cool up, which can be addon, bil in, oF reofited pedal or realtime stuf teyve been able to keep prices ata gest ‘oust about any gitar. The pickup ws orignal parameter control level oral guitarists. say lucky because forthe ly designed for use with Roland’ gitar syns. player witha litle more toom it his budget the The VG-8, However, is not a adtional guitar ound simulation wer is over thanks to the — synth-Thereisnoptch:o MIDI conversion bl © List Price: $1,295; Roland VG-88, All the other products are like the in, and thus none of the triggering delays usually with GK-2A pickup, raptorsin Jurassic Par theyrethe baddest beasts associated with this process. The hex pickup $1,495 in the East ... until the T-Rex shows up. works by isolating the vibrations from each string ; and providing each with its own route to the Pickups, the Pieces processor via a multipin cable, ‘TheVG-88 isthe successorto theVG-, which Once connected to the VG-88's GK input, your first enabled guitarists to morph any standarel guitar sable to transmit al the essentials of your ly different kind of style and performance, and the VG-88 has pin Point control aver the response of ‘each string. Youll notice, for exam ple, that the builtin cuner ‘of the VG-88 responds ina rock solid, professional Instrument into a comple ry 1-108 CETTE wo otro way to this connection err But the hex pickup system |hndasaM doesnt restrict you to its | Pata, ‘output alone You can also err ‘mix in or isolate te sound |e aaD of your guitar’ magnesic (Qaim ——] pickups. Theres a switet SEPTEMBER 2000 « G4 The Maga: Pay 43HamerEchotone Swiss Army Guitar hae a Jor a certain generation of guitarists, the double-cutaway, semi-hollowbody guitar conjures up memories of Lary Carton tearing up the solos on Steely Dan records and, swelling chords all over Joni Mitchells classic Court and Spark t might also reference two of the original "Three King,” BB. and Freddie More recently, this type of guitar has been adopted by ‘modem jazzers like John Scofield and Kurt Rosenwinkel, who find that it gives them the warmth ofan archtop while allow- Ing them to play loudly without feedback. Oddly enough, rockers ate rediscovering the semi-hollow-style Instrument for exactly the oppositereason—it allows them to get controllable feedback nd Sustain at lower volumes, Now these players have a new varia tion to check out: the Echotone, Hamers version of the guitar that can be all things toall players. Block Party Like the original Gibson ES-335 semi-hollow instrument has a solid-wood block running down the center from the neck to the lower strap button. The pickups, bridge, and tall- piece are mounted on this block which results in greater sus- ‘ain than might be found in a fully hollow instrument, By taking up air space, the block also reduces the tsk of uncontrolled feedback The back, top, and neck are each made of one-piece solid maple—there are no seams on this honey-The body se is pure 835, with only the headstock indicating that this isa variation on ‘theme. The Cherry Transparent finish on our review model was deep, glowing, and finished cleanly around the binding, The rosewood fingerboard sports the classic peal dat inlays and low, ide frets, which are well-fnished and perfect fr jazz; however, serious blues benders may want to replace them with higher The neck itself s shallow and narrow, making it extremely easy to play for a small-hancled, thin-fingeted fella like you truly, but even I had to be careful not to accidentally dampen adjacent strings—fat-fingered folk beware! That said, the Echotone was hard to put down. The acoustic sound was punchy but ‘warm, with plenty of sustain. Once 1 stretched the strings, it stayed in tune and played in tune all over the neck How Blue con foal Get “ cre ) cures the two-hum- this sim a2 bucker pickup eonfig- uration that’ stan. © Keystone tuners add to vintage appeal @ Tilt-back headstock ‘maintains tension across the nut © Stop tailpiece aids sustain © Bound f-holes enhance excelent finish © Aiso available in two-tone sunburst © List Price: $749.50. tested fashion: bridge pickup volume and tone, and neck pickup volume and tone. The pick. ups are Dunean-designed and sound i— theres no need for an aftermarket upgrade The bridge pickup offersa midrange honk that lends itself better to driving distortion J tian to clean twang, The neck pickup has @ PAF-style clarity that provides unmuddied punch and merges beautifully with the bridge pickup for primo B.B. tone. This guitar just cries out for blues licks like the classe intro riff below. Phugged into a Fender Blues junior, it sings as soulfully as the Beale Street Blues Boy himsel. ‘Conclusion Though perfect for blues, this axe offers much more. Since the '60s, the semi-hollow electric guitars manufactured by Gibson, Guild, Epiphone, Ibanez, and others have been a useful tool for players who need to play many styles of music but can only ov, or care to tote, one instrument. Like its forefathers, the Hamer Echotone lends itself equally well to rock, bus, jazz, country, or, frankly, any style of music played on an electric guitar The improved quality of import instruments is no longer a surprise, but even at that, this beauty is a steal at $749.50. I've played vintage instruments that didat Sound this good and play this wel. CERT vo outeronemas.com Peat arr ‘dard for this style of ‘guitar. The three-way switch, two volume controls, and two tone controls are wired together in the 1 Para 48 GuitarOne SEPTEMBER 2000 + wivw.guitarcnemag.comDanelectro Pastrami Overdrive, T-Bone Distortion, BLT Slap Echo, Corned Beef Reverb A Deli Platter of Pedals baet Ro he Mini Pedal series from Danelectro expands the ‘company’s tradition of making fun, quality products at astoundingly low cost. Each pedal is named for @ high-fat food produet—no doubt a metaphor for the thickening effect on your tone. In addition to the Pastrami, Comed Beef, T-Bone, and BLT (that’s bacon, letuce, and tomato for the culinarily challenged) reviewed here, Danelectro offers a Milk Shake Chorus, Pepperoni Phaser, Surf and Turf Compressor, Tuna Melt Tremolo, Grilled Cheese Distortion, and Hash Browns Flanger (what next, @ Reuben Ring Modulator). The list price for each of these effects maxes out at an incredible $49, offering a fll ine of elects for the seriously impoverished musician. So where did they cut the cornerst Read on, ‘The size ofthese pedals says starter rather than main course. They are small: 3X" long x 2X" wide x 1%" high, Combined with the lightweight but sturdy plastic of the housing, this makes for pedals that are easy to wansport but just as easy to kick around the floor tis bes to tape them. ddown or Velcro them toa pedal board, The footswitches are rela- tively large and easy to hit, but do not offer alatching fel that ets ‘you know the pedal is engaged: you will have to rely on the LED. light for that. To replace the battery you must unscrew one screw that releases the entire bottom. A large slot inthe screw allows you to use a coin or a guitar pickin a pinch. Each effect has two smallish knobs, but they re well spaced and easy to tur. Fattening Fuzz ‘The cranberry colored T-Bone Distortion ($49) rocks out ith ‘warm, thick amp-like overdrive sound, You have plenty of con- trol over the master lve, from below unity gaint killer boost. ‘The distortion contol offers @ wide range as wel rom Rolling Stones crunch to near fuzz. Tete is no tone contro, and it sounds like a certain amount ofhigh end has been rolled off stil, there is plenty of bite. Playing a "65 Stat with DiMarzio Virtual Vintage pickups through the Tsbone into a Fender Blues Junior ‘onthe neck or middle pickup, Iwas able to re-create the Clapton “woman” tone (see the Cream-y musical example below), while switching to the bridge pickup evoked Billy Gibbons. This is a 00d solid distortion pedal at any price. ‘The Pastrami Overdrive does not fare as wells distortion lacked the richness ofthe T-Bone and seemed to exist alimos side by side with the clean tone. Here, too, the level offered mucho boosto but the overdrive, though purposely less pronounced than the distortion version, was alte grainy for my taste. Sil for chunky Black Crowes-syle riffing (an example of this an all the pedals reviewed here ean be heard at wrewguitaronemag.com), it does nicely, and at $29 list you cat beat the price. Moderately ow J=90 Appetizers CECI vo. gutaronem.com (© Vivid colors look {00d enough toeat (© Mini pedals continue Danelectro tradition of retro sying (© 9-volt adapter input next to (nt between) WO jacks © Smale fotprint equies minimal space on your pedal board ($49) soems to simulate reverb with a short delay and many repeats. This works well enough for Duane Eddy licks, like those played in the online example. Unfortunately, when you strike a note or chord sharply these repeats ae all oo audible. Backing off the highs with the Hi-Cut knob or blending injusta bit of the effect with the mix knob helps, but this pedal is probably best for beginners orto carry for an emergency, incase your amp reverb dies on a gig (On the other hand, rockabilly rebels and their country cousins will velin the slap echo effect of the BLT, Only one delay Jengthis available, bu tis the perfect“Sun Records" slap. Youcan, ‘control the mixlevel and the number of repeats. single repeats allyou need for instant Scotty Moore or corn pickin as shown in the online example. Add a bunch of repeats and back off the mix and the BLT actually provides a better reverb sound than the Comed Beet. At alist price of $39 you save $10 Food for Thought Some of Danelectro’ mini pedals may not be gourmet fre, but any one of them is a perfect affordable gift for your cousin ‘who just got his first electric guitar; and some, ike the T-Bone and BLT, are much more. I havea big, heavy, mote expensive, multi- celfects pedal that I have been hauling around for a gig where 1 only use the slap back sound—no mote! And for my money (and apparently not much of it) the T-Bone makes as good a sonic ‘meal as do pedals costing two to three times as much. Cute pS As low asthe prices of digital reverbs have ‘dropped, it may have been hubris to try and provide a great-sound: Ing reverb for under rer osteo Corenreneet See 5) )0.Comed Beet 48. GuitarOne SE=TENBER 2000 + ww guitareremag.comWashburn D46S Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Wild, Wild Southwest er a ashburnis Southwest series of acoustic ‘guitars represents an affordable line of instruments with enough stylistic lair to set them apart from the competition’ cookie cutter acoustics. The D46s is the top of the Southwest line, a slightly round-shouldered dread- © Solid spruce top nought employing some tasty choices in tone ‘woods as well as some unique styling details. ey ‘The Woods of the Southwest sides and back ‘The quality of any acoustic guitar begins with its top, and Washburn has graced the D46S with a fine piece of book-matched Alaskan spruce, The grain on our review model ranged from about 2. lines per inch at the center to 12 lines per inch on the outside edge, which any luthier will tell you is primo wood, The sides and back are made from Macassar rosewood in a multi-ply construction. The outside layers are shave cul, which removes, the wood from the log like a pencil shaving, Not ‘only does this reduce waste, butt also accentuates, the grain in vivid contrasting stripes of gold and deep brown, A similarly figured veneer adorns the headstock. The fingerboard and ornately cut bridge are also rosewood, although of a more sub tle grain, The neckis made ofa reddish mahogany with a scarfjointed headstock and two-piece heel neatly added on. For ornamentation, the D46S has a fin- sgerboard and headstock subtly bound in a single ply of black. The top and back employ similar binding, but with an additional stripe of multiple black/white plies along the sides and back. What immediately catches the eye, however, is the handsome turquoise purfling, or omamentation, along the face edge. Also of consider able aesthetic appeal are the radially placed soundhole ornaments, the finger board’ off-center position markers, and the back’ center seam. All are made from mult colored veneering strips echoing the hues of the primary woods and the purfling Hardware & Construction | (777 ({LIITE ww ovtaronemag com Grover Rotomatic tuning machines with a newly upgrad ced 18:1 gear ratio handle the 6 tuning chores. The CONTACT \euntenen ed saddle appear to be ofeitherbone ora Porenretrnypeg| man-made material CiemEN TM of similar density EMME such 2s Corian, mane ROM ticarva, or Tusg, Fret wire is of the small © Natural wood purting and soundhole detalling © List Price: $599.90, Moderately 412 fern 50 Guitarone SEPTEVEER 2000 » www gutaronemag.comRocktron Rampage R506 Amplifier Big Sounds from a Small Rock TXT T he trickle-down theory of economies truly works in electronics. Case in point: Rocktton’s new Rampage series of amplifiers, employing circuitry that would have tacked on another grand to the series’ list prices as little as five years ago, Rocktron has managed to successfully pack a whole rack full of pro features {nto an amp nominally tar- geted for the student mar- ket, and the darned thing sounds exceptional. Let's take a look. Details of the Rampage Consider the R50C's ‘modest size and weight: Its 15" high, 21” wide, less than 10° deep, and tps the scale at just over 26 pounds. Now check out the Wwattage, and consider that most 50-watt amps. are about twice that size and weight. Then consider the front panel controls: two channels, each with inde pendent Gain and Volume © 50 stereo watts © Small, ight, and controls; High, Mid, and Low EQ tone controls, along with chorus and tons of loud killer with a Presence control; Reverb; and Chorus with Depth reverb tones and Rate controls. You have a choice of two input jacks (High and Low) and a headphone output, which disables @ Independent Clean and © List Price: $299 the speaker for private practice if you wish, Overdrive channels Around back youl find stereo B= ‘ohm speaker outputs and stereo 7 sscom line outputs, as well. ay Modersey J= 12 CEDITINITS vo. sitaronea.com footswitch jacks for channel S switching and for chorus and reverb on/off selection. Inside the tough-as-nails cabinet you'll find a pair of Rocktron’s own Velocity 8° speakers. If you haven't guessed by now, this is a stereo output amp, with a width and richness to the output that proved exciting whether using the original speakers, the head: cm phone outpit, or the extension speaker Pere jacks. Coon ra Bro Per rere My frst impression of the Rampage is that it seemed to have tons 52 Qultarone SE"TE%