Ross Campbell’s new lesson will save you a ton of time
Oh, and a little band you may have heard of is back
Does anyone read intros to newsletters? If you’re reading this right now, I’d love to know what albums you’re listening to. I’m always on the lookout for new music - reply to this email, comment on Substack, or say hi on Discord to let me know something new you’re listening to, or something you’re rediscovering.
Now that I’m back from vacation, I’ve been focusing on new stuff I can do with Chasing Sound. I have a couple of reviews coming up - one for some filming gear, and I’m also messing with a lot of new software. The latest is the Spark AI beta, which lets you type or speak a tone and then Spark’s AI gives you a few options. If you have any Positive Grid amps, keep an eye out for that software update.
I have a lot of great links to share with you this week. The first one is a very fun video from Paul Davids that shows how some guitar exercises turned into hit songs. We also have some excellent videos all about triads, and oh…if you haven’t heard…Oasis is back! Let’s get into this week’s links.
This week’s guitar links!
7 FAMOUS SONGS that started as a GUITAR EXERCISE - Some guitar warmups go into educational books for students to shred away on, and some...if you're really lucky, turn into hit songs. That's exactly what Paul Davids talks about in his latest video. Songs like "Life In The Fast Lane” and "Dust In The Wind” all started out as guitar exercises, before turning into full fledged songs. Next time you're warming up, you might be writing your next song.
Doing This Makes Slide Guitar WAY Easier - Dylan Adams talks about the most important factors you should consider when getting into slide. The number one thing that'll make or break your slide playing? Slide fit. Check out the video for more slide tips, and to check out Dylan playing a sweet Mulecaster.
Learn these killer whammy bar licks inspired by Jeff Beck – that sound just like slide guitar - If you don’t want to tackle slide right away, but you’re a fan of that sound, check out this video from Guitarist. In it, Richard Barrett talks about some great, Jeff Beck-inspired ways you can get that slide sound by using your whammy bar.
The ESSENTIAL Guide to R&B Guitar for Beginners w/ @Kerry2smooth - Kerry “2 smooth" Marshall, who is an R&B guitar legend, sat down with Marty Schwartz recently. Kerry talks about sprucing up your standard chords with all sorts of variations, how to apply different techniques like volume swells, trem and mini sweeps, and so much more. This is a great lesson if you're looking to get into R&B playing.
Nuno Bettencourt's Secret Soloing Trick. - Robert Baker breaks down a simple way to turn your standard pentatonic box into something even more exotic sounding, by changing just one note. Then he hits us with two great Nuno Bettencourt style licks that use this type of scale.
The Power of Triads For Rhythm Guitar! - Over the last two years especially, I've told you about my focus on seeing the fretboard through triads. Guys like Ariel Posen and Jack Ruch have been a big part of my education when it comes to this type of stuff. Jack recently put out a great beginners video on getting into triads that I think you should check out. This one focuses on limiting yourself to different string sets, which will help you see these different shapes all over the neck.
Using Wah As A Tone Filter - I'm a huge Kirk Hammett fan, so any video about wah is always something I want to check out. Michael Schenker was an influence on Hammett, not only for the way he played, but also for his wah use. David Brewster breaks down how to use the wah as a filter for your tone, so you can get sounds like Schenker, Hammett, Cantrell, Wylde and more. This is one of the most fun ways to get some unique sounds from your guitar, so it's worth checking out.
I Tried Learning "Tumeni Notes" in 1 DAY. Here's What Happened... - Ben Eller is out of his mind for trying to learn Steve Morse’s “Tumeni Notes” in a single day. The good part about these types of videos isn’t whether they learn the song or not - it’s all about the stuff you learn along the way and breaking down another guitarist’s learning process.
The Scale Mistake That Keeps You Stuck (for years…) - I’m a huge fan of Ross Campbell’s teaching. He has a fantastic free course that you can check out, that’s all about soloing with triads. In this preview video, he talks about the importance of the major scale and developing triads off each scale degree. A lot of beginner guitarists get locked in to trying to learn a ton of exotic scales, when a rich understanding of the major scale will take you so much farther.
“It is without doubt the most exciting, inspiring and moving guitar amp I have ever heard or played”: When That Pedal Show got their hands on an iconic Dumble, it changed everything they thought they knew about great tone - I enjoyed checking out this post talking about That Pedal Show's recent run in with Robben Ford and his legendary Dumble amp. Not only is the post/video a love letter to Dumble, it's also a good lesson in getting a good tone and what to look for if you can't afford Dumble prices (and who can?) Some great tone tips in here, that every guitarist should check out, especially when they're out gear shopping next time. Later in the week, TPS put out a great video on getting out of a rut, with 10 tips that you can check out here.
What guitars does Noel Gallagher use? The instruments that will power the Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour - It's a reality....after 15 or so years, Oasis is officially back. Will they make it to their 2025 gigs? That's yet to be seen. But in the meantime, Guitar.com did a profile on what guitars Noel Gallagher might use for what're expected to be some monumental shows.
Kirk Hammett thinks Marshall amps sound “30 per cent better” when you plug them in in the UK than they do in America – is he right? - I have a love/hate relationship with these types of claims, because they sound a little wacky, right? But it's true, from the post - “the UK and US do indeed have different voltage ratings as standard; in the UK, mains sockets supply an alternating current at 50 Hz (cycles per second) and 230 volts, while US sockets supply between 110 and 120 volts at 60 Hz.” “As Marshall amps are manufactured in the UK, and would be optimised to take the 230v voltage supplied by UK mains sockets”. Fun stuff to think about next time you plug your Marshall in. Check out the post to see how folks in the US can simulate the power over in the UK.