Use this instead of CAGED, Guitarchaeology, and a beginner EVH lick
Plus a very "well done" Mustang
I couldn’t wait to sit down and write this week’s issue of Six String Sunday. There’s so much craziness going on in the world. Which is why I’m always so grateful I can brew up a cup of coffee and practice my guitar. It’s a nice escape from everything happening, and I’m truly grateful it’s an option for me. That being said, I have friends who are currently in Ukraine, some directly in Kyiv. I have a couple of links below about how you can help the country out, but wow, the residents seem very resilient.
In the guitar world, I have some interesting lessons, interviews and more to share - everything from an “easier” EVH lick, to Stephen Carpenter of the Deftones sitting down with Ernie Ball, and lots more. Let’s get right into it.
An Eddie Van Halen Lick Beginners Should Learn! - Robert Baker takes a piece out of Van Halen’s “Jump” solo, and shows us how to play a classic lick. The lick has everything from rakes to bends, pull offs, vibrato and more. This is a great lick to work into your practice routine, especially if you’re familiar with the pentatonic boxes. Later in the week, I also enjoyed Robert’s video on fixing your picking!
So Many Guitarists IGNORE This One Thing: RECKLESS ABANDON - I initially didn’t know what to think of Tim Pierce adding more to Blur’s “Song #2”, but by the middle of the video, his concepts actually hooked me in to watch the whole thing. What do you think of the vid?
The Ear Training Exercise That REALLY Matters! Why Don’t They TEACH It?! - Levi Clay just posted another great video about practice - namely talking about ear training, and the 2 big concepts that really matter when you’re trying to hone your ear. And once you work on your ear, you’ll be able to play guitar by ear a lot more. Check out David Wallimann’s recent video on that topic here.
Ernie Ball String Theory ft. Stephen Carpenter of Deftones - The Deftones’ Stephen Carpenter has always been one hell of a player - combining simple riffs and power chords to create some monstrous heavy rock tracks. He recently sat down to do an episode of Ernie Ball’s String Theory. In addition to Carpenter’s fun stories, it was really cool to see him play some great sounding ESP SC signature guitars.
METALLICA BLACK ALBUM GUITAR TONE - From one heavy band to the next - Ola Englund recently tried to recreate Metallica’s black album tone, and damn did he get close!
The Secret to THAT Marty Friedman Lick - 5 Minute Licks - And we can’t talk about Metallica, without talking about Megadeth! Marty Friedman has long been one of my favorite guitarists. In this vid, Leon Todd (who always brings the great Fractal tones), breaks down a Friedman lick from Megadeth’s “Tornado of Souls”.
Cory Wong’s Picking Technique - I find it funny when guitarists ask each other what pick they use, although it does make some difference of course. For instance, Cory Wong is currently using Dava picks. But what I found very cool about this rig rundown trailer with Cory, is that he said he learned a lot from Troy Grady and Cracking the Code - something I’ve linked to for years! If you’re looking to improve your picking, go check out Troy’s site.
A Soundcheck Tip for Gigging Guitarists | The Big 5 with Band of Horses - Band of Horses recently came out with a fantastic new album. Guitarist Ben Bridwell of the band just sat down with Premier Guitar to answer 5 questions for them - everything from favorite guitar and desert island album, to how not to annoy other bandmates.
Guitarchaeology? - I really love Chris Sherland’s thoughtful approach to learning guitar. His latest video teaches us how to be a “guitarchaeologist”. The video is all about using what you’re already familiar with, and figuring out how to do research to build upon what you already know.
CAGED For Guitar Is GOOD….This WORKS BETTER - This might be my favorite video of the week, from Tim Pierce. I love his approach to playing on top and inside the chords while soloing. While CAGED is always a helpful system, Tim’s methodology seems even more effective.
Joe Doe Guitars puts one-of-a-kind “Apollocaster” up for Emergency UNICEF Ukraine Appeal auction - Looking to pick up a one of a kind T style guitar and help people out at the same time? Check out this cool Apollocaster from Joe Doe Guitars, where all the proceeds will go to a UNICEF relief fund.
Erica Synths Donates All Income from Snazzy FX Pedals to Assist Humanitarian Aid Efforts in Ukraine - Don’t want a new guitar, but instead want a really wild sounding effects pedal? Erica Synths is also donating proceeds from a select amount of pedals to Ukraine relief.
Learn 10 of the Beatles’ signature chord secrets - If there’s anyone to learn songwriting from, it’s without a doubt the Beatles. Guitar World breaks down 10 interesting techniques the band used, like minor voice leading, using melody in chord changes, and lots more.
Looking for a heavy relic? This £1,500 Mustang has been almost completely burnt to a crisp | Guitar.com | All Things Guitar - This has to be a joke, right?
That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading Six String Sunday!
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