Rawk U-Guitar Blog Extradordinare!

2012-02-23T15:22:00.002-08:00

Rawk U School Of Music will be performing the album "Sticky Fingers" by the Rolling Stones in its entirety. Show is saturday march 10 7 pm @ Java Ink in East Falls. Free Show. Byob. Promises to be an amazing show. Call 215.844.7295 for more info.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

Hey Everybody,
Just wanted to take a chance to say thank you to all our students and people who occasionally check in to see what's going on at the blog and or school. Looking forward to a very busy 2012! Check out a song from our most recent show which happened on Sat Dec 10 at Java Ink in East Falls.
Thanks!

It Makes No Difference

2011-10-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

From our Americana show last year.

Bert Jansch vs. Jimmy Page

2011-10-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bert Jansch died today. He was an very influential British folk guitarist. Jimmy Page famously "borrowed" a song from him. Jansch's song is called "Black Waterside" and Page's is titled "Black Mountainside". Page's version appears on Led Zep 1. Listen to the two and see which one you like best.

A Music Theory Breakdown of Stairway To Heaven

2011-08-28T17:16:00.000-07:00

-courtesy of Spytunes

Why is Stairway To Heaven modal?

So let’s start to look at the modal works of this master piece. Before we begin, remember, No one in Led Zeppelin had any idea about this stuff, it is only in hindsight that we can see these things. But by looking at it like this, we can learn from it. Let’s begin.

Usually people refer to Stairway as: it’s in A minor. Most likely they say this because the intro starts with Am, and the solo use Am, G & F, which are classic chords to solo over in A minor. All Along The Watchtower for example use the same progression. But actually, it’s not in A minor, it’s in A Aeolian, A Dorian and A Melodic Minor. The majority of the tune is in A Dorian and A Melodic Minor.

Using the DIY TAB in The Guitar Conspiracy we see how two keys are notated through out: C major (A minor/Aeolian) and G major (A Dorian).

The vocal melody however never hits the 6th interval, it completely stays away from it leaving the chords to move between these two keys giving the tune several modal interchanges and by doing this drives the track forward.

The second chord, an Am with an added 9th use the ascending bass lines G# and by doing this we are either in Harmonic minor or Melodic minor. The G# acting as a major 7th in relation to A.

The third chord, a C/G could either be in the key of G, so a IV/I or in the key of C as a I/V.

The fourth chord, a D/F# or a Bm7/F# carries on the ascending bass line and indicates that we no longer can be in Am or A harmonic minor, we have to be in the key of G here due to the F#.

The fifth chord, a Fmaj7 however tells us we can’t be in G major anymore, we have to be in C, Fmaj7 acting as the IVmaj7 chord.

These chords can therefore only be seen as modal, giving us:

Chord 1, A Dorian (or A Aeolian)

Chord 2, A Melodic Minor (A Dorian with a maj7)

Chord 3, A Dorian (or A Aeolian)

Chord 4, A Dorian

Chord 5, A Aeolian

Chord 6, A Aeolian (or A Dorian)

Chord 7, A Aeolian (or A Dorian)

The tension of this progression is paired with the very simple 8th note rhythm which makes it feel less adventurous. The vocal melody avoids hitting either the b6th to indicate Aeolian (F) or the natural 6th to indicate Dorian (F#).

The next part is the chorus (which doesn’t start until 2:15!) is in A Dorian throughout, giving it a more up-feel than Aeolian would have.

These two parts keep interchanging up until the breakdown at 5:35 where we get different odd time signatures almost every bar. The reason they don’t feel strange is because of the loose and behind the beat feel Bonham provides. If you buy the sheet music for this tune you will see how it’s notated 9/8, 4/4 etc. This is very difficult to follow so the conspiracy has written this part as a constant /8 time. Simply double the time throughout as you count and things should be much easier to understand.

The solo, as previously stated is in A Aeolian due to the Fmaj7. The opening lick (one of the two licks in this solo that Jimi Page wrote before the recording) ends on an F. This is the first time the 6th is played in the melody. Giving us a familiar release after 6 minutes of modal interchange!

The solo carries on into the final vocal section which is sung an octave up, still not utilizing the 6th.

The last vocal section is then followed by a second solo that ends on the Fmaj7 chord and Plant sings the final very drawn out line now for the first time staying in Aeolian.

Stairway To Heaven can only be compared to Queens masterpiece Bohemian Rhapsody which it ironically usually competes for the #1 spot of greatest rock tunes of all time.

So if your thinking of creating the next big thing, go modal and break all the rules that the music business have laid down as criteria’s to get on the radio, it certainly worked for Led Zeppelin!

Slide Guitar

2011-08-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

This is a little thing i did about a week ago. Playing In Open C.
Borrowing ideas from John Fahey and Led Zepp.

Thoughts On Technique

2011-05-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

This is a topic that often comes up with a lot of my students. How can i play fast like you? or what do i have to do to get playing better, smoother, or cleaner? The first thing is a bit of patience is needed. Everything that someone plays at a blindingly fast speed was practiced very slow at some point. A figure, or musical motif must be mastered at a slow speed and then when all the notes are in perfect order, you can start to increase the speed. The best way to do this is with a metronome. Since the tempo of the metronome never varies, it becomes apparent when you are playing out of sync with it as well as when you are locked in. There are plenty of scales, exercises, picking patterns out there to get your technique up. Something a lot of players tend to overlook is learning real songs and solos as a means to better themselves. Listen to the very last figure in the solo in "Stairway To Heaven", for instance. Its a great little triplet/pull-off pattern not to mention the quick picking needed. Its more fun to practice examples from real songs. Find a song or solo that you enjoy or that interests you in a how did he or she do that kind of way. Just remember to take it slow at first. No one wants to hear something played fast and sloppy!
-Danielelectric

Awesome RnB Funk Jam

2011-04-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share this video.
this girl is really really good!

Fun With Open Tunings

2011-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

I have previously posted about open tunings.
Just currently working on 2 great songs that
utilize them. First one, "Honky Tonk Woman"
by The Rolling Stones. Tuning is G,D,G,B,D.
Notice, there are only 5 notes listed.
Thats because, Keith Richards, removed his
Low E string to use this tuning. He Wanted a
pure G Chord, with a G in the bass. If you use
the low E in this tuning, it would be a D, to
fit in the G Chord tuning. The other song I'm
working on is "White Summer" by Jimmy Page.
This song was often attached to "Black Mountainside"
when Zeppelin did it live. The guitar is tuned to a D
Sus 4 chord. It goes, D, A, D, G, A, D.
Anyone else know how to play these songs?
Share your thoughts, if you'd Like!

Rawk U Holidays

2010-12-21T12:06:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome to winter everyone. Rawk U has been here in the East Falls section of Philadelphia for almost a year now and couldn't be happier. We continue to see growth with new students, and watch with a smile as the area continues to offer new opportunities and services to the people here. We are offering a 10% discount this month as a holiday special on a month of half hour guitar lessons. Cost is $100. Act now as this promotion only runs through the end of the month. Give us a call @ 215.844.7295. Happy Holidays to everyone and enjoy!
-Daniel Cullen
Owner Rawk U School Of Music

vs.

2010-10-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

Rhoads Vs Van Halen.
Who Do You Like Better, and Why?

Fall 2010

2010-10-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,
we had a real good summer here at Rawk U School Of Music. Just a few weeks back we had our summer shows performances at Market Place At East Falls. We did, Neil Young, and Blur Meets Oasis. It may have just been our best show yet. Starting next week, we are doing a British Invasion class. Really looking forward to this one. We will be doing the music of: The Beatles, Stones, The Who, Manfred Mann, The Kinks and The Troggs to name a few. For Winter Classes, we are thinking of offering, The Rolling Stones, The Band, and a David Bowie: The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars in its entirety. This is going to be a new trend with our adult rock classes, where we will be taking rock albums that have been deemed "classiscs" over the years and presenting them in order from beginning to end. Those classes will begin in the second week in january, Call 215.844.7295 for more info.

Whats Up For Rawk U This Summer

2010-07-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

First Off,
I want to congratulate my students from this Spring's Indie Rock and Americana Classes. They had their show a few weeks back on June 13th, and it was awesome. Starting next week we are going to be doing our summer classes. They are Blur Meets Oasis and Neil Young. We are always accepting new students for our private lesson program, which includes instruction on guitar, bass and drums. Im already looking ahead to the fall, and since we couldn't get to British Invasion, that will most likely happen then. Also thinking Jimi Hendrix and possibly Weezer. I hope everyone has a great summer, and if you want to come check out our studio or schedule a lesson, give us a call at the school @ 215.844.7295

A Sneek Peek Into One Of Our Rock Class Rehearsals

2010-06-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Bill for providing this video.
This is The Americana Rock Class, doing our
first run through of "Jack Straw" by The Grateful Dead.
This is warts and all, and if you want to see the polished
awesome version, come to LIMELIGHT ARTS ON SUNDAY JUNE 13th
7 PM. $5 4002 Ridge AVE. ALSO PLAYING: INDIE ROCK CLASS,
guaranteed good time!

The Crash Years

2010-06-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

This is a video/song by one of my favorite bands of the last 7
or so years, The New Pornographers. The video combines subtle digital
effects with an unusual birds eye view angle perspective. I was wondering
why current bands still bother making videos. But then i realized that people
ARE still watching them. Just watching them online, on places like Youtube and
Pitchfork.tv and stuff. Anyway, that's it. Enjoy the video. The song is called,
"The Crash Years."

Indie Rock/Americana Show Sunday June 13th

2010-05-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hey People!
We are having a show for our Adult Rock Class Program on Sunday June 13th, at Limelight Arts in East Falls. This show is going to be really exciting. Each show keeps getting better and better and this one is looking really good. Up this time: Indie Rock, and Americana. Some Sample songs from the indie rock class:"Big Trucks" by Pedro The Lion, "Driver 8" by R.E.M. and "Big Dipper", By Built To Spill. Americana: "It Makes No Difference", by The Band. "Melissa", by The Allman Brothers, and "She Talks To Angels by the Black Crowes. Limelight Arts is located on ridge ave just around the corner from Rawk U. 4002 Ridge. The show starts at 7pm and is $5. Hope to see some of you there.
Thanks!

Summer Rock Classes Announced!

2010-05-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

So,
Summer is fast approaching, and it will mark the one year anniversary of our Rock Class programs. Our current classes, Americana, and Indie Rock, are set to perform a show in East Falls at The Limelight Arts Community Center On Sunday June 13th @ 7 pm. So, yeah uh.. right, Our Summer Classes are: Britpop(Oasis Meets Blur), British Invasion, and Neil Young. Classes start Sunday July 11.(Neil Young) Britpop meets Tuesdays, and starts tuesday July 13. British Invasion meets Wednesdays, and starts Wed July 14th. We are looking to fill a few spots in all three classes, so call us here at the school @ 215.844.7295 to sign up or for more info.

How I Figure Out A Song Pt. 1

2010-05-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

I thought i would just give a tiny insight into how i go about learning songs on the guitar without the aid of sheet music. I was learning "Paper Thin Walls", by Modest Mouse for the Indie Rock Class we are currently doing at Rawk U.
As the title of this post suggests, i am going to be doing a few more of these behind the scenes looks.

From The Classroom To The Stage

2010-05-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

This is a video of one of our students here at Rawk U School of Music.
His name is Bill. He is playing an old folk song called "Hang Down Your Head". The song is by Tom Waits. This performance is from The Walking Fish Theatre's Open Mic last wed evening. Enjoy

Americana Class In Action

2010-05-04T20:47:00.001-07:00

This pic was from the Americna class again tonight. We were learning "She Talks To Angels", by The Black Crows. This song has a pretty tough intro, but Lou has got a handle on it. The song is also of note because it employs an open E tuning. An open tuning is when you tune the open strings of the guitar so when strummed open(meaning no fingers on the fretboard) sound the same as a first position open chord. I may be crazy but open tunings always remind me of the fall.
Thanks for reading Call us here at the school 215 844 7295 if you want more info on our Rock Classes or to sign up for guitar, bass or drum lessons.
Thanks
-Danielelectric

Sherman Mills!

2010-05-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

We have been open at our new location in Sherman Mills over in the East Falls section of Philadelphia for about a month now. The place is looking great and its real exciting to have a proper place to call home for Rawk U School Of Music. Heres a pic from one of our rehearsals. The class was playing "It Makes No Difference" by The Band. Its included in our class called Americana. We're also currently doing an indie rock class.
give us a call at 215 844 7295 if you want to sign up for one of our classes or if you want more info. Classes that will begin in July for our summer session are: Oasis Meets Blur, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones.

Auto Tune This

2010-01-31T17:43:00.000-08:00

Hilarious and informing video about auto tune.
Featuring Weird Al

Joe Satriani Gives You His 5 Commandments

2010-01-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

Joe Satriani's 5 tips for perfect band rehearsals

Follow Satch's rules and rule your group!

Joe Bosso, Mon 11 Jan 2010, 10:30 pm UTC

"Practicing can be fun, but it's also serious business," says Joe Satriani. "The same goes for band rehearsals. Sure, it's great to hang out and be a part of the gang, but the fact is, rehearsals are about getting stuff done."

Joe Satriani performing with Chickenfoot, 5 September 2009. Image: © Tim Mosenfelder/Corbis

With this in mind, MusicRadar asked the Chickenfoot and solo star to share his 5 tips for band rehearsal success. "Some of these ideas are fairly subversive," says Satch, "but I've learned over time that sometimes the best way to get something accomplished is to not let people know what you're doing."

The guitarist thinks for a second and laughs. "Of course, that might be a problem now!"
1. Speak up

"Can you imagine being in a small room with Sammy Hagar and Chad Smith? It can be ridiculous! Obviously, they're great guys, but they're larger-than-life personalities, as musicians often are. Between the joking around and the constant changing of ideas - "Let's go this!' 'Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we...? 'You know what I think we should do...?' - it can get overwhelming.

Meanwhile, you're standing there with your guitar on and you're thinking, Have we even played anything yet? So you have to finally stand your ground and say, 'Guys! Yo, it's time to get to work.'"
2. Start playing the song you want to play

"This is another way of speaking up, I guess, but it can sometimes be more effective than just going 'Guys! Guys…' Whenever things get boisterous and out of control, just turn up your amp and start playing the song you need to work on. It won't take long before people get the hint. Repeat as often as necessary."
3. Show up really late

"The reason being, the band can't rehearse without you. So let them have their time to do whatever. Then you can walk in, unpack your guitar, look at everybody and go, 'Are we ready?' You might get these 'Well, we're waiting for you' looks for a few seconds, but chances are they'll be glad you finally showed up and they'll be more than fired up to start playing."

4. Give everybody their time and space

"It's not always joking around and goofing off at a rehearsal; oftentimes, people actually do need some time to take care of their own worlds. If it's Michael Anthony, he might need to talk to his bass tech and fix something with his strings. Or if it's Chad, he might need to change his drum heads or adjust his kit.

"While all of this is going on, you can't be making noise and cranking your pedals if they're doing what they need to do. So yes, it's important to speak up and keep things moving, but it's just as important to know when to settle back and wait for 10 minutes. It's just a little thing called 'respect.'"
5. Make sure your singer is the last to arrive

"Even though I said to arrive late, the truth is, you really want your singer to be the last guy to walk in the door - especially if that singer is Sammy Hagar!

"Singers get bored very easily. And if they're not playing an instrument, this compounds itself. If you're still setting up your gear, before you know it your singer is going to be in another room, he's going to making phone calls, he'll be outside...You don't want to be roaming around saying, 'Now, he was just here a minute ago...'

"So have your act together. Have your gear set up and ready to go so that the minute
your singer walks in the door, all he has to do is start singing. And as soon as you think you've had enough rehearsal, let the singer leave - because he's going to get bored again when you start fiddling around with your equipment. And trust me, you'll definitely fiddle with your equipment!"

-Reprinted via Musicradar.com

Jimmy Page Says Les Paul Was Real "Guitar Hero"

2010-01-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Jimmy Page Says Les Paul, Not Himself, Was “Guitar Hero”

Fans may beg to differ, but Jimmy Page insists he’s not a “guitar hero.” That accolade, he says, is a title more befitting the late great Les Paul.

““I can’t think of a greater guitar icon than someone who has the musical intellect to change what was there before, and take music in another direction,” Page said, speaking to the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph during a visit to Gibson’s London offices. “That’s a guitar hero for me.”

Covering an array of topics, Page also modestly told the Daily Telegraph that he feels he “never mastered the guitar.”

“Either I was playing it or it was playing me,” Page revealed, “it depends how you look at it. As a kid, the only things I had to do were go to school, do my homework, and play guitar. I play maybe every other day, now. But I don’t think of it as practice. I want to see if there is a new shape, a new pattern of chords, a new riff. I’m always looking for the creative spark. Always.”

Page went on to say that despite being the driving force behind Led Zeppelin, the band was a “group personality.”

“I knew from what I’d learned being a session musician that the key was to capture the performance while there’s a mass enthusiasm going on,” he said. “It becomes totally passionate, you feel the music. A lot of music today, they work electronically, tidying everything up, but that living energy has become sanitized. In Led Zeppelin we managed to do some of those major albums in three weeks. People today can’t understand that. It’s beyond them.”

Page plans to release new music sometime this year. To read more of his conversation with the Daily Telegraph, click here.

Maybe I'm Shooting Myself In The Foot

2010-01-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

"Musicianship may be taught, but it’s most effective when it is a natural God-given talent;that comes from within."

-Dr. Certain

Jimmy Is Ready For 2010

2009-12-31T15:21:00.000-08:00

Fed up with waiting for his former band mates to return to the Led Zeppelin fold, Jimmy Page has vowed to return to the stage next year with some new music.

“We’re running up to Christmas now and next year I have every intention of playing music live and manifesting it,” Page told Britain’s Sky News. “I’ve got the music waiting, and that’s what I’ll be doing. It’s been two years since the 02, so it’s time to do that.”

Robert Plant is expected to return to the studio with Alison Krauss to work on the follow-up to the Grammy-winning Raising Sand, while John Paul Jones has been on the road with Josh Homme and Dave Grohl as a member of Them Crooked Vultures.

Apart from co-starring with the Edge and Jack White in the documentary It Might Get Loud, the 65-year-old Page has mostly kept a low profile since Led Zeppelin’s brief reunion at London’s O2 Arena in 2007.

Page reportedly has an album’s worth of new material ready to go, some of which was debuted in the film.

So far he has been tapped to appear at the Show of Peace concert on April 17 at Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing. Other acts invited to participate in the event include the Black Eyed Peas, Prince, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Coldplay and Green Day.

New Buckethead Signature From Gibson

2009-12-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

Buckethead Signature Les Paul
From his prolific solo work, to his prominent memberships in the supergroup Praxis and rock legends Guns N’ Roses, Buckethead has displayed one of the most fiery creative personas of our times, and has continually affirmed his stance in the upper echelon of contemporary shredders. Equally attention-grabbing as his incendiary chops, Buckethead’s stage show and visual presence remain unique among the rock field, and his Gibson guitars—a white Les Paul in particular—have always been a big part of that. As Gibson continues to roll out the Rocktober action, the Buckethead Signature Les Paul celebrates this unparalleled artist’s achievements. With an oversized, chambered Les Paul body, a marker-less ebony fingerboard, and Buckethead’s choice of Gibson’s contemporary ceramic humbucking pickups—complete with modified electronics and “arcade” style kill switches—this is a Les Paul like none to have come before. It’s primed to get you noticed, and designed for utmost performance for the contemporary rock, metal, and shred performer.
Body
Species
Each Buckethead Signature Les Paul is crafted from a two-piece maple top attached with ultra-strong Franklin Titebond 50 glue to a chambered mahogany body. This wood combination, one of the most legendary pairs in the history of the solid and semi-solid electric guitar, yields a “best of both worlds” tonal splendor.
Design
Reflecting Buckethead’s continued departure from the norm, the Buckethead Signature Les Paul looks outwardly much like a slightly modified white Les Paul Standard, but had been made with an oversized, chambered body. The chambered mahogany back serves to minimize weight, while also adding tonal nuances to the guitar’s overall sound. Its high-gloss Alpine White finish is complimented with a stunning black and white 5 ply binding.
Tonal Characteristics
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul body woods present a combination of good clarity, definition and treble bite from the maple, and excellent depth and richness from the mahogany, elements found in the classic Les Paul Standard tone. The chambering adds a further dimension, increasing the complexity of this guitar’s tone, while also increasing its acoustic volume and sustain.
Finish
Color
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul is finished in high-gloss Alpine White.
Surface Texture
A gloss finish with 90-sheen lacquer and extensive hand buffing give the Buckethead Signature Les Paul a sleek, contemporary appearance and a smooth, fast playing feel.
Process
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul is hand-finished in nitrocellulose in a process that is carefully monitored to ensure minimum build-up, in an effort to produce a final finish that breathes with the guitar and enhances natural resonance. Unlike many other manufacturers, who settle for a polyurethane finish, Gibson opts for a nitrocellulose finish that will encourage the natural vibration of the instrument for a purer tone. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous and actually gets thinner over time. That way your guitar’s wood can age beautifully and naturally.
Neck and Headstock
Species
The neck of the Buckethead Signature Les Paul is constructed from a single piece of solid mahogany, and glued to the body at a 4-degree angle (pitch). Mahogany is a traditional neck wood and a long-time partner to many legendary Gibson guitars. It is prized for its combination of lightness and strength.
Truss Rod
Gibson’s traditional truss rod, found in most all of our guitars, is highly responsive to the individual adjustments you’ll want to make to personalize and optimize string action and sustain.
Profile
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul’s neck is carved to its own custom profile that runs from .870” at the nut to .955” at the 12th fret, and is designed for the ultimate combination of speed and comfort.
Joint Angle
4.0° (+/- 15 seconds)
Headstock Angle
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul’s headstock is carefully angled at a tried-and-true 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.
Logo
The Gibson logo — one of the most globally recognized logos of all time — is silkscreened in black on the face of the Buckethead Signature Les Paul’s oversized Les Paul-style headstock.
Tonal Characteristics
The angled, classical-style peg head and mahogany neck work together to provide exceptional tonal depth and resonance from the neck, with a smooth attack and excellent tonal depth.
Scale Length
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul features a 27" Scale length which increases neck tension for improved accuracy and precision.
Neck Fit
Joint
Gibson uses what is known as the Mortise & Tenon joint to bind neck to body so that the two pieces form one solid unit. This time-tested joint style has been used in all the great woodworking arts — from shipbuilding to cabinetry — and has been proven to yield a stronger neck and body than if the instrument was made from a single piece of wood.
Adhesive
The adhesive used to join neck and body is Franklin Titebond 50, one of the strongest glues on the market today.
Tolerance
When fitting the neck and body together, we take advantage of our precise measuring equipment so that all angles, pitches and alignments maintain a tolerance within .005 of an inch. Not only does this help to keep your guitar in tune but it also maintains proper string alignment relative to the fingerboard.
Joint Angle Tolerance
0.0° (+/- 15 seconds)
Fingerboard
Species
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul is equipped with a Grade-A ebony fingerboard, which enhances note attack and articulation. A hard, dense, dark-black exotic wood, ebony has commonly been regarded as a deluxe, upgraded option on electric guitars, and has been used by Gibson in the past on the Les Paul Custom. Ebony is also extremely hard-wearing, and more resistant to humidity and climate and weather changes than many other fingerboard woods.
Radius
The 12-inch radius of the Buckethead Signature Les Paul fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses.
Frets
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul sports 24 jumbo frets, all immaculately dressed and polished.
Inlays
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul carries no inlays, echoing the stark, contemporary look that this artist is known for.
Tonal Characteristics
Ebony is a very popular up-market fingerboard material, known for its strong, clear tone.
Nut
Material
The nut on the Buckethead Signature Les Paul is made from white Corian, which is mainly composed of acrylic polymer. It’s a very durable material, delivers enhanced sustain, and holds the tolerances of the precision cuts made in the slotting process. It is installed into the top surface of the neck, butting up to the end of the fingerboard to ensure proper tone and sustain transfer.
Width
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul features an enhanced nut width of approximately 1.715”.
Pickups
Model
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul carries a calibrated pair of Gibson’s contemporary-voiced Ceramic series humbucking pickups, featuring a 496R in the neck (rhythm) position, and a hot 500T in the bridge (lead) position. Both are specially made with double-white bobbins to match the look of the guitar, and the bridge pickup is split via a push/pull switch on the Tone knob to achieve a single-coil tone.
Magnet Material
Both the 496R and 500T are made with ceramic magnets. While alnico has long been used as a magnet for vintage-style pickups, over-winding an alnico-magnet unit in an effort to create a “hot” pickup can lead to a squashed, muddy tone. Ceramic magnets provide a clear, bold performance with plenty of output, without the need for packing on more coil windings than the pickup design can handle.
Tonal Characteristics
The 496R in the neck position offers unparalleled creamy sustain that nevertheless retains excellent cutting power. Its partner, the 500T, is one of Gibson’s two hottest pickups, intended for ultimate wailing lead tones, sustain, and searing cutting power in the bridge position. Between them, they present excellent sonic versatility and impressive contemporary tones. This pair is also well matched for balanced output levels in all switch positions.
Electronics
Volume Control
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul carries a single Volume control which comprises a 300k linear potentiometer for a smooth, natural roll off.
Tone Control
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul features a single Tone control that comprises a 500k non-linear potentiometer for a natural transition from full treble to bass tones. The Tone control also carries a built-in push/pull switch to engage the coil splitting in the bridge pickup and achieve single-coil-like tones.
Toggle Switch
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul features one three-way toggle switch made of stainless steel with white plastic tip, which acts as the instrument’s pickup selector. In the down position, only the bridge pickup is active. In the middle position, both pickups are active. In the up position, only the neck pickup is active.
Special Features
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul carries two red “arcade” style pushbutton kill switches to mute the output of the guitar, as well as a push/pull switch on the Tone potentiometer to access the bridge pickup’s split-coil feature.
Output Jack
The guitar features a 1⁄4” output jack made by Switchcraft. Its super heavy duty construction holds your guitar cable securely in place.
Hardware
Tuning Keys
The headstock of the Buckethead Signature Les Paul is equipped with chrome-plated locking Grover keystone tuners with an advanced 18:1 gear ratio for increased efficiency. These tuners are sealed with a special lubricant to ensure years of stable service, and are recognized as one of the finest tuners in the industry.
Bridge
In 1954, Gibson rocked the world when it debuted the tune-o-matic bridge, setting a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. Included on the Buckethead Signature Les Paul, the tune-o-matic provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. It also yields excellent coupling between strings and body, maximizing resonance, tone, and sustain. The Buckethead Signature Les Paul’s bridge is made from Zamak then plated with chrome, and each one weighs approximately .118 lbs.
Tailpiece
Every Tune-o-matic bridge is combined with a separate “stopbar” tailpiece, which is essentially a modified version of the earlier wraparound bridge that’s designed to further enhance the connection between the strings and the body. The Buckethead Signature Les Paul’s stopbar tailpiece is made from Zamak then plated with Platinum, and each one weighs approximately .168 lbs.
Strap Buttons
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul’s aluminum strap buttons are the same style and design that Gibson has used since the early 1950s.
Plastics
Truss Rod Cover
As with most Gibson guitars, the truss rod cover on the Buckethead Signature Les Paul is made from black and white vinyl plastic, and is shaped like an antique bell.
Control Knobs
The control knobs on the Buckethead Signature Les Paul are Gibson’s white speed knobs.
Pickup Trim Rings
The pickup trim rings on the Buckethead Signature Les Paul are made of white ABS plastic.
Strings
Gauge
The Buckethead Signature Les Paul is fitted with genuine Gibson strings, sizes .010 - .046.
Accessories
Hardshell Case
Your Buckethead Signature Les Paul comes protected in one of Gibson’s durable black, hardshell cases with Gibson logo silk-screened across the front in white lettering.

$4,311
MSRP as Shown
Finish Options

*
Alpine White

Video: Buckethead Lesson

Stories

* Chambering the Les Paul: A Marriage of Weight and Tone
* Interactive Gibson Bible Excerpt and Video Footage: The First Les Paul Standards
* Wikipedia: Gibson Les Paul
* The Making of a Gibson USA Guitar
* 15 Iconic Les Paul Players
* The World Has Lost a Remarkable Innovator and Musician: Les Paul Passes Away at 94

Related Articles

*
Tone Tips

The Good Doctor’s Dry Speaker Tip
Tone Tips: The Good Doctor’s Dry Speaker Tip
*
Gibson Serial Numbers

What they can and can't tell you
Gibson Serial Numbers
*
Tone Tips

Speakers Revisited — Tone vs. Volume
Tone Tips: Speakers Revisited — Tone vs. Volume

Products Electric Guitars Les Paul Gibson USA Buckethead Signature Les Paul
Buy Now
PrintEmail this to a FriendRSS 2.0 FeedTweet MeFacebook: Gibson USA: Buckethead Signature Les Paul - Alpine WhiteDigg!PostToDeliciousStumbleUponReddit
9.3 - Overall Guitar Rating
Player Reviews
More Comments (159)
Beau McMurray
Rating 10/10
+144
Way to go Gibson for recognizing one of the worlds fine

Temple University Does Story On Rawk U

2009-11-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to get the embedded video of this up rather than the non visual link.

Gretsch Pickups

2009-11-10T08:17:00.001-08:00

Below is a interesting history of the various pickup systems Gretsch Guitars have used over the years. Thanks to my student Tom, for the link.

Guitar Story

Temple University Profiles Rawk U

2009-11-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

Temple University has done a story about Rawk U School Of Music
Check the story on their blog, Philadelphia Neighborhoods here:

Rawk U Story

Why The Record Industry Should Die

2009-09-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

Bought a CD lately? Neither have I. But this story starts long before everyone was downloading music, before, as one record company executive put it, on seeing Napster for the first time, “The record industry was over.” This is about how the record industry, today known as “The Big Four”, drove the stake into their own heart.
The basic problem, as I see it, is that the record industry stopped respecting the record buying public at some point around the late 1980’s. Let’s talk about the “Single” also known by the names “7 inch”, the “Cassingle”, or my fav, “The Maxi- Single”. The record companies starting getting hot again for the single around the time of the original Boy Band regime. Singles like New Kids On The Block’s “The Right Stuff”,sold millions. Why market an entire album, when there’s only one good song, and the rest is filler? This business model worked brilliantly in the ‘60’s when you had bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys, putting out gem after gem. And then they had full length albums behind them with little to no chaff. But not so much anymore.The record buying public are consumers, but they’re not stupid. I believe this was the real beginning of the end for the album as concept. The Rock album being one of the record companies mainstay products throughout the 1970’s 80’s and ‘90s.
But oh yeah, what about that thing I was talking about how the record industry stopped respecting us at some point? Let’s look at two very successful artists of the last quarter century. Let’s start with Bruce Springsteen. If Bruce had released his first album in 2003, instead of 1973, you might be asking Bruce Who? His first album sold 25,000 copies its first year, not a hit by yesterday’s standards or today’s. It wasn’t until Bruce’s third album, “Born To Run”, that his career really took off, making the cover of Time and Newsweek. The point is that no artist is given the time to develop any more. It takes a while to rev up your engines, and get going. If you don’t shift a couple million albums or singles right out of the gate today, you get dropped, and the label goes searching for the next Johnny come lately. U2 on the other hand, didn’t start their million/billion selling selves until their fifth release, “The Joshua Tree”, which is arguably the first million seller in the CD format. I just can’t imagine an environment, in which sales is the only motivator. Who do we have today, that’s carrying the torch for artists like these? I guess we have The Killers. Lucky for them and thanks to an insane marketing blitz by Island Def Jam, sales for their debut album “Hot Fuss”, were well past the million mark.
What happens when you realize you no longer need the middle man? That’s what the record companies are in essence. The band or artist, creates and records the “product”. The label then manufactures and distributes that product to stores, whether they be brick and mortar or online. Home recording equipment became affordable and readily available sometime in the late 1980’s. A whole army of people who rolled out of bed and recorded in their pajamas bloomed and blossomed. A lot of these people had no chance of ever being signed to a major label recording contract. They sent their cassette tape or burned CD’s off to small independent labels. They embarked on small yet often profitable tours around the country. A lot of these people also started their own record labels, and here’s my point. Why let someone charge you for something and take your money, when you can do that thing for yourself? These independent, or Indie labels as they were called, often had a knack for connecting the music to their niche markets, and making their music readily available to their fans. A lot of these labels, survive to this day, in part because they were able to see the future before the old dinosaur major labels were. A lot of them made their catalogs available online as soon as they were able to. So while Warner Music Group is locked in battle with Youtube, about why they can and can’t show their artists’ videos, your neighbor down the streets record label, put all their bands videos up on Youtube, and just sold their first thousand copies.
So, it would seem when you have made it obvious that you are horribly out of step with the times, have made yourself obsolete, and no longer have a finger to the pulse of what is truly cool or cutting edge, you get to show yourself the door.

Interview with F.M. Cornog of East River Pipe

2009-09-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Reprinted from Guitargeek.com

The inseparable duo of F.M. Cornog (a.k.a. East River Pipe) and Barbara Powers (a.k.a. Hell Gate Recordings) has been quietly recording and releasing some of the most sincere and heartfelt music since the turn of the decade. F.M. does the recording and Barbara does the releasing. As always, the curious staff here at Guitar Geek wanted to know just how they do it. In all the years we've been interviewing home-recordists this interview stands out as one of our favorites. F.M. and Barbara's enthusiasm and do-it-yourself work ethic should rub off on you by the end of this wonderful chat.

Guitar Geek: FM why do you record yourself?

FM: It's just the way I've always done it. I can't explain it. I've always liked tape recorders and I guess I like the control element of it also... Hey can I scratch that answer??

Guitar Geek: Yeah, sure start over...

FM: It's just like as opposed to what? I mean I record myself because this is very relaxed atmoshere here in the apartment and Tascam mini studios are the easiest things to use in the world. I don't have to go into a real recording studio and spend 25-50 bucks an hour. I can do it whenever I want to, I can wake up and go, "Hey I'm gonna do a song now>" I don't have to book time in a studio.

Guitar Geek: So as soon as inspiration hits, it can be on tape within minutes?

FM: Yeah, I like to record my stuff right when it's happening. Like right when I write a song. I don't do demos or anything, I just kind of go, "Oh geez, OK, this is kinda like a song here, so I'm gonna do this right away." And I just do it right at that moment. That's the other advantage of the mini-studio I guess the average band would ahve one guy who would write the song, he would have a rough little demo of it, bring it to his buddies, teach them the song, book some studio time, go into the studio and then watch this clock hanging over their heads. Then they have to think "Oh geez, do I want to keep this guitar part, or this one? That's too complicated for me , y'know, all that stuff. I like the immediacy of just one person. I don't collaborate with anybody, I go in, by myself, and get everything done whenever I want to.

Guitar Geek: Have you had any bad experiences in "pro" studios? Did that fuel your desire to want to record by yourself?

FM: I've actually only recorded one song ever in a "real" recording studio, so no, not really, no bad experiences. That was a long time ago. Basically I've always been into recording. Geez, when I was a kid I would get two little Panasonic tape recorders and bounce stuff off them. I'd play a piano part, record it. Then play the other tape recorder, while recording on the other, as I play another part over that one. I'd have another double track piano part I'd bounce and record again; real messy fidelity-wise, but who cares? I liked liked the fun off messing around with tape recorder and seeing what it sounded liked.

Guitar Geek: Are some of the reasons you record solo due to finances?

FM: Of course. It is so cheap to do it by yourself with just a mini-studio. You just need to come up with the money for the original investment of the mini-studio itself, seven hundred bucks or whatever.

Guitar Geek: What type of mini-studio do you have right now?

FM: I have a Tascam 388, it has eight tracks, but only six of them actually work. The two channels on the end are messed up, so it's really just a six track!

Guitar Geek: Is it one of those old 1/4 inch decks?

FM: Yeah, outside of that, all I have is really cheap stuff. The whole East River Pipe studio thing is that I don't have any expensive rack-mounted stuff. I only have cheap guitar pedals, I never used big named brands like Boss or something like that. Everybody uses those! I use cheap effects stuff, just so I'm not using the same pedals as everyone else Some pedals I play guitar through, or sometimes I even sing through them. What else do I have? Mmm, a cheap ESP Telecaster, an old Gibson bass, a little Peavey 50 amp, a cheap microphone, a few drums, a drum machine, a lot of percussive instruments, a few cheap keyboard-synthesizer type things, and that's about it. It's a simple set-up. I like that best. I like to concentrate on the song and the performance rather than the gear. If I had some expensive rack-mounted reverb unit, I'd be fiddling around with that trying to decide what kind of reverb I wanted, room size, or whatever complicated setting I should put it on. I like to plug the f***ing guitar in and play the song y'know? That's what all these East River River songs are, just very spontaneous things.

Guitar Geek: Is your technical knowledge of the recording process great, or do you just strictly go by what sounds good?

FM:I follow Ray Charles technique. His advice to people recording is: "As long as it's not distorting, it's fine." Obviously, he can't see the needle going into the red, so, if it's not fuzzy, leave it. Next to an engineer that works in a 24 track studio, I'm sure I don't know anything, but it doesn't matter how you record a song. Whether it's at home or in a super-deluxe studio is not important. What is important is that you have a good song and a good performance. That's what matters.

Guitar Geek: A lot of people get hung up on the techincal side of things, I guess.

FM: People tell me, "Oh, oooh, you're LO-FI, you're sooo D.I.Y." I'm not into LO-FI, I just don't want to spend fifty dollars an hour to go into some studio. I can do it right here, no pressure, no clock hanging over me, and do it whenever I want. I'm getting redundant now, but I'm not going for some lo-fi asthetic, it's just the way I've always done it. This is the natural way for me to do it. Other bands go into big studios and that's natural for them. I've been doing it this way for fifteen years.

Guitar Geek: I think a lot of people have purposely taken that route just to fit in with some lo-fi movement, but some people, myself included, have gone into studios and come out with nothing but horror stories. Y'know wasting tons of money, having some goofball for an engineer, or whatever. Experiences like that have driven lots of people into getting their own small recording set-ups and just doing it themselves.

FM: True. One time I had this old song of mine that I'd already recorded, but we didn't have anything to mix down to, like to two-track stereo. So we took it into this actual recording studio. This Tascam I have is incompatible with with anything, so you just have to take the whole board in. You can't just take the tape, because no studio has an 8 track 1/4 inch that fits with this deck. It's not like it's this big cumbersome thing, but we didn't have a car or anything. So we loaded it in this taxi and went to the studio. We get there and this studio guy decides he's going to mix my songs. The way he mixed my song and the way I would've mixed my songs are two different things. Recording wise too, there is a big difference in the way I would record and the way a studio guy would. A lot of my methods production-wise are much like Phil Spector or Brian Wilson. I double track a lot of guitars, whereas a lot of people would say, "buy this fancy guitar thing, like chorus pedal and that's kinda like double tracking in a way, plus it'll free up an extra track." But it's a totally different thing if you don't use that gizmo, an you actually sing or play it twice. It's a completely different feel.

Guitar Geek: Plus you'll get some inconsistencies, that sound more natural.

FM: Right, it just... sounds... better!

Guitar Geek: Run us through a typical recording session. Where do you start?

FM: I'll use a drum machine as either an actual drum thing or a click track device and play guitar and sing. That's it. So I lay down a drum thing, a guitar thing, and a vocal thing, first run through. Then I just add and subtract tracks from there. Sometimes I add percussion tracks on top of that and then maybe drop out the drums. It can happen a million ways.

Barbara: What is consistent though, is he usually maps out ahead of time how the song should be structured and arranged; what kind of guide track to lay down.

Guitar Geek: With 8 tracks, it can be brain racking deciding where to play everything, when to bounce tracks, or laying down select guitar part on the same track where the vocals are, but when they aren't singing, junk like that.

FM: I can usually see this road map in my head; when to do this part first, that part second, verse here, back into this, and I know it'll end up at 2-3 minutes. It's hard to explain it 'cause I can't intellectualize it. It's intuitive. I just do it and I still haven't gotten used to people asking me how I record. People think there's some kind kind of secret recipe and I just don't know. The great thing about recording at home is you can listen back to your songs over and over again and see how it sounds. You can drop out a guitar part and make it a keyboard song, anything. Unless your the Beatles or Fleetwood Mac, with a billion dollars to throw away, you can't give that kind of attention to the songs, unless it's at home. You have the free time to sit back and listen to it at length. Think how long it takes just to mix one song...

Guitar Geek It takes hours!

FM: Minimum! You can take longer mixing it than actually recording it . To think of doing that at a "real" studio is mind boggling. I mean the fidelity in places like that is cool and everything, but if I were to ever go into one again it would have to be with someone I really trusted and who wouldn't charge me tons. That's a utopian scenario, but it would have to that kind of thing or hey, I'll just do it here at home. Maybe I could even upgrade my studio...

Guitar Geek With some Boss pedals!!!

FM: (laughs) Yeah, just splurge! My big thing would be to buy a guitar pedal that costs over a hundred dollars! But for now all my guitar pedals must be made of plastic!

Guitar Geek: I know it's hard to explain how the recording process works, and that's not really the main point I wanted to make. I would like to stress that all this can be done. A lot of very amazing bands and musicians are intimidated by the whole process of recording and releasing songs. To some people it seems unapproachable, almost like this huge wall, whereas people like Barbara and yourself have done it. The whole fallacy of getting signed to a big label, recording with a huge budget, blah, blah, blah. Yes, that is one way to do it, but you two have proven there is another route, another pathway to take. It's like you have sidestepped everything ridiculous and got right to the core of what needs to be done.

FM: Wow! That will look good in print. I wish I'd have said that!

Guitar Geek I could always switch the names! Barabara Oh yeah, and mmm, then FM said...

FM: The main thing is (in a mock British accent) you've just got to do it! You buy the machine, then poke around with it. Geez, go to any art gallery and you'll say, "That painting sucks, man! Why is that hanging on this wall?! I could do better than that!" That's the thing, you could! Buy some paint and canvas, go home and paint a picture. Then you'll have it hanging in Soho someday! It doesn't cost that much to record yourself, at least not compared to paying for time in a big studio. Buy a mic, plug your guitar into track and just see where it leads you. That's it! That's the secret. You can't be afraid. You can't say, "Oh, this doesn't sound as good as a Sebadoh thing, or a Ween cut, Guided By Voices," or whatever. Take the leap. The only difference between me and a lot of people out there is I have the will, bought the equipment and then actually recorded the songs

Beatles Re-Mania

2009-09-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

I just watched the trailer to The Beatles Rock Band again.
And yes, i do think its awesome. It looks literally like they just animated photographs and movie reels of exact moments in the beatles career. And oh yeah, it comes out today!! I just read how Bill Wyman, former bass player of a little band called The Rolling Stones, thinks rock band is a bad thing. He thinks it encourages kids to not play real instruments. I must disagree with Bill. As a guitar teacher, i have actually gained many new young students specifically from Rock Band and Guitar Hero. What it really does is not really about the video game at all. It takes music, in this case the beatles catalog, and exposes it to a new generation. Where else are these 9 and 10 yr olds gonna hear this amazing music? And the kids who are motivated to learn an instrument, were going to go ahead and do it anyway. I can't imagine a driven kid who would get the game, who might be musically inclined , getting good at the game and then having it end there.
This is the future, get with it, or get left behind.

Rock Class

2009-08-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

I want to thank my students in the Classic Rock Rock Classes this summer for making our initial outing so fun and successful. The classes were adult bands. The classes met weekly for 8 weeks, and the culmination was a benefit show for MAESSR at The M Room in fishtown in philly. Some of the songs that were played were: "Wishing Well" by Free, "No Matter What" by Badfinger, "The Weight" by The Band, and "Rebel, Rebel", by Bowie. The fall classes that we are doing are The Beatles, and a Singer-Songwriter themed class. Any bassists or drummers out there, there are 2 spots in the Beatles class, one for bass and drums. Get in touch.

Which Guitar, Why?

2009-07-22T21:05:00.000-07:00

This post is about which guitars we prefer for whatever type of music we happen to be playing at the moment. First off, let's start off with Gibson vs. Fender. A lot of guitarists I meet seem to be one or the other, where as I feel there is a time and a place for both. If you're gonna be playing blues, hands down fender is your guitar. Nothing quite cuts through the din like the piercing attack of a strat with the selector in bridge position. Think SRV. Think Buddy Guy. Think Hendrix. Actually, there are so many different guitarists associated with both gibson and fender, playing a wide variety of styles, it can be hard to keep track of. Let's talk about who plays Gibson's and why. For my money, if you're going to be playing any kind of "heavy" music, Gibson will do you right. Much of Randy Rhoads' best work was done with his cream colored gibson les paul custom. Hendrix was actually known to play gibson(Flying V) in his later years. See the Isle of Wight concert from 1970. Another Ozzy guitarist associated with the Les Paul is Zakk Wylde. His tone is a little over the top and that has a lot to do with the pickups he uses. He uses Emg's. Emg's with a les paul can almost bee Too distorted and heavy for my tastes anyway. If your gonna tackle country, its pretty much the Telecasters place. Although Keith Richards used it famously throughout the Rolling Stones for country inflected rock. You also might want to consider The Chet Atkins Gretsch or The Country Gentleman for country. I will briefly mention a few other models and comment on how i feel about them. ESP Guitars: Cool, and really good for metal, good shredding guitar. Gretsch White Falcon: Awesome, extremely versatile and a guitar i hope someday to own. Gibson ES-335: Probably the most versatile guitar out there, you can play almost any style on it, and it rocks!(Full disclosure: I own a cherry red 1967 ES-335). PRS guitars:my least favorite brand. I can't stand the twig like necks and i think the "tone" people speak of when they mention them is very overrated. Plus they are sorta ugly. Haha. Anyway tell us what you think! what guitars do you play, and what styles do you use them for?
-Danielelectric

Geriatric Indies Review Wilco and Dirty Projectors Live from Philly!

2009-07-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Pics From Rock Show # 1

2009-06-19T20:15:00.001-07:00

Some pix from the show

Rock Show # 1 A Total Success!

2009-06-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported The Rawk U School Of Music On June 10th at Milkboy in ardmore, pa. The show was great fun, and everyone really did play their absolute best. We are already looking towards the future, and the next show. Rock Show # 2 will most likely go down sometime early in 2010. Next on the agenda: Summer Rock Classes! I am running 2 separate classic rock themed classes this summer. These classes are for adults only this time around. Our guitarist spots are all filled, but if there are any bass players, or drummers who want to play some awesome music for 8 weeks and then get to play a show afterwards, get in touch. Call Daniel directly @ 267 240 3779. Classes meet tuesday, wednesday starting tuesday june 30.
thanks and keep us in mind,
-Danielelectric

Mini Re-Launch!

2009-05-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
You may have taken notice of our new banner image. It now includes the words "School Of Music". For those that don't know I run and operate a Rock based school of music in south philly. I now mean to use this blog as a means to broadcast news and goings on related to the music school. Now, this blog will still feature articles, opinions, lesson videos, and we are always working on getting up and coming guitarists to do lesson videos to share with you guys. None of that will change, there's just gonna be a lot more news and stuff about the music school. So this blog has now become the official blog for the Rawk U School Of Music. Thanks!
-Danielelectric

Rawk U School Of Music Presents First Student Show: Rock Show #1

2009-05-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Come Out To Milkboy Coffee In Ardmore, Pa on wed June 10 come to support the Rawk U School Of Music and its students. Students will be playing songs from bands such as: Foo Fighters. Led Zeppelin, Nuetral Milk Hotel, R.E.M., and Smashing Pumpkins, plus many more. Show starts at 8pm and the cost is $5
see you there!

Death Cab Interviews on Cnn

2009-05-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

Pretty cool interview with guitarist/producer Chris Walla and Bassist Nick Harmer

New Robby Kreiger Inspired SG From Gibson Custom Shop

2009-04-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Gibson unveils New 'Inspired By' Robby Krieger SG

Great guitarists play what they feel. They play what their hearts tell them to and they leave everything else for other people to worry about. That kind of connection to an instrument doesn’t happen very often, but it’s one that comes natural for Robby Krieger, who made history as lead songwriter and guitarist for The Doors. From 1965 to 1971, Krieger and The Doors created a body of music that redefined American rock and roll at its core. Today, their songs remain some of the most influential and original ever written. Much of that writing happened with Krieger’s legendary Gibson SG, which was along for every stop along the Doors’ exhilarating ride to the top.

Krieger’s choice of guitar defined him as a guitar player, setting him apart from that era’s crowded landscape of guitarists as an original. Robby Krieger is an authentic American icon, and it is this legacy that Gibson Custom is proud to honor with the introduction of the new Inspired By Robby Krieger SG — which combines features from Krieger’s most cherished SGs into one outstanding new model. It may just be the most comfortable-playing SG that Gibson Custom has ever produced.

Whether it’s the SG Special Krieger played when he first joined the band or the dozen or so he’s owned since, Gibson SGs have played a part in all of Krieger’s work, including such classic rock staples as “Light My Fire,” “Love Me Two Times,” “Love Her Madly” and countless other songs that remain as relevant today as they were popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The new Inspired By Robby Krieger SG from Gibson Custom blends several features from some of Krieger’s favorite SGs into one stunning new model. Made of traditional solid mahogany, the body of the Krieger SG is typical of the thin SG bodies from the mid 1960s, complete with traditional beveled edges and the distinct dual sharp cutaway horns that give players complete access to the guitar’s full 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. The body is then finished in Krieger’s personal favorite Aged Dark Heritage Cherry finish, which is very similar to the finish of his beloved 1967 SG Standard, and historically accurate right down to the tiniest scratches, dings and belt rash. The neck is also a typical SG one-piece mahogany neck, but with a hybrid neck profile modeled after the neck on a 1961 Gibson SG owned by a close friend and the neck on his personal ’67 SG Standard.

In order to duplicate Krieger’s signature sound on song’s like the Doors’ classic “Roadhouse Blues” and its easily identifiable opening guitar lick, Krieger chose a pair of Gibson’s renowned ’57 Classic humbucker pickups. Gibson’s original “Patent Applied For” humbuckers of the mid- to late-1950s — some of the most sought after pickups in the world — were wound using imprecise machines, resulting in pickups with slightly different output and tone, and desirable to players who wanted to mix and match and explore a complete spectrum of tonal possibilities. The ’57 Classic pickups are the result of Gibson’s drive to capture and recreate this renowned characteristic. Krieger’s signature sound comes through clearly in a warm, full tone with a balanced response, packing all the tremendous “PAF” humbucker crunch expected from a Gibson humbucker.

Everything else on the new Inspired By Krieger SG is classic Gibson SG Standard, including the ABR-1 Bridge and Maestro tailpiece tremolo system, nickel hardware, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with figured acrylic trapezoid inlays, and vintage tulip tuners. The new Inspired By Robby Krieger SG Standard is destined to become of the most popular SGs ever produced by Gibson Custom, but it will only be produced in a very limited run of only 150 guitars — 50 aged to look exactly like Krieger's, and 100 with Gibson Custom's V.O.S. finish treatment. Each guitar will come with its own Gibson Custom case, custom care kit, and a certificate of authenticity signed personally by Krieger. But they won’t last. Click here to find the nearest authorized Gibson Custom dealer near you, and experience the power and legacy of the new Inspired By Robby Krieger SG.

Gear Of The Gods Pt.4

2009-04-20T13:25:00.001-07:00

Yes! Today its Randy Rhoads! He is really in my top three of all time favorites. I spent hours listening to "Tribute", as a kid and as an adult. As a guitar teacher, kids are constantly asking me to show them how to play "Crazy Train" and other songs by him. Rhoads did a lot in his short lifetime. He died in 1982 at the age of 25. Along with Eddie Van Halen, he was considered the most innovative guitarist of his time. He was one of the first to blend a classical influence with heavy metal. He paved the way for players like Yngwie Malmsteen, and Jason Becker. Personally, im still trying to master the guitar solo from "Crazy Train". Its a bitch. But really fun.I recommend checking out the album "Tribute". Its all live and incredible. I have provided a youtube video below for the uninitiated. enjoy!
-Danielelectric

Rock Band Class For Adults Forming In Philadelphia!

2009-04-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hey All,
As some may know, Im a full time guitar instructor in philadelphia. This summer im offering a class for adults only to learn how to play in a rock band. The class is going to be classic rock themed. Think, "The Weight", by The Band, and "I Want You"(She's So Heavy) by the Beatles. The class will consist of a two hour rehearsal once a week for 8 weeks. AT the end of the 8 week period, we will play at a rock venue in Philly. Im looking for 2 guitarists, a bass player and a drummer. How it Works: The first hour of class is spent learning the song. I will coach the guitarists and the bass player for this part. There will also be a pro drummer on hand to instruct the drummer. The second hour is spent playing together as a group. What it costs: $50 per week. Plus at the end of the 8 week class, guitarists will recieve a voucher that is good for 2 free half hour lessons with me. I want to have the group practicing by the end of june beginning of july.
Call Daniel @ 267 240 3779 for questions or to sign up

Gear of The Gods Pt. 3

2009-03-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,
Welcome to pt3 in our six part series of the guitar setups of some guitarists who i think are ridiculously awesome. This time, we are looking at Ty Tabor from King's X fame. Some of you may be saying Who!?. King's X was semi big in the early to mid 90's. They blended beatlesque harmonies with grayer sometimes more progressive soundscapes. But Ty's guitar always cut through on top and his tone is truly unique. I suggest checking out the track "It's Love" from the album entitled Faith, Hope, Love. His tone just has this searing gravity and weight to it. Although his sound is not a particularly heavy one. I have to admit, i was shocked to see how complex his setup was. Worked for him, i guess. Enjoy!
-Danielelectric

Nirvana! Tab All Apologies

2009-02-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

Hey all,
This is our first tab post.
its nirvana's All Apologies from
In Utero just the main riff for now
Enjoy

Gear of The Gods Pt. 2

2009-02-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,
welcome to part 2 of our six part series on the secrets behind your favorite guitarists' gear. Today we are taking a look at Brian May from Queen's typical setup. Anyone who is familiar with his sound knows one thing: it is totally unique. The two most important determining factors in his sound chain are his 1963 "Red Special" guitar and his custom made treble booster. The guitar is also custom made and was made by Brian and his father. Legend has it that part of the guitar's body was made from wood from the mantle piece in their family's home. The treble booster was what gave his sound that extra lyrical quality, and added some of that legendary sustain. The pedal was actually built by Queen's bassist, John Deacon. Its design is based on the Dallas Rangemaster. Dallas Arbiter was a very well known effects pedal maker in the 60's. They made quite a few pedals for Jimi Hendrix. He famously used their Arbiter Fuzz Face on "Purple Haze". For some examples of Brian's amazing sound and layered guitar work check out, "All Dead" from Queen's "News of The World" album. Also listen to the guitar solo in "Killer Queen".
thanks and check back in a week or 2 for another installment.
-Danielelectric

Gear of the Gods

2009-01-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hey,
Shown above is a pictorial of Kurt Cobain's typical stage set up.
I was a little surprised to see that he used a Mesa Boogie pre-amp.
Im not sure if he was getting his dirty sound from the pre amp or
the boss distortion pedal. Its also kind of crazy to think that he
may have been getting his distortion sound from that boss pedal.
Because, in my mind, that pedal is kind of a cheesy factory sound.
and kurt's sound was anything but pre-packaged sounding. It was in fact,
quite a unique tone. His guitar sound on Nevermind, really shaped the
guitar sounds of the 90's. Listen to Siamese Dream, by Smashing Pumkins.
Or, and i hate to use these guys as an example cause they suck so bad: Bush.
Their entire guitar sound was based on Nirvana's.
Thanks for reading. Gonna post a few of these over the next few weeks.

2009-01-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Beginners guitar lesson coming in a day or 2
just testing the chord graphic

Happy Birthday To Us!

2008-12-30T10:56:00.001-08:00

Hey People,
Yes indeed, It has been a full year since the ball has started rolling here at Rawk U.
It has been a great year. Thanks to our customers, and to everyone from all over the world who support this. A few things to report: Starting Jan 1, 2009, all lesson videos will be sold for $15 USD. Thats right! Everyone of them for only $15. We had the good fortune of doing lessons with some awesome bands and guitarists this year: We did a lesson with Hamilton Jordan of Genghis Tron, and with Eidan Thorr of Valiant Thorr. In 2009, we hope to continue to bring you new and exciting lessons from more great guitarists. Also look for a new semi-regular column called "Tour Dog", that will be a mini blog from touring musicians and their life on the road. Also look for a new monthly column on Rock History by our resident Rock Historian, yes he is named DR. Roc.
So again, thanks for the support, and see you in 2009!
-Danielelectric

How To Start A Band

2008-10-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Rawkers,
I'm afraid the first step in starting a band is not actually going out and finding like-minded individuals to start exploring the musical universe with. The first step is you alone in your bedroom, practicing your ass off. I wouldn't even suggest trying to form a band until you have at least six months of experience under your fingers. That having been said, playing an instrument and not taking to the next level by playing with other musicians is a cardinal sin. I would equate it to being in a foreign country, and only going to McDonalds to eat. After you have spent a little while making your fingers hurt, and getting things like basic timing and technique down, i would say you are ready to start asking your friends if they want to jam. This advice applies to young and old. Everyone needs to be coming from the same place:Experience. Being in a band is hard work. You have to be willing to compromise, and above all listen to what other people are saying. Please check all egos at the door, as this will only create a lot of unwanted stress and problems. Bands just starting out suffer a lot from directional problems. What i mean is that people often sit there and wonder "We should be a metal band." or "we need to have a lot of keyboards so we can sound like the killers." If you are just starting out in your first band, just get together and play anything and everything. Play a lot of covers. Even if you eventually want to write and perform your own music. Picking the covers will help shape your taste and give you an idea of the style of music you want to sound like. This is especially important if you want to compose your own music. You have to learn and study other songs and see how they're put together in order to properly do it yourself. My last piece of advice is forget about loyalty. and what i mean by this is that you shouldnt limit yourself to one group. The smart musician plays with multiple groups at once and eventually sticks with the one that is most successful. That might not sound right to you, but that's the way it is.
If it was good enough for John Bonham....
Keep Playing and Rawking
-Danielelectric

Valient Thorr Lesson Sample

2008-09-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

As some may know,
Rawk u went backstage at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia friday night to hang out with our friends in Valient Thorr. We filmed an awesome guitar lesson with Eidan Thorr. He taught the song "Heatseeker", right after getting offstage and with a fresh tatoo on his forearm. We want to thank them a lot for giving us backstage access and for being so nice. So anyway, here's the video:

Valient Himself!

2008-09-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

Guys,
We were backstage tonight at the electric factory in philadelphia. We were there to hang out with our friends in the great band Valient Thorr. Besides being there to soak up the rock vibes, we were recording a guitar lesson.
check back in a few short days to see the full lesson.
Thanks!

Genghis Tron- Board up the House Lesson(sample)

2008-09-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hey,
This is the second in a group of 3 lessons from the Genghis Tron sessions.
This song that Hamilton is teaching is called Board Up The House.
All three songs, "Things Don't Look Good, "Arms", and "Board Up The House", will be available for purchase this friday September 5th.
Thanks for listening.
-Danielelectric

Genghis Tron Lessons are here!(almost)

2008-08-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
We just filmed Hamilton Jordan from Genghis Tron yesterday. It was a real fun shoot, and Hamilton couldn't have been a nicer/cooler guy to work with. We filmed three lesson videos. We did, "Board up the house", "Arms", and "Things don't look good". All three lessons are going to be sold individually for $20 each. Also offering a package deal on all three sold together for $50. We're still working on getting the videos prepped for sale, but in the meantime, i wanted to give you a little peek of what's to come. So, here is a little taste of "Things don't look good".
Enjoy!
-Danielelectric

Majestic Beatles Must Hear

2008-08-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

Skype Lessons!

2008-07-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hey There People,
As some of you may know, we are now offering lessons online in real time via a free program called Skype. All you do is go to www.skype.com and download the free software. You will need a webcam to make video calls. But the actual airtime used for the lesson is free. This is really the way all music instruction is going to be done in the future. Think about it. Do you want to sit in rush hour traffic after a stressful day of work and arrive to your lesson 10 minutes late? Or would you rather get home relax for a minute, unwind and then make a simple call from the comfort of your own home and get the full lesson that you deserve. Over to the right hand side of the screen is a paypal option for the skype lessons. We are currently offering half hour lessons for $25. Once you set up your skype account, it's easy. To Find us, just type in danielelectric in the search people area, and you can add us as a friend.
Thanks, and see you online!
-Danielelectric

Guitar Or Baseball?

2008-07-10T08:40:00.001-07:00

Sorry,
This has nothing to do with guitar. Im just a huge phillies fan.
Vote Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell onto the allstar team!

Daytripper Lesson

2008-06-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,
Here is the latest free lesson video from Rawk U. Daytripper by the Beatles. If you would like the full video please email Daniel @ danielelectric@gmail.com or just click on the buy now button on the right.
Thanks!
-Danielelectric

Interview w/ Genghis tron from Contraband Candy

2008-06-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Check out Hamilton Jordan and the guys from Genghis tron.
Talking about life on the road and the dynamics of being
a generally ass-kicking band. And yes, we are still trying
to get Hamilton to do a lesson for Rawk U. He is a busy man,
we will corner him sooner rather than later!

The Master Randy Rhoades

2008-06-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

Crazy Train from Ozzy's 1981 tour.
Ozzy himself sounds a bit ruff.
However randy is killing it as usual.
Check it out for yourselves!

Face To Face Lessons From Anywhere Using Skype!

2008-05-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Everyone,
This is it! The future of music instruction has arrived. Rawk U is now starting to offer one on one real time lessons using video conferencing. Its quite simple actually. The software you need is completely free. Its called Skype. Go here to download it:http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/ Your only expense is a webcam. I have one so you can see me and vice versa. This is a very exciting development as we now have the ability to bring our custom lessons right into your home, where ever in the world you may be. Lessons are offered in 2 choices. Half hour lessons are $25 and Full hour lessons are $45. When you visit the Skype website, they have helpful links on what webcams work best with the software. We are offering a special meet and greet at no charge. This is an interview so to speak, where you the student ask the teacher questions and see if you think you will like them as a teacher. These free calls will last approx. 5 minutes. Get in touch directly about these lessons at danielelectric@gmail.com or call 267 240 3779 and ask for Daniel.
Thanks!
-Danielelectric

Reconfigured Store

2008-05-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Rawkers,
I wanted to tell you about our reconfigured store. We now have 6 videos for sale. All Videos now come with hand written tab transcriptions. All video lessons are $25. Shipping is included with that price. So we're very happy to say that we have, "The Lemon Song" guitar solo, "Bring It On Home", "Moby Dick", and "Black Dog" all by the mighty Led Zep. We also have "Santeria guitar solo" lesson by Sublime and "Daytripper", by The Beatles. And remember, we also have the custom lesson option, where you get to pick what the lesson is about. These lessons are $30 each. And please note at this time ,all lessons are delivered as snail mail, not as downloads.
see you soon!
-Danielelectric

Just Added Solo To "Mother" by Pink Floyd

2008-05-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
thanks for checking out our site. This dvd can be purchased for $25 dollars. In it I go into great detail about finger placement, what frets im playing and some of the theory behind the notes. This dvd also comes with a tab transcription. Email: danielelectric@gmail.com for purchasing details.
-Danielelectric

Just Added! Santeria Solo

2008-05-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Again My Friends, i do not divulge the full picture here.
you can purchase this dvd by emailing danielelectric@gmail.com for details
thanks!
-Danielelectric

New Free Video-You Shook Me AC/DC

2008-05-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

//www.youtube.com/v/loS88AGPs1k&hl=en">

I don't explain every note in detail here. This Dvd is for sale and it comes with a tab transcription for $25 bucks. Email danielelectric@gmail.com for purchase info.
-Danielelectric

Tom Morello and The Edge as Hendrix

2008-04-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

"Yeah well Hendrix is dead."
So said my friend as we debated vigorously about the state of innovation in the world of rock guitar playing. Back in the late sixties, you had a four headed Hydra with Iommi(Sabbath), Alvin Lee(Ten Years After), Page(Zep) and Jimi. In the 80's, you had Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. The 90's brought a riff fest with Steve Vai and Eric Johnson duking it out for supremacy. And now ??? To be charitable, there are amazing players out there right now like Guthrie Govan, and Johnny Hiland, but there aren't really any earth shattering soundscapes/change your life kind of tones being created anymore. Well, not if you don't count Tom Morello and The Edge(aka Dave Edmunds). Back in 1993, i remember hearing the first Rage Against The Machine album and being truly confounded about how he was getting his guitar sounds he utilized on his solos. He thought about the guitar differently. Not only was he trying to "rock out", he was also trying to see what alien sounds could be coaxed from the tools he had at his disposal. Which as he claims are only "a few greasy old effects pedals." One of the main conponents of his sound was the digitech whammy pedal. With this pedal you could produce strange and wonderful clusters of notes not otherwise available without the effect. You could also achieve pitches 2 and 3 octaves higher than the highest note on a regular guitar and then manipulate the pedal part of the effect to tremolo or "whammy" that note to produce an otherworldly alien texture. Now the Edge has been doing his thing since approx 1979. What really set him apart was/is his innovative use of analog and digital delay. He is able to record multiple tracks of guitars and put varying degrees of delay on them and have them all magically sync up. He is basically the master f clean tones the world over. He also creates landscapes of sound with volume swells and clanging chorus effects. I feel all this qualifies Morello and The Edge as two of the most innovative guitarists since Jimi Hendrix.
Please Debate!
I would love to hear your thoughts.
-danielelectric

Clarification

2008-04-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ahem,
The Video selection is on the RIGHT hand side of the site not the left.
All offered videos cover all major sections of the song. The Guitar solos from these tracks are not included unless specifically noted. If you would like a lesson on the solo from any of the offered songs, just get in touch, and i can make one just for you.
Thanks,
-Danielelectric

Video Store

2008-04-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hey,
If you look to your left, you can see that we've got four full lessons up for sale now. One thing to clarify, ALL VIDEOS ARE SENT VIA SNAIL MAIL. There are no download options right now. So please allow 7-10 days for delivery of your lesson.
-Thanks
Danielelectric

New Lessons Just Added To The Vault!

2008-03-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
Wanted to let you know we just added a bunch of Full 10 Minute guitar lessons to our store. Many and soon all, of the videos from the youtube site will be for sale here. Right now you can purchase, "Rock + Roll", "Black Dog", "The Lemon Song", "Bring It On Home", "Babe im Gonna Leave You", "Moby Dick", "That's The Way", and "Thank You" all by Led Zeppelin. All Videos are 10 Minutes in length, and cover all essential sections of the song. All Lesson Videos are $10. Lessons are taught by Danielelectric, an esteemed Guitarist/artist/musician from Philadelphia. He is a FULL- TIME guitar instructor. Teaches 50 students per week. Please email your purchase request to danielelectric@gmail.com.
-Thanks and Rock On!

Song Of The Day!

2008-02-26T10:33:00.000-08:00

Our new column
Cool songs to check out every single day!(weekday that is)
todays pick,
"Here Comes The Sun", done here by Scotland's finest Belle and Sebastian

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

2008-02-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

OK,
Part 2 in the Queen series.
Me doing the guitar solo from "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Get in touch on the right of the screen if you would like a custom video
of a full lesson on the solo.
Thanks!
-danielelectric

Bohemian Rhapsody!

2008-02-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

OK Guys,
Here is 1 of our latest videos, Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Its just me doing a note for note rendition of the solo.
If you would like a full 10 minute custom lesson teaching you how to play this solo, look over to the right of the screen and get in touch!
thanks
-danielelectric

Thoughts On Hendrix

2008-02-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Jimi Hendrix was the first guitar player that made me stop in my tracks and say out loud"How Is he doing that?" I was saying this to myself in 1989, but i think a lot more people were asking themselves this uestion when he first appeared on the international scene in England in late 1966. Hendrix arrived in London late in that same year, and within a week had blown the minds of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend. Years after his death, Clapton commented that the first time he heard Jimi play his jaw dropped to the floor.

If you play guitar, Hendrix has influenced you. Never mind if you don't think he has, he has. Think of any modern guitarist you like, any band, if it weren't for Hendrix, they would not sound like they do. His innovative use of effects can't be overstated. You basically can't plug in a wah pedal without referencing Jimi.

The world has not been the same since 1967; the year The Jimi Hendrix Experience released "Are You Experienced". Amazingly, Hendrix only realized three complete studio albums in his short four year career. However, he managed to pack in about ten guitarists' careers worth of soul and innovation in that time.

Young people all over the world are continually rediscovering Jimi Hendrix's music. His records have sold on average of 2 million a year since his untimely death in 1970. So i raise to you the readers, the question, Is Hendrix The Greatest Rock Guitarist Of All Time?

Please Debate!
-Danielelectric

Sign Up For Email Updates!

2008-01-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,
Just a reminder that you can sign up with us via your email address an no cost. When you do this you get delivered to your inbox all the latest Lesson news and updates about goings on at Rawk U. So SIGN UP TODAY!
-Danielelectric

Moby Dick Led Zep Lesson

2008-01-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

Allright,
I'm not gonna lie. We're on a bit of a roll here and have been turning out the lessons at a feverish pace. More work for us=more lessons for you. Here is "Moby Dick". This song is known to most zeppelinites for its amazing drum solo by one John Bonham. However, the guitar riff begs to not be overlooked. It's quite catchy. Note that the lowest string,E, is now tuned down to a D. This lowers the note by one full step. Pay attention to that detail as it is essential to playing the song correctly. A lot of bands used the "Drop D" tuning for a heavier effect. Nirvana, Neil Young, Tool, to name but a few. When the string is lower, it produces a longer wavelenghth so it sounds a bit heavier. Word, Good Luck!
-Danielelectric

Zeppelin-Babe I'm Gonna Leave You

2008-01-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hey Rawk Kids,
Here is our newest lesson Led Zeppelin's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You". This is a bit of a tricky one, as it is fingerpicked. When you're trying this technique, just adhere to the idea that on your picking or (finger) hand alternate fingers with each note. Don't use the same finger to pluck a note 2wice in a row. If you have just used the first finger use the second or third for the next note. Its pretty much the same idea as alternate picking. Get in touch with questions you might have and, Thanks!
-Danielelectric

Lesson With Hamilton of Genghis Tron Coming!

2008-01-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

Rawkers,
Super pleased to tell you guys that sometime in the next coming weeks, we are going to be bringing you an exclusive guitar lesson with Hamilton Jordan of Genghis Tron. For those of you who already know the band, you need no further explanation. To the uninitiated, get ready. Genghis Tron is a really unique blend of metal, hardcore, and electronic music, and Hamilton is one of the most innovative guitarists on the scene right now. Chek back soon! And Check the band out below

Custom Made Guitar Lessons Are Here!

2008-01-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hey Rawkers,
We here at Rawk U are incredibly excited to announce something very unique. We are now offering CUSTOM MADE TO ORDER GUITAR LESSON VIDEOS. That is correct! You dictate what the lesson will be about, and we teach it to you. You want to learn the solo from stairway to heaven? No problem. You want to learn how to use modes to learn how to solo? No problem. Our videos are 10 minutes in length, and cost $10 dollars each. After your purchase, you will recieve a cd in the mail within 7 days time. We also have an option of doing the ten minute lesson and having a video response by the instructor, for $15. This option allows you to ask questions after the lesson and have them awnsered in video form. In a short time, we will also be offering lessons in other instruments, such as drums and bass. Take advantage of this first of its kind offering!

New Year And Alternate Tunings

2007-12-31T16:33:00.000-08:00

First off,
Happy New Year! Although Rawk U has only been operational for a little over a month, we have already received a positive response and we are getting feedback about how to do it better. I wanted to take this space to also talk about Alternate Tunings. This is when the strings of the guitar are not tuned to the standard, E,A,D,G,B,E. Some common ones are Open E, Open A Open D Open G and Open C. They are called "Open", because when the open strings are strummed they make the sound that one of those chords would make in first position on the guitar. For instance, if the guitar was tuned to open G, the strings would be tuned low to high,"D,A,D,G,B,D". These are the notes of a G major triad, which are G,B,D. You may be asking yourself even if you know the notes that comprise any of these open chords, what note does each string get tuned to? It would be a good question. Answer: First figure out the notes of your tuning. If you are using, open C, the notes you need to worry about are C,E,G. Okay now take each string, we'll go through it one by one. The low E will stay E, because it is one of the notes in the open chord. The A string will be tuned down to G,(Now this is important! it gets tuned down because that note is closest to the G note.) You just take the string and go to the closest note that you need in the chord. The D string goes down to C. The G string will stay g. The B string will stay b. And the high E goes down to d. The reason to use alternate tunings, is 2 fold. When you have an alternate tuned guitar, different combinations of notes are unlocked that are not accessable in standard tuning. Also, if you are playing slide guitar, in most of the open tunings it is possible to play chords with just one finger. Some examples of songs that use alternate tunings are, "Black Mountainside",(D,A,D,G,B,E), "That's The Way" (Open G), "Friends"(C,A,C,G,C,E), "Bron-Y-Aur"(C,A,C,G,C,E). All of those songs are by Led Zeppelin. Another more current band that uses Alternate tunings to great affect is Sonic Youth. The really tricky thing about a lot of their tunings is that they make up their own, so it can be really hard to decipher. Those Zep songs are a good place to start. Good Luck Rawkers!
-Danielelectric

Remember When?

2007-12-25T21:20:00.001-08:00

The first piece of music that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? Im thinking its 1989, im thirteen years old, and im listening to "Little Wing", by Jimi Hendrix. It's crystal clear to me even now. The biting New York winter, the crystalline ringing of the bells in the intro, mirroring the chimes hanging outside my teenage bedroom window. Now we grew up with an authentic European castle at the end of our street(I know it sounds ridiculous)So, it was probably inevitable that I would become obsessed with a band like Led Zeppelin. A band that peddles so deftly in the trade of depicting heroic archetypes and spewing mysticism with such grandiosity was bound to entrance the mind of teenagers and young men(some women too!) the world over. I was walking through the streets of my small New York town one fall day in 1989, when I came across a cassette tape quietly laying on the storm drain. I ducked in for a closer look, this tape had some MILEAGE on it. I couldn't read anything on it. All I could see were the FOUR symbols. Those of you familiar with Led Zep 4,(The one with Stairway)know what i'm talking about. I knew nothing of the band at this point. I took it home, popped it in, and was just completely taken aback. The sheer dynamics, power, and lyricism of the band was something I hadn't experienced before. I tried learning some of those songs on guitar. I had been playing for almost three years at that point. It was UGLY. Those songs were dense, and had a lot of twists and turns for an inexperienced player. Not to say that it's impossible for a kid that age to play them( i have many students who can), im just saying it's really difficult to do it without guidance. As a guitarist, Page was coming at it from so many angles. Blues(slide guitar), Country(open tunings, and major pentatonics) plus eastern influences,demoed in a song like Kashmir. The more common current running through most of the songs and solos is his use of The Blues Scale. THE most common scale used in Rock Guitar. A great example of this is "Black Dog", just a straight up A Blues Scale. Allright, i have jumped around a bit, i hope my musings have been of some enjoyment/entertainment for you. Rock On Rawkers!
-Danielelectric

What Kind Of Strings Should I Use?

2007-12-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

People are always asking me this question. First thing figure out if the strings you need are for an acoustic or an electric. There is a pretty big difference. Electric guitar strings are made out of metal wound wire, where as acoustics usually use Bronze or Phosphor Bronze Wound strings. For the people that have been playing a while you know the difference between how it feels to play an acoustic vs. an electric. In general there is much more tension in the strings on an acoustic. This makes it much harder to play. I always try to get beginning students to start out on acoustic when possible. If you start on one, its like musical character building. Its incredibly difficult to go from playing electric first. Most students that only play electric are at a loss when they first pick up an acoustic, where as vice versa most students hit the ground running. This now brings us to what brand to use? My advice is to experiment until you find a brand that truly suits your sound. The two things to really consider are the life of the strings and the gauge. You want your strings to maintain their brilliance for at least a month. In terms of this, the only trash talk i will offer goes the way of all Ernie Ball strings. They sound good for about a week, and then they're toasted. I reccomend D' Addario strings. They are extremely consistent and last a REALLY long time. By the way, i am not sponsored by D'Addario in any way shape or form, i just like 'em. Okay Gauge, this means the thickness of your strings. Strings are generally denoted by the thickness of the high e string. For instance , "I use .10's" says joe rocker. This means that the high e string is a .10 millimeter gauge string. The thicker the string, the fatter and thicker the sound. Blues guys, like SRV used .13's. Thats super thick. Very hard to play strings that thick. But listen to his sound, its undeniably fat and huge. The vintage Fender amps he had didn't hurt either. A good place to start is with .10's. That's personally what i use. I find .09's to be to tinny and prone to breaking. But dont settle, find what works for you and go from there.
Good Luck Rawkers!
-Danielelectric

That's The Way- Led Zepp

2007-12-19T20:19:00.000-08:00

Ok everyone, the awesome "That's The Way", by Led Zep from Led Zep 3.
Yet another song showcasing Jimmy Page's debt to country and blues music.
This song is not tuned to standard(aka normal tuning)
It is in an alternate tuning.(When the open strings of the guitar are tuned to the notes of a major or minor triad.)The tuning from low to high is D,G,D,G,B,D.
Good luck everyone!
-Danielelectric

Brother Ellis From Pony Pants Lesson Here!

2007-12-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

watch as cheebie 2k from pony pants shows you the finer points of finger tapping.
he is going to be a regular contributor, so expect to see him back!

New Lessons Here 12/12

2007-12-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

Rawkers,
The new lessons have arrived! Very excited to announce our first lesson by Mr. Cheebie2k, aka brother ellis. In his first video he is teaching you his special two finger tapping technique. I have also posted brand new video lessons of "Breathe", by Pink Floyd, "Norwegian Wood", by the Beatles, "That's The Way" and "Babe Im Gonna Leave You", By Led Zeppelin. All of these videos are viewable below in the orange player. If you move the mouse to the bottom of the playing video all the other videos show up as tiles to choose from. Allright guys, Enjoy!

New Lessons Coming Next Week!

2007-12-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

Hello Fellow Rawk Students,
We've got all new lessons coming next week from yours truly danielelectric. We will be fleshing out our collection of zeppelin lessons, and also adding a dash of Beatles. Another important announcement: We have taken aboard our first guitar instructor, not including myself. Please welcome cheebie2k aka brother ellis. He is of Pony Pants infamy. He will be getting down and dirty with some over the top two hand tapping techniques. Check back around tuesday.
-danielelectric

The Claw

2007-12-05T16:34:00.001-08:00

DSC01941
Originally uploaded by danielelectric

Philly Music Scene Circa 2007
There are a lot of great bands in philly right now. Pony Pants, Gang, Satanized, and Serpents of Wisdom, to name a few. This is from the night before new years 2006. During Pony Pants' set. I wouldnt be surprised if you start to recognize some of these bands names in the coming year. The scene here is really making some noise, like it hasnt in forever. There is a kinship between bands here, that not to be uber-lame but reminds me a lot of what i have read about seattle circa1989. The bands here in philly have an underdog spirit. The music of these bands is just as unlikely to get popular as Soundgarden, or Nirvana were back in the day.

New Player again Haha!

2007-12-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

new player

2007-12-04T21:03:00.001-08:00

Sign Up!

2007-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

Okay,
i have figured out the internet.
we now have 2 ways to subscribe to rawk u. We have a email subscription. Or you can get updates by our feed. Sign UP! Do IT!

Rock + or Roll

2007-11-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

Ok last post of the week. Rock and roll by led zeppelin. This tune is using whats called a I- Iv-V progression. That is it takes the first, fourth and fifth chord in the key of a major. First being A, fourth d, and fifth e. It plays the a chord for 4 measures. The d for 2. Back to a for 2 more. Then e for 2 and then 2 measures of rest or playing nothing. This is known in the business as a 12 bar blues progression. It is the founding musical blueprint for all rock music. If youre gonna learn how to rock, you NEED to know about this. Listen to any Elvis, Chuck Berry or Little Richard song, you will hear this progression. So zeppelin called this song rock and roll because it defines the very sound of the genre, the 12 bar blues.
Try it on

Over The Hills

2007-11-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

A total masterpiece from the album houses of the holy
this is a lesson that teaches over the hills and far away by led zeppelin. Take care in this song to make sure you pay close attention to the nuances of the hammer-ons, and pull-offs as they comprise the technical elements that are giving the piece its flow.
enjoy!

Black Dog!

2007-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

My Rocking Friends,
Black Dog is up for your perusal. Be patient with the main riffs both part a and b as they are very "notey" and can be a handful. take it very SLOW.

Lemon Song!

2007-11-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

As promised rockers,
here is another taste of zeppelin. try the lemon song on for size

Bring it on home!

2007-11-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Okay Rockers,
Here it is, Bring it on Home, By Led Zeppelin.
A 12 Bar blues progression in the key of E.
The chords that it is cycling between are E, A, and B.

New Video Lessons Coming This Week

2007-11-26T16:36:00.000-08:00

Hey Rockers,
We just filmed video lessons today for a bunch of Led Zep songs. By weeks end look for videos of "Over the hills and far away", "Black dog", "Rock & Roll", "That's The Way", "Thank You", "Bring it on home", and "Lemon Song". In each of the videos, we dont just play the song, we also slow it down and explain some of the music theory and techniques that are being utilized in that song.
All right until next time,

-Danielelectric

First Lesson UP!!

2007-11-20T09:22:00.000-08:00

Guys,
Our first video is up.
very exciting.
It is a lesson that teaches you how to play "Friends"
by Led Zeppelin. Its using an open tuning which you can read
about in the last post. Take it slowly at first and have patience
as working in this tuning can be a bit disorienting at first
have fun!

Tune Up Guys!

2007-11-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

hey people,
today i want to talk about Alternate Tunings.
Alternate Tuning is when the six strings of the guitar,
usually tuned E, A, D, G, B, E , are tuned to notes of a major or minor chord.
For instance, a popular one is called open G. In it, we are utilizing the notes of an
open g chord, tuned G, B, D, G, B, E. Two really cool songs that use this tuning are,
"That's The Way", and "Traveling Riverside Blues", by Led Zeppelin.
Alternate tunings offer different sonic and chord possiblities, since the normal
intervallic relationships that usually exist when the guitar is tuned standard
no longer apply. Just tune your guitar to an open tuning and let your hands wander,
you will find something unique and cool sounding.
Another tuning that Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin uses is a C6 tuning.
What is C6 you may be asking? C6 is a cmajor chord with an interval of a 6th in it.
In this case that note would be an A. So the tuning goes: C, A, C, G, C, E
Some Zep songs that use this tuning are: "Friends". from led zep 3,
and "Bron-Y-Aur", from Physical Grafitti. Open tunings can be found
often in blues music played with a slide. Many blues players prefer
these open tunings because it allows them the ability to play full chords with
just one finger because of the way the notes line up when the guitar is
in these alternate tunings.
Good Luck Rockers!

Hello Fellow Rockers!

2007-11-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
This blog is focused on the art of playing ROCK GUITAR!
It is our goal here at RAWKU to provide the most useful, direct,
and accurate Lessons and Tips on how to play rock music on
Guitar. The Lessons are going to have something for everyone.
Total beginner thru advanced tips for shredding on things like Jazz
and classical. In our infancy, look for a new lesson starting once a week.
As we grow here we're going to offer Guitar lessons from a variety of
instructors. And in the future, we look to be adding lessons in other instruments
such as Drums, and Bass. If your looking to learn just a few chords, or if you have
all the modes of the melodic minor scale under your fingertips, we can help YOU!
CHECK BACK OFTEN!
-DanielElectric