Lick My Pick #6
0 Comments Published by Kevin Broken Scar on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 10:00 AM.
Since I've hurt my arm over the weekend from too much mixing, I decided to go easy on my playing and do a small easy lick instead. I don't think this is very Paul Gilbert sounding and I think it's more John Mayer inspired. It's a little more bluesy and I use it a lot to connect licks. It's also pretty cool to cycle these notes and play each note in this lick in different patterns to get really cool sounds. Explore and have fun with it!
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----------------------12h14~p12------------------------------------------
----------9h11s13-----------------13s11~---------------------------------
--9h11---------------------------------------------------------------------
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h = hammer on
p = pull off
s = slide
~ = sustain
The video and the tab should explain it all. I played it on the neck pickup, just to give it that fat and warm tone to create a fluid and easy flowing sound.
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----------------------12h14~p12------------------------------------------
----------9h11s13-----------------13s11~---------------------------------
--9h11---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
h = hammer on
p = pull off
s = slide
~ = sustain
The video and the tab should explain it all. I played it on the neck pickup, just to give it that fat and warm tone to create a fluid and easy flowing sound.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: John Mayer, Lick My Pick, Paul Gilbert
A friend of the wife and I bought this for us from Japan! I've always loved lego but nano blocks take it to another level of difficulty. The blocks are so tiny they make my fingers look like giant blobs of fat.
A comparison between a lego block and the nano block! The nano block truly lives up to its name!
The finished product. We took our time to put this together over a few days, savoring the process. We had to redo a few steps too as the instructions were all in Japanese but it was heaps of fun.
A comparison between a lego block and the nano block! The nano block truly lives up to its name!
The finished product. We took our time to put this together over a few days, savoring the process. We had to redo a few steps too as the instructions were all in Japanese but it was heaps of fun.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: Nano Blocks
Lick My Pick #5
2 Comments Published by Kevin Broken Scar on Wednesday, February 03, 2010 at 2:05 PM.
This lick is really cool because you don't need to play super fast to achieve a cool sound. Picking the notes on their own may not sound like much, as you can see in the first part of the video but turn on the delay and it brings this lick to life. The delays actually make it sound like you're playing really fast. The catch though is that you need to play very consistently in time so that the picked notes don't clash with the delayed notes.
Paul Gilbert calls the repeats caused by the delay effect the dotted 8th notes because you are playing the line in 8's and the delayed notes fill the gaps. I guess the best way to understand this whole concept is to watch a video of the man himself explaining it. Check it out!
This is my version in the key of C#m.
-----------------------------11----------12-------------------------------
------------------9---12----------12--------------------------------------
--------9---11-------------------------------------------------------------
--11-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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There are so many creative ways of using the delay effect and this is just one of them. In this exercise, I used my Marshall Echohead, set to Hi Fi mode (digital delay) and the the repeat function is set to just do one repeat. Similar to what Paul Gilbert did in his video. It's funny how I never knew how to really use a delay pedal until now. Usually, I would just use the tap function on the pedal and tap in the temp of a song I'm playing, set it to have about 40% repeats and at half the volume of the original notes. More on delays in the future.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: Lick My Pick, Paul Gilbert
Over the last two years, I’ve found that I have a compulsion to try every new thing in sight. It need not be expensive technology toys. It could be simple things like a new flavour of jam or the latest fruit in season. It could even be opening a bottle of wine that I’ve never tasted before. After all, little things are easier to afford and obtain. I can’t be buying new guitars every week right? Although I wish I could. There’s just such a thrill just because the object is new, whatever it may be.
I am prolonging my next string change because as long as I don’t need a string change yet, my Ernie Ball Power Peg, motorised string winder will remain new. I have become quite a bit of a gear nut recently too and I realised the gear I buy need not even be new from the factory. High quality second hand gear makes me happy too. The worst part is, my wish list has not gotten any shorter. I've still got a few things on the "to buy" list.
Okay, I’m beginning to sound a bit too materialistic already. I am a simple man. All the material things I think about is guitars and everything related to it. Is it really that bad? I’m sure everyone loves new things too? Are these signs of me turning into a shopaholic? Errr...
I am prolonging my next string change because as long as I don’t need a string change yet, my Ernie Ball Power Peg, motorised string winder will remain new. I have become quite a bit of a gear nut recently too and I realised the gear I buy need not even be new from the factory. High quality second hand gear makes me happy too. The worst part is, my wish list has not gotten any shorter. I've still got a few things on the "to buy" list.
Okay, I’m beginning to sound a bit too materialistic already. I am a simple man. All the material things I think about is guitars and everything related to it. Is it really that bad? I’m sure everyone loves new things too? Are these signs of me turning into a shopaholic? Errr...
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: Ernie Ball Power Peg
A BV Misconception
0 Comments Published by Kevin Broken Scar on Monday, February 01, 2010 at 3:13 PM.
I worked with an awesome band yesterday morning but the highlight for me was one of the backup vocalists. She was amazing! Backup vocalists are usually called BVs for short and I'm beginning to think that people have misinterpreted that abbreviation. I've heard some people referring to it as "background" vocalist and to me there's a huge difference between the two words.
If you refer to a BV as a background vocalist, it somehow lessens their worth and contribution as if they're just singing quietly in the background while the lead singer takes the spotlight. Backup is the right word because they are the support for the lead singer. I think BVs are as important as any member of the band. It takes skill and an awesome tone to be BV. It doesn't mean that if you're a great lead singer, you can automatically be a BV. There's just such a tremedous amount of control involved. I was reminded about the studio sessions when I was recording the BVs for my songs, especially Shooting Star. Sel, who was co-producing definitely pushed me hard and opened up many doors. Since then, I've realised that BV was much harder than singing the lead melody.
I get excited when I hear a BV who has great tone and holds the harmony down solid. Yesterday morning was one of those times.
If you refer to a BV as a background vocalist, it somehow lessens their worth and contribution as if they're just singing quietly in the background while the lead singer takes the spotlight. Backup is the right word because they are the support for the lead singer. I think BVs are as important as any member of the band. It takes skill and an awesome tone to be BV. It doesn't mean that if you're a great lead singer, you can automatically be a BV. There's just such a tremedous amount of control involved. I was reminded about the studio sessions when I was recording the BVs for my songs, especially Shooting Star. Sel, who was co-producing definitely pushed me hard and opened up many doors. Since then, I've realised that BV was much harder than singing the lead melody.
I get excited when I hear a BV who has great tone and holds the harmony down solid. Yesterday morning was one of those times.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
I couldn't wait to get home to grab some dinner earlier tonight so I jumped on the first tram in sight from Richmond back to the city only to realise I didn't have the keys to my apartment! The worst thing was I didn't forget to bring my keys. I deliberately left them at home thinking I wouldn't need to rush home today. Add this to my silliness list, I know.
The hunger drove me nuts and the tram ride coupled with the heat today didn't help at all. I was starving so bad that everything was spinning and I was literally seeing stars. The good thing was I had my wallet with me so I bought myself a meatball sub from Subway and devoured it! Then I went and bought a slurpee from seven eleven! Now that was all done, the heat was still getting to me and I still had no access to my apartment.
So I headed back into the city hoping to browse JB Hi Fi but it was closed! Since I was around Chinatown, I hit up the arcades! Before I knew it, time passed and the wife came to my rescue.
The hunger drove me nuts and the tram ride coupled with the heat today didn't help at all. I was starving so bad that everything was spinning and I was literally seeing stars. The good thing was I had my wallet with me so I bought myself a meatball sub from Subway and devoured it! Then I went and bought a slurpee from seven eleven! Now that was all done, the heat was still getting to me and I still had no access to my apartment.
So I headed back into the city hoping to browse JB Hi Fi but it was closed! Since I was around Chinatown, I hit up the arcades! Before I knew it, time passed and the wife came to my rescue.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
I feel extremely silly today and it's been bothering me all day that I messed up my MSN and Hotmail. No thanks to my impatience, I messed things all up. I mean, it is as easy as signing up for a new account and I'll be back in the game go but the part that frustrates me the most now is the fear of losing all my contacts.
I guess a good thing that can come out of this is it frees up some time for me to spend the extra hours on practice! Or watching the Australian Open. Yes, I got sucked in. We'll see...
I guess a good thing that can come out of this is it frees up some time for me to spend the extra hours on practice! Or watching the Australian Open. Yes, I got sucked in. We'll see...
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
More Limelight Photos
2 Comments Published by Kevin Broken Scar on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 3:10 PM.
These amazing photos were taken by the one and only, Mr. Alvin Wong. Check out more photos, awesome captions and review of the night on Alvin's blog. Alvin did the captions so well, I don't feel the need to do so here.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: Broken Scar Gigs, The Limelight
Come On Asami, Let's Dance
0 Comments Published by Kevin Broken Scar on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 1:14 PM.
Here's what Asami, Julian and myself got up to last Thursday at The Limelight. All the rehearsals were leading up to this collaboration and we had a blast! Thanks for uploading the video Asami! Once again, thanks heaps to the awesome audience for coming down to the show as well.
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: Broken Scar Gigs, Broken Scar Video
Here's lick #4, in the key of C#m. This is a slightly longer lick I've been working on and as you can see, it is very Paul Gilbert-inspired. There's lots of hammer-ons and pull-offs in there that makes the lick sound really smooth, as if the notes stick together. Of course, it works great too if you pick all the notes individually. I've seen lots of guitarist pick through their licks accurately with lightning speed and that is pretty impressive.
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--------------------------9h10p9-------9h10h12------------------------------------
--8h9p8-------8h9h11------------11------------------------------------------------
-----------11-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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--9h11p9-------9--11--12--11--12--14--12--14--16-----------------------------
------------12------------------------------------------------------------------------
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h = Hammer-on
p = Pull-off
I guess the tab is quite self explanatory. Again, I used directional picking for this lick. I find this lick really challenges me to play it as cleanly as possible, muting the unplayed strings with my palm and not hitting unwanted strings as I go up the frets.
This lick doesn't use the pinky too much, but just enough for me to work out the coordination between all four fingers. My pinky has always been the weakest finger and after my volleyball injury, it actually became worse. However, the more I practice and use my pinky, the more it regains strength.
I think this lick sounds really cool too as it evokes a feeling of running from one place to another, with a sense of purpose and direction. It feels like running the last 10 metres in a 100m race to me.
This version in the video is played with a slightly different feel. Notice the last few notes of the lick on the 1st string are picked in staccato making it a little more tense, I reckon. There are always options and this is one of them.
Enjoy!
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All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
All Broken Scar's music is available on www.reverbnation.com/brokenscar
Labels: Lick My Pick, Paul Gilbert
