Wong Notes

Paul Gilbert’s Shred School Is in Session

Thu Dec 29 2022

musicguitarrock

Description

The episode covers Corey Wong's reflections on the past year, the upcoming release of Volfpack's new record, discussions with Paul Gilbert about guitars, insights on high action on guitars and Van Halen songs, vibrato techniques and upright bass solos, guitar techniques and authenticity, incorporating keyboards into music, competition among guitar players, lessons and techniques for guitar players, insights on picking techniques and phrase architecture, developing fast playing and controlling distortion, muting techniques and pick scratch.

Insights

Different guitar setups and techniques affect the quality of vibrato.

Vibrato should be intentional and not just a hand movement without affecting the string.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of authenticity and not misleading audiences.

Technical facility is important for guitar players, but it becomes harder to maintain as they get older.

The speaker suggests using lighter strings and taking breaks during performances to preserve technical ability.

Not every note needs to be picked, and many reliable and good-sounding phrases are not built that way.

The speaker developed their fast playing intuitively by adapting licks to different tempos while playing in bands as a teenager.

Being able to control distortion through muting allows for more expressive playing.

Muting involves using the fingertips and flesh of the right hand to control the strings.

Paul Gilbert emphasizes that bedroom players can benefit from learning these muting techniques without damaging their hearing like he did.

Chapters

Corey Wong's Reflections and Volfpack's New Record
Paul Gilbert as a Guest and Discussion on Guitars
High Action on Guitars and Van Halen Songs
Vibrato Techniques and Upright Bass Solos
Guitar Techniques and Authenticity
Authenticity and Incorporating Keyboards
Competition Among Guitar Players and Respect in the Community
Lessons and Techniques for Guitar Players
Insights on Picking Techniques and Phrase Architecture
Developing Fast Playing and Controlling Distortion
Muting Techniques and Pick Scratch

Summary

Transcript

Corey Wong's Reflections and Volfpack's New Record

00:03 - 06:49

Corey Wong reflects on the past year and expresses excitement about his podcast
He announces the upcoming release of his band Volfpack's new record called Shvet
The record was recorded in five days at Theo's house and has a sauna-themed room
Corey hints at upcoming announcements from Volfpack

Paul Gilbert as a Guest and Discussion on Guitars

06:36 - 14:06

Corey introduces Paul Gilbert as a guest on the podcast
Paul Gilbert is known for his iconic albums and instructional videos for guitar players
The podcast episode with Paul Gilbert begins with Corey expressing admiration for him
They discuss guitars, including Corey's interest in buying one similar to Paul's guitar

High Action on Guitars and Van Halen Songs

13:43 - 21:45

The trick with high action on a guitar is adjusting the truss rod.
Loosening the truss rod can lower the action and make it easier to play certain notes.
The truss rod matters more in the lower area of the guitar where sliding can get ugly.
Playing chords with distortion can turn into mush, so arpeggiating or using a keyboard player is a solution.
The interviewee has learned many Van Halen songs and can play them if needed, but doesn't attempt to replicate the solos exactly.
Eddie Van Halen's rhythm playing has nuance and intentionality that often goes unnoticed.

Vibrato Techniques and Upright Bass Solos

21:21 - 27:56

Guitar players have license to suck, unlike harpsichord players who don't have vibrato due to the nature of their instrument.
Different guitar setups and techniques affect the quality of vibrato.
Eddie Van Halen's vibrato on certain notes is highly regarded.
The '70s was a time when many guitarists had excellent vibrato skills.
John Mayer discussed nuances of vibrato in different areas of the neck during an interview.
Vibrato should be intentional and not just a hand movement without affecting the string.
Classical guitars have different strings and require a different approach to vibrato.
Big hands can help with achieving certain types of vibrato on low strings.
Brian May's style has a distinctive character, but some squeeze-style vibratos may sound unintentional.
Upright bass solos are challenging due to the nature of the instrument, but some players excel at it.
The speaker admits that his upright bass playing videos were faked using an electric bass recorded in a loop pedal.

Guitar Techniques and Authenticity

27:28 - 34:08

The speaker practiced a guitar technique multiple times before performing it at a clinic.
He used a loop pedal and added transitions to make the performance more impressive.
He jokingly claimed to be able to play guitar sweeps with his teeth and ass.
The speaker emphasized that beginners should focus on learning to play real gigs before attempting such techniques.
He discussed the importance of authenticity and not misleading audiences.
The interviewer praised the speaker's entertaining personality and asked if it was intentional or a character.
The speaker mentioned feeling limited in expressing his true self during certain performances.
He talked about his solo albums and instructional materials, initially being concerned about showing his goofy side but eventually embracing it.

Authenticity and Incorporating Keyboards

33:40 - 40:48

The speaker initially didn't want to let their goofy side out and wanted to maintain a cool rock star image.
Over time, they realized that being their authentic self was easier and attracted a niche audience.
They acknowledge that being authentic can sometimes be embarrassing but also rewarding.
The speaker reflects on their past as part of the heyday of rock music and acknowledges the ridiculousness of the era.
They mention being influenced by the movie 'Spinal Tap' and realizing how ridiculous they were.
Despite feeling ridiculous, they also recognized the awesomeness of their music and entertainment value.
The guitar played a central role in their music during that era, and they were initially against incorporating keyboards into their songs.
However, they admit that it's hard to hold onto that purity now and appreciate other genres like jazz saxophone players from the past.
The speaker discusses Van Halen's transition to incorporating keyboards into their music and how it affected the band's sound.
They emphasize the importance of Alex Van Halen's drumming style in creating the unique feel of Van Halen's music.

Competition Among Guitar Players and Respect in the Community

40:20 - 46:45

Eddie Van Halen's guitar playing had a unique feel that set him apart from other musicians.
In the 80s, there was competition among guitar players for recognition and success.
The interviewee didn't have many interactions with other guitar players due to being focused on practicing.
Meeting famous musicians like Rush and Aerosmith was intimidating for the interviewee.
Joe Perry from Aerosmith seemed less friendly compared to the members of Rush.
The interviewee feels respected as a guitar player in the current community.

Lessons and Techniques for Guitar Players

46:18 - 53:31

Joe Perry might have been intimidated by the host's love for Aerosmith records
The host has a special place for Joe Perry because he got one of his guitar picks in seventh grade
The host doesn't expect much from talking to musicians, just wants to listen to them
The host starts his lessons with music and tries to teach through phrases rather than words
He pays attention to students' playing and helps them with specific techniques
Technical facility is important for guitar players, but it becomes harder to maintain as they get older
The host suggests using lighter strings and taking breaks during performances to preserve technical ability
He also mentions that different guitar players have unique approaches to playing fast phrases

Insights on Picking Techniques and Phrase Architecture

53:05 - 1:00:17

Not every note needs to be picked, and many reliable and good-sounding phrases are not built that way.
Using slow down tools, it can be observed that even in seemingly all-picked phrases, there are hammer-ons and pull-offs present.
Emergency picking is necessary for certain phrases where a note is played twice or more.
Obsessive picking can make playing unnecessarily difficult.
Different people have different hand anatomy and activate their fast twitch muscles in various ways when playing with the right hand.
The most common mistakes in right hand single note technique include trying to pick everything without considering phrase architecture and choosing unpickable phrases.
Descending fours can be played with pull-offs instead of picking every note.
The key is to choose techniques that sound good and work well for the individual player.

Developing Fast Playing and Controlling Distortion

59:48 - 1:07:25

The speaker initially didn't think they could do picking stuff, but a fellow student showed them and it worked.
The speaker wrote songs with picking in them, but overall it's not that useful of a lick.
The speaker prefers fast stuff with a pulse and more notes than is correct, giving it an organic feeling.
They give an example of a Van Halen-like lick that is not real square and has a hyperspeed blues feel.
The speaker developed their fast playing intuitively by adapting licks to different tempos while playing in bands as a teenager.
Students often struggle with getting into and out of one lick and adjusting to tempo changes.
The speaker tries to undo the damage caused by tablature, emphasizing the importance of muting and controlling distortion for rock players.
They learned left hand muting from experience with loud amplifiers in small rooms.
Being able to control distortion through muting allows for more expressive playing.
Many shred guitarists are cautious players who struggle with muting due to lack of experience or emphasis on detail.
The speaker uses the metaphor of painting a straight line on a blackboard to explain the benefits of muting using larger motions rather than being overly careful.

Muting Techniques and Pick Scratch

1:06:59 - 1:11:59

The process of muting while playing rock guitar with distortion is challenging and time-consuming.
Muting involves using the fingertips and flesh of the right hand to control the strings.
Different techniques are required depending on the location of the notes being played.
Muting is easier on lower strings as the left hand can do most of the work.
For higher notes, additional muting techniques like cross-palm muting are necessary.
Muting is also important for slide playing to maintain control over the notes.
Paul Gilbert emphasizes that bedroom players can benefit from learning these muting techniques without damaging their hearing like he did.
Pick scratch is another technique that adds texture to guitar playing.