EP Review: Falter - Falter

I remember the first time I saw this band live was at the Ship Inn in Preston and I thought this was a band that was going to go on and do something amazing. The potential of these musicians is something not commonly seen in the local pub scene of Preston. Later I read reviews of the following shows and of recordings and saw a few comparisons to early funeral for a friend. This was something unexpected, had they progressed that far in such a short time? Well today I got hold of an online copy of their EP which has been out for a while now but I just had to do a quick review.

The three track EP has a lashings of influence from a wide range of bands, including the before mentioned Matt Davis and a little of Matt Skiba. This is not however merely a sound-a-like band they bring their own style that underpins every song giving a sense of true continuity through the EP.

Track one Hundred Reasons, Probably my favourite. Has a more alt-punk emo feel than the other songs. Feedback starts the track to set up a powerful guitar part to carry along the vocals which flick back and forth between the screaming and clean vocals that Falter are known for.

Track two is a slower track, clean vocals and softer guitar give a very mellow start to this one. Its got a section of Woah! Woah! …not sure if they didn’t have enough lyrics but who cares it sounds cool. About half way through the distortion breaks the relaxed feel like a sledgehammer and gives the track some new life. It returns to the mellower part and back again for a rocky ending. At first I was worried that they had gone too soft rock but the ending saved it.

Final track another slow start leading to a rocky chorus, This song has a very familiar feel and plays through very well.

In all not a bad first effort from the Falter lads. Guitars, bass and drums are strong throughout. Whilst I am a huge fan of Tom Eccles, there are a few points in the EP where the vocals fell a little flat and he is an exceptional vocalist and I felt like with a bit more work/studio time It could’ve been more polished. 

Check out Falter for yourself here: 

http://falter.bandcamp.com/album/falter

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How To: Read Guitar Tablature

Since so many guitarists are self-taught or have had a few lessons from a friend it is common that they have not had much need or want to learn to sight read music. Tablature (tab) is a method of explaining a piece of music in a more visual way and can be much easier to understand for the guitarist as the information is laid out in a way that directly reflects the strings and frets of the guitar.

The strings are on lines that are usually labelled and fret positions are shown by numbers on the lines. Most often the low E string (thickest) is the bottom line and the high e (thinnest) is the top line for a piece in standard tuning. The vertical lines usually show a point where the piece of music will repeat from but can also show bars of music depending on the writer of the tab.

Standard tuning tab.

e---------------|-----------------
B---------------|-----------------
G---------------|-----------------
D---------------|-----------------
A---------------|-----------------
E---------------|-----------------

The numbers on the lines show you which fret to play on the guitar. below is the C major scale this would be played by putting your finger just behind fret number 3 on the A string (2nd thickest) then the 5th fret on the same string. We then move to the next string, D, and play the second, third and fifth frets and on the G string second fourth and fifth frets.

The notes in this scale are C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C …Hey I bet you didn’t expect to learn that in a tab lesson.

The C major scale

e------------------|
B------------------|
G------------2-4-5-|
D------2-3-5-------|
A--3-5-------------|
E------------------|

Chords

Chords are written with all the notes stacked on top of each other below is the chord progression G, C the D. Note that on the C and D chords there are strings that are not labelled with a note, Simply do not strum those strings. 

e--3--0--3--|
B--0--1--2--|
G--0--0--3--|
D--0--2--0--|
A--2--3-----|
E--3--------|

The major drawback to using tabs rather than standard sheet music is that there is no set way to show how long to hold the notes (however some people try to show it with larger gaps between notes that are held for longer). It is important that you listen closely to the music to hear where the notes change then play along with it until you have it in your memory.

Now for some of the symbols you will find in tabs:

Bends are common in solos, start by fretting the note as normal then bend it until it sounds the same as the next semi tone or next note. This is another time you’re going to have to listen to the music to figure out what to do!

 

e-----------------------------
B--------------7b-----7b------
G—9b----9b--------------------
D-----------------------------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

Sometimes it is written like this when you need to bend the note and move to the next note quickly.

e-----------------------------
B-------------7b5---7b5-------
G—9b7---9b7-------------------
D-----------------------------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

Also common is the slide represented by / just fret the note then slide your finger to the note on the other side of the symbol.

e-----------------------------
B-------------7/5---7/9-------
G—9/7---9/11------------------
D-----------------------------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

Vibrato is like a wobble sound made by bending the string a small amount up and down quickly and can be shown by either v or ~.

e-----------------------------
B-------------7~--------------
G—9v--------------------------
D-----------------------------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

Hammer on is a technique found across the board in guitar music and you fret the first note, pick it then “hammer on” the next note with another finger. In the example below play all the notes on the 9^th fret with your index finger and after you pick it hit your ring finger down on the 11^th fret to make the note ring out without picking again.

 

 e---------------------7h9-------- 

B-----------------7h9------------
G—------------7h9----------------
D---------7h9--------------------
A-----7h9------------------------
E—7h9----------------------------

Just as common is the pull off which is the exact opposite try fretting both notes at the same time pluck the string then “pull off” your ring finger to leave your index finger playing a note without plucking again.

e—9p7----------------------------
B-----9p7------------------------
G—--------9p7--------------------
D-------------9p7----------------
A-----------------9p7------------
E—--------------------9p7--------

With a little practice you should be playing your favourite songs in no time at all. 

If there is anything I have missed or anything you would like to know more about please feel free to drop a comment in the box below!

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Squire Vintage Modified Jazz Bass

The 2010 model I am currently playing is my everyday bass, I has a maple neck and fingerboard the standard 20 frets with the big black inlays that along with the black binding give it its vintage look. It’s a maple body with a polyurethane clear coat finish. At first thaught it would’ve been nice to see a nitro finish but for the money and considering how often I use this bass the polyeurathane is much more hardwearing so its probably a good thing here. Standard fender style hardware in chrome with the clover look tuners and standard volume volume tone controls, the Duncan designed pickups go well with the overall aesthetic of the guitar.

This is a great guitar suited to most genres, its got a very bright and breezy sound in comparison to the Ibanez ART bass I traded in to get this. The wood looks great with the natural finish. A big full sound is achieved with the Duncan designed pickups and I have to say I was supprised much better than any other squire bass ive played in the past.  Other than this typical jazz bass tone is available in heaps, warm  full tone from the neck and that top end punch that sounds great with finger style funk stuff.

Factory setup was reasonable I make a point of going over every thing with a fine tooth comb pretty soon after I get it. Intonation was reasonable and relief in the neck was good but the action was a little high for me and the strings on it were cheap but it’s an easy fix.

When reviewing cheaper basses it’s easy to look at information like this and get hung up on details like the action and the setup but don’t forget that its easy to do yourself and if your spending your money in their establishment they probably should set it up for you so always ask if they will do a free set up when you buy it.

I have been using this bass as my main guitar for quite a while now and have never had any issues with it. I origionally bought it as a backup to my MIM 5 string fender but now use it as my main bass since its so easy to play.

So In summary this is an excellent bass for the beginner looking to pay a little more for a quality instrument or as a backup and even as a main bass for the more advanced. It competes well with the Mexican basses I have owned. The looks of this bass are amazing and the build quality is almost perfect. 

This is by far the best squire bass I have played and would definitely recommend it!!

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Jeremiah Ferrari and Cactus Knife at the Imperial, Chorley

Cactus Knife

The opening act at the imperial is many a local bands first live experience but few are as strong as the set performed by Cactus Knife. Their sound was grungy, psychedelic and towards the end even leaning in the direction of an early Weezer. 

The first few songs follow a similar train of thought starting off slow and rhythmic but catchy enough to draw you in then leading into a more powerful sound to put a smile on the face of any rock crowd. Towards the middle of the set was an instrumental section which was much more upbeat followed by what they jokingly described as their new reggae song dedicated to the headline act that night Jeramiah Ferrari. In truth this song had a very familiar sound and sat well with the rest of the tracks that night only with the inclusion of an offbeat guitar to lighten the mood.

Cactus Knife was reaching the end of the set with only a few songs left to play. Their confidence was high and rightly so. They seemed more focussed and well-rehearsed as they pull the already close crowd in right up to the microphones.  The announcement comes that there are two songs left and I miss the name of the next one. The bass and drums start, its punchy and aggressive, the dual vocals that have been somewhat muted so far come alive and they break into a powerful chorus followed by further verse and practiced guitar parts. Its 10 pm and the last song is about to start a quick look around sees the Imperial has really filled up and the crowd are waiting.

The final song by Cactus Knife is different the first few notes made me look up and pay attention. The track has a much more blues feel but still with the grunge rock attitude. There is a greater energy to this one, the vocals are strong and confident and push the song on to its conclusion.

All in all an excellent first “proper” show from Cactus Knife and can’t wait to hear them again.

Jeramiah Ferrari

I have spoken to many friends about this band over the last year after hearing a few of their MP3’s online and their reputation is widespread as a very professional enjoyable group. The day before I saw them in The Imperial Chorley I managed to get a look at their video for Mindless Riots my first thought was towards weather bands of this genre still pull in the crowds and whether they would be as entertaining live…

last night I got my answer.

Jeramiah Ferrari could possibly be the best band I have seen so far this year. With their catchy guitars, super smooth vocals and bass lines played with such ease their brand of chilled out feel good tunes ended the night in such a way every person in the venue left with a smile and at least one song stuck in their heads.

At this point I feel I should point out that as a musician (bass player) my first serious band was a ska group back when ska punk bands like Less Than Jake and Capdown where starting to be phased out in the local venues and club nights for the more “trendy” emo and metal bands of the time so I have a real appreciation for the amount of work it takes to get a ska band the recognition it deserves in these hard times of music venues shutting down and the ever more common pay to play shows.

Anyway enough about myself, the review of Jeramiah Ferrari is as follows:

It’s a mix of reggae, ska, punk and rocksteady that at first listen screams Sublime to me but as I stood in the imperial listening to Mr Ryan Barton sing with a passion and conviction familiar to the late sublime vocalist I realised there was something else.  Ryan is one of the most engaging frontmen I have seen in a band regardless of genre in a long time, his cheeky banter with the crowd draws people in and his performance holds them there for the whole set.  Bass player Hanson Pollitt plays on stage with some serious style locking into Stuart Welch’s drumming with driving reggae bass lines and solid backing vocals with total ease, Even equipment failure couldn’t deter this guy a string snaps ¾ of the way into a song and he barely bats an eyelid he just goes on to the end of the song and with a shout to the Cactus Knife guys a new bass appears and the show resumes like nothing had happened.

The show had started with a short instrumental, now I’m not sure if this was just a warm up or something for the guys to do while they were tuning but It got the whole room in the mood for what was to come setting the tone for the remainder of the set.

The stand out track of the night was Scarlett, which began typical of their style but towards the end the guitar solo was reminiscent of RX Bandits. This was closely followed by a cover but more on that later.

The band also played some of their newer material including Island Girl, a slower number that had the crowd skanking in unison which is something I don’t believe I have ever seen in the Imperial before.

The end of the set arrived and cheers for more and some persuasion of the sound tech lead to one of the best reggae covers I have seen live it was Toots and the Maytals classic 54-46 That’s my Number. See the video below (apologies in advance for the poor video quality…it was dark and there’s no light on my camera). 

If you’re a promoter BOOK THIS BAND!! …..If not go get the CD

I will be following this band with great interest over the coming months and can’t wait to see more of them. Hopefully next time I will remember to take notes and can give you a more detailed review!

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So You Want To Learn Guitar?

So yeah I guess if you’ve made it this far you probably can already play the guitar but just maybe you’re thinking of learning, if so this article is for YOU! First off I’m not going to recommend any specific online courses because there are too many out there and I haven’t checked out nearly enough of them. What I will tell you is the things you probably should figure out before you start any lessons.

These are a bunch of techniques that you must learn before you can play anything on guitar but don’t worry they’re super basic.

Are you going to play with your fingers or with a pick?

Finger style playing is most commonly used for classical and flamenco guitar where picking more than one string at a time is important. Playing with a pick or plectrum is more common and seen in nearly every other form of guitar music, its louder and in many respects much easier. In the long run it is your decision about what makes you feel the most comfortable.

Fingerpicking relies on you using your thumb and one or more fingers to pick the notes some people use their fingernails whilst others use finger picks and many just use the tips of their fingers. It is possible to use all five fingers but the majority of people use their little finger to anchor their hand to help them find the strings. An Issue with anchoring is that whilst it may make playing easier it will deaden the sound of an acoustic guitar.

The style generally involves picking the notes of a chord individually to produce a melody and can be used on both electric and acoustic guitars

Now onto using a plectrum…

The plectrum is held as shown in the picture although it is possible to hold it in other ways and you should work with it however you feel most comfortable, Strum from the wrist as much as possible moving your arm at the elbow will get tiring very quickly.

As you learn you first chords it will be difficult to control your fingers as you change the positions but after a while the muscles will develop and you will become much more dexterous so DON’T GIVE UP!!

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Guitar Effect Pedals

If you’re reading this you’re probably thinking about buying some guitar effects. You probably already know what kind of sound you are trying to make and are trying to figure out which of the MASSIVE range of pedals that are out there will suit your needs. There is a pedal or rack mount to give every tone and every sound you can imagine and I challenge you to find a professional musician that doesn’t use at least one effect either live or in the studio. The fact is that pretty much any time you hear an electric guitar you’re probably hearing it being played through an effect of some sort.

Many guitarists have become very well known for the use of effects in adding a new characteristic to their playing. As I write this I particularly have Tom Morello in mind from Rage Against The Machine a guitarist who has gone beyond the stage of using pedals and even uses the guitar controls themselves to give an “effect”, I am of course talking about that killswich made stuttering he is renowned for. Many other guitarists have become forever linked to the pedals that have given their sound such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Ibanez Tube Screamer and Hendrix and his Fuzz Face pedal. 

The Huge variety of effect pedals is made even more daunting by the plethora of manufacturers but some of my personal preferences are Boss, MXR and DigiTech.

Here is a quick rundown of various effects on the market and what they do.

Distortion

There are several types of distortion but generally come from the clipping of the guitar signal by an increase in gain within the pedal several also use harmonic multiplication. You can find distortion effects built into many amplifiers and can even get an overdrive distortion sound just by turning your input gain right up on many amps…so no pedal required :D

Overdrive is the most common distortion and all it does is boost the signal of your guitar to the point where it is outside of the range that the amplifier or speaker can reproduce. They are available in Tube, Tube emulation and digital varieties.

Crunch pedals such as the Tube Screamer mentioned before are similar the use of a vacuum tube causes compression of the sound and at high level gives a very gritty sound, but just before the point of total distortion they make a very thick tone …think Santana.

Fuzz in my opinion sounds like you have trashed your speaker. In fact this is what a lot of the guitarists back in the 60’s used to do this on purpose to get a fuzzy tone. The pedals are just an emulation of this.

EQ pedals

Does what it says on the tin. If your amp isn’t giving you enough control over which frequencies to cut and boost or you want to boost a certain frequency range so you can be heard over the bass player you want to get y

ourself one of these.

Wah pedals

They have a big footplate that rocks back and forth, a frequency is chosen by how far back or forward the plate is and that is boosted by the pedal. Rocking it back and forth gives a sweeping sound. Very commonly used in the 60’s and 70’s for psychedelic rock bands and also funk. Also available in an auto version which sweeps through the frequencies for you.

Volume pedals

They look like a wah pedal but turn your volume up and down…not complicated at all.

Tremolo

Turns your volume up and down at a certain rate causing a fluttering sound, the more tremolo you put on the more cut in the sound and there is usually a speed control for how quickly you want it to change volumes. I like these.

Compressor

Compressors are useful for when you want to smooth out the volume of your guitar playing. They are very common with bass players. Be warned though compression is very rarely needed when you are using a distorted sound therefor If you plan on playing in a metal band your probably not gonna need one.

Delay pedals

A copy of the signal is made and it is repeated a set number of times. The modern digital delays are much cleaner sounding and are my personal preference. They are widely used a good example of the delay pedal is nearly any track by U2.

Loop pedals

Similar to a delay but allows you to play a couple of bars of music and the repeats them for you to play over the top. Very popular with several YouTube artists at the moment.

Reverb

Reverb pedals are very common, they emulate the sound of playing in a room giving the guitar tone a more real presence. This is used a great deal in studio when trying to make sounds more natural.

Flanger

Back in the days of tape reels and men in white coats in recording studios this effect was created by slowing down the tape by pressing something into the edge (or flange) of the tape real to slow it down then allowing it to speed back up. The sound of a flanger is hard to describe, try having a look around YouTube for some samples if you haven’t heard one before. Randy Roads and Van Halen both use a MXR flanger.

Chorus

This splits the guitar signal then slightly modifies one to give the sound of two or more guitars playing at the same time.

Octavers and pitch shifters

These pedals mix the guitar signal with a synthesized copy. The synthesized copy is at a different pitch to the original sound. This can be done to create a harmony type sound where the pitch is added to say a fifth of it or in the case of an octaver it mixes the sound with either an octave higher or lower. Basically they do what it says on the label.

These are just a few of the pedals out there and this is by no means an extensive list. I hope you enjoyed the read and have fun choosing your new pedals.

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