November 2005 up-date: Clips of Justin King, POM, and more will be veiwable at Skinny Devil TV soon! I'd also like to congratulate Justin on his recent Epic Records signing! I originally wrote a piece on "Percussion Concepts for Acoustic Guitar" for Insane Guitar (Insanity 101 [#10]) last year due to several requests concerning "radical acoustic players". In it, I discussed some percussion devices used by flamenco players like Paco deLucia, "New Age" players like Michael Hedges and Preston Reed, and the like. I've been asked to expand on that by various readers. While this lesson will cover examples from several players, and there are many exceptioally talented guitarists whose work could have been used to illustrate the examples (a look at either of the "Muriel Anderson's All-Star Guitar Night" video/DVD releases will open your eyes if you are new to this sort of thing, or check out the amazing Ani DiFranco for funky percussive guitar with vocals), I must point to the dozens of requests from fans of Justin King for this lesson. Due to those requests, I contacted Justin, who was extremely helpful. You'll see some Q&A with him below.
Another relatively unknown but astonsihingly good guitarists is POM, who mixes traditional flamenco stylings with contemporary techniques and achieves an adrenaline pumping result. We'll talk more about POM in part 2 of this lesson.
First, however, here's a clip from Michael Hedges' "Aerial Boundaries". Note the hammer-on ostinato and the ringing bass melody, plus the percussive element invloved. Note also how the ostinato mutates slightly on the melodic front, but maintains it's general integrity rhythmically, creating a lush illusion as a backdrop to the primary melodic theme. Learn this as written (note the tuning!), then incorporate some of it's elements into your own playing.
Here is a segment that can whip you into shape for songs like Preston Reed's "Blasting Cap". Note the use of harmonics, 2-hand slapping (denoted with the "mutes"), and altered tuning (DADGAD). The key point here is the integration of "golpe" (flamenco-speak for percussive slaps on the body of the guitar) into the overall theme, rather than using the percussive elements as an add-on. Easier said than done, folks, and Reed is a master of this. I also borrowed Vai's opening theme from "Damn Good" (which was borrowed from Zeppelin) to integrate the duplettes and triplettes into one piece - a trademark of more advanced pieces by Reed, Hedges, King, and others. Be sure to play the galloping hammers smoothly. Between this and some steady bongo work, you'll be ready to tackle tough pieces.
Here is a blip from my song "D.I." which features melodic lines beneath an ostinato, plus some percussive elements which utilize finger articulations rather than just slapping. I wrote this around 1990, trying to meld several ideas (multi-voices, integrated percussive & melodic ideas, and a healthy dose of deep blues). You can also view the video of the entire performance on Skinny Devil TV.
I heartily suggest you play with these and attempt to employ the concepts within a song you already perform. In addition, check out this video clip of Justin King from Albino Blacksheep Films (Justin uses an array of tapping devices, slap percussion, finger-articulated percussion, slides....) and then visit the Michael Hedges tribute site Rootwitch for video lessons. Be sure to check out POM's video from the soundtrack to the film "Lost Contact". You can also see the original "pecussive concepts" lesson at Insane Guitar here, and you may also want to read "Guitar Gods" interviews with Justin King, Preston Reed, and Michael Hedges. Be sure to check out part 2 of this lesson (which includes an interview with P.O.M.) here.
Now, for a quick conversation with Justin King....the crowned prince of acoustic wizardry. Obviously, Justin is a HUGE talent on this front - an amazing player and an exceptionally cool guy who not only amazes audiences, but is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with other players. In addition to the tapping, slapping, and whatnot, Justin employs a dangerous combination of traditional fingerstyle techniques, slap funk bass guitar techniques, and, well, just about everything but the kitchen sink. If he pulls out a kitchen sink for his next recording...well, you read it hear first!
David: I noticed you have an extremely fast flamenco-esque sort of thing. Are you using a finger plus your thumb for that fast strumming thing you do? Do you have any tips on how to do that?
Justin: Yeah - Rotate your wrist as hard as you can to the left and then to the right. Then let your arm dangle by your side and shake it out. This helps limber up the muscles in your forearms and wrist - you have to be very relaxed in order to get any speed going. This technique is based on triplets. The full pattern is: down-stroke with your middle fingers, followed by a down-stroke with your thumb, then up-stroke with your thumb. I would suggest NOT playing this on a guitar at first, try playing it on the sides of tables, your thigh, etc.. Its easier to get the basic pattern down if you don't have to also think about chords and fingering.
David: Your right hand tapping technique is used in a totally different context from guys like Michael Hedges and Preston Reed. How do you come up with those chordal thing, and can you give any specific examples or practice segments?
Justin: I like the sound of tapping over a chord, all of the things that happen with the relation of open notes to the chorded notes to the tapped notes, there can be a lot of cool interplay there. I like to build staggered chords out of single tapped notes, almost like a John Coltrane approach. I think a good example of tapped chords and schizophrenic single note tapping is the first track on 'Le Bleu'. (note: There is a review of "Le Bleu" at Tinfoil Music.)
David: What sort of practice advice do you have?
Justin: Just play a lot - lose track of time. If something is hard to do at first, that just means its hard, but you'll be able to do it if you put yourself into it, or put it into you.... or both. Finally, use the force!
David: Thanks, Justin!
Justin: Thanks, David. Take care.
===== David M. McLean is the proprietor of Skinny Devil Music Labs, former guitarist of the avant-garde fusion-metal band Aurora-Sen, guitar instructor, and columnist for TinFoil Music Magazine (where he conducts interviews in the on-going series “Guitar Gods”). His new solo album, “HUNGER”, will be released later this year, as will the acoustic collection, "An Alien Blue".
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)