Yeah, I know the feeling. I did think about what you said, so yesterday I dug out an old Guthrie backing track he made for GT many years back, simple melodic rock thing, part of his rock soloing series. No mean changes or anything, more about hitting strong notes over the different chords, a bit like what Brian May and Neal Schon tend to do, and of course Gilmour in the first "Comfortably Numb" solo.

Gonna see if I can get something recorded today or tomorrow. Focus, Yngtchie, just focus...

Just splashed out on a Squier Tele Custom. 'Tis a fine specimen:

How much?

What do you mean by strong notes? I know that Brian May tends to emphasize the same notes in his solos that are emphasized in the melody. Is that sort of what you are talking about?

Very nice. Looks like the Squier version of the new Blacktop series from Fender.

£200.



Pretty much. My bandmate recently bought a Blacktop Telecaster, which is partially what prompted me to buy this Tele Custom which I'd been eyeing for the past few months.

There are certain notes that sound stronger over the chord you're playing over, usually these are chord tones. So over c major, c(the root), e (the 3rd of c major) and g (the fifth) sound stronger than f (a 4th away from c) and d (a 2nd away from c) even though f and d sound ok over a c major chord they don't sound as strong. An example would be if you're in a minor pentatonic and playing over an a minor chord the reason the whole tone bend from the 7th fret sound so good is because you're targeting the e note which is the 5th of a minor. You don't have to eliminate non chord tones tones from your playing obviously but its better if they are used as bridges between stronger notes.

This Telecaster is the sex. It chimes like so many heavenly bells on clean and it's got a lovely warm growl when distorted. I think I've got pretty much perfect rig for my needs right now.

Squier Telecaster Custom > Fender Volume Pedal > Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion > EHX Little Big Muff > Boss DD-3 Digital Delay > Digitech Digidelay > Digitech Digiverb > Moen Chorus > Boss RC-2 Looper > Laney TF 800.

Just need a compressor and maybe a feedback looper and I won't need to buy anything else in for quite some time.

I'm liking this at the moment.

Steinberger trem?

Fixed bridge. It's the Steinberger Synapse Demon.

Ah, didn't know they were back in action with new models.

My home recording gear:

Took a bit more time than that, but here's a little video. No backing tracks, just me noodling away as usual.

Total noob question:

What's the proper angle of attack for the index finger while making a C chord/what part of the tip of my finger should be making contact? I seem to mute the high E string a fair amount with the fleshy underside of my index finger, which wasn't a noticeable problem when I was learning chords and single string lines, but now I'm dabbling in fingerstyle guitar and it's immensely frustrating. Sometimes to compensate I will adjust my finger upwards slightly, but then my fingernail occasionally hits the G string. I don't have large hands.

Are you holding the neck of the guitar with the inside of your hand? If so, it may be easier if you just use your thumb against the back of the neck because it allows more room for your fingers to bend up and over any neighboring strings.