November has been really busy which i am very happy about and has given me a chance to try out my new Tech 21 Fly Rig in a few different situations ie live and in the studio. It always takes a while i find to work out how to integrate a new piece of equipment into your rig but now i have i am really chuffed with the Flyrig. I had a chance to try it out direct to PA on a recent gig with a fantastic function band called The 29 Fingers and it sounded great plus the sound man loved having total control over my volume!!!. I have also been out with my band Firefly which this month featured MD of Soul Factory Mr Richard Green depping on keys who is always a welcome addition to the Fly!

I was asked by producer Mark to come to his studio and record some guitars for a Coldplay style ballad he is working on and normally i record dry and plug-ins will be used to create the desired tone but for this one i asked Mark if we could give the Fly Rig a go and it sounded awesome. Here is a video of me putting a guitar solo down using it direct to desk.

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I was asked to play guitar for a production of the musical The Adams Family this month and i was really exited to do it. The score was pretty tricky and had a few “odd” time signatures but it was a blast going through it and i thoroughly enjoyed it so thanks Steve. It is not something i do a lot but i will definitely be doing more in the new year as its great way to mix up your playing every now and again with the added bonus of meeting some new players.

My funk band Soul Greneade was gigging this month at a funk night in Euston featuring us, Mr Littles Noisy Band who were on absolute fire, a superb bunch of players featuring an old friend and bass player Arran McSporran. Also on the bill were Smith And The honey Badgers who have their new 7″vinyl out which is well worth checking out. It’s a great night that turns into a free form jazz jam at the end and this time featured the superb Trombone talents of Mr, sorry Dr Christopher Holmes!

 

I managed to get down to the Rose and Crown pub to check out their jam night fronted by the Mike Panos house band which occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month and had a blast playing with the guys. The crowd is very welcoming and everyone is encouraged to play so i managed to get up and jam but also sat back with a beer and caught Justin rocking out his new Victory Amplifier.

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@ The Studio

My students have been working hard preparing for their Trinity Guitar Grades that are starting in the next two weeks. Students often express their concern to me in entering for an exam and its always rewarding to see that initial concern turn into confidence as they practice and progress to the point where they are willing the exam date to come. It’s a great way for students to see the progress they have made on their instrument as it is not all ways obvious when you are working week to week on something that you are actually progressing.

Not all students are grade orientated and as a result i have been teaching many guitar styles this month ranging from Steve Vai, Slide, Stevie Wonder, altered scales over V chords and all things pop.

I have only a few slots left on my register at the moment but do please get in touch if you would like to discuss guitar lessons at the studio.

Cool well i wish you all the very happiest of Christmases and look forward for to seeing you in the New Year where i will tell you how i got on in december.

K

Hi and welcome to October’s post, this month has involved gigs, recording, teaching and new gear!!!. I recently had some incidents where lugging a heavy amp to a gig was not necessary also I found my self at rehearsal with a mass of gear and not needing most of it so as a result i purchased the Flyrig by Tech 21. It’s a great bit of gear that has an amp simulator built into it meaning I can go direct to a PA, it also feature a plexi style overdrive, reverb and tap tempo. It’s great for a rehearsal and recording with and some times is a better option to gig with. I still prefer playing through my Egnator amp but for certain gigs and situations its more convenient to plug direct. I have added the link here so if you think it’s the kind of thing that you are after you can take a look. Tech 21 Flyrig.

I have been busy gigging this month but two that stood out was one with the Beatnicks where we simply rocked out a lot and I decided sweep picking was the best way to solo over Sweet Home Alabma (not the most tasteful choice but very funny). We had a slick gig and the Flyrig sounded amazing. The other gig that stood out was with Soul Factory a 10 piece funk soul band complete with full brass section put together by MD Richard Green. It sounds so good when gigging live with a brass section, everyone upped their game and the gig was a roaring success.

I have a small home studio set up and it enables me to record guitars at home for a variety of different projects and one of those that came up this month was recording some guitars for a dance song by producer AGX. This is nice to do as it is quick and brings some variety to a normal week of rock and classical music. Here is a link to the track

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@The Studio

I have had 3 new students start this month and i thought i would give you a brief description of what was covered so you can get an idea of the variety of levels I teach.

Student 1 – 12 Years old, had lessons last year but keen to start her grades.

Student 2 – 31 years old, has a solid grasp of chords and songs but want to explore scales, lead work and technique in a rock context.

Student 3 – 69 years old, has always been a blues player but would like to get to grips with jazz chord voicings and creating tension in his lead lines.

With these students i discussed what their goals were and we sketched out a rough time scale and the steps we would  take in order to achieve these goals. This gives the student something to aim for and gives me a structure to work through in order to help them get to where they want to be.

A student of mine Teresa is learning the epic For The Love Of God by Steve Vai which is an instrumental guitar piece featured on his album Passion and Warfare. The piece is very technically challenging and i recorded a video of my self playing it so that she could see close up what I was playing. A solo like this is not all ways possible to play for a student but together we have worked out a way in which it is possible to play it using a different technical approach on the original. I look forward to hearing her version soon but in the meantime here is an excerpt from the main solo.

http://youtu.be/p3B2X3qb3dQ

Have a good month and see you in November.

Thanks, K

As you can see i have been gigging a lot this month with some great players and great bands. This shot was taken at the Greenwhich Naval College (which is a stunning location) with a great band fronted by my good friend James McMaster called the BEATNICKS, we had a great time and rocked it out pretty hard. I have also been out with my regular band FIREFLY and also depped with a great band ROCKET which saw me play a very late and loud sweaty gig in Soho. The boys were really cool and we had a great gig so thanks guys. I have also had a couple of great gigs with my Funk Soul band SOUL GRENADE and we have a gig coming up at the Elxir bar in Euston on the 14th of November. We are also going in the recording studio in November so i will keep you updated with any info about that.

I have all ways loved country music and country guitar players (go check out Brent Mason & Johnny Hiland) so jumped at the chance to start playing and writing with fantastic country singer by the name of Jeannine Barry. Its early days but the gig dates are up on her website so come down and show your support for all things country.

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@The Studio

I am very pleased to announce that all my students passed their Trinity Music College Guitar Grades with flying colour’s. Its great for students to see the rewards for their hard work and practice and to achieve the goals that they have set them selves. Here is one of my students Ella Pettitt with her Grade 2 certificate. Well done Ella!!!

I have a few vacant teaching slots available at the studio still so do please get in touch if you would like some more information about it or have any questions.

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Other News…

 I played guitar for Charlie Jones X Factor audition and he has made it through to the live finals with Stereo Kicks.

 I wrote a lick of the week in the style of an amazing guitar player called Tom Quayle and was really happy that he contacted me to say that he really liked it so i have added the link to the video.

Cool, have a good month all.

Thanks K