The Guitar Zone

When last we left Foo Fighters, frontman Dave Grohl had announced an indefinite hiatus for the band. After 15 years as the group’s leader, Grohl hinted the break would be a long one as he wanted to spend more time with his young family and stretch his music muscle as a member of the rock supergroup, Them Crooked Vultures. Together with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and the mighty John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, the trio released their self-titled debut album to much acclaim and set off to tour the world, leaving an uncertain future for the Foos.

Well, this week the Foo Fighters returned in a big way with both the release of a film that chronicles the history of the band and not one, but two albums released within a week of one another. Foo Fighters: Back and Forth, which was directed by Emmy and Academy Award winner James Moll, premiered in over 80 theaters around the US on April 8 and aired commercial-free on VH1, VH1 Classic, and Palladia. As part of the promotion leading up to the drop of a brand new Foos’ album—their first in four years—the documentary film charts the entire career arc of the band, from the cassette demos Dave Grohl recorded during his time as Nirvana’s drummer through their rise to the top of the rock world.

Four days after the documentary aired, Foo Fighters’ seventh album, Wasting Light, hit record shelves. The band swapped the comfort and technology available in a studio to record the new album in Grohl’s garage using only analog equipment. He says the organic process was “badass,” adding that, “I’m sure most people would go and get the newest stuff and work in the nicest studio and spend a trillion dollars and just, like, try to make these computer hits. I like that we’re a band that, when we play live, we don’t have, like, computers and stuff behind us making half of what you’re hearing. And you know what? Sometimes we suck. Sometimes it sounds like, ‘Oh, wow, that guy’s not singing in key,’ or, ‘Whoa, that guitar’s out of tune.’ And I like that, because to me, that’s rock and roll.”

Wasting Light is the Foo Fighters’ first full-length collaboration with famed producer Butch Vig, who had previously produced the two new tracks on the group’s Greatest Hits album and was the man behind Nirvana’s masterpiece, Nevermind. The album also marks the return to the Foo fray of guitarist Pat Smear, who last played with the band on their second LP, 1997s The Colour And The Shape, and toured with them in 2006. And for some added oomph, Grohl’s former Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic makes a cameo appearance playing bass and accordion on “I Should Have Known.”

The Foos’ back-to-basics approach on Wasting has resulted in one charmer of an album that hits harder than most other Foo albums but in an energetic, fun and catchy sort of way. Rolling Stone gives the album four stars, calling it “eleven tracks of fuzz-box brawn, mosh-pit-hurrah choruses and iron-horse momentum,” while Ultimate-Guitar.com says Wasting is “a solid album. For the first time Foo Fighters are operating with a 3 guitar line-up with awesome results. There is a touch of grunge in the sound of the album, but mainly it is straight forward hard rock with a dash of the indie sound.” In a recent NME interview, Grohl named ABBA and the Bee Gees among his influences when writing the record, both of whom were melody-driven bands.

In addition to the film and studio album, Foo Fighters have something else in store for fans this week. The band are also releasing the full-length cover album, Medium Rare, on April 16 as a limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day, an event that honors independent record stores. Now in its fourth year, Record Store Day is observed internationally on the third Saturday of April each year. Conceived of by independent record store employee Chris Brown, it is the one day every year that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music.

Officially kicked off by Metallica in 2008 at Rasputin Music in Mountain View, California, Record Store Day has been observed over the years by artists from the famously reclusive Leonard Cohen to Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan to The Stooges, Vampire Weekend and Disturbed. Last year more than 1,400 independent record stores participated globally in the unofficial holiday.

Apart from the new recordings of Thin Lizzy’s “Bad Reputation” and “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies, all tracks on the Foo Fighters’ Medium Rare have been previously released as B-sides or in other compilation albums. They include “Band on the Run” (Paul McCartney & Wings), “I Feel Free” (Cream), “Life of Illusion” (Joe Walsh), “Young Man Blues” (Mose Allison), “Darling Nikki” (Prince), “Down in the Park” (Gary Numan), “Baker Street” (Gerry Rafferty), “Danny Says” (The Ramones), “Have a Cigar” (Pink Floyd), “Never Talking to You Again” (Hüsker Dü), and “Gas Chamber” (Angry Samoans).

And in case you’re pondering the fate of Them Crooked Vultures now that the Foo Fighters are back in the cockpit and flying high, John Paul Jones confirmed in an interview with BBC 6 Music in November 2010 that the band are ready to resume working on material for a new album, and plan on going into the studio very soon. Jones also stated that they are tentatively a year or so away from completing the record and hinted at a possible late 2011 release.

To learn to play rock guitar or for blues guitar tutorials, check out  guitar lessons.

Free Lessons Here: www.guitartricks.com Guitar Tricks 84: This week Neal has got some pull-off rock licks to share, that will Read more »

This is a guest post written by Hannah Munson.  Hannah runs HowMuchIsIt.org a website that is designed to help you find the cost of just about anything.

With the busy lives that we run today, sometimes it’s important to realize we need to just take a break, and pick up a hobby we enjoy.  Whether you volunteer your time at an animal shelter, or you want to pick up a new guitar, these are great pass times and allow us to just unwind a bit.

If you’re in the market to look for a nice guitar, there are so many to choose from these days.  There are lots of different brands to consider, many different accessories, and even books to consider purchasing.  Although, if you’re just looking for the cost of a guitar, continue reading below.

How Much Does a Guitar Cost?

•  Since there are a few different types of guitars, the prices will tend to vary.  Some will be more expensive than others, while others are cheaper.   It all depends on where you shop, if you go new, or if you go used.  Continue to read as I name the average price for each type.

How Much Does an Acoustic Cost?

•  You will find that the average cost for a good acoustic will be around $250.  A tip for this is to consider a used Ovation or Martin.

How Much Does an Electric Cost?

•  If you want to start playing electric guitar, you can look at around $300 for one.  As far as good brands for an electric guitar, Ibanez, Scheter, and even Fenders are considered great!

As you can see, the prices will range, but regardless, whether you go acoustic or electric, you will pay around $250-$300 for your guitar.  Now, if you’d like accessories for your guitar, the prices of these are listed below.

How Much Do Amps Cost?

•  Amps can range a lot in price.  If you’d like small ones that are pretty simple, you can expect to pay only $100 or so.  Now, if you’d like top notch like Marshalls or Engl, you can expect to pay thousands.

How Much Do Instruction Books and DVDs Cost?

•  These are pretty cheap and can even be bought used for just a few bucks!

If you’re looking for a whole start-up cost for your guitar, you can usually spend around $500 and be pretty set.  Just remember to include things like guitar picks, as well as straps to get you started!  Also, compare the prices for different brands, stores, and even used items online to find the best deal!

Lesson Tabs Here: www.guitartricks.com Spice up your lead playing with the oldest trick in the book, using the major 3rd. Read more »

With the tone of a 12-string guitar and a powerful violin solo, “Dust in the Wind” became one of the greatest hits of the 70′s. Using a Nashville tuning and Travis style picking, Kansas created a classic song almost as mystifying as its accompanying lyrics.

Even though there are two guitarists in this song, the Dust in the Wind tabs show that all the chord positions are the same for both musicians. Using two six-string guitars, Kansas emulated a 12-string by setting one of them in a Nashville Tuning. This alternate tuning features all 4 low strings set an octave higher than standard, using plain strings instead of wound. When both instruments are played simultaneously, a few effects are created, including a ‘chime’ from the resulting octave intervals, and a ‘chorus’ effect from the timing differences.

Coupled with Travis Picking (where the right hand fingerpicks a steady and consistent pattern, while the left-hand performs chord changes), we can hear the Dust in the Wind chords become more expressive- which creates a perfectly dynamic base for this song’s legendary lyrics. Boosted by its viola and violin driven bridge, this is one song that won’t fade away any time soon.

Free tabs: www.guitartricks.com This week Neal shares one of his favorite blues rock licks. You would expect players like Slash, Read more »