Hey guys and welcome back for another week to the blog. Some updates for you! So I can finally announce that I'm creating a backing track and solos package for Jam Track Central! I'm really excited to be doing this and I've produced five cool backing tracks with proper changes in them for the fusion guys who are after a challenge. I've tried to retain a great groove throughout in place of out and out fusion madness so for those who just want to play my recorded solos there's some cool grooves happening in each track. I'm recording the videos next week so the package should be available just in time for christmas so keep your eyes peeled for that.

This weekend sees me doing a clinic for Blackstar here in Yorkshire at Aire Valley Guitars for my good buddy Warren Fyffe. Warren is a great player and this should be a cool event so if you're in the Leeds/Bradford area get yourselves down to Aire Valley Guitars in Keighley on Sunday - it all kicks off at 12pm! I'm using some of the guitars from the shop on the day and have an Ibanez Premium with me at the moment so I can get used to it. It's the same guitar that Marco Sfogli has been using for a while now and it's really making me pine for an RG or S series again. They really are great guitars! I still LOVE my Suhrs though and they'll never be replaced! Any donations would be kindly accepted though... ;-)

Next weekend is the Lick Library Live and Guitar Idol Live finals. I'll be doing a clinic and performance with Rick Graham where we'll be demonstrating improvisation concepts and talking lots of technique. I can't wait to see all the performances of the finalists - there should be some seriously scary playing on the day! These guys are all insane players! There will also be some great stuff happening from the Lick library guys including masterclasses from all the tutors, Guitar Karaoke sessions and loads of performances on the day. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here: -

Lick Library Live Tickets

As usual thanks for reading - see you next week with more updates!

Hey guys and first let me apologise for not doing a blog for a month. Things have been pretty hectic with lots of work coming in at the last minute but it means some cool things are on the way too. First off - gear update!

I have aquired two new guitars and will be doing vids with them soon. The first is an Ibanez RG7321FM and is a 7-string with a flame maple top. Cheap guitar but does the job for the lower tuned stuff on the album. The other is also an Ibanez (I seem to be having an Ibanez reminiscing period at the mo) - this time an AS-103 in natural with falme maple top, back and sides. This I picked up for the bargain price of £400 and it's a beauty. I've stuck some pics below so you can see both guitars residing along side the Suhrs.

The two guitars were bought for certain tracks on the album and my lack of a low B-string and an archtop guitar were the deciding factors. It's amazing what Ibanez can produce for relatively little money although the fretwork and pickup son the 7-string are pretty shoddy so I'll be sticking some Bare Knuckles in at some point to beef things out a bit. The AS-103 is amazing though.

I'm currently working on a project for a well known backing tracks company that should be out before Christmas featuring five tracks with transcribed solos for you guys to get your teeth into. More info when it's finished. I also shot some new tutorials for Lick Library that should be out soon although I don't know the release date yet. Topics include Hybrid Picking licks and soloing over Dominant 7th chords.

I just finished a quick demo of  the amazing Wampler Paisley Drive pedal so here it is: -

Finally, I want to apologise for the lack a lesson and the forthcoming Practice Sessions this month. Other work has got in the way (as has Skyrim!) but they will be coming in December and might make the perfect Christmas present for someone you know or maybe the perfect Christmas treat to yourself for a year of hard shredding!

Thanks for reading and see you next time.

Tom

My new amp has landed and it's a Port City Sahana head - phenominal, hand wired 45w amp. Details added to the Gear section for those interested in the specs. So expect some demos soon. I'll basically be running this for all my medium to high gain tones (in combination with the Carl Martin Plexitone) and the Pearl for all my cleans and lower gain sounds using the Texas Flood and Wampler pedals. This is a really versatile setup so I'm looking forward to checking out what I can do with it. 

The finalists for Guitar Idol III have been picked and the live final is being held in combination with Lick Library Live on the 4th of December at the Garage in London. The finalists are all incredible players and the day includes performances and masterclasses from all the Lick Library tutors and your chance to play on stage in a guitar Karaoke contest! Tickets are available here - https://licklibrary.com/live/tickets.aspx - and are good for the live final, all performances and even get you a free Lick Library DVD of your choice so get your tickets before they sell out! I'll be playing on the day along with my good buddy Rick Graham.

Another quick note to let you know that I'll be doing a clinic for Blackstar on the 27th of November at Aire Valley Guitars in Keighley, Yorkshire. Tickets will be available soon so stay tuned for that.

I released a new lesson on the site a few days ago that you can check out here - LESSONS

Lets finish with some pics of the new amp and my latest practice vid which has deviated somewhat from the rhythm independence practice as I got back into my jazz! Hope you enjoy. Back to the Wayne Krantz vibe next week.

All the best and thanks for reading,

Tom

I recently took a trip down to the Lick Library studios to record a review of the Music Man JPXI Petrucci Signature guitar and for me it was also a trip down memory lane. John Petrucci was highly influential in my early playing and I remember obsessively learning his solos.

Playing the JPXI inspired me to try this seminal solo out again for the first time in 15 years and was surprised to find that I could still play most of it. I love this solo and I used to play it to everyone who came to the house whether they wanted to hear it or not.

My playing style, technique and influences have changed a great deal over the years and now this solo represents a real challenge for me as my picking is not really where it should be for this piece. I’ve included a couple of deliberate mistakes for people to spot (no prizes) and the ending is somewhat improvised as I couldn't remember it and I went for the spirit of the part rather than exactly what he plays.

It's great to revisit early influences and rediscover what made you play guitar in the first place, whilst finding out how your technique has changed and developed as you find your own voice!

I hope you enjoy this take on his classic solo - it's not meant to be perfect or represent the exact take on the record - it's me revisiting my roots and having fun. If you hate it then troll away - I enjoyed playing it!!

Thanks for listening,

Tom

Hi there! I thought I would do something different over the next few weeks of blogs. I'm trying to get some new rhythmic ideas into my playing ala Wayne Krantz but using legato as the main technique as opposed to Wayne's more pick and fingers based approach. This vid was shot a few weeks ago as part of a practice session where I was trying to incorporate some more interesting rhythmic ideas into my improvisation. I'm working on the rhythmic independence separately from my improvisation so it's not fully formed in any way yet, but I know what I want to achieve and thought it would be interesting to document its development.

Here's vid one - hopefully it will become far more refined over the coming weeks - more next week so stay tuned.

The new lesson and practice session are done, I'm just having issues uploading them - should be live early next week all being well!

Tom

Hello for another week! Had a busy week this week finishing off the new tutorial and practice session videos. These are going to be made even cooler than previous videos due to the use of a 2nd HD camera for close up shots of both left and right hands. This seems to be common practice these days so I thought it was about time I got with the program and brought myself up to date. All videos from now on, including youtube vids will feature multiple angles for easier learning and demonstration of products. I just shot a demo of the Wampler Ecstacy pedal so expect that very soon once edited and uploaded.

This week has also seen some exciting developments on the gear front as I develop my sound and find exactly the combination that works for me. I've tried an Axe FX this week and have loved the versatility of it but just couldn't get it to work from a tonal point of view for my playing. So, instead I'll be getting another amp soon that should be the end of my search and will be running a two amp setup using the Pearl for clean and lower overdriven sounds with my pedal board and the 2nd head for higher gain and saturated lead tones. I wonder if anyone can guess what it might be?

I'm starting slide guitar classes this week as I would love to have this element in my playing but have always sucked so badly at it. Maybe this time next year I'll have some Derek Trucks licks down! Fingers crossed.

I hope all my UK buddies are enjoying the weather over here and getting some sun!

See you next week!

Tom

Hey guys! Welcome back to the blog.

This week has seen the end of my Yamaha Music Schools teaching after 5 years at the helm. It's always strange to finish a job you've been doing for so long and I got really attached to all my students, but it's time to move on and concentrate on getting the album finished. The plan is to have everything finished by the end of December and try to get it out for after the new year. I plan on doing a series of clinics once the album is out so if anyone is interested in booking one let me know and we can discuss the details. Hopefully the whole thing will coincide with NAMM and I'll be able to play a few of the tunes whilst I'm out there! Can't wait!! Anyone else going this year? Would be cool to hang out and jam with anyone who's there.

I have a new lesson launching on the site next week and a new practice session video series. These are designed to be practice aids for anyone wanting to hone in on a particular technique or musical atribute and practice along with me like a work out session! I promise no 80's lycra outfits or headbands will be worn though!

I'm absolutely loving the new Wampler pedals. I'm dialling in some of the best tones I've ever had so I'm really excited to let you hear them when I get chance to shoot some footage.