Guitar Lesson 38: What can we learn from the style and approach of Slash

Guitar Lessons with Tune in, Tone up!

Guitar Lesson 38: What we can learn from the style of Slash with a focus on Paradise City, Sweet Child of Mine and November Rain: https://tunein-toneup.com/2018/08/23/guitar-lesson-38-style-of-slash-podcast/ Guitar lesson 38 is a study of Slash, with a focus on what we can learn from Saul Hudson’s style and approach to writing licks, riffs and solos. We start by using a Paradise City inspired rolling lick and then move onto the legato solo from the frantic end of that song. Next we examine the riff from the beginning of Sweet Child of Mine and what makes it tick. Finally we consider what learning points we can take from the repeated phrase from the end of November Rain. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get this episode out but I promise there will be more soon. Also, keep looking out on our YouTube channel for some new videos, including one from this lesson. Thank you for listening and for all your comments and support. Main timings: 00:01:35 Start 00:02:38 My thoughts on what I like about Slash's playing 00:03:08 Dan's explanation of Slash as a guitar player and where he stands in Dan's pantheon of guitarists 00:06:47 Quick mention of the E harmonic minor run in Sweet Child of Mine solo 00:07:40 An explanation supporting our method of taking a "style of" approach to identify learning points rather than a note-for-note copy 00:09:11 Dan's riff in the style of Slash using a continually rolling theme like in Paradise City 00:12:18 First learning point: using chromaticisms 00:12:45 Second learning point: put the root above the 5th - root on the D string with 5th on the A string 00:13:51 Using the two together for dynamics between verse and chorus 00:14:13 Third learning point: Double string bends 00:14:52 What is the use of studying someone else's playing? 00:17:50 What can we play over the top of the Slash-style rolling riff? 00:18:51 Dan playing an improvisation in the style of Slash over the top of the rolling riff 00:21:13 Putting a little bit of Dorian in 00:22:33 Playing in a laid back fashion 00:24:08 Classic double bends 00:26:45 The Slash inspired solo so far 00:27:08 Gary's turn 00:27:41 utilising the overbend as a tool 00:30:17 How to play in a frantic furious way like Slash in Paradise City 00:32:02 Our frantic riff 00:32:23 Slash inspired figure taken from the end of Paradise City 00:35:02 What you can learn from this chromatic, legato 3NPS lick? 00:36:57 Demonstration of the legato lick 00:38:07 The riff from the beginning of Sweet Child of Mine and what makes it tick - G F C G 00:40:26 How did Slash's riff form and take shape 00:41:46 Learning point: have a note that you keep going back to and a familiar figure which outlines the chord tones 00:45:37 Andy Summers from the Police taking chords and writing the Every Breath you Take with add9s 00:47:11 Let's look at one more final aspect of Slash's playing taken from November Rain 00:47:39 Slash's repetitive motif for the epic guitar journey at the end of November Rain 00:48:46 Learning point: Having a figure or theme which you keep returning to in a solo really grounds your playing and gives the listener something to latch onto 00:49:05 How this also comes up in the structuring and phrasing of Gary Moore solos 00:50:48 How Prince used this at the end of the Purple Rain solo 00:52:38 Another example of repetition of a phrase to ground your solo is Running Down a Dream - Tom Petty 00:54:20 Quick thoughts on the quality between vinyl and other formats