GT: What is it about guitar instrumentals that appeals to you?
BF: It's a lot to do with the whole way of thinking about the instrument. For me, the guitar is my voice, and it depends on the circumstances that I find myself in. I’m really influenced by the sound of a singer. A lot of the music I play is a song that I might associate with someone singing it. What I’m hearing in my head and what motivates me so often is the sound of the human voice and that has so much to do with the sound I make. Guitar instrumentals go all the way back to when I was a kid, when I was listening to surf music, all that these bands were playing were guitars and that’s kind of the beginning of my fascination for the instrument. I was born in 1951, you just look at the music that was happening in the 50s, 60s and the 70s and line it up with my age, those periods are kind of extraordinary. When I was 11 years old, I was listening to surf music and then a couple of years later The Beatles, Wes Montgomery and it just kept expanding out.
GT: What can an instrumental provide a listener that a vocal song can't?
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Guitar Techniques.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av Guitar Techniques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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THE MOODY BLUES
This month Stuart Ryan delves into the picking style of this British prog legend whose acoustic guitar has powered many a Moody Blues song.
WAYNE KRANTZ
This issue Nick Mellor provides an insight into this brilliant jazz stylist, focusing on his approach to improvising over static chords.
OPEN G TUNING
Open tunings are great fun and can help create exciting new ideas. Simon Barnard shows how to incorporate open G tuning into your playing.
RODRIGO GOUVEIA
Last month we featured Mateus Asato, and mentioned the importance of the neo-soul style in his playing. Here we turn to his fellow Brazilian, the master of neo-soul fusion.
MARK KNOPFLER
Our topic this month is a master craftsman as both guitar player and songwriter. His style is unique and his influence spreads far and wide.
U2
Martin Cooper checks out the chiming pedal delay tones of this stadium-filling band from Dublin, Ireland, and guitarist The Edge.
LUTHER ALLISON
It’s blues with a touch of soul this month, as David Gerrish explores the dynamic, expressive style of an often overlooked Chicago bluesman.
JOHANN KASPAR MERTZ Capriccio
This month Declan Zapala explores the music of Austria at the turn of the Romantic period with a fiery caprice to level up your fingers and unlock your inner virtuoso.
THE CROSSROADS Michael Landau
John Wheatcroft explores the playing of a session ace _ and blazing blues-rock maestro who graces the top-flight m band of singer-songwriting legend, James Taylor.
VIDEO MASTERCLASS Troy Redfern
This month GT welcomes this slide guitar virtuoso. If you've been wanting to take your slide playing to the next level then this is one's for you. With Jon Bishop.