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It’s time for everyone’s favorite giveaway, STOMPBOXTOBER! Enter here for your chance to win the just announced PRS Mary Cries Optical Compressor! Come back tomorrow for another chance to win.PRS Mary Cries Optical Compressor PedalThe PRS Mary Cries optical compressor pedal is intuitive and sounds incredible. Based on the storied LA-2A, Mary Cries will thicken your tone, help control signal peaks, lengthen sustain, and push your tone without losing definition or clarity. Depending on your settings, it can be used as a boost as well as a straightforward compressor.PRS pedals were created to be high-end pieces of audio gear.Designed by PRS Guitars in Stevensville, MD, USA. Made in the USAStompboxtober Day 1- PRS

In a brand new interview with Pablo of the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna opened up about his battle with COVID-19 at the end of last year. Asked if he is experiencing any lingering symptoms from long COVID, Erna said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “No,…

Country singer Mickey Guyton joined METALLICA on stage on September 24 at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City’s Central Park to perform the band’s classic power ballad “Nothing Else Matters”.
“Finally a real singer,” METALLICA frontman James Hetfield quipped while introducing Guyton, who be…

In a new interview with U.K.’s Independent, SLIPKNOT percussionist and co-founder M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan reflected on the loss of his daughter, saying it is one of the most horrific pains any parent can go through. “I know what real evil is now,” he said. “Anything I thought was evil, all my past p…

Sure, we’ve all heard the blues scale many times. It’s deeply connected to the language of modern guitar. It’s a scale that is versatile, adaptable, and in some cases, overused. We all have practiced it until our fingers became blistered. However, we always need to revisit it and refine our technique. Blues scales are used in so many genres including rock, country, bluegrass, funk, jazz, metal, and beyond. No matter what style of music you’re playing, it will serve you well to have this concept down. But parallel blues scales can help open your ear and fingers to new musical explorations within mostly well-worn paths.What is a Parallel Blues Scale? It’s simpler than you think. When you have a major and minor scale that shares the same root it creates a parallel relationship between them. Whether you’re integrating the two scales within the same phrase, or playing one right after the other, this approach will allow you to “say” more than if you only used one scale.Each scale, chord, and arpeggio can be boiled down to a numerical formula that tells you how to alter a major scale to get a specific sound. A major blues scale formula is 1–2–b3–3–5–6. You could also think of this as a major pentatonic scale with a b3. The minor version of the blues scale is 1–b3–4–b5–5–b7. Here, we are taking our standard minor pentatonic shape and adding a b5.Here’s the General RuleWhen the key is major, we can use major and minor blues scales based off the same root. For example, over a G7 chord we could bust out both the G major blues scale (G–A–Bb–B–D–E) and the G minor blues scale (G–Bb–C–Db–D–F). As a guitarist, it’s imperative to know both forms intimately. If you listen to the greats such as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Pat Martino, George Benson, or Grant Green, you’ll hear that they weave in and out of both tonalities seamlessly.The Parallel Approach In Ex. 1 I outline both scales starting with the major and then the minor. Let’s break this down a bit more. Both scales share three common notes (G, Bb, and D). That leaves six notes that are unique to each scale. The 2, 3, and 6 really solidify the sound of a major tonality. On the other hand, the b5 and b7 are defining notes in the minor blues scale. These notes are what shapes the music that is built upon these scales. The following examples use only major and minor blues scales, unadorned with outside notes or other scales, played over G7. As you’ll see, with good phrasing and rhythm there’s a lot you can do with just the two scales. In Ex. 2 I start nice and easy with a major-sounding blues run. Even by staying entirely within the scale you can take liberties and emphasize colorful chord tones on strong beats. For example, I kick it off with the 9 (A) on beat 1. In the next measure I start on the 13 (E) before drilling that b3–2 sound on beat 2.Ex. 3 contains a fragment of the minor blues scale. I’ve been working on playing repeated four-note patterns through different rhythmic ideas. Here, I’m doing a four-note shape through sextuplets, or 16th-note triplets. As you work up the speed it can become very shreddy.Next, let’s look at how you can blend the scales together. In Ex. 4 I primarily use the minor version, but a few notes from the major blues scale creep in, notably A and E. It definitely gives the line a Dorian vibe.Just playing endless eighth- or 16th-notes can be tiresome, so adding more interest in the phrasing helps a lot. Ex. 5 starts in major but descends the minor pattern. Plus, the syncopation and rhythm make it pop a bit more.There’s still a place for chromaticism—when used right. In Ex. 6 chromatic elements of both scales are combined so much that the tonality is a bit obscured. You can totally hear the blurred line between major and minor here.Ex. 7 is a sweet country-style lick. This example sounds major overall, but there are colors of the minor blues scale with the addition of F and Db.You can cover quite a bit of ground with Ex. 8. The line begins with an ascending major blues scale run, followed by hybrid chromatic notes within the quintuplets. The chromatic elements of both scales combined add color and again obscures the tonality, making for an exciting line!Ex. 9 begins in major, then switches to minor on beat 2. Notice the extended chromatic line which is a popular melodic blues phrase. It starts from the b3 and moves chromatically up to the 5.Our final example (Ex. 10) starts with a major blues idea followed by minor blues phrase with the entrance of the quintuplets. The opening chromatic line, sweeps, and the quintuplets make it pretty challenging.It’s imperative to have the blues scales in your arsenal, both intellectually and technically. As guitarists, we keep adding new concepts to material we already know. The saying rings true: “What’s old is new again.” Until next time, happy shredding and enjoy the journey!

ELLEFSON-SOTO, David Ellefson’s collaboration with Jeff Scott Soto, will release a full-length album, “Vacation In The Underworld”, on October 7 via Rat Pak Records. The duo is joined by Andy Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums.
“Vacation In The Underworld” was produced by…

At least month’s Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg spoke to Wacken TV about the band’s just-released new studio album, “The End, So Far”. The 32-year-old musician, who joined SLIPKNOT in 2014 as the replacement for Joey Jordison, said (as transcribed by BLABB…

Following the release of “Patient Number 9”, Ozzy Osbourne is providing an inside look into the making of the album with a three-part video series featuring interviews and in-studio clips with some of featured performers. The series includes exclusive interviews with Ozzy and the album’s producer An…