How’s it going folks? June has been insanely busy over here, but one thing that always lets me be creative and relax a little bit, is writing this newsletter. I’ve been writing it for years, and it makes me so happy that there’s so much new guitar stuff each and every week. If you were to tell 16 year old Brian that there’d be so many new albums, lessons, gear to lust after, and more, I wouldn’t have believed it.

For instance, check out this unreleased footage of EVH back in ’85 demoing the song “Amsterdam”, way before its release. Hopefully we start to see more and more of these hidden gems from the past.

I have a ton of new links to share with you. Let’s get into it!

USING PEDALS AS PREAMPS, DI or INTO POWER AMP feat. ORIGIN FX - Pete Thorn gives us the lowdown if you can use pedals as preamps. Be careful though, because it’s Pete Thorn, who’ll leave your wallet hurting, because his demos sound so great all the time, and he’s using Origin FX pedals, which already sound great.
A Message from Paul: Experience PRS 2021 Announcement - I feel like we’re so close to getting back to some type of normal, but for now, things like Experience PRS will still be virtual. Hope to be able to make it out to one of these in the next couple of years, as they always seem like a lot of fun.
Lari Basilio on Bending the G String the "Wrong" Way and the 'Ibanez Generation' | Guitar Villains - I love the way that the Guitar Villains podcast is evolving over time. In this week’s episode, Tyler interviews the lovely Lari Basilio - they talk about everything from bending techniques to the future of social media for guitarists.
How to Get Started At Teaching Guitar - LIVE Q&A Workshop - I loved this video from JustinGuitar on how you can get started teaching guitar to others. JustinGuitar is one of the hugest guitar lesson sites on YouTube, and has been for a long time. Lots of great info in this one.
Andy Timmons - Incorporating position shifts across multiple strings when soloing - Andy Timmons has been doing an awesome lesson series for Guitar World. In his latest episode he talks about position shifting, which can make your leads sound way more interesting. With the technique, you’ll be able to create a “story” with your solos. If you combine multiple shifts, you can start low on the fretboard, and finish off with some higher notes, creating a really nice dynamic.
Motley Crue Songs You Can Play In Standard Tuning! Looks That Kill, S.O.S., and MORE - Want to play Motley Crue, but don’t want to tune down to D standard? You’re in luck! Ben Eller shows us a couple of Crue songs that you can play in standard tuning.
The BRAND NEW EVH 5150 Guitar - 'Oh Yes!' - Cameron Cooper shows us the new EVH 5150 series guitar. The guitar sounds phenomenal, has pickups designed by Van Halen himself, a unique finish, a d-tuna, and even a kill switch. For folks who might not have liked the shape of the Wolfgang guitar, this body has a more traditional S style shape. And if you want to check out another beautiful shred guitar I’ve been lusting over this week, check out the new John Petrucci 20th anniversary Majesty.
This guitar BLEW MY MIND (dreamed about it for 15 years) - And on the total other opposite end of the spectrum, check out Paul Davids demoing the Midi Pro 2 guitar from ROR Guitars. I feel like with all the tonal options you can coax from this guitar and some outboard gear, the possibilities would be endless.
Intervallic String-Skippery - 5 Minute Licks - You have to check out this great string skipping lick from Leon Todd. I’ve been working this lick into my guitar practice in the past day or so, and it’s been a lot of fun.
5 Reasons you’re NOT practicing and how to FIX it! - But what if you’re not practicing? Adrian Whyte gives us 5 reasons why you might not be picking up the guitar, and 5 counter reasons why you should!
Mark Lettieri - "Pulsar" (Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2) Official Video - The supremely funky Mark Lettieri is back with a video for “Pulsar” off his new album. Also check out Mark talking about playing rhythm and lead, on Cory Wong’s podcast. And speaking of Cory Wong, he recently showed up on Ariel Posen’s new podcast, which you can check out here - Notes To Spare (Episode 2) - Cory Wong.
John Mayer - Last Train Home (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) - The John Mayer train is in full swing right now. If you enjoyed watching his new 80’s-esque single from last week, you can also check out a live version he did recently. If you’re looking to get John’s tone, check out this new video from Andertons. And if you’re looking to learn the song, look no further. Check out Mayer’s previous Berklee teacher, Tomo Fujita, doing a lesson on the song.
Jared James Nichols: Tones and Techniques Guitar Lesson - I enjoyed this listen from Jared James Nichols. Jared shows us how to play with his fingers on his picking hand, and why the thumb plays such a big role on bass notes, how to switch between minor and major tonalities, and more.
The Secret to Clapton's 80s Tone - The Rig Doctor breaks down Clapton’s tones from the 80’s - including songs like “Bad Love”, “She’s Waiting”, “Forever Man” and more.
I Hate Everything I Play, What Do I Do? - It was fun watching Samurai Guitarist’s latest Q&A video. Three questions I really liked the answer to - how do I get back into guitar, I hate everything I play, what do I do, and what do I do if I’m not improving. Steve’s YT channel is always fun, go check out the rest of his vids too.!
Steve Vai’s 61st Birthday Post - "Sandman Cloud Mist" - Steve Vai just recently turned 61 years old. It’s great to see that his arm is healing up from the surgery he had. As a present to all of us viewers, Vai debuted a new song, “Sandman Cloud Mist”.
Tash Sultana: “I always think there is never enough guitar on records. I’m all for the guitar layering and layering and layering...“ - I’ve loved listening to Tash Sultana’s new ‘Terra Firma’ album over the past couple of weeks. Tash recently was interviewed by Total Guitar, where they discussed new age guitar rigs, classic influences, and sweet, sweet clean tones.
David Gilmour: “I’m Hoping That I Will Have an Album Ready in the Next Year or Two" - And finally, David Gilmour is working on a follow up to his last solo album from 2015. I’m hoping it comes out sooner than later on his “next year or two” timeline, as I’m itching for new Gilmour material.