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I always mean to submit an entry to be considered for Six String Bliss’s releases but still haven’t managed to get round to it, maybe this time! I think it is a cool theme too Trans-Genred I just have to think of something I can turn into Rock, any suggestions? Here is the press release:

Six String Bliss, the longest-running guitar-centric Podcast on the Internet is actively seeking contributions for their upcoming Album release, tentatively titled Trans-Genred.  As with all previous Album Projects, this will be a collaborative effort by members of their listening community.  The theme of this album is the “genre-bending”; taking a song and re-imagining it in a completely new and different way.

As with all of our previous projects, this has come about through audience participation in the Six String Bliss forum.  Everything from the subject matter to the proposed Album Cover are direct results of audience participation.  The specific thread that documents this project (including many classic examples of “genre-bending” in case you aren’t sure what we’re looking for in submissions) can be found here.
All guitarists are welcome to join in the fun of the Six String Bliss Forum.  Projects like this will continue to thrive so long as there is an active community to make these happen.  So please come by, introduce yourself, and join in the next project!

www.sixstringbliss.com

I love Elixir strings, they last forever and I use them exclusively on my Suhr because it means I don’t have to change my strings for about 2 or 3 months. The only reason I ever change them is because I either start to wear through the coating with my pick (I use a heavy gauge pick) or because I just feel guilty that I haven’t changed the strings for a long time. Check out this press release from Elixir:

The Pro Pack was created for discerning players who use a high volume of strings and is a great way for players and their families to get a jump start on the holiday gift-giving season.

Offered as limited-edition, specially-packaged Elixir Strings, the Pro Pack includes three sets of the company’s most popular strings. These packs will be available in four leading NANOWEB® coated varieties; Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings in Light and Medium; and Electric Strings in Light and Super Light.  The promotion is available at local Elixir Strings dealers while supplies last. 

“The Pro Pack promotion is an excellent way to provide our customers, along with their friends and families, with extended play this holiday season,” says Craig Theorin, Elixir Strings business leader. “We designed the Pro Packs to be a perfect gift for artists who love the extended tone life and feel of Elixir Strings and who need to stock up on strings due to a heavy playing schedule.“
Many players prefer the rich, textured tone of Elixir Strings Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings. These strings, protected by the company’s leading-edge NANOWEB coating, capture the “sweet spot” of the unique phosphor bronze tone while boasting a three to five times longer tone life over traditional strings.

Electric strings with NANOWEB Coating also provide brilliant tone that lasts three to five times longer than ordinary strings. They deliver the presence, punch and detail of the finest conventional strings while extending tone life and the clean, smooth feel that players love.

For additional details on the Pro Pack and to find an authorized Elixir Strings dealer, please visit www.elixirstrings.com.

How about this for an Epic prize all $5800 of it! Watch the video above, go to http://win-a-studio.com follow the simple instructions (you need a Facebook account) and you could be in the running to win all of this:

- Apple iMac Computer
- TC Electronic Impact Twin audio interface
- TC Electronic PolyTune polyphonic guitar tuner
- TC Electronic Level Pilot
- TC-Helicon VoiceLive 2 vocal effects processor
- Tannoy Reveal 601A active studio monitors
- Blue Blueberry microphone, pop filter, cable and stand
- Ableton Suite 8 software including Live 8

On top of that, you get the chance to win one of these additional prizes:

- TC-Helicon VoiceLive 2 vocal effects processor
- Tannoy Reveal 601A active studio monitors
- TC Electronic Impact Twin audio interface
- Ableton Suite 8 software including Live 8
- Blue Blueberry microphone

Steve Lukather is a legend in the guitar community, obviously he is best known for being the guitarist in American rock band Toto founded in 1977 and although they broke up in 2008 they reformed in 2010 for a tour of Europe and a live DVD recorded in Denmark will be released in 2011. That is a pretty epic career in itself but Steve Lukather is just as well known, at least by guitarists, for his session work playing on records such as Michael Jackon’s “Beat It” and “Human Nature”, Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical”, Lionel Richie, George Benson… the list goes on and on. Steve also sang backing vocals on three new songs on Van Halen’s “The Best Of Both Worlds” compilation.

As well as Steve’s work with Toto and session work he has also release five solo albums over the years Lukather (1989), Candyman (1994), Luke (1997), Santamental (2003), and Ever Changing Times (2008). “All’s Well That End’s Well” is his sixth solo record and features Steve on vocal duty as well as guitar for this record with help from Fee Waybill, Joseph Williams and Bernard Fowler who contribute backing vocals. Steve’s son Trevor also plays guitar on the album too although I’m not sure which tracks.

I’ll be honest I’m not a fan of Toto although I’ll admit they have created some classic songs over the years, the music on this album has a similar AOR kind of sound to it but with a heavy edge to it too. The guitar tones are amazing on this record, as you can imagine from someone like Steve Lukather and there are some great rock riffs such as the main riff in the opening track “Darkness In My World”. There are also bluesy riffs on a song that you can hear throughout the video above called “Flash In The Pan” which is my favourite track on the album and has a mixture of southern rock mixed with Hendrix, very funky, very fun song with beautiful guitar tones. Another track with a similar feel is “Brodie’s”, which has the same funky, blues rock vibe and the closing track “Tumescent” is the only instrumental on the album and has a jazz/rock fusion kind of sound and is another of my favourite tracks with some amazing guitar playing. Steve Lukather is a tone God, every guitar on this record sits perfectly in each track and the solo tones are G.A.S. inducing!

Make sure you check out Steve Lukather’s official site linked below for tour info, audio samples and more.

Steve Lukather’s official site - www.stevelukather.net
Follow Steve on Twitter - @stevelukather

Check out the Music Man Steve Lukather signature guitar

You can pre-order the album in the UK from Amazon, click here.

Paul Gilbert has a great knack of creating fun, musical riffs that double up as great exercises, the title track of his latest album Fuzz Universe is absolutely chock full of licks that you can use for picking exercises or to steal for your own solos. I have taken 3 short riffs from the intro and tabbed them out so you can download them below as you watch the video above. Have fun and if you haven’t already make sure you check out my review of Fuzz Universe definitely worth buying!

Lesson tabs
Riff 1
Riff 2
Riff 3

Check out my review of Fuzz Universe

Vox released the distinctive 15 Watt Night Train a while ago and it was an instant success, lightweight, stunning mirror finish and great tones at bedroom, studio and small gigging situations. Well following on from that success Vox have launched the little brother called the Lil’ Night Train which has an output of 2 watts and is even lighter and more compact. As you can see it has a very simple front panel, Gain, Treble, Bass, Volume and a Bright/Thick switch. The Bright mode boosts the high frequencies and activates the EQ and the Thick mode bypasses the EQ and boosts the gain for a full, beefy sound. There is a Headphone/line out jack perfect for recording directly or silent practicing. The head is powered by two 12AX7 preamp vacuum tubes and a single 12AU7 power tube.

Obviously Vox would prefer you to match this head with their own 10” Cabinet:
The dedicated V110NT speaker cabinet is the perfect companion for the Lil’ Night Train head. Packing a ten-inch custom Celestion VX10 speaker, this cabinet delivers a rich, full-bodied tone. The rounded retro-look exterior is a great match for the Lil’ Night Train, making it the ideal choice in both sound and design.

For more info head over to www.voxamps.com