Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions I get asked a lot by email or at gigs or clinics... Ill keep adding more soon, too.

• About playing the guitar
• Gear

About playing the guitar...

Q: When did you start playing?
A: I did start when I was 10 years old, on a gutstring acoustic. I got an electric guitar soon.
A lot of people seem to think that it gives you a huge edge the earlier you start, like “You started at 10, I didnt start before I was 15, I wish I had...” or something. In my opinion though,
starting at such a young age doesnt necessarily give you a huge advantage, because for a 10 year old, it can be quite tough to practice efficiently. I spent a lot of time in those first years just playing along to records, trying to play the vocal melodies on one string, so I wasnt really practicing that efficiently.

Q:Did you take lessons?
A: Yes. At first, I took some lessons at a little school, and I didnt like those too much. The teacher wasnt very motivated, and it was a group thing with people of all ages, and I felt frustrated soon. Then, I took lessons from the guitarist of a local cover-band, and I loved those so much... during the first lesson, he plugged me into his JCM 800 (I had never played through a cool amp like that before, I had a 10W solid state practicing amp at home, mind you!), and taught me how to play “Paranoid”. Ill never forget that, it was so cool, and it really set me on fire. Thank you, Mick!

Q: Did you like it at the GIT?
A: Loved it.I get a lot of questions about that. I WOULD do it again if Id have to make that choice again, thats for sure! It was such an inspiring time, all we did was play, and that was pretty much all we had to worry about, and it was so inspiring to be surrounded by so many amazing players from all over the world. And of course, the classes and lessons I had with Brett Garsed, Dan Gilbert, Scott Henderson (open counseling) and the private 101-lesson I had with PG were really inspiring, just awesome.

Q: How much do you practice?
A: I dont get as much practicing time as I used to have when I was in my teens, and when I do, it can be hard to focus and really work without any distractions, but I try to get in an hour or two if I can. Not even close to what I used to do, but what can ya do? =)

Q: Who are your influences?
A: Gosh, here goes. Its really tough to narrow it down, and I could never limit it to say, “10 biggest influences”. I get inspired by so many players... like a solo on the radio or whatever. I also went through “Phases”, like listening to, say, Randy Rhoads for 8 weeks, trying to figure out some of his licks and riffs, then moving on to another player. I didn’t plan on that, it just happened. There are so many incredible players out there, so much great playing to be discovered, so its a fun journey!
Here is a random list, it could change any day though, because I prolly left out someone, I always do =)
Eddie Van Halen (my reason to start), Jeff Beck, Dave Gilmour, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Steve Morse, John Petrucci, Michael Schenker, Steve Lukather, George Lynch, Andy Timmons, Eric Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Eric
Clapton, Jimmy Page, Doug Aldrich, Gary Moore, Zakk Wylde, Jason Becker, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Michael Landau, TIm Pierce, Shawn Lane... amo!

(more questions and answers to be added soon)

Gear-related questions

Q: Why two overdrive/distortion pedals?
A: Actually, a lot of people do that! Its a great way to get different gain levels for different parts. I also use the volume-knob a lot to control the gain-level, EVH-style. So for rhythm or calmer melody- or solo-parts, I might turn back the volume on the guitar, then crank it for more aggressive or louder parts, then kick in the DS-1 for a slight increase in gain. A listener might not even a big change in sound when I put on one of the pedals (I never switch on both at the same time), but I do notice... the sound and the dynamics of the guitar change, the playing gets a bit... smoother (hope that makes sense).
I prefer the BD for singlecoils or classic rock sounds, and the DS-1 for shredding and harder stuff.

Q: Do you modify your guitars a lot?
A: I used to.In the beginning, I used to buy cheap guitars (all I could afford) and alter them... I used to read those EVH-interviews and loved how he modded his guitars to do exactly what he needed them to. So I used to put in different pickups, or add or remove controls, or even change the bridge or nut or tuners.
Nowadays, with the Dean guitars, I don’t have to do that anymore. They set them up for me, so I don’t even have to change the string action, and I keep them stock. I recently played a clinic for Dean, and I just took four of their guitars off the rack, tuned up and used them on stage. No need to change anything, the string action, intonation and general setup was perfect. I still have some other guitars that are more or less modified, but I never do stuff like I used to, with huge mod-jobs.

Q: What is that white stuff close to the pickups in some of the live-shots?
A: I get that question a lot, but at the same time, others use this too... its white insulation tape, supposed to protect the string from getting caught under the edge of the pickups when I use the bar for example. Even though it doesnt ALWAYS keep it from doing that, it can however protect the windings of the pickup-coils. Steve Vai does the same on some guitars, and so did Dimebag. His signature model (like the Dime From Hell or the Razorback) come with that installed straight from the factory

Q: Whammy bar or vintage trem or fixed bridge?
A: Yes. =) Seriously, I love them all. In the old days, I always chose guitars with a double locking system, because I loved all the crazy wang bar-stuff, but I later got into vintage style systems and fixed bridges too. My main guitar right now has a fixed bridge, but at the same time, I enjoy using a wang bar just as much!
I use that mainly on guitars with a Floyd Rose or similar system. as the strings often go slack there when doing divebombs, but when I i.e. record a really aggressive strumming part, I use it on non-trem guitars too

Q: What gear are you using to record the soundfiles for the CD accompanying the monthly issue of GUITAR (the soundfiles for the Talking Hands-articles)?
A: I have tried different stuff ever since I started the series, but by now, the setup is the same every month: a Dean Soltero or Dean Michael Schenker Flying V, going through my stage-pedalboard (pictured above), into a Bugera 333XL. I use an SM57 to mic that, and then the signal goes into the Zoom HD16. All further editing is done by Orlando Pellegrini (the guy responsible for all the GUITAR CDs).
Pictures of the stuff I use to record those soundfiles, taken while I was recording the ones for the newest issue: