Category: Shredding

Sabicas- Arabian Dance

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I posted a Debussy piece earlier today one if his Arabesques. A friend of mine commented on the post that I should check out Sabicas’ flamenco piece entitled, “Arabian Dance.”  I agree it is a great piece!

Sabicas is one of the huge legends of flamenco guitar and a pioneer in spreading the genre outside of it’s native Spain. I have heard a lot of his stuff but never this one. It is a very virtuoso piece for sure lots of runs and very ‘Arabic’ sounding in its use of the harmonic minor scale. Arabic sounds have always been a big part of flamenco as the Moorish influences moved into Spain and combined with the existing culture.

Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July – Jimi Hendrix “Star Spangled Banner”

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Happy 4th of July everyone! Please make sure you have a great, fun and safe holiday!

Here is Jimi Hendrix’ iconic version of the National Anthem from Woodstock in 1969.

I am not usually a fan of embellishing the “Star Spangled Banner,” however, this version has become an historic interpretation of the Anthem. Jimi was certainly playing to the correct crowd as well.

Enjoy!

12 NOTES & THE TRUTH!

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Our music is based on 12 notes!

That’s it!

No more!

“12 Notes & the Truth!,” this blog,  focuses on everything those 12 little notes offer.

These 12 notes not only make up the music of every band and artist we listen to but make the world go ’round, as well.

“12 Notes & the Truth!,” will cover anything and everything in music that strikes a chord

with myself and hopefully you, as well!.

Guitar music, pop styles, jazz, classical and the social issues attached to them all will be featured in the blog.

Expect a little high brow education,  low brow comedy and anything between that helps convey the world of music

in my head. Of course I will let you know what I am up to from time to time, as well, performances, projects, etc.

You can follow the blog:

from this site or on

Facebook: Mike Slayen Studios

Twitter: @mikeslayen

However you do follow come back early and often to check out “12 Notes & the Truth!” and feel free to comment on the posts.

From one music lover to another I will try to live up to these 12 notes and their truth.

Joe Satriani, “The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing”

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This has always been one of my favorite Satriani songs. It has a super cool groove as you might guess from the title but also a lot of complex shredding and interesting compositional things going on, as well.

‘Shredding’-wise, he displays all kinds of guitar pyrotechnics. If you check out the video you will see/hear melodies with flying up the neck harmonics, acrobatic hammer-on arpeggios, right hand tapping and he even makes use of his right hand as a capo while his left hand is pulling and hammering arpeggios.

Compositionally, it is a great tune, as well. There is a simple groove which the song is based upon and interesting and well articulated melodies. The groove is at times interrupted with the aforementioned arpeggios. Satriani interjects some foreign sounds too using the harmonic minor scale that changes the bluesy riff into more of an Egyptian heavy metal soundscape. The highpoint of the composition comes towards the end when he overlaps two different arpeggio sections over each other creating the song’s climax.
Unfortunately, live he can’t quite duplicate this overlapping.

I included the link to the studio version, as well, which better represents all aspects discussed. However, I thought it would be more interesting to see everything going on live.

Listen for some of these items. Actively listening to music can make you aware of things you might’ve never heard before.

Here is the studio version. Listen for the overlapping arpeggios sections at 4:25.

Have a great weekend, Enjoy!