How to Play Ambient Guitar #6 - Lead Guitar Phrasing Techniques/Tutorial

Learn ambient guitar lead phrasing techniques that will help you make a personal unique musical statement!
Part 6 of the series: How to Play Ambient Guitar:
• How to Play Ambient Gu...
DOWNLOAD the LATEST Chords of Orion Ambient Guitar music here: chordsoforion.b...
Equipment/software used:
Carvin Holdsworth Fatboy HF2 Guitar
Avid Eleven Rack
Radial Tonebone Classic
Wampler Ego Compressor
Morley Little Alligator volume pedal
Strymon DIG Dual Digitial Delay
Focusrite Saffire Pro 40
Apple Logic Pro X
chords of orion - ambient/post-rock guitar music for the mind and heart.
bill vencil - guitars, vocals, other instruments and sounds.
web: chordsoforion.com
facebook: / chordsoforion
twitter: / chordsoforion
soundcloud: / chordsoforion

[@HumanAbstractX]

I can't even begin to describe how informative and helpful your videos are, you are too kind to have them up for free Sir!

[@chordsoforion]

+Human Abstract I am having a blast sharing some of things I learned over the years, and its great to hear you are finding the content useful. Thanks so much for letting me know!!

[@MassimoVaccaro]

Thanks! Your videos are really inspiring!

[@AnupChapain]

Thank you for being this generous. You are really good to give us free lesson. May god never forgets to be by your side.

[@chordsoforion]

Anup - thank you very much for the kind comment. I am very thankful for the musical gifts that God has given to all of us. What a blessing!

[@oscarbrittingham-detxemend396]

i’m very glad i found this series. Thank you so much for these videos on ambient guitar playing and techniques.

[@westleywest7259]

Thank you for this series. I've learned a lot! Thanks...

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks so much for letting me know you are liking the vids!!!

[@anderson.ziemmer]

Man, congrats for your virtual material here! It's real clever, interesting and carefully built! I'm from Brazil and I'm enjoying a lot! I've been playing and improving these technics over the last years, and you still could give me nice explanations and lovely new ideas!

[@anderson.ziemmer]

thanks a lot, by the way!

[@chordsoforion]

I am really glad you are liking the videos. Thanks so much for letting me know!!!!

[@Denny_Eddy]

I like it. On another ave, ehx 8 step on a sustain channel?

[@ernestosegovia3491]

He visto, disfrutado y aprendido de tus seis primeros videos. Son excelentes y te agradezco tu gentileza en brindarnos tan valiosos conocimientos. Saludos desde México.

[@darrenclark6552]

I just found this lesson and am having alot of fun with it.....cheers Bill.

[@puncosorock]

thanks for teaching and sharing, I have learnt a bunch of sounds

[@M1ck1970]

Great series this Bill many thanks for posting. Great content and instruction. Please keep them coming.

[@soundsoftheearth1]

Lovelly - thank you for your lessons - all the best

[@hopingtocollidewith]

Thanks for the videos Bill. Great tone, great tips, great playing and great approach to teaching! I'd buy lessons from you, and I'm a teacher my self.

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks so much for commenting. I really appreciate the encouraging words!

[@Joseph-dr6si]

Thank you! this is very helpful.

[@PaintHandss]

basically the bob ross of guitar.

[@jameslloyd949]

Check out Bob Harris from the old grey whistle test it's uncanny

[@MrKsaman]

Thanks for all videos!

[@chordsoforion]

You are very welcome!!

[@michaelbdarby]

I just discovered your channel and am really enjoying the content, as well as your presentation! My line 6 pedal board arrived today to join my Amplifi modeling amp. So now I have the (virtual) effects and volume pedal to start to try some of the techniques you use. Thanks!

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks for letting me know you are liking the vids. Also, congrats on the Line 6 pedal board! I've had some good successes with the little AMPLIFi FX100. Great sound, great value!!

[@michaelbdarby]

Interesting that you bought the Line6 modeler given all your "real" pedals. Have you posted any of your presets on the Line6 tone cloud? If so, I would be interested to hear them now that I have my new pedal board. The volume swells using the pedal sound great, so much fun.

[@chordsoforion]

Michael Darby I posted one preset called "Thousand Notes Ambient". It's the preset I used on the "I Heard a Thousand Blended Notes" video from a couple of weeks ago. If you haven't heard, check it out and let me know what you think: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5iyopRubLl4n5o

[@judeworth938]

What "Human Abstract" said ! 😊

[@mikelstevenson4968]

Very cool. Just bought the Keely Darkside Workstation. Can't wait to try some of these phrasing techniques along side the reverse FX on the Ditto Looper. Thumbs up, Subscribed.

[@chordsoforion]

The Keely looks like a great unit! And thanks so much for subscribing.

[@pattimichellesheaffer103]

VERY good information - thank you so much for all these lessons - I've always been afraid of volume pedals. I have a request: Can you please discuss the various settings on the basic Strymon DIG and the Wampler EGO pedal setup you recommend? The current discussions are a little light (or else I've missed some lessons) and I've been trying to pick settings out of the lessons videos, but it's a little confusing. I have a couple of problems - resetting (stopping) a reverb/long-repeat setting without waiting a loooooong time for it to decay. Also, a very faint (but audible to me) high-pitched whine with longer repeats (it's possible I have an issue with my particular unit). This should be very useful for practicing. (I'm a bluegrass picker from a long time ago. I'm also fiddling around with a Conklin Groove Tool.) THANK YOU!!!

[@chordsoforion]

I don't have the exact settings of the Ego and the DIG, however, I generally run all the knobs on the Ego somewhere in the middle. The DIG was probably set to 96/24, Deep modulation, delay 2 set to dotted quarter and both levels somewhere around 50%. Try that and just adjust the delay 1 time and the repeats to taste.

[@pattimichellesheaffer103]

Thank you very much! When working with very long repeats, do you know any way to stop (reset) the repeats (say, if you make a note error) other than to power-cycle the unit? (or else just wait forever for them to decay away)

[@KrumpusPlunk]

Just turn down the feedback/repetitions knob for a second or two and the reverb/delay will dry out without ending too abruptly.

[@albinobeach]

Thanks

[@xmusicyy]

Great video and great series. Can't help but watching it since yesterday night. Was wondering what reverb you use in your set-up. The amp's?

[@chordsoforion]

There is no reverb on this particular video, and I don't use a standard amp. I use the Avid Eleven Rack amp modeler. As far as reverbs go in general, I do have a bunch of pedals and use them as needed. Also, the Eleven Rack has a built-in reverb that is very nice.

[@johnsmith-lb4mo]

what are your delay settings for this Bill?

[@robsgirl6465]

Brilliant!!!

[@DavidMorisset]

Love your videos. Do you ever use a pitch shifter. For me it adds a whole new dimension to ambient sounds.

[@chordsoforion]

Glad you are liking the vids! And yes, I do use a pitch shifter from time to time. I really like using a perfect 4th and 5th to add dimension. I've got several videos using the EHX Pitch Fork and the TC Electronic Sub N Up. Here's a playlist if you are interested: kzbin.info/aero/PLseB5HzFJKVzRsXtgnemilpjRjFoXbu2S

[@neilsachs]

Great stuff! What are the pedals in this video please?

[@chordsoforion]

Carvin Holdsworth Fatboy HF2 Guitar Avid Eleven Rack Radial Tonebone Classic Wampler Ego Compressor Morley Little Alligator volume pedal Strymon DIG Dual Digitial Delay

[@neilsachs]

@@chordsoforion There's some shimmering beautiful sounds on the tail of your notes. I'm guessing that's an effect coming from the Avid Eleven Rack. Is that right? Curious what that sound or effect is called. Lovely!

[@neilgroves1690]

playing that exact melody you are playing Bill, what would be a good drone key/chord to play over?

[@KrumpusPlunk]

Isn't the second type of vibrato where you go back and forth just another way of changing pressure like method 1? Or do you think we really pull and push enough on the string to make a change? Anyway, it looks kind of dramatic which is a nice touch ;)

[@chordsoforion]

all vibrato techniques are certainly in the same family, however, IMO, different techniques of vibrato work better with different lines, chords, etc that you might be playing. And changing pressure is certainly a very subtle technique.

[@ClintdemooijNederlan]

Super bro!

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks!

[@neilgroves3592]

awesome sound Bill....what key of drone would sound good with this?....

[@chordsoforion]

Easiest would be a low A.

[@korhansoydan]

hi! korhan here from Istanbul/Turkei :) ty very much for ur kind and inspiring approach to ambient music creation and sharing with us. Im a singer and guitarist of my progressive psychedelic rock trio. we also add some funk in it. I love some fusion you know. Im also into some ambient music so I think with adding a second delay pedal and adjusting others in my pedalboard I belive that I may add some ambient elements and approach within my music in my desired amount and taste what you think? your sweatshirt woke me up on that; pink floyd and gilmour has done what Im on!! :) any advises on mixing these elements in my style based rock sound?

[@chordsoforion]

Ambient style effects patches should work very well with progressive music. I would just be careful to not let the overall band mix get too dense with delays and reverbs.

[@Capucheeno25]

What scales are you mainly using? Ionian? Great content!

[@IsaacSumizone]

Curtis Myxolydian, I think

[@jeffmartin52]

Still enjoying the videos! The melody you're using for this lesson sounds very modal. Are modes something you utilize in your music and if so, what modes do you prefer? I'm partial to mixolydian.

[@chordsoforion]

I do use different modes, but to be honest, I don't think about a mode, but rather "what sounds good to my ear?" when I am playing / improvising. And then later, I'll listen back to the recording and identify the mode that I ended using.

[@TimothyBussMusic]

You and I have similar tastes in tonal selections and techniques. So tell me about that pick...

[@chordsoforion]

+Timothy Buss Hey Timothy! The pick that I mention in the video is a Wegen Bluegrass pick (www.wegenpicks.com/). Like I said, it is 1.4mm and works really well for me. The ironic thing is that I don't prefer it for acoustic! For that, I normally use a tortoise shell pick (made out of an antique hairbrush), or a Wegen GP 250, which is a 2.5mm pick.

[@prestoncallahan7118]

What are some good scales for ambient guitar?

[@chordsoforion]

I think any scale can be good for ambient guitar. Depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

[@prestoncallahan7118]

Chords Of Orion Thank you so much!

[@doomerius1300]

I had fun with locrian mod

[@danjack-son4871]

just Jammed with a electronic percussionist and acoustic guitar player plugged in for the first time and it was great but I found I was giving them more room than myself, thus I really didn't contribute too much. But at home I create great soundscapes. Does this mean I should just do everything myself or push though and see what happens... any advice about playing ambient music with other musicians? Oh bye the way the acoustic seemed so... very bright compared to my Fender Strat. PS I do not want to steal the show as well, lol.

[@chordsoforion]

+Dan Jack-son Sounds like part of the dynamic is just learning how to play together as a group. I find it helpful to talk about what kind of textures and tones the group would like to achieve before starting the jam. As far as whether you should do everything yourself? It depends. Can you get the recorded (or live for that matter) yourself? Do you like the somewhat unpredictable nature of playing with other musicians, and the "magic" that can occur? Do you have time to play with others enough to craft a band sound?

[@danjack-son4871]

+Chords Of Orion very sound advice, lol... but so true in all aspects of what you said. I believe another problem is that I play more from feel and thgut and they talked about keys and modes and I am so not schooled in theory. It's not at all like I cannot play well as a lot of people say I should record meditation/ ambient music

[@neilgroves1690]

How much delay did you dial in Bill?....and just one delay?

[@chordsoforion]

I really don't remember. As I listen -sounds like 500-800 ms of delay. And I am sure I had both delay lines going. I would say just twist your delay knobs until it sounds good to you.

[@robmlisanti]

Is there a way of doing ambient with just a POD ?

[@chordsoforion]

Not sure what model you are referring to, however, as long as you have access to delays and reverbs, you can play ambient guitar music with any device. It's not about the specific pedals, it's more about what you do with the particular pedals/units you have.

[@robmlisanti]

yes i use Amplitube 3 and POD HD so i would only need to add a volume pedal , do you have settings to suggest to get the same sounds?

[@chordsoforion]

Nothing specific (I do not own either). I would look to set up a patch with delay followed by reverb.

[@ioooo4943]

Thank you sir,can u do some post rock or shoesgaze video?

[@Tapepusher]

The video starts at 1:11, you're welcome! :)

[@thatellipsisguy8984]

'The Flesh of the Thumb' sounds more metal than ambient...

[@pattimichellesheaffer6732]

There's no Radial Tonebone Classic in the inset picture on this video - what actual distortion pedal are you using (just after the Wampler Ego)? It sounds good! c1.zzounds.com/media/productmedia/fit,2018by3200/quality,85/p19221H-d7b048387812543832280525f722c778.jpg

[@chordsoforion]

Wow - you are the first person since 2015 to note that the description is incorrect! :-) The pedal is a J Rockett Allan Holdsworth signature overdrive.