Talking Gear and Recording with Slash at Barefoot Recording Studios

[@BXtremP]

For my opinion , we can't judge a guitar player like we would rate a sportman , we judge a good guitar player by his style and the emotions he manages to make us feeling , and not by his skills and how fast he's able to play . That's why Slash is a good guitar player , like Hendrix or Page was.

[@BXtremP]

***** Amen to that bro.

[@MsNadir1]

+BXtremP Speed is just a tool. It sounds good only if you put it to good use. That's why todays shredders that just go up and down a scale as fast as they can are pretty much considered to be shi*, while people like Slash and Hendrix only play at high speed when they have to. Also, guitarists should be judged by their general song-writing and playing, not just solos, and there my friends, is where Slash dominates above allmost all other guitarists, I can listen and groove to any of his songs, from any of his 12 albums (pretty sure he has 12, with guns, snakepit, revolver, and solo, correct me if I'm wrong :) )

[@alexnegri921]

+BXtremP anyone can learn to play fast

[@TheTechAndScience]

*Page is

[@thebetacrow5644]

Page is not that big of a deal anymore thats what he was trying to say

[@DaltonMullins]

I'm glad to see Slash is sounding very humble. He has been blessed and also realizes He has room to grow. Sounds like a mature rock star these days. Way to go Slash.

[@thelolguy007]

A living legend. What a dude 👍

[@reelTruth112]

slash, you've been relevant for the past 30 years since the GnR days (dam im old!!) and NOBODY in rock&roll is as big an icon as you, thank you for all the music you've given us, and continue to melt our faces with! ...hope to jam sometime, respect from KS!!!!

[@J_Riff]

Slash is a golden treasure nowadays he’s a little older and got grey in his beard but he’s still just as great as before if anything better than ever

[@green_building]

Slash will bcm one of guitar player icon in the world history, though you liked it or not .. hes a heritage 🕶

[@gitarbangsatchanel8036]

Its not all about shred,,its about passion.. long live SLASH 🤘

[@devildevlin]

A man that encourages people to respect others opinions and decisions is not stubborn.

[@xDELFYonceagain]

You don't have to know every crevice of theory to be a good player, and you don't need to master every style of music. Slash is very creative, and still comes up with brilliant riffs and solo to this day. That is what matter in the end, it's no se knowing all the thoery in the world because listeners do not listen for modes or all that crap, they just want it to sound good. That's why people love slash, he gets the job done.

[@onemanband2157]

I dont understand so much english. But I chlicked on the like Button because i saw slash! :D

[@WingsofApolloMusic]

I love how Slash is so collected and articulated in his speech. Very intelligent man, and fantastic guitar player to say the least!

[@Aerodome99]

Him playing lefty is already impressive. The songs he wrote have become part of Rn'R history. People have done great covers of his songs (Ex. SRV-Little Wing).

[@Oneness100]

Here is something I have learned. I used to try to play certain songs JUST like the record. But I realized no matter how well I did it, I am not this other person. So, what I did is tried to sound like ME. And that takes a while. While I can play a lot of the same licks as these other people, I spent a lot of time playing in blues bands, funk bands, etc. and started to blend what i knew into something more original and this is an ongoing process and it isn't easy to do it.

[@GGRetroRally]

Respect to slash saying he constantly works at it and isn't happy with where he's at.. Top player so to have it that in him as well i think is brilliant

[@davidbmixing]

I really like how he talks, chilled

[@Oneness100]

From an innovative standpoint, Jimi deserves to be there because he was innovative and original. He has created a lot of STANDARDS that most contemporary rock, blues, and even jazz players have studied and learned out to play or be influenced by his playing. But from a technical standpoint, I don't know if he would get high marks on technical abilities and breadth of knowledge of music theory, etc. but he was open to blending rock/blues and bringing in players and being influenced by jazz.

[@doctorbillzable]

....and last, but certainly not least,...in a world it goes through as if it were his own making. Half man, half beast, I don't know what it is, but whatever it is, it's weird, and it's pissed off, and it calls itself "Slash!"....Axl Rose 88 or 89

[@doctorbillzable]

callmebam Love that line! iiii]; )'

[@mountainstartemple6041]

+Sleipnir Blue around 29:22 in that clip Axl says that about Slash (after introducing the other members) ... Slash is smiling at his intro before Slash actually speaks and intros "Night Train"

[@doctorbillzable]

Sleipnir Blue Slash: "Hey F***ers!"

[@hi_is_this_clorox_bleach]

+Stevie Wonder they just shut my mic off an shit

[@jonggun8293]

@Stevie Wonder Nightrain live at the Ritz - 88's

[@thejazzfuneral]

same style over 20 years and still looks and sounds so cool

[@Oneness100]

Duane Allman probably has IMO, the absolute best tone on the planet. All he used on that album that I know of is a 59 Les Paul through a Marshall stack with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE. PURE TONE. It was even better live, but they captured it as best as they could. His tone is so good, you could almost eat it. Dickey Betts also had great tone and he typically used a 59 Les Paul through a HiWatt amp. His tone was a little brighter due to the different amp.

[@SixStringHarmonies]

There are loads of kids your age whose parents force them to play an instrument. They make it a chore. Some have passion for it and being forced to wood-shed themselves and cram music into their minds and hand muscles pays off. For many though, they grow to hate it. Always go to that guitar out of love. There may be a 2 or 3 year period where you don't touch it. Many of us go through that multiple times. Then one day, like magic, the passion stirs up and you go back to it. Follow your heart. :)

[@Bengiskahn]

Dude. He's in a feppin' great position for any musician to be in, has earned it, and it's refreshing to hear that he appreciates it as a privilege. (love to hear him jam with Jimmy Page!!)

[@JerseyBoyz_football]

I completely agree with you. And I love the way Phil X plays it. I don't always like his playing, but he is extremely impressive at times. But yes, I agree, it s a feel you have to experience yourself

[@Oneness100]

The guys that came from Europe were taught classical music in their schools, then they would listen to the old blues greats, and many also studied jazz as well, then they created their own sound. The Who brought in classical music with some jazz into their music. Hendrix brought in drummers with a jazz background. Cream had guys with jazz and classical and blues backgrounds. The list goes on. If you don't know these other styles, and you shut yourself off to it, then you limit yourself.

[@Oneness100]

Do you know where the sweeping picking technique originated from that a lot of metal heads are using? Jazz guitarist Tal Farlow. He was doing sweep picking decades ago, but it was integrated rather than just being used as a gimmick.

[@Oneness100]

I don't know if you realize this, but during the GNR days, Slash's playing wasn't one full performance all of the way through the song. He was many times in the control room punching in his parts until he got his part right, and he has an experienced producer helping him choose which takes to keep. Some guys don't do that crap, they just play the song WITH the band and they take the best PERFORMANCE. One is kind of cheating the other is more honest in what they are selling.

[@Oneness100]

I am trying to get you to understand that in order to be a seasoned player that works, then you have to study EVERYTHING you possibly can and if by some lucky miracle you get with an original band that gets signed to a major record label, then you have to have an original style, but knows the background of blues, rock, jazz, R&B, etc. The more you know, the more valuable of a player you become.

[@PoetlaureateNFDL]

This guy is unique. He can play!

[@Oneness100]

I've have studied the subject of alcoholism far more than you and your parents combined. I've talked to people that have gone through rehab, rehab counselors on what they consider to be alcoholism, and it's basically an addiction that starts out as minimal and progresses, it's just something that each person has to deal with. This is what alcoholics are told in many rehab centers. If you drink alcohol, the person will either go to jail, the hospital or the morgue because of it.

[@JAFOpty]

Man, you gotta' love the Slash....

[@jonrok100]

how can you say slash shouldn't be in the top 100, his playing is almost unparalleled. so of his simplest sounding solo's and riffs are actually incredibly complex, combining pentatonic, harmonic and modal scales which is no easy feat to do on the spot for any guitar player let alone string the right notes together so the sound so appealing from said scales. also spotting an appropriate place to use each shape of notes from a scale takes loads of skill.

[@Sleepvroffical]

Axl said it best when he said he hasn't found a replacement for Slash

[@AraoftheFunk]

Yes, some Slash fans picked up the guitar last week and, yes they're annoying. But he's a humble dude and a great guitar player.

[@Oneness100]

I also would try to come up with something unique and different, but not from a conscious point of view, but just from a total FEEL point of view. If it comes from pure feel and you don't really THINK about stuff, then sometimes you get lucky and something cool comes of it and maybe even sellable. But it has to come from within. Really developed players that really spend time listening to as many REAL forms of "non-pop" music from a melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, etc. really helps.

[@Oneness100]

Now, I know a guitar player that bought a 62 Time Machine Strat with the exact same specs as a 62, He already owned a 62 that was in excellent shape and he didn't want to screw up his real one which is why he got the Time Machine model and we both compared the two and what is FUNNY is the re-issue sounded better unplugged. He put in the hand wound hand signed Y'Berra pickups that were limited production and he A-B'd them to the machine wound Y'Berra pickups and the hand signed sound better.

[@Oneness100]

Oh, I left out Neal Schon. In fact, Journey was ORIGINALLY created as a more commercial rock version of Mahavishnu Orcheastra (1st gen). I saw them open up for the second incarnation of Mahavishnu and Journey actually played a Mahavishnu composition as part of their set. A lot of people don't know that. Just a little trivia. Hey McLaughlin used to use 2 1/2 Marshalls stacks on stage, either played the Gibson Doubleneck, a Gibson Les Paul or custom made guitars. I think it's hilarious.

[@adsensedd]

Beast of a player and is quite modest.

[@Paldiamar]

Hello

[@Oneness100]

The more genres, theory, technique, the more you can do. Licks are licks and licks only work with the songs THEY play. If you learn a lick from a particular song, then that's where you use that lick. but knowing theory, whether it's blues, jazz, classical, classical Indian, etc. The more you can do, the more you say with your music, the better. It's like learning a language. The bigger your vocabulary, the more you can say.

[@Oneness100]

Have you tried a Two Rock? Those are pretty great sounding amps. Yeah, I like Marshalls but they are pretty big to lug around and most players play in small clubs where a 1-12 combo is plenty loud enough and it gets plenty of distortion, sustain, tone, etc. Two Rocks, I know, are ripping expensive. I've heard from one guy that was always looking for the best sound out of all the Marshalls, he liked the handwired models I think it was.

[@Oneness100]

If you got JML's DVD on Konokol and How he does it along with the MO songbook and you actually mastered all of it, you could probably walk into most music colleges and breeze through a Master's program without any problem.

[@MrWhiskers666]

Apocalyptic Love is still my favorite Slash solo album

[@fumblerer]

Also, I am a part of Slash's 'audience' and I have actually been interested in the inventor of the solid body guitar- Les Paul. Also I am a fan and admirer of him as well as Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Joe Bonamassa, Santana and loads other. Again I've disproved your claim.

[@Oneness100]

And guys like Yngmie Malmsteen got the idea for a scalloped fingerboard? JML did that YEARS ago on both acoustic and electric guitars starting in 1974. But JML wasn't doing it to show off, it is that he was taking the sound from Classical Indian instruments and bringing it to the guitar. Very innovative. JML was the first to utilize a guitar synth. total innovator.

[@jonrok100]

also the choice amp is totally variable to the sound you want, there isn't a amp that covers all said basis, i actually prefer using a marshall it sorts me pretty well and hasn't failed yet

[@Oneness100]

Have you played with seasoned professionals at various nightclubs playing various blues classics, r&b classics, funk classics, jazz standards? Thats a good training ground to apply what you play at home. Most of those types bands aren't playing GNR. The only guys that play GNR songs are GNR tribute or Rock Cover band and they'll throw so many classic rock songs in your face that learning one GNR song won't cut it. It all depends on whether you doing just for your own enjoyment or to go Pro.

[@roseslasher]

How about on the next solo album, doing a couple alternate pick shreds instead of the usual legatos? That would be continous improvement. Throw in some tapping too.

[@atharvazodpe673]

Damn I didn't know how simple his rig was until he said "my rig is simple"

[@Oneness100]

I like listening to stuff I might never be able to play, but sometimes it might just be a feel I am listening to. I also like listening to players that aren't even playing the same instrument as i, I get ideas from them as well. Some guitar players don't even listen to many other guitar players, they'll listen to maybe sax, trumpet, violin, etc. because they have different phrasing that guitar players don't normally do. Play a guitar like a sax player or a violin player, etc.

[@AmnellAndreas]

The plexi head in his "old" rig that you can see at 1:19... Hmm wonder what that plexi head is? Curious if he maybe would have found the actual AFD head..

[@Oneness100]

Could you play a Top 40 60's/70's R&B/Funk type gig on a moments notice without any rehearsals? I've done that to get my gigging chops together, where I didn't even know the freaking song. All I did was ask the bass player to sing a bar of the melody line and go on pure instinct because I might have heard the song on the radio a few times. And you gotta play that stuff like you've known the song by heart. It's good training.

[@Oneness100]

You probably haven't heard all of Jeff Beck's work. Van Halen I think has a lot to offer, sometimes he gets a little cliche, but I like a lot of van halen's stuff, but his music revolves around him and the vocals, I like music where it involves a little more than that. but I enjoy some of van halen's stuff. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd has done some solid work. Ray Vaughn was basically almost a direct copy of Hendrix, but he did it with a lot of class.

[@BenGorb]

yes, he is marketed as one for a reason.

[@Gibson1976uk]

Hendrix was never overrated! I mean, he was the one that brought heart and soul to a new level!! you can feel his music, if that makes sense. So many think its all about speed and playing some classical piece of music??? yuk

[@rmccaw7]

he speaks the truth, man.

[@kathyfoucaud940]

There is no best guitarist in the world ... There is a lot of great guitarist with their own style ... Slash is one of them with a great sound and feeling........

[@Oneness100]

Even in African music has various instruments that has a variety of textures to it. Where did folk, country, blues, come from? Africa. There are a TON of African folk songs where the melodies were used in early rock songs. It's kind of funny when you hear an African folk song and say that it sounds like XYZ rock song. The Police would do that as well in some of their songs where the melody line came from Africa or Jamaica and they would use it to blend other styles in to create their sound.

[@Oneness100]

Buckethead. He ROCKS. He kicks ass.

[@Oneness100]

JML was the guy who brought jazz improv to rock, first to use guitar synth, first to use scalloped fingerboard, first real shredder, pioneer of fusion music, first to master northern/sourthern indian, classical, jazz, blues, rock, funk and blend together. NO ONE has done that. PERIOD. This guy was playing guitar BEFORE the solid body guitar existed.

[@fumblerer]

Thanks for the lesson. I have never taken lessons, through practice and watching I've learnt various different modes and scales from the Phrygian to Major and Minor and various other. A guitarist isn't one who knows a load of bollocks about what they are playing but how they play it, irrelevant if they actually know the logistics of it.

[@ricardopatricio2933]

Dizzy and Steven again, Mr. Slash 🤘👍✌

[@bradleyspinks7922]

How do you stop a shredder playing guitar?...... Tell them to play slow and with feeling

[@JediCrackSmoke]

Shots fired!!! LOL!

[@0.o362]

Yet his most famous solo is The Godfather theme song... so...

[@antonrazzouk6767]

0.o that would be Sweet Child O’ Mine or November Rain

[@jazaman6666]

Slash isn’t necessarily a shredder. Yes he plays fast licks, but he combines them very well with some very beautiful melodic licks with a lot of feel and passion

[@ned_the_nod]

After spending years reading these comments I do technically agree with you - Slash is by definition not a developed guitarist, he can't play amazingly fast, can't master all genres - but when it comes down to music and writing a song it is (trying not to sound cheesy here) from the soul. In my opinion, technique has barely anything to do with Slash being a great guitarist. take Hendrix for example, he wasn't technically the best but his music was revolutionary and reached out to people.

[@kendallspinas605]

Lol 0:56 "older tour rack, ask slash"

[@Oneness100]

Let me ask you a question. If someone called you up and said they have a blues gig and they need guitar player to play a blues gig. could you take the gig? Playing like Slash won't cut it. What would happen if someone called you up and told you they are looking for a guitar player that can play all of the Top hits that include, Blues, Rock, R&B classics, Funk classics, some 80's rock, etc. Could you take that gig? What about a jazz gig?

[@Oneness100]

If you asked Van Halen who he studied and what type of music he studied, he will tell you a LOT more than you think. I'm sure he'll admit to listening to and enjoying the guys like Beck, Clapton, Hendrix, McLaughlin, early rock guys, the blues guys, classical music, probably some jazz and fusion bands from the early seventies.

[@Oneness100]

Yeah and sometimes you gotta play songs you normally wouldn't play, but still. be able to enjoy doing it and acting professional about it. The best way to learn to play is identify who are the legendary masters of a style music and where it came from first. Study and learn the basics to be able to start gigging. Not many calls for someone to sound like Slash. So, spend your times learning the classic songs. Rhythm playing is actually more important than lead playing for most gigs.

[@Oneness100]

That's fine that you're having fun. That's important ultimately.Think of styles of music, music theory from various styles as words in a dictionary. The more you listen to, the more you study, the more you can ultimately use to create melodies whether it is with songwriting or soloing. Technique is just being able to play the actual vocabulary. The guys in the 60's/70's really understood that stuff and really knew how to blend styles together to create their sound. Slash doesn't get it.

[@Oneness100]

Some bands would practice the songs they wish to record, they get a top producer that will work with them, they go to a good studio, they set up the gear, get tone, and then they run through the song list for a couple of days, pick the best performance, it goes to mix down and then off to be mastered. In that time period, no solos punched in, they didn't do any overdubs, etc., and the entire album took basically about a week and some of the top people STILL can't duplicate what they did.

[@Oneness100]

THe other thing, and this is from watching other players. Get a small amp that has flexibility to get most tones. The best amp would be the mesa boogie 1-12 Mark V. Best professional all around amp on the market. You can it to sound like pretty much anything and it gets loud enough. Even top pros use that and they just stick a mike on it and go through the PA system. Carrying around stacks of amps is for those that have roadies. Some guys are getting the Axe-FX Ultra, it does everything.

[@Oneness100]

The bigger problem is that many religions (not all), cultures promote drinking as part of various ritual celebrations, which makes it easy to get the addiction and harder to eliminate it. Most people are weekly drinkers, some are casual, some are daily drinkers, etc. Everyone is different. The questions are WILL YOU STOP? IF SO, WHEN? And can you stop for the rest of your life without any problems? Some people stop for months or years at a time, and some stop forever and some never stop.

[@GuitarLessons99]

YES!

[@KrauuziWedkuje]

When I was just starting with the guitar, I thought Hendrix was overrated, but with time, I have to say that I was really really wrong. He is the most influential and most important guitarist in rock music.

[@Oneness100]

And he doesn't need it. I've seen tons of guys play with one amp and they learn how to control their clean vs dirty tone with the volume knob on the guitar, a volume pedal, or their playing.

[@Oneness100]

The second it was sold to a customer by a retail store classifies it as USED. NEW are items in a store that haven't been sold.

[@fangbarker1807]

I must admit he is a good guitarist.

[@patricksteveok]

MUSIC PARADISE

[@Oneness100]

MO was formed, they only spent literally 3 days in the studio for their first two albums. They didn't have to have some producer spend months, later they had more budget, but in the beginning, they rehearsed for about 6 months, got the contract, went into the studio, got tone, ripped each song within a day or two and then mix down on day three. That's how those guys did it. Has George Martin worked with Slash on his solo albums or with GNR? NO. Why not. Probably not interested.

[@Oneness100]

I like listening to a some of AC/DCs songs, I may not actually attend one of their concerts, but for fairly straightforward 3 chord rock, they do what they do quite well. I've tried to listen to GNR and Slash's stuff. And I can honestly say that after many years of listening to it, I don't really find it worth listening to. I've at least tried.

[@Oneness100]

Which Santana and Beck albums did you listen to? Just curious. You might not have heard their best work.

[@Oneness100]

I looked up both songs and they were written by Axl. One thing about song writing, someone can write the song and get full credit and someone else can play certain parts and not get song writing credit. It appears as though Slash came up with his parts, to everyone AND the producer's approval, because the producer also has to like what's being played. I'll check em out, but I never really liked Axl Rose's voice. He kind of sounds like fingernails against the chalkboard.

[@RiotHomeRecording]

Slashes new amp looks cool, wonder if it sounds like AFD.

[@Oneness100]

What cracks me up is that kids growing up think guys like Slash are so great, yet they don't listen to or even know who John McLaughlin is. The guy has been on covers of Guitar Player magazine, probably just as much as Slash has, just over a longer period. John doesn't normally do a lot of endorsement deals. Only once in a while. Many of the guitars he used over the years were actually custom made, one of kind.

[@jca3746]

Day: 97 I terribly lost and baffled. I've pressed Show The Comment more than a plethora of times. I'm out of food, and water. If I don't make it, may this comment be the plaque for all of those innocent victims who had to endured this hell.

[@Oneness100]

But how many units have actually sold? The GIbson Les Paul with Slash's name on it costs

[@joshlespaul11]

slash is the man

[@bahumbuckerscroogeit]

In the sixties, being black and a left-handed player was revolutionary in and of itself

[@Oneness100]

Do you have a private guitar instructor? if not, you might want to get one. You have scales, modes, chords, rhythm, melody, harmony. I would get a list of the top blues legends and start collecting the OLD stuff. Same thing with Jazz. It's not only getting the book theory, but also training your ears to listen. Learning an easy song is great, but get used to listening to blues, jazz, even classical. That's what the top guitar players do, you can't cheat when it comes to music.

[@Oneness100]

I know Hendrix wasn't technically the best, but his ideas were revolutionary and he fused a lot of jazz rhythms to his chords/melodies. Mitch Mitchell really added a lot of dimension to Hendrix. I'm not talking just playing fast. Each of the older generation had a much better understanding of blues, which is the basis for R&R, jazz and some knowledge of classical music lends itself to more to write and play more melodically. I just hear too many "licks" that others did in the 60's/70's.

[@Oneness100]

Most REGULAR guys gigging on a routine basis are usually using Mesa Mark whatever version or some guys have the Triaxis preamp, a power amp and one or two 1-12 cabs, but you have to spend a lot of time programming it. But those are great preamps, but again. I wouldn't waste money on a Marshall head unless you are using it in a recording studio and have a good one. i wouldn't suggest brining one on tour unless you have roadies and lots of money to get backups when they fail.

[@kronos3]

Awesome, me and Slash use the same gear: Duracell batteries

[@Oneness100]

Do you have a roadie or play out a lot with yours or do you use it more for studio work

[@RIPNTEAR68]

The guitar riffs from vintage Gn'R songs Rocket Queen, the solo on Sweet Child Of Mine, Reckless Life..that's why Slash is one of my favorite hard rock guitarists. Micheal Schenker, Mark Reale, Adrian Vandenberg are more gifted, talent-wise. In my eyes, style, emotionally evocative songwriting, melodic abilities are the principal elements of greatness and career longevity, success.

[@Oneness100]

Wow, you must know something about what it takes to be a legendary guitarist. So, how many legendary guitarists have you seen live over the past 45 years?

[@ozzyayres1]

yeah Gilmour is a great guitarist

[@HRHAF]

trust me..that cant make a person the best guitar player..there are way better guitarists betten than him at this time..then he was the boss and i salute him for the good work he done and being an influence to so many new guitarists.Without jimi henrix maybe some of these way better guitar players for whom im speaking may not have been even playing but the years are passing by and the new generation is better

[@bjarnitristan312]

The best thing i´ve ever heard 2:47

[@Oneness100]

There are guitar players, drummers, etc. out there that can basically play any rock tune that's been on the radio within the last 40 years and be able to play it almost as well as the original and they only have to listen to it a few times and take basically 10 minutes learning it. Any GNR song is like that. It shouldn't take you longer than maybe 15 minutes to run through it.

[@fumblerer]

oooooooohhh I am so glad you cleared that up for me, but I would to know how he manages to do it live. Does he like pause time, confer with his experience producer, and then play. Amazing! I'm not sure how managed to higher such a highly experienced producer when Guns N roses created AFD. Hmmmm, maybe Slash was made of money then...No he wasn't. That obviously didn't stop it being sold 28 million times worlwide.

[@ricardopatricio2933]

The best of the world. Hendrix? Number 2

[@matthewhart6857]

went to I'm feeling lucky and got slash!!! like getting a dodgey fortune cookie

[@Recovery82]

Who do you consider better players? Im just curious is all.