8/15/2019 MetalFusion1 Bonus Notes

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/metalfusion1-bonus-notes 1/2

GIANLUCA FERRO

“Dark Matter”

For this song, I was looking or a very basic, solid and melodic vibe. I used my Schecter Damien Elite 8 String (tuned drop E) orthe rhythm section which eatures a modern heavy riff based onthe key o E minor. Te verse riff is based on a I-, bVImaj7, VI-7b5, bVImaj7 sequence which involves the Locrian mode on theVI-7b5 chord.

Here I play E aeolian, C lydian, C#Locrian and the C lydian again. ry to emphasize the transition rom C#locrianand C lydian ocusing on the chord tones, especially the roots o this two chords. On such a tonal harmony, youcan add some spices to your line by incorporating chromatics, arpeggio sequences. I you are a an o resh andmodern sounding lines try to work on 5ths, 4ths and octaves that’s what I did on the opening theme based onquartal arpeggios and every now and the in the song ! Hope you dig it !

“Pillars O Creation”

Tis one is a modal rock song based on D dorian. I played the rhythm parts with a Drop D tuning. You can use abasic D minor pentatonic scale over the verse and chorus but i you are looking or something more interestingthe go or D dorian or D melodic minor(being careul with the raised 7th). Here we have a modal interchange

chorus based on D sus4, Fsus6/9, Csus2/F#, Ebmaj7#11. Here I play D minor pentatonic (with wide intervals) onthe 1st two chords then F#locrian on Csus2/F# (this is like D mixolidyan) and I play Eb lydian on the Ebmaj7#11.Right afer the chorus there’s a quartal harmony section which gives a very modern usion taste to the section.Chords here are Dmin11, Bmin11, Bmaj7#11, Abmaj7#11 then Dmin11, Fmin11, Fmaj7#11 and Eb7#11. Overthese chords I play a range o modal pentatonics with a massive use o 4th intervals and octaves. Over the lastchord (Eb7#11) I played a psychedelic lick based on the Eb whole tone scale. Tis is section is a good workshopor those who like to experiment with modal scales an quartal based phrases !

“Western Breeze”

Tis song is based on A mixolidyan. I tried to blend some wide intervals phrases with a more blues rock vibe,some o the lines I play are based on 4 note per string scales played with string skips and hybrid picking thathelped me getting a more resh and open sound.Chorus is based on a bVI, bVII, I progression, another example o modal interchange progression. You shouldplay F lydian, G mixolydian and A mixolidyan here or just stay wild and pentatonic, old school never dies !

On the cental chorus section I played a long tapping sequence based on 5 note arpeggios ollowing the wholechord progression. Tey are arranged in 13:8 tuplets, I’m personally a big an o odd tuplets and irregulargroupings, a cool way to get more fluid and less predictable sound to the lines !

“Sliding Shadows”

I think this is the most experimental track o this package. I wanted a static E pedal with sliding modal flavours inthe inner harmonic structure so I defined two basic sections, the first based on E phrygian/E Phrygian dominantwhile the second is based on a tritone bichord which allows the improviser to switch among an impressive range

METAL FUSION SERIES 1

8/15/2019 MetalFusion1 Bonus Notes

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/metalfusion1-bonus-notes 2/2

o modal and exotic scales. I got the inspiration or it rom the song “Te Riddle” by Steve Vai based on a longstatic vamp where Vai goes through different scales and harmonies. On the first section I played mostly Ephrygian dominant, E7b9 and G# diminished arpeggios are coming rom this scale. Te second section is justbased on the bichord E bB . For that section I used different scales containing this tritone interval: E lidyan, E

dorian#4 and E diminished W-H.I got the inspiration or that section rom a chapter called “Trash Soloing”included in Joe Satriani’s book “Guitar Secrets”.

“Liquid Circles”

Tis in another tribute to Joe Satriani and his unique melodic sense. I’m a great an o the lydian scale andall the lydian variations such as lydian augmented, lydian minor and lydian#2 so this also a tribute to someo these amazing sounding scales .Tis song is quite simple, harmonically based on C lydian eatures ausion-like progression right afer the 1st chorus. Here chords are E sus2, D#sus2, Csus2 and Dbsus2. On thischord progression I used E Aeolian, D# lydian , C Lydian and Db Lydian minor/Db Lydian on the last chord.

Lydian minor is the IV mode o the harmonic major scale and I totally love it ! Reminds me a lot o lines romsir Allan Holdsworth ! Te second chorus eatures a couple o substitutions. We have here a major IV (A major)instead o A- and also the E- chord at the end o the progression is replaced with a major one (this also a typicalmodal interchange-based progression). On these two chords I emphasize the major third using the dominantpentatonic scales (1, 3, 4, 5, b7) known also as the “Jan Hammer” scale. Tis scale is again among o my  avourite since it sounds simultaneously bluesy and exotic. Te major pentatonic scale is ofen usedby Jeff Beck and his Indian flavour is due to the act that coincides with a popular Indian raga.

ips on Gear and Production:

Te solo guitar tone comes rom the very first plugin Amplitube by IK multimedia. I guess it’s been releasedabout 10 years ago, almost a vintage rarity ! I rarely use it , sometimes it’s easier to mic my amps but sometimesI like to play with reamping. I basically record DI guitars at my home studio then experiment with differentamps and mics in the studio room. When I started working on the mix with my engineer Andrea De Bernardiwe reamped the rhythm guitars with an Fractal Audio Axe FX then we ound out that the amplitube plugin wasgood already or the solo parts and decided to keep it in the final mix! Stereo delay comes rom Cubase set ¼on the right ¼ dotted on the lef.

Gianluca Ferro, March 2013

 TRACK NOTES