Australian Guitar Vol. 110

Rock guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani is releasing Shockwave Supernova, his 15th studio album and first for Legacy Recordings. It’s a concept album based on Satriani’s unique on-stage alter ego of the same name, and finds the world-renowned guitarist reaching deep into his bag of tricks, offering extensive, blues-influenced jams and intense, complex instrumentation. Sounds like the Joe we know and love, right? Need this one in your stezza? We’ve got 10 copies to give away so you better tell us which Joe track you think is his most epic guitar effort. SLASH LIVE AT THE ROXY PACKS On September 25th 2014, shortly after the release of their World On Fire album, Slash with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators took the stage at the legendary Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip…

So we’ve fielded a few calls and emails on this one and taken your feedback into account in order to make this bonus video content and additional audio tracks easy to access and in a very familiar format. When using the CD component of the magazine in the past, you may have noticed most of the content is actually hosted online anyways (videos, tracks, PDFs), so we’ve streamlined this process and you can now get the same content, in exactly the same format, right here at www.australianguitarmag.com.au A VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH REG MOMBASSA In 1976 guitarist Chris O’Doherty, (AKA Reg Mombassa), formed rock band Mental As Anything with four other art students. Reg left the band 25 years later but not before they had produced 11 albums and 27…

Buying and selling second-hand gear can be a daunting task sometimes. There’s a lot to know and it can be tough to keep on top of what things are worth, what the smart buys are, and when to actually decide to sell that old vintage beauty that’s been sitting in the back of your closet for years. Never fear though, we’ve got you covered. I’m the resident bargain hunter out there trawling the internet, doing the hard work for you... PEOPLE ARE CHASING: The demand for Fender Japan guitars been steadily growing in recent years, and prices have jumped up significantly on the local second-hand market of late, which has been interesting to see. These have long been popular as an option for those wanting to hit the sweet spot…

MIKE SPECK CURRENTLY PLAYING WITH: Paper Wolves and Hurricane Party. I also have a duo project with our singer Mike Horbacz (known as ‘Mike Horbacz Duo’, crazy name huh?). In addition to that, I’m writing with some local bands and doing some solo stuff. I think it’s important to stay motivated, keep active and always move forward. USUALLY FOUND PLAYING: All around Newcastle and the Central Coast, and frequent shows at Finnians Irish Tavern in Port Macquarie. YEARS ON THE FRETBOARD: 16. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PLAYING STYLE? Uncomfortable to watch [laughs]. From clean tones with ambient delays and reverbs to heavy riffs with distortion on 11, and everything in between. My style has developed as a result of influence and necessity; influence from the likes of Metallica, Incubus,…

USING A COMPRESSOR When you are recording and mixing music, understanding how to use a compressor is an important factor towards achieving a cohesive end product. Compression is a powerful tool, and is commonly used to control the dynamic range of a sound source. This means the difference in volume (dB) between the softest and loudest part of the recorded performance. For example, the human voice is an extremely dynamic instrument; it can go from a whisper to a scream in a very quick timeframe. By controlling the loudness peaks, you are then able to get a more balanced and consistent volume from the sound source, rather than something that continuously moves between louder and softer. A compressor has a range of settings to help deal with these issues, some…

Australia’s longest-running Led Zeppelin celebration concert, Whole Lotta Love, returns to Sydney’s State Theatre on Saturday 5 September and the Laycock Street Theatre in North Gosford on Friday 28 August and Saturday 29 August. The magic and mystique of Led Zeppelin will once again be recreated by another sensational group of guest vocalists including Jeff Martin (The Tea Party), Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Simon Meli (The Widowbirds), Dallas Frasca and Frank Lakoudis (The Voice). Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the release of Led Zeppelin’s seminal Physical Graffiti double album this year, Whole Lotta Love is an unrivalled concert experience that has toured all over Australia and built a peerless reputation for exceptional interpretations, stunning musicianship and spine-tingling moments throughout it’s 11-year history, and 2015’s vocalist lineup will be sure…