10 things I learnt from Carl Verheyen

I was very fortunate to attend a fairly intimate workshop by LA guitar wizard Carl Verheyen. By my own admittance, I had never heard of Carl in the past, even though I have been playing and following the world of guitars for over 25 years.

His mainstream guitar media presence is limited and overshadowed by the more excessive and hence media friendly names. Not that he is wants for success. Indeed, I would suggest he is financially and artistically doing just peachy and is one of the top go to guys in LA for sessions and sidemen work.

Perhaps he needs a public drug overdose/addiction or a spat with a big public name to climb his mainstream profile. Or perhaps he is doing just fine. I think it's the latter.

Anywho, here's 10 things I learnt from Carl's workshop.

1. Take a scale (say C major pentatonic ; C D E G A).  Go from the lowest note that's (possible to play on the guitar) in the scale,  E in this case and climb the scale to the highest pitch note you can. Repeat this for each mode and scale.

2. Don't climb (or descent) scales in a fixed pattern, move along and across strings in random ways
3. Create a lick/riff book with musical idea's that sound like You. Constantly add and review this book, building up your Own voice.
4. Learn every note, every position on the fretboard.
5. Learn and experiment with chord voicings and inversions to change or add to the colour of the song and even sit better in the band mix, example take the third of a major triad and raise it an octave.
6. If you hear something you like, no matter what instrument it originated on, learn it. 
7. Transpose songs to different keys. This tests your knowledge and puts you in a great position for playing along with others who prefer a different key
8. It is possible to be very successful, musically and financially in the guitar world but be relatively unknown in the popular media world.

9. TV and advertisement work can earn really good money
10. And finally, Carl Verheyen is an exceptional guitar talent and a an all round nice bloke! Oh, yeah and "tab is for pussys" (his words, not mine).

  

Be sure to check his website and music out, and if I had to compare him with another player, I would gravitate towards Guthrie Govan,  due to the sheer encyclopedia-like knowledge and ability to play fluidly in any style he likes.  Breath taking.

http://www.carlverheyen.com/

Thanks to Amped Promotions and Livewire Workshops for bringing Carl to our little City. Kudos.