The Cutest Little Overdrive, New from Summer School

Greetings and Salutations to all in Shred Nation!

HELLO all and welcome back to another exciting edition of the shred newsletter. It’s a little colder in Long Beach this week which means people like me (C-tier Rivers Cuomo impersonators) can start wearing cardigans again.

Let’s celebrate by diving right into the good stuff:

Another shred lord you must have on your radar. He’s also a great teacher!
Arpeggio study to improve your solos fast
You guys remember Ed Roman’s guitar store?
Brand new offering from our homies and violent recess proctor Summer School Electronics

A NEW TERRIFYING GUITAR TYRANT HAS ENTERED THE CHAT

I mentioned BAXTY a few weeks (months?) a go. The type of guitarist that is so got-damn good he inspires you to quit immediately or practice non-stop. Well it’s time to KFC Double Down on whatever decision you’ve made because he’s got a bearded counterpart also playing on an Abasi model named Spiro Dussias.

Spiro is incredible and all his playing and picking is SO fast and SO clean and ya know, SO fresh it feels like there should be an Outkast song about it. He also has mini-lessons and offers private lessons for those interested and does his videos in English for you English speakers out there so that’s something too.

Check him out too and if you’re wondering what the secret is for both of these guys it’s called “Two Way Pickslanting” and if you’re interested in learning more you can Ask Jeeves.

WE ARE SICK OF SIDESCROLLING IN THIS HOUSE

If you feel like all your solos sound like the sonic equivalent of a 2D Mario game, maybe it’s time to add some arpeggios into your leads instead of just moving up and down in stepwise motion.

Arpeggios are just playing the notes of a chord one at a time, but we can make this really easy on a guitar by just learning a few shapes and some basic theory.

Check out these two articles to get a massive head start on a bit of jazz and a bit of rock/pop arpeggio theory.

Jazz Guitar Arpeggio Guide

Guitar World 7th Chord Arpeggios

ED ROMAN WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY

Back in my day you couldn’t just go on the internet and order a custom guitar. Hell you couldn’t really just go on the internet and order a custom anything. If your mom was on the phone you couldn’t even go on the internet.

Anyway, Ed Roman had (and still has) a guitar shop in Las Vegas that has a bunch of pretty interesting custom guitars for sale and a lot of weird paint jobs and one offs that as a kid I would just peruse and fantasize about buying some day. This was in my head because I’m on my way to Vegas today for my BACHELOR PARTY.

You can check out Ed's Shop here

OLD DOG NEW TRICKS

Just the cutest little overdrive from our pals at Summer School Electronics.

Haven’t met a pedal from them that I don’t like honestly, and super nice people to boot. Us teachers need to stick together as well, I think they call that a “union”? I’m not sure.

Anyway check out the pedal, if you don’t like the sound (you will) then you’ll at least like the graphic.

FARE THEE WELL

Welp that’s it for today, I gotta get rolling I have a reservation for a Pai Gow table at Circus Circus before they demolish it and time is a-wasting.

Which reminds me - Vince Neil from Motley Crue used to have a restaurant there called Tatuado, and years ago they sold this margarita in a literal replica toilet. One time we came in all drunk and asked for the toilet drink and they said they didn’t have it. We were really upset and they had to get the manager who was dressed all nice in business clothes to come out and explain that they “didn’t sell the toilet bowl drink anymore.”

Has anyone else ever gotten that from a Vince Neil’s Tatuado at Circus Circus? Or in Pahrump at the only remaining location? Have you ever gotten another drink out of a replica toilet from Vegas? Let me know and thanks for being here! One love.

As always hit me with any questions, comments, or concerns and we ALWAYS have new content coming out on Patreon if you want to get serious about learning the guitar!

UNTIL NEXT TIME