Questions for Mats

[Hellirun]

Hello Mats,
While most of people are getting crazy about the making of the new album, I would have some questions about the old stuff.
I have to say that your soloing approach is quite different from most of the guitar players in the genre, more lyrical and emotional, therefore more interesting.
So I was wondering how do you compose your solos? Do you just jam over a backing track with the chord progressions until you find each lick? Or do you have them already in mind and try to apply them on the guitar?
Also, it seems that you use the modes quite often. Have you done a lot of theory? Do you think about it when you compose? Or does it come naturally to you?

Thanks for your time, and good luck for the new album!

- Martin

 

[JesterIF]

I really look forward Mats' response (if it happens)!

 

[mleijzer]

Me too, Mats use of slides is amazing!

I have a question as well.

With exactly what gear were the Isolate guitars recorded?
When I first heard it I was completely blown away by the tight and direct sound of the rhythm parts and the warm and smooth sound of the leads.

I read somewhere that you use the 5150 for rhythm and the JMP-1/Mesa for leads. Did you use this on Isolate as well?

 

[Mats Haugen]

Hello Mats,
While most of people are getting crazy about the making of the new album, I would have some questions about the old stuff.
I have to say that your soloing approach is quite different from most of the guitar players in the genre, more lyrical and emotional, therefore more interesting.
So I was wondering how do you compose your solos? Do you just jam over a backing track with the chord progressions until you find each lick? Or do you have them already in mind and try to apply them on the guitar?
Also, it seems that you use the modes quite often. Have you done a lot of theory? Do you think about it when you compose? Or does it come naturally to you?

Thanks for your time, and good luck for the new album!

- Martin

Thanks for the kind words Martin!

I like to think of solos as a song inside the song. Therefore I try to compose them as I compose songs. I listen to the songs alot on my mp3 player and then I figure out the melodies by humming over the parts where the solo meant to be. Then when I get back home I try to do for real
This, and jamming over the tracks is often my way of doing it.

Mats

 

[Mats Haugen]

Me too, Mats use of slides is amazing!

I have a question as well.

With exactly what gear were the Isolate guitars recorded?
When I first heard it I was completely blown away by the tight and direct sound of the rhythm parts and the warm and smooth sound of the leads.

I read somewhere that you use the 5150 for rhythm and the JMP-1/Mesa for leads. Did you use this on Isolate as well?

Thanks man,

On Isolate I used a Pod on the whole album. It sounded cool then and it fitted our timeschedule Now, I am not happy with that choice! Hehe...
I´ve only used the 5150 and JMP1 when doing shows.

Mats

 

[mleijzer]

Thanks Mats!

Man, I wouldn't have thought that to be a POD!
I guess it was a POD XT Pro?

 

[Waldemariel]

I'll throw in a couple of questions to Mats as well if you don't mind;

1: Considering you've used the Pod for Isolate, have you ever thought about trying the Axe-FX for your upcoming album? I'm sure you must've tried that unit somewhere

2: Do you not get a quite different type of solo when trying to "compose/hum it/sing it in your head" rather than jamming over it?

Thanks a lot! Best of luck on your new album!

 

[Mats Haugen]

Thanks Mats!

Man, I wouldn't have thought that to be a POD!
I guess it was a POD XT Pro?

In fact, it was the good old Pod Pro

Mats

 

[Mats Haugen]

I'll throw in a couple of questions to Mats as well if you don't mind;

1: Considering you've used the Pod for Isolate, have you ever thought about trying the Axe-FX for your upcoming album? I'm sure you must've tried that unit somewhere

2: Do you not get a quite different type of solo when trying to "compose/hum it/sing it in your head" rather than jamming over it?

Thanks a lot! Best of luck on your new album!

Love the Axe-FX! I´ve thought about trying it out on some parts. We´ll see...
Yup, quite different approach on the solo´s, But like I said! I also jam to the tracks

M

 

[Waldemariel]

Love the Axe-FX! I´ve thought about trying it out on some parts. We´ll see...
Yup, quite different approach on the solo´s, But like I said! I also jam to the tracks

M

Cool stuff, thanks!

 

[mleijzer]

Mats, would you be interested in doing a video instructional with tab from the guitar solo for "Arrival Of Love"?
I'm hearing some very extraordinary and interesting slide/whammy combinations and arpeggio's there!
The are some tabs floating around but at certain parts I feel they're not correct, and I (and maybe other guitar players here too) would love to see the solo worked out by the writer Himself!