Greg Prato, reporting for Ultimate-Guitar.com:
For Adrian Smith, the best guitar solos come more or less spontaneously, relying on what he feels and hears rather than trying to conform to specific rules. That’s at least what he told us in a recent interview.
Now, we’re sure you’re already jumping up on your side of the music theory debate. But, the truth is, it’s just something that helps us understand music better, rather than a strict set of rules that tells us what we should do at all times. Adrian’s lead guitar works, be it in Iron Maiden or his new material with Smith/Kotzen on the Black Light / White Noise album, can be interpreted and understood more clearly with proper music theory knowledge. However, what you feel while listening to his solos is up to you. And that’s an important thing for a musician to consider when coming up with any part.
In our recent interview in promotion of the new Smith/Kotzen album, Smith gave us a glimpse into his process of coming up with guitar solos. As he explained, he relies on instinct more than anything.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: How do you come up with your best guitar solos?
Adrian Smith: “I do what I always do when I play. I just listen to something that I’ve got to play over, and I just hear the solo in my head, and then I try and play it. And it’s usually more on the melodic side. It’s instinct, really.
“I don’t know scales or anything like that. Well, I do, obviously, but I don’t know a lot about theory, so I play by ear.”
Read more at Ultimate-Guitar.com.
BMG will release Black Light / White Noise, the second album by Smith/Kotzen – Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs) – on April 4.
Recorded at The House, Los Angeles, California, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Jay Ruston, the ten-track album is a masterclass in modern rock, with Adrian and Richie’s prodigious talents as songwriters, musicians and vocalists on full display.
“We had a lot of fun making this,” says Adrian. “We’d be writing and I’d want something inspired by some of my old hard rock or blues go-to bands then it’d go into a more progressive feel – and then Richie has these strong soul influences so there’s a lot to dig into there too. Influences are what makes the musical world go round – they go through you and come out slightly differently.”
“Smith/Kotzen is all about finding common ground,” adds Richie. “Maybe Adrian will tend to go heavy, and then I’ll lean more in the fusion or funk or soul side of things, but somewhere in the middle is our sound: that heavy blues rock vibe that we really connect on.”
Black Light / White Noise is a truly magnificent collection of songs that stands shoulder to shoulder with some of their finest work to date. Atmospheric, ambitious, diverse and brilliant, it not only features stratospheric guitar solos and phenomenal rock vocals but soulful touches, intricate playing, beautiful songwriting and an assured poise and style that brings to mind a host of legendary bands and musicians (Thin Lizzy, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Cream, Free, Deep Purple) yet is undeniably the work of Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen in perfect harmony.
Deliciously varied, exquisitely composed and rounded out by a breadth of flavours that can only come with years of experience, Black Light / White Noise is a new sound with the depth of a fine vintage.
The album will be available in the following formats: Clear, Splatter Vinyl (limited to certain retailers) / Black Vinyl / Digipak CD / Lossless Audio Digital. Pre-order here.
Black Light / White Noise tracklisting:
“Muddy Water”
“White Noise”
“Black Light”
“Darkside”
“Life Unchained”
“Blindsided”
“Wraith”
“Heavy Weather”
“Outlaw”
“Beyond The Pale”
“Black Light” video:
“White Noise” video:
(Photos courtesy of Piper Ferguson and John McMurtrie)
The post SMITH/KOTZEN’s ADRIAN SMITH Explains How He Comes Up With Great Solos – “I Don’t Know A Lot About Theory, I Just Hear It In My Head,” Says IRON MAIDEN Guitarist appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
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For Adrian Smith, the best guitar solos come more or less spontaneously, relying on what he feels and hears rather than trying to conform to specific rules. That’s at least what he told us in a recent interview.
Now, we’re sure you’re already jumping up on your side of the music theory debate. But, the truth is, it’s just something that helps us understand music better, rather than a strict set of rules that tells us what we should do at all times. Adrian’s lead guitar works, be it in Iron Maiden or his new material with Smith/Kotzen on the Black Light / White Noise album, can be interpreted and understood more clearly with proper music theory knowledge. However, what you feel while listening to his solos is up to you. And that’s an important thing for a musician to consider when coming up with any part.
In our recent interview in promotion of the new Smith/Kotzen album, Smith gave us a glimpse into his process of coming up with guitar solos. As he explained, he relies on instinct more than anything.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: How do you come up with your best guitar solos?
Adrian Smith: “I do what I always do when I play. I just listen to something that I’ve got to play over, and I just hear the solo in my head, and then I try and play it. And it’s usually more on the melodic side. It’s instinct, really.
“I don’t know scales or anything like that. Well, I do, obviously, but I don’t know a lot about theory, so I play by ear.”
Read more at Ultimate-Guitar.com.
BMG will release Black Light / White Noise, the second album by Smith/Kotzen – Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs) – on April 4.
Recorded at The House, Los Angeles, California, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Jay Ruston, the ten-track album is a masterclass in modern rock, with Adrian and Richie’s prodigious talents as songwriters, musicians and vocalists on full display.
“We had a lot of fun making this,” says Adrian. “We’d be writing and I’d want something inspired by some of my old hard rock or blues go-to bands then it’d go into a more progressive feel – and then Richie has these strong soul influences so there’s a lot to dig into there too. Influences are what makes the musical world go round – they go through you and come out slightly differently.”
“Smith/Kotzen is all about finding common ground,” adds Richie. “Maybe Adrian will tend to go heavy, and then I’ll lean more in the fusion or funk or soul side of things, but somewhere in the middle is our sound: that heavy blues rock vibe that we really connect on.”
Black Light / White Noise is a truly magnificent collection of songs that stands shoulder to shoulder with some of their finest work to date. Atmospheric, ambitious, diverse and brilliant, it not only features stratospheric guitar solos and phenomenal rock vocals but soulful touches, intricate playing, beautiful songwriting and an assured poise and style that brings to mind a host of legendary bands and musicians (Thin Lizzy, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Cream, Free, Deep Purple) yet is undeniably the work of Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen in perfect harmony.
Deliciously varied, exquisitely composed and rounded out by a breadth of flavours that can only come with years of experience, Black Light / White Noise is a new sound with the depth of a fine vintage.
The album will be available in the following formats: Clear, Splatter Vinyl (limited to certain retailers) / Black Vinyl / Digipak CD / Lossless Audio Digital. Pre-order here.
Black Light / White Noise tracklisting:
“Muddy Water”
“White Noise”
“Black Light”
“Darkside”
“Life Unchained”
“Blindsided”
“Wraith”
“Heavy Weather”
“Outlaw”
“Beyond The Pale”
“Black Light” video:
“White Noise” video:
(Photos courtesy of Piper Ferguson and John McMurtrie)
The post SMITH/KOTZEN’s ADRIAN SMITH Explains How He Comes Up With Great Solos – “I Don’t Know A Lot About Theory, I Just Hear It In My Head,” Says IRON MAIDEN Guitarist appeared first on BraveWords - Where Music Lives.
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