Steve Answers! Part I
Daniel Veloso
Steve, are there any young guitar players who you particularly like? I mean we all know what your influences are but is there any new name that has caught your attention lately?
I’m not sure how young any of them are, but have recently enjoyed more visibility: Alexi Laiho, Guthrie Govan, Gus G, Corey from Jason and Massive Attraction (we just had them open up for us), and about a million others that are so good that I don’t have their names readily at hand. The list of guys that I know have been around for a long time and are great, is huge, too!
Jon Wynn
Hi Steve, who are some of your favourite bands at the minute?
I like the depth of Dream Theater, the pure musical joy of The Chieftans, anything done in Nashville that has guitar, banjo, or pedal steel, like Brad Paisley, and the Tallis Scholars for vocal perfection…many more, just like the last list, first ones I thought of.
Cody McKenna
Steve, you’re the man. Question: Out of all the amazing guitarists who have listed you as an influence, which means the most to you and why?
When I found out that John Petrucci and Joe Bonamassa had said nice things about me, I was blown away, since they are right up in the center of the music business radar and are incredible talents. One time in an interview, I specifically mentioned one of my instructors, Stan Samole; he later told me thanks, and that nobody really ever does that, which stuck with me. It’s quite special for people who have the world’s respect to mention my name, so I’m very impressed with those. Vinnie Moore is another…
Jan Hoffmann
Hey Steve, my idol, I would like to know how you build up your solos, which scales do you use and how you are using chromatic notes in the scales. I know, 3 questions at once, but I’m really, really impressed by your playing. You play like no other one out there 🙂
I do a lot of instrumental music, where I’m playing a planned out melody, so the solos must be spontaneous. Still, I wait until I have a decent try before I save it and start repairing any really bad moments. I try not to overdo the perfecting it, so that it does indeed sound like it was as spontaneous as it was…just without the few mistakes that I tend to make while aiming for something that I just thought of!
I use, most often, a mixolydian scale, plus a flat 5, and a minor 3rd as leading tones to the adjacent notes that are in that scale. For a minor piece, I often switch between natural minor and harmonic minor, and use harmonic minor most when the dominant (5) chord is major, of course.
Kalen Meyer
When you solo, do you just improvise most of your stuff or do you sit down and write out the solo on staff based on the chords/what’s happening under the solo?’
Like the answer above, it has to be a spontaneous solo, or it isn’t a solo! I mean, I improvise, but I’m not above fixing a basically good take in order to fix the notes that didn’t come out as well as I intended at the moment.
Finn Ruschke
Hi Steve, my favourite guitarist in every way! I would so much like to know how you played this incredible solo in “The Bash” on California Sceamin’! Which scales are you using? Was it all improvisation or did you have a plan?
It’s improvisation, but the very end lick is almost the same every time, to cue the band that I’m ending. I use the same scale I mentioned above, mixolydian plus an extra flat 5, and minor 3rd as passing notes.
Dave Eichenberger
Hello Steve – can you give me an idea in milliseconds how long your normal “long delay” is? How many repeats do you have it set for?
Roughly 420 ms. and the repeat is about 3, degrading each time. On the TC Flashback delay, if you download my “Toneprint”, and set the delay and feedback near 12 o’clock, it is the exact delay that I use on everything, and is the pedal that I use, also.
Christopher Eklund
Hi Steve! I wonder how long it takes for you to warm up to be at your best? Because I’ve noticed since I got serious with my alternate picking, it takes like 1-2 hours of playing stringskipping licks and arpeggios with alternate picking for me to be really warmed up. That is what I’ve noticed since I started to practice alternate picking, it requires a lot of upkeep, more than the “regular” way of playing, so to speak.
Great question…as I’m only 20 years old, I don’t need to warm up…OK, seriously, it takes some doing, for the reasons you are noticing. The timing, accuracy of string skips, all require practice. I can be at my best of any particular day within 45 minutes of steady playing, but usually there are interruptions, so it takes longer. However, to be at my best, it takes me at least twice that to get a basic practice session in that is only technical. And music should be more than just technical, so it takes hours to progress at a good clip. That’s why I recommend full time playing only for those that really love it, since it’s a lifelong commitment to keep in shape.
You are correct that alternate picking is labor intensive, but it is also very easy to jump to any style, too, since the lines aren’t dependent on guitaristic fingerings.
Noah Berryman
Steve, do you still own or play any of your old Ampeg heads that you used in the 70’s and 80’s? I was watching the Dixie Dregs Live at Montreux 1978 DVD and you had such a unique tone on it (not that your current tone is lacking!).
Yes, still own a few. I need to learn more about testing audio circuits, or how to accurately test components while ‘in circuit’, since every old piece of equipment I have needs new electrolytic capacitors, power supplies, or corrosion control!
Eric Porter
Steve – Will there be another Dregs tour/album?
I’m sure there will. Rod, Jerry, Dave and I want to play more, and we have heard rumors that we might be able to talk Jordan into coming to sit in with us again.
Duds Rocha
Hey Steve, what is your favorite Flying Colors song?
“Infinite Fire” was the first thing I wrote with Neal, so I love that, but “Better than Walking Away”, “Kayla”, “All Falls Down”, shoot, I love all of the songs on the album. They are some of the most constructively creative people I have ever worked with.
Randy Hedrick
Hey Steve, are you still a fan of Oreos and milk?
Actually, who doesn’t like them? I can’t indulge as much, it’s almost as if I’m getting older!
Ben Agata
Steve, I know that you were a commercial pilot way back in the day, do you still fly? Ever talk shop with Bruce Dickinson?
Sure have, and he was very cordial, and opened right up. Because of Deep Purple, I have met lots of folks with British accents. I was amazed to find that Bruce had a Cessna 421 that he flew the band around in, before he started flying as a heavy jet pilot for a charter company. It sounds like he is one of those people that can do, and handle, any kind of challenge and have fun doing it.
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