Important Question for Mr. Bonamassa (Technique)!

Jamey & Jess (and others) If you haven't managed to get ahold of a copy of Joe's Hot Licks instructional video entitled "Lead Guitar Unlimited" which came out about 10 years ago (give or take) keep an eye out on Ebay...they pop up from time to time for about $30 USD. In this video he goes into some detail about his influences and some of where he "picked up" (no pun intended) some of his techniques.  It's an interesting watch even if you're not an aspiring guitarist.  Not suprisingly, he infers that a lot of his right-hand style was learned from Danny Gatton, the master of the Telecaster (RIP).

I'd made another posting on this video some time ago that a distributor told me that the whole Hot Licks company had been sold and the new company was allegedly going to be re-releasing it (with some new bonus footage) on DVD but I haven't seen it yet....though they've done this for several other of their titles, including Warren Haynes and Eric Johnson.

I was lucky enough to have a wonderful Joe fan lend me their copy for a while until I was able to obtain one.  Good luck and Joe may chime in to answer this question himself.

CarljMD

thanks for the responses.  I do have the instructional video, and am aware of Joe's influences, but the technique I am refering to is purely the physical aspect.  I am looking for warm up ideas and methods to physically develop flawless right hand picking (ie playing major scales with 16th notes of each scale degree with a metronome).  Love to hear an answer from Mr. Bonamassa as well.

Al DiMeola  is somebody Zakk Wylde always talks about as well. I need to get some of his music.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping.

There was an article on Al DiMeola in the Guitar One with Joe on the cover a few months back.  He talks in depth about his technique.

Al DiMeola's playing is much more complicated and sophisticated than Joe's. I would recommend checking out anything that DiMeola did with the exception of the stuff he recorded in the mid-late 80's.

I would recommend some of the things DiMeola has recorded in the past 20 years like World Sinfonia and Heart of the Immigrants. Very very complicated playing.

The stuff DiMeola recorded in the 70's is more just a guy showing off his chops. Albums like Flesh on Flesh have a lot more composition involved and the playing is a lot more tasteful and mature.

Whats your favorite Don Mock album?

Mock one is old school from the 70's. His tone on that record reminds me of Steve Morse's tone in the 70's. I'm surprised you have that album since it's only available on vinyl.

Don Mock's playing is hit or miss to me. He's played some of the most amazing things I've ever heard but he overuses the guitar synthesizer. He has this instructional video where he plays some great licks but it's ruined because he uses this stupid harmonica patch on a Roland synth and it just sounds so cheesy.

The first two tracks are amazing on Speed of Light and then it just goes down hill as he goes way overboard on the synth.

BINGO!    with Joe it's all about keeping the fleshy part of his picking hand in proper postition to mute the unused strings when he picks those faster patterns.  The picking style isn't all that different than basic shredding but most of those guys could care less about how messy it sounds. Joe's style allows you to hear definition in every note which makes it much more palatable to the ear.  Joe also learned something at an early age that some guitarists never learn...pacing.  There's nothing more fatigueing to the human ear than a constant barrage of fast notes.  If it doesn't breathe then it's choking.