SOLO VG-8 SYNTH GUITAR LIVE

SOLO VG-8 SYNTH GUITAR LIVE

9 SONGS :: Total Running Time 46:00

Released: Apr 28, 2015

℗ 2019 Light Without Heat (Steve Vai)

http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1016587564?ls=1&app=itunes

Richard Peikoff: Solo Acoustic FingerStyle & Slide Guitar (Composer/Producer)

Steve Vai: Mastering, Executive Producer

Kara Scofield: Design and Artwork

Richard Peikoff: Design and Artwork

Jeroen Noordhuis: WebMaster

CREATIVE PROCESS

Guitar SetUp:

Performed on a Godin Nylon String Guitar with a Roland VG-8 & GK-2A Pick-up. The nylon string guitar was temporarily converted to steel string using Martin Silk & Steel Strings (so as to exploit the wider-scale neck).String reversal was only for 2 days, therefore there was no damage to the guitar.

Recording: Direct to High-End Stereo Tascam Field Recorder & mixed to a Sony Dat Man Recorder.

VG-8 Description:

The Roland VG-8 is a breakthrough guitar processor that uses advanced modeling technology to emulate the most popular guitars and amplifiers. VGM (Variable Guitar Modeling) provides multiple sound object models including guitars, pickups, amps, cabinets, microphones and even mic placement. The VG-8 converts the actual waveform produced by each string into a totally new sound in realtime using HRM (Harmonic Restructure Modeling) for creating new synth-type sounds. There are no tracking delays in using the GK-2A pickup. FX: High-speed digital effects processing including Reverb, Chorus, HexaPan, Delay and Parametric EQ simultaneously.

1) Mantra rT 5:00

Summary Comments: Composed

Section A: Cut-Time Feel

Sections B & C: Very Rapid Rolling Arpeggios

This is a piece that I continue to study. The B section rips and makes me long for the days when I was a drag racer in Baja. Or was that racing in drag in Baja? Ah! Scotland’s but a dream to me now!

2) Floating rT 5:21

Summary Comments: Composed

Emotional, Urgent, Left of Center, Hendrix Friendly

Floating is about bouncing off walls, then floors, the ceilings. It is a world where the man with a command of Flubber will be quite at home. The ping-ponging echo and continuous launching of arpeggiated motifs, harmonized with perfect intervals, is indeed as imperfect as is perfectly impossible!

When the walls and floors and ceilings have all been breached, then out the nearest window to Flubber the highways and skyways of my mind, where you will find me floating on the reverberating rhythms of my heartstrings. Float on!

3) Horizontal rT 5:08

Summary Comments: Composed

Classical Sensibility, Positive, Left of Left, Not Easy!

This composition draws primarily from 3 Scales/Modes:

D Major (DEF#GABC#D)

D Harmonic Major (DEF#GABbC#D)

G Ascending Melodic Minor (GABbCDEF#G).

This piece is played rubato (no defined tempo per se). Though complex, I feel the piece is quite accessible if you let go.

4) Lydian Meditation rT 6:24

Summary Comments: Composed

Unique Arrangement With A Mellow 5/4 Section

Lydian Meditation is a walking meditation, a dancing meditation, a meditation of forwarding motion and optimism. At times I wish I had as much optimism as my music! At other times there is no separation between the music and its stewardship.

With the electronic modeling afforded by the synth, I was able to surf a virtual world hitherto unknown to me. It created a synthetically wide atmospheric landscape that is driven by the precision, warmth, and sensibility that I strive for on all recordings.

The time signatures move freely between 5/4 and 4/4. The Tuning Again is a D Lydian Variation DADG#AD: 151#451.

5) Soft Clocks rT 4:29

Summary Comments: Composed

Quite Yang! Tango-esque, Dark, Urgent, Driving

Soft Clocks is played in DGDGAbD Tuning which is a Phrygian tuning (5151b25) in G. The title is inspired by the surrealist master Salvador Dali. The meters change seamlessly from 6/4 to 4/4 to 6/4 to 5/4. It is mostly in the keys of

G Phrygian (GAbBbCDEbFG, Key of Eb)

G Phrygian Dominant (GAbBCDEbF, a rotated C Harmonic Minor scale).

G Double Octatonic Mode (GAbBbBCDEbF): an 8-tone scale produced when the 1st two scales are superimposed

6) Pilgrim rT 3:37

Summary Comments: Composed

Interesting Slow Version

Tuning: CADEAD = C2/6 (C6 add9). Developed here solo and then featured with Jeff Miley on the Horizontal album a year later.

7) Gentle Rain rT 5:47

Summary Comments: Improvisation

The guitar is tuned again in Lydian Dadgad: D A D G# A D :: 1 5 1 #4 5 1. Harmonically it draws from DM7#11 variations. The improv is inspired by the North Indian evening raga Yaman of the Kalyan family. The mood is meditative and takes its time to develop.

8) Nowhere A Go Go rT 5:44

Summary Comments: Composed

Frankie Goes to Hollywood & Meets Mr. Peikoff. Confident. Dance (Dang It!)

9) Blind Lemon Krishna rT 4:36

Summary Comments: Composed

Other Worldly <> Futuristic

This recording was inspired by the North Indian Midday Raga Kharaharapriya. The mood is bluesy, urgent ,and reaching. It is a devotional improvisation. The guitar is tuned to D Lydian: DADG#AD: 1 5 1 #4 5 1. The modal rotation is B Dorian.

Fin