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The following is a guest post by Kevin Ian. If you are interested in guest posting, please contact me!

Hello kind readers! It has been quite some time since my last column. For my next series of posts, I decided to try something different: deconstructing my band’s music to show the use of various techniques I have discussed in earlier posts.

I will take a new song every few weeks and break down the basic chord formations and how I utilize various compositional techniques.

Hanged Men (http://thecommonmen.bandcamp.com/track/hanged-men-2)

This is one of the easiest songs off our newest album “Let it Burn.” It is also very typical in it’s angular guitar parts and post-punk influence.

The intro is a simple dyad of Dm (from low to high E A D G B E)

X X X 7 6 X

The second half to this riff is Dm F Bb A7

The second guitar comes in here with octave D C D E outlining various intervals of each chord.

When the main riff comes in again, the first guitar is “answered” by a second guitar playing

X X X 10 10 X

This second dyad finishes the rest of the Dm chord in the verses and provides a “call and response” feel to the riff itself

The chorus is another simple progression of Bb C Gm F Bb C Gm A7

There is nothing too special about the guitars during the chorus, but it is noteworthy to mention that while one utilizes full harmony chords

Bb X 8 8 7 6 X

C X 10 10 9 8 X

Gm X 5 5 3 3 X

F X 3 3 2 1 X

A7 X 0 2 0 2 0

The second guitar plays simple power chords with only the root and fifth of each chord. The result is a fuller sound and a bit more power when doubled by the bass.

I have included a video which includes the original recording of the song. Other bands that employ such techniques are pretty common amongst other post-punk bands and is very recognizable in the genre.

I hope you have enjoyed this new installment!

Kevin Ian’s band The Common Men can be found on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and CD Baby. They will soon be on Pandora and have been garnering favorable reviews for their latest release “Let it Burn.” All of that information can be found on their main page http://www.thecommonmen.tk or via their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/thecommonmen

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The following is a guest post by Kevin Ian Common. If you are interested in guest posting, please contact me!

Hello Kind Readers!

The pedal I am reviewing today is The Pork Barrel Chorus by Grumpy Toad FX in Sacramento. Grumpy Toad is a small pedal company that specializes in built clones of your favorite vintage pedals. Todd –the builder– also slightly modifies pedals according to his customers’ wishes and has a great reputation for producing quality work.

I recently met him and put in an order for a custom boost pedal (which I will review when it arrives), but I had the pleasure of playing through one of his latest builds, a pedal he dubs the “Pork Barrel Chorus.”

The first thing I notice upon playing through it is the tremendous warmth and bass response. This is not your average chorus pedal, which tends to thin out your sound. This packs some serious bottom. I took it for a test run on my Peavey Classic 30, Vox, and my bassist’s GK rig, and the pedal stood up to all three tests.

The range of the rate knob goes from subtle to lush to seasick. I found myself more in favor of the subtle and lush sounds, which have yet to be rivaled by any chorus pedal I’ve played since. The depth can go from almost non-existent to extreme as well, giving you a vast array of tones at your disposal.

Todd also added in some switches to the pedal. The first one is a Depth switch. It changes the range of the Depth knob. The second –and my favorite of the switches– is a Vibrato/Trem switch that takes the dry signal out, leaving you with a vibrating tremolo sound. However, it wouldn’t be wise to call it a vibrato or tremolo because it’s still a chorus effect, so the effected signal is still detuned! This was a really unique addition to the chorus and one that was surprisingly musical and useful.

Grumpy Toad FX can be found here:
http://s422.photobucket.com/albums/pp301/Toadlc/Grumpy%20Toad%20FX%20Pedals/

Here is a modest video with me going through a bunch of settings on the Pork Barrel Chorus.

Go through what he has done and talk to him about what you are looking for. I found him to be friendly, and helpful!

- Kevin Ian

Kevin Ian is a multi-instrumentalist and Internet Radio DJ. His current project, The Common Men can be found at www.thecommonmen.tk

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I was surprised and excited when I check the mail the other day. It was a package. I could tell it was a shirt. Looking at the return label I see it’s from The Common Men! Kevin Ian of The Common Men has been a long time guest poster, with his really popular ‘Rethinking Guitar‘ articles. I’ve listened to The Common Men in the past, and Kevin is a guy that really knows his effects, and has a drive for sonic experimentation.

So The Common Men is a post-punk band from Davis, California. I myself immediately gravitate towards bands like this. I definitely have a soft spot for dark, dare-I-say-moody-pop type bands with reverb, delay, sonic explosions and rhythm section that keeps it all together. Vocals that are intense, with a baritone lower register. Lyrics that are well thought out and has a tendency to make you read into them. You can tell the inspirational influences for the band could be Joy Division.. Interpol.. Editors.. The National, etc. All good stuff.

Listening to the MP3s on their site, I was already interested in the explosions or bursts of noise in their songs. Intense feedback.. to chirping .. to swirling at moments. I’ve seen Ian’s pedalboard(s) evolve, morph and change on a ever changing cycle, so who knows what he’s using on those spots. I’m sure their live shows are very intense and dramatic with tension and release of sonic fury.

Please check out The Common Men at Facebook, MySpace and Twitter!

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The following is a guest post by Kevin Ian Common. If you are interested in guest posting, please contact me!

Hello Kind Readers!

As the only guitarist in The Common Men, I enjoy taking a break during songs and letting the bass and drums take over. I consider my role as the sprinkles on top of a cupcake, if you will.

However, I sometimes like to take simple chords to the next level. I used to spend days learning songs and trying to find new ways to twist the chord changes. This was the easiest way for me to develop my own voice in playing guitar.

The chord progression is from a well-known 80′s song “Under The Milkyway” by The Church. Here are the chords:

low – high EADGBe

Am: X 0 2 2 1 0

A7sus4: X 0 2 0 3 0

Fmaj7: X 3 3 2 1 0

G: 3 2 0 0 3 3

I’ve taken the chords and added my own touch to them. Here are the reworked chords with an explanation of what I did:

Am9: X 0 7 5 0 7

The B natural in this chord add a lovely quality and is the 9th in the A minor scale

A7sus4: X 0 7 7 0 5

While I don’t have the G which would make it a 7th chord, the bass plays the G, which implies the 7th

Fmaj7: X X 7 5 6 0

I just took the chord up to the fifth position and added the open E string to make it a Maj7

G: X X 9 7 8 10

G chord in a different position. The high D gives it a lovely shimmer to it

I have also added the Behringer Echo Machine to a shimmer setting. It’s known as the “U2 Shimmer” and it sounds like a synth pad behind my guitar. I also add a fast delay on top of it.

I love using effects pedals. I think they can really augment a progression. However, a little knowledge of chord functions and a little ingenuity can add a uniqueness to your playing as well!

Thank you for reading!

- Kevin Ian

Kevin Ian runs over 20 pedals. He is quite the tap dancer live on stage! He is currently the frontman/guitarist for The Common Men. You can find them on MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. Please direct questions and comments to thecommonmenmusicgmailcom

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