Chris Poland guitar style

[Death (Chuck)]

Hi everybody

I think i really need some help to get in the style of chris poland. Does anyone know where i should start??
I play more speed and death metal stuff, so i have a few problems with his jazz-rock riffs and licks.

[AndyPollow]

I like Polands Return to Metalopolis alot. Do you mean you dont know what notes to play to sound like him? Figure out his licks and use the same scales. Or learn scales and arpegios from a book made by a jazz guitar player - there are a few that I know of. They also use very musical pretty arpeggios that arent used often in neoclassical - alot more than only minor/major/diminished. Or do you mean what kinds of technique to use to play like him?

[Death (Chuck)]

i mean his notes, scales and appreggios.
do you know some good examples?
or can u tell me some good jazz guitar player books ?

[Skyport]

He's one of my all time favorite players, simply because he sounds so unique. He's said that John McLaughlin was one of his biggest influences, so you could look into McLaughlin's approach to playing as well, I believe there are a few books and DVD's out on McLaughlin.

[phantom]

To make on thing clear first: i'm Mr. Polands biggest fan. :D

I'm following his carear since his early Megadeth years.
I'll see if i can make a sum up of his style during the day.. have to work a lot these times unfortunately and can't post as much as i would like to.

catch you later,

Sven

[Death (Chuck)]

first of all thx for your assistance
I will take a look at John McLaughlin.
I am quite glad that i founda few people which are interrested in poland. Most people just know Friedman ( he is great 2, but does not have that unique melodic sound)

[phantom]

I think the most significant attributes of his style are as follows.

An odd way of using pentatonics in a "non-bluesy"-fashion:
Since his Megadeth-days he is using a lot of pentatonics. What sets him apart from a lot of others players is, that he reduces pentatonic-cliches to a minimum.
He'd play a flat 5 over a minor chord without making it sound too "blue".
He is doing that (with other notes as well) by
1. not resolving them a half step up or down rather to a chord tone that is more than a 2nd away. (or doesn't resolve at all)
2. not using them as "in-between-notes" or chromaticism mostly
3. playing them without vibrato wich gives a non-rockrelated charakter

He also likes to play interessting outside notes very strong and pronounced in generell like (in a minor situation) the b2nd and the 6th. That would make a Dorian b2 scale wich is the second mode in Melodic minor:
Scale formular: 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7
Another mode of the melodic minor scale wich could be useful in this case is Aeolian b5 wich is the sixth mode of melodic minor:
Scale formular: 1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7
Also the w/h diminished scale can come in handy:
Scale formular: 1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, bb7, 7 (it's a 8-note scale)

If he is playing over major qualities, he often uses mixolydian, lydian and lydian b7.

Regardless of wich notes he plays, he is very careful with the use of vibrato. Just letting a note ring and staying strong without vibrato can make it sound more "important".

A big part of his unique sound is his phrasing also. He is avoiding typical guitar/lick cliches and constructs his melodies more like a sax-player would (for instance). He sometimes sound like a keyboardplayer would play the lines. One big thing there is the way he is bending notes. Instead of bending the b7th to the root, he would bend the 6 to the b7 - in minor and dominant situations - then he wouldn't go to the root but rather jump to the third or bend the b5 to the 5.
If he is playing faster stuff he is either using string skipping to get bigger intervalls happening or stays close with a 1-2-3-4 2-3-4-5 3-4-5-6 Pattern (mostly backwards though) in scales and pentatonics (filled with chromaticism).

Very typical for his playing is also the unorthodox use of double stops. where people would use those typical pentatonic 3rds double stops, he'd play 5th or 4th.

There are of course more details in his playing but this is what came to my mind immediately.

Hope it helped. if you want i could tab/explain some licks down if you want - just let me know which ones ;).

Happy Polanding

[SkinnyDevil]

Great post, Sven!

Here's a blurb from the mouth of Mr. Poland:

5) Who would you cite as early influences, and who are you favorite new players?

I grew up listening to Hendrix, Beck, Page, and Clapton. However, when I heard Mahavishnu Orchestra and McLaughlin, that's when it all changed for me. I was totally hooked on that style of fusion. As for new players, I recently discovered and enjoy listening to guys like Guthrie Govan, Oz Noy, and an up-and-coming player named Jason "JMR" Richardson. I listen to a little bit of everything though, not just instrumental guitar-stuff.

That may help a bit when approaching his style.