JOE BECKER

Check out Joe's new instructional CD Rom release "Shred - 101"!

One of the funnest things to do on your guitar is make it sound like you're going a zillion miles an hour. Admit it. That's why you're on this website checking out all the columns in the first place. You wanna know how to go exactly 1 zillion miles an hour. Hell, that's half the fun of shredding. The other half is the musical integrity involved [...theory.....mmmm......theory....] Anyway, a lot of that is slight of hand. Below is a great example. I've provided a lick, where in just a few select places you repeat the same note two or three times in a row. Most of the notes are repeated on the very next string providing a smooth transition. The remainder.....well, you were going in that direction anyway. Check it out, practice it and figure out how to apply it to your own licks for that "faster than thou" illusion. Palm muting is recommended for that aggressive sound.

P.S. Yes. 90% of this is hammer-ons, virtually guaranteeing that with practice, you will be able to go 1 zillion + 1 miles an hour.

fast	slow

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the following bio material from joe-becker.com

"....he may well be one of the best guitarists on the Chicago guitar circuit."
www.rock-n-radio.com

"Joe's playing style puts a fresh spin on the blues while still staying true to the roots of the music and paying tribute to the legends. His licks are original, innovative and full of feeling but yet still manage to capture the essence of the music that has made Chicago the World Capital of the Blues for over 50 years. Joe Becker is a versatile player who can handle many styles of music, but I'm partial to that low down and dirty blues......This is some great music that deserves to be heard!"
Dave Herda - The Chicago Blues Explosion

"Joe Becker has some really wicked blues chops. He is a very versatile musician and I am proud to call him my friend. I can't wait to jam with him when I am healed."
Jason Becker - David Lee Roth Band, Cacaphony

As a guitar player, Joe admits to having been inspired by Vito Bratta, Alvin Lee, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Leo Kottke, Zakk Wylde, B.B. King, Ed Van Halen, George Benson, Nuno Bettencourt, Jeff Healy, Chuck Berry, Jason Becker and others.

As a songwriter, his influences are a broad spectrum of the rock / pop genre. Everything from Squeeze, Billy Joel, Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Talking Heads and Paul McCartney to Rusted Root, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler and Ben Folds Five and on..........

As a singer, he claims to have few influences other than his father. Saying : "Really good singers....."special" singers have a quality about their voice that you can't duplicate. Like David Byrne, Roy Orbison, Steve Perry, Dave Matthews, the guy who wrote the theme song for the Gary Shandling show........but I'm just singing out of necessity. When I write something for a vocal, I write it for my own, because it's the only thing I have to test it on. Then, when it comes down to recording or performing time, I can sing it because it was written for my vocals and so it's a perfect match. It ends up working great. I take my cues for singing from my dad though. He's a musician too, and let me tell you.....that "f*&^%$(#" guy can sing."

Joe wears many hats, as far as musicianship is concerned. He's a recording artist, studio musician, teacher, singer / songwriter, certified luthier, business manager and product consultant.