Instrumental inquisition!
Guitar instrumentals have supplied some of music’s most evocative moments. We asked some top guitarists for their take on this iconic movement. Today we meet ex-Symphony X rock virtuoso, Michael Romeo.
GT: What is it about instrumentals that appeals to you?
MR: As a guitar player, there are a lot of different things I listen for with instrumental guitar music, or even instrumental music in general: the song, the melody, the phrasing, vibrato, tone and having some chops in there is cool, too. It doesn’t matter if it’s fast or slow, it just has to say something.
GT: What do you think an instrumental can provide a listener that a vocal song can’t?
MR: I guess that depends on the listener and on the particular piece of music. I think with a vocal and a lyric, the message is clear; but with instrumental music, there is, maybe, more left to the imagination. A great melody is a great melody, either on a vocal or a guitar; both can provide the listener with a certain emotion. But the intensity of that emotion depends on the player. Also with guitar music, there are always those elements of technique and improvisation and skill. When I hear a good ‘vocal’ song, I might say “Well, that was nice”. But when I hear guitar guys I like ‘tearing it up’ a bit on a solo, guys like Shawn Lane and Allan Holdsworth, it puts a smile on my face. Very inspiring stuff - at least to us guitar players.
GT: Is a typical song structure of verse, chorus, middle eight etc, always relevant for instrumentals?
MR: Not necessarily. It all depends on what you’re going for. I guess if you wanted to go for something with a more ‘pop sensibility’ feel, then yes, that would work. But the only rule is, ‘there are no rules’.
GT: How useful is studying a vocalist’s approach for creating or playing guitar melodies?
MR: I think it’s important, but not only looking at a vocalist approach; other instruments as well. Maybe a violin phrase might inspire you to approach a line in a different way, or a sax phrase, etc. As far as melodies, there are thousands of great melodies in all kinds of music,
especially classical; so really, any style or any instrument can give you so many different ideas. But still, it is really about what the guitar can do, and we can do stuff that a vocalist can’t - so there.
GT: Many vocal songs feature a guitar solo that starts low and slow then finishes high and fast. Is this structure also useful for instrumental writing? Say for developing pace and dynamics?
MR: Sure. To me, a guitar solo is a mini composition in itself. So applying some of the same basic compositional ideas - like starting with a melodic phrase, using repetition, and building to a climax at the end, etc - all that stuff works for either a solo or an entire piece. It’s about developing pace and dynamics over time; that is what keeps the music interesting.
GT: Do you have favourite keys or tempos to write or play in?
MR: None in particular. Whatever sounds good at the time. Although heavy riffs in F# on guitar always seem cool.
GT: Do you find minor or major keys better to write in?
MR: Again, I don’t really have a preference. But usually, with the heavy stuff, it’s minor. Yeah, the dark stuff - the dark side of the Force (haha).
GT: How about favourite modes?
MR: I love them all, but obviously some have that certain ‘characteristic’ tone that makes them sound the way they do. Lydian with the #4 has its own unique b2, sound; Phrygian with the even Whole-Tone and Diminished scales
when i hear guys like shawn lane or allan holdsworth tearing it up on a solo it puts a smile on my face
bring something different to the party. Again, it’s about what you are hearing in your head and what you want to say with the music. There are so many choices, so I don’t really have any favourites.
GT: What about modulations into new keys?
MR: There are several modulation techniques I use, mostly coming from the classical world, and mostly involving the ‘leading tone’ or a ‘common tone’. But there are so many different ways to get to any key you want. Not just the usual V-I thing, there are a lot of other methods too, and they all can lead to cool and surprising key changes. Just use your ear - if it sounds good, it is good.
GT: What are your views on harmonising melodies?
MR: Again, it depends on what you are going for. Diatonic 3rds and 6ths are great, but if you want something darker or unsettling, the use of polychords or even a foreign bass tone would work. Like harmonising a nice C major chord
Eb hanging out above an in the bass - something ‘not-quite-right’, but effective in the right circumstance. So, no real ‘rules’ about harmonisation; every situation is different. Diatonic is great for the smooth and natural thing, but adding different degrees of dissonances using other intervals outside of the chord can be just as useful when needed.
GT: Which three guitar instrumentals would you say are iconic, or have inspired you?
MR: I would say these three are the most iconic: Frankenstein, by Edgar Winter; Eruption, by Van Halen; and YYZ, by Rush. And these have inspired me: Dee, by Randy Rhoads; Black Star, by Yngwie Malmsteen and anything from Shawn Lane’s The Powers Of Ten album.