Will Ray
Street Survival Guide To Scales And Modes
The Story
"Street Survival Guide To Scales And Modes" is Will Ray's long awaited video where he explains his unique system for understanding and utilizing scales and modes for guitar. He simplifies what is normally one of the most difficult and complex topics to understand in music. Will has used this unique system of his over the years in his work with The Hellecasters, Carlene Carter, Michael Nesmith, Steve Earle, Solomon Burke, Joe Walsh, Tom Jones, and he shares his many secrets and shortcuts to lead guitar solo building.
Will likes to call this a "Street Survival Guide" because it's a very unconventional approach to understanding how scales work, when to use them, which ones are important and which ones are not. In the DVD he divides the major scale into 5 bite size digestible sections, complete with charts and examples. He also explains the 5 different chord positions for each chord and how they interact with the different scales and string patterns to create all the different musical spices and flavorings. Included in the DVD are also 13 blues, country and jazz licks where Will slows down the phrases and shows you how to apply the scales amd modes you've just learned into different songs. This helps to reinforce the licks in a more practical and fun approach.
At the end of the DVD are several appendixes with charts showing important chord positions and scale patterns for quick referencing. Whether you're a beginner or a Jedi-guitar master, this video will likely take you on a musical voyage to places you've never been before.
Additional Facts
Few guitar pickers can out-slide, out-bend or out-torture a Telecaster the way Will Ray can. As a member of the pyrotechnical twang trio The Hellecasters, Will has created a place for himself among some of the worlds guitar greats. He was a member of several ground breaking 80s cow punk bands including Tin Star, Vanishing Breed, Candye Kane & the Armadillo Stampede, and Will Ray & the Gila Monsters. Utilizing his experience in studios, he began producing country-oriented artists in the LA area including three compilation albums, Hollywood Roundup, Detour West and Far West. It was on Hollywood Roundup that Will first recorded with soon-to-be Hellecaster henchmen Jerry Donahue and John Jorgenson.