The Collab Series Vol.4

What is it?

In the fourth instalment of our Collab Series, we go full-on prog. Genre switch-ups, time signature changes and a should-be-illegal amount of tapping. The festival starts with James Norbert Ivanyi, who goes Phrygian heavy on this synth-laden section. In his own signature way, James gives us chromatics and big open chords. Then as the solo builds, he mixes up super-smooth legato and a big heap of contrasting bends. As we step into Connor’s section, we’re given some 7/8, a whirlwind of whammy and some turbo alternate picking. All the elements of modern prog are here; hook-heavy lines, palm muted phrases, ultra-precise shred and a spine of subtle vibrato throughout. Making her JTC debut is Li-sa-X and she doesn’t disappoint. As the 8-string djent-inspired groove kicks in, she does her thing. Superimposition, big nasty bends and a ton of tapping are the cornerstones of this solo, which is also crammed with sweep picking, whammy work and a bullet train full of soloing tricks. Prog is all about exploration, and that’s where Claudio comes in. Given a synthwave track, he uses his extensive knowledge of chord tones, and some blue-note-enhanced minor pentatonic to build those uplifting melodies he is known for. Packed with hybrid picking, tapping, slides, bends and more, this is a feast for prog-shredders and an extra-special gift for fans of sustain. The final full stop on this story comes from Richard Henshall. Given a tempo increase to tackle, he brings out the tap-slides, chromatic-based dissonance and all manner of big bends. If you like tapping, you’ll like this solo. And if you’re an agent of chaos, just wait until the end.

Who is it for?

If you like shred, if you like prog, if you like rock or metal or those songs that somehow mix it all, you’ll love this. So. Much. Prog.

Also available

Collab Series Vol. 1

Collab Series Vol. 2

Collab Series Vol. 3