Using just a few notes or a barrage, John Frusciante creates guitar parts which deftly guide listeners through Red Hot Chili Peppers’ songs.
Intermediate
Beginner
- Explore the hallmarks of John Frusciante’s unique stylistic and technical approach to guitar.
- Get a humdinger of a funk strumming workout.
- Learn how to go deeper to create memorable guitar parts.
I had a bit of a strange introduction to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Back in the day, during my first week of school at New York University, I noticed a sign on the door of the student cafeteria indicating that a relatively unknown band called “Red Hot Chili Peppers” was playing a show across the hall that Saturday night. I remember thinking, “Well, that’s a silly name for a band. Those guys are never going anywhere.” Yeah. Good call.
Cut to winter 2002: I’ve been a professional music transcriber for about five years, and I find myself in the Chili Peppers’ NYC management office, transcribing an advance copy of their By the Way album, set to be released that summer. It was the band’s eighth album and fourth with guitarist John Frusciante. It was also my first deep dive into Frusciante’s playing, though it would not be my last.
Guitars Gotta Groove
One of the Chili Peppers’ breakthrough hits was their cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” from 1989’s Mother’s Milk. This performance is a barnburner:
Frusciante’s aggressive strumming contributes mightily to the bedlam, combining bluesy double-stops and percussive muted strums. With Flea’s bass and Chad Smith’s drums, it’s a full-frontal punk/funk assault, and Ex. 1 is inspired by Frusciante’s playing on this classic. A key to staying in the groove is to keep your picking hand moving in a triplet rhythm, even if it’s not actually sounding any notes, as illustrated by the indicated strum pattern.
Another of Frusciante’s early records with RHCP, 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik, has Frusciante fueling songs with his funk-inspired strumming style, melding punctuated funky single notes with, again, a lot of percussive, muted strums. Ex. 2 is reminiscent of Frusciante’s verse part in “Give It Away.” Note that even when just a single note is indicated, you should also include some surrounding muted strings, in order keep the percussiveness flowing. Focus on muting all six strings with your fretting-hand fingers and thumb, applying pressure only when an actual note is indicated. And keep that picking hand moving!
One of Frusciante’s earliest influences was Jimi Hendrix, and in “Suck My Kiss,” Frusciante fuses funk guitar with a rock-style riff that has shades of Hendrix’s “Fire.” Ex. 3 is based on this Chili Peppers’ classic and illustrates just how impactful the use of space can be. No extra muted strings here, just play as written.
Chordal Magic
Let’s give our picking hands a break and detour into Frusciante’s use of chord voicings. Among his many influences were guitarists in 1980s punk-rock bands. One such guitarist is John McGeoch from Siouxsie and the Banshees, and you can just imagine a young Frusciante being inspired by McGeoch’s playing in a song like “Spellbound.”
In a similar vein, Ex. 4 is based on Frusciante’s playing in songs like Blood Sugar Sex Magik’s “Under the Bridge.” Frusciante doesn’t merely arpeggiate chords. He goes deeper, and creates hummable melodies. In doing so, his guitar parts often act as additional hooks throughout the Chili Peppers’ songs.
Some of Frusciante’s most memorable, not to mention fun-to-play, guitar parts are a mashup of techniques. Take, for example, his intro to “Snow (Hey Oh)” from the 2006 album Stadium Arcadium. He deftly arpeggiates chords, though here, he stops to add melodic flourishes, and Ex. 5 is based on this same approach.
Let’s Make Some Noise
As I alluded to earlier, I would have yet another opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty of Frusciante’s playing. Just this past year, I transcribed much of the Chili Peppers’ two 2022 releases, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen, marking Frusciante’s return to the band after departing in 2009. Let’s explore…
Sometimes all a song needs is noisy weirdness. In the choruses of “The Heavy Wing” from Unlimited Love, Frusciante unleashes the fuzz and, in between power chords, launches into sonic assaults of wild Eddie Van Halen-inspired slide/bend hybrids, along with some awesomely noisy bends. Ex. 6 illustrates this approach. In the final measure, bring the weirdness by catching both strings with your ring finger as you bend.
Summoning Moods with Lines and Chords
On a more melodic front, Frusciante will occasionally give a nod to the closed-triad shapes from Ex. 5 in his soloing. In Unlimited Love’s “Here Ever After,” he mainly climbs up an F triad, but keeps things interesting by using a quarter-note-triplet rhythm (Ex. 7).
In “Not the One,” from the same record, Frusciante finds his inner Allan Holdsworth, providing moody, volume-swelled chords and single notes (Ex. 8).
In a track from Unlimited Love, “Whatchu Thinkin’,” Frusciante simultaneously uses chords and lines to create a triadic rhythm part, the melodic line of which complements Anthony Kiedis’ vocal. Remember, to create a solid groove, keep your picking hand moving in a steady 16th-note rhythm, even when not striking any notes (Ex. 9).
Technique as a Means to an End
While he generally eschews shredding, Frusciante grew up a fan of guitarists such as Steve Vai and Randy Rhoads, and honed his technical abilities by, among other things, playing challenging Frank Zappa tunes. In “Eddie,” their tribute to Eddie Van Halen from Return of the Dream Canteen, Frusciante lets loose, especially live, and Ex. 10 is based on the fiery EVH-inspired licks he unleashes to honor the passing of the guitar legend.
Through the years, one of the hallmarks of Frusciante’s guitar style has been his boundless creativity. Whether he’s adding a percussive funky rhythm part, a subtle melodic line, or an onslaught of fiery mayhem, his guitar parts are a defining element of the Chili Peppers’ sound. If you take away only one thing from this lesson, I hope you’ll make it this: Frusciante’s view of technique as a means to an end, rather than an end itself, illustrates the power our attitude has in making good musical choices and uncovering our own unique creativity.
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Stompboxtober Day 29 is live! Enter today to win a pedal from StewMac—more chances to win tomorrow!
StewMac International House of Overdrive Pedal Kit, With Bare Enclosure
The IHOO is based on the Crowther Hot Cake, an overdrive that became available around 1976. It was one of the earliest hand-made boutique effects pedals available. The circuit was designed to be what is now referred to as a “transparent” overdrive. An effect that enhances the player's sound while keeping the original tone intact.
This circuit has undergone many changes since its inception, and we have further expanded on the design by returning to an earlier version most revered by players and removing the buffer, which resulted in a reworked circuit that is true bypass but still retains the charm of the design.
We also include the original LM741 IC chip found in the originals, as well as the TL071 that is found in later versions so you can experiment with which IC best suits your playing style.
Handcrafted in the USA, the JEL-50 features 50 watts of all-tube power, two channels, and a transparent effects loop. The JEL-212 Cab is loaded with Celestion Creamback speakers.
Jake E. Lee ranks high on the shortlist of influential gunslinger guitarists that emerged as the heroes of a new generation in the early ‘80s. Best known for the burning guitar work and innovative songwriting, Lee contributed to two of Ozzy Osbourne's most revered albums, 1983’s Bark at the Moon and 1986’s Ultimate Sin.
With Ozzy, his post-Ozzy band, Badlands and most recently, with his own group, Red Dragon Cartel, Lee’s playing embraced the athleticism of the ‘80s while remaining firmly rooted in the hard rock fundamentals of the ‘70s. Jake’s tonal choices provide the evolutionary glue between the sonics of those two great eras. Jake E Lee and Dave Friedman combined their legendary ears and talents to create the new Friedman JEL-50, a signature amplifier that offers Lee’s ultimate tones in a boutique hand-wired package.
In Lee’s own words, “this amp puts the two specific tones I use to create my sound in one head: The sweetness and warmth of a classic Plexi and the more aggressive slant of the master volume amps of the ‘80s -- all tweaked to my taste. Dave has an innate understanding of where I’m coming from as a player and we’re alike in the way we hear tones. Dave doesn’t hear things as a technician, he hears things like a musician, and that made him really easy to work with. I grew up in the ‘70s and those muscular, articulate rock tones were the tones I always sought, but I made a name for myself in the ‘80s when you needed a little more aggression and a little more scream. I’ve always tried to retain a little of that ‘70s heart and I still do, and that’s what this amp does -- though it’s got plenty more on tap if you need it!”
The JEL-50 was specifically designed to take pedals well especially boosts, ODs, phasers, flangers, tremolos, and wahs. The ultra-transparent buffered, series effects loop takes time-based effects pedals and rack units equally well. This is the exact same FX loop Friedman uses on all its amplifiers including the legendary BE-100. The head cabinet features beautiful red tolex, white piping and solid Baltic Birch construction.
SPECIFICATIONS
- 50-Watt all-tube head
- Two channels
- Handwired in the USA
- Custom USA made transformers
- 2 x EL34 power tubes
- 3 x 12AX7 preamp tubes
- JEL channel - Gain, Master, 3-way Bright switch
- JEL Channel Hi/Lo (Push pull gain switch)
- Plexi channel - Gain, Volume, 3 way Bright Switch
- EQ- Bass, Middle, Treble shared with Ch1 and CH2
- Ultra-transparent series effects loop
- Thump knob - ( Rear ) Varies lowered response of the amps power section
- Presence - ( Rear) Varies high end content of the amps power section
- Single button foot switch for channel selections
- 4, 8 and 16 ohm Impedance jacks
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Dimensions: 8.75″ (D) x 24″ (W) x 10″ (H)
- Weight: 33.5 lbs
2x12” Celestion Creamback Loaded Extension Cab
The Friedman JEL 2x12” is a rear ported closed-back extension cabinet which utilizes tongue and groove Baltic Birch construction to deliver the bass, mid response and great sound you would expect from a Friedman cab. The JEL 212 Cab features red tolex, white piping and black grille cloth, designed to cosmetically match the Friedman Signature Jake E Lee heads.
At the heart of the cab is a Celestion G12M-65 Creamback 16 Ohm speaker. The G12M Creamback is perhaps the definitive vintage Celestion ceramic magnet guitar speaker. Developed in the mid-sixties, it was quickly adopted by players like Hendrix, Beck and Page, who typified the louder and more aggressive blues-rock playing styles that came to characterize that era. The higher power handling G12M-65 Creamback used in the JEL 1x12 produces that familiar woody tone, making it ideally suited when both vintage and modern tones are desired. The increased power handling brings with-it low-end grunt complementing the warm and vocal mid-range, crunchy upper mids and sweet, refined highs.
As with all Friedman cabinets, oversized 12-gauge speaker wire is soldered between the speaker and terminal, assuring you capture every ounce of valuable tone. This compact monster not only excels in the studio, but the perfect compliment to your stage rig. The Friedman JEL-212 Cab is handcrafted with pride in the U.S.A. and designed to withstand the rigors of the road.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Hand crafted in USA
- Cosmetics to match the Jake E Lee Signature Heads
- 2 x Celestion G12M-65 12" Creamback Speakers
- Nominal impedance - 8 Ohms
- Closed back -rear ported cabinet design
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Dimensions: 12" (D) x 30" (W) x 20.75" (H)
- Weight: 58 lbs.
The Friedman JEL-50 Head carries a street price of $2999.99 and the JEL-212 Cabinet carries a street price of $999.99.
For more information, please visit friedmanamplification.com
Friedman Amplification - All new Jake E Lee 50-Watt Head featuring Jordan Ziff - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Friedman JEL-50 Jake E Lee Signature 50-watt Tube Head and 2x12" Cabinet
Jake E Lee 50W Tube Head 212 StkThe Boss GX-10 Multi-FX Processor offers 23 guitar amps, nine bass amps, and 170 effects for versatile sound creation.
Boss announces the GX-10, a powerful new amp and effects processor for guitar and bass. Equipped with the core sound engine and color touch display from the acclaimed GX-100 released in 2022, the GX-10 offers players the same inspiring experience in an even more portable footprint. Adding in multi-mode footswitches, an integrated expression pedal, and USB audio connectivity, the GX-10 seamlessly transitions from nightly stage performing to desktop recording, song creation, and daily practice sessions.
The GX-10 delivers a universe of ultra-responsive tones in a travel-ready size. There are 23 guitar amps and nine bass amps to choose from, including high-gain X-Ultra, X-Optima, and X-Titan types crafted with the latest BOSS modeling technologies. Players can color sounds with 170 different effects, including overdrives and distortions, mod effects, delays, and reverbs, plus dedicated bass effects and BOSS classics like Slow Gear, Octave, Slicer, and more.
The GX-10 enables fast sound creation with an inviting color touch display and four dynamic parameter knobs. Up to two amps and 15 effects are supported in each memory, and it’s easy to change effect order and create series or parallel routings by dragging blocks with a finger on the screen. Send/return jacks are available to integrate favorite pedals or an amp’s effects loop into the GX-10 signal flow.
The GX-10's clever control options provide versatile real-time sound adjustment possibilities while performing. Multiple control modes and user-assignable settings offer maximum flexibility with just three footswitches. By default, the expression pedal toggles between volume and wah and activates the tuner when the pedal is pulled back. But it can be customized to control nearly anything using the GX-10’s assign matrix.
Boss Tone Studio allows users to edit sounds and load their own speaker cab IRs from a Mac or Windows computer. The GX-10 also supports the optional Bluetooth® Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor, which unlocks on-the-gig wireless editing via the mobile version of the app.
Boss Tone Studio includes additional tools to organize GX-10 sounds for different gigs and playing situations. It also provides direct access to Boss Tone Exchange, an online platform for downloading professionally created sounds and sharing GX-10 Livesets with the global BOSS community. GX-100 Livesets are fully compatible with the GX-10 as well. In addition, there’s a built-in USB-C audio interface for capturing high-quality guitar tones in music production apps on computers and mobile devices.
The new Boss GX-10 Guitar Effects Processor will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. Boss retailers in October for $399.99.
For more information, please visit boss.info.
BOSS GX-10 Guitar Effects Processor | Colorful Tones, Portable Design - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Blackberry Smoke will embark on their Rattle, Ramble and Roll Tour in 2025, featuring stops at Worcester’s Palladium, Burlington’s The Flynn, New Orleans’ The Fillmore, Austin’s ACL Live at the Moody Theater, among many others.
Tickets for the newly added dates will be available for pre-sale starting tomorrow, Tuesday, October 29 at 10am local time, with the general on-sale following this Friday, November 1 at 10:00am local time. Full details and ticket information can be found at blackberrysmoke.com.
Throughout their career, Blackberry Smoke has released eight studio albums including their latest, Be Right Here. Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell), the record was released to widespread critical acclaim earlier this year and debuted at #1 on the Current Country Albums chart, Americana/Folk Albums chart and Current Rock Albums chart.
Since forming in 2001, Blackberry Smoke has continued to tour relentlessly, building a strong and loyal community of fans. In addition to their work as musicians, the band is deeply committed to charitable work and formed the Brit Turner Family Fund, a non-profit supporting several national foundations committed to curing children’s cancer. With these efforts, the band has raised over $1,000,000 to date benefitting children’s cancer research. Most recently, Blackberry Smoke raised over $26,000 with their hometown show at Atlanta’s Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park earlier this summer, which celebrated the life and legacy of the band’s late drummer, Brit Turner.
BLACKBERRY SMOKE CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
October 30—Bakersfield, CA—Fox Theater~
October 31—San Diego, CA—Humphreys Concerts by the Bay~
November 1—Las Vegas, NV—The Pearl Concert Theater~
November 2—Riverside, CA—Fox Performing Arts Center~
November 7—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre^
November 8—Clearwater, FL—Ruth Eckerd Hall^
November 9—Fort Myers, FL—Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall^
November 10—Pompano Beach, FL—Pompano Beach Amphitheater^
November 14—Royal Oak, MI—Royal Oak Music Theatre%
November 15—Marietta, OH—Peoples Bank Theatre%
November 16—Shipshewana, IN—Blue Gate Performing Arts Center%
November 21—Carterville, IL—Event Center at Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort
November 22—Tulsa, OK—Cain’s Ballroom**
November 23—Shawnee, OK—FireLake Arena**
December 5—Mobile, AL—Saenger Theatre††
December 6—Augusta, GA—Bell Auditorium##
December 7— Fayetteville, NC—Crown Theatre##
December 8—Savannah, GA—Johnny Mercer Theatre##
December 31—Macon, GA—Macon City Auditorium^^
January 30—Morristown, NJ—Mayo Performing Arts Center
January 31—Bensalem, PA—XCite Center at Parx Casino
February 1—Worcester, MA—The Palladium
February 2—Patchogue, NY—Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts
February 5—Portland, ME—State Theatre
February 6—Burlington, VT—The Flynn
February 7—Providence, RI—The Strand Ballroom & Theatre
February 8—Williamsport, PA—Penn College Community Arts Center
February 13-17—Rock Legends Cruise XII
March 6—Rockford, IL—Coronado Theatre
March 7—Peoria, IL—Peoria Civic Center Theater
March 8—Evansville, IN—Aiken Theatre
March 27—New Orleans, LA—The Fillmore
March 28—Houston, TX—713 Music Hall
March 29—Helotes, TX—John T. Floore’s Country Store
April 25—Miramar Beach, FL—Moon Crush “Pink Moon”
May 8—Austin, TX—ACL Live at the Moody Theater
May 9—Dallas, TX—Majestic Theatre
May 15—Maryville, TN—The Shed
May 16—Maryville, TN—The Shed
May 17—Maryville, TN—The Shed
~with special guest Kelsey Waldon
^with special guest Southall
%with special guest Sam Morrow
**with special guest Taylor Hunnicutt
††with special guest Georgia Thunderbolts
##with special guest Tishamingo
^^with special guest Robert Jon and the Wreck