A two-in-one setup that combines a new circuit with a revised version of the company's Royal Blue Overdrive.
Finland (July 1, 2019) -- Mad Professor Amplification, the long standing and awarded pedal manufacturer, has a new pedal out: Supreme. The pedal had to be called Supreme because it simply excels in both tone and functionality.
Supreme was born in collaboration with the world famous tone connoisseur Matt Schofield. Matt was looking for the best guitar overdrive tones possible and a specific functionality: two pedals in one, switching from one side to the other with just a single press on the switch.
The tones were set for a great all-around boost to low-gain drive on the A side, which is used mostly on a neck pickup. The A side is heavily based on our famous Royal Blue Overdrive pedal. The B side has a fat dynamic tone containing some ”power amp” response with a lot of headroom. The B side is a completely new design and is used mostly on a bridge pickup. This is the way Matt prefers to use the Supreme pedal.
”For the last year I’ve had not much more than this amazing pedal on the floor in front of me at my shows. Happy to say that it will be available to everyone this summer!” -says Matt Schofield, British Guitar Virtuoso and Blues Hall-Of-Famer who is widely regarded as one of the most innovative guitarists to have emerged in generations.
No matter which kind of guitar is your preference, you can fine tune the other side for the neck pickup and the other for bridge and have optimized tones for your pickups by a single press on the switch. Both sides have very versatile EQ sections containing both treble and bass controls for the best results.
Another use of the Supreme would be for example playing into a single channel amp using the other side for a rhythm tone and other side for leads with more volume as well. You have two different gain and volume levels reachable by a single press on the switch going from side A to side B. In another words, you have the ability to easily bypass or switch between two ”channels” with full individual EQ/gain/volume without using a complex programmable switcher!
The fun doesn’t even end here as you can also set both of the drives into independent mode and stack them. Stacking the drives will lead you into another huge variety of tones Supreme will deliver. Supreme in stacking mode works best in case you’re in need for more gain and compression.
Watch the company's video demo:
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Mad Professor
Uncovering the soloing secrets used by one of modern blues’ masters.
Chops: Intermediate
Theory: Intermediate
Lesson Overview:
• Combine major and minor pentatonic scales.
• Learn how to connect arpeggios using chromatic passing tones.
• Understand how to better craft a 12-bar blues solo.
Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
In the three or so years I’ve been writing this column, I’ve been able to cover some big names and some unsung heroes, but none have been more requested than the fabulous Matt Schofield.
Bursting onto the scene in 2004 with his first trio record, The Trio, Live, Schofield showed little of the Brit-pop that his hometown of Manchester, England is known for and instead demonstrated a phenomenal connection with the classic blues sounds of the ’60s. Since then, he’s released four studio albums and a pair of live records that have catapulted him to prominence.
Schofield’s sound is unmistakable as he blends influences from players like Robben Ford, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, and Albert King. We’ve touched on his exquisite sense of melody before, but here we will dig into a pair of 12-bar solos that will illustrate how Schofield mixes pentatonic, Mixolydian, blues, and even Lydian dominant scales.
At first glance it might sound complicated, but the thing to remember is that you’re touching on specific flavors of each scale rather than seeing them as one big scale. Let’s start with Ex. 1, a straight-ahead blues progression in Bb. We open things up with the Bb minor pentatonic scale (Bb–Db–Eb–F–Ab), but add in the 6 (G). Some might say the 6 comes from the major pentatonic scale, but Robben Ford has been known to refer to the minor 6 pentatonic—where you swap out the b7 for the sweeter-sounding 6.
The key is to try and establish a “relationship” with these notes. Don’t think too much about what scale they’re from or what the correct scale might be. Think about how the note sounds, how it makes you feel, and if you like it. There’s nothing to stop you from playing the b9 over a dominant chord. Schofield does it all the time, Stevie Ray did it all the time, and Scott Henderson does it all the time. If that’s the melody you hear, and you play the note with the care and attention it needs, play on!
After the minor pentatonic-inspired phrase over the Bb7 in Ex. 1, we leave a bit of space to let the solo breathe. When the Bb7 returns we move to classic Bb blues scale (Bb–Db–Eb–E–F–Ab) territory. It’s a nice blend of what you’d expect while building some tension leading into the Eb7. Don’t underestimate even the simplest phrases. It’s not accidental that these notes fit so well. Schofield knows exactly what chord he’s playing over at any given time.
In the sixth measure we shift up to a pattern that looks a lot like the Eb major pentatonic scale (Eb–F–G–Bb–C), but with the b7 (Db) added for a little interest. This resolves perfectly to the Bb7 chord with some Bb major pentatonic (Bb–C–D–F–G) phrasing. It’s very cool how Schofield will start in minor and blues territory, but give the audience some major-sounding variations.
Over the F7 we’re using the F blues scale (F–Ab–Bb–B–C–Eb) to resolve nicely to an Eb Mixolydian (Eb–F–G–Ab–Bb–C–Db) sound. We also include a b3 (Gb) to build some tension before resolving to the 3 of Bb (D) on beat 1 of the next measure. Finally, we close out this solo with a triplet-based lick that touches on a pair of major triads (Bb and Eb) while ending with an essential blues cliché.
Click here for Ex. 1
Ex. 2 has some slightly trickier vocabulary, but still starts in classic territory with minor pentatonic and blues-scale phrasing. Measure 4 ups the difficulty with a slippery Bb triad arpeggio, which then moves down to resolve to the Eb major pentatonic scale for that chord, but you’re not stopping as you continue down for the resolution to the Bb blues scale.
In measure 7, we build on the ending lick in Ex. 1, but this time we slide up to lead into the V chord (F7) before shifting down into the Eb7. There’s a hint of the Eb Lydian dominant scale (Eb–F–G–A–Bb–C–Db) with the A on the 1st string, but we quickly move back to the Bb blues scale by the end of the measure.
Click here for Ex. 2
With that out of the way, here’s a backing track for you to practice these short solos over. Remember though, these aren’t to be seen as self-contained solos to be played in this one context. Go out and play bits of them in your own solos, add your own parts, adapt them, and find your own voice. I’m sure Matt would approve!For fans of the more sophisticated blues/rock of players like Robben Ford and Scott Henderson, Schofield is worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the best of the genre.
ALBUM
Matt SchofieldFar As I Can See
Mascot Lable Group
Matt Schofield is a modern blues guitarist in the truest sense of the word. He takes the forms and themes from his heroes and screws with them. His latest album, Far As I Can See, is a fiercely individual collection of tunes that ranges from odd-time shuffles, to Hendrixian explorations, and even some NOLA funk. In order to capture the best guitar tone he could for this album, Schofield enlisted his guitar tech and FOH sound engineer Simon Law and Schofield's tone throughout is muscular and clear with just enough gain to give each note a bounce. On "Getaway," a funky jam in 7/8, the rhythm section does a masterful job of making an odd-time groove actually groove.
The Maceo-meets-TOP feel that propels "Hindsight" pushes Schofield to play more jazz-inspired lines with a burning syncopation that drips with plenty of East Bay grease. The classic Neville Brothers track "Yellow Moon" gets an updated reading with a new arrangement (and some great rhythm guitar work) while the Texas rocker "Tell Me Some Lies" is straight out of the Vaughan family playbook. For fans of the more sophisticated blues/rock of players like Robben Ford and Scott Henderson, Schofield is worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the best of the genre.
Must-hear track: "Red Dragon"