'Still Hurts' by Marco Sfogli

Hey there Lads and Lasses and a very warm welcome to a special tutorial! Following on from my tutorial of the solo section of 'Andromeda' by Marco Sfogli, today's tutorial will be an in depth look at the full track entitled 'Still Hurts' taken from Marco's debut album, 'There's Hope'. This track is an absolute winner in every department as it is full of vi...

OK, let's start with the intro. The first thing we will want to do is take note of the time signature and key, which I can tell you is 7/8 and F#minor. The first phrase begins on the fourth semiquaver of bar 9 and may require some extra work to keep it rhythmically accurate. Pay close attention to the way Marco shapes his phrases with the use of subtle be...

In practicing this section, I have found that it is good practice to attempt to sing each phrase as it occurs. The melody line is very vocal in nature and when sung, can give you a much more clear understanding of how to phrase it. Again, Marco's idiosyncratic approach with the subtle nuances really make the lines speak to the listener. As a consequence, it...

Take note of the change in meter at this point from 4/4 to 6/4. This section has a particularly bluesy feel to it regarding some of the licks and you will need to be 100% in control of your intonation during some of these bends. The bend and release lick in bar 36 is particularly reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, and if you aren't familiar with that lick you may...

Now this chorus is a highly melodic affair with a soaring melody in the high register of the guitar that evokes an awful lot of emotion. Whilst practicing the chorus section for the full performance, I found myself thinking how I could relate to the title 'Still Hurts', and it really helped me to build the tension in the performance. Once you have the notes ...

OK, we're back to a second verse, however this time Marco takes the vocal approach one step further by playing this section entirely with tapped harmonics with the right hand. Using this technique gives an even more exaggerated singing quality if the harmonics are cleanly produced. The best results are achieved by using a very light, bouncing kind of moveme...

This section contains some particularly challenging licks, so take your time here and remember to subdivide the sections to enable you to really get to grips with these licks and shapes. There are quite a lot of pickup changes throughout the whole piece, so be sure to follow the video and implement these changes into the whole thing.

The part of this section that may give you the biggest challenge is the tapped arpeggio section. As always, if you need to, subdivide the sections so that you know exactly what you are doing at any given time. I always find these kind of sections easier to approach once I have subdivided the beat. However, when you play them at full tempo, it's worth viewing...

Now we hit the pre 2nd chorus section. It is imperative that you try to capture the sense of anticipation that Marco captures on the studio recording throughout this section. We are building up to a highly emotive return to the chorus and you will have to put your heart and soul into the music if you want to achieve the same effect. Notice the return of the...

The only difference between this chorus and the first chorus is in bars 130-135, where you shouldn't find anything too challenging. What you should be working on more than anything is linking the end of this section into the opening of the unison, and remember to do so at a very conservative tempo.

Ok it's time for the 'Still Hurts' unison! What you will need to do is subdivide this section into bars as I did in the above video. If necessary, subdivide the bars into sections as well so that you can really get a grasp on the patterns. I have to tell you that this particular section represented quite a challenge for me as my first approach to any picke...

Now we reach the wonderfully melodic and inventive final section. I have a real fondness for this section and particularly enjoy Marco's use of the trem bar for emotional effect. You will have to make sure that each trem bar dip is weighted perfectly in order to achieve that singing quality. Really try to listen to the effect that you are creating. Be sure...

Here's the backing for you to get practicing with. Have fun! Visit Marco's website: www.marcosfogli.com Check out Marco's Album: There's Hope Get More Backing Tracks from Marco's Album