Guitar Study
Learning How to Play like Greg Howe
Instructors: Steve Hubbard, Mike Salow
Total lessons in study:
Steve and Mike cover how to master the famous "Greg Howe vibrato" along with licks to apply to your own playing.
1. First Things First. Learn Howe's Vibrato!
Hi folks!
Today's lesson is on a very popular technique, used in modern fusion! I am of course referring to the famous 'slide vibrato' used by the great Greg Howe, that has become extremely popular over the last 10 years or more.
A few quick things to point out about the examples that I will show in this tutorial:
- All ...Read More
This first example follows the E minor blues pentatonic box, and is a typical lick that you may hear Greg play. This is intended to have 'swing', but can be played with a 4's feel as well! There is a lot of room for variation, depending on the mood, situation, application, technical preference, etc.
Practice doing the slid...Read More
Here is an 'out there' type of lick that is commonly heard from Howe. The idea is based around a diminished arpeggio, and resolves to a note that is a bit more common over an E minor chord.
If you're not used to string skipping, this may be challenging for you. Hybrid picking may make this lick a bit easier for some of you...Read More
This example gives us two opportunities to use the slide vibrato. If you pay close attention in the video, I contradict one of my opening statements, in that I am mainly sliding between the 9th and 10th frets, in the first note marked with vibrato. This is more of a 'trill' effect, than the slide vibrato, though both will w...Read More
Here is a nice and short lick that uses a minor arpeggio, ending with a chromatic run that falls slightly out of key. I am very much fond of 'straight 16th' runs, and this particular lick works very well with the slide vibrato! Have some fun switching between a regular 16th, and swing feel.
Check out my outro video for a f...Read More
I hope this has been helpful to you all, whether you already had experience with this technique, or had never heard of it before! If you have any questions, or think that I may have missed an important point, please send me a message!
Thanks for taking the time to check out this tutorial!Read More
Here's a little funk loop that I made to practice the licks over. The tempo is 95bpm.
Read More
2. Learning Licks in Howe's Style
Hi guys!
In this tutorial we'll be covering licks in the style of the great fusion guitarist, Greg Howe.
Each of these licks uses some of Greg's most often used techniques like hybrid picking, hammer ons from no where, and tapping, just to name a few.
All of these licks are in an A Dorian setting and can be used along ...Read More
Lick 2!
This second lick is not only in the style of Greg Howe, I've heard Greg use a version of this lick many times.
The first half of this lick uses the pick, middle, and 3rd finger (right hand).
This lick also uses the famous Greg Howe slide vibrato, which you can chose not to play if you'd like (sounds better with i...Read More
Lick 3!
I transcribed this lick straight out of a Greg Howe solo.
Note that the theoretical explanation I give for this lick might not be how Greg sees the lick.
This lick is also considered an 'outside lick', meaning that some of the notes within the lick are not in the key.
When playing outside, the quicke...Read More
The fourth and final lick!
This lick is a pentatonic tapping lick that uses a lot of hammer ons from no where.
It is also very repetitive, playing the same basic idea on each string.
Also notice that each string switch starts with a hammer on from nowhere. Read More
3. More Licks in Howe's Style
Hey guys,
This tutorial is a 3-lick lesson, based on one of my main influences: Greg Howe.
All of the licks work over an A minor type groove, but also use passing tones, and some outside playing. I've also noted that the licks should (or can) be played with a swing feel... A personal favorite of mine!
For this particular...Read More
For the second example, I start with a Gmaj7 arpeggio, and move to Am with chromatic passing tones. Towards the end, I add in the raised 7th to give a different feel.
With the exception of a slide in the first arpeggio, I use straight alternate picking. This one is very easy to swing!
For an even more Howe'esque sound, th...Read More
For the final example, I incorporate a typical slide lick that Greg often does. Simply put, you play your 'targeted note', pull off to a step below, and quickly slide back up to the original note. This is also used frequently by Ritchie Kotzen, or any modern fusion player for that matter.
Good luck, and see you next time!Read More
4. Greg Howe Arpeggio Idea
Hello again! In this tutorial, we'll be going over a Greg Howe style arpeggio idea that I like to use.
For this example, we will be using Diminished 7 arpeggios, that way we can expand further by moving each position over in minor 3rds. (3 frets)
There will be no specific key this time, we'll just be using a random spot o...Read More
On to the lick!
I'm hoping you've taken the time to master the actual arpeggio as it stands! If you have, you'll be ready to tackle this lick. Pay close attention to the tab. There are specific spots where the hybrid picking takes place.
As you can see we're ascending and descending in four note groupings using 3 strings ...Read More
Now let's expand on this idea!
The easiest route to expanding this idea into something much larger is to slide the position around in minor 3rd. (3 frets)
Now if you decide to use this same idea with a Major 7 arpeggio or basically any other arpeggio (as mentioned), sliding over 3 frets will not work.
This expanded lick ...Read More