Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow - 6/22/15

[Evan Skopp]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

We also figured out that fermented soy bean sushi is real shot. So, the whole trip was a success.

 

[Keith Merrow]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hey, is there a particular exercise do you guys do to train your right hand picking technique? Is there an exercise you tend to focus on?

I often just write riffs that seem to challenge my right hand, and then practice them until I can play them cleanly. I guess if you do that long enough, you'll advance organically. I still have a long way to go, myself.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hi guys. What do consider to be the holy grail of guitar tones by any artist, and which guitar tone of your own are you most happiest with? Thanks for your time!

 

[Keith Merrow]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

View attachment 64622

How is that even a thing, let alone a delicacy? Haha

 

[Deathprog]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hey Mark, I am a young lad in high school jamming with my best friend in our own band. I really love your signature guitar, But since I am young I can't really afford it, will you release a more affordable version of your signature or would you recommend me another PRS just as good because I Love the specs on yours and the satin neck. Thank you, and you are my hero

 

[Petie]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

This is for both Keith and Mark: is it weird seeing your signature guitar all over the internets?

 

[JOLLY]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

What are your favorite tube amps to play through? Tube type, Wattage, Heads, Combos, Brand, 2x12/4x12 Speaker Cabinets, Speakers, etc...? I hope that's not too personal and infringing on any contracts or anything. Thank you very much if you can answer that!!

 

[jeremy]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

yeah that looks nasty. who was the brave soul that tried it first?

 

[Mark Holcomb]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Mark, does your playing style change when using different pickups? And if so, how does it change? Thanks!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk

Definitely. I've found that any variable in a rig, from pickups, to pedals, to EQ, to a guitar, to string, etc, will affect and maybe influence the way I play. Pickups make a difference in the following example: if you're using an overly-gainy, saturated pickup on a distorted rhythm tone, you're probably going to lean away from playing bigger chords where notes need to shine out. Using a pickup that is more restrained and dialed back will encourage you to do the opposite.

 

[Ludo95]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

That sounds right. Keith, last year I've been to one of your clinic with Jeff here in Italy and it has been great, do you guys have any plans to make something like this in the future?

 

[Mark Holcomb]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

View attachment 64622

brutal.

 

[Mark Holcomb]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hey, is there a particular exercise do you guys do to train your right hand picking technique? Is there an exercise you tend to focus on?

Master of Puppets! Lots of it!

 

[Keith Merrow]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hi guys. What do consider to be the holy grail of guitar tones by any artist, and which guitar tone of your own are you most happiest with? Thanks for your time!

There's a lot of tones I love from artists I listen to. But, I've never really stopped to consider if any of them are the holy grail to me. I've honestly just focused on finding that holy grail tone for myself, and haven't based it off of any other player's tone.

I'm close after many years of trying different gear. I'm really happy with my tone right now.

 

[BartekBeben]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hey guys! How are you doing?

Question to both of you, what are your Do's and Dont's on tour? Any lessons you keep now in mind?

 

[nottosay02]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Keith, what were the basis for the Nazgul and Sentient pickups? What pickups did you have in mind when designing them?

 

[Mark Holcomb]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hi guys. What do consider to be the holy grail of guitar tones by any artist, and which guitar tone of your own are you most happiest with? Thanks for your time!

Eddie Van Halen, by miles and miles. 30 years later and no one can emulate his tone. And as a metal player, my bread and butter is my rhythm tone and always the first tone I go for when I test out a guitar or set of pickups.

 

[Keith Merrow]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

This is for both Keith and Mark: is it weird seeing your signature guitar all over the internets?

It blows my mind. I recently saw an Instagram post from Bill Ward showing that he has two of my guitars. It was insane to me, because Sabbath is the reason I even picked up a guitar.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Folks, we're just about at the end of the hour, so please just two more questions, to give Mark and Keith a moment to answer what's still open before the thread closes.

And I want to thank Mark and Keith for their time today. This was really great and informative--natto aside.

 

[Mark Holcomb]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hey guys! How are you doing?

Question to both of you, what are your Do's and Dont's on tour? Any lessons you keep now in mind?

DO: Shower
DON'T: # 2 on the bus
DO: clean up after your self
DON'T: forget your toothbrush
DO: give people their space
DON'T: have sh*tty breath
DO: practice!
DON'T: Shower

 

[Ludo95]

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Re: **Live Q&A with Mark Holcomb and Keith Merrow -- Here and Now!!******

Hey Mark, how would you describe your tone compare to Misha's and Jake's? How do you usually set the TS in your rig? Is that your Axe FX patch the same as the other guitarists' in Periphery or you tweak it a lil bit? Thanks a lot!