SPONSORS – Visual Sound Effect Pedals
Once again, I woke up (REALLY late) this noon and found another AMAZING Christmas present!
My sponsored Visual Sound Effect Pedals for myself (and Greek Guitar Power) had arrived in a nice hefty box ! 
I did not even have to carry it – my brother dropped it off at my studio…
Everything I wanted to use and try out was included -8 packages all together
Many sincere thanks to Visual Sound for trusting me with their equipment !
Stay tuned for photos from the unboxing – Christmas is EARLY this year!!!
INSTRUCTION – Listing of Contemporary Guitar Techniques
I am asked VERY often about the technical requirements for playing contemporary Electric rock/Fusion guitar – so i made a little list for you!
· Alternate Picking
· Crosspicking
· Chordal Picking
· Legato
· Sweeping
· Tapping
· Pick & Fingers
· Wide Stretches
· String Skipping
· Left-hand Tapping
· 8-Finger Tapping
AUDIO TRACK – “The Promised Land” from CD “Orbital Attempt” (2009)
Let’s get thing rolling , as far as my new Instrumental CD is concerned!
Here’s an audio track for your listening & downloading Pleasure!
SPONSORS – Brand NEW Schecter electric guitar (for students) !
I must admit, that these last few days have been VERY interesting,
at least as far as various Sponsoring and collaborations with major music-related companies!
Just received a BRAND new, smashing SCHECTER guitar – to be used by my students during our guitar lessons!
I am VERY excited about it – not to mention how excited my students are!
Pics are forthcoming!
Ioannis Anastassakis – FAQ Part 1…
Ioannis, I am confused! WHERE are YOU located currently?
“I am in Greece – specifically in Athens. That’s where I live and teach. Although I enjoy travelling and performing around Europe, I DO have a stable “base of operations”!
Ioannis, I was wondering if you could give me some GUITAR LESSONS….
“Probably – at the very least, we can definitely meet, chat and do some guitar playing together. I’ll assess your playing level & discuss your music goals and we’ll either work together or I will refer you to one of my MORE ADVANCED students that teach using my method”
Hi! I am a big fan of your music and I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to get REALLY good on guitar…
“Yes! GET A COMPETENT GUITAR TEACHER! That’s the best advice anyone can give you at any level of playing. Make sure you note that I said COMPETENT – that means STAY AWAY from imaginary-rock-star has-beens and the like and get someone that enjoys teaching and communicating his/her knowledge to you! Also, make sure he is proficient in the style you want to learn. Don’t buy the crap that “you need to learn classical guitar firstto learn electric” or that “you need to get good in Jazz if you want to become a better rock player”
Ioannis, I have an AMAZING CD recording and I am looking for a record company! I see that you are heavily involved in Wild Rose Angel Productions! Can you help release my CD with this record company?
“Probably not… This is something that I do ONLY for my advanced guitar students. These are ALL young guys that I have been working with for at least 2-6 years and I have invested a lot of time in their musical development (plus we are good friends)!
Please , do not take it personally, it has NOTHING to do with your playing level or technique – this is a “service” that is only available to my advanced students”
Ioannis, I am looking for a manager and I see that you are professionally managing some guitar players! Can you manage me?
“Again, probably not… This is something that I do ONLY for my advanced guitar students. !
Please , do not take it personally, it has NOTHING to do with your playing level or technique – this is a “service” that is only available to my advanced students “
Ioannis, I am a professional player looking for some sponsorings and I see that you have managed to abtain an AMAZING number of sponsorings for an instrumental guitarist! Can you help me get some sponsorings for myself and/or my band?
“Once again, this is something that I do ONLY for my advanced guitar students.
Please, do not take it personally, it has NOTHING to do with your playing level or technique – this is a “service” that is only available to my advanced students.
However, if you send me your demo I can make some suggestions on which companies to approach for sponsoring, depending on your style of music “
Ioannis, YOU SUCK! I am 10,000 times guitarist better than you!
“Well, good for you – the world needs as many great guitarists as possible! Good luck with your career!”
GGP – Custom Guitar Picks!
Had a very comprehensive and productive meeting with the rest of the GGP gang today!
It seems we decided we will be makign a nice banch of custom Greek Guitar Power guitar picks to be giving away at out festivals!
As soon as we come up wth a couple of cool designs, i’ll be posting them here for everybody to comment on!
GGP – Custom T-shirts!
Been trying to figure out the best way to produce some custom T-shirts for the GGP team and fans – we ALREADY have a few requests for them!
Theodore seems to think that having a very stylish, ambroidered t-shirt would be the best choice – I am torn between that and a regular heavy-metal style of T-shirt, featuring our handome faces and our guitars!
No definitive desicion yet!
LATE NIGHT RAMBLINGS – Producing your own CDs
Well, it is time for some “deep thoughts” and ramblings – fuelled by some amazing quality chocolate (gift from a very very nice student!!!)
I keep thinking that even though this upcoming CD is my 4th (or my 5th? I’m losing track here…), it NEVER ceases to amaze me how much hard work and how
much micro-management of a million little damn details is needed to produce a final result that reached acceptable standards!
Honestly, artists that continuously nag about the “record companies doing nothing” should really try to produce their own CDs for a change!
I can (almost) guarantee that most of them will finish this project with newfound respect of the quantity of man-hours it takes to produce this!
Vibrato Technique (GREEK language!)
Λοιπον, οι παρακατω οδηγιες ειναι για την σωστη και πληρη αναπτυξη ΡΟΚ Vibrato (στυλ Gary Moore, George Lynch) – Για βιμπρατο κλασικο και jazz η διαδικασια διαφοροποιειται!
ΒΑΣΙΚΟ – Οταν κανεις vibrato, τα προηγουμενα δαχτυλα υποστηριζουν! Αν κανεις με το 3ο, το 1ο και 2ο υποστηριζουν!
3 πραγματα πρεπει να εχεις στο μυαλο σου – το ΡΟΚ vibrato πρεπει να εχει
1. Σταθερο ευρος ταλαντωσης (1 τονος ειναι πολυ καλο)
2. Ταχυτητα ταλαντωσης σχετικη με το tempo του κομματιου
3. Σταθερη ταχυτητα στο bend και release
Τα 3 συνηθισμενα λαθη των intermediate κιθαριστων ειναι σε αυτες ακριβως τις κατηγοριες: Oποτε
1. Αποφυγε το να εχει η ταλαντωση μικρο ευρος (ημιτονιο or less) – κανει το vibrato να ακουγεται πολυ νευρικο και αβεβαιο
2. Αποφυγε το την γρηγορη ταχυτητα ταλαντωσης (αρα και μη συμβατη με το tempo του κομματιου) – εχει ως αποτελεσμα το γνωστο “κατσικισιο” vibrato 
3. ΜΗΝ αλλαζεις την ταχυτητα του vibrato σου!!! ΠΟλλοι κιθαριστες το ξεκινανε ΟΚ και οταν αρχιζει να “σβηνει” η νοτα το κανουν ολο και πιο γρηγορα – με αποτελεσμα να ακουγεται “αγχωμενο” και ερασιτεχνικο
Επισης – υπαρχουν τουλαχιστον 3 ΒΑΣΙΚΑ ειδη ΡΟΚ vibrato – downwards – Upwards – Cello-style. Το καθενα εχει τα δικα του χαρακτηριστικα… (Υπαρχουν και αλλα ΙΔΙΩΜΑΤΙΚΑ που κανει ο Geroge Lynch, Vai etc αλλα το ψυριζουμε τωρα 
Ναι το μικρο δαχτυλο μπορει να χρησιμοποιηθει και αυτο μια χαρα για vibrato – οχι αντι για τα αλλα ομως! Σαν EXTRA τεχνικη…
Keep in mind οτι, το vibrato einai απο τις πιο δυσκολες τεχνικες για μελετη – επειδη μπορεις να το μελετησεις μονο 1-2 λεπτα καθε φορα – σε αντιθεση με legato και alternate picking που μπορεις να παιζεις πολλη ώρα χωρις προβλημα.
Αλλα ειδη…..
Upwards - Vibrato προς τα πανω – το χρησιμοποιουμε στις πρωτες 3 χορδες (Ε,Β,G)
Downwards - Vibrato προς τα Κάτω – το χρησιμοποιουμε στις 4 πανω χορδες (G,D,A,E)
Οπως ειναι προφανες, στην ΣΟΛ (G) μπορουμε να κανουμε οποιο απο τα 2 μας βολευει! Αναλογα με το ποσο Wide ειναι το vibrato υπαρχει περιπτωση το Downwards στην Σολ να βγει εκτος ταστιερας…
Το πιο σημαντικο ειναι ο αντιχειρας σκαρφαλωνει πανω στην ταστιερα και τα δαχτυλα παραμενουν ΚΛΕΙΔΩΜΕΝΑ και η κινηση ερχεται απο τον καρπο και τoν αγκωνα (σαν να γυρνας το πομολο για να ανοιξεις μια πορτα). Αυτο σημαινει οτι ο μυς που χρησιμοποιηται ειναι ο Δικεφαλος (το γνωστο “ποντικι”) και ΟΧΙ οι πολυ πιο αδυναμοι flexors των δαχτυλων (sorry δεν ξερω το ελληνικο ονομα των συγκεκριμενων μυων…). Με αυτον το τροπο εχουμε ΠΟΛΥ δυναμη και Control sto Vibrato.
Ελπίζω να ημουν σαφης , ειναι απο τα ΠΙΟ δυσκολα πραγματα να εξηγηθουν γραπτα, αλλα πολυ ευκολο να το δειξεις…. 
Anyway, αν δεν εγινα αντιληπτος θα ανεβασω βιντεακι ειτε στο www.ioannis.org ειτε στο www.myspace.com/ioannisanastassakis που θα το δειχνει ξεκαθαρα.
Το Jazz vibrato μοιαζει αρκετα με της κλασσικης κιθαρας – ειναι ΠΑΡΑΛΛΗΛΟ στις χορδες και μπορει να γινει ειτε με τον αντιχειρα να ακουμπαει πισω απο την ταστιερα ειτε οχι (στον αερα). Στο ΡΟΚ αυτη η τεχνικη ειναι πιο σπανια – αλλα ειναι πολυ χρησιμη οταν ηχογραφεις και θελεις να παιξεις αρμονιες (τριτες, 4ες κτλ) γιατι ειναι ευκολο να συγχρονιστουν οι ταλαντωσεις… (Θυμασαι που ελεγα οτι το ψυριζουμε πολυ… )
Του George Lynch και του Steve Vai αλλη μερα…
SPONSORS – Elixir Strings
I just got my sponsored Elixir string sets for the 2nd part of the year – as well as a few brand new Elixir guitar cables
Strings included 009 sets, 010 sets, Acoustic, and even a few Custom sets for C# tuning and some for my trusty Schecter & Caparison 7-string guitars!
Very happy about getting these – these are amazing strings!
Many thanks to Elixir for trusting me with their equipment !
Here are a couple of photos from the the unboxing!
About Ioannis Anastassakis
This is the official Blog for Ioannis Anastassakis and the Greek Guitar Power Team.
We Hope you enjoy these posts !
