singer it suits them better because it fits them
perfectly. We needed to get someone who
could sing the old ones, so we tried them
out and he sings them all really well. It never
bothered me when bands would tune down
like that but a few people would say, “Ah,
they are down tuning, the singer must not be
any good.” It’s funny, to say we are back to
standard tuning now, but there you go.
How do you split up the leads on an album?
Totman: We sort of just sit down and try
and make it “fair,” in a way. I will write the
solo sections out with the chord progressions and then we will sit there and look at
what we’ve got and just try and make it balance out evenly. If I am doing the second
solo on one song and there is another song
with the same kind of tempo, then he will
do that one. Rather than me always getting
the first one or vice versa.
Are your solos improvised in the studio
or written out ahead of time?
Totman: For me, I totally write them
all out because it takes ages to try not to
Sam Totman works his well-worn Ibanez STM2 signature model in London on June 17, 2011.
Photo by Jukka O. Kauppinen
the Straight Truth About Pickups by Jason Lollar
Yes, we’re still chasing the dragon. It’s been on my list of
“great pickups I’ve always wanted to build” forever, and
took several years to design — my new Lollar “Regal”
humbucker.
Based on the classic “wide range” (but with a few twists
of my own), it’s fat and clear, with a nice top end sparkle.
Great note bloom and a vocal midrange that never
sacrifices note definition. Same size as the original —
drop it in and turn it up.
I personally design and wind over a hundred different
pickup models including most of the vintage classics,
obscure works of art from steel guitars to clavinets,
and even a few of my own designs that have never
existed in the past.
I invite you to visit our website for sound clips, videos and
current product information or feel free to give us a call.
