Back in August, at Cory Wong?s Syncopated Summer Camp in Nashville, Wong hosted a late-night interview and hang session with Italian guitar hero Matteo Mancuso. If you weren?t there, you?re in luck: This week?s episode of Wong Notes features that exclusive rendezvous in its entirety, recorded live in front of an audience of camp attendees.Mancuso unearths his roots on the guitar, from starting on the electric guitar to learning Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix while using his father?s finger-picking style. ?Later on, I discovered about the pick, but I was too lazy to start again,? says Mancuso, who shouts out other fingerstyle players like Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt.

Mancuso credits his unique playing vocabulary to his atypical approach to the instrument, which meant he had to ?find some solutions to some technical problems? that he encountered while learning to play. What kind of warm-ups does he turn to when he wants to get his fingers and brain moving? Mancuso has a few thoughts, but it all has to be ?goal-oriented.?

Mancuso and Wong, both veteran bandleaders at this point, swap advice and techniques on heading your own band, arranging, and writing, plus scores of other obscure tricks of the trade. Tune in and listen to get the goods.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Presented by DistroKid

Phish?s Trey Anastasio is back again on this week?s extra-special episode of Wong Notes. The expansive conversation goes from the mundane to the massive: Trey shares the meaningful gift he bought himself for his 60th birthday, reflects on his most meaningful song, dissects boredom and nostalgia in the streaming era, and names the young bands impressing him most these days.

Then, Trey and Cory dig deep into the songwriting process, and Trey reflects on how his songwriting has (and hasn?t) changed over his length career: ?Maybe it?s some kind of human nature, that you?re kind of fighting against who you actually, really are,? he offers. He then opens up the files and plays few unreleased (and vintage) demos! At this stage in his career, what is Trey Anastasio hoping to accomplish, and has his approach to making music changed? Tune in to find out.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Presented by DistroKid

Imagine being in a band with your best friends for over 40 years, and each night you step on stage you get to play one more show. That?s exactly what guitarist Trey Anastasio and his bandmates in Phish think about right before every sold-out arena or amphitheater show. ?We're all hyper aware now, every night,? mentions Anastasio. ?I mean, we just love it so much. It's like, I can't wait for the tour to start.? Anastasio?s energy and passion is infectious, even when he isn?t talking about music. Bring up hockey, 6L6-based amps, or even his generationally deep Iowa roots and watch as his eyebrows raise. 

We had to do something special for the 100th episode of Wong Notes. We caught up with Trey while he was preparing for a November tour with his solo band. In part one, Cory Wong brings Anastasio in with some hockey talk before diving straight into his current full-circle journey with his rig, and he reveals a bit of an epiphany that all true gearheads know, but sometimes are afraid to admit.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

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This go around, Cory Wong is joined by Pino Palladino and Blake Mills. Palladino, a Grammy-winning bassist, has collaborated with everyone from Erykah Badu and Keith Richards to John Mayer and the late, great D?Angelo. Mills? resumé includes work with Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, and Joni Mitchell. The duo has been around the block.

Wong probes all corners of their creative processes, from the purpose of the music they make, to dealing with ?unnatural? elements of the creative process, to layering parts on a record, to different approaches to melody. As you read, Palladino and Mills have worked with some of the greatest musicians and writers of the past century. They?ve got a lot of wisdom to share.

Tune in to learn from some of the best in the biz.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Presented by DistroKid

Welcome back for a special episode of Wong Notes! If you couldn?t make it to Cory?s Syncopated Summer Camp, this one?s for you: It features Wong and his Flyers bandmates?Nate Smith on drums, Joe Dart on bass, and Mark Lettieri on guitar?in a live masterclass recording from this summer, as they jam and break down an original composition.

The group starts off with a rowdy rip through the tune (which, apparently, didn?t go so well when they played it in Italy) before slowing down its constituent parts and highlighting Lettieri?s thoughtful arrangements. Each member of the band takes a turn explaining their approach to jamming and improvising?and how to know when trouble is coming. (For Smith, it?s when one player tries to ?force an agenda.?)

The most important instrument for a successful jam and songwriting session? Your ears: It all comes back to listening. So listen in and learn with the best on this exclusive instalment.

Recorded LIVE at the Syncopated Summer Camp presented by Dreamcatcher Events: http://dreamcatcher-events.com

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On this episode, James Bay joins Cory Wong from backstage at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (It takes Wong all of 10 seconds to recognize and name the green room.) Bay is still supporting his fourth full-length record, Changes All the Time, and Wong picked up on a different guitar approach on the new album. Bay walks him through how his playing matched the collection?s title.

Bay also reveals the first solo he learned to play (or, rather, failed to learn to play; it?s a Bon Jovi hit), and how Jack White?s philosophy of struggle against his instrument has shaped Bay?s relationship to his own guitars. As bandleaders, Wong and Bay both have plenty of experience hiring players to join them in studio and on the road, so what do they look for when selecting colleagues? Tune in to find out.

It wouldn?t be a chat with a Minnesotan guitarist without some Prince talk, so stick around to learn the appropriate etiquette for covering The Artist when touring his home state.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Presented...

Sound the alarms, tell your neighbors, hire a banner plane: Wong Notes is back. Cory Wong?s beloved podcast returns after a healthy break, and this exciting comeback episode features Wong in conversation with Goose?s Rick Mitarotonda.

The Connecticut rock band?s guitarist and vocalist talks through the band?s origins and position in the jam-band and broader music scenes, and Wong and Mitarotonda debate an ancient, critical question: Can jam bands actually write great songs?

The duo talk through their philosophies on recording, staying sharp on your instrument, all-star moments and standout players in the jam community, and feeling misunderstood as an artist. Like a good jam set, there are plenty of rich tangents, fascinating rabbit holes, and unexpected insights, so tune in and keep your ears open.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Presented by DistroKid

Welcome back for a special season finale of Wong Notes!

We?ve saved one of the best for last: Brad Paisley.The celebrated shredder and seasoned fisherman joins host Cory Wong for one of this season?s most interesting episodes. Paisley talks his earliest guitar-playing influences, which came from his grandfather?s love of country music, and his first days in Nashville?as a student at Belmont University, studying the music industry.

The behind-the-curtain knowledge he picked up at Belmont made him a good match for industry suits trying to force bad contracts on him.

Wong and Paisley swap notes on fishing and a mutual love of Phish?Paisley envies the jam-band scene, which he thinks has more leeway in live contexts than country. And with a new signature Fender Telecaster hitting the market in a rare blue paisley finish, Paisley discusses his iconic namesake pattern?which some might describe as ?hippie puke??and its surprising origin with Elvis? guitarist James Burton.

Plus, hear how Paisley assembled his rig over the years, the state of shredding on mainstream radio, when it might be good to hallucinogenic drugs in a set, and the only negative thing about country-music audiences.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

Legendary shredder Joe Satriani was the first ever guest on Wong Notes, so it makes sense that he?s the first returning sit-in with Cory Wong. Satch is busy as ever, juggling enough projects to make a normal guitarist?s head spin. But Satriani?s not a normal guitarist.

He teases a new song with Sammy Hagar, plus delves into the intricacies of Eddie Van Halen?s playing and why he can?t quite replicate it?every guitarist has their strengths and deficiencies, claims Satch. And believe it or not, Satriani didn?t figure standing in front of huge crowds to be one of his strengths when he was younger. Fate figured otherwise.

Satriani goes deep on one of his favorite tools, the Sustainiac pickup, and talks about how it?s defined his playing?just like his trademark sunglasses, even in dark rooms. (?Stupid idea, right?? he jokes.)And young guitarists, listen up: Satriani has some wise words on the importance of rigorous practice while you?re budding on the instrument. The big takeaway? Learn. The. Notes.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

Grace Bowers just released her debut record, 2024?s Wine on Venus, with her band the Hodge Podge, but she?s already one the most well-known young guitarists in America. On this episode of Wong Notes, Bowers talks through the ups, downs, and detours of her whirlwind career.

Bowers started out livestreaming performances on Reddit at age 13, and came into the public eye as a performer on social media, so she?s well acquainted with the limits and benefits of being an ?Instagram guitarist.? She and Cory talk about session work in Nashville (Bowers loathes it), her live performance rig, and Eddie Hazel?s influence.

Bowers plugs the importance of networking as a young musician: If you want gigs, you gotta go to gigs, and make acquaintances. But none of that elbow-rubbing will matter unless you?re solid on you?re instrument. ?No one?s gonna hire you if you?re ass,? says Bowers. ?Practice is important.?

Tune in to learn why Bowers is ready to move on from Wine on Venus, her takes on Nashville versus California, and why she hates ?the blues-rock label.?

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

You might not know Greg Koch, but we?ll bet your favorite guitarist does. In 2012, Fender called the Wisconsin blues-guitar phenom one of the top 10 best unsung guitarists, and in 2020, Guitar World listed Koch among the 15 best guitar teachers. He?s been inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hall of Fame. Koch is a bonafide midwest guitar god.

He joins Cory Wong on this round of Wong Notes for this meeting of the Middle-America minds, where the duo open with analysis of music culture in Wisconsin and Minnesota?Koch taught at Saint Paul?s now-shuttered McNally Smith College of Music, which Wong attended. Koch and Wong zero in on the blues roots of most modern music and talk through soloing theories: It can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, but Koch shares that he likes to ?paint himself into a corner,? then get out of it.

Koch and Wong swap notes on the pressures of studio performance versus the live realm, and how to move on from mistakes made onstage in front of audiences. Plus, Koch has created scores of guitar education materials, including for Hal Leonard. Tune in to find out what makes a good guitar course, how to write a guitar book, Koch?s audio tips for crystalline live-stream sessions, and why he still prefers tube amps: ?I like to crank that sh*t up!?

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by...

Mike Stern has been around the block. The jazz-guitar virtuoso earned his stripes through the ?70s and ?80s in New York?s jazz scene, playing 6-string with drummer Billy Cobham before tapping in with artists like Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius?even at a time when guitar wasn?t necessarily a cornerstone piece of a jazz outfit. In this episode of Wong Notes, Stern fills Cory Wong in on the ups and downs of 50 years spent in one of the most complex and underappreciated music genres.

Stern made the leap to New York from Boston when Davis invited him to join his band (back when jazz was the pop music of the day, notes Stern), but it was a rocky ride?Stern says he and many other musicians were ?bottoming out? from addiction, until a friend went sober and convinced them to give sobriety a try. Stern talks about Miles? hidden love for the guitar, and how he succeeded in fitting into non-guitar environments.

Wong and Stern touch on the decline of arts spaces and cultures in America (thanks, Stern says, to misallocated funding), playing gigs where the band outnumbers the audience members, the benefits of running the same rig in every room, and how to pick the right pick?for Stern, that involves a bit of wig glue. Tune in to get the details, and be sure to check out our 2018 Rig Rundown with Stern, too.

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Bluegrass music is bigger than a genre. It?s become an entire world of ideas and feelings in the popular American imagination. And musician Jerry Douglas has been a key part of its celebration and revival over the past 30 years. ?It's an old form of music that came from people in the south playing on the porch and became this juggernaut of a genre,? says Douglas. ?It?s a character. It's a physical music.?

Douglas has racked up an impressive cabinet of accolades, including Grammies, American Music Association Awards, and International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. He?s been dubbed the CMA Awards? Musician of the Year three times, and played with everyone from Allison Krauss and Elvis Costello to Bela Fleck and John Fogerty. He?s an encyclopedic guide to contemporary American roots music, and on this episode of Wong Notes, he walks Cory Wong through the most important moments in his 50-year career.

Tune in to hear Douglas? assessment of bluegrass? demanding nature (?Honestly, there's not so many genres nowadays that require as much technical facility as something like bluegrass?), what?s required of roots players (?Get it right, get it fast, make it hook?), and why the O Brother, Where Are Thou? soundtrack connected with so many listeners. Wondering how to get involved with session work? Douglas says there?s no one-size-fits-all answer, and what worked for him might not work today. The key is to be dynamic?and know when to keep your mouth shut.

There are plenty of gems in this interview, like Douglas? thoughts on what makes a good solo, but the most significant might be Douglas? big takeaway from decades of sitting in on communal roots-music sessions. ?We can play in all genres,? says Douglas. ?We just have to listen.?

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At 26, Blu DeTiger is the youngest musician ever to have a signature Fender bass guitar. The Fender Limited Player Plus x Blu DeTiger Jazz Bass, announced in September, pays tribute to the bassist and singer?s far-reaching impact and cultural sway. She?s played with Caroline Polachek, Bleachers, FLETCHER, Olivia Rodrigo, and more, and released her own LP in March 2024. In 2023, Forbes feature her on their top 30 Under 30 list of musicians. So how did DeTiger work her way to the top?

DeTiger opens up on this episode of Wong Notes about her career so far, which started at a School of Rock camp at age seven. That?s where she started performing and learning to gig with others?she played at CBGB?s before she turned 10. DeTiger took workshops with Victor Wooten at Berklee followed and studied under Steven Wolf, but years of DJing around New York City, which hammered in the hottest basslines in funk and disco, also imprinted on her style. (Larry Graham is DeTiger?s slap-bass hero.)

DeTiger and Wong dish on the ups and downs of touring and session life, collaborating with pop artists to make ?timeless? pop songs, and how to get gigs. DeTiger?s advice? ?You gotta be a good hang.?

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

There probably aren?t too many artists out there as busy as Mark Tremonti. Aside from his celebrated careers in alt-rock mainstays Creed and Alter Bridge, the guitarist, songwriter, and singer organizes guitar and songwriting clinics while on tour; has a line of signature PRS gear; and cut a 14-track charity record, Mark Tremonti Sings Sinatra. Did we mention he?s aiming to become a pinball kingpin, too?

Tremonti joins Cory Wong on this episode of Wong Notes to dig into his musical trajectory since the late ?90s, when he blasted to the top of the charts with Creed. The band drew comparisons to other grunge-era staples like Pearl Jam, which irritated Tremonti but pleased Stapp. Tremonti discusses the gulf between the band?s popularity and the critical backlash they received: ?People can be cruel, but it?s part of the world. You gotta deal with it.?

Tremonti analyzes what makes a good riff and why everything in ?the middle? is boring to him, and unveils his songwriting and demoing routines. (?I think melody is the most important part of everything,? he says.) But his biggest passion project these days is his step into classic crooner music. Inspired by his daughter to do a charity project to benefit the down syndrome community, Tremonti recorded a Frank Sinatra covers album, complete with more than a dozen musicians who played with Ol? Blue Eyes himself.

Tune in to hear all about Tremonti?s artistic life, plus a peek at what happens during his pre-show guitar and songwriting clinics on Creed?s fall 2024 tour. Expecting him to demonstrate some ferocious warmups? Think again: ?I play like grandma?s in the room,? says Tremonti.

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?Skunk? Baxter has had an interesting career. The Washington, D.C.-born musician was one of Steely Dan?s founding members in the early 1970s, and played on some of their most iconic numbers, like Can?t Buy a Thrill?s? ?Reelin? in the Years? and ?Do It Again,? or Pretzel Logic?s ?Rikki Don?t Lose That Number.? Then, he moved on to join the Doobie Brothers, from roughly 1974 to 1979, where he fatefully invited Michael McDonald into the band. After that stint, he became a go-to session player for artists like Rod Stewart, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, and Donna Summer, and a touring performer for Elton John and Linda Ronstadt, among others.

That was just the beginning. Baxter?s interest and background in electronics, science, and recording technology gained him a position in the U.S. defense industry. Turns out, a lot of digital music gear shared similar principles with emergent defense tech. ?Basically, a radar is just an electric guitar on steroids,? says Baxter, noting the same four fundamental forces at work over everything in our universe.

Wong and Baxter trades notes on how to navigate studio sessions (?Just shut the hell up,? offers Baxter), early conversions of pitch into digital signals, and how Baxter cut his solo on Donna Summer?s ?Hot Stuff? on a $25 guitar. And can mediating between artists and producers feel like high-stakes hostage negotiations? Sometimes.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

Jason Newsted spent 15 years holding down the low end in Metallica, playing bass for the band from 1986 through 2001. That era included records like ?And Justice For All and Metallica?AKA The Black Album?plus the iconic S&M live album with the San Francisco Symphony.

But that was just the beginning for Newsted, an artistic polymath who has since pursued a life of balance and creative freedom. On this episode of Wong Notes, he opens up to Cory Wong about why he left Metallica, and details the ?Olympian? physicality and discipline that hard international touring requires. Newsted needed a break; the band wanted to keep going. ?You gotta sometimes give it a minute,? he says.

Newsted shares his thoughts on Dave Mustaine and his predecessor Cliff Burton, and goes deep on the issue of cellphone usage at concerts. (Spoiler alert: He doesn?t like it very much, and he?s got good reasons for his disdain.) But Newsted isn?t just a performer. He talks about his painting and the way that practice differs from music-making, plus his private artistic journeys with theremin, mandolin, and sequencers and loopers?rabbit holes he might not have gone down if he stayed in Metallica. ?I don?t say no to any medium,? he says.

Maybe leaving Metallica created the need to explore. ?I did not get to fulfill that journey,? he says, ?so I?m making up for it.?

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We know what you?re thinking: Dave Navarro is gonna talk about the onstage brawl. But Cory Wong starts this episode of Wong Notes with an important caveat. This show was recorded long before the awful breakdown and confrontation between Navarro and Jane?s Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell, so don?t expect any salacious gossip. But that just makes this episode all the more interesting.

Navarro talks Wong through his formative influences, from Hendrix, Zeppelin, and the Doors to Maiden, heavy metal, and goth. That melting pot, he says, became one of Jane?s Addiction?s calling cards: ?Perry and Eric [Avery] ended up in a band that is influenced by bands they hate,? laughs Navarro, who geeks out on Rush and prog-rock.

Navarro discusses how Jane?s Addiction has a propensity for jamming live, a practice developed out of a mutual appreciation for nontraditional song structures. But the delineations can sometimes go wrong. ?We do run into trainwrecks,? says Farrell. ?Sometimes we?ll find ourselves in a part that we?re vibing on, and we?ll keep going, and Perry doesn?t know what we?re doing. He?ll come in and it?s in the wrong place, and we?re fucking him up.?

Tune in to hear Navarro talk his ?rabbit hole de jour? practice style, how to exercise your fingers and your brain, and a lead technique he calls ?the Navarro smear.? All this and more on this latest episode of Wong Notes.

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Produced by...

Keith Urban has spent decades traveling the world and topping global country-music charts, and on this episode of Wong Notes, the country-guitar hero tells host Cory Wong how he conquered the world?and what keeps him chasing new sounds on his 6-string via a new record, High, which releases on September 20.

Urban came up as guitarist and singer at the same time, and he details how his playing and singing have always worked as a duet in service of the song: ?When I stop singing, [my guitar] wants to say something, and he says it in a different way.? Those traits served him well when he made his move into the American music industry, a story that begins in part with a fateful meeting with a 6-string banjo in a Nashville music store in 1995.

It?s a different world for working musicians now, and Urban weighs in on the state of radio, social media, and podcasts for modern guitarists, but he still believes in word-of-mouth over the algorithm when it comes to discovering exciting new players.

And in case you didn?t know, Keith Urban is a total gearhead. He shares his essential budget stomps and admits he?s a pedal hound, chasing new sounds week in and week out, but what role does new gear play in his routine? Urban puts it simply: ?I?m not chasing tone, I?m pursuing inspiration.?

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

This time on Wong Notes, guitar legend Kurt Rosenwinkel joins Cory Wong to go deep on all things jazz. The genre has always been a haven for free-thinkers and adventurers, so it?s little surprise when Rosenwinkel reveals that he?s incorporated a Fractal FM9 into his live rig?though it?s still working in tandem with a good ol? Fender tube amp.

Rosenwinkel divulges the details on his ?softer, darker? attack, which combined with his approach to tone?including a fair bit of top-end roll-off?constitutes a big piece of his signature sound. Rosenwinkel?s forthcoming live record, The Next Step Band (Live at Smalls 1996), captures this sound in the place that formed it: New York City. Rosenwinkel takes Wong back to the halcyon days of the city?s kinetic 1990s ?hardcore? bebop and free-jazz scene, where Mitch Borden?s legendary Smalls Jazz Club was an artistic hotbed (and crash pad) for players of all stripes.

Nowadays, more and more artists are forming their connections online rather in a jazz club. But can TikTok and Instagram replace an all-night jazz joint for up-and-coming players?

Tune in, and be sure to check out Kurt?s career-spanning new Ultimate Book of Compositions.

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The legendary shred maestro?best known for his work as a solo artist and as a member of Return to Forever and other high-profile, hot-shot collabs?drops by to chat with Cory about his new epic full-length, Twentyfour. It features ?sixteen brand-new compositions and they?re all very involved. I hope I don?t have to do this again.?

One of Di Meola?s biggest projects is, of course, the guitar trio he shared with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía and their thrilling 1981 record, Friday Night in San Francisco, which elevated the acoustic guitar ensemble to the level of high art. Di Meola shares the behind-the-scenes stories of that tour and the 2022 archival release from the next night?s concert, Saturday Night in San Francisco. He calls the ensemble?s dynamic a ?real healthy competition? and explains, ?I knew I was up against two guys who were relentless in their delivery of phenomenal ideas. When they finished a solo, it was like, ?Oh my god, what am I gonna come up with.?

No chat with Di Meola, who famously opened up his kitchen in the post-lockdown part of the pandemic, would be complete without a survey of Southern Italian food. Why is sfogliatelle the maestro?s favorite pastry, and where does he get his? If he?s on tour and there?s nowhere to eat but an Olive Garden, what?s his order? And much, much more.

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Marcus King has already been through the wringer, but he?s on the come-up. His hotly anticipated third LP, Mood Swings, drops this Friday, April 5, and on this episode of Wong Notes, the earnest, honest 28-year old South Carolinian goes deep on his career with Cory Wong.

The two shredders open by swapping notes on how touring has changed post-pandemic. Costs are way up, but they?re managing to make it work. King reveals to Wong that on his upcoming tour, he?s wrangled a few sizeable, must-have creature comforts into the trailers?tune in to find out what King brings on the road.

King walks us through his custom amp and cabinet setups, detailing why he prefers 10" speakers to 12", how he became friends with Orange Amplifiers founder Cliff Cooper, and the family history that led to his signature Gibson Marcus King 1962 ES-345, complete with sideways vibrola.

He and Wong get down to the nitty-gritty, too. Marcus talks about pressure to conform to certain genre communities, his struggles with self-medicating, and how sometimes, music feels like the only medicine we?ve got on hand.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

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Presented by DistroKid

The ascendant roots shredder shares intimate details from his musical upbringing and gets philosophical on the past and future of bluegrass.

Millennial folk philosopher Billy Strings joins this episode of Wong Notes. The Grammy-winning acoustic picker is an open book?nothing is off limits with Billy, from recounting his days selling magic mushrooms in exchange for passing grades in math class, to an emotional drunk-driving revelation that might have saved his life.

Now, Strings can recount war stories of playing with his heroes in the bluegrass scene, and learning important lessons from the greats about respect while onstage. Strings is at the intersection of the old and the new, often stuck between the traditionalists and the new era of American folk music. He says he doesn?t belong to one or the other; his music is more of ?a goulash of all the things put together.? Speaking of which, Billy and Cory connect for a brilliant mashup of Cory?s funk stylings and Billy?s bluegrass flatpicking, proving that music really can be a universal language.

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

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Presented by DistroKid

This time on Wong Notes, Cory is joined by his Vulfpeck and Fearless Flyers copilot Joe Dart. Wong doesn?t waste any time, diving in by asking Dart, by now renowned as a modern bass wizard with flawless fundamentals, how he developed he signature ?voice? on the bass. As Dart explains, it came from listening to players who had their own distinct ?voice,? who sound like ?they?re singing a part within the song,? he says. These ?philosophers of the low-end,? like Flea, imprinted the value of total intention and feeling in every note, as if any single one could be your last.

Dart throws it back to his first bass?a Samick?and remembers how it?s ridiculously high action was like weight training for the rest of his career. He still likes his strings suspended up higher than most, which allows his ?brute force? slapping. Wong and Dart trade notes on practice regimes, and Dart offers advice for young players: Learn your scales, sure, but most importantly, ?play with as many different people as you can.? Plus, Dart breaks down his differing approaches to instrumental and vocal tracks.

Later on, the bandmates ponder the mental trap of the social media comparison game, and wonder at how algorithms impact which music rises to the top of the heap. What does Dart hope to remembered for? With any luck, he?ll have works as iconic as his grandfather?s, Israel Baker, whose violin playing you?ll recognize not just from collabs with Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, but some of the most famous film scores and TV show theme songs.

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Multi-instrumentalist Louis Cato has had a lot on his plate since taking over as bandleader for Jon Batiste on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in late 2022, but has been enjoying every minute of it. "I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, with exactly the people I'm supposed to be there with," he tells Cory on this episode of Wong Notes. Of course, given his role there is a fulltime gig, the release of his second solo album, Reflections, last August was kind of a big deal. Its music was largely inspired by things Cato was forced to confront when the pandemic hit, including "self-analysis, putting on the mask, the egotistical parts of attraction and love songs, and things of that nature," he shares.

Early on in the conversation, Louis answers Cory's question about how his approach to chord voicings is so different from the norm. A lot of it comes from his childhood influence of Ron Kenoly's praise and worship music, featuring Abe Laboriel Sr. on bass. His first guitar was from a yard sale and had just four strings, and his experience learning Laboriel's bass lines on it still informs how he approaches voice leading on the guitar today. There was also his mother, the pianist, from whom he absorbed into his guitar methods the piano style of playing octaves in the left hand and triads in the right.

After Louis shares about what makes his creativity tick as a multi-instrumentalist, he and Cory get into the meat of the biggest mistakes a guitar player can make. A lot of it, for Cato, has to do a lack of dynamics and inflection, or playing 10 notes where you should just play two, he says. Towards the end of the ep, Louis hops on a drumset in the room to illustrate how drummers can also create a "jerky" beat if they don't stick with just straight or just swingin'. Listen to the full ep to get a deep dive into the mind of the Late Show bandleader.

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Session drum ace Aaron Sterling might have fusion roots, but his bread-and-butter work lives at the top of the charts, where?s he?s featured on tracks by artists such as John Mayer, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Lana Del Rey. He tells Cory what brought him to Los Angeles, why he?s ?meant to be in the studio? instead of the stage, and he shares the surreal story of playing with EVH in a florist?s parking lot for Tracy Morgan.

Sterling defines his approach to recording in his studio as a ?pedalboard approach? and explains:

?When guitar players started getting more pedals, in the old days, and then they started getting a pedalboard. And then there?s the rack. This was this evolution where you guys started controlling more and more of your sound and it was less waiting for a mixer to do interesting things later. And you were just like, ?Here?s the sound.? You have your own plugin, you have all this stuff that you?re doing to control your sound so that there?s less work later.I got inspired by that concept when I started recording, even before I had my own studio, to give an engineer the most amount of stuff that?s done. So that when I started recording myself, my philosophy was always the pedalboard philosophy, which is I?ll give you the sounds, I?m not just gonna play the drums and let you do stuff later. I don?t wanna think of myself as a drummer. I?ll think of myself as a creator using drums to give you sounds that hopefully are the right thing for the song.?

Stick around for the drummer?s opinion of the Beatles? ?Now and Then? and learn why he prefers large cymbals.

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Cory Wong sits down with indie-rock bandleader Margaret Glaspy for an in-depth dialogue on artistry, celebrity, and the wisdom of Bruce Lee.

Glaspy shares how she cut her latest record, Echo The Diamond, live off the floor, with most of the ?homework? happening beforehand and studio performances happening in-the-moment. ?It really felt like air blew through the studio and then the record was made,? she says. ?What you?re hearing is mostly what happening.? The songs are like photographs of a particular moment, rather than an essential, unchanging thing; Glaspy says she values the ?dying art? of taking risks in music.

Glaspy runs down how she and husband Julian Lage work on each other?s projects, and highlights one of their key criteria in assessing performances: are you your best guitar player right now? ?Would you hire yourself or fire yourself?? poses Glaspy.

The conversation turns to Glaspy?s rig on the record?she played through a Magic Amps rendition of a black-panel Fender Princeton, plus a Fender Champ combo?before revealing that these days, she?s bypassing her tuner pedal and letting the audience hear the process between songs. ?Let?s not hide what?s needed to make this actually go,? she laughs.Wong and Glaspy swap notes on Bruce Lee?s winning combo of talent and work ethic (and how one of his quotes inspired Glaspy?s record) before finishing with a fascinating philosophical dissection of artistry, pop culture, and celebrity. ?The business of celebrity intertwines them in a way that?s hard to escape,? says Glaspy, who sees a clash between surface-level fantasy and bone-deep darkness in pop culture.

Tune in to the episode to learn all the gems from Echo The Diamond.

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"I don't consider myself a jazz musician," says guitarist Charlie Hunter on this episode of Wong Notes?essentially refuting how he's known in the music world. "I am maybe jazz adjacent." Most listeners probably wouldn't agree, but if nothing else, Hunter is experimental. He's known for playing a guitar that's strung with both bass and electric guitar strings, that has two pickups?one for bass and one for guitar?and two input jacks, which go to separate amps for the respective sounds.

As the conversation unfolds, Charlie shares with Cory about the importance of interdependence, especially in jamming. "All I want to do is be a part of an extension of [the drummer's] beat," he explains. "Everything has to take a backseat to that." He compares the level of resources he had with young musicians today?back then, for better or for worse, all he had was a metronome and the discipline exemplified by the older musicians he played with. Something else that shapes modern musical culture, he says, is globalization: Having access to every genre and the music of every guitar player can make it harder for people learning to pick a specialty.

Charlie goes on to share about how he got his stripes largely from his time performing as a street musician in Europe. "I would not trade those three, four years of being a street musician for anything," he says, describing the experience as a kind of boot camp. His first lessons were in playing 12 hours a day on an unfamiliar instrument at the time?acoustic bass?on the streets of Zurich.

Towards the end of the interview, Charlie and Cory reflect together on the values of bonding with your musical community in person, something that's more of a challenge with the rise of internet culture. However, Charlie has lately been using Instagram as a vehicle to share the music of Blind Blake, someone who he thinks is "literally better than any of us [on guitar]."

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Cory?s cast is off and he?s here to tell you to ?go get hip? to Bruno Major! The soulful, jazzy British singer-songwriter shares why he prefers to record in his bedroom than a studio to create his ?relatively lo-fi? music. ?It?s far more important to be transmitting a privacy than an audio quality,? Major says. But he?s quick to point out that you can get good audio quality recording at home and discloses his gear of choice?shoutout to the Shure SM7B. Together, they discuss the state of record labels and streaming in 2023??if you?re making good music,? Major says, ?it?ll find a home??working with other artists??I think what I bring to the table is probably harmonic knowledge and an ability with words?. I can?t really do it on cue??and mental health.

On his journey from his early days as a shred-head??I just wanted to play really fast all the time??into classical and jazz playing, and eventually to becoming a singer and songwriter, Major elaborates:

?If you look at something like Grant Green. Grant Green is basically playing glorified blues licks over a jazz aesthetic. He?s doing very simple stuff but it?s still incredible jazz guitar because he has his own thing. He has his own voice. And crucially, he has incredible time. I kind of found my voice as a guitar player through the medium of songwriting in a strange way. Because my guitar playing on my songs is what makes my guitar playing.?

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"When you switch the gear of what you're operating on from the memorized information to the gear of intuitive, faithful response, it's a whole different frequency that's emitted from the hands and from the soul," country shredder Daniel Donato expresses on this episode of Wong Notes. He's talking about what makes for powerful improvisation, and if you know anything about the guitarist, you know this insight around the topic is coming from someone who's a master on their instrument.

Throughout his conversation with Cory, Donato shares his uniquely intellectual philosophies about music, explaining what it means to exploit versus explore creatively, how lessons in faith and trust of his bandmates came to supersede his knowledge around music, and how "listening and alignment" of one vision is most important when jamming with others. He also sheds light on his experiences working with producers Robben Ford and Vance Powell, and the different collaborative dynamics he had with both.

Following an emphatic statement from Cory that he has always, always been loyal to Dave Matthews Band, and a comment from Daniel on how a drummer really is at the core of a successful jam, Daniel elaborates: "The song is a vehicle for a spirit." He says Carter Beauford's performance on "Ants Marching" on DMB's first live album, Remember Two Things, which features an extended 2 and 4 pattern in the intro, perfectly serves the song. "I need players that are very spiritually and emotionally vulnerable," says Donato, "and willing to do things that are abstract and left-field that wouldn't be intuitive."

Clearly an admirer of Cory's work, Daniel has some questions for him towards the end of the interview. Then, Cory quizzes Daniel on gear that he finds essential. His response? Whatever feels like the right pick to you, Mogami cables, and, if money isn't an object, a Fender black-panel. Tune in for the full Donato experience.

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Wolfgang Van Halen joins Cory for the season 7 premiere of Wong Notes! Chatting before the release of Mammoth II, the duo discuss guitar trios, 5150 studios, cloning, touring with Metallica, plus: Who?s that playing wah on the record? What?s WVH?s rig? And much more.

On his new record, WVH has lots to share. When it comes to writing and recording rhythm tracks, he?s says, ?It?s all groove.? Later, he adds, ?I?ve always championed myself as more of a rhythm player than anything.?

And on what?s next for EVH gear, he promises that there?s much more in store.

But the most profound thoughts come when the pair go deep on music. WVH shares his soloing philosophy, which he learned from his father:

?Something I follow ? when I write guitar solos that my dad taught me ? is you can shred all you want, but if you can?t sing the solo, then it?s usually not working. There?s always a moment ? that you can do the wankery of a shreddy solo, but it?s important to be able to hum the melody, you know? That usually, with the way that I write solos ? is really deliberate in the way that I write ? I?m a pretty poor off-the-cuff soloist, I like to really plan things out and have it be this nice piece. It kind of forms up with a melody, then it crescendos, then by the end it wraps up with ? maybe a tapping section or a shreddy sort of passage. Basically, the main thing is you should be able to hum it. The melody should be in your head.?

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Soulive, Lettuce, Tedeschi Trucks, and most recently, Stanton Moore and Branford Marsalis?that's a short list of some of the acts Eric Krasno plays and has played with throughout his career. From one funk guitarist to another, Cory sits down with Eric to talk what it means to play the right amount of notes when jamming, what it takes for Eric to absorb and learn so many different genres, and the impact the jam band community has on its musicians. Thanks for listening to this season of Wong Notes, and be sure to catch the next!

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

"If you keep your head and your ass in the same place, that'll happen on its own," says Jason Isbell on how he gets the most out of his live performances. On the heels of a new HBO documentary, he and Cory sit down for a deep discussion, talking creating genuine art that can also turn into hits, Muscle Shoals, and the intersection between "guitarist" and "songwriter"?as well as "for life" gear choices.

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The Extreme guitarist shares his pedal philosophy?including how a visit from EVH inspired him to use a phaser on the new record?and talks about ripping with Rihanna at the Super Bowl and more.

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The Phish bassist chats about everything from how to EQ a picked electric bass tone to drummers, the importance of a good shirt, his recipe for a good gig, and why he hates jam bands.

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Cory sits down with his bandmate-brother, multi-instrumentalist Theo Katzman, to discuss the virtues of musical self-acceptance, the infectious charisma of Trey Anastasio, and how Theo has made a career out of being a jack of all trades.

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Mateus Asato shares on his experiences playing with pop stars, what it means to be of service to a song, and how taking a break from social media?which was where he built his fan base of 1.2 million?was crucial to his mental health.

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The professor is in. He dives deep into EVH?s moves, talks about why he prefers high action, and goes ?full rant mode? into technical tips. 

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Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

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Presented by DistroKid

This week?s ep is just a couple of Strat dudes talkin? gear. The guys get deep on everything from their favorite guitars to pedals and some speaker chat, and the busy New York guitarist and professor talks about improv and the up-and-coming crop of jazz cats.

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The Scottish singer-songwriter talks about discovering looping, the perfect pedalboard, and gets deep about the mystery of songwriting and coping with hearing loss.

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Roots guitarist ?Captain? Kirk Douglas talks about his background as a pre-school teacher, the role of the guitar in hip-hop, and gives the definitive take on his Prince story.

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The Punch Brother and MacArthur Genius talks about why he chose the mandolin and how it relates to Roger Federer.

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The Foo Fighter talks about his influences from the guitar-hero era, and shares all the details of his gear, from his signature model Fender to why ?you gotta have a Phase 90 on your board.?

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Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

The jazz phenom chats about flying with his guitar, how he approaches fluidity on his instrument, overcoming injury, and his take on pedals and tunings.

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Visit Julian Lage: http://julianlage.com

Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

The slide master talks about amalgamating influences, keeping it fresh, how he approaches tone, and the best amp ever made.

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Visit Derek Trucks: https://www.tedeschitrucksband.com/

Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

The master rhythmist answers questions from fans, sharing wisdom on picking technique, practicing, balancing 24/7/365 work with family, show prep, killing bad habits, rehearsals, and how to be a good hang on the disc golf course.

Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywong

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster - https://imp.i114863.net/LPqJyV

Jackson Audio Optimist - https://imp.i114863.net/rn3Vqj

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Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG:

How does a legacy artist stay on top of his game? The pianist, hit singer-songwriter, producer, and composer talks about the importance of musical growth and positive affirmation; his love for angular melodicism; playing jazz, pop, classical, bluegrass, jam, and soundtrack music; and collaborating with his favorite guitarists, including Pat Metheny and Jerry Garcia.

Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywong

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster - https://imp.i114863.net/LPqJyV

Jackson Audio Optimist - https://imp.i114863.net/rn3Vqj

Fourth Position Academy Cory Wong Guitar Course - https://imp.i114863.net/5bQRGb

Visit Bruce Hornsby: http://brucehornsby.com

Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

SHRED!!

The tennis-playing, art-enthusiast, Ferrari-collecting shredder talks about his passion, his practice, his love for the Strat, and who he thinks is the greatest guitar player who?s ever lived.

Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywong

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster - https://imp.i114863.net/LPqJyV

Jackson Audio Optimist - https://imp.i114863.net/rn3Vqj

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Visit Yngwie: http://yngwiemalmsteen.com

Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

From channeling life experiences through his playing to his gospel influences and learning from right-handed players, Gales digs deep.

Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywong

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster - https://imp.i114863.net/LPqJyV

Jackson Audio Optimist - https://imp.i114863.net/rn3Vqj

Fourth Position Academy Cory Wong Guitar Course - https://imp.i114863.net/5bQRGb

Visit Eric Gales: https://www.ericgales.com

Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid

Listen in as Victor shares essential wisdom for any creative person.

Get 30% off your first year of DistroKid by going here: http://distrokid.com/vip/corywong

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster - https://imp.i114863.net/LPqJyV

Jackson Audio Optimist - https://imp.i114863.net/rn3Vqj

Fourth Position Academy Cory Wong Guitar Course - https://imp.i114863.net/5bQRGb

Visit Victor: http://victorwooten.com

Hit us up: [email protected]

Visit Cory: https://www.corywongmusic.com

Visit Premier Guitar: http://premierguitar.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wongnotespod

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wongnotespod

Produced by Jason Shadrick and Cory Wong

Additional Editing by Shawn Persinger

Presented by DistroKid