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Carl Verheyen

 

 

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15 questions for guitarist Carl Verheyen

 

Carl Verheyen  "Life in music"

In 1996 Carl won the LA Music Awards “Best Guitarist” award, Guitar Player Magazine reader’s poll for “Best Studio Guitarist,” and he has won similar honors in Germany, France, Italy and the UK. He is member of the smash hit British rock group Supertramp since 1985 and creative force behind The Carl Verheyen Band. He has recorded and played with a virtual who’s who of the music industry, everyone from Christina Aguilera, Dolly Parton and B.B. King to the Bee Gees, Cher and Little Richard.
His vast collection of movie soundtrack credits include “The Crow” and “The Usual Suspects”. He also played on the soundtracks for Speed Racer, Star Trek, Land of the Lost and UP.
 

Check out some of his albums: 

OGOGO-Verheyen-8 Trading 8s  OGOGO-Verheyen-Step Take One Step  OGOGO-Verheyen-LA DVD - Live in L.A.

 

OGOGO-Verheyen Gear
 

Carl's solo gig pedal board ---->
(smallest I ever saw and all neatly wired and secured) -
 T-Rex Fuel Tank power supply 
BOSS TU12 Chromatic Tuner
MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
 T-Rex Room Mate Tube Reverb Pedal
RAT Distortion

 

 

  1. Carl, do you have your own Facebook page? If yes, what do you like about Facebook?

I do have a Facebook page but I don’t like it!  It seems every time I go on Facebook to accept friends I’m bombarded with 10 different people asking me questions. The kind of guy I am makes me want to answer them all, but chatting with all those people simultaneously is impossible!

 
  1. You played with a lot of great musicians. Who are some guitarists who stood out for you?

Brian May, Joe Diorio, Ron Eschete, Brad Paisley, Albert Lee, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Steve Morse, Joe Bonamassa, Allan Holdsworth……

 
  1. How did you become so versatile?

I have a policy: Learn everything you dig! So over the years as I’ve enjoyed listening to a certain style of music I made a point of digging into the various styles and learning what makes it work.

 
  1. What was your big break in the music?

I’m still waiting for my big break!  I began doing studio work in the late 70s and eventually did TV shows like “Laverne and Shirley” and “Happy Days” in the early 80s. Then I joined Supertramp on a world tour in 1985 and made my 1st record in 1988. I can honestly say it was never a single big break but many breaks that have gotten me to this point. One must be ready when the opportunity strikes, so I’m always working on my weaknesses.

 
  1. How do you prepare for a gig?

I have a “never suck” policy when I play live, so I always reacquaint myself with the set list before going on stage. In the case of my band I listen to the records if we haven’t played in a while, but I also try to maintain jazz, blues, country, rock ‘n roll and solo guitar set lists, too.

 
  1. Are you good at networking?

Not really. I hate selling myself…..

 
  1. What advise would you offer to young players?

Learn everything you dig and remember: your chances of becoming the next Stevie Ray Vaughn are about as easy as a little league baseball player becoming the next A-Rod (Alexander Rodriguez). So try to prepare for a life in music instead of concentrating on just one style.

 
 
  1. What is your approach to improvisation?

I believe in lines and the integrity of a good line in melodic improvisation. Therefore I work out many lines in major, minor and dominant keys and finger them on the guitar. On stage I play the things I know (by stringing these ideas together) until I’m warmed up and in the moment enough to play the things I don’t know. I live for that!

 
  1. What’s your current rig?

I have over 45 amps and at least 65 guitars along with many racks of gear and over 165 pedals. So I’m able to mix and match pieces for various situations. But when my band plays I use a ’63 Vox AC-30 top boost amp with a ’64 Fender Twin for the clean side and a Dr Z SRZ-65 and a ’69 Marshall 100 watt for the distortion side.  In Europe I have a similar rig but there I use 2 Fender Twins for clean and a newer Marshall 100 watt reissue for the solos. I’m generally a Stratocaster player but I have a good example of every important guitar…..

 
  1. Do you have a philosophy?

Every time I play live I make sure it’s a high level musical experience.

 
  1. How would you describe the sound of Carl Verheyen? Any tips on how to recreate the sound?

For my solo sound I have two important attributes that must be there:

a)    Enough saturation in the distortion so that I can get a smooth overdriven sound that won’t “mush out” below C# on the 5th string.

b)    Not so much distortion that you can’t tell what pickup I’m on, regardless of whether I’m using single coils or humbuckers.   

c)     Clear, sparkling bell-like clean tones.

 
  1. What was your earliest guitar experience?

Playing my friend’s older sister’s guitar along with “Aftermath” by the Rolling Stones. Or hearing the guitar on the surf TV shows….all that reverb!

 
  1. Who were your first musical influences?

George Harrison, Roger McGuinn, Keith Richards, Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton, Freddy King, BB King, Duane Allman, Albert King, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Jimi Hendrix.

 
  1. Who do you consider to be the ultimate guitar player?

I can’t name one guy, but secretly I’m trying to be him!

 
  1. Do you practice every day to keep your chops up?

Definitely! I don’t have any warm up exercises because I play so much that I’m always warm.

     

OGOGO-Verheyen-Interval 

Carl Verheyyen - Intervallic Rock - extend your intervallic horizon with this outstanding instructional DVD from Carl.

 

 

 

Special thanx to Carl Verheyen for making this insights odyssey possible and being a gracious friend. For more information about Carl Verheyen, visit carlverheyen.com

 

I'm omnivorous OGOGO - I think I'll reveal light from Verheyen..

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