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**jgcable** · 08-30-2004, 10:45 AM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

Regarding the lead guitar player in Shadows Fall, his name is Jonathon Donais. He is endorsed by Washburn. I don't know much about him but I did see his playing style really close up. I give guitar lessons and I am usually pretty good at telling if a good player is either self taught or went to school. My guess is that he went to Berkley. He has that typical Berkley fret hand style.

**ChickenScratch** · 08-30-2004, 11:57 AM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

I dont know if he went to Berklee but I understand what you mean man. He's got that very modal thing going on that the Berklee guys really get into, plus he's in the same environment in Boston and he is buds with the dudes from Killswitch Engage who did go to Berklee.

It's like the first time I heard Al Pitrelli, he's got Berklee written all over every line of his playing.

**Dreamland_Rebel** · 08-30-2004, 02:43 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

i saw priest in VA and i'll see'em again tomorrow in NC. i was really proud of them for doing it the way they did. when i saw them a couple years ago with Tim Owens (anthrax / priest tour) they had this horrible Nu-school guitars sound. all bass heavy and nasty. but when i saw them at ozzfest this year - the guitar sound was back to the good old days of metal! i was so proud! they were amazing!!!!

**VulfgangPfuck** · 08-30-2004, 03:00 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

Both Jon and Matt from Shadows Fall are Berklee grads, although Matt went for Music industry business. I know them semi-personally.

**jgcable** · 08-30-2004, 03:13 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

I knew it! Jon has that typical style. Like I said in my first post.. the drummer KILLS. They are a VERY tight band.

**No Use** · 08-30-2004, 04:59 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

Very interesting, how an institution can create somewhat of a guitar style...thats interesting, the al pitrelli bit, berklee has their own guitar licks? or do their players just all form a similar style there??? this is all very interesting, any more info on this? (sorry about hocking the thread actually)

**DeathDaily** · 08-30-2004, 05:45 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

I'd like to know a little more about this whole Berklee-fret-hand thing. I noticed that when I saw Shadows last month, really interesting, rigid hand positioning and kind of delayed vibrato.

**jgcable** · 08-30-2004, 08:20 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

I am going to probably flame a few but what the heck. Most Berklee players have the same style, the same chops, and the same fingering. They double stop bend using their 4th and 5th finggers. Their pick hand position is always the same and they never anchor their 1st finger on their fret hand. They all play alot of chromatic scales. Most of them sound like they all came out of the same mold. Hey.. its a good mold.. but it is a direct reflection on what they learned at Berklee. I used to have fights constantly with Berklee grads. Here is a Berlkee RULE. A Berklee graduate doesn't respect any guitar player who can't read music and who can't stop a guitar solo or chord progression at any time and tell the listener exactly what note, shape or variation they are playing. We used to call them the members of the Stepford Guitar Players Club. Most lack creativity and have no style of their own in regards to soloing. They are chameleons and clones of their own guitar hero's. ie... Jon from Shadows Fall. He looks like Nuno, he sounds like Nuno and he is even endorsed by Washburn and plays an N4. He and his band kick major ass too.

**DeathDaily** · 08-30-2004, 09:43 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

[ QUOTE ]
They double stop bend using their 4th and 5th finggers.

[/ QUOTE ]
Do they number their fingers different too, because I remember him being a normal human with only four fingers... Also, he doesn't actually play an N4, he plays one of the special models Washburn did a while back, with a non-reverse head and hardtail. Still looks a hell of a lot like Nuno...

**quiksilver** · 08-30-2004, 09:44 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

VERY interesting thread. Thanks for posting this.

**sworn_enemy** · 08-30-2004, 09:53 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

[ QUOTE ]
I am going to probably flame a few but what the heck. Most Berklee players have the same style, the same chops, and the same fingering. They double stop bend using their 4th and 5th finggers. Their pick hand position is always the same and they never anchor their 1st finger on their fret hand. They all play alot of chromatic scales. Most of them sound like they all came out of the same mold. Hey.. its a good mold.. but it is a direct reflection on what they learned at Berklee. I used to have fights constantly with Berklee grads. Here is a Berlkee RULE. A Berklee graduate doesn't respect any guitar player who can't read music and who can't stop a guitar solo or chord progression at any time and tell the listener exactly what note, shape or variation they are playing. We used to call them the members of the Stepford Guitar Players Club. Most lack creativity and have no style of their own in regards to soloing. They are chameleons and clones of their own guitar hero's. ie... Jon from Shadows Fall. He looks like Nuno, he sounds like Nuno and he is even endorsed by Washburn and plays an N4. He and his band kick major ass too.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd have to disagree. My old guitar teacher Scott Motyka was a Berklee grad and he wasn't anything like that. He was an incredible player and very original. He never looked down on anyones playing that I knew of. He definitely was way into theory but never pushed on me at all. He was more into teaching me technique.

**horns666** · 08-30-2004, 10:25 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

I partied with Shadows fall years ago ...very cool guys..good band

Is Timmy Ripper Owens gay that's why he quit the band right????

They got a replacement now ...some older dude named Rod or Rob...somebody ...he's not too bad!!! [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

**jgcable** · 08-31-2004, 07:32 AM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

I didn't say that all Berklee grads sound and play the same. Just most.There are some fantastic original players coming out of Berklee all the time.We were bitter towards them back in the old days anyway mostly out of being jealous that we didn't have rich parents to send us there after high school. I grew up in Port Chester, NY in a railroad room styled apartment. Port Chester borders Rye on the south and Greenwich on the north. Both were totally stinking rich communities. A few of my bandmates worked at the Greenwich car wash and many times these Berklee students would show up at the car wash with their new BMW's or Porsche's for their 18th birthday. I had a $500.00 Dodge Dart that I worked all summer to pay for. It caused a little bitterness. Regarding my 4th and 5th finger remark. I wrap my thumb (Hendrix style) so I actually use all 5 fingers although I should have said 3rd and 4th for you non-wrappers. They don't teach the wrapped thumb technique at Berklee.

**ChickenScratch** · 08-31-2004, 12:24 PM

Re: Priest and Shadows Fall

Berklee players are similar but it's for a reason, they are from the same school and all sit in the same classes with the same instructors. The other day me and my bud Rich were at a kareoke bar and these two were up there singing and the way they positioned themselves around the mic it gave away the fact that they went to Berklee. In fact afterwards I asked the chick if she went to Berklee and the answer was "yes."

They tend to be hard and fast about the way they learned something. I can't tell you how many times jamming with my same bud Rich I've had my hand position corrected or asked to rais my guitar strap so I can have more access to the neck. "If I like my guitar hanging around my knees I'll do it man!"

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