Today, GuitarWorld.com presents an exclusive "Our Dying Sun" lesson video featuring Francesco Artusato of the Francesco Artusato Project.
This is the title track from the band's new album, which was released in October by Sumerian Records. You'll also find a transcription of the "Our Dying Sun" guitar solo at the bottom of this story.
"This is the solo from 'Our Dying Sun'," says Artusato (Devil You Know, All Shall Perish). "I start by playing a syncopated lick that superimposes a group of four over the 6/4 meter (m.2); this type of rhythmic dissonance (created via polyrhythms) sets the mood for the rest of the solo.
"The first long phrase that appears is based around the E diminished scale; it further incorporates additional chromatic notes that push the sound even more outside (m.3-4). Here, the rhythmic dissonance of the polyrhythm transitions into the harmonic dissonance of the diminished scale.
"This is followed by an ascending and descending sequence based around one of the two possible whole tone scales (m.5-6). I execute the ascending whole tone sequence via hybrid picking. The rising line which appears in the middle of measure 7 uses the other whole tone scale—when the last two sequences of whole tone scales are taken together, you get the entire chromatic set.
"One thing the solo achieves is to break down the chromatic scale into different types of symmetrical sets which form most of the phrases you hear here. Lastly, a tapping line moving up the neck chromatically in quintuplets closes out this entire solo."
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
