No, it’s to throw away scales due to weight issues. It doesn’t help at all. Hum, poor choice of words, huh? Mick Box is telling us to throw away all those modes and methods and whatever. Well, he’s never been my favorite anyway. But I do like that chicken effect he does.
Jokes aside, what he’s really telling us is that guitarists have to use heart first. Good ears help a lot too, but some exercise and study also do miracles. In a recent interview to Music Radar, Mick said some words about technique and whatever, let’s see what he’s got to say:
“Throw away all your scales. I’ve never done any of that stuff in my life; I only use my ears.
“I’ve also got smallish hands, I can’t do the spreads other guitarists do. You look at a guy like Paul Gilbert – he has longer fingers than I have legs! So I have to embrace my own abilities to find my style; that’s what makes me distinct, I think.
“I try to stay away from the scales and just go with my heart. You go with what fits the song, and I hear so many guitar solos these days that don’t fit the music underneath – where the guitarist isn’t listening to anything else that’s going on.
“I find that very frustrating because the song should always be the most important thing. Personally, I just noodle around until something fits, and then I shelve it until we are in the studio with the tape running. I try to keep it loose.”
