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On Practicing Guitar

Christian Botta

Guitarist, Singer, Teacher, Songwriter and Producer

Interests: Music, cinema, reading, hockey, family, friends, cooking, wine

Recent Activity

Rock and Roll Dreams at the Metropolitan Museum

This is possibly the first Gibson Les Paul Sunburt from the late 1950s to find its way to England. Keith Richards brought it over after one of the Stones' early U.S. tours. You can see him playing it in the T.A.M.I. Show, a landmark rock and roll movie. I finally... Continue reading

Posted May 25, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp Rules The Roost!

We all have neighbors. For years, I had the worst – complaining all the time, and even threatening violence. It was insane! Then finally, they both died. Joy! Their son took over the apartment, and he was a Saint. He never complained. Well, times change and now I’ve got terrible... Continue reading

Posted Apr 13, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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Swing Into Spring with Saints and Sinners at The Groove April 23

Spring is in the air and Saints and Sinners will be making our first appearance at The Groove in Greenwich Village on Tuesday, April 23rd at 7:30 pm. We’ve been working hard uptown at The Shrine and we’re excited to bring the music downtown to all our fans in the... Continue reading

Posted Apr 3, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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How To Properly Execute a "Pull-Off"

If your pull-offs aren’t working, the first place to look is in the term: “Pull-Off,” accent on the “off” part of the movement or technique. Perhaps they should be called, ‘pull-downs,’ but that would probably be confusing. And it wouldn’t make matchy-matchy with the Hammer-On, would it? The idea is... Continue reading

Posted Mar 31, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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I Wanna Be Adored: The Saga of Cargo Culte

Once, I swore I wouldn’t form any more rock bands. Then a bolt of lightning from Maine called me asking for guitar lessons. It was the beginning of a band and a friendship. Unfortunately, the friendship eventually dissolved into a Nigel Tufnel – David St. Higgins type of, “We shant... Continue reading

Posted Mar 14, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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Mojo And The Mayhem Rock The Loft At City Winery

I went to The Loft at City Winery in NYC to see one of my students play with his band, Mojo And The Mayhem and I was thoroughly impressed by his playing and the lively, accomplished sound of the band. Paul Lederer takes slide guitar lessons from me but he... Continue reading

Posted Feb 18, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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Riding Shotgun With Bassist Mike Muller

I hit the Red Lion Blues Jam on Bleecker Street on maybe the second coldest night of the year about ten days ago on Monday, January 21st aka Martin Luther King Day. Due to the weather there weren’t as many jammers as usual but the place eventually filled up with... Continue reading

Posted Jan 31, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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Saints and Sinners Getting Busy in 2019

Hello and Happy New Year! Saints and Sinners has some good stuff planned for the beginning of the year and we thought we would share it with you. First of all, we have a residency at The Shrine, one of our favorite venues. We’re playing every other Tuesday in January... Continue reading

Posted Jan 8, 2019 at On Practicing Guitar

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Visiting Salzburg Birthplace of Mozart

While visiting my girlfriend in Budapest, we took a side trip to Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Those who are familiar with my blog must know that I’m a diehard Mozart fanatic. Have you ever cooked a Sunday pasta dinner while listening to Don Giovanni? You must... Continue reading

Posted Dec 19, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Maxim Vengerov Returns to Carnegie Hall

The first time the violinist Maxim Vengerov came to my attention, he was pictured in the print version of the New York Times. Eyes closed and leaning back with his violin like Jimmy Page, he had a soulful, intense look on his face and was clearly caught up in a... Continue reading

Posted Nov 22, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Sonny Landreth at NY's City Winery - Concert Review

I was lucky to have the opportunity to catch a few concerts these past few months in NYC and beyond. I’m very picky, it’s true and the venue means a lot to me. Also, I don’t have a ton of dough and I’ve seen a shitload of really outstanding concerts... Continue reading

Posted Nov 3, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Saints and Sinners Drop Full Length Debut

It’s a crazy world. And Saints and Sinners are here to add some reality and emotion along with a good time to the situation. With their debut album, Saints and Sinners, the blues rock band from NYC brings you five originals, a few reworked classics and more choice covers from... Continue reading

Posted Oct 28, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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A Tail of Six Strats

Have you ever tried to pursue the mythical, deified “perfect Strat”? My first real guitar was a 1975 Fender Strat with a maple fingerboard, and it cost $220, made in America, no tremolo bar aka a “Hardtail.” I thought I knew something about Strats. How much can you know? Turns... Continue reading

Posted Sep 17, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Thanks, Bob! Since I published the article, I discovered that a great source for Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell is the complete box set on Document Records. Many amazing cuts released and unreleased plus excellent liner notes. -Chris

Commented Aug 24, 2018 on Scrapper Blackwell: The Legend, The Liquor, The Licks at On Practicing Guitar

Thanks again, Jim! I've been re-reading my Clapton: Complete Recording Sessions and it makes me want to check out the Crossroads boxset although I've never been a big boxset person when it comes to artists who I've got a lot of their stuff. I know that the '70s stuff is often very well produced and in particular I'm a huge fan of Glyn Johns. But a lot of the songs seem like filler to me, besides the hits which I've heard on the radio many times. I'm not a big fan of JJ Cale and it seems to me you could almost call this period EC's JJ Cale period. I have to check out the Just One Night record. I assume that's the big live hit version of Cocaine that you would hear all the time on classic rock stations back in the day. Right now, I have my sights on There's One In Every Crowd. Never owned it. The time has come. I'm moving forward! -Chris

Commented Aug 17, 2018 on Eric Clapton - The Early Years at On Practicing Guitar

Thanks Jim! It was a long time in the making. The hardest part was figuring out which licks to transcribe. And the keys! Like, should I transpose them, etc? But I'm really happy with it. Thanks for your support! -Chris

Commented Aug 17, 2018 on Scrapper Blackwell: The Legend, The Liquor, The Licks at On Practicing Guitar

Scrapper Blackwell: The Legend, The Liquor, The Licks

Scrapper Blackwell is one of the most stylish blues guitar players to come out of the classic period of the late 1920s and early ‘30s. Yet, few modern fans even know his name, despite its romantic swagger. He was a true lead guitarist and played on over a hundred sides... Continue reading

Posted Aug 14, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Eric Clapton - The Early Years

A guitar student of mine asked the question, almost to himself, “How do I know which Clapton album to buy?” The reason behind this is of course my student has a cool turntable now, but nevertheless it was music to my ears. Because I LOVE Eric Clapton. When I started... Continue reading

Posted Aug 7, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Red Lion Blues Jam Going Strong in Greenwich Village

The jamming scene in NYC has been going full tilt recently. I’ve been going to the Red Lion in Greenwich Village on Monday nights and American Trash on Wednesdays in the Upper East Side, as often as I can. I recently made it out to the Red Lion for what... Continue reading

Posted Jun 28, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Johnny B Goode Tab and Video

When I was still carryin’ my guitar in a gunny sack, I started playin’ Johnny B. Goode, and jamming on it with some local kids. I thought it was the greatest thing. One of the kids even told me, “you can really play that song.” I was like, “everybody plays... Continue reading

Posted May 20, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Good Time Clicks for Safdie Brothers and Robert Pattinson

The new film by the Safdie brothers, Good Time, finally found its proper venue - for me. The Roxy is a beautiful, Paris-inspired movie theatre in the basement of the Roxy Hotel in Tribeca that shows classic, indie and other creative films for $12 a pop. Red curtains, red seats,... Continue reading

Posted May 12, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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A Timeless Tribute to John Abercrombie

Love and devotion were in the air at the recent “John Abercrombie: Timeless,” tribute at Roulette in Brooklyn. The music was spot on – inspired, beautifully played and non-competitive. In a tribute to a great guitarist, only three guitarists would take the stage. For me, there was reason to be... Continue reading

Posted Apr 17, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Bukowski Can't Write This

With the wind at my back, I steadied myself. And pushed on. I could see the city lights before me. The wharf, the piers, les clochards, all beckoned. I was headed to the LIC Bar to play a gig with Saints and Sinners, AND Mancie, mind you. This was no... Continue reading

Posted Apr 6, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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Hi, David Thanks very much for writing! What kind of guitar are you playing? How long have you been playing? Let me know if you have any questions and thanks again for getting in touch. Have a good one, Chris

Commented Mar 23, 2018 on Gary Clark, Jr. Solo with Tab for "When My Train Pulls In" at On Practicing Guitar

Let’s Talk About Practicing II - What I’m Practicing Now - Have A Cigar, Seven Come Eleven, more…

Sadly, ruts are a part of practicing – I first noticed it when I was fourteen. My teacher explained to me, “You’re going to have ups and downs.” I won’t say that I was in a rut recently, but I felt that I was having trouble getting my practice sessions... Continue reading

Posted Mar 2, 2018 at On Practicing Guitar

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