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Journey - Separate Ways - Guitar Lesson

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Journey - Separate Ways - Guitar Lesson

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Journey - Separate Ways guitar lesson video
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Journey Rock E minor
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Separate Ways

"Journey - All Rhythm Parts" by Separate Ways is a guitar-focused study of the rhythm work found throughout Journey's catalog. Journey, formed in San Francisco in 1973, built their sound around Neal Schon's distinctive guitar style, blending hard rock riffs with melodic sensibility. Learning these rhythm parts gives electric guitarists a solid foundation in rock comping, chord voicings, and the tight, groove-driven playing that defined the band's arena rock era.

  • Neal Schon, Journey's lead guitarist, came from a Santana background, which influenced his melodic and rhythmic guitar approach.
  • Journey was formed in San Francisco in 1973, with founding members drawn from Santana and the Steve Miller Band.
  • Studying rhythm parts across multiple songs at once is an efficient way to identify common techniques and chord patterns used by a single artist.
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Neal Schon's go-to instrument for Journey's classic era, the Les Paul Standard delivers the warm sustain and thick midrange his melodic lead style demands. The mahogany body and stock PAF-style humbuckers preserve his picking dynamics while providing the singing tone that defined hits like 'Faithfully.'

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Schon favored the Les Paul Custom for its enhanced sustain and slightly different voice compared to the Standard, offering richer harmonic saturation for his soulful solos. The thicker body provides the dense, creamy lead tones essential to Journey's power ballads.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's tight, responsive breakup is fundamental to Schon's tone, delivering rich harmonic saturation when driven moderately without excessive fizz. This amp's midrange presence and smooth top-end rolloff allow his guitar's volume control and picking nuances to shape his legendary sustain.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

While not a core part of Schon's minimal pedalboard, the Whammy provides expressive pitch shifting for dramatic solo moments, complementing his restrained effects philosophy. He uses it sparingly to add texture and dynamic range rather than relying on it as a primary effect.

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