1) Hi Brett, what's up in Garsed's Music Universe?
Well, I've been touring Australia with John Farnham for the past 7 months so that's been great. We spent October till December of 2002 playing the major arenas and we've just spent the past 6 months touring all over Australia playing in a 4,000 seat tent so it's been an amazing experience. I've also just released my debut solo album which is titled "Big Sky" so I've been keeping myself busy.

2) You're one of the most famous players usin' a 4 finger per string approach to scalar runs. How did you develop such unconventional approach? Was it somehow inspired by Allan Holdsworth?
That was absolutely inspired by Allan Holdsworth. I was always a legato player which was a path I followed instinctively as I'm mainly self-taught but after hearing Allan for the first time it just changed everything about how I "heard" music. I think his approach to music and composition is so emotional and it's a shame a lot of people just hear the technical virtuosity and stop there. Allan is a great example of someone who uses technique as a means to an end, the end being the recreation of the amazing sounds he hears in his head.

3) I found some stretches required in the 4 notes per string approach are pretty difficult . Looks like my ring finger won't get away from my middle one. Do you lift each finger after the relative note has been played or did you develop such control on your fingers? Some tips to overcome the tendons limitations?
I have very small hands and the guitar is a very difficult instrument for me so yeah, I lift each finger as I play so I can get the intervals. I'm a little reluctant to try to expand my stretch as I'm not into pain when it comes to music! If you wanted to create chords with this approach I suppose you'd have to develop the stretch to do it.

4) Are you plannin' about a new instructional video release?
Not at the moment. I'd rather have people hear my music first so I'm going to concentrate on getting my solo album out there. The "Rock Fusion" video still seems to find people even though it was buried by Warner/Chappell and I don't think the material on it is dated at all. I guess my hairstyle is though! :)

5) You played for several years as the guitarist for Nelson. Do you still work as an hired musician?
Within reason. I'm not looking for the next gig all the time as I want to leave behind a lot of recorded music of my own. It's a very personal decision and I find it hard financially but I really don't want to spend my life playing other peoples music to the exclusion of my own.
I'm very happy to work with John Farnham and then just do my own thing but I am open to working with anyone if the music is good so if Sting reads this then yes, he can call me!

6) You're also a famous guitar teacher. Do you have a practicin' routine to suggest to our readers?
Famous teacher? That I wasn't aware of! I suppose the main thing I try to express to students regarding practice is variation. Instead of spending 1 hour on picking, spend 15 minutes on picking, 15 minutes on chords, 15 minutes on phrasing etc and then spend 15 minutes just playing. You don't want to end up being one-dimensional so mix it up. I've found that shorter bursts of intense and varied practice spread out over the day are really beneficial as they prevent boredom and maintain focus.

7) You have a strong melodicism in every line you play on the guitar. Can that be developed in some way?
You have to be open to letting that come out in your playing and that means putting melody first and chops second. I try to constantly check as to whether I'm playing a melodic phrase or just trying to show off and believe me, I still have to keep an eye on myself! If you think melody and use your standard licks and phrases within that then you've got a massive vocabulary at your disposal and it'll give your solos a more song-like structure.

8) Many players have told me you just have to play what you hear in your head. But sometimes you just keep hearin' the same lines and the same licks. How to break out of such a cage? I think that people like Shawn Lane sometimes use a geometrical approach to runs and licks to find new ideas... Can you give us an help, or your point of view?
The geometric approach is a great way to come up with new concepts and licks but always remember to return to the place where you just "listen". Sometimes the best lines are really difficult to play on the guitar but that's why most of the easy stuff is so boring because everyone does it. Listen to vocalists, horn players, drummers and anyone else you can and be inspired by the phrasing and dynamics unique to their instruments, then try to incorporate that on the guitar. Shapes and patterns are a great way to memorize something that works but in the end you should be listening and not looking.

9) You're also good at playin' with the slide. I've seen in some shots of you playin' in a live situation that you play slide on a Telecaster lookalike guitar, which is also (I think) your main guitar. So do you play normally with a high action or do you play with a low action but are able to use slide even with a lower action? If so, how to get a good tone?
I use a low action with .010 to .048 strings. It's a compromise as I don't like to change guitars mid-show just for a slide solo and I always play in standard tuning so I'd rather just use the same guitar and adjust my technique. It does take a much lighter touch and the tone would be better with heavier strings and high action but I like the ability to go from slide to the way I play normally without having to change guitars so I just live with it. I've found a glass slide is the best tone for electric, for me anyway.

10) Can you give us some infos about your gear? What about the eternal struggle 'tube amps sound better than solistates'? Don't you think that solid state amps have more 'definition' (which should be good for fast, single note phrases)?
I think good players have better definition and it has nothing to do with an amp. Most guitarists use way too much distortion and it just covers up crap technique with crap from the amp so whether it's a tube or solid state amp is mostly irrelevant. I prefer tubes just for the warmth and punch but it's not life and death. I've been going direct through a Line 6 POD for the Farnham tour mainly for convenience. It's a good sound that works for the situation but it sure aint the Bogner!

11) Do you have some compositional method or you just hear the music in your head and translate it on the guitar?
I just improvise with chords and try to empty my head so I can let the music show up. I want something unexpected to happen which is the way that TJ Helmerich and I write. I don't know enough about harmony and theory to rely on that so I try to let something interesting happen and then start writing from that point. I think it's working ok but I do want to study more and absorb some new sounds.

12) Do you improvise solos or do you somehow compose them?
I always improvise only because that's what I find enthralling about music. I really admire people that can compose solos and play them flawlessly but I'm more of a go-for-it kind of player and see what happens. I leave a lot of the rough edges in my solos as it's the truth about me as a player so if someone sees me live they'll be hearing the same kind of thing as opposed to a perfect performance. I don't want to bullshit people, least of all myself.

13) Do you have perfect pitch? If so, do you know some method to develop it?
No, I have decent relative pitch but not perfect pitch. I think relative pitch might be more useful and much easier to develop but I don't have a clue as to how to develop perfect pitch. I wish I had it though!!

14) Do you have some influences? Some guitarist who is still a model to look up to?
Allan Holdsworth and Scott Henderson for starters. I'm really blown away by Wayne Krantz too. Also, playing with Stuart Fraser in John Farnham's band has had a major impact on me as well. There's so many amazing players out there and if I name just a few I'll be doing a disservice to many others that have really influenced me so I'll stop there!

15) So you now play with a Tele-type guitar. I think that switchin' from a Steinberger to a Telecaster can influence very much a style. Do you feel you changed your approach, or do you just play the same kind of music when switchin' from a guitar to another?
Playing the Tele for the past few years has really affected my playing style in more ways than anything but I have a feeling the changes will now follow me to any instrument. I'll be playing the Steinberger again after I've had some repairs done to it. I'm sure the Tele will always be there in spirit no matter what guitar I'm using.