Which Solo On Intermezzo Pushed You Closest To Your Limits

[blackjack]

Hi Michael,

I'm wondering which solo that you played on Intermezzo pushed you the closest to your absolute limits for alternate picking technique? Is there a solo on Intermezzo that is as or more difficult for you to play as the solo on Time Traveler? Would Time Traveler be the solo that you would say was probably your most demanding solo (regarding alternate picking) that you ever recorded on an album up to but not including the Intermezzo album?

[Michael Angelo Batio]

Hi blackjack. I really didn't focus on pushing my known techniques to the limits on "Intermezzo." I focused more on the songwriting and then melodies, phrasing, tone and interesting lines. I would say that my album "Planet Gemini" was the record that I focused on the "Ultimate MAB Alternate Picking Technique." I made a conscious effort on "PG" to play mind boggling fast riffs that years later would still be considered as such. As time has gone on and my discography has grown, my feeling regarding "Intermezzo" is that it is the best overall album I have ever made and that my goals for "Intermezzo" were quite different than that of my other albums. I feel that "Intermezzo" has still got the super fast playing, but in a way that is IMHO much different from my "Planet Gemini" era playing and soloing. One reason is that I incorporate a lot more Economy picking into my playing now. There was virtually no Economy picking on "PG." I hope this helps and sheds some light on the thought process of making these records.

[Erikrt123]

Planet Gemini is still one of my favorite guitar albums ever The over all feel is just perfect Interesting that is was brought up Looking forward to hearing this new album

[blackjack]

Jan 9, 2014 18:20:30 GMT -6 Michael Angelo Batio said:

Hi blackjack. I really didn't focus on pushing my known techniques to the limits on "Intermezzo." I focused more on the songwriting and then melodies, phrasing, tone and interesting lines. I would say that my album "Planet Gemini" was the record that I focused on the "Ultimate MAB Alternate Picking Technique." I made a conscious effort on "PG" to play mind boggling fast riffs that years later would still be considered as such. As time has gone on and my discography has grown, my feeling regarding "Intermezzo" is that it is the best overall album I have ever made and that my goals for "Intermezzo" were quite different than that of my other albums. I feel that "Intermezzo" has still got the super fast playing, but in a way that is IMHO much different from my "Planet Gemini" era playing and soloing. One reason is that I incorporate a lot more Economy picking into my playing now. There was virtually no Economy picking on "PG." I hope this helps and sheds some light on the thought process of making these records.

Thank you Mike! Yes, your response really did shed a lot of light on your thought process of making those records, especially Planet Gemini. This is all very interesting to me.