Glenn Tipton
Encyclopedia
Glenn Tipton is one of the Grammy Award
-winning guitarist
s (and occasional keyboard
and bongo player) for the heavy metal
band Judas Priest
. Prior to joining Judas Priest, he played in The Flying Hat Band
and also at Death Thunder.
In 1997 Tipton released his first solo album Baptizm of Fire
, featuring a host of well-known musicians including John Entwistle
, Billy Sheehan
, Cozy Powell
, Robert Trujillo
and Don Airey
, among others.
, especially on "Epitaph," a song that features no guitar. In addition, his brother was a guitarist in a band called the Atlantics. When his brother was not around, Tipton used to sneak into his room and play his guitar.
Tipton is known for his complex, sometimes classically-influenced solos, and he has a unique guitar-playing technique. Many of his solos are very difficult to transcribe, and his playing is notable for his double lead guitar trades with fellow Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing. Tipton's solos have maintained a consistent style for most of his career, but he has continuously incorporated new techniques into his playing over the years as he has developed as a guitarist.
In contrast to Downing, Tipton's solos tend to feature a more melodic, legato
sound, making use of harmonic minor scales, Aeolian mode
, pentatonic scales and techniques such as sweep-picking
arpeggios, legato picking, tremolo/alternate picking, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and the solos often showcase both accuracy and aggression. However, like Downing, his playing sometimes emphasizes speed rather than precision, and Tipton has been known to occasionally use pinch harmonics and dive bomb
s in his solos. Tipton also has a trademark 2-strings bend/whammy dive screams for ending the solo, as evident in solos like All Guns Blazing, Heavy Metal, Demonizer, Bullet Train and Ram It Down. In 1978, Tipton began to incorporate tapping
into his playing, which Downing promptly did as well. In the mid-1980s, both guitarists started to use the complex technique of sweep-picking
, which can be notably heard on the title track of their 1990 album Painkiller. Both have continuously used these techniques ever since.
His style is drenched in blues-based phrasing.
, and he started using a modified CBS-era Fender Stratocaster with Dimarzio
Super-Distortion (humbucking) pickups. For the Screaming for Vengeance
tour, he added a chrome pickguard. For this tour, he also played a Gibson SG Special
that he spray-painted black himself. The SG also had a chrome pickguard and stock PAF humbuckers. Around 1984, he switched to a Hamer Phantom GT model, which was fitted with one EMG humbucker, a Kahler tremolo, and one volume pot. A signature model of this was developed and sold to public from 1984 to 1986. Tipton still uses this guitar model, but now with Seymour Duncan Blackouts active pickups. In 2009, Tipton took his Fender Stratocaster and Gibson SG Special out of retirement for the British Steel 30th Anniversary tour.
. Tipton used Regular Vintage 50 and 100 Watt Marshall heads without a master volume until 1982, when the JCM 800 head was developed. The JCM 800 was used by Tipton and fellow Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing for many years. Before his ENGL endorsement, Tipton used a large rack unit which includes several different preamps and two Marshall 9100 poweramps.
In 2008, Tipton began using ENGL amps. Of the brand, he comments, “ENGL is the first ampline that I have ever used that not only has balls, but attitude, right out of the box”. When he first used Engl amps, he played through the ENGL Midi Tube Preamp E 580 and the ENGL Tube Poweramp E 850/50. For the Epitaph tour, he switched to using Engl Invaders that are modified to use 6L6 power tube.
Around the time of the reunion with Rob Halford, Tipton only used a modified Crybaby 535Q Wah, Digitech Tone Driver, DigiTech Main Squeeze, and a Yamaha midi board controlling other effects and sounds in a rack unit.
Since the beginning of the 2008 world tour
, Glenn has went back to mostly using a rack system, sans the current use of Engl amp heads. He currently uses a Korg
rack tuner, Furman power unit, Dunlop
Custom Shop Rackmounted Crybaby, Rocktron Intellifex and Yamaha
XPS-90 multi-effects units, and a dbx
166A compressor and noise gate.
for the complete list of Judas Priest
albums, as Tipton played lead guitar for all Priest's album releases.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
s (and occasional keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and bongo player) for the heavy metal
Heavy Music
"Heavy Music" is a song first released as a single by Bob Seger & The Last Heard. Two versions of the song with slight differences were released together on either side of the single, with the names "Heavy Music Part 1" and "Heavy Music Part 2." Both versions were later edited together and...
band Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
. Prior to joining Judas Priest, he played in The Flying Hat Band
The Flying Hat Band
The Flying Hat Band were an early 1970s Birmingham, England hard rock act that, alongside Judas Priest, ranked as the Midlands' favourites to succeed...
and also at Death Thunder.
In 1997 Tipton released his first solo album Baptizm of Fire
Baptizm Of Fire
Baptizm of Fire is a solo album by Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton in 1997. It was recorded and mixed at Devonshire and Ocean Studios, U.S.A. and Monnow Valley, Battery, Olympic and The Gazebo Studio, U.K...
, featuring a host of well-known musicians including John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
, Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
, Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks , better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer who made his name with many major rock bands.-Early history:...
, Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo is an American bassist who currently plays bass in Metallica. He has also played in Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Black Label Society, and with Jerry Cantrell and Ozzy Osbourne.-Career:...
and Don Airey
Don Airey
Donald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
, among others.
Playing style and technique
Although Tipton did not pick up the guitar until he was 19 years old, he was taught by his mother how to play the piano at a young age. Tipton's piano playing features prominently on Judas Priest's second album Sad Wings of DestinySad Wings of Destiny
-CD Track listing:The 1995 CD reissue by Repertoire Records had track 3 labeled as "Dream Deceiver" rather than "Dreamer Deceiver", this was later changed back to its original title on the 1998 release by Snapper Music. None of the reissues of Sad Wings of Destiny are endorsed by Judas Priest. -...
, especially on "Epitaph," a song that features no guitar. In addition, his brother was a guitarist in a band called the Atlantics. When his brother was not around, Tipton used to sneak into his room and play his guitar.
Tipton is known for his complex, sometimes classically-influenced solos, and he has a unique guitar-playing technique. Many of his solos are very difficult to transcribe, and his playing is notable for his double lead guitar trades with fellow Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing. Tipton's solos have maintained a consistent style for most of his career, but he has continuously incorporated new techniques into his playing over the years as he has developed as a guitarist.
In contrast to Downing, Tipton's solos tend to feature a more melodic, legato
Legato
In musical notation the Italian word legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, in transitioning from note to note, there should be no intervening silence...
sound, making use of harmonic minor scales, Aeolian mode
Aeolian mode
The Aeolian mode is a musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale called the natural minor scale.The word "Aeolian" in the music theory of ancient Greece was an alternative name for what Aristoxenus called the Low Lydian tonos , nine semitones...
, pentatonic scales and techniques such as sweep-picking
Sweep-picking
Sweep picking is a guitar playing technique in which a 'sweeping' motion of the pick is combined with a matching fret hand technique in order to produce a specific series of notes which are fast and fluid in sound. Despite being commonly known as sweep picking, both hands essentially perform an...
arpeggios, legato picking, tremolo/alternate picking, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and the solos often showcase both accuracy and aggression. However, like Downing, his playing sometimes emphasizes speed rather than precision, and Tipton has been known to occasionally use pinch harmonics and dive bomb
Dive bomb
Dive bomb is a guitar technique in which the tremolo bar is used to rapidly lower the pitch of a note, creating a sound considered to be similar to a bomb dropping. One of the most recognized pioneers of this technique is Jimi Hendrix. Other notable musicians who are widely known for using this...
s in his solos. Tipton also has a trademark 2-strings bend/whammy dive screams for ending the solo, as evident in solos like All Guns Blazing, Heavy Metal, Demonizer, Bullet Train and Ram It Down. In 1978, Tipton began to incorporate tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
into his playing, which Downing promptly did as well. In the mid-1980s, both guitarists started to use the complex technique of sweep-picking
Sweep-picking
Sweep picking is a guitar playing technique in which a 'sweeping' motion of the pick is combined with a matching fret hand technique in order to produce a specific series of notes which are fast and fluid in sound. Despite being commonly known as sweep picking, both hands essentially perform an...
, which can be notably heard on the title track of their 1990 album Painkiller. Both have continuously used these techniques ever since.
His style is drenched in blues-based phrasing.
Guitars
Tipton has used numerous guitars over the years. These include a 1960s Fender Stratocaster up until about 1978. During the period from 1978 to 1979, he used a black Gibson Les Paul CustomGibson Les Paul Custom
The Gibson Les Paul Custom is a higher end variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was developed in 1954 after Gibson had introduced the Les Paul model in 1952.-Notable Les Paul Custom players:...
, and he started using a modified CBS-era Fender Stratocaster with Dimarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
Super-Distortion (humbucking) pickups. For the Screaming for Vengeance
Screaming for Vengeance
Screaming for Vengeance is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was recorded at Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain and mixed at Beejay Recording Studios and Bayshore Recording Studios in Coconut Grove, Florida. It was first released on 17 July 1982...
tour, he added a chrome pickguard. For this tour, he also played a Gibson SG Special
Gibson SG Special
The Gibson SG Special is an electric guitar made by Gibson that has been manufactured since 1961.-Origins:The SG Special was between the Junior and Standard model and was introduced concurrent with the Junior. It featured two P-90 pickups with either a stoptail bridge or an optional tremolo arm...
that he spray-painted black himself. The SG also had a chrome pickguard and stock PAF humbuckers. Around 1984, he switched to a Hamer Phantom GT model, which was fitted with one EMG humbucker, a Kahler tremolo, and one volume pot. A signature model of this was developed and sold to public from 1984 to 1986. Tipton still uses this guitar model, but now with Seymour Duncan Blackouts active pickups. In 2009, Tipton took his Fender Stratocaster and Gibson SG Special out of retirement for the British Steel 30th Anniversary tour.
Amplification
Tipton has almost exclusively used Marshall AmplifiersMarshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
. Tipton used Regular Vintage 50 and 100 Watt Marshall heads without a master volume until 1982, when the JCM 800 head was developed. The JCM 800 was used by Tipton and fellow Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing for many years. Before his ENGL endorsement, Tipton used a large rack unit which includes several different preamps and two Marshall 9100 poweramps.
In 2008, Tipton began using ENGL amps. Of the brand, he comments, “ENGL is the first ampline that I have ever used that not only has balls, but attitude, right out of the box”. When he first used Engl amps, he played through the ENGL Midi Tube Preamp E 580 and the ENGL Tube Poweramp E 850/50. For the Epitaph tour, he switched to using Engl Invaders that are modified to use 6L6 power tube.
Effects
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tipton used a Pete Cornish custom pedalboard with an overdrive unit, flanger, MXR distortion unit, MXR Phase 100, MXR digital delay, MXR 12-band EQ, Maestro Echoplex, line boosters between each effect to preserve the signal from input to output, and a Rangemaster-based custom treble boost connected to the bass channel of Marshall 50 and 100 watt heads with no master volume.Around the time of the reunion with Rob Halford, Tipton only used a modified Crybaby 535Q Wah, Digitech Tone Driver, DigiTech Main Squeeze, and a Yamaha midi board controlling other effects and sounds in a rack unit.
Since the beginning of the 2008 world tour
2008/2009 World Tour (Judas Priest)
2008/2009 World Tour was a concert tour by English heavy metal band Judas Priest in support of the group's 16th studio album, Nostradamus, which was released in June 2008....
, Glenn has went back to mostly using a rack system, sans the current use of Engl amp heads. He currently uses a Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
rack tuner, Furman power unit, Dunlop
Dunlop Manufacturing
Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., known colloquially as Jim Dunlop, is a manufacturer of musical accessories based in Benicia, California. Originally founded in 1965 by Jim Dunlop, Sr., the company has grown from a small home operation to being a large manufacturer of music gear for over 40 years.- Way...
Custom Shop Rackmounted Crybaby, Rocktron Intellifex and Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
XPS-90 multi-effects units, and a dbx
Dbx (noise reduction)
dbx is a family of noise reduction systems developed by the company of the same name. The most common implementations are dbx Type I and dbx Type II for analog tape recording and, less commonly, vinyl LPs. A separate implementation, known as dbx-TV, is part of the MTS system used to provide stereo...
166A compressor and noise gate.
Recognition and honors
- He was ranked #19 on rock magazine Hit Parader's list of 100 greatest metal guitarists.
- He was ranked #28 on Gigwise's Top 50 Guitarists.
- He was ranked #9 on MusicRadar's The 20 Greatest Metal Guitarists Ever.
- He was ranked #25 on Joel Mclver's 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.
- Sun Kil MoonSun Kil MoonSun Kil Moon is a music project of singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, best known for his previous band Red House Painters. Sun Kil Moon sees Kozelek undertake the writing, composing, singing, and guitar playing, accompanied by Tim Mooney and Anthony Koutsos on drums, and Geoff Stanfield on bass...
released a song titled "Glenn Tipton" on their album Ghosts of the Great HighwayGhosts of the Great HighwayGhosts of the Great Highway is the 2003 debut album by San Francisco quartet Sun Kil Moon, led by Red House Painters' founder Mark Kozelek, who composed all of the lyrics and music on this album...
. - In the popular video game Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero IIGuitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
, a playable character called Izzy Sparks, wears clothes very similar to the ones Glenn Tipton used under the Screaming for VengeanceScreaming for VengeanceScreaming for Vengeance is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was recorded at Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain and mixed at Beejay Recording Studios and Bayshore Recording Studios in Coconut Grove, Florida. It was first released on 17 July 1982...
tour 1983.
Solo
- Baptizm of FireBaptizm Of FireBaptizm of Fire is a solo album by Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton in 1997. It was recorded and mixed at Devonshire and Ocean Studios, U.S.A. and Monnow Valley, Battery, Olympic and The Gazebo Studio, U.K...
(19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
) - Edge of the WorldEdge of the WorldEdge of the World is an album created by Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton, The Who bassist John Entwistle, and renowned drummer Cozy Powell. Consisting of tracks that were not released on Baptizm of Fire, Tipton released the album on March 7, 2006 in memory of the late Entwistle and Powell...
(20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
)
Judas Priest
See the Judas Priest discographyJudas Priest discography
The following is a comprehensive discography of English heavy metal band Judas Priest.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Video albums:-Music videos:-External links:*...
for the complete list of Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
albums, as Tipton played lead guitar for all Priest's album releases.
Contributions
- Guest musician on the 1995 album Foma by post-grungeGrungeGrunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
band The NixonsThe NixonsThe Nixons were an American post-grunge rock band, finding some commercial success in the mid-1990s.-Band history:The Nixons were founded in Oklahoma City by singer/guitarist Zac Maloy, guitarist Jesse Davis, bassist Ricky Brooks, and drummer Tye Robison...
. - Guest musician on the song Spirit of America by Samantha FoxSamantha FoxSamantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
- Glenn recorded licks for the video game Brutal LegendBrütal LegendBrütal Legend is an action-adventure/real-time strategy game created by Double Fine Productions and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released during October 2009 in North America and Europe...
.