You are currently one of the best guitarists in Poland. Your abilities have been praised both by local and international musicians. What is it like to be famous? Do you often hear "oh wow, it's Chwieralski!" just before a gig?

Thanks for the huge complement which might be a little undeserved. I think "famous" is too strong a word to describe my situation. I do try to move my career forward and bring my music to as many fans or music lovers as possible. Admittedly, I am sometimes pointed out prior to gigs but I think that's normal considering people come to see a particular guitar player. Recently, however, this guy came up to me in a pub in Warsaw and asked if I was the Radek Chwieralski. I said I was, and he told me he had been following my music for quite a while and wanted to meet me. That was pretty nice.

Your current standing in the guitar world is due in a large part to your excellent background with regards to guitar technique. Now, it's pretty obvious that guitar technique will go a long way towards developing your overall skills as a musician, but recently you have been stressing phrasing, dynamics and harmony in your musical development. Is this a result of all the knowledge that you have already accumulated, or are you a little bored with staccato exercises?

These days having good technique is basically a beginning, a prerequisite. You have to be able to demonstrate other qualities, such as the tone you get out of your gear, your phrasing, harmony, melody development, composition quality, putting on a good show etc. You can't just be able to play. Aside from that you have to be truly universal guitarist if you want to avoid being pigeonholed into just one musical genre. And in order to do that you have to acquire the necessary knowledge about harmony, playing style etc. in a particular genre, and not just know the basic chord progressions. In order to do this a good musical ear is indispensible, so that you may be able to pick up subtle nuances in articulation and phrasing. This is precisely the point where good technique comes in, i.e. being able to adjust your right and left hands to the particular task at hand. I would like to underscore the importance of the picking hand at this point in obtaining good articulation, it's often said that a particular guitar player will have "tone in his fingers", I believe a lot of that has to do with the right hand. But the left hand is important as well, bending, vibrato and a host of other techniques also greatly influence one's sound. In my case paying more attention to these subtle nuances of playing does not mean I am moving away from some of the shred techniques that I have utilized in the past. If at some point in a song a faster passage or a sweep arpeggio is called for I have no qualms about using it. There is a certain balance to everything. I like Satch, but I kind of hear an overabundance of legato technique in his playing, while in the cases of Malmsteen or Petrucci it's more like there is too much stacatto. In my opinion, Vai and Beck both have pretty good balance in their playing. Saying all this does not mean I don't idolize the guitar players I just mentioned. On the contrary, all of them contributed something to the art of playing guitar and for that I admire them. Every guitar players has a certain number of stages in their growth as a musician. One of these stages is a fascination with technique, which is pretty normal and also quite useful since you can master a large portion of music knowledge in a relatively short time and also be able to perform at higher speeds which is often necessary. However, it is important to have a sense of balance and pursue technique as a means to an end rather than an ultimate goal by itself. This might lead to a very narrow understanding of music. I think for most guitarists there comes a period when they realize that fast picking is not the ultimate guitar achievement and that more does not always equal better. There is certainly a maturing process involved here, for example in the realization that the guitar is just one component of a larger unit, and not necessarily the most important one. So even though I am undergoing constant change in my musical perception as mentioned above, I still devote a lot of time to practicing because I believe that while perfection is unattainable, that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for it. Pure technique is also just one part of my practice routine, which encompasses other elements, such as articulation, ear training, composing skills, etc. and these are currently first and foremost for me.

You have performed alongside many well-known musicians - what is your opinion on musical cooperation and the dynamics of a group performance?

Well, being able to play with many different musicians in many different styles eventually leads to an ability to adapt to any musical landscape (this is what I meant by being as universal as possible in my previous reply). I developed this skill by participating in jam sessions with musicians of very diverse backgrounds, which allowed me to participate in a musical dialogue with people I was seeing for the first time in my life. This is really fascinating when music is the sole means of communication between people, basically substituting speech.

Guitar fans are always interested to know what equipment their idols are currently using because some tend to be notoriously fickle with their gear choices. What is Radek Chwieralski currently playing?

Right now I am playing an Ibanez JEM 7DBK which allows me to split coils in the neck humbucker by way of a push-pull volume pot. This increases the tonal range of the instrument. I hook up to a 5150 half stack which continues to blow me away with its overdriven tone. As far as effects are concerned, I'm using a DD-5 Boss delay, Ibanez PH-99 phaser and a chorus of the same series (great sounding analog stompboxes), I also use a Boss GE-7 EQ which I use for a solo boost, a Morley Bad Horsie wah and a Pan Tremolo made by Hexe Guitar Electronics. I will soon have a MIDI switcher made by Hexe Guitar Electronics which will allow me to channel switch between the aforementioned effects. Other details include Planet Waves cables, Dean Markley Blue Steel 9-46 strings, Dunlop 1mm picks.

There are a number of Polish companies making guitar equipment, including guitars, amps, effects, strings etc. Why then are most musicians (including yourself) using Western equipment? Is this because you are sure Polish made will not be as good or is it because you were looking for something completely different?

Professional Polish musicians and quality minded amateurs usually buy Western equipment because our domestic market is geared towards cheaply priced product of intermediate quality. America has a great ratio of gear price to average earnings which means it is way cheaper buying instruments there. If you happen to see an all-tube half stack in a Polish music store is usually just one unit by one company (occasionally two), not very competitively priced to boost. On the other hand if you go into a foreign music store you have a huge assortment of products, tube amplifiers and great quality guitars which you can compare and choose to suit your needs. In Poland you still tend to buy based on what your guitar hero is playing "because that must sound awesome". Everybody's taste is different and everyone should be able to compare and test several different amps or guitars to determine which one they like the most.

You frequently admit to recording your music on a computer, what kind of equipment do you have in your home studio?

I use sequencing programs that allow me to add parts for different instruments, such as a rhythm section or keys. This really helps when playing back your own previously recorded ideas. Also it is easy to get down some musical idea that just came to you at one moment when you didn't necessarily feel like getting the musical paper out. I usually mic my guitars for home recording.

There are a lot of Steve Vai inflections in your playing, you also mention Satch, Petrucci, MacAlpine and Metheny among your favorite guitarists, who are all seasoned professionals, so my question is - is there anybody relatively new to the music scene that you admire for their talent?

I was recently greatly impressed with Andy Timmons. I first had a chance to see him playing on a video I had from Ibanez celebrating their 90th anniversary, which also featured Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai and my percussion idol Simon Phillips. It's a little embarrassing to admit but Timmons ate the other guys alive. Unbelieveable phrasing, note selection, a great musical mind and tons of feeling in his playing really impressed the heck out of me. You forgot to mention Beck, whose playing I adore. That guy took the guitar and transformed it into something completely new. The last guy I would like to mention is not necessarily someone new, but still very much deserving of mention. I'm thinking of Tommy Emmanuel. He plays acoustic guitar in a way that completely amazes me. I really find it hard to imagine anyone playing the guitar in a more imaginative way, combining diverse influences, including blues, jazz and folk. Lou Reed said Tommy Emmanuel is the best guitar player on Earth.

What is your opinion of the music business situation in Poland? Do young bands have a chance to appeal to a broader audience or are local gigs their only hope? Do you have any advice for those guitarists that are starting to see the futility of playing with no rewards in sight, financial or otherwise?

I won't deny that the domestic music market is in a pretty bad spot right now, due mostly to a fixation on just one musical style. The situation in the United States is completely different. You have a functioning market there, with market demand for each musical genre. Obviously, there is a lot of competition but basically it is easier to "make it", especially if somebody has great compositional talent or can put on a great show, although the former is more important, since the actual music piece is what is important here. However, the apparent difficulty in promoting yourself or your band should not deter young musicians from playing and composing their music whenever and wherever possible. I mean, there are a lot of musicians present in the media, most of them had similar problems at the onset of their careers. It's still basically about being technically proficient, having good knowledge of harmony and composition, an understanding of the way the music business works along with an ability to acquire new contacts and cultivate relationships. Not without significance is the actual gear we use at our concerts/gigs. Obviously guitar players don't have endless supplies of money, but you have to remember the great names of today did not always have their dream guitars and amplifiers to work with. I suggest a slow but methodical approach to these problems. Keep your head up!

You are currently playing guitar in two bands - Analog and Scandal. Here's an uncomfortable question - performing with which band gives you more satisfaction, in terms of being able to appeal to a wider audience and also develop yourself creatively?

Well, I don't mean to get political here, but the honest truth is that playing in both bands is immensely satisfying. Analog gives me the opportunity to develop my versatility, besides it's a great rock band and I always felt like a rock guitarist at heart. Scandal, on the other hand, is where I get to play my favorite type of music, i.e. instrumental rock guitar, but with little twists (thanks in large part to Pawel Gawlik on bass and Wlodi Tafel on drums) that add a little color and texture, differentiating it from standard guitar oriented rock. You can hear a lot of funk, jazz or even blues in this music, we also use techno loops and keyboard parts which someday I hope to see being played by an actual live musician.

You are the author of guitar lessons which we were happy to include in previous editions, I know you also spend quite a lot of time on giving guitar lessons. What does that experience teach you? Is it hard to switch sides from a listening perspective to a teacher?

Teaching guitar has definitely helped me in the area of human psychology because every student is different in terms of character and has a different learning curve. Sometimes it's a lesson in patience. Honestly though I like teaching, I like to see my students form bands, record a demo, sometimes I hear little tidbits in their playing that are a direct result of some of my lessons. It's really great being able to transfer some knowledge of music to another person, because that, unlike money or material possessions, it usually pretty permanent and can be passed on, so you get a feeling of hope that many more guitarists will continue to learn and that live sounds will not be replaced by computers.

You also display teaching inclinations in your posts to the usenet guitar group pl.rec.muzyka.gitara. Does participating in that group constitute down-time for you, or is it more like Radek Chwieralski trying to learn as much as he can from anybody, in any possible way?

My teaching and jamming inclinations, because I love jam sessions in any shape or form. I've been posting to p.r.m.g. for about four years now. Sometimes I think p.r.m.g. is like family, because not a day goes by without me lurking in and occasionally posting something. There are some great guys there to whom I'd like to send regards. As far as your question goes - it's actually both. My days are filled with working with my students, practicing with my bands, gigs, recording at the studio or just practicing at home. It's good to kick back sometimes and p.r.m.g. definitely gives you that opportunity. P.r.m.g. is also a great source of information about all guitar related aspects. If I have any sort of problem I don't hesitate to ask and I always get an answer, because there's actually quite a few experts on that board, be it guitar playing, amp building, or other things. If I think that my opinions or answers to questions may somehow help a novice guitarist, I am happy to offer them.

What are you currently working on as a musician? What are your plans for the nearest future? When can the fans expect new albums and gigs from Analog and Scandal?

I'm currently finishing work on my instruction book for guitarists which I hope to see in bookstores by the beginning of summer vacation. Aside from this I have also started work on my own demo, in order to showcase my abilities as a solo act aside from my work in Scandal and Analog. My demo tape will have a couple of new songs and also some tunes that were on the Guitar Nine Records demo with new arrangements. I plan on completing my demo by vacation time as well. Concert season is coming up so Analog and Scandal will be playing more gigs in the near future. You can find all sorts of information on the Analog website, www.analog.art.pl, the Scandal website www.scandal.com is currently being created, and my own webpage www.chwieralski.com I hope to see online within 3-4 weeks.

May I ask what are your dreams and aspirations, both personal and professional?

As far as my professional ambitions I hope to see both Analog, Scandal release albums, I hope to see my solo work released and for these works to reach as large an audience as possible, hopefully with some media participation involved in the process. Aside from that I would definitely like to get some of the gear I've been dreaming of, I have a pretty lengthy list of things I want to buy someday. My personal wishes are to live a stress-free life in a nice house with my family and be able to afford all of this financially. I do want to achieve everything that I aspire to in a law-abiding and honest way; my conscience would not allow me otherwise. Right now I'm also looking for my better half, to share my heart with, in which there is a lot of love to go around. Yikes, that sounded kind of like a personal ad, but what the heck, a lonely romantic soul is allowed to have its moments of public display from time to time.

Here's a relaxing question - describe your dream concert - venue, musicians, equipment etc.

Well, you can't live your life on dreams, but OK let me answer the question. Playing G3 along Vai and Satch is probably my biggest guitar dream. Maybe add solo concerts on big stages, arenas - standard stuff, right? I would also love to play at least one song in some small club with David Coverdale on vocals, who's my personal favorite in that regard. I guess that's enough for now, I'll stop so I don't jinx anything.

OK, let me leave you to your dreams then, I hope they all come true. Thanks for talking to us.

Thank you.