Meet Benjamin Lechuga.

Name:
Benjamin Lechuga
Location:
Santiago, Chile
Links:
www.benjaminlechuga.cl
www.facebook.com/blechugag
www.youtube.com/blechugag
www.instagram.com/blechugag

When did you realize your passion for music and how come you ended up playing guitar?
– When I was a kid, my older brother always took me to concerts, he plays saxophone, so we listened to everything from jazz and fusion to rock and metal. It was not until I heard Metallica when I decided I wanted to play guitar. I was about 10.

What’s your main guitar right now?
– For almost a year now, I have been working with Gonzalez Luthiers and their brand VIMANA Guitars from Chile. They built me up the BL33/7, my own 7-string signature model which they plan to start selling massively this year.

Any other guitars in your collection?
– I also own Caparison guitars. A 6-string TAT Special Custom Line 2014, a 7-string Dellinger 7M3 and an 8-string Brocken FX. I also have a Taylor acoustic and an old Korean Fender Squier Strat. Very modified.

In “The Search”, you mix a lot of styles – from metal and electronic to jazz and fusion. Is this something you commonly do or was this a one-off venture?
 – It is very common for me to mix styles. I studied composition, so during my college days I was forced (luckily I loved it) to listen to and write lots of different styles, from tango and jazz to classical or South American folk. I learnt to appreciate every style and use them as an influence in my own music. On my first solo album, you can also listen to diverse influences, from flamenco and funk to Chilean folk mixed up with metal.

Name five players that helped shape you as a guitarist!
– During my early days it was probably Dimebag Darrel, Marty Friedman, Steve Vai, Mattias IA Eklundh and John Petrucci.

Looking ahead, what’s your ultimate goal with your music and guitar-playing?
– In the short term, I plan on finishing the new album I’m working on with Derek Sherinian (Planet X/ ex-Dream Theater). I plan to release later this year, probably around August. In the long term, I want to keep writing music and travel to show it to the world :). I would say my ultimate goal is to always have time to write more music.

Who’s the most interesting player today?
– David Maxim Micic is probably my favorite musician today. Although he is a great guitarist, he is such a genius composer and producer.

What amp and cab combo would you say is your go-to?
– I just love my ENGL E530 preamp with the E840/50 Poweramp. I use the ENGL 4×12” PRO for recording, and although I use a ENGL 2x12PRO for most gigs, I just think there’s no better cab than the 4×12” PRO.

A quick rundown of your pedals and outboard?
– I’m not a “too many pedals” kind of guy. I have used a TC Electronics G-System with an Ernie Ball expression pedal for some time now and it works perfectly combined with the ENGL distortion. I recently got a Fractal Audio Axe FX Standard that I might be using for FX processing, but I still don’t know how to use it hahaha, I’m definitely a 100% tube guy.

String gauge and pick of choice?
– I use Cleartone Strings Hybrid 9-46s for my 6 strings. a .60 for the 7th String and .80 for the 8th string. I’ve been using Dunlop Tortex 1.14mm picks for as long as I can remember.

Your current top-five with guitar-related music?
David Maxim Micic
PLINI
Polyphia
Guthrie Govan
Jakub Zytecki

I can’t leave Tom Quayle behind. Such a good player!

Finally, what Toontrack products do you use?
– I use EZdrummer 2 every time I write music! I can not live without it! I have worked with the Metalheads EZX expansion for a long time now, but I recently bought the the Progressive EZX and immediately fell in love with it! Before we recorded real drums, all the jazzy rhythms in “The Search” were based on the Jazz MIDI packs. They are so useful! I also own the EzKeys RetroElectrics. You will listen to those on my new album.


VELOCITY CURVE AND GHOST NOTES.

Learn how to save hours of MIDI editing with this smart workaround.

GRID EDITOR CUSTOM SELECTION.

Learn how to use this super-handy new feature in the Grid Editor of Superior Drummer 3.

CUSTOMIZING THE ENVELOPE FOR THE TEMPO.

How to shorten the decay of reverberant drums in Supeiror Drummer 3.

AUDIO DEMO MIXED BY BOB ROCK.

A stunning track, mixed by Bob Rock and featuring the Hard Rock EZX.

NEW EZX RELEASE.

Want Bob Rock’s drum mix on your next song? Here you go.

ARTIST PROFILE: ALAN SACHA LASKOW

Meet Alan Sacha Laskow, Canadian guitar player and multi-talent that makes album-quality productions right from his basement.

ARTIST PROFILE: TOMMY ROGERS.

Meet longtime Toontrack user and Between the Buried and Me singer/keyboardist Tommy Rogers.

HARD ROCK EZX DEMO.

A sample of what’s in store on May 15.

NEW EZMIX PACK RELEASE.

50 settings to make your mixes sound warmer and more defined.

MORE FROM BOB ROCK.

Announcing…the Hard Rock EZX by Bob Rock.

NEW DRUM MIDI RELEASE.

Drum beats and fills ready for your modern eighties-flavored pop songs.

NEW EZKEYS MIDI RELEASE.

Piano playing variations inspired by a broad palette of ’80s pop music.

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