Martin Miller is a man of many talents. The German musician is a highly respected educator, with books and video courses to help rock guitarists expand into fusion. He’s an Ibanez endorsee who unveiled his latest model, the MMN1, in 2023.
He writes, records and tours original music, the most recent release being last year’s solo album. But if there’s anything that’s really helped build his profile in recent times, it’s the live studio performances enrolling guitar heroes old and new to cover hits of every kind. From with Paul Gilbert to with Lari Basilio and with Kirk Fletcher, plus more features from the likes of Mateus Asato, Josh Smith and Mark Lettieri, every one of these YouTube videos feels like you’re witnessing history in the making.
“With medleys, I try to give everyone a month’s notice because the arrangements are very specific,” Miller says. “For the straight covers, we just wing it. The first take is the rehearsal – and the fourth one to be it.
When we did with Paul Gilbert, the intro was completely unplanned. On the final go, he just started improvising and pointing at me! It was a special moment, but there have been many since we got our first big guest, Andy Timmons.” Timmons is a good point of reference for a player like Miller.
Both are phenomenally skilled from a technical standpoint but often find themselves searching for more universal, vocal-like ideas that can articulate a clearer message than anything too convoluted or over-embel.