Behind ‘Sixty Scales and the Truth’: Niels Guns’ Deep Dive into the human Side of Guitar Virtuosity

Guitar virtuosos are opening up like never before, thanks to the podcast Sixty Scales and the Truth. The show of Niels Guns stands out from typical guitar programs through his in-depth conversations as he uncovers the stories behind guitar greatness with some of the world’s most talented players.

Niels’ path to creating this podcast is as intriguing as the stories he uncovers. Once faced with the choice between pursuing music at the conservatory or studying journalism, he ultimately chose the latter. “I made the choice not to go that route when I was 18”, the Dutchman from the city of Eindhoven looks back.

“I wasn’t consciously thinking about it at the time. I got into journalism school, but I also wanted to go to the conservatory. I ended up doing both simultaneously. But with guitar playing, that doesn’t work out because you need 25 hours a day for that. Or more. You need the focus, that’s what it’s all about.”

Unique perspective
This decision prepared him for his current role. His journalistic background brings a unique perspective to his interviews. It allows him to dig deeper into the personal stories and motivations of his guests.

“I think my journalistic background ensures that I approach these conversations as a journalist. That’s different from someone only interested in guitar techniques and such”, Niels explains.

He just wants to have a real, personal conversation that reveals the human side of guitar virtuosity. “As a journalist, you’re always interested in the story behind the person.”

The name of the podcast, Sixty Scales and the Truth, is a clever play on the classic phrase ‘Three Chords and the Truth’ from country music, later adopted by Bob Dylan and U2. 

“In essence, music can be that simple, of course, but these people have all dived much further than those three chords. They also find their truth in a different spectrum of music. Because these guys all know their scales. But they still come to that core of communicating. And I found that interesting. How did that come about? Have you always had that? Or have people helped you with that?”

List of guitarists
The list of guitarists Niels has interviewed is impressive. Mike Dawes, Mark Lettieri, Nili Brosh, Tom Quayle, and Tommy Emmanuel (image at the top of this page) are just a few of the guests who have shared their stories on the show. 

In each interview, the listener learns more about being a pro guitar player. It’s not just about playing well. Niels’ guests reveal insights that go far beyond technique. They also talk about how they grow as a person and how they perceive art.

One of the most striking aspects of Niels’ interviews is that he gets his guests to reflect on their lives and careers. Tom Quayle, for instance, opened up about the challenges of accepting his own artistic journey. “He’s never recorded an album himself”, Niels shares. “That’s actually because he finds writing music very difficult. He says it’s been quite a painful process. To sort of accept that he’s not the artist he wanted to be.”

These interviews show that being a musician involves more than just playing, Niels has observed. “What I notice is that these people at this level are all pretty smart guys. They’re very conscious about life. They’re often also incredibly sensitive people. You have to be someone with a very good feeling. Not just in your playing, but in what you get out of life, what you translate into your music.”

Better conversation
Preparation is key to Niels’ approach. “Before each interview, I listen intensively to an artist for a while.” This helps him have better conversation. He also interviews all his guests face-to-face.

“I just prefer it that way, and it allows you to ‘read’ someone best. Sometimes you can say, ‘I don’t quite believe that’. That’s just really difficult when you’re doing a phone or online interview.”

As the podcast gains popularity, with listeners tuning in from across the world, Niels remains focused on the essence of his podcast, rather than listener numbers. His goal is simple and sincere: to uncover the stories behind guitar greatness and share them with everyone interested.

“If a million people listen, that’s great and awesome. But if not, it doesn’t change whether I should have done it or not. I just enjoy the whole process of making a new podcast episode and listening to the players’ stories.”

Looking to the future, Niels has a long list of guitarists he hopes to interview, including Marty Friedman and Dream Theater’s John Petrucci. “But I also like to have guests from young bands. I have an interview with the guitarist of High Fade coming up, for example.”

As Niels reflects on the journey his podcast has taken him on, he often returns to the core questions that drive his curiosity: “How do you choose to become a guitarist? What helps with those choices? I’m curious how you got to where you are now. These people have all really chosen at some point. That intrigues me.”

‘Sixty Scales and the Truth’ is available on all major podcast platforms.