Ludic

WITH HER NEW BAND, FORMER CALPURNIA GUITARIST (AND WEEZER MUSIC VIDEO STAR) AYLA TESLER-MABE HEADS FOR UNDERSTATED, GROOVE-FORWARD WATERS

- Gregory Adams

“I REMEMBER ABOUT a year into my playing I started learning the ‘Back in Black’ solo; [that’s when] I discovered vibrato. I was like, ‘this actually sounds, for a brief moment here and there, somewhat like the song!’”

Ludic guitarist Ayla Tesler-Mabe is recalling the breakthrough moment in her early teens when she first got the hang of Angus Young-style string theatrics. In the years since she’s amassed a massive online following by bringing that glowing vibrato and peppery scale work to YouTube run-throughs of classics like Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You” (nearly 6.5 million views and counting); her dextrous fretboard adventurism has also made her a NAMM showcase regular. But with Ludic, the Vancouver-based guitarist is often locking into more understated, groove-forward guitar play.