Doc made a comment a few days ago which was well taken and, reducing it way down, if a musician is really screwed and it's a possible end game, turn off all the effects and play your deepest stuff. Here's an example from Walter Trout, the guitarist he recommended:
Walter Trout keeps a lyrical style even with great speed. Much faster and he's just shredding but he keeps a tasteful balance. That's one of the things which intrigues me so much about Prince and his guitar work as he never uses any tricks and he never plays like he tries to impress. I often feel like shredders are doing that but not with Trout.
He isn't shy about using effects, tho. That's not at all a criticism as I've always believed the fullest sound of the guitar needs effects because, by itself, the guitar is the wimpiest instrument in the orchestra. Making it electric is kind of an effect because it definitely doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar anymore but playing it dry in that way is kind of Joe Pass for me; I much prefer tasteful use of effects as with Trout.
Usually what people mean in 'turn off the effects' is 'kill that fucking echo' but that one is an integral part of the vibe for me. The trouble is the echo / delay is the most skittish of all the effects because it can easily vary from being a dime store beatbox to the most intriguing sound I believe it's possible to make. Something like a fuzz box is easy because you get good fuzz or you get bad fuzz but you still get fuzz.
This may sound defensive but it's not. It's always analyze, question, and keep moving forward.
The unwritten part of the message is one I have heard many, many times: shut up and play! Bag the politics, get the Galaxy Guitar, make something happen which someone might actually like.
The specific problem to solve is the wobbly and it's not from reefer, I don't have any. I'm not dizzy all the time or I probably couldn't do anything but the wobbly is different. If I'm not looking directly in the direction I am trying to walk then I will probably lose my balance and there's a medium chance I will take a dive. I have no idea why that should happen and your guess on that.
No 'give up' state exists as I was trying to get a bit of keys together the day before yesterday and the guitar a few days before that. In-between wobbly, the only deal is endurance and I will push it until I wear out. You know the rules as well as I. It's open combat or why show up for the game (larfs).
As to the looper part, I've become a bit stuck on the idea of 'one-man magic shows' lately and that applies specifically to using a musical looper. That permits the multi-instrument jam with yourself or whatever other demonic stuff you wish. This one is much like echo in which it can vary from endless boring crap to truly musical. Those two, in my view, are the most dangerous of the lot so, naturally, they're the most magnetic.
That one is my own bit and, from a classical view, it's got too many effects but I disagree with it and, again, I'm not being defensive. If you're not prepared to rip up your own stuff then don't fookin' play (larfs).
This one let through more mistakes than I should have permitted but I thought it was ok for 'liveness' at the time but (cough) that's crap. They're mistakes. So I did that and re-releasing is stinky so it stands.
The looper is vital for making the song since I could not do it any other way but its purpose is to loop three different sets of chords and that's hardly a musical revolution. Nevertheless, it's effective for the song so I don't have a huge problem with it.
As to the actual sound of the guitar, that I like quite a bit because it feels highly-expressive to me. Where that could be improved is with less simulation of big amplification and to crank the mains higher for real. That's of high interest because it may go fairly close to what Doc said as, with sufficient volume, going from chords to lead and back without any backup works a whole lot better. That can't be simulated or I have never found a way. It's probably best I don't and for exactly the reasons Doc said.
As to what's real, what's honest, in music ... well ... that's a tall one. All of us can throw out some names of what isn't but we could likely disagree all day on which ones are ... or perhaps not.
One of the greatest inspirations came from Pablo Casals because he went off to practice when he was, unknown, eighty or so. A visitor asked him why and he said, "Because I think I'm starting to get it."
As always, tho, don't quote inspirations, be them.
Walter Trout keeps a lyrical style even with great speed. Much faster and he's just shredding but he keeps a tasteful balance. That's one of the things which intrigues me so much about Prince and his guitar work as he never uses any tricks and he never plays like he tries to impress. I often feel like shredders are doing that but not with Trout.
He isn't shy about using effects, tho. That's not at all a criticism as I've always believed the fullest sound of the guitar needs effects because, by itself, the guitar is the wimpiest instrument in the orchestra. Making it electric is kind of an effect because it definitely doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar anymore but playing it dry in that way is kind of Joe Pass for me; I much prefer tasteful use of effects as with Trout.
Usually what people mean in 'turn off the effects' is 'kill that fucking echo' but that one is an integral part of the vibe for me. The trouble is the echo / delay is the most skittish of all the effects because it can easily vary from being a dime store beatbox to the most intriguing sound I believe it's possible to make. Something like a fuzz box is easy because you get good fuzz or you get bad fuzz but you still get fuzz.
This may sound defensive but it's not. It's always analyze, question, and keep moving forward.
The unwritten part of the message is one I have heard many, many times: shut up and play! Bag the politics, get the Galaxy Guitar, make something happen which someone might actually like.
The specific problem to solve is the wobbly and it's not from reefer, I don't have any. I'm not dizzy all the time or I probably couldn't do anything but the wobbly is different. If I'm not looking directly in the direction I am trying to walk then I will probably lose my balance and there's a medium chance I will take a dive. I have no idea why that should happen and your guess on that.
No 'give up' state exists as I was trying to get a bit of keys together the day before yesterday and the guitar a few days before that. In-between wobbly, the only deal is endurance and I will push it until I wear out. You know the rules as well as I. It's open combat or why show up for the game (larfs).
As to the looper part, I've become a bit stuck on the idea of 'one-man magic shows' lately and that applies specifically to using a musical looper. That permits the multi-instrument jam with yourself or whatever other demonic stuff you wish. This one is much like echo in which it can vary from endless boring crap to truly musical. Those two, in my view, are the most dangerous of the lot so, naturally, they're the most magnetic.
That one is my own bit and, from a classical view, it's got too many effects but I disagree with it and, again, I'm not being defensive. If you're not prepared to rip up your own stuff then don't fookin' play (larfs).
This one let through more mistakes than I should have permitted but I thought it was ok for 'liveness' at the time but (cough) that's crap. They're mistakes. So I did that and re-releasing is stinky so it stands.
The looper is vital for making the song since I could not do it any other way but its purpose is to loop three different sets of chords and that's hardly a musical revolution. Nevertheless, it's effective for the song so I don't have a huge problem with it.
As to the actual sound of the guitar, that I like quite a bit because it feels highly-expressive to me. Where that could be improved is with less simulation of big amplification and to crank the mains higher for real. That's of high interest because it may go fairly close to what Doc said as, with sufficient volume, going from chords to lead and back without any backup works a whole lot better. That can't be simulated or I have never found a way. It's probably best I don't and for exactly the reasons Doc said.
As to what's real, what's honest, in music ... well ... that's a tall one. All of us can throw out some names of what isn't but we could likely disagree all day on which ones are ... or perhaps not.
One of the greatest inspirations came from Pablo Casals because he went off to practice when he was, unknown, eighty or so. A visitor asked him why and he said, "Because I think I'm starting to get it."
As always, tho, don't quote inspirations, be them.
2 comments:
Trout credits Prince with being one of the greatest influences on his life , he credits him with the drive to quit drinking to excess while he was playing with John Mayall. He says Prince approached him after a concert and told him that taking his God given talent and drinking and performing under the influence of any substance was like giving god the finger. He went to Mayall the next day and told him he would never see him drunk again. Small world. Andy
In fact, you can kind of tell it the way he winds it up tight but backs off so you don't get speeded out by it. That kind of taste I admire tremendously.
I didn't realize the depth of Prince's religious commitment and I have no particular uses for Jehovah's Witnesses but he sure lived by the word. Amazing what an effect on Trout.
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