The Scene....

So I have started to put myself out there in the scene and surround myself with a healthy number of musicians, not only have I met some really cool people, but I am learning a LOT about the industry, and who you need to know to get in. The biz out here you need to know someone, there is a clique of about 10 bands that play the "circuit" and outside of that, most other bands struggle to get a gig in here and there... now, how do I get into one of those bands....

Answer - Perform. Network. Shake hands. and last but not least - be able to play. I find that networking will get you your gigs, if you look hard enough, the gigs are there. But - if you get up on stage and don't deliver... you can kiss performing in that bar again goodbye. I played with my old band a birthday party at a local club (a pretty big one for bands) and it was my 3rd rehearsal with the band. The drummer was 1.5 set's late, the former lead guitarist jumped into the bass, the bassist jumped on drums, and I was a fish outta water on lead guitar with 3 sets, that I didn't have any real clue on, needless to say, we have never had a returned call from them. There was NO way that we should have ever gotten on that stage in the first place, but we did, and have been paying for it since.

I have started to network with other musicians as of late, and am learning different styles of playing, and am really digging the different views that people take on the same songs. I love covering old blues and twisting it to my style, or to whomever I am jamming with that night.

I know this post is kind of rambling on, and a little skattered, but that is where I am at right now... I need to find my place musically in the "scene"

I'm out.

guitarsmark

The quest for the "Perfect Tone"

I have been playing guitar for nearly 16 years and only over the past 2 or 3 have I started to take a really keen interest in how I sound, not just how I play... I have tried so many different guitars, and I have to say - I LOVE the sound of a Les Paul running through a hot tubed fender... early breakup of the tubes, thick, warm and rich tone from my fingers to the speakers, and I can throw anything at it, I can lower the volume and play clean, or crack the volume and it just sings with sustain.

All that being said, I already have a Les Paul, so the other day I picked up (another) strat, I think it is my 5th or 6th... and it sounded pretty good through my little practice amp at home (also tube) but when I took it out and ran it cranked, it just turned me off of strats again. When I played it, it was played through a custom amp, that had been dialed in for strat tones... now... not so much, I kinda felt that it sounded like someone farted in a can, and amplified it. It may have been the amp, I don't know, I was playing through a really small tube amp dimed out... this weekend I am going to attempt it again through a vintage Fender Super Reverb, lets see how this pans out...

So far, the only fender guitar that I have really fell in love with for tone is a tele. I LOVE the way they sound, it is almost as thick as a les paul, but if I want it to go into a snappy clean lead, all I do is flick a switch...

What is the perfect tone? I have no idea, there are discussions, forums, pages, and hours of conversation debating it. I know that when I am happy with the way that my guitars sound through my amps, with no effects in between - then I think it will be perfect... until my next big find... What is your perfect tone? How did you acheive it? The closest I have been so far to my tone is a les paul with a P90 through a 69 Fender Super Reverb..... though the Traynor YCV80 was a CLOSE second.

Keep on plugging...and I want to hear about your perfect tone!!!

Career Time a Comin'

So there is about 2 months left until I re-enter the workforce, wow, I can't believe it has been almost a year... it is amazing. I really don't know what I want to do going back though. Do I go back to school and learn stuff? or do I go back into a 9-5 or shiftwork for medium pay? I know for damn sure I never want to step foot into a call centre again.... 10 years is enough there...

I wonder if Long & McQuade is hiring, or should I talk to some pro studios and try going back to work on a part time basis... there are a bunch of options, what will I truly enjoy... the money, I have come to find doesn't matter, what matters most is at home. My family is always near when I am at home, and my music is always on when I am at home. There are a lot of options to go back into it, hell I might take a "Check your brain" job for a bit at the airport, and at least get some cheap flights outta it...

One thing is sure, where I do end up, I want to be involved with music, pretty heavily... I know that it is a very small chance that I will make it as a rockstar (I am not willing to give up my family for music.) So I am starting to look into other options. I love being in front of people, I love performing, I love fixing peoples problems, and with 10 years in sales behind me.. haha I should be a politician...

I am just gonna go back to playing for now. until next time.

guitarsmark

First entry

So, I finally decided to start blogging, seems to be the next big thing, tried twittering, do the facebook thing, but I needed something a little more expressive.

Lets take a look at where this blog should go, having never blooged before, and not really read many blogs, I think that it will give me a bit of a unique idea on what it "should" look like or more appropriately, how it is going to look/work for me.

Those who know me, know that I have a love for music, and that I play guitar almost feverishly. I trade gear out always trying to find the proverbial "perfect tone" and want it to be "my sound" I think I am just about where I want to be for tonal characteristics. Now what am I going to do when it is time for me to come off family leave, and start back into a career... can I make a musical career, can I turn my passion into something I can do everyday and still survive on it? Can I make it a reality, and where would I start in the music business... just a few of the questions that I have been asking myself over the past few months. I am starting to think that it is one of the most difficult career choices financially, especially when I have a family that I am supporting. With different video hosting sites like youtube and the trend of instant gratification, it is probably very unlikely that I will ever produce a proper "album" per se, but if and when I do get into producing my own music it will probably be released as I create, and online only, because really - when was the last time that you can recall buying a CD?

Off for now, but I think that this is going to be a good place for me to talk about life, music and family and all that goes on in my head.