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Random stuff today

5/31/2011

Summer arrived over the holiday weekend here on Cape Cod with beautiful weather, gazillions of tourists and reminders of the advantages and headaches of living in a famous tourist destination. While I am not one of those who has the famous bumper sticker, "If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot 'em?" I do find myself mumbling some choice words at drivers who abruptly stop in the middle of the road for no apparent reason, or conversely, tailgate me in their Escalades with New York plates. I know that our economy lives or dies by their patronage, or lack of.... I'm more along the lines of - love to see 'em come, love to see 'em go!

I did have to smile though at the big 1980s Oldsmobile convertible with the top down and a guy sitting in the back seat banging away on a guitar as they drove down the road. Now THAT is an example of the joy of music!

Happened to catch the final half hour of the "director's cut" of the film "Woodstock" the other day. I was reminded of how time definitely taints our view of events, not unlike the cool round sunglasses I used to wear back in the day. While there is no question that the late Jimi Hendrix was a pioneer of the electric guitar, his rambling, sloppy, pointless BS solo in the film proves that while he was an innovator, to call him a virtuoso player has to be a stretch. Of course, there were most likely some mitigating (i.e., chemical) reasons for incoherence of that solo....

On a much brighter note (pun intended!), check out the new recording by Alison Krauss & Union Station, "Paper Airplane." AKUS, as they are known to their fans, will surely go down as one of the all-time greats of traditional country music. It is rare and special to hear a group so totally in synch and at the absolute pinnacle of their craft. Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminski Ron Block and Barry Bales are masters of their instruments (in the case of Douglas, he may be the best ever on the dobro) but it all comes back the other-worldly singing of Alison. In my book, she is one of the greatest singers of popular music EVER, regardless of genre. Buy their records and see them live if you can.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of the always fascinating Fretboard Journal magazine. The cover story about country musician Marty Stuart and his vast collection of historically important items related to the early years of country music is a real eye-opener. Stuart, along with being a great guitarist, mandolin player and singer sees himself as a guardian of pieces of history that were in danger of ending up in rummage sales, or worse, and his anecdotes about his late, former father-in-law Johnny Cash, Bill Monroe and many others are wonderful. FJ continues to be the absolute premier magazine in the guitar world, in my opinion. As a former magazine editor myself I appreciate the fact that writers are allowed to take as long as is necessary to tell their stories, something that is sadly not the case with most publications. The layout and print quality is gorgeous too. Get Fretboard Journal. You'll be thanking me!

As I drove down to Woods Hole to launch my kayak and go fishing this morning I marveled at how quiet everything was after the big weekend - Main Street was empty of cars and the town had that wonderful, sleepy off-season feel. I know it won't last though. I just have to keep reminding myself for fortunate I am to live in a place where so many people want to go.

Peace & good music,
Gene

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Developing your own style

5/28/2011

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It seems like every guitarist goes through a period of time (and some never leave it!) when they try very, very hard to reproduce songs as precisely as possible. That is, they try to sound and play exactly like the artist they're covering. I certainly did - and I still try to learn songs as accurately as I can. Nowadays however I view that as a starting point.

Players tend to judge how "good" a performer is by how much they sound like the original recording. I think this is less important to the audience than most players realize but that is another subject. In most aspects of life however we need to have a basis for judging an end product. That's all well and good when we're forming a judgement about, say, a steak we order in a restaurant but it is totally unrealistic and possibly unfair when it comes to art.

About twenty-five years ago I happened to catch a trio at a local bar who (in my view, at the time) were just amazing because they could cover songs by groups like the Doobie Brothers and the Beach Boys with uncanny accuracy. Their three-part harmony was spot-on and their playing was many cuts above what I normally heard at bars. Kathy and I, along with some friends became devoted followers of the band and we couldn't wait to hear them play those covers, again and again. All three members of the group were Berklee guys, which is neither here nor there - I know now - but at the time I attributed their great playing at least in part to their schooling.

As luck would have it, when they broke up I began playing with one of the members who was a great guitarist and keyboard player with a tenor voice that could accurately reproduce just about any pop singer. I thought he was great but sadly, he had a very cynical view of the music and in fact of performing in general. I only gigged with him for a few months and it took me many years to figure out why he was so cynical and almost bitter about playing covers. I think he felt compelled to parrot back the music - because he could! My guess is that he would much rather have been doing his own versions of the songs but for whatever reason he felt that was not an option. His reaction to this was to paste a Cheshire Cat smile on his face when people would ooh and ahh about his performances and afterward mock them for thinking it was so great. Very sad.

Fortunately most of us won't end up in that place. We will struggle to come as close as we can to what we hear on a recording, and this is a good thing - up to a point. You can learn much from deciphering what a recording artist does but you should view that information as more money in the bank of creativity. Never be afraid to add your own elements to the piece of music. This will inevitably lead to a greater sense of satisfaction and open the door to even more advances in your playing.

Peace & good music,
Gene

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Venues - what to expect and how to prepare

5/21/2011

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A couple of my students are in or forming new bands, or doing a single for the first time and we've been talking about what to expect in terms of the venue: set up, sets, interaction with manager/owners, etc.

First of all, you have to differentiate between a concert situation and a bar/restaurant. What I'm about to say may sound just a bit cynical but that comes from 40 years of dealing with the people who make the decisions about music. You may luck out and find bar owners or concert promoters who treat you with respect but unfortunately that is less common than it should be. But let's put that issue aside for the moment and talk about the logistics.

Always remember that a concert is all about the music; in a bar or restaurant the music is secondary to the reason most people are in the place in the first place: the food or drink or both. Because of this fact you should always assume a couple things. A concert may or may not include a P.A. system and a person who knows how to run it. A bar situation usually does not so you have to provide your own sound reinforcement. A concert stage almost always has plenty of room to set up and plenty of electrical outlets; a bar manager may want you to set up in a very small space (space is all about tables, after all) and there may be limited electrical outlets close by - or none at all.

Because of these facts it is vital to prepare for just about anything, that is, bring the least amount of stage equipment you can to still be able to get the best sound but bring plenty of stuff that will ensure you can play at all. Firs of all, bring PLENTY of grounded, 3-prong extension cords, at least one power strip (two is better) and a couple of those old-school 2-to-3 prong converters - I've played more than a few places where they were necessary, which is surprising every time. In fact, one place I played a few years ago was very popular but quite old and all the outlets were the 2-prong type. After the fire that destroyed the place shortly after I was given a long term engagement there (damn!) the investigators determined the fire was caused by an insufficient and antiquated electrical system.

You may find a place has its own P.A. system, which sounds like an advantage in terms of schlepping equipment but that may not be the case. One place I know here in town has an awful system that the owner insists the performers use and every performer is challenged to get a decent sound from it. On the other hand, some places do have wonderful systems but they may not include monitors, so take that into consideration when packing your gear.

As far as that's concerned, if your intention is to play out on at least an occasional basis, the second most important piece of equipment you can buy besides your guitar is a good P.A. system. There are some terrific, small easily transported systems available these days but as with most things, you get what you pay for. The Bose L1 system is fantastic but be prepared to pay upwards of $1200 for one - USED!! Fender makes some neat systems that fold together so the speakers and amplifier/mixer are one unit to carry. I have yet to hear one that sounds great, although they are passable and can be had for about $500, including stands.

Re: stands. Always a good idea and in my opinion, just about a necessity with P.A. speakers, not only to disperse the sound without overwhelming volume but also to minimize the "footprint" of your gear. Having to use chairs to prop up your speakers not only looks unprofessional, it leads to muffled sound that is aimed low, but most importantly using those chairs means there are two or more chairs that can't be used by paying customers. This is NOT the way to endear yourself to a restaurant owner!

Even if a venue has a system I always bring my own, just in case. That way I know how to present the best possible sound. Whether or not you can use it is another question.

How about other things on stage? Microphones and mic stands are essentials of course. For decades the Shure SM58 and SM 57 have been the standard mics of performing musicians, even sometimes in very large venues. They sound good and are just about bullet proof. If you're buying new ones, go for the models with on/off switches (and be sure to use them if you want to comment to your bandmates about the young lady with the short skirt at the table in front!). Also, be sure to bring at least one spare mic cord. In fact bring a few spare cords for the guitars and amp to speaker connections. Be sure they are all at least 10 feet long.

Don't those guys on TV look cool with all those guitars lined up on stage? That ain't you. Assume you will have room for perhaps two guitars and of course bring stands for them. Leaning a guitar against an amp when you take a break is an absolute disaster waiting to happen.

Spare strings (a couple sets), spare capo and clean cloth to wipe down the strings on your guitar when you're done are also necessities. Some other small items to consider are foam mic covers if you're going to be playing outside (wind through a mic is very annoying), a roll of both electrical tape and duct tape, the latter for taping down and covering cords leading to speakers that may be tripped over by audience members - or band members! A Leatherman-type multi-tool has doA few large plastics bags are a good idea too if you're playing outside and there is any possibility of rain. In which case, by the way, you should IMMEDIATELY STOP PLAYING and turn off all gear, even if you're in the middle of a song. Shocks are not fun.

Finally, back to dealing with the people who make the decisions. Your best course of action is to be crystal clear about starting and stopping times, how much volume you should or shouldn't use, and when and how much you will be paid. That way there are no surprises.

One last point about logistics. Set up as soon as you can. Do not wait until 20 minutes before you're expected to play. That way you can deal with any little glitches that may and most likely will occur. Setting up early also means minimal disruptions of people sitting having food and drink. If you do need to set up while people are in the room, do whatever it takes to not intrude on them.

Then - have some fun up there! Remember that audiences will forgive almost anything if you look like you're having a good time and know that respect is a two-way street. Let the people know you appreciate them being there. Smile, for God's sake. It isn't hard!

Peace & good music,
Gene

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Special songs

5/17/2011

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Do you have a song or songs that have "spoken" to you at some point in your life, or seemed to be there again and again at significant moments? I think we probably all do but I'm talking about something at the next level - almost spooky, maybe.

For me one that sticks out is the great "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" by Crosby, Stills and Nash. The first CSN album (pre Young) was released in late 1969, soon after their debut at Woodstock and for a few months late that year and into early 1970 it seemed that song was everywhere you went. I clearly remember visiting my then-girlfriend and now wife Kathy at Muhlenberg College and one warm late fall day it seemed that song was coming out of every open dorm window. Those wonderful, joyful harmonies seemed to follow me for years - when I got into a car hitchhiking to Boston when I was deciding to move there to pursue a music career, there it was. When Kathy and I were driving cross country, there it was late, late at night on the radio as we crossed the vast plains. There were many other times too, right up to almost the present day. Ironically, in spite of seeing many of the great bands of the Sixties at the time, I didn't see CSN until about five years ago - and they didn't do that song! Oh well.

Then there was James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" - that one was playing in my head as I boarded a bus in Boston to ride all the way to Seattle for a concert tour with Marie Rhines. "The first of December was covered with snow, so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston." And so it was, even though I was going in the other direction. I played it many times in the years that followed when we were sitting next to the campfire on one of our many camping trips. "And as the moon rises he sits by the fire, thinking about women and glasses of beer..." I wasn't thinking about women (except the one I was with!) but the campfire and beer made it seem like the perfect song.

Another great J. Taylor tune, "You Can Close Your Eyes" was one that I often dedicated to special people in my life when I performed it: my son Matt and daughter Joanna when they were babies, and my dad a few months after he died. That song is special to me.

So how about you? Do you have special songs? If so, I'd love to hear about them and why they are special.

Peace and good music,
Gene

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The joy of taking it outside

5/12/2011

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We had set up in a campground within earshot of the Campbell River on Vancouver Island. The huge cedar trees smelled sweet and the air was dry and warm. After cooking dinner on the fireplace and cleaning up I took out my guitar and played for a while. It seemed like just about the perfect place to add some music to the evening breeze. Heaven!

It's funny how guitarists don't seem to play outside as much as they once did. Maybe it's because they don't want to expose their guitars to the elements. I'm not talking about big summer concert situations of course, rather the simple joys of just sitting out on the porch and strumming away.

I've played many concerts outside over the years, both locally with bands and in huge festivals with fiddler Marie Rhines years ago. Those were great experiences but that's not what I'm talking about, exactly. Just as memorable were the many times I've played under the stars just for myself or perhaps with a couple friends. Here are a few that stick out in my memory.

When I was a teenager a friend and I would sometimes take my family's small skiff out to an island off the mouth of the Mystic River to camp and I would often bring an old "beater" guitar so we could do some playing. Side note here - the famous Van Morrison song "Into the Mystic" was written after Van spent a summer sailing down the New England coast and he sailed into Mystic to visit the famous Mystic Seaport. Next time you hear him singing about "when I hear that foghorn blow, you know I'm coming home" you can imagine how I relate to that song.

I remember bringing my old guitar to the Newport Folk Festival and jamming with other players in the parking lot between shows - I learned a lot in those fun sessions.

One time when we were camping and I left my trusty old Yamaha 12-string outside when I crawled into the tent for the night I awoke the next morning to find it had rained and there was about an inch of rain INSIDE that old Yammie. Well, I dumped out the water, let it dry, and God bless that guitar, it played and sounded just fine a few days later. Not recommended!

Quite a few times when Kathy and I would take summer camping trips around the Northeast I would play in the evening and other campers would come by to listen - met some wonderful folks that way, and sometimes one would bring over a guitar and we would play. Lots of fun and really the essence of what sharing music is all about.

More recently I have enjoyed taking a guitar out on our front porch in the evening in the summer and playing. It is always interesting to hear how the guitar sounds in such an open environment. We also used to have outdoor parties after the famous Falmouth Road Race and a few times my son Matt played drums with my regular trio. I'll always treasure those times.

Last March when I went down to the Keys for a fishing trip I brought along a Taylor GS Mini, which is a great little travel guitar and for three evenings in a row I sat on the dock at the marina where we were staying and played for an hour or so. I don't think anyone heard me but that totally didn't matter. Sitting in the warmth of a Keys evening and playing Jobim bossa nova tunes seemed just about perfect.

So, if you've never done it, take your guitar outside and play for a while. I guarantee you will find it peaceful and fun.

Peace & good music,
Gene

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Play it clean

5/9/2011

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One of my students offered a very nice comment about my playing recently.
"You play so nice and clean!" he said.

Now, this was very much appreciated because that is something I really do work on. Clear, clean tone is kind of like good rhythm - it is something that is very easy to take for granted when you hear someone play, but it never happens by accident. Of the two concepts - clean playing and rhythm, I find that rhythm is the one that gives most players trouble in the beginning; clean playing comes later. Many people seem to have the idea that keeping a steady beat is just something we are born with and it should be totally natural. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Certainly, some people have the propensity to absorb and apply rhythmic concepts better than others. My opinion is that this has a lot to do with how much music we are exposed to at an early age. And what goes along with that is encouragement by our parents to apply rhythm, whether by singing or dancing or playing an instrument. In many cultures music is a part of everyday life, as natural as eating and sleeping. I've spent a lot of time in the Caribbean and when you walk down any street or get into any taxi cab, music surrounds you. So I'll bet kids from those wonderful islands take to playing instruments much more easily than kids from our country, where in some sad cases the playing of an instrument is thought of as a very un-macho thing to do. Whenever I have a student who is struggling with rhythm I always ask how much music was a part of his or her life growing up and without exception, they say it was either a very small part or wasn't heard at all.

So keeping a steady beat is something that many people must concentrate on. This is not a bad thing or a deficiency. It is just requires some work. ANYONE can learn to keep a steady beat - assuming they conquer those other basics of playing the guitar such as changing chords quickly.

Clean tone. So, so important to the finished product. I go through this with my students in detail and give them a sheet with an overview of how it is accomplished (arched fingers, staying close to the frets, pressing down hard, correct hand and wrist position, etc.). What took many years to accept was that playing a simple piece of music as cleanly as possible - with no buzzes or muffled notes - was much more impressive to listener than some pyrotechnic fast licks that were sloppy. I hear many younger players who hide behind distortion on their electric guitars (electronically generated sloppy playing!) and when they are forced to play without the use of volume and distortion their playing is almost painful to hear. On acoustic guitar of course those crutches are not available so clear, clean playing becomes an obvious goal.

So I guess the take-away points here are: Practice keeping a steady beat - use a metronome if necessary. Tapping your foot helps to keep the rhythm in the forefront of your musical mind. Don't be satisfied with playing that isn't as clean and free of muffled and buzzing notes as possible. A great player once told me to always play a piece just a tiny bit slower than you know you can play it - this will clear up a LOT of the sloppiness!

And finally, don't fall into the trap of thinking that a complex piece played poorly is more impressive than a simple piece played well.

Peace & good music,
Gene

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My favorite guitar players - a dozen that come to mind, anyway...

5/2/2011

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Students often ask me, "Who is your favorite guitar player?" Well, that's like asking what is your favorite meal, or favorite movie. There is no one answer because in the wonderful diversity of guitar music there are so, so many greats. You have to start by deciding what type of music you're asking about. But I decided to at least come up with a list of people who have caught my interest over the years. I'll list them chronologically, from when I began playing back in (gulp!) 1963.

David Bromberg: Saw him playing at a workshop at the Newport Folk Festival, accompanying the great Jerry Jeff Walker. Just the two of them playing. It was the first time I realized that improvised lead guitar in the folk music genre could be accomplished on an acoustic. A revelation!

Mike Bloomfield: Also at a Newport festival, playing with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Absolute mastery of the blues on a Strat. He died too soon.

Jimi Hendrix: What can you say about Jimi? In his brief life he took the electric guitar in directions no one could imagine. I still love hearing his wonderful, twisted, over-the-top version of the blues tune "Red House." Can any of us imagine where he would have taken electric guitar if he had lived longer?

Duke Robillaird: I've been a huge fan of his since his beginnings with Roomful of Blues. I've often said that if you could wave a magic wand over my head and give me the chops of one player, it would be Duke. Class, style, fire, and ALWAYS the "right" notes. Whether playing jump jazz/swing, more traditional blues or straight ahead (undistorted!!) rock, Duke has few equals.

Doc Watson: Although my one interaction with him on a personal level, backstage at a bluegrass festival in Vermont was not great - he was cranky to the point of being rude - his crystal clear flat picking is the standard by which ALL players of that style are judged. And he is one fine finger picker too! Not bad for a guy who's been blind from birth.

Tony Rice: Taking traditional bluegrass and infusing jazz, Tony and mandolin virtuoso David Grisman kicked started a form of music that needed it. While strict traditionalists have issues with what they did to a supposedly sacrosanct form of American music, many others continue to be in awe of his flawless technique and originality. I'm one of them.

Andres Segovia: The father of modern guitar. It is no exaggeration to say that Segovia brought the guitar from being an illegitimate instrument to one that has a rightful place in ALL types of music. I was fortunate to hear him a year or so before he passed away. I treasure that memory.

Pat Metheny: Yes, you can make a case that he was one of the instigators of "smooth jazz" (insert gagging sounds here) but at the time, in the 1970s, he brought accessibility to a form that many people dismissed as being just too hard to understand. As time passed Pat proved that he could play ANY style of jazz with startling originality. He's had some swings and misses along the way but he's never been afraid to reinvent himself musically.

Joe Pass: From all accounts, a complex and difficult person and some of his music gets a bit repetitious to my ear but his work with the great, great Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson is the very definition of class and style. Plus, he was extremely innovative technique-wise with his finger-style playing.

Martin Carthy: One of the first to play Celtic fiddle tunes on an open-tuned acoustic, finger style. Great technique and he captures the fire, heartbreak and pure joy of that music.

Jim Robitaille: No, you've probably never heard of him. I took some lessons from Jim about 15 years ago, learning some of the basics of jazz that were missing in my playing. Jim lives in New Bedford, Massachusetts and plays locally solo, in duos and larger groups. He won a prestigious writer's award at the Montreal Jazz Festival a couple years ago. His playing is flawless, interesting and complex in whatever jazz form he chooses. Hear him if you can - if Jim lived in New York or Los Angeles I have no doubt he would be widely acclaimed, and rightfully so.

And finally....

Martin Taylor: If I presently do have a "favorite" guitarist, Martin would be the one. His finger style jazz is just pure perfection, filled with joy and passion. You can also hears tiny glimpses of rock and pop in his playing - he obviously doesn't dismiss that music out of hand, as so many jazzers do. My hero!! (plus he has the coolest acoustic guitar name there is!)

Peace & good music,
Gene

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Random stuff today

Developing your own style

Venues - what to expect and how to prepare

Special songs

The joy of taking it outside

Play it clean

My favorite guitar players - a dozen that come to mind, anyway...

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