Musician's thread

[Spazz]

Revamping this or, whatever
Musicians post here to talk about, musician stuff I guess. What you play, gear, ect.
I currently sing, play guitar and ukulele mostly but I can also play pretty much anything else with strings and keys

[Spazz]

I guess I'll indulge

I play various styles. I'm not sure how to describe it. I take a lot of influence from romanticism, various jazz and some of the more ethereal, darker late 70's, 80's type acts.

My guitar of choice is a custom designed Fender Jazzmaster, designed and put together from different parts, by me. I tune like a baritone (A-A) causing me to need massive strings. I custom order a 14-55 with a flatwound G and B flatwound set from Thomastik Infeld. Great, great strings.
I use some pretty standard FX processors. Well, standard a few decades ago but, still and Fender amps of course.

I like being guitar based but, not the typical guitar based. My biggest inspirations are probably Robin Guthrie, John McGeoch and Robert Smith. Romantic, beautiful atmospheres, melody line obsessed, melodrama, ect.

[Spazz]

Oh yeah that's right, the drum machine. I do like drum machines. I know it's pretty much a horrible idea for jazz and I do like being able to connect to a real drummer but, it's a bit of a complicated situation with drummers for me. At least, with what's available. I may be able to get a friend to help me out there but for some stuff, I really prefer the sound cause I can manipulate it more and it's much easier to record. I mean, I can drum. I just haven't in forever and I feel like getting back into it and getting as good as I need to be again would take time I'm not sure I have.

[Spazz]

It's just that no one is on my level. Everyone sucks. That's completely in jest of course
I've just moved in directions no one seems to be into. I just don't relate. People express themselves, I respect that. I just don't get the culture.

[mr. excellent]

I come on occasion. That confessional about the culture in your town makes me want to hear your brand of music more for some reason. I dunno why. You should post some more samples some time.

[Spazz]

I could certainly post some rougher stuff here. I'll work on it, the recording process hasn't started too much. I've been a bit eck. It's getting there though.

[Spazz]

I'm doing that too. I said I was doing that in May, sheesh. I'm just super slow creatively it seems

[Spazz]

I've finally started a page on Facebook. Ooooh so officiiiaaaalllll. Ha. That was the plan. Oh man, it's really real, I gotta get to work! Didn't really happen It's getting there though. I'm moving all my stuff to a different locale this weekend and I'm going to try to get out of my slump a bit. I've really refined and developed my guitar voice and general style.

I still do the romanticy jazz and electronicish ambient type thing. More classical influence has come in though. From Chopin mostly. Arthur Rubenstein's readings are my favorite. I just love piano but, I never got into it. The guitar's tones and the way it plays just grab me more. I do pianoy things though. Most notably in my tuning, E G# C E G# C (It actually works better on a 7 string, which would add a high E for normal range but, eh. It's doable) which allows me to do closed voicings very easily. Ya know, stacking thirds and such to make chords, just like a piano. I just find closed voicings to be much more beautiful. Inversions are insanely easy too which is a plus. I do miss some stuff like Drop 2 and 3 voicings, as well as some extensions which are easier in standard. It's not that much harder though.

I've also gotten even more jazz based inspiration. From Wes Montgomery mostly. His sense of harmony in his chord solos are unlike anything. Chord solos are the bees knees maaaan. Outside of all that, John McGeoch's very bizarre and dramatic work with Siouxsie and the Banshees as well as Robin Guthrie, the lord of ambient guitar sounds and production, still remain inspirations as well.

Just an update, I suppose. I know no one comes here often and I do hope I'm not being too self indulgent but, I could gab forever I get really excited about this

[mr. excellent]

I think it's cool that you're still working on this. I know nothing of guitar, but it is fun to read about these things.

[Spazz]

Well, I'm glad it's fun to read about. The guitar is an interesting instrument. With alternate tunings, effects, ect. it can do a lot of things but, always has an interesting guitar-exclusive way of doing it. Sometimes it's a bit more limited in areas other instruments aren't but, everything has it's limits. There's always work arounds too. Like, just using other instruments haha. I personally am very drawn to the feel and tones of the guitar though, as I've said.

[Spidey 1923]

TEST DEMANDS OBEDIENCE!

[Spazz]

Oh noooo, I honestly never noticed this. I'm glad that's over
Also, I may have music to show soon. I've been a bit more inspired and I have been able to work with someone else, which helps. I'm working on an idea now and it's almost something solid. It's a bit awkward and I'm having trouble phrasing it right but, I'm determined to make it work.

[Webber3000]

Sounds awesome! Would be great if you post it here, I'm sure most of us are eager to hear what you do.

[Spazz]

In case someone still cares, ha. I'm getting close to having something to show which, I know I said last time but, things have become much more solid. I got well over an albums length (Well, the standard 10 pieces but, these average a longer length) I'm working on and I'm gonna release 1-3 pieces ahead of the rest. I fell a bit behind schedule, I thought they would be done at the end of last month but, that's the way it goes sometimes. Shouldn't be any longer than the end of this month for the whole thing. It all depends on various life things but, ya know.

[Spazz]

So, I figured I'd update here since I'm a loser and it's been almost a year since I said I would have something, aha.
A lot had happened to me in 2014 and well into the beginning of this year and well, I don't want to get too personal but, I just kind of fell apart, on multiple levels. I even stopped doing music for quite a while. There's some sort of loop going on and I am doing my best to break it. I am happy to report that in the short time I've been doing music again I've got some really good stuff written, lyrically as well. I currently have 2 pieces I'm working on the most (they are really long, the one piece ate some of the others) and am going to start playing a slimmed down version live with some friends. If any of that gets recorded, I'll be sure to let you guys know. I do also have some noodles and such on YouTube unlisted and will add more to the channel publicly later so, I can get you guys those links through PM if you want. They're pretty bad but, you'll get an idea I suppose aha.
And hey, if you made it down here, thanks for listening to me gush.