The Musician's Friend

I have not been on here long but have already noticed several avatars featuring guitars. I thought to start a thread focused more on personal music.

I am a rhythm player. I play guitar, bass, and limited drums. My wife is a player and teacher of piano and guitar. I have played with various 'bands' since the 1980s.

I would LOVE to know your inspirations. Not necessarily the players you follow now, but the players you heard and thought, that's what I want to do.

For me it was none other than Eddie Van Halen. EVH hooked me all those years ago and he still inspires me to this day. Not necessarily the solos and finger picking, but his rhythm playing caught me first. My introduction was 1984. It was a keyboard album that many dismiss from the VH catalog. But it was this album, and songs like Top Jimmy, Drop Dead Legs, Panama, and Hot for Teacher that grabbed me and I knew that's what I wanted to do. So many artists have inspired me since.

I would love to read your own stories of how you were inspired to pick up your instrument and play.

 

I never learned to play guitar and, really never wanted to. I was in percussion from 4th-9th grade in the school's bands. I particularly liked timpani. My oldest brother was a guitarist. His insparation was the Ventures

 

Lots of avatars with dogs as well.

 

There is a place to put Your music if You have some.
Roy Clark, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai, Barney Kessel, and Mark Knopfler...are some I really got into.

 

I didn't realize the genius of Roy Clark until later. As a kid I thought Jerry Reed was the master.

Jimi is another one I love but didn't really get into until after highschool(late 80s) and once I had started learning to actually play.

I had a friend that worked at a record store and he turned me onto the early Whitesnake stuff before 'Still of the Night'. The Bernie Marsden/Mick Moody version is still some of my favorite songs to play along with today.

One of my first concerts was Ted Nugent and the energy and style he brought just blew my mind that night.

I'm actually very private with my own music and have only recorded twice just for something I could keep. Those 'tapes' probably aren't playable any longer. I have friends that are really into digital recording and editing and posting, so I have that avenue available if I ever want to record again.

 

Yeah I don't get into editing...if Your supposed to be playing live. Just hit record , play, and shutoff. I see people's stuff that is posted on YouTube that has been so edited ...they aren't even playing what we are hearing. LoL

 

Are you more of a play it the way 'they' wrote it, or do you add your own style/flavor to covers? I see value in both approaches. I'm not sure I have ever played a song 100% the way it was recorded though.

 

I've done both. It matters who, and where I was playing, and whether I really like the whole song , or not. I always learn them exactly, but like for instance We would do For Whom The Bell Tolls right before break, and I would play it exactly, but then We would jam a off the cuff lead when the actual song would already be over within the repeated structure of the song.

 

I was a drummer from about 86 until about 2015 or so. I still play but not serious anymore. The last band I was in made me realize I just wasn't into it anymore. My last gig with them was Halloween night. We didn't even go on until midnight. I so badly didn't want to be there. I wanted to be home with my wife and son. I was so tired and we were a metal band. I know my timing was slow as **** and I just didn't care... Lol. Later that week My drums were "stolen" from our practice space. The cameras just happen to be off that night. All in all I lost about 8 grand. Now my son and I just Jam together in his room. It's way more fun.

 

I completely understand where you're coming from. I played with several bands for decades. Sat in with bands needing a fill-in if I wasn't booked. The thought of tearing down and loading up to drive home now at 2am? Keep that! I have friends who will beg me and offer their share if I will fill-in here and there. I just don't have the want to to gig anymore.

I am currently putting together my own home 'jam room', I want to find a not expensive way to record and just get my own stuff recorded and saved. That's really where all my interest is.

 

I do like the videos some were doing during lockdown. With the different players recording from their own space and those recordings getting edited into them playing together. I do know enough to understand there are sometimes compression and distortions from doing it that way that make it more of an edited/not live recording. I still really like that concept though. Looks like a fun way to get your music across.

 

Difference is many are edited from the point of they can't play 40 seconds without a terrible mistake so they edit it in pieces, or they pre-record it , and mimic playing it. Sure signs are: switching camera shots....playing outside with no background noise coming through, you hear a bend , but they are hammering....you hear a hammer, and they are sliding, or My all time favorite....they're Guitar is not even plugged in. These are all signs of editing to make themselves seem better than they are. I would bet 79% of the Guys You see couldn't play live one whole song. I seen a very famous Asian guy on YouTube that if You listen is pretty dang good. I seen that same guy at music store trying out a Guitar, and some guy in the store was filming him, and the guy was horrible....he couldn't play longer than 20 seconds without totally messing up....he sounded like a beginner. That is magic of editing.

 

That is probably true even with guys that can play well. Most of the videos I'm talking about are people I actually know and have seen live or even played with at some point. They are usually playing some cover but socially distanced, so making the tones sound together has to take some editing. You can get close but something will get altered in the media exchange that has to get 'tuned'. Lots of crazy good musicians everywhere.

 

My avatar tells you all you need to know about my inspiration. Van Halen started me on my musical journey. Started playing drums when I was 14. Guitar when I was in my 40's. Last project was singing(screaming) for a metal band.

 

So why don't You have Alex's drums on your wall ???

 

They take up just a tad more space.

 

That 4 bass double deep drum kit he toured with for 1984 would look AWESOME up on the wall! LOL!

 

I have a drum kit I stripped down that I've thought about doing that to

 

And he had that row of toms that were about 3 feet tall. Just a massive kit.

 

Yes it was. Much easier to build the Frankenstrat than Alex's kit.

 

I have a friend that builds custom drums for people. Not necessarily the entire kit, but if a drummer wants a specific size shell of a specific type wood type thing. These companies he buys materials through send him samples and even bigger 'gifts' sometimes. Maybe as simple as some different style lugs or something, he has also received several Gibraltar rack systems. Normally he will donate these things to local highschool band rooms and such. But he gave me one of these racks when I bought this cheap $300 kit from Guitar Center back when my sons were both playing percussion in school. So I had this crap drum kit and he racks it for me on this $1000 Gibraltar rack, puts new heads and hardware on my shells, gives me a new throne with a back support and a kick pedal. Basically, I have a shiny Corvette with a Chevette engine. AND nobody even plays on it any more. It's actually dismantled and stacked in a corner right now.

 

Corvette with a Chevette engine. Now that's funny.
I barely play anymore but all my stuff stays set up in my studio room, ready for action. Usually when I'm drunk with friends over

 

I made a deal with myself a long time ago not to ever pick up one of my instruments if I'm drinking. I do drink. Maybe a little too often depending on who you ask. But I make myself be a sober musician.

I am in the process of getting a music room set up. My wife teaches piano and guitar and she has a studio at her mother's house for that. Now that we are empty nesters, 'mostly', I have the room to put together something nice and fun here at the homestead.

 

Well, playing in public drunk is a completely different thing from playing drunk in your basement with friends. In fact, we used to make it a thing to come home and jam while we were wasted. Even taped it and had a good laugh later. Actually pulled some significant music from those tapes

 

If the stories are to be believed, so did EVH.