Guitar Chat

As much I’ll miss the customary free drinks while having guitar conversations with younger players and peers in between live sets, I took the liberty of sharing these common topics by means of this blog to everyone who is interested in my style as a guitar player.

A style built on personal and logistical limitations

The first would be “The Sound” – The most common pick up line would be… “sir ano yang tatak ng gitara mo tsaka setting ng mga FX mo ganda kasi po ng tunog?” Like most of you know I’ve been using OEM and self built copies for the longest time (I haven’t had branded guitars in like 6 years or so) and I usually play through 3 or 4 basic cheap pedals. Most of the time they just wonder, how I pulled off that sound or “The Sound” Since I always get these questions I developed this standard response… “When I was starting out I didn’t have the resources to play with branded equipment so I developed the ability to tweak and maximize whatever gear combinations that I am playing through. Even my sound is built from logistical limitations I had no choice but to try to sound good with what I have. Fast forward to the present I could somehow get close to my identified sound (whatever that is) with whatever gear combination. How does one do that? Usually that’s the follow up question. My response to this is that I am only dialing in tones according to what I hear and see in my mind… again somehow I get close to that. No special techniques, secret tricks, no nothing. Much of that although debatable I believe is the combination of my anatomical or physiological structure, and emotional response to music…. The gear combinations are just augmentations of the sounds which I am attempting to make. Since “Tone” and “sound quality” are arbitrary I put less emphasis on them as the identifying sound and more on the Metaphysical element… well for me at least.

The second would be “The Technique” – I always say that I am not a very technical player at all, my first heroes where actually Anti-Heroes…Dave Evans and Johnny Marr. But of course later I discovered an inclination to African American music as I go back in time studying. Although I don’t sound like traditional blues players 90percent of what I do is borrowed from R&B, and 70’s east coast soul. Again the emphasis is on the Metaphysical element and not so much on technique. I’m not saying that I didn’t study theory, actually I did. In the first 2 years of my venture into guitars I did the rigid studying of Scales, Modes, and Progressions. But I started to appreciate my playing when I started to just play and not mind theory. In doing so it allowed me to play freely and not constantly think of what to play next. That was the beginnings of my spontaneous style of playing. You still need to study theory but let it sink to your sub conscious mind to be able to play free and not continually analyze your performance in realtime. In short study with your Left brain and play with your right (http://www.funderstanding.com/content/right-brain-vs-left-brain). What usually happens in my experience is I just ride the music and about a couple of milliseconds before I actually play a part I grab it and try to put lots of conviction to it. I don’t think too early and I don’t super impose what to play. It’s all within the moment give or take those milliseconds. I guess the fluidity in my playing is attributed to that behavior. This behavior again is a result of my personal limitations. I have very poor verbatim memory that means I’m better at remembering things in context so naturally improvising is the better approach for me. I am naturally inclined to play simple but fluid and effective rather than super imposed complex thought off parts but obviously challenged. A few coherent set of words communicates well than a thousand words you missed.

That’s all for now I hope you got something out from this.

Guitars that ruled my world (as a teenager)

Just like to share some of the songs that got me doing air-guitar, of course eventually I learned to play them later on and graduated from my mom’s broomstick to a real six string at 16. I listed ten of them I could have listed a hundred but I’m too lazy to write. Five of them were more like Anti-Hero style while the other five are more like the Flamboyant Hero type, I like both schools of guitar and is serving my playing well years later. My early attempts to learn those songs have subconsciously and permanently implanted styles in my vocabulary which until now is still evident in my playing and general approach. Despite the difference in style between the two schools of playing there is a common ground…the inclination to strongly support the song

Here they are….

Where the streets have no name (U2) – The edge’s rhythmic use of the echo effect just got my attention. I remember “The Flock of Seagulls” used to do it as well but it was “ The Edge” who made that style famous and synonymous to his name. Although I rarely do the dotted 8 note trick nowadays, still a delay pedal is something that is more important to me than an overdrive…. That’s why it’s number one on the list.

Away (The Bolshoi) – The Strength and simplicity of shimmery choral arpeggios is what I picked up from Trevor Tanner . This is the basis for my ornamental rhythm guitar playing.

Don’t dream it’s over (Crowded House) – Tasteful choice of notes that tenderly but strongly serving the song, giving more drama to an already dramatic songwriting – simple big melodies are priceless

The Motion of Love (Gene Loves Jezebel) – Yes The Aston twins wore tons of make-up which was directly proportional to the juicy but piercing melodic riffs they put in their songs.

The one I love (REM) – The first song I’ve ever learned to play and the ability to play lesser guitar and more of the song

Sweet child of mine (Guns n Roses) – What can I say? It’s a guitar riff of a generation. I remember at one point one has to know this song before one can earn a spot at an audition for lead guitar. A totally challenging leap from an anti hero style that I started from.

Blaze of Glory (Jon Bon Jovi) – This song (and album) introduced me to the genius of Jeff Beck.

I can’t live (Nelson) – It’s all about the girls. Seriously I blame them for some of my “Tragic Boy Girl Relationship” songs I must admit I enjoyed them hehehe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVlQ79Rifto

I Remember you (SkidRow) – Oh Yeah I really had to cut my teeth learning and playing this song. Power, Melody, Speed, and Creativity all in one song and it’s supposed to be a ballad. I’ve Realized how strong power ballads are.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) – This is not from my era but Queen is a very hypnotic band and Brian May’s guitar Playing is as flamboyant as Freddie Mercury. The song that I Air-guitar(ed) the most and also made me realize that you can play home-made guitars.

Eventually I discovered Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and all the rest as I studied the origins of Rock Guitar which is RnB and I’m really surprised to meet a lot of new guitarist today who have no clue to this but that’s a different subject.

I hope you enjoyed them.

Till next time.

"My under the radar yet interesting tenure as an Artist"

1990 - 1991 Guitar Lessons from a Frat Brod in Highschool playing "New Wave and Punk"

1991 - 1992 My friend's garage Playing Glam Rock for free drinks and what not

1992 - 1993 Joined my first band (outside my circle of friends) Playing Glam Rock and some Metal.. Gigs?... nearby campuses and town fiestas

1993 - 1994 Joined first Professional Band Called "Switchblade" Playing Progressive Rock (Rush Rules oh yeah!!!)as lead guitars... Gigs?... oh yeah the taste of clubs and stadiums (and of course getting paid to play is cool)

1994 - 1996 Forced to take on Vocals while still playing lead guitars... My early attempts at singing live.... mostly half the time I was freezing back then... Gigs? The usual Dredd / Myrics Exposure routine Playing Original Materials... an era where bands suddenly were not getting paid (I was dead broke I had to get day jobs from doing factory work, fast food crew, to somehow making my way becoming a sales supervisor for some big time music store).

1994 - 1996 Joined Naked Lunch a Female fronted Folk Alternative band Playing Original Materials and some covers, Gigs? Dredd, Myrics, Hobbit House, and some other fly by night joints. It's nice to get paid gigs again.

1996 - 2000 Self imposed retirement from active gigging, around this time I started to learn the Art of Production, from writing, arranging, performing, and recording my own as well as other people's materials.

2000 - 2002 Just hooking up with bands here and there jamming whatever... still selling music stuff during the day then get strung up at night oh yeah some minor struggle with drugs and booze.

2002 - 2003 Back in the Gig circuit with a new band called 3CT playing Jars of Clay,Vertical Horizon type inspired Original Stuff, Apparently due to some spiritual transformation, Gigs? Religious gatherings and Christian Woodstocks Whose Organizers are making money but the Bands are not... Shame! Got an offer from a label to release an Album but I just decided to quit midway to the production... for personal reasons

2003 - 2005 Joined Wickermoss, Produced a Five Song Demo EP from my bedroom that went on Air Regularly to at least three mainstream radio stations. Gigged regularly around the Metro and just about whatever event we could get our hands on. I also quit just before getting signed to a major label... again for personal reasons.

2003 and 2006 Stints with Homegrown as guitarist playing Rasta inspired originals with a touch of Blues and rock. and some covers, Reggae was about to burst but I got kick out of the Band after I modestly secured a record deal with some new Label. (couple of years later they were forced to disband while I found myself working for that label)

2003 - present got myself into Multimedia productions doing music and sounds for Corporate media, Web and Telcom contents, Still playing with some bands here and there. Currently recording materials for what would hopefully be my solo Album, alongside gigging extensively with Sugar Hiccup... Providing a different guitar sound from what we used to hear from them.... Interesting? check out the gigs please

I don't know what comes next cause I live my life on a day to day basis right now.

Bio

I started getting into music when I was about 9 or 10 playing bugle and drums in a parade band sponsored by the local government. It was during the late 80's when both the "hair band" (in America) and the "new wave" (in Europe) were at their peak that I got into guitar oriented music. I enjoyed listening to Heart, Bon Jovi, Police, REM, Billy Idol, Depeche Mode, Gene Loves Jezebel, the Cure, Smiths, and Most of all U2... It was "The Edge" that really made me want to play guitar (the anti hero guitar hero vibe really got into me). These two different schools of Rock & Roll became the foundation of my playing style. But as I grew playing music I began to look at and enjoy stuff by... Rush, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, and Ritchie Kotzen (who by the way Inspired me to sing, write, and record songs all by myself another reason of course is that it's cheaper doing it yourself). I still don't consider myself the guitar hero type cause I fell in love with these artists primarily because of their songs and how their guitar playing complemented those songs not just because they played killer solos. I wanted to have formal music training in college but my folks didn't want me to just like most parents during those times so I had to get the rest of my education from playing with as many bands as I could and by listening to diverse artists from Rush to Jewel and everything in between. I've played with bands like... Switchblade, Sub-Species, Naked Lunch, Jen Someone, 5am, 3CT, Wickermoss, and Homegrown. I've played with hundreds of bands, and artist (of course it's a hyperbolic expression) with varying styles of music both live and in the studio. But I have a reputation of freaking out whenever a band or artist I'm working with starts to get major gigs and exposures... three of the bands I've mentioned all got signed and got record deals one them to a Major Label. All of them did it without me, I took off just before going to production. I promised myself I won't do it again to the next band that I'm going to be part of if ever they will have a similar opportunity. I am also a Sound Engineer and has produced a number of Radio Ads for Globe Ringback Tones, Mixed a couple of Indie Records, produced and played on tons of Demos of different artists most of which made it on the Radio despite their unreleased nature, a couple of them landed Record deals from major and indie labels. Even my twelve year day job is Music oriented, I worked as a supervisor for two of the largest Music equipment retail company in the country G.A. Yupangco and JB Music and Sports respectively. You can say that I'm a Music Junkie, I love anything remotely connected to music. Lately I've been busy doing sound design and mixing audio for a TV show at Studio23 called 6underground Live and Raw which airs every Sunday at 10:45pm. The show features up and coming local bands from the underground scene as well as big named bands doing their thing live at a Bar Gig where real music happens, the show also has a radio version on NU Rock 107FM every Tuesday at 10:00pm. Aside from that I'm also kinda busy with my new band Called PearlDrive two years after a supposed retirement in 2006 with my departure from Homegrown.