Wow.

So, I get an email from Carl Verheyen, last night. He's in town, and going to be preforming. He offered to add me to the guest list. I, of course, accepted!

He's backing up a singer/songwriter/guitarist. Apparently, he played on her CD about a year ago. And she flew Carl and a pianist named Nelson Cole out to play a couple of nights at a local performance hall called Windsong Performance Center. There is also a really top notch studio in there. So nice sounding, that I'm thrilled it's here!

I have a copy of Ted Ludwig's newest CD, that was recorded there. It sounds fantastic. Ted is a New Orleans transplant, since the "Exodus" from Katrina. Really a nice guy, and a great player. Little Rock is all the better, for having Ted making music here.

Here's some info on Ted:

http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?Art...fb-a66b-52ad8b032816

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1119131123&channel=1922839

Back on topic, now:

Windsong is a BEAUTIFUL facility. The main performance hall seats about 300, and has a chamber of some sort below the stage. This makes the whole stage and acoustic amplifier of sorts. I don't know all of the engineering aspects of it. But, the sound is top-notch. Very inspiring place to listen and perform.

Here's a link to Carl's MySpace page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.vi...le&friendID=78594442

Here's Windsong's Page: http://www.windsongcenter.com/

I couldn't find Nelson Cole's Bio, etc. But, he's an L.A. guy. Really great musician, from what I could tell. He and Carl had never met, before these shows. But, they really meshed well. A tribute to their respective professionalism, I suppose.

Anyway, I learned a lot, just watching and listening.

Most of the songs were in the same couple of keys. Just a handful of chords. So it was great to see what these guys could do with the same 3 or 4 chords, for 90+ minutes. Carl seemed so comfortable injecting his thing into the songs. Really made me feel better about what I strive to do. Because I always try to play what I want to hear. I've tried to copy other players, but it always comes off as only half-real (to me, anyway). I have done a few recording sessions for others. I have tried to give the artists' what they seemed to want. i.e. "Eric Clapton" on this track, or "Doc Watson" on that one. More standard "just like the radio" stuff. But, I am usually much more pleased with myself, when I can do what I consider "my thing". Listening to Carl do his thing over these Bluesy songs, was re-affirming to me. Since I make my living teaching, I have decided to continue with doing my thing. If I was a full-time session guy, I may have to make concessions. But, you know what? I'm not. So......I may not get many calls. But, the ones I do will be things I can really sink my teeth into.

Anyway, it was a very cool lesson for me. Also, I got to hear a great player make 2 of the studio's Twins, an XOTIC BB, BOSS Tuner, BOSS Delay and Reverb pedals, and a Mexican Strat sound incredible. He didn't have his usual rig. But he still sounded like Carl. It's all in the head and hands.

After the show, there was an Artists' Meet and Greet session. Carl came out and found me, bought me a beer (Thanks again, Carl!), and sat with me to talk.

He was so nice and personable. Just like he comes across in the different interviews and things I've read about him. Gracious, too. He sat and listened, while I rambled on. We probably talked for an hour! He shared some great stories, and we talked about different venues for him to come play. I'm hoping he'll be making regular stops in Arkansas, now. Little Rock/North Little Rock is a really nice mid-sized town. We've got a lot going on right now, and the city is really working to become a destination place, for people from all over. And I'm working towards getting some of those "West Coast" guys to come here every year. Maybe a "Guitar Festival" type of thing?

Next time Carl comes to town, maybe I can take him around to some of the local clubs and hangs. Heck, I may even buy a beer, or two!

So, a story I thought I'd share, along with the lesson I received. Sorry to be long-winded (okay, not really sorry!). But, it was a cool night.

Very cool experience and story Swain. I have one quick but very poignant Carl Verheyen story ... years ago at a clinic at either LAMA or MI (I can't remember anymore) somebody asked him what kind of picks he used. He said Fender mediums (or heavys?) ... "you can get them ANYWHERE". In other words, if you're gonna travel for work, don't be reliant on something you can only get in NY or LA. OK, so I still use Dunlop 'gators' but the point was well taken - especially when my favorite 'Pickboy' jazz heavys were discontinued for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by Swain: After the show, there was an Artists' Meet and Greet session. Carl came out and found me, bought me a beer (Thanks again, Carl!), and sat with me to talk.

He was so nice and personable. Just like he comes across in the different interviews and things I've read about him. Gracious, too. He sat and listened, while I rambled on. We probably talked for an hour!


He shared some great stories, and we talked about different venues for him to come play.

It's always cool to meet a noteable musician and find that they're still genuinely curious about their craft, and it's icing when they're also a nice person. I'm happy to say that most of the folks I've met that I've looked up to musically have also presented themselves as nice people. I think you can hear it in their music. The successful egotistical pricks have really and truly been far and few between.

quote:

Also, I got to hear a great player make... a Mexican Strat sound incredible. He didn't have his usual rig. But he still sounded like Carl. It's all in the head and hands.

I've said it before, but I love my Mexican strat above every American, Japanese, Custom Shop, or vintage Stratocaster that I've played. Not that this was your primary point, of course.

quote:

Anyway, I learned a lot, just watching and listening.

Most of the songs were in the same couple of keys. Just a handful of chords. So it was great to see what these guys could do with the same 3 or 4 chords, for 90+ minutes. Carl seemed so comfortable injecting his thing into the songs. Really made me feel better about what I strive to do. Because I always try to play what I want to hear. I've tried to copy other players, but it always comes off as only half-real (to me, anyway). I have done a few recording sessions for others. I have tried to give the artists' what they seemed to want. i.e. "Eric Clapton" on this track, or "Doc Watson" on that one. More standard "just like the radio" stuff. But, I am usually much more pleased with myself, when I can do what I consider "my thing". Listening to Carl do his thing over these Bluesy songs, was re-affirming to me. Since I make my living teaching, I have decided to continue with doing my thing. If I was a full-time session guy, I may have to make concessions. But, you know what? I'm not. So......I may not get many calls. But, the ones I do will be things I can really sink my teeth into.

Good on you, and this, for me, is the meat and potatoes of your post, and what most compells me to comment.

I'm reminded of a session I was called upon to do in the 80's. At this point, I was young, green, and hungry for work, and I didn't always ask the right questions prior to accepting a job. I can look back on this scenario in retrospect and see it as the personal catalyst that it was.

Anyway, as to that recording date. Not surprisingly for the times, I was told that I'd need to ape an Eddie Van Halen type of solo, and something clicked in my head. Well sure, I'd soaked up some of the stuff, more peripherally than anything else, as I was way more into other noises during the era. I'm sure I could've gotten through it, but it didn't feel right. I set about to collect my gear, and the artist and producer seemed perplexed. Basically, I said that I appreciated the call and the vote of confidence, but that I wasn't the right guy for the job. I went on to explain that I knew dozens of guys that lived, slept, and breathed EVH, offered some references, and respectfully forfeited the job and begged apologies for having wasted anybody's time.

I'm not sure exactly what "my thing" is, but that's what I try to bring to the table if I'm fortunate enough to get hired. At this point, the primary thing that I can offer is arrangement, texture, and production values. Sometimes, cool electric guitar noises figure into that, and other times they don't. I try to be stupidly honest with myself and with prospective clients anymore before accepting a paying gig.

You guys probably know that I want to go pro with music, but I never want to copy anyone. I've always (keep in mind, that's since I was 6) wanted to do something different from what I have ever heard. That's in tone, that's in playing style, that's in lick vocabulary, voicings, everything. The bad side to that would be that I would at some point not be exactly perfect for session work, but if someone would tell me to do 'something EVH-ish' I'd just start up a bit of a shred-mindset, I know I'd still sound like myself. I mean look at all the greats, EVH himself played on some Michael Jackson songs and still did his own thing..

That said, I might be a bit too much of a LSD (Lead Singer Disorder) affected wannabe rockstar for most session work. I'll see how it works out, let's just practise first (:


Oh and Swain, I couldn't find any info on that natural amplification thing you said, do you have any more info on how that works? I'm a bit of a science and physics geek in my spare time

As long as you can read well and can do it in many styles and tonal colors, having your "own voice" as a session player is VERY desirable. That's how we know who all those great session players are.

I have a session today where the e-mail from the client (TV prod. co. for a commercial that was sent to me by the music producer) expressly states ... "sort of Sheryl Crow 'all I wanna do' but heavier for a male audience, like the chili peppers version of 'Love Rollercoaster' and absolutely NO John Mellencamp guitars". ( ?) All the "romance" of being a pro musician aside - that's de riguer for session players. So I'll pretend to actually pay attention to those ludicrous instructions and then just do what I think it needs. I'm bringing a Les Paul, Box of Rock and a Choralflange. The house amp or POD will be fine whatever it is. It's a 30 second clip. I'm sure no one will ever know it's "me" but I'm not going to do anything other than what "me" would normally do on the track.

All they care about is that I give them something that they can use and don't take more than an hour.

quote:

Originally posted by klasaine:I have a session today where the e-mail from the client (TV prod. co. for a commercial that was sent to me by the music producer) expressly states ... "sort of Sheryl Crow 'all I wanna do' but heavier for a male audience, like the chili peppers version of 'Love Rollercoaster' and absolutely NO John Mellencamp guitars". ( ?) All the "romance" of being a pro musician aside - that's de riguer for session players. So I'll pretend to actually pay attention to those ludicrous instructions and then just do what I think it needs.

That's funny as hell. Reminds me of a classic Tommy Tedesco story. Tommy was at a session and his chart called for "Spanish guitar". He picked up his nylon string, and as was Tommy's calling card, proceeded to sight read the piss out of it and play it dead nuts perfect on the first go. However, the leaded halted the take, and said, "No, no, no, I specifically requested SPANISH GUITAR!" Tommy placed the guitar on its stand, waited a moment, picked it back up, and said that he was ready for another go. He played the part exactly as he had the first time, with the same guitar, and this time the tape was allowed to roll for the duration. Upon completion of which, the leader was ecstatic that he'd gotten exactly what he desired.

There was this one date I recall where the leader said to me, "Can you make it sound, I don't know... more green or something?" More green? What the hell is that? I'm not Stevie Wonder, and existentialism is not my forte. I'm afraid I'm going to need a little bit more information.

quote:

Originally posted by Corleone:
...more green...

Tube Screamer, maybe? (:

quote:

Originally posted by klasaine:
"sort of Sheryl Crow 'all I wanna do' but heavier for a male audience, like the chili peppers version of 'Love Rollercoaster' and absolutely NO John Mellencamp guitars". ( ?)

Isn't that the sound you SPECIALIZE in??

In all truthfulness, yes - it is the sound I specialize in. At least it was that day. That was a particularly funny "concept/direction" letter which is why it was sent to me before hand, but you know ... "all in a days work".
And it turns out that the session was for a nature show about a bear (Discovery channel). I also had to "ape" the song "I wanna be a Cowboy" which turned into "I wanna be like Bear Now". It just kept getting better and better. Hopefully none of it will actually see the light of day, whew!

quote:

Originally posted by klasaine:
In all truthfulness, yes - it is the sound I specialize in. At least it was that day. That was a particularly funny "concept/direction" letter which is why it was sent to me before hand, but you know ... "all in a days work".
And it turns out that the session was for a nature show about a bear (Discovery channel). I also had to "ape" the song "I wanna be a Cowboy" which turned into "I wanna be like Bear Now". It just kept getting better and better. Hopefully none of it will actually see the light of day, whew!

My personal favorite is doing hip hop sessions. You know, "Yo dog, gimme da Limp Bizkit, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath kinda vibe". Uhhhh, OK. I always take it to mean bring the big EL34 amp and turn up VERY LOUD. You can't hear yourself think in the studio, but it is fun to watch hip hop guys do their version of head-banging.

I did one solo once for a commercial thing I came in prepared accoridng to teh chord progression going underneath... didi my 'worked' part they didn't like it so I ended up doing a 3 pass playing some pentatonic stuff and we blended the 3 into one... start, middle, finish were all from a different part but seemed to do it for them so you just never know... I don't focus on that much pre-worked stuff since.

About the 'make it green' comment... I had the "I need more purple" once as an engineer! Like I have a purple know on the board what the fuck! SO once in an electronic surplus I bought a bunch of colored knobs that I kept handy in my lunch bag for those occasions and I'd put some colors on a dead strip and have them adjust it themself! It sounded better with those on... I do think that green sounds better tho

I did one solo once for a commercial thing I came in prepared accoridng to teh chord progression going underneath... didi my 'worked' part they didn't like it so I ended up doing a 3 pass playing some pentatonic stuff and we blended the 3 into one... start, middle, finish were all from a different part but seemed to do it for them so you just never know... I don't focus on that much pre-worked stuff since.

About the 'make it green' comment... I had the "I need more purple" once as an engineer! Like I have a purple know on the board what the fuck! SO once in an electronic surplus I bought a bunch of colored knobs that I kept handy in my lunch bag for those occasions and I'd put some colors on a dead strip and have them adjust it themself! It sounded better with those on... I do think that green sounds better tho