hawaii121 wrote:"[b]I just read Marty's threads and so much of it mirrors the PM I sent you.
Perhaps we were cloned in different hemispheres!
For the "old dogs" who don't know how to play songs all the way through,
Joe Walsh's advice was gold for learning new tricks:
"Get every Beatles album.
Learn to play every song by heart.
Then go listen to Crosby Stills and Nash.
Ignore what Stills and Nash are singing,
Listen to Crosby. The elusive 4th."
Spot on advice Simon... Being one of the afore mentioned "old dogs" (lol). I feel the need to explain myself a little more. I guess what I really mean is that I haven't made it a priority to learn cover stuff in these last couple of years getting back into playing. I played for 4 hours on Saturday night with a group of guys and, with the exception of two songs, we expanded original material and just let the music flow. I still do sit down and learn things through and I do find value in doing it, because it helps me steal riffs and ideas for my own stuff and I'm still thinking about that persona I mentioned (
). But at the same time, I definitely don't have a big vocabulary with cover stuff (unless you like The Cult as I think I played way too much of their stuff when I was younger!). Ultimately, I am slowly trying to build my way to being the player that I feel I let go because of bad decisions and LOTS of beer
. Instead of doing everything by ear, I've started in roads to learning my theory and becoming a player with more depth.
At this point, I really love playing at home and getting together with others in the studio at loud volumes
. I haven't really had a calling to do much more than that. I think that might all change when I done with this last round of grad school and have more time. For now it's cool and I live vicariously through all of you guys!
Hey Donnel,
Any road is valid.
Jamming, recording, writing, playing in a small bar or large festival.
It's all good and Joe Walsh's advice is applicable to ANY of those
or those who were inspired by the:
- fame, money, chix, cars, drugs -
and I dare say Joe nailed them better along with the playing.
I think what he said about Crosby can enlighten more to what Joe Walsh said was the "ghost” element.
It can shape how you listen to things and can actually bring a different approach to what you play,
when you record and the requirement is specific, or you get asked to play with a different artist at a gig.
Eric Johnson said everyone goes through someone else and so did he to evolve his own sound.
In his instructional DVD he peels off all the players who influenced him from Clapton's Cream Days-
Hendrix and even Chet Atkins- as he's showing you how to roll off the harp like harmonics that Tommy Emmanuel
put in his sonic arsenal. Speaking of which, I got a great PM from Marty
who was fortunate enough to get to a really small gig he did and got up close and personal.
When I read Marty’s influences, I think many were similar to mine.
But if I listen to Marty’s clips- then I realize how good a player he is with his own voice.
I also love EVH's radio interview (which can be found on YouTube) where he's saying he learnt the "Crossroads” solo off by heart.
When asked to show/ prove it...he just peels it off note for note.
Pete (PJ) and I went to an Albert Lee clinic recently and I was surprised to hear that he doesn't read.
He said in early sessions he was called in for,
he'd sneak over to the piano player and ask him to play the part he had just been given-
and was memorizing it as the piano player played it!
I figure that's a well trained ear!
We're a hybrid of who we came through (as this thread shows) while trying to find our own "voice."
I'll bet Lars (Huckleboogie), Donner, PJ, Bobby D, Marty, Bill,
could pick who some of the influences of the players
they mentioned,
because of the way
those guys played or sound
like the influences they channel in their playing.
e.g. you can here John Mayer chasing SRV, Mark Knopfler will sometimes give glimpses of Hank Marvin etc.
Bill's thread was a great idea
whether you came through influences
or were "inspired by their overall scene,"
and play, write, record,or just rant.
I’d like to hear what other musicians people listened to!!!!
Andy Summers did a few years of classical,
listened to Coltrane, Ornette Colman, funk etc.
that would be another angle to the thread-
i.e. people other than guitarists you listen/ ed to as well as guitar influences
= inspiration.
. He spent countless hours learning and studying the great blues masters, Hendrix, jeff beck....
