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I hate these! I can't 'feel' my guitar! If you are a guitar player, and have never played in front of a wall of amps, you owe it to yourself to try that at least once. There's really nothing like it... Being engulfed by sound waves can transport you. This same/similar feeling is even achieved with one small amp in a small club. If the volume of the whole band is loud enough to fill up the room you can also create the 'engulfed by' feeling. This is a feeling we as musicians get used to, especially playing in a band. It makes the idea of playing as a unit, a well oiled machine that moves and breathes together, even more achievable and way more fun. This is what we…

for personal and group use. I get asked a lot what systems I recommend, so I thought it was about time to post some that I own or have used. An In-Ear Monitor (IEM) system is a type of personal monitoring system used by musicians and performers to hear themselves and the rest of the band or music mix during live performances, eliminating the need for floor monitors, or using the floor monitors to augment the in-ears. The system consists of three main components: In-Ear Monitors: These are earphones that fit snugly inside the ear canal and deliver the sound directly to the performer's ears. In-ear monitors come in different shapes and sizes, and can be customized to fit the individual's ear canal for maximum comfort and isolation. Wireless Transmitter:…

It took me quite a while to acclimate to IEMs. For a long time I would only wear one (VERY VERY BAD --- DON'T DO THAT). I'm not just a singer, but a guitar player as well... and we won't even go into what THAT means in terms of 'feeling the air from my guitar amp', although some would say that's code for loud... but moving along let's just say I didn't become an in-ear monitor fanatic without kicking and screaming along the way. However, after using them for at least a year, the benefit to my voice completely out-weighed any challenge I had with the "change of how my on-stage sonic experience" was. I really think that at the end of the day, that WAS the issue. I needed…

I started playing in bands at age 10. That was almost 58 years ago, so I think playing in bands must hold a high priority with me… or I’m too stupid to find something else to do. In any case, I’ve played in a lot of them, and in most cases, I’ve wound up at minimum as the musical director (or thereabouts). Probably because feel is everything to me, and one of the hallmarks of a “good band”. How it feels is really all the audience cares about… so it deserves more than a casual thought. Notice that I named this blog “Playing as a group” rather than “Playing in a band”. I see WAY TOO MANY “Bands” that don’t have a clue how to play as a “Group”.  Learning…

Vocal cord strain, also known as vocal fatigue, occurs when the vocal cords are overused and become inflamed, leading to hoarseness, soreness, and difficulty speaking. It can be caused by factors such as yelling, speaking for extended periods, or having poor vocal hygiene. To treat and prevent vocal cord strain, it's important to rest the voice, stay hydrated, and avoid habits that can irritate the vocal cords. In severe cases, medical treatment may be necessary. I have recently discovered "Straw Phonation" for un-stressing my voice… particularly "The Singing Straw" @ https://singingstraw.com/ Straw phonation refers to a speech therapy technique used to help individuals improve their voice control and quality. The technique involves blowing air through a straw while speaking, creating resistance that helps strengthen the voice muscles and improve breath…

Histrionics or Passion? THIS is a sensitive subject for some. You’re on stage, you know you need to entertain as well as play… so you start to ‘move-around’. You’ve notified your face of the performance-alert, and now you’re smiling (or making big guitar faces ). Yes, sometimes there is stage direction given for show-flow, where to be /when and so forth. However, for me at least, here’s the rub: Is it done with soul-less histrionics, or movement out of passion? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it look like the former… and sometimes the movement looks learned or planned and doesn’t even fit the genre of music. Yes, people respond to energy and motion… but they respond MORE to authenticity (IMHO). I’ve discussed this idea with some…

That sounds like some repressed Yoda shit... but really it’s “give yourself a break for whatever choice you've made for the direction of your life... and just allow yourself to be you." The music is more authentic that way. I bring this up because for YEARS...and I DO MEAN YEARS, I beat myself up not ever being where I wanted to be chops-wise, career-wise, etc. I always would complain about not having time to practice as much as I would like because of needing to have a day job...or being in 6-7 bands, there is always a rehearsal, or a show to learn, and while that IS practicing...it's a different type of practicing, and not one that advances your chops or musical knowledge.  In my old age, I've realized that…

part 1 "the idea" This subject is going to take a few posts to complete, as it's a huge subject, simple as it sounds. Let's call this part 1 - the idea. Look, look, like it’s all just “do-re-mi man” That’s what Lenny Breau taught me, the first and only time I got to take a lesson from him. He died shortly after.  If you don't know who Lenny is, Google him. You can Watch Lenny here: to give you an idea of the genius of this guy. Lenny was a man who learned to play guitar by listening to old Les Paul & Mary Ford records...not knowing that the bass, rhythm and lead parts were played by different guys. He thought it was all one guy...and that's how he learned to play.  Session…

Whether performing live to an audience, recording in the studio, or just playing for fun, I was always taught that you put 150% of you blood, guts and soul into every note, every time. I remember I was around 19 years old, playing with Sparky Hussle at Apple Annie's in Wilmington, CA. I was jumping around being 'showy'...and focusing on the performance rather than the accuracy and soul of the music. My then drummer (now deceased, R.I.P.) Larry Dent motioned me over to the drumset and said; "Elowe, if you're not going to put every ounce of your blood and guts into every note you play, put your guitar down and get the fuck off the stage! There are 100 guys wishing they were standing where you're standing! Get it…

and other Stuff I probably should have kept to myself… #1 - a note to singers Hello all… This is a series I’m thinking of doing, maybe one a month…or at most, every couple of weeks. I hope if you are reading this that you have fun, and that maybe there is a nugget or two that resonates with you. I’ll share lessons I’ve learned along the way, and my weird way of interpreting those lessons. Also, opinions I’ve formed from working with tons of bands, individual musicians , students, producers, etc, etc. I’ll pepper in a few crazy road stories, weird gigs, and quotes I’ve gotten from people you might know. Like here’s one: Steve Lukather told me semi-recently, at the end of a theory discussion, “Just bend shit”!…