Maybe I suck?...... tone snobery discussion inside...

[j2379]

I do suck but I've always been a high gain no FX guy. I have found high wattage speakers help. For a while I had an old Cerwin Vega 2x12 500watt constant rated cab, now I swear by EVMs. They don't mud up and handle all the gain I can throw at them and actually make my rectoverbs cleans sound much better than the V30 cab IMO.

[xenophobe]

The problem that we have is these guys spend so much time on setting up the lighting, pyrotechnics and the mains and they spend next to no time on the monitoring system. We have a 15,000 watt main system and a 8,000 watt monitor system. We can have any mix we want into any of the 4 stage monitors. Usually... that's were we fall apart.

Yeah, see in that type of situation, you need a band member that is a full time board guy.. like if you have any musician friends who are competent enough to run a board and are fans of the band. Just someone dedicated and who know what you're supposed to sound like.

Do you still run your own board a larger clubs? I dunno what you do regularly, but it sounds like you play out enough that it would make a big difference.

Many of the bands I've been in have never paid attention or needed to be schooled about this stuff, for the most part.

[horns666]

YES..I truly suck. I stink so much people gather like flies on a turd. My style is a little more than odd.

RON..you dick !!!!..Matt...John...Xeno...fuggums.

You can find me on my wife's FB masterbating with a boat paddle and Line 6. I used to be lost without a Floyd.

I always change things up..picks, amps, ect. I was so anal about settings, and gain. I had to use strickly clean tones to tranfer what I made up on bass 30yrs ago to guitar. I could NEVER play that stuff on guitar. The spacing/strings were WAY too small. Not amymore. Now I'm learning how to slap/funk on guitar..like I did on bass. My finfernails keep getting snagged on the strings tho. I'm gettin' the hang of it tho.

I HATE "safe" predicable guitar playing no matter how good. I'm from the EVH school. I like playing with fire..it's fun.

I can sound EXACTLY like Zakk Wylde, and Eddie. I try to avoid NOT to sounding like them. A freind said I sound like Buckethead. Geez..he put out almost 300 albums. WTF??!! No I'm not putting a KFC bucket on my head. Maybe a Popeye's Box..and just cover Jake E Lee material for Ozzy.

[horns666]

John, I don't scoff at younger players that hang around Guitar Center. Some can SMOKE or hang with both of us in their own right. Sure, they're not bluse based like we are. That could be alienating or different to veterens. But I remember being 16, and hearing countless times how Eddie Van Halen didn't have feeling. He was using nothing but effects, distortion and tricks ect. Dinosaurs that nailed Page, Clapton, Stones, The Guess Who, Eagles, Grand Funk, yada..yada..

Check out bands like Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Polyphia, and my son's favorite C.H.O.N. My son nails that kinda shit. That is NOT my language at all. I scoffed at it for a while, but it raised his game. I blame Guthrie Goven, AKA White Man's Jesus...AMAZING player, and teacher ..I HATE his music (Weather Channel Shred). Much like Vai..he's pure genius (For the love of God) Blue Powder ect..and then he sucks while playing with his Eventide or whatever. No, I mean he IS making noises most times. He does like aliens, and little green men...

John you're a VERY, seasoned, good player. You been there done that. You always remind us...haha. But you're not raising bars or inventing wheels man, neither am I. Come down to earth. Don't raise your status by lowering others. I KNOW people like that personally, and they're not that good, very insecure. But YOU are better than them. For one..you're a fellow DAGO..It's in our DNA, and I'd love to jam with you.

Did you SEE the MP3 section..there's a women with an 8 string Perpetual Burn. I've been a fan of Messiah's Kiss since 2001, He's there too, Sergio is crazy good, Moshwitz ect. Now, I would LOVE to trade off with the likes of them in a original song. I was NEVER a human jukebox. Wait,..yes, I was. In that Van Halen Tribute bullshit. That got OLD fast. I winged all the bass lines. I couldn't listen to VH for 10+ years from that shit. During that time I discovered MANY players during the 90's that raised the bar so high. Mike Romeo, Jeff Loomis, Rusty Cooley, Victor Smolski, Chris Broderick, Peter Witchers, Frederick Akkerson ect. I also know countless comtemporary players, and the list keeps growing ..Andy James, Marco Sfgoli, Nick Cordle, ..Andy James would do players like Gary Moore proud. Kristian Niemann would make Uli proud. PER NILSSON...??? He's in Kaipa now..

Yes..that whole Djent thing (hate it). MANY players did buy 7-8 strings and went beyond the G string. Players I personally know, and like myself learned to play 7. Pushing my own limits to the standards of nobody but my own.

I know quitters that blame everything and everyone but themselves. My son quit playing drums and ..now guitar because of working?...Girlfreind..?? My dad tells me, he's not into it like I am. How do you get to a level of excellence and just fuggin' quit..??

Well I'm just venting a bit. Like I said. We have mutual respect for playing/tone here, and the world around us. I avoid ALL things from other teachers/players to cultivate my own sig. Soley going by inspiration and ears, nothing further. Guthrie Guven is one hell of a teacher. But, now alot of kids are playing like him in the bands I mentioned above. I had to show Vinny who Frank Gambale/Holdsworth was because he thought instrumental/prog/fushion is something new. I showed him Varney's spotlight with Oct/'88 Gambale on the cover. My old freind, Dave is right next to Kotzen, and played with him, Gilbert, Jack Starr and Howe in PA. We exchanged ideas, stuff, techniques ect. He was Endorsed by Carvin and gave me his Carvin bass rig. I showed him tapping, he showed me slapping. Recently a freind was breaking down Malmsteen, and I had to INSIST ...I don't want to learn fuggin' Malmsteen!!! There's 10,000 Yngwie clones ...I don't want to be 10,001.

I know someone who refused the Ozzy, and Megadave slot. But this player doesn't have feeling. Deja-Vu 1982.
Respect,

Bill Z

[xenophobe]

Yes..that whole Djent thing (hate it). MANY players did buy 7-8 strings and went beyond the G string. Players I personally know, and like myself learned to play 7. Pushing my own limits and keeping them. To the standards of nobody but my own

Aren't you glad you picked up a 7? They're a lot of fun.

[horns666]

Aren't you glad you picked up a 7? They're a lot of fun.

....Absolutely Xenosaurus Rex!! I want to buy another with scalloped frets beyond the the 12. My friend of Dark Arena has one. He's great !!! I'm all hot for that kinda shit. He just did a killer Ghost cover of Mummy Dust. It's posted on reverbnation. He's doing the vox and bass too. He's got a cool 8 string...no way man. Not ready for 8 yet like Joe!!

I'll prolly adapt to 8 because I'm used to playing bass...I can see that.

[pianoguyy]

Jack up the gain. And then add more gain. Don't forget the reverb verb erb.
Let the sound man worry about making you sound pretty FOH. That's why he gets paid.

[xenophobe]

....Absolutely Xenosaurus Rex!! I want to buy another with scalloped frets beyond the the 12. My friend of Dark Arena has one. He's great !!! I'm all hot for that kinda shit. He just did a killer Ghost cover of Mummy Dust. It's posted on reverbnation. He's doing the vox and bass too. He's got a cool 8 string...no way man. Not ready for 8 yet like Joe!!

I'll prolly adapt to 8 because I'm used to playing bass...I can see that.

7 is fun it's just like a guitar with an extra string... a good 8 is nothing like bass or a guitar... It's strangely more in-between, especially if you're playing longer scale 8's...

I really want a multiscale 7 right now. lol

[horns666]

7 is fun it's just like a guitar with an extra string... a good 8 is nothing like bass or a guitar... It's strangely more in-between, especially if you're playing longer scale 8's...

I really want a multiscale 7 right now. lol

Dammit Pianoguyy is making sense again. OK, I have TONS of headroom using my awesome, Marshall rack. I rely on the JMP-1 gain. Not tons of gain..think Loudness, Van Halen, Glen Drover, and Edge of thorns Oliva. It's basically two JCM2210s ran in stereo. The JVM has more gain. The Uberschall has tons of gain, but the louder you crank it..the cleaner and tighter it is. I use nothing but a cord with the Marshalls. I must run a NG with the Uber, 6505, and even the Blackstar. No matter what amp I use..think Loudness, Van Halen, Glen Drover..and Edge of thorns Criss Oliva. It must be something making all those amps sound EXACTLY alike. I love my cheap, faithful 30wt Line6 Spiders too...play them every night. ........Damn wife's tablet won't space a damn! Yes, Xeno, I must try my friends 8 string. Evil tones man...prolly sounds like Loudness, Van Halen, Glen Drover...prolly more like Jeff Loomis than Criss Oliva tho. That tone just makes me go there instantly..

[jgcable]

John, I don't scoff at younger players that hang around Guitar Center. Some can SMOKE or hang with both of us in their own right. Sure, they're not bluse based like we are. That could be alienating or different to veterens. But I remember being 16, and hearing countless times how Eddie Van Halen didn't have feeling. He was using nothing but effects, distortion and tricks ect. Dinosaurs that nailed Page, Clapton, Stones, The Guess Who, Eagles, Grand Funk, yada..yada..

Check out bands like Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Polyphia, and my son's favorite C.H.O.N. My son nails that kinda shit. That is NOT my language at all. I scoffed at it for a while, but it raised his game. I blame Guthrie Goven, AKA White Man's Jesus...AMAZING player, and teacher ..I HATE his music (Weather Channel Shred). Much like Vai..he's pure genius (For the love of God) Blue Powder ect..and then he sucks while playing with his Eventide or whatever. No, I mean he IS making noises most times. He does like aliens, and little green men...

John you're a VERY, seasoned, good player. You been there done that. You always remind us...haha. But you're not raising bars or inventing wheels man, neither am I. Come down to earth. Don't raise your status by lowering others. I KNOW people like that personally, and they're not that good, very insecure. But YOU are better than them. For one..you're a fellow DAGO..It's in our DNA, and I'd love to jam with you.

Did you SEE the MP3 section..there's a women with an 8 string Perpetual Burn. I've been a fan of Messiah's Kiss since 2001, He's there too, Sergio is crazy good, Moshwitz ect. Now, I would LOVE to trade off with the likes of them in a original song. I was NEVER a human jukebox. Wait,..yes, I was. In that Van Halen Tribute bullshit. That got OLD fast. I winged all the bass lines. I couldn't listen to VH for 10+ years from that shit. During that time I discovered MANY players during the 90's that raised the bar so high. Mike Romeo, Jeff Loomis, Rusty Cooley, Victor Smolski, Chris Broderick, Peter Witchers, Frederick Akkerson ect. I also know countless comtemporary players, and the list keeps growing ..Andy James, Marco Sfgoli, Nick Cordle, ..Andy James would do players like Gary Moore proud. Kristian Niemann would make Uli proud. PER NILSSON...??? He's in Kaipa now..

Yes..that whole Djent thing (hate it). MANY players did buy 7-8 strings and went beyond the G string. Players I personally know, and like myself learned to play 7. Pushing my own limits to the standards of nobody but my own.

I know quitters that blame everything and everyone but themselves. My son quit playing drums and ..now guitar because of working?...Girlfreind..?? My dad tells me, he's not into it like I am. How do you get to a level of excellence and just fuggin' quit..??

Well I'm just venting a bit. Like I said. We have mutual respect for playing/tone here, and the world around us. I avoid ALL things from other teachers/players to cultivate my own sig. Soley going by inspiration and ears, nothing further. Guthrie Guven is one hell of a teacher. But, now alot of kids are playing like him in the bands I mentioned above. I had to show Vinny who Frank Gambale/Holdsworth was because he thought instrumental/prog/fushion is something new. I showed him Varney's spotlight with Oct/'88 Gambale on the cover. My old freind, Dave is right next to Kotzen, and played with him, Gilbert, Jack Starr and Howe in PA. We exchanged ideas, stuff, techniques ect. He was Endorsed by Carvin and gave me his Carvin bass rig. I showed him tapping, he showed me slapping. Recently a freind was breaking down Malmsteen, and I had to INSIST ...I don't want to learn fuggin' Malmsteen!!! There's 10,000 Yngwie clones ...I don't want to be 10,001.

I know someone who refused the Ozzy, and Megadave slot. But this player doesn't have feeling. Deja-Vu 1982.
Respect,

Bill Z

I agree with just about all of this. There is one thing I notice with most if not all of the "new" players that I hear. Especially the local ones who hang at Guitar Center and play all afternoon with their girlfriend watching them... lol....
Typically.. if they are what I would consider a GOOD player... they sound GREAT for a few minutes. Then.. they run out of material. To me... the young shredders of today have the attention span of an ant and the body of work to go along with it. Now... you could say that I had the same thing when I was their age but in my EDUCATED guess.... they aren't going to progress. I can't tell you how many kids who are REALLY good for a few minutes have no idea who SRV is or who ULI is or who Blackmore is or Clapton. They don't know a lick of anything from Hendrix. They can't play any blues. They only know a very narrow body of work and judging on how kids are nowadays... (I raised 3 of them), they will only know that very narrow body of work. What does this mean? It means when they are sitting next to the old guy at Guitar Center (that old guy is me of course), they are running neck and neck with me and many times they are blowing my doors off for about 2 minutes. Then... they run out of gas and I keep going and going and going. When they ask me questions I usually tell them to pick up a SRV instructional DVD and learn it cover to cover. Then.... pick up anything by Uli Jon Roth. Learn it. Then... study Hendrix. Then... Gary Moore.
It takes an open mind to be a great player. You need to be fluent in as many music languages as possible.

[jgcable]

Dammit Pianoguyy is making sense again. OK, I have TONS of headroom using my awesome, Marshall rack. I rely on the JMP-1 gain. Not tons of gain..think Loudness, Van Halen, Glen Drover, and Edge of thorns Oliva. It's basically two JCM2210s ran in stereo. The JVM has more gain. The Uberschall has tons of gain, but the louder you crank it..the cleaner and tighter it is. I use nothing but a cord with the Marshalls. I must run a NG with the Uber, 6505, and even the Blackstar. No matter what amp I use..think Loudness, Van Halen, Glen Drover..and Edge of thorns Criss Oliva. It must be something making all those amps sound EXACTLY alike. I love my cheap, faithful 30wt Line6 Spiders too...play them every night. ........Damn wife's tablet won't space a damn! Yes, Xeno, I must try my friends 8 string. Evil tones man...prolly sounds like Loudness, Van Halen, Glen Drover...prolly more like Jeff Loomis than Criss Oliva tho. That tone just makes me go there instantly..

I heard your tone many times Bill..... you get it. Absolutely.

[horns666]

I agree with just about all of this. There is one thing I notice with most if not all of the "new" players that I hear. Especially the local ones who hang at Guitar Center and play all afternoon with their girlfriend watching them... lol....
Typically.. if they are what I would consider a GOOD player... they sound GREAT for a few minutes. Then.. they run out of material. To me... the young shredders of today have the attention span of an ant and the body of work to go along with it. Now... you could say that I had the same thing when I was their age but in my EDUCATED guess.... they aren't going to progress. I can't tell you how many kids who are REALLY good for a few minutes have no idea who SRV is or who ULI is or who Blackmore is or Clapton. They don't know a lick of anything from Hendrix. They can't play any blues. They only know a very narrow body of work and judging on how kids are nowadays... (I raised 3 of them), they will only know that very narrow body of work. What does this mean? It means when they are sitting next to the old guy at Guitar Center (that old guy is me of course), they are running neck and neck with me and many times they are blowing my doors off for about 2 minutes. Then... they run out of gas and I keep going and going and going. When they ask me questions I usually tell them to pick up a SRV instructional DVD and learn it cover to cover. Then.... pick up anything by Uli Jon Roth. Learn it. Then... study Hendrix. Then... Gary Moore.
It takes an open mind to be a great player. You need to be fluent in as many music languages as possible.

Hahhaa..seriously. We may be related. You summed that balls on Goomba! My son, and his freinds ALL play. But I'm just an old boring dad, until they show enthusiam. I think we can go for years without running out of ideas or repeating ourselves. An old freind insisted I couldn't play the same thing twice..boy was he wrong! Most times I must learn my old riffs/songs. I thought Eddie completely lost it, probably during his divorce, booze..He nails ALL the old stuff without effort (Kimmel show). I just can't stand the looks or sound of DLR these days. They should just do it old Cream style, and hopefully Wolfie (great musician) could hold down the fort. I can see that happening. Yngwie is a great singer. Uli is my very favorite guitarist, but his singing has slightly improved. I know he's all about Jimi and classical. He's a classical musician thru n' thru that happens to play guitar. He doesn't touch his guitar unless he's recording/touring ect..It's all Violin/Piano.

Uli doesn't get the credit due until the last decade. I mean as a innovator. The first to expand the electric guitar, 7 strings, three octaves, even designed a longer whammy bar in his early days. His first solo '78 "Earthquake' covers every trick in the modern book. Volume swells, sweeping, and the best technical, melodic solos ever recorded. You have to suffer his vocals at that time, but as a electric-classical guitarist, he is without equal. The solo to "Still so many lives away" still gives me chills..his lead playing is far from Jimi's, unless he's covering him. Yngwie is an amazing blend of Uli/Blackmoor on steroids, and I LOVE him. But he falls way short of Uli's dynamics IMO.

I get bored with Yngwie after a few songs, that not the case with the true master. Oh, and Uli is much older and getting better with age. Am I the only one that thinks Yngwie is actually starting to sound...erm...sloppy? I saw him on TMS, and Val/Vinny said 'Yngwie kinda sounds like you'..it wasn't flattery. I asked "Do I sound like Uli?" (fuck, do I try)...in stereo 'NO..!" I play the same notes...."No..!" That guy in the Deep Purple tribute said I sound like him..."No...!" ..Well, Ok then..

I'm still striving to sound like Uli..it's my goal. Eddie, Zakk, Dime, Criss Oliva and a dash of Loomis.. blah..blah. I want to sound like Uli. I'm just hard-wired metal, and that's what it is. When I play Purple Haze..it's with squeals and shit. I got that from Eddie. It is what it be.

More kids should hear him. I took Vinny years ago, and he was pretty blown away by it all. He's the ONLY guitar player that gived my wife the goosebumps. She told him that, and he laughed. Second to Uli I think her favorite players are MacAlpine, Gary Moore...and Joe Satriani.

She loves Jeff Loomis too, but mostly in Nevermore. She's numb to my playing

[jgcable]

Hahhaa..seriously. We may be related. You summed that balls on Goomba! My son, and his freinds ALL play. But I'm just an old boring dad, until they show enthusiam. I think we can go for years without running out of ideas or repeating ourselves. An old freind insisted I couldn't play the same thing twice..boy was he wrong! Most times I must learn my old riffs/songs. I thought Eddie completely lost it, probably during his divorce, booze..He nails ALL the old stuff without effort (Kimmel show). I just can't stand the looks or sound of DLR these days. They should just do it old Cream style, and hopefully Wolfie (great musician) could hold down the fort. I can see that happening. Yngwie is a great singer. Uli is my very favorite guitarist, but his singing has slightly improved. I know he's all about Jimi and classical. He's a classical musician thru n' thru that happens to play guitar. He doesn't touch his guitar unless he's recording/touring ect..It's all Violin/Piano.

Uli doesn't get the credit due until the last decade. I mean as a innovator. The first to expand the electric guitar, 7 strings, three octaves, even designed a longer whammy bar in his early days. His first solo '78 "Earthquake' covers every trick in the modern book. Volume swells, sweeping, and the best technical, melodic solos ever recorded. You have to suffer his vocals at that time, but as a electric-classical guitarist, he is without equal. The solo to "Still so many lives away" still gives me chills..his lead playing is far from Jimi's, unless he's covering him. Yngwie is an amazing blend of Uli/Blackmoor on steroids, and I LOVE him. But he falls way short of Uli's dynamics IMO.

I get bored with Yngwie after a few songs, that not the case with the true master. Oh, and Uli is much older and getting better with age. Am I the only one that thinks Yngwie is actually starting to sound...erm...sloppy? I saw him on TMS, and Val/Vinny said 'Yngwie kinda sounds like you'..it wasn't flattery. I asked "Do I sound like Uli?" (fuck, do I try)...in stereo 'NO..!" I play the same notes...."No..!" That guy in the Deep Purple tribute said I sound like him..."No...!" ..Well, Ok then..

I'm still striving to sound like Uli..it's my goal. Eddie, Zakk, Dime, Criss Oliva and a dash of Loomis.. blah..blah. I want to sound like Uli. I'm just hard-wired metal, and that's what it is. When I play Purple Haze..it's with squeals and shit. I got that from Eddie. It is what it be.

More kids should hear him. I took Vinny years ago, and he was pretty blown away by it all. He's the ONLY guitar player that gived my wife the goosebumps. She told him that, and he laughed. Second to Uli I think her favorite players are MacAlpine, Gary Moore...and Joe Satriani.

She loves Jeff Loomis too, but mostly in Nevermore. She's numb to my playing

Tony Macalpine is probably in my top 3 and the guitar player I aspire to be one day. Gary Moore is the guitar player I sound the most like. The guitar player that inspired me to play is Terry Kath from Chicago. The song is 25 or 6 to 4. At the time.. I played classical piano and I played clarinet in elementary school. I didn't even know the solo in that song was a guitar. As soon as I found out I wanted one. It as a $69.00 Sears Silvertone guitar and it came with an amp for that price. My parents bought it for me at Apex Pawn Brokers in White Plains, NY. The strings were so far off the neck my fingers bled daily. It was almost impossible to play. I struggled with that guitar for 2 years. Eventually I upgraded my amp situation by plugging an old linear power booster into my parents stereo system at home. That was another 2 years. Kids have no idea how good they have it.. yet.... they still stay mostly narrow minded when it comes to studying guitar. Imagine if we had back in the day what they have now!!!

[horns666]

John, We must live in synchronized Matrix shit. My wife made me play Gary Moore last night. She crashed my room while I'm playing/relaxing before bed. She taped it and put it on FB. I haven't played The end of the world solo/intro for 20 yrs. But she heard me Playing Thin Lizzy 'Cold Sweat", and thought that was Gary...Vitamin G saw it. Send a request on FB to Valerie Zurlo. I'm on there with my cheap crap to get tired.

[bucketbrian45]

Lmao Popeyes box!