Musicians and Others: Less CAN Be More

At least it often can if you'll take a moment, breathe, think a little and imagine...

Most who know much about me or read my posts, listen to music I've done and so on know I'm a "it ain't what you got, it's what you DO with it" sorta guy.

Most who know my dear friend Roy Montroy (bass, keyboards in REZ Band, bass in GKB), is also a fine guitar player and gifted songwriter -as well as having an upcoming solo record in the works. You likely aren't aware he played guitar and wrote as well as re-wrote parody songs for years in a band specifically for pre-wedding parties often joking about the couple about to be married. He also acted with the H.G. Players for years, a true comedian at heart.

In that parody group he led, Roy was famous for using all sorts of semi-hack gear with The Noise Boyz -and always sounded AMAZING! Why? I've heard no less than the great Phil Keaggy use various and sometimes just so-so gear and always sound Fabulous! How come?

I and plenty of far better git-slingers than myself have said it over and over: the tone is inside of you. It's in your soul, mind, fingers and regardless of what gear you have access to you'll dial it in close as you can to what you wish to hear. You'll still sound cool, be yourself and play great IF you're inspired and have a sense of tone.

Now of course most 60 USD cheapo-guitars or amps sound like it and play like it at least to some degree -and yet... and yet...

I learned years ago you could take a junk electric guitar and only if truly needed, could change out the pickup/s and/or tone pots, etc., and it's sound would be improved a great deal. STILL, the tone comes from what I've said above. If the neck, bridge and nut couldn't be set up properly (they typically can) and frets be repaired or replaced, ditto the tuners, well you can invest some loot and really upgrade those. Not always but sometimes you still spend less and get much-improved instrument rather than "buy new and more costly".

One of my gripes about capitalism is them wit' da capital end up top of the pile while average folks are drenched with ever-more adverts, false advertising and debt often believing a new piece of gear is THE answer. A massive amount of people end up frustrated because one part often overlooked is: what do you already HAVE you might try to use, transform or re-use rather than buy-buy-buy ever more $tuff?!!

Now- un-memorable and so-so songwriting, arrangements and recordings as well as live and studio production (as well as the gear people hear the music on be it live p.a. and venue or via earbuds or el-cheapo phone speakers) of course make a difference in the sound.

So sure, great gear helps, there are elements of expense that are worth it but it's not automatically going to bring the quality and long-lasting endorphin rush you're trying to get.

I have heard/watched dirt-poor African folks do OVER-THE-TOP excellent singing often playing do-it-yourself guitars, etc., that they built out of thrown-away "trash" which in my judgment put the finest guitars, etc., to shame. Why? I already said it above... the heart of the matter, the imagination applied, financial limitations didn't limit them in the least.

That's how I want to live when I grow up :)

Tariffs? Limitations? Not an issue if we will chill a bit, pray, think, consider d.i.y. and move beyond the consumptive consumer mentality and habit -fix- which often fixes nothing and in fact takes us further down corporate streets when we could be blazing new trails -or discovering old ways "that simply work".

Okay, so you may have noticed a recent post of mine talking about Grrr Records passing on a small computer, monitor and gear, setting me up to improve my songwriting and demos. They weren't being used so no money was spent but that "old" gear is serving me quite nicely and likely will a lot of other folks as I bring more songs to the public.

Oh I have lots of truly great gear and more at my disposal -but some time ago I found a plastic maintenance box tossed out and glued a couple paint sticks together for a "neck". Looks cool, sounds great, and fun!

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn