| Click here to see a list of CDs I listen to a
lot.
I've been playing guitar since 3rd September 1989 (first day of Lower
Sixth Form). Played in a band at school, even gigged a few times
(which is more fun than sex, believe you me!). I haven't gigged
since 1992, but I mainly gigged as rhythm guitarist (did 1 stint as a
drummer, and played lead on another song that set!).
I've never really been one for playing other people's songs. I
learned a fair bit of Metallica's catalogue over the years
(especially when first learning to play), but even after ten years of
playing, I don't really know that many songs. I play guitar more
for release than anything else.
I do, however, enjoy writing songs. Not that I'm any good at
it, mind. No, I'm not going to post any here!
I'm lucky enough to own a Jackson DK-2, which I found in Cardiff
earlier in 1999. I think the fine tuning pegs are a pig to use,
and I've had a devil of a job engineering a sound for it, but otherwise
I find it a wonderful guitar.
I've also got an old Charvel. I think it's a Model 4A, but I'm
really not sure. It has the most wonderful clean sound I've ever
heard from an electric; shame the pickups hum like buggery. It's
also fitted with a GK-2A midi pickup, for use with my Roland GR-30
guitar synth. Personally, I like the sounds it can produce, but
the main reason for the GR-30 is that I find it easier to write a flute
part if I'm hearing something approximating a flute ;-)
For f/x, I've still got my old Boss ME-8, which spends all its time
looking enviously at my Boss GT-5. The GT-5 is an amazing tool, it
really is. I've found it quite hard to harness, partially as many
of the effects don't seem to work in the same way as in the Boss foot
pedals. But I'm starting to get the hang of it, and I hope to post
some patches from it one day.
I've given up my four-track for the world of digital editing. I
use Syntrillium's Cool Edit Pro
on my PC. Very nice; for me it's been well worth the money.
I started out trying to use some of the cheaper shareware packages, but
I like being able to play with more than 8 tracks!
I also dabble with mandolin. I have two. One's a cheap
flatback I picked up in 1998 to see if I'd like it (I do, just not that
particular mandolin!) which I keep meaning to take round to Kristi's and
leave there. The other is a solid-body electric mandolin, picked
up in 1999, perfect for hooking up to the guitar rig ;-) So far
I've only written two (incomplete) pieces for it, but I hope to use the
mandolin as a lead instrument on some of my guitar-orientated works. |