General Music Chat

Its the first weekend in quite awhile that I dont have a gig.

I didnt realize til this morning how empty it feels to not have one. We kick back in next weekend and Feb is busy, but wow Ive gotten almost like a junkie wanting that gig fix. I was wondering if other folks on here feel this way.

Ive got my kids this weekend and my son shoots Trap this morning and then Im taking my daughter shopping. We have a birthday party early tomorrow afternoon and then a Super Bowl party so there is plenty to do, but no music. I feel almost lost.

Our singer came to practice thursday night and brought me another Les Paul. This is a Studio model, hes had it for years and I forgot about it. He wants me to play it some. I cleaned it up and restrung it last night. I may use it for a couple of gigs. I plugged it into an amp this morning and it sounds great. So I guess Ive done something musical this weekend.

Anyway what do you gigging musicians do when you have time off?

Bake cookies?

Baking cookies sounds good! I never have enough time. I like to work on cars too. With a 1 and 3 year old it's hard to get enough time to play. I think it's good that you feel a void when you don't gig. It sounds like a healthy musicians appetite to me.

Heres a picture of the latest Les Paul Toy in the house.

This is my singers guitar, its a mid 80s Les Paul Studio

Whats sitting on top the REC ?

Oh to have such problems.

George

The guitar is a 1993 model. I ran the serial number thru the Les Paul site and thats what the guys came up with.

The box on top of the amp is a Weber Mass, its a power soak or attenuator. Ive had it for about a year and its one of the best additions Ive bought for using bigass amps like the Triple.

And yea Im fixing to start using this amp again. I just go in one vicious circle when it comes to amps. Ive gone from this rig to a Mesa Roadster Combo, to a Mesa Subway Rocket and recently did a few gigs with a preamp POD PRO. My bassist couldnt stand going ampless so I guess we will start the whole cycle again.

I will be using the Weber live to cut back my overall volume quite a bit. We will mic with an SM 57 shoved in the grill. I will do this for a couple of larger places we are playing over the next couple of weeks then back to the POD PRO preamp for a couple of smaller rooms.

Our sound guy says it doesnt matter what I use ampwise, by the end of the night Im back to my basic in your face rock sound, whether Im using a Marshall or a Toaster.

Rock On

Beautifull axe !
Ah yes. I remember our conversations in reguard to the power soak.
This is another piece on my wish / plan to get list of gadgets. I want the sister speaker cab (rate 60w) that goes with my Carvin Nomad.
First to balance my guitar sound from stage.I plan to mic left and right speakers instead of using the cab voiced output on my amp to the PA. Secondly to act as another monitor. I went around the otherside of Ray and Tony at our last practice.
Stood with Eric and Steve to jam while the singers were doing there thing.
Was a nice change. I used to stand to the stage left of Ray when were were a duo. For some reason it's just more comfortable over there.

Its the first weekend in quite awhile that I dont have a gig

Anyway what do you gigging musicians do when you have time off?

Bake cookies?

I've been building my new house for the last few years, and its REALLY cutting into my giggin' carear.

I maintain my passion for music by listening to all kinds of music while I work. My son and I still have the core of a band, but we just put the whole thing on ice until we have more time.

I have been playing the ol' acoustic piano a lot lately to keep up my chops,and I have my band equipment set up in the music room. We now have my granddaughter's drums set up as well and she comes over to jam once in awhile.

I hope to do some more YouTube videos like NeanderPaul does, but Ive yet to get around to it.

I also spend an alfull lot of time on this forum!

I'm thinkin' about goin' out to the Tannersville Inn to drink a couple Guinness's on tap tonight. (havent been out for awhile, and my cousin's band is playing tonight!)
later
HJ

Get an amp with POWER. Use an attenuator to control your SPL. You can never go wrong.

I hope to do some more YouTube videos like NeanderPaul does, but Ive yet to get around to it.

You can do it, Jay

Stix - Trust me, he has an amp with power...and the attenuator...

JW - too much time on my hands is one I don't have much trouble curing. As I think you know, I haven't been getting a lot of work lately, so I've had a lot of time on my hands too. Sometimes I Like to go out to Handy Brake, a local Wildlife Management Area (WMA), with my camera and binocs and do a bit of bird/wildlife watching, and now and then I get a decent picture too.

At night I like to pack up the telescope and go find a dark spot to look at what's up there. Planets, star clusters, nebulas...You've seen some of that before, I remember you telling me about your friend, and you know you have a good place there to look from too, so that might be doable.

Daytime though...Sometimes I like to cruise around the local towns and check out every resale shop, yard sale and antique shop I can find. I especially keep an eye open for small bottles for slide guitar, each one plays and sounds different, and I'm still looking for that [perfect bottle for electrics. I normally use my trusty old brass bar for acoustic. You never know what you'll find, I've run across some great deals that way.

I also like to poke around with a metal detector, but really can't find anywhere around here to use it, everything's posted.

And there's always the old bicycle...

Just bought 2 snowmobiles.. LOL

"Guilty as charged"

Lately we haven't been playing as much I became a little lazy in the booking department last year because of the hurricane and it has caught up with me now, but it was also part of the plan after losing a member we decided we would take some time off to rebuild from the hurricane (our houses) and re-invent the band and learn a lot of new songs we can do as a 3 peice.
In the past I have always felt lost without giging not knowing what to do with myself, but after all these years of the hustle and bustle of playing out it's kind of nice to get a break, so I have enjoyed this time off maybe a little to much as some of you can probably tell from my some of my post (PWI especially Superbowl Sunday)

Well this weekend its back to the chain gang.

We are practicing tonight and then have a cool gig tomorrow with lots of women friends coming to show off their..........ah um well I wont go there!

Anyway its good to get some playing in this weekend!

Dont forget pictures dude!