TEN THE EASY WAY

Tenth album done, as far as recording.

This was a smooth and easy album to make for myself and Mike.

And have to give CJ Scioscia credit for engineering on the first day of recording…way back on January 16 this year. Hard to believe, huh? And even before that, Mike and I put our pedal to the metal and rehearsed our brains out from October last year until the week before recording.

Yet this was the most relaxed batch of sessions we’ve ever done.

Today, on the first day of Spring, I laid down solos for eight songs in two hours. Yes, two hours. Yes I make a big deal about that. Mike and I are very efficient musicians, come prepared to do battle, and can look back with a huge sigh of relief. A good sigh though.

As for the solos, I was working on ideas at home of course. Playing with modes, finding notes that fit (and didn’t). But then a video that I came across on a YouTube short gave me a jolt of inspiration. And who provided it? Joe Satriani? Steve Vai?

Trey Azagthoth of Morbid Angel.

Yes, you can scrape your jaw off the floor now.

This video was about the making of their breakthrough album BLESSED ARE THE SICK (and trust me, it’s great!) A producer said that he purchased an Eventide H3000 Harmonizer rack unit, the same one that Steve Vai popularized. He said that Trey was playing with various patches and decided to have a different sound on each solo. Phase/delay on one, flanger on another, and whatever else peaked his interest. I thought to myself, “Self! Why not do that?”

I brought this up to Mike and he said, “Sure, do it!” And just in time, I purchased a used Flamma FS06 Modulation Pedal from Guitar Center. I have the smaller green one but this one is yellow, bigger and programmable. And since I like making funny noises (human and otherwise), I programmed some wacky sounds ranging from helicopter effects to liquidy nonsense. And with these sounds, my solos took on a new dimension.

Was I ever an innovative, ground breaking guitarist? No but I tried. And while I’m not reinventing the wheel here, I made it a bit rounder. Along with my plethora of noisemakers on the pedalboard, we began committing solos to tape…well, wav file. One solo was done in one take and I expected that. A few I did some re-takes, as either Mike or I would say “Nah”. Mike even surprised me when I used the wah pedal as a filtering effect ala Randy Rhoads/Michael Schenker. He said “It cuts through well so use that.” Roger that! And when I employed whatever nutjob sound I had on the Flamma, Mike would say “That’s perfect” or “Dial it back a little, sounds too mushy.”

In the past I would have bristled. But I learned to put my ego aside, as well as my pride, and listened to his advice much better. And he was more open and receptive to whatever hair-brained solos I conjured up. Most of my solos were mapped out at home, but I always leave room for any last-minute ad-libbing or a “happy accident”. Mike even said that my solos aren’t typically “note perfect” as I usually do, but more of a vibe, a feeling. Of course I aim to sound GOOD, right? But also I shoved my perfectionism in the glove compartment, and let it rip.

I would let Mike hear something quickly and he’d offer tips or agree that it worked. One solo goes from Ritchie Blackmore to Eric Johnson (?!) Another is pure speed, with a lot of glitchy sounds (think Joe Satriani and Vernon Reid jamming). Yes I am saying some bold things but I can back my words up. Yet in the end, everything sounds like me. Oh and there’s one song where the solo is…get ready…Kerry King meets Tom Morello.

You thought you had me all figured out, huh?

Even I surprised myself with what flew out of my fingers. I think of the guy who’s stranded on the island with Bugs Bunny: “Gee…did you say that?” I obviously have a good amount of quick playing going on but it’s also tempered with unique phrasing. What’s wrong with me?!?!? But Mike and I are both pleased with not just the solos, but the album as a whole.

Mike will wait two weeks before mixing so he can approach things fresh. I can dig that. Plus I am nowhere near ready to get it mastered. Hoping for more cover band gigs and private students. I’m not broke but not close at all what Joe Lambert will charge me. I’m in NO rush at all and that’s the best part. No stress, no fuss, no muss. This is why the vibes were flowing, the energy levels were high, and the music was a breeze to record.

Is this going to be my best album?

I’ll let you decide.