Archives for October 2006

G-Force Media Productions

October 25, 2006 by Chris

As you may or may not know but I am a 40 yr old guitar player living in Toronto Canada, who is continually upgrading my genre of music and sometimes wanting to record or just screw around in a recording studio. I, as well as every guitar player/musician on the planet, know how pricey it can be to just walk into a recording studio (not to mention the mixing time, which can add up to a great down payment for a house in Toronto) makes you feel like your a 3rd rate citizen.

But this place is run by a dear friends of mine. They are younger then I am but have quite the unbridled enthusiasm of seasoned professionals anywhere in the business. THESE GUYS HAVE THEIR CHOPS ON THEIR BOARD DOWN RIGHT!!!!!!

RICHARDO JONES, the true driving force behind this venture, has worked with me at a local hospital for 5 years. He is quite the accomplished keyboard player, greater in years then he looks. I’ve been in G-Force studio many times before, even helping out fixing up their new unique Shang-gra-la like recording location when they first got the keys for the joint. It’s also very difficult not to get along with this guy, really!

It’s a professional but very relaxing studio, this is the kind of place that any man would give his left nut to have in his basement.
They even have a beer dispensing machine in it, which is reasonably priced I might add!

The sound that he can pull out of his board is UNREAL! The equipment is old school looking, but the software and the versatility he has with it (most importantly), is TOP SHELF!!!

They also do video shooting editing and pic’s as well, done by a fine young man named Sye, for New York City. I’ve been fortunate to have known this guy, as well as Steve, for the same amount of time as Rick. This is VERY interesting as well, trust me. When you go down just to see what they have, ask them to show you some things they’ve done in the past, it’s a scream!

If your like me, or you just want to have had a experience just like, then JUST GET OFF YOUR ASS AND CALL THEM! Their NOT SALESMEN!!!! They love their craft and you’ll find that abundantly clear when you meet them, no more no less, that’s it.

Check them out at G-Force Media Productions.

Neon

October 14, 2006 by Chris

This is the most challenging song that I have come across in years! It also sounds great in the acoustic or electric version of the tune. Below is the link that I felt that best showed me how to approach playing the song. If you are going to attempt this tune then take your time on it.

I’m a perfectionist and I have been known to stop a song and start it up again to the annoyance of many an audience. I love the high you naturally get from pulling off a master piece live and people REALLY lovin’ it! Perfecting this song at this time in my life will have to be put on hold for now.

So I set my sights on another tune that is similar in difficulty but more achievable now. This is John Mayer’s acoustic version of Neon. I just got my hands on a couple versions of this and my favorite is from a show from Chicago (on a PBS network)that is acoustic. Buddy guy plays with him in this show but not on this tune.

When I first came across this tune I was instantly captured! It was very challenging from a physical stand point too. Truth is, my thumbs have problems approaching/playing the low E on the neck. I have never ever thought that this is a technique that I would ever have to use.

When I was really playing a lot I was always keeping my ears out for songs that were very challenging to play because that is what interested me the most. I never paid attention to the words because I was not a song writer. This type of playing was pure cheating I thought so I would never have anything to do with it! I guess I was very short sighted as a 14 yr old.

Is anyone trying this tune out?

John Mayer, love him or … at least try to learn something from him!

October 8, 2006 by Chris

Boy, John Mayer, who seems to everyone else on the planet except me; to be the best guitar player from an technical/artistic aspect, is a girlie guitar player? For me, this is the biggest crock of shit coming from these musically challenged people who happen to listen to him, even if it just in casual listening!

My guitar playing approach, is to (1) listen and see how difficult and unique the playing approach is and (2) well … that’s it!

I live to be able to pick guitar players brains and incorporate them into my own distinct style of performing! After all, there is no suck, in my thinking anyways, performer that has come up with a definitive original style that is completely theirs and theirs alone! Everyone has certain influences that help them create their own style.

When I listen to John Mayer, I see different colours of sounds. I am aware that basic chords are … just chords, in the primary position. But what John does is, rip them apart and put them back together in a refreshing way that helps cut through the different direction/genres that are out there right now.

I had the chance to see/copy a show that John Mayer did in Chicago (my brother lives there and what a place to see, if you have not been there then don’t just surf there, go there!). Buddy Guy was playing with him for 2 songs and wow, what a treat for the uninitiated. John Mayer was ripping these chords off and Buddy Guy was blasting away these solos and then trading off with John. Man, if that guy, John Mayer or Buddy Guy for that matter, walked into a music store and I was there playing guitar, I might just put mine down.

I am currently figuring out a song of John Mayer’s called “Neon” in the acoustic version. This is a song that I can play technically but the fine nuances will take me a while. It’s like the time I was figuring out how to play Lady Madonna”, the piano part that is, on the guitar. It was the first time that I attempted to use a pick (Jim Dunlop, 1 MM) and every other finger on my right hand to play the song. It took me around 1 whole year practicing it until I felt comfortable to play it on stage.

The thumb slapping on “Neon” is fun, as usual! The best album to listen/figure out this on is “Inside wants out”. I have become accustom to this technique by playing “Who put that bullet hole in Peggy’s kitchen Wall” by Bruce Cockburn. I also put in a bit of a bass thing in there to really create the big sound!

So, who is the young girl or soccer mom, who listens to John Mayer Now?

My first Rock Bands Concert … a KISS tribute one at that!

October 1, 2006 by Chris

I mercifully skipped grade 7 for you all and went right to the good stuff.

Well I just have to let the cat out of the bag and swallow my pride on this one! Yes I was playing in a KISS tribute band and was Ace Frehley. Well in all honesty, the majority of the tunes were KISS tunes. I was the only one in the band who did not belong to the KISS Army though.

I was into more challenging music but the only guys I knew that could play were these guys! Don’t get me wrong, these guys were my best friends for the longest time! Eddie, was the drummer and had extensive gigging with a “Polka Band” and Brian, the guy in my previous posts was the other guitar player. We didn’t have a bass player at the time due to the fact that no one we knew played the bass.

When I was in grade 7, I remember playing with the Muroz brothers. It was fun because they had taken lessons and could play their instruments well. I think we played some Queen, Led Zeppelin and some pop tunes of the day. I forget why we broke up but I guess that is how it goes. Sorry, I just had to write a bit about the grade 7 thing!

Anyways, we would practice and practice for hours on end. I keep trying to get these guys to slow down and take apart the songs that we were playing and it did sink in to some degree. I’m sure that they would tell ya differently but it’s my blog so there!

As we grew older we found that other schools had band and that they were playing live at their schools so we had no choice, let’s do a live show. Our first and only show was to be played at “St. Bernard’s” school. This was what we thought was our big break!

During this time I had been introduced to another band in the making. They were both in high school and they were just who I was looking to play with. They were Tony, the keyboard player who sounded like a god on that thing, and Harry the guitar player who could play quit well technically but lacked the feel that you need!

Anyways, when we played the show, I had a blast! My soon to be band mates where in attendance and the show went on. Brian, who was like Gene did this wild guitar solo in the audience with the help of MANY GUITAR EXTENSION CHORDS while i was lying on the stage moving these knobs on my old ” BOSS BF-1 FLANGER”. Our band was named “Duce” and when we played it to start off the show, the words go something like this, “Get up and get the hell on out of here!” and there goes Brian singing it directly to a nun, I almost blew a nut laughing so hard on stage!

So, how was that?

G-Force Media Productions

Neon

John Mayer, love him or … at least try to learn something from him!

My first Rock Bands Concert … a KISS tribute one at that!

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