fenderbender4
Platinum Supporting Member
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Just wanted to know for all the guys who do session and touring work, what kind of guitar do you use the most?
Sure, but nothing usually too exotic or unbendingly specific. I mostly do guitar sessions for myself as I compose and produce a lot of projects (the best way to get hired a lot as a musician in my opinion), but when I do sessions for other producers, it's usually suggestions like "can we use a Strat on this part" or the "Tele's too much twang, how about a LP". Just as much as this may seem to be a specific request for a specific guitar, it's more about what kind of part and sound someone's looking for.Do you ever get requests for certain guitars? Like someone specifically asks for a strat or something? Or is it up to your own discretion?
Thanks for the input, I'm really interested in what the session/touring players are into.
Hi Melj - I live in the Borders, but I play in Edinburgh every now and again. I played at Finnegan's Wake last night with 'Seattle'. I had the JTM45 up full with the Les Paul Junior....I see you're in Scotland - do you gig much around Edinburgh? Maybe I can swing by one of your shows.
When I'm producing - If you can't nail the "waterfall on a springtime night" vibe, you're outta hereI do sessions and touring work and think that, as everyone's been saying, covering the basics is key. However, I have found that being able to quickly dial in new tones is just as important as having the right vehicles for tone. Become extremely comfortable with any and all the gear you take to sessions or on the road
KennyM is right that the best producers give players creative freedom, but sometimes do so with extremely vague phrases - I kid you not that I was once told that my part needed to sound like "a waterfall on a springtime night." Hilarious. And the song was great.
What model Gretsch do you play?Tomorrow i've got country demo's in the morning and a rock record in the evening. I'll take a Tele, Gretsch, Les Paul and a Strat for electrics. Usually a Larrivee and an old Silvertone from the 40's for acoustics. This covers "pretty" and "ugly" acoustic sounds pretty well. I'll also bring a mandolin or a 6 string banjo or some exotic thing if it's requested.
My 1st reach is always the Gretsch. Les Paul and Tele come after... I'm not in much of a Strat mood lately, so it's there if I really need it. Sometimes I leave it home.
Live I take any number of these guitars... whatever gets it covered. Last Thursday it was the Gretsch and Les Paul, Friday and Sunday it was just the Gretsch.
It all depends...