So it suddenly dawned on me, are we all on a quest to sound the same, the same facsimiles of our heroes? I don't mean this in a 'I want to play XYZ's songs' kind of way, but more in a 'I need to copy every nuance of every player to be of any value' kind of way....a couple of questions popped into my head after a session on YouTube, watching guitar lessons, reviews and players. There seems to be in-proportionate amount of videos featuring how to sound like XYZ, my version of XYZ, reviews saying something sounds a bit like XYZ and ABC. Now before you call my a hypocrite, I know I have many of these kind of videos on my own channel, and this is my point, or at least the question I started to ask myself.
Do you think we are all starting to sound the same, as guitarists, as musicians?
Are we all looking for the same sound, gear, image (and I am guility of this too) and because of the advent of social media there is simply so much of this. It is awesome in some ways, as it is so easy now to find out how to play the solo from Jump, or the chords for Hold on I am Coming and everything else in between, we can have gear rig run downs of all our favourite artists. But, I couldn't help feel that there were very few people whom were standout, but then I guess there are only handfuls of artists whom sound unique (i.e. the ones we are trying to emulate!).
I know I have written about this before, but do we now have too many options, too much access that we stop learning how to be ourselves?
I can't help thinking about digital technology, e.g digital amp modellers can model every nuance of classic amps (e.g AxeFX, Kempler, Line 6 HD 500)....and yeah I know ....still the purists complain...'it's still not the same as JCM800 or Fender Blackface, Dumble etc'...but what about something different, why can't I be happy with a great sounding amp....one that makes ME sound great, one that makes ME want to play, one that defines MY sound?
There is also a lot of, the attitude 'well I need to have every amp under the sun at my fingers tips' to emulate every song I am playing, well I could go with this maybe if you are in an authentic tribute act, or perhaps a covers band where you try to emulate classic songs. But, I actually think that an interpretation (in a function band situation) is probably much more fun, exciting and unique, then basically listening to a band 'sound exactly' the same as the record? What are your thoughts?
I am beginning to think that perhaps our heroes are the ones who just do what they want, with what they have at their disposal. Clapton, Page et all (and Hendrix) were all session guys, playing 'covers' gigs back in the day, honing their skills and their sound...did they have all the amps, options we have today? No....are they legends....yes!
But what did some of the 'icons' do? What did Eddie Van Halen do? Took a Marshall and modded it to what he wanted, same with the his Frankenstrat made up from bits and pieces. Van Halen, played the clubs, did the covers (think of 'You really got me', a cover which became synonymous with Van Halen....likewise, 'All along the watchtower' which Hendrix 'owned') and us such they have classic, instantly recognisable sounds of their own. BB King, Brian May, Steve Vai etc etc
How did those guys learn?
Pretty much by ear, gaining a close as possible aproximation, but at the same time developing their own way of playing it. Nuno Bettencourt developed his unique style by copying Van Halen by ear, not watching or reading a pitch/position accurate tab, as we might do now. This meant he wasn't quite right (by his own admission) but this contributed to him developing ways to mimic without copying.
It goes back to what I was saying here...all we seem to be doing is reciting famous speeches inflection for inflection, work for word, pause for pause. Time for us to say and sound sometning new? We are copying a comedians stand up routing gag for gag.
Blackstar Amps may have got their motto right...the sound in your head...what is it?
What are my goals then? Well, to be able to knock out some cool Chordal vamps, mimic some of the amazing licks that Gutrhie plays, perhaps get my tone a bit more like Larry Carlton. But ultimately, I think I want to sound like me, after all music is supposed to be personal expression.
Creativity comes out of limitation.
So today....just play and say what you want to say.
Remember..... gear doesn’t make you awesome, you make you awesome
Peace
Neil