the guitar players megathread

For stage fright beta blockers are actually really good. They don't knock you out like a benzo would, but they relieve anxiety. I'm not sure how they work though, but look into it.

I totally agree with hating the overly polished sound. Producers these days try to be more important than the music they produce and they want to do everything they can to stand out, forgetting that it's not about them at all!
I'd much rather have someone sing a little off key than hear auto tune. The only time I'd want auto tune is if that's simply the sound you're going for (for some reason) because it's just another effect, but if people use it like a tool that's a problem, IMO.
Look into Daniel Lanois, he's one producer that's also a real musician and he's got a lot of good knowledge about producing music. He knows the importance of keeping things as real as possible. He produced Neil Young's most recent albums, and he has his own band called Black Dub. If I ever made it to "the big time" I would want to be produced by him, if he's still around by then, or at least someone who's in the same vein.
That's why in an ideal world, where money isn't an issue, I would have all 100% pure analog equipment, complete with vacuum tubes, and put out vinyl records.
I would LOVE more than anything to put out some vinyl, complete with giant pictures, interesting liner notes, the whole 9 yards
 
tribal girl said:
Benzos are not the answer. Believe me.
Click to expand...

Hah, yeah, I was kidding. As someone who suffers from chronic anxiety and an addictive personality, I would hate to get involved with benzos. Maybe I just need to learn to play drunk. I would probably be willing to perform with enough alcohol under my belt. Willing, but unable. :)
 
hey mr grunge im sorry to hear about the anxiety you feel performing in front of people and i feel the same way. a good way to overcome this is to start small, say play for a family member or close friend and then work up from there. itll be awkward at first but it gets easier every time. i hope this advice isnt too patronising.

im an extremely shy person but somehow i manage to be the singer in a band and it really confuses people when they find that out.

hey id like to hear your recording i love lo-fi. do you have them uploaded somewhere like soundcloud i could have a listen maybe?
 
Lazyscience said:
hey mr grunge im sorry to hear about the anxiety you feel performing in front of people and i feel the same way. a good way to overcome this is to start small, say play for a family member or close friend and then work up from there. im an extremely shy person but somehow i manage to be the singer in a band and it really confuses people when they find that out
Click to expand...
Tis a funny old business, for sure - I've quite happily got up in front of thousands of folk but you'd have real dfficulty to get me to play in front of one or two folk - especially if I know them really well...:\
 
Lazyscience said:
hey mr grunge im sorry to hear about the anxiety you feel performing in front of people and i feel the same way. a good way to overcome this is to start small, say play for a family member or close friend and then work up from there. itll be awkward at first but it gets easier every time. i hope this advice isnt too patronising.
Click to expand...

No, it isn't, I agree. It's just something I need to work at. Right now, i don't have any real ambition to become a performer, but it's some I would like to try at some point in my life.

hey id like to hear your recording i love lo-fi. do you have them uploaded somewhere like soundcloud i could have a listen maybe?
Click to expand...

I don't have a soundcloud account. But, I'm working on a song right now that I'm really proud of, so I'll be sure to make one and shoot you link in the next day or so.
 
I would have all 100% pure analog equipment, complete with vacuum tubes, and put out vinyl records.
I would LOVE more than anything to put out some vinyl, complete with giant pictures, interesting liner notes, the whole 9 yards
Click to expand...

this would be fucking amazing. analogue is the way forward it just sounds so much more real.

mrgrunge im really looking forward to hearing your track. let your creative juices flow my friend.
 
CoffeeDrinker said:
That's why in an ideal world, where money isn't an issue, I would have all 100% pure analog equipment, complete with vacuum tubes, and put out vinyl records.
I would LOVE more than anything to put out some vinyl, complete with giant pictures, interesting liner notes, the whole 9 yards
Click to expand...

Dude,lots of bands think along those lines. That`s why I had to buy a turn table a few months back. It seemed like all the bands I was getting into ONLY put out albums on vinyl. Which is fucking awesome. I love listening to records.
It`s like the difference between popping lortabs or getting your rig all set and shooting dope. There`s a whole ritual for playing vinyl. I love it.
Hell,I`m listening to Glassjaw`s Worship and Tribute right now. It only took nine years to put it on vinyl.
 
Last edited:
I've had this sweet axe since the 80s

Keytar1.jpg
 
Yeah, not bad. I can't say I've really listened to them before.

Here's some more Mary, this time with Helium. I <3 it when both she and Ash are tapping simultaneously. Too awesome. :)
 
tribal girl said:
Yeah, not bad. I can't say I've really listened to them before.

Here's some more Mary, this time with Helium. I <3 it when both she and Ash are tapping simultaneously. Too awesome. :)
Click to expand...

Also pretty good; I tried looking up a bunch of her top videos, but can't find any that would seem to do her playing any justice(sound/picture quality=shit).

I did really like the song Superball--it reminds me of Autolux a fair bit.

What would you recommend for a good all around album or a good starter album of hers?
 
You know you've set me off now. Once I start talking about Mary you'll never shut me up. =D

Yeah, unfortunately most of the videos of her solo performances are badly recorded. There's only a couple of really good quality videos of her performing live, Return To Pirates (live '99), Sharpshooter (live @ Fort Reno '07), and Backwards/Forwards (live @ Fort Reno '05).

The first Mary Timony related album I ever bought was the Autoclave album. Well, it's more like a combined release of two separate EPs (they were only together for a year). But it's awesome, and is a pretty good introduction to her style. I guess Christina Billottee does most of the singing. But Mary's talent as a guitarist was still pretty obvious even at this point. Bearing in mind she was only 20 years old when they recorded the EPs.

front2.jpeg


Actually, I recently found some very rare live footage of them playing back in '91 (Mary to the left): video

I recommend everything she released with Helium, especially the three EPs (I like me some EPs :D). But if it's solo material, my personal favourite is actually the first album, Mountains. It has a very stripped back sound compared to anything she's released before or after. There's also a lot of piano based songs on there (so does the second album, The Golden Dove). But I was recently thinking about this. There's a few musicians I like in terms of guitar based songs i.e PJ Harvey and Shannon Wright. But when it comes to them playing the piano, I'm just not feeling it. But with Mary it's different, and I think that's cuz she approaches every instrument as if it were the same instrument. Therefore her melodies transcend through everything she does without you really questioning it. Anyway, in terms of the best all-round album (if we're talkin' guitars) I would say go with Ex Hex. :)

36806797.jpg

Friend To JC (second track on the album)

Any more questions? :D

Edit: Oops, I forgot one of my personal favourite Helium songs and videos (it's taken from the Pirate Prude EP). There's nothin' like a video where some chick smashes shit up. :D
Helium - XXX
 
Last edited:
After your post the other day in EADD with Baby Vampire Made Me, I spent the rest of the night listening to No Guitars, The Dirt of Luck, The Magic City and Pirate Prude! :) Is there any reason the songs in Pirate Prude and The Dirt of Luck are darker? I know some folk prefer either that or the later more upbeat recordings, but I think they all have their place. Listened to one or two songs from Ex hex but yet to listen to much of her solo stuff.

There is a free live podcast you can get off iTunes of Mary Timony in Wild Flag, her most recent venture with Carrie Brownstein (Rolling Stone article here) - just search for KEXP Wild Flag in the store and you'll come across it easily enough. Worth a listen to, although I guess you've probably found it already TG :p
 
Last edited:
Chatative said:
After your post the other day in EADD with Baby Vampire Made Me, I spent the rest of the night listening to No Guitars, The Dirt of Luck, The Magic City and Pirate Prude! :)
Click to expand...

You mean to say all my incessant ranting and random posts are starting to pay off?. I'm really pleased you liked them anyway. :D

Chatative said:
Is there any reason the songs in Pirate Prude and The Dirt of Luck are darker?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you're referring to the music itself, rather than her lyrics. Cuz I think her lyrics are often dark. They're almost like musical fables or fairy tales. But I dunno, if you listen to her first solo album it's very dark. Helium's Magic City is more upbeat in places, but I actually prefer it to the first album (and I like the dark stuff). I think you'd like the first album very much judging by the things you've already mentioned liking. Here's one of my favourites from the album.

Mary Timony - Valley Of 1,000 Perfumes. ;)

Chatative said:
There is a free live podcast you can get off iTunes of Mary Timony in Wild Flag, her most recent venture with Carrie Brownstein (Rolling Stone article here) - just search for KEXP Wild Flag in the store and you'll come across it easily enough. Worth a listen to, although I guess you've probably found it already TG :p
Click to expand...

Oh yes, that was an excellent show. Highly recommended. Not that I was actually there or anything. But I swiped the download from somewhere or other. Oh, and btw there's a thread on Wild Flag. ;)

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=560641
 
11-52's?

just got a set of 11-52's for my les paul, they good for drop B or should i get something a bit heavier?

be good if you guys could reply in pm since i probably wont be checking this for a while coz im going to bed soon

thanks in advance.
 
Slash5331 said:
just got a set of 11-52's for my les paul, they good for drop B or should i get something a bit heavier?

be good if you guys could reply in pm since i probably wont be checking this for a while coz im going to bed soon

thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I just went from a light set of strings to med nickle plated steel(11-52); i find them to be pretty good for dropped tunings--you might get alot of buzzing If you go all the way to drop B though.

I checked some forums real quick--people seem to think a range of things work; though 12-58's were also said to do well.
 
stop posting that fucking shit everywhere!
 
Last edited:
The first time I played onstage with my band I took 16mgs of suboxone(which,looking back at it didn`t do much as I was a heavy heroin user at the time) and slammed 2 beers in the parking lot right before going on stage. I think the 2 beers helped a bit more. I was nervous as fuck but once we started playing everything went away and only the songs mattered. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. The lights were so bright I could hardly see the 300ish college kids and couldn`t see any of my friends that showed up.
The next time I played a show,it was in a tiny bar with no stage,no lighting and no p.a. There were about 20 people in the crowd(at face level and 5 feet away),it felt a bit more nerve racking because they were there to see us. That time I ate a bunch of lortabs and some ritalin and washed it down with more beer.
I used to get so worked up about getting in front of people to play. I`m not a shy dude by any means but the idea of getting up and having people focus on me makes me almost nauseous.
But looking back at my time being in a band and playing shows,I wish I wouldn`t have been so fucked up. The rush/high/pure enjoyment of playing to people beats any high from a drug(at least that`s how I feel).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top