Transition to solo act.

[philipnz]

This is partly in response to Rog's question on an earlier thread about acoustic guitars and how was I finding the transition.

Firstly I was mainly a keyboard player in my old band and part-time rhythm so never had the chops anyway. I did toy around with foot processors and electric when I started doing this but ditched it for 2 reasons.

Firstly I personally find solo electric musicians shredding furiously to a backing track in a live situation a bit of a wankery (no offence to anyone here who does it) but I mean if you're that good why aren't you in a band?

Secondly, solo gigs tend to fall in to 2 categories, accomplished finger style musicians with some vocal ability noodling away in some wine bar surrounded by internet first daters. Or backing tracked singers wanting something in their hands to give them cred over the karaoke singers trying to fill the floor with middle aged party goers who wouldn't care if you played a '59 burst or Sitar provided you had some ABBA in your songlist. I'm firmly in the latter category, where it's all about entertaining, eyeballing your audience and pumping out the songs as quick as you can before they sit down.

So yeah, a good quality acoustic with a handy volume/tone knob for the odd occasion the songs calls for a riff is all I need.

Here's a crap quality iPhone recording I put together as a demo. The phone is picking up a bit of string clatter which isn't as apparent at gig volume and direction. Warning: Country Content
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY70B5l4S3E[/youtube]

[bobiron]

Nice little demo there Phil, your voice seems to suit those country tunes. Did you do the backing tracks yourself?

[Vince]

if you're that good why aren't you in a band?

Because they got tired of waiting for the right people?

Or because they got tired of hanging around with a band that was almost good, except for when the drummer wouldn't turn up to rehearsals or the bass player was always trying to steer the band into doing something else?

Or because they're trying to a bigger share of the gig money?

Or because they got tired of people noticing the singer but not the amazing guitar chops?

Or because they had way too many ideas to fit into a weekly 2 hour rehearsal?

I mean, there's heaps of possible reasons. There's lots to be said for playing on your own.

[Aquila Rossa]

I mean, there's heaps of possible reasons. There's lots to be said for playing on your own.

yep. does not matter what or where you play guitar, just as long as you keep on playing; especially as you get older and the band making it big time thing that kids get so awfully serious about is behind you.

[Starfire]

There's lots to be said for playing on your own.

Yeah, sometimes you're the only one who really knows how to satisfy yourself.

[StratMatt]

There's lots to be said for playing on your own.

Yeah, sometimes you're the only one who really knows how to satisfy yourself.

Havent gone blind yet...

[Vince]

There's lots to be said for playing on your own.

Yeah, sometimes you're the only one who really knows how to satisfy yourself.

Havent gone blind yet...

For sure... but I see that, in your avatar, you're already wearing glasses.

[calling card]

Good culture commentary there.