Mindset vs. Method - A primer on creativity boosting with help from BEHRINGER.
There's an entire subindustry in the musical instrument field based on capturing the sounds made famous by others - Brian May this, Jimi Hendrix that, "signature" stompboxes and guitars, you know the drill. There is big big money to be had in selling pro music equipment that re-creates the sounds made famous by others.
I can understand why this market exists, but from a creativity standpoint, I find it troubling. Perhaps this is a little personal, but I've always been much more compelled by folks who use their gear to develop their own sound.
The problem, to me, is that a lot of people read about Hendrix, and watch interviews with him and study his technique - and they subsequently misapply the influence of his genius. Rather then copping his method, using the same guitar pedals, and the same gauge of strings, and upside-down guitar - what I believe folks should consider is find inspiration in the outside-the-box mindset of unique performers, and - simply put - start using gear incorrectly.
It's no secret that a multitude of sounds that have reshaped popular music come from misuse of audio equipment. Hendrix's high-volume performances allowed him to conduct deliberate application of feedback when feedback was supposed to be the wrong thing. Grand Wizzard Theodore used his turntables to add a scratching, percussive element to his mixes; scratches were supposed to be the wrong thing. The Roland® TB-303 was intended as an electronic bass-playing accompaniment device - instead it has gone down in history for producing the inimitable squelchy lead tones of Acid House. Oh, and if you've had FM or Satellite radio on in the past 2 years, you probably know ALL ABOUT Auto-tune®. It wasn't intended to sound like that.
So, I guess what I'm saying is this: be safe, but don't be scared to get nuts and do the wrong thing. Run your drum machine into your WD300 WARP DISTORTION pedal. Run a signal from your Aux Send on one of the XENYX mixing boards back into another channel input, EQ differently and pan the two signals apart. Run the stereo outs from your FX600 DIGITAL MULTI-FX to subsequent independent effects - different for the left and right channels, then merge them together with your XENYX 1204. Invent a new tuning system for your METALIEN, or try using different strings. Hell, put banjo strings on it. Try using your BCR2000 MIDI controller to dynamically change settings on your V-AMP PRO.
Abandoning convention is an endeavor for the brave. Have fun and experiment. Eventually, you may come up with a sonic signature that is unlike the creations of your peers, or even your heroes. You will have a sound that is, unequivocally, your own.
The next step? Share.
I can understand why this market exists, but from a creativity standpoint, I find it troubling. Perhaps this is a little personal, but I've always been much more compelled by folks who use their gear to develop their own sound.
The problem, to me, is that a lot of people read about Hendrix, and watch interviews with him and study his technique - and they subsequently misapply the influence of his genius. Rather then copping his method, using the same guitar pedals, and the same gauge of strings, and upside-down guitar - what I believe folks should consider is find inspiration in the outside-the-box mindset of unique performers, and - simply put - start using gear incorrectly.
It's no secret that a multitude of sounds that have reshaped popular music come from misuse of audio equipment. Hendrix's high-volume performances allowed him to conduct deliberate application of feedback when feedback was supposed to be the wrong thing. Grand Wizzard Theodore used his turntables to add a scratching, percussive element to his mixes; scratches were supposed to be the wrong thing. The Roland® TB-303 was intended as an electronic bass-playing accompaniment device - instead it has gone down in history for producing the inimitable squelchy lead tones of Acid House. Oh, and if you've had FM or Satellite radio on in the past 2 years, you probably know ALL ABOUT Auto-tune®. It wasn't intended to sound like that.
So, I guess what I'm saying is this: be safe, but don't be scared to get nuts and do the wrong thing. Run your drum machine into your WD300 WARP DISTORTION pedal. Run a signal from your Aux Send on one of the XENYX mixing boards back into another channel input, EQ differently and pan the two signals apart. Run the stereo outs from your FX600 DIGITAL MULTI-FX to subsequent independent effects - different for the left and right channels, then merge them together with your XENYX 1204. Invent a new tuning system for your METALIEN, or try using different strings. Hell, put banjo strings on it. Try using your BCR2000 MIDI controller to dynamically change settings on your V-AMP PRO.
Abandoning convention is an endeavor for the brave. Have fun and experiment. Eventually, you may come up with a sonic signature that is unlike the creations of your peers, or even your heroes. You will have a sound that is, unequivocally, your own.
The next step? Share.
posted by Ryan Roullard at
1:07 PM
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