You Can't Always Get What You Want...So Build It Yourself

I suppose this was bound to happen.  Eventually I'd build my own instrument to go along with the new live rig.  It's not that I really want to, but as a "cursed" left handed guitarist, my options are limited to start with.  Add in the fact that the needs I have from an instrument are, let's say a bit unique, coupled with my personal aesthetic tastes, and there really was no other option.

I've commented before on how the new live rig - despite all the technology it incorporates - actually is rooted in very acoustic sounds.  But because of how I need to modify the string tunings so much as I'm playing it means that the VG99 Guitar Synth is pretty much essential.  And while putting a synth pick up on an acoustic is certainly an option, the body is so resonant that the tone I need to make the rig work is likely to be overshadowed by the sound of all that actual guitar, which means we'd have to find a way to make an acoustic chamber totally mute.  Not easy. I played with the idea of filling the guitar with foam and such, but did not really like the results.

If course the simple solution is to put the pickup on an electric, but that seemed to create a false sense of timbre with the audience.  It looks electric but sounds acoustic - not unheard of, in fact somewhat common - but in the cotext of what I do that was an issue. So...

I found a great guitar body maker named Eric Gangluff and asked him to create for me what would essentially have the look of an acoustic but functionally be an electric.  Turned out it was quite a simple design.  Basically a Les Paul with no cutaway.  Then add a neck from Carin and we are off and running.   Here's a shot of both before I started to do the finishing:



And here is the stain applied last night:

Building my guitar, step 1: stain the neck's headstock. Check! pic.twitter.com/hi3QB2D3u0
— Richard Maxwell (@RchrdMxwll) June 22, 2013

Building my guitar, step 2: stain the body. Check! pic.twitter.com/2JMj8hcoFS
— Richard Maxwell (@RchrdMxwll) June 22, 2013

I'll post more as I go further through the process.

Other than the GK3 pickup this guitar will have no electronics so the more sparse look should also help to keep the aesthetics matching the sound.  We'll see.  I'm thinking about putting in a Lute Hole cover - similar to what Dave Wendler (another AMAZING guitar maker) did for me a few years back, but have not decided.

This a new experience for me.  It's exciting to know that I'll have the instrument I want, but more that I will have actually had a role, with my own hands, to create it.  I'm very curious to see if this far more reaching organic musical experience will impact how I write and play.  That alone is making this all worth while.

Covers Aren't What They Used To Be

As usual I'm late in posting this, but that said, I wanted to share a recent educational revelation.  Well, perhaps "revelation" is not quite right.  At least it was not a revelation of mine, but rather that of my students.

CMAS has a long standing policy of no cover material.  If you wanna perform you are going to have to create all the material for that performance.  Again, no covers.  There are any number of reasons for this.  One is the more obvious issue of copyright.  While it technically falls to the venue to provide the proof a licensing, there is a greater principal of respecting other artists and their work that I feel cannot be over emphasized.  After all, how can you possibly expect any to take your art seriously if you don't respects the art of others.

Now some have argued that it is actually a complement to cover another artist, and to a great degree  I would say that is true.  Others have claimed that learning the proven material of other artists is the best way to develop your own. This is also true to a point, but it is also a very slippery slope.

Here's the thing:  Covering an artist is fine when you make the song truly your own.  The response of an audience though that is along the lines of "wow! you sound exactly like..." well, that's actually not a good thing.  If your motivation is that kind of reaction then that's fine, but that means it's more about your ego than anything else.  Follow the logic through and the best you can possibly get is living vicariously through someone else's talent.  There is nothing wrong with covering someone else, but if you don't actually yearn to truly speak with your own voice, well then, I'm not certain you are not missing the bigger musical picture.

And there is something else.  Something far more significant.  The reaction you get from an audience for a cover will never exceed the reaction you will get for a well written and well performed original.  Never.  Walk the logic through, it's just not possible.  No matter how well you cover another artist - even if you make the song truly your own - it will never exceed the connection you can make by creating something totally new.  Something that your audience can only experience from you.

Ok, so that whole bit would be long series of blogs in and of itself, but going back to the very start of this one, the revelation, was from several of my current CMAS students.  We just did a show at  the Phoenix Hard Rock with another band from the east side of town - not a CMAS group.  They are a phenomenal  cover band.  I mean just amazing - particularly for their ages, all being teenagers.  Very similar in that regard to CMAS.

It was very interesting to talk with several CMAS students at the show.  I need to be clear here that their comments, and mine for that matter, have nothing to do with the band from Gilbert.  This article is about CMAS, not anyone or anything else.

As the show progressed several of my students commented that they saw no point in playing covers.  Not given the response they got from their own material.  It was very particular, their view.  Each kept commenting how impressive the cover band was but that it was kind of disappointing that they were not speaking musically with their own voice.  Proof of their view was when the cover band did a couple of originals in their set.  There was a kind of "ah ha, there it is" feeling.

Now, look, there is nothing wring with covers.  CMAS has very different goals than most high school bands.  Maybe all.  Point is the students themselves, in growing numbers appears to be starting to really understand this.  Speaking with your own musical voice is slowly starting to take real hold.  To become a real priority.  It's something I want to further foster.  Further write about.  Further explore.  The best part is knowing that it appears CMAS students want to do the same.

Ok, off soapbox.  For now...