Is guitar your primary instrument?
At this point, I would say it is.
Do you play any other instruments?
I also play drums and a bit of keys.
How long have you been playing guitar?
It’s been about 11 years now.
Did you take any lessons growing up? (guitar or other)
I took maybe 10 drum lessons total in the first few years that I played.
What impact did that have on you as a musician?
I don’t think I learned too much from the lessons I took. I wanted to move on much faster than either of my teachers wanted me to so I stopped going.
Do you have an understand of scales and music theory?
My understanding is very basic. I understand intervals and know the notes of the fretboard, but that’s about it. I know what sounds I like to hear and how to achieve those sounds, but I don’t know any official names of things.
How does that impact your songwriting?
I guess I could say that my songwriting is really based around whatever I’m feeling at the time. I don’t really concern myself with if something is “proper” or not. I wouldn’t really know the difference anyway.
Do you still practice instruments, beyond when you’re writing for your band(s)?
I play guitar for a few hours a day when I’m home from tour. I’m constantly writing and noodling. I also try to play drums as much as possible when I’m home. That usually only ends up being a few hours a week due to people being home and annoyed and all that. I really do wish I could play more because my chops have definitely fallen off.
Do you still attempt to push forward by learning new instruments or applications?
I’ve been toying with the idea of trying to learn a wind instrument of sorts for a couple years, but I’m not sure I have the patience to do that at this point in my life. If I come across a cheap trumpet or sax, I may have to pick it up.
Do you have have a method for songwriting?
For my own stuff, I usually don’t try to push a song out unless I’m vibing on whatever riff I’m working with.
How does it usually happen?
When I do play by myself, I’ll usually noodle around for a while and stumble on a chord change or voicing that I’m digging and work from there.
Prefer bringing a skeleton to practice, or build as a collaboration
In my band, we definitely write as a team. Someone may come with a riff, but that’s the extent of it being a solitary adventure. We often try a few different keys to see what works best for the vocals and try different arrangements and feels until we’re happy with it. Then we’ll come back the next day and rework a bunch of things. In old bands, I would bring basically an entire song and go from there, but I definitely prefer the collaboration aspect even if there are more arguments.
What is your guitar rig these days?
Partcaster thinline tele or ’86 MIJ 52 RI tele > Boss CS2 > Dunlop Volume > Emma Reezafratzitz > Digitech Digiverb > Boss DD20 > Sonic Research Turbo Tuner > Carvin X100B on the lead channel with a little bit of grit > Avatar Premier Vintage open-back 2×12 with Celestion Vintage 30s. When playing solo stuff, I also add in a Line 6 DL4 and a Boss PS3..
Does gear impact your songwriting / performing?
For the one solo project I have, the songs are primarily based around a 2-looper set up. If I don’t have those, I can’t really do as much as I’d like to in the weird department. If my part is written around a certain effect, then I definitely prefer to have those effects available to play. It’s definitely much easier to play when my rig sounds like I want it to as well.
You’ve worked at a studio, and mixed some cool records. How’d you get into recording bands?
I originally got into it because I recorded with a friend when I was 14 and the process seemed enjoyable. I originally starting writing music in a program called “TabIt” and recording just seemed like the next logical step.
Do you have an education in audio/acoustics?
Only what I’ve read on messageboards and in magazines.
What are you running in the studio?
My current setup is pretty tiny because I’ve lent things out while on tour and not gotten them back or had things disappear from a friend’s studio. I have a small assortment of mics including some 57s, 58s, a D112, Nady ribbon, Karma electret condensers, and a pair of MXL991s. I used to have a couple other mics, but they seem to be long gone. From there, I use a Behringer DDX3216 for preamps with the ADAT out going into an EMU1212m PCI card. I run that into a PC with Cubase 5 on it. My monitors are KRK RP8s.
I feel like I’ve learned to make the best of my setup, but I could certainly use some improvements all over. I’m just not home enough to make the proper investment into things yet.
Any advice for students who are trying to find success in the music industry?
If you want to make a living as a musician, be prepared to work your butt off. It seems to have everything to do with timing and luck with a heavy serving of persistence. It blows my mind that my band has been lucky enough to make a career out of music a reality, but we also put in a lot of work. If you want things to happen, you really just have to start doing stuff for yourself. Book your own tours if no one else will. Release your own records if no one else will. Be yourself, work hard, and don’t buy into gimmicks.
If you just want to make a living while being on tour, I would suggest becoming a crew member. Guitar tech/drum tech/front of house/tour manager/stage hand/merch/etc. You have a WAY higher chance of sustaining yourself in a position like that than you do playing music. You’ll get to meet tons of bands who may need a tech/tour manager/even a musician later down the road.
Any Advice for life on the road?
Just some random thoughts:
-In a world where you rarely shower, baby wipes and gold bond are lifesavers.
-Being a real person and being respectful goes a LONG way. Free places to stay, free food, better shows, better friends, etc.
-Try to clean up after yourself as it will keep your band happier and healthier in the van.
-Be prepared to see a different side of all of your bandmates.
-Walk away before blowing up on a bandmate over something small. You’ll absolutely get into stupid arguments, but you’d be better off trying to avoid them.
What are your thoughts on the state of the music industry, and what the future holds?
It seems like everyone is looking for new ways to sell records and bring in revenue. It’s obvious that record sales are down. Bands who sold 70,000 records with an earlier album are only selling 50,000 on a BIGGER label only a year and a half later. A lot of larger labels have started implementing deals where they receive a percentage of the money you make from merch sales and other things on tour. Not sure how I feel about that, but I definitely understand the need to bring in money. I do believe that digital and vinyl are going to be leading the way in the very near future. CDs really only have maybe 10 years left. As far as music is concerned, it seems like people just want to hear honest music.
Any other things to add?
My band just put out a new record a little over a month ago: http://www.thewonderyearsband.com
I also have a solo project with everything online for free: http://scheduleofnoplan.bandcamp.comIf you sell shirts that say “Let’s F@#*” or “I <3 Dirty Boys” to young girls on Warped tour, I don’t like you. Also, backing tracks and bass drops are for the weak.
