Tag: Fender

More April Music in May

Was sticking with Amplitube for all of the guitars on the 10 April songs a good idea? This one used the Jimi Hendrix bundle for all of the guitars. The rhythm is my Les Paul and the lead is my Strat. All of the other April songs used the Fender Twin for the rhythm and Hendrix for the leads.

It’s okay, I guess. If I put a ton of effects on during the mix it might be all right. I don’t know. Maybe if I did everything on the iPad it might feel better, and be a little less noisy. I don’t know. I’m torn.

The lyrics are one of many songs about how much I love my wife, and how happy she makes me. I expect the list of such songs to grow steadily for the rest of my life. I’m kinda nuts about her.

A Little Cheating

I finished the last lead guitar part from April. Now all that’s left for the month is to mix the last two songs.

March still has three that aren’t finished. Two have lyrics written but only have a guide track. The third has nuttin.

I broke one of my rules tonight. Twice. I have a rule that states when I record bad rock songs the lead guitars cannot be recorded until after all the vocals are complete. That is the law. I broke the law. I recorded leads for the two songs that only have guide vocals. That means March now has two vocals to record, one to write and record, and one lead guitar to record. Then those three songs need mixin’. That’s all that’s left.

One other note. I am having a really tough time playing the Stratocaster. I’m just having a tough time getting the feel of it. The neck is so different from the Gibsons. I knew it would take a while, but I’m getting frustrated. A little. Not much. Just a little.

I also need to put lighter strings on it, and soon. Ouch.

100% Fender

I recorded the rhythm guitar on this song on Sunday. I recorded the vocals and the lead guitars tonight.

Why is that important? Because I bought the Fender Strat on Saturday. All of the guitars you hear on this song are Fender. There isn’t even a single note played on a Gibson. That has never happened to me before. Also, I used the whammy bar near the end. I have never recorded myself using one of those ridiculous things before. There are firsts all around on this one!

What isn’t unique is that the lyrics are utterly meaningless. You can’t tell me what they mean because I was there and I know they mean nothing. The rhyming dictionary site I use more or less wrote this one for me.

Fender Stratocaster

2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster. Despite a lifetime of playing Gibson guitars and thinking that Fenders were clearly inferior, I have a sudden desire to own a Strat.

This is the second time I’ve felt like this. The first time ended while at a Daddy’s Junky Music store (RIP) invitation only sale when I played a Mexican Strat and actually got as far as the checkout before coming to my senses. Since then I decided if I ever bought one it would have to be an American model, despite the nasty fact that they cost about three times more than the Mexican models.

These days I don’t think I’d be quite as picky. Some of the Mexican models actually look pretty slick. The Japanese models look pretty good too. Then there are some less expensive, lower end made in USA Strats to consider as well. If I were serious (I’m not, really) I would start there.

Besides, you don’t buy a Strat without planning to modify it at some point. I want to keep both of my Gibsons as close to stock as possible, but with Fenders, it’s all mods all the time. The only criteria I’d have is a maple neck. I just like them better than the rosewood.

Then again, maybe it doesn’t have to be a Strat. Those ’72 Telecaster Deluxe reissues with the humbuckers and the Strat necks are pretty sweet looking…

Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

It’s a sickness we all get eventually.

Maybe I should stick to Gibson and get an SG… Or an ES 175… Or an ES 135… Or… Or… Or…

Fender Amp

This past Christmas I got a guitar input for iOS devices called an iRig. It is made for an amplifier simulation app called AmpliTude. The app is free but it’s super basic and there are in app purchases available everywhere.

I had heard of the app and new it was pretty good. What I didn’t know was that there are a bunch of different versions. You can simulate Hendrix’s set up, or Slash, although why you’d want to sound like him I’ll never guess.

One of the versions is supposed to simulate a Fender amp. I have a Fender amp but it is a heartbeat away from crumbling to little bits.

I used it back in the 90’s, including the three years Mike and Maria and I were called Prime Meridian. I installed the app and added on an overdrive pedal because I am a sucker and… Boom. I’ve got my old Prime Meridian tone back.

Maybe I’ll sneak a P.M. song into this year’s RPM as a bonus track. Do I have time?

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