Do the ends justify the means...

J

Justin B

Member
So I'm setting up my Fractal to hit the road... As I get deeper, I'm continually impressed by what this unit does. I have fairly refined ears, so I know what sound is 'in my head' and use my ears to dial it in.

This forum has been great for a guy like me. My question, and not trying to be rude, is how many people are recording / gigging etc, and how many people are bedroom tone chasers?

Sometimes I'm reminded of the guys with 500 pedals on a board that can't play worth a lick, or make excuses about the perfect tone.


With this all said- different strokes. So jam on!
 
It can sure irritate me as well, but OTOH I'm a firm believer that there is a lot of stuff where you can have a worthwile opinion without really knowing to *do* it better yourself. It is not by definition something to smirk at, which many rather cheapishly do. I believe there's quite a range there. I know people that have "thousands" of CDs and for me still know nothing about music, but they think they do. And there are people who can't play a lick to my standards, but who can sure be right in their remarks about other people's playing.
 
Currently I play originals and covers in two bands regionally (Laura Wilkie Band and Mark Turner Project) and play P&W weekly. I average about 4-8 gigs a month.

IMHO, it's important to couch and understand folks' opinions based on the context they deliver them from. Just the fact that someone is a bedroom rock star doesn't discount their opinions to me; but instead it can temper the way I perceive and give weight to them. Plenty of supposed 'bedroom' players have taught me plenty.
 
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Justin B said:
My question, and not trying to be rude, is how many people are recording / gigging etc, and how many people are bedroom tone chasers?
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Good luck with that...on a couple forums I asked who's paying the bills with live performance only. I got 1 or 2 "I do" replies, everything else was off-topic noise and attitudes.

I fall into the gigging category more than recording.
 
My "road days" are over (on to family life chapter now) but the gig I'm doing now is "serious" enough and fun as hell.
The rest of us being in the same boat, we only strive for 1 maybe 2 gigs a month for a nice balance. Though that can quickly become every weekend during a month when the corporate gigs pop up..lol

As far as this forum goes, I can't say enough, most importantly the helpful people here, very down to earth and MORE than generous.

As I become more familiar with the AXE (switching over from the "traditional" rig) I look forward to joining in more on the discussion, swapping patches etc, the willingness to openly share patches and have everyone jumping in offering tips and tweaks is such a welcome change from most other forums.

I look forward to being a part of that.
 
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This is interesting... not from a standpoint of who does what, but more of a chance to "context" someones opinions about gear and tone etc... Also, just as important is what type of music they play and even what guitars and other gear they're using...

It would be nice if people all prefaced their statements with what type of player they are.... If they were 'required' to do that first, imagine how some of their comments would be perceived, or if they'd even make some of the same comments... ha ha!

Me.. I'm just a weekend warrior classic rock cover band guy, but also been getting into some home recording of other stuff that does not go over well in the cover band genre... originals, guitar oriented instrumentals...
 
Justin B said:
So I'm setting up my Fractal to hit the road... As I get deeper, I'm continually impressed by what this unit does. I have fairly refined ears, so I know what sound is 'in my head' and use my ears to dial it in.
This forum has been great for a guy like me. My question, and not trying to be rude, is how many people are recording / gigging etc, and how many people are bedroom tone chasers?
Sometimes I'm reminded of the guys with 500 pedals on a board that can't play worth a lick, or make excuses about the perfect tone.
With this all said- different strokes. So jam on!
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what is your objective?
To see if the tones are good enough to earn money with? They are. Ironically, many Pros get lame tones with valve gear (especially with some multi-FX floor units) and still get paid. Audiences don't seem to notice
Or to see if it works well on the road? Valve gear is not the most resilient thing to truck around with in any case. I think it's good enough for that too

I'm a stay-at-home player though.
I learned to play guitar because I enjoy making music, and since I have well-paid skills in IT and Maths, I earn my money that way, and buy all this lovely kit with it.
I've never felt compelled to perform for other people's entertainment, I wouldn't mind doing it, but it seems a lot of trouble to find a willing audience in the UK, and like I say, I play for my own pleasure, it's like meditation for me, I don't need the money
I'm happy recording rather than performing tbh, and I often observe that the reward for success in music is being compelled to perform your greatest hits for your whole life. Actors and comedians don't have to do that!
As Scott says, you need to take everyone's opinion in context - I will be hard put to tell you how easy it is to use this on a major tour with 3 guitarists, for example.
However, I can tell you how well it records with Pro kit against nice boutique real amps, with nobody but me to please, no time constraint, and no vested interest.
I would actually be more inclined to perform with this kit, since it makes it easier to get any textures, and does not weigh the same as a DC30
 
I've owned my Ultra for over a year and my II for over a month now. I have yet to gig with either of them. I am about to start though... Hopefully. Since I got my II I have started writing and recording music again. I have been out of music for the last 5 years due to having 3 children now. I was in a gigging band for several years until then... (as well as some stupid band drama that caused the split.)

I don't take offense at all to you asking how many of us are gigging and recording with our gear. I just gig proofed my rig for when I actually start playing out. I built a custom I/O panel for ease of setup and tear down as well as minimizing wear and tear on my II's I/O.

I too tend to give more weight to peoples tips and opinions who are actually gigging and doing sessions. That being said people in my situation can certainly still offer good tips and tricks. There are a TON of very creative people here and much to learn from most of the users.


I'm a high gain djent djent meedley meedely meedely type player...

Sent from my iPod.
 
I'm a live and studio player
generally I tour a couple of times a year with the David Cross Band [David is a former member of King Crimson]..
also I'm in the throws of creating a very cool proggy / rocky band with two monsterously talented buddies..
I'm about to embark on an electric blues duo with a pal [Nathaniel Peterson] that will be such a blast..
additionally I do session bits and pieces [mostly rock, pop, funk] and the occasional guitar clinic
oh.. yeah.. and I released a sort of neo-classical shred solo album a few years back [hmmm... I really need to be getting on with another..]

so tone demands wise, I really do have my hands nice and full...
but that's all part of the fun right.... ! !
 
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+1 for everything tone control said. Vamp too. I fall in a similar boat as tone control, but I gig a lot. I can't make a living out of it despite being one of the most respected players in my country :/ that's just how things are here, and I have a day job because of it :/ I don't gig as regularly now as a few years, ago, but I still gig more than most. A few years ago I played up to 10 shows a day - 24hrs (yea, THAT many! :eek: ) and now I only play a couple times a week. Used to play with a LOT of different groups, rock, jazz, progressive, you name it, but now I play mostly easy listening country kinda music.

I am more into production these days, and don't have as much time to play due to day job, but I still get a LOT of respect from even the new generation of players. Day job pays for my tone quests - I have a lot of high end gear that hard work paid for, not gigs. I would love to be a musician who actually can support himself doing just gigging, but there is no real scope for that here, sadly.

I agree that bring a good player doesn't mean squat when it memes to great tones for eg Steve vai, and I do not discredit ANYONE who can't play - I've learnt more from them than the 'experts', and I always humbly listen to and learn from them.
 
a couple of things really to echo what some other folk have already said:
- there are some very seriously smart and generous givers of knowledge in this place [which is hugely cool]
- bedroom or on the road? does it matter? in my experience I've encountered the amazingly amazing and amazingly bad in all walks of music life..

note: going on the road / playing in recording studios / playing for a living / even being in a band just ain't for everyone.. and that's cool..
some folk are really into family, or are chasing a different career path
and there are folk that just can't face doing stuff on stage in front of people no matter how good they are
personally I find it fkn scary every time I step out there.. but the reason I put myself through it is cos I'm that stupid.. lol
however:
- doing all these things is not a passport to becoming a guru or the sort of player that'll start wars [and finish 'em]..
- not doing all these things does not render a person to being clueless or devoid of tallent and ability

no matter how much you know, how well you play, or where you play
the killer thing is just totally fkn loving every minute of it..
 
Kyle.E.Woyote said:
My "road days" are over (on to family life chapter now) but the gig I'm doing now is "serious" enough and fun as hell.
The rest of us being in the same boat, we only strive for 1 maybe 2 gigs a month for a nice balance. Though that can quickly become every weekend during a month when the corporate gigs pop up..lol

As far as this forum goes, I can't say enough, most importantly the helpful people here, very down to earth and MORE than generous.

As I become more familiar with the AXE (switching over from the "traditional" rig) I look forward to joining in more on the discussion, swapping patches etc, the willingness to openly share patches and have everyone jumping in offering tips and tweaks is such a welcome change from most other forums.

I look forward to being a part of that.
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Nothing about the thread, but cracked up @ your user name. To funny!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
My gigging days are over and that was the main driving force behind me actually getting one of these units.
Having a wife and young kids and using a Mark IV and a 5150 II for "home" playing is real overkill. I'm much more into recording and
continuing with writing original material these days and hearing "turn it down" a dozen times a day doesn't exactly lend to creativity.
I kept my Mesa 50/50 power amp and my 2 X12 recto cabs for those times when no one is home, but being able to record at midnight wihout
anyone in the house being bothered?????.....and having it sound this good???
priceless.
 
I have no problem admitting I'm a bedroom player, though I'm definitely far from a tone chaser. I haven't gigged in about 7-8 years because my life has been consumed with work and other obligations. In fact, I've hardly played at all. Over that time period, I thoroughly evaluated a bunch of recording gear, but never ended up pulling the trigger. I followed Fractal for what feels like an eternity because I was very intrigued, and once the II was announced, I pulled the trigger. To me, it fit my requirements of being able to get a bunch of different high quality tones and effects and being able to record direct (apartment dweller here), with the added bonus of not having to connect to my computer every time I wanted to play (ala plugins) and also being able to gig with it or jam with buddies.

Based on my needs and lack of skill, people may question why I dropped the dough on an Axe II instead of pursuing cheaper alternatives. My answer (other than the fact that I don't know of anything does everything the Axe does in one box)? I wanted to, and I could.

Now I'm having the wonderful mixed experiences of trying to record ideas I've had in my head for ~10 years or so (very exciting), but realizing exactly how much I suck at guitar (not so exciting). :eek:ops
 
I play out twice a month doing Praise & Worship, along with a week long conference each year. Some of the music is original. Some is "covers", although we interpret and arrange things to reflect our character, rather than replicating the original. A lot of the music is spontaneous and extended improvisations are common.

Terry.
 
In my younger days, I would regularly do any and all of the following (not blowing my own whistle here, seriously):

- gig 3-6 nights per week, covers and originals
- owned and installed club "house" PA systems, and owned a traveling PA system
- mixed sound live and in the studio
- recorded original music in home studios and at well-known area recording studios
- party my ass off and shagged chicks until the wee hours of the morning

Stopped counting the # of shows I did at +/-1200 (not including sound mixing gigs), sometime back in the mid-late 1990s.

As a bassist, I purchased the AxeFx to replace my Ampeg SVT Classic rig, primarily for obvious practical reasons (weight, ouch!), and so I could use the same rig at rehearsals and ANY gig that I was doing, whether big or small. The AxeFx is the cornerstone of all of my sounds, and I got it just as much for my own head since it is such a comprehensive tool aside from the amp-specific stuff it does.

Also, in my neck of the woods, you don't have to have a great sounding band or guitar rig to gig a lot and be a "local favorite" band. More than ever, it is all about turning numbers at the door and playing the songs that make the whole world sing. Hate to say it, but that is what it's like around here IMO. Not to say there are no good sounding bands/guitarists in this area, b/c there are a TON of great musicians in the Boston area. Making a SERIOUS living gigging the area scene (unless you do weddings and/or corporate GB functions) is really difficult, of not near impossible. DJs, House music, etc. have taken over the scene.

12 years ago I took a day job to take the financial pressure off, and now I might do 50 gigs per year.
 
I'm a hack and get boo'd out of my own basement. Seriously I was trying to get something going with a co-worker who was a killer drummer, but things fell through and he's moving away so those plans are kind of dashed.

My biggest problem (and I've brought this up on other forums before) is I suffer from debilitating performance anxiety in front of people. Hell it took me a couple of years to get over falling apart when I hit the record button.

So I play the guitar because I really do enjoy it, but it's something I do by myself in my little room in the basement and it relaxes me. In reality I know that I'm a lot harsher on myself and my playing than is warranted, but I also know that I could be immensely better. The thing for me is that anytime I get all amped up to really work on improving rather than just having fun...well the fun factor dissappears. I have no aspirations to become famous or win some kind of guitar battle so the idea of turning something I do for fun into a work type atmosphere just kills it for me.

I suppose that some people would say that all of my gear is a waste of money since I don't utilize it all to it's fullest potential, but the thing is that I work extremely hard in my real job and have gotten to the point that I can afford a few nice toys on occasion. I didn't go out and blow thousands the first time I picked up a guitar, I've built up my collection of gear over the last 25 years when my first guitar was bought from the local pothead for $15 and it was made from plywood...in that amount of time you are going to accumulate a lot of stuff in the process.

I own what I do because I can and because I want to. As far as the AxeFXII in general I think that it's a matter of convenience and value; I mean if you take a look at what all it replaces in actual gear that the price is ridiculously low vs owning a fraction of that stuff in real life. As someone who will never make a penny from his playing and is strictly in hobbyist mode I think that it's a perfect tool and to say that it's a 'waste' is applying their own set of values on someone else's situation. I'm not saying that is what is being said here, but I do hear it in a lot of other places and it's a bit offensive. I mean you could say the same thing about a lot of people who have hobbies or are even professionals in any field for not utilizing the full potential of their tools.

I think that the Fractal products probably fill the needs of a lot wider market than people realize at first glance. It's not super cheap, but for what it does and replaces its a real value and its convenient for guys in my situation yet it's flexible enough and performs more than good enough for professionals and covers a lot of genres really well. It can fill the needs for a very large target audience.
 
shasha said:
I own what I do because I can and because I want to. As far as the AxeFXII in general I think that it's a matter of convenience and value; I mean if you take a look at what all it replaces in actual gear that the price is ridiculously low vs owning a fraction of that stuff in real life.
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I concur. If the Axe came out 10 years ago I could've saved a TON of money. I know that I would have found other things to spend it on, but still... The Axe II (and certainly still the Standard and Ultra) are absolute life savers.
 
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