Muris Varajic - Ultra review

Muris_Varajic

Muris_Varajic

Power User
So, few words on my background before I start with this review.
I have been playing for like 13-14 years, using tube gear some 7-8 years,
started with Rocktron Voodoo Valve + Mesa 50/50, later it was Prophesy + 2:90
and finally Mesa Triaxis/TC G Force + 2:90, rack wise.
Then I realized...too many cables.
I play live very often and it takes too much time to set everything up and pack it after the show.
Not to mention situations when something sounds bad and you have to go through bunch of cables
to figure out which one is bad.
Then it was the tone, cables suck tone, you lose impact, clarity of tone, everything!
So I bought Engl Souvereign 2x12, really nice combo, 4 channels, midi and such, used it with G Force in loop.
I said used cause just when I thought I find a prefect match (at least for a while) I heard about AxeFx (wish I heard of it before tho).

And yeah, I got AxeFx Ultra from G66 like few days ago.
To be honest, I never did this short research on a product before I bought it,
it all happened in couple of days, I just had to try it, no matter what.

I'm not gonna waste your time telling you how great the unit is since you already know that,
I'm in heaven, enjoying sounds, easy editing, light weight etc.
Tho I made a mistake, all my friends (pro musicians as well) know about AxeFx now (I told them)
so I'm probably NEVER gonna sell all that gear I accumulated over the years. :lol:

Cliff, I have no words to explain my gratitude for what you have made!!

Back to work, I'll post some recordings and videos as soon as possible.

Cheers everyone. :)

Muris
 
Playing 13 years?
Dang. I've been playing 30 years and I can't even dream of what you're playing.

There must be something to this talent thing. Or I should have practiced better. And more. Lots and lots and lots more.
Nah. Must be talent.


Sorry, jealous egocentric rant off.
 
congratulations muris!
i'm really anxious about the recordings and videos.

pozdrav iz njemacke
S.
 
miki777 said:
Feels so good, that now you are part of community too :D
Click to expand...
;)

Anyways, here's an update regarding this review.
Yesterday I had first recording session using AxeFx.
There are few pro studios in Sarajevo and I pretty much do all guitar jobs there,
this time it was kind of hard/heavy tune (which I really enjoyed) for some female singer from Croatia.
Producer (good friend of mine) talked me through the thing once I got into studio
saying that backing is done heavily and now I need to put some heavy guitar tracks to blend in nicely.
Indeed, backing did sound great, tight drums and bass and everything.
But once I recorded 2 riff guitars using AxeFx...man...rhythm section suddenly sounded like s%#$, sooo weak and thin!!
So I left them to fix the backing cause those guitars gave new dimension, better one. :D
 
You 2009 Guitar Idol entry made me giggle in disbelief @ 2:48. I saw that run and I literally bust out laughing. friggin' amazing!
 
Dutch said:
Playing 13 years?
Dang. I've been playing 30 years and I can't even dream of what you're playing.

There must be something to this talent thing. Or I should have practiced better. And more. Lots and lots and lots more.
Nah. Must be talent.
Click to expand...

All the players you've ever seen that blow you away with their technique have at some point practiced 4-6 hours minimum many days a week for years. Not writing songs very much at all, just refinining and developing technique. I think it's probably 80% hard work and 20% talent. But I can't be sure. You can get ridiculously good technique in 3-5 years if you really want to. You just won't write much during that time. And after that, your technique will never "get in the way" of your songwriting again.

I have seen Muris videos on youtube and yes it's very fast. There's lots of effort it took to get there, it's not just "natural ability" - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Usually these elite players from the very beginning spent the time required - the first thing they wanted to be was impressive. Myself included.

Welcome to the Axe-Fx Muris!
 
Thanks guys, much appreciated, glad to be here. :)

This is off topic but since you mentioned talent and "natural ability" I would like to add my point of view.
For me, the word "talent" always felt somehow not fair and uneven,
giving advantages to someone and disadvantages somebody else.
And most important, very often we hear word talent used as an excuse for not being good as someone (who has that "talent").
But the fact is, we see and hear only final product, we do not see or know what that very musican is doing/thinking when not playing,
not to mention what he thinks or how he thinks when he's playing.
When someone loves something (music or instrument in this case) he gets more boost to explore things, to practice and
devotes himself fully, no compromises at all.
That leads to somewhat silly situation when you find yourself in a caffe, listening to a song and transcribing it "virtually" in your head, an example.
And it goes deeper and deeper.
Ok, you do need some gray matter to process things but it's not being a genius imo,
it's how hard and how much you actually think and question yourself about your playing, composing
and other things that surrounds you music wise.
We don't see that and that counts bit time, imo.

So, when someone really loves something, can we "blame" him and call him talented for
loving it spending that much time focused on what he's doing (practicing, playing or thinking)?
I don't think so. :)

So IMHO it's like 95% hard work with 5% of loving it ( there goes naturally motivation, boots etc).
Could be even 99% vs 1% but that might be too radical. :shock:

Anyways, back to topic, AxeFx rocks. :D
 
Mr. Muris !
I,ve discovered your playing yesterday, by some fortunate accident, thru Sloven guitar forum. Wow !

You have done great job on song called Zajdi, Zajdi with your version. Could you do another version of song called UKOR ( Blame ) which R.M. To?ak is playing and upload on you tube ? I,m very fond on balkans rhytm and fell.

Keep up with briliant work on guitar masterpeice !!!

Best regards form Slovenija !
 
Thanks Josip!

Actually that video was more like AxeFX Ultra quick demo and not my true version of Zajdi Zajdi,
I improvised it just to show how great the unit is.
I'll see if I can dig some time to cover Ukor tho, cheers. :)
 
Muris_Varajic said:
Thanks guys, much appreciated, glad to be here. :)

This is off topic but since you mentioned talent and "natural ability" I would like to add my point of view.
For me, the word "talent" always felt somehow not fair and uneven,
giving advantages to someone and disadvantages somebody else.
And most important, very often we hear word talent used as an excuse for not being good as someone (who has that "talent").
But the fact is, we see and hear only final product, we do not see or know what that very musican is doing/thinking when not playing,
not to mention what he thinks or how he thinks when he's playing.
When someone loves something (music or instrument in this case) he gets more boost to explore things, to practice and
devotes himself fully, no compromises at all.
That leads to somewhat silly situation when you find yourself in a caffe, listening to a song and transcribing it "virtually" in your head, an example.
And it goes deeper and deeper.
Ok, you do need some gray matter to process things but it's not being a genius imo,
it's how hard and how much you actually think and question yourself about your playing, composing
and other things that surrounds you music wise.
We don't see that and that counts bit time, imo.

So, when someone really loves something, can we "blame" him and call him talented for
loving it spending that much time focused on what he's doing (practicing, playing or thinking)?
I don't think so. :)

So IMHO it's like 95% hard work with 5% of loving it ( there goes naturally motivation, boots etc).
Could be even 99% vs 1% but that might be too radical. :shock:

Anyways, back to topic, AxeFx rocks. :D
Click to expand...
AHHH. You got me! Straight through the heart.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I know, in my teens I did play a couple of hours a day, but never as focused and methodical. Also I wasn't much into metal or even hardrock, more pop-rockish where the focus wasn't as much on prowess. I got into guitar because of Dire Straits and Brian Adams. And then, life took over. Still. I think I could have made more of it. After playing 28 years I finally learned Blackbird and am currently studying on Eruption! :lol: :lol: :lol:
I get in about half an hour a day. :D :D I hope to master it in a couple of months.

And the Axe-FX is humongously awesome!
 
Actually that video was more like AxeFX Ultra quick demo and not my true version of Zajdi Zajdi,
I improvised it just to show how great the unit is.
I'll see if I can dig some time to cover Ukor tho, cheers.
Click to expand...

Well, you have impressed me, who cares about one or two bluered notes !
I think that should be very interesting to listen to your version of that piece ( Ukor ).

Hope that you,ll find time to please my ears !

Keep playing !
 
etzel said:
Muris

i think we need more videos with you and axe in the same sentence
Click to expand...

More to come, I promise!

I am strongly thinking of getting another AxeFx for home use,
I do a lot recording session work in other studios, gigs etc,
plug-unplug and carry it around is way too much for me, I have become lazy! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom