Brian Mark - Guitaraholic

Why I Built Fill The Night

2026-06-14T20:15:38.332-05:00

For years, I've been involved in the local music scene from multiple angles. I've played in bands, worked with venues, run sound, promoted shows, and spent countless hours talking with musicians and venue owners.

If you've spent any amount of time around live entertainment, you've probably seen the same thing I have.

A band cancels.

A venue suddenly has an open night.

Someone posts on social media looking for a replacement.

Then begins a frantic scramble to find the right act, contact people, figure out who's available, and somehow salvage the event before it's too late.

One day I saw exactly that happening again. A venue had an unexpected opening and was desperately trying to fill it at the last minute. Everyone involved was doing the best they could, but it struck me that the process felt far more difficult than it should have been.

We live in a world where we can order food, book hotels, hail rides, and communicate instantly from our phones. Yet many venues and performers were still relying on scattered social media posts, word of mouth, text messages, and personal contacts to solve a problem that happens all the time.

I remember thinking:

"There has to be a better way."

That simple thought eventually became Fill The Night.

The goal wasn't to replace the relationships that make local entertainment special. In fact, those relationships are the reason local music scenes exist in the first place.

The goal was to make it easier for the right people to find each other when opportunities arise.

As I started digging deeper, I realized the problem was bigger than last-minute cancellations. Musicians were trying to discover new venues. Venues were trying to find reliable performers. Fans were struggling to keep track of everything happening around them because information was scattered across dozens of websites and social media pages.

The more conversations I had, the more obvious it became that local entertainment needed better tools.

Today, Fill The Night is still in its early stages, but the vision remains the same: help connect the people who make local entertainment possible.

Rather than trying to launch everywhere at once, I'm focusing on building something useful for our region first. The Omaha, Fremont, Lincoln, and surrounding communities have incredible talent, passionate venue owners, and dedicated fans. If I can't make the platform genuinely valuable here, there's no reason to believe it will succeed anywhere else.

That's why my focus right now isn't growth for the sake of growth.

It's listening.

Talking to venue owners.

Talking to musicians.

Talking to fans.

Learning how people actually work and discovering where technology can help without getting in the way.

Local entertainment has always been built on relationships, trust, and community. Those things aren't changing.

My hope is that Fill The Night can become one more tool that helps strengthen those connections and make it a little easier for great nights to happen.

We're still early in the journey, but I'm excited to see where it leads.

And it all started with a simple question:

"What if there was a better way to fill the night?"

A Musical Journey of Love: Embracing Creative Freedom in a Duo Setting

2023-06-29T14:56:00.000-05:00

Music has always been a significant part of my life, but it wasn't until recently that I discovered the true magic of collaboration. Most of my musical journey has led me to this greatest chapter yet: a duo with the love of my life. The excitement I feel about writing songs with her in a duo setting, where all my creative input can be fully utilized, is unparalleled. No longer held back by the constraints of working with others, I am ready to dive into a world of limitless possibilities.

Unleashing Creative Potential

In the past, I have had the pleasure of working with various individuals, each bringing their unique talents to the table. However, there were times when my creative ideas were overshadowed or compromised. Now, in this duo setting, I have the freedom to explore my musical instincts fully. Every lyric, every melody, and every musical idea can be expressed without inhibition.

A Perfect Symbiosis

What makes this duo truly special is the synergy between us. While I focus on crafting lyrics that resonate with our experiences and emotions, she excels in writing melodies that bring those lyrics to life. It's a beautiful dance of words and music, where our individual strengths complement each other seamlessly. Moreover, she also contributes her own lyrics and musical ideas, adding another layer of depth to our compositions.

Endless Possibilities

With this newfound creative freedom, our musical journey knows no bounds. We can explore various genres, experiment with different sounds, and push the boundaries of our artistic expression. The possibilities are endless, and it's exhilarating to think about the musical landscapes we can create together.

Basically, what I'm saying is that as I embark on this musical journey with the love of my life, I am filled with excitement and anticipation. The duo setting allows us to fully utilize our creative input, unencumbered by the limitations of working with others. It's a chapter that promises to be filled with beautiful melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and a deep connection that only music can bring. I can't wait to see where this journey takes us, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share it with the love of my life.

May 2021 updates

2021-05-20T11:26:00.002-05:00

Lots of work has been done since I last posted. Everything feels different, and gigs have been scheduled. It's time to get ready to play live again.

Maiden Voyage

We're playing a primarily hispanic audience show in a few weeks. New bass player is continuing to learn the songs, new guitar player keeps impressing me with his resolve, and as a band we feel ready for a couple hours of Maiden music. We're also playing a benefit for our lost blood brother in July, where we'll be playing the set list we did at our final show with him. Somehow, Live After Death seems fitting for that show, so that's what we're performing. We also have a special "something" planned for the first song which should hit everyone right in the feels.

Pop Band

We're currently using the name Hard Candy for this one. We're going to be playing a couple of benefit shows to get things started on stage. One is for our former drummer Dan and also the one with Maiden Voyage in Bill's honor. We'll see how things go on stage and then get ready for longer shows after we see what the audience responds to.

Praise Band

Worship is moving to a gymnasium for a bit as the sanctuary gets renovated. This should create all sorts of fun new problems with sound. Luckily, I just play and don't have to figure all that out. Sometimes it's good to be a hired gun.

Prog Band

We're closing in on our full lineup. We have a singer that was great that we're going to try doing an original song with here shortly (he auditioned with some Dream Theater and it was fantastic), and we've got a drummer auditioning next weekend. Once that's all solidified, we'll be moving on to recording and getting shows lined up. Exciting times.

But wait... there's one more!

Since I wasn't doing enough already, I'm also now playing in a grunge / alternative band called Panik. The first show is a class reunion, so that's an interesting choice of bands, but it should be fun. I think the target audience is 90% soccer moms, so maybe it'll work for a class reunion -- Who knows? I guess I will in a matter of weeks.

Oh, and before I forget...

I'm also filling in on bass for a show in the park during John C Fremont Days for a 50's/60's/70's thing. There's some country in there, but I'll just wear ear plugs. Either way, it's an easy gig with 18 songs.

Too busy?

It may seem like an extra busy schedule, but it keeps me going. Next stop... the stage!

Where do I begin...

2021-03-30T16:32:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything here, so where do I begin with all the updates?

Maiden Voyage

We lost Bill last year. We lost John as well. Bill was our Adrian and he passed away after a couple of years of health battles. John, who played the Steve role, was transferred for work to Colorado. The result is we had to find new guitar and bass players and get them up to speed. I think we're ready for gigs again. I'm still playing the Dave parts and trying to hold it all together as the other guys learn the songs we had down previously.

Praise Band

Not a whole lot new there. Singers come and go, but that's just the nature of being in a volunteer worship leadership position. I think we've made some great gains when it comes to singing recently, though. Still playing 4 strings and having fun with it.

Pop Band

The pop band I was in is currently on pause. Our drummer, Dan, was lost in an auto accident recently, and rehearsal space was expensive, so we're taking a short break to gather our thoughts before moving on. We've had so much turnover over the past couple of years that it feels like it may never really take off. Bill was also formerly in this one (he started it, actually), then we've had a few bass players, a few guitar players, a few singers and we may finally have the bass / guitar / singing combo on solid ground, but now we'll need to audition drummers again and get an updated song list together since the drummer was singing a couple of tunes and doing a lot of backup vocals. We haven't talked all that much about a band name as it never seems to get that far before a lineup change.

Prog Band

Yes, I am also in a prog band. We're something along the lines of Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater hybrid with a hint of some other influences. I'm playing 7 string bass under the 7, 8 and 9 string guitars. The drummer from the pop band was also the drummer here, but we're starting to work with a new drummer again. We still have hopes of being show ready this Summer and possibly getting an EP or album recorded later this year. We're also close to deciding on a name, too. I hope to announce that soon.

Looking forward

Lots of potential is what I see when I look forward. If we can get a couple of these projects going, I should be plenty busy with gigs. Until then, I'll keep practicing, learning some new covers, writing some new riffs and trying to be the best Dave I can be. How about you? What's your past year looked like musically?

Been getting busy

2018-08-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I posted, so I thought it was time for an update.

Maiden Voyage is starting to get busy. This summer saw quite a few shows and several benefits with us performing. We had our first show with us providing sound, which meant I had to buy a trailer. That was going to become necessary anyway just to continue moving our light show around, so it just worked out well.

We played in Lincoln for the first time. Nothing earth shattering about playing another town about 60 miles from where we're based, but after that one show we immediately booked 2 more in Lincoln with minimal effort. Guess that first show is the most important one like they say... only one chance for that first impression.

Speaking of 2 more shows with minimal effort, that's how most of our shows are happening now. We're not even looking for shows all that hard and are starting to have booking agencies and show promoters contacting us about being a headliner for some bands they're working with. That's sure a change from when we weren't even sure if there was a market for a Maiden tribute in Omaha.

As for Pauzed, we're taking things slow. James (guitar / vox) has injured his back a few times, and that heavy explorer doesn't help things at all. In nearly 2 years with them, we've played 6 shows and had to cancel 4. We haven't practiced together in a month as James tries to sort out where he's going to be living on a more permanent basis (yay - he's buying a house!), so the equipment is in my basement not being used for now.

Since that's given me some extra time, I did manage to get a couple of my own songs recorded. These won't ever make it onto a Pauzed set list, so I guess it's the start of a solo album. I'll have to see what I can do about finishing that up, but I'm happy with the progress so far. I've been wanting to record since I got the recording hardware but just never really put the effort in to do so. Time for me to get off my butt and use it.

Three shows, three states in July

2017-06-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

July is panning out to be a busy month playing. We're playing Omaha on 7/7, Maiden plays Lincoln on 7/9, we're playing Des Moines on 7/15, and we just added Kansas City on 7/29. That's three shows across three states in one month, and then we're supposed to head to Rapid City during bike week.

That brings us to the next one, though... the venue may have fallen through. The host of the show is now scrambling to find a new location to set up his stage and food trucks for that show. I should know soon if it's actually happening or not, but we're really hoping to have 4 states in under a month. Either way, it was very nice to be asked.

What other states can we add yet this summer? I'm sure there are a few. We got asked to play in Colorado, but we're still waiting on details for that. Kansas wouldn't be too bad of a drive. Anyone have suggestions for us?

First big show announcement

2017-05-12T11:10:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is. Our first BIG show announcement. We've been asked, less than 6 months after our first show, to play Monsters of Madness Tribute Fest in Rapid City during the Sturgis bike rally. While it's not in "Sturgis proper", this might actually be to our benefit as we'll be right next to Rapid City Harley Davidson, which gets a huge number of visitors every day and we'll be on an outdoor stage, so people can hear us without entering an establishment.

We'll be playing Aug 4 at 4:30, 6th at 10:00 and the 7th at 6:30. There are some big names that we'll be sharing the stage with, but more on that later. For now, we're playing and need to start figuring out logistics.

I missed a month...

2017-05-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

I didn't get anything posted last month. Consider this an apology to everyone who reads this regularly. But, I think there was good reason.

Things are really picking up for the Maiden tribute band. I've taken over booking duties, and so far it's going well. We have a show coming up later this month, I'm working on closing the deal on a 2 night Maiden Weekend party leading up to their show on July 9th, we're playing a B.A.C.A. benefit in Des Moines the following weekend, and we've been asked to play something else that I'm working on a contract for. I can't spill the beans on that one yet, but let's just say Trump would be proud, because it'll be "YUUUGE!"

Also of note is that we have done a video shoot for a promo. Between the audio and video, it was almost 10 hours in studios. Once it's released (should be early next month), I'll be sure to post it here. Until then, here's a peek at our video set.

So, on that note, it's off to finish up that contract and get ready to inform everyone here about the next event that's been on many bands' bucket lists. Yep, it will be that YUUUGE.

Maiden Voyage Show Video

2017-03-10T04:00:00.000-06:00

It's funny how the dance floor doesn't really fill in for Iron Maiden even though we had 150+ people in the audience. I guess it's just not dance material.

Anyway, here's some performance video to give you a taste of the Voyage from our first public performance. This was before gear upgrades (Adrian Smith signature guitar for Bill, my JMP-1 and Marshall power amp, etc.)

Simpler pedal board

2017-02-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

Since I'm pretty much sticking to the Iron Maiden tribute band, I've been able to knock down the number of pedals I require. So... for starters...

I got rid of a lot of the bulk. No need for a second volume pedal, reverb, delay, etc. Very simple signal path... wireless into volume into A/B/Y which either goes to the EHX pedals for some synth sounds or on to the...

Marshall JMP-1. That's right, I found a vintage piece of gear with tubes in it which is the same model as Maiden themselves use. Sort of takes the guesswork out of getting the right tone when their settings are well documented online. Both of the signal paths go to a side of my Marshall 8008, with an old school Digitech DSP 128+ adding a bit of verb and delay to the guitar side of things.

The only other thing I have been using is a power conditioner and I'm probably going to add my Noise Clamp back in the loop at some point, but hide it in the rack. Otherwise, it's pretty straight forward and most of the tone I'm using comes right from the JMP-1.

Shows! Upcoming Shows!

2017-01-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

After practicing with the guys in the Maiden tribute for a while now, we have some shows coming up. The first 2 are scheduled for sure, with 2 more probables before springtime and a whole bunch starting to come together for the spring and summer months. Good thing I got a larger vehicle. My guitar cab wouldn't even fit in the back of my Jaguar. haha.

January 27th and February 24th are confirmed dates for now, with February 10th being a possible. I'll try to post up a few videos from those shows.

We seem to have a lot of interest locally and regionally already, so this could end up being a very busy year.

All shows are currently being put on our Facebook page.

Maiden Voyage (Omaha) - The Trooper

2016-12-05T05:30:00.000-06:00

I've been getting some good feedback on the Maiden tribute videos, so here's another one. This time, we're playing The Trooper.

What tune do you want to hear us play next?

Since people have been asking me...

2016-12-02T05:30:00.000-06:00

Since plenty of people have been asking me, yes... I got a tattoo. No need for a long, drawn-out post here. I just need to post a picture of it around my scar.

To answer most of the questions:

1) No, it didn't hurt much at all. I had more tickling than anything.
2) Yes, that entire dividing line is the scar.
3) Yes, I am going to return to get color done.
4) No, I don't intend to get a bunch more scars / tattoos.
5) Yes, I do web work by day, so it has a connection to me.

Maiden Voyage (Omaha) - Hallowed Be Thy Name

2016-11-28T10:36:00.001-06:00

Just a quick video from our rehearsal last night. We're about ready to get out and play some shows while we continue learning the rest of the catalog.

Maiden Tribute video - new bass player

2016-11-09T05:30:00.000-06:00

First practice with a new bass player? Not a problem. We found the right guy for the job. Not only does he have the bass lines down, but he already owned the right bass! You can see my Dave Murray signature strat in this video, but Bill doesn't have his Adrian Smith Jackson along for this practice. I hope to put a few more of these videos up in the coming weeks.

So far, playing Maiden has been a total blast. Can't wait until the next practice... and the next one... and the shows... and building the stage props... and the shows... and did I mention this is fun to play?

Oh, and if you want to follow us on Facebook, it's here. Maiden Voyage Omaha

NGD: I'll have a new gear Friday post soon!!!

2016-10-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

That's right... today is a big day. My Dave Murray signature Fender Strat shows up today. As you may have heard here already, I'm playing the part of Dave in a new Maiden tribute band, so I obviously needed the "correct" guitar. It'll arrive today, so after I give it a full shakedown, I'll be sure to upload some audio and maybe even some video with it.

NGD is always exciting!

Time off the blog and behind the guitar

2016-10-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't noticed, I've been taking some time away from the keyboard to get fully ready for the Maiden band. I did audition with another band on bass last week, and they seemed pretty happy with my playing. However, I'm just looking for something fun to supplement the Maiden band since it feels like something that will be spread out (as in only once every month at the most) so we don't saturate the market.

So, with that said, I'm toying around with some songs that I think I can front reasonably well and have a buddy wants to play bass on and another buddy wants to play drums on. I've never done the power trio thing, but I think it could be enjoyable for a while. If something else comes along that catches my interest, I'll see where it goes. But for now, I've got those two plus the weekly Sunday morning performance with the praise band.

Three seems about right for now, and if the rumors come true, we may be busy driving around with the Maiden deal. I'll probably hold steady at these three so I don't spread myself too thin, at least until I don't have to think about anything Dave plays in the slightest and know most of their tunes. Then I may look harder into a fourth... or maybe another fun tribute.

What are you most interested to hear? Maiden? Power Trio? Praise Band? Leave a comment and I'll see about getting some audio / video posted of whatever people are requesting.

Keeping extremely busy

2016-09-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

As you can guess, learning every Maiden tune ever recorded has been keeping me quite busy. I'm enjoying the challenge of it as well as some of the new theory I've picked out of their music.

Yes, I said new theory. Not new as in "OMG, nobody has ever seen this before", but new as in I hadn't used certain chord progressions with 8ths and 6ths together in that manner before. I'm certainly enjoying the different approach to things.

Probably the toughest part, though, is the shared solos. Moving one guy from lead to rhythm without missing a beat on the rhythm or the lead is tricky to say the least. Again, I'm up for the challenge, but it's certainly something I haven't tried in the past.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm intrigued by every tune I play and look forward to what I can learn in the next song on the album... and then the next album... and the next... playing with a purpose is good.

Gear Friday: Gretsch Electromatic

2016-09-16T05:30:00.000-05:00

It had to happen at some point, right? I had to get a Gretsch. Well, I decided to start with an Electromatic and go from there, but it still says Gretsch.

It's certainly a pretty headstock, but I'm not real crazy about the way the strings are bent out from the center. This adds unnecessary tension to those middle few strings, but perhaps that's the point. That means those are less likely to bend when you're playing "normal". I suppose that could keep it more in tune when playing chords, but I've never heard anyone state that as being the reason. I just know I generally prefer straight paths so I can bend them as I want to with minimal effort.

As for the body, it's pretty. The bigsby took a bit to get used to. No divebombs, but a nice vibrato is no problem.

So what do I like about this one? It's certainly a different tone than most of my others. Between the weaker output from the pickups and the airy sound from the semi-hollow, it's a much different sound than most of my electrics. I also like the neck feel for playing chords, especially open chords. It's not a shred monster, but that's not what it was designed to be.

What don't I like about it? The strings like to fall off the saddles if I toy with the bigsby and it gets feedback really easily. Feedback is a common hollow problem, but the saddle issues drive me nuts. I've tried doing a little adjusting, but it just doesn't quite stay stable.

Overall, I like this one for recording, it would be fine in church, but most live settings I'll be grabbing something else. Good thing I have a few to choose from.

Tribute Bands: Love 'em, hate 'em, or otherwise?

2016-09-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

Nothing beats seeing an amazing band. What do you do if they don't tour your area? Well, for many, it's checking out a tribute.

While it can't beat the real thing, or in some cases it does (deceased, etc.), a tribute can be a fun experience all in its own. Many times, these bands get extremely creative with stage props, song selection, audience participation or even making fun of how dorky they feel acting like someone else.

The first tributes I remember seeing were Elvis impersonators. Who doesn't love seeing a pretend Elvis shaking his hips and singing "Ain't nothin' but a hound dog"??? Ok, so many of us. But, for a true Elvis fan, that's one of the greatest things you can imagine, or one of the worst, or somewhere in between. It all depends on a few factors.

How well did they respect the memories you have of the artist / band? A great tribute not only brings back memories, but enhances / creates new ones.
How well did they perform the songs? They should sound pretty close to the original and not venture into that "unrecognizable" territory.
How well did they perform like said band. Sure, everyone will have their own take on this, but there should be something saying "We're performing as if we are ____" and not just a bunch of guys playing a set or two of covers all from one band.
Are they having fun? Nobody wants to watch a bunch of people on stage that look miserable, so having fun as the band they're imitating is a must.

As you can tell, there are a lot of reasons to love / hate tributes. So what do the bands get out of performing as someone else?

Easy access to a fan base. If you tell people you're a tribute for ____, fans for that band are immediately interested. Heck, even people who aren't necessarily fans can become interested if they have some connection to that band.
Decent pay. That's right, I brought up money. Tributes put a lot of time and effort into becoming the band they want to emulate, and the result should be a monetary reward. If that's not the case, they're doing it wrong.
Ego trips. If you've seen Total Recall (the original, as the tribute to that movie wasn't nearly as good), then you may remember when they said Arnold's character was going on an ego trip - a vacation from himself. Performing as someone else is very similar.
Ability to do several. Unless you're a wildly successful tribute that's touring (Mini Kiss comes to mind), you're probably going to be geographically limited and realistically date limited. If there's an AC/DC tribute performing every weekend, then it becomes stale in a hurry and the fan base runs out. Scarcity is a secret ingredient here, and doing several tributes with your band mates can fill in those performance gaps.

So, why am I talking about tributes so much? If you guessed I'm looking at one, you're right. I am looking at a Maiden tribute right now, with the potential for me to be playing lead guitar. Guess I better get fitted for my Eddie mask. This could either be great, or make you Run For The Hills.

I'm one of the 6...

2016-09-12T05:30:00.000-05:00

I've been told this several times recently... I'm one of the six. Worse yet, I'm #1 on that list. I certainly find myself bored at times in bands. I most definitely want to keep progressing and hate taking it easy and just getting along. Lack of improvement from week to week drives me crazy. If I'm not better than I was last week, I'll be working 2x as hard the coming week to get it right. And then, I get let down by those around me quite regularly.

I guess that's why I have so much trouble sticking with a band... I don't see the same level of dedication and it drives me nuts. Anyway... on to the next adventure.

Gear Friday: Carvin BX1500

2016-09-09T06:30:00.000-05:00

To finish off my new, lighter bass rig, I needed a new, lighter bass head. Enter the Carvin BX1500.

Weighing in at right around 10 lbs, it is less than 1/3 the weight of my previous head. I dropped the Line 6 Bass Pod Pro into a rack bag with it (interestingly enough, the rack bag weighs more than both of those pieces of equipment combined) so I'd have a tuner and wireless access to changing eq and tone settings using my Guitar Wing.

But, how does the amp itself sound?

I'm assuming that's the only reason you'd be reading this. To be honest, it's loud and clean. It's tough to dial in a growl with this amp (the Line 6 is handy for that now), but it's not really meant to do that. It's raw, clean power. Just how a bass amp should be in my mind.

As for the eq section, I find that it has a lot of static if I don't drop a lot of the highs. It doesn't sound dark if I drop them out, but it sure sounds bright if I leave them in. This changes if I use a passive bass, though. It might just be the way I've EQ'd the bass itself, but I can adjust it easily by either dropping the highs knob or leaving it in place and adjusting between the two basses by turning the graphic eq on and off. I find that trick to be really, really cool.

One other thing that really makes it nice is that I have a switch on the front panel to turn the effects loop on and off. This may not seem like much, but when a friend comes over to practice, I can turn off the Line 6 so they don't have to mess with that and just get a great clean tone. If I want to add something in, flip a switch and choose a patch. That's an awesome feature that my other amps had been lacking. I'd imagine I'll find myself using that quite a bit on stage depending on the song.

Overall, this amp meets my needs since I use outboard effects. If I wanted to dial in some grit in the amp, this would have been a terrible choice. But, with how it's set up and how I use my gear, it's just what I wanted. A bit of reverb, perhaps some chorus, a hint of drive on occasion and we've got some great tones. And those are all things that Line 6 does fairly well. I don't need all the amp modeling. I'll stick to just the effects, thanks. But power, that's totally covered by the Carvin.

Oh, and just for grins, I did hook up my Acoustic 4x10 and 1x15 along with the Markbass 2x10. Yes, this has plenty of power for all of that, and with the bi-amp mode, I've been running just the lows to the 1x15 and the mids and highs to the 2x10. Makes for a lot of interesting setup possibilities.

Audition results

2016-09-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

Last week, I mentioned I had another audition. It went fine, I suppose. I was asked to come back next week and they were all pretty excited to have "low end" in their sound again.

That's the good stuff. Now for the not so good.

I wasn't a fan of anything they were playing. For me to really be happy in a band, I need to first off be a fan. It just wasn't easy to listen to with the songs changing keys from D minor to F minor to Eb minor to C# minor to E minor to C minor all in the same song. Yes, that's everything chromatically from C to F in one song done as key changes. The rhythm guitar and keys changed that much, but the lead seemed to be stuck in the same scale the whole day.

I didn't feel any of it as a result. I admit, I sometimes write stuff that's sketchy theory wise, but it's usually for a reason (adding some tension, transitioning, etc.) and not just because we had played four bars in one key already so it was time to change. Mark taught me well not to change just for the sake of change, and that the majority of changes should stay in the same key but perhaps just a quick change of root (and mode) to stay in the same scale but give it some sonic difference.

It was loud. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people think that hearing the drums in a practice setting means everyone else in the band is too quiet. This was a small practice room at Guitar Center, and my ears are still ringing a couple days later.

GC's supplied bass amp sucked. Yes, it was an Acoustic head with a decent 8x10 cab, but it sounded as if something was blown. No matter how low I turned the gain while plugged into the side of the head labeled "active" instead of "passive", it would still distort badly, but usually as the sound was fading out and not as it was at it's peak. Specific notes were the worst offenders (C# & F#), but lower volumes on any of the notes could cause problems. I guess that's fine if you don't play with any dynamics, but that leads to my next point.

There were no dynamics. It was all just one volume... super loud. I got the whole thing recorded with my phone and an external mic that could handle the input levels, but looking at the waveform it looked like one of those nasty, super compressed mastered tracks. Loudness wars for sure, but not in a good way.

Anyway, my final assessment is that I'm probably not looking for what they have going. Perhaps I'm too picky, but I think I've earned the right to be picky to some extent. I've paid my dues playing with bands that I wasn't totally happy with, so I'm going to wait for the right band this time - or start the right band - so I'm not wasting more years with people and bands that don't meet my expectations.

Gear Friday: Percussion Toys

2016-09-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Once again, I fell into a trap. I saw something fun and just had to have it.

While I don't have a specific use, I believe these will be great on some of the songs I'm recording recently. I'm doing one with keys, a bit of guitar, and a cello, so some congas seem like they'll be a great addition to that mix. Full drum set seems like it could be overkill for a pretty simple song.

The more I toy around with them, the more ideas I get. Sometimes, it's good to think outside of the "norm".

Another audition

2016-08-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I'm going to audition for a prog rock band. They've actually been out playing shows without a bass player, just as 2 guitars, drums and keys. The whole thing is instrumental, so it seems like it could probably use a little help on the low end. They book practice time at the local Guitar Center, so I'll be meeting them there.

This brings up a couple of interesting things, though.

First off, how do you just walk into a prog band and start playing?

Secondly, if you don't have means for a decent recording, how do you get the songs down tight with minimal practice time at rented rehearsal space?

I'll know the answers to these and other mind boggling questions soon. Should be an interesting experience in any event.