Recent Session - Deepwater Horizon, composer Steve Jablonsky

I played a Fender Jazz Bass, Fender American Standard Stratocaster guitar, a Martin D-35 acoustic and Gretsch Resonator guitar on the very ending credits on the film Deepwater Horizon.  You have to stay to the bitter end to hear it or you can just listen below...

Also used...

Elixir Strings - acoustic and electric sets.
Wegen Picks.
Golden Gate slide guitar convertor.  Convert any acoustic guitar or round neck dobro into a raised action square-neck type dobro.

Cool Tool - Square Neck Dobro

Stevens-like Bar

Shubb Dobro Capo

Jerry Douglas Dobro Technique 

Some Square Neck Dobros/Resonators to check out...

(I'm not necessarily recommending these)

Rogue

Regal

Epiphone

Gold Tone

Gretsch

Recording King

Get That Gear - Part Three: Prioritize

Now that you are making a list. It's time to get realistic with that list. Or at least get real. Unless you have eight figures in your bank account replace "'59 Les Paul" with just plain old "Les Paul". Forget the Dumble Amp and maybe shoot for a Two Rock.

Your list should be in no particular order, allowing for a free flowing, stream of consciousness that will allow you to be flexible with your gear acquisition. Priorities will change often. Sometimes daily. So don't be bound by the position of where things are, let need or opportunity dictate your next purchase.

For example if you only have one amp and it's starting to die, move your amp choices to the top of the list.  The list should be a living, fluid document. If you have an audition with a funk band and you don't have that wah pedal that's number 15 on your list, move it to number one. If at the bottom of your list is a mandolin and you see a nice Gibson at a yard sale for $100, need I say more?

Needs vs. wants. Know the difference here. I have had items stay on the top of the lists so long that they were no longer desired or needed. As Garth Brooks sang "Thank God for unanswered prayers."

Here are some items from wish lists past, with commentary...

G&L S-500 - got it and sold it, too noisy
Lexicon MPX-1 - didn't get it right away, then the MPX G2 came out, got it at artist pricing (50% off), loved it and still use it.
Mesa Boogie 2:90 - never got it and kind of glad too
TC Electronics M2000 - never got it, didn't really need it once I got the Lexicon
Egnator Preamp - Never got it
Dobro - got a 1929 National Duolian that I use all the time
Taylor or Guild 12-string - got a Taylor 655 for a great price
Danelectro Baritone - Got it
Neumann KM 184 - still on my list
Gretsch Country Gentleman or similar - still on my list
ADAT Player - didn't get and glad

This is just a small sampling of prior lists, some even included smaller, more attainable items like capos, strings, recordable CD's, etc. But you can see in my ability to predict through wishing was batting 50/50. But that's OK, because most the stuff I didn't get I didn't need.

Reading in the Studio

Just last week I got called for a quick session for a short film (10 minutes). Quick is my specialty. Between lower budgets and greater numbers of wannabe directors makes for many opportunities for the musician who can get things done in a timely manner.

Below is the lone chart for the session. A very simple melody in 3/4. But here's the rub: there was no click, it was suppose to be played free but in a call and response to a sparse vocal. So 120bpm was just a rough guide tempo. The composer wanted this melody on slide. And wanted options to pepper throughout the movie. First on acoustic with a slide, then on dobro with a slide and lastly on mandolin with a slide (that was my idea).

The first thing I did was memorize the melody. It's kind of difficult to play slide while staring at a chart. I like to lock in my pitches visually, as well as with the aid of a clip on tuner  - Intellitouch Tuner

The acoustic was in standard tuning, EADGBE. The dobro however was in open G, DGDGBD. And the Mandolin was in standard tuning, standard for a mandolin, GDAE. So the melody laid differently on each instrument. The composer wanted everything with lots of feeling and slide noise. Then we did passes on each instrument of just making random noises. All done in less than an hour so we had time to go to In-N-Out for lunch!

So get out your slide and read though this one!