Soundsample of cheap Aria MM-10

asd123321 · May 2009

With more volume for the solo and less for the rhythm, it would be fine even if it is not standard gypsy, which can be dull.

Jack · May 2009

Well, a lot of it is just genre-specific stuff; what you're doing would probably be fine in a lot of acoustic settings, it's just not what most gypsy jazz players are looking for...and I don't think "standard gypsy" is dull by any means, it's just steadier and more streamlined, all about creating a steady groove for a soloist...

best,
Jack.

Frans · May 2009

Hi Bluetrain,
I will just give you my two cents......
The sound of the rhythm guitar is lovely, clear and dry but I think you are too hard trying to make it swing, I know this problem can happen when you first lay down the rhythm track and you try to create a 'feel" with this, then you end up with a rhythm track where you have to try to build your theme & solo around and I think honestly it should be the other way round,
Your lead guitar recording could do with a little more volume and "bite" but that's just technical stuff, I like the overall sound and I love your playing, please don't get too hung up on "the better guitar" syndrome, there are plenty of examples around of great players on budget instruments,
kind regards
Frans

klaatu · May 2009

Frans wrote:

... there are plenty of examples around of great players on budget instruments ...

I recall at Django in June 2007, Biel Ballester gave a class during which he was using a cheap beat-up Cordoba. Man, did he make that crappy guitar sing!

There's a story about someone telling Chet Atkins that his guitar sounded great, whereupon he set it down and said, "How's it sound now?" Just goes to show that it's more about the player than the guitar. Nice soloing, you made that Aria sound great. I would agree that the rhythm is overdone and somewhat distracting as a result, but your lead playing is very tasty indeed.

A luthier friend of mine once said that it was time to quit worrying about whether I had the right guitar and just learn to play the one I had. A lot of wisdom in that statement (but GAS has its fun side, too).

bluetrain · May 2009

Frans wrote:

Hi Bluetrain,
I will just give you my two cents......
The sound of the rhythm guitar is lovely, clear and dry but I think you are too hard trying to make it swing, I know this problem can happen when you first lay down the rhythm track and you try to create a 'feel" with this, then you end up with a rhythm track where you have to try to build your theme & solo around and I think honestly it should be the other way round,

You're absolutely right! If the rhythm guitar is laid first you get this feeling that you have to swing harder and move the chords more than you should actually. Without bass player this feeling get's even more pronounced.

Frans wrote:

please don't get too hung up on "the better guitar" syndrome, there are plenty of examples around of great players on budget instruments

There's one thing that I don't like about Aria MM-10 and that's the amount of bass it creates but I guess it's the biggest sign of low budget gypsy guitars that you just can't do anything about it. I wonder is there any way of making the bass boominess a bit lower?

bluetrain · May 2009

klaatu wrote:

A luthier friend of mine once said that it was time to quit worrying about whether I had the right guitar and just learn to play the one I had. A lot of wisdom in that statement (but GAS has its fun side, too).

There's truly some wisdow in that statement! I wonder would he say the same thing to me with my Aria guitar

klaatu · May 2009

bluetrain wrote:

I wonder would he say the same thing to me with my Aria guitar

In your case, I think he'd say you're ready to move up. He did love good guitars and knew very well what a pleasure it can be to own and play one (being an archtop player, he was nuts about vintage Gibson L-7s). I think his point to me was to quit obsessing about the guitar and focus on the playing.