"Gear gets in the way if it becomes your focus" - Derek Trucks

[arkeetar]

This 'discussion' on tone and all is exactly what DT was talking about. Did these guys even mention anything about his playing? The music that they have created? Or is it all about how the guitar sounds? Instead of them discussing the merits of the band's performance, it's about how their tone sounded like. I don't know about you, I go to concerts to watch and listen to music not to see if the freaking tone of the guitar player is good or not.

If I get another chance to see DT again when we do the cruise in 2011, I'll make it a point to ask him personally what he thinks of these 2 guys from Tonequest bashing his "tone".

yes, nice statement Chito 

[deltaslim]

But what makes you think that your opinion more valid than theirs?  Have  you attended both Allman concerts?  And do you happen to be the editor of Tonequest report?  I doubt that you are in the same league as TQR Advisory Board.  So, nothing personally against you but you have to be more cautious when you put people down.  Likewise, I agree with you but I don't think these two people are worth your statement.

Who said my opinion is more valid than theirs? I'm just giving my own opinion, as are you or any editor/contributor of Tonequest or any gear magazine, or any member of TGP. Each of which just counts for one. As to the value of their opinion versus others, let me share my philosophy: THE VALUE OF ANYTHING IS NOT INHERENT BUT RATHER JUST WHAT PEOPLE ASCRIBE TO IT. So, sorry, I'm not one of those who read Tonequest report like it was the Bible, or browse the TGP to research for facts.  

BTW, when and where did I put people down in this thread?  Why do I have to be cautious about anything or anyone? Which thread are you watching anyway, and where is all your angst coming from?

[deltaslim]

So instead of focusing on gear, should we focus on the sucky sound system and/or sucky engineering instead?

I guess you didn't read the whole article or didn't get the point. Too bad.

[arkeetar]

Who said my opinion is more valid than theirs? I'm just giving my own opinion, as are you or any editor/contributor of Tonequest or any gear magazine. Each of which just counts for one. As to the value of their opinion versus others, let me share my philosophy: THE VALUE OF ANYTHING IS NOT INHERENT BUT RATHER JUST WHAT PEOPLE ASCRIBE TO IT. So, sorry, I'm not one of those who read Tonequest report like it was the Bible!  

BTW, when and where did I put people down in this thread?  Why do I have to be cautious about anything or anyone? Which thread are you watching anyway, and where is all your angst coming from?

yes sir!  

[deltaslim]

This 'discussion' on tone and all is exactly what DT was talking about.

Exactly. Hence further arguing and making gear/tone the focus of discussion only strengthens DT's point!  Supreme irony!

Thanks for your wisdom, Chito.

If I get another chance to see DT again when we do the cruise in 2011, I'll make it a point to ask him personally what he thinks of these 2 guys from Tonequest bashing his "tone".

Still saving up for that Blues Cruise. Hopefully on my 10th wedding anniversary, also on 2011! Maybe I'll see you there and we can both ask DT. Hehe.

[toybitz]

ah..gusto ko na maranasan yang wedding wedding anniv na yan...i

isang taon pa!

[skunkyfunk]

Musicians always justify how much the gear needs them.

Gearheads always justify how much they need gear. 

 

[skunkyfunk]

Naalala ko tuloy yung logic ng Engineer, Physicist and Mathematician...

One night, a hotel caught fire and an Engineer was in one room, a Physicist was in another, and a Mathematician was in another.

The engineer saw the fire, calculated the amount of water needed to put off the fire for him to escape.  He grabbed pails of water and poured 'em and he escaped through the Fire Exit.

The physicist, using his skills, got his shower and calculated the amount of force and trajectory needed to put off the fire.   So he got a hose and sprayed water on the fire and successfully escaped.  

Finally, the mathematician, woke up from sleep and aware of the raging fire, took a matchstick and a glass of water.  He lights up the matchstick and puts it in the glass of water.  "The solution exists!"  And he went back to sleep.

3 different skillsets....

[boogsy]

Musicians always justify how much the gear needs them.

Gearheads always justify how much they need gear. 

 

Can't we be both?

[skunkyfunk]

Can't we be both?

Pwede.  But in most cases one outweighs the other.  I've seen great musicians with crap tone and people with great gear with crap playing. 

[pitongjerome]

mukhang may nangyayari nanaman dito.

basta ako, playing as a musician > just tonewhore

because being able to play nicely equates to skills

yung tone kasi, nakukuha sa gears, technology.. nabibili..

baka sabihin niyong nabibili rin ang skills dahil nagbabayad tayo para maturuan ng music teachers...

pero kahit anong turo sayo kung wala kang dedication walarin mangyayari sayo..

yung performance, mastery ng instrument mo, ay napakaimportante sakin.

[skunkyfunk]

mukhang may nangyayari nanaman dito.

basta ako, playing as a musician > just tonewhore

because being able to play nicely equates to skills

yung tone kasi, nakukuha sa gears, technology.. nabibili..

baka sabihin niyong nabibili rin ang skills dahil nagbabayad tayo para maturuan ng music teachers...

pero kahit anong turo sayo kung wala kang dedication walarin mangyayari sayo..

yung performance, mastery ng instrument mo, ay napakaimportante sakin.

Sometimes I surmise that people who subscribe to TGP and Tonequest do agree that tone is in the fingers...  However, the way most people see corksniffers is that they don't think that talent/skill matters.  Maybe it is because gearheads tend to suspend the "tone is in the fingers" paradigm way too much to the point that their search for 2 more seconds of swirl and sustain by acquiring a $5000+ boutique guitar could have been solved by simply getting a Keeley Compressor and a $1000 hand-picked production guitar.   After all, the 5% difference may be marginal in some musical situations, such as emo... (not to say compressors are the be-all and end-all solution...  they can just bring out more natural overtones without changing the guitar's natural tone too much.)

 

[badbach66]

Sometimes I surmise that people who subscribe to TGP and Tonequest do agree that tone is in the fingers...  However, the way most people see corksniffers is that they don't think that talent/skill matters.  Maybe it is because gearheads tend to suspend the "tone is in the fingers" paradigm way too much to the point that their search for 2 more seconds of swirl and sustain by acquiring a $5000+ boutique guitar could have been solved by simply getting a Keeley Compressor and a $1000 hand-picked production guitar.   After all, the 5% difference may be marginal in some musical situations, such as emo... (not to say compressors are the be-all and end-all solution...  they can just bring out more natural overtones without changing the guitar's natural tone too much.)

 

Or they spend so much time hunting for good gear, that they don't have enough time to actually USE those said gears for their true purpose..to make good music.. 

[psychic_sushi]

The two commentators are TQR Editor in Chief David Wilson & Editorial Board Member Riverhorse.  I would NOT take them so lightly.  Remember that they are one the same editorial board as Analogman, Tom Anderson (Anderson Guitars), Mark Baier (Victoria), Jeff Bakos, Joe Bonamassa, [sausage] Boak (Martin & Co.), Steve Carr (Carr Amplifiers), Mitch Colby (KORG/Marshall/VOX USA), Jol Dantzig (Hamer Guitars), Ronnie Earl, Dan Erlewine, Bill Finnegan (Klon Centaur), Lindy Fralin (Fralin Pickups), Peter Frampton, Greg Germino (Germino Amplification), BILLY F. GIBBONS (ZZ Top), Joe Glaser (Glaser Instruments), John Harrison (Tone Tubby), Johnny Hilland, Phil Jones (Gruhn Guitars), K&M Analog Designs (Two Rock), Robert Keeley (Keeley Electronics), Gordon Kennedy, Ernest King (Gibson Custom Shop), Chris Kinman (Kinman Pickups), Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Adrian Legg, Rene Martinez, James Pennebaker, Tommy Shannon (Double Trouble), Todd Sharp (Nashville Amp Service), Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow Band), and others.

If I did post what you guys just said on TGP, there would be a lot of flame.  These guys know their stuff.

I don't think my comment would be flamed, you've misunderstood my message 

For the sake of clarity (recap!)- what I was referring to as "ridiculous", were not the commentators, but the actual situation that DT/WH were in  I did refer to the commentators as perhaps feeling "nostalgic", based on their comparison of how the ABB was in the past, to their current inception, but further stated that a possible basis for that was due to the poor sound system, and how ironic it was that clapton saved the night... with my "holistic" view, that was my holistic conclusion. Hence, why I did not reply to your last question, coz it was already answered, and to paraphrase it as another answer for the sake of merely echoing my initial answer is a waste of typing time  Perhaps i misunderstood you to... oh well...

It all makes unequivocal sense if you patch together my comments bundled with the humor 
In no way did I bellittle them. They commented on the gear, I made a holistic comment.

But did you check out the Clapton shred vid?!

[af_villaruel]

I just find it amusing that what Derek says in the interview has become so true in the progression of this thread with all the tone bashing and defense and stuff.   Although somehow irrelevant to the topic, I also find it interesting that almost no one (save a handful) has commented on Derek's out-of-this-world playing and how his gear complements his style of playing; or rephrased, how his gear contributes to his musicianship. I just think Derek Trucks is Derek Trucks because of the emotions he can pull out of that SG played through that Super Reverb or whatever. And obviously, it's not the other way around.

By the way, let me stipulate that I don't have the resources to be a gear hound nor do I have the makings of a great musician. So this piece is the opinion of an amateur. So if you can't dig it, FU. LOL. Just kidding.

And yes, I've seen Clapton shred. 

[nhojie]

Or they spend so much time hunting for good gear, that they don't have enough time to actually USE those said gears for their true purpose..to make good music.. 

right on!!!

[peabrain12789]

imbes na guitarist,nagiging pedalist

at mas malala magiging peddler

hehehe...

[psychic_sushi]

I just find it amusing that what Derek says in the interview has become so true in the progression of this thread with all the tone bashing and defense and stuff.   Although somehow irrelevant to the topic, I also find it interesting that almost no one (save a handful) has commented on Derek's out-of-this-world playing and how his gear complements his style of playing; or rephrased, how his gear contributes to his musicianship. I just think Derek Trucks is Derek Trucks because of the emotions he can pull out of that SG played through that Super Reverb or whatever. And obviously, it's not the other way around.

By the way, let me stipulate that I don't have the resources to be a gear hound nor do I have the makings of a great musician. So this piece is the opinion of an amateur. So if you can't dig it, FU. LOL. Just kidding.

And yes, I've seen Clapton shred. 

So how was the vid for you?! 

[psychic_sushi]

one word... SUPERB!

feature=player_embedded#t=80

I love his phrasing, the nuances in his lines are intimate, and naturally vocal. His approach to changes are clearly lifted from the jazz idiom, but not uber-complex. The depth isn't in the harmony, its in the personality.

I've been working hard to cop that sh@t sans-slide (slide it delta's department, i aint gonna cross his turf, no sir-eeee... hallowed ground). I'm not even a beginning of a pimple on his butt... but I'm happy listening to it and trying to channel it. it is zen.

[bluebossa]

one word... SUPERB!

feature=player_embedded#t=80

I love his phrasing, the nuances in his lines are intimate, and naturally vocal. His approach to changes are clearly lifted from the jazz idiom, but not uber-complex. The depth isn't in the harmony, its in the personality.

I've been working hard to cop that sh@t sans-slide (slide it delta's department, i aint gonna cross his turf, no sir-eeee... hallowed ground). I'm not even a beginning of a pimple on his butt... but I'm happy listening to it and trying to channel it. it is zen.

galing talaga.

[nhojie]

pati 'to...

Sahib Teri Bandi

drooling while watching and listening to this...LUPET!!!!

[Chito]

one word... SUPERB!

feature=player_embedded#t=80

I love his phrasing, the nuances in his lines are intimate, and naturally vocal. His approach to changes are clearly lifted from the jazz idiom, but not uber-complex. The depth isn't in the harmony, its in the personality.

I've been working hard to cop that sh@t sans-slide (slide it delta's department, i aint gonna cross his turf, no sir-eeee... hallowed ground). I'm not even a beginning of a pimple on his butt... but I'm happy listening to it and trying to channel it. it is zen.

Here's another video, http://www.moogis.com/ it's part of the official video of that particular 2 week show "Live at the Beacon Theater". I don't know what they are talking about. From what I've seen through videos of that show, Derek was using the same gear I saw him playing last January. Nothing more nothing less. It couldn't be the sound guys either, Derek uses the same guys to setup his rig all the time.  Maybe these guys that Alex is quoting are experts but I would trust my ears more than anyone's comment whoever they are, after all I've been listening to guitar music, live and through recordings, for over 40 years now. Do I call myself an expert on tone? No, but I don't need other people specially 2 guys who make their living selling a magazine about tone, to tell me if someone's guitar tone is good or not.

BTW, after seeing him up close, I thought DT is one of the most innovative slide guitar player alive. Clearly Duane was a big influence on his style, but over the years he has improved on it and has added a lot of his own personal style to his playing. His music clearly shows this.  Not by any stretch of imagination, I honestly believe Derek Trucks is going to be known as one of the best slide guitar players of all time.

[erniebong]

i can only imagine a bubble over DT's hEAd.....it goes like..."see thats what im talking about"

[psychic_sushi]

Here's another video, http://www.moogis.com/ it's part of the official video of that particular 2 week show "Live at the Beacon Theater". I don't know what they are talking about. From what I've seen through videos of that show, Derek was using the same gear I saw him playing last January. Nothing more nothing less. It couldn't be the sound guys either, Derek uses the same guys to setup his rig all the time.  Maybe these guys that Alex is quoting are experts but I would trust my ears more than anyone's comment whoever they are, after all I've been listening to guitar music, live and through recordings, for over 40 years now. Do I call myself an expert on tone? No, but I don't need other people specially 2 guys who make their living selling a magazine about tone, to tell me if someone's guitar tone is good or not.

BTW, after seeing him up close, I thought DT is one of the most innovative slide guitar player alive. Clearly Duane was a big influence on his style, but over the years he has improved on it and has added a lot of his own personal style to his playing. His music clearly shows this.  Not by any stretch of imagination, I honestly believe Derek Trucks is going to be known as one of the best slide guitar players of all time.

Amen to that, brutha 

As a matter of fact, i feel a stronger, strange attraction to DT's playing more than Sonny Landreth's, though Landreth is a bad mofo himself. But after listening to 5 of his albums for a couple of weeks, my ears are magnetized towards DT's polar coordinates.

Sonny's a fantastic tonesmith, too, and pushed the slide envelope up a notch to the point of madness. But Dt's, to my ears, has a mist about him, must be that indian-influence over the jazz. Mystery is always attractive.

Thanks for the input. God bless out ears 

[deltaslim]

... I also find it interesting that almost no one (save a handful) has commented on Derek's out-of-this-world playing and how his gear complements his style of playing; or rephrased, how his gear contributes to his musicianship. I just think Derek Trucks is Derek Trucks because of the emotions he can pull out of that SG played through that Super Reverb or whatever. And obviously, it's not the other way around.

I thought that should have been obvious to people, and makes his case even more illustrative of the point he makes.

I love his phrasing, the nuances in his lines are intimate, and naturally vocal. His approach to changes are clearly lifted from the jazz idiom, but not uber-complex. The depth isn't in the harmony, its in the personality.

I've been working hard to cop that sh@t sans-slide (slide it delta's department, i aint gonna cross his turf, no sir-eeee... hallowed ground). I'm not even a beginning of a pimple on his butt... but I'm happy listening to it and trying to channel it. it is zen.

Zen indeed. One of the most important things I've learned from DT is that you can build up to a highly emotional climax even by using simple lines based on the pentatonic. Some of the stuff he does aren't even complicated. He repeats and rephrases a lot. But it's very effective because of the way he delivers it and the way he sounds doing it. The jazz and sarod stuff certainly make things more interesting and mysterious.

It couldn't be the sound guys either, Derek uses the same guys to setup his rig all the time.  Maybe these guys that Alex is quoting are experts but I would trust my ears more than anyone's comment whoever they are, after all I've been listening to guitar music, live and through recordings, for over 40 years now. Do I call myself an expert on tone? No, but I don't need other people specially 2 guys who make their living selling a magazine about tone, to tell me if someone's guitar tone is good or not.

Word! Conflict of interest, haha.   It reminds me of reading reviews by so called experts on guitar mags like TQR and sites like TGP for stuff that I later bought or tried but didn't like. I don't want to be the best sounding version of someone else. I want to be the best sounding Delta Slim.

BTW, after seeing him up close, I thought DT is one of the most innovative slide guitar player alive. Clearly Duane was a big influence on his style, but over the years he has improved on it and has added a lot of his own personal style to his playing. His music clearly shows this.  Not by any stretch of imagination, I honestly believe Derek Trucks is going to be known as one of the best slide guitar players of all time.

IMO, he IS already the best slide player ever, and one of the best guitarists of all time.