Sideman to Soloist

Michael Holland · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

I'd like to know from you guys who have put out your own recording projects; at what point did you move from sideman to soloist? What motivates us to record? There's certainly no money to be made from creating a 'steel' CD, although maybe it's good to have product to sell at gigs to drunk patrons with ten bucks. Is it the creative urge? Is is the competition?

I must admit, I've never bought a 'steel' CD. How many are produced in home studios with drum samples (or loops)? Is that even acceptable? How many go into a pro studio with union players and do a custom project?

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Good point raised here..I think though that sideman / soloist are the same, perhaps musician /producer would be more suited to deciding to do a project and then actually doing it. I am in the process of doing a small CD type of album, call it what you will. What is the purpose? Not sure..probably to have as a "Record" of what I have done , or maybe not have done musically.What have I actually accomplished if anything at all ? Most likely I will just give it to family members and friends and yes maybe even sell it to a few who drank to much on a gig and redeem a $10 bill. Another scenario is that I am doing all the tracks as well, which will include maybe some vocals and some guitar solo's where the tracks will have a verse or chorus to play Steel behind. This will give me an opportunity to play some Telecaster and also give my wife an opportunity to sing a few as well, so the project is more than just a Steel thing.
The one thing I have discovered big time while working on tracks these past several months is that it really takes a producers mind to plan the tune, the fills, the bass ,the guitars , everything..so that it all fits and there is no playing over other Instruments ,but at the same time keeping it interesting without total boredom. This is harder than the actual playing ! And I guess that after all the recording is done and the playing has met or exceeded expectations , now you have to mix it all and master it so it sounds good on a CD. ..geesh !!
tp

Oh yeh I forgot to mention, I'm doing it all at home with a Digital 8 track and fake drums that at times approach the sound of almost real drums. A real Fender 62RI Jazz Bass, a Fender 52 RI Telecaster, A 30 year old Guild Acoustic and both the Carter and Sho-Bud Steels. I've thought about going to a small local studio but If I'm gonna sit around and do nothing I should do it at home where it doesn't cost anything !
TPrior/SteelGuitarHomesite

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 26 September 2002 at 02:05 PM.]

Jim Florence · From: wilburton, Ok. US * R.I.P.

I'm doing it purely so that when my grandkids are older, and possibly I won't be here, they can remind themselves what the old man did with that portion of his life. Even though I'm retired military, and never depended on music for a livelyhood, music was allways good to me financially. My wife of 47 years said the AF paid the rent and steel guitar bought the steaks. I recorded quite a lot with this singer and that one,
and got paid for it,but I never recorded anything for myself. I probably will give them all away. May not get any takers even
at that price.

John Knight · From: Alaska

I agree with Jim. I did my album to say I was here and this was a big part of my life. I reminder to the people I love and that love me. I used a professional studio and my project came out better then I expected. For the most part steel players get paid to be the fill in the song behind the singer. But, we all know how to make the instrument sing and be the lead in a song.

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D 10 Thomas with 8&6, '61'D-10 Sho-Bud 8&4
S12 Knight 4&4
Nashville 400 and Profex II
81' Fender Twin JBL's
Asleep at the Steel

Matt Steindl · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

I find home recording to be self indulgent bliss. Not sure about the "sideman to soloist" part of the post, but here is the bottm line. To really go crazy about recording whats in your head is based on having music in there that needs to get out.

I have never fooled myself to believe that I am going to produce something that will set the world on fire, but sometimes after being holed up in my studio for 4 hours working on the perfect double tracked harmony guitar solo, I realize that its not about the rest of the world, its only about me. If you are lucky enough to be able to sell a few of em on the way, thats what I call "gravy".

My biggest problen, being a self contained unit, is that I dont usually have other people telling me to stop. I often find myself ruining finished songs, because Im not satisfied, so I add an acordian break, or a bass clarinet doubling the bass line. I often think that I would get better results recording live w/ my bandmates, but being the control freak that I am, I prefer to do it alone.

A cool thing happened the other night, that kinda made it all worth while. My wife tends bar a couple of nights a week, and she was playing a mixed CD that had a couple of my tunes tagged to the end. W/out telling anyone that it was me, the guy next to me said "hey, that pedal steel sounds great!". Well, that kinda makes it worth while, doesnt it?

Michael, being in Nashville, you also might want to look at you demo as a business card. Having been in bands my whole life, I have gotten the "yeah, im a great guitar player, lets hook up and jam sometime" line a lot. My jaded pesimistic mind usually says.........this guy is probably B*&^SH*(. But if he brings me a CD of his skills, he might get a call from me sometime to jam or fill in.

Sorry about all of the flowery rambling, but this is a topic that is dear to my heart, and sometimes it is hard to put your strongest feelings to words.

If you really want to be brave, record that trombone CD that youve been meaning to do!

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Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

For me, it's exactly the same as Matt has described above. I feel "full up" with music and it has to come out, so I have to record it. Playing it at gigs does not discharge it. Only after I have recorded it do I feel "ready" to move on to the next level in my playing and musical development. Else I kinda get "stuck" there and can't really move further.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Matt, I like what you said about never knowing when to stop. Last week I was sort of listening to a track that I had actually thought was finished, well I really finished it after that. In my total ignorance I deleted it off the 8 track while doing some editing. ! So now it's really finished.

My tracks also tend to be very simple with a predictable format. My plan is not to sell any and quite honestly when I give them away I'm hopeing the recipient doesn't say " No thanks " .

I will be using two or three tracks as a demo though, like Matt stated , sort of a business card. That is if I don't delete any more completed tracks.

tp

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