Q&A
Here's the latest and a compilation of the more interesting and unusual ones from over the years.
Want to ask a question?
Please ask a question using the contact form.
Q Have you had any gig disasters? Richard - UK
A I've never got much of a buzz from live performance. Don't mind it but prefer composition and arrangement and the recording thing. I like jamming with my friends though. Worst gig was for a party in a barn when I was still at school. We started (and ended as it turned out) with a cover of Suffragette City. 8 bars in there was an almighty bang and the power and lights went out. Turned out the whole thing was being run from an extension cable in the cow shed. There was nothing for it but to all go home!
Q Are the brass arrangements on Song Sung live playing? Joanna - Norwich
A Good question! It's difficult to tell isn't it? The trombones and trumpets are virtual (NI Kore) played by me, and the saxes are live by my friend Dan. This method is cost effective and the blend sounds good to me.
Q I want to be a singer songwriter? Have you got any advice? Sara - London
A Me too! I recall Woody Allen said the first step to becoming a playwrite is to write a play. So hear goes ... Write a song, record it, pose in front of a mirror. It worked for me. No wait! It didn't work for me, I had to work hard at it for 35 years and I'm still not entirely sure even my Mum likes my music. OK seriously. Why do you want to be a singer-songwriter? If it's the love of music then just do it, perform lots and if enough people like you you'll get somewhere, if that's what you want. If you just want fame then save a puppy from a burning building, and if you want money marry a footballer (not John Terry, he's mine).
Q Do you know where I can buy a vinyl copy of Kind Of Blue? Trent - Brisbane
A Yes, my house. But you'll have to ask nicely and take your shoes off. No touching the dog either.
Q How long have you been playing the guitar. Do you practice much? Ayo - Portugal
A As you can probably tell from my playing, I have a unique but limited style. Sometimes your limitations make you more original. I've played on and off for 30 odd years. I had 20 years off in the middle when I learnt keyboards and have only returned to practicing and playing guitar seriously in the last 5 years. Really enjoy it though. Some people have natural talent (Benson), some practice all day every day (Metheny) and then there's me!
Q Do you write on the guitar or keyboard? I play guitar but the keyboard player in my band says keyboards are better for writing. Kent - USA
A Both. Sometimes I start on one instrument and then if I get stuck I switch to the other. The new LP Songs Sung was written entirely on the keyboards (it just turned out that way) whereas Gatefold Covers was mostly guitar. Your keyboard player probably means that for some types of music keyboards may be better. The real difference is that you can play more simultaneous notes on a keyboard (I can manage 9) but a specific note can only be played with one key. That makes a difference I think. Guitarists are always jealous of keyboard players and key board players of guitarists in my experience.
Q Do I detect a Pat Metheny influence? John - London
A How dare you! I taught the man everything he knows. Except for how to style his hair of course. OK yes, I am a fan, but it's probably a shared influence thing too. I've stolen, sorry - been influenced by - Milton Nascimentos, Jobim, Wes Montgomery etc as has he. Not comparing myself to his talent though, which is amazing.
Q Have you got any form? Derek - Whitstable
A No form Derek. Very un street cred but I've lead a blameless life. Except for that family slaying thing. But they were asking for it.
Q Any tips on mixing? Shank - London
A It took me years of trail and error to get what I wanted with the mix. Some people have a natural ability, not me. I used to ask engineer friends for guidelines and advice and they always replied "It depends on the track" which would drive me crazy when everything I did sounded bad. Now I understand what they mean. However ... here's a few ideas. 1) If you use really good gear it's harder to go wrong. A lot of the great mixes you hear rely on pro quality reverb, compressors, eq units etc set to "standard" setting. 2) If the arrangement is good, the mix will be easier. 3) Use panning to separate instruments and balance them in the stereo field (a lot of people forget about this). 4) Don't work for more than an hour at a time, have regular breaks and come back fresh. 5) Check your mix on lots of systems. 6) Don't boost, cut. 7) There is no magic process or device. 8) Don't solo all your tracks and get them sounding great individually, start by panning and balancing the mix out roughly and then target problem areas. 9) Don't try to emulate another records sounds or mix character, you'll only end up with something disappointing. 10) Don't over mix. Records where everything is perfectly in its place are boring! Have some stuff too loud. That's all I can think of for now. Hope it helps.
Q What strings do you use on your guitars? Dell - US
A I like a nice straightforward question Dell. Thanks! I'm very unknowledgeable about guitar strings and have the details of the ones I have been using for years written down on a piece of paper in my guitar cases. I don't know how I arrived at them, probably just looked online to see what George Benson uses or something. I've got small hands so can't cope with heavy gauge. Anyway, here they are ...
Gibson ES-175 - .011 to .050 D'Addario ECG24 Chromes Ribbon (flat) Wound.
Fender Strat - .009 to .042 D'Addario EXL120-3D (3 pack).
Yamaha acoustic - .010 to .047 D'Addario EJ15 Phospher Bronze Extra Light
Q You may not remember me but I used to know you when you were at primary school in Hatfield in 1968. I moved away but I remember playing cricket with you and another boy called Jonathan. Do you remember me? Steven - Dunstable
A Dad! Where've you been? Just kidding, my Dad actually ran away in 1969. OK serious now, which Steven are you? There were at least 3 in the class, or was that intermediate school?
Q Knock knock! Anonymous - London
A Who's there?
Q What keyboards do you use? I love the electric piano sound you use. Sophie - Spain
A Very classic sound that, not my invention. Its basically a Rhodes suitcase put through an MXR Phase 90 phase pedal. Try it and you'll hear that classic 70s jazz soul sound. Easy peasy! You don't need a real Rhodes, any decent plug-in will do. I also use Native Instrument Kore, a Korg Prophecy, a Nord Lead, a Roland SH101 and a Korg Wavestation a lot. I've brought a lot of rack hardware synths for peanuts lately, everyone's going virtual. Big mistake in my opinion, although I have plug-ins I love too.
Q Is the percussion (on your recordings) done on computer? Claude - Nice
A No. All live. I love recording percussion but am not good enough to play a complete take all the way through so I record 8 bar chunks and edit them together. I have an Alesis Control Pad too which I use with BFD and Battery for the drums.
Q You don't mention an engineer on your CDs. Do you engineer them yourself? Did you go to college or something? Cheva - London
A Yep, it's me. I figured out many years ago that I needed access to a recording studio (this is before you could do it all at home), so got myself a work placement with Dominic Brethes at Wolf studios in Brixton London. Opening up, making coffee, setting up mics etc. Dominic's a unique and amazing guy and he let me use the studio when there were no bookings and gradually I learnt the craft until he employed me. My first sessions happened after 6 months or so when he went on holiday and I took up his offer to engineer 2 reggae sessions. That was a baptism of fire but the bands were very cool and very laid back (for obvious reasons!) and when Dominic came back there was some money in the kitty so he gave me a regular 2-3 days a week. I remember a keyboard player asking me if I would put his pad sound through the gate and key it with the hi-hat. I had no idea what he meant! It was near the end of the day so I suggested I get it set up after the session, ready for the morning, and he agreed. After the session finished I spent several hours desperately figuring out the noise gate and when he returned in the morning everything was ready to go. Phew!
Q Do you know Mica Paris? Can you introduce me to her? Sara - London
A I wonder if there's any money in this celebrity introduction thing? I used to know Darren Day too. How did you know I once worked with Mica? It was years ago and I doubt she'd remember me. This is weird. Next!
Q What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? Donnie - Havant
A This is more like it! I know this one. Its "homeless" isn't it Donnie?
Q What's your favourite bit of making recordings? Greg G - Sutton
A I like the composing and arranging (when its going well), working out and recording the bass part and then hearing the finished mix best. I hate recording my vocals and finalising the mix, they're important elements and very stressful! I try not to make anything hard work. If it's not working quickly I do something else.
Q I fell over in the kitchen and cut my knee. Have you got any plasters? Tim - Arundel
A Not on me. Would gaffer tape do? Much more fun to remove.
Q I'm studying music techpology deggre at Liverpool and my tutor has given us an essay question "What are the challenges faceing musicians in the online music era?" I don't know where to strat, can you help me? DR Standing - Liverpool
A Ahh yes the wonderful world of Music Techpology. Sorry DR (relation of JR perhaps?), my area's Music Technology and I have no knowledge of Music Techpology. I know quite a bit about spell-checkers if that's any use. Why don't you try www.planetoftunes.com, there's some good stuff there.
Q Do you use guitar amp plug-ins or the real thing? Jenson - Helsinki
A I have a Line 6 Pod which I like best of all the virtual stuff. I've tried everything (really) and the Pod works for me. No latency and a rounded sound. Looks horrible though! Having said that, I haven't used it on a recording yet. All the guitar parts so far are either DI (ES-175 and Takamine nylon into a Liquid Channel) or Stratocaster (via my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp, THX Hot plate and an UA LA-610). But this is enough tec talk for now. Kirk out.
Q Can you send me a signed photo? Paul - Aberdeen
A Are you out of your f******g mind! I'm a 50 year old musician happily wedded to a Gibson ES-175. (What are you wearing?)