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L1® Users Forum Musicians General Forums What Do You Think of This New Approach? WWRD (What Would Randy Do?)|
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Pardon the pun in the subject line, but as a longtime fan of the late Randy Rhoads, I was startled by something I came across on the web this week.
I was surfing around, checking out bootlegs (his entire final North American tour is available online with varying degrees of quality) and I discovered audio of a 1982 guitar seminar that Randy did at a music store in Pennsylvania. I also found a transcript transcript and here's what caught my eye;
Now you may be wondering what this has to do with the New Approach - I mean, this was 25 years ago!?  Well, here's the key concept again : If it’s a bad sound, I do a very, sort of, basic form of it. If it sounds really good, I like to carry on with it. - See that? A world class, legendary musician was saying that his tone varied night to night, venue to venue, and that this inconsistency bottlenecked his creativity. Now I've listened to a great deal of those live bootlegs from his final tour and the audio varies pretty widely - even his guitar tone which ranges from very good to difficult-to-imagine-having-to-play-with! The point is simply this: imagine how much more amazing moments we'd have from this gifted player if his tone had been such that he felt free to "carry on with it" each time he went out on that stage?Now my personal rig may never have met Rhoads requirements but I do know that from theater rooms, to warehouses, to large sanctuary rooms and even to an arena stage - in each and every instance I've enjoyed precisely the same tone since switching to the L1 system. For every face in the audience at every venue we've played since adjusting and embracing to the New Approach, I've been able to present the same rich tone that frees me to perform my best. Now I still can recall those days in the 80s when I would gig from room to room (sometimes even the same room from night to night) and would rarely be able to capture that "sweet spot" where my tone had been great the other day/week/month. I remember the frustration with having to "make-do" with what I was getting by with on many nights. So imagine if Randy Rhoads had been able to have access to our current situation where his personal tone never varied from venue to venue, where his music could have been able to progress unhindered night after night. Wonder where it would have gone, what we would find in the way of "magical moments" on bootlegs of this great player? Interesting side note: Last night one of the groups I am in found that the opening tune "went south" in a hurry. Due to the growth we've had since changing over to the New Approach, we quickly called an audible and in mid tune switched to a song not even listed on the setlist. The results were tremendous - crowd loved it and it set the stage for some improv moments later on in the evening that were simply glorious! I've discovered what Rhoads said is true - when the sound is no longer an issue, indeed when the tone is so good that it inspires you further in and of itself, then new music seems to flow out of thin air ("inspired" lit. means to be "in Spirited" or "filled with the Spirit" which is interesting since the original Hebrew word for breath, wind and Spirit is one and the same! remember, I am a Pastor!) So anyway - Rhoads would have made some even more astounding new music if the issues the New Approach addresses had not been barriers for him. Not that I'm anything like Randy, but I can certainly relate to how freeing consistently great tone can be! |
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That's really good. I agree wholeheartedly. Back when I had problems hearing the other players, I had to keep things very basic to hold it all together. Now that I can hear well, I keep things very basic just because I like it that way.
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Right! This is why we often make such heartfelt and creative music in a living room with just a couple of players. The goal is to make the stage the living room.
Wayne |
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Great post bdotson
That is exactly how I feel. Every time I play without the L1s I realize how much of the music I am missing and how much I have to compromise in order to hopefully blend in.I am so close to not excepting gigs that do not include an L1. Rick |
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Hey Rick - you're close - I'm there - come on over to the Light side fully Padawan - clear your mind of the dark side, let the old approach fall away completely!!! Rid your performance of anger, frustration, rage, tinunitis (sp?)and volume wars - feel the music flowing through you - become the Jedi you were meant to be!
Seriously, if someone invites me, I bring my L1 Classic with no questions. If they ask, I tell them it's my guitar rig - which is absolutely true... and my vocal rig as well! Hmmm - make the whole venue my living room - I like that! Does that mean I need to pick up and vacuum first?  |
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That also begs the question of appropriate dress for the living room performance??
When there's 200 people in my living room listening, can I still play in my underwear and a tee shirt?? 
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Hi there,
I'd just like to agree with everything said so far on this thread. I have played in loads of bands on and off,(mainly on), since I was at high school back in the early 70's. The music covered anything from blues/rock to trad jazz on the bass, reggae and ceilidh dance music. - I still can't spell that gaelic stuff! Your'e dead right, it was always a bit of a lottery dictating the finished sound. The room came into play, the time available for sound checking and very importantly, - thr moods of the various band members. Don't get me wrong, we had some amazing nights of music over that span of years but the thing was - you could never be sure of it.( We had some real stinkers too)! That is why apart from the Bose L1 offering excellent, clear sound on demand it also offers peace of mind. Peace of mind is very important in music as this in turn leaves the mind and soul free to concentrate on creativity and getting into the given music. This content kind of feeling and knowing that the performer and the audience will be hearing the same detailed sound is what to me makes playing through the Bose so enjoyable. Thanks, Gordon. P.S. Because of the very accurate sound that the Bose produces 18 months ago when I was new to it I initially found myself playing it a bit safe on guitar solos and even vocals purely because I was aware that everyone could here everyting so clear, - nowhere to hide. Now,18 months later, I can honestly say, hopefully, in a modest way, that my soloing and vocals have grown a whole lot in confidence and like Randy Rhoads said, if youv'e got a good sound you just feel like playing that bit longer. Cheers, have a great weekend, Gordon. |
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Yeah - that's it in a nutshell - great way to put it: clear calm mind allows you to focus your attention on the music and really "feel" or "enter in" to the performance rather than "mailing it in" which was often the case when the mix/tone was left to chance in the old days! |
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I am soooo tempted but if I refuse every non Bose gig that comes my way, I will be turning down about 1/2 of the jobs I do. I am looking at retirement Sept 2008 and would like to supplement my pension with playing. I currently play almost every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and in the summer Sunday. Only twice a month do I play with our Bose band, The Kings of Swing.
I have been taking my L12B1 as my drum monitor lately to the non Bose gigs since the April 21 matinee with the worlds two loudest guitarists.I learned my lesson that day. I will never play without my L12B1 again. The problem I am having, when playing with non Bose bands, is hearing the mix properly. It feels like I am disconnected from the rest of the band and it takes all the joy away from playing. Unfortunately at this time in my life I will not be coming over to the "light side" but I will be in the trenches trying to convert as many as possible to the Jedi Way.  Rick |
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Great post, Pastor Bdotson!
I've kinda tried to block it out, but I still remember the gigs when we just couldn't get the sound quite right with our old 3-tiered truckload of sound gear. Nothing could throw our guitar player off worse than bad sound. He would endure the night with a permanent furrow in his brow. Bose L1 came to the rescue for us. Just night after night of smooth guitar solos, he became truly inspirational to watch. It was sweet emotion like a wave, he became an improvisational genius. I can't remember an L1 gig with Jim where I didn't get all choked up at least once during the evening. Guitarists may be the hardest to convert to this new approach, but the results of the conversion can be miraculous. |
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And very worth the effort. Once they hear that the L1 isn't coloring their ever beloved tone, but letting everyone else experience it, they become the biggest advocates for the L1.
The L1 gives your fingers wings, and expands your horizon's. |
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Kinda like Red Bull for your ears?
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L1® Users Forum Musicians General Forums What Do You Think of This New Approach? WWRD (What Would Randy Do?)|
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