Guitar Synth Workshop, Claremont, Saturday 2nd November

AlanRatcliffe

I'm hosting a guitar synth workshop for Roland and Paul Bothner Music Claremont on Saturday 2nd November (tomorrow week) at 11 AM. They'll probably only get it up on their site a day or two before the event, so I'll do the shameless self-promotion thing here as I know there will be a few of you folk wanting to attend.

Using & Performing with Guitar Synthesizers
Presented by guitar guru Alan Ratcliffe, this workshop takes a look at not only the current state of guitar synthesizer technology, but also how to use them in a playing situation, from stage to studio and in any context from solo musician to full band setup.

The workshop will include a rundown on available gear and how it works, some demonstrations of what is possible and advice on how to best use them. There will also be a question and answer session for any detail not covered.

The idea is to help people use guitar synths successfully in performance situations (more how to provide accompaniment than how to solo and how to write sounds that fit in the mix) and to showcase some of the possibilities with the tech available.

Hopefully see some of y'all there...

arjunmenon

Nice.
Been looking forward to a guitar synth workshop

AlanRatcliffe

:-[

I just hits it and it noises...

kayDUB

Sounds great, added to calendar! ?

Josh-Hayes

Somebody please record this and post it. I am sure myself and some other guys who cannot make it would really appreciate it.
?

AlanRatcliffe

Bump.

AlanRatcliffe

Thanks to all who attended! We had quite a few forum members there: Mojo JoJoe, V8, Singemonkey, EZ, Joe Moore, Arjun (better late than never ?).

Anyway, I got to poot forth a fair amount of old toot and play a few examples for an hour or so. Some good questions from the audience too.

Joe took two cellphone pics (my own photographer was off snapping more interesting fare, like buildings and street people ?):

Also collected a few toys: Adrenalinn II, NI Rig Kontrol and a Roland drum rack (which I've added bits of to my own rack and to my footpedal setup.

Psean

Looks interesting. Must've been cool to see how you use all that kit. Do you ever come up to JHB to do workshops?

AlanRatcliffe

Psean wrote: Do you ever come up to JHB to do workshops?

Not so far, but I'm open if someone wants me to. Problem being it works out expensive for them to fly me up and back, put me up (or put up with me) overnight and still pay me for my time. Often easier just to find a local who'll cost 'em less overall. Might be worth it for a series of workshops though (setup, FX, guitar synth, etc.).

V8

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Thanks to all who attended! We had quite a few forum members there: Mojo JoJoe, V8, Singemonkey, EZ, Joe Moore, Arjun (better late than never ?).

Anyway, I got to poot forth a fair amount of old toot and play a few examples for an hour or so. Some good questions from the audience too.

Thanks again for demo of your setup & skills and sharing of all the information Alan! It was clear how much time you spent setting up, tweaking and playing with this.

Also, very cool to have a all too brief chat with the GFSA'ers present and a thank you to Bothners in Claremont - the guys there always really welcoming.

The slicer and phase sequencer demo's had me drooling, so much so, when I got home I started googling up a midi ~~wish~~ GAS list. Oi vey ?

Psean

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Psean wrote: Do you ever come up to JHB to do workshops?
Not so far, but I'm open if someone wants me to. Problem being it works out expensive for them to fly me up and back, put me up (or put up with me) overnight and still pay me for my time. Often easier just to find a local who'll cost 'em less overall. Might be worth it for a series of workshops though (setup, FX, guitar synth, etc.).

I suspected as much... pity about the practicalities.

AlanRatcliffe

V8 wrote: The slicer and phase sequencer demo's had me drooling

Between the two, they are a poor man's Adrenalinn. ? Boss used to call it a "stepped phaser", but now they just include it in their multieffect phasers as one "step" control (everything from the GT-6 onwards IIRC). Basically it just divides the phase changes into steps instead of a smooth sweep.

You can do a lot of stuff like that in Guitar Rig too - using the modifiers: sequencers, LFOs etc. to control things like filter cutoffs or volumes (the random LFO is really cool), or even pitch. Use the same modifier to make the signal jump around in the stereo field in time to the filter changes and things really get hairy.

V8

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Between the two, they are a poor man's Adrenalinn. ?

Oh dear...just finished watching the clips on http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/adrenalinn-iii.html. One of these is now at No.1 on the GAS list. The presets sound really usable out the box - something about a guitar not sounding like a guitar works for me (blasphemy... :?).

It also explained a lot of sounds on John Mayer's Continuum that had me wondering about keyboards...it was an Adrenalinn!

Nice one, thanks for the insight Alan.

Norman86

Have... to... see... you... guys... live!!!
Lucky buggers that can really multitask and play!

Big-G

I was really hoping to be there myself, but circumstances did not permit! Maybe next time you are up here I'll pop by?

I'd love to see all that setup in action! ?

G!

AlanRatcliffe

Norman86 wrote: Lucky buggers that can really multitask and play!

Practice, not luck. ? And it all goes to hell if I try open my mouth to sing.

Norman86

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Lucky buggers that can really multitask and play!
Practice, not luck. ? And it all goes to hell if I try open my mouth to sing.

i struggle to play and sing at the same time ?
either way, the closest i am going to get to seeing this live is with Joe Moore and Shreddy.. but no one has said when they're playing again?!!?!?!? :-\

Norman86

Joe Moore wrote:
Norman86 wrote: ........ the closest i am going to get to seeing this live is with Joe Moore and Shreddy.. but no one has said when they're playing again?!!?!?!? :-\
Good Question . lol .

Soon - ish , If all goes to plan .
Early / mid December possibly , but definitely sometime in January ... We'll see 8)

Dont forget to let us know ?
hopefully i will be able to make it this time!