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I go through AC/DC phases where I'll watch a lot of concerts and interviews. I just watched a rig ru
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[View in Web Browser]( I go through AC/DC phases where I'll watch a lot of concerts and interviews. I just watched a rig rundown with the band's guitar tech. He was showing off Angus's main guitars for touring. A number of things stuck out to me. First, Angus has used the same couple of Gibson SGs as his primary guitars for decades. Decades. This is a man who could have any guitar he wants, any array of pedals and amps, but he pretty much plugs his 1960s or 70s SG into a Marshall amp, and that's his tone. I read an interview once with the engineer who worked on the Back in Black album. When asked how to get Angus Young's guitar tone, he said you need three things: - a Gibson SG
- a Marshall amp
- Angus Young I've got nothing against fun toys. I own a number of guitars and pedals and amp emulators. I've got seven guitars within arms reach as I type this, plus a Helix on the floor and an Eleven Rack in the rack. In just the last week I've spent several nights in my studio just playing guitar and dialing in tones. No agenda, just getting lost in the music. Sometimes for hours on end without realizing it. ("Wow, it's 11pm already?") I wrote to you last week about simplicity, and I think that's what made the whole Angus Young thing stand out to me this week. There are a couple lessons there for us home studio folks. Lesson #1: Make music with what you've got. I first discovered audio production in high school. I got a piece of 8-track recording software, and I spent countless hours recording stuff. I was completely obsessed. When I went to audio school, my creative output dropped dramatically. The thought process was something like this: Well, now I'm learning the "proper" way to do all this stuff, so I'll hold off on recording anything until I've figured it out and acquired all the gear I need. I regret that decision. I could've recorded all kinds of cool music during that time, but I didn't, because I had to "wait" until I had all the pieces in place. I meet a lot of home studio folks who do the same thing. "Yeah I'm gonna finish this album once I save up and buy that plugin bundle." "As soon as I get the last few things on my list, I'm gonna start recording." But then I see Angus Young making craploads of music since before I was born, with the same basic setup. I can't speak for you, but it makes me want to focus less on the gear and more on the MUSIC. Lesson #2: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Angus's guitar tech said that they don't routinely fix or replace things on Angus's guitars unless it breaks. When home studio folks who like to constantly upgrade their equipment ask me for advice, I ask them, "Have you released any music with the last piece of gear you bought?" If the answer is no, I recommend not buying anything until the answer is yes. It's not about following rules or beating yourself up. It's about music. For most of us, the gear is nice, but the real goal is to make music with it. If you find yourself with more gear than music, maybe it's time to change things up. Lesson #3: Find people to join you on your music. Too many people I meet want to play every instrument on their projects. Some people can pull that off, but most people are better served by collaborating with others. Imagine Angus on stage without the four other guys. Not the same. Just because you CAN do everything yourself, doesn't mean it's the best idea. Alright, that's it for this newsletter. Hope you got excited to grab a guitar and make some music. Talk next week, Joe Gilder
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