Any musicians ?

Reading the posts over the past while it seems that there is a fair variety of knowledge and skills from posters on this site, are there any skilled musicians, frustrated beginners, steady intermediate players or outright banging musicians who busk or do tours or have you supported any acts ?

Its always been a dream of mines to be on a stage, not as a front man as I dont think I can sing, other than when in the shower, but I think theres a shyness too although my Wife says I have a good voice.

I started off learning bass then moved onto acoustic and electric guitars. Mostly all self taught other than a couple of lessons from a local Tutor Scott Harrison.

I play a varied amount of stuff and even from groups that I dont like such as the Beatles simply because some cord progressions are great to learn. I play mostly open cords with a mix of the dreaded barre cords or the easier power cords.

Currently playing some James, the Cure, the Silencers and Starsailor with my aim to have enough behind me to attempt a “busk on the beach” at Portobello at some points.

My gear is a simple set up with a Westfield acoustic, Fender electric acoustic and a Gretsch Streamliner as my electric. I normally just throw out 30w of power using a Spider Line 6 V30 amp for indoors and a smaller and more portable Boss Katana 15w for my alfresco playing with a Tourtec capo and Snark tuner always clipped onto my guitars. I tend not to use pedals as my Spider has them built in with the added bonus of having multiple drum loops to choose from.

Any musicians or aspiring musicians or even skilled Luthiers on here ? Would be good to read some stories of gigging and rig set ups

I've been playing the guitar for about 20 years – self taught, and never really stuck to practising enough to move beyond 'vaguely competent'. I really enjoy it, but it's just a hobby for me so no ambitions of busking or gigging.

My two guitars are a Telecaster I've played for years and a recently acquired Epiphone ES-335. For most of my "career" I used an Orange practice amp, but after that (literally) went up in smoke I switched to an amp simulator – a UAFX Dream '65. It simulates a Fender Deluxe Reverb and while I've never played the real thing (or any tube amp), I was absolutely blown away by the sound of it.

The part where my collection of gear is definitely inappropriate for my level of skill is pedals – I love fiddling with different sounds and I have a completely unnecessary number of gain pedals.

Current signal chain goes tuner > Ego Mini compressor > Tumnus Deluxe overdrive > Keeley-modded Blues Driver overdrive > Ratsbane distortion > Op-Amp Big Muff fuzz > Hail to the King overdrive (a clone of the legendary King of Tone) > Carbon Copy delay > amp.

I have a constantly growing wishlist of pedals I want to try out, and a few kicking around that I didn't get on with or replaced with something better (more overdrives, plus a couple of things that I found I never used – e.g. a chorus pedal).

I played cello at school, got up to grade 4 or 5 then chucked it as I was sick of getting slagged, silly really.

Played bass for a bit at uni but could never get to grips with it at all which is a bit odd as it's not all that fundamentally different from a cello.

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Originally Posted by nonshinyfinish

I've been playing the guitar for about 20 years – self taught, and never really stuck to practising enough to move beyond 'vaguely competent'. I really enjoy it, but it's just a hobby for me so no ambitions of busking or gigging.

My two guitars are a Telecaster I've played for years and a recently acquired Epiphone ES-335. For most of my "career" I used an Orange practice amp, but after that (literally) went up in smoke I switched to an amp simulator – a UAFX Dream '65. It simulates a Fender Deluxe Reverb and while I've never played the real thing (or any tube amp), I was absolutely blown away by the sound of it.

The part where my collection of gear is definitely inappropriate for my level of skill is pedals – I love fiddling with different sounds and I have a completely unnecessary number of gain pedals.

Current signal chain goes tuner > Ego Mini compressor > Tumnus Deluxe overdrive > Keeley-modded Blues Driver overdrive > Ratsbane distortion > Op-Amp Big Muff fuzz > Hail to the King overdrive (a clone of the legendary King of Tone) > Carbon Copy delay > amp.

I have a constantly growing wishlist of pedals I want to try out, and a few kicking around that I didn't get on with or replaced with something better (more overdrives, plus a couple of things that I found I never used – e.g. a chorus pedal).

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That sounds like a great set up, Ive dabbled with various pedals before but just struggled to get my preferred sound, I love “clean” and dont do the grungey rocky screechy fuzzy stuff, although I do enjoy the synth.

Ive tried my Brother in Laws gear, Orange Crush and Fender Mustang amps with his Rickenbacker and 12 string acoustic but to be honest I wasnt keen, the Mustang was a 60w and was top heavy with crunch so much so I almost blew his wig off his head, probably not the best set up for a small bungalow in quiet Peebles 🫣

My current set up is perfect for me, my Spider amp is a modelling amp so I can get pretty much any amp sound or pedal select by just dialing it in. I love it that I can do it all from my iphone where I save my presets and it automatically dials it in and changes it on the amp without me getting off my erse.

As a fan of Johnny Marr a Tele is my next buy, I love the looks and the sound so will be saving up all my pennies.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I played cello at school, got up to grade 4 or 5 then chucked it as I was sick of getting slagged, silly really.

Played bass for a bit at uni but could never get to grips with it at all which is a bit odd as it's not all that fundamentally different from a cello.

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My options were very limited at school and probably more due to my own disinterest I got chucked a triangle and got told to get on with it. In hindsight I kind of regret not sticking in because the older you get I think the more difficult it is to learn playing from scratch, particularly when work and life in general get in the way.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

That sounds like a great set up, Ive dabbled with various pedals before but just struggled to get my preferred sound, I love “clean” and dont do the grungey rocky screechy fuzzy stuff, although I do enjoy the synth.

Ive tried my Brother in Laws gear, Orange Crush and Fender Mustang amps with his Rickenbacker and 12 string acoustic but to be honest I wasnt keen, the Mustang was a 60w and was top heavy with crunch so much so I almost blew his wig off his head, probably not the best set up for a small bungalow in quiet Peebles 🫣

My current set up is perfect for me, my Spider amp is a modelling amp so I can get pretty much any amp sound or pedal select by just dialing it in. I love it that I can do it all from my iphone where I save my presets and it automatically dials it in and changes it on the amp without me getting off my erse.

As a fan of Johnny Marr a Tele is my next buy, I love the looks and the sound so will be saving up all my pennies.

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Yeah I can definitely see the appeal of having effectively any amp or effect on tap – I read the guitarpedals subreddit a lot and occasionally you see someone with a massive pedalboard go 'hang on, I could do all this and more with one multi-effects box' and just sell the lot.

For me though, I think it would be too much choice – as I said I like fiddling with settings/effects and with that much choice I'd never actually play. I need a balance of having enough options to get the sounds I want but not so many that it's overwhelming.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I played cello at school, got up to grade 4 or 5 then chucked it as I was sick of getting slagged, silly really.

Played bass for a bit at uni but could never get to grips with it at all which is a bit odd as it's not all that fundamentally different from a cello.

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School Of Rock says it should be an easy transition!

Played kit drums since I was about 9. Have played a couple of gigs and my peak was playing a 50th in the Hibs club - for a Jambo uncle of a mate of mine about 10 years ago.

Played in a few different bands and was close to depping for a drummer in a proper touring band but it fell through.

Got a hybrid Mapex kit which I've had since 2012 and a set of Zildjian cymbals I bought myself for my 18th. I don't play often enough now but it desperately needs new skins on it. I only really play along on headphones now, great for taking a break from work and going and battering the drums for 10 minutes to waken up.

There's nothing better than smashing a song playing with bandmates.

I was a singer in a band when I was 17, around 49 years ago and due to me not being an enigmatic front man, I picked up a cheap acoustic and started learning the chords. I've never played bar chords due my stubby wee fingers but have my own style with my fingers constantly moving off and on the strings to give it a fuller sound. Nowadays it's all just for fun and enjoyment, used to love a Karaoke on holiday and won a competition one year singing my go to classic Unchained Melody, hitting those big high notes. I have noticed as I've gotten older my voice has changed and gone a bit deeper, so struggle with the high notes.
My daughter is classically trained but now plays bass, at the moment in her boyfriends band LIVID but due to work etc, she really doesn't have the time.

Haven’t a musical note in my head though did purchase a big drum that I like to play regularly on a Saturday between 3:00 and 5:00 :duck:

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Originally Posted by Jones28

Played kit drums since I was about 9. Have played a couple of gigs and my peak was playing a 50th in the Hibs club - for a Jambo uncle of a mate of mine about 10 years ago.

Played in a few different bands and was close to depping for a drummer in a proper touring band but it fell through.

Got a hybrid Mapex kit which I've had since 2012 and a set of Zildjian cymbals I bought myself for my 18th. I don't play often enough now but it desperately needs new skins on it. I only really play along on headphones now, great for taking a break from work and going and battering the drums for 10 minutes to waken up.

There's nothing better than smashing a song playing with bandmates.

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Wow drumming with a touring band sounds amazing mate, again though I suppose I would have loved that when I was young free and ready to mingle, although on second thoughts maybe not a bad idea 😃

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Originally Posted by J-C

I was a singer in a band when I was 17, around 49 years ago and due to me not being an enigmatic front man, I picked up a cheap acoustic and started learning the chords. I've never played bar chords due my stubby wee fingers but have my own style with my fingers constantly moving off and on the strings to give it a fuller sound. Nowadays it's all just for fun and enjoyment, used to love a Karaoke on holiday and won a competition one year singing my go to classic Unchained Melody, hitting those big high notes. I have noticed as I've gotten older my voice has changed and gone a bit deeper, so struggle with the high notes.
My daughter is classically trained but now plays bass, at tge moment in her boyfriends band LIVID but due to work etc, she really doesn't have the time.

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Nice one JC, with regards barre cords that was what I thought with my “chunky” fingers, I learned to adapt by turning my finger onto the side and slightly bent and after some practice it just became natural. I also substituted barre for power cords for a few songs as you can do that with just 2 fingers thus avoiding the barre.

A great song, a classic that Ive just learned is Fire from Springsteen, not to be confused with “Im on fire” you can do power cords G/A then C/D with the G/A being very bassy sounding. Theres also a brilliant solo in the bridge.

I think the hardest part of learning barre cords for beginners is muting the strings, its a huge pain in the arse but more than achievable after some practice.

Im not a blues lover but learning some of the progression is brilliant and very therapeutic, particularly with a backing drum accompanying it.

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Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby

Haven’t a musical note in my head though did purchase a big drum that I like to play regularly on a Saturday between 3:00 and 5:00 :duck:

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My Wife played the flute at school, as you would expect, there are no flutes in my house 😆

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

Nice one JC, with regards barre cords that was what I thought with my “chunky” fingers, I learned to adapt by turning my finger onto the side and slightly bent and after some practice it just became natural. I also substituted barre for power cords for a few songs as you can do that with just 2 fingers thus avoiding the barre.

A great song, a classic that Ive just learned is Fire from Springsteen, not to be confused with “Im on fire” you can do power cords G/A then C/D with the G/A being very bassy sounding. Theres also a brilliant solo in the bridge.

I think the hardest part of learning barre cords for beginners is muting the strings, its a huge pain in the arse but more than achievable after some practice.

Im not a blues lover but learning some of the progression is brilliant and very therapeutic, particularly with a backing drum accompanying it.

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I know what you mean re barre chords, I just got set in my ways, I've adapted my own style where my fingers are constantly moving, so an E can go into an Em, then an Em7/6 and back to a full E, it becomes quite a full sounding chord.

Blues and most Rock are fairly straight forward, 4 chords is all you really need to know. When you start adding in sharps and flats, plus 6th & 7th etc, it gets complicated. Always adapt songs to suit your voice by transposing the chords.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

Wow drumming with a touring band sounds amazing mate, again though I suppose I would have loved that when I was young free and ready to mingle, although on second thoughts maybe not a bad idea 😃

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It might have been if it had worked out! Left the guy 5 messages but didn't happen in the end, I was meant to be recommended to them as well and they were really keen.

Not to worry, knowing lots of musicians through my brothers-in-law I think I would have gone insane dealing with them. :greengrin

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Originally Posted by J-C

I know what you mean re barre chords, I just got set in my ways, I've adapted my own style where my fingers are constantly moving, so an E can go into an Em, then an Em7/6 and back to a full E, it becomes quite a full sounding chord.

Blues and most Rock are fairly straight forward, 4 chords is all you really need to know. When you start adding in sharps and flats, plus 6th & 7th etc, it gets complicated. Always adapt songs to suit your voice by transposing the chords.

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Yeah you can literally play thousands of songs by playing 3 cords, G, D and C, add in a Am and Em as your basic 5 cords and your sorted, a lot after that is your timing and your strumming patterns, add a few suspended cords, a bit pull offs and string bends as well as palm muting and there you have it.

I love the Silencers and some of their stuff I just play by ear, normally if I pick off the root then using the circle of 5ths then I can work out the cord progression for the songs, I then just try and work out the timing eg 3/4 or 4/4 and then the strumming pattern. I also love to hear how a song is built and I just listen to parts of a song on a loop until I learn the part before moving onto the next part etc.

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Originally Posted by Jones28

It might have been if it had worked out! Left the guy 5 messages but didn't happen in the end, I was meant to be recommended to them as well and they were really keen.

Not to worry, knowing lots of musicians through my brothers-in-law I think I would have gone insane dealing with them. :greengrin

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My mate is a guitarist and does a lot of busking up the town, he is good and asked me to join him but sadly he only plays Oasis 🫢 by the same token I went down to Peebles to jam with my Brother in Law who only plays Elvis stuff, my guitars just cant play Elvis 🤭

Not a musical bone in my body but a nerdy talent for remembering song lyrics and a very loud Sgt Major kind of voice. Long story short, I tend to start singing when pissed and a few guys I know who were in a band asked me if I'd like to help them form a folk band. We learnt a few Scottish and Irish drinking songs and it went from there and we started getting regular gigs in the music pub scene in Berlin. We toured the pubs for about 15 years with gigs every other weekend but it started to feel like a second job so now we only do about 3 or 4 gigs a year. Was good fun for a while but I'd hate to rely on it to put food on the family's table.

I did piano lessons for 11 years growing up. Hated it for a while, my mum and dad built an extension onto the house and whilst the work was going on the piano got shoved into my bedroom. Instead of practicing being a chore I’d sit down and tinkle at it every time I passed… and quickly went from being terrible at it and hating it to half decent and loving playing.

Over the subsequent nearly 30 years I’ve barely touched it but I do love a wee shot when there’s nobody around and I’m at my parents’.

I used to particularly love getting a shot at writing songs on the computer and keyboard at school - that was my favourite thing to do at school. My teacher had encouraged me to take music further but my mum had other plans…

Funny then that I should choose a professional musician as a partner - she’s a percussionist (who doesn’t tolerate the triangle being dismissed as a simple instrument to play btw). She’s currently a stay at home mum and as a musician has had many jobs both in music and in other fields, but her main thing was a spell that she had in a touring Taiko drumming group - which she loved. She’s done a good few UK tours, been to the Middle East a few times and been to Japan. Eventually it stops being so much fun when you’re away from home a lot, getting fed up of the same people, the same show, packing and unpacking the van, sleeping in budget hotel rooms and popping painkillers to allow you to go on stage and perform every night through minor niggles and injuries. Eventually the thing you love just becomes work and I sometimes wonder if it must be similar for footballers - doing something you love but must come with an ugly underside that makes you fall out of love with what you previously adored doing.

She’s out at choir tonight (and can be found singing on some historical GTA tracks) so is still scratching the musical itch. And my daughter has quite a voice on her. I took her on a play date with her pal a few weeks ago and was quite blown away by how good a singer she was when belting out songs in the car - she never really sings like that in the house.

I’m getting her a wee 3 string electric guitar for her Christmas and would love it if she developed a real interest, followed her heart and did something creative.

The most precious family heirloom I received from a Cousin that I met at my Sisters funeral a few years ago was a Parlour acoustic guitar that my late Gran had and played around 1918.

The guitar is in a stunning condition for its age with old steel strings akin to cheese wire but remarkably holds a good tune. My Cousin asked me if I wanted the guitar as nobody in her or my close family are musical and she knew I would appreciate it.

The story is that my Gran bought the guitar for school when growing up in Montreal and she became a very accomplished player and would spend hours entertaining family for hours around the coal fire with one of her favourite songs to sing and play was Old Rugged Cross.

The guitar has no pick guard and a lot of scrapes caused, as explained by my Cousin due to my Gran using a flattened coin as a pick.

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

The most precious family heirloom I received from a Cousin that I met at my Sisters funeral a few years ago was a Parlour acoustic guitar that my late Gran had and played around 1918.

The guitar is in a stunning condition for its age with old steel strings akin to cheese wire but remarkably holds a good tune. My Cousin asked me if I wanted the guitar as nobody in her or my close family are musical and she knew I would appreciate it.

The story is that my Gran bought the guitar for school when growing up in Montreal and she became a very accomplished player and would spend hours entertaining family for hours around the coal fire with one of her favourite songs to sing and play was Old Rugged Cross.

The guitar has no pick guard and a lot of scrapes caused, as explained by my Cousin due to my Gran using a flattened coin as a pick.

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Can't post this with no photo!

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Originally Posted by nonshinyfinish

Can't post this with no photo!

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I will def post a photo up when I manage to get it down from the loft, I believe the guitar is a Godin Parlour guitar, Godin was actually a North American/Canadian guitar maker.

Played guitar since I was 16. Quite recently switched up to a 7-string setup. Having an extra bass string makes heavier stuff easy to pick up and it makes one hell of a noise through my amp/pedal setup.

I have no musical talent at all but theknow a few people who are pretty good. The wife's cousin plays drums, has toured with fish, played several times for the red hot chili pipers also, the wife's pals husband is in twin atlantic and a mate of mine was in definitely oasis for years on the drums

Won three karaoke competitions in my time. Voice like warm whiskey. Sign me up.

I was a front man/singer in a punk/rock band. Started off as a hobby with my mates at the time. I wasn’t into gigging and told the rest of them to forget the notion of me on a stage.

Inevitably, as you later find out, if you have 5 guys in a band they’ve got 5 separate ideas of what they want from it.

I got roped into playing gigs but there was a part of me that fancied doing a ‘few’ gigs just to see what it’s like.

I had a bit of a blast and had a few mad nights out of it but ultimately I couldn’t handle being centre of attention as it’s so far removed to what I’m all about.

The worst of it is is that I don’t speak to any of my old band mates now when before we were good friends. That’s bands for you.

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Originally Posted by Booked4Being-Ugly

I was a front man/singer in a punk/rock band. Started off as a hobby with my mates at the time. I wasn’t into gigging and told the rest of them to forget the notion of me on a stage.

Inevitably, as you later find out, if you have 5 guys in a band they’ve got 5 separate ideas of what they want from it.

I got roped into playing gigs but there was a part of me that fancied doing a ‘few’ gigs just to see what it’s like.

I had a bit of a blast and had a few mad nights out of it but ultimately I couldn’t handle being centre of attention as it’s so far removed to what I’m all about.

The worst of it is is that I don’t speak to any of my old band mates now when before we were good friends. That’s bands for you.

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At least you gave it a go mate and got the experience, Ive been watching a lot of punk on youtube lately and ****ing hell some of them cant even play a note and the lead singers are absolutely chronic and just shouty 😀 yet many of them seem to have been around forever and have a bit of a cult following.

There are the exceptions though namely Cock Sparrer, the Angelic Upstarts and the Business and the Cockney Rejects to name but a few.

What was the name of your band ?

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

At least you gave it a go mate and got the experience, Ive been watching a lot of punk on youtube lately and ****ing hell some of them cant even play a note and the lead singers are absolutely chronic and just shouty �� yet many of them seem to have been around forever and have a bit of a cult following.

There are the exceptions though namely Cock Sparrer, the Angelic Upstarts and the Business and the Cockney Rejects to name but a few.

What was the name of your band ?

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It was a good experience.

I done it to bring myself out of my shell as i was always quite quiet and reserved. I wanted to test myself as i knew i could sing but see if i had the balls to do it. It's mad though as going through it and coming out the other side there's a part of me that's crawled further back into that shell as a result.

If it was kept as a hobby then it wouldn't have been as bad. It went from me saying "i'm not doing any gigs to, ok will try one and see what it's like to i don't mind doing the odd gig". Then my band mates were going out hunting for more and more gigs!

Played at some decent venues in Edin though. Cas rock, Studio 24, the old Honeycomb (can't remember what that venue was called). There was a brilliant venue, like an old church near queen street that we played at and got a nice write-up in the EEN. Can't for the life of me remember the name or what it was for. We played the Ross band stand in Princes st gardens and the cameras were there beaming pictures down to large screens in London somewhere (talking 25 years ago). It's funny, the bigger the venue the easier it was. I played in pubs where the punters were standing a foot away from you and it was intimidating AF.

With respect, i'm not going to say the name of the band. We were purely amateur and i cringe at the thought of remotely sounding as if i'm bigging myself up, but the rest of the members did want to see if they could take it further. TBF, some of them made a living out of it but as a different band.

Like i said before i had a lot of laughs, some huge fallouts and some major cringes. Some gigs you'd do a sound check at 6:30pm and your slot would be say, 10/11pm. Then you'd drink to fill the time and then when it was time to go i'd be pissed and forget the lyrics and you'd crash and burn when your sound check sounded amazing earlier! :duck:

Occasionally i bump into my old mates and it's like...do you fancy hooking up for a wee jam and i'm like "yeah, that sounds good" then i get home and get the shivers and avoid any further contact. Not great, i know!

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Originally Posted by nonshinyfinish

Can't post this with no photo!

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As promised, my late Grans Parlour guitar which she would have played around 1918, it looks nothing special, is as light as a feather with likely no truss rod for intonation, action is high but it sounds fantastic.

I have strung it left handed with nylon strings although it had steel strings initially due to its age it felt safer to put on some nylons. It stays in its tatty case in good conditions but it wont ever be played. I just love the thought of my Gran playing away entertaining the family as they sat around a roaring fire.

Value wise probably nowt however as an heirloom its priceless. Attachment 28441Attachment 28442Attachment 28443 Attachment 28444