Living With A Fire Walkthrough

Have you ever wondered the way a song or a guitar part was recorded? What gear was used to get the sound you’re hearing, what was the process behind writing the song or the part, or what other layers were recorded to make the track sound the way it does?  For the first time ever, I want to invite you to have a look over my shoulder straight into how we recorded our new record, LIVING WITH A FIRE.  That’s right, this year I made a “documentary” of every single song on the record, and show you all about how we recorded the guitars.  From part writing, to layering, to engineering, to tone, to gear, it’s all in there.  Watch as I show you isolated tracks or different combinations, talk through the “why” we recorded the record the guitars the way that we did, and show you exactly how to recreate the same process in your studio or on your gear.  

There’s no better teacher than the studio:

There’s something about being in a studio environment, hearing yourself back on a track with the perspective of the entire arrangement, listening to how the different instruments are affecting the mix. and the feedback of a producer’s criticism that shapes a guitarist.  There’s no better teacher than the studio.  It wasn’t until I first started doing session work in the studio that I really started getting better at the guitar in all aspects of my playing and writing.  I think the main thing I learn from being in a studio environment is “context”.  The context of me against the rest of the musicians in the song.  It’s only in this environment that I learn if my tone is working or not.  It’s only in this environment that I learn if the parts I’m writing are working are not.  If you take away the 10,000+ hours i’ve put in in to the studio, sitting next to a producer, there isn’t a chance I would be successful at guitar.  Everything I learn in the studio directly applies to a sunday morning church service, a friday night gig, or a wednesday afternoon practice session, because the studio teaches me in what context I should be playing and shaping my sound.  The studio is my teacher. Playing live is where I get to put the lessons i’ve learned in the studio to work.