I Wanna Come Over- Genny Guenther, Vid by Dory Pacholko

[StimulusIntrigue]

Genny Lydiatt, is no longer part of this band!!!

[corky4443]

this was interesting.

[MrJetb]

Oh and I do like video shoot s as well. And i was pushing my band, just pointing out how we control the sound. I suppose it rather difficult for anybody to read tonal infliction in the posts here, ButI'll say again. I wasn't trying to pee in anybody's porridge. jsut having a discussion man, And just to clarify, I never had a comprehension problem going to university. Spelling, now that's a whole other ball game!!

have agreat life man. maybe i'll see you at one of Al's shows!!

[MrJetb]

Dory:

Dory, ok whatever! Don't get yer knickers ina knot, I wasn't being confrontational! OK? I though you had taken some of my comments out of context! no biggie! i was attempting to have a conversation, wasn't browbeating Al, nor you! Just a discussion, that's all. Opinons are like assholes, everybody has one. Whether you're right or I'm right is irrelevant. Bottom line is: they're all talented, Al's a great guitarist, and their audo mix sucks. Are we in agreement on that?

[StimulusIntrigue]

If you are only going to be serious, eliminate similes and metaphors. When similes and metaphors are used, it constitutes jokes, or vague humor. Your entries are a challenge to grasp based on nouns to adjectives. On one point you make, you are in the band, but jumps to someone else, then goes into you not being up on stage. I get that you work with equipment, but you suggest that you have used excellent guitarists in your mix. As it is, I have seen a lot of bands, and most all are bad.

[StimulusIntrigue]

You might be having trouble with comprehension in all this, as I had been more or less agreeing with you. In fact, you retort most of my points, then add in your band function which is NOT a "Difference of Opinion". Your band function isn't much relevance. Nevertheless, I worked with it to grasp your claim of being in a band that I desired to open that dialogue. I mentioned musical barr's, which you do not seem to grasp, which is a term for reading music.

[StimulusIntrigue]

If you look back, you actually put "LoL's" in with the points formally mentioned. This defy's the points of humor you claim is supposed to be serious. You can not say that you are attempting serious, if it is some type of humor, then claim you never intend on funny. If you are being serious you can't be playing around like that.

[MrJetb]

That deosn't mean they ARE a bitch. It means they're good. Like OHAT would be usued today!!

I'm sorry, i didn't get the "delayed feeds,"and the "vibrations from feedback giving an erection"at all! ARe there some posts that I'm missing??

[MrJetb]

Dory, wasn't trying to be condescending, that's why I sated, "without being condescending." As for you playing guitar, note that i put a question mark at the end of that sentence,

And i do have a great sense of humour. Alot of people assume I'm trying to be funny when i make a humourous response. I'm not. I find that a humourous response USUALLY defuses and confrontation over differences of opinions.

I use alot of 60's / 70's expressions!! Like calling the band a bitch!

[MrJetb]

I wasn't aware that i posted anything funny! I assumed we were having a serious discussion on the (percieved) discrepancies on the FOH sound of an outstanding guitarist and his equally outstanding bandmembers. Without being condescending, It would occur to me that you have never played in a band?? Otherwise you would have seen the serious opinons I expressed. But hey, if it tickled your funny bine, have agood giggle! Whatever floats yer boat i guess!!

[StimulusIntrigue]

Ouch! "Condescending"?

That is a big harsh. Not many people have humor I see. Ah well. You talked about that a guy can get excited about the vibration from feedback which results a "erection" as you so put it. Usually a woman works fine, not usually from equipment. It appeared you were attempting humor. I guess not. Then you spoke of the delayed feeds, I guess no humor there either. So, I got it. You aren't funny. Thanks for pointing that out. I will keep it in mind and not forget that.

[StimulusIntrigue]

FYI. Yes. I stood behind a guitar for over 7.5yrs. I am familiar with what happens on the strings.

[MrJetb]

Dory: there are several ways to mix in the delay/vocasl effects. Primarily there's Pre and post. Which means that the delay is mixed into the monitor mix, PRE or before the sound travels out the the monitor or POSt or after the sounds travel to the monitor. Post the delay will come out the main mix but the monitor mix. IF you are singing, you don't really notice the delay as being distracting UNLESS it is incorrectly adjusted!!

[MrJetb]

Or the guitar and bass shiuld ste back and match the vocals and drums. But hey, it's call the Al Barrett Band. He can mix the sound anyway he wants, as long as the rest of the band can take it and he keeps playing, that's what matters!! it's like me doing a bass solo. It doesn't do musch for the people there, it only for the other musicians, and The other musicians ain't paying for the band to play!! Keep it honest and always play from the heart!! That's what matters!!

[StimulusIntrigue]

You had lots of funny stuff to say here. I enjoyed it.

As for seeing Al make his adjustments, and if I notice it? Yes, big time! How can you not. Like I say, I don't know what he thinks he is hearing to be mastering during a song. When I was filming all my videos of the band you see posted here, I had to turn my camera away from him every time he did it. It is heavily distracting.

[StimulusIntrigue]

I don't know If I would get an erection hearing my own voice on delay. Hahahaha. Other women might, but not me.

I could not deal with that time delay very well. I have listened to my voice in through a monitor, the delay is nerve racking. But to match that to a live beat and to sing to it, for me would throw everything off.

[MrJetb]

Having said all this, and rambled on, I want it clearly understood that i don't dislike Al, nor his playing. Actually i quite like to listen to him (I've never played music with him and probably never will) but I can't spend the whole evening listening to him play. i find the mix gets me antsy and the guitar does have a tendency to drown everybody else in the band out! In this song the drums, and vocals are to far back, they should be out front a bit more matching the bass ,

[MrJetb]

No amps on stage - no feedback, less set up time, less ear to haul around and break, less over head, faster inital mixdown time, easier sound control of both the over all and individual mixes, faster teardown times, and more money in ya pocket. Plus it saves your hearing!! After 20 plus years of making music, my ears are not what they were. I'd like to hear the music until i die!!

[MrJetb]

Look at the styles eack individual is known for and look at what Al does. he plays all styles very well. So yeah, i think he could hold his own. Might be a bvit of a tussel over who's loudest though.

As for mix down, listen to and watch this video again. You'll see Al turn around a turn up the guitar. As the song plays through you"ll hear rhe squeals from the PA. Feed back!! Something is too loud on the stage and is looping through one or mnore of the mics. No amps on stage = no feedback!!

[MrJetb]

and then used the In ear monitors, you get a freakin erection 9 or maybe not!!LOL) but i can tell you i won't ever go back to using and amp or big honkin floor monitors again. no feed back, no ear achs, no trouble hearing everybody and everything in the band!! faster set up times, no pissing around with sound checks. Less stress and a lot more fum playing!!! As for your comments re: biil gidson,Colin james, et al. I don'tthink Al would have to work too hard to keep up to them!

[MrJetb]

once the overall ixdown is set, the olny adjust required (90%) of the time, is the volume fader. The stage sound don't change because we're NOT running amps, just direct through the board, so the number if bodies in the venue don't affect what is heard on stage through the monitor system ( In ear) I don't know whether you're a musician or not Dory, but I can garantee you IF you have used a big honkin floor monitoer and on stage amps, and tried ti hear your self over eveything on the stage,

[MrJetb]

Put like Al, most times they're as tasty as hell and fit nicely, ocassionally, they don't.Such is life. As for all the thing you list taht Al does, so what?? Every band that i'vee been in was like that, at least one of use did that at one time or another. usually the next song is predetermined, tha's why bands have set lists. they're usually on the floor in front of band memebers. Ocassionally there is a request and the order changes, but not often. As for the low ceilings, wall structure etc,

[MrJetb]

By removing one of the ear pieces, we can hear what the overall sound mix down is like and ensure what we hear is the same as what the folks out front hear. A heck of alot easier to mix the band when we don'thave the amps and acoustic drum!! All has electronic drums, it should be easy as taking a crap to mix his bvand and get a perfect mix every time!! I agree, some times Al just can't leave a space in a tune!! LOL I call em little "mini solos"" Had a guitar player iwho used to do that.

[MrJetb]

Plus, there is less possiblity of slap back. that is the sound bouncing back from the walls of the stage and mixing with that bouncing off the walls of the venue. Sorta like opening the same video on you tube at the same time. They are both running but they are never in sync. Drives ya crazy!!

What the crowd hears, is what we hear in our earpieces. We have a db ) sound level ) meater that we use to walk out in the crowd and set the volume with.

[MrJetb]

When i say we use no amplifiers, it means that we run straight to the board, just like a mic, excdept we run into the stomp boxes 9 on the floor) then into the main board. Jsua s a singer has his/her specific channel on the board to mix anyway they want, so does the instruments. Mixing the sound this way is alot easier then mixing the sound after it is routed through on stage amplifiers.

[MrJetb]

The last band I played in, and the band i'm putting together now don'teven use amps nor monitors on the stage! Everything is wireless, and In Ear Monitors, so we all run FOH mix so we can hear where we are in the mix. We walk out front with a DB meter in out r pocket and check to see how loud we are and where everybody sits in the mix! We don't even do a sound check, don'thave to, We know where we are from rehearsals. What we hear in the IE Monitors is what the folks out front hear!

[StimulusIntrigue]

Al is among the best, there aren't many that can really play a guitar very well. Most bands are frankly not that good these days. Playing a guitar is a from of art combined with expression, and Al has it. Watching Al play Pink Floyd for example; I have never seen anyone play it as perfectly as Gilmour himself.

[StimulusIntrigue]

I really think it would be cool to see Collin James, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour AND Al Barrett share one stage in a blaze of an ultimate guitar jam battle. Those guys in one room represents the soul of a guitar! They not only know their way around a set of strings, but they have the talent to give their guitar a voice whilst they give it a growl of a tiger. It is true art.

[StimulusIntrigue]

Music is fading fast my friend, and there are only a few ways left on this world to feel that treasure of pleasure- that lubricates our ear drums like waking up to coffee-- ground and brewed-- for the sun. Even bands that make it with a record deal these days can NOT play guitar to any degree of a memorable melody leave alone knowing what they are doing. With all the focus Al steals it sure gets my attention.

[StimulusIntrigue]

Al does show off once in a while, but that is the moment when he is at his best when he is giving you a feel for his passion. That guitar isn't just about loud volume or vibrating strings. You are watching a pro with a heart, and it has just as much style as easy to spot as Nat King Cole.

[StimulusIntrigue]

In reading your other entries about no amplifiers... Well... How is that possible? How does the crowd hear you? Unless perhaps you are an air band with Tubas and Saxes, I don't see how you are heard in a beer-mug clanging boisterous room full of people with Tarots Syndrome.

[StimulusIntrigue]

Also in your comments, I have seen these ear pieces some bands wear, but if it works as you say, and reliable as you say, how do you know the music is reaching the crowd with no amplifiers? And if your music IS amplified, how do you compensate for low or high ceilings, or crowd amounts? Or room depth and echoing? I am not sure if I am behind that.

[StimulusIntrigue]

I can say with little doubt that there are sound issues Al needs to work on. He has a top- of- the- line sound system with too much going on. But did you notice as he plays, he is doing about 2-4 guitar riffs at any given moment? He is Often playing rhythm & lead for almost every other barr, which is why he is too busy to hear(... In my theory).

[StimulusIntrigue]

So I think that even when he is on the floor listening to the volume and tones on stage he may well be focusing on his distinct sound, which is a bit bias. He DOES ask how it all sounds, as a result, I have talked to him on finding way to turn up other sections of the band. But when he is back on stage he just turns HIS volume up.

[StimulusIntrigue]

To add to his job, while he plays, he is constantly adjusting controls. So you got to figure, he decides the next song, he decides the speed and beat of songs, how the stage should appear, covers band section mistakes, picks up slack of a set, works lighting, plays his guitar on multi parts, does system sound-checks, orchestrates, etc.

[StimulusIntrigue]

Plus he does accounting, books dates on where they play, schedules, provides transport, does most setup and teardowns, and teaches guitar on all his remaining time. On top of all that, works their sound panel. Al is without doubt a perfectionist, so how could anyone with the pressures he put on himself through know the sound of what is happening in that moment?

[MrJetb]

That's probably why Al got his knickers in a knot a Grey Eagle! The sound guy mixed it down the way it should be an Al isn't used to hearing that sound. When one becomes accustomed to hearing things a certain,the correct way become wrong, and the wrong way become right!!

[MrJetb]

With respect to the other band sounding fuller, that's not uncommon. It will depend on how they set their own individual tones and effects. Al runs alot of Hi end onhis system. Most bands that i have heard mixed properly had the drums and bass kinda out front in the mix with the guitar at about the same level and standing out only when doing a lead break.

[MrJetb]

Stimulus: Thax for your comments. i never believed in being ignorant to people, and hiding behind a moniker on a web site. I do like Al's guitar playing, I don't like his sound engineering abilities.

[MrJetb]

I do agree that he's trying to do too m uch. he can't set the front of the house sound, if he can;t heard it, And he can't hear it using the monitoring system he has now! But I doubt that Al will ever let someone else set the sound! too bad really, this band has all talented players! Too bad the sound sucks!!

[StimulusIntrigue]

Hahahaha. I loved your comments. Very constructive, a rare thing among bloggers who otherwise really fly off the handle and profess at slanderous structure. You drive some nice points home. I really do agree with YOU, though I have never had a problem with it all loud, myself. The Al band doesn't play much in pub settings anymore, mainly just casinos, apparently because they pay them more... Which I find is a bad compromise as people don't care to listen in a Casino.

[StimulusIntrigue]

So, I am not all that sure if the band gets the appreciation and gumption to perform. But when the do play in a pub, it is rare. A couple of weeks ago they played at a busy Irish Pub, and during their break a band played during their break, a guest band. I don't know their name but it was more 70's alternative, interestingly not as good, BUT... they plugged into Al's equipment, I never saw them change settings, but the sound was fuller. By far, louder. And there were only 3 band members!

[StimulusIntrigue]

When that 3 member band played I would love to have heard your comments on it. Even the vocals were louder. Now what is interesting, When the Al band played at a Casino they actually HAD to use the Casino's sound engineer, Which meant that Al had no control over outputs. He was quite angry with the sound guy, yet I found the sound- BY FAR- better than anywhere they've been! So the point about the front of house is very true. But to add to that, I think the problem is, Al has "trust" issues.

[StimulusIntrigue]

What I mean by trust issues... In order for the talent to show, you can't do all the work yourself. Each member needs their talent to shine. One resolution to this, is hire a separate sound-man and trust that the sound will be balanced and well rounded. Al does go cordless on his guitar from the floor, but I still think he is only listening to himself, and not the talent in his band. He needs to include them more, and use their talent. As you say, these guys are damn good! Use them!

[MrJetb]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Firstly, my buddy from Snake Oil was also in several bands with me. So we are both musicians. But thanks for the intersting presentation on the guitar neck!!! It wasn't the notes Al was playing nor where he was playing them. They were all played in key and properly! As I stated Al is a very talented and tasty guitar player, as in he plays taseful licks! He just too freakin loud!!

[MrJetb]

That's not unusual!! had a buddy of mine,played with Sanke Oil we caught Al's band at Big Al's one evening. Al asked if the sound was al right and my Budd said SURE!! His Guitar was ripping my ears out and i asked my buddy why he didn't sau anything to Al. My bud said, it wouldn't make a difference, he always has the guitar way too high!! Kinda of a shame, a very talented and tasty guitar plater but way too freakin loud!!

[StimulusIntrigue]

When he plays higher up on the guitar neck, which is always a crowd-dazzler, those are also the higher notes. So, I might guess that the pitch bothers you. You could turn it down, and the pitch would still be present. No matter the band, nor where you hear it, it may still bother you and not just here. That might be what your buddy was trying to say. Having said that, Al does too many things, and adjusting sound is something that can't be done if he is on stage. A separate sound guy is needed.

[cjenson72]

Saw these guys at the Calgary Casino, New Years eve. Decent band, unfortunately, you can tell the guitar player does the sound.

[StimulusIntrigue]

Unfortunatley? Hmm.

Of course Al Barrett himself does the sound. The do NOT have a separate sound-guy. Al is picky, but meticulous. The whole band works hard to deliver a sound that stand above what you are used to.

[cjenson72]

Yup unfortunately...if he can't adjust the sound so that there is an even mix...maybe he should hire a sound guy. Just saying his guitar was killing the mix, the bass and drums were very undermixed...

[StimulusIntrigue]

I agree with you, big time. I wished they would hire a guy also. He often does not realize that the vocals can be turned way too low, and he turns up his guitar far too much, thus the balance is not correct. Granted Al plays his guitar hard and artistically, reminding me of David Gilmour. At the Greyeagle Casino they supply a mixer, and I have seen Al argue with them to turn down the vocals and other instruments.

[imwatchingyou888]

Great song and very good interpretation. Keep up the good work.

[StimulusIntrigue]

Hey, Thanks!