Gitfiddles and Paradiddles

Episode 30! Let’s celebrate! In this episode we breakdown our favorite Georgia sports teams as well as give predictions for the upcoming MLB playoff season. Neilson provided us with there Mid-Year music sales report. We dive into this report and reveal the staggering numbers that it shows. Music through video consumption is climbing, digital streaming is surging and vinyl is still on the rise. Join us for this fun episode! Neilson Report: https://www.nielsen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/06/nielsen-us-music-mid-year-report-2019.pdf

In this episode we dig into a news article about streaming services (Spotify, Amazon, Google etc) filing an appeal over a possible rate increase for publishers and songwriters. Of course this is a topic of much debate. Chris and Jon are pretty passionate about this topic and are pretty outspoken over this. Where do you stand? We get asked a lot of questions about being full time working musicians. One of the most prominent is: How do you sustain yourself financially? Jon and Chris jump into this and give a lot of insight on ways to make it as a full time working musician. Don't give up. Stay the course!

We are back in full swing here at G&P! Life is busy but we're back on our regularly scheduled programing. In this episode we get to hear all about Jon’s fly date gigs that took place in Oregon. We’ve been following along as Jon has been gearing for over a month to be ready for this stretch of gigs. Dive in and hear about how things went for him. From rehearsal, the flights, the layovers and all 4 gigs. Jon gives us great detail along the way. Good, bad and ugly!

Fly Dates. In this episode we dive into how to best prepare for a fly gig. Planning for a fly date is much more of a detailed process than just showing up to your local bar / venue. Jon gives us some great insights on his most recent preparation for a fly date / gig he has coming up soon. What kind of gear should you bring? What gear should you request to have waiting on you? Chris and Jon cover these in good detail. We also add an incredible song to our list of “What Makes That Song Great” segment. Don’t miss this one!

In this episode Jon and Chris dive into the news that Gibson Guitars has restructured it’s corporate team. With this, they (Gibson) have released some interesting videos with specific comments that have the guitar community a little upset. We weight in on this with a few thoughts of our own. Chris and Jon also dive into the what it means to have good stage presence and the proper ways to include it in your own performance as a working musician.

In this episode Chris talks about the new drumset he recently purchased, along with the history of the company it came from. Along the way Jon and Chris talk about how important it is to research the gear you purchase and what it means to be an individual while wading through the vast world of musical gear. Musical instruments are a tool. With that in mind, how do you shop when making a purchase? Do you buy a piece of gear because the flavor of the month plays that specific brand or are you buying with intent? These are questions we’ve asked ourselves throughout our musical journey.

Guitar Players and effects gurus, this one is for you! In this episode Jon shares a story about his move from his tried and true pedal board to the new Line 6 HX series of products. He dives into what it looks like to make a move like this and what to expect along the way. He also gives some pro tips on using the HX products so that you get the most out of them. They also talk about an event from a recent gig Chris & Jon played together, we’re something happened that nearly cost Jon this new setup and maybe more…

We get this question a lot… Should I Move To Nashville? Here's the thing... If you do move, do you have the willpower to stay? Can you afford to be there for several years as you build up your resume? These are just a few questions to ask yourself before you take this big leap. Well that all depends on a series of very specific things. In this episode Chris and Jon dig into what it means to move to Nashville and what to expect if you do.

As a working musician being a well rounded player is paramount to your success. Being well versed in multiple styles and playing situations means you get call backs… and we all want that. Listen as Jon and Chris dissect the importance of being a well rounded, i. e. hirable musician. Along the way they share stories of what they learned as they came up through their individual musical paths. They also provide a few tips on how to become more well rounded and how to be a “callback” musician.

Game of Thrones is back and so are we! This one was recorded about a month ago. In this episode we discuss Game of Thrones and the new season. We also talk about fitness as it pertains to your gig and overall health. As we all know by now, fitness is a very important part of being a working musician. It helps us in so many ways. How many of us have played a 4 hour gig and had sore muscles and our backs are killing us? Either on the gig or definitely by the next morning. I know we've been there before. Keeping ourselves in shape will help this by leaps and bounds. Taking care of our bodies will pay dividends toward your personal success with all your gigs. During this episode Jon and Chris provide stories about their own fitness and how being out of shape in previous years affected their gigs and heath. Artist of the Week: Jon - Bishop Gunn https://www.bishopgunn.com Chris - Dave Weckl http://www.daveweckl.com

Strap in, this is a deep episode. There is no doubt that musicianship has declined in our industry. But why is that? Jon and Chris have some theories they bring up in this episode as to why musicianship is declining so fast. And maybe some ways to correct it. Will we see musicianship return to the mainstream? We hope so. But until then it’s the responsibility of every true musician to point players in the right direction of quality musicianship. During this episode we also introduce a new segment we call “Headlines”. We will be discussing relevant news during this segment. In this episode we talk about the coming 2019 tour announced by the band Tool. As well as get into a big love of ours… Baseball! Especially the Atlanta Braves. PICKS OF THE WEEK: Jon - D’Addario NYXL Guitar Strings http://www.daddario.com/DADProductFamily.Page?ActiveID=3768&familyid=74&sid=0b91101b-90e6-4908-9138-933ffcdbf883 Chris - Promark Transport Deluxe Stick Bag http://www.promark.com/pmProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3917&productid=1077&sid=11ff1abc-dad1-4402-8e26-0f96f0ef05f8

How many times have you went online to check out gear reviews and decide to order a piece of gear based on what you heard? Only to find out that when you got it home it didn’t sound anything like it did online. Has this happened to you before? Gear reviews are great way to explore the vast world of musical instruments. But it’s a good rule of thumb to take them at face value. Join Chris & Jon as they take a deep dive into this subject. ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Jon - Plini (Sunhead EP) https://www.plini.co/ Chris - Chris Potter / Nate Smith on Drums (Underground Album) https://www.chrispottermusic.com/

As a (sideman) musician, consistency is key to your success. Call backs, nailing that audition, getting the gig you’ve been striving for… Being a McDonald’s Hamburger gets you there. Seeking feedback is crucial in helping you understand how your developing. Consistency builds your brand. . . Start today! Dive into this episode as Jon and Chris expand on this topic. Artist of the Week: Jon - Allen Stone https://www.allenstone.com Chris - Mark Guiliana http://www.markguiliana.com

You’ve asked and here it is… It’s time to talk about the gear we use! In this episode we breakdown the gear we use and why. We all go through a journey of acquiring the gear that will become what we use as working musicians. This is natural. The evolution of that gear is what makes a player begin to have a unique voice. It’s always important to choose the gear you use based on your gig. Jon takes some time to breakdown the types of guitars that cover almost all bases and genres. The gear you choose can help you get call backs and future gigs. It’s a very important process. In this episode we also cover some tips when shopping for new gear. PICKS OF THE WEEK: Jon - D’Addario DIY Solderless Pedalboard Cable Kit http://daddario.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=22&sid=9fd9676c-d9b9-44d0-89a1-f1ef632b1901 Chris - Ableton Live 10 https://www.ableton.com/en/live/

Musical Calibration is something every true musician will go through. We all have a musical starting point. But along our musical journey, other musicians and genres of music will help shape and mold us into the type of player we will become. This may take 10 years or it may take 50. It all depends on your personal journey. How we practice will help develop and push that calibration in exciting directions! Some of the most successful artist and players have evolved and changed with the times to stay relevant. The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and so many more. This is also an essential element for the working musician to remain hireable. Join Jon and Chris as they dive deep into this topic. PICKS OF THE WEEK: Jon - Reunion Blues RBX Gig Bag http://reunionblues.com/product/232/rbx-double-electric-guitar-gig-bag Chris - Meinl Cymbal Tuners https://meinlcymbals.com/index.php?id=23&txfleshopproduct%5Bproduct%5D=1180&txfleshopproduct%5Baction%5D=show&txfleshopproduct%5Bcontroller%5D=Product&cHash=c42a907b7591827ae57e4c79a90932e3

In this episode Jon and Chris breakdown their reasons for why you need to spend time learning and absorbing Jazz Music. Jazz music is a vast ocean that you can get lost in. It’s like peeling an onion. The deeper you go, the more you learn from it. The understanding and development of Jazz and Fusion music into your playing, will help develop and enhance all aspects of your playing and even the ways you think about your approach in other genres and well. Jazz will increase your pocket and feel. So much so, that any other genre you play will be affected in a positive way as a result. Join us as we take this deep dive into a very important topic. Picks of the Week: Jon: Vocal Eaze https://vocaleze.com *Chris: * Prologix Practice Pad https://www.prologixpercussion.com/products-workout *Jazz Listening: * George Benson Pat Methany Grant Green Miles Davis John Coltrane Dig deeper. The rabbit hole runs deep.

Technology is all around us. From our iPhones and iPads to our computers and watches. But the one area that gets a bad rap is the use of technology in music. Specifically stage performance use of technology. These technologies have propelled music forward in so many ways. In this episode, Jon and Chris breakdown a few myths that go around our industry and try to help dispel any negative reactions to technology in the live and session music industry. Topics include: Amp Modeling The use of laptops on stage Ableton Live Click tracks vs Metronome use In Ear Monitor (the differences in this and floor wedges) And much more! Picks of the week: Jon: Line 6 HX Effects https://line6.com/hx-effects/ Chris: Vic Firth Double Glaze Drumsticks http://vicfirth.com/new-feel-options/

For our second interview to the podcast we had the distinct honor to interview a world class drummer, Mr. Shannon Kori. Shannon has played with many diffrent artist in his years of playing. Such as, Funk Band New Reality, Jazz Fusion Group Pruitt and Davis with Adam Nitti and Colonel Bruce Hampton. He studied with drummer Sonny Emory during his time at Georgia State University. He's also a brand ambassador, so to speak, for the drum company Trick Drums. Having spent 21 years with them. Join us as Shannon takes us down a very cool musical journey from first seeing The Police at age 7. To where he is now in the Atanta Music Scene. PICKS OF THE WEEK: Shannon: Tempo App - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tempo-metronome-with-setlist/id304731501?mt=8 Live BPM App - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/livebpm-beat-detector/id554766778?mt=8 Jon: MXR Tap Tempo Pedal - https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/m199-7-10137-08777-4.do *Chris: * Yamaha HW3 Crosstown Hardware - https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musicalinstruments/drums/acdrums/hardware/hw3/index.html *Where to find Shannon: * Twitter - @shannonkori Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/shannonkori Trick Drums - https://www.trickdrumsartists.com/cb-profile/221-shannonk13

Money, People and the Music we play are the three determining factors in just about every gig you choose to accept . . . or decline to play. Every artist or band you choose to play with will need to be evaluated. How will you decide which is the best fit for you? Join us as we breakdown these three very important elements in choosing the right gigs for your future as a working musician.

In this episode we got the chance to interview Myles Brown. Myles is a very accomplished Atlanta musician who attended the Berkley College of Music and the Atlanta Institute of Music. We discuss many topics in this one. A lot pertaining to his time at music college. Thinking of going to music college? Have questions about what it’s like? Come join us as Myles sheds some light on these questions. Topics include: What it's like going to the Berkley College of Music and Atlanta Institute of Music How those two schools differ Audition tips What he learned along the way Real world application vs. school knowledge Charting Live Gigging Jazz deep dives Live playing And many other things! You can find out more about Myles by clicking HERE (https://www.mylesbrown.net)