I've heard
many great musicians describe their process for writing music.
Bob Weir, for example, explains a "blank page" method he uses.
I imagine your creative process to be pretty fascinating...
can you give us a little insight into what goes through your
head and what inspires you when you write?
ITS
LOTS OF DIFFERNT THINGS, I WRITE SONGS BOTH WAYS, MUSIC FIRST,
LYRICS SECOND AND VICE VERSA. I WILL OFTEN DOSE OFF IN
A MINDLESS DOODLE ON THE GUITAR, NEXT THING I KNOW, I HAVE A
MUSICAL HOOK TO WORK WITH, I THEN TRY TO FOLLOW A SLIGHT STRUCTURE
OF VERSE, CHORUS, VERSE, CHORUS, BRIDGE, CHORUS, OUT. SOMETIMES,
I'LL BE IN CONVERSATION AND SOME KIND OF CRAZY SENTENCES WOULD
BE SAID AND THAT COULD BE THE START OF A CHORUS, OTHER TIMES,
I'LL JUST BE FREE FLOW, RAPPING TO THE BEAT AND I CAN GET STUFF
THAT WAY AS WELL.
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I've read
that you only use 10 strings on your 12 string guitar. I
was just curious which 2 strings you left off and why?
I
LEAVE OFF THE OCTAVE E ON THE LOW STRING FOR A SHARPER BASS
NOTE, AND ONE OF THE HIGH E'S FOR A SHARPER HARMONIC
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I
have noticed that your playing seems to not involve to many
bends (which sounds great) but I was wondering if there was
any particular reason for this?
I USE REALLY HEAVY GAUGE STRINGS AND ESPECIALLY
WITH A TWELVE STRING STYLE GUITAR, ITS HARD TO DO THE BENDY..... |
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Any helpful
advice for a developing picker?
PLAY
THE BASS! |
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Can you
explain the tunings of your guitars?
MY PRIMARY GUITAR IS TUNED NORMAL EXCEPT
THAT I START A WHOLE STEP LOW, SO INSTEAD OF E TO E, ITS D TO
D. THE BRUNETTE AND MENTAL INSTRA TUNING IS JUST AN OPEN
C CHORD, THATS ALL I CAN EXPLAIN...... |
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Do you think
someone playing fingerstyle could achieve your sound??
ITS
POSSIBLE |
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I've
been playing for a little more than 2 years and can't seem to
master the pick, but finger picking comes pretty naturally...should
I stick with the pick plight or explore the fingerstyle realms
a bit??
MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY FINGER PICKS OR JUST
STICK TO WHAT FEELS NATURAL.I AM NOW EXPLORING THE FINGERPICKING
SIDE OF IT, BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE FOR ME. I THINK THE
GUITAR WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE PLAYED WITH THE FINGERS
AND SO MANY OF MY MUSICAL HEROS PLAY MOSTLY WITH THEIR FINGERS
AND IT ROCKS (FOR EXAMPLE, CHARLIE HUNTER, LEO KOTTKE, HEDGES-who
actually did both, MARK KNOPHLER, LYNDSAY BUCKINGHAM, THE LIST
GOES ON....) |
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I
was checking out the Deering banjo site the other day and saw
a 12 string banjo....tuned same as a guitar and what not. Have
you ever heard,seen, or played one of these...and if not, would
you consider it??
IT’S VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY TWANGY.
I WOULD DEFINITLY PLAY ONE IF I HAD IT, BUT I WOULD NEVER BUY
ONE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULDN'T.....IT MIGHT BE PERFECT
FOR YOU. |
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When did
you start playing guitar?
AT
THE AGE OF 13 OR 14, ROUGHLY 18 OR 19 YEARS |
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How long
did it take you to learn the plethora of instruments you know
how to play?
SEVENTEEN
YEARS |
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Do you write
a set list for yourself or figure it out mentally before the
show or just plain wing it?
I
USUALLY JUST WING IT, BUT ON REALLY BIG GIGS OR SEVERAL SHOWS
IN A ROW THAT ARE CLOSE IN LOCATION TO ONE ANOTHER, I WILL TRY
AND FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE HAND |
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Do
you ever stand there on stage just confuse yourself as to what
is what, and how do you get out of a jam when your all by your
lonesome?
OCCAISIONALLY WHEN I SING WITH MY EYES
OPEN I MIGHT SEE SOMETHING THAT COULD DIVERT MY ATTENTION AND
FORCE ME TO FORGET WORDS. GETTING OUT OF JAM WHEN I AM
ALL BY MY LONESOME IS PRETTY EASY, ALOT EASIER THAN IF I WAS
PLAYING WITH A GROUP AND HAD TO RELY ON MENTAL TELPATHY TO COMMUNICATE,
BUT TO GET OUT OF ONE OF MY JAMS, I CAN JUST LAY DOWN A VOCAL
PERCUSSION LINE AND START SOMETHING DIFFERNT. |
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What made
you decide to play the 12 string instead of like most others
who play the 6 string?
WHEN
I PLAYED THE 6 STRING I WOULD USE A CHORUS PEDAL TO TRY AND
MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A 12 STRING, SO I FIGURED JUST GO AHEAD AND
LEARN THE 12 |
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How did
you go about developing your guitar playing and what are some
techniques and ideas that I could use to develop a guitar playing
style similar to yours?
I
FOCUS ON THE BASS LINE, PLAY THE MAIN NOTES ON THE LOW STRING
AND USE THE OTHER STRINGS FOR ACCENTS |
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How did
you work in the studio on your latest cd? Do you do more live
tracks or utilize over-dubs etc?
THE
BASS, DRUM AND GUITARS WERE RECORDED LIVE, THE VOCALS AND SOLO'S
WERE OVERDUBBED |
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I have transcribed
a few of your songs by ear, but I know the tunings must differ
in one way or another. So, my question is, what is your favorite
tuning for the 10 string?
NORMAL,
JUST A STEP LOW |
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What
happened to the two "missing" strings on your acoustic?
I
THREW THEM AWAY |
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I
am trying hard to find out what TUNING Keller uses on the song
"Brunette". Can you please offer any help? PLEASE!!!!!
I DON'T HAVE A GUITAR OR A TUNER RIGHT
NEXT TO ME, BUT ITS AN OPEN C TUNING AND WHAT ARE NORMALLY THE
D AND THE G STRINGS, THEY ARE UNISON AND WHAT IS NORMALLY THE
E STRING IS DROPPED A STEP LOW. I THINK I MAY HAVE GIVEN
THE ACTUAL TUNING IN A PREVIOUS QUESTION WHEN I HAD MY GUITAR
BY MY SIDE! |
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I
am trying hard to find out what TUNING Keller uses on the song
"Brunette". Can you please offer any help?
PLEASE!!!!! I DON'T HAVE A GUITAR OR A
TUNER RIGHT NEXT TO ME, BUT ITS AN OPEN C TUNING AND WHAT ARE
NORMALLY THE D AND THE G STRINGS, THEY ARE UNISON AND WHAT IS
NORMALLY THE E STRING IS DROPPED A STEP LOW. I THINK
I MAY HAVE GIVEN THE ACTUAL TUNING IN A PREVIOUS QUESTION WHEN
I HAD MY GUITAR BY MY SIDE! |
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Do you write
songs with the guys from SCI on a regular basis?
NO
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Could
you get me started on the way to playing "Not of This Earth"?
START
WITH THE COWBOY CHORD C POSITION, THEN GO TO THE F IN THE SAME
POSITION, THEN WHILE PLAYING THE F DO IT WITH HAMMER- ONS. IF
THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, I'M SORRY, IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN
SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT ITS BASICALLY, F, C, C, G, |
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Did
you study guitar with a formal teacher/school or are you mostly
self taught?
I
AM ONLY SELF TAUGHT, I CAN'T READ MUSIC.... |
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Different
guitarists approach the guitar from different perspectives.
Would you say you approach the guitar as a percussive and rhythm
instrument, as a melody/lead instrument, or a little of both?
WHEN I FIRST STARTED I USED THE GUITAR
MOSTLY JUST TO ACCOMPANY MY VOICE BUT NOW ITS EVOLVED INTO A
PERCUSSION, RHYTHM AND LEAD INSTRUMENT ACTUALLY EVER SINCE I
STARTED LOOPING, IT HAS CHALLENGED ME TO ATTEMPT TO PLAY LEAD
WHICH IS STILL VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS. |
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Your
shows are often a mix of humor and heartfelt. Is that a conscious
decision? Does your mood that day affect the song list?
NOT
REALLY, I DON'T KNOW VERY MANY UNHAPPY SONGS, SO EVEN IF I AM
UNHAPPY, THE SONGS WON'T BE |
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What
strings do you use for your 10 string guitar? (not the brand,
but how is it different from the regular E-A-D-G-B-E 6 strings?)
ITS
JUST TUNED A STEP LOW, IT GOES D-G-C-F-A-D |
