Category Archives: Episodes

Synthesizers and Sampling (with Guest Host, Paul Gaeta) Ep033

February 14, 2019EpisodesAaron Sefchick, Analogue Synth, Asheville, conversation, Digital Synth, Drum Machine, Drum Machines, Electronic Music, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, GarageBand, Golden Changes, guitar, guitar lessons, Joe McMurray, learn guitar, LoFi, McMurray, moog, music, North Carolina, Panther God, Paul Abdul, Paul Gaeta, play guitar, podcast, Sampler, Samplers, Sefchick, Stranger Things, synth, synthesizer, synths, talk show, xero godFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:42 — 44.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

We explore synths, drum machines, samplers, LoFi music, studio monitors and so much more with the help of Mr. Paul Gaeta, an electronic music producer and manager at the Moog Factory in Asheville, NC.

Paul explains how he came to work at Moog, and then tells us about his electronic music project, which utilizes a Juno 60 synth. He also tells us about his lofi project and the copyright problems that arise from sampling songs.

We delve into Paul’s musical writing process, and Joe explains chord theory by comparing chords to cookies. No matter what instrument you play, a synthesizer could be a great way to spur some creativity in your music.

Paul talks about how to generally use synths – don’t try to recreate a sound in your head (like a “saxophone” sound), but try to explore the sounds that you can pull out of the synth by way of filters, LFOs, oscillators, and different waveforms (saw tooth, square, triangle, etc). He explains the differences between mono synths and poly synths, between analogue and digital synths, and places to start if you want to get into synths but have no prior experience.

From there we move into the world of drum machines and samplers. Paul tells us about different pieces of equipment and generally how to use them.

The conversation gets into the music of Stranger Things (from the synth-oriented electronic band Survive) and Michael Jackson, the evolution of MTV and VH1, and GarageBand and the modern era of instant gratification.

Check out some of Paul’s projects:
Paul Abdul (lofi beat stuff) https://paulabdul.bandcamp.com/album/promises-to-keep

Panther God (synthy stuff) https://panthergod.bandcamp.com/album/golden-changes

Xero God (rap project) https://xerogod.bandcamp.com/album/bandidos

Concerts and Music Festivals Ep032

February 7, 2019EpisodesAaron Sefchick, All Points West, band, band practice, Bonnaroo, concert, concerts, crowd surfing, entertainment, fest, festival, festivals, Firefly, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, gigging, gigs, guitar, guitar lessons, improvisation, jamming, Joe McMurray, learn guitar, listening, live, live concert, live event, live music, live show, Lockn, McMurray, music, music talk, play guitar, podcast, rehearsal, rock, Sefchick, set list, talk show, tour, venueFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:12:38 — 50.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

Aaron and Joe delve deep into their memory banks as they share tales from the many concerts and music festivals they have experienced. As a musician it is incredibly important that you attend live shows: it fuels your passion for making your own music, it helps you learn how to build set-lists to hold an audience, it’s FUN, and so much more.

The guys talk about seeing bands like Rush, Big Something, Dave Matthews, Tom Petty, the Black Crowes, Metallica, Megadeath, Blink 182, Tedeschi Trucks, Pat Metheny, the Yellowjackets, Tito Puente, Mark Whitfield, Mike Stern, Bon Jovi, Jeff Healey, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hootie & The Blowfish, Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Phish, Umphrey’s McGee, Jack White, Kanye West, Elton John, the Black Keys, Joe Bonamassa, Paul McCartney, Tori Amos, Iced Tea, Snoop Dog, Weezer, Stevie Nicks, Tool, Meshuggah, Yes, Gov’t Mule, Prince, Danzig, Suicidal Tendencies, Flaming Lips, Skrillix, John Butler Trio, Green Sky Bluegrass, Ween, Sublime, Incubus, Cake, and many more!!

When you see a live show you should keep in mind that the venue is going to dictate your experience. Often smaller venues provide a more intimate experience with the chance to really interact with the performers. Large arena concerts can be fun, but often the experience is dependent on your seats (pit vs. lawn, etc.) and the people you went with. The guys talk about specific venues from jazz clubs to warehouses to theaters to arenas.

Aaron talks about his experience at the Milwaukee Metal Fest. Joe talks about the differences between the music festivals he has attended, from Bonnaroo, Firefly, Lockn, All Points West, and many local festivals. Different vibes, different lineups, different camping situations, different experiences.

With so many different live music options available to us, there is no excuse to not get out there and see a show! Support your local musicians, experience a new genre of music, try camping out at a festival, or crowd surf for the first time (make sure your phone is in a secure pocket).

Mods for Guitar, Amps, Pedals and Gear Part 2 of 2 (with Guest Host, Miles Harshman) Ep031

January 31, 2019EpisodesAaron Sefchick, amp, amp biasing, amplification, amps, Berklee, Berklee College of Music, biasing, capacitors, dumble, effect pedals, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, guitar, guitar effects, guitar lessons, guitars, Joe McMurray, learn guitar, Miles Harshman, mods, music, music equipment, Music podcast, music school, music talk, pedal, pedals, play guitar, podcast, power amp, power-amp tube, pre-amp, pre-amp tube, Randal Smith, rectifier tube, speakers, talk show, tube, tube amplifier, tube amps, tubes, vacuum tube, VibroverbFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:24 — 43.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In part 2 of our discussion with Miles Harshman, Miles continues telling us about being a student at Berklee College of Music: his famous roommate, the ensembles available to students, etc.

Then we really dig into the details of modding guitars, amps, and pedals. Modding is a way to get new sounds out of the equipment that you already have by changing physical components of that equipment. Miles shares a wealth of information on how to change/improve your gear by changing out capacitors, rectifier tubes, pre-amp tubes, and power-amp tubes, speakers, etc. Did you know that changing out a rectifier tube in your amp can cause it to naturally break up sooner (for more natural overdrive at more reasonable volumes) or later (for more clean headroom).

Miles also helps to clear up the mystery revolving around biasing tube amps. Please keep in mind that any work involving the internal components of a tube amp can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing, even if the amp is off and unplugged.

The more you learn about your equipment, the more you can get the most out of it. Even things as simple as knowing when your amp’s tubes are going bad can make a huge difference to your sound on stage or in the practice room.

Mods for Guitar, Amps, Pedals and Gear Part 1 of 2 (with Guest Host, Miles Harshman) Ep030

January 24, 2019Episodes5150, Aaron Sefchick, amplification, Berklee, biasing, brown sound, capacitors, coil tap, conversation, ear training, fat switch, fender, fret, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, fuzz, fuzz pedal, guitar, guitar lessons, guitar pickups, guitar wiring, Harshman, humbucker, Joe McMurray, learn guitar, marshall, McMurray, Miles Harshman, mod, mods, music, music talk, music theory, phase reversal, pickups, play guitar, podcast, power tubes, preamp tubes, red plating, resistors, Sefchick, signal flow, single coil, solid state, talk show, teaching, tube amp, twin reverbFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:19 — 45.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

Who doesn’t love to talk about guitar tone?? Aside from the obvious fact that much of your tone comes from your fingers, it is also greatly affected by your beloved gear: your instruments, amps, effects pedals, etc. Lots of the gear that you purchase off the shelf can actually be improved or changed through mods / modifications to the internal circuitry – some of which you can do yourself. We bring in guitarist, amp technician, music teacher, and Berklee graduate, Miles Harshman, to give us the ins and outs of musical equipment.

In Part 1 of this conversation we dig into guitar tone, ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughan to Robin Trower. Miles talks about his love of different types of fuzz pedals, an effect that Joe rarely uses. While Joe uses several types of overdrive and natural small amp distortion, he commits to giving fuzz another try. Miles presents an overview of how tube amps work – their different gains stages, how the tubes break up, the feeling of a tube amp due to the sag/sponginess in the rectifier tube.

Miles tells us about his journey to becoming a gear technician, including building his first stratocaster in high school and his more recent telecaster with unusual switches.

We talk about clean guitar tones, and how hollow, semi-hollow, and chambered bodies affect the your sound.

Miles begins telling us about his experiences at Berklee College of Music, including the many ensemble choices, the enormous practice room amps, and the general atmosphere. Check out next week’s episode to discover who was Miles’ freshman year roommate!

Fingerstyle Guitar Part 2 of 2 (with Guest Host, Dustin Furlow) Ep029

January 17, 2019EpisodesAaron Sefchick, acoustic, acoustic guitar, Andy McKee, Beneteau, Beneteau Guitars, conversation, Dustin Furlow, Emmanuel, finger picking, fingerstyle, fingerstyle guitar, fret, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, Furlow, guitar, guitar lessons, Joe McMurray, Larrivee, Larrivee Guitars, learn guitar, McKee, McMurray, music, music talk, music theory, play guitar, podcast, recording, Sefchick, talk show, teaching, Tommy Emmanuel, WoodscapesFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:27 — 39.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In part 2 of Fingerstyle Guitar, Dustin gets into his process of arranging his compositions and how he goes about coming up with his melodies. The guys also discuss one of his original songs, “Elder Tree”, the role of an audience, how Dustin was approached by booking agents, the process of booking shows/tours, concertsinyourhome.org, Dustin’s connection to fingerstyle and his solo show, his practice routine and resources that he recommends.

dustinfurlow.com for more information

Fret Buzz The Podcast

fretbuzzthepodcast.com

Fingerstyle Guitar Part 1 of 2 (with Guest Host, Dustin Furlow) Ep028

January 10, 2019EpisodesAaron Sefchick, acoustic guitar, Andy McKee, art, bands, Beneteau, Beneteau Guitars, buzz, conversation, dadgad, Dustin Furlow, Emmanuel, finger picking, fingerstyle, fingerstyle guitar, fret, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, Furlow, guitar, guitar lesson, Joe McMurray, Larrivee, Larrivee Guitars, learn guitar, McKee, McMurray, music, music talk, play guitar, podcast, Sefchick, talk show, teaching, Tommy Emmanuel, WoodscapesFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:14 — 46.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

Joe and Aaron bring in guitarist and vocalist, Dustin Furlow, to discuss all things fingerstyle guitar. The guys talk about influential fingerstyle guitarists including Tommy Emmanuel, Stephen Bennett (harp guitar), Andy McKee, Tony McManus, Garreth Pearson, Don Ross, Mike Dawes, Adam Rafferty, Adrian Legg, Alexander Misko, and Matt Thomas. They look into approaches to choosing the right keys for solo fingerstyle guitar arrangements, as well as alternate tunings such as DADGAD and open D tuning. The guys dive seriously into the details of nail maintenance and acrylic gel nails for fingerpicking.

Dustin, with his wealth of experience playing and performing with high end acoustic guitars, explains the benefits and downsides of many types of guitars, especially as they relate to fingerstyle guitar playing. They look at the differences in sound and playability of Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Larrivee, and Beneteau guitars, as well as choosing the right pickups and pre-amps to get the best live amplified sound.

dustinfurlow.com for more information

Music School and Job Opportunities Part 2 of 2 (with Guest Host, Cole Holland) Ep027

January 3, 2019EpisodesB.B. King, bb king, Berklee, Berklee College of Music, blues, blues guitar, Cole Holland, fret buzz, fret buzz podcast, Fret Buzz The Podcast, guitar, guitar lesson, guitar talk, guitar teacher, guitar theory, harmonic major, harmonic minor, jazz, jazz guitar, melodic minor, music employment, music school, music theory, podcast, practice routine, talk showFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:47 — 31.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In this episode of Fret Buzz The Podcast, we continue the conversation with Cole Holland about his musical work on a cruise line. Cole tells us his path once he exited Berklee School of Music and how he happened upon the opportunity to join the B.B. Kings All-Stars at sea. He also goes into his setup and what rehearsal looks like. Finally, the guys get into a bit of guitar theory and what a daily practice routine entails.

Cole Holland-
hollandazemusic.com

Music School and Job Opportunities Part 1 of 2 (with Guest Host, Cole Holland) Ep026

December 27, 2018EpisodesB.B. King, bb king, Berklee, Berklee College of Music, cruise guitar, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, gigs, guitar, guitar talk, guitar teacher, jazz, jazz ensemble, jazz guitar, mentor, music, music employment, music scholarship, music theory, podcast, talk showFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:56 — 48.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In Episode 26 of Fret Buzz, Aaron and Joe talk to Cole Holland of hollandazemusic.com. We discuss Cole’s early musical journey and the preparation that led him to Berklee School of Music. We dig into the program and special ensemble offerings at Berklee and how they may or may not differ from those of other music programs. We look at the entrepreneurial skills required to make a living as a professional musician – self-promotion through a personal website and social media, understanding our tax system, etc.

In the next episode we will dive into Cole’s year as a cruise ship musician as a member of the B.B. King All Star Band.

Bass Guitar and Jam Bands Part 2 of 2 (with Guest Host, Randy Nicklas) Ep025

December 20, 2018Episodesband, bass, bass guitar, bass lesson, bass teacher, bass technique, bassist, broccoli samurai, fret, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, funk, gigs, guitar, improvisation, jam band, jamming, music, music teacher, music therapy, podcast, Randy Nicklas, talk showFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:10 — 48.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

Today on Fret Buzz Aaron and Joe continue their conversation with Randy Nicklas, a touring bassist and music teacher. The guys talk about how to approach writing a bass line, the importance of being aware of the drums, different teaching styles and ways to approach your instrument, feeling the music beneath your fingers, bassbandicootmusic, the out of body experience you get with performance, and music therapy.

bassbandicootmusic

Bass Guitar and Jam Bands Part 1 of 2 (with Guest Host, Randy Nicklas) Ep024

December 13, 2018Episodes4 string bass, 5 string bass, band, band practice, bass, bass amp, bass effects, bass guitar, bassist, broccoli samurai, fret buzz, Fret Buzz The Podcast, gigging, gigs, humor, improvisation, jam band, jam bands, jamming, music, podcast, Randy Nicklas, talk show, touringFret Buzz The Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:40 — 32.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

Today on Fret Buzz Aaron and Joe feature the awesome Randy Nicklas, a touring bassist and music teacher. The guys discuss Randy’s musical journey along with stories from the road from his time touring with Broccoli Samurai. During this time Broccoli Samurai had the opportunity to open for popular jam bands like Umphrey’s McGee and Pidgeons Playing Ping Pong.

The guys discuss whether you should play a 4-string or a 5-string bass guitar as well as different bass amps and effects pedals. They explore the role of the bass guitar within the context of a band, approaches to chord progressions when playing the bass, and a ton of great music, especially jam bands.

@bassbandicootmusic