Thursday, February 16, 2012

Having fun with the BOSS DF-2 and FZ-2!



In an earlier post, I said I would create another Danny Kelly slideshow once I got an appropriate song.  Well, I think this is it.  I still have to put together the slideshow, but thanks to SoundCloud, I can post the song now.

I wanted to have a Link Wray feel to the song, so a feedback intro was in order.  And so I pulled out my BOSS Super Feedbacker and Distortion pedal (DF-2).   After I recorded various noises,  I tried it out on the main guitar parts.  Something was lacking.  So I added my BOSS Enhancer (EH-2) to the mix.  Now it was a bit brighter, but the sound still wasn't where I wanted it to be.

Here's where the versatility of some BOSS pedals came into play.  I generally keep a BOSS Hyper Fuzz (FZ-2) at the front of my pedal board.  Now, I had already ruled out both of the FZ-2's fuzz settings for this tune, but the pedal had one more card to play.  If you have the pedal, you know the third setting is Gain.   The pedal also boasts separate Bass and Treble controls.  So I turned the Bass almost off and cranked the Treble until the DF-2 was singing!  And that's what I used to record all the guitar parts.

For the power chord rhythm parts, I added a Danelectro Tuna Melt.  There weren't any pedals used on the bass parts, which is why they're laying back in the mix.

Once again, the drums were produced by BFD Eco.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Go All The Wray!


I just want to pay tribute to one of my favorite guitar players. While I had read about Link Wray over the years, I had no idea what he was all about until I stumbled upon a copy of "Rumble!  The Best of Link Wray".  I bought it on impulse and never regretted the decision.

If you like guitar instrumentals, if you like distorted guitar, if you like ROCK AND ROLL, you'll love Link.  He laid down some of the most primal and invigorating guitar tones imaginable.  My personal Link favorites are "Jack The Ripper" and "Raw-Hide".

I won't go into detail about Link, because that information is available elsewhere on the Web (and I'll provide a link, pun intended, below).  I just want to give two reasons why he's become a huge influence on me.

One, the raw passion and energy present in Link's songs is infectious.  Every time I listen to Link, I wanna grab my guitar and rock out.

Two, in the early '60s, Link set up his own three-track recording studio.  This is where he and the band recorded for the next decade, often leasing out the the sides under various names.  How can you not appreciate this D.I.Y. ethic?  I would love to emulate this one day.


Want to learn more about Link?  Here's the official site: http://www.wraysshack3tracks.com/
And here's a site packed with information: http://inductlinkwray.com/link-wray-biography/

Want to own a great Link CD? "Rumble! The Best of Link Wray" contains 20 classic chunks of Wray magic, including "Jack The Ripper", "Raw-Hide", and Link's greatest hit, "Rumble".