We all have individual challenges whether it is learning how to play that first barre chord to trying to drum up more (paying) gigs, or maybe that your favourite amp is constantly breaking down, or maybe a simple lack of time to practice, etc.
So, what barriers do you face with respect to your goals?

For me, it is a challenge with my gear not sounding vintage-y enough. I realized recently that vintage voiced single coils sound sooooo much sweeter than the Fender Hot Noiseless ones currently installed. The quest continues...
Really could use more free time to ramp-up for a band that I am joining that is playing Hallowe'en surf/hot rod RnR gigs. I have a number of other things going my way so I'm trying to just stay organized and realistic with my objectives...

Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada

Last edited: Sep 30, 2014 04:07:14

Drums... I can't have physical drums at my house out of respect for my neighbors, I don't have any drummers I want to work with, and I am pretty bad at creating programmed drum tracks.

I have some songs written and am fully capable of putting down gutiars/bass/keys but drums are the missing point.

Also, I'm a perfectionist! That is the biggest stumbling block.

Whackystrings, don't feel like you need to buy a ton of gear to get a vintage surf sound. Which pickup you are using, the tone knobs on your amp, and your reverb have a lot to do with it. If you have a very clean amp, a overdrive pedal set low would definitely help. To me, a lot of the vintage sound is the amp starting to really push and break up. A vintage amp not turned up enough sounds like garbage.

And you need to make time for your music if you want to be your best. It is very similar to athletics in the sense that you need to stay in shape and keep practiced.

Take a day off of work every other month to focus just on music, leave an hour early each friday or two hours early every other friday to get home early and just go to town.

JakeDobner wrote:

Drums... I can't have physical drums at my house out of respect for my neighbors, I don't have any drummers I want to work with, and I am pretty bad at creating programmed drum tracks.

I have some songs written and am fully capable of putting down gutiars/bass/keys but drums are the missing point.

Also, I'm a perfectionist! That is the biggest stumbling block.

Whackystrings, don't feel like you need to buy a ton of gear to get a vintage surf sound. Which pickup you are using, the tone knobs on your amp, and your reverb have a lot to do with it. If you have a very clean amp, a overdrive pedal set low would definitely help. To me, a lot of the vintage sound is the amp starting to really push and break up. A vintage amp not turned up enough sounds like garbage.

And you need to make time for your music if you want to be your best. It is very similar to athletics in the sense that you need to stay in shape and keep practiced.

Take a day off of work every other month to focus just on music, leave an hour early each friday or two hours early every other friday to get home early and just go to town.

Hmmm... Drum programming should be really simple for a guy like you, Jake! Just gotta get into it.

The majority of work that goes into making them sound real is assuring you have some good multi samples to start with, and then assuring that each hit is slightly off the mark, as well as varying in velocity, just enough to make it believable.

Past that, it's really just about envisioning a real drummer playing, and understanding the mechanics of drums, and what's appropriate where in a song. Meaning little things, like whether the ride or the hi hat is playing in this part, does the "drummer" keep time on the hi hat, where should I accent using the crash, how does one come up with interesting, yet tasteful fills, etc, etc.

If you can't tell, drum programming is a bit of a passion of mine. If you want, I can give it a shot... Shoot me a file that was recorded to a click(I'm assuming you do everything to a click), and I'll throw some drums over to sort of give you an idea of what it might sound like.

IMO.

I don't even need drums to sound real! Just too tedious.

Time of day when fingers really want to do what they're told.
The window narrows with age but after a 20+ yr layoff it's just getting back some of the basic regimen & making sure to have fun at the same time.

The other is to recognize (and immediately discard) sloppy habits I had from that other period of appeasing drunks with southern blues/rock. The current bar in instrumental surf/rock is set pretty high. Hit.The.Note.

Livin' large & havin' a blast.

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

I want a steady drummer in the band and practice every week with a drummer.
That`s all.

Touring with Lorenzo on drums is great and soooooo much fun.
But practising WITH a drummer and work on new songs would be sooooo and effective.

Twang cheers!

Ralf Kilauea

www.kilaueas.de

https://kilaueas.bandcamp.com/album/touch-my-alien

JakeDobner wrote:

Whackystrings, don't feel like you need to buy a ton of gear to get a vintage surf sound. Which pickup you are using, the tone knobs on your amp, and your reverb have a lot to do with it. If you have a very clean amp, a overdrive pedal set low would definitely help. To me, a lot of the vintage sound is the amp starting to really push and break up. A vintage amp not turned up enough sounds like garbage.

And you need to make time for your music if you want to be your best. It is very similar to athletics in the sense that you need to stay in shape and keep practiced.

Take a day off of work every other month to focus just on music, leave an hour early each friday or two hours early every other friday to get home early and just go to town.>

Thanks for your thoughts, Jake.
I was agonizing over vintage-correct elements of playing first-wave surf but I realized that this was completely detracting from my focus on actually preparing for the material I am playing. I think that 'intent' is key to playing well...Someone can carve-out a new surf paradigm or fit into a well-established one if the intent is served rather than getting OCD about one particular element.
But I have to say that the only thing right now is my pickups. Those Hot Noiseless are not "woody" enough. Very good for 60s garage rock but not lively enough for clean tones.
I have a reliable 50w that has great headroom for doing the clean stuff. A bit of a booster pedal (Xotic EP Booster) helps to get the 'oomph' when playing at lower volumes. This amp also steps-down to 15w so I can get that bleeding edge of break-up if needed. 15w is still plenty when playing with an acoustic drummer, particularly a vintage-styled kit. 50w for playing outdoors (still mic'ed, though)

Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada

:barriers to your goals as a surf musician:

yeah, a lot of frustrated ex-punk gremmies wading around in the shore-break.

I sometimes feel I am going nowhere. I need to learn some theory or maybe go back to lessons. I also need to get over my fear of anyone hearing me play. Any time I've tried to play with others I just freeze up. Very frustrating!
Plus, I think at 52. I'm too old to be a Gremmie. I'm more of a kook!

Biggest barrier:

Also unlearning bad habits regarding technique ( finally got my pinky to consistently do what it is told)

Best methods for improvement (for me):
1) dedicated, sound proof studio constructed in the backyard.
2) Always playing something I don't know how to play (after warm-up)
3) Playing with the guys in the band with similar levels of enthusiasm.