Getting to know your fellow forumers: The Musician's Thread Edition

[Meedleyx10]

as inspired by Zach's thread on the main part of the forum, I thought it'd be cool to do this over here.


1. What is your name?

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

6. What goals do you have in music?

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)


Keep things relatively brief if possible

I'll start...

 

[Meedleyx10]

1. What is your name?

Drew

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

Mainly guitar, been playing since I was 12/13 (I'm 19 now). I play a little bit of bass, but only spent about a year doing it seriously. I took keyboard classes both semesters last year but it's not something I plan to pursue much further. I'm constantly trying to work on my singing.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

Everything, literally. Prog, metal, jazz, fusion, country, classic rock, pop, classical... Pretty much the only stuff I don't play are the more extreme types of metal.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

I was self taught for the first couple years of my playing, with the exception of the stuff I got out of magazines and videos. When I was 15 I started taking lessons from Chris Gordon back in Delaware. I started studying theory on my own at about the same time with some help from my band directors at school. The summer after my senior year (living in Montana at this point), I took lessons from Larry Park who is probably the sickest country player out there...he could seriously show Brent Mason a thing or two. I started at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, MN in the fall of 2006, where I'll continue studying at least for the next year and possibly two more years after that (still undecided). Since being at McNally I have studied under Cliff Wittstruck and Bobby Stanton (amongst others) and take private lessons for Classical guitar with Mike Menard.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

Unnamed band- some high school friends during my freshman year, we sucked horribly
Awakenings- prog/metal band I was in when I lived in Delaware. We did some great stuff together and I really hope we all can jam again some day. The drummer, Jeff Willet, is currently drumming for Suspyre.
Bats and Bandits- Band I started my senior year with some friends here in Montana. We did some Ozzy/Maiden covers and some original stuff in the same vein. Towards the end I was writing some very Rush-esque stuff but I've decided to save that for a future project
Caesar Rodney High School Jazz band-sophomore year
CMR High School Jazz Band- Junior and Senior year
CMR High School Symphonic Band- Senior Year, Played the string bass
University of Great Falls Jazz Band- during my Senior Year (of high school)
McNally Smith Rock Ensemble I- Spring semester '07 at McNally, played stuff ranging from Ratt to ZZ top to Lenny Kravitz to Alien Ant Farm, etc.
McNally Smith Classical Guitar Ensemble- I'll be in it this coming year

6. What goals do you have in music?

Ultimately I'd simply like to be able to live comfortable without having a non-music related job. After college, I'm planning to play on cruise ships for a while. I can't imagine anything better than getting paid to play guitar on a luxury cruiseline all day while seeing the world. After that I'm going to teach/do session work and see what happens from there, possibly land a spot in someones touring band. While I'd love to eventually get a solid band going and be able to make money doing original material, it's not something I'm planning around.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

Chris Gordon- the first teacher I ever had. He had a HUGE impact on my playing and my entire outlook on music. He really got me into shape and instilled a high level of discipline in me. He's also a very good friend. To this day, he's still (in my book) unmatched by anyone in terms of chops and he's ridiculously versatile.

John Petrucci

Eric Johnson

Daniel Gildenlow

Guthrie Govan



8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

Guitars: Ibanez Jem7vwh, Ibanez S7420fm, Jackson KVX10, Jackson DX10D, Washburn ???? classical guitar, Jay-junior classical guitar (cheap piece of shit I got to noodle around on).
Amps: Mesa boogie F-30 combo, Randall ??? (I used to use it to run my POD into for practicing)
Strings: D'Addario 11-49
Pedals: Boss CE-5, Ibanez TS-9, MXR 10-band EQ, Boss NS-2
Picks: Dunlop Jazztone R205

Here's a pic of some of it:

 

[progmetaldan]

Good idea mate!

1. What is your name?

Dan

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

I currently play:
Classical Guitar (2 years)
Electric Guitar (5 years)
Piano (learnt for a few years back when I was young, but haven't had proper lessons for a while)

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

'Neo-Classical, Technical-Progressive, Fusion-Metal' is the way I best like to describe it...

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

Music right through school, and am half way through a Diploma in Classical Guitar at The Elder Conservatorium Of Music In Adelaide...

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

I've only ever been in one proper 'band' which was in high school, we just played Metallica style stuff, I'm looking for a band now, but yeah...

6. What goals do you have in music?

I want to do a Jazz degree as well, then ultimately I'd like to be an awesome allround/metal guitarist, with a decent band playing my own compositions, and teaching lots of students myself...

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

Guitarists:
John Petrucci
Tony MacAlpine
Ron Jarzombek
Steve Vai
James Murphy

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

At the moment, just some cheap generic stuff, for electric, but I'm got a Caparison Horus (Black Night/Gold) on order...

For Classical I use an Admira 'Alicia' Spanish guitar with solid cedar top, solid rosewood back and sides, and a cutaway... I'll post pics when the Horus arrives...

Effects: Korg AX1000

Strings: Electric- D'Addario 9-46, Classical- D'Addario Pro-Arte EJ46

Picks: Dunlop 'Big Stubby' 3mm

 

[1by4by9]

1. What is your name?
2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
3. What style(s) of music do you play?
4. What, if any, music education have you had?
5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
6. What goals do you have in music?
7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

1. Lasse
2. guitar 7 years, keyboards 1 year
3. Metal, movie music
4. none
5. none
6. to compose good music
7. MJR, Arjen Lucassen, Basil Poledouris, John Williams, Hans Zimmer
8. ESP LTD EC-300 (with Dimarzio X2Ns), Ibanes RG-420, some older Ibanez I can't remember, a couple of cheap acoustic guitars, Yamaha DGX-200. Some amps and stuff.

 

[rockmanxpr]

1. What is your name?
Brian

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

Guitar, Piano (long time ago), now picking up bass. Guitar since 1992 but only until 2002 have gotten serious about it. ie actual practicing...

3. What style(s) of music do you play?Rock and heavy metal

4. What, if any, music education have you had?
None, except for occasional lessons.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
None

6. What goals do you have in music?
Since being out of work last June I've decided to go back to school for Audio engineering, so that's my goal for now.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
Hmm
1. Boston- what made me say "I want to play guitar and get that tone."
2. Metallica- making me want to play riffy metal
3. Rik Emmett- for hearing some really tasty jazz, classical acoustic pieces on Triumph albums
4. Steve Vai- start shredding... add lettuce
5. Paul Gilbert- so clean, so instructive, so much fun

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)
Now here is my disclaimer, since my last job gave me a nice source of income and I got go to Japan numerous times to buy nice guitars, this in no way reflects my playing ability (it sucks).

Guitars
Ibanez- RG520QS, RG770FM, J-Cutsom RG1880BBS, J-Custom RG8127, Prestige RG3270.
ESP- Edwards Anchang Star II, Edwards Kiko Loureiro KL-160-SE
Carvin- Strat Bolt on Kit, California Carvetop CT4 (LP/PRS killer)
Takamine- 2000 LTD 6 string acoustic, 12 string acoustic

Amps
Mesa Boogie- Triaxis, 20/20 power amp
Hughes & Kettner- Triamp MK II
Rockman- Rockman XPR, Sustainor
Line6- Spider II 15 watt (for practice), Guitar port

Cabs- Marshall 4x12 1960A and Randall Isolation cab (recording)

Effects
Rockman- Stereo chorus, Stereo Echo, 12 band EQ's (2x), Midi octopus
TC elctronic- G Major
BBE- Sonic Maximizer 882i

Mics
Shure 57 and Rode NT-1a condenser

 

[JesterIF]

1. What is your name?
Pierre-Luc

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
I've been playing the guitar for almost 4 years. I also play bass sometimes.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?
Everything from The Beatles to Symphony X.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?
3 years playing the bass at school, totally useless actually...

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
Fais pas Simp'. We mostly play in bars. CCR, The Beatles, GNR, Metallica, Bryan Adams, Iron Maiden etc.

6. What goals do you have in music?
Be in a great metal band and do that for a living.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
The 4 guitarists that inspire me most:
Edward Van Halen
George Lynch (early Lynch Mob time)
Vito Bratta
Michael Romeo
(Mats Haugen from Circus Maximus is my newest influence. I love his awesome riffs and solos)

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)
I use mostly an American Fender Stratocaster, I also got a Yamaha RGX612A. I use a Line 6 Pod XT Live and sometimes the old Korg AX1500g in front of a Peavey Stereo Chorus amp, which makes sound great almost any pedalboard. I use D'addario .09 - .42 strings and Dunlop medium Jazz picks (sharp tip).

 

[Dressed To Kill]

1. What is your name?
Jorge.

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
Keyboards, for 4 years or something like that.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?
Uuhh Prog and some Classical Music, not much really.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?
I was 2 years in a music academy here in Chile, I don't have the money to keep going though, so I've learning some things alone now.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
My first band was with my schoolmates, we played Children of Bodom.
Then when I was like 15 I played in a Dream Theater cover band and then I joined another prog band which is my actual band, called Shift.

6. What goals do you have in music?
I'd like to record discs and that stuff, but here in Chile it's quite dreamy so mostly to play and compose really.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
Ugh, hard one...
Symphony X, Dream Theater... Pain of Salvation a little and can't really think of much more, other bands have only a little influence on me.

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)
A Korg X5D, a cheap and nice keyboard.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

1. What is your name?
Jeff

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
Guitar - 9 years. I kinda fucked around when I was younger, until about five years ago when I found cool guitar music. So I should be a lot better than I am, haha.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?
Neoclassical, a bit of prog, thrash, and rock.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?
Private lessons here and there for a year or two in my teens, then two and a half years of music school.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
Page Factory - My rock band in high school.
Meltdown - The thrash band I play in now.
One more I can't talk about just yet, but it's in the melodic metal vein.

6. What goals do you have in music?
To write awesome symphonic/power metal, and I'm about to do a 70s rock album just for fun.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
Jimmy Page
Michael Romeo
Yngwie Malmsteen
Rhapsody
Ritchie Blackmore

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)
An Ibanez RG 7-string, an American Strat, a tubescreamer, a Laney head, and a Marshall cab.

 

[Yngvai X]

1. Matt

2. guitar for 11 years

3. heavy fucking metal

4. 2 semesters at Berklee, then I dropped out.

5. check my sig

6. hard to narrow it down to 5, but as a guitarist:

Michael Romeo, Allan Holdsworth, Alexi Laiho, Jason Becker, Shawn Lane

as a songwriter, its even harder since I listen to a lot of bands, and Im usually influenced most by what I've been listening to more recently. So going by my more recent writing its been:

Children of Bodom
Kreator
Nevermore
Freak Kitchen
Rage

7. Two ESP M-IIs and a Line6 HD147 head with a Mesa 2x12 cab, although I had the pleasure of playing through a Bogner Ecstasy on the new Dark Empire album... would love to own one of those...

 

[Knulla]

1. What is your name?


Dan


2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

I play bass, and I've been playing since I was 13. I'm 16 now, so about three years. I started getting "serious" about four months into playing (when I started lessons). Also, I use my fingers, not a pick

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

I like to play everything. Jazz, metal, funk, rock, whatever. Every band I've been in has been metal (except a Led Zeppelin cover band).

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

I took lessons for over a year, but I moved to a different state and haven't found a teacher that I like around here.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

Punctured - death metal band. My first band. We released two demos, both which sucked.

Led Zeppelin cover band - Just a band me and some friends would play in. Nothing serious. No shows or anything.

Ebullition - Current band. Thrash/power metal. We're working on our first album (not very much at the moment).

Noose of the Angel - Black metal band. I have about an hour of music written, but none is recorded, or rehearsed really. It's a two man band, so it goes pretty slow. I also do vocals in this band (not very good ones though).

6. What goals do you have in music?

Just have fun really. I take it serious, but I don't let myself get frustrated or anything. I'd like to record some albums that I'm really proud of one day. And open for Symphony X.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

Cliff Burton, Jaco Pastorius, Kristoffer Gildenlöw, Steve DiGiorgio, Tony Choy

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

Schector Stiletto Custom 5 (5 string bass) and SWR LA15 amp:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7592/mebassamppk7.jpg

 

[Lucius Octavion]

Nice thread here, and good call on Shawn Lane, Yngvai X. The greatest guitarist who ever lived.


1. What is your name?

Ryan


2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

I have played cello for seven or eight years. I don't like to as much as I have shifted interest a little.
I have played piano and keyboard for the same time.
I have played the upright bass in orchestra for a year.
I have played fretless bass guitar for two years.
I have played the bouzouki for a little over a month.
I have played mandolin for about a year.
I love all my instruments and pretty good at them.


3. What style(s) of music do you play?

Metal, classical, Greek/East European/Mid East fusion, prog rock, folk, neo classical, noodling, renaissance music, medieval music, whatever sounds rad


4. What, if any, music education have you had?

Piano lessons, cello lessons, music theory


5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

string orchestra


6. What goals do you have in music?

Make stuff sound cool, atmospheric, skilled, and just have a lot of fun playing.


7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

Too many to think of now.


8. What gear do you use?

- A fender precision bass with a fretless neck
- An big ol' double bass that looks like its from the garbage
- A pretty nice 60 stave Matsikas bouzouki
- A mandolin from the Masonic Temple (lol)
- A kawai piano
- A student cello, don't really know what it is
- Some run down bass amp, don't know what kind it is. Its been in my family for years, and there were actually mice living inside it.
- Roland Fantom X8

 

[ABQShredHead]

1. What is your name?
Mark

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

Guitar. Afraid to say, but 24 years.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

Metal, blues, classic rock. Some forrays into jazz.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

About 15 years of lessons from John Isaminger. Damn, that long???

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

None. I didn't fit in back in high school because all my "friends" were into Metallica (and seemingly nothing else), which was cool and all because ...And Justice for All had yet to come out and they were still a decent band. I listened to shit nobody could pronounce, like Yngwie fucking Malmsteen (keep in mind this was the mid- to late-'80's), MacAlpine, Racer X, Impellitteri, SRV, Steve Vai, Suicidal Tendencies (the Rocky George era), Queensryche, Robert Cray, etc. My tastes didn't fit in and nobody wanted to play with me. Wah!

6. What goals do you have in music?

In high school/college, I just liked seeing the reactions of people when I whipped out a cool lick. I aspired to the spotlight, but my perfectionism is a curse and I couldn't get over the potential for failure.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

Yngwie fucking Malmsteen. Single-handedly changed guitar playing in the '80's.
Steve Vai. Every time I'd see him in concert, I couldn't pick up my guitar for a few days. Amazing! Especially with David Lee Roth.
Tony MacAlpine. His first two albums were ridiculous.
SRV. What can you say? Absolutely brilliant blues. I was fortunate enough to see him live in '89, I think, then had tickets to see him in Lubbock, TX three days after the helicopter crash.
John Isaminger. I've taken lessons from him for so long, how could he not be a huge influence? He's a great guy, too. Monster funk/fusion player.

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

My first guitar was an Aria Pro Stray Cat II. I bought it in the summer of '84 after working a paper route for 11 months. I still have it (slightly modded). I've also added a Washburn frankenstein that I put together with parts from eBay, an Ibanez RG7420, and an Ibanez RG520QS with a stripped and oiled finish (my baby). I have an old Crate G212 that I use for the power amp and speakers. I run an MP-1 into a G Major into the receive of the amp. I used to use just the Crate with a DOD graphic eq pedal in the send/receive loop (not a true FX loop) and the sound was bordering on incredible (impressed many people back in college, including a good friend of Dimebag [at the time he was still Diamond Darrell]). In my office, I keep my seven string with a Chandler Tube Driver and DOD FX7 into my first amp - a Fender Sidekick 10. It's passable.

Cheers.

 

[Horus]

1. What is your name?
2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
3. What style(s) of music do you play?
4. What, if any, music education have you had?
5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
6. What goals do you have in music?
7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

1. Harris
2. Guitar - 5 years
- Bass - 3 years
- Drums - 4 years
- Keyboards - 1 year
3. This is how I can describe my last song: You know what Symphony X, Iron Maiden and Old Kamelot are like? Imagine if those 3 bands all had crazy gay buttsecks.
4. AP Music Theory last year, got a 3 on my exam; Private Guitar Lessons for 4 years; took piano/music theory lessons for 9 months.
5. Once Beyond Purgatory
6. I want to become a producer and get paid to write full symphonies and plays/operas with metal elements integrated into the music, but I want to do it WITHOUT being cheesy.
7. In order...
Symphony X; Kamelot; Iron Maiden; Early Dream Theater; Assorted Flamenco Guitar players; Late Dream Theater; Dr. Dre
8.
= GUITARS =
- Ibanez RG-350 EX w/ Dimarzio X2N and PAF Joe installed
- Ibanez mystery 7 String w/ Dimarzio X2N-7 and PAF-7 installed
- Ibanez Xiphos in the Blue/Green chameleon finish
- Mystery Vintage Charvel w/ an EMG-81 installed
- Ibanez Soundgear SR-305 DX Bass (5 string)

= AMPS =
- Line 6 Vetta-1 Head (200 Watts)
- Marshall MG-412 Speaker Cab
- Line 6 FBV Shortboard Footcontroller
- Roland MicroCube Portable Amp

= OTHER SHIT =
- Strings: D'Adario 9-42 (Bass still has stock strings on it)
- Picks: Dunlop Gator Grip (1.5 or 2.0)

= KEYBOARD STUFF =
- Casio WK-3000 Workstation
- Roland SH-201 Analog Synthesizer
- Roland KC-150 Keyboard Amplifier

= DRUM SHIT =
- PDP X7 7-Piece Drum Set
-- 14x5.5 Snare Drum
-- 13x4 Piccolo Snare
-- 8x10 tom
-- 10x10 rack tom
-- 12x10 rack tom
-- 14x14 floor tom
-- 16x16 floor tom
-- 22x18 bass drum
- All Paiste and Sabian Cymbals
-- Paiste 502 14" High Hats, 20" Ride Cymbal, 10" Splash
-- Paiste PST-5 18" China
-- Paiste Alpha 16" Medium Crash
-- Sabian B8 Pro 18" Medium Crash
-- Sabian AAX 15" Mini China
-- Sabian Unmarked 18" Rock Crash
- PDP DP-202 Double Bass Pedal
- Vic Firth 5B Nylon Sticks
- Remo Coated Ambassador Snare heads on both Snare Drums
- Evans Hydraulic heads on all toms (or they should have at least. haven't actually put 'em on yet.)
- Aquarian Superkick 2 Bass Drum head

 

[mawdyson]

1. What is your name?
Michael.

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
I play guitar and have been for 5 and a half years.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?
Mostly shred kinda stuff, and bit of death metal.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?
I had lessons which covered a tonne of jazz theory for about 2 years, but I've forgotten most of what I learned. : /

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
I'm in a death metal band called Beyond Hatred.

6. What goals do you have in music?
At some point I do want to make an intrumental/shred album and continue on with that kind of stuff by myself.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
Rob Johnson (Magnitude Nine), Rusty Cooley, Michael Romeo, Steve Vai, Marcel Coenen, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, etc.

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)
Jackson DK2M w/ EMG's 85/81
ADA MP1
ADA MicroTube Power Amp
Sabine RT1601
Marshall 1936 2x12 cab

 

[ABQShredHead]

ADA MicroTube Power Amp

Can I have it?

 

[mawdyson]

I'll trade it for your RG7420 (even though I'm after a 7620).

 

[Eske]

as inspired by Zach's thread on the main part of the forum, I thought it'd be cool to do this over here.


1. What is your name?

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

6. What goals do you have in music?

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)


Keep things relatively brief if possible

I'll start...

1) Well... It's Eske

2) I play the electric guitar and have been doing so for 16 years

3) Both kinds: heavy and metal + rock and a few jazzy stints here and there.

4) None

5) I've played in various cover bands, but have played in only one original band. We were called Gorge Rise and did the usual 4-track demo thing before parting ways. Push here and listen to the track Blindside if you are curious about the stuff we did.

6) My goals are to have fun, improve and get a new band started... with people who actually can play and aren't afraid to push a few bounderies.

7) Ritchie Blackmore, John Petrucci, Shawn Lane, Joe Bonamassa and Randy Rhoads

8) Guitars: Fender Yngwie Strat x 2, Ibanez RG2EX2 and my main guitar these days: an Ibanez HRG72 (Japanese ltd. edition). All my guitars have been rewired and fitted with various DiMarzio PUs.
Moreover, I'm currently waiting for a custom scalloped 7-string Strat to arrive from the luthier and have preordered the new Kramer 7-string, which will be built in October.

Amp: Diezel VH-4s Cab: Lee Jackson 4x12

 

[ABQShredHead]

Joe Bonamassa

Yay, another person who has seen the light! Smokin' Joe rips! I saw him live with Bloodline way way back when he was what, 16? Damn, he could tear it up even then. Great cross between Eric Johnson and Steve Vai at that point. Now his blues just kick ass!

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

1. What is your name?

Cory

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?

Guitar (about eight years) and bass (about five or six). I'm 24. I've mostly been playing bass lately, though.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?

Progressive metal

4. What, if any, music education have you had?

A few music classes in college, but not much. I'm pretty much self-taught.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?

Lynt and Zombie Holocaust (both extinct, South-side-of-Chicago bands). I write my own stuff, but I haven't been involved in any serious projects lately (mostly because it's impossible to find a good prog metal band who plays just for fun and for a hobby and doesn't hope to make a career out of it).

6. What goals do you have in music?

My brother (EyeballKid) and I both write lots of music, so I'd like to at least record an album of our stuff. I'm going to school for biochemistry and forensic science, so music is my second focus (mostly a hobby right now).

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?

(in no particular order)
Michael Romeo
Russell Allen
Michael Lepond
Jason Rullo
Michael Pinnella

There's more, but I REALLY love Symphony X the most.

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)

Wow... I have a Gibson Les-Paul-kinda-looking-thing (I'm not really a gear expert), a Gibson explorer, two OLP Music Man-type basses, and a Carvin six-string bass. For amps, a Carvin half stack for guitar, and a Hartke half-stack for bass (the latter weighs a TON).

 

[Anonymous]

1. What is your name?
-Brandon

2. What instrument(s) do you play and have long have you been playing?
-I've been playing guitar for 7 years, I can also play a wide array of other musical instruments, however poorly. I also aspire to learn drums.

3. What style(s) of music do you play?
Metal and Vai-ish stuff.

4. What, if any, music education have you had?
-I took lessons from Matt Leger for a bit, as well as Conrad Simon.

5. What bands/projects have you been involved with (just a name/brief description)?
-No bands ever yet, everyone sucks around here

6. What goals do you have in music?
To eventually inspire other musicians. That's the greatest goal right there.

7. Who are your 5 greatest musical influences?
-Steve Vai
-Chuck Schuldiner
-Jon Schaffer
-Dave Murray
-Marty Friedman (Megadeth era)

8. What gear do you use? (pics are welcome!)
-Jeff Loomis 7 string Schecter

-Jackson KE3, in gloss black.
-Walden Classical
-Shit strat copy
-Line 6 Spider II 75 watt amp.