Last night, Ede sent me the link to this video. I’ve probably listened a dozen times and still not caught all of his grace notes and sly references (Steely Dan, Yngwie Malmsteen) in this blues riff. I don’t know if people fully appreciate how truly great of a player he is.
“Thanks, Rick. The clean tone of this amp with the Red Guitar is the best I’ve heard. Goshawk really blends with the (Glaswerks Zingaro) in a beautiful way. It’s a bit of a departure from what you may be used to hearing me play, but I’m trying to show more of my range in these videos. Doesn’t hurt that Goshawk has more range than I do.” (Ede Wright)
VIDEO: Ede Wright plays Home Slice 3 Hang Six on Goshawk™ 6-string as Mr. Bill looks on.
“Gorgeous! It resonates complicated realities with warmth. Beautiful framing and light, too.” (Killick Hinds)
“Moved almost to tears. That is great. I heard sadness with joy underneath.” (Ken Kinter)
“Thanks very much guys. This lockdown kind of robbed me of creativity for a while, the gut punch of reality made me turn inward for a bit. I’m trying to channel that into something resembling a slight incline.” (Ede Wright)
Killick Hinds performs live with Walrus 6-string guitar at Alfred University on February 24, 2020. Many of his unusual and innovative techniques are on display: playing behind fretting hand, neck contact mic, external friction devices, string damping, combined with foot-controlled software and organic tube amplification via his custom Schroeder.
This was part of a Sound Design seminar on February 24th, 2020 at Alfred University in Alfred, upstate NY. I also have video of my performance with the Ergo bowed instrument and all the class discussion as well. For some reason the video soundtrack features a non-stop hip-hop drum loop instead of what transpired. (This is inexplicable, although I’m going to sample the loop for a new piece.) I had my field recorder running and that’s what you hear on the Walrus section. The Ergo speaker was too close to the field recorder so that sound isn’t usable, and the class discussion is nearly inaudible at times. The good ones always get away!
It was a delight presenting my craft and artist practice experiences with the students and instructors…I learn a ton through such interactions. With the Walrus I was running the humbucker output and a contact mic each through volume pedals and then directly into the computer to occasionally add some 8-bit sounds via MIDI Guitar 2. The guitar sounds and chipsounds were summed to mono and broadcast through amp and speaker. At the beginning I’m using my fretted and fretless wedges—based on Hans Reichel’s dax—and then at the end I’m indeed using a full sized stripper pole. (Killick Hinds)
Windows open, cool early spring air offsetting the warmth of sunlight on the building. Trees just beginning to bud, Robins and Red Wing Blackbirds in lively song all around us. My dog, Lena, content to lie in the grass and wait for our run.
I set up the Apple laptop, Apogee converter on my workbench. Direct into Logic, with one channel each for guitar and sub-bass. Capture the sound of this instrument as accurately as possible.
All twelve strings tuned: EGABCD sub-bass, EADGBE guitar.
Pause. What will I play?
I slowly breathed. Let the thoughts fade, emotions replacing them. I asked myself: “What are you feeling?”
“Waiting.”
All of humanity feels what’s coming. Storms just beyond the horizon. There is a weight to this moment. If ever there was a time to take out Skynet and eradicate the fucking filters, this would be now. While we can still connect as a species, person to person, beyond the systems of corporate and government power. Communicate necessary truths peer-to-peer across geographic and political borders.
“Gorgeous all around! I just listened on the big speakers. The lows are excellent. Those basses sound beautiful!” (Killick Hinds)
“Hope it won’t offend you to say the first thing I noticed was the excellence of your photography. Might have been a different career path in another life. What to say about the guitar? It’s another of your creations that could easily be displayed in a museum. More practically, I’d love to hear a player with a classical background try it. Wonder what some of the teachers at Berklee would make of it?” (Steve Blucher)
Wow Rick…I feel like I have just glimpsed decades into the future! This must be the ‘poly-metal alloy’ construction…I enjoyed your commentary too, very poignant. (Alasdair Bryce)
PHOTO: Compact, ergonomic, headless. Perfectly balanced and weighing only 10.5 lbs. despite full 34” sub-bass. Sarah Connor’s weapon of choice.PHOTO: Stainless steel and aircraft aluminum sub-bass.PHOTO: Mahogany solid body. Carbon fiber. Patented Intonation Cantilever™ bridges, Positional Constant String Pitch Control System™ bass bridge. Element™ 6-string guitar neck precision machined from single billet aircraft aluminum.PHOTO: Proprietary DiMarzio™ pickups.
“Hey!” I asked, “Would you guys be interested in recording an album? I have an idea in mind.”
A flood of yesses flowed in before I had a chance to explain…
I had developed independent friendships with each of them as individuals, but most had never met one another in person, just basic awareness as fellow artists via my website. All of them have been loyal long-time supporters of my craft. I knew this mix of personalities would be synergistic and supportive.
Even working professional musicians find it difficult to gain enough time and space to be able to record an album. The pressures of touring, teaching, writing, and performing are intense. And so many of my clients are passionate amateurs — in the purest sense — they make a living unrelated to music, yet dedicate their free time to playing. Many are highly skilled but have no outlet to record.
I want to change that.
To keep our focus tight and set logistically achievable goals, we established several criteria. Each participant will be featured on at least one song. Choose someone(s) to collaborate with or perform solo if you wish. Most importantly, recordings will be first or second take…looking to capture spontaneous magic.
Steve Sjuggerud contributed his time and resources with incredible generosity. He hosted us at his location Sugar Pointe, surprised everyone with custom t-shirts and a coastal waters sunset cruise, plus brought in supremely talented photographer Adam King (check out those photos!) and drummer Dan Ostrowski to add depth to our mix. Thank you, Steve. Thank you also to Steve’s wife Kassy, and his business partners Chris & Kelly Manus.
Killick Hinds generously contributed his audio recording and production skills, first in tandem with me on location, then in his studio mixing and mastering. His deft touch transformed the raw audio into a coherent whole — a difficult task because each song was an entirely different arrangement of room, mics, musicians.
I gratefully thank Chris Buono, Todd Haug, Ken Kinter, Gabriel Levi, and Ede Wright for flying or driving to Florida to contribute their beautiful art.
PS: This album is dedicated to SB. You have inspired many more lives than you could ever know.
VIDEO: Documentary recording the album Magnets And Wire at Sugar Shack in Florida, November 5-6, 2019. Guitars and basses designed and built by luthier Rick Toone. Filmed entirely on iPhone. (41 minutes)PHOTO: Toone Ensemble. Clockwise from upper left: Steve Sjuggerud, Ede Wright, Killick Hinds, Todd Haug, Dan Ostrowski, Ken Kinter, Gabriel Levi, Rick Toone, Chris Buono. (Photo: Adam King)
