Today I recorded “Paradigm Shift” for my Youtube channel and I’m really happy with how it turned out. There are two more LTW songs I want to cover before I’m finished, but I’m enjoying doing some other stuff for a change.

I’ve lately come under the spell of the Roland GR-55 guitar synthesizer and how it works with bass (using the GK-3B). I watched a bunch of demos on this thing and it’s amazing. I love the bass models – the Rick sounds like a Rick (and I want it so I can start covering early Rush), the Jazz basses sound like Jazz basses, and the Musicman sounds like a MM (I could’ve used it in the LTE song today!)

There are effects, eqs, drums, classical guitars, lead guitars, synths, choirs, strings, cellos, violas… it’s astounding – and they sound GREAT.

So now I’m desperately seeking synthesis.

I’m still on a Darkglass bender, but Im going to get the DAW plug in and sate my curiosity for some time, but I still plan on a DG Hyper Luminal and B7L Ultra V2 at some point, but with the GR-55/GK-3B and DG plugin I should be set.

Dream Theater were in Chicago last night and I didn’t really miss them. I’d seen them once and that was good for me. I LOVE playing Dream Theater and other crazy stuff, I don’t like listening to it as much.

It is weird but true. I’m not necessarily a huge fan of the music I enjoy playing the most, and that’s OK. I’m usually listening to Porcupine Tree, or UK, or Renaissance or the Beatles before any prog metal by anyone. And no, I’m not a fan of metal (but I did see Saxon and Iron Maiden open for Rush – it was Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast” tour, and again, I’m done. And that was a few moons ago.

I find prog metal more exciting for my fingers than my ears and that’s why I only listen to the stuff when learning it and didn’t mind missing the DT concert here last night.

Now to play some “Metropolis.”

Have a great weekend everyone!