Award Sounds

I hadn't planned to write this article now, but after helping a friend go shopping at the weekend, I felt I had to write it soon. In short, learn to play a new instrument. I've still got some more emulation ideas to write about, but they will wait for a later article.

Why?

In as much the same as learning to emulate an instrument can aid inspiration, so can learning to play an instrument in its own right. In my opinion, it can provide more inspiration. I've mentioned before I'm a guitarist, but even learning the bass helps me focus on what will work when mixing the instruments together. Understanding the bass lines and how they fit to the drumbeat, e.g. ahead, in the pocket or behind, helps me figure out the style of guitar I'd want to add over the top. Learning keyboards and piano gives yet a different view again.

There are other points to learning another instrument.

Benefits:

• Can provide relief or a change of scene
• Sense of achievement
• New skill
• New people to meet
• New opportunities for collaboration
• Different mindset
• Additional influences
• Additional creative outlet
• In the longer term, won't have to hire session musicians for that part that needs recording
• Able to communicate better when directing other players of that instrument
• Better understand the limitations of the instrument
• Quicker to try out ideas, rather than borrowing kit and/or player
• There are secondary benefits, e.g. shared experience of learning an instrument with another family member

Concerns:

• The hardware costs
• Takes time to learn
• Take time and money to learn properly (paying for tuition)
• More clutter in the studio or at home where you'd be learning
• Perhaps more distraction from your writing workflow
• It will hurt a bit at first as your body adjusts to playing the instrument. Depending on the instrument, could be your finger tips, your arms, your cheeks, thigh muscles. Don't let the pain continue though, see below about being taught.
• Depending on your mindset, it may provide yet another strand of Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
• There are secondary concerns, e.g. impact on family life if you're spending a lot of time practising, annoying the family/neighbours with the harsh sound that new learners create.

When should I start?

Now's a good as time as any. And I mean that. I bought my first electric guitar and amp almost 20 years ago. It cost about £250. That money 20 years ago was worth a lot more than now.

All I received for that outlay was a:

• new Yamaha RGX211
• 2nd hand Laney Linebacker 30W amp
• cheap cable
• red fabric strap

Think I even paid extra for a rectangular wooden case.

The guitar was cheap, essentially a super-strat copy. Nice for the price, but I quickly grew out of it. Listening to it now, the sound is very thin and raspy. But this was in the days before Yamaha released their first Pacifica range. That range revolutionised the budget end of the guitar market, providing a level of quality and playability that was unheard of unless you were extremely lucky with your Squire. If only I could have waited 5 years.

The amp, well, it amplifies the sound. It's scratchy. Sounds like a horrible transistor amp. The distortion distorts the guitar sound in the way that only cheap 80s amp did. Oh well, better than nothing, but only just. Built to last and it was just about portable on a bus when necessary. Good to sit on, if a bit uncomfortable after a while.

I stopped using both after a few years. Actually I reckon I'd outgrown them after 6 months or so, but I didn't have the finances to change until a few years.

How does today's starting kit compare?

I mentioned I was taking a friend shopping. He wanted to start playing bass and budgeted for around £250-300. Same as I did 20 years ago, except that the £250 I spent them would be worth £500 or so now (don't know exactly, it feels like double though). And what's he get for the money?

Wow! I wish this kit had been available when I'd started learning. Actually I didn't see anything of this quality even 2 years ago when I was looking at basses.

We came across:

• new Spector Performer 4 electric bass guitar
• new Ashdown Perfect Ten 30W bass combo

Price for both was about £260 before negotiating or adding about other items such as cables, straps, stand, tuner, strings etc.

And the quality? Wow. Again

The bass is the budget end of the range, but it felt better than most basses twice its price. Smooth playing action and a very nice feel to the back of the neck. The passive pickups fooled me at first, I thought they were low-powered active pickups. Instead, there just a better quality than I'd expected to see at this price range. The result was a nice range of tones from the pickups and eq. Nicely built. Looks nice as well.

The amp was on about 6 out of 10 for the volume, so I wouldn't expect it to be able to get much louder. It still shook your trousers though! More important was the sound quality. It sounded nice, like a studio amp. There was no built-in compressor, the only gimmick was a deep switch, which proved not to be a gimmick since it did add a nice warmth. The amp would struggle alongside a drummer, actually to be honest, I think the amp would be useless and inaudible against a rock drummer. That's why they have louder amps. But to play at home and jam with a guitarist or singer, it's great. It even looks nice and is one of the most acceptable to be left in the lounge.

And those prices are new, if you're just starting out, then second-hand may be more appropriate. If I look at other instruments, I largely see the same effect. The cost to buy a good starting kit has really lowered. Want to buy one that will last a while longer as you grow with it, then you may only have to spend £50-100 more depending on the instrument and the retailers around you/internet availability. That's an incredible difference compared to 20 years ago.

How to start?

There's one thing I'd recommend; there's always someone you can learn from in person. Being self-taught is great, but you'll also teach yourself bad habits. Actually, you probably won't notice them or even learn them, they'll just be the way that you learn the instrument and some will hurt, maybe even permanently. Having a professional teacher set you on your way will at least increase your chances of getting it right and decrease the chances of doing yourself any damage.

Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.