Spotlight: Killick Hinds

Whether performing acoustic dronefests with the latest Paul Vo technology, or jamming with his band Pocketful of Claptonite on his fretted, fretless, or micro-fretted Teuffel, Toone, or New Complexity Harmonic Isolator instruments, Killick Hinds defines the modern guitarist. The Athens, Georgia resident performs steadily locally and sporadically elsewhere in a variety of improvising situations. Here he articulately discusses the foundations and process of his art and the tools with which he creates it.

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Early Adrian Belew Instructional Video

I was thrilled to be Creative Consultant on this video. Paul and Rob from DCI were drummers and weren’t sure what to ask him to demonstrate. When he says, “I was told to tell you that I use the compressor on all the time,” I was the one that requested he say that, as I felt it was a big part of the way he was able to get controllable feedback. Adrian had a bad cold that day from being immersed in a tank of cold water for a previous video shoot. .

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J.A.Deane’s Guitar Choir

The GM spotlight was focused on sampling pioneer/lap steel dulcimer player, J.A. “Dino” Deane in the Instant Takemitsu post a few years ago. It seemed appropriate to spend more time with him on the eve of his new release Zen Noir, on which he directs the Out of Context Electric Guitar Choir, made up of six guitarists and two percussionists, using a method called Conduction.

Conduction, developed by the late cornetist/composer Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris, is a vocabulary of signs and gestures transmitted by a conductor to an orchestra, providing instantaneous possibilities for altering or initiating harmony, melody, rhythm, articulation, phrasing or form—a kind of middle path between notation and improvisation. Given that Conduction is all about gesture, it made sense to post my Skype interview with Deane, so he could demonstrate some of the signs employed. I urge you to check out this video where he explains how this new method of music performance works and expounds brilliantly on a variety of musical subjects. He was also kind enough to revisit the GM questionnaire and provide an update on his live performance gear.

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Adrian Belew Gear Tour

On October 22nd Adrian Belew begins a North American tour with The Adrian Belew Power Trio, featuring Julie Slick on bass and Tobias Ralph on drums. Before leaving Adrian invited Guitar Moderne to his home, north of Nashville, to discuss Flux , the new music delivery system he has labored over for four years. It will be hopefully released in November and will receive full coverage here. He was also kind enough to give a video tour of the gear he will be using on the road and a peek at the “toy” closet that provided many of the sounds for Flux. Enjoy!

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