Pedal Profile: Xotic EP-Booster
BACKGROUND: The EP-Booster is yet another offering from the Xotic, a company that seems to have a knack for coming out with the right pedal at the right time and making it a top quality product. The EP-Booster is based on the “legendary echo machine EP-3″ (I’m told this is the Maestro Echoplex) which the likes of Van Halen, Jimmy Page, and Eric Johnson (I’m assuming Eric Johnson, perhaps it is another Johnson) have all used as preamps -ecause, of course, who wouldn’t think to use an echo machine as a preamp. The EP-Booster is the reincarnation of EP-3 as a peamp (no echo here). This pedal is not only a boost but seems to have an aura of being that almost mythical tone-enhancer-in-a-box we all look for, a pedal that doesn’t change your tone but somehow makes it better.
GUITAR: 1986 Fender MIJ ‘62 Tele Reissue
AMP: 65 London Combo, 1985 Mesa Mark III
FIRST IMPRESSION: For such a small pedal it is heavy and feels very sturdy. If you were to throw it at someone’s head you would knock him out cold. I’m not sure if there is a single Boss pedal that can boast that. It has a silver black tint, which is always good.
PROS:It is probably one of the most sturdy pedals I have ever played which gives me quite a bit of confidence as a guitar player when I step on it. I have replaced one too many (truth be known, three too many) switches in my Line 6 DL-4 so that is a big issue for me.
It does everything a boost should do. That is, it boosts the signal. It does a very good job of this, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. After all it’ as boost. If you screw that up, maybe you shouldn’t be making pedals. Fortunately, Xotic should be making pedals.
It does kind of feel like a “tone enhancer.” I say “kind of” because it is so abstract that it is hard to put concrete words to. Nevertheless, I played my church’s worship set with it turned on (set as low as possible) the entire time.
This pedal is also an impecable paper weight.
…and it has a nice hint of silver…I’m a fan.
CONS: This pedal is so simple I would be worried if there were cons to it. It doesn’t suck tone, feels sturdy, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and does everything it promises. Even the LED is blue. Nothing to complain about here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The Xotic EP-Booster is everything a boost should be and then some. Sturdy and durable, this pedal is like a little tank on the board that doesn’t mind sharing space with other pedals. This pedal is not only an exceptional boost, it is also that highly sought after yet very allusive tone enhancer.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
The Elements Of A Great Worship Guitarist
What separates the good worship guitarist from the great worship guitarist? The mastery of not just musicianship and technique, but also character and attitude. Here are some elements of a great worship guitarist.
Humility: This doesn’t mean a lack of confidence, or worse, false humility. This does mean you can take constructive criticism well. It means you are not afraid to admit your shortcomings. You know you have a lot to learn and you can learn from anyone. Furthermore, you are not personally offended when someone says to turn your volume down (I pray it doesn’t happen to you). Your primary motivation is to serve your worship ministry and church, not to showcase your own talent and amazing tone.
Dependability: From getting to practice on time to knowing your parts, your worship leader needs to be confident in every aspect of your playing and habits. This means you show up on time, your gear works, you consistently sound good, and you know your part. When a worship leader is looking at a set list for a worship service, they will feel the pressure of any “unknown factors” or “X Factors.” To be a great worship guitarist you must remove yourself from this list of X Factors. Starting now, create a reputation of being dependable and giving your worship ministry consistent quality not just in music, but also in attitude and habits.
Musicianship: Know where you fit in the grand scheme of things and in the grand scheme of things we’re not all that. A great worship guitarist knows how the guitar needs to work in worship music. Guitar isn’t everything. Use your guitar to complement the worship service and don’t let your ego convince you it should be more showcased than needed.
Technique: You may not be able to play Van Halen’s “Eruption” but that’s okay. What you can do is play the licks, riffs and signature solos that your worship leader throws at you. Maybe your need some time to practice it, look it up on youtube, find tab, etc., but when it comes to rehearsal time you can play the riff evenly, smoothly and clearly.
There are two things we can take away from this: First, a great guitarist in secular music looks a lot different from a great guitarist in worship ministry. Second, you are probably closer to being a “great worship guitarist” than you think.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
P.S. This isn’t a complete list. If you think of some other elements, please share with us in the comments.
Health Report
Posted by Jed in Uncategorized on March 3rd, 2010
After about a week of silence on this blog I think you all deserve to know how I’m doing. I’m happy to report that I’m doing just fine. Once every four years I get a case tendonitis in my left hand usually due to over playing, typing, gaming, etc. After wrapping it up and taking it easy for a week, my wrist is feeling 99% better. Thanks for praying and being patient with me. Another blog post is in the works and hopefully will be up today.
-Jed
State of the Blog
Posted by Jed in Uncategorized on February 23rd, 2010
Last week was a great week. I did three activities I love more often than normal: 1. Played guitar. 2. Blogged (typing). 3. Gaming (Wii to be exact). Although some of these activities are more virtuous than others, I am now paying for it in a very unfortunate way: a dull but nagging pain in my left wrist.
What I’m Doing About It
1. My hand is now wrapped.
2. Ibuprofen for the inflamation (not the pain of course, I can handle the pain. Don’t think for a second I can’t handle the pain.)
3. I’m going to buy a wrist brace tonight to keep my wrist even more stable to help the healing process along.
What does this mean for the blog? I won’t be putting up as many blog posts this week or even maybe in the weeks to come. Please be patient with me.
I have to stop typing now. Please pray for me. You’ll hear from me hopefully sooner rather than later.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
Pedal Profile: Xotic BB Preamp MB
Posted by Jed in Gear, Pedal Profile on February 19th, 2010
BACKGROUND: Xotic is owned by PCI, a company based in in Los Angeles, California, that specializes in exporting high end music gear to Japan. Xotic was founded to make high-end basses in 1996. In ‘99 Xotic started producing effects for both guitars and basses.
The first BB Preamp was a main staple for Xotic and based on Marshall Plexi tones. Later, Xotic teamed up with Andy Timmons to create the Andy Timmons Signature BB Preamp which is a little warmer and more compressed than the original. The BB Preamp MB came out in December as the first offering from the new Xotic Custom Shop.
GUITARS: Gibson Les Paul Custom Classic, 1986 Fender ‘62 Tele Reissue with Texas Special Pickups.
AMPS: 65 London 2×12 Combo
FIRST IMPRESSION: Hmmm…silver. Always good.
The MB seems cleaner and clearer than the original BB Preamp and less compressed. I still haven’t compared it to the original, and it’s been a while since I have played the Andy Timmons signature, so we will see how I feel once I play those.
PROS: This pedal has a great Marshall Plexi sound to it. It still has a very transparent sound yet includes the Marshall attitude. It has a distinct Lincoln Brewster quality to it. So if you love Brewster but can’t stand Line 6, check this pedal out.
The EQ control on this pedal is a breath of fresh air. While most pedals just have a tone control, the BB Preamp gives the user control of treble and bass separately. The MB takes it one step further with the much needed Mid control and boost. The mid-boost makes for some great clear attack to help the guitar cut through the mix with out sounding frail and brittle.
This pedal plays well with Tube Screamers. I used a TS9DX set to the TS9 with the clean boost setting (Drive at 0, Level at max). It was great for solos, a little bit of volume increase, a little bit of gain increase and hardly no change in tone.
CONS: The LED is red. Not blue, not green…red. Can a pedal be considered boutique if the LED is the same color as the LED in the Boss Metal Zone? Some how this is effecting the sound. It probably would sound more “Dumble” if the light was blue. That said, it would probably sound less Brewster.
I really am having a hard time finding more “cons” on this pedal. It is a Marshall-sounding pedal with a rarely seen mid boost control. How can you mess that up?
FINAL THOUGHTS: This pedal really does have a Brewster feel, which is great for someone like me who can never get modeling gear to sound good.
Every guitar I plugged through it sounded great and kept it’s unique character. It was articulate, clear, Brewster-like and gave me a mid control that I’ve never had on a pedal. I love this pedal. It’s not going to replace the Zendrive, but Zendrive is going to have to share some room on the pedal board.
Keep Sharp,
Jed
5 Pathways To Inspired Guitar Playing
I’m sure you have been there before. That place where it feels like everything you play seems to have a musty smell, like a room with closed windows, closed doors and no air flow. Like it gets hard to breath in a stuffy room, it gets hard to stand our own playing. We need a gust of fresh air; we need inspiration.
If you feel or have ever felt this way, here are some ideas to help you get through it.
1. Change your core tone. Are you used to the signature Vox sparkle? Try the bite of a Marshall-sounding pedal. Changing your core tone can jolt you out of creative ruts and shock your mind into thinking differently about what you play. This is gutsy and will push you out of your comfort zone, but if you treat it with the mentality of “What can I play to make this tone work?” you are bound to find new creative avenues.
2. Think outside the box, but then think inside it again. You are trying to find a way to give musical life to that worship song everyone knows your church has sung too many times. Everyone that is, except for the worship leader. You start to think “outside the box” and you stumble upon the Tom Morello-like use of your toggle switch and wah pedal. Definitely some inspiration to be found here. Now the trick is to find a musical application for your environment; take what inspired you from outside of the box and get it to work inside of the box. What works for “Bulls on Parade” doesn’t always work for “How Great is Our God.” By taking inspiration from outside of standard worship guitar playing and adapting it to fit your congregation’s sensibilities, you will probably find something more original and more “you” than if you were to just stay “out of the box.”
3. Listen to the silence. That sounds deeper than I mean it to. Pay attention to the other instruments and what they are playing. Listen to what you don’t play. What we don’t play is just as important as what we do play. You may find that there are some things you are playing that you don’t need to.
4. Borrow a friend’s guitar. A different guitar can start cranking the creative gears. If you’re a Les Paul player, find a Strat. If you’re a Tele player, find a Gretsch. Changing the instrument changes the feel, features, and tone; this may inspire a breath of fresh playing.
5. Copy someone. This will seem a little contradictory at first, but it is about education through imitation. Find a guitar player you know who sounds better you. Try to capture the essence of that guitar player. Here’s the beauty of this: you won’t get there. You won’t be able to capture their playing; instead, you will have found inspiration to add to your own playing.
Creative slumps are never fun–they also never last forever. Keep fighting through it and you will get through it.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
3 Ways To Lead Worship From The Guitar
For those who are new to worshipwithguitar.com, this is a post that was first posted last year. Hope it is helpful.
You have probably figured it out by now: Playing guitar isn’t enough. More is needed than just a guitar part. You are not there to just provide a backing track. You are there to lead your congregation into genuine worship of the Risen Savior.
We have a lot to think about when playing guitar and you might be afraid to add some more things to the plate. Don’t worry. These are small yet very effective things you can do to help lead your church into worship.
1. Smile. This is the biggest thing especially for us electric guitarists. We have a lot to think about when we play. We are always thinking about the settings on our pedals, which strings the pick should be hitting, what fret our hand is on, and, of course, what part is coming up next in the song and what tap-dance we will have to perform to get the right pedals turned on and the wrong pedals turned off. We have quite a job on our hands…and feet.
Because of this we can often look like zombies. Our faces look like we don’t care about what we are doing and why we are there. Of course, this isn’t true. We are concentrating. We have to. But if we learn to smile while managing everything, we keep ourselves from being just a manikin with a Fender. We become worship leaders. We enjoy what we are doing. We enjoy why we are doing it. By smiling we communicate that enjoyment and inspire it in others.
2. Look at the congregation. Don’t ignore them. A worship leader (that’s you) who ignores their church will end up with a church that ignores them. You are there to lead worship, not play a song and hope worship happens.
Engage them with your eyes. Let them know you haven’t forgotten they are there. Suck them in with your smile. Let them see you enjoying worship. You don’t have to make eye contact with an individual necessarily; you can look at them as a whole. But don’t be afraid to make eye contact with a stranger and give them a smile every once in a while. By engaging them in this small yet very effective way, you will inspire your church to also enjoy worship.
3. Think about your guitar parts like a worship leader. Sometimes we can think so much like a guitar player we forget to think like a musician. We can get so wrapped up in a new pedal that we use it all the time. Or we just love the way power chords sound so we use them during songs like “Here I Am To Worship.” What happens is we take away from the song instead of adding to it.
Design your guitar parts to complement or even enhance the song. When this is done well, your instrument begins to lead worship as well.
Jesus is alive; therefore, you be alive when you worship Him and others will follow.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
Pedal Profile: Malekko Ekko 616
Posted by Jed in Gear, Pedal Profile on February 16th, 2010
BACKGROUND: Malekko is a company built on the idea that making mistakes is learning faster. This young five-year-old company, started by two musician friends, has a track record of tirelessly creating prototypes until they finally come up with a special pedal.
The Malekko Ekko 616 is the result of that signature determination that has become the DNA of Malekko. It was designed to be the brightest analog delay on the market with a modulation that can go from smooth and subtle choruses to full-on Lesly sounds. It should be noted that there are two types of 616s out there: original and modified. Due to a bad batch of components, the first 616s had a lingering repeats problem. If you turned the pedal off during a delay, the pedal would finish the remaining repeats when you turned it back on. If you have or end up with one of these pedals, Malekko has offered to fix it for free. For this profile I lucked out, thanks once again to my friend Q, and had the opportunity to play both.
GUITARS: Gibson Les Paul Custom Classic Silverburst, Fender Eric Johnson Signature Strat, 1986 Fender MIJ ‘62 Reissue Tele with Texas Special Pickups.
AMPS: 65 London 2×12 Combo
FIRST IMPRESSION: It’s not silver. This is never a good sign. However, the red looks like it was taken from a really fast sports car, say a Ferrari 458 Italia. This usually is a good sign.
The repeats are clear and rich and with the Strat, can get some very cool Joshua Tree sounds.
At this point the modulation seems out of control. It takes a while, but I finally get a setting that is usable but for the most part, I just keep it turned off.
PROS: Much richer and less sterile than a digital delay. So many digital delays sound tiny with every repeat computer perfect. This delay has great highs without being brittle and the bucket brigades make for a just- less-than-perfect repeats which gives the 616 so much character.
The true bypass/buffered knob is a really cool option to have on a pedal and I wish more pedals had it. On the modified pedal the buffered is a little brighter than the true bypass.
CONS: The Regen knob is a case of controlled chaos. If the knob is at eleven o’clock or higher the repeats keep going and keep getting louder.
The true bypass mode is supposed to have a darker sounding delay then the buffered mode. On the original 616, it seems like it doesn’t just make the tone darker but alters the tone of the guitar itself. It feels like there is actually a decibel level decrease.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The oscillation and modulating effects make for some great Mute Math sounds. Not the most useful when playing “Inside Out,” but cool if you like the random wacky sounds pedals can make.
Rich and clear are the best words to describe this pedal. It is a great delay if you use a none tap-tempo digital delay and are looking for something with a richer tone that doesn’t sound muddy. In fact, even if you’re not looking for a richer, warmer delay, I would still recommend the 616.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
“Worship Music Sucks, Why Bother?”
Posted by Jed in Uncategorized on February 11th, 2010
This is a guest post from my friend David Lee who has played keyboards for Ross Parsley, New Life Church and Desperation Band. Being involved with worship music on both the congregation side and the creation side, he has some interesting and opinionated perspectives on worship music, which is sure to make for some great conversation. Read, enjoy and comment. -Jed
I hear this ALOT! I used to ask myself this a lot too! But now, I don’t ask that question anymore!
First off, I’ve heard that the OBVIOUS answer is that “religious people” don’t spend alot of time focusing on playing tasteful music.
As “good” as this sounds, to me this is an ABSOLUTE farce! Two things make a load of crap:
1. EVERYBODY believes in something! Even Atheists. Even is you don’t believe in the absence of a God, that’s STILL a belief, and you’ve still chosen a side!!! Either way, what you believe has NO bearing on your ability as a songwriter or a musician. Your not a bad writer because your religious, your a bad writer because your a bad writer!
2. What someone believes is GOOD music TOTALLY objective opinion!!! I know ALOT of non-religious people that LOVE christian music, there just all 30-50 years old. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just that people from there teens to 20’s don’t get it! Besides, the only reason why there isn’t christian music for teen’s through there 20‘s is because no christian in that age group buys music (Ask EARTHSUIT about that). There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a free market and that’s just how it is!!!
HOWEVER, this is when it gets weird: when “christian raised” teens are FORCE fed this type of music growing up. All that really comes out from that are public school teens that have NO sense of musical reality, and try to show “normal” kids christian music. That’s why people ask “Worship Music Sucks, Why Bother?”
This is MY personal belief on writing and performing music. You should write and perform what you believe in…PERIOD!!! People who write great love songs have had LIFE CHANGING experiences with the opposite sex! People who write good fight music had ISSUES with work, growing up or whatever!
I write worship music! Here’s a couple reasons why:
1. Nothing’s impacted my life more than God! Period. If you need an explanation for that, read JOB 38-41 (Yes…three chapters, in fact, read the book)
2. The difference between Worship music, and every other music, is that Worship music is centered around the Love of God. If you don’t know what the God is capable of, then you should look into it. God has the ability to move mountains, split seas, and smooth the valleys(Read JOB 38-41), but instead of being so dramatic, God would rather spend his time being MADLY in love with us! I couldn’t think of ANYTHING else that would be worth singing songs for!
Here are three verse’s from Job:
Job 1:21, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”Job 38:1-2, “Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said, ‘Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?’”Job 42:5-6, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
-D. Lee
Pedal Profile: Durham Sex Drive (The Most Awkward Post Yet)
BACKGROUND: This pedal is made by Alan Durham of Durham Electronics. As the story goes he never intended to mass produce boutique pedals. Alan’s friend Charlie Sexton, a guitar player who played for Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and others as well as an award-winning producer, asked Alan to make him a clean boost pedal that wouldn’t alter the tone of his amp, adding a pinch of bottom end as to avoid the common “nasally” sound of many clean boosts. When demand for this pedal became too high to ignore, the Sex Drive was born (Sexton, Sex Drive get it? Of course you did; you’re smart).
AMPS: ’85 Mesa Mark III, 65 London Combo
GUITARS: Gibson Les Paul Custom Classic (It may or may not have been a Guitar Center “Exclusive”), ’86 Fender MIJ Telecaster ’62 Reissue (Candy Apple Red with binding) equipped with Texas Special Pick-Ups
FIRST IMPRESSION: The first impression was based on the name. And it was probably the same impression you have right now. I asked my friend Jeff, the owner of the pedal I borrowed, how he felt about playing a pedal called the Sex Drive in church. He chuckled and said “I’m married so I think its okay.”
They say not to judge a pedal by its enclosure but on first touch this one screams quality. Plugging it in before I did any research, I was surprised by what I heard. I thought with “Drive” in the name that it must just be a Tube Screamer clone with true bypass. I was wrong.
PROS: The true bypass, Telflon wiring, and Switch Craft jacks makes this a quality pedal from the get-go. This quality translates into tone. It doesn’t tamper with your tone, but lets you if you want to.
One very cool thing about the Sex Drive is the “Comp” switch. A built-in compression switch at the top of the pedal gives you the option of “Off,” “Soft,” and “Hard.” The built-in compression makes this pedal great for when you need to boost for a solo.
Also, it’s a good looking pedal…sexy…sort of.
CONS: The title makes for an awkward moment when my pastor starts a conversation about “All those pedal you push. What are they?” “Well, Pastor, let me show you–wait. How’s the wife?”
It would be nice to get a bit more grit and dirt from the gain knob. If the gain gave more grit it would be like having a clean and dirty boost in one pedal. Volume up and gain down and there is the clean boost. Gain up and volume down and there is the dirty boost. With the way the pedal is designed, it is strictly a clean boost with a pinch of bite when you crank the gain.
FINAL IMPRESSION: Inspired by a recent Brad Paisley concert, I plugged in my tele and played the only two country licks I knew. I’m not a country guitarist by any means, but my instincts tell me that this is a great pedal for country solos.
As a clean boost it is top notch. There is no nasal sound unless the Tone knob is cranked. The compression switch makes for one less pedal to push for a solo and gives flexibility to choose what level of compression to use.
If your interested in more check it out at http://durhamelectronics.com/sexdrive.html.
Keep sharp,
-Jed