I am but a hard thinking, hard drinking music fiend from the Dallas area branching out into the bigger picture. A little midi keyboard, a few music programs and drum loops at my disposal, and more than 13 years of dedicated guitar passion. I've come to understand what I am comfortable with - being a studio musician - and see this board as a huge opportunity to learn and contribute.

My start came with picking up a copy of Acid Rock 2.0 - on sale - when the first Virgin Megastore opened in the Metroplex. Since then, I've embraced loops as a way to create new tracks on their own and also as a way to challenge my skills and creativity. Probably the most fun I've ever had was downloading movie quote clips and sticking them into soundtrack songs...Real Genius...Shawshank Redemption...that sort of thing.

Thanks to loops, I also learned about sampling. Learned how to cut and tweak a bit of something lifted and work with it. It went hand in hand with discovering hip-hop, rap, and all kinds of tunes right in my Texas backyard. For a while, I even considered marketing myself as "The Raptarist" - a specialist in adding a hybrid riff backing track or funky wah lick to a track without overpowering it. Sort of like the path Run DMC and Aerosmith explored, but more along the lines of ZZ Top meets Devin the Dude.

I've played in bands, bars and at cookouts, made plenty of friends and know how hard the touring life really is at the end of it all. I'm comfortable here, beer and cig and A/C and speakers going strong, and my goal is to return every favor. It's for music. And damn do I ever love music. So I'll leech and lurk for a while to build up some ammo and post all I'm able. If you're interested in a back catalog - either of the "Raptarist" creations or my "what the hell, is that jazz or electronic or some freak mutant" series of loop-based originals - just send word...and probably where on the board I should put such things. To be honest, I've got more than I know what to do with.

One day maybe I can set aside my degrees and day job and focus on the strings, the sounds and the joy of creating something that will last for decades. The cost of living kind of gets in the way, y'know? Stupid bills...

Cheers,

The 6SM

This jam along was a lot of fun...if it seems like too much, well my style is to over play so later there's something to work with:

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...and can't forget one of the hybrids I mentioned (even with an amateur screw attempt on the sample heh). some parts better than others and all...

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