OK... lot of questions....

I tend to approach guitar playing in a totally different and totally professional way to 'wannabe's'. I start from the premise that everything I do makes money...so I have no 'love' for ancient gear/trendy gear/popular gear. I HATE Mesa Boogies. I just love the gear that 'does the business' for the particular track I am working on.

Brian May works in exactly the same way. We tailor a sound for a particular track...it's all to do with the frequencies required and the amount of involvement the guitar has in the track etc. But that is complex stuff that you learn in The Serious Writers Guild.

So - when you talk in generalisations, you are approaching this either from a totally amateur angle...i.e. you just play in one style and want just a decent workable sound or a totally 'rock' band situation where you have one identifiable sound [Slash?]

The 'today' set up that makes money is a Marshall JMP1 rack module [considered ancient but loved by money making session and live guitarists], which gives stereo speaker emulation either to the studio recorder or to the front of house PA. Then I send a separate monitor stereo feed to a Marshall Valvestate rack amp which drives your on-stage stuff.  Usually a wedge speaker that points directly up at your ears away from the public. Or as I do, a Marshall 4X12.

With the wedge set up little of your monitor is heard by the audience. The sound engineer, therefore, has a clear controllable sound to mix with the rest of the band and not an overly loud amp pointing straight at the front row, which is deafening and will definitely not sit right in the mix...an age old problem with guitar players [I used to do that as well].

The JMP1 has a send and return circuit for effects (I use Digitech rack stuff as they are very aggressive, 'over the top' and you certainly know they are on.]

With that set up I can dial up any one of the 30 Marshall amplifier sounds through the years and effect it how I like for the particular track. So you see the way I can either get a constant sound for a complete set - or change the sound totally for each track or part of track by using a midi pedal at my feet, centre stage, with the rack on the side of stage...just the monitor in front of me for my own reference [or the 4X12] and a huge sound out front through the PA.

The Record Company:

As regards the Record Company guy liking your track and asking for a better demo...NO....NO....NO

A Hit toon is a Hit even if you sing it in the shower with no accompaniment....could a bunch of girls sing the chorus in the pub with no music at all? Would they sing it on the coach from the airport to their hotels in Ibiza?

M***, with great respect, you have no clue how a Hit is put together at this moment...you will go in a studio and the studio owner will see the size of your cheque book and extract a nice wodge from you for a few average, no excitement demos which are no better [except for quality] than the stuff you have already produced.....you will just end up asking for more copies to give to your relations.

The bottom line is that you can't get a deal for your music on your own without the knowledge...well I can change that. You can either struggle on as you are going or take the information I give and make a £Million.  If the idea of a £Million is against your principles then do as the Bible says: 'give it away to the needy'.  But making that £Million is an integral part of having the attitude necessary for success.

You will not find this info anywhere on the Net or from any other source...that I guarantee...

It all depends on whether you just want to perform or you want a career in records...then again you may wish to write songs, music.

Dec {Cluskey] mailto:dec@makehits.com

Just released:- "57 Secrets of a Hit Record" ...  - 260 pages of the Secrets plus the CDrom Analysis Software and Audio CD to ensure that your music is a Potential Hit  www.makehits.com/57Secrets.htm or call UK 01323.728005 [+44.1323.728005]