Alaskanway Music

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Who Stole The Princess - Danette Bremer & Al Garcia from Peach Anthems

Who Stole The Princess

I’ve done some interesting jobs in music, but I’ve never quite had one like this. A friend of mine named Danette wanted for me to play guitar on a project that she was working on. She wanted to do a cover of a song called, Who Shot The Radio by a Portland, Oregon based band call The Slants. Her idea was to put her version of their recording on You Tube and to make a tribute to the band because their music was inspirational to her. 

Danette rewrote the lyrics using the Princess from Nintendo’s Mario Brothers as a theme and then she proceeded to create clever lyrics using the music of The Slants. As it turned out, The Slants themselves found out about the song and they were very impressed with her lyrics and singing and they wanted to meet her.

In this project, I transcribed, recreated and recorded their music as faithfully as I could. I played all of the guitars and bass; the song was pretty easy to play. I used digital loops to create the drum parts and Danette is singing in the recording. Danette is a excellent singer, she can sing Gwen Stefani like you wouldn’t believe, she can really sing. I engineered the recording and later remixed the orignal to this version. Again, this is someone else’s song and arrangement, but I really enjoyed working with this very talented singer. 

Posted 1 month ago
Ed Roman Guitars Good ole’ Ed Roman out in Vegas sure makes some sweet guitars. This is Ed’s rendition of a Lamborghini guitar, it is very sweet! If you want a guitar like this, get ready to pay big. Ed not only makes a good looking guitar, but he makes an incredible quality, American made instrument. When you buy from Ed, you definitely get what you pay for.  http://www.edroman.com/ View Larger

Ed Roman Guitars

Good ole’ Ed Roman out in Vegas sure makes some sweet guitars. This is Ed’s rendition of a Lamborghini guitar, it is very sweet! If you want a guitar like this, get ready to pay big. Ed not only makes a good looking guitar, but he makes an incredible quality, American made instrument. When you buy from Ed, you definitely get what you pay for. 

http://www.edroman.com/

Posted 2 months ago
Pink Jackson Guitar One of the things that I was looking for when I was in New York City was a pink Jackson Soloist. They’re not difficult to find per se, but they’re difficult to find in mint condition. When you do find them, expect to drop a few bucks on them. I think it’s the Aldo Nova influence that made me want to own since. If you’ve ever seen a pink Jackson Soloist in person, I think you would agree that they are sharp looking. 

Pink Jackson Guitar

One of the things that I was looking for when I was in New York City was a pink Jackson Soloist. They’re not difficult to find per se, but they’re difficult to find in mint condition. When you do find them, expect to drop a few bucks on them. I think it’s the Aldo Nova influence that made me want to own since. If you’ve ever seen a pink Jackson Soloist in person, I think you would agree that they are sharp looking. 

Posted 2 months ago
Randy Parsons No disrespect to the other guitar guys in Seattle, but Randy Parsons is my favorite luthier of all time. I’ve known Randy since 1997 when he built my first Jackson prototype. As cheaply as we built that prototype, it is still one of the best made and playing guitars that I own. These days, Randy would never touch a project like that. He’s built guitars for legendary guitarist, Jimmy Page and all built instruments for bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse. It’s not so easy to get the man himself to work on your instrument, but he does have shops with great people working for him. Randy is simply the best.  http://www.parsonsguitars.com/index.php

Randy Parsons

No disrespect to the other guitar guys in Seattle, but Randy Parsons is my favorite luthier of all time. I’ve known Randy since 1997 when he built my first Jackson prototype. As cheaply as we built that prototype, it is still one of the best made and playing guitars that I own.

These days, Randy would never touch a project like that. He’s built guitars for legendary guitarist, Jimmy Page and all built instruments for bands like Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse. It’s not so easy to get the man himself to work on your instrument, but he does have shops with great people working for him. Randy is simply the best. 

http://www.parsonsguitars.com/index.php

Posted 2 months ago
Sibelius 7 The power of Sibelius 7 is an amazing technological feat. The ability to compose film scores the way you can with this software still amazes me. When I started music school years ago, in the early days of four-part writing, I never imagined that this would be possible. Truly amazing.  View Larger

Sibelius 7

The power of Sibelius 7 is an amazing technological feat. The ability to compose film scores the way you can with this software still amazes me. When I started music school years ago, in the early days of four-part writing, I never imagined that this would be possible. Truly amazing. 

Posted 2 months ago
Aria Guitars In the 1980’s, I played Aria Guitars quite a bit. They have the dimensions of the a Fender Stratocaster, but the are a lot smaller. In those days, I customized my guitars with different DiMarzio pickups and achieved some over-the-top rock sounds. Vintage Aria Guitars are still some of my favorite instruments over the years.  View Larger

Aria Guitars

In the 1980’s, I played Aria Guitars quite a bit. They have the dimensions of the a Fender Stratocaster, but the are a lot smaller. In those days, I customized my guitars with different DiMarzio pickups and achieved some over-the-top rock sounds. Vintage Aria Guitars are still some of my favorite instruments over the years. 

Posted 2 months ago
Marshall Guitar Amplification Marshall Amps are one of my favorite rock amps of all time. These amazing amps are some of my favorite rock sounds, especially of the 1970’s. There is nothing like the sound of a fully cranked stack in person. It is amazing.  View Larger

Marshall Guitar Amplification

Marshall Amps are one of my favorite rock amps of all time. These amazing amps are some of my favorite rock sounds, especially of the 1970’s. There is nothing like the sound of a fully cranked stack in person. It is amazing. 

Posted 2 months ago
Pedal Boards There is nothing more cool than an awesome pedal board on stage. You can create hundred of cool sounds to help your rock band put on a good show. Some pedal boards can be very big, but I like just enough pedals to get the sounds that I need and create massive damage. It’s good fun!

Pedal Boards

There is nothing more cool than an awesome pedal board on stage. You can create hundred of cool sounds to help your rock band put on a good show. Some pedal boards can be very big, but I like just enough pedals to get the sounds that I need and create massive damage. It’s good fun!

Posted 2 months ago
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50 plays

Small Brownface Combo - Fender Amp - Al Garcia from Alaskanway Music Sounds

Guitar Sounds

Recording Software: Garageband

Setting: Small Brownface Combo

This is an audio sample of a guitar sound called Small Brownface Combo found in Apple’s Garageband. This is setting is based on a vintage Fender guitar amplifier. I use this sounds in recording of jazz or Latin jazz. It has a very nice tube-like sound and a lot of bottom. There is nothing in this recording except guitars so that you can hear the guitar sound clearly. 

I am playing all parts in this little recording; both the rhythm and solo guitar parts. The guitar that I used is an Ibanez RG2EX1 with the pickup in the neck position. I also used a Line 6 UX2 to input into my Macbook. The sounds are basically stock with the exception of  some added reverb on the software amplifier, in this track.

The little tune in this sample is not my song, it is classic, bossa nova (Latin Jazz) standard named, Triste. Hopefully the mp3 file will capture the richness of the recording and sound. Garageband creates 32 bit recordings. It’s one of several recording software apps that I use. 

Posted 2 months ago
Recording I love the process of recording music. The technical and creative side of producing the sounds in your head in a recording.  View Larger

Recording

I love the process of recording music. The technical and creative side of producing the sounds in your head in a recording. 

Posted 2 months ago
Piano I use the piano as the starting point of composition even though I’m a guitarist. 

Piano

I use the piano as the starting point of composition even though I’m a guitarist. 

Posted 3 months ago

My life is a soundtrack—I hear music in my head.

Through all my emotions, I hear music
Through all of my life experience, I hear music
With every memory, I hear music
With every image, I hear music
With every splash of color, I hear music

I hear music in my head always.

— Al Garcia

Posted 3 months ago
Double Neck Guitars I have always loved double-neck guitars, it’s like carrying two instruments in one. I don’t limit my creativity by how instruments should be played, but I generally use 6-string guitar for soloing and fingerpicking and 12-string instrument for rhythm. I like to change things up tough, but this is how I generally play a double-neck guitar.  View Larger

Double Neck Guitars

I have always loved double-neck guitars, it’s like carrying two instruments in one. I don’t limit my creativity by how instruments should be played, but I generally use 6-string guitar for soloing and fingerpicking and 12-string instrument for rhythm. I like to change things up tough, but this is how I generally play a double-neck guitar. 

Posted 3 months ago
Ibanez RG-470 This instrument was purchased in January of 2002. It had a nice metallic-gray color and a larger scaled neck (a bit longer than usual), which made it easy to tune down. I really liked this guitar.  View Larger

Ibanez RG-470

This instrument was purchased in January of 2002. It had a nice metallic-gray color and a larger scaled neck (a bit longer than usual), which made it easy to tune down. I really liked this guitar. 

Posted 3 months ago
Hard Rock Cafe - Las Vegas, NV I don’t know what it is about Hard Rock Cafe’s that I like. It really isn’t the food, it’s the atmosphere and the classic guitars.  View Larger

Hard Rock Cafe - Las Vegas, NV

I don’t know what it is about Hard Rock Cafe’s that I like. It really isn’t the food, it’s the atmosphere and the classic guitars. 

Posted 3 months ago