In a world where music fans look to the past for the music they love, now is the time to become a guitar rock god. The stage is set, the spot light is on. All you have to do is get the right equipment, perfect your licks, wear something garish, join or form a band, and get out there and play. There is a massive musical gap for a new rock star, and this is a gap that you could fill.
In this post, we look at what you need to become the next Hendrix or Frusciante.
Get the Best Guitar and Equipment
Ultimately, your musical prowess on your guitar will dictate how you sound, but a great sounding instrument and equipment will be essential if you are to dominate the world of rock. There is a wide range of products for guitars that will help you perfect your all-important signature sound. Every top guitarist you can think of from Gilmour to May to Clapton to Slash are instantly recognisable when they play. This is because they have a signature sound and perfecting your sound is what you should be aiming for.
Take the time to read reviews of equipment and garner what other players thought of it, before making a purchase. This invaluable information will help you in your rock god quest.
Here is a brief list of what you will need to get out there and play.
- Guitar – Get a good one. Listen to your favourite guitarists and choose a similar model to what they play.
- Hard guitar case – Keep your pride and joy and your future livelihood protected.
- Amplifier – How can anyone hear your musical genius without one?
- Pedalboard – Pedals are part of rock history, and you can buy a range of pedals to give you a great sound. Read reviews and buy pedalboards online from reputable stores.
- Cables – Get ones that are not too long, to begin with and get spares. They can and do develop faults.
- Picks – Experiment with a range of picks to suit your style.
- Tuner – You want to keep your axe in tune, and there is some evidence that using a tuner will perfect your musical ear. Some pedalboards come with tuners built-in.
- Spandex trousers and codpieces – This is completely optional, and it depends on how ‘old school’ you want to be.
Your band will need a PA system. The better music venues where you will delight the crowd will probably have one of these.
Now you have your guitar and related equipment it is time to get good!
Practice like it’s 1999
The key to perfecting your musical prowess is to practice. Soon the chords will come, and you’ll play licks and solos from your favourite guitarists. This is great, and you will impress your friends.
To start creating classic albums like Prince’s 1999 you have to take this a step further. You have to learn to write your own music and learn how music works in context with a band.
It is a good idea to join a band and start playing gigs as soon as you start to sound good. This will give you confidence and invaluable knowledge about how this rock god thing works.
Ultimately, to become a rock superstar, you have to forge your own path. You might be able to play a Hendrix classic, but you will never be Hendrix. He was a one-off.
If you become a one-off, you too will be considered a rock god! Peace and rock out!
