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"We enjoyed the challenges of this recording, it made for a more fun experience." |
THE CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO DISCUSS THEIR LATEST CD, WHITEWATER
FPE's Ferrante recently sat down with Paul Richards and Bert Lams of the California Guitar Trio to discuss their latest CD Whitewater. Please read on for insight into the playing of the most exciting acoustic trio around today. Do yourself a favor and check this group out live!
Click Here to see them in action at the Winter NAMM show
FPE: Do you each assume roles with in the trio - for example one of you handles the bass, one the effects, and one the main melody?
Bert Lams: "No, there is none of that. Our roles always move around, depending on who takes the initiative to take a certain part when we work on new material. You will hear all three of us play melodies, bass lines and solo lines."
FPE: You recorded Whitewater in from March 1-4, a very short span of time. Do you find that your first takes are usually the tracks you keep?
Bert Lams: "We did three takes of each piece, and in general the first take was the best feel, the second and third were slightly better played. We like to run in the material in front of a live audience before recording it. Our recording session was in the middle of a three week tour, so the pieces and the players were in good shape when we went in the studio."
FPE: Do you record a direct signal as well as mic-ing your guitars?
Bert Lams: "Yes. In the mix we used mostly (75%) the microphone signal for a fuller, richer sound. The direct signal tends to sound very on-dimensional and dull. But we used it to give some punch to the microphone signal. We recorded Whitewater on analog tape."
 FPE: Do you record as a trio or overdub each of your parts?
Bert Lams: "We record as a trio. Tony Levin and Paul dubbed melody lines on one of the pieces: mee-woo."
FPE: Which songs on Whitewater were the most challenging to record and perform?
Bert Lams: "In general it was challenging to adjust to the new studio situation after playing in front of a live audience for a few weeks. In the studio we were separated by acoustic panels, and in a live situation we stand next to each other. This was the most challenging to me, we could only hear each other through the headphones. All of the pieces were challenging in different ways; the Marsh is a delicate piece and it was challenging to play it with the right feel without the audience there in a studio atmosphere. Cantharis was technically challenging: it is a fast piece with Bert and Hideyo playing unison lines. Mee-Woo was presented by Hideyo during a session and we learned and recorded the piece "on the spot". We enjoyed the challenges of this recording, it made for a more fun experience.
FPE: Do all three of you use the same tuning?
Paul Richards: "Yes, we are using CGDAEG. This tuning comes from the Guitar Craft courses with Robert Fripp. It expands the range of the guitar. The lowest for strings are tuned the same as the cello, the middle four are like the viola and then a G on the highest string keeps it all within C major pentatonic."
FPE: What strings are you using?
Paul Richards: "D'Addario Phosphor Bronze custom gauge: 11, 13, 21, 30, 47, 59."
 FPE: What guitars are you using?
Paul Richards: "Martin 000-16C Custom shop steel string acoustic guitars."
FPE: Do you have a daily practice routine?
Paul Richards: "On tour practicing is usually warming up for 1 or 2 hours before the show. Going over difficult parts and just getting in shape for the show. At home between tours, practicing is more about working on new material and developing new ideas."
FPE: Do you practice along to a metronome when you are all playing together?
Paul Richards: "In our first few years together we played along with a metronome during rehearsals a lot. This is something we learned on the Guitar Craft courses. Now we only do it when there is a piece or a section of a piece where we have difficulty keeping time together."
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