If I’m touring with a band, the reason I’m there is probably to play the guitar. It’s funny how bands that work hard to sound as sleek as possible on record want to rock out when they get in front of an audience. Whatever the reason, it works better to come across more like a rock band, and it’s mainly the electric guitar sounds that make that happen. On electric guitar, it’s my job to provide the rhythmic propulsion, riffs, textures, power chords, and occasional solo — whatever a song needs to sound right and get the crowd excited. On other songs I could be playing acoustic guitar, percussion, or even rhythm piano or atmospheric synthesizer parts when that makes a difference for a song. I’m a quick study on bass guitar too so I’ve always imagined a band who suddenly needed a bass player might call me, but so far I’ve played bass only for single shows. Of course, live shows are all about vocals too, and my versatility as a singer and especially my ability to provide the "body" of a group vocal come in handy.
If you’re with a band that’s seeking a musician, here’s a summary of my abilities:
Primary instrument: Guitar (electric, acoustic, steady rhythms, shuffle rhythms, riffs, power chords, solos).
Other instruments: Percussion, bass guitar, keyboard.
Vocals: Lead, backing, group. Baritone with 3+ octave range.
Musical skills: Reading music, reading chord charts, playing by ear, improvisation, memorization.
Core styles: Rock, hard rock, progressive rock, folk, dance, funk.
Preferences and tendencies: I like to play guitar or bass into a box (recently, Pod 2.0) rather than an amplifier (if you see an amp behind me, it’s probably just for looks). That’s so I can hear the whole band more easily. I prefer neutral-sounding instruments — you’ll usually see me with Peavey and Ovation guitars. My strongest percussion instruments are shaker and tambourine.
Strengths: musicality, steady beat, holding a band together rhythmically, being stylistically correct, advancing the mood and meaning of a song. Long, strong fingers let me play especially expressive rhythms on guitar. Weaknesses: not a virtuoso or guitar hero; with finger speed that’s only average, it’s harder for me to play flashy guitar solos.
Formal audio training in microphones, cords, stands, mixers, room acoustics, etc. Computer/web expertise. Photography/video. Outstanding skill at reading maps and navigating. Endurance (I ran a marathon every year for the past five years).
Other things you should know: Non-smoker, non-drinker. U.S. citizen. Current passport. Fluent in English only.
Contact: ra@rickaster.com
