Frank Gambale and his DV-Mark / Carvin Rig

[jzucker]

Try transcribing something from Brave new Guitar. The tunes and playing are brilliant. As to you not liking Gambale and Chick hiring him, maybe you should analyze that situation. I think it speaks for itself.

[jorgemg1984]

Yes, its true. I admit is my fault, if Chick calls him he has to be great. I honestly tried to hear him a lot of times on different bands and I was never able to like him. I will keep trying for sure, I have changed my opinion a lot in the last years about several players so I always keep an open mind. Maybe I will try to transcribe something one day but I am busy transcribing stuff I really like

[jzucker]

have you listened to brave new guitar? I have to agree that as an ensemble player he has not moved me and in that capacity I also liked scott henderson, al dimiola or bill conners more but strictly as a jazz soloist Frank is in a league of his own. Like I said, when I spoke to Metheny he was considering lessons with Frank. That says a lot IMO...

[jorgemg1984]

I have not listened to that album and I will soon enough. I also want to say I am not being arrogant or something like that - I know Frank is one of the greats and a well respected player! A lot of people like to trash respected players on forums and that's not what I am doing - I know I am missing something about his playing and I will keep trying and trying.

About Pat Metheny, did he told you why he wanted to have lessons with Frank? I would say picking. Pat has mentioned several times he thought his right hand sucked and wanted to improve it (I even think he tried some of Gambale`s method). I simply cant imagine anyone teaching harmony or improvisation to Metheny

[jzucker]

you're right, it's probably picking but pat could study picking with anyone: Bruno, Martino, Kriesberg, Dimeola, mclaughlin. He respects Gambale. Anyway, you're within your rights to not like gambale but you really should learn some of the tunes and solos off brave new guitar.

[jorgemg1984]

I will do it someday and hope I get a fresh look on his playing! And I admit his picking is great although Kreisberg and Monder are the most impressive guys for me on that field. And think Pat compensates his picking with an amazing legatto lef hand (Rosenwinkel also does this but in a different way).

[tsar nicholas]

I think the tone in the 1st video is exceptionally weak in comparison to his older rig in the 2nd vid

^ I just listened to the 2nd clip here - that's some pretty nice tone. I wonder what amp he was using back then?


Cats complain that Gambale is too technical or say he's 'sterile' (?), but to me, his solos are really musical and often surprising.

[Richb]

have you listened to brave new guitar? I have to agree that as an ensemble player he has not moved me and in that capacity I also liked scott henderson, al dimiola or bill conners more but strictly as a jazz soloist Frank is in a league of his own. Like I said, when I spoke to Metheny he was considering lessons with Frank. That says a lot IMO...

That's a bit misleading JAck. Metheny said he wanted lessons from FG for technique reasons, not music reasons. It actually says it all, in a backhanded way. Metheny is actually saying he has nothing to learn from FG except gtr mechanics....
And that's the rub. Metheny plays music and FG plays more guitar music. His solos are kind of encapsulated compendiums of scales/arps, with almost no real melodic development. Just high level gtr technique. FG could learn a L O T more from Metheny than the other way 'round.
Also FG has that annoying thing of picking every note all the time....

[Flat]

I clicked on a few names. I didn't see any Carvin guitars. In fact Roy Clarks link opens to his page and he's playing a Gibson.

Just for the record, I think that's a Heritage in the Brad Paisley Roy Clark video on that page, isn't it? (Big H tailpiece, non-Gibson headstock shape.) I believe Roy has had one or two signature models with Heritage too.

But it's really beside the point. A Gibson clone and not a Carvin.

I had Frank as a teacher at GIT back in 1984. Scott Henderson was around too. Frank's a great guy and a supreme talent, but for one reason or another, I've never really been able to get too deep into his playing. Scott's stuff grabs my ear more. But that's all subjective, and I'm not much of a fusion aficionado anyway.

I've got a Carvin bass that seems pretty good to me, but I'm not a bass player. I just use it to mess around with.

[marcwhy]

I just saw Return to Forever last night (with Zappa Plays Zappa opening!) -- when Frank soloed, he sounded fine to me. The mix was clear, and his guitar was clear (albeit with overdrive, but clear nonetheless). When playing the tunes, he often doubled lines with Jean-Luc Ponty, so he was harder to hear then, but otherwise he sounded fine and it was a great show.

Although Dweezil plays mostly in his father's style, he has his own "vibe," and played some really nice lines. Fun show overall.