Do you prefer Neck Through or Bolt On basses?
Neck-through, although it's for aesthetics mainly.
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Lucas Cardoso
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What pickups do you prefer using?
EMG Pickups! I use them exclusively now. I favor the 'EMG X' soapbars.
Liked by:
Lucas Cardoso
how long did it take you to be able to comfortably play slap? how did you learn?
Just as long as any other technique...watch, learn, practice! Slap is all about precision and being relaxed, and making sure the technique is "correct".
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Any chance of trumpet on aTetrafusion or Scale The Summit track? ;)
It's been joked about before, but will likely never happen.
Are you a Biffy Clyro fan?
I see their name quite often, but have never listened. Should I?
I hear a lot of math elements in your stuff, do you or anyone in the band take inspiration from or listen to modern math rock, or the prog bases like king crimson?
I really never knew what "math rock" was, and all of these sub genres make me go cross-eyed, so I honestly couldn't tell you. Never really got into King Crimson much aside a couple of their albums from time to time.
I love the tone you use for the Alpenglow play through, as well as your live tone! What kind of pedals and levels do you use to get your tone?
For the videos, I just focus on the mids to shape the tone and adjust bass/treble to taste...bass until it sounds full and treble so that it isn't too rigid on the top end. As far as live, a significant factor in that is having our own sound engineer that knows how to EQ rooms and such, so that's what you'd really be hearing live. I'm strong on the mentality of keeping a simple signal chain...I usually go through a pre-amp, a compressor (sometimes), and then straight to the amp.
How do you find it? Do you prefer playing to a drummer playing to a click? or everyone to a click? or no one playing to a click? And are there any issues/problems to playing to a drummer playing to a click?
I love the way it is...we're all guaranteed to be playing at the same tempo each night with no fluctuations or anything, but instead of hearing a click in my ear that I would focus on, I can actually focus on the drum parts themselves and lock in with them musically. Feels a bit more organic that way.
Are you (or any of your band mates) big classical music fans? I know you play(ed?) Trumpet, but that was more wind band/marching band stuff with Jazz.
I mean...I guess. I appreciate it for what it did for music so it's always in the foundation of my musical upbringing, and occasionally is influential. I've been playing trumpet for 13 years now and ran the gamut of more orchestral/classical/symphonic music, and really enjoyed it!
How often do you think about your future?
Future goals create today's work.
Have you played a Music Man Bongo before? And if so what did you think? Seeing that they are such a highly thought of bass in the Prog Metal community, I wondered what you thought of them.
EBMM makes incredible instruments and have great designs, but the Bongo just wasn't my cup of tea when I played it.
Seeing how you live in another state from the rest of the STS guys, how do you set up practices or jams?
I travel to Houston once a month usually, and then a couple of days before we leave for a tour for "dress rehearsals", if you will. That's plenty enough though, considering we all practice diligently at home on our own to the tracks.
Do STS play to a click track live?
Our drummer Pat does.
Any play through videos planned to come out soon? With the thumb? :D
Yeah, we filmed 8 videos earlier this month, first one should be out next week or so!
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Ryan Derish
I ask as you see I live in asia but I may be travelling to Louisiana in the not too distant future, and I wouldn't like the hassle of travelling with my bass just for a single hour lesson or so :) Thanks for the replies!
Interesting, well then you could surely borrow one no problem!
Ever since you posted those pics of the Thumb NT, I've wished you could have gotten it before recording "The Migration". Oh well, next album. Anyway, are there any songs in particular that the Thumb sounds way better on than the Spector? Can't wait for the playthroughs!
Believe me, you have no idea. Definitely wish I could have had it to record. Oh well, the Spector and EMGs still sounded impeccable and I'm satisfied with it! The more intricate, wide-ranged parts/songs sound best...something funkier like "The Olive Tree" sounds amazing with the Thumb.
What are some tips you have for stage confidence/presence, aside from being well rehearsed?
The biggest thing I've learned about stage presence, generally, if that if it feels like it looks stupid, it probably looks great. The next thing is, even if you think you're moving around a lot, you probably aren't, so be even more animated. Big movements versus small movements; someone 100 feet away won't see your head barely bobbing up and down. This can apply to any genre...just walk around more and interact with your members. Most importantly, look like you're having fun. Your mood rubs off on the audience's, then they give back that energy...that's what live performances are all about!
Do you still teach in Louisiana when you're home? And if someone travelled to get a lesson, would you allow them to use one of your basses, or must they provide their own?
I do, but I really only teach lessons via Skype now. I do offer in-person lessons, but Skype is just becoming more popular and conventional for both myself and the students since I can really teach anyone in the world. If you're willing to travel, then sure. I honestly feel like a student should have his own instrument, as playing for an hour on one instrument and going home to another is double work, but if it's the only option, then sure!
I totally didnt know you were from Louisiana! At least some good music comes out of our state!
Ha, well thanks. I love this state and some of the best musical atmosphere exists in Louisiana, depending on where you go.
Any gig horror stories to share?
Honestly, none that really stick out to me or that are worth mentioning. Any sort of technical or sound nightmare doesn't happen anymore as we tour with our own sound engineer, and he spoils us to death by making sure that stuff doesn't happen.
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Cameron Eubanks
How do you handle being on tour? Seems grueling, yet y'all are so full of energy on stage.
It's no more grueling than any other job in the world, and like any other job, it requires hard work and sometimes long hours. Occasionally it can be tiring if the routing is really spaced out throughout a few days and whatnot, but overall, I feel pretty energized!
even though you bullied me in high school i love the migration and what you did on there
Cool, thanks. I never bullied anyone, though. Don't roll with the trolls.
What's your opinion on 'Djent'?
Tired of hearing about it among the million other sub-sub-sub-sub genres of rock/metal nowadays. Just another label that comes and goes...it's important to never fixate yourself on those and to just enjoy music and the band's who make it for what it is.
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Adam Curran
Robert Percy
what do you do when you don't feel like practicing, but know you should be?
Look at the upcoming tour calendar and realize I better get on it!
Just wondering about HOW you practice? Not necessarily how long, but more of what you DO during practice time. Some people I know do lots of exercises, some play along to songs, some spend time learning songs. Just wondering what you personally do to practice. Love your work on the MIgration!!!
Well, to be fair, the answer is skewed a little skewed since I'm in a band that tours full-time so the obvious focus is to drill the upcoming songs over and over and over again. I have little time for "rudimentary" practice lately, but I try to incorporate that stuff when warming up. If I just want to sit down and noodle around, I always try to work things I can't play well or are way over my skill level. I think a lot of time is wasted playing things you know, as those skill sets are automatically utilized when working on harder things.
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