Happy Holidays!
I thought you might enjoy my list of guitar resolutions! I would love to see yours in the comments section below.
1. TO BE MUSICALLY HONEST. I am a pop guitarist. I love pop music. I like melodies and lyrics and hooks and guitar solos that are clever and quick. So I am basically gearing my musical life to that end starting ASAP. I'm only accepting sessions that are in a style I will enjoy, instead of just for the money. I've been at this a long time and I choose happiness over anything now. So the word "no" will be a big word in my vocabulary.
2. TO BE ME. I will continue to do sessions, but not the kind where I am told what to play and how to play it with a particular sound on a certain amp. Those days are over. I will only accept sessions where people hire me to be me. How will I accomplish this? By first releasing as much material of my own so those interested can choose me as the right choice and know what I am capable of adding to their project.
3. TO NOT BE INFLUENCED BY OTHERS. I will use the gear I like, no matter what anyone thinks, and will play the music I enjoy and release it with no thought of being judged. We all want acceptance. I did too. Maybe too much. I think so. I put others' wants and needs ahead of my own. Maybe this is obvious to others, but it was a problem for me. You can't be a true artist by doing that. It is only a perfect path to artistic failure.
4. TO SELL ANY AND ALL GEAR I NO LONGER NEED. I have quite a collection. I use mostly seven of my many guitars. I rarely turn on my amps. I am in love with my Pod HD500. I also still love my Floor POD XT. I will eventually be playing out, but my amps don't inspire me anymore. Well one or two do. I might even donate some. Good karma.
5. TO SPEND LESS TIME PRACTICING AND MORE TIME PLAYING. Notice I said less. I will always practice and study and learn. However, I am in a creative mode and that muse must be given the attention now. And when I speak of playing, I mean playing more creatively in the style of my choosing: pop.
6. TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS IT TAKES TO COMPLETE A PROJECT. No more deadlines. I want to care about my sound, my playing, my tone. I want to care as much as I can and I want to listen as deep as I can. And if I am not happy, well, I work till I am happy. Happy Ron!
7. TO BE FEARLESS. That may be the ultimate summation of the previous resolutions. To put myself out there, for better or worse. I cannot fail. How can you fail if all you are is YOU?
This should be interesting!
Have a safe and healthy new year. Be excellent to one another.
Till next year …
Ron Zabrocki on Ron Zabrocki: I’m a session guitarist from New York, now living in Connecticut. I started playing at age 6, sight reading right off the bat. That’s how I was taught, so I just believed everyone started that way! I could pretty much sight read anything within a few years, and that aided me in becoming a session guy later in life. I took lessons from anyone I could and was fortunate enough to have some wonderful instructors, including John Scofield, Joe Pass and Alan DeMausse. I’ve played many jingle sessions, and even now I not only play them but have written a few. I’ve “ghosted” for a few people that shall remain nameless, but they get the credit and I got the money! I’ve played sessions in every style, from pop to jazz.
