Break from plays... then more plays!

How have you been?
With a new job in a public school system, new graduate classes, Edx.org, and other projects, I have been trying to manage my life week by week. Work is being done and the path I am on seems right for the time being-- I do not feel like I have enough options at the moment. When I begin my dissertation next year I should see my next major step on the horizon. Life changes are important and I always welcome them. ....even in music.

This leads me of course to mention that I have had an ongoing battle with sound for my electric guitars for years. There has always been a disconnect between what I want and what I have (not only what I can afford, but what I could best put together). Guitar pickups, effects and amplifier have never worked out well for me. I would get "quality" pickups but then they went through effects that were lacking and an amplifier that couldn't handle either. I spent a long time playing through practice amps, but even the tube versions had no headroom-- effects did not sound good through these! Many months ago I finally bought used versions of two amplifiers that can handle anything: A Peavey ValveKing 100 tube amp and a Vox AC15VR. I even traded my way to a Music Man JP70 with upgraded Seymour Duncan pickups and a Line 6 Hd300 effects pedal (I did some Ebay selling and buying--always looking for deals-- I may have spent $1200 for everything). Now I am not enjoying any patch on the HD300, and I am going back to trying individual pedals. Ebay is being used once again, and if I have any luck, I should be posting the result of my research into a better sound. I am learning about what I want, but even better, how to get it.
This video helped: Steve Vai knows what he is talking about!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djA3ZG3dHj0

After the onslaught of musicals this year, I thought that after Hairspray they might be over. Fortunately, they are not.

In early November I reprising a role I had almost 10 years ago playing 1st guitar for Man of La Mancha at Orion Arts Center. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/879440

That same month (the following week), I am playing guitar for Legally Blonde at Edward Little HS. Most of the Hairspray crew will be in this, so I will be glad to see familiar faces again.

What can I say, I belong doing theatre! Where else can you play music, get paid, and work on a huge project that takes many people to run?

Now to find something for December (aside from playing the Messiah with ASO).

Take care!