- Six Strings - The Sincerest Form Of Thievery

(The Sincerest Form Of Thievery - Mirrored Insight)

The creative process is a fickle thing sometimes.  Something really impressive will come into your head and you'll spend an afternoon cranking on it because you think you've sprung upon something truly remarkable.

Then you hear a song on the radio that sounds almost exactly like your own, a song that you -love-, and you get irritated because you haven't really created anything.  You've just stolen something made by someone much, much more talented than you.  It frustrated the snot out of me for awhile, and then a friend of mine said something that sort of ...encouraged me:

"I've watched 2 different kinds of artists: ones who emulate (almost out and out thieve) and those who starve their creative practice to death by holding themselves to the extremest measures of originality. What happened next was the artists who emulated, eventually went on to make their own sound, while the other ones kept on not being very much fun to be around.  Foundation is a good thing. "

What was it they said?  Imitation was the sincerest form of... well, something anyway.

Nights like tonight make me absolutely furious with the fates that my father isn't alive anymore.  I want to show him what I've done so badly... I wonder, would we have written together?  Would we have sat quietly in a room and created wondrous things?

No, I don't think it would have been quiet.  

Guitar: Gretsch Streamliner 2622 Hardtail "Pearline/The Pearl"

Pots: All Max

Pick-Up: Neck

Amp: Boss Katana Mk I

Cabinet: (o'Clock): Clean, Gain 9, Amp Vol Max, Master Vol 12

Effects: Blues Overdrive 10, Delay (O) 10, Reverb (O) 10

Pedals: Seraphim Shimmer, 1, 3:15, No Shim

Chord Notes:

Opening Doodle

Em, A7, Em, A7

Ems4, A7/9, Ems4, A7/9

F5, G5, F5, G5

F5, G5, C11, Am

Em, A7, Ems4, A7/9

Ems4, A7/9, Ems4, A7

F5, Am, F5, Am

Dm, Am, B7, Em

Em, HA, Em, HA

Em, HA, Em, HA

The opening doodle is a harmonic sequence played at the 12th and 7th frets using various strings.  The low E is being played naturally without a harmonic to provide tonal contrast.

Ems4 - This is a standard Em with my pinky also down on the second string, third fret.

A7/9 - This is a standard A7 with my pinky down on the first string, third fret.

F5 - This is a standard mini-bar F with the first string ringing open.

G5 - This is the F5 Chord moved up to the third fret.

C11 - This is a standard C with the second string ringing open and with my pinky occasionally fiddling with the first string, third fret.

HA - This is an E Chord shape played at the sixth fret.  The sixth string is muted.