Ebmm Marketing Bonanza

[kbaim]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...

In an unprecendented marketing bonanza for the ERNIE BALL company, NORM and KBAIM will be competing against eachother, and others, in the March 23rd Guitarmagedden at Guitar Center Lake Forest, California at 6:30 pm.

KBAIM will be playing his BLUE DAWN LUKE.

NORM will most likely play his BLUE DAWN PIEZO SILO.

This event promises to be memorable, especially if one or both just totally eats it under the pressure.

Both KBAIM and NORM will try to be available for a meet and greet immediately following the contest...depending on hooker, drug, and alcohol situation.

KEITH

 

[tvanveen]

Please send hooker pics.

 

[ibanezrocker]

I second that motion

 

[NorM]

This Just In

Norm's coach "John" will also be at the shredfest. John (who is so cool he doesn't read this board) will be playing Norm's Black Silo w/ EMG's and a Floyd. If you are competing, consider this your warning. It would be prudent for you to bring an extra sack lunch. John will be eating yours.

I would like to encourage all of you to go to your local GC and sign up for this event. If you are to scared to sign up then cut your hair and stop wearing dresses. If you feel you are not good enough to sign up, then turn off the computer and go pratice.

At least you could have your mom take you down to the GC for the competition so you could watch the grown ups play. They are a lot of fun. They usally don't run to late so you can get to bed on time.

 

[tvanveen]

Dang, look at Norm throwing it down.

 

[kbaim]

NORM,

Does John like Tuna fish?

KEITH

PS By coach, do you mean your guitar teacher?

 

[NorM]

John is more of a grilled cheese man.
MMMMMMM 36 Individually wrapped slices of American Cheese.

My relationship with John is more of a symbiotic type as opposed to a teacher student one. We both do things that each other (and you) can't do. I tend to meticulously script every note and nuance where as John just shoots from the hip (and that makes me sick). I have some technically difficult and unintuitive parts while John is blazingly fast and sounds awesome.

Yes I am bringing some smack talk into this. The idea behind this is to encourage everyone to be better players. I know that the only person you should be competing with is yourself. Still, playing out and performing is a great way to practice. If you are reading this you know you are going to sound good because you are playing the best sounding guitar there is. I, and the audience you are playing for, WANT you to do well. In the past I have posted challenges for others to go out and play. These posts were not responded to. I get nervous as hell before performances but hey! I did it and made great memories.

Once, after a performance at an open mic, someone came up to me and said I sucked. I responded with, "I've been here all night and I don't remember seeing you on stage. Did you not play because you have no talent or are you just chicken sh*t?" He realized he was out of place (had to much to drink) and excused himself from the establishment. Besides, if he thought I sucked, he obviously had never met this head-banging chick I know.

The acceptance response:
If someone tells you they didn't like your music, try responding with, "Thank You for listening." If they are not so knocked off balanced by your response you might get some positive feedback on what you could do to improve. If they can't comprehend your acceptance then they are lacking certain social skills and you don't need to talk to them anyway. Your clue will be that they turn and leave. Let them.

The only person you need to impress is yourself. Here is an opportunity for you to do exactly that.

 

[ibanezrocker]

Atta boy NORM! SHRED AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....lol

 

[kbaim]

NORM and JOHN sitting in a tree
P-i-c-k-i-n-g
First comes talent
Then comes shred
Think I'll bribe the judges to pick me instead

KEITH

PS The above is why the tunes I write are all instrumentals!

 

[dan ratcliffe]

Yes I am bringing some smack talk into this. The idea behind this is to encourage everyone to be better players. I know that the only person you should be competing with is yourself. Still, playing out and performing is a great way to practice. If you are reading this you know you are going to sound good because you are playing the best sounding guitar there is. I, and the audience you are playing for, WANT you to do well. In the past I have posted challenges for others to go out and play. These posts were not responded to. I get nervous as hell before performances but hey! I did it and made great memories.

Norm, those are words to live by!

Go, Ballers, Go!

 

[tvanveen]

In the past I have posted challenges for others to go out and play.

I did it last weekend!

I've actually been thinking about this thing...generally my view on guitars is that they're there to serve the song, and that songs aren't musical structures with holes for solos.

Having said that, this might be a good way to work through my awful stage fright, and give a sort of structured way to practice for the next couple of weeks.

The only drawback is that GC doesn't serve beer.

They have the backing tracks in the store, right?

 

[kbaim]

This Just In

KBAIM will also bring his Pacific Blue Burst Axis SuperSport w/ Piezo and MM90's as he can't decide if sacrificing a bit of distortion tone may be worth the addition of having the Piezo tones that sound soooo good with his fingerpicking song "AFTER AWHILE", that he'll finish his set with.

So many BALLS, so little time

KEITH

 

[NorM]

I did it last weekend!

I saw the pictures and sat here and smiled. I was thrilled for you guys!

They have the backing tracks in the store, right?

Yes! Go get your copy today!

 

[NorM]

The only drawback is that GC doesn't serve beer.

T!
Houston's Resturant is within walking distance from the GC near you! Put your buzz on and go play.

 

[kbaim]

RE: advice to GET YOUR BUZZ ON

I'm in the play it straight with a sharp mind camp.

Sure, beer (etc) may settle you down a bit and dull stage jitters, but it also may affect performance.

It might be wise to just practice your piece enough times and know it so well it becomes second nature to play it through. Easily moving from one section of the song to the next.

Save the suds for celebrating a fine performance after.

That being said, if you follow this advice and still crap your pants on stage...don't blame me.

I'm at the 3:39 mark of my tune. Half a minute to go and I'll be ready. And Saturday will be two weeks I've been working on it. Glad I have until the 23rd.

KEITH

 

[kbaim]

UPDATE

KBAIM has finished learning and almost mastering his song for the contest. With 2 weeks left before the performance, he's pleased with his effort, and confident in his chances of playing it well.

Of course, the judges could still think it sucks. Which wouldn't be so bad if He was just winging it...but damn, he's put a lot of time into it working out every single note and chord all the way through it.

KEITH

 

[NorM]

The judges for this competition are usally local musicians that have enjoyed moderate success. Over the years they have ranged from College classical PhD candidates to Saltwater.

 

[kbaim]

Nasty turn of events

In a sure sign that tensions are rising one week before they square off, KBAIM received a voice messege last night from NORM's girlfriend warning KBAIM to be afraid.

In a totally unrelated matter, KBAIM wet his bed last night.

KEITH

 

[NorM]

I placed third in the Tucson preliminary. I played through the Big Line 6 and got comments on how bad the amp sounded. Placing 3rd was cool because I don't have to play again against the finalists. Some of those people are scary good. Now I don't suck by any means. But it is frightening to get up on stage. But I did it!!!! Therefore I rock!!!!! Everyone loved the Blue Dawn Silo! Pictures soon.

 

[kbaim]

Don't sweat it. Build on all the good things about performing.

How many contestents were there in Tucson? In Lake Forest only 5 guys went up and they picked 2! A 40% chance of winning! Gotta love those odds.

The 23rd has 8 scheduled. That means a 1 in 4 chance of winning.

I'm really comfortable playing the song now. I'll get to GC in the next day or two to make sure I get a good sound BEFORE the actual contest. If they let me use my own POD, no problem. If not, then more work ahead.

KEITH