Fretboard Journal Live: Blake Mills

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Fretboard Journal Live: Blake Mills

Рет қаралды 117,196

10 жыл бұрын

For this installment of Fretboard Journal Live, we talk to stellar producer/session musician/singer-songwriter Blake Mills about his album, 'Heigh Ho,' gear and more. We also hear three tunes from his new album: "If I'm Unworthy," "Don't Tell Our Friends About Me," and "Cry to Laugh."
Gear discussion starts at 30:00.
Technical note: Apologies for the clipping / audio issues -- this was a live production and we were unable to dial in the audio before going live. We've reposted the songs as individual videos with better audio on KZfaq.
Look for a major feature on Blake in the Fretboard Journal's 34th issue.
Fretboard Journal Live is proudly sponsored by our friends at Martin Guitar.

Пікірлер: 92

@JonSebastianF 8 жыл бұрын

05:07 If I'm Unworthy 25:10 Don't Tell Our Friends About Me 55:57 Cry to Laugh

@joshb8976 8 жыл бұрын

He is definitely one of the best guitarists I've ever seen in my life.

@chrisjacobie2260 10 жыл бұрын

Blake, I'm an upright bass player. Here's a tip for dealing with hollowbody feedback: Connect a DI with a polarity switch somewhere in the path between your guitar and amp. If your hollowbody starts to take off, flip the switch. Changing the relationship between the speaker and the vibrating top of the instrument usual takes care of the problem.

@justinmartindale6855 6 жыл бұрын

Chris J fantastic tip.

@CaptainJazz262 4 жыл бұрын

Damn, I shouldn't have sold my archtop

@glimmertwin1977 9 жыл бұрын

After watching Blake's lesson on "Guitar Power" it's clear that the study he was doing on Howlin Wolf's Forty Four was what turned into that first song. Really cool to see that.

@Sasketchejuana_man 4 жыл бұрын

I knew I'd heard it somewhere... I thought it was derek trucks but I remember now derek had a part in his live set where they covered 44 as well and he brought on a short scale silvertone..

@nclempark1 8 жыл бұрын

when he plays "if im unworthy" he adjusted the volume nob as he playing. I mean the amount of mental power it takes to play like that, sing, and change the guitar volume, and do it that beautifully, is beyond belief. He is a true musical rarity. Cheers, I'm obsessed.

@emdblues 7 жыл бұрын

nclempark1 most players do that, it's like a second nature after some time. Not that big of a deal, but yes, he's a genius musician.

@stevearle 9 жыл бұрын

Ry Cooder w/ jazz chops!...seriously, I would not want to pigeon hole this fine player who has obviously done some homework but sounds new, fresh.& deep. Rare indeed.

@daleturner 10 жыл бұрын

That "Cry to Laugh" performance at 55:57 just KILLED me. Amazing stuff... (the entire vid). Thank you for sharing!

@Sasketchejuana_man 4 жыл бұрын

good luck to the engineer riding the compression levels in the studio... dudes music is so dynamic.. soft then loud.. I'm sitting here riding the youtube volume fader the whole time just to balance it out somewhat lol

@MariJu1ce Ай бұрын

This recording was horrible tho. And thats one thing what compressors are for. So you dont have to ride it manually

@matttorres8921 5 жыл бұрын

I really enjoy seeing interviews with Blake, you guys asked great questions. Love that interviews like this that light a creative fire under my ass. Blake's playing is so unique, and the tunings blow my mind sometimes. I could only wish to be this connected to my guitar.

@OrphanRecordingHX 10 жыл бұрын

This man was surely grown in a lab funded by musical X-Men. Game changer.

@dandrury Жыл бұрын

Great songs stand up at any volume. Total inspiration. Amazing stuff!! 👍🏻👍🏻🤘✌️

@PastaPatate 7 жыл бұрын

I remember thinking where did he learn to play like this. Great info about Bob Brozman.

@TreSneaky 9 жыл бұрын

Blake is starting to a bit like the child of Frusciante and Klinghoffer, I love it. Every web series he is on his playing style is completely different. People will talk about him the way they talk about Hendrix and SRV one day.

@xDooksx 8 жыл бұрын

So, I'm probably the only one that has noticed Blake's clothes are color coordinated with the room.

@adamsankowski9233 9 жыл бұрын

Hey Fretboard journal, how about having camera shots of the fretboard throughout? I'm sorry, not watching this to see what Blake looks like when he sings. Far too few actually shot/ close ups of the guitar. This is titled "the fretboard journal" right? :) Man, Blake is amazing...

@aworldwithoutzinc3828 25 күн бұрын

fretboard journal the sound on this video is frigged right up

@spawn1lts 10 жыл бұрын

i like his pinky on the volume

@mshedg 10 жыл бұрын

Sweet! Blake is the real deal!

@rodolfolarrea8493 9 жыл бұрын

blake is a such a great player ...

@GuillermoCarrasco 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks...!

@GlennMichaelThompson 8 жыл бұрын

It's interesting how you mention that the pickup's sound out of phase when played together w/ the coodercaster.I was playing a Gibson Barney Kessel and found it had a throaty vocal phased sound with both pickups on. I don't know if you get a similar tonal change with the Barney?

@attarzz 9 жыл бұрын

RIP headphone user

@ostensible7197 3 жыл бұрын

worth it

@outerloop 10 жыл бұрын

Dudes a badass!!!

@spawn1lts 10 жыл бұрын

legendary performance

@PIPA1302 7 жыл бұрын

fucking amazing.....one of a kind

@jimifopp145 8 жыл бұрын

49:58 "I'm a huge fan of ????'s pianoplaying," Can someone pls help me out here? I can't hear which pianist he's mentioning, he tends to mumble a little too much sometimes :)

@beepbeepboopboop933 8 жыл бұрын

I think he said Randy Newman

@googleexgreecian 8 жыл бұрын

What is that device on top of his fender. It looks like a mixer and sounds like it has a leslie effect on it.

@Whitehawkvisionfilms 8 жыл бұрын

Why do y'all never list the instruments in the info box? Please list them!

@h.j.w2783 9 жыл бұрын

can someone please tell me who he says at 15:14, when he's referencing middle eastern music. sounds like glant bachon? which obviously isn't right.

@jomamahan 9 жыл бұрын

ali akbar khan

@anthonymoroneygodzil 9 жыл бұрын

jomamahan admiral 'trap' ackbar

@TomHollandGuitar 7 жыл бұрын

This guy is the fucking man

@Massigangster 9 жыл бұрын

Hey all! What is the name of this band Blake talks about, the Irish one at 46:25

@h.j.w2783 9 жыл бұрын

Zucchero. Italian singer/songwriter. Blake played on the album 'La Sesión Cubana'.

@Massigangster 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Amazing!

@tikeanderson 9 жыл бұрын

What kind of 'caster are they calling that?

@h.j.w2783 9 жыл бұрын

coodercaster. check out Ry Cooder, phenomenal guitarist who Blake draws a lot of inspiration from. he was the first to have a guitar made up like this.

@tikeanderson 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I did figure it out after posting this. After hearing Blake play Jesus On The Mainline I realized what they were saying was Cooder... Duh!

@h.j.w2783 9 жыл бұрын

tike anderson you heard Blake play 'Jesus On The Mainline'? Where? Gotta see this. I love that song.

@tikeanderson 9 жыл бұрын

Actuall about 9:00 in sorry....

@bkw1952 9 жыл бұрын

That is a kinda "Coodercaster" ala Ry with a lap steel pickup at the bridge and a Teisco style foil at the neck

@VillageGuitarAmpCoSaskatoon 9 жыл бұрын

I alway get a kick out of Music related shows that can't do a good job of recording audio. I think you might be missing the point.

@fretboardjournal 9 жыл бұрын

We do the show on a shoestring budget (we're a print magazine, not a recording studio) but we're working on improving our audio setup. Thanks for the feedback!

@AndrewSchwartzenberger 9 жыл бұрын

Fretboard Journal You guys do an awesome job, keep it up!

@simpsimpson5175 9 жыл бұрын

+Fretboard Journal Just buy a decent Mic. You can get a chinese clone for about 100 clam$. Blake looks like he has plenty of mic pre amps behind him.. I mean how hard is it? ;)

@DaytonBrock 9 жыл бұрын

+Village Guitar & Amp Co. ass

@nickb3250 8 жыл бұрын

+Village Guitar & Amp Co. No kidding. What a bummer.

@AndrewSchwartzenberger 10 жыл бұрын

Is it just me, or does his Twitter handle, "@BreakMirrors," sound like how an Asian American with a super heavy accent would pronounce "Blake Mills?" (It's probably the case that I'm late to the joke party).

@joshuamagee5505 10 жыл бұрын

I think on his website there was an interview with Jeff Bridges where he said that's exactly how he got the name of the record. Weird, huh?

@AndrewSchwartzenberger 10 жыл бұрын

Makes me laugh that THAT'S how he came up with the name! Friends and I occasionally try to change all of our "l's" to "r's" just for kicks. (Not very PC, I know). So, when I read "Break Mirrors," I just started cracking up.

@tde1873 8 жыл бұрын

I think some people might be interested in seeing the whole guitar while he is playing, bad directing

@user-ju7ze9to4k 5 жыл бұрын

Ho. Ly. Fuck. I’m gonna sell my guitars...

@VisionaryCompanion 9 жыл бұрын

Something went wrong with the song, "Don't Tell Our Friends About Me." I can't possibly be the only person who noticed.

@weismannstig 9 жыл бұрын

I heard it too...

@cartertrobinson 9 жыл бұрын

He knows he fucked up

@torontolarrivee7965 8 жыл бұрын

+VisionaryCompanion I just listened intently and didn't notice anything going wrong -- what are we talking about here?

@VisionaryCompanion 8 жыл бұрын

+TorontoLarrivee The descending chord pattern has a chord voicing at the end, in which there is a note that I am certain that the guitarist does not intend to play, and it is discordant.

@torontolarrivee7965 8 жыл бұрын

hmm can you give me a time stamp? curious because it'll bug me if I didn't perceive that. :)

@njmikec 9 жыл бұрын

Talking about music is like knitting about poetry. Play some music.

@aikoshimada3167 4 жыл бұрын

you've not knitted about poetry? do tell...

@JDChicago 7 жыл бұрын

Are people just looking for someone to play like they remember the Grateful Dead with a little bit of The Band thrown in? I just don't see how this moves guitar playing forward.