Ibanez, Fender, Alvarez, Epiphone, Ovation, Nuendo, Universal Audio, MOTU, Royer, Neuman, Neve, DBX, Mojave, Audio Technica, AKG, EMU, Yamaha, Triton, Roland, Laney, Line 6, Marshall, Peavey, Carvin, Wavelab, URS, UAD-1, Presonus, Mackie...Please try not to ever believe that Pro Tools is a necessary evil ......it's not true and it's not necessary. There are many other programs...all are cool..all have their own strength's and weaknesses, all work well with each other, and ALL are better than Pro Tools...especially NUENDO. ( And yes I own and have owned various versions of PT)
Influences
My dad, my high school years, a crisp fall day, and every freaking musician I've ever heard!
Contact Tables
THE AUTUMN PEOPLE
Beware the autumn people. For some, autumn comes early, stays late through life where October follows September & November touches October & then instead of December & Christ's birth, there is no Bethlehem Star, no rejoicing, but September comes again & old October & so on down the years, with no winter, spring, or revivifying summer. For these beings fall is ever the normal season, the only weather, there be no choice beyond. Where do they come from? The dust. Where do they go? The grave. Does blood stir in their veins? No: the night wind. What ticks in their head? The worm. What speaks from their mouth? The toad. What sees from their eye? The snake. What hears with their ear? The abyss betweeen the stars. They sift the human storm for souls, eat flesh of reason, fill tombs with sinners. They frenzy forth. In gust they beetle-scurry, creep, thread, filter, motion, make all moons sullen, & surely cloud all clear-run waters. The spider-web hears them, trembles - breaks. Such are the autumn people. Beware of us.
Some kind words about Ron Z.....
ELLIOTT RANDALL (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Asia, Loudon Wainwright III, Yoko Ono) : One *serious* guitarist
GEORGE MARINELLI Bruce Hornsby and the Range, Bonnie Raitt) : In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t even think of the things he plays
LOU VOLPE (Herbie Mann, Bette Midler, Judy Collins, Harry Chapin) : Great tone and feel
CHRIS ALLEN (Mission Control, Solo Project, Boston Guitar God) : Ron Z RULES!
LES JULY (Slash, k.d. Lang, Dr.Dre, Herbie Hancock) : Ron Z. IS the consumate professional and the only guitarist anyone would ever need, for ANY situation.
I am session guitarist from NY now living in CT.
I started playing at 6, sightreading 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. I took some lessons with John Scofield, Joe Pass, and Alan DeMausse. Even though I wasn’t a jazz player at the time, and wanted to be a rock player, I just figured if I could learn some of the complexities of Jazz, I could incorporate that into my rock stuff. One of my few moments of illumination!
Many people ask how you get started in session work.
I was lucky. Geography, being in NY, and luck played a key role. I was in a band that also owned a studio, and I was asked to play a solo on a song for an R&B group that was recording at the studio. I guess I did OK, and was asked to do more. You are only as good as your last session, so I tried to always do my best, suggest parts when appropriate, and not be anything less than professional. Show up on time, have solid gear, be healthy, and
be in the moment. (Quite zen that last part). Oh, and NO ATTITUDES!! The studio is stressful enough!
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. Won a Connecticut CMA award for best modern country recording. Most sessions are not for major artists, but for small label or indie artist’s. These I like the best. They are usually more casual and always alot of fun!
BTW, another question I get asked, is it necessary to sightread to be a session guy….
Well, yes and no. However, the ability to sightread enables you to accept work that others cannot! I’ve doubled bass parts, played classical pieces, and have the ability to write out harmony lines for my parts immediately instead of struggling to figure out a part.
These days, the sessions come in from all over and I never have to leave my studio! I have many clients from Nashville to Florida to California and even as far away as Italy and China! (2008 Olympics anyone?)It’s not unusual to find my schedule balancing as many as 20 sessions or more per week! (The studio guitarist scene may not exist anymore, but the occupation certainly
exists, especially if you own a killer home studio!)
As far as gear: here goes…my main guitars are a 1974 Strat, 2006 Highway One, Ibanez RG2550 and RG121. I have many amps, but usualy use either my floor Pod XT, or my Johnson! (No jokes!!) Plus, I like to say I play the studio! Plugins and processors are my friends!
I use and LOVE NUENDO, Universal Audio Plugins, Mostly work on a PC. I do own a Mac and Pro Tools but have no love for either! I just use PT for transferring projects that come in right into Nuendo.
I’ve been doing this for many years. Now I am feeling the need for a change and am currently recording a solo guitar project. My main reason is that, even though I get to play all the time, I am RARELY allowed to play the way I believe the part should be played. There’s alot of limited imagination out there! As you can imagine…it can be quite frustrating! Most often I hear the same complaint, and I QUOTE: “Sure, that’s some great playing, but who am I going to get to replay the part?” It feels like I have to cater to the lowest common denominator! I want to push the guitar into the spotlight and play as
best as I can, but most just want simplicity. Guess I’ll have to learn how to play standing up again!
Hi Ron. The only TV commercial I was in was the "Holiday Season" commercial for Hatfield Jewellers from 2007. I co-scripted and co-directed the commercial along with my wife.
Dear Ron, yes, you're right. The lemonade from Lemons thing, got ya. I do. Btw I do write when I feel BLUE blue, but also, happy blues, sexy Blues, mad Blues, heart breakin' Blues too... There's Blues for every feeling in every person I guess. We're just fortunate enough to be blessed with the knowledge and talent to compose and write lyrics to which ever Blues we're feelin' at the time. Thank you so much for your friendship, it mens the world to me... So here's a lil' wish for you from me. Hope you have a Sweet,Sensual, Satiating Sunday... Love, Xxx's Cherry girl
