T H E I N T E R V I E W: MEGAN SLANKARD Megan Slankard is one of our favourite singer/songwriters here at the office with a stunningly crystalline vocal delivery and sensitive lyrics. David Knopfler said [Megan has] “Voice and songs to die for – the best thing behind a guitar you’ll see or hear this year.”
Thanks for taking the time to speak to us! I understand you’ve been playing and writing for some time now – your first CD was produced when you were 18 right, how was that experience for you? Hey Terence! Well, thanks for having me. Much appreciated! Yes, I’ve been playing and writing since I was about 10 years old. I started recording for fun when I was 16, using Digital Performer on my dad’s Mac. Fun stuff, but I wasn’t very good at it at first, that’s for sure. At one point, in the middle of a night of recording carried away, the computer just turned off, “bling.” Just like that, everything was gone, every session, every song. It had all evaporated into the ether. Of course my parents were awakened by my cries of dismay, pounding on their door, 4:00 am, and dad came out and fixed everything. It was a great learning experience; and I learned as I went along. By the time I decided it was going to be an album, I had figured most of the program out. I bought a decent large diaphragm CAD mic from someone who got it from someone else from eBay, and away I went. It’s definitely not perfect, but I’m still proud of myself for figuring it out!
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T H E I N T E R V I E W: MEGAN SLANKARD And you’ve just released your new CD- how was that experience? After a slow, but steady, two years of work, I finally released my CD, A Token of the Wreckage in 2011. The recording process was pretty quick, and fun, but we took our time with the mixes and artwork as we wanted to get them right. We had a lot of unbelievably talented people work on this CD - from all the musicians and engineers, to the people who mixed it, put the art together, and down to the very packaging. I feel very fortunate to have worked with everyone and I’m very happy with the way it turned out. Could you let us in on your writing style and habits? Do they start as melodies or as chords first? I usually try to allow myself a few hours a day to just sit down and try to be creative. After all, this is a big part of my job, and if I boiled it all down, the first thing that matters to my career. First thing, because without the songs, what can I do? Since I am a morning person, the first thing I do when I wake up is work on all of the business stuff that I’ve let build up the day before. Make myself a good cup of tea and get to work. I try to work a few hours before noon when I like to stop and pick up my guitar. I don’t try to force out songs if they’re not happening, but had a good bit of advice from a musical mentor who said, “Don’t deny them.” The worst thing I could do is get distracted because I think the idea is “stupid” and stop a “bad” song from turning into a potentially great song. Still, it’s easy to get frustrated, distracted, or even bored if the ideas don’t come at all. My muse tends to be a flighty little fellow, always dashing about, hiding under everyday dilemmas and distractions. So, as Derek Sivers (of CD Baby fame) said once at a seminar, “You have to meet inspiration half way.” I go and inspire myself. I read, or write freely without form, just whatever pops into my head. Sometimes I draw or take a walk… When I am feeling inspired to sit down and write, I go at it. Pencil and paper, or lap top. I usually record speedy scratch ideas and melodies onto my ipod with the extremely handy Belkin Tunetalk and when I’m on the road, sometimes into my cell phone voice mail. Words and music seem to come together. I may start with a “catchy phrase” or a little guitar lick, but they end up relying a lot on each other to build a solid structure to the songs. Spread: Photo by Justin Oliphant
You’re missing a lot of great content in Issue3 Click here for the full ISSUE! INTERVIEWS
David Wren 52-65 Kris Barnett 66-79 Megan Slankard 80-82
LESSONS Celtic Guitar Masterclass with Anton Emery: Celtic Backup 40-44
FEATURES Guitar Anatomy 6-7 Honduran Mahogany 9-10 The Tree Mahogany 12-13
SPECIAL FEATURE All instruments featured in this issue are feature highly figured Mahogany from “The Tree”
Kostal Modified Dreadnought 14-22 Ryan Dragonfly 24-29 Wells The Atlantic 34-37 Elliott Steel String Model 30-33 Breedlove OM Revival 38-39 Mauel McCloud 45-48 Miller Dreadnought 49-51 Kraut Modified Dreadnought 84-85 Saville Small Jumbo 86-90 McElroy Standard 94 Shimo Sugilite 95 True North Guitar Model 1 96-99 Fleishman 100-102 Woolson Ukulele 103-104
REVIEWS Little Man 91 Songs About Something 92 Acoustic Bossa Nova 93
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When lyrics or melody come separately, I have a much harder time matching up the other. Perhaps this is one of the reasons the Beatles had so much success: two songwriters (incredible songwriters, might I add,) who could help each other out and build on ideas. This is a guitar blog so I’m going to have you what your set up is… I have a simple set up: two acoustic guitars, Taylor 614ce with factory Fishman pickup, and a Guild D55 with a new and very delicious LR Baggs M1 and iMix combo. Boss tuner, G7th capos, and Martin Strings. I usually like to sing into a Shure Beta 87A.
Thanks for speaking to us, Megan. Before we let you go, could you share with us any exciting projects for the future? It’s ‘s nice to have something more current to represent myself when I go on tour, which has been my main focus for the last year and a half. In 2011 my agent KC and I decided to experiment with a more advanced touring schedule than usual and I ended up being on the road for more than 7 months throughout the tour (mostly solo). This year I’ve been focusing on touring with a collection of songwriters called The Novelists. The group is made up of four songwriters who have all toured independently throughout the US, and since we all go the same places we figured why not share costs and benefits of touring by doing it all as a group. We perform our songs together as a band with four-part harmony, bluegrass instrumentation, and an energetic pop sound. (www.thenovelists.com).
CD cover & Art for “A Token of the Wreckage” by David Ball, the design by Akira Kimata.
HERE’S WHAT WE HAD IN ISSUE 5 OF GUITARBENCH MAGAZINE! Please consider supporting us by subscribing. Just $8 and you’ll get all 4 full Issues in 2013, in higher quality and without so many adverts in an article.
Hand made American guitars
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Hamblin GC
Bashkin Placencia OM
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