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THE BLUE HOUR LOUNGE

Pete exchanges information and gear talk for the advanced and the novice musician.

The Blue Hour Lounge was a forum in which Pete answered questions from fans on guitar playing and the music business. Although some of these questions were from the late 1990s, the answers are still helpful and insightful. There are also links to exclusive interviews.

PAGE THREE

QUESTION: Any volume pedals you'd recommend?

Thanks, Dave

ANSWER: Goodrich low z with the battery, no boost, no tone wheel, and no low profile...they by far the best I have ever used...good luck/pete

QUESTION: I have lately been thinking of switching amps.
I play blues/rock with I guess a touch of country...can't really explain it...
Anyway...Have you ever tried a Harry Joyce head? I'm either thinking about the Harry Joyce head or a Line 6...I can't decide...what do you think?
Thanks, Charlie

ANSWER: Don't know much about that amp head.. I use Amp Farm in the studio, and Black Face Twin or Dual Pro or Tone Master live....the new Line 6 amp coming out is called the Vetta.. I just tried it out and it is hands down the most incredible amp ever....good luck/pete

QUESTION: Hey Pete,

I purchased the Larrivee PAOM-03 in June and I find myself gettng tired of the Elixir strings that came with it. What gauge do you prefer on your acoustic model? I've always liked D'Addario and I'm thinking about trying the custom light gauge so I can bend a little easier. However I don't want to sacrifice the sound too much. What's your opinion on the coated strings from Elixir and D'Addario?
P.S. I absolutely love this guitar!!!
Ross Beckett

ANSWER: I like the D'Addario strings myself...thanx /good luck/pete

QUESTION: Hey Pete
I have noticed that you mention from time and again " major scale harmonized." Can you in short form explain? thanks, Rick

ANSWER: Take the key of C ...every note in the C scale has a chord that corresponds with the C scale...example the 1st. note is a C, the chord that corresponds is a C Major..the next note is a D that chord is a D Minor...let's call that the 2 chord...so the 1 is a Major the 2 is a Minor the 3 is a Minor the 4 is a Major the 5 is a dominant 7th....the 6 is a Minor, and the 7th is a diminished...have a friend play a C scale while you play these chords and you will see that it works over all of them. Then trade off and you play all around with a C Major scale. It should open up some doors. That is the major scale harmonized, and those are the numbers we give to those chords...as in a 1, 4, 5 blues progression....good luck/Pete

QUESTION: Hi Pete, Saw you on tour with Dwight Yoakam this summer at Universal Amphitheater. Great show..you really LET IT RIP on the guitar. I read that your next CD will be, "Daredevil Guitar." What kind of music can we expect to hear on it? Are you gonna let it rip on this CD, as well? (Hope so)
~Lisa King

ANSWER: "Hopefully all instrumental...very melodic/groove oriented - experimental - No Holds Barred!" .... pete

QUESTION: Pete, I read the online article that your buddy, Mike Hooper, wrote about your Blues music background, specifically Muddy Waters and BB King covers. Do you have any plans to include some Blues covers *a la Pete Anderson*, in a future CD?
~Lisa King

ANSWER: "I try to channel Muddy's vibe in everything I do on my own - plus sometimes with Dwight." ...pete

QUESTION: Pete Anderson's tone is so unique in that it almost comes off "uncivilized" at times. I noticed on a Brent Mason set of chops (I think it was an Allan Jackson tune), that even the normally measured and tone laden Mason, pulled out some very distinctly "Pete Anderson" type tone. This was the antithesis of Brent"s sound! It was nasty, snarling, primitive, biting reach-into the very back of the pick-up type sound. Brent plays more of a snap, crackle, pop Twin and tele type sound. (Although he can sound like anything he feels like) This crash and burn tone that Pete gets, does he use any effects or enhancing gear at all? It sound like a "hard to play Tele getting worked over by a pissed off Farmer using a Blues DeVille or something" Any ideas?
~Ken

ANSWER: It mostly comes from your attitude and your right hand! The hybrid pickin' technique in the video!
~ Thanx pete

QUESTION: Greetings, Pete. I just finished watching your new instructional video. Excellent. Thanks for sharing all that valuable information. I have a couple of equipment questions relating to the opening of the tape where you are playing the Tom Anderson Tele-style guitar with that superb clean tone.
1. What type of pickups are you using in the Anderson? If they are Anderson pickups, are they the true single coils or the stacked hum cancelling ones?
2. Are you using just the bridge pickup or both the bridge and middle?
3. What type of amp and processors (if any)?
Thank you for your time and best of luck on all your projects.
~Michael

ANSWER: 1. We use Seymour Duncan antiquities pick ups.
2. We use the front & back pick ups with a push-push tone control.
3. We use a Line-6 amp - sometimes we use a "purple" boss delay pedal.

QUESTION: How much time do you spend in rehearsals before you begin a tour?
~Laurie Olson

ANSWER: One to two weeks. /pete

QUESTION: What music are you currently listening to? Any all-time favorite albums or songs you come back to over and over? Are you an Elvis man or a Beatles man?

Is Punkin "the fifth Beatle?" (figuratively)
~Gwen Cohen, Lisa King

ANSWER: Lately I have been listening to Muddy Waters and Chet Baker 'Let's Get Lost." I always go back to Frank Sinatra's "Greatest Hits." I'm an Elvis man.

Punkin is the fifth Beatle only in his stature as a humanitarian. ...pete

QUESTION: If you could perform/record with any other artist...... who would it be?
~Janice in WI

ANSWER: I would love to perform with either B.B. King or Aretha Franklin. ...pete

QUESTION: Since I've first heard you with the early Yoakam recordings, I've found your sound interesting, very spontaneous type of playing, almost a live sound. My question is: your opinion on the S.D. vintage, 54 Telecaster lead pickup compared to other replacement offerings and original tele. units (that still function)?
~Paul

ANSWER: It's As Good as you can get! /pete

QUESTION: If you could change anything in the music industry, what would it be?
~Janice in WI

ANSWER: More musical people ie: people that can write or play music in positions of power. There needs to be less business types crossing into creative jobs...pete

QUESTION: "Pete, I've been a fan ever since..."Just,uh hang on a second. Ya, Hang on to this buddy...Please, Please baby..." I'm 28 work full time for Shell Canada and play in a hobby band called "The Humbuckers." Kind of a tip of the hat to Buck. We play Honky Tonk and Rock-a-billy music, basically all of the stuff that I my dad used to play in the basement.

We've played the same bar in town, once a month, for the last three years. It's become a source of pride telling people that ask us where we are going to play next, "Here."

The reason for the e-mail is for some advice on how to kick the rest of the boys in the ass and get some of the original songs ready to record. Although we are just a hobby band the music we make is Damn good! But bands don't last forever and "The Humbuckers" don't play top 40 country, so we're probably going to come to the end of a really good run quicker than a band with nice hair and all that crap. Although I've had hats and t-shirts made up it would be nice to have something to show that the band actually did during it's existance. I'd really love to hear from you. "
~Scott

ANSWER: "Go to Winsor, find th best demo studio. Listen what the engineer there has done, if it's moderatly good, plan to do three songs every three months." ...pete

QUESTION: "Has anyone asked how Pete celebrated his 50th birthday? Hope this is a positive question -- one never knows how someone else might react to the 50 number."
~ Linda

ANSWER: "Had a small party with a few friends at a restaurant in Pasadena.
I don't mind being 50 -
I don't really think about it; I'm too busy!" ...pete

QUESTION: "I have a question on how you go about getting that way cool Tele spank tone. Do you run your tone controls fairly wide open on your amp, e.g. Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7?

Assuming you are using a Fender Twin , Tone Master or comparable or do you run the amp hot and back off on the guitar volume and tone or do you scoop your mids and use external EQ?

I got a chance to see you play with Gun Dog and your tone just knocked me out. I realize that there are so many variables to tone, pickups, type of guitar wood etc., but you appear to get consistent sounds from each guitar (Strat, Tele). So my conclusion is you have a great amp set up to begin with."
~ Stanley

ANSWER: "I always run the guitar wide open. It is a Fender Tule GT. I turn the middle control on 10 then bring up the treble to 5, 6, or 7 - then pull up the bass to suit the room, usually 3 to 5. Always hit the front end of the amp hot till the pre-amp starts the distortion. I use good speakers E.V's. Live!

Thanx and good luck!" ...pete

QUESTION: "You did an album with Jim Lauderdale awhile back that was never released -- will release ever happen and if not how does that effect the way you feel -- spending a lot a time producing a project that never comes to reality -- or is that just part of the business end of things."
-Linda F.

ANSWER: "It is part of the "BIZ." But it also is Jim's best record. It may be released if he ever becomes a big enough star!" ...pete

QUESTION: "Love the Sling Blade soundtrack since I like Daniel Lanois as a singer/songwriter/producer -- but was disappointed the Plunger was not on album. Heard/read that "The Plunger" may be released in full on something (?). Is that true? If so, would like to get the scoop."
-Linda F.

ANSWER: "The thing I liked least about Sling Blade was the soundtrack. I was supposed to do it, but couldn't come to common ground with Billy Bob. "Plunger" is supposed to be a bad garage band song, so I don't think it will ever see the light of day." ...pete

QUESTION: Like the song "Where the Crows Go," so went out and got a copy of a Carlos Castaneda book (the title - cannot remember at moment). Know the guy had a special liking for the crow - but somehow I missed the point or did not start with the correct sequence. Any thoughts you would like to share?
-Linda F.

ANSWER: "It's about shape shifting on one level and wanderlust on the another. Shape shift'n is an Indian belief where you can become an animal or bird and experience what they see and feel." .../pete

QUESTION: "Rereading Country Guitar from 1994 in which you said you put a single out on Warner "Love Flies on Wings" -- I missed it -- any suggestions on how I may obtain a copy (I will pay for it, naturally.)?"
-Linda F.

ANSWER: "It was called "Happy Geetar" and we still have them at Little Dog." ...pete

QUESTION: "How come there are videos made and tapings of concert performances (speaking of you and things you have participated in such as the Billboard Live concert in December of 1997, for example) that we cannot purchase -- told that there are copyright policies, etc. Why go through all the expense if it is not going to be available -- we would surely like to have a copy and would gladly purchase the material. It means a lot to us as fans . Any information you care to share to help us understand why the fans cannot obtain a copy of the material?"

ANSWER: "If we make them, we own them and will sell them (see the "Dog Dollar" Rewards Program in the April issues of the Tale of the Dog) but if the club owns them, it is out of our control." ...pete

QUESTION: "What is the latest with Reckless Kelly? Are you going to sign them up?"
-Lisa

ANSWER: "They are now touring and I would love to sign them." ...pete

QUESTION: "What kind of gum do you like to chew and does it help you play guitar better?"
-A Fan

ANSWER: "My preference is ICE BREAKER gum and no, it doesn't help me." ...pete

QUESTION: "What size strings do you use on your six string electrics?"
-Dennis

ANSWER: "D'Addario Strings
.09 .11 .15 .28 .39 .49." your pal..... pete

QUESTION: "What pickups did you have on your telecaster when you recorded 'Guitars, Cadillacs Etc.,Etc.' and 'Short, Sharp Shocked?' Are you still using them? Great sound!"
-Rod

ANSWER: "Vintage 'TELE'." ...pete

QUESTION: "Could you tell me some favorite places to find used gear like old guitars and amps - not vintage just players. Also I saw you at the clinic you did in Fresno, but was unfortunately unable to make the show. Hopefully you can get up here again soon."
-Thanks, Allen

ANSWER: "Check with Vintage Guitar Magazine or Guitars 'R' Us in Los Angeles, CA" ...pete

QUESTION: "How's it going ? I really enjoy the hell out of your playing. I caught you with Dwight a couple of summers ago at Great Woods in Massachusetts. Great Show ! That was the tour that you had David Ball opening. Anyway, I have a "JD" Fender Tele. It's not the one from the Custom Shop but the cheaper one from Japan. I pretty much like the guitar except for the pickups, especially the bridge pickup. What would you recommend for replacement pickups for these? I also have a "frankenstein" strat that has a "Tokai" body and a Warmouth neck. What would be good replacements for this? I have Carvin S60s in their now. It would be great to hear from you!"
-Thanks, Gregg

ANSWER: "The best replacement pick ups I've found are Seymour Duncan Antiquity's." .... pete

QUESTION: "I was wondering what the pick up configuration is for your old sunburst tele or esquire(?) that you used on Dwight's first couple of albums. I know you are a big Seymore Duncan fan. I just purchased a 60's jap. Esquire w/binding and if there is a SD pickup or whatever that you would suggest, I would appreciate it."
-Thanks, Eric in Houston TX

ANSWER: "The answer to your first question is the Vintage Fender - original. As above, the best replacement pick ups I've found are Seymour Duncan Antiquity's."... pete

QUESTION: "I have 2 of your CD's [Working Class and Dogs In Heaven] and as a guitarist myself I like them very much. I like the fact that you are willing to color outside the lines. Have you ever seen a guitarist from Dallas, Texas named Bugs Henderson play? I also like his style of not allowing himself to be put into a box. I play a custom Telecaster and notice that you are also a fan of the Telecaster. Keep up the good work and I hope on your next tour that you come through Oklahoma."
-LISTER - TULSA

ANSWER: "Thanks Lister, I've only heard Bugs play on tape, very cool player!" ...pete

QUESTION: "What advice do you have for someone who is interested in songwriting in terms of getting the songs out there for consideration? Is the demo tape the only accepted avenue?
What if the songwriter doesn´t have much money?"
- Linda Lampkin

ANSWER: "You need to make a tape of the song and it doesn´t have to be an expensive one. Use a home machine or even a ghetto blaster with just a guitar and vocal. My belief is if the song is good you can hear through all that. Check in your area through guitar stores or music instructional type places for any songwriter groups or get-togethers where they have swap-songs or swap-tapes and meet people of that type of nature. The demo tape doesn´t have to be a elaborate production." ...pete

More Blue Lounge Questions & Answers - Page Four...