How Many Instruments Do You REALLY Need?

[Jeff Leites]

I forgot to mention that in addition to all my guitars I have a uke, a digeridoo and several Native American style flutes that I built when I was on a flute making kick.

 

No one asked, but here's a sample of my bedroom playing with some of the instruments I made or assembled... the Carvin Bolt-T, the 12 string, and one of the flutes.   😁

 

[Nowarezman]

Hey, I recognize that video artwork from somewhere.....Windows Media Player effects from a while ago, maybe?

 

Love the throwback vibe on your tune  - that fuzz, that "indigenous" sound of your flute, the tremolo and smooth slow vibe. 

 

nat

 

[NewImprov]

For live gigs, my current setup is really ticking all my boxes:

 

 

Rhodes Mk 1, Arturia Keylab 61 controlling Mainstage, Crumar Mojo, & Sequential Take 5. In the rack is a Radial KL-8, iConnectivity MioXM and a Radial power conditioner. Monitor speaker is an EV powered 12" cab. This setup gets me every sound I need for all the bands I play in, and it doesn't feel like I'm compromising either sound, instrument feel, and just overall joy of playing. It doesn't take up all that much room onstage, and, even at 60 years old, the only point I need assistance is lifting the Rhodes onto the stand, I can do everything else myself, and at takes about 15 minutes to setup.

 

At the studio, since it acts as a recording facility as well as a rehearsal space and my personal playground, I try to have a selection of instruments available so that clients can record using the "real" instruments and not emulations. So there I have, in addition to what's above, a Hammond A100/Leslie 21, a 1974 Minimoog Model D, a Behringer 2600, a Knabe 7ft grand piano, and a rather large selection of both 5U and Eurorack modular stuff. There's not a lot else I feel like I "need" at the studio, if I find a decent deal on a Wurlitzer ep, a Clavinet, or a decent combo organ (I'm rather lusting after a Yamaha YC 45D), I'd go for it. Having all this stuff set up and easily patched in during sessions has been great, I'll get guitar-oriented bands who will start noodling on the Rhodes or piano, and it triggers new ideas for them. Even the modular gets dropped into more albums than you might expect.

It's hard to say that I how many of these instruments I really need, but I have them, they get used and appreciated by me and other musicians who use the studio, and it really brings me a lot of joy to make them available.