Sunday, November 3, 2013

Paul Driessen


Paul Driessen (1967) fingerstyle player expanded this playing with 2-handtapping and guitar synthesizers. 



I modified the guitar electronics to fit my playstyle, that is somewhat reminiscent of Charlie Hunter and Tuck Andress, so I can do polyphonic rhythmic chops and tapping on the guitar, without mistriggering the synthesizer's midi too much. I  work as a professional guitar teacher, playing alone, in guitar/violin duo Lapis Lazuli and with the band Trio van Putten.


 

A little tune I wrote, having really no meaning at all, but is nice to play anyway..
About the dark ending: I recorded this in one go at a musicschool, and the lights automatically switch off, when no motion is detected. A musicschool should better have music detection for saving energy, that's my opinion.. ')



I've studied different styles of music not be copying other players directly, but by adapting the style and a bit of the esthetics. To achieve more freedom in my playing I've also been modifying electronics for some years now. I hope to add a  section on electronics too. (I'm kind of an expert on the Roland GR-30 guitar synthesizer)





Demo of my modded Roland gr-30 with velocity mod, showing good tapping and fingerstyle compatibility.
The music is just what the title says: plastic disco style.

I was born in the Netherlands, and now live in Germany, where my guitar teaching is my main source of income. Since my income is covered with teaching, my musical direction is totally based on my own taste, so I dont need to play anything I dont like (unless you pay me the proper bribe of course :)




My current musical projects are:
-The duo 'Lapis Lazuli' with Uta Preckwinkel on violin






- The trio Van Putten, is an old project. This album contains live tracks that were made in 2003 by the power trio with Stefan Schaminée on bass/electronics, Marq Hendriks on drums and Paul Driessen on guitar and guitar synthesizers.
Recording engineer: Rob Lohues




Inspired by old recordings of Taj Mahal, here a play my new Regal resonator. I've removed the wooden plate that was underneath the cone, that acted as resonator, so actually this is a pure metalcone guitar, no extra resonance added.
Funny enough the action and playability of this rather cheap Regal nearly exactly matches a Maton. I've been jamming with Michael Fix and we swapped guitars, we both noticed the playfeel resemblance (the Maton has a slightly different fretboard curve of course)