Merry Fudging Christmas From Us! :)

We had a blast watching everyone's clips.  Enjoy our new Christmas video! 

Offical spokesperson For The Engle & Our Band Is The Featured Artist

I've recently been made one of the official spokesmen for TheEngle.Com and my band 'Granicy Square are the featured artist.   

Check out our video

We were given very short notice to write and record the song above,  but we manged to pull it off.  The song is written in accordance to the move 'Cottonwood' staring Willie Nelson.

If you would like to purchase 'The Engle' then you can do so by clicking HERE

Granicy Square on 'Create Your Life With Jenna Adwards' Radio Show

Hear our latest radio interview and performance on Jenna Edwards show 'Create Your Life'
Watch the footage taken in the studio.

Click HereTo Listen

My Karl Pilkington Halloween Costume

This year I've decided to go as the one, the only, Karl Pilkington. 

If you don't know who Karl is just go to the following videos. 

Custom Byron Gore Kyser Capo's

I just wanted to share theses amazing custom capo's that Kyser kindly put together for me.  I'm overjoyed to say the least.   Thanks Kyser!

I was also sent a Kyser Short Cut capo.  Go check them out.  They open up so many more possibilities with the neck.  YouTube search  'Kyser Short Cut' to see what I mean.

Please Welcome Our New Sponsor - The Logarhythm

I'm very excited to announce that our new sponsor is The Logarhythm from http://www.log-jam.co.uk

As many of you may know I have been using home made stomp boxes for quite some time.  But now I don't have to!  I'm so thrilled to be endorsed by LogJam as their StompBoxes are by far some of the best out there!  if not THE BEST!  The Logarhythm is the coolest stomping unit of them all. Hand made in the UK and used by everybody from Mick Jagger to Eddie Martin.  Logarhythm themselves are endorsed by Guitarist Magazine as "Guitarist Choice"

Not too shabby if I do say so myself!

The Logarhythm makes the perfect match for my playing needs and also fits in nicely with my other great sponsors.  Keep and eye out for me stomping it out live and in our music videos.  I will be giving a full video demo soon.

Don't forget to go give their website some love!  And if you like what you see  go ahead and order one.  You won't be disappointed! http://www.log-jam.co.uk

The Artist In Music Awards Voting Has Begun

The public voting for the 2014 Artist In Music Awards has begun.  And I need your votes!
Voting is very simple!  Just go to this link RIGHT HERE and put a tick in the box next to my name.  Once you see the little tick in the correct box just click the Finish Survey button at the bottom right of the page.  Please share the link on your social media walls and ask everyone you know to vote for me.  Without you and your support I won't stand a chance.  I really appreciate all your help :)  And I'm really excited to be a part of the awards!

Thanks guys!

Byron

Join The Mailing List

Hey guys I would like to invite you to join my mailing list.  It's never used for pointless spam.
Keep up to date on new shows and projects and even have a chance to win stuff!

It's simple to join.  Just CLICK HERE and fill in your info. Or just go to this link http://eepurl.com/g6qzc

Byron :)

A Zesty Little Number In The Boonies

Picket Fence And A Lemon Tree Live In The Boonies

It's Hard To Force A Smile

New song and raw video.

I just had to share it with you before my team get a hold of it :)

Lyrics:

We try to please everyone
But we forgot about ourselves
Time takes its out on us
As our dreams sit on the shelf

And the whole world passes by
As we forget how to fight
Hiding from the things we know are right

How can we be lost
If we've got no place to go
How can we be happy
If all we know is sorrow
And how can we be truthful
In a world full of lies
It's hard to force a smile
With tears in your eyes

We try to hold on tight
But our grip is getting loose
As the rope burns our hands
We slip further into the noose

And everyone passes by
As we fade into the night
Hiding from the things we truly love

How can we be lost
If we've got no place to go
How can we be happy
If all we know is sorrow
And how can we be truthful
In a world full of lies
It's hard to force a smile
With tears in your eyes

Why are we so afraid
Of the things that people say
And why are we always running from ourselves
We try and change who we are
But we've pushed ourselves to far
To fit in with all the people that put us down

How can we be lost
If we've got no place to go
How can we be happy
If all we know is sorrow
And how can we be truthful
In a world full of lies
It's hard to force a smile
With tears in your eyes

How can we be lost
If we've got no place to go
How can we be happy
If all we know is sorrow

Next Show. Sunday June The 23rd 5pm

This is going to be a great show.  I'm going to be doing a long set with Jessica Ann Kelley as well as joining Whitaker & Me on guitar for their set.

$12 at the door and all ages.
Facebook Invite Page CLICK HERE
The Hidden Hills Theatre 24549 Long Valley Rd. Hiden Hills CA 91302 

New Shows Coming Up

I have a couple of great shows coming up.  I will post details soon.  So keep an eye out.   I will also update my shows page soon I promise.

Interviews & Why Pay To Play Sucks

This morning I did a very fun interview via Skype with one of my old friends from the UK for a new internet show he is putting together called  'From The Factory Floor.'  I'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns out.  I will, of course, post a link to the video once I have it, in around 2 weeks time.

Regarding 'Pay To Play'

I was recently approached by a booking agent for Molly Malone's.  This is a great little venue and they also promised music executives to be there doing a little talent spotting.  Although it was very short notice I agreed to play and he booked me a slot.  The day after I noticed an invoice in my PayPal account for $150.
It turns out I had to pay $150 in advance for ticket sales.  I immediately contacted them and pulled out of the show.  One thing I really can't tolerate it pay-to-play.  Especially if they ask for the money up front and charge ridiculously high prices for tickets.  $15 at the door $10 online with a $1.25 convenience charge. I would never expect anyone to pay that much money for a 30 minute set.  And to have a  bar charge me to perform is outrageous.  I don't think people realize how much time, effort and money is put into a show.  At least when you work at a professional standard. I'm pretty sure the bar owner would have no staff members if he charged them to work there.  It really pisses me off that artists are treated this way.  Without art the world would be... well it wouldn't be a very nice place, let's face it. Not only that, the promoter/booking agents don't even do any promotion for the artists. They make you pay and also expect you to do all their work for them. If they promoted you well and got a ton of people in to see your show then maybe.  Just maybe it could be worth it.  But it's not.  Although I do music because I love it., it would be very nice to get paid.  Music is all I do.  And I can't keep doing it full time for free. I believe we deserve to get paid, just like any other workers in any other job.  Would you work 9-5 for free?  Worse still, pay your employer to work your ass off all day?  I don't think so. The only time I will give in to anything like this is if, time is on my side for promotion, it's for a good cause and you don't have to pay any money in advance.  I'm doing a show at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood in August.  It requires that I sell 30 tickets at $10 each or I will be liable for the ticket money myself.  While this does of course suck, all the ticket sales are going to a charity and I have enough time to sell the 30 tickets.  Otherwise, I would never do it.  This is also a one off thing for me.  Although it would be nice to get a cut. Los Angeles seems to suck musicians dry. I'm not sure if it's the same in other parts of the world now or not?  But if it carries on this way there will eventually be no more live acts apart from the A list stars.  If only we could get all the LA musicians to refuse and not play any shows for one month, and demand that we get paid.  Maybe that will force bars and clubs to start respecting us.  Can you imagine the impact it would have on their profits if we all just refused to play without pay!  Maybe this is something we can pull off.  Maybe we should look into a musical revolution!

I Don't Do Pay To Play

To all booking agents out there.  Before contacting me please note that I DO NOT do pay to play. 

Byron Gore & Jessica Ann Kelley Live In Pasadena CA April the 23rd

Jessica Ann Kelley and I will be performing a set at J.C. Hyke's Songwriter Serenade.

Be there for our first show together!
We will be performing 'This Love' as well as brand new never heard before songs!

Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant & Bar.
All ages and free

Great food and great beer!

Show starts at 7pm. Hosted by the very talented J.C. Hyke. so come on down and enjoy some great music!

RSVP on my Facebook Invite page  HERE

http://www.mattdennys.com/
  

Address: 

Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant

145 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California 91006

 

https://www.facebook.com/MattDennys

The Engle

At the beginning of the year I was fortunate enough to attend the NAMM show on Anaheim CA.  All thanks to Marl Angle the inventor of 'The Enlge' (pronounced as Angel) The original guitar hammer.  'The Engle' is a percussive tool used to play the guitar or any stringed instrument. It brings a whole new feel and tone to playing.  'The Engle recently upload a video of me using their product. 

The Engle's official website www.theengle.com
And their Facebook page www.facebook.com/theengleforguitar

I've Been Accepted Into The Artist In Music Awards

I've been accepted into the 'Artist In Media Awards' 2014.  So keep an eye on this space for further details.
I've also began rehearsals with Jessica Ann Kelley on our new musical project.  So if you have any band name suggestions pass them our way.  Because we can't come up with any good names :P

I hope you all had a great weekend!  And you have a productive week.

Microphone Basics: Type, Frequency Response, and Polar Patterns

If you want to set up a home studio to record your vocals.  The  first thing you will need to consider is what type of microphone to use.

Hello.  I'm Byron Gore from Los Angeles and I have a few pointers to help you chose the correct type of microphone for your recording needs.


This lesson is for week 1 of Introduction To Music Production at Coursera.org.
I will be teaching - Microphone Basics: Type, Frequency Response, and Polar Patterns.

There are two main types of microphones on the market.

• Dynamic Microphones.
• And condenser Microphones.

Dynamic Microphones.

A dynamic microphones such as the Shure SM58 (see picture below) are typically used on stage for vocals because they don't pick up much of the environment around them.  They are also very rugged and don't break easily, and they don't require any external power to enable them to work.

Condenser Microphones.

Condenser microphones such as the MXL V63M (see picture below) are very sensitive to sound and the environment around them.  They are typically used in studios because they pick up the noise in the environment. They would be unsuitable on stage as they can cause feedback due to there sensitivity.   They can also break far more easily that dynamic microphones.  Condenser microphones also require external power in order for them to work. This external power is called 'Phantom Power' also known as +48 or 48 Volts. because they need 48 Volts of electricity in order for them to work.

If you are looking for a microphone for your studio.  I would recommended a medium to large diaphragm  condenser mic as they pick up sounds more accurately.  Much like your ears, where as a Dynamic microphone would not.

Microphone Frequency Response

Dynamic microphones pick up vocal frequencies well and reject surrounding sounds.
Condenser microphones are designed to pick up everything.

If you look at frequency response charts of microphones they will show you what frequencies it's designed to pick up and what frequencies it will reject.

SM58 frequency response chart.

If we look at the diagram below we can see that the SM58  has a frequency peak of around 5000Hz. Which picks up the voice well and rolls off the bottom end. (low frequencies) The areas below voice that aren't  typical heard or needed.

MXL V63M frequency response chart.

If we look below at the frequency response chart of The MXL V63M we can see it picks up as much sound as possible and has a pretty flat frequency response compared to the SM58. 

Polar Patterns.

Another big consideration when choosing a microphone is it's polar pattern.
A polar pattern describes what areas around the microphone it picks up well and what areas it rejects.

The SM58 for example has a Cardioid or directional polar pattern. If you look at the chart below you can see it looks a little like a heart.  You can see from the diagram that it doesn't pick up sound well at the bottom but it does all around to top.  It's specifically designed that way so it doesn't pick up the sound of the stage monitors or the surrounding environment and instruments.  it will give you a more focused sound as it's pointed directly at the sound source.

Microphones can have a variety of polar patterns.

Other varieties of polar patterns include.

Omnidirectional (picks up sound all around the microphone.

Figure eight.  Picks up sound from the front and the back of the microphone.

There are more types of polar patterns but theses are the main ones.

Polar patterns will have a major influence to how much of the space of the room you are capturing. 
Cardioid will have a very focused sound and not pick up much of the room
Omnidirectional will pick up much more of the space you are in. 
So you have to consider if you want to capture the sound of the room (space) Or the specific sound source.

Some more expensive microphones can give you the option to select different polar patterns with a flick of a switch.

So looking back at what we just went over there are some pretty simple yet very important things to consider when choosing a microphone.

What type of microphe do you need?
Dynamic or Condenser?
What frequency response would be most suited for your needs?
And do you need something that is directional or omnidirectional?
Are you going to be using the microphone in the studio or on stage in a live setting?

I hope this helps in choosing the right kind of microphone.

Lots Of Great Things And A Competition For You

So the weather is getting warmer (at last) and that always makes me more productive.
My latest video 'This Love' Seems to be gathering some attention.  I have written a load of new songs and have a new recording and video coming soon.  On top of that I'm working on a new music business.  Oh and I won a pair of Tascam TH-02 Headphones.  Yay for me! :)  I've also decided to enter the 2014 Artists In Music Awards.  Something I have wanted to do for a while.  So fingers crossed I get to perform all me awesome new songs and maybe even win something!

So what Is the Competition?

All you have to do is share this video link >>>>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pralsVGjsxQ On your Facebook walls.  Make sure to tag me so I know you have shared it.  You can also share it on Twitter.  Again make sure you tag me.  #byrongore @byrongore so I know you shared.   On Friday March the 8th I will pick a winner from a hat to receive a Byron Gore coffee mug in the mail.  This is international so you can take part no matter where you live.   So get sharing!!  :)

Enjoy your week,

Byron

A Valentines Song For The Broken Hearted.

Here is a little video we shot for Valentines day.  

Enjoy :)

Timber Tones Video

Check out the new Timber Tones video featuring yours truly

Over 1000 Views A Day

The Pink Floyd 'Wish You Were Here' cover  Jason Charles Miller and I did for the 'Covers On The Roof' series is now gaining 1000 views and over per day.  On behalf of Jason and myself I would like to say thank you!

If you haven't seen the video yet here is it.  Enjoy :)

NAMM Day 01

Unfortunately I was unable to stay at NAMM for very long due to my back injury and the pain.  Roll on the surgery!   But during that short time I was able to meet some of my sponsors for the first time and also meet some really talented people and see some great new products.

I highly recommend checking out these people and products.

Timber Tones Luxury Plectrums
The Engle - Guitar Hammer
Thimble Slide - A new kind of guitar slide.

Shane Adkins - A great finger style guitarist
Bill Clements - Such an amazing bass player.  And he only has one hand.  Truly inspirational.

Here is a little video footage of the day

NAMM

I will be at the Anaheim Convention Center this Thursday the 24th for the NAMM show.

I will be hanging around a few booths.  The Engle, Timber Tones, Martin, ESP and Carvin.  So keep an eye out for me :)  This is my first visit so I'm hoping it will be a fun one!

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

This Kind Fellow Did A Nice Vlog About Me

Check this video Blog out from The Music ladder.

I'm on at around 3 minutes in

Website Back Up And Running

As you can see my website is working again. yay! :)

Website Index Page Not Working

The index page from ByronGore.Com has gone AWAOL for unknown reasons.  I'm waiting to hear back from my host to find out what's going on.  In the mean time I have set the Contact Page as the home page.