http://shatnershairpiece.bandcamp.com/track/decompression
Another extended original instrumental. One take. no edits. Played live through a Fishman acoustic amp.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MBqnK1Hcs
Last week I was contacted by a radio station in Milan. They found my bandcamp site 'The Six Million Dollar Guitar' and wanted to feature me on their midnight ambient/rock/instrumental hour. They liked 'Unstable mutation', so I sent them the track. Have never been on the radio before so this was very cool. I don't get paid for it, as it's non profit, but maybe more people get to hear it. I recorded the track about a month ago when I was going through a bad time emotionally, like many, from the constant oppression of the last year. It's 1 hour and 20 minutes of continuous improvisation. I had to immerse myself in these jams to bring myself out of it and heal. It's a blood letting, this track. I'm in the zone, I'm gone. It's musical therapy at work.
Check it out: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/album/unstable-mutation
Entire discography on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Shatnershairpiece
Tip on paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/6milliondollarguitar?locale.x=en_US
Follow me on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/follow_me
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT-c4ZpIda4
I keep finding good versions of this song from my back catalog of busking videos. Here's the deal: This song is, for me, easy to play and copy. Many people think copying note for note is some kind of skill, but it's not. What's not easy is doing your own thing and making it your own. Improv is what music is all about. If you have to play a cover, the very least you can do is try not to parrot too much. This was from my favorite night of the year, the only time I played from 3pm to 10pm. It was a rare Saturday night that I was playing so I kept it going as long as my battery held out, taking advantage of the weekend crowd. By the end of the evening I was improvising Sultans almost 100%, still trying new phrases every chance I got. I was totally in the zone and enjoying the ambient lamp light, which was really relaxing. This is the way live music on the street used to be back in ancient times a year and a half ago. I get so nostalgic when I see this. Sniff!
Support an unemployed musician on bandcamp:
Entire discography: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/
Follow me on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Shatnershairpiece
Tip on paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/6milliondollarguitar?locale.x=en_US
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mOxcpozFKo
Here's one I thought would be popular but went absolutely nowhere. However, I did gain the privilege of a guy asking if he could film me. I nod, he films me, and then leaves without leaving a tip. Great success!
Busking and youtube facts:
1) Street playing is not all fun and games and dancing kids. Did this for 5 years. I regularly faced not only verbal abuse, but physical assault as I worked a few blocks from downtown eastside Vancouver. I'm surrounded by addicts, drunks, and people who should be in mental homes.
2) I'm unemployed. I lost all busking work 2020 (it was banned) and received zero compensation. I had a very bad year and then had a serious brain aneurism in April 2021. I will never busk again as the stress from 5 years of busking very likely caused my aneurism.
3) I make ZERO from YouTube no matter how many views I get. I had 5 million views in June. Didn't make a dime. I am demonetized. I can't run ads, even on original content. And more importantly, even if I did, many of my videos are instantly copyrighted and auto monetized by record labels because they are COVERS. If you see an ad, it's the record label collecting. If you liked the performance, please think about supporting me on patreon/paypal tip/bandcamp as DONATION is the only way I survive.
4) I'm a musician that writes his own music for 20 years. Check out my bandcamp page to see what I can really do with a guitar. 2000 original instrumentals.
5) It's a lot of unpaid work to post these videos all the time so please try to help me keep the channel going. Many thanks to those that have supported me! It means a lot!
6) I get asked this 100 times a day so here's the answer: I play on the street and not in a band because all the clubs closed years ago due to disinterest, high rents, no profitability. I used to lead many bands from 2006 to 2018. That's all gone. It's also a lot more hassle, and less money, to run a band than play by myself.
7) I get asked this 100 times a day. "Why don't you try a better spot?" THIS is the best spot. How do I know? I've tried all of them. This spot is even better than Granville Island which is all tourists. Vancouver does not have many spots to play. Maybe 3-4 downtown. I have to go where traffic is heaviest or you make no money. Playing on beaches and parks or near homes, condos, apt buildings, is forbidden. This is the main transit hub of trains/seabus and also walkway for the convention center as well as heavily touristed gastown.
8) I'm playing a Parker fly guitar, limited '4 seasons' edition 'Autumn', from 2008. Only 25 exist of this model. Very light at 5 lbs, very versatile tones with piezo pickups, carbon fibre body, stainless steel frets never wear out. Company is out of business. My pedals are zen drive (no longer made), wah
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVPmF5Asrls
Took a ride with my electric bike at 9am around the sea wall. No foot prints in the sand. Cold out, but refreshing. Filmed with iPhone pro 11.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyEcODhSuV8
First album, first song. It does not get much better than this. Timeless, and I always love playing it.
I'm getting really good at this song. In fact, to the untrained ear, most people would think this was Knopfler playing. Starting to add my own opening and always improvise most of the fills. It's a great moody intro.
The main strength of my street show is not only being able to cop Knopfler's entire catalogue note for note and sound like him, but also adding my own thing to it. Of all the guitarists I cover, this guy gets the most attention. I love this music and it fits me like a glove.
There is something very refreshing about playing clean and with fingers. I am so glad I dropped alternate picking and the pick years ago. It's like a palette cleanser. There is a reason why he is so popular in spite of being a great guitar player. He wrote great songs, he didn't overdo the guitar, he worked on tone, and he kept it musical and tasteful, something that the majority of guitarists could learn from. Heck, I used to want to play as fast as possible, fill as much space as possible, but soon learned that no one gives a shit about that except other guitarists.
It's just too bad most people only recognize sultans or walk of life. There is so much more in the Dire Straits catalogue. Example, tunnel of love is more epic than sultans, but no one really cares.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08oP1ndmixQ
Many people ask me about the sound on the street, what people hear versus what I record. I usually never put up videos with gopro audio as it sounds terrible and you don't need to hear all that traffic noise. I record with the go pro mounted on the head of the guitar and with an audio recorder in front of my amp. First take is direct from the go pro, with all street noise. Second take at 5:13 is from the H2 zoom recorder in front of my amp. You can immediately hear how much better the recorder audio is. At 3:38 a man tosses a $5 bill onto my case.
Youtube demonetized me. I make zero revenue. Please support!
Patreon support: https://www.patreon.com/Shatnershairpiece
Tip on paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/6milliondollarguitar?locale.x=en_US
Follow me on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Entire discography on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/
Shatnershairpiece swag! https://www.redbubble.com/people/RobinSpanell/shop?asc=u
1) Street playing is not all fun and games and dancing kids. Doing this for 7 years. I regularly face not only verbal abuse, but physical assault as I work a few blocks from downtown eastside Vancouver. I'm surrounded by addicts, drunks, and people who should be in mental homes.
2) I'm unemployed. All live music including busking, is banned. I lost all work last year and received ZERO compensation. I had a very bad year in 2020 and only recently came out of a depression.
3) I make ZERO from youtube no matter how many views I get. I was demonetized by Google years ago as part of their culling of small accounts. Class action lawsuit was initiated. I don't run ads. And more importantly, even if I did, most of my videos are instantly copyrighted and auto monetized by record labels because they are COVERS. If you see an ad, it's the record label collecting. If you liked the performance, please think about supporting me on patreon/paypal tip/bandcamp.
4) I'm a musician that writes his own music for 20 years. Check out my bandcamp page to see what I can really do with a guitar. 500 albums of original instrumentals.
5) It's a lot of unpaid work to post these videos all the time so please try to help me keep the channel going. Many thanks to those that have supported me! It means a lot!
6) I get asked this 100 times a day so here's the answer: I play on the street and not in a band because all the clubs closed years ago. I used to lead many bands from 2006 to 2018. That's all gone. It's also a lot more hassle, and less money, to run a band than play by myself.
7) I get asked this 100 times a day. "Why don't you try a better spot?" THIS is the best spot. How do I know? I've tried all of them. This spot is even better than Granville Island which is all tourists. Vancou
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC9hDtWrtxE
Seriously. I play this gorgeous latin groove and it gets zero reaction? These hot blooded Vancouverites got it going on, don't they? It's like the entire city is deaf. Now you know why I can't wait to get out of here. Day after day, the same reaction of no reaction. It's like they see and hear this outside 100 times a day. I need a cattle prod attachment for the guitar. Thankfully, I am able to enjoy myself while playing and it's almost like being home alone. Pure isolation.
Help make up for the zombies. Download this jam!
https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/album/super-sexy-latin-jam-live-from-the-street
Patreon support: https://www.patreon.com/Shatnershairpiece
Tip on paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/6milliondollarguitar?locale.x=en_US
Shatnershairpiece t-shirts! https://www.redbubble.com/people/RobinSpanell/shop?asc=u
My entire discography on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/
Follow me on bandcamp: https://thesixmilliondollarguitar.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Busking and youtube facts:
1) Street playing is not all fun and games and dancing kids. Doing this for 7 years. I regularly face not only verbal abuse, but physical assault as I work a few blocks from downtown eastside Vancouver. I'm surrounded by addicts, drunks, and people who should be in mental homes.
2) I'm unemployed. All live music including busking, is banned. I lost all work last year and received ZERO compensation. I had a very bad year in 2020 and had a serious brain aneurysm in April 2021. Still recovering from that.
3) I make ZERO from youtube no matter how many views I get. I was demonetized by Google years ago as part of their culling of small accounts. I don't run ads. And more importantly, even if I did, most of my videos are instantly copyrighted and auto monetized by record labels because they are COVERS. If you see an ad, it's the record label collecting. If you liked the performance, please think about supporting me on patreon/paypal tip/bandcamp.
4) I'm a musician that writes his own music for 20 years. Check out my bandcamp page to see what I can really do with a guitar. 500 albums of original instrumentals.
5) It's a lot of unpaid work to post these videos all the time so please try to help me keep the channel going. Many thanks to those that have supported me! It means a lot!
6) I get asked this 100 times a day so here's the answer: I play on the street and not in a band because all the clubs closed years ago. I used to lead many bands from 2006 to 2018. That's all gone. It's also a lot more hassle, and less money, to run a band than play by myself.
7) I get asked this 100 times a day. "Why don't you try a better spot?" THIS is the best spot. How do I know? I've tried all of them. This spot is even better than Granvi
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7slVPePk8VQ