Hi, I'm Al Simon. I'm an acoustic guitar player writing original instrumentals. I focus on short, simple pieces for solo guitar -
melody and bass sharing space, chords between, focused on tone and feel. Some "bounce and groove" while others are more
meditative and mellow.
I record my tunes "live" in a single take, with no overdubbing and no fixing mistakes. I capture the vibes and spirit of my live playing,
preferring an honest performance over "A.I. perfection."
I have a B.A. in Music (Edgecliff College, Cincinnati, 1981).
In the past, I've played pop, religious/folk, rock, classical, blues, and jazz.
My current influences include Adam Miller,
William Ackerman, Charlie Hunter,
and David Reed and the folks at Improvise for Real.
Based in the Pacific Northwest, I record at home and share freely.
Please feel free to share links to my pages or tracks with friends/social.
If you want to use my music in
a project or on your website, check the license.
Thanks for listening.
-Al Simon
Gear and Recording
Guitar: Zager ZAD80CE Solid Cedar/Rosewood Acoustic Electric Pro Series "OM" Size, with Fishman Presys+ Preamp and Pickup System
Amp: Fishman Loudbox Artist
Pedals: VSN Trelicopter and Electro-Harmonix Pico 360+ Looper
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): Apple Mac Garage Band
Recording chains: I use two different configurations, depending on the sound I'm going for.
Guitar direct > Scarlett interface > Mac DAW.
Guitar > Loudbox Artist direct XLR > Scarlett interface > Mac DAW.
Recording notes:
I record each song in a single take with no overdubbing. The notes you hear are the notes I played.
I do NOT "punch in" to fix mistakes or combine parts from different takes.
I also do NOT use auto-tune, quantizing, or A.I. tools on my music.
In post-production, I do add some effects (e.g., light compression, EQ, reverb) to give each song an "in the room" feel.
Despite recording direct to digital, I'm going for a "live feel," just as if you were sitting there with me as I'm playing.
