Bio

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 one take, with no editing or overdubbing. 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

Recording chain: Loudbox Artist direct XLR > Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen > Apple Mac with Garage Band.

Recording notes:

I record each song in a single take - no editing and 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.

In post-production, I do add some effects (e.g., light compression, EQ, stereo ambience) 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.