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Post subject: Using G-DEC backing tracks for live performance.
Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:02 am
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I bought my first G-DEC 30 on February 7th of '08, stumbling upon it at the local GC. I bought it not knowing exactly what I would be doing with it, just thought it was cool and small and interesting. I had heard of MIDI, but when I bought that first (of six) G-DECs I didn't even know what MIDI actually stood for.

But once I had the G-DEC home and started getting into a MIDI crash course, thanks especially to the Jammer SongMaker program I found through the Fender website, I began to realize that this amp had a whole lot of potential for changing everything about the way I handled live performances.

A little history: I started fronting my first band in 1964 and in the forty years since then I've been in at least a dozen bands, counting only those that stayed together long enough to get out of the basement and into the bars. The problem with bands, of course, is finding guys you can stand to spend a whole LOT of time with, much easier said than done.

In my busiest years of gigging in Minnesota, playing an average of 45 weekends out of a year from the mid-late 80s and the mid-late 90s, I went through 17 drummers alone. Other personnel didn't change that quickly, but still too often - many of the musicians I played with were a moody bunch with a tendency toward substance abuse (unlike those who frequent this board, I am sure); partly due, no doubt, to the small gene pool in frozen northern Minnesota. I moved there from Iowa in 1975.

Anyway... by the time I moved back to Iowa in 2001, I was eager to get back into live performance, but not so eager to jump back into the polygamous lifestyle of the 4-5 piece band. However, I soon found myself hunting the message boards of the local musician hangouts and by 2002 I was back into the band scene. I practiced hard, hit the bars and struggled in and out of three bands in the following six years, just not what I was looking for as I approached 60 years of age.

When I found that first G-DEC I was already well into my plan to go back to performing as a solo musician, but that amp helped me made a very nice transition, thanks to the advantage of putting bass, drums and keys into the act without once getting into an argument over which songs to do. By March of 2008 I was booking local bars for $200 a night for four sets and I was, according to my wife of 40 years, actually starting to really enjoy live performance again.

In the two years since I bought that first G-DEC 30, I bought five more, due mainly to the lack of serious on-board memory. I was using backing tracks for rock sets, country sets and old-time sets - remember, I'm 60 years old now... Loading backing tracks into those G-DECs was a very time consuming task, especially right before a gig, so I dedicated sets of two G-DECs to each genre - and those amps paid for themselves in a very short time.

Now that the new 3 Thirty amps are out, I am revamping everything, converting MIDI tracks to wave and mp3 and loading up those SD cards. Now I will be working with only two G-DECs - I learned the hard way to always carry a backup... I've already sold two of my old G-DEC 30s, loaded with backing tracks, per the wishes of the buyers, but I'll hang onto at least two of the old-timers while I move forward with the 3 Thirtys. I'm really looking forward to this coming Monday night when I perform live for the first time with one of the new amps.

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Dennis in CR
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:12 pm
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Great story, thanks for sharing. Ordered the new thirty, can't wait to start jammin with it.


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Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 4:14 pm
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Hi CRGuitarMan,

Thanks for sharing your story. And thank you for your continued support of Fender products. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Hope your gig goes well tonight!

Cheers,

Alan Willey
Fender Technology Support Lab


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Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 7:33 pm
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Hi Alan!

I'll get that info figured out tomorrow night and get it off to you. I just got back from my gig, 90-mile round trip, and I'm beat. The performance went very well (I got paid in advance) and I'll be back there again next month. Of course, I played with backing tracks through one of my G-DEC 30 amps. I'm still getting things converted to wave for the new 3 Thirty amps, then I'll be using those.

Image

Here's a little proof of my support of Fender; amps, guitars and all. Some guys drive Gibsons - I drive Fenders. But, geez, how did that Peavey bass amp get in there? Whoops.

Talk to you or email soon!

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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:28 am
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Hi Dennis,

Thanks. Cool Photo!

Alan Willey
Fender Technology Support Lab


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Post subject: Re: Using G-DEC backing tracks for live performance.
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:27 pm
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What a great post!! I'm new to the forum, purchased a G-DEC 3 thirty last weekend, and have been consumed ever since reading the forum, and playing with this new toy, WOW I'm impressed with all it's capabilities in a small package. Thanks for sharing Dennis and everyone who has put effort into the forum, I've got alot of learning to do!!

Looking Forward,

Dale Gilmore
Alberta, Canada
75 Tele & Twin Reverb
G&L Legacy Special
G-DEC 3 Thirty


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Post subject: Re: Using G-DEC backing tracks for live performance.
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:35 am
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:46 pm
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Hi Dale,

Welcome to the Fender Forums. And congratulations on your purchase. Please let us know if we can assist.

Best Regards,

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Alan Willey
Fender Technology Support Lab
TSL@Fender.com
480.596.7195


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Post subject: Re: Using G-DEC backing tracks for live performance.
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:10 pm
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Dennis, I know it's been over a year since you posted your story, and I hope you're getting notice that there's a new reply. I just found your post, as the top result of my search for "using g-dec live." Wow, what a blast!

Obviously, I'm looking at doing gigs as a solo act with cyborg backing band. So I was wondering if you could give details about how you use it, what your setup is. Do you go through a PA system, or what? How do you channel your sound?

And when you're going from song to song, how do you do your selection? Do you have your songs loaded into the on-board slots, or do you select from SD card? Where do you get your backing tracks--do you make them yourself, or do you have a source that you'd recommend for high-quality backing tracks?

Thanks for your original post--very interesting and inspiring.


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Post subject: Re: Using G-DEC backing tracks for live performance.
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:19 pm
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Hello stewart and welcome to the Forum. That's a lot of questions, but I'm glad I came back and checked in or I'd have missed you. I will try to hook up with you through the Forum PM and we can communicate more easily and in greater detail that way. I'll see if I can send you a note right now.

Okay, I can't find a live link for you, but you can reach me through contact info on my web site listed below, use the email address on the contact page. One way or another we will hook up. I've got plenty of info for you!

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Dennis in CR
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