I first started writing and recording with the ukulele and other instruments four years ago and since then I have been developing my own sound. As many will know I’m a big fan of original music and am not a terrific fan of cover versions, especially on the ukulele as all too often to my ears they are not great.
I appreciate that I may not be in the majority with this view, but my preference is always to hear something new when it comes to music or films.
Over the years there have been a number of factors that have been essential to finding what for me is a great sound.
Choice of instruments
I am forever grateful to my friend Zeke from New York for introducing me to the ukulele. He first showed me a Bill Collings pre production concert uke and I never looked back. If it had been a standard Kala or other “OK but not great to my ears brand” I probably would never had been so fired up in using the uke as a primary writing tool. The second instrument that really blew me away was the Shimo Comet 3 I bought in Tokyo. This is very different to the Collings, but I have recorded 30 songs with the Shimo. In live work I play an African black wood tenor and mahogany 5 string baritone uke built by a local luthier. Both have McIntyre pickups and sound great live although I have had to get my tech guy to do some bridge modifications from the original design.
With The Caravan of Dreams ensemble I also use a Gregor Nowak guitarelle. I bought this in Vienna last year as an impulse buy and absolutely love it. Its a very different sound to anything else and plays brilliantly. I’m a big fan of seeking out and finding the best sounding and playing instruments, which always inspire better playing and musical creativity.
Amplification
People who know me, know I’m a massive Henriksen amp fan. The Henriksen Bud and Blu amps are a mile ahead of everything else sonically. I have tried all manner of amps and these are hands down by far the best out there. They amplify the natural sound of the instrument and I now use only Henriksens for live gigs. The new Ray extension cab is also a welcome addition for these small units that kick out 120 watts.
Another exploration is looking at instrument leads. Lava cable ultramafic leads are my number one choice. I introduced Martin Simpson to these and gave him one as a present. They give a full frequency response and make a massive difference to the sound, especially smaller bodied instruments like ukuleles.
Band Members
Being in a band is a bit like being in a gang and every dynamic is different. With The Caravan of Dreams there are six of us, so there’s a lot more going on than with a four piece. The addition of keyboards and violin make for a more diverse sound. In The Small Change Diaries I play rhythm and lead as well as vocals. With The Caravan of Dreams I’m central to vocal work, but play rhythm, so a lot of the music is more groove based. Fergus Quill, Jed Bevington, Rich Ferdi, Josh Smout, Chris Smith are all superb musicians and Agi is a brilliant vocalist. In every band each member literally brings something to the sonic mix. The Caravan of Dreams is more stretching for me as I am focusing a lot more on vocal delivery and more intricate song arrangements. The Small Change Diaries is a different sound and I continue to gig with both bands. Discovering Laurent Zeller a few years ago made a huge difference to the sound of both bands and especially with the Caravan ensemble.
