New Orleans, LA – September 2021… Based in one of our nation’s musical hotspots, singer-songwriter-bassist Roland Guerin’s music draws from a wide spectrum of genres, including American folk, blues, zydeco, rock, and jazz. He’s had the good fortune to work with several highly regarded bands, including Alvin Batiste and The Jazztronauts, the Marcus Roberts Trio, the Allen Toussaint Band, and the Paul Gilbert Band. Guerin was also the last musical director for Dr John, and he has toured with guitarists John Scofield, as well as drummer Brian Blade to name just a few artists. And at the heart of much of his musical activity, TASCAM gear—including the Model 12 mixer, DR-100MKIII recorder, and GB-10 guitar trainer—have played a pivotal role in helping him define his own musical style.
According to Guerin, “My Model 12 mixer has been my choice for spontaneously capturing ideas as quickly as they come to me. And since you can never have too many audio channels, my Model 24 kicks in whenever I need more space. I have a variety of gear that’s always connected and ready to go. This way, when inspiration hits, I don’t risk losing it. My Model 12 is at the heart of everything I do. And once I record an idea, it’s been a habit of mine to setup a brand-new recording slate so that I’ll be ready for the next inspiration. Sometimes I’ll jam on different ideas, but mostly the inspiration hits by working on specific original songs, and that’s where my TASCAM gear really comes to life.”
Capturing unique sounds is a big part of Guerin’s musical emphasis, and for this he employs three TASCAM portable recorders: a DR-40, a DR-100MKIII, and a DR-1, which was one of TASCAM’s first units of its kind. “I’m big on capturing sounds for samples,” Guerin reports. “And I mean all sounds, because for me, sounds are a source of inspiration. I use my DR-100MKIII extensively for this purpose. I find it quick and easy to use, so it never hampers the creative process. My DR-100MKIII is extremely hip! I record everything: rehearsals, concerts, sounds, ideas—you name it. I also use it for recording my new song ideas and snips, as well my rehearsals and even live performances. The quality is stellar! Having that little recorder with me at all times has helped me to learn more about myself, how I play, what my sound sounds like, how my groove feels versus what I perceive it to be, and so much more!”
Guerin is also a big fan of one of TASCAM’s lesser-known products: the GB-10 guitar trainer-recorder, “I love the fact that the GB-10 allows me to practice bass guitar while monitoring with headphones. The GB-10 is what I call my musical toolkit! I can plug-in my bass, import MP3s, and work on songs or solo passages. I even import snips of my own music and practice over it, because even though I write my music, I still have to thoroughly learn it and get to where I can live, breathe, and grow with it.”
When queried about the one TASCAM product that has really become a ‘must have’ for the way he works, Guerin again pointed to his GB-10. “I love my GB-10,” he says. “This piece of gear has bailed me out of some really challenging moments. About two years ago, I was about to head out on tour with Paul Gilbert, but just before that I needed to go to South Korea to meet a dear friend who’s a film director. For this, I was asked to compose the score and be Director of Music. So, before I left New Orleans, I loaded up my GB-10 with Paul’s new music and, once I got to Korea, I used it relentlessly to practice every chance I had so that I’d be fully prepared when I joined him. I don’t hear many folks talk about this unit, but for me, it’s a portable powerhouse of a tool that I’ll never let go of.”
Guerin was also very complimentary of TASCAM customer and technical support services. “I may not need assistance all that often,” he said, “but every time I’ve contacted them, the company has been responsive and great to deal with. A lot of the people at the company play and record, so they get it—and that makes all the difference.”
Before shifting his attention back to his musical endeavors, Guerin offered these parting thoughts about his experience with TASCAM, “My TASCAM gear plays a central role to much of what I do. My Model 12 is crazy hip—with or without a computer. If I have a tempo in mind, I can set the metronome and record a bass part or other ideas and then take that wherever I want! I can create a loop, sync my drum machine to it and get a groove going, and the same with my synths and so on. Then, I can dump that into my computer and keep working. The sound quality of my Model 12 is hip! It’s warm, punchy, and very responsive. I think of it as being very ‘human’ and when I play into it, that’s what I feel out if it. So, I’d say this little beast has a heart!”
To learn more about Roland Guerin, visit his website at https://www.rolandguerin.com/.
About TASCAM
For decades, TASCAM has been the choice of musicians, engineers, and broadcast professionals worldwide by combining industry leading fidelity with legendary reliability. With solutions designed for a stunning array of audio applications and catering to today’ s top professionals, TASCAM continues to define the sound of modern recording. www.tascam.com.
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