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Photos provided by Frank Gambale
Personal growth is a process of both understanding yourself and pushing yourself to reach your highest potential.
It means always asking yourself who you are becoming and how you plan to get there.
Personal growth is especially applicable to those diligently working in the music industry. Often the above reflects what is missing from those that are not moving to the next level of their music career. Therefore, they start to compromise on quality and lower their expectations.
When I interview an artist, I ask them questions that involve development and personal growth. It provides insight as to the longevity of the artist. The insight is crucial to understanding the mindset of the artist.
It was an easy decision to interview Frank Gambale. The following help to determine my decision:
Is this all I need to know about an artist to invite him/her to an interview? No, not at all. However, they were “striking” elements that stood about Frank Gambale. Therefore, it was imperative that we found out more.
INTERVIEW WITH FRAN GAMBALE AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: Hello Frank. Thank you for taking the time to interview with me today. I must mention that I am very impressed with your music. Which reflects your work ethic. How do you determine personal growth and resilience?
Frank: Persistence is at the core. Persistence pays off…always. For example, there was a song on my Salve album called “Love is Always the Answer”. I must have written 20 bridges for that song. Most people would have given up on the song. The point was that I wanted to go places I had never been, dodge clichés and I wasn’t going to settle for anything less than something new. I finally got there but it persistence that makes someone resilient. You’ve heard the story many times of certain individual who did experimented and failed countless times and carried on daunted or undaunted, but carried on anyway until they succeed. Growth comes also from pushing the boundaries. Nothing comes from being safe! I am regarded as the inventor of Gambale Sweep Picking and also Gambale Tuning. The guitar community are slow to catch on to the Gambale Tuning but it’s revolutionary. I can play any cluster 4 or 5 note voicing that a keyboard player can player…it’s absolutely liberating and fresh. I discovered it in 2003 and recorded the sound immediately on the Raison D’Etre album and others since.
Guitar Thrills: What are some of the stages for you in your personal development as an artist?
Frank: Practice, being serious about music and guitar, learning new music. I was an avid transcriber of solos and songs and arrangements. This can only result in growth and abilities. Then there’s putting yourself in the right environment for growth beyond what you know. I moved at 22 to Los Angeles from sleepy Canberra, Australia’s capital, headed for GIT. I immersed myself amongst great musicians and wanted to play with musicians better than me. I was practice 12-16 hours a day. I was doing that also for years leading up to my move to the States. I can draw a straight line from GIT to my working for 36 years with Chick Corea.
Guitar: Are you able to determine at this part of your career if there is more work you can do to get better? Is that even possible?
Frank: It’s not really a question of “better” anymore. Music and art should not be defined with that term. It’s not a contest. It’s not a race to the finish. It’s not sport. My focus is composition these days. Guitar and piano are my tools. Finding chord progressions I’ve never heard is a big motivator. I am also giving back a lot through my online school http://www.FrankGambaleGuitarSchool.com where the best of my knowledge of almost 60 years of being a musician is pouring in the video courses I’ve made for those who seek inspiration and direction and highest quality courses. No fluff in my courses. The info in my courses you won’t find anywhere else and explained in the way that I do. I’m like water running down hill, I’m always seeking the easiest path to deliver my method and getting results.
So I’m still performing, which I love to do, I’m still writing music and still educating and will continue to as long as it feels good to do so.
Guitar Thrills: When you need do to more work in a specific area, what are some of the identifying signs that a project is not quite acceptable to you?
Frank: Peculiar question? We all have standards that we adhere to. If I am offered a recording session for someone’s album, I get a lot of these requests and have played on many recording for others, I have to approve the song or project. If the musicianship and the song or songs are of a high standard and the compositions are good, I’m happy to be a work for hire. I get lots of session work from keyboard players, many are Chick Corea fans which makes sense.
As I mentioned in answer to your first question, I have my own standards when composing or soloing. If I’m overdubbing a solo, I only proceed if the first 4 bars are perfect. Sometimes it’s a first take sometimes it’s not.
Guitar Thrills: There are books, and consultants on personal growth and development. Do you take advantage of those types of resources?
Frank: I read a fair amount. I read several “self-help” books when I was younger and they helped. Positive attitude and enthusiasm are always welcome in any circumstance and any field of work. My wife Boca is a sage and an inspiration in every way, I run everything by her.
Guitar Thrills: Every great artist has stages of development. The basics are usually when you are first learning who you are as an artist, and getting your mindset prepared for the long hall of a fragile career. What were your thoughts as you started your music career?
Frank: I say this to any and all who care to listen…if you play great, people come to you! Why? Because everyone wants a great and talented and enthusiastic guitar player in the band with a great attitude. I didn’t practice in front of a mirror! I was focused on being the very best I could be. I never wanted to be “average”. I couldn’t live with that. I was all in! I took the leap to go to the US as a young man of 22 with my guitar and a suitcase. I had no idea what was going to happen but I did know that guitar was my life and to survive I had to be really good because there’s a lot of guitar players out there! Again, not a contest, I wanted to be amongst the best.
Guitar Thrills: I believe you are succeeding in your personal growth. Is there something that you feel that you have not achieved yet? If so, what is it going to get you to that next level?
Frank: I’m grateful for this interview. I’m very grateful for what I have already achieved. If it were all to end today, I have no regrets, no dangling carrots. I have played with many of the best musicians that ever lived and I have played on all the world’s great stages and festivals and clubs and have seen the whole world many times over. What more could anyone want for. Sometimes you have to pat yourself on the back and enjoy the present and all that you’ve done.
I’m 2/3 of the way through an autobiography. I have a lot of stories and anecdotes to share. It coming along nicely. I also am pursuing other interests. I’m a huge collector of comedy, mostly English, and I’m a HUGE fan of Gary Larson (The Far Side) comics. I’m almost finished my first book of comics which I will publish in the near future.
Guitar Thrills: This is excellent feedback.
Guitar Thrills: Before getting into the music industry, who were some of your influences?
Frank: I started playing guitar when I was 6 or 7 so…haha influences…err…mum and dad, who emigrated to Australia from Italy. Didn’t speak a word of English with 3 young boys to feed. They showed me that hard work does pay off. And, my big brother Nunzio who always had his head in a book and now runs a $100,000,000 high tech company pushing the boundaries with 200 granted patents.
Guitar Thrills: Did you pattern your choices after those that you were inspired by? Also, did it work for you, or did you have to find your own way?
Frank: In life you must always follow your own muse eventually. We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. So, I love reading biographies or autobiographies of people I admire. I love to read their story because it’s always inspirational. It always shows that it’s not only talent, it’s also passion and persistence and courage and sticking your neck out to go for what you want. Life is not a rehearsal…hahaha, I love that, this is the show folks…don’t let it pass you by! Yes I was inspired by the likes of Chick Corea, The Beatles, Jean-luc Ponty, Mike and Randy Brecker, Sinatra, George Duke, Zappa, The Hollies, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Grateful Dead, Steely Dan, The Eagles, Lindisfarne, John Mayall, my tastes were very broad from the era I came up in. All these groups and many more were influenced me. Music music music, you have to love music, not for the accolades or Grannies…errr, Grammys, it’s art and the love of music and making music at the highest level you can, that’s what it was all about for me. I studied and learned songs from all those artists I mentioned and they all gave me something valuable. I didn’t like my compositions in the early days…it wasn’t until I’d learned hundreds of songs and transcribed hundreds of amazing solos that my own music became more interesting and the turning point was when I preferred to focus on my own music hardly listening to anything else., focused.
Guitar Thrills: What choices affect the way you perform, or write music? Are there specific things you consider before beginning a project?
Frank: Performing and writing are two very separate modes. It starts with writing and recording and then releasing the music and then going out to perform the new music. It’s always good if you have an album concept or at least whether it was be acoustic, electric or both, more fusion, more rock more jazz etc? Lots to consider. When I go into writing ( I’m starting that now actually ) I go through all the song ideas I’ve recorded, I have lots of bits that need to be developed into full songs but I’m always thankful that I quickly recorded the idea on my phone. I have tons of ideas to choose from to develop right now, I would say too many actually…a Cadillac problem but still, I will need to sift through and choose the best of the bunch.
Guitar Thrills: When you start kicking around chords, or notes for a new song, what is your favorite “go to” guitar?
Frank: Any guitar. I have my Cort Luxe acoustic guitars scattered all ove my house and a Yamaha C7 in my living room. Some of the acoustics have my Gambale Tuning set up, some with standard tuning. I have one of my DV Mark signature combos that I used to endorse also and some of my Kiesel FG model guitars. My house is scattered with instruments so whenever I need one, it’s usually only steps away. The Yamaha C7 piano I bought from drummer Steve Smith. He bought it new in 1980 and it was in his studio in Marin in the Bay Area. Whenever we did the Gambale Hamm Smith records or Vital Information records, we always recorded there and I absolutely loved that piano and wrote a ton of music on it. I said Steve, if you ever sell this piano I want it…he eventually did. I’ve had 20 years and there magic in it…I still write a lot of music on it!
Guitar Thrills: How do you feel about endorsing brands? Does the brand have to be a right fit before you endorse it, or does gifting affect your brand choice?
Frank: As a jazz musician and independent artist it’s important to have as many streams of income as possible, albums, social media, publishing, tours, sessions, endorsements, clinics, master classes, online school…you get the idea. Of course I won’t put my name on anything. Cort came to me to elevate their brand. They were considered a low price brand. I said well, if you want me
To help in that regard, we must create a high quality instrument. I enjoy the design process and much of the design features and appearance of the Luxe guitars were my designs. So, I realize that that is a rare privilege bestowed on few so I take the design aspect of guitars very seriously and help the guitar companies that really want professional guitar players input. It makes for better guitars.
Guitar Thrills: I know you have released numerous songs over your successful career. Can you tell us more about what was involved in producing them? Is your approach to each song different, or do you follow the same patter?
Frank: I always delighted when I finish a cool tune. I’m equally sad because I must write more than one…hahaha! Each song is precious to me and should stand up on its own. Truly great artists don’t have any fluff songs that are just there for filler. Every song has to be great in some way to satisfy me. I fire up my computer, synths, amps, ProTools and get busy. There’s no secret. Picasso said “ Inspiration has to find you working”. It’s work, sometimes joyful when its flowing, frustrating and irritating when it’s not…but, back to the miracle word…persistence!
Guitar Thrills: I want to congratulate you on your continued success. I hope to set up another day and time to chat with you.
Frank: Thanks GT. Best wishes and sure…a chat sounds great!
Guitar Thrills Broadcast
A RECAP OF WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
