Home

About

Audio

Video

Photos

Live

Conversations

Quotes & Reviews

Airplay

Gear

Mailing List

Ordering

Contact & Lessons

Links

Conversation with Tomas Michaud

"... I decided to
play music that
I was passionate
about and that
was an honest
expression of
what I felt and
heard inside me."

- Tomas Michaud

"I feel like I can
express subtle
things with the
guitar that I could
not express with
any of the other instruments or
with words."

- Tomas Michaud

"I believe strongly
in the value of
learning music."

- Tomas Michaud

"I'm hoping to
capture some of
the "live" sound
and use some of
the incredibly
talented
musicians I've
been performing
with."

- Tomas Michaud

Jamie: The guitar has allowed me to discover music in a unique way.
Even though the piano was my first instrument, I feel a physical connection
to the guitar. The way the guitar resonates and feels in my hands helps to
define my music. Why did you choose to play the guitar?


Tomas: My first instrument was trumpet. I played trumpet for about
three years as a child. I never really had much passion for the sound
of the trumpet. At 14 I started to play mandolin. I enjoyed that and then
my friends talked me into playing bass. Someone also gave me a guitar
around this time and while I was playing bass in bands I would go home
and practice what I saw the guitar player doing on the guitar. Within a
short time after I started playing guitar I knew I had found my instrument
or "voice".

Playing the guitar is a very tactile experience for me. Even though I use
a pick, sometimes I like to use my fingers so I can feel the strings with
both hands. I feel like I can express subtle things with the guitar that I
could not express with any of the other instruments or with words.
Sometimes I struggle with the "right" notes but on my best days the
strings and notes feel like they are directly connected to something
deep inside me and beyond my decision making process. They just
seem to flow. I've never had that experience playing another
instrument.


Jamie: It's important to find an instrument that feels "right" to you. The
guitar is such a malleable instrument -- it has a phenomenal range both
stylistically and tonally. And that range can be a challenge in and of
itself. How did you come to the music you're playing now?


Tomas: I was brought up listening and playing rock and popular music.
I even played and wrote music for church for many years. I was going
through an intense personal growth period and at that time I went to
Spain and heard the Gipsy Kings playing on a tape on a bus. I loved it.
When I got back to the states I immediately started to take Flamenco
guitar lessons. This was a time I decided to play music that I was
passionate about and that was an honest expression of what I felt and
heard inside me. I think before that I was trying to much to please other
people. The music of Ottmar Liebert helped me. When I first heard his
music on the radio I thought "this guy is really authentic. I can do that".
It worked out OK.


Jamie: I'd say it did! I think this is really the best way to come to
your music -- to love it. There's a lot of music out there right now that is
extremely manufactured. Music that doesn't have any of the passion that
you're talking about. When people talk about the "woes" of the music
industry, I think a huge component is the lack of passion. As an
independent artist, how do you convey your sense of passion to
the listening public?


Tomas: I attempt to be fully present to both the music and my listeners
when I'm performing. I'm never sure how much is reaching them but I've
learned to just do the best I can at any moment, even at times that I
might be a little tired or not feeling 100%.


Jamie: I know you, like many other musicians, do a lot different things.
How has owning Starland Music Center and teaching affect your own
music making?


Tomas: I believe strongly in the value of learning music. When I first
started Starland it took a lot of my time. I developed my own teaching
system and trained my instructors. Now I have a excellent support
staff and management. This allows me time to create, perform and
record as well as continue to improve my teaching methods and
materials. Having two sources of income helps me to put more focus
on where my inspiration leads me instead of how commercially viable
the music will be. I have had to learn good time management.


Jamie: The old adage about the teacher learning from his students is
definitely true for me. It's not just the exposure to different personalities
and abilities, but the constant reminder of how deep music is. Teaching
let's me know that my own viewpoint is just one of many. Could you
describe your teaching method?


Tomas: I have taken what I would call the fundamentals of playing guitar
and organized it into a system that consists of 3 levels, 20 steps in each
level. Each step is somewhat complete so it sounds interesting but when
you put them all together it enables the student to learn new songs
quickly, create songs and move easily around the guitar.

Every 5 steps we review and when get to the end of a level we go back
and review again, practicing the steps until the student and teacher both
feel ready. Then we set up a "Presentation." This is where another teacher
sits in (often myself) and the student plays through all 20 steps. If the
student's teacher did his job right the student passes and receives a
handshake, certificate and praise from all the staff.

In this manner the student not only learns to play guitar but learns
a way of thinking, a method to break a complex skill down into smaller,
manageable pieces. It helps them stay motivated knowing there is a step
by step path and makes sure they master the simple skills needed to
progress on to more complex techniques.

Finally, this little ritual at the end of the Presentation helps build
self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.


Jamie: Sounds like a great program! I particularly like the self-esteem
part. I've had a lot of older students whose previous teachers had just
crushed them -- said some pretty nasty things and the students just
dropped studying music. Often my first lesson with older students is
reassuring them that they don't have a "tin ear" or that they are talentless.
Once they gain a sense of confidence it's just amazing to watch them
progress! Even those that those that have been carrying around the
"tin ear" label for some time.

I know you perform your music in a variety of contexts. Could you talk
about your live shows?


Tomas: I think your students are very lucky to have you for an instructor.

I perform regularly at clubs and festivals with my five piece band
which currently consist of two guitars, bass, sax and drums/percussion.
These shows are very dynamic and David Margen my bassist (formerly of
Santana) and my drummer Phil Thompson (formerly of the Pete Escovedo
Orchestra) can take some pretty mean solos. In contrast I have been
having quite a bit of fun also performing as a solo artist, or actually as
a One Man Band with tracks from my CDs. This has allowed me to share
my music with a wide variety of audiences. One of my favorites is Valley
Fair Mall. I never imagined I'd be performing in a mall but the regional
manager saw my band and loved the music. He approached me and
asked me if I'd like to do this. I perform twice a month in this huge,
elegant mall and meet hundreds of wonderful people who enjoy my
music. I usually do a bit of shopping while I'm there since I don't
have much time to go shopping.


Jamie: I do much the same thing regarding playing with tracks. I think
it's important to bring my music to as many people as possible. For
instance, I've gained a lot of listeners by playing in-stores -- listeners
who wouldn't be in a club at 1 AM on a Tuesday night. For certain gigs
it just doesn't make financial sense to bring in a full band...
or sometimes any band at all!

I have to say, at first I wasn't really into playing with tracks. I had done
a few instrument with tape compositions in university and I had played
with sequenced material in different bands, but I just didn't know how
well it would work with the music I'm doing now. Honestly, I love it! It's
given me the freedom to perform in any context -- big or small venue
and with any sized band. What I'd really like to do is a whole
multimedia show (video/lights etc) all hooked into a computer-based
system. It would probably be a ton of work, but I think it would be fun
to give it a shot!

How about some shop talk? For me, amplifying the acoustic guitar can
be a problem. From feedback to getting a good tone, there always seems
to be some sort of a challenge! Could you describe your live set up?
Any tips you could pass along?


Tomas: I have struggled for years trying to find the right balance of
mobility, good tone and little or zero feedback. It's most difficult with
the full band. For my live setup I currently use a Rodrigues Cutaway
Flamenco guitar with a built-in Fishman Duo pickup which is a piezo
under the bridge and a small microphone inside the guitar. When I
perform with my band I use only the piezo because the mic feeds
back too easily. I run this through a Yamaha AG Stomp effect box
designed for acoustic guitars and then into the P.A. System and role
off frequencies below 200 hz. The AG Stomp does help the tone and
has some notch filters to help with feedback. For the best sound at
lower volume I prefer a good condenser microphone aimed at an angle
from the neck side at the 12th fret. In the studio I always use two high
quality condenser microphones.


Jamie: I'm pretty much the same as you -- I use a condenser (my
current fav is the Audio-Technica AT3035 -- really neutral and you can't
beat the price!) in the studio and a piezo in a live setting. I've used the
Sansamp Acoustic DI for the last couple years and it's worked out great.
Never tried the Yamaha unit, but I've heard some good things about it.

On my new record, I've been moving away from longer reverbs and
using delays to get my ambience with maybe a touch of a shorter reverb
to push the guitar back in the mix. I think it's giving the new material I'm
working on a more focused sound. Do you do much experimenting
with your guitar sound and processing?


Tomas: I haven't done much with processing except using reverb and
a tube compressor, but I think I'll try the delay idea on this next CD that
is due out this August. I did get a new guitar made by Lester Devoe that
I'm look forward to recording with.


Jamie: I'm working on a new record myself. Seems like I've been working
on the album.... forever! Maybe I'm just too picky....

Can you tell me a bit about your new music? Any changes from your past
sound?


Tomas: One change is that instead of recording one instrument at a time
I'm going to record the rhythm section "live" in the studio and then overdub
my melody and other instruments. I've never done this before and it will
take some extra rehearsal with the musicians. I'm hoping to capture some
of the "live" sound and use some of the incredibly talented musicians I've
been performing with. This CD will be a little more "jazzy" then my past
CDs.


Jamie: Are the musicians you're using for the new album the same as
your live band?


Tomas: Yes, that's my plan. I like what's going on at our shows.


Jamie: Well, I sure hope to see you play live one of these days!

So you have a new album coming out in the next while, anything else
new happening? Any chance you're going to get your live show up to
Toronto?


Tomas: I'd enjoy the opportunity to travel more and develop a wider
audience. I guess it will be awhile before I could bring the band to
Canada. Please let me know if you'd ever like to come to the S.F Bay
Area to perform Jamie. I'd be glad to help with a place to stay, guest
appearance at one of my shows, etc.


Jamie: That would fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to do this
conversation and good luck with your new project!


Tomas: Thank you Jamie. It was a pleasure.

back to top