An Interview with Derek Schils

[Download Derek Schils' version of "Go Speed Racer"]

IC: For the readers who may be unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe your music?

Derek: Energetic, melodic, heavy, groove based instrumental rock. I think the songs would stand on their own if you strip away the melodies. Maybe it is just for guitar junkies, maybe not, I don’t know, but if I do it right though, hopefully it’s for anyone who appreciates fine musicianship.

IC: What inspired you to play the guitar, and how old were you when you first started?

Derek: Both my father and uncle played guitar and bass in several bands back in the day, so there was always a guitar, amp and music happening nearby. I suppose it started to rub off on me. I think I was around 8-10 years old when I started fooling around with guitars, and eventually I got my own as a birthday present… it was a lil cheap acoustic, but it was all mine. But even with my own guitar to goof off on, it was still a few more years before I really took it seriously and became fully hooked (I was probably around 12 or 13 years old).

IC: So besides your father, who were your initial influences and how did that change over the years?

Derek: Early on I was really into pop / rock guitarists, if their music was on the radio, I liked ‘em… guys like Nugent, Hendrix, Page, Neal Schon, etc. I was no different from practically everyone else, and Van Halen blew me away when I first heard him - he was it for many years - then I had my Yngwie phase of course, but eventually I grew into players like Satch, MacAlpine, Moore, and so on. There’s something about really clean soloing... that blend of chops and melody.. I just enjoy it. Most recently though, I’m into the Greg Howe and Guthrie Govan (amongst others) type of playing.  There’s a certain raw flair to it, almost reckless in a way.  The phrasing always sounds spontaneous and inspired.  They’re creating those great lines on the fly.

IC: Yeah, that's what I love about Guthrie's stuff - his improvisational chops. 

So what led you to play instrumental music?

Derek: I can’t sing! Seriously, with instrumental music I love the fact that for both the artist and the listener there’s total freedom of the mind's eye.  I'm not knocking vocal stuff, but the story and mood is being presented to you by the singer, whereas an instrumental tune allows each listener's imagination the space to paint their own picture while hearing the music, each one being different. I love it when a friend comments that a particular tune reminds them of something, and someone else comes along and says something entirely different of the same tune.  That’s what it’s about.

IC: Yeah, and often times I'll find a completely new meaning to a song every listen, instead of holding onto a single concept like one might with a vocal tune that's more about something in particular. 

So could you tell our readers a little bit about your previous releases?

Derek: I’ve been recording for a handful of years, less then ten I’d say. My first effort was merely a 5 track demo recorded on a Roland 880 VS machine.  It was comprised of 4 original instrumental tunes and one cover of a Journey song (a close friend sang). I did all the instrumentation and have to say it was a great first learning experience for writing tracking, mixing, etc. But my first full CD, "Halfway Home", was just released in late 2006.  It’s a 10 track / 40 minute effort that I’m fairly pleased with.  I heard growth in both the writing and the recording process while remembering to have fun.

IC: That's what I like about your music - the fun, carefree, adventurous vibe. 

So what have you been doing since late last year? 

Derek: I’ve been enjoying a brief break from recording, I got a little burned out finishing up my last CD, so in this downtime, I’ve been going through the growing pains and grasping the art (with a little help from my friends) of tracking, mixing and so on with software, which is something new for me… but I have been playing and writing in the meantime, and I actually have 2 new tunes.  Once I find the right amp and feel comfy with the recording process, I’ll start tracking again.  Actually I can’t wait! This next album will be instrumental as well.  However, I intend on making it more melodic and memorable than my first.  Concentrating more on composition, but still keeping it fun and lively.

IC: Could you tell us a little about your guitars? Do you have a favorite brand or luthier?

Derek: I’ve never been a “collector”, I have only enough guitars to cover some essential tones, but I’m partial to Ibanez I suppose. I have a ’95 US custom RG20 (yes, they actually made guitars here too) that I’ll never get rid of.  It just feels right. Not that the Ibanez doesn’t cover the basics, but I do also have a Les Paul, a very strat-like beast that I slapped together with the best pieces from a few other US made guitars (it sounds great, used it for several things on my CD), and a few others for various things.

IC: So what other gear do you use?

Derek: Well... I’m not a gear junkie, especially with regards to effects.  Just like my guitars, as I long as I have enough to cover the essential tones, I’m set. I have a handful of old Boss pedals, the GE-7, DS-1, CS-3, etc, a great little tube pre-amp in the Peavey Rockmaster which I love for everything from crunch to wail. I used a MESA 20/20 on Halfway Home into an old Fender 2X12 cab with V30’s, but I’ve decided to go with something different next time, so I’m currently shopping for a new amp, most likely will end up with a 5150. As far as strings go, I pick extremely hard, really rough on 'em, Ernie Ball has always been my favorite because they seem to hold up to that abuse better than any other brands I’ve ever tried.

IC: What instructional material did you use to help develop your technique when you were younger?

Derek: Funny thing, I was never that big on seeking out that kind of stuff when I was younger, I do much more so these days however! When I was a kid, I could (and did) just ask my father to show me how he did this or that. As a teen, there were always those friends you could watch and absorb from, and the magazines always had great lessons as well. A huge leap forward for me though was getting to sit a few feet away from Vinnie Moore in person and watch him improvise effortlessly. I remember thinking THAT’S what I wanted to be able to do with the guitar.  It had little to do with his monstrous technique... it was more the ability to make intricate melodies so easily.  The ideas seemed endless, and flowed from one to another. At that point in my development, that was awesome to experience.  I'd never witnessed that level of mastery flowing out of a player before, and seeing it in person was truly inspiring.

IC: Yeah, Vinman was one of my first discoveries within the instrumental guitar world, and I haven't stopped loving his music.

Okay, so how much time do you spend practicing and playing nowadays, and how does that compare with your practice schedule when you were younger?

Derek: I don’t think of it as practicing anymore, though I should. Nowadays, I simply sit down and start making music. I guess it is practice in the sense that I’m still learning and growing as a guitarist / musician, but I don’t “woodshed” for hours on end like I did when I was younger. I remember a period where I practiced HARD for up to 10 hours a day. But when I do woodshed these days, I like to think that a couple hours of intense, focused practice is good enough, because honestly I feel pretty good about where I’m at technically. I’m much more concerned now with developing composition chops, even if it means sacrificing some technique.

IC: Well, when you do practice these days, could you describe how you typically go about it?

Derek: I do a little loose noodling - no rhyme or reason - as well as firing up a drum groove and playing along. I’ve never used an actual metronome (shhhh). OK, I admit it, I have had a ball game or two on the tube with the mute button on while doing some silly exercises from time to time, you gotta support your team, right?!

IC: [Laughs]  Well, I'm not much of a sports fan, but I have been known to practice with the TV going!

So are you a guitar instructor as well?

Derek: I taught a little several years back, it takes patience but it’s a rewarding craft. I lost interest in it however after a pal’s younger brother quit on me after his first and only lesson; I guess I saw that as an excuse to just stick with playing!

IC: [Laughs]  I guess it takes the right kinda students to make it work. 

... Alright, I know this is kind of a though question to answer, but what is your creative process like, and what inspires your songwriting?

Derek: When you're practicing for hours on end sometimes, sooner or later an idea simply throws itself at you. I always make sure I run with it, even if it's nothing more then 2 chords that sound interesting played together. Some of the oldest tips also happen to really open things up... stuff like setting the pick down and playing whatever I just liked using my fingers instead, changing over to the clean channel or an acoustic and seeing what new direction an idea may run, and the corniest of all but it works well for me, is closing my eyes... maybe it's because I have an ultra short attention span, I don't know... but that always gets me to focus in on the sounds. I can't explain it, but the playing gets more creative. Ultimately though, I just go with anything that keeps the thought process moving forward.

IC: Do you listen to your own music for personal enjoyment very much? (When you’re not playing it yourself that is.)

Derek: Not as much as I used to. I had developed a bad habit of critiquing instead of just enjoying. I don’t seem to do that when listening to other people's music, but I tend to listen to my stuff only for select reasons these days. Most of the time, I’m jamming down the road to somebody else’s music, totally able to relax and take it in without focusing on something in the mix. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to enjoy my own stuff that way again, at least as much as I did while writing and recording it!

IC: How important a factor is improvisation in your music?

Derek: I love improvisation during the writing phase. After I’ve hatched an idea and there’s that feeling out period where you’re winging it, I always try to record that, fluffs and all, then I can go back and listen to those improved takes, pick one out that speaks, and then I’ll try and dupe what I did with more conviction, so in the end, ultimately the idea was indeed improvised, I just try and give that idea some polish, unless the improvisation happened to have something special, those stay of course.

IC: Is there anyone you’d especially like to play or collaborate with someday?

Derek: Never gave that much thought, I suppose sitting down with the likes of a Satch, Greg Howe or Andy Timmons would be a massive experience.

IC: I'll be seeing Andy live for my first time next month - lookin' forward to that!  And I'll be sitting down with him in a way... for an interview though, not to jam... yet!

Okay, since this is an instrumental guitar website, what instrumental albums have you heard recently, and which are your all-time favorites?

Derek: Guthrie Govan’s “Erotic Cakes” has stayed in my car since it was released. I’ve also been enjoying Andy Timmons’ “That Was Then, This Is Now”. I don’t really have many “all-timer’s” because there are so many great individual tunes on so many discs, I always end up popping a CD out after I’ve heard my favorite track, then throw in another and hit my favorite, etc, etc, but I suppose the one I always listen to from end to end and never stop is Greg Howe’s “Parallax”, it's pure guitar genius all the way through.

IC: Do you have any advice for aspiring young guitarists who want to pursue a career in music or just better themselves as players?

Derek: For the brief time I gave lessons, I noticed a distinct difference between the younger players who spent too much time learning the same old songs in all the guitar magazines versus this one guy who avoided them. He was much more on his way to becoming a unique player, his playing was already standing out as something special. Several students would come in "coincidentally" all playing the same tune one week (in some cases, claiming they learned it by ear), so I’d always have a chuckle because I’d then know the tab just “happened” to be in the latest mag and that’s where they probably all learned it! They’d have it down, but that other guy had his own thing down, and that’s the playing that grabbed me, not theirs. Point is, be different, but not if you have to TRY to be different, that’ll still be transparent, just be your own player. Dedication is really important as well. To reach a certain level, sacrifices will have to be made. If you’re practicing 20 minutes a day, and the guy down the street is practicing for 2 hours a day, who’s most likely going to be a better player sooner?

IC: Woah, I don't like my odds!  [Laughs]

Well, for someone at your level of musicianship, what are your technical and musical aspirations?

Derek: It sounds cheesy, but I really do play and make music purely for my own personal pleasure, it’s a great thought to believe that if you’re lucky enough to remain healthy, you can stay after this instrument for decades on end. As long I as keep hearing growth as an artist and I don’t grow tired or uninspired creating music, well, I suppose those are my only aspirations, to just have the opportunity to keep on making music and evolving as a musician.

IC: Sounds like a great reason to me!

Are there any guitarists who you still look up to?

Derek: Many, many players out there, it’s never ending really, but off the top: Greg Howe, Garsed, Andy Timmons, Petrucci, and so many others, even unknown guys you see floating around the web that knock your socks off every now and then.

IC: Which newer guitarists have caught your attention?

Derek: Govan, Mattias IA Eklundh (well, he's been around, but he's new to me), and a few others, but honestly, when the guitar hero thing vanished sometime back in 90's (unless your name was Vai or Satriani), I kinda lost interest in seeking out new players. Thankfully though, they're showing up again, and they're getting younger and younger!

IC: Do you listen to any non-guitar oriented music? If so, which artists, bands or genres do you like?

Derek: Sure, I love listening to Jazz, especially when a horn or piano are the focus, also love classical, vintage rock, anything with great harmonies / vocals, even plain old pop.

IC: If you could visit any musician or group in history, who would it be?

Derek: Hmmm, I suppose some of the great players that had their time cut short would be an interesting visit, guys like Randy Rhoads, Hendrix or Vaughn, and before my visit was over – I’d warn them to be careful out there!

IC: That's good advice for any musician - alive or dead!

So do you play any other instruments besides guitar?

Derek: I dabble on the keyboard and bass, and I’d love to stumble onto a decent violin someday, I’d buy it and start playing, always been interested in it.

IC: I'd love to play violin, too.  I've been getting into Itzhak Perlman's playing recently... mindblowing stuff!

So what are some of your hobbies outside of guitar and music in general?

Derek: PC gaming, especially sports stuff, classic video games are also a blast as well - I seldom go a week without playing some Zaxxon, Galaga, Ring King, SFIII, etc. Also love fishing with friends, watching great movies in my lil’ home theater, working in my yard. Napping is also a way under-appreciated hobby.

IC: [Laughs] 5-hour power naps get my endorsement!

Okay, last question... what’s the one thing you want people to know about you?

Derek: Only one? Hmmm, I suppose I'm just a big kid stuck in an average guys body.

Essential Derek Schils links:

www.myspace.com/derekschils

 
www.sounds-of-schils.com

... and don't forget to buy "Halfway Home"! 

-- Dave B.