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Mike Gordon aka Mk.gee is one of my favorite new guitar players out there. He effortlessly blends familiar sounds and songwriting with modern DI guitar sounds and a totally unique distortion sound from an old tape deck that I've never seen a guitar player use live before. Mk.gee is truly original, and more people should know about what he's doing.
Mk.gee's new album "Two Star and The Dream Police"
Spotify: https: //open.spotify.com/album/6DlLdXBGCsSDPOV8R2pCl7
Apple Music: / mk-gee
Soundcloud: / mkgee
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Video Links:
Mk.gee - Candy (Live)
• Mk.gee - Candy (Live)
Gear Check: Dijon's Touring Band
• Gear Check: Dijon's To...
Mk.gee - Are You Looking Up
• Mk.gee - Are You Looki...
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He’s got that 90’s Zoom sound nailed.
best comment
Straight into the mixer
If this man don't blow up then the music industry is just fucked
Im getting even earlier purple rain vibes
Nailed it! I knew i heard that before those zoom pedals i had in like 95 were terrible that splatty distortion
So glad to see Mk.Gee being recognized for his talent!
I think something to note here is that the Rainger FX pedal he’s using has a gate on it and distorts the reverb tail. When he digs in the gate opens as does all the distorted reverb tails. This, with the portastudio, is how it really can jump out of the mix suddenly and then come back down without getting all muddy (like you would with long no gated reverb tails)
i noticed that gate right away. they are fun and if you can get your head around them they do so much more than get rid of noise. i just find them so hard to master. its like i am not in control anymore and i lose connection with the guitar. it takes a special, patient player to use the sound on that track.
Gate was my first thought too
@@richardclark.I find it’s one of those things where I either have to play IT or I have to play and completely disregard it. There’s a flow state in between that I’ve rarely been able to access
@@richardclark. I think it really helps to wrap your head around the sensitivity/threshold of a gate. Gates open up because of sound/attack. Think less about them closing and more about what it takes to get them to open. Set the threshold so that it opens with a slightly heavier touch. Then it won’t just open randomly with everything you do but only when you’re starting to dig in. Also where the gate is placed is huge. After all your effects will make the gate closing sound so much more dramatic because it’ll kill all the effects that came before (similar to this rainger pedal). Hope any of that helps! Haha
Yeah that's def what I hear. Tons of reverb that's getting distorted on the tail end when he spikes the preamp. Its cool. Turns out I have a gate and an old Tascam soooo....
I'm glad to hear anything new after listening to the same tones and styles for over half a century at this point.
Same here
@@SHENDOH Same here
The "shoegaze scene" from the late 80's and early 90's had plenty of innovation in guitar textures and styles. Admittedly that was 30 years ago but bands like My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Ride, Slowdive, Chapterhouse, Boo Radleys, Curve, etc still sound fresh even today
@@adamsmith307 yawn
Blud hasn't listened to a single fusion player
Saw this guy with Dijon before a Boy Genius concert. The sound was so loud and different it was hard to make heads or tails of it. It was otherworldly
Dijon live is such a good/bad trip
They definitely were the standout opener for Boy Genius’s ReSet concert.
only thing bad about the show was he only had 45 mins
@ChristianPierce are you telling me I'd be paying 44 dollars for a 45 min concert
The Ritchie Blackmore trick of using an old tape player as a preamp.
wait, for real??
@@thunderstein5041 for real. Actually I should have said old reel to reel.
@@thunderstein5041 it was an aiwa reel to reel
He's actually running a roland vg8ex before his pedalboard throughout most of his last album and that's what gives it that violin quality you're talking about. Mk.gee's been playing with a guy named andrew aged and he uses that a lot too (it's the lead sound after the 2nd chorus in "I want")
That's right, you can see and hear it in the live clip for "Are You Looking Up?" Creates just gorgeous textures.
shhhhhh
Source?
Andrew Aged, one of the Aged bros, from "Inc."
Yep - you can see the Roland GK Pickup attached to his guitar in the video. First thing i thought when i heard the sound was "guitar synth".
4:02 when I first heard the tone, I could have sworn it was a take on something that I heard in the 1980's... After hearing this part, it certainly takes inspiration from the 80's. Thanks Rhett
It's actually from another one of Mk.gee's song's called Candy! Suuper cool 80s inspired track and his guitar sounds even crazier haha
@@tomouwehand yeah it does! I have now heard a few more of Mk.gee's songs and they are all rad! The tones he uses would be right at home on the more blues - rock songs from late into the "New Wave" era. Thank you for your comment!
The old "Let's make my guitar sound like a keyboard..." I had a similar experience with a band called Wire with a song called "I am the Fly" the sound turned out to be a keyboard ran through a distortion pedal. Now the song was recorded in the late 1970s and I was trying to figure this out 20 years later before any good sources were online. It took me 10 more years to figure out how they did it from a video. Still blew my mind.
Wire are an amazing band!
Ought (ripoff of Wire and The Fall) also do this
I saw Wire a few times back in the 70’s and early 80’s, ended up backstage with Graham Lewis at one of their gigs in Glasgow (Bobby Gillespie’s Splash One) probing him about the Steinberger bass he was using! And stealing some of their booze!
@@terrypussypower Lucky duck! I would have like to have met them but I am pretty pleased with being able to watch the on Rockpalast or whatever ze Germans call it. I really like the 154 songs and Pink Flag is fantastic.
As soon as I heard it I knew it was a tape machine! It's a well known trick down here in Argentina, early rock players used an italian made unit called Geloso G-257, a tube powered tape recorder, for getting distorted tones, as equipment back then was nearly impossible to buy. The actual tone was fuzzier but you get the idea.
These are my favourite types of videos you make Rhett, and honestly, one of my favourite types of guitar KZhead videos. Keep up the great work, and I really appreciate you sharing new artists and new tones.
Totally. I agree, great video.
this guy is a major and unique talent, beautiful songs, voice and playing
He got me into guitar a couple months ago, super cool to get a real in depth video about him and his foreign tone from one of the best, thanks rhett!
Same man. How’ve you been practising since then and how you progressing?
All I’ve been listening to recently is my gee, even tried dialing in the tone myself! One of the most inspiring guitarists I’ve seen in a while.
In case anyone was wondering, its a Roland GK midi pickup ran into a Roland VG8 Guitar Synth processor. Patch used sounds like a nylon string guitar patch for "Are you looking up" and probably the "VeryEFX" patch for the tones from Candy and a few others. This is the lions share of the actual sound you are hearing. Its blended with the guitar, which is tuned Bb standard or something like that. Also, notice he is using flatwound strings....This is likely a 7 string flatwound baritone set with the high string omitted. Something along the lines of .065 - .015 gauge flatwound string set. Lots of things going on here that add to the sauce. The Tascam is almost inconsequential in my eyes. Its more a factor that he is going direct and not through an amp. Again, big chunk of what you're actually hearing is the midi pickup + Roland VG8 + very low string tuning.
Thanks for introducing me to a really interesting artist I haven’t heard of. And for going some way to explaining that unique sound. Cheers
Can't beat the Rhett Shull "stank face"! You should put that on a sticker!
should be an emoji
Is he the only person you've seen do that?
@@Aethertigris Not at all, but his is easily one of the best lol
Awesome video! Love the breakdown and thanks for turning me on to a new artist I’ve never heard of. Excited to listen to his catalogue
Thanks for this side door way of showing us unique and new music! Loving his sound!
Love his work with Dijon, now I must dig into this solo record! Part of the magic of their production and video style was that in-the-room feeling, and this has that too, but rather than these-guys-pouring-their-hearts-out-together it’s this-guy-letting-his-heart-out-alone… there’s an intimacy to it, and the tone switching between pristine and broken through dynamics alone gives so much life to that feeling. Thanks for analyzing and sharing!
Ive been obsessed with mkgee ever since i heard him on dijon’s absolutely album in 2022, and i just love seeing him get this attention now because he is such a brilliant artist and innovating guitar player that more people should be able to discover and enjoy, thank you rhett also for doing your best to break down his guitar magic
Oh, didn't know Mk.gee. Thank you for showing us! Beautiful
Mk.gee is fantastic, I would also suggest checking out Dijon, his frequent collaborator. Their composition arrangement are unlike anything out there
Did not expect to see Mk.Gee on the channel! Awesome!
Thanks man, I’m always looking for new stuff but am usually underwhelmed but this actually sounds good.
oh man, been waiting to learn more about the sound. thanks for doing this!
I have listened to this album probably ten times over the last two weeks. Thank you for this he is great.
Last time I caught your enthusiasm wonderfully like this was Madison Cunningham. Then, an element of discovery was her custom pedal by Josh and modification of her rubber bridge modification. I hear elements of the same tones, but not the bridge. Okay, I love all of this. Inspiring and refreshing, I am prepping to have a baritone, rubber bridge, and need an old Tascam. Thanks Rhett, I've never had so much fun in my guitar life!!!
Yeah, he's got a fascinating sound...thanks for sharing this, Rhett!
It's refreshing to hear new guitar tones and unique songs. Thanks for your insight, Rhett, as well as introducing me to a new artist.
Rhett, love the channel and thank you! This is the SECOND insanely talented young guitarist you have introduced me to, and I am sure I am not alone. Bravo!
Can’t stop listening to the record. Incredible
Never heard of this artist before but I’m so glad you introduced this music. Thank you!
Man what a great guitar sound. I’ve been similarly blow away by this album. So good
Awesome! The explanation was great :D and also thanks for introducing me to mkgees songs, maybe I would have never found those gems otherwise :D
Oh wow, what a beautiful and original sound.. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Sounds like Prince
Thanks for showcasing this new-to-me artist, Rhett.
I really like these kinds of videos. Really interesting guitar tone and discovery of a fantastic musician.
I also like Ruben Nielson’s tone in Unknown Mortal Orchestra which has a broken-y pre-amped chorus vibe as well.
Also a fellow Strymon Deco fanboy like dear Rhett
Just listened to his record front-to-back 3 times in a row at work. Killer stuff. Would love to hear him on the podcast.
This is so refreshing been listening to him nonstop since discovering him through your video many thanks Rhett his tone is very addictive makes you want more love it❤ this is what is missing in todays mainstream just pure honest from the heart
Yessss! Never clicked on a video so damn fast. He’s such an insanely creative guitarist.
I don't play guitar (yet) and I loved this video. Thanks for everything youre doing.
Whoa this guy is the real deal - great player great writer great singer
I’ve loved mkgee for so long and was just thinking recently I think Rhett would love his stuff simply from a gear standpoint because the tones he gets are other worldly … great video Rhett!
Such a nostalgic sound, when you realize what it is! I made lots of music on those things
I Love seeing Mk.Gee getting recognition. He makes some incredible music.
Damn! I’m glad someone found this guy and Dijon as well. This guy is a hidden superstar! Great video and it’s great work finding these videos. I went down those rabbit holes over the last few years after seeing Dijon performing Big Mike on one of the late night talk shows. I highly recommend looking up the short film Dijon put out playing several songs from his album with Mc.Gee and crew live on a set that’s made to look like the inside of a house. It’s brilliant!! Looks like a band practice filmed live. Beers on the coffee table and random music equipment all over the room. I think it’s called Absolutely??? It’s VERY worth checking out. The track Many Times just crushed me as soon as I heard it! Run the albums and jump down that fantastic rabbit hole that is Mc.Gee and crew!
I love that video, it's so inspiring and so much fun at the same time. Yeah, it's supposed to be a live rendition of his album "Absolutely" minus a song or two. Would have loved to hear the songs they didn't perform live in that vid but it's okay, instead we get that part where someone plays Vanessa Carlton's 1000 Miles on Cello haha.
Wow, this blew my mind. Didn't know this guy. Thanks, Rhett, love your videos, mate.
This is amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jim for giving me a quick rundown at the Synth Expo! Amazing work 👏👏👏
Wow, what a brilliant musician! Really innovative approach to guitar sounds, but all serving his beautiful songwriting. Thanks so much for introducing him to us!
I love this feature and your analysis all over🙏💚🙏
Finding a unique tone in this day and age is as rare as finding buried treasure. For those of us who have played around with everything in existence (it seems), this is super cool, and worth building upon.
It is great to see and hear the guitar still out front in popular music.
Once again, you do such a great job of paying it forward and highlighting current artist! Kudos to you and @Mk.gee! 👏👏👏
damn, thanks for showing me mk.gee his stuff is actually amazing
Great breakdown. Been a Mk Gee Stan since 2018 when Frank Ocean premiered his song “You” on his Blonded radio station
Yup this is exactly when I heard him too. That album is gorgeous
You know, Here I am thinking I'm a bad guitar. But this guy is doing what I'm doing. This gives me hope. Thank you Rhett
It's nice hearing a new take on the guitar. Also, the man's musicality is incredible.
Love this guy, the new album doesnt have a bad track on it imo. Great to see someone experimenting with guitar.
I used to play direct into my 424ii via a Zoom 505ii in the late 90s for that tone, great fun
Kick ass video! I love this guys style.
THIS IS THE CONTENT I’M HERE FOR ❤️🔥 also the tightness of the flanger helps get that sound vs the chorus. Luckily I’m also on a Midnight Oil kick so I bought a BF-2
wow! i'm a new fan! thank you rhett!
great video .... thank you for turning us on to this really musician .,...
Wow. Glad you did this. He really IS mindblowing. I feel changed.
I love this tone, so much!
So happy to see MkGee getting love
I’m a Dijon fan and I’m so glad to see you cover this on you channel! I wasn’t awareness of his solo stuff. Thanks for that!
Yes, it's pretty tasty. Have you ever tried English mustard. I tried it for the first time a month ago. I love it. ❤❤
Plus he's playing a Jaguar, my favorite Fender model of all time, though I LOVE the Telecaster... SO versatile! Cool video Bro!
Ok yeah I am falling in love with this sound immediately, it RULES
Thanks for featuring this player, great. Another hero of mine using strange guitar is Kurt Vile.
Very cool sound- love the visuals. Very creative
he is awesome. also, dynamics are back in music, what a blessing.
cool thing about these tones is that they go really well with that kind of chords and harmonies
He’s great “looking up” got me hooked
Just discovered this guy a couple weeks ago!! Glad you made this video, Mk.gee deserves all the attention!👌 Killer sounds!
I rewound to 1:54 many times to hear that solo...his symbiotic relationship with that fuzz tone, that dynamic response... deserves a million views. Thank you Rhett for bringing it to my attention.
5:45 the groove he makes is SO COOL...
Thank you for introducing me to the music of Mk.Gee (and by default, the songs of Dijon as well). This is an excellent video and after all these years, videos like this show you’re still curious and excited by artists who want to push the guitar in new directions.
These sounds he is getting caught my attention immediately and I'm loving it. I recall a couple of effects I used on my Katana that an approximation to this if memory serves. I'll check into that again and see if I find them.
I wish I could listen to this album for the first time again fr. A truly magical sound.
I been waiting for someone to make one of these, been obssed with this sound
4:06 "Telling me what my heart meant" Heat of the moment
the video we all needed
I was here for Madison Cunningham, and I’m here for this. Nice work highlighting new talent!
I think just as much of him as you do! Fantastic!
Omg i thought i have been subscribed to your channel.. i have been watching your videos for a year now but just realised this .. but i have subscribed thank you so much for ur amazing contents❤
I really like the your tascam and bariton guitar sound Rhett🔥😁!!!
As a younger fan of your channel, it’s awesome that you are covering new guys like Mk.Gee, Rhett! Please tell Rick about him, would love to see him react to and breakdown his music
There are a few artists that sound similar to him that are making things happen right now. People are really just going crazy w/ the simple pedal setups using unique items, to create great sounds, then using those sounds in environments you wouldn’t first expect them to be in. Beautiful guitar you’re playing btw.
thanks for helping me discover an awesome artist! I dig it!
I love seeing him gaining traction finally with a wider audience!!
Feel like this Mkgee guy is getting pumped by the algorithm. Never heard of him, then suddenly he's all over my youtube feed.
he’s been working hard for the past like 7 years and he played with Dijon, who had one of the best albums of the last few years. he cultivated a community and then expanded outwards
@flips220 Algorithm’s working great for you then! Watch the live video of Dijon - Absolutely back in 2021 where he accompanies on guitar: absolutely wild tone and great Joey Landreth/Blake Mills-y playing through an 80’s filter.
He just went live on jimmy kimmel… that might be it
Sometimes great music is just undeniable. Feels good, huh? Haha
Man aside from the tone, those phrasing are on point! Thanks for introducing this gem!
No ways mkgee is finally getting the recognition he deserves from the guitar community 🔥👌
Love it, reminds of Shakey Graves in a weird way. Also If anyone didn't know, Spoon is widely known to use a Tascam for a distortion sound.
Brilliant analysis! I like your incarnation of his sound and would like to hear it in one of your original compositions.
Wow! MK Gee is great! What a unique sound!
His finger picking is also essential to the equation. Though their sounds are very different, it reminds me a bit of how Jeff Beck would pluck and control volume.
GOOD SHOUT Rhett!!! I'm all over this guy!!! It's crazy that the "music" isnt my thing. But these songs for sure are. And can we just live in the sound of the sound please?? Now go listen to the radio and or any top 10 of the week/month/year and LAUGH at the consistent lack of effort. This dude is putting it all out there.