Who am I? · The Shawn Lane Guitar Method

Who am I?

Hey guys. I wanted to give a more in depth description of myself and how my musical journey originated. And rather than consume the Q&A comment section with my cumbersome and verbose explanation, I figured I would share it here. Just as a way to let you guys get to know me better, and potentially know and understand you all more.

My interest in music began at a very young age, although my first instrument officially was not until the age of 12.

My mother wasn't a musician nor did she play an instrument, but she had a profound love for music and art in general. Her repertoire would be anything from Jeff Buckley, Evanescence, Nirvana, Billy Holiday, or even Tchaikovsky. I can recall her taking me to the Nutcracker at a young age and it was less the play that enthralled me, but moreso the music. To this day Sugar Plum Fairy is one of my favorite excerpts of any piece of music.

Prior to getting an instrument; I had participated in choir and playing snare for my elementary school concert band. Even at that age I desired to play instrument. I can recall on the Christmas of my eighth birthday my mother got my brother and I a kids guitar and drumset, respectively. I remember throwing an absolute tantrum over the fact that my brother had acquired the guitar for a gift and that it was mine! I was supposed to play the guitar! As his father(do not share the same) was a guitarist himself and had numerous strats littered throughout the house. Alas, it would be another four years before acquiring one.

Finally, at the age of 12, I acquired my first guitar. It was every kids first setup in the mid 2000s. A squier strat, cherry sunburst, with a line 6 spider III. I played it until my fingers bled. Sorting through the likes of Nirvana, Blink 182, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, The Smashing Pumpkins, etc. My progression was anything but gradual. As within a year I was attempting and to some extent playing Hendrix, Rush, and even attempting Buckethead. I was never nor have I ever been the "I'll never do that" person. I have always been the one to see it and go "I must learn how to do that."

from 12-15 guitar was my only musical outlet. I soon graduated to bands like The Number Twelve Looks Like You, Buckethead in more extensive and intense practicing, studying Gilberts Licks video, I had even gotten my hands on a copy of the Guitar Grimoire. And boy did I study that thing.

At 15, at the recommendation of a good friend of mine I joined the Marching Band. My first two years I did Marimba and Vibraphone, with senior year being Bass 2 on the bassline. I also took up cello during this time with a fellow Concert Band classmate who was teaching me. I still regret that I never finished my lessons with him to become more efficient at the instrument. High School for me was a vast majority of the musical knowledge I have today. I studied AP Theory, Music History, Music Appreciation, Percussion, Concert Band, Marching Band, and Intro To Jazz. During this time there were a couple bands I was in, primarily a metalcore band(it was the 2000s) we named Days Of Awakening, which I have used for many things as nickname over the years, abbreviating it to Doax.

After HS, I mostly self explored the guitar and refined my technique and playing. As, due to the workload I put on myself during HS with music courses, guitar took quite a backseat. So I would practice and practice, and write and record what I could. Eventually I was given the opportunity to join a Funk band as the bassist. I had no bass experience, nor slap bass experience prior, other than interest from bands like Primus. However, I took the challenge. I was given a setlist of 12 songs. I learned the entire setlist in 15 hours front to back. I practiced and taught my self slap pop during that time and my fingers bled and calloused immensely. We played the show 3 days later on a friday and I had to wear bandaids.

Soon after two things happened. One, my turn around much like Shawn had with Holdsworth. Mine was the band CHON. I had listened to their demo, but was unaware of their age or anything. Only that they were writing some enticingly interesting stuff. Then I saw them live, and even talked to them briefly at a local venue. They were my age! some only a couple years older or younger. After that I went down a rabbit hole of learning and refining new techniques. Sweeping, Sweep tapping, Glitch Tapping, String Skipping. Things I had never even considered or had written off as flashy. Since then I have written a few songs, none released. Mainly, I have been stuck as a bedroom guitarist since 2015. And, I solemnly admit, at times I didn't even touch the instrument out of depressive bouts for not being musically involved the way I wished.

Then almost 3 years ago, my mother passed. It was a shock to our entire family. She was young and vibrant still. Since then I have nothing but pour myself back into my music to make every attempt, whether it's educator or performer, to make music a career for me. It is the best way for me to honor her memory. Which led me down the rabbit hole of finally studying Shawn almost 3 years ago now. It was a couple months post her passing that music was jaded to me. I would only consume emo adjacent music. Then one day out of the blue I put on Guthrie as I was practicing the tapping lick from Wonderful Slippery Thing. In turn, after Slippery was over, Not Again played. I wept. In fact, I have wept at a vast majority of Shawns song. To me, you can practically feel some of the pain emotion he was pouring out of his fingers when he played. A goal I have always strived for as a musician.

My favorite philosopher to this is still Camus. Psychologists I don't really have one, I just find the study of the human psyche interesting. Astronomy is something I've always loved deeply. I remember using my cousins telescope every chance I could to pick out constellations. These days, I still do. And quite often I will look at pictures from The Hubble or various other space satellites, and if you havent I implore you to as well. Absolutely breathtaking. Cooking, I like numerous various foods. I am part Filipino and grew up with my Lola. Learned to make Adobo Chicken, Lumpia and various other filipino dishes. I mentioned before I worked in a Korean kitchen, where I learned; Pad Thai, scratch Ramen, Bulgogi, Fried Rice, spring rolls and egg rolls, and even how to make my own homemade Kimchi! (we made everything in house)

And that's me, essentially. I suppose as concisely as one man can deconstruct himself to give a good effigy of what and who he is. I do apologize for rambling, I enjoy talking and there's no limits to how much I could iterate just out of pure excitement.

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