Janek Gwizdala Podcast
Dive deep into the music universe with the podcast that unveils the journey of one of the most influential bass players in the music industry – Janek Gwizdala. Designed for bass enthusiasts and musicians alike, each episode is a sonic exploration into the world of groove, gear. technique, and artistic evolution.
Janek Gwizdala, renowned for his mastery of the bass, shares his life's narrative – from the early days as a budding musician to his current status as a sought-after sideman and solo artist. Whether you're a seasoned bassist or simply appreciate the magic of live music, join us as we unravel the layers of Janek's experiences, revealing the secrets behind his signature sound.
Expect in-depth conversations with Janek and special guests, offering unique perspectives on music, composition, and the art of creating an unforgettable groove. Explore the challenges and triumphs of a professional bass player, gain insights into the creative process, and discover the stories behind some of Janek's most iconic performances.
Whether you're looking for inspiration for your own musical journey or simply want to bask in the rich tones of the bass, "The Janek Gwizdala Podcast" is your backstage pass to the world of bass and music.
Subscribe now for an intimate look at the life and legacy of Janek Gwizdala's bass-centric career.
janekgwizdala.substack.com
Episode 300! Mega Q&A To Celebrate
2024-09-15 15:05:00
We somehow made it to 300 episodes of the podcast since 2006 or 2007. It's so long ago, I don't actually remember exactly when I hit upload on podbean for the first time. To celebrate, I answered as many questions you all submitted as I could, and it was awesome to hear from you and a challenge to think about the answers. Here's to 300 more!
We somehow made it to 300 episodes of the podcast since 2006 or 2007. It's so long ago, I don't actually remember exactly when I hit upload on podbean for the first time.
To celebrate, I answered as many questions you all submitted as I could, and it was awesome to hear from you and a challenge to think about the answers. Here's to 300 more!
Pedalboard Disaster
2024-09-10 08:14:52
We get into the weeds on the latest pedalboard build, and talk about what a disaster these projects can start life as. I'm getting ready to go to Europe to give a clinic on pedals, so this board has a little bit more pressure on it as it'll be heavily scrutinized by the audience. If you end up watching this on YouTube, the video cut out a few minutes in and I didn't notice until about the 10 minute mark. I shot some b-roll after the fact to go along with what I was talking about, and I do eventually notice and figure it out in time to save the episode. More soon, Janek Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
We get into the weeds on the latest pedalboard build, and talk about what a disaster these projects can start life as. I'm getting ready to go to Europe to give a clinic on pedals, so this board has a little bit more pressure on it as it'll be heavily scrutinized by the audience.
If you end up watching this on YouTube, the video cut out a few minutes in and I didn't notice until about the 10 minute mark. I shot some b-roll after the fact to go along with what I was talking about, and I do eventually notice and figure it out in time to save the episode.
More soon,
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
Is It Possible To Be a Recording Artist in 2024?
2024-08-27 15:05:00
I think the short answer to the question is yes! It's totally possible to be a recording artist, but the bigger question is how? As my debut album Mystery To Me turns 20 this year, I have a little bit of experience in this area to share, and today we get into exactly what it means to be a recording artist in 2024 and beyond. I’m very excited to have found the sessions from two decades ago and will be remixing, remastering, and for the first time in my career pressing vinyl for this 20th anniversary release. There will be new artwork and packaging, as well as two bonus tracks of takes we did after the audience had left the studio. Yes, this was a live album! Live in the studio, but live none the less. A small audience assembled on November 4th 2004, and we played the album from top to bottom in one take. Check out the episode, drop some comments on the youtube video to both give me feedback on the vinyl thing, and of course to help the algorithm. More soon, Janek Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
I think the short answer to the question is yes!
It's totally possible to be a recording artist, but the bigger question is how?
As my debut album Mystery To Me turns 20 this year, I have a little bit of experience in this area to share, and today we get into exactly what it means to be a recording artist in 2024 and beyond.
I’m very excited to have found the sessions from two decades ago and will be remixing, remastering, and for the first time in my career pressing vinyl for this 20th anniversary release.
There will be new artwork and packaging, as well as two bonus tracks of takes we did after the audience had left the studio. Yes, this was a live album! Live in the studio, but live none the less. A small audience assembled on November 4th 2004, and we played the album from top to bottom in one take.
Check out the episode, drop some comments on the youtube video to both give me feedback on the vinyl thing, and of course to help the algorithm.
More soon,
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
I Played ALL of Ian Martin Allison's HX Stomp Presets
2024-08-20 15:05:00
I thought this would be one of the easiest Epsisodes/videos to make. Rock up to my computer, import Ian’s presets, play music, talk, done. The reality was actually quite different. There was real pressure to “get it right” for want of a better phrase. This was meant to be my take on the sounds, my opinion for whatever it’s worth, and just some fun seeing where the presets would take me. But shortly after hitting the record button I started over-thinking things and realizing I was putting pressure on myself to know what each sound was made up of just by listening, and to try and do the sounds justice. I eventually got the heart rate down a little and settled into simply enjoying the sounds and making music, and hopefully that is ultimately what comes across. If you want to download any of the sounds you hear in the episode you get get Ian’s HERE and mine HERE. More soon, Janek Shop Now Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
I thought this would be one of the easiest Epsisodes/videos to make.
Rock up to my computer, import Ian’s presets, play music, talk, done.
The reality was actually quite different. There was real pressure to “get it right” for want of a better phrase.
This was meant to be my take on the sounds, my opinion for whatever it’s worth, and just some fun seeing where the presets would take me.
But shortly after hitting the record button I started over-thinking things and realizing I was putting pressure on myself to know what each sound was made up of just by listening, and to try and do the sounds justice.
I eventually got the heart rate down a little and settled into simply enjoying the sounds and making music, and hopefully that is ultimately what comes across.
If you want to download any of the sounds you hear in the episode you get get Ian’s HERE and mine HERE.
More soon,
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
I Was 30 Years TOO LATE On This...
2024-08-14 15:05:00
It is both an amazing feeling to find something new in the learning process, and a kick in the gut when you realize you should have been doing it for 30 years already. I recently started exploring a new approach for learning music that seems to be working better than anything I've tried in the past, allowing me to add vocabulary to my language faster than before, and most importantly embed it deep into the muscle memory and sub-conscious so I never forget it. More soon, Janek Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
It is both an amazing feeling to find something new in the learning process, and a kick in the gut when you realize you should have been doing it for 30 years already.
I recently started exploring a new approach for learning music that seems to be working better than anything I've tried in the past, allowing me to add vocabulary to my language faster than before, and most importantly embed it deep into the muscle memory and sub-conscious so I never forget it.
More soon,
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
HX Stomp Presets Are Finally Here!
2024-07-31 15:05:00
Bass players of the world, It is with great joy that I get to share my latest round of HX Stomp presets with you, and I cannot wait to hear what you do with them. With options for everything from film score to funk , there’s a little something for every player. The biggest challenge in putting them together was trying to take myself out of the equation and think about how people from all walks of the bass world might want to use them. Obviously they’re all inspired by things quite personal to me, but at the same time I think they can be easily customized, and I look forward to working with people on ways to bend them into exactly what it is YOU need. Reach out in the comments on YouTube so as many people as possible can share in the information that comes up in our conversations, and I’ll post some more sound samples and ideas with the presets soon. Janek P.S. If you don’t have the original Janek Gwizdala Signature Sound pack, you can get that and the new release in a single bundle and save 25%! Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
Bass players of the world,
It is with great joy that I get to share my latest round of HX Stomp presets with you, and I cannot wait to hear what you do with them.
With options for everything from film score to funk, there’s a little something for every player.
The biggest challenge in putting them together was trying to take myself out of the equation and think about how people from all walks of the bass world might want to use them.
Obviously they’re all inspired by things quite personal to me, but at the same time I think they can be easily customized, and I look forward to working with people on ways to bend them into exactly what it is YOU need.
Reach out in the comments on YouTube so as many people as possible can share in the information that comes up in our conversations, and I’ll post some more sound samples and ideas with the presets soon.
Janek
P.S. If you don’t have the original Janek Gwizdala Signature Sound pack, you can get that and the new release in a single bundle and save 25%!
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
Can You Practice Less & Learn More?
2024-07-18 15:05:00
Just in case you thought I’d come up with some formula that allows you to spend hardly any time with your instrument and become a monster player… I didn’t. By practicing less I mean practicing less ideas at any given time. There is still no substitute for time spent with the instrument, and as I explain what it is I’m working on in this episode, it might come as a surprise to you as to how basic some of the stuff is after all these years of work on the craft. In other news I have to update you on the progress with bringing back the vlog, but that will have to wait until next week. This week however, we could see a live stream for the first time in months to test out a new content concept I’m working on. Maybe tomorrow morning…? Keep your eyes peeled to your email. More soon, Janek Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
Just in case you thought I’d come up with some formula that allows you to spend hardly any time with your instrument and become a monster player… I didn’t.
By practicing less I mean practicing less ideas at any given time. There is still no substitute for time spent with the instrument, and as I explain what it is I’m working on in this episode, it might come as a surprise to you as to how basic some of the stuff is after all these years of work on the craft.
In other news I have to update you on the progress with bringing back the vlog, but that will have to wait until next week. This week however, we could see a live stream for the first time in months to test out a new content concept I’m working on.
Maybe tomorrow morning…? Keep your eyes peeled to your email.
More soon,
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
Should We Play Bass in Stereo?
2024-07-06 15:05:00
For pedal fans and signal chain nerds, mono vs stereo is going to come up once in a while and it's a tough call to make when you consider the incredible options available today to widen your sound. From reverbs and delays to all kinds of modulation and panning effects, there is an almost infinite library to draw inspiration from. The more real-life questions for gigging musicians are: * Do you really want to carry two sets of cabinets and two amps with you? * Are you willing to use in-ear monitors as a lighter/more portable option? * Maybe you've never even considered some of the benefits of running effects in stereo when you play live, so you’re asking yourself “wtf is all this about?!” This episode of the podcast is a nerdy deep dive on a few of the things I'm looking at incorporating into a stereo rig to tour with my own band, that’s not going to weigh 800lbs or take three hours to set up every night! We’re going to feature some sounds in the HX Stomp throughout the episode and I know I promised the new pack of presets months ago. It is on its way! I just want it to be right before I put it out into the world. In the meantime, the Janek Gwizdala “Signature Pack” is still available, and for everyone who asks about crossover between the old and new: There will be nothing from the old pack in the new one. It will be 100% new sounds. That’s probably why it’s taking so long. I appreciate your patience. More soon, Janek Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
For pedal fans and signal chain nerds, mono vs stereo is going to come up once in a while and it's a tough call to make when you consider the incredible options available today to widen your sound. From reverbs and delays to all kinds of modulation and panning effects, there is an almost infinite library to draw inspiration from.
The more real-life questions for gigging musicians are:
* Do you really want to carry two sets of cabinets and two amps with you?
* Are you willing to use in-ear monitors as a lighter/more portable option?
* Maybe you've never even considered some of the benefits of running effects in stereo when you play live, so you’re asking yourself “wtf is all this about?!”
This episode of the podcast is a nerdy deep dive on a few of the things I'm looking at incorporating into a stereo rig to tour with my own band, that’s not going to weigh 800lbs or take three hours to set up every night!
We’re going to feature some sounds in the HX Stomp throughout the episode and I know I promised the new pack of presets months ago.
It is on its way! I just want it to be right before I put it out into the world. In the meantime, the Janek Gwizdala “Signature Pack” is still available, and for everyone who asks about crossover between the old and new: There will be nothing from the old pack in the new one. It will be 100% new sounds.
That’s probably why it’s taking so long.
I appreciate your patience.
More soon,
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
The Smallest Pedalboard I've Ever Made
2024-06-23 00:36:37
This episode of the podcast gives an in-depth look into the new mini touring bass pedalboard for my show in Morocco with the Brecker Brothers next week. It's small but mighty, and ended up being something completely different from what I imagined it would be. The signal chain includes the MXR Vintage Bass Octave, MXR Bass Envelope Filter, Line6 HX Stomp and MXR Bass Preamp. It’s all mounted on a small board by Mono, powered by a Cioks 4, and will travel in a Mono Tick 2.0 bag. Enjoy! Janek Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
This episode of the podcast gives an in-depth look into the new mini touring bass pedalboard for my show in Morocco with the Brecker Brothers next week.
It's small but mighty, and ended up being something completely different from what I imagined it would be.
The signal chain includes the MXR Vintage Bass Octave, MXR Bass Envelope Filter, Line6 HX Stomp and MXR Bass Preamp. It’s all mounted on a small board by Mono, powered by a Cioks 4, and will travel in a Mono Tick 2.0 bag.
Enjoy!
Janek
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
Designing the Smallest Bass Pedalboard Possible
2024-06-15 07:28:22
The time has finally come to build the smallest bass pedalboard possible as I need something to stash in my checked luggage for a trip to Morocco in a couple of weeks with The Brecker Brothers Reunion Band. I'll be using the HX Stomp as the brains of the board, but the other pedals that will accompany it are still a mystery right now. I'd love to have a DI and maybe an octave pedal, but beyond that I'm at the drawing board playing Tetris with a mini Mono board and Tick 2.0. This latest miniature venture has me highly motivated to finish the new HX Stomp preset pack I promised a couple of months ago. I'm going to be recreating some of the classic Brecker Brothers bass sounds of Will Lee from those original records in the 70’s, and will do my best to get that Mu-Tron sound on “Sponge”, and maybe a little chorus here and there? More than anything I need that in-your-face fatness that those records captured, so pre-amp and EQ will be a big help with that. More soon! Janek P.S. Now I’m home and off the road for a couple of weeks, we have a ton of physical books in the store ready to be signed and shipped out worldwide! Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe
The time has finally come to build the smallest bass pedalboard possible as I need something to stash in my checked luggage for a trip to Morocco in a couple of weeks with The Brecker Brothers Reunion Band.
I'll be using the HX Stomp as the brains of the board, but the other pedals that will accompany it are still a mystery right now. I'd love to have a DI and maybe an octave pedal, but beyond that I'm at the drawing board playing Tetris with a mini Mono board and Tick 2.0.
This latest miniature venture has me highly motivated to finish the new HX Stomp preset pack I promised a couple of months ago. I'm going to be recreating some of the classic Brecker Brothers bass sounds of Will Lee from those original records in the 70’s, and will do my best to get that Mu-Tron sound on “Sponge”, and maybe a little chorus here and there?
More than anything I need that in-your-face fatness that those records captured, so pre-amp and EQ will be a big help with that.
More soon!
Janek
P.S. Now I’m home and off the road for a couple of weeks, we have a ton of physical books in the store ready to be signed and shipped out worldwide!
Get full access to Janek's Newsletter at janekgwizdala.substack.com/subscribe