Blanket (US)
Welcome to the Blanket page. This is a solo project in the making for the past two years. Please enjoy your listen and indulge responsibly.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Not much history, I started out as a drummer for a metal band called MSP, that fell through after one gig. I then moved on to a progressive rock band called Freudian Slip, also on the drums. That band was moving along extremely well. We played a few open mics and a few parties and finally scheduled a real gig which was very successful. Unfortunately, the addition of some new band members led to our demise in early 2001. Later that year, I was recruited as drummer for an established local Long Island band called Split Soul, which later changed its name to Lights Go Down. Lights Go Down was moving at record pace in terms of songwriting, but never got fully off the ground due to band members parting ways for college. Now here I am, a drummer turned guitarist, working on a solo project. I don't force the songs out. I take them as they come, let them mold themselves, and hope for the best.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Although the music that I record is too layered for me to reproduce in a live setting without a full band, I have played some acoustic songs at open mic night. Eventually I would like to put a band together to play some of my recorded songs.
Your musical influences
Musical influences are wide and varied, but here's an abbreviated list: Tool, Pink Floyd, Buckethead (his acoustic stuff), Dredg, A Perfect Circle, Led Zeppelin, all sorts of blues musicians.
What equipment do you use?
I use Hammerhead 1.0 electronic beat-maker software. It's Free! http://www.download.com/HammerHead-Rhythm-Station/3640-2170_4-906069.html
I also use a Roland VS-890 digital 8 track with built in effects processing and Cakewalk Sonar 4 Studio Edition for guitar and bass multi-track recording. Its a Frankenstein setup, but I like it better than Pro-Tools with an M-Box. I use an Ovation Balladeer Special acoustic 6 string, a 4 string Peavy Millenium Bass (with active pickups), and I'm currently in transition for electric guitars. Most of my tracks are recorded with an Ibanez JS100 Satriani model, but I am in the process of selling her in order to make room for a Carvin CT6M which should be coming in the mail in late October. One of my tracks (entitled: "Electron Fields") was recorded using my Dad's original '61 Epiphone hollow-body.
Anything else?
http://www.myspace.com/tedkaranda
http://www.personal.psu.edu/eja144
http://www.garageband.com/the_real_blanket
