Fretkillr Exposed

[Hooday]

You know what I'm thinking?

 

Fretkillr videos are not the product of one person. I think the voice and the playing are coming from two separate people. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RhB-jnJBog

 

When I first heard this guy, I was - like most - amazed, delighted, and highly impressed. The warm combination of a great voice and expert playing is quite potent. I've watched dozens of his 108 or so videos, and it is quite the tour de force.

 

However, why the anonymity? Its obvious this guy is very talented, so why would he want to stay hidden? I've heard lots of theories, but its hard to imagine if he's a professional, what he's hiding. And if he's not a pro, why wouldn't he want to become one instantly? From the comments on the videos, plenty of people would pony up big bucks to hear him live, or buy his music. Doesn't make much sense to keep that a secret.

 

One of the first things that struck me was the caliber of his voice: warm, smooth, polished, and... black. Yep, its obviously a black voice, (no slur intended whatever.) Easily in his 40's or even 50's. So that was my first key into this guy's identity.

 

But looking closely at his videos, its also quite obvious that the hands are of a white guy, perhaps 30-40ish. (Younger, possibly, but surely no older.) The very accomplished hands are surely Fretkillr's, but the combination of the voice with them becomes more and more incongruent.

 

Then I noticed something else about the voice. Its got reverb. Like its been professionally recorded. Fretkillr may have a studio in his home, but the backgrounds I've seen in the videos look more like a bedroom or a den. If the guitar and voice were recorded together in that space, you'd hear lots of ambient echos and sonic artifacts. They would sound like they're being recorded by the same source, which they obviously are not.

 

Also, notice in many of his videos an electric cord of some sort going up to his head. What would that be for if he's singing and playing at the same time? Is it a microphone cord ...

 

Or perhaps a headphone cord. Which would be the case if he's listening to a prerecorded vocal track on headphones, and syncing his playing to that. (Which is what I think is happening here.)

 

Anyway, that's my theory. (Not a FACT, because I don't have any absolute proof.) I'll continue listening and enjoying, (because this guy is obviously very skilled.) But I think I understand both the reticence to reveal himself, and the incongruence between his "black" voice, and his "white" hands.

[MattSkibaIsGOD]

The phrase of the day kids, is Conspiracy Theory.

[m3gofast]

[missedmyexit]

Does it get hot in the tinfoil hat?

 

 

Or perhaps a headphone cord. Which would be the case if he's listening to a prerecorded vocal track on headphones, and syncing his playing to that. (Which is what I think is happening here.)

 

 

My money is on a headphone mic combo that he sings and and gets some monitor of his overall sound.

 

I've always gotten the impression that he is in his late 40's early 50's but I'm not an expert in the science of telling age from grainy videos of a persons hands.

 

Maybe he doesn't want big money. Maybe he's already loaded and doesn't care about money and just loves playing.

 

Maybe he has a huge facial defect that makes him self-conscious?

 

Maybe he just wants to play his music and never ever be bothered by "fans".

 

I'm going with genetically altered test tube government experiment. His only contact to the outside world is YouTube and the government will only post his videos if he records them sans head, because showing his face is a breach of National Security and a will let the terrorist win. So he hides his face to protect us from the "Axis of Evil". Be Glad.

[jd-drafter]

let the guy be...

 

he makes good music... i think the wire you mention is a headset style microphone- i think he even mentioned it once in a video description... but the black/white thing is really grasping at straws...

 

i admit the mystery factor is high... but in the end it's just what it is...

[C70man]

Here ya go.

 

 

[Hooday]

 

Here ya go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNbKIInhAQ

 

 

Loud, noisy, and unlistenable. (Can he play something without making it sound the same?)

[jamesp]

 

Loud, noisy, and unlistenable. (Can he play something without making it sound the same?)

 

 

(Making friends today, are we?)

 

That guy'd pown most all of us at a party. Loud, noisy and unlistenable can be a lotta fun!

[Dave W.]

 

Here ya go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNbKIInhAQ

 

 

That guy has some talent. Guitar is pretty rough in some parts and pretty good in others, and he could sing me under a table. Maybe he was just on the south end of a six of longnecks.

[Hudman]

I was told he plays a Zager..........

[Cripes]

 

Here ya go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNbKIInhAQ

 

 

Well, if talent had a standard I'd say this guy was a rebel. He sings in a particular key/melody and then trips out on a lot of chromatics and decadence banging around the fretboard. It doesn't work. I believe I'd take my beer outside at his party. IOW, the guy makes me cringe.

[rhythmdoctor]

I'm amazed that so many on here find this guy that good!. His licks, playing and singing are not unique, interesting or anything that keeps my interest in any way.

 

Not to sound elitist - but perhaps those that like this guy are beginners and are easily impressed? If that's the case that's fine but I just don't get it. I'm not saying he is a bad guitarist, he's OK - but he plays basic blues licks that a million guitarists can play better. It would be one thing if he was original, but he's not original, he's just a blues cover artist - whooppeee.

[Stackabones]

I thought this was going to expose him?

 

[MattSkibaIsGOD]

 

I'm amazed that so many on here find this guy that good!. His licks, playing and singing are not unique, interesting or anything that keeps my interest in any way. Not to sound elitist - but perhaps those that like this guy are beginners and are easily impressed? If that's the case that's fine but I just don't get it. I'm not saying he is a bad guitarist, he's OK - but he plays basic blues licks that a million guitarists can play better. It would be one thing if he was original, but he's not original, he's just a blues cover artist - whooppeee.

 

 

I must be a beginner then because I love his stuff. It's not his guitar playing that impresses me but his interpretations of the songs. He has a deep, rich voice and he plays very well. That's good enough for me.

[Hooday]

Okay, I'm full of it. I've gone and listened to a bunch of this guy's other videos, and its obvious he's both singing and playing. My comments about the "black" voice and "white" hands still stands. Its really unusual to find a white guy with a black voice. (And this is not racist - it is a fact there is a vocal difference between the two.) Not that this bothers me. Its just unusual.

[Stackabones]

Ummm ... hmmm ... not really sure WTF's going on here.

 

[Pascal]

Okay, I'm full of it. I've gone and listened to a bunch of this guy's other videos, and its obvious he's both singing and playing. My comments about the "black" voice and "white" hands still stands. Its really unusual to find a white guy with a black voice. (And this is not racist - it is a fact there is a vocal difference between the two.) Not that this bothers me. Its just unusual.

 

No way this post (content, style, briefness) could have been written by the same person as the original post in this thread.

 

I think it's pretty clear that Hooday is at least two different persons posing as one and trying to trick us.

 

 

[nylon rock]

I have listened to him in the past and really liked him, but then found out it was sonofretkillr I had been listening to, and you can see his face. So then I went back and took a look at fretkillr and was not nearly as impressed as I was with sonofretkillr.

 

When I play, my vocals do not have the volume I need for the guitar playing. Often I've thought I should have a mic setup to boost my vocals just a little, but there's too much of a learning curve there to wade though with the mic stuff and I just haven't bothered with it. So my vocals be damned.

 

But most likely with fretkillr, he has a less than satisfactory voice and needs to boost it with amplification. (and while he's at it why not add a little reverb to smooth it out) By doing this he increases his pitch range since a speaking voice level can have a lot of range while yelling distorts things and imparts lack of control. (Compare to J. Garcia who had practically no voice toward the end due to cigarettes and age, but with the help of amplification could still get the job done in style.)

 

I just think fretkillr is a hobbyist, he can play well but thinks he is only good, with the Internet he prefers to be anonymous, and he does it as a solo act.

[eric.chambers]

 

Here ya go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGNbKIInhAQ

 

 

Well, I'll say this about this guy. He plays and sings better than I do, but he's not as good as HE thinks he is. Pretty big ego on that guy, and I never like that in a person. That being said, I've seen better and I've seen worse. He doesn't bowl me over with his talent, nor do I think he's really anything special. his playing is a bit sloppy actually.

[C70man]

 

Well, I'll say this about this guy. He plays and sings better than I do, but he's not as good as HE thinks he is. Pretty big ego on that guy, and I never like that in a person. That being said, I've seen better and I've seen worse. He doesn't bowl me over with his talent, nor do I think he's really anything special. his playing is a bit sloppy actually.

 

 

The "Fretkiller" posts are better than "thesonof" for sure.

But I do like some of the "sloppy"stuff he does. I agree with you on seeing better....My guitar teacher for one.....Ed Wright. (catch his MySpace)

[missedmyexit]

 

I'm amazed that so many on here find this guy that good!. His licks, playing and singing are not unique, interesting or anything that keeps my interest in any way. Not to sound elitist - but perhaps those that like this guy are beginners and are easily impressed? If that's the case that's fine but I just don't get it. I'm not saying he is a bad guitarist, he's OK - but he plays basic blues licks that a million guitarists can play better. It would be one thing if he was original, but he's not original, he's just a blues cover artist - whooppeee.

 

 

I always roll my eyes when people start dropping the "original" word when talking about music. Since most if not all music is either directly or indirectly taken from people's influences. There are also the musicians that go out of there way to try to be original and end up just sounding bad. Music is supposed to be enjoyed not pulled apart and inspected. I enjoy fretkillr's covers. If fretkillr is the standard for "just OK" it would be interesting to find out where everyone else lies on this rating system. My guess is somewhere between terrible and horrid.

[Cripes]

 

I always roll my eyes when people start dropping the "original" word when talking about music. Since most if not all music is either directly or indirectly taken from people's influences. There are also the musicians that go out of there way to try to be original and end up just sounding bad. Music is supposed to be enjoyed not pulled apart and inspected. I enjoy fretkillr's covers. If fretkillr is the standard for "just OK" it would be interesting to find out where everyone else lies on this rating system. My guess is somewhere between terrible and horrid.

 

 

Good point. Playing to have fun is what it's all about. Fretkillr's style, and perhaps the genre as well, is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that regard. So, when a critique - solicited or not - gets aired there's going to be a corresponding like/dislike follow-on with at least 2 sides to the ensuing debate. I'm on the dislike side with this particular critique. There are countless times I've enjoyed the music presented but this time isn't one of them.

[tastroman]

I find it hard to believe so many rate him so poorly. When you consider his whole package, I think he is great. Toss in his harp work and he is a good as many professionals I have seen.

Sometimes on this board, its either your the best, or you suck.

[sumpm1]

Hmm, I find it strange that some people are denying this man's talent, but his fingerstyle playing is exceptional, why the hating? I would be VERY happy if I could match his playing. How much better should he be, better than the original artists he covers?

[Cripes]

 

I find it hard to believe so many rate him so poorly. When you consider his whole package, I think he is great. Toss in his harp work and he is a good as many professionals I have seen. Sometimes on this board, its either your the best, or you suck.

 

 

Most of the players on this board are pretty new at guitar and very open with it. Anyone who can rock out a fretboard and get some fingerpicking in the mix will be an inspiration to them. That's a natural, especially now with all the vids showing the complexities of movements. It can be an awe inspiring thing that affects a person's ego, desires and inspirations, and can also make a person feel somewhat less than they want and hope to be as a player.

 

Then there are quite a few here who have developed themselves through the usual hard work of practicing over the years. They don't need to view the vids of other players. They can hear the playing and know what the player is doing. They can also pick up on the tunings and keys by ear. They don't need a tab or a score. If they like what they hear they can quickly copy the guy. It becomes no big deal to do this routinely.

 

It's not a matter of best or worst. It's a matter of experience, ear development and ultimately settling into the guitar as an extension of the persona. Egos give way to the simple, and most times modest, satisfaction of being able to create expressions through music after finally getting past the basic mechanics of learning the guitar itself. It is these folks who might make a comment about such a player as fretkillr that, though true in their technical content, seems harsh to others. Let's not forget about subjectivity, either. Again, I don't like the style/genre and technical ability displayed by freetkillr. It's noise to me as much as what I do might be to others but that's just the way of it. No need to feel compelled to throw daggers.