POST # 296 Pat Metheny on his gear and his sound

I'll be happy to go into detail about how my gear works, but I had a revelatory experience a few years ago when I realized that "equipment", although certainly a component in my sound, really had little to do with why I sound like the way I sound. For years, between around 1977 to 1987, I never did ANYTHING without my "rig". I would never "sit in" unless I could have my amps and stuff there, I basically didn't do any record dates at all other than my own cause I was sure they would "mess up my sound" -- etc., etc. Then in 1987, I went to the then-USSR on a tour with the group and there were a few "jam session" situations where I HAD to play with some Russian guys on their "gear" -- and I use the term loosely. I played one night on a Polish guitar and a Czech amp. Someone taped it and gave me the tape the next day. I was shocked to hear that I sounded JUST LIKE ME!!!! Since then, I sit in all the time on any old thing and have a blast and do record dates without worrying too much that it's gonna get mixed wrong, etc., etc. I feel much better knowing FOR SURE that it's more about conception and touch and spirit and soul, etc., than whether my hardware was in place. I do, however, totally envy horn players who are "sonically self-contained". They ARE their sound, especially if they can tote their own axe around with them, as they all easily can do.