Artful Solutions to Practical Problems with Guitarist Alex Brubaker | Episode 9

Cause of Craft: Why We Create

All of us creatives run into issues while making our art. There might be time constraints on a project, an issue with the sound system, or a new venue we’re not quite used to. There are typically infinite ways to go about solving these problems, but I’d argue that your work will be much better off if you can find a creative approach to solving that problem. My guest this week excels at that very thing, and it’s one of the many topics we cover on this week’s show. Alex Brubaker is a fingerstyle guitarist and produces his unique sound using a variety of methods, from live looping to percussive taps on his instrument. We also discuss how songs speak stories, why Alex started playing barefoot, and the pressure social media imposes on today’s artists.

Episode Transcript

Links:

Alex’s Website: www.alexbrubakerguitar.com

Facebook Page: alexbrubakerguitar

Instagram: @alexbrubakerguitar

Twitter: @AlexBrubaker

Links to Alex’s Music:

Bandcamp

Spotify

Apple Music

iTunes Store

Topics Covered:

How Alex Found His Voice and Style

Using Limitations to Spark Creativity

Songs Speaking Stories

Alex’s Creative Process

Using a Live Looper

Keeping An Audience’s Attention Between Songs

Playing Barefoot

The Difference Between Live and Studio Performance

Producing Album Art

Juggling Releasing an Album with the Birth of a Baby

The Challenge of Social Media Culture on Artists

One Year Anniversary of Building Harmonic Castles

Follow Jon on Instagram @jontilton and follow the show @causeofcraft.