July 2nd, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 324, Tom Bukovac, “Drive Vs. Talent”

Chapters
00:00 - Fuckin' rawkin' the doubleneck
01:43 - Hello, friends! / Working the sessions today
03:30 - Listening and be tasteful with great musicians in a session ("Don't throw too much paint")
05:34 - Ann Wilson cancelled tour due to cancer
06:17 - Gibson Doubleneck (EMS-1235 unique hollowbody) / Joe Bonamassa
08:31 - Positive comments about Class Presentation / Economics about project
09:56 - Teaching classes in the future / "Pisses me off" when teaching and they didn't practice
11:00 - Lesson: Practice what someone shows you and then Explore
11:51 - Always be in song mode, don't start and stop / Bubba
14:50 - "Caucasian people rushing" / Out of context / The Gear Page
16:00 - Playing
17:16 - Lesson: Smitty's lick (5 note lick)


Notes
Uncle Larry gets his chunk on after a fun day of sessioneering with some sweet old friends.

This one goes out to our boy Deercreek Audio, also known as "The Poolside Stalker".
Deercreek is a long time Homeskooler who likes to sit in his studio late at night in his tight bike shorts and put drums on my little jams using his trusty Alesis HR-16 drum machine....and he also loves to substitute all of my original bass notes with his Yamaha DX-7 set on the "Night Court Bass" (patch number 78).

Deercreek and Sting Locker (V.P. of Homeskoolin' Industries) have a bit of what some might call a "strained relationship".....kind of a love hate thing you might say.

March 4th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Uncle Larry’s Early Spring Collection Garage Sale”

Chapters
00:00 - Picking a good tune out (Ann Wilson - This Is Now [Tom Bukovac])
01:15 - Hello, everybody!
01:40 - Nicky G / Vance Powell
02:17 - Lesson: This Is Now / Chords that test intonation
04:30 - Uncle Larry's Garage Sale / Thanks
05:52 - Princeton Reverb
06:45 - BC Rich Mockingbird
08:10 - Fender Esquire
10:58 - Digitech Whammy


Notes
Ok friends…as always, the first responder/committer gets it.

if you want any of this stuff email me at tombukovac@gmail.com

65 Princeton reverb…I WILL NOT SHIP THIS…LOCAL PICKUP ONLY 4250 cash…this thing is painfully straight and in EXTREMELY condition.

77 bc rich mockingbird 7k plus shipping

54 esquire …a VERY reasonable 20k firm on this plus shipping…look on reverb, people are asking 20k for refinished 54 and 55 esquires on there

Original digitech whammy with power supply
600 plus 30 bucks shipping

October 9th, 2023

Homeskoolin’ Volume 247, “Dak’s Blooze”

Chapters
00:00 - Blues
01:06 - Hello, I don't really have the blues / Talk about the weather
02:15 - Thanks (musical ideas) / Writer's block
02:59 - Great song about writer's block (Chicago 25 or 6 to 4) / Tom playing on Chicago XXX
04:20 - New Ann Wilson & Tripsitter - Another Door (new album) / Hipgnosis did cover
05:50 - Signed ZZ Top - Tres Hombre album
06:22 - Slapback echo, "what would we do without it?"
07:24 - Roxy Music - Avalon album / What was used on "More Than this" (Phil Manzanera)?
08:30 - '63 Gibson ES-335
08:40 - '65 Gibson Trini Lopez
09:30 - Talk about the Gruhn Versitar
10:18 - Playing the Trini Lopez
11:10 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin)
11:42 - Wet/Dry and complicated rigs? No
13:02 - Multi-channel amps? No
13:09 - Lesson: How Tom sets up his guitar rig (important deep dive)
15:00 - Creepy user comment / Clean your car before I steal it
16:18 - Israel craziness


Notes
Hello friends, hope all you Texans have recovered from last nights prime time drubbing.

September 25th, 2023

Homeskoolin' Volume 243, Tom Bukovac, "18 Strings And A Dozen Roses"

Chapters
00:00 - Video footage of solo that will go down in History at Irsay gig with Ann Wilson
01:05 - Spinning into playing the Doubleneck
03:50 - What's up? / Farm Aid - Jim Irsay Band
06:00 - Homeskoolin' going on too long? / Thank you t-shirt and vacuuming
07:42 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / "How long to get ready for gig?"
08:30 - Highlight of awesome solo at Farm Aid!
08:45 - Gibson SG and what amp?
09:20 - 10 Road Dog Tips for Being on the Road ("That Dog Will Bite You")
11:20 - "Are you plastered?" / Real tired
13:00 - Gibson SG Special only on live gigs / Continue with others
15:43 - Lesson: Scale chords and moving up fretboard
18:42 - Singing and dancing on the fretboard
19:25 - NFL eletric football team (Cleveland Browns)


Notes
Uncle Larry slaves over a hot slab of VCB in an effort to entertain and educate the class.


a LOT of new viewers have recently asked "where is the tip jar?" when they felt led to contribute something after 243 free guitar lessons

You can make PayPal donations to this address:
tombukovac@gmail.com

You can make Venmo donations to this address:
@Tom-Bukovac-1

AND...you can purchase a myriad of Homeskoolin' related merchandise..including several different T-shirts and some beautifully constructed coffee mugs for those afflicted with thin lips...
https://dvg-inc.shoplightspeed.com/merch/tom-bukovac/


AND....believe it or not....i have a new website people....an actual proper website.
https://thesessionman.com

You can see all kinds of weird old photos there, you can also purchase a download of the live concert i did last December if you like.
There are still a few more of the hand signed limited edition Uncle Larry prints that Ziggy O'Leary did left....if you wanna check one out go here:
https://www.ziggysartstudio.com

A lot of these very same new viewers don't seem to know that Uncle Larry made a couple records that they could potentially listen to...one is an instrumental solo record called "Plexi Soul" that is available here:
https://tombukovac.bandcamp.com/album/plexi-soul

another is an instrumental collaboration with his dear friend Dean Deleo (originally from the Stone Temple Pilots organization) that is available here:
https://tripthewitch.bandcamp.com/album/trip-the-witch

August 21st, 2023

Homeskoolin' Volume 237, Tom Bukovac, "Crickets"

Chapters
00:00 - Softly strumming away
02:49 - What's up Homeskoolers / Skin cancer surgery update
04:08 - PAF book and discussion
06:30 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Vintage guitar reference books
08:38 - Thank for kind words
09:00 - James Burkett guitars
11:07 - NFL starting up
11:45 - Lesson: Cool chord - open G tuning [x 4 7 0 7 0]
12:41 - Ann Wilson gig and why not touring
13:17 - Movie of the making of Ann Wilson album by Chris
14:40 - "What have you been listening to?"
15:40 - Black Sabbath - Fairies Wear Boots Fucking Awesome!
16:35 - Battle of the bands back in the day
18:23 - Hipsters stealing Uncle Larry's shit
19:15 - Jealous not English?
19:55 - How do you stay confident? / Something to say
22:45 - Playing acoustic
23:53 - What is your least favorite instrument?  Trumpet / Kenny Chesney hates slide guitar


Notes
Do you hear them? My living room is a cricket serenade at this point...bought 25 yesterday to feed to the pair of leopard gecko lizards that my dear boys have as pets.

May 18th, 2023

Homeskoolin' Volume 218, Tom Bukovac, "The Bad News Vent"

Chapters
00:00 - Intro playing
04:00 - Hello, friends! / Thanks / Taking kids to school
05:30 - Contest and the myriad of players, even weirdos
06:40 - "Can't stand looking at your mouth"
07:00 - Young gal from Jersey and a TV show
07:53 - Friend's Fender Stratocaster (Black?)
08:00 - Strung Out Repairs - Andy Jellison
10:00 - What kind of fuzz is that? / Can't tell you everything!
10:30 - Favorite comments -> Melodic pickups! :)
11:27 - Ann Wilson decision
12:33 - Producing credits, stepping on toes, and lucky to be here
14:30 - Can't tell a person, "that stove is hot!" / Got to learn firsthand experience
15:30 - Producing for people / Driving or guiding the project
16:50 - Father like son, telling people how to do their part
17:45 - Collaboration lights the fire
18:18 - Involuntary guitar face
19:25 - Bring string bending back / Bending in tune
19:50 - Being in the studio under a microscope / Exploiting weakness / Special person for session work
21:30 - Checking the phone
23:20 - Music style reflects society and how newer generation is growing up


Notes
Larry gets a little deeper here than he does on most Thursdays after a busy week of sessions.

a LOT of new viewers have recently asked "where is the tip jar?" when they felt led to contribute something after 218 free guitar lessons...despite Dominic Hudson's best efforts to deter them.

You can make PayPal donations to this address:
tombukovac@gmail.com

You can make Venmo donations to this address:
@Tom-Bukovac-1

A lot of these very same new viewers don't seem to know that Uncle Larry made a couple records that they could potentially listen to...
one is an instrumental solo record called "Plexi Soul" that is available here:
https://tombukovac.bandcamp.com/album/plexi-soul

another is an instrumental collaboration with his dear friend Dean Deleo (originally from the Stone Temple Pilots organization) that is available here:
https://tripthewitch.bandcamp.com/album/trip-the-witch

and a LOT of people don't seem to know that they can go here to purchase a myriad of Homeskoolin' related merchandise..including several different T-shirts and some beautifully constructed coffee mugs for those afflicted with thin lips...
https://dvg-inc.shoplightspeed.com/merch/tom-bukovac/

May 3rd, 2023

Homeskoolin' Volume 212, Tom Bukovac, "The Chord NO ONE Can Hear"

Chapters
00:00 - Some Old-Country influence and singing
01:14 - Hi guys!  Beautiful to be back / Pool
02:20 - Willie Nelson gig thoughts / Working hard
03:47 - Living Legends / Band
04:45 - Willie Nelson great song writer
05:32 - Videos from gig / Volume and remaster
06:18 - 3rd & Lindsley remaster
07:09 - How was Keith Richards
07:55 - COVID restrictions / Separate tents
09:45 - Ann Wilson tour decline
10:58 - Highlights of the show / Sheryl, Beck, etc.
12:18 - Past shows with Willie
13:23 - Rental gear, how was it? / Missing personal guitars
14:35 - Quiz: Willie gig charts for prize
16:45 - Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke  (Can you hear this chord?)
18:22 - Guthrie record finishing / Band name / Fantasic material and arrangements


Notes
Larry reflects on some of the bizarre and mysterious things that have floated across his transom in the last week or so.

Oh...and don't you need some Homeskoolin' merch?

https://dvg-inc.shoplightspeed.com/merch/tom-bukovac/

December 12th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus.... “Are…You Going….To San…Francisco?”

Chapters
00:00 - Rehearsing Fleetwood Mac - The Chain
08:13 - Break & discussion
13:40 - The Band - The Weight rehearsal


Notes
Uncle Larry shares a few rehearsal memories from a super fun gig that happened in San Francisco over the last few days.

He got to see some old friends and play some good old rock and roll with some of his bosses, past and present.... and had an absolutely lovely time.

(and now, Tom Bukovac takes over speaking)

These clips taken from the Jimmy Irsay exhibit that happened on 12/10/22, in San Francisco CA, starring:
Ann Wilson, Little Johnny Fogerty, Stephen Stills, Buddy Guy, Kenny Aronoff, Kenny Wayne, Ebo, Tony Lucido, Mike Mills, Mike Wanchic, Danny Nucci, Stephen Barber, Jeffrey Gorman, Carmella Ramsey, Edgerrin James and others.

Special thank you to Paul Moak for letting me borrow his amazing sounding resonator guitar.
If anyone out there has one EXACTLY like this one for sale i will buy it.

Tony Lucido is filmed here playing the famed Alembic fretless bass that John Mcvie used on this little Fleetwood Mac album you may have heard called "Rumours". The fretboard is shiny aluminum....pretty cool bass. Jimmy bought it for a song.

Bottom line…let me say once again...i am SO thankful and grateful for all the cool places this instrument that i have worked sooooooooo hard at in this life has taken me....i will NEVER take it for granted. The magic equation that applies to basically everything in life....it's 99% drive...1%t talent.
Work ethic trumps EVERYTHING.


and way more importantly than all this, i want to say goodbye to a dear friend....Zak Godwin II.

see you down the road bro bro

December 7th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 178, Tom Bukovac, “Blues For Don Ho”

Chapters
00:00 - Most Rock 'n Roll scream (Ann Wilson, Sean )
01:45 - Gibson Roy Smeck playing
02:35 - Gibson Roy Smeck guitar
04:07 - 50th birthday party / George Gruhn story
07:20 - Football cards
08:58 - Baseball card set story
10:49 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Electro-Harmonix & Boss pedals
14:13 - Vignette
14:42 - Cool sounds / Rules of recording
16:50 - Microphones & get creative with mics
18:28 - Digital world
18:47 - Oz Noy
20:13 - Favorite phaser?
21:25 - Ann Wilson & recording
22:29 - Lesson: Slide playing
23:40 - Football concussion and crash test


Notes
Uncle Larry deep dives into some uncomfortably non music related musings….and sings the praises of the greatest pedal company of all time.

Here's a video you might get a kick out of:
https://www.historycolorado.org/story/our-exhibits/2018/07/06/once-trash-now-treasure-story-behind-1952-topps-mickey-mantle-card

Here's a story you might get a cry out of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

November 9th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ “How Bored You Get On The Road”

Chapters
00:00 - A behind the scenes montage


Notes
i found this in the archives from months ago....

watching it made me simultaneously howl with laughter AND wince in painful agony.

just thinking about all of us grown ass men hopelessly stuck out there on the road…..every one of us completely beat to shit, miserable from all the brutal travel days and questionable hotel rooms....everyone missing their families so badly that they could literally burst out crying at any moment.

this is the kind of ridiculous shit people do when they are just pushed to the edge of insanity…in some God-forsaken place like Laughlin NV.

it's not at all uncommon during these situations to kill the hours by doing something like 15-20 takes of the dumbest comedy skit ever for a Youtube channel that shows free guitar lessons....poor Ebo was having' a hell of a time tossing that paper into the can haahaaa.

So who gets the award for best acting in this one guys?

God i love these guys

Think about this before you decide you definitely wanna be “a road dog” kids.

October 21st, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus, “Analawg Dawgs”

Chapters
00:00 - Building a song
08:58 - Prophet-5


Notes
Day 4 of a 7 day marathon session, where the Amazing Dawgs are re-united once again working on writing and recording a new Ann Wilson record at Smoakstack Studio in Nashville TN.

In this clip Uncle Larry does what any decent friend does when a guy is playing a pad on an old analog synth…he is working the cut off filter.

Amazing Dawg Paul adds some magic glue to the track on an old Prophet 5….while bandmates Amazing Dawg Tony and Amazing Dawg Sean look on in horror.

Zack Zinck absolutely KILLING it on the engineering gig....a top notch professional, and about the nicest, easiest guy to work with you could ever find on this planet.

There is no official “producer” per se on this record….so what you are seeing here is four hardened, brutally opinionated studio veterans who are all trying to function in a completely democratic fashion…which can be challenging at times….but so far so good.

Ann’s vocal on the track is muted during this filming, but you can hear an epic Paul Moak guitar solo at the end of this track, as well as some hypnotically adult acoustic piano stylings from a relatively unknown Youtuber from Cleveland.

October 17th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 168, Tom Bukovac, “The Shank”

Chapters
00:00 - Bass loop playing
03:00 - Hello, class! / Update
04:03 - '63 SG / Playing
07:17 - Lesson: Chord changes
09:11 - Playing over loop - winging it and winning
13:12 - Thanks


Notes
Uncle Larry makes a crazy loop in front of God and Everybody….and takes a ride on a stolen 63 SG….

Fall is here

Chargers minus 4.5 tonite…thoughts?

September 28th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Pedal Board Cam”

Chapters
00:00 - Footage: Pedalboard cam
04:30 - Guitar playing / Heart - Even It Up
10:12 - Ann Wilson greetings / Ann Wilson - Black Wing
17:00 - Ann Wilson - Greed
20:30 - Heart - Magic Man
26:45 - Tom solo / Heart - Crazy On You
33:25 - The Who - Rain On Me
39:15 - Band intro / Heart - Barracuda
44:30 - Heart - Straight On
50:10 - Led Zeppelin - Black Dog


Notes
Ann Wilson live, Sunday September 25th in Houston Texas….opening for Jeff Beck and The ZZ Tops…

In case you were ever wondering what pedal changes Larry makes on what songs, here ya go As my dear friend Joe Vitale once said watching me on a session….”Buko, it looks like you’re trying to put out a fire”

Hope you enjoy

September 28th, 2022

Homeskoolin Road Update “Texas Heat”

Chapters
00:00 - Playing without amp
00:45 - Hello, friends! / Tour update (Jeff Beck / ZZ Top)
01:30 - Back injury and gig
02:40 - David Grissom
02:55 - Jeff Beck / Noises (Eddie Van Halen)
03:55 - Fan shoutouts
04:42 - Footage: Stage tour
07:25 - Footage: Jeff Beck
08:23 - Chug challenge


Notes
Lord…picture old larry up on stage yesterday…blown lower back agony, pouring sweat in that special kind of Texas heat and strangling humidity…good times for sure.

Fun show though, we really got that 50 minute long hit it and quit it opening act thing down.

Thank you for your continued patronage of the humble Homeskoolin’ channel. Go wolverines, (a 17 point favorite by the way)

September 12th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 163, Tom Bukovac, “Charcuterie & Crudite Blues”

Chapters
00:00 - Raw pickin' and chuggin' intro
03:40 - Hello, class! / Being back home / Upcoming gigs and musicians
06:00 - Jim Irsay private plane and hotel
09:10 - Danny Nucci
10:00 - Buddy Guy encounter
12:08 - Harmony Silvertone Jupiter / h47 Stratotone guitar (1423)
15:00 - Lesson: Nastiest G Minor 6th chord (Bluesy Pentatonic)


Notes
A brief discussion on how once you fly private one time, you’re basically ruined for life. And….a look at how nasty a minor 6th can be.

September 6th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 162, Tom Bukovac, “You Guys In A Band??”

Chapters
00:00 - Beautiful playing
01:43 - Hello, lads and lasses / Back home / Thanks
02:29 - Acoustic guitar Martin D-28
03:00 - Maton acoustic guitar
04:45 - Amazing Dawgs, bandmates, and being in a band
08:40 - Gambling / Spam and YouTube filters
09:54 - Bonus footage


Notes
Television's own Uncle Larry, absolutely exuberant about finally being home and being reunited with his trusty old '38 bone…waxes rhapsodic about that one thing we have ALL thought about since we were little kids….what it's like to really be in a band.

(and now, shift to "first person")

Now that touring is finally calming down and fall is on the way (praise God) it's time to put some focus on some projects that i started on a while back, such as this little instrumental EP that dear Guthrie Trapp and myself are putting together…it's so much fun.....here’s a little snippet from one of the three tracks we already have "in the can"....gonna go back in soon and do some more.

Also, I couldn’t help but add in a few other crazy things at the end of this vid...a dumb meme that cracks me up... " I AM THE JUAN PERCENT"....oh and my alltime favorite thing that my sweet little boy Leo ever drew for his dear old dad….a totally random partial list he made at school one day of some of our favorite songs we like to jam in the car…precious keepsake.

"you got another thing comin"
"black sabbath"
"hot rod lincoln"
"iron man"
"rock and roll music"
"yellow submarine"
"starship trooper"
"hard day's nite"
"breakin' the law"
"don't stand so close to me"
"behind my camel" (instrumental by the police off zenyatta mondatta)
and one more i could never read

Thanks again for supporting the channel folks….i am doing everything legally allowed to show you guys whatever i can…absolutely free of charge of course. Why am i doing it? Because music has been really good to me in this life, and i feel like it’s the right thing to do to give it all back to a bunch of total strangers...

i hope you guys know how much i sincerely appreciate the little community we have built here …. ya’ know, except for a few kids in the back of the room that get a little too excited at times (like Brock Thomas....man what a tool) we got something very real going here….i for one do not take it for granted.

Rock on cats

September 4th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Dust Storm”

Chapters
00:00 - Soundcheck


Notes
As a wild rain and dust storm rolls in right before our gig tonite in Laughlin NV…you get a little slice of the usual backstage/soundcheck madness that accompanies the Amazing Dawgs gigs.

Dear Rob Olsen of Maton guitars was kind enough to furnish us with this lovely Maton Messiah acoustic guitar to use on this tour….definitely a step up from what we WERE doing….the pickup sounds wonderful.

More than anything, this captures the gigantic soul of our dear band photographer Criss Cain, who is kind enough to stand in for Ann and sing for her at soundchecks….one of the coolest, most genuine people i have ever known.

September 1st, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Pike’s Peak”

Chapters
00:00 - Deep melodic plucking
02:08 - Hello, class! / Seattle hello
02:44 - Coasta Mesa, CA show / Pat Benatar & Neil Geraldo (Timeless Guitars)
03:50 - BC Rich Eagle / Neil brings guitar out
04:39 - Puyallop, WA show
05:18 - Lesson: Chord voicing concept


Notes
Larry….he just woke up in a weird hotel…but thank The Lord he’s got his cheapo martin to plunk on….

August 23rd, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 160, Tom Bukovac, “The Honey Man”

Chapters
00:00 - The Pretenders - Kid play through
01:20 - Hello / Analog Man
02:52 - Genesis and challenge
03:50 - MXR Dyna Comp / Foam turns to glue tip
05:45 - The Pretenders history and talk / Lesson: Chord
08:38 - Lesson: The Kid bridge lesson
10:12 - Lesson: The Kid solo lesson
13:00 - VCB
13:20 - Amp-like pedals / Modeling
15:56 - Epiphone Casino / Choppers and modifying guitars / Tremolo vs. Vibrato
19:00 - David Gilmour / Variation of out of tune makes it real
21:33 - Apple products
22:04 - Musical memory and ear training
24:39 - Hanging out with Ann Wilson


Notes
A brief look at some genius shit from 1980…and a gaze into the vast crevasse (i like to say it like kruh-vaaaaahhhhzzzz) that is the VCB

Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1

August 19th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Yet Another Sound Check Clip Of Us Playing Magic Man”

Chapters
00:00 - 2nd part of soundcheck


Notes
Paul gettin’ is Ornette Coleman on….sound checks are a great time to “experiment”

Ya’ know, i noticed lately theres a lot of new viewers coming on this channel….do you think they know i made those two albums a while back?? Can someone post links to those and ill pin the comment?