YouTube Channel
October 17th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Day At The Office “Anything Else Jaime?”
Chapters00:00 - Working as a session / producer
Notes
Some days at work are just very relaxing…finishing up this record i am producing for Jaime French and I gotta say, sitting at the console listening to Wendy Moten sing backup vocals all day is not a bad way to make a living friends.
The hardest part of the day was deciding what to order for lunch
Trust me, this ain’t the way it goes every day…as much as I wish it was.
Surround yourself with extremely talented people and life is a hell of a lot more interesting
Check out Jaime French on YouTube …she is a well known comedian who also happens to be an amazing singer
Really enjoying this project …hope you enjoy as well friends
October 7th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Volume 347, Tom Bukovac, “Water Damage”
Chapters00:00 - Heavy strumming
02:17 - Hello, friends!
03:00 - Heartbroke message to those in the disaster
04:47 - Morgan Wallen work / How the sessions work
06:21 - Getting a demo copied live
08:36 - 2019 Martin acoustic
10:01 - Budget brand stuff?
11:10 - Thanks to the small, mighty community
Notes
Words can’t describe how much my heart goes out to anyone out there who is dealing with this colossal flooding nightmare …what a fucking mess.
TAGS
September 18th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Bonus , “Silver Spoon”
Chapters00:00 - Day job in a session/producing
Notes
Session log:
9/18/24
Nashville TN
I thought you guys might like to watch the way a song develops over several takes…
from a project your Uncle Larry is producing on a gal from St. Louis named Jaime French.
aside from being an amazing singer, Jaime is well known in YouTube land for being a comedian…she is actually about to embark on her own comedy tour, and she’s making this record to help support it.
Her and her husband Nick are here in town for a few days while we worked on 4 songs over the last two days at one of my very favorite studios in this town….the Smoakstack in Berry Hill.
Yes that’s the same place where we did all the Ann Wilson stuff back in the day…in fact we had three of the original Amazing Dawgs assembled on today’s session.
Jaime and I put together a pretty swingin little crew for these sessions…
Zack Zinck engineering (you know how Larry ALWAYS says that the engineer is the most important guy in the band…and our boy Zack is VERY VERY good at his job…)
Stix Mchugh on the drums
Tony T Bone Lucido on the electric bass
Sweet Davey Cohen on the piano and synthesizers
Paul Moak on guitar and synth
Dearest Samuel was our invaluable session assistant (also known as the SECOND)
the assistant engineer is the SECOND most important guy in the band)
A good assistant can absolutely make or break a whole session friends…this is a fact
Anyway, crack yourself a beer and take a little ride down creation road…it’s a good song and she’s a damn good singer. Hope you enjoy watching “the process”
I swear friends, even after all these years I am still mystified by how it all works…as I have said many times before , the power of collaboration is my favorite thing in all of music
June 4th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “On The Job....(Analog Version)"
Chapters00:00 - Setting up session to play bass
03:11 - Recording the song
Notes
Uncle Larry plunkin' on his old '59 P bass in his natural habitat once again...
ya' know come to think of it, I've actually had that old bass longer than 95% of my other instruments, i remember buying that thing back in 2007, right after getting booked on a very lucrative Faith Hill tour haha.
Working at one of my alltime favorite studios all week, Reel Recording in Nolensville TN, a magical place that was conceived, built and operated by the one and only Shannon Forrest.
Mr. Forrest is an absolute genius, current drummer of Toto and formerly of Steely Dan and Mike McDonald.
The boy is an expert on 2” tape machines and cool analog gear in general, and one of the finest recording engineers in the world...the sounds he gets in his place are simply fucking unBELIEVABLE, for lack of a better word.
You may remember we cut the whole Plexi Soul record there years ago.
When you work at Shannon's place you are taken back in time, hearing the sound of real analog tape machines and using giant racks full of the OG hardware versions of all the legendary pieces of outboard gear that all these plug ins that people use nowadays are modeled after.
It's just the coolest shit ever, and not only does Shannon REALLY know how to operate all that vintage gear, the boy knows how to fix all of it too.
A true renaissance man...i would be afraid to find out what his IQ actually is.
I literally cannot find the words to describe how good that old analog tape sounds when you are standing there at that beautiful old SSL console.….it’s still the best sounding shit I have ever heard to this day. The shit that it does to drums and guitars is just magic.
I'm producing a record out there all week for a dear gal from Rochester named Kathy Wilson.
Got a smokin little combo together consisting of Shannon on drums…Jerry McPherson, John Shanks and myself on guitars and basses....and sweet Timmy Lauer on keys.
Lots of fun.
June 1st, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Standing Room Only”
Chapters00:00 - Mellow day playing
02:57 - Hello, friends / Tickets for Aug. 16th & 17th at 3rd & Lindsley / Special guests
04:34 - Dave Cohen (keyboard/producer)
04:53 - Brought newer gear to a session
05:54 - Piezo pickup / Duesenberg Session Man
07:00 - Old Fender blonde 2x12 with Electrovoice (EV) SRO speakers
09:00 - Pic of speakers and cab
Notes
Uncle Larry talks about some new wood and some old speakers...
If you wanna come see dearest Guthrie and myself at the "In Stereo" record release party gig on August 16 and 17 check out this link friends...
https://www.3rdandlindsley.com/event/13550324/tom-bukovac-and-guthrie-trapp-in-stereo-with-very-special-guests-/
May 27th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Volume 313, Tom Bukovac, “Rumours”
Chapters00:00 - Playing some unique licks with an attenuator
00:25 - New upcomer and Heart - Barracuda
00:35 - Loop playing with soul
04:05 - Hello, friends! / Memorial Day tribute / Starbucks tangent
05:38 - Update / Vince Gill gig at Ryman
06:30 - Bukovac & Guthrie show w/ special guests
07:25 - Back to playing that beautiful music
08:35 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Attenuators?
09:35 - Do you use direct sounds? / Direct rack effects (TC 2290, etc.)
11:39 - Gibson SG Special and playing
Notes
Uncle Larry WILL indeed be playing with Vince Gill during his residency at the Ryman August 1 through 4…that gig is firm, officially "on the books" as they say in the biz....
...but this other thing that I overheard some weird drunk guy blabbing on and on about at the bar last night is definitely NOT confirmed by any stretch…
the guy was saying something about some gig by two Nashville guitar nerds who were all excited about some dumb instrumental record they made...i can't really remember the details because i wasn't really listening...
i do remember though that he kept saying that it’s ESPECIALLY NOT supposed to happen on those two calendar days that fall in between august 15 and 18...but thats about all i remember
and totally unrelated...
hey guys....if you DO like this channel and you ARE stealing all my free ideas, please visit the tip jar.
this shit doesn't grow on trees ya know
paypal is tombukovac@gmail.com
venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1
thank you friends
May 25th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Volume 312, Tom Bukovac, “Negative Intelligence”
Chapters00:00 - Slow melody into the Blues
02:07 - Good morning! / "Homeschooling" name
02:48 - Duesenberg Session Man / Heartwarming stories / Piezo / Buying Duesenberg
08:28 - Dark side of life / The Gear Page / Sticking to guns when off-track
10:18 - The Gear Page thread / Guitar faces / partytrain / Some "real sweethearts" on The Gear Page
13:21 - Back to the Blues playing and imitating the slide
14:00 - Lesson: Using the pinky / Injury to the middle finger
15:58 - Seinfeld bit - "Maximum Strength" / Call your Mom!
Notes
Uncle Larry gives us a heartwarming human interest story and then encourages 100k people to sign up to be part of the problem, not the cure….
May 8th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Volume 307, Tom Bukovac, “Next Stop, Buffalo”
Chapters00:00 - Playing that guitar!
04:43 - Duesenberg Session Man / Fender Pro Reverb
05:29 - Ryman update, Hermanos Gutiérrez / Quiet, instrumental performances
07:17 - Best Duesenberg Session Man / Piezo?
08:35 - "What I really want to say"
10:00 - Dear friend passed away
11:27 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / People pleaser vs. brutal honesty
14:04 - You're supposed to be lost in your 20s
15:40 - In Stereo record / Create something you like / Watching careers wax and wane
18:02 - Big producer story / Taylor Swift and Sarah Buxton
21:13 - Movies to watch: "Being There", "Smoke", "Simple Plan", "Skin"
Notes
Uncle Larry plunks on his namesake guitar and regales the Homeskoolers with story time.
April 11th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “Heartburn Highways”
Chapters00:00 - Masters playing
Notes
Little Tommy and Cousin Bryan get into some fretboard shenanigans on company time.
Cinematography by Jimmie Lee Sloas.
TAGS
April 6th, 2024
Homeskoolin' Volume 298, Tom Bukovac, "Something Borrowed Something Black"
Chapters00:00 - Session take on the goldtop
01:45 - Playing some ZZ Top montage riffs into full rock n' roll into Joe Walsh on a black Gibson Les Paul Custom
08:58 - The 3 best guitars I've played but don't own (Dan Auerbach - '60 Tele Custom, Jim Bagget - '38 Martin D-18, Elliot Michael - '59 Gibson Les Paul Custom)
09:27 - '59 Gibson Les Paul Custom
10:23 - Acoustically played
10:50 - Bridge pickup
11:32 - Playing like Jimmy Page
11:58 - Out-of-phase bridge and middle pickup (shit sound)
12:24 - Neck pickup
13:10 - Trying to buy the guitar / Headstock repair, doesn't care
Notes
"well the bitter comes out better on a stolen guitar"...
The opening bit is one of Nicky G's soulful masterpieces...from the sessions we did this week.
March 15th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ “Hey Man Show Me A Cool Lick” (expanded edition)
Chapters00:00 - Interview with Bryan Sutton in session
02:13 - Show me a good lick
02:50 - Acoustic bliss
03:18 - Lesson: Jerry Reed-ish change
04:08 - Lesson: Decending lick
05:30 - Lesson: Dmin decension to G7 with sweep
06:50 - Lesson: Bluegrass vs Rock open chords picking
07:38 - Picks
10:35 - Lesson: Rhythm (important deep dive)
13:48 - Joey Moi interview
16:05 - Danny Dugmore appearance
Notes
Starring
Bryan Sutton
Joey Moi
Danny Dugmore
March 13th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Bros Before Hoedowns”
Chapters00:00 - Playing like there is no tomorrow
03:43 - Hello, Homeskoolers'! / Sessions and scheduling (The Triple) / Gwen Stephani
05:35 - Thank you for setup videos
05:50 - Livestream
06:40 - Lesson: Mountain jam
Notes
Uncle Larry STILL tickin’ after 11 straight hours of intense sessioneering….
Why does he do it you ask?
Because he knows that one day he is gonna look back on these times as the REAL good old days and he knows that one day he is gonna really gonna miss the shit out of all this music and all these people.
End of day one of two solid days of Gwen Stefani sessions…a little tired, but absolutely thrilled to playing with such an amazing band in an amazing studio with an amazing artist.
February 28th, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Session Update “Darrell Ellis Blues”
Chapters00:00 - Hunt for Goldtop owner?
Notes
Apparently he lived in Iowa most of his life and died in 2015…if anyone out there has any info about him please tell me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfG5EG9Xm_Q
February 21st, 2024
Homeskoolin’ Volume 285, Tom Bukovac “The Top 5 Most Asked Homeskoolin’ Questions”
Chapters00:00 - Hello, friends! / Elaborate full production
00:32 - Jacob Collier / "Greatest Night in Pop" (We Are the World)
02:13 - Martin D-45 / "Then I'd be happy" (Black hole inside us all)
03:19 - "What are the top 5 questions?"
- "New, cheap guitar as good as old?"
- "What New pickups as good as old?"
- "Desert island guitar and amp?"
- "Will you evaluate my playing?"
- "Are new Nobels pedals as good as old?"
06:20 - Duesenberg bridge
06:50 - Duesenberg neck
07:09 - Burst with PAFs bridge
07:49 - Burst with PAFs neck
08:21 - 2006 SG Special Lollar P90s bridge
09:01 - 2006 SG Special Lollar P90s neck
09:17 - '61 SG Special original P90s bridge
09:49 - '61 SG Special original P90s neck
10:30 - Fender Tele with '62 and Ellis bridge
11:26 - Esquire with original bridge
12:03 - "What New pickups as good as old?" / Don't know
12:32 - "Desert island guitar and amp?" / Goldtop and Princeton
13:00 - "Will you evaluate my playing?" / Don't always have time / Lessons
13:33 - "Are new Nobels pedals as good as old?" / Nothing as good as original
Notes
The title pretty much says it all here kids....
today's test gear...
amp: dead original 1965 Fender Princeton Reverb with original 10" Jensen
pedals: original no-balls ODR-1, strymon el cap slapback, tiny bit of reverb from the amp
full disclosure...i completely forgot to mention that the bridge pickup in the 1954 esquire is actually an original wound fender pickup taken out of a 1960 tele custom, so not original to the guitar, but still over 60 years old.
If you guys are getting something useful out of these ridiculous videos please feel free to visit the tip jar...
paypal is tombukovac@gmail.com
venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1
Thank you for watching...and i TRULY mean that. Uncle Larry realizes that you have PLENTY of other choices when it comes to Youtube travel.
October 24th, 2023
Homeskoolin’ “The Genius Of Gordon Mote (Pt. 2)"
Chapters00:00 - Gordon Mote in session
02:45 - Playing song
07:00 - Take 2
09:45 - Discussion
12:00 - 3 variations test / "Break" - in the piano strings
Notes
Here he is again folks.
https://www.youtube.com/@gordonmote7366/videos
A clip from a session we did today with Vince Gill at Vince’s studio in Nashville...
I thought you guys might learn a lot from seeing Gordon play some beautifully understated shit on an actual track in a large ensemble, instead of the usual effortless mind boggling feats of solo piano showbiz you guys are used to witnessing him do.
Dig the otherworldly touch…dig the ancient pocket.
This is once in a lifetime shit here friends.
There are literally only a few people left on this entire planet who can play LEGIT traditional old school country and western piano in it's purest form and successfully conjure the ghosts of Pigg Robbins and Floyd Cramer, and TWO of those people are on this very same session...Gordon and John Jarvis.
Believe me, we all clearly realize how spoiled we are....it's like having Jim Brown and Walter Payton in the same backfield....fun stuff kids
TAGS
October 23rd, 2023
Homeskoolin' Bonus "Steel Your Heart Away"
Chapters00:00 - Ole cowboy playing
02:30 - Hello, friends! / Long day Vince Gill session
03:32 - Real quick message about Plexi Soul
04:50 - Guthrie Trapp record
05:58 - Footage from session
Notes
Kids...we are SO CLOSE to having Plexi Soul on vinyl!! Stay tuned for forthcoming link friends....
The inside of the luxurious gatefold cover opens up to quite the scene....picture basically my entire life story shown in several grainy Polaroid photos laid out on a messy coffee table the morning after a boozy party strictly for grown ups.
And....if thats not enough to get your blood pumpin', you can thrill to the sound of the greatest living pedal steel guitar player on this planet...Paul Franklin.
Oh, and fuck off Teddy Boy you miserable twat...
August 29th, 2023
Homeskoolin’ Studio Update.... “Get Me On It”
Chapters00:00 - The man at work
02:17 - In the control room
04:40 - Gordon's genius
07:00 - Mchugh's drums
Notes
Studio update
Aug 29th 2023
Peter Frampton’s studio in Berry Hill
Session personnel:
Brandon Hood: producer and mandolin
Reed Foley: artiste
Seth Morton: lead engineer
Stix Mchugh: drums
Jacob Lowery: bass
Kris Donegan: guitar
Gordon Mote: keys
Bruce Bouton: pedal steel
Tom Bukovac: guitar
Jordan: assistant engineer
August 7th, 2023
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Bryan & Brent”
Chapters00:00 - What it takes to be a studio musician
05:00 - Gear / Telecaster
13:55 - Lesson: "Show Us A Cool Lick"
16:00 - Tanya Tucker lick
26:45 - Best pedals?
Notes
Hello class, I am fortunate enough to hang with these two legendary cats today, who were kind enough to let me ask a few poignant questions.
July 30th, 2023
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Boss Man & Bubba”
Chapters00:00 - Special Duesenberg Session Man
Notes
This video shows two sweetheart dudes that have both been a MAJOR positive influence on my life.
The first part was shot back on July 11th.
Vinnie ordered a special one-off short scale version of the Duesenberg Session Man Uncle Larry model, and i couldn't resist the urge to film the "unboxing" part of the program haha.
I think he truly liked it....it's a beautiful guitar.
He says he plans to use it on the next Eagles run.
Thanks to dearest Nathan (or "Navin" as Vince calls him) Fawley for taking care of us all these years.
I'm very proud to be a part of the Duesenberg team
I've learned a lot from Mr. Gill in this life....i played behind him for years, and spent many hours in the studio with him, and I'm ALWAYS learning something from watching him operate.
A true master and a lovely guy.
The fella at the end of the vid is my "mentor" or "guru" or whatever other word you would use.
He was the best man at my wedding in 2010.....he literally taught me everything i know about old guitars and amps when i was growing up.
Greg "Bubba" Sarley
I don't know what the hell i would do without him.
Love you Bubba and Vinnie....bros to the end
Thanks for watching friends.
June 27th, 2023
Homeskoolin’ Session Update, “Division Street”
Chapters00:00 - Session and talk with Russ Pahl
02:55 - Tour of Omni
04:30 - Little keyboard playing
Notes
THE BIRTHDAY CONCERT VID IS OFFICIALLY LIVE ....go to thesessionman.com if you wanna check it out!
Uncle Larry was busy as usual today kids….he did two sessions in two different studios that were waaaay across town from each other.
This little clip is from the morning session where I led a demo session (four songs in 3 hours) for my old buddy Dan Friszell at an old studio downtown called Omnisound on Division Street.
The band was
Russ Pahl: pedal steel
Evan Hutchings: drums
Mark Hill: bass
Jenee Fleenor: fiddle
John D Willis: acoustic
David Crutcher: keys
Uncle Larry: electronic guitar
When I say i “led” the session that means I wrote the charts and got twice as much dough as the rest of the guys for doing so. By the long-standing rules of the Nashville Musicians Union AFM branch 257, every session must have an assigned “leader”, who makes twice the dough of the other cats, in return for going through the trouble of making all the charts beforehand. Also, historically, whoever is the leader of the session gets to boss people around a little more than usual on that day, People kind of treat you like it's your birthday when you are the "session leader".
This video stars the legendary Russ Pahl, who has played pedal steel and guitar on A LOT of records…he has played with Vince Gill, Dan Auerbach and Bob Plant to name a few. Russ makes some really nice guitars under the brand name of “RP Guitars” (mostly Fender Tele and Strats with a few twists and turns) and he hand winds his own custom pickups. He is the living definition and pure embodiment of the phrase "tinkerer". Contact me for his email if you would like to investigate his work further.
And…if you can name the tune that i play on the piano at the end of this video, then I KNOW that you are a cool person