“A one man guitar plug-in” - who plays and arranges guitar, pedal steel, bass, mandolin and vocals just for you. I am also the lead guitarist with The Proclaimers. I love to write and play and can't wait to hear your songs and the music we can make together.
Top quality commercial guitar tracks delivered to you within 48 hours of agreement (sometimes sooner). As many revisions as you need till the track is done.
My specialism is a powerful authentic blues, rock and country sound. Both acoustic and electric. My riffs are catchy and perfect for Hip Hop and EDM samples. I can layer and harmonise with all the instruments to give a wall of sound if necessary or play sparingly yet powerfully where needed. I cover the classic rock and folk acoustic sounds. Pedal steel and mandolin add to the texture of any track. I can also sing and arrange backing vocals .
As a composer my arrangements are focused on the song and have a ruthless sense of economy. Having worked with some of the best writers in the world you have to keep your work on point. Want to join the session? We can arrange Zoom and you can join me as we work through your song and find the best riffs and solos for you.
My aim is to make good music and I work until the client is happy and we have something we can all be proud of.
Click the green "Contact" button and get in touch and we can discuss your requirements.
Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.
Credits
AllMusic verified credits for Zac Ware- Max Richter
- The Proclaimers
- Max Richter
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- Scruffs
- Scruffs
- Scruffs
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- Max Richter
- Max Richter
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
- The Proclaimers
Languages
- English
1 Reviews
Endorse Zac WareInterview with Zac Ware
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: Any Proclaimers album. Particularly Angry Cyclist and Dentures Out where we worked at the great residential studio of Rockfield with Dave Eringa. Also Downtown Project by The New Spirits. An album of originals
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started busking with an electric guitar at 15. Went travelling, busked my way through Glasgow University where I studied Philosophy and Sociology. I Joined bands in Glasgow at its mid-nineties heyday surrounded by bands such as Teenage Fanclub, Belle and Sebastian and Mogwai. Played in original bands and did sessions all around Scotland. Released Drastic Plastic - a single - in 1999 with Stash. Composed and recorded adverts and commercial work for Savalas. Worked with producers such as Greg Kane, Geoff Allan at CaVa I ran an Open stage for 8 years which had full band set up and lasted for four hours of mayhem and chaos. Where I learnt to play along with almost any song and style you can imagine. I joined The Proclaimers in 2005. Recorded 6 albums and went on 6 world tours to promote them. The 2018/2019 tour saw us play to half a million people including two nights at Edinburgh Castle and the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. COVID lockdown scuppered live shows so I built a studio in my garden to continue to produce and teach. I have a live solo show called Zac’s Guitar Jukebox where the audience can choose from 150 songs and I have to play them. I also ran The Charles Ware’s Morris Minor Centre restoring Classic Cars from 2010 to 2019.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Started busking with an electric guitar at 15. Went travelling , busked my way through university. Joined bands in Glasgow at its mid nineties height surrounded by bands such as Belle and Sebastian and Mogwai. Played in original bands and did sessions all around Glasgow and then advert and commercial work for Savalas. Worked with producers such as Greg Kane, Geoff at CaVa
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Eclectic. Rock and blues based pop but with the search for sonic originality. Sonic Youth and Robert Fripp enter the fray along with more normal references.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Catch the moment. This is a “record” of a moment in time. Sometimes the earliest takes are the best ones so don’t overwork it. Just make sure your production head knows that every take may be the one so get your sound sorted.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: My own and other peoples original compositions.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Guitar
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: 30 years of experience backing top songwriters and vocalists. Everything i do is to enhance the song. The song is king. I bring an economy and space to my contributions. Simple and powerful is my aim. When arranging rhythm and solo guitar parts I look for the drama and contrast that can lift the music to the next level. I of course bring a cracking solo to any song.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: When recording remotely my first job is to discuss the clients requirements thoroughly. What mood they are looking for. Do they want discrete backing to blend in or a powerful top line to stand out. Or both. All I need then is a stereo track with tempo . It is imported into logic . Then I will focus on the brief itself. Whether it is bass, rhythm or solo. Often I throw in a wild track of solos and other licks that have caught my ear. The client can use them or not. I bounce the raw tracks as recorded with no effects for the client to mix as they wish. I can mix and treat the sounds at my end but usually they prefer to have all the frequencies of the original recording . When working on original compositions I start with an basic drum track that has the vibe of the piece. Get a rhythm track down they a guide vocal to mark the areas that will need space and dynamics. I add bass to give a strong underpinning. Then the fun begins and we add different riffs and ideas. Even changing chords and arrangement in the song if I feel that a section is going on too long or needs a twist that can be gained from a simple chord substitution. This is more involved and works best with the clients involvement.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: 3 x 5 meter sound treated room. Divided into a mix area and recording area. I run the UAD Apollo X4 with Logic X . I have a studio logic keyboard. My amps are 1965 Jennings era Vox AC30, Fender Blues Deluxe tweed, Mesa Boogie LoneStar, Flynn boutique tweed. My guitars are Les Paul, Telecaster, Stratocaster, E335, cigar box guitar, Moon Mandolin, Bennet Pedal Steel. I use the following microphones: Oktava 012 Stereo pair, SM57 , MD421, Rodes NT1, ZE3000. Plug-ins includes the API vision strip, Manley VoxBox, neve
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Producer guitarists like Jimmy Page, Hendrix and Gilmour. Kendrick Lamar for the sound collage approach. Improvisers and experimentalist.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Electric and acoustic guitar rhythm and lead . Adverts, children’s music, albums and live work
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: An album for a local songwriter. Session guitar for Giles Lamb for an upcoming animation of Liz Pynchon’s Tom Gates series of children’s books. Original material.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What they are looking for from me. Do they want a full guitar arrangement with options and ideas thrown in . Do they already have a very clear idea of the parts they want. Or do they want me to replicate samples but as a real person to bring natural dynamics and feel to the parts in their heads.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Find the person who understands your music and what you want to achieve. Be honest about what you want from them and your expectations.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My Martin D10, telecaster, AC30, pedal board and my Apollo X4
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. They have different advantages. Analog is the movement of the air we breathe. Digital is the limits of our imagination.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To keep at it until they are happy.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The satisfaction of turning something that is a noise in your head into a noise in the room
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That its not work.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Playing Guitar and injecting energy into a track or performance
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: 3 x 5 meter sound treated room. Divided into a mix area and recording area. I run the UAD Apollo X4 with Logic Pro X . I have a studio logic keyboard. My amps are 1965 Jennings era Vox AC30, Fender Blues Deluxe tweed, Mesa Boogie LoneStar, Flynn boutique tweed. My guitars are Les Paul, Telecaster, Stratocaster, E335, cigar box guitar, Moon Mandolin, Bennet Pedal Steel. I use the following microphones: Oktava 012 Stereo pair, SM57 , MD421, Rodes NT1, ZE3000. Plug-ins includes the API vision strip, Manley VoxBox, neve
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Producer guitarists like Jimmy Page, Hendrix and Gilmour. Kendrick Lamar for the sound collage approach. Improvisers and experimentalists
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Eclectic. Rock and blues based pop but with the search for sonic originality. Sonic Youth and Robert Fripp enter the fray along with more normal references.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Catch the moment. This is a “record” of a moment in time. Sometimes the earliest takes are the best ones so don’t overwork it. Just make sure your production head knows that every take may be the one so get your sound sorted.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: My own and other peoples original compositions.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: 30 years of experience backing top songwriters and vocalists. Everything i do is to enhance the song. The song is king. I bring an economy and space to my contributions. Simple and powerful is my aim. When arranging rhythm and solo guitar parts I look for the drama and contrast that can lift the music to the next level. I of course bring a cracking solo to any song.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: When recording remotely my first job is to discuss the clients requirements thoroughly. What mood they are looking for. Do they want discrete backing to blend in or a powerful top line to stand out. Or both. All I need then is a stereo track with tempo . It is imported into logic . Then I will focus on the brief itself. Whether it is bass, rhythm or solo. Often I throw in a wild track of solos and other licks that have caught my ear. The client can use them or not. I bounce the raw tracks as recorded with no effects for the client to mix as they wish. I can mix and treat the sounds at my end but usually they prefer to have all the frequencies of the original recording . When working on original compositions I start with an basic drum track that has the vibe of the piece. Get a rhythm track down they a guide vocal to mark the areas that will need space and dynamics. I add bass to give a strong underpinning. Then the fun begins and we add different riffs and ideas. Even changing chords and arrangement in the song if I feel that a section is going on too long or needs a twist that can be gained from a simple chord substitution. This is more involved and works best with the clients involvement.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Electric and acoustic guitar rhythm and lead . Adverts, children’s music, albums and live work
I was the Guitarist in this production
- Electric GuitarAverage price - $150 per song
- Acoustic GuitarAverage price - $150 per song
- Bass ElectricAverage price - $150 per song
- Pedal SteelAverage price - $150 per song
- MandolinAverage price - $100 per song
- Songwriter - MusicContact for pricing
- Singer - MaleAverage price - $100 per song
I will work on the track until you are happy with it and allow you the opportunity to join me via Zoom during the session to ensure the best outcome for your track.
- Pink Floyd
- David Bowie
- John Lennon
- Vox AC30 (1965)
- Fender Blues Deluxe
- Mesa Boogie Lonestar
- Les Paul
- Custom 1955 Strat
- Fender Telecaster built to own spec. Martin D15 (Mahogony)
- Moon Mandolin
- Pedal Steel
- custom built pedal board
- Apollo X4
- Collaboration Social - songwriting.Aug 02, 2024
I have now been involved in 22 collaboration's with a song writing collab gang. With around 30 people in it. The club joins a lyricist, top liner and producer in a group and they are given two weeks to write a song and present it. I produce and play guitar, but am involved in the concept, lyric and melodic ideas. A real pleasure and we always learn something new in the process
- Mark ArcherApr 01, 2023
Mixing 7 songs from Bath based songwriter and saxophonist
- David VigarApr 01, 2023
Producing, recording and contributing vocals and guitar to folk songwriter from Bradford On Avon
- Mixing and producing with TenzinApr 06, 2021
Currently mixing an 18 track epic with Tenzin. Lisa TD has been sending vocal and guitar tracks and I have been arranging them. Adding beats, guitars, bass, mandolin, pedal steel and vocals. Very excited by the sound