SoundGym Hero: Daniel Carlton(Astrofreq)

A vibrant guitarist, fearless experimenter, and dedicated sound explorer, merging his Van Halen-inspired spark with a passion for innovative gear and immersive live performances, crafting a unique identity as both a guitar virtuoso and sonic architect. Daniel Carlton is this month's SoundGym Hero!

How did you first find your way into making music? 

I saw the video for “Jump” by Van Halen and BOOM, that was it! Edward playing guitar was the coolest thing I’d ever seen and I thought, “I want to do that!”. (The irony of wanting to learn guitar based on one of Van Halen’s keyboard-based songs isn’t lost on me!) There was a frivolity and energy to Van Halen that immediately resonated with me in a way that no other band had. I played trumpet in the school band for the two years before picking up a guitar, but I wasn’t into it on any level and practicing felt like a chore. When I started playing guitar, the love for the instrument was immediate and everything about it screamed make noise and have fun doing it. That was completely opposite of any experience with music I had had previously. 

Aside from music, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy? 

I absolutely love horror movies, especially films from the 70s & 80s (the good and the bad). That particular era before CGI has so much charm to it and I enjoy watching how creative people can be on a micro budget. In the same way, people can release truly outstanding sounding music from their home studio.

For a few years, I was building telephone microphones from phones I sourced from the Ukraine. Taylor Swift bought one of my phones and used it in a dozen or so TikTok videos. I’m quite proud of that.

What’s something you're surprisingly good at that has nothing to do with music? 

I’m think I’m good at puzzle games, specifically in terms of video games. Games like Portal or a good side scroller with challenging puzzles are a break from working on music, although not completely dissimilar. 

If you could play or create with any artist, who would it be and why?

Honestly, too many to count. Aimee Mann and Radiohead can do no wrong in my eyes and their songwriting skills are top tier. Add Paul McCartney to that list too! I would love to to just sit and watch their creative process.

If you want the purely self indulgent answer, I think myself, Keith Carlock (drums) and MonoNeon (bass) in a room together would be dangerously entertaining. That is, if I could even keep up! Those guys are forces of nature, but more than that, I admire that their sound and style is so well defined style. I am still trying to figure out what my style or sound even is, but artists like that are truly inspiring. 

Oddly, I listen to predominantly electronic music these days, simply because I’m so impressed by the production and outside-the-box thinking that some EDM encompasses. I am constantly finding new artists that blow my mind. 

What piece of music gear do you love the most, and what makes it irreplaceable in your creative process?

Right now, my Kiesel guitars are a godsend. I DJ one or two gigs a week at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, NM. My sets are in the first four to five hours after the exhibit opens. Since I play along on guitar (and sometimes theremin) to most of the music I play, lightweight instruments are critical. Kiesel’s headless, chambered designs have been a game changer for my shows and my Vader weighs in at an even five pounds! I could never hold one of my seven or eight pound guitars for those long gigs. On top of that, I play and sound better on their instruments and that’s a huge plus. 

What daily or weekly habits do you have in place to keep you creating? 

I am on my sixth year performing at Meow Wolf and that gig keeps me moving forward musically, whether it means creating new mixes or exploring sonic textures that might work at Meow Wolf. They have given me an amazing opportunity and I owe it to them to constantly improve my work. The moment I get bored, the audience is going to feel it. It has to be entertaining to me first and foremost or else what’s the point?

Part of keeping things fresh is working on my guitar playing and constantly trying to improve on the instrument. I make it a point to pick up my guitar daily. Sometimes I might be able to get in two hours of practice, but sometimes only ten minutes. I also make it a point to consciously work on something during that time. That could be anything from running scales and triads to learning a new song that I’ll be playing along with at Meow Wolf. I was a guitar “noodler” for decades without much improvement, so I decided a couple of years ago to approach practicing with focused attention.

I also try to do the Daily Workout on Soundgym early in the morning and I find that consistency is the key. I’m a slow learner and know that I’m not going to master any of this overnight. I’m in it for the long haul and most of what makes up my daily routine centers around training my ears. The more attuned my ears are, the more my music improves, my improvising improves and my ability to fix a mixing problem improves. As my ears are better trained, everything improves!

What keeps you motivated to continue making music? 

I’m blessed to be in a position that I can support myself as a musician. It would be a disservice to have this opportunity and not give it my all. I would love to say I can pump out a song in an afternoon, but I can’t. Like many, I am my own worst critic and throw out 99% of the ideas I come up with. For me, to get to a finished piece of music is well . . . work. Sometimes, months and months of work. That being said, I still try to release something at least every year, if for no other reason than for that feeling of accomplishment. I’ve completely let go of any lofty expectations and I’m trying to simply enjoy the process. If five people hear something I wrote and it makes them smile, then that’s good enough for me.

What song would you choose as the soundtrack of your life?

Better pack your bags and run
Or stay until the job is done
Or maybe you can sit and hope
That providence will fray the rope
And sink like a stone
Or go it alone

What’s your favorite feature on SoundGym, and how has it helped you in your musical journey?

As I continue to delve into the Soundgym program, I become more aware of how little I actually know about the frequency spectrum. That is a good thing! Soundgym is brilliantly designed to steer me in the direction that needs improvement, while at the same time never frustrating me to the point of giving up. The program itself is enhanced by the amazing and supportive community surrounding it. Getting pointers from the many talented people in the community is what keeps me coming back. It helps seeing others reach their goals as we encourage each other along the way.

What’s something exciting you're working on or looking forward to?

I have a folder of “works in progress” that I aim to finish up and release. The hardest part for me is getting the song to sound like I hear it in my head and I’m hoping my continued mixing and frequency training can help make that happen.

You can follow Daniel on his Instagram and website, and listen to his music on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and Youtube. 

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