Hey, DMusic, AgentMGD’s enjoying a much need rest and vacation in LA soaking up some California rays on Venice Beach. However it wasn’t all fun and movie star watching for this reviewer because she was there to snag another exclusive interview her good friend, Dan Sindel. This talented musician granted AgentMGD an all-access look into what’s new and happening for him since his last interview over a year ago. Dan Sindel has been making quite of a name for himself by breathing new life into such classical compositions like Mozart’s String Quartet No1 K80 Menuetto and Shubert’s Serenade. With his unique interpretation of these pieces, this artist is able to introduce a new genre of music called Symphonic Guitar because it’s all recreated on his vast collection of electric guitars. Well so far Dan’s talent and work has certainly caught the eye of fans on the music site, Dmusic as well as some airplay on Australian radio, Bay FM 99.9. Plus, he has been earning endorsements deals with GHS Strings/Rocktron, Visual Sound and Peterson Tuners over the past few months. Recently as of June 5th he added "Godin Guitars" to the list which he believes it has changed the dynamic and status as an independent musician. Dan says “it is rather astonishing to me how much power is available these days to the Independent Musician through the internet”.
AgentMGD:
For those who don't understand, can you briefly describe what symphonic guitar music is.
Dan:
For those of you not familiar with my concept/vision of “Symphonic Guitars”, what I like to do is transpose and transcribe Orchestral Scores to fit the guitars tonal range, layering guitar tracks creating a massive electric guitar "Wall of Sound". Honestly, “Symphonic Guitars” as a term has been around quite some time and as far as I know has many different meanings depending on who you talk to, whether it is the inclusion of a nylon stringed guitar in an orchestra or a small string ensemble or leanings towards what might be also called “Solo Guitar”. I certainly did not coin the phrase nor am I the first to venture into this given style or train of thought if you will.
AgentMGD:
Are you finding that there's a gradual fan base now in your music genre?
Dan:
I would have to emphatically say “YES”, although as far as what I am doing with the Symphonic Guitars, although this is just one side of my musical vocabulary and I love sitting around and transposing and transcribing various classical scores, recreating each line written for a specific instrument with only guitar tracks but I also love playing in a band environment as well. I grew up playing in bands and have had the opportunity to support and share the stage with such national acts as Wendy O. Williams, King Diamond, Armored Saint, Grim Reaper, Racer X, Flotsam & Jetsam etc… during the golden days of the 80’s LA Metal scene! As it stands (which is very funny to me) a lot of people are finding me on the net due to the youtube phenomenon of Jerry C. playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major called “Canon Rock”. One of the first scores I recorded was in fact the Canon and it is much closer to a string quintet’s interpretation rather than going into hyper mode and rocking it out. Many others are learning of Symphonic Guitar’s through my variations of “Excerpts From Handel’s Messiah”, “Danny Boy” (aka Londonderry Air) as well as “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – The Spring”. Bottom line, I am just having fun creating the music and learning more about home recording and I’m especially happy to know so many fine folks are enjoying what I am doing!
AgentMGD:
What do you attribute to rise in the interest of symphonic guitar music?
Dan:
That is hard to answer; I really don’t know to be quite honest. Perhaps in the fact that is different and way out in left field. (LOL) I can only speak through my filter and am pretty tired of the state of affairs we are in regarding what the labels are churning out, Some of the stuff you hear on the radio is a direct insult to ones intelligence and to be frank, is pretty lame and no better than a ridiculous TV commercial. It is crafted for only one thing, a fast buck, based on demographics and formulas and through the deceptive art of repetition these silly songs get stuck in our heads ad nauseum. Perhaps people are searching for things that are novel and unique that truly comes from an artist’s heart not an executive’s directive! I see the Indie movement as a new renaissance and there is some fabulous music out there!
AgentMGD:
In your opinion, is there a place for symphonic guitar music with the traditional classical music?
Dan: Yes I do believe there is a place set aside for Symphonic Guitar music. I do not foresee interpretations of our favorite classical compositions embodying hundreds of guitars making their way into the mainstream and playing on the local classical FM station. Although, I do get quite a bit of email via my website and plenty of comments amidst various websites and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. It’s in regards to the fact that many a music lover and musician have not heard the songs interpreted in such a method. Plus the attention to detail and emotion is what blows many people away.
AgentMGD:
Since symphonic guitar music is different from your standard rock music, are you finding it difficult (or easy) getting any airplay?
Dan:
At this point in the game I am not pushing for airplay, true I have had some airplay but that has been more a “one-off basis” where a few good folks out there in cyberspace liked what I was doing and emailed me for permission to include my music on their playlist, be it an internet radio station or full fledged FM station. Other than “Excerpts From Handel’s Messiah” and “Aeolian” (a Latin Jazz original composition) which I had professionally mixed all my other tracks are still considered rough mixes and need a bit of attention IMHO before I start pushing them in that manner. When my Debut CD is out (hopefully by the end of 2007) let’s revisit this question shall we,
AgentMGD:
Any current projects that you're working on that you can to talk about?
Dan: Currently I am working very hard on my debut CD “Marching In – A Tribute to the March King, John Philip Sousa”. I am very fortunate in that I was able to get professional drummer extraordinaire Rick Shlosser (whose performance and recording credits include Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart, Van Morrison, Diana Ross, Lionel Ritchie, Cher, Etta James, George Benson, Chuck Berry, Edgar Winter and White Trash, Boz Scaggs and many many more) to join me in the studio and knockout some of Sousa’s most loved marches (including: “Semper Fidelis”, “The Thunderer”, “Washington Post”, “King Cotton”, “The Liberty Bell”, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” as well as Sousa’s arrangement of “The Star Spangled Banner” written for the 1892 Chicago World’s Fair. It is a very exciting project to recreate an entire marching band utilizing hundreds of unique guitar tracks and sometimes it is very hard to tell that you are in fact listening to only guitars.. I am also extremely excited in that as of a few short months ago I had made the acquaintance of Khaliq Glover who is a Grammy Award Winning Recording/Mixing Engineer (Marcus Miller, Quincy Jones, Prince, Herbie Hancock, Justin Timberlake) who has taken an interest in what I am doing and that adds a whole new dynamic and raises the game to a new level. Khaliq’s experience in the field is simply overwhelming and he has helped me better myself as a musician and as an aspiring engineer and I am appreciative of his friendship and guidance. Far beyond that words can express!
AgentMGD highly recommends DMusic checking out Dan Sindel and his symphonic guitar compositions. For more information about this artist and his music, visit the following links:
Until next time, DMusic, support your local indie artists and music.
Peace
AgentMGD
Tanya
dsindel
Thank you Agent..!
Tattoomom
Seriously 
songbird
tsand20175
ebarbarella
loved reading it! Dan 
sent you a note about 
perkie1973
ShadowMom
guitaroo
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Mojosnake
LordTrey
...actually i would like to thank Dan for 
