Tone Talk with Shorny Marshall

“Shorny” Shorn is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and mother of two based in the suburban part of Philadelphia. She has been influenced by many musicians and artists growing up, such as are Teena Marie, Mary J. Blige, H.E.R., and Malina Moye. She recently released her first album, Reinvention, which is a journey through her transformation on becoming a better her. She is one-quarter founder of an online community called Fret Sisters that is here to showcase women musicians that play stringed instruments, in addition to their weekly podcast, Between Frets. Her mission is to empower women of all ages to conquer their dreams.

What is your definition of tone, and how has it changed over the years?
My definition of tone is creating a signature sound that is yours. I like to try out different tones that compliment my personality. I like clean, warm tones with a touch of reverb encased in vintage sounds. My tone tends to have more mids, low highs, with a touch of bass.

Which guitars, amps, and pedals are you currently using and why?
I play a purple Fender Floyd Rose custom Telecaster and, of course, my PRS (either my purple SE24 Floyd Rose custom or my Blue SE22 vintage Santana signature). For my acoustic gigs, I typically play an Ibanez Performance PC12MHCE. When it comes to pedals, I play on my analog board, which is mostly filled with Behringer pedals such as the Vintage Delay, Ultra Chorus, Hellbabe Wah, Vintage Tube Overdrive, Donner Blues Drive, Joyo Vintage Phase, and the TC Electronic’s Dark Matter Distortion. Based on the gig, I may switch them around to get a different variation of sounds. When it comes to amps, I play on my main amp, which is a Line 6 Spider IV 75 watt solid-state, which I love a lot.

What about strings?
I play nothing but D’Addario strings. For my electrics, I use NYXL series .009 gauges and for my acoustic, I use .10 gauges.

Are there certain recording techniques you prefer in the studio?
I just plug my guitar directly through the interface, but sometimes I add a pedal or two.

How do you keep your sound consistent onstage?
I make sure that everything, including the mic, is as clean as possible. As long I can hear myself through the monitors, I’m good.

What does your practice consist of?
If I have a gig coming up, I usually focus on the songs for that particular gig. But when I’m not gigging, I try to keep my dexterity by working on my scales, improvisations, ear training, and other techniques that I want to try or improve.

What is your advice for young women who hope to work in the music industry?
Be confident in yourself! The more you exude confidence in YOURSELF, the more others around you will see that and believe in what you are doing. Also, don’t be afraid to make mistakes because it will help with the learning curve in case you get to the same mistakes in the future.

You can follow Shorny Shorn and Fret Sisters on social media @shornmusicofficial @fretsisters and by visiting their websites www.shornmarshallmusic.com www.fretsisters.com