About me
I’m Marcel. Metal musician, gear nerd, and songwriter — and here I want to collect my thoughts and the things I find along my way while improving as a musician.
Being a musician isn’t just about playing notes — it’s about navigating a life filled with highs, lows, inspiration, self-doubt, and relentless passion. I started this blog because I wanted to create a space where I could be honest about that journey.
This isn’t a polished highlight reel. It’s a place to talk about the struggles we face as musicians — creative blocks, burnout, self-criticism, or the frustration of trying to make your art heard. But it’s also about the wins: the riffs that hit just right, the gear discoveries that reignite your spark, and the small victories that keep us going.
I’ve always had a deep love for guitars, gear, and the creative process behind making music. This blog is where I share that love — not as a guru, but as a fellow musician trying to make sense of it all. If you’re on a similar path, I hope you’ll find something here that resonates with you.
If you find something interesting or have any questions, feel free to send me a message on Instagram or join my Discord community server linked at the bottom of this website.
My Journey with Music
I picked up the guitar at age 14 — clueless but curious. I didn’t know how to play a single note, so I asked a friend who played if he could show me the ropes. Luckily, he did. That’s where it all began.
In the early 2010s, I started my first band with some friends. We called ourselves Preamp Side (even without the availability of AI this Name sounded generic) and played Pop Punk covers from Blink-182, Green Day, Sum 41 — basically everything that ruled our playlists back then. It was chaotic, loud, and a lot of fun.
Eventually, life got in the way. I had to leave the band because of new job responsibilities, and for a while, I just played alone at home. When I moved in with my then-girlfriend, music slowly faded into the background. She wasn’t too into it — a red flag I completely missed. I sold most of my gear during that time, but I held onto my guitars and my amp.
After that chapter ended, I lived on my own again. My amp was gone too by then — all I had left were two guitars. But I wasn’t ready to quit. I bought an audio interface and one plugin (I think it was a Line6 UX-2 and the software it came with), and started practicing again from scratch.
I quickly relearned the songs I used to play, but something in me wanted more. My (now) fiancée encouraged me to go deeper, to challenge myself again. I started practicing two to three hours a day, pushing myself to grow. And it paid off.
When we moved in together, I upgraded my setup — added some new guitars and got my hands on a Quad Cortex and a new Interface. That was a turning point. I joined Xerador, and suddenly, I wasn’t just writing music for myself anymore. I was writing for the band, for our new project Frostfire Wings (with Xerador’s singer), and for myself — just to explore and experiment.
I also learn how to scream — a whole new way to express what I feel through music. I’m still refining it, and I hope to one day perform the songs I write with my own voice.
I also found the time to learn a lot about production and recording. There is still a lot to learn, but I can make my tracks sound the way I want them to sound.
Earlier this year, I decided to take things even further and started lessons again — this time focusing on lead guitar, a skill I had neglected for far too long.
Got any questions or just want to say hi? Feel free to reach out on Instagram or join me on Discord. I’d love to hear from you.