top of page
Musician | Teacher
Alex Price is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and audio engineer. He can be found performing across the western Pennsylvania region in various settings, including the Pittsburgh Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, jazz-fusion outfit The Inner Urge and with songwriter Jason Gamble. Prior to returning to work in the United States, he had spent years performing internationally in theaters onboard cruise ships, most notably the world famous ocean liner, the Cunard Queen Mary 2. A proficient sight reader and improviser, Alex has found work in a wide variety of genres ranging from jazz and classical to rock and gospel. Recently, he licensed music to a few films, including Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon. He has Bachelor’s degrees in music education and performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2016) and a Master’s in jazz guitar performance from Duquesne University (2022).
A few of my favorite moments...
Pittsburgh Symphony's tribute to ABBA with Rajaton (2022)
The Inner Urge at Jibber Jazz Production's Some Kind of Jam 11 (2021)
Playing the Top Gun them from inside an aircraft hangar to 1,800 with the Johnstown Symphony (2022)
Pittsburgh Symphony's tribute to ABBA with Rajaton (2022)
1/25
Working onboard the Queen Mary 2
Stavanger, Norway
Suez, Egypt
Muskat, Oman
Stavanger, Norway
1/20
Recent News:
July 2024
Nearly a decade ago I purchased my first professional jazz guitar - a fantastic Eastman AR810 archtop. It's a large (17" lower bout) solid wood instrument with a floating humbucking pickup and volume and tone controls which are mounted to the pickguard. Basically, it's an acoustic instrument with a magnetic pickup. This guitar in particular was a prototype for Eastman, and was one of the very first guitars they ever made with a violin varnish instead of the more common nitrocellulose or polyurethane finish that you would typically find on a guitar. I write all of this to say that while it is an incredible guitar with a brilliant acoustic tone, it is a nightmare for feedback.
Eastman archtops have notoriously thin tops - so between that, the solid wood construction, the large body in a violin varnish, and the top not having the normal weight of a pickup mounted to it, the AR810 that I own needs some dampening when I need to play it plugged in. I've tried many different ways of fighting the feedback on this guitar over the years and this blog post is dedicated to sharing those techniques for others. I've also uploaded a YouTube video that goes more in depth on each topic.
April 2024
I've owned a PodGo for the last year and a half and have enjoyed its simplicity. It shares so much of the same architecture as the Helix modelers that I often get emails asking if I offer Pod Go presets too. I designed these bundles first around a great amp & cab tone with a gain/EQ toggle on footswitch 6 - think of this like you're changing channels on the amp. Each preset has an overdrive or compressor that I've dialed in well to work with that amp on footswitch 5. Footswitch 4 is a solo boost with subtle EQ shaping. Footswitches 1, 2, and 3 contain a unique modulation, reverb, and delay effect respectively. I prefer to use the Pod Go in stompswitch mode for the versatility it provides within a single preset, but I know many prefer snapshots and so I've programmed that as well. Like my Helix presets, each preset is available in two versions - one for single coils and one for humbuckers.
You can read more on my PodGO Presets page.
- Amp Tone Library - contains all four bundles listed below (and more as I add them)
- Vox AC-30 & AC-15 - 1958 AC-15, 1958 AC-30
- Fender Black Panel - clean and overdriven versions of the Deluxe, Princeton, & Twin
- Fender Tweed Amps - 5E3 Tweed Deluxe, modified Deluxe, Champ, & Bassman
- Mesa / Boogie Amps - Lone Star channels 1 & 2, Mark IV Rhythm & Lead channels, & Dual Rectifier
March 2024
Community Garden - Jason Gamble
Community Garden is a short four song EP that was recorded live during a show at Pittsburgh Winery back in September 2023. Jason fronts the band and is backed up by two additional vocalists, bass, and a string quartet. I wrote the string arrangements for "Starin' At The Wall," "That's Not The Way," "Blushing Sunday," and "Grace" over the Summer and refined them a bit as the group rehearsed and performed around the city. Jason is a great friend of mine and I hope the arrangements support his songwriting in a unique way. We picked up the multitrack recordings from the sound console after the show and I mixed and mastered the tracks in my home studio in early January. You can listen to Community Garden anywhere that you like to stream music.
- Listen on Spotify
- Listen on Apple Music
- Listen on Tidal
- Listen on Amazon Music
- Listen on YouTube Music
February 2024
I've frequently gotten emails requesting that I split up the Complete Preset Library into smaller folders based on instrument - if you're looking for only the electric guitar presets (96 of them), you can do that now. The special effects library that includes ambient, lofi, and synth presets for guitar has also been popular. I've also added new presets to all folders. The update is live and I have those smaller bundles at a substantial discount. Read specifics on the Helix page of my website.
- Electric Guitar Preset Library
- Acoustic Instrument Library
- Special Effects Library
- Bass Preset Library
- Violin Preset Library
June 2023
The Line 6 HX Stomp, HX Stomp XL, and POD Go are powerful tools for modern guitarists (and other instrumentalists!), however there are a few accessories that I feel greatly expand the capabilities of the device. It is entirely possible to use these smaller modeling units as your entire rig and in this guide, I'll go over a few of my favorite pieces that make it possible. I've written each section to provide a few different options at different price points so no matter your budget, you can find exactly what you need to accomplish your goals.
March 2023
These eBooks contain chord shapes, arpeggios, and scale charts that I consider to be essential knowledge for aspiring guitarists. Some of these books have been out for a few years. Since I've been teaching a lot more lately, I went back in and added some additional context for those coming from a CAGED system background to help explain some of the concepts I like to use. The drop 2 & 3 voicings booklets are completely new.
You can click on any of the icons here to read more about them, or if you just want to download everything quickly, head to the free resources page and click "add to cart" on each of them before checking out. Everything is free.
February 2023
I'm happy to say that ALL of the Premium Amp Tone bundles have now been updated. The updates are free to all previous customers and have just been emailed to everyone. If you think you might've missed the email, get in contact with me here.
What's new? The presets have been entirely redesigned so a lot has changed. I've switched everything over to the new cab models, I've changed some amp/overdrive parameters, added a compressor to each preset, and have swapped out older legacy reverb models for new ones. Due to popular request, the amp and cab blocks have been separated, which makes it easy to load effects in between the amp and cabs, as well as to use these presets with an external cabinet. Previous versions of these bundles had two presets available in two versions (for single coils or humbuckers) each. I've now added a third preset to each amp tone bundle. You still have access to the older presets if you prefer them, but I think the latest versions with the new cabs and reverbs sound much better. There's also a favorite effects library with alternate compression, reverb, and tremolo tones that you can easily swap in and out of these presets.
January 2023
The All-Pupose presets have been worked over and now offer support for the new 3.50 cabinets, as well as many of the new reverbs. The footswitch layout has changed slightly, as have the effects in each preset. Best of all, I've added a favorites folder filled with effects that have been dialed in to work well for the genre of each bundle. Load the .fav files into HX Edit, click on the block you'd like to replace, and double click on the favorite effect you'd like to replace it with. The updates are free to all previous customers and have just been emailed to everyone. If you think you might've missed the email, get in contact with me here.
December 2022
I've updated my free preset bundle - two complete presets based around the Divided By 13 FTR. The new versions have added footswitches 6, 7, and 8, an additional gain stage, and make use of the new cabinet models.
You can download the free presets here.
- Footswitch 1 - Klon overdrive
- Footswitch 2 - Amp overdrive
- Footswitch 3 - Memory Man delay
- Footswitch 4 - Toggles reverb parameters
- Footswitch 5 - Optical tremolo
- Footswitch 6 - EVH-style phaser
- Footswitch 7 - Alternate compression tone
- Footswitch 8 - Solo boost
I've also gone through my Complete Preset Library and updated every preset that I could to the new 3.50 cabinet models. Since the new cabs take significantly less DSP, I've also gone in and switched out some of the older Legacy reverbs for the new "Dynamic" models. The Dual Amp presets have been completely overhauled with more effects and a secondary gain stage. These presets are now available in versions for both humbucker and single coil equipped guitars. A few new presets have been added using the latest amp models and I've gone through and made some minor adjustments for more consistent levels across presets.
The next update will bring more bass and violin presets.
November 2022
This month, I have the immense honor of covering the electric guitar parts for the Pittsburgh Symphony's tribute to ABBA with Rajaton on November 4th, 5th, and 6th. This will be my first time performing with the PSO and is sure to be an unforgettable opportunity that I'll look back on with pride. If you're in the area, tickets start at $22 and are available on the orchestra's website.
October 2022
Back in April 2020, Michael and I were contacted to arrange a licensing agreement for one of our ambient compositions, "Tranquil Ascension." That piece in particular was actually our first release as a duo and was the spark behind creating an entire ambient / minimalism - inspired library of music.
Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, the film is a psychotic thriller: "A girl with unusual powers escapes from a mental asylum and tries to make it on her own in New Orleans." The film stars Jeon Jong-seo, Kate Hudson, and Craig Robinson. It was released by Paramount Movies on October 6th. You can find it in theaters and on Apple TV.
"Tranquil Ascension" was used during the climax of the film as Mona Lisa boards a plane, leaving behind a friend and the authorities.
September 2022
The Inner Urge - new album in the works
I'm pleased to announce that The Inner Urge has begun the process on a new full-length album. The band got together for basic tracking in July and September of this year and are planning on releasing the album sometime in 2023.
Keep in touch with The Inner Urge wherever you go:
August 2022
111 presets sounds like a lot, and it is - that's why everything is organized into folders to help you find exactly what you're looking for. There's also a detailed .pdf that I've put together with information on each and every preset, as well as a general guide for setting up your Helix device and common issues you may encounter. With this update, I've also meticulously gone over every preset to ensure equal volume across the entire library. Each preset is designed to output the same level as if your device were bypassed.
Last year I added the first of a few impulse response bundles to the large preset library. I used a number of common acoustic guitar pickups to create a database of specific EQ matches designed to take the brittle tone from your acoustic pickup and transform it into something that more closely resembles a mic'd guitar. It works great and I've had a number of customers reach out to say that these were the best acoustic IRs they've used.
This Summer I captured a few more instruments including a ukulele (Luna HTC), a mandolin (Eastman MD404) , and a classical guitar (Alvarez AC460).
I've also added impulse responses of my Mesa Boogie Express 25:5 cab with a Celestion G12 Vintage 30 speaker. This is a more traditional use of IRs.
In addition to the IR bundles I've added, there has also be a significant number of presets added for acoustic instruments and many presets designed to take any instrument and turn it into a synthesizer. There are also a few new presets for electric guitar that make use of the new amp models that the Line 6 team has recently added.
Did I mention that this update is free? The Complete Preset Library is a collection of presets I've put together for my own professional use over the last few years. They've been tested across countless shows from my time spent on cruise ships to festival stages and small clubs. Your purchase today is good for all future updates. You'll receive a .pdf with a link to keep you updated.
July 2022
While I was studying at Duquesne I was also working as a graduate assistant in the audio technology department, keeping inventory of expensive microphones and other studio gear. In my second year, I was asked to help out with the recording studio ensemble - to set up for the sessions and run the SSL AWS948 console.
When I graduated, there was a vacancy in the guitar and audio departments and I was offered a job. Starting in the Fall 2022 semester, I'll be the music director of the recording studio ensemble and on staff as a guitar instructor for the Mary Pappert School of Music. I'm thrilled to take this next step in my career and am looking forward to the opportunity.
You can find me on the Duquesne University website.
May 2022
Completed a Master's in Music
Back in the Fall of 2019, I was working on the Cunard Queen Mary 2. The ship was in Saguenay, Quebec - a small town off the St. Lawrence River. I disembarked and walked for a fair bit with my laptop until I found a Tim Horton's. I downloaded a few college applications as I had been looking to return to school at some point. I spent time over the next few weeks filling them out and filming the prescreening applications in my little cabin while my roommate who played trumpet in the dance band on the ship was out working. A bit later while we were docked in Southampton, England I sent them off.
When it came time to audition in February 2020, the ship was stuck in the Indian ocean. Countries around us were shutting down their ports and due to the highly publicized and first major Covid outbreak on the Ruby Princess cruise vessel, it was looking like I wasn't going home any time soon. Luckily, the port in Perth, Australia let a few of the musicians off and we were able to travel home safely. I flew from Perth to Melbourne to San Francisco, and finally to Philadelphia where I met my parents, got in my car, and drove 5 hours across the state.
Masked up and jet-lagged, I took auditions at Youngstown State in Ohio and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Youngstown offered a full ride + stipend, but I felt that Duquesne, being in the big city, closer to home, and with an audio tech program, was a better choice. When the pandemic finally reached the States, it made sense to spend the next two years in school while there wasn't much work for me otherwise. During that time, YouTube and the digital downloads offered on this website were my main source of income. It's because of my audience and customers that I was able to finish the program and I can't thank you all enough.
Resolute Vibration: Volume 4 is a collection of compositions recorded over the course of two years. Like most of our previous releases, it primarily features vibraphone and electric guitar in the forefront with overdubbed synth parts to pad out the minimalist/ambient soundscape. In addition to purchasing a digital copy through this site, or BandCamp, you can also find Resolute Vibration on all major streaming platforms.
- Resolute Vibration on Spotify
- Resolute Vibration on Apple Music
- Resolute Vibration on Amazon Music
- Resolute Vibration on TIDAL
- Resolute Vibration on YouTube music
Also check out the Resolute Vibration YouTube channel for the videos that were shot live while we recorded this music.
- An expansion to the "Complete Preset Library Sampler" - 18 new presets for bass guitar! They've been added to the large preset library, a free update for all previous customers.
- Bass Preset Library -
Interested in those presets mentioned above but don't want all of the extras? I had multiple requests to split off sections of the preset library for people who only wanted a portion of the entire package at a lower price. These are just the bass presets. You still get free updates for life!
- Violin Preset Library -
Same thing as the bass library - all the same perks as the large preset library, but only the violin presets at a lower cost.
One of the goals I've been working towards the last few years has been to assemble all of the pieces for what will hopefully be a permanent rig for me for the next few years. Learning the ins and outs of pedal placement, power requirements, and MIDI programming has been a long process. Keeping in mind that I tend to play a lot of improvisational, effect-heavy music, I've tried to come up with a setup that is both practical and easy to reprogram on the fly.
I owe a BIG thank you to zZounds.com for sponsoring this video series and providing some of the products that made it possible!
- New paid preset bundle: Surf & Spaghetti Western inspired by tones made famous by Dick Dale, Mark Speer (of Khruangbin), Ennio Morricone, and other legends.
- An expansion to the "Complete Preset Library Sampler" - 12 presets have been added, a free update to everyone who had previously purchased that package.
- New free preset bundle: HX Stomp XL Starter Pack 8 free presets made to show off the capabilities of the new Stomp XL. Use the coupon code FREE at checkout.
March 2021
Ambient 1: Blossom
My latest album with The Inner Urge is out! Click here to read about it and listen for free. A very limited number of physical copies are available.
February 2021
10,000 Subscribers on YouTube!
Growing my channel has led to so many opportunities lately and I owe this success to each and every person who has supported me along the way. Thank you!
Based in Indiana, PA and serving the Western Pennsylvania region
Hello! My name is Alex Price and I am a full-time professional guitarist & violinist. I live in Indiana, PA and am available for all kinds of work - recording sessions (both remotely and in-person), freelance performances (such as weddings and corporate events), and for long-term gigs as a sideman. I also teach lessons over the internet through FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom.
For all inquiries, please visit my Contact Page.
You can also read more about me or listen to some of my work.
bottom of page