Al Schnier
Encyclopedia
Al Schnier is a musician most noted for being one of two guitarists for the American
jam band
moe.
. He attended New Hartford Central High School
in Oneida County, New York
before going to college at State University of New York at Oneonta
(SUNY) in 1990. He graduated from SUNY with a Bachelor of Arts
in Philosophy
and a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Graphic Arts
.
He currently lives in the suburbs of Utica with his wife, Diane, and his two children.
and Rush
tribute band
that played only two shows. During high school
and college
he performed in various cover band
s. In 1990, Schnier was playing in a psychedelic rock band in Oneonta, New York
called Unclaimed Freight, when he discovered the first original recordings by moe
(period absent until 1992), a band based in Buffalo, New York
. “I heard that tape,” Al recalled, “and I thought, ‘This is the kind of band I want to play in.’ ... Of course, I never thought I’d be playing with moe., but six months later I ended up moving to Buffalo, and my next introduction to the band was actually sitting in with
them." In early 1991, Schnier filled in for Dave Kessler in moe
, playing electric guitar
and conga
s at Chicklets House in Buffalo, New York
. After this time, Schnier would occasionally play with the band, adding a third guitar to Kessler and Chuck Garvey
's mix. Schnier officially joined the band in January 1992 and Kessler left several months later due to lack of interest. To this day, Schnier is with the band moe.
fulltime, adding instruments such as mandolin
, acoustic guitar, keyboard
s, and Moog
to his contributions.
Schnier has also been a part of several side project bands. In 1999, he formed an Americana
-influenced folk rock
group called Al and the Transamericans
. He released an album, "Analog
", and continues to play sporadic shows with the group, usually in or around his current hometown of Utica.
In July 2001, Schnier began work on an electronica
project he named al.one. The name is a play on the fact that Schnier performs all instruments and duties on the album. The self-titled album was released in October 2001 and he has performed a few solo shows in support of the release.
In 2003, Schnier joined with his wife, Diane, to create an album based on her musical talents. Over the course of a year, they recorded the album "Before Cowboys", with Diane playing piano and singing while Schnier performed all other musical duties. Since the release, Schnier has toured with his wife and a small group, dubbed Before Cowboys, and are currently working on a follow-up album.
Schnier has also been a part of Phil Lesh and Friends
during a number of shows, including in May 2005 for three shows in the San Francisco, California
area. Schnier described collaborating with Lesh as follows: "I’m a big fan of the Dead, so it was a real treat for me to get to go to the Grateful Dead rehearsal facility and hang out with Phil. We rehearsed for like, I want to say four or five days, and then we did three shows. It was awesome."
Schnier is an aspiring engineer & producer. He has produced & engineered all of his solo work, as well as both of his wife's albums, along w. several moe.
projects (including some of the tracks on The Conch). He has also worked on projects for other bands including The Brakes & Okemah. Schnier owns his own studio, Basemental Studios, in upstate NY.
Schnier is the parent of an autistic child, and an avid supporter & fundraiser for Autism developmental center, The Kelberman Center.
Schnier is also a founding board member of the voter registration group, Headcount.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
moe.
Moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
History
Schnier was born on January 9, 1968 in Utica, New YorkUtica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. He attended New Hartford Central High School
New Hartford (town), New York
.New Hartford is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 21,172. The name of New Hartford was provided by a settler family from Hartford, Connecticut....
in Oneida County, New York
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
before going to college at State University of New York at Oneonta
State University of New York at Oneonta
The State University of New York College at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States, with approximately 5,800 students. The College offers many bachelor's degrees and a number of graduate degrees...
(SUNY) in 1990. He graduated from SUNY with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in Graphic Arts
Graphic arts
A type of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of art forms. Graphic art is typically two-dimensional and includes calligraphy, photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, lithography, typography, serigraphy , and bindery. Graphic art also consists of drawn plans and layouts for interior...
.
He currently lives in the suburbs of Utica with his wife, Diane, and his two children.
Music career
As found at his website, Schnier wrote his first original piece of music in 1978, of which a part would later appear on his solo musical release al.one. His first band was in 1982 during eighth grade and was named "Cuttin' Loose." It was a Neil YoungNeil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
and Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
tribute band
Tribute band
A tribute act is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act - sometimes one which has disbanded, ceased touring or is deceased. Probably the largest class of tributes acts are Elvis impersonators, individual performers who mimic the songs and style...
that played only two shows. During high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
he performed in various cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
s. In 1990, Schnier was playing in a psychedelic rock band in Oneonta, New York
Oneonta, New York
Oneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
called Unclaimed Freight, when he discovered the first original recordings by moe
Moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
(period absent until 1992), a band based in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. “I heard that tape,” Al recalled, “and I thought, ‘This is the kind of band I want to play in.’ ... Of course, I never thought I’d be playing with moe., but six months later I ended up moving to Buffalo, and my next introduction to the band was actually sitting in with
them." In early 1991, Schnier filled in for Dave Kessler in moe
Moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
, playing electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s at Chicklets House in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. After this time, Schnier would occasionally play with the band, adding a third guitar to Kessler and Chuck Garvey
Chuck Garvey
Chuck Garvey is one of two guitarists for the American rock band moe.. His playing has been influenced by Frank Zappa, Mick Ronson, David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Andy Summers, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He currently lives in the Cincinnati, Ohio area....
's mix. Schnier officially joined the band in January 1992 and Kessler left several months later due to lack of interest. To this day, Schnier is with the band moe.
Moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
fulltime, adding instruments such as mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, acoustic guitar, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s, and Moog
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
to his contributions.
Schnier has also been a part of several side project bands. In 1999, he formed an Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
-influenced folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
group called Al and the Transamericans
Al and the Transamericans
Al and the Transamericans is a side project band formed by guitarist Al Schnier of moe. Hailing from the Northeast, the band is best described as a roots rock, alt country, Americana group. The music is a nice blend of bluegrass, country, and rock. All of the musicians have 'day jobs' in other bands...
. He released an album, "Analog
Analog (album)
-Personal:* Arman Bohn - vocals, guitar* Jason McGerr - vocals, drums* Nicholas Harmer - vocals, bass-External links:**...
", and continues to play sporadic shows with the group, usually in or around his current hometown of Utica.
In July 2001, Schnier began work on an electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
project he named al.one. The name is a play on the fact that Schnier performs all instruments and duties on the album. The self-titled album was released in October 2001 and he has performed a few solo shows in support of the release.
In 2003, Schnier joined with his wife, Diane, to create an album based on her musical talents. Over the course of a year, they recorded the album "Before Cowboys", with Diane playing piano and singing while Schnier performed all other musical duties. Since the release, Schnier has toured with his wife and a small group, dubbed Before Cowboys, and are currently working on a follow-up album.
Schnier has also been a part of Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends
Phil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead.Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including groups featuring members of Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen...
during a number of shows, including in May 2005 for three shows in the San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
area. Schnier described collaborating with Lesh as follows: "I’m a big fan of the Dead, so it was a real treat for me to get to go to the Grateful Dead rehearsal facility and hang out with Phil. We rehearsed for like, I want to say four or five days, and then we did three shows. It was awesome."
Schnier is an aspiring engineer & producer. He has produced & engineered all of his solo work, as well as both of his wife's albums, along w. several moe.
Moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
projects (including some of the tracks on The Conch). He has also worked on projects for other bands including The Brakes & Okemah. Schnier owns his own studio, Basemental Studios, in upstate NY.
Schnier is the parent of an autistic child, and an avid supporter & fundraiser for Autism developmental center, The Kelberman Center.
Schnier is also a founding board member of the voter registration group, Headcount.
Gear
moe.:- Effects: Guitar / MinimoogMinimoogThe Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
> Fulltone Clyde Wah-wah pedalWah-wah pedalA wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice...
> DOD 440 Envelope Filter > AnalogmanAnalogmanAnalog Man LLC is a company that makes and modifies guitar effects pedals.In 1995, the company, led by "Analog Mike" Piera, started modifying Ibanez Tube Screamer overdrive pedals to sound like the vintage ones which were used by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson...
Comprosser > Timmy > Zvex Fuzz Factory > Diamond Memory Lane > Analogman BiChorus > Diaz Tremodillo > Analogman a/b switch > Oldfield Marquis 30 - Guitars: Fender Custom ShopFender Custom ShopThe Fender Custom Shop is a division of Fender Musical Instruments, housed within their headquarters complex in Corona, Riverside County, California. The Fender Custom Shop primarily exists to compete with smaller companies and independent luthiers that, in turn, build products reminiscent of those...
Telecaster Custom with Bigbsy and Seymour Duncan Custom Shop pickups, Gibson ES335