Joel Sastry, from Hyderabad, India, is a guitarist, session artist, and music producer. A self-taught musician, he has been performing live for over two decades with various bands, spanning genres from Progressive Rock/Metal and Pop to Gospel and Indian film music.
Since 2012, Joel has dedicated himself full-time to session work in the Indian film industry, primarily focusing on the Telugu Film Industry. He is now embarking on a new journey to create and produce original music both for himself and for independent artists.
Let’s explore why Joel chose the L.R. Baggs Session DI acoustic guitar preamp for his live and studio sessions.
Q. As a musician who incorporates the Session Acoustic DI into your live performances, what initially attracted you to this particular preamp?
Joel: I have worked and understood that a good mic preamp can change and shape your sound, especially in a studio atmosphere. This encouraged me to get an LR BAGGS Session DI while I was looking to strengthen my acoustic guitar signal for playing LIVE.
Q. Can you describe how the analog saturation feature of the Session DI enhances the tonal characteristics of your acoustic guitar during live performances? How does it compare to other preamps or effects you’ve used in the past?
Joel: The Saturation & the Comp EQ on the Session DI are the main features that make the unit really special. They are very responsive and changes can be felt absolutely once you start moving the knobs. These features add such a lovely color & strength to your tone, enhancing the clarity. You have to try it, to experience the magic, especially while playing LIVE.
Q. What specific challenges or problems did you face with your acoustic guitar sound before using the Session DI, and how has it helped you overcome them?
Joel: While working with various artists, I’m asked to play the acoustic guitar (LIVE), and the main issue we all mostly face is the feedback on stage, The “ NOTCH “ knob on the session DI exactly addresses this issue. It works like magic, helping get rid of the feedback on stage and we can note the frequencies causing the feedback.
Q. Could you share any memorable experiences or performances where the Session DI played a crucial role in achieving the desired sound or vibe for your acoustic guitar?
Joel: My most memorable experience was when I performed my last gig with the legendary playback singer Late Mr S.P.Balasubramanyamm Garu, for a TV show. That was the last time we all played together. I used a normal Fender acoustic guitar in my LR Baggs and the results were shocking, all my co-artists enjoyed my sound, along with S.P. Balu sir, and stated they never heard an acoustic guitar sound so clean and good in a LIVE recording atmosphere. The secret to my tone was the LR BAGGS Session DI.
Q. As a touring musician, how does the Session DI hold up in various live performance environments, from intimate acoustic sets to larger stages with complex sound systems?
Joel: You cannot ask for a more compact solution while touring without compromising on the tone. My acoustic guitar sounds very consistent while performing in various LIVE environments. I’ve only heard it get better & better and there was never a dull moment.
Q. Can you share any tips or techniques for optimising Session DI’s settings for recording acoustic guitars in a studio environment?
Joel: In studios I use the combination of both, the microphone and LR Baggs session DI, to get the best of both. However, I dial the Saturation & Comp EQ at ( 1” o Clock ), a little over a half, and leave the Notch knob at 0, as in the studio we aren’t dealing with any feedback issues.
Q. How does the Session DI handle the nuances of different acoustic guitar pickups, such as piezo, magnetic, or microphone-based systems?
Joel: While the Microphone-based system for LIVE sounds great, however, it’s practically not possible to do it for every venue as it’s more sensitive & a complex application to deal with. On the other hand, Piezo leans more towards producing an artificial acoustic sound and it can get very irritating if it’s not mixed well. So this is where the Session DI Preamp shines, by keeping your acoustic sound natural with a strong signal chain.
Q. In your opinion, what makes the Session DI a valuable tool for both live performances and studio recordings compared to other acoustic guitar preamps?
Joel: The Session DI simply enhances the tone by making it warm and presentable, you end up sounding whole and bigger, not to mention the better you hear and sound the better you can play and express
Q. As a musician who values tone and sonic integrity, how does the Session DI preserve the natural characteristics of your acoustic guitar?
Joel: In my opinion, Session DI stays true to its character by helping achieve a great tonal balance without tampering with the acoustic tone keeping it natural.
Q. As a seasoned musician, what advice would you give to fellow acoustic guitarists considering integrating the Session DI into their live rigs? What aspects of its functionality or sound should they pay attention to?
Joel: I highly recommend Session DI to all acoustic artists not just the guitar players but also to Electric Violin players & especially to singers & songwriters who gig playing the acoustic guitar, you can straight away feel the magic happening as soon as you plug your instrument into the unit.
