"You will like, what you like" - interview with Bernth

Bernth has been known for his guitar playing on Youtube, as well as on stage - either as a hired gun for international tours or as a solo artist, bringing the 'Escape the Internet' tour all over the world. As a Buso desk user in his home studio, he entertains around 100 million viewers with music across different platforms.

Hello there, Bernth! This interview has been a long time coming, so let’s dig into it! 

Your YT channel is one of the most successful ones in the scene. Could you tell us a little bit about the humble beginnings, what drove you to start your online brand, and how it grew over the years?

I started because I was a hired gun for many years and felt like I needed my own place or project to be creative - YouTube was the best choice because so many amazing players built great careers on the platform.

We see a lot of instrumentalist YouTube stars, who rarely play for a live audience, while with you it’s quite the opposite. Keeping the live-performer side, whilst having an intensely growing online presence...was this intentional from your side?

I actually come from live music and professional touring, way before I ever uploaded videos - so I feel more at home in the touring world than in the online world. But the best is when these worlds collide - like making a tour VLOG about one of my tours or the session work I get booked for! I love turning these into videos for the channel.

What is your origin story as a musician?

Like many guitarists, I started playing because of Metallica - they were my main inspiration when it comes to picking up a guitar. I later got into more technical and virtuosic players, which shaped my interest in guitar technique.

After Metallica, who were your main guitarist influences?

I loved the 'Betcha Can't Play This' videos on YouTube and they introduced me to more technical playing. They were hosted on the Guitar World YouTube channel. Around 2007, there was a new wave of shred, and that one got me interested in techniques and faster playing.

Has metal music always been in the center for you, or you took scenic routes to other genres as well?

I still feel the most home in the Rock/Metal world - but studying Jazz and Pop guitar at the Vienna Music Institute has helped with opening myself up for many more styles like Fusion and Prog.

Did this opening-up result in participating in non-rock/metal acts as well?

Yes, I toured with a multi-platinum selling Pop band in Austria for 10 years - we did arenas, stadiums, and many festivals and that expanded my horizons as a performer as well. A lot of their songs are ballads, others are Reggae or Blues-inspired, so I had to learn more about these styles.

What are your main musical influences?

I grew up in the Nu Metal era and loved bands like Slipknot and Korn growing up. Nowadays I am inspired by all the amazing musicians you see when you open up any social media platform - so many great players!

And what are your biggest prides?

My song 'Farewell' that reached #1 in the iTunes US Charts in the instrumental sector - and the 5 gold and 4 platinum albums I recorded with the Austrian act 'Seiler und Speer'.

Let’s get a bit technical! Which Buso desk are you using?

I'm using the Studio XL - I love it because it's the best looking desk out there and it suits my needs perfectly.

And the white one nonetheless! It’s quite a smooth and great addition to your studio!

You recently moved to LA creating a new workspace for yourself and your projects. Could you tell us the reasons behind that?

Most of my fanbase is from the US, which led to my first show at the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York just months before I moved here - so it made no sense for me to stay in Austria, where less than 1% of my audience is actually from. 

How do you plan to grow there, what comes next?

In LA, I connected with a lot of musicians and fellow creators already, and could make collabs and videos that I could only have dreamed of in Austria. It's still one of the world's biggest hubs for creative people.

Seeing this huge array of fantastic artists could be quite daunting to someone who’s just starting out with any instrument. Do you have any advice for them ? :)

I'd say you can't force anything and you will like what you like - I tried to force myself to like jazz but never got too deep into it, simply because I don't enjoy playing or listening. So go after what motivates and inspires you but keep an open mind in the process!

And staying at the same topic, not too long ago you started your own educational Guitar channel, the Bernth Academy.

What lead you to open up yet another frontline in an already packed lifestyle ?

I see it as my responsibility to help and give back, and this channel is the best way of doing so. I get to nerd out about techniques and exercises and the videos are meant for a niche audience - it wouldn't have worked to do that on my main channel, so it's a lot of fun over there!

I was really looking forward to talk to a customer of us, who’s mainly an instrumentalist, but I’ll ask one of my favourite questions anyway: who are your biggest influences from the audio world?

I love the sound of unique albums that most people actually might not even like that much. I like it when a record sounds very different from others - like Metallica's 'And Justice For All' or the In Flames album 'Soundtrack To Your Escape'. There's something about a production that you can recognize by the sound of the snare or guitars.

The general sound of metal records changed a lot in the past decades. Are there some names or records from our time as well?

I love the latest Bad Omens record and a lot of Sleep Token stuff as well! I just wish they had more interesting guitar parts here and there, but the songs are extremely well arranged and put together.

How does your setup serve your needs, what equipment do you use?

I use a very simple setup - Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 into Cubase. I only record guitar and vocals at home, so I don't need a big mixing desk.

So I can imagine, the Studio XL's layout helps you stay focused. 

I love having my interface and power supplies screwed in the desk - I used to have them on a normal desk for a long time and it always results in a much messier work environment.

Your songs are super technical, but they always have a great flow and vibe. For you, what makes a song feel perfect, and what do you focus on when you’re writing one?

I focus on finishing and releasing quickly - I used to sit on demos and unfinished songs for months or years. A lot of my tracks are recorded, written, mixed, and mastered in a day or two. That allows me to not over-obsess and to keep creating!

For you, what makes a guitar more than just an instrument, something that really sparks creativity?

It has to be versatile - I can't imagine playing a guitar purely made for Metal or Jazz - I always get the most inspired by an instrument that gives you tons of tonal possibilities!

Using analogue or digital equipment is a crucial question, when it comes to guitar playing as well. What’s your take on this topic?

I like thinks that are practical - I switched my huge pedalboard of 20+ pedals for a Kemper remote or Quad Cortex a long time ago. I also love using plugins at home. So I've never been too nostalgic when it comes to analogue equipment.

Are you headed towards a more minimalistic approach these days?

Yes, with quick line changes, sound checks, and flight shows, it definitely pays off to keep things simple!

Bernth, thank you so much for sitting down with us, I was really looking forward to having a nice chat with you! And now it is my honour to ask you to contribute a song to our Buso playlist!

I will pick my song 'Farewell' - hope you enjoy!