David Valdes
Encyclopedia
David Valdes is a Spanish
guitarist
, bassist
, drummer
and keyboardist
best known as a founding member of the death metal
band Metal Witch.
and thrash metal
. Later, as his musical experience grew, Valdes discovered Yngwie Malmsteen and his classical influences of J.S.Bach
, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Paganini and Vivaldi. After Malmsteen came the pairing of Marty Friedman
and Jason Becker
, who made him change his style radically. Valdes then picked up two essential didactic videos from Vinnie Moore
and Paul Gilbert
, enhancing his picking techniques and shred styling.
As his playing advanced, his band got larger gigs in and around Catalonia
. He went on to collaborate with bands like Ouija, Between the Frost, Nordhimel, Mei Dei, Witch and some other local projects.
After listening to many musical styles, Valdes finally settled on heavy instrumental metal music. Classical music has also been a big influence, particularly in composition.
His first demo as multiple instrumentalist was recorded in his house, using a computer. Working by himself, Valdes wrote, recorded, mixed, mastered and published all tracks. His first instrumental CD was Paradise Lost, featuring 11 songs. Then came Imhotep, with 13 songs. David recorded all musical instruments, including bass
, drums and keyboards
.
Having completed his work on Imhotep, with Heaven Cross Record Company, he published a didactic DVD entitled Initiation To the Solista Guitar.
Valdes is currently working for Tarragona City Council, playing electric guitar
in his free time.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
best known as a founding member of the death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Metal Witch.
Biography
Valdes obtained his first electric guitar at the age of 14. His early musical influences include death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
. Later, as his musical experience grew, Valdes discovered Yngwie Malmsteen and his classical influences of J.S.Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Paganini and Vivaldi. After Malmsteen came the pairing of Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman may refer to:* Marty Friedman , musician* Marty Friedman , basketball player and coach-See also:*Martin Freedman, Canadian judge*Martin Freeman...
and Jason Becker
Jason Becker
Jason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988...
, who made him change his style radically. Valdes then picked up two essential didactic videos from Vinnie Moore
Vinnie Moore
Vinnie Moore is a guitarist and a member of the English hard rock band UFO. Along with Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony MacAlpine, and others, Moore is known as one of the most influential guitarists to emerge out of the shredder boom in the mid 1980s.-Biography:Moore was born in New Castle, Delaware...
and Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
, enhancing his picking techniques and shred styling.
As his playing advanced, his band got larger gigs in and around Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. He went on to collaborate with bands like Ouija, Between the Frost, Nordhimel, Mei Dei, Witch and some other local projects.
After listening to many musical styles, Valdes finally settled on heavy instrumental metal music. Classical music has also been a big influence, particularly in composition.
His first demo as multiple instrumentalist was recorded in his house, using a computer. Working by himself, Valdes wrote, recorded, mixed, mastered and published all tracks. His first instrumental CD was Paradise Lost, featuring 11 songs. Then came Imhotep, with 13 songs. David recorded all musical instruments, including bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, drums and keyboards
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...
.
Having completed his work on Imhotep, with Heaven Cross Record Company, he published a didactic DVD entitled Initiation To the Solista Guitar.
Valdes is currently working for Tarragona City Council, 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...
in his free time.
Solo Albums
- 2002 - Paradise Lost
- 2006 - Imhotep
Collaborations
- Warmth In The Wilderness Vol. II
- Arnaldo Garcia - Hurricane
- Pablo G. Soler - Higher
- Between The Frost - Instinct of Surliness
- Between The Frost - Realms Of Desolation
- Symawrath - Incestuous Overture In The Cristal Auditorium
- Virtuoso Music Compilation CD - Virtual Guitar Virtuosos
- Ankor - Al Fin Descansar