Musicians check in here. If you play, tell us about it!

[bassnut]

so at church I have to go direct (i dont have a decent "mini-rig" at the moment) and I use my Catalinbread SFT to warm up my bass sound a little bit....
and i tell you what, this past sunday, I found the SWEET spot for my Cheapo Squier P-
for those that are interested...
Treb-10, Bass-11:30, Vol-10:30, Gain- 8:30

Ever heard the expression "It ain't the meat it's the motion"?
Do you know what that means? It of course has sexual connotations but the main idea is about "intent".
It doesn't really matter what equipment you have or whether your dialed in at 10 or 11:30.
It's your intent and desire to communicate music coupled with your abilities that matters. That's what people hear. That's all they notice.
This notion of "if I have the right equipment and have it dialed in just right then I'll be good." That's a falsehood and total distraction from the art.

Not that I have anything against good equipment dialed in just right.
My point is that it ain't the end-all-to beat-all. Intent trumps everything.
A master musician will always sound like a master regardless of the minor tone settings on his amplifier or regardless of the fact that his instrument is made in Indonesia or S. Korea instead of Kalamazoo or Fullerton.

 

[DaveP]

Dave, I always do the bass parts I learn "my way".
I'll do the important lines or licks and "feel" that help define the song but the rest of it, I'll trust my own interpretationial abilities.
I'm not a great bass player in the licks and flash dept as I've mentioned to you before.
I have a pretty "meat and potatoes" approach to my function but I think I'm a pretty decent musician.
I must be or the other two guys, excellent musicians both, wouldn't allow me to work with them....going on seven eight years now.

Trying to sound "just like the record" is a trap and ultimately inartistic. You'll be judged by that standard. If you make it your own then it's fresh.
I believe this philosophy is shared by the other two guys I work with. We're only a trio so we have to make the material work in that context.
Consequently we have been accused of sounding better that the original (classic rock and blues) recordings because at some point we own it. It's ours.

I agree. Most of what I play is applicable to the look and feel of the original recording in the sense that I can play right along and stay in time with it. Too many "lead" guitarists these days can only chunk chord fragments or play elementary single note leads. Sorry, I'm from the school of Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Duane Allman, Dickie Betts, and a long list of other great guitar players. I frequently have other musicians come up after I play and tell me they enjoy my guitar work. I like getting compliments, but have no head games going on. I've just been doing it long enough that I should be able to do it well. Admittedly, I'm maybe good enough to be in their roady band/cover band in comparison, but I can play their stuff well enough to fool most people.

I play what I feel and draw from the masters when I do that. I'm going to have to encourage the new guy to learn the parts and leave the sheet music at home. I don't care much about what his sheet music does at bar 68, I'm doing what's in my head to augment the song in a tasteful manner. He can pause and count to 4 before continuing if he'd like while I'm playing a tasteful lead-in lick for the continuance.

 

[bassnut]

I may have misunderstood. I'll get some clarity on it Thur night but it looks like we'll have to go through this process first before getting a crack at the BIG show.

3rd Annual Road to the Battle of the Blues Harps (Blues Harmonica) at Orange County Market Place, Costa Mesa - PE.com

Right..
So the gig is, should we survive the competition, 3 different competitions spread a week apart, 30 minute sets for which you get paid nothing unless your the winner and collect $2500 in "prize money" at the end of the 3rd week.
Then apparently you're entitled to maybe a 15 minute long opening set at the BIG show. See how this works?
No wonder Pat has been avoiding it.

I think our real goal is to let people in the Blues societies know who we are and what we do.
We've been holding up in that little dive bar for so long....
Maybe we'll get invited as performers on one of those "Blues Cruise" ship tours.

 

[DaveP]

Bassnut wrote: Right..
So the gig is, should we survive the competition, 3 different competitions spread a week apart, 30 minute sets for which you get paid nothing unless your the winner and collect $2500 in "prize money" at the end of the 3rd week.
Then apparently you're entitled to maybe a 15 minute long opening set at the BIG show. See how this works?
No wonder Pat has been avoiding it.

I think our real goal is to let people in the Blues societies know who we are and what we do.
We've been holding up in that little dive bar for so long....
Maybe we'll get invited as performers on one of those "Blues Cruise" ship tours.

We were offered a summer on a Carnival cruise ship back in the 70s. We considered it very seriously and finally decided not to do it. We had a summer full of opportunities locally, a couple of the group members were married and didn't need to be away for 2 months or more. I would have done it, since I was single at the time, but things work out the way they do.

I guess it wouldn't have been much different than going on tour except you are on the same ship with a different set of passengers every week. Single, Carnival cruise, new group of adventurous chicks every week ... my kind of summer, but it wasn't to be.

Sometimes exposure is worth more than the gig pays, though.

 

[woundedphoenix]

I'm a singer/songwriter in Houston, TX.
I got my start in middle and higjh school choir, so I was classically trained with individual voice lessons during that period. From there, I started singing at karaoke shows around town, and my pseudonym (Fyre) started becoming fairly well known. After a couple of years, I was invited to sing in my first karaoke contest. Although I only placed third, it wasn't long until i started taking top prize at contests with songs like "Just a Giggalo" (David Lee Roth), "Purple Rain" (Prince), and even esoteric songs like "Bela Lugosi's Dead" (Bauhaus).

From there, I started doing some songwriting of my own, and seeing my songs reflecting a lot about my emotions and my life in general. From goth/goth-rock to country to metal to crooner to pure rock, i went through most all the expected genres, even a praise song or two found their way in, which was unusual, given that I have been Pagan since age 18 (am now 35).

Now... now I'm just a rapidly-closing-on-middle-age singer/songwriter, without a band to sing with. Despite the number of bands looking for a decent front man, most turn me down on sight, before even hearing me, as I weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 650lbs (NOT joking). I gave up looking, bought a "paper jams" mic/amp set, and amuse myself by singing along with my LPs, CDs, and outright a capella.

I keep dreaming that someday a band will come along that will want me... but what is more likely to happen is that I gather people together to chill at my place for a jam session every so often, and as we gather guitarists, bassists, etc... eventually, a band will form out of it.

With that being said, if anyone - young or old - wants to jam occasionally, I've got a huge garage, and an awesome deck/patio. I'm in the SouthWest of Houston in Mission Bend. For those that aren't sure, find Highway 6 and Bellaire on a map... you're then about 3/4 of a mile to a mile from my house.

If you want to invite this old (35), fat singer to jam with you, feel free to pm me... I miss the comraderie, and the very few karaoke shows around here just don't do it for me, anymore... either wayyyy too many people (so in six hours you sing twice), or a waayyyy limited selection (who the hell DOESN'T have Purple Rain?! That's like a karaoke standard!).

I do miss the feeling as the music washes over me, and the words come pouring out... i miss singing a new song for a crew who picks it up in the middle of the second run through and adds their own flair with music to a song I wrote... man, that last one is the best feeling in the world.

-WP

 

[Mac]

Wow dude. I hope you find some locals to jam with!

 

[Pipeous]

Things are progressing nicely for us with the new player. The drummer asked me o come out last night to help him work through a bunch of the songs. we worked out breaks and such. easier for the 2 of us to go over parts. some healthy competition is good when it pushes us to become better.

now my competition is my guitar. sure hating that squire electric. my acoustic instruments are very good but the electric bites. I have worked on the intonation and such but it just never is "right". have to sell myself on spending a grand for the one I want. only working 3 days a week so it's a lot of money.

and good luck woundedphoenix. if I lived in the area, we'd gladly have you come jam with us

 

[bassnut]

now my competition is my guitar. sure hating that squire electric. my acoustic instruments are very good but the electric bites. I have worked on the intonation and such but it just never is "right". have to sell myself on spending a grand for the one I want. only working 3 days a week so it's a lot of money.

Pat has been bringing in different lo-cost Strats that he owns to the gig in order to determine which one might be the best "travel" guitar.
The drummer and I agreed that the Squire sounded the best. Pat was confused and indecisive...

When it comes to instruments (guitars, basses...) sometimes it's best to just grab the bull by the horns and make it bend to your will rather than let it defeat you with it's shortcomings.

 

[DaveP]

Welcome to the music thread, WoundedPhoenix. When I was 35, I was still going strong in a 5 piece band, working every weekend. Finding guys around Houston shouldn't be that hard, but the band business does take up a good bit of free time. The up side is that you have your own rolling talent show and you get paid for it. Other people hear you and call for bookings and hand you checks and cash for a job you love!

The hard part is finding good players with personalities that can co-exist. The best way at your age is to look up the musicians from bands that were popular in your area a few years ago. Lots of those break up as a result of marriage, kids, full time jobs, etc. There's always one or two who keep playing on weekends. If you can round up several of those, rehearse enough songs to play three sets (the 4th set you can repeat a few), then you can book and play. Those bands are usually good because they have the cream of the crop (diehards who loved playing) in local experienced talent.

Throughout the Blues Brothers movie, I was constantly thinking "Been there, done that". It was eery.

 

[DaveP]

Things are progressing nicely for us with the new player. The drummer asked me o come out last night to help him work through a bunch of the songs. we worked out breaks and such. easier for the 2 of us to go over parts. some healthy competition is good when it pushes us to become better.

now my competition is my guitar. sure hating that squire electric. my acoustic instruments are very good but the electric bites. I have worked on the intonation and such but it just never is "right". have to sell myself on spending a grand for the one I want. only working 3 days a week so it's a lot of money.

and good luck woundedphoenix. if I lived in the area, we'd gladly have you come jam with us

Have you used a tuner to set the intonation? Do the bridge intonation adjustments not allow you to get it right on? Is the nut too high? (open chords will go sharp) Is the truss rod adjusted to make the fingerboard between flat to .015 - .020 relief at the 8th fret when fretted from the 1st and the 15th? 12th fret string height too high (that can make high frets sharp)?

Dumb questions, I know, but those are critical adjustments, anyway.

I have a Squire Tele that's actually a pretty good guitar once I set the intonation and truss rod. I swapped out the pickups for a set of Fender custom shop Tele single coils. My real 1979 Fender Strat is heavy (blonde ash) and a really good axe. It's 100% stock.

If you want a really good guitar with some single and double coil sounds built in, try out some of the new Epiphone Les Pauls with coil taps from the factory. You can switch it from double coil to single coil by pulling one of the knobs up or down and cover a lot of territory in one guitar. There's also an Epi LP model out that has a piezo pickup that simulates an acoustic sound in addition to the humbuckers.

 

[Pipeous]

ya I've built my octave mandolin and setup all my others. my squire bass is awesome... I have limitations in bridge adjustment due to the midi pickup... roland and fender have combined to make a specialty guitar... I want that lol. don't try to talk me out of it neither. i've heard people knock the mandobirds for bad intonation but mine is bang on, no truss rod either. I just want a new pickup and to swap the plug...

it's all good. it's time for a decent electric... my smallest instrument is the most expensive now.

 

[DaveP]

ya I've built my octave mandolin and setup all my others. my squire bass is awesome... I have limitations in bridge adjustment due to the midi pickup... roland and fender have combined to make a specialty guitar... I want that lol. don't try to talk me out of it neither. i've heard people knock the mandobirds for bad intonation but mine is bang on, no truss rod either. I just want a new pickup and to swap the plug...

it's all good. it's time for a decent electric... my smallest instrument is the most expensive now.

That makes good sense. I knew you had built instruments and it seemed strange that you ran into one that wouldn't intonate properly. When you build an instrument, you become one with the way it all works.

 

[Pipeous]

well yesterday the electric actually stayed in tune. rehearsals went well. we've nailed one set down. next weekend set 2. I was ready to play all 3 but hey, that's just me. now we just have to get the bass player to do his homework (seems I always play with bass players that don't like to learn their parts outside of rehearsals haha). Rick the drummer really had his stuff down and is working hard to keep the flow... I can honestly see us gigging soon.

the hardest part is arranging songs for harmonies to fit our vocals. I know what limitations and ranges we have and trying to do songs like sweet home alabama, I end up singing lead but I normally do all the high stuff and I can't swap in a song like that to do the high parts. too much jumping around. I want our bass player to sing but don't think he feels confident enough to hit the higher stuff.

 

[DaveP]

Early in my career (teenager), I had a harmony dual pickup guitar. It stayed in tune fine until one day when we played beside a pool in the summertime. It came out of an air conditioned car and sat in the sun in its case while we set up. I tuned it and we started playing. The wood obviously reacted with the humidity and I tuned and tuned and touched it up for the whole first set. After that, it settled down for the night. Soon after that I bought a new guitar. They all will get a little finicky when the environment changes.

 

[Pipeous]

I agree. it was super hot in there yesterday. I came out smelling like a hockey bag. what sucks now is a rarely get to play mandolin. I have 2 songs and they are both in the second set. next weekend I guess... I am going to try and sneak it into more songs but I tend to play keys mostly or my acoustic.. I use heavy guage on my acoustic.. elixer coated strings. man they sure ring out but kick the heck out of the fingers...

should see me singing train in vain. I play harmonica and do lead vocals. I breath on the harmonica intake notes and have to sing then play. until the chorus I don't stop (say you stand... ba ba ba ba,... by your man.... bab ba ba ba ba). my girlfriend was saying by the end of a verse my face is red lol

 

[DaveP]

I agree. it was super hot in there yesterday. I came out smelling like a hockey bag. what sucks now is a rarely get to play mandolin. I have 2 songs and they are both in the second set. next weekend I guess... I am going to try and sneak it into more songs but I tend to play keys mostly or my acoustic.. I use heavy guage on my acoustic.. elixer coated strings. man they sure ring out but kick the heck out of the fingers...

should see me singing train in vain. I play harmonica and do lead vocals. I breath on the harmonica intake notes and have to sing then play. until the chorus I don't stop (say you stand... ba ba ba ba,... by your man.... bab ba ba ba ba). my girlfriend was saying by the end of a verse my face is red lol

When I play acoustic, it's for building my chops. My Alavarez has .12s on it and that's as high as I'll take it. I want it to feel reasonably like my Les Paul, but just a little stiffer to build one level of finger strength more than the Paul requires. That makes the electric more of an effortless action and my speed increases.

 

[Pipeous]

I like doing stuff like this to have fun. I'm no Don Ross but this is about my fav piece of guitar and I have worked very hard to come up with my version. I also like what Andy McKee does with this piece... I have written a couple percussive type tunes. slapping the 12th and doing taps on body etc. those 2 names above changed my way of thinking guitar.. there are others too but

http://youtu.be/-OYyIJUTKEI

 

[DaveP]

If you haven't checked out Tommy Emanuel, do so. All guitar players should see how it's supposed to be done. Watch and weep!

 

[LiLesah]

Hello fellow musicians!

I sing, play piano, trumpet, and a little guitar. Went to a School for Music Vocations for 4 years, and am a year away from my music education degree. I've created/performed from jazz to classical - but my love is making electronic/experimental/ambient music. You can hear some of my creations from my homepage link through my profile, if anyone is interested.

 

[Pipeous]

I had a listen. neat stuff LiL