blues

all you guys

these posts are great, thanks and ditto.

re:cakewalk: that was the name I couldn't remember; and i'd never heard of band-in-a-box, i'll look into them both. Thx.

How about pedals, guys. Looking for that fat blues sound with a bit good old fashion '70's rock and roll punch. Also, need to emulate a Leslie for one tune...I'd heard of the "rotovibe."

playing with others: indeed! I was jamming with some guys during the summer, but started getting squeezed out and that sort of messed with my confidence, which was a signal to me -- once again -- to get my act together a bit more.

I did find a great drummer, and my loose plan is to put together 4 tunes (about 75% there now) and round him up to rehearse them and see what comes of it. I can now sing to some tunes (that's progress) and am about 90% on an original tune which frankly makes the blues look like "Sesame Street" so I'm not sure about it...

Some folks did invite me out to another jam last week, which I thought was very cool, but I did not feel ready...I'm not sure if I chickened out -- which I cannot even allow myself to do -- or if I really needed to be in my cave a bit longer...

re blues = sacred, et al: amen! truth and love and warfare and all that matters.

james: I experienced that very thing today at 30th St. Guitars. Sometimes it seems like everyone can play better than I can. And that may be true. But somebody once told me (about drumming, actually, but I'm sure it applies) that "it ain't about how who's better, it's about the heart!" And even my teacher, who has some pretty heavy credentials (God bless him, because he really is *good* and I'm just a humble student) has confessed to experiencing the same feelings.

fwiw, I had a little blog going about playing in the tubes...http://downinthetunnels.blogspot.com/
it's only four entries, but, well, that's what it was like during the dog days of a Manhattan summer. Enjoy it if you can.

 

recording

I found something called "Audacity" which is free and seems like a great place to get a handle on the basics of recording on my pc...

 

latest

OK...have settled in with 12 gauge strings on the axe and I really love them. Was at 30th St. guitars recently checking out Tele's. Love the necks. Was quite intrigued by the Thinline. I'd like to give one a workout sometime.

The proposed set list is expanding. I've added some easy, sing a long type songs and am still working on the ambitious stuff. I estimate I'm at about 89% of being ready to rehearse the list.

 

OK, update:

I now run a strat (ducking) 50's reissue in green. Gawd I like it! GHS 12's. (I read that Pat Martino, the jazz guy, uses 15's and 16's !)

I also bought a keyboard last summer and it came with a stripped down version of something called "Ableton Live" which I've managed to really adapt myself to for recording and practice.

When I get home post up a link to a couple of things I'm working on with that.

 

guess I should keep my word...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25630872/Have a Nice Day 3.2.5.mp3

OK, I know there are some good players out there -- and then there are great players -- and then there's my heroes -- and I'm just a hack, so, let me just get that on the table now.

too, I'd like to state that I don't really care for the lead sound -- it was my first recording and I had lots on my mind. I think I just ran a line from that little Roland into my laptop...eek.

 

I know this is good advice but I find I just don't play well with others...

Can you get some nice feedback from that amp? And may I ask your preferred booster pedal?

 

thx all.