I posted another tune, 'Stride, Don't Hurry.'
If you hear strains of 'Walk, Don't Run,' you are to be forgiven.
More often than not I am expressing some facet of my soul, my inner workings. But now and again I post what I refer to as, "noodling." Aimless exercise.This has elements of both.
The 60s being that seminal period musically speaking...for me. Tunes such as this made up that early period just before I really became musically aware.
Call and answer...hanging notes...soulful vibrato...all of it is present. And then the noodling. It really takes an element of concentration to avoid musical diarrhea.
Sigh...
My ReverbNation Page
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Celebrate Life
It is difficult to ignore the happenings of this week.
It is also difficult to speak out against killing and death with so much chest thumping prevalent.
A friend reminded me of the word - jingoism.
"...extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy. In practice, it is a country's advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests. Colloquially, it refers to excessive bias in judging one's own country as superior to others – an extreme type of nationalism."
I am glad that a perceived threat has been removed. If this act in fact, makes us any safer than we were on Saturday, wonderful. However, I do not see any change in airport security measures (which I think are outmoded and useless...ask Israel how to prevent terrorists from boarding planes), threat level, nor in the money spent combating what we see as a threat to our homeland.
To all the youth that grew up amidst the shadow of 9/11, this is not the end.
I DO hope the government can find other issues to occupy their time - such as employment, wages, standard of living et cetera.
In those wonderful words of Mr. Lennon - Give Peace A Chance
It is also difficult to speak out against killing and death with so much chest thumping prevalent.
A friend reminded me of the word - jingoism.
"...extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy. In practice, it is a country's advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests. Colloquially, it refers to excessive bias in judging one's own country as superior to others – an extreme type of nationalism."
I am glad that a perceived threat has been removed. If this act in fact, makes us any safer than we were on Saturday, wonderful. However, I do not see any change in airport security measures (which I think are outmoded and useless...ask Israel how to prevent terrorists from boarding planes), threat level, nor in the money spent combating what we see as a threat to our homeland.
To all the youth that grew up amidst the shadow of 9/11, this is not the end.
I DO hope the government can find other issues to occupy their time - such as employment, wages, standard of living et cetera.
In those wonderful words of Mr. Lennon - Give Peace A Chance
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
MacGyver It
Guitarists have a propensity for tinkering with their instruments. They are wood, so modifying can be relativly easy. Not that it always ends well, but cutting a deeper channel to accomodate a larger switch is not beyond most guitarists.
We need to remember that attitiude when other pieces in our chain fail or break.
Last night I took home a 51 Squier. Set up, changed the strings and then decided it was time to try 'er out.
I powered up the amp and pedal board and then reached across to power up my recorder - a Fostex 16 HD.
I depress the switch, the lights come on, the switch makes a snapping noise ...the unit powers down (it never really powered up as you need to hold the switch for a good 15 seconds). The switch fell partially inside the recorder.
Sigh...look at the ceiling...sigh again.
Get out the tools and unhook the cables to the recorder...drag it into the kitchen - better lighting, more room.
Fifteen screws later, a few twist tabs and one cable unplugged and the top and bottom separate for me.
Sigh...look at the ceiling...wipe my brow.
The two tabs on the right side had snapped. The long leg is to depress the actual power switch imbedded inside the chassis. I understand why Fostex engineering did this, but on a $400 peice of recording equipment it should be rated for millions of clicks - heck, my mouse is and I paid much less for the mouse. ;)
Sigh...look at the ceiling again.
I put on my Einstein beenie...went deep, deep into thought. And I came up with this inspired solution!
A Q-Tip jammed into the opening does the trick.
Naturally, I forgot several screws while reassmbling, so that made it a longer journey than necessary, but I got the bugger working!
Remember - some duct tape, a rubber band and thou.
This too, shall pass.
Sigh
We need to remember that attitiude when other pieces in our chain fail or break.
Last night I took home a 51 Squier. Set up, changed the strings and then decided it was time to try 'er out.
I powered up the amp and pedal board and then reached across to power up my recorder - a Fostex 16 HD.
I depress the switch, the lights come on, the switch makes a snapping noise ...the unit powers down (it never really powered up as you need to hold the switch for a good 15 seconds). The switch fell partially inside the recorder.
Sigh...look at the ceiling...sigh again.
Get out the tools and unhook the cables to the recorder...drag it into the kitchen - better lighting, more room.
Fifteen screws later, a few twist tabs and one cable unplugged and the top and bottom separate for me.
Sigh...look at the ceiling...wipe my brow.
Sigh...look at the ceiling again.
I put on my Einstein beenie...went deep, deep into thought. And I came up with this inspired solution!
Naturally, I forgot several screws while reassmbling, so that made it a longer journey than necessary, but I got the bugger working!
Remember - some duct tape, a rubber band and thou.
This too, shall pass.
Sigh
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wood
Look at the neck towards the left side of the picture. The neck was cut against the grain for some reason. At the top of the shot is the nut of the guitar...this is the first three frets. The swirl along the side continues down the neck...like a serpent.
Here are the first two frets, the nut (which needs to be replaced) and the truss rod hole. The pattern in the wood is almost psychedelic and will age nicely if the poly wears off...or if I sand it off.Sometimes, instruments have souls of their own Independent of you, the player. They have personality and style. Not always...Some have a mass produced cookie cutter look to them. And then we modify them to further make them our own...as in my case with the knob swap.
Even the plain Jane body, which is a slab of pine, just as Leo made them in the early 1950s, has a simple grace to it. (Would they be so crass as to make a veneer for this...?)
And especially in the case of this particular guitar - a relatively cheap iteration of the Telecaster line.
It was made in China in 2009.
Beats the pants off the Indian Strat as far as fit and finish - there really isn't much of either here.
It's.a.tele.
It's wood.
It has a soul...
Needs a name.
Right click any photo and select "Open In A New Tab" to see the shot full sized and in all its glory.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
It's A Sign - Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes
My picks are purple 2 millimeter Dunlop Stubbies.
My phone has a purple case, which I bought because it spoke to me...not having made the connection to the picks until later.
Pick and Phone
Now I have a 50s vibe Tele - which is "Vanilla" with a blackguard - to be 1950s accurate -& a button selector switch, also to be historically accurate. It came with the de rigueur chrome, knurled knobs that were Leo's choice in 1952. The knobs are tall and thick, so when the pickup selector switch is in the bridge position it becomes difficult to slide a finger in there and move the switch.
I decide to look at alternative knobs. I know Lou has a collection in a dusty box. (STYLES MUSIC POMONA) I see some pearloid topping a chrome rounded knobs. The pickguard would have to be pearl for it to work. Okay, the choices are becoming more clear. The guitar is an off white and the pickguard is black.
I need a black knob, now the pearl might work as it would more or less match the body color.
They are too white. He also has some very striking red pearloid/black metal knobs...red?
Then they wink at me.
I don't know what it is...I must be channeling Jimi Hendrix. I have been feeling flamboyant. No, don't ask.
I buy them...$16. They are also a pearloid and tend to shift a bit as the light changes.
They are purple. And I do not make the connection until I get them on the guitar. The color is deep and the tone knob - the lower knob - is more pastel, whereas the volume knob on top is crisp and very sharp.
Then I laid the guitar on it's back...I wanted to lay a pick between the knobs - a partial connection had been made...I knew something was up.
The pick and the tone knob were identical and I knew what why I had bought them. But the volume knob had taken on a completely different hue.
I'm a Gemini...this makes sense - twins that change depending on how the light strikes them?!
"Yeah, well...you know, only cowboys stay in tune..."
J. Hendrix 12/67
My phone has a purple case, which I bought because it spoke to me...not having made the connection to the picks until later.
Pick and Phone
Now I have a 50s vibe Tele - which is "Vanilla" with a blackguard - to be 1950s accurate -& a button selector switch, also to be historically accurate. It came with the de rigueur chrome, knurled knobs that were Leo's choice in 1952. The knobs are tall and thick, so when the pickup selector switch is in the bridge position it becomes difficult to slide a finger in there and move the switch.
I decide to look at alternative knobs. I know Lou has a collection in a dusty box. (STYLES MUSIC POMONA) I see some pearloid topping a chrome rounded knobs. The pickguard would have to be pearl for it to work. Okay, the choices are becoming more clear. The guitar is an off white and the pickguard is black.
I need a black knob, now the pearl might work as it would more or less match the body color.
They are too white. He also has some very striking red pearloid/black metal knobs...red?
Then they wink at me.
I don't know what it is...I must be channeling Jimi Hendrix. I have been feeling flamboyant. No, don't ask.
I buy them...$16. They are also a pearloid and tend to shift a bit as the light changes.
They are purple. And I do not make the connection until I get them on the guitar. The color is deep and the tone knob - the lower knob - is more pastel, whereas the volume knob on top is crisp and very sharp.
Then I laid the guitar on it's back...I wanted to lay a pick between the knobs - a partial connection had been made...I knew something was up.
The pick and the tone knob were identical and I knew what why I had bought them. But the volume knob had taken on a completely different hue.
I'm a Gemini...this makes sense - twins that change depending on how the light strikes them?!
"Yeah, well...you know, only cowboys stay in tune..."
J. Hendrix 12/67
Friday, March 25, 2011
New Guitar With No GAS
Guitar Acquisition Syndrome.
Usually we see it coming, like a train in a tunnel. We develop a interest in a particular guitar that turns into a 'want' and finally a 'need.' Food and drink, mere mortal diversions. We're talking about a guitar!!!
I NEED THIS!
At Woodstock I developed my need for a Stratocaster. I wanted to be Jimi. In 2009 I bought another and tried to recapture my youthful obsession. It was not meant to be.
I saw both Carlos Santana and Jerry Garcia playing Gibson SGs...had to have one - it took 28 years to fulfill that need, but I did. The Gretsch was a hollowbody - I had owned an ES 345TD and knew all about hollowbodies and why I needed one. The Jaguar was the recognition of what scale (the length of the guitar) and radius (curvature of the fretboard) are and how they are intimately intertwined. I realized I could own a Fender that didn't have a curved fretboard. A small thing that kept me away from Fenders for 25 years.
Never had owned a Telecaster until a bass playing friend made one a gift a few months ago. It was a Squier, which is the low end Fender brand. And this particular one was the Affinity line - which is Squiers low end models. This guitar retails for $180 or so. It further cemented the idea that Teles are nasty paddles from ancient canoes.
Then I "found" Colin James. The Church of James and I bonded. When I discover something I tend to get very passionate. To the point where most mortals think obsession.I have literally worn grooves into records listening to a particular song or passage...over & over.
"Wavelength" is my current victim - I must have listened to it a thousand times in the past week. I find new things, I enjoy a riff or a lyric. It's the marriage of pop with blues that I think was made for me. He's masterful in his playing but he doesn't appeal to most (except other guitarists) because of his virtuosity. His meter...his rhythm...his words - they make you sing and dance without your consent.
Prominently displayed on the inside cover of the CD is a Tele. The music fairly reeks of a very distinctive Fender twang.
Wednesday came and I wanted a Telecaster. GAS from nowhere.
My '09 Strat and I had not really bonded, I kept it to remember my first. I had tried selling it...obviously asking too much. Fine...how much will Lou give me toward a new Tele?
He offered a bit over half of what I would have liked. I thought for a moment and decided a used bird is better than one left in it's case to rot. I am not a collector - as the kids say, I'm a playah.
I started to notice things such as I was using both pickups for two polar opposite sounds. Other guitars harbor simialr sounds in both the bridge or neck pickup - the bridge being more treble biased.
But on the Tele the neck is a bell and the bridge is a triangle - related but not the same thing by a long shot.
I am having too much fun. The downsides? The body is a plank of wood - there is no sense of fine craftsmanship, no touches that make it special. It was Leo Fenders first mass produced and successful electric guitar. A Model T. But it sure gets the job done.
All modern Fenders seem to share a 9.25 radius - so the controlling factor becomes the scale. Medium & short scale feels flatter than a Strat. So the neck feels longer than my Jag but almost as flat. And that it has a Maple neck is a huge plus. The Strat I traded as well as my Jag are rosewood fingerboards and I've always felt Fenders scream Maple. Why? I couldn't tell you. It just 'feels' right.
The paint is plain vanilla. Over time it may yellow a bit. Those are referred to as 'Butterscotch.' Part of the 1950s vibe they seek to evoke are things like: they used the original switch selector as opposed to the 'Top Hat.' They allow the grain of the pine body to be visible through the paint - as though it were already older than a newly painted model. Doesn't impress me. It is not a pretty guitar with the exception of the neck which has a nice ripple in the grain.
It's a workhorse.
And I'mma cowboy... yeehaw!
Usually we see it coming, like a train in a tunnel. We develop a interest in a particular guitar that turns into a 'want' and finally a 'need.' Food and drink, mere mortal diversions. We're talking about a guitar!!!
I NEED THIS!
At Woodstock I developed my need for a Stratocaster. I wanted to be Jimi. In 2009 I bought another and tried to recapture my youthful obsession. It was not meant to be.
I saw both Carlos Santana and Jerry Garcia playing Gibson SGs...had to have one - it took 28 years to fulfill that need, but I did. The Gretsch was a hollowbody - I had owned an ES 345TD and knew all about hollowbodies and why I needed one. The Jaguar was the recognition of what scale (the length of the guitar) and radius (curvature of the fretboard) are and how they are intimately intertwined. I realized I could own a Fender that didn't have a curved fretboard. A small thing that kept me away from Fenders for 25 years.
Never had owned a Telecaster until a bass playing friend made one a gift a few months ago. It was a Squier, which is the low end Fender brand. And this particular one was the Affinity line - which is Squiers low end models. This guitar retails for $180 or so. It further cemented the idea that Teles are nasty paddles from ancient canoes.
Then I "found" Colin James. The Church of James and I bonded. When I discover something I tend to get very passionate. To the point where most mortals think obsession.I have literally worn grooves into records listening to a particular song or passage...over & over.
"Wavelength" is my current victim - I must have listened to it a thousand times in the past week. I find new things, I enjoy a riff or a lyric. It's the marriage of pop with blues that I think was made for me. He's masterful in his playing but he doesn't appeal to most (except other guitarists) because of his virtuosity. His meter...his rhythm...his words - they make you sing and dance without your consent.
Prominently displayed on the inside cover of the CD is a Tele. The music fairly reeks of a very distinctive Fender twang.
Wednesday came and I wanted a Telecaster. GAS from nowhere.
My '09 Strat and I had not really bonded, I kept it to remember my first. I had tried selling it...obviously asking too much. Fine...how much will Lou give me toward a new Tele?
He offered a bit over half of what I would have liked. I thought for a moment and decided a used bird is better than one left in it's case to rot. I am not a collector - as the kids say, I'm a playah.
I started to notice things such as I was using both pickups for two polar opposite sounds. Other guitars harbor simialr sounds in both the bridge or neck pickup - the bridge being more treble biased.
But on the Tele the neck is a bell and the bridge is a triangle - related but not the same thing by a long shot.
I am having too much fun. The downsides? The body is a plank of wood - there is no sense of fine craftsmanship, no touches that make it special. It was Leo Fenders first mass produced and successful electric guitar. A Model T. But it sure gets the job done.
All modern Fenders seem to share a 9.25 radius - so the controlling factor becomes the scale. Medium & short scale feels flatter than a Strat. So the neck feels longer than my Jag but almost as flat. And that it has a Maple neck is a huge plus. The Strat I traded as well as my Jag are rosewood fingerboards and I've always felt Fenders scream Maple. Why? I couldn't tell you. It just 'feels' right.
The paint is plain vanilla. Over time it may yellow a bit. Those are referred to as 'Butterscotch.' Part of the 1950s vibe they seek to evoke are things like: they used the original switch selector as opposed to the 'Top Hat.' They allow the grain of the pine body to be visible through the paint - as though it were already older than a newly painted model. Doesn't impress me. It is not a pretty guitar with the exception of the neck which has a nice ripple in the grain.
It's a workhorse.
And I'mma cowboy... yeehaw!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Lawdy, Why You Done Did Me Like This?
Pinetop Perkins, a Bluesman in the Mississippi Delta style - world renowned for his Boogie Woogie piano passed away.
Pinetops Story
My father taught me to play Pinetops signature riff when I eight, having listened to it for years already.
Swerve...
I like Colin James - a lot. Pop Bluesman? He is not a traditional Bluesman in any way shape or form.
He has a song entitled, "Wavelength" that when I was introduced to it, I felt an instant connection.
Lately I have been casting about for a new sound. Something I can do solo or with a band.
When I heard him I just knew this could work. I had heard him before but that particular song had evaded me and it was that one song that forged the bond.
A song called, "A Man's Gotta Be A Stone" sounds like Norman Greenbaums "Spirit In The Sky."
"Wavelength" is rocking blues ala The Stones.
This boy is all over the map with one thread in common...A Pop beat. All these tunes are meant to be dance tunes. Colin has recognized that women, by and large like to dance and spend most of the money spent on CDs and concerts. He aims to please.
Swerve...
My Strat and I had not bonded. The scale combined with the frets and the radius meant it was uncomfortable to play. That means the fretboard feels curved. I like 'em flat.
And I had to modify it heavily to get close to the sound for which I was aiming.
(Colin James, duh)
Swerve...
When I was a kid and saw Hendrix at Woodstock I knew I wanted a Strat. And when the time came for me to get a real electric guitar in 1972, my father asked if I could do with a Telecaster . He could have saved $50.
I had always harbored a dislike...a distrust of the revered Tele.
Iconic Led Zepplin or Geroge Harrison were done on Teles, The Who...the list is long and heavily rich in "classics."
Enter Styles Music.
A trade and a few bucks and I took a nice tele home.
This is not the first one in the stable, but the last one - which was a gift - was just a poor instrument in search of a kid in need - very much a starter guitar.
I plugged this in and a smile just crept across my face. Without so much as a proper setup, it was in a word - perfect.
Gawd, I feel so dirty.
Pinetops Story
My father taught me to play Pinetops signature riff when I eight, having listened to it for years already.
Swerve...
I like Colin James - a lot. Pop Bluesman? He is not a traditional Bluesman in any way shape or form.
He has a song entitled, "Wavelength" that when I was introduced to it, I felt an instant connection.
Lately I have been casting about for a new sound. Something I can do solo or with a band.
When I heard him I just knew this could work. I had heard him before but that particular song had evaded me and it was that one song that forged the bond.
A song called, "A Man's Gotta Be A Stone" sounds like Norman Greenbaums "Spirit In The Sky."
"Wavelength" is rocking blues ala The Stones.
This boy is all over the map with one thread in common...A Pop beat. All these tunes are meant to be dance tunes. Colin has recognized that women, by and large like to dance and spend most of the money spent on CDs and concerts. He aims to please.
Swerve...
My Strat and I had not bonded. The scale combined with the frets and the radius meant it was uncomfortable to play. That means the fretboard feels curved. I like 'em flat.
And I had to modify it heavily to get close to the sound for which I was aiming.
(Colin James, duh)
Swerve...
When I was a kid and saw Hendrix at Woodstock I knew I wanted a Strat. And when the time came for me to get a real electric guitar in 1972, my father asked if I could do with a Telecaster . He could have saved $50.
I had always harbored a dislike...a distrust of the revered Tele.
Iconic Led Zepplin or Geroge Harrison were done on Teles, The Who...the list is long and heavily rich in "classics."
Enter Styles Music.
A trade and a few bucks and I took a nice tele home.
This is not the first one in the stable, but the last one - which was a gift - was just a poor instrument in search of a kid in need - very much a starter guitar.
I plugged this in and a smile just crept across my face. Without so much as a proper setup, it was in a word - perfect.
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