General Music Chat

I wrote some lyrics yesterday while driving to a work seminar (140 miles each way), then tried them out with the progression, not sure they work or not, I was still trying to get a feel for a melody.
Not sure when I'll get to record next. Open mic tomorrow night, Saturday working with a singer/player on our act for the May Beatles benefit - I'll be accompany her on acoustic, she'll play keyboard - so I'm playing with her, and doing bass with our regular 'Scrambled Eggs' band this year. And for some reason my wife wants some "us" time, too.

Good stuff!!
I'm partial to the guitar # myself.

My old buddy Hop-Sing's Dad had an old Kay doghouse.
That was a cool old bass. Wish I had one.

thanks, buddy. i would have bet real big bucks that you'd prefer that gtr/mando take !!!!

when i have some time i'll share the story about that old KAY.

so, a while back.....i found an ad in Sunday's paper. "Old bass fiddle for sale $100". apparently i was the first to call. i went to check it out.....YES! A cool, old KAY C-1 (i knew the brand and model because it was written on the inside of bass's back...which was off but in one piece and only slight frayed around a few edges. the seller had what i assumed was the original brdg, the sound post, and quite possibly what might have been the ORIGINAL strings. (i later learned the bass is from 1938!)

i took it to Jerry Cherry a well known St Louis bassman, luthier, and repair guru. i gave him a new set of strings and the bass and a few wks later he had it set up and playing like butter. $100 for the bass...and $100 for the work. not bad.

the interesting thing about the bass is that it belonged to the guy's great aunt and she used to play it on a couple of St Louis radio shows back in the 40's and '50's. pretty cool. she kicked off and left him the bass and it sat in garage for yrs unplayed. i never did get the story on why the back was off.

over the yrs i've made some improvements....like replacing the "ebonized" fingerboard with a nice ebony one, changing out the bridge, adding a Pierre Josephs magnetic p/u, etc.

it's not a very loud bass but it sure plays great and on a gig it's almost always amplified. respectable tone for a plywood bass.

this photo is from when it still had it's "ebonized" fingerboard.

in action here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEVNleRkitY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nyvDEKiOrQ

OK....i'll see that $80 1964 BF Vibroverb and raise w my pawnshop score of a '63 PBASS for $75!!!

my first bass....and i still have it 41 yrs later!

i agree, the good ol' days of snagging a sleeper in the neighborhood pawn shop are gone. they've all seem to gone the other way and charge TOO much...way more than something's worth.

the last good deal i got was about 10 yrs ago. i stopped into a local pawn shop and they had just gotten in an old '50's SUPRO lap steel. i think they hadn't had time to research it yet....i offered 'em $75 and they went for it. it even had a very nice and clean Stevens Bullet bar in the case! and a very cool old '50's tweed case it is!

i've done a lot of mods on my old '63 P...and everyone of them has made it a way more betterer player and versatile instr...but w each mod....it's resale value took a hit. no matter, i figured out a long time ago i ain't never gonna be selling it...might as well make it be all it can be!

there's been a few times on a gig when someone's come up and questioned my wisdom of dicking around w a classic. i ask 'em "well, how's it SOUND?" that shuts 'em pretty quick. and most who don't present as an obvious A-hole..i'll let them play it, and w/o exception...their jaw drops to the ground. actually their jaw first drops to the ground that i'm letting 'em play it!

hey....sharing is caring.

I'm game.
Maybe with your buddy RG's beats.

No one else is going to jump on the secret progression??

I've pretty much got the song together on this one, but not sure I want to spend time on a quick demo rather that get the 'real deal' going.

ok, boys and girls, money relates....BS ambulates.

During the weekdaze? Go fish!

It's taken me a while, because I've been nutzing with the mix for the past week+.
I used open B & E strings with the project chords (F#m G A). Pulled out the old semi-hollow Epi Dot for the electric guitar stuff.
Should the cello start right in at the beginning, rather than waiting 4 bars? Should the drums be louder (specially towards the end)?
https://soundcloud.com/mikebirch/ashes-and-trees-5-1-16