The VT Musicians Thread

[mjmooney]

35 minutes ago, veloman said:

You surely didn't tell her the price did you !!!!  There is an expression in cycling (but could equally apply to instruments) " My greatest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my bikes for what I told her they cost" !

Oh, naturally. 

 

[mjmooney]

Prompted by a post in the generic VT Music thread, about what constitutes 'live' music... 

I remember as early as 1973 seeing the original 4 piece lineup of The Who using backing tapes for the synth parts on songs like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", and thinking that it was a bit of a cheat. Now we have - quite apart from the EDM laptop merchants - the likes of Sheeran doing tricksy stuff with loopers, etc.

Now, as you know, before the pandemic, I was doing lots of open mic nights, and I'm looking forward to getting back to it. In fact I could do with a support slot with somebody, as I've now got a good 30 minutes worth of rehearsed material. Just me and an acoustic guitar. But here's the thing - my daughter is having a 'naming ceremony'/party for her little 'un, and she's asked me to play - a short set of my choosing in the evening, but more specifically, as part of the ceremony itself, her specific choice of Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly". Now that's no problem, it's a piece of piss to play - the same four chords all the way through. And therein lies the dilemma. That's fine when you've got a band - the recorded version has bass, drums, keys, vocal harmonies, a slide guitar solo, and so on. But one voice, one guitar, no variation in the chord sequence? It's bloody boring. So, for the first time ever, I'm considering doing a live production number. I've messed around with a looper, but I don't think I'd be able to hack it live with sufficient accuracy. So I'm currently experimenting with having an electric 12 string (and possibly a drum track) as a prerecorded backing,  with live guitar (with a touch of compression and chorus) and live vocal with a harmoniser/doubler pedal. 

Just to complicate matters, the venue has no house PA, so I'm having to run all this through two small guitar amps. 

What could possibly go wrong? 

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by mjmooney

[chrisp65]

When we got married, my mum wanted to meet the musicians who had played so beautifully.

We had a CD of Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

I took from that, there will be lots of people who haven’t got a clue what’s going on, and those that are lucid and are actually genuinely listening are 99% likely to appreciate your efforts.

As long as you don’t sit on a cargo box, with ‘this way up’ upside down on it, and proceed to play it as a percussion instrument. Nobody likes that.

[veloman]

5 hours ago, mjmooney said:

Prompted by a post in the generic VT Music thread, about what constitutes 'live' music... 

I remember as early as 1973 seeing the original 4 piece lineup of The Who using backing tapes for the synth parts on songs like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", and thinking that it was a bit of a cheat. .

 

 

I saw The Who in about 1968 at The Hippodrome - one of those package show thingys; only other act I can remember were 'The Merseys'' (after the Merseybeats). Anyway, fairly sure they didn't use any 'devices' like that but Moon did wreck a good kit of Premier ! However, the guitarist in the band I played with at the time went to see Queen at B/ham Town Hall and he was convinced they had some sort of backing tape . Makes you wonder doesn't it !

[mjmooney]

1 hour ago, veloman said:

I saw The Who in about 1968 at The Hippodrome - one of those package show thingys; only other act I can remember were 'The Merseys'' (after the Merseybeats). Anyway, fairly sure they didn't use any 'devices' like that but Moon did wreck a good kit of Premier ! However, the guitarist in the band I played with at the time went to see Queen at B/ham Town Hall and he was convinced they had some sort of backing tape . Makes you wonder doesn't it !

Oh, The 'Oo only started with the tapes in about 72 - and they had a lot of trouble with synchronising them. On the night I saw them, Townshend was doing his nut at the tape op (Bill Curbishley, I think) for not getting it right. Queen certainly used tapes on Bohemian Rhapsody, probably other songs too (paging @Pelle). 

Edited August 7, 2021 by mjmooney

[Tegis]

14 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

(paging @Tegis)

Oh heeeeeell no, that's @Pelle crappy taste. I'm all in on the good stuff from Nickelback and Def Leppard

[mjmooney]

8 minutes ago, Tegis said:

Oh heeeeeell no, that's @Pelle crappy taste. I'm all in on the good stuff from Nickelback and Def Leppard

Sorry, wrong Swede. Will amend. 

[Pelle]

20 hours ago, mjmooney said:

Sorry, wrong Swede. Will amend. 

I feel kindo f insulted here. Mixing me up with @Tegis, a 08?

Anyway, yes, they used tape when they recorded BoRhap. Among Queen fans it's kind of widely known that the tapes were all but worn out during the operatic sections.

Tegis... Bah

[mjmooney]

3 minutes ago, Pelle said:

I feel kind of insulted here. Mixing me up with @Tegis

You all look the same to me... 

 

[robby b]

Oh dear, I've started to miss having a guitar... I had a lovely acoustic for six years until June. I gave it to a charity shop so that I could try to get into Chile for a long-awaited career break year. I ended up just waiting in Bolivia for five weeks for the Chilean border to reopen. It didn't. Th closure got extended twice while I was in Bolivia! :s So now I'm back in the UK and without my guitar. I'll have to save up for a new one ASAP! 

[robby b]

On 07/08/2021 at 13:23, mjmooney said:

Prompted by a post in the generic VT Music thread, about what constitutes 'live' music... 

I remember as early as 1973 seeing the original 4 piece lineup of The Who using backing tapes for the synth parts on songs like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", and thinking that it was a bit of a cheat. Now we have - quite apart from the EDM laptop merchants - the likes of Sheeran doing tricksy stuff with loopers, etc.

Now, as you know, before the pandemic, I was doing lots of open mic nights, and I'm looking forward to getting back to it. In fact I could do with a support slot with somebody, as I've now got a good 30 minutes worth of rehearsed material. Just me and an acoustic guitar. But here's the thing - my daughter is having a 'naming ceremony'/party for her little 'un, and she's asked me to play - a short set of my choosing in the evening, but more specifically, as part of the ceremony itself, her specific choice of Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly". Now that's no problem, it's a piece of piss to play - the same four chords all the way through. And therein lies the dilemma. That's fine when you've got a band - the recorded version has bass, drums, keys, vocal harmonies, a slide guitar solo, and so on. But one voice, one guitar, no variation in the chord sequence? It's bloody boring. So, for the first time ever, I'm considering doing a live production number. I've messed around with a looper, but I don't think I'd be able to hack it live with sufficient accuracy. So I'm currently experimenting with having an electric 12 string (and possibly a drum track) as a prerecorded backing,  with live guitar (with a touch of compression and chorus) and live vocal with a harmoniser/doubler pedal. 

Just to complicate matters, the venue has no house PA, so I'm having to run all this through two small guitar amps. 

What could possibly go wrong? 

 

Learning to Fly! I absolutely love that song! Hope it went well for you. I think I quickly worked out the chords for it one day last year, I'll have to work them out again some time (or cheat and look them up online maybe). I also love Tom Petty's songs Won't Back Down and Free Fallin'. Really good voice, guitar and songwriting!

Edited August 30, 2021 by robby b

[mjmooney]

11 hours ago, robby b said:

Learning to Fly! I absolutely love that song! Hope it went well for you. I think I quickly worked out the chords for it one day last year, I'll have to work them out again some time (or cheat and look them up online maybe). 

F - C - Am - G 

 

[robby b]

Last night as I was falling asleep I suddenly remembered that I worked out the main riff from the song (what it starts with) one day last year and the happiness I felt when I suddenly worked it out. What a catchy riff. I want to play it again now.  I must buy a new soon ! 

[Phil Silvers]

 

[M_Allback_14]

Looking to buy my first electric guitar and hoping to spend around £500 or so for guitar and amp - no great ambitions at this stage just enjoy trying to play along with songs I like at home (mainly rock/indie) 

Any wisdom or stories of their firsts would be welcome - last year I got a PS5 as a present to myself for Xmas and I see this as being the equivalent this year 

[leemond2008]

3 hours ago, M_Allback_14 said:

Looking to buy my first electric guitar and hoping to spend around £500 or so for guitar and amp - no great ambitions at this stage just enjoy trying to play along with songs I like at home (mainly rock/indie) 

Any wisdom or stories of their firsts would be welcome - last year I got a PS5 as a present to myself for Xmas and I see this as being the equivalent this year 

To be honest if you just want something to knock about on you don't need to spend that much, for that price you wouldn't go wrong with an epiphone les paul or Squire tele though, you'd be able to grab one of them and a decent amp for around £500 easy

Edited October 14, 2021 by leemond2008

[leemond2008]

£339

Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster Butterscotch Blonde Maple Fingerboard | guitarguitar 

 

£239

Positive Grid Spark | guitarguitar

 

80 quid over budget but I would definitely recommend the Spark amp, nice and small but kicks out a load of power, hundreds of different sounds and styles to mess about with to keep you interested and a fwe gimmicks to give you a bit of a hand if you are just learning, I think a few on here have them as well, I know that the Mooniemeister has one because he was the one that got me onto it.

[welnik]

11 minutes ago, leemond2008 said:

£339

Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster Butterscotch Blonde Maple Fingerboard | guitarguitar 

 

£239

Positive Grid Spark | guitarguitar

 

80 quid over budget but I would definitely recommend the Spark amp, nice and small but kicks out a load of power, hundreds of different sounds and styles to mess about with to keep you interested and a fwe gimmicks to give you a bit of a hand if you are just learning, I think a few on here have them as well, I know that the Mooniemeister has one because he was the one that got me onto it.

I do love a blonde.

[mjmooney]

4 hours ago, M_Allback_14 said:

Looking to buy my first electric guitar and hoping to spend around £500 or so for guitar and amp - no great ambitions at this stage just enjoy trying to play along with songs I like at home (mainly rock/indie) 

Any wisdom or stories of their firsts would be welcome - last year I got a PS5 as a present to myself for Xmas and I see this as being the equivalent this year 

I've never tried them, but Harley Bentons get really good reviews, well below your price limit. Otherwise you can't go far wrong with a Squier (budget Fenders) or an Epiphone (budget Gibsons). 

[mjmooney]

Quote

The Squier Bullet Stratocaster is one of the best beginner electric guitars on the market but they are not just for beginners – even the legends love them. You can even headline arena shows with one, just as Mike Rutherford does.

In a recent interview with Guitar Player, Rutherford’s tech, Steve Prior, revealed that the entry-level Strat – the cheapest Stratocaster that Fender make – is presently the Genesis co-founder’s favourite, which he is playing each night in front of thousands of fans on The Last Domino tour.

 

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