Lynn and I spent last weekend at Seabed studios and completed the 'tracking' portion of our CD Project. Altogether we recorded for a total of 4 'half' day sessions (previous recording was done the March 8/9 weekend, see http://geezerguitar.blogspot.com/2008/03/our-first-real-recording-sessions.html). Daniel, the recording engineer, will be mixing this week.
Saturday was mostly spent recording some guitar-fiddle and guitar-mandolin songs that we hadn't gotten to during the first sessions. We also re-recorded the 12 string numbers, since Daniel wasn't happy with the sound from the microphone used the previous session. (Turns out that the 12 string puts out so much sound that you need a fairly 'crappy' mike to limit it or some such). On Sunday we did 're-dos' of songs that we had had problems with in previous sessions.
Although I felt fatigued and we hadn't done a lot of practicing the week before, we ended up with good takes. The fact that we had performed almost every song twice at the previous weekend's Dulono's gig contributed to fatigue but also helped us be more relaxed and comfortable this time around.
Lynn had worked on her vocals for her two solo numbers since the last session and we've ended up with good tracks of Going to the West and Dear Companion. For Dear Companion we up changed keys from B to C#/Dflat (We just slid the capos up 2 more frets). She had tried this before, but my first time in the new key was on the recording. This kept her from hitting some problematical notes in her low range.
I was pleased to get good takes on my two instrumentals: Babbington's Hornpipe and Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (These were train wrecks 3 weeks ago).
It turns out that all of the CD will be from live tracks. We had discussed doing some multi-tracking on both Lynn's numbers and the instrumentals, but the live takes were all 'good enough'; thus, we are ending up not that far removed from recording the way the old 78 artists did. However, unlike their use of a single mike (or single horn) setup - we used separate vocal and instrumental mikes and Daniel will apply the magic pixie dust during the mixing process to clean up a few things. However, these are live recordings in the sense that no over-dubbing or re-recording was done.
During the 3 weeks between sessions Daniel had done some mixing and set up some templates. At the end of Sunday's session, he gave us CDs with all the 'good' takes. There were 27 in all (23 on 1st CD with 4 left over for the 2nd). I've put them on my Ipod and both Lynn and I are listening to them all. Factors influencing which ones make it to the final CD include the usual suspects: good variety, overall quality (there might be some fluffs that Daniel just can't coverup), and, of course, the 'publisher royalty', factor. We only recorded 2 covers of 'living' song-writers - Billy Gray by Norman Blake and One More Dollar by Gillian Welch. However, a number of the Carter Family and other older songs may be still under copyright (blame it on Walt Disney). Since it'll cost about $90 for each license, this could be a factor.
For posterity's sake (and maybe for friends and farmer's markets), I'm tempted to create an Outake CD-ROM from material that doesn't make it into the final CD.
Steps that remain: format of the CD (jewel case or 'digi-pak'), design of CD, title!, mastering and replication. We are probably going to end up using the people who have done Daniel's other CD's for mastering and replication (both local). We have a photographer in mind for new pictures but not sure what we'll be doing for Graphical design. Stay tuned...
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Dulono's last weekend
2 Nights, 4 microphones, 3 guitars, 2 fiddles, 1 mandolin, 2 voices, 1 Friday and 1 Saturday on Easter weekend in March.
This was our 2nd stint at Dulono's and even though we played both nights, it was overall a more relaxing gig than the Friday night at the beginning of last January. Some of this had to do with the fact that there were not overwhelming crowds this time around: due partially to snow, spring break and Easter weekend, and also due , no doubt, to the fact that so many of our friends did see us in January.
We still had a number of family, church, neighborhood and other friends show up, as well as people just wanting to hear bluegrass (or old time) music. Our new sound system worked really well (I'll probably post more on that later) and every one could hear, including at least one couple from church who didn't hear a thing last time around. I got good comments about the sound quality from a number of people.
A least one train wreck occurred during our first set on Friday (Bear Creek Blues). This taught us to avoid 'newish' songs in the first set (it went fine on Saturday). Although my voice was starting to get strained on our last set Saturday night, the worst physical problem was for our backs and legs - not used to being on our feet that long! (And we do like performing standing up - better for 'control': both breath control and microphone control - plus, I think you just project and connect more.) Also, on Saturday, we remembered the step stool, so getting on and off the stage was a lot easier (if not quite as much of a spectacle for the audience to see an arthritic old man attempt to get up and down the too-high platform ).
A couple of highlights - our 'new' minister came to see us Friday night - he'd heard us at the Lynnhurst Home Companion, so I was happy to see that he found time in a busy week for him to catch a whole set. On Saturday our previous minister and his wife came and sat at the same table (now known as the minister's table). It was good to see them. A guitar playing buddy came who was in the bluegrass band Minnegrassco in the 70's (and who played at Dulono's in 78,79). Gary marveled at the advances in technology - specifically the cup holders we have that attach to our microphone stands. His son is a real fan of bluegrass (and of us as well, I guess).
On Saturday, as we were coming in to set up, a friend from my Black Forest days was just finishing up supper with his family. He and his wife came back later and helped us close out our very last set. Luckily, we did one of his favorites (Sleepy Desert) and I had refound my voice.
Also met a fellow musician, Erin Kate, who I had heard of with her work as part of the Cates. I hope to catch her perform sometime soon.
Most times when we play a gig that goes past midnight, we skip church; however, Sunday was Easter and we were there... singing in choir. We had an Easter Brunch, then napped, then went out to hear Roma di Luna, the Floorbirds and others at the Sunday 416 club at the Cedar Cultural Center.
This week - rehearse songs for another round of recording this weekend - ah, the Musician's Life (who still works his day job ! and put in a full day on Monday...)
This was our 2nd stint at Dulono's and even though we played both nights, it was overall a more relaxing gig than the Friday night at the beginning of last January. Some of this had to do with the fact that there were not overwhelming crowds this time around: due partially to snow, spring break and Easter weekend, and also due , no doubt, to the fact that so many of our friends did see us in January.
We still had a number of family, church, neighborhood and other friends show up, as well as people just wanting to hear bluegrass (or old time) music. Our new sound system worked really well (I'll probably post more on that later) and every one could hear, including at least one couple from church who didn't hear a thing last time around. I got good comments about the sound quality from a number of people.
A least one train wreck occurred during our first set on Friday (Bear Creek Blues). This taught us to avoid 'newish' songs in the first set (it went fine on Saturday). Although my voice was starting to get strained on our last set Saturday night, the worst physical problem was for our backs and legs - not used to being on our feet that long! (And we do like performing standing up - better for 'control': both breath control and microphone control - plus, I think you just project and connect more.) Also, on Saturday, we remembered the step stool, so getting on and off the stage was a lot easier (if not quite as much of a spectacle for the audience to see an arthritic old man attempt to get up and down the too-high platform ).
A couple of highlights - our 'new' minister came to see us Friday night - he'd heard us at the Lynnhurst Home Companion, so I was happy to see that he found time in a busy week for him to catch a whole set. On Saturday our previous minister and his wife came and sat at the same table (now known as the minister's table). It was good to see them. A guitar playing buddy came who was in the bluegrass band Minnegrassco in the 70's (and who played at Dulono's in 78,79). Gary marveled at the advances in technology - specifically the cup holders we have that attach to our microphone stands. His son is a real fan of bluegrass (and of us as well, I guess).
On Saturday, as we were coming in to set up, a friend from my Black Forest days was just finishing up supper with his family. He and his wife came back later and helped us close out our very last set. Luckily, we did one of his favorites (Sleepy Desert) and I had refound my voice.
Also met a fellow musician, Erin Kate, who I had heard of with her work as part of the Cates. I hope to catch her perform sometime soon.
Most times when we play a gig that goes past midnight, we skip church; however, Sunday was Easter and we were there... singing in choir. We had an Easter Brunch, then napped, then went out to hear Roma di Luna, the Floorbirds and others at the Sunday 416 club at the Cedar Cultural Center.
This week - rehearse songs for another round of recording this weekend - ah, the Musician's Life (who still works his day job ! and put in a full day on Monday...)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Practicing (The Book)
I've been reading a book I got for Christmas, Practicing: A Musician's Return to Music (Hardcover) by Glenn Kurtz. In his youth, Kurtz studied classical guitar and aspired to a concert career but abandoned this quest in his twenties. The book recounts his 'return' to the guitar and 'practicing' - events from his youth are intertwined with his current life. I'm about half way through it and enjoying it a lot: I studied classical guitar at the U of M for a few years with an academic career in mind, so there are some parallels.
Kurtz studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and he describes the somewhat informal play&feedback sessions that he and fellow guitarists had: mostly how they 'critiqued' each other and also searched for faults (good technique, but no emotion). He also discusses their dissing of concert guitarists such as Julian Bream and John Williams (Sloppy, too cold).
This type of criticism is certainly common with all musicians (even old-time) and I'm sure other artists as well. Although I rarely go 'public' with such criticism's, I am always listening to recordings and live performances with a critical ear. If someone is playing in a similar style as mine, I can be especially severe (in my mind;-)).
However, there are those times when the critical pose fades away and I can just relish the performance.
Might be more on this book later.
Kurtz studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and he describes the somewhat informal play&feedback sessions that he and fellow guitarists had: mostly how they 'critiqued' each other and also searched for faults (good technique, but no emotion). He also discusses their dissing of concert guitarists such as Julian Bream and John Williams (Sloppy, too cold).
This type of criticism is certainly common with all musicians (even old-time) and I'm sure other artists as well. Although I rarely go 'public' with such criticism's, I am always listening to recordings and live performances with a critical ear. If someone is playing in a similar style as mine, I can be especially severe (in my mind;-)).
However, there are those times when the critical pose fades away and I can just relish the performance.
Might be more on this book later.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Varities of Musical Experience (more)
In the previous two posts on this topic I've discussed my experiences as a singer and as a music consumer. For this post I'll focus on instruments I've learned to play (or attempted to play).
When I was in second grade, we moved to the town of Le Center in southern Minnesota - my Dad was taking a job as social worker (but I'd hardly be aware of that). We lived there until I was in fifth grade and although I know I am viewing through rose-colored glasses it was a great place to be a kid. I remember one of my friends playing the Ukulele ( I ran into him a few times after we grew up - he was at St. Olaf when I was at Carleton - he was a rock musician, but haven't seen him for many years). When I started third grade, I started on piano, taking lessons from a Nun at the catholic school in town (remember, we were methodists). They had piano's to practice on, so I'd go there to practice after school. We did get a piano eventually and my playing suffered as I didn't really practice as much. After Le Center, we moved to Mankato and then Shakopee in 1958. (My Dad continued in Social Work - he was the Scott County Welfare Director in Shakopee - these days it would be called 'Human Services'). I continued taking piano lessons through eighth grade. Although I was never a consistent student, I did learn to read music (both bass and treble clefs) and I continued to play in high school. I was the accompanist for the girls chorus (one of my favorite pictures in the high school yearbook is me surrounded by a couple of dozen girls) as well as the 1st service organist for church. I don't remember much about lessons in Mankato, but my teacher in Shakopee was Eunice Schaeffer, who was also the secretary or the Draft Board (more on that some data on Cudgels of the Curmudgeon). I took formal piano lessons again at Carleton from William Nelson. He was also Lynn's teacher - she majored in music and gave a junior and senior recital. I got a lot better, but never 'performed' except in piano class. I learned some Bach, Brahms, Chopin and Debussy but rarely play now. (Lynn is getting the piano tuned soon, so maybe I'll go through a couple pieces.)
In Mankato, I started violin lessons, but there was no string program in Shakopee, so in 6th or 7th grade I started on trombone. My dad was a violinist in college (and played in a community orhestra later) and my mom played trombone in high school. I stayed with it and played in band all through high school, but never 'owned' an instrument or played in college. The year after I was graduated from College, Lynn and I taught High School in Montana. Lynn was the Band director and we started a student/faculty jazz band or something and I ended up playing a school trombone. I remember thinking I was a better player (at age 22) than in high school - partially because I had had more musical training. I haven't really played since, although I can still make a tolerable sound.
My first 'folk' instrument was harmonica - I started learning it when I was about 12 - I remember playing 'moon river' and playing at Boy Scout Campfires. I got semi-serious and picked up a chromatic harmonica: for a couple of church services learned and played some Bach duets: I played chromatic harmonica with my Dad on violin. Although I still own a set of harmonicas and even a chromatic, I don't play much any more.
When I was 15, I started playing guitar and this was probably the first instrument that I had a passion for. My first guitar was a Stella and I used to play until my fingers bled. I was mostly self-taught although at some point in high school I took a few lessons. My friend Dan took up the Banjo (Pete Seeger style) around the same time. This was in the early sixties and I we played at a hootenanny at the high school a few months after we learned how to play. A bit later, our friend Rick learned bass and we were a trio (ala Kingston trio sort of). High point of our career was playing at a super market parking lot and getting paid $90.
On family camping trips, I also discovered that playing guitar worked as a 'chick' magnet. Never really dated in high school, but the bit of 'success' I had came from playing guitar. For high school graduation, my parents gave me a Gibson J45, which was my first good guitar. (I still regret using it as a trade in for my current Martin D-28 - it would be sweet to have both guitars).
Since I have played guitar for almost 45 years, there is way too much detail for this post; however, here are some bullet points:
About 5 or 6 years ago at Danebod folk camp, I was playing mandolin in a rehearsal with about 5 clarinets and called out 'is there a tenor banjo in the house'; sure enough, Jill had one in her tent and I played it for the week for certain dances (usually polkas). The next time that Lynn was in LA visiting her mother, she surprised me with a tenor banjo that she had bought from the Claremont Folk Music Store and Museum (started by Ben Harper's grandparents and now owned by him). I originally played it tuned in 'viola' tuning, which is a 5th lower than the mandolin. However, I ended up playing it mostly with the Danebod and TC Urban Folk School Folk bands and found it easier to use it in Irish Tenor Banjo Tuning (an octave lower than a mandolin). This means that the fingering is the same and I don't have to think so hard ;-)
The most recent instrument I've learned is the concertina. The Twin City Urban Folk School has 'beginning band' and I found a 30 button Anglo concertina on line for $200 and started 'learning' that. For a few months I spent more time playing concertina that anything else. Currently; however, it is in the same category as the tenor banjo: I play it in the folk band, mostly for waltzes. At the Bluff Country Gathering there were a couple people with concertinas, so I may take it to Lanesboro next year. One fellow from South Dakota was really good, playing along on fast Missouri reels with some of the top fiddlers there. He was playing the same type as I was, although of much higher quality. Of course, a 'serious' instrument is at least $1500, and top ones go for 3K-6K.
Right now, my main focus is working with guitar and mandolin as part of the bob-i-lynn band. We have a number of guitar-guitar pieces where I play lead, but more and more with Lynn on fiddle and I focus on accompaniment and bass runs. Every once and a while, we add a number where the 12-string seems to fit. For Danebodium, I try to keep my mandolin chops up and we do add new tunes all the time. I still spend a number of hours a week flat-picking and slowly add new tunes to that repertoire. It looks like the concertina and tenor banjo will continue to be 'occasional' instruments, but I do bring them to folk band dances and to our farmers market gigs with Rhubarbarian.
As long as I have a day job, I don't see any hours coming for learning another instrument, although, I do continue to have instrument lust:
- professional concertina - Morse from Button Box is probably what I'd get
- Irish button accordian (we go to as many John Williams/Dean Magraw concerts as we can).
- tenor guitar: there's a resophonic tenor that just sold at Elderly Music that looked sweet.
- a resophonic 6-string
- a round hole mandolin (would love a gibson f4, but at 6K, I'll probably settle for an Eastman replica).
- trombone ? - Musician's friend has one that looks playable for < 1K.
In less than a week, I turn 60 - if the stock market doesn't totally tank I should be able to retire in 4 or 5 years, so stay tuned.
When I was in second grade, we moved to the town of Le Center in southern Minnesota - my Dad was taking a job as social worker (but I'd hardly be aware of that). We lived there until I was in fifth grade and although I know I am viewing through rose-colored glasses it was a great place to be a kid. I remember one of my friends playing the Ukulele ( I ran into him a few times after we grew up - he was at St. Olaf when I was at Carleton - he was a rock musician, but haven't seen him for many years). When I started third grade, I started on piano, taking lessons from a Nun at the catholic school in town (remember, we were methodists). They had piano's to practice on, so I'd go there to practice after school. We did get a piano eventually and my playing suffered as I didn't really practice as much. After Le Center, we moved to Mankato and then Shakopee in 1958. (My Dad continued in Social Work - he was the Scott County Welfare Director in Shakopee - these days it would be called 'Human Services'). I continued taking piano lessons through eighth grade. Although I was never a consistent student, I did learn to read music (both bass and treble clefs) and I continued to play in high school. I was the accompanist for the girls chorus (one of my favorite pictures in the high school yearbook is me surrounded by a couple of dozen girls) as well as the 1st service organist for church. I don't remember much about lessons in Mankato, but my teacher in Shakopee was Eunice Schaeffer, who was also the secretary or the Draft Board (more on that some data on Cudgels of the Curmudgeon). I took formal piano lessons again at Carleton from William Nelson. He was also Lynn's teacher - she majored in music and gave a junior and senior recital. I got a lot better, but never 'performed' except in piano class. I learned some Bach, Brahms, Chopin and Debussy but rarely play now. (Lynn is getting the piano tuned soon, so maybe I'll go through a couple pieces.)
In Mankato, I started violin lessons, but there was no string program in Shakopee, so in 6th or 7th grade I started on trombone. My dad was a violinist in college (and played in a community orhestra later) and my mom played trombone in high school. I stayed with it and played in band all through high school, but never 'owned' an instrument or played in college. The year after I was graduated from College, Lynn and I taught High School in Montana. Lynn was the Band director and we started a student/faculty jazz band or something and I ended up playing a school trombone. I remember thinking I was a better player (at age 22) than in high school - partially because I had had more musical training. I haven't really played since, although I can still make a tolerable sound.
My first 'folk' instrument was harmonica - I started learning it when I was about 12 - I remember playing 'moon river' and playing at Boy Scout Campfires. I got semi-serious and picked up a chromatic harmonica: for a couple of church services learned and played some Bach duets: I played chromatic harmonica with my Dad on violin. Although I still own a set of harmonicas and even a chromatic, I don't play much any more.
When I was 15, I started playing guitar and this was probably the first instrument that I had a passion for. My first guitar was a Stella and I used to play until my fingers bled. I was mostly self-taught although at some point in high school I took a few lessons. My friend Dan took up the Banjo (Pete Seeger style) around the same time. This was in the early sixties and I we played at a hootenanny at the high school a few months after we learned how to play. A bit later, our friend Rick learned bass and we were a trio (ala Kingston trio sort of). High point of our career was playing at a super market parking lot and getting paid $90.
On family camping trips, I also discovered that playing guitar worked as a 'chick' magnet. Never really dated in high school, but the bit of 'success' I had came from playing guitar. For high school graduation, my parents gave me a Gibson J45, which was my first good guitar. (I still regret using it as a trade in for my current Martin D-28 - it would be sweet to have both guitars).
Since I have played guitar for almost 45 years, there is way too much detail for this post; however, here are some bullet points:
- started mostly finger-picking (with picks), but used a flat pick
- mostly folk style, but started playing classical pieces on steel string (performed Jesu Joy of Man's Desirine on steel string for my sisters wedding.
- bought 1969 Martin D-28 in 1970 - still my primary guitar - last of the Brazilians
- took classical lessons in the 1970s and had visions of getting a BFA - still own a Yamaha and Kohno classical guitar (rarely, but occasionally played.
- bought 1973 12 string Martin D-12-20 from the homestead a few years ago - had spend the summer of 1967 hearing Leo Kottke and Dave Ray at the scholar coffee house and 30-some years later finally gave in to 12 string lust. Have developed an old-timey technique for it and use it on a half-dozen songs.
- started competing in the flat-picking contests at the state fair in 2003
About 5 or 6 years ago at Danebod folk camp, I was playing mandolin in a rehearsal with about 5 clarinets and called out 'is there a tenor banjo in the house'; sure enough, Jill had one in her tent and I played it for the week for certain dances (usually polkas). The next time that Lynn was in LA visiting her mother, she surprised me with a tenor banjo that she had bought from the Claremont Folk Music Store and Museum (started by Ben Harper's grandparents and now owned by him). I originally played it tuned in 'viola' tuning, which is a 5th lower than the mandolin. However, I ended up playing it mostly with the Danebod and TC Urban Folk School Folk bands and found it easier to use it in Irish Tenor Banjo Tuning (an octave lower than a mandolin). This means that the fingering is the same and I don't have to think so hard ;-)
The most recent instrument I've learned is the concertina. The Twin City Urban Folk School has 'beginning band' and I found a 30 button Anglo concertina on line for $200 and started 'learning' that. For a few months I spent more time playing concertina that anything else. Currently; however, it is in the same category as the tenor banjo: I play it in the folk band, mostly for waltzes. At the Bluff Country Gathering there were a couple people with concertinas, so I may take it to Lanesboro next year. One fellow from South Dakota was really good, playing along on fast Missouri reels with some of the top fiddlers there. He was playing the same type as I was, although of much higher quality. Of course, a 'serious' instrument is at least $1500, and top ones go for 3K-6K.
Right now, my main focus is working with guitar and mandolin as part of the bob-i-lynn band. We have a number of guitar-guitar pieces where I play lead, but more and more with Lynn on fiddle and I focus on accompaniment and bass runs. Every once and a while, we add a number where the 12-string seems to fit. For Danebodium, I try to keep my mandolin chops up and we do add new tunes all the time. I still spend a number of hours a week flat-picking and slowly add new tunes to that repertoire. It looks like the concertina and tenor banjo will continue to be 'occasional' instruments, but I do bring them to folk band dances and to our farmers market gigs with Rhubarbarian.
As long as I have a day job, I don't see any hours coming for learning another instrument, although, I do continue to have instrument lust:
- professional concertina - Morse from Button Box is probably what I'd get
- Irish button accordian (we go to as many John Williams/Dean Magraw concerts as we can).
- tenor guitar: there's a resophonic tenor that just sold at Elderly Music that looked sweet.
- a resophonic 6-string
- a round hole mandolin (would love a gibson f4, but at 6K, I'll probably settle for an Eastman replica).
- trombone ? - Musician's friend has one that looks playable for < 1K.
In less than a week, I turn 60 - if the stock market doesn't totally tank I should be able to retire in 4 or 5 years, so stay tuned.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Varieties of Musical Experience (cont'd)
Although I have done a lot of playing and performing, I've also been a 'consumer' of music for as long as I can remember. When I was 4 or 5 I would spend hours on a rocking horse listening to records. My memories are vague but I know I would listen to some of the same songs over and over again. I'm don't recall any specific type of music that we had in the house growing up, but I know we watched the 'hit parade' and other musical shows on television.
I remember doing a lot of ice skating to popular songs of the 50's and eighth grade sock hops with simliar music (I think all the records were old). The pop stations at the time were KDWB and WDGY (AM of course); not sure that I had a favorite band or group, but I was up on top 40's stuff through grade school and junior high.
Although it was a 'pop song', The Battle of New Orleans made a big impression; I was in boy scouts when it came out (1959) and we had a parody or two we sang around the campfire (-- something about "the 'sqiutos kept a coming").
The movie West Side Story came out when I was first starting high school and we may have had a soundtrack album. When the folk boom hit (again when I was a freshman in high school or so), I bought and listened to Kingston Trio, Peter Paul and Mary, etc.
The Beatles hit when I was a junior in high school - I remember dancing to 'I want to hold your hand' and would up getting many of the albums (I still have these LPs). Didn't listen to much Dylan until college, but have a few of his LPs that I bought then.
In college I had a Stereo (just a turntable with Speakers) and a Motorola radio. I started out as math major and used to do math listening to music. Since computer programming is a lot like math, I still listen while I work.
I got a few Doc Watson and Tom Paxton records and learned some of their songs. Continued to listen to (and buy) Beatles and other LPs of that ilk. During at least one summer, I spent time listening to Leo Kottke and Dave Ray at the Scholar Coffee house and bought a few of their albums.
Out of college, Lynn and I taught high school in Montana for a year and moved back to Minnesota in 1970. By 1973/74 I was taking Music Classes and classical guitar lessons at the U of MN. Although I still did some jamming, my 'consumption' of folk music declined - I have a number of classical guitar LPs from that period: we also joined the Musical Heritage Society & have a number of Baroque and Renaissance Albums. (Lynn was in grad school in music and was playing the viola d' gamba). One of our first paying gigs as a wedding in Long Lake: of course we weren't playing fiddle and mandolin music - it was Viola da Gamba and Classical Guitar.
I was still listening to 'pop' music - Linda Ronstadt, Eagles, James Taylor and even a couple of Joni Mitchell albums. I was then a bartender and eventually manager of the Black Forest Inn and I made many tapes to serve as background music. Even bought a Benny Goodman album, but never did become much of a jazz fan.
Alex was born in 1978 and although I continued to listen and accumulate albums, I don't recall ever connecting with any '80s groups (Maybe Bruce Springsteen if he's considered 80's - bought a few albums by him). In the mid '80s I started playing 'folk' guitar and singing with our Church once-a-year folk-gospel-bluegrass band. This got me looking out for music to perform and I started to listen to 'modern' bluegrass singers like Alison Krauss and Tim O'Brien. By this time I had a CD player so most of my purchases were now CDs. Although I don't 'keep up' with popular music, I do own 10,000 maniac, Sara McLaughlin and Bonnie Raitt albums bought int the 90's and 2000's.
Lynn and I became active in the Minnesota Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Association in the early1990's and started going to MBOTMA festivals. I started buying a greater percentage of CD's at festivals. Although my initial focus was bluegrass, I started getting into 'old time' music through people like Bruce Molsky as well as Foghorn, Uncle Earl and other groups.
In the early 2001's I started to play guitar more and started learning new songs. I also repaired my old AR turntable (circa 1970) and in addition to listening to LPs I owned, started using EBay to get more. I was learning songs by Norman Blake and ended up getting all of his LPs (I own a number of CDs as well). In addition, I started to get LPs of 78 collections as well as some 70's and 80's bluegrass and oldtime string bands. Since I like Celtic music, many of the LPs are from bands like the Bothy and Battlefield bands.
Last year I got an 80gb ipod and I have transferred all of my CD's and some of the LPs to MP3s. Currently, I have almost 9000 tracks(haven't done the itune store download thing though, I like a hardcopy backup ;-). Although I listen to a little internet radio, my soundtrack at work or on walks is usually from this on random play. (I have over 480 hours of music, so if I listen 4 hours a day it should be 120 days before I get a repeat ). I also make playlists of songs to learn or to consider learning.
Many of the songs I know I've learned from current or revivalist musicians; lately I've been on a kick to track down original sources and/or learn music originally recorded on 78s. So I have CD sets from the Carter Family, Delmore Brothers and others as well as some CDs with 78 MP3s. (Lynn is glad that I have not gotten an actual 78 player and filled the house with old 78s).
I've transferred all of these to ITunes and the Ipod - during random play, I will often note a song that I like and move it to a 'to be considered' playlist.
I expect I'll keep listening...
I remember doing a lot of ice skating to popular songs of the 50's and eighth grade sock hops with simliar music (I think all the records were old). The pop stations at the time were KDWB and WDGY (AM of course); not sure that I had a favorite band or group, but I was up on top 40's stuff through grade school and junior high.
Although it was a 'pop song', The Battle of New Orleans made a big impression; I was in boy scouts when it came out (1959) and we had a parody or two we sang around the campfire (-- something about "the 'sqiutos kept a coming").
The movie West Side Story came out when I was first starting high school and we may have had a soundtrack album. When the folk boom hit (again when I was a freshman in high school or so), I bought and listened to Kingston Trio, Peter Paul and Mary, etc.
The Beatles hit when I was a junior in high school - I remember dancing to 'I want to hold your hand' and would up getting many of the albums (I still have these LPs). Didn't listen to much Dylan until college, but have a few of his LPs that I bought then.
In college I had a Stereo (just a turntable with Speakers) and a Motorola radio. I started out as math major and used to do math listening to music. Since computer programming is a lot like math, I still listen while I work.
I got a few Doc Watson and Tom Paxton records and learned some of their songs. Continued to listen to (and buy) Beatles and other LPs of that ilk. During at least one summer, I spent time listening to Leo Kottke and Dave Ray at the Scholar Coffee house and bought a few of their albums.
Out of college, Lynn and I taught high school in Montana for a year and moved back to Minnesota in 1970. By 1973/74 I was taking Music Classes and classical guitar lessons at the U of MN. Although I still did some jamming, my 'consumption' of folk music declined - I have a number of classical guitar LPs from that period: we also joined the Musical Heritage Society & have a number of Baroque and Renaissance Albums. (Lynn was in grad school in music and was playing the viola d' gamba). One of our first paying gigs as a wedding in Long Lake: of course we weren't playing fiddle and mandolin music - it was Viola da Gamba and Classical Guitar.
I was still listening to 'pop' music - Linda Ronstadt, Eagles, James Taylor and even a couple of Joni Mitchell albums. I was then a bartender and eventually manager of the Black Forest Inn and I made many tapes to serve as background music. Even bought a Benny Goodman album, but never did become much of a jazz fan.
Alex was born in 1978 and although I continued to listen and accumulate albums, I don't recall ever connecting with any '80s groups (Maybe Bruce Springsteen if he's considered 80's - bought a few albums by him). In the mid '80s I started playing 'folk' guitar and singing with our Church once-a-year folk-gospel-bluegrass band. This got me looking out for music to perform and I started to listen to 'modern' bluegrass singers like Alison Krauss and Tim O'Brien. By this time I had a CD player so most of my purchases were now CDs. Although I don't 'keep up' with popular music, I do own 10,000 maniac, Sara McLaughlin and Bonnie Raitt albums bought int the 90's and 2000's.
Lynn and I became active in the Minnesota Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Association in the early1990's and started going to MBOTMA festivals. I started buying a greater percentage of CD's at festivals. Although my initial focus was bluegrass, I started getting into 'old time' music through people like Bruce Molsky as well as Foghorn, Uncle Earl and other groups.
In the early 2001's I started to play guitar more and started learning new songs. I also repaired my old AR turntable (circa 1970) and in addition to listening to LPs I owned, started using EBay to get more. I was learning songs by Norman Blake and ended up getting all of his LPs (I own a number of CDs as well). In addition, I started to get LPs of 78 collections as well as some 70's and 80's bluegrass and oldtime string bands. Since I like Celtic music, many of the LPs are from bands like the Bothy and Battlefield bands.
Last year I got an 80gb ipod and I have transferred all of my CD's and some of the LPs to MP3s. Currently, I have almost 9000 tracks(haven't done the itune store download thing though, I like a hardcopy backup ;-). Although I listen to a little internet radio, my soundtrack at work or on walks is usually from this on random play. (I have over 480 hours of music, so if I listen 4 hours a day it should be 120 days before I get a repeat ). I also make playlists of songs to learn or to consider learning.
Many of the songs I know I've learned from current or revivalist musicians; lately I've been on a kick to track down original sources and/or learn music originally recorded on 78s. So I have CD sets from the Carter Family, Delmore Brothers and others as well as some CDs with 78 MP3s. (Lynn is glad that I have not gotten an actual 78 player and filled the house with old 78s).
I've transferred all of these to ITunes and the Ipod - during random play, I will often note a song that I like and move it to a 'to be considered' playlist.
I expect I'll keep listening...
Monday, June 25, 2007
Danebod
I just got back from a week at 'Danebod Family Camp', in Tyler, MN. This is something we've been going to since 1996 - it's always a lot of fun, but is a bit hard to explain - the Danebod web site has a brief description: http://danebod.org/aboutus.html
This year, I was in charge of the folk band - there were four days of 'rehearsals' plus playing for dances. Most of the key people don't actually rehearse, since we do mostly the same dance tunes every year. However, a number of people who hadn't played with the folk band before showed up and I tried to go over tunes that we might play in a dance that day or evening. During the dances, Dave (who is the 'founder' of the band and a dance caller), did most of the work setting tempos and determining when we cut off, etc. For the most part I'm playing mandolin or banjo in the middle of it all, so it doesn't really work to 'conduct'.
The family dance on Wednesday at 8:00 pm was the 'official' time for the 'family' band to play and I think most people who showed up at rehearsal were on stage at one time or another. Lynn said she counted 15 at one point. (Usually 6 or 7 is sufficient). Our band name that night was 'Bob and his extremely large orchestra'.
I also conducted some extra rehearsal for the 'advanced' band which played for the Wednesday late night dance (about 10:15-11:30 pm). The dances Wednesday were called by Robin, a caller that we've worked with at Tapestry and other venues. She calls mostly contra dances, so we were using tunes from the Danebodium repertoire. Ken, Lynn, Daniel and I (the official members of Danebodium) were all there - plus Peter played guitar on most pieces and Neal played guitar on a few others. Paul played bodhran and Valerie played on a couple of the sets. I received many positive comments on the music and dances for that night and it sure looked like everyone dancing was having a good time.
I'll probably be leader of the band for a couple of more years. I'm thinking of reviving the practice of sending out 'family band' music ahead of time, probably starting with 'classics' rather than new music. It would be nice to do some coordination ahead of time with whomever is doing the family or barn dance on Wednesday. The idea is that newbies would be invited to play on the 'classics' tunes, but should plan to dance on other tunes. Yes, Virginia, there are times when newbies play on tunes that they are not quite up to speed on (both this year and previous). Of course, with an all-volunteer band, you can't really 'enforce' these kinds of rules, but you can offer 'suggestions'.
A big deal for me this year was actually dancing (when the band wasn't playing). For the last two years I've been nursing a pulled leg muscle and although I still limp a bit ( I officially have arthritis in my right hip), I was able to dance for pretty much as long as I cared to. Shira taught 'Turkish Kiss' the first night at late-late night dancing. This is an Israeli line dance that has become a camp classic. Shira's dances are complicated: usually with 3 major sections each of which contain several elements - (for both your arms and legs). Since she did a step-by-step set of instructions I was sort of able to get it. This encouraged me enough to attend her dance workshop on Tuesday morning where I sort of learned two of her new dances. Of course I couldn't do this independently nor did I do all the steps and arm movements perfectly, but I did dance these dances whenever they came up and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The key of course, is to watch Shira or one of the young folk (usually a young woman) and do what they do. In addition from going from 0 to 3 Shira dances, I also learned the 'Salsa' (which was taught last year) and a new dance by Dave (officially called Broken Horse or some such, but we called it the counting dance - you keep switching partners by counting up to 4).
It was Lynn's turn to 'play hurt' - she's been in physical therapy for her shoulder (too much piano playing this winter) -then the Friday before we left she developed a 'floater' in her eye (she called the opthamologist on call on Saturday who assured it was part of the normal aging process). Then on Sunday, as we were packing, she stubbed her toe - when the swelling subsided on Wednesday, she also was pretty she had broken it (and stopped dancing on it!). Still, like a few other things, an imperfect week at Danebod sure beats the hell out of not going.
She did comment that I looked to be thoroughly enjoying myself. I do believe that part of it was that we were so busy performing prior to going, that I had didn't have any time to set up any expectations. There are some people who anticipate events like these and set themselves up for disappointment - often, they expect some mystical, magical, transcendent experience that reality can never match. (I am usually but not always immune from this type of behavior.) This year, my focus was on several 'big' bob-i-lynn performances culminating in the MBOTMA homegrown kickoff at the beginning of June and a performance at the Stonearch festival the day prior to leaving for camp. I thus had zero time to think about the ideal Danebod experience before we were on the road on Sunday. Not sure if I can manage it every year, but its a good wapproach to take. I also think that my emerging 2nd (or is it 3rd) career as a working musician means that more of my everyday life is Danebod-like and I'm not looking at it as a point of salvation for an otherwise crappy life (lets hope I can keep that attitude as well).
In any event, by the last dayI was ready to go home and sleep in my own bed (with only a few feet to the bathroom).
This year, I was in charge of the folk band - there were four days of 'rehearsals' plus playing for dances. Most of the key people don't actually rehearse, since we do mostly the same dance tunes every year. However, a number of people who hadn't played with the folk band before showed up and I tried to go over tunes that we might play in a dance that day or evening. During the dances, Dave (who is the 'founder' of the band and a dance caller), did most of the work setting tempos and determining when we cut off, etc. For the most part I'm playing mandolin or banjo in the middle of it all, so it doesn't really work to 'conduct'.
The family dance on Wednesday at 8:00 pm was the 'official' time for the 'family' band to play and I think most people who showed up at rehearsal were on stage at one time or another. Lynn said she counted 15 at one point. (Usually 6 or 7 is sufficient). Our band name that night was 'Bob and his extremely large orchestra'.
I also conducted some extra rehearsal for the 'advanced' band which played for the Wednesday late night dance (about 10:15-11:30 pm). The dances Wednesday were called by Robin, a caller that we've worked with at Tapestry and other venues. She calls mostly contra dances, so we were using tunes from the Danebodium repertoire. Ken, Lynn, Daniel and I (the official members of Danebodium) were all there - plus Peter played guitar on most pieces and Neal played guitar on a few others. Paul played bodhran and Valerie played on a couple of the sets. I received many positive comments on the music and dances for that night and it sure looked like everyone dancing was having a good time.
I'll probably be leader of the band for a couple of more years. I'm thinking of reviving the practice of sending out 'family band' music ahead of time, probably starting with 'classics' rather than new music. It would be nice to do some coordination ahead of time with whomever is doing the family or barn dance on Wednesday. The idea is that newbies would be invited to play on the 'classics' tunes, but should plan to dance on other tunes. Yes, Virginia, there are times when newbies play on tunes that they are not quite up to speed on (both this year and previous). Of course, with an all-volunteer band, you can't really 'enforce' these kinds of rules, but you can offer 'suggestions'.
A big deal for me this year was actually dancing (when the band wasn't playing). For the last two years I've been nursing a pulled leg muscle and although I still limp a bit ( I officially have arthritis in my right hip), I was able to dance for pretty much as long as I cared to. Shira taught 'Turkish Kiss' the first night at late-late night dancing. This is an Israeli line dance that has become a camp classic. Shira's dances are complicated: usually with 3 major sections each of which contain several elements - (for both your arms and legs). Since she did a step-by-step set of instructions I was sort of able to get it. This encouraged me enough to attend her dance workshop on Tuesday morning where I sort of learned two of her new dances. Of course I couldn't do this independently nor did I do all the steps and arm movements perfectly, but I did dance these dances whenever they came up and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The key of course, is to watch Shira or one of the young folk (usually a young woman) and do what they do. In addition from going from 0 to 3 Shira dances, I also learned the 'Salsa' (which was taught last year) and a new dance by Dave (officially called Broken Horse or some such, but we called it the counting dance - you keep switching partners by counting up to 4).
It was Lynn's turn to 'play hurt' - she's been in physical therapy for her shoulder (too much piano playing this winter) -then the Friday before we left she developed a 'floater' in her eye (she called the opthamologist on call on Saturday who assured it was part of the normal aging process
She did comment that I looked to be thoroughly enjoying myself. I do believe that part of it was that we were so busy performing prior to going, that I had didn't have any time to set up any expectations. There are some people who anticipate events like these and set themselves up for disappointment - often, they expect some mystical, magical, transcendent experience that reality can never match. (I am usually but not always immune from this type of behavior.) This year, my focus was on several 'big' bob-i-lynn performances culminating in the MBOTMA
In any event, by the last dayI was ready to go home and sleep in my own bed (with only a few feet to the bathroom).
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