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upside downer

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Posts posted by upside downer

    Psychology behind collecting instruments

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

    If it’s your hobby/pastime/ interest and you have the money I don’t see a problem with it

     

    ^This is my take on it, too. I'm fortunate in that I love a rummage around on ebay or at auction houses and have quite a collection of many weird and wonderful musical instruments now. I guess it is compulsive behaviour but that's in every enthusiastic hobbyists nature. The only 'problems' are finding time to get around to playing them all and storage space.

    • Like 3

    November Composition Challenge

    in Recording

    Posted · Edited by upside downer

    Move over, Morrissey, make room for me! :biggrin: Here's my usual last-minute effort.

     

    The image didn't half make me think of the wonderful worlds conjured up by Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books so here's a space-time continuum, jolly romp of a tune named after the supercomputer built by hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings interspersed with a few words from the book. What I'm saying is that the lyrics are by Douglas Adams. I hope the executors of his estate aren't litigious.

     

    Used an unbranded Strat copy with an open G tuning, a Yamaha keyboard, MT Power Drums/Looperman drums and the bass comes from fiddling around with Ableton sounds. Recorded different bits in Ableton, Wavepad and Audacity. Apogee Mic+ for vox, Roland Cube amp for noise and I can't remember if I used a DFA pedal or not ;)

     

     

     

    • Like 3

    Bassists who play guitar

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    9 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

    Django Reinhardt did more than ok with just 2 fingers.

     

    You beat me to it, was just going to mention Django. I've also seen some chap on youtube playing perfectly good guitar with his feet!

     

    Have fun with it. I never thought I'd be much of a guitarist (and I'm still distinctly average, TBH) but, with the proliferation of easy to understand youtube tutorials, I've upped my game beyond what I thought I'd be able to achieve. Just do things at your own pace and you'll get to where you want to be.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1

    'Pistol'. A Danny Boyle series.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Watched it a while back and thought it was OK but I don't think it is really aimed at diehard fans. Too many 'well, that never happened like that' moments for Pistols aficionados to swallow. However, it does look fantastic; the attention to detail in the visuals is one of the series' strongpoints, alongside getting the actors to play their own instruments. And, bravo to Anson Boon for his take on Rotten. Such a complex character but he does a fine job in bringing out Lydon's neurosis, empathy, mistrust and humour. Toby Wallace's Jones is done well, but the Matlock and Cook roles are mere bit parts and the Vicious portrayal is a bit lacking in depth (although, you could say, so was Sid). Thomas Brodie-Sangster has a good stab at McLaren and Sydney Chandler plays Chrissie Hynde terrifically.

     

    Six episodes in all, the first two barrel along nicely but episode three, which focuses way too heavily on Pauline of 'Bodies' fame, stumbles. I found the last three episodes to be less based on Steve's book and more of a Danny Boyle take on things and the series fizzles out. A shame. It could've been better. For the most honest retelling of the story, stick with 'The Filth and the Fury'.

    • Like 2

    October festival of compositional challenge.

    in Recording

    Posted · Edited by upside downer

    Here's mine. Had some issues with equipment but I'm off on holiday tomorrow so this is it.

     

    A devilishly diabolical ditty with angular guitar, stuttering yet throbbing bass, minimalist insistent drums and a vocal style somewhere between a Fisher Price Elvis Presley and a poor man's Johnny Cash.

     

    Low tech gear check - unbranded 5 string guitar in open G tuning for rhythm, Epiphone Gibson Special for jerky guitar sounds and solo, el cheapo Spider bass, Hydrogen open source drum machine, Roland cube amp, Apogee mic+ and recorded with Wavepad and Audacity.

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 4

    What are you listening to right now?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Elizabeth Cotten with her trademark 'Cotten picking' style on her song Freight Train. Her voice is a little frail but she must be in her eighties here and her playing dexterity is wonderful. All played on a right-handed guitar flipped over and still strung for a righty. Tremendous technique. What a woman!

     

     

    • Like 4
    • Thanks 1

    September Composition Challenge

    in Recording

    Posted

    Here's mine with a day to spare. Huzzah!

     

    It's 2023, sixty years on from the last big freeze and Britain is once again covered in snow and ice. One intrepid granny is determined not to let the inclement weather get in the way of her weekly shopping routine.

     

    Tech stuff - As well as the usual Wavepad and Audacity for recording the guitar (Epiphone) and vox (Apogee+ mic) I've dabbled with Ableton and its MIDI resources this month for the synth sounds and used MT Power drums too. All a steep learning curve but good fun.

     

     

    • Like 2

    September Composition Challenge

    in Recording

    Posted

    10 hours ago, lurksalot said:

    I’ve written a song , I’ve tried about a dozen takes on the vocal , it needs more takes 😂

     

    9 hours ago, Doctor J said:

    I'm in the same boat. Vocals are proving... ehhh... problematic, let's say.

     

    And then there were three 🙃 bloody vocals, no wonder I usually just stick to instrumentals! Try, try, and try again...

    • Like 2
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