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Last post Author Topic: Do we have any musical people on DC?  (Read 195078 times)

MilesAhead

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #75 on: December 03, 2014, 03:23 PM »
(Does any of the above even make sense, I wonder? ;D )

Makes sense to me.  I don't think a Cassandra Wilson comes along every other week.  On the other hand those lip syncers who take singing lessons after they get the recording contract are a special category of talent that Howard Stern would refer to as "worth bangin'."  ;)

wraith808

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #76 on: December 03, 2014, 10:27 PM »
If they're there to begin with. That is something, unlike a musical instrument, that can't be bought. Some vocal abilities can't even be developed. It's there or it's not. And no amount of hard work or sincere effort will get it for you.

I think the same argument could be said for a musical instrument.  Or coding.  Or any other of a myriad of things.  Let's take coding.  You can teach coding- there's schools all over the map and all of the internet.  Getting a computer is of course trivial- especially if you're reading this on one :)

But having been a consultant for several years, I can say that I've seen competent coders- and then I've seen those that are transcendent.  And what makes that difference?  A mindset, certain capabilities for seeing the solution through the problem while having the ability not to fall in love with the solution- but to fall in love with the problem.  Not sure if I'm making sense... but I think in most things that require a creative spark, there's something about that spark that cannot be taught.

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #77 on: December 04, 2014, 11:28 AM »
Not sure if I'm making sense...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who sometimes feels that way when it comes to discussing something related to music. ;D :Thmbsup:

Funny how what's so clear in the head falls apart when you try to put it into words when it comes to music. A hundred things really need to be said simultaneously. And there's very little that doesn't need to be qualified and re-qualified. And half the time, the exact opposite is equally true.

That's what you get for "dancing about architecture" I guess. ;) 8)

FWIW my guitarist GF tends to start quietly singing this song any time I start getting too analytical or esoteric. (Think she's trying to tell me something?  :huh:)
« Last Edit: December 04, 2014, 11:58 AM by 40hz »

superboyac

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #78 on: December 04, 2014, 02:44 PM »
Not sure if I'm making sense...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who sometimes feels that way when it comes to discussing something related to music. ;D :Thmbsup:

Funny how what's so clear in the head falls apart when you try to put it into words when it comes to music. A hundred things really need to be said simultaneously. And there's very little that doesn't need to be qualified and re-qualified. And half the time, the exact opposite is equally true.

That's what you get for "dancing about architecture" I guess. ;) 8)

FWIW my guitarist GF tends to start quietly singing this song any time I start getting too analytical or esoteric. (Think she's trying to tell me something?  :huh:)
Great version!  Who is Maria Muldaur??

theGleep

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #79 on: December 04, 2014, 03:12 PM »
@40hz, @tjbray: It's only taken forever, but here are the pictures you asked for :)

Back: 20141202_191019.jpgDo we have any musical people on DC?
Front: 20141202_191036.jpgDo we have any musical people on DC?

@tjbray - I'm still hoping to help you with that app!
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40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #80 on: December 04, 2014, 03:34 PM »
Great version!  Who is Maria Muldaur??

I hope so. She wrote the bloody thing! ;D

Maria Muldaur is the bluesy vocalist (and little heartthrob) from the 70s that had the big hit Midnight at the Oasis.

This is her (on the left) with another (even more talented) vocalist from the same era you may also not recognize: ;)

mmlr.jpgDo we have any musical people on DC? and sitting between a couple of famous ladies>>> shot.jpgDo we have any musical people on DC?

For those too young to know
(1) Maria Muldaur and Linda Ronstadt. (2) Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur, Linda Ronstadt


 :Thmbsup:
« Last Edit: December 04, 2014, 03:46 PM by 40hz »

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #81 on: December 04, 2014, 03:48 PM »
I don't think a Cassandra Wilson comes along every other week.

You have exquisite taste Miles! I'm a big fan of hers. :Thmbsup:


Dave Mckenna is a new discovery for me and has blown me away.  I have always wanted such a balance of virtuosity, accessibility, and rhythm.

Really nice SB! I'm gonna have to add him to my listen list. Thx for the find! :Thmbsup:
« Last Edit: December 04, 2014, 03:56 PM by 40hz »

superboyac

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #82 on: December 04, 2014, 04:44 PM »
Love that picture, 40.  Linda, Bonnie, and this girl Maria...3 great vocalists in one pic.  I had a whole phase of Linda, then Bonnie, so i guess I'm up for the third!

Vurbal

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #83 on: December 04, 2014, 05:40 PM »
Yay! The 5 pack of replacement fuses for my amp came a day early - and with an extra 5 fuses.

Sorry, I'll let you get back to discussing awesome female vocalists.  Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject, let's not forget the late, great Sandy Denny.
I learned to say the pledge of allegiance
Before they beat me bloody down at the station
They haven't got a word out of me since
I got a billion years probation
- The MC5

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ''crackpot'' than the stigma of conformity.
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr

It's not rocket surgery.
- Me


I recommend reading through my Bio before responding to any of my posts. It could save both of us a lot of time and frustration.

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #84 on: December 04, 2014, 07:48 PM »
^One of the truly lovely voices of the 20th century.

  sandy.jpg

              "Sandy"
Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny
           1947 - 1978





Where indeed?

Vaya con Dios, Sandy...


tjbray

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #85 on: December 06, 2014, 02:52 AM »
@theGleep: No worries on the time it took to get those loaded. I'll get on my desktop in the morning for a better look, but from my iPhone with the pics maxed out, it looks like it is probably alder, at least that's my guess. Alder's grain is usually rather plain, without dramatic color differences between the dark and light lines. That's not to say you can't get good looking grain, but the darker your stain, the more blended together it will be.

The strat build I posted pics of is an alder body. When I was sealing the wood with shellac, I noticed it had a nice flame pattern wanting to peek out, so rather than considering what color to paint it, I finished it in a satin French polish, and showed photos to the buyer, who liked it as it was. I wanted to put a high gloss on it, but he shot that down. It turned out very nice, especially under stage lighting. Before that build, I had always gone with a rather popular opinion that alder is no good for anything but paint.

If you want really dramatic woodgrain, and you have a woodworker's store like Rockler in your area (where they sell veneer), you can usually find a hobbyist willing to put a book matched veneer on the front for little to no cost other than supplies. That said, I think you will find alder has a bad rap as a paint only wood, but I've found that to be misguided.

I hope you don't forget to post pics here when it's done--I can't wait to see it!

theGleep

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #86 on: December 07, 2014, 04:40 PM »
@tjbray:  I'm actually fully prepared for this to not look as super-awesome-cool as it might if someone else did it - I'm gonna be proud of it because *I* did it :)

But I am hoping that the "character" the torch/heat gun added will help it look better. :)

Thanks and thanks in advance for all of your advice!  I will *definitely* post pictures.

So - I have stain prep, stain and shellac.  (Don't *have* the shelac, yet - gonna buy it just before I put it on).

I have a wire hanger I plan to hang it (through the holes that mount the neck to the body) with - should I hang it through the *whole* finishing process?  If I take it down to sand it (can't imagine *not* doing so), would it be okay if I'm wearing jeans, or should I buy a tyvek suit?

So far, I've been sanding "bare handed".  I have a box of neoprene gloves - should I re-sand with the gloves on before I stain prep?

Then, should I do the ((alcohol + sand) * 3) bit before the stain prep, or after, or both?

Would everclear (95% grain alcohol) work in place of denatured alcohol?

When it's time to stain, I should do the ((alcohol + sand) * 3) thing before I apply the stain?  Or should this be *after* staining, but before shellacing?

When it's time to shellac, I do a lot of as-thin-as-I-can coats, right? 

Thanks again for the advice!
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40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #87 on: December 07, 2014, 05:03 PM »
I think you will find alder has a bad rap as a paint only wood, but I've found that to be misguided.

It is the most popular choice of wood for sunbursts however. But those often range from translucent to transparent so I don't know if that would be considered the same thing as a painted finish.

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #88 on: December 07, 2014, 05:05 PM »
Would everclear (95% grain alcohol) work in place of denatured alcohol?

Yup! For shellac it does. IMMO it's preferable (far less toxic). Also a good excuse to hit the package store. ;)
« Last Edit: December 07, 2014, 06:03 PM by 40hz »

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #89 on: December 08, 2014, 01:22 PM »
This just showed up on Guitar World's newsletter under the heading: WTF Video: Street Musicians Play Handmade Broom Guitar and Shovel Bass — and it Sounds Good! — Yes? No?

I guess they never took a look at some of the videos posted on www.cigarboxnation.com  :P

Here's the video:



Here's more proof it's not what you have, it's how you play it.



Guerilla music performance! Love it! :Thmbsup:

Vurbal

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #90 on: December 08, 2014, 01:45 PM »
I've heard numerous stories about an old guy - think the stereotypical uneducated blues man - who used to go to open mic nights at the local blues club with a plastic kazoo. He would apparently blow the doors off the place.
I learned to say the pledge of allegiance
Before they beat me bloody down at the station
They haven't got a word out of me since
I got a billion years probation
- The MC5

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ''crackpot'' than the stigma of conformity.
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr

It's not rocket surgery.
- Me


I recommend reading through my Bio before responding to any of my posts. It could save both of us a lot of time and frustration.

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #91 on: December 08, 2014, 02:16 PM »
^Right up there with the semi-deranged street person in early-70s Cambridge MA that used to play a mean "hand-ocarina" like so:

handoc.jpg

He'd occasionally show up at club jams, and announce "I'm gonna play my hand tonight." He'd then do his little schtick about "taking it out of its carrying case" (i.e. a glove). However, the concerned "Who is this guy?" looks and giggles soon got replaced by OMG!!!s once he stepped up to the microphone and joined in on a jazz or blues number. He knew them all. And man could he play!

Guy was awesome.

Let's not forget Moondog either. 8)
« Last Edit: December 08, 2014, 02:25 PM by 40hz »

theGleep

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #92 on: December 08, 2014, 02:48 PM »
Would everclear (95% grain alcohol) work in place of denatured alcohol?

Yup! For shellac it does. IMMO it's preferable (far less toxic). Also a good excuse to hit the package store. ;)

I actually have a few bottles to help adjust the proof of my vodka for vanilla extract.  I'm looking for the *perfect* extract recipe.  I doubt I'll ever find it :)
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ginger

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #93 on: December 08, 2014, 04:57 PM »
Hey guys! I aim at putting a few classy dance mixes together each year. So if you fancy a musical journey/experience full of sparkly, upbeat harmonies and melodies - give this a try! http://www.soundoflondon.co.uk/exec/all-posts/1840  Most tracks are out of the UK, as Europe in general is pretty good at this genre :)

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #94 on: December 08, 2014, 07:01 PM »
@ginger - welcome to the thread! :)

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #95 on: December 08, 2014, 09:27 PM »
Would everclear (95% grain alcohol) work in place of denatured alcohol?

Yup! For shellac it does. IMMO it's preferable (far less toxic). Also a good excuse to hit the package store. ;)

I actually have a few bottles to help adjust the proof of my vodka for vanilla extract.  I'm looking for the *perfect* extract recipe.  I doubt I'll ever find it :)

I'd be interested in buying some off you if you ever do. I've yet to find a vanilla extract I absolutely am in love with. Luck! :Thmbsup:

TaoPhoenix

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #96 on: December 08, 2014, 10:42 PM »
40 hz was saying "for those too young to know" ... but in many ways it's "two out of three IS bad". We know a name, we know a voice, because I for one raided flea markets to get tapes for 50 cents each. But there was no way to get pictures of anyone back then.

Maybe YouTube is MTV 3.0!?

40hz

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #97 on: December 09, 2014, 12:51 AM »
But there was no way to get pictures of anyone back then.

There's some truth to that. Unless you were reading the "alternative" paper or magazine that covered the local music scene (Boston-The Phoenix/B.A.D.; NYC-The Village Voice, etc.) or Rolling Stone, there weren't that many pictures available. There were album covers and liners, concert posters and...that was about it. Music was far less 'visual' not too long ago. People went to concerts to listen. ("We went to hear XYZ.") Today people more often say they "watched" a concert. ("We went to see XYZ.")

It's a small but significant shift in perspective that reflects a very different expectation about how a musical performance is to be experienced.

Sometimes tiny changes in colloquial expressions indicate seismic changes in perception.
 8)
« Last Edit: December 09, 2014, 01:22 AM by 40hz »

Vurbal

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #98 on: December 09, 2014, 07:39 AM »
but they can be developed.

If they're there to begin with. That is something, unlike a musical instrument, that can't be bought. Some vocal abilities can't even be developed. It's there or it's not. And no amount of hard work or sincere effort will get it for you.

I sing too. I'm not bad. Three years with a university chorale that ran the gamut from Gregorian chant to Cole Porter taught me a lot about performance and various vocal technique. It made me a vastly better singer than I was before. But I would never consider myself a vocalist first and foremost.

I suspect (no proof to offer on this btw) that probably something like 70% of all people could be taught to sing adequately, with a higher percentage of them being women rather than men. But that's not the same thing as considering them 'singers', any more than being able to accompany yourself on a guitar in a workmanlike manner automatically earns you the title of 'guitarist.'

There's that difference between talent and skill; and craft and art. Difficult, if not impossible, to define. But oh so obvious to almost anyone when they encounter it.

That's what I mean by a gift. Superb singers are gifted rather than merely talented.

(Does any of the above even make sense, I wonder? ;D )

I keep meaning to get back to this, because I do agree, at least where it concerns the great ones. I would add one caveat, that a great voice alone can't make you a great singer any more than dexterity makes you a great drummer.

Ironically, I'm something of an anomaly, in the sense that I have both the gift and the ear, not to mention the good fortune to have received some first class training in my youth,  but my Asperger's Syndrome,  which actually adds to my music, makes it impossible for me to be a front man. It also makes it difficult, depending on the music even impossible, for me to sing and play at the same time.

However, on the subject of great singers, I can think of one in particular who illustrates your point perfectly, and that's Corey Glover of Living Colour. Given that every other member of the band could arguably be among the best in the world on his chosen instrument, it would be easy to dismiss Glover as less important,but that would be a huge mistake.

As impressive as it is for the rest of the band to smoothly move between playing R&B to heavy metal to hardcore to hip hop, they still have one huge advantage compared to him. He doesn't get to change instruments when he needs a different sound. What he was born with is what he's got.  Arguably, it's even more than that since singing, even the most beautiful singing, actually damages your vocal chords. The fact he sounds amazing singing stuff influenced by, or even flat out copied from, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Bad Brains, Neil Young, and any number of other acts, is at least as impressive as anything you could say about the rest of the band.

TL; DR:
Mostly I disagree, but for the truly great ones you're absolutely right.
I learned to say the pledge of allegiance
Before they beat me bloody down at the station
They haven't got a word out of me since
I got a billion years probation
- The MC5

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ''crackpot'' than the stigma of conformity.
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr

It's not rocket surgery.
- Me


I recommend reading through my Bio before responding to any of my posts. It could save both of us a lot of time and frustration.

wraith808

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Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?
« Reply #99 on: December 09, 2014, 08:05 AM »
I keep meaning to get back to this, because I do agree, at least where it concerns the great ones. I would add one caveat, that a great voice alone can't make you a great singer any more than dexterity makes you a great drummer.

Yes!  This is exactly what I meant... though I was including it for the others also.  That's the part that I wanted to illustrate... that all forms of creative endeavor need something else.  Not just singing.

However, on the subject of great singers, I can think of one in particular who illustrates your point perfectly, and that's Corey Glover of Living Colour. Given that every other member of the band could arguably be among the best in the world on his chosen instrument, it would be easy to dismiss Glover as less important,but that would be a huge mistake.

Definitely underrated when it comes to male singers.

And I have nothing to add... other than I totally agree.  

As impressive as it is for the rest of the band to smoothly move between playing R&B to heavy metal to hardcore to hip hop, they still have one huge advantage compared to him. He doesn't get to change instruments when he needs a different sound. What he was born with is what he's got.  Arguably, it's even more than that since singing, even the most beautiful singing, actually damages your vocal chords. The fact he sounds amazing singing stuff influenced by, or even flat out copied from, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Bad Brains, Neil Young, and any number of other acts, is at least as impressive as anything you could say about the rest of the band.

That's a good point.  Look at many great singers after they get older.  Which is one of the things that's so amazing about Ann Wilson's voice today, to bring it back full circle.