Blues on the continuim
This is a pretty new site, but it looks to me like the participants range quite a bit in musical talent. There are obviously some very talented folks here, and it's really great to hear their music.
There are also some of us who are, in the words of brother Fred Willard, "porch pickers." I readily admit to being a member of that group.
One problem we porch pickers have is a lack of other people on the porch with us. I do much of my picking in my living room, and the only ones who regularly hear what I play are a few family members.
I know it's intimidating to put your stuff out there when people as talented as KM Williams, Axe Masterson, and a lot of other real musicians will hear it, but it's also an opportunity.
I, for one, would love to hear what all of us are putting down, no matter how well we play. It's an opportunity to get better. We're probably not the best judges of our own stuff anyway.
I've got a Fostex MR-8 and I'm going to keep recording and uploading stuff. The nice thing is, you don't have to listen if you don't want to.
There are also some of us who are, in the words of brother Fred Willard, "porch pickers." I readily admit to being a member of that group.
One problem we porch pickers have is a lack of other people on the porch with us. I do much of my picking in my living room, and the only ones who regularly hear what I play are a few family members.
I know it's intimidating to put your stuff out there when people as talented as KM Williams, Axe Masterson, and a lot of other real musicians will hear it, but it's also an opportunity.
I, for one, would love to hear what all of us are putting down, no matter how well we play. It's an opportunity to get better. We're probably not the best judges of our own stuff anyway.
I've got a Fostex MR-8 and I'm going to keep recording and uploading stuff. The nice thing is, you don't have to listen if you don't want to.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rick Saunders on -
Brother Larry i'm sure you know as well as I do that KM and Axe and everybody else who ever picked up an instrument and managed to make a noise that made themselves feel good and feel better about their life was at some point a porch picker or a bedroom rocker. The nice thing about this day and age is that technology makes it so simple for you and I to have an audience without ever having to leave the porch or the end or yr bed. You can be yr own field recording. In fact my fave track on Othar Turner's cd Everybody Hollerin' Goat is the one with Luther Dickinson and Othar and I think RL Boyce out on the porch playin' and you can hear the bugs and a truck goin' by. You can fire up the 'puter, get a good mic and download the free version of Pro Tools and have yr stuff listened to by some guy on the other side of the world within a couple hours. Bring it on porch pickers!
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Permalink Reply by Eric on -
Larry, we're going to be launching Groups here at LBW real soon. An opportunity to allow folks to focus the conversation in areas of interest. I think Porch Pickers is a damn fine name for a group, and we can use it to bring other folks onto the porch and share the music you're making. Stay tuned...we're working on this!
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Permalink Reply by Blind Rat on -
I like the term Porch Pickers,as I am one well more of a Porch Strummer but anyhow I would like to get together with more people who play Blues to get my skills up to scratch.
I have been more into playing other styles(whatever I could fit into)and need more blues stuff.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on -
Excellent ideas. I'm anxious to find venues where I can embarrass myself. Keep it coming.
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Permalink Reply by Larry on -
Here's an area where I could use some help from someone more experienced in home recording.
When I sit around the living room, picking "KEYS TO THE HIGHWAY" or whatever on my G&L ASAT, I get really great tone. The guitar volume control is turned all the way up, the tone control all the way down, and the reverb and other controls on my amp are set where I want them.
Problem is, I haven't yet come close to capturing that tone on my MR-8 recorder. I've been plugging the axe directly into the recorder and using it's reverb and distortion controls. Am I going to have to mike the amp? If I do, I introduce another variable, the microphone.
Even with an acoustic guitar there are issues. I pulled ,my Mp3 of "BOY-O-BOOGIE" because I was dissatisfied with the sound of the guitar. It sounded fine while I recorded it, and even in WAV form, but the Mp3 was not up to par.
I know it's just fun and games, but it is my main creative outlet at this time and it's frustrating.
Any suggestions.
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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Axe: Thanks for your input. There are issues other than noise associated with miking the amp. I'm not a performing musician and therefore don't have equipment bags filled with microphones, stands, and cables.
It's obvious that I have to do some experimentation with my equipment, much of which is new to me.
It's just frustrating that I can't seem to capture the sound I know my guitar is capable of.
By the way, I screwed up. It's continuum, not contunuim.
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