New blues jam - Am this time


maggior
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maggior
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08/20/2014 2:56 pm
From another guitar forums, I found a new backing track to play with. I decided to give it a try and here is what I came up with:

https://app.box.com/s/605lb9fl2xs0rbodiir6

Be patient through the first half...I was feeling things out at this point and it ain't pretty at a few points. In the second half, things come together. This was my first take on this...warts and all :-).

I decided to keep this take because there were some things I really like toward the end. Fact is, even if I did 10 takes, I'm sure I wouldn't be 100% happy with any of them.

If anybody is interested in the backing track itself, I can make it available.

Enjoy!
# 1
Kasperow
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Kasperow
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08/20/2014 5:02 pm
Sounds very nice. In my opinion, this is definitely a step up from your last recording. The first half sounds very spontaneous and improvised, while the second half sounds like you had a clear idea of what you wanted it to sound like. And then there's the tone, which just sounds awesome. Sounds like an amp right at the sweet-spot :)

Keep it up. The last 8 weeks with your band has only improved your playing :)
"Commit yourself to what you love, and things will happen."
- Mika Vandborg, Electric Guitars, "Follow Your Heart"
---
Gear:
Chateau PS-10 Cherry Power-Strat
Epiphone G-400 LTD 1966 Faded Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul 100 Ebony (w/ Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog PLUS pickups)
Epiphone ES-345 Cherry
Fender 2014 Standard Stratocaster Sunburst
Martin DX1K Acoustic
Fender Mustang II Amplifier
Jet City Amplification JCA22H Tube-head and JCA12S+ cabinet
Pedals...
# 2
compart1
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compart1
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08/20/2014 5:06 pm
Hey Rich.. Wow, Can't wait until you are happy with it.. Don't point out the warts to anyone. I totally enjoyed it.. Warts and all.. You rock Dude...
# 3
maggior
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maggior
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08/20/2014 5:24 pm
Thanks guys :-)!!! The first half is definitely very spontaneous...that's where it was shaky at points. The second half I definitely was trying to do some specific things. That's one big improvement I've made in that I can be more deliberate in my playing.

Playing with a band definitely improves your playing and I'm glad it comes through that you guys can tell!! :-).

I recorded this with my Les Paul standard using the neck pickup. I'm playing through a "US Blues" amp model (some sort of Fender probably) on my Zoom G5 Pedal with some reverb added. I set the gain so it was just breaking up. That made for some cool dynamics.

I don't think I'll ever be 100% happy with what I do. I think all of us guitarists are afflicted with that...it keep us continually striving to improve, which is a good thing!

Thanks for listening!
# 4
Kasperow
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Kasperow
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08/20/2014 7:40 pm
Originally Posted by: maggiorI recorded this iwth my Les Paul standard using the neck pickup. I'm playing through a "US Blues" amp model (some sort of Fender probably) on my Zoom G5 Pedal with some reverb added. I set the gain so it was just breaking up. That made for some cool dynamics.

I knew it! I should've gone ahead and guessed on your gear-choices for this recording! I tried to figure out what gear you used to get your tone, and damn, I got close. I just didn't want to risk looking like a complete idiot for making random guesses towards your tone (although my guesses were actually pretty well-reasoned).

What I concluded after listening to your recording a couple of times is this: Your guitar used a Neck Position Humbucker. Since I know a little about your guitars, I could deduce that it must be a Gibson Les Paul. The Amp sounded very similar to the "'57 Fender Deluxe" preset in my Fender Mustang, so it would be reasonable to assume you used a Fender Deluxe-style amplifier-model. I never thought I would be able to tell what gear you used this precisely so soon (although you made it easy for me this time around)! I always thought I'd have to have played for decades before that would even be possible! Turns out I was very wrong. And I could only tell because I've been using a Les Paul on the Neck-Pickup through the '57 Fender Deluxe model on my own amp almost exclusively for a few months now. I'm not saying it's 100% certain that your "US Blues" model is a copy of the '57 Fender Deluxe (or the '65 Fender Deluxe Reverb, which is the exact same amp with an extra channel for Reverb). I'm just saying it sounds a lot like it.
"Commit yourself to what you love, and things will happen."
- Mika Vandborg, Electric Guitars, "Follow Your Heart"
---
Gear:
Chateau PS-10 Cherry Power-Strat
Epiphone G-400 LTD 1966 Faded Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul 100 Ebony (w/ Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog PLUS pickups)
Epiphone ES-345 Cherry
Fender 2014 Standard Stratocaster Sunburst
Martin DX1K Acoustic
Fender Mustang II Amplifier
Jet City Amplification JCA22H Tube-head and JCA12S+ cabinet
Pedals...
# 5
maggior
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maggior
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08/20/2014 7:58 pm
Good ear!! For clean mellow stuff, I always tend to go to my neck pickup whether it be single coil (my strat) or humbucker (les paul). For the amp, I just scroll through until the tone of one of them strikes my fancy. Then I scroll through the cabinet selections and do the same.

I think I can find out specifically what amp this "US Blues" setting models. If I can, I'll let you know.
# 6
maggior
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maggior
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08/20/2014 8:10 pm
Originally Posted by: compart1Don't point out the warts to anyone.


You know something, you're right!!! I just listened to this again and I don't know what I was thinking. Sure, there are a couple of iffy parts, but nothing like I remembered!

We are our own worst critics!!
# 7
Kasperow
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Kasperow
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08/20/2014 8:31 pm
Originally Posted by: maggiorGood ear!! For clean mellow stuff, I always tend to go to my neck pickup whether it be single coil (my strat) or humbucker (les paul). For the amp, I just scroll through until the tone of one of them strikes my fancy. Then I scroll through the cabinet selections and do the same.

I think I can find out specifically what amp this "US Blues" setting models. If I can, I'll let you know.

Thanks :)

I actually started using the '57 Deluxe model after hearing my two biggest Danish guitar heroes telling me to find my own tone instead of trying to copy someone else's tone. Amazing how those two can just be a constant source of motivation for me :)

I haven't dug into all the weird stuff I can do with my amp yet... I know there's a bunch of amp models. Then there are some cabinets I can use which is pretty okay, as it let's me play around with different cabs for different amps. And then there's the emulated Mic-positioning which apparently also affects the final tone, not only when I record, but when jamming alone as well! I'm almost beginning to think that I might not ever need a real tube amp with all this versatility...
"Commit yourself to what you love, and things will happen."
- Mika Vandborg, Electric Guitars, "Follow Your Heart"
---
Gear:
Chateau PS-10 Cherry Power-Strat
Epiphone G-400 LTD 1966 Faded Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul 100 Ebony (w/ Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog PLUS pickups)
Epiphone ES-345 Cherry
Fender 2014 Standard Stratocaster Sunburst
Martin DX1K Acoustic
Fender Mustang II Amplifier
Jet City Amplification JCA22H Tube-head and JCA12S+ cabinet
Pedals...
# 8
bbzswa777
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bbzswa777
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08/21/2014 1:42 am
Very nice! Playing over a backing track like that is basically like singing over it. When you really think about it, you're using the guitar to sing and all those bends help bring out the emotion just like a singer would. That's how I think of it anyway when I'm improvising blues.

Sounds great.
# 9
haghj500
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haghj500
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08/21/2014 1:55 am
Sounds like you found 20 - 30 seconds spot in there that you connected with the song. You stopped thinking and let it flow, great feeling. I also liked near the end when you grabbed two strings at the same time and pulled. I like the bite or accent it adds.
# 10
maggior
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maggior
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08/21/2014 2:55 am
@bbzswa777 - yes, playing blues is much like singing. Keeping that in mind really helps with phrasing. It's not just about bends and expression, it's about leaving space allowing you to take a breath as a singer would. I also find it interesting to listen to horn players and trying to mimic their phrasing.

@haghj500 - I don't know how it happened, but yes there's a spot toward the end where it just all connected and made sense. It really builds up in intensity toward the end even though I'm really not playing in a more intense way...and it makes me smile. That double stop bend was really cool - I distinctly remember hitting that and thinking "oohhh, that sounds nice" and incorporated it some more later on.

Apparently learning other songs has helped me a lot because that's all I've been focusing on for the past 2 months.

Thanks guys for listening and commenting.
# 11
Steve Barrow
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Steve Barrow
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08/21/2014 7:22 am
Great chops Rich! Surely you and your bandmates must now include a blues like this in the Radio Gap setlist? It would be a brilliant counterpoint to the rock songs. Anyway, it's lovely stuff - thanks from a huge fan of blues guitar! Steve
# 12
Kasperow
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Kasperow
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08/21/2014 9:41 am
Originally Posted by: Steve BarrowGreat chops Rich! Surely you and your bandmates must now include a blues like this in the Radio Gap setlist? It would be a brilliant counterpoint to the rock songs. Anyway, it's lovely stuff - thanks from a huge fan of blues guitar! Steve

I second this. Your Blues playing is good enough to justify throwing a Blues Jam into the setlist :) Just do like GNR in their early years. Their setlists often contained a Blues Jam before the last song, which is a trend they've taken up again with the current lineup... What's even better, is that this sounds exactly like something I'd expect GNR to pull off before their last song!

After hearing this recording a few more times (okay, maybe a dozen or two), I've found that this thing gets stuck in my head and it just won't go away!
"Commit yourself to what you love, and things will happen."
- Mika Vandborg, Electric Guitars, "Follow Your Heart"
---
Gear:
Chateau PS-10 Cherry Power-Strat
Epiphone G-400 LTD 1966 Faded Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul 100 Ebony (w/ Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog PLUS pickups)
Epiphone ES-345 Cherry
Fender 2014 Standard Stratocaster Sunburst
Martin DX1K Acoustic
Fender Mustang II Amplifier
Jet City Amplification JCA22H Tube-head and JCA12S+ cabinet
Pedals...
# 13
maggior
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maggior
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08/21/2014 12:59 pm
He he he...I've created an earworm :-). That's gotta be some sort of milestone!

Steve - I'm glad you enjoyed it! I thought you might!

I'm going to try remixing this to make it sound more "professional". I think my guitar is a little bit to forward in the mix and sounds too dry. It will be a good exercise. The way it is now, every single small hesitation jumps out at you. There's a rawness to it, kind of like Jack White, but that's not exactly the sound I'm after.

As we develop our setlist, I'll definitely keep the idea in mind of including a small blues jam like this. I think Steve is right that it could provide a good counterpoint and kind of "bring things down" for a bit. It give our singer a break. Hey, if it worked for GnR, why not us!?!?!
# 14
Kasperow
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Kasperow
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08/21/2014 4:07 pm
Originally Posted by: maggiorHe he he...I've created an earworm :-). That's gotta be some sort of milestone!

Steve - I'm glad you enjoyed it! I thought you might!

I'm going to try remixing this to make it sound more "professional". I think my guitar is a little bit to forward in the mix and sounds too dry. It will be a good exercise. The way it is now, every single small hesitation jumps out at you. There's a rawness to it, kind of like Jack White, but that's not exactly the sound I'm after.

As we develop our setlist, I'll definitely keep the idea in mind of including a small blues jam like this. I think Steve is right that it could provide a good counterpoint and kind of "bring things down" for a bit. It give our singer a break. Hey, if it worked for GnR, why not us!?!?!

Depending on how you do it, you can either bring things down for a while or you can use it to build up tension for the last song to make it sound even cooler than without the jam. And what better moment to place it than right between Band Introductions and the final song? I've seen a local band do this with great results. The possibilities are numerous :) Of course, the most important part is that everyone is having fun.

I've just read a few comments about the Zoom G5 "US Blues" preset, and as far as I can tell, it seems to be based on a '59 Fender Bassman amplifier, not a '57 Fender Deluxe. But hey, I got the brand and decade right, which I find pretty amazing. And I still think it sounds more like a Fender Deluxe than a Bassman...
"Commit yourself to what you love, and things will happen."
- Mika Vandborg, Electric Guitars, "Follow Your Heart"
---
Gear:
Chateau PS-10 Cherry Power-Strat
Epiphone G-400 LTD 1966 Faded Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul 100 Ebony (w/ Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog PLUS pickups)
Epiphone ES-345 Cherry
Fender 2014 Standard Stratocaster Sunburst
Martin DX1K Acoustic
Fender Mustang II Amplifier
Jet City Amplification JCA22H Tube-head and JCA12S+ cabinet
Pedals...
# 15
maggior
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maggior
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08/22/2014 7:38 pm
Yep, right again. Looking in the G5 manual, the US Blues amp is modeled against the "crunch sound of a Fender Tweed Bassman". There is another amp called the "Deluxe-R" which is modeled after the Twin Reverb. I use that for my super clean tone. That one was easy to figure out from the name.

I'll have to feel things out regarding doing something like this with the band. I'd feel like they were my backup band...which doesn't feel right. As it is, I already have all of the solos, even though I've let it be known that anybody is welcome to one!!

If the other guitar player decided he'd want to start soloing, we could alternate solos over something like this...that would be fun.

First thing we have to do is learn a bunch more songs and tighten up the ones we already have :-).


BTW, I remixed this because listening to it I put my guitar too much in the forefront. I also duplicated the solo track, offset them a smidge, and hard panned them right and left. It gives it a bit of a stereo effect and fattens the sound up a bit. It's fun to play with some of this production/mixing stuff.
# 16


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08/23/2014 12:02 am
Playing safe is not what its about.
This music is all about beautiful f###$ ups.
And beautiful recoveries. Keith richards....

Well done rich ,i really enjoyed lisenting to you rip it up.
Nice timing, which is something i lack but working on it.
The back track was awsome,must of had alot fun with this one.
Your sounding better and better. Great job!!
Now with my laptop coming home saturday, i hope to throw myself out there too.
Regardless how it Sounds. Best to ya.
How ya doin.
# 17
maggior
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maggior
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08/23/2014 1:19 am
Thanks for listening Axe!!! I was hoping you'd grab a listen. Good ear - you honed in on what I'm most pleased with on this recording - my timing. I have no idea where I got those ideas from, but they really worked. I wasn't adventurous with my note selection, but I started phrases on some rather oddball places. Now I know to do more of that :-).

Continuous improvement...that's all I can ask of myself!

That's great that you have a new laptop on the way. I didn't realize you intended to use it to make some recordings. That would be awesome if you could! I'd love to hear some of your stuff!

Cheers!
# 18
Kasperow
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Kasperow
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08/23/2014 3:18 pm
Well, if it's of any interest, I've started working on some new backing-tracks. I'm not sure how well a backing track would work with just drums and bass in it, though, since it seems that recording Rhythm Guitar is a lot harder than it would seem (could be my timing that's just sh*t, though)... I managed to get the Drum and Bass-parts down pretty easily, though, but it looks like something might come up as soon as I get the Rhythm Guitar parts down properly (that is, get the timing right and get it recorded). Once I manage to get that down, though, I intend to share it to get some feedback (my bends still haven't improved that much, though, but I'm working on them). Anyway, the first one (or technically second one) should be coming up in a few days, if I manage to get the Rhythm down soon :)
"Commit yourself to what you love, and things will happen."
- Mika Vandborg, Electric Guitars, "Follow Your Heart"
---
Gear:
Chateau PS-10 Cherry Power-Strat
Epiphone G-400 LTD 1966 Faded Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul 100 Ebony (w/ Oil City Pickups Scrapyard Dog PLUS pickups)
Epiphone ES-345 Cherry
Fender 2014 Standard Stratocaster Sunburst
Martin DX1K Acoustic
Fender Mustang II Amplifier
Jet City Amplification JCA22H Tube-head and JCA12S+ cabinet
Pedals...
# 19
maggior
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maggior
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08/23/2014 5:33 pm
You are adventurous making the entire backing track! Yeah, I think you'd definitely want rhythm guitar in there and not just bass and drums.

There are tons to be found out there on the internet for free if this gets to be too much.

I'd to love hear what you come up with. It looks like Axe will be getting setup too.
# 20

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