A train wreck.........

[Buc McMaster]

Well......... Started battle with this one yesterday after hearing it on a movie on TV (don't ask......can't remember). This is one of those vocals that I have to push my voice up to over time as it's not something I can do right out of the box..........and I haven't gotten there yet. But It's a pretty good demo of the Martin Titanium core strings with lots of single note chording and aggressive strumming. I like 'em!

 

Shot with the iPad, dumped into iMovie for the blackout transitions.......no processing.

 

WARNING: Didn't finish the tune here and profanely expressed my frustration at the unexpected ending..........blew a chord change!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dXgsEaokN8

[62burst]

Lol. The train wreck brought me here.

 

The Martin Unobtanium'$ do sound good- they'd probably be a perfect fit for your J-45 12 fret, a model which is the cause for some gas.

 

Normally avoid B.B.E. in the rhythm/style as originally recorded, but you've got a good recording sound there, and it really allows a good listen to that guitar.

[MorrisrownSal]

Hahahaha. Huge smiles. You nailed it!

 

I love your guitar, the strings, the vox... golden man. Golden.

[livemusic]

Hahahahaha, that is hilarious.

 

That's a song that I have recorded guitar/vocal on... not ready for prime time yet; still unsure of the key to do it in. I love that song and hope to do it justice eventually.

 

Sounds good to me!

[fretplay]

This is a Pete Townsend song.

 

Have you tried it in C?

[Buc McMaster]

Thanks, Sal. As mentioned, it's one of those vocals that takes time to get the voice right for. Kind of like lifting free weights......one does not begin with a 300# bench press......it's worked up to.

 

This is a Pete Townsend song.

Certainly it is.

 

As for playing it in C....... Any opening chord other than an open string Em makes the sus4 chords elsewhere in the song nearly impossible to play. Yes, the sus4 chords could be ignored and just played as majors but that's giving up too much nuance in the overall sound..........they are important.

 

Thanks for listening! And do pardon my outburst there..........I suspect most of you understand from whence it came.

[j45nick]

Thanks, Sal. As mentioned, it's one of those vocals that takes time to get the voice right for. Kind of like lifting free weights......one does not begin with a 300# bench press......it's worked up to.

 

As for playing it in C....... Any opening chord other than an open string Em makes the sus4 chords elsewhere in the song nearly impossible to play. Yes, the sus4 chords could be ignored and just played as majors but that's giving up too much nuance in the overall sound..........they are important.

 

Thanks for listening! And do pardon my outburst there..........I suspect most of you understand from whence it came.

 

You might try tuning down a half step to see what it sounds like. Might be a tad easier on the voice, and it usually wakes up a dark, resonant voice in a slope J. I leave my '48-'50 J-45 tuned down this way for some mid-60's Jefferson Airplane stuff, and do the same thing on this song.

 

When you move outside your natural range, it starts to choke those beautiful pipes you have. We ain't 25 any more.

[AnneS]

You might try tuning down a half step to see what it sounds like. Might be a tad easier on the voice, and it usually wakes up a dark, resonant voice in a slope J. I leave my '48-'50 J-45 tuned down this way for some mid-60's Jefferson Airplane stuff, and do the same thing on this song.

 

When you move outside your natural range, it starts to choke those beautiful pipes you have. We ain't 25 any more.

I think Buc stays tuned down a half. He mentioned that the reduced tension feels better, as I recall, and that it shapes the tone a bit. At first, I was skeptical, but now I'm a convert and have taken up the habit myself.

[Buc McMaster]

I'm always a half step down. I tried a full step down yesterday for a couple hours but decided it took too much snap out of the tone. So the Ebm it's in is as low as I can get on open strings. And you're more than right in saying we're not 25 anymore!

 

I do like the tone of the guitar here. Tight, clear and biting where it needs to be without farting out under a heavy pick attack. I do think the new Ti strings sound better to my ear than the monels......but we all know how those ear things are........

 

I listened to this a few times and feel the vocal is not too far off from right..........pitch is there but it needs more power in a few places......a bit of growl in a line or two. I do think I can get there. Just began singing it yesterday and I spend a lot of time contemplating a vocal effort.........breathing, dynamics, phrasing......all benefit from thoughtful consideration. In the end this one may not work out......there's been more than of few of those.....in which case I'll find something else to work on. S'pose I could write something. Got a few lyrical ideas but they're just ghosts for now.........reckon I ought chase one of 'em down.......

[Buc McMaster]

I was skeptical, but now I'm a convert and have taken up the habit myself.

Really?! And what are your thoughts on the different tension and tone? Inquiring mind wanna know!

[fretplay]

Thanks, Sal. As mentioned, it's one of those vocals that takes time to get the voice right for. Kind of like lifting free weights......one does not begin with a 300# bench press......it's worked up to.

 

 

Certainly it is.

 

As for playing it in C....... Any opening chord other than an open string Em makes the sus4 chords elsewhere in the song nearly impossible to play. Yes, the sus4 chords could be ignored and just played as majors but that's giving up too much nuance in the overall sound..........they are important.

 

Thanks for listening! And do pardon my outburst there..........I suspect most of you understand from whence it came.

 

I think maybe I got this wrong. What I mean by in C is the song is in C and the first chord in this case is Am. As you are playing it in G the first chord being Em.

 

I thought it might be kinder to the voice as a starter and help in building to G. It certainly is a challenging song.

[EuroAussie]

This is a challenging tune to get right. Both the verse and chorus are demanding in their own way. The verse, while lower still needs that high end shimmer to give it presence, and the chours is a whole different cattle of fish. Its like ... stop .... take a breath .... and jump off the cliff !

 

I perform this song these days at my gigs and its one of the best received songs in my set list, but it took me a long time to get the vocals right, both on the verse and chorus. However i always use the octave up vocal harmony slightly mixed in to give me that high end shimmer.

 

I also sing the Limp Bizkit version, which has the verse, chorus but doesnt change into that backpart like The Who's version.

 

Practice makes perfect.

[Murph]

I thought it was great, well except the very end....

[blindboygrunt]

This is a challenging tune to get right. Both the verse and chorus are demanding in their own way. The verse, while lower still needs that high end shimmer to give it presence, and the chours is a whole different cattle of fish. Its like ... stop .... take a breath .... and jump off the cliff !

 

I perform this song these days at my gigs and its one of the best received songs in my set list, but it took me a long time to get the vocals right, both on the verse and chorus. However i always use the octave up vocal harmony slightly mixed in to give me that high end shimmer.

 

I also sing the Limp Bizkit version, which has the verse, chorus but doesnt change into that backpart like The Who's version.

 

Practice makes perfect.

 

 

Let’s hear it Aussie 🕺🏼

It’s a great tune

[EuroAussie]

Let’s hear it Aussie 🕺🏼

It’s a great tune

 

Come to a gig, and you will. But if youre keen might have a go at home over the week on the .... home stage.