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Trapped at home -- harmony opportunity


tpbiii

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So ...... Like many of you I guess, I have been stuck in the house for a couple of weeks and it looks like it will be at least a month more.

I am not a guitar player.  I am not a performer.  I am not a singer.  I am not a recording artist. 

I am a  jammer!! A jammer locked up with 200+ of the best vintage instruments ever built -- and no one to play with!

So what to do.  Well to advance my jamming life, I know many people I would like to work out keys and harmony with -- preparing for the day when we can once again mix singers, voices, and instruments to make spontaneous music.

Well many of you know I have an acoustic recording setup that is designed to give a faithful recording of a single vintage guitar, but it also does video and has a green screenas well.  So all I have to do to record is sit down and play.  So I had an idea -- why not make some really basic off-the-cuff recordings of some good songs, and then engage singers from my distributed and trapped social circle to do some harmony.  Figuring our keys and harmonies with friends is the bread and butter of a jammer's life -- time to make some progress.

So here is my first experiment.  The harmony singer is Dr. Kelly Moore -- a band mate of my daughter's (DEAD GIRL SONGS).  I used my favorite studio rhythm guitar for the project -- 1962 Hummingbird.  I just made three recordings of the song WEST VA GIRL in A, Bb, and B.  The recordings were as plain as they could be -- rhythm only, no practice and just one take.  That is necessary if eventually I want to do a bunch of these.  Then they went up on vimeo and youtube, and Kelly  just put on headphones and recorded the harmony track on her phone.  Then she sent me the track and I merged it into the video.  REALLY, REALLY simple!

So you guys can help me out.  Tell me which of these keys you like best.

 

So what do you think?

Best,

-Tom

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Hi Tom,

What a strange world, we will be locked up for quite some time. I already miss playing with my band, but I take to time to really work my acoustics. 

I had a listen and my favorite is number 3, B.

Stay safe and Healthy,

George

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I don't care to critique other musicians. I liked them all.

I must say I envy those of you who are locked down. My wife and I are both "essential" and at the risk age group as well, although myself more than she. 

Well done, Tom. Great to see you play and sing.

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Tom, of these 3 keys, I’d say the first one was the most natural for you.  That said, it sounds like your voice is straining a bit on all of them.  Maybe give it a try in a lower key?........Just my opinion.  Doesn’t make me right and someone else wrong........Whatever you decide, I appreciate you putting it on here.  Ain’t Hummingbirds cool?

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Hi Tom,  Your thread got me thinking - have you looked at an virtual jamming SW.  https://www.jamkazam.com/  (no affiliation, and don't know if this is a good one but an example of what I mean).

You began the thread by saying what you are is a jammer, from input i've read this wont replace a live gathering, but is a good option to work with people remote.  i have heard you need to be relatively close to avoid lag, but thought it might be something for you.

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