The J-45s - here we go

[PrairieDog]

50 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

Right. They aren’t live either. Most people don’t have a clue about Compression, EQ & FX. These types of You Tubes are great but aren’t true accurate Live presentations. A great Mix can make just about anything sound great.

The video is not about making the instruments “sound great” it’s about showing the differences between them.  So, as I said before, presuming each one is played through the similar set up, we are just hearing how they sound compared to each other.  

Edited August 11 by PrairieDog

[Sgt. Pepper]

3 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

The video is not about making the instruments “sound great” it’s about showing the differences between them.  So, as I said before, presuming each one is played through the similar set up, we are just hearing how they sound compared to each other.  

On YT clips through lap top or phone speakers is where I do all my serious music listening. The low fidelity is unparalleled. My Polk Audio tower speakers are just no match.

Edited August 11 by Sgt. Pepper

[Larsongs]

I only point out that Videos like this, & many others, have been processed so buyers expecting their new $3000.00 + Guitars to sound just like that when you get them home, but don’t,  aren’t disappointed or feel they got a bad Instrument or have been duped.

I like those kinds of You Tubes because they do show their capabilities.

In addition seek You Tubes where you see other Sound situations including a guy in a room recording live on an IPhone. No Studio techniques added. 

[E-minor7]

22 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I only point out that Videos like this, & many others, have been processed so buyers expecting their new $3000.00 + Guitars to sound just like that when you get them home, but don’t,  aren’t disappointed or feel they got a bad Instrument or have been duped.

I like those kinds of You Tubes because they do show their capabilities.

In addition seek You Tubes where you see other Sound situations including a guy in a room recording live on an IPhone. No Studio techniques added. 

It's a combined ocean/jungle out there. One have to learn to add or subtract - a little or maybe more.                                                                   Else just drop watching/listening.  

Up till a couple of years ago the majority of tests from Japan sounded brittle and sharp.  Well, maybe it expressed their taste and acoustic dreams at the time - had nothing to do with the actual guitars though. 

Recipe is to check as many films as possible in the cans - then conclude some sort of 'circle'.                                                                      Somewhere in there the right choice shall be made. Long distance bargains are always a gamble. 

[MissouriPicker]

On 8/8/2024 at 3:40 PM, Red 333 said:

I wish I could play like that guy! They all sounded good in his hands! I always get a kick when a really good player comes over and plays one of mine and I can hear all the potential I'm not skilled enough to unlock. Maybe one day...

Especially loved the Legend. 

Red 333

Get over it, Red!  That feeling can haunt you for decades….lol

[fortyearspickn]

I use to ask “Why can’t I play that well?”   after viewing most every video.  Didn’t like the answers that I kept giving myself.     So I started looking at how much I’ve improved.  Since the kids moved out, since I retired, since I got my dream guitar, etc.  Compare myself to myself. Not to the equivalent of a Gold Medal winner in the Olympics. 

[E-minor7]

1 minute ago, fortyearspickn said:

I use to ask “Why can’t I play that well?”   after viewing most every video.  Didn’t like the answers that I kept giving myself.     So I started looking at how much I’ve improved.  Since the kids moved out, since I retired, since I got my dream guitar, etc.  Compare myself to myself. Not to the equivalent of a Gold Medal winner in the Olympics. 

Way to go ^ every musician no matter what level will have the feeling of bein' behind someone or some ambition. 

I'm sure Pat Metheny is climbing up'n'down his personal scale too. . 

[BoSoxBiker]

12 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

I use to ask “Why can’t I play that well?”   after viewing most every video.  Didn’t like the answers that I kept giving myself.     So I started looking at how much I’ve improved.  Since the kids moved out, since I retired, since I got my dream guitar, etc.  Compare myself to myself. Not to the equivalent of a Gold Medal winner in the Olympics. 

I've always felt my improvement to be slow, and it very well might be. Still, I plunder on. Without fail, 3-6 months pass and the difficult songs have became easier and another round of impossible songs became possible. 

Along with the sings improvement are some more generic goals. Trying to perform rather than recite is one example. I made and am still making an effort to migrate away from campfire strummyland. Instead, I'm trying to capture more of the essence of a song's original nature. Even adding some riffs here and there as my Arthitic knuckles will allow. Expanding from my favorite genre range into other areas. Going way above my head in terms of guitar playing and singing is a big part of that. 

I didn't really feel what some folks when the spoke of the journey and the need to enjoy it. I do now. Always having something to learn and improve upon is one of the coolest parts of playing for me.

[PrairieDog]

Some thoughts on singing and getting comfortable with it.  Some experience here, as I’ve always been  more a vocalist over a guitar player.  

The biggest thing to get over is to really internalize, “Your voice is OKAY!”   It is you.  We don’t worry about our speaking voices, right?  

Singing  is really just speaking with more breath, openness, and enhanced inflections.  So, we have to train ourselves to stop self-judging.  It’s not just mentally hurtful, but physiologically impacts your singing apparatus.  The internal critic makes us anxious, which tightens up our cords and makes us croak, perpetuating a vicious cycle.  

The second thing is to fall into sending out the song, not the singing.  

Again, when you are telling a buddy a story, you aren’t worried about your tone, pitch, or where to land a break. We naturally focus on moving the story forward and accenting the highlights/punchline/pathos.  

It’s the same with singing. You are truly only saying something you think is important, fun, poignant, emotional.  

Folks get into their head when they start to sing, worrying, “how do I sound, am I on pitch, here comes that tricky high bit again….” All that distraction just breaks and tightens the natural flow of air through your larynx.  The song becomes just a slave vehicle to “am I singing good” anxiety.  

Relaxing and having fun in the moment when singing will do more for your tone than years of vocal coaching.  

A decent singer, I was still always “studied,” and tight, because I was “trying” to “sing.” Every performance was a nightmare in nerves and fright, and self-recriminations over every mistake that truly most people didn’t even notice (Though, 45 years later I still cringe and sweat over choking on a five note climatic passage I was carrying during a performance with a professional orchestra in front of a famous conductor who wrote the piece.  That one folks noticed, chuckle).  

Anyway, life stuff happened and I finally just let it all go.  I decided I was never going to be “good enough.” 

So now I’m an old coot, and I have no aspirations, chuckle.  Some years back I was getting into traditional/roots music and there happened to be a regular gathering of trad singers at a local pub.   No instruments allowed, just a small group of folks sharing old songs.  

It was exactly what I needed to hear. The veil was lifted, and I suddenly “got” what my vocal coaches were saying.  “Just let your voice out.”  “Don’t worry, let the song come.”

Here were honest, natural voices, some melodic, some croaky, some off pitch,  some forgotten words, just a group of people sharing songs, and everyone having a ball.  These were some of the best performances I’ve heard.  Not an Eric Clapton or Celine Dion in the bunch.  Just sheer joy and enthusiasm in singing a song.  One centenarian was so committed to his songs, he would have us in tears over some ballad, even though we could barely hear him, and he rarely ended up the song in the same key he started in.  

What I’m trying to say, is there will be something very good even in being what you think is “bad” if you commit yourself to the song, not the delivery. 

Yes, opening your mouth, giving yourself ample breath, and singing as if the sound is coming from the bottom your pelvis will only help, but nothing conveys a beautiful sound more than commitment and joy in what you are doing.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 15 by PrairieDog

[MissouriPicker]

3 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Some thoughts on singing and getting comfortable with it.  Some experience here, as I’ve always been  more a vocalist over a guitar player.  

The biggest thing to get over is to really internalize, “Your voice is OKAY!”   It is you.  We don’t worry about our speaking voices, right?  

Singing  is really just speaking with more breath, openness, and enhanced inflections.  So, we have to train ourselves to stop self-judging.  It’s not just mentally hurtful, but physiologically impacts your singing apparatus.  The internal critic makes us anxious, which tightens up our cords and makes us croak, perpetuating a vicious cycle.  

The second thing is to fall into sending out the song, not the singing.  

Again, when you are telling a buddy a story, you aren’t worried about your tone, pitch, or where to land a break. We naturally focus on moving the story forward and accenting the highlights/punchline/pathos.  

It’s the same with singing. You are truly only saying something you think is important, fun, poignant, emotional.  

Folks get into their head when they start to sing, worrying, “how do I sound, am I on pitch, here comes that tricky high bit again….” All that distraction just breaks and tightens the natural flow of air through your larynx.  The song becomes just a slave vehicle to “am I singing good” anxiety.  

Relaxing and having fun in the moment when singing will do more for your tone than years of vocal coaching.  

A decent singer, I was still always “studied,” and tight, because I was “trying” to “sing.” Every performance was a nightmare in nerves and fright, and self-recriminations over every mistake that truly most people didn’t even notice (Though, 45 years later I still cringe and sweat over choking on a five note climatic passage I was carrying during a performance with a professional orchestra in front of a famous conductor who wrote the piece.  That one folks noticed, chuckle).  

Anyway, life stuff happened and I finally just let it all go.  I decided I was never going to be “good enough.” 

So now I’m an old coot, and I have no aspirations, chuckle.  Some years back I was getting into traditional/roots music and there happened to be a regular gathering of trad singers at a local pub.   No instruments allowed, just a small group of folks sharing old songs.  

It was exactly what I needed to hear. The veil was lifted, and I suddenly “got” what my vocal coaches were saying.  “Just let your voice out.”  “Don’t worry, let the song come.”

Here were honest, natural voices, some melodic, some croaky, some off pitch,  some forgotten words, just a group of people sharing songs, and everyone having a ball.  These were some of the best performances I’ve heard.  Not an Eric Clapton or Celine Dion in the bunch.  Just sheer joy and enthusiasm in singing a song.  One centenarian was so committed to his songs, he would have us in tears over some ballad, even though we could barely hear him, and he rarely ended up the song in the same key he started in.  

What I’m trying to say, is there will be something very good even in being what you think is “bad” if you commit yourself to the song, not the delivery. 

Yes, opening your mouth, giving yourself ample breath, and singing as if the sound is coming from the bottom your pelvis will only help, but nothing conveys a beautiful sound more than commitment and joy in what you are doing.  

 

 

 

 

 

You nailed it, my friend!

[E-minor7]

9 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Some thoughts on singing and getting comfortable with it.  Some experience here, as I’ve always been  more a vocalist over a guitar player.  

The biggest thing to get over is to really internalize, “Your voice is OKAY!”   It is you.  We don’t worry about our speaking voices, right?  

Singing  is really just speaking with more breath, openness, and enhanced inflections.  So, we have to train ourselves to stop self-judging.  It’s not just mentally hurtful, but physiologically impacts your singing apparatus.  The internal critic makes us anxious, which tightens up our cords and makes us croak, perpetuating a vicious cycle.  

The second thing is to fall into sending out the song, not the singing.  

Again, when you are telling a buddy a story, you aren’t worried about your tone, pitch, or where to land a break. We naturally focus on moving the story forward and accenting the highlights/punchline/pathos.  

It’s the same with singing. You are truly only saying something you think is important, fun, poignant, emotional.  

Folks get into their head when they start to sing, worrying, “how do I sound, am I on pitch, here comes that tricky high bit again….” All that distraction just breaks and tightens the natural flow of air through your larynx.  The song becomes just a slave vehicle to “am I singing good” anxiety.  

Relaxing and having fun in the moment when singing will do more for your tone than years of vocal coaching.  

A decent singer, I was still always “studied,” and tight, because I was “trying” to “sing.” Every performance was a nightmare in nerves and fright, and self-recriminations over every mistake that truly most people didn’t even notice (Though, 45 years later I still cringe and sweat over choking on a five note climatic passage I was carrying during a performance with a professional orchestra in front of a famous conductor who wrote the piece.  That one folks noticed, chuckle).  

Anyway, life stuff happened and I finally just let it all go.  I decided I was never going to be “good enough.” 

So now I’m an old coot, and I have no aspirations, chuckle.  Some years back I was getting into traditional/roots music and there happened to be a regular gathering of trad singers at a local pub.   No instruments allowed, just a small group of folks sharing old songs.  

It was exactly what I needed to hear. The veil was lifted, and I suddenly “got” what my vocal coaches were saying.  “Just let your voice out.”  “Don’t worry, let the song come.”

Here were honest, natural voices, some melodic, some croaky, some off pitch,  some forgotten words, just a group of people sharing songs, and everyone having a ball.  These were some of the best performances I’ve heard.  Not an Eric Clapton or Celine Dion in the bunch.  Just sheer joy and enthusiasm in singing a song.  One centenarian was so committed to his songs, he would have us in tears over some ballad, even though we could barely hear him, and he rarely ended up the song in the same key he started in.  

What I’m trying to say, is there will be something very good even in being what you think is “bad” if you commit yourself to the song, not the delivery. 

Yes, opening your mouth, giving yourself ample breath, and singing as if the sound is coming from the bottom your pelvis will only help, but nothing conveys a beautiful sound more than commitment and joy in what you are doing.  

Thanx for sharing these thoughts and memories. Important stuff in all facets. 

9 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

 One centenarian was so committed to his songs, he would have us in tears over some ballad, even though we could barely hear him, and he rarely ended up the song in the same key he started in.  

Would be curious about hearing this guy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Sure sounds transcendental. 

[PrairieDog]

20 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

Thanx for sharing these thoughts and memories. Important stuff in all facets. 

Would be curious about hearing this guy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Sure sounds transcendental. 

Thanks, I wish I could remember his name.  I recall he had been a music history professor at some college at one time. He was just a tiny slip of a fellow when I met him, and just the most gracious gentleman. 

Edited August 15 by PrairieDog

[brainmullet]

On 8/7/2024 at 4:10 PM, Dave F said:

What in the hurl is a 1930 J45 Banner (2017)?

Although mine is not labelled as such, my J-45 Banner (2017) also has a 30s burst.  I believe it was custom ordered by the Chicago Music Exchange as a Limited Edition.  I am the second owner.  I prefer the 30s style burst but didn't want a J-35.  This might be the best of both worlds.

[MorristownSal]

Helluva good post Prairie Dog.

[PrairieDog]

54 minutes ago, MorristownSal said:

Helluva good post Prairie Dog.

On 8/15/2024 at 11:17 AM, MissouriPicker said:

You nailed it, my friend!

 🙂 Thanks, guys.