OT: All purpose Music thread

[Micklebot]

I didn't know about iReal Pro; looks really interesting!

Agreed, that does look like a cool app,

 

[Big Muddy]

I didn't know about iReal Pro; looks really interesting!

Its a fantastic tool for practicing. It’s like having a back-up band at your disposal. You can loop any section of the song you select. You can change the key (it will automatically regenerate the chords for that key), the tempo, the rhythm and the instruments.

They have thousands of backing tracks for a wide genre of songs. You can edit an existing song, or create a new one.

I’ve used it for years and have mentioned it in here a few times. I use it pretty much every day. It cost $18 (when I bought it).

 

[Micklebot]

No to all options.

 

[Relapsing]

Been playing guitar for over 25 years now, singing for longer. Mostly for myself these days, I tend to focus on lean covers of songs, and dabble in writing but rarely finish a song. Started self-learning the piano last year which has been fun. Would love to sit down a learn some more classical instruments at some point.

My apartment is littered with gear: Ibanez Artcore, Norman Acoustic, a shitbox Applause I screw around modifying, Washburn Maverick series, my buddies American Strat (on long-term loan while he's off in Europe), and two banjos I inherited from my Grandfather. He also left me two Sure SM-58's (one currently relegated to being my computer recording/zoom meeting mic) and a few other bits and bobs.

Music tastes change with the wind, the only constant being I really don't enjoy modern country at all. I've been working on some covers of modern pop songs - I'll admit to having a thing for covering songs sung by women, mostly because I think the contrast leads to fun covers. A bearded guy hitting a falsetto on a song like Bed Chem or Please Please Please just makes me laugh a little every time.

Lately I've been playing a lot of songs by Canadian musicians. John K Samson is (IMO) a top 5 Canadian singer-songwriter, and belting out tunes like "Fantasy Baseball at the End of the World", "17th St Treatment Centre" and "iPetition" feels cathartic now in ways they didn't before.

I really need to get back to jamming with friends though. I rely a lot on Audiation when playing solo stuff, probably too much, and I'd like more opportunity to compose actual backing instrumentation vs just hearing it in my head.

As for concerts? The absolute, hands-down best show I've been to in the last decade was Feist at the NAC for her Multitudes tour during Covid. I can confidently say that was a singular experience. We were walked through the NAC backstage, past dressing rooms and headshots of performers, to enter onto the stage with the curtains drawn. Chairs arranged in circles around a small stage to find Feist re-writing the songs she was to sing. Extra musicians walked on from their seats in the crowd. Live video was being projected onto either side of the stage that created infinite delayed reflections of her performance. The show culminated in her tossing the curtains open to an empty Hall. You could hear the applause of an audience not there, celebrating this shared experience as she played her final song, only for her to run off through the hall to leave us all wandering on-stage to try and digest what was part concert, part performative art piece.

Best concert money I've ever spent.

 

[thinkwild]

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Is that Joe Bonamassa? Quite the collection. Makes my measly 3 guitars seem sad. Love his studio version of Deep Purples Lazy. When i was a teenager i was really into southern rock and blues. Still am but love jazz a lot more too. Like Relapsing, i have been following a lot more women musicians. Maybe because when i was young they seemed so rare. Love these women's take on a jazz classic.

 

[Micklebot]

Is that Joe Bonamassa? Quite the collection. Makes my measly 3 guitars seem sad. Love his studio version of Deep Purples Lazy. When i was a teenager i was really into southern rock and blues. Still am but love jazz a lot more too. Like Relapsing, i have been following a lot more women musicians. Maybe because when i was young they seemed so rare. Love these women's take on a jazz classic.

First one is Steve Vai, second one is indeed Joe Bonamassa.

 

[thinkwild]

Steve Vai, havent heard that name in a while. Now i guess this is perhaps an example of chord-melody?

 

[Big Muddy]

Steve Vai, havent heard that name in a while. Now i guess this is perhaps an example of chord-melody?

Nope.

See posts # 65, 66 & 72 for examples. The tab and/or sheet music is even in the video so you can see how the melody is woven into the chords (and vice versa).

A lot of the melody notes are played while holding the shape of the chord. The melody notes could be the notes that comprise the chord, or can be played by holding the shape of the chord but also just by moving just one finger to a note that is not part of the chord. Thought I’d mention that as it might make it clearer what chord-melody is, or is not. I would say its very seldom I’ve seen a rock guitarist play a chord-melody as well in case that helps as well.

 

[Cosmix]

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Heaven!

 

[slamigo]

Saw Jack White in Toronto in February. Then I ordered his new Triplecaster. It should arrive next month.
My wife is saying that we've run out of wall space and I will have to go to a 1 in, 1 out rule soon. Lol
I also have about 60 pedals that sit on the wall and collect dust. Some are collectible. Some are just regular pedals. Lots of Fuzz pedals. I'll get a new pedal, play it for 20 minutes and then put it on the wall and forget about it.
And I play 98% of the time unplugged while sitting on the couch watching TV. Mindless noodling that improves no skills whatsoever.

 

[Stylizer1]

Any beat makers here?

 

[Micklebot]

Saw Jack White in Toronto in February. Then I ordered his new Triplecaster. It should arrive next month.
My wife is saying that we've run out of wall space and I will have to go to a 1 in, 1 out rule soon. Lol
I also have about 60 pedals that sit on the wall and collect dust. Some are collectible. Some are just regular pedals. Lots of Fuzz pedals. I'll get a new pedal, play it for 20 minutes and then put it on the wall and forget about it.
And I play 98% of the time unplugged while sitting on the couch watching TV. Mindless noodling that improves no skills whatsoever.

I started building my own pedals to keep costs down and make me work a little for it.. here's a couple examples

 

[Relapsing]

I started building my own pedals to keep costs down and make me work a little for it.. here's a couple examplesView attachment 1008578

Thats super cool man. Deeply appreciate the Muppets graphics.

How is the build process? Are you buying kits or assembling your own components? I've always wanted to give that a go

 

[Micklebot]

Thats super cool man. Deeply appreciate the Muppets graphics.

How is the build process? Are you buying kits or assembling your own components? I've always wanted to give that a go

Thanks,

I haven't ever bought a kit, I typically bought a printed PCB for a pedal and sourced my own components but I've also done some from scratch using prototype board, both pad per hole and strip board.

Printed PCBs are far easier to start with, unless you are doing something really simple, but it's easier to mod a schematic with project board.

It's not super hard if you have steady hands and good eyesight, you can mitigate issues with the later by using a magnifying glass. Where it can be a bit frustrating is troubleshooting an issue, but if you take your time hopefully you won't have to do too much of that.

Ottawa actually has a really good local place to get parts, NextGen off Merivale, Tayda is another good option if you're willing to wait for shipping. Pedalpcb is a great place to get PCBs for a whole lot of pedals.

The graphics are waterslide decals, but if your proficient with Adobe illustrator Tayda has a UV printing service if you buy the enclosure there, I've never tried it myself.

 

[Stylizer1]

I started building my own pedals to keep costs down and make me work a little for it.. here's a couple examplesView attachment 1008578

No animal?

 

[Micklebot]

No animal?

I do have an animal one, just didn't have a picture handy, maybe tomorrow.

 

[Relapsing]

Thanks,

I haven't ever bought a kit, I typically bought a printed PCB for a pedal and sourced my own components but I've also done some from scratch using prototype board, both pad per hole and strip board.

Printed PCBs are far easier to start with, unless you are doing something really simple, but it's easier to mod a schematic with project board.

It's not super hard if you have steady hands and good eyesight, you can mitigate issues with the later by using a magnifying glass. Where it can be a bit frustrating is troubleshooting an issue, but if you take your time hopefully you won't have to do too much of that.

Ottawa actually has a really good local place to get parts, NextGen off Merivale, Tayda is another good option if you're willing to wait for shipping. Pedalpcb is a great place to get PCBs for a whole lot of pedals.

The graphics are waterslide decals, but if your proficient with Adobe illustrator Tayda has a UV printing service if you buy the enclosure there, I've never tried it myself.

This is an awesome response, thank you. Definitely gonna check out nextgen. Start with something simple and go from there.

This may have unlocked a new hobby.