|
Post by Hobson on Jan 13, 2018 13:40:44 GMT -5
I've taken a back door into playing regular gigs. And much of it is for seniors. Playing and singing with a community chorus means that I don't get to choose the music or the schedule. It also means that I don't have to choose the music or the schedule and usually don't need to bring my own sound equipment. Like Lar, I've seen people who seem to be totally out of it sing along.
As far as goals for 2018, I didn't think that I had any. Then I remembered that I had been feeling bad about slacking off on my song writing, not even feeling inspired. So I'm going to make more of an effort to write down lyrics when they come to me, record the snatches of tunes that come into my head, and spend time trying to develop all that into songs. That's really not specific enough to be called a goal, but it's a start.
|
|
|
Post by RickW on Jan 13, 2018 14:05:59 GMT -5
Welcome Randy, to our boisterous little community.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2018 14:55:55 GMT -5
I love playing for an audience. The question becomes is it for ego or the shared experience of audience and performer. I really like looking at the audience and seeing enjoyment in their faces, tapping feet are even better. But I also have an internal critic I have to please. So... it’s all a jumble. It’s fun, it’s ego syntonic, and it’s the pleasure of creating and doing it right. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Ego syntonic? I had to look that up. Good word! Maybe but I have an un-syntonic alter-ego that I must struggle with. Maybe we all do.
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Jan 13, 2018 15:02:55 GMT -5
Thank you, Bill. It was a pleasure to meet you. I wish we had had time for a longer chat. I have several Martins, a couple of Taylors, Gibsons, etc, but; that old Hagstrom plays as well as any guitar that I've ever had. I've been playing it for over 50 years. In larger venues, I use a Bose L1 system with two bass modules. I find that in that at Rondevous, that little ZT Lunchbox (200 watts) works perfectly. I use my Bose Tonematch mixer and run it into the the Lunchbox. It sounds pretty good in a small room, but; best of all, I carry it all in in one trip . I appreciate your kind words and the connection to The Soundhole. I hope our paths cross again. Randy What corner(s) of NC do you play in, Randy. I've got some friends who moved out that way. I'll tell them to look out for you.
|
|
|
Post by millring on Jan 13, 2018 17:07:18 GMT -5
Welcome Randy. I make it down to NC every November -- Sylva (Dillsboro). Maybe I can catch your act somewhere.
In other, goes-to-show-you-never-can-tell news: Just as I mentioned earlier in the thread the unlikelihood that I'd ever come across any local to play music with, today at the Goshen jam....
Larry plays bass. He hasn't played long, but he's got a good ear. He noticed that I don't always play the old-timey material "straight" (read: on some fiddle tunes I use the swing chord. I play minor chords, etc).
He asked if I'd stay a little longer and play some standards for him to practice over. Well, I started in on Misty and a guy who'd been playing VERY nice harmonica all morning pulled his harmonica back out, stepped over, and joined in.
He's Bob. Bob plays a chromatic harmonica and he plays it very well -- including, but not limited to playing up to speed on fiddle tunes.
If you were to ask me my favorite guitar pairings, without hesitation I would say guitar/fiddle guitar/mandolin and guitar/chromatic harmonica. Bob wants to continue to get together and see what we can do.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,920
|
Post by Dub on Jan 13, 2018 17:35:12 GMT -5
WOW -- Ego-Syntonic is a GREAT band name! Copyright that, if you can. Speaking of performing in public, Elderdottir, her hubby and I repaired this evening to the Rendezvous, an eatery connected to an old-school "motor lodge" that's a mere mile or so from their home. Rendezvous has the best fried chicken (and lots of other great stuff) I've ever consumed. It also has a cool vibe year-round, but is especially alive in motorcycling months, when it attracts scads of bikers en route to or from nearby Smoky Mountains National Park. It's in the little municipality of Maggie Valley, NC, home to the sprawling Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum, which, sadly, I was unable to visit this trip cuz it's closed for the season. So we got a table, sat down, and there was a gent on a wee "stage" doing a quick sound check with a small-body sunburst, a mike on a gooseneck and a tiny amp apparently handling both signals. He leans back and launches into "Mr. Bojangles" and the guitar sounds appropriately dry and wooden, and his voice hits both higher and lower notes with ease and obvious enjoyment, and he just strings together song after song, probably less time between tunes than between tracks of LPs of the eras he was covering. "Sixteen Tons," Lightfoot, lots of country standards from Willie and Don Williams and others, "Dock of the Bay," you name it. All done well and with no pretense and with the folks who were there basically to eat a meal quite entertained, especially once our table got a little applause going and everyone else started paying attention. Background music gigs in dining settings can be rough -- I've done a lot of them and you have read many an account from me when I have come home disgusted, usually about the venue, not the listeners. But this guy, Randy Flack, who gave me a pick with his name on it (great promotional idea!), seemed to have just the right approach -- not too serious, not kissing it off, not pandering to the audience. Just playing music he really liked, playing and singing it well and having some fun. I invited him to our village, and I hope he joins us. And that guitar? A Hagstrom, given to him at age 16 by his dad, and made in Sweden. Still crazed after all these years! Attaboy, Randy! Jump in the pool! Thank you, Bill. It was a pleasure to meet you. I wish we had had time for a longer chat. I have several Martins, a couple of Taylors, Gibsons, etc, but; that old Hagstrom plays as well as any guitar that I've ever had. I've been playing it for over 50 years. In larger venues, I use a Bose L1 system with two bass modules. I find that in that at Rondevous, that little ZT Lunchbox (200 watts) works perfectly. I use my Bose Tonematch mixer and run it into the the Lunchbox. It sounds pretty good in a small room, but; best of all, I carry it all in in one trip . I appreciate your kind words and the connection to The Soundhole. I hope our paths cross again. Randy So… something like this?
|
|
|
Post by Village Idiot on Jan 13, 2018 17:50:39 GMT -5
Nice! Welcome to the forum, Randy!
|
|
|
Post by amanajoe on Jan 13, 2018 20:35:58 GMT -5
WOW -- Ego-Syntonic is a GREAT band name! Copyright that, if you can. Speaking of performing in public, Elderdottir, her hubby and I repaired this evening to the Rendezvous, an eatery connected to an old-school "motor lodge" that's a mere mile or so from their home. Rendezvous has the best fried chicken (and lots of other great stuff) I've ever consumed. It also has a cool vibe year-round, but is especially alive in motorcycling months, when it attracts scads of bikers en route to or from nearby Smoky Mountains National Park. It's in the little municipality of Maggie Valley, NC, home to the sprawling Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum, which, sadly, I was unable to visit this trip cuz it's closed for the season. So we got a table, sat down, and there was a gent on a wee "stage" doing a quick sound check with a small-body sunburst, a mike on a gooseneck and a tiny amp apparently handling both signals. He leans back and launches into "Mr. Bojangles" and the guitar sounds appropriately dry and wooden, and his voice hits both higher and lower notes with ease and obvious enjoyment, and he just strings together song after song, probably less time between tunes than between tracks of LPs of the eras he was covering. "Sixteen Tons," Lightfoot, lots of country standards from Willie and Don Williams and others, "Dock of the Bay," you name it. All done well and with no pretense and with the folks who were there basically to eat a meal quite entertained, especially once our table got a little applause going and everyone else started paying attention. Background music gigs in dining settings can be rough -- I've done a lot of them and you have read many an account from me when I have come home disgusted, usually about the venue, not the listeners. But this guy, Randy Flack, who gave me a pick with his name on it (great promotional idea!), seemed to have just the right approach -- not too serious, not kissing it off, not pandering to the audience. Just playing music he really liked, playing and singing it well and having some fun. I invited him to our village, and I hope he joins us. And that guitar? A Hagstrom, given to him at age 16 by his dad, and made in Sweden. Still crazed after all these years! Attaboy, Randy! Jump in the pool! Thank you, Bill. It was a pleasure to meet you. I wish we had had time for a longer chat. I have several Martins, a couple of Taylors, Gibsons, etc, but; that old Hagstrom plays as well as any guitar that I've ever had. I've been playing it for over 50 years. In larger venues, I use a Bose L1 system with two bass modules. I find that in that at Rondevous, that little ZT Lunchbox (200 watts) works perfectly. I use my Bose Tonematch mixer and run it into the the Lunchbox. It sounds pretty good in a small room, but; best of all, I carry it all in in one trip . I appreciate your kind words and the connection to The Soundhole. I hope our paths cross again. Randy Randy, welcome. You may be cussing Mr. Hammond for introducing you to us in the future, but for now, remember, everybody seems nice until you get to know them.
|
|
Tamarack
Administrator
Ancient Citizen
Posts: 9,390
|
Post by Tamarack on Jan 13, 2018 23:00:46 GMT -5
Welcome Randy! Did Bill tell you to make plans for a trip to Iowa in September?
Millring -- I hope you have many fine jam sessions with Bob. The chromatic harmonica is a baffling contraption.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,920
|
Post by Dub on Jan 13, 2018 23:07:01 GMT -5
… The chromatic harmonica is a baffling contraption. Heh. Engineering humor.
|
|
|
Post by Resolve on Jan 14, 2018 10:58:42 GMT -5
Success! My friend and I have a gig at The Mason Jar, a local restaurant, on the 27th. This could turn into a monthly gig, which suits my schedule perfectly. That’s exciting news!! 👍😁
|
|