Great lyrics, TIG. Our whole lives are moments in the grand scheme of things. Makes my head hurt at times, but as you have written, appreciating each one is so vital. Good song, and an important reminder.
1,827 2016-09-27 10:28:11
Re: MELTING (6 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Jandle wrote:
Thanks TF ............. i am not the best guitar player, mainly ukulele .......... but i would love to give this one a try at some stage. Are you going to perform it for us?
Not likely, Jandle. I've got some personal hang-ups about performing (long story), and don't have the gear for recording, either. I'd be delighted with whatever treatment you gave it, and am honored that you'd consider it.
1,828 2016-09-26 22:44:18
Topic: Retirement Home for Guitarists Joke (8 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
I head this Saturday evening, and am still laughing about it.
These two retired guitarists were sitting on the porch at the Old Folks Home. One of them had been a country & western guitarist for many decades (we'll call him CW), and the other one had an equally long career as a punk rock guitarist (we'll call him PR). They were trading stories about their lives, and also about how tired they'd gotten after touring and performing for so many years.
CW: "Yeah, it was a lot of work. After a while, most of the music just got tired sounding."
PR: "I hear ya. I just didn't have the energy to muster up all that anger any more."
CW: "I know. And I sure got tired of playing those same three chords all the time."
PR: "You mean there's three?"
1,829 2016-09-26 10:46:07
Re: Guild F2512e (6 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Congrats on your soon-to-be acquisition!
Guild's are well-known for the build quality, and that 12-string should have a big bright voice with the jumbo body, spruce top, and maple sides. I agree with the others, that the best case you can afford for it is the right one. Getting one with a jumbo body AND the extra length to accommodate the longer headstock is the challenge, but gator Cases is a good place to start. If the specs on Guild's site and Gator's site are exact, this one should fit:
http://www.gatorcases.com/p/16134-1556/gc-jumbo
Sweetwater and Musician's Friend are both listed as retailers for them, and these molded babies usually cost a couple hundred bucks. But a gorgeous guitar like that - especially since you'll be travelling with it - deserves to be well protected.
1,830 2016-09-24 11:25:27
Topic: Favorite Pink Floyd Era? (6 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
I got in a discussion with someone last evening, who felt that Pink Floyd never really matured until "Dark Side of the Moon", and the everything after Roger Waters left was rubbish. Aside of his discounting almost 3/4's of their entire repertoire, I vehemently disagreed. And then he really blew it, by citing commercial success as the main measuring stick. Some of the best music in history was written for much bigger reasons than just to make a buck ... grrrrr.
1) The early "Piper at the Gates of Dawn > More" years were foundational to their identity in pushing creative boundaries.
2) The "Umma Gumma > Obscured by Clouds" years built on this creativity, with theme-based compositions that are still land-mark favorites whenever played at concerts.
3) The "Dark Side of the Moon > The Wall" years were their best known and most commercially successful, but surely there's more to good music than this one criteria alone.
4) The "Final Cut > Division Bell" years, although made without Roger Waters, are (IMHO) just as good musically as anything done previously. And I offer this one track as evidence:
"On The Turning Away" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZLuDvN7W0c
So now I'm interested to hear what Chordian / Pink Floyd fans think? We likely won't all agree, but that's not really the issue, is it?
1,831 2016-09-24 10:58:32
Re: Thursday's Quirky Singer-Songwriters (66 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
mekidsmom wrote:
She won the competition!
Amazing kid! I didn't find anything new... crazy busy work lately, talking on the phone and all. So I haven't been able to just listen to music while working and find all these gems. When I get done with work, I close the laptop lid with such force and try not to look at the computer again until the next work our strikes! ha ha! Will hopefully be off the phones soon and back to my normal/normal. It can't come quick enough!
Thanks for the update, MKM ... glad there's some light at the end of your tunnel. I for one have missed your contributions, and can't wait to see your next one. Be good to yourself, okay? You work hard, and deserve some self-indulgence with your guitar and your own quiet company ... a soul needs that now and then.
1,832 2016-09-24 10:54:03
Re: transition to 12 string (20 replies, posted in Acoustic)
With all this discussion about the "tedium of tuning" (potential song title?) I'm grateful to have one with a built in tuner as part of the pickup system. Tuning is a real breeze with this handy little feature. Even one of those little $10 clip-on headstock tuners works well, and saves a lot of time.
1,833 2016-09-22 19:01:47
Re: another one needs a name (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
"Hope on the Horizon"
1,834 2016-09-22 18:54:46
Re: MELTING (6 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Jandle wrote:
TF ............ is this one open for others to try and perform their intrerpretation?
Hi Jandle ...
I'd be absolutely honoured if you applied your skills to this one.
1,835 2016-09-21 10:09:16
Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays (580 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Breathing Space "Hollow" Wolverhampton, 2010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1u8DMpiBac
This week's selection is from the "softer side of prog", featuring this group which is essentially an offshoot of Mostly Autumn. Olivia Sparnenn is in fine voice as always, and the lush groove at the outset is almost hypnotizing. This performance is from their 2010 "Below the Radar" 2-disk DVD.
1,836 2016-09-20 08:25:56
Re: Tuesday's Flying Fingers (474 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Callum Graham "Phoenix Rising" (original composition)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqn-7ZkYUYM
Another talented young man, who is carving out a solid reputation for himself in this genre. Lots of talent and energy here ... enjoy!
1,837 2016-09-20 08:19:44
Re: October Epiphone Contest (2 replies, posted in Electric)
dino48 wrote:
I will try thanks for the heads up. How come you and badeye are not in the football post. ( no Brady Bunch)?
Hahahaha ...
We "cut the cable" at our place several months ago, and are just streaming Netflix and CraveTV now. That means no live sports, so I haven't been following football or even soccer.
1,838 2016-09-19 18:24:34
Topic: MELTING (6 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Here's a poem and a chord / note progression to go along with it, i.e., a song in its infancy. The verse is played similar in style / speed to "Lucky Man" (Emerson, Lake and Palmer) and the chorus is a bit more aggressive.
Verse chords: Dsus2 / Cmaj7 / Fmaj7 / Bbmaj7
(the final chord is simply a Bb, with the bottom E muted, and the A and top E ringing open
Chorus: strum E - pick C-B-E - strum F / strum E - pick C-B-E - strum Gm
(some ad-lib picking and strumming patterns throughout to add color)
MELTING
Polar conditions have ruled so long,
Never found it easy to be wrong,
Not my intent, but hurting all along,
Hurting you …
Hurting me …
Never intended to sing a sad song.
CHORUS: A block of ice surrounds my heart
Afraid to feel, afraid to trust
Bottled and frozen so deep inside
Needs be melting, and melt it must.
Polar conditions, a synoptic forecast,
Cold and aloof, from damage past,
Too much more, sanity won't last,
Hurting you …
Hurting me …
Never intended even one icy blast.
CHORUS: A block of ice surrounds my heart
Afraid to feel, afraid to trust
Bottled and frozen so deep inside
Must be melting, and melt it must.
Polar conditions, climate change coming,
In all the right ways emotions now warming,
Joy and peace, hate and anger displacing,
Healing you …
Healing me …
Never dared dream, this cold heart melting.
CHORUS: A block of ice surrounds my heart
Afraid to feel, afraid to trust
Bottled and frozen so deep inside
Feel it melting, and melt it must.
The only thing I have to finalize is a melody for the lyrics, but that's close. It's been a long time since I actually tried to write a song, which will be readily apparent.
1,839 2016-09-19 13:21:59
Topic: October Epiphone Contest (2 replies, posted in Electric)
Someday, a Chordian is going to win one of these contests. I had to post this, because I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful hollow-body than this ... made my heart skip a few beats:
Here's the contest details, for anyone who wants to enter. If this was an "enter as often as you wish" contest, I'd take a week off work and submit entries until my computer crashed:
1,840 2016-09-19 10:21:32
Re: Seagull Guitars (11 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
What you say about the neck width & finger-picking is spot on, CG. When I sold my Larrivee D03 last year to buy the Cordoba, my main reason was neck width. I have rather large thick hands and fingers, and a normal neck is just too hard to play without dampening the strings on either side of the one I'm fretting. I did add a pickguard right away, just to protect the top against the pick. Sounds like a "Captain Obvious" statement, now that I've typed it.
1,841 2016-09-19 10:14:47
Re: How Often Do You Change Strings (9 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
That's quite an overhaul, Doug ... sounds like you're glad to have finished the process. If you don't mind my asking, what string gauge did you move from / to, and why? It's always interesting to hear another guitarist's views on things like this. Thanks!
1,842 2016-09-19 10:11:20
Re: My Kids 6th period (7 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
That's great that your kids have a school where the focus is on educating the whole person. Our Canadian school system is getting worse, where the pro-socialists are having an inordinate influence on the curriculum. More and more, our kids are being taught how to maximize their "publicly funded entitlements", and not how to be creative, productive people, who enjoy the benefits and sense of accomplishment that working provides.
1,843 2016-09-19 10:06:32
Re: NGD was Sunday! (17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Atta boy, Beamer ... nice looking axe, indeed!
From the first photo, it looks like your Tak has the same pickup-preamp system as mine ... quite good, I find. BTW, I love your acoustic / electric T-shirt ... very cool.
1,844 2016-09-18 13:46:15
Re: Jam Sunday (57 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Smooth stuff, BGD ... awesome selection. I'm loving Derek's finger-picking on the SG.
1,845 2016-09-18 13:44:58
Re: friday's blues fix (1,560 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Can't go wrong with more Sunnyland ... his fingers dance on the keys like Oscar Peterson's.
1,846 2016-09-17 23:22:01
Re: NGD was Sunday! (17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
beamer wrote:
Zurf wrote:beamer wrote:I don't know, the selections have not really. Inspired me that much , I keep looking though.
Metalize them. Acoustic metal folk. You could be a genre progenitor.
That reminds me, I heard a guy's music in a pub that I think you'd like. I should have paid him an extra $10 and picked up two of his CD's so I could send one to you. I didn't think that fast at the pub.
Gotta be able to play them first! LOL
This may inspire you, Beamer. Ben Woods describes his blend of flamenco-style / heavy-metal arrangements as "Flametal". Here's his version of "Holy Wars" by Megadeth:
1,847 2016-09-17 23:10:56
Re: Seagull Guitars (11 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
A guy I jam with has a Seagull S6 which he likes, and I have a LaPatrie classical ... both of which are part of the Godin group of Canadian guitar companies, based in Quebec.
My classical is an all-solid-wood model ("Concert") which only cost $450 new ... not bad for an all solid guitar. (http://www.lapatrieguitars.com/guitarsconcert.html) With a nice warm tone and "familiar-feeling" in the hands ... I would heartily recommend them. The steel-stringed Seagull necks are a little wider (1.8" at the nut) than standard (1.65") so with you being a classical guitarist, they may feel better to you than the narrower necks used on most steel string acoustics.
The only thing I don't like about Seagulls is the shape of their headstock. It's a matter of personal esthetics, but they look under-sized and just plain "goofy" to me.
1,848 2016-09-17 01:28:48
Re: Happy Birthday (15 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
"Party on, Per!" ... as my people would say. Thanks for a great site, from a happy user and participant.
1,849 2016-09-17 01:24:30
Re: How Often Do You Change Strings (9 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
I can generally get about 3-months out of a set of Elixir Nanowebs, which I use on my 6 and 12 string acoustics. Electrics about every 4-6 weeks, and classical about every 2 months. I was using the D'Addario EJ45's, but decided to try the RotoSound "Black & Silvers" recently. They sound good, but don't stay in tune as well as the D'Addarios do ... I'll be going back to them next change.
Sound is the main factor, and I don't like the sound of dead strings. New strings are a cheap fix to keep a guitar sounding bright, and having the sustain at it's best.
1,850 2016-09-14 08:03:08
Re: Prog Rock Wednesdays (580 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Jethro Tull "Heavy Horses" London, 1980
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVsmKNpEFQ
The title track from JT's 1978 album, during the "English folk song" era of the band's repertoire. The original album featured a string quartet, but they were unavailable for this tour, being on holiday in Blackpool (just kidding). Enlisting the considerable capabilities of Eddie Jobson, he added some nice keyboard / violin touches to this performance.
"But they're down to the few ...
And there's nothing to do ...
The tractor is on its way."
My late Grandfather grew up working in the woods, and these horses were how they hauled their logs out to the wood-burning, steam-powered sawmill. The entire industry back then ran without gasoline or diesel, and the big horses were the key to making it all work.
