• From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Topic: Thanksgiving Eve

It's pretty traditional for some folks to go out to the local bar on the night before Thanksgiving.  Why not?  Any reason for a few beers and good music works!  I think it's more of a thing for the freshly 21 crowd visiting their parents from college.  This was actually my FIRST Thanksgiving Eve ever out.  I generally want to sleep since I have to do a lot of cooking the next day... that and babysitters aren't around too much... but since my son turned 13, I've been blessed with a live in sitter for the two littler ones!  So, my husband and I went out to the local bar last night and were amused and awed by a very nice performance.  In the corner sat two large speakers, a mic on a stand, some electrical doohickies on the floor, and an elecrto-acoustic leaning on the wall.  We really weren't sure what to expect.  Was this going to be a one man band or was everything just not quite set up yet?  Indeed, it was a one man band.  So as we were listening we both kinda went... "awe... I wish those one man deals would just play the acoustic rather than bring in all that pre-recorded background music".  It sounded good... but... when it's just one guy ya know...  and we were debating over if he was really good or  just kinda good.  He had a very nice voice.  And then, I started actually WATCHING him and looking around as it seemed he really didn't have "enough" equipment to have brought in all that pre-recorded stuff.  Sure enough... he didn't, he wasn't.  And here is where my opinion of this "one man band" turned from "alright" to pretty darn awesome.  Via his guitar and those electric doohickies on the floor he was actually "recording" his background music RIGHT there before EACH song!  Yep... he'd tap something with is foot and pound out a bass beat, then he'd tap again and play a bass riff, then he'd tap again and mute all his strings to get another drum beat, and another tap and add in some chord strumming, one more tap and it was all going at once.  Then... he just sang his little heart out and played along to his very own freshly "recorded" background all the while tapping here and there on the electric doohickies on the floor to stop the beat, start it back up, change his voice to sound techno... he was a VERY busy little man! 

I must say, I felt like a jerk for being annoyed when we first walked in.  This man truly has some talent!  It sounded awesome especially when you put all this into consideration! I have to wonder however, how much he was really ENJOYING his own music as he just seemed way too busy ... plus, my husband and I both wanted to run up to him and tighten his guitar strap as he kept fidgeting with it the entire night.  All in all tho... it was pretty cool to see this type of performance live in action in our little tiny town!

Anyone ever see anything quite like this before?

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • wlbaye
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

I love watching one man shows , I am sure  what you witnessed was a man using a looping pedal with bass and drum effects.
Some folks here are really down on drum machines and drum and bass effects but feel if you are using a looping pedal and build all your own loops out of your own instruments it's ok.
I personally don't like looping and prefer to have a bass player if needed. I always think it's cool when one man can sound great with just a guitar or piano without alot of gadjets.

Thanks for the nice post smile

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Hi Mekidsmom,

  K T Tunstall uses a loop pedal a lot, Southpaw41L I think does, and Russell is getting to know his way around the one he bought recently.  But I have to wonder like you, if it is as enjoyable to the performer as sitting around with a couple friends working it out on the fly.  I regularly play with another person, Dos Hombres... literally translated; "Two Guys",  just two guys sitting around making music.  Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't.... but always good for a chuckle.

Take Care;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • wlbaye
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Heya Doug,

I know Southpaw is high on loopers and Jerome is also .  I like the spontaneity of things just jammin . I don't like alot of electronic gadjets but to each his own. It sure is fun when you can jam with a someone you know and really have some fun .
I wish you weren't so darn far away I would like to try "Tres Hombres" smile

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Hey Wayne you'd always be welcome, and there is always a spare chair sitting around when we're making music!

Here's an example of that "magic" I was referring to... although any resemblance to my name-sake is purely physical, THAT Doug Smith is much better than I could hope to be.... but we are trying!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=46USUR7shNw&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh+div-HM

Enjoy

Regards;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Very nice Doug!  Thanks for sharing!  Yeah... it was impressive that whole loop pedal thing, but he was just soooo busy working all that.  I enjoyed listening and all the other drunks in there did too (lol), some were even dancing along... but I personally would rather sit around a fire or on the couch and just play it out without all the fancy doohickies!  Now don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to get an electro-acoustic someday... but all that work... ugh

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Hi Mekidsmom,

  OK I play acoustic /electric, but mostly because in a performance environment it is easier to just plug in and have the freedom to move around rather than be glued to that one spot in front of a microphone where your instrument sounds best.  You are thinking about an A/E guitar, but if you have a guitar that you like and it fits you... you don't have to replace it, just have a set of Hot Spots installed.  I stuck a set of piezoelectrics into my friend Jeff's Taylor awhile back and it sounds great.  No pre-amp, and no major surgery involved, just three little pickups superglued under the bridge between each pair of strings and drilling out the strap pin hole for a plug/pin.  The kit only cost about $85.00 three years ago.

Just a thought.... it's close to Christmas!?!  But then you'll want an Amp to go with.... something to rattle the neighbors windows!  Rock On Mom!!

Take Care;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Dear mekidsmom, I completely agree with you regarding keeping it simple and just playing the darn song without doing the one man band thing.
Around a campfire or a living room pickers circle, one voice and one guitar is the best for me.
However when the crowd exceeds 12 or so and the loud talking begins, the entertainer is forced to back up to a stage and use amplification.
Once you bring in the electronics, the loss of intimacy tempts us to compensate by using loopers, backing tracks and sadly, waay too much volume. This can be overdone and empty a room fast. A tasteful performance can light 'em up and even get them dancing.
One can only hope that investing in all that expensive equipment really helps the player to achieve his dreams and add to the entertainment.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Thanksgiving Eve

Doug, that's a good idea.  Tho... my hubby is due for a new guitar before I get anything else new, and I don't think I really have a need for one yet (an elec/acoust)... like you said, unless you're playing for others in a louder setting it's just not really a necessity.  I hope to purchase a nicer classical and maybe a steel string down the road.  That'll probably be well before considering going electric.  I do like the thought tho of making my guitar a hybrid however!

One can only hope that investing in all that expensive equipment really helps the player to achieve his dreams and add to the entertainment.

Wholeheartedly agreed!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website