Topic: Church Bells

[frankie]

It's not the one you think - by Kid Prince Moore.  I haven't listened to the original since before my daughter was born, and I think I've subsequently changed just about everything about the accompaniment.  Recorded it after a crummy day at work.

[uncle bud]

Recorded it after a crummy day at work.

Shit, Frank, that's just plain wonderful. You need some more crummy days at work. Time to make that damn CD like John said.

I notice the kids aren't squealin' as much as a couple years back in Samson and Delilah. 

What a great song. I hadn't heard it before.

[frankie]

I notice the kids aren't squealin' as much as a couple years back in Samson and Delilah.?

Yeah - my son was otherwise occupied, or else you might have been surprised how loud they can get for such small gromits.  My daughter is still young enough to think it's cool when I play guitar.

What a great song. I hadn't heard it before.

I guess you could say he's pretty obscure - penned a few other tunes like 'Bug Juice Blues'.  It's all on vinyl, and on my 'to do' list for transfer to CD.  I dunno if 'Bug Juice Blues' is a particulary great tune - all I remember about it is the line "I love my bug juice", which makes me want to play it...

[waxwing]

Man, Ramblin' Frank, that is fine! You're gonna have that one smokin' for Coatesville. I love those runs in the middle of a vocal phrase, and that double bend on "Kno-ow". Great arrangement. Works great with your voice. Soulful.
This Back Porch is rockin'. I gotta figure out my recording situation so's I can contribute. Unfortunately this Mac Cube only has a video card and no sound input jacks. I'm gonna have to get some kinda interface, like an M-box or some such, and a small mixer, maybe, I don't know, but my current financial status is holdin' me back. I might be able to record some stuff at a friend's house.
You guys are all puttin' up some good stuff.
All for now.
John C.

[uncle bud]

I guess you could say he's pretty obscure - penned a few other tunes like 'Bug Juice Blues'.? It's all on vinyl, and on my 'to do' list for transfer to CD.? I dunno if 'Bug Juice Blues' is a particulary great tune - all I remember about it is the line "I love my bug juice", which makes me want to play it...

Yes, I have Bug Juice Blues on the Columbia Booze and the Blues compilation (a good one of theirs). It's a cool tune, but this is on a whole nuther level.

[frankie]

You're gonna have that one smokin' for Coatesville.

Thanks John - it used to be a staple in the tunes I'd play during gigs.  Haven't played it in ages.  I'm glad you like the way the vocal works with the guitar - that's one of the most important things to me.  I don't have such a good voice, but I like to try and include it in the whole musical picture, not just slap it on top of some arbitrary arrangement.  Sometimes it works out and sometimes not.  Been working on some Furry Lewis stuff - it's completely amazing to me that he can sing at all in addition to what he's playing.  Jeez!

[Slack]

Wow.  Frank you put the rest of us slobs to shame!  I am unfamiliar with this tune also and agree with the sentiments expressed, very soulful - you need to do a CD.  My spouse walked by paused and listened for awhile and was very surprised when I told her this was a weenie - she thought it was one of the "old dudes"... ha. 

Very, very nice...

Agree with you on Furry Lewis stuff, I can get the guitar parts, but singing on top - ayee - if anyone can do it you can.

cheers,

[frankie]

My spouse walked by paused and listened for awhile and was very surprised when I told her this was a weenie - she thought it was one of the "old dudes"... ha. 

That's cool - thanks!  I guess the compression on the mp3 doesn't hurt in that regard! <g>

Agree with you on Furry Lewis stuff, I can get the guitar parts, but singing on top - ayee - if anyone can do it you can.

Thanks for the vote of confidence - it's defeated me every time so far.  His playing is so loose...

[frankie]

Yes, I have Bug Juice Blues on the Columbia Booze and the Blues compilation (a good one of theirs). It's a cool tune, but this is on a whole nuther level.

Yeah - I remember feeling that this tune was more 'inspired' sounding than just about anything else he recorded, but it's been almost seven (!) years since I listened to his original recordings.

[Richard]

Well, yes. Not a lot to add really, except what about a CD.

"Old dudes..." he he he, I like that!

[frankie]

I appreciate the compliment, I dunno about a CD guys - seems like a lot of money & time to spend for what would basically be a vanity project.  I can be just as vain with mp3s and never have to pay for anything to be pressed!  Real musicians can tour & whatnot in support of a recording.  Best I can do is maybe get two or three people out to the local coffeehouse for my bi-annual gig...

[uncle bud]

I appreciate the compliment, I dunno about a CD guys - seems like a lot of money & time to spend for what would basically be a vanity project.? I can be just as vain with mp3s and never have to pay for anything to be pressed!? Real musicians can tour & whatnot in support of a recording.? Best I can do is maybe get two or three people out to the local coffeehouse for my bi-annual gig...

You gotta start somewhere.?

Anyway, I've got your mp3s in my iTunes library and, goddamn, they're just as good if not better than a lot of the stuff in there. If I'm playing alphabetically by artist, I get Church Bells, Joliet Bound, Sawmill Moan, Snigglin' Blues all in a row and a fine mini-Frank playlist they make indeed. Really great song selection, unusual -- with the possible exception of Joliet Bound which isn't played by that many people either -- and a musical execution that's the real thing, even if these are after-work, minidisc one-offs. Keep posting those mp3s and I'll soon have my own Frankie CD.

Ari's a real musician and ain't touring and we're still waiting for the 2nd CD...

How old are the kids now? 3, 4? They can get jobs, dammit...

Actually, maybe you're right. Why bother pressing CDs. But getting into a studio might be nice.

[Bill Roggensack]

But getting into a studio might be nice.

Frankie - great job on 'Church Bells!'

If you're running on a decent Widows/Intel machine - fast CPU, lots of RAM and a big fast hard drive, you should look into buying Soundblasater Audigy 2 NX or the Extigy system (which is simlar what my son is using; however, these are aboth USB so might be getter to go with something inboard and less convenient). Here's what you get:

Connections and Controls
  USB connector
  Line In
  Mic In
  Optical S/PDIF In
  Line Out (Front/Rear/Center/Sub)
  Line/Headphone Out (Side)
  Optical and Coaxial S/PDIF Out
Controls:
  Master Volume Control
  Mic Volume Control
Indicators:
  Power LED   Dolby LED
  Mute LED    CMSS LED
  IR LED

It took a bit of fooling arougn to get everything working properly, but with a little perserverance, I'm living proof that an amateur can do it. Then you'll need to add some reasonsably priced mising and editing software, and you'll be ready to go. They used to bundle some passable sutff, but a quick check on the current web site suggests they have stopped doing this. There is lots of stuff out there that will do an adequate job until you get into serious effects and large numbers of tracks.

With a little practice and a good set of ears 9which you have), you can probalby get pretty close to what you'd get in a small digital studio. At you own speed and for a well controlled cost. I would spend my money there instead of on studio time.

[Johnm]

Hi Frank,
This is my favorite of all the ones you've posted so far--just a beautiful job, especially vocally, this is right in your kitchen.  You are really moving some air.  I prefer your vocal to Kid Prince Moore's.  Guitar sounds great also.
All best,
John

[frankie]

Thanks for all the kind words, you guys.

FP - I appreciate all the recording hardware advice, but at this point, it just doesn't make any sense to upgrade what I have.  I might entertain the idea of getting a better microphone, but recording for me right now is just a way of doing a reality check and gauging my progress on one tune or another.  If it were any more work than it is right now (which is really no work at all), I don't think I'd bother.

Once, just before my daughter was born, I tried to record a theoretical "CD" worth of songs myself using some borrowed microphones, mic preamp and DAT recorder.  It was an awful experience - real recording gear can be fussy & sensitive...  I have enough to think about just trying to play a halfway decent piece of music!  I think I can be happy just hacking away at it for fun.