Topic: Electricity

[Bluesymel]

I don't post very often but I read the board every day. My son finally gave me a littlde recording time. I would appreciate all the constructive criticsm I can get.
This one is a Jimmy Murphy tune that I learned from a Roy Book Binder DVD. It is called Electricity.

[Pan]

Hi Bluesymel.

I enjoyed both "Electricity" and "Shake Shugaree" very much. Very nice picking! You also have a very nice singing  voice, and I think you could maybe record your vocals just a little bit louder than you have done here. Good work anyway!

Yours

Pan

[uncle bud]

Hey Bluesymel, I agree with Pan, nice job on both tunes. Also agree that the vocals could be louder, perhaps sung louder as well, not simply a higher level on the mic. You play this tune well, nice and clean, so this is a very minor point, but I'm wondering whether you might dig into the bass notes a little more in this song. There are some nice bass riffs that could come out a little stronger.

Cheers,
UB

[Dr. G]

Hi Bluesymel,

I just gave this a listen and agree that you have a very nice touch. (I agree fully with the previous suggestions that you could whale a little harder on the bass notes, and that your vocals deserve to be heard more!)

You achieve a very nice tone on that geetar...sounds like a wood-bodied resonator (Dobro-type) to me -- am I hearing correctly?

Another thought -- if you want to go there (some like the technique, some don't) -- is that you could achieve some more variation in the guitar attack (even without changing any notes) by occasionally dampening the bass (thumbed) strings by using the meat of your picking hand between the thumb and the wrist as a mute (or a damper pedal on a piano). This technique can give a more clipped, punchy sound that could be a nice variation from the fluid, sustained fingerpicking sound -- for an occasional rep, at least. It seems that most of the CB giants played on pretty crappy guitars, with (probably) pretty worn-out strings -- and therefore quick decay of notes. IF you were reaching for that old-time feel, I think a little more dampening of the sustain now and then might help.

Very nice performance as is, though....

Dr. G

[Bluesymel]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. As far as the singing goes, it was part my singing low as I never have really sung before. I usually play all my songs as instrumentals. The other thing is that my son only used one mike.
This song was played on a cheapo Rogue Spider Resonator. I am just trying to learn to dampen the base strings now. I always had a problem with that as I do not use a thumb pick and I anchor with my ring finger so I always found that when I try to dampen with my palm that my fingers can barely reach the strings. I have been learning to play with a free floating hand now and that does make damping easier.

Thanks again for the comments

[Dr. G]

Hi again, Bluesymel

I re-cast my vote for your singing more!

If you're still open for suggestions, I would urge you to consider learning to play both with picks and without. Each attack has its pros and cons, and each gives a distinctly different sound.

Bare fingers give you much more control over tone, and a subtler sound. The no-thumbpick approach allows you to do some cool string-snapping. But try playing out, or at a jam, with bare fingers and you risk (1) being drowned in tidal wave of fingerpicked sound, and (2) developing the worlds worst blisters.

Fingerpicks permit quicker notes, more even tone, much better projection, much less wear-and-tear on your skin, and the ability to do some crisp "frailing"-type full chords and vamping (particularly nice when backing your vocal). The thumbpick would also extend your reach in the event you still wanted to anchor that ring finger and dampen the strings with your palm at the same time.

I myself have little use for finger and thumb picks in my own kitchen (parlor) -- unless I'm playing a really sprightly piece, where I find the picks give me more endurance and a quicker attack. Besides, my own voice is soft and too easily overwhelmed by the pick approach. (This is the reason that I switched from 12-string to 6-string years back: imbalance of instrument and voice.) But I find picks indispensable when playing out or jamming.

My grandfather used to say: "Let's compromise -- and do both!" I find that being competent both with and without picks gives nice versatility....

Dr. G

[Bluesymel]

Actually I like the sound and tone you can achieve with fingerpicks. I have tried many times but always seem to give up. I think I will have another go at it. Thanks again for all the suggestions.