Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Joy to the world

#81

The remaining verses are there for people to fill in however they wish (and I’ll add more if needed). We aren’t sure how many we will have at this point so I stuck a few extra out there. I think there is at least one more break in the works (Jesse).

I haven’t heard of anyone wanting to do vocals. I did think it might be kind of fun for an alternate mix to get everyone to record a vocal track (along with anyone they could convince to sing into a can) and we throw them together in a single carol verse. If we did that, I might inclined to go up a full step to Bb as I think that’s easier for vox.

Anyone else working on a break or want to throw down vocals?

Let’s plan on getting the structure determined by about the end of the month so we can get the mix out in time for us to circulate a mix for Christmas.

#82

BTW, I probably didn’t play the exact standard chord progression for the song. There are quiet a few short duration changes that probably aren’t typically there. Also, for the last phrase I went D to E (pretty sure that isn’t normal). I was just playing what I thought would sound interesting. If anyone wants to try a different feel or progression, let us know. Also, if would be helpful for anyone wanting to do rhythm, I can write out what chords I am playing.

#83

After a flurry of action, our project has slowed down. Oldhat’s probably lost in the woods, and Ozi’s so far away I think it takes 3 days for his contributions to arrive.

J.W, are you working up some mando rhythm?

#84

I have been thinking about the “caroling” verse to end it. I like the idea. If it doesn’t work we don’t have to use it. With all the voices blended, I don’t think voices will stick out, and if one does, you can always claim it is someone else. I think the one big barrier to doing that is that some might feel self conscious about sticking a solo vocal aria out on Kompoz for all the world to hear. SOOOOO to mitigate that, I propose this… anyone who wants to send a vocal track can email me with an MP3. I will keep the individual tracks secured in a state of the art underground vault (or failing that, I won’t publish the individual tracks). Of course, if anyone wants to put it on Kompoz, that’s perfectly fine as well. I am going to try to get some friends and neighbors to sing as well.

I suspect I will do a fair amount of processing to make it sound like we are a group in a hall or something, but please send the tracks dry (without processing other than perhaps eq).

If anyone needs me to PM my email to them, let me know.

#85

Boys I am on it…been busy catching up with “honey-do’s” and planning for the Anderson family Thanksgiving get-together here in Tn…I am going “Griswald” this year for the holidays!

Had a nice bluegrass jam today at my house at 3:00 with some supposedly “noobs”…banjo guy plays for a country band and plays guitar, only been playing banjo for a year but literally whipped it on us today with some “Fleckish” stuff that was really damn good…probably one of the best banjo fellas I have heard in awhile! Mad me want to trash my guitar…glad he didn’t ask to play it for a few songs as I am sure I would have taken up bowling!

But anyway, I worked on a break and need to pick it back up for this…give me a day or two!

P.S…Man Larry those Gators are B…A…D this year…look on the bright side that’s more pickin’ time for you vs. watching the tube!

#86

— Begin quote from ____

anyone who wants to send a vocal track can email me with an MP3. I will keep the individual tracks secured in a state of the art underground vault

— End quote

Until I run for political office, then it’ll be all over cable news. :laughing:
Bb is definitely better for me if we’re gonna try singing.

— Begin quote from ____

…glad he didn’t ask to play it for a few songs as I am sure I would have taken up bowling!

— End quote

I had a chance to play with a really good dobro player this weekend that made me feel the same way. He was so smooth and his slants were so precise it made me want to give up on trying… but I’m too stubborn to actually throw in the towel. Instead, I’m just gonna look for more opportunities to jam with him. Maybe some of his talent will rub off on me.

— Begin quote from ____

Man Larry those Gators are B…A…D this year

— End quote

I don’t even know what to say about the Gators. It’s a lost season. I’m ready for basketball.

#87

— Begin quote from "ldpayton"

J.W, are you working up some mando rhythm?

— End quote

I’ll see what I can do. I’m having trouble downloading the latest Kompoz track. Mike showed me how to do it, but I didn’t retain it too well. I’m sure it’s me and not the computer. It goes into a zip file and I can’t figure out how to open it.

I’m still fairly new to mandolin and started learning backwards with lead instead of rythym, so I’m not sure what I can do other than maybe a steady stream of chops. If anyone else wants to jump in, feel more than welcome. We need to get back on this project. It seems to have come to a halt. Maybe after Thanksgiving. I’m sure everyone’s very busy at this time.

Happy Thanksgiving,

J.W.

#88

— Begin quote from "jwpropane"

It goes into a zip file and I can’t figure out how to open it.

— End quote

Open explorer and then right click on the zip file. Select something like “extract all files” and it will make a folder with the mp3 file in it.

— Begin quote from "jwpropane"

If anyone else wants to jump in, feel more than welcome. We need to get back on this project. It seems to have come to a halt. Maybe after Thanksgiving. I’m sure everyone’s very busy at this time.

— End quote

Yeah, it’s been slow, but that happens with these from time to time. Feel free to do the rhythm, but if you don’t like doing it, there’s a few of us who could throw some mando rhythm down as well. No pressure :slight_smile:

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

#89

My twenty year old son came in from college today and he’s got me all fixed up now… I think! He set up files specifically for Kompoz downloads, mp3’s, A Kompoz to Reaper file and set up shortcuts so I can find them. I wrote out step by step instructions so now I think I have the Kompoz downloads to computer and putting a track up on Reaper figured out.

When I finish recording, whenever that may be, I may need help again getting the recorded tracks onto Kompoz. I’m still pretty lost on that.

To do rythym on the latest Kompoz recording, do I need to play through the entire song including the open spots where it’s just rythym guitar or do I just play a partial rythym and then plug that into the whole song? I’ll do another take on the lead mandolin with more gain this time. I think my battery in my condensor mic was about dead the first time too and that may be why it was cutting out.

Thanks for the help, J.W.

#90

Good deal on the help from the son. Aren’t kids great?!

I’ll be glad to give you hand getting things uploaded to Kompoz.

As far as a rhythm track, one can play an entire track for the song or alternately, just play for one or a few verses. Playing the whole song will give it a more natural sound even if you are playing essentially the same thing. The little differences we do do make a difference. How’s that for a bad sentence? With that said, since the beginning and ending are a bit different, if we have a beginning, an ending and a complete verse, we can slice and dice it into a full rhythm track. Whatever you prefer.

There is a pumpkin pie calling me…

#91

You said “do do”. :smiley:

#92

In order to be able to share it this Christmas season, I am going to try to get a finished version of the song mixed down in the next week or so. If anyone has anything they are working on that they expect to have done soon, please let me know. There’s no reason that we couldn’t make future additions and revisions to the song after the initial release as well.

The items I know of that were in the works included:
a guitar break: Jesse
mandolin rhythm: J.W.
bass: Ozzie

I realize it’s a busy time and if those items aren’t likely to happen in the next few days, no problem. I (or someone else) can cover them for the initial release, and we can continue to add new tracks after that.

Thanks,

#93

— Begin quote from "ldpayton"

You said “do do”. :smiley:

— End quote

:laughing: :blush: :laughing:

#94

I’m currently working on nothing for this project, but will add a vocal track if we’re headed that way.

#95

J.W. contacted by others means (would you believe telepathy?) and has a mando rhythm going. He was re-recording his break, and I might re-record mine as well.
Maybe we should box it up as an instrumental to have something more or less complete. After that we can play with making a version to add the vocals. Does that sound like a decent plan?

#96

It doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to get any banjo rhythm together. I just haven’t had the time to sit down and work on it and things are going to get busy for me until after Christmas. Sorry about putting that out there and then not coming through.

I think I’m doing you guys a favor by not doing any singing though. Trust me, you don’t want that. :wink:

Mando break sounds great JW!

#97

Thanks Shawn, I appreciate the compliment. I really like your banjo break as well. It’s very well done and tasteful to the song.

Mike, I don’t know how you could improve any more. It’s funny how we’re so critical on ourselves. I must have done thirty or more breaks yesterday and I’m still not happy with it, but this morning I slipped coming down the stairs and reached out for the railing with my left hand and rolled my fingernail back on my middle finger. That’s gonna turn black. It’s full of blood underneath so I guess I’m finished for awhile. I do have a new lead ready (hopefully with more gain) and a rythym track. It’s nothing fancy, pretty much just chops through the whole song. I let your guitar work shine and came in late on purpose to hear the nice tone of your D-18.

Rythym players deserve more recognition. Trying to keep the chops at the same volume and in time is the hard part. It becomes monoteanous after awhile and I find myself drifting away, losing concentration, so if it doesn’t sound quite right, feel free not to use it.

J.W.

#98

Shawn, no worries on the rhythm, thanks for putting together the break! If you want to add something later, no problem.

JW uploaded some nice mando work. I made a mixdown with the 4 breaks we have. I put it out on Kompoz. There are no effects other than EQ and compressor (and I might well keep it that way). Any suggestions for changes in relative balances and such are welcome.
kompoz.com/compose-collabora … ctId=42952

I haven’t heard from Ozzie, so I can throw a bass track out there to suffice until when/if he does put one together. I’ll also be doing a few things to flesh out the beginning and end a bit. If you all have anything to add, bring it on.

It’s coming together. Thanks to everyone who has submitted stuff to the project.

#99

The mando chop sounds real good.

I just finished with a Christmas performance yesterday that had been sucking up most of my practice time, so I’ll try to record a little dobro ending in the next couple of days.

#100

Hey there you blokes! Been very busy, in fact have to drive 300km to Sydney today for my daughter’s 21st then back tomorrow morning in time to do cave tours. (Also have to finishing writing a song for her on the drive there, instead of giving a speech, hope it comes together as I’ll be singing it cold :unamused: )

I finally sat down yesterday to lay down a bass track and no matter what I did it sounded really bad (recording wise) - tried everything I could, changed input levels, gain levels, 2 different basses, different leads, but it still sounded shocking.
Finally took the laptop and plugged into my good speakers (that she who must obeyed had borrowed for the video) and hey presto, it sounded fine! So I guess it is a problem with the headphone :blush: Unfortunately then didn’t have to time to lay down track as I had to get to the cave.
So I’m doing a quick take now to get something to you - if it is not the best I’ll redo it by Monday.
Sorry about the delay Mike.

Just downloaded the latest mix and it sounds really impressive, hope I’m up to the standard :mrgreen: Actually I’m glad you got that new one up as there won’t be 2 verses with just guitar and bass.