Wendigo

[Blackhorse]

I've been away from the forum for a while ( real life issues ), but I've been busy while I was away!
I bought a new acoustic guitar, a Martin 000x1 AE, a small-bodied acoustic -electric with a solid top and laminated back and sides. Doesn't look the prettiest, but it's a fine guitar and sounds very good to me.

Here's a new song that I wrote and recorded using the new guit, the "clean" parts are the Martin miked up and the "dirty" parts including the solo were played through my v-amp modeller.

I have noticed that the standard of music here has improved while I've been away, and it was already very high, so I'll have to be at my best to fit in.

Comments/suggestions welcome as always!download/file.php?id=1325

[VikingBlues]

Fine tone and beautifully clear sounds from the Martin and as always from you a very musical piece. You have a gift for catchy melodies and effective phrasing and there's something about the warmth of your voice in the vocals that make them very listenable. You have a distinctive style and this new song is very identifiably you. I have seven of your songs in my mp3 collection and this'll make eight.

I think the initial distorted effect against the acoustic sounds put me in mind of Horslips (which is no bad thing). When the 'dirty parts' kick in fully that's one hell of a contrast with the clean parts of the song - very advenurous to go for that big a contrast and I think you manage it successfully.

I was interested to hear this one as I have a pretty early memory when a youngster of reading a ghost story called 'The Wendigo'. It was in a collection and I wasn't sure who it was written by, but I've been motivated to Google while leistening to your song, and I found it - by Algernon Blackwood - apparently Robert Aickman regarded this story as "one of the (possibly) six great masterpieces in the field".
http://www.yankeeclassic.com/miskatonic ... endigo.htm
The cry of "Oh! oh! My feet of fire! My burning feet of fire! Oh! oh! This height and fiery speed!" had pretty well stuck intact in my memory over the near 50 years since I last read it - so I think it safe to say it had an impact.

I agree with your comments about the musical standards here but your work fits in fine with the best of them. Who needs to go out and get CDs when they can listen to and download the recordings posted to 12bar?

[Blackhorse]

Thanks VB

Strange that you should post a link to a story I've never read, by a writer I've never heard of, on a site labelled Miskatonic/Library! I'm a big fan of HP Lovecraft (creator of the fictional Miskatonic U) and although this song wasn't directly based on any of Lovecraft's work, I was trying to evoke a similar feel to Lovecraft's writing.

Spooky

I'm going to read that story later.

[tytlblues]

Bravo sir well done.....I especially like the distortion guitar solo. I think it fits very well in the song. Great job!

[Blindboy]

Sweet! I admire/envy people who can create songs. This is well done. I like the contrast between the acoustic and the distorted lead, and I like the lyrics and melody. Good job.

[tytlblues]

well done indeed.......I also envy those who can compose, not an easy task. Bravo sir!!!!!

[2WheelsOfBlues]

Youre fit absolut in, thats for sure

Like the sound of the new gear.

[oneeyedslide]

Cool song Blackhorse! That Martin sure makes nice sounds in your hands. Got any more of these tunes for us?

[Strummer07]

I somehow missed this completely 1st time around Blackhorse

But having "discovered" it ... Spot on ! a really well written and well performed song.

Love the Acoustic and the rhythm line you get between this and the ( well programmed!) drum track ( I am assuming that this is a strummed track with some picked notes in a 2nd track ?? Be interested to know how many tracks you have goin here tbh) Its very effective .

Top Notch !

[Blackhorse]

Thanks for all the kind words!

Oneyedslide, I have quite a few songs in the blues room posted over the last year or more - roughly an album!

Strummer, the main part is played all at once, in a kind of claw style - or at least my own way of playing like that. I play a bass note with my thumb, strum down with index finger, another bass note, then pick a couple of notes with the first two fingers. It's not as complicated as it sounds. Then the whole thing was double-tracked, bass and drums added (originally the guitar was recorded with a click track for timing). Then I added the distorted parts and the solo, both also played on the Martin. I love the sound of an acoustic guitar with a lot of distortion! Finally the vocals, and then I cut out some acoustic guitar in the mix.

I'm hoping to go into a friend's home studio for a day in a few weeks, he has some much better gear and is more experienced at recording. I'm going to do one of my songs, but I don't know which yet - possibly The Man Behind the Mask. With a drummer. Looking forward to it, and I'll post the results here of course!

[Strummer07]

Thanks Matey

Very effective sound .. whatever your doing !

The live sess sounds fun .. watch out for the drummer ! .. they all seem a a bit "Odd" ..(Or so I'm told!! )

[12bar]

I must have missed this one, too...
Such a great song and beautiful guitar.
I would even think it sounds better without any drums, or at least the drums turned a bit lower. But that seems to be a matter of taste...

[HalfBlindLefty]

Darn, I did it again, listen and think this is a nice song, well performed and then get distracted Forget to enter and close firefox.

Good one !

[Blackhorse]

I must have missed this one, too...
Such a great song and beautiful guitar.
I would even think it sounds better without any drums, or at least the drums turned a bit lower. But that seems to be a matter of taste...

Thanks. I've taken your comment on board, and mixed a version with less drums. I prefer the original version, but you might like this better

download/file.php?id=1393

[12bar]

That sounds PERFECT!!!! Love it!
Drums at the end is a good idea!

[VikingBlues]

Two good versions now! ..... I wouldn't like to try to choose between them. This new version shows, in the parts where the drums are removed, how strong a rhythmic sense your guitar playing parts have.

It's a great song whichever cloak it's wearing.