'My Life'

Upload and discuss your songs here. Open for Jazz and Rock, too!
Forum rules
Please do not upload songs protected by 3rd party copyright!
User avatar
VikingBlues
Posts: 4466
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm

'My Life'

Post by VikingBlues »

I have been hesitating in posting this one for you guys as I'm feeling it's stretching too far away from blues. But, I value so many of you as friends as well as knowledgable players and would rather hear your views and ideas than others. :thumbsup:

If any of you are prepared to listen to something that does stray that far away from blues, I'd be happy to hear your advice etc. Conversely I can quite understand if you ignore my lapse into bad taste or want it removed. :alright:

I'm not sure I can totally remove the blues from my playing so maybe some of it reamins? It is difficult piece to define really - bit proggish, a bit of a metal :yikes: edge (really sorry), mid eastern hints. Three verses of vocals and my own lyrics - anyone got strong teeth that can be clenched through this?

I've been going through a lot of the blues lessons on a lessons website for several months and was going to take a break for a few months from the site to give a chance for the blues lessons to build up in number again. I was just browsing through the backing tracks to see if there was anything i could download and work on in the break and I encountered by chance a BT called "Middle Eastern Jam". Huge sparking of ideas in the head and what I think of as the little man in there that tells me what to play jumping up and down saying "go on. give it a go Viking".

It uses the Phrygian Dominant scale and given my ignorance of theory made evident to me by my total lackof understanding of a lot of recent posts here I thought "can I learn anything new"? To be honest though once I'd got the rough idea of the note pattern on the fretboard that little man in my head was directing operations again. So it's probably littered with technical flaws. :sad:

download/file.php?id=25

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9042347

I'm trying to build up to singing a blues number, but how do you get the voice right? Gargling Jack Daniels, smoking 20 a day? My attempts so far just sound far too clean. :icon_whoknows:
Attachments


My Life.mp3 - (3.38 MiB)

Last edited by VikingBlues on Wed Apr 21, 2010 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
User avatar
Golfxzq
Posts: 359
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:13 am

Re: "My Life"

Post by Golfxzq »

Well... that was certainly different...

"It sho ain't blues".... but it shows your versatility as a musician. I could still detect a little of that VB blues sound in there. Don't worry that your voice isn't all deep, gravely, and gruff... you can sing and sing well, much more than most of us can do. I rather enjoyed the tune, even thou it wasn't exactly Blues. Good go!!
"Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right."
- Henry Ford
User avatar
Pena
Posts: 201
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:37 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by Pena »

Arghhh, tried to listen it with iPhone; something wrong with server configuration??? Gotto listen it when I get home :)
"The blues is a low down achein' chill" Robert Johnson
User avatar
Blindboy
Posts: 1787
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:34 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by Blindboy »

May not be blues, but it is quite cool. Not sure I could do anything with that at all. You have a pretty creative bone there. :thumbsup:
"Throw yo' big leg over me Mama, I might not feel this good again!"
User avatar
VikingBlues
Posts: 4466
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by VikingBlues »

Golfxzq wrote:I could still detect a little of that VB blues sound in there.
Hidden deep!!! :shy:
Golfxzq wrote:Don't worry that your voice isn't all deep, gravely, and gruff... you can sing and sing well, much more than most of us can do.
Thank you for the encouragement Golfxzq. I think it's partly that the voice is more exposed in a blues, and the fact there's so much knowledge on blues here that I am more likely to be "found out". I suppose I just keep taking steps towards it and try until one doesn't sound too horrific. It's my next goal to achieve I think.
Golfxzq wrote:I rather enjoyed the tune, even thou it wasn't exactly Blues. Good go!!
Blindboy wrote:May not be blues, but it is quite cool.
Yeah, I really wasn't sure at all I should post it here - it's only because I trust the members of this site as friends. The fact that my two sons (early 20s) liked it made me even less certain whether I should. Think I based it heavily on a fairly unknown group called Riverside from Poland that I found by accident and rather like despite it being very different to my usual music - there is quite a lot of "middle east" influence on their songs. I tried to rip off the sound of their guitarist Piotr Grudziński - I like his use of melodies but I'm never 100% comfortable with the amount of distortion on this type of playing. I find I have the same feelings when I use this sort of tone myself.

Still I suppose it let my Tokai off her leash for a bit of a wild howl! :nuts:

I promise I will now put her lead back on and get back to normal. :D
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
User avatar
12bar
Site Admin
Posts: 3273
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:05 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by 12bar »

Clearly not a Blues - but interesting and very well done! :pray:
Playing and tone sounds perfect to me, I think I would not able to improvise in that arabic scale.

And your voice - I would be happy if I could sing that good! It may not be John Lee Hooker (best Blues voice IMHO), but is very remarkable and fits great. :thumbsup:
User avatar
VikingBlues
Posts: 4466
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by VikingBlues »

12bar wrote:It may not be John Lee Hooker (best Blues voice IMHO)
+infinity. John Lee Hooker could sing the phone book and make it sound cool. :clap:

Thank you for the kind words and the tolerance 12bar. :D I promise I'll not intrude into this site very often with this kind of stuff. :naughty:

Hoping to get a blues piece with some singing in the room within 24 hours. It might still be a work in progress, but I think some recording went well this morning before I had to reluctantly dragg myself off to work. There's a bit of a creative rush going on now so I'll just hang on for the ride and let it happen. :away:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
User avatar
weelie
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:23 am

Re: "My Life"

Post by weelie »

Interesting...!

I have tried some pseudo flamenco with the Phrygian thing. You emphasize the 1 - b2 and 5 - b6 thing, playing those notes a fret apart quickly after each other.
User avatar
VikingBlues
Posts: 4466
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by VikingBlues »

weelie wrote:Interesting...!

I have tried some pseudo flamenco with the Phrygian thing. You emphasize the 1 - b2 and 5 - b6 thing, playing those notes a fret apart quickly after each other.
That fret apart business sounded right and seemed from what I could interpret to be one of the things Piotr Grudziński of riverside does when they go into these modes.

I like your phrase "the Phrygian thing" - it is very similar to what I was thinking once or twice in the early stages of recording when the little man in my head was trying to get a grip on the piece. :wall:

If you'd asked me "what's Phrygian?" a few days ago I'd have said its in the kitchen and I keep my beer cool in it. :rofl:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
User avatar
Blindboy
Posts: 1787
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:34 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by Blindboy »

VikingBlues wrote: If you'd asked me "what's Phrygian?" a few days ago I'd have said its in the kitchen and I keep my beer cool in it. :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl:
"Throw yo' big leg over me Mama, I might not feel this good again!"
User avatar
weelie
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:23 am

Re: "My Life"

Post by weelie »

This my take on a basic phrygian exercise:
http://www.box.net/shared/ng3c5qeor1

Very quick, just a single take of two tracks. So NOT very pretty, and doesn't stay well in rhythm...

Play open E chord, then fret the same a fret higher, a Fmaj7 of sorts (only three strings fretted). Those back and forth. Strumming with all fingers,opening the fist,using the wrist. Then the end has Am, G, E kinda of tunraround thing. ALthough in my take there it's just improvised, so it's mostly just E-Fmaj thing.

The solo scale is
open, first and third fret on low E string
open second and third on the A string.
open on the D string (and 2nd and third frets too).

So it's like E minor chord with the one fret higher notes added.

I play a lot of hammerons and pulloffs between the notes a fret apart.
User avatar
weelie
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:23 am

Re: "My Life"

Post by weelie »

Blindboy wrote:
VikingBlues wrote: If you'd asked me "what's Phrygian?" a few days ago I'd have said its in the kitchen and I keep my beer cool in it. :rofl:
:rofl: :rofl:
:D Maybe it's an alien from the planet where they only drink very cool beer?
User avatar
Bluesmole
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:59 am

Re: "My Life"

Post by Bluesmole »

I hear the Blues in it Viking. But from now on, I'm going to call you Viking "CARLOS" Blues. I really hear the great Santana in your composition. Well done! :cool: :music2:
"Big Bill Broonzy, a white boy's inspiration" (1963), and the Blues ever since.
User avatar
VikingBlues
Posts: 4466
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by VikingBlues »

weelie wrote:This my take on a basic phrygian exercise:
Listening to your excercise I see what you mean about the "pseudo flamenco with the Phrygian thing" you mentioned in the earlier post. Hadn't thought of that while I was recording my piece - and I used to try to play Flamenco way back too - shows how little I analyse these things! :think: I suppose it makes sense if it's a good flamenco technique that the Phrygian sounds nicely on a guitar even if played in a not very flamenco type of way.
Bluesmole wrote:I hear the Blues in it Viking. But from now on, I'm going to call you Viking "CARLOS" Blues. I really hear the great Santana in your composition.
Something I hadn't considered - very flattered to be even thought to sound vaguely in the Santana ballpark. Thanks Bluesmole. :D
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
mjo
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 4:36 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by mjo »

VikingBlues wrote: ...... but how do you get the voice right? Gargling Jack Daniels, smoking 20 a day? My attempts so far just sound far too clean. :icon_whoknows:
:rofl:
No, I've tried for years and it doesn't work. .......if Robben Ford can sing the blues, I think you should be fine !

That was really cool, fun to hear,.....I think I'll play it again !
....I'll bet you could sneak some pentatonic licks in there if you wanted, not that it needs it.

Nice work !
User avatar
wildwood
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:38 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by wildwood »

Very cool Viking...I like it... :thumbsup:

A very Santana meets Lou Reed meets Jefferson Airplane meets Psychedelic 60ish vibe... :think:

I suddenly feel the urge for some mushrooms... :away:
The blues won't get you to heaven but it'll drop you at the front door.
User avatar
vancouverois
Posts: 922
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:55 pm

Re: "My Life"

Post by vancouverois »

Excellent and good playing, your singing sounds cool too!
Jan 15th 2007
User avatar
HalfBlindLefty
Admin
Posts: 2015
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 1:23 pm

Re: 'My Life'

Post by HalfBlindLefty »

Downloaded this morning and listened while driving to work.
Good stuff VB, I dig this.. miles from the box kinda things. Well played.
I like some more... yes please. :clap:
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
cruisemates
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:31 pm

Re: 'My Life'

Post by cruisemates »

I love the bass - especially at the end when it really ramps up. This is not a scale I enjoy playing much (My dad liked Mexican records and always wanted me to play Malaguena for company) but I like to atmosphere and the production a lot. It's cool.
User avatar
VikingBlues
Posts: 4466
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: 'My Life'

Post by VikingBlues »

Thanks very much everyone - mjo, wildwood, vancouverois, HalfBlindLefty, cruisemates. :D

I'm amazed at the positive responses to something I was so unsure about posting on the site here. As is often the case the quality of the backing track is a big help to the end result. I just wish I could feel more comfortable with that much distortion on the guitar sound - it didn't bother me in the past - ah well .. :oldie:

I'm glad it gave the urge for mushrooms and not paracetemol or valium. I think the scale in this style of song needs a strong bass and strong melody on the guitar - I guess that's why Riverside's songs work for me so often when others that do similar stuff lead me cold. Might need to explore the area a bit more, but I'm getting a bit of blues out of the system again at the moment. :bb:

Cheers everyone. :beer:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
Post Reply