Clapped Back Out - an Anniversary

[VikingBlues]

Must be something in the air with HBL revisiting old BTs too.

I have revisited a BT as well. In just a couple of days it will be the anniversary of my first posting to the blues room on the old 12bar site. Eeeek - a year already.

I thought I'd have another go at it. Different guitar, different DAW, different method of recording - and inevitably different notes.

But I'm pleased to see what you have all done for me here - encouraged me and shown by example how to improve. The obvious thing to me on this one is the improved phrasing - my original is very rigid, a bit timid, every note on the beat, quite repressed, and lacking in tonal variation (a bit edgy on the tone on the higher register notes too).

The guitar playing's maybe getting better - slowly!

I'm reminded again how good a BT this was and how it sparked things in me and encouraged me to have a go - my thanks again to HBL for that.

So thanks everyone.

The new Clapped Back Out version
download/file.php?id=752

The Original ClappedOut
download/file.php?id=753

[Golfxzq]

Great comparison VB... I like the original a lot but... the new version is even better. It's amazing how just knowing "how" to play makes such a difference! And, I don't mean just how to hit the notes at the right time but how to put some feeling into the tune as you have done with the remake. Thanks for posting this... it's very encouraging to me.

[HalfBlindLefty]

That's what I call improving things.
Not that the first one is or was bad... it's just the new one is even better

Mhh gotta go... It's my turn for the bad news conversation @ work... later my friends, I guess with even more blues

[Ron]

VB

Sounds awfully good, quite good.

Goes in my folder "save".

Greet

Ron

[vancouverois]

Sounds good
The 2nd take sounds a tad better although the 1st one is good too.
I guess it means it's getting better with time.

[VikingBlues]

Thanks everyone - appreciate the encouragement.

I do have a fondness for the original version as it was THE recording that encoraged me to dive properly into all things 12bar - one of the better decisions i've made in the last few years. But although the note choice holds up pretty well and it does have a theme / hook I had started to notice / feel it was a bit too regular in the timing of the notes for me to be as happy with it as I was. It almost sounds like I'm reading the notes of a page and playing in strict time. Remember though it was only a couple of years before that I'd had quite a lot of classical guitar lessons where expressing yourself and taking liberties with tempo were punishable by hanging.

Golfxzq - glad it's an encouragement - I have put a lot of effort into playing over the last year - you've helped to confirm to me I've not been wasting my time - so the encouragement is a two way thing here.

[Pena]

Sounded great VB, I liked more of the new version
Tone was good and so were the long notes with vibe
Pena

[VikingBlues]

Must be something in the air with HBL revisiting old BTs too.

I have revisited a BT as well. In just a couple of days it will be the anniversary of my first posting to the blues room on the old 12bar site. Eeeek - a year already.

I thought I'd have another go at it. Different guitar, different DAW, different method of recording - and inevitably different notes.

But I'm pleased to see what you have all done for me here - encouraged me and shown by example how to improve. The obvious thing to me on this one is the improved phrasing - my original is very rigid, a bit timid, every note on the beat, quite repressed, and lacking in tonal variation (a bit edgy on the tone on the higher register notes too).

The guitar playing's maybe getting better - slowly!

I'm reminded again how good a BT this was and how it sparked things in me and encouraged me to have a go - my thanks again to HBL for that.

So thanks everyone.

The new Clapped Back Out version
download/file.php?id=752

The Original ClappedOut
download/file.php?id=753

Not quite another year gone by since the above post but it soon will be.

I was leafing through backing tracks yesterday and found the BT that HBL posted to 12bar and that encouraged me to take a risk and post 'Clapped Out' to Soundclick, my first attempt at letting a recording of mine loose to a public internet forum.

I did have another go at this at the end of 2010 as per earlier in this thread. But I've not been convinced that it's the best I can do.

That statement also applies to this new version - 'Even More Clapped Out' (a good description of me at the moment!). I suspect a perfect version is not achievable.

EVEN MORE CLAPPED OUT : http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10996902

I do think I've impoved on it a bit again - well, I hope I have - it's a long process though this learning to play guitar better. I hope my playings got a bit more fluid and varied. Anyway - I'm glad to record a single coil pup version of the piece.

'Strat' through Vox Tonelab LE (Fendery Twin amp setting).

BTW - I just lokked back at the old forum at my original thread on 'Clapped Out'. It reminded me how much friendly encouragement I was given to try and fly. It's been a major change in my life - thanks guys for your continued support and patience.

[Blindboy]

What a cool idea... A return to pivotal performances/recordings to see how you have grown. (and, it seems, to honor those pivotal performances )
I found revisiting the earlier posts, and listening to the new one very diverting, as I sit in my hospital room. The advances in confidence and feel in your playing are very pronounced. Much more fluidity and diversity. More mastery of tone as well. Some improvements can be subtle...
Fun post, and sweet playing... Thanks.

[tytlblues]

Yeah VB, Very cool indeed! I definitely can hear your progression in all the performances. Tone, overall performance, and recording of the tracks seems increasingly better

Sort of like a digital photo album of your music growing up

Some great playing and feel from those tracks!

as I sit in my hospital room.

Hope you get over quickly whatever ails ya' BB

[oneeyedslide]

I listened to the first one thinking "how can it be better than this?", and geeze... So much more touch and emotion! Like wine in the bottle getting better with time. Happy Anniversary!

[VikingBlues]

What a cool idea... A return to pivotal performances/recordings to see how you have grown. (and, it seems, to honor those pivotal performances )

I've got a fondness for this backing track - apart from it being so very, very good it meant I made a recording that made me think I could maybe play guitar properly one day. And what was even better I could make that journey in the company of some great people from all over the world.

Some great playing and feel from those tracks!

The backing track really prompts and encourages so well. I had never really noticed / played along with the more gospel-tinged blues until I encountered it where it had been posted up by HBL. HBL sowing seeds to aid creativity and musical progress ... again!

Thank you too for the nice things you said tytl - appreciated.

as I sit in my hospital room.

Echoing tytl - Hope you get over quickly whatever ails ya' BB.

I listened to the first one thinking "how can it be better than this?", and geeze... So much more touch and emotion! Like wine in the bottle getting better with time.

My thanks for the kind words. Especially as I've just watched your video and seen how sweet you can even make a cigar box sound. As for the wine - 'wine improves with age - the older I get the more I like it'. Sorry - old joke.

[vancouverois]

I enjoy the third take, it sounds really good and pretty good tone.

[HalfBlindLefty]

This brings back some scary memories... Love your new take on this VB.
You playing has become richer and more mature and... or should I say AND, just a little reverb
Next time, try to fatten the sound just a little bit. You could get some extra sustain by upping the gain on your Vox and turn your guitar's volume a bit back.
I still feel the moment you get the right kind of sustain and start to use that, you're in for a new time of discovering new realms of tone and playing

It's a bit difficult for me to listen to this track without having that overdrive, sustain and the sound of first lady crying out in despair in Numb fingers blues.
The times of deciding to have surgery on my left hand or not, well... after the surgery and recovery, I decided they wouldn't touch my right hand, for a good reason.
I still feel the same about that.... no go, stay away....

Keep revisiting this track over time. it suits you

[VikingBlues]

I'd forgotten I'd not replied to your post and there's been so much activity in the blues room the last few days this thread dropped down the list and out of sight. My thanks for your encouraging words - not for the first time with this track either!

You playing has become richer and more mature and... or should I say AND, just a little reverb
Next time, try to fatten the sound just a little bit. You could get some extra sustain by upping the gain on your Vox and turn your guitar's volume a bit back.
I still feel the moment you get the right kind of sustain and start to use that, you're in for a new time of discovering new realms of tone and playing

I agree with your assessment of the sustain issue - I feel I'm starting to get more toward sthe sound of a 'real' guitarist but it's a gradual process. Cracking the sustain issue would be a major step though.

It's a bit difficult for me to listen to this track without having that overdrive, sustain and the sound of first lady crying out in despair in Numb fingers blues.
The times of deciding to have surgery on my left hand or not, well... after the surgery and recovery, I decided they wouldn't touch my right hand, for a good reason.
I still feel the same about that.... no go, stay away....

That sounds ... umm ... scary. I'm appreciative that you let me in on this tracks all those months ago when it has such strong associations for you.

Keep revisiting this track over time. it suits you

I love the backing track - it's up there in that small collection of very musical BTs that is prompt and encorage melodic playing and emotive phrasing.

[2WheelsOfBlues]

Very Very nice one VB.

I made a little mistake someware in story above, was it a old post from dec.

Well the new post is, i like what i hear and thats what counts