Live On The Street with My 1940 National Steel Guitar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Walter Tore
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I really dig this man... Don't have any "mixing" related feedback but I really dig your style. You've got so much character it's oozing out. Remind me of a local guy here in Indy named Jethro Easyfields. GOOD stuff!!!!

Cliff Snyder
www.nowhereradio.com/cliffsnyder
 
Walter

I really like that National sound:p
I think this one is going in the car for tommorrow!!!
That sounds REALLY good with the mikes in the harp stand.
So much raw emotion in this one.

I'm totally in awe Walter..........seriously

And ya got a cool John Prine Look :D
 
Thanks Hevy. I have a great set up at the local downtown music store. I get to play in fornt of it anytime I want, and they set up chairs for people to sit for awhile. They play my cd inside, and when people comment on it, they tell them the guy is right outside. I bring my dog with me and she licks all the little kids on the face or sleeps at my feet. A Tukish woman sells flowers right next to me at an outdoor flower stand, and she always feeds me a real Turkish lunch. I got the Madison Square Garden street gig. You inspire me to keep doing my thing. For many years I felt inferior to my famous friends because they could change gears so easily. I tried to hide it, but realize now that I needed to chill for 10 years and learn to accept myself. I only got 1 gear, and have finally come to peace with it and am proud of it. It has been a long road.

Shadow: Thanks for the kind words. I checked your site and look forward to when you post some tunes. Walter


Walter Tore's Spontobeat. All words and music spontaneously created. Over 1 million compositions and growing.
 
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Not thrilled by the playing (you lose time a few too many times), but your singing's right on and the recording came out great (considering they were clip ons). Definitely worth the click.

Gotta love mini disc :p
 
Walter, I think you are one of the neatest guys on this board! Dan was listening to a bunch of stuff after work tonight and while playing your song, I said "that's Walter, isn't it!" ..Your music makes me smile....thanks! :)
 
supporting the genre

A little too much reverb and/or delay on your voice.

But ... I give you hardy congrats on keeping the vocal mixed on top, while seeming to let the resonator really be loud ...

It's as if you have 'featured' the resonator, the 'hook', while maintaining the vocal out on top of the mix.

I understand EVERY word and NEVER have to struggle to understand any of the vocal, and that's a pet peave of mine, good job.

The natural sound of the resonator is very rough, let what little roughness you have in your voice voice come into play a little more ... because in playing the resonator with excellent technique ... you cut a little rough off the instrument. Let your voice and the resonator 'meet'.

You could even 'enhance' your vocal track, by one degree with something like Soundforge's 'enhance-smooth' tool.

You already seem to have a fairly clean vocal, so don't further smooth it with too much effect.

'for things I never should have done' ... yassuh ! yeah you right .... awwww hah !

I'm with you on the lyric, very sincere. Man you got some moves on the res too.

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As I listen a second time, I see how you have used the effects on the voice to create great seperation between the vocal and guitar, but it's too much, sacrifice volume on the instrument to bring the 'tambre' the 'soni quality' of the vocal and the res closer together. IMHO, for this particular tune.

The difference between the effects on the vocal and the upfront in your face effect on the res seem almost un-natural.

Great job, truthful to the genre, supporting the genre. Nice tune.

Also, another pet peave of mine, at the very, very end, you strike a single note at the end of your ascending riff, at the end of the song ... and you could let that ring beautifully, but you 'stab' the res at the end, if that is not an artisitic 'choice' on this song, then it is a bad habit.

Let us fly away with that last beautiful high note, don't slap it down, let it ring please.

Thanks for the neat tune for my lil' sack o' musics ...
 
Studioviols: Thanks for such detailed report. I am less than 1 year into this recording myself and have a long way to go.
When I was playing for a living, I always had others doing the recordings. It was to overwhelming to me to even look at all that stuff in the booth. Now this MD/stealth mic set up makes it understandable.

A little too much reverb and/or delay on your voice.

I agree. I am trying to figure out the cool edit 2000 reverb. I have been using the presets, and am going to try to get my own setting.

But ... I give you hardy congrats on keeping the vocal mixed on top, while seeming to let the resonator really be loud ...
It's as if you have 'featured' the resonator, the 'hook', while maintaining the vocal out on top of the mix.

I just clip the core sound mics on my harp rack. I am going back to play today and am going to try putting them about 4 feet from me, on my guitar case.

I understand EVERY word and NEVER have to struggle to understand any of the vocal, and that's a pet peave of mine, good job.

Thanks, but I just got lucky


The natural sound of the resonator is very rough, let what little roughness you have in your voice voice come into play a little more ... because in playing the resonator with excellent technique ... you cut a little rough off the instrument. Let your voice and the resonator 'meet'.


Thanks for that insight. It hit a note in me.


You could even 'enhance' your vocal track, by one degree with something like Soundforge's 'enhance-smooth' tool.

Can I download it for free?


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As I listen a second time, I see how you have used the effects on the voice to create great seperation between the vocal and guitar, but it's too much, sacrifice volume on the instrument to bring the 'tambre' the 'soni quality' of the vocal and the res closer together. IMHO, for this particular tune.

This is all done on a Mini Disk. I only have 1 track. I used a thumb and finger pick on this one, and they really push the volume on the guitar. That sucker is loud!



Also, another pet peave of mine, at the very, very end, you strike a single note at the end of your ascending riff, at the end of the song ... and you could let that ring beautifully, but you 'stab' the res at the end, if that is not an artisitic 'choice' on this song, then it is a bad habit.
Let us fly away with that last beautiful high note, don't slap it down, let it ring please.


I don't know if you know it, but I make up all the words and music as I go along. I have no idea what will come out. That was the problem the record industry had with me. They wanted me to write, rehearse, record, and repeat. That just isn't my thing. I have a gift to just make it all up, and that fills up all my playing time.




Pinky: I only lost time a couple of times? That is pretty good. I have my own sense of time, and it doesn't get along too well with the metrodome! I make all of this up as I go along, and technically speaking, I know I am a mess. That is who I am. I was blessed to spend my teenage years, through my 30's, with some of the greatest bluesmen. Lightning Hopkins influenced me to death. He had his own time also. I am excited to have such a great band. They can follow my time. Live at Alpine Hall is with them. Thanks for listening.


prozkgrl: Thanks. Dan has been a big inspiration to me on this recording adventure, and I have enjoyed your tunes a lot. Nice to meet you.


Shadow: I will check your site again.



Thanks everbody!!! Walter


http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/discography.php?aid=3118
 
Walter Tore said:
I only lost time a couple of times? That is pretty good. I have my own sense of time, and it doesn't get along too well with the metrodome! I make all of this up as I go along, and technically speaking, I know I am a mess. That is who I am.
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You're a mess? I don't remember saying that. This is a forum for feedback, I gave you mine. Your playing needs work... which brings me to #2...

I was blessed to spend my teenage years, through my 30's, with some of the greatest bluesmen. Lightning Hopkins influenced me to death. He had his own time also. I am excited to have such a great band. They can follow my time. Live at Alpine Hall is with them.
Click to expand...

I don't understand what this has to do with anything... I've done some minor hob-knobbing, but don't go around strutting like a peacock. Pleez, come back down to reality with me. Break out the metronome and stop hiding behind "I play my way you conformists" BS. If you can't keep time that's a serious problem in MUSIC (as even notes/sound waves follow a specific time/vibration). So, in short, even the notes we play follow their own rhythm... imagine if they didn't and A-flat suddenly wanted to be C.

Your rationale sounds like a drummer at a rehearsal for the last cover band I was in... "I'm used to playing free-form jazz..." which roughly translates to "I'm used to sucking and people liking it." The guy couldn't keep a straight beat, but knew all the frills of playing (and could do the bells and whistles just fine). He was a worthless drummer though, as he couldn't keep a beat (and that's the drummer's job! :p ).

When you post here expect feedback that may not jive with your sensibilities, and may even force you to stop and think. Lord knows I've had to come to realize a lot of my own limitations through posting stuff people shredded here... to grow is to recognize those limitations, improve upon them when possible, and move on to the next improvement. We should never stop improving and rest on the laurels of yesterday. Even BB King writes new material... think about that, the guy's got an arsenal of songs at age 70-something and still writes! Why? Cause he's still learning. ;)
 
Pinky: I appreciate your feedback, but I don't want to keep standard time. I spent a lot of years in bands doing that. I love to go to a show and listen to it, but don't want to be in a band like that anymore. I have realized I keep real time. That is the time that the moment presents. This is life. The rythym and and time is always in a gentle flow that is full of irregularities. Most people have an "irregular" heartbeat. I got my own style and am proud of it. I am sorry if I offended you. That was not my intent. I try not to put boundries on my music, thus I am always learning. I actually took your response as a compliment. That is the great thing about music - we have our opinion- and they all are legitimate! Take care Walter
 
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Walter

I listen to a lot of Delta blues. I have a friend that plays out quite often. Nice stuff--a couple of points. Just because its a slide guitar, doesn't mean you don't have to tune it. To me some of the open strings sounded out. Keeping your own rythm is fine as long as it doesn't disturb the flow of the song--yours works pretty well.

I used to play with a guy that would add notes, measures etc at a whim. I could follow him--I could hear where he was going before he got there. Makes it tough for some though.

You also sound like you might be trying to control the vocals too much. This is guts music--relax and belt it out there.

Keep up the good work, much of this style is fading into obscurity or is done very poorly.
 
Walter Tore said:
Pinky: I appreciate your feedback, but I don't want to keep standard time. I spent a lot of years in bands doing that. I love to go to a show and listen to it, but don't want to be in a band like that anymore. I have realized I keep real time. That is the time that the moment presents. This is life. The rythym and and time is always in a gentle flow that is full of irregularities. Most people have an "irregular" heartbeat. I got my own style and am proud of it. I am sorry if I offended you. That was not my intent. I try not to put boundries on my music, thus I am always learning. I actually took your response as a compliment. That is the great thing about music - we have our opinion- and they all are legitimate! Take care Walter
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I'm glad my response wasn't taken the wrong way either, as I did enjoy the track... and I did not take 'ooffense' to your response, but it is a result of the 50+ good musicians I've encountered to date that have so much to offer but refuse to realize some fundamental things... alas, I digress and allow you to be you... I don't buy your argument or reasoning, but it's certainly not my place to force mine on you either.
 
sloop: I am guilty of not always being in tune. I have a tuner, but when it says I am in tune, it doesn't sound right to my ears. I have to turn a few strings one way or the other. The street gig, and my style/approach to music, is pretty loose. If it feels good I don't mess with it. I can understand how a trained ear/musician would cringe at a lot of my stuff. I don't fit in the industry very well. That is why I am here. I can now do my thing and be in control of the product. When I played for a living, musicians kept me alive through their support of my music. They got me gigis, recording deals, etc, that put food on the table. I liken myself to Fast Floyd, and Chuck Berry with tuning. They are always off a bit, and that is part of their tune. Thanks for listening and giving your feedback. I agree basic simple roots music is fading away quick. Walter



I can't remember a song to save my life, but I can make them up all day long - Spontobeat
 
Pinky: You are ok by me! Stay in touch. You said a lot of good stuff. I am going to let it churn around upstairs for awhile. Walter
 
OMG ! on the fly improv

That's some damn good 'on the fly improv', that's a gift.

My suggestion to you is record everything you ever do, for the rest of your life.

This is how you can "make your CD's"

Just record all of it, the mini-disc idea is great stick with it.

Also, there are some solutions coming out now, little tiny 4-Track digital recorders, about the size of a mini-disc. And they are not terribly expensive.

Also the laptop solution with an Echoaudio 'Indigo' laptop audiocard is expensive, but it's becoming more affordable.

http://www.echoaudio.com , but the tiny handheld digital 4-Track is the way for you to go ... then you just dump all 4 tracks into your computer and work it with cool-edit.
 
studioviols: Wow. Thank you for those inspiring words. I had a zoom PS02, but it had a hiss in it that was too loud on acoustic stuff, had all kinds of drum and bass tracks in it, that I would never use, and the memory cards cost to much, and held very little. What would be the advantage of a 4 track? Are you thinking 3 mics - each on a track(guitar, vocal, room/street)? If so, that sounds interesting. Do have any reccomendations on those units? I have over 200, 90 minute cassette tapes of stuff from studios, to street, off club boards, etc. I get dizzy just looking at the box, and the same thing is happening with the MD discs. I went dowtown and played today. I set the mikes on my open case, which is about 3 feet in front of me. I clipped the mics on the latches that are on the top of the case. I am going to post one in an hour or so. Please give me some feedback. Thanks Walter
PS: My bass player is making an offical cd of our live at alpine hall session. Have you heard that?
 
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