One Man Band Recording

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Walter Tore

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Hi All: I haven't done this since 1983. I learned it from Wilbert Harrison in the 70's, and lost my drums along the way. I just got them all back and recorded my first attempts. Walter

I used:
core sounds binaural stero mic for room ambiance
fender mic for guitar
AT 3035 for vocal
behringer mixer - to sharp mini disc


technical and emotional feedback welcomed!!

Songs

The 1 man band boogie
I worry All The Time

All other songs same equipment except a MXL V57 on guitar

go to The One Man Band Album


http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/discography.php?aid=3118
 
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I'm downloading these right now, thanks for making them available, can't wait to listen to this !
 
Walter, your a treasure... I only wish I was close enought to come wear my high top tennis shoes and my little joe cowboy hat and tap my feet an grin.....

"Ol Black Cat Lounge"


:cool:
 
Looks like I'll beat Studioviols to the punch here... :)

What I noticed right away were the vocals.
They were flat-out excellent.

I can assume you have done this professionally for awhile, eh?

The sparseness of the instrumentation, and the way it was laid out in the mix was very nice, and gave it a true blues feel.

Do you gig out playing all these instruments by yourself?

Very fascinating stuff!

Do Tell....I dug it.


VI
 
I'm in

You already know I'm a fan so I'll just check in with a big grin:)
 
Thanks for listening guys. I am having more fun than a kid in a candy store with this stuff. I gave up on the 1 man band concept about 20 years ago because I had such great musicians backing me up, there was no point in it. Then I moved from Austin and kinda gave up on music. Then I found a great band about a year ago. Unfortunately we all are dealing with aging/dying parents from coast to coast. This has meant very little time to play together. So, I got on the net and picked up a bass drum and high hat. I am really liking it. I now have complete freedom and control over the whole process. You people on this board have been instrumental in helping learn about recording. I was completely ignorant to the whole thing 1 year ago. I am just beginning, so any help is greatly appreciated! This net is a great resource. I wish I could get you all by my house for a real Texas BBQ and show!! I just posted some electric guitar 1 man band songs. I had to put the amp, a fender deluxe reverb, in another room, because even withe the volume set to 3, it was blasting over the vocals.


Village Idiot: Yes I played for about 20 years professionally. I did the 1 man band only a few times in clubs. This was usually when we did an early gig and my back up band had to get to another gig. I just stayed up there with the bass drum and high hat. Like I said these recordings are the first time in 20 years that I have done this. I hope they will get better as I get my "sea legs" back. My main gig was the street for the 1 man band. I am setting up a handtruck so I can wheel to my spot in front of the local music store.

Toki 987: I am glad you liked the Black Cat Lounge Boogie. I had a major sneezing attack (allergies), but couldn't wait for it to pass. That song was coming out of me, thus the funky vocals.

Heavy: You were a big part of the inpiration with your wondering when I will record with the band again. We will be doing it after Thanksgiving.

Studiovols: You also inspire me with your enthusiasm!

See you all sooner than later!
Walter
 
as with all of your tunes Walter, They are truly on of a kind . Great stuff!
 
Very cool. Authentic. Swings. Harp sounds good; playing blues harp with a brace (did you do it that way or tape it up somehow?) can be challenging.


I would move the amp back in a little bit; the harp was a bit overwhelming (good tone though). Also try to lean in closer with the vocal. It's difficult to be recording a harp and a vocal throught the same mic live because you'd like to compress the hell out of the harp to try to get that Little Walter heavy distortion sound, which would ruin the vocal...
 
JasonBird: Thanks for the compliment and the wonderful review on nowhereradio. I am blessed to have made it this far in life. I have dealt with my demons and am at peace for the first time in my life. It is really getting good now!

LI Slim: Thanks for your feedback. I use a harp rack. I will try to back way off the mic when I play, and get in close when singing. I got those old Jimmy Reed records stuck in my soul. I think at 1 point I had about 50 of his albums. I use to live in LI with Louisiana Red in the late 70's, early eighties. We lived in Port Jefferson. We never did a gig there though. Maybe we met in a grocery store or something.

Thanks
Walter
 
Walter! You lived with Lousiana Red and you never played any of the bars in Setauket!! A shame. I grew up in Halesite but I left in the mid-70s.

I love Jimmy. I play "Take Out Some Insurance" sometimes...
 
haha My Own kind of Boogie. That's great. The beat is totally opposite to what I'd play. Cool guitar sound too. Tired of Getting Woke Up - that room ambience you've got going is phenomenal.
One man band , what can I say, wow
 
Bulls Hit: All I can say is wow back! Thanks!


" that room ambience you've got going is phenomenal."

I have a old detached 2 car garage, built in the 30's, of redwood, with a small room built in the side. It has a bit of natural reverb to it. I haven't sound insulated it, so you can sometimes hear the dogs barking, the phone ringing in the garage, etc. in the recordings. Heck, I am doing field recordings, so I like all that stuff. Marketing my cds this way, has removed the recordings from being compared to elaborate studio works. I also think the amp has a lot to do with it. The fender deluxe reverb is a great amp. I have the volume set to 1 1/2 on the amp, and my jazzmaster set wide open on the neck pick-up.

Walter
 
Hey Walter,
I worry about all that same stuff too...but on top of all these worries I heartily congratulate you on your ability to get your mind to do five or six other things as well. I enjoyed the recording also...makes me wonder if I should sell all my junk, pay off a coupla bills and buy me a mini disc. I believe I heard a tamborine in there. Where ya got that¿ On the hi-hat¿ I especially liked the part around 3:17 where the time gets "kinda loose" and you seem to "wait" or "catch up" with yourself. If ya wanna complicate your life and add to your worries try "splashin" those hats at the ends of phrases in lieu of a cymbal crash. I have tried this at home-playing BD and hi-hat with congas or guitar but singing on top is totally beyond what my lil ol "CPU" will handle. Hats off sir!!!
Hey, I played a coupla gigs with Louisiana Red and his ex-father in-law Carey Bell and they were a coupla real interesting guys too. I also liked the text and info on your NWR site...I should try that also.
un saludo,
el jordo
 
Jordokid: Don't worry too much, you might go gray and bald! Thanks for your feedback. I will try the tamborine idea. I place a tamborine on the bass drum for some of the songs. It jingles a bit when I hit the bass pedal. On some of the more recent songs I opened the high hat up a little to get more of a splashy sound. I am glad you got to meet and play with Red. He sure was kind to me when I needed a place to stay as a teenager. I miss him. Walter
 
Walt,
I am already bald and gray (gotcha beat by one year...age wise of course) so I guess thats one less friggin bell to answer. Actually I am one of those "What, me worry¿!" types.
Yeah, Mr.Red was a very nice person. Mr.Bell was also but seemed to be more the hard drinkin, hard livin Chi-town bluesman whereas Lousiana seemed to be on more of a spiritual plane. Pretty incredible for a guy who grew up an orphan cause his people were murdered by the KKK down in Mississippi.
I was hired as interpreter and drummer as these guys here in Spain could speak some english but understood no "ebonics" (isnt that what they call it now¿) whatsoever. I guess goin to High School in Dogtown,Arkyland finally paid off. I was real embarrassed when just after getting on the highway after picking them up at the airport, a truck from a local chocolate covered peanut outfit went by with their totally racist logo painted on the side...shit that hasnt been seen in Arkyland for almost 25 years now. They both stared at it, I pretended I didnt notice (which they call "acting like a Swede" here), and nary a word was said.
One morning in the van, heading for the next gig;
Louisiana Red:(staring at a small card)...mumble,mumble,mumble.......
jordokid: Whatcha readin Red¿
L.R. : This is the travellers prayer,jordo. I carry it with me wherever I go and always read it at the beginning of a trip....¡Hey! Lookit all them cows!
Carey Bell:Yeah! I bet you like ta fuk everyone of em!
L.R. ¡Aww Carey! Why you gotta be such a pervert¿ You oughtta be shamed of yosef!
C.B. :¡Har, har,har!!
jk: (tries to keep straight face by pretending to read the travelers prayer)

¡BUENOS DIAS TRONKO!
el jordo
 
jordokid: thanks for the story. If I ever tour Spain I know who to get on drums! Walter
 
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