Author Topic: Music on the road (Read 28606 times)

seilerbird · « **Reply #30 on:** March 04, 2009, 06:17:21 PM »

I would bet any amount of money that no matter how talentless a person thinks they are, that within three hours of practice I could teach anyone to play Blackbird by the Beatles on acoustic guitar. And you would sound very close to the record.

Luca1369 · « **Reply #31 on:** March 04, 2009, 06:27:27 PM »

Quote from: Lou (onaquest) on March 04, 2009, 05:53:40 PM

Maybe TALENT isn't the all defining word, Tom, but for some of us, without that talent, no amount of practice would result in a satisfactory product. If you didn't have the talent to recognize the difference between making noise and making music how would you know that your practicing was doing any good?

Talent and practice make all the difference...especially when you try playing an instrument that you're not very familiar with. In the early 70s I was playing in a little juke joint north of Atlanta on 41 on the way to Tennessee (before the new stretch of I-75 was completed). I was playing guitar and the owner asked me to lend my guitar to a friend of his from Nashville who came in and offered to sing a song. That friend was the country star Freddie Hart.

I lent him my guitar and the band broke into Promised Land, a Chuck Berry number. I wandered over to the other side of the stage and picked up one of our singer's harmonicas. I couldn't really play a harp, but I knew that I could blow into it and keep it in key with the chords being played on the song, sort of like a rhythm harp...so that's what I did, blowing it softly into a microphone. Well, it came to the break and Freddie looked at me and said "Mr. Harp Man!" My cue for a solo!!!! Luckily the audience was drunk. I made a lot of wild upper body gyrations, blew a few notes in key and in time, and somehow made it through without too much embarrassment...no that's a lie, I was embarrased as heck. The band new I couldn't play the harp, and now so did Freddie...he never called upon me for a harp solo again...thankfully.

Steve

S J Strait · « **Reply #32 on:** March 05, 2009, 10:59:52 AM »

dose air guitar count lol.

Just Lou · « **Reply #33 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:16:17 AM »

Steve, we can form a small combo. Air guitar, rubber pad and vocals (as soon as I finish reading "Lip Sync for Dummies").

Tom · « **Reply #34 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:41:35 AM »

I must admit that I had no idea what the term 'air guitar' meant. This WiKi explains it. I came to find out there's even an air guitar championship and a YouTube video of the 2008 championship winning performance. This makes my fellow 'musicians playing tennis racquets' look very good. I can see how easy it would be take an air guitar on the road, but fellow campers might not appreciate the background music.

scottydl · « **Reply #35 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:44:28 AM »

Quote from: S J Strait on March 05, 2009, 10:59:52 AM

dose air guitar count lol.

Reminds me of a trailer (the movie kind, not the RV kind) I saw recently for a recent documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea32R_2jSxg

I like these kinds of films and am actually very interested in that one! Looks quite entertaining, and I can certainly appreciate that level of enjoyment of music even with actual instruments.

seilerbird · « **Reply #36 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:06:45 PM »

Quote from: Tom on March 05, 2009, 11:41:35 AM

I can see how easy it would be take an air guitar on the road, but fellow campers might not appreciate the background music.

Tom, having music playing is not a prerequisite for playing air guitar. However the Wikipedia article does omit an important date in the history of the air guitar. In 1965 the Beatles released a movie called Help. In the movie Paul plays air guitar (bass) using a female for the guitar. This was one of the most important dates in the history of air guitar.

Tom · « **Reply #37 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:15:02 PM »

Thanks Tom.

Quote

having music playing is not a prerequisite for playing air guitar

Wouldn't that be the equivalent of lip syncing karoake without the words on a screen? Of course, if someone wanted music to accompany their air guitar, they could just listen to their MP3 player.

seilerbird · « **Reply #38 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:28:22 PM »

Quote from: Tom on March 05, 2009, 12:15:02 PM

Thanks Tom.

Wouldn't that be the equivalent of lip syncing karoake without the words on a screen? Of course, if someone wanted music to accompany their air guitar, they could just listen to their MP3 player.

Music is playing in my head all the time. I can play air guitar to that music, in fact I do occasionally. Since I started life as a drummer my feet are playing air drums a lot of the time. Can't stop them.

carson · « **Reply #39 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:57:47 PM »

Tom**bird, could that be "restless leg syndrome"?

I haven't looked at the videos yet...can't wait. I told you this post may be fun.

Does perfect pitch 'whistling count'. ?

carson FL

Just Lou · « **Reply #40 on:** March 05, 2009, 01:58:42 PM »

Quote from: carson on March 05, 2009, 12:57:47 PM

Does perfect pitch 'whistling count'. ?

Darn! You just had to mention another thing I never learned to do.

Luca1369 · « **Reply #41 on:** March 05, 2009, 02:58:22 PM »

Quote from: seilerbird on March 05, 2009, 12:06:45 PM

In the movie Paul plays air guitar (bass) using a female for the guitar.

Tom,

Technically, this really isn't air guitar, is it?

Steve

seilerbird · « **Reply #42 on:** March 05, 2009, 03:03:59 PM »

I don't think there is an offical technical explanation for what is air guitar. But I think if you are playing guitar and you don't have a guitar then you are playing air guitar. Maybe we should call it Woman guitar? It makes one wonder then how you would tune a Woman guitar.

KodiakRV · « **Reply #43 on:** March 05, 2009, 06:59:21 PM »

Quote from: Tom on March 05, 2009, 11:41:35 AM

... I came to find out there's even an air guitar championship and a YouTube video of the 2008 championship winning performance...

Fifty-three seconds of it was all I could take. Anybody make it all the way through?

Just Lou · « **Reply #44 on:** March 05, 2009, 07:27:24 PM »

I couldn't figure out how to stop it so I killed my entire forum session.

Tom · « **Reply #45 on:** March 05, 2009, 07:29:29 PM »

Lou, you could have just used the Back button in your browser to navigate away from the page, although there is a Stop button in the lower left that will stop it.

Tom · « **Reply #46 on:** July 09, 2009, 06:09:16 AM »

Reviving this old topic because I had a couple of questions for the folks who take along the "rubber pad" type drum kits in their RV ...

Any special brands? Does the kit come with software or some box that takes the output from the individual drums and feed it to an audio system?

I recently bought a Sony Workstation 3 for my grandson and sprang for a "band kit", comprised of a guitar, microphone, and drum kit (3 drums/pads, base pedal, and 2 cymbals/pads). Not at all what I was expecting. A DVD inserted in the Playstation offers a choice of song and difficulty level. The drums are color coded, and the on-screen display shows which color to play and when. The system keeps track of your accuracy. Similarly for the guitar player.

For now, this satisfies my lifelong desire to "play drums", at least when my grandson isn't playing. However, it made me wonder what "drums" the true musicians here take along in their RV.

scottydl · « **Reply #47 on:** July 10, 2009, 10:34:03 AM »

Yeah Tom, what you described is a video game... sounds just like the "Rock Band" or "Guitar Hero" series commonly available in retail stores.

The premier brand of electronic drums available are Roland V-Drums. They have a "brain" control unit that all the various audio cords from each drum plug into, and the various sound options are only limited by how many tones you have loaded (by computer) into your unit. Similar to any high-end electronic keyboards (many made by Roland also) with multiple tones and sound effects. Many drummers (myself included) don't really like the feel of the V-Drums though and much prefer the real thing, but for RVing they do of course have the advantage of quietness and portability... although V-Drums are made to be as realistic as possible and when set up they take up about as much space as a standard acoustic drum kit.

Here's a site with some purchase options... you can see the prices are about the same as standard acoustic drums too.

Luca1369 · « **Reply #48 on:** July 10, 2009, 10:53:04 AM »

The last band I was in did not have a drummer, but we did have a bass player with a drum machine. I will never again play with a drum machine. I much prefer a flesh and blood drummer that can play with feeling...much preferable to playing with a clock.

Steve

Marc L · « **Reply #49 on:** July 10, 2009, 11:24:42 AM »

Quote from: carson on March 05, 2009, 12:57:47 PM

Does perfect pitch 'whistling count'. ?

carson FL

It counts for Roger Whittaker.

Tom · « **Reply #50 on:** July 10, 2009, 11:33:15 AM »

Thanks Scott. Yes, Guitar Hero it is.

I could buy a Roland kit for what I'm into the Playstation III, accessories and a few games.

The last time I sat in front of a real drum kit was in the 60's when a friend invited me along to a gig his group was playing after work. I asked the drummer if I could "sit and try" before the real gig started, and he said "go ahead". I think I got stage fright when several folks came up to the stage and said "we didn't know you played in this group". Gimme a mic' and I'll sing, but I wasn't ready for the spotlight while plonking away at the drums

I need to find time to visit the nearest large music store (The Guitar Center), about an hour from here. Last time I was there, they had a separate room set up to demo drum kits, but I didn't have time to stop.

Tom · « **Reply #51 on:** July 10, 2009, 11:34:19 AM »

Quote from: Luca1369

I much prefer a flesh and blood drummer that can play with feeling..

Steve,

Just curious how folks find the space to take along a full drum kit in an RV.

Luca1369 · « **Reply #52 on:** July 10, 2009, 11:57:04 AM »

Quote from: Tom on July 10, 2009, 11:34:19 AM

Just curious how folks find the space to take along a full drum kit in an RV.

A toy hauler???

Steve

scottydl · « **Reply #53 on:** July 10, 2009, 12:20:15 PM »

Quote from: Tom on July 10, 2009, 11:34:19 AM

Just curious how folks find the space to take along a full drum kit in an RV.

I'm guessing the percentage has got to be somewhere between 0% and 0.1% perhaps.

It would be pretty difficult to fit all the drums, stands, cymbals, miscellaneous hardware, and mics/cords (if applicable for live playing) in the RV, not to mention the constant loading and unloading. Just about any traveling band I've ever seen (or been in) brings along a van or cargo trailer for all the musical gear. RV-wise, a toy hauler would be a good option as Steve mentioned.

Tom · « **Reply #54 on:** July 10, 2009, 01:38:09 PM »

Quote

It would be pretty difficult to fit all the drums, stands, cymbals, miscellaneous hardware, and mics/cords (if applicable for live playing) in the RV

That's exactly why I asked the question Scott. It was in response to Steve's comment:

Quote

I will never again play with a drum machine.

John From Detroit · « **Reply #55 on:** July 10, 2009, 02:55:23 PM »

Quote from: Luca1369 on July 10, 2009, 10:53:04 AM

The last band I was in did not have a drummer, but we did have a bass player with a drum machine. I will never again play with a drum machine. I much prefer a flesh and blood drummer that can play with feeling...much preferable to playing with a clock.

Steve

One of the more interesting "Bands" I have several recordings is actually directed....by a precussionist, He uses a drum machine....One of the best and no you can not buy one like it as .. Well... a lot of the electronics used by this group has a serial number of 0001 and there is no 0002.

However they also usually perform with a 2nd little back up group.. Generally a Philharmonic or Symphony, so they have real drums too.

If you have not figured out the name of Chip's band... it's Mannheim Steamroller

Marc L · « **Reply #56 on:** July 10, 2009, 10:54:02 PM »

Quote from: Luca1369 on July 10, 2009, 11:57:04 AM

A toy hauler???

Steve

A friend of mine knows a guy that bought a toy hauler just so he would have a garage to jam in. His only toys are his instuments.

Gottasmilealot · « **Reply #57 on:** August 10, 2009, 11:33:34 PM »

I use my RV almost exclusively for attending bluegrass festivals, so two banjos and a guitar are always in a bunk.

Gottasmilealot · « **Reply #58 on:** May 05, 2012, 08:16:03 AM »

I play acoustic instruments. The thing I like is that they can be played anywhere; nothing else needed.

John From Detroit · « **Reply #59 on:** May 05, 2012, 12:00:29 PM »

Me.. I just bring my voice.. Wish I'd learned to keyboard.. Should have when I had the chance. but alas, Did not. so all I can bring is voice.

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Author Topic: Music on the road (Read 28606 times)

seilerbird

seilerbird

seilerbird

seilerbird