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Topic: Caribbean steel drum effect on Weissenborn |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 28 Jan 2015 12:32 pm |
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Here’s a cool steel drum effect I got from jazz guitarist Martin Taylor who uses it on his showstopper tune “Down at Kokomos†to evoke a Caribbean steel pan band.
This is a really quick and dirty recording I did just to demonstrate the concept. For the best sound, you really need to experiment with the type of paper or cardboard you use and fuss with its placement toward or away from the bridge. There’s a point where dead string rattle becomes cool steel drum-like tone but you need to take the time to dial that in.
I didn’t do much more here than just thread the cardboard strip through the stings of my Asher Weissenborn, turn on the amp and press record (the amp was way off mic as well). But Anyway, hope this inspires you to experiment. You can get some really unique sounds.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWGvRyoNWB0&feature=youtu.be
Now that you’ve heard a mediocre musician, you might as well hear a master. The comparison with MT will be painful! Here’s Martin Taylor and “Down at Kokomos":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsyHVJvH-jg
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Gary Meixner
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2015 4:21 pm
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Andy,
Many years ago I made a living as a solo performer singing and playing finger style country blues guitar. I would use this effect on a version of The Fishing Blues and would weave a whole shtick around it.
Back then everyone carried a book of matches so I would ask the audience if someone could loan me some matches, the cardboard covering was perfect for the job.
Part of the routine is I would pretend to find a phone number on the inside of the cover along with a persons name that I couldn't quite make out. This gave me a opening to further interact with the person volunteering the matches and have a lot of laughs at their expense, all in good fun of course. The whole thing would end with me launching into Fishing Blues - steel drum style - and everyone had a blast.
I have since given up being an entertainer and sit on stage quietly behind the steel guitar. All the laughs now are at my expense.
Best,
Gary |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 29 Jan 2015 5:58 am
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I would have liked to have heard you do that back in the day, Gary - or now. 
It's not a new effect by any means. Johnny Cash used it on his rhythm guitar part in the studio for I Walk the Line.
You could of course just use a slew of Fx:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6mNpmCEsOM
John Cage created prepared pianos where he added all kinds of clips and mutes to the interior of a piano. So the idea has been floating around for a long time. The steel drum sound however, only dates back to the end of WWII where people found a creative use for abandoned oil drums.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 29 Jan 2015 6:21 am
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Sounds cool, almost kalimba-like, too.
I learned that trick from Mike Ihde's country guitar book--he used it to emulate a banjo, using a piece of paper.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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