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Topic: Van Shipley (Indian steel guitar) |
Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 16 Jun 2009 12:04 pm |
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Good stuff Brad, I like to hear what others do with the Instrument.
James. |
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Kevin Macneil Brown
From:
Montpelier, VT, USA
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Mitch Druckman
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2009 1:44 pm
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| Thanks for the heads up, Brad. The Metafilter links are fantastic. |
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James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
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Posted 16 Jun 2009 4:55 pm
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| fantastic! |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 16 Jun 2009 10:12 pm Down memory lane...
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Thanks for posting, Brad.
I used to follow Van Shipley and have recorded a few tunes in his memory. He will be remembered as a skilful player who could closely imitate the human voice.....no easy feat for the singing style and vocal nuances typical of Bollywood movies.
Kay |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 17 Jun 2009 7:28 am
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| Interesting. I just happened to be surfing YouTube last night listening to Indian music. To Western ears it may sound like there is a lot of improve going on, but not so. On the rare occasions when you can find two singers, or sometimes a singer and solo instrument, they will usually be in unison, note for note, trill for trill, the whole way. In the classical tradition there is almost no harmony. There will be a repeated modal 1 5 1 arpeggio droning in the background, no chords, no harmony. They have little electronic boxes for this now - just dial in the key. It's amazing how complex the music is, with so little harmony. The guitar strumming chords at the beginning is very modern and atypical. But notice the guitar soon goes to unchanging modal droning. |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 17 Jun 2009 7:54 am
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Yes, the typical Bollywood/Indian vocal style is "linear" with very little parallel harmony and a lot of linear 1-5-1 ( I am intrigued by the electronic boxes!). I think it is changing now, with cultural fusions, but only recently .
That said, the linear style of singing has many inflexions, trills and modulations which are more difficult to capture on steel (and, any instrument trying to mimic the human voice). Bollywood style steel is mainly played on a single string, although in this particular video Van Shipley did occasionally work other strings. But that is the exception rather than the norm.
Amongst a few others, another very good artiste who is currently contributing strongly to the art of steel guitar is Batuk Nandy, posted in this forum some while ago. But Van Shipley is well remembered as the pioneer of steel guitar, Indian style. |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 17 Jun 2009 12:03 pm
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DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 27 Feb 2011 5:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
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Posted 17 Jun 2009 9:24 pm
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| Does anyone know what brand and model of steel guitar he's playing in that clip? |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 18 Jun 2009 7:39 am
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DELETED
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"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 27 Feb 2011 5:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Leff
From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Darrell Urbien
From:
Echo Park, California
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Posted 18 Jun 2009 1:09 pm
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| There are also apparently digital tabla machines. I think if I had one of those I would stay home all day and drive everyone crazy. |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 18 Jun 2009 8:51 pm
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Here is a link to a tune in the Bollywood style that Van Shipley pioneered I recorded about a year ago..."Sawan ka Mahina" translates to "The Month of the Rains" which is July...
http://www.4shared.com/account/file/53414508/97120a4/Sawan_Ka_Mahina.html
Good to hear from you, Bill! I could not get to play the tanpura samples, will try later, I am in a bit of a hurry tonight..
Kay |
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 19 Jun 2009 1:51 am
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| That was magnificent. I have been trying to duplicate some of the Indian style just for flavor in my playing and I can't do it convincingly. Harry Manx and his teacher (can't remember the name right now, 5 a.m.)have been my reference points up to this moment; now I have to find some of this music. |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 19 Jun 2009 7:36 am
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DELETED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 27 Feb 2011 5:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
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Posted 19 Jun 2009 10:59 am
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Michael, I've abandoned my lap steel project for now so I'm not looking for pickups. I apologize for being unresponsive to your PM.
Can anyone analyze Van Shipley's tone in that clip? Is he using overdrive or is that a clean tone with a dirty (p90, supro, etc) pickup? |
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