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Topic: "Straight, No Chaser" by Thelonious Monk |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 31 Dec 2015 12:01 pm |
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This is another demo for the Steelonious project. Quite a departure from the original, this is based on a version by Bruce Hornsby. Difficult to improvise on, I am short on ideas at this time, but working on it like a nut. Wish it was one or two choruses shorter, as I ran out of steam, but whatevs!
Thanks for listening.
https://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/straight-no-chaser-demo
Last edited by Mike Neer on 31 Dec 2015 6:12 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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David Knutson
From:
Cowichan Valley, Canada
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Posted 31 Dec 2015 2:21 pm
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Very cool, Mike. I love that fat, saturated steel sound. As for improv ideas, not only will you continue to develop this piece, but I have a feeling the studio players you have in mind will have no shortage of inspiration. Thanks for posting these as you go.
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David K |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 31 Dec 2015 5:14 pm
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| Yeah, that sounds cool. I like the gritty tone and that effect you're using on the head. Sounds like an octave effect or a doubler. |
I just double tracked the head, no effects there. I dig that sound--sort of 70s pedal steel vibe.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Steve Cunningham
From:
Atlanta, GA
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 1 Jan 2016 3:57 am
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| Nice quirky tune of Monk's. I dig the horn sound. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 1 Jan 2016 6:07 am
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Mike, Straight No Chaser is probably my least favorite Monk tune but I really dig what you're doing here so that tells me you're really onto something with your whole concept for this record. I'm so glad you got funded to go on this journey (and take us with you). I think it's going to open a lot of minds and ears.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
Last edited by Andy Volk on 1 Jan 2016 9:11 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 1 Jan 2016 8:13 am
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| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
| Nice quirky tune of Monk's. I dig the horn sound. |
The original tune is a 12 bar Bb blues. Here the changes have been essentially rewritten, but I can't take credit for it. I heard the version by Bruce Hornsby, Christian McBride and Jack DeJohnette a few years ago and flipped my lid.
Blowing on the tune was extremely challenging for me without spending hours just looking for some germ of an idea to build on. Normally, with Monk you improvise off the melody, but in this case it wasn't working for me.
The thing that I've discovered about myself is that I don't really enjoy improvising cold on tunes like this. I really want to get to know the music and be able to take it somewhere else, and not by accident. Maybe all those years as a guitarist were spent shedding the wrong way. Playing steel has taught me how to focus and not take anything for granted.
Thanks for listening and commenting, and Happy New Year to everyone. I am extremely honored by all the support that was shown to my project and I don't take it lightly.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 5 Jan 2016 7:05 am
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Great job. I just started a similar journey looking at the head of some songs as they usually intro the melody. Almost like a summary Some melodies are almost usable licks.
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Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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