Music- Playing Instruments- Writing It, Etc

[Guest Catfish]

Anyone interested in playing instruments ? Cambridgeshire area..

Edited April 23, 2008 by Catfish

[Guest ScooterNik]

Harmonica over here.... if you like the bluesy end of soul.

[Phild]

I play Sax (alto) to a rather mediocre standard, and do a bit of singing.

I can play a few Northern tunes on the sax to a reasonable (to my ears) standard.

[Guest Catfish]

Bet your sax playing's better than mine!

This is good already 2 replies, I've gotta go out but will have another look when I get in. We probably all live miles from each other so my first thought is... we could all take our instruments to Cleethorpes.. maybe talk off list about a track to try to learn a part for, agree on a key, sort of thing.. keep em coming anyway, let's see where it goes!

Edited March 11, 2007 by Catfish

[Guest ScooterNik]

Key's fairly important from where I come from.. each harp is in its own key. I've only got half a dozen or so at the moment, but cross and straight harp double the amount of usable ones.

Oh and don't expect Little Sonny BTW

[Guest Carl Dixon]

I write, can read a little, can't play live as such. Would suggest for anything like this you need to be able to rehearse at least once a week somewhere. For this type of music, Piano, Organ, Bass, 2 guitar, drums, tambourine,congas to start with followed by sax and horns etc. Vibes would be real nice! Then there's the vocals!

Go here, then scroll down and on the right hand side you can select some of my demos: https://www.carlsmusic.blogspot.com/

[macca]

I'm not proficient enough on the guitar to work out the chord sequence of a song, as I'm a strictly CFAmGG7 merchant. I do remember a very drunken rendition of 'long after tonight is all over' in a pub garden in peterborough once though. it was fun.

[Tony Smith]

Bass guitar, I don't think James Jamerson would've been bovvered!

[Guest johnm]

not James Jamerson but have been playing bass and singing in a band since I was seventeen.....

six months is a long time in showbiz........... only kidding more like 30 yrs

[Guest wAvy]

i can play drums (prolly a bit rusty now) and was in a band a good few years ago (2001/2002) 'til my kit got nicked out of another band members car from behind Band on the Wall in Manchester (actually, his car got nicked and my kit was in the back!)

cops found the car next day and rang him up but by time he got to Manchester to pick it up, they'd burnt it out and took what was left from the car :¬(

we split up soon after that (as it's a bit difficult to play with no kit), but we played all over really; Manchester, Sheffield, Rochdale area, even went down London twice to Convent garden. oh yea and played in the Cavern in Liverpool (upstairs) where Island records became a bit interested in us but it unfortuntaly didn't go anywhere.

still don't have a kit, as very pricy (and i can use the money elsewhere tbh and no point if not in a band anyway, as you need a room to practice) and i never really joined another band (as it became very tiring gigging every weekend and was actually nice to have a break when we split) but i can play the drums!

just thought i'd mention it is all! a drumless drummer!

wAvy

Edited March 12, 2007 by wAvy

[Guest Catfish]

I write, can read a little, can't play live as such. Would suggest for anything like this you need to be able to rehearse at least once a week somewhere. For this type of music, Piano, Organ, Bass, 2 guitar, drums, tambourine,congas to start with followed by sax and horns etc. Vibes would be real nice! Then there's the vocals!

Go here, then scroll down and on the right hand side you can select some of my demos: https://www.carlsmusic.blogspot.com/

Carl,

Thanks for the link and the advice. I have listened to all the clips and they are so good! Stretchin Out has a disco kind of feel and Creakin Old Chair more mellow kind of Chicago sound (to my ears-- you may not agree)

Does Ady Croasdell know about your music- maybe you could work with the Snake Davis band at the next Cleethorpes?? That would be so wonderful.. music written by soulsters for soulsters.

What you say about practice is so important. I know quite a few musicians round here but don't know of any into soul music yet. I wonder if I could convert them.

I have done a quick count and so far in the virtual band we have... Bass Guitar: Tony Smith, John M (also sings) , Guitar- Macca, Drums: Wavy, Alto Sax- Phil D (also sings) , Carl, me; Writer: Carl / poss me; Harmonica: FB. And errrr, one violin!

We might have enough by now.. but acc. to Carl's list we could still do with another bass, horns & piano & organ!

Do you mean French Horns?

Edited March 12, 2007 by Catfish

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

i can play harmonica not sure if i can do Northern tracks but can do Eurythmics - There Must be An Angel harmonica bit not bad and i know Stevie Wonder did it originally

[Guest Carl Dixon]

Catfish -

Thank you for listening to the tracks. I do my best. 'Glory Fleeting' is my first attempt to get true Detroit musicians on one of my songs. It is the first song I am serious about getting some vinyl cut after I have fathomed out how to do the vocals and suss out record mastering etc. It was always an intention of mine since I was 19.

'That creaky old chair' is a Ric Tic Al Kent inspired effort, and "Stretchin' Out" mid seventies Philly style with a Vince Montana like vibe lick. I write and due to the prejudices against this style of music I soldier on with conviction against the odds. Why do I write such old fashioned music I am asked. It's dated, say others and the very people you would think could be interested don't even comment. However, there are a few here and there who comment in public positively and endorse what I am trying to do. There are others who are more covert with their appraisal's by using private messages, which I always look forward to reading.

I am no live musician, but when I write it can take minutes or hours, but making those demos can be 3 months each song which is often tiresome. But recently things have started to get interesting. 'Glory' has had some airplay in its demo form, which has encouraged me to seek out a Detroit Veteran singer, who still performs and active in the business. I am just waiting for a response from him. I do not expect something for nothing, but it seems there are more willing hands in the States than here when it comes to creating this sound. You would not believe the gospel choirs, musicians, and singers etc who have not responded to me in London. There is a UK singer called Johnny Boy, who I think has great potential with stuff like this. He is young, vibrant, enthusiastic and probably great on stage. He can sing on one of my tracks any time. I just have to get my act together and be more pro active as I tend do things on my own.

As for a virtual band - anything is possible. With a computer you can record your analogue track to a basic synth demo and send it to an individual who will mix and master the song. That is how the sax was done on 'Glory'. In fact I am hoping that one of my tracks can boast a few legendary musicians with an ultimate projection of maybe all being in a studio to do it how it should be done one day.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Carl Dixon