Just because I'm really "into" resonator guitars at the moment I am thinking my next CBG might be an attempt at one. Of course it won't have the proper aluminium cone but something else that might act as a sort of loudspeaker which is what the reso does. I will have to start scouting for something suitable. Kepp you informed when I do.
This a great site I found, not about CBGs but some radio programs Stefan did about blues, it's history and guitar playing. You can download MP3 versions for free. Each clip is about 6meg so you need broadband/ADSL but I highly recommend it for blues buffs.
http://guitarvideos.com/radio/00radio.htm
Just been playing with pushing my CBGs through different effects and amplifying them. I've been using a Zoom 505 and there are some amazing sounds to be found. Coupled with the unusual sound of playing slide guitar, the responses of the piezo pickups as opposed to normal wire wound coils - you can get some great results. One setting gives a sort of violin type effect. When you pluck a note, it sort of zooms in the sound (by volume). It works brilliantly with notes slid from one to another. I must try to record a sample and put it on my Mutiply site. I have some other sound clips on there if you haven't found them yet the link is:-
http://smojo.multiply.com/music/item/1
I don't like making new year resolutions because they usually don't last long. It's not a bad idea in away though, it helps to focus on what you want to achieve. I've a number of things I want to get done and they're noy big tasks. It just takes time and commitment. Maybe it's the Winter blues or maybe because my job has been at risk for a few months but I've been lacking motivation for creativity. It's still there but it takes a lot of effort to get the juices flowing. Here's what I want to do and we'll see how I get on.
That's it - should keep me going till next New Year at least,
Hi and Happy New Year. Haven't done much cbg work lately with Christmas etc. I'm pleased with the cigar box amplifier I made. I have a few small modifications to make otherwsie I'm happy enough with it to offer it for sale eventually. I've been experimenting with making other instruments but none have been particularly successful yet. Time to get back to cbg building I think. Watch out for more on here soon.
Just added three more clips of my cigar box guitar music to my Multiply site. You can find it here:-
http://smojo.multiply.com/music/item/1
Well I've been trying to get something down onto MP3 so I can put some clips of these little instruments on my site. It's proving to be more difficult than I thought. I bought a Korg PXR4 mini studio some time ago but never got to grips with it but I'm having another go. I'm nearly there with it. Just real basic yet though. I managed to save a single track to my PC but it's in MP2 format. You can play that on media player but this site doesn't support that. Trying to convert to MP3 but can't find an application on my PC to do that yet. Found a Korg thing that converts MP2 to WAV though but the files are too big to post but maybe I can convert that to MP3. There must be an easier way phew!
Update - I did it. Here it is http://smojo.multiply.com/music/item/1
Where did that come from anyway? Well first there's the story about Robert Johnson supposedly selling his soul to the devil. If you haven't heard the story, he met the devil at the crossroads and sold his soul in return for the gift of playing guitar really well. Interestingly, he was not a particularly gifted guitarist at first then he disappeared for some time and came back later as an ace player. Maybe he just practised a lot and got better rather than take the risky route of selling his soul!
Also the old bluesmen were always singing about "mojo hands" etc which was a left-over from their African voodoo past. I guess Christians would consider that the work of the devil.
An interesting fact though is that the blues scales often use the "flat 5th" which gives it that distinctive melancholy unresolved sound. It gained a reputation in the Middle Ages as "the Devil's interval" or "Diabolus in Musica"- a note that sits midway along the chromatic scale. The churchmen of the time thought that anything which sits exactly half way along anything must be the work of God but this note sounded so terrible to their ears so must be the work of the Devil! It was actually banned form being used in any religious music.
Personally I think blues is far from the "work of the Devil". It has a definite healing quality. Certainly for the people who create and play it. Like most music it is an expression of the feelings and emotions of the composer/player. Those old slaves had more than enough emotion and built up angst to get off their chests. It's often what got them through their difficult lives. Many of them converted to Christianity and became devout followers - blues often turned to Gospel and it's not hard to spot the bluesy roots of this fantastic brand of music sung in churches all over America.
Devils' music? - I don't think so - but it's a cool title anyway ;)
Posts
All Comments
