Here is a photo of the most famous and best guitar player ever. This is so that a few more people might know what he looks like. His name? Chet Atkins.I borrowed Fred’s battery charger and fired up the Taurus. There is a small short, probably in the dash clock. But I’m without the resources to chase it down. If the car is parked for a month, the battery gets drained to nothing. Don’t we all love boosting cars when it is 100 in the shade? Of course, I’m easily forgetting what it is like to do the same when it is 40 below.
This space intentionally left blank.
I’ve been working with the new drum box (the one I have to return because it is defective) and although I bit off more than I can chew, the results are extraordinarily impressive. The whole act has to be coordinated beyond anything I’m used to. That I’ll describe in a moment, but I was right that a properly programmed drum box can replace a fancy guitar player. I still intend to have guitarist, but relegated to the subordinate role of accompaniment unless certain other conditions are met. But no more of that “follow me” lead player bullcrap, if only because I am now doing 90% of the stage work myself (and it shows).
The coordination just mentioned is incredible, and I know what I’m talking about because I can pick up a guitar and sing along. That is relatively easy and, admittedly, so is simple bass. But I don’t play simple bass (repeated one-note tonic sequences, a.k.a “retard bass”). Again, I thank my stars I started on piano, which at least frees the brain up from that guitar strum that is almost natural by comparison. Electric bass when played properly does not have a steady downbeat similar to the guitar. What? Well, that’s because I said “properly” so you’re doing it all wrong.
Like any complication, I will simply repeat it until it looks and feels natural. I imagine each part from my foot upwards. First I program the drum box. Then, I work the pedal which is tricky as there is no natural downbeat as just mentioned. I always stomp to the music, a lesson certain musicians I know never learned from the get-go. Maybe they think they are so good it isn’t necessary.
This is far harder than imagined, because my weight must always come out so it frees my right foot to work the drum pedal at the correct spots. Next, the bass left hand. I have to look at and I do my best to make it seem like this is not on purpose. It makes it easier to hit the right strings with my right hand. Singing still requires a lot of brain thrust for me, as I have to force each note to be on key. This makes remembering all those song words impossible, but that will come with time.
It is lucky I thought it was easy or I might have balked. Never again will I listen to some guitarist-singer complain he is overworked. As it stands, I’m learning my new act in batches of four tunes. I know there is nothing like it in town. And it delivers the “wow”--but at what may be too great a cost. If I can barely manage it all at home, there is no chance I'll try it on stage.
*Author's note 2015-06-23: years later due to cost and uncertainty, I still have not patented the Xoikers! puzzle. It's here for when future historians uncover my Rosetta stone journal of the causes of western decline. But for now, it rests in case I ever need it.
Nor did I follow up with the drum box. It is makes it too hard to present, although I have done a few short exhibitions of my best material. I can do around 15 songs well enough, but can't make the 32 needed for stage work. Maybe if I'd started years earlier, but one is not born with any innate belief that the electric bass is a solo instrument. It must be learned.
Return Home
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
