I grabbed the Ibanez and went through two sets with the drum box. I’d say I’m ready. It was surprisingly easy [after knowing the bass parts] to adapt the rhythm guitar to my act. Things do not usually go this easy. My ulterior motive always was to play in a band for extra cash when I got old, but nobody told me I’d have to do it on my own. I must have assumed I’d always be surrounded by like-minded musicians. Instead, Florida. Drowning in musicians, but starving for talent. Useless twits by the hundreds, all talk and no action.
Some of my best bass material is going to have to be dropped. Top song was not one of my bass favorites, rather a Johnny Horton hit “North to Alaska”. This is a difficult song to sing, if you don’t believe me, try to sing the word “North” the same way as Horton. He sort of yodels it, which places the note at the extreme upper end of my register. If I’ve left anyone confused, let me clarify what’s happening. Before, I strummed the guitar along to a drum beat, but I did not incorporate arranged music anywhere to near the same degree as my bass act.
That’s because I could not play guitar. But I could sing and play bass to the drum box like nothing you’ve seen before. Not unless you’ve seen the videos from the Dave Frost open mic in Colorado this time last year. Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. The effort here is to quit looking like I’m struggling to keep up with the guitar by bringing in elements from my solo bass act. The result has me seriously encouraged.
I’m only short a few pieces of equipment to do a show. My music is not for everyone because it is not rock or blues. But it will fly because my primary ingredient for any song is audience appeal. I take pride in my hard-won ability to adapt music to its unadorned basics and still have the crowd know instantly what I’m going to do next. I’ve just discovered this is easier to do on guitar than on bass but then again, bass is probably the hardest instrument for it.
Still, I wonder why so few guitarists take up the technique. I deduce lessons are to blame. Instead of teaching the proper adaptation of band music to a single instrument, lessons seem to teach them only “the guitar part”. This may also contribute to why guitarists all like the same music, I got to thinking. Sooner or later, music had to come along that was already “adapted” so to speak, making the guitar riff the entire song. You wonder if one guitarist in a million realizes how channelized they’ve become, how manipulated their tastes.
To show you how slow-witted I can be myself, I was thinking that I am not equipped to move musical gear since I sold the station wagon. Then I clued in. Soon I will have a wagon. And it will be replete with an independent power supply even when it is parked. See, thinking ahead doesn’t, by itself, cover all the bases. With a few modifications, I’ll have a ready made stage that sits 38” off crowd level. That’s better than the local cantinas, speaking of which:
To celebrate, I scootered over to the VFW post to see Laura. She’s still the class Karaoke act in town by a mile. Keeps up with trends, equipment, and plenty of promotion, she’s cheery all the time. Laura doesn’t really invite you, she tells you where she’ll be and let’s you know if you are expected. This Thursday, I’ll therefore be at the Holiday Bowling place again. I’ve tried so hard over the years to make a go of that place. So, let’s give it another whirl. The place somehow lacks atmosphere although it is an excellent little lounge setting that is a great alternative to the casino glitz and dazzle.
First major scientific breakthrough of the day would be to discover that sardine can lids are non-magnetic. Threw me because they are not recycled that I know of. Moving along, here’s video from Jimmyr.
