Sonicsiblings.net

Posted by John Tynan at June 21st, 2008

I recently got together with my friend Howard and we put together this blues.  It’s the first real song that I’ve put together using the BR864.  I may re-take the accordion part, but as a proof of concept, I’d say  it’s pretty good! The lyrics were lifted, real quick, at the last minute from a book on the blues. I’m thinking that they’ve fallen into the public domain.

Have a listen, and let me know what you think.

Thanks Howard, for all your help!

 

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Posted by John Tynan at March 20th, 2008

Before heading out to Marseille for the past two weeks, I got together with my friend Walt Lockley to make some music. While I was working on a mix of a different song, Walt wrote the lyrics to the song “Someday You’ll Find it Easy”.

This morning, during a cold-induced bout of insomnia I decided to put the words to music and record it. You may notice I’m using the same chords as “First Kiss”. Given this mother of all sore throats - and the meds I’m on to combat this thing - I kind of floated through this one.

Have a listen. Hope you like it!

 

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Posted by manooghadeshian at January 26th, 2008

It was just a matter of time until we got around to this one.  Ron and I learned this song just the other day, so take it as an early version.  Again, one take on vocals, guitar and mandolin, and then another by way of afterthought (some percussion) as we listened back.  I still feel hampered recording with the M-Audio Firewire 410.  The quality is comparatively good (as Todd would say…better specs than many other devices), but I need more simultaneous tracks so…. MOTU here I come, and it may be time for the dual processor Mac as well. As for this recording, I always wondered what this old traditional english folk song would sound like with middle-eastern dumbeg behind it.  Ron’s voice is perfect for it,  and I will continue to practice this one on the mandolin until I get more crisp on the leads.  Oh, and one lesson learned here, I upgraded to a better mandolin and had a luthier set it up for me just right, but notice how it does not sound as good on this recording compared to my others?  That’s because it has a fishman pickup system in it and I am recording jack to jack for the first time.  Previous mando recordings were done with a fairly high quality condensor mic.  From now on, I will go with the mic in the studio…or maybe both the jack and the mic and see what I get.  The lesson for me….the fidelity with good microphones will almost always get you a better recording with acoustic instruments.  I am still pleased with the upgrade though as the pickup gives me much more mobility to move around and enjoy performing.  We are just about ready for that open mic!   John Barleycorn

 

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Posted by manooghadeshian at January 4th, 2008

In the summer of 2004, we (my wife and I and two boys) spent our first week at Berkeley Family Camp in Yosemite. Each evening, a group of folks would gather down by the river with instruments to sing and make music. Nestled in the redwood groves of Tuolumne National Park, we would play for ourselves and anything that cared to listen. One morning Ron Hendel showed up with his family in tow and a little backpacker guitar. After jamming just a few minutes with Ron, I knew I had someone to play with who could play guitar as well as I and sing well too. Over the following several days of jamming, we played a lot of music. Then, when the week was nearly over, we agreed to keep in touch. Only now, after a few years, we are regularly getting together and playing (after I located his number at the bottom of an old wallet). However, instead of just playing guitars, we find ourselves somewhat enchanted by the complimentary sound of my new mandolin along side the guitar. Here is a tune we recorded the very first month I got the mandolin and was learning to play. It is a simple song, and was initially inspired by a Dulcimer playing woman we met down by that old river back in 2004. I believe it was the only song she knew, but as she was so excited to play with us, we took a liking to her and learned her favorite tune and played it for a good 30 minutes! It captures the vocal harmonies and instrumental sound that define us at this point. The song is an old traditional folk song “Shady Grove” recorded by many artists over the years, including Doc Watson, David Grisman and others.

 

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Posted by John Tynan at January 1st, 2008

This isn’t music, but a radio story that I did awhile back.

This tests a recent change in the site which will allow file size limits of up to 100 megs.  Please note: this 14 meg file took about 5 minutes to upload.  So, if you are uploading a large file and the browser appears to be spinning away, please be patient.

 

 Bald!: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Posted by manooghadeshian at December 29th, 2007

It has been a while since I have contributed anything as a sonic sibling, but my recent escapade into playing the Mandolin has yielded a few songs share. I have only been playing Mando a few months, but I find my experience playing guitar has allowed me to make some headway fairly quickly, and my friend and guitar player Ron Hendel, who has been playing with me regularly as of late, has been very patient while I pick up this new instrument. Ron has a great voice and sings and plays guitar on what I have posted here. It was done in one take with 3 mics on two tracks. It is what it is! “Hometown Blues” written by Steve Earle

~Manoog

 

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 Home Town USA: Download

Posted by John Tynan at October 28th, 2007

While we all love the brilliance of inspired improvisation, there is something to be said for a musical phrase that has been crafted and thought over and written out in the form of actual notes. While it may not be 100% divinely improvised at that moment, the initial inspiration may have made it to the page, and when the notes finally make it to your ears, they’re the ones that the composer has chosen, and they’re the notes that are right.

I recently ponied up the cash for four guitar lessons with this ASU student named Jake. He had me write out on manuscript paper a lead that I had been working on using tab as well as regular music notation.

Then, to record it, I started by loading a General MIDI blues tune by Otis Redding (which contained the drum and bass parts) into the BR-600. I then recorded the rhythm and lead guitar parts.

Have a listen to the results:

 

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Posted by John Tynan at July 21st, 2007

Here I am married for two years and I can still remember my Rene and and my first kiss. I was sitting down to write a song, and this is what I happened to write about. It’s a first draft, and one where I am starting to get the idea of popular song form. Have a listen and see what you think!

 

 First Kiss [3:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Posted by John Tynan at July 12th, 2007

I’ve put together a first draft to a new song. There are things to improve on this, for sure. I need to work on varying the rhythm track. I’ve been writing out the sections, so I can go back and re-record some of the sections that are a little rough.

What suggestions do you have? Words? An additional melody line?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts

 

 Morning Walk - version 1 [2:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Posted by John Tynan at July 6th, 2007

It was the Fourth of July the other day, and I did what a lot of people do on The Fourth, they go down to their local Guitar Center and indulge themselves by purchasing some audio equipment for their studio.

I picked up a Boss BR-600 8-Track Digital Studio Recorder!

And I could not be happier with my puchase!

So far, I’ve spent about three hours with the thing and was easily able to put together two demos. Nothing ready to share with the public, but look for some music soon!