Busking This Shirt - Mary Chapin Carpenter - by Michele

michelew
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 1:55 am

Hi everyone and Happy New Year.

I thought I'd start the year off with an upload, just me and the guitar. :) This is a warts and all performance. Basically recording sucks, I fluff lines and we'll you'll see. I've had a cold for ages and my voice is definitively not great, but I wanted to post where I'm up to with this song anyway.

I also decided to just go with this take because I have a little dog who keeps scratching at the door to come in and then wants to leave half way through the song, almost every time.. except this one :) so... well I'm not confident that I'll get a better take today...or tomorrow

Excuses aside, I thought I'd post something to get my 2017 off to a musical start.

I hope you're all having some nice downtime and that we'll see some posts from you all soon.

Cheers

Michele



davidrfinn99165
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:51 am

Bravo Shel.... i love this song and you did a great recording. The picking was excellent of course - I see you are getting on well with the thumbpick now, have you become a convert ??

Your vocals sound pretty good too....shame about the cough but this song needs a little bit of graininess in there and it worked for me.

I have one technical question re recording ..(yep technical q from me haha!)...if the dog keeps getting up to go in or out halfway through the song, why not leave the door open ??

and a Happy New Year...you've started 2017 on a mission !


/david


michelew
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 3:04 am

Thanks David you're a sweetie.

To answer your very technical question, yep keeping the door open does work. That's how I snagged this take. Sue was up the street. But, when she's home I close the door because all manner of noises end up on the video otherwise. :) many still leak through regardless. :) :laugh:

Convert... I wouldn't say convert, I'd rather use my thumb nail anyday when it's in good condition. But I would say friendlier. Actually there are a few times when I'm playing the wrong bass note because I've missed with the thumb pick. I'm still mastering the aiming thing. I'm not very precise.

Gritty. :) well I'll work on that angle instead.

Thanks Zomb! B)


wrsomers
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Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:32 am
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 6:56 am

Hi Shel,
That was great! I'm happy to see you conquered the thumb wrap on the Fmaj7 chord! Some solutions can be so simple but illusive until a good teacher comes to the rescue.

I thought your singing was fine and the thumb picking was excellent. I've been using a thumb pick for forever and won't give up. Like anything, it eventually becomes automatic with enough practice.

Judging from your narrative, it seems you might try this one again. I'd love to see you add another track with some piano work; also I think you could put this one over the top by using some dynamic variation (piano, fortissimo, crescendo, decrescendo, etc.)

Thanks for posting another great one and Happy New Year!

Bill


spinland
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:01 am

Beautiful song, and your voice seems perfect for doing it justice. I'm brand-new at fingerstyle (about one month now) and I yearn to reach the level you display here with such poise and grace. B)


buddy
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Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:35 pm
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:53 am

Hi Michele,

You are being way to hard on yourself as this is one of your best busking performances. I think you playing it straight up with just you and your guitar was simply elegant !

Bud


sandysue
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 11:37 am

Very lovely song and performance Michele. I loved it. ?


Sandy


Craig
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 1:40 pm

Michele,

I thought you did a great job with this! Very enjoyable and well done.

Happy New Year to you as well.

Craig


TGNesh
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Location: The Netherlands
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:14 pm

I'm with Bud Shel, I think you're way too hard on yourself as well. I thought you did a really great job, whatever 'warts and all' :dry:, both vocally and playing wise. It is of course also really nice to see you tackle one of my lessons. :) You're ahead of me btw, I unfortunately never got to a full play through. Now I can see how i should've done it. ;)

Awesome Shel!

Ness


michelew
Posts: 87
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Tue Jan 03, 2017 6:05 pm

Thanks everyone for your really nice comments. It was great waking up and reading them.

Bill - thanks - while I was singing along with the original I kept thinking "the piano sounds great, maybe I could...", then there's the drums too of course. Another instrument for my "I'd love to learn it"-list. More dynamics, I hear you Chief. You're absolutely right. And perhaps I should get the words right too eh? :) B)

Mark - fingerpicking is my favourite way to play. As Bill says it's all about putting in the time to get it happening. You've obviously got great skills already and dedication so I have no doubt you'll be finger picking real soon. Drop into the forum and show us your progress when you're feeling a little more comfortable. Getting early advice from Neil and Vanessa is a great way to speed up your progress.

Buddy - thank you. I hear you. I guess it was fine in the scheme of things. I was just disappointed that I was stumbling and tight in the throat because of camera nerves. I'd love to have some of your camera cool. Thanks for tuning in.

Sandy - thanks! It's a brilliant song and Ness teaches it really well of course. I'm sure you'd love learning it too. Talk to you later sweet woman.

Craig - hey there buddy. It's always great hearing from you. Will we see an upload from you soon?

Ness - I loved learning this Ness. Thanks so much for teaching in and for the amazing detail that you always include. Of course one of the keys for getting this really working at speed was also your advice about releasing tension and a million other things you've taught us over the years. See, I have been listening. :) :P thanks for being so sweet to me. It's great getting a star from the teacher. :) B) :kiss:

Thanks again everyone.

Shel


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