Well it’s been a while since I did one of our Open Mics and if you’ve read the OM 20 after show chat thread, you will have seen and possibly heard it did not go to plan.
Some simple tech errors on my part, mainly down to distraction of a wrong setting in Zoom as I was using my studio monitors for the first time, led to me playing the set with the guitar output muted, doh !! The dynamic mic just about picked it up but it was not the planned performance. But hey with the sound of the acoustic bouncing off the studio walls, it all sounded great at this end. Sadly the show recording proves otherwise. So another lesson learned for next time around.
Fortunately, and is now customary these days, I did record a Dry Run video on Saturday afternoon. So I guess this is how it should have gone !
Thanks for listening guys, like the old song says, what a difference a day makes. This was actually recorded a couple of hours before the show as usual.
The main thing is I know what the problem was on the night and that’s much better than hitting an OM snafu with a mystery issue. And with the previous 15 OMs and 2 Livestreams using headphones or IEMs, I now have confidence in getting the studio monitors to a level I am not getting feedback. So hopefully all good for the future.
All that’s needed is a memo to self :
Don’t get sucked in with jamming with the act directly before you - love Times Like These !
Just use the Zoom mic switch to control muting and not the ones on the AI.
Remember pre-flight checklist !! And if standing check flys
Thanks for the comments peeps, now its back to the Acoustic Blues for a few weeks.
Hi Toby,
An interesting version in this way and it works very very well … wonderfully sung, it also work super with this song … I didn’t get around to the open mic and probably not this week either 'just ’ 2 hours left so I’m looking forward to it to your lesser(sound) version in further future … whohoehooo
It is also sometimes quite good for the bystander in this setting to see that not everything always goes well, even with advanced technology people (or just extra disturbing/anxious ??? Aarghhh )
Greetings
Thanks for listen folks. Given how the original is played, not any easy one to map out for just acoustic and vocals. Hence I went for an upbeat pumping feel, that seemed to work well at least for me. Feedback thankfully suggests for others too !
For those who were at the OM or listened to the recording, you can see there is a marked difference but these things happen and why I always record a pre-show run through just in case.
@roger_holland I know your time is precious and its not easy to find two hours but the first 90 minutes would be worth listening to, I came on last at about minute 91 ! Imagine me pretending to be Mick Jagger, sitting with you in your beautiful Dutch garden, while singing the song, while my trusty Fender T-Bucket was doing Keef impersonations back in Normandie !! OK slight exaggeration but generally paints the picture.
Stefan, Darrell, Ian, Robert and Pam thank you so much for the comments and feedback.
As to Ian @MadModMcd question on the FX it was a Pre-set I’d set up recently on the POD Go. More an experiment for both the Fender and the Takamine to see what amps, cabs and FX pedals would create a nice acoustic set up. The chain is described below.
Amp/Cab - Interstate Zed model based on a Dr Z Route 66 and matching 2x12 Interstate Cab. Amp settings as below plus a couple of Bias tweaks
Modulation FX - Line 6 Retro Reel based on playing back analogue tape player, used to fatten signal but I’d did some additional Flutter adjustments. Delay FX - my go to Adriatic Delay based on BOSS DM 2 w/Adrian Mod, with mild tweaks. Reverb FX - again my go to POD reverb Ganymede, a Line 6 original. EQ FX - just the PODS Simple EQ pedal, left flat as it came out ok IMHO.
The PODS L & R out went into my Xenyx 1204 AI as 2 separate inputs, panned about 45 degrees left and right and a touch of the AI onboard Ambience FX to bring the reverb up a bit. Of course that was all muted at the OM but all systems go for this recording.
For added value vox via Shure SM 58 into TC Helicon PlayAcoustic using the Honky Tonk Wmn vocal FX preset, with a subtle doubling but kicked in harder for the Oo oos outro.
I’m gonna bypass all the technical drivel and simply state that if my pal provides me with two versions of Sympathy, I’ll listen to and appreciate them both
Slowly catching up on the recordings. Didn’t know the song by the name but I recognised it as soon as you started playing and I must say that you played and sung it very well. It’s a shame that you had that wee setup incident at the OM as that was a killer performance… definitely one to record in the AVoYP diary of top notch performances.
Thanks for sharing!
nice one Toby, yes how different it sounds once the guitar isn’t muted 
and probably not this week either 'just ’ 2 hours left so I’m looking forward to it to your lesser(sound) version in further future … whohoehooo 
)
Imagine me pretending to be Mick Jagger, sitting with you in your beautiful Dutch garden, while singing the song, while my trusty Fender T-Bucket was doing Keef impersonations back in Normandie !! OK slight exaggeration but generally paints the picture. 
