Open Mic 13: Recording + After-Show Chat

Community Open Mic Events Open Mics Archive: Recordings + After-Show Chat
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@rodreilly
Sounds great Rod.

Singing is right on tune and you’re playing is nice and tidy, couldn’t ask for more, well done Rod :+1:

Second time up - were the nerves any better? Not a hint from this end.

@think2100
Jay, lovely heart felt originals.

Great clear sound from those finger pics.

Nice dynamics with the strumming.

A star is born! :star:

@jenndye429
Na, turn it up!

Jen and Dan wow! Only a year in and you’re going all out for the rhythm and lead parts. I like it.

Really well sung and played. Love the break down with just drums and vocals then boom - back in with guitar :smile:

@thecluelessluthier
Mark and Jen such fun!

Beautiful harmony.

Well played both.(Marie sends a special well done).

Good luck with the variety performance!

@philsmith
Go with your way Phil :slightly_smiling_face:

No nerves apparent in the voice, great performance.

Mad World, one of my favourites.

Loved it, well done Phil.

@Charlie_James
Very nice Dale. A nice fresh vibe.

Looks to be some tricky chord shapes there.

Wonderful debut. (These online open mics definitely help with the nerves.)

@jkahn
Go JK! Note picking from the chords, awesome.

Such tricky delicate vocals to nail, you’re doing well JK.
(PS. thanks for putting me onto the Stone Sour version).

Great timing on the stumming on the Foo Fighters there.

Vocals are spot on.

Fantastic way to finish the evening (morning) :slightly_smiling_face:

Well done all and another shout out to Brian, Toby and @adi_mrok Adi for organising.

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Bloody hell @brianlarsen you killed it with the intro! Loved it, I think the MC’ing bar has been lifted to the highest level so far! Lyrics was fabulous, had you got an inspiration from anywhere while coming up with this new Community Open Mics new main theme?! :smiley:

Well @DavidP you say you’re not MC’ing ever again cause you are not going to sing the rules - never say never! Very well executed performance David, sounded really lovely. And a little solo at the end - love that you are stepping up and improving with every new performance, that is another milestone you should be happy about!

Wow this show is getting better and better, @jestersea I also followed chat and saw @jkahn 's comment and got very excited about your song choice! You haven’t disappointed (a big Pearl Jam fan here), really cool and this bloody picking pattern is a huge challenge with chord changes needed to be done. You pulled it off awesomely and you managed to sing along, as Brian mentioned every performance is something new and unexpected from you and it is so much fun to see you improve. And also your performance will be a huge help when I will be learning the song one day :smiley: as I know the picking pattern but not all the chords :smiley:

@Malz and Laura, pleasure as usually to listen to you both. Can’t say I knew the song but really enjoyed your harmonies, got chills while listening to it! I really hope you guys hit some pubs together to show local Yorkshire folks how it’s done!

@TRJ that was really great debut. Don’t beat yourself up about any mistakes, we have all done them (and still do!) and we all survived and managed to perform on plenty more nights, I am sure you will manage too! Again wonderful song and your fingerpicking was looking very neat. Another fingerpicking performance during the night, wish I had something like this prepared too. :smiley:

Oh yes @liaty I absolutely love that tune, and another rock performance from your pocket - wow! Your vox was really amazing here, you have not been holding up and I need to say I feel partially responsible for it :rofl: due to my last comment I made in your recent topic you started about honest critique :smiley: Definitely you are ready to step out from the shadow and shine those skills to Open Mic that is apparently more popular and with some more advanced musicians you mentioned in the past. With this kind of performance - you are DEFINITELY there! And the solo… my heart melts honestly!

@twistor59 with his another touch of David Gilmour’s magic - fantastic! Phil you should never feel nervous anymore, your skills are definitely somewhere at the top of this Community so don’t ever feel nervous okay? :smiley: <and the elephant in the room called muting button, Toby you naughty boy! Just kidding, could have happened to any of us :wink: > Really love how you do your vibrato with the first finger, something to aspire to!

@eric.lennon I really need to start with praising your guitar, almost getting some GAS because of you! :smiley: not familiar with the song again, but really enjoyed it. Glad you have overcome your issues with audio, all sounded good on the recording and I am sure same was during the night. Electrical guitar debut definitely ticked off with a success! Oh okay wasn’t expecting a second song at all :grinning: This one I knew obviously! Great cover Eric, slightly off tempo at the start but second attempt was definitely successful, well done really greatly executed. Hey, where were all the ladies in the audience to help Eric out with the chorus?! :smiley: Damn another one with a great solo during the performance, I need to step up my game folks! :smiley:

@rodreilly that was really lovely, embarrassed to admit this is ANOTHER one I didn’t know! Although I am glad I didn’t as I like not to have a reference to compare with, they do say that first version you hear of a song is the best to one’s years, so Rod you are my favourite performer of this gem! :slight_smile:

P2 below…

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@think2100 really nice debut! A couple of originals, wow really fantastic to had you during the night! Lovely hits you smashed out, jealous you are able to come up with all those originals that smoothly, keep it up and hopefully we all get your first EP signed once it hits a big label! :smiley: Your first song is very current to be fair, the state of economy nowadays is already hitting lots of folks and will be only worse… anyway do not want to derail here to forbidden topics so let me just say really lovely tune. The second of course as well, really touching and moving song, just love it. And another fingerpicker singing tonight, blimey there is a theme clearly here tonight! :smiley:

@Jenndye429 and Dan - great to see you both again in the screen! You guys need to sort out monitoring for Dan too as poor guy didn’t know what Brian was yatting about! :smiley: Although this might have been a blessing… kidding! :black_joker: Anyway love the song choice and the performance, not an easy one to play and sing along so kudos for giving it a go! I’m sure with even more practice you’ll nail those difficult lead lines. I had a blast watching you guys, that was amazing! I have a song request to you folks- I can totally see you both doing song called Halo by Haley James Scott - awesome guitar, vox and drums, so perfect for you two!

@TheCluelessLuthier and Jen - usual high standard from you guys, good to see you again at OM :slight_smile: As others mentioned looking how you perform together and enjoy music is just melting my heart down, absolutely happy for you guys! Lovely performance and a little show included, that is some real show biz stuff there haha!

@philsmith three times a charm - definitely your best one so far! You Dear Sir are really getting the gist of this guitar playing art, and now you included singing along into your routine which means you consolidated so far all the knowledge you learnt in a spotless manner. I wish I started singing along that early in my learning process back in my teens, you are on a right track! First song very well executed and following the original quite closely which is great. Mad world was another fine choice, great job overall and again - kudos for stepping up your game today.

Dale (now aka @charlie_james ??) that was some debut man, great to have you onboard! You have a mellow and lovely voice to listen to and I enjoyed your performance very much. Some interesting dynamics and picking in there, would love to see your picking hand next time too! I love how you managed to play simple chords during the solo and make it really interesting and engaging, you folks don’t need to play note by note or some complicated licks to sound awesome during the solo, this was pure class! Well done and hopefully see you around on the next ones to come.

@jkahn last but not least! I always enjoy your sets as our musical taste is quite similar and this time around I wasn’t disappointed again. Of course I heard about Stone Sour, although wasn’t familiar with their cover of this one so thanks for showing it to me. You Sir are also developing very fast, I think we guys all have some sort of a Stockholm syndrome where we all are developing in our guitar journeys and one follows the other and we all are becoming quite a strong group of skilful musicians. Picking individual notes was awesome, definitely a step up in your playing, well done. And of course you had to pick THAT SONG! One on my bucket list, thanks for spreading the worm! That was awesome dude, I can tell all the nicest words to you but you know you’re doing great. You must, and if not just listen to your first and last recording and I am sure you will spot it too :slight_smile:

Fantastic night I regretfully had to skip, really enjoyed it throughout and as usual thank you to all performers for stepping up and making it happen. Also thank you to the audience, after all without you we would all be a massive narcissists who might as well act in front of the mirror haha! Take care of yourself folks and onto the next one.

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Thanks @adi_mrok,
Technically not a true debut, as I did participate in the Christmas one with Justin.

Truth is I picked that song partly based on a comment you provided on another song I did ( AVOUP), about adding some dynamics to my playing. I thought it was a totally valid comment so I looked for a song where I could play with that. So I’m extra happy you picked up on that.

I did mean to have my hands in video - but I was pretty flustered after sound check ( turned out to be user error or course), and ended up adjusting my camera position resulting in not being properly in frame - and input levels which I think resulted in me being on the quiet side as well.

The ‘Charlie James’ name change is a bit of a story.
I use different screen names for different interests. Charlie and James are the names of my grandfathers and my earliest musical influences. So I put there 2 first names together as my ‘stage name’, or in this case screen name. (Seeing as I would have to actually play on a stage first). :slight_smile:
I had changed my name on the Justin forum months ago before active posting, but for some reason it just updated in the forum in the last week.

-Dale

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Dale apologies of course you were on Justin’s Christmas bash, how embarrassing for me to forget! Although to be fair I tend to remember more those Community Open Mics more, perhaps because I am also involved there in organising side of things (amongst some other stuff :face_with_hand_over_mouth:).

Yes you definitely improved on dynamics since my comment on Hey There Delilah, it was really good and I wished I could pull off a strumming solo that well myself! Hopefully we see you on another one too!

And thanks for explanation of your new nickname, pretty cool idea :grinning:

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Reading that bit amazed me. Dale, you’ve got such advanced skills. I watched your livestream event performance too before Christmas. You haven’t played in a band, or some other gig - whether busking, real life OM, etc?

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What a great show to be a part of. I think I am on my third listen through it, hearing new things with each run through. I Did jot a few notes down on the performances.
@brianlarsen - singing the rules a very novel idea. Nicely done, We should probably have expected nothing less, especially when you did a sneaky test of your guitar during the soundcheck, Nicely MC’d throughout, not an easy task keeping on top of so many things.
@DavidP Abba was a surprise from a rock fan, nice mixture of melody fingerpicking and strumming. It really suited your vocal range. Then going off to sit in the dark and watch the show.
@jestersea really nice cool vibe, really suited your voice too, added to fingerpicking a complex pattern, very nice, A song that is going to go from strength to strength in your repertoire as you continue to hone it.
@malz and Lara not a song I know, but a great one nice harmonies of both voices and guitars.awesome duet.
@trj Tjeerd again not familiar with the song, but really great fit with your voice. Again fingerpicking and singing sounded really clear. Well done for carrying on through the tough spots. Look forward to hearing more.
@liaty Dave Rockin it out with Van Halen, great tone. When you were introducing it, I thought the vocals were going to quiet… How wrong was I , great throaty vocals, and solos too. Clearly having fun - great.
@twistor59 “Have a go at” that was way better than have a go at. excellent soothing Pink Floyd, brilliantly played and especially restarted after being muted, doesn’t help the nerves I know. It didn’t show that you were nervous though… Lipreading your comment when you saw you were muted luckily got past the censors.
@eric.lennon Lovely clean muting, great singing and busting into the solo. Expected backing singers to emerge from behind the curtain for the chorus.
Bryan Adams song I didn’t know but you played it really well. Nicely sung, and great solo.
To be continued…

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@rodreilly Another new song for me, but really nicely sung and played. Very smooth and consistent. Nice to smile and continue through mistakes that nobody would have noticed. Great song.
@think2100 2 great original, nice fingerpicking and clear vocals, Very moving lyrics Very Springsteenesque vibe. I would say record them yourself or send them to Bruce to do for you.
@jenndye429 and Dan, I think Dan drummed through the whole show whenever I looked at the gallery he was playing. Excellently played and sung, great energy… OOOOOWWWWW. Nice transition to the solo and back. Kudos for being out there and playing loud, there is nothing to hide behind. Even throwing your sticks at the end.
@thecluelessluthier and Jen another great duet - great show, watching Jen’s face is great
@philsmith very happy with my performance, it felt ok at the time but wasn’t sure until I listened back. Singing seems to go easier after the first time you can put singing and playing together. I have many recordings in the run up to this, and they all have their imperfections. The nerves were less prevalent until the day of the show. As it went along, I could feel them creeping in, made to be a supporting act rather than a headliner. Once again great buzz from doing this, never dreamed I would be doing this, and I wouldn’t be without this community.
@charlie_james Dale didn’t know the song another complex fingerpicking song well done, great singing too, nice fit with your voice. Not sure how you fit those lyrics to the tune, next level skills. Charlie Cunningham has been added to our playlist now. Must have been tough sitting there hoping it was going to work through the whole show. Glad it did
@jkahn love wicked game, I have never heard the stone sour version before today. Nice mixture of strumming and picking, suited your voice. Beautiful version I will have to give it another attempt. Everlong great consistent strumming, you made it look easy, but I am very sure that it isn’t. Your family is probably happy you chose 2 ballads, although I think your vocals are easier for you as you go for it.

Thanks to @adi_mrok, @themadman_Tobyjenner for all the organising and support, and thanks to all the audience for showing up and listening and making this such a great experience.

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Thanks Jeff! I hope I didn’t butcher it too much for you :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:. I got some words in the first verse wrong and thought to just run with it. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Thanks for the write up Dave. I’d tried practicing the octave jumps in Wicked Game but there was no way that was going to happen, ended up sounding too squeaky. Both those songs are super fun to play. The Stone Sour version of Wicked Game is just two acoustic guitars, plenty of straightforward licks on the second guitar but it sounded too thin doing the licks with just one guitar. Ryan Lendt on youtube has a good lesson on the stone sour version. Glad you liked it! I was pretty happy with how it turned out watching the recording.

I’m pretty sure there would be a lot of overlap between our Spotify playlists Adrian, that’s for sure. I am feeling recently that I crossed some kind of bar in my playing. I used to have plenty of difficulty picking notes or moving around the fretboard without staring right at it. It’s become a lot easier now. I still get lost more in the middle strings, and moreso on acoustic. Thanks for the kudos.

Is Everlong that song? It’s not super easy but it’s not super hard either. I had it on my list to learn someday, and then the last day of work before Christmas me and another guy brought our guitars into work to jam on. He’s been playing for over 20 years. He showed me a few things, everlong was one. Actually didn’t look too hard so I decided to learn it. The main riff rhythm takes a bit of practice to get automatic though, and the octaves are triplets. You’d learn it super quick. Only thing to watch is loads of the youtube lessons get the rhythm wrong… including Justin :exploding_head:.

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Thanks - that’s a great compliment. Roddy Frame is a guitar genius (I think). There’s a cracking solo in the break on the record which I would like to try and learn.

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Thanks - yes the nerves were much better this time. I did have a small whisky a few minutes before which might have helped :wink:

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Thank you Peeps for the kind words. We both really enjoyed playing and are pleased you enjoyed our performance. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

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Hi all,
It was good fun hosting the OM on Sat :smiley:
Big thanks again to all the tech-heads and support team providing the platform/backup. If anyone is wondering what’s involved, it’s essentially: show up and waffle. It’s good to get out of our comfort zones every now and again, not just in playing.

Someone asked about the intro music-
True to form, I tastefully steal others’ genius. I lifted the tune from Herman Dune’s My Home is Nowhere Without You. (Well worth a listen)
Best thing about presenting is you get to say straight off what you think, so no need to slowly type out match analysis afterwards! Everyone was- well…:laughing:
I had a quick scan through some of the evening’s proceedings but stopped after about the fourth time I used the adjective ‘superb’. Sigh… Funny the way so many of us look at ourselves and only see things we should change :roll_eyes:
Best news of all is that my second cataract surgery yesterday went smoothly and, some discomfort aside, all is going well.
I’m seeing the world in a new light now :sunglasses: :person_with_white_cane: :guide_dog: :rofl:

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Hi Brian,
Good and superb :smile:that all went well,… :sunglasses:
No more excuses for not finding the right chords ,…and so now go for the high fruit,…welcome to the land of those who see :blush:
x

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Glad to hear the surgery went well, Brian.

You are right about being MC, not withstanding your singing intro, it is not a demanding job … though I repeatedly forget to give the performers advanced notice when they are next up :rofl:

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@liaty Thanks Dave. Sorry about that, never meant to sound so chilling. Never a school teacher, though maybe corporate also teaches a certain directness at times :joy:

@adi_mrok Thanks Adrian. I think it’s safe to say I shan’t ever be singing the intro, I may MC again, but will revert to a simple spoken intro. Much work to get the melody playing smooth and consistent in a live performance, but happy to have given it a go.

@philsmith Thanks Phil. I think ABBA is one of those timeless classic pop acts that will endure from generation to generation. The harmonies, the melodies, the singing just keep on delighting new audiences, like The Beatles. Dare I say, unlike majority of the pop artists that followed them, at least those that I’ve heard.

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Great stuff Brian

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@think2100 Jay just rewatched your performance great work mate👍. There was something about your vocal that I liked and couldn’t put my finger on but listening again and especially your first song reminds me of some of James Blundell stuff. Nice work👍

Well done to everyone, my first time watching and thoroughly enjoyed these performances great work everyone👍

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He just hit a minor chord and then hit the GO button haha. :wink:

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Perhaps Brian was watching Bill then

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