OK this is an impromptu recording, certainly not a planned project. OK that excuses the quality !
So some of you may have noticed me having a little Skynyrd moment over the last week or so. And those that know me will know my love of LS and some southern rock. Not surprising this time of year brings back memories of the fatal plane crash.
For me that’s simple as a huge Skynyrd fan. We got married in June 77, our reception featured a lot of Skynyrd and we left after Freebird was played - our song along with Stairway. My wife was 20 in the October and 8 days later the fatal plane crash happened. I can’t recall if I’d already bought the Street Survivors album by then, which the mega tour was based on but I have the original vinyl along with everything else that followed “pronounced”.
So every year is a heartfelt reminder, wedding anniversary, wife’s birthday and then the day that the “true” Skynyrd died. And getting paid on the 20th of every month back then rammed it home. 20th October 1977 RIP
With my dalliance into the Solo Blues course and my next OM song I’d been picking up my acoustics a little more often than normal. Last week I decided to have a little flat picking session with Simple Man, that I have been working on for a while now but struggle to play at full speed when picking. And there is no way I could sing and flat pick.
Anyway after watching and sharing a few Lynyrd Skynyrd vids here about and having the T-Bucket to hand I cranked out a campfire version of Simple Man. The original is down tuned a semi tone but I struggle with Ronnie’s vocal when the chorus kicked in. So stayed standard and slapped a capo on. Still not sure where I am comfortable with this vocally - think 2nd works better than 3rd which I went with.
So that was a couple of days ago, tonight I went a bit Tonto, swung the desktop boom and condenser mic around in front of the PC fired up OBS and cracked this out. It was a bit raw, so I dropped the vid into Reaper and slapped some EQ on, double tracked it and panned it 10 degree left and right. The intro riff was a bit weak, so I cut and pasted that into a 3rd and centred track to thicken it up. So really minimal mixing. It is still a bit rough but I am happy enough as in the past when I have gone to record this, I have dissolved because of the memories, so hey ho it is what it is. Simples.
That was absolutely outstanding Toby! Played and sung with emotion which came across in your performance! Friday evening here in Chicago and listening to you sing and play made my Friday evening beer taste really good. Loved your performance from start to finish!
Great stuff Toby really got better and better with each second. The band was truly amazing and left so many goodies with us, we can only imagine how many more would be made if it wasn’t for the plane crash. Anyway you did it justice sir, well done! Will be a challenge to match it on next OM
A stellar performance, Toby, full of vibe and feeling.
What a fantastic song. We do love some good hard rocking, whether it is southern USA or British 70s, but at the end of the day, a person with their instrument singing a great song … that is truly hard to beat. Simples
I’ll need to review the performance after those kind comments (waiting for a delivery at the moment and no not GAS related). It was getting late, my voice was getting tired and I’d been bouncing between capo placements, when I just thought what the heck lets record it. The condenser was not in the best place but fell into my lap when I tried to set it lower, the desk boom is a little precarious to say the least. So I was not over impressed with the vox gtr balance. As I can’t split the inputs on the Xenyx as its more of a mixer I was stuck with it. And I’d left the OBS gain and audio volume down, from when I’d been messing with the PlayAcoustic a few days back, so it needed a bit of ReaLimit treatment to boost the output for YouTube. And the PA was sitting on the desk just needing to be cabled up and fed some power.
Guess what I am trying to say, is that your comments blew me away, as this could have been way better production wise, if I’d not just decided to wing it !
Toby, as one of the folk here who has as much interest in the recording/production aspect as the learning to play and sing, I aprpeciate all the technical details you share.
All I’d say is, when the moment is right, setup and perhaps mic up the T-bucket with the condensor and use the dynamic for the vocal, with the AI to get separate tracks into Reaper. Then you can either do some post-production on the audio or just to a simple live play and sing.
It would be great to hear that.
But as I said, it was already most enjoyable. Lots of lyrics to learn but a great tune that may be worth a look for me one fine day.
A very belated happy anniversary to you an’ the missus
A belated happy birthday to herself
Always a pleasure to hear folks’ connection to the bands/songs they like, especially when we’re treated to an interpretation of it.
Solid job on vox, strumming and ‘flat’ picking. Do I need to google what that is or is someone going to save me the hassle, perhaps enlightening other ignerents as well?
The Fender has a preamp on board. The dynamic is on its usual stand. For split audio I’d have to use the UMC. And then for sure the PA or some Reaper tweaking. Or do it as a separate multi track. Maybe one day as lots going technique and song wise. All I know if I’d have headed in that direction last night I would have just put the T back in the rack !
As to the lyrics, yeah I get you but for me, like everything from “pronounced” they’ll be with me for life.
Hey Toby… what can I say… I didn’t like that performance… I loved that performance… I really enjoy it when you bring one of the acoustics out of the stable as I know I’m in for an unplugged treat… you sung and played that with feeling which drew me right into the performance… you made that look “simples”
So we all know the community can be over-positive at times. But this was legitimately a really, really good performance Toby. Probably one of the best of yours I’ve seen (although your last OM was also up there). Any producing issues were not noticeable.
Answering the question first and a layman’s explanation at that, its picking out a melody predominately using open chords, opposed to pulling them from a scale or playing fingerstyle (which I’ve tried for this as well) Every picture paint a thousand words.
In this instance I can not multi process but the ambition is to be able to sing while doing it, so I need to believe in rebirth !
@Socio James thank you ! All three acoustics have been getting a bit of wellie the last few weeks. There is one note in one of the Solo Blues pieces that’s been defeating me and as they all play slightly differently I’ve been experimenting which one is best. Same with my next OM song which will be acoustic but I am undecided on tone and now muddying the waters with a thumb pick !! Many thanks for the feedback.
@jkahn That is so kind of you JK, especially as I know it could have been better. I need to lower the bar at some stage by the sounds of it. The next OM will be interesting then
