Another Demo: McCarty, 58/15s, Americana Style

[László]

Well, I started recording something for my ad project today, but got a call from my doc about my nerve problem that may need surgery...so...I had a hard time concentrating on the damned ad. I needed to get my mind off the nerve problem. Do something just for myself.

I said WTF, I'll just do something kind of fun, and demo the McCarty WL guitar with the maple neck and 58/15s through my PRS DG30 and HXDA amps. Because that's the guitar I was using on the ad project anyway. It was there in the room.

"And," I said to myself, "I'll do an Americana style piece with it just because I always do blues demos."

So here is the demo:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/americana-l

Yes, there are CLAMS in the piece.

Hey, I'm lucky that I was able to write something and play at all!

Sound notes: the guitar is the McCarty Jack Gretz Wood Library model, maple neck, BRW fretboard, bridge pickup on both tracks. My last demo of this guitar was with the neck pickup.

The DG30 is miked with a Rode NTR Ribbon mic. The HXDA 30 is going through a PRS 1x12 and is miked by an SM57. I could have miked the 1x12 a little better, but...I didn't.

Pedals are a Suhr Jackrabbit (tremolo) and Eventide H9 with some ducked delay.

I mixed the lead guitar a little hot. Listen on good speakers or headphones, sounds like sh%t on a laptop speaker.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Soundin' nice!

 

[CantankerousCarl]

Very very cool Les - those Jack Gretz WLMCs don't have a bad sound in them

 

[Buildermike]

Nice playing Les. Great tone going on there.

 

[veinbuster]

I like the sound.
And thanks for the setup notes. I find them very helpful in my education.

 

[László]

Thx guys. I never really like my own playing. All I hear are the mistakes, the sloppy missed notes, etc.

 

[JustRob]

Nice. Love the little thing you did at 46 sec mark. Don't know why, simple thing just struck me as sounding so right.

 

[László]

Nice. Love the little thing you did at 46 sec mark. Don't know why, simple thing just struck me as sounding so right.

Thanks Rob...probably the only little bit I played well. LOL!

 

[GS1]

I really liked that, sounded great!

 

[dogrocketp]

Always good to know you keep going on, Les. I`ve had surgery on both hands, and am right there with you. Every time I pick up my guitar, it`s a blessing. Playing good music just makes it better.

 

[Tosca]

Great demo Les...really captured the clear articulate cleans and creamy overdrive these 58/15 pickups are capable of. I really love them more each time I hear them. It seems to be so easy to get a nice recording that cuts through with them (even for a hack like me). Thanks again for sharing.

 

[markintime]

That sounded just boss through my crappy Macbook speakers, really soaring and I like it!

 

[vchizzle]

Marked for when I can listen...

 

[László]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.The overall vibe of the piece has potential. I may wind up developing it further.

The solo guitar needs some work -- it's not that the ideas are bad, but the playing is hesitant, because I basically just threw the part down. You can hear me thinking, "What am I going to try next?" instead of just playing something I'd already written and practiced a little. It's choppy and sloppy. But I'll work on it.

I think the guitar tones are pretty good, especially the rhythm part with the DG30 and the ribbon mic. The lead tone - well, things sounded a little bassy at first the way I had the mic set up, so I rolled a lot of bass off the amp, and moved the mic a little closer to the speaker cone. It sounded good in the cans when I was recording, but it just goes to show ya, it's hard to trust cans...when I got everything up on the speakers, what I heard was a little thin. The HXDA can sound creamier. Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible, but I've gotten better recorded tones with that guitar and amp.

Still, for a quickie, fun demo, and a way to have some musical fun this afternoon, listening back again, it's not a bad effort!

 

[Alan Manning]

Lovely tone ,nice & mellow jus't the thing for 6-30 in the morning I think i'm awake now cheer's!!!

 

[Maertl513]

Les,
Nice tune. Musical work don't has to be perfect as laboratory. It's soul driven in the moment it happens. 'What to do next?' descripes this well.
I understand the approach of perfectism. Though: Other moment, different mood, other notes being played, major or minor mode...
But, if you see that as an idea which has to be shapen, it would be very fine if you share the further development with us.

Mart

 

[vchizzle]

Les, I thought the tones were really great. Playing and style too. I'd definitely work that idea into a song. Do it for you, not an ad. That's what brought it to life to begin with.

 

[László]

Les, I thought the tones were really great. Playing and style too. I'd definitely work that idea into a song. Do it for you, not an ad. That's what brought it to life to begin with.

Les,
Nice tune. Musical work don't has to be perfect as laboratory. It's soul driven in the moment it happens. 'What to do next?' descripes this well.
I understand the approach of perfectism. Though: Other moment, different mood, other notes being played, major or minor mode...
But, if you see that as an idea which has to be shapen, it would be very fine if you share the further development with us.

Mart

Good thoughts and suggestions, guys. I really ought to create something that isn't for a client's ad, I rarely do that! It's funny, once you get in the habit of working to the purchase order, it's hard to get motivated to just record something for your own purposes.

The irony is that I started doing the ad work simply so I could spend more time in the studio and work on my own stuff. I never got to the "my own stuff" part, and it's been what, 25 years?

I will keep working on it - and yup, I'll share the result here.

I may play some piano on it, too.

 

[CVS]

Thx guys. I never really like my own playing. All I hear are the mistakes, the sloppy missed notes, etc.

Great tone & thanks for posting. Hope you develop this into a song as others have suggested. I am very critical of my own playing, so you are not alone on that count. Hope surgery goes OK, if you have to have it.

 

[andy474x]

Good stuff Les! Always like it when you post clips.