Live from Center Stage

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

http://www.stream.livefromcenterstage.com/dan-walker/

So I got a gig with a guy, Dan walker, here on the East Coast to appear on Center Stage. These performances are televised on public television and some other small cable networks once in a while.

So I got the tunes via Drop Box from Dan. I charted them but we all decided looking at a music stand was a little
gosh visually for a TV performance. The rest of the band like me had never played together and we had but one short rehearsal at Dan's place in Madbury NH before we piled in the van headed for Cape Cod to tape the show.

There's some cheese, some evidence of unfamiliarity, lack of time spent on a mix-down. (the steel's a little loud) It is what it is but check out my Infinity SU12 pedal steel through my new amp, the Octal 70.

I really like Dan's voice/guitar/writing.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

Good stuff, Jim.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Harlow Dobro

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Enjoyed YOUR contribution to the over-all presentation.

To me, you sounded really good on back-up. What you played fit right in to the mood of the songs.

Great! Thanx for sharing.

Justin Emmert · From: Greensboro, NC

Jim,

I thought you did a great job and added a lot to the show. And with only charts and one practice, I would be ecstatic with the results.

My question is how happy was the guy that hired you?

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

I imagine he was quite happy. Everybody hung back and were pretty acoustic. I'm glad the steel came through 'a little loud' for present audience. (Actually, without backing vocals, I think it's properly there and your parts are tasty in such a spare setting, I can imagine temptation to dial in some chorus but the clear sound of the Infinity is worth it.)

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Thanks guys.

The comments from Justin and Charlie stimulated my thoughts. In fact, when I first heard this I said to myself - wow, I kinda overplayed.
I've had so many years wood-shedding in a duo that I find I tend to overplay in a band situation. I'm learning of late "less is more".
One thing debatable is what is texture and what is fill. I think you can continuously play in the background if not too loud or too busy with individual notes. That's texture.
If you fill around a vocalist it can be more up front and be the focal point in the moment.
In a large band situation it is often best to bow out entirely for the most part and only be heard when called upon.
A lot of this depends on the mix down and relative volumes too which we instrumentalists rarely have control over. For example the electric guitar player had the loudest stage volume but the recording guys set his levels lower for the recording.

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