New track, feedback wanted

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 23 Feb 2009 11:50 pm

We finished this one, last night. That's me playing ebowed lap steel, pedal (lap steel with levers) steel and baritone guitar.

Opinions?

http://www.thesubcons.com/mp3/i%20respired.mp3

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 24 Feb 2009 12:27 pm

Bump. I'm gonna nag.............

Rick Batey · Post by **Rick Batey** » 24 Feb 2009 12:50 pm

Great!

I'm getting a hint of Friends Of Dean Martinez with a touch of Syd-era Floyd.

I love the variety of the steel textures. Could you give an effects run-down?

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 24 Feb 2009 12:58 pm

Very cool!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Feb 2009 2:05 pm

It's very good if you're going for a strictly thematic music piece, the kind of stuff that would be used as background in a movie or video game. The vocal is too low in the mix to rate (can't make out all the words), but the melody fits with the mood.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 24 Feb 2009 2:08 pm

Rick Batey wrote:Great!

I'm getting a hint of Friends Of Dean Martinez with a touch of Syd-era Floyd.

I love the variety of the steel textures. Could you give an effects run-down?

Thanks! Effects rundown:

1st sound)Ebow(using both harmonic and regular setting)>>Fouke Industrial "Indy Rail" with p90 pickup>>EHX LPB-2-left input>>Fender passive volume pedal>>Ibanez DE7 set to "echo" mode">>right input of EHX LPB-2>>Verbzilla set to "cave">>stereo out to Fender DRRI and Vox DA5 set to "clean 1"

When I use an ebow, I tend to ride the steel's tone knob frequently.

2nd sound)Fouke Industrial "Indy Rail" with humbucker>>Ibanez DE7 "echo mode" for short delay>>Verbzilla "hall" setting>>stereo to Fender DRRI and Vox DA5

It's recorded in a large room with high wood ceilings. It's a 19th-century church.

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 24 Feb 2009 4:18 pm

Well, i'm always up for a creative tune so i agree about the movie theme!!!

I listened to it again but before i turned it on, i lit a joint, grabbed a shot and chased it with a beer!! Then it hit me!! I remember something just like this from the early 70's at a party!!

Yea, i can feel it! Can you feel it?

Far out man!!!

Just kiddin ya, its pretty cool and creative!!!!

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 24 Feb 2009 4:31 pm

Not my cup of tea ! But that is what makes the world go around huh ?

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 24 Feb 2009 4:51 pm

So what's the lap steel with levers all about? Do you have pictures? I'm not sure I've ever seen a lap steel with levers.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 24 Feb 2009 5:04 pm

Bryan, it's a lap steel with a knee and elbow lever added that function like pedal steel A and B pedals.

With my knee I can raise B to C# and my elbow can raise G# to A.

There are photos in this thread:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

Scroll down to the third photo.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 24 Feb 2009 5:08 pm

buncha background sound effects around a questionable vocal vibe...it is what it is...what it isn't is being bought my me.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 24 Feb 2009 5:14 pm

That's pretty cool - did you add the levers, or is the steel sold that way?

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 24 Feb 2009 5:15 pm

I figure old Bill Hankey would jump on this one!!

Bryan, do you play this thing live?

I wonder what it would sound like if you played it as a lap steel in a old country tune!

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 24 Feb 2009 5:27 pm

I loved it. Yeah the vocals could be mixed a little higher, so you can understand at least some words but still keep that REM barely-understandable-surreal-poetic quality.

Here are some guys I sometimes play with (not on any of their recorded stuff yet): Broken Prayers. And here are some guys I played with for awhile, but they are now inactive: Gas Money.

I love this kind of alt/country/spaghetti/experimental stuff, and the young crowds it attracts.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 24 Feb 2009 5:57 pm

Bryan Daste wrote:That's pretty cool - did you add the levers, or is the steel sold that way?

No, I had a friend add them. He designed and machined them.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 24 Feb 2009 5:58 pm

Kenny Martin wrote:I figure old Bill Hankey would jump on this one!!

Bryan, do you play this thing live?

I wonder what it would sound like if you played it as a lap steel in a old country tune!

I assume the question was for me. Yes, I play it live but I don't know any old country tunes. Who is Bill Hankey? If you look closely, it's really two single necks joined together so that I have two separate outputs. That way I can actually play songs like this live without mashing any pedals. Clean on one neck and affected on another.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 24 Feb 2009 6:01 pm

chris ivey wrote:buncha background sound effects around a questionable vocal vibe...it is what it is...what it isn't is being bought my me.

Well, it was an instrumental, until recently. The vocals were never a focal point in the composition. I guess it wouldn't be your type of instrumental. Thanks for the feedback!

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 24 Feb 2009 6:08 pm

Yep sorry! The questions was for you!

Have any of you guys ever heard of a GUYA TONE lap steel? I have one that my Daddy left me!

Anyways man its like this:
Play what you feel good about and if the crowd around ya likes keep playin as well.

It's for sure different and being brought up on Country steel it ain't for me but as we say in the truck business "There's a butt for every seat"

I'm a V.P at Peterbilt!
Take care man!
km

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 25 Feb 2009 8:36 am

I had a Guyatone lap steel. It was similer to a Fender Deluxe 6(stringmaster). I lost in when our uHaul was stolen while playing in San Fran.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 26 Feb 2009 12:02 pm

James,great stuff! Stu

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 26 Feb 2009 1:26 pm

Bryan Daste wrote:So what's the lap steel with levers all about? Do you have pictures? I'm not sure I've ever seen a lap steel with levers.

Brian,
Here are a couple of photos of Lap Steel Palm Levers which might be clearer, these are the most popular versions by Bigsby and Duesenberg.

James.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 26 Feb 2009 2:34 pm

I thought about going the palm lever route but the levers look like they get in the way of the picking hand. Also looks like it would inhibit my eBow technique. The knee lever does make using a volume pedal a bit more difficult.

We've tweaked the mix a bit:
http://www.thesubcons.com/mp3/i%20respired.mp3

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 26 Feb 2009 3:10 pm

I should have said earlier I liked the music, a lot of good work went into the making and I'm always open to new work.

James.

Tucker Jackson · Post by **Tucker Jackson** » 27 Feb 2009 12:43 pm

Very cool, James. I love that hint of "spaghetti western" you guys got goin' on, but it's also very modern. You're getting some nice ghosty tones outta the lap... it really fits the song. Kudos.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 27 Feb 2009 2:10 pm

Tucker! It's been a while. How you doin'? Are you still playing with Celilo?

Here's another track, our only cover that we actually plan to release. I'm mostly using the steel for sound effects, but there is a some octave playing in the bridge. I'm loving my new baritone guitar.

http://www.thesubcons.com/mp3/dead%20man.mp3