Open Mic at Sonic Junction, Sept 27th - Oct 6th

It's time for Open Mic! We're having our 4th Sonic Junction Open Mic on Sept 27th. So start preparing -- you've got 2 weeks ...

Open Mic is a time to share your music with the Sonic Junction community. Post a video of yourself playing your favorite tune--it can be a song you wrote, something you learned here at Sonic Junction or elsewhere, or a tune you're enjoying at the moment. It's a great chance to share what's on your mind -- inspire and be inspired!

From Sep 27th to Oct 6th, post your videos here.

PLEASE WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY, Sept 27th TO POST YOUR VIDEO.

And check back often to enjoy all the talent here at Sonic Junction.

Drop me an email or let me know via the Contact Us page if you have questions or need help editing or posting your video.

Looking forward to some good music!

Mike

Hy All,

here's a recording a made a few days ago...

Good Open Mic to all of you!

Wow i'm really impressed Alex ! The guitar sound clean and nice (good tempo) and your voice is really nice and warm. And i don't hear your accent (maybe our american friends will ;)). It' a great version, you must keep it in your repertory ! There's nothing to add i think except maybe a better end ;)  

Here's mine...!

Click on these three link:

That's me with the red guitar and the hat.

1). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3i-EPKg3G0
2). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI7A8VaU2Sw
3). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a56vvTy_4O8

Just go to www.youtube.com and type  Maso's Blues  into the search engine. Leave a comment...!!!

Jd thanks!!...I took inspiration most of all from Eric Bibb's version of Candy Man but still picking in some parts like Gary Davis version...it's a kind of mid way...Singin I just took Eric Bibb interpretation and tried to do my best...I think you can hear my italian accent expecially when I go to the IV..ahahaahah I really can't pronounce that "th" sound...:DDD..

I wait for your video....even electric guitar, why not? I haven't hard you playin in electric...I'd like to!!!

Merci, mon blues frere!!!

Oh I forgot...I don't like ending too!!!! ahahaah...I haven't worked on it..I never work a lot on endings! I should!!! 

Hi Alex ... beautiful!  I agree with JD, guitar sounds reall nice ... great tempo and tone.  Your singing is excellent!  I like the phrasing.  Your voice is warm and relaxed ... it's the best singing I've seen you do!!

Hi Tom ... you guys are a good team.  I really like your riffs from 0:50 to 1:14 on Pride a Joy.  You do a great job of working in the both the low and high end of guitar.

Mike...

Thanx...!

I did put some thought into my high and low notes and how to transion them. That's an important detail that is sadly oftain overlooked. There is a slight differance in the way that you process a trebble note and a baratone note and when you learn to employ the right kind of dynamics to it, the transition of those notes become very effective. ( Does that make sence...? )

I think my "Maso's Blues - 2" is the better one. Go see:

Red Rooster played crossharp in the key of D along with Muddy and the Wolf. Using a late '40s Brown Biscuit mic and my '91 Bassman '59 re-issue (in the background).

It's aa

Hi Peter ... love it.  I like the way you create a mood ... and the slide is great!

Through a rather prolonged series of unfortunate circumstances, I found myself "on the road" so to speak in a 35 year old motorhome, with my wolfish companion and a lot of guitars.  While I consider this a temporary solution, and a way to embark on a long anticipated road trip, I found myself immediately aware of a very large population of people living permanently this way, and even many more living "off the grid" in evan more meager circumstances.  Boondocking is a lifestyle involving parking overnight without being hassled by the police - it is now illegal in California to sleep in your car.  They used to encourage you to do this if you felt too tired to drive or were a bit intoxicated.  In northern California homeless camps are being raided by the police.  I thought they had budget problems but apparently they have enough money to remove people from tent camps in the woods.  Many of these people are veterans.  Some are older who have just outlived their families.  Some are families whose wage earner was laid off and found their primary asset, their home, worth half what they paid for it; in which case joblessness equates to homelessness.  I have been working on a bluesy finger picking version of "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" for some time and it occurred to me that this was not such a dated song.  In the Great Depression many of the distressed were disabled veterans who had been deprived of promised benefits after World War I.  Tent cities were common, and of course much of our great Blues heritage comes from this era.  This is a song I see as one that could not have existed without the Blues influence, even though it is not strictly a Blues song.  It was originally written as part of a Broadway Musical, but became a huge hit in it's day.  The lyricist was a very notable artist named Yip Harburg, who among a library of important works wrote the lyrics for all the songs in the film "The Wizard of Oz."  He had been an accountant before the depression and went bust.  He then decided that as long as he was going to be broke, he might as well write songs.  I have made this rather rough around the edges video in the back of this RV, a bit close quarters, and I have had to keep the volume low as I am in an RV Park at the moment.  I'm not used to singing so quietly so I'm no thrilled about the vocal, but I could not resist playing this on my 1938 Kalamazoo, which is the year, I believe, the song was written.  I include here a "prologue" which was part of the original song, but usually is not done when the song is covered.

Since this is a Kalamazoo, I also thought it would be fun to take a shot at some Robert Johnson, so I also am uploading a version of "Love in Vain."  Finally, I have a version of "Everybody's Got to Change" - which is inspired by Corey's version but not per se Corey's version.  The Kalamazoo has it's occassional buzzes and such, as it is now almost 80 years old and an ongoing project, but I love the sound although I don't think this video is eq'd very well.  I've lowered the resolution here as I don't have a great connection and it would otherwise take too long to uppload.

Thanks - comments from this forum mean a great deal in moral support as I know everyone here is dedicated to the music.  

Well... Here's my third and last video. Maso's Blues - 3

I hope somebody will look these over and comment.

Definately like this style - I think all the notes are there - I personally would like to see you play more rythm during the vocals - of course some of the riffs are appropriate for rythm too -- but I would like more of the lead playing in breaks.  I think also - and this is just a personal preference - the lead playing should try and mimic the human voice - and I think your riff selection, tempo, attack could be more connected to the actual vocal delivery - that's more of an interpretive comment than technical.  But what would the soloing sound like if you were taking over the vocal from the other player there... just singing with the guitar in that song at that moment?  I think playing rythm during his vocals would give a good launching pad for the soloing as rythm gets you in touch with the emotional content of the song and will create some nice variations - pauses and silences too.  I think that as stand alone soling it's great, but it could be more interwoven with the song and vocal content.  What I'm saying make any sense?  I have to confess I have an issue with contemporary soloing philosophy though - in the early days of electric blues everything served the song - these days songs seem to be a launching pad for a lot of soloing that becomes and end in itself.  I saw a concert last year with quite a few headliners and there were so many notes played above the 12th fret, and I can't remember any songs - they all sounded the same.  I do like your classic use of the first position here and the down style definately - but I saw Muddy Waters in a small club in Detroit in the 70's and I remember just about every song and he played until 4:00 in the morning - and the solos too.  But I think the idea of the solo being an extension of the vocals -- is maybe something you might get some ideas from.  Jimmy Rogers was a great soloist but also a great rythm player and in the early electric days they played with two guitars, they didn't have a bass.  Lots of very creative things done rythmically that created a platform for the solos.  Again, you've got the notes down, this is just an interpretive suggestion.  

Hello Guy's Its been a long time since I played the hanmonica (about 6 months!! ) as I have been busy with other things but I saw that its open Mic  Night and I always wanted to upload a video or two so here goes... I appreciate any comments....

Hello Guy's Its been a long time since I played the hanmonica (about 6 months!! ) as I have been busy with other things but I saw that its open Mic  Night and I always wanted to upload a video or two so here goes... Video#2 ... I appreciate any comments

I could'n Resist uploading one more!! all comments are welcome....

Alex I'm impressed!! great guitar and voice you do justice to this great song.....

Alex -- you are getting more relaxed with your singing -- this was very nice -- and don't worry too much about endings - lots of great blues men - when the song was over - it was just over - there doesn't have to be an "ending" -- whatever you are doing, just keep it up -- I know you have expressed concern in the past about singing and playing at the same time but seems you have taken a big step forward here.  All about finding your own style anyway.  Well done.

Learningtheharp,

I liked all of your videos.  Nice tone and rhythm - pleasant to listen to.

John - you definitely have the feel for the song -- it's going to be really good -- Skip James I find is so unique in style that you have to sort of have to play it a long long time until it almost becomes second nature to really get the flow -- but you have a great start -- it's also challenging to play and sing at the same time -- good work -- 

Vinny,LHP,Mike...thanks all of you guys...singin it's not my best and I'm italian too...so it's difficoult...Vinny thanks for your words..I like to read your post..they're always so detailed...and nice guitar you have..Kalamazoo where fav guitar of Robert Johnson!! I'd like to have just once of them in my hands to play...here in Italy, it's impossible to find one!!!!

thanks all of you guys, again!

Alex

Hello All, I had a lot of work last ten so i couldn't prepare the open mic as i want ! But first let me tell your my comment about all your great video :) !

@Tom your blues is good and you have a nice feel in electric guitar like it !

@Rich Cool sound !! and what a gear ! 

@Peter Your so creative Peter i like that 44version :) !! I'm younger than you and i don't take all those liberty, love to hear you Peter !

@John Bunyan as Vinny Said you have the feel for this song i can feel your sadness ! You have to continue to work this song it really fits you !

@Vinny : What a great lesson of life and history. your Kalamzoo sound really good and seems really playable for a old lady like that ! Your songs feel really full of sense and feeling (don't know if i'm clear in english). Hope i can hear you with your full voice !

@Learning harp You play really well for 6 month !! I played harp for years but can't get a good sound, i may take lesson with Jeff too !

@ That Guy Nice solo you have a ggo sens of construction, begining soft and then play higher etc... Good job ! 

So here's my version of Kind Hearted Woman in Muddy style. At first, i tried to tune my guitar one step down to sing in G and played the Corey's version but i've heard Muddy's Version in Open G and worked it. There's a lot of mistake and i'm not fixed about what kind of singing response i can play with the slide so it's a lot of improvisation... The solo is almost Muddy's solo ! I should have work it more but i can't post later so here it is ! Hope you'll enjoy it