Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Community => Gigs => Topic started by: David Houck on May 27, 2018, 07:49:10 PM

Title: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on May 27, 2018, 07:49:10 PM
I had the basic idea for the "ambient" structure of this piece months ago, but today I dialed in the tone and effects.  It's just a vehicle for working on improvisation.  I wanted to record it so I wouldn't forget it, but the recording came out nice enough that I thought it worth sharing here.


As usual, marked private.


https://soundcloud.com/dave-houck/opening-prayer/s-PPyue (https://soundcloud.com/dave-houck/opening-prayer/s-PPyue)
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: tx196059 on May 27, 2018, 08:36:00 PM
Very interesting David. Thanks for sharing. Very thought provoking. Cheers!


Joe
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on May 27, 2018, 09:28:12 PM
Thanks Joe.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: rv_bass on May 28, 2018, 06:59:01 AM
David, very nice!  Shimmering with lots of depth, I like it!
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on May 28, 2018, 07:34:54 AM
Thanks Rob.

I'm thinking there might be a bit too much shimmer in there; might try to bring that down some next time I work on it.  Also, I'm thinking the relative level of the held opening chord might need to come up.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on June 10, 2018, 04:54:11 PM
I've uploaded another take on this piece (https://soundcloud.com/dave-houck/opening-prayer-v2/s-W9Ea3).  I changed the timbre of the opening chord and brought it's level up a bit.  On the lead line, I took out some of the shimmer and made some adjustments to the tone.  I think the phrasing is better in this one as well.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: edwardofhuncote on June 11, 2018, 08:59:18 AM
Nice variation Dave.  :)
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on June 11, 2018, 09:29:00 AM
Thanks Gregory!
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: rv_bass on June 11, 2018, 05:32:10 PM
Nice, David!   From the title I get the impression that it’s an introduction to a larger piece.  If so, that will work well, nice photo too  :)
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on June 12, 2018, 06:18:28 AM
Thanks Rob!  At the moment, I'm thinking it could be, as an introduction, the first song on the CD and/or the first song of a live performance.  However, I have considered that perhaps it's too short for a song by itself; people might not want to download a tune that short.  Another friend said she thought it should be longer.  So I don't know.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: JuancarlinBass on June 12, 2018, 07:58:14 AM
It's awesome! And that's an amazing tone!
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: jwright9 on June 12, 2018, 08:05:22 AM
I really like this piece. Nice work.

Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: rv_bass on June 12, 2018, 08:49:02 AM
I was thinking maybe an introduction segment like the beginning of Yes' "And You and I" or the beginning of "Weather Report Suite".  After brief introductions, both of those songs then lead into much lengthier segments.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on June 12, 2018, 11:07:29 AM
Thanks JWright and Juan Carlos!  And I'm glad you like the tone.

Rob; yes, I thought about that as well.  And I do think that it would be nice if the feel of this piece would serve as a natural introduction to whatever follows.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: srfogel on June 19, 2018, 12:13:13 PM
That's really nice.  I like version 2.  It has more air in which to expand
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on June 19, 2018, 01:18:11 PM
Thanks Steve.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on August 30, 2018, 03:57:49 PM
I uploaded a better balanced version of the tune, so the lead line isn't overpowering the held chord as much.

https://soundcloud.com/dave-houck/opening-prayer-1/s-mLTpv (https://soundcloud.com/dave-houck/opening-prayer-1/s-mLTpv)
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 31, 2018, 07:00:03 AM
Sorry for showing up late, Dave,

Love the title & composition !

It was both soothing & encouraging at the same time!

everthing's gonna be alright ! we're gonna make it !!

Bless Ya, Dave !
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on August 31, 2018, 07:23:18 AM
Thanks, Philip!
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: edwardofhuncote on September 01, 2018, 07:11:32 AM
Especially nice soundtrack for breakfast, camping in the southwest Virginia woods this morning, Dave.  :)
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on September 01, 2018, 07:23:44 AM
Especially nice soundtrack for breakfast, camping in the southwest Virginia woods this morning, Dave.  :)

Ah!  Being an "Opening Prayer", I can see how the piece would be appropriate; and if the woods there this morning are like the woods here this morning, then it's a beautiful morning for spending time in the woods.  Thanks!
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: rv_bass on September 01, 2018, 04:09:57 PM
Very nice, David, I like the shimmering effect.  Is the piece based on something or entirely your creation? Thanks for sharing :)

Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on September 01, 2018, 06:33:35 PM
Is the piece based on something ...

Thanks Rob!  It started out as just improvising within a scale, learning its rules, and slowly the improvisation is starting to settle into a specific melodic piece.  And at the same time, it started out as an attempt to open with a held chord over which I could then play a melodic line.  So it just came together, if slowly, and is still evolving; though I think it's getting near to its final form.
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: lbpesq on September 01, 2018, 07:27:42 PM
Very nice, Dave.  If I didn't know the instrumentation, bass would not be my first guess.  How are you getting the organ-like opening chord?  The piece seems to beg for impovisational exploration, not unlike Dark Star (meant in a very positive way).

Bill, tgo
Title: Re: David Houck's project - working out some ideas
Post by: David Houck on September 01, 2018, 08:41:51 PM
... How are you getting the organ-like opening chord?

Thanks Bill!  It's an E major chord which then goes through a pitch shifter; I can't remember off the top of my head, but I think the pitch shifter doubled the chord by adding the same chord a fourth up.  Then the signal went through a formant effect, which added a vocal quality to the tone; and then the last part of the chain was a deep hall reverb which had the hold switch.  I think all of those effects also had EQ adjustments which kept things from getting too muddy.  It took me a while to get it all worked out.