I put together a Blues Band. We've been rehearsing for a couple of months. I made a video of a rehearsal last week and was hoping to get some feedback. Here is our version of Mellow Down Easy. Thanks!
Hey, good for you. Getting a band together and getting to this point is an accomplishment and a lot of fun. The "constructive criticism" part for me is you to encourage the bass player and drummer to listen to each other. They came together mid-way through the song but were pretty disconnected at the beginning. The amount of echo you have on your harp is not my cup of tea. But that's OK. Your voice works well and your harp playing is appropriate for the tune.
Now learn 30 more tunes or so and you can go out and look for gigs! ---------- /Greg
Sam....Sounds pretty darn good. The vocals are great....I too would suggest that you back off a bit on the delay....other than that...knock em dead !!! ---------- Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
pretty dang good! i am guessing you've listened to and studied carey bell's version of that song which is very similar. maybe back off the delay a bit but be sure and give your rhythm guys props for their willingness to lay down groove like that for you to work over. very good vocals, you and i have a similar feel for the vocal mic!
please post more as you get it recorded, this is what i like to see!
AV8R...Thanks. The vocal microphone is a Shure Unisphere I Model PE50SP. It's actually over 40 years old and still sounds as good as the brand new Shure SM58 I just bought. The only thing I had to do was replace the windscreen. The harp microphone is a Shure Green Bullet.
Greg Heumann...thanks for your good observations. The bass player and drummer haven't worked together very long. They are playing better together all the time, that song is still pretty new for us. We have only played together once a week for a couple of months. We know approx. 20 songs together. I have a 40 song list that we should have down soon. I rushed to get this video together because I needed to get a video out to someone before they forgot who I was.
I will experiment more with the echo. I recently decided to add more delay after re-watching an old YouTube video by Adam.
jbone...I like Carey Bell's version of this song the best. Here is another video of a James Harman song called Darlin'. Thanks again for the feedback!!
Okay...you said you wanted feedback. Get ready to kill me. First of all, forget about how well you're playing that harp...you're taking care of business there just fine. It sounds very good, but like some of the others said...cut down on the delay somewhat. The harp playing is not the important issue here. Here we go. ITS ALL ABOUT STAGE PRESENCE and studying people. 1. Tell that drummer to burn those sticks and get some brushes. (if you're on a big show the hot shot sound man can mike those brushes and everyone will hear them.) 2. Wearing those shades doesn't make you look, as the kids say..."kewl". (I still don't know why some of my favorite performers just HAVE to wear those things). Dump 'em and learn to make eye contact with every person in the crowd that you can see. If you can't bear to look them in their eyes, then look at the bridge of their nose..to them it will look just like you're looking them in the eye. And SMILE...SMILE...look happy! 3. Never turn your back on the audience...it's bad stage presence. If you have to reach for something, do it sideways..but never with your back turned. 4. If you're going to dance...for goodness sake LEARN HOW and be graceful at it. Even if its only a few moves. Watch some old Jackie Wilson stuff and steal a few of his moves. In this video, you look like a robot on ice. 5. As for your sidemen...staring off into la-la land and being aloof doesn't get it. Teach them to smile also and when your guitar is doing a solo you move off to the side and LOOK at him while he's playing. It compliments what he is doing. The audience's eyes will follow yours. (From 1965 to 1990 I was a major league trade show magician and I know of what I speak...you look at the floor and they look at the floor too. Look at the soloist and they will do likewise) 6.Your vocals are astonishingly good...exploit them to the fullest. And again, dump those damn shades and make eye contact with the WOMEN....to hell with the men, they don't matter, they will do what their woman does. Come on man, smile...not a big silly grin but a smile that makes you look happy. 7. If you're like me, you know that you cant sing very well so you must work on the keys that make you comfortable. Sometimes just going from A to Aflat can make a world of difference and you will amaze yourself. If changing the key for vocals throws you into using a crummy sounding harp..change to another position with the harp, or leave the harp out, or just dump the song. 8. Watch the feet of the women seated at tables, if they're tapping one of those feet or moving that foot side to side a little while their legs are crossed...you're getting through to them..look for that body language. Again...ignore the men, they know nothing, usually. (especially if they're harp players..they're broke and just wanting to snake your gig). 9. For that particularly obnoxious individual who "wants to sit in"...I have a patented response, it goes like this... "My man, we have a standard rule..anybody who asks to sit in gets to do one song but first they have to put $50 (yea you read it right) in the tip jar". That will eliminate that nuisance. Now some here who totally miss the point are going to say.."he is nit-picking on minor things, the guy is a harp player". And I say..the world is filled with harp players..what the world needs is more harp players who realize its all about BECOMING SOMEONE. These things I've mentioned, when viewed individually, do seem like nit-picking, but when viewed collectively and applied to a show it makes night and day difference in who you are and what you're putting down. Go thou and sin no more...lol Best wishes to you and your endeavors. Regards
Last Edited by on Jun 06, 2010 6:29 PM
Hey... I think a large amount of the people on the forum would kill to be in a just for fun band like this that features the harp. My critique would be some of the minor stuff already mentioned...the shades and old guy dancing style. Wow...someone actually keeps their harps in the little cases they come in too! I enjoyed the tunes. I have a version of Mellow Down Easy from Mark Ford that just kicks...
joeleebush...thanks for taking the time to type all that out. You make some good points and a few that I might not agree with. But, I really do appreciate the feedback!!
I agree with Jim about joeleebushes advice, its on the money!! Audience connection and relaxed dispositions go a long way. I find in my band at this stage of our progression, a lot of that stuff comes naturally, but a lot I'm still trying to get down pat. But hearing it articulated like Joeleebushes list, breaks it down into a system of challenges, focus on what needs attention- the detail....................... :~) (and the stuff about the girls too, best way to get laid!!) P.S. Good Luck!
Last Edited by on Jun 07, 2010 2:23 AM
I thought you guys sounded excellent on both videos. I agree with everyone else.....too much delay. Funny thing about dancing, I think most musicians are either bad dancers or don't dance at all. You wouldn't think it would be that way, but thats what I have noticed over the years.
Yeh I'm with the to much delay try about half what you had happening there,,listen to the clip again just knock of the tail echo keep the depth:)
just so the sound gets a bit fat rest is cool every one to there own style,,your only starting out it will come good keep rehersing and fine tuning:) but keep it fun:)
yeh a bit to much information Bro:)
But don't forget to past on big smile dance sideways on stage like a crab gropeing for gear while staring intently into the ladys eyes,
never turn your back even when you trip over into the drum kit keep smileing into the ladys eyes throw ya legs around they will think you are a cool dancer:)
man it's a wonder Joeblow didn't tell you to grow some Hair:)
