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Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

I believe last summer ole JP (over in Hawaii) was working on a CD project.

This CD was to provide the back ground of tunes so that all you have to do is add Accordion.

I don't mind telling ya that I got kinda excited over the thought of that one (it's a good concept). I think this method of polishing your accordion skill, is overdue for squeezers near and far (band in a can). Said to be out on or about December (past).

JP ... you out there? What up?

Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

Nonc D,

Did he say what tunes would be on it?
Do you think a CD of accompaniments would be helpful
in learning?
What tunes would you want?

Just askin' .. no particular reason

--Big

Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

I spoke to JP awhile ago and he said it was coming soon. If you go to his website, www.bayoucadillacs.com (I think that's it) he's got info there about it.

Re: Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

Johnny... thanks, I will check it out.... I sorta wondered about that cadillac thing because there was another band boasting a cadillac... never mind I am screwy. I will ck it out. thx

Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

I enjoy some of the standard traditional stuff... + some of the Zydeco as well

Creole Stomp
Crimminelle waltz
Dog Hill
Praire Rhonde
Lacassine
Lafayette 2 step
Paper in my shoe
Grande Mamou
Midland 2 step
Jolie Bassette
Quelle Etoile

Just a few off the top of my head stuff I enjoy stabbing as a routine.

Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

I think it would even be cooler if you could toggle the accordion on and off.

Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

Does anyone own one of those Superscope PSD-340 Dual Drive CD recorder and MP3 CD players. Keep seeing it advertized in the Homespun catalogues.

$ 1,000.00 seems like a bunch to invest in somethine to slow down the speed and change the key. Is it really worth a Grand? Is there a less expensive way to accomplish the same thing on your PC?
JB

Re: Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

I have used The Amazing Slowdowner for a long time. It is ~$50 and does a great job. Another good one is Transkriber. I don't know if it still exists or not, but it has a few characteristics that Slowdowner didn't have at one time.

There is also a nice little Tascam CD unit that costs around $150 which have independent pitch/tempo adjustments. That is handy if it doesn't work out to use a computer.

-David

Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

Audacity, free open source program, will do it for free:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Sound Forge has more features than Audacity, with versions available on ebay for $50 - $150.

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/products/soundforgefamily.asp

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=sound+forge

Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

Russ,
Many thanks for the information. The Sound Forge sounds like the best choice.
Do you run that particular program yourself, and, if so, has it helped you to learn a piece of music easier?
JB

Re: Re: Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

JB,

I've enjoyed Sound Forge and learned some tunes more easily by transposing them to the right key for one of my accordions. The time stretch feature has been good for fast technical runs. You can also record a friend playing guitar (or guitar and fiddle, etc) and then play along with that as a practice track. You can even record yourself and hear how it really comes across to a listener.

Russ

Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

I can't comment on this particular CD as, obviously, I've not heard it but the videos I've seen on Youtube with this sort of accompaniament have sounded just so cheesy. One, an Italian IIRC, played really well but the added "music" totally ruined it for me.

I'd much rather play by myself than do this, so I'm curious why you'd want to.

Hey Orson... why? here's the book of why

Cause I'm lonley? Perhaps.... then again...hum let's see.

I would guess there are some on this board that have not really had much opportunity to hear, see and experience the vibe of "Live" French music very much. Ah, perhaps once or twice and in situations that did not attract a lot of people that creates that WOW factor.... then again, there are those that live it weekly. Gigging musicians that get into that vibe each time they plug up. with eyes of others focused on the stage... a rush. So I look to simulate, replicate and altercate as much as I can to take matters to another level without the formation of my own band in reality.

It's a feeling that I think is an evolving eventual part of learning, that has to be delt with as a cross roads thing (sounds corney perhaps). The wanting to lend to the music all that you've learned and blend that with other instruments, with you on the front instrument... it's another milestone of the journey.

I mentioned that the jams at Augusta and Balfa stink (dont meen that in the real harsh mannor). One of the reasons is, that there is only room for one accordion at a time (just the way it is). Opportunity to play, is when the song gets handed off to the next person (if ya have 2 dozens accordions, it's a long wait). Accordion players in these camps are abundant, and each is looking for that "One Chance" to ply something they aspire to share or even boast to others about what they have learned.... hard to do... for some, it is the 5 minutes of psuedo fame they long to accomplish,and, are willing to spend hundreds of dollars (some, thousands) to get that chance.

While I agree that I do enjoy intertaining my own self in that solo aspect every time I play.
But, I also know what it is to be among great players (trust me I am not one of them, but I know what it was like to be around em) and be fed from the sound of other instruments. I also vividly (sometimes painfully in a funny sorta way) recall putting great musicians together in a common place...and see, hear and feel the end result of that gathering for what comes together... it was the pinnale of feeling... only wished (at times) I was part of the players for one or two tunes instead of on the other end of logistics. The truth is out, yep... rather than creating the stage and all matters associated with a mass audience, I strangely wish I was up there with em doing it come show time (ah memories, ah s---t regrets).

Can a "Canned Band" give that feeling?
Don't quite know... however, I am more than willing to spend 20, 30 (or more) bucks to find out. Afterall, I have spent thousands attending camps, what's another 2o or so(?).
I also have more amps and sound gear (centered to the stage) to push it if I want it loud (thousands more spent just, now sitting gathering space), or a boom box for the casual... Where I am with what I play, is at a point where I wish (sometimes hope) I had guitar, drums, bass and perhaps a fiddle gathered around my accordion, so I could perhaps get that feeling that I vividly recall about "Good Jam Sessions."

That's why I think JP has a super idea going with such a cd Orson.

Nonc D

Re: Hey Orson... why? here's the book of why

If nothing else it helps with timing.

Re: Re: Hey Orson... why? here's the book of why TEMPO

You are absolutely right on there Bryan... timing.

I have come across a number of squeezers that entered this thing with some handicaps.

I also have one. I have more scar tissue on my ear drums than ole Mike Tyson! Damage I deal with.

Sound to me, is like a built in digital delay, I hear things somewhat after the fact, and, it throws my timing wacko. Fine with good headphones for timing, perhaps ear monitors even work well...

but Bro. I have had more fiddle bows waved at me.. I have had more exaturated foot stomping, head nodding and flaying of arms than you can imagine, just to get me in time with others, cause I use to be just a step behind for how I hear.

Can such things be over come?
Yes, but it is a trained thing, and, as a lead instrument, I can (with good memory work) establish tempo once I concentrate on having others around me that rely on the important factor of TEMPO. Take good care of your hearing... especially if you like to play music on an instrument.

Re: Mike Tyson... his phone number is:
fee fee fi fo fee fee fi !

Nonc D

Re: Whatever happened to JP and that CD thing for squeezers

Thanks for the explanation.

Since I posted I've been thinking about this and fairly quickly came up with the point that if there's only one benefit it means you'll learn to play at a steady tempo, not slowing down for the hard parts and speeding up for the easy parts. That's so easy to do and hard to get rid of.

For me though playing in public would be another matter although I can see that just a singel box on its lonesome could get pretty wearing for the audience. If I were to go down this route I'd want the band recorded "live" hopefully giving it that immediacy of a performance if front of an audience. Perhaps the ones I've seen have lacked that soul and that's what puts me off.

I guess I'm lucky to live in an area with plenty of musicians to jam with and no real restrictions on numbers of boxes (thank god!)

I hope you get what you're after.

Likes it LIVE .. vs. Studio stuff... wiggling or stuffed... which is it ?

Orson .... I am with you on that one pal.

I like stuff that is LIVE as well.
Anything recorded live, has a better vibe and allows more of a "here's what we are all about" sensation to the delivery. I use to get promos all the time (others on this board do also) and it is sooo hard to gauge a band based on studio created material. Those that sent just a mere cassette of something live, gave me more to evaluate than the majority of studio polished goods. I want the idiosyncracy (that how ya spell it?) of the real deal... I want the dialog in the back ground, the hoots whistles and frivolity of the scene so that I can close my eyes and visualize the setting. Hell I am getting to be an old dog, give me that one and I am a happy man. Doubt that would be possible for that band in a can thing however.

But, there are those that want that POLISH for what a studio created, edited, take and re-take masterfully engineered arrangement of tunes represent when bubble wrapped and mass replicated.

So here is the Question(s):

Live CD or Sudio created....
Which do you gravitate towards more??
What live CD's do you have/dont have?
What's your favorite for listening?
What gets you jumping out'a the chair to grab a box and start squeezing along with the cd?


Nonc D

Re: Likes it LIVE .. vs. Studio stuff... wiggling or stuffed... which is it ?

Yup, to me it aint hardly cajun music without the sound of beer cans opening, yelling kids, and closing porch doors in the background. Those are accompanying sounds.

Live in the Studio!

Kind of reminds me of some of those R&B recordings were they brought people into the studio to make the recording sound like a party was going on.
(Because there was! :)

Re: Live in the Studio!


You know there musta been jugs upon jugs of bali hi wine an a whole lotta mojo going on. Too funny!

Re: Live in the Studio!

Yes - I have always had best luck when recording live in the studio.

My first efforts at recording were VERY difficult and stressful, because you are searching for perfection, and inevitably you mess up playing something that you have played perfectly live a hundred times.

Then I switched to the mode of having the band in the studio, and just doing our live thing the way we always do. It is so much easier. Most of the time you can get a tune down in a single take, with maybe an occasional false start.

Of course, you have to have enough live gigs under your belt for this to work. But if you have it together live, you can take that into the studio and do it the same way (more or less).

-David



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