Finally some tunes ... and thanks !

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 30 Aug 2011 9:13 am

Well, I've got about a year of lap steel under my belt now and finally got a recording set-up I can use.

Many thanks to you guys for your posts, instruction and knowledge !

Specific thanks to Doug Beaumier who's playing, vids, lap steel book / CD really got me going.. to Jerry Gleason and his great youtube vids of some of the tunes I learned from... (and forgive me Jerry for copping your entire solo on Wear A Lei...not good on improv yet so I just stole it outright !

) , Andy Sandoval and others for help with BIAB, Mike Neer for his sheer genius and volume of great work, and John Ely whom I took several months of lessons from via Skype, and many others here as well.

I've been focused on B11 tuning for the past few months so most of the tunes recorded so far are in that tuning... standard stuff.

Have a LONG way to go to get to where I'd like to be, but sure having a blast getting there !!

Critique / criticism (good or bad) welcome.

http://soundcloud.com/mitchc-1

Thanks again guys. What a great forum this is !

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Aug 2011 9:28 am

Wow! Very, very nice playing, Mitch!

Smooth and relaxed, and your intonation is excellent... i.e. you play in tune.

You've got a nice touch on the steel guitar. Keep up the great work!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 30 Aug 2011 10:06 am

Very nice job, Mitch. Really good touch and intonation.

Jim Newberry · Post by **Jim Newberry** » 30 Aug 2011 10:18 am

Fine year's work! See where an obsession will get ya?

Kevin Brown · Post by **Kevin Brown** » 30 Aug 2011 12:25 pm

well done Mitch, great sounding tracks, you obviously enjoying playing, this comes through in your recordings, which by the way feature lovely backing, how did you create those by the way, im sure others will be interested to know.

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 30 Aug 2011 2:11 pm

Wow Mitch!

Very impressive and professional sounding. You've got it all going on (and make it all happen on a 6-string guitar).

Let us know where you're playing!

S.M. Johnson · Post by **S.M. Johnson** » 30 Aug 2011 2:53 pm

You've obviously got a handle on the 'good stuff'.

Keep up the great work.......

I'm really impressed by the great sounding rythm track that you've selected.

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 30 Aug 2011 2:55 pm

Great stuff, Mick. I would love to put these on my MP3 player.
Could you please switch on the "download" buttons?

Also, which BIAB styles did you use?
Keep up the good work!

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 30 Aug 2011 3:00 pm

Well done, Mitch. You get a lot of music out of six strings. Keep 'em coming!
Chuck

Bob Russell · Post by **Bob Russell** » 30 Aug 2011 4:02 pm

You sound fantastic, Mitch! Congrats!

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 30 Aug 2011 6:58 pm

WOW ! Thanks so much guys for the support and encouragement. It really means alot.

I'm having the musical time of my life I tell ya. Played guitar since age 10 and at 59, lap steel is the most fun I've had so far !

Kevin and others re: the backing tracks... all done in Band In A Box 2011.5 using Real Tracks wherever possible.. a few tunes I've written midi bass tracks when the "real guy" gets a tad busy for my taste

Style on these tunes is Jazz swing ballad of some sort, or Cocktail w/ brushes.. BTW, if you want these BIAB files or TablEdit of any of these tunes just PM or email me.

Thanks again you guys ! You're great !

Oh... and downloads have been enabled... took awhile poking around in Soundcloud, but I found the setting. Default is disabled I guess.

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 30 Aug 2011 9:51 pm

Great playing Mitch, very enjoyable listening.

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 31 Aug 2011 2:15 am

Very nice, Mitch!

Steve Green · Post by **Steve Green** » 31 Aug 2011 3:29 am

Dang, Mitch! That sounds really great. It's obvious you've worked really hard at your steel playing. Sounds fantastic.

Your backing tracks sound amazing, too. I've got BIAB 2010.5, and it seems everything I do on it sounds like some cheesy 80's Casio keyboard.

Matthew Dawson · Post by **Matthew Dawson** » 31 Aug 2011 8:45 am

Beautiful playing!

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 31 Aug 2011 8:55 am

Thanks so much guys !

Steve, in BIAB, I agree that the all midi styles can sound a bit "cheesy". Do you use Real Tracks ?

I'm pretty satisfied with what I've been able to put together so far in BIAB... especially the Soloists stuff... the Jazz guitar solo on "Million Moons Over Hawaii" just cracks me up. I'm working on Buddy Merril's version of "Steelin' Home" and have a killer up-beat fast country swing guitar solo that's fantastic. What a great tool for composing, playing along with ! Even to use on solo live gigs...just you and "the band (in the box)" !

Brian Hunter · Post by **Brian Hunter** » 31 Aug 2011 10:22 am

Whoa! Sounds great! I hope I sound even half as good when I hit my one year mark on February!

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 1 Sep 2011 2:58 am

wow, hope I can come near that skill level when I hit the 12 month mark. Thanks for sharing. Ditto for Dougs stuff. Its really got me playing real tunes. Thats all I play at a steel guitar club meet I attend. The other members are very patient.Got to buy BIAB so I can make my own BT's
Well done
Cheers

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 1 Sep 2011 5:46 am

Hey Mitch, you sound great and that B11 sounds pretty dreamy too.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 1 Sep 2011 6:01 am

Are you going to continue to play in B11 or will you focus on learning other tunings? Maybe it's time for a D-8.

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 1 Sep 2011 6:14 am

Hey thanks guys ! Much apprecitated.

Mike, just so happens that for the past couple months I've been focused on B11 tuning and learning these tunes... and just got a recording set up going so those are the ones I put down. Will be doing the C6 stuff next. As for D8, I gotta say, that I've bought and sold several 8 strings. Been playing 6 string something or other for nearly 50 years and staring down at those extra strings just makes me crazy

... and, I haven't yet come across anything that really took advantage of the extras (I'm sure I will though). There's an occassional tune that I wish I had that high G string in C6 tuning... but as Chuck Lettes says "You (one) can get a lot of music out of 6 strings" ... so for now, 6 is plenty. We'll see how things go in this upcoming year.

Thanks again to you guys for the feedback. I feel like I'm 10 years old all over again.. only now I don't have to stack quarters on the turntable arm to learn tunes !

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 1 Sep 2011 6:26 am

I understand. I was there not too long ago, especially trying to shake the guitarist tunnelvision. I think the path you chose was definitely right for you--it's got you playing steel guitar pretty darn well.

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 1 Sep 2011 12:16 pm

Thanks Mike ! Coming from you, that's quite a compliment. You and so many others here are my heros !

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 1 Sep 2011 1:19 pm

Abso-freakin-lutely amazing playing Mitch! One year, eh? Sounds more like 10 years to me...

Doug Burling · Post by **Doug Burling** » 1 Sep 2011 2:13 pm

Wow! If I can play as well as you after one year I'd be beyond happy. Just beautiful.

Mitch, Since you had all those years behind you playing guitar, did you have a firm grasp of music theory when you started playing lap steel? Did you have tabs for your B11 tuning. I'm just getting started with 8 string lap steel (on the way).

By the way, thanks for your suggestions for what and how to order strings.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Finally some tunes ... and thanks !

Finally some tunes ... and thanks !

So good to hear you!