I just put the best thing I've ever done on Soundcloud

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 8 May 2012 8:01 pm

The piece is called "Capriccio Espagnol." It's 15 minutes long, and has to be heard in its entirety to be appreciated. It required 109 tracks to record, and the editing and programming of the computer mix was more difficult and took longer than the actual recording of the tracks.

This is absolute my very best work. It is my crowning achievement, and the culmination of everything I've ever learned over the last 50 years.

It is as the name implies, about Spain, (although the composer was Russian) and is based on Flamenco music. It can be found on both my Spanish Steel and Retrospective CDs.

I hope those of you who are unfamiliar with my recordings visit the site and check it out.

http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 8 May 2012 8:14 pm

Mike!!!

(Perlowin)

All I can say is WOW! I dont think I have ever heard such a musical conglomeration like this in my life! It truly is magnificent, and exquiste!
Something to behold in audio. You are some kind of musician my friend! Thanks for posting this.
Ron
PS: I`m still laughing at the narrative you sent! Good stuff! I`ll be in touch!

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 8 May 2012 11:07 pm

Yeah Mike...great listening! Good on ya!

Bosse Engzell · Post by **Bosse Engzell** » 9 May 2012 4:03 am

WOW!! This next platform for the steel guitar. Love this nice work.

Bosse in Sweden

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 9 May 2012 4:30 am

Amazing MIke, thank you.

Ed Iarusso · Post by **Ed Iarusso** » 9 May 2012 5:46 am

Mike, freakin' amazing! Nicely done!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 9 May 2012 8:01 am

Terrific, maestro! The chromatic flourishes at 5:15--excellent.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 9 May 2012 9:36 am

Thanks guys. I hope you realize that it's all downhill from here.

That's not entirely a joke. I can't top this, and rather than make a 4th CD that might not be as good as what I've already done, I've decided to quit while I'm ahead. Three CDs are enough. It's time for me to move on to my next project. (I'm writing music for pedal steel guitar and symphony orchestra, which I hope to perform soon.)

I forgot to mention that this piece was composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Rimsky-Korsakov I arranged it and played it my way, but its still his composition.

There is somebody else who deserves credit: Drummer Dave Beyer. Dave is simply the finest drummer I know. I recorded all the parts to click tracks, and handed him the tape, and said "Do whatever you want." He carefully composed, and I mean literally wrote out, a drum part which he added later.

2 technical notes: The horn fanfare was created by playing each part on my steel at the normal tape speed, slowing the tape down to half speed, and playing the recorded parts through a highly EQ's distortion unit and recording the distorted parts on blank tracks on the tape, and then playing them back at the normal speed and mixing the undistorted and distorted tracks. The pitch of the distorted tracks is the same as the originals, so there is no "chipmunk" effect, but the rate of the distortion was doubled, creating the horn effect.

The piano cadenza was created by recording each note on the steel, and after all the information was transferred to my computer, copying and pasting them all at the appropriate places. I also had to carefully shape each note, giving it just the right amount of sustain, and shaping the way it decayed, to emulate the sound of a piano.

Before I close this post, I want to thank all of you guys for your acceptance of my work. I gotta tell you, It's tough being an iconoclast. When I first started down this musical path, I was afraid that the classical music people would reject my work because it's steel guitar, (which happened at first, but they are starting to come around,) and you guys would reject it because it's not country. So I am truly grateful that so many of you have accepted me and embraced my recordings over the years. It means more to me than you can imagine.

I wish everybody was as open and accepting as you guys.

Lonnie Portwood · Post by **Lonnie Portwood** » 9 May 2012 6:18 pm

Mke, I clicked on your site, went straight to the track, and listened to the entire piece. My thoughts before reading you explanation of the process, were these: You have every right to be proud, even estatic about this work. I can't imagine the dedication and discipline it took to produce this. The clarity of every note, and particularly the impeccable "timing" and phrasing!. To adapt this music to a very "improbable" instrument as the steel guitar, and execute with such precision, not to mention the passion, is an accomplishment which NO ONE CAN TOP!

My friend, kudos to you. Like the Wright Bros., you have done what no man has done before!! Go and bask in the "Glory" of it!!! In short, I dig it! God Bless You. Lonnie

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 18 May 2012 8:47 pm

Mike: I cannot add anything to what has already been said. Just absoluttely amazing.

Are you set up where you can give a live Concert of this Music ?

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 18 May 2012 9:57 pm

Billy, This particular piece was written for a full symphony orchestra, I'd need 50 or 60 musicians to duplicate it on stage.

However, my chamber music trio is getting back together and is going to perform in Pasadena next January 13th. This is the same group that did this;

http://www.etsga.org/mikeperlowin_Bourree.mp3

I will make an official announcement closer to the actual date.

The show in Phoenix is January 10 through 12. My plan is to play on the 10th or 11th and fly back to L.A. on the 12th, as soon as the show is over.

Chris Gabriel · Post by **Chris Gabriel** » 20 May 2012 4:27 pm

Sweet dude

John Alexander · Post by **John Alexander** » 20 May 2012 8:35 pm

Excellent!

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 21 May 2012 10:55 am

YES...
It is everything you have said.
WOW.

RR