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Topic: Anybody gig solo steel w/ trax ? |
Steven Welborn
From:
Ojai,CA USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 9:39 am |
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Such as convalescent homes and the like, lunch hours, or what have you? Things are a bit dry around hear. It stiffles ones developement. Being the schitzoid/psycho/withdrawn type  ,handling things alone scares me as Ive been mostly a team player. Interrested to know if others have managed this route. |
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Eddie Cunningham
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 12:59 pm Playing Solo !!
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| I've had a few gigs doing Hawaiian music pool side with just a drum machine !! Better $$$$ and you get used to being by yourself !! No one knows when you forget a song or make a mistake !! But it can be done !! Call a few agents and see what work is available !! Eddie "C" ( the old geezer ) |
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Doug Childress
From:
Orange, Texas
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 1:34 pm
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| Yes I have done gigs with just my tracks and steel guitar. I also sing so It's kinda like having a band that will always play it the same way everytime. I have quite a collection of tracks from Billy Phelps, John Hughey, Buddy Emmons, and Herb Steiner. These are good standard tunes that everyone knows. I run the tracks through my PA system and set my Steel amp volume to mix at a comfortable level. It's fun but set up and load out is a bummer. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 1:39 pm
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I think that my Pal Buzz Evans is doing that in Vegas?When I get it together I was going to get a gig at Borders Books on a Sunday afternoon and play along with some tracks that I will program.I guess that I need about two hours of material.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 2:06 pm
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I have done this for quite a while. I work up tracks via BIAB and then have a separate rack unit with an Alesis Data Disk, a Edirol tone generator, pre amp, amp and 2 15" speakers to play them on. I don't like to sit up there by myself. This way I feel there is a band behind me.  |
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Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 2:40 pm
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I made a bunch of tracks with BIAB for songs and have played for vets, seniors, my students, wherever. I have a small CD player that I use and mike it as most places have a sound system. I was nervous the first time, but it's fun. If you make a mistake, who cares, just slide around, LOL.
Ron |
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Hal Higgins
From:
Denham Springs, LA
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 4:08 pm
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Oh Yeah....one of the best ways to get some gigs and keep your chops up......
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HAL...Excel D-10 w/ 8 & 5. SteelSeat.com w/back,SteelSeat.com Pedal Board on Legs with Quilter Tone Block 200 amp, Boss GE 7, Boss DD 3, Boss RV 6, Boss RT-20 Hilton Expression Pedal, Evans Cabinet with 4 ohm Eminence 15" speaker. BJS birthstone bar, Powder coated Tone bar by Michael Hillman. Dunlop Coated finger picks and Zookies L30 thumb picks. |
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Tom Jordan
From:
Wichita, KS
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Posted 23 Apr 2007 4:39 pm
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Steven,
I do it frequently. I play with a pretty good band about once per month in the town that I work in (Fresno) and when I'm home on weekends Santa Maria) I do the occasional wedding/coffee shop/wine tasting, etc. gig.
The solo stuff can be real fun. I build my tracks from BB or Jammer Pro (my favorite) or from scratch. I sing and play guitar and "dobro" as well. People like it and call me back so I don't think it sucks too bad. I make my daughter do a song or two as well. She's getting pretty good and folks always like her.
I don't do these if the band is an option but for all the rest, I'm there. I play back through the PA system via my laptop. I've used hardware sequencers in the past but the Roland Virtual Sound Canvas sounds great and I can run right out of my computer headphone jack. No noise or machine sounds at all. Modern technology is getting real good. I do carry my Roland MC-50 with me just incase .
Tom Jordan |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Ernie Pollock
From:
Mt Savage, Md USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2007 4:21 am Yeah Man!!
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Steven: I have been doing it for several years, anyone who has been to my store has surly heard me doing my thing with the tracks that I have. In the past year & 1/2 I have also taken up singing & playing steel with the tracks. I have done chruch services [replaced the organ from time to time] and nursing home gigs. It is a little tough at first & sometimes I still get a bit nervous, but enjoy doing it and I get to play with a group that never complains!! I use a tuning with the 10th B moved up to the 9th string slot, with the orignal 9th change on a lever [like universal guys do it] and I have a low E [.056] on the bottom, which gives me 'power chords' and thumb style [Johnny Cash] type rhythms when I want em. Its great fun, give it try you like it!!
Ernie Pollock
http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm |
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 24 Apr 2007 4:30 am
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| We have a pro player in the UK who plays exclusively to backing tracks, and although he does a great job, the lack of dynamics in the backing does become a little uninspiring to me. It's the same for solo singers who use tracks - too sterile for my taste. I much prefer live music, mistakes and all. |
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Terry Wood
From:
Lebanon, MO
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Posted 24 Apr 2007 5:20 am
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Hi Steven,
It can be done, but it is alot of work and you need to get everything put together well. I have done several things in churches like this. Actually had a ministry for awhile doing it. I really enjoyed it, when I could hear everything well, but if your in a place where someone else controls the overall sound you can run into difficulties, as I did with a few sound men in churches.
It will push your abilities and you will learn your plus' and minus'. I Recommend you try it and as b0b said it is an experience. Good luck and hang in there.
Terry Wood |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 24 Apr 2007 6:10 am
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| I use to do a lot with tracks years ago. It is so nice to have musicians that play a song the same way twice. I use only tracks that have been done by musicians, i don't do the band in the box bit. Herby's tracks are great, emmons, so are full circle sounds and others. No one shows up late, forgets the key, shows up with booze breath, fighting with their wifes and girlfriends, leaves for the parking lot for a joint on every break. The group i'm with now of course are not like that, they are fine folks or i wouldn't be with them. But sometimes someone is busy and can't make it, or it's for a small gathering, church, or retirement homes, where tracks would be the only way to go. I see nothing wrong with them at all. It gives folks a "Live" musician, who might not be able to have one other wise. |
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