Aug 30 2008

     I realize that I have been maybe over-critical of the performers' musical renderings, but these were my immediate kneejerk responses to the video camera DVD that you sent me of was it the Jackson Well Springs? venue. Of course, it was only natural that I was put off by the poor qualities that were so easy to discern by my probably overly-critical attitude. But when I couldn't hear the words being sung, but only the anguished screaming of garbled indistinct enunciations of the words being sung (?), what else could I say? First and foremost, for song writers and performers, is that the words must be distinguishable; won't you agree? I mean: Why spend all that time commiting the words to memory and then perform them in such a way that no one can understand the message or idea that the singer , I would assume, is trying to get across.

     No doubt, the performers are decent people in some aspect of their lives, and that there is a sweet enough sense of community amongst them and you; and that there may probably be actual commendable entrepreneurs in the bunch, and really nice folks to boot; even the exceptional and remarkable for what they are good at or what laudable things they have done with their lives, and etcetera. I am glad for you to be the sort of person that you can find people who accept you and welcome you into their inner circles, and even give you a job helping out. This is good. But words being sung and getting overpowered by distorted or just plain lousy chording accompaniment just will not cut it for the discerning musical appreciator. Investing in a quality microphone and sound system is paramount to getting those words out with as much clarity as may be possible. You know: I spent something on the order of a hundred and twenty-five bucks for my microphones, and they got my words (and accordian accompaniment pretty well out; and with far better clarity than the cheaper microphones. Of course: There are far more sophisticated and sensitive/responsive microphones, but of course, spending that kind of big bucks pretty much demands that the microphone purchaser be already at that higher stages of his or her performing expertise in order to justify such a heavy expense. Those lucky folks who have been able to afford the organizing and recruiting of a professional grade sound person to keep their music and messaging being not only heard but with the clarity necessary to be getting their word messages across over the cacophony of rattly guitars, drums, keyboards and etcetera. Of the hundreds of venues that I have played and sang at, there were only a very few that had the kind of sound blending and microphone sympathy with the singers' efforts to get their words out with the kind of clarity that I am writing about here, were so darn rare. But when I found myself actually being able to hear what I was singing, I could sing far more truly on pitch and enunciate clearer and cleaner; which jacked me up just that much more and certainly seemed to jack up the audience that much more, as well. The kind of songs that you are currently singing are stories, and as the storyteller, you want to get it told to the folks who are listening, and not see it (or hear it) getting lost in the clutter of too many guitar chord slams and note confusions, dischordinances, and musical distortions, etc.

     I have carved myself a replica of my right thumb's outer digits out of Myrtlewood to use as an anvil to bend and otherwise fit a piece of silver sheet around in my attempt to render a thumb pick of which I can approve. This now has suggested that I carve similar replicas of the other three finger tips, and I am intending to do this as September gets underway. I am disenheartened by the way my two left hand fingers—numbers three and four (ring and middle)--hang down in such a way as to disallow my handling of the bar in the normal usual way. It may even prove impossible to effect or otherwise arrange a bar-gripping set up that will even allow me to play dobro like I want to. With this in mind, I have been trying to organize a design of a bar with three finger rings attached that will allow me to use the bar as it needs to be used; but haven't come up with the whole plan yet. The drawings I sent you off the thimble-like fingertip plectrums were of all four fingers, but I have since realized that I must be able to use my little finger to 1) keep the rest of my hand in good positioning, as well as 2) use to deaden strings as needed or required for and in any particular piece of music, etc. And are you seriously enough ready to practice and rehearse to the degree that one must in order to work up a set of quality performances?