CDII LINER NOTES
RMMGA CD Vol. 2 - Track Liner Notes
(listed alphabetically by artist's surname/band name)
Page 1: A - D Page 2: E - L Page 3: M - R Page 4: S - Z
All notes, lyrics, etc. are copyrighted by their respective owners; reprinted here with permission.
Fred Albert
All tunes recorded with the following equipment (or lack of):
 | Guitar: Guild D-50
| Strings: Elixir mediums
| Mics: Hopefully recorded in stereo
with a 30-year-old Hohner, unknown model; plus
another 25-year-old
unknown-due-to-absence-of-identification mic, that
looks like a Shure ball-type mic.
| Recorded on a Tascam Porta 2 with my
cat Gris-Gris on my shoulder while playing.
Gris-Gris has "excellent" taste in
music, and is my one and only special effect
(inspiration) used during this recording. | |
1) Hyfrydol (trad., arr. El McMeen) - [disc 4, track 5]
I recorded "Hyfrydol" with the capo on the 2nd fret, using the CGDGAD tuning. It is based on a traditional Welsh melody, and arranged by El McMeen. I found it on his Acoustic Guitar Treasures CD. Thank you El, for allowing me to use your arrangement to display my humble efforts, as well as the inspiration and positive vibes you provide to the world. El's lush arrangements have fascinated me ever since hearing them, and this is one of my favorite melodies.
2) Coilsfield House (Nathaniel Gow, arr. John Sherman) - [disc 6, track 2]
This is a John Sherman arrangement of a Scottish air, written by Nathaniel Gow in the mid-1800s. I've placed the capo on the 2nd fret, using the DADGAD tuning. I discovered this simple, but enchanting, little ditty on John's CD So Inclined. John's DADGAD arrangements are delightful to play. Many thanks John!
3) Ay Linda Amiga (trad., arr. William Coulter) - [disc 6, track 12]
This is a William Coulter arrangement of a traditional Spanish melody. It's in DADGAD, and I've recorded it with the capo on the 5th fret. I really love this simple tune. It has a very intense feel to it. William Coulters' choice of voicing and phrasing is impeccably reflected in his arrangement, which I found in his book Celtic Crossing Guitar. Thanks to William Coulter for the use of his arrangement.
Survivors (Ron Atchison) - [disc 6, track 17]
I was inspired to write this song after a relationship loss. I remember starting in my car the morning after I wrote the song and I heard the phone ring in my house. I ran to answer it. It was her. I told her how much I had grown in the last month since the break up and things were really looking up for me. It was then that I looked out the window and saw my car rolling down the hill...
Recorded at Zone recording in Cotati, CA. I played my 1940 Martin D18 with D'Angelico medium gauge strings. The guitar was recorded with a blend of some retired Sony mic and my Highlander pickup using Pro Tools on a Mac with tons of memory. "Survivors" is from my new CD Richly Blessed and Highly Favored. Claire Victor - vocals; Kendrick Freeman - percussion; and Blair Hardman - bass and engineering. CDs available from vocalist@sonic.net.
Whiskey Before Breakfast (trad.) - [disc 3, track 17]
"Whiskey Before Breakfast" is a traditional fiddle tune. Playing it was actually Jeff Sherman's idea; he had spoken to me about collaborating on it for this CD. I had first learned the song on banjo years ago. We swapped a few ideas back and forth, I made a rhythm track, and we laid down all the other tracks over it. Jeff posted his final tracks as mp3s, I downloaded them, converted them to wav files, and mixed everything using n-Track Studio. The order of play on the song is as follows:
| First guitar lead: Jim
| Second guitar lead: Jeff
| Mandolin lead: Jim
| Third guitar lead: Jeff
| Twin guitar lead: Jim
| Counter-melody behind twin
guitar: Jeff | |
Jeff also played rhythm accents behind all my leads. I laid down an electric bass track and put mandolin chops on the off-beats. I'm not sure what guitar Jeff used; I think he recorded his tracks on his computer using Power Tracks. I played my Martin HD-35, Flatiron "Festival" mandolin, and a cheap Lotus "P" bass. My recordings were done using n-Track Studio on a Dell 600 PIII, through a Shure BG4.1 condenser mic and a Peavey MP4 mixer.
Moving On (Terry Bartsch) - [disc 1, track 3]
We're constantly "moving on" in many ways and this often comes with some sense of loss for what we leave behind. The ratio of loss to triumph that you hear when you listen to this tune depends on your personal circumstances at the time.
This piece celebrates the sympathetic resonance of un-dampened strings in standard tuning. It's much more obvious when you are holding the guitar and I'll give you the tab if you want to find out.
I searched on the title and discovered that it is used by a great number of guitarists, reggae bands and dance music groups who are grasping for another song title. As it is hugely difficult to find a meaningful but original title, I accept this common shared usage of the name. Other names considered were "Dying Dog in the Desert," "Pink Slip" and "Doors Closing in Your Face As You Get Old and Bald."
Technical info:
Martin HD-28 kit with D'Addario acoustic bronze flat top lights (to reduce squeak) and D'Addario .017 2nd (to increase bite), Shure SM57, ART Tube MP, Soundblaster PCI512.
1) South Beach (Jeff Bernstein) - [disc 3, track 16]
This song was inspired by the sights and sound of South Beach Miami at night. The short Latin-sounding introduction was something an instructor once showed me. The rest of the tune is original. I played it on my Webber OM, claro walnut with a bearclaw sitka top. It was recorded using a mic.
2) Beginnings (Jeff Bernstein) - [disc 6, track 1]
I wrote and recorded this song about 3 weeks after a fellow RMMGA-er showed me DADGAD for the first time; hence the title "Beginnings." I played it on my Webber OM, claro walnut with a bear-claw Sitka spruce top. It was recorded using a mic.
(jbj), Tucson, Arizona, USA
Playing guitar since 1972
Guitars on recording:
| 1978 Martin D-35, D'Addario medium
gauge phosphor-bronze strings (EADGBE)
| 1999 Taylor 555, D'Addario 12-string
light gauge phosphor-bronze strings (DGCFAD) | |
Recording setup:
| Voice: Electro-Voice N/D-257A
microphone
| Guitars: mixed EMF B-Band pickup with
Electro-Voice N/D-257A microphone above the
soundhole and pointed roughly at the 14th
fret, 6-10 inches away
| Recorder: Tascam 414 MkII four-track
cassette
| Tape: Maxell high-bias
| Mix-down: old Kenwood KX-W8020 tape
player, even more ancient Fisher speakers | |
He's Always There (Benjamin Michael Cross) - 4:05 - [disc 3, track 4]
This is a slightly modified version of "He's Everywhere" by Benjamin Michael Cross (http://www.mikecross.com), from his Solo at Midnight album.
I chose this song because it almost perfectly describes an experience I had, way back in the '70s: I was standing just off a cabin porch in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, enjoying a cool, late spring evening, praying and just thanking God for being in my life, when a tremendous thunderstorm rolled in, passed through and left a misty moon in its wake. Through it all, I enjoyed His peace, felt His touch and heard His voice. Unforgettable.
1) Sligo Creek (Al Petteway) - [disc 2, track 16]
Composed by Al Petteway and named for a small waterway in the Washington, D.C. area (not the county in Ireland), this is the first fingerstyle tune I learned purely by ear without benefit of tablature (tab is now available). It's in DADGAD tuning and played on my Tacoma C1C Chief strung with Gore Elixir light strings.
2) Bony Crossing the Alps (trad.) - [disc 5, track 9]
This is another of those ubiquitous old-timey 'Bonaparte' fiddle tunes, and is my adaptation of Steve Baughman's arrangement; I put it in DADGAD, capo II, rather than try to master Baughman's intriguing tuning. Baughman cites Irish fiddler Martin Hayes as his source, but the two versions are as different as night and day to my ear. Both are beautiful, but I don't play fiddle, so...
It's played on my Tacoma C1C Chief strung with Gore Elixir light strings.
Static (Richard Brooker) - [disc 3, track 1]
Technical info:
| Guitar: Lowden S23 Custom
(small body, Englemann spruce top,
walnut back & sides)
| Strings: D'Addario EJ-16
| Sonic capture device: EMG
piezo pickup
| Sonic recording devices:
Fishman Acoustic Performer Pro Amp,
Audio Buddy Mixer, Power Mac 9600 using
Adobe Premiere
| Tuning: DADGAD | |
Esoteric stuff:
"Static" is a mournful, melodic statement. I started playing in the early '60s north of Detroit. Today I live in Connecticut and work as a designer/animator. I play fingerstyle and write music for fun.
1) Angel Eyes (Earl Brent / Matt Dennis) - [disc 2, track 17]
2) Blue Bayou (Roy Orbison) - [disc 5, track 10]
Technical info for both songs:
I used a Taylor K-14-CE guitar with Elixir strings in standard tuning.
I don't know anything about the recording equipment/software, etc. -- Chuck Boyer was kind enough to do the recording for me.
About me:
I've been playing guitar since 1968. The first song I learned was Van Morrison's "Gloria." I've always played acoustic guitars. I play folk, country, blues and light rock. As the two submissions for the CD project show, I am progressing towards jazz and I have been enjoying the learning process as I figure out the blend of jazz guitar voicings combined with the vocal challenge of jazz standards. I found RMMGA about one year ago and I've attended one gathering (EC 3). I've met some of the nicest people and increased my musical knowledge as well as the knowledge of acoustic guitars in the process.
Thanks to all of you for your work on this project.
1) In This Room (Bill Chandler) - [disc 1, track 2]
Copyright 1995 Bill Chandler
Technical info:
| Guitar: 1985 Guild D16-M
dreadnought 6-string (mahogany).
| Strings: John Pearse medium
phosphor/bronze.
| Guitar was recorded using a
Fishman Matrix Hot undersaddle pickup
run directly into the board; vocal
recorded with Shure SM58 mic.
| Recorded on a Yamaha MT44
4-track cassette recorder; Boss RV-3
reverb/delay.
| Rhythm section (piano,
bass, drums, organ) was a Boss DR5 (my
Fender Precision bass was out of
commission at the time). | |
Esoteric stuff:
I wrote this song back in 1995. The genesis of the song was a trip my family made to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis, IN. We were pretty tight on cash at the time, but we had promised the kids we'd take them. Well, as we were sitting in the overpriced cafeteria scraping together the cash to get the kids a $2 hot dog, I kept watching the VIPs in suits going in and out of the banquet room where obviously Something Important was happening -- something far more important than we could ever fathom from the condescending looks everyone in the cafeteria received. The song took off from there, and took on a life on its own.
Lyrics:
In this room,
Out of faith, out of love
Out of time, gods above
This roomThere they sit
With question marks around their collar
Windsor knot, silken folly
In this roomIn the street
Cold lonely child lifts a finger
Deal is done, no doubt lingers
CriesIn this room,
Out of faith, out of love
Out of time, gods above
This roomGavel falls
Badges shine meet the press
Buy the lies, forget the rest
Blind lady weepsIn this room,
Out of faith, out of love
Out of time, gods above
This roomIn this room
2) 12+21 (Bill Chandler) - [disc 2, track 7]
Copyright 2000 Bill Chandler
Technical info:
| Guitars: 1997 Guild D25-12
dreadnought 12-string (mahogany/spruce);
circa 1973 Fender Precision bass
| Strings: John Pearse light
phosphor/bronze 12-string; Ernie Ball
bass strings
| Guitar was recorded with a
Shure SM57 mic run into the soundcard.
Bass was run directly into the
soundcard.
| Recorded on my home PC,
using n-Track Studio; WAV editor &
effects by Cool Edit 2000.
| The 12-string was tuned
down to D (DGCFAD); Bass standard
tuning. | |
Esoteric stuff:
This song was actually started back in 1979, as a noodling/practice/"gee, that sounds neat" kinda deal. I added the minor key bridge in the process of doing the song for RMMGA CD II, mainly because I always thought it needed SOMETHING there.
My roommate at Berklee wrote a lyric for this, which was really nice...but I've long since lost it...so I present the song in its original format, as an instrumental.
URL: http://www.mp3.com/BillChandler
Open Road (Jeff Danzik) - [disc 4, track 4]
| Length: 3:07
| Guitar: Tacoma PM20
| Strings: Martin SP light gauge
| Tuning: DADGAD
| Microphone: AKG C1000
| Setup: Used a single microphone
plugged into a Mackie 1202 mixer. Mixer was then
plugged into my PC sound card (Monster Sound III
sound card). Software is Cakewalk 7. Computer has
internal CD burner. | |
About me:
I began playing guitar in 1978, but was very shy about letting anyone hear me. I have played a variety of styles, but have been concentrating on fingerstyle over the past few years. Since September 2000 I have been working on my first CD, which is due out in May 2001. The CD is comprised of all original fingerstyle guitar music, and is being recorded at a local studio. This version of "Open Road" was recorded on my home computer.
1) Jed's Place (Steven Dillon) - [disc 3, track 10]
Technical info:
| Guitar: Guild F65CE
| Strings: John Pearse 600L
(phosphor bronze lights)
| Sonic capture devices:
Shure SM-58 on the amp, a pair of Shure
SM-81 mics (X-Y) on the guitar, and the
amp's "Effects Out" direct to
the board.
| Sonic recording devices:
Alesis ADAT
| Amplification: Fender
Acoustasonic JR.
| Tuning: DADGAD | |
Esoteric stuff:
"Jed's Place" is my "feel good," summertime, jam. It was written while spending the weekend at a friend's house (right on the beach) in Nags Head, North Carolina. My intent was to capture the "playing in your living room" sound and feel. Therefore, the song was recorded in one take and no studio tricks were used (punch-ins, dubs, splicing, etc.). "Jed's Place" is from my debut CD entitled First Of All.
2) Time Gone By (Steven Dillon) - [disc 5, track 18]
Technical info:
| Guitar: Huss & Dalton
Custom CM
| Strings: John Pearse 600L
(phosphor bronze lights)
| Sonic capture devices:
Shure SM-58 on the amp, a pair of Shure
SM-81 mics (X-Y) on the guitar, and the
amp's "Effects Out" direct to
the board.
| Sonic recording devices:
Alesis ADAT
| Amplification: Fender
Acoustasonic JR.
| Tuning: DGDGAD | |
Esoteric stuff:
"Time Gone By" is about the realization that you only get one shot at life.
I was feeling sad after having reflected on all the time that I had spent away from my first love (guitar). After years of "busting hump," I was finally beginning to understand that there is more to life than your day job! My intent was to capture the "playing in your living room" sound and feel. Therefore, the song was recorded in one take and no studio tricks were used (punch-ins, dubs, splicing, etc.). "Time Gone By" is also from my debut CD, First Of All.
URL: http://www.stevendillon.com
Any Old Kind of Day (Harry Chapin) - [disc 3, track 6]
Recorded on a Sony minidisc; single track with a Sony stereo mic. A touch of reverb was added after recording by Chuck Boyer (thanks Chuck!).
I used my Goodall GC, Braz/Engelmann for this cut, strung with Elixirs.
I chose this song because I've always enjoyed the image Harry paints of the singer - waking up in the city to the morning's sounds, smells and sights.
On both songs:
| Vocals: Alan Dunwell
| Acoustic guitar: Alan Dunwell
| Copyright: Alan Dunwell | Guitar: Dunwell dreadnought made of
padauk with sitka spruce top
| Strings: D'Addario phos. bronze
medium
| Initial recording: Tascam DA-88, 8
track to Hi-8 tape, mics unknown; Pat Tracy
| Final mix and CD: Wind Over The
Earth, Justin Konrad | |
1) Like A Nightbird (Alan Dunwell) - [disc 1, track 18]
This song was from a remembrance of coming out of a long dry spell. There comes a time when you just get a certain feeling that there really is someone out there for you, and tonight is the night.
Peter Stokes on Ibanez electric bass.
Lyrics for "Like a Nightbird" (Alan Dunwell) [12/8/96]:
All the teaming throngs, hot bodies in the night
On the pavements, on the tarmac, under streetlights in the park
Something in the air of this City Summer night
Calls to me like a nightbird in the dark
Like a nightbird calling to my heart.She's getting on her leather or her flowing evening gown
Getting on her Harley or limo underground
Moving softly out there somewhere, wrapped in the in the City night
She calls me like a nightbird in the dark
Like a nightbird calling to my heartFeel the heat and the sweat, rabble push and shove
From the subway to the pavements to the rooftops up above
But like a cool ocean breeze, like an alpine mountain snow
Comes the nightbird calling in the dark
Comes the nightbird calling to my heartSwimming upstream through the flesh, sidewalk ebb and flow
'Or the vendors and the tumult comes calling clear and low
This Fantasy Helen like a nightbird in the dark
Calling to my Paris in the park
A nightbird calling in my heart
A nightbird singing in my heart
2) Thinking in Boxes (Alan Dunwell) - [disc 4, track 19]
The key phrase came for a poetry reading at an open stage and was only peripherally part of the poem. It caught my attention and most of the song got written right there at the table.
Lyrics for "Thinking In Boxes" (Alan Dunwell) [10/08/96]:
Your hair is all combed, your tie is on straight
The stock market's up but it's hard to relate
For it's confusing to see that tomorrow will be
Like today was yesterday's sorrow.[Chorus]
For it seems that you're thinking in boxes again
Some of them red, some of them green
They're cleverly shaped and packed for the train
But you're thinking in boxes just the same
I can see that you're thinking in boxes again.So water the dog and comb out the cat
Lay waste to your foe in the fight against fat
And would you, and could you, and won't you please be
Just exactly what they want you to borrow.[Chorus]
For it seems that you're thinking in boxes again
Some of them red, some of are pea green
Oh, they're cleverly shaped and you've packed them for the train
But you're thinking in boxes just the same
Can't you see that you're thinking in boxes again.You're love for her goes in closed circuit loops
Bounces off of the walls and returns to its roots
Again and again you relive the pain
In the coal black bird of tomorrow[Chorus]
For it seems that you're thinking in boxes again
Some of them red, some of are pea green
Oh, they're cleverly shaped and you've packed them for the train
But you're thinking in boxes just the same
Can't you see that you're thinking in boxes again.We all can get caught
In life's endless ruts
That are twisting out heads
And spilling our guts
While we fabricate cans
From Rube Goldberg plans
That let us sit in the pit that we're in.[Chorus]
For it seems that we're thinking in boxes again
Parallelepiped, chartreuse and sea green
Oh, we've cleverly made them with self-cleaning drains
But we're thinking in boxes just the same
Can't you see that you're thinking in boxes again.
I can see that you're trying to avoid the pain
But you're thinking in boxes just the same
Personal info:
Alan Dunwell is actually a guitar builder, and only additionally plays at all when time allows. Primary instrument is guitar, with banjo thrown in on occasions when banjos need throwing.
1) Walk On By (Marc Durso) - [disc 2, track 8]
| Guitar: Thompson Rosewood/Sitka T1
| Strings: John Pearse PB lights
| Tuning: DADF#AD
| Vocals/Rhythm guitar: Marc Durso
| Solo guitar: Bob Rayburn
| Guitar: Webber Rosewood/Sitka SJ | |
Recorded in one take.
Written while an actor in New York, in a dark, third-floor walkup on 185th Street overlooking the sparkling George Washington Bridge and the Hudson River far below...
2) For Joey (Marc Durso) - [disc 5, track 4]
| Guitar: Goodall Koa/Sitka Standard
| Strings: Newtone Master Class 12-56
| Tuning: CGCGCE | |
Mistakes and all, this is my first tune in open C tuning. The result of discussions of this tuning on the RMMGA. This is for my dear lady -- Jo-Aynne.
[Page 1: A - D] [Page 2: E - L] [Page 3: M - R] [Page 4: S - Z]
Liner notes compiled by Daniel Nestlerode and J. Y. Whang