Legendary blues singer Bobby Bland dies at 83: media reports

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE95N04920130624?irpc=932

*Sad news. I really enjoy his music. RIP, Bobby. - Dan

Great Practice Session...

...with my guitar teacher, Jon Ross.

We both tried out my new compressor / sustain pedal and loved it. I think he's hooked. Lol

We resolved that I should learn one new chord every lesson. He taught me an oddball B chord that sounds really cool. Then I played some improvised rhythm while he did some cool subdued lead.

I got a nice blister on my strumming thumb. Teach me to lay the instrument down too long.

I'm constructing a short portable 3-pedal board, I'll do pics when it's done. It's my own custom design.

Boogie on,

Dan

YouTube promises fame and fortune to Internet-savvy musicians | The Raw Story

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/06/youtube-promises-fame-and-fortune-to-internet-savvy-musicians/

I Just Spent...

...about two hours playing along to BB King's Bluesville on Sirius satellite radio down in the Dungeon. (Garage)

I think playing along to Bluesville is some of the best practice I've ever gotten. It still amazes me, but if I get the truck parked just right, it'll come in. I was having too much fun to record it. Bello and I got a fantastic workout.

Another thing I'm working on a short effects pedal board. I'm making it out of 2"x12"x24" pine. I'm planning to mount my Boss DS1 distortion pedal, my Cry Baby wah-wah, and a new compressor sustain pedal I just got on it.

I'll be staining the pedalboard in Minwax "Brazilian Rosewood" and using brass hardware on it. I plan to recess the pedal audio cords and power cords into the wood. Then I'll take a magnifying glass and burn some free-hand art in it on a sunny day. Final finish will be a clear gloss polyurethane in multiple coats. 

This will take me a few weeks to accomplish, but in the end, my three pedals will be much more portable.

Boogie on,

Dan

Full Garage Band Practice 03-01-2013

03-01-2013 Garage Band Practice at The Dungeon by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

Dan - Tenor Sax
Jon - Guitar
Ron - Conga Drum

Practice In The Dungeon

03-16-2013 Practice at The Dungeon by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

03-01-2013 Garage Band Jam At The Dungeon

Dan Stafford - Tenor Sax
Jon Ross - Guitar
Ron Jerak - Conga Drum

Instrumental Blues/Jazz/Rock fusion


Rock On,

Dan

Cruiser Lite 2 at The Dungeon by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

http://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/cruiser-lite-2-at-the-dungeon

MP3 Version - Garage Band Take 2 At The Dungeon

http://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/garage-band-take-2-at-the-1



Background noise cleaned out, amped down slightly.

Pure instrumental, Jon Ross on guitar, Dan Stafford on tenor sax.

Rock On,

Dan

Garage Band Take 2 at The Dungeon by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

http://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/garage-band-take-2-at-the

Sweet instrumental.

Dan

Soul Sax 1

Soul Sax 1 at The Dungeon by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

12-28-2012 Practice

12-28-2012 Prractice at Oak Brook IL by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

By The Garage Lights 6

http://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/by-the-garage-lights-6

A little better here - I'm still no great singer, but at least my vocal monitor isn't introducing delay and making it impossible to sing straight - now it's all operator error. LOL

Rock on,

Dan

Garage Band 2

An update of our bluesey indiestrumental with new vocals.




https://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/garage-band-2

Kinda funky and low-down cool...

Rock on,

Dan

By The Garage Lights 5 - three new vocal tracks and levels adjusted across tracks

http://www.whizzyrds.com/By_The_Garage_Lights_5.mp3

I just spent another three hours on this, and it's a lot better. Not perfect, but better.

Dan

By The Garage Lights 4 - Early Vocals & Updated Sax Track

I just spent about 3 hours tweaking the sax and laying in vocals.

I haven't done a lot of singing...except maybe in the shower or along with Elvis in the truck, maybe a little with the Beatles as a teenager, but not much public. I'm still getting used to the equipment and how different my recorded voice sounds as compared to what I hear by bone conduction (which is how most of us hear ourselves speak...or sing). It's quite a difference. I'm using Robin Gibb's trick of holding my hand alongside my face to my ear, and working on how far the mic should be from my mouth.

Here's the best of five takes, no written lyrics, but a general outline.

http://www.whizzyrds.com/By_The_Garage_Lights_4.mp3

Rock on,

Dan

By The Garage Lights 3 - Audacity Evolution

This MUCH cleaner version was recorded in Audacity 1.3 Beta in multiple separate tracks. The drum track was created using the Pocket Drum Pad app for Android with my HTC Amaze phone.

Jon Ross laid down the guitar track after the drums were done.

I added the tenor sax last.

The tracks have all been cleaned of background noise and amplification levels adjusted to that all the instruments blend just right.

The result is nearly six minutes of smooth bliss. Enjoy:

http://www.whizzyrds.com/By_The_Garage_Lights_3-Audacity_Evolution.mp3

Rock on,

Dan

By The Garage Lights - Take 2 at Oak Brook IL by Dan Stafford & Jon Ross on SoundCloud

http://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/by-the-garage-lights-take-2-at

MP3 version - cleaned up with Audacity: http://www.whizzyrds.com/By-The-Garage-Lights-2.mp3

By the way, Jon's guitar is named Judy. I love it! That was my Mom's name.

Rock on,

Dan

Thanksgiving 2012 at Oak Brook IL by Dan Stafford on SoundCloud

http://soundcloud.com/dan-stafford/thanksgiving-2012-at-oak-brook

Olivia. Newton. John. !!

We just saw Olivia Newton John in concert at the 2,000-seat Paramount theater in Aurora, IL with our friends Janice & Tom. Olivia's voice is still phenomenal, and she was moving around the stage very well.

If only her Sound Engineer's head hadn't been blocking my view of center stage!!

Now chicken marsala & red wine at Carraba's.

Rock on,

Dan