[Stratrat]

It's a 2-track recording of a basic 12-bar blues in 'E'. I had to edit out the beginning and end due to some "technical difficulties" (I'm just learning how to use the recorder), but thought I'd throw the usable part of it up here and open myself up for critique. I'll make no excuses for the fact that I have a loooooong ways to go to be a competent guitar player! All critiques and tips are welcome and humbly appreciated.

[OldG]

Sounding good to me...the playing was fine, with a nice choice of licks that followed the changes well. Nice to hear the Chuck Berry type riffs in there too - I'm a sucker for that driven rock n' roll thang

[Kirk Lorange]

Great first attempt, Stratrat ... you did well. I especially like the fact that were attacking it one phrase at a time and leaving those nice big holes, rather than noodling aimlessly up and down a scale hoping for the best. You have some neat ideas there and played them with confidence ... keep pumpin' em out!

[toryst]

Ohhhh Yeahhh!! Love them blues!!! Good job on that Stratrat
I'm not an expert but the timing sounded pretty good. I would just clean up the beginning and end and you have a pretty darn good little recording there. Keep up the good work and keep em coming!!!

[cshude]

Good stuff, stratrat! Great job on the recording quality, too. Came through loud and clear with very little hiss, etc- and that's not easy to do when you're first starting out recording.

[D-Dawn]

Very nice!!

[allthumbs]

Yah done good. Some nice ideas in there and you let the tune breath. Cool.

[Stratrat]

Thanks for the kind words and tips, everyone. Before someone else "schools" me on my typo above, allow me to correct it now - it's in the key of 'A', not 'E'.

The recording was done on my MIM 'Fat Strat' through a Roland Micro BR 4-track digital recorder (which I just got yesterday - GAS strikes yet again!!). The thing is like a swiss army knife, amazing all the stuff it can do - but it takes a lot of time to figure out how it works! It has drum tracks, which I used in the original recording, but I somehow messed up the pattern in mixdown (which is why I had to cut out the whole beginning).

I've always been a classic rock kind of guy, but I'm really getting into the blues - it's a diverse genre, and a lot of fun to play!

[fly135]

Stratrat, I'm very impressed. The playing was smooth with feeling and the tone was right on!

[scotty_b]

Phrasing was good, good development of ideas, the only suggestion I may offer up is working on the pitch on some of your bends. It is a very fine line between the note being in tune and it not being quite there ( I am sounding like a violin player now - ahhh the horror!)

[Stratrat]

Originally Posted by scotty_b

Phrasing was good, good development of ideas, the only suggestion I may offer up is working on the pitch on some of your bends. It is a very fine line between the note being in tune and it not being quite there ( I am sounding like a violin player now - ahhh the horror!)

LOL...thanks, Scotty. Violin player or not, I know what you mean. I don't know if everybody who records their own music goes through this, but I wince every time I listen to it and hear the "klunkers".....bad bends, out-of-place notes, etc. I guess the good side is that it leaves me plenty of room for improvement!

Fly135 - Thank you....I think that "feeling" in one's playing is a true compliment, and that's something I really strive for. I love listening to guitarists who play with feeling, and a soulful lick impresses me much more than speed or skill played in a cold, mechanical manner.

[scotty_b]

Aww mate, I think we all go through that - except for those of us who think we 'have it all down and have nothing left to learn about playing' - thankfully I haven't seen any of those people on this site!

[cshude]

Originally Posted by Stratrat

I don't know if everybody who records their own music goes through this, but I wince every time I listen to it and hear the "klunkers".....bad bends, out-of-place notes, etc. I guess the good side is that it leaves me plenty of room for improvement!

Oh, I definitely know what you mean- the tracks I record are never as good as the ones when I'm totally relaxed and just playing it for myself. When recording, you start concentrating on not making mistakes rather than letting the music flow through you. It'll get better, though!

[Rockerbob]

Really good first recording.

[Stratrat]

Thanks, Bob. Listening to all the recordings done by you & the others here has provided me with a lot of inspiration!