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News
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July 2009
Gigs
Method Book Update
Gear
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I've been using the VG-8 with my Warr Guitar on the
rhythm side to get a bass sound in the lower 2 strings.
There's a Bass/Guitar split patch in the VG-8 which allows for that
sound. It's nice because it fills out the lower end and gives
the illusion of a bass line.
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I'm using the new Line 6 Pod Farm with my Presonus
Firebox and Cubase to get my sounds. I like the new Line 6 Pod
Farm interface and with ilok you can use it as an effect with any
I/O interface.
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Kore 2 is coming in handy for triggering the Groove
Agent 3 with foot pedals. I can also run my Warr Guitar inputs
into Line 6 effects to control everything in the computer and mix it
better. The Groove Agent 3 gives a very realistic drum sound
and is helpful for practicing. I still think the computer
drums do not work well live. The Touchguitar is interesting
enough solo without the drums.
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Roland AC 60 and Line 6 AX2. For the quieter
gigs I use the Roland AC 60 which carries pretty well in most cases.
If I need more firepower I use the Line 6 AX2. It has the two
inputs and a very nice round sound. I use it in my videos.
April 2009
Gigs
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First Friday of the
Month - Lakeland has a "First Friday of the Month" buskering
program in the center of town that I've participated in. It's
a lot of fun if the weather is good. People mill around the
town square and hear a wide variety of musicians.
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Arts in the Park -
I've also played at "Arts in the Park" every now and then which is a
great setting for solo music. It's an art gallery that
specializes in local artists.
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Cancer Clinic -
I'm also playing regularly at the Cancer Clinic in Lakeland for
their cancer survivor events.
Instruments
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Violins -
I've spent a lot of time learning the violin and experimenting with
extended violin/viola tunings. Currently I'm playing a 5
string violin and a 5 string viola with octave strings. I like
the higher registers of the cello and this viola helps capture that.
I play a wide variety from Bach to my jazz standards to hymns...I've
played out a few times with my NS Stick player/friend Jason.
He puts up with my violin playing and carries the weight of the
accompaniment. Jason also does my tech work on my instruments.
He's trying to make my 6 string chinese violin work better. I
like the extended violins, just wish I could play better!
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Ztar - I'm doing a
lot more midi sequencing now that the Ztar is working well.
I'm also a bit smitten by analogue programming, trying to teach
myself how to do it...complicated but interesting.
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Warr Guitar - Midi
triggering. I've now dusted off the Axon AX 100 setup with my
Warr Guitar to try to integrate a bit of midi/synth playing with my
Warr Guitar gigs. The Axon requires a bit of programming for
it to work but it has promise. I also can use the VG-8 to give
some other sounds to the mix.
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Grand Stick - I'm
returning to the ascending 5ths tuning on the rhythm side
(uncrossed) with the Stick. The violin and mandolin playing
has perked my interest in 5ths. It definitely gives you a
different sound and vibe.
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Mandolins - I'm
playing a traditional 4/8 string mandolin, a 5 string ukelele tuned
in 5ths E-A-D-G-C. It actually works and gives you a nice
mellow tone. I have a short scale 6 string Les Paul copy that
I've tuned in 5ths.
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Guitars - I'm
looking to tuning a 6 string guitar in 5ths...we'll see about that!
I've tuned my 7 string Steve Vai Guitar in 4ths and setup to do
tapping going as low as the guitar sounds good. In general I'm
not playing much guitar unless a recording calls for it or we're out
on the driveway with the neighbors drinking beer...
July 1st
2007
I played at the Arts
Ensemble Gallery Opening in Winter Haven. Great event with fascinating
art and an interesting crowd. I look forward to collaborating more with
them on future projects.
Finally put up a music
download service on my various sites. I'll be placing that store on my
other sites soon.
I've been using the Rane
SM26B Splitter/Mixer to do complicated parallel effects and looping. I
also used it to split to multiple amps at my live shows. I continue to
use the Roland VG-8 to put a little bass sounding bottom end on my
rhythm/chording side. It works well so I've pretty much abandoned the
ascending 5ths tuning in favor of this method. I'm concentrating my
efforts on the tuning I find most accessible.
I'm playing the NS violin
these days and hope to use it while looping my Stick during my shows.
The idea is to play the head with my Stick on a stand and loop only the
rhythm side. I'll then improvise with the NS Violin using the back
brace system they now have. It should be easier to play while I'm going
from Stick to Violin and back. We'll see how that goes!
I'm going to the Baltimore
Tapping seminar in October and look forward to a great time! I ordered
a flight case for my Warr so I can take it with me.
I'll also be redoing my
www.corbella.com site soon!
Other than that, just
enjoying the family and the summer! Hoping to do more recording,
writing and DVD shooting...
March 2007
It was a busy 2006 and 2007
promises to be even busier.
I'm playing regularly at
the Arts in the Park Gallery at Munn Park in Lakeland. I've gotten
serious about the violin and it's extended forms: 5 string electric and
6 string electric. It's an incredible challenge but I feel like I'm
growing musically so it's all good. I hope to finish my solo
touchguitar CD in March and offer it on my site as a download. I'm
also planning another video session to highlight my solo playing.
As far as recordings go I'm
using the Line 6 UX2 which works really well for no latency monitoring
and separate dual recording of both rhythm/lead. I'm also tracking midi
using the AXON AX 100 mkII which I have for both sides. The VG-8 is
getting use live to fill out the rhythm side with a little bass sound
and/or pad sound.
The method book is
progressing and I'm planning a release by the fall.
I managed to get a 6 string
mandolin tuned in 5ths to work...lots of fun! |
October 2006
Lots going on:
Returned from a trip to Italy and caught up
with a few good friends: Corrado Equilibrati, Fausto Redorici
and Enrico Gorzanelli.
MySpace.com has turned out to be an excellent
way of connecting with musicians from all over the world.
Checkout the site:
www.myspace.com/touchguitarist. Fausto, Corrado and several
others are in my "friends" section. Jim Wright finally join the
space and it's good to see him there.
I'm finally getting off my duff and learning
the violin after years of wanting to. What a beautiful and
difficult instrument it is! I found "Fiddle Fretters" which
help immensely with the intonation issue. They are adhesive
"frets" that are easy to install and help with finger
positioning. Any fretted instrument person will appreciate the
help. The biggest struggle of course is the bowing. No help
there except tons of practice. I'm also working with a 6 string
violin which adds to the fun/desperation!
I found a Stick strap on the web which finally
allows me to use the "Slider strap" with my Stick making it a
much easier instrument to play. I'm continuing to work with the
ascending 5ths tuning rhythm side and ascending 4th lead side
uncrossed. It's fun to get that Stick bass sound but definitely
more difficult than my standard ascending 4th tuning uncrossed.
Been playing at the "Arts in the Park" gallery
which has turned out to be a wonderful venue for Touchguitar.
The staff is super friendly and the artists/attendees are great.
I bought two Axon AX100 MKII midi controllers
for my Warr Guitar and am amazed at the quick response midi
conversion. I would definitely recommend it to you midi seekers.
The family is doing well and the kids are
growing up quickly! |
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January 2006
Checkout the new Video Page.
Solo and Duo Tunes from the Sun
Shoppe & Cafe with Billy Van Riper
December
2005
It's all about Christmas and the
Family
November
2005
Stick Stand
I finally tuned my Stick in an interesting tuning
and am doing some playing with it. The tuning is uncrossed ascending 5ths
and melody ascending 4ths. The ascending 5ths give me the bass notes and
the ability to do chords in the guitar register. So far the change hasn't
been too terribly difficult. 5ths do require a lot of jumping around to
get normal cycle of 4ths progressions and any kind of walking bass.
I'm also using a stand that I developed several
years ago. Pictures following:
October
2005
Italy
Buskering
 
Just returned from a trip to Italy where I met with William Dotto of Treviso
and played in Modena and Bologna.
William and I met after I saw his link on Adam Fulara's website. He's
doing the tapping thing on a six string and has a 10 string Stick. We went
over my tuning and double guitar method. He's a bright and talented guy
and will do well. His specialty is two handed tapping on a normal 6 string
electric guitar. He teaches in Northern Italy. His website is:
www.williamdotto.com check him out!
I've had a dream of buskering in Italy for a number of years and finally did
it. I brought a Micro Cube from Roland and my ADG with me to Italy and
played in the Center of Modena and the University area of Bologna. It was
a lot of fun and I hope to do it again soon. I also played at a Pizzeria
"Laccento" near Cavezzo (MO) with my dear friend Enrico Gorzanelli.
New
Tunings
I'm working on an ascending fifths/fours tuning uncrossed and hope to have
the results to report soon.
I'm also working with my 8 strings NS Stick which I've tuned in fifths and
fourths, we'll see if I can make music with that.
New
Friends, New instruments
I recently met Jeff Patterson, a local luthier, who has some very interesting
designs and patents that should lend themselves well to a tap guitar. More
news on that too!
Lots going on, I hope to have my solo CD done soon to showcase the solo thang.
I'll update my sound files as I complete songs.
Earlier
News
ZTAR Midi Controller and Cubase SX
The big news is my recent "discovery"
of the Ztar midi controller. I've had it since 1993 but only recently
understood how to play it! Typical I'm sure but very frustrating!
I've included a special page just for the Ztar. It's such a different
instrument but I play it exactly as I would a Touch Guitar.
I'm now using more and more of the Ztar's midi
capability. I rehearse with Cubase SX 3.0 using the Groove Agent drum
machine. With the Ztar I'm able to initiate start/stop commands from
the pads and fills from the foot pedal. This is a very hands-free way to
play, record midi and make a lot of music very quickly and easily. I'll be
putting a few of these creations on my sound files page very soon. I also
split up the zones on the Ztar to pilot Rhodes Piano rhythm, Bass on the lower
two strings and lead on the 12 and higher frets. I'm really becoming a
"one man band." The control of the Groove Agent on the fly is an
excellent way to rehearse and put arrangements together quickly and a lot of
fun.
Warr Guitar
Lately I've been working with the VG-8 on the
"chording" side of my uncrossed Warr technique. I have GK-2A
pickups on both sides of the Warr Artisan Guitar with the Piezo pickups
delivering the signal. After seeing Jim Wright play I looked for a way to
make my guitar 4ths tuning become a bass in my left hand/chording side.
The VG-8 does an amazing job of delivering both a straight bass sound and a
Bass/Guitar split (Bass on the two lowest strings and guitar on the other 4).
The VG-8 allows me to create the illusion that a
bass player is in the one man band. I'm able to get a Bass, Rhythm Guitar
and Lead Guitar going with one player. Each sound is very different and
distinct which adds to the illusion.
I'm also beginning to work with my Oberheim
Echoplex looping unit. At this point I only use it for background music
when I'm taking a break. I try to avoid using a CD player to fill up the
breaks because it's such a different sound and mood from what I do. So I
loop a mellow rhythm with lead double stops to give it some variety.
Usually it's a 30-45 second loop but it seems to keep the mood going between
sets.
Method Book
I'm still working on the method book but it is a
monster task. My own learning goes in plateaus so the motivation to write
also comes and goes. I'll keep you posted on this one.
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