I have just recorded another country tune; to tell the truth I don't know if this song could be considered typically "country", because it's "Green grass of home" and I know only the Tom Jones version, which is not exactly country. Anyway, I felt that a country style was appropriate and so I have chosen the "Kramer" style from my SD1. The big effort, during the whole recording, was to try and convey a "live" more than an aseptic "studio" atmosphere.
The solo instruments featured are a Pedal Steel guitar and an Hammond organ from the SD1, plus an electric guitar (Fender Stratocaster) from my Roland XV 3080 (no point in having a piece of gear if you don't use it...)
I would like to dedicate this song to Sander Thalen, because he is a good friend and because he loves country music, but of course I would like to know from those of you who perform live real country and western music what do you think of this song: would it be tolerated in the Mohawk bar in Tulsa?
Thank you!
Andrea
http://andrearotolo.tripod.com/dreamer/id1.html

Cannot play it. Error message pops up after its unzipped.

Ditto, can't unzip it. The Mohawks would have your scalp by now.
Don

Sorry, uploading again right now...
:-(

Second upload just completed.
Crossing fingers....touching wood....

hey Dreamer its ok now. My opinion is the song needs a little bit a mixing. The leads are overpowering the background, slide guitar, piano, etc. drums, bass, sound great,

Hi Andrea!

Amazing, a song dedicated to me I just listened to it and again I do like it, although I think that the background may also be heard. For the rest it's a nice song. I also compared this to my VA-7. Maybe I can say now that the SD-1 has a brighter sound than the VA-7 does have. Sorry VA owners (I'm one myself ). When I'm able to use my right wrist again, I will record something too and would be glad to get some reviews from the community here. So Andrea, keep up the good work and thanks for this nice song!

Best regards,
Sander
The Netherlands

(So, the Mohawks would have my scalp twice by now...)
:-(

To my excuse, I can say that this is a very simple style: at the beginning there is just an acoustic guitar, drums and bass, then in the first variation an acoustic piano comes in playing just fills, then in variation # 3 there is a slide guitar and so on...
Another source of problem could be that I tend to use earphones to monitor my recordings, because I often record very late at night and don't want to disturb anyone, but maybe loudspeakers would be better...

I like it a lot. Sounds country to me. I like the style. Might have to get me one of them SDOnes some day. Maybe all the bugs will be eradicated by the time I can afford one.
The Mohawks would approve.
DonM

No, the Mohawks would have it in their top 10 Charts It's in my MP3 list also And to be honest, this made me really think of what my next arranger will be. A Solton or a Roland. But I can't afford 2 arrangers now.



[This message has been edited by Sander (edited 05-08-2002).]

Don, Sander and Mohawks,
thanks a lot; I am going to record another song today and it will be a surprise; then I have a third one ready in my mind, and this one will really show the power of the SD1 (we are talking fireworks here...)
Sander, I still like the VA7 a lot; I think that the SD1 has better (more useful) styles and some great features too: in "Green grass of home" the VA7 would have played a 4 or 6 bars ending and the Mohawks would have had my scalp for the third time before the last bar. The SD1 has more appropriate (musically speaking) intros and endings and the "Fill to end" button is really a blessing. Speaking of sounds, the SD1 (to me) is superior for: acoustic piano (maybe it's just the semi-weighed keyboard), organs (they have more guts compared with Roland and the sound is more "authentic") and acoustic guitars; brass and drums are more or less at the same level (but the VA7 brass have more sparkle). The VA7, on the other hand, wins for: electric pianos, accordeons, electric guitars, strings, voices and choirs, sax, reeds and synth sounds in general (both pads and leads). The VA7 has in general a cleaner sound (but the SD1 pads have a "dirty and mean" quality that can be useful to mimic old analog synths). All in all, I am glad that I have both; today I hope to use some sounds I am sampling with the SD1.
Stay tuned!
Andrea