A Blues Number from Dave Rice

I bought one of Don Mason's Yamaha PSR-S970's and thought I'd share a blues number I named, "I'm Not Excited" using the Box Account I set up. Tony Mads led me through the "maze" to get this done. So, thanks Tony... and thanks, Don. I really enjoy this arranger. ----Dave Rice

https://app.box.com/s/nw7ov4figir63cfbkb5efyzvfj2glzot

I like that, Dave ... If anything, perhaps it could use a couple of breaks, and/or fill ins ...

Not taking anything away from you, but it sounds like something made for Don Mason to perform ...

Thanks Tony:

As you probably know, I am a song-writer first, a singer of sorts secondly and a miserable musician. My objective with my catalog of songs (Many with ASCAP) has been to lure better singers with starpower of followings who might do "covers" of my work to "plug me into the income stream." Problem is, today, most big name performers write their own, roll their own and even have their own publishing entities... thus, cutting out the middle man.

The good news: There is always hope and I enjoy what I do. I would rate the quality of my body of work as 40% needing significant work, 60% worth combing through (I do multi-genre songs, blues, pop, folk, latin-pop, ballads, rock and country.)

Of that 60% possibly 15% is "A" side material and the rest "B" side. Songwriters are the worst possible judges of their own work.

You are 100% correct... I think Mason could "tear this song up" but there are others here who could do it justice. Unfortunately, most of you are not recording artists... even though you could be. You are real performers out there in those more personal venues doing live arranger gigs.

As I age, I realize it is probably a larger goal to find a way for my music to survive long after I'm gone. My legacy to the culture I grew up in and was exposed to as I travelled the world.

Thanks for listening and commenting. ----Dave

Dave, please take this as CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. First of all, the vocals are fine, the style fits the mood of the song, the blues guitar work is spot on, and the recording is well balanced with excellent clarity. Here is what I would change, bearing in mind that this is just MY opinion. The position of the chord changes. The changes themselves are fine but in some places they seem to come in a measure or so early or resolve too quickly. I feel that it could be just slightly re-engineered by having the changes come in at the usual anticipated places. Again, this is JUST MY OPINION and I'm no expert, so take it with a grain of salt. Really glad to see you put it out there, though and just remember, there isn't a song out there that SOMEONE doesn't think should be done differently , that's why we have so many variations of 'hit songs' when other people 'cover' them. Good luck. You nailed the BEST element of songwriting, which is, to tell a story.

chas

Dave, I have to say that I felt the same way chas does about the chord changes, but I wasn't sure how to express it ... I'm glad chas did it so well ...

Hi Dave,
Love the tune and your vocals, as Chas said there were some timing problems between vocals and chord changes
Eric

Thank you all. Remember, I am a song-writer... not a performer or good vocalist. I am thus, a fisherman... and the song I created is bait for someone with a following to do a "cover." I was pleased at how Yamaha has increased the availability of stringed instruments and guitars for their styles. I spend more time setting up the song than I do in performing and recording. Phrasing does not come naturally to me.

I'm guessing that each of you could take that style and make it a show-stopper. My recordings are little more than cheapo-demos. I've paid to have a few done... but with a catalogue of more than 1000 songs, I would soon run out of money... and have little to show for it... unless I landed some Big Fish or two to record them. Pitching songs to artists and promoters has become an ordeal and a real pain in the posterior. Competition out the Kazoo... and most of them are already performing artists.

Your constructive criticisms are well taken and I will do my best to clean up this problem if and when I have time to record it again. Also know that most artists are going to cut the song the way they see fit... and as long as I still own the copyright and get royalties from their work... that is fine with me.

You guys get out there and bust your tails performing on a weekly basis, and though most of you are doing covers, they had better sound great at each performance or your audience will drift away.
On my side of the ledger, I only have to get one good recording done... and with luck, never record the song again after I get one good cut out of the effort.

Thanks so much for listening and commenting. It can only help me to improve. B-T-W, I am one year younger than Willie Nelson and he got started about 50 years ahead of me. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I further promise to not drown the "Zone" with many of my songs. There are many of us here.. and the "stage" should be shared.
All the best, and thanks again. ----Dave

You've been holding out on us Dave. You sing really well and I liked the song a lot.
Nice guitar playin' too.

My thoughts exactly. I’m surprised we hadn’t any of your songs before. Enjoyed it!

I'm humbled to receive kind words from "The Man Himself"... one of my music idols, Don Mason. That "board" you sold me has been a real learning experience compared to the 910 but if I ever master the VH and Vocal Effects... the "instruments" (Yamaha calls them voices) are light years ahead of what I had before.

Thanks for taking time to listen. ----Dave

Hi Paul:

So glad you "stopped by" from your busy schedule and listened. I appreciate your encouraging words. Songwriting is what "makes me tick" and having a keyboard with real musical "artillery" improves the sound of my creations... to my way of thinking. I struggle with my vocals due to my age and lack of real vocal training. I wake up with a different voice each day, regretfully. The good news, since I never perform before an audience, all I have to do is create one "stunning" song to use as "bait" in the publishing and pitching activities needed to get somebody with "star power" to listen and want to record it.

Thanks so much for listening... and for what you do to brighten and enliven young minds. ----Dave

Dave,

Nice tune and I like the guitar work. Like the others have mentioned “you’ve been holding out on us.”

Thanks for listening, Steve:

It was the "style" and not the dim-witted semi-performer doing all the "heavy lifting." If I could really play, like you, I would be on easy street right now, my friend. Songwriting has been so much easier for me with the Yamaha 970 Mason sold me.

You are on "my Radar" for performances 'cause I really do admire the way you play. What a gift!

Regards and thanks again, ----Dave

....(not to be confused with U.D.)

Dave,

If I have it right, this recording is you playing a real guitar and singing with a PSR-970? If this is correct, I have no idea why you refer to yourself as a "miserable musician." The guitar playing is what I would term as very good-clean and simple. And if you go out and get 100 of the most successful CDs (from "our" era) from the rock, blues and country fields you will find that nearly all feature simple ideas and playing.

As for your singing, I have heard many people who sing worse than you who were making a living performing (back in the day anyway). So, while I agree with some of the criticisms voiced here, I do not agree that you are a "miserable musician" or a "singer of sorts." My main point would be that you say your goal is to create demos that could interest people in your songs. The timing issues mentioned could be a deterrent to that idea. That is not to say that you have to arrange this song in a standard 12 bar blues format for it to be successful. A "non standard" arrangement could work very well but it should be a little more consistent.


In any case, I thought the song was good and well performed. Good luck in your endeavors.

Very nice Dave thanx for sharing....

love that Bluesy "Black Velvetish" groove...more more!

Great for dancin' West Coast Swing too !

Hi Tracy... and thanks for listening:

Regretfully, that is not me playing a guitar. It is a new Yamaha Style, worked over by me in the "set-up" by selecting the different instruments being used. It is my vocal and was recorded "live" as I played the Yamaha PSR-S970 and sang into a digital recorder, then edits were made via software on my Computer before the WAV file was copied as an MP3 file. I'll go back and re-cut it when time permits and do my best to pay attention to the timing issues... and some other stuff my ears detect. I am a better listener than musician or performer.

Your thoughts and comments are much appreciated. Thanks again!

----Dave

Dave...I Enjoyed both Your Playing(Great Guitar) and Singing...I'll trade My really poor Vocals and Playing Anytime! Please keep them coming...Harold

Great job, Dave. Loved both the style and the guitar licks.

Cheers,

Gary

Thanks for the clarification. Now I know why Yamaha guitar sounds are said to be so good-it had me fooled. Still a good song and good vocals.

I enjoyed that. It's a cool tune. What style did you use for that?

It is the 6-8 Rock.
It is made for the song "Black Valvet" by Alannah Myles with typical intro etc.
Eric

Correct, Eric: Great style with lots of choices for guitars and/or pianos, etc.

Thanks for listening and recognizing the style.

----Dave

It's one of my favorites too.
Eric

Dave, You're welcome. I'm not so sure playing like me would put you on easy street but thanks again for your kind words. It will probably be a while before I post another piano solo since we are headed to Florida for the winter and I don't have a piano there.

Ditto to what Eric worte about that style and the guitars!

Enjoy Florida, Steve:

Surely there is a way for you to link up with someone in the Sunshine State who will share their Grand Piano to a gifted artist like you. I am amazed at the number of songwriters, musicians and artists who live all over the state. If I should run across someone I think might be overflowing with Pianos and willing to share, I'll send you a PM and you can check to see if the chemistry is right.

All the best, ----Dave

Dave thank you much appreciated. I'm also going to take a look at resales of a digital piano there seem to be quite a few in The Villages, just have to find one at the right price maybe at an estate sale.

Sounds like a great plan, Stephen:

The Villages should be a perfect place to find a good, well cared for digital Piano. I love estate sales. While working in California we would spend our weekends scouring estate and garage sales. Our apartment was furnished by the company and we were only there for about six months while our new plant was being built in Arizona. Kept us occupied and entertained plus we found some neat things.

A trend we noticed out there, folks would sell everything including furniture, they didn't want to move to their new location. Saved them a ton on moving expenses and they didn't seem to mind starting again nearly from scratch. Interesting concept.

Enjoy that great weather.

That seems to be a trend in the area where we are too.