Hi guys,
I was thinking about some ways to make the group vocals sound a bit tighter in Shine and the chorus to Paradise -- they're kind of muddy right now. Y'all are right that I need to sing the melody louder in Shine, but I'm not sure I can.
(You know, Laura and Nathan have the strongest and most accurate singing voices; how did Howard and I wind up tackling the lead parts so often? I guess because we knew the lyrics first. Something to consider for future performances!)
ANYWAY, I think it might help if we make sure that there are at least 2 people on melody in any group vocals like that (except Turn Turn Turn*). Laura already sings melody with Howard on My Rainbow Race, and it sounds really good.
I spoke to Nathan in the parking lot as we were leaving yesterday, and he said he'd do melody with me in the chorus to Paradise. He's got a nice clear tenor that I think will balance well with Laura's and Howard's richer harmony.
Would either Nathan or Laura be willing to sing melody with me on Shine (at least for the verses)? I know harmony in that one is super fun, but it might clean up the sound a little. We can experiment a bit on Friday. I'll practice sitting up straight and breathing from the diaphragm to try to boost my volume -- if I can do it without sacrificing pitch accuracy, maybe it won't be necessary.
*Turn Turn Turn actually sounds good without a dominant melody line, because that's the way people are used to hearing it from The Byrds. Thanks, Byrds!
Monday, May 25, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Nailing Down the Details
Hey, here's the write-up on what we settled on for additional performance details. Howard, thank you again for the use of your porch. On a personal note, I've longed for years to be able to participate in folk jams like this, and it's everything I dreamed. Thank you all for taking the time to play. :)
Okay! We decided the performance order would be Turn Turn Turn, Paradise, My Rainbow Race, & Shine. Again, if I remember anything incorrectly, please jump in and fix it.
Turn Turn Turn: In order to keep us all together, Howard plays the first 5-measure intro-instrumental lick, we (Ashley and Laura? Nathan?) play along for the second one, and during the second lick, the vocals pick up into the body of the song.
"a time to refrain from embracing" is a little tricky; RE-FRAIN FROM is spaced pretty evenly, with 2-note syllables on "frain" and "from" to keep it moving. I plan to listen to the Byrds recording a few times to get it cemented in.
We close the song with the same instrumental lick that opened it, only everyone plays both times.
Paradise: This sounded so good! I count off, "1-2-3, 1-2" so that Howard and I can pick up into the intro together without having to read each other's minds. In the final chorus, we slow down the last line, no need to repeat it. The harmonies on the chorus gave me chills, y'all, it is solid.
My Rainbow Race: Howard does a quick 4-note ascending run to jump right in to this one. He sings the opening chorus solo (as well as the verses), but we harmonize on the other two choruses. I love the way Julie's fiddle improv just kind of rocks us all like we're in a hammock during this tune.
Shine (I started grinning just typing that): Just to clarify, there are two different 4-measure chord patterns in this. For verses, it's [D-D-C-G] x2, and that's also the pattern for Julie's solo. For chorus, it's [C-G-D-D] x2, and that's also the pattern for the breakdown at the end. Here are the components.
Okay! We decided the performance order would be Turn Turn Turn, Paradise, My Rainbow Race, & Shine. Again, if I remember anything incorrectly, please jump in and fix it.
Turn Turn Turn: In order to keep us all together, Howard plays the first 5-measure intro-instrumental lick, we (Ashley and Laura? Nathan?) play along for the second one, and during the second lick, the vocals pick up into the body of the song.
"a time to refrain from embracing" is a little tricky; RE-FRAIN FROM is spaced pretty evenly, with 2-note syllables on "frain" and "from" to keep it moving. I plan to listen to the Byrds recording a few times to get it cemented in.
We close the song with the same instrumental lick that opened it, only everyone plays both times.
Paradise: This sounded so good! I count off, "1-2-3, 1-2" so that Howard and I can pick up into the intro together without having to read each other's minds. In the final chorus, we slow down the last line, no need to repeat it. The harmonies on the chorus gave me chills, y'all, it is solid.
My Rainbow Race: Howard does a quick 4-note ascending run to jump right in to this one. He sings the opening chorus solo (as well as the verses), but we harmonize on the other two choruses. I love the way Julie's fiddle improv just kind of rocks us all like we're in a hammock during this tune.
Shine (I started grinning just typing that): Just to clarify, there are two different 4-measure chord patterns in this. For verses, it's [D-D-C-G] x2, and that's also the pattern for Julie's solo. For chorus, it's [C-G-D-D] x2, and that's also the pattern for the breakdown at the end. Here are the components.
- Intro: 4 measures (D-D-C-G). Dulcimer plays first 2 measures, fiddle joins in for second 2.
- Verse 1: 8 measures.
- Then the riff (YEAH!). Riff repeat (fiddle joins on repeat).
- Chorus: 8 measures
- Verse 2: 8 measures.
- Riff. Yeah! Riff.
- Chorus: 8 measures
- Fiddle solo: 8 measures (D-D-C-G)
- Verse 3: 8 measures.
- Riff. Yeah! Riff.
- Chorus: 8 measures, then go into the breakdown. Hey guys, how about if for this one spot, we don't hold the "shiiiiine" but repeat "Heaven let your light shine down" instead? The momentum of it would help kick off the breakdown, and it would increase the impact of the final "shiiiine." What do you think?
- Breakdown: Laura goes nuts on vocals to the C-G-D-D pattern, and we contribute as the spirit of Dolly moves us. ;) When she feels that the time is right, she'll guide us into a final chorus with a nice hearty "WHOA-OA-OA-OA."
- Chorus: 8 measures, but we're coming in halfway through the 2nd measure following Laura's lead. We let the final harmony ring, Howard introduces Jim Scott, high fives all around.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Set List
Okay, last Sunday's session was really fun! We've decided to hold an extra practice at Julie's house this Sunday the 17th at 2:00 in order to start polishing our set list for the Jim Scott concert on May 31st.
(UUFD members, remember that there's a Congregational Meeting after the service this week. Hopefully there will be time to get from one activity to the next.)
We've decided to play My Rainbow Race, Turn Turn Turn, Paradise, and Shine. I've put links to the chords over in the sidebar. Any thoughts as to what order we should play them?
Here are some notes on what we've worked out so far. If I'm remembering anything incorrectly, please let me know! Unless otherwise indicated, Laura is on guitar, Howard is on guitar, Ashley is on dulcimer, Julie is on fiddle. Nathan, what do you think, guitar or ukulele?
My Rainbow Race: Howard sings the verses, the rest of us harmonize on the chorus. Laura is singing the melody line with Howard, Ashley is singing a low harmony. Did we decide on an intro and tag? I think Julie ad libs on the fiddle. Laura, do you want to play banjo for this one?
Turn, Turn, Turn: 5-measure intro played twice by Howard and Ashley. Second time, vocals pick up into main body of the song. We're all singing. Ashley does high melody with Laura singing low harmony for the chorus, then Ashley sings low melody with Laura's high harmony for the verses. I don't remember what Howard's doing! I'm sure he and Nathan will figure out something amazing. Julie is playing melody.
Paradise: Howard is on the banjo for this one. Banjo and dulcimer do an 8-measure instrumental intro, and we're off. Howard and Ashley sing verses, everyone sings chorus. Laura is doing harmony for the chorus, and I think it would sound great if Nathan could, too. Julie is playing a broken chord pattern against the vocals. Just before the final verse, Howard will play a banjo melody for 8 measures, and Julie will answer the next 8 measures with the fiddle (the rest of us support quietly with chords). After the final chorus, do a slowdown repeat of, "Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away" for the tag.
Shine: How much fun is this song? I mean really. We don't have the particulars nailed down yet, but we want to do it like Dolly and Nickel Creek do to the best of our ability, so go watch the video some more. We all decided to see if we could work something up for the musical breakdown at the end. Should be interesting. ;) The pre-chorus riff is D DD F DD F DF G. I'm hoping we can all let 'er rip on that and sound the "YEAH" with conviction. Someone should play banjo. I'm open to ideas for vocals. Maybe we could take turns singing verses (there are 3; the 3rd is a mashup of the 1st and 2nd) and harmonize at the top of our lungs for the chorus?
Okay, I'm giving everyone who is playing in the concert access to post entries directly to the blog, if you want to start a new topic. Laura, would you please FB message me with your e-mail address?
(UUFD members, remember that there's a Congregational Meeting after the service this week. Hopefully there will be time to get from one activity to the next.)
We've decided to play My Rainbow Race, Turn Turn Turn, Paradise, and Shine. I've put links to the chords over in the sidebar. Any thoughts as to what order we should play them?
Here are some notes on what we've worked out so far. If I'm remembering anything incorrectly, please let me know! Unless otherwise indicated, Laura is on guitar, Howard is on guitar, Ashley is on dulcimer, Julie is on fiddle. Nathan, what do you think, guitar or ukulele?
My Rainbow Race: Howard sings the verses, the rest of us harmonize on the chorus. Laura is singing the melody line with Howard, Ashley is singing a low harmony. Did we decide on an intro and tag? I think Julie ad libs on the fiddle. Laura, do you want to play banjo for this one?
Turn, Turn, Turn: 5-measure intro played twice by Howard and Ashley. Second time, vocals pick up into main body of the song. We're all singing. Ashley does high melody with Laura singing low harmony for the chorus, then Ashley sings low melody with Laura's high harmony for the verses. I don't remember what Howard's doing! I'm sure he and Nathan will figure out something amazing. Julie is playing melody.
Paradise: Howard is on the banjo for this one. Banjo and dulcimer do an 8-measure instrumental intro, and we're off. Howard and Ashley sing verses, everyone sings chorus. Laura is doing harmony for the chorus, and I think it would sound great if Nathan could, too. Julie is playing a broken chord pattern against the vocals. Just before the final verse, Howard will play a banjo melody for 8 measures, and Julie will answer the next 8 measures with the fiddle (the rest of us support quietly with chords). After the final chorus, do a slowdown repeat of, "Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away" for the tag.
Shine: How much fun is this song? I mean really. We don't have the particulars nailed down yet, but we want to do it like Dolly and Nickel Creek do to the best of our ability, so go watch the video some more. We all decided to see if we could work something up for the musical breakdown at the end. Should be interesting. ;) The pre-chorus riff is D DD F DD F DF G. I'm hoping we can all let 'er rip on that and sound the "YEAH" with conviction. Someone should play banjo. I'm open to ideas for vocals. Maybe we could take turns singing verses (there are 3; the 3rd is a mashup of the 1st and 2nd) and harmonize at the top of our lungs for the chorus?
Okay, I'm giving everyone who is playing in the concert access to post entries directly to the blog, if you want to start a new topic. Laura, would you please FB message me with your e-mail address?
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