Cigar Box Guitar Mineiro´s Blues
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Thanks to all of you who are building these wonderful instruments and keeping a great tradition going. I am joining the revolution.
What do the Purist say? Just a Box a stick and wire, or thats only looks,it haz to sound like a super monster Killer guitar and look like crap, is there a general consensus on this or as many ideers as players and Builders! Are there Fraction,Left CBG Camps,Right CBG Style groeps? how is The USA Divided in to south style,midlands groove ,swampy build? whe wonder about that here in Europe, You guys live it day to day, tell us about that, are the river people more licence plate orientated, who is more wood orientated? and last but not least Must it bee Playeble?
Thats all folks Let me Know What Think,and what you believe to bee the Rule,Fact,truth,religion on the Subject!
Your friendly Home playing,building, string, stjugging kind of a BCB guy! Let me see and hear Ye Now !Greeeetttssszzz
A.D.
Go big or go home, I guess.
I did my first open mic at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY last night. Pictures of Bob Dylan playing on the same stage in 1961 and 1962 and others of Arlo Guthrie. It was the Saratoga Acoustic Blues Society's monthly open mic and I thought this would be a good crowd absent the electric gearheads and whatnot.
The host, Sonny Speed was just inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame and a local HOF inductee, Phil Drum was there to play as well. There were about 10 players of all levels of ability playing acoustic blues guitar. No slides or resonators and when I say all abilities, I mean from really freakin' good up to HOF spectacular. There was a guy playing harp for several performers and for the jam session there was even a tuba!
In this, I stood apart. I brought my Sawzall Box Resonator.
"Ah, instead of a cigar box, we have a tool box. What is that?"
"How heavy is that?'
I explained to the small crowd made up of the night's performers and some of their spouses that I was an open mic virgin. And so I was going to be done real quick and it was likely going to be a mess. And I held true to form.
I warmed up with a few sets of Blues in G just demoing the sound of the guitar flatpicking and with the slide. Went OK and I wasn't thrown off the stage. Several surprised compliments on the sound from the guitar. Sweet! Let's try singing.
I pulled out Uncle John's version of "So Lonesome I Could Cry." How can I screw up basically a one string song? I was pretty proud that a line that always baffles me came out right. "When leaves begin to dry." It was still a pretty mechanical and rigid rendition that I'd like to do better.
That went well and I think I was singing in tune. Let's try my version of Wagon Wheel. First verse and chorus went well. I think I got the vocal pitch on the Em chord which always gives me trouble because the root note is not the bass string for my 5-string chord shape on the 2nd fret.
Then it happened. The second verse escaped me. I went into a little solo routine hoping it would reappear. Nothing. A blank. I had to concede defeat. Ended it short and thanked everyone for listening.
The host thanked me, asked for a round of applause and quipped, "You never know what's going to happen when a guy brings up a toolbox!"
So I have some stuff to work on for next month's open mic. I won't be playing in the same league as the other guys who are all old dudes who've been doing this forever and play regular gigs, but I'll be doing my thing. I think I'll do "Baby Please Don't Go" on my garbage guitar using a full bourbon bottle for the slide. Maybe I should bring out my version of "Going Down Slow" too. We'll see. I will be back there playing the same (relatively) famous stage in the folk music scene with the same great players and I'll try to be a little less intimidated by the whole atmosphere.
The thing I'd like to say to conclude this is how much different this open mic was compared with the 30 minutes I played on stage at the PA CBG Fest last August. The audience there were my club, or family, and welcomed me with open excitement. I was completely comfortable knowing that everyone there "gets it." The best I hoped for last night was passive indifference to light curious engagement. And it crushed me. I'll have to puff up my chest a bit more next time, be a big boy and sell it.
We got featured on Premier Guitar!
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/22188-zeppelin-design-labs-unveils-the-percolator
Hallo Cigarbox friends, I propose you a Contest/ Non Contest with whom everyone wins:)
I explain better :)
Starting today Feb 24th,2015 isopen the If You Are Happy contest. Deadline is April 30th , 2015.
You are ALL invited to join! What is necessary is to be CREATIVE: you can indulge yourself doing anything you want, find any instrument you like, any non-instrument you like and play your personal cover of IF YOU ARE HAPPY.
https://robertodiana.bandcamp.com/track/if-you-are-happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbc20hDV1Gg
They are real allowed ALL instruments: guitar, bass, piano, bells, kazoo, triangles, maracas, voices, screams and0 Cigar Box (of course) or whatever I do not mind now :)
What is REALLY important is to don't limit your creativity, don't be bound to the score or to the original version (however you can download it from links below, but just to have a guideline :)) don't be linked to“conventional notes” ... so just free your mind and play :)
You can send any type of registration, professional and not.
You can record with a phone, in a professional recording studio or use you want/you can.
Please send your beautiful creations at: robydiana@gmail.com
And "If You Are Happy" … something magical willshine :)
The "interesting" part of this contest, which I prefer to call NON-contest :), is that everyone who join ...WINS!
All versions will be recorded on CD and each of the participants will receive the physical copy of the compilation, while non-participants will be able to download it for free from the web.
Below you will find the promo with the first Violin cover :)
VIDEOPROMO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4laWwjIBTNk
So what are you waiting for?
Pick up your instrument and … have fun! :)
Be happy, be free! :)
LINKS:
MUSICSHEET/TAB: http://goo.gl/OkbsK3
VIDEO If you are happy live instudio: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=kbc20hDV1Gg
AUDIO If you arehappy: https://robertodiana.bandcamp.com/track/if-you-are-happy
Can't wait to listen some great Cigar box versions :)
Best,
Roberto
The Percolator Tube Amp is now available, Ready-to-Play or as a DIY kit! 2 watts delivered via one NOS compactron tube. Check out www.zeppelindesignlabs.com for more info. Youtube also has several videos of Glenn Kaiser playing through the Percolator with different guitars: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvcfOpfYxAor3W6kHqFI6EA
It's four years ago that I presented the first Flatpup guitar pickup. I wanted to recall the major steps and put it in an article at my site. Thanks for watching. And many, many thanks for having helped to let that baby grow!
here is the link to my site: http://www.original-flatpup.com/history
In response to a question on the Forums, here's one way to convert 6 string tabs into 3 string, tuned to a dyad chord, also called 1-5-1, "power chord" or perfect fifth. (For example, tuned GDG)
Before you start
- This is likely to do your head in until you get to the example, then it'll be easy
- Do the example with your guitar in your hands
Figure out the key of the original
Most songs start and finish on the tonic chord so if the first and last chords are E for example then it's safe to say that it's in E. If they don't go with the last chord.
That'll usually do it, if you're still not sure look for other chords in the song. I IV and V chords are common in most songs if you're not sure but think it might be in E, see if there are plenty of A and B chords (count the 4th and 5th up from E, starting again when you get to G)
Find the first note of the riff or melody on the 6 string tab.
Find a 6 string fretboard map online somewhere and get the name of that first note. Count up from your tonic (the name of the key) until you get that note so that you know what number it is. For example if we're in the key of E and the note is B you count up E F G A B and the number is 5
Figure out the rest of the notes on that string
The rest of the notes on that string will have the same relationship to that first one so just count up your frets. For example the first note in the original is on fret 2, the second is on fret 4 and the third on fret 5. Now you've found that the first note is a 5 and on the open position of the middle string, find the second note by adding 2 and the third note by adding another 1.
Repeat and rinse
Do the same thing for every string on the original tab.
IMPORTANT
Do this with simple songs to start with
Satisfaction
6 string TAB
E-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
A-|-2--2----2--4--5----5--5--4--2--2--------------------|
E-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
- The song is in the key of E, that's obvious from the chords
- The first note in the tab is a B which is the 5th note up from E
- The 5 on your 3 string is the open position middle string
- The next note is on the 4th fret, 2 up from the 2nd, so our next note is 2 up from the open middle string, on the 2nd fret
- The next note is on the 5th fret so ours is up one more from that on the 3rd fret.
Your tab looks like this
G-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D-|-0--0----0--2--3----3--3--2--0--0-------------------|
G-|-----------------------------------------------------------|
We're coming up on a full year of clubhouse meetings held every 3rd Saturday each month fallowing our 2nd St. Louis Cigar Box Guitar Festival. Club meetings are fun and important in developing community involvement into homemade instrument & music.
We've met several dozen new friends, some who just happened in off the street and discovered us. Drummers, guitar maestros, singers have embellished us with tasteful hours of entertainment. It's been a very positive supportive group that willingly accepts everyone on any level whether beginner or advanced.
Meeting give us the time to relax while sharing our huge variety of instruments that make their way through the clubhouse. Learning each others methods and swapping parts and materials.
You need a place to meet. Preferably indoor with electric outlets, but not absolutely necessary. It helps to have someone that leads the group in order to keep things actively moving along. Introductions, icebreaker topics like builds or events.
Next, ask who'd like to start a jam and lead off. It usually doesn't take more than that before the group comes to life.
We're blessed with the http://www.hwy61roadhouse.com that gives us 3 free hours of club house meetings with table/chairs and a stage. It's every 3rd Saturday from 9-11AM Free drinks and loads of fun.
Hello, amigos!
I have a cat, my cat like my guitars and I love my cat!
Please share photos of your cats with your CBG here! Thank you!
My new website is up and running! Feel free to step by an have a look (even though it's in german).
Thx & cheers
What kind of wood dye do I use for the wood of my cookie tin ukulele (fret board and stuff)?!
Hey everyone, I'm doing a science design project at school, and i decided to build a tin ukulele. Would anyone please send me step by step instructions and plans...please!! It would be very helpful since this is my first time doing this!
Finished my first instrumental-only rock album with lots of cigar box instrument tracks (about 70 % of all guitar/bass recordings): "RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIAL" - Listen here:
