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I have totally fallen for Etta James. So I'm converting some of her old stuff to more modern acoustic blues. Any chance anyone has sheet music for any of her stuff? I'm working on I'd Rather Go Blind first. :)

Since, I have been learning the CBG I have surrounded myself in things I believe will keep me on track with my learning process. One of the things I have done is expanding my music collection to include Blues artists and groups. With that I wanted to ask those here. Who inspires you? What music inspires you to create and play? I would love to add your favorites to my private music collection. Thanks Earth

Tonite on Dutch TV program 'the Social Club" there was an item about my cigarbox guitars which was recorded here at home and the gig was recorded in the 'American Roadhouse style' cafe, were we also will have our 1st Dutch Cigarbox festival on 6th of September.


Camera team recorded many different of our (own) songs, but for some kind of reason, the director choose to broadcast the song that I play on my own build dutch hubcap guitar. It is a song most of you probably know


Hope you will understand the Dutch a bit, because the TV host and I have also build a 1 stringed Diddley Bow:

Enjoy:

http://youtu.be/SwbE3yo0YrA

Thanks to everyone who came by our booth at the Rockbrook Village Craft Show on Saturday and the Aksarben Village Farmers Market on Sunday! A great turnout both days. And the weather was perfect was it not? I appreciate the folks who saw the uniqueness of these instruments and made the purchase. I hope you enjoy these instruments whether they hang on a wall, sit on a shelf or get played wherever you take it. Keep looking for us at Aksarben Village Farmers Market and the Old Market Farmers Market both in Omaha, Nebraska. Please contact me anytime via e-mail if you have any questions or would like to see one of the guitars or amps.

Today I have my first road trip since I started learning cbg and of course I'm taking it with me. Within a few hours I will be jamming someplace else. But I had a cool idea while I was deciding to take my cbg with me. Why don't I have pictures taken of me with my cbg everywhere I go. So that's what I'm gonna do. I kinda wish I had an ole Blues hat to wear when I did so I could look the part but I think the closest I have is a dread cap :( But on Day Five it's my first outting with the cbg and I'm sure it will be interesting. :) I'll be on and off line. Because let's face it there is wifi everywhere. Here's to hoping that each and everyone of you guys have an amazing few days. :)

My photo taking ability needs some work.  This last group of pictures just don't do #4 and #5 CBG's justice.  I find it hard to get a detailed picture of the complete guitar due to the length.  Oh well, here there are.  On to #6.....

Day Three and all si going well. On Day One I learned a rift or sorts. On Day Two I learned 12 bar blues. Oh yeah, and half of "Bad To The Bone". Course I had to change the lyrics to make it come from a girl but that's fine by me. Today I'm going over everything I have already learned so I retain it. And well leave whatever else I leave up to you guys. I wanna hear your ideas. Throw some fun links at me or post your idea. :) ~Earth

My top reason is...

The box is so small that it don't smash your boobs. :) It fits comfy right under them :)

Any of y'all within driving distance of central NC are really gonna want to be part of this event on Sunday.  You're gonna want to be able to tell your kids "I was there..."

https://www.facebook.com/events/1459790560918054/

Officially going into day two I find myself reminded of a few things  while, having my morning coffee. Having been in or around the music industry for what I personally consider, way to long. I always found myself worried about playing everything just right and not missing a note. Well, I am here to officially say... "Screw every little note. Forget rests, maybe I always personally thought there should be a bridge there. As a matter of fact... FORGET MUSIC. FORGET KEYS, AND TEMPOS. I want to make my own rhythm, I wanna switch the whole thing up. I wanna be.... well FREE"

I am glad I'm not sitting in front of sheet music. I have to admit, even coming into this yesterday I was thinking about transposing everything piece by piece. And the truth is maybe I will look into a few things I can't figure out. But, the beautiful thing is, I don't have to. With my new cbg I don't have to do anything I don't want to. It doesn't have to be perfect. No one will make me clap out beats if I play something and hold a note a bit longer than it should have been.

Oh and I bought a table top amp from eBay. I jammed on it all night. Now, my boys think I'm nuts but, I quickly realized that being the mom with facial piercings and dreads kinda already made me the Crazy Mom. Not to mention the Banana Farm I live on. So, In all actuality I'm just holding up appearances. *big grins*

So yesterday on my first day I learned a cool little bluesy bridge and part of Bad To The Bone, Thanks to LJ. And who knows what I might learn today. Lots of people here have been welcoming and given me tips and links to places to learn stuff so, I'll go through those today. I feel really lucky to have found a support system to help me along this new and cool path.

Oh and my question for today. Can one hook up a mic to one of these portable table top amps? Or does a vocal amp have to be cleaner? Oh heck, does cleaner even matter?

Peace, love and Really Cool Noise, Earth

In my first official day of learning the cbg I have learned one thing. And well I think that thing is very important thing. I have learned that cbg may be the ONLY musical based thing I have discovered that encourages people to make noise no matter how horrible AND last  but not least to play things how your like them not how everyone else likes them. I love it. I feel liberated. The world as I know it may just be in for many weird, exciting, rude awakenings.  I am going to be as nutty as the professor. :)

After watching Paul McCartney play a CBG in the documentary Sound City, I thought now that's just too cool.

So, I bought some cigar boxes off the net, wondering how am I going to build this thing.  Then just like after you buy a new car, don't you then see that model everywhere?  I starting seeing CBG videos and sites and now Cigar Box Nation.  I might not be totally original but I'm still psyched about making my own CBG and amp, but not from a kit.  I want to do each part myself.

This will be a challenge for me, as I've never built anything like this before

But I feel confident this time. This site has already been a great help.  

Great March and April.  Built and sold over 35 CBGs.  The COSTCO story was a big success. 

We will be doing a class of building CBGs for the Fire House Cultural center in Ruskin<Florida on May 3.  Looking forward to spreading the word.

http://firehouseculturalcenter.org/events/cigar-box-guitar-workshop/

I never gave it much thought as to what defined a festival. Was it just a get together of people celebrating some sort of theme like an open air carnival? I've heard music concerts converted into festivals. However, what I have learned recently is just how different everybody's festivals is. Some are held inside small pubs packed full of people, which is cozy eh! Where others look much like an open market place lined with vender booths and a stage for live performance and that can vary. Some are more private and are held in community halls and are very family oriented.

They all have many variances that give each festival it's own personality. They change over time. Some are free festivals and other have cover charges for a variety of reasons. I quickly learned there is a bucket load of energy expelled to organize and promote these events. Everybody involved makes it what it is on all levels.

I enjoy viewing pictures and videos of CBG festivals going on around the world. I like all the different kinds and how they seem to cast different moods, different folks and even different food & drink. I hope to connect more with other events even if I'm not physically there.

Smilingdog

Lots of vids of the StumbleCol CBG night held on the 29th of April 2014 at the Beacy in Mill Road, Cambridge over on the Stumblecol.com website. 

1. StumbleCol Night - Post #1
2. StumbleCol Night - Post #2
3. StumbleCol Night - Post #3
4. StumbleCol Night - Post #4
5. StumbleCol Night - Post #5
6. StumbleCol Night - Post #6

My FB friend Charlie Watts is selling a sweet lil puzzle piece shaped cbg to raise money for autism.It didn't sell at the auction and I'd like to help sell it.Hit me up if you are interested.Let's help this cause ,people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZAGk2_qFJE

SONGWRITERS CONTEST APPLICATION

2^nd Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival held on June 7^th, 2014 at HWY61 Roadhouse located in Webster Groves MO.

Mail your entry to:

Steven Miles – Event Coordinator

The St. Louis Cigar Box Festival 2014

1419 N. 2nd St.

Edwardsville, IL  62025

Songs submitted must be original work. Songs may have multiple co-writers, but please designate one name only on the application. Contestant may submit one or two songs, but each entry requires a separate form, song, and lyrics.  Song must include a homemade stringed instrument (in the spirit of the CBG festival).  It does not need to be made by the contestant, just not mass produced.

Each entry must consist of:

·         Completed and signed application entry form (or photocopy).

·         CD(s), MP3(s) or audio cassette(s) must contain one song only and be four minutes or less in length.

·         If the song contains lyrics, a lyric sheet typed or printed legibly is required (please include English translation if applicable). 

All entrants must be willing and able to attend the finals on the event date above.

Entries must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2014.

Prizes to be awarded for:

1^st place prize – Custom CBG (cigar box guitar) and recording gear

2^nd place prize – Custom CBG and a songwriter’s software tool

3^rd place prize – Custom CBG

Name(s)_______________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________Apt._____________

City___________________________State_______Zip__________Country__________

Phone_____________________________________________Age________________

Email Address__________________________________________________________

Song Title______________________________________________________________

Check one:     [  ] Lyrics included           [  ] Instrumental composition

Songwriters contest held at Highway 61 Roadhouse in Webster Groves Missouri during the2^nd Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival on June 7th, 2014.

Entries will be judged by a panel of music industry professionals who volunteer their time.  Please know that all submissions are treated fairly by the team of volunteer judges, but individual tastes are different including those of the judges.  All entries will be judged on originality, lyrics, melody and the song's overall appeal.  All decisions by judges will be final.  No entrants will be provided with scores or evaluations of their entries.

Judges and Festival host are not responsible for late, lost, damaged, misdirected, postage due, stolen, or misappropriated entries. Judges and Festival host are not responsible for faulty file uploads accompanying online entries.

Twelve entrants will be notified of being selected for the finals that will be performed live at the festival at 10am at the main stage.  Non-finalists will not be notified.

Live performances will be scheduled on the day of the festival.  Therefore all finalists who were chosen by the panel will be given a schedule ahead of time.  Finalists can check in 30 minutes before and must be checked in 10 minutes before the start time.  Failure to do this will result in a disqualification.

12:00 - 1:30 Justin Johnson

1:30 - 3:00 SW Competition

3:00 - 4:30 Justin Johnson

4:30 – 5:00 Judges and Awards

5:00 - 7:00 Justin Johnson

1. Red Dog 3 stringer
2. D.B. Customs 4 stringer
3. Charles Kimbler 3 stringer
4. Hoochbobble 3 stringer
5. Swamp Witch 3 stringer
6. Gitty 4 stringer
7. Ted Crocker 3 stringer
8. WolfClock 3 stringer
9. Larry Mead 3 stringer

so, I do not personally care for the square shape so much, so I ordered these from -big box hobby store website-.com

Here is a couple of videos, you cannot really hear the 'tom tom' sound they make when you tap on them, but they have a pretty good sound. 

I didnt catch it in the video, but they are 1.5" (1 1/2), 1.625" (1 5/8), 1.75" (1 3/4), not very deep. I may buy another set and fasten them together to be twice as thick. I might cut them down, so they are not quite twice as thick, whatever works. I may also get some veneer and cut it to shape and glue it over the bodies I have now. For $10, I think I did ok. It is basically the same as building any other CBG, but I will get a shape I like. These seem to be very similar in size to other cigar boxes available, only not as deep, so I think I will be ok for adapting most plans. There is also a 'boat shaped shelf' and a wooden flower pot, Id like to use as a resonator for an upright bass or 'cello'.

The smallest I think a viola or fiddle, the middle a guitar and the largest maybe a bass, though I think for that, it really needs to be double thick.

I cant do much at the moment to get other parts, but I will probably start tracing over stencils for wood burning, then mix up a stain of some kind to give them some color.

Anyone know where I can get 45 degree corner hardware? I may use some small hinges across the corners, or make something custom.

Anyway, I think these are a fine set of bases to get started with. I'll post again when I have more done or get more parts.

--Storyteller