Posted 2015-12-17 3:17 PM (#519499) Subject: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: May 2006 Posts: 4227
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent
Well, I've waited until after Halloween and even Thanksgiving, but I look forward to hearing the various renditions OFC'ers always come up with for Christmas songs. I'm linking to one of the very first songs I ever wrote oh-so-long-ago. I've posted it here in the past, but I've since had the tape recording re-mastered. Believe it or not, it's played on my old Ovation Celebrity. That guitar is still in my family, and it still occupies a soft spot in my heart partly because of this song. The instrument and the song have stood the test of time I think.
I like songs that tell stories, and this piece is partly inspired by Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening and Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court. More than twenty years later, I still think it would make a good movie.
What would happen if a man who went on a solitary hike to escape "the season's neon glare" suddenly found himself in Behtlehem on the first Christmas Eve? Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Posted 2015-12-17 4:43 PM (#519500 - in reply to #519499) Subject: RE: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: December 2014 Posts: 1713
Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota
HOLY BUCKETS Patch!!!!!!
That was Beautiful!!!! I listened to it 3 times, just because it brought up such beautiful pictures in my mind, and the music was so melodious! Beautiful job!!!! And Thank You for sharing it with us!
Posted 2015-12-17 4:52 PM (#519501 - in reply to #519499) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho
Patch's songs and those of some other (but not all) OFCers impressed me. Sometimes that made me think I would never be able to record and sing a song that was worth recording. Other times it inspired me to work at it. I worked at it, but I'm still not to the point where I would record anything I did. I was also inspired at times to try writing a song. I failed at that, too, but it seems like something worth trying.
I think I have a very critical ear. I wince when I hear any note that is slightly off pitch. I even winced when some of the finalists on The Voice were off the other night (although the winner, Jordan Smith, seemed spot on.) I didn't wince, Patch. I also like your guitar playing and the lyrics. I agree that it stood the test of time and it was worthy of dusting off.
Posted 2015-12-18 6:28 AM (#519508 - in reply to #519499) Subject: RE: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: May 2006 Posts: 4227
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent
I like it DB! I do have a question though, I've played instruments that were tempremental, sensitive, and even unstable, but what is a high-strung guitar? I like the sound.
Posted 2015-12-18 6:50 PM (#519524 - in reply to #519499) Subject: RE: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: October 2012 Posts: 1034
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Patch - 2015-12-17 5:17 AM
Believe it or not, it's played on my old Ovation Celebrity.
Wow, Patch that is really beautiful and so creative. Your rhythmic consistency is amazing! Considering all the exotic Os you own, your use of the Celebrity is kind of comforting and inspiring too (sounds great, btw). I just love Christmas and since your post included an invitation for others to chime-in, and since I kinda wanted to share a video of my recently repaired CC247, I took a short (sorry...low quality, and my "2 sec. worth" is pending, Mr. Ovation) video. I just changed my strings to D'Addario PBs (thanks for the tip DanSavage!), and went strictly acoustic (@ a bit past midnight, so I couldn't belt it out...). Just one verse from an old favorite Christmas Carol...
Posted 2015-12-18 8:55 PM (#519528 - in reply to #519526) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: December 2014 Posts: 1713
Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota
Arumako that was Wonderful, and your Joy prelude was Beautiful!!!
Stonebobbo, what can I say??? If they had more Christmas Music like that one out there, we definitely would not mind them playing Christmas songs 24/7 right after Halloween!!!!
These are Great, Guys!!! Keep them coming, some Real Talent here!!!!
Posted 2015-12-19 2:39 AM (#519540 - in reply to #519528) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: October 2012 Posts: 1034
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Nancy - 2015-12-18 10:55 AM
Arumako that was Wonderful, and your Joy prelude was Beautiful!!!
Thanks Nancy. You are always so encouraging!
Hearing Darkbar's silky smooth singing and playing is always very cool, and it was fun listening to stonebobbo's bluesy rhythm, clean picking, and clever lyrics. Lot's of amazing O players out there... you gotta put one out there yourself, Nancy!
So Standingovation, forgive me for another ignorant inquiry...is that the cover of an existing OFC Christmas CD, or are you working on that right now?
Posted 2015-12-19 8:19 PM (#519571 - in reply to #519499) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: October 2012 Posts: 1034
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Thanks for the information Mark in Boise! So...of course, the next question is, "How can a guy get his hands on these (since this is volume 2, there must be a volume 1?)?" I looked over the Internet, but wasn't able to find it. Thanks!
Posted 2015-12-19 11:14 PM (#519575 - in reply to #519499) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: August 2002 Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee
There was also a Vol 3 titled A Day at the Beach. And there was a Takamine Forum disc that some of the people here contributed tracks to. All of it was good stuff. My track above I wrote for the OFC Christmas album.
Posted 2015-12-23 6:38 AM (#519693 - in reply to #519499) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: December 2004 Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL
Great Picture Nancy! Merry Christmas back at ya.
Great Christmas songs here. Beautiful song, as always Patch. Darkbar, that's one of my Christmas favs, it's cool how you are able to make a familiar song your own. Arumako, nice version, love the intro. And it's always great to hear Bobbo's Christmas classic.
I still have my copy of the OFC cds, I still break them out occasionally, there's a lot of great music on them.
Posted 2015-12-23 6:16 PM (#519702 - in reply to #519701) Subject: RE: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: December 2003 Posts: 849
Location: Canada
Standingovation - 2015-12-23 4:51 PM For any Charlie Brown or Ukulele fans ... Have a Happy !!! Linus & Ukey
Oh very nice how did you record this and how many ukes are on this and what models? I think I can hear a lead (tenor?) and a rythm (soprano?) and maybe a faint u-bass in the backgound?
Posted 2015-12-24 4:47 AM (#519705 - in reply to #519499) Subject: Re: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch
Yeah, Merry Christmas to everyone. Now it will be Christmas here in three hours. I'm going to sit in the tub with a bottle of champagne and not alone. Can we get back to the regularly scheduled music soon? Thank you.
Posted 2015-12-24 11:26 AM (#519711 - in reply to #519702) Subject: RE: How about some Christmas Music!
Joined: June 2002 Posts: 6198
Location: Phoenix AZ
d'ovation - 2015-12-23 5:16 PM
Standingovation - 2015-12-23 4:51 PM For any Charlie Brown or Ukulele fans ... Have a Happy !!! Linus & Ukey
Oh very nice how did you record this and how many ukes are on this and what models? I think I can hear a lead (tenor?) and a rythm (soprano?) and maybe a faint u-bass in the backgound?
It sure sounds very profesional, wouldlove to try a Kamaka one day. One of the guys in my uke group has a Kala U-Bass and it sure sounds quite "big".
So for some additional content I am posting a video with 100% non-string content. I have recently got interested in singing and have joined a choir. We sing German folk songs and this is our Christmas concert. I think we are a bit off here and there, but the choir is in crisis as our long term director is ill with cancer so we lost a lot of practice time with finding a new director and starting over. Still for something different here we go:
BTW I'm the rightmost (bald) guy in the middle row.
How about some Christmas Music!
