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Post by Amit on Aug 13, 2020 14:01:00 GMT
This has led me down a Low Anthem rabbit hole. It's been a while, but so nice to visit there again.
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Post by Amit on Jul 18, 2020 23:23:37 GMT
The optimum number of guitars = (n+1) where n is the number you own at the moment. Finally, some maths I can get fully on board with.
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Post by Amit on Jul 18, 2020 21:55:05 GMT
I love my guitars, but always want more guitars. I think this is an affliction we will battling with for the rest of our days.
You’re at the right place here, we will provide you with gentle support, whilst persuading you to buy another guitar.
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Post by Amit on Jun 6, 2020 15:29:53 GMT
Pretty much my dream guitar. The price tag makes my eyes water more than onions do though. yeah it's pricey! I'd like one with the Traditional carve personally... Collings had a pretty steep price rise a year or two back - right after I bought my OM2hT actually - I don't think I'd be able to afford one now (particularly with the Collings case!) Ditto on the Traditional Carve. I can but dream..
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Post by Amit on Jun 5, 2020 22:42:46 GMT
Pretty much my dream guitar. The price tag makes my eyes water more than onions do though.
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Post by Amit on Mar 10, 2020 12:12:30 GMT
I've nothing to add, other than I flipping love John Doyle.
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Post by Amit on Feb 16, 2020 16:26:13 GMT
Colin Keefe, 100% the guy is a master repairer and also teaches his trade at the local college I used Colin to sort out a few issues on a 1943 Martin I had. His work was flawless with remarkable attention to detail.
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Post by Amit on Dec 9, 2019 13:55:04 GMT
Details, we need details! Ditto Amit . Come on spill the beans..... The Brook or the Waterloo? On the Waterloo front - I got a 12 fret hog (WL-12mh) which is simply wonderful. On the Brook front, I ordered a Bovey with custom string spacing. We recently welcomed a little fella to the family, and I fancied a little guitar to have on hand. Plus we've less space in the car now, so a little travel guitar is just the thing! Spruce top and walnut back and sides
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Post by Amit on Dec 6, 2019 8:00:16 GMT
I thought I’d gotten myself to a safe space. My addiction was but a distant memory.
Then I bought yet another Waterloo (a lovely one) and placed an order on a custom Brook.
I am weak.
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Post by Amit on Sept 26, 2019 12:34:49 GMT
Secondly, although I did think that the TD made my guitar sound much more like a real guitar than the K&K does, I actually like some of the thickness and oomph that the K&K gives in a live situation - I'm playing solo and, although a lot of my music is quite delicate, it's nice to know I have some kick there if I want/need it to fill out the sound. Although you can blend the pickup signal back in with the wavemap, I find that the K&K needs significant EQ for my needs (mainly a big notch around 100 - 250 depending on venue, and a cut in the mids) - it's not possible to do this to the pickup signal only with the tonedexter - you're mixing in some un-EQ'd pickup sound and then EQ'ing the entire mix. For me this didn't work. This is really useful to hear - likewise when I do use my K&K (I mostly use just a mic these days), it needs a fair whack of EQ. If you're only able to EQ the entire mix and not just the pickup sound, that wouldn't be ideal for me either.
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Post by Amit on Sept 23, 2019 13:39:51 GMT
If anyone was to approach me having watched me play guitar and ask if I also played the the sitar Amit I'd be hugely flattered...surely a much more technical instrument to play than the ubiquitous 6 string . Much better than being asked if I also played the banjo I fear you may have missed the point here - Amit & I have a passing acquaintance IRL and, were you to see him perform his set of fingerpicked blues, rags & old time Americana, "Do you play the banjo?" would not be a ridiculous question (in fact he does play the banjo, rather well as it happens). Nothing I've seen him perform live hints that he has any interest in Indian music & yet, because he has brown skin, people ask if he plays the sitar. Surely you can see that points at underlying prejudices, even if it's presumably well-intentioned? Yep! Thanks Pete
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Post by Amit on Sept 23, 2019 13:30:58 GMT
To answer the original question, I would ask “Would you be happy/comfortable to play the song in front of a largely Caribbean based audience? “ If the answer is yes, then go ahead. If not, then don’t because there is obviously something that does not feel right about it. And of course the race of the audience should be irrelevant as to if it is right or not. Amit , it depresses me that you should be asked the Sitar question so regularly and it really must be very tiresome. I can only assume (or perhaps hope) that this type of question is dwarfed by the number of comments in relation to your musical talent and superb guitar playing! Cheers David, very much appreciated Yep the sitar thing, and similar comments do become pretty tiresome (would you believe it, I had my hair ruffled by an audience member last week because she was pleased she had correctly guessed I was of Indian heritage – again it was the only reason she came up to speak to me), but you’re totally right – these comments are far outweighed by people just being nice, saying nice things and often asking me about my guitars, which I’m always happy to talk about in great detail! Cheers again Amit
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Post by Amit on Sept 22, 2019 16:36:31 GMT
I think that if you have to question 'is this racist?' then, on some level, it is. I also think that asking if you should be offended if a 'dark skinned chap from Asia' pretends to be a geordie you're missing the point - as far as I'm aware Geordies have never been denied housing or work, been classed as an inferior race, had their forebearers traded as property, been beaten up , had disgusting filthy names shouted at them in the street and all other kinds of terrible experiences simply because the colour of their skin is different to the 'dark skinned chap from Asia'. Nearly 60'000 US Soldiers died in the Vietnam war and anything up to 250'000 South Vietnamese soldiers died - that's 300'000 people who didn't do any growing up. 'Political Correctness gone mad' arguments puzzle me - are you saying that sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia etc etc shouldn't be regarded as unacceptable? There will always be people who are quick to take offence when, perhaps, offence is not intentionally meant, and there are always people who intentionally mean offence and will claim they don't. Even though it's an aggravating phrase 'Political Correctness' is not really about 'snowflakes' or being 'woke' or stopping people expressing themselves - it's about being aware that society has moved on from the days where white heterosexual men could do and say whatever the hell they liked to anyone else because they held all the social power. I'm not going to get involved in a debate on here as I don't think internet forums are the place for these discussions as it's easy to misinterpret words on a screen as more aggressive and pointed than when they're said face to face - I'm not a fan of censorship but I think the mods should keep a very close eye on this thread. I agree with Ben here, and I think the whole “political correctness gone mad”, “people need thicker skins” thing is a pretty lazy way of quashing debate (my opinion), or invalidating someone’s potentially very genuine offence. Going back to the original post, I personally don’t have very strong view one way or the other, other than, as you allude to, the lyrics make it particularly difficult to not sound as though you’re doing a caricature.. If it were me, I wouldn’t do it. My main thoughts from reading some of the wider posts on this thread are - unless you have yourself experienced ongoing prejudice, judgement, or opinions based on a protected characteristic which is being portrayed in song or a comedy routine or anything else, then you’re probably not the best placed person to deem it inoffensive. For me, context is everything. For example (and apologies to the OP for taking this slightly off topic, I’m just trying to make a wider point), if I, as a ‘dark skinned’ chap was to play a gig and someone from the audience came up to me afterwards and asked if I also played the sitar, you might think I was being a little touchy if I was overtly offended. But if it told you I get asked that question *at least* three times a night (sadly this is true, it can be much more), with it often being the first and only question someone asks, with no other comment on the songs I’ve just played, then you might understand my annoyance. Like I say, context is everything, and in the above example, I’d reserve the right to be offended. Again apologies for taking that off topic from the OP’s post.
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Post by Amit on Sept 21, 2019 17:23:50 GMT
Turning things around, why might I, as a caucasian geordie born and raised in the Byker slum, take offence at, say, a dark skinned chap from Asia dressing (with white make-up) as a nineteenth century North east labourer or miner standing by his pigeon cree, stotty cake in hand and singing Bladon Races in the best "gan canny bonnie lad" accent he could muster? Hey ho. In my view the two things are not comparable in the slightest. Particularly when considering historical context.
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Post by Amit on Sept 21, 2019 17:16:43 GMT
Apologies in advance if I'm being thick or insensitive here; I don't want to start a political debate or cause any discomfort - but could someone please explain to me where, exactly, the offence lies: a) in singing the song at all b) in singing the song in a Caribbean accent c) in singing the song dressed and "made up" in faux Carribean outfit / make-up Peter As a 60 year old white Mancunian, I have never been belittled for my heritage, race or skin colour. Though I imagine if you have been portrayed as sub human, been called `Boy`, as a Black adult, untrustworthy etc etc. Then I would be raging if somebody thought they would drees up as a Minstrel, sang in a mock dialect etc. So I would say, leave this crap where it belongs, in the dustbin. Bingo
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