Digital Pill - working musicians talk about their lives » Guitar

John Fleming sings Icarus Wings

Leo — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:02:28 +0000

John Fleming is a singer and instrumentalist who has performed extensively in comedy and theatre internationally and also composes for TV, film and theatre. This song “Icarus Wings” was written for a 2007 Melbourne Fringe show entitled “Stung”, it’s about taking risks and being prepared to fail in order to learn and grow.

Download the words to this song here

Visit John’s website
www.johncf.com.au

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Can you learn these chords, accompany Doug DeVries and video yourself doing it ?

Leo — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:18:28 +0000

Doug DeVries lays down – the Challenge – Can you learn this chord sequence and then use it to accompany Doug playing the melody in the video. Then video yourself doing it and post it as a video response on youtube? No clues provided. You are equipped only with your ear as a compass and your pulse to sync with the maestro over the rugged terrain of this melody in a frenzied pace to the finish line. The piece is called the Humming Bird.

I liked Doug’s idea so much I gave it its own category in the menu just in case any other Melbourne musos wanted to lay down the gauntlet and issue their own musical challenge. Any video responses to Doug’s video that are truly inspired I will post on this site. Leo

Visit Doug on these links

His lesson is on this page of Digital Pill

Visit his website dougdevries.com

Doug’s albums on iTunes

and here is the first video response from Kev

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Guitar: walking bass (Tim Nikolsky)

Leo — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:28:40 +0000

Tim Nikolsky demonstrates how to do Walking Basslines on Guitar. Tim has been performing with the vocalist Margot Leighton for the past 13 years and has developed a unique style of playing in this musical duo incorporating the whole rhythm section on guitar. The technique of walking bass on guitar is also a great way to accompany other instrumentalists and soloists. Here he demonstrates the secrets of good accompanying on guitar; and breaks down his approach to walking basslines on guitar – step by step.

Click HERE to download a pdf of the lesson

Visit Tim online here
whitewithtwo.com
australianjazzrealbook.com
youtube.com/timnikolsky

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Digital Pill feature article in the Age

Leo — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:03:48 +0000

Garry Barker has written a feature article in the Age GREEN GUIDE about Digital Pill and the Louie Prez CD launch.

Below is some info about the new Louie Prez album with Leo Dale, Ray Pereira and Doug DeVries.

Sample the first track – The Phantom – in this youtube clip

Visit Louie Prez online here

The album tracks are on iTunes

BUY the Louie Prez CD – SCAM – here

CDs are also available NOW instore at JB HiFi – Readings Carlton and Basement Discs as well as in any other store in Australia or New Zealand through our distributor the Planet Company

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Mal Webb sings – Ad for beer

Leo — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:28:21 +0000

Mal Webb sings his song – Ad for beer – featuring vocal, guitar and some of Mal’s evolved vocalisations. He wrote it after Chick Ratten of the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy told him his music was “not a good ad for beer” and made Mal realise who his audience REALLY was . . . Good on you Chick !

There’s HEAPS more Mal at his website malwebb.com

You can get Mal’s music on iTunes
And his CDs are available here

“You’re a freak” – Ani DiFranco
“I didn’t know beatboxing could be so musical” – Mark Holden
“He’s like Bobby McFerrin, Aphex Twin and Cole Porter playing scrabble” – B. Freely
“An enormously accomplished singer… from jazz to African yodelling”
- John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald.

And then there’s all the Oxo Cubans albums on iTunes

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Songwriting: lyrics and poetry (Joe Dolce)

Leo — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:00:10 +0000

Joe Dolce uses several examples to make the distinction between poetry and lyrics and demonstrates how this understanding is important for songwriting.

” One of the country’s premier songwriters.” RHYTHMS MAGAZINE

” . . . the Ohio-born Dolce is one hell of a bluesman. . . . [the] guitar work is deceptively complex, weaving in and out of lyrical matter that is often a ball of complexity itself . .” Mike Wafer, XPRESS MAGAZINE

Joe wrote, produced and performed, ‘SHADDAP YOU FACE,’ Number One Hit in 15 countries, which holds the ongoing record for the most successful single in Australian music history for over 29 years straight, (breaking Slim Dusty’s legendary 22 year longevity record for ‘The Pub With No Beer!) Over 40 international cover versions in 12 languages including an aboriginal dialect and Papua New Guinean ‘pidgin’.

Visit him online for info about his recordings, gigs and songwriting workshops
http://www.joedolce.net/

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Guitar: using triads (Lucas Michailidis)

Leo — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:14:19 +0000

Guitarist Lucas Michailidis details his unique triadic approach to comping and improvisation. Included is a comprehensive guide to all triad inversions along with how these can be superimposed to generate a range of extended chords and alternative possibilities.

Click > HERE < to download a pdf of the lesson

Here’s some links to Lucas’ music

His website

and also this is a link to all his music on iTunes

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Kavisha Mazzella sings Amour

Leo — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:25:26 +0000

ARIA Award winning musician, singer-song writer, theatre collaborator and choir director Kavisha Mazzella sings her song Amour

About this song Kavisha writes
I saw a fantastic film by Tony Gatlif in 1996 called Latcho Drom about gypsies and thier music
and in it there was a scene where the french gypsy musicians visit the medieval church and play to Saint Sara in her shrine … it really touched me and I said to myself one day I will go there … well it happened – 3 years ago I caught a train from Paris down south and went to the Pilgimage of the Gypsies on May the 24th at Saintes Maries de La Mer in the Camargue… it’s a small fishing village south of Arles… Saintes Maries de la Mar is surrounded by fields of pink flamingos, black bulls and white Camargue horses … The bulls are bred for the special bullfighting they have there where the bulls are not killed but a rose is put between their horns and the young men try to snatch it away … many Gypsies have their caravans there and it’s the home of the Gypsy Kings … Every May and October gypsies from all over gather to celebrate the feast of Saint Sara the patroness of gypsies and travellers … The area is a magnificent wetlands and surrounded by mediterranian sea beaches … its a sacred site to the gypsies and on the feast day there is mass celebrated by 7 priests and an archbishop and a procession down to the sea carrying the statue of Saint Sara led by the proud retinue of Camargue Cowboys on the White Camargue horses … after mass the church bells ring out and when you walk into the throng you are surrounded by musicians playing their musics from different countries … over here is flamenco from Spain and there Balkan Brass Band from Rumania and still here organ music of the english travellers … and in that cafe is Manitas Di Plata the legendary guitar master (father of the Gypsy Kings) who I saw on television in the 60′s as a child … I couldnt believe my eyes! Here he was – his white hair cut shoulder length, in his black rap round sunglasses and white linen suit with flashhy shoes … all of 87 years old and holding court in the cafe … it was a real buzz … later when I looked back at the photos I hadn’t realised it but in the crowd watching the musicians play was another great french gypsy musician Titi Robin!
When the pilgrimage procession walks down to the sea with music playing there is an ecstatic feeling as people immerse themselves in the sea as if being baptised by the water made holy by Saint Saras presence and the gypsies wade into the water playing guitars waist deep and singing to the sky … it was unhinged, honest, and beautifully breathtaking! A revelation and a renewal in the beauty of Life even after great sadness …..

Kavisha on Myspace

and her albums on iTunes Music Store

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