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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Posts by Roger Guppy
Hi Timothy,
I am certainly not averse to posting a 'Sticky' on how to read tabs in the sections that I Moderate. However I am not the best person to explain them so if you, or anyone else, will post a concise explanation in this thread I will copy it and Post it as a 'Sticky' in Acoustic.
Roger
Ken,
In my Songbooks, at the right of each song title there is edit, I click on that to edit the songs in mine.
Roger
Assuming you are using steel and not nylon strings, if you are playing between 1 and 2 hours every day and your fingers are not bleeding and you are not screaming with pain, I would think you must have some fairly good ones already.
Roger
OK I will correct you. You are wrong 
Seriously, if you look at the bottom right of any song there is the tag there to 'correct the song'. Once you have corrected a song there will be a message at the bottom right saying that you have corrected it.
Roger
Hi Ark,
If I am honest, I too did wonder when I started this project, as to whether I was being too ambitious but like most things in this life you do not know if something will work unless you try. I am so pleased that my doubts were unfounded.
I wanted to get a swift result which is why I did it the way that I did. Perhaps it would be better to built each instrument in turn and send each musician everything you have to use record their part but still asking them to send a single track of just their instrument as you may have to tweak the balance further down the line.
Russ,
As I mentioned in the Songwriting section I think you need to find out if anyone else is willing to produce a recording for someone who is unable to so. It goes without saying that you can add my name to that list. In fact I will go and add the category, and my name, to the 'Members Willing To Help' 'Sticky'.
Roger
Thanks Kenny,
Of course the cake can only be as good as the ingredients you use to make it with and I had some excellent ingredients to work with. The thanks is really due to the guys and gals that contrubuted to it.
Ark,
I think you can say it is fairly certain that I will be calling on your services again 
, your help on "Angel" and this song was invaluable.
Doug,
I was pleasantly surprised with your bass vocals having never heard you sing before I am confident that your services will be called on again too. What we need though is 'volunteer record producers' who are willing willing to work closely with songwriters who are unable to record to make their songs come to life the way that they want them to sound. But that is a topic for the Recording section and not here.
I have to say that I feel rather guilty accepting thanks from those of you who participated as the thanks are really yours and not mine.
Roger
Hi Chewy,
I followed the link you posted and 'Songbook ADD' was where it should be. This leads me to believe that the problem is at your end but how to overcome it I am afraid I have no idea.
Perhaps others will check the link also and let us know whether they see the 'Songbook ADD' to confirm whether it is a localised problem at your end or whether there is a bug in the system.
Sorry I cannot be of more help.
Roger
This is the longest post I have ever written and may well be the longest ever written on Chordie (1080 words) so please accept my apologies beforehand. I hope it might be of help anyone who decides to attempt a recording project such as this.
I wanted to include as many Chordie members in this project as I could so I wrote and posted a chorus and asked for verses. I deliberately asked for them to be sent to my private e-mail and not be posted on the Forum, which has usually been done, as I did not want anyone following on from another's idea. I hoped it might work, and it did. I was sent more material than I could use but I was able to use a verse from everyone who contributed. I made some minor adjustments to line length and to the rhyming pattern to fit the song. I should have made it clear in my original request that I wanted the second and fourth line to rhyme. I also decided that I must have an instrumental part in the song so that the musicians I intended to include could be heard in their own right without vocals over the top.
The music I decided to write myself and not ask for help. I have a programme called Band-in-a-Box that, if you write the chords into the correct place in the bars it will produce a backing track and with nearly 3000 different styles to choose from, and the ability to change the instruments used it is a pretty handy tool. I set to and made a backing track for the song and recorded it as an mp3. I then used the same track and laid my vocals over it to give me two recordings, one with vocals and one without. This was to give the musicians either just a music track or one with vocals for the melody to work with. The vocalists of course would only need the one with vocals for the melody as each was to sing one verse and we all were to sing the chorus.
I sent both backing tracks to everyone who had offered to help in this type of project, some I had to ask to perform on their secondary instrument to produce the kind of sound I had in mind. The backing track was just to give the feel and tempo of the kind of music I wanted and I told everyone that it would not be present in the final mix except possibly the strings. This would mean that everyone would be able to keep time with each other without them hearing anyone else's part. I got a fantastic response from everyone I asked, Russ suggested that he play harmonica instead of guitar, an instrument I had not thought of including, but I realised that it would add to the song. I asked everyone to remove all of the backing track except the count-in and mix it with their recording to make it easy for me to synchronize the individual tracks and this worked very well. I now eagerly and very regularly checked my e-mail and very soon I was getting responses. It was almost like Christmas come early.
I had pre-planned where I was having the instruments and vocalist panned so it was easy when I started mixing. Scott (Fatstrings) was the first with his bass track. I already had Audacity with the backing track and my vocals as separate tracks and I added his bass to it. I added the others as they came and was soon able to remove the backing track. I must admit that more tracks I got the better it was sounding and the more impatient I was getting to have it finalised but I had told everyone that I would not rush them as I wanted them to produce a track that they were happy with and not a rushed one because I was pressurising them. As the vocals came in I was able to replace some of my vocals.
The mixing and balancing is the hardest, most frustrating but ultimately the most rewarding part. It is very time consuming as certain instruments and certainly vocals will have peaks which sometimes prevent amplifying the track enough. This then means that the peak has to be decreased in volume so that the rest can be increased. Even in one person's recording, sections have to be increased in volume so that it is not drowned out by the other tracks. I have attempted to make every instrument and every voice heard throughout the song and it is a tedious and painstaking task.
So for any one else that decides to produce a song this way be prepared to spent a lot of time at it. It is very much easier to use fewer musicians and vocalists. Make it clear what you are asking of them and give them a track to work with to ensure that it will blend together when you come to mixing. Also make sure that you ask for an unmixed track or tracks. If one person is playing more than one instrument or playing and singing, what may sound fine to them will probably not be right when other voices and instruments are mixed in so you need to be able to mix and balance tracks individually. Do not mix any tracks until you have them all in as you sometimes have to re-work tracks you thought you had OK. Only when everything is in and you are happy with the effect should you do any mixing. I deliberately kept the music tracks' volume rather higher than normal until they were all in and then mixed them, lowered the volume to normal to do the final balancing of the vocals before completing the final mix.
There may well be other ways of doing it but this worked for me, so now I look forward to someone else producing a song in this manner.
Russ, writing this has given me an idea. You have a list of Members who are prepared to play and sing for someone else. So why not see if anyone is prepared to produce a recording for others. If so, you can then go to the Songwriting section as there are several writers of songs who have no means of recording, you can offer them the services of the Recording section. Just an idea!
Roger
Hi Phill,
Thanks. I enlisted the help from the people who had put their names in Russ's list, apart from Rachael as I wanted a female vocalist to be included and I knew she was able to record, but I will remember you for the next project I attempt. That is when my hair that I pulled out has regrown and I am released from the lunatic asylum after completeing this one.
Thanks Russ, Rachael, Scott and Jeff,
But it was the effort and expertise of you and the other contibutors that made this possible. I certainly learnt a lot and I am sure that your services will be called on again. No contribution can be considered small, every facet is equally important in completing the finished song and I am extremely grateful for the amount of help and effort that everyone has given so freely. Now we know it can be done I hope others will follow suit. Maybe some of the songwriters here who are unable to record their songs will consider such a project.
Thank you too Daddycool,
There was a lot of time spent balancing and mixing so many tracks, endevouring to make sure that each performer was heard, and OK perhaps had we been togther to record it would have been a little tighter, certainly much easier, but considering that no one heard anyone else's track I am amazed at how well it came out in the end.
Roger
Those of you who follow the Recording section will know this, but for those who do not, I wrote the chorus for this song and asked for verses to be sent to my e-mail address. I wanted the verses to be written independantly and not following any particular theme apart from what was written in the chorus. Very soon I had four sent me so I wrote the music and and with only minor tweaking to to the verses, to keep the rhyming consistant and lyrics to fit the music, I had a song. Wanting to involve others in this I sent, again by private e-mail, each musician and vocalist I wanted to include a backing track of the music and another of the music and my vocals. This was so that everyone would have the tempo, melody and a feeling of the song I wanted to create.
I was extremely pleased at the willingness of fellow Chordie Members to participate in the project and amazed at the effort and the quality of the work that everyone put in.
The contributors to this song are:
Lyricists
Verse 1: Jeff Taylor (Topdown)
Verse 2: Jamie Moro (Smart_deedee)
verse 3: Helena Donovan (Old Doll)
Verse 4: Russell Harding
Chorus : Roger Guppy
Music : Roger Guppy
Vocalists:
Verse 1: Roger Guppy
Verse 2: Doug Smith
Verse 3: Rachael Hodgins (Radchael1975)
Verse 4: Russell Harding
Chorus : All the above
Musicians:
Lead Guitar: Tony Kerry (Arkady)
Keyboard: Randy ? (Riddler)
Harmonica: Russell Harding
Finger Picked Guitar: Doug Smith
Bass Guitar: Scott Cornelison (Fatstrings)
12 String Rhythm: Roger Guppy
In all 10 different people have contributed to this song and I take my hat off to all of you. I thank each and every one of you for your stirling efforts and making this project come to life.
This is the result of our endeavours and it can be heard on Friends of Chordie:
https://myspace.com/friendsofchordie/mu … 1-34006800
Roger
PS You will now know why I have been a bit lax lately in commenting on your songs. What with working dawn til dusk and balancing and mixing this song, I have been very short of time. Please accept my apologies.
Yippeee!!
"Wrapped in Happiness" is now completed. I sent a copy of it to all the contributors 24 hours ago and I have uploaded the recording to on 'Friends of Chordie' and it is posted in the Songwriting section with details of all the participants for comments from there.
What I have kept to myself until now is that I have also 'roped in' some other vocalists too. One has never been heard on Chordie before and another only once before. Two of us are 'old stagers' but still very young at heart .
This was a fascinating and rewarding project to complete. I ended up with 12 tracks to balance and mix, so OK I was pulling my hair out (what little I have ) and the air around me was blue at times but I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I dread to think of the number of hours I have spent balancing the tracks and I have listened to the recording countless times trying to ensure that everyone who has contributed can be heard. I hope that everyone who has contributed to this song is happy with the result.
I will be putting together a post explaining how I did it, which I hope might be of help the next person who does this.
Roger
The other thing to check is if your printer is set up for the right size of paper you are using. If it thinks the paper is smaller than it is it will bunch the writing together and leave a large margin.
Roger
Hi Natlim,
If you are unable to change strings after watching the video in Topdowns post above then you are probably best taking your guitar to your local guitar shop and asking them to do it for you. They will no doubt make a small charge for this but it is better than getting it wrong yourself. They may even let you watch so you know how to do it next time.
Roger
I have just looked at this song and the 'Add' is on all versions. On songs with chords it is lower down the list than with tabbed songs.
Roger
Hi Deadstrings,
It is usually the first song I teach my students. Two chords and a pleasant melody, I do not know of an easier one to start with.
Roger
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Hi Pix,
How is the Ultimate Easy/Beginner's Songbook coming along? Are you still looking for more entrys?
Roger
The first TV in our house arrived on my 5th birthday in 1952 and I am sure that there was only one channel to watch.
I remember that back then my favourite programme was Muffin the Mule (he was a puppet) I cannot for the life of me remember what it was about though but I can still sing the song from it. I seem to recall that most children's programmes were on 'Watch with Mother' but that is all a very long tome ago.
Roger
Actually Helena I did try this many years ago and you are right the dog was extremely pleased to see me but Sue divorced me
Roger
Patience is a virtue gentlemen.
As I explained earlier, unfortunately one of my performers has been ill and I will not rush them into sending me something that they are not happy with. Their's is a crucial part of recording that I want to produce so I am sorry, if I must wait, then so must you.
I will send all the contributors a copy 24 hours before posting it here so you can hear it first.
Roger
The problem is that, particularly when it comes to politics, religion and football if you like, everyone has their own opinion. Unfortunately some people think that only their opinion is correct and try to force it upon others which causes argument and worse.
If everyone were open minded enough to accept that a differing opinion was just as valid as theirs and treat those that thought differently with the respect they deserve the world would be a far better place.
One final point, and my last on this subject. A Moderator is a god in his own section, an Administrator is his right hand and their decision is final. Only one person can overrule a decision by a Moderator or Administrator and that is Per our Mighty Admin and OBL. . We, for want of a better word, police the site and if we see what might become a problem looming we will do what is neccessary to prevent it.
Being the Moderator in this section I will have the last word and I am closing this topic now. Fair warning. I will delete any post that tried to resurrect this topic.
For Heaven's sake make music and not war!
Roger
Hi Mirelle and welcome to Chordie,
If you read my 'Sticky' at the start of this section you have tha answer to your question.
Roger
I am with Ken on this one.
The 'Chat Corner' is for 'Backstage Gossip and General Mayhem'. OK Obama becoming President of America is news and well worthy of a mention but to drag it out to a political debate is not.
Chordie is a music orientated site and debates about how the open G should be fingered, whether the F chord should be outlawed, whether Fender or Gibson make the best guitars are within its remit. Non musical news is worth a mention out of interest, but not to get bogged down in lengthy discussion.
Do not forget that Chordie has Members from all around the globe and political news, although of interest to residents in that country, is as boring a hell to anyone else. Music is the love that we all share, let us not get sidetracked from that.
So lets get back to what we do best Making Music
Roger
hi Deadstring,
Do not be disheartened by losing it mid song. I remember when I was a lad and television was then always screened live, Vicki Carr was singing a very moving song (It Must Be Him, I think) and did just that. She lost it, stopped, apologised and then had to start again. So if a seasoned and renown artiste can do it do not feel down if you do.
Roger
Just a word of explanation about this post. Sue is not a Chordie Member as she does not play an instrument but she is a daily visiter to the Chordie and is 'Friend' to many of the songwriters on their MySpace and YouTube sites.
As some of you know she was also the first Mrs Guppy and our wedding day was Guy Fawkes Day so no wonder there were fireworks in our relationship . I must add we are really great friends.
We have just found out that our daughter will become a grandmother next June so Sue will then be a GREAT GRANNY.
Oh oh, the penny has just dropped. I will become a great grandad too. I think I am going to get myself a very large single malt.
Roger
Hi and welcome back Bootleger,
Your presence has been sorely missed.
Roger
HI Nixphoto,
Look to the right of the song for 'Transpose' click on there and you can change the key by how many semi-tones you wish to. If you transpose it before you transfer it to your Songbook it will remain in that key.
Roger
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Posts by Roger Guppy
