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Like the subject says, Meshugga Beach Party is featured on the cdbaby.com
home page for the next three days. Four of the tracks are available for
your listening pleasure!
Check it out!
Mel
Thats very cool Mel, congratulations!
I have listened to this disc a lot and I think its great.
How did you decide on the arrangements? How did you decide what instrument
would play what part? Must have been fun sorting all that out.
What guitars did you use? Your 3 pickup Jazzmaster? Is there some Bass VI on
there?
What was it like playing all the instruments except drums? Was it
easier/harder than you expected and would you attempt such a project again
in the future?
Again...nice job!
BN
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mel Waldorf [mailto:]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 2:34 AM
> To: 'SurfGuitar101'
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Meshugga Beach Party featured on cdbaby.com
>
>
> Like the subject says, Meshugga Beach Party is featured on the cdbaby.com
> home page for the next three days. Four of the tracks are available for
> your listening pleasure!
>
> Check it out!
>
> Mel
Brian,
Thanks for your kind words about MBP.
The arrangements were based on a couple of factors - what instruments I
have, what keeps the song interesting for two minutes, and what worked with
the melodies. Nerd that I am, I actually made a spreadsheet of all the
songs I was considering, listing the tempo, the instrumentation, and the
"extras" (drum breaks, shouts, etc). The spreadsheet also helped me pick
the track order. For me, the hardest part was keeping the songs interesting
for two minutes (my ideal surf tune length) Many of the melodies only have
an A and B section, if that. I tried to avoid adding sections to the songs.
Given that, the arrangement "tricks" at my disposal were instrument, octave
and dynamic. My default arrangement was two guitars and drums, and I built
from there.
Most of the guitar work is my 3-pickup Jazzmaster. For many parts I used
the Richie Allen trick of going from guitar, to reverb, to board. For
tracks with vibrato, I put a mike in front of an amp. For guitar, I used my
Showman, for piano, I used my Twin Reverb. Other guitars I used were a Dano
12-string (Kol Nidre) and a DeArmond T-400 (Ose Shalom). The VI parts are a
Dano 6-string bass. The bass is an 83 MIJ Squier Jazz Bass. The piano is a
70s Hohner Pianet T and the organ is a 70s Yamaha Electone. The recorder is
an Akai DPS-16.
The recording process was a matter of necessity. I would have greatly
preferred to have taught the MIV guys the parts and recorded live. However,
due to time restrictions on my part, it was easier to do it all myself,
usually late at night (hence the Richie Allen technique). I started with a
drum machine "surf beat" track, then added rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass,
and any other instrumentation. Then Shig came over, and worked his magic
with the drums. Finally, I re-recorded a few bass parts to synch more with
the live drums.
Would I do it again? Yes, if I had to. I think that this technique is
really good for developing arrangements, and I do all my demos this way, but
I greatly prefer having a band performing the songs. Not only can you get
more of a live quality to the music, but you gain something intangible from
having different people playing the parts.
Mel
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Neal [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 5:10 PM
To:
Subject: RE: [SurfGuitar101] Meshugga Beach Party featured on cdbaby.com
Thats very cool Mel, congratulations!
I have listened to this disc a lot and I think its great.
How did you decide on the arrangements? How did you decide what instrument
would play what part? Must have been fun sorting all that out.
What guitars did you use? Your 3 pickup Jazzmaster? Is there some Bass VI
on
there?
What was it like playing all the instruments except drums? Was it
easier/harder than you expected and would you attempt such a project again
in the future?
Again...nice job!
BN
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mel Waldorf [mailto:]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 2:34 AM
> To: 'SurfGuitar101'
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Meshugga Beach Party featured on cdbaby.com
>
>
> Like the subject says, Meshugga Beach Party is featured on the
cdbaby.com
> home page for the next three days. Four of the tracks are available for
> your listening pleasure!
>
> Check it out!
>
> Mel
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Mel,
Thanks for the fascinating insight into MBP!
The only critical thing I can say about MBP is that it does sound
like one guy playing all the parts, as you mention. However, you do
such a good job, this is a minor criticism. I thought the piano, the
ska-like (klezmer?) rhythm parts, and the bass work were outstanding.
I hope this disc reaches a wider audience than the surf scene. What
is the reaction been from the Jewish community? Can you sell that
disc in other outlets besides the typical music store? A Jewish book
store for example?
Again, thanks for the great work. I'm breaking out the guitar this
weekend to cop some licks from it.
You'll have to give me the scoop on "klezmer" (sorry if I don't got
the term right, I don't have the CD in front of me) too sometime.
Thanks,
BN
(PS Thanks for clarifying about running a Showman on different
loads. I wasn't sure if that was safe or not so I was erring on the
side of caution)
--- In , "Mel Waldorf" <mwaldorf@p...>
wrote:
> Brian,
>
> Thanks for your kind words about MBP.
>
> The arrangements were based on a couple of factors - what
instruments I
> have, what keeps the song interesting for two minutes, and what
worked with
> the melodies. Nerd that I am, I actually made a spreadsheet of
all the
> songs I was considering, listing the tempo, the instrumentation,
and the
> "extras" (drum breaks, shouts, etc). The spreadsheet also helped
me pick
> the track order. For me, the hardest part was keeping the songs
interesting
> for two minutes (my ideal surf tune length) Many of the melodies
only have
> an A and B section, if that. I tried to avoid adding sections to
the songs.
> Given that, the arrangement "tricks" at my disposal were
instrument, octave
> and dynamic. My default arrangement was two guitars and drums,
and I built
> from there.
>
> Most of the guitar work is my 3-pickup Jazzmaster. For many parts
I used
> the Richie Allen trick of going from guitar, to reverb, to board.
For
> tracks with vibrato, I put a mike in front of an amp. For guitar,
I used my
> Showman, for piano, I used my Twin Reverb. Other guitars I used
were a Dano
> 12-string (Kol Nidre) and a DeArmond T-400 (Ose Shalom). The VI
parts are a
> Dano 6-string bass. The bass is an 83 MIJ Squier Jazz Bass. The
piano is a
> 70s Hohner Pianet T and the organ is a 70s Yamaha Electone. The
recorder is
> an Akai DPS-16.
>
> The recording process was a matter of necessity. I would have
greatly
> preferred to have taught the MIV guys the parts and recorded
live. However,
> due to time restrictions on my part, it was easier to do it all
myself,
> usually late at night (hence the Richie Allen technique). I
started with a
> drum machine "surf beat" track, then added rhythm guitar, lead
guitar, bass,
> and any other instrumentation. Then Shig came over, and worked
his magic
> with the drums. Finally, I re-recorded a few bass parts to synch
more with
> the live drums.
>
> Would I do it again? Yes, if I had to. I think that this
technique is
> really good for developing arrangements, and I do all my demos
this way, but
> I greatly prefer having a band performing the songs. Not only can
you get
> more of a live quality to the music, but you gain something
intangible from
> having different people playing the parts.
>
> Mel
>
>
Brian,
Thank you again for your kind words. I'm glad you like my piano, rhythm and
bass work, though I must say, Karen, Ferenc and Johnny make it sound so much
better live!
The album is getting some notice in the jewish community. We've gotten
reviews from some jewish newspapers and magazines, and the blessings of
Rabbi Nachum Shifren, aka "The Surfing Rabbi." We've got distribution
through Tara Publications/JewishMusic.com, who gets our CD into judaica
shops and online stores. In the secular non-surf world, San Francisco's
KPIX/CBS-TV has filmed a segment on us that will be aired in November, and
should be streaming on their website soon after broadcast. It's a shtick
record, both in concept and artwork (thanks Ferenc!), and that helps it
stand out.
Klezmer is a musical style that developed in the Ashkenazi Jewish
communities of Europe. The music of the Sephardic Jews (from North Africa
and the Middle East) reflects the influences of those regions, both in style
and instrumentation. A good starting place for info on Klezmer is Ari
Davidow's klezmer shack:
Mel
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Neal [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 8:46 PM
To:
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Re: Meshugga Beach Party featured on cdbaby.com
Mel,
Thanks for the fascinating insight into MBP!
The only critical thing I can say about MBP is that it does sound
like one guy playing all the parts, as you mention. However, you do
such a good job, this is a minor criticism. I thought the piano, the
ska-like (klezmer?) rhythm parts, and the bass work were outstanding.
I hope this disc reaches a wider audience than the surf scene. What
is the reaction been from the Jewish community? Can you sell that
disc in other outlets besides the typical music store? A Jewish book
store for example?
Again, thanks for the great work. I'm breaking out the guitar this
weekend to cop some licks from it.
You'll have to give me the scoop on "klezmer" (sorry if I don't got
the term right, I don't have the CD in front of me) too sometime.
Thanks,
BN
(PS Thanks for clarifying about running a Showman on different
loads. I wasn't sure if that was safe or not so I was erring on the
side of caution)
--- In , "Mel Waldorf" <mwaldorf@p...>
wrote:
> Brian,
>
> Thanks for your kind words about MBP.
>
> The arrangements were based on a couple of factors - what
instruments I
> have, what keeps the song interesting for two minutes, and what
worked with
> the melodies. Nerd that I am, I actually made a spreadsheet of
all the
> songs I was considering, listing the tempo, the instrumentation,
and the
> "extras" (drum breaks, shouts, etc). The spreadsheet also helped
me pick
> the track order. For me, the hardest part was keeping the songs
interesting
> for two minutes (my ideal surf tune length) Many of the melodies
only have
> an A and B section, if that. I tried to avoid adding sections to
the songs.
> Given that, the arrangement "tricks" at my disposal were
instrument, octave
> and dynamic. My default arrangement was two guitars and drums,
and I built
> from there.
>
> Most of the guitar work is my 3-pickup Jazzmaster. For many parts
I used
> the Richie Allen trick of going from guitar, to reverb, to board.
For
> tracks with vibrato, I put a mike in front of an amp. For guitar,
I used my
> Showman, for piano, I used my Twin Reverb. Other guitars I used
were a Dano
> 12-string (Kol Nidre) and a DeArmond T-400 (Ose Shalom). The VI
parts are a
> Dano 6-string bass. The bass is an 83 MIJ Squier Jazz Bass. The
piano is a
> 70s Hohner Pianet T and the organ is a 70s Yamaha Electone. The
recorder is
> an Akai DPS-16.
>
> The recording process was a matter of necessity. I would have
greatly
> preferred to have taught the MIV guys the parts and recorded
live. However,
> due to time restrictions on my part, it was easier to do it all
myself,
> usually late at night (hence the Richie Allen technique). I
started with a
> drum machine "surf beat" track, then added rhythm guitar, lead
guitar, bass,
> and any other instrumentation. Then Shig came over, and worked
his magic
> with the drums. Finally, I re-recorded a few bass parts to synch
more with
> the live drums.
>
> Would I do it again? Yes, if I had to. I think that this
technique is
> really good for developing arrangements, and I do all my demos
this way, but
> I greatly prefer having a band performing the songs. Not only can
you get
> more of a live quality to the music, but you gain something
intangible from
> having different people playing the parts.
>
> Mel
>
>
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ADVERTISEMENT
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Mel,
Thats great about the exposure of MBP.
So did you just make up the bass lines, or were there any guidance from the
original songs?
Shig is a quite impressive drummer. Did he spend much time working on his
parts?
Thanks for the Klezmer link, but I didn't see any good FAQ info. Like what
is the usual instrumentation? Vocal or instro?
Thanks again,
BN
