Technology in Music: SRV Voodoo child - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2018, 09:18:34 am
content: The technology is heard, just wanted an excuse to post this video. All of you "vintage" folks will be aware of this, but for the young player, enjoy something you have never heard before. Stevie Ray Vaughn in the regular show on Saturday nights called "Austin City Limits" in Austin Texas in 1985.Enjoy...

author: Beamin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2018, 09:51:59 am
content: Whats special about the technology? Unlike modern performers "SRV" doesn't need auto tune and mixing to sound good.Unless you mean some bands are way better live and some suck live. The B52's are one of the best bands to me but when I saw them live in Lancaster PA at a small theater with a good sound system along with the way they do the show, with all the bits in between songs, they were beyond amazing. Plus I could actually hear kate peirsons voice over the loud speakers because I was right in front of her. It was more then a bunch of songs it was a two or three hour act with lots of improvising and playing every song slightly different and longer then their records, where every bit was worth watching. They closed with love shack because they have to, BUT they came back on stage and played Planet Clair which is their best song. They are also really cool to the fans and don't act better then anyone else coming down to meet people in the crowed after the show. If you live near PA this is also the best venue to see any band, just don't runover any Amish people, when it's raining really bad they have no lights on their horse drawn carriage thing which is totally black with only a little orange triangle on the back. Seriously if I wasn't paying attention with good tires and breaks I would have nailed them.Some people are horrible live like "whitey Ford" from the 90's, his CD was decent because he had many tries to get it right and mixing but when seen live you realized how much they sucked, like all the pop stars that lip sync their own songs.One band that was disappointing to see live was steely dan.. They are so good that a big huge arena just can't reproduce their sound. They even had at least 12 people performing all at once since there is just two of them; vocals guitar and keyboard. They are just too good putting ridiculous effort and perfection into their recordings. There is a music museum with a one of their keyboards in it that they set on fire because it wasn't making the perfect sound. But I bet if they played in Lancaster PA that would be a good show.

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2018, 10:41:39 am
content: Quote from: Beamin on September 05, 2018, 09:51:59 amWell, really, the tech is in the guitar and the pedals used, albeit older tech. But this kind of sound didn't start appearing until the '60s, thus my reference to us "vintage" folks. I personally think the autotune is a travesty to modern music and that is why I hold up music like from SRV as a beacon to really good sounding live music. There are some good bands that have started appearing on the scene with a good sound, but it is spotty, such as Greta Van Fleet.These brothers are tight...

author: japasetelagoas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2018, 04:25:31 pm
content: I sometimes wonder how big Stevie would've been today if it wasn't for that helicopter. Probably more notorious than Eric Clapton, not that this really matters.

author: RobK_NL
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2018, 09:17:54 pm
content: Note that this song was written and recorded by Jimi Hendrix in the year of my birth, which puts "the tech" at least 17 years earlier than this recording. Notably, the wah-wah effect that features prominently in the song dates back to the mid-1950's.Obviously, things like effects pedals could not have been introduced earlier than the sixties, because they rely on solid state technology. Tubes (or valves if you like) are great in stationary equipment like PA amps, unless owned by The Who. But imagine how long they would last being kicked about all over the stage.

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2018, 10:09:10 pm
content: Quote from: RobK_NL on September 05, 2018, 09:17:54 pmAgreed, the tech is very old at the time of this stage performance, yet we still have the same tech today. I think that the methods for producing the tech is more polished and advanced, but the basic electronics have not changed significantly.This reminds me when Jimi Hendrix appeared live on one of the late sixties late night TV shows and his BandMaster blew out. His bass guy and drummer kept playing while he (Jimi) went offstage to get another amp. After the amp was up, Jimi jumped right into the music and acted like nothing happened.

author: RobK_NL
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2018, 05:49:24 am
content: Quote from: tpowell1830 on September 05, 2018, 10:09:10 pmPracticing 6 to 8 hours every day will do that for you. Plus a boatload of talent to start with, of course.

author: Beamin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 04:39:23 pm
content: Quote from: tpowell1830 on September 05, 2018, 10:41:39 amDidn't Peter Frampton invent autotune with his tube guitar thing? Do you you feel like we do?DaftPunk really are the only ones who should be allowed to use autotuned.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 04:56:39 pm
content: SRV? -> Mastercourse in waking up:

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 05:14:43 pm
content: And to think, some yahoo once said to me "Stevie Ray was not a great guitarist because he doesn't use his little finger"

author: RiZsho
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 07:52:23 pm
content: Quote from: rrinker on September 10, 2018, 05:14:43 pmTell your friend to put the same gauge strings on his guitar as Stevie's and watch him when he loses his little finger trying to play

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 08:46:17 pm
content: Quote from: Beamin on September 10, 2018, 04:39:23 pmThat sound is not autotune, it's a Heil talk box. Basically, instead of a standard speaker, the guitar amp feeds a compression driver (generally used for mid/high frequencies in PA work), and instead of coupling the driver to a horn, it feeds a plastic tube with maybe ½" inner diameter. The amp (usually a small practice amp) is set up near the vocal mic because the tube gets run up the mic stand and juts out by the microphone.When you play the guitar, then, the sound comes out that tube. So you put the tube in your mouth and you "talk" by moving your mouth. Instead of the air for your voice coming from your diaphragm, it comes from the guitar signal through the tube. The vocal mic picks up the "voice" just as if he was singing normally.Frampton wasn't the first to use the talk box but the "Frampton Comes Alive" record made the sound hugely popular.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 08:48:15 pm
content: Quote from: tpowell1830 on September 05, 2018, 09:18:34 amI saw SRV a few times back then. The most memorable was when I saw him at the Beacon Theater in New York City. He played "Third Stone From The Sun" (also Hendrix, for the kids that don't know) and near the end he was STANDING ON HIS GUITAR. Unbelievable. And when the song was over, he handed the guitar to his tech, who gave him another one, and he sat down on a stool and played the quiet song "Lenny."

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2018, 10:23:59 pm
content: SRV has a statue in Austin. He is a legend there.http://www.myvintagegeneration.com/2010/03/stevie-ray-vaughan-memorial-statue/EDIT: If you are in Austin and visit the statue, bring a guitar pick and leave it there at his statue. You are welcome to exchange your pick for one that is already there if you wish.

author: RobK_NL
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2018, 12:05:07 pm
content: Quote from: rrinker on September 10, 2018, 05:14:43 pmTell that to Django Reinhardt

author: John B
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2018, 09:48:08 pm
content: Quote from: RobK_NL on September 11, 2018, 12:05:07 pmWell Django hardly had much choice in the matter due to his injuries. Not using all fingers when they're all there and functional isn't optimal technique.Great players often have a mix of positive attributes, but also quirks and counter-productive behaviours.Being a student of a craft and looking at inspirational players requires one to be able to sort the good and bad.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2018, 09:52:26 pm
content: Quote from: RobK_NL on September 11, 2018, 12:05:07 pmMy thought exactly.

author: Beamin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2018, 02:48:52 am
content: Quote from: Bassman59 on September 10, 2018, 08:48:15 pmLike playing it while standing on it? Or just being like fuck it and standing on it.

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2018, 03:10:58 am
content: We all want to be Jimi Hendrix. MHSRIP.