YTSEJAM Digest 3606 Today's Topics: 1) IRON MAIDEN! by Chris Calabrese 2) REVIEW: "Liquid Tension Experiment"--PART TWO by AURACLE 3) still the gear thread by Anna & Heike Boedeker 4) how to play scales on g/b/kb pts. I-III (was: Re: Plectronimus) by Anna & Heike Boedeker 5) Geetarz by Brian Larkin 6) The Candlebox Conspiracy / Candelboxer Rebellion by Lobsterback 7) Re: The names of some jams... by Rick Audet 8) RE: DT jazz version by "Hitomi Iwai" 9) request by Rick Audet 10) DT in AUSTRALIA by Paul Matthews 11) resources by "woot" 12) KROCK by "Alex O'Connell" 13) Hiden line removal by Chris Oates 14) Re: request by Rick Audet 15) Firehouse by Jason Hartman ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 03 Mar 1998 18:45:52 -0500 From: Chris Calabrese To: email_address_removed Subject: IRON MAIDEN! Message-ID: As an Iron Maiden fan, I was a little scared of what the new CD would sound like. But today I got a promo copy of the entire album, and it ROCKS! I'm talking Maiden that sounds like it's from the Powerslave era. Blaze is still on vocals, but he sounds GREAT! I'll always love Bruce, but Blaze isn't half bad. The music is very fast, lots of guitar harmonies. And it's more of a happier mood than _The X Factor_. Janick Gers finally sounds like he complements Dave Murray well. I think that may have been one of the problems before. I always loved Adrian Smith/Dave Murray, and when Janick Gers stepped in, I just never thought he was as good as Smith. I still think Smith is better but Gers and Murray sound like a team now. When this album gets released, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that if any Maiden fans are still around, go buy VIRTUAL XI. It gets released on March 23rd in the US, I believe. Chris -- "Watch religion come and go, Watch corruption on their shows. Buy your silence money for blood, Out of the ark and into the flood..." - Bruce Dickinson "Lickin' the Gun" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 19:04:55 EST From: AURACLE To: email_address_removed Subject: REVIEW: "Liquid Tension Experiment"--PART TWO Message-ID: (CONTINUED FROM PART ONE) .fortunately, it doesn't end here. Now, in fact, is when we get to the REALLY crazy stuff: "Three Minute Warning" (love the ironic title!), which is a half-hour tour de force of improvisational genius (or insanity). Not a single note of it was discussed or planned out beforehand, Portnoy proudly states. The band simply jammed live in the studio with the microphones open and the tape machines running. They went on so long that the multitrack tape actually ran out, but fortunately the last minute or so of the jam was recorded by the live-to-2-track DAT machine that Portnoy always uses while recording, thereby preserving the entirety of this musical explosion for posterity. Things start off innocently enough, with Petrucci noodling around on a quasi- King Crimson guitar pattern, Levin playing huge-sounding bass chords and Portnoy exploring his vast array of cymbals before laying down an odd-time groove that the guitarist immediately picks up on. The bass chords soon evolve into an intriguing, melodic line, and about two minutes in, Rudess joins in with some synthesizer chords. Petrucci's flowing guitar melody seems to grow directly out of Levin's bass explorations and morphs into a jazzy, free-form guitar solo, and the rhythm section responds and really begins to cook. The piece has taken on a life of its own, and the guitar solo gives way to a ferocious synth solo that finds Rudess sounding like a crazed Jan Hammer on amphetamines. Then Petrucci takes back the solo spotlight, unleashing his most terrifyingly fast licks yet as Rudess takes control of the bottom end with some inspired organ playing. The rhythm section then gets quiet, Portnoy all cymbals and atmosphere, Levin coaxing monstrous sounds from his bass, and Petrucci solos again, melodically at first, then building to a climax of blinding speed. The intensity builds even higher with tribal floor-tom rhythms and insane whammy-bar work, double bass drums pounding furiously beneath Petrucci's scorching solo flight and Rudess' synth chords. Then the pace slows down, the rhythm spread out over the whole drum kit now, a tasty bass line keeping the flow pure and strong. Before long, Petrucci is inspired to solo once again, revving his engines into hyperdrive, alternating between searing blues licks and frighteningly fast speed-picking maneuvers. The intensity heightens as Petrucci continues to shred like a man possessed, Rudess pounds out organ chords, Portnoy drives everyone along with his twin bass drums, and Levin's churning bass keeping up every step of the way even as it anchors the music. Petrucci lays back at last, and Portnoy takes the spotlight with a flurry of dynamic fills before shifting back into heavy groove mode as Rudess solos with reckless abandon on synthesizer. After the synth solo, the guitar and drums soar off into space in a fury of controlled chaos, but Levin's expert hand keeps everything from flying apart even as Petrucci solos over Rudess' swarming organ chords. The guitar and keyboards ride the wave of Portnoy's double bass assault until it crashes ashore and the piece slows into a kind of space-rock feel. Lush synth chords are piled upon double-bass fills and odd-time beats, and then the guitar and keys take up a new melody while Levin fills the space between the notes with some really fine upper-register playing and Portnoy gives the music some breathing room by concentrating on subtle cymbal work during this section. The Yes-like ambiance gives way to another solo by Petrucci over a frantic double-bass assault, inspired synthesizer accompaniment, and a masterfully conceived bass line. At 5:13 of the final section, we can actually hear the DAT machine take over (with a noticeable change in sound quality), thus preserving the last of this extraordinary solo. The last minute of the jam is basically Levin and Portnoy in exploratory rhythm mode again, bass chords and drum fills, and minimal accompaniment from the tired Petrucci and Rudess. The last thing we hear is the obviously tired but pleased drummer saying, "Send it to Varney--*as is*." The Experiment has been concluded, and the results are a resounding success! Kudos to the Magna Carta label for giving these incredible players the opportunity to do something truly special, to meet out of mutual respect and love for the act of creating music that's played with passion, precision, and most of all, joy, free of the pressures and constraints so often placed upon talented players to rein in their natural impulses in the pursuit of "marketability." Yet "Liquid Tension Experiment," like last year's "Black Light Syndrome" (which featured Tony Levin as well, with Steve Stevens and Terry Bozzio), also shows that instrumental music can be as reliant on engaging and memorable melodies as it is on shredding solos and intricate ensemble arrangements. If only the busy schedules of the musicians involved could allow LTE to come to life on the concert stage...ah, well. I'll settle for an LTE Volume II. How about it, Magna Carta? Rating -- five stars out of five, or 10 on a scale from 1 to 10. -- Jeff Gutenberg, your humble Prog-Reviewer-at-Large :^) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 01:09:24 +0100 From: Anna & Heike Boedeker To: email_address_removed Subject: still the gear thread Message-ID: .. KillMary ... >Oh, and for the instruments thread... I'm a bass player who plays a Yamaha >6-string :-) Most guitar players here play Ibanez, but I bet there aren't >that many Yamaha bass players here... I didn't get the bass because of JM >though - I really think that Yamaha makes kickass basses. Agreed, they're really well made, at least the less cheap models. The only thing I wasn't that wild about was the string spacing (maybe also in connection w/ the shape of the neck), and this already w/ their 5 strings... I also never could play a Warwick Streamer 6 string.... way too wide :-) I can somehow make up for a longer scale w/ my technique, but less so for too wide a neck (and I'm a former upright player, too!). Guess you males are priviledged in this respect... :-) I also comfortably can slap on my Washburn 6 string which has a relatively narrow string spacing. I also like its Fender like feel, esp. the growl. It's simple but effective. :-) I mean, there *are* quite some details I'd liked to be changed, but I always fear that this will have adverse effects on the overall sound... the synergetics thing... like in these legendary modified-to-death Jazz Basses... :-\ >I also have a Neuser 5-string that I strung C-G-D-A-D rather than G-D-A-E-B >as it originally came as. *W*O*W*... which model is it? .. Sebastjan Videc ... >As for bass guitar. I play Ibanez(what else) SG 800 purple >colored, and it's an eye breaker under lights. Anyway, tried some Of Ibanez I have a 1977 Artist, one of the rarer models w/ asymmetrical cutaways, converted to fretless. I very much like the carved ash body which is exceptionally resonant. The PUs sounded like "Insect Disco", though, they also were microphonic. I had the bridge PU replaced w/ a DiMarzio Model G which I found best suited to deliver the typical neck PU sound of a fretless. What I wasn't too wild about was the quality of the fingerboard, a very soft rosewood, and the shape of the neck: 70s style: too rounded. I could imagine that it sounded quite nice w/ a piezo PU, too, b/c of the highly resonant body, but at the moment this is the instrument I play least, so I don't care for further modifications. I also have replaced the original tuners by Schallers. I'm not too wild about the tripod bridge (strings thru body), though I've come to the insight that it probably is too essential an ingredient to the sound to risk replacing it. Else of Ibanez I also have a neck on a Strat body :-) I know, I'm a notorious philistine :-) >Fenders and Yamahas, and must say that Fenders(old ones, not new) >are quite cool, except that I like Ibanez a little better(looks). >Also played RBX Yamahas and TRB, and RBX is the worst, while 5 and 6 >string TRB's are mucho mucho enjoyable. Well, I have made the experience that I could walk into (ok: almost) any great store and leave it again w/ a neat Jazz Bass. Quite a bunch of their 70s stuff has been crummily made, but some of the Precis and Jazz Basses w/ ash bodies were the best sounding gear I've ever held in my hands. It's just that the heavy variety loves to be played pizz, or also w/ a pick, and the lightweight variety is specialized on being slapped. Both also kick ass w/ the original 70s DiMarzio replacement PUs IMSNHO. .. Nicholas Gianotti ... >Well, I play an Ibanez SR305 5-string. It's a terrible bass, with very >little high-end and way too much mids for my liking, not to mention the >fact that the thing slips out of tune if you fart near it. I also play a Sheesh... have you ever considered replacing the tuners? On the other hand, if you don't like it anyway, it's not worth the bother... >Fender P-Bass Lyte (P-Body with P-J pickup configuration) and it just >friggin' rocks nads. My next one will most likely be a Yamaha (or two, if I W/ the mahogany body? I always had been wanting one of these, too... :-) >can get them cheap enough). I'd like a REALLY high end bass, but I don't >want to have to turn my first-born over to some guitar store. Phew! I wish I had bought an Alembic Series II when it was offered to me in 1980 2nd hand for DM 3500.-- I could bite my ass!! Other basses I can't forget are the original 70s Spector w/ a single PU and pear (!!) sides, and the Citron-Veillete (although it was a pure maple construction :-)). But gear one should have bought resp. should not have sold was another thread... :-) Of contemporary basses I have been most impressed by the very rich and deep tone of Ken Smith's stuff. This is how a bass should sound IMSNHO. I think this is really worth every single one of the 4000+ bucks it costs. Maybe I'll order one of his 6 or even 7 strings once I've gotten tenured... :-) Best, Heike ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 00:10:37 +0100 From: Anna & Heike Boedeker To: email_address_removed Subject: how to play scales on g/b/kb pts. I-III (was: Re: Plectronimus) Message-ID: Hi Abel, All, I > I don't understand this part of the conversation. I definitely do the >economy picking thing; I pretty much always have, but how can you NOT do that >if the last pick stroke on one string goes in the same direction as the first >pick attack on the next string? For those of you who say you do strict >alternate picking, do you actually stop your arm or hand (whichever you pick >with) somehow between strings? Like if you're just playing a standard mode >shape up and down the scale with three notes to a string, or any odd number of >notes to a string (assumming you keep moving in the same direction up or down >the strings), do you still not use one motion to go from one string to the >next? If so, how does that work? Does your hand just stop for a split second >between the strings? No... *per definitionem* it can not... you could try thinking of it as a movement that primarily comes out of your wrist that steadfastily moves up and down -- independently of the string at which you position the pick by a movement that involves a bit more of your forearm, too. II Actually, I find it more problematic w/ playing pizz on bass... The the equivalent to alternate picking (has the term "alternate pizzing" been coined yet? :-)) was: (employing a simple descending scale on a 4 string, and the "classical" technique of using index [I] and middle [M] finger -- but the problem likewise applies to techniques utilizing thumb & index or index, middle and ring finger) |--9--7--5-------------------------------- |-----------9--7--5----------------------- |--------------------8--7--5-------------- |-----------------------------8--7--5----- I M I M I M I M I M I M Now, the equivalent to economy picking ("economy pizzing" then :-)) was: |--9--7--5-------------------------------- |-----------9--7--5----------------------- |--------------------8--7--5-------------- |-----------------------------8--7--5----- I M I I M I I M I I M I Any of the bass players on the list having meditated on this so far -? It is not associated w/ dramatic changes in sound as alternate vs. economy picking on guitar, but I feel it does effect timing. III Finally... the keyb players (tada!!)... Simple question: How do you approach playing scales when improvising? *Strictly* thumb-index-middle-thumb-index-middle-ring-pinky resp. P-R-M-I-T-M-I-T *all* the time -? :) Cheers, Heike ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Mar 1998 19:26:30 -0500 From: Brian Larkin To: email_address_removed Subject: Geetarz Message-ID: Hey, jamrz. Few 'jams back, someone asked if there were any "non-Ibanez" players out there. Well, my next axe's probably gonna be a Universe, but the one I have now (my first) is a Fender Heartfield Talon II. No one I've talked to seems to have even heard of this one, but it's not a bad axe, especially since I had DiMarzio Evolution and ToneZone pickups installed this past summer. For strings, I use Dean Markley light-top/heavy-bottom's. Picks? Dunlop Tortex 1.0mm or 1.14mm. I'm *really* enjoying the guitar thread . . . L8r, Brian ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Mar 1998 19:28:42 -0500 From: Lobsterback To: email_address_removed Subject: The Candlebox Conspiracy / Candelboxer Rebellion Message-ID: >>This is dead on. I saw them open for Rush once and they were just about >>the worst opening act I had ever seen. I remember thinking to myself, >>"Whose bright idea was it to have them open for RUSH??" > >Madonna's, actually. She wanted them on a high profile tour since they >were on her label, and Rush was the highest profile one available at the >time. So, a little well placed label pressure, and viola! > >The truly sad thing is that, rumor has it, Rush was going to continue >the tradition of taking little known bands on the road with them, and >that on this tour, it was going to CYNIC. > So basically, if one was able to somehow *go back in time*, and either rub Madonna out before she got famous or discourage her from entering the music biz, Cynic might still be alive and kicking today? Hrmmm... Doc, fire up the DeLorean. Brian "Hello, McFly" Henderson =========================== Name: W. Brian Henderson, Esq. Contact: email_address_removed ROBOT-CENTRAL: http://www.wam.umd.edu/~hender/ =========================== ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 19:35:38 -0500 (EST) From: Rick Audet To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: The names of some jams... Message-ID: > > Rogerio wrote: > > > Right. And best of all, this "Lost in the Sky" bootleg includes > > > not only "To Live Forever" but one of the many jams after the song (BTW, > > > the jam this time is very, very, very, very similar to the one on Mike > > > Bahr's "When Dream and Today Unite"). Then Rick Audet commented: > > "Barfbag", if I remember correctly, which is mislabeled as "Moonbubbles" > > on WDATU. ..which motivated Rogerio to ask: > Could you please let me know how you know the names of such > unreleased songs ("A Crack in the Mirror", "Puppies on Acid", > "Moonbubbles", "Barfbag")? I really have no clue as to why the song on > "Live in Tokyo" is "Moonbubbles" and that one on WDaTU and LitS is > "Barfbag"... Well, some of it is in the FAQ, but I picked it up from Mike Burstin's DT Boot listing, which although has not been maintained in quite some time, it does have the details of most DT boots up through the Awake tour. I spent a good amount of time referring to this listing during the more rigorous days of my boot hunting. And that part in "Live In Tokyo", which assume is the stuff at the end of TLF you're talking about, isn't "Moon Bubbles". As far as I know there is no name for that instrumental stuff. The tune "Moon Bubbles" can only be found on the boots "Images & Tour!", "Home Sweet Home", "Live In Long Island" (same as HSH) and "Moon Bubbles", which itself is the title of a bootleg. By the way, Mike's boot list can be found at http://www.cs.brandeis.edu/~mikeb/dt/boots.txt Good day, Rick Audet ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 09:36:57 +0900 From: "Hitomi Iwai" To: Cc: Subject: RE: DT jazz version Message-ID: <002e01bd4573$580c5240$506ed7ca@toshiba-user> Hello, there. > >From: Dominique De Jesus Oliveira > >Last Thuesday I was in Paris to see DT in live. Famous :) >At the end, they put a DT song (I dont' remember the title), version Jazz. >Does this version exist in a CD? > This jazzy DT song was "Under A Glass Moon". But this version is not played by DT. I heard some of DT fans covered UAGM in a jazzy style, and recorded it by themselves. I guess DT guys got a tape including this track from somebody and they are now using this tape as aftershow-BGM at venues. -Hitomi [][]_________[][][]_______[][][][][]__[]_[][]_______[] [] Hitomi Iwai ___[][][][] [][][]e-mail: email_address_removed [][][][]__[][][][][]_[][][][] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 19:39:20 -0500 (EST) From: Rick Audet To: YtseJelly Subject: request Message-ID: Being an ack moder, I accidentally deleted the post REVIEW: "Liquid Tension Experiment"--PART ONE. (I'm using Pine so once it's gone...it's GONE.) I'd appreciate if someone could kindly forward that post to me. Thanks a lot, Rick Audet ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 11:46:41 +1100 From: Paul Matthews To: email_address_removed Subject: DT in AUSTRALIA Message-ID: Hey Everybody, Last time I was reading this stuff, it was being rumoured that DT was going to tour Australia. Have they been and gone or is it still a rumour??? Can somebody please fill me in? tar, Paul ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 17:48:06 -0700 From: "woot" To: Subject: resources Message-ID: <001101bd4707$35839180$message_id_removed> I'll chime in on the book minithread and say that the "Music Business Handbook and Career Guide" is a really good resource for all sorts of mus= ic information. As far as the web goes, Eckie's faves, harmony central and music101 are both good, as well as http://musiccentral.msn.com/Default/Ho= me and http://avoca.vicnet.net.au/~guitar/welcome.htm off to buy JS's CP. *snicker* Get high on ether when there's no one in the house. Pretend it's the big one the moment you pass out. That's just rehearsal, but it's comforting somehow To practice dying now. woot=99 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Mar 1998 19:45:36 -0500 From: "Alex O'Connell" To: email_address_removed Subject: KROCK Message-ID: Carlo ranted and raved: >The waste of space DJ was introducing "The Oaf" by BIG WRECK and >commenting when he saw them in Plainview, Long Island. He said they >were awesome but then proceeded to say whats wrong with all the people >from Long Island and Jersey going to see DREAM THEATER!!! I was shocked >just to hear DT mentioned on commercial radio but what came afterwards >was even worse...... He then started mimmicking the starts and stops of >prog music in a high pitched voice and said to just shut up and play the >song already?! Then he topped it off by saying BIG WRECK blew them >away!?!? wtf!!! Ever notice that about NYC radio stations in general? That gradual (or not), but VERY noticeable disintegration of DECENT music in general, to more and more crap. Creeps up on you kind of insidiously. Ah, there was a time with there was Q104.3, before that got sold to some other crap stuff. Back then KROCK was a-ok...the only replacement. NYC has NO selection as far as stations go. It quite surprises me when I think that it's one of the biggest cities in the world. I like my station here at school (in Southern VA, of all places!) much much better. I agree with Al, those DJs just have no knowledge and play what's handed to them. >anyway...aside from Howard Stern and the occasional OZZY or MEGADETH >tune KROCK can rot in hell..... VERY occassional.... Alex ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 08:57:03 -0800 From: Chris Oates To: "Ytsejam (E-mail)" Subject: Hiden line removal Message-ID: Kinda like unsightly body hair. This has no relevance to the jam, but I just wanted to show off my computer knowledge. ;) The easiest way to do hidden line removal is to make 2 cubes. The first one is filled in the color of your background. The second one is slightly larger (just a hair or so) and is your wireframe. That way, the solid cube (which looks invisible) will take care of your hidden line problem and the wire one will show up. Doing hidden line removal by hand is doable, but a pain in the butt. This is pretty much the only way to let openGL "do it for you" Oh, and if you don't make the wire cube a teensy bit larger, it may not show up all the time. Experiment and have fun. I think John Myung uses this technique, and I think Mike Bahr would agree. ~Chris ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 20:05:03 -0500 (EST) From: Rick Audet To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: request Message-ID: > I'd appreciate if someone could kindly forward that post to me. Thanks everyone, but I now have the post that was requested. Rick ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Mar 1998 20:16:48 -0500 From: Jason Hartman To: email_address_removed Subject: Firehouse Message-ID: I saw on the very unthrustworthy AMG music guide that Images & Words is a similar album on the album Firehouse by Firehouse. I have not heard anything by this band before. Can someone tell me something about them? Are they recomended? Is this album worth checking out? --- Well, if you're a big fan of the I&W's triggered snare, you'll love the Firehouse album - it has the same snare sound. :) Yep, also produced by Prater. That's the only similarity *I* can think of. -- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \ / / L. Jason Hartman "And I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend \ \ email_address_removed And I'll never be open again / / And I'll have no more dreams to defend \ \ Univ. Of Maryland, And I'll never be open again " / / Baltimore County - Kevin Moore : Dream Theater \ \ / / "Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot." \ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ ------------------------------ End of YTSEJAM Digest 3606 **************************