A Politically Incorect Disco Christmas

[VicDiesel]

Merry Christmas to any and all.

And that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

V.

[Guitarjeff]

I really don't want to get into a big HPC type discussion, but the school system isn't where moral/religious values ought to be taught. That's up to you and your church community.

I agree. But they shouldn't try to undermine what we teach our Children either.

Businesses and schools by their very nature have to cater to the entire population, including those who aren't Christians. So what if they don't allow Christmas celebrations?

Well, the Schools here aren't even mentioning Christmas among the other holidays. When your child gets a December calendar that mentions Kwanza, Hanukkuh, and a few I've never even heard of but no Christmas mentioned at all, it's getting absurd. The holiday show had songs about every holiday known to man except Christmas. They did have "Frosty The Snowman" but they changed the words to "One Foggy December Eve" Even the teachers hate it and think it's stupid.

Businesses are private institutions, so they can choose to do what they wish regarding such matters. And we the public can decide weather to shop there or not based on that if we choose.

How would you like to be the only Jew sitting in an elementary class while their having a Christmas party?

I'd probably be eating the cake and candy like everyone else and having a great time. My daughter went to a Hanakkuh party at her friends house. She wasn't offended and neither were we. She had a good time.

Take a look around a Walmart and you'll see they're selling pictures and statues of Jesus and several translations of the Bible. How many Buddhist or Islamic pictures/texts and all that do they sell?

Believe it or not, we don't have Walmarts in my area, so I've never been in one.

You'd probably not feel very good about that if they were doing the same thing for Islamic holidays, would you?

I'd EXPECT it if I moved to an Islamic country. People who move here should expect the same. Just like I would expect to be spoken to in a the native language of a country I moved to and not have then cater to me.

You know, I wished a Merry Christmas to a Liberal and Jewish (unbeknownst to me) acquaintace a few days a go and she acted insulted and said "I'm Jewish, a Happy Hanakkuh would be nice" I asked her if she noticed the word "Merry" in my greeting. I reminded her that I was wishing her happiness and not telling her to f**k off. I also asked her why she felt it was everyone else's responsibility to know what her religious faith was. She asked me how I'd like it if she had wished me a Happy Hanakkuh, and I told her I'd like it just fine because I know that even if I'm not jewish, she is wishing me well. Then she made some typical comment about hatred and bigotry that must be in my heart because I didn't agree with her. I told her what a typical liberal statement I thought that was and she said angrily "I'm Not a liberal" I'm Progressive". I said yeah, well so is Cancer.

If Bill O'Rielly is getting ratings, it is probably because his message is striking a chord with the American people. Think about it!

P.S., the wife and I had a very pleasant Christmas, I hope you and your family did as well!

Glad to hear it! Ours was very nice. The kids loved their gifts and it was a fun day with loved ones and good food!


Jeff

[Guitarjeff]

And just what the heck does a Christmas Tree really have to do with Christmas anyway?

Biblically speaking, nothing.

So why are whackos out there trying to have them banned?


Jeff

[Guitarjeff]

Merry Christmas to any and all.

And that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

V.

Same to you brother! And AMEN!

[Guitarjeff]

Nile Rodgers! Ah someone else still knows him Great player

- Ulli -

The man's rhythm playing GROOVES!!



Jeff

[juanito]

I have to say that the production on this tune is really, really good.

Two Thumbs Up!

[Guitarjeff]

I have to say that the production on this tune is really, really good.

Two Thumbs Up!

Thanks Juanito!!


Cheers!


Jeff

[juanito]

Hey man, your are absolutly welcome. Just one question though. I checked out your website, and I have to say your own music rocks as well. How do you lay down those killer background vocals? Damm dude, they sound really phat! It doesn't sound like a AutoTune snow job to me at all.

Please Share

[DWb]

Well, the Schools here aren't even mentioning Christmas among the other holidays. When your child gets a December calendar that mentions Kwanza, Hanukkuh, and a few I've never even heard of but no Christmas mentioned at all, it's getting absurd.

Yes.

You know, I wished a Merry Christmas to a Liberal and Jewish (unbeknownst to me) acquaintace a few days a go and she acted insulted and said "I'm Jewish, a Happy Hanakkuh would be nice" I asked her if she noticed the word "Merry" in my greeting. I reminded her that I was wishing her happiness and not telling her to f**k off. I also asked her why she felt it was everyone else's responsibility to know what her religious faith was. She asked me how I'd like it if she had wished me a Happy Hanakkuh, and I told her I'd like it just fine because I know that even if I'm not jewish, she is wishing me well. Then she made some typical comment about hatred and bigotry that must be in my heart because I didn't agree with her. I told her what a typical liberal statement I thought that was and she said angrily "I'm Not a liberal" I'm Progressive". I said yeah, well so is Cancer. :hihi:

That's not liberal or Progressive, that's stupid. There's a difference. There are stupid conservatives too. Trying to smear a whole spectrum of political opinion based on a small, misguided, extreme minority is not the way towards a sensible political discourse...

Top tune, by the way. Happy Newtonmass.

[Guitarjeff]

Hey man, your are absolutly welcome. Just one question though. I checked out your website, and I have to say your own music rocks as well. How do you lay down those killer background vocals? Damm dude, they sound really phat! It doesn't sound like a AutoTune snow job to me at all.

Please Share

Hey thanks Juanito!

My typical BGV work involves laying down 2-6 tracks per note in the harmony PER person singing. More per person if less people are singing. Usually a total of around 24-30 tracks. I make sure they are on time and reasonably in tune (perfect is not always better IMO as small imperfections can thicken the sound) I will do bad timing and really off tune stuff over though.

Then, I'll pan equal voices Right and left and bounce it down to a stereo track to use in the mix. Apply compression, EQ and reverb and that's it.

I think the real key though is making it a harmonically Interesting sounding harmony. Not just 2 parts a third apart like most bands seem to do. I look to bands like Styx, Toto, Journey, and the like for inspiration here.


Cheers!


Jeff

[Guitarjeff]

That's not liberal or Progressive, that's stupid.

THANK YOU! I agree. She and her husband are Lawyers BTW. That scares me.

Trying to smear a whole spectrum of political opinion based on a small, misguided, extreme minority is not the way towards a sensible political discourse...

Again, I agree but as I said earlier, this small but extremely LOUD minority are the ones going to court over these matters and winning with their like minded judges because their is no way popular opinion will get them their way.

Here in America, the democratic party is catering to this minority because they are loud and have some extremely rich donors. They are also losing elections badly because of it. Mainstream liberals (Like my Mom for instance) are jumping ship and voting Republican once issues like this come to the forefront.

Top tune, by the way. Happy Newtonmass.

Thanks! Is that Newton, Massachusetts?


Jeff

[dusted william]

this song is in my top 5 best heard here at KVR!!

great job

dw

[Guitarjeff]

this song is in my top 5 best heard here at KVR!!

great job

dw

Thanks Derik!!



Jeff

[funkychickendance]

My typical BGV work involves laying down 2-6 tracks per note in the harmony PER person singing. More per person if less people are singing. Usually a total of around 24-30 tracks. I make sure they are on time and reasonably in tune (perfect is not always better IMO as small imperfections can thicken the sound) I will do bad timing and really off tune stuff over though.

Then, I'll pan equal voices Right and left and bounce it down to a stereo track to use in the mix. Apply compression, EQ and reverb and that's it.

I think the real key though is making it a harmonically Interesting sounding harmony. Not just 2 parts a third apart like most bands seem to do. I look to bands like Styx, Toto, Journey, and the like for inspiration here.


Cheers!


Jeff

Very interesting, and of course so much more likely to produce good results because a lot of hard work goes into it. This is rather like the technique that Queen were reputed to use, too. As it goes, I don't care all that much for the bands cited -- I like them more in retrospect than I did at the time, though -- but you have to admit they had this sound construction aspect down.

As I think it through, it's pretty cool. It's so rare that you ever get parts dead right on the first take, so there are typically plenty of slightly 'off' versions there to be mined for this type of multi-layering. And in a digital world, sound degradation is not such an issue...

Thank you for your insight into a tricky process!

Do you have any views on software/hardware solutions that can be drafted into this process...the Helicon/Eventide, etc. type of approach?

/fcd
ps: still an amazing track, even after Xmas!

[Guitarjeff]

Very interesting, and of course so much more likely to produce good results because a lot of hard work goes into it. This is rather like the technique that Queen were reputed to use, too. As it goes, I don't care all that much for the bands cited -- I like them more in retrospect than I did at the time, though -- but you have to admit they had this sound construction aspect down.

Yeah, nothing replaces hard work. Although with a DAW rather than tape, this work goes much faster. Tape takes time to rewind for each take and you have to worry about over cutting on a section and wearing it too thin. I'm also not opposed to getting one chorus harmony sounding great and then pasting it on all of the other choruses. Impossible with tape.

Yes Queen is a great example. Probably better than the bands I cited. Roy Thomas Baker, who produced the classic Queen records also produced the some of the earlier Journey records as well and you can hear the same techniques being used.

As I think it through, it's pretty cool. It's so rare that you ever get parts dead right on the first take, so there are typically plenty of slightly 'off' versions there to be mined for this type of multi-layering. And in a digital world, sound degradation is not such an issue...

Sure, I always keep everything laid down because you never know what you can do with it. There are no degradation issues at all so the only issue can be hard drive space. That's why I have 2 300 gig drives inmy DAW.

Thank you for your insight into a tricky process!

Do you have any views on software/hardware solutions that can be drafted into this process...the Helicon/Eventide, etc. type of approach?

You know, personally I don't like the way harmonizers sound. I prefer doing all of the parts live. It sounds much thicker because of the slight imperfections and timing variances. I play all of my harmony guitar parts seperately too (like the Christmas song melodies in this tune for example) for the same reason.

I have experimented with using Chorus on the stereo BGV tracks but I found that they probably sound better without it. I know that a lot of producers used the Dimension D for BGV's during the '80's. I may experiment with that now that I have the SW version with my UAD-1 cards.

I did a pretty experimental piece for the September '04 KVR contest using over 100 tracks of my voice (the theme was do a song with just one instrument) on this I used a chorus on some of the backing tracks and used pitch shifting to get the bass notes as I could not sing low enough. It took much longer than I anticipated to complete and I wasn't totally happy with the results, but check it out:

www.outlandmusic.com/Guitarjeff-Fantasy.mp3

It's also a cover version ironically.

ps: still an amazing track, even after Xmas!

Thanks FCD! Cheers!

Jeff