“Window To The World” (Instrumental World Music - Oud, Tablas, Cello, Synthesizer, Drums)

[jcub]

This winter has been tough on wood instruments where I live. My Godin MultiOud had an exploding bridge issue last month - the bridge popped off the body one day causing a bit of a scare in the house (my dog was not happy). I got the repaired instrument back this weekend and they did a great job. Needless to say, I have a humidifier cranking in my house and I am in the process of flipping a number of instruments to acquire a few more carbon fiber instruments.

The repaired instrument and new strings inspired a new piece.

The MultiOud is similar to the Godin Multiac nylon string guitar except it is eleven strings (5 pairs of strings and one bass string) and fretless. I recorded the Oud track to a click and then added tablas played on the Korg Wavedrum Global, the Soma Flux (a theremin like synthesizer played with magnets held between your fingers), the LinnStrument MIDI controller for the cello, and the Zendrum midi controller for the drums that come in later in the piece.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert/window-to-the-world

[wagtunes]

Sorry to hear about your accident but glad it inspired a new piece, which sounds amazing as always. Keep on writing Jeremy. You're a joy to listen to.

Oh, by the way, this reminded me of early George Harrison with the Beatles and also early Move. Listen to Fields Of People.

[ChameleonMusic]

Loved the rhythmic ebb and flow in this one...slips effortlessly into a dirty Southern Blues vibe towards the end.

''This winter has been tough on wood instruments where I live.'' Having lived with various clarinettists over the years, you have my sympathy...their wooden instruments were so vulnerable to too much cold, too much dry heat, too much moisture...such a careful balance needed!

[jcub]

Sorry to hear about your accident but glad it inspired a new piece, which sounds amazing as always. Keep on writing Jeremy. You're a joy to listen to.

Oh, by the way, this reminded me of early George Harrison with the Beatles and also early Move. Listen to Fields Of People.

Thanks very much! I never heard of Move - I will check it out.

[jcub]

Loved the rhythmic ebb and flow in this one...slips effortlessly into a dirty Southern Blues vibe towards the end.

''This winter has been tough on wood instruments where I live.'' Having lived with various clarinettists over the years, you have my sympathy...their wooden instruments were so vulnerable to too much cold, too much dry heat, too much moisture...such a careful balance needed!

Thanks very much! I have invested in humidifier packs for my instruments in cases and have a humidifier cranking in my room that has a piano and instruments that are on stands. I already had a humidifier installed in the piano but the lifting of the bridge off the Godin was disturbing.

[ChameleonMusic]

Loved the rhythmic ebb and flow in this one...slips effortlessly into a dirty Southern Blues vibe towards the end.

''This winter has been tough on wood instruments where I live.'' Having lived with various clarinettists over the years, you have my sympathy...their wooden instruments were so vulnerable to too much cold, too much dry heat, too much moisture...such a careful balance needed!

Thanks very much! I have invested in humidifier packs for my instruments in cases and have a humidifier cranking in my room that has a piano and instruments that are on stands. I already had a humidifier installed in the piano but the lifting of the bridge off the Godin was disturbing.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things!

For years I had my parents' wonderful, old ''Upright Grand'' Piano in my back room downstairs (the instrument I learnt to play on as a child / teenager)...

About a decade ago we had to move it for essential maintenance at a workshop (150 years old)...it reached the front door of the house and then dramatically fell apart onto the front garden...I hadn't realised how much the frame had dried out...my fault entirely!

In a rare sentimental moment, I kept a little chunk of it just for the memories!

[enroe]

Oh, a lovely slow start with the cello on the right. Everything sounds
beautifully acoustic – a little uncoordinated at the beginning. It's great
that you record it live like that and don't quantize much - I think that's
also a prerequisite for the liveliness and the "organic" feeling. This
instrumental has also a slightly contemplative, melancholic touch.

Overall, a rather unusual and therefore unique instrumental. 5:14 is
almost a little too short for that. Really well done, it's fun to listen
to, almost nothing is predictable. Great!

[jcub]

Loved the rhythmic ebb and flow in this one...slips effortlessly into a dirty Southern Blues vibe towards the end.

''This winter has been tough on wood instruments where I live.'' Having lived with various clarinettists over the years, you have my sympathy...their wooden instruments were so vulnerable to too much cold, too much dry heat, too much moisture...such a careful balance needed!

Thanks very much! I have invested in humidifier packs for my instruments in cases and have a humidifier cranking in my room that has a piano and instruments that are on stands. I already had a humidifier installed in the piano but the lifting of the bridge off the Godin was disturbing.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things!

For years I had my parents' wonderful, old ''Upright Grand'' Piano in my back room downstairs (the instrument I learnt to play on as a child / teenager)...

About a decade ago we had to move it for essential maintenance at a workshop (150 years old)...it reached the front door of the house and then dramatically fell apart onto the front garden...I hadn't realised how much the frame had dried out...my fault entirely!

In a rare sentimental moment, I kept a little chunk of it just for the memories!

That must have been heartbreaking! I would have kept a piece of it as well. Even though I grew up playing piano I knew nothing about them until I bought a Yamaha upright when my kids started playing (ok, I have other motives for getting the piano but it is a good excuse). The Piano Book by Larry Fine was my bible. They really do need a lot of care and need to placed carefully in the house and maintained.

[jcub]

Oh, a lovely slow start with the cello on the right. Everything sounds
beautifully acoustic – a little uncoordinated at the beginning. It's great
that you record it live like that and don't quantize much - I think that's
also a prerequisite for the liveliness and the "organic" feeling. This
instrumental has also a slightly contemplative, melancholic touch.

Overall, a rather unusual and therefore unique instrumental. 5:14 is
almost a little too short for that. Really well done, it's fun to listen
to, almost nothing is predictable. Great!

Thank you! This was all live, one take for each track (which explains the uncoordinated parts!). For these pieces and others I like to come up with a “theme” that I return to and improvise my way around the theme. Other pieces that are more composed are quantized in parts and edited.

[aaron aardvark]

jcub,
Thank you for the review! Now your song: Netflix is streaming every James Bond movie lately, and I have watched a lot of them recently. Bond is always going to some exotic country, and your song reminded me of that. I am hearing Eastern Indian and Middle Eastern influences (I like those). It sounds like a fairly large World band. High quality recording, very nice melodies, and sounds quite professional.

[jcub]

jcub,
Thank you for the review! Now your song: Netflix is streaming every James Bond movie lately, and I have watched a lot of them recently. Bond is always going to some exotic country, and your song reminded me of that. I am hearing Eastern Indian and Middle Eastern influences (I like those). It sounds like a fairly large World band. High quality recording, very nice melodies, and sounds quite professional.

Thank you! Great minds think alike - I streamed a bunch of the Bond movies on Netflix and they use a lot of Indian and Middle Eastern music. Although the prime influence is Oud music I listened to when I first got the instrument and also John McLaughlin and Shakti.