July 26, 2008
Duo Vision
As Opal River becomes a real music project, this will become a real blog in which the triumphs and toils of the band are chronicled. At the moment it’s just an unusually pretty classified ad. If what follows sounds like a project you’d like to be part of, please email me at midiguru23@sbcglobal.net.
I’m a cellist. Also a composer/arranger. As a cellist, I play both classical and pop. I have both a fine acoustic cello and an electric five-string. I use the electric when I’m playing in a band that has drums and amps and stuff. As a composer/arranger, I specialize in synthesizers, loops, and other electronic studio fun.
How to put it all to good use?
I’m looking, first, for a vocalist. A good way to get a music project moving forward would be to start a mostly-acoustic duo with a singer who accompanies herself either on guitar or on piano/keys. I would be adding counterpoint lines on cello. So I’m looking for a singer who has real gigging experience and accompanies herself. Folk, pop, jazz — any and all of the above. (I’m not looking for a blues or rock screamer, though. You need to be able to actually sing. Emotion is worth nothing if it comes at the expense of intonation.)
My long-term vision of the project is that we would include various kinds of electronic instruments in the mix, without losing the vibe of a very personal acoustic-type expression. We might do this by adding a keyboard player, or I might switch over to keys and run a laptop.
I enjoy performing, but it’s also a hassle. I love playing cello, but by itself the cello is … limited. My first love is composing and arranging. I’m looking to develop a project that will allow me to create tracks in the studio and then bring them onstage to share them with people — not cheesy MIDI files but our own arrangements that add classy loops, bass, drums, and assorted synthesizer tones. Ideally, we would be able to play a two-hour duo set in a living room with just your guitar, your singing, and my cello, but in other settings we would be able to show off a set that’s more produced.
I have tons of gigging experience (both classical and pop) and a great home recording setup. You can hear a couple of representative tracks by clicking on the Tracks link at right. They don’t represent what a vocal/cello duo would do, but they show off my cello playing and my recording and arranging chops pretty well.
If you’re already working with a duo or trio and would like to add cello, we should definitely talk! I’m open to joining an existing group, but I would hope to have the opportunity to contribute some of my own material.
I’m in Livermore, California, and only want to work with someone here in the Tri-Valley area — no over-the-hill commute to rehearsals. My goal is to play one or two gigs every month in the Greater Bay Area, or possibly even one evening a week at a club. We would also work on studio tracks in order to release one or more CDs of our music. You would pick a lot of the material; I’m open to all kinds of tunes, from Ellington to Sarah McLachlan or whoever. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Bjork and Garbage. Goldfrapp is too squeaky-clean — the electronics don’t sound mysterious enough.
Your originals would be cool too … but I have to insert a cautionary note: I’m a professional writer, so I tend to pay close attention to the lyrics. If your lyrics are muddled or mumbled, I may ask you to rewrite so that the song communicates something in a clear way. I much prefer songwriter/performers (from Joni Mitchell on down) where you can understand every word, and where the words matter.
I like getting paid for gigs, but I have other sources of income; I’m not looking at this project as a way to make a living, and I’m not interested in touring.
Yes: Regular rehearsals, accomplished musicianship, professionalism onstage, meticulous studio recordings.
Strongly preferred but not absolutely essential: Demo tracks I can listen to that showcase your singing.
Cool but not necessary: Jazz, original songs you’ve written.
No: Alcohol/drugs at rehearsals or gigs.
Prefer to avoid: Religious songs, except maybe a few old favorites at Christmas or ”Ave Maria” at a wedding gig.
Can deal with: A few country songs — but not too many in a row.
I don’t care whether you’re 20 or 40 or 60, as long as you can sing and accompany yourself on guitar or keys in a fully qualified professional manner. I’ll be 60 this fall, but my brain skews younger.
If this sounds like a project you’d like to be part of, please email me! I’m at midiguru23@sbcglobal.net.
