Tag Archives: Sinker Redwood tone

LIVE 193 • Hummingbird Melody

Acoustic, Fingerstyle, Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Firefly Melody, guitar instrumental, Hummingbird Melody, hummingbird mint, Hummingbird Prelude, hummingbirds, lightning bugs, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Serene Summer Suite, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Hummingbird Melody is the third song in the Serene Summer Suite, a musical offshoot of the songs and improvisations found in the Dragonfly Songs. While the Dragonfly Songs often explored multiple registers within the same song, the songs of the Serene Summer suite explore separate, but overlapping parts of the fretboard. Firefly Melody focused mostly on the lower and low-middle ranges of the guitar, creating a sonorous but mellow landscape.

With Hummingbird melody, I wanted to focus on the middle and upper ranges of the fretboard, also using the pad of a rich bass note at times to underscore the full range of the instrument. As a result, the song has a sunnier, crisper feel. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 192 • Hummingbird Prelude

Fingerstyle, Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Firefly Melody, guitar instrumental, Hummingbird Melody, hummingbird mint, Hummingbird Prelude, hummingbirds, lightning bugs, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Serene Summer Suite, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Though related, the songs of the Serene Summer Suite explore similar ideas and musical themes from different perspectives. Hummingbird Prelude is the second song in the suite, the bridge between Firefly Melody and Hummingbird Melody. It came about as an improvisation between takes of Hummingbird Melody, mostly just enjoying the sound of the guitar and reflecting on some of the elements of Hummingbird Melody. I like to keep improvisation and semi-improvisation as mainstays of my music. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 185 • Firefly Melody

Acoustic, Fingerstyle, Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Firefly Melody, guitar instrumental, lightning bugs, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Serene Summer Suite, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Firefly Melody was born following a recent group of improvisations around ideas from my song Welsh Dragonfly, which were collectively dubbed the Dragonfly songs. While the Dragonfly songs were influenced by the bucolic acoustic music of Led Zeppelin, Firefly Melody sought to continue from that same area but expand in a slightly different direction. In this case, I sought to maintain the mellow mood and reimagine the music with some inspiration from the guitar parts of Nick Drake. Following that path, Firefly Melody emerged. From there, Hummingbird Prelude and Hummingbird Melody came next, completing what I’ve dubbed the Serene Summer Suite. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 187 • Bron~Yr~Aur (Led Zep Cover, 812ce)

Classic Rock, Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open C6, open tunings, peaceful guitar, Physical Graffiti, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD, Welsh Countryside

Bron-Yr-Aur is probably my favorite Led Zeppelin acoustic song. Written by Jimmy Page about a tranquil cottage in the Welsh countryside, the song is meditative and bucolic; it always puts me in a different place whenever I hear it or play it. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 50th Anniversary Builder’s Edition 812ce LTD (Rosewood/Sinker Redwood), with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light gauge set) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

LIVE 182 • Welsh Dragonfly (812ce)

Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD, welsh dragonfly, Whales

Here is another version of my song Welsh Dragonfly, which was written after listening to some of the ‘acoustic’ music born out of Led Zeppelin’s retreat to the Welsh countryside. That music had an atmosphere at once both ethereal and bucolic, a vibe I try to tap into myself from time to time. This version of Welsh Dragonfly was recorded on a guitar with rosewood back & sides and a redwood top – the rosewood’s scooped midrange provides a nice separation between the bass and treble parts, fitting well with this arrangement. The redwood top mellows out the song a little – evening out the volume dynamics (adding sustain at times), and producing a warm sound. This song makes me feel relaxed and peaceful when I play it. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 181 • Dragonfly at Dawn (Improv)

Live50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, improv, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Dragonfly at Dawn is part of what has become a small group of improvisations (dubbed Dragonfly Songs) exploring related ideas and textures. This improv serves as a meditation of sorts, with a recurring set of phases floating over a drone from the lower strings. It also feels like a contemplative interlude between some of the other improvisations in the group. Hope you enjoy.

LIVE 179 • Dragonfly in the Rain (Improv, 812ce)

Live, Open Tunings50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Recorded during a thunderstorm, this improvisation expands upon some of the ideas and textures from my song Welsh Dragonfly. This recording and some other, related recordings made on different guitars and at different times, have formed into a small group I’ve dubbed Dragonfly Songs. Sometimes it’s good to further explore familiar musical terrain and approach existing themes from a new angle. Hope you enjoy.

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