A few movie themes

[Mike Neer]

I am beginning to see a pattern here, which started off subconsciously but is developing into a new “project” (one of many on the desk). Feeling a little nostalgic I guess, and of course that’s a good fit for steel guitar. It started with Toy Story and now has led to The Sound Of Music and Pinocchio. I think what I like most about this music is that nothing really needs to be added to it; it’s already perfect. The only thing I try to do is set a mood.

When You Wish Upon A Star
https://youtu.be/8DSTriUjTQk?si=7cfxHeffpdyGG3bS

The Sound Of Music
https://youtu.be/kXqPl06SS_Q?si=-ltTbH0hKEHuMIvj

I got a little more serious about recording TSOM and so did not bother recording any video, so just pasted together some iphone video from my daily walks.

[David Matzenik]

Your arrangement of Sound of Music surprised me. Very nice. I'm big fan of movie themes. Such great composing.

[Bill McCloskey]

I enjoyed both pieces but I would say the Sound of Music was the more successful. TSOF was beautifully recorded, your intonation and tone were breathtaking, and the arrangment with the overdubbed harmonics was one of the best arrangments I've heard you do, certainly my favorite. Keep going.

The Star was nice but the bass was a little low in the mix and it sounded like you recorded the steel first and the bass afterwards. Towards the middle, it sounded like you lost the pulse for a while and the bass was playing catch up. Might be more successful to record the bass line first and use that to keep the steel's pulse in line. But minor suggestions, overall a great direction for you. Well done, sir.

[Mike Neer]

Thanks for listening! I really love a lot of movie music. I was marvelling at Do-Re-Mi, it’s really one of the most perfect songs ever written. The music and lyrics are so unbelievably cohesive.

Bill, I really just recorded the steel without the intention of adding bass, but after I changed a part in the middle I wanted hear what it sounded like with the bass added. Kind of like a test arrangement. I do that stuff a lot instead of preparing full blown videos. I’m not big on those production values I’m afraid.

Yeah, my time fell off in the bridge, which I usually don’t tolerate, but it only bugged me a little. I thought the chord arranging was pretty nice. It’s important for me to have smoothness in the changes, without choppiness, unless that’s what I’m going for. And TSOM was recorded on the Rickenbacher too. The harmonics at the end really jump out—I did nothing to boost their volume.

Also, I have been studying Hindustani slide guitar and it has been really helpful for my technique and melodic playing, which is really what I hope to get out of it.

[David Matzenik]

"When You Wish Upon A Star" also works well in B11th.