Month: January 2009

Flat Tire Shuffle

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In those videos that I posted about recording, I said something about the “flat tire shuffle.” Jack, in one of her comments, asked “What’s a flat tire shuffle?”

In the realm of drumming, there are a zillion different shuffles: the swing, the Jazz shuffle, the double shuffle, the two-handed shuffle, the boogie, the humpty hump (ok, not that last one), etc. The flat tire shuffle takes the basic shuffle or Jazz pattern on the ride cymbal, whatever feels right on the bass, and something a little unusual on the snare drum. Rather than putting the snare drum accents on the downbeats of beats two and four (like most rock music), the snare plays on every 1/8th note off-beat. So instead of “one, TWO, three, FOUR, you get one AND two AND three AND four AND.

That probably doesn’t make a lot of sense. Here, try this: Dwight Yokum plays “The Pocket of a Clown.” Viola! The flat tire shuffle! The name comes from the sound: the sound a car tire makes when it’s rolling and flat.

Recording Session Videos

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After a few false starts (I forgot to print directions, and the address we were given wasn’t even correct), Three Button Deluxe had a very successful recording session today. In six hours, we set up all our gear, set up the microphones and got the right levels, recorded 10 songs, two takes each, and got the background vocal recorded. All with only one false start! Even the “bad” takes were good ones; we just picked the better sounding of the two. I brought Susan’s Flip video camera with me, from an idea spawned by a comment from Jack.  I uploaded them to YouTube. Check them out, if you want.

The Meeting MI-5

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This MI-5 is inspired by the five meetings I had yesterday.

Meeting 1, the pastor: Tell us an interesting story about you and a playground.
We used to play this game on the playground called “Red Butt.” It was a game we invented. You take a tennis ball, and bounce it off a wall. The other kids try and catch the ball. If they catch it, they throw it back against the wall, and continue. The game really gets fun when someone drops the ball. When they drop the ball, they start running to tag the wall. The other players run to grab the ball, and try to throw it against the wall before the drop-er touches the wall. If the person who dropped the ball get to the wall first, they’re safe. If another person snags the ball, and throws it against the wall before the drop-er gets there, well, here’s what happens. The person who dropped the ball bends over, butt out, head touching the wall. The person who grabbed the ball and hit the wall with it gets a free throw at the persons bum! And since the drop-er is bent over, they can’t see when the ball is going to arrive! It’s really quite fun, and I think I need to put a game together!

Meeting 2, the insurance lady: What typical workplace benefit do you not have currently that you wish you did have?
I currently have life insurance personally, but I’d like to have more. A voluntary group life plan would be nice. (The benefits we do get are very generous.)

Meeting 3, the real estate agent: Relate to us something about an experience buying/selling/renting a home.
Susan and I are in the very beginning stages of selling our current home, and buying something “new.” I’ve only purchased one home before, and never sold one. It’s quite a new experience for me.

Meeting 4, the radio sales rep: What’s your favorite radio station? What’s the genre? Why do you like it?
Since purchasing my XM radio, I really only listen to NPR on FM. There are many stations I like on XM: ’80s on 8, alternative country on 12, bluegrass on 14, clean comedy on 151, and the talk stations 158 and 165. And I like “America Right” on 166. Oh, and I’ve also been listening to “The Catholic Channel” on 117. I like their question and answer shows. I think Protestant talk radio could really use more Q/A shows.

Meeting 5, the dessert loving banker: What’s your favorite dessert? Why?
Oh, that’s tough. Susan’s cheesecake is good, as are her cookies. Mom’s chocolate pie with cooked pudding (not instant) is high on the list. And I really like Pepperidge Farm’s chocolate cake too. Prism Glass’s Italian lemon creme cake has been in my thoughts recently, too.

Friday Fill In #106

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1. It’s January; just a few more weeks, and I can get the scooter back out.

2. More sleep is what I crave most right now.

3. Cork and wine go together like Mickey Mouse and fish sticks.

4. Cocoa butter and body yogurt is so nourishing (to my skin).

5. Let us dare to run naked in the streets. (Not really, but it’s the first thing I thought of.)

6. It’s only a matter of time before I sell my home.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to an evening home with my family, tomorrow my plans include a recording session, and Sunday, I want to just kick back and chill a little!