Artwork, description, playing, composition, production:

Awesome, my friend. A perfect song for my morning. Complete package.

I'm blown away by what you can do with that dulcimer, Bing.







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I'm seriously glad you were able to start your morning with this tune. Thank you for the blessing and connection!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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your visuals and audio are a perfect combo, I can feel the heat and hear the joy as the solstice celebration begins, I also agree this is a nice song for my morning.
cool song Bing, thats a catchy title "All over the map"...

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Thanks very much, I appreciate you taking the time to listen!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Funnily enough, I just looked up on this page and saw Bubowski's banner, which says "All Over The Map" - and I swear, I don't think I've ever seen it before. Wonder if it was like, subliminal or something?

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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...to your ancestry, this is the sort of tune that one could hear and imagine arising from Irish harp tradition, or from Italian or Balkan mandolin or bouzouki playing... or probably a few other places on the map... Especially when you skirl into the upper registers, there's something that skips it out beyond a specific ethnic tradition, and seems to these ears to land it squarely in the brotherhood of man...

It reminds me of when I first heard some of Richard Thompson's earlier, very modal playing, and it struck me that he could be coming from an Old English folk or a Celtic place, but just as easily from a Breton or an Arabic place... Some bits of melody seem as if they come up from the soul and the soil...

So this, to me, is in that company. It's Seminole to the extent that you are coming from that place as you write and play it, but if we dropped you and your dulcimer by parachute just about anywhere on earth where it's reasonably safe, I think you and your music would make friends in a heartbeat...

Performance and recording are clear and clean. I'm listening over speakers tonight, and the sound has plenty of air, presence, space.

Really nice.

Ed

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Ah Ed, you're on to me. : ) I quibbled about putting some more insight into the description and ended up not doing it. Though this tune is called "Seminole Solstice" and is my envisioning of a moment in time with members of a Native American tribe, I purposely made this a multicultural mix, from the 3/4 time, which one could argue isn't really a First Nations trait to the vaguely Celtic melody. The most important thing was to avoid anything that had that "hi-yah" stereotypical sound - when it's done as a poor imitation, it can sound like an old John Ford western score. Native American music is usually associated with drums and flutes, not string instruments (though I downloaded a cool book yesterday from the mid 1800's documenting stringed instrument use amongst American Indians, but I digress), so I tried to keep it drone-y and simple, using the melody as the wail of a medicine man or tribe elder (with some creative license, of course.)

So, no worries - you actually spoke to my true intention, which was to take a particular indigenous moment and expand it beyond cultural boundaries to become a univeral experience. Damn, you're good, Ed. : ) Thanks for listening and for your insight!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Bing Futch - like the name, like the tune. Good work mon frere.

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Glad you liked the tune (and the name) - thanks for listening!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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First of all, thanks for your reply to my post this morning. I'll check out Sibelius. I keep hoping Apple will just put a print functionality into Garageband, especially since so many teachers use it in the classroom!

But far more importantly, WOW! Very cool tune! I love the big drum, and especially it's sparse placement at the beginning and end- very effective. I also really liked the percussion at the very beginning that sounded like triplet patterns on some sort of log drum.

The production sounds so clean, I must ask if those are sounds you're geting off a keyboard, or are you recording them live with real persussion instruments? And what's that crash sound way in the background just under halfway through.

The whole thing sets up such a great mood- sort of an understated passion. The only possible complaint I could register is that the shaker sometimes falls slightly behind the beat. This is pretty common, because if you shake it exactly on the beat, the beads or whatever is inside it take a split-second to whack the inside of the shaker, and so the effect is that the sound is slightly late, so, especially if you're doing a relatively slow part with accents, you actually have to play a shaker in front of the beat to get it to sound in time. But we're so used to hearing shakers do this that it might not matter too much, and you might even have deliberately done it that way to provide some tension and yearning between them and the drums.

The main impression I got, though, was: nice melody! I love modal things like this. Beautiful song, man.

I gather you've been here a while- believe it or not I was actually fully planning on introducing myself to you even before you responded to my post this morning. I was just poking around the site and stumbled upon you and your dulcimer, and had to give a listen. I only had time to listen to a few, but you are a clearly great player and a beautiful singer, and I will definitely be listening to more of your stuff.

You and David Massengil are the only people I've ever heard play the mountil dulcimer with such artistry. The way you play, record, and assumedly the instrument you own combine to give a very warm rich tone that I did not expect, and which sounds beautiful. I actually built a mountain dulcimer which looks pretty good but sounds thinner than yours and has lousy action, and it mostly hangs on the wall in my living room. I also play the hammered dulcimer- did you ever try one of those?

~Brian


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Thanks, Brian - for the kind words - I sent you an e-mail back. Them's very encouraging words there, bro! No sweat mentioning the shaker timing - I put my music out there fully prepared for any and all critiques. In answer to your question about the drums and other percussive sounds, I used the Orchestral Percussion software set from the Symphony Jam Pack to get all the various drums and effects, including the shaker, all played live. I noticed the off-timing on the shaker here and there and wondered if I wanted to correct it or leave it as it was because of the moment. With the natural intent of this track, I felt it would work without making it perfect.

Thanks again for the very kind words - I appreciate them very much!

I do play hammered dulcimer a bit - had a really nice Masterworks 16/15 Chromatic that I sold earlier this year in order to get my MacBook. That's awesome that you built a dulcimer! You should go have a luthier lower the action for you so it can come off the wall for a little playtime!

Thanks again for listening and for the e-mail. Hope you find a way to print out that music easily!



---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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The subtlety of the drums go very well with this piece. I feel like going out to the woods with family/friends and commune. Very natural and spiritual.

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That's excellent - getting out into the wilderness, definitely part of my intention in funneling that Earth-sense. I hope you make that trip soon - it's beautiful outside. : ) Thanks for listening!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Wow. Awesome, moving music once again... great work, Bing!

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David, thanks so much, man!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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This is excellent Bing. Like others I love the sparseness of the percussion. Splendidly clean playing as always. Atmospheric and understated.

Lovely stuff :-)

Cheers

Dick

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Thanks, Dick! Glad you made a nice connection with this one, thanks for listening!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Very restful and peaceful piece of music. I enjoyed listening to this very much. Thanks.

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Thank you very much - it's always a pleasure to have you stop by and have a listen!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Dreadmon you play your instrument well. Great song. Love it.

Thanks for sharing,

mvh : )

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Thank you for listening - I appreciate the kind words!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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you're a real master of the dulcimer - a beautiful sound to begin with - but even more expressive in your hands. I also like the way you worked with the sound stage creating some dialog in the track. Excellent.

PS - Thanks for giving the Classical/Dub idea some thought - and for dropping by recently.

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Hey Bud, thanks a lot, you are too kind. Glad you enjoyed this - and hope you get that classical dub project rolling - you've got me all excited to see what you'll come up with!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Elegant.
Classic.

Fine Production Values with few Fx and Perfect Placements.
Just All Music.

Best,
Dixie

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Thank you, Dixie - I'm glad you like the sparseness here. It was tempting to put in much more, bass, some strings, but I wanted to keep it sounding as if it could have actually been recorded by a fire in the middle of the woods. Thanks for listening and appreciating to the simplicity!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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You Own It, Brother.

Evocative.
Great Playing.

Very Best Regards,
Cooper

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Thank you, RT - I'm always happy when the music takes someone on a little journey. Thanks for listening!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Beautifully hypnotic. Great restraint. My only tweak would to be to add a little reverb (which is normally anathema to me) whicj might 'warm-up' the mix a little. Otherwise... spiffing. What ho.

Be cool,
Pie




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Thanks for stopping by - I agree that a little 'verb would balance the whole. Glad you came over to listen!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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And great tune. Pentatonic 'works' for so many types of music because it is the basis from which so many kinds of tuning systems split off from. Perfect choice for a piece in a book called 'All Over the Map', IMHO.

On another note, my daughter has discovered my ducimer in the closet. We're being regaled with renditions of 'Boil Them Cabbage Down' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. I'm having her take a listen to several of you pieces here so she has something great to aspire to!

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Thanks KristyJo! There is indeed something tribal about the pentatonic scale - I wonder how deep that symbolism goes? And across how many valleys? It sounds like you've got a budding dulcimer player in the house! That always makes me happy - one, that young folks take an interest in the instrument, and two, that dulcimers are getting played. : ) Thanks for listening and for your insight!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Simple, elegant, and yet full of meaning. A restful meditation, but not without energy. Not an easy combination to achieve!

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Thanks for listening and for the insight! It truly does come from a place of restless peacefulness and there was a temptation to make it more aggressive in that respect, but I went for something more understated. Thanks again for checking this out!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Bing - this is another great, wonderfully composed and played. A really emotional feel to this, such a simple tune.

Perfectly understated, wonderful chord progressions.

Makes you feel clean again.

Steve

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Thank you very much, Steve - you honor and humble me with your words. And such a statement, to have made a connection with the music and feel clean - that's incredible and powerful. Thank you for sharing the music!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Darnit! Ed already said one of the things I wanted to, which is this song feels as though it comes from somewhere specific, but also from many different specific places. Of course, Ed said it fancier and with comparisons, etc, and he said bouzouki. I agree with him about the instrument. Initially, I thought you were playing a mandolin and, if it didn't know it was you playing, I probably would have continued to assume so.

Um, so basically, my comment is what Ed said. Also, I like what Steve said about feeling clean again. This song put me outside in the fresh air, immediately. It evoked mountains and the early morning.

So, basically, I'm trying to be like Ed and Steve in as many ways as possible.

This is so lovely, Bing and I'm downloading it and going to pass it around to a few people.



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LOL, thanks for the smile this morning, Lisa - just know that great minds think alike. : ) We share the feeling that this song came from somewhere - it seems more like I channeled it rather than put any effort into creating a piece or mood. Thanks for listening and for passing it around!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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great songwriting, great production, great overall feel to this. You paint a perfect picture musically.

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I do appreciate that - thank you for listening!

---
Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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YOu have a way with putting a feeling down and holding the listeer there. This is beautifull bing THanks for sharing!!!!!!

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That is a fantastic tribute - thank you so much. I'm not even sure what to say to that - thank you, again?

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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bing - you're so good at getting your ego out of the way and letting the song have ITS way with us. i sure appreciate your focus to stay straightforward thruout this piece for maximum impact. your open heart comes shining thru in this one. lovely - anne

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Thank you so much, Anne - this comment means a lot to me for a couple of different reasons. One - yes, it is very important for me to just let tunes be what they are as opposed to showcases for what I *could* be. Secondly - in order to have a big ego about this sort of thing, one must have chops that can be perceived to be better than anyone else's - and since I'm still of the mind that I'm a student and always trying to get a leg-up on music's horse, I don't ever seem to have a problem with ego getting in the way. LOL! What a release to just play honestly and be okay with what comes out. Of course, an audience is part and parcel to a musicians' output and I can't think of a better place to let your soul hang out than right here at MacJams. This place is good for you in the purest sense of the idea! Thanks for listening!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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You really know how to bring the heart through on whatever you do...If your singing pop, or folk, doing soundtrack stuff... the dulcimers sound pristine... perfect... but the icing here is how you produce the sparce percussions around...

fan & friend

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Thank you Scott - glory to the Creator for this music and for all the good that it may do. Thank you for listening!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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has a trancing feel to it... I can almost hear a mouth harp. The break towards the end is so melodic, it did me in. Great stuff as usual. Thanks for sharing.

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Thank you, John - that's awesome that you got a trance vibe off of this. Thanks again for listening!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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This is a great composition Bing. Very pretty. Evocative. Even though there are no Native American drums herein I kept hearing them off in the distance in my mind's ear!

Be well!


PLANET RIDER: http://www.macjams.com/song/30720

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Hey Mike, thanks for listening! You are right - there are no Native American drums in this piece, though I've got a quarter-note bass drum that's very much in the background and gets a little more prominent as the piece moves forward. It's actually an orchestra drum, and what I would give to have an actual hoop drum or something. *sigh* another item for the ever-growing wish list. Thanks again, man!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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That dulcimer is so perfectly reproduced on my phones, in fact this is quite a recording triumph overall. I love the restful nature of the 3/4 and the emotion with which you play.
Excellent post Bing,
Peace,
Neil

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Thank you Neil, you are very generous!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Bing,
I do not usually listen to music through headphones
but after hearing it through speakers I listened through
a set. Masterful songwriting , not sure if I was outside
would I slowly dance around or look up at the sky in wonder. Excellent arrangement. Really enjoyed this song!
Thanks for sharing and posting this on Macjams!
dwwave

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Thanks, David! This is one of those tunes that really came directly from the Creator and I just happened to be the funnel through which it emerged. I hope you do get a chance to listen to it while dancing underneath a night sky. What a tribute that would be to the Great Architect!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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This is a lovely arrangement. The playing and recording are excellent.

Thanks for posting the song here.

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Thank you, very much!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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Wow dreadmon this is beatifull. The sound of that mountain dulcimer is superb. More of the same please.

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Thank you, Nikos! I will be uploading some more dulcimer music pretty soon, thanks for asking!

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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This is gorgeous. Sure you were channelling something. Delicious modal melody expressed with an incredible soulfulness and joy, and the whole thing perfectly constructed, with each immaculately performed part fulfilling itself to the utmost. Just delightful!

It's the perfect thing to greet and celebrate the Sun as it moves between phases, whatever part of the world you're in.

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Thank you, so much! I'm very pleased that you've made a connection with the elemental nature of this song. Your words, and their spirit, are a honor and a blessing.

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Mahalo nui loa,



Bing Futch



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This is just a gorgeous piece of music, a journey through sunlight and warmth and joy. You play beautifully - an amazing instrument. I don't know much about the mountain dulcimer - I'm gonna have to check it out. This really is just a wonderful song in praise of Nature. Thank you!

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Thank you so much, Kassia. The mountain dulcimer is such a wonderful instrument - I actively try to get one in every musician's hands, there's something about its vibe, the tonality, that can be so instantly transcending. I appreciate you making the connection with the natural pulse of this track - aloha!

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