Virtual Open Mic - The VOM Archives

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://tinyurl.com/ybkokh9

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Just finished recording this one.
This is a collaboration with a lyricist.
She sent me lyrics and I changed and added some of my own.
Lyrics written by: Sue Mrithujayan and Gil
Music composed and song performed by Gil

Posted: 12-20-2009, 03:58 AM

g6120

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8479526

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Collaboration with a lyricist named Sue Mrithujayan.

Required some editing and I did change a bit.

Music Composed by me and the performance is one take to one microphone for both vocal and guitar.

It's titled 'Star 9' and has an Americana feel. That's the vibe I got from the lyrics she sent.

Posted: 11-08-2009, 03:47 AM

Can't Find My Way Home

g6120

Credit to:	Blind Faith
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFW8DVCCJFM

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Blind Faith was a short lived British supergroup with Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech. They only put out one self titled album in 1969 and this was one of the hits from that album.

I've been attempting to play this song ever since I saw a chord sheet for it in 1977 that a cousin brought home from her guitar lesson. For years I tried playing it with a flatpick. Then in 2007 I started finger picking the song and played a finger picked version at my first open mic in June 2007.

This is a 2009 update of my finger picked version of this classic Blind faith song.
My first ever recorded version was made in 1982.

Guitar is 1997 Martin HD28-VR in standard tuning with capo on 3rd fret.

Posted: 10-11-2009, 03:06 AM

ROADS

#10

g6120

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ97JJjFDdw

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For this VOM Session I offer my latest Original Song ROADS.
This idea started back in July on my kids first camping trip. We were walking down an old abandoned road and it was all cracked and weeds were growing through. Got me to thinking about a song.
When I got home I wrote 2 verses and put it aside. I was stimulated to finish it on 9/28/09 and recorded it immediately.

I dedicate this song to all my motorcycle riding friends and all the roads we've ridden together. I also dedicate it to all the motorcycles I have owned in my life.
It is the first song that references my other passion: Motorcycles. I included a photo of my Ducati at the start and I actually bought this beautiful bike in 2003 from my YouTube friend noducs.

Another friend, Tim Hagberg answeered my request for motorcycle riding video. Tim is a memebr of a local riding group I belong to. The video is his first using his HD helmet cam and is on a road known as Monitor Pass between Topaz lake and Lake Tahoe (California/Nevada).

Enjoy the ride!

Posted: 09-13-2009, 07:02 AM

Tangled Up In Blue

#11

g6120

Songs (From that Place in Time)

Credit to:	Bob Dylan
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOOYthUXY2M

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Well I was practicing one of my original instrumentals yesterday afternoon while babysitting my daughter. The plan was to get it recorded and posted to submit to the VOM.

I just plain ran out of time and steam, so I'll have to post my latest which is a very inebriated rendition of one of my favorite Dylan songs.

Posted: 08-09-2009, 03:25 AM

#12

g6120

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://tinyurl.com/l8damj

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I was a young kid of 17 when I wrote this one. My first real song. I have lyrics dating back earlier but none with music. I always played in standard tuning with no harmonica and in 1983 I came up with this harmonica part.

My friends and family love this song but I shelved it for decades.
For this rendition (truly one take since this song is a part of my being) I tried capo on 4th fret with I think an E harmonica. I listened to a 1983 recording to remind myself of the harmonica part and just went from there. Chorus sounded sparse so I took the time to dub in some harmony vocals afterward.

The idea I had back then was an older me looking back on all the great songs that shaped us as we grew up. Now here I am, the older me singing this song. That's what they call paying it forward..

Posted: 07-12-2009, 01:23 AM

Time

#13

g6120

Credit to:	Pink Floyd
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-RXZo7m6Y4

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This is me flailing and abusing my Martin HD28-VR on a cover of Pink Floyd's Time. I always wanted to learn this song and that's what I'm doing here. Downloaded the chords from chordie and since I know the lyrics it came to me fast. Some songs I just have committed to memory in my mental jukebox.

So this is actually a one take performance and then additional one take vocal overdubs. Recently I decided to overdub in an off the cuff little simple solo in the middle.

Posted: 06-14-2009, 02:08 PM

Buckets of Tears

#14

g6120

Credit to:	Rob Moynes
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-oMbBA--Ic

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This is simply a beautiful song by Rob Moynes (OttawaRocket aka Rocket Rob on YouTube). When I heard his original I was so touched by his song I asked him if I could cover it. He gave me the chords and here is the result.

PS: If you get buffering stalls just hit pause and let it load up for a while.

Posted: 05-10-2009, 05:36 AM

Under Starry Skies

#15

g6120

Credit to:	Jack Dingler
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3z5jFsSoJM

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Grappled with the decision about what to post.
I'm overflowing with stuff I've done recently.
Decided to post this adaptation of an original song
by Jack Dingler.

Jack has been a YT friend since 2006 and I heard his
song - Under Starry Skies - and was so touched by it I asked him if I could cover it.

Jack told me to go ahead and make the song my own so I
took him up on it and changed some lyrics, added a chorus and came up with my own musical arrangement. Sent the changes to Jack for approval and he liked what I did so here's what I ended up with and thanks to Jack for the original song and for encouraging me to do it my way:

Posted: 04-12-2009, 05:41 AM

Condition Of The Heart

#16

g6120

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7496038

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My contribution is a collaboration with my songwriting partner Howard C. Holbert. Howard suffers from severe heart disease and has learned to cherish each and every day he has left. We have about 8 songs we've done together now. For this one Howard wrote the verses, I wrote the chorus and composed the music + performed the song. Get well soon Joe!

Posted: 03-08-2009, 06:46 AM

Touchin' Souls

#17

g6120

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y6PCza-U_U

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This is an original song collaboration. Lately I've been collaborating with lyricist Howard C. Holbert on several of his writes. He has sent me several with my style in mind. Usually I end up making some minor changes to the lyrics to help them flow with the music and run them by Howard. He liked what I did with this one. Then I compose the music fairly quickly and get it recorded ASAP to capture the moment of creation.

On this one the original solo recording had the vocals too far back (since I record with one mic can't fix) so this inspired me to add harmony vocal overdubs to bring them forward. This is the improved second version with the harmonies turned down a bit. First version had harmonies too loud.

Posted: 02-08-2009, 01:07 PM

Lines

#18

g6120

Credit to:	Lyrics: HC Holbert, Music & Performance: Gil
URL is:	http://www.somojo.net/index.php?t=player_audio&mode=song_hifi&band_id=414&song_id=1254

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I was going to post a Uke thing but recorded this song last night.

This is a collaboration with lyricist HC Holbert (our second).

I picked up my old Guild D-35SB and was playing around and decided to try dropping top and bottom string to D. This is what came out after one pass with the microphone on. I added the very last verse.

Posted: 01-11-2009, 01:09 AM

My Little Girl

#19

g6120

BAND AID - FEED THE WORLD

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PepJrLKk4ek

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A song I wrote for my 19 month old daughter.

This video was made immediately after writing the song and documents the creation and first ever performance.

Posted: 12-14-2008, 01:11 PM

#20

g6120

Credit to:	Original
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW7JPqD3Pig

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Something different from me this time.

Each hour up to 250 children die from lack of clean drinking water according to the World Health Organization. Lifewater International has been selected as the charity of choice for our YouTube video "BAND AID FEED THE WORLD WITH FRIENDS" Lifewater partners with organizations in 9 countries around the world to bring safe drinking water to communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. You can learn more about Lifewater at

http://www.lifewater.org

We are asking people to consider a one time donation for Christmas.

This is a project put together by my friend Steven Paterson who is a Scottish singer/songwriter living in England. The backing track/video was sent to us by Steven then "MonkeylessJohn" put together the basic video. I then did all of the audio production and the final video edits (intro and ending). There are 10 of us YouTube musicians participating. We have musicians from the UK, USA, Canada and New Zealand. It was a monumental job mixing all the different vocals in and getting all the levels sorted but I think well worth the effort. I took everyone's origianl video clip and extracted the audio then synced it with the video. For the chorus parts I used Audacity to mix all the vocals together once the levels were sorted.

I learned about Lifewater from my brother in law who is donating this year (he's an attorney and vets his charities carefully) so I advised Steven that we should make our video mean something real. Steven was in total agreement and went with my recommendation.

You will see me in the video as "gilchannel". The video is not hosted on my channel. It is on Steven's UK based channel.

Merry Christmas and hope we can make a difference!

Posted: 09-14-2008, 07:56 AM

I Am A Child

#21

g6120

Credit to:	Buffalo Springfield
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9_LwqIs37Q

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Last Night I captured something truly special on video. My little 3 year old boy was playing around with his keyboard which has pre-programmed songs he can play to. Well suddenly the program turned off and he said "hey what's happening" then he raised his arms up and I captured his very first musical improvisation on video. I don't play piano so this surprised me. I mixed him in with my cover of I Am A Child and it actually works!! Priceless moment captured! And truly a one take (including my cover)

Posted: 08-10-2008, 03:15 AM

Cowgirl In The Sand

#22

g6120

Credit to:	Neil Young
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRWoNlTWz54

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Comments

First heard this song as a 10 year old child when my mother and her friends used to play the heck out of the 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere which was the original electric version with Crazy Horse.

Then later as a teen I heard the solo acoustic version on the live concert album 4 Way Street (Crosby Stills Nash & Young) That version is what my cover is based on.

Updated on 08/05/09 at 08:02 PM

As I learn more about audio production I have made significant improvements to the sound of some of my older videos. Finally got around to this one and the difference is amazing.

For those of you who want to listen again let me answer the two most frequently asked questions.
Guitar is a 1997 Martin HD28-VR
Tuning is Two whole steps down

Posted: 07-13-2008, 03:21 AM

I'm Not In Love

#23

g6120

Needle And The Damage Done

Credit to:	10cc cover
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gykenkx6Z8

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Comments

Well you can't get any more one take than this because I decided to learn this song as I was recording (what you can't see is the chord/lyric sheet out of camera range and good thing I knew the feel of the song because I only had to glance at it ocassionally!) I had many flase starts and stayed up for hours trying to get one good take and when I did I quit. I was spent...exhausted after this. I later added the background vocals (4 layers overdubbed and lemme tell you I almost ran out of breath on those!).

Haven't played the song since! Vocal and playing are rough but I'm OK with that because I just learned it.

Posted: 06-08-2008, 07:24 PM

#24

g6120

Credit to:	Neil Young Cover
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMFh-pPnJlc

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Here's my rendition of Needle And The Damage Done. I have been playing this song for many many years so the one take part was not difficult. What was difficult is that in all those years I never sang it, I just played the guitar. So here is an attempt by me to both play and sing this classic song.

BTW, Neil Young wrote this about his Crazy Horse bandmate and friend Danny Whitten who became addicted to heroin and was wasting away. Danny was still alive when this song came out. Not too long after he died of overdose. The back story is that Neil had tried to get Danny to rehearse with the band for a tour and he was oo wasted. He had to send Danny home with some money. It is that money that Danny then used to buy his overdose. Neil Young had terrible guilt over that for many years to come.

Posted: 05-11-2008, 02:21 AM

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

#25

g6120

Credit to:	Tom Waits Cover
URL is:	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTq6Q1VHIuA

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Well I'm on a Tom Waits kick lately. I jus started a YouTube channel for Tom Waits covers hoping it will motivate me to do more. He's definitely one of my musical heroes. Here's my take on I Don't Wanna Grow Up

Posted: 04-13-2008, 10:35 AM

Leavin' Soon

#26

g6120