First Time Vaping & Recording!
So this is the first session I have recorded using my Christmas present – my new vape. I set the temperature to 200C, not too high, not too low, at least that is what I hope! After a few minutes of sucking, unsure as to whether anything is happening or not, the vaper turns itself off – leaving me feeling relaxed, and a bit spaced. The feeling I have got from the vape is very different to the feeling I get from smoking a joint, more laid back, less intense, much less anxiety, and no feeling of paranoia at all.
Relaxed and chilled, I pick up my guitar, and the session starts. I go straight into my favorite Led Zep riff, the loop works, and the notes fit on great over the top – It looks like I am going to be using this vape again! It’s not my best attempt at this song, but it is one of the versions with the least mistakes in it. So not a bad start overall.
More Experimentation Needed!
I cut the song short, to try to keep it error free, or as error free as possible, but the track doesn’t seem to have a soul, just some notes – I don’t think I put enough weed into my vape machine, or I didn’t have the temperature turned up enough for me to get right into the zone. I will try more next time, and set it to 220C, though that may bring the feelings of anxiety back – I guess I am just going to have to experiment – A lot probably!
Rock & Roll
Undeterred by my excessively sober state, I try some rock and roll. The loop is great, and the notes go on top like magic. This track seems better – maybe the effects of the vaporizer are sneaking up on me slowly! Though just as I seem to be getting into things, I don’t seem to have anywhere to go – I try something weird, and it really doesn’t work, so I quickly give up, and hope the next track will be better.
Before I started doing this, I really expected these tracks to be ten or fifteen minutes long, and full of experimentation – but the fact that people are listening to them, seems to change how I feel about playing them, I am cutting them short in an attempt to keep the errors down to a minimum, instead of trying out new modes, messing up, and trying again. I really need to be braver, and not fear major mess ups!
Seeking The Zone
Lacking direction, and inspiration, I lunge out with some tuneless thrashing sounds that don’t lead anywhere, but seem to clear the air, and focus my brain somewhat. It’s back into rock and Roll – but I manage to make a big mess of the loop – seems like the tuneless thrashing was for naught!
I try a bit more chugging, hoping something good is going to happen. If I could just get into the groove! I try some really fast stuff on just one note, and though it sounds good, it doesn’t really go anywhere. I need to try something different!
I go into my rock and roll sound again, and give it an angry feeling, sounds OK, but the notes on top are a bit wobbly, though I seem to have managed to get most of them right – I am still not in the zone, and it’s starting to bug me! Maybe if I make sure my guitar is in tune…
I try some Hendrix notes, hoping for inspiration from the master – I try to lay a riff down, but the loop pedal causes major fuck ups. My second go isn’t much better, but hey, that’s what practicing is all about!
Getting Better All The Time
Third time lucky? Like Robert the Bruce, I try for a third time – and this time it’s rocking. Certainly it’s not perfect, but it does have character! I am starting to enjoy some of the harmonies of the high trebles over the base. Am I in yet? Maybe!
This track lasts longer, and I experiment more – this is how it should be. I manage to put some unison bends, and some nice little twiddly bits and thingies in there. I am pleased with this track. Things are certainly looking up – though you de have to ignore the little gap at the end of the loop – Oh well, we can’t all be perfect!
And Now For Something Completely Different!
Time for a complete change. I try a brand new sound, and play the chords from Pachelbel’s cannon. It’s a really weird loud echoey sound, with some wah-wah, that I don’t think I have tried before, so it may revitalize this session a bit. There is too much distortion, this new sound is too loud! Add to that, I come in at completely the wrong moment, but what the hell – just keep going. I manage some nice runs up and down the scale, that sound quite authentic, but the distortion, and some unpleasant electrical sounds completely mess up what could be a nice track sometime in the future – Quite far into the future lol! I need a new sound, so I try lots of them. This really is audience friendly listening lol. Some of them sound OK, many of them sound very similar, and some just sound plain awful! Eventually I find one that isn’t too bad, and go with it!
Farty Noises
It’s quite a powerful sound, and I decide to go into my Gypsy Phrygian style rock track. The loop works fine, and the notes on top sound great – at least most of them! I do some bits of slidey stuff, and keep it sounding oriental, with some nice fast twiddly bits. Eventually I seem to run out of places to go, so I just stop!
The sound I used for the last track doesn’t have enough sustain, which spoils it somewhat, cutting the sounds short, rather than letting them fade out slowly. I experiment a bit with this, by making some farty kind of noises I doubt anybody will enjoy listening to!
Shadows Without Light
After trying some different sounds, I settle on one that seems OK, and start a new track. It’s the shadows! I want to see if I can trip the copyright flag with this – If I play it perfect, it should trip it, at least for part of the song! There are probably too many mistakes in this attempt to be successful – but if I keep trying…eventually…
Next I want to play a riff based on Pink Floyd’s ‘Heart of the Sun’ track, but I cant remember how it goes, so the result is a confused mess, with bits of Bela Lugosi, and some stray cats thrown in – but no Pink Floyd at all! Eventually I settle for the Bela track, but I mess up the loop, so I start again!
Mixed Up Modes
The second go is better. It could hardly be worse lol! It’s not perfect, there is a big gap at the end of the track, but apart from that, it is bearable. I start to put some notes on top – I think it is Dorian, which usually bores me to tears, but doesn’t sound too bad here – though it quickly changes to Phrygian, for no apparent reason, and I find myself playing the same gypsy style notes again and again! With a little more care with my landing notes, I almost get it back to Dorian – but not quite, so hit the button on my foot pedal, and the track dies!
Not a bad session, but next time I will put more herbs in my vape. I just couldn’t quite get to that place where I wanted to be. I am sure next time will be better. Well Maybe!
Thanks for listening,
Yours –
Tim Buktoo
