Daring to Ask for Feedback - Skunkwood Recordings

[Steve Lavelle]

These days i mostly play live and don't record much, but I once spent time trying to write and record. My brother created a chord progression he called "3 Minor Faults" (an Em waltz) that I then added a mandolin and a banjo part to. I would appreciate appraisals of the tune, my playing, and the recording quality.
https://soundcloud.com/steve-lavelle-1/3-minor-faults

There is another overly produced tune with a traditional sounding melody at the start that I've always wondered if I stole from something that's been around forever. I started playing this on the first bowl back mandolin I ever picked up over 40 years ago. This version is a recording using my Flatiron and mashes up that tune with a raga-like middle section employing too many tracks of guitars creating a bit of a sonic mess. I'm mostly curious about whether I stole that mandolin part and from where.

https://soundcloud.com/steve-lavelle-1/steves-reel

[Mark Gunter]

Wow Steve - great chops! I can't really offer much feedback on the recording mixes; I'm only just trying to figure some of that stuff out for myself. But I really like the waltz a lot. Your mandolin part is good IMO, creative and well-played. I suppose if you've been playing for 40 years, it shows.



Ha, a nice briskly played reel here ... and I didn't read your entire post beforehand, so I was a bit surprised when the guitar began rocking out in the middle of it! Very nice arrangement IMHO, I like the mashup, and your skill shows through the "sonic noise" Well done!

[Tavy]

I would say both are very well played and recorded - my only suggestion would be to try turning the guitar down a little on the first one as there are a few spots where it dominates a little. Particularly liked the second tune

[Steve Lavelle]

And here is a Dawg inspired tune. Mandolin carries the rhythm, then added 2 different sounding guitars (played by Scott MacKay) and another mandolin lead track on top. Strictly a product of the studio, I can only dream of finding a guitarist who is willing to play both rhythm and lead so this can be a genuine duet like the Dawg and CGP tracks.(sigh).

https://soundcloud.com/steve-lavelle-1/bear-creek-tango

[ajh]

If you enjoy the acoustic "raga" section mixed in you might enjoy some old Boiled In Lead recordings. Add in some mid-european stuff and there you go.

Enjoy your playing quite a bit! Mix seemed fine to me.

Tony

[Steve Lavelle]

If you enjoy the acoustic "raga" section mixed in you might enjoy some old Boiled In Lead recordings.

Just listened to My Son John , and I see the reference.
My brother added the raga section of Steve's Reel decades after I made up the celtic melody. Listening to a lot of Richard Thompson and Steeleye Span probably influenced the rhythm and droning melody of the raga. The lead player was a deadhead.