DAVE LEWIS (LEWISDAVE): News, muse,reviews

Paid £75 for this (mail order) and it arrived very promptly from Blue Aran in Hampshire. Now I know what you're thinking i.e Behringer= cheap LCD gear, made in China etc And you'd be right but for the wrong reasons. Sure this is cheap and it is made in China (so what? I believe in free trade...) and the Line 6 POD is pretty bullet-proof in design by comparison and I don't like the way that Behringer have compromised on price by omitting a mains transformer but that is not the point. Behringer gear allows musicians on a budget ( and cash-strapped high schools and college Music technology departments) access to gear that they might otherwise only dream about. OK so the gear could be better built (take care- don't drop it...) and the manual has been translated from the original cantonese via a german- english dictionary but it is not noisy, the sounds are workable and it suits my purpose which is to rehearse a bass guitar before tracking in the studio. And for that philosophy and the selling price, Behringer I salute you

Recently purchased from "Rock Around the Clock" in Edgware and used as a controller for my Roland VG88 and GR33 (q.v). Maple fingerboard and none more black. It's a 1989 model and seems well played in and its provenance is probably the Samick factory originally. Action perfectly OK and playable and has now liberated my US Standard (1995) as a bona fide electric once again. So what's not to like...

Just reenergised my old American Strat (1995) by removing the Roland GK2 pick-up and putting it on a Squier Korean Strat 1989. Together with a set up and favoured Ernie Ball 10s it sounds and plays a treat. As for the Squier? I bought it for a support role in using the GK2 with a Roland VG88 and GR33. This stuff is now pretty old but I've just spent the last day or so re-visiting this old Roland gear.

You might remember that the VG88 was a successor to the original VG8 and was the first guitar modeller on the market predating what became the market leader, the LINE 6 POD. Expensive at the time too, coming in at a eye smarting £800 in 2001. As with all high-end gear it is still a usuable piece of kit. There are still some decent sounding patches (I particularly like the Em9) which have stood the test of time.. In fact it got a run out just before Christmas 2010 in a local school production of "Grease"- I wanted something that would give me a Gretsch type sound under relatively low volume and obviously didn't want to shell out the £2500 for a 5120 (though I was tempted...)

As for the GR33, I have to say that the years have not been so kind. Cursed with the same old squonks and glitches that I remember from the last time it came out the box it feels clumsy and forces you to almost "unplay" the guitar in a way. This is an odd playing experience and ironic too given that some of the patches are designed specifically for guitar players. I know they now produce a GR55 (and indeed a VG99) which may be more usable but I won't be buying. Sorry Roland...

But still, I've now got a playable Squier Korean which will do the specific job as a controller for the VG88 and a "born again" American Standard Strat. It's Ebay (or a museum) for the GR33. Mustn't grumble.

Pictures of all the gear mentioned above to follow...

School's out , forever it would seem...

And that's just a tease, I know. There are some things to look forward to. Interchange went to the duplicators last Friday and should be out on the net within a few weeks. Check out some early mixes of these tracks in the MUSIC section.

 

Is physical media now obsolete? I may now simply load up new material via the site and My Space/Facebook/Reverb Nation/ Sound Cloud and enable listeners to download direct. I asked some of my students the other day what they would be prepared to pay for music downloads. The answers ranged from "nothing " to 2 pence. In fact the highest amount they were prepared to pay was 20pence - and that was for an album. And we used to claim that "home-taping" was killing music. Who gets paid along this food-chain, then?

So we'll swim with the flow and put it out for nothing- help yourselves everybody...

We'll make it back on the merchandise. In fact this is just the business model pre-Beatles. Music released at a loss to promote the tour. Jagger recently claimed that the period 1970-1997 will be seen as a golden age of the recording artist when they had commercial control and were able to make money from recording and writing. Now they just look like the early 19th Century handloom weavers or some other group frozen in time and condemned to the "condescension of history".

Oh how we  muse on music ...

I will be releasing an extended EP of 11 vocal and instrumental tracks called "Interchange" on CDBaby/CD Unsigned and most digital outlets very soon. It features Rupert Cobb on trumpet and Trevor Shipston on bass. All guitars, keyboards, vocals and programming are performed by me. Art-work for the physical release is by Andrew Feest at HA Design, Brighton. This is the culmination of 12 months work and there are samples and selections of the music on this site already. Please navigate to the MUSIC section to listen.

  This instrument was purchased new in 1997 for around £1200. It is an upper crust piece of craftsmanship and comes with an alder body and as illustrated a HSH configuration with DiMarzio pick ups, locking tuners and a tremolo fitted. The pick ups give considerable bite to the sound and the 5 way pick up selector gives a strat style flexibility but left on the bridge pick up the guitar has a good telecaster-style tone too.

This is a beautiful electric guitar which certainly lives up to the EB hype of being a "players' instrument". I met a guitar player some years ago with an EB Albert Lee- he also concurred that these instruments are up there with the best. It's just a shame that this seems to be one of those best kept secrets in the duopoly of the world of electric guitars since it would seem that no one wants these secondhand. In other words it's not quite a Fender neither is it a Gibson. In fact it has parallels with the car I drive- an Alfa Romeo- a "drivers' car", beautifully styled, a fine lineage and no one wants it as a used sale.

Of course, all of the above might suit a potential secondhand buyer much to the seller's dismay. Neither of whom will be me however- this is a keeper.

In a parallel universe (if such a thing exists) I would be working for these people or at least have an agent who could negotiate a decent fee for all these unauthorised endorsements.

This story starts with an under-performing OVATION CSE44SE Celebrity purchased brand new with a delightful hard case in November 2009 and though it had an action lower than my American Standard Strat ( and that is lower than a bottom feeding ocean going squid) also buzzed like an un-oiled buzz-saw and had to be traded in. Those things have a Marmite factor and I woke up one day and in a moment of clarity decided today was the day to trade. I chose "Rock Around the Clock" in Crouch End, N8 who are very reliable and a good local shop serving musicians big and small for 20 odd years and they gave me a decent trade in on the Ovation in return for this new Martin DCX1RE. 

A lot has been written about these plastic Martins. Yes, they might lack the cachet of the all wood sub £1000 models such as the D15 (which I also own) but the ringing tone and balance of this instrument is excellent. Action a little high but I'll get a local luthier to fix that when I've become used to the feel of the neck. True this guitar does not have much wood on board save the spruce top but one still gets that "joy of ownership" sensation that playing a high end instrument delivers too. Plugged in with the Lewis trademark (SIC) "more delay than the London Overground sound" it sounds fantastic too.

It is a beauty and unlike the unfortunate OVATION will be a keeper too. This is my fourth Martin (D15, D12X1, LX1) and comes highly recommended. Now Martin that's got to be worth a free tour around your factory, eh?

How do Martin do what they do? Is it just the name that seduces you? The legacy? The great players past and present who have ploughed the furrow before? Or just the combination of craftsmanship and passion for instrument making that has lasted the test of time?

I bought this little gem as a "traveller" to accompany me on various jaunts westwards to South Wales thinking it would be convenient to travel and relatively light on my middle-aged shoulders. It certainly lives up to its name there, being billed as a "travel" guitar. The body is HPL composite "wood" with a spruce top and gives a light and relatively full tone considering its 3/4 size. It is particularly good sounding with a Capo on the second fret , tuned to DADGAD or even (wince...) DADAAD to replicate the tuning of a tenor style guitar. Martin recommend their medium range of strings which tends towards raising the action a tad but this allows for a fuller sounding tone without compromising the playability of the instrument. It comes supplied with a Martin-branded soft gig-bag which enhances the joy of ownership too.

This is the second "plastic" Martin I've purchased- the D12X1 also reviewed elsewhere on this site and I'm not disappointed either. Bear in mind these are still entry-level Martins and not cheap either but in terms of "bang for buck" or "pound for pound" they pass muster. I've recorded with it and with some EQ combing in Logic Pro it produced a highly satisfactory sound- it's no D45 or even a D15/16 but that's not what you've got here. If you are in the market for a £300 pound "traveller" that carries a great name and need a guitar that packs a low luggage footprint then this could be just the (train/plane) ticket to ride. There is also an electro acoustic version of same guitar available called the LXE- this might also be worth checking out.

Anyway, I like it...

I have uploaded some mixes of a selection of tracks which I have called INTERCHANGE. This is a tone poem intended as film theme music and features 11 pieces with recurring themes. All the instrumentation is mine though Trev Shipston does contribute bass guitar on one track. Instruments played include various guitars- Martin, Ovation, Yamaha, a melodica and NI Absynth 2 and 3, Spectrasonics Atmospheres, Stylus RMX, KORG Legacy Collection.

 

This music is expected to be released in material form by early summer 2010. Though you will also be able to listen to tracks here and on MySpace (www.myspace.com/lewisdave).

dave Lewis

I aim to put out a new song cycle for the spring which is entitled "Hiding in Plain Sight" and blends jazz, rock and ambient styles with the prevailing theme of transition and the search for the ever elusive new horizon. It blends guitar based rock, piano and music production with poetry and personal reflection and builds on the eclectic styles of the 2009 release called "The Second Self". Here's to a Happy New Year.

There is a remix of "Sleeper" (a track off the Second Self CD) which features SOUNDTOYS ECHOBOYand sounds really good (IMHO). Amazing what some delay and dropping out the drums can do ;)

Oh and it's a free one too. Help yourself...

I've added the (rather helpful) MUSIC PLAYER to the front page and loaded a number of songs present and past to it.It comes loaded up with hope and expectation for sure. Finalising art-work for a new release which I hope will be out as a CD and in downloadable formats over the next few weeks. It will represent my work over the last twelve months and is a solo project as opposed to the tracks I was writing with Trevor Shipston up until a year ago.

Keep accessing the page for recent updates on my music.

I've had this beauty since 1991- purchased new for me as a wedding present. Still got the guitar and still married too so this is a happy tale. I've searched long and hard to find this model reviewed on the web but to limited success. The serial number is 94333 and the model itself is a Monterey Festival series guitar which I think was later changed to the EA44. It was a £600 guitar when purchased new and A-Bed favourably against a similar Takamine model in the shop. Anyway it's all wood with a cedar top and rosewood back and sides and produces a lovely bright ringing tone when played unamplified and it still gets a run out in the studio. I play it on three of my tracks on the upcoming release- it remains a "go to". The action is good and I've had a few set-ups since 1991 and it still passes muster. The downside is the obsolete electronics - it features a rather limited EQ (bass, mid, treble sliders) and preamp which Washburn called the Equis 300 at the time and changing the battery is awkward involving the removal of the strings in order to reach inside the sound-hole to get access to the battery itself. This is not a viable option when using the guitar live so necessitates regular battery changes beforehand in case you run out of juice mid-set. But the test of a good guitar is its longevity and sound and this is one baby I would neither swap nor trade. And like Mr and Mrs Lewis still it's going strong after all these years.

Just purchased a MARTIN D12X1- a so-called mid-price 12 string acoustic. I've got a few MARTINS already and love the tone especially from my Mahogany D15 which I've had for a couple of years already. This one is a beauty too. Lovely airy tone and playable up the neck too- the usual downfall of a 12 string at this price level. These I am sure state that they are made in Mexico but mine has a Made in Pennsylvania, USA inside the soundbox. All new versions of this instrument are now electro acoustic FOR THE SAME MONEY as before. So that's put the hex on any resale for me. But I won't be selling. For the sound, the vibe, the action and (rarely for a Martin) the bang-for-buck value. Now let's dust off the surfboard and service the VW camper and get out there and make some music with it. Watch the sunrise...

Hi!

I've added some samples from the upcoming release in the MUSIC section. No downloads on these I'm afraid, only short samples. I would like to upload new edits and remixes in due course both here and on my MySpace page. All new comments on the music much appreciated as ever.

Dave Lewis

I've added another free download in the MUSIC section. It is an alternative version of an instrumental called "Ariel" that will feature on the new release due this summer. There is an element of ennui and a "soundtrack searching for the right film" about it but I like it and like playing it too. Gratis...

Some may like to know what gear I'm using. Updates to follow: Musical instruments Chappell “upright” grand piano (1964) Fender Telecaster Custom guitar (1978) Musicman Silhouette (1997) Fender Stratocaster (1996) Martin D15 (2005) Washburn EA45 Festival series (1991) Yamaha AEX500N (2003) Ovation AE20 Ukelele (2008) Martin LX1 ¾ size (2009) Meinl Bongo drums with stand Meinl djembe with stand Meinl darburka drum 8 ½” Meinl darburka 5 ½” Meinl doumbek 8 ½” Studio and recording equipment Hardware Apple Powermac 2.5 Quad 16Gb RAM 1TB MOTU 88ES USB keyboard Software Logic 7.2 NI Absynth 2 and 3 KORG Digital Edition KORG Legacy Collection SPECTRASONICS Atmospheres Trilogy Stylus RMX WAVES Musicians’ bundle II Propellerheads Recycle Studio Bundle with Amplitube, T-Racks Outboard MOTU 828 mark 1 Mackie 1202 mixer Emagic AMT8 Behringer Ultragain PRO8 Focusrite Trackmaster Line 6 POD mark 1 Behringer Composer Pro XL Alesis MEQ 230 Marshall JFX1 HHB BurnIt CD recorder Samson C Control Samson Servo 170 Alesis M1 Active Mk2 Studiospares SN10 Lacie hard Drives 200GB and 120GB Headphones Beyer D110 Sennheiser HD250II Sennheiser HD25 Microphones: AKG Solidtube BLUE Baby Bottle SE Se3 (Stereo pair) SHURE SM58 Beta; SM58 SE Reflection Filter K&M mic stands Guitar FX Roland VG88 Roland GR33 Mesa Boogie V Twin Pedal Electro Harmonix Memory man Small stone; Hot Tubes; Electric Mistress deluxe;Holy Grail ; BOSS CS1 compressor ;BF1 Flanger;DM2 Delay;TU8 tuner Volume pedal DIGITECH “Talker” KORG rack Tuner VOX Wah pedal LINE 6 FM Filter modeller Amplification Fender Twin Amp Fender Super Champ XD Pictures to follow in photos. Comments on the merits and demerits of this gear are welcomed. Go to GUESTS and leave a message. Thanks.

I am still tracking this thing which started out in the Spring of 2008 as an EP of four tracks after the demise of The Barefoots (or deep-freezing rather than demise but that's a digression...) So four tracks became five then six and once you cross that rubicon then you give in to the creative process and the work ethic involved and 13 months later we're still not finished.

I'm looking to add BVs these next two weeks and then mix and master ready for a Summer release. Here's to hope...

Watch out for some early mixes in the MUSIC section and comment back in the new (but not revamped) DISCUSSION section.

Here's to Summer- a hot one I've heard. We'll see...

Have now acquired a vintage piano- a Chappell (UK 1964...) which will feature on a couple of tracks coming up on my scheduled release this summer. I know... I know... you'll be thinking- "was that the same release scheduled for last Autumn, then Christmas, then the "New Year"" ? well the boy's been busy and he's not the hardest working artist in show business either. It is going to feature 12 new tracks four of which can be heard on this site already ( and downloaded for free by the way) and is mainly me with a few guest appearances from some old friends and a few who don't know they're going to feature yet either...

So keep checking for updates and news and thanks for listening and checking in the meantime.

Dave Lewis

I ollked at the site the other day and realised it had not been updated since the Christmas holidays.

So apologies and I know you're eager for news.

I'm tracking my latest project which looks like being a 10 track album due for release in the early summer.

And spring appears to be here with the beloved flower of the old country peeking through. So just to reinforce the point- Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus 2009...

and a few that were un-publishable too... Still it's good to know that there are people out there and thank you for your comments regarding the music. I am currently in the process of tracking new songs and ideas on what was to be an autumn EP release but I'm nearing the stage when I feel that there is an album's worth in the pipeline so here's to the New Year 2009.
Oh and by the way here's a message back to all of you- Happy Christmas!

The Autumn leaves are falling and so is my productivity rate I'm afraid. Still finishing those five tracks for a new EP but I'm getting new ideas all the time so could end up a six or seven track EP. Hey it's another album on the way. Out by Christmas 2008? We'll see...

As promised here are some new tracks I've been working on for a new EP to be released soon...

Tracks are as follows:

Head
Scintilla
Habitus
Teutonic Boy

When do i sleep? You might well ask...

I've posted a new track in the music section. It's called "Scintilla" and it was recorded at home this summer (2008) in my studio. I will be posting early mixes of all new tracks on this site over the next few weeks as a precursor to releasing a five track EP in the Autumn. Please give me feedback via the Guestbook. Thanks for listening...