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Feeling Alright ? Michael McDonald on piano


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Yeah. So that was awesome

Can"t go wrong with the Doobies on backing vocals... those classic harmony voices

Sammy sound fantastic, and of course, Dave!

 

I loved Michael"s take.

 

One of the better concerts I"ve seen in the last several years was, at the Austin 360. Dave Mason, The Doobie Bro"s, and Journey.

 

Got my fix of some of my very favorite music from 70"s and 80"s. All three bands brought it, each with their own style.

David

Gig Rig:Depends on the day :thu:

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm always struck by songs with interpretations so iconic, even the songwriter has to capitulate to playing it that way. This song is the most obvious example (I'm pretty sure I remember reading about Mason getting cranky with Paul Shaffer for doing this arrangement instead of the original at Traffic's Rock Hall induction, but maybe that was Winwood) but I know there are others. Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower (hey, Dave Mason's present there too, isn't he?) might qualify, insofar as Bob Dylan sticks to any arrangement of anything.

 

Fun performance, great lineup... but for the next one, maybe they could ease off the Melodyne? They're old rockers. It's weirder when everything has that shimmery, pitch-corrected gloss than if they just left it alone or tweaked one or two problem notes.

 

I really dig that CP88 (plus that pretty ripping piano solo from McDonald; I always forget that on top of his iconic voice he can really play, beyond typical singer-songwriter piano). If I were in the market for a new stage piano this would continue to sell me on it. Of course, given Eric's observation above ... maybe he's controlling a VST with MIDI-over-Bluetooth. :roll:

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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Really enjoyed it. Great production. McDonald's piano playing is on the money but his vocal style seems a little out of place on a rocker like this, whereas it's right in Sammy's wheelhouse.

 

Wouldn't surprise me if Yamaha was sponsoring in some way. Why else would there be a pan down to the "CP" label on McDonald's CP88. It does sound great in a cut-through-the-mix rock piano sort of way. I've played the CP88 in stores a few times an always came away impressed with the feel of it.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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When you can sing and play so well, who can blame you for not plugging in the keyboard for the video take? :poke:;):cheers:
Quick catch. Busted.

:wave:

These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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When you can sing and play so well, who can blame you for not plugging in the keyboard for the video take? :poke:;):cheers:
Quick catch. Busted.

:wave:

And I could be mistaken, but on first glance, it looks like he"s playing in F while the recording"s in E.

 

But damn, that"s a great take on a great song. Always been a favorite to play at local jam nites.

I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient and I will get to you shortly.
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When you can sing and play so well, who can blame you for not plugging in the keyboard for the video take? :poke:;):cheers:
Quick catch. Busted.

:wave:

And I could be mistaken, but on first glance, it looks like he"s playing in F while the recording"s in E.

 

Video take transpose button.

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That was very cool. I was just wishing they'd given Tom Johnston some.

Live: Yamaha S70XS (#1); Roland Jupiter-80; Mackie 1202VLZ4: IEMs or Traynor K4

Home: Hammond SK Pro 73; Moog Minimoog Voyager Electric Blue; Yamaha S70XS (#2); Wurlitzer 200A

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It's tighter than the real song. Interesting the comments with the CP88 as it never took off around here. I love mine.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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everything has that shimmery, pitch-corrected gloss...

 

Ha. Perfect! Just this morning I was trying to come up with a description for this and you nailed it. Thank you!

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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When you can sing and play so well, who can blame you for not plugging in the keyboard for the video take? :poke:;):cheers:
Quick catch. Busted.

:wave:

And I could be mistaken, but on first glance, it looks like he"s playing in F while the recording"s in E.

 

Video take transpose button.

 

I"m not really sure what you mean by 'video take transpose button" in this case.

I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient and I will get to you shortly.
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And I could be mistaken, but on first glance, it looks like he"s playing in F while the recording"s in E.

 

 

Based on my jamming along with this version, they're in B

 

I went and searched for other Dave Mason performance of this, and it's the same key as this.

 

Then, every single recorded Joe Cocker version, including his first release is in C. Also, every live version is also in C, including those I can watch... keys player definitely playing in C.

David

Gig Rig:Depends on the day :thu:

 

 

 

 

 

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The video is in B.

 

I'm honestly not sure what McDonald is playing. The intro is hands in C. The solo? Honestly he almost seems to be just pressing stuff down movie-style, untethered to any one key. Watch his left hand; he's in a couple of different roots throughout in that section.

 

Organ too seems to be playing C until it doesn't.

 

I wonder if they tracked in C and then when they decided to have McDonald sing, lowered the track a bit?

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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It"s funny that I always considered the key of Cocker"s version to be F. Even though the first chord is C.

Oh, interesting. This seems clearly to be I-IV, not V-I. The "pull" is to the first chord here, not the second.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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It"s funny that I always considered the key of Cocker"s version to be F. Even though the first chord is C.

Oh, interesting. This seems clearly to be I-IV, not V-I. The "pull" is to the first chord here, not the second.

I always felt the C as the V7 going back to the I, but now that you say that, I can feel it either way.

I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient and I will get to you shortly.
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When did Pat Simmons have himself cloned? ;)

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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I think the reason I felt that, is that Cocker"s first sung note is a Bb, which felt like the 7 of the V chord to me.

For sure. It's mixo, and I agree that 7 chords can create some ambiguity. But the melody continues to spell out C even over the F, and the players solo in C, so I'd have a hard time thinking it's pulling anywhere but there. Having said that, I am going to try to hear it as V-I just for fun; might make a cool New Orleans retake on it some day.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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The video is in B.

 

I'm honestly not sure what McDonald is playing. The intro is hands in C. The solo? Honestly he almost seems to be just pressing stuff down movie-style, untethered to any one key. Watch his left hand; he's in a couple of different roots throughout in that section.

 

Organ too seems to be playing C until it doesn't.

 

I wonder if they tracked in C and then when they decided to have McDonald sing, lowered the track a bit?

 

Look closer - the keyboard has no power cord attached! :laugh:

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I think the reason I felt that, is that Cocker"s first sung note is a Bb, which felt like the 7 of the V chord to me.

 

I totally get what you're saying.

 

The left hand plays C then G, while the right hand plays Bb then the rest of the chord: Bb D E G

David

Gig Rig:Depends on the day :thu:

 

 

 

 

 

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The video is in B.

 

I'm honestly not sure what McDonald is playing. The intro is hands in C. The solo? Honestly he almost seems to be just pressing stuff down movie-style, untethered to any one key. Watch his left hand; he's in a couple of different roots throughout in that section.

 

Organ too seems to be playing C until it doesn't.

 

I wonder if they tracked in C and then when they decided to have McDonald sing, lowered the track a bit?

 

Or they tracked in B as it is but McDonald played in C and had the keyboard transpose it. Let's face it: How often do you get asked to play something in B and how easy is it when you do?

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I think the reason I felt that, is that Cocker"s first sung note is a Bb, which felt like the 7 of the V chord to me.

For sure. It's mixo, and I agree that 7 chords can create some ambiguity. But the melody continues to spell out C even over the F, and the players solo in C, so I'd have a hard time thinking it's pulling anywhere but there. Having said that, I am going to try to hear it as V-I just for fun; might make a cool New Orleans retake on it some day.

 

It's blues-based funk. That flat7 is the rule, not the exception.

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Or they tracked in B as it is but McDonald played in C and had the keyboard transpose it. Let's face it: How often do you get asked to play something in B and how easy is it when you do?

Personally, I like playing in B far more than I like using transpose. I need to hear the keys my fingers are playing, otherwise it feels unsettling to me. Maybe because I"m getting old. ð¤

I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient and I will get to you shortly.
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Actually I agree. I don't have absolute pitch but I do find it distracting trying to play while hearing the sound come at me in another key.

 

And on second thoughts, the B thing is probably not such a big deal considering there's only two chords in the whole song. B7, E7 and B blues scale: Yep, I can probably handle that. :)

 

Giant Steps it ain't...

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