Steel Guitar / Slide Guitar Construction

Slide show of recent guitar construction project with accompanying audio soundtrack sample of how it sounds.
Video/slide show created with iMovie.

If anyone is interested in more information on this project, please be so kind as to leave a comment and I'll be happy to oblige, time permitting. All comments welcome, even barmy ones! the spam will be recycled and eaten in sandwiches. Times are hard.

The guitar is tuned to DADF#AD for this improvised track.

Please excuse ads. Trying to make a few $. Tell anyone you think might be interested and help this impoverished artist to survive!

ACEtone ALLstars - The Dub Canon on YouTube!

Disclaimer: ACEtone Studio, the ACEtone ALLstars etc. have nothing to do with this video being on You Tube - except of course for the excellent music that accompanies the interesting picture.
It is nice that someone (http://www.youtube.com/user/ajmdaj) liked the track enough to want to spread the word.
This can only be good thing...

It has been a while!

As the recently added begging letter notes, times are financially hard at ACEtone Studio. I do hope some of you reading this will be moved to buy some tunes to help out and ensure that ACEtone Studio can continue releasing quality original music.

As to what is currently in the works, a new net-release of a reworking of 'Be Strong Dub' from 'Every Spoil a Dub' will be coming soon, but there is still some work to be done. Just a bit of tweaking on the mix.
The plan is to feature three versions of the track:
1. Good and Strong - vocal by Idren Natural
2. Good and Dub - Melodica instru-dub
3. Untitled (still trying to think of a good title) - Organ Instrumental

The inspiration for this release was prompted by Callum (Culture Reggae/Sama Sound) who kindly provided Idren Natural's vocal take and encouraged me to do a further dub.
The organ version was something I had been meaning to do for a long time - not specifically for this riddim - but it all fit together really nicely.

Currently working on melodica, hand-drum, guitar over-dubs for Dougie of Conscious Sound's reggae version of 'Sound of the Crowd'.
Yes, that 'Sound of the Crowd' - the original version of which ironically has as its main hook a very typical 1970s roots melodica type melody though played on a Moog or some such synth.
Pretty easy to play, even with the sticky melodica keys.

It is very nice to be asked to do over-dubs, I must say.

Every Spoil a Dub really actually finished...

...and here's the proof:
These olde worlde Cee Dees will be sent off to the distributor (CD Baby) tomorrow and hopefully by next week people will actually be able to buy one, or if they so choose download high quality mp3s from CDBaby.com.
Unfortunately it takes quite some time for digital tracks to show up on iTunes and the other digital distributors but it will happen eventually.
The next step will be to send promotional copies out to Radio DJs in various parts of the world in the hope that they can encourage some sales or at least some positive interest in this new release.
It would be so great to have less money worries, though I'm not holding my breath.

Every Spoil A Dub is indeed finished and ready for release

Doubtless, the world has waited with baited breath in anticipation of the new Eating Betty release and this one will not disappoint. It has it all. It even has some nice singing on it.
The cover design is as previously posted - the design department insisted it was good enough so I had to capitulate. There is more to do than agonize over silly album art. I absolutely can empathize with a musician trying to get the best possible mix for a track or the best possible guitar, bass or whatever part, but I have a hard time slowing down for tortured designers (including myself!).

While musicians may have been justifiably elevated from the status of mere juke joint entertainers and jingle manglers in the last half of the 20th century, the similar trajectory of graphic designers in that same time period is somewhat baffling to me, though I can see the logic in certain circumstances...but then there are many musicians who do not at all deserve their fame and fortune.

It is a funny old world and clearly the hustle and the flim flam are as much a part of it as ever they were.

Every Spoil A Dub is quite apart from all of that. A collection of tracks produced almost in isolation but with complete awareness of the world and the current affairs therein. This awareness, may or may not be evident. No way for me to tell.

Musically it is just a good heaping helping of DUB.

Perhaps the long awaited Buddy Hell and the Bleeders album will be next for release.

Every Spoil A Dub

While the financial world crumbles as it will from time to time and those of us who have nothing to begin with continue to have nothing, it is not unreasonable to heap scorn on those who have lost much. Fuck them. As to those who had some and are losing it all, you have my sympathy. Those who have more than anyone else to begin with...well...there is not enough of the negative stuff in this heart to do them justice. I just hope that there are people with a very great sense of justice working on that problem.


Humanity would be that much richer just being without a few of those around...

Every cloud has a David Essex.

And so, the new album is ready for launch.
Here is a draft of the cover. I just wish I could think of something. The design department appears to be on strike...

any ideas?



The track list is as follows:
1. Disunity Dub
2. Dub Invaders
3. Not an English Dub
4. Cyaan Get No Dub
5. Every Spoil A Dub
6. Love and Justice Dub
7. Live This Dub
8. Be Strong Dub
9. Goodness Dub
10. New New Dub
11. Need your Dub

New Free Tracks at ACEtonestudio.com

...a couple of somewhat recent free downloads available at the real website:

Insane Invader Dub
This can only be described as an outtake of a track that has developed significantly since this glitch ridden abortive mix - yet there is something to it. Very much a 60's English sci-fi or horror vibe, which is fine by me. It sounds like the mix is being invaded by some sort of audio guzzling space bacteria...or something.

and this, which is entirely comprised of sound effects from 80s arcade games. For educational purposes only...this will not be released elsewhere...
Unit Test Failed Dub
A good laugh was had by all...

Playlist.com?

These people Playlist.com are offering ringtones of the ACEtone Allstars - I don't think they should be doing this - even in the unlikely event that someone might want to pay for such a ringtone - how are they going to pay ACEtone Records? I have no agreement with them that I'm aware of but in these days of digital distribution it is possible that I overlooked their name in some agreement I made.
Being a 'beta' and pretty new it appears I have no aggreement with them about these ringtones for sale...

The ALLstars tracks are not yet with CDBaby or iTunes so I really have no idea how they think they are entitled to sell ringtones.

Note the fact that there is no way of contacting Playlist.com by e-mail and I don't think I really want to call here * to contest what is in principle important, but in the case of ACEtone Records, insignificant:

*Farbod Tojarieh
Copyright Agent
Project Playlist, Inc.
9300 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 200
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Or send a fax to the following address:

310-278-7641
ATTN: Project Playlist Inc., Copyright Agent

Or by Phone:

310-479-3202

I expect/suspect Farbod is not only the 'copyright agent' (whatever the f**k that means) but the webmaster and chief bottle washer too - the general factotum - the grand poobah of Playlist.com.

The little that this bothers me is more because of the other good people playing on these tracks besides myself who might rightfully find fault with unauthorized ringtones of their musical efforts FOR SALE - when they have happily acquiesced to giving full tracks away for free at my instigation. Not quite right is it? Another skewed picture...

If Farbod would like to explain, I would be happy to hear from him.

Augustus Pablo live

This is really pretty impressive stuff - I never thought I actually see THE melodica man tinkling the Hohner plastic mini keys in this way - just look at the ease of execution - who is in the backing band?
They're playing Java too fast but still - very cool to see this:

Around the World in 20+ Dubs

Eating Betty was recently honoured to be included in the selections for this Echo Beach (WLUW-FM) / Echo Chamber (KFAI-FM) joint effort. Thanks to Dr. Strange Dub and Turntable Terrorist...
You can hear the audio here (part 1) and here (part 2 includes Eating Betty)
or you can see if these buttons work:
Part 2


Part 1


Playlist is as follows:

Artist – Track – Album – Label – Year (Time)
1. Around the World in Dub Intro – Turntable Terrorist – Unreleased – 2008 (2:02)
2. USA: Subatomic Sound System – TTT Mashup of "The Chronicles" (vocals by Treasure Don) & "It's the Heat" – Heat Brings Heat EP – Subatomic Sound (Digital Only Release) – 2007 (4:01)
3. Jamaica: King Chilla – Chilla's Theme – 7" release on Dub Voltage – 2007 (3:01)
4. Mexico: Bungalo Dub – Mr. Mad – Dub Attack – Invasion/7 Records – 2007 (4:16)
5. Brazil: Victor Rice – Sun of Dubday – Dubshine – SpitShine Records – 2007 (3:36)
6. South Africa: Moodphase 5 – Paradise Syndrome (DJ Dope & Farmer Brian dub version) – In Superdeluxe Mode – African Dope Records – 2003 (5:44)
7. Australia/UK: Trevor "The Technician" McKenzie – Someone Dub – Exclusive mix "The Echo Chamber" & "Echo Beach" – 2008 (5:47)
8. Thailand: Dub Familia – Look to the East – Before The Baby Born – Net Release available on iTunes – 2007 (6:16)
9. Japan: Likkle Mai – Your Love (Spotlight Mix) – EP - Lik' Daughter - 2006 (8:42)
10. India: Midival Punditz – Chandini Chowk – Asian Massive – Six Degrees Records – 2002 (6:14)
11. Israel: Blondub Sexy Sound – Heaven (featuring Mad Professor) – Exclusive unreleased track from the upcoming "God Bless The Empress" album – 2008 (3:36)
12. Turkey: Firuzaga Soundsystem – Tekli Dub – Self-released – 2007 (3:43)
13. Sardinia: Arrogalla – Nuis Dub (Boghes de Bagamundos remix) – Arrogalla – Arrogalla Music – 2007 (4:56)
14. Morocco: Dubosmium – Waragine A Ragine – Horizontal Plane Polar Dub – Fresh Poulpe Records (net label) – 2006 (5:17)
15. Spain: Hot Drop – Hotdrop Inna Dance (featuring Ranking Forrest) – Ready – LaFamille Records – 2007 (5:21)
16. France: Fedayi Pacha – Hayduk Bey – New Dub Excursion – Sounds Around – 2007 (4:53)
17. Austria: Makossa & Megablast – Rip It Up (featuring Ras T-Weed) – Kanuaka – G-Stone Records – 2007 (8:25)
18. Czech Republic: Hypnotix – Reasoning (Wintage Remix) – Selection One – Popron Music – 2005 (5:36)
19. Germany: Tokyo Tower – I Need My Dubflash – I Need My Dubflash Each and Every Day – Upcoming release on Mutan Records – 2008 (3:47)
20. Holland: Togetha Brotha Soundsystem – Jahovia Dub – The Way of the Sinner – Self released – 2008 (5:12)
21. England: Rob Smith – Corner Dub (Blue & Red mix) – RSD – 2007 (3:23)
22. Wales: Llwybr Llaethog – Fflio Dub – Mega Tidy – Rasal Records – 2005 (4:55)
23. Ireland: Eating Betty – Dubbin' 2 Hard – Net release available for free through www.acetonestudio.com - 2008 (4:14)
24. Canada: Dubmatix – War Inna Corner (featuring Ranking Joe) – Upcoming release on the new Irie Ites label - 2008 (3:45)
25. USA: The Drastics – Kevlar – Premonition – Jump Up! Records – 2005 (5:06)

Shut Up! Dub

Over this weekend I have had the very gratifying experience of working on a dub version of the Monks' track 'Shut Up!' Some might consider this an unlikely choice for a dub treatment, but based on the recent successful dub rendition of the Seeds' 'Pushin' Too Hard' it is not much of a stretch. 'Shut Up' is a truly great moody track, somewhat dark and negative and very minimal in every respect - ideally suited to a Dub rendering. And where better to do so than ACEtone Studio? Indeed, who else would bother? When this 'Shut Up Dub' is all mutated and mixed I'll post a link for your listening pleasure, confusion, bewilderment, outrage, or otherwise...
Loving the Dub, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every Ear...

ACEtone Studio's Greatest hits for Jan 2008

...thought this might be of interest:
If I had a dollar, or 50 cents or even a dime for every download, I'd very be nicely supplementing the income from the day job and no longer struggling from paycheck to paycheck. And I'd be able to pay off a heap of debt. But you see, the thing is, most of the people, whoever they are, who downloaded the music most likely wouldn't have done so if there was the added hassle and expense of going through the process of paying for it. So, say I stop making 'The Dub Canon' for example available for free - I suspect it would no longer be heard by any new pairs of ears. Or at least very few.
To the people who downloaded the tracks, I heartily thank you and encourage you to keep on doing it. But if you can get around to it some time, please do buy a track every once in a while! And tell others...pass on the links...

I think this is a tiny thumbnail illustration of where the major record companies have it completely wrong. They haven't really lost anywhere near the number of sales they say they have due to 'illegal' filesharing. Again, they have misunderstood human nature, misinterpreted the art form and then gone on to insult and degrade their potential customers by bringing baseless lawsuits against them, extorting exorbitant settlement fees from individuals where no legal decision has even been reached and generally pissing off any sane minded lover of music.

I wouldn't give the majors a penny of my money now. They have nothing of value to offer. However, I do encourage supporting the little man, the small labels, the true independents - people who respect musicians and do not insist on business speak 101 such as calling musicians 'content providers'. Should we be selling music by quantity, or weight? When music becomes measurable it ceases to become music. You can say, well it's all mathematics really isn't it? But that notion in my view always misses the point. How mathematically inclined are you when you are being transported to another place and time whether playing or listening? It takes a certain kind of intellect and personality to find advanced mathematics transcendent, uplifting, inspiring etc.

When I'm working on a recording, I know that the timing/arrangement/note placement of the piece may be a sort of mathematical timeline/grid but this consciousness is buried beneath deep layers of expression and emotion/passion, neither of which are as yet quantifiable in mathematical terms...to the best of my knowledge anyway...

It has never been about money for me, maybe I'm a musical fool...
But is indeed gratifying to see some ACEtone productions being so popular with the barest minimum of promotion. The top three on this list were jammed live at 6/8 Studio and dub mixed back at ACEtone. The musicians I played with on these tracks are just some of the best coolest people I know. And if you find yourself listening to these tracks, remember that we were jammin' - no prior rehearsal involved. Sometimes it's the best way to make music.

Underground Roots is all ACEtone recorded and not bad at all. Nice to know it is getting out there a bit...

Enjoy free music. Pay for it if you think it is worth it...
I'll tell you what, pay for my music, then I'll be able to pay for music (to listen to) ; )