Tom took his DeArmond X-155 to the November 14th episode of the show and demonstrated the loops he constructs during his lounge gigs. With the looping device he puts together three solid hours of mostly original music three nights in a row week after week. It’s a different way of thinking to crank out all that music on the fly. In part, it has to do with scale theory. But looping is the art of it. Instead of thinking of his tracks as a journey from point A to point B, his looping tracks focus on cyclical thought.
Also on the show: one caller requested House of the Rising Sun, and another (who said he paid attention in rhetoric class) helped out the crew with a discussion about proper limerick form. Bob Wiley suggested 80s hair band music now officially qualifies as “oldies,” so earns the right to be played on the banjo. Tom replied that you can play any kind of music you want on the banjo.
Featuring a Schecter Jazz 6
Tom took his Schecter Jazz 6 to the October 3rd episode of the show and talked about Beethoven, Napoleon, Elgar’s Cello Concerto, chewing gum, and the advantages of lightweight hollow body electric guitars. Director Skopinski added commentary about how the weather influenced Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, our beer drinking preferences as a nation, and Stradivarius violins, and Director/Floor Manager Bob Wiley talked about the absence of sunspots in 1620, while Phil laid it on pretty thick with seasonal humor. A caller asked for advice in getting started in alternate tuning, and Tom announced he’s going to stop apologizing for playing elevator music.
We missed episode logs for the September 19th (Taylor 6-string) and 26th (Godin ACS) episodes of the show, but the videos are loaded. We also posted some vintage episodes from 1990 when the show was a half hour pre-recorded instructional format. Check ‘em out!
We missed episode logs for the September 19th (Taylor 6-string) and 26th (Godin ACS) episodes of the show, but the videos are loaded. We also posted some vintage episodes from 1990 when the show was a half hour pre-recorded instructional format. Check ‘em out!
Featuring a DeArmond X-155
Tom took his DeArmond X-155 Jazz Box to the September 5th episode of the show and played a tango, pure cheese and Classical Gas (by request). Callers asked why it sounds like Tom plays with two guitars, and what’s the deal with his acrylic fingernails. A young caller said his friends told him music as we once knew it has been replaced by rap, and he should give up on anything else. The individualistic crew didn’t hold back in sharing their opinions on the matter, especially Director Skopinski who studied music composition and theory through graduate school and was especially articulate about the limitations of rap according to those standards. Tom considers rap more of a literary art form rather than music. Primarily, though, they all encouraged the caller first to find out what sounds best to him, and to not take popular culture too seriously.
Featuring a Schecter Jazz 6
Tom took his Schecter Jazz 6 to the August 8th episode of the show. These days he’s been gigging several nights a week at a tapas lounge in Iowa City. How do you play three solid hours of original music three consecutive nights in a row? Chord theory and contrafacts. People often wonder what he’s thinking while he’s alone on a stage for hours on end. Aside from watching the crowds, Tom’s thinking about chord progressions and sharps and flats. He might take the chord progressions from common Latin American songs or jazz standards and change them a little. Then he’ll create melodies. After doing that for awhile he’ll add variations. He tries to move on before running them into the ground. Tom says you have to stretch your imagination a bit, combining things that don’t normally fit together. Sometimes it sounds wonderful, and sometimes it’s like putting chocolate sauce on a hot dog.
Featuring a DeArmond X-155
Tom took his big fat blonde DeArmond X-155 jazz box to the July 11th episode of the show and talked about recreational music, music theory and the fifteen essential chords every guitarist should know. Learning chord theory can really open up your head and will enable you to find thousands of chords on your own. It’s a much better approach than just memorizing chord charts from a book.
A viewer requested Danny Boy, a perfect example for Tom to demonstrate how he uses principles of improvisation on simple songs. Another called in her applause to Tom. And the crew chimed in about recurring fads, what beaches mean to a Midwesterner, and shoes making the man, while PATV Intern Brianne Boysen tried her hand at directing.
A viewer requested Danny Boy, a perfect example for Tom to demonstrate how he uses principles of improvisation on simple songs. Another called in her applause to Tom. And the crew chimed in about recurring fads, what beaches mean to a Midwesterner, and shoes making the man, while PATV Intern Brianne Boysen tried her hand at directing.
Featuring a DeArmond X-155
PATV's in high gear with advocacy work about BITS II legislation, and had a fresh pot of coffee brewing when Tom began his February 7th pre-Valentine's episode of the show. It's the best elixir for tremolos too, so Tom's DeArmond X-155 got a java-inspired workout all for the sake of love, art, and politics.
Tom also bantered at length with a Chicagoan who's contemplating a relocation to Iowa City, which, the caller noticed, attracts a surprising quality of musicianship for such a small locale. Even George Clinton, who's still in the game with his starship funkadelic artistry, did a show in town not that long ago. And on a different call, a viewer requested "Classical Gas," which Tom gave a run on his DeArmond.
Tom also bantered at length with a Chicagoan who's contemplating a relocation to Iowa City, which, the caller noticed, attracts a surprising quality of musicianship for such a small locale. Even George Clinton, who's still in the game with his starship funkadelic artistry, did a show in town not that long ago. And on a different call, a viewer requested "Classical Gas," which Tom gave a run on his DeArmond.
Featuring a DeArmond X-155 and a Godin Chamber Body Nylon-String Electric
DeArmond X-155 lovers had a feast of the jazz box on the January 10th episode of the show. Tom even played a malaguena with it, though, admittedly, it's not the best tool for that particular job. Even so, if you've always wanted to learn to play in the Malaga style, Tom talks his way through his take on it.
Tom's Godin chamber body nylon-string electric got one last drive on the show. It's for sale along with a few other used guitars from Tom's collection. See the photo section.
Tom and Director Skopinski talked at length about the Telecommunications legislation. It's an important topic to speak out on. We don't want a repeat of 1996.
Tom's Godin chamber body nylon-string electric got one last drive on the show. It's for sale along with a few other used guitars from Tom's collection. See the photo section.
Tom and Director Skopinski talked at length about the Telecommunications legislation. It's an important topic to speak out on. We don't want a repeat of 1996.
