This video is a recap of lessons and Shawn Crowders experience. Take your time to watch it. It is just amazing to see that after about eight months of playing he managed to play Guthrie Govan's tune "Waves". ![]()
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=UedNTWMF28E![]()
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#touchguitars #sungazer #shawncrowder #markusreuter #U8
1 YEAR of Touch Guitar progress (here's what I learned)
www.youtube.com
○ Touch Guitars: www.touchguitars.com○ Markus Reuter: www.youtube.com/markusreuter/○ Anchor and Burden (studio project Markus & I collaborate...
TRUCE 2 is unleashed. Markus Reuter, Fabio Trentini, Asaf Sirkis.![]()
markus-reuter-moonjune.bandcamp.com/album/truce-2 ![]()
Pre-order now. Album to be fully unleashed on January 12, when CDs will be shipped as well. Fow now, enjoy two great tunes of tghis formidable band.![]()
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TRUCE 2 is the 120th release on MoonJune Records, the label's first release in 2022. A very special album for the NYC-based independent label, and this is what 5 protagonists of the realization of this album are saying about it: ![]()
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MARKUS REUTER (touch guitar, electronics) ![]()
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A bit over 2 years ago, the first TRUCE album come to us as a big surprise. Upon its release it was an instant success and fan favorite. That was another, most-welcome surprise. Now, two years later, we are about to put out the follow up album, TRUCE 2. ![]()
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The time between these 2 recording session is where things got interesting. No need to explain about the practical impact the pandemic had on us. Cancelled concerts, cancelled recordings sessions, etc. Things had turned out quite differently from what we had in mind for the band. ![]()
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But anyway, as we were playing the first few takes in the studio in July 2021, we quickly realized that playing like on the first album just didn’t work. This was suddenly a new band that was like a stranger to us. Yes, we’re the same people, but it felt like there were new souls in our bodies. The self-reflection and the emotional rollercoaster had left an imprint in our souls, and it is reflected in the music for me. There simply was a different story to tell this time… And we had to discover that story as we went along. ![]()
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Fortunately I can totally rely on my allies, and it didn’t take long to find renewed energy and interconnectedness that made us create a wonderful set of instant composition that excites us. It’s a reminder of the power of music. ![]()
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Fabio Trentini plays basses, Asaf Sirkis plays the drums, and I play Touch Guitar and electronics. The setup was similar to the first album’s recording, but this time Fabio had 3 basses with him: The Wal fretless bass that he had use with us before, but also a fretted 5-string bass, and an electric upright bass. We were recording at Ritmo&Blu studios in the north of Italy, with engineer and co-producer Stefano Castagna, who became very important in the post-production process. And then there was Leonardo Pavkovic, who inspired us with his proverbial enthusiasm, encouragement, optimism and smiles. ![]()
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The album was recorded over 2 days, with a third day that was reserved for 'overdubs and repairs'. Fabio and I then met once again with Stefano a few weeks later, to mix and master the album in just a few days. A major change for us, considering that the previous TRUCE album was recorded in one afternoon with virtually no overdubs. ![]()
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FABIO TRENTINI (fretless bass guitar, fretted bass guitar, electric upright bass) ![]()
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As a musician and as a music producer, I’ve always been the kind of guy who needs to have the whole situation under control. I never considered myself a good improviser at all. TRUCE taught me the art of letting myself fall, trusting my bandmates and trying to come up with something interesting in real time, without planning things. To me, it means an important enrichment musically speaking, but most importantly I see it as sort of therapy and a spiritual experience. The first album came into being all at once, the recording session took less than a day, and we were able to come up with some very energetic and pretty wild material. TRUCE 2, even if it’s based on improvisations just like the previous album, is a layered work. We invested more time into some overdubs and treatments, and managed to channel more colours and ideas into the record. ![]()
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ASAF SIRKIS (drums) ![]()
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Playing with the TRUCE trio has always been an ‘in the flow’ musical experience for me. As a drummer, I’ve enjoyed a certain freedom of expression unlike any other band I’ve played in! I believe that, to a large degree, this is due to the trio’s sympathetic way of playing together as well as each of the musician's serious dedication and honest and organic contribution to the music. Compared to our first album, TRUCE 2 has been a journey of discovery. How can we go to places we haven’t been before? Is the question that was often raised while we where recording this album. That exploration has been been both intense and rewarding and I hope you'll enjoy this musical journey with us. ![]()
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STEFANO CASTAGNA (recording engineer, mixing and mastering engineer) ![]()
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I was flattered by the request of the band and their label to intervene in the post-production, mixing and mastering of their second album which was recorded in my studio, and I immediately thought that the best thing to do could be to press the accelerator, which, in some respects, connects me to a period in which rock merged with the concepts of improvisation without necessarily falling into the formalities of jazz. ![]()
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From a technical point of view, all recordings were made digitally in the 24/96 format. For post production and mixing, the computer and some digital solutions were used for those indispensable aspects, but in essence the work was mainly carried out in an analog environment using physical hardware. I have always believed that music has more expressive possibilities when the mixing follows certain criteria of greater involvement of human action. Often the mixes were "performed" in real time and without automation, trying to keep the philosophy of improvisation unchanged, in my opinion the strong point of all this work. ![]()
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LEONARDO PAVKOVIC (record producer, enabler) ![]()
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When I suggested to Markus Reuter to record a power trio album in which he can be the protagonist and ferocious soloist, he immediately accepted the challenge and he couldn’t say no to my suggestion to count on our mutually favorite drummers, Asaf Sirkis. Markus ’choice for the bass position was reserved for his old pal and collaborator for over 2 decades, Fabio Trentini. I love the ideas of power trios. Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, ELP, Rush, The Police, King’s X, Stick Men are some of the greatest and favorite rock trios. MoonJune Records has different trio set ups on its label roster, some of them including Markus Reuter (‘Lighthouse’ with Mark Wingfield and Asaf Sirkis; and ’ShapeShifters’ with Tim Motzer and Kenny Grohowski). Markus Reuter and Asaf Sirkis are two omnipresent ‘moonjunistas’, two artists who released more albums on their own or in various projects than anyone else. I truly believe that all three of us have grown together: my label has grown thanks to them, releasing some outstanding music which feature their immense multi-dimensional and genre-crossing talent, and they both grown musically, embracing new challenges and conquering new sonic dimensions with exemplary new and innovative music. Easily, two of my all time favorite musicians and dear friends and companions on various tours and recording sessions around the globe. producer and bass maestro from the Italian Dolomite Alps, Fabio Trentini, is a newcomer in the 'moonjunista' world, and I am sure there will be new opportunities to make some more great music together in the near future, whenever and wherever that future is.
Lesson #017: Shawn’s end-of-year goals with Markus Reuter and Shawn Crowder![]()
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youtu.be/gbLSvqb3rb4![]()
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#touchguitars #markusreuter #shawncrowder #touchguitarcircle
Shawn's end-of-year goals (Touch Guitar Lesson 017 with Shawn Crowder)
youtu.be
This is an ongoing series of lessons covering the "touch technique" (for Touch Guitar, Warr Guitar, Chapman Stick, etc.) as decoded and taught by me. Contact...
Please vote in PROG’s READERS POLL 2021.![]()
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More info ![]()
loudersound.com/news/vote-in-the-2021-prog-magazine-readers-poll![]()
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To cast your votes you can e-mail your choices using the subject line ‘Readers’ Poll 2021’ to this email: prog@futurenet.com![]()
Closing date for entries is December 6.![]()
Please do not forget the subject line an create a brand new clean email without text or email forward.![]()
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PROG’S UNSUNG HERO![]()
suggestion: LEONARDO PAVKOVIC![]()
(There is no category: LABEL OF THE YEAR - MoonJune operated by one-man-only Leonardo Pavkovic, is celebrating 20th anniversary in 2021; scroll down for more info)![]()
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PROG PERSON OF THE YEAR![]()
suggestion: PERCY JONES![]()
(I strongly urge all MoonJune fans and supporters to vote for Uncle Percy, who after disappointments of all sorts with his own/former band Brand X is experiencing a personal renaissance being in 3 active bands; PAKT, MJ12 and newly formed BOX OF NOISE)![]()
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And here below are categories to vote, including all what matters in the MoonJune World in 2021. Have to be impartial, except that I vividly suggest that Percy Jones gets much more attention, which he fully deserves, due to some inconveniences which have nothing to do with his unassuming sweet, great, fair and truly honest personality, and his loyalty to one of his dearest friends, who sadly had to depart to a parallel universe.![]()
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BEST BAND![]()
suggestions: PAKT, MAHOGANY FROG![]()
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ALBUM OF THE YEAR![]()
suggestions (MJRs 2021 releases):![]()
BELEDO - Seriously Deep![]()
PAKT - PAKT![]()
ASAF SIRKIS - Solar Flash![]()
DEWA BUDJANA - Naurora![]()
STEPHAN THELEN - Fractal Guitar 2![]()
DENNIS REA - Giant Steppes![]()
MAHOGANY FROG - In The Electric Universe![]()
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FEMALE VOCALIST![]()
suggestions: SYLWIA BIALAS, KEAROMA RANTAO![]()
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MALE VOCALIST![]()
suggestions: BORIS SAVOLDELLI![]()
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GUITARIST![]()
suggestions: BELEDO, DEWA BUDJANA, ALEX SKOLNICK, TIM MOTZER, STEPHAN THELEN, MARKUS REUTER, DAVID TORN, DENNIS REA, GRAHAM EPP, JESSIE WARKENTIN![]()
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BASSIST![]()
suggestions: PERCY JONES, TONY LEVIN![]()
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KEYBOARDIST![]()
suggestions: GARY HUSBAND, GRAHAM EPP, JESSIE WARKENTIN, PETE LEVIN, BELEDO![]()
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DRUMMER![]()
suggestions: KENNY GROHOWSKI, ASAF SIRKIS, GARY HUSBAND, MANUEL PASQUINELLI![]()
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Beledo, PAKT feat. Percy Jones, Alex Skolnick, Kenny Grohowski, Tim Motzer, MoonJune Records, MoonJune Music, Alex Skolnick, Alex N Skolnick, Alex Skolnick, Alex Skolnick Trio Official Group, Alex Skolnick Trio, Kenny Grohowski, Kenny Grohowski, Tony Levin, Tony Levin Official Page, Markus Reuter, Markus Reuter, Touch Guitar Circle, Stephan Thelen, Manuel Pasquinelli, David Torn, Asaf Sirkis, Asaf Sirkis Music, Dewa Budjana - Official, Dewa Budjana, Dewa Budjana, Dewa Budjana, Dennis Rea, Stephan Thelen, MahoganyFrog, Jesse Warkentin, Graham Epp, Gary Husband, Gary Husband, Gary Husband Piano Page, Sylwia Bialas, Kearoma Rantao, BORIS SAVOLDELLI, Boris Savoldelli Due, Boris Savoldelli, Bele Beledo, Pete Levin, Prog.
Lesson #016: Roll Groups and Interdependence with Markus Reuter and Shawn Crowder![]()
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnsUVPu1OIQ![]()
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#touchguitars #MarkusReuter #shawncrowder #TouchGuitarCircle
Roll Groups and Interdependence (Touch Guitar Lesson 016 with Shawn Crowder)
www.youtube.com
This is an ongoing series of lessons covering the "touch technique" (for Touch Guitar, Warr Guitar, Chapman Stick, etc.) as decoded and taught by me. Contact...