Hi Callum,
I have watched the video, and two things come to mind.
Firstly, and this is in no way a criticism, the guitar was out of tune. If you are posting your work on YouTube for all to see, it would pay to make sure that the ‘performance’ was as good as possible - who knows what the future might hold :smile:
Secondly, don’t upset your sister. Even sitting down with a squashed diaphragm, her voice was good - given her obvious youth, it can only get better, if she works at it. You might very well need a singer if you form a band, so keep her sweet :smile:
The guitar looked and sounded good, I bet you couldn’t buy one as good, for the cost of the build. Without wishing to be ageist or rude, you are obviously very young in comparison with the majority of members of this forum. To have achieved what you have on your own, with only the aid of a book is very impressive. I take my ‘electronic’ hat off to you. If this is your first foray into woodwork, don’t give up, you have an obvious talent.
As to my taste in music, my first influences were folk and blues artists. Given our vast difference in age (I’m just 65), you probably won't have heard of most of them as they were black, blind, and mostly, dead when I was your age :shock:
People like, Blind Blake, Rev Gary Davis, Blind boy Fuller, Bill Broonzy, Robert Johnson, to name just a few.
I also have a liking for Flamenco and classical guitar, so, Paco Pena, Julian Bream and John Williams.
I can't forget, in the swing/jazz world, Django Reinhardt, this long dead gent has to be listened to with the thought that he only had two usable fingers, as a result of a caravan fire....stunning.
The modern blues/ragtime person that I sat in the front row of clubs and watched, with my eyes glued to the fingerboard, was Stefan Grossman. He was taught by the Rev Gary Davis, a blind street preacher who also played blues and ragtime; I actually got to see him just before he died, and at 72 ish, he could still charm an audience with that much overused word, charisma. He must have been amazing at his peak.
Please find below, Stefan Grossman in 1981, playing Mississippi Blues - and talking. I can play it, but I’m blowed if I could talk as well.
The second, is Stefan as he is now...like me, an old git with a bald head. But...he is a good teacher. Have a look on the Tube at some of his teaching videos, you might find them interesting. Like the Oud - it is something new to listen to, to widen your experience of the wonderful world of music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91u_0PccY4c Mississippi Blues - Willie Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz0LJPRLMKU Shuffle rag - Bill Broonzy
I hope that I have not bored the pants off you with all this, but as you can see, the enthusiasm for music, and guitar is still strong in my heart. The day that a well played guitar doesn’t quicken my pulse....I’ll be dead :smile:
Have a listen to the above and let me know what you think, I might be older than your dad, but I am still interested.
Regards...Dick.
Oops I forgot to mention, yes I have two Ouds, one I found in a junk shop, and the other was bought by my daughter, in Tripoli, Libya...err two years ago.
