66 Sax

Rosalita - Fender Stratocaster MZ5204006

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:02:08 PST

I got in almost an hour of practice today; what I call giving Rosie a ring. Mostly a few chord progressions I know and some scale exercises.

I found a teacher, too, a fellow named John Ross. His guitar is named Judy, like my Mom. I just found that out today, which is appropriate.

Rock on!

66 Sax: On Wall Street...(Sax Track)

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 06:43:43 PDT

On Wall Street...

http://www.archive.org/download/OnWallStreet/OnWallStreet.mp3

Did you see Tony Baloney?
Did you see their crying faces?
Did you see freedom of speech,
Freedom of face,
Up against a car,
Freedom of neck,
Kneed onto hard blacktop?

Did you see orange,
Pretending to be red white and blue?

Have you heard yet?
Don't worry,
They'll get around to coming for you.

Just sit there,
Just sit tight,
Just zone into TV,
Every night.

The aliens already took over,
If they took you to their leader,
you'd wind up on Wall Street.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 10/01/2011

In support of the Occupy Wall Street protests going on around the world.
http://www.occupytogether.org/

66 Sax: Shaman's Trek - New Song (Instrumental)

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:10:28 PDT

http://www.archive.org/download/ShamansTrek/Shamans-Trek.mp3

New Age Blues Sax - Tenor sax, Audacity echo-effect, pin-can percussion, C-harmonica, low-octave tenor sax overlay. This tune has a haunting yet smooth effect, like walking on a misty night in the fall.

Play on, and thank you for listening.

Dan

PS - poetry to go with the track:

Night Of The Pumpkin Mystic...

Walking the Hollowed Hills on a thin-misted night,
Stars glitter in and out of view,
Shadowed trees reach dark limbs,
Leaves rustle underfoot,
Dried grasses rustle the soft breeze,
Chills tingle spine,
Steps beat time,
Entranced,
Treading to the Underworld,
The place of pumpkins and candle smoke,
Where a faded flower dwells,
Seeking whispers and secrets,
Seeking the roots of time.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 09/24/2011

Side note:

Kind of interesting how I did this track - I used a program called Audacity, which is free online. The program has numerous effects, and can record numerous multiple instrument tracks. There are actually two tenor saxophone tracks, a c-harmonica track, and a "pin-can" percussion track. (Meaning that the percussion is literally an empty paint can full of colored plastic stick-pins.) I went through and cleared noise and adjusted volume level on each track, then added echo to the high-octave sax track. The result, as you can hear, comes out kind of "spacey" and yet smooth. I'm planning to start practicing some traditional Christmas songs soon, then I'll try doing some effects to spice it up, and see how it goes.

Is There A 'Noise Ordinance' That Prohibits Musical Instrument Practice On DuPage County Forest Preserve Property?

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:32:11 PDT

I asked because I was practicing at Hidden Lake at 10am this morning, and the Forest Preserve Police ordered me to stop, saying he thought he would be called with a complaint.

I've been practicing there in the mornings because I live in a condo building. I'm trying to be considerate of my neighbors, and there's nowhere else I know of to go.

Since I'm probably not the only person with this issue, I'm going to ask the county Forest Preserve board for policy clarification on this. I may also ask if they can specify a preserve location for this purpose.

I would love to hear from anyone with knowledge on this subject.

Regards,

Dan Stafford
York 112 Precinct Committeeman
York Township,
DuPage County, Illinois

66 Sax: Pics of Bello

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:24:06 PDT

Bello - Serial Number

Bello fully-assembled and out of the case.

Bello - "Bundy" engraving on the bell.

Click on any of these pictures to view them full-sized.

66 Sax: Autumn Night - New Age Blues Sax

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:28:13 PDT

http://www.archive.org/download/AutumnNight/Autumn_Night.mp3

(C-harmonica, tenor saxophone, hand percussion) Simple, basic, sultry, soulful. Picture yourself on a clear Autumn night by a fire, watching the stars, hearing the sounds of nature all around you. Just you, and the wide-open, cool and crisp Universe.

Love that sax,

Dan

66 Sax: Chicago WNUA 87.7 FM Smooth Jazz...love it!

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:21:58 PDT

You can check out their stream here: http://www.smoothjazznow.com/radio/chicago_wnua.htm

A fresh breath of brass and reed...

Dan

66 Sax: I Was Out In The Park Wailin' On Bello...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:04:48 PDT

...for about 40 minutes this morning.

Beautiful. Cloudless day and lush green park with a walking path 'round the pond.

The notes seemed to float out pretty sweet. You just can't miss a chance like that.

Play on,

Dan

Saxophone Season Is Fast Approaching...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:21:14 PDT

Due to the fact that I live in a condominium, I'm pretty much relegated to playing outdoors. Being in the Chicago area, that means in the late Spring, Summer, and early Autumn. The brass gets too cold for extended playing in the cold season here.

We're in the 50's Fahrenheit here this week. Once we're solidly in the 60's, I'll start bringing Bello with me and playing at the park or in the parking ramp again for the season. I'm really looking forward to it this year!

Rock on,

Dan

I Met An Alto Player...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:11:59 PDT

...named Tom over at the Danada Borders. He was practising outside by the store; it sounded great, so I walked over & said hi. We were exchanging tecniques and background stories, it was a lot of fun.

Tom, if you stop by the blog, welcome. It might be fun to practise together sometime.

Dan

About "Blues Cruise By The Dashboard Lights" Sax Track...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:05:22 PDT

This track is strictly the un-accompanied instrument, and I think it's one of the prettiest I've done yet. The only embellishment is a bit of echo effect. ( 0.3 second delay with 0.25 second decay) The track was created using Audacity 1.3 Beta. I also kept a copy that is echo-free. I did use the Audacity noise-removal tool to clean the hiss out of the track. The photo is actually the dashboard gauges of my 2007 Dodge Dakota pickup truck at night. I've always loved the soft blue glow of the dashboard in this vehicle, it's one of my favorite things about it.

Thank you for listening!

Dan

Blues Cruise By The Dashboard Lights...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:33:15 PDT

Blues Cruise By The Dashboard Lights...

Tenor Sax solo for poem (3-minutes, 19-seconds MP3)

I'm rolling down the highway in my mind,
Even at zero,
Put the Satellite on channel seventy-four,
BB's Bluesville station,
Let that harp wail,
The night is graced by Aurora Borealis,
Twinkling stars and old memories.

The guitar leads me down memory lane,
An old friend or two I'd not mind a minute with,
A gal I wish I could catch up with just to see,
How did life turn out, Tree?

I hear the saxophone down low under it all,
At the root of the world,
Maybe low C,
And I get lost in time as street lights roll by.

The windows are down and summer glorious,
I turn up the volume as I roll into the city,
Blues City,
Chicago,
Big Windy,
All the better to push my reed.

So long Sister Blue,
The stars are winking,
It'll all be alright,
I'm cruisin' the Blues tonight.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 08/06/2010

Blue Earth Blues Sax

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:33:59 PDT

Blue Earth...

This is a spoken-word-to-music creation of mine in celebration of Earth, Love, spirit, and Human potential. It has an other-worldly sound quality to it, but I've gotten a good bit better with the sax, and it's pretty smooth here. I'd suggest reading the lyrics, then closing your eyes to listen. It's a bit meditational, too. I call the genre "New Age Blues."

The below file is the MP3 audio version. I performed the saxophone, harmonica, percussion, and vocals, and wrote the lyrics. The song was mixed and edited using Audacity 1.3 Beta. (Free download at: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

http://www.archive.org/download/BlueEarthBluesSax/Blue_Earth.mp3

Written lyrics are below:

Blue Earth...

The Heart of the world,
Can be heard in the rush,
Of ocean waves,
In the rustling spirit,
Of wind in the tree leaves and grass.

The heart of the world can be seen,
In the softness of your lover's eyes,
In the flight of a bird,
Across lightly-clouded skies,
Past the snow of a mountain peak.

The heart of the world can be felt,
In the beat of your lover's heart,
Where you lay your head,
In the smile of your child's discovery,
Of the colors of butterflies,
Atop waving dandelion heads.

This gift - our lives Mother,
This joy and dance and race,
We hold her in the palms of our hands,
Tenderly or rough our touch,
The choice is no longer ignorant.

The heart of the world beats,
In every step we take,
Every act we make,
The slightest thing we do,
Like ants that could fell a tree.

The heart of the world is our crossroad,
Every one of us walks into a future,
Something we endlessly paint,
Brushes coarse and fine,
We're the foundation to the next layer.

When the spirit of love,
Matches and mates with the sense,
Of common sense survival,
Then the future is won,
Conflict dissolves,
We have what we need.

We have this world,
We have each other,
We have each creature,
Sustaining both,
We love it all,
And it all loves us,
In its timeless fashion.

Our heart is with the world,
And the world is then with us,
Opening the Universe's heart,
All the potential we could ever need,
As far as any eye we create,
Could ever lovingly see.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 07/31/2010

A Note On Learning Musical Instruments...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:35:32 PST

This is a brief excerpt of a conversation on this subject that can be found here:
http://mysticmuse.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Chat&thread=1267&page=1

Well, the sax is a lovely beast. If you're playing an instrument, it gives you a personal knowledge of the way it takes time and repetition to gain mastery.

With the saxophone, it's difficult to play if the ambient air temperature gets too cold, because it's metal and the instrument gets cold, stiffening your fingers up. This is vastly important, because there is no volume control on a saxophone. That means you can't do repetitive practice indoors if other people are around - such as condo and apartment buildings - without bugging your neighbors. I tend to practice outside a lot, at parks and such.

All these facts make it very difficult to get in practice time during the winter. I go weeks sometimes in the cold months without being able to play, so that first day it goes above 60 degrees F, it is a treasure.

Playing the sax also requires fine control of the reed. How much pressure you put on it. When to let your tongue touch it. You can bend or stop notes and shift octaves higher or lower by the way you control the reed. You can also get a raspy vibrato effect by rattling your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind the reed, like when rolling your R's in speaking Spanish.

Of course, fingering the keys is just as critical. How abrupt you are moving from key to key, how fast you raise and lower the keys, all of it matters.

Once you learn to blend the mastery of the reed with the mastery of the keys, you can finally make the instrument your second voice - and then seriously consider being able to play music in proper time. Then comes expanding your range by practicing endless varieties of transitions and timing from note to note to note.

It's a growth-by-inches process and both daunting and wonderful.

I've also started learning guitar for times when I feel like I'm stuck in a rut with the sax. It also gives me another option in winter. I have a really nice Fender Stratocaster that's got a red body, white pick guard, and rosewood neck. It plays beautifully. Coincidentally, it requires blending two skills to play as well. The left and right hands must be doing two very, very different tasks that must be perfectly blended together to create the finished work. Being electric, you can also modify the sound in many, many ways.

Finally, I've learned that no matter the instrument, finesse is every bit as important as strength - and you can only gain the finesse through practice after you first build up the strength.

The key is to put in time daily. Even 15-20 minutes a day will help.

Where to purchase my album Earthlife, or individual songs

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:27:24 PST

Dan Stafford, Earthlife

New Age Blues tenor saxophone

	Dan Stafford, Earthlife (entire CD mp3)		USD $9.99
	Pachamama Prayer		USD $0.99
	Late Summer Harmony		USD $0.99
	Sparklers		USD $0.99
	Sunrise On the Road		USD $0.99
	Twilight		USD $0.99
	By Starlight		USD $0.99
	Sunlight in August		USD $0.99
	Night Owl		USD $0.99
	Natural Rythm Version 2		USD $0.99

Go to the purchase page

Night Fire Circle

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:35:57 PDT

http://www.archive.org/download/NightFireCircle2/Night_Fire_Circle.mp3

Bello, live percussion, digital effects. Haunting.

Thank you for listening!

Dan

Night Bird...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:36:25 PDT

http://www.archive.org/download/NightBird_670/10-15-09-Night-Bird-001.mp3

A little bit of evening practice fun with Bello.

Thank You for listening.

Dan

10-09-2009 Practice Session 01

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:11:18 PDT

A little practice with Bello. I can hear myself making minor incremental improvements. I'm still looking for a breakthrough in style, though.

http://www.archive.org/download/DanStafford10-09-2009PracticeSession/10-09-2009-001_Practice-session_DS.mp3

Thank You for listening,

Dan

I had Bello out at the park the last couple of evenings...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:59:55 PDT

...and I played righteous as the Sun was going low in the sky.

I'm starting to get a better feel for smaller and more fluid movements of the keys, and believe it or not, finer-yet control of the reed. I learned a new vocal effect that puts an emotional, trembling warble in my sax's voice.

It's getting pretty chilly out in the evenings now, though. It won't be long until I'm stuck indoors.

Being indoors presents serious challenges now. I'm living in a high-rise condo buildin; last winter I was in a house. There's a third person now too. On top of it all, my hours have changed at work.

Also, my pocket recorder died. I'll have to figure out how to record with my phone.

Anyway, it's bed-time.

Thank You for reading & listening.

Dan

High Summer On Herrick Lake...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:16:40 PDT

The sky is a cloudless seventy five and sweet.

The breezes soft as a baby's kiss,
The grasses dance slow,
Slow and sultry and tall.

People are all around and reverent,
Walking dogs,
Rowing boats and canoes,
Fishing,
Throwing frisbees,
Lying in dappled shade holding hands.

The leather and wood I carry is essential,
Almost as old as I am,
Somewhat battered and serviceable,
Beauty inside waiting.

I find an old picnic table in the shade,
Down at the far end of the lake,
I can scent the green and mirror water,
Dragon flies dancing over sparkling rowboat wakes.

Everything is green and light,
Faint hints of Summer's yellow end barely showing.

I pull the golden brass from its case,
And through me Bello sings.

Clear as water and bright,
The notes drift out over the lake,
Easy and mellow,
The reed sings to all its cousins,
"I am alive!"

I bring the notes down low and rumbling,
A deference to Thunder that's left us all this grceful peace,
Then push for the ragged edge of harmonics,
As close to chords as a saxophone gets.

Young children stare in delighted surprise and wonder,
Parents smile and walk slower.

People smile in passing,
I play and play,
One of the last bright Sundays of Summer languidly passing by.

If this is not church and worship and thank-you to God,
I am lost and deaf and blind,
No more so than sources of dispute.

I roll gently through the deep and soft notes of my ending song,
Disassemble,
Close the case,
Walk back to the yellow truck.

A fine cigar and chair are waiting,
Coffee and the songs of frogs and cicadas.

September is sweet,
At peace,
A piece of forever.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 09/13/2009

Condo Living & Work Schedule Change...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:46:11 PDT

...Are kicking my butt on sax practice. Once a week isn't cutting it, too much loss of facial muscle tone. I'm going to have to work on this.

The guitar practice is going much easier, almost every day. It's easy not to disturb anyone with an electric and an amp sporting a headphone jack. I had to get an extension cable for the walkman headpones and a 1/8th to 1/4" jack adapter, but it works.

I guess you have to call that "postus interruptus." I was inspired to write all of you a note after reading Premier Guitar for an hour, but Honey was suddenly done with the bookstore.

At any rate, I'm going to go give Rosie a ring and practice that mofo F-chord. Tomorrow, I'm taking Bello outside. It's supposed to be beautiful all weekend.

Speaking of which, have a lovely weekend yourselves, and thank you for reading and listening.

Dan

Yeah, I bought a guitar...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:35:44 PDT

I seem to keep finding myself getting in a rut with the sax after a week or two, and having a few days' break from it seems to help me break through.

So here's the deal - I play Bello for awhile, then give Rosie a ring, and back & forth it goes. I've always loved sax and guitar, so these two will fill me up and fill me out as a musician. At least that's what I believe.

Thanks for reading and listening.

Dan

Gonna Give Rosie A Ring...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:32:03 PDT

Gonna Give Rosie A Ring...		[-]
Posts: 3047 (08/29/09 07:40:25) Moderator Reply Quote Edit Del More My Recent Posts Show/Hide User's Posts Hide	Gonna Give Rosie A Ring... Ah, Sweet mornin' glowing bright and true, Gonna give Rosie a ring, Sweet-playing thang, Gonna give Rosie a ring. If the day comes when I'm feelin' down n' blue, Gonna give Rosie a ring, All six strings, Give Rosie a ring. Playin' true in the morning, Strummin' happy by evenin', Even if I can barely sing, Just gonna give Rosie a ring. Someday I'll play so fine, Happy up on cloud nine, All because I gave Rosie a ring, Sweet-playin' thang, Just gonna give Rosie a ring. And when Heaven calls, Won't need no harp in the Angel halls, No, Just gonna give - give Rosie a ring, Lord, let me give Rosie a ring. Aahaaaa, Yeah, Give Rosie a ring. AquarianM By: Daniel A. Stafford (C) 08/29/2009 Words are the mind's bridge - it's connection to all the universe. Love is the heart's bridge - it's connection to all other souls. Loving words can work miracles. All of my currently available poetry Chapbooks are for sale at: www.lulu.com/Daniel-Stafford

Candy Apple Strat...

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:30:34 PDT

Candy Apple Strat...		[-]
Posts: 3041 (08/27/09 22:13:58) Moderator Reply Quote Edit Del More My Recent Posts Show/Hide User's Posts Hide	Candy Apple Strat... Twang! I can feel a little heat off the amp, It's like a Christmas bulb in my eyes, Pretty and hot. I've waited for years and later finally came, I can hear it screaming sweet in my head, Waiting for release. Slow steady work finally located Rome, Now for the years to build it, Not starting a day too late. I can feel all my legends buzzing under my skin, If I can play anything they invented I'll be thrilled, Finding joy in a burst of song. Glory days don't have to pass you by. AquarianM By: Daniel A. Stafford (C) 08/28/2009 Author's Note: I bought a Mexican-made used Fender Stratocaster on eBay, the guitar you see pictured here. She's in mint condition and plays like a dream. Candy Apple Red with a rosewood fretboard. I'm thinking to call her Rosie. I have a lot of learning to do - I'm also wanting to learn to repair guitars on the side. No, I have not given up the sax - but at times I get in a rut with it and have to put it down for a few days. I've wanted one of these for 20 years - so now I can alternate between the two. Words are the mind's bridge - it's connection to all the universe. Love is the heart's bridge - it's connection to all other souls. Loving words can work miracles. All of my currently available poetry Chapbooks are for sale at: www.lulu.com/Daniel-Stafford Blessings, peace, and prosperity to All.

Duck Walk

aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (Dan Stafford) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 01:38:02 PDT

An interesting concept that just popped into my head. It took me a bit to figure out the fingering. The second sax is, of course, me overdubbed as a second recording track.

I call it "Duck Walk" because of the bass track.

Thank you for listening!

Dan

http://www.archive.org/download/DuckWalk_547/Duck-Walk.mp3