Hand Made Music AFG CD
 

Thanks to JR for a give-away copy of the new AGF CD “Hand Made Music.” I received it yesterday but didn’t get to listen to it until today. WOW! This is an incredible CD!

I didn’t realize what the CD was about before receiving it. All of the tracks feature hand made guitars from AGF sponsors. The tracks are by some of AGF’s best players and is nothing short of awesome and inspiring fingerstyle playing. Not only is the playing fantastic, but the differences between handmade guitars are very interesting. It is not that one sounds better than another, but they are quite different, more than I would have suspected. So, if you have ever wondered how a Woolson sounds compared to a Paragon or a Santa Cruz, or how a Kragenbrink compares to a McKnight, then you need to get this CD! Wonderful music and guitars!! I want them all!!!

Thank you, JR, not only for my CD copy, but for pulling it all together for us guitar lovers!

GAS like you couldn't believe.

If I donate multiples of $5, can I get multiple copies? Thanks!:)

a thought about comparing guitar sounds on Hand Made...
 

Glad everyone's enjoying this disc as much as I am, and thanks again to JR and Steve for making it so sweet (and for including yours truly).

It occurs to me to mention one listening note that I've been noodling on. Unlike (the few) other CDs built around a similar idea - notably Tony McManus's recent Maker's Mark and Al Petteway's Dream Guitars I - the tracks on Hand Made Music were all recorded in different studio settings (mostly home studios, I expect, though I know of a couple exceptions). Different rooms, different mikes and pres, etc. I'll bet the intrinsic sounds of each builder's guitar come through despite that fact, but it makes strict A/B comparisons complicated.

ALL the tracks sound really good, IMHO - it's not a question of quality at all, just an interesting (to me, at least) added dimension to the CD. It's important that we had such a capable mastering engineer at the helm to integrate it all, and kudos to Steve Reinthal for tackling that challenge. Not everyone would relish the idea of putting together a single jigsaw puzzle from such disparate parts!

Cool CD and I'm very proud to have been part of it. ;)

For the record, my piece was played on a 1982 Brazilian/Sitka Dread cutaway made by Richard Hoover himself. It is not the Fire Fly listed in the notes.

I am proud to be included with all the other fine pickers, whose work I find awe inspiring.

Matt

Excellent point Mr. Hamlin! Perhaps the thing that makes this CD so special is this difference in rooms, mics , etc.

Absolutely agreed!! Hats off and mugs high for the whiz kid from down under. Steve has patience, great ears, and tons of talent!

Definitely cool to be included.
I am sure all of us would like to express our gratitude to the luthiers who hooked the players up with incredible instruments. You people rock!

P.S. If anyone is interested I made a video to promote the McKnight Guitars and the CD. Click on either the video link or webiste link in my signature to take a look.

Feste, your Bleak December via Mcilroy is unreal- nice one.:)

I'll be looking forward to my copy. :)

Wow! That was great! And man what a great looking and sounding guitar.

My charter membership is ending in ten days.... just renewed it...
looking forward to the CD... =)

JR this is a brilliant effort by you and all others concerned. I have just become a charter memeber, and paid a bit extra to help cover postage to Australia. Happy for you to send it sea mail and save some $$ for the next CD!

I thought that was pretty impressive for a small guitar :)
Enjoyed your tune.

Thanks for the kind words. Doug is a great musician and a wonderful person. I was truly honored and humbled to work with him on this. He took my pile of wood and made it sing. :)

Don,

Thanks for posting that Doug Young video... Very nice!

- Glenn

There is some great playing on this cd.. listening to the tonality of some of the AGF Luthier guitars really gives me a feel for their work.. very cool.. It would be enlightning to hear/play ALL of our AGF Luthier built guitars in one place ... Maybe a show in the midwest ...

Handmade Music
 

It's great to see that so many are enjoying this CD and thanks for all the kind words.

Compiling this disc was a really enjoyable experience, communicating with J.R., the luthiers and the performers, watching it all slowly come together and then the mastering.

We wanted to create a balanced sounding album whilst retaining the sonic individuality of each of the guitars and the dynamic range of the performances.
It seems to have worked quite well.

There is a lot of diversity in the compositional and playing styles from track to track but they all flow easily from one to the next. I'm sure this is largely due to the quality of the instruments and the strength of the performances.

A side note for anyone that may not know is that the whole album was created "in the ether".
All of the tracks were submitted via email to Australia, edited and mastered here and then, along with the artwork, emailed back to J.R. for submission to the manufacturers.

I'd really like to thank all the artists again, chippies and pluckers, for being a part of this project and contributing their art and time so willingly.
And thanks again to J.R. Rogers for the opportunity to be a part of all this in the first place.

Steve Reinthal

This is really a stellar effort. I enjoyed the music immensely and appreciate the work of everyone involved.

Bill

Got my CD in the mail yesterday. I really enjoyed listening to it and will play it again tonight.

The pick with the AGF emblem (?) was also cool! :)

Just wanted to say how pleased I was to be part of the "Hand Made Music"
project. The Composition "Lillooet" is in G tuning (DGDGBD) and "If I Could"
is in Csus (CGCGCF). When I play the steel string I use a Dunlop Jazz 111
and three fingerpicks. when I play the classical I use the traditional pima
technique. Thanks to AGF for including myself and Dennis Kwasnycia's
great guitars!!

Just received my copy, plus CD #3. Thanks very much JR, I am enjoying this
already as I type!

Col

Just finished my first listen ... fantastic!!!! Congrats to all the performers and others who made this CD happen.

just wondering.. are there gonna be tabs/instructionals?

be pretty cool to learn the favorite songs

I haven't tabbed out "The Great Migration" as yet but will post a link if/when I get off my butt and do it. Planning to at least record a video of it, if nothing else. Tuning is CGCGCD.

Don't know if mine is a favorite of yours but the tab for "Three Steps To Joy" I have made available here http://www.dcoombsguitar.com/Download1.html

Hi Rick/Derek

I just realised that you both were the same person!
It's a lovely tune, well played and a great opener for the CD.

Thanks for being on it.

Steve

Thanks Steve. I am glad Paul Woolson asked me to contribute.

Hi Derek:
Yes your 1st song is my favorite! I'm so glad that you share the tab with us 'cause I want to learn it myself!:)

Just joined the AGF as a charter member and was thrilled to receive Hand Made Music as well as #1 aand #2 in the mail today! Thanks J.R.!

I just put up tab for my Wildwood Flower arrangement:

http://www.dougyoungguitar.com/tabs.php

Nice. Thanks, Doug!

JR