Introduce Yourself : Hello it's me by Linwood Bell

Appreciate all you bring to the community, Linwood. Leading by example!

Thanks, RB. I look forward to the day I shake your hand.

Linwood Bell I absolutely love your music reel. I'll have to start following the composing lounge and see what's happening. Hope you have an awesome Father's Day!

Thanks, Leo! Come on in there and hang out and share some of your stuff. Father's Day will be a nice one. My son has been on vacation in Australia and gets in tonight @10 and he and my daughter and the grandkids will come over for a feast. I'm hoping Gina makes me that strawberry cake of hers. :)

Hope you have a great Father's Day and get a lotta gifts, Linwood Bell.

We'll make that happen, my friend.

Linwood Bell That sounds like a glorious Father’s Day. We’ll be going out for an early dinner and then catching “The Flash”. Save me a piece of that strawberry cake though.

That's a given Maurice Vaughan. These kids know what Pop likes. I'm very lucky. My children and grandchildren all live close. I can almost throw a rock and hit their houses from here. And my children are all creative types...so much so that it's hard sometimes to relate to others in the neighborhood. lol

That sounds fantastic, Leonardo! I got a piece with your name on it and coffee on.

Linwood Bell Nice! Be right over!

Leonardo Ramirez Being a musician, you might get a kick out of this. Just goes to show how nice some people are. On that reel of mine (it needs an update) probably the thing on there that meant the most to me was that Graham Nash gig. They called and asked if I could do 2 charts for him for this concert. They had 2 other arrangers working on it, as well. They asked me if there was anything that I'd really like to do for him. I asked if there was any way if I could do something off his first solo record "Songs For Beginners". So one of the tunes I did for him was "Simple Man". So, fast forward 6 months after that gig....there's a knock at my front door and it's UPS with a box. I had no idea what it was. I open it and find....

"My children and grandchildren all live close. I can almost throw a rock and hit their houses from here." Haha, Linwood Bell. You just gave me an idea for a script. It's a Dramedy though, so I probably won't write it. But who knows.

Linwood Bell Just..wow. That speaks volumes. You made quite the impression. Definitely one for the wall. That's a great memory. I'm glad you shared this AND invited me to the composing lounge. That will help get me encouraged to play the piano more. I enjoy working with composers but I had always wanted to come up with just theme to a production from a screenplay I've written. And your story is a great motivator.

I wish the chart looked better!! I had maybe 48 hours and the conductor told me to put as many bars on the conductors score as I could. I was hoping someone on the other end would pretty it up, but none of us had any time. I had to do that and Just A Song Before I Go. Quick turnaround. That's the gig. Yes! Play more...more piano, more guitar, whatever. I'm sitting at my keyboard now and there's also 3 harmonicas on it. I drive Linda nuts all day.I don't know how she puts up with it. Like today I'm doing a jingle for a Mexican restaurant....same :29secs over and over and over all freaking day, baby!!

Let's see I have an acoustic yamaha, a Pearl cajon, an electric Jackson DX and a Radio Shack keyboard that I run through GarageBand. Yes, you heard that last one right. I know that sounds pitiful but hey, baby steps, right? GB has a Steinway patch that actually sounds decent enough to sooth the soul. :o) I've been eyeing LogicPro. And yes, I have a harmonica because love is in the air. And doubly yes, Linda is a keeper!

Lindwood, thank you for all your contributions to the Stage 32 community, your insight is valued! As a composer what are some of your favorite instruments to play?

Hi Amanda! Thanks for chiming in. Most of the time I’m on some sort of keyboard. I just finished rebuilding a Fender Rhodes elec. piano from the ’70’s and I’m lovin’ that. Takes me back and it’s like a conversation with an old friend. Then I have a few analog synths that I enjoy. I’m sitting at a controller all day that I play virtual instruments in the computer and that’s where I get pianos and orchestra type things going. I also have a few guitars in here. I can play them on thing’s that aren’t harmonically challenging. It’s gotta be easy stuff for me on guitar. And then…I’m kind of a frustrated chromatic harmonica player. I enjoy playing it and it takes me forever to lay down a track on the thing. It’s relatively new for me. Here….I’ll blow for ya….

www.linwoodbell.com/clientdownloads/Alfie.mp3

Leo, you got all you need. You can make some noise with that setup.

I have! It helps in the creative process. Whenever I hit a writing wall, I swivel my chair and hit the keys. It really does help!

Oh yeah...sometimes I'll midi through to Omnishpere and I'm gone for a hour or two.

Thanks for the invitation to look around. Have a wonderful Father's Day!

Hi Bruce and Lois!! Thank you both so much and I look forward to having you in the lounge. It'll be nice to get to know you both better. :)