Electric String Players Facebook Group Breaks 1600 Members!

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Back in July of 2015, I started a new Facebook Group called Electric String Players (Violin, Viola and Cello). The link is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ElectricStringPlayers

Today the group reached another milestone, breaking 2600 members! 

This group is meeting its goals to be a supportive, global, all-inclusive forum for electric violin, electric viola and electric cello players, fans, educators and enthusiasts. It has brought together a wonderful community of musicians who are interested in really pushing new innovations and technology forward for electric string players.  I encourage you to join in on the excellent discussions and continue to spread the word!  T

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A friendly shootout/comparison between the Mark Wood Viper & NS Design CR Electric Violins

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One of my most recent Monday YouTube Video posts on my channel is a “friendly shootout” (comparison) between the Mark Wood Viper & NS Design CR Electric Violins. Here is the video:

VIDEO LINKS – TABLE OF CONTENTS  (the numbers refer to the timing in the video for quick reference):
1) Overview of signal chain from el. violin to computer recording software – 17:42
2) Basic clean sound of Wood Viper Electric Violin – 19:08
3) Basic clean sound of NS Design CR Electric Violin – 20:37
4) Pizzicato, Strumming & Percussive effects of NS CR Electric Violin – 23:49
5) Pizzicato, Strumming & Percussive effects of Wood Viper Electric Violin – 25:29
6) Arpeggio Improv Playing Demo on NS Design CR Electric Violin – 27:02
7) Rock Overdrive Improv Playing Demo on NS Design CR Electric Violin – 28:33
8) Arpeggio Improv Playing Demo on Wood Viper Electric Violin – 29:26
9) Rock Overdrive Improv Playing Demo on Wood Viper Electric Violin – 30:53
10) Trevor’s Closing Thoughts – 31:38

These are both really great instruments and have more in similar to each other than you would first think. Please like this video and leave your comments on my channel or below. Love your thoughts! A big thank you to my good friend, Roy Paul for the loan of his Viper! Oh, and while you are there, please subscribe to my YouTube channels:

Trevor Dick – YouTube
Trevor Dick Band – YouTube

Until next time … T

“Vintage” vs. “Modern” Pedal Shootout

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Last week, I released an interesting “Vintage” vs. “Modern” shootout between the Roland (pre-BOSS) Phase II versus the Strymon Mobius Phaser. Here is the video:

It really is incredible HOW GREAT some of these older pedals sound! The Roland certainly gives the Mobius a run for its money! I was so intrigued by the Phase II and got so much interest in the various electric string and guitar forums I am a member of, that I decided to demo the pedal in a little more detail here. Please like these videos and leave your comments …

(Disclaimer: The Roland Phase II was not actually USED by the Beatles and Hendrix, as I mentioned in my intro. It came out a little after but was modeled on the early vintage sound of the phasers of that era used by these players)

Oh, and while you are there, please subscribe to my YouTube channels:

Trevor Dick – YouTube
Trevor Dick Band – YouTube

Until next time … T

Tour & Demo of my Pedalboard on the Ned Steinberger CR Electric Violin

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As I have been building my YouTube Channel recently, I have had a number of requests from fans and the electric string community to do a tour of my Electric Violin Pedalboard. This was released yesterday. I quickly demo the following pedals in my pedal chain (numbers refer to the timing in the video for quick reference):

1) Dunlop Crybaby Mini Wah – 2:54 and 15:59
2) Korg Pitchblack Guitar Pedal Chromatic Tuner – 3:37
3) Diamond Compressor Jr. Optical Compressor Pedal – 4:00
4) Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive Mod Overdrive Pedal – 5:19
5) Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork Polyphonic Pitch Shifter – 7:39
6) Electro-Harmonix V256 Vocoder – 10:44
7) Strymon Mobius Multidimensional Modulation Pedal – 12:12
8) Source Audio Nemesis Delay Pedal – 14:18
9) Eventide Space Reverb Pedal – 17:06
10) Boss SY-300 Guitar Synthesizer – 18:41
11) Boomerang III Phrase Sampler Looper Pedal – 19:54

While you are visiting, please SUBSCRIBE to my channel. Thanks!

Christmas in September, anyone?

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JUST POSTED – this footage was captured LIVE last year on our “GLORY & PEACE” TOUR with the Trevor Dick Band – our 7/8 groove rendition of “HOSANNAH!” (Ding Dong Merrily on High).

From the “GLORY & PEACE” Double Christmas CD project (release date Nov. 2007). Recorded live (single audience mic) and three stationary cameras (including a go-pro over the kit) – Lincoln Road Church, Waterloo, ON, Canada – Dec. 11, 2016

PURCHASE / DOWNLOAD this song here: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/trevordick4
Also available on every other key download site including iTunes.

LINKS: http://trevordickband.com/
http://tinanewlove.com
https://www.facebook.com/TrevorDickBand
https://soundcloud.com/trevor-dick-band

The TREVOR DICK BAND (TDB) are: Trevor Dick (acoustic & electric violins), Jake Payne (keys), Tony Lind (guitars), Will Jarvis (bass) and Steve Heathcote (kit). With guest, Tina Newlove, live performance painter

CREDITS: Live Sound and Recording: Dale Clyne  Visuals: Aaron Dick
COPYRIGHT INFO: Arrangement by Trevor Dick & TDB.

My Story

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Many of you who have seen me in concert have heard my story. This is the most complete taping to date (with some details I have never shared publicly), filmed by Heart Matters TV while on tour last year during the 15th Anniversary weekend of 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland. Producer: Mike Snow.

I trust this brings you real hope and encouragement as you continue on your spiritual journey …

You can catch the complete show (as aired on National TV) with two additional live duo performances of “New World” and “Sparrow” here.

Until next time! T

 

The Launch of the Gayford Carbon Fiber “Strad” Violin

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For those who have seen me in concert over the last year, I have been playing/touring with a new acoustic violin called the Gayford Carbon Fiber “Strad” Violin.  After four years of development, many many prototypes and trial and error/testing, Fred Gayford has officially launched his Carbon Strad Violin web site: http://carbonfiberviolin.com

It has been a real privilege to work directly with Fred on the development of this violin, “test driving” many instruments, making suggestions along the way and introducing him to my network of industry professionals during the development process.

Each violin is named. I play the “Schmidt” violin, named after Fred’s good life-long friend who recently passed away. It has a powerful, clear, bold, beautiful concert sound. Carbon Fiber also is much less temperamental in some of Canada’s harsh touring weather.  Great for the concert and missionary work I do. This violin has even made it onto some remote Fairmeadow Studio recording projects recently. It records very nicely.

Here is the Gayford Carbon Strad “Schmidt” violin in action (from the Gayford YouTube Channel) with my composition, “The Calling” from a 2016 live performance. I am using a 4061 DPA lav headset mic:

Recently, I had the chance to visit Fred in his workshop in Cambridge, Ontario and was blown away by all the detailed R&D and painstaking work that it has taken him to get to this point. Every change, adaptation and rebuild has been documented.  I asked Fred if he had the documentation for the work and tweaks he has done on the “Schmidt” violin. He produced a one page document of every detail. Fred went on to show the documentation on his other instruments that have been built and sold around the World.

Congratulations to Fred Gayford on the successful launch of this new site and thank you for the gift of the “Schmidt” Carbon Fiber Strad!

With Fred Gayford and his Carbon Strad “Schmidt” Violin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Minds

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I was asked recently to lead a devotional for a local Christian theater company, Audience of One. I was reflecting on how amazing our minds are – the capacity to learn, grow and memorize (such as the acting lines in the script of a major theatrical production) – minds given to us by God the Master Creator. Our minds are truly incredible – spectacularly beautiful!

This led me to explore what the Bible says about our minds …

Jesus himself, in Luke 10:27 states the greatest commandment is to: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind … love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

Jesus asks us to engage our minds in love for Him and others along with our hearts, souls and bodies (strength). He wants all of us! Our minds (actively in service to Him) are important to Him as well. He calls us to protect and use our minds. He calls us to a life of wisdom.

In Proverbs 19:21, Solomon (a brilliant, wise mind) says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a person, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”  We can have many dreams, plans, ideas, visions here on earth, but ultimately, God is calling us to engage our minds in His purposes  — He wants us to live out His will and call in our lives.

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) says it well: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:2 in the NIV version says it this way: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

• Are we copying the “customs and behavior of this world”?  Is this polluting our minds? I had the words of Jon Foreman of the band Switchfoot swirling in my subconscious this morning as I was reflecting on all of this:

Reaching always reaching
Never reaching solid ground
Seeking always seeking
Never seeking what I’ve found

Hey, Baptize my mind
Hey, Baptize my eyes
Hey, Baptize my mind
For these seeds to give birth to life
First they must die

There is certainly an attack on our minds today — our minds can become foggy, cluttered and distracted with the stuff and junk of this world!  I believe this is one of the key ways Satan is keeping us from truly serving Jesus today. We are becoming so bogged down with worldly clutter and junk (on social media and elsewhere) that we don’t have time (or the clarity) for a close walk with our Creator. We can feel stuck (“reaching, always reaching, never reaching solid ground”).  We need a transformation — a renewal or “baptism” (rebirth) of our minds. We need to humbly give our bodies (including our minds) to God as living and holy sacrifices. We need to let him change the way we think, give us new clarity, new dreams, new pathways of learning. WE NEED HIS DIVINE WISDOM.

• Do you fear, worry or deal with anxiety sometimes?  Fear, worry and anxiety can cripple our minds.  We can start to believe the lies of the evil one instead of the truth of God’s Word.

Philippians 4:6-8 says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

2 Corinthians 10:5 also says: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

I don’t think it is a coincidence that Paul in Ephesians 6:17 concludes the list of armor by challenging us to “put on salvation as [our] helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (NLT).  We need to protect these beautiful minds! We must daily submit our minds to Christ — take captive those negative, anxious thoughts and fill our minds instead with the truth His Word, the Bible. It is interesting that God’s word, the Bible is directly connected in this passage to wearing the helmet of salvation. They go hand in hand … they are inseparable …

• What role does the Bible play? Hebrews 4:12 makes that plain: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (NLT)

As we read the Bible (and I challenge you to do this daily!), God will replace the lies of the world and the evil one with His Truth. He will give us HIS THOUGHTS. Wow! Imagine that … GOD THOUGHTS!  God wants us to think about those things that true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. If we are not thinking these sorts of thoughts, we are off base. Pray daily for the mind of Christ! Claim the words of  1 Corinthians 2:16 and Hebrews 8:10: “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him? But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ” … “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

CLAIM IT. BELIEVE IT. LIVE IT.

When you ask Jesus to be the leader of your life, He makes “all things new” (Rev. 1:5). He gives you a new life, a new heart, a new outlook, a new passion and reason for living,  a new mind (His mind) — a BEAUTIFUL MIND!  As you do this each day, He will empower you, use you and bless you in amazing ways!

I close with the words of this great hymn by Kate B. Wilkinson. May this be our prayer:

May the mind of Christ, my Savior
Live in me from day to day
By His love and pow’r controlling
All I do and say

Until next time.

T

 

After a long break from blogging, it’s time to start up again …

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Hi friends and supporters,

Wow, I have taken a much longer break from blogging than anticipated!

What have I been up to?

Well …  a very busy time of performing as a solo artist and with the Trevor Dick Band (TDB), significant personal and ministry growth with Flyingbow … and more of a focus on developing my key multiple social media sites with lots of regular updates there. If you have not connected with me on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram yet, check them out – like and subscribe at will:

YOUTUBE

Trevor Dick: https://www.youtube.com/user/TrevorDickViolinist
TDB: https://www.youtube.com/user/TrevorDickBand

FACEBOOK

Personal: https://www.facebook.com/trevor.glen.dick
Trevor Dick: https://www.facebook.com/Trevor-Dick-177256283800/
Trevor Dick Band: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorDickBand/

TWITTER

Trevor Dick: https://twitter.com/Trevor_G_Dick
TDB: https://twitter.com/TrevorDickBand

INSTAGRAM

Trevor Dick: https://www.instagram.com/trevordickviolinist/
TDB: https://www.instagram.com/trevordickband

Social media should NEVER REPLACE what I am sharing here on this blog, though, so time to start up again and share a few key things on my heart … my goal is to once more blog weekly.

Until next time,

T

 

Trevor Dick Band wins two Global Music Awards with CD release, “NEW WORLD”.

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Some great news! This Press Release just went out on behalf of the Trevor Dick Band:

The Trevor Dick Band (TDB) fronted by Guelph, Ontario, Canada electric violinist, Trevor Dick are pleased to announce their recent CD, New World has gleaned two Global Music Awards – “Gold Medal” for Top Ten Album of 2015 and Band of the Year. Details are found here: http://www.globalmusicawards.com/index.html and  http://www.globalmusicawards.com/Top-Ten-Albums-2015.html

Nigerian born, Trevor Dick and his long-time bandmates have entered new territory with the introduction of TDB’s debut album, New World. This world/jazz/folk fusion project with classical and modern pop/rock underpinning takes you from Africa to Latin America to Europe and North America, erasing all borders. The music represents that sense of excitement, adventure, vision and sacrifice as our forefathers and mothers left the “Old World,” got on a ship and sailed into the unknown, in faith and discovered the New World.  “… That’s what this album is all about – that longing for adventure, that sense of creativity, the drive to explore new territories with reckless abandon.”   New World is interesting, experimental, and improvisational. It is complex music, yet accessible to the average listener.  – http://trevordickband.com/



Shortly after the September 2015 CD release, NEW WORLD was also honoured last month with the Gospel Music Association’s “Covenant Award” for Instrumental Album of the Year.

Mark Rheaume, of CBC Music writes, “… not many acts can blend so many sounds as easily as the Trevor Dick Band on NEW WORLD. Sonic sweetness from beginning to end. ”

In his review, Angel Romero of Progressive Rock Central states: “The [TDB] New World incorporates genres appealing to the progressive music community … [with] echoes of Jean Luc Ponty-style fusion on some of the more progressive rock leaning pieces … the mesmerizing electric violin in “East of Sinai Prelude”; the fabulous Middle Eastern-colored progressive rock composition in “East of Sinai” featuring outstanding violin solo work, violin and guitar interplay …”

The TDB are gearing up to perform this music internationally at Folk, Jazz, Blues and World Music Festivals.

GoldMedal