tanner bechtel
I'm a father, husband, musician and a social business advisor. I swim, ride a bike and run. In that order. I design social business engagements, write music and play an inordinate amount of musical instruments with mediocre charm.
Live, on the air with KWRT’s Morning Show
This morning I had the opportunity to sit in with KWRT’s morning show. I played a couple pieces from the album and had a great conversation about the album production and the process of generating the music. Had a great time. Below is the link to the recorded show–enjoy!
Shows:
- Friday, March 30: Performing with River City Singers at Cooper’s Oak Winery — 6:00 PM
- Saturday, March 31: Performing at WJ’s in Boonville, MO — 8:30 PM
CLICK TO LISTEN: Tanner Bechtel -Live on KWRT Morning Show
“Here When I Wake”
This is a new track that’s been in my notebook for quite some time. It’s still pretty simple, compositionally, but I found the right music last night that fit the words. Funny how things can just go together. The song is a little bit of desperation, a little bit of reflection and a lot of sick Tanner voice. Enjoy. By the way. If you haven’t listened to (and/or purchased) the Muse album (click here) — you should certainly get to that. ; )
Listen to “Here When I Wake” (MP3)
Tanner Bechtel: Muse (Acoustic, title track to the Muse album)
“Muse” played acoustically on a Martin DCX 1KE on the couch of awesome. The Muse album is available on iTunes, Amazon MP3 and On-Demand as well as streaming on Spotify. Come and see me at http://www.facebook.com/tannerbechtelmusic !
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Beat on a $1000 Martin? Why Not? (Percussive Guitar Track)
My 11 year old son, Eli is learning to play the guitar and he often gets frustrated with himself; not being able to fret the chords or make the same noise I do with it. My advice to him is always the same: I tell him to play it the way that pleases him. Take it out of tune, play it on the neck, pick a string at a time–do whatever makes the noise coming out of the guitar pleasing to your own ears. Making music is about falling in love with your instrument and making it emote what you feel.
Tonight, I took my own advice. I detuned my Martin down to an open Blues G tuning and started, simply put, smacking the guitar. The result is pretty cool. It’s a percussive sound, filled with harmonics and solid barred chords and kept in time by–what I realized tonight–is a very multi-toned percussion board (the tops and sides of the guitar body.)
Who says you have to play a guitar like its supposed to be played? Not me… you be the judge.
CLICK TO PLAY/DOWNLOAD — Tanner Bechtel – Percussive Guitar (MP3)
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8th Grade Girls and Grade School Solos (a thank you note)
"Muse" Pre-release Show at Hotel Frederick
When you were a child, you dreamed of what you’d one day become. It may have been a firefighter or the president or a chef–but it was something. As we age and life becomes real; begins to show us the hard edges, the inescapable truth, we begin to lose sight of that dream and start to temper our outlook on life. It’s adulthood, it’s reality and in many cases admirable (being a superhero doesn’t pay well enough to get your 3 year old into Montessori.)
I, somehow, didn’t get that memo. I get to live a little of mine in both my profession and my hobbies. About 25 years ago, I did my first show. I sang a song, solo, called “Girls” in the SS Peter and Paul Catholic school play. I was very young and in rehearsal, I remember an 8th grade girl making eye contact with me–mid-song–and winking at me. That was it. I wanted to entertain for life. Anything I could do to recreate that moment.
As I got older, I started to appreciate the art in performance. I did theatre, Shakespeare, musicals. Then, I began to write music. This was gravitas. This was my heart, my beliefs and my art–set in motion, for an audience. It was the pinnacle of my art, realized. It’s also the most revealing thing you will, ever in your life, attempt.
Last night I played the Muse album; my second full commercial release, but my first complete project. I wrote, performed, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced the entire thing. From the first words in my moleskine to shooting the cover art on the album cover. The show at Hotel Frederick was amazing. The audience was rife with family, friends strangers, people giving the music a couple minutes as they left Glenn’s restaurant and true fans. We set the record for the largest turnout the Hotel Frederick has ever seen for live music (ever). That’s kind of cool.
I was, in one moment, validated as a writer and amazingly humbled as a person. In a single two hour set, that audience made me feel like that 8th grader winked at him, again.
I wish I could begin to quantify my gratitude to you all. Simply: thank you.
Album Pre-Release Show at the Historic Hotel Frederick
Hotel Frederick
The Muse album is done, but CD production is still in the works. However, you can hear it live on Saturday, February 25th, 8-10 PM at the historic Hotel Frederick in Boonville, MO. I’ll have pre-release copies of Muse and plenty of friends and good cocktails to keep you company. It’s a very intimate venue and one of my favorite places to visit. I’d be honored to have you there!
Hotel Frederick Lobby
If you’ve never stayed at the Hotel Frederick, visited the century-old lodge barroom or eaten at Glenn’s Cafe, I can’t urge you enough to book a room. Each room is custom designed by regional artists and they are all an aesthetic and artful joy to experience. Boonville is a romantic little river town and the Frederick sits atop the Missouri River bluffs and is a gem of this community. Rooms are very limited in the hotel, so if you plan on booking, I’d urge you to do it sooner than later.
