Exposed Vocals Interviews Didley Duo
The Boogie Suffle Blues-Rock Folk-Bluegrass from a 1-string instrument… THE DIDDLEY BOW!
All sounds by Diddley Bows. No record cuts. No edition. Live and raw!
My influences is the American Roots Music like Blues and Country
and the Brazilian Roots Regional Music “Baião”.
I used to play with 6 and 7 strings guitars. I recorded one Instrumental
Guitar album called “Ignited!” and in this same blessed year, 2007, I opened for
the guitar legend JOE SATRIANI in my hometown Curitiba – Parana. (It’s in Brazil’s south region.)
Now I’m very pleased to play with JUST ONE STRING.
My instrument the “Diddley Bow” has African origins so it’s one of the
origns of Blues and many other styles.
In my country Brazil it’s similar is called “Berimbau” that’s a bow arch made with
brazilian wood with a metal wire streching it and a gourd to amplify the sound.
I use the tradicional DIDDLEY BOW to play, like they used to play in the past
in the south of U.S. with just ONE string. The diddley bow is a piece of wood with
a string nailed on it.
I have two homemade models. The first one is called “THE LOW BOW” made with a 70 years
old piece of wood that I found in the garbage in front of my house. I play this one with
a little screw driver and it’s tuned in the key of F or F#. The other one is the “LITTLE BOW”,
this one is just a broom stick with a “G guitar string”, I used tomato sauce can to amplify the sound.
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Didley Duo: I heard about it on Twitter and Soundcloud. I decided to sign up because I really dig the idea
and it’s proposal.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Didley Duo: I was born in Petropolis – Rio de Janeiro, the city of Samba. With 10 years old my family
moved to Curitiba – Parana in the south of Brazil. Was in this city that I started to take acoustic
guitar lessons, than I met the electric guitar and my mind was changed.
By the age of 17, I became a guitar teacher and it’s main main job until today. Nowadays I have a guitar school called Guitar Training.
In 2007, I used to play with 7-string guitars and released an independent instrumental
rock CD called “Ignited!” and in the same year I opened JOE SATRIANI’s show in my hometown.
I used to play with 6 and 7 strings guitars. Now I’m very pleased to play with JUST ONE STRING.
My instrument the “Diddley Bow” has African origins so it’s one of the origins of Blues and many more styles.
In my country Brazil it’s similar is called “Berimbau” that’s a bow arch made with
Brazilian wood with a metal wire stretching it and a gourd to amplify the sound.
I made a music sounding like that: https://soundcloud.com/
I use the tradicional DIDDLEY BOW to play, like they used to play in the past
in the south of U.S. with just ONE string. The diddley bow is a piece of wood with
a string nailed on it.
I have two homemade models. The first one is called “THE LOW BOW” https://soundcloud.com/
old piece of wood that I found in the garbage in front of my house. I play this one with
a little screw driver and it’s tuned in the key of F or F#. The other one is the “LITTLE BOW”,
this one is just a broom stick with a “G guitar string” https://soundcloud.com/
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Didley Duo: The name is an allusion to my instrument the Diddley Bow. So the man and the instrumentturn us into a Duo!
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Didley Duo: I think is the only way the independent artists and real players and composers can expressthemselves today. With no rules. Music is art and it’s beautiful produced or raw. I prefer it raw!I have an entire album for free download at Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/didleyduo/sets/diddley-bow- sounds-cd-free, because my intention is to spread the word of good music.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Didley Duo: If you have a good sound or idea believe with your heart and soul on it. Changes can be very good. It was for me… You can´t have the word “success” in your mind when you start a band or a new project. You have to do what your heart tells you to do. Don’t bend your head for bad words an comments… they will make you grow and grow!
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Didley Duo: Of course yes! I believe that any artist make many mistakes while playing. But only him or her knows that. That’s the secret!
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Didley Duo: Yes I do tours! I’m planning to tour U.S. with this diddley bow project, maybe a american sponsor would be interested after this interview!About something unusual I had this instrumental rock band about 10 years ago and they used to drink a lot before the shows.So this time I ordered them not to drink that night. And in that particular day I drank a lot… and it was our best show ever!
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Didley Duo: I don’t have a particular thing that inspires me. I just sit down with instrument and it happens! Pure magic…I play the song 2 or 3 times and record it with my phone.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Didley Duo: I don’t have a .com website. But I’m really happy only having an Exposed Vocals, Soundcloud and Reverbnation profiles.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Didley Duo: That’s difficult but I think it’s the 80’s Glam Rock bands like Bon Jovi, Poison and Mr. Big.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Didley Duo: Well, I whould move my family from Brazil to U.S.. Start a band and tour!
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Didley Duo: I’m always having news in my music profiles. Once my recordings are live in my bathroom, (laughs) there’s always something new almost every week! But I’m planning to put drums in some of Didley Duo’s tracks. The drummer will be Rood Avancini my friend for almost 20 years!
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Didley Duo: I’m at some Facebook groups that I post my music. I have my own page there. Some Expose Vocals, Twitter and Soundcloud actions.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Didley Duo: I would like to play my diddley bows with Jimi Hendrix… at 69’s Woodstock Festival!
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Didley Duo: More american roots music played with my diddley bows and an official album!
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Didley Duo: Making music! That’s my life!
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Didley Duo: It was a “Bon Jovi in Brazil” cassette tape (laughs) and that time I would like to “be” Jon Bon Jovi.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Didley Duo: Wel I’m married and have 2 boys. So I have a the “obligation” to provide them. As I talked before I own a music school in Brazil called Guitar Training to support us and my musical career.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Didley Duo: An U.S. tour and an official album before July!