Daniel Bachman: NPR Music Field Recordings

Daniel Bachman calls Durham, N.C., home now, but he grew up around the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg. It's a quiet town in Northern Virginia that still has a pharmacy with cheap sandwiches and milkshakes; but, as Bachman pointed out to us, it has more tattoo parlors than music stores these days. That's not a judgment, just the way things are.The 25-year-old has been at the solo-guitar game since he was a teenager, befriending folks like the since-departed Jack Rose and slowly finding his own way into the music. That's why it felt right to bring Bachman back to the area that inspired River, a record surrounded by history, but guided by hands and a heart that know its bends and bumps.In early March, we met Bachman in Fredericksburg to drive an hour east to Stratford Hall, home to four generations of the Lee family, which includes two signers of the Declaration of Independence; it's also the birthplace of Robert E. Lee. Bachman knows it well, not only because his dad works there, but also because he can't help but bury himself in history books about the region.There's still snow on the ground when we arrive, as we scrape chunks of mud from our boots before entering the impeccably preserved Great House. Overlooking the rolling hills of Virginia, Bachman plays a version of "Song For The Setting Sun II" in what was the performance space at Stratford Hall. The song leaps boldly around the sunlit, symmetrical room, bouncing off walls decorated with paintings of buxom women and men in powdered wigs.
SET LIST
"Song For The Setting Sun II"
CREDITS
Producers: Lars Gotrich, Mito Habe-Evans; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Mito Habe-Evans, Maggie Starbard, Carlos Waters, Lars Gotrich; Special Thanks: Stratford Hall, Mark and Rachel Dibner of the Argus Fund; Executive Producer: Anya Grundmann

[@clixbits]

We need more than a like button, we need an applause button. Absolutely beautiful.

[@garrisonh.4579]

I've had the pleasure to see him play live and it's fantastic. He's also a super nice guy and is playing next month near me. Definitely got to make it out again.

[@mattcwell]

Can hear a ton of John Fahey in his playing. So good.

[@ThurstonWatt]

honestly man every time an American picks up a 12-string, "oh he sounds like Fahey". yeah okay, we get it.

[@billbrasky3856]

@@ThurstonWatt theres literally a section in this lifted from faheys "on the sunnyside of the ocean" ... so theres that

[@ThurstonWatt]

@@billbrasky3856 cool, that kind of wasn't my point at all though

[@fieldstone1934]

What was the point then?

[@lowellcalavera6045]

@@ThurstonWattNo, it's pretty clear you don't. Nor can you count to 12, apparently.

[@SmeXyNL]

His guitarplay is amazing!

[@DeltaBlues61]

This video and Daniel's playing are brilliant! Just brilliant!

[@itlsofficial]

that Martin sounds incredible! It looks like a pretty old guitar, too... they are the best sounding ones!

[@robbburch]

Fredericksburg represent! Love you Dan!

[@sunburnramthem2373]

that is one very majestic setting of the highest caliber

[@TheBigDean18]

I can confirm this is in Open G, I was playing along with him on my 5 string Open G acoustic.

[@flitzmaster_piep]

on your what exactly? :-O

[@ducdanjou7885]

The Keef special?

[@frederickbonnet2351]

Im a big fan since i discovered his music,he is a true master!

[@cheifgeorge]

Man, love listing to that sweet flowing fingerpicking😎👐🎸

[@mark5126]

That one white bridge pin is driving me nuts!

[@lukemuffinz]

If I was a pirate and had a wheel down my pants, I'd be drivin me nuts.

[@CalmaMusicSessions]

Gran trabajo! Y gran guitarrista! Nos encanta ! Felicidades desde Calma Music Sessions

[@tomyork3583]

Wow i live in Fredericksburg VA, What a small world

[@essential_listening]

beautiful volvo. i just booked this fine gentleman!

[@petegomez5133]

Open g tuning is an amazing platform for creativity. He honed in on it.

[@rickm4295]

nice man !! open tunings are fun to noodle around in DADGAD steven stills is cool too

[@petegomez5133]

Right on ! He's a gifted musician.

[@rawleydavis8881]

Is this just open G tuning? It sounds like the third string is tuned to something other than a G maybe? I could be wrong but any help is appreciated. I really love this sound and want to learn it.

[@ZimmerSquash]

This is gorgeous!

[@ChasingHappiness99]

beautiful playing! Quite enjoyed it.

[@cgalvin71]

This was amazing. Just gained a huge fan Dan

[@AngusDeighan]

Frigging awesome bub! Love the Pointer hat too!

[@Mariekesone]

Brilliance,..what else is there to say!!! :-)

[@bigs0uls]

great song!

[@BjornBols]

You go Mr. Bachman!

[@warlocksongs]

that was really good!

[@seanflaherty5482]

Amazing guitarist! On an unrelated note you should get greensky bluegrass to do a nor desk session!

[@theviolinoob]

awesome! this guys is awesome! DADGAD tuning i guess? or Gmajor?

[@JOHNNYHAULAWAY]

i can play the C chord... i'm pretty good

[@michaelbuckley889]

i live in fredricksburg!!!

[@clym3danimator]

Is that a rhodes mic you used? If so, which one may I ask? Thanks!

[@lloydbrown5248]

Can't really tell what this mic is, but I think its more likely a Sennheiser microphone... Possibly MKE600

[@cjc1103]

Most likely a Sennheiser shotgun, which is certainly very sensitive and directional, but it's the room and the recording technique that make this an excellent recording. NPR is using one mic close up and another about 20 feet away to capture some of the room. Because of the mic directionality the room mic is capturing the reflections of the back wall, not so much from the side walls. It looks like the same mics they use for the tiny desk concerts, so maybe that's all they had, but this is field recording, not a studio, and it turns out to be the perfect technique for capturing the sound of the guitar in the room.

[@TheGanjavi]

how is his guitar tuned/keyed?

[@supermashriq]

Javi Iglesias Looks like open G (DGDGBD)

[@seangartland1906]

Anybody who likes this should also check out Steve Gunn, very skilled guitarists and definitely some similarities there.

[@Scalves1874]

maybelle carter would be pround

[@justinpullin4436]

Danielle and Luis Melissa with Mike

[@cheifgeorge]

I bet he can play dat ole banjo too, I mean just check out the man's finger picking! Like Colonel Sanders says "It's finger "pickin" good." Lol

[@zacmcleod6916]

Eh.

[@stevekim4162]

Boring

[@frederickbonnet2351]

I hope he come soon to México city!!!!