Hey all, for those of you not familiar, I wanted to introduce you to the True Temperament Fretting System. I first found out or heard about this through Steve Vai. Now understand something, people approach Mr vai with all kinds of crazy ideas every year, and most he shoots down, because they are just that, CRAZY! This is something that Vai believed in so much, Ive heard he is transforming all his necks.
The concept is simple, the point of the system is for super-accurate intonation over the whole fretboard. Its a curved fret system that fine tune the intonation of every single note on the neck. The curved frets play like straight frets, so there is no need to modify your playing. Also chords ring out louder and longer. Simply put, the frets have been shaped so that every single note on every single fret on every string is in perfect tune, meaning that all those minor errors you have on a regular guitar neck are gone. I know what your thinking, "I have a Les Paul, there is nothing wrong with this guitar, I payed 5 grand for it" well, take out a tuner, fine tune, now hit the same E in 3 places, if you have a good tuner, you WILL see a minor difference, this system eliminates this totally.
Here is a link to the site, plenty of video, and explanations there, so go check it out, and give us all your feedback! Keep Rockin
True Temperament - Fretting systems
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
A Better Understanding
When I started playing guitar I was always told, learn the piece of music slow then build it up to speed. I had a lot of people around me with a lot of different tastes in music, so I was exposed to a variety, and you know how it is with people, "hey, play this, can you play that" etc etc. Of course, when you pick up the instrument and you hear something like Eruption, you want nothing more than to get to that level, and that can be any song that inspires you. One thing I didn't understand was, I always thought, if you learn the piece of music, get it stored in your head, then you gradually increase speed until you nail the piece. WRONG!!!!!
That's where this lesson comes in. One thing you need to understand is, with a complicated piece of music that has your fingers all over the fretboard, you will never tackle the piece if your chops are not in order, and that's something I didn't grasp for a few years. In order to have the dexterity, flexibility, and stamina to play certain pieces you have to have built your chops up to speed first, this is where "boring" practice comes into play, and Ive posted in the past ideas on how to arrange practice sessions so they are most effective and less boring. Ive also posted on how to break down complicated passages and turn them into exercises in order to build up to speed.
Its nice to be able to fly up and down the fretboard, but it wont come over night. Its something that takes hours of serious practice and determination. Just know that it will pay off if you put the time in, like anything else. Keep Rockin
That's where this lesson comes in. One thing you need to understand is, with a complicated piece of music that has your fingers all over the fretboard, you will never tackle the piece if your chops are not in order, and that's something I didn't grasp for a few years. In order to have the dexterity, flexibility, and stamina to play certain pieces you have to have built your chops up to speed first, this is where "boring" practice comes into play, and Ive posted in the past ideas on how to arrange practice sessions so they are most effective and less boring. Ive also posted on how to break down complicated passages and turn them into exercises in order to build up to speed.
Its nice to be able to fly up and down the fretboard, but it wont come over night. Its something that takes hours of serious practice and determination. Just know that it will pay off if you put the time in, like anything else. Keep Rockin
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Influence From Other Instruments
Hey all, sorry I haven't updated in a few days, been a little busy, but thank you all who are regulars here. Your the reason why I do this. Ive learned so much from so many great people, its time to give it back! Now on with the lesson.
Sometimes as guitarists we find ourselves in a rut, or feeling that our music is not that original, its almost impossible not to. So one way of getting away from this is gaining ideas or even inspiration from other instruments. I cant tell you how many times I hear a guy like Kirk Hammett mention getting ideas from horns and such. So many of the greatest players came up with ideas from other instruments, a great example is Buckethead, and although the example I'm speaking of is a little different, find him playing the Halloween theme song on his guitar on youtube. He plays the rhythm part by barring the notes on the neck with his picking hand, and hammering on the melody notes with his fret hand. Its a real good example of taking the piano, which usually plays rhythm with the left hand and right hand playing lead, and applying it to guitar.
A good way of taking the lesson and putting it to use is, try to emulate the sounds of different instruments with your guitar. A great instrument that is easier to apply to this idea is the drums. As a guitarist you can emulate the bass drum with big chunky rhythm playing, or maybe the hi hat with palm muted rhythm ideas, scrapes and such. Its also a good idea as a guitarist to know the basics of drums as well, helps a lot with the rhythm aspect of playing.
I hope I gave you some basic ideas that you can expand on and take your playing to new places, Keep Rockin!!!!
Sometimes as guitarists we find ourselves in a rut, or feeling that our music is not that original, its almost impossible not to. So one way of getting away from this is gaining ideas or even inspiration from other instruments. I cant tell you how many times I hear a guy like Kirk Hammett mention getting ideas from horns and such. So many of the greatest players came up with ideas from other instruments, a great example is Buckethead, and although the example I'm speaking of is a little different, find him playing the Halloween theme song on his guitar on youtube. He plays the rhythm part by barring the notes on the neck with his picking hand, and hammering on the melody notes with his fret hand. Its a real good example of taking the piano, which usually plays rhythm with the left hand and right hand playing lead, and applying it to guitar.
A good way of taking the lesson and putting it to use is, try to emulate the sounds of different instruments with your guitar. A great instrument that is easier to apply to this idea is the drums. As a guitarist you can emulate the bass drum with big chunky rhythm playing, or maybe the hi hat with palm muted rhythm ideas, scrapes and such. Its also a good idea as a guitarist to know the basics of drums as well, helps a lot with the rhythm aspect of playing.
I hope I gave you some basic ideas that you can expand on and take your playing to new places, Keep Rockin!!!!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Always Be Prepared
Being prepared is a major importance especially if your playing live shows. Some of this is just common knowledge, some of this is just routine for more experienced players, but I'm gonna touch base on it for those who might need to be enlightened.
There is nothing worse than playing a gig and having something fail on you ruining your whole performance. So, a few things to keep in mind: for one, as a guitarist, you always want to wrap your cord through your guitar strap, you don't want to accidentally step on your chord and have it pull out of your guitar, nothing more embarrassing! Another thing to keep in mind, if you play through a tube amp, always have extra tubes on hand. If you blow a tube and your not prepared your pretty much out of luck unless you have someone at the show that can lend you an amp. On the same lines, if you play with pedals and you use batteries, obviously you need to have backup in case your batteries die. Last but not least, guitar strings, you will always want a backup supply of these babies, reasons being obvious.
That covers pretty much everything to do with equipment, of course if you plug in, bring extra cords and such, bars don't always have these at hand. Being prepared goes a little further though, its also a mental thing. Do what you have to do to be mentally prepared as well as warmed up before a show so you can be at your best. Another suggestion, always have alternate songs in your set list, you never know when your singers voice might go out for that song that has all the high notes in it. Well I hope ya picked a thing or two up from this, and as always, Keep Rockin!
There is nothing worse than playing a gig and having something fail on you ruining your whole performance. So, a few things to keep in mind: for one, as a guitarist, you always want to wrap your cord through your guitar strap, you don't want to accidentally step on your chord and have it pull out of your guitar, nothing more embarrassing! Another thing to keep in mind, if you play through a tube amp, always have extra tubes on hand. If you blow a tube and your not prepared your pretty much out of luck unless you have someone at the show that can lend you an amp. On the same lines, if you play with pedals and you use batteries, obviously you need to have backup in case your batteries die. Last but not least, guitar strings, you will always want a backup supply of these babies, reasons being obvious.
That covers pretty much everything to do with equipment, of course if you plug in, bring extra cords and such, bars don't always have these at hand. Being prepared goes a little further though, its also a mental thing. Do what you have to do to be mentally prepared as well as warmed up before a show so you can be at your best. Another suggestion, always have alternate songs in your set list, you never know when your singers voice might go out for that song that has all the high notes in it. Well I hope ya picked a thing or two up from this, and as always, Keep Rockin!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Less is More
So many players want to learn a million scales and fly up and down the neck every time given a chance. Every time they are given for a solo.... typically 8-16 bars they have to fill it up with 250,000 notes as if their hands are on speed. Hey that's cool, and sometimes it fits, but remember the old saying "less is more"
Sometimes not saying something is just as important as saying a mouthful. This is something some players don't, and will never understand. For those of you who aspire to be great lead players, but maybe you don't have an arsenal of weapons to unload yet, take this lesson as advice. You can always express yourself with the things you already know if you don't limit yourself by getting into the mindset that you don't know enough yet to do so. Take what you know and run with it. A solo with a few notes full of feeling and passion can sound much better than someone ripping up your speakers if done right.
Just keep adding to your arsenal until you have all the tools you feel you need. Remember, theory is a great thing, its the tools we use to better self express ourselves through our playing and music.
I know up until now these lessons have been mostly conceptual, but I will have tabs and other things very soon to better accomidate those of you who regulate this site. Keep Rockin
Sometimes not saying something is just as important as saying a mouthful. This is something some players don't, and will never understand. For those of you who aspire to be great lead players, but maybe you don't have an arsenal of weapons to unload yet, take this lesson as advice. You can always express yourself with the things you already know if you don't limit yourself by getting into the mindset that you don't know enough yet to do so. Take what you know and run with it. A solo with a few notes full of feeling and passion can sound much better than someone ripping up your speakers if done right.
Just keep adding to your arsenal until you have all the tools you feel you need. Remember, theory is a great thing, its the tools we use to better self express ourselves through our playing and music.
I know up until now these lessons have been mostly conceptual, but I will have tabs and other things very soon to better accomidate those of you who regulate this site. Keep Rockin
Sunday, July 19, 2009
How to Properly String a Guitar
Putting new strings on a guitar can easily be done improperly, in fact most guitarists Ive seen over the years haven't had the slightest clue on properly stringing their instruments. I say this not to insult anyone, I didn't learn how to string a guitar the proper way for years.
There are a few different techniques to stringing a guitar, for example, there is a different technique for stringing a classic guitar than an electric. For this lesson I will be using a standard electric guitar for the example.
Now if your anything like me, you might be the type that breaks a string and replaces just that one. The type that replaces strings as they break. If you want to get the best sound out of your guitar, I suggest changing out your strings every month. First you want to remove all the strings, and put the new ones through all at once. Then, instead of starting at the top and going down one by one, your going to want to alternate from top to bottom. Start with the top string, then go to the bottom, then back up to the A, then back down to the B and so on. The reason for this, you don't want your neck to twist, putting too much pressure on one side of the neck can cause it to twist over time.
Now when you string it through the tuning keys, you want to leave some slack in the strings, don't just pull them tight then start turning the key, leave enough slack so that you get a nice wrap around the tuning keys, this will help your instrument stay in tune a lot better. Now once you have done all 6 strings, alternating them, get them all in tune, then give each string a little tug to stretch them. Tune them back up again and repeat the process a few times until your strings can hold their tuning. Now your ready to go, and hopefully with this your guitar will stay in tune a lot better and you wont break as many strings if you have in the past. Hope this lesson has enlightened some of you, and as always Keep Rockin!
There are a few different techniques to stringing a guitar, for example, there is a different technique for stringing a classic guitar than an electric. For this lesson I will be using a standard electric guitar for the example.
Now if your anything like me, you might be the type that breaks a string and replaces just that one. The type that replaces strings as they break. If you want to get the best sound out of your guitar, I suggest changing out your strings every month. First you want to remove all the strings, and put the new ones through all at once. Then, instead of starting at the top and going down one by one, your going to want to alternate from top to bottom. Start with the top string, then go to the bottom, then back up to the A, then back down to the B and so on. The reason for this, you don't want your neck to twist, putting too much pressure on one side of the neck can cause it to twist over time.
Now when you string it through the tuning keys, you want to leave some slack in the strings, don't just pull them tight then start turning the key, leave enough slack so that you get a nice wrap around the tuning keys, this will help your instrument stay in tune a lot better. Now once you have done all 6 strings, alternating them, get them all in tune, then give each string a little tug to stretch them. Tune them back up again and repeat the process a few times until your strings can hold their tuning. Now your ready to go, and hopefully with this your guitar will stay in tune a lot better and you wont break as many strings if you have in the past. Hope this lesson has enlightened some of you, and as always Keep Rockin!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Timing is Everything
I can't stress how important having good timing is. Doesn't matter if your a musician playing an instrument, or a vocalist, if your timing is off, you will stick out like a sore thumb. I played the guitar for YEARS before realizing how important good timing was, of course, when your playing in your room to CD's it doesn't matter if your off, there is nobody there listening, but when your playing in a live band, the other members depend on you to be on your game.
A few things you can do is, obviously, practice to a metronome. I know for most this isn't much fun, but those who are serious about becoming a great player, this will get you headed in the right path. Another thing to make a habit of is keeping time with your foot, once this becomes a natural habit you will be keeping time without even thinking about it. Something else that has tremendously helped me is simply playing percussion on things constantly, whether it be the steering wheel in the car, the desk at work etc etc, it will get you in the habit of keeping time and give you plenty of practice.
For those of you just starting out, new to an instrument, remember something, its always a great idea to form good habits in the beginning, that way it will be with you the remainder of your playing days. Those of you with more experience under your belt who might not have great habits, its NEVER too late, trust me, I didnt form good playing habits till after a decade of playing, and of course, it was a little harder to form these habits, but if you work at it, your determined and persistant, it will happen.
As always, I hope this opens up a few doors for ya and helps ya get on track to where you'd like your playing to be. Keep Rockin!!!
A few things you can do is, obviously, practice to a metronome. I know for most this isn't much fun, but those who are serious about becoming a great player, this will get you headed in the right path. Another thing to make a habit of is keeping time with your foot, once this becomes a natural habit you will be keeping time without even thinking about it. Something else that has tremendously helped me is simply playing percussion on things constantly, whether it be the steering wheel in the car, the desk at work etc etc, it will get you in the habit of keeping time and give you plenty of practice.
For those of you just starting out, new to an instrument, remember something, its always a great idea to form good habits in the beginning, that way it will be with you the remainder of your playing days. Those of you with more experience under your belt who might not have great habits, its NEVER too late, trust me, I didnt form good playing habits till after a decade of playing, and of course, it was a little harder to form these habits, but if you work at it, your determined and persistant, it will happen.
As always, I hope this opens up a few doors for ya and helps ya get on track to where you'd like your playing to be. Keep Rockin!!!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Few Guitarists to Check Out
Over the years I have found myself in a rut from time to time as most of you probably have. One of the best ways to break free from this is to expose yourself to new players. You can gain influence from new players or sometimes just get inspired to play again, either way it helps. I'm going to go ahead and drop some names you might want to check out, most of which are shredders, or instrumentalists, some you may have heard of, some you may not have, but if your interested in listening to well rounded players, you might want to check some of these guys out.
I'll start with Django Reinhardt, if you don't know the name, he is an old gypsy guitarist, he played Jazz in the 20s and 30s. He was one of the original shredders, which is almost unbelievable due to his accident. Those of you who don't know the man, he had an accident and a few of his fingers on his fretboard hand got mended together, he only played with 2 fingers, but you would never know from listening to him. Some of his best work was with the Quintet, but he has plenty to check out. ++ D j a n g o + S w i n g p a g e ++
Another name you might want to check out if your a fan of Vai and Satch type shredding is Dave Martone. This guy is on the scene, and has a record out that Satriani himself makes a guest guitar solo spot on, as well as an appearance by Billy Sheehan. You know if these 2 are willing to show up there has got to be something worth while when it comes to Dave's music.Dave Martone :: One of Canada’s Finest Guitarists :: Performer, Instructor, Recording Engineer, Teacher and Clinician
Richie Kotzen..... almost speechless. Those of you who know him probably know what I mean, those of you who don't I'm sure have heard of Poison, and Mr Big, both bands he played a replacement guitarist in, but as for hearing his finest, check out his newest effort. This man usually does it all, but he actually has a backing band this time. He is too good for words to describe, not only a phenomenal guitarist, but giften with vocal tubes that are next to none.
Richie Kotzen Official Site
Last but not least, Trey Spruance! For those not familiar with the name, he is the guitarist from the band Mr Bungle. Mr Bungle was a band that Mike Patton from Faith No More formed in the mid 80s. Their music style is so diverse, and so is Trey's playing. Everything from heavy metal to carnival music, pretty interesting, he is a very well rounded player. No offical website, but you can search them on the web for sites with information and music.
Hope you guys enjoy listening to some of these players, I will drop more interesting names sometime in the near future! Keep Rockin!
I'll start with Django Reinhardt, if you don't know the name, he is an old gypsy guitarist, he played Jazz in the 20s and 30s. He was one of the original shredders, which is almost unbelievable due to his accident. Those of you who don't know the man, he had an accident and a few of his fingers on his fretboard hand got mended together, he only played with 2 fingers, but you would never know from listening to him. Some of his best work was with the Quintet, but he has plenty to check out. ++ D j a n g o + S w i n g p a g e ++
Another name you might want to check out if your a fan of Vai and Satch type shredding is Dave Martone. This guy is on the scene, and has a record out that Satriani himself makes a guest guitar solo spot on, as well as an appearance by Billy Sheehan. You know if these 2 are willing to show up there has got to be something worth while when it comes to Dave's music.Dave Martone :: One of Canada’s Finest Guitarists :: Performer, Instructor, Recording Engineer, Teacher and Clinician
Richie Kotzen..... almost speechless. Those of you who know him probably know what I mean, those of you who don't I'm sure have heard of Poison, and Mr Big, both bands he played a replacement guitarist in, but as for hearing his finest, check out his newest effort. This man usually does it all, but he actually has a backing band this time. He is too good for words to describe, not only a phenomenal guitarist, but giften with vocal tubes that are next to none.
Richie Kotzen Official Site
Last but not least, Trey Spruance! For those not familiar with the name, he is the guitarist from the band Mr Bungle. Mr Bungle was a band that Mike Patton from Faith No More formed in the mid 80s. Their music style is so diverse, and so is Trey's playing. Everything from heavy metal to carnival music, pretty interesting, he is a very well rounded player. No offical website, but you can search them on the web for sites with information and music.
Hope you guys enjoy listening to some of these players, I will drop more interesting names sometime in the near future! Keep Rockin!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Gettin Better
Some musicians or guitarists are happy with the bare essentials. They learn their chords and maybe a scale and their content, but many of us strive to get better on our instrument as time goes on. It can be a roller coaster ride, once in awhile finding ourselves in a rut, or atleast feeling we are in one, mostly from playing the same things day in and day out. Remember though, just because YOU hear yourself everyday doesnt mean everyone else does. So just because you pull out the same lick you've played a billion times sounding stale to your ears doesnt mean it wont impress someone else or perk up their ears.
Some basic ways to improve your playing are not playing the same songs day in day out. You only get better playing or learning things you dont know rather than playing your favorite Metallica song every single day. Another great tip is: play with musicians who are more experienced than you and better than you are. I know for those of you less experienced players that can be intimidating at times, but believe me, overcoming that fear alone will bring your confidence levels up. Confidence is huge in becoming a better player, and once you cross that hurdle your half way there. If your a serious player, and other musicians sense this, they will respect you either way. Its pretty obvious, playing with those who have more experience than you is going to be a huge learning experience, and will ultimatelly help you in the long run, but dont forget to "give back" once your the experienced one!!! Keep Rockin!
Some basic ways to improve your playing are not playing the same songs day in day out. You only get better playing or learning things you dont know rather than playing your favorite Metallica song every single day. Another great tip is: play with musicians who are more experienced than you and better than you are. I know for those of you less experienced players that can be intimidating at times, but believe me, overcoming that fear alone will bring your confidence levels up. Confidence is huge in becoming a better player, and once you cross that hurdle your half way there. If your a serious player, and other musicians sense this, they will respect you either way. Its pretty obvious, playing with those who have more experience than you is going to be a huge learning experience, and will ultimatelly help you in the long run, but dont forget to "give back" once your the experienced one!!! Keep Rockin!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sweaty Hand Problems
Sweaty Hands is a problem a majority of us guitarists encounter at some point or another. Its a problem that can make even some of the best players sound not so great at times, and if your looking for an absolute solution, there really is'nt one, but there are some things you can do to make playing easier, or at least cut down the amount of sweat that is interfering with your playing.
Now for those of you that are more than serious players, who want to totally eliminate this problem, I have heard and read about people getting surgery on their hands to eliminate this problem, its a condition some have called hyperhidrosis, excessive hand sweating. The surgery is called Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy, its a same day in and out procedure that will have you returning to your daily routine in a short time, but this is the extreme. Most of us arent going to go through this process just so we dont mess up that solo at the end of Bark At The Moon at our weekend bar gig, but for those who might have a career in the music field, its an option.
For the rest of us, and yes, Ive dealt with this problem since the start of my playing journey some 18 yrs ago, there are some other options to help with this problem. Some guitarists, and Ive tried this myself, have been known to use cornstarch or talcim powder. Now I wouldnt suggest this, as it can be very messy, but if you would like to give it a shot, use small amounts, and DONT let it get all over inside your equipment as it WILL damage it. Also note that you will need to wipe down your guitars after playing or you'll have powder collecting by your frets. Jeff Beck is one name that has been known to use this.
Another suggestion is, if you gig, buy one or two small oscillating fans, make it part of your equipment, put them in front of you at the show and this should help tremendiously. Remember, sweaty hands are caused by nerves alot of the time, so if your nervious onstage, be prepared. Of course, the more you gig, the less nerviousness you will experience helping solve this problem alittle at a time.
My last suggestion is this, and Ive done this myself, learn to deal with it. I know this isnt the answer your looking for, but think about it, if you wash your hands 20 times while practicing at home to have dryer hands, your not gonna be prepared at a gig where you cant do this. Maybe bring a wet and dry towel to the show, but otherwise, your stuck. If you learn to play with sweaty hands and overcome that obsticle as part of your playing, it will be a standard part of your playing and it wont really get in the way that much.
Sweaty hands are a problem that EVERY guitarist encounters at some point, outdoor gigs etc. But when your used to it, its just part of the show. I know this subject isnt easy to solve, and might never be solved, but I hope you gained something from this article that can atleast help you deal with it. Till next time, Keep Rockin
Now for those of you that are more than serious players, who want to totally eliminate this problem, I have heard and read about people getting surgery on their hands to eliminate this problem, its a condition some have called hyperhidrosis, excessive hand sweating. The surgery is called Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy, its a same day in and out procedure that will have you returning to your daily routine in a short time, but this is the extreme. Most of us arent going to go through this process just so we dont mess up that solo at the end of Bark At The Moon at our weekend bar gig, but for those who might have a career in the music field, its an option.
For the rest of us, and yes, Ive dealt with this problem since the start of my playing journey some 18 yrs ago, there are some other options to help with this problem. Some guitarists, and Ive tried this myself, have been known to use cornstarch or talcim powder. Now I wouldnt suggest this, as it can be very messy, but if you would like to give it a shot, use small amounts, and DONT let it get all over inside your equipment as it WILL damage it. Also note that you will need to wipe down your guitars after playing or you'll have powder collecting by your frets. Jeff Beck is one name that has been known to use this.
Another suggestion is, if you gig, buy one or two small oscillating fans, make it part of your equipment, put them in front of you at the show and this should help tremendiously. Remember, sweaty hands are caused by nerves alot of the time, so if your nervious onstage, be prepared. Of course, the more you gig, the less nerviousness you will experience helping solve this problem alittle at a time.
My last suggestion is this, and Ive done this myself, learn to deal with it. I know this isnt the answer your looking for, but think about it, if you wash your hands 20 times while practicing at home to have dryer hands, your not gonna be prepared at a gig where you cant do this. Maybe bring a wet and dry towel to the show, but otherwise, your stuck. If you learn to play with sweaty hands and overcome that obsticle as part of your playing, it will be a standard part of your playing and it wont really get in the way that much.
Sweaty hands are a problem that EVERY guitarist encounters at some point, outdoor gigs etc. But when your used to it, its just part of the show. I know this subject isnt easy to solve, and might never be solved, but I hope you gained something from this article that can atleast help you deal with it. Till next time, Keep Rockin
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Buying a New Amp
Buying a new amp is like buying a car, so many to choose from, so many different options and on and on. I always suggest doing your research before purchasing, get some reviews and make sure the product you are interested in is dependable and will suit your needs.
One thing I always like to point out is this: most, if not all of us have a favorite player or main influence, and of course, alot of players try to sound like their favorite players. Keep one thing in mind, even though these players influence us, their styles are usually different, because once we borrow from them we develope our own styles of playing. You might love the way Jimi Hendrix sounds through a Marshall, but then you plug into a marshall and just cant FEEL the tone, and being able to feel the sound is one of the most important parts of playing. Your always going to play your best if you have a good tone you are comfortable with.
When buying a new amp, I suggest going into the music store with your own guitar, if they dont have one readily available, because obviously if your a Les Paul kind of player, a thin Strat sound is going to sound different through the amp. Now remember, Your the one spending money on their product so dont be afraid to crank that baby up to see how it sounds. Amps sound alot different at higher volumes than when turned down, and if you play in a band, your gonna need to get a real feel for the amp. Even if your not that experienced and there are better players in the store, dont be shy or timid to go all out, its your investment.
Another suggestion, if your really in the market for a new amp, dont settle for something because thats all the money you have, save your money and hold out, you will never truly be
happy with "settling" and you might end up with a product that craps out on you instead of having the dependable piece of gear you really wanted. That concludes this article, Keep practicing, and keep rockin!
One thing I always like to point out is this: most, if not all of us have a favorite player or main influence, and of course, alot of players try to sound like their favorite players. Keep one thing in mind, even though these players influence us, their styles are usually different, because once we borrow from them we develope our own styles of playing. You might love the way Jimi Hendrix sounds through a Marshall, but then you plug into a marshall and just cant FEEL the tone, and being able to feel the sound is one of the most important parts of playing. Your always going to play your best if you have a good tone you are comfortable with.
When buying a new amp, I suggest going into the music store with your own guitar, if they dont have one readily available, because obviously if your a Les Paul kind of player, a thin Strat sound is going to sound different through the amp. Now remember, Your the one spending money on their product so dont be afraid to crank that baby up to see how it sounds. Amps sound alot different at higher volumes than when turned down, and if you play in a band, your gonna need to get a real feel for the amp. Even if your not that experienced and there are better players in the store, dont be shy or timid to go all out, its your investment.
Another suggestion, if your really in the market for a new amp, dont settle for something because thats all the money you have, save your money and hold out, you will never truly be
happy with "settling" and you might end up with a product that craps out on you instead of having the dependable piece of gear you really wanted. That concludes this article, Keep practicing, and keep rockin!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Grabbing the Audiences Attention
There is much more to soloing than just playing something that "fits" or "works" over the underlying chord changes. A guitar solo should stand out melodically and make a strong musical statement, something people will remember. Certain types of licks have a way of seizing people's attention. I'd like to share a few ideas that you can apply to your own solos to help make them more dramatic and memorable.
One way to turn heads is to just bend a high note and shake the hell out of it, look at Zakk Wylde for example, or Dimebag. You can use this just about anywhere and its great for building tension and cutting through the roar of the rhythm section. While this type of vibrato is most easily performed on the B string near the 12th fret, it is most effective when used with a high note on the E string. Use atleast 3 fingers to push and release the string, and dont be shy to go crazy with it. Make the vibrato wide and even and put alot of attitude into it. When executed well, this type of lick will create the impression that you're about to explode.
Repetition is another great attention getter, look at the solo in Freebird. Repeating a short lick over and over creates a real sense of drama, especially if its repeated over moving chord changes. These are just a couple of ways of grabbing your audiences attention. Experiment a bit, then see if you can come up with other ways to blow people away. the next time you perform in a crowded, noisy club, try using one of these techniques in one of your solos and study peoples reactions. Do whatever you have to do to make sure to get those people standing at the bar to turn around and check out your band.
That concludes this lesson, but I will be back with more on how to fill your trick bag full of licks, and make a personal identity for yourself as a player. Keep Rockin!!!!
One way to turn heads is to just bend a high note and shake the hell out of it, look at Zakk Wylde for example, or Dimebag. You can use this just about anywhere and its great for building tension and cutting through the roar of the rhythm section. While this type of vibrato is most easily performed on the B string near the 12th fret, it is most effective when used with a high note on the E string. Use atleast 3 fingers to push and release the string, and dont be shy to go crazy with it. Make the vibrato wide and even and put alot of attitude into it. When executed well, this type of lick will create the impression that you're about to explode.
Repetition is another great attention getter, look at the solo in Freebird. Repeating a short lick over and over creates a real sense of drama, especially if its repeated over moving chord changes. These are just a couple of ways of grabbing your audiences attention. Experiment a bit, then see if you can come up with other ways to blow people away. the next time you perform in a crowded, noisy club, try using one of these techniques in one of your solos and study peoples reactions. Do whatever you have to do to make sure to get those people standing at the bar to turn around and check out your band.
That concludes this lesson, but I will be back with more on how to fill your trick bag full of licks, and make a personal identity for yourself as a player. Keep Rockin!!!!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Guitar Tuning Issues- Part 3
Another Tuning problem is an unsecure nut. On guitars with locking tremolos, make sure that the screws that hold the nut assembly to the neck of the guitar are tight. On a standard style nut, its imperative that the slot of the neck in which the nut sits is tightly bound to the nut itself. Usually, on steel string and electric guitars, nuts are glued in place with cyano acrolite, super glue in otherwords. Although this is a strong bonding agent, its not entirely permanent and can loosen or break free. If this happens, every time you bend a string or vibrato a note, you could be altering the position of the nut-and thus the tuning of your axe.
Another nut related problem is when the pitch of a string jumps sharp. This freak of tuning occurs when the nut slots are not cut properly. If the slot is too narrow, it will pinch the string and hold it in place. Eventually, when enough pressure or tug is exerted, the string will jump up a little in the saddle slot, increasing the tension of the string and raising its pitch. Optimally, you want the saddle slot of the nut to be slightly wider than the gauge of the string. This problem is pretty easily corrected using slotting files, but dont try this yourself if your inexperienced. A qualified repairman is always your best bet to fix an unsecured or improparly cut nut, and neither of these operations is particularly costly.
This concludes my tips on tuning issues. I know at some point you have all experienced them, and may still continue to experience them, so I hope this helps you out and you can start enjoying your guitar playing more without falling out of tune continuously. Keep Rockin!!!
Another nut related problem is when the pitch of a string jumps sharp. This freak of tuning occurs when the nut slots are not cut properly. If the slot is too narrow, it will pinch the string and hold it in place. Eventually, when enough pressure or tug is exerted, the string will jump up a little in the saddle slot, increasing the tension of the string and raising its pitch. Optimally, you want the saddle slot of the nut to be slightly wider than the gauge of the string. This problem is pretty easily corrected using slotting files, but dont try this yourself if your inexperienced. A qualified repairman is always your best bet to fix an unsecured or improparly cut nut, and neither of these operations is particularly costly.
This concludes my tips on tuning issues. I know at some point you have all experienced them, and may still continue to experience them, so I hope this helps you out and you can start enjoying your guitar playing more without falling out of tune continuously. Keep Rockin!!!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Guitar Tuning Issues- Part 2
Now Im going to cover another topic when it comes to out of tune guitars: tuning machines. Not all tuning machines are created equal. A good set of tuners should respond to the subtlest of adjustments. If you find that you can tweak on a tuner for awhile without hearing a change in pitch, thats not good. Sperzel and Gotoh are two examples of manufacturers that offer high gear ratios. The gears in these tuners mesh really well together and hold tuning reliably without backlash.
In addition, you dont want more than three to four neatly wrapped winds around the post of a tuner. Messy winds in excess of three or four can introduce slop and stretching problems. Regardless of what kind of tuners you have, you can always tighten the screw on the tuner buttons to reduce backlash.
I will post the 3rd and final part of this topic soon, till then Keep Rockin!
In addition, you dont want more than three to four neatly wrapped winds around the post of a tuner. Messy winds in excess of three or four can introduce slop and stretching problems. Regardless of what kind of tuners you have, you can always tighten the screw on the tuner buttons to reduce backlash.
I will post the 3rd and final part of this topic soon, till then Keep Rockin!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Guitar Tuning Issues
The One thing worse than an out of tune guitar is a guitar that wont stay in tune. Out of tune guitars aren't just a small problem, they're an epidemic. Im sure over the years everyone reading this has experienced these types of problems, so over the next few days I will be addressing these issues.
There are several reasons why a guitar wont stay in tune. First of all, and this may seem obvious, the strings may not be stratched properly. String stretching should be the first item on your check list when trying to identify the source of your tuning issues.
Once you've restrung with a fresh set of strings, tune the guitar to proper pitch with a guitar tuner. Then stretch the strings one at a time by fretting with your finger around the third fret while reaching under the string with your picking hand and tugging up off the fretboard about an inch to an inch and a half. The distance between your hands should be about three or four frets apart, and work your way up the neck to about the 15th to 21st fret while maintaining that three to four fret increment between your hands. After one pass up the fretboard, retune, and note how much the new string fell flat during the operation. If you repeat this process about three times, you'll find that the string will fall flat less and less until your able to complete a pass with very little detuning as a result of your stretching. At this point, the string is properly stretched and you should repeat the process with the other strings.
When you've finished with all the strings, tune the whole guitar as you normally would, and check it by playing chords and bending some notes to make sure there's no slippage occuring. If there is, its reasonably safe to say that it aint the strings.
I'll be back soon to continue on this issue, and go over tuners. Keep Rockin
There are several reasons why a guitar wont stay in tune. First of all, and this may seem obvious, the strings may not be stratched properly. String stretching should be the first item on your check list when trying to identify the source of your tuning issues.
Once you've restrung with a fresh set of strings, tune the guitar to proper pitch with a guitar tuner. Then stretch the strings one at a time by fretting with your finger around the third fret while reaching under the string with your picking hand and tugging up off the fretboard about an inch to an inch and a half. The distance between your hands should be about three or four frets apart, and work your way up the neck to about the 15th to 21st fret while maintaining that three to four fret increment between your hands. After one pass up the fretboard, retune, and note how much the new string fell flat during the operation. If you repeat this process about three times, you'll find that the string will fall flat less and less until your able to complete a pass with very little detuning as a result of your stretching. At this point, the string is properly stretched and you should repeat the process with the other strings.
When you've finished with all the strings, tune the whole guitar as you normally would, and check it by playing chords and bending some notes to make sure there's no slippage occuring. If there is, its reasonably safe to say that it aint the strings.
I'll be back soon to continue on this issue, and go over tuners. Keep Rockin
Monday, June 29, 2009
Get Signed!
Getting signed to a record deal is just about every band/musicians ultimate goal, but unfortionatelly, unlike wanting to be a Microsoft engineer you cant just go to college and expect a job when you get out. Sure there are music colleges and plenty of success stories to follow, but for those of you who dont have the time, money, or motivation to attend, I have an easier route. This applys to anyone wanting to get heard.
TAXI: record deals, publishing deal, film TV placement, recording your music, songwriting Is a GREAT place to start, or maybe finish your adventure. They are an A&R service, that for a small one time a year fee will accept ANY material you submit. They have ads running all the time, looking for EVERYTHING from bands to sign, different styles of music for tv and movie placement and just about everything else you might think of. The great thing about this service, they have industry professionals in EVERY area of music. So if you are in a metal band, you dont need to worry about someone who deals with soft rock review your music. The nice thing is, these people have worked in the industry for a long time, and have a background you can trust.
Once submitting music through them, their experts will review your submission and critique it. If they feel its up to par to submit to the actual person looking for the music they will forward it and the music is now in the right hands. If the music isnt up to par, they will actually take the time to tell you exactly what it needs to make it worthy of submission. Dont worry, they accept everything from professional recordings, to not so great home recordings, depending on the ad type. Some ads want professional recorded material for direct placement, others are looking for material to re-record. Check out the site, I hope it helps you on your journey, and if you happen to sign up and get signed or sell some tunes, drop me a line, success stories are always appreciated here. Keep Rockin
TAXI: record deals, publishing deal, film TV placement, recording your music, songwriting
TAXI: record deals, publishing deal, film TV placement, recording your music, songwriting Is a GREAT place to start, or maybe finish your adventure. They are an A&R service, that for a small one time a year fee will accept ANY material you submit. They have ads running all the time, looking for EVERYTHING from bands to sign, different styles of music for tv and movie placement and just about everything else you might think of. The great thing about this service, they have industry professionals in EVERY area of music. So if you are in a metal band, you dont need to worry about someone who deals with soft rock review your music. The nice thing is, these people have worked in the industry for a long time, and have a background you can trust.
Once submitting music through them, their experts will review your submission and critique it. If they feel its up to par to submit to the actual person looking for the music they will forward it and the music is now in the right hands. If the music isnt up to par, they will actually take the time to tell you exactly what it needs to make it worthy of submission. Dont worry, they accept everything from professional recordings, to not so great home recordings, depending on the ad type. Some ads want professional recorded material for direct placement, others are looking for material to re-record. Check out the site, I hope it helps you on your journey, and if you happen to sign up and get signed or sell some tunes, drop me a line, success stories are always appreciated here. Keep Rockin
TAXI: record deals, publishing deal, film TV placement, recording your music, songwriting
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Lyrics - Tips on Writing Effective Lyrics
Writing songs for some can be one of the toughest parts of being a musician, especially if you have'nt been able to complete your first song. Its like being a virgin and not knowing exactly what to do, but of course, over time, the more and more you pound away at it, the better you get. 
Lyrics are the part of the song most listeners identify with, it can make or break your song. Some songs start with lyrics, and the music is added later, which in my opinion is more difficult than those that start with a musical arrangement adding lyrics later. For this example I'm going to assume you have the musical part of the song written and its time to start writing lyrics.
There are many ways of accomplishing the lyrical content of a song, different things work for different people, so I'm going to give some tips I personally use when writing lyrics.
Once I have a song arrangement and all the pieces put together and recorded I will start playing a piece of the song over and over, either the chorus or the verse, and I will start humming a melody as a start point. Sometimes it takes a few runs through, but the basis for this is I'm humming a melody to see how many syllables i will need in each lyric phrase. Its the same idea as poetry. Once Ive established how many syllables are need I start filling in the blanks.
Now many you have a subject idea for the song, maybe you dont, but something that works for me is just opening the mind and once Ive got that melody I just start singing one liners until something clicks, usually the one liner will direct me in a direction as far as a subject. Once that subject of the song is established you have a platform to start writing on.
Now of course you want the syllable content to match in each line of the verse or chorus, as well as the last word of each phrase to rhyme. Come up with words related to your subject and find words that rhyme with them, a dictionary or thesaurus is a good reference point as far as word usage goes.
Now remember that your lyrics need to tell a story, and they need to be organized. If you have 3 verses in your song like a typical song does, your first verse needs to be the start of your story, your 2nd verse needs to tell the story, and your 3rd verse needs to basically end your story.
This is just a basic layout for those of you who might have never written a song, those of you struggling to write lyrics, or those looking for different ideas. There are many ways to write lyrics, music has no rules, Make it YOURS. This basic idea has worked for me many times over, and I hope for those of you struggling it gives you an idea of somewhere to start. If anyone else has anything more to add, please feel free to post. I will be back with ALOT more on the subject of songwriting and lyric writing that get more indepth, I wanted to have a starting point here for those having trouble. Hope this helps, Keep Rockin!!!!
Lyrics are the part of the song most listeners identify with, it can make or break your song. Some songs start with lyrics, and the music is added later, which in my opinion is more difficult than those that start with a musical arrangement adding lyrics later. For this example I'm going to assume you have the musical part of the song written and its time to start writing lyrics.
There are many ways of accomplishing the lyrical content of a song, different things work for different people, so I'm going to give some tips I personally use when writing lyrics.
Once I have a song arrangement and all the pieces put together and recorded I will start playing a piece of the song over and over, either the chorus or the verse, and I will start humming a melody as a start point. Sometimes it takes a few runs through, but the basis for this is I'm humming a melody to see how many syllables i will need in each lyric phrase. Its the same idea as poetry. Once Ive established how many syllables are need I start filling in the blanks.
Now many you have a subject idea for the song, maybe you dont, but something that works for me is just opening the mind and once Ive got that melody I just start singing one liners until something clicks, usually the one liner will direct me in a direction as far as a subject. Once that subject of the song is established you have a platform to start writing on.
Now of course you want the syllable content to match in each line of the verse or chorus, as well as the last word of each phrase to rhyme. Come up with words related to your subject and find words that rhyme with them, a dictionary or thesaurus is a good reference point as far as word usage goes.
Now remember that your lyrics need to tell a story, and they need to be organized. If you have 3 verses in your song like a typical song does, your first verse needs to be the start of your story, your 2nd verse needs to tell the story, and your 3rd verse needs to basically end your story.
This is just a basic layout for those of you who might have never written a song, those of you struggling to write lyrics, or those looking for different ideas. There are many ways to write lyrics, music has no rules, Make it YOURS. This basic idea has worked for me many times over, and I hope for those of you struggling it gives you an idea of somewhere to start. If anyone else has anything more to add, please feel free to post. I will be back with ALOT more on the subject of songwriting and lyric writing that get more indepth, I wanted to have a starting point here for those having trouble. Hope this helps, Keep Rockin!!!!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
MICHAEL JACKSON DEAD AT 50!!!!!!
I know Michael Jackson isnt a guitarist, or even much a musician, but he was an icon in the pop world, played with plenty of great players including Slash and Eddie Van Halen and he has passed away today, June 25th 2009!!!! A moment of silence for the King of Pop, and my personal prayers go out to the Jackson Family!!!!
Guitar Lesson of the Day- How To Find The Right Instructor
Finding the right teacher or instructor can be challenging depending on your level of playing, music style and seriousness of your playing. As i mentioned I have taken a few lessons from time to time. One of the main reasons I never stayed with one teacher was lack of interest in what they have to teach. A good instructor will cater to his or her students, helping them achieve the level of playing they strive for, and keeping it interesting at the same time.
For example, in most cases, if your a rock player or metal player for example, and your instructor is highly into jazz, and thats what he pushes on his students, you will probably lose interest fast. A good instructor will be open to teaching you things YOU want to learn, or giving you lessons that pertain to your style.
I suggest, if your going to spend money on lessons, make sure the person teaching you is knowledgable, has experience, and of course, is at a higher level of playing than yourself. Now Keep in mind, you can learn from EVERYONE, even those with less experience than you, but if your gonna pay, you want a return on your money. Make sure to ask alot of questions at your first meeting with the instructor to get a good idea if he or she is right for you. As always, i hope this lesson helped you on your journey to the top, and Keep Rockin!!!!!
For example, in most cases, if your a rock player or metal player for example, and your instructor is highly into jazz, and thats what he pushes on his students, you will probably lose interest fast. A good instructor will be open to teaching you things YOU want to learn, or giving you lessons that pertain to your style.
I suggest, if your going to spend money on lessons, make sure the person teaching you is knowledgable, has experience, and of course, is at a higher level of playing than yourself. Now Keep in mind, you can learn from EVERYONE, even those with less experience than you, but if your gonna pay, you want a return on your money. Make sure to ask alot of questions at your first meeting with the instructor to get a good idea if he or she is right for you. As always, i hope this lesson helped you on your journey to the top, and Keep Rockin!!!!!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
How Playing Live Gigs Can Make You a Better Player
Its really easy to strap on your guitar, plug into your amp, and blow a hole through the walls of your bedroom at mom and dads house, but coming out to play with other musicians, a band, or live gigs can be a traumatizing experience for some musicians who have never done it before. I know because I used to be one of them. The fear of messing up a guitar part, or something going wrong can rid your mind of the freeness to express yourself properly.
Playing live can drastically improve your skills as a musician. Interacting with an audience as a musician is one of the most fullfilling experiences you can have. Of course there are so many things that can go wrong as well, and those experiences should also be embrassed, you will learn from them. No matter how embarrassing something might be, it will make you stronger and you will learn from it!
Few things to keep in mind and prepare yourself for live playing. Always wrap your cord THROUGH the strap of the guitar so you dont accidentally unplug yourself, nothing worse than that!! Also, make sure if you have pedals to have extra batteries, as well as extra tubes if you have a tube amp. Of course warming up before a gig isnt a bad idea either, so you will be ready to play your best. Ive only included some of the basics here, its really a self learning experience for all of us!!! Best of luck, get out there and play live!!! Keep Rockin!
Playing live can drastically improve your skills as a musician. Interacting with an audience as a musician is one of the most fullfilling experiences you can have. Of course there are so many things that can go wrong as well, and those experiences should also be embrassed, you will learn from them. No matter how embarrassing something might be, it will make you stronger and you will learn from it!
Few things to keep in mind and prepare yourself for live playing. Always wrap your cord THROUGH the strap of the guitar so you dont accidentally unplug yourself, nothing worse than that!! Also, make sure if you have pedals to have extra batteries, as well as extra tubes if you have a tube amp. Of course warming up before a gig isnt a bad idea either, so you will be ready to play your best. Ive only included some of the basics here, its really a self learning experience for all of us!!! Best of luck, get out there and play live!!! Keep Rockin!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Guitar Lesson of the Day- Tone Can Make All The Difference
The Importance of tone cannot be understated. Tone plays a major role in the way you, as a guitarist, communicate with the audience, and connect with your instrument. Its quite the same as how the tone in your voice affects the way you are recieved when talking to someone, the tone of your guitar is essencial to the nature of the message that you impart to listeners.It also has a huge effect on you as a player, and will often dictate what you are motivated or compelled to play. Getting a great tone will do nothing less than inspire you to play your absolute best. I know it isnt easy to get a great tone, it can take HOURS of time spent to accomplish. Guitarists like Eric Johnson, a tone freak, is always looking to get a "better" tone, as if his tone wasnt great sounding already. You can accomplish finding a tone that is right for you through experimentation and patience. Just keep one thing in mind, guitarists often hear a player who has a great tone, and they want the same sound, but, just because you love the way he sounds doesnt mean that tone will particularly FEEL good to you, you really have to feel the sound, and find a tone that suits YOUR playing.
Now not just the amp is responsible for your tone, strings play a major role in it as well. Speaking of string, it seems that the make or break you string is the G string, if it retains some bottom end, and has a nice quality, then you've got a nice set of pickups in a nice guitar. If the G string sounds too think, then the other unwound strings are going to be too bright sounding. You need to have balance all the way through, from the highest notes to the lowest.
One trick you can try with a Les paul for example is to wrap the strings around the tailpiece instead of threading each string through the back of the tailpiece, as is conventional, thread them from the other side, between the tailpiece and the bridge, so that the string wraps around over the top of the tailpiece. If your not familiar, this is an old Jimmy Page trick, if you've ever noticed a picture or seen a video of him with his strings wrapper, I used to think he was just lazy, not at all. This can result in more sustain due to more transference of the strings vibration to the body of the guitar. Also, you achieve less of an angle as the string passes over the bridge saddle, resulting in less string breakage.
String guage also plays a role in your tone, players like Stevie Ray Vaugne used .011 guage strings for a lot fatter lead sound, where as guys like Billy Gibbons has been known to use .008 guage strings. String guage is not a test of manhood, you have to be comfortable with the strings you have on your guitar, so experiement and find what FEELs good and SOUNDS good, it might take awhile, but if your serious about your tone, its well worth the effort, you will be a much better player in the long run.
Also, dont be afraid to play with the volume and tone knobs on your guitar, thats what their there for. So many players just turn the tone knobs and volume knob to 10 and go, adjusting their tone strictly through their amp, you are limiting yourself. Its like anything else with music, experiment, dont be afraid to try new things. Its those things that take us out of our comfort zone that make us better players, just like playing your first gig!
Hope you got something out of this lesson, it was brought to you by the help of Joe Bonamassa, if you ever get a chance, give him a listen, he is a great blues player. I will be back soon with some more lessons, all the best, and Keep Rockin!!
:: Joe Bonamassa Official Website::
Now not just the amp is responsible for your tone, strings play a major role in it as well. Speaking of string, it seems that the make or break you string is the G string, if it retains some bottom end, and has a nice quality, then you've got a nice set of pickups in a nice guitar. If the G string sounds too think, then the other unwound strings are going to be too bright sounding. You need to have balance all the way through, from the highest notes to the lowest.
One trick you can try with a Les paul for example is to wrap the strings around the tailpiece instead of threading each string through the back of the tailpiece, as is conventional, thread them from the other side, between the tailpiece and the bridge, so that the string wraps around over the top of the tailpiece. If your not familiar, this is an old Jimmy Page trick, if you've ever noticed a picture or seen a video of him with his strings wrapper, I used to think he was just lazy, not at all. This can result in more sustain due to more transference of the strings vibration to the body of the guitar. Also, you achieve less of an angle as the string passes over the bridge saddle, resulting in less string breakage.
String guage also plays a role in your tone, players like Stevie Ray Vaugne used .011 guage strings for a lot fatter lead sound, where as guys like Billy Gibbons has been known to use .008 guage strings. String guage is not a test of manhood, you have to be comfortable with the strings you have on your guitar, so experiement and find what FEELs good and SOUNDS good, it might take awhile, but if your serious about your tone, its well worth the effort, you will be a much better player in the long run.
Also, dont be afraid to play with the volume and tone knobs on your guitar, thats what their there for. So many players just turn the tone knobs and volume knob to 10 and go, adjusting their tone strictly through their amp, you are limiting yourself. Its like anything else with music, experiment, dont be afraid to try new things. Its those things that take us out of our comfort zone that make us better players, just like playing your first gig!
Hope you got something out of this lesson, it was brought to you by the help of Joe Bonamassa, if you ever get a chance, give him a listen, he is a great blues player. I will be back soon with some more lessons, all the best, and Keep Rockin!!
:: Joe Bonamassa Official Website::
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Music News
I would really like to keep this page well rounded in the sense its for ALL musicians, not just guitarists, and it will contain many things music related for the non musicians as well.
Coming to the close of the 90s, many would have said "rock is dead", or atleast the concept of stadium rock might not have been a big thing at the time. Mainstream radio rock seemed to be falling off the charts rapidly with no bright future until one band came along and rocked the foundation. Some will say this band, at one point, "Saved Rock". Others will say they were just another flash in the pan. Either way you see it, and I know opinions of this band are hot and cold, this band did help bring rock music to a popular place again.
If ya havent heard, Creed has reunited for a summer tour and a new album. After walking out on their singer a few years back in Chicago, they have put their differences aside, buried the hatchet and have decided to give it another shot. Now I know that makes some of you cringe, others jump for joy, let just hope they can keep it real for the sake of the music, and dont try to jump on the commercial corporate bandwagon like they did in their ladder albums. Here is a direct link for any other further info and tour dates
Creed.com – The Official Website of Creed
Like always, your opinions and comments are more than welcome. I'll be back very soon with some new lessons, gear reviews and much more, so keep tunin in.. and as always.. Keep Rockin!
Coming to the close of the 90s, many would have said "rock is dead", or atleast the concept of stadium rock might not have been a big thing at the time. Mainstream radio rock seemed to be falling off the charts rapidly with no bright future until one band came along and rocked the foundation. Some will say this band, at one point, "Saved Rock". Others will say they were just another flash in the pan. Either way you see it, and I know opinions of this band are hot and cold, this band did help bring rock music to a popular place again.
If ya havent heard, Creed has reunited for a summer tour and a new album. After walking out on their singer a few years back in Chicago, they have put their differences aside, buried the hatchet and have decided to give it another shot. Now I know that makes some of you cringe, others jump for joy, let just hope they can keep it real for the sake of the music, and dont try to jump on the commercial corporate bandwagon like they did in their ladder albums. Here is a direct link for any other further info and tour dates
Creed.com – The Official Website of Creed
Like always, your opinions and comments are more than welcome. I'll be back very soon with some new lessons, gear reviews and much more, so keep tunin in.. and as always.. Keep Rockin!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Poll!!!!
Just wanted to take a poll from you guys. Its so typical to ask, favorite player. or favorite album, so this will be alittle different.
Who is your favorite guitarist/band, and your least favorite album by that guitarist, and why?????
Personally I have many favorites, so I'll use Aerosmith/ Joe Perry for this one. Always thought they had some great riffs and licks within their music, even the more commercial stuff in the 90s had its guitar moments, but for a band that was known as a guitar band Just Push Play went alittle too experimental, overlooking what made the band one of the greatest rock bands in the first place. The guitars were almost non existant on the album, having a few moments, but focusing attention to studio experimentation alot more. I can appreciate change, and experimentation, and I can listen to the album, but as far as having the need to learn any of the songs on my precious instrument, not a chance! Keep Rockin!!!
Who is your favorite guitarist/band, and your least favorite album by that guitarist, and why?????
Personally I have many favorites, so I'll use Aerosmith/ Joe Perry for this one. Always thought they had some great riffs and licks within their music, even the more commercial stuff in the 90s had its guitar moments, but for a band that was known as a guitar band Just Push Play went alittle too experimental, overlooking what made the band one of the greatest rock bands in the first place. The guitars were almost non existant on the album, having a few moments, but focusing attention to studio experimentation alot more. I can appreciate change, and experimentation, and I can listen to the album, but as far as having the need to learn any of the songs on my precious instrument, not a chance! Keep Rockin!!!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Guitar Lesson of the Day -Making Practice Less Boring and More Effective
This lesson is about how to get the most out of the time you put in practicing your instrument. I will focus on guitar mostly, but these simple rules, or ideas can be applied to any instrument. I know theres some of you out there that have been playing for awhile, and you run into someone playing alot less time than yourself, and wonder why they are so much more developed, or just better than you are. It has happened to me PLENTY of time, believe me.
First, remember one simple rule that will ALWAYS help you, You only get better practicing things you DONT know, as oppose to playing the same thing daily, monthly, or for some of us, we get stuck in the rut of playing the same thing for YEARS. For example, my downfall in the earlier days of playing was jamming to the SAME OL CDs, day after day. Sure you might master those tunes, but you arent gaining any new skills either. There are players who play HOURS a day, and others who play 30 minutes a day, with the latter being better because they applyed themselves in ways that utilized their time the best.
If your serious about developing your skills, and becoming a well rounded player, rythem, lead, and maybe a variety of styles, you need a practice routine. Alot of guitarists find this to be boring, but as Ive said in the past, once you see improvement, it can become quite addictive.
First off.... I'll start by saying, for anyone, to break up the manogomy, or boringness of excersizes, make sure you still take time to just Jam, to albums, by yourself, for ideas, whatever.
Secondly, I suggest setting aside a designated amount of time daily. Now for the fun stuff.
If your aspiring to be a well rounded player, what I suggest is getting a few files. In these files you will keep excersizes, and practice routines. You want to divide your practice time up. Make a file for rythem, a file for lead, a file for theory, or whatever else it is you want to learn, or get better at. Then divide your practice time, if your gonna give yourself an hour a day, maybe devote 15 minutes for rythem workouts, 15 minutes for lead excersizes, 15 minutes to theory, and the rest of the time to jam and enjoy your instrument.
You can use this basic guide, and fine tune it to what your trying to accomplish, believe me, it is a very effective way to get the most out of your practice time. Hope this article helps, keep shooting for your dreams, and KEEP ROCKIN!
First, remember one simple rule that will ALWAYS help you, You only get better practicing things you DONT know, as oppose to playing the same thing daily, monthly, or for some of us, we get stuck in the rut of playing the same thing for YEARS. For example, my downfall in the earlier days of playing was jamming to the SAME OL CDs, day after day. Sure you might master those tunes, but you arent gaining any new skills either. There are players who play HOURS a day, and others who play 30 minutes a day, with the latter being better because they applyed themselves in ways that utilized their time the best.
If your serious about developing your skills, and becoming a well rounded player, rythem, lead, and maybe a variety of styles, you need a practice routine. Alot of guitarists find this to be boring, but as Ive said in the past, once you see improvement, it can become quite addictive.
First off.... I'll start by saying, for anyone, to break up the manogomy, or boringness of excersizes, make sure you still take time to just Jam, to albums, by yourself, for ideas, whatever.
Secondly, I suggest setting aside a designated amount of time daily. Now for the fun stuff.
If your aspiring to be a well rounded player, what I suggest is getting a few files. In these files you will keep excersizes, and practice routines. You want to divide your practice time up. Make a file for rythem, a file for lead, a file for theory, or whatever else it is you want to learn, or get better at. Then divide your practice time, if your gonna give yourself an hour a day, maybe devote 15 minutes for rythem workouts, 15 minutes for lead excersizes, 15 minutes to theory, and the rest of the time to jam and enjoy your instrument.
You can use this basic guide, and fine tune it to what your trying to accomplish, believe me, it is a very effective way to get the most out of your practice time. Hope this article helps, keep shooting for your dreams, and KEEP ROCKIN!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Digital VS Analog
Im taking a poll, or asking for personal opinions as your way to help others who come here. Its digital vs analog. Which do you prefer and why? This pertains to recording music, as well as amplifiers.
Some will say there is nothing like the sound of analog and digital reproduction doesnt even come close, just as some say records still sound better than compact disks. Can you tell the difference as far as digital vs analog recording? some can Im sure, who know alittle more than others, and might record music for a living. Others probably cant tell the difference, and what it comes down to is personal preference. As far as Amplifiers go, I would say the difference is much more noticable.
While digital offers much easier methods of copying and pasting for recordings, mixing things up, easy clicks on a computer screen, or having all your guitar effects right in your amplifier, it can have its downfalls as well. I used to use a Line 6 Vetta playing in a band with a guy who used a Mesa Duel Rectifier and believe me, the difference was very noticable. Talk about getting blown away everytime we played. Yet my amp still held its own, and was very convenient, I find it more satisfying playing through a good ol solid state.
Get your opinions out there, and share some knowledge with the rest of the readers, be heard, here at Guitar World of Axeslinger. Keep Rockin
Some will say there is nothing like the sound of analog and digital reproduction doesnt even come close, just as some say records still sound better than compact disks. Can you tell the difference as far as digital vs analog recording? some can Im sure, who know alittle more than others, and might record music for a living. Others probably cant tell the difference, and what it comes down to is personal preference. As far as Amplifiers go, I would say the difference is much more noticable.
While digital offers much easier methods of copying and pasting for recordings, mixing things up, easy clicks on a computer screen, or having all your guitar effects right in your amplifier, it can have its downfalls as well. I used to use a Line 6 Vetta playing in a band with a guy who used a Mesa Duel Rectifier and believe me, the difference was very noticable. Talk about getting blown away everytime we played. Yet my amp still held its own, and was very convenient, I find it more satisfying playing through a good ol solid state.
Get your opinions out there, and share some knowledge with the rest of the readers, be heard, here at Guitar World of Axeslinger. Keep Rockin
Guitar Hero
So ya wanna be a guitar hero... Well it takes ALOT of work and alot of dedication, and its alittle bit harder than playing the video game.
I was just wondering the opinions of other guitarists, those who may have been around for awhile. Those who saw the popularity of the guitar decline in the 90s. Those around in the 80s shredfest and so on.
Is the game guitar hero a good thing? A Bad thing? Or just irrelevant in the music world?
Some will agree its a great thing, bringing back the popularity of an instrument that lost alittle a decade ago. Others will say "its just a game" and most the kids who play it will never pick up a real guitar.
Ive played the game a couple times, I think its a good concept, and I hope it influences a younger generation of guitarists who see the instrument for more than just a few chords. I guess only time will tell, but they do have there heads screwed on straight, seeing as how the games are packed full of great guitar work.
Let me hear what ya'll think about the subject, and anything else you might want to share with the readers here... we can all learn from each other.. Keep Rockin!
I was just wondering the opinions of other guitarists, those who may have been around for awhile. Those who saw the popularity of the guitar decline in the 90s. Those around in the 80s shredfest and so on.
Is the game guitar hero a good thing? A Bad thing? Or just irrelevant in the music world?
Some will agree its a great thing, bringing back the popularity of an instrument that lost alittle a decade ago. Others will say "its just a game" and most the kids who play it will never pick up a real guitar.
Ive played the game a couple times, I think its a good concept, and I hope it influences a younger generation of guitarists who see the instrument for more than just a few chords. I guess only time will tell, but they do have there heads screwed on straight, seeing as how the games are packed full of great guitar work.
Let me hear what ya'll think about the subject, and anything else you might want to share with the readers here... we can all learn from each other.. Keep Rockin!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Guitar Lesson of the Day...Workin out the kinks
Many guitar players, especially those new to the instrument, and some experienced run into a song or a part of a song they just cant get down. It might have to do with not having the ability to play the part, or maybe its a lead run thats too fast etc etc. When I was new to the instrument, like many, there were tons of songs I could not play that I wanted to. I was into alot of different players at the time, being the early 90s, so alot of shredders where still in the spot light. Im going to use Eddie Van Halens Eruption as an example for this lesson. I wanted to play it so bad, but didnt know where to start. The pieces were way beyond my ability. Thats where the lesson comes in.
Those of you who want to be able to shred, play lead, or just have control over your instrument, I do recommend using exercises to get there. They can be boring, and hard at first, but have patience, put in the time, start slow, and you WILL see results, and once you do, getting better becomes addictive. I will put plenty of exercises up in future posts, but now back to being able to play that difficult piece of a song, or the whole song.
You have to build your chops in order to be able to play certain things, and thats something I personally didint understand in the early days of my playing. I also recomment breaking those parts out and making exercises out of them. Play them on different parts of the neck. If there is a legato piece, do legato exercises. Speed picking the same. Nothing is easy in life, and that goes for being a super shredding guitar hero too. Hope this lesson helped alittle, be back with plenty more.
Keep Rockin!
Those of you who want to be able to shred, play lead, or just have control over your instrument, I do recommend using exercises to get there. They can be boring, and hard at first, but have patience, put in the time, start slow, and you WILL see results, and once you do, getting better becomes addictive. I will put plenty of exercises up in future posts, but now back to being able to play that difficult piece of a song, or the whole song.
You have to build your chops in order to be able to play certain things, and thats something I personally didint understand in the early days of my playing. I also recomment breaking those parts out and making exercises out of them. Play them on different parts of the neck. If there is a legato piece, do legato exercises. Speed picking the same. Nothing is easy in life, and that goes for being a super shredding guitar hero too. Hope this lesson helped alittle, be back with plenty more.
Keep Rockin!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Guitar Lesson of The Day
Many guitar players out there are self taught, most infact. Some decide at some point to get lessons to improve their playing while others are totally against the idea of taking lessons for fear they are going to be conformed into playing or sounding like their teacher, or others who fear that once they gain some knowledge of musical theory they will find themselves restricted to only thinking inside the box.
Im a self taught player for the most part, but have taken a few lessons here and there, as well as watched plenty of lesson DVDs from everyone to unknowns to famous guitarists such as John Petrucci and Eric Johnson. You will only find yourself being restricted if you let yourself be, you can learn and gain influence in many different ways from many different players and styles. Open your mind and take it all in.
Now for my lesson of the day. Its actually something that most guitarists and guitar instructors overlook, but is a very important part of guitar playing if you want to play at your best or advance at a faster pace. Its simple.... its called STRETCHES!!!!! Im going to give you a few basic stretches you can/should do before playing your guitar. I also do them throughout the day just to keep loose.
First... open your right hand flat, then place your left hand on top of it, in the other direction, so that your finger tips are by your thumb. Then push your fingers back, reversing the direction they go when bending the hand. Only push so that your feel a stretch, you dont want to hurt yourself. Hold the stretch 10 seconds and let go.
Second stretch...... make a fist with your right hand and make sure the top of your hand is facing down. Now with the left hand wrap your palm around the fist and push your clenched fist hand down toward the inside of your fore arm. You will feel the outside of the wrist stretch.. hold 10 seconds...
do this with EACH hand and a few times each... also message the fingers... fingertips... hands and wrist to get blood flowing. This is a great pre warm up.
Hope you enjoyed the lesson... keep rockin!!!
Im a self taught player for the most part, but have taken a few lessons here and there, as well as watched plenty of lesson DVDs from everyone to unknowns to famous guitarists such as John Petrucci and Eric Johnson. You will only find yourself being restricted if you let yourself be, you can learn and gain influence in many different ways from many different players and styles. Open your mind and take it all in.
Now for my lesson of the day. Its actually something that most guitarists and guitar instructors overlook, but is a very important part of guitar playing if you want to play at your best or advance at a faster pace. Its simple.... its called STRETCHES!!!!! Im going to give you a few basic stretches you can/should do before playing your guitar. I also do them throughout the day just to keep loose.
First... open your right hand flat, then place your left hand on top of it, in the other direction, so that your finger tips are by your thumb. Then push your fingers back, reversing the direction they go when bending the hand. Only push so that your feel a stretch, you dont want to hurt yourself. Hold the stretch 10 seconds and let go.
Second stretch...... make a fist with your right hand and make sure the top of your hand is facing down. Now with the left hand wrap your palm around the fist and push your clenched fist hand down toward the inside of your fore arm. You will feel the outside of the wrist stretch.. hold 10 seconds...
do this with EACH hand and a few times each... also message the fingers... fingertips... hands and wrist to get blood flowing. This is a great pre warm up.
Hope you enjoyed the lesson... keep rockin!!!
Gettin Heard!!!
Gettin heard can be one of the hardest things for any musician/band to accomplish. Being heard by the right people that is. Many musicians dont have the resources or even know where to start. Others know the right avenues but they lack the financial backing to get anything done. Well, dont sweat it, this article is here to help with one of the biggest problems we as musicians face, getting our material to the right people.
Im going to share a link with ya'll that is a perfect place to start, whether it be trying to get signed, or just sell a few tunes you have laying around collecting dust. This A&R service is available to anyone, it will guarantee your music makes it to the right people. There are tons of catagories from labels looking for bands, to movie companies looking for music or scores for films.
Take a look, I know anyone serious about getting into the music business will love and benefit from this site!
Keep rockin!!!!
TAXI: record deals, publishing deal, film TV placement, recording your music, songwriting
Im going to share a link with ya'll that is a perfect place to start, whether it be trying to get signed, or just sell a few tunes you have laying around collecting dust. This A&R service is available to anyone, it will guarantee your music makes it to the right people. There are tons of catagories from labels looking for bands, to movie companies looking for music or scores for films.
Take a look, I know anyone serious about getting into the music business will love and benefit from this site!
Keep rockin!!!!
TAXI: record deals, publishing deal, film TV placement, recording your music, songwriting
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
A salute To the Hero's
Just wanted to salute my personal guitar hero's, the many who either inspired or influenced me over the course of the last two decades. Forgive me if I leave a few names out, there are way too many to name.
Steve Vai...Steve Howe.... John Petrucci.....Paul Gilbert....Joe Perry... Zakk Wylde.. Tony Iommi...Slash.... Warren Demartini....Alex Lifeson.... Satriani....Robert Fripp... Frank Zappa... Jason Becker.. bless this man for being a true inspiration to us all....
I will continue my list in future postings....
I also wanted to share a pretty cool site with ya'll..... a place to find tons and tons of backing tracks without guitar. A perfect place to get backing tracks for practicing or just getting your own ideas. Those of you wanted to start or join a band, never having played in a band, I suggest going to this site, downloading some tunes, and get practicing so your prepared in a real life band situation.
Free Guitar Backing Tracks @ GuitarBackingTrack.com
Steve Vai...Steve Howe.... John Petrucci.....Paul Gilbert....Joe Perry... Zakk Wylde.. Tony Iommi...Slash.... Warren Demartini....Alex Lifeson.... Satriani....Robert Fripp... Frank Zappa... Jason Becker.. bless this man for being a true inspiration to us all....
I will continue my list in future postings....
I also wanted to share a pretty cool site with ya'll..... a place to find tons and tons of backing tracks without guitar. A perfect place to get backing tracks for practicing or just getting your own ideas. Those of you wanted to start or join a band, never having played in a band, I suggest going to this site, downloading some tunes, and get practicing so your prepared in a real life band situation.
Free Guitar Backing Tracks @ GuitarBackingTrack.com
Shaking The World
Welcome to the world of guitar!!!!!! Its gonna be a ride let me tell ya. Things are just gettin started, but in the future you will be able to find many music and guitar related resources here, as well as lessons, tips, and plenty of information on how to get to the level of playing you would like to achieve.
It doesnt matter if your just a bedroom hobbiest or a professional musician looking to break into the music industry, you will get a good amount of information here to help you get started, or maybe take it to the next level.
It doesnt matter if your just a bedroom hobbiest or a professional musician looking to break into the music industry, you will get a good amount of information here to help you get started, or maybe take it to the next level.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Beginning of an Era!!!!
Welcome to the World Of Axeslinger!! Today a new revolution starts. Today the world starts getting a glimpse into the twisted world I call my mind. This page will contain plenty of my own personal thoughts, feelings, opinions , as well as news on guitarists, guitars, personal lessons, and anything else musical I can conjure up to help the readers who visist my playground! Let the ride begin!
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