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Archive for June, 2010
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Statistics show artists have a higher chance of being bi-polar. I believe that. I don’t think I’m bi-polar, cause I’ve seen bi-polar, but I’m probably more emotional than most. You see I have this theory that real musicians experience emotions on a deeper level than the general public. This is not to say your emotions are mere imitations or shallow, but just to say from my experience, it seems like many musicians are emotional and feel a stronger intensity of emotion than Average Joe. I’m not sure what causes it, but I do know what to call it: The Musician’s Curse. Why is it a curse you ask? Let me give you an example.
As a songwriter, most of my songs are based around artifacts of my life – people, places, events, etc. I’m not one to brag, but I’ve had many people mention how cool/great/interesting my songs are. In fact, I’ve had students request to learn some of my songs, and I’ve heard people humming my songs after they’ve heard them. On the one hand, my intense emotions allow me to write beautiful masterpieces of song, and to explore the depths of pain, fear, grief, anger, despair, hope, elation, love, joy and Serenity in a way I know some may not be capable of. On the other hand, there are times when I could totally live without emotional depth. Like today. My one saving grace is I do at least have a guitar to pour my new-found experiences into, and one day I can look back at this amazing masterpiece, and remember, but not feel. I just wish that day was today.
Tags: emotions, how music affects emotions, music, music and emotions, music improves emotional health, musician, musicians curse, songwriting
Posted in Personal Articles | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
I know music is one of the ways people distinguish and classify themselves as individuals. It’s no stretch of the imagination for example, to think of someone dressed in black from head to toe, with long, black hair as “metal” or gothic”. I think distinguishing yourself is a mark of individuality and an inner need to be different. That’s great, but too often, people go the extra distance by very narrowly classifying the music they listen to. As a music instructor, my job is to get to know a new student to better help them along on their musical journey. One of the first questions I usually ask is ”what kind of music are you into?”. I tend to hear all kinds of answers, but it seems the most common answer I’ve heard recently is “I listen to everything… except country”. Or my personal favorite, “I listen to everything – you know, rock, hard rock, indie, classic rock”.
It kind of reminds me of that scene in The Blues Brothers when Jake asks the bartender what kind of music they typically have there, to which her response is “Oh, we have both kinds – country and western.”
Now I know I’m not the most musically tolerant individual, but I am trying, and I do believe people have not just the right, but the duty to be educated, cultured and tolerant. I think music is a great vehicle for this. I think we should all learn to see the beauty in rock, blues, jazz, country, western, indie, big band, classical, etc. You may not love everything about a particular genre, but I guarantee you’ll find at least one song you enjoy. And as logic would follow, if you can find one song you enjoy from your least favorite genre, you can find more.
Although my diet of music consists mainly of metal and it’s many sub-genres, I still make it a point to listen to a wide variety of music, and have found I enjoy many new genres and artists I expose myself too.
Anyways, in closing, open your mind to new genres, artists, styles, and generations. Better yet, open your mind to tolerance, individualism and cultural and racial disparity.
Tags: blues, country, i like everything except country, indie, music, music culture, musical tolerance, musically cultured, rock
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Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
I love the sound of steel strings on an electric but using steel strings can wear down the fret wires a lot faster creating dents and divots where the strings sit. The basic problem is fret-wire hardness; fret wires come in a variety of alloy combinations, which give us different hardness. The idea you want to stay away from, is using hard (steel) strings with soft fretwires. Steel fretwires tend to be more expensive, difficult to work with from a luthier’s perspective, and may not sound as good, but that’s a seperate issue. What we’re looking at, is to try and put off a level and dress (the procedure required to fix frent wire dents) for as long as possible. Furthermore, a level and dress (or L&D for short) can only be performed 2 or 3 times before the frets need to be replaced altogether, a much more expensive procedure. Obviously, how “heavy-handed” you are really comes into play, but using softer pure nickel, or nickel-wound strings can help retain the fretwire’s life, and save you some cash in maintenance and repairs. If like me, you enjoy the sound of steel strings, then your best bet is to practice with softer strings, and perform with steel strings, to get the best of both longevity and tone from your axe.
Tags: dents in your frets, dents on my frets, fret wire hardness, frets, frets and guitar strings, fretwire, guitar frets, hard frets, level and dress
Posted in Tech Tips | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
As a guitarist with over fifteen years of playing experience, I’ve played with tons of different picks. But as my playing became more refined and developed, I began searching not just for any pick, but for the perfect pick. The perfect pick for me is obviously different for you. Choosing the right pick is a very personal decision and may require a lot of trial and error before you even decide what it is you’re actually looking for in a pick. With that said, let’s get started!
First off, let me start by saying most beginners can get away with just about anything they have around, although it’s usually best to start with a thin to medium gauge between .60mm and .73mm in thickness. As you progress, you’ll want to consider each of the variables of a pick, individually narrowing down your choices. Variables such as size, thickness, shape, material and texture all make a difference in tone, attack, durability, and grasp. I’ll break each variable down below to help you get a grasp on why it’s important.
 A Variety of Guitar Picks Size
The average pick is a standard sized rounded-top triangle. That being said, every manufacturer makes this pick slightly different in overall size. A larger pick can be a benefit to beginners who have a tendency to drop picks, but can also make a pick feel excessively large and unwieldy to a player with more experience.
Thickness
Thickness is by far one of the most important variables to consider. Typically more advanced players performing intricate alternate, tremolo, and sweep picking will want a thick pick usually above 1.0mm. This is because thinner picks bend too easily for players who pick fast.
Shape
Although the majority of players use standard shaped picks, other shapes do exist such as tear-drop shape, triangle, and others. Small teardrop-shaped picks are usually good for intricate picking lines, while larger shaped picks are better suited for rhythm.
Material
Picks are made out of every material known to man such as a variety of plastics, nylon, metal, wood and yes, even stone. The different types of material will wear the pick and your strings down differently, as well as sound different. Wood and stone tend to be expensive, while metal is very harsh on your strings and may cause a lot of breakage. Also, different materials will feel differently in your fingers and may be harder or easier to hold onto. Once again, experiment with your choices.
Texture
Textured picks allow you to hang onto your pick in the sweatiest of situations. Some picks however might be a little too textured which makes it difficult to make position adjustments on the fly. Experiment with picks that are smooth, textured, coated, and even ones that have holes in them.
 Various Picks Until next time, keep rockin!
http://www.lessonsthatrock.com
Tags: bass picks, choosing the right guitar pick, finding the right guitar pick, guitar pick shapes, guitar picks, guitar picks for beginners, how to find the right guitar pick
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Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
So when should you change strings? More often than not, I see students who wait far too long between string changes. Not changing strings can actually prevent you from doing your best since old strings break, don’t stay in tune, and just generally feel gross. Although, most players would say to change strings about every six weeks, how often you change strings really depends on a number of factors. Factors such as how often and how hard you play, how much you sweat, and how well you maintain and take care of your axe.
If you’re not sure if it’s time to change strings, here are a few things to look for.
String discoloration. The string will change from a bright silver, to grey then eventually black. The darker the color, the closer you are to a string change.
Gunk. Lightly run your finger underneath the fretboard side of your strings. It should feel smooth. If you feel bumps, build-up, or ridges then it’s definitely time for a change.
Ridges. If you look at your strings, the portion that sits directly over the fret wire typically takes a harder beating causing a lot of strings to break at those points. You’ll want to check for ridges, and missing “wraps” to round portion of the string that is wrapped around the core of the string. If any wraps are missing, and you can see the core, then string breakage is imminent.
As a note, you’ll also want to change your strings if you’re doing anything important such as a gig, recital or recording session. Also, make sure to replace all of your strings each time and not just the ones that look bad. If you happen to break a single string right after replacing a set, don’t worry, you can just replace it individually, but if the whole set looks worn, just save yourself the trouble of more broken strings and change them all.
Check back next month when we discuss choosing the right pick.
Until next time, keep rockin’!
Tags: changing strings, guitar strings, how do i know if my strings are old, how often should i change my guitar strings, old guitar strings, when should I change strings on my guitar, when to change strings on a guitar
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