Musician Guide

Play Guitar Like a Pro with the Ultimate Learning Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Many people want to play the guitar well, but lack the knowledge or the skills how… Now you can take the benefit of 14 years experience and apply it to your guitar learning to speed the rate of your learning and increase your guitar playing skills much faster than ever before.

Discover the benefits of Jamorama – the Ultimate Guitar Learning Kit which includes:
Learn to Play Guitar with Jamorama – The Ultimate Guitar Learning Kit which includes books for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players.
“GuitEarIt” – an ear training game that develops your ear to recognize all 36 major, minor, and seventh cords.
“Jayde Musica Pro” – a game created to help you read music that is both fun and will increase the speed of your music reading immensely!
Access to hundreds of recorded song files which explain how to play over 50 popular songs! Amaze your friends!
And much more…
Skip the ineffective methods that don’t deliver results, and let Ben and the team teach you how to slash your frustrations and learn to play songs your friends will love to hear.

More Details Visit:
http://tinyurl.com/c75ftx

Team Method Guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:46:00 +0000

Finally, someone has come up with a better way to learn to play the guitar! In fact it’s such a simple concept that it’s amazing that someone hasn’t done this until now.

Team Method Guitar is a guitar course put together and taught by a team of guitar experts. They have specialists for acoustic, lead, theory and many more areas. By using a team approach the guitar player learns a variety of methods and styles and doesn’t pick up bad habits or any one particular style.

Team method Guitar is also a MASSIVE course. There are six books with almost 500 pages of information, 10 DVDs and CDs with video lessons and play along jam tracks, several mini courses covering playing by ear and acoustic guitar, and several software games to speed learning.

You shouldn’t confuse Team method Guitar with other guitar sites that offer lessons and tips from different teachers. TMG is definitely a GUITAR COURSE, not just random tips and tricks.

Perhaps the most impressive thing among some very impressive features of this course is that Team Method Guitar offers students live support. In fact you can talk online with the actual team members who helped put the course together. In this day of impersonal internet marketing this personal touch is in itself amazing.

Team Method Guitar is the Rolls Royce of guitar courses. It’s hard to imagine anything that these guys have left out. About the only negative is that being the top end of the market means that this course isn’t cheap, but you certainly get your money’s worth, and if money is an issue they also offer a less-expensive downloadable version.

If you are serious about learning to play guitar then you really must consider Team Method Guitar. In my opinion it’s a “10”.

Click here for more details: Team Method Guitar

Rocket Piano – the Ultimate Piano Learning Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:09:00 +0000

If you are learning the piano, either as a beginner or as a slightly more advanced player, you can appreciate how frustrating it is learning the skills and techniques without seeing any noticeable results. The time and effort that many put into exercises don’t seem to be reflected in their standard of playing. There also seems to be a frustration in the lack of quality information on the market.

The Piano Guy and the team at Rocket Piano have bucked the trend with the latest developments to the Rocket Piano brand. They have had considerable success with their 3 book series, Learn to Play the Piano with Rocket Piano – the Ultimate Piano Learning Kit. Given the positive feedback from the success of this package, the team decided to develop the product further, and have come up with a package that is unrivalled in terms of quality and its comprehensive nature. This package truly does enable piano students to accelerate their learning, and includes an impressive array of features.

In addition to the quality information in the glossy 3 book series, the team at Rocket Piano has included hundreds of sound files that explain how to play, so you can hear what your playing is supposed to sound like. The songs are broken down into pieces, which enables the student to learn each piece before they are ready to tackle the whole song. Being able to play these songs will amaze friends and acquaintances alike, and this is made easy through the hundreds of lines of music included for your benefit.

In addition to this, the team have spent hours developing exclusive educational computer games to develop your skills in reading and training your ear to transcribe music. The pro version of Jayde Musica is now available as a free bonus as well as Perfect Your Pitch Pro, a program that is designed to give the student the ability to tune their ear to recognize notes and transcribe songs from the radio. Both of these programs are very well made and presented, and most of all are easy and fun to play.

As well as this, when you purchase the package, you get two additional free bonus books. The first is “Advanced Learning Techniques for Piano”. This book introduces the idea of mental visualization, which is a powerful tool in speeding up your rate of learning. Mental visualization uses the same pathways inside your brain other than the fact you are not performing the activity physically. The second bonus book, “How to tune your piano” solves the problem with tuning pianos, and introduces the reader to the most effective way of tuning a piano.

With all of the information in this package there really is no excuse to delay learning to play your piano. The Rocket Piano team has given the reader five high quality books, two fun educational games and access to hundreds of recorded sound files that will have students playing popular songs like a professional in no time.

As an added bonus, the team at Rocket Piano has also thrown in free email consultations to customers that may have specific issues or problems that need addressing. This is of enormous benefit to students that need specific answers to their training queries.

This package is by far the most complete and fresh approach to piano playing that I have seen in a long time. I highly recommend this product because I do believe it will deliver results and have you playing popular songs like a professional using the most effective techniques. There is something here for every piano player, regardless of ability. And at the current cost, it really is worth every dollar spent!

Click here to find out more…and accelerate your piano playing today!

How to start recording music at home

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:36:00 +0000

It's perfectly possible to make very high quality recordings at home with today's computer technology. However, you will need to spend a fair bit of money on software, and hardware (such as high quality microphones and soundcards) in order to achieve this. BUT DON'T WORRY! It is entirely possible to make recordings at home that are very respectable in quality whilst spending only a relatively small amount of money! Even better news...it's all pretty easy to do!

I like to think of my home recording set-up like an artist's sketchbook. It's somewhere to play around with my ideas, record a few vocal takes, put down a basic bass line, some simple drums and maybe a guitar track behind it. It's then that the magic really starts. On pretty much all music software you can just copy and paste individual parts (or whole sections) around, just like you would do in a word processor. This makes it really easy to swap verses around, try a new drum beat on a different section...anything you can think of really.

Home studio software usually has a good selection of instruments built in, so you can add piano, strings, brass, synth and many more sounds to your songs. If you're an accomplished keyboard player you can play all these different parts in via a (music) keyboard. If not, you can just play the notes in on screen (and you can change them really easily if you play a wrong note).

Like I said, if you want to do this all at a really high (studio quality) level, then you'll need to think about investing some serious cash. But most software and hardware manufacturers have realised that there are loads of people like you and me out there, and have produced some really good 'Entry Level' cut down versions of their studio quality kit.

What you'll need to get started.

At the most basic level, all you need for recording at home is a microphone, a sound card and a computer running some recording software. Lets look at the hardware first.

Microphones

You can use the same microphone you would use for live shows for basic home recording (the Shure SM58 is a tried and tested classic), but you'll want to think about getting a studio quality condenser microphone if you want to record higher quality vocals.

Pop Shield

Pop shields are an inexpensive device that attaches to the mic stand, and stops loud blowing and popping noises from reaching the microphone. Singers make these noises mostly when singing 'P' and 'B' type sounds. You can make basic pop shield by stretching a pair of tights over a wire coat hanger! It won't be as good as a professional one, but it will do the job pretty well!

Sound Cards

The majority of sound cards that come with computers are not designed for use with music programs. If you try to use them for recording music the quality will be much lower and you will experience large delays which will make recording impossible. If you want to do home recording then you will need a soundcard that has been designed for this purpose.

There are several different types:-

Internal Cards - If you have a PC that has a spare internal card slot, then you can get a relatively inexpensive sound card that can be used for home music production. If you know what you are doing you can fit them yourself, but if you're in any doubt then please (for your own safety) get someone who knows what they are doing to fit it.

USB / FIREWIRE - there are some great sound cards that attach via USB / FIREWIRE. They usually cost a little bit more, but are really easy to transfer between computers if you use more than one.

Another thing to consider when you are buying a sound card is whether or not it will directly accept the signal from your microphone. It will almost certainly tell you this on the package / website where you buy it from, and may say something like 'Mic Preamp'. If it doesn't then you will need to connect it via your mixing desk.

Now lets talk about the software

On the most basic level, the software works by recording each channel of music (e.g. Vocals, Guitar, Drums etc). You can then alter the volumes of each of the different tracks, just like you would do live on a mixing desk. Each separate channel can be chopped up and moved around (just like you can copy and paste text in a word processor). This is what makes recording on computers much more powerful than old style tape recordings. Finaly you can add effects like compression, reverb and delay to individual tracks (or to the whole mix) then your track is about finished.

I've always used software from a company called Steinberg. It's very powerful software and it's pretty easy to understand. Steinberg produces a very high quality studio program called Cubase 4. They also produce a cut down version for the home user called Cubase 4 Essential, and another piece of software aimed at total beginners called Sequel. There are several other companies that also make great quality, affordable software for home recording.

Once you've got the basics set up, you just need to get recording, and try out new things. Make sure you read the user manual to get full benefit out of these powerful pieces of software.

Good luck, and above all, enjoy your music!

About the Author

Gemma King is a Professional Singer, Songwriter, Vocal Coach and artist Consultant. She regularly writes for her newsletter which is a must read for all singers.

Find her book 'How To Become A Singer', available on her website now.

Singers! Why should you write original music?

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:24:00 +0000

Most singers have one major problem when starting out in the music industry... 'How do I get myself noticed?'. Yes, there are plenty of other singers out there, and often it's not enough just to be a better singer than them. But having a great voice is a fantastic start.
So, you're nearly there! The next thing that you can do as a singer to set yourself apart from other singers is to perform some great original music! Original music is the best thing you can do as a performer. But how do you get original music?

There are three ways to get original music:-
1. Write your own songs.
2. Co-write songs with other musicians.
3. Find songwriters who are not also performers. (There are plenty of songwriters around on the internet).

So first let's clear up some common questions I regularly get emailed to me about song writing!

Do I need to be able to read / write music in order to write songs?

Of course you don't... There are plenty of singers and songwriters around who haven't got the first idea about how to read music, let alone write it. As long as you can record it down in some way (a Dictaphone will do) then you've got all the equipment you need.

Remember, music existed long before people developed systems to write it down. It was even more recently that people developed 'Music Theory' as a way of explaining how music works. In fact I can pretty much guarantee you know LOADS of music theory, just having listened to music. I think everyone who has a interest in music should take the time to look at a basic Music Theory book especially songwriters, as you'll find that learning a little bit about how music works will help you enormously with basic things like song structure and working out what chords go with which notes.

Do I need to be able to play an instrument in order to write songs?

As a singer you already play one of the best instruments you can possibly own. Using your voice to work out tunes is by far the easiest way of writing music.

The other really common instruments that are used by singers / songwriters are the guitar and the piano (or electronic keyboard). If you can get access to one of these instruments they that can be a great start (I'm sure you know someone with an old guitar you could borrow). You don't have to learn how to play these instruments at a performance standard, just use them as a tool to help you develop your ideas.

So how do I start writing music?

Music is so diverse that there is no way anyone could actually tell you how to write a song. In this series of articles we will be discussing topics such as 'What elements make up a great song', and 'Get inspired to write lyrics'. These articles, and many more are available by signing up to my free singers newsletter, a must read whether your an amateur or a pro!

You'll most likely write some pretty bad tunes when you start out. Everyone does. That's ok, don't get disheartened. With practice and inspiration, hopefully, you'll start writing some music that you're happy to play to people.

Just keep trying, and above all, enjoy making music.

About the Author

Gemma King is a Professional Singer, Songwriter, Vocal Coach and Artist Consultant. She regularly writes for her newsletter which is a must read for both amateur and professional singers alike.

Gemma has also written a book on 'How To Become A Singer' which is available on her website now.

Using Guitar Backing Tracks To Master Guitar Solos by Eugene W

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:47:00 +0000

Join us as we examine the ways you can master guitar solos by using backing tracks for guitarists. We will look into how using guitar backing tracks can be a huge asset in honing your skills as a guitarist as well as helping you to master lead guitar playing.
A lot of guitar players spend their time trying to find the secret, the easy solution or the single trick to mastering their skills and being able to play really awesome guitar solos. Serious guitarists will spend hours practicing, honing their skills, and searching and scouring the Internet for any lessons that might help them achieve the perfection in their technique. Others may research endless on the type of pickups, the different tones or guitar effects review to take their sound to the next level. Practice is the key to mastery and enjoying your practice sessions is the answer to keeping the focus and commitment for guitar practicing. There is hope for these individuals, in the form of guitar backing tracks.
Backing tracks for guitarists are a crucial tool that can be very beneficial in achieving mastery of the ever elusive lead guitar solo. It also serves as a great and fun way to practice your guitar. Guitar backing tracks can help you to become a well-rounded guitarist and help to put into practice your musical knowledge.
One of the biggest benefits of using guitar backing tracks to master guitar solos is how they help you learn scales. Doing endless practice drills to learn your scales can sometimes be excruciatingly boring and dull, but when you practice along to backing tracks for guitarists, it's like playing live with a rocking band. This will help you to not only memorize the scales, but to understand how they actually work into the structure of a song as well.
Another factor that is extremely important in learning to master guitar solos is the fine art of improvisation. Backing tracks for guitarists provide the student with a live band to back them up while they piece together a blazing hot solo right there on the spot. This also allows you to place a solo anywhere in the song, or to improvise for the full length of the guitar backing tracks. These backing tracks make improvisation practice a whole lot more productive and fun. These backing tracks for guitarists are available from retailers such as Planet of Rock.
Another important part of mastering guitar solos is playing with clarity and great tone. There are a lot of different factors and gear that play into achieving a soulful, great-sounding tone during your solo, but one of the greatest factors is how well you actually play. The tone is in your fingers. Professional Guitar backing tracks can help you to achieve great tone by helping you to hone your own ability to play well and by greatly improving the technique with which you play. What better way to practice then to jam with a virtual live band. Hearing another guitar behind you, and how well it sounds and how clear it is can be very beneficial to helping you achieve a greater depth of clarity in your own playing.

About the Author
E Walker is the founder of Planet of Rock Music Studios. Listen to samples of Free Guitar Backing Tracks at Planet of Rock today. Find out how they can bring your skills to the next level. Jam to over 1000 professional tracks. You are just One Click Away!

Playing by Ear for Guitarists - Learn How To Play By Ear by Eugene W

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:45:00 +0000

Join us as we take a look at what it takes to learn to play the guitar by ear and some practical tips that you can use to improve your skills and fine tune your ear.
There are a lot of different ways of learning how to play guitar, and all of them are important and crucial for the mastery of the instrument. Most people learn to play by using sheet music, or tablature, and this is definitely a necessary skill to learn for growth and development. There is something that a lot of guitarists may not take the time to learn, and that is playing the guitar by ear.
It's very important to develop a good ear, along with learning how to read music. Learning to play by ear will give you a greater depth of understanding about guitar and how music sounds, and will also help you to identify chords and scales you hear musicians using without needing the sheet music for that particular piece.
In order to begin learning how to play the guitar by ear, you need to have a basic knowledge and understanding of music. This doesn't mean that you have to be a master at reading sheet music, but that you should understand some of the basics of music theory. Some basic knowledge about chords, chord progressions, and how chords and scales work together will be very helpful in learning how to play the guitar by ear.
Another important skill you'll need to develop when learning to play the guitar by ear is patience. Learning to play by ear can be very difficult and time consuming; it requires a lot of practice. In order to perfect your sound, you'll have to repeatedly play the same chords, riffs, and solos time after time. This may seem tedious at times, but the results are well worth the effort you put into practicing.
One of the greatest resources available to help you fine tune your ear is to play along with your favorite CDs. Dig out some of your favorite albums and begin to learn how to play the songs you like on those CDs. One of the greatest ways to learn is to mimic the guitar legends you idolize. By playing along and trying to copy their sound, you'll grow in your technique and also sharpen your ear. Another fun way is to jam along to guitar backing tracks available from retailers such as Planet of Rock
Learning how to play guitar by ear has a lot of benefits that can help you grow as a musician. It enables you to develop a much deeper understanding of how to play, as well as how music fits together. You would be able to pick up a song within 5 minutes, just by listening to it! Playing by ear also helps you out tremendously if you should happen to join a band and play with other guitarists.

About the Author
E Walker is contributes regular to guitar publications worldwide. He is the founder of Planet of Rock. See how Guitar Backing Tracks makes guitar practice more enjoyable! Jam to over 1000 professional tracks including 100s of Blues Guitar Backing Tracks

Learn How to Sweep Pick on Guitar by Andy Ridgeway

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:40:00 +0000

Many would agree that sweep picking is one of the hardest yet most rewarding guitar techniques to master. Of all the techniques I'd have to say that sweep picking is the one that is most often done wrong, so I'm going to tell you the most commonly made sweep picking mistakes so you can avoid them. Oh, and please bear in mind the most important thing with sweep-picking is to practise slowly and accurately!...more on this later.
Firstly let's make sure we know what sweep picking is.
Sweep picking is a very efficient way of picking. You may have heard of alternate picking which involves alternating between picking downstrokes and upstrokes. Try playing the arpeggio in figure 1 using alternate picking:
Figure 1
E------------10--13--13--10--------------
B--------11----------------------11---------
G*--12------------------------------12----*
D*-------------------------------------------*
A---------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------
..........d....d..d.....u....d....u.......u....u
d=downstroke u=upstroke
Not easy is it? That's because in this example, alternate picking has a lot of wasted motion. After you play the first note with a downstroke you then need to play the second note with an upstroke. To do so you first have to pass over the B-string and pick 'up'. You then have to skip over the B-string to get to the next note on the E-string etc, etc. And that's just the first few notes. How very inefficient!
Now try the same arpeggio but with the following picking directions:
Figure2
E------------10--13--13--10----------------
B--------11----------------------11---------
G*--12------------------------------12----*
D*------------------------------------------*
A---------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------
..........d....d...d....u....d.....u......u...u
Now that makes more sense. By picking "down, down, down" on the first three notes, we find our plectrum ready for each note as it comes.
We are almost sweep-picking at this point, but not quite! This is where many people go wrong so read this carefully.
Picking the strings in a conventional manner, e.g. "pluck, pluck" is not sweeping. To sweep pick you must "push" the plectrum from one string to the next. To sweep-pick those last three notes you must "pull" the plectrum from one note to the next.
So to recap:
You must "push" through the strings when playing from the lower to higher strings. You must "pull" through the strings when playing from higher to lower.
You may have noticed in figure 2 that we had to use some alternate picking on the top E-string. I call this the "sweeping turnaround". Put simply to sweep-pick in one direction you must have an odd number of notes per string. To turnaround you must have an even number of notes per string. Sometimes this involves alternate picking on one string for several notes. Look at figure 3:
Figure 3
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
D*--------------------------------9--10---10--9---------------------------------*
A------------------8--10--12------------------------12--10--8-------------------
E---8--10--12------------------------------------------------------12--10--8----
........d....u....d......d....u....d......d...u......d...u......u.....d...u......u.....d...u
d=downstroke u=upstroke
This is a C major scale and although the first three notes look like alternate picking, notice how sweep picking is used to move from string to string. On the D-string there are four notes-remember: to sweep-pick in one direction you must have an odd number of notes per string. To turnaround you must have an even number of notes per string.
The most common mistakes I see with this technique are as follows:
1. Inaccurate practise:
In other words, practising too fast! Regardless how many times I tell this to people they almost always ignore it. Let me put it like this. You can play any combination of notes perfectly if you practise slowly enough. However, if you practise too fast and miss a single note or sound even slightly sloppy, you will never get sweep-picking right! Come to think of it, this applies to every technique. When you start to work up to faster speeds that's fine as long as you don't sacrifice accuracy. Please, please, please practise with perfect accuracy otherwise don't practise at all!-it's that simple....rant over!
2. Not sweeping properly:
You may think you are sweeping, but are you remembering to 'push and pull'? Incidentally, some people call sweep-picking 'pushing and pulling'
3. Bluffing the 'sweeping turnaround'
Remember accuracy! You can also use hammer-ons and pull-offs in the turnaround.
4. Lack of control of string noise.
Often neglected, you must be aware of string noise especially when practising with distortion. You want to only hear one note at a time which can be achieved with left and right hand muting. For example, subtle movements with the left hand can be used to control the strings. Look at figure 4:
Figure 4
E--------------
B--------------
G--------------
D--------------
A---------7----
E----8---------
.........d.....d
Play the first note with your middle finger and the second note with your index finger. As you apply your index finger allow it to slightly touch the low E-string. This will silence the first note which would otherwise continue to 'ring'.
5. Not making full use of sweep-picking
Sweep picking can be used to play many things including arpeggios, scales and triads. Did you know you can even play a pentatonic scale using sweep-picking? "Surely that can't work?" you're thinking as the pentatonic scale only uses 2 notes per string. Correct, but try arranging the scale so there are an odd number of notes per string. Take a look at the difference between figure 5 and 6:
Figure 5
E---------------------------5-8--
B----------------------5-8-------
G-----------------5-7------------
D------------5-7-----------------
A-------5-7----------------------
E--5-8---------------------------
.......d.u..d.u..d.u..d.u.d.u..d.u
Figure 6
E--------------------------------------8--
B---------------------------------10-----
G-----------------------7-9-12----------
D-------------5-7-10--------------------
A-----3-5-7------------------------------
E--5--------------------------------------
.......d..d.u..d..d..u..d..d..u..d....d...d
Figure 6 isn't the easiest example to play, but players like Frank Gambale use this method frequently.
Of all the above points, the most important by far is accuracy and this applies to all techniques. I spent five years trying to sweep-pick fast with no success and five weeks doing it slow before mastering it. So learn from my mistakes and practise perfectly and above all enjoy learning the ultimate guitar technique that is sweep-picking!

About the Author
Andy Ridgeway is a renowned guitar player and teacher. He explains how to play guitar better, how to play lead guitar, guitar solos, sweep pick, tap and more in his guitar technique manual - "Mach 1 Guitar - Play Better Faster Guitar the Easier Way" Check out his site www.mach1guitar.com or email him a question at contact@mach1guitar.com

How to Practice Piano Scales by By Alana LaGrange

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:56:00 +0000

How to Practice Piano Scales A Practicing technique that can be used on all scales. Major scales, minor scales, blues scales and jazz scales. By Alana LaGrange
1. First write out the scale and add your fingering. See the articles on fingering, Right hand/Left Hand 2. Practice until you can play the scale up and down the piano a minimum of 2 octaves.
Plus 1 practice: Do you want to be able to play scales very fast up and down the piano? I call it zipping up and down the piano. You can't do it with the normal finger action practicing.
We are learning a method of practice that is similar to a hold then push. Have you ever been pushed. It creates a momentum and one can't stop moving. Also, instead of the normal up and down finger action, which is verticle, we will be using our wrist to roll our hand and the hand will push the fingers.
Of course plus 1 is exactly as it sounds, gradually practice adding a note at a time. Let's use C scale as an Example. The first note played in the scale will be struck hard, then you will hold until you are ready to move to the next key. 1. Start with C: Strike and hold, Play D and lift your hand. 2. Bring your hand down on the note C, hold, Play D and E as fast as possible. 3. Bring your hand down on the note C, hold, Play D, E and F as fast as possible, remember to start rolling your hand with the wrist. 4. Continue adding a note at a time.
Once you get the feeling of the hand movement, it will feel very natural, and you will be able to play with speed and accuracy.
Here is the plus 1 practice written in sheet music. Plus 1 practice for scales in pdf, click here.
Enjoy the lesson and by the way, Plus 1 practice has more uses than just playing scales.
I hope you have enjoyed your lesson, for more lessons go to: https://paydotcom.com/r/9019/emkay/1061993/ Music and You gives permission for other sites to use our music. We ask that you please contact us first, and acknowledge permission by Music and You on your site and add a link to Music and You. Thank You and hope you enjoy the music.

About the Author
I hope you have enjoyed your lesson, for more lessons go to: https://paydotcom.com/r/9019/emkay/1061993/ Music and You gives permission for other sites to use our music. We ask that you please contact us first, and acknowledge permission by Music and You on your site and add a link to Music and You. Thank You and hope you enjoy the music.

Learn To Play The Piano Blues And See The Magic! by Lloyd Burns

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:52:00 +0000

It really does not matter which instrument you play or what grade of playing you are at. Just learn the piano blues and you will get better as a pianist. As a person who plays the saxophone a lot and writes quite a bit of music, I realized that playing the piano could be of quite a great help like for musical ideas, helping write arrangements for other instruments and it is also quite a stress buster. And not to forget, you could also accompany performers when you get a chance. Once you have learned the piano blues, you have kind of also learnt rock and roll. That is because rock and roll music was developed out of the blues music. And this makes these two styles harmonically very close.
Another advantage with blues piano is that you pick up a few easy patterns on both hands and as you keep practicing you keep developing these patterns in slightly more complicated patterns and even before you can realize you end playing some really good boogie woogie. This style has straight descended from the blues and helps a pianist flaunt a few of his ort her skills. This is a really impressive and improvised style of blues just with a little extra speed. Watching the finger movements of a few pianist friends of mine, standing next to them and at times watching their fingers from above is what broke the ice for me. I took i8t slow from there breaking down each part got me to realize how easy it was. Speed comes with practice. It is usually said that kids pick up faster than adults, that's true but the strong desire to learn can teach anyone anything.
So basically learning to platy the blues on the piano not only helps you with your basic techniques on the piano but also helps you as a spring board to play other styles such as gospel and jazz. Even if you only know to play the blues think about all the fun you can have with jam sessions with your friends. You know what; blues is the international language of music. So what are you waiting for, go ahead and play some blues my friend.

About the Author
Get FREE software & games to help you learn Piano. These are actually FUN games to help you learn how to play piano.
Visit http://www.thepianonerd.com/special

Lead Guitar - The Great Obstacle by Boris Kouroussenko

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:11:00 +0000

Lead guitar is perhaps the most difficult aspect of guitar technique-wise, and mastering it is a great undertaking that may take years to perfect. The individual coordination of fingers along the fretboard while focusing solely on the scale you are in is a daunting task. In later stages, you are even expected to exponentially increase the speed at which you pull off your solos, too. How can anyone expect to do a thing like that on his own without some external help?
Most likely, the answers is: you can't! If you're gonna learn something as technically intricate as lead guitar without the benefit of a specialist looking over your shoulder, you're gonna need a very, very good substitute. But you can't be blamed for not wanting a teacher - especially not right away when you're just starting to play. Teachers take up time; they require your full dedication, a vow to follow a strict schedule and will often put some form of pressure on you to progress (even though it's for your own good). These are all sacrifices that, in the long run, will likely be worth it, especially if you're guitar teacher has a clear goal of where you're going and what kind of guitar player you want to become. But as stated earlier: If you're gonna insist on at least trying this alone at first, you're gonna need a good substitute.
So what does a guitar player do in this day and age to learn to help himself? When a teacher just isn't what you're looking for, you, of course, turn to the web! By now you should know that the internet is a vast ocean of resources for all sorts of skills. And if you think the mastery of guitar has been left out, think again! The web is filled with resources - many of them free - that you can turn to to learn what you need. This sudden increase in online-based material has catered to a niche of guitar players that want to learn this thing at their own pace while still having access to the knowledge they would get from a real teacher. The upsides to this as amazing as they are obvious, so reciting them will do you no good.
But what about the downsides? Surely if you're simply reading some web page about chords that couldn't be enough? Well, in most cases, for starting guitarists this is really all they need. However, you'll notice that if you don't have the correct fundamentals down, you'll hamper your progress in the long run. So, if text-based (and sometimes video-based) free online materials aren't enough, what then?
Luckily, there's also the non-free variant. The truth is that generally speaking, something you get for free isn't as good as something that carries the value of what you paid for it. By now, the internet has responded to this demand for professional instructions on mastering either certain aspects of guitar, or guitar playing as a whole. And since this article is about lead guitar, we want to focus on the former.
There's a program I've been using called Jamorama Lead Guitar that I'd like to suggest. It's an interactive program that guides you in learning lead guitar. For the sake of brevity, I won't review the whole thing now, but I'd like to refer you to a review I've written elsewhere.
Come check it out for a better overview of what Jamorama Lead Guitar is:
GuitarWiseOnline.com

About the Author
Boris Kouroussenko is an aspiring guitar player just like you, and by no means a professional. He keeps a blog tracking his progress as a musician as well as his findings on online guitar resources on his blog at www.guitarwiseonline.blogspot.com

How To Improve The Resonance Of Your Voice by Per Bristow

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:08:00 +0000

Do you cringe when you hear your voice played back on your answering machine or a family video? Does your voice sound too thin and reedy, too shrill? Do you wish your voice had a deeper, richer, rounder sound?
A large part of the quality of your voice depends on the resonance of your voice.
So, what is vocal resonance?
As you learned in school, sound is vibration. The pitch or note of a sound is determined by the speed at which something vibrates. Resonance is determined by the space in which the vibration takes place. Take two string instruments that look similar, but sound very different -- violin and guitar. The sound is determined not by the string or the note that is played, but it's the space where the vibration takes place that affects the harmonics of the sound or the range of overtones. It's the size, shape and material of the "box" over which the strings vibrate that has an effect on the note's resonance. With wind instruments, it's the size, shape and material of the "tube", which affects the sound's resonance, together with whether the tube is open ended or not.
What is our "box" for resonating sound? The throat, chest, mouth, and nasal cavities. Because we all vary in size, we all sound different. When we sing, we can alter this space, resulting in different resonating qualities and different singing styles -- for instance, the different resonating qualities of opera and jazz singing account for the different sounds of each style. An impersonator is skilled at changing the resonating aspects of his or her instrument, as does the experienced singer. The wonderful thing about singing is this: with resonance, there is no right or wrong. Each singer is different. Each is influenced by different styles.
Many neophyte singers fall into the trap of attempting to artificially manipulate this space. Many times singing teachers tell their students to hold the jaw, mouth, and larynx in certain positions, open the throat, feel like they are yawning, place the sound in a certain way, and more, all in the name of making the student sing a certain way to fit an ideal of what sounds "good."
This approach sacrifices a singer's unique style for an artificial, manipulated sound. It often restricts rather than frees the singer, resulting in a tight, compressed sound. The result is someone who sounds like they've taken singing lessons, but who is not necessarily an interesting, unique artist.
How does one improve the resonance of his or her voice?
If your voice isn't as resonating as you would like it to be, the problem may lie in the amount of tension already built up after years of habitual use. Release the tension blocking the vibration -- which is making your voice sound more restricted -- and you improve the resonance of your voice. There's more to it than just saying "relax," however. The ability to relax certain areas is a learned skill.
No matter what style to you want to sing -- from rock to opera -- you will get a stronger, freer resonance when you build strength in certain areas and release built-up tension in other areas.
Resonance of your voice infuses other areas of your life. When your voice becomes freer and more resonant, you realize that â€œresonanceâ€ has larger implications. You resonate with others - the entire world around you. If you restrict and inhibit the voice, you come across as a restricted, inhibited person. Release your physical voice and you release your inner voice. As an artist, you resonate with your audience, and as a human being you resonate with others.
To learn more about how to improve your resonance and vocal quality visit http://www.bristowvoicemethod.com

About the Author
Per Bristow is a vocal and performance coach. He is the founder of The Bristow Voice Method ï¿½" the breakthrough method known to rapidly release a free use of the voice for singers and speakers.

Blues Guitar and Southern Rock by ken wilson

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:05:00 +0000

In Antiquity music was defined as an art form consisting of sound and silence. Today, music is more than that, is an wonderful art through which the musicians express their feelings and share different messages to the listeners and there are so many styles of music so each of us can find at least one style which fix to his or her personality. Blues guitar and southern rock are different styles at the first view, but a common side of those styles can be discovered in the music of Anthony Gomes.
We are living in the velocity center, where the people are running so much and many times they forgot to stop for few minutes to see the beauty that surround us or to discover the music which can be a healing for our souls. Unfortunately, the velocity did not put its footprints only on our way of living, but also on the music we are listening. In a century in which the music is more a commercial product than an artistic part, Anthony Gomes is an original artist who combines in his creations elements from blues guitar and southern rock, two musical styles not very commercialized fortunately.
Anthony Gomes discovered his passion for blues guitar when he was only 14 years old and his father offered him as a birthday gift a guitar instead of a computer, the perfect gift in Anthony's opinion. Step by step he started to discover this musical tool and he became fascinated by it. On high school he had his own band and he had several concerts of southern rock music for his colleagues. After he sung with success different songs from Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, he understood that he wants do to something more. His biggest dream was to become a songwriter and to create his own music, original songs in which he could combine two of his favorite styles: blues guitar and southern rock.
After he grew up in Toronto, Canada, Anthony decided to move to Chicago and then he traveled to south until Nashville. The several awards and prized he won at the beginning of his career was a real encouragement and a strong motivation to improve his creations and to study much more. In Chicago Anthony wanted to learn more about songwriting and when he moved to Nashville his intention was to be close to the southern rock,, a music style which was not so familiar to him in that period as it was the blues guitar.
Today, Anthony is the author of five albums on which the blues guitar and southern rock are wonderful mixed with other musical styles. Each album was a real success for Anthony and in the same time a real proof of his progress and his musical knowledge. If at the beginning of his career Anthony dreamed to find his way with roots music, today he wants to share his beliefs through the songs he creates.
The latest album was suggestively called "Music Is The Medicine" and the message of this album is that music can heal our souls, can move and motivate our spirit. Much more information about Anthony Gomes, about blues guitar and southern rock styles but also different songs you can listen or download you can find on www.anthonygomesmusic.com. There are also available all his five albums which you can order and many other souvenir with this artist.

About the Author
Visiting blues guitar you will have the chance to listen wonderful blues guitar played by Anthony Gomes and you will also discover interesting things about music in general and about this style. On southern rock you will discover interesting things about Anthony Gomes and how influenced him the southern rock style.

Guitar Tuning ang Basics by James DuClos

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:44:00 +0000

What is tuning?
The most important part to playing music is making sure your guitar is in tune. If your guitar is out of tune, you might as well not play. What is tuning? Tuning is the notes that are produced by the strings when they are played open. When a guitar is in standard tuning, the strings should make the notes E, A, D, G, B, E when open. The strings are numbered from smallest to biggest 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The biggest string is E and the smallest is E as well, sometime the 1st string is signified as a lowercase E, or 'e.'

Tuning Your Guitar
Tuning by ear is possible, but the best way to tune is by using an electronic tuner. Since tones move smoothly between one another and don't click into place the only way to make sure that your guitar is perfectly in tune. An E note can be flat and still be an E, only a tuner knows if it is sharp of flat.

Buying a electronic tuner when you first start playing is a must. Especially during the first few months of playing you may not be able to tell if your guitar is out of tune. This can be few dangerous to your ear because you will be learning chords and hearing them out of tune. This can potentially train your ear to think that a G chord sounds like an out of tune guitar. Just make sure to buy a tuner and tune before you practice, then strum the strings open or play a chord you know so you can learn what they sounds like in tune.

Making those first... noises...
When you first plug in make sure the volume on your guitar is up and your amp is turned on and up to about 20% volume. Pluck the strings with your pick or your fingernails. Either play the strings open or push your finger down on top of one between two of the metal frets to play a fretted note.

Plucking
If you're using a pick, hold it between your thumb and one side of your index finger. This is much like holding a pencil with your index finger. If you are using your fingers, there are many ways to pluck the strings. You can brush them with your thumb, flick with your fingers, or use your fingernails as a pick.
www.guitarlesssoninsider.com

About the Author
Experience Guitar player and content manager for Guitarlesoninsider.com

Tuning Your Guitar by Clint Strait

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:42:00 +0000

One of the first skills necessary when learning to play the guitar has to be the process of tuning it. The wonderful thing about a guitar, and all string instruments, is the ability to tune to itself. This means that all strings can be in a state of â€œtunenessâ€ with each other whether or not they are truly in tune as far as correct acoustically resonating pitches are concerned. For example, the true resonating frequency for the note â€œAâ€ is 440 hz using a strobe tuner; if a tuner is not available, one can pick from a range of tones for this â€œA stringâ€ and then tune other strings to that theoretical â€œAâ€. Now, one must realize that if a tone is picked that is too far removed from the spectrum of a true â€œAâ€ tone, this might prove difficult when tuning higher strings; undue stress could be placed upon their tensile strength, resulting in breakage from over-tightening. It is best to receive a true tone from either a tuner or perhaps a nearby piano (though they are not always in tune!) and begin the process.
It is easiest to begin with the lowest sounding string that should be tuned to the note â€œEâ€ resonating at 329 hz. Match the tone given by the tuner or chosen instrument by turning the tuning pegs on the headstock of the guitar clockwise or counter-clockwise until the pitch lines up in your ear or on the meter of the tuner. You have now successfully tuned the lowest guitar string and are now one sixth of the way towards completion! Now look at the guitar neck. It is separated into different quadrants by vertically aligned pieces of metal called â€œfretsâ€. The space to the left of each metal division or â€œfretâ€ is usually also referred to as the fret position corresponding to the number of the dividing fret (metal piece). By pushing this â€œEâ€ string to the fretboard at the fifth position (to the left of the 5th fret if you are right handed), it will result in the next string unfretted, or â€œAâ€, 440 hz. Turn the tuning peg to match accordingly. In order, the next four strings should be tuned in the same fashion: 3rd string â€œDâ€, fifth position on 2nd string, â€œAâ€ â€" 4th string â€œGâ€, fifth position on 3rd string â€œDâ€ â€" 5th string â€œBâ€, FOURTH position on 4th string â€œGâ€ â€" and 6th string â€œEâ€, fifth position on 5th string â€œBâ€.
Following this easy procedure has resulted in your guitar being in tune with true acoustically resonating pitches provided the guitar is properly constructed. One way to make certain your guitar is made properly is by purchasing it from or having it inspected by a respected local dealer like Strait Music Company of Austin, Texas. Friendly musicians are employed by music stores and are happy to help answer all questions a budding guitarist might have.

About the Author
About the Author: Clint Strait is a third generation owner and assistant manager of the Strait Music, Austin Music Stores, providing the best selection of electric guitars and guitar accessories to Austin and the surrounding area for over forty years. For more information please visit www.straitmusic.com.

Fender Stratocaster by Andreas Lyngstad

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:39:00 +0000

The Fender Stratocaster
The electric guitar The Fender Stratocaster was designed by George Fullerton, Leo Fender and Freddie Tavares in 1954. It is often called the Strat. The history of the Strat is one of big problems and huge success. It is still, 54 years after is birth in production and is one of the most popular electric guitars in the world. The Stratocaster has been used by many leading guitarists, and thus can be heard on many historic recordings. It is one of the four great electric guitars. Its rivals are Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, and the Fender Telecaster. The Stratocaster has been widely copied; as a result "Stratocaster" or "Strat" is often used when referring to any guitar that has the same general features as the original, regardless of manufacturer.

Origins
The Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company developed the first commercial solid-body electric guitar beginning in 1948. It was eventually called the Telecaster. It had a simple, but robust design. While the Telecaster and its variants were successful, it lacked vibrato possibilities. This was and is a popular feature. Fender decided to produce a new, more expensively-made ash or alder line of guitars with his own design of vibrato. This was the vibrato arm. The name, 'Stratocaster,' was intended to evoke images of new jet-aircraft technology (such as the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress), and to express Fender's modernistic design philosophy. In designing the Stratocaster's body, a significant area of the back of the guitar, and the area where the strumming arm rests, were beveled to accommodate the player's chest and arm. The upper bouts featured two cutaways, for easier access to the higher frets. The new 'Custom Contour Body' and 'Synchronized Tremolo' bridge made the Stratocaster a revolutionary design.

The guitar also featured more complex electronics than the Telecaster: three single coil pickups, a three-way selector switch (five-way since 1977); one volume knob, and two tone controls, one each for the neck and middle pickups. Other manufacturers began imitating these innovations immediately. An early-model Stratocaster was a key component of Buddy Holly's signature look, along with his black-rimmed glasses, and he was among the first players to popularize the Stratocaster in rock music.

Sound and playability
Much of the popularity of the Stratocaster can be attributed to its versatility. The neck, middle, and bridge pickups provide a wide range of tones. The standard single-coil pickups often found in Stratocasters produce a trebly sound with a high top end and bell-like harmonics. The Fender tremolo arm mechanism, introduced with the Stratocaster, has become the most copied design of all. The Telecaster also remained in production, and both the Stratocaster and the Telecaster flourished into diverse families of guitars, with many variants. Each continues to enjoy its own following among guitarists.

Design and popularity changes
From 1959 to 1967, the Stratocaster was refitted with a rosewood fretboard, as well as color choices other than sunburst, including a variety of colorful car-like paint jobs that appealed to the nascent surfer and hot-rod culture, pioneered by such bands as the Surfaris, the Ventures and the Beach Boys. In the early 1960s, the instrument was also championed by Hank Marvin - guitarist of the Shadows. So distinctive was the Hank Marvin sound that many musicians - including the Beatles - initially deliberately avoided the Stratocaster and chose other marques. However, by 1965, George Harrison and John Lennon of the Beatles both acquired Stratocasters at about the time of the Rubber Soul recording sessions. Many artists discovered that the pick-up selector could be lodged in between the basic three settings for further tonal variety. Since 1977, Stratocasters have been fitted with a five-way switch to make such switching more stable. Other subtle changes were also made to the guitars over the years, but the basic shape and features of the Strat have remained unchanged.

In the 1970s and 1980s, some guitarists began modifying their Stratocasters with humbucking pickups, especially in the bridge position. This was intended to provide a thicker tone preferred in the heavier styles of hard rock and heavy metal. Notable early examples of this are Allan Holdsworth and Iron Maiden's Dave Murray. The popularity of this modification grew and eventually, Fender began manufacturing models with a bridge humbucker option, denoted and separated from the original triple single coil by the title of "Fat Strat", as a reference to the humbucker's distinct sound. Players first perceived a loss of the initial high quality of Fender guitars after the company was taken over by CBS in 1965. As a result, the late-'60s Stratocasters fell out of fashion. However, Jimi Hendrix and many other blues-influenced artists of the late '60s soon adopted the Stratocaster as their main instrument, reviving the guitar's popularity. Also, so-called 'pre-CBS' Stratocasters are, accordingly, extremely sought-after and expensive due to the huge perceived difference of quality even with contemporary post-CBS models.

In recent times, some Stratocasters manufactured from 1954 to 1958 have sold for more than US$175,000. After a peak in the 1970s, driven by players such as David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Eric Clapton, and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, another lull occurred in the early 1980s. During that time, CBS-Fender cut costs by deleting features from the standard Stratocaster line, despite a blues revival that featured Strat players such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, and Buddy Guy. In England, The Shadows' lead guitarist Hank Marvin who got the very first Stratocaster to be exported to Europe, played vintage Strats till the end of the 80s, then turning on his own Signature Stratocaster model. However, when Fender was bought by William Schultz from CBS in 1985, manufacturing resumed its former high quality, and Fender was able to regain market share and brand reputation. This sparked a rise in mainstream popularity for vintage (and vintage-style) instruments.

Current models
As of 2007, Fender offers a wide line of Stratocasters alongside vintage reissues, as well as maintaining a "Custom Shop" service that builds guitars to order. Those who wish period-accurate replicas can request Stratocasters with original cloth-coated wiring, pickup and electronics designs, wood routing patterns, and even artificial aging and oxidizing of components using the Custom Shop "relic" process. If you want to get a Fender Stratocaster Fender telecaster or another quality guitar please visit buy-guitar-here.com

About the Author
Guitarplayer in several bands in Norway.

Electro Acoustic Guitar - The Magic Of Music by Daniel Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:36:00 +0000

What is your favorite music? Rock? Folk music? Jazz? The Classics? Rap? Music is universal; loved by virtually everyone, although many are unaware of the ways in which these diverse styles are similar. Are you aware, for instance, that almost all of the musical types mentioned above can be played with an electro acoustic guitar?
The versatility of the guitar is evident in instruments such as the electro acoustic guitar. This type of guitar allows you to play many different types of songs, anything from the most quiet and soothing lullaby to a frenetic and invigorating rock anthem. While you can use this instrument as an acoustic guitar for a more low-key effect, you can also take advantage of its electric capabilities to really grab someone's attention.
The main difference between acoustic guitars and electric guitars is that the former can be played without an amplifier or cables. Thus, the acoustic has been traditionally used in genres that call for a quieter, more soothing sound. It is sometimes played with a guitar pick, or sometimes strummed with the fingertips. Either way, its tones are mellow and calming.
The electric requires an amplifier and cable to connect it to the guitar. It is almost always played with a pick. The electric can arguably be used to create a greater range of sound styles than the acoustic, because it has one important advantage: it can be used with an effects pedal.
The pedal is placed between the instrument and the amp. When pumped during a performance, it alters the tones from the instrument. One of these alterations involves overlaying the signal with a copy of itself a fraction of a second later. This pedal effect, sometimes referred to as "distortion" can be found on many popular recordings these days.
The electro acoustic guitar combines aspects of both acoustic and electric guitars into one versatile package. This guitar may look like a traditional acoustic, but it also has a pick-up which allows the guitar to be plugged into an amplifier. An electro acoustic guitar offers the different effects and volume options of an electric guitar, while retaining the more mellow tone of an acoustic. This type of guitar is a particularly good option for a guitarist who is looking to bridge genres.

About the Author
Browse hundreds of electro acoustic guitars at The-Guitar-Center.net.

Buying Guitar Software that Will Be Able to Teach You How to Play the Guitar by Muna wa Wanjiru

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:32:00 +0000

In just about every type of activity you will find that technology has the ability to help you. This same type of technological advances has been created with music like guitars in mind. As a result of this technology you will find various types of guitar software that you can use.
Besides learning to play the guitar from things like DVD's, audio tapes or CD's you now have the ability to buy guitar software that will be able to teach you how to play the guitar.
This means that you will receive instructions about playing your guitar from the computer. While this may seem hard to believe you do have the choice of choosing these software types and learning how to play your guitar at a pace that is suited for you.
Guitar software can be purchased from many different places, and one such place that you will be able to find your guitar software from is that of the internet.
You can also buy your guitar software from various musical instrument stores and sometimes in electronic audio and visual stores. From these places the different guitar software can be chosen to help you play at your level of skill.
When you are looking at these different types of guitar software you will notice that these can be found in the ranges of beginner to advanced players. There is also software that can be found for the different styles of music that is played by both professionals and amateurs alike.
These amateurs are of course the ordinary person who has become interested in learning to play the guitar. The many different styles that guitar software can be found in, will include the various classical songs by the masters, Latin music, blues, rock'n'roll, and even jazz.
While having these types of guitar software can help the average guitarist to learn to play their guitar there are many other guitar software types which can help you in other areas of guitar playing as well.
This type of guitar software can be of help when you are learning about chords. With this software you will be able to look for the different scales and chords that are used in guitar music and see how they are used to provide the best effects for the music.
The many different forms of guitar software that is now available can help you out in every aspect of guitar playing. For this reason you should take the time to choose the software that you will be bale to use and gain the best type of help.

About the Author
Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on guitar software, visit his site at

How to Sound like David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) by Andy Ng

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:27:00 +0000

David Gilmour, like his Pink Floyd predecessor Syd Barrett, played a Telecaster initially, but he soon became one of the first British rock guitar legends to favor the Fender Stratocaster and to create a signature sound with the instrument. His parents bought the Tele for David's 21st birthday, and he played it for a year (including on the Saucerful of Secrets record) until it was lost by an airline. Upon officially joining Pink Floyd, Gilmour purchased a custom Stratocaster (the first of many) at a Cambridge music store.
During the early Pink Floyd years, Gilmour played a Strat almost exclusively, taking full advantage of its wide tonal palette and vibrato bar in his style. He used a Lewis 24-fret electric guitar on rare occasions for its extended range, as in the solo of "Money," and continued to employ a Tele sporadically in the repertory.
Gilmour strung his electric guitars with Gibson Sonomatic strings made of a customized light-top (using the standard E and B for the B and G) and heavy-bottom set gauged .010, .012, .016, .028, .038, and .050. He used a Herco heavy-gauge pick.
David Gilmour's earliest amp setup with Pink Floyd consisted of a Selmer 50-watt head with a 4×12 speaker cabinet. By 1970, he found his signature sound with a stack made of Hiwatt 100-watt heads with WEM 4×12 cabinets. The Hiwatt/WEM combination can be heard conspicuously on Meddle and Dark Side of the Moon. In the studio, he sometimes added a Fender Twin Reverb combo amp with two 12-inch speakers to his lineup for certain parts, as on Dark Side of the Moon.
David Gilmour's early Floyd effects consisted of a Binson Echorec tape delay (like Barrett, he used this device from his first days with the band), a Dallas-Arbiter Fuzzface fuzz box, Uni-Vibe pedal, Vox wah-wah pedal, a DeArmond volume pedal, and Leslie and Yamaha RA-200 rotating speaker cabinets. The latter were routed through the output sections of Hiwatt heads and then to WEM 4×12 cabinets. In 1972, his effects boxes were mounted in a custom cabinet, and his array of processors grew to include a second Binson Echorec and a second Fuzzface, an MXR Phase 90, a Crybaby wah-wah, an Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress flanger, Big Muff fuzz, an Orange treble and bass booster, and a custom-built tone pedal. Additionally, Gilmour used studio effects like ADT (Automatic Double Tracking, a favorite studio processor first developed at Abbey Road Studios for the Beatles), Kepex for tremolo, various tape effects, studio echo chambers, and backwards guitar.
He also employed an EMS Synthi Hi-Fi guitar synthesizer (heard on "Time" on Dark Side of the Moon), and usually played a lap steel or Fender twin neck pedal steel guitar for slide parts. He used various acoustic guitars on early Floyd tracks, later settling on Martin D-18 and D-35 models in the 1970s, and, depending on the song, alternated between fingerpicking and playing with a plectrum.

About the Author
Andy Ng is a self taught guitar enthusiast and also a leading expert on the art of building homemade effect pedals. Pick up tips, techniques or just plain guitar talk at his blog! www.guitareffectssecrets.andy-ng.com

Joe Satriani by Chris Elmore

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:23:00 +0000

Do you have a nickname?
Joe Satriani is known as 'Satch' to his friends, and he has lots of friends!
In addition to his own material, Joe Satriani has recorded and toured with friends including Mick Jagger, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper and even Spinal Tap.
And before his self-released 1986 debut album, "Not of This Earth", Satriani had become something of a cult legend as the guitar teacher to such future stars as Steve Vai, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Counting Crows' David Bryson and jazz artist Charlie Hunter.
How cool would it be to have Satriani as your guitar teacher?
Well, that's just not going to happen. He is touring the USA right now.
Satriani was born on 15 July, 1956 in Westbury, New York.
He was inspired to play the guitar at age 14 after hearing that Jimi Hendrix had died.
Satriani heard the news during a football training session where he immediately confronted his coach and announced that he was quitting to become a guitarist.
Today, he is widely recognised as a technically proficient rock guitarist.
He has mastered many performance techniques including two-handed tapping, sweep-picking, volume swell, harmonics and extreme whammy bar effects.
He is also known to have an eye and an ear for a good tune, and more recently, an emphasis on emotion over technique.
What guitar technique will you be known for?

About the Author
Chris Elmore is a pro guitarist who has featured on Channel 7 News, produced 3 CD's, and appeared on Hits FM Radio... as well as performed live on stage to thousands of people!
To learn more go to: http://www.guitarleads.com.au/

Techno Music Can Make Excellent Background by Claire Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:22:00 +0000

Techno music is a form of electronic dance music that originated in the mid-1980s as an outgrowth of electro, New Wave and Funk and is considered often to be a response to the end of the Cold War in industrial America. Techno music is often used to generally describe all forms of electronic dance music, although electronic music can be broken down into further styles mostly distinguished by the types of instrumental hardware they use and the music's beats per minute. Techno music features percussive and synthetic sounds and studio effects that typically provide the main melodic theme. Techno music is made in many different ways, but is created most commonly using a sequencer and electronic devices.
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that had its early beginnings in Western Europe in the late 1970s and later developed and established as a genre in Detroit, Michigan during the 1980s. Techno has since been retroactively defined to encompass, among others, works dating back to "Shari Vari" (1981) by A Number Of Names, the earliest compositions by Cybotron (1981), Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder's "I Feel Love"(1977), "From Here to Eternity" (1977), and the more dance floor-orientated selections from Kraftwerk's repertoire between 1977 and 1983. Techno became more of a phenomenon in Europe than in the United States; American artists such as Moby and The Crystal Method who started their careers making techno were initially successful in Europe, but did not gain a presence in the US until branching out into other styles such as break beat and electronica. Techno is, finally, a thoroughly mediated music, from its continually recombinant musical genres and its constant (re)generation of new categories, labels, and self- definitions, to its circular processes of both resistance and acceptance.
Trance
Music journalists and fans of the genre are generally selective in their use of the term, careful not to conflate it with related but distinct genres, such as house, trance and hardcore. Acid techno, influenced by the heavy use of the Roland TB-303 for bass and lead sounds in the style of acid house, enjoyed a surge of popularity in the mid-1980s and went on to influence acid trance. A strong, bass-heavy trance beat is infused with a driving, dark hip-hop guitar line and a light, high synthesizer melody in this mid-tempo trance piece with an urban feel.
Techno music can make excellent background music for cutting edge businesses and as production music for progressive films or television programs highlighting fast-paced popular culture. Techno music still requires plenty of human intervention to create and perform the machines are simply the equipment that enables it. Techno music is, in fact, a collection of genres which are, depending on how you view them, complimentary, contradictory or none of the above. Techno music is influenced by electro, new wave, funk and futuristic themes that were prominent in modern culture after the end of the cold war in America at this time. Techno music then expanded and was introduced to related genres of music, making it globally recognized by the 1990s.

About the Author
Claire Brown is a successful Webmaster and publisher of www.WeKnowMusic.net. She provides more information about music and what has influenced them over time that you can research in your pajamas on her website.

The Quest For Perfect Guitar Tone by Nancy Corwin

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:20:00 +0000

Any company dedicated to the design, production, or distribution of musical instruments knows how important the quality, feel, and sound of the particular instrument is, whether it is a guitar or drum set. Any musician dedicated to their art and craft is always looking at how to improve their musical skills and should always know how to properly care for their gear. Additionally, musicians are always learning how to best care for their instruments and on the everlasting quest for the perfect tone. Tone is the timbre and quality of sound as it is played.
Guitars
Many guitarists are continually concerned with tone. There are many factors to achieving the perfect tone for both the electric guitar and the acoustic guitar. First and foremost, the actual guitar will directly affect a musician's tone. The age of the guitar, the design and shape, as well as how the guitar has been treated over time will affect the tone it emits. While it may seem obvious, many disregard the simple fact that one must respect guitars in order to maintain or achieve the best tone.
In addition to the way the guitar is treated and maintained, its accessories such as picks and strings will also affect its tone. The pick a guitar player chooses will affect tone. There are a wide variety of guitar picks as far as shape and size. The thicker the pick, the thicker the tone. If the pick is thin, the tone will be brighter. Strings have a similar affect on tone. Light gauge strings will elicit different tone effects than strings with a heavy gauge. A guitarist may try hundreds of picks and strings before he or she achieves the perfect tone.
One of the main accessories that will affect guitar sound is that of the amp. Guitar amplifiers directly affect the tone depending on the age and type of speaker within it. The age and design of the amplifier itself will also determine tone quality. Additionally, the connecting cables and how the amplifier is set will directly alter the tone. Orange amps are some of the most versatile and popular guitar amplifiers around.

About the Author
Nancy Corwin is a freelance editor for GearTree Coupon Cart. Read more and find great deals and discounts on GearTree Coupon Cart products at http://www.CouponCart.com/GearTree/index.aspx.

Important Theories on Electric Bass Guitars by Victor Epand

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:19:00 +0000

The electric bass guitar is a bass stringed instrument. This instrument is played with the fingers either by plucking, slapping, popping or tapping and sometimes even using a pick. It is quite similar in form and structure with an electric guitar. But comparatively it has a larger body along with a longer neck. Most of these are four stringed. The electric bass guitars came by an invention and an immediate replacement with the double bass for those in the genre of popular music. It provides a low pitch sound in any genre of music. Most of them are commonly solid- body electrics, though there exists a few semi hollow body guitars. The latter provides a more rounder and an acoustic sound. The neck of the electric bass guitar is one of the most crucial part of the instrument. The preferable size of the neck depends on the size of your hand. It is available with various types of neck shapes. The neck can be rounded, oval, flat back, v or even asymmetrical. However, if it is a five or six stringed electric bass guitar then you can expect the neck to be wider. This can have a varied number of frets. Some electric bass guitars have twenty one while some others may even have twenty four frets. Also, if you possess such a guitar, you should also posses a tuner. A tuner will help you to keep your instrument fine tuned and at the same time hold pitch. Invest in a tuner, that will be resistant to rust and airborne corrosives for this specialized guitar. Another important factor that determines the sound of the electric bass guitars is the wood that is used for manufacturing the guitar. Musicians from various walks of life believe that the wood chosen for the top acts as the single most important factor. It is important as the wood dictates the tonal quality of the instrument. However, you should know wood plays differential characteristics depending on which part of the instrument it is used. Though the sound of the guitar does not completely depend on the wood but it is an important factor to be considered. Uniformly the design and the skill of the maker also make a lot of difference to the sound of a single electric bass guitar. Another topic for discussion is the continuous debate over a five string and over a four string bass guitar. A five string electric bass guitar consists of a B string as the fifth string. This string is below the traditional low E string. Though most bass players are comfortable with a four string bass. A few players prefer a five string electric bass guitar. Those who are looking for an additional range of low pitch sound prefer a five string guitar. It also provides the extra effects when competing the synth bass parts. A five string electric bass guitar is also ideal for playing bass solos.

About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, electric bass guitars, drums, drum sets, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards.

Guitar Volume Pedal: An Important Guitar Accessory by Victor Epand

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:16:00 +0000

Guitar volume pedal helps to control the volume of guitar and is an important component of guitar effect accessories. It helps deliver many effects. Some of these pedals are stated below:
- High Gain Volume Pedal: This guitar volume pedal is able to control dynamic sounds. Batteries are not required for this gazette.
- Low impedance volume pedal: This one has a large number of effects. It can be adjusted and changed as per the requirements of the player.
- Mono Volume Pedal Junior: This is a very small volume pedal. It fits in the paddleboards very easily. It does not take much electronics and it has got two different options for volume swell.
- Volume Boost Pedal: Guitar sounds can be boosted and shaped with the help of this guitar volume pedal. This pedal has an option called turbo mood that can be enabled during the solo playing session.
- Pan Volume Pedal: This pedal helps to control the guitar's panning signal properly.
- Volume Plus Pedal: This pedal can be used both playing lead and rhythm guitar. It has got a foot switch that helps the players to reset easily. Now, they don't have to kneel down and reset. It saves time also.
- Mono Guitar Volume Pedal: This pedal is well build and trendy looking. The best thing about it is that it lasts for a long time.
There is another kind of guitar volume pedal that can be set between the guitar and the amplifier. This volume pedal is also worth using.
These are some of the volume pedals, which are being widely used all over the world by professional guitar players.
If you are a guitar volume pedal user, then you must be aware about some of the problems that can occur while using it. You can definitely take it to a repairing shop and get it repaired. But, you can fix it on your own too. You just need to know the procedure.
The main problem normally occurs with the pot inside the guitar volume pedal. Sometimes the pots go bad. In that case, you need to change the pot. And you can change that yourself.
The first thing that you need to do is, open up the bottom portion. To do this you need some Allen wrenches. You also need a wrench whose end is open by 1/2 inch. Inside the pot, there is a brass barrel, which is wrapped around by a string. There is a pedestal that holds the string. What you need to do is open the screw above that pedestal.
After this, the brass barrel needs to be turned. You will get to see an Allen screw inside. This Allen screw needs loosening up. Keep doing this until you can slide off the pot shaft's barrel. Leave the strings.
Now, use your wrench and loosen the pot holding nut. Replace a new potentiometer on the same spot. Take out the wires from the old pot and attach it with the new pot one by one.
Now slowly put back the other things as it was before and your guitar volume pedal is all set for use again. It sounds complicated. But once you do this, you will understand the whole procedure.

About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: electric guitars, guitar volume pedals, drums, drum sets, and synthesizers, keyboards.

The Best Of Guitar Effect Accessories by Victor Epand

noreply@blogger.com (Inocent @ Bobby) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:15:00 +0000

One of the important add ons to guitar are guitar effect accessories. They enhance the sound of guitar and allow the player to come up with different kinds of tones and sounds.
There are a whole lot of guitar effect accessories available today.
- Guitar to U.S.B interface: This particular accessory is very effective for practicing. It is a cable that can be adjoined with the U.S.B port of your personal computer. And after that you can jam as long as you want. You do not need any other accessory. All you need is your guitar, a computer or laptop and this U.S.B interface.
- Footswitch: It is a gazette that helps you to control the selection of loops. It also gives a hands free comfort to change the modes. It has got an option by which you can start and stop it automatically, if you want. It also provides you the system to record automatically.
- Foot pedal: This is a small processor kind of thing that provides you different facilities and effects. It has got a record option. It also contains some other facilities like, multiply, insert, mute, undo etc.
- Remote control pedal: This is a more advanced version of conventional pedals. They have some unique facilities, which will make the playing comfortable and enjoyable. This gazette has one pedal through which, the major functions of two amplifier foot switches can be fulfilled.
- Mini amp and distortion: This is the latest two in one version of guitar effect accessories. This is a mini amplifier. There is a very powerful inbuilt speaker in the pedal. After the amplifier is attached, it becomes a very strong distortion box.
- Mini auto guitar tuner pedal: This is a very short box. It fits easily in the pedal board. It instantly tunes the guitar with total accuracy. A digital needle indicates the state of the tune.
- Slap echo pedal: This pedal delivers the echo tone. Especially the shower room tone that was very popular in the 1950s.
- Flanger pedal: Another effect accessory that gives a flange effect.
- Acoustic guitar amp modeling effects pedal: Do you want an acoustic tone from an electric guitar? Don't have to think a lot or invent a new machine. This gazette will do that for you. You just need to plug in. And it will give clear tone of acoustic guitar.
- Digital stereo reverb guitar effects pedal: This is for reverb effects.
The above accessories are all for electric guitars. But there are other guitar effect accessories also, which are made for bass guitars.
- Bass guitar multi FX: It has got a good amplifier and many brilliant effects.
- Bass multi effects pedal: It is a bit advanced from the previous one. It contains drum machine, recording software, along with many effects.
These are the guitar effect accessories, which are available mainly for electric & bass guitars. There are lots of other accessories being invented everyday, especially for electric guitars. These accessories are making guitar playing a more enjoyable experience.

About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: electric guitars, guitar accessories, drums, drum sets, , and synthesizers, keyboards.