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  1. Apologies for the two months absence - super busy with life stuff! I hope anyone who's still around from last year are keeping well & have had a good start to this year! On my front.. bad news is I didn't have time to record updates or really progress much through modules... However.. good news is I still managed to put in circa' one hour practice pretty much every day which has just helped me further cement the early foundational stuff as well as the new things learned in the first module of grade two, which I've now completed between the start of Jan & now... in the next module I'm about to start I (finally) start taking a first look at the F.
    3 points
  2. Spotted a Chapman ML3 modern on facebook marketplace at a good price last weekend so pulled the trigger and absolutely loved it. So much so I bought an ML1 Pro this weekend ( I really do need a bigger house !) This is one of the best looking and playing guitars I've owned (it's so bassy !)even when compared to custom build territory like my Ambler. Now I need the green sparkly semi - hollow one and a baritone to complete the collection !
    2 points
  3. Hi Everyone! I am new here and this is my first posting... Just a Dream Theater guitar solo in my studio room... Hope you all like it!
    2 points
  4. That is a Fazley Midas FLP318GT. Fazley is Bax Music's own in-house brand of guitars; they are pretty decent guitars for the money, and that one sounds great. Mahogany body and neck, poplar fretboard. I was considering swapping the P90s on it when I ordered it, but when I plugged it in, the P90s surprised me with how good they sounded, so they are staying. I will be putting some Grover tuners on it though and I might stick some upgraded wiring, pots and switches in, but for the moment it's doing okay as it came.. Considering they are 143 quid new (I paid a 126 quid for that one because it had a minor blemish on it), you can't really go wrong with them. I paid a ton for a second-hand plywood Columbus Les Paul copy with a bolt-on neck nearly forty years ago, so it just goes to show how far we've come these days in terms of bang for your buck. :
    2 points
  5. Originally, resonator guitars were invented for just this reason : cut through against competition from the brass section, without an amp..!. Worth a try, especially if the repertoire is suitable. One or two points to consider : many players use a reso guitar like a lap-steel; these models have a square neck profile, unsuitable for 'standard' guitar playing position. Look at models with a rounded 'C' or 'U' profile instead. Some models have a piezo mic built in, but more rarely with a pre-amp, which makes amplifying a little trickier, as either the amp has a piezo input, or an external pre-amp is required. The reso part of the guitar is fragile, so a stout case is needed for anything but home use. They're louder than a folk guitar, especially in the 'medium' frequencies, but won't fill a large hall unaided just the same. Trying a few models would be recommended; proces start at around £300 and go up quite quickly. On the other hand, it's not uber-effective, but a piece of felt over the accordion grill could be tried to mute it a little..? Some folk remove the grill, line the inside with masking tape or similar, then put the grill back. Choice of register has an effect, with some 'bassier' registers being less strident. Other than that, it's just playing technique to play with less volume. Hope this helps; sounds like a nice project.
    2 points
  6. A few tips that I may adopt for my playing/practice I think! It's good to see others progress and to be able to see that I am not alone and am having the same progress and struggles as others. @ShawnE thanks for sharing your progress it is inspiring and encouraging. Alan
    2 points
  7. @Dad3353 Cheers Douglas... plenty of great advice & suggestions there as always! Will take all of that onboard going forward... all very simple things for me to implement &/or keep in mind...! Since the turn of the year I substituted a lot of "song practice" time for straight up strum practice.. extra time noodling between chords I guess but with a goal of naturally easing up the wrist/hand during strumming (& further improving chord changes as an added bonus of that) & think it's paying off... still a long way to go with it of course but it at least definitely feels more free-flowing than it did back in December. Hopefully that'll start transferring into new song practices. @Crusoe Thanks a lot! Sticking with it for sure... I sense I'm at the stage now where things begin to kick up a gear!
    2 points
  8. Good evening, Shawn... Good to see these videos continuing, and your progress, too. Well done, for both; neither are simple. A couple of remarks, if I may..? I see you naming the notes as you play them; try to sing the note at its proper pitch as you name them, so that you're singing 'E', 'F', 'G' etc at the same time as playing the note. It will help train you ear to hear notes in pitch for years to come. No great singing voice needed, just get the pitch right, corresponding to the note you're naming and playing. It will become easy and instinctive very quickly, although the first sessions may not feel comfortable. Try it for a couple of weeks, maybe, to see..? Next remark : when strumming the 'big G' chord then the 'D' chord, try not to play the lower 'E' string with the 'D' chord. That note ('E'...) does not belong in the 'D' chord. An option is to try to 'mute' the lower 'E' string, but it's best if you can train your right hand to only play relevant strings. Just a thought, something to have a look at and be aware of, that's all. Lastly : with those oddly-named 'stuck' chords, it's less important to memorise the names (although that's useful, too...) than to listen to, and understand, what's actually happening. You're playing the 'G' on the lower 'E' string, then a 'C' on the 'A' string, followed by a 'B', then the open 'A'. The overall effect is a descending sequence of notes; if each resulting chord has to be named, it's always possible with all of these '#', 'sus', '11' etc, but the musical reason, and the important bit, is the descending line, not the chord names. Just sayin'; don't get hung up on the names, just listen to what the notes you're playing sound like as you play them. Again, you're doing fine, but be sure to hear the music you're playing as well as the technique. Oh, yes, there is another thing... Listen to the Pink Floyd track a few times played by the maestro, and play along to it, you'll find that your timing is slightly 'off'. The single notes are fine, followed by a little shorter 'strum' than you're playing. Just a detail that listening to the original will sort out. There, that's enough abject criticism from me; now go an make a good pot of tea. You've earned it. Good Stuff, keep on keeping one; meanwhile... Have a wonderful day. Douglas
    2 points
  9. No they are not, they are just not posting clips of them playing badly. For all you know, the clip of them playing it well which they put online, might have been the 400th take.
    2 points
  10. It's 4/4, but unlike most typical western 4/4 rock and pop, it doesn't have a typical snare drum hit on beats two and four, instead it has an accented guitar strum on two and four, which in part at least, is akin to reggae, where the guitar chops on the two and four beats. Reggae then has the snare (or sometimes a rim shot) on the third beat. Your tune differs in having the main drum beat on one. Listen to it and imagine it's a reggae song and you'll hear what I mean.
    2 points
  11. It's just practice and experience. I can assure you it will all come good if you keep it up. But one very important thing with practicing stuff to remember, is that what you are aiming for, is to have things down so well that you're pretty much on 'autopilot' when playing. The key to this happening with any song, chord shape, picking pattern, strumming pattern or whatever, is to have the thing so ingrained in your muscle memory that you literally could not play it wrong unless you actually made a conscious effort to do it wrong. You won't be surprised to learn that the trick to that, is to practice at a speed which is slow enough for you to become really accurate with your finger placement and movement, then when you are accurate, pick up the tempo a bit, rinse and repeat. If you do that, when you speed it up, your fingers retain the muscle memory of the movements and you remain accurate. Conversely, if you practice sloppily, your muscle memory will then be sloppy and it will be hard to 'undo' that, so in short, concentrate on getting it accurate and worry about the tempo later. Honestly, it's nothing more complicated than accurate repetition which is the key to progress.
    2 points
  12. Ah, excellent; well done for replying so clearly. It sounds as if you're on the same track as all of us, when starting out. Obviously you should address these concerns with your tutor; he/she will have doubtless heard much the same from many pupils. Meanwhile, if you're not doing it already, I'd recommend playing for short periods, as often as you can, but regularly. Two 15-minutes sessions, each and every day, no exceptions or excuses, will cement the 'information' very quickly. Far better than an hour once a week. I will assume that you have exercises, routines, to practise, from your tutor..? Do these, religiously, in your practise sessions, plus any other stuff you want to do from other sources (method books, U-tube etc...), but avoid playing for too long at a time, especially for the first few months, as this can seal in bad habits and damage your hands. Depending on the complexity, it's normal to have to refer back to the partition (be it tab, notation or chords charts... whatever...) at first, but much will become 'ingrained' over time, as long as you keep plugging away at it assiduously. There is no 'silver bullet', but be assured that every guitarist, whatever their talent, started out with your level of competence. It's only the practising that makes the difference, and it's not overnight. Speak to your tutor, then, follow their advice and method, and trust me; it will all come together, and all the faster for being patient and doing things slowly. I'll end with my usual tongue-in-cheek encouragement ... It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things sometimes tend to get very slightly easier.
    2 points
  13. Even though it looks and feel a bit whacked, that posture sure made it a lot easier to fret the frets, though I found it very hard to accurately fret. Probably just practice, but I'll throw that one in for a change. Aah, also made it a lot easier to fret. I'm doing it that way for this particular song since that's what he's doing and it was the only way for me to play the E string together with the other notes. I'm not sure how he does it on the recording and everytime I see him live he seem to be playing differently. I think it's supposed to be a muted tone too but that's far over my league at the moment. But with practice comes experience, so It seems I need to practice a lot more and for the hand easier riffs to build up the core strength. That tip was especially useful when playing Poison since that far stretch in the intro was a whole lot easier doing with the thumb in the center back! I'm not entirely sure what you mean, you mean while playing the same string(s) on different frets? That's something I've been practicing but wow, it's pretty hard. Though that along with the tips from Plucking the strings economically sounds like something I should embrace and practice more. I can up pick one single string, like when playing temple of the king. But if it's two or more, I have to use a very thin pick to even somewhat succeed and I find them hard to get a good sound out of. I'm not a fan of shedding or fast play myself, I like it clean. Ritchie tends to keep it so with good rythms, like the pre-intro when he plays man on the silver mountain live in munich, I like that kinda play. I found out, by accident that for me, resting the palm on the bridge is the easiest way for me to play good sounding muted notes as I can't do that with the fretting hand yet. Though it feels as if the hand is so far back there that it's hard to pick the strings accurately, so I haven't really practiced plucking them there. Usually when something hard we tend to go easiest route and not really bother. But you make me realize that it's all just practice and it'll get better over time. I think you're absolutely right! A very good observation!! I just measured the lowest part of the low E down to the 12th fret and it measures 3mm, I think that could be chopped down a good 1mm. Maybe even more, I'll have to bring it to the shop. I think you have a very very good point here, might be due to the high action. But I'll keep that one in mind when playing! Also, I just played and I slowed it down quite a bit. I noticed I had a lot more control over my fretting hand, the fingers wasn't moving anywhere near as much as in the video nor as far away from the neck. Interesting, maybe I should take it a bit slower, though a hard thing to do when the mind and body never wants the same heh. But to be realistic, I don't think I have the accuracy to play well yet, I think it's all just muscle memory from my side, my hand knows where to move. Which is not the way to go, so slower it is. Thank you very much guys, very exhaustive and detailed answers!
    1 point
  14. He may well be amenable to you sitting in whilst he goes through the check-up and rectification process, which could give some insight as to how to look after your (and your son's...) instruments. It might take him a little longer, to explain what he's doing, and enable you better to appreciate exactly what's involved in guitar upkeep. Just a thought..?
    1 point
  15. Hi guys, thanks for the advice and guidance. Originally my thought was that I would perhaps have a go myself if it's fairly straightforward to learn more about guitars, however I have given it some thought and decided that I will probably seek further advice and pay somebody else to do any required work. I don't really want to spemd a great deal of time "tinkering" and then possile having to go to an expert after all. I have a local guitar tech who is friendly and highly recommended, he has done some work on my guitar previously and has set up/serviced several of my sons guitars and basses, his rates are also very reasonable. I don't know what I could have done to affect anything as all I have done is change the strings and cleaned it regularly, it is kept in a warm dry house only going out occasionally in a gig bag to jams etc. I notice that will obviously affect the tuning due to temperature change etc, and it is transported in a gig bag. Re playing it was not used very much until recently so wouldn't have thought it would be wear due to the amount of use. I have until recently largely been playing an old nylon acoustic and a 6 month old LagT88ac and have really only started to pick up the electric as my skills have developed, so I am sure that there maybe some credence in the observation that my playing technique may be contributing to the issues. I am taking the occasional lesson every 2 or 3 weeks (with the Lag transported in a hard case for protection), so I may change the routine and take along the electric next time to get an expert opinion. I appreciate any further comments and Will update on my progress. Alan
    1 point
  16. UPDATE: my Behringer SF300 has arrived. Does the job just nicely! Really useful having the three modes, too: I can see myself using the more "vintage" sound of Fuzz 1 the most, but the scuzzier tone from Fuzz 2 has been quite fun to play with so far. Popping the guitar into drop D with Fuzz 2 certainly gives a nice All Them Witches-type vibe! Thanks again for the recommendation!
    1 point
  17. Well, when I first read on the specs that it had a poplar fretboard, I was a bit 'oh, erm....', because poplar isn't a particularly hard wood as far as I'm aware, but in fact it's fine. Dunno whether they've treated it in some way to make it tougher or something, but it seems okay
    1 point
  18. Proper nut files are extraordinarily expensive, and the cheaper ones not really good at all for that job. If it's just to get rid of the 'jerking' of the string over the nut when tuning, a light sprinkle of graphite powder does a fine job. Some folk get the graphite from quality pencil lead, but it's easy enough to obtain. Amazon propose various versions, as a little flaçon of 50ml for 9€86, or a 1 litre tub for 10€10, and everything in between. Try that first, if unsmooth tuning is the issue..?
    1 point
  19. I would be inclined to use a resonator guitar and add a pick up to it, going into something simple such as a Caline Lorcan amp, which is small but loud enough for what you want, can even run without mains for three hours, and has a built in delay effect, then go through an EQ pedal to the Lorcan (up to three pedals can take power from the Lorcan - it comes with the cables for that purpose). In that way, if the resonator isn't doing it all on its own, you can use the EQ to give the pickup on the guitar the necessary frequencies to have it poke through a suitable frequency hole in the accordian's range. I can recommend the Recording King RPH-R1-TS Dirty Thirties resonator, which is comparatively inexpensive (abut 300 quid), but with its spruce top and resonator, it is bright yet has some warmer undertones too, so it hits quite a broad range of frequencies, and if you added a pick up to it, its range could be further tailored to suit you requirements even more via an EQ pedal.
    1 point
  20. It's quite a long time since I bought my resonator, so I don't have a very clear memory of which types I tried out on the day! My Ozark is definitely a single cone / biscuit bridge type; I remember also trying a couple of Stagg resonators which I believe were spider bridge. I seem to recall the Staggs sounding a bit mellower, but fundamentally still like a resonator - definitely some difference, but probably not enough that you'd mistake it for a "normal" acoustic guitar. If you are able to get to a shop to try a couple, it might be worthwhile to. But if not, I don't think the type would make too much difference - a biscuit, spider or tricone are probably all equally capable of making their presence felt against the accordion!
    1 point
  21. Brilliant, much appreciated indeed. I do feel that a more boxy tone would be of benefit. I am not averse to playing through PA when needed, but like the idea of a small house party or coffee shop type gig, maybe a wedding to just be there as background music mainly without the need of full PA. But true acoustic would be good and convenient for practice and possibly busking.
    1 point
  22. Thanks @Dad3353. That is a good idea about muting the accordion. Currently I arrange songs based on my pre-conceived ideas and skills and I feel that I ought to play a little more of that stabbing rhythm/comping to keep everyone in time, but some songs definitely benefit from the guitar melody too. So I think there is an element of modifying the approach somewhat. Not to blow a trumpet about it, but I am both the most accomplished musician and vocalist, so I feel it my place to arrange the songs appropriately. It is hard though to arrange with the best overall sound in mind rather than just the parts that I would like to play!! Thanks for your opionion about resos, I did think from various youtube vids that it seemed a little more brash and mid orientated, but haven't had the chance to ever play one. A slightly more aggressive tone might indeed just make it different enough.
    1 point
  23. Mine - and a few others other I've seen - has a magnetic pickup, which definitely benefits from a pre-amp on its way to the desk. On the plus side, I have found it plays very nicely with a Joyo American Sound in that role!
    1 point
  24. A resonator could be just the ticket! My two acoustics are an Epi dreadnought and an Ozark resonator - and the latter is a lot louder! For context: when I play acoustic gigs, I pop both guitars into the PA for a bit of support, but in smaller venues I hardly need to bring up the fader at all on the resonator. (And I also play fingerstyle on these gigs.) It is a much more "boxy" tone, but it sounds like that might be a better fit with the accordion. And if you're playing Americana, it fits a similar space sonically to a banjo. If it's at all useful, this is the guitar I have: https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/04112612521018--ozark-3515e-resonator-black-electro-cutaway
    1 point
  25. A 5 year old Taylor Grand Pacific 517e in wild honey burst finish. Spruce and mahogany body ebony fretboard. The builders edition results in rounded edges to the body and fretboard and the back of the neck is shaped so the profile changes towards the body end which is supposed to make it easier to play higher up the neck.
    1 point
  26. I just found the link to the stuff they were talking about. https://www.montysguitars.com/collections/department-of-component/products/montys-montypresso-relic-wax
    1 point
  27. Hey all, I'm Shawn, 38 & fresh to the guitar. Yesterday was my very first day at getting stuck in (probably spent a little too long at it - finger tips feel like I burned them on a stove!). I spent my first hour awkwardly & awfully strumming between D & A chords, but hey, I'm excited for the months ahead. I intend to follow the tried, tested & trusted Justin Guitar lessons to see if I can get myself going. Looking back on this first video I can already see the importance of reallyyyyyy slowing every thing right down & it reinforces the need to let things naturally develop in its own time. Oh, and I need to get to grips with holding the pick properly. After just one hour I can highly recommend recording yourself practicing if you don't already! I noticed there's not a great deal of content around showcasing absolute beginners & it's clear to see why - seasoned amateurs & pros tend to sound a lot better! So, I decided to start this channel to not only periodically document my own progress from the very first day, but because I thought it may also be useful & intriguing for other beginners to watch both now & further down the line. A sort of way to truly realise that we're not alone all frustrated & wondering if things could ever possibly get better. Well, I'm going to find out if they do, anyway! If you fancy offering motivation, encouragement, tips, a chat etc. do feel free to follow along! https://youtu.be/zT9ij0RV4M4
    1 point
  28. Good to have you back Shawn and I'm glad to see you are sticking with it!
    1 point
  29. You mentioned the Blackstar HT5R - they also do a 1W model! I had an HT1R for a few years myself, and was a good little bit of kit for something so tiny. Played quite nicely with pedals, as I recall, and could get surprisingly loud when running flat out. Worth noting that both HT amps are technically hybrids - think it's a tube in the preamp, and a SS power stage. Not sure how important it is for your amp to be all tube!
    1 point
  30. What about the Laney Cub Super 12? It's 15W but can be dropped to 1W and has a series effects loop
    1 point
  31. Ultimately, it seems like the EVH 5150 LBX-S could be the best choice based on your criteria. It offers the low-wattage option you're looking for and should handle your pedalboard nicely. It's always a good idea to try amps out in person if possible to see how they feel and sound with your setup. Good luck with your search, and happy jamming!
    1 point
  32. I am a year in to learning and this sounds very familiar to my experience, my tips I would suggest: Take it slowly Don't try to learn too many things at once Muscle memory does come and I find it comes in light bulb moments where I suddenly realise that I have made progress without realising. Use the tab when playing, I am now finding that I am having the tab operand referring to it less and less as I practice and muscle memory takes over. Listen frequently to the tracks you are learning and concentrate on hearing rather than listening, count the beat and listen for the chord changes etc. Record yourself on video every so often and watch it back a few weeks later, you will see improvement that are not always noticeable. Finally enjoy it, take a few minutes out to just "doodle and make some noise rather than formal practice, I find this is helping me think about the fretboard and getting my fingers moving.
    1 point
  33. Can I add my experiences in the hope it may give some inspiration. I originally had an electric guitar some 40 odd years ago, it was best described as cheap and nasty - although I thought it was great. I picked up the guitar again about a year ago after some 30 odd years away and although I have nowhere near the experience and expertise of others on this forum you may find my observations of some use. I purchased my electric guitar via Marketplace on Facebook, it strikes me that there are a lot of second hand guitars and amps for sale (possibly because a lot of people give up very quickly?). My electric is an Epiphone Les Paul Studio for which I paid £100,I bought it mainly because it looks good, however the bonus is that it plays nice too. I got a local guitar tech to give it a once over and he said that I'd made a good a good purchase. What have I learnt from my own experiences? Give a local guitar tech a call, they maybe able to advise or possibly even be able to supply you with a suitable set up, secondly it may be worth finding any local groups of musicians who get together for jam sessions to speak to. I am very lucky in that I have both very local a group and guitar tech near to me, which is very useful as the nearest decent music shop is now more than an hour away from me. Another thing I have been looking at recently is a series of videos released by Andertons music in Guildford (I have no link with them and in fact still want/need to pay a visit), these videos include reviews of starter set ups etc. Hope this helps but be warned guitars can seriously damage your wealth, in the past 12 months I have gone from zero guitars to two acoustics and an electric and am now considering purchasing a fourth guitar and my first pedal, although my wife doesn't know yet. P.S. I was very lucky as the amp was a freebie in exchange for a cable! Good luck
    1 point
  34. Thank you gentlemen. it's very helpful. My daughter would be very pleased for her choice. She's so keen to get this guitar and lessons rather than school ski trip based on ourfinancial circumstances.
    1 point
  35. I can vouch for Focusrite - used a Scarlett 2i2 for years, and it was wonderfully simple to set up and use. @randythoades raises a very good point about your recording environment, though: if you're buying monitors, you could make your life harder if you don't also treat your room - ironically enough. A decent pair of headphones might be a better starting point...and when I say "decent," I don't necessarily mean "expensive." A pair of Sony MDR-ZX100 are cheap as chips, and they're surprisingly good while you're getting set up. (Studiospares also have some decent, flatter-response cans for when you're ready to upgrade.) To second randy's point about your amp: mic placement - not to mention mic quality - can be a real minefield. If you have lots of time to experiment, don't let me stop you, but if you're happy with Katana's USB output then you'll get better results, faster, that way. That said, if you're struggling with the tone, there are plenty of affordable amp sim pedals out there - Joyo do American Sound (Fender-like), British Sound (Marshall-like), AC Tone (Vox) and California Sound (Mesa), which are all knock-offs of the Tech21 Character pedals. Companies like Caline and Donner are making their own versions as well. Fun fact - I don't even own a "normal" guitar amp these days: I just plug one of those in when I want to lay down any electric guitar tracks.
    1 point
  36. Thank you all good stuff and a handy reference, I do wonder how I would have done had I taken a formal approach to learning the guitar when I was so very much younger. I am not sure I could put myself through the pressure of testing process and I really don't think it would benefit me now, it's not as if I need a certificate to join a local jam session ( at least as far as I am aware)!
    1 point
  37. I totally agree with you.
    1 point
  38. Thanks for posting, like I said I think a bit of a lot of that and some bits not there, however still a useful sense check. What would a grade 3 student sound like, I am assuming that everything needs to sound nice and clean? Because I have a particular interest in music with a blues influence ( I know that encompasses a lot) I seem to be more "proficient" ( I use that term lightly) in that sort of playing and can now often work out where I should be playing I.e. which key, and am able to play along and do basic solos over tracks. I am also starting to hear tracks and thinking I might be able to play that, and have on some occasions looked at the tab and proved my thought right. I have done that with Rule the world by Take That! The one area that I really need to improve at present is strumming, but I know that will come with practice and guidance, I have noticed some progress over the past couple of weeks. I have also starting a few finger picking exercises. BTW I am not sure I have half an century and I am not too concerned about being a Master of all things, I will leave that to you guys!
    1 point
  39. Have a look here, maybe..? Guitar levels explained ... From your description, I'd guess that you're about at Level 5, or 6, which would place you around the Grade 2 or 3 mark. Hope this helps; carry on, you're doing fine. Only another half a century to go to become Master Of All Things.
    1 point
  40. Thank you so much for the response, Ive been looking at headphones because of your suggestion, just need them to be comfortable with glasses : ) I'm stuck between the Scarlett solo 3rd gen and the one you currently have, if I was to get the solo I'd use reaper. (Still no idea about daws, might be best to get the interface you're talking about since it comes with a daw) from what I've researched though the solo sounds better
    1 point
  41. I have had very good results using a Presonus audio interface (Studio 24c) which comes with a fully functioning DAW. I haven't found the need to buy another even though I have tried several out with the trial versions. None offered me anything else that I felt was missing from the Presonus Studio 5 software. I am sure there is huge amounts more functionality for either the Pro version of the Presonus software or of any of the alternatives, but if you are just recording bass guitar and vocals then you won't need it to begin with. I wouldn't worry about trying to mic up your amp though. A bedroom isn't an ideal acoustic environment so you probably won't get great results. Just use either software amp sims or the USB out on the Katana. I spent money on getting Toontrack EZ Drummer for quality programmable drums to really lift my tracks, and just use better quality headphones rather than fully fledged studio monitors. I can test the quality of my audio on 'standard' equipment with my Creative computer speakers which gives me a better idea what it will sound like on my phone or in the car. So my recommendation is £105 for the interface and DAW combined, then £100-150 on your headphones rather than monitor speakers.
    1 point
  42. I make it out to be a rather slow 4/4, with the first syllable of the lyrics falling on the 1 And 2 and 3 and 4 and ... It gets a bit 'lumpy' at times, as the singer, presumably playing on his own, skips bars or adds 'em in, but if I stubbornly carry on with my 1 And 2 and etc, it all comes out in the wash. I don't think these skips and hops are deliberate; it's just the way the fellow has it going on in his head. If I start to count from the first clear chord in this way : 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 And 2 ... it seems to work. Try it..? No guarantee, but that's what I'd drum to it. Hope this helps.
    1 point
  43. Good evening, @Bunny, and ... ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. First question : Do you have a guitar tutor, or are you doing this all alone..? Next : What is your age..? Lastly : How fast did you think that learning to play the guitar would be..? As for 'retaining the information' : what, exactly, is this 'information' that you're losing..? Most of guitar playing, as with other instruments, and, indeed, most skills, such as driving a car, or walking, are a case of 'muscle memory', whereby there is no conscious 'thinking' going on, the muscles (and brain...) have learned, mostly through repetition, what to do. How are you learning..? Looking forward to your answers, after which I'm sure some helpful advice, hints and tips will come forth. Over to you...
    1 point
  44. @Musical Mystery Tour that goldtop with P90s .
    1 point
  45. On a strat-type vibrato it would effectively lower the action a touch and make the strings ever-so-slightly flatter in pitch because it would lengthen them a bit and lower them, meaning you might have to raise the action a touch and possibly adjust the intonation slightly' on a Bigsby, it'd make no real difference since the lever action is after the bridge (although as you say, it's a floating type, so not a Bigsby). I do that on my LP with a Bigsby - i.e. lock it back by spinning the vibrato arm all the way round to jam it in position on the bck of the mount because I have that vibrato on the guitar for the effect extra mass of it has on the tone, rather than for actually using it. And because you have to have at least one LP with a Bigsby on it (I'm pretty sure that's the law):
    1 point
  46. It's always Tele time in my book.
    1 point
  47. There are some guitars which are theoretically a bit less comfortable, depending upon whether you are playing seated or standing to some extent - for example the Gibson SG (and usually any copies of it) are notorious for being prone to neck dive owing to the fairly thin body with the neck join right at the end of the fretboard imparting a lot of weight leverage on the neck, the Flying V and anything similarly shaped is absolutely useless to play when seated, not that a guitar like that was designed with that in mind of course, but still true. In both cases, you are forced to be holding the neck in position somewhat if seated, which isn't conducive to making fretting easier. Having said that, if you sort them out with a strap so they are well positioned, some are really great guitars, notably Harley Benton's SG copy, which is one of the best cheapish humbucker-equipped guitars you can get. On the other hand, Harley Benton's TE52 Telecaster copy is a great guitar as well and it costs peanuts, but it weighs a goddam ton and you can really feel that when it is hanging off a strap, although it is okay when seated. The really important thing for playing comfortably, if you are seated which you invariably will be when learning, is to either use a foot stool or somethng similar to raise the neck up, or do the same thing with a strap on a fairly short length (think, typical seated classical guitar player and you'll get the idea of where the neck should be). What that achieves, is to position your hand so that you don't have to crank your wrist around a lot to be ble to fret properly, which makes fretting in the correct way easier and also helps to get your thumb in the back of the neck. Now of course many people want to look all cool and punkish on stage and have the thing hanging two inches from their knee, but that sort of thing really doesn't make playing anything other than a basic punk riff easy. When you get better and more experienced as a player, you can afford to get sloppy and do things such as getting your thumb over the top of the neck to do lazy G chords and the like, but when you are starting out, you really should have your thumb in the centre of the back of the neck to aid with correct finger positioning and to stop your fingers and wrist aching. Beyond how the thing sits, what probably matters more, is the neck relief, action and intonation. So knowing how to adjust the truss rod, level the frets and tweak the bridge saddles is useful and really not that hard; the tools necessary to do it all are fairly inexpensive to get hold of (youtube is your friend where that is concerned), or you can pay someone to do it if you have about fifty quid to waste on that rather than spending that fifty quid on the tools and doing it yourself, which is definitely the smarter way to go. Any inexpensive guitar is pretty good these days if set up properly, but what all cheap guitars will benefit from, is having a good set of tuners put on them (Grover, Kluson etc); this is the best upgrade you can do to something like that and will ensure less frustration with having the thing stay in tune. After that, sticking some better quality electrics in it is worth the effort. Doing all that will turn pretty much any sub-two hundred quid guitar into a good one. Brands which are inexpensive and still decent for starting out if you take the time to sort them out, include Harley Benton, Jet, Fazley, Donner, Squier, Epiphone, all of which make usuable models for well under two hundred quid and sometimes under one hundred quid. This means you can throw a bunch of upgrades on them and still not have spent a lot of cash, and what that does, is get you familiar with construction and setting up, which is something that will always be useful going forward, even with more expensive guitars, which in spite of their cost, usually also need setting up too.
    1 point
  48. I've realised in the last few years that I feel more comfortable on a 44mm wide nut than the standard 42mm. This has lead me to commission custom strat necks with ebony fingerboards from a trusted supplier here in China with those dimensions which, more or less, match those on my Yamaha MSG. And the bodies on those strats are lightweight mahogany, making overall for a wonderfully playable and comfortable instrument. Nearly worthless in terms of resale value but up there with the best for effortless playability given I've moulded them to my taste. It's way cheaper to go to a city and spend a day trying stuff out in various music shops if you can, than doing what many of us have done. Spaffing loads of cash on stuff that we decide ultimately isn't for us. Stick to cheap or easily customisable stuff until you settle on something that really works for you.
    1 point
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