Guitar tips, tricks, best-of lists, recommendations, insights,
equipment, music, and and just plain fun! Presented with the beginner
to intermediate guitarist in mind. I read all comments and reply to
many. I hope you enjoy this blog and return often!
I’ve noticed that quite a few of you who visit this site also write about guitar related topics on your own blogs, or have out and out guitar focused blogs. Maybe you’d like to start your own. I’m trying to take the time to learn more about the guitar blog community. In the mean time I thought I’d share this free opportunity:
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About.com recently posted a article on Top 10 Stocking Stuffers for Guitarist. Things like tuners, capos, strings…. YAWN. No offense to About.com, but these are lamo gifts–way too practical. I’ll give ‘em that the heart slide is pretty cool. I thought I’d amend About.com’s list with my own version which I think you’ll find a little more interesting.
So why would you spend good money on one of those technologically designed specialty picks that promises to speed up your playing to a bazillion miles an hour? Well, because they probably do speed up your playing. I’ve never used them though. I have my own secret weapon–I call it “sand paper”. What a cheap thrill! Here’s a before and after above. You get the idea. Does this speed up your picking. Heck, yes! Try crafting your own pick edge, I believe you’ll like it. I know Dunlop caught on and has sharpened picks, and I love Dunlop picks, but they are way too sharp. I like to customize mine to be “just right”. 60 to 80 grit works well just about any gauge of pick.Blender.com just put up a post with the 28 Most Recognizable Guitars. My favorite, the Jimmy Page Gibson SG Double Neck:
These cover mostly the really well known guitarists, but you’ll also find in there the Misfits, Les Claypool (Primus), and Michael Angelo. So a pretty fair representation, I think. You can check out their top 28 here.
I’ve seen some funky ars guitar shapes in my life, but this bass guitar is easily the funniest to me. I have to admit I love practical jokes and I love the double take nature of this one! Brilliant!
This is Stig Pedersen from Denmark’s band D-A-D. Thanks to blogger G L Wilson for finding this image. Check out his blog for more funky ars guitar photos like the concrete guitar.
You know and I know playing guitar can be a beautiful thing. Some melody and rhythm can bring about the best of the human spirit and put it on display musically. There are also genres that sound great when all you hear is the guitar, stripped of the special effects, and the distortion; a lot of you like fingerstyle acoustic or classical guitar for that reason, I’d bet.
However there’s one thing you can add that can just take your playing over the edge and give it powerful soul, and that’s your voice. Probably every guitarist has tried to sing and play, I’m sure with varying degrees of success. So, what’s the reason for the difficulty, and what can you do that helps to overcome it?
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Hi readers, I have a question for you. However, I want to first apologize for not posting anything to this site for almost 9 weeks. My goodness, time goes by fast. In the blogging world that’s considered a dead blog! While some serious personal family matters kept me away I’d like to let those of you still checking in know that I’m back and off to posting great guitar content again.
I can see from my logs that there are still hundreds of people each day still visiting this blog, so I want to thank those of you who are still there checking in! Or, if you’re new, welcome! My goal with these posts is still the same as before…
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Forget Guitar Hero, the real guitar heros are the ones who get out there every day and record their intimate bedroom (and sometimes kitchen) guitar playing for all the world to see.
Right off the bat, let me say that the purpose of this article isn’t to incite a riot with those of you who believe strongly in the value of reading standard music notation. This article aims at giving the beginner guitar player, or the average experienced guitar player who doesn’t know how to read music well (like me) some peace of mind, and the specific knowledge of why it’s just not necessary anymore.
If you’re a guitar player, or thinking about becoming one, this article is for you if you have ever: Read the rest of this entry »
It seems that there’s often little thought given to the effect of fingernail length on sound quality when it comes to finger style guitar players (the classical guitar players are a little more conscious of this). Many of us just grow out our nails until they break and start over again. If you’re guilty of not maintaining your nails you know what I mean. I’m guilty myself of slacking on maintenance from time to time, but I have some tips below for nipping this problem.
First, while I don’t want to dictate to anyone what is the absolute length for fingernails and stifle your ultimate creativity, I am going to suggest there’s a best length; sort of a perfect balance. Read the rest of this entry »
John from johnwilliamgordon.com was kind enough to write a lengthy comment in response to my recent post “How to Tune Your Guitar Perfectly (or Damn Near Close to It)“. John expertly explains how very poor guitar intonation can make it almost impossible to get your guitar in tune, and he outlines 6 steps for correcting the issues each time you tune your guitar.
Just see if this sounds like a problem with your guitar. And if you don’t really know what “intonation” means then this will be a valuable lesson.
Here’s John’s comments following a question about why someone would tune each string to the same note (A) over and over again, instead of just tuning each string of the guitar to it’s complimentary note on another guitar or piano:
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