Gibson Custom ES-335 '60s Block Inlay Antique Tea Burst

What we have here is a mint unplayed 2010 Gibson Custom Shop ES-335 Plain '60s Block Inlay"Slim Neck" Electric Guitar. Finished in a beautiful antique tea burst. The guitar is mint with no issues. Comes with the Gibson hardshell case and all the case candy with the COA. Weighs in at a nice 7lb 12oz...All the features are listed below...

Sumptuous '60s vibe with pearl bar inlays on the bound rosewood fingerboard.

Hailed as the most adaptable of all electric guitars, the Gibson ES-335 Electric Guitar sports the original semi-hollow design with laminated maple top, back, and rims, plus a lightweight maple center block. With Burstbucker Pro 1 and 2 humbuckers it will generate screaming extended sustain, dense rich jazz tones, and everything in between-all with no feedback issues.

Gibson Custom ES-335 Plain '60s Block Inlay"Slim Neck" Electric Guitar Features:
Plain maple top, back, and rims
3-ply maple/poplar/maple body construction
Lightweight maple center block
Rosewood fretboard with pearloid small block fretboard inlays and single-ply cream binding
Burstbucker Pro 1 & 2 humbuckers
Pearl bar inlays
Single ply top and back binding
1963 slim taper neck profile
Vintage tulip tuners
Nickel hardware
Stop tail with ABR-1 bridge
24-3/4" scale
1-11/16" nut width

Gibson Custom ES-335 Plain '60s Block Inlay"Slim Neck" Electric Guitar Includes:

Gibson hardshell case

Types of Guitars - What's Best for You?


By: Troy Bryant

For the most part, there are two types of guitars - acoustic and electric. Yes, there are other body shapes and styles, but the overwhelming majority of guitars fall into one of these two categories.

The purpose of this article is to give a brief description of each type of guitar, it's unique characteristics and what to look for when choosing a guitar for yourself. Be advised that there are hundreds of guitar manufacturers, and thousands of different things you can look for when purchasing your guitar.

Though this article only scratches the surface on different types of guitars, it should provide you with what you need to make an informed buying decision.

Let's first take a look at acoustic guitars. Acoustic guitars are made of a variety of woods, from Hawaiian KOA to mahogany, to spruce to red cedar. Among these, spruce and red cedar are the most popular. Without dispute, Taylor and Martin are the two most popular brands available to the general public. The strings are made of steel or nylon. Nylon string guitars are used more for classical and flamenco. The necks on nylon string models tend to be wider because individual strings are played frequently versus strumming.

Steel string guitars have a bit thinner of a neck, and produce a much brighter tone when played. The strings on these types of guitars also are a bit harder to press against the neck. This is something you should take into consideration when choosing an acoustic guitar.

If you are considering an electric guitar, the music style you want to play is one of the biggest factors. If you're a country picker, and like the "twangy" tone, you might want to consider a guitar with the single coil pickup. If you're a shreader or a blues man, I would advise going for a double coil or "humbucking pickup". This produces a "fatter" sound so often desired by rock and blues artists.

The most desired of the electric types of guitars are the Fender Stratacaster and the Gibson Les Paul. The biggests difference between the two of these models is the scale, which is basically the lenght of the neck.

The scale on a Les Paul is twenty four and three quarter inches long, while it is twenty five and a half inches long on the Stratacaser.

In the end though, the guitar you choose should be the one that feels most comfortable for you to play. That way, you will be more likely to practice more and become the awesome guitarist you dream of being.


Author Resource:->  Troy Bryant is an accomplished musician who owns a website which provides additional information on types of guitars.

Article From ArticleSlide.com

CLASSIC ACOUSTIC GUITAR RIGHT HANDED

AN ACOUSTIC CLASSIC GUITAR, RIGHT HANDED, 6 STRING,  IT MEASURES 40" LONG, 14 3/4" WIDE AT THE BOTTOM AND 3 1/2" THICK.

Guitar lesson: Can You Play Classical Guitar Without Nails?

By: Peter Edvinsson

Most classical guitarists use a lot of time polishing and grooming their right hand fingernails. In order to play with nails you have to have good nails and working with them a lot. Is it possible to play witout nails? Let's take a look at no nail playing!

Angel Iglesias, a great spanish guitarist touring Denmark round 1953 played with nails in the same way as Segovia, Llobet and Barrios did. Some guitarists at this time played with their fingertips.

Another great Spanish virtuoso who toured Denmark in periods, Francisco Alfonso, (whose father studied with Tárrega) used only his fingertips. The differences of their tone quality was described by people who had heard them both:

"Alfonso's tone was unusually beautiful, round and soft while Iglesias' was harder and somewhat sharp."

Personally I have played classical guitar with nails and without nails and I can see some advantages from playing without nails:

1. You will come nearer your guitar through the contact between your fingertips and the guitar string.
2. You can play with your fingers on electric guitars without the risk of damaging your nails.
3. Playing guitar without nails will force you to play with the highest degree of articulation and concentration.
4. You will be able to play piano properly without disturbing nails.
5. You will get a soft and beautiful tone on your guitar if you consistently work on it.

Pujol a guitarist who played without nails wrote, "the flesh best transmit the feeling of the soul...such an unresponsive medium as nails interferes, somehow with the direct contact of the artist's sensibility to the string."

The art of playing without nails must be developed. You have to work with your tone as much without nail as with them. If you have used nails and start to play without nails you will feel uncomfortable before getting used to the different technique involved and before you develop callouses on you fingertips.

As times goes by you will improve your tone through your harder fingertips and your better articulation. You cannot be sloppy in your playing with this technique.

Even if you will go back to playing with your nails again you will see an improvement in you playing due to a better technique.


Author Resource:->  Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com/

Article From ArticleshmArticle.com

Electric , Classical , Acoustic - Which Guitar Is Best For You?

By: David Arnold Livingston

No one could really pinpoint the exact year as to when
the guitar was created. The lute, harp and lyre are
the three stringed instruments from which guitars
evolved. The features of guitars vary for each musical
period. The guitar is one of the most popular musical
instruments today to bring out soothing music or to
perk up one's energy level. Bands and gigs will not be
complete without guitars. Guitars are also used as a
means to free hidden and unexpressed feelings and
emotions or it can as well be a medium to spend time
meaningfully together with loved ones and peers.

There are various types of guitars that can suit the
intended purpose of the user such as the twelve strings
guitars, six strings, classical guitars and electric
guitars. Twelve strings made up the twelve strings
guitar to achieve a rich tone compared with the
standard six string guitars. The courses of strings
are played together though the sound produced are
different from the other. On the bass course are two
strings tuned an octave apart and on the treble courses
are the other pairs of strings that are tuned together.
The third string in the third course can be tuned by
using unison strings or the distinct high-pitched
octave guitars strings. The style of standard six
string guitars can allow the user to have easy contact
on the higher frets on the finger board. This type
needs an access on the frets to produce the desired
sounds and effects.

Classical guitars of the olden days have cat gut which
later on developed into nylon strings. These types of
guitars have a flat fingerboard and wide neck. Other
guitars experts suggest that classical guitars are the
best types for beginners since it has greater string
gauge and lighter string tension but still the decision
is on the buyer since the classic guitar may not suit
their preferences and style. Classic songs and music
are best played using classical guitars.

Electric guitars are made up of different materials and
use various components to produce the needed sound.
Alder, Mahogany, Walnut, Maple and Ash are the commonly
used types for the body of electric guitars. The woods
and the construction, the types of strings, quality of
components used, length of cables and the overall
condition of the environment determine the quality of
the sound produced. Electric guitars are used in
various forms and styles of music may it be pop,
country, rock and roll, jazz or blues.

In buying guitars, the user must make sure that the
chosen guitar will match his budget, playing style and
skills. An electric guitar is easier to play compared
with an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars can produce
audible sounds without using amplifiers. It makes use
of either the nylon or wound steel rings. There are
also acoustic and electric guitars that can be played
with the presence or absence of an amplifier.

Package deals are at times offered for beginners which
may include a guitar together with other options like a
tuner, pics, strap and case. The soundboard of the
guitars must be carefully inspected to determine the
type of sound produced. Producers of good quality
guitars are usually the well-known companies in the
industry like Taylor, Gibson, Yamaha, Fender, Ovation,
Martin and Ibanez. There are wide selections of style
and design to choose from to match the buyer's
distinctness and uniqueness.


Author Resource:->  David Arnold Livingston is a music lover and enjoys guitars.

Visit: http://ufguitar.com/

for lots of great information about guitars.

Article From ArticleshmArticle.com

DILLION BRIAN MAY STYLE ( RED Special ) Right Hand

A new 2010 Made For Dillion USA Model DBM-010T

Solid Mahogany body
7 ply binding on the front and back of body
Bound set neck with striped ebony fingerboard
Grover USA gears with 18 to 1 ratio
Abalone dot inlays
24 hand polished 2.7 mm frets + Bone nut
D'Addario strings ( 10 - 46 )
Dillion custom Power bend tremolo
Three Tri-Sonic pick ups
Six 3 way phase slide switches
Two volume, Two tone, plus 3 way switch
12" Radius
25 1/2scale
1 11/16 nut width

The Hardy Souls: From An Unsigned Band to a Modern Indie Star

By: Karina Daniel

Contrary to their name, The Hardy Souls can actually melt the heart with their modern indie. From the heart of Glasgow music scene, the band is one of the great Scottish bands in the small country who can compete musics from anywhere in the world and who continue to bring fresh and innovative sounds to the indie scene.

Starting from its formation in 2008, The Hardy Souls have gained a status as one of the newest bands in Glasgow. The band comprises of music fanatics who also are gifted and who really love to play, namely: Seb Jonsen Campbell Lindsay, Ross Lindsay, Craig O'Neill, and Craig Watson.

Strikingly, the band has a great quality of recording in spite of the reality that the production of rock music is really expensive and recording it is quite hard. There may be a low-budget recording for the band but its sound quality is not affected with such problem. Listening to their recorded music, there is none of the echoing drums or tinny guitars as the band pays much concentration to the way they sound.

As a result, The Hard Souls band produce a sophisticated modern indie that is mixing blues of blues inspired guitar and fills of furious drums. While enjoying their music, one may feel like listening and tasting the 'The Minority' along with a vibe of Rolling Stones. Well, this is because the some of the key influences of the band include the Stones, The Who and also Pink Floyd.

Indeed, it is this influence and inspiration of the 1960's rock combined with a touch of a more modern indie which creates the character of the band.

To hone more their skills and be prepared for any inevitable approach of recording companies, The Hard Souls continue to rover and gig around Scotland. Currently, they are working on some fresh materials on which they hope to release a demo sometime soon.

Await another bamboozling material from this humble, unsigned band and crank your speakers up to 11 and rock out to The Hardy Souls!


Author Resource:->  Read free music reviews and other insightful and entertaining articles. Visit the site for all music junkies.

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Guitar: Can You Learn To Play Guitar Without Goals?

By: Peter Edvinsson

In many articles on the net on learning to play guitar you will find many article authors stressing the importance of setting goals. Well, it would be interesting to find out if you can learn to play guitar without goals. Let us investigate the matter!

I have many memories of my first attemps to play the guitar. Like many boys I had many interests like reading, playing piano, singing, listening to music, athletics, chess, stamp collecting, painting and other things at different times. Playing guitar was just one of them.

I remember that I had my own way of practicing guitar playing. I always had my guitar on my bed waiting for me. I sat down on my bed many times everyday playing for a while and then starting to do other things.

Sometimes I felt inspired to play guitar for an hour or two and other times just for a minute. Did I have goals or not?

I know that I was developing as a guitarist quite fast and I think it must have been something in my way of playing and practicing guitar that was good.

I believe that some of the reasons for my progress during those early days of my learn to play guitar career were:

1. 
   I felt no pressure to become an accomplished guitarist. I just felt the joy of sitting down with my guitar trying to find out the treasuries in the land of music.
   
2. 
   My father was a guitar teacher giving me lessons at times and I always heard him play guitar in our home. Other guitarists visited our home many times and these visits inspired me a lot.
   
3. 
   I never felt a pressure to play fast and thereby building tensions by playing too fast. This is one of the big mistakes beginning guitarist and even accomplished guitarists sometimes make.
   
4. 
   As I mentioned previously I did a lot of other things besides playing guitar and I guess all these things I was involved in kept my mind quite healthy and helped me retain my joy when I learned to play guitar.
   

I guess in a sense I had goals that was not so apparent to me that directed me towards somewhere even if I was quite content being on the road of progress towards guitar land.

Can you learn something from my early guitar experiences? At least you can learn the following:

1. 
   When learning to play guitar always remember to enjoy the act of playing without thinking too much on what you can or cannot do as a guitarist.
   
2. 
   Try to associate with good musicians and guitarists that inspire you to play musically and that give you the motivation to learn to play new things on your guitar.
   
3. 
   Beware of playing too fast on your guitar. There is a risk of building up muscle tensions and thereby actually reducing your ability to play fast. A remedy for this and a way to tame yourself is to use a metronome at a low tempo to reduce your speed to a level where you can play your guitar in a relaxed manner.
   
4. 
   To become an interesting guitarist and musician you might benefit from being involved in other activities like listening to good music, having another hobby, reading good books, assiciate with other people and more.
   

Do you have to have goals to become a good guitarist? Well, even if you don't have learn to play guitar goals in the ordinary sense you can help yourself to play everyday by having easy access to your guitar.

I had my guitar on my bed. Maybe you want to have your guitar in your favorite armchair. I guess you understand the principle....


Author Resource:->  Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play guitar resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com/

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5 Tips for Crappie Fishing in Arkansas

By: Daniel Eggertsen

Arkansas has an abundance of great crappie waters. And the climate is such, that they can be had all year long. You just need to know how. There are many tricks-of-the-trade involved in crappie fishing. Learning them can go a long way towards helping you fill your creel with slabs. Here are some of my best tips.

The first trick I use is a double-rig (also known as a fish-finder rig). It evolved from commercial Longliner fishermen in their search for Bluefin Tuna. Scaled down, it is a very efficient rig for crappie. Simply rig two # 4 Aberdeen hooks on dropper loops, 12"-18" apart, over a 1/8 oz. bell sinker, or several split shots. You can fish this under a slip-bobber, or anywhere from the bottom up, tight-lining (or vertical fishing, as it is sometimes called). You can also omit the sinker and hooks and use two 1/16 oz. marabou jigs under a slip-bobber.

You can also cast this rig upstream in tailraces or heavy current, and let it drift downstream. This is deadly for crappie in heavy cover. It is not uncommon to hook two crappie at a time with one of these rigs. I usually tie a white or yellow jig on above a chartreuse jig. Another trick is to omit the bobber, and tie a small crank-bait on under the jig. It gives the appearance of a small minnow chasing an even smaller one, an irresistible situation for any predator fish.

When minnow fishing slows down, try this trick. Take 6 or 7 minnows and place them in a 2 qt. or gal. glass jar with water in it. Punch a few small hole in the top to let water and smell circulate. Then tie it with a small rope so you can lower it into the water a few feet. Now fish near the jar. The crappie can smell the minnows, and see them, thinking it is a school of unwary baitfish.

In winter, when crappies are hitting very light, you can make a strike indicator out of an old guitar low E string. Simply tie on a 3" length of the guitar string onto the last section of your rod, with the ball-end even with the tip. Then bend the string up and away from the tip at a 45 degree angle. Run your line through the ball-end of the E string, then through the tip guide of your rod. You can now detect even the lightest of hits.


Author Resource:->  Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on crappie fishing here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com/

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Pearl Jam Tickets - Giving Back to the Environment

By: Stub Hub

Pearl Jam has already attained notoriety as one of the world's most prominent rock bands, but these days the band members are more about green trees than they are about all-night parties. Guitarist Stone Gossard is trying his hand as a businessman in an effort to try and slow climate change, recently saying to Reuters, "Pearl Jam is a band but we are also a business. We're seeing ourselves as a Washington business, a regional business that is acknowledging its carbon footprint and hoping to inspire other businesses." Be sure to support the band in their environmental endeavors and enjoy their musical tunes by going online and getting Pearl Jam tickets today!

In the recent Reuters interview, Gossard noted that Pearl Jam's recent investment of $210,000 was aimed at trying to offset carbon emissions from Pearl Jam's concerts throughout 2009. They are planning on planting thousands of trees to help restore several acres of forest land in the Washington cities of Seattle, Kent, Kirkland and Redmond. While staying green, the band also recently announced new dates for an upcoming U.S. tour. The spring jaunt opens with the New Orleans Jazz Festival May 1. Other dates throughout the month of May include stops in Kansas City, Columbus, Cleveland, Buffalo, Hartford, Boston and New York. In June, they will set out for Europe for another extensive trek on the road.

Pearl Jam rose to fame after the release of their debut album, Ten. Some of their more classic ballads were featured on the record, including "Evenflow," "Jeremy" and "Alive." They were hailed for their angry, heavy vocals and significant guitar riffs. Throughout the early 1990s, Pearl Jam's audience grew significantly and their popularity remained strong through the rest of decade, although Ten is still considered one of their best releases.

Pearl Jam has managed to adapt to the times by keeping their sound and style constant. They never quite disappeared from the scene and although some of their albums were ranked better than others, they've continued to make an impact on the industry, even with members of the younger generation. Subsequent albums after the release of Ten included Vitalogy, Mirror Ball and Yield.

The band once again emerged with another full-length record (their ninth) in 2009, titled Backspacer. The whole package emerged as much more of a lighter effort than much of their previous work, which always tended to verge on depressing. Nevertheless, Pearl Jam manages to stay true to their style and tunes like "The Fixer," "Just Breathe" and "Speed of Sound" stand out as particularly great examples of how the band has stayed relevant. The cheerful vibe that fans get from listening to this album perhaps makes up for the gloomy messages heard on most of their previous albums.

Pearl Jam has spent plenty of time on the road supporting Backspacer and you will want to catch them performing live in concert when they come into a town near you. Pearl Jam tickets are currently available on StubHub.


Author Resource:->  This article is sponsored by StubHub. StubHub.com is a leader in the business of selling Pearl Jam tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

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Four Options To Consider For Learning The Guitar

By: Art Gib

Everyone has a different learning style. Learning an instrument comes easier to some than to others. Some people are able to learn from example while others need to be more hands on. Luckily, there is more than one way to master this stringed instrument. In fact, there are four ways that can be utilized to learn the guitar. This is incredibly helpful information to have considering the fact that everyone learns differently. With one of these four options, everyone should find a suitable way for them to learn to play this instrument.

Of course, the first option is still the most common that is chosen. This is to opt for traditional lessons that involve an instructor. This is indeed a popular choice for good reason. Instructors have a way of explaining things that can be tailored specifically to your learning curve. Being able to ask questions to someone who can show you the answers is indeed a great help. While traditional lessons with instructors can be a great avenue to take, it is not the best choice for everyone.

Some tend to learn better on paper. Having instructional books can help novices to take in the information at their own pace. The same is true for instructional videos. Being able to pause, and rewind the information to hear it as many times as is needed is indeed a helpful tool. While some people are too shy to ask their instructors to repeat things, those who need to hear information a few times before it saturates will do well with the method of learning from instructional books and videos.

An option similar to instructional books and videos is turning to the internet for help. The World Wide Web has a plethora of videos and instructional writings that can be had for free. There are many forums out there as well that bring like-minded people together who can share their problems and solutions together. Indeed, the internet is undoubtedly a great resource and yet another tool that can be used to help learn the guitar.

The last way to learn the guitar is probably the least common, mostly because it requires skill that many do not have. Some skilled musicians have been able to teach themselves instruments simply by learning by ear. This means hearing something and being able to follow it. These types of musicians are incredibly musically talented and rarely learn to read sheet music. There are several choices out there for those who wish to learn the guitar. Regardless of your learning style, there should be at least one that is right for you.


Author Resource:->  Music Parts Plus, Inc (http://www.musicpartsplus.com/) offers the best in dean markley guitar strings.

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The Difference Between Various Types Of Guitar Strings

By: Art Gib

There are many different guitars that one can choose from when it comes to the sounds they most prefer. Not all guitars sound alike. In fact, depending upon the type of guitar strings that one has on their instrument, the sounds can differ dramatically. There are acoustic, bass, electric and classic types of guitars. All are a great option to consider and all use different types of strings.

The acoustic guitar has a bit of an earthy tone which is more often used with mellow music. It has been a beloved form of instrument for many years and there are many brands of strings that can be bought for the acoustic guitar. Well known brands such as Adamas, D'Addario, Dean Markley, Dunlop, Elixir, Ernie Ball, Fender, GHS, Gibson and Martin have all done will with the acoustic crowd.

The bass guitar is used more for lower tones and therefore necessitates strings that are meant for a lower sound. There are several well-known brands that work for these types of guitar strings-in fact, most of them are the same brands that service acoustic guitar strings. Fender, Ernie Ball, Elixer and DR do not work for bass strings; however, the rest of the ones mentioned above that work for acoustic also work for bass.

A classic guitar is often confused with an acoustic guitar. This is probably most likely so because their sounds are very similar. While their sounds are similar, they still require different types of strings. The most popular brands that service classic guitar strings are Adamas, D'Addario and GHS.

The electric guitar is definitely the most unique of the four types. It is powered by electricity as its name suggests and yields a very powerful sound. A string can hold a note for far longer than a classic, acoustic or bass guitar. These strings are most unique from the other three types as well. The brands best known for electric guitar strings are many of the same that work for classic, acoustic and bass. The best brands to use for electric guitar strings include D'Addario, DR strings, Darco, Dunlop, Ernie Ball, Fender, GHS, Gibson and Dean Markley guitar strings.

There are indeed many different types of guitars as well as many different types of strings to choose from. There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer pertaining to the type of instrument you choose. It all depends upon personal preference regarding what you end up ultimately choosing. It is important to note, however, that there is a difference between each of these instruments and this therefore produces a variety of sound choices for you.


Author Resource:->  Music Parts Plus, Inc (http://www.musicpartsplus.com/Dean-Markley/bDeanMarkley.html/prods_per_page/240) is proud to partner up with Dean Markley Strings to provide world class players with the complete line of world class Dean Markley guitar strings and accessories.

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Learning Acoustic Guitar With Online Lessons

By: Dominic Donaldson

Music it is said can be the best medicine, well most people say that laughter is the best medicine and I am inclined to agree with them on this point, but music has the ability to move your emotions like nothing else on earth. It can make you feel happy, sad, elated, mad, uplifted and one hundred and one other feelings and all in the space of three minutes or however long the track last for.

Music can be soothing and relaxing and those effects can be heightened further by deciding to learn to play an instrument. One of the most popular choices of instrument is the guitar and especially the acoustic guitar. The acoustic guitar can release a series of rich and wonderful sounds that can warm and stir the heart of yourself or others around you when played correctly. Unfortunately, it can take some time to learn how to play an instrument like this correctly especially if you decide to do it on your own.

Thankfully there are a number of resources out there today that will allow you to learn to play like a master through the aid of acoustic guitar lessons. Whether you want to learn through a book, video or with a teacher these acoustic guitar lessons will have you wowing crowds in no time.

Before the invention of the internet there was only a couple of ways to obtain acoustic guitar lessons and that was either to get a teach yourself book or book up a lesson with a tutor. However, since the invention of the internet, there are now a number of sites that offer videos allowing people to pick up the skills they require to play to perfection. Technology giants Apple have also looked to capitalise on this market sector with their application Garage Band which allows users the opportunity to get acoustic guitar lessons from the professionals themselves. Who could teach you to play Roxanne better than Sting himself?

There really is no reason not to learn an instrument these days, sometimes the travelling after a hard day's work could put people off, but now with the ease of the internet, all you have to do is go home, turn on the laptop and sit back, relax and practise, It really couldn't be a lot easier.

If you are thinking of learning how to play the acoustic guitar in 2010, then get online and search for acoustic guitar lessons and make sure you can amaze and stun crowds with your performances.


Author Resource:->  Dominic Donaldson is a business analyst with many years of experience in the computer industry. Find out more about acoustic guitar lessons at http://www.licklibrary.com/artists/acoustic/

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Guitar Players Super Glue Finger Tips

By: Daniel Lehrman

Here is an exclusive tip from the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Players like Stevie Ray bend strings use a playing technique where you bend the strings with your left hand, for right handed guitarists that is. It is part of the particular style of music most blues players use, which is a staple of blues guitar music.

Bending the guitar strings to change a note or tone is abusive to the fingertips of the fret hand. To put it mildly it is a lot of work to play this style.

Stevie Ray Vaughan used the largest gauge strings made, at least ones I am familiar with. Gauge size is .013" to .056", basically the same size as suspension bridge cable. I am a sissy, I use light gauge strings such as .009" to .046" gauge. Bending strings is quite common today, however there is a fairly serious problem that can occur from lots of guitar string bending that is not a guitar problem. It is more of a guitarists health problem.

The problem I want to address is cuts on your fingertips and or separation of the fingernail to the fingertip itself. I have had this problem occur, and more than enough guitar players who bend strings can testify to this problem.

What is the solution? Super Glue. Regardless of whether it is a cut or separation, a drop of super glue solves the problem. One small drop of glue on the cut or in the separation is plenty to let you finish your set or gig. Some players actually put a drop of glue under the nail before a long hi energy set/ gig starts. This is a mandatory tool to keep available, like in your gig bag or tool box.

Incidentally, super glue was invented and used in the medical field as 'surgical cement' for years before it became a house hold product. Particularly by orthopedists for bone repairs.

Super glue in general can be found almost anywhere. Because guitar players are specialists, there is a company that sells a unique super glue just for guitar players. Stewart-MacDonald sells a specialized super glue for repairing fingertips and damaged guitars and guitar parts. Keep a bottle handy, you will be glad to have it should it become necessary to fix a cut fingertip.

I don't know for sure that Stevie Ray Vaughan was the first guitarist to figure out that super glue was great for this purpose, however, SRV is the only player I know of to have mentioned and discussed how he solved the issue.

Guitarists health issues are real. Most of them such as sore wrists and elbows, etc. can be searched on the internet for viable solutions. Many of the health problems specific to guitar players can be treated easily and painlessly, especially if attended to as soon as possible. Make health issues important. Don't let them become emergencies.


Author Resource:->  For more information about Guitar Players Center Guitarists Health or Danny's Favorites. Feel free to visit our website, ask questions, share it with others, make comments or simply enjoy.

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How To Look For A Good Music Teacher

By: Chris Chew

It does not matter whether if you are looking for a guitar teacher, a singing coach, a piano teacher or any music teachers for that matter, finding a good and qualified teacher may not be the easiest thing to do. So why is it so important to find a good teacher?

Well, if you at the beginner level, then you must start off on the correct footing, isn't it? If you are an intermediate musician, it is even more important that you need a teacher really knows his or her stuff, right? So the question boils down to this - are you really getting the right information when looking for a good music teacher?

This issue is further because since the music teaching industry is unregulated, music teachers need not necessary to have any degrees, diplomas or certificates in order to set up teaching classes. On the other hand, many good teachers do not even have any paper qualifications, but are simply very talented teachers. I personally know quite a number of these talented self taught teachers. Hence the dilemma as a music student begins.

Firstly, you must comprehend that a good music teacher may not be the best instrumentalist or singer. You can see this happening especially in the field of sports. For example, football coaches may not be able to play football better than their charges, but yet able to produce world class winning teams. Similarly, whether a teacher can play musical instruments well or can sing like a star is only just one of many indicators of being a good teacher.

Now let us just say that you are an absolute beginner in playing whatsoever kind of music instruments, so what should you do? Well, you can start off by using your own personal contacts. You may have a friend or a relative who is taking music lessons or have taken music lessons before and may be able to recommend you a good teacher.

Music stores and shops often provide music lessons and you can check with them for good recommendations or even just search for a teacher using the internet. You see, it is very easy to find a music teacher this way, however can you count on these sources to provide you with the correct and accurate information?

Here are some guides. Let's say that you now have short listed some teachers teaching in your vicinity and before you interview them, these are some of the questions you may like to ask.

What teaching qualifications do the potential teacher have? Are their qualifications recognized? If so, by whom? How long have the teacher been teaching? How many other students do they have? Can they give you the phone numbers of two or three of your students so that you can verify their claims?

Yes, these questions may seem rude and upfront, but you are the one paying good money for quality teachers. Furthermore, as a new student, you will have absolutely no idea whether your potential teachers actually know their trade.

Now, if you are an intermediate music student, you probably need to rely more on word of mouth recommendations to get the suitable music teacher at your level to take you to another level of your music education. As an intermediate student, you would probably have played professionally or have been mingling in the musician circuit, so you would probably have a couple of good contacts.

Aside from musical expertise, is that your teacher and you need to have good vibes with one another. You see, since both of you will be working one-on-one, any friction will mean the end of this relationship and you will have to start all over again finding and looking for a good music teacher. So ask for trial lessons if you can. However, many good teachers do not give free trial lessons because they are so good that their itinerary is packed back to back.

Music lessons need not be face to face with your teacher. One good way of finding a good music teacher is not to look for one. I mean with today's internet technology, many musically renowned and good music teachers have set up websites and blogs to teach music online, by VCDs, MP3s, video podcast and other means so that you need not have a live teacher present.

Furthermore, you can verify the credentials of these teachers by searching their name online. Another plus factor is that you can practice in the comfort of your own home and save plenty of commuting time. Best of all, because you will be learning from recorded material without the teacher's presence, you will be saving plenty of money. This is perhaps the option most convenient to you.


Author Resource:->  For more free articles by Chris Chew, go to his sites at Music Lessons And Articles and Get Perfect Pitch Ear Training

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How To Persuade Your Child To Practice Guitar

By: Art Gib

Music has always been very important to me. I can't remember a time when it wasn't one of my passions, and although I have never been particularly gifted at singing or playing an instrument, I still have a hope to pass on my love to my children.

I'm sure you feel the same--whether you have a musical background or not, you recognize the value of discipline and development of this particular talent. That is why you have urged your child to excel in music through practicing the guitar.

Of course, things might have gone the other way, too. They might have begged you for it--but now their dedication seems to be slipping. No matter what the scenario, you may feel frustrated and tired of arguments or even tears and shouting.

First of all, you need to consider your child's age and interests. Unfortunately, too many parents today try to thrust their own ideas of "good music," on their children, which ends up breeding resentment.

Give them freedom to experiment. Consider purchasing an instrument that allows for even greater diversity and liberty; acoustic electric guitars are one option to allow your children to use a single instrument to explore multiple creative avenues.

Along these same lines, you may want to choose an instructor for your little musical pupil that has experience and interest in similar arenas as your child. But conversely, you still want to select someone that will challenge him or her to try new things and explore new musical paths.

For at-home practice times, try breaking them up into fifteen-minute increments. After all, children--especially younger children--have limited attention spans and can only stand so much disciplined focus at one time.

Offer them little rewards for the time they do spend practicing, particularly when they sit down to it without your nagging. This might be a trip to the ice cream parlor or a little extra TV time.

However, you should avoid giving these rewards every single time they practice. Instead, consider offering one to them if they consistently practice for a week. Give them something to work toward, and they will surely try to please.

Give them plenty of positive reinforcement aside from weekly or bimonthly rewards. Verbally praise them whenever they practice without being reminded or nagged and whenever they master or begin a new song. They want to know they are doing well, so don't be sparse with your positive commendations.

Try to understand where they are coming from, and avoid fighting. This will make them become resentful and perpetuate your frustration. It is difficult for children to focus, and they don't see in the long term like you do. So be patient!

Author Resource:-> Starr's Guitars (http://www.starrsguitars.com/) is a acoustic electric guitars. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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Guitar Playing Tips To Help You Learn And Master Guitar Playing

By: Carolyn Anderson

The guitar is one of the most enjoyable musical instruments to learn. Aside from being portable, you can also easily sing along your favorite songs with it. To help you learn fast and easy, finding some guitar playing tips from friends who know the instrument, learning from tutors and finding some web resources and tutorials can help you a lot in your quest to become a guitar master.

Some people who start learning the guitar may be stuck at one point of the lessons and don't end up finishing the course - probably because of many reasons - too painful to the fingers, or the barre chords are too difficult and they avoid it, or they have grown impatient. If you want to learn the instrument, you have to have the determination to master the skill. To make your learning easy, here are some of the guitar playing tips that you might find useful in your practice.

• Learn how to read tabs. It may not be the perfect system to learn how to play the guitar, but it sure can make a lot of difference in being able to learn faster. It is also a great way to learn new songs on the guitar without having to read music. The notations of a guitar tab may be difficult to decipher at first glance, but when you get to understand them, they can be your guide to playing your favorite songs.




• Trim those nails. If you are not playing clear notes, it might just need a little trimming of your fingernails. Indeed, long fingernails on your fingers that press the strings may make your playing more difficult. Short fingernails are best with that hand on the frets, so that only your fingertips are pressing down the string. Press the strings more to make the note clearer. Do not worry about the bit of pain - it will be gone after a few days of practicing on your guitar and callus begins to form on your fingertips.




• Do you like singing while playing the guitar? Use the capo. The capo is device clamped on the frets of the guitar to change the key of the song. If you have been playing the guitar and sometimes you tend to find it difficult to sing at the right key of the song, you will find the capo helpful. Indeed, one of the great guitar playing tips to consider especially if you are a singer wanting to learn to play the guitar.




• Learn to play by ear. It is indeed impressive to find some guitar players who just listen to a song and are able to play it on their guitars without tablatures or sheet music. The skill of playing the guitar by ear can actually be learned. Learning this skill would mean being able to recognize chords, chord progressions as well as listening to melodies and intervals of the song. Some music teachers recommend you to learn these with the help of the piano to make the identification a lot easier. Whatever way you choose to learn t play by ear, make sure you also hone your listening skills to help you through the process.

Keep in mind these guitar playing tips and you might find them useful now or later, in your quest to play the guitar well.

Author Resource:-> Carolyn Anderson loves to play with the acoustic guitar in her free time. For a fun way of learning the guitar, check out Jamorama Guitar Learning Course. Also check out Jamorama Lead Guitar, if you are interested in learning the lead guitar.

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Learning the Guitar For Beginners - Some Tips To Learn The Guitar Fast

By: Carolyn Anderson

If you are just starting to learn the guitar, it is important to prepare yourself to commit a lot of patience and more time to focus on learning the instrument. Learning the guitar for beginners cannot be done in one day, although if you are well equipped with the determination to really learn, you will eventually learn it a lot quicker.

If you are interested to play like a rock star and have your hands swiftly running across the frets of the guitar, you have to start from the very basic - have your own guitar. Choosing the right guitar for you is important in speeding up your guitar lessons, thus you have to consider what type of music you really want to play with your guitar. If you want to learn to play rock with your guitar, you might want to start with the electric one.

However, you have to consider that although the strings in an electric guitar may be easier to press, the many buttons may make your learning complicated. When it comes to portability as well, electric guitars are not quite an appeal. If you want to learn to be more versatile of the types of music you want to play, you may want to start with an acoustic guitar. Learning with acoustic guitar can be a little difficult than an electric but starting with it makes you play better with the electric one.

• Learn the chords. It may be as easy as getting yourself a chord chart and following the finger placements of some basic chords. You may be overwhelmed with the many 'dots' in the chord chart but you can start with the simpler chords. The basic G-A-D-C-E are probably the simplest you can learn. You can also find songs that have these chords and practice shifting through them until you get to hear the melody. Also make sure to pick a song that you are familiar with.




• Learning how to strum. The next thing about learning the guitar for beginners is knowing how to strum the guitar. If you can master and memorize the chords and finger placements but you can't get the right timing and strumming, you may not be able to identify the song you are playing. Start by practicing some simple strumming patterns. You can also find some audio courses to guide you on the proper strumming so you will be guided as to how the strumming should sound.




• Learn how to read tabs. One of the best tips in learning the guitar fast and being able to play your favorite songs on the guitar is learning how to read tabs or tablatures. Although there are also flaws in this system, it is however one of the best ways to learn the guitar fast and share music with other guitarists. It may be too confusing to look at a guitar tab if it is your first time but once you get to understand its different notations, you will find out that it is easy to learn. Asking help with a friend who knows how to read tabs can be a great way to learn the tabs easily.




• Practice, practice and practice. The key to learning the guitar for beginners is building muscle memory that allows you to play a song even without looking down on your fingers. With lots of practice, you can learn to play your favorite songs in no time.

Author Resource:-> Carolyn Anderson is a freelance author who loves to play the acoustic guitar in her free time. For a fun and comprehensive guitar playing course, check out Jamorama. Also check out Riffmaster Pro, a software program to help you learn to play by ear.

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Guitar Archive Tabs - The Pros And Cons Of Guitar Tab Sites

By: Kyle Hoffman

It's a known fact that if you're a beginning guitarist, you want to learn songs! It doesn't matter where you go to learn them or find out their structures.

You want songs so you can start playing shows, start the campfire singing, and impress all your friends.

For a lot of beginners, they turn to guitar tab sites with their easy readability and wide variety, but you may not be receiving the most high-quality information that you request. Think about what you really value in learning music before you jump to conclusions about how you go about learning.

Here are a few of the brighter points of turning to guitar archive tabs:

. There's plenty of music.

I can't imagine under any circumstances that you'll run out of songs and tunes to play when you discover a great guitar tablature site that boasts of numbers in the tens of thousands. More and more tabs are being created and submitted every day, so that means more material to learn and present to the world.

. Usually, they're free.

Everyone loves the idea of something free and with guitar archive tabs, that's what you'll get. Really, it's difficult to find anyone that's willing to give away free sheet music, let alone anyone to teach you how to read it.

. Tablature is easy to read and understand.

Unlike sheet music for guitars, guitar tablature can be understood very quickly without much previous musical knowledge. You could probably find a guitar tab on any song of your choice and understand the notation in less than 30 minutes.

Now, guitar archive tabs are everywhere and free, but there are a few reasons that some guitarists avoid them as much as they can. Here are a few:

. Anyone can create and submit tabs.

If you own a computer, you can submit guitar tabs. It's really that easy. It doesn't matter if you've played guitar for ten years or five minutes. Anyone can write a tab and have it on the internet in no time.

. To learn tabs, you need to have heard the song before.

Unfortunately, guitar archive tabs are such a short-hand version of sheet music, that actually understanding how to fully play a song, you need to have heard the tune first. Guitar tabs have a difficult time relaying tempo and rhythm to the guitarist, so if you're not a really great guesser, you might be limited to only the songs you've heard before.

. You lose a lot of theory and proper chord references.

Tablature is a secondhand method of learning guitar tunes, and because of that, chord names, rhythms, tempo notation, syncopation theory, and other important snippets of guitar knowledge are hard to learn. Of course you can take the time to learn some proper technique and musical notation, but the chances of you gaining that knowledge from tabs is very slim.

Guitar archive tabs are great, but they're not. They're informative, but missing a lot of knowledge. Guitar tab sites are definitely something you don't want to pass up because it doesn't make sense to restrain yourself from thousands of lines of great songs. Just don't base your entire learning system upon this shorthand method and you should become a well-rounded, technical guitarist with tons of songs under your belt.

Author Resource:-> Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that loves to play just as a hobby, and to perform live on stage. To learn Kyle's valuable tips for beginning the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar Play as part of his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune

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Fast Guitar Picking - Bad Habits That Could Be Holding You Back

By: Kyle Hoffman

It's one thing to have incredibly fast fingers on the fret board, but you need an equally fast guitar picking hand to do some real damage in a solo. When you watch a professional guitarist closely, their picking hand is almost in a machine-like blur that moves fluently with the fret fingers.

It looks pretty amazing and you'll be able to pull it off too someday with practice and determination, but there might be some things right now that you're doing to your technique to hold you back. Here's a list of things you might be doing that can limit your ability to improve on fast guitar picking.

1. You're just too tense.

There are a lot of very rigid guitarists out there who move in a very tense manner and they're only preventing themselves from improving. Learn to loosen up and have a comfortable grip on the pick when you play so you can reach your maximum speed.

1. You use too many muscles.

A lot can be put into your fast guitar picking action, but you might be doing more than you need. Realistically, the movement of your wrist and fingers and the tiniest bit of your forearm will suffice.

If you add any other muscles into the mix like shoulders or something, you're doing too much.

1. You hold the guitar pick with too many fingers.

Using too many fingers on the guitar pick applies to the issue of having tense muscles. With less fingers holding onto the guitar pick, you're allowing the muscles in your hand to loosen and move with fewer encumbrances.

1. If your guitar is on the strap, you might have it hanging too low.

Stereotypical grunge players like to have their guitars hanging well below their waste so they can hold up this dark image of hanging low when they play, but it's bad practice for playing fast. For fast guitar picking, you want your guitar hanging at your waist at the very least so your picking hand and fret hand have plenty of space to move without straining.

1. You hold your pick too far away from the tip.

The more control that you can put on your guitar pick, the easier it is to speed up the motion. Grab your pick a little closer to the tip near the strings the next time you play and you should have a bit more authority on the speed of your picking.

1. You're not double-picking, but only using down strokes.

Without learning how to double-pick by striking the strings by moving both up and down, you're really keeping yourself in the amateur leagues. Every time that you have a long string of notes or chords, you can double your fast guitar picking by going up and down.

It's best to resolve these bad habits early before they turn into something that may take weeks or months to get rid of. Remember these tips the next time you have some fast picking to do and you should be hitting new speeds soon.

Author Resource:-> Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that loves to play just as a hobby, and to perform live on stage. To learn Kyle's valuable tips for beginning the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar Play as part of his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune

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Guitar Whip - 6 Tips To Develop A Successful Guitar Swing

By: Kyle Hoffman

A guitar whip is the action of swinging your guitar around your back while attached to your strap. It's a somewhat dangerous move, but it really gets a crowd pumped to see such impressive tricks on stage.

As much as these tricks are amazing to witness, there's a large chance you can damage your instrument if you don't execute them effectively. Check out these 6 important tips to improve your ability to do guitar whips safely.

1. Install a strap lock on your guitar.
When guitarists started doing these crazy tricks on stage, their guitars were constantly popping the strap pegs out of their wood bodies from the pressures that were exerted. Now, you can purchase easy-to-install strap lock systems for your guitar so you have a reinforced connection between your strap and your guitar.

1. Start by practicing outside.
If it's your first time attempting a guitar whip, there's a chance that you'll be hitting more than air on your first try. Be safe and take your moves outside so even if something goes wrong, you'll have soft grass to catch your precious instrument.

1. Stand up straight with good posture.
Guitarists who slouch when they're performing a guitar trick like this might find their guitar necks drilling right into the floor on the way around. Stand up nice and tall to ensure that your guitar makes a full rotation without planting into the dirt.

1. Use sense when deciding which direction to swing.
Lighter guitars have the option of swinging in either direction due to their weight, but heavier guitars should only go down and across the front. Use the weight of a heavier guitar to lead the guitar whip and there will be a better chance that it makes it all the way around.

1. Watch your head.
If you're swinging your guitar behind your back first, you have nothing to worry about, but the opposite direction gets tricky. When you swing across your front first, there's a chance it might come around and nail you in the skull, so keep your head down!

1. Be mindful of your surroundings.
There's nothing worse than pulling off a guitar whip only to find that you're too close to something or someone until it's too late. Always check that you're swinging path is clear before you go into action.

Guitar whips are a pretty dangerous trick to pull off on stage, but they still can be executed logically and safely. Remember these tips the next time you try this trick and start getting the attention of your stubborn fans.

Author Resource:-> Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that loves to play just as a hobby, and to perform live on stage. To learn Kyle's valuable tips for beginning the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar Play as part of his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune

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Guitar Chorus Pedal - Blending The Chorus Effect Into Your Tunes

By: Kyle Hoffman

There are so many sweet effects for you to use with your guitar and the guitar chorus pedal stands among them. With its ability to emulate the sound of multiple guitars from one tone, it can add a whole new sensation to your live show.

But what are some opportune times to actually use this neat effect without taking away from the song? There are going to be better places than others to use this effect. Here are a few suggestions:

Stand out in the middle of a guitar solo.

You know that it's your time to shine when it comes down to you wailing above the rest during a powerful guitar solo. Try your guitar chorus pedal the next time you blaze the frets and you can leave a better impression.

Use it to boost your lead parts in a heavy rhythm section.

Sometimes an intricate rhythm section that consists of constant strumming can drown out a weak lead riff. With some chorus on your guitar you'll be able to cut through more of the bass and middle ranges to be heard over the top easier.

Add more bulk to a rhythm section.

A guitar chorus pedal is mainly used to create the illusion of multiple instruments playing in sync with each other. If you want to give more bulk and power to a rhythm section, flip on your effect and suddenly you'll have other tones backing you up.

Now, not everything that you attempt with an effects pedal is going to be beautiful music to your ears. It's very easy to do too much and potentially wreck a song. Check out these tips to check your intentions with the effect.

Think about your purpose.

If the only reason you can find to use your guitar chorus pedal is "just because" then you probably shouldn't. Always have a purpose to use your effects, because they can create really awesome drama when used in moderation.

Always serve the song.

Using the chorus effect too much can run the risk of ruining a song. You'll know deep down if a part of your guitar tune has too much going on and you really shouldn't attempt to fit anything else in.

You can't be in the spotlight the entire time in a full band.

As much as we all wish we were the center of attention 100% of the time when we're playing with a band, we can't be. Check your ego at the door so you're not putting attention on yourself with an effect that isn't necessary.

A guitar chorus pedal can add some really neat and new dimensions to your playing, but you have to make sure your intentions are pure and what's best for the piece. As long as you stay true to the tune, you should be in good shape.

Author Resource:-> Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that loves to play just as a hobby, and to perform live on stage. To learn Kyle's valuable tips for beginning the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar Play as part of his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune

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Guitar Pawn Shop - Helpful Tips For Buying A Secondhand Instrument

By: Kyle Hoffman

There may have been a time when the thought of getting your next guitar at a pawn shop crept into your mind. Really, they can be pretty good sources for used instruments at reasonable prices, but this is only if you know what you're looking for.

Too often, a guitar pawn shop takes advantage of customers who don't know what they're looking at and don't know much about their purchases. Here are some helpful tips to go into a pawn shop with confidence and come out with a reliable instrument without getting burned.

1. Do your research first.
One of the most common mistakes that a guitarist can make when they're looking to buy a new instrument is to go in blind. Do some research before you actually go to the stores by comparing reviews and prices of guitars online or in catalogs.

1. Beware of the salesman.
Guitar pawn shop salesmen are there to make sales at almost any cost and they usually hold a reputation of not being the most trustworthy individuals. Try to keep your space if they start following you around the store so that you can make a conscious decision without feeling pressured to buy right away.

1. Be confident in your choices and decisions.
As soon as the salesmen recognize you as someone who isn't sure of what they want, they'll take you for a ride and clean out your wallet along the way. Tell them exactly what you want and what you don't want to let them know that you're not going to settle for an instrument that's an over-priced piece of junk.

1. Identify bogus prices.
As part of your research before you go into a guitar pawn shop, you should have been looking up all sorts of prices. With this knowledge, you'll know within seconds if you're going to find some good deals or just a bunch of expensive garbage.

1. Ask to play the guitars.
Employees love to spin their selling technique on you, but the only way you'll really know the guitar inside and out is to just get your fingers on those frets. Ask to play any guitar that you're interested in, and if the salesman says otherwise, there might be something fishy going on.

1. Bring someone with you.
If you don't really know much about good guitars, the best thing to do is to bring someone who does. They'll be able to tell you if a guitar is well-made, if it feels comfortable, if it's easy to play, and if it's a reasonable price.

The guitar pawn shop can pull a few scams every now then, but they're also known for holding a few really great instruments at some great prices. Remember these tips when you go out shopping for your next guitar and you could walk out with a fantastic deal.

Author Resource:-> Kyle Hoffman is an experienced guitarist that loves to play just as a hobby, and to perform live on stage. To learn Kyle's valuable tips for beginning the guitar the RIGHT way, visit How To Guitar Play as part of his popular guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune

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Choosing Your Acoustic Guitar: The 2 Most Important Features

By: Art Gib

If you are a beginner who has been learning how to play the guitar and have decided that is a hobby you'd like to pursue more seriously, it is probably time to choose an acoustic guitar that will be with you for the long haul. You may have been learning on a cheap plywood model, which is just fine when getting acquainted with the workings of the instrument; but to really make beautiful music, you know you will need to invest in a quality guitar that will give you the sound you crave. The 2 most important features to look for when selecting from the thousands of available models are wood and strings. Here's a short look at each.Wood

Wood
You can always replace strings if they don't suit you, but you sure cannot change the wood once you've bought a guitar, so don't compromise in this area. The wood for a quality instrument has to be cut as well as dried properly or the sound will be inferior: it's as simple as that. So make sure you pay a little more to get the quality you want. "Tonewood" is the term for the material used for any string instrument's top, and different types will produce various qualities of sound. Since the sound you make by plucking strings results from the vibration against the top, the quality of the wood becomes vitally important.

Tonewoods for guitars can be made from mahogany or rosewood, but spruce is generally the material of choice because of its overall tone qualities as well as its durability. Within the spruce category, there are different types and grades: Sitka spruce from Alaska, for example, is prized for the looks of its grain as well as its uncompromising sound. Look for a guitar whose top is made from AAA grade Sitka spruce, and you won't go wrong.

Strings
Since you've been learning how to play already, you have probably developed a preference for certain string materials already. Nylon strings are good all-purpose tools that are appropriate for most beginners: remember you can always change your strings later if they don't suite the genre you like to play. Nylon works for softer music such as classical, folk, soft pop and even Latin music. Nylon is much easier on your fingers than steel, but you won't get nearly as powerful a sound as you will with other materials. If you gravitate towards rock or modern country, steel will probably be best.

If you are serious about making beautiful music, insist on a guitar that boasts only the very finest in tonewood: it will make all the difference in the world.

Author Resource:-> Alaska Specialty Woods (http://www.alaskawoods.com/) is about tonewood. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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Tunings of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

By: Bruce Lamb

If you have read one of my earlier articles on how I got started playing guitar and in particular Hawaiian Ki ho alu Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar I mentioned how us young teenagers living in Hawaii on the Island of Oahu would gather on the corner at night under a big mango tree and share our different music. I also mentioned we would play the popular music that was on the radio. Acoustic Blues was always my favorite style of music.

I liked the deep pre-war acoustic stuff that was mainly played by some of the older black community. I think the only reason you could find this music in Hawaii at that time was that the late night DJ was a black Guy. And as it turned out most of the lyrics and progressions were remade by the hot new bands at that time. Bands like the Rolling Stones were doing some of those old black songs like I can't get no satisfaction and I followed her to the station. Also Eric Burden and the animals were also redoing old blues songs. Ok I know I am showing my age now at 60 years old and it is hard to believe that those songs by these new artists are over 45 years old now.

Then I mentioned that the Hawaiian guys would always end the evening with a more traditional style of music by retuning their guitars. I could never get them to show us how or what they did but there was a silent code between them. While one guy was talking story or noodeling around with his guitar the other guy would be retuning. Before long they were both in this new tuning. I think it gave them great satisfaction in keeping this secret from us. As it turned out both guys would be in tune and would begin to play and sing Hawaiian songs. It was so enchanting and captivated me and I really wanted to try and play along but I could never figure out why my guitar was always so out of tune all of a sudden. It took me almost the entire summer to realize my old Stella guitar could be tuned in this magical type of tuning.

Finally the big secrete was revealed to me. I was working after school at the Marine Base in Aiea Hawaii as a janitor cleaning up the enlisted mens club which is a bar for the young Marines. It was strange that at that time in Hawaii the drinking age was only 18 years old. Anyway I worked with an old Hawaiian guy named Sammy. While we were on our lunch break I pulled my guitar out and Sammy said to me hey bradda Bruce try pass me the guitar already, in his style of pig English.

I handed him the guitar and he immediately began to retune the strings. Then the secret was revealed to me. Sammy began to tell me how many families in the Hawaiian communities actually had their own tunings that they played exclusively. The families would not share or teach anyone outside their immediate family this tuning because it was passed down from generations before. It was theirs for the keeping and is what made there families music different sounding from others. Its kind of like I guess how a magician will not show how a magic trick is preformed. The tuning that old Sammy showed me was the Taro Patch Tuning.

The Taro Patch tuning is the most common tuning in most of the Hawaiian songs. As it turned out I began to realize that this tuning was also used in many of the old blues songs that I heard from the old records that I had. It was also known as open G tuning that many bottleneck blues players would use. This tuning is a major tuning. The guitar is tuned to a major G chord or has a major chord within the tuning. To achieve this tuning you have to lower the tension on the standard tuning known as standard Spanish Tuning which is (E-A-D-G-B-E) on your guitar,from the lowest to the highest pitched string.

To get the Taro Patch tuning you have to change the pitch of the guitar strings to (D-G-D-G-B-D) which when you strum across all the strings it is the sound of a G major chord. I strongly suggest you use a electronic tuner to achieve this because you may break some strings until you understand the tuning.

Author Resource:-> Bruce Lamb ,Music Video Producer. Playing guitar 40 years.

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Mixing Music: 5 Tips for a Professional Mix

By: Justine Shoolman

Mixing music can be an incredibly inspired process. It is my conviction that it is best to get all of the managerial work out of the way to help facilitate a far more inventive and exciting mixing experience. Use these steps as a guide, make them your own, and I promise you that your final mix will be far more productive.

1. Organize Your Tracks
   It is helpful to group your tracks on the multitrack by instrument. Typically, you may have drums, percussion, bass, guitars, keys and other samples or instruments, and vocals. When my colleague worked on the latest Moneen album, he ended up with a ton of guitar tracks. He would blend guitar amps with several mics on each amp for major guitar sounds. It was common for him to have 40-50 guitar tracks per song. As such, organization was key to a successful mix. In the end he ended up grouping the guitar tracks into four unique groups, rhythm and lead tracks for Kenny and Hippy.
   

2. Edit Prior to Mixing Music
   Ensure all of your tracks are appropriately edited before you begin mixing. In today's digital world, we are constantly utilizing playlists and comping the best performances together. Make sure that every edit point has a crossfade as this will aid in avoiding any unwanted clicks and pops.




3. Consolidate
   Once you have edited all your tracks it is advised to consolidate them to your session start time. This will guarantee all of your regions will have the same start time which will be a huge benefit if you are going to hire a mixer to work on your music. It will also decrease your computer's processing time. Processing hundreds of crossfades and edits is very hard on a computer. By consolidating your tracks, you are taking away all of the edits and crossfades, by doing so you will free up processing power that can be used for effect processing during your mix. Plus, your computer will run faster during the mix.




4. Clear Unused Regions Before Mixing
   Once you have consolidated your tracks it is a good idea to eliminate any unneeded regions or tracks from your session. Keep only what you want to have mixed into your song. This will be helpful if you are hiring a mix engineer as it will ensure that no unwanted sounds end up in your mix.




5. Print Effects
   Record any cool effects you are using to their own tracks. You will end up with your original dry track, plus a new, wet track. It is often hard to recreate effects during a mix, especially if you use plug-ins that your mix engineer does not have.
   
   To illustrate this, my colleague was working with a band called A/Collision and they had given him demos of their entire record that they had recorded in cubase. He loved the sound of some of their vocal treatments, so when they were finished recording the vocals, he gave them the consolidated lead vocal track which he had them run through the same cubase plug-ins they used on their original demos. Unfortunately, he was then able to use those effect tracks during the mix -- hitting this point home.

While there are many more strategies to achieve a professional music mix, if you begin with these five, you are off to a great start.

Author Resource:-> Copyright Creators, a service that helps protect copyright works with eMixEngine.com, an online mixing service, developed for artists to have their music professionally mixed and mastered at a great price.

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A Brief History Of Fender Guitars And Why Relics Are All The Rage

By: Ray Subs

The guitar instrument has been one of the most integral parts of music making in the last 100 years. When someone hears a rock song usually the image of a guitar will pass through their minds. It is an instrument with a great history and part of what helped it evolve was the introduction of the Fender company started by inventor Leo Fender. In the early fifties the Fender "Broadcaster" had its name changed to "Telecaster" because of its similarity with Gretsch's "BroadKaster." From then on the Tele' was the classic route to go when it comes to legit electric guitars. But after Leo Fender received reviews of how certain upgrades people wanted. With more of an upper cut out and a more curved, slender body, Fender introduced the "Stratocaster," or "Strat," as it is often called.

The Fender Guitar has taken its seat amongst the world's classic electric guitars. Either the stratocaster or telecaster is sure to give a sound that is fit for the ears of rock gods. The vast company of Fender would soon be bought by CBS in 1965 to push the electric guitar even more into the stratosphere.

The 50's and 60's saw much growth for the Fender guitar. While the 1950's were known for their rockabilly guitar sound, the 1960's introduced a new revolution of music. The once clean and classic sound of the Fender changed to loud and overdriven grit from such guitar gods as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Hendrix, especially, paved the way for a new sound that would shock the world. The Strat had taken over and people wanted more and more customization of their axes.

Guitar enthusiasts wanted a guitar that had some wear and tear on it. Not one that looks brand new, right out of the case. So there have been companies in the pas that try to recreate the legend guitars. But when it comes to making a relic out of a new guitar and turning it into its own piece of art work, no one does it better than Relic Guitar Studios. With the help of nitrocellulose paint the expert luthiers behind the scene help take a pristine guitar and and turn it into one that appears to have seen the demolished path of a Led Zeppelin tour. From newly rusted screws to worn in body and neck, a relic guitar is sure to make anyone look and play like the real masters.

Author Resource:-> Vintage electric guitar expert and collector.


http://relicguitarstudio.com
http://relicguitarstudio.com/shop

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Choosing The Right Guitar For You

By: Mark Walters

So, you've made the decision to take up learning the guitar. Congratulations, you're now at the beginning of a fun and rewarding journey.

The first thing you now need to do is make an important decision - what type of guitar is the right one for you? Well, it all depends on the type of music you want to play. Are you into Rock or blues, metal, country, funk, etc.? The list goes on and on and usually there's a guitar to suit each particular style.

As an example, if you enjoy listening to harder rock, like metal, then purchasing an Ibanez, Jackson or Washburn electric guitar would be best for you. However, if you like softer rock, a guitar by Fender, Gibson or Yamaha would be the better choice.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to go into a guitar store and simply try some out. I'd be lying if I said you only buy guitars based on their make, they've got to look and feel comfortable too.

Many players stick to one make or model of guitar simply because it's their favourite in terms of look, feel and sound. In fact, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, two of the greatest guitar players of all time, played Fender Stratocasters almost exclusively. Slash from Guns n Roses plays a Gibson Les Paul, as does Jimmy Page. I'd suggest looking up all your favourite guitar players online and finding out what type of guitar they typically use, then go and try those out in the store.

Another piece of advice is to look out for and ask the store employees about the 'action' of any guitars that interest you. This term refers to the space between the strings and the neck. Basically, the higher the action, the harder you have to press down on the string, and the harder the guitar will be to play.

A fair percentage of guitars are made with an action that is too high for the those just learning to play the guitar to get to grips with. Should you get one like this, it's quite possible that playing will hurt your fingers so much that you'll feel like giving up after a couple of weeks. Don't worry though, let the sales assistant know that you're aware of this issue and they'll show you guitars with actions that are well matched to your playing ability.

Author Resource:-> If you're looking to learn more check out Guitar Lessons LA or Guitar Lessons Seattle.



Contributed by Mark Walters.

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How To Find Music Gifts For The Musical Maestro In Your Life

Music gifts can make for fun and enjoyable presents for just about anyone. However, buying music gifts for a bona fide musical maestro is another matter altogether. Musical people, tend to be rather eccentric souls who very often eat, breathe and drink their music. Often found humming in a corner or tapping their fingers and thumbs annoyingly on a desk, musical people have melodies, beats and rhythm running through their veins almost literally. As such, they are easy to buy for at Christmas and on birthdays but only if the buyer knows what music gifts are suitable. In this respect, because such recipients take their music very seriously, only serious music gifts will suffice.

Therefore, musical mugs, calendars and greetings cards are not suitable music gifts for the average musical maestro, although they do make for excellent gifts for those who simply enjoy music or are not talented enough to make their own, such as music teachers. Joking aside, music gifts for hardcore professional music lovers can prove very expensive. Indeed, the ideal gift would be something along the lines of a top quality musical instrument or a trip to an orchestra or concert. These will usually cost a pretty penny and can be awkward to arrange, especially if the musical maestro is a youngster.

However, there are music gifts available that enable the younger generation of musical hopefuls to experience what it might be like if they had a musical career. One of the best examples of such a gift is the recording studio taster pack, which can inspire young adults to reach for the stars. Indeed, the recording studio taster pack comprises an hour long session in a professional recording studio. During this session, the recipient of the gift will be given the chance to sing several songs or concentrate on just one. Towards the end of the session, a track will be compiled from the recordings that will then be used to create a CD of whatever song was chosen. Whilst this gift has all the potential to shatter the dreams of a budding Mariah Carey or George Michael, it could also provide the platform for a career in the singing industry. Indeed, a copy of the CD could be posted to Simon Cowell for approval and, who knows, perhaps it will not be met with contemptuous rejection. Nevertheless, even if there is no pop stardom on the horizon for the wannabe singer, the recording studio taster pack is one of the most fun and enjoyable music gifts available.

Furthermore, even if the recording studio taster exposes a few deficiencies in the potential singer's voice, there is no reason why this should put an end to their aspirations. Indeed, singing lessons make for truly exceptional music gifts that can, turn a horse of a voice into a well-groomed stallion. Moreover, many professional pop-stars today have achieved fame and fortune despite their dreadful talents, so there is always hope for somebody who may need to work a little on their own vocals.

Musical instruments, as aforementioned, are probably the finest of all music gifts that can be purchased for a musical maestro. Contrary to a previous contention, not all such instruments are expensive. Guitars, for instance, are often sold at relatively affordable prices and make for exceptional gifts that can be practised and played for hours. Furthermore, a guy who can play the guitar will usually be very popular with the ladies, so this could be the perfect opportunity for an awkward, acne-ridden teenager to break his duck. Guitars will normally be sold in acoustic and bass varieties, with the former being the more classical choice.

Other musical instruments that make for perfect music gifts include drums, trumpets and pianos. Indeed, a piano is an ideal present for music lovers at Christmas, if only because it could be wrapped up creatively under the Christmas tree. Well, perhaps not under the tree as such. In fact, maybe all the other gifts could be arranged underneath the piano? In any case, a piano would provide endless joy for the musical maestro and all those who will listen to him or her.

Finally, music gifts for those who take their music seriously cannot be undervalued. In other words, the relatively high cost of buying musical instruments or arranging singing lessons must be taken in context. Indeed, buying such gifts for a young musical maestro will invariably turn out to be a considerably worthwhile investment in their future and if stardom beckons, maybe the parents will be able to cash in too.

Author Resource:- To explore our range of music gifts further, please visit our website at http://www.gettingpersonal.co.uk.
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Saosin: Keeping the Music Real for Fans

Saosin may sound like an unusual band name, but this is an American Alternative Rock group from Newport Beach, California. Many of their fans have described them as a band with a lighter punk rock attitude but still plenty of fire and sizzle. The members of the band are Beau Burchell and Justin Shekoski on guitars; vocalist Cove Reber; drummer Alex Rodriguez, and Cove Reber performing the vocals. The band is currently in their 6th year and now calls Los Angeles, California their home headquarters.

The name of the band was once pronounced Say Ocean when Anthony Green was the vocalist. Once he had left the band decided to pronounce it Say O Sin. The word saosin literally means a small heart in the Chinese language but if pronounced correctly it is Shou Shing. Green liked a description of the word Saosin that he had once found. According to the proverb that he read Saosin refers to the fact that everything is temporary in life including relationships, emotions and possessions.

When the Saosin lineup first formed in 2003 they recorded and distributed an EP titled, "Translating the Name". This became a great hit on online music download sites as well as in online forums and chat rooms. The band literally gained their popularity and exposure via the World Wide Web. My Space and You Tube were largely responsible for bringing the music of Saosin to the public eyes and ears.

It was up to Cove Reber to fill the shoes of ex vocalist Green and this has been very difficult. Anthony Green was noted for talent, stage presence and a very charismatic personality. The less experienced and younger Reber has the talent but he is still finding his musical roots and soul along the way. There are many fans who refer to the music of Saosin as the Green and post Green periods, and they leave little doubt that they rank Green's vocals higher than they do those of Reber.

The band proved to be a cash machine when it came to marketing Saosin merch during the Taste of Chaos tour. They were quickly inked to a contract with Capitol Records and began to tour the US and spent time in the recording studios. The band toured in 2005 but was mostly performing as the opening act for Coheed and Cambria as well as Avenged Sevenfold.

The first true album was self titled and released in September of 2006, and it was produced by Howard Benson. In just one week more than 35,000 copies of "Saosin" were sold. Although the band disputed the claims there was definitely a more mellow sound on the album compared to their hardcore live performances. Their 2008 live album, "Come Close" was from a 2007 Pennsylvania concert but it did have some new songs added to give it an extra edge. In the fall of 2008 the group toured with The Devil wears Prada and Underoath. "The Grey EP was released in October of 2008 and was available during the tour stops as well as online.

Saosin will be touring with groups like Underoathe and The Used in 2009. They are also booked for the entire Warped Tour 2009 and hope to work out some tour dates with Circa Survive. Their newest album should be available later this summer.

Author Resource:- For The Latest Range Of Saosin Merchandise. Checkout: http://www.planet13.com.au
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