PEDALS - TOOLS OR TOYS? ( part 3 )

I will try to get away for the philosophical and moral rantings of part one and two of my posts on "TOOLS OR TOYS", and try to give you a few practical ways to get more out of your TOOLS or to turn your TOYS INTO TOOLS. 

With the equipment I use for playing, recording and performing music I try to use each pedal or effect for more than one purpose. Sometimes pedals are only used for one part of one song on a whole album of music or set list in a concert: other than a brief moment the pedal collects dust and is unused. It's very common to come up with crazy effect combinations in the studio that need certain pedals to pull off in the live situations, and sometimes it's just a pedal or two that you wouldn't use for anything else. As much as possible I try to think of ways to mimic specialized sounds just with the small amount of pedals I have in my rig.

Some examples of this are making a delay sound like a reverb by dialling in a real short delay time or adjusting the reverb's pre delay time to sound like a delay. I can make a clean boost pedal sound like an overdrive by adjusting the volume to hit the amp harder and breaking up the sound. I can run overdrive pedals in tandem to create a distortion pedal effect. I can adjust parameters in a chorus pedal that hints at a flanger or tremolo sound. I can use my delay as a chorus song with a super short delay time on a tape echo patch. A wah pedal can act as a filter pedal or just create a cutting solo sound for edgier songs.

Fiddling around with each pedal in your pedalboard chain can produce some useable sounds and make more use of the stuff you have to create interesting tone combinations and distinct sonic moods and nuances. I will even sometimes change the order of the pedals in the chain to create new sounds or dynamics. The possibilities can be encouraging and surprising.

Some of the more specialized pedals that really do only one thing are harder to multitask with but try to work your pedals and effects the best you can into the composition of the song. Look for ways to both contrast and simulate the other instruments in the band. Look for ways to make your effect choices musical, dynamic, organic and touch sensitive so they produce less of a synthesized sound.

The guitarist Oz Noy is fantastic at this and he really makes the pedals he uses a cohesive kind of mosaic within the context of the composition and arrangement of the song. His effects can get really weird but they always have an uncanny connection with the traditional ways of playing the guitar.

Here's Oz Noy:

PEDALS - TOOLS OR TOYS? ( part 2 )

When you compare the needs of guitarists playing and touring with international recording artists and guitarist playing in local churches, clubs and pubs there is a vast difference in the quantity and quality of equipment needed to perform the task.

When you compare the wants of those same guitarist you will probably tighten or erase that gap quickly and easily: if the budget is not an issue.

I see 2 problems with this:

The first problem is a western societal problem of having what too much stuff than we need: the majority of people in my neighbourhood no longer park there cars in their garages because the garages are filled with STUFF.

The second problem is that a tool (guitar, pedal or amp) for a professional guitarist, who has already honed their skill to a high level becomes the toy of the recreational guitarist who sometimes avoids improving skill in favour of stomping on little pedals that make beautiful sounds almost all on their own.

This of course is a generalization and not a universal truth or rule, but it's worthy of discussion and serious thought as you walk down the isle of your local music store to buy a pedal that will make you sound like Jimi Hendrix or John Mayer if you buy it.

I am not saying that buying something or trying to improve your sound via lots of gear is wrong but simply said, to merely just "buy and play with toys" is infantile and to "use tools to build" is a sign of creativity and growing up. If this seems like a harsh statement it can at least start a conversation and hopefully get us thinking about the choices we make or whether we are wise or impulsive in those choices.

“It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have!” ― Sheryl Crow, C'Mon, C'Mon

PEDALS - TOOLS OR TOYS ( part 1 )

In building up my pedalboard over the last few years I have often ask myself, "when is enough, enough?" Do I really need 10 Overdrives, 7 Delays, 4 Boosts, 3 Compressors, 8 Modulators, Midi-switching, and a host of other gadgets like tuners, volume pedals, expression pedals, noise suppressors, buffers, loopers, ... and the list goes on ... and on.

I have mostly answered the question by keeping my pedals and stuff to the maximiun amount of effects that can comfortably fit on my 12 by 17 inch homemade pedalboard, that can then fit in my 13 by 18 inch anvil briefcase. That is enough for me to get a good variety of sounds for studio and live applications and also be easy and hassle-free to travel with.

To make this work, I am forced to make sure each pedal is essential (tool) and that if I'm not using something enough (toy), it's time to get rid of it. So the essentials really end up being 2 boost pedals, 3 overdrives, and a reverb and a delay pedal. This really fits for me playing mostly in pop, rock and worship genres.

This is the process I personally go through to keep my pedalboard small but useful. I tend to use less pedals but I do steer towards higher quality components that might have a a variety of uses within one pedal. My boosts can be used for boosting solos, colouring the tone, or as a light overdrive. My overdrives can be used singularly or in tandem to create tonnes of gain. My reverb and delay have modulation, filtering, shimmer, and looping options to really give me a creative modern pallet of sounds to choose from.

I would suggest this kind of method to any guitarist on a budget or in need of keeping things in a smaller package for travelling or just to be more temperate in ones materialistic spending. I also think that the less I have to play with ( pedals and effects ), the more I have to be sharper and creative in my playing and the more subtle my finger-work needs to be to squeeze out good tone.

Stay tuned for more...

Careers for Guitarist

With the modern diminishing population of working musicians and the lack of imagination and soul in popular music, the possibilities of a meaningful and sustained career as a guitar player are becoming harder to find. In my opinion, the music business will soon face a crisis it could never have imagined at the time the Beatles surfaced on the scene over 50 years ago.

Career Options:

Guitar Teacher

As a succesful guitar teacher I see the trend towards teaching becoming either a part-time job or something to augment other income you make. Student numbers in the last 10 years are dwindling due to technology, lack of community support for the arts, economics, and the guitars absence from popular radio. It would be very hard to impossible to build a full studio of student in present times.

Recording Artist (Solo or Band)

We all (guitarists) dream of being a famous rock star and that our music would be the next big thing in the world of entertainment. The truth is that it is more like winning the lottery than anything else. The music industry is a corporate monster that can chew your dreams up like an over-ripe banana in it's "make money first" and "entertain at any cost" attitude. I really like the idea of a musician striving to be successful and to "make it" in the music industry, I just don't think it promotes a healthy and balanced life and existence for the individual guitarist or for those (wife, husband, children) that depend on them. It's a dream that can be pursued but with limits related of time, finances and integrity.

Studio Guitarist

The studio guitarist is specialist of sorts and needs the health of the music industry to sustain his/her craft and income. It's very difficult in smaller towns and cities and getting harder in the bigger music enters to make a living even remotely equivalent to 20 years ago. My studio musician friends all have other types of work they do to scratch out a living and keep their passion for playing alive.

Live Guitarist

I keep on hearing that all the gigs are disappearing to cheap DJ's, canned music, and disappearing live music venues. The live guitarist has dwindling options and in many cases very low pay to sustain any sort of consistent career.

YouTube star Guitarist

This is a possibility for virtuosos and big personalities to cash in on the growing population of Youtube watchers and subscribers.

Online Guitar Education

One can sell anything if there are interested buyers online. A guitarist can have some success in online lessons and media related streams but you have to have good business sense and cutting edge ideas and enough content (free and purchasable) to make a descent living.

SUMMARY

I am very skeptical of the possibilities for me personally and for students of mine of having steady work in the music industry in the present and future. Everything seems to point towards the corporate model of a few 'haves' and a tonne of 'have-nots'. We are in the societal business of creating "idols, stars, and viral entities at the expense of nurturing arts within our communities and sustaining a vehicle for musical development over time. There are too few to care for the 'soul of music' and too many who would use music as a material thing only to be crumpled and wasted.

Learning the Fretboard

Learning the fretboard is often a challenge untaken by guitarist in a mostly TAB driven world; and with the guitar being an instrument that tends to thinks of chords and scales as numbers, shapes and patterns rather than notes of melody and harmony it's no surprise that the fretboard remains a mystery to many modern players.

Here's list of good reasons to start memorizing the guitar fretboard.

- It connects you (in language) to other musician such as piano players, string and horn players,   educated bassist and drummers, composers and producers.

- It gives you another musical perspective in thinking about and creating with chords and scales.

- It means you won't be the only illiterate musician in the room. (a joke!  - I think))

- it will help you find those cool target tones other guitarist find in their solos and riffs.

- it helps breaks the barrier between hearing and seeing and of the abstract and reality: bridging the gap between the exterior package and the interior soul of music.

- it's a tool that will expand your overall knowledge on the guitar.

- it's recommended by top guitarist all around the world to get the most out of guitar playing.

If all you want out of the guitar is strumming a few of your favourite songs and enjoyment of the guitar at the ground floor level, you can exempt yourself from this sort of project, but if you want the most out of your guitar playing adventure, learning the fretboard should be on your list of things to work on over the next little while.

My advice is to start with one string and memorize the notes forwards and backwards (up and down) the neck of the guitar. Once you have achieved that, begin to master the rest of the guitar and try to connect the tab your playing with the name of the notes and the dissect the chords your playing into group of notes that make up the harmony of the songs your playing.

HAPPY PLAYING!

10 top new-guitarists to listen to...

As classic rock guitar playing loses it's pre-eminence in our contemporary music scene to synthesized radio-musicola, sloppy folk, and endless inane and whiney vocal music, our general connection with the next generation of inspiring guitarists seems to fades into a faint pulse. It's not that we can't see the forest for the tress, it's that all that once was forest is now paved over by a great grey mass of unimaginative music seeking only an audience of teenaged girls and depressed and disillusioned young adults.

Let's just plainly say it, "Rock and Roll is not dead: it's just plain inconvenient, and modern society worships convenience. Rock music is richer, more complex. diversified, and is not passive music like today's radio pop. As adults we can pass along the richness of this music to our children and as children we can develop taste for classic rock that will make modern pop unlistenable.

Here's a list of some great new and semi-new guitarist (in no specific order) to inspire and get you back on track with the instrument that has really defined modern music since Elvis and the Beatles to the present.

1. Simon McBride - blues/rock
2. Joe Bonamassa - modern blues
3. Guthrie Govan - fusion/rock
4. Eric Gales - blues/rock
6. Oz Noy - Jazz/blues/funk
7. Jack White - alternative
8. J.D. Simo - blues/rock
9. Michael Gungor - alternative
10. Derek Trucks - rock/blues/slide

Don't waste you time on fast-food music when great players
and great music can easily be found.

“Popular culture is a place where pity is called compassion, flattery is called love, propaganda is called knowledge, tension is called peace, gossip is called news, and auto-tune is called singing.” 
― Criss Jami, Killosophy

One Man Jamming - The Art of Improvisation

For many of my students working on improvisation, I suggest that they learn to jam by themselves some of the time. The reason why I suggest this is that many guitar players are immediately disconnected to the chords of a song once they go to single note runs or solos. If you have to supply both the chords and the solo, your going to connect the two much better and think more in a conversational way: chord - notes -chord - notes - or statement - response etc... type of thing.

So, in a typical blues progression I can hit the first chord and respond with a run that takes me to the next chord then another run that takes me back to the first chord, and with each change I am challenged with fitting not only the timing of things but leading the notes in the direction of the next chord in the progression. This type of exersice not only helps me get a good balance between chords and notes, it brings out chords in my runs and the runs in my chords: it integrates all the elements of playing together, like what naturally happens on an instrument like piano.

Taking this skill into a band situation can bring out a very lyrical approach to lead playing. I can weave through the chords seamlessly, blow off a classic rock run, add a blues cliche, and finish off with a rapid scale passage for the climax. I become multi-dimensional and more connected with the musical surroundings or settings because of the awareness of the musical backdrop of a song.

The two main features ( music as conversation and music in unity ) of this approach are present in every great soloist I've ever heard. You can clearly trace or analyze the unity of chords and notes in players like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Slash and John Mayer as well as hear the obvious conversation going on between support musicians and soloist throughout the music of guitarist such as Jeff Beck, David Gilmore, Jimmy Page, Eric Johnson, and Angus Young.

Practicing jamming by yourself can be difficult at the start and needs some acquired skills of being comfortable with some air (space) between chords and notes: but it can help you achieve some great results in the improvement of your solo playing.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Victor Hugo

Music : "Something to do" or "Something you do?"

Is music 'something to do' or 'something you do?' 

Pause for a moment and think about it before you read on...

To grapple with this question is both important and thought provoking; and to approach an answer will shed some light on the state of modern society and the health your own artistic pursuits. I used the word 'grapple' because it suggest a struggling or wrestling with the idea instead of a passive pondering approach, and because it rhymes with 'apple.'

An apple is a thing known for it's colour, flavour, texture, and health benefits. It's red, sweet, juicy and good for you: it's what an apple is. So when I think about the question above, my mind tends to leans toward the basic characteristics of 'who I am' (central or focal) instead of 'what I do'  (peripheral or subsidiary). 

Let's move on...

When music is 'something you do', it becomes a part of your identity and tends to grow in concert with the rest of your character, soul and natural creativity. When music is 'something to do', it's like fashionable clothing: in style one day, out the next, and something very much superficial.

What does this mean?...

If you want to play music and enjoy fulfillment in the journey like the great players you hear on your favourite albums you have to let the music become a part of 'who you are' and letting it sink deep into your soul. It's about developing taste and a hunger for the practicing, studying and playing of your guitar by making it part of your everyday experience of living, and knowing that by doing so, it will build a more whole and healthy person.

"Music is a moral law. it gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything" Quote: Plato

Take your "PICK"

The choice of the right guitar pick can enhance the quality of your tone and improve articulation and clarity in chords, solos, riffs and single note melodies. Many students make their choice of picks on which ever is the most easy and convenient to use: which usually is a thin pick. A thin pick is generally the worst for tone reproduction, dynamics, and musicality. My advice for my students is to move to thicker pick as soon as possible to help grow their tone alongside their technique.

A good example from a different discipline is that of the microwave oven. I know of no chef who would use a microwave oven to cook fine food because the end result would be culinarily unsatisfying and universally frowned upon by his peers. A chef could use a microwave for certain uncritical and minor cooking events but would ultimately keep his or her's keen eye on the making of quality food using instruments that enhance flavour as opposed to 'zapping' the soul out of the food.

Now, the general modern household on the other hand uses the microwave oven for quick and convenient heating and cooking of "food" and "food-like" substances but... it's usually means convenience over quality and a quick fix as opposed to a satisfying event. Let's exit that mind-space for the sake of our guitar playing as an art as well as the longevity of our pursuit of beauty and goodness in music.

Back to guitar picks...

So, if we hear (and we can) that tone, clarity, and dynamics are all better when we change from a thin pick to a medium or heavy pick, we should plan to inch towards that goal in even the early stages of our guitar playing. By doing this we will soon realize that it's all about developing the touch within our hands and fingers that will help add that professional tone we are missing.

So, if we wouldn't hit a real nail with a toy hammer then we
shouldn't hit a real string with a toy (thin) pick.

Keep your tone the best it can be with a 'medium' to 'heavy'

pick and enjoy the pure gourmet tone.

'AMP' or 'NO-AMP'?

A Big Rig: Nice if you have roadies

Small Rig: Can work in most situations

The move towards smaller guitar rigs has gained much momentum in the last few years. I personally use a small pedalboard and an amp simulator for my main guitar rig; so everything I need for a gig fits in my hard-shell guitar case or at most a guitar gig bag and a small duffle bag. I have in the past spent most of my life as a guitarist carrying around amp-heads, racks, pedalboards, guitars and cabinets, but I now welcome the change that my wallet, my back, and my ears thank me for. My change to a less expensive, smaller, and less ear-splitting rig that has worked extremely well in every situation from studio to stage.

I will breakdown the metamorphosis of my change to a small rig. In my time in the studios, touring, and jamming at home I have done many A/B comparisons (sometimes out of necessity) with different guitar rig combinations and I've often experienced very little loss of quality by using amp simulators either in software, rack or stomp box form. I have also taken tips from other players I have met along the way that get big tone out of small rigs.

The results:

LIVE: With the added baggage costs, and wear and tear on amps when I fly I usually just bring my guitar, a Line6 Pod and some assorted pedals. The promoter of the concert will usually rent and supply an amp for me which can be anything from a nice surprise to a nightmare. The results with the amp simulator have been consistency of tone, a nice low stage volume,  and added sound control for the front of house engineer. Sometimes I end up using the rented amp for a personal monitor but my main tone will be generated by pedals and the Line 6 pod.

STUDIO: The studio is very different from the live or touring situation because I do most of my work at home, where I don't necessarily have to lug around the gear. I can set things up and keep it ready to go at a flick of a couple of switches. In my studio I generally use the small rig out of the economic realities of a shrinking music business and a trend towards smaller lower budget productions. The session scene for the majority of players right now does not support having the big and crazy rigs of the past and small rigs are being used more effectively these days as a viable option to keep quality high on a budget.

The Verdict:

In my experience, portable rigs can replace big rigs in most studio or live situations. The quality is definitely comparable and is closing the gap quickly. For the added benefits to your budget, saving your hearing, and being easier to carry around I would recommend trying a small amp modeller or preamp with some assorted pedals in every situation from jamming at home to playing concerts.

Staying Connected - Cables and Connections

Every electric guitar player has experienced his or her fair share of cheap and easily broken down guitar cables. No matter how many times we're reminded that, "we get what we pay for", we like sheep, head to that same discount bin of 'soon to be useless' cables at our local music store.

So, many many years ago I decided to stop the cycle of 'waste and frustration' by purchasing professional quality cables for every connection in my guitar rig, home studio and home theatre. The result was happily true to the labelled 'lifetime warranty' on the majority of professional cable packages. In 30 years of plugging in and out I have only had one cable issue that was immediately remedied by the fine folks at Fender. So the lesson for the day is:
              
              Don't buy cheap cables!

Here's a list some brands that you can look for quality cable that will last and produce good overall tone reproduction. Planet Waves, Monster, George L's, Spectraflex, Elixir, and Whirlwind.

Free yourself of the worries of cable problems and embrace the high fidelity of professional quality cables and connectors... and always remember:

              Don't buy cheap cables!

Are Guitar Pedals Too Expensive?

'

When you look at the price of guitar effects pedals these days ranging from $150 to $550, putting together even a modest pedal board with a few pedals might seem too steep for your budget. How can these tiny little metal boxes filled with tiny circuit boards and a few dangling wires hit my wallet so hard? My opinion, for what it's worth, is that for the most part putting together a padalboard of any size is much cheaper than the rigs of the near and distant past. I do admit that many pedal companies prices are too high; mostly due to the "hype" of the particular pedal or the "trendiness" of the particular company name on the pedal, but you can get a great rig happening for a fraction of the cost of rigs in the 1980's or 90's.

A Comparison worth Consideration

NOW                                                               

• $300  Strymon Blue Sky Reverb                              
• $450  Strymon Timeline Delay                             
• $450  Strymon Mobius Modulation                         
• $400  Analogman King of Tone Overdrive        
• $125  Xotic EP boost                                        
• $200  Wampler Pinnacle Distortion                  
• $200  Wampler EGO Compressor                      
• $200  Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2                     
• $200  Pedatrain Pedalboard                                  

THEN

• $2500  T.C. Electronics 2290 Delay                     
• $1200  T.C. Electronics 1122 Chorus                                       
• $2000  Lexicon PCM 70 Reverb                            
• $1000  Yamaha SPX 90 multi-effects                    
• $500    DBX 160 Compressor                                 
• $150    ProCo Rat Distortion                                   
• $100    ADA Midi Switcher                                      
• $200    Furman Power Conditioner                       
• $500    Anvil Rack for effects

This comparison between the 'NOW' state of the art pedal board with a price tag of $2,525 and the THEN' rack of effects with a price tag of $8,150 is a fair estimate in my experience as a professional player using gear in both eras of the music industry. One rack effect of the 80's/90's can exceed the entire price of your whole boutique pedalboard. This example breaks down a little with the thought that you could have used a pedalboard in the eighties and rack effects now but it's still a reminder to me that one can get great gear these days at a very reasonable price, even if you buy the top of the line stuff.

S.H.A.P.E. Your Guitar Playing

Spirit

We experience music as spiritual or metaphysical element

 that transcends the mere natural world. It's a common gift to all

mankind of uncommon power on our souls.

Heart

Our hearts are pulled towards enjoyment and participation

 of making music as recreation or vocation. 

Ability

We take practical steps to improve, expand and strengthen

our abilities by study, practice and perseverance.

Personality

A musical identity, style or sound develops.

Emotion

An emotive and dynamically quality

add vitality to the musical performance. 

Many guitar players and students never seem to S.H.A.P.E. their playing into something

 unique, special or dynamic. They remain happy with having what I would call a "S.H.A." 
and stopping at the ability part of the "S.H.A.P.E." an acronym" and never finding a style 
or dynamic to their playing. A culinary example of this would be like forgetting to add the yeast
to the dough - everything then tends to come out flat. 

To journey through music being a beautiful gift, (spirit) to dreaming of playing, (heart) and then on to participation (ability) is a good thing, but music is a dynamic and subtle language in need of added elements to communicate the spectrum of sounds and rhythms necessary for a meaningful interaction.

In plainer words: we love bands like U2 for their unique style and sound (personality) and the way their concerts excite the listener in a screaming, fist-pumping, dancing state of euphoria (emotion).

The solution for a musician is to go beyond a S.H.A. by adding some personality and emotive qualities to what they do on their instruments. You can start this by trying to add some unique or quirky qualities you see in some of your favourite artists, and by emoting some of the lyrical or dynamic content of the song in the way you strike or pluck the strings; bending your thoughts toward these things as you play will alter the music even without feeling much of a tangible difference. 

5 Tips for Beginner Guitar Players

One: "Do or Do Not; there is no TRY" (Quote - Yoda)

For Jedi warriors and guitar players alike this is an essential idea throughout your entire life as you fight the forces of the dark side or just the forces of your own lack of confidence. You will learn most of what you need to be a player just in the simple act of doing.

Two: "To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first" (Quote - William Shakespeare)

Patience with persistence is the right combination for this essential idea, and whether it's 'To be, or not to be" will depend on just taking things as they come. Each individual connects the dots at different times, and rushing and cutting corners will not get you to your destination any quicker.

Three: "The main thing to do is relax and let your talent do the work" (Quote - Charles Barkley)

Tension is always an obstacle to efficient motion and mental acuity, so relax and enjoy the process of becoming a guitarist and appreciate the gift of being able to play and make music.

Four: "Never lose a holy curiosity" (Quote - Albert Einstein)

Be curious in discovering things about music, sounds, different approaches to technique and the things that make great guitarist great. Be a curious student of the whole of music.

Five: "It's not having what you want but wanting what you have" (Quote - Sheryl Crow)

Enjoy the simplicity of making music. Just you and your guitar will create timeless moments that will be like 'vitamins' for the soul. Don't look outside the resources at hand for some sort of special inspiration or magical prescription for success. 

A Guitar Rig under $1000

Line 6 PodXT
Pedalboard

Putting together a guitar rig with a $1,000 to spend gives plenty of wiggle room for building a variety of sounds, enhancing performance possibilities, and mimicking the tones of your favourite players. It's still a very minimal amount to spend comparatively to gigging players in the local or international scene.  A typical experienced or pro player can have $5,000 to $100,000 tied up in guitars, amps, pedals and accessories, but you can still more than meet your needs for a $1,000. It's a good place to start.

Gibson les Paul Studio

American
Fender Strat

If I, personally, had only $1,000 in my budget for a guitar rig and knowing what I know as long time player and the basic needs I have for the gigs I play, I would gravitate towards getting either a used American-Made Fender Stratocaster or a used Gibson Les Paul Studio for around $800 and add to it a used Line 6 Pod at approximately $125 and a planet waves cable at $40 and a Levi strap at $30.

Line 6 PodXT 

Most of my budget would go into the guitar portion of the rig            and the Line 6 Pod is a versatile multi-amp/multi-effect unit that will cover just   about any style and plug straight into a PA or another amp. Having a good, tonally rich professional guitar is definitely the most important part of any rig. If I have a great guitar, I can feel confident plugging into a tonne of different qualities of amps and pedals and achieving a good tone.

Whatever direction your shopping takes you try to keep the quality of components high and the quantity of parts to a minimum. Remember the guitar is the most important part, and the rest of your rig can start small and grow over time.

Putting Together a Guitar Rig under $500

Sometimes the budget we have to spend on an electric guitar rig is limited. We might be a beginner just trying things out or maybe we have auditioned for a band, made it in as a guitarist, and need a rig to do the job well. A rig refers to the whole package of equipment we use as guitarists. It's the combination of guitars, pedals, cables, amps and any other accessories we might need for the role we play in a band. This blog will concentrate of keeping the overall price tag under $500.

Note: Stay away from the guitar/amp bundles in one box and from buying at Costco.


Setup #1 - Store bought

Yamaha Pacifica guitar - $290
Line 6 Spider 4 amp - $150
Guitar strap and cable - $15 - $20

Setup #2 - Store bought

Fender Squire guitar - $200
Fender Mustang 2 amp - $250
Guitar strap and cable - $15 - $20


Setup #3 - Store bought

Epiphone Les Paul Special 2 - $230
Vox VT20 Plus - $230
Guitar strap and cable - $15 - $20


Mix and match from the lists above and compare by plugging in and making some noise at your local music store.

If your inclined to buy used gear off Craiglist you can usually get everything you need for about half the price of new guitar gear. You also might be able add some pedals or effects to your rig if you save money by buying used equipment. Try to enlist the help of another more experienced guitar shopper and have some patience until the right piece of gear appears at the right price.

The Participation Factor - Part 2

In the 'Participation Factor' (Getting to the Next Level - Part 1) I highlighted that the main stumbling block to developing as guitarists and musicians is in the lack of any consistent realtime playing opportunities. Opportunities that tend to keep us sharper, steadily improving, and applying all the stuff we learn in lessons and private study. Unlike sports there is no league of musicians organizing gigs and jam session and 'keeping score' and creating the 'competitive like' situations needed to elevate our playing to higher ground. I will attempt to outline some solutions that can be be modified and customized to fit your unique situations and playing abilities.

Be Willing and Available

The secret lies in being available for all things that are related to music. Whether your roadying for a friends band, singing in the church choir, playing folk songs at an old-folks home, performing for family functions, volunteering for local concerts, bringing your guitar to campfire situations, starting a lunchtime jam session or a guitar club at school, atteneding local music workshops, joining an A/V team, hosting a jam session at you home, or altering your expectations or style to get in a band. It's about your willingness to put yourself in music's way and get involved. 

Jamming

Anytime musicians play together, whether making noise, noodling around, rehearsing, performing or recording, jamming can happen. Jamming is a term that simply means, making music together. This is probably the simplest and most laid-back way to get 'in the game' of playing. Try making an appointment with a fellow musician friend or two and improve your 'chops' through jamming. There are also local jam sessions going on in homes, pubs, and other public meeting places that you can discover through some digging and networking.

Gigging

One thing the modern technological world has failed in is in it's promise to expand opportunities and work for musicians. The amount of musicians gigging and performing for a living has noticeably declined in the last few years. Today, your rig can act like a super computer with bells and whistles that would make Jimi Hendrix's head spin and you've got the world at your fingertips but there's very few opportunities to let the 'fingers fly'. The ARTS are dying and being replaced by cheap entertainment,  fadism, and a sad societal state of 'undisciplined abundance'. The problem is that in our communities we tend to 'consume' more than we 'produce' and that seeps into our personal worlds as well, creating vast amounts of wasted time - time we could be producing our personal art. This is a troubling problem for established player and extremely deflating for young talented player looking to break into the scene.


The good news is that the creative minority can impact change. Try doing some home-concerts, playing outdoor events in your town, teaming up with other local bands (musical co-ops), letting other artist know your talents are available, and create projects and bands for specific local events.

The Participation Factor (Getting to the Next Level) - Part 1

I've had quite a growing number of students in the past few years having a tougher time getting to that 'next level' in their guitar playing. It's seems to be mostly in the areas of technique, creativity, and the practical theory(know-how) needed to be an effective live player and performer. In my opinion, the problem is a clear and simple one but the solution is more complex and illusive. As live playing opportunities dwindle in the age of electronic and canned music it's harder than ever for guitarists to sharpen their skills and keep in game shape.

Getting in the Game:

Imagine if you practised with your hockey, soccer, football, or baseball team but never got to play in a single game. Over the course of time you would improve in your skills and know-how but without the competition and intensity of a game situation your skills would eventually stagnate and never reach their full potential. In this situation, most people would lose their interest in the sport along the way, and with it, all the reasons why we play and compete; for a fun, challenging and healthy physical activity that can build fitness, character, friendships and self-confidence.

An athlete gains so much knowledge by just participating in a sport. Focus, discipline, hard work, goal setting and, of course, the thrill of finally achieving your goals. These are all lessons in life. -Kristi Yamaguchi

Getting 'In the Game' for musicians is by participating in a real live musical situations like a; concert, recital, jam session, church worship, camp-fire singing, open-mic night, choir, or any event where you share and/or combine your talents with other musicians for or within a small or large group of people. How this gets us to the next level of our playing is easy to see. To share and communicate music well, we need an increase in our preparation (more practice), know-how (application of theory), commitment (faithful participation) and experience (long-term musical activity).

...but, unlike sports, for musicians there isn't a coach or manager mandating practice and holding one accountable for participation, preparation and for scheduling the games. We have to instigate our own involvement and be active in the musical and art community around us. This is the main roadblock of developing as guitarists our post-modern times and as I see it, the number one reason why so many students 'spin their tires' trying to reach that next level of playing.

Part 2 will look at some solutions... 

My Personal Electric Guitar Setup

Although I don't obsess that much about gear, I do work hard at searching and researching for the right pieces to keep my gear setup small, easy to use and great sounding. Students of the guitar can benefit from following the advice and footprints of more experienced players gear setups.

Guitars:

For my main electric I use a Fender Hotrod '62 Stratocaster. It a great sounding re-issued guitar made by Fender that takes the features and specifications of a vintage 1962 Strat and "hotrods" it by adding a slightly wider neck and bigger frets for better performance. It's has a the classic sound of a strat, but has a warmth and fatness to it that reminds me of some of the characteristics of a Gibson Les Paul. It allows me to play a variety of styles and contexts from just one guitar, and that's important for the wide range of gigs and teaching that I do.

Pedal setup:

Guitar -into- Xotic EP boost - 1982 Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer - Carl Martin PlexiTone S - Ethos Overdrive/Preamp - T.C. Electronic Flashback Delay - Stymon BlueSky Reverb - P.A.

Ethos Overdrive

Carl Martin PlexiTone

Above is my small pedal/preamp signal path setup. My Hotrod '62 plugs first into an EP Boost pedal. The EP boost is a clean boost that adds a nice boost to my signal and a extra fatness to my tone. I keep this pedal on most of the time. The vintage tube screamer is one of the most sought after overdrive pedals of the last 30 years and I use it primarily as an additional gain stage for guitar solos. It adds a creaminess and sustain that I love. Next is the Plexitone pedal. I have always been a fan of old Marshall Plexi Amps and this pedal really delivers a warm Marshall tone with a nice range of gain for different playing situations. The Custom Tones Ethos overdrive acts as my amp, or more specifically my preamp in that it shapes my overall guitar tone. It has the sound of the famous Dumble Overdrive Amp that has fueled the tones of guitarist like John Mayer, Keith Urban, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Santana. Right now, I generally use it for it's great clean amp sound and use my pedals to add the crunch. The Ethos has a clean channel, an overdrive channel and a lead boost built into one. I then go out of the speaker simulated output of the Ethos to the T.C. delay/looper. I generally use the 2290 preset and a fairly long delay time. This pedal has to be the best small pedal delay I've ever heard. Next is the Strymon reverb. Strymon, in my opinion is at the top pedal maker in the world and the BlueSky delivers a quiet and beautifully transparent reverb and a cool shimmer feature that I use as preset favourite. Personally, I always put my boost, wahs, compressors, and drive pedals before the amp and the delays, chorus' and reverbs after the amp - it just sounds cleaner and better to my ears.

Depending on the style of music I'm playing, I might change the pedal order around or make changes and tweaks to my normal preset sounds of the pedals to suite the style of a particular song.

I will feature one or more of these pedals each month on this Blog. Just click on the pedal to get information or a demo of the pedal. My whole setup can fit on a small pedalboard; small enough to fit in the overhead compartment on a plane or carried and setup easily in a local show or session.

Amps?

Sorry! I don't have an amp anymore. I generally plug straight into a PA system and monitor my sound through the stage monitors, in-ear monitors, or a small powered speaker that can fit in my suitcase. On some bigger gigs/shows I have them (promoters/clients) rent me an amp like a Fender Deluxe or a Blues Deville. I have just got tired of lugging a heavy tube amp around in a heavy flight case and hoping it arrives in working order. This also keep the gear budget in balance and relation to my income as a player and the needs and general cost of living in a modern family.

Final Thoughts

If I were to expand things, I would lean towards adding a Stymon Mobius, a Dunlop Wah, and possibly a small Tube amp for a bit more headroom on my sound.

String choices - Electric and Acoustic

Choosing the right set of strings can help improve tone, performance and tuning between changes. Although most string companies seem to offer very slight variations of the same product, the individual tone of feel of certain brands are well worth exploring to add the extra punch, clarity or a unique characteristic you might be looking for.

String Thickness or Gauges

Most electric guitars you pick up in a store will have 9's on them. That number refers to the thickness of the 1st string (.009 of an inch) and is a good place for beginners to start. As you improve you might try 10's or 11's for a bigger tone or a firmer feel. I use 10's for their fairly light tension, bold tone and responsiveness when I dig in with more aggressive picking.

Most acoustic guitars are strung with gauge 12's. This thickness of string is a nice balance between playability, durability, and general wear and tear on the guitar. Lighter strings will give you easier playability but less durability and might promote more buzzing on the guitar. Heavier strings will create better tone and durability but will tougher to play. Again, it's about trying different scenarios out to get a feel for what feels best for your fingers and your style of play.

Type or Style of Strings

This area is a where most players experiment and try different things. Different string options like round-wound, flat-wound, hexegon-core, gortex coating, and all the different type of metals used in the construction of strings can create subtle nuances for an individual players sound and can be frequently changed to add a fresh sound or unique tone to update and refresh you're style. Many higher end guitars like Taylors, Larivees, Collings', Goodalls and Santa Cruz's are fitted with Elixer Phosphor Bronze lights on all the guitars they sell. They last incredibly long: so long that at twice the price of a regular pack of strings, your string budget will actually go down.

String Brands

I use D'Addarrio NYXL 10's on my electrics and Elixer Phosphor Bronze lights on my acoustics. The D'Addarrio NYXL's are more expensive than other electric strings but they add more punch, volume, and stay in better tune than any other string that I have tried. On acoustic guitar, I avoided Elixer strings for years because I thought the idea of a gortex coating on acoustic strings was unmusical but I have since been pulled over to using them. They are double the price of regular acoustic strings but last 3 - 4 times as long and have consistently good tone and presence throughout their time on the guitar.

Good Brand to choose from:

Some good brand choices for acoustic and electric strings are: D'Addario, Martin, Ernie Ball, Dean Markley, Elixer, GHS, and DR. They can be found easily in most local music stores.

“The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice.”
- Andre Segovia

A Guide to Buying an Electric Guitar

Les Paul

The two main legendary pioneers in electric guitar history are Leo Fender and Les Paul. They invented what we know as the modern electric guitar and since then, (50+ years ago) nothing has really changed. In fact, modern players pay huge dollars for early (vintage 1950's/1960's) models and companies like Fender and Gibson constantly reissues their older model trying to capture that magical tone of the old guitars. My main guitar is a reissue of a 1962 Fender Stratocaster and I have found in the guitar world that technology has had a hard time improving on that old recipe that never fails to deliver great tone and character in almost every musical context I would use it in. Your choice will be indirectly influenced by a history we sometimes take for granted and a age old design that has seemed to reach it pinnacle of design.


I wanted something very dense, something that would sustain long and more pieces of wood that would be soft, sweet, for more of a mellow sound. Quote - Les Paul

Leo Fender

When shopping for an electric guitar you will basically be choosing between a Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul style guitar. There are other variations but virtually 90% of all guitars will fit loosely into these two categories. Fender style guitars generally have a thinner, open and cutting tone that is perfectly represented in players like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Hendrix, Jeff Beck, John Mayer and Mark Knopfler. Gibson style guitars have a thicker, darker and muscular tone and are championed by players like Jimmy Page, Peter Frmpton, Slash, Angus Young and Joe Bonamassa. My starting point for choosing an electric guitar has always been to follow in the footsteps of my favourite players.

The design of each element should be thought out in order to be easy to make and easy to repair. Quote - Leo Fender

When making your choice, choose a guitar that goes with your style preference and the type of tone you might need to play that style. Most country players use strats or telecasters for a thinner, twangy tone that cuts through the mix. Metal players go more for Les Paul style guitars with big, bold and crunchy tone. Blues player have generally chosen Strats over Les Pauls and Rock and Pop players make sure they have a mix of guitars for different musical whims and situations. To confuse the process, there are fatter sounding strats style guitars and thinner sounding Les Paul style guitars that  add complexity to your choice but can ultimately help you find that perfect mix of sound and feel. For example, my Fender Hotrod '62 is called by some, the Les Paul of Stratocasters. It has a vintage Strat sound with some added fatness of a Les Paul style guitar. I have always loved the sound of a Strat but the style I play needs a fatter tone so I have found a good mix in this guitar.

Practical Choices:

For your first guitar, I would suggest the conservative approach of buying a well-known established brand and a fairly basic 'tried and true' body style. Most of the legendary guitar Icons of our day play very basic styles of guitars and have learned that most of the magical tone comes from their highly trained and experienced fingers.

TAB vs. Standard Notation

Guitar TAB (short for tablature) is the most popular way of reading music notation for modern guitarist. Hundreds of website on the internet offer thousands of songs in this 'easy to use' notation format and the majority of published songbooks now prefer TAB because of it's universal appeal, practicality, and efficiency of use to the modern recreational and professional guitar player.

This modern TAB trend has had it's fair share of critics and dissenters mostly among music teachers and professional players for it's apparent "dumbing down" of the process or art of studying music in the proper traditional way with the result of creating a world of illiterate musicians. Hence the proverbial joke being, "how do you shut up a guitar player? - put a piece of music in front of him/her.

Lute TAB from 1554

When confronted with this attitude,  I truly sympathize, understand, and clearly see the results of a general musical illiteracy and the decline of most modern music to the lowest basest form of mind numbing stimuli and soundbites for the purposes of entertainment only. The problem is, that if we look at TAB in the historical context (dating back to the 15th century) it has been around longer than the invention of the guitar and deserves to be critiqued within a broader picture and context. The descent of music is a mirror of the decline other things in our modern culture and must be viewed in the context of art and technology and the participation and use of music in our local economies and communities.

The Big Picture

As a professional guitar teacher I use TAB notation for 95% of my students studying for recreational purposes and 50% of the time for university and college music majors. Using TAB allows me to get my students playing and doing music more and reading and thinking music less. To me, that's a great starting point that creates momentum, confidence, and openness in the journey and process of the enjoyment and making of music. Once that 'playing field' is open there are many opportunities to fill in some of the missing gaps during the 'game'. 



Final Thoughts

Unless you are studying music for the purpose of becoming a music educator, studying traditional forms of music like classical or jazz, or as a professional guitarist, standard notation can be bypassed in favour of TAB as a more efficient, enjoyable way of learning the techniques of guitar. You'll fly through the music 5 times faster and once your on your way, standard notation might be something of value later in your journey.

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