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Topic: Guitar thread (Read 642167 times)
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Righ
Terracotta Army
Posts: 6542
Teaching the world Google-fu one broken dream at a time.
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So, what I really want to do is just add richer arrangements to my music. So I don't want spacey synths, I want realistic stuff. A good piano sound, strings that don't sound like a synth.
http://www.synthogy.com/
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The camera adds a thousand barrels. - Steven Colbert
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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For a realistic piano, take a look at Synthogy ( Rachmaninoff example). It's not synthesis, but midi controllable sample playback/streaming -- at a pretty insane level. It's so extensive in sampling all of the dynamics and range of the 3 piano models it includes that it takes up about 40GB of space. It'll respond to whatever you're pounding away at on the controller. Nyah, nyah. Already linked to it Righ. j/k
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climbjtree
Terracotta Army
Posts: 949
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The wife gave me a gift certificate to Guitar Center at Christmas. Here's what I got: It's a Mitchell concert uke with a spruce top and rosewood sides an fretboard. It has a very full and rich sound. I'd say I prefer it to my sopranos, and maybe even to my tenor.
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Righ
Terracotta Army
Posts: 6542
Teaching the world Google-fu one broken dream at a time.
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Nyah, nyah. Already linked to it Righ.
Ooops. I've heard it played live, and its decidedly more impressive than most other software. Rudess was also much more tolerable without the rest of Dream Theater. :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGk5aUDntwY
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The camera adds a thousand barrels. - Steven Colbert
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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No keyboard yet, but those VSTs got me going. This is a quickie orchestration, quite incomplete, of a solo acoustic guitar instrumental from years ago. I didn't get around to orchestrating all of it, so I just repeated what I had several times with different arrangements. Orchestrating is fun. I skipped that class in college somehow. Hmm. I demand feedback. I know, not guitar, but it began life that way.
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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Dang, you got right to work didn't you? Sounds cool. A little freestyley maybe, kinda hard for me to anchor on to the theme, but I still like it.
I don't mind anything that isn't guitars by the way. We should just name this the Musical Instrument Thread.
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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Looks like I either get a MIDI controller that I can't play at a jam session, or get a digital piano that doesn't make for a good MIDI controller, or I get a Yamaha S90 and spend $2000. :P Anyway, in wandering around pricing stuff on the Net, I stumbled across the Axon AX 50. Kinda neat. Not that I know anyone who has a MIDI pickup on their guitar.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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That's great, very baroque-y, and I'm a baroque whore. My girlfriend just asked for a copy.
I used to mess with this stuff back when I was in school, it's a lot of fun and you can get a pretty good output with a minimum of effort, and since it's notation you can strengthen that, if you're weak on it like I was and am again.
I went to guitar center yesterday, in the Big City. I felt totally dumb, unreasonably, playing way too fucking loud in the midst of about fifty musician strangers. Very uncomfortable and weird. So I only checked out a little of the Fender 65 reverb, which was cool. I had a Vox AC30 up on deck, but I was so far out of my comfort zone I ditched. If it doesn't snow too bad, I'm planning on heading out to the local guitar store (which has both amps) and playing in a more comfortable environment. Totally un-nerved me, because I've never been nervous or had stage fright, ever. It sucks. Also reinforced the thing I've been saying about not wanting to have my first jam with a blues band in public, don't these motherfuckers rehearse at all? Apparently not. I really don't want to share this, because I was incredibly stupid and vulnerable, but there you go. Even the cocky arrogant musicians (or at least formerly so) can be humbled by something as simple as trying out a new amp. Didn't bring my guitar, either, and all the SGs there sucked ass, the 61 rules imo.
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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Looks like I either get a MIDI controller that I can't play at a jam session
Laptop/Monitors/Keyboard. Should work well :) When there's 50 shredders in the room who can smoke me (and there always is), I turn on an echo pedal and I play dub reggae riffs. Simple, but no one else around here can do it! Turns their heads every time. If it's an acoustic, I play Prodigal Son.
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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Laptop & all that feels obnoxious... ah well. Maybe I will head up to Guitar Center to try some stuff out in person. If you're a baroque whore, I can give you the guitar tab to that piece. :) Make the girlfriend happy... I look forward to hearing it as a reggae dub. Just posted a year-end summary. Man, I posted a lot of music this year: http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/12/31/year-end-roundup/
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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I told you that you were inspiring this year, Raph!
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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My Baby Taylor has developed a crack in the top, smack in the center, from the bridge to the heel. :(
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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DUCT TAPE FTW That totally sucks. On the bright side, at least it didn't happen to a higher end guitar....I would honestly cry if something happened to my SG, I'm irrationally in love with it.
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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Hmm, I don't even know what to do about this. A repair is probably expensive, and the guitar itself is not. Plus, it is 7 years old. Is it likely to fly apart on me? The crack runs from bridge to heel. But it does not seem to be getting worse.
I tried calling Taylor to basically say "what do I do? I know you think I am terrible for letting it happen, and that you think I let it dry out or something, but it shows no other symptoms of that. Do I just go buy a new one?" But they are closed until Monday.
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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I'm really good at giving electric advice, but repairing acoustics is such a bitch.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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A repair is probably expensive, and the guitar itself is not.
That was pretty much my thoughts on it. If it's not getting worse, just stick it out and see what happens. If it does get worse, try a local guitar shop (or see what Taylor says), not for a repair but for repair advice. It is a relatively cheap guitar despite the high quality, so radical repairs (or duct tape ) are probably worth trying yourself. If it doesn't work, you're out another $250 for a new Baby. Fiancee just pointed out there are guitar repair books at your local library
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« Last Edit: January 04, 2008, 07:17:21 AM by Sky »
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sidereal
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Beat up guitars have improved sound. Willie Nelson spent most of his time playing on a guitar that was slightly more hole than guitar. Go with the flow.
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THIS IS THE MOST I HAVE EVERY WANTED TO GET IN TO A BETA
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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Man's got a point. Imo Willie Nelson has the best guitar sound evar. He's what drove me to take up guitar lessons in school just to get access to the nylon stringed guitars. My straight 100s in that class led me to music theory class (which was only for 4-yr music majors!) which I never dipped below 95 in.
Anyway, my fiancee was intruiged by how much influence Willie has on me, he's an amazing musician and songwriter. Because of his unique style, he can often have a bad performance and it's very difficult for others to jam with him, most of his live collabs fall flat. But when he's on, it's amazing. I don't even really consider it country music, his leads are amazing with jazz and spanish influences plus a mastery of melodic forms.
Oops, I gushed there. I heart Willie. I need a nylon string, shoulda bought that Taylor when I had a chance ($1400 Taylor for $800)
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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I bet we all have ""guitar that got away" stories.
For me it was a Larrivee acoustic. We were at a music store shopping for my mandolin -- so we were about to blow around $1000 anyway. While we're there, I try out a guitjo, try out some of the guitars they have there... on the guitjo I cut loose with this fast flatpick breakdown thing I do in G, and after that, the shop manager starts steering me to specific instruments to try them out. So I try a Breedlove acoustic, and it's super gorgeous when mellow, but didn't have any snap, growl or bite in its tone at all.
Then we hit this Larrivee. Even more gorgeous mellow. But it also had bite. I played it for like 20 minutes, the manager & me and others clustered around. I keep saying "Man, that's a nice guitar" over and over. But we're here to buy the mandolin. The guy says "yeah, it's been here for maybe a year already, because a lot of folks don't know Larrivee, and it costs $2000... but..." And I am thinking to myself "But if I get a new acoustic, I kind of want the Taylor ES pickup system in it... and this has its own thing, and... hmm."
In the end, i regretfully shake my head and we buy the mandolin (which has been awesome). And Kristen says, "You know, if you really wanted it..." And I said no, because spending $3k was not in the plan...
I still daydream about that guitar and wonder if it's still there.
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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Ohh, the guitar that got away for me was a Fender Bass VI, in lake placid blue like this one. They're one of the rarer production guitars Fender made (although they've been resissued just recently, in slightly different form). When I was younger, I saw one selling merely in the hundreds of dollars range. Now they run $6000-$7000. They weren't really guitars, weren't really basses, and not really baritones either! They were tuned E-E and had a 30" scale, unlike most baritones, but the strings were a lot thinner than a bass (or a modern 6 string bass).
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Nebu
Terracotta Army
Posts: 17613
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I worked in a guitar store in downtown Minneapolis for 4 years during my teens doing bench work and setups. The number of stories I have about lost opportunity are many.
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"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."
- Mark Twain
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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I broke my high E! It's the first guitar string I've broken in....well, I can't remember the last time I broke one. I did break a bass string about three years ago. I never change my strings. Was doing a Buddy Guy/Albert King 2 step bend over the V chord while playing for my fiancee. Can't even remember what brand or gauge I have on the SG.
Capped off a day full of bad luck, she told me to leave my guitars alone until midnight. Despite being anti-superstitious, I complied.
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Phildo
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I went through the first five years of drumming before I broke a stick. Some kid in high school told me I wasn't a real drummer until I did. That haunted me for a while, until I realized how much of an idiot he was.
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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I always used to break the G string. Apparently, it's slightly likelier to break because of the amount of tension you have to put on it to get to pitch.
That said, these days I usually only break strings when tuning up, not when playing.
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Selby
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2963
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I haven't broken a string in almost 10 years. And I am not easy on my strings. They all have grooves worn into them from the fret markers. I like to think they give the guitar some class and character that you just can't get from a new guitar off the shelf.
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DarkSign
Terracotta Army
Posts: 698
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I just found this thread. Who knew so many of you were fellow axe-men.
I've got a Chet Atkins Country Gentleman, a Flying V, and a Gibson Les Paul Studio.
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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I've got a Chet Atkins Country Gentleman
Ouch! That's some mojo twangy goodness right there. I break strings all the time. Every month at least. I think it's because of my smoking or something...Acidy fingers maybe? Not sure. I play big strings too, so that isn't a factor.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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Wow, Guitar World has changed its vibe. I never pick it up because it's all glitzy these days. An article on 50 influential guitar recordings that is 1/4 steel? Wow.
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Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472
Title delayed while we "find the fun."
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Laptop & all that feels obnoxious... ah well.
Maybe I will head up to Guitar Center to try some stuff out in person.
Ended up ordering a Yamaha P70. It'll be here Wednesday. I thought I was going to get an M-Audio ProKeys 88, but they didn't have any to try, and the keybed on the M-Audio Keystation 88 is the same -- I tried it and didn't like it. And I decided to get something people could play on at jams, which left out straight controllers. The Yamaha has less controller type features, but it played and sounded the best for under $2k.
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Phildo
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Went microphone shopping the other day and picked up these guys for stereo recording. Guy at the store said they also make good vocal and guitar mics when used individually.
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Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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Wow, Guitar World has changed its vibe. I never pick it up because it's all glitzy these days. An article on 50 influential guitar recordings that is 1/4 steel? Wow.
Yeah, it's pretty obnoxious and barely readable. But it's cheap and due to some errors on their end (missed a couple issues) and the closing of Guitar One, I have a sub until the end of next year. Haven't needed to pay on it since 2006, I think I've put a total of $20 into it. I go back and forth on Acoustic Guitar mag. It's not really aimed at me, but I like some of their solo guitar transcriptions and every few months there is an interesting piece. In bloggy type music news, I'm still needing a guitar amp, heh. At January's blues jam, the best guitarist in the jam was giving me a hard time for not bringing my guitar. So I'm trying to focus on getting a tune down solid so I can play in Feb. Mostly, it's remembering the damn lyrics, I have no memory for that, they slip right away. Going to do "She's Nineteen Years Old" based on a version I saw Buddy Guy do, with some alternate dirty lyrics he threw in "She got one leg in the east, one leg in the west, but it's what's down south that I like best".
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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Went microphone shopping the other day and picked up these guys for stereo recording. Guy at the store said they also make good vocal and guitar mics when used individually. Hmmph. Been mic-less myself for a long while now. Kind of half-assed in the market for some old 421's.
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Phildo
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What are you planning on micing?
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stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818
has an iMac.
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Guitar amps mainly, but I like mics that can do anything when I or anyone needs it. 421's and 57's are great at this. Besides a kick, an entire band could run off of them. I play my Vox more and more though, and it's already got a huge midrange bite. Not that a 57 or black 421 would be bad, but a silver 421 would be great for it. 441 wouldn't be bad either.
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