Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 29, 2024, 04:38:10 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Search:     Advanced search
we're back, baby
*
Home Help Search Login Register
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  General Discussion  |  Topic: Guitar thread 0 Members and 5 Guests are viewing this topic.
Pages: 1 ... 11 12 [13] 14 15 ... 61 Go Down Print
Author Topic: Guitar thread  (Read 632638 times)
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #420 on: December 20, 2006, 07:08:02 AM

I'm not really into the folk thing. I occasionally jam with two folkies and it's tough to integrate into their playing. I usually just sit back and noodle. It's funny with them and the capoes, though (hi Raph!). I just find capoes throw me off, so I just play in whatever key without the capo.

I have been getting a little into the Renaissance thing, I've been very inspired by a chilean guy Conrado Garcia. I think I've mentioned him before, he's a charangista (plays the charango), and he's got amazing technique. The main reason I go to our local renfest is to watch him. You can check out some videos and mp3s here, though he's not on all of them. I also picked up this book they just put out. Nice collection of instrumentals and renfest singalongs.
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #421 on: December 20, 2006, 07:16:55 AM

My neighbor (and the guy I play with the most these days) is pretty renfaire-ish and folky. He even looks like James Taylor. Hehe. Very cool guy though. He's been playing for 30 years longer than I have, and has taught me a lot.

But anyways, Fairport is definitely folk-y. You'd have to be into it somewhat. The early Fairport was better at incorporating it with rock though.

Umm....

Here's a good example I just uploaded:

Matty Groves

Probably the coolest version of Matty Groves ever. Almost gets a little Prog-ish towards the end there. But the standout in that song is not Thompson, it's Sandy Denny on vocals.



Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #422 on: December 28, 2006, 07:00:49 AM

I don't think I've mentioned these fun books I found: Blues Play-along. There's a couple blues, some funk, some soul, some rock, etc, etc. I got the two blues and a southern rock for xmas. They have two versions of each track: one with the vocal stripped and one with vocals and guitar stripped. Fun to play along with and kind of interesting to hear some very guitar-heavy tunes sans guitar, bringing out the piano and horn parts (which I love). Wish I had known about these years ago. Thanks, Hal Leonard!

Santa also brought me a couple of things for the SIAB (studio-in-a-box, my MR8HD): a decent pair of Sennheiser headphones for monitoring and the all-important footswitch for punching in. I'm also starting to learn how to use the dern thing. I'll spare you guys my test recordings for a while :) I did a decent Kind-Hearted Woman and an atrocious Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson not Blues Brothers). Robert Johnson is so simple yet so complex, it's pretty wild stuff. If you haven't listened to his stuff, I highly recommend it (if you're interested in blues, of course). Also a super-seekr1t version of Melissa by Gregg Allman for my ladyfriend, going to surprise her with it.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #423 on: January 04, 2007, 07:34:08 AM

Man, grab one of those Fostex MR8HD units I just got. They are great. Not sure what your financial constraints are, but one of those plus a cd burner in your pc is all you really need for a basic cd.

I still have my trusty old PowerMac for recording, but I sold my mics awhile back. And I'm picky about mics. Almost as picky as I am with guitars. The only thing I can record right now is MIDI/synth. I've yet to put this amp I have in a recording, and that's what I want to do (the Fender VK I posted some time back). As for the songs I have on the backburner, they were all recorded with a handheld and either an acoustic or my cheapo Vox. Just scrapbooks really.

I have some older stuff on file that I used to do for my brother's multimedia firm, and an old demo album for a friend's metal band too. I'd post them, but I'm not too proud of that stuff. It's not really me ;).
(Continued from pet projects)

I've been going direct guitar > Boss GT6 > Fostex MR8HD. I don't have a good sounding amp right now, so it's not a huge deal, but at some point I'll need to get something for playing shows, a fender twin or something. Right now it's some cheezy Peavey 150W bass amp into a Dean Markley 1x15 cab loaded with my old favorite bass speaker, the EVMB 400W 15". Also, using the phantom on the MR8HD for my only mic right now, the mighty dynamic Shure SM58 road warrior. I should probably look to upgrade that at some point or learn how to use the mic better (I actually do know how to use one well, though...) because it's been more uneven than it should be for recording.

I could see mics becoming an obsession. I wasn't too obsessed in the band days, because I didn't really have any money, I just worked with what I had. But now I have to be real disciplined...At the very least I want to grab a large diaphram condenser and a few small diaphrams for my drum kit when I get to that point. And a new drum kit at some point, bought mine for $100. The SM58 actually isn't too bad for my vocals as I'm going for a growly thing anyway, but I'd like some flexibility.

And then there's equalization...I'm a fan of analog gear, it's what I learned on. Or at least hardware, I haven't really enjoyed using a computer for recording (though I learned them, too, back in the early 90s). My thought there is one of those nice rack graphic EQs with the shiny lights :) I'm working hard at not getting GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) until I've recorded at least one cd worth of material, though.
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #424 on: January 04, 2007, 02:25:21 PM

Right now I just want a Senn MD421 and an SM57. Nothing too fancy, but I keep spending cash on other stuff.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #425 on: January 05, 2007, 06:32:05 AM

Me, too. Especially trying to build a high end pc next month. And I think I want to grab an ipod before they screw them up. My bets are on a bigger screen with the next product refresh, and I don't want a big screen. There's a decent SM57 drum set I'm considering because it then gives me three 57s to play with (plus 'free' drum mounts). I'm tentative about the kick mic, since it doesn't look like it'll be a multitasker, but it might be ok for my bass. I'll probably hold off on a large diaphram condenser until I can afford something nice, the dynamic really should be good enough with my crappy vocals.

I really wish I had somewhere better to set up my drums. They are in the basement of my mom's house (she LOVES that), and it scares the hell out of her cats when I go over there to play. And I'm limited to times when she's not there, it's a long drive, etc. Bah. Drums r fun.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #426 on: January 09, 2007, 08:20:08 AM

Not strictly a guitar thing, but I'll drop it in here: Belkin Tunestudio. Rather limited (16bit) but to be expected given the device involved. Basically, a ministudio to interface with an ipod. Kinda nifty (though I still don't have an ipod!).

stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #427 on: January 09, 2007, 04:06:29 PM

That's slick.
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #428 on: January 10, 2007, 11:45:57 PM

Sniff, I don't own an iPod, but that thing looks like a good replacement for my aging setup: a Tascam Portastudio II that I use only as a mixer, running into an Audigy EX (yeah, the original Audigy).

Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #429 on: January 11, 2007, 07:02:26 AM

I'll pimp the fostex mr8hd again. Great little unit, though I really think I need some EQ. And more mics. And near-field monitors. undecided The 40GB HD is nice, my biggest worry was that I couldn't bounce discreet tracks, only the stereo mixdown...in fact, that's what the manual says, too. But when I mounted it on my pc (as an external USB drive), I had access to all the files. I'm not sure about the other way (discreet tracks from the pc to the unit, but mixdowns to the unit are supposed to work, not sure why).

So if I ever get off my lazy ass and get a decent pc program to edit and mix (I'll take suggestions, I have an old undocumented copy of Cakewalk (6 maybe?)), I should be golden until I want to move into the low-end professional space.
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #430 on: January 11, 2007, 07:51:23 AM

At the end of the day, just remember that Bruce Springsteen made Nebraska on a tape 4 track.  tongue
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #431 on: January 11, 2007, 02:09:21 PM

Well, I do my recording to hard disk on my computer these days. But having something more portable would be cool. This thing looks like it does double-duty.
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #432 on: February 07, 2007, 12:49:27 AM

Thread... must... not... slip... off... front... page....!

Recent musicky stuff I have posted:

http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/02/04/the-sunday-poemsong-longitude/
http://www.raphkoster.com/2006/11/26/the-sunday-song-the-coming-gloria/
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #433 on: February 07, 2007, 06:22:40 AM

You are far more focused than I :P I should have some new stuff soonish, though. I think I need to take my acoustic into the shop and get a winter shim made (or figger it out meself), it usually bottoms out on bends on the first couple strings in the 10-13 fret range, where I play alot (bb box area!). This morning it was totally fretting out and unplayable there :( Sonofa. I mostly practice on the acoustic for finger strength, so I might raise the action a little, too.

The Longitude reminds me of some stuff I wrote in the 80s, about archeologists in Egypt. My singer rejected them as 'geek songs' :P I took it as a compliment, but they were never recorded.

The Coming sounds like it could have been an early Claypool tune, I like how you crafted it as a story.
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #434 on: February 07, 2007, 04:20:01 PM

I have built a 350 song fakebook of stuff I enjoy playing at jams, and have a copy of it at the office now too. That's where most of my playing has gone lately... those songs are actually years old (Longitude dates from 2001 and that recording from 2002).
penfold
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1031


Reply #435 on: February 08, 2007, 02:08:43 AM

I have a new accoustic, a Yamaha APX 500BL. Its was only cheap, but the neck and action are more like an electric than other accoustics i've played, although strings little close together, and cant do bends as easy. Tone could be better of course, but its nice for its price. Just so easy to pick up and play for a little bit without having to plug in my POD etc. It's small too and more suited to me. A dreadnought body is too big i can barely get my right arm over those, and are uncomfortable to play.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #436 on: February 08, 2007, 08:31:25 AM

I have built a 350 song fakebook of stuff I enjoy playing at jams, and have a copy of it at the office now too. That's where most of my playing has gone lately... those songs are actually years old (Longitude dates from 2001 and that recording from 2002).
I've been trying to focus enough to play a few songs in their entirity :) I really, really need to get out and play at some blues jams, we have one a month here. Problem is I tend to odder songs, and nobody really plays the older country blues style I enjoy (my boss called it 'sittin on the porch' music). I've mentioned the play-along books I got and they are great for discipline, as the recorder has been. I'm feeling pretty confident (although I'm sure I'll do better than at least a third of the hackers that get up there), but I'm a perfectionist coming from (ok, 15 years ago!) being at the top of the game as a metal bassist, so my standards are set really high.

I'm sure it'll be cool to just sit in on a minor blues jam or something. One thing I'd like to do is get a decent amp to bring along so I'm not struggling with someone else's tone....

Really just a matter of making time to sit and work through multiple versions while recording. I'm way too used to throwing something down and not going back to do better versions. Didn't need to in the old days, we were a one-take live band, so I never built up any discipline...
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #437 on: February 08, 2007, 11:30:35 AM

The fakebook I did is all over the map. From folkie stuff I play (Ellis Paul, Martin Sexton, Dar Williams, Bill Morrissey, Greg Brown) to 80s stuff ("Take on Me" by a-ha is a fun campfire singalong when everyone's drunk enough, Eurythmics, even "Eye of the Tiger" or whatever) to some standards (Ray Charles, "Puttin' on the Ritz," "Summertime," etc). Basically, it's based on "what would make for a fun time of people swapping tunes."

I can play through most any song in the book -- some more "authentic" sounding than most.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #438 on: February 08, 2007, 11:35:34 AM

I need something like that. I used one in college for jazz standards. But I always had to have my guitar buddy show me the melody lines because I suck at reading music (still). I've got one for renfaire songs (listed at the top of this page). I've also got a few tab books with a crazy plethora of stuff, the White Pages books for Acoustic, Guitar and Bass. Fun to flip through and play a little, but fake books allow for more easy playing of songs, no doubt.

Music purchasing (book and audio) is on hold for a few months while my budget recovers from my new pc (see the $$$ thread in pc forum) and the x-country ski package I bought last night (getting dumped with snow, I'm making the most of it).
Moaner
Terracotta Army
Posts: 529


Reply #439 on: March 22, 2007, 02:39:07 AM

Rise!

So after about 5 years I finally picked up my guitar again.  It's a PRS which I bought new in '96.  After a quick string change and some tuning I'm amazed at how well this thing has held up.  There is a little rust on the pick ups, the intonation is a little off, and the truss rods need some adjusting but other than that I think it's good to go. 

So, I'm looking for some advice here.  In the past I took my guitars to a man who built classical instruments for students at U of M.  He was fucking amazing to say the least, but he's also dead now.  I'm looking for some help learning to maintain this thing myself but I'm not finding a definitive source easily.  This thing has 4 (I think) Truss rods and that intimidates me.  So, does anyone have a good guide bookmarked that may be of help?  I've done some searches, read the manual that came with the guitar, and visited the PRS site but I'm still not comfy doing it myself.  I guess I just need to buck up and trust in the fact I'm not going to kill the thing?  Normally I'd try without hesitation, but this guitar is my baby.  I'd have sex with it if I thought I could, I like it that much.

Also, I was shocked to see how little I had lost in the way of dexterity.  Within 20 minutes I was shredding almost as well as I used to.  I remember all my scales, most of my theory, and even a few old songs from my band.  I'm almost glad I took the long break as I have not been this excited about playing since I was a teenager. 

Now the hunt for the perfect amp, and now that I actually make money, this should be a blast.  I have GAS again!

PSN: Happy_Hedonist, SteamID: Happy Hedonist
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #440 on: March 22, 2007, 03:42:49 AM

Don't do it.

I like mucking around with guitars a lot, but I even I wouldn't mess with that.

I don't know why PRS did that really. That kind of truss rod setup is really only necessary for super high tension instruments, like 5 or 6 string basses.


However, a good rule of thumb for a tech is: Find the shop in your town that sells boutique equipment. Top Hats, Orange, Mesas. etc.. Or alternatively, a shop that has a lot of vintage equipment. Like a good one with Fender blackfaces, and not just silvers. More than likely, the guys working there know what they're doing. Or simply, find a PRS dealer.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #441 on: March 30, 2007, 07:19:25 AM

Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #442 on: April 03, 2007, 12:44:26 PM

A few months after I finally buy the MR8HD....they release a MR16HD. Goddamned technology. Anyone need a great 8-track? ;)
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #443 on: April 13, 2007, 11:19:24 AM

Posted another guitar instrumental, this one from ten years ago.

http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/04/08/the-sunday-song-the-march-of-the-elephants/
climbjtree
Terracotta Army
Posts: 949


Reply #444 on: April 18, 2007, 08:22:43 PM

Virtual Band Idea:

I've come up with a short new song which I play mainly on the ukulele. My idea is that I'll record it as a .wav, upload it somewhere for ya'll to download, you'll add something to it, and then re-upload it for the next guy.

Any takers? I think this could be a fun little side project.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #445 on: April 19, 2007, 08:13:00 AM

Can't hurt. I don't have any permanent upload space though.

Posted another guitar instrumental, this one from ten years ago.
That downslide part is perfect. Great song, might be my favorite of your stuff thus far (I hope that doesn't come across as an insult :P). DADGAD I always associate with Jimmy Page, but leave it to you to put on your crazy capo thingy.

My acoustic's neck was warped to hell for about a month or two, but now it's back to only fretting out on a couple bends undecided Gotta get it fixed at some point, not sure it's worth what it'd cost, though. I miss the feel of the acoustic where I can really apply a lot more of my fingerpicking and bass styles (though I'm a horrid fingerpicker technically, I just play normal stuff with my fingers).
Raph
Developers
Posts: 1472

Title delayed while we "find the fun."


WWW
Reply #446 on: April 23, 2007, 12:12:09 PM

I'm up for the uke-overdubbing.

Glad you liked the tune, Sky. Me, I associate DADGAD with people like Hedges and Bensusan, but whatever!

I posted some noodling yesterday: http://www.raphkoster.com/2007/04/22/the-sunday-song-pick-em-all-up/
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #447 on: April 23, 2007, 01:53:18 PM

Quote
The recording is a bit muddy, and a bit messy — I didn’t actually write parts for anything other than the mandolin, so everything else is just improv and more than a bit rough, since some of the parts stomp each other or collide. But what the hey, it’s dinnertime and I have been working on it for around 6 hours, so I am posting it.
Now you're sounding like me :P Except I don't really write anything ahead of time and don't spend more than 15 minutes or so on stuff. Damned ADHD imo. I did do a version of a Willie Dixon tune I'm fond of, using some backing tracks I got in a book. The backing tracks are real hit-or-miss (the organ parts on Thrill is Gone are obnoxious) but it's nice to get into the swing of playing with a full band again, so I can put a lot more space in my playing (or could if I could). I do want to clean it up some, then I'll post it. Maybe that instrumental Thrill is Gone at some point, too. I've been busy, but as usual it's all sloppy stuff just jamming or jotting down ideas (I wrote a love song, heh).

Banjo debut! Intertube connection at work is being it's usual shit self, so I only got about a quarter in. Nice stuff, you make me want a mandolin undecided
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #448 on: April 25, 2007, 07:42:04 AM

So....

I sold my Vibro-King (at a profit heh). Sweet, sweet amp (if you can recall), but too much amp for me (I mean, to give an indication, freakin' Pete Townsend uses them....and I'm not Pete). It was also very high maintenance ($200+ for tube replacements, for example).

I'll probably get a Deluxe Reverb to replace it. 22 Watter, and unlike the VK, can be saturated at acceptable levels. Good for garages and possibly small clubs.


Anyways, I still have my Vox Valvetronix for now. The preamp's kind of finnicky in it, but it's a cool little thing. Not really an ideal alternative to real valves though.
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #449 on: April 25, 2007, 09:06:48 AM

I went through the amp dilemma last year iirc (Heh...page 9!). I still don't have a decent amp and I want to start playing at the blues jam nights (I'm part of the local Blues Society, cool group). I just don't have the dough to do it right, right now.

All I have now is my practice Pignose and my old bass practice amp, a 125W Peavey Mk III (run through a 400W 15" EV full-range in a Dean Markley cab). Both sound pretty crappy, even running through my Boss GT6. These days I usually am running direct through my mixer into my Sennheisers, so I'm all set to punch record if I stumble across something cool.

I need to do a LOT of test driving amps because my amp knowledge is circa 1993, and it was all about the MONSTER STACKS. In fact, I'd still like to get a nice Marshall tube half-stack for grins. But in reality, a nice club amp is what I need right now. A 1x12 or 2x10 kinda deal, maybe tubes. I'd prefer to ditch my Boss GT6 for my blues stuff and just use it to record, so an amp that has a good tone and breaks up nicely for leads would be perfect. I had a Peavey 2x12 for a while in the 80s, and it was a nice amp, but might be too beefy for blues.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2007, 09:09:29 AM by Sky »
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #450 on: April 25, 2007, 10:29:32 AM

A 1x12 or 2x10 kinda deal, maybe tubes.

Try the Deluxe Reverb I mentioned above. Either that, or a Custom Vibrolux. They break up nicely (to say the least) at acceptable volumes (the Lux can be pretty loud though...But it's wired to break up earlier).

Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #451 on: April 25, 2007, 12:14:51 PM

I like loud, I'm an old metal guy ;) But I want to be good in the mix, I'm more of a team player, partly from playing bass for so long (though as a bass player, I had the guitarist tendency to crank my amp...). Lookiloo at musiciansfriend (as I have no dough), the Fender Blues Deluxe looks decent (40W 1x12). The Super Reverb I mentioned before would be nice (45W 4x10), but probably too loud for clubs and too heavy to tug around.

One thing that drives me nuts are all these blues guys that only talk about SRV in the comment threads.
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #452 on: April 25, 2007, 12:41:15 PM

The Super Reverb is the pretty the be all end all of blackface Fender amps (while the VK I had was the be all end all for blondes and tweeds, and bassman types).

Yeah, it's a kickass amp. And very loud (remember that Little Johnny Jewel track I posted here awhile back? That was a Super Reverb, but with a Tube Screamer).

Also, there's probably too much headroom than you're looking for. You'll get great clean sounds at very high volumes, but won't hear breakup until the very upper limit.

The Deluxe Reverb I mentioned is basically a mini version of the SR (sort of...it's a little brighter, especially with single coils). Standard blackface sound, but breaks up early.


If you really want to cut into a mix though, high mids is what you should go for. That's where a Vox AC (or an Orange for that matter) kicks everyone's ass. They make single 12" models now, so you should test one out.

[EDIT]

Excuse this guy's guitar face, but he provides a good sample of the Deluxe Reverb for blues playing. This is what it'd sound like through a Gibson once it breaks up. Different story with Fenders, of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JlvXI71FKg

[edit] Fixed link :)
« Last Edit: April 25, 2007, 01:48:42 PM by Stray »
Sky
Terracotta Army
Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #453 on: April 25, 2007, 01:58:23 PM

I've gotta get more stuff up on the tube.  Note I don't show my face when I play  tongue

I had one good blues jam on my acoustic...but I forgot to put on pants, hehe. Woops, I won't inflict that on you guys.
stray
Terracotta Army
Posts: 16818

has an iMac.


Reply #454 on: April 25, 2007, 02:01:00 PM

It should be mentioned that that same guy has a Super Reverb vid as well. I think he modded the speakers a bit, but you'll find that it and the Deluxe Reverb are similar in tone with a Gibson. Just one's a fuckload louder than the other.
Pages: 1 ... 11 12 [13] 14 15 ... 61 Go Up Print 
f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  General Discussion  |  Topic: Guitar thread  
Jump to:  

Powered by SMF 1.1.10 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC