|
muike posted:Speaking of I use elixirs. They sound fine and can easily last a year. Works flawlessly for my beater acoustic since I'd rather have it ready to go for any time I'm in the mood to play it than deal with changing strings often for a better tone.
|
#
?
May 5, 2013 04:36
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 04:57 |
|
|
Can I get some confirmation on a song? I was messing around with chord progressions and came up with something I thought I had heard before. Specifically, does the verse of this go E G D A? It sure sounds like it does and if so it'd be nice to know I'm finally getting to figure out songs without relying on tabs.
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2013 07:47
|
|
|
syntaxfunction posted:Can I get some confirmation on a song? I was messing around with chord progressions and came up with something I thought I had heard before. Choose your own adventure time! Did you play along with your guitar to compare? If not, click here: you're totally right, except it's a whole tone higher (F# A E B). So it's the exact same progression transposed to a higher key. Nice job! If you did play along, not quite, you have a couple of the chords. Try finding the root notes on the bottom string (or the bottom two) and then try barre chords based on those roots: I got these for the roots: F# A E B And these for the chords: All major, try the B as a barre on the 7th fret for those high notes, also maybe the F# has the high E and B strings open, that was pretty common in early SP songs
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2013 18:59
|
|
|
syntaxfunction posted:Can I get some confirmation on a song? I was messing around with chord progressions and came up with something I thought I had heard before. Just off the top of my head, congratulations! You figured out the chorus to Alive by Pearl Jam.
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2013 20:48
|
|
|
baka kaba posted:Choose your own adventure time! Did you play along with your guitar to compare? If not, click here: you're totally right, except it's a whole tone higher (F# A E B). So it's the exact same progression transposed to a higher key. Nice job! Thanks again! nrr posted:Just off the top of my head, congratulations! You figured out the chorus to Alive by Pearl Jam.
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 03:24
|
|
|
syntaxfunction posted:Ah thanks. I did play along and it sounded very close but not exact which is why I was wondering. I didn't think to transpose it higher, although it makes sense because the same thing happened when I was doing Siamese Dream (the song). I guess I still have trouble determining the sound within a margin. Honestly I'd be really happy being able to do that, if you can hear the chord relationships well enough to recognise a specific progression you're well on your way to all kinds of cool powers. Just focus on trying to find the right root notes so you can anchor yourself. If you want a fun time, try working out East with open chords!
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 03:57
|
|
|
nrr posted:Just off the top of my head, congratulations! You figured out the chorus to Alive by Pearl Jam. Also Man in the Box by Alice in Chains, etc etc probably. (also the first chords and chord progression I ever learned)
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 04:47
|
|
|
12 string guitar question! I got a Martin D12X1AE and I'm getting flip-floppy advice on wether to downtune it a half or whole step to relieve tension on the neck. Some people say to leave it, some people say downtuning is the only way to go. I have no idea who to trust.Kilometers Davis posted:I use elixirs. They sound fine and can easily last a year. Works flawlessly for my beater acoustic since I'd rather have it ready to go for any time I'm in the mood to play it than deal with changing strings often for a better tone. This situation is pretty much the only one I'd recommend elixirs for, although it's mostly a preference thing. They last forever, but the chimey sound that they make and the feel of them drive me crazy. I also use elixirs on my beater acoustics, but I wouldn't use them on anything you're going to be playing regularly or for an audience.
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 14:59
|
|
|
Elixers actually sound really good on my ovation. The chimey is exactly what it needs. On the other hand, it qualifies as a beater acoustic.
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 17:02
|
|
|
seigfox posted:12 string guitar question! I got a Martin D12X1AE and I'm getting flip-floppy advice on wether to downtune it a half or whole step to relieve tension on the neck. Some people say to leave it, some people say downtuning is the only way to go. I have no idea who to trust. Well I think it depends on the 12 string. Older guitars aren't braced as well as newer designs and IMO should be left downtuned. I however keep my Taylor G6-12 tuned down to Open C, mostly just because I love the sound of loose jangley 12 strings and it makes playing barre shapes much easier. #elixer chat I haaaaaate elixers, especially on acoustics. The acoustic sets sit at a higher tension than normal strings. I use DR rares on my Taylor 614, I wouldn't use them on a Martin since they are mellow strings but 614s are all Maple so they BRIGHT. On my 12 string I use the same thing. John Pearse strings sound good but I don't like them for my Guitars. I think they would sound amazing on a Martin since they are a tad on the bright side but sort of quite.
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 20:43
|
|
|
I use a standard set of coated Elixirs on my Martin DXK2AE and while they definitely are too bright at first, when they get worn in the sound is just fantastic. Really, though, you just gotta use them strings and get them sounding old. I was actually wondering about what strings to try out next - looking for something to compliment that rich dreadnought sound. I want those strings to sound right at home in DADGAD or something.
|
|
#
?
May 6, 2013 21:05
|
|
|
Well Youtube tutorials, amp simulators and Rocksmith are fun and all but I think it's about time I got a proper tutor and an affordable practice amp, or at least some decent speakers, a soundcard and a pedal to use with guitar rig. As for choosing an instructor, how do you tell if they're any good other than pre-made lesson plans being a warning sign? There's a load local to me with prices ranging from £14 to £65 per hour and I've drawn up a shortlist of five who offer free intro lessons but It would probably help if I knew what to look for.
|
|
#
?
May 7, 2013 03:18
|
|
|
Verizian posted:Well Youtube tutorials, amp simulators and Rocksmith are fun and all but I think it's about time I got a proper tutor and an affordable practice amp, or at least some decent speakers, a soundcard and a pedal to use with guitar rig. You don't necessarily need a teacher, but if you do get one I would recommend one that does not cost an exceptional amount. 65 pounds an hour is a ridiculous charge for such a service. Even the regional champion, Berklee graduate specialty fingerpicking teacher in my area only costs $45 an hour. I would teach you for 2 hours for that much, just because I love guitar and helping people improve. The sign of a good teacher is one who can watch you play and identify your problems and make up exercises or recommend songs to practice which will alleviate those issues and increase your ability and technique on the instrument. They should also be able to answer any questions you have, but also should know when to say "I don't know, it's been a while since I covered that material, but I'll email or contact you about that and we can discuss it next week". Look for someone that is organized, knowledgeable, and really cares about their students' improvement. Most good teachers should give you a free first lesson (they're confident that you will stay with them). Very good ones should not require you to sign any contracts, but come in for a lesson when you are ready (though they may cost more per hour). Look for people like this, and you'll find there are a lot of good teachers out there, so don't overspend. If the teacher is using a "method" or book, that could be a problem sign of a dead end teacher. They may have too many students to keep track of, thus they rely on a method book to cover a broad range of topics. (Not that books are bad, but they may not really relate to your musical goals and thus be very inefficient). Consider learning to read music now, too. Learning to read music is easy and necessary, and you wouldn't want to spend money on lessons going over that. Same for things like chord shapes and scales, which you can look up online. You don't want your teacher spending too much time writing those down for you. I once had a great teacher but he spent a lot of the lesson time writing out scales for me which I could have looked up online. But I'm sure you've thought about that. Also, don't buy a little practice amp unless you are getting a steal. Get a decent midrange amp (hopefully also for a steal) and you'll be much happier. I'm selling my Laney Hardcore Max 30 watt right now for $50 on Craiglist, for example (not trying to sell it to your or anything, you're overseas). coolbian57 fucked around with this message at 03:55 on May 7, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 7, 2013 03:52
|
|
|
Check it out, Agile makes an electric sitar now. http://www.rondomusic.com/sitar.html
|
|
#
?
May 7, 2013 22:10
|
|
|
Koth posted:Check it out, Agile makes an electric sitar now. They've had that up a few times before. They're pretty much a modern version of the one made by Danelectro and Coral, and not really that similar to a real sitar. Still pretty cool instruments though
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2013 00:05
|
|
|
Yeah, I was going to say; that's not really a sitar at all. It's a neat instrument, but you won't be able to play ICM on it.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2013 00:16
|
|
|
Koth posted:Check it out, Agile makes an electric sitar now. I saw a Coral one hanging up in a music shop here a few weeks ago and though it was a one-off kind of thing because I'm a retard, that's pretty cool.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2013 00:20
|
|
|
Think I'm about to buy an Orville Gibson Les Paul Custom.
|
|
#
?
May 8, 2013 14:56
|
|
|
What's the best option for someone needing to cram cover songs accurately? I was browsing the iPad store and came across the Songsterr app and it looks like something to get the results I want, is there anything better? A big bonus would be letting me load up an MP3 and play along with it in-app. Something for OS X wouldn't be bad either but I would definitely prefer the iPad option mostly. Incidentally, yes, I agree that figuring things out on my own is the best way to learn but I'm not interested in learning to play the guitar so much as settling into a possible band spot as quickly as possible (hopefully that didn't sound snarky).
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 01:33
|
|
|
A fake book? http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=240070&subsiteid=7 Tribute or cover band? Any specific genre?
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 01:49
|
|
|
Warcabbit posted:A fake book? Cover band, mostly 80's-ish hair metal, a smattering of the classics and as much of the newer wave of RnR that I can get them to stand. Fake books are a good option, I'll be taking over the lead guitar slot so being able to nail the solos is important to me. I've been doing my own thing for so long that even though the songs themselves are still familiar (the 'holy poo poo I remember Crazy Train!' moment during practice was hilarious) I'm basically starting from near-scratch and buying enough books would cause me to go broke. Honestly, that Songsterr thing looks cool as hell, I'm just worried it sucks or something.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 02:00
|
|
|
I'm trying to do the Coursera improv course and I'm having trouble getting decent recordings. I'm basically just trying to play along to a backing track while recording my improv track then mushing the two together in Audacity. The best results I've had is running a line in from my Fender Mustang I amp to the input on my PC. The problem is that I can't hear the amp  I'm playing on an Ibanez Artcore semi-hollow so it's not the end of the world, but it's not exactly optimal. I've tried USB-in, but the pickup/gain is so low as to be unusable. So what's my best option? I'm not trying to produce studio recordings (I know there's a home recording thread), so something cheap and flexible would be wonderful. Any ideas?
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 03:19
|
|
|
iostream.h posted:Sorry, that would have been good information to include! Ultimate Guitar Tabs app? I don't know Songsterr, but seriously, just print some tabs and go f'n wild, as I see it. Don't overthink stuff. Get a decent bunch of songs and practice. It'll come back to you, most of the solos are just scale runs anyhow. DEATH TO ALL BUT METAL!
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 03:30
|
|
|
Warcabbit posted:Ultimate Guitar Tabs app? I don't know Songsterr, but seriously, just print some tabs and go f'n wild, as I see it. Don't overthink stuff. Get a decent bunch of songs and practice. It'll come back to you, most of the solos are just scale runs anyhow. Thanks, you're right and I DO tend to overthink things. The last time I did this was erm...back when the songs were CURRENT. Yes, I'm old. Let me go ahead and rant about how loving awesome things are for this sort of thing these days, my God I remember scrounging for copies of Guitar For the Practicing Musician and others and that ONE GUY who had a tab book and walking 10 miles uphill both ways in the snow for one of those 1/2 speed tape players and get off my lawn you kids! Meh, life is good, excuse me, I need to go shred some acid washed jeans.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 03:48
|
|
|
crm posted:I'm trying to do the Coursera improv course and I'm having trouble getting decent recordings. You could run a two way splitter on your output line. One to your headphones, one to the computer. I'm sure this is less than optimal, but it works. 
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 04:24
|
|
|
crm posted:I'm trying to do the Coursera improv course and I'm having trouble getting decent recordings. I have a line 6 gearbox I picked up for 40 bucks that is great for cheap/lazy home recording. Only problem is that they stopped making them. If you can find a used one on ebay or craigslist for cheap I'd definitely recommend it.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 10:04
|
|
|
So I'm thinking about building a tribute to Zappa's yellow/blond Strat, but I have some questions for the wiring gurus out there. Basically the electronic setup I want is an HSH strat with a phase switch for the single coil, an active preamp with independent treble and mid EQs, a gain adjust, and a master gain/volume. GFS has the whole prewired preamp here, so my question is: with this preamp hooked up will the wiring for the phase switch change or will it still be in the same place in the circuit? I've done phase switches before but I've never built anything with an active preamp so I'm in the dark about how they work and what the wiring looks like. Also I realize that this is not the exact setup of Frank's Strat. I just want to build a loose approximation as a tribute since I know I'll never come close to Midget Sloatman's electronic wizardry.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 10:20
|
|
|
Unless I'm badly misremembering Songsterr is just bad and useless, don't get it. If you want slowed down music/tabs to play along with you can use GuitarPro files from someplace and the free TuxGuitar on a computer. It's Java so it runs on anything.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 13:19
|
|
|
Songsterr is really awful. Guitar Pro on the computer/iPhone/whatever is always the best option. Searching for good tabs sucks sometimes when you just want to play something but it's worth it when it comes to accuracy.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 13:35
|
|
|
Sockington posted:You could run a two way splitter on your output line. One to your headphones, one to the computer. I'm sure this is less than optimal, but it works. Probably the best option. Of course, then I won't be able to hear the backing track
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 14:06
|
|
|
Zuhzuhzombie!! posted:Think I'm about to buy an Orville Gibson Les Paul Custom. Do it. Solid investment, better than most Gibsons from the era. Can't remember if the Orvilles were Matsumoku but they're really solid guitars, better than modern Gibsons for sure.
|
|
#
?
May 9, 2013 16:47
|
|
|
I have an older Korean Ovation (~1977-78) Ultra 1517 that I've been playing for about five years. It's currently my only usable instrument, since my two electrics (Fender Jaguar and Toronado) and drum kit were ruined beyond repair in a flood a few weeks ago. The only thing that aggravates me about the guitar is that the box that holds the 9v for amp output is located inside the body, meaning I have to remove at least three strings to get in there and replace it. Also, since there isn't a switch of any sort, the 9v is constantly being sapped, little by little. I thought it wouldn't drain the battery unless it was connected to an amp, but a new 9v only lasts about a week in there before it dies. Does anyone have any idea if it would be possible to move the 9v case to the outside of the body without ruining the acoustics of the guitar? edit: Holy poo poo. I think I just solved my own problem. There is a switch and it's toggled by pulling on the tone dial. I can't believe I just realized this. Still, it would be handy to have the 9v case on the back/outside of the body, rather than inside. Bloodplay it again fucked around with this message at 16:30 on May 10, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 16:27
|
|
|
Put a rechargeable battery in it and wire up a charger kit for it. 
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 17:15
|
|
|
Holy poo poo twice! Thanks for that tip! Also, how bad are the electrics? I was looking for a new refurb challenge. Bodies split, electrics gone? Hm. How about a rechargable battery with one of those inductive chargers they use these days?
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 17:34
|
|
|
Sockington posted:Put a rechargeable battery in it and wire up a charger kit for it. That's a good idea, but I'm not sure how I would add any wiring to the box. I might be able to drill a 1/16" hole into the back of the body, run some 16ga wire through it, and tie it onto the wires that complete the circuit. If I go this route, I'm going to have to add some sort of switch to keep the juice from running to the charging wires when not in use. I'm far from being an electrical engineer, so it seems like a daunting task. Warcabbit posted:Holy poo poo twice! Thanks for that tip! My sister must have gone downstairs and messed with the guitars because they were not on their guitar stands. Had they been on the stands, I probably would've only had to replace the pickups, strings, and output jacks. Instead, the Toronado was leaned against the wall and 2/3 of the body was submerged for at least two days. The Jaguar was lying on its body (  ) and was completely underwater for the duration of the flood. It's split from 3" below the output all the way to the whammy bar. The finishes and paint have come off/are chipping. The fingerboards on both are completely shot, the Jaguar obviously being the worst. I could tell before I even picked it up that the fingerboard was bowed at least 1/8".The worst part about it is that the flood was inadvertently caused by my step dad putting a 4" PVC pipe around out 1" main water line, so we can't claim homeowners insurance. During very heavy rain in the midwest, the ground became supersaturated and the water collected in the 4" pipe, escaping into the basement. I tried to salvage the footpedals by opening them and cleaning the insides with rubbing alcohol, but they're all broken. Out of about $5k worth of equipment, the only things I could save were the two top-mounted toms and the cymbals. I already got rid of most of the damaged equipment after surveying the damage. I'll look into inductive chargers. I haven't come across any that charge 9v batteries, but I also haven't looked recently. That might be a better idea than drilling into the body, especially since I don't know what I'm doing.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 18:33
|
|
|
Bloodplay it again posted:The worst part about it is that the flood was inadvertently caused by my step dad putting a 4" PVC pipe around out 1" main water line, so we can't claim homeowners insurance. During very heavy rain in the midwest, the ground became supersaturated and the water collected in the 4" pipe, escaping into the basement. I tried to salvage the footpedals by opening them and cleaning the insides with rubbing alcohol, but they're all broken. Out of about $5k worth of equipment, the only things I could save were the two top-mounted toms and the cymbals. I already got rid of most of the damaged equipment after surveying the damage. If this were my stepdad I would punch him in the balls then slap my sister in the tit.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 18:38
|
|
|
I'm only about 20 pages into this thread, but wanted to throw this out real fast. I recently decided to start playing guitar again, and actually focus on learning chords and theory instead of just power chords and learning songs to jam along with friends. I picked up a $60 Squier Affinity Strat, and have been using justinguitar.com and having a blast! My only issue is, and I know that a huge part of this is because I'm a beginner, but my giant banana fingers keep muting strings and it's driving me nuts. My Strat has a 40mm nut width, and the Affinity Telecaster that I actually wanted has a 42mm nut width. I wouldn't really have an issue with just straight up buying the Tele, but would those extra 2mm actually be beneficial to me in not muting strings? I've looked around online, and it seems like the wider the nut, the wider the string spacing, so what do you guys thing, could this help?
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 22:14
|
|
|
Is there a good guide to wiring guitars for people with minimal electronics experience somewhere? I have an old Ibanez TC530, the electronics suck to begin with and years and dust haven't done them any favors, and I was thinking about ripping most/all of it out and redoing it. I don't think the guitar is really worth enough to bother paying someone else for the job...
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 22:23
|
|
|
Bloodplay it again posted:That's a good idea, but I'm not sure how I would add any wiring to the box. I might be able to drill a 1/16" hole into the back of the body, run some 16ga wire through it, and tie it onto the wires that complete the circuit. If I go this route, I'm going to have to add some sort of switch to keep the juice from running to the charging wires when not in use. I'm far from being an electrical engineer, so it seems like a daunting task. Basically, wire up a 1/8" audio jack to the back/bottom of the guitar to supply power to the battery. It won't take power from the battery unless you plug something into the jack to complete the electrical loop. So when not charging, there's nothing in the jack that would take power. Then turn off the pickup with the switch and plug in your home made 9v charger. No idea if this would work, but just spitballing with you.
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 22:49
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 04:57 |
|
|
10 Beers posted:I'm only about 20 pages into this thread, but wanted to throw this out real fast. I recently decided to start playing guitar again, and actually focus on learning chords and theory instead of just power chords and learning songs to jam along with friends. I picked up a $60 Squier Affinity Strat, and have been using justinguitar.com and having a blast! My only issue is, and I know that a huge part of this is because I'm a beginner, but my giant banana fingers keep muting strings and it's driving me nuts. My Strat has a 40mm nut width, and the Affinity Telecaster that I actually wanted has a 42mm nut width. I wouldn't really have an issue with just straight up buying the Tele, but would those extra 2mm actually be beneficial to me in not muting strings? I've looked around online, and it seems like the wider the nut, the wider the string spacing, so what do you guys thing, could this help? It might feel a little more comfortable (which can be a big help), but in a practical sense you're talking 2mm spread across all those string gaps, it's not going to make a massive difference in the amount of clearance your fingers get. Really the most important thing is technique - your fingers really need to be fretting with the tips, coming straight down onto the fretboard. (Justin teaches this, later he gets to relaxing that rule to intentionally mute strings, but at first you need to get used to the basic technique.) With your fingers straight-on to the fretboard, you keep them away from the adjacent strings. See if you can do that, however slowly, and get the notes to ring out cleanly - make sure you fret as close to the fret wire (the bit you're pulling the vibrating part of the string over) as you can get. If you can do that, it's just a case of practice and good technique. If no matter what your fingers always seem to get in the way, it could be that your guitar's action is too high - the height of the strings off the fretboard. If you have to push them down a long way to fret them, it means the fatter part of your finger gets near the other strings. I'm going to guess your Affinity hasn't seen a setup, even expensive guitars usually need one when you first buy them, it's something you can do yourself but it's a good idea to get it done professionally with your first instrument, so you know how it's supposed to feel. (It shouldn't be expensive.) If you have a ruler, what's the size of the gap between the fretboard and the thickest string at the 12th fret?
|
|
#
?
May 10, 2013 23:24
|
|