Guitarists - Discuss Broom with 6 Strings

[hitssquad]

Cinnamon to lubricate sticky fingers

It's a Westbury Performer (not sure what year). It's not a bad guitar, but the back of the neck has a high gloss finish and my thumb sticks and makes it hard to move.

Sometimes my finger sticks a little on the trackpad on my laptop. To remedy this, I lubricate my finger by dipping it in a bag of powdered cinnamon. My laptop gets slightly cinnamon colored, but it works great. You can get cheap cinnamon in the bulk foods sections of natural foods stores.

 

[hitssquad]

Hand built guitar FX and the Racer X forums

I also hand build effects. Anyone who has a dream about a custom built fuzz and/or switch/looper boxes, send me a PM. I'm selling for cost of parts at the moment until I can get some reviews :)

You should post that offer on the http://www.racerxband.com/board/. I think you will get a ton of responses and when people use your FX they will post feedback on the Racer X forums.

 

[Moonbear]

I took 4 or 5 years of lessons as a kid, and have little to show for it. I hated practicing (I don't think my instructor's approach suited my needs...it was too theoretical, which helped when I took music appreciation in college, but didn't keep me interested in practicing). Now I'd really like to pick it up again, but can't seem to convince my parents to unbury my guitar from their piles of crap in their garage let alone ship it to me (not even sure what condition it would be in at this point). I was good at sight-reading though (had to be, since I never practiced I was always playing stuff for the first time at my lessons). But then there was this one folk song I was supposed to learn that I actually practiced (I had gotten quite a lecture from my mom about the cost of lessons and not practicing)...the tempo was supposed to be allegro, but I don't think quite as fast as I actually played it when I went for my lesson. Ha ha. I had it completely memorized, and my fingers just flew over the notes. It was fun until I was told to slow down a little...drat! It was sort of folk song meets repressed rock musician. All I really wanted was to get to play songs I actually recognized, not dopey folk songs (of course now I have more appreciation for folk songs than I did then).

 

[wasteofo2]

I bought a bass guitar recently (less than a week ago), and I've already worked out most the bassline to "Otherside" by the RHCP. Now if I could play it like Flea...

I feel so simple with my 4 strings.

You have a choice as a bassist, you can be a simple little thing that just plays in the background, or you could try to take your 4 strings and do something far too few people do in music and actually be a creative element in a band (if you're in a band). I suggest you listen to a lot of Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Black Sabbath (NIB solo especially) for some inspiration on how to make those 4 strings into something more than just backup for guitar.

 

[Moonbear]

i'm a guitar player too. i took a couple music classes in school just for some credits and it turned out that I've a real knack for it all. i picked up piano phenominally fast, and I'm a very decent guitart player. i write a lot of music myself, i can only play a few familiar songs. i like classic rock and oldies mostly. i have a lyon eletric guitar that's very nice but i never play. i love my acoustic guitars. my pride and joy is my washburn. its sounds great and the paint job matched my wild hair from my 16th birthday, so that was really cool when i got it. i also have an old epi that's like a cheese slicer and I'm the only one i know who can play it for more than 5 minutes. and i just got an old classical guitar, which i think is great.

i write a lot of music. I'm thinking about getting some recording and writing software for my birthday. my dad was actually telling me the other day that i should forget about my science and math careers and stick with my music. he's an engineer too! my he says I'm too much an atrist to be stuck behind a computer or in a lab. eh awell..

I work with someone who had that tough decision to make when he was doing a post-doc. His band was doing very well playing in NYC clubs, and he had a really tough decision whether to stay in science or stay in music. He chose science (the fool!), but puts on a great performance at scientific meetings! He and a few others have a recurring act at the social for one of our meetings. They parody lyrics with themes relevant to the scientists in the audience, and do a very good job of it. He has his own original songs too, but doesn't perform those for audiences too often. It turns out that having good stage presence is also a great skill for a scientific career.

 

[Zeteg]

Ooh ooh! I play guitar but I suck =\

 

[Gale]

I work with someone who had that tough decision to make when he was doing a post-doc. His band was doing very well playing in NYC clubs, and he had a really tough decision whether to stay in science or stay in music. He chose science (the fool!), but puts on a great performance at scientific meetings! He and a few others have a recurring act at the social for one of our meetings. They parody lyrics with themes relevant to the scientists in the audience, and do a very good job of it. He has his own original songs too, but doesn't perform those for audiences too often. It turns out that having good stage presence is also a great skill for a scientific career.

i'd be pleanty happy doing that the rest of my life. And then i wouldn't have to think up new subjects for my lyrics all the time... i'd just write whatever i'd happen to be working on at the time. Thats how i write my music now... but songs about my evenings at taco bell aren't really too interesting.. funny.. but not exactly captivating...

anyways, i can't read tab... anyone have recomendations on how i ought learn? I've looked at stuff on the internet... but i dunno... how necessary is it that i learn tab? i play by ear excellently, that's how I've got by so far, that and just watching others play, plus i read piano music and transpose it to my guitar. Its worked for me. But would tab help me improve my abilities??

 

[hitssquad]

What is really important to learn to be a guitarist

anyways, i can't read tab... anyone have recomendations on how i ought learn? I've looked at stuff on the internet... but i dunno... how necessary is it that i learn tab?

Almost the only reason for the existence of tab is to be able to communicate to the players of multi-srting instruments which strings to play the notes on. If you can figure out on your own which strings to use, it isn't necessary at all.

would tab help me improve my abilities??

If you can already play sheet music on a guitar (an insanely difficult feat due to the six strings) you probably wouldn't gain anything by "learning" tab. Tab is much easier than reading music. Most guitarists use tab as a cheat sheet since they can't read music at all. A typical non-music-reading guitarist who wants to play piano music on his guitar would probably transcribe the piano music one note at a time to guitar tablature and then play the tablature after listening to a professional recording of the same music (to get the rythms correct).

Where tab can really help, though, is a situation where you are trying to copy another guitarist note-for-note off of a record and the playing is too complicated or fast to figure out. Most professional tablature transcriptionists use special playback machines to allow them to dissect high-speed guitar solos. Guitar transcriptionist Steve Vai says he used to use a half-speed tape player. I have done a fair amount of guitar transcribing myself and I prefer to be able to play back and repeat tiny snippets of music stopped immediately to silence so the music snippet has a chance to echo in my head without being washed out of my working memory by music preceding or following the target music snippet.

Anyway, the most important thing for any musician to learn is to play by ear (which you said you are already doing). Your own collection of music recordings is your best friend when it comes to learning how to become a great player. I don't know of any famous modern musicians who did not learn to play by copying the riffs and licks on their favorite records.

 

[jimmy p]

You have a choice as a bassist, you can be a simple little thing that just plays in the background, or you could try to take your 4 strings and do something far too few people do in music and actually be a creative element in a band (if you're in a band). I suggest you listen to a lot of Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Black Sabbath (NIB solo especially) for some inspiration on how to make those 4 strings into something more than just backup for guitar.

That is EXACTLY what I want to do. I want to be just as much in the forefront as the other guitarists. Life Duff McKagan or Steve Harris.

 

[Andy]

Just call me Slash!

 

[Muon12]

If it has strings, I'll play it.

 

[Muon12]

I haven't learned how to play the banjola yet, though. Gotta get started with that one...

 

[wasteofo2]

That is EXACTLY what I want to do. I want to be just as much in the forefront as the other guitarists. Life Duff McKagan or Steve Harris.

Dude, Duff? I've never once heard a GNR track where I can recall the bass standing out at all, they're one of those bands that I feel just had bass becasue of the tradition. Are there any GNR songs that maybe I don't know about or haven't given a good listen to where Duff does anything special?

 

[jimmy p]

Dude, Duff? I've never once heard a GNR track where I can recall the bass standing out at all, they're one of those bands that I feel just had bass becasue of the tradition. Are there any GNR songs that maybe I don't know about or haven't given a good listen to where Duff does anything special?

maybe it just stands out for me, I usually listen to basslines of songs over the rest of the song, and the GNR basslines seem to stand out. Maybe a song like "Civil War" would be a good one to listen to.


OOH! got my new bass amp the other day. A lot bigger than I thought. But then, I think it is 130W so it is excused, though I don't know where I'm going to stick it in my room. I'm so pleased!

 

[Artman]

I suggest you listen to a lot of Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Black Sabbath (NIB solo especially) for some inspiration on how to make those 4 strings into something more than just backup for guitar.

These are good suggestions. They are noticeable, yet they don't overpower the song. I would also suggest Rush and Sting or The Police.

 

[Muon12]

If you're looking for some bass inspiration, don't forget Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Les Claypool of Primus. Both of these guys have at one point or another, redefined the bass guitar as a very capable and sometimes powerful lead instrument. Plus, some Jazz/slap bass never hurts either. You can learn a lot about balancing rhythm and tone while you play if you listen to that style. Play on...

 

[Artman]

I got some new guitar gear.

A few months ago, I got a Squier M-70 guitar. This is not your normal Squier. It has a solid mahogony body, a set neck, bound body and neck, sealed tuners, tunamatic bridge, and Duncan Design humbuckers. Great sounding guitar for very little money.

I got a really good deal on a new Behringer AC112 amp. It's a hybrid with a tube in the preamp, 99 preset, adjustable, digital effects and SS power amp. 60 watts with a 12" Jenson speaker. It sounds really sweet. Again, great sound for very little money.

I've started playing in public about 20 times a year, so I needed some decent equipment (I used to have a Gorilla amp )

 

[Janitor]

The good 'uns know when and how to bend those strings. I don't even try. I am lucky if I can get my fingers to the right fret in time.

I am enjoying a CD called 'Very Early Joan' [Baez] that I was given for the holidays. As far as I know, she is doing all the guitar playing on those taped live performances, and it sounds great. She would have been something like 20 years old at the time, I figure. Um, that's what they call 'talent.' On two of the songs she is doing a parody of some rock 'n roll-er type who must have been getting songs on the charts at the time, and those songs are especially fun to listen to. I would say it was maybe Lou Christie or Frankie Valli that she was doing.

 

[Janitor]

... Great sounding guitar for very little money...

Would you mind if I asked you to quantify that for us?

 

[Astronuc]

Had a bass guitar (low quality Gibson ripoff) - needed new pickups. A roomate had Rickenbacher that I played occasionally.

Didn't perform except on rare occasions, but not pro.

Favorite bass tune is the solo by Jon Camp of Rennaisance on there Live from Carnegie Hall. The track is Ashes Are Burning. Camp plays a Rickenbacher with a pick, and strums and picks the base like some people play a guitar. He does some really smooth chords. To play like Camp really requires greater than normal strength and endurance - the forearms can get really stiff (and can burn) for the novice.

I heard Ashes Are Burning during a live performance in Houston at the Houston Symphony, which was good, but not as good as the performance at Carnegie.

Also, if you want to hear an incredible voice, Annie Haslam sang lead for Rennaisance. Annie has a 5 octave range.

Does anyone have an opinion on or preference for basses by Gibson, Rickenbacher, Fender, or whatever?

 

[Gokul43201]

Speaking of bassists...

I think John Entwistle (The Who), Geddy Lee (Rush), and Jack Bruce (Cream) were great bassists. Haven't heard many bassists recenty that I liked very much, except perhaps for the crazy guy that plays bass for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

But I don't play guitar...so it's back to you guys.

 

[DB]

I'm sorry I just saw this thread! I'm a huge guitarist misogynisticfeminist, its my passion and has been for a while. Stevie Ray Vaughan is my god, but my heart lies with funk. I'm in a band called Joyride and we're actually doing pretty good. Check this out: at a bar mitzvah we played and a guy in the record business from new york says he wants us to send him a tape! We freaked. Anyway, rock on to all the musician's out here.

 

[Artman]

Would you mind if I asked you to quantify that for us?

I got the guitar for $199.00, and that included shipping. The MSRP on that model was $690.00. It was modeled on the DeArmond M-70, (Fender bought DeArmond and closed them down after this series.) The main difference between the Squier and the DeArmond was the pickups. The Duncan Design pickups are made in Korea from Duncan specs. The reason they sold so cheap was that players were pissed at Fender for closing DeArmond and putting the Squier name on the guitar. As for me, I couldn't care less whose name is on it. It is a great musical instrument.

I got a great deal on the amp too. $146.00 for a 60 watt tube hybrid with digital effects and a 12" Jensen speaker! Excellent sounding professional quality amp.

 

[hypnagogue]

I've started playing in public about 20 times a year, so I needed some decent equipment (I used to have a Gorilla amp )

That sounds awesome, it must be really gratifying to play in front of an audience. What kind of stuff do you play?

 

[Artman]

That sounds awesome, it must be really gratifying to play in front of an audience. What kind of stuff do you play?

I play in a church group. It doesn't sound like much, but the audience can vary between 20 or 30 people on a Sunday night to 200 or more on a regular Sunday service. For my part I play blues based lead and electric rythym (most of the others in the group play amplified acoustics).

It is gratifying to play for people. When I first took up guitar, I played in a group with my brother. We were asked to play at various locations,for parties and small gatherings. I really wasn't much good, so I got nervous, which made me worse. I quit playing for about 10 years, only dragging out the guitar occasionally.

When this group started, I decided that I wasn't going to be nervous. I wasn't going to even think about what I was doing, just play. I'm actually getting pretty good this time around.

I'm working on getting more proficient at stepping in and out of rythym into lead. It's tricky, but that's what keeps it fun.

 

[hypnagogue]

It is gratifying to play for people. When I first took up guitar, I played in a group with my brother. We were asked to play at various locations,for parties and small gatherings. I really wasn't much good, so I got nervous, which made me worse. I quit playing for about 10 years, only dragging out the guitar occasionally.

Sounds a bit like me. At least the "not very good, so only drag the guitar out on occasions" part. I started off learning from a CD tutorial, which was actually pretty good, and picked it up some basics fairly quickly. After exhausting the material on the CD, I've mostly just looked up tabs for various songs on the odd occasion, with mixed results. I do have an instructional book that I should really get around to using someday. Never played for an audience though. It'd be really nice, if I ever got up to snuff.

By the way, blues for a church group sounds interesting. Not what I'd expect (though honestly, the only thing I'd expect with a guitar is folksie acoustic; shows what I know about churches).

 

[Artman]

By the way, blues for a church group sounds interesting. Not what I'd expect (though honestly, the only thing I'd expect with a guitar is folksie acoustic; shows what I know about churches).

I use blues based and Pentatonic scales to play improvised leads over the songs. Most of the three chord stuff works pretty good.

Our group leader tends that way (folksie acoustic), Occassionally he will play a strat and plug it into a modeller that he can set for acoustic to get rid of his electric sound!

Personally I would love to get some Santana or Pink Floyd like sounds in our mix. So I set my amp on the edge of overdriving and then when we get playing I turn up the guitar and get a little grit to the sound.

Being in a group there is a lot of give and take to get everyone to fit in. Even though it isn't always my style, it is still a lot of fun.

 

[hypnagogue]

I use blues based and Pentatonic scales to play improvised leads over the songs. Most of the three chord stuff works pretty good.

If you want to stir up some controversy, try using a tritone scale.

Personally I would love to get some Santana or Pink Floyd like sounds in our mix. So I set my amp on the edge of overdriving and then when we get playing I turn up the guitar and get a little grit to the sound.

Pink Floyd sounds about right for a religious musical session in earnest. If the church has an organ, Cirrus Minor would be a pretty intense song to cover. And if you can find a keyboardist/pianist and a woman who can sing with soul, The Great Gig in the Sky seems all too appropriate.

 

[Artman]

If you want to stir up some controversy, try using a tritone scale.

I'm likin' this.

Pink Floyd sounds about right for a religious musical session in earnest. If the church has an organ, Cirrus Minor would be a pretty intense song to cover. And if you can find a keyboardist/pianist and a woman who can sing with soul, The Great Gig in the Sky seems all too appropriate.

My wife can do soul. Yeah, those would be cool.

 

[Janitor]

I got the guitar for $199.00, and that included shipping...

Sounds like a great deal for sure.

To paraphrase the late Roger Miller, Twenty hours of pushing broom buys a guitar and an eight by twelve four-bit room...