EasyGuitar Blog

The Trad versus The Rad

By admin | December 12, 2007

Guitar makers and enthusiasts are full of tradition. Its no mystery, really - some of the greatest guitars available on the market today are being made in the same facilities using the same techniques, even some of the same people for the last 30-40 years! And when we pick up those instruments, something about the way they feel or the tone or the comfort of the neck… it just feels right. I had that experience in a guitar shop not too long ago when I picked up a Martin D-35: the ebony fretboard played like butter, the spruce and East Indian Rosewood sang to me. I could have played that guitar for hours. Unfortunately, however, the particular model I was playing I don’t think I would ever actually BUY, simply because I wouldn’t really use it as much as that guitar deserves to be used! I play live at least once a week, and I need something that not only has built-in electronics and/or a preamp, but I also need something that on a practical level is going to hold up well against the rigors of transporting my instruments. That D-35 sounded incredible, and I enjoyed picking it up, but I don’t think I would have walked to the register with it.

There are few guitar makers that can rival that classic Martin acoustic tone, especially unplugged. I’ve heard it said many a time that a true test for an acoustic is what it sounds like with no bells and whistles, and certainly Martin would rank quite high in that argument. They continue to produce high quality acoustic guitars, and much like the Stratocaster, the types and methods remain largely unchanged. The trick is, I think, to produce something that maintains your tradition while still ensuring that people are buying your product.

Without further ado, I give you Taylor guitars. Certainly, Taylor and Martin have been in competition for years now, and there are those “brand purists” out there who would sell their firstborn before they would even consider buying a guitar brand different then what they have bought their entire life. But as far as me personally, I am much more likely to actually walk to the register with a Taylor than a Martin. Now, certainly there are other options as well when you are looking at the high end acoustic-electric market, such as Breedlove, Larrivee, Avalon, even Guild and Gibson have some models that can rival these high end acoustic manufacturers. But at the end of the day, its about buying what meets my needs. With guitar technology in an ever-increasing incline (ESPECIALLY in the acoustic market), I want something that is what I want tonally but is still at the forefront of new technology.

I give you the Taylor T5. What an impressive little machine this guitar is! From acoustic to jazz, blues to hard rock, country to folk, this guitar can perform. Now, I’ve NEVER been a fan of the hybrid guitar, until I actually heard what this thing was capable of from a tone standpoint. Not only was it unique and different, but the tonal range went from thick and rich (Les Paul-ish) to glassy and smooth (Strat/Telly-ish) to sounding like a GIANT body jazz guitar, and back full circle to sounding like a fine Taylor acoustic. Truly this is a pioneering instrument with a whole different mentality then the Taylors before it. Taylor’s website even has what they call a T5 Soundcheck, where you can here the Taylor through several different amps, change the pickup settings, even change the model of T5, and get a good feel for what it is going to sound like.

Out in January of ‘08 are the first round of real live Taylor solid body electrics, complete with new pickup configurations, new awesome colors, and new attitudes to go along with it. I fully expect these guitars to be of the same caliber and quality as all the Taylors preceding them, and while I’m sure they won’t be the cheapest electrics on the market, I think they could have an instant impact. The electric market is huge, and filled with even more tradition then the acoustic market I think, but Taylor has enough of a following to where people are going to want to get these guitars in their hands and ultimately take them home.

Certainly Martin is no less of a guitar then Taylor, but clearly Taylor has the more pioneering spirit, which I think will lead to more success for them. The fact is that the modern guitar is changing, and personally I’m looking forward to it.

But I will always love a great sounding Strat.

Topics: acoustic, guitar | No Comments »

Your Guitar “Must-haves”

By admin | December 6, 2007

Well Christmas is right around the corner, and with that comes the pressure of buying gifts for people not having any idea what they want! Well, I decided to try and do my part and give you some great gift ideas for that guitar player/enthusiast on your list! I’m going to try and keep these well within a manageable price range (meaning no $4,000 Gibson Robot guitars) and also have a little something for everyone, whether the guitar player on your list is a shredding metal-head or a die hard Neil Young fan. Any of these would also make great stocking stuffers!

First off is one of the best little guitar inventions ever (in my humble opinion) - The Dunlop Turbo Tune String/Peg winder. Its a peg winder that isn’t JUST a peg winder, but the tuning-key end of the tool is removable and can be used with a electric screwdriver or drill. That means that you can cut down EVEN MORE on your string change time, which is never a bad thing! You can find it here.

Next up is one of my favorite guitar accessories - The String Swing CC01 Guitar Hanger. Nothing makes a room look quite as cool as when you’ve got guitars mounted on the walls! These come with standard screws (that are pretty heavy duty) and some great drywall screws, and the hanger itself is built quite sturdy and looks good! I’ve used these personally for quite a while and can vouch for their sturdiness, especially seeing as most of my guitars are pretty heavy (Les Paul). You can find this here.

Got a singer/songwriter on your Christmas gift list? Make his or her life a lot easier by picking up a Shubb C1 Capo. In case you don’t know, capos (pronounced “kae-po”) make it a whole lot easier to play in keys that aren’t exactly guitar friendly without adjusting your tuning. The reason I prefer these in particular over the standard clamp-on style of capos is because you can adjust the tension. This prevents your guitar from being thrown madly out of tune every time you put on or remove your capo. These also come in “cut-capo” form, for the more experimental acoustic player out there. You can find the standard one here.

Got a regular gigger on your list? One of my favorite (not to mention one of the cheapest) little accessories for playing live shows is the Dunlop 5010 Mic Stand Pick Holder. I am absolutely TERRIBLE about dropping picks right in the middle of singing or riffing, so it is so handy to have that little holder on the mic stand to bail me out whenever I need it! This fits very easily on just about any standard microphone stand, and easily holds 6-8 picks depending on what brand you play with. I wouldn’t really recommend this for someone who doesn’t play live at least semi-regularly, simply because it won’t get used otherwise. If you DO know someone who is regularly playing, this is a must. You can find it here.

As far as I’m concerned, every guitar player needs to own the Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD filmed in Dallas in November 2004. The “who’s who” of guitar players are not only there, but they share the stage together on several points - guys like Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Clapton, Robert Randolph, Steve Vai, B.B. King, Jimmie Vaughn… you name it, it is there. It is a very entertaining DVD that surprisingly doesn’t over-do the blues. There’s several genres, from Steve Vai to James Taylor, so there’s definitely something for everyone. And even if your long-haired rocker thinks that James Taylor is nothing but a wuss with an acoustic, the production of this DVD is certainly good enough to hold his attention. Plus, all proceeds from the sale of this DVD go to the Crossroads Centre of Antigua (a Clapton-owned rehab facility that recently housed Lindsay Lohan and Brittaney Spears). You can find this here.

And finally, for that up-and-coming guitar player that you know that has a ton of promise - Fretboard Roadmaps Vol. 1. This book is one of the best compilations I’ve ever seen of practical yet tasty guitar riffs, and it has certainly become a resource for me for both playing and teaching. This book really takes you through not only some great, versatile guitar riffs but it also details HOW the original author got there, and the music theory behind what is happening. This is a great book, and is useful by anyone who is trying to take their skills to the next level. You can find it here.

So there you have it! Hit up those links and put a smile on your guitar players face. You won’t regret it.

Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

The Writing Code

By admin | December 3, 2007

There are seemingly endless resources for learning how to play the instrument of your choice, no matter how odd the instrument our how novice or advanced the skill level. From books to videos, private instructors, even software - you can learn your instrument in just about whatever FORMAT you want, for any style you want. There is, however, one thing that I believe simply can not be completely taught: songwriting.

Songwriting has got to be one of the most difficult elements of playing any instrument, whether you are just trying to write some basic words to go hand-in-hand with some chords or you are writing several individual parts to be played by some form of orchestra or ensemble. Lyric writing on its own can prove VERY difficult, just because at some point you don’t just want to link some words that rhyme, but rather you want to SAY SOMETHING. Some of the greatest lyricists of our day are great not because they followed some sort of pattern or formula, but rather because they said something worth hearing! Anyone who has played acoustic guitar any length of time has figured out that playing and SINGING simultaneously bring a whole new life to the guitar, and odds are that same person has tried it (or is thinking about trying it). Some of the most influential guitar players in history were guys armed with little more than their acoustic and a notebook full of words, and it is them who we emulate today. I’m thinking of guys like Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Neil Young… guys who understood that not only did they want to create good music, but they wanted to say something with it!

Songwriting doesn’t stop at lyrics, however. Arranging a song and taking other instruments and blending together to form something that people will love to listen to, while still being true to your artistic nature, is an art unto itself. Being able to find a sweet spot in your rhythm, the perfect tone, and the right guitar riffs can be every bit as important as WHAT you are saying in the song. After all, if you don’t wrap your message in good music, you might as well just be a poet.

There are some people in the current music scene who I believe to be amazing songwriters, both lyrically and musically:

John Mayer (can you tell I’m a fan?), Stephan Jenkins, Adam Duritz, Chris Martin, Nathan Pettijohn, James Horner, Adam Levine, Chris Thile… I could go on and on.

Whose lyrics make you think?

Topics: songwriting | 1 Comment »

The stuff of legends…

By admin | November 28, 2007

As an avid guitar player, I feel a certain responsibility to see any rock or guitar-icon concerts that may come through my part of the country, and in doing so my eyes have definitely been opened regarding just how influential some of these bands, and therefore their shows, have been. Not too long ago an old friend and I went to see Van Halen at the American Airlines Center here in Dallas, and I must say I wasn’t disappointed. At the time they were touring with Sammy Haggar (who put on a surprisingly good acoustic set in the middle of the show), and while you could certainly SEE the age difference in the musicians, the music was still played with passion and heart. It was particularly cool to see someone as iconic as EVH himself, especially knowing how he battled cancer and chemical addictions to come back and play a great rock show. Now, my one little disclaimer is that Van Halen is not necessarily in my favorite bands, but I think it is important to familiarize yourself with the guys who made it possible for great rock to exist. If you were a painter, you would study other artists, regardless if they were your favorite or not, and this is no different.

Another show I picked up in Dallas was The Black Crowes, who put on a great rock show but left out some of their absolute best, most recognizable tunes. I was very much looking forward to hearing “Hard to Handle”, “Jealous Again,” or even “She Talks to Angels”, but I never got the chance. They still put on a heck of a rock show, and showed why they are among some of the more elite bands birthed in the 90’s. They certainly aren’t as iconic as EVH, but nevertheless I think they will be remembered down the road.

If I am to stick with talking about guitar players, however, the best show I have ever seen was hands down John Mayer. You have to cut Mayer some slack - he did not PLAN on being a pop sensation when he first came on to the scene, it was just the way the chips fell. He got a lot of radio air-time being played in between Pink and Kanye West, but I assure you that is not where he belongs. Mayer is quickly becoming a guitar icon, and I can safely say he is one of the best guitar players walking around right now. Why else would he be invited to play at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads festival? See a video of that at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEE2_RYyVYk

Mayer plays with poise and accuracy, but what blows me away about seeing him in concert is his ridiculous ability to find NEW melodies and implement them in to guitar solos. He is definitely an artist worthy of his own post… I will have to tackle that soon.

So now tell me some of YOUR favorite shows! It can be recent or from long ago… Let us all be envious of your great rock experiences.

Topics: Guitarists of note | 2 Comments »

The Good ‘Ole Days

By admin | November 21, 2007

I have been trapped in the center of an argument that has raged on in guitar-playing environments for quite some time, and now I want to get YOU involved.

The argument, quite simply, is Analog vs Digital.

Given my last post (see “My Edge Tribute”) which discussed some of the latest and best in guitar effects, I thought this would be an appropriate time to start some discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of analog and digital guitar effect systems. Seeing some of the pros and cons right off the bat is relatively simple:

Digital Pros: sound consistency, lightweight, the higher end systems are completely self contained, doesn’t draw an obscene amount of power or create much heat, and is generally pretty reliable. Digital amps with on-board effects are handy…

Digital Cons: TOTAL LACK OF TONE, if one thing goes down the whole system goes down, and they can be incredibly non-user friendly.

Analog Pros: TONE, TONE, AND MORE TONE!!! Individual controls of each effect via individual stompboxes, total flexibility with pre and post gain options, tube amps can provide some great tone across the board and can make a mediocre guitar sound great. Tons of EQ options.

Analog Cons: HEAVY equipment, with all the individual stompboxes comes lots of possibility for bad cables, tube amps run hot and demand a lot of wattage, and there’s always the possibility of a tube going bad.

The amazing thing to me is I can look at the Analog Cons versus the Digital Pros, and the thought never crosses my mind to invest in digital effects. The processing is far from impressive, even with the advancement of the technology in the last 4-5 years. For me, its all about that tone - I cannot stand to play through a rig with that canned, processed, non-organic screeching coming from it. I have to have the tube warmth, the analog overdrive, and the creaminess of some natural tube break-up. The only digital effect that I own and will endorse is my delay: a Boss DD20, the 2-pedal delay setup that they make. Other than that pedal, I run an all analog setup from effects to amp, and don’t think I could ever bring myself to go back.

I did play with a guy in California a couple of years ago who traveled with a Line 6 Vetta set up, and it wasn’t terrible, but I still couldn’t get passed the lack of warmth. I had the Analog versus Digital discussion with him, and he informed me that the only reason he played digital was for the ease of setup, which I can understand.

So lets all give thanks, on this day before Turkey Day, for vacuum tubes and real transistors!

Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

My “Edge” Tribute

By admin | November 16, 2007

Less is more.

We’ve heard it said hundreds of times, and most of the time it applies. Backing off and leaving people wanting more is so much more enticing than giving people way too much to handle, especially in a musical sort of environment. We’ve all had the experience of trying out a new band - we throw the CD in, click through the first track or two, and figure out very quickly that the music is just too “busy”. Its like they tried to cram 12 minutes of music in to a 4 minute space: it just gets annoying. I believe in music, there is an element of “space”, where sometimes its alright not to have the biggest possible sound we can achieve. We have to play a song leaving somewhere to go, and if the song calls for us to get as big, loud, and rockin as we can, you can’t make that the norm. You wait for those moments, and treat them well when they arrive.

David Howell Evans has mastered that. You know him as The Edge from U2.

I believe he is one of the most influential and pioneering guitar players of the last 2 decades, and certainly one of the most recognizable. Anybody who has spent any time listening to The Joshua Tree, Unforgettable Fire, or even How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb has become familiar with that signature Edge tone and feel, and whether you love U2 or hate them, The Edge is still someone worthy of some recognition. When U2 was getting started in the early 80’s, speed metal (and metal in general) was the dominant genre by far. Classic rock was fading out, and the likes of Metallica, Van Halen, and Megadeth were storming on to the scene with a whole new twist on rock & roll. This seemed to not affect The Edge, who stuck with his style and with it helped launch one of the most successful rock bands of all time.

Now 25 years later, he is still part of an elite team of musicians who continues to crank out great music. He was listed as #24 in Rolling Stone’s Greatest Guitar Players of All Time, and while I don’t put much stock in those sort of lists I would say they got one thing right! His style is just as recognizable today as it was was 20 years ago, as well as just as enjoyable. After a little research, I managed to find an equipment list of his effects rig. Check it out, you’ll be druling:

Pedals and Rack

“Floor board” - Digitech WH-1, Dunlop Wah, Skrydstrup SC-1 (foot controller which controls the gear in rack, and the pedals as well.)
“Rack” -Lexicon PCM, TC 2290 Dynamic Delay, Line6 Pod Pro, Korg SDD 3000, AMS S-DMX, Korg A3, Line 6 CUSTOM Distortion Pro, Rockton DVC
“Pedals” - BOSS CS-2, BOSS DD-3, BOSS FA-1, BOSS GE-7, BOSS PW-2, EHX Big Muff, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Lovetone Doppelganger, Lovetone Meatball

And of course all of that is run through the legendary Vox AC30, but he can also be seen on stage with a Fender Deluxe Tweed from time to time (see Live at Slane Castle DVD). To power it all, he uses a myriad of axes, probably the most famous of which being his Gibson Explorer. He doesn’t stop there by any means, frequently switching to Strats, Les Pauls, and all sorts of other goodies. A thoroughly envy-worthy gig, without a doubt.

But what makes him The Edge (other than the wool beanie) is that flawless playing style. He seems to always have the perfect riff at the perfect moment, an ability I will eternally be envious of. He is the ultimate “ensemble player”, completely understanding when to play and (more importantly) when NOT to play. He seeks to compliment music with his riffs, as opposed to stealing the overall value the song is offering. He knows something inherently that every guitar player needs to hear at some point:

Less is more.

After pasting in all the effects, it got me thinking - leave a comment and let me know what you are running! Let us know what sweet a sweet rig you have so we can all be jealous…

Topics: Guitarists of note | No Comments »

Guitar Hero?

By admin | November 14, 2007

I was a private guitar instructor for quite a while, and I had exposure to just about every level of student - from the 8-year-old kids who had never even held a guitar to the guys who walk in with so much talent oozing from them that they just plain made me jealous. I had seen just about everything a teacher could see in several years of teaching, but as I was checking my Google News alerts this morning, an article I saw brought me back to one of my favorite, albeit strangest, memories from teaching guitar.

I taught this boy around 11 years old, and for the sake of privacy we’ll just call him Billy. Billy had come in with no real knowledge of guitar, save what he had seen on television. Like most lads his age, he came in with dreams of rockstar-dom: huge stages, booming speakers, fog-enhanced lighting… I could see it early on. Unfortunately, like most boys his age, Billy didn’t realize how much blood, sweat, tears, and MONEY has to be spent to reach that sort of level. As our lessons progressed, so did his levels of frustration, and a few months in I knew I was losing him. However, one day he appeared with a brand new attitude! It was as if he suddenly was re-invigorated about the guitar, and with that renewed motivation came almost immediate improvement. I was thrilled, and Billy seemed to be enjoying himself so much more. I decided to comment about it to his mother, who in turn informed me that they had just purchased Guitar Hero, the video game, for him. Apparently he had spent enough time on it to lead him to believe he could actually create what was happening in the game in real life. I was simply excited that there was renewed interest in guitar, no matter where the interest came from, so we continued to move forward and Billy continued to improve.

About 2 months later, I received a phone call informing me that Billy would be quitting lessons, but thanking me for all my time and effort and assuring me that Billy’s desire to quit had nothing to do with the teaching, but rather Billy had started a business. Yes, an 11-year-old started a business. Turns out he had figured out how to design and code some customized guitar bodies in the game, and was SELLING them online! His parents quickly set up a small business, and off Billy went.

I got dumped for Guitar Hero.

After the initial shock wore off, I laughed for about an hour. I couldn’t believe that a video game could provide enough of an economic foundation to start a business BASED on the game, but seeing the monstrosity that Guitar Hero and its sequels have grown to, it no longer surprises me. I personally have never played the game, but I have heard how much fun it is and am quite curious. One of my students (not Billy) actually informed me that I should be “great at Guitar Hero being a guitar teacher and all”, but I never gave it much thought.

This just goes to show how enormous the Music Industry is - even when it incorporates virtual music. It is quite impressive really, and while I know that Guitar Hero skills and true guitar knowledge don’t necessarily cross over, it can only be good for guitar players, teachers, and enthusiasts that something like a video game has brought a whole new awareness and a fresh round of attention to this art. There are actually Guitar Hero contests now, complete with judges for stage presence, accuracy, and appearance, along with sponsors!

I will probably end up owning the game eventually, and who knows - maybe I’ll be gifted like my student said I should be!

Virtual fame, here I come!

Topics: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Brilliance or Cheating?

By admin | November 12, 2007

I make a concerted effort to keep up with the latest and best with regards to guitar equipment, and like most things, it is an ever-changing world. Guitar technology has certainly taken many turns in the last 10 years, and it largely is the responsibility of increased computer processing capabilities. Digital effects, MIDI systems, and multi-effect workstations have become more and more common, and it is safe to say that the current trends in guitar tech imply that things are going to keep moving in that direction. However, I do believe that there comes a point where technology becomes TOO involved in guitar playing - I have been keeping tabs on the newest release from Gibson:

A guitar that tunes itself.

You read correctly! Below I’ve pasted an excerpt from the article describing a little bit more about it:

The Gibson Les Paul is one of the world’s most recognized and popular guitars and now it is also one of the most technologically advanced, as well. On December 7, Gibson will release its first Les Paul that utilizes robotics to assist users in tuning and intonation.

While simply tuning a guitar may not be an issue for many guitarists, the Gibson Robot Les Paul goes beyond tuning the guitar. It also allows the player to easily change tunings to one of six alternate tunings.

The guitar supports Open E, Dropped D, DADGAD, Open G, Hendrix Tuning, Double Dropped D, or any of your own custom tunings that you program into the system.

To tune the guitar you choose which tuning you want on the control knob located by the volume and tone knobs, remove your fingers from the frets and strum — the guitar automatically tunes itself moving the tuning keys using the robotics. The strings carry the control signal and the power supply from the Data-Transmitting Tailpiece to the Neck CPU operating each of the Powerhead Locking Tuners individually.

The guitar consists of several components that make it all work including the Tune-Control Bridge, Tune Core-Controller, Data-Transmitting Tailpiece, Neck CPU and the Master Control Knob. The Powerhead-Locking tuners are constructed with a lightweight alloy housing and are not heavier than common tuning keys, according to Gibson. Each Powerhead has a motorized high-performance gearbox controlled by signals from the Neck CPU mounted on the back of the headstock.

Gibson will begin selling a limited edition model of the Gibson Robot Les Paul on December 7, 2007. The regular model of the guitar will go on sale in late 2008. Pricing was not immediately available. (end of article)

So there you have it! The first guitar that tunes itself. Now, for some applications this could be absolutely brilliant - recording a live album, for instance. This would prevent tons of guitar-swapping and tone-tweaking in that sort of setting. However, given all the technology built in to this guitar AND the fact that it is a Gibson, I would predict that you are either going to have to be a member of the royal family or CEO of a Fortune 500 company to be able to call one of these your own. And while the technology itself is a brilliant concept, what if it fails? What happens when that little CPU fails and goes haywire?? Time will tell…

I am confident there will be some guitar purists who just see this as laziness or an excuse to lack knowledge about your instrument. I personally tend to lean toward being a little more old-fashioned about guitar, but I could see both sides on this. I guess the real test will come when I can actually put one of these in my hands and test drive it.

Something tells me that won’t be any time soon, however…

Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Versatility

By admin | November 8, 2007

I have often said that one of the key things that defines an excellent guitarist is his or her ability to fit in to any playing situation, in any genre. Certainly that is something that I have striven for, and Lord knows I’ve got a long ways to go. Truly great guitar players, however, are ones with the ability to look at the guitar and see it in a completely different way. Guys who don’t just see the same old scales, the same old patterns, the same monotonous methods - they can see a potential that maybe NO one else can see at that current point in time.

While it is very premature to rank him among the “greats”, check out the video below - the kid has an interesting outlook on his acoustic. It is a cool mix of percussive playing, harmonic tones, and a really cool open tuning. I LOVE how melodic he is, while still being so creative and original. It would be really easy to over-complicate something like that when you are playing at that level of talent and ability, but instead he keeps it harmonically enjoyable. He obviously has a great sense of rhythm and some serious accuracy with his harmonics. Next time you pick up your guitar, try a slap harmonic with your finger like he is doing - it only takes one try to realize how hard it is!

Realistically, he (obviously) is using an open tuning. I am not sure, but I think I see a MIDI output coming out the back of the guitar, leading me to believe that some of those harmonics might have some “help” from a MIDI system, but the evidence is inconclusive. And regardless whether or not there is some MIDI involved, it is still a difficult style of playing and he has the attitude of a pioneer, which never hurts. This just goes to show how much can come of having just a solid sense of rhythm, which I can promise you was one of his first steps to adapting this style of playing. Remove all the hits and slaps (which he seems to not do too hard) and it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting.

Watching it makes you want to try it, doesn’t it? Plus, its actually a thoroughly enjoyable tune.

Josh