Search options (Page 109 of 279)

The course starts with the C major scale (what it calls the "natural" scale) starting from every note of the scale and using all the strings each time.  Then it gets into different practice patterns for that scale.  Then it gets into different scales to which you apply the same exercises.  Gratefully, it seems to ignore modes entirely.  That's down the road for me. 

It's a very slow, methodical approach.  There's minor scales and blues scales, but they are way, way, way back in the book.  I wouldn't recommend this book to jump right into pentatonic scales, whether minor or blues or major.  Slow and methodical works for me.  It's how I approach most new and relatively complicated things.  Well begun is half done is my usual approach to things. 

- Zurf

I want a "talent enhancement" knob on my mixer.  I'd always crank it up to 20.

Well done, sir!  Well done.

- Zurf

I like Elixir Nanoweb .12s for my acoustics, but I try a lot of different strings.  D'Addario, the company that makes Elixir (I forget their name), and GHS make their own strings.  Pretty much all other strings are made by three manufacturers.  Given that, there are some differences.  Just because the same company makes lots of different brands doesn't mean that they don't retool or use different materials for their manufacturing runs.  It does mean that quality control is going to be pretty consistent across brands, and the QC is pretty good.

The reason I like the Elixir Nanoweb .12s is that they last and hold their tone.  If I put on Silk and Steel, I get maybe two weeks.  With Elixir Nanowebs I can easily get two months.  I also like D'Addario Phosphor Bronze for my acoustics, but again don't get much life out of them.  As an experiment I've hot D'Addario EXP's on Boomer (my bigger guitar), and they've lasted as well as the Elixir Nanowebs.  Tiny, my smaller guitar, has got Peavey Phosphor Bronze on it.  They came out of the cheap bin.  They're perfectly good strings. They're worn out now, but they've lasted a decent while, sounded pretty good when fresh, and only cost $3.  I've got several sets of them in my guitar case as back-up strings. 

I've bought some Ernie Ball acoustics, and also I think some sort of rare earth thing that's been frozen or some kitschy thing.  They were also from the cheap bin.  I like messing around with different strings. 

As far as flat-wound, I have not tried any flat-wounds on my guitars, but I know they are available.  The difference is likely to be in feel rather than in sound, but they are likely to be expensive.  As quickly as I go through guitar strings, I'm not going to pay for that luxury.  If it is a medical thing and the price you have to pay, fine.  I'm not sure what arthritis has to do with finger tip sensitivity, but if you've noticed a difference for you then it doesn't matter what I think.  I do use flat-wound strings on my fretless solid-body bass.  Holy Toledo!  I love them.  I use regular old strings on my other solid body.  But when you get up the neck on the fretless - it sounds fantastic with the flatwounds. 

- Zurf

Yeah, every time something that I'm involved in is reported upon by The Washington Post, they've gotten it all wrong.  Simple facts like what town it's in has been wrong.

Oh - now TwangTown has opened that can of worms.   MAN have I got issues with news media.  When local home town newspapers are the ones who do the best reporting by staying on topic, stating facts without prejudicial words, clearly identifying quotes versus paraphrases, and staying brief, the major newspapers should not be surprised that they are losing readers.  I remember complaining about The Washington Post one time and my wife saying, "Oh, it's not that bad," so I challenged her.  We would each cut one article out of a newspaper, me from a small town paper and she one from The Washington Post.  We would then have a disinterested third party read each of the articles and then summarize the key journalistic questions of who, what, when, where, why, and how.  Then the person would give a rating on how well the article stuck to its premise as stated by the headline and lead-in sentence.  The Washington Post lost on all counts to the small town newspaper.  It used opinions, included irrelevant facts, lost its focus by the third paragraph (the headline and index sentence said it was about a high school cheerleader competition, but most of the article was about gang murders).  Just AWFUL.  The Business section of WaPo is good, and the Sports (if you like Sports) but the rest drives me up a wall.  Multiply that by 10 for televised news.  Just what they pick to report upon drives me insane, and then the quality of the reports.  Sheesh.

Here's my A#1 top pet peeve of news media...  Ending a report with questions!  Hey, here's an idea news guys, if you have questions GO GET THE ANSWERS THEN TELL US THAT INFORMATION!!! 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.   

- Zurf

1. Entice your audience to drink.
2. Make up the rest.

- Zurf

Kap -

You don't need nerve for a Skype "virtual campfire."  Mekidsmom's kids play and sing and are welcomed with great enthusiasm.  All you need is a connection.  If you are of the bent to indulge in such things, adult beverages also help.  I sing.  That should be enough to let you know that imperfection is not only endorsed but encouraged.  We would welcome you with open electrons. 

- Zurf

Synching probably.

A shame.  Well, he's got some new material. 

- Zurf

Having plans.  Clearly stating plans.  Writing plans on the calendar.  Describing plans again.  Having alternate plans made for you and the alternate plan-maker saying, "You never told me" or "I didn't know about that."  Or worse, being in the middle of something that takes a while to set up and another while to put away, and being asked if you could do something else instead.  "Uh sure, in 45 minutes after I put away all these tools I just finished pulling out and arranging."