3,076 Topic by Zurf

(13 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Pictures taken, but I have to get back to work and will load them later.  Also took some pictures of my big boomer.  The new Breedlove is small, fits nicely in my lap when playing, allows for a comfortable right arm position, and sounds good.  I think I'm going to put some silk and steel .13 strings on to see how she'll sound with those.  Plugged in, she's a beaut.  Real good volume and tone controls and it sounds like an acoustic guitar should.  The only complaint so far is that I'm going to have to get used to fretting straight down because I've been taking the low E off the side of the fretboard.  I had that problem with my Yamaha too, so it's clearly user error and not a guitar-based problem. 

It sounds really GREAT strumming barre chords when plugged in.  Super-duper great.  The action is so low that barre chords are a piece of cake.  And, if it's too low, the darn thing even came with a spare bridge!  Wow!  Dirty Ed and Breedlove treat a guy right. 

This is one of the guitars I had been considering buying before I bought my Guild.  I couldn't afford it.  So getting a great deal on a brand new one in absolutely scratch and smudge free condition is like a gift (even though I had to pay for it). 

- Zurf

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3,077 Reply by Zurf

(13 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Please do.  We'd love to have the opportunity to encourage a beginner.

- Zurf

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3,078 Reply by Zurf

(13 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Did you invite him to join Chordie? 

He bought a good guitar.  Good for him.  A buddy of mine was marrying.  Both he and his wife to be had been widowed in their first marriages, so it was quite a challenge to them to reduce four households down to one.  In doing it, he gave away a bunch of guitars his first wife had had.  He had expressed interest in learning, so I asked why he didn't keep one or two.  He said that his fiance's first husband had decided he wanted to learn to play and went out and bought a $2000 Taylor.  If he wanted to learn, that ought to do.  Yep, I thought.  It ought to do. 

It'll be easier for him to learn on a good guitar like that.  I hope he does great and that we're all listening to him on Youtube or .mp3's some day. 

- Zurf

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3,079 Reply by Zurf

(34 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

beamer wrote:

I dont have skype, but am looking into it. I will need to get a webcam.  does it have to have the integrated mic, or will running my recording mike in as a seperate work?  I work nights m-fri,  I get home at 130 AM Central time.

So who will be awake where it is daytime at that time? LOLOLOL  Will try to get hooked up by sunday but may be out of town or working,,,,

I use a USB studio condenser mic, which is the same mic I use for making quick recordings.  That seems to work well. 

- Zurf

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3,080 Reply by Zurf

(7 replies, posted in My local band and me)

It's more of a picker's circle than a jam, but it is one heck of a lot of fun.  You should join in sometime moldeoldie.  We aren't particular. They let me play. 

- Zurf

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3,081 Reply by Zurf

(34 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

That's right after church for us.  If my funny little honey hasn't got a list of honey-dos for me, I'd be very interested in joining you for a while at 1-2PM Eastern / 6-7PM London.  Give me a chance to speak to she-who-must-be-obeyed and we'll get it firmed up and dig around for someone who has a Premium membership so we can be free riders on his/her account. 

- Zurf

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3,082 Reply by Zurf

(5 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

That's great.  I can imagine being able to play like that with enough practice of a few techniques, but what really impressed me with that song was his wonderful, clear voice and how well written of a song it is.   He made a good long song, kept me listening to it, and it's about nothing more than getting in the car to take a long highway drive.  That's just everyday life, and he saw the opportunity to make a really terrific song out of it.

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3,083 Reply by Zurf

(15 replies, posted in Acoustic)

About three months. 

You'll get it worked out. 

Go to the Public Books tab at the top of Chordie's home page.  Then look for Beginner books.  They'll have lots of songs.  Some you'll recognize.  Some you won't.  Most all beginner arrangements are just that - arrangements.  They won't be EXACTLY like the original artist recording.  That's OK because you're not the original artist.  Browse around in there and see if you find a song or two that you like. 

Good luck and have fun. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,084 Reply by Zurf

(34 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

What time would be good for you ntg?  I'm going to be having an NGD on Friday and so would dearly love the opportunity to beat on the new axe. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Chordie's Chat Corner

3,085 Reply by Zurf

(34 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Yep, and if you have a microphone and web cam, you can join us as easily as getting a Skype account.  The technology is still a bit rough and we run into a few rough patches with bandwidth, but with courtesy and patience we get through and have a fantastic time doing it.  Just keep an eye on Chat Corner for notices.  They're wide open.  There are limits on how many can join any given call, but we haven't run against that limit yet.  We'll deal with that problem when it presents itself. 

- Zurf

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3,086 Reply by Zurf

(34 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

I haven't checked my calendar, but I'd like to do one over the weekend if we can. 

See you tomorrow night for a while. 

- Zurf

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3,087 Reply by Zurf

(16 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Guitarpix wrote:

I play landslide travis picked with capo on 3rd fret   C: 032010   G/B:020030   Am7:002010  G/B:020030

I'll try that G/B, but I really liked the sound of G5: 320033

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3,088 Reply by Zurf

(16 replies, posted in Acoustic)

auxi wrote:

Where'd you play the G5 in Landslide?

I used the Landslide 2 by Dixie Chicks (yeah, I know, but that's the group is listed as in the Chordie songs section) chord pro sheet, and anywhere there's a G I tried a G5.  The places where I liked the sound better, I kept it. 

I also use a C with the additional high G played on the high e string when I play Landslide.  I'll put the extra G in and take it out to mix up the sound when I'm picking it.  It's a little more interesting sounding. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,089 Reply by Zurf

(15 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Welcome to Chordie Songsting.   

I would check the Beginners song-books on Chordie for songs that interest you.  Most beginner songs are three chords.  Sometimes there will be a fourth chord that is a minor.  Those are usually relative minors (meaning the minor of the sixth chord from the root - if you don't know what minor, root, or sixth mean, check out the theory forum on Chordie).  The relative minor in the key of G is Em, which only takes two fingers and you can probably learn it real fast.  If the three chords of a song you are interested in playing aren't GCD, then diddle around with the transpose feature until they are.  If you learn A and E, then you'll have two keys you can play in.  And if you learn F, then you'll have three keys you can play in. 

Keep working on it and having fun learning.  Don't feel pressured to be 'good' too fast.  Take your time and let the lessons and chords really sink into your noggin. 

Also, if you haven't already, check out the beginner lessons on www.justinguitar.com.  I have no affiliation with that site except that of a satisfied user. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,090 Reply by Zurf

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Good luck.  If you can figure out Keb Mo's style, you're a far better picker than I am.  Keb Mo does have an instructional video out on how to play like Keb Mo. 

http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewp … id=67&

I'm about three or four books and a DVD away from buying that.  He has a very distinctive style that incorporates a lot of different elements.

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3,091 Reply by Zurf

(7 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Welcome to Chordie forums molde oldie.  I don't know that particular model, but I've banged on a few Mitchell guitars.  I think they're quite nice for the price. 

The main lesson is that if it sounds good, it is good. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,092 Reply by Zurf

(23 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Right you are zguitar. 

What I was getting at is that it's getting pretty ridiculous here in my office.  I've got two electric basses, an electric guitar, two acoustics (soon to be three), an autoharp, a fiddle, and a sack full of harmonicas.  I'm running out of reasons why I 'need' more instruments when I don't even know how to play the fiddle or the autoharp and the noise that comes out of my harmonicas is only loosely affiliated with the notion of music.

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3,093 Reply by Zurf

(22 replies, posted in Acoustic)

zguitar wrote:
Zurf wrote:
naolslager wrote:

now that my right hand technique has developed some I can use heavier pick and make a LOT more noise.

That's what I like to hear.

Isn't that what amps are for??????

My favorite places to play haven't got any juice for amps.  I've got an electric here that hasn't been plugged in since I got it set up a couple years ago.   I just keep it tuned up in case all of a sudden I think I'm Eric Clapton. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,094 Reply by Zurf

(11 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Well, I go to the fridge for ... some ... let's call it sustenance.  And you know, I'll be busy.  And lots of times I'll have something in my hands.  And get thirsty for some more sustenance.  As I'm opening the fridge to reach in for the sustenance, maybe it'll occur to me that if I grab two bottles of it that maybe I won't have to return quite so often.  Then I get back to playing music on Skype with my Chordie friends, no wait, picking up around the house.  Yes, that's it.  Picking up.  And so, with this realization that my hands are already full and I want to fill them with something else, I set down the things I have and as I look around the shop and see everything covered with tools or tackle, the top of the fridge is noticed as a convenient and slightly less cluttered horizontal surface.  So, I put whatever songs... TOOLS ... whatever tools I have in my hand on top of the fridge so that I can carry two more bottles of sustenance back to my guitar wh... to my closet where I left the broom and dustpan for my picking up.  After a few rounds of sustenance, it's easy to forget where the songs went. 

- Zurf

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3,095 Reply by Zurf

(23 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Geez, it's been a while, but I'll do what I can.

The main thing about the guitar that I noticed was its feel.  It fit me very, very well and left my hands in very natural positions.  Given that you are smaller and ... uh... otherwise differently built from me ... that may not be the same for you.  But that's the most memorable thing about the guitar.

For sound, it was a more mellow, rounder sound to the music than with spruce tops.  I do not think it was as loud as spruce guitars, but it did the job well enough.  The highs were clear.  The mids were clear.  The lows did not boom, but they were ... present I guess is the best word.  You know how I like big, bold lows, and I liked the guitar, so take that for what it's worth. 

Action was perfect.  There was not a thing I would have changed about the setup coming right off the wall at the shop.  Now, this shop is a high quality shop that plays each instrument before it goes on the wall, so I can't say that's how it came from the factory.  Nevertheless, there was not a thing I'd have changed. 

Well, just one.  I would have put a clear pick guard on it. 

Given that I've just agreed to buy Dirty Ed's Breedlove, I'm not GASSING for this particular guitar any more.  OK, that's a lie.  Clearly I am still GASsing for it.  But the likelihood of me actually buying it is remote and will require disposal of at least one present guitar. 

I guess the best thing that I could say about it is - it felt like a Martin and it played like a Martin but it sounded just a little bit more laid back and mellow while still crisply projecting. 

Bear in mind I mostly play finger picking and so my comments are from that perspective of playing.

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3,096 Reply by Zurf

(16 replies, posted in Acoustic)

LOL!  Dobie Gray then.  There's two guys in the world named Dobie.  It figures I'd mix them up. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,097 Topic by Zurf

(16 replies, posted in Acoustic)

G5.

I have been trying to do acoustic versions of some older songs that use mostly electric.  One I'm working on right now is Drift Away, best known version sung by Dobie Gillis.  Anyway, Dobie did it in E.  E means B, and that's evil.  So I have been trying it in G.  It doesn't sound right. Or... DIDN'T sound right until I remember that electric players use a lot of power chords way up the neck to get some of the sounds they get.  What's a power chord but the root and fifth, which is a 5 chord.  So I tried the intro up at the nut using G5, C(with the extra G on the high e), and D.  THAT'S WHAT I WAS MISSING!  Sounds much, much better.  So I started slipping G5 into other songs.  Landslide for instance.  OH YEAH!  So now I have a new best friend.  My fingers don't like it much, but I'll learn it same as all the other chords.  Just transitioning to it enough times to make it smooth. 

G5.  Who knew it could be so simple. 

Hmmm.  I wonder how to make a C5 and a D5 and what they sound like....

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,098 Reply by Zurf

(2 replies, posted in Acoustic)

That does sound like fun.  I've been working on a countryish version of Last Dance With Mary Jane.  I need to learn soloing better because in that song the guitar solo is critical to the overall feel. 

PLEASE post the video if you get hold of one.  Or at least a link to a Youtube version. 

- Zurf

Go to forum: Acoustic

3,099 Reply by Zurf

(9 replies, posted in Chordie's Market Place)

My wife was surprisingly supportive.  I guess she likes the campfire music more than I knew.  So, I've sent an e-mail to Ken to tell him I'm in. 

Hot diggity dog. 

NGD for Zurf, and sounds like there'll be one for Dirty Ed coming up too. 

- Zurf




edited at 9:00PM 3/5.  I ADDED AN S.  MY WIFE IS NOT A HE.

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3,100 Reply by Zurf

(11 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Check the top of the refrigerator.  That's one of my favorite places to lose things.

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