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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Posts by Zurf
Thanks to all who replied on my other strings topic. Now I'm going to ask for experiences specifically with silk and ______ strings. (fill in the blank with either steel or bronze)
Anyone have an experience they care to share?
I'm a casual player looking to warm up the tone of a low-cost acoustic guitar. I've got no pickup worries and no worries about gigs.
- Zurf
Checked out the D'Addorio and GHS strings web sites. They had some good information and it may be that silk and steel or silk and bronze may be what I'm looking for. I'll start a new thread to ask about experiences with those particular types of strings.
Looks like coated strings are expensive and have at best a "love 'em or hate 'em" response.
- Zurf
Keep the last verse. It brought to my mind Patsy Cline singing "Walking After Midnight" for some reason. Any song that brings Patsy Cline to mind has got to be good.
- Zurf
LOVE IT!!!
I can imagine playing that around the campfire and using it as a contest. The person who represents the most of those categories gets a prize (probably a boot in the butt). I don't think I know anyone who doesn't fit in at least one of those categories if not three or more.
I like to say at the beginning of any jamm sessions I host that it's a free for all music wise and that if we do it right everyone will find something to offend them sometime during the night. This song will come in right handy. Now if I could only get a clean sounding "F" chord...
- Zurf
Nice.
I remember the first time I saw a $20,000 price tag on a pickup. All shiny and red with chrome wheels and automatic everything. Even chrome step-rails. Why something that's supposed to get stepped on ought to be chrome, I've got no idea. I thought to myself that the pickup's not the poor man's ride any longer. And then they wonder why folks by used Accords. Go figure. Your song sums up that feeling right well.
This from a guy who drove a European luxury car to a West Virginia river camp this summer...
- Zurf
Welcome Cagey Mac!
Really nice. That's the style I'm trying to learn to play and convert most songs I play into fingerpicking like that. Very helpful link, thanks for sharing it.
I like the "Leon Redbone" sound he's got going. He needs to wear a seersucker suit and be sipping on some sweet tea when playing like that.
- Zurf
I've not heard the term before either, but could they be referring to the Blues Scale used by Delta Blues players? It's a pentatonic scale I, III-flat, IV, V, VII-flat.
- Zurf
Thanks Geo, I'd have to spend more than just a little more. I can get the Yamaha F310 free (or rather, just for the amount of taxes, which is a negligible value for a guitar). In fact, I ordered it yesterday afternoon. I did have the chance to play one before ordering, and while it's not ideal it's a heck of a lot easier to play my style of music on it than on my nylon string Classical.
But I'm still saving for a better guitar. Unless I like it a LOT more than I expect to, I'm saving for that Blue Ridge. I went back and played the Breedlove Atlas and the Blue Ridge side by side. The Blue Ridge costs another $100 than the Breedlove Atlas and is worth it. The Breedlove Atlas is the best in the under $500 price range I could find, but if I allow myself to go over $500, then the Blue Ridge is a better deal. The Yamaha will get me through until I can afford the Blue Ridge and then it will be relegated to my camping/beach guitar.
Thanks for the advice, let's me know that I'm on target with my plan.
- Zurf
Thanks Jerome - perfect. Looks like coated strings may add the warmth I'm looking for (taking the corrolary of what they say about brightness).
- Zurf
Yamaha folk guitar. Six string steel string acoustic. It sounds too bright with the factory strings and I'd like to warm up the tone and see if I can get a little more bass out of it.
But I wasn't asking about what to do with my guitar, as I have several. I was asking after the tendencies of different types of strings so that I can have a little information about how to experiment with my guitars without having to be completely trial and error.
- Zurf
You're new until I've bought two or three of your albums. Not a real fair way to judge it, but that's the way it is.
There is a local band from Ohio that I think you can probably only buy their albums from their own site or from CDBaby, but they are GREAT. Their motto is "It's not your grandfather's Country, but he'd probably approve." The band name is Hillbilly Idol. I've got two of their albums and love them both. A couple of their songs, "Dixie Highway Home" and another which has a name I've forgotten but is a Country yodelling polka love song. Go figure. Anyway, they stick out as among their best, but their entire repertoire is very traditional country (even the yodelling). Check them out here: http://www.hillbillyidol.com/
If you like traditional Country even a little bit, you owe it to yourself to give them a listen and see if you want one of their albums.
- Zurf
edit: I looked up the yodelling song, and it's Hillbilly Polka. I checked out the sound samples on their site. They're only 0:15 each, so listen fast!
None that matter if you already bought it. Not that I have any anyway. Play it some and report back how you like it. I hope you have a ball with it!
- Zurf
In part because of Gitaarphildoc's recommendation, I just ordered a Yamaha F310 acoustic folk guitar. I wasn't able to find one in a shop nearby, but I found a buddy who has one and it surely is an easy playing guitar.
It should arrive in about a month. I'll string it up with the strings my buddy recommends to help it have a little more warmth to its sound and report back once I've had a session or two with it.
- Zurf
lol,
ok Toney, will do.I was planning a trip over there in te next few years but iwill have to wait and see. Would be going to Georgia and Alabama if I get over.
Ken
Well I'd enjoy meeting you too, but Georgia and Alabama are nowhere near Virginia. You may as well still be in Scotland. Unless you fly in and have a layover in Dulles International Airport. In which case, we just need a time machine to take us back prior to the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks so that an unticketed passenger can get into the ticketed passenger area. Then we could drink a pub dry while entertaining and/or annoying uptight business-men with their cute little wheelbarrows full of paperwork and trade journals they're kidding themselves about reading during the flight.
- Zurf
I've been learning fingerpick style. When I play that way, I don't worry about getting it "right." I just try to play something pleasing to my ear with something relatively close to the right chords. I can't help you with knowing which strings whoever played guitar on the album track did it, but I'd recommend that when you play you should just sit down and experiment to see what order/tempo/rhythm works to please your ears. Unless of course, you're Toby Keith, in which case you should remember for yourself. If you aren't Toby Keith, no need to play exactly like him. Put some of YOU into the song. The only things that you should get close to "right" are any signature licks in the song.
- Zurf
I have had it recommended to me to use "coated" strings when I finally get a folk style steel string guitar. I have seen bronze strings, heavy/medium/light gauge, and for my bass round wound vs. flat wound.
Can anyone give me some insight as to what all these different strings so, or perhaps refer me to an on-line explanation?
Much appreciated. Thanks.
- Zurf
A buddy of mine had Joe Walsh drop in on his band and jamm with them at a practice. Their lead guitarist had claimed to know him, but no one in the band believed him. Then he was out of work between Country Joe and the Fish and the Eagles and was going around hanging out with the folks he knew (I called that the Mooch America tour when I did it). Anyway, Joe Walsh drops in and jammed with the group and slept on the sofa for a few days. Taught my buddy to play Funk #49 before he even recorded it.
- Zurf
This is the sort of thing that my sister used to study on for fun. She's a pretty good guitar player and banjo player. Sadly, she is now suffering the after-effects of a siezure that have left the part of her brain that understood this stuff not functioning or functioning poorly. However, I recall her reading a number of books on the inter-relationships between mathematics and music (they even use many of the same portions of the brain and playing an instrument can help a child learn math more easily!). You may be able to find some books at your local library if there's one available to you.
- Zurf
please my boss or make my girlfriend happy. not in that paticular order
You mean they're different people?
- Zurf
As far as Christian music: I think when someone sets out to write a song specifically targeted at the Christian market, then it is in the Christian music category. I think when someone writes a song that reflects their outlook on life, and that outlook is a Christian one, then it's just a song written from a Christian outlook on life. (The songs mentioned by Upyerkilt are good examples of this).
As far as there being more Christians, it depends a great deal on what is meant by "Christian." There are more people IDENTIFYING themselves as Christian, but when asked some specific questions about their faith they hold views that are inconsistent with Christian teachings. Some of this is the result of cults (even mainstream cults), some with long-held heresies (for example, I've heard gnosticism is making a comeback), but the majority of which in my opinion is just lazy thinking. An example of the latter is the thought that Christianity is hereditary or genetic somehow. That once is a Christian because his/her parents went to a Christian church or were married by a preacher who spoke about God at the ceremony. I hold a much more narrow view of what it means to be Christian - that one has put their faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and reconciliation with God. A study not long ago showed that while a high percentage of Americans claimed to be Christian, a much lower number had attended a religious service in the past year, a much lower number than that had actually studied a Bible, and a much lower number than that had a "home church" that supported charitable works with money and manpower. It is easy to call ones-self a Christian, but when it comes to acting like one the results are dramatically different. This is flawed thinking because it is entirely possible to be a Christian and not do the things mentioned in the study as "acting" like a Christian (and vice versa). Nevertheless, there is a very wide gap between the claim and the behaviors one would expect to result if the claim were true.
As far as Muslims, I don't know enough about them to have a well-informed opinion. My study of that religion is extremely rudimentary at this time, though I have several friends who are Muslim and have been kind enough to explain things to me from their religion's perspective when I ask.
You can consider Norman Greenbaum's song anything you like. I don't consider it Christian music, but that is because I define the genre in marketing terms rather than subject matter terms.
As far as R&B, I think the old school R&B folks are being called Soul now, and what used to be called Dance music or Juke music is now being called R&B. It is again about markets and how to sell the music than it is about the music itself. Bobby6string has the right idea. Avoid the lables, except maybe some very traditional ones with definitions related to the music itself (Cape Breton, Zydeco, Highland Reels, Jigs & Hornpipes, etc.) rather than who they want to buy it.
- Zurf
Country is blues, except Country's version of the pentatonic scale doesn't include flatted thirds and sevenths. Play a Country song using a minor scale, and you've got Blues. Play Blues in a major scale, and you've got Country. If you can tell me the difference between Honky Tonk Country and Boogie Woogie Blues aside from the number of Stars & Bars bumper stickers on the cars in the parking lot at the venue, then I'll surely owe you one 'cause I don't think there is one.
- Zurf
Upyerkilt,
Don't worry about the different types of Country. Country's country. Any kind of music genre that can include Freddy Fender, Jimmy Buffett, and Taylor Swift can't be terribly well defined. If it's based on a major pentatonic scale without TOO many flatted thirds and sevenths, then it's probably Country.
- Zurf
I took a couple of guys in Joe Nichols' band fishing. They set my wife and I up to come backstage and meet Joe Nichols. I shook his hand and chatted for a moment. Mostly, I really enjoyed fishing with the fellows from the band though, and given the opportunity would far rather spend time with them again rather than Mr. Nichols. Nothing against him, just I really enjoyed my time with his band mates.
On my 30th birthday, I shared some of my fries with Anson Funderburg, shook hands and chatted with Sam of Sam & Dave, and got blown off by and later apologized to by Matt "Guitar" Murphy who was headlining that night (and whom I later bought a shot of bourbon to show no hard feelings). Matt "Guitar" Murphy is a big man with broad, powerful looking shoulders and the hard callouses of a working man. Not sure what I expected, but it wasn't that. The guy blew a "D" string in the middle of the first set and still played a ten minute solo with never missing a beat or a note. EXTREMELY impressive skills!!!
I met Chuck Mangione twice at concerts. He is very accomodating and comes to the front of the stage to meet people and sign autographs after his concerts. This was at the height of his popularity with the Olympics and "Feels So Good".
I also met Livingston Taylor. What a genuinely nice seeming gentleman! He was at a small venue concert and literally invited everyone in the audience to come meet him in the pub after the concert. A line formed, and while he looked exhausted after putting on a terrific show, he patiently waited and not only signed an album or whatever but actually asked folks for their names and hobbies and thanked them for coming. Spent a little time in conversation with each person. It seemed like he wasn't performing an obligation, but genuinely interested in meeting folks and thanking them.
Though he's not a musician, I met Paul Newman when I was working crowd control at a race in which Mr. Newman was driving. He was shorter than I'd have expected, but seemed pleasant enough. He was completely focused on his car and the race and had little time for anything or anyone else, but all the drivers are that way. I think it would be awfully hard for them not to be, considering the level of competition and the danger involved if things go wrong.
- Zurf
Well, it may make sense to take this conversation to a more private forum. I'm not against discussion my religion publicly, but there are some who would just as soon not be bothered. Those folks have rights too. If you're one of those folks, tune out now. No point in reading on.
As far as Allah = the Christian God, that just doesn't stand up. The Christian God is described as a Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three parts of one God. Allah is described as being one and only one. It would be blasphemous in the Muslim faith to suggest that Allah could be separated from Himself as Christians believe that the Son was separated from the Father on the Cross. Further, while Muslims recognize Jesus as a great prophet, they do not recognize Him as God. And while Christians believe that the Father gave all authority to Jesus, Muslims believe that Jesus was subject to Mohammed. Most importantly, of course, is that Christians believe in Jesus devine, resurrected, and alive. Muslims do not believe that. (I focus here on Jesus only and not Mohammed for two reasons. One: I am addressing a claim about equality of Allah vs. Christian God from a Christian perspective. Two: I know very little about Muslim beliefs regarding Mohammed and wish to avoid unintentional insult.) Clearly, these are not consistent concepts. Logically speaking, two different mutually exclusive claims about the nature of the same entities cannot both be right. They can both be wrong, but they cannot both be right. Whether God set that up or not, I rather suspect that it is as He would want it. Throughout Scripture, God requires us to make a choice to follow Him. It seems well and good then, that Allah and the Christian God are not reconcilable as synonymous philisophically or eclessiatically. We must choose. Considering what is at stake, we must choose wisely. I hope that I was able to make the above arguments without offending any Muslims who may be reading.
- Zurf
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Posts by Zurf
