If you don't have gear insurance...

Get it.

I don't like to hear stories about stolen or destroyed guitars. Never good, but a least you can replace it.  These guys are great...

https://www.musicproinsurance.com/default.aspx

Post your stolen gear stories in the comments to inspire insurance purchasing action.

A Session From Way Back...

The Theme from Herman's Head

Had crap for gear but the composer and the engineer made me sound good. Think I was playing an Ibanez Roadstar through a Yamaha Rex 50 and a Fender solid state amp and an Acoustic 164 amp. Like I said "crap".

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 21 (altered chords)

C7 - x7858x

C9 - x7878x

C7b9 - x7868x

C7#9 - x7888x

C9#5 - x7879x

C9b5 - x7877x

C7#5#9 - x7889x

C7#5b9 - x7869x

C7b5#9 - x7887x

C7b5b9 - x7867x

All chords are movable - 8 chords X 12 postions  = 96 chords plus the previous 2208 for a total of 2304 chords so far!

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 20 (altered chords)

C7 - x3535x

C9 - x5535x

C7b9 - x4535x

C7#9 - x6535x

C9#5 - x5635x

C9b5 - x5435x

C7#5#9 - x6635x

C7#5b9 - x4635x

C7b5#9 - x6435x

C7b5b9 - x4435x

All chords are movable - 8 chords X 12 postions  = 96 chords plus the previous 2112 for a total of 2208 chords so far!

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 19 (altered chords)

F7 - xx13141313

F9 - xx13141315

F7b9 - xx13141314

F7#9 - xx13141316

F9#5 - xx13141415

F9b5 - xx13141215

F7#5#9 - xx13141416

F7#5b9 - xx13141414

F7b5#9 - xx13141216

F7b5b9 - xx13141214

All chords are movable - 8 chords X 12 postions  = 96 chords plus the previous 2016 for a total of 2112 chords so far!

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 18 (altered chords)

F7 - xx10101011

F9 - xx10121011

F7b9 - xx10111011

F7#9 - xx10131011

F9#5 - xx11121011

F9b5 - xx9121011

F7#5#9 - xx11131011

F7#5b9 - xx11111011

F7b5#9 - xx9131011

F7b5b9 - xx9111011

All chords are movable - 8 chords X 12 postions  = 96 chords plus the previous 1920 for a total of 2016 chords so far!

Cool Site #13 - Metronome online

http://www.metronomeonline.com/

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 17 (altered chords)

F7 - xx7868

F9 - xx7888

F7b9 - xx7878

F7#9 - xx7898

F9#5 - xx7889

F9b5 - xx7887

F7#5#9 - xx7899

F7#5b9 - xx7879

F7b5#9 - xx7897

F7b5b9 - xx7877

All chords are movable - 8 chords X 12 postions  = 96 chords plus the previous 1824 for a total of 1920 chords so far!

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 16 (altered chords)

F7 - xx3545
F9 - xx5545

F7b9 - xx4545
F7#9 - xx6545

F9#5 - xx5645
F9b5 - xx5445

F7#5#9 - xx6645
F7#5b9 - xx4645
F7b5#9 - xx6445
F7b5b9 - xx4445

All chords are movable - 8 chords X 12 postions  = 96 chords plus the previous 1728 for a total of 1824 chords so far!

Learned at NAMM 2011...

Regarding files on your computer...

If it doesn't exist in three places, it doesn't exist.

That's it.

Cool Tool - Baritone Acoustic

Here's one you can check out.

Supplement Your Income as a Copyist

One way I've been able to stay in the game and make a living as a musician and not have to get a real job was to learn how to use music notation software, like Finale or Sibelious. Most orchestras in the country have staff copyists, many churches pay to have charts prepared, some artists who use lots of different musicians have a great need for accurate music preparation, many schools public and private. That just a few examples.

It's actually quite easy to get started though the software may seem very complex at first. I use Finale's Allegro and it seems to do most everything I need. If you work at a school or a church you could get this one... Finale 2011 Academic

My secret to learning the thing? Do the tutorial. And only to the point that you think you'll need it. It's progressive, starting with entering melodies, then chord symbols, lyrics... basically at that point you have all you need for a basic lead sheet. All within a couple of hours. If you don't need to know how to do big band charts or a full orchestral score don't go that far into the tutorial.

A more basic version of Finale.... Finale SongWriter 2010

Notepad is a free, very basic version of Finale that can get you started.

Once up and going you can charge by the hour, the page or a flat fee. At first if you charge by the page, say $20, it might take you four hours to generate one page thus making five bucks an hour, but eventually you'll be doing two pages an hour or more.

I would highly recommend getting a usb keyboard to speed up the note entry process, mine... M-Audio Keystation 88ES Midi Controller or even a small one like this...  M Audio KeyRig 49 49 Key USB Keyboard Controller.

Your catalog of already charted tunes can earn you money as well, so save and back up everything. Every now and then I get a call for something I've already charted I send them the pdf (never the finale file) in the key that they want it and charge them the going rate. Usually $20 per page.

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 15

Root Inversion -

Gmaj9 - 5544xx (same as Bm7)

G9 - 5534xx (same as Bm7b5)

Gm9 - 5533xx (same as Bbmaj7)

1st Inversion -

Gmaj9 - 7977xx (same as Bm7)

G9 - 7877xx (same as Bm7b5)

Gm9 - 6877xx (same as Bbmaj7)

2nd Inversion -

Gmaj9 - 1012911xx (same as Bm7)

G9 - 1012910xx (same as Bm7b5)

Gm9 - 1012810xx (same as Bbmaj7)

3rd Inversion -

Gmaj9 - 14141214xx (same as Bm7)

G9 - 13141214xx (same as Bm7b5)

Gm9 - 13131214xx (same as Bbmaj7)

All chords are movable - 12 chords X 12 postions  = 144 chords plus the previous 1584 for a total of 1728 chords so far!

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 14

Root Inversion -

Cmaj9 - x5545x (same as Em7)

C9 - x5535x (same as Em7b5)

Cm9 - x5534x (same as Ebmaj7)

1st Inversion -

Cmaj9 - x7978x (same as Em7)

C9 - x7878x (same as Em7b5)

Cm9 - x6878x (same as Ebmaj7)

2nd Inversion -

Cmaj9 - x1012912x (same as Em7)

C9 - x1012911x (same as Em7b5)

Cm9 - x1012811x (same as Ebmaj7)

3rd Inversion -

Cmaj9 - x14141215x (same as Em7)

C9 - x13141215x (same as Em7b5)

Cm9 - x13131215x (same as Ebmaj7)

All chords are movable - 12 chords X 12 postions  = 144 chords plus the previous 1440 for a total of 1584 chords so far!

The Drop Two Chord - Lesson 13 (The 9th Chord)

Root Inversion -

Fmaj9 - xx5555 (same as Am7)

F9 - xx5545 (same as Am7b5)

Fm9 - xx5544 (same as Abmaj7)

1st Inversion -

Fmaj9 - xx7988 (same as Am7)

F9 - xx7888 (same as Am7b5)

Fm9 - xx6888 (same as Abmaj7)

2nd Inversion -

Fmaj9 - xx10121012 (same as Am7)

F9 - xx10121011 (same as Am7b5)

Fm9 - xx1012911 (same as Abmaj7)

3rd Inversion -

Fmaj9 - xx13131214 (same as Am7)

F9 - xx12131214 (same as Am7b5)

Fm9 - xx12121214 (same as Abmaj7)

All chords are movable - 12 chords X 12 postions  = 144 chords plus the previous 1296 for a total of 1440 chords so far!

Got this yesterday and lovin' it...

Intellitouch PT10 Mini Clip-On Tuner