Cool Tool - an Oud

This is an introduction to the Egyptian Oud.

Tuning low-to-high: d gg aa dd gg cc (11 strings)

Here's where I got mine.

Cool site about oud and middle eastern scales.

Here's one like mine...
Egyptian Deluxe Oud w/ Soft Case & CD & Oud Pick

Guitar or Sword?

Don't sweat those dings on your axes.  In fact embrace the ones with stories behind them.

Combinatorics

Combina-what?!?  Yeah you heard me.  Combinatorics!

Hang on to that pick...

...you might need it!

Some stuff from Albert Lee...
Albert Lee: Country Boy - Guitar - DVD
Hiding/Albert Lee - Original CD with Country Boy on it.

My electric pick...
Dunlop Delrin Standard Guitar Pick, 1.50MM 6 Dozen

Need a Fender Strat?  Here ya' go!
Fender American Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar, 3-Tone Sunburst Rosewood Fretboard
Fender American Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Olympic White Maple Fretboard

Sound Better for Free (or next to nothing) - Tip #1

There are many ways of improving your sound. Not the least of which is buying all new gear. But before you rush out to "Gear R Us" and max out all you creditcards, including the gas card, I'd like to touch on some ways to do it for free or for pocket change.

Increase Your String Gauge
The next time you're going to music store to buy a set of strings, buy a heavier set.  Heavier strings sound better.  They provide more mass or more tone and they tend to ring longer.  If you're playing your electric with 8's or 9's try bumping up to 9's or 10's.

Stevie Ray Vaughn sometimes used heavy-gauged strings as thick as .013-.060.  You'd be hard pressed to argue than SRV wasn't a tone king.  Now to be fare I have to tell you he did detune his guitar a half-step to Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb, making minor 3rd bends almost doable.

Now if after years of playing with 9's that set of 10's just feels way too heavy, then try a set of 9.5's.  You can find them if you look.  You could use that as a transition set.  Or you could use a "light top heavy bottom" set to transition.  One trick I did recently was when I ordered my last guitar, I had it strung up with heavier strings then I normally would've used, but now I've only known that guitar to feel that way.  In essence I fooled myself.  I play that guitar all the time and it sounds great.

For some reason like Starbucks' "tall", "grande", "venti", nomenclature for string manufacturers is "extra light" means light, "light" means medium, and "medium" means heavy.

Acoustic players could switch from "extra lights" to "lights" or from "lights" to "mediums".  There is an even more dramatic metamorphosis with acoustic guitars when you increase the string gauge.  With both acoustic and electrics it's a workout at first but later pays in "tonal dividends".

Acoustic strings -
Elixir Strings Acoustic Guitar Strings, 6 String, Light POLYWEB Coating
Elixir Strings Acoustic Guitar Strings, 6-String, Medium NANOWEB Coating
Ernie Ball 2003 Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Acoustic String Set, Medium Light (12 - 54)
Ernie Ball 2004 Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Acoustic String Set, Light (11 - 52)

Electric strings -
Elixir Strings Electric Guitar Strings, 6-String, Light NANOWEB Coating
Elixir Strings Electric Guitar Strings, 6-String, Medium NANOWEB Coating
Ernie Ball Regular Slinky String Set (10 - 46)
Ernie Ball 2627 Ernie Ball, Beefy Slinky String Set (11 - 54)

Sound Better for Free (or next to nothing) - Tip #5

Take Your Pick for Example

Picks are another good tool to experiment with both electric and acoustic.  There are probably more than a hundred shapes, composites and thicknesses of picks each with their own tonal fingerprint.  There are even expensive boutique pick manufacturers like Wegen picks.  I prefer the Gypsyjazz pick for Django stuff and some acoustic soloing and the bluegrass picks for, um, bluegrass.

When I play acoustic on a recording session I'll have as many as twenty different picks to choose from.  All different shapes and thicknesses and made of varied materials (not to mention my fingers).  It's a cheap way to vary the tone of the same instrument.  Eventually, your ear will become increasingly able to tell which combinations of picks and strings bring out the best your guitar has to offer.  Try recording your guitar using different picks to hear the variations in tone.  You could do a "blind taste test" of sorts.

Video from previous post...

A peck of picks for your perusal...
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Black 1.0mm - my preferred acoustic strumming picks
Dunlop Jazz III Pick Pack, Black Stiffo, 1.38mm
Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black Standard Guitar Picks 1 Dozen, 1.0Mm
Dunlop Big Stubby Picks, 3.0mm - these are pretty thick
Dunlop Delrin Pick Packs, 1.14mm/Light Pink - the 1.5mm versions of these I use on electric

Reinventing the Guitar #1

 A story of intrigue and peril.  No actually it's a story about playing a grouping of five sixteenth notes over a 7/4 meter, plus a little more.

Here's the actual movie...
Revolution Os - might be of interest of you techies out there

My strings of choice -
Elixir Strings Acoustic Guitar Strings, 12-String, Light NANOWEB Coating

My 12-string -
Taylor Guitars 655-CE Jumbo 12 String Acoustic Electric Guitar

Traveling with a Guitar - Part One

Few things strike fear and panic into the hearts of guitarists everywhere than the thought of checking your guitar as baggage at an airport.  Whether you're making a 6 connection flight to Istanbul or a non-stop to the coast, little can relieve that sinking feeling that you will never see your fretted friend again.  A little cunning and a little sugar can get you far towards carrying on your precious cargo (or guitargo, sorry).  Fortunately I've had great luck and I'd like to share my tips with you here.

In the mid-nineties I received a call to do some work that required me to travel quite a bit (about 12 roundtrips a year) and I really needed to have both an acoustic and an electric guitar with me.  This is not something I would attempt anymore, but the axioms apply to carrying on one guitar today.  

My dilemma at the time was how could I get two guitars with me on the plane at the same time?  A Taylor acoustic in a hard case (though not a flight case) and a G&L electric in a soft gig bag.  Calls to the airlines only heightened my anxiety as I was repeatedly told that I would have to check them. 

Tip One - Minimize your exposure to airline personnel.  

Most every time I was able to get both guitars in the overhead bin over my seat.  The soft case on top of the hard case.  Rarely did I fly on a DC-10, MD-11, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767 or Airbus that didn't have room.  Though you can't always count one type of airplane to have same overhead bin configuration every time.  I would occasionally run into a bin with a divider, but it wasn't a solid divider, and the hard cases neck could fit through it easily first then the body of the case could be placed in afterwards.  Also there were time when I thought the case was too big as the door wouldn't close, but a helpful flight attendant showed me how placing a pillow under the body of the case would lift it just enough so the curvature of the bin's lid would accommodate the case and close.

Tip Two - Be early. This may seem obvious, but it really does help to keep your options open.

Tip Three - Check you and your suitcase in at the curb not inside at checking.  Typically the curbside guys are not airline employees and could care less what you walk into the airport with.  The person behind the counter is an airline employee and will make every effort to convince you to check your bag here.

If you have any flying with guitars stories or tips feel free to post them in the comments.

Traveling with a Guitar - Part Two

Getting through the security gate can be tricky as of late because many terminals/airlines have made the hole smaller on the conveyor belt through the x-ray machine. If it's plenty big enough for your acoustic's case or if you are just bringing an electric in a gig bag, no sweat, slide it on through.However, if you find that the opening is too small don't start sweating yet, I've had each of these six things happen to me...

Tip Four - Be open to options.

1. The metal flap making the x-ray machine's opening smaller was hinged and the security guard just lifted it up so my guitar would fit.

2. The metal flap making the x-ray machine's opening smaller was hinged and I just lifted it up so my guitar would fit.

Tip Five - Be generous. Generally smile a lot and say nice things.

3. The security guard said I needed to get permission from the counter before he could lift up the hinged flap and fortunately I had just come from the airline counter having successfully negotiated my way on to a flight other than the one I was booked on.  I had just given $25 to the airline's pet charity as a thank you to the employee who helped me, the same employee who by the way was needed to approve my guitar's passage into the deep recesses of the terminal.  Which she was more than happy to do.

4. The security guard just asked me to hand it to him over the x-ray machine so he could inspect it personally.  He even wanted play it a little.  Sure his hands were filthy but it was fine with me, it's not my guitar, everything I own belongs to God anyway.

Tip Six - Pull some strings.

5. One time when I was flying from Indianapolis to LA I arranged to be escorted through security by an airline employee.  She was the wife of a guitar playing friend of mine.  This was because my "guitargo" was a 1929 National Duolian metal bodied dobro that was impenetrable by x-rays and I didn't want them to take it apart to see that I wasn't carrying some form of contraband.  I swear.  I don't think in a post 9/11 world this would work.  I would just ship it today.  But it never hurts to have a contact in the business.

6.  The last scenario... I was sent to the ticketing counter where I was assured that my guitar would be handled carefully and waiting for me at the "fragile baggage" claim area back at home. It was there, but when I opened the case up and inspected it right then I noticed that the "G" string had been loosened and there was a dime inside (?!?). Whatever.

If you have any flying with guitars stories or tips feel free to post them in the comments.

Traveling with a Guitar - Part Three

Next stop, the gate. This is definitely not the place you want to saunter up to with a guitar (or two) acting like a prima donna.

Tip Seven - Keep a low profile.

You have two options here if you need to go up to get your boarding pass at the gate. One, have a friend (or quickly make one) watch your guitars as you wait in line to get your pass. Or two, leave your guitars somewhere you can keep an eye on them but out of the line of sight of the gate-checker-in-person. This way you can answer "no" honestly when they ask you if your bags have ever been out of your sight.

Tip Eight - Choose your seat wisely.

Now this is most important. When you call in advance to book your seating (I always forget) find out what kind of boarding they have. There are three kinds that I've experienced...

1. Rear to front - this is most common. Get a seat in the back so you are the first to board when there is plenty of overhead space.

2. Cattle Call Boarding - Southwest is known for this type of boarding, this reiterates the importance of Tip Two, be early.

3. "WILMA" Boarding - This stand for Window, Middle, Aisle. As in the order in which the seats are boarded. I've only seen this on United Shuttle. It's supposed to speed up boarding and took me completely by surprise, as my normal last row aisle seat meant I was one of the last to board forcing me to check my acoustic, but that's another story.

Tip Nine - The "Switcheroo".

This next tip I'm not proud of but we are told to be "shrewd as serpents", this could maybe on a good day fall into that category. Your second to last hurdle is the person (airline employee) who takes your ticket just before you head down the skyway onto the plane. If this person was going to be on my right I would strap the electric to my back, hold the acoustic in my left hand and my ticket in my right hand.If this person was going to be on my left I would strap the electric to my back, hold the acoustic in my right hand and my ticket in my left hand.In either situation I would say something nice, witty or charming. I call the the "switcheroo".

Tip Ten - Be courteous. 

If you've gotten this far and you're on the plane, you are ripe for a bitter harvest of disappointment.  You may have forgotten the last hurdle... the flight attendants (don't call them stewardesses).  This lesson I learned the hard way, when an attendant told me my guitar would have to be check as there wouldn't be enough room on the plane for it (maybe Tip Eleven should be don't travel around the holidays).  Well I wasn't prepared for this outcome and I made a little stink saying something to the effect, "you'll never work in this town again" (which means very little at 30,000 feet).  

So when the same thing happened on a flight the very next week, I was polite and even acted happy that some businessman would be able to carry on his suitcase full of CLOTHES(!) so he could save some time by avoiding baggage claim and down one extra martini before bedtime!  Well the flight attendant came back to the 178th row to see me half way through the flight to inform me that my guitar was in the overhead bin above row 10 as they had more room then the expected.  A service that would not have been provided by someone freshly chewed out.

Also along the lines of courtesy.  When an airline gets it right and your traveling with guitars is made relatively easy or even greeted with courtesy of their own, let them know.  E-mail the airline praising them for their acts of heroism.  Okay, maybe not heroism.  Let them know you will fly their airline whenever you can and to book you on the first flight the book to the moon (lots of frequent flyer miles).

If you have any flying with guitars stories or tips feel free to post them in the comments.

Why am I doing this?

Why am I posting free lessons up on youtube/blogspot?  A couple of reasons... 

First, I get a lot of requests to teach private lessons and occasionally I do, but generally it's difficult to fit that time into my schedule and it's inconvenient for many to get to me.  So I figured I'll come to you through the miracle of the internet.  And for free!

Second, years ago I had a website of tips for worship leaders and church guitar players that many players followed.  It was on AOL Hometown, but was taken down a few years ago.  This will replace some of the content lost.

Third, I recently read this book...

It's a very quick read with many valuable contrarian tips for business.  I highly recommend it.  One of the tips was to utilize your business' by-product.  Don't think you have a by-product?  Did you know that charcoal briquettes were a by-product of Henry Ford's Model T?  He started a company to sell them... Kingsford.  Get it?  KingsFORD.  Crazy huh.  Also Wilco allowed a documentary film maker film the making of a record.  He captured the music and emotions as well.  They were recording anyway, why not film it?  The film, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" was a by-product of the recording process.  It introduced Wilco to a whole new audience.

So this blog is going to be my by-product.  Generally it's going to about something I've done in music.  Maybe talking about a recent recording session, like I did in my second post.  Or blog about something I preparing for.  Or posting something I've shared at clinics like Reasons to Capo One, Two, Three and Four.  If it benefits me financially it will be because of the Amazon links contained wherein.  But that's not why I'm doing it.

These posts will largely be by-products of the dozens of things I do to make a living playing guitar.  Hopefully they will help you be a better guitar player.  Whether you play for fun or want to transition into something professional.

Blessings.

Capoing Reasons 4 and 4.1

A couple more reasons to capo.... to emulate an auto harp and play impossible chords.

Shubb capo...
Shubb GC-20A Acoustic Guitar Capo in Nickel

Auto harp...
Oscar Schmidt 21 Chord Autoharp

Some music by Fernando Ortega...
Fernando Ortega
Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns & Sacred Songs
Hymns of Worship
Breaking of the Dawn
Christmas Songs
Storm

Capoing Reasn #3

Shubb GC-20A Acoustic Guitar Capo in Nickel

Kyser 6 String Capo, Black - This one is better for partial capoing, ie. only capoing the top five strings

Capoing Reason #2

Capoing Reason #2 - To contrast with another guitarist.

Original progression - Em C G D
Capo at 3rd fret play - C#m A E B
Capo at 5th fret play - Bm G D A
Capo at 7th fret play - Am F C G
Capo at 10th fret play - F#m D A E

Reason to Capo #1

To get out of bad keys like F, Bb, Eb, B etc.  A capo can make your life easier and make you sound better.

Dunlop 83 Trigger Curved Guitar Capo (Black) - curved for most guitars
Dunlop Trigger Classical Guitar Capo, Black Finish - flatter for nylon string guitars (this is why I was having problems in the video, I was using a classical guitar capo on a normal steel string guitar)
Shubb GC-20A Acoustic Guitar Capo in Nickel - My preferred capo for the studio
Kyser 6 String Capo, Black - my preferred capo for the stage
Shubb GC-20E Electric Guitar Capo in Nickel - my preference on the electric guitar

Some others to peruse...
Stainless Steel Deluxe Guitar Capo
Kyser Pro/Am Guitar Capo
G7th Performance Capo (Six String, Silver)
First Act MX220 Six String Guitar Capo
Planet Waves NS Capo, Silver
Jim Dunlop 7190 Russell Gtr Capo Reg - OLD SCHOOL!!!

Different Pick, Different Tone

Don't buy a new guitar when you can just buy a new guitar pick.

Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Black 1.0mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .88mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .73mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .60mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Cream .46mm, Qty 12
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, White .38mm