Category Archives: art

Harmonic Capo

January 24, 2012 — Leave a Comment

If you’re into alternate tunings and experimenting with new and interesting sounds on your guitar, then you’ll love the Harmonic Capo created by Bob Kilgore. Unlike a regular capo that presses the strings down at the desired fret effectively changing the placement of the nut, the Harmonic Capo gently rests on the strings.

newsletter26 gear bobkilgore hc Harmonic Capo

The effect is what you would get if you lightly placed your finger over the strings at a harmonic node and struck the strings. The most common and strongest harmonic nodes are at the 5th, 7th and 12th frets (and 17th if you can reach it).

Also, unlike conventional capos that allow you to only play in-front of where the capo is placed, the harmonic capo, allows you to play both in-front and behind the capo opening up a whole range of possibilities worth exploring.

The harmonic capo works in tandem with open tunings such as open C (Low to high: CGCGBE) open G tuning (low to high: DGDGBD) or open D tuning or DADGAD. With an open chord being played with no fingers being placed on the fretboard, this enables you to explore different melodic runs while adding in colorful harmonics throughout.

Of course, if you’re new to open tunings, it’s worth taking some time to familiarize yourself with the different shapes to produce chords of one tuning, before moving onto another. It might be helpful at this point to write down all the notes of the fretboard as they have changed with the tuning to get a better picture of what your working with.

newsletter26 gear harmonicapo Harmonic Capo

With all this in mind, use of a Harmonic Capo really benefits finger style playing but that shouldn’t really stop anyone, who is interested in exploring the possibilities the Harmonic Capo offers from having a go. If you’re intrigued to hear some examples, head over to Bob Kilgore’s site and watch a few of his videos. Check out the video below, a number of excerpts from his latest CD offering.

His playing is sure to inspire you to push your playing in a new direction, even if you return having decided that it’s not the path you wanna take.

Enjoy!

Posted by Dan Orr.

Posted in acoustic guitars, Artists, fingerpicking, gear, Guitar Tools, music | Tagged acoustic, Bob Kilgore, capo, electric, gear, harmonics

Writing Songs

January 18, 2012 — Leave a Comment

A very common question for every beginner guitarist:

How do I find musical ideas? How do I write music?
Not an easy question to answer I would say!

One of the challenges all musicians have is finding ideas for music. When you are creating original music it is important to have steady stream of inspiration. It is important to note that people can find inspiration from many differing things depending on their personality.

Living your life is the best source of material for songs. Try and be aware of everything around you. Take notes about people and situations you experience, documenting your reactions to them. Your own reactions are important because personal songs are often the best and easiest to write for many musicians.

Another tool that can be very useful when writing a song is to put yourself in someone else’s shoes or situation. If you find yourself stuck in a rut then this can also be a good way to change your style of writing.

When it comes to writing music it is important to try and develop you musicianship. New skills are like doorways to new songs. Many times you will learn a new technique and a whole song can be built around that. For this reason it is important to always be on the lookout for new skills and ideas.

One of the best ways to pick up the new skills is to learn other musician’s techniques. When you see one of your musician friends playing something interesting try and learn it. This does not mean you should rip off another person’s song, however use those musical ideas to inspire you.

Becoming proficient at your instrument will make it a lot simpler to think of good ideas for your songs.

Melodies are all inside you and they don’t have to be complex. When you are singing to yourself in the shower remember that even the simplest three note melodies have the potential to become songs.

You can find ideas for music and lyrics all around you. Don’t be afraid to open your mind and come up with new and interesting concepts. Experiment with your song and music writing until you create something that you believe in and that is fun to play. And be sure to let me know how your writing is going!

Posted by Dan Orr

Posted in Artists, learning, music, recording, Uncategorized | Tagged songwriting

Tips For Left Handed Guitarists

January 18, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Left handed guitarists are not very common. I have always said that every left handed guitarist I know, is a great player! I do not know why, but every left handed guitarist I have played with or heard, is freaking awesome!

We receive tons of emails from left handed guitarists asking for advice on how to learn; which course is good for them; what do they need; is there anything special I need to do when it comes to playing the guitar? Do I need a left handed guitar? Does your Jamorama course cater to left handed players?

Many people feel that left-handers are at an advantage when it comes to learning guitar. First if you are learning the guitar around the left handed way then you will have your guitar the same way as anyone you’re playing with and also your guitar will be the same way round as traditional chord diagrams (this of course makes it easier to understand what the diagram shows). Also if you are left handed and play your guitar right handed then you will have your strongest hand (your left) fretting the strings which is one of the hardest things for beginners to master.

Please note that Jamorama doesn’t recommend learning to play the guitar around the “wrong way” as it can impede developing a good solid sense of rhythm. However playing round the wrong way can be beneficial for SOME players.

In terms of the actual guitar when it comes to classical guitars it is not problem just to reverse the strings. With electrics and other acoustics it can be better to invest in a left handed guitar. Some players have no problem stringing electrics upside down (Jimi Hendrix for one) so if you think that will suit you try it.

Check out these “tributes to left handed guitarists” by Youtube user hardandheavyvideos2 and toastedaudiolab:

Good luck to all the lefties in the world! You guys rock!!!

Posted by Dan Orr.

Posted in acoustic guitars, Artists, Electric Guitars, learning, music | Tagged learning, left handed, tips

Difference between Strats & Teles

January 17, 2012 — Leave a Comment

This is actually a reprint of one of the longest running and hottest topics in all of guitar playing.

Welcome to Questions Answered. Jim Miller also authors Tech Notes Online, a weekly Sweetwater column covering all aspects of today’s music, from stage to studio.

Q: “Is there a noticeable sonic difference between Strats & Teles?”

A: This is somewhat of a loaded question. Of course there are differences between any two guitars – sometimes even between the same model built different years.

Historically, the Telecaster (Tele) featured a solid ash body with single coil bridge and neck pickups along with a maple neck and fingerboard. The Stratocaster (Strat) was Fender’s “upscale” model, with a contoured body, three single coil pickups, a tremolo tailpiece and a maple neck and fingerboard. As you might expect, having three pickups offers more tones (particularly when you factor in the two “out-of-phase” positions available on models with a five-way switch).

Some Strats may have a rosewood fingerboard that will warm up the sound slightly. The same would be true for Teles. Both are legendary for their clean, bright tone (sometimes referred to as “spank”). Newer releases of either instrument have added various options such as maple tops, additional pickups (or different pickup types: humbuckers or active Lace Sensors with mid range boost for instance).

To a true guitar-a-holic, Teles and Strats are quite different instruments, normally used to achieve different sounds for different types of music. On a recording, most “normal” people would not hear a noticeable difference between a recording of a Strat or Tele using the bridge pickup. The main tonal differences would be most noticeable when a Strat is played using the “out-of-phase” pickup combinations, which produce a clear, glossy tone, perfect with a chorus effect. Most players actually choose a specific Fender model based on looks and feel as much as for their respective tones. Unquestionably, both are classics that have stood the test of time!

Check out the comparison between these two beauties recorded by Youtube user larsenpeople:

Posted by Dan Orr

Posted in blues, buying guitars, Electric Guitars, gear, Rock | Tagged Comparison, fender, stratocaster, telecaster

Custom Shop

October 11, 2009 — Leave a Comment

The sims custom shop are one of the grooviest custom shops around – I`m sure they’ve customised one of Jeff Beck’s strats with a funky camourflage finish. If you would like an LED system built into your guitar, some lazers, a custom scratchplate or a complete guitar finish overhaul SIMS custom guitar finishes can do almost anything you can imagine.

Just check out some of their incredible work in this gallery! As you can see these guys can do just about anything including light emitting skulls, chrome, mirrors, lazers, diamante type stuff and much much more!!!!

The Sims guys are based in Ashford Kent in the U.K..

Cheers,

Jake Edwards