From Audio Jungle - 8 Amp Myths

Perusing my mail alerts today I ran across an interesting post from The Audio Jungle. The writer Adrian has some interesting views on some myths about amplifies from guitar guru Ryan Bennett .

In the article Ryan talks about:

1. Bigger is Better

2. Double Watts is Double Volume

3. Brand Name is Everything

4. You Have to Have a Stack to be Cool

5. Tubes are Fragile

6. Built-in Effects are as Good as Pedals

7. You Can’t Get Tone Out of Solid State

8. A Really Good Amp Will Make You Sound Awesome

If you have some confusion about amps or are thinking about getting one you owe it to yourself to check out this short and informative perspective on amps.

Check it out here: 8 Guitar Amp Myths: How Many Do You Believe?

Tony Pasko is Rock House Methods New "Gear Guru"

Rock House Method is heading into 2009 with their feet on the ground running. Joe Palombo has recently announced that there will be quite a few new enhancements to the The Rock House web site for their members. Although much of it is hush-hush at this time one of the announcements that has come to surface is the addition of Tony Pasko who will be Rock House's "in house" Gear Guru.

Tony will bring a life time of experience to the members of Rock House. He will be active in helping members with setting up their gear and answering question about amp, pedals, guitars, recording and anything else that may be on your mind about playing music and getting all those toys you have to work the way you need them to.

Tony posted the following on the message boards at Rock House:

"I am very pleased to hear that so many of you are interested in this new feature on Rock House Method. I am very excited to join the team and be able to answer all your gear needs. Like most of you I eat sleep and breath gear, I have done it my whole life. I grew up in a music store, working in them, and running them, before I made the crossover to working on the manufacturing side. I have designed products for Peavey, Washburn, Randall, Parker, and many others, I have recorded, toured and studied music and live sound not only in College but the knowledge you learn from real world experience is unmatched. With all that said I'm sure you guys will bring things to me that I won't know, but know that I will never give you guesses. I know enough people in the music industry that I can call on to get you the truth.

I have spent many years traveling around the world doing sales training, and performances and I am glad to finally have the opportunity to help all my fellow musicians and maybe guide the next generation of musicians make the right choices for their gear needs."

Welcome aboard Tony. The members are ecstatic to have you as a part of the Rock House community. 

Why Rhythm Guitar Is More Fun

Editor Note: This is a a guest post written by Gary Fletcher, the owner of the Not Playing Guitar Blog. Gary has many articles on his web site that can help you with playing guitar.

Lead guitarists always seem to get most of the attention as guitar heroes. Rhythm guitar players get a whole lot less, but I bet they really don't mind, because they know they're having more fun.

Think about many of the guitar songs you love to listen to. What often stands out is the rhythm backing that drives them. Not only are these good to listen to, rhythm grooves are also the most fun thing to play on the guitar. Here are some more good reasons why.

* Variety

Chords, riffs, rhythm fills, strums, arpeggios ... The list goes on and on. You can learn so many interesting and cool things to create great rhythm backups. You'll never be bored.

* Challenge

Of course, all this variety gives you plenty to do. With a huge number of chords in different positions, inversions, rhythm patterns and so on you'll always have a new challenge to meet.

* Groove

Setting a good groove behind a song is a cool feeling. You are in an excellent position to do this with your rhythm guitar. Think of the memorable rhythms of classic rock songs like All Right Now, or Jimmy Nolen's funk grooves with James Brown, for example.

* Making Friends

A good rhythm guitar player is always in demand. Not every band wants screaming solos in their songs, but rare is the song that can't use a good rhythm guitar part.

If you want to play with other musicians, your rhythm guitar skills are the ideal ticket. Your skills will make you popular with solo instrument players: harmonica, flute, violin, saxophone, singers...

* Easy to Start

Rhythm guitar can give you as much challenge as you want, but it doesn't have to be hard if you don't want it to.

You can join in on many songs with a basic repertoire of open guitar chords. You don't have to spend years practicing scales before anyone will let you join their band.

* Entertain by Yourself

If you are the kind of player that likes to just pick up your guitar and play on the sofa or the porch then rhythm is for you. You don't need any backup instruments, you can entertain yourself or friends with your rhythm playing.

Forget lead guitar and all its theatrical posturing, rhythm guitar is where the real fun is at. Build your rhythm guitar skills and you can be sure you won't regret it.

About the Author

Gary Fletcher shares guitar tips and lessons at his blog Not Playing Guitar http://www.notplayingguitar.com.

Win a Gary Hoey Fan Pack

Rock House Artist Gary Hoey announced a couple days ago that he is giving away an autographed fan pack each month. All you need to do is sign up to receive Garys e-newsletters. 

Once you have signed up for the e-newsletter, you will automatically be entered into the drawing every month.

The fan pack include:

• A CD
• A shirt
• An autographed photo

Link to the contest is http://garyhoey.com/

David Ellefson to Perform in Chille - January 09

Rock House Instructor David Ellefson is getting together with some friends and major players to hit Chile for a special 5 show tour.

The shredders will perform under the name of "HAIL". Performing along with Ellefson (F5) will be Guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), and Jimmy DeGrasso (F5 & ALICE COOPER).

Their set list will honor their own genres of metal as well as the classic music that inspired their careers.

Cities and Dates are as follows:
 

January 22 Santiago, Chile - Rock & Guitarras

January 23 Valparaiso, Chile - El Huevo

January 24 Concepcion, Chile - Havana Club

January 25 Puerto Montt, Chile - Arena Puerto Montt

January 27 Antofagasta, Chile - Rock & Soccer

Chimaira Interview with "The Cleveland Free Times"

A couple of the guys from Chinaira sat down and talked with D.X. Ferris of "The Cleveland Scene". They talk about the upcoming 9th annual Chimaira Christmas show on December 30th.

The interesting thing about the show is that Chimaira let their fans vote on the songs that they will perform for the show. It will be an 18 song set. According to Ferris, The poll results are classified, but you can probably expect the power-surge title track from 2007’s Resurrection, which chronicled the sextet’s divorce from powerhouse metal label Roadrunner and their subsequent signing to indie foundry Ferret. The writer did wessal out of the that they’ll also play nuggets like “Eyes of a Criminal,” in addition to signature throwdowns like “Pure Hatred,” which was the number-one vote-getter.

The article which is title "Thrash the Halls" can be found on The Cleveland Scene.

The Weekend Read for Dec. 18th - 25th

I tell you. Take a few days off and there's just so much to catch up on. It's a short list but I it looks like there were bloggers taking time off for the holidays. Can't say I blame 'em. You got to take a break sometime.

Here's The Weekend Read for December 18th through the 25th.

Guitar Lifestyle - Female Guitarist
Guitar Noize - Funny Guitar Cables from Bullet Cables
The Mad Stratter - A completely new look, check it out
Not Playing Guitar - Instant Guitar Practice Routine
Jemsite - In Search of the Perfect Guitar

Have a rockin' weekend!

sarge

The Top 10 Performance, Tips and Tricks from 2008

 

I'm rounding out the Top 10 Posts with link to The Top 10 Performance, Tips and Tricks that have been read by the readers of The Rock House Blog. Lessons are great but knowledge is power.

Give 'em a look.

10. John McCarthy - Palm Muting Tip

9. The Difference Between Gain, Overdrive and Distortion. - Using Gain, Overdrive, and Distortion can either add or detract from your overall guitar tone, so it's a good idea to know the differences between them.

8. Great Songs For Beginners. - Me and the boys from Rock House put our thinking caps on and compiled a list of easy to learn songs that will challenge you but not make you want to throw your guitar in the fireplace.

7. 12 Things you Can Do Right Now To Become a Better Player.

6. Hand, Wrist and Elbow Fitness for Musicians. - Dr. Zachary is going to be educating us on taking care of the most important part of our instrument ….. our hands.

5. Guide to Bass Strings. - Rock House invited over two dozen string companies to participate in a massive string roundup.

4. Make My Guitar Squeal Like A Pig. - It is called a "Pick Harmonic" and it was made popular in the 80's when there was an abundance of guitar solos in the music.

3. Setting Your Amp For Good Distortion Without The Loudness! - There are two ways to get that full distortion sound.

2. Developing A Shred Picking Technique. - If you aren’t picking, you’re not grinning!

1. 20 Songs Every Beginner Guitarist Should Know. - Just a starting point and there are thousands of easy songs that you can learn.

The Rock House Blogs Top 5 Bass Guitar Lessons of 2008

I didn't forget my friends that play the low side! Here are the top 5 bass lessons that were viewed by you, our readers in 2008.

5. Funk It! - Beginner Bass lesson - A nice beginner Bass lesson from Chris McCarvil.

4. Bass Triplet Finger Twister by Professor Jim - Twisting your piggies’ into submission.

3. Bass Funk Lesson from Chris McCarvill - Learn to funk and suddenly everything you play sounds great.

2. Bass Finger Exercises - Professor Jim works on getting your fingers to move around the Bass.

1. Bass Fret Board & Fingering Positions - The Rock House staff shows the concept of playing in positions on the Bass Guitar.

6 Tips for New Owners of Rock House Method DVDs or Books

 

Many aspiring musicians have received Rock House Method DVDs for Christmas presents this year. You may have even received one with your first ever guitar. Here are a few links to the site that help you get around a little easier and some tips about the forum.

1. To access the additional features of the DVD you received (or bought) you will need to register the DVD. You can do this on the home page at www.rockhousemethod.com and click on register. You will also need the registration number that is on the inside of the DVD cover.
2. Complete the registration process. Without completing the process you will not be a registered user. Rock House Method will NOT spam your inbox and will not send you any information than that which you may be interested in.
3. Take a look around the site. There are areas where you can find a lot of information. Once you have become a member click on the “Owners of DVDs and Books” This will take you to the members’ area.
4. The members’ area is where you will find the down-loadable metronome and tuner. You will also have access to our “ask the teacher” section, which is packed full of all types of questions that have been asked over the years. It’s a simple easy way to find answers fast. There are also areas for guitar and bass tabs. An interactive area that has an ear trainer. Articles written by Rock House staff and a classroom where you can take quizzes on the DVD that you own to see how your knowledge is coming along.
5. While in the members area I would suggest you go ahead and download the backing tracks that go along with your DVD or book and Check out Professor Jim's exclusive lessons.
6. Don’t forget to check out what’s going on in the Rock House Forums. You will find a wide variety of topics being talked about here. There are really just 2 rules to the forum. First is don’t be afraid to ask the simplest of questions. No one is going to harass you for being a new comer. The second thing to keep in mind is that The Rock house Method is a family friendly site, so don’t use profanity.

That’s about it. It’s a nice site packed with a huge amount of information combined with a great group of members that are ready willing and able to answer any questions you may have.

The Rock House Blogs 10 Top Guitar Lessons of 2008

It’s hard to believe the end of another year is upon us. With that in mind it’s time for me to get on the ball before the end of the year gets here. So without further ado, here are the top 10 guitar lessons for the year that you the readers found most helpful or interesting.

10. Intermediate Rhythm Guitar Lesson  - Explore some of the many different rhythym techniques and styles.

 9. Finger Building Exercises for Guitar - A lesson to build up your little piggies.

 8. Basic Rhythym Techniques for Guitar  - Rhythyms that are standard popular progressions to get you started.

 7. Hands of Steel Workout Routine -  This is routine #3 from The Hands of Steel DVD presented by John McCarthy

 6. 12 Bar Blues Progression Guitar Lesson - Dive into some basic fretboard visualization and 12 bar blues progressions.

 5. Fingerpicking 101 Guitar Lesson - Tackling the basics of fingerpicking.

 4. Alexi Laiho Video Lesson - Alexi shows how to create a great metal rhythm beat from The Children of Bodoms song "Living Dead"

 3.  Developing a Shred Picking Technique - This lesson not only applies to you metal lovers because It doesn’t matter what style of music you want to pursue, picking is an essential part of any guitar players technique.

 2.  Alexi Laiho Video Lesson - Alexi Laiho how to make a Single Note Riff Into A Heavy Rhythm.

 1. 20 Songs Every Beginner Guitarist Shoud Know - The boys from Rock House put their thinking caps on and compiled a list of easy to learn songs that will challenge you but not make you want to throw your guitar in the fireplace.

The Freekbass Blog Alert: Inside: Bootsy's (PHOTOS)

The Freekbass Blog Alert: Inside: Bootsy's (PHOTOS)

FREEKBASS posted a link to some photos of Bootsys Place. It's just an awesome looking night spot to hang out at.

The Weekend Read for Dec. 11th - Dec.18th

The weekly list of my picks to read from our blog roll. Some are about music, some are about instruments. The list (in no particular order) will give you some of reading over the weekend.

 

Guitar Flame -  Great Feelings Of Christmas 

Guitar Noize -Rock House Method - Hands Of Steel Review 

                    Pyjamas for guitarists!

Guitar MX - The 100 Worst Guitar Solos

Jemsite - Resources For Beginners 

Not Playing Guitar - How to Fix Stupid Guitar Finger

                             Guitar Practice: Never Be Stuck for Ideas Again 

Strat-O-Blogster - Happy Birthday Keef!! 

 

Have a rockin' weekend!

Sarge

What's Under The Rock House Christmas Tree?

News from Flash57 that he posted on the Rock House Forums Late last night. His post goes on the say:

I thought that might get everyone's attention!  

Now that I sparked your interest, I have a question for everyone.  We are about to launch a new feature on Rock House that I know you are going to love.   Without going into a lot of detail, I wanted to at least give you an idea as to what we are about to roll out and get some input and feedback in the meantime. 

We all know how difficult it is not to pick up presents under the tree, then shake, peel the tape back and take a peak (yes, I do that too!).  We want to help you put together that list so you are not dissappointed in the future!

We will be launching a new feature that will allow members to direct questions to one of the most knowledgeable gear guys in the industry.  He is joining forces with Rock House and will be specifically addressing questions from members on just about anything you can throw at him.  He is going to be doing product reviews, chats, and available to help you along on the decision making process as far as guitars, amps, pedals, recording equipment, mic's and gadgets.   If you are interested in a certain guitar or gear, he has probably already done the homework.  If not, he will help you with it and provide unbiased feedback and recommendations.  If you are looking for a certain tone or sound, he's the guy.  If you have a budget you are working with and want to get the biggest bang for your buck, he's the guy.  If you have questions about how to deal with a sales folks when going in to a store to make a purchase, he's the guy.  If you have a question about how to do this thing or that... You guessed it... He's the guy! 

Also, we will be at NAMM in January and if you have some specific questions on gear or new stuff, send me a PM or post it here.  I'll see if the manufacturer is there and if so, we can speak to the product specialists and gather as much information as we can for you ( it also gives us an excuse to sit down and play with all the cool stuff while we are at the show). 

So, put your Christmas Wish List together and be thinking about some of the questions you might have.

Merry Christmas to each of you and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and an even better New Year! 

Small Three String Sweeps w/ John McCarthy (Video Lesson)

This video lesson is from The Rock House Method You Tube Channel. It features John McCarthy in the DVD Lead Guitar -Techniques For Creating Solo's. In this video John shows How to do some small three string sweeps. It's a great technique but gets a little crazy at full speed.



For more info about the Lead Guitar Lessons DVD you can check it out at Rock House Method and you can check out more Rock House Lessons at the Rock House You Tube Channel

Job For a Cowboy Opens New Web Merchandise Store

Job For a Cowboy announced on their My Space site today that they have switched to a new online merchandise store. The store features T-Shirts, Woman's Apparel, Youth Apparel, Outerwear, Head wear, Posters, Music and Accessories.

You can check it out at  http://jobforacowboy.shop.bravadousa.com/

RH Blog Editor (me) Interview @ Not Playing Guitar

I recently had the opportunity to sit back and be interviewed by Gary Flethcher. Gary is the creator of The Blog Not Playing Guitar.

Here's a link to the post.

http://www.notplayingguitar.com/2008/12/interview-with-curt-moye-of-rock-house.html

The blog is packed full of lessons, advice and interesting posts about playing guitar and....about not playing guitar.

Michael Padget of Bullet For My Valentine working on Rock House DVD

I noticed on John McCarthys My Space site yesterday that his shout box said he was working with Michael Padget (Padge) of Bullet For My Valentine on programs that will be coming out in 2009.

I have no other info at this time but will do some digging and see what I can come up with.

Eddie Van Halen Launches the All-New EVH® Wolfgang® Guitar

Eddie Van Halen launches the all-new EVH(R) Wolfgang(R) electric guitar, available worldwide beginning Jan. 2009. The EVH Wolfgang guitar represents Eddie's 35 years of experimenting with guitars, over two years of intense research and development, and a full year of brutal road testing during the top-grossing Van Halen 2007-2008 tour.

It was during the massive 2007-2008 Van Halen tour that the all-new EVH Wolfgang guitar went through extensive live "road testing" performance trials. The tour kicked off in fall 2007, and Eddie punished early versions of the new Wolfgang each night; playing every updated prototype onstage under the full, unfiltered spotlight of his fans. The results are reflected in the EVH Wolfgang guitar; produced to Eddie's exact specifications and with features identical to the Wolfgang guitars he records and performs with.

 

"A guitar is a very personal extension of the person playing it. You have to be emotionally and spiritually connected to your instrument. I could have just stayed at home and built this guitar for myself. I do this because a lot of people ask if they can get what I use. Well, yes you can and what you get is identical to what I use," commented Eddie. "From the basics of the guitar to painstaking aspects like the binding and everything else--we re-did everything on this guitar.

"Every aspect and component of this guitar has been examined and upgraded to the highest standards possible: stainless steel frets, double-potted custom-wound pickups, five-piece binding on the matching body and headstock, custom-made signature tuning machines and Floyd Rose(R) bridge, new low-friction pots, and the list keeps going ... we left no stone unturned," said Eddie. "Everything that I've built, destroyed, stumbled onto, learned and experienced is in this guitar."

When Eddie Van Halen made his debut into the rock music scene in 1978, he did so with a homemade guitar (later known as "Frankenstein"). At a time when his monster technique and tone demanded a high-performance, indestructible guitar, he created his own to reach his own seemingly impossible standards. For over 35 years, he has continued to examine and improve every variable within the instrument, all culminating with the new EVH Wolfgang guitar.

In 2007, Eddie Van Halen and Fender(R) collaborated to launch the first EVH brand high-performance products, including the all-new EVH 5150III (TM) amplifier, the limited run of Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein(TM) replica guitars and an array of high-quality EVH brand accessories.

For more information go to http://www.evhgear.com/ .

Gretsch®, Creates New Stump-O-Matic Signature Guitar With Patrick Vaughn Stump

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Dec. 16, 2008) – Gretsch, Fall Out Boy lead singer/guitarist Patrick Vaughn Stump, and TV Jones teamed-up to create the latest signature model from Gretsch – the G5135PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitar.

The Gretsch G5135PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitar features a solid mahogany body, a set-in mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard and 21 frets that clear the body; three Mega’Tron® pickups and TV Jones®-designed circuitry with a master volume, three-position toggle, middle pickup volume/blend control, and STUMP-O-MATIC kill switch, a two-position rotary operation switch that allows for combinations of all three pickups and a multitude of tones; string-through-body design for maximum sustain, chrome hardware, and Pewter finish with custom black stripes.

Since 2001, Stump and his Fall Out Boy band-mates have taken the world by storm, selling millions of records and amassing several sold-out tours. Over the years, they have won numerous MTV Video Music Awards, are Grammy-nominated, and have recorded five studio albums, including their latest full-length offering, Folie á Deux, released today.

“The good people at Gretsch came to me and asked what I would like in an ideal guitar,” said Stump. “I told them I wanted something that sounds really good through a high-gain British amp and a clean Fender amp. When I’m playing live, I want to get as many tones as I can out of one instrument. I need all the clarity that single-coil pickups provide, and the overdrive tones that only come from humbucking pickups. It’s the guitar I use and I’m very, very proud of it.”

Additionally, Fall Out Boy, Gretsch and Squier have teamed-up for an extra special online giveaway promotion. Fans can go to www.gretschguitars.com/patrickstump for a chance to win the very autographed Gretsch guitar Patrick used on their latest album, or www.squierguitars.com/petewentz for a chance to win bassist Pete Wentz’s autographed signature Squier Precision Bass® guitar and Fender Bass Amplification TB-600C bass combo he played on the album. Copies of their album include inserts with the Gretsch and Squier web links leading fans to the giveaway landing pages.

Gretsch G5135PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series Gretsch STUMP-O-MATIC Electromatic Corvette Guitars will be available on February 1, 2009 at participating Gretsch dealers worldwide with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,000. For more information, go to http://www.gretschguitars.com/ . Squier Pete Wentz Precision Bass guitars are available at participating Squier dealers worldwide with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $480. For more information, go to http://www.squierguitars.com/ .

For more information, visit: http://www.gretschguitars.com/

Source: http://www.fender.com/
 

Bass Triplet Finger Twister by Professor Jim

www.rockhousemethod.com
There are 5 audio tracks available for download that go with this lesson. See full track listing
at the end of the lesson.

In this exercise I will be twisting your piggies’ into submission. This exercise is challenging to perform accurately. Be sure to practice first at a slow tempo and keep the notes dynamically and rhythmically even. In other words, make sure the notes ring with the same volume throughout and the notes are spaced evenly and not run together.

This is an exercise that comes from the C Major Scale and is played with a triplet rhythm. Count each measure like:

1-trip-let 2-trip-let 3-trip-let 4-trip-let

With your right hand use alternate finger strokes and I also would recommend that you use a metronome to gauge your progress and build speed gradually.

Creating a complete practice routine will help you improve your finger strength and coordination and will bring your playing to a whole new level. This exercise is a great one to add into the mix.

Until next time keep Rockin’ N’ Rollin’!!!

Professor Jim

Bass Triplet Finger
Twister

The Downloadable Audio Track Listing

Download all these practice tracks for just $2.99. Yes I want the Practice Tracks

1. Bass Tuning Notes
2. Bass Triplet Finger Twister Intro
3. Bass Triplet Finger Twister Bass Only
4. Bass Triplet Finger Twister Bass and Drums
5. Bass Triplet Finger Twister Drum Track

Click Here For A Complete Listing of all the Bass Lesson Audio Downloads

Source: The Rock House Method

bass guitar lessons, music lessons, professor jim, bass triplet finger twister

Research Links Music to Increased Brain Power

By Lois Thome, WINK News

Harvard researchers followed 41 kids who practiced either the piano or a stringed instrument for at least three years and compared them to 18 kids who only took a general music class in school.

They found that those kids who practiced an instrument scored better on certain tests that measured visual and verbal ability.

What's more, the study found, the longer and more intensely that children trained with their musical instrument, the better they did on the tests.

Experts say memorizing is a skill, which along with most things, improves with practice. And music maybe one way of getting that practice.

Still, further study is necessary in order to prove conclusively a connection between music and memory.

 

Fir the full story go to http://www.winknews.com/features/education/36198994.html

Bernie Worrells Newest Collaboration - SociaLibrium

From Bernie Worrell's web site is news about his newest project/band called SocialLibrium. The collaboration includes some pretty heavy support from Blackbyrd McKnight - Guitar, Vocals, TM Stevens - Bass, Vocals and Brain - Percussion.

They have a couple of shows lined up and are definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

Dec 17 2008 9:00P	Great American Music Hall	San Francisco, California
Jan 9 2009 9:00P	The Fox Theater	Boulder, Colorado

So what do you get when you combine the two Musical Directors of Parliment / Funkadelic for the last 40 years with heavy players such as Brain (Primus, Guns & Roses) and TM Stevens (Pretenders, James Brown)? This Funk is brand new and this Funk is HEAVY!!!

You can check 'em out at http://www.myspace.com/socialibrium

Source: http://www.bernieworrell.com/

ATREYU Opens New On-Line Store

Checking in on The Rock House Method Artist and Instructors today I ran across this on ATREYU's My Space site. They have opened a new on-line store featuring clothing, CD's and Gift Cards.

Check it out ATREYU Store

Update from The Children of Bodom

Henkka T. Blacksmith Children of Bodom bassist has posted the following update about their shows in the UK on The COB web site.

"I think Munich was the best German show for us. It was very nice surprise for us. They day before we played in Vienna, and somehow that city has always been very dear to us. I will never forget the the Planet Music shows back in the day. One Man Man Army dudes invaded our bus in Stuttgart. They played the same city with Unleashed.

It was time to cross the channel. The Cliffs of Dover welcomed us to the rainy island. Weird is that its actually been much sunnier in UK than in Central Europe on this tour.

London was lots of drinking. Cardiff kicked some serious ass. The crowd really surprised us, and now it would be great to come over for headliner.

Yesterday we enjoyed a day off in Birmingham. I managed to get up quite early, totally hungover from the Cardiff tequilas. The game wasn't sold out so we got tickets to see Birmingham-Watford. What could be better cure for hangover than good company, beer and football."

Henkka

Children Of Bodom will be on the road for one more week until they can head home for the holiday break. The band has played more than 100 concerts in just seven months in support of their highly successful Blooddrunk album and their next year's schedule looks equally busy. The rest of the European tour dates with Slipknot and Machine Head are as follows:

December 08 - SECC, Glasgow (UK)
December 09 - Arena, Manchester (UK)
December 11 - Arena, Newcastle (UK)
December 12 - Arena, Sheffield (UK)
December 14 - Lotto Arena, Antwerp (B)
December 15 - Rockhal, Luxemburg (L)



Technorati Tags:rock house artist news, children of bodom
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ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO WINTER 2009 TOUR ANNOUNCED

Alex Skolnick announced on his My Space (http://www.myspace.com/alexskolnicktrio) site yesterday news on their winter tour.

The Alex Skolnick trio is making a quick west coast road trip surrounding the NAMM Convention and want all fans and friends to come out and meet up with Alex, Nate and Matt. AST willl bring the music and you'll bring the sunshine and lets just say that we all will cocktail just a little bit. See you soon.

01/15/09 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
01/16/09 Anaheim, CA @ NAMM
01/17/09 Anaheim, CA @ NAMM
01/18/09 Anaheim, CA @ NAMM
01/19/09 Monterey, CA @ MONTEREY LIVE (NOT CONFIRMED
01/20/09 Berkeley, CA @ BLAKES
01/21/09 San Francisco, CA @ TBA

Thursday January 15
Brick By Brick
1130 Buenos
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 275-5483
http://www.%20brickbybrick.%20com/

Monday January 19 (NOT CONFIRMED)
Monterey Live
414 Alvarado St, Monterey, CA,
831-373-LIVE (5483)
http://www.%20montereylive.%20org/

Tuesday January 20
BLAKES
2367 Telegraph
Berkeley CA, 94704
510-533-1871
http://www.%20blakesontelegraph.%20com/

Check out Alex's My Space for more updates or to help promote them.

Ravi Bhadriraju Departs from Job For a Cowboy

Lambgoat has confirmed that guitar player Ravi Bhadriraju recently left Job For A Cowboy. Bhadriraju exited the group on amicable terms to go back to school. A replacement has yet to be named, though Despised Icon guitarist Al Glassman has reportedly been playing with the group as of late.

Good Luck Ravi.

The Weekend Read for Dec. 6 - Dec. 11

Here's the list of my picks to read from our blog roll. Some are about music, some are about instruments. The list (in no particular order) will give you some of reading over the weekend.

Dy-sphoric - [Guitar] Music and Stress
FREEKBASS Blog - HGMN Radio Chart For December 9th, 2008 (Based on National Spins from radio stations across the country)
Guitar Flame - Why It Is Good For Children To Learn To Play Guitar?
Guitar Noize - String Skipping Lesson
Jem Site Blog - Getting To Know Tubes
Mad Stratter -  Finger Exercises for the Practicing Guitarist
Not Playing Guitar - How to Never Lose Your Place In a Guitar Solo
Strat-O-Blogster - A Strat for Friday #105 - FCS Bettie Page Strat by Pamelina H.
Blues Historian - John Lennon: Give Peace A Chance

Have a rockin' weekend!

Sarge

A Review of Learn Rock Drums feat. Mark Manczuk (Guest Post)

Review by: Kyle Hume

When I first got this DVD I was a little skeptical about someone being able to learn how to play drums through a DVD. You see, I have been an avid drummer for more than ten years and feel I have a really good grasp on it and I got that way by attending lessons and tons of practice. After viewing this DVD I was really impressed they covered everything I could think of and made it clear to understand and follow.

If you are a person who wants to learn how to play drums this is the program for you. You will be taught how to use the correct posture, how to set up your drum set, proper stick motion and even how to pick out the right sticks for what you might want to play.

What I found really impressive is how well it is stressed that you need to use a metronome and correct counting when playing, this is key if you ever intend on speeding up what you are playing. This program covers note values and how to play grooves for each one including quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and triplet notes. Once you have learned how to play the grooves you will then be shown how to play fills, which are the key to change in the music you play. You will know how to grip your sticks, the motion of how to strike the drum and how to create dynamics with different stick heights.

The 5 lessons I found most appealing among the many in the DVD are:

1) Posture
2) Counting, all sections, if you can’t count it how can you play it?
3) Grooves, all 4 quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and triplet
4) Fills, this is how you create change in the music
5) Match Grip, this was my first grip too, it’s really important you get this down perfectly.

I recommend this program to all who are looking to learn drums and even those who need to brush up on some basic skills. This is a must have for any musician with an interest in drums, a great Roc House Method product!

Editor’s note: Learn Rock Drums is designed for someone with little or no experience, for more info you check it put at http://www.rockhousemethod.com/

Drum DVD Learn Rock Drums Learning Drums Rock House Method Rock House reviews

Children of Bodom Open and Update Their Official Webshop

Children of Bodom's official webstore has been updated with a new facelift and has hopes of offering a smoother shoping experiance for their fans. But, if you give them your opinion on what you think of their new store or have and ideas on how to improve it or suggest things that you would like to see in the future, then there is a survey you can take. If you take the survey you could be the lucky winner of one of the 50 euro gift tokens they are giving out. 

Children Of Bodom Hate Wear offers worldwide shipping and we charge only the actual Finnish Postal Service fees!

Some of the latest additions to our shop include the marvelous gatefold vinyls of the first three albums, new picture LPs, shirts, flasks and much more!

Hold tight onto your shopping cart and Follow The Reaper to the store!

Muting Techniques for Guitar

Rock House Method has a ton of articles like this one that are writen by John McCarthy as well as many of the other instructors. Check it out today! http://www.rockhousemethod.com/

There are very easy rules you can follow to achieve a great muting technique.

1. The part of your hand that you use to palm mute can make your muting most effective. The two best ways are with the side of your hand that runs down from your pinky finger, and the meat of your palm that is attached to your thumb. Both of these techniques should be used, so get comfortable with them.

2. Where you place your palm on the strings is the most important factor in muting the sound versus killing the sound. You must lightly touch the strings right where they come off the bridge. If you move too far towards the neck the sound will become deadened.

3. Your amp setting can be useful in making a cool muted sound. Although you can get a muted sound with a clean amp setting, if you add distortion to your sound you can really hear the technique jump out.

4. To create a dead percussive sound as an effect you should use your left hand touching the strings over the middle of the neck.

My advice is to start with these techniques and experiment with getting your own unique way of muting. Metallica, like many heavy bands, uses muting to enhance its overall sound so use this to create force and have some fun!!!

The Mighty Top Ten of 2008 From Chimaira

The guys from Chimaira have posted their top 10 albums of 2008 on their web site.

The post from Chimaira can also be found on their web site http://www.chimaira.com/

We decided to share our top ten albums of 2008. Some of us had difficulty finding albums we really wanted to share. The gaps were filled with other things that bring us joy.

Mark Hunter

01. Metallica - Death Magnetic
02. NIN - Ghosts I-IV/The Slip
03. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
04. T.I. - Paper Trail
05. Whitechapel - This Is Exile
06. Kanye West - 808’s And Heartbreaks
07. Portishead - Third
08. In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose
09. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
10. The Game - LAX

Matt DeVries

1. Overcast - Reborn To Kill Again
2. Meshuggah - Obzen
3. Whitechapel - This Is Exile
4. Emmure - The Respect Issue
5. Terror - The Damned, The Shamed
6. Unearth - The March
7. Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh
8. Opeth - Watershed
9. Aborted - Strychnine.213
10. Kingdom of Sorrow - Self Titled

Andols Herrick

1. Opeth - Watershed
2. Hate Eternal - Fury and Flames
3. The Savage Nation - 6-9pm EST
4. The O’Reilly Factor - 8-9pm EST FNC
5. Hannity and Colmes - 9-10pm EST FNC
6. The Glenn Beck Program - 9am-12pm EST
7. BBC World Service - any time
8. The Radio Factor - 12-2pm EST
9. The John Gibson Program - 6-9pm EST
10. The Alan Colmes Show - 10pm-1am EST

Chris Spicuzza

01. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
02. Meshuggah - Obzen
03. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
04. Scars on Broadway - Self Titled
05. Opeth - Watershed
06. Protest The Hero - Fortress
07. The Company Band - Sign Here, Here, And Here
08. Cold Stone - Chocolate Devotion
09. Chipotle - Chicken Burrito Bol
10. Andols - The Rocking Chair

Shalom Y’all

Rock House- X-Treme Strength & Technique Training for Guitar (Video Lesson)

JP has been busy posting some new video footage on The Rock House You Tube Channel. Here's a clip on using the minor pentatonic scale in a 16th note pattern. Get ready to feed your need for speed!

UK Study Shows Gaming Leads to Music Making

Dy-sphoric sent this to me. It's an interesting post about how research has shown that up to 2.5 million children have picked up guitars and drums after playing music-themed video games.

In the study the UK Times suggests that research by one of Britain's largest music charities suggests that the popularity of active music titles such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band have prompted up to 2.5 million children to learn the instruments for real.

I find this interesting due to the great debate of whether game systems like Guitar Hero or Rock Band are hindering the next generation of musicians. I would have to say that this study does give me a new perspective on the whole thing. If the game systems are actually creating a desire to learn how to play instruments then maybe they aren't such a bad thing after all.

Here's a link to the origional post Gear Trap

Developing Shred Picking Technique

By: Rich Roger

Welcome to my lesson “Developing Shred Picking Technique.” This lesson not only applies to you metal lovers because It doesn’t matter what style of music you want to pursue, picking is an essential part of any guitar players technique. So if you aren’t picking, you’re not grinning!

Picking Hand Positioning

Here is a walk through of how your hand positioning should be. Keep your picking hand close to the guitar, anchor your hand to the guitar body by using your ring and pink fingers and don’t let your hand float in the air, don’t bend your wrist outward (If you do so, you will not have controll and percise picking) and make sure you keep your hand relaxed and don’t tense or stiffin up. Also, experiment with different guitar picks. Different players tend to use what is confortable to them, however a thin pick will not stand up to fast alternate picking. I find that a heavier pick will doesn’t bend that easy and extra heavy picks barely bend at all.

So grab a bag of your favorite guitar picks and lets wear them out on these exercises!

PART I- Picking Exercise 1

Example 1 is a warm up exercise that I myself have been playing for over 20 years. This exercise will do wonders on your picking hand, and again, I can not stress how important it is to start slow. Make sure all of your notes have the same attack with your picking hand. This exercise starts on the 3rd fret on the 6th string. Follow the finger pattern and the pick strokes below the tab. A good way to practice this exercise that will really get your wrist and forarm burning is to play it the exercise at every fret starting on the 1st fret then ascending the neck to the 19th fret and back moving one fret (half-step) at a time.

Assending

PART II- Picking Exercise 2

Example 2 is another warm up exercise that will also do wonders for your picking hand. You will start off with just your 1st, 2nd and 3rd fringers on your fretting hand and begin on the 3rd fret on the 6th string and contiunes with one note a half step higher on each string. As in example 1 follow the finger pattern and the pick strokes below the tab. Also, I recommend you play this exercise starting in every fret as in example 1. This exercise will really not only get your wrist and forarm burning on your picking hand, but it will also help develop the coordination in your fretting hand.

Example # 2

Example 3 is the same exercise with just your 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part III

 

Try to incorporate all of these exercises into your daily routine. Also, make sure that you practice these with a metronome with the following beat divisions:

 

• Quarter Notes: 1 Note Per Beat

• 8th Notes: 2 Notes Per Beat

• Triplets: 3 Notes Per Beat

• 16th Notes: 4 Notes Per Beat

• 16th Note Triplets: 6 Notes Per Beat

• 32nd Notes: 8 Notes Per Beat

 

So turn on, tune up, and rock out!

You can find more about guitar virtuoso Rich Roger at http://www.myspace.com/RichRoger or http://www.richroger.com/ he's defenitly worth checking out!

Joe Satriani versus Coldplay

Our friend at dy-sphoric sent this over to me:

Everyone is talking about it:


1: Joe Satriani Comments on Copyright Lawsuit With Coldplay: http://www.guitarmx.com/blog/
2: Guitar God Joe Satriani sues Coldplay: http://www.collegenews.com/
3: Guitarist sues Coldplay over track: http://www.google.com/

When you are you going to stop and at least give the needed credit where the credit is due. Regardless of the tempo on one song versus the other, anyone can hear that the songs are extremely close to each other.

He also has a couple of videos posted for comparison purposes on the post at http://dy-sphoric.blogspot.com/2008/12/joe-satriani-versus-coldplay.html

Kiko Loureiro Collaborates on Stevie Wonder Tribute Album

Rock House Methods newest family member Kiko Loureiro has been involved with a new tribute album in honor of Stevie Wonder. Below is a press release I received over the weekend about the now finished project.

SKOPE NEWS: BOOSWEET RECORDS RELEASE A TRIBUTE TO STEVIE WONDER

There's plenty of excitement at Los Angeles based label Boosweet Records these days as they have released award winning guitarist, producer, and label CEO Vernon Neilly's newest project titled, "Vernon Neilly & Friends: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder".

The new CD titled "Vernon Neilly & Friends: A Tribute To Stevie Wonder" was recorded on 3 different continents as Vernon was able to tap the shoulders of a few friends and magnificent musicians to come up with a musical experience as diverse as it's participants. Featured on the CD with Vernon is American guitar virtuoso Greg Howe, label mate Brasilian rock star and guitar virtuoso Kiko Loureiro (Angra), Grammy award winning Bassist Juan Nelson of the worldwide touring band "Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals", also Parisian Smooth Jazz sensation U-NAM, power shredder Bill Hudson of "Power Quest" (Cellador), and even including the sultry sounds of multi-dimensional saxophonist Michael Paulo.

All songs on this CD are original arrangements that Vernon and Friends respectfully honored the melodic structure of Wonder's original compositions. However, the listener receives a truly diverse and exciting sonic experience with each tune distinctly building on the next within this multi-genre project that has Progressive Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Smooth Jazz, and R&B vocals. Where ever on the musical spectrum your individual taste may land, you are sure to find something you like on this fine CD.

Vernon Neilly On Skoped Out - Click Here!

Sample tracks are now available to preview at http://www.vernonneilly.com/ and www.myspace.com/vernonneillyband

David Ellefson and Company to Appear on Rock and a Hard Place TV Show

It's a pretty popular TV show on DirecTV channel 101. It's called "Rock and a Hard Place", a game show hosted my Meatloaf. This Tuesday December 9th at 9PM EST, David Ellefson and his team "The Shredders" will be competing for $10,000 to be given to a charity of their choice. Also on the team with David are Rudy Sarzo and Elliot Easton.

David stated on his web site http://www.davidellefson.com/ that "We had a great time and should be a fun episode to watch. More details below."

Tune in this Tuesday, December 9 at 9pm EST on DirecTV channel 101 to "Rock and A Hard Place", hosted by Meatloaf.

The show airs every Tuesday at 9 pm ET/PT and is commercial free.

check out the blog at www.myspace.com/davidellefson1

Living Colour Album Cover Contest

Attention all Artist!

Living Colour are compiling new material for their new album entitled "The Chair in the Doorway". The band would like fans, non-fans, and photographers to participate in this process by submitting original images conveying their interpretation of "The Chair in the Doorway".

The image could become artwork for the next Living Colour album!

Please join the Flickr group : http://www.flickr.com/groups/thechairinthedoorway/

Rock House Methods newest Instructor Vernon Reid: "I did a press junket for CollideØscope with Corey and whenever something was going wrong Corey would always say "the chairin the doorway". It was just one of these things he would say and I looked at him and said 'you know that thing you always say, that's going to be the title of our next album.' I don't know what that means but that's it. What I like about "The Chair In The Doorway" is that it is a concrete image and a very real thing but……Why is there a chair in the doorway? What does it mean? It's completely abstract, while being a contract, a physical manifestation of what it is."

Proof of ownership will be required prior to finalizing agreements with Living Colour.

Finalists will be appropriately notified.