Partial Chord Shape Primer Lesson @ Mark's Guitar Blog

Over at Mark"s Guitar Blog he is starting to post a cool series of lessons on using Partial Chord Shapes.

This is the first in a series of lessons about smaller chord shapes that you can use not only for rhythm guitar playing but also for some lead guitar chops that we'll be working on later. This isn't a very exciting lesson by itself but what I am doing is giving you the basics for what is coming next in the series... Check out this primer lesson at http://blog.markwein.com/2009/09/29/partial-chord-shape-primer-lesson.aspx

Learning To Play Guitar and Avoiding Burn Out

For players from beginner to advanced staying motivated to practice can be your biggest stumbling block. Every one wants that "magic pill" and poof I'm Slash or Satriani. Putting in the time can be challenging. Trust me, every guitar hero you have has put the time in, there is just no way around it. There are going to be days when you can't wait to learn that new chord. There are also going to be days you just do not feel like learning the guitar. You are not alone musicians of all skill levels and all instrument catagoires feel this way sometimes too. However, YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING IF YOU WANT TO GET BETTER! Keep telling yourself this.

We have put some tips together for you to help recognize when you and why you might be slipping away. You might want to print these out and put them up where you practice.

Reason Beginners Give-Up: At one time or another we have all expirenced the days where the last thing we want to do is pick up the guitar and practice. One pitfall of beginners is that they tend to focus on the negative aspects of their guitar playing skill level. Instead of "beating yourself up" remember that all professional guitarists started off just like you. LEARNING THE GUITAR or any instrument for that matter takes time, patience and practice.

As a beginner, do not try to learn to play guitar too quickly or to spend hours on end playing. Why? In trying to learn guitar too quickly you risk increased muscle tension which can actually reduce your guitar playing ability and lead to performing the lessons sloppy or incorrectly . Slow and steady is the best way to success.

Learn to Practice At Your Pace: In learning to play guitar, you'll discover that some days your motivated to play for hours on end, other times, you only want to practice for a few minutes. This is normal and if it's one of your ‘off days’ allow yourself to enjoy a break from a long practice sesssion without feeling guilty, It's OK!

Look to Others for Inspiration: One of the best motivators in trying to achieve any goal, like learning an instrument, is to look to other people for help and assistance. The Rock House Method Community offers you a great opportunity to do this and you should take advantage of it. Chances are, you will find another guitar player who has had the same problems you are facing who can give you great advice. Learning how other people achieved their guitar playing success, and the pitfalls they incountered along the way, and how to avoid them, will help tremendously to inspire and motivate you.

Remember When You First Got the Guitar: Many people, especially those new to learning guitar give-up is because they loose the JOY of learning to play guitar. Many beginners are excited about their new hobby, and this excitement causes many people to rush into trying to play their first song as quickly as possible. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PIT FALLS you must avoid. You must FIRST take the time to learn proper basics. If you don't the results can be increased playing difficulties and frustration. Frustration is the ENEMY that eventually leads many beginners to give-up on their dreams of playing the guitar! Try to remember that feeling you had when you first got the instrument!

Avoiding burnout is critical to learning to play guitar at a consistent pace, allow yourself breaks from playing guitar as needed, and keep yourself motivated by seeking out other guitarists for help and inspiration and remember that feeling when you first got it.

10 Questions With Michael Paget of Bullet For My Valentine

Rock House recently caught up with Michael Paget of Bullet For My Valentine for a quick 10 question interview.

 

RH: Your first instrument was?

MP: My first was a 3/4 size classical guitar with nylon strings. I think I saved the money from my paper route or maybe it was my birthday money; something like that.

RH: Tell me about your first guitar and how old were you when you got it?

MP: I was as about 17 years old when I got it and I couldn’t even tune the guitar for about a month.  I just kind of played one string. Then my cousin Clive, who plays guitar, came to my house and tuned it for me. Then I really started to learn some chords from the little booklet that came with it. You know, I can still remember the smell of that guitar!

RH: What was the first song you learned to play on guitar?

MP: The first song I ever learned on guitar was 'Polly' by Nirvana. Nice easy four chord riff, slow rhythm too.

RH: You are magically thrown back in time and become a member of a 70’s or 80’s Metal band, who would it be?

MP: I would so LOVE to be in Iron Maiden!

RH: Given the chance, which current guitar player would you most want to collaborate with and why?

MP: Man, there are so many that I would love to work with, but right now Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top comes to mind. For me that would be an amazing opportunity because I’m sure I could learn so much from him as a player and a fan! He is an amazing and much underrated guitar player!

RH: Aside from Metal, what other genre of music lurks inside your closet as the one you love to play and why?

MP: I love to play the Blues! About two years ago something weird happened to me, I really got buzzing on the Blues! It started with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Hendrix, and then I just started living it! I bought all kinds of vintage amps and Fender guitars, etc. I started listening to the Blues so much that I would pick up a guitar and that’s all that would come out. I thought to myself you gotta mix it up dude, otherwise it will start to show through too much in BULLET'S music! Blues is definitely a passion of mine.

RH: If you had to learn to play a new instrument which one would it be and why?

MP: I played drums years ago and would love to play them again. Back when I was starting out I had to play drums just to get into bands because there were so many other guitar and bass players at the time! I got a kit off of my other cousin Nevil, I eventually sold that very same kit to Moose, our drummer now! The drums are great because you can hit the shit out of them!

RH: Other than your guitar, one piece of gear they would have to pry from your hands?

MP: My Dunlop Wah Wah pedal! I have tried lots of different Wah pedals in my rig, but this one just seems to compliment what I’m playing so well!

RH: What advice can you give to players who are trying to develop their own sound and style?

MP: You have to discover first what you want to play and sound like. I would listen to the players that influenced me most and just learn from them. Try getting DVDs (Rock House of course), CDs or use You Tube, there are lots of resources out there now that I didn’t have years ago. I also try to just jam out on my own; I think this is the best way of developing your own personal style because it’s just you on guitar with no music.  Most important, try new and different things that keep you learning!

RH: Playing music and being in a band can at times be difficult, what motivates you to keep challenging yourself?

MP: CORONAS!  Ha ha! It does get hard on the road, but luckily for us we as a band have known each other forever, we are like brothers and we have a great crew too! I just challenge myself to some Pantera solos at the back of the tour bus, keeps me in check!

Check out more Bullet For My Valentine @ www.bulletformyvalentine1.com, www.myspace.com/bulletformyvalentine and hit the subscribe button of the Rock House Blog for updates on Michael Pagets new instructional DVD to be released soon.

Children of Bodom Free eBook On "Skeletons in the Closet"

Ever wonder about the story behind the songs that bands perform? Children of Bodom have revealed the mystery behind the reason they chose the songs they did for their latest CD Skeletons in the Closet. Check out the free eBook  for information on each cover song on the album. Children Of Bodom - Skeletons In The Closet

Rob Arnold and Chimaira Contest at UltimateGuitar.com - Win An Autograpghed Guitar!

Rock House Method Instructor Rob Arnold of Chimaira has a contest going on with ultimateguitar.com. The guitar wizard wrote on the site. "Rob Arnold from Chimaira here, urging you to get up off your asses and sign up to win a killer package from Chimaira and Ultimate-Guitar.com. The package includes a beautiful ESP M-100FM signed by every member of Chimaira, my personal guitar instructional DVD from the RockHouse Method, which covers everything you need to know like riffing, soloing, and song writing, and finally a copy of our latest CD, The Infection! Sounds like an awesome prize package if you ask me...

Sign up now at www.Ultimate-Guitar.com!

Check out Chimaira too for your updates news about what is going on with the band @ www.chimaira.com

Mixing And Mastering Tips For Recording Music

There are a lot of things that go into mixing and mastering your recording. Here are some quick tip to keep in mind to help you out with that next big hit you're working on.

Vocals

Record flat with no effects and instead find the right microphone for the singer. In the mix, roll off everything below 100 Hz and above 15,000 Hz. Add 2-4dB at 160Hz for male vocals or 320Hz for female voice for warmth. Notch out the mid-range, 500-800Hz, by a few dB. Sometimes a little sparkle in the 7-8kHz area is good, if there's no sibilance there. Finally, a little compression after the EQ can smooth the vocals out nicely.

Automatic double-tracking. Set a delay line to a short delay, between 5 and 30 milliseconds and hard pan the dry and delayed part for maximum effect. Or, use a pitch shifter set between 2-4 cents and again dry sound goes hard left while the pitch shifted part goes hard right.

Vocal reverb sounding muddy? Don't send so much bass to the reverb. Use EQ before the reverb and take out everything below 3,000 Hz. This gives a nice, bright splash on the plosives and hard consonant sounds. This can make the words more intelligible in a busy mix, too.

Put a delay before your reverb and set it to a 100% short delay with no feedback. Send a vocal line to the delay and then on to the reverb. In the mix, you'll first hear the dry vocal. The delay line then creates a gap before the reverb begins. This makes the room seem bigger, without needing a long (read: muddy) reverb time. Adjust the delay time to fit your music. On choppy vocals it's cool. Dry sound . . . silence . . . reverb splash.

Unique sounds

Search for and use equipment, especially synths and outboard gear, that others don't usually use. Old gear can give you a very distinct sound.

Don't forget that EQ can be CUT to affect tonal quality, not just boosted. Do you want a deeper bass? Cut everything from 5K on up on the bass track. Cutting the highs keeps all the sound in the lower register without getting too dark or flabby.

Flange or chorus your ride and crash cymbals. Make sure to use a noise gate to eliminate the noise of the chorus or flanger when the cymbals are silent. This way the effect kicks in when the cymbals are struck with a unique wobbly sound.

Put a speaker and mic in your garage, basement, or tiled bathroom. Place them at opposite ends so you pick up the most room sound. Send instrument tracks to the speaker via your mixer send and return system and add real reverb to your mix.

Play those faders. As you begin mixing your music, keep moving the faders up and down slightly. You bring a little extra motion to your mix through this subtle manipulation of levels. Often I'll diddle with EQ and effects sends and returns, too. Nothing major. I'll just make a few minor tweaks live as the mix progresses. With software, you can automate these subtle changes, too.

Vary your tempo. You can be subtle by pushing ahead a few clocks and falling behind occasionally. Or be more intrusive by jumping tempo in greater leaps.

Don't forget about dynamics. I get lots of CDs and the one common thread is dynamics . . . or a lack of any. Get soft. Get loud. Swell. Fade. Mix it up. Subtract some instruments from the mix. Add in everything including the kitchen sink sample. If you don't know what I mean, listen to orchestral music, specifically try Mahler's Adagio to his Tenth symphony. You'll learn what dynamics really are!

Check your mix in mono (use TV speakers). If you use small speakers, check your bass content on full-range systems.

Less is more

Today's technology makes it very tempting to add layer upon layer. The side effect is your song or production gets rather dense and cluttered. Sometimes you must step back, reevaluate, and strip it down. Heed the advice of award-winning recording and mixing engineer Ed Cherney(Stones, Clapton, and Raitt): "Listen to what's there, see where the song is, [and] eliminate things to find the heart of the song. Nobody dances to what kind of gear you used."

A clear mind creates stronger music. Also, take time away. A mix made after ten hours of tracking rarely sounds good to rested ears. Tired ears = bad mix. So, make sure you take a break. And then return to your mix with fresh ears.

Mastering

A final mix is NOT a master. Use mastering hardware or software to add the final sweetening to the stereo mix. However, don't over process too much. Mastering programs make it way too easy to push the sonic integrity of a piece. Often a little low end whump and high end sizzle coupled to some light compression to raise the overall level coupled to peak limiting to prevent digital distortion is all you need. Use your favorite CDs as a reference when mixing and mastering. Alternately, hire a professional mastering engineer who brings experience and fresh ears to your project. Keep a notebook of your tricks and tips and compile a handy bag of tricks that brings your music alive.

 

Article courtesy of www.rockhousemethod.com

Children of Bodom: Edmonton - In-Store Signing 10/3

Alexi Laiho and the rest if the Children of Bodon crew will be having an un store signing to promote their new CD Skeletons in the Closet at The HMV West Edmonton Mall at the NewCap Radio Stage (Phase 4, level 1).
Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 4:30PM.

The Weekend Read September 19 -25; Guitar Lesson, Articles and More

The Rock House Blog Weekend Read.

Bring you the best articles from around the web. Articles include guitar lessons, bass guitar news, guitar playing tips and tricks and just some plain old good reading.

Blues Historian - beloved Mississippi blues drummer and band leader Sam Carr has passed away...Sam Carr RIP

Jemsite - Without ear training playing guitar is a bit like painting by numbers.Guitarists, Develop Your Ears

Guitar Answers - I just entered to win the Dual terror amp head by Orange, myself!I have always liked Orange amps,and they are all tube also.Here is the skinny on the Dual Terror amp head...Enter To Win An Orange Dual Terror Amp Head

Guitar Noize - I have to say that this looks like a very cool iPhone app...TabToolkit iPhone app for guitarists

GuitarPlayerZen.com - It is easier said than done, but if you can embrace your own limitations and realities, you are giving yourself the first step towards truly becoming a better musician. ..Never Stop Getting Better at Guitar: The First Step

Hot Guitar Tips - The Caged System People Always Wondered How Can I Learn These 5 Shapes In 30 Minutes Or Less And i Have The Answer...CAGED SYSTEM

iTalkGuitar blog - I've always been fascinated by the idea of where exactly the idea for a song begins...Inspiration: Where Do You Find It?

Not Playing Guitar - Music theory can be intimidating for beginner guitarists, and even for some of us more experienced players...Music Theory Every Guitarist Should Know

SkolNotes - It's been said that your first hit of marijuana can lead to heroin addiction. Like most, I recognize this myth as a silly scare tactic, despite not being a big fan of pot or of potheads. But when it comes to chili pepper, it is true, at least in my case. My first hit turned me into a hot food junky...Hooked On Hot

Strat-O-Blogster Guitar Blog -  Here's one of those analogies that wakes me up at 4 AM. I'm partly inspired here by a recent conversation with a guitar gear industry insider who says the boutique pedal sect...Why Effects Pedal Lines are Like Mexican Restaurants

Street Musician - You might not think it, but preparing for a gig is a logistical nightmare, especially if you are a solo artist. For those in a band it should be a much simpler process...Preparing for your Gig

The Rock House Blog - The expander is a type of dynamic processor. As the name implies, it increases the dynamic range of a signal such that low level signals are attenuated while the louder portions are neither attenuated or a...Expansion and Noise Gate Effects Basics for Guitar

Shred videos and news -  Truth In Shredding

Double Bass Blog - I recently got an email from double bassist Aaron inquiring about how humidity levels relate to string response...Humidity and string response on the bass

I Heart Guitar - Pro Tone Pedals is releasing a line of premium overdrives with a restrained, downright classy look..NEWS: Pro Tone Pedals Gold Label Overdrive

Jason Shadrick - Guitarist - I just finished reading a great post by Ronan Guilfoyle about the (over)use of complicated rhythms in jazz today...Is Rhythm The Answer?

Marks Guitar Blog - Sometimes a new piece of gear will inspire me to play more or to play differently.  Before the days of owning a business, having kids or buying houses picking up a new guitar or amp every once in a while wasn't too hard to do...Toys Make the World Go 'Round

The Classical Guitar Blog - Technique gets a lot of talk in the classical guitar world. Beginners, especially self taught beginners, can often feel lost about the proper way to practice technique...Technical Exercises for the Absolute Beginner

Have a rockin' weekend

Sarge

David Ellefson's ROCK SHOP- Intonation & Setting Up A Bass Guitar

Episode 20 In this latest edition of ROCK SHOP, Rock and Metal Guitarist David Ellefson talks about intonation and setting up your bass. 

To catch up on this cool series of instruction that ranges from recording a song to tips on contracts and going out on the road to perform go to David's you tube page @ http://www.youtube.com/davidellefson

Avid Redefines Guitarists’ Recording and Performance Experience with Eleven Rack

Unique solution provides a palette of perfect guitar tones, direct recording into Pro Tools and delivers studio sound on stage

AVID today introduced Digidesign® Eleven™ Rack, a standalone hardware unit that combines a hyper-realistic guitar amp and effects processor with a high-quality computer recording audio interface, to create the ultimate recording and performance solution for guitar players. Bundled with the industry-standard studio mixing software Pro Tools LE®, Eleven Rack empowers performing or recording guitarists to focus on what's most important — great tone, great recordings and great performances. Unlike other tone simulation devices, Eleven Rack provides guitarists with three distinct solutions in one product that:

• Replicate everything guitarists love about vintage and modern amplifiers — without the hassle of storing or maintaining them;
  
• Create the ability to record incredible guitar tone without needing to re-record a great performance due to bad tone; and,
  
• Reproduce tones captured in the studio in live performances with unprecedented ease and flexibility.
  

Industry Reaction
Recording artists and producers that got a sneak peek of Eleven Rack have had positive feedback to how it will change the industry.

James Michael, a producer for acts such as Motley Crue, Meatloaf and the Scorpions said, “I love it. This was the big missing link and is going to change everything. You'll never see me in another session with racks and racks of amps. This is what I want to use for a number of reasons: imprinting the information onto the audio file, the ability to record the DI and the actual processed stuff together. It's incredible. This is what I'll use making records now.”

And, Producer and Recording Artist Buddy Miller, who has worked with such acts as Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris, said "The greatest part about all of it is that it sounds and feels right. It makes you want to play, and that's a good thing. And it's just simple. That advantage of getting back to the sound is just really great."

Revolutionary Tone Clone
Guitarists know that great guitar tone inspires great performances. Eleven Rack delivers a new level of tone realism with a broad range of emulations of legendary guitar amplifiers. A unique Tone Cloning process differentiates Eleven Rack from other modeling products by capturing every stage of the signal path — point-to-point — ensuring exceptionally authentic guitar amp tone. Now, guitar players can experience incredible realism, while re-creating the tone and feel of playing through a mic’d guitar amp. Eleven Rack delivers all of the subtle nuances that for decades have defined the uniqueness of playing through a physical guitar amp, including power amp sag, ghost notes and cabinet resonance. Additionally, the system uses convolution processing to create realistic microphone and cabinet sounds, and offers precise emulations of the most popular stomp-boxes and effect units of the last 40 years.

Guitar Recording Perfected
Eleven Rack is also a high resolution USB 2.0, 8-channel recording interface and includes Pro Tools LE 8, the most popular recording and mixing software in the world — providing access to 48 stereo tracks and more than 70 plug-ins, effects and virtual instruments. Guitarists never have to re-record a track again if they are unsatisfied with the guitar sound in a performance. Eleven Rack directly interfaces with Pro Tools allowing a guitarist to record both dry and processed guitar tracks while simultaneously allowing for re-amping later, without re-patching a single cable. With all amplifier and effect settings embedded into the recorded Eleven Rack audio tracks, guitar players can easily recall previous settings at any time. Built-in DSP processing also enables guitar players to benefit from no audible latency when recording — a vital part of the guitar recording experience.

From Studio to Stage
Eleven Rack can also serve as a standalone effects processor — with no computer required — offering guitar players access to rich tones when they play live. The unit has a number of I/O connections that enable users to easily incorporate it into their live setup or use it as a replacement for their live rig by running it directly into a PA/live sound system. Any tone perfected in the studio can be controlled during a performance using MIDI controllers and expression pedals. Guitarists now have full control over everything from amp and cabinet combinations to vintage “wah” effects, tempo-driven delays and more, all at the touch of a button or stomp of a pedal.

“Guitar players have unique challenges when recording; Eleven Rack was designed to specifically help overcome these challenges,” said Hiro Shimozato, product manager at Avid. “As a purpose-built guitar recording system, Eleven Rack addresses the many needs and desires of recording guitar players. The fact that it also operates as a standalone effects processor makes it an appealing solution to every guitar player — recording or not,” cites Shimozato. “At the end of the day, with guitar players, it’s all about one thing: how it sounds. And this is where Eleven Rack really shines.”

Pricing & Availability
Eleven Rack will be available worldwide in September 2009 and carries a USMSRP of $1,259.00.

About Avid
Avid creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world – from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, television shows, live concert tours and news broadcasts, to music and movies made at home. Some of Avid’s most influential and pioneering solutions include Media Composer, Pro Tools, Avid Unity, Interplay®, Oxygen 8, Sibelius® and Pinnacle Studio™. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com

Guitar Video Lesson w/ Tab - Rob Arnold of Chimaira - Two Handed Tapping

Rob Arnold is the lead guitarist and primary songwriter for the band Chimaira, which is well known in the new wave of American heavy metal bands.

In this lesson, I want to focus on his signature bi-dextral (or two-handed) tapping technique, which is displayed nicely in the song “Empire” from the CD Resurrection. Bi-dextral tapping is when you tap your picking hand on the guitar neck to fret notes in addition to using your fretting hand; the notes are sounded by hammering your finger against the fretboard and pulling off to sound notes with the opposite hand. Arnold has a unique way of applying this technique in a syncopated fashion that locks in with the timing of the rhythm section. This creates a great rhythmic combination and gives a cool embellishing flavor to this song. His inventive way of taking common techniques and finding new ways to employ them is something that all players should bring to their playing.

This lesson comes from Rob’s Rock House Method Metal Guitar program. Check out Rob Arnold’s complete Rock House program at www.rockhousemethod.com.

 

Click the guitar tab image to make it bigger and clearer.

10 New Free Guitar Tabs From Guitar Edge

The November issue of Guitar Edge Magazine is out. The free online edition of the magazine has published 10 new guitar tabs for you to print off and play your ass off to.

Here's the list with a direct link to each.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH: Hard to See
JOE BONAMASSA: You Upset Me Baby
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK: Fell in Love Without You
LES PAUL WITH MARY FORD: How High the Moon
THE BEATLES: I Feel Fine
OPETH: Windowpane
SHADOWS FALL: Still I Rise
ALICE IN CHAINS: Them Bones
ZZ TOP: Just Got Paid
THE BEATLES: Back in the U.S.S.R.
LES PAUL: Stardust
YES: Owner of a Lonely Heart

Now go play your guitar.

Ernie Ball/Music Man Coated Bass String Giveaway

Win a chance to build your own custom Music Man bass!!

How to Enter:

Purchase a set of the new Ernie Ball Coated bass strings from your favorite Ernie Ball dealer and open up the package. Display the individual strings alongside your bass and take a photo..... Enter your name, phone and e-mail address and submit. One photo per e-mail address.  On January 20th 2010, One Lucky entrant will win The Grand Prize:  A Music Man bass of his or her choice (subject to options available on the Music Man website). 2nd prize)  One Year Supply of Coated Bass strings(12 sets) 1 Ernie Ball Power Peg and Ernie Ball Ultraflex instrument cables. 3rd Prize):  6 sets of Coated bass and Ultra Flex cable.

To Enter please click here:

http://www.ernieball.com/giveaway/

For More Info on coated bass strings please visit http://www.ernieball.com/news/45-3

Expansion and Noise Gate Effects Basics for Guitar

The expander is a type of dynamic processor. As the name implies, it increases the dynamic range of a signal such that low level signals are attenuated while the louder portions are neither attenuated or amplified. This behavior is opposite to that of the compressor. The noise gate is expansion is taken to the extreme, where it will heavily attenuate the input or eliminate it entirely, leaving only silence.

How it Works

The expander is essentially an amplifier with a variable gain control. The gain is never greater than one, and it is controlled by the level of the input signal. When the signal level is high, the expander has a unity gain, and when the signal level drops, the gain decreases, making the signal even lower. Figure 1 shows the basic structure of an expander.

We often represent the input/output relationship of the expander with a simple graph, like the one in Figure 2. The level of the input signal is given by the horizontal axis, and the output level is given by the vertical axis. When the slope of the line is unity (angled at 45 degrees), the gain of the expander is one - the output level is identical to the input level. A change in the line's slope means a change in the expander's gain. For the expander, part of the line will have larger slope (a steeper line). The point where the slope of the line changes is called the threshold, which is adjustable in many expanders. When the input signal level is above the threshold nothing happens, but when it drops below the threshold, the gain reduction kicks in. The gain reduction lowers the input level, increasing or expanding the dynamic range. These signal levels generally are NOT the actual values of the signal at a single point in time, but rather an average over some short time interval, often a root-mean-square (RMS) calculation. For example, a pure sine wave may be zero at certain times, but that does not mean there is no signal. The expander's gain control will see a signal with a smooth, non-zero level. 

The amount of expansion that is applied is usually expressed as a ratio, such as 2:1, 4:1, etc. This is telling you that while the input is below the threshold, a change in the input level produces a change in the output that is two times, four times, etc, as large. So with a 4:1 expansion ratio (with the input level below the threshold), a dip of 3 dB in the input will produce a drop of 12 dB in the output.

When an expander is used with extreme settings where the input/output characteristic becomes almost vertical below the threshold (say, and expansion ratio larger than 10:1), it is often called a noise gate. In this case, the input signal may be very heavily attenuated or removed entirely. This is kind of an on/off switch for an audio signal. When the signal is high enough, the switch is on and input appears at the output, but when it drops below the threshold, the switch is off and there is no output. The key parameter in this case is the threshold.

Since the level sensing function is a short time average, it takes some time for a change in the input level to be detected, which then triggers the change in the gain. Like the compressor, we characterize the expander by its attack and release times. The attack time is the time required for the expander to restore the gain to one once the input level rises above the threshold. Likewise, the time taken for the expander to reduce its gain after the input drops below the threshold is the release time. The attack and release times give the expander a smoother change in the gain, rather than abrupt changes that may produce pops and other noise. Figure 3 shows how the attack and release times affect an example input signal. 

Figure 3: The effect of an expander on a signal. Only the middle portion of the input is above the expander's threshold value. It takes a bit of time for the expander to increase the gain when the input level rises above the threshold. When the input level drops below the threshold, the expander gradually reduces its gain.

Why use Expansion/Noise Gating?

Expanders do have some applications in consumer electronics. For example, people may use expanders to produce more extremes in recordings on cassettes or vinyl records, which have a limited dynamic range. An expander will make the dynamics much more dramatic during playback.

The bigger application for expanders is probably in noise reduction. They will help reduce feedback and unwanted audio - ambiance sounds and bleeding from other instruments. Noise gates are most often used to eliminate noise or hiss, which may otherwise be amplified and heard when an instrument is not being played. The threshold needs to be high enough such that the ambient noise falls below it, but not so high that the instrument's sound and sustained notes are cut off prematurely.

Expanders can also be used along with compressors to reduce the effects of noise when transmitting a signal, audio or otherwise. The transmission channel has some limited dynamic range capacity. Compressing the signal you want to transmit allows you to increase the average level of the signal with respect to the noise in the system, reducing the effect of the noise. An expander is then used on the receiving end to return the transmitted signal back to its original dynamic range. This process of compressing and then expanding a signal is called companding. For a more tangible example, the transmission channel above could be a cassette tape that is being recorded on. Compressing the signal when recording and then expanding it on playback reduces the overall noise level. This is the basic idea behind the Dolby A noise reduction technique.

Placement in the Effects Chain

It is universally agreed that the noise gate should be near the end of the effects chain. Since other effects can produce noise, you want to have the noise gate after them so that noise is not heard and amplified when you are not playing. However if you are using delay and reverb effects, you may want to place them after the noise gate so that the sound trails off naturally rather than an abrupt silence.

References

Eargle, John. Handbook of Recording Engineering. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992. (ISBN 0442222904) Keene, Sherman. Practical Techniques for the Recording Engineer. Sedona: S. K. E. Publishing, 1981. (ISBN 0942080122) Orfanidis, Sophocles. Introduction to Signal Processing. New Jersey, Prentice Hall. 1996. (ISBN 0132091720)


Check Out the Rock House Essential Effects Lab, Virtual Distortion Grid
©2009 Fred Russell Publishing, All Rights Reserved. This article can not be used without permission from the Author. To Contact the Author email curt@RockHouseMethod.com

Favored Nations Rob Balducci - Lick of The Week for 9-21-09

Rock House Instructor Rob Balducci'sLick Of The Week features the track "Liquid Soul" from his new CD Violet Horizon.

Rob Stated on his you tube site, "The inspiration behind this track is basically, they say the human body is made up of like 90 % water so how about our Soul? I feel this tune has a very Hendrix and Richie Kotzen vibe to it".

On this track the metal guitar shredder uses his Ibanez LAC RG Prestige with Dimarzio pick -ups, other gear used my Rob include, "The Steve Special in the bridge, put in reverse and an Air Norton in the neck. I am plugged into my pedal board and I am using a Micro-vibe . I have the Maxon Ad 999 pro delay in the effects loop and I am using my Cornford MK 50 11 and running George L's cables".

More info about Rob and his new CD Violet Horizons can be found at www.robbalducci.com/store

 

Rock House Employee Anthony Lawrence

For those of you who have never met Anthony or seen him play, here he is in between takes of the Gary Hoey shoot last week having some fun.

Anthony is Rock House's resident specialist at tabbing out all the guitar lessons that we produce with each artist. He also helps with Pro-Tools creating the backing tracks that are used in each program so that students can apply what they learn by hearing what the lesson sounds like with other instruments. He is also a really, really good guitar player. Check him out here!

Gary Hoey Tour Dates and Fender Clinics

GARY HOEY ON TOUR
09/25/09 Friday	Gary Hoey in Lincoln RI	Twin River Casino - Lighthouse Bar	US
	Free Show!!
09/26/09 Saturday	Gary Hoey in Peperrell, MA	Pepperell Music Center - CLINIC	US
	Time: 3:00pm.
10/01/09 Thursday	Gary Hoey in Sioux City, IA	Creative Entertainment - Fender Clinic	US
	Time: 7:00pm.
10/02/09 Friday	Gary Hoey in Sioux Falls, SD	Sioux Falls Music - Fender Clinic	US
	Time: 7:00pm.
10/03/09 Saturday	Gary Hoey in Moorhead, MN	Marguerite’s Music - Fender Clinic	US
	Time: 5:00pm.
11/08/09 Sunday	Gary Hoey in Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas & Puerto Vallarta	2nd Annual Rock The Waves Cruise	MX
HOEY CHRISTMAS TOUR 09
11/20/09 Friday	Gary Hoey in Detroit, MI	Blondies	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
11/21/09 Saturday	Gary Hoey in Schaumburg, IL	City Limits	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
11/22/09 Sunday	Gary Hoey in Cudahy, WI	Vnuks Lounge	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
11/27/09 Friday	Gary Hoey in Des Moines, IA	Prairie Meadows Casino	US
	Time: 6:00pm. FREE SHOW!!!
11/28/09 Saturday	Gary Hoey in Burnsville, MN	Primetime Sports Bar & Grill	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
11/29/09 Sunday	Gary Hoey in Kansas City, MO	Knuckleheads Saloon	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
12/02/09 Wednesday	Gary Hoey in Council Bluffs, IA	Whiskey Roadhouse @ Horseshoe Casino	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
12/03/09 Thursday	Gary Hoey in Maryland Heights, MO	VooDoo @ Harrahs Casino	US
	Time: 8:00pm. Buy Tickets.
12/04/09 Friday	Gary Hoey in Lincoln, RI	Twin River Casino - Lighthouse Bar	US
	Time: 9:00pm. Free Show!
12/08/09 Tuesday	Gary Hoey in Sellersville, PA	Sellersville Theater	US
	Time: 7:00pm.
12/12/09 Saturday	Gary Hoey in Riverside, CA	VooDoo Lounge @ Wild West Guitars	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
12/15/09 Tuesday	Gary Hoey in Exceter, CA	Orange Blossom Junction	US
	Time: 7:00pm.
12/16/09 Wednesday	Gary Hoey in Solana Beach, CA	Belly Up	US
	Time: 8:00pm. Buy Tickets.
12/17/09 Thursday	Gary Hoey in Bakersfield, CA	Fishlips	US
	Time: 8:00pm.
12/19/09 Saturday	Gary Hoey in San Juan Capistrano, CA	The CoachHouse	US
	Time: 8:00pm. Buy Tickets.

CHILDREN OF BODOM - Lookin' Out My Back Door (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

COB's latest video taken from their new album 'Skeletons In The Closet'.



CHILDREN OF BODOM, the esteemed Finnish Heavy Metal band that features frontman and modern day Guitar Hero Alexi Laiho will release a full album of cover tunes containing 17 impressive remakes of the group’s all-time favorite songs this fall. Titled Skeletons in the Closet, the record will drop on September 22, 2009 via Spinefarm Records / Fontana International. CHILDREN OF BODOM will launch a 20 city North American headlining tour in support of the record beginning Friday, September 18 in Providence, RI

A first taste of what Skeletons in the Closet will deliver can be had today as not 1, not 2, but 3 wild new CHILDREN OF BODOM remakes have been posted online via the band’s just refashioned MySpace page. Check out all the action including COB’s revved up take on BILLY IDOL’s “Rebel Yell”, CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL’s “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES’ “War Inside My Head” now at myspace.com/childrenofbodom

The full track listing for COB’s Skeletons in the Closet is as follows:

1.) Lookin’ Out My Back Door (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
2.) Hell is for Children (Pat Benatar)
3.) Somebody Put Something in My Drink (Ramones)
4.) Mass Hypnosis (Sepultura)
5.) Don’t Stop at the Top (Scorpions)
6.) Silent Scream (Slayer)
7.) Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) (Kenny Rogers)
8.) Hellion (W.A.S.P.)
9.) Aces High (Iron Maiden)
10.) Rebel Yell (Billy Idol)
11.) No Commands (Stone)
12.) Antisocial (Trust / Anthrax)
13.) Talk Dirty to Me (Poison)
14.) (Ghost) Riders In the Sky (Stan Jones / Johnny Cash)
15.) War Inside My Head (Suicidal Tendencies)
16.) Oops!...I Did It Again (Britney Spears)
17.) Waiting (King Diamond)

Children of Bodom In Store Signings- Montreal and Quebec City

Lucky them Canadians are, at least this week. Rock House Instructor Alexi Laiho and his band Children of Bodom are doing some in store signings this week.

Tuesday September 22nd at 3:00 - 4:00pm
HMV Place Laurier.

and

Wednesday September 23rd: 4:30PM
Steve's Music
51 St. Antoine West
Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1G9

Living Colour on Eddie Trunk Live on Sirius/XM TONIGHT

Monday September 21st 2009 @ 9pm EST - Living Colour will be on 'Eddie Trunk Live' on Sirius-XM Satellite Radio to talk about the new CD, 'The Chair In The Doorway'.

'Eddie Trunk Live' can be heard Monday nights from 6-10pm Eastern on The Boneyard - Channel 53 on XM, Channel 19 on Sirius and Channel 830 on Direct TV.

www.eddietrunk.com

Pearl Jam's New Album, BACKSPACER, Is Out Today

It has nothing to do with Rock House but, hell yeah I'm pickin' up my copy.

Pearl Jam's new album, BACKSPACER, is out today! Available in Target Stores, CIMS stores, in the Pearl Jam GOODS store on CD and BACKSPACER VINYL LP, and for download in ITUNES.

HAVE SOME FUN: Guess Who's Hair This Really Is?

As many of you know legendary guitarist Gary Hoey was here at The Rock House this week (week of Septembr 14, 2009). After nearly 2 years in the making the popular guitar player was finally here to shoot his first every guitar instructional DVD with Rock House. His DVD will be of lead guitar lessons and amazing guitar technique that will knock your soxs off. He is letting all his secrets out of the box.

As always, we like to have a little fun whenever an artist is in town. So I want you to take a look at this picture and try to guess WHO's HAIR THIS REALLY IS?

YOUR CHOICES ARE:

From Left to Right: Is it Scott (our Production Manager), Jimmy (Professor Jim), Joe P.(Joe P.), Gary Hoey, or John Francis (our Pro Tools/Auido Engineer)

Joe P.

©2009 Curt Moye & Fred Russell Publishing, All Rights Reserved. This article can not be used without permission from the Author. To Contact the Author email curt@RockHouseMethod.com

The Weekend Read September 12 -18; Guitar Lesson, Articles and More

The Rock House Blog Weekend Read.

Bring you the best articles from around the web. Articles include guitar lessons, bass guitar news, guitar playing tips and tricks and just some plain old good reading.

Jemsite - Music is an everlasting weapon--a tool that when you master, will certainly take you places...
Music: The Ultimate Tool

Dy-sphoric - While he plays the bass, he has some great tips for anyone who plays an instrument...Good Practice Habits

steviesnacks - Did you ever notice how there seems to be a tremendous amount of gravity attached to the idea of playing music for a living?...Music As A Hobby

Guitar Noize - Today is a great day for you, but for me it is a very sad day because I am announcing the biggest competition in Guitar Noize’s history. Ok so I’m not sad about that, I’m ...Way Huge pedals giveaway!

Guitar Player Daily - In this article we will look at *turnarounds* (aka turnbacks) and their various permutations as applied to major keys, minor keys, suspended resolutions and “other” progressions...Jazz Guitar Turnarounds

GuitarFlame - As you may already know, I am not a fan of stompboxes, I rather use digital processors, multi effects, “all in one” boxes, like the BOSS I currently own…BOSS Micro BR, a studio in your hand

GuitarPlayerZen - Spiritually enlightened and developed individuals suggest that we get rid of obstacles. By overcoming the obstacles in your life, you achieve your potential, or attain the Way. Here is what they suggest: ...9 Obstacles That Prevent You From Achieving Your Potential

Not Playing Guitar - It is often said of music that it is not a competition sport, but I recently discovered one guitar site that challenges that old saying in no uncertain terms...Guitar: A Competition Sport?

Strat-O-Blogster - Strat-O-Blogster always is quick with the wit....Kanye-Caster

Street Musician - Every now and then I get confronted with a song that has either a ridiculously long set of lyrics containing about twenty verses or one that does not make any sense at ...How to Learn Complex Song Lyrics With Minimum Effort

The Fifth Fret - I'm a huge fan of getting the gist of something. I'm a big believer in it with everything not JUST the guitar because once you get the gist you can start working on adding to it...RhythmStrummer

Truth In Shredding - Largest collection of everything shred videos... Truth In Shredding 

Double Bass Blog - Australian double bassist Steve Abrahall wrote to me recently about a piece he wrote several years ago about how young musicians might want to approach the concept of practicing...Advice for young musicians from a seasoned veteran (not me!)

Jason Shadrick - Guitarist - One of the most common skills I see guitarists lacking is a strong sense of internal time...Make Your Metronome Work For You

The Classical Guitar Blog - One of the first things we learned about guitar was that our left hand finger tips go right behind the frets...Perfect Left Hand Finger Placement

Favored Nations Rob Balducci - Lick Of The Week, Track # 4 The Essence from Violet Horizon

This new Lick Of The Week is Track #4 " The Essence" from Rob Balducci's new CD Violet Horizon. 


The Favored Nations and Rock House Artist/Instructor said on his You Tube Site "The inspiration behind this track is basically "The Essence" of our being our soul!. What makes each one of us special and unique, this can range from our personalities to our upbringing and how we view the world. The things we hold most important and closest to our hearts".

Rob uses a Ibanez RG LAC Green " Sleestack Prestige running into a pedal board and plugged into his Cornford MK 50 11 and my Cornford 4 x 12 cabs.

For the entire story on the LOTW check out Robs You Tube Space at http://www.youtube.com/RobBalducci

 

Video Guitar Lesson - Alexi Laihos' Complete solo from “Next in Line” With Guitar Tab

Alexi Laiho is the lead guitarist, vocalist,and songwriter for the Finnish melodic death metal band Children of Bodom. He has a great talent for creating technical yet interesting solos, most of which are like mini-compositions with several sections, each having its own personality. His wide variety of skills gives him a seemingly endless bag of tricks to draw from, and he has quickly risen to become one of today’s most talented metal shredders. I had a chance to work with him on a few instructional programs, and to see his talents firsthand, and I can tell you that his reputation is not just hype—he is an amazing player. Let’s take a look at the contents of one of his solos.

“Next in Line” is a signature Alexi solo from the CD Are You Dead Yet. In this solo he employs a perfect blend of melodic riffs and ripping speed runs. Take a look at the complete solo and then I’ll break it down and analyze each section. Note: This song is played in dropped-C tuning, or C, G, C, F, A, D, low to high. See the lesson “Dark Tunings That Rule Metal Music”

Click on the image to make it larger and clearer