The Weekend Read For April 30th - Guitar Lessons and Articles

A few good articles I enjoyed over the past week.

Guitar Noize - I first heard of Red Bear guitar picks over at GuitarGear.org and I remember thinking who on earth would pay $20 for a guitar pick. Well in my never ending quest for the perfect guitar pick I finally succumbed to the nagging urge, I mean for $20 it has to be good right...Review: Red Bear Guitar Picks Big Jazzer

I Heart Guitar - ESP and its LTD brand have released probably dozens of MH-based guitars over the years and it’s easy to see why the design is popular: it embodies the playability and stage-friendly ergonomics of a superstrat, with certain similarities in wood, tone and construction with the Les Pauls. MH guitars are available in all price points right down to the budget MH-50, so let’s look at the LTD MH-1000 Deluxe...REVIEW: ESP LTD MH-1000 DELUXE

Jemsite - I like to tinker. Over fifty percent of my guitars and amps are modified in some way or another. One of my favorite modifications to make is changing the sound of a guitar by putting in new/different pickups. I’m constantly on quest to achieve some tone or another. Having said that…The Story of Norton

Marks Guitar Blog - In this lesson we are going to combine the Dorian mode that we constructed in the last lesson (Dorian Mode Construction) with our Minor Pentatonic Scale...Dorian Mode Lesson #2 - Mixing it up with the Minor Pentatonic Scale

Not Playing Guitar - Guitar chord changes are an important part of any guitarists arsenal of skills which is why it's important to develop good strategies to practice them. Good chord practice will make you a better guitar player and these 24 tips will help you develop your daily routine to practice chord changes...24 Guitar Chord Change Tips

Rock Guitar Life - Here’s something for all you net shredders. A site for shred competitions called The Musical Contest. Right now they have a cool Dave Martone contest going on with the prize being a Pigtronix envelop phaser...Get your shred on

Share My Guitar - There is no question that good vintage guitars often make great investments. For instance, depending on the model, Les Paul guitars have been known to sell for over a quarter of a million dollars, while some Fender Telecasters command close to $100,000 in today’s market place. In fact, some of the most popular vintage guitars from the 1960’s can go for more than $20,000...What Makes a Guitar Vintage?

The Punch-in - Nowadays, things aren’t so simple when you’re traveling with a guitar. The dynamics -- and the expenses -- of airplane travel have changed so much that keeping your guitar safe, nearby, and in one piece has become a lot more difficult than it should be...7 Tips For Flying With Your Guitar (Part 1)

Have a rockin' weekend

Sarge

Finger Flexing Exercise For Guitar or Bass

One thing I've noticed about a lot of guitarists is that hand size simply does not matter. Doug Wimbish, Alexi Laiho, Rusty Cooley and Marc Rizzo all have small hands. At least no bigger than mine.

Here's one of the cool little finger flexing exercise that John McCarthy uses with his students and you can find it most of his lesson videos. John said you should do something like this every day to help your fingers stretch out and exercise each one. It will help you with coordination especially with the middle finger and your pinky.

Use a metronome to keep tempo. Start at a tempo that is comfortable and easy for you to start with. Don't worry about speed, as you get a comfortable feel for the exercise at a reasonable speed then you can increase the tempo of your metronome a couple beats and work at that tempo until you get the new speed down pat. It's recommended that you do something like this for about 5 minutes of your practice.

If you start to feel pain stop the exercise and go onto the rest of your practice session. Follow up with the finger exercise the next day and try and play the whole 5 minutes again.

By following the example below it will help you with those riff and licks that you have problems reaching with your fingers.

Freekbass Takes On Notre Dame - New Video

A few years back Freekbass wrote "Reds Fan" which has become a staple to the entertainment at the Reds baseball games. Now the Rock House Instructor along with Tobotius have written a song for Notre Dame called "We are ND". A video of the song was produced by directed by faculty member Ted Mandell and Notre Dame students. Check it.

Freekbass links:
www.freekbass.com
www.myspace.com/freekbass
www.myspace.com/freekbassandtobotius  



©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

How To Buy An Amplifier for Your Guitar or Bass

With so much attention focused on which guitars give you which sound, which guitars look the nicest, and which play the best, the lowly guitar amplifier is often ignored, especially by novice guitarists. This is a big mistake for guitarists looking to find a great sound. The fact of the matter is; a sub-par guitar played through a great amp can still sound fairly decent, but even the best guitars, when played through a bad amplifier, sound awful.

If you're considering buying your first amplifier, price will obviously be one of your primary concerns. Guitar amplifiers range in price from under $100, to multiple thousands of dollars. A common choice for first amplifiers is the very small and basic 15-watt amps, which provide a low cost solution to amplifying the guitar. When asked by students and parents, we strongly discourage the purchase of amplifiers like these, for several reasons.

First of all, the sound of these amps tends to be tolerable at best, and often sound much, much, worse. Newer guitarists will often become frustrated, complaining that "nothing I ever play sounds good", not fully realizing that it is the equipment, and not what they are playing that’s causing the music to sound inferior. These small amps also don't provide a great deal of volume, which can present a problem. In the beginning, the musical growth of guitar players is quite staggering, and it won't be long before many newer guitarists are ready to start playing with other musicians. Many of these small amplifiers have a hard time being heard above the volume of a drummer, which renders them useless in those situations.

This isn't meant to imply that you need to spend $1000 on your first guitar amplifier. But, by setting your sites above the cheapest, smallest amplifier in the store, you'll certainly end up with an amp that will serve your needs for a much longer period of time. Check out the links page inside the lesson support site to get information on amplifier manufacturers.

There are a few things I'll generally look for in modestly priced amplifiers; at least a 3-band EQ ( low, mid, and high), a clean channel and an "overdrive" channel, reverb, and possibly some sort of "presence" control. Another thing to be aware of is the existence of 2 types of amplifiers; tube and transistor. What is the difference between tube and transistor you say? The simple answer is that a tube amp uses one or more vacuum tubes to amplify the signal while a solid-state amp uses solid-state electronics (i.e., diodes, transistors, etc.) to amplify the signal. On paper and in theory these two implementations should yield identical results but in actuality the difference is usually noticeable. Tube amps in general are more expensive both in initial cost and to operate (e.g., you need to change the tubes every so often), but many feel that they yield a warmer, more "musical" tone, especially distortion-wise. Solid-state amps are often more reliable and lower cost, but can sometimes sound little harsh, especially cheap SS amps. The newest amps out are digital modeling amps, that try to emulate the particular tones produced by specific amps. These are supposed to be pretty good but are also a bit pricey.

I personally almost universally prefer tube amps, but this is something you'll have to listen to, and decide for yourself. Tube amps are almost always more problematic, and tend to be more expensive.

When shopping for amps, be sure to try many out before you buy one. Play the same guitar through each amp when experimenting in the store. Make sure you spend a good deal of time with each amp; playing them at loud and quiet volumes, with and without overdrive, experimenting with the versatility of sound each amp provides. Do not be afraid to bring your guitar into the store and try it out with the amps you are considering. Try researching specific amps you are interested in on the net, or by posting questions on the Rock House message boards. One last thing to be aware of; despite what they may lead you to believe, you can, and should negotiate with music store employees in regards to the price of their merchandise. I have found that with a bit of prompting, I can get at least a 10% discount on guitars and amps not on sale, and often even more.

Article courtesy of the The Rock House Method - http://www.rockhousemethod.com/

Lick Library Launches Andy James’ Shred Guitar in 6 Weeks

Lick Library, in their search to provide musicians with the best possible learning experience can announce the release of Andy James’ Shred Guitar in Six Weeks, a series of DVD Guitar lessons. Andy James, is widely respected as a master shredder and is one the UK’s top guitar teachers.

The course, with realistic achievable goals each week, is designed to help you focus your practice needs. The DVD series will walk you through techniques, concepts and licks, from the basic to the more advanced, lending you a hand as you master the art of metal soloing.

Each week you will be able to see a real improvement in your playing as Andy James takes you through the licks of featured artists at a pace managed by you. Through this approach you will develop an ear for the differences between guitar players and enhance your ability to play in real musical situations.

The six DVD weekly course is presented in bite size pieces in a sensible logical order making practice easier because you will be sure of the material you are working on. In addition the licks taught on these guitar tuition DVDs correspond to the jam tracks allowing you to get a real feel for the licks you are learning.

The six week series encompasses the following:

Week one includes: Pentatonic scale in the first position, blues scale in the first position, pentatonic and natural minor sequences, alternate picking, vibrato techniques, three licks in the style of Zakk Wylde.

Week two includes: Pentatonic scale in the second position, blues scale in the second position, pentatonic and blues scale sequences, alternate picking, three licks in the style of Paul Gilbert.

Week three includes: Pentatonic scale and blues scale in the third position, natural minor scales and sequences, combining pentatonic and natural minor scales with legato and tapping, three licks in the style of Dimebag Darrell.

Week four includes: Pentatonic scale and blues scale in the fourth position, licks and sequences including two handed tapping, natural minor scales and sequences, sweep picking exercises, four licks in the style of Steve Vai.

Week five includes: Pentatonic scale and blues scale in the fifth position, licks and sequences in the fifth position, natural minor scales and sequences, extended arpeggios, four licks in the style of Yngwie Malmsteen.

Week six includes: Connecting the pentatonic positions, use of chromatics within pentatonics, sixth and seventh

Stick with this course and Lick Library guarantee you guitar playing will improve. The full set of six DVD’s retail for £79.99 or can be purchased individually at £16.99.

To find out more about this exciting new Guitar Lesson DVD format and all the other exciting options Lick Library offer visit www.licklibrary.co.uk today and place your order now.

Gus G. Hooks Up With Morpheus DropTune Pedal

Morpheus announced today that Ozzy Osbourne/Firewind guitarist Gus G. has joined Morpheus as an endorser of the DropTune pedal.

Says Gus, “I actually recorded one full track on the new Ozzy album with it! I was amazed by how clean all the notes sound together on the riffs!” Gus will also use the DropTune live onstage during the upcoming OzzFest tour.

Read the rest of the story at http://www.guitarplayer.com

SLAYER AND MEGADETH TO BE CORNERSTONES OF "AMERICAN CARNAGE" LIVE SETS

News Release

LOS ANGELES, CA - Monday, April 26, 2010 -- Megadeth and Slayer, who last toured the U.S. together nineteen years ago on the "Clash of the Titans" extravaganza, have confirmed that they will each perform, start to finish, their 1990 releases - Slayer's world-wide, million-selling Seasons In The Abyss and Megadeth's Platinum Rust In Peace - on the upcoming Canadian and American Carnage Tours. The six-date Canadian Carnage kicks off July 23 in Quebec City, while the 19-city American Carnage dates begin August 11 in Glens Falls, NY (complete itinerary is below). With Slayer and Megadeth co-headlining, Testament will be Special Guest on all dates.

Tickets purchased for the Canadian and American Carnage shows when they first went on sale late last year will be honored for these rescheduled dates. Complete information regarding ticket sales can be found at www.slayer.net . www.megadeth.com . www.testamentlegiions.com

1990 was one stellar year for fans of intense heavy metal, as both Rust in Peace and Seasons in the Abyss are considered to be among the genre’s all-time classics. “War Ensemble,” “Holy Wars...The Punishment Due,” “Dead Skin Mask,” “Hangar 18,” “Seasons in the Abyss” - the preeminent list of metal standards that these two albums spawned has rarely been matched by others. Click HERE to see the original music video (shot in Egypt) for Slayer's "Seasons in the Abyss," and HERE for "Holy Wars," Megadeth's first music video from Rust In Peace.

Slayer - guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, and drummer Dave Lombardo - scored a major breakthrough upon the original release of Seasons in the Abyss (Slayer’s fifth studio album overall), as it was the group’s first album to hit the US Top 40, and saw Slayer playing to the biggest crowds of their career with 91's "Clash of the Titans" tour.

Megadeth's fourth album, Rust In Peace saw the band cement their status as one of the most important metal bands with masterpieces like "Hanger 18" and "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due," as well as a top 25 debut on the Billboard charts. The album has been hailed as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time with IGN recently naming it one of the most influential metal albums ever. Megadeth is now rejoined by original bassist Dave Ellefson and are firing on all cylinders.

The American Carnage Tour, originally scheduled to take place in January and February, had to be postponed due to Slayer vocalist/bassist Tom Araya's treatment for severe back pain, an occupational hazard for the rocker who is known for aggressively swinging his long mane of hair while performing. A surgical procedure in January corrected the problem once and for all, and he felt better almost immediately.

"Right after the surgery, " said Araya, "I could tell that the issue was fixed. There's no more pain, it just feels really good. I'm really excited and I'm anxious to get together with the rest of the guys and start rehearsing again. We cancelled two tours, and I don't feel great about that, but I couldn't deal with the pain anymore, and that's now completely gone. I know the fans are excited to see the band - the tour is on, we're keeping our word, there will be no more cancellations."

Complete dates for the Megadeth/Slayer Canadian and American Carnage are as follows:

Canadian Carnage

JULY

23 Pavillon de la Jeunesse, Quebec City, QC CANADA

24 Heavy MTL, Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, QC CANADA

26 Metro Centre, Halifax, NS CANADA

27 Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, NB CANADA

29 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, ONT CANADA

30 John Labatt Centre Center, London, ONT CANADA

American Carnage

AUGUST

11 Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY

12 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ

14 Tsongas Arena, Boston, MA

15 Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ

16 Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford, CT

18 Tower City Amphitheatre, Cleveland, OH

19 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI

20 UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL

21 Roy Wilkins Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN

23 Cap Fed Park @Sandstone, Kansas City, KS

25 Magness Arena, Denver, CO

26 Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, NM

27 Dodge Theatre, Phoenix, AZ

29 Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA

30 Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA

31 Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA

SEPTEMBER

1 Arco Arena, Sacramento, CA

3 Wamu Theatre, Seattle, WA

4 Washington County Fairgrounds, Portland, OR

Bullet For My Vallentine - MySpace Secret Show TODAY!

Bullet For My Valentine's MySpace Secret Show is TODAY in London! Fans have been camping out since early morning to see the band and the show is SOLD OUT! Even if you can't be in London to see the band you can watch it LIVE at 4:00pm EST / 9:00pm GMT

Cincy Groove Podcast - Freekbass and Headtronic Live Concert

Cincy Groove Magazine's is featuring a podcast this week with a live recording of Rock House Instructor Freekbass and the band Headtronics.

Cincy Groove Live Podcast #6 - 4/24/2010

http://www.myspace.com/headtronics

"Me & My Taylor" Photo Contest

As the saying goes, every picture tells a story. We're inviting Taylor fans to tell us about their Taylor(s) in the "Me & My Taylor" photo contest. From April 13 through May 11, you can submit a photo that captures the heart of your relationship with your Taylor - not just a beauty shot of your guitar but one that depicts the bond between a musician and their guitar. A photo panel comprised of Bob Taylor and members of our in-house marketing team will select five finalists from the pool of submitted photos, along with a Grand Prize winner. The winners will be announced on May 18, 2010.

The Grand Prize winner will receive a Sony Cyber-shot® TX5 digital camera and a Taylor Guitars prize pack, which includes a Baby Taylor® guitar and other Taylor swag. The winning photo will also be featured in an upcoming edition of Taylor's quarterly publication, Wood&Steel. All five finalists will receive a Taylor Guitars prize pack, along with honorable mentions in Wood&Steel and will be prominently featured on Taylor Guitars' social media sites.

To enter your photo and description before May 11 please vist the photo contest page.

Complete rules and regulations available here. 

News release from http://taylorguitars.com

Taylor Guitars Announces Spring LTDs

To celebrate spring's arrival, Taylor Guitars is readying the release of its always anticipated Spring Limited Edition models. This year's Limiteds feature an exciting array of exotic tonewoods - Hawaiian koa, Brazilian imbuia, Tasmanian blackwood and Claro walnut - and boast a unique twist, as the company's newest Specialty guitar, the 12-Fret, joins the springtime fun.

The 12-Fret-LTD is a sweet-sounding, all-koa Grand Concert trimmed with dark, rich ebony binding. Named for the point at which the neck meets the guitar body, the 12-Fret-LTD features a unique geometry between the neck and bridge, which helps give the guitar a warm, robust vintage voice. It's a sound that Bob Taylor calls "magical". "I've fallen in love with it," raves Bob. "It's that pure and wonderful." Premium appointments on the 12-Fret-LTD include a 900 Series abalone rosette with an ebony-bound soundhole and abalone-dotted ebony bridge pins.

After a long hiatus, Brazilian imbuia returns with a pair of 700 Series Limiteds, the 714ce-LTD and 716ce-LTD. The beautiful batch of imbuia exhibits deep caramel hues with rich variegation and is accented with a figured koa back mini wedge and a matching koa heel cap and binding. The imbuia 700 Series LTDs are topped with Sitka spruce and feature an abalone rosette with koa soundhole binding. Tonally, imbuia's density yields tight, bright tones with plenty of low-end thump and sustain.

Two 500 Series Limiteds, a 514ce-LTD and 516ce-LTD, showcase the rich Tasmanian blackwood backs and sides. Known as a cousin of koa, blackwood shares koa's blend of midrange bloom, top end brightness, and an overall tone that will sweetly mellow over time. Both models are topped with Sitka spruce and include Ivoroid binding, an abalone rosette, and an all-gloss finish.

Fans of walnut's tonal mix of brightness, projection and warmth will rejoice at the sound and look of the 400 Series Limiteds. Offered in four different shapes, the 410ce-LTD, 412ce-LTD, 414ce-LTD, and 416ce-LTD, each sports a deeply figured, chocolate-hued walnut back and sides dramatically contrasted by a figured maple back mini wedge and heel cap, along with a maple neck and body binding. All feature a Sitka spruce top, and additional premium appointments include an abalone rosette and an all-gloss finish.

Each of the Spring Limiteds come with a cutaway, Taylor's popular and intuitive Expression System® pickup, and in a hardshell case. The models are now available at authorized Taylor dealers. 

News release from http://taylorguitars.com

The Weekend Read for April 23rd -

A lot of cool stuff in this weeks, weekend read. Guitar lessons, advice, gear reviews and plain old good stories. Keep up to date on everything that's going on at The Rock House  by subscribing to the blog though the rss reader of your choice or connect with us on Facebook by hitting the link on the left. Now, read on and  get to learning!

Double Bass Blog - I think that the best way to start looking at this is to flip it over and look at it from the other side. What do we need to have in order to succeed as a professional musician...PBDB: The Toughest Question, Part 2

Fretbase - We’ve had a chance to test drive the new Guitar Pro 6 and we’ve found it to be an impressive upgrade from the previous versions. It’s a great way to compose scores and learn new music from the plethora of online resources that provide free Guitar Pro tracks...Review: Guitar Pro 6 Tablature Software

Guitar Licks - Stony Plain Records released a Jeff Healey’s ” Last Call” Jazz CD on April 6 in U.S...Jeff Healey’s Last Call Jazz CD

Guitar Noize - One of the most important parts of understanding how to express yourself with music is to be able to analyze specific musical elements in order to find out how they affect the listener. The more you know about specific ways to create an idea, the more clear of an idea you can make when you write a song...Songwriting Practice: Analyzing Music by Ysrafel

Guitar Teacher - In Blues Guitar Soloing there is one chord change that makes up much of what you will play. This is the I-IV change (said ‘one-four’ change). Isolating and practicing over this progression will take your blues soloing to another level. This progression is actually the foundation of many rock and funk songs so you guys might want to tune in, as well...Blues Guitar Soloing – Backing Track for the I-IV Change

Guitarkadia - A wonderful segment from last year’s World Science Festival by the great Bobby McFerrin on the power of the Pentatonic scale...You Know Your Notes. Whoever You Are.

I Heart Guitar - Pickbay is a pick-shaped pendant which proudly displays the guitar pick of your choice, along a few more depending on the gauge you use. It serves a dual purpose of cool fashion accessory for guitarists as well as a handy way of ensuring you’re never without a pick within easy reach...REVIEW: Pickbay

Jemsite - When I was younger and first heard about 'modes,’ the concept seemed very confusing to me.  As I learned more about them though, I realized that the modes were not as complicated as they first seemed to be...An Intro to Modes

Mark McGuigan Musicians Blog - This is the first of a multi-part lesson on playing rhythm guitar in the style of Jimi Hendrix and Curtis Mayfield...Hendrix Style Melodic Rhythm Guitar 1

Not Playing Guitar - Yes, in these modern times those of us who learn guitar have many things to be thankful for, things that make it easier to learn. Here's my list of seven great things that make it a great time for us to learn guitar...Learn Guitar - 7 Reasons to be Thankful

Rock Guitar Life - Musicnotationformsword.com has just released software that allows you to notate your music right in Microsoft Word.  You can embed, edit ,and publish music notation right there Word...Music Notation for Microsoft Word

The Classical Guitar Blog - When you re-encounter your instrument after some time away — anything from taking a short break to a week off — you will often find that you’ve improved. This is partly because you have let your mind digest what you’ve put in earlier...Take a Break to Improve

The Guitar Buzz - OK… so I don’t have scientific proof…or an inside scoop…but I have been wondering for some time why Gibson has been releasing all of these artist-played, custom-shop-relic’d, ultra-expensive signature guitars...Why Gibson is Selling $25,000 Guitars!

The Philosopher Of The Future - For the majority of us, the key to developing our technique and overall quality of our playing is to find a delicate balance between tension and relaxation...The Secret to Playing Guitar Relaxed

The Punch in - It doesn’t matter whether you have a $20,000 recording rig or the free version of GarageBand that came with your laptop: You need a comfortable, efficient setup in order to get ideas out of your head and onto a hard drive. Here are 7 fundamentals for planning and managing a recording setup that will free you up to think more about the music than the gear...7 Basics of a Home Recording Setup

Skolnotes - Question: What happens when you combine the Icelandic volcano with a European jazz tour and a heavy metal festival in the Philippines? Answer: A guitarist who has circumnavigated the globe....Volcano Blues

Have a rockin' weekend

Sarge

Rob Balducci's "Lick of The Week" - Rehearsal at Home

This week Rob Balducci is playing a song from The Color Of Light CD titled Empress.

Rob says "What I usually do before a set of tour dates is not only rehearse with my band live, I make a cd of the track listing for the set list and practice at home to the backing tracks. I find that running through the set as much as possible helps work out the kinks and it gets me feeling comfortable with the material. Also depending on the length of the set, it will get my duration together for being able to play the set on a regular basis."

"I suggest you always record yourself when you practice by yourself and with the band. You can go back and watch it later to see how you sound and also see which parts you may be having issues with. I love this zoom q3, it is a perfect practice tool!"

http://www.youtube.com/RobBalducci

http://www.robbalducci.com/

http://www.rockhousemethod.com

Guitar Edge Magazine - June 2010 - Free Tabs and Lessons

The June 2010 edition of Guitar Edge Magazine is now up and on line. This issue features Rock House Artist Bullet For My Valentine along with 10 new printable song tabs, guitar lessons and gear reviews.

Guitar Edge June 2010 Guitar Tabs:

• James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
• Yngwie Malmsteen - Evil eye
• Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know
• Owl City - Fireflies
• The Who - Pinball Wizard
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh)
• Avenged Sevenfold - Bat Country
• Edgar Winter Group - Frankenstein
• Bullet For My Valentine - Your Betrayal
• Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You Into the Dark

Guitar Edge June 2010 Lessons:

• Guitar Gumbo: Leg Up Foot Out
• The Studio Edge - Getting the Squeeze on Compression
• Stretchin' The Blues: Heads Up! How to Craft a Memorable Blues Head
• Zen Guitar: Chromatic Climax - Django-Style Ending Run

Guitar Edge 2010 Gear Reviews:  

• Dial Tone: Alanis Morissette - How to Achieve Dave Navarro's Tone On "You Outghta Know"
• Sound Check: Looping Pedals
• Review: MXR Micro Chorus
• Review: Danelectro '59 Original
• Review: Zoom G2.1 Nu
• Review: Schecter Damien Elite 6

Hit the links above or go to http://guitaredge.com/

 

Free Live Webcast with Guthrie Govan

Guthrie Govan, internationally recognised guitar virtuoso, is to present the next live webcast from Lick Library. This groundbreaking interactive event with live video and chat will start on the 6th May 2010 at 19.00 (BST), 11.00 USA-PST, or 14.00 USA-EST.

Lick Library have uploaded on to their You Tube channel clips featuring some of the web lessons, performances and interviews Guthrie Govan has done for them to wet your appetite. If you follow the links you can pre-register any questions here or enter it on the chat box on the webcast page as you watch the presentation.

Guthrie Govan, one of Lick Library’s guitar teachers, will play some of his tracks during the webcast demonstrating his command of the electric guitar and his huge technical ability. Guthrie is famous for his vast range of influences (Hendrix and Clapton through to Steve Vai to name but a few) and his latest album was described by Joe Satriani as “Totally freakin awesome!!!”.

You can ask Guthrie Govan a question and he will answer live on air and whilst you are there you can also interact with other Lick Library members as you enjoy the ultimate free guitar lesson.

To be a part or this awesome event register FREE online at www.licklibrary.com/webcastregister and get those fingers moving in a new way!

2010 Blues Hall of Fame Will Induct Buddy Guy

2010 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee & Acclaimed Artist Bonnie Raitt to present Buddy Guy with Award at Ceremony

[Memphis, TN, April 15, 2010] Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, The Blues Foundation confirms that the legendary blues musician Buddy Guy will perform at the 2010 Blues Music Awards on Thursday, May 6th, 2010. 2010 Blues Hall of Fame inductee Bonnie Raitt will present, the night after her own induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, the Lifetime Achievement Award to Guy. The award is a one-of-a-kind creation of Patterson & Barnes, who also created the original artwork that serves as the basis for the 2010 poster. The guitar master will also be feted with oral, video and musical tributes.

Buddy Guy obliterated the perceived chasm between blues and rock, leaving the term "crossover" to awkwardly define the efforts of lesser artists in both camps trying to bridge the racial, generational and stylistic borders of each. And he did it with a sense of dynamics and bravado that are rare in artists of any age, but which have been consistent for him throughout his career. You knew you were experiencing a Buddy Guy lick in the first few lines of any number he did in 1960, and the same can be said today. Buddy has been nominated for 41 Blues Music Awards and has received 28 such Awards.

Along with Buddy Guy, among the more than 25 nominees scheduled to perform are top nominees Tommy Castro, Rick Estrin, Louisiana Red, Duke Robillard, Super Chikan, and Joe Louis Walker. And, as always at the Blues Music Awards, there will be surprises.

The Blues Music Awards are universally recognized as the highest honor given to Blues artists. The presenting sponsor is The Gibson Foundation and the sustaining sponsor is BMI. Additional 2010 BMA sponsors include ArtsMemphis, Casey Family Programs, Eagle Rock Entertainment, FedEx, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, I55 Productions, and the Tennessee Arts Commission. For tickets, please visit www.blues.org
or call (901) 527-2583

The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but world-renown as the organization dedicated to preserving our blues music history, celebrating recording and performance excellence, supporting blues education and ensuring the future of this uniquely American art form. Founded in 1980, the Foundation has 3500 individual members and 185 affiliated local blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals around the world. Its signature honors and events make it the international center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance while its Sound Healthcare program offers musicians health insurance access. The Blues Foundation's Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues scholarships expose new generations to blues music. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff serves the worldwide Blues community with answers, contact information and news.

For media requests, please contact:
Amanda Sweet 202-636-3507 or
amanda@bucklesweetmedia.com 

BOSS Unveils ME-25 Munti-Effects For Guitar

BOSS® is proud to announce the availability of the ME-25 Guitar Multiple Effects to its popular line of floor-based multi-effects. The compact and durable ME-25 inherits its high-quality sounds from the flagship ME-70, and packs a ton of BOSS tone tools into one amazingly affordable package.

Sporting a quick and easy user interface for professionals and newcomers alike, the ME-25 features a full compliment of COSM® amplifier models. The onboard Sound Library comes loaded with 60 effects combinations suitable for a wide range of playing styles. The ME-25 runs on six AA batteries or AC power, and its portable size makes it ready to rock anywhere.

The ME-25 is stocked full of the best BOSS effects — distortions, overdrives, modulation effects, delay, reverb, harmonist, and many more. The built-in expression pedal controls a number of pedal effects, including wah, octave up/down, and a unique freeze effect. Three heavy-duty footswitches allow the user to select sounds and perform other functions, such as accessing the built-in tuner, tapping in delay times, and enabling the SOLO feature.

The ME-25 is the first multiple effect processor at this price point to include BOSS’ renowned COSM® amp-modeling technology. There’s a range of classic amps from clean combos to raging stacks, along with a Super Stack function that gets big amp tone from a small practice amp. A 38-second looper is also included for real-time sound-on-sound recording.

The ME-25 also includes USB connectivity, allowing users to stream audio and other data back and forth with their computer. A powerful librarian is available as a free download to manage sounds, and the ME-25 is bundled with Cakewalk SONAR 8.5 LE for multi-track audio and MIDI recording.

The ME-25 is now shipping with a retail price of $276.50.

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

Soulfly Schedules Mid May UK Tour

Rock House Instructor Marc Rizzo and Soulfly will be traveling overseas for a string of UK shows next month in the days leading up to the release of the new album OMEN! Dates for the full European tour are expected to extend throughout the ENTIRE SUMMER and will be posted as they're are confirmed on the bands My Space http://www.myspace.com/soulfly.

Tickets are on sale now.

May 16 - Southampton - Brook - www.the-brook.com - 02380 555 366
May 17 - London - Islington Academy - www.ticketweb.co.uk - 0844 477 2000
May 18 - Preston - 53 Degrees - www.53degrees.net - 01772 893000
May 19 - Edinburgh - Studio 24 - www.triplegmusic.com 0871 230 7131
May 20 - York - Duchess - www.theduchessyork.co.uk / www.wegottickets.com - 01904 641413
May 21 - Wrexham - Central Station - www.seetickets.com / Ticketweb - 0870 444 5556
May 22 - Northampton - Roadmenders - www.seetickets.com / www.wegottickets.com - 0115 912 9000

JFAC - Spring Headline Tour Starts This Week

Job For A Cowboy will be heading out on thier headline tour throughout North America with Whitechapel, Cattle Decapitation, GAZA & Revocation - tickets still available for all dates, listed below. On the bands first day they will also be stopping into the Hot Topic at Newport on the Levee at 5PM. You can find out more on how you can attend the signing here: http://community.hottopic.com/events/ht1-member-exclusive-job-cowboy-appearing-newport-levee

Bloody-Disgusting is giving away an Ibanez guitar in support of this tour. You can enter to win the guitar here http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/music/533

JOB FOR A COWBOY tour dates: Spring, 2010 North American "Ruination" Tour In Association with Ibanez and brought to you by AMP Magazine, KillerTours.com, Metal Blade Records, & Good Fight Entertainment

April 21 Newport, KY Hot Topic in-store signing at Newport on the Levee http://community.hottopic.com/events/ht1-member-exclusive-job-cowboy-appearing-newport-levee

April 21 Newport, KY The Historic Southgate House
April 23 Hackensack, NJ The School of Rock
April 24 Worcester, PA Palladium (2010 New England Metal & Hardcore Festival)
April 25 Buffalo, NY Mohawk Place
April 26 Columbus, OH Skully's
April 27 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar
April 28 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock
April 29 Millvale, PA Mr. Small's Theatre
April 30 Montreal, QB La Tulipe
May 1 Toronto, ON Opera House
May 2 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
May 3 Madison, WI Orpheum Stage Door
May 4 Elgin, IL Mad Maggie's
May 5 Sauget, IL Pop's
May 15 Pomona, CA (California Metal Festival)
May 16 Sacramento, CA The Boardwalk
May 17 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
May 18 Seattle, WA El Corazon
May 19 Pocatello, ID Icon
May 20 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
May 21 Colorado Springs, CO The Black Sheep
May 22 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
May 23 Wichita Falls, TX The Hanger
May 24 Austin, TX Emo's Inside
May 25 Odessa, TX Dos Amigos
May 26 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
May 27 Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse

Living Colour - Burned Bridges (live Much Music 2009)

Contributed by Laure Mura

Rock House Instructor Doug Wimbish and Living Colour performs Burned Bridges from THE CHAIR IN THE DOORWAY at Much Music sessions in Argentina during their 2009 tour.

Drum Lesson with Andols Herrick of Chimaira

Andols Herrick of Chimaira is now doing personalized video drum lessons suited to your individual needs, skill level, and request. Contact him at drummerandolsherrick@yahoo.com for the details. Here’s a free lesson on basic hand technique:

Rock House INSIDER Secret of the Day

As many of you know Rock House launched a new service called ROCK HOUSE ON DEMAND. This new service allows you to instantly down load any Rock House product right to your computer safely and securely. Now here is an insider secret that the guys at Rock House have not announced yet. If you go to the On Demand page on the main site. You can order any Rock House product and receive a $5 discount by using code: ROCK5OFF. It only works once so choose carefully. Hurry want are you waiting for!

The Weekend Read for April 16th - Guitar Lessons, Tips, Tricks and News

It was another good week for the almighty Rock House Blog's blog roll. Our friends spent some time posting quality guitar performing tips, lessons, advice and reviews. Don't forget to check out this weeks lesson on our little corner of the guitar world "Mad Bass Chops" - Bass Guitar Lesson from Chris McCarvill and info about pre-ordering Jeff Loomis "Extreme Lead Guitar" Rock House Method DVD.

....and now the read.

Desafinados - Download and watch online sheet music and guitar tablature Teacher Guthrie GovanAre disc Erotic Cakes. Use Google translator if needed...Tab Guthrie Govan Erotic Cakes

Dolphinstreet Guitar Gear Blog - Considering the price point and variety of handheld digital recorders currently available, you don't have a lot of excuse to not be recording...Handheld digital recorders

Freekbass' Blog - "Reds Fan", a track from the original Reds' "Clutch Hits" CD compilation, was written by Freekbass to describe his passion for The Cincinnati Reds Baseball team. The song is played regularly at the home of the Reds, Great American Ball Park...Opening Day - 'Reds Fan' now available at iTunes

Guitar Friendly - Are you considering to learn how to play guitar? If you are, you might have quite a few questions rolling through your mind. These are some common questions that I’ve been asked by beginning guitar players...Frequently Asked Questions by Pre-Beginning Guitarists

Guitar Noize - I’m glad to say Guitar Pro 6 has had a complete overhaul of the user interface and has fixed both of the problems mentioned above by allow multiple documents to open in tabs like you would see in a web browser and the toolbar has been moved into a left hand panel...Review: Guitar Pro 6

I Heart Guitar - Metallica’s Kirk Hammett has been using a signature Randall head based on the company’s MTS platform (with interchangable tube preamp modules) for a few years now. While it’s a very useful and toneful product, there are a few little setbacks in getting MTS to the masses...REVIEW: Randall KH120RHS

Jason Shadrick - Guitarist - We all know that Apple changed everything with the iTunes store, but what about those of us who actually create music? What has Steve Jobs done for us?...5 Ways the iPad Can Change Music

Jemsite - The Guitar Hero series on Jemsite features interviews with guitarists and musicians who may not have star status YET, but their current situations have shaped them to be who they are--determined, fond of their craft, and heroes in their own right...The Guitar Hero Series: Mike Baggetta

Marks Guitar Blog - We are learning a different approach to play a 12 bar blues in this lesson. What we are going to do is use Major and Minor Pentatonic scales to infer the chord changes. Our example is a 12 bar blues in the key of A...Using Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales to play Blues Chord Changes

Muzicosphere - Though I already played on valve amplifiers, I never owned one of these because it is rather incompatible with neighborhood, and city life in general...Low Wattage Tube Amps: I Had a Crush For

Not Playing Guitar - We all experience highs and lows in our guitar practice motivation. Sometimes it's easy to get started, we just can't wait to try out a new technique or learn a new song. But other times we seem to find a thousand excuses to avoid starting practice...Guitar Practice - Rituals to Get Started

Rock Guitar Life - I have quite a long commute everyday. I’ve been doing it for a while and it can become tedious. I started listening to Podcasts to fill the time. I have a few favorites but I am always trying new ones. Here are the guitar and musician related podcasts that are always part of my commuting play list...Guitar and Musician Podcasts

Share My Guitar - Off the rack this guitar looks like a metal guitarists instrument of doom. The Jackson Kelly has sharp edges and a very heavy body structure. The Jackson Kelly was made famous by ex-Megadeth guitarist and virtuoso Marty Friedman...Review: Jackson Kelly JS32T Electric Guitar

Street Musician - When ever I saw a guitarist on stage with a capo it used to just blow my mind and I would think it was some amazing, advanced contraption that only really technically experienced guitar players would use. The thought of getting involved with a weird thing like a capo seemed like another world away...What is a Capo, Why You Need One, How to Use it & Which One to Buy

The Classical Guitar Blog - One of the most effective ways to learn a piece is practicing small units at tempo, slowing building longer and longer chains of little units...Practice Techniques: Chaining

The Guitar Buzz - The NEW Backing Track site has launched!...New Backing Tracks Web Site

True Fire - We know we wouldn't mind having some of these interesting guitar-inspired items around our office...Musical Instrument Furniture

Have a rockin' weekend

Sarge

Orange Amps Launches The OPC Computer Amplifier Speaker

Orange Amplifiers, the British based pioneering force in guitar amplifiers, are proud to announce the launch of the revolutionary all-in-one computer amplifier speaker – The OPC.

The project has been several years in the making and as a pioneering force in guitar amplifiers, they have used their expertise in sound technology, engineering and electronics to build a new generation of computers that incorporate the best of both worlds: latest computer technology with integrated tools for the modern musician and music lovers.

The revolutionary all-in-one computer amplifier speaker – The OPC is 100% designed and built in the UK. It is a fully integrated computer with internal speaker which delivers playing, recording, editing and computing capabilities to musicians and music aficionados. This is the first computer of its kind that you can connect yourself and your music to the digital world simply by plugging in your instrument.

The OPC will be leading the way with a number of ‘Firsts’:

• The first computer of its kind to have a built-in high powered speaker which delivers superb full range hi-fi quality sounds as well as vintage guitar sounds.

• The first computer to have a universal input jack enabling users to plug in a multitude of musical instruments (guitar, keyboard etc ) and peripherals such as the iPod, MP3 players, microphone’s.

• A unique cooling system to ensure air goes in and exits only after cooling the internal computer

As a fully fledged computer it has 4GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, Intel chips, Windows 7 x64 home premium, 8 x USB2.0 ports, is Wi-Fi enabled and has a graphics card with optional ATI 5670 512MB card for those who may want to play a few games while they put their guitars down. The first models will include modelling software incorporating computer samples of vintage and current Orange amps and cabinets as well as free branded recording software package. Once plugged in, you can then use the software included to create music or choose your guitar sound and then play, record and hear your guitar through the computer!

The OPC is compact, very portable, sexy and beautifully Orange! It takes many of its design cues from Orange’s, instantly recognisable, brightly coloured Orange Amplifiers and picture-frame cabinets and once again makes Orange stand out from the crowd.

The OPC is due to be released in June 2010 and the price will be announced shortly. For further information news please see the website www.orangeamps.com

DEAN GUITARS Sponsors the Ride for Dime NASCAR Nationwide Car!

News from Dean Guitars

Gentleman crank up your amps and start your engines! This Saturday , April 17th, Dean Guitars will be at the Texas Motorspeedway cheering on Derrike Cope who will be driving a very special RIDE For DIME/Dean Guitars sponsored car. The entire hood of the #73 Nationwide car is covered with our iconic "Dime Crest". The hood will be raffled off at this year's Ride for Dime concert and motorcycle rally.

Be sure to watch the NASCAR Nationwide Series race this Saturday at 2:30pm CST on ESPN2 and look for the Dime + Dean Car! Please spread the word and thanks!

More info:
http://nationwide.nascar.com/nationwide-series/schedule
http://www.ridefordime.org

DEAN USA HOT ROD DEALS!

To coincide with our exciting partnership with Stratus Racing Group, the Dean USA Woodshop has produced a limited run of hot rod inspired, racing stripe themed guitars that are designed to put you at the front of the pack in look, style and sheer performance power. With a street price of just $1399.00 these hot rods will be gone before the end of Saturday's race. Get yours now!

To order your "Hot Rod Inspired" Dean USA, email eric@deanguitars.com and specify Red/White V, Yellow/White V, or Green/White ML.

Mad Bass Chops - Bass Guitar Lesson from Chris McCarvill - Part 2

If you missed part one of this lesson you can check it out here Mad Bass Chops - Bass Guitar Lesson from Chris McCarvill

Really Mad Bass Chops

By Chris McCarvill

Best we have a have a metronome/drum machine for this one ! Thanks.

Ok...in our beginner technique lesson we worked on developing some dexterity with a variety of patterns. Now it's time to pick it up a nothc and work on shifting from pattern to pattern. Set the metronome to a moderate tempo and start on Pattern 1 (see below) and play it four times.

Example #1

As you play it the fourth time around, visualize the second pattern.

Example #2

Think of what finger goes where and how you start it. Make sure that when you shift you left hand stays reaching and over the frets without flapping off the neck. Nail that first note so that you’re mentally in place and know the frets to play on as you shift into place.

Practice shifting between the first and second patterns several times, and then practice it in a tempo. The goal here is to make it sound like you aren’t shifting. Do the best you can to not clip the note before the shift.

Example #3

Audio sample (BACH 1ST SHIFT.MP3)

You want more fun? Here’s the first 3 patterns at a quicker tempo.

Example #4

Audio sample (BACH 3 POSITIONS.MP3)

You know what’s next, right? Here’s all the patterns, all the way up and all the way back at a medium tempo.

Example #5

Audio sample (BACH UP AND BACK.MP3)

For the final step, here’s patterns 1, 3, 5 and 7 up and 6, 4 and 2 down. You get the concept, right?

Example #6

Audio sample (BACH ODD EVEN.MP3)

Have fun and experiment. It’s very musical. Remember we’re only in the key of Aminor/C Major. There are 11 keys to experiment with and though the starting points differ, all of these patterns stay exactly the same. When you can comfortably play all of these patterns and shift smoothly between them you will have great chops. Now you can go and deal with your girlfriend or boyfriend.

Jeff Loomis Extreme Lead Guitar DVD Pre-Sale is on Like Donky-Kong

SAVE $5, Start Learning Today 
and Pay No Shipping Charges

If you play six or seven string guitar this special 2 DVD set will get you to the next level. Jeff shares his secrets for creating lead guitar masterpieces that have him mentioned in the same breath as Satriani, Gilbert and Malmsteen.

Extreme Lead Guitar, Dissonant Scales & Arpeggios 

More than 40 lessons on 2 DVDs, Plus Live Performances
Retail Price $24.99, Pre-Sale Price $19.99

Start Learning TODAY with this Exclusive Offer.

• START LEARNING INSTANTLY: With this exclusive Pre-Sale offer only available through Rock House ON DEMAND you can download and start using the entire Jeff Loomis program NOW!
• SAVE $5 BUCKS: By ordering through Rock House ON DEMAND you will save $5 bucks and pay no shipping charges. That's a Big Deal! 
• YOU GET IT BEFORE ANYON ELSE: While most people will have to wait and spend more, the smart people, like you, get Jeff's product now before it hit stores. You'll be melting faces off before others even have a chance to pull it off the shelf.
• YES YOU GET THE FULL PRORGRAM: We will instantly deliver to you the completer Jeff Loomis program, all the lessons and all the tab right to your computer.
• WHEN YOU ORDER THROUGH ROCK HOUSE ON DEMAND: No hard goods will be sent to you and the Ipod Ready video feature is disabled.

Mail Order Option Want to Order The Hard Good DVD click here

Rock House On Demand? Is a new and exciting way to deliver Rock House products to you quickly and  safely using an amazing new media system called MOD Machine.

HOW TO PLACE YOUR ON DEMAND ORDER
You only have to do this one time
Select your platform to start downloading
 
ONCE DOWNLOADED

1. Double click the Rock House On Demand icon to launch the program.
2. Then Click this: 

3. Add The Jeff Loomis Program to your Cart   it will be the first one you see.
4. Once you have added all the courses you want to the cart, click