Archive for October 2010
Want to learn how to play the guitar? The first step is clear: You need a guitar to play! But while the question is clear, the answer may not as simple as you think.
Step 1: Acoustic or Electric?
Make this decision based on your needs. What kind of music do you like? What style of guitar do you want to play? These may or may not be the same. Learning guitar and listening to music can be completely different things.
So to decide, take a quick look at these lists:
Electric guitar: Rock, Pop, Alternative, Jazz, Blues
Acoustic guitar: Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Campfire songs, Christmas carols, Classical, inspirational
It might also help to decide in what setting you want to play. If you’re hoping to play in a band, and the band plays one of the electric types of music, then an electric guitar may be best. If you’re like me, however, and you’re playing guitar for the social aspect, then an acoustic guitar is easier to pull out of a closet or throw over your shoulder on the way to a party, and an amp isn’t necessary.
So you thought it would be cool to play a guitar? You spent some money and bought some gear and you have been working for a while but it is getting kind of hard to stay motivated. You feel like you aren’t improving and your hands are sore. What now? How do you keep playing and enjoying the experience when the going gets tough? We all feel like giving up at times but the difference between a musician and a wannabe is someone who keeps going when the going gets tough. How do they do it? How do people keep going when it all just seems too hard?
One of the key things to remember when you feel like giving up is that everyone has gone through the same thing. Even your guitar heroes, the guys that are the reason you wanted to play in the first place have felt like quitting at some point. Understanding that you aren’t alone can be an important start in getting your motivation back.
Everyone knows about the importance of setting goals these days. This is equally important in learning to play the guitar. Regardless of who you are or what kind of music you are trying to play setting and achieving goals will help you in a number of ways.
Promoting your band’s music is now easier than ever. With the increasing popularity of social media sites, the concept of Internet radio, and the nearly endless online promotion potential, your band could be on the fast track to sweet success.
1. Social Media Sites
Social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are a great way to find new fans and keep in touch with people who enjoy your music. Setting up a simple band profile on each of these social networks extends the marketing reach of your band by literally millions of people. Even if you only plan on updating these sites once a week or a couple times a month they’re still beneficial for your band to have. Facebook allows you to show off your band’s music through applications like the Root Music player, YouTube allows you to show off your awesome live show skills, and Twitter enables you to give your fans current updates about what’s going on with you and your band. The best part about social media sites is that they’re free! Where else can your band reach out to millions of potential fans without paying a dime? Nowhere, that’s where.
2. Online Radio
Both the humbucker and the P-90 pickup were initially the concept of the Gibson Guitar Corporation. The primary version of the P-90 was generally known as the PU-90 and was designed by Guy Hart and Walt Fullers in the 1940′s – the Les Paul version appeared after, consisting of the same main plate but minus the side brackets. It wasn’t until 1956 that the now legendary humbucking pickup designed by Seth Lover of Gibson appeared on the scene.
So how do these two styles of pickups vary?
Well to start off the P-90 is a single coil pickup and the humbucker is made up of two coils. Not only do they sound somewhat different but electronically there are some extremely different things occurring.
An average P-90 is built with approximately 10,000 winds of 42 AWG enamel-coated wire wrapped around a black plastic bobbin, which are then covered in a black paper tape. These winds give a meter reading of approximately 8,000 ohms. Positioned beneath the black bobbin are two Alnico magnets in a magnetically opposed configuration. The original variations used Alnico 3 magnets but the rating of Alnico varied over time. Screws attach to a centre steel bar which is configured between the magnets and above a nickel steel baseplate. Braided wire is used and a cream or black plastic cover.