Sunday, March 30, 2008

Journey Announces Summer Tour with Heart and Cheap Trick


Journey's guitarist (Neil Shawn) is one of my favorite rock guitarist.Did you know he played with Carlos Santana in Santana,he was the rythm guitarist!!He has great sound and tone and can play so melodic or rip off clean.crisp,fast runs.

Journey (2008)
Three legendary rock bands are teaming up for what is sure to be the tour of the summer. Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick are heading out on the concert trail starting July 9 in Denver, Colorado through October 4 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fans should check local listings for on-sale dates, which begin Saturday, April 5...

Slash in London to Promote New Gibson Signature Guitars


Slash is another one of my fav guitarist in the rock world,he plays a variety of styles.And,in a way,re-popularized the wah-wah pedal(for tone variations). He does the tone change with the wah in just the right spots.

Slash visits the Gibson Guitar Showroom in London to launch limited edition of signature Slash Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul Standard Guitars. Photo by The Press Association.
Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash recently visited the Gibson Guitar Showroom in London to celebrate the launch of three limited edition Slash signature guitars - two from Gibson and one from Epiphone - that will be released worldwide on April 1, 2008. Gibson's Custom division has created the Slash Inspired By VOS (Vintage Old Stock) model, while Gibson USA will release a Slash Les Paul Standard and Epiphone a Slash Les Paul Standard Plus model. “I have always been a Les Paul player...
....http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004268.html
.....anyone read his book that is out?If so,feel free to leave a comment

Inventor Chris Adams Talks about the Gibson Robot Guitar


Amazing....the guitar sold out after being released!Hum...tunes itself,automatic tunings from popular guitarist like Jimmy Page,auto intonation adjustment....what else!

The premiere of Gibson's Robot Guitar took place in select music stores on December 7, 2007. Four thousand limited edition Les Paul Robot Guitars sold like hot cakes and it looks like the collaboration between Gibson and Chris Adams, the German inventor of the self-tuning innovation, will continue into the forseeable future....



Saturday, March 29, 2008

Spector Defense Team Not Ready 'Til Fall

Phil Spector at his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame


Music producer Phil Spector arrives at the Los Angeles County Superior Court for a discovery hearing Friday, March 28, 2008, in downtown Los Angeles. Spector is being retried on charges of fatally shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra mansion in February 2003
Spector's first trial ended in September 2007 when the jury deadlocked. Spector, famed for his "Wall of Sound" recording technique, is accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra mansion on Feb. 3, 2003.
...http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080329/ap_en_mu/phil_spector

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Chord Finder and For Leftys Too

(And here is a note chart that may help some...this is not the chord finder!)

This is a cool chord finder that may help some of you with learning chords and discovering new ones also.Click on the link below and download it,a great tool to add to your music arsenal!And leftys can also use this one!Also shows the fingering on a guitar neck,and again for right or left hand players and plays the chord!
...http://chordfind.com/guitar/


Sunday, March 23, 2008

For The Curious....New Song.."Funk de Fied"


To hear the complete song "Funk de Fied",please go to my MySpace page and use the player there...http://www.myspace.com/gguitar

MFA...Multiple Format Access...cd's


I have recently been reading about this newer format called MFA,or Multiple Format Access.For musicians it allows their cd to not only contain their audio tracks,but in addition has video,ringtones,merchandise and tour dates...all on the same cd.I guess this has been out for a little while,i remember hearing about it,maybe a year ago.But,wow...ringtone purchases/merchandise purchases and tour dates....man.And all to be offered at a discount when compared to buying seperately!And also the time saved!

Article About MFA
... Fluid Media Networks and DiskFaktory Launch Multiple Format Access(TM)
Music Delivery Format...
Fluid Media Networks, producers of American Idol Underground (http://www.idolunderground.com/), has partnered with the leading music reproduction services provider DiskFaktory (http://www.diskfaktory.com/) to create the "(MFA) Multiple Format Access, your music, your way(TM)," distribution format, which allows consumers who purchase a MFA CD to also receive digital (MP3, ringtone, video, etc.) access to the music -- all for one flat price.

DiskFaktory
...MFA - the true future of the physical CD, and it's only here at DiskFaktory. "Multiple Format Access" is DiskFaktory's exclusive CD platform that enables musicians to offer MP3s of their tracks, ringtones, videos, tour dates, merchandise and the physical disc ALL FOR ONE FLAT PRICE. Imagine every time one of your fans inserts your disc into a computer, that you will receive an instant message of what, when, and where they are listening to it. It's your private channel to your fan base. Listeners see your customizable interface and can access whatever you want them to see, hear, and most importantly - BUY! Change the interface as often as you like with new tour dates, new songs, and new merchandise.


Guitarist recounts beating that left him hospitalized


I am presenting this article for one,it's local to me(gotta show tha love) and two,check this guy and his band out and maybe give some support to a fellow musician.

Article

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- After meeting Johnny King, or "Boggie" as many call him, you can't help but think what a strong person. Not only did he survive a brutal attack, but he's walking around, talking, and he's even got his sense of humor back. But most of all he's so grateful to be alive.


Boggie is also Johnny King, the guitarist for the band Fatback. They've been playing rhythm and blues, funk, soul and jazz since the 70's in Germany, London and the U.S. He's been getting get well cards from fans across the globe and wants to tell everyone, "thank-you, thank-you very much."

...Fatback website...http://www.fatbackband.com/index2.htm

...article.. http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-032008-al-guitarist_story.d6cddd4.html

Friday, March 21, 2008

Rock Band Store Sells Over 6 million Song Downloads


...in 3 months...Interesting new nich...selling downloads through games i guess...hum...new to this!Go to Joystiq to read more...http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/rock-band-surpasses-6-million-song-downloads/
Rock Band keeps rocking the downloadable content market as Harmonix announced today the game has sold over 6 million songs in just over three months. The title has set the bar for DLC with fresh weekly content and the last update we had about sales numbers stated that Rock Band had sold 2.5 million pieces of DLC around mid-January.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Thanks To My Rare Guitars


Thanks to "Vintage Guitars and Rare Guitars"...
Some of the cool guitar pics on this page are from this site,check them out.A really great collection of pics...
http://www.myrareguitars.com/

Scales and Modes...The Natural Minor Versus The Dorian


This may help some guitarist who may have some questions about when to use a natural minor scale and when to use the dorian mode(minor also).
There is one note that is different between the two,that is the 6th note.In the key of C,the C natural minor scale goes... c-d-e flat-f-g-(A flat)-b flat-c.The 6th note is A flat........
In the C dorian the notes go...c-d-e flat-f-g-(A)-b flat-c.Th 6th note is an A natural,so,there is a half step diifference,a BIG difference!
When applying these two to being used in a simple chord change,the natural minor scale fits nicely over a C minor to F minor chord progression,because of the A flat note in the F minor chord.
And when playing a C minor to F Major chord progression,the Dorian mode fits nicely because of the A natural note in the F Major chord!
Chord progression 1...C minor to F minor=C Natural minor scale
Chord progression 2...C minor to F Major=C Dorian mode
Conclusion.....the chord(s)always dictates what scale or mode to play!
.....Hope this helped some of you....

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Nimbit and Cafepress

Nimbit and Cafepress are two great tools for musicians to sell their merchandise.Nimbit is a whole store within itself,for musicians and Cafepress is another outlet that can be used for such items as T's,Calendars,Bumper stickers and a whole lot more....check them out...
Come visit my store on CafePress! Purchase additional products from Greg Waters,with the "Gguitar"logo,(T-shirts,Mugs,Hats,Shoulder Bags,Calendar,Mouse Pad,Teddy Bear)
and the Nimbit,in my post below
....www.nimbit.com/
....http://www.cafepress.com/

For The Curious....New Song.."Funk de Fied"

OK...here is a new tune i wrote,check it out,it is named Funk de Fied(#2).This is a 30 second sample and i am using the Korg/Pandoras Box(did post in Feb.) unit...pretty cool sounding with the auto wah...

Musikmesse 2008 Video Coverage


Wow.......another year,seems like i posted last years on my site just a few months ago!Here is the video link for the worlds largest music trade show in Frankfurt,Germany,the Musikmesse show.
Here is an email mail i got from Harmony Central...Next up: the Frankfurt Musikmesse. By the time you receive this newsletter, our intrepid Editor-in-Chief, Craig Anderton, will be prowling (or crawling, depending on how many after-show parties he attends) the halls of the worlds largest music trade show and reporting back to the HC community about what's new. He will also be teaming up with HC community members Mats Nermark (with Fuzz magazine), the notorious Dr. Walker (one of Germanys premiere electronic musicians), and some other special guests and VIPS to give you the kind of show report no other website can provide. Stay tuned!
So,here is the link to the video coverage by Craig Andeton for Harmony Central...
And btw the city is beautiful....i will be getting you a pic i have,will post it
http://messe.harmony-central.com/Musikmesse08/
Other links...http://musik.messefrankfurt.com/global/en/home.html
http://www.productpilot.com/directory_3254__Music_Instruments_Media.php

Thursday, March 6, 2008

A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix By Pamelina

This is another post on Pamelina and her awesome artwork on guitars!Her artwork on the Strat above is a tribute (7 total) to Jimi Hendrix,and focuses on the Monterey Pop Festival he performed at....
The Monterey (March 5, 2008)
Anyone who's into collecting Strats knows about the Jimi Hendrix tribute guitars that I(Pamelina) painted for Fender's Custom Shop back in 1997 [See: Seven Stratocasters That Pay Tribute to Jimi Hendrix]. The artwork was based on the guitar that Jimi Hendrix painted, played and burned at his breakthrough performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. The first prototypes started with exact re-creations of the guitar. I was asked by John Page to "Pamelina" it and the beautified version of Jimi's art is what I painted 210 times.
...article..continuedhttp://www.modernguitars.com/pamelina/archives/2008/03/the_monterey.html
...Pamelinas site...http://www.pamelina.com/pamelina_001.htm

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

PremierGuitar E-zine 2008 NAMM Show Toys








PremierGuitar e-zine has a list of toys one of the writers created from his visit to the 2008 NAMM show.It has some great toys,here are some.And i have provided a link so you may see the pics that were included....thanks to PremierGuitar and the writer lucky enough to actually be there!
HiWatt Custom 7 Head The new Custom 7 head and combo caught our eye, promising Townshend-approved tones at reasonable household volumes. Pumping 7 watts through one EL84 tube in a single-ended output design, it is hand-built in the U.K. HiWatt’s heavy-duty standards are thankfully present and accounted for, meaning you could lug this to a low-powered gig without worries. price TBAhiwatt.com
DigiTech HardWire Pedals Featuring true bypass, unique high-voltage operation that keeps your 9V power supply at a consistent level – meaning more consistent tone – and a bomb-proof chassis, this new line from DigiTech promises to have something for every pedalboard. As an added bonus, precision pots let you dial in the exact same tone every time. Starting at $119digitech.com
Henman-Bevilacqua S2 Henman-Bevilacqua brings a fresh approach to the age-old problem of adjusting the truss rod: they’ve eliminated it. Instead, a load-bearing beam with a floating fingerboard design does the work, while maintaining a traditional feel. The bodies have a familiar-yet-contemporary shape and each piece of hardware has been manufactured to close harmonic tolerances. They also feature WCR pickups with true vintage nickel covers. list $5900henbev.com
TV Jones Model 10 With a body made of solid Obeche and an attractive single cutaway, the Model 10 from TV Jones promises to be a fun guitar. It includes an ebony fretboard, 22 medium frets and TV Jones Power’Tron pickups in both the neck and bridge. Pictured is the company’s attractive Nicotine finish (and that’s not just because we’re smokers). Starting at $1400tvjones.com
65Amps Monterey Basically a SoHo front-end with a 6V6 power section, this amp delivers classic American amp tones. With a tight low-end and rich, harmonic overdrive, this amp is available in two configurations: the Monterey features two 6V6s and puts out 22 watts, while the Monterey HP features four power tubes and pushes the rating to 38 watts. Starting at $239565amps.com
fOXX Pedals fOXX announced six new pedals at NAMM: the Clean Machine (shown), a clean or dirty sustainer; the Down Machine, a wah for bass and organ; the Loud Machine, a fuzzed-out volume pedal; the O.D. Machine, an overdrive; the Wah Machine; and the Wah Volume, which is pretty self-explanatory. All of these pedals feature fOXX’s trademark felt covering, in your choice of colors. Starting at $199foxxpedals.com
Diamond Spitfire Voiced with a cleaner, vintage vibe, these amps come dressed in an attractive British tan tolex, and seem poised to draw in a new audience to Diamond. Featuring four “Winged C” EL34s, two channels, a low-focus control and a half-power switch on the rear, this amp delivered some amazing country/blues tones. It’s also available as a custom- ordered combo. $2299diamondamplification.com
Martin D28-M Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition A tribute to both the King and Martin’s 175th anniversary, only 175 of these acoustics will be produced. A copy of Elvis’ 1955 D-28, including his trademark leather cover, the D28-M will feature a polished black ebony headstock with a silhouette of Elvis playing his Martin inlaid in Mother of Pearl, star position markers, and a heelcap with the TCB lightning bolt logo. Also includes a special, oversized case to accommodate the leather cover. $11,499mguitar.com
OohLaLa Pedals A relatively new company on the boutique scene (although the company’s founders have played an integral part in the industry for the past several years), OohLaLa showed off four new pedals slated for a spring release: the Synth Mangler, Torn’s Peaker, X-Ray and the Soda Meiser. The Soda Meiser (pictured) has been described as “fuzz bliss” by OohLaLa’s Queen Bee, Amada Marquez. If you dig boutique, you’ll dig these. $180-$475oohlalamanufacturing.com
Gretsch G5135 G. Love Corvette If you haven’t heard of G. Love & the Special Sauce, do yourself a favor. The newest signature model in Gretsch’s Electromatic collection pays tribute to Garrett “G. Love” Dutton, packing in a pair of TV Jones Power’Tron pickups, deluxe mini precision tuners and a sweet “Philly- Green” color scheme. $1450gretsch.com
Collings City Limits Jazz Archtop If you’ve got a jazz itch that needs scratching, look no further. The City Limits Jazz Archtop features a premium carved European spruce top, a fully hollow mahogany body, Kent Armstrong floating pickup, ebony tailpiece, Schaller tuners and a deluxe hardshell case. This gorgeous guitar is available in Cremona or Amber Sunburst. $8500collingsguitars.com
R. Taylor Style 2 Acoustic This gorgeous custom-made acoustic is the newest addition to the R. Taylor family, offering up a smaller size than the Style 1. Featuring a 15” lower bout, a maximum body depth of 4 1/16” and a modified-X bracing pattern (all hand-shaped), this guitar responds well to both finger and flatpicking. You can choose from a variety of woods and a solid or slotted peghead. starting at $4,480rtaylorguitars.com
Victoria Amp Co. Electro King Based on the Gibson GA40 and packing 5879 preamp tubes, this new offering from Victoria Amp Co. promises to reward adventurous guitarists with a fresh take on vintage and a rich tremolo circuit. The cabinet is built with solid pine, houses a Jensen P12J speaker and is covered in attractive two-tone tolex. $2295victoriaamp.com
Red Witch Pedals Red Witch pedals are now being distributed by Dana B. Goods, meaning these New Zealand-made pedals should be easier to find stateside. The Empress Chorus has already found its way onto Andy Summers’ pedalboard for the Police tour. The Deluxe Moon Phaser was capable of convincing rotating speaker sounds, as well as any kind of phase you could imagine. The Pentavocal Tremolo and the Fuzz God II were also on display for tone tweakers. Starting at $309.95redwitchanalogpedals.com
Saint Guitar Company Messenger Builder Adam Hernandez has been at it for ten years, but this was Saint Guitar Company’s debut NAMM show. On display was an eye-catching double cutaway called the Messenger. Made completely by hand, the 25 1/4” scale guitar features a luthier grade maple top and a mahogany body and neck for a rich, full sound. Gotoh tuners, wide/pyramid fretwire and Seymour Duncan pickups round out the package, although it can be completely customized for your tastes. Starting at $3500stguitars.com
Jaguar Amplification Twin Combo A 45-watt Class A/B amp featuring two EL34s, the Jaguar Twin also has a Class A half-power switch which not only lowers the volume but ups the harmonic content in the process. The combo is available in 1x12, 2x12 or headonly configurations – the combos come standard with customized Celestion Greenbacks. 2x12 combo $2999jaguaramplification.com
Budda Superdrive V-40 Budda announced their latest additions to the Superdrive Series, featuring 6V6 power tubes for 40 watts of roots rock power. The use of 6V6s give it a more organic sound, while still retaining that tradmark Budda bite. New cream paneling with purple lettering also give this a different vibe than its predecesors. $2195budda.com

March 2008 New Products: Just Got Back From NAMM.08
....and check out the digital issue of PremierGuitar.PremierGuitar has some great articles and info on guitar related toys,one of the better/more complete readings for guitarist

Playing Music Makes You Smart


Scientists have uncovered the first concrete evidence that playing music can significantly enhance the brain and sharpen hearing for all kinds of sounds, including speech.
...http://www.livescience.com/health/070319_music_brainstem.html

And....This Is Your Brain on Jazz

A study on brain activity,and what happens when jazz musicians improvise.
Description
A pair of Johns Hopkins and government scientists have discovered that when jazz musicians improvise, their brains turn off areas linked to self-censoring and inhibition, and turn on those that let self-expression flow.
Jazz is often described as being an extremely individualistic art form. You can figure out which jazz musician is playing because one persons improvisation sounds only like him or her.What we think is happening is when you are telling your own musical story, you are shutting down impulses that might impede the flow of novel ideas.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/538130/

Monday, March 3, 2008

Jeff Healey Passes at age 41




Blind rock and jazz musician Jeff Healey has died after a lifelong battle against cancer. He was 41.He will be mised,i am sure.Along with recently being a DJ on a Canadian radio station for jazz,he had a 30,000+ album collection...wow!And i loved the way he played his Strat..."lapstyle".
article...http://www.mail.com/Article.aspx?articlepath=APNews/Music/20080303/Obit_Healey_20080303.xml&cat=entertainment&subcat=music&pageid=1
website...http://www.jeffhealey.com/