Myxer For Ringtones

Ok,i talked about the Myxer ringtones program,check it out.A good tool for musicians i think...clean look,simple to set up and works!Just one thing though,excuse the picture of the guy with the tiger stripe top on...haha

More from Greg Waters-G at Myxer

More from Greg Waters-G at Myxer

More from Greg Waters-G at Myxer

....http://www.myxertones.com

The Perfect Online Store....Nimbit...... for Musicians

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

...the Nimbit Blog...http://blog.nimbit.com/

The Perfect Guitar Companion....Compressor

Alright,i know a lot of you young players out there are saying....what!But to me,a compressor pedal or rack unit is a must in any playing situation.It is not a dial it in and the earth shakes type effect!What it does do is balance out the shortcomings the guitar has in as far as playing chords or solos.On guitar when you play a chord,particular notes will ring out above others,and when soloing the same may occur when playing certain areas of the neck.And in a low volume environment it gives you the sustain needed,that would normally require louder volumes to achieve or the use of an attenuator.I can play at an extremely low volume but get that sound and feel of playing a tube amp at a loud/pushed volume!And nothing is worse than struggling to get that feel while playing,clean or dirty.Also the sustain of notes can be increased,requiring a lot less effort on your playing to get it,or...working the note or chord through vibrato.Don't get me wrong,do not use it as a per-se crutch.This can happen when using effects to cover or mask inefficiencies in you playing technique!I always practice clean and at a low volume,this is the real deal,no cover ups,but then adding effects later is 'icing on the cake".Humm......seems i got a little off track here,but it is a good thing...Do Not Use Effects To Cover Up Your Poor Technique..I personally use rack effects,but for pedals i prefer the Boss pedals,and their compressor pedal is the CS 3,it also has a tone control added.Compressing with pedals sometimes cuts the highs or adds bass.All the Boss guitar pedals are top notch in my book,if you are going with pedals.But really,i have tried few guitar compressor pedals that were NOT USABLE.It is such a simple circuit to create i guess,just about all will do the job....even out notes and sustain them.But one important thing to remember is NOT to squash your sound,the usage is subtle.This is common amongst beginners,let the sound breath!
...Boss Guitar Effects...http://www.rolandus.com/products/subcategories.aspx?ParentId=13
...Boss CS 3 compressor pedal...http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=148&ParentId=95

The Perfect Guitar Speaker.....Celestion Vintage 30

Isn't she gorgeous love!!!!!! I love a Marshall Vintage 30 speaker.I have been using them for a while,and the tone is fantastic.It has a presence in the high end that just shimmers,and the lows are not muddy and dark,and just the right mids,not snarly.I have tried Jensen and EV's and neither gave me what the Vintage 30's do.For a cleaner tone i would maybe recommend the EV's,but for the rock/blues/funk i am stuck on the Vintage 30's.I use two Marshall single twelve cabinets(never seen anyone else with the Marshall single 12 cab),and either stack them or spread them,depending on the situation,and i am running stereo most of the time.And also,for a small performance i have the option of just using one cabinet.I really like the set up.So go to your local music store and try one out,and of course,they work best with a tube set up.They break up so nicely!

...Our most revealing speaker, the Vintage 30 features enormously detailed and complex overtones, a warm low-end, a famously rich vocal mid-range and a beautifully detailed top-end. Used singly to reveal the complexities in hand-wired boutique amps, or in quartets for a wonderfully intricate vintage 3D crunch, the Vintage 30 sound has been captured on thousands of recordings from a diverse range of notable players including Slash, Steve Stevens and Peter Frampton.
....specs on the Celestion Vintage 30....
http://professional.celestion.com/guitar/products/classic/detail.asp?ID=4

The Deal...Record Deal that is... and the Advance

The post i did "Stuff White People Like"has a fantastic article written by Steve Albini.There was a link in the post to the article.I am doing this blog on the article he wrote in hopes it opens a few indies eyes up to the real world.Reading the article has really stuck in my head although i knew in advance what the deal is.And the numerical breakdown of what the musician ends up with in the end is,well......not good,to say the least!
...Steve's words...Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying shit. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed. Nobody can see what's printed on the contract. It's too far away, and besides, the shit stench is making everybody's eyes water. The lackey shouts to everybody that the first one to swim the trench gets to sign the contract. Everybody dives in the trench and they struggle furiously to get to the other end. Two people arrive simultaneously and begin wrestling furiously, clawing each other and dunking each other under the shit. Eventually, one of them capitulates, and there's only one contestant left. He reaches for the pen, but the Lackey says "Actually, I think you need a little more development. Swim again, please. Backstroke". And he does of course......now read on and check the musicians pay out...in the end of all others "profits"...
....http://www.negativland.com/albini.html
....and The Recording Contracts Contents...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_contract
....good example from Courtney Love...http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/06/14/love/print.html

Stuff White People Like....and Music Piracy

This is funny reading,and also true i feel.At least, i have encountered the same replies from people as stated in this blog,and also caught myself saying some of the replies as a defense of my own piracy(do download but don't share)!And the"elite"/ is soo true,and funny!haha

....Stuff White People Like
This blog is devoted to stuff that white people like...
... White people have always been renowned for having ridiculously large music collections. So when file sharing gave white people a chance to acquire all the music they ever wanted, it felt as though it was an earned right and not a privilege.
...When (not if) you see a white male with a full iPod, ask him if all of his music is legal. If he does not immediately launch into a diatribe about his right to pirate music, you might have to nudge him a bit by saying do you think that's right?The response will be immediate and uniform.
...He will likely rattle off statistics about how most musicians don't make any money from albums, it all comes from touring and merchandise. So by attending shows, he is able to support the musicians while simultaneously striking a blow against multinational corporations. He will proceed to walk you through the process of how record labels are set up to reward the corporation and fundamentally rob the artist of their rights, royalties and creativity. Prepare to hear the name Steve Albini (read!) a lot.
...Advanced white people will also talk about how their constant downloading of music makes them an expert who can properly recommend bands to friends and co-workers, thus increasing revenues and exposure. So in fact, their activities are the new lifeblood of the industry.
...The "Elite"...Because of the availability of music online, a very strict social hierarchy has been created within white culture whereby someone with a large MP3 collection is considered “normal,” a large CD collection is considered to be “better,” and a person with a large vinyl collection is recognized as “elite.”
These elite white people abhor the fact that music piracy has made their B-sides, live performances, and bootlegs available to the masses. Their entire life’s work has been stripped of its rarity in terms of both object and sound on the record. The best thing you can say to them is: “vinyl still sounds better.”
However, it is recommended that you do not let this conversation drag much longer. If you let them continue talking to you they are likely to spend hours talking to you about bands you’ve never heard of and providing you with a weekly mix CD of rarities that you do not want....haha
....http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/93-music-piracy/

Myxer...Promote Your Music Through Ringtones...and More

Hi All...i have been looking at different programs for creating ringtones from my original music.Along with that,also ways of marketing my created ringtones....selling.I came across this site,Myxer,you can join as just a normal cell phone owner and download ringtones and wallpapers for free or purchased.Along with the normal sign up,bands can also sign up for an artist account and from the Myxer site be able to upload their song(s),edit them or convert them to ringtones and then sell them,along with having their own personal page with their web site link.Also your wallpapers/band logo can be uploaded to sell or giveaway ,along with a video,and you have a "fanlist"also.

From The Company

MyxerTones "Make Your Own" Overview
MyxerTones is the best way to make and share mobile phone ringtones and wallpapers.
MyxerTones lets you quickly and easily take song or image files from your computer and send them to your phone as ringtones or wallpapers. Upload a song or picture, customize it with our online tools, and deliver it right to your phone. No cables, no service contracts, it just works!

....Myxer web site....http://www.myxer.com/
....the Myxer desrcription and questions page....http://www.myxertones.com/share/

SyncLive All Day Concert......Tribute To Our Soldiers

Check it out today,the 11th....

This Friday, SyncLive.com will be streaming a major musical event that brings together our soldiers from around the world and their families. We invite you to join in!

FOSTERCHILD, Framing Hanley, Grupo Mania, Maren Morris, Jennifer Pena, Kritickill, Mark Chesnutt, Mylin, Rissi Palmer, Tantric, II Face and Wild Horses.

For The Curious...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

The Natural Minor Scale and When to Use It

This is about the natural minor scale,the formula for it and what chord(s)to play it over.First and foremost....the chord or chord progression always dictates what choice of scale(s)you have to play.And it is the same in this instance....

Here is the formula for any natural minor scale...2 frets/1 fret/2 frets....etc.



........ C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C

Now...the chord(s) to play this scale over would be a minor chord,minor 7th chord,minor 7th raised(sharp)5.The reason you ask...well because the notes that are in these chords can also be found in the notes of the natural minor scale!Remember what was said above...the chord(s)always dictates the scale,other words,chords are the ruler!You can be the fastest,flashiest,most stringtapping,sweepiest player on the block,But,if you don't understand this,you will sound "stupid"playing all that stuff!And OMG,you don't want that....right!haha
Next...a simple chord progression(the same rule above applies to a "chord progression"the notes in the chords will determine which scale(s) to use...C minor to F minor,or a 1 to 4 progression,the natural minor works well.
Again the reason why....First,we already know the natural minor works on the C minor chord (1,b3,5).And look at the next chord,the F minor.The notes in the F minor chord are F,Ab and C.Well now,all three of these notes can be found in the C natural minor scale!
I do hope this has helped some of the younger and older guitarist/players out there.We all get into our little "ruts"and get 'stuck"occasionally.Maybe this has helped some get out of theirs... :-)

....for additional info on the natural minor and comparing it with the dorian mode,read an earlier post of mine...Scales and Modes...The Natural Minor Versus The Dorian Thursday, March 20, 2008

A Note From Just Plain Folks Concerning MySpace

..I am a member over at Just Plain Folk,and i recently received an email concerning MySpace website and it signing a deal with several major labels.I thought the newsletter would be of interest to share here to fellow musicians.Just Plain Folks is a great organization,i highly recommend becoming a member.
..A big announcement was made about MySpace Music signing a deal with 3 of the 4 major labels (with indications the 4th, EMI may follow suit soon.......the news letter goes on to say... If the majors are going to be co-owners of the new site, what would make any of us believe that they intend to treat the artists/writers not on their labels fairly? After all, these are the same people who have thumbed their nose at fair competition with schemes such as radio payola for many years. The major label system has regularly shut indies/grassroots artists out of significant radio play, off most shelves at record stores, out of corporate controlled music venues and relegated to the commercial music equivalent of the“back of the bus".These are going to be the new owners/gatekeepers for MySpace Music? Really?
.....MySpace Music officially announced itself Thursday morning with blessings from majors Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Sony BMG. The tie-up, billed a "landmark joint venture," will include DRM-free downloads, ad-supported audio and video streaming, a mobile storefront powered by Jamba, and "various sponsorship solutions." Artist-related assets like merchandise and concert tickets will also be part of the action, and collateral will be integrated within individual artist profile pages....click the link below to read more
...http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/604077/page/1#Post604077

Recording Electric/Acoustic Guitar....simplified

I did an earlier post on recording guitar...,http://guitaranswers.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html ,it goes more in depth than this post.This post deals more with the basics...equipment,mics,and mic placement.
Recording the electric guitar is a pretty straight forward process...good guitar,good amp...hum...a good player,and some basic knowledge of recording,mic(s),the placement of them and just plain 'ol time for testing,which can be fun.Along the way of testing or experimenting,you try and capture the sound you hear in your head and also,you may also discover new sounds that hopefully will be usable for other projects down the road.There is a good article in Electronic Musician,online magazine,covering the basics of recording the electric and acoustic guitar.The jest of it covers these things...
miking guitar amps-a Shure SM57
nothing sounds as good as a tube amp turned up to 10
room sound is the other ingredient necessary for obtaining a full-bodied guitar track
almost any microphone will strike gold once you find the right spot for it
Sennheiser MD 421 and 441 and the Shure Beta 58 (which has a fuller sound than the SM57
three to six inches from the grille cloth
moving the mic closer to the amp provides more definition, increased highs and lows, and less room sound
pointing the mic at the center of the cone will yield more active highs and better transient detail but fewer lows
capturing the airy, percussive sound of the plectrum strumming or picking the electric guitar's strings-either in acoustic isolation or combined with the ambient sound from the amp-and then mixing this sound with the recorded amplifier sound
TO AIR IS HUMAN
the key to capturing any kind of ambient tracks is a good reverberant space
....the article http://emusician.com/tutorials/emusic_recording_electric_guitar/

Dancing Skeleton Man...Humor is Good

OK.....what's this got to do with music,well,not a whole lot other than Chuck Berry and the song "Lucille" and well...a little humor now and then.This makes me laugh everytime i watch it,everytime!So before we watch the following videos and go to our "woodshedding" lets take a minute for a good laugh...

Funk In Your Rock....Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck model Strat
Jeff Beck has been around for a long time.And his style is unique and funky.He really does nice acrobats in his solos,the bends,the harmonics and the tones.He is primarily a Strat man.I really like the Blow By Blow album,and the Wired,i think,album,with Led Boots,i use to play that jam,sorta funk/rock.Speaking of funk,Beck's style has a lot of funk in his soloing,it is catchy and rythmic,with subtle/unique techniques thrown in......

Here is Beck with famous keyboard player Jan Hammer(wrote the theme song for the show Miami Vice).You can hear how Becks note attacks and bends are unique,along with his great tone.And Hammers solo sounds like a guitar,by bending the notes....cool.And where is Becks pick... :-)
....Jeff Beck sites....http://www.jeffbeck.com/jeffbeck_bio.html

Soul In Your Jazz...George Benson

Ibanez George Benson model GB10

I was fortunate enough to see George Benson in Chicago,doing the Breezin album,with Phil Upchurch playing rythm and Harvey Mason on drums,what a show.George Benson is about my favorite jazz player,especially his earlier playing days,before the Breezin days.But,then,he added a soulfullness that jazz had not heard yet!My fav album is Cookin,wow.....And he carried the Wes Montgomeery octave into a new generation and add a 5th in the middle!And of course he has a guitar endorsement with Ibanez,his own models....the GB10,GB15 and the GB20. Check his soulful playing out and check out the 3/4 GB models by Ibanez.Every Ibanez guitar i have ever played has had great feeling necks on them,and i have played many.
....

....George Benson site...http://www.georgebenson.com/

....Ibanez web site... http://www.ibanez.com/splash.aspx

George Benson playing....Take 5