Mackie...Guitar Amp !!!

Ok...i have owned some Mackie mixers,and used them for live gigs and recording mixers,but...a Mackie guitar amp,Mackie VT12 Amp?And the Mackie 12 channel mixer i used for recording along with a Studiomaster mixer,well....STERILE!Great for live but not for recording!So,i am a little leary of a Mackie guitar amp!It has a pre amp tube section that is independent of the onboard digital effects section.So i guess you can go just analog or analog with digital combined.The master volume goes from 1 watt all the way up to 120 watts,and a speaker custom made by Celestion.Anyway check out the video from Premier Guitar and maybe get back with me and tell me/us YOUR opinion.....Oh...and the price?????!!!!!!!
http://www.premierguitar.com/Video/20081029/378/AES_Show_08_Mackie_VT12_Amp.aspx

The Man...Danny Gatton

Danny Gatton has been a long time favorite guitarist of mine.He is incredibly versatile!And his playing can sometimes have a lot of humor in it.He unfortunately is no longer with us,but his playing lives on!Enjoy this little sound byte of his playing.He played so,so many styles/licks!If you are listening Danny,my hat goes off to you my man..........

http://www.dannygatton.com/ ...The premier web site for the late guitar virtuoso Danny Gatton. Known as the Master of the Telecaster, and the Humbler, Danny transcended rock & roll, rockabilly, jazz, and country to create a unique style best known as Redneck Jazz. Danny was a jack-of-all-trades in the music genres, and a master at every one of them.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=172614892 ... MySpace page

Korg AX10G Effects Pedal...Wow

I was just listening to some sound bytes of the Korg AX10G guitar pedal.....wow!It is a compact multi-effect processor that packs a ton of dead-on amp and effect models generated using Korg’s highly acclaimed “REMS” modeling technology. Plus, it also comes with a built-in expression pedal for realtime control of your sound.Though being very basic in it's switches,only 2 with an additional real-time pedal for like wah and other effects,it still,for the price sounds great for an at home just practice type scenerio!Just plug into your break out box or practice amp and voila,access to some pretty cool sounds.And the price,well,on eBay...$50.00!!!Yep,thats right,it retails for $250.00 and street price around $150.00.I am comparing this to Zoom and others and it is a deal.A lot of great sounds for the price.Though it would be hard to use live for me.I require instant access to at least 10 unique patches for an average copy band playing variety,so i use a MIDI pedal with a 10 switch face.This gives me instant access to all 10 patches without having to go to another bank.But for home practice,the sounds and the price...wow!Here is a list of the goodies...
AX10G: Built-in Effects

• PRE FX（3)：COMP, WAH/A.WAH, ACOUSTIC
• AMP TYPE（11）：EQ, BTQ CLN, BLK212, TWD410, AC15, AC30TB, UK’70S, UK’80S, UK MDN, RECTO, FUZZ
• MODULATION（11)：CHORUS, FLANGE, PHASER, TREM, ROTARY, FEEDBK, PITCH1, FILTER, U-VIBE, TALK, PITCH2
• AMBIENCE（11）：SLAP, ECHO1, ECHO2, PP DLY, MULTI, AIR, ROOM, HALL, PLATE, SPRING
•NR (Noise Reduction) and Tuner

And here is the Korg link for details and sound bytes.Also for a guitarist not requiring as many patches to perform live it would be a great,inexpensive pedal to use!And check out the Marshall,Vox,Flange and Talk sound bytes....cool.And of course,the guy playing ain't shabby either!Again for the buck,the Korg AX10G is a big bang.
http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=AX10G&category_id=6

AC/DC Black Ice Expected to Reach 800,000 In Sales...

And that's in it's first week...800,000.And also after 500,000 downloads before the Black Ice cd was released!
AC/DC's Black Ice is flying off the shelves at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, the exclusive U.S. retailers for the album that arrived yesterday (Oct. 21). Sources estimate the set sold 193,000 copies in its first day of sale, and could move upward of 800,000 in its first week....
http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=6611
http://www.acdc.com/index_album.html

Eminem...The Greatest Ever... Tee

The New Eminem Tee... http://www.vibe.com/style/council/2008/10/the_new_eminem_tee/

Quick Music Fact .....Silence

Here's another quick music fact about the role of silence in music.I find myself playing less notes with age.I guess now,i play for the song and less for myself!Each single note has more meaning.Think about it,without silence,there could be no melody,or phrasing,or feeling!So...silence is a vital part of music and melody.And a recent article expressed the same with the music of Thelonious Monk!
Monk's "less is more" playing was especially evident when Monk performed with other musicians.
'Oh, well, there's not a flurry of notes like Art Tatum or Earl Hines.
"If he has no music to make, he doesn't fill out a single bar with faked blowing or rambling." If Monk couldn't say it in his own way, he didn't say it.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95561560

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis...Doin It Up

It's been more than 35 years since these R&B/pop icons first connected as high school students. Although their roots were in performing — the two founded Minneapolis funk band Flyte Tyme, which evolved into The Time — their work on the S.O.S. Band's hit “Just Be Good to Me” put them on the production map, and after collaborating with Janet Jackson on her 1986 smash Control, their careers skyrocketed. Jam and Lewis became one of the most successful and influential songwriting/production teams of the '80s and '90s, shaping the pop sounds of those decades and laying the groundwork for pop and R&B music made today.
The sheer number of hits they've produced is staggering: 100 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum albums; 16 Number One pop singles; 26 Number One R&B singles. Just as far-reaching is the diversity of talent they've fostered, from Mariah Carey to Sting, from Mary J. Blige to Bryan Adams.
These days, Jam and Lewis continue to produce music and are involved in various business ventures including a record label and a publishing company — and Jam is heavily involved in industry outreach through his role as Chairman of the Board of the Recording Academy.
More at MixOnline
http://mixonline.com/studios/profiles/on-cover-jam-lewis-keep-hits-coming-flyte-tyme/

Carlos Santana Says Guitarist Derrick Trucks

A question asked by a fan,to Carlos Santana was,what guitarist did Carlos feel was going to be the new hot guitarist warrior.His answer is Derrick Trucks, http://www.derektrucks.com/index.html .
I know of Derrick Trucks through one of my students.He is one of the guitarist in the Allman Brothers Band,and also does a lot of outside projects along with his own ventures.He is quite the slide player and his chops are very versatile!So give him a listen and check out the Carlos question/answer video over at The Rolling Stone.... http://www.rollingstone.com/flashplayer?feature=rtmp://flashplay.rbn.com/a41/d1/rstone/rstone/download/flash/santanafan1.flv&title=Santana&desc=Ask%20a%20Rock%20Star
and... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBDkFcwmAuY

AC/DC...Black Ice...Reaches 500,000 Downloads

Yes,that's right...500,000 downloads,before,it has even been released!
AC/DC has become the most popular currently active rock band in the United States, to judge by albums sold. Since 1991, when Nielsen SoundScan started tracking music sales, this Australian band has sold 26.4 million albums, second only to the Beatles, and more than the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin.
Irish Rock Band 'The Answer',is to open for AC/DC.
www.acdc.com

Guitar Video Lessons...Vanderbilly

PC World just listed a pretty cool site for guitarist, http://www.vanderbilly.com/ .It focuses on learning popular songs through video.Along with that,the site has an ok forum and is still developing their gear review section.But the video section is fairly good.The sites own description...so,check it out "future Jimmy Page clones"!
Vanderbilly is fun, easy to use, 100% free and the coolest online guitar video lessons web site in the world! You can easily learn every riff of your favorite songs by your favorite guitar players. Don't spend weeks trying to figure this stuff out, let us do the dirty work. There's no need to learn tablature or read music. Simply watch the slow motion videos and listen to the instructors as they share their secrets and demystify the guitar parts you love. You can even log into your own private area and view your favorite videos at regular or half speed. You will finally have an insiders view of the best solos and guitar part ever written. We explore the styles of Page, Clapton, Hendrix, Van Halen, Vai, SRV, Eric Johnson, Schon, Santana, Satriani and the rest of your favorite guitar players. Their secrets are exposed in slow motion video by professional instructors. Can't find a specific song or solo? Request it and we might crank it out.

Fans Name Eminem ...."Best Rapper Alive"

NEW YORK, October 7, 2008 –VIBE has today announced Eminem as the winner of the Best Rapper Alive competition. The Detroit native beat out New York’s rap king Jay-Z in the Final Round with 69 percent of the votes, crowning him as the people’s choice for the true king of hip hop. The results of the contest are detailed in VIBE’sNovember 2008 issue hitting newsstands October 21st.
http://www.vibe.com/magazine/press-releases/2008/10/fans_named_eminem_best_rapper_alive/
http://www.eminem.com/html/

Eminem is one of the highest-selling musicians of the early 2000s. He has sold over seventy million albums worldwide, and is one of the highest-selling rap artists of all time.
Eminem was discovered by rapper and producer Dr. Dre, who later signed Eminem to his record label, Aftermath Entertainment.

Lil Wayne Gets One Mill From Pops On B'Day

Lil Wayne has no regrets about resigning to Cash Money Records last month. At his 26th birthday party in Miami early this week, Baby gave Wayne a Louis Vuitton briefcase…stuffed with a million dollars cash.
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2008/10/lilwayne_birthday/
http://www.lilwayne-online.com/main.aspx

Greg Waters...The Dream

Win An Autographed Fender® Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster® Guitar!

Equally significant to Fender fans, the release of Perpetual Flame coincides with the November 2008 release of the Fender Custom Shop 100-instrument Yngwie Malmsteen Tribute Series Stratocaster, a.k.a. “Play Loud,” guitar replica. The instrument is a meticulous recreation of the infamous and battle-hardened 1971 Stratocaster guitar that fueled Malmsteen’s meteoric rise to metal stardom, complete with heavily worn Olympic white finish, scalloped fingerboard and distinctive body graphics.


http://www.fender.com/yngwie/english/giveaway.php

Five Myths About John McCain : Rolling Stone : National Affairs Daily

The...Double Talk...Express

http://www.rollingstone.com/nationalaffairs/index.php/2008/10/03/five-myths-about-john-mccain/#

Gibson's New 50th Anniversary Line

Gibson is releasing a 2008 50th Anniversary line, and in time for the holidays.
The 50th Anniversary Korina Explorer, ES-335, Les Paul Figured, and Korina Flying V… more information as it becomes available.

http://www.gibsoncustom.com/flash/products/goldenage/58Explorer/2008_58_Explorer.html?a=uk%2Cco%2Cbigroom&ns=[object+Object]&i=3&name=bigroom

http://www.gibsoncustom.com/flash/products/goldenage/58ES335/2008_58_ES335.html?a=uk%2Cco%2Cbigroom&ns=[object+Object]&i=3&name=bigroom

http://www.gibsoncustom.com/flash/products/goldenage/58LP/2008_58_Les_Paul.html?a=uk%2Cco%2Cbigroom&ns=[object+Object]&i=3&name=bigroom

http://www.gibsoncustom.com/flash/products/goldenage/58FlyingV/2008_58_Flying_V.html?a=uk%2Cco%2Cbigroom&ns=[object+Object]&i=3&name=bigroom

Carlos Santana To Quit Playing

Yep,that's right.I got to see it to believe it!The boxer says the same thing,until the money is gone.But with Carlos,he has several business ventures going now so he may not need the money.And he has a pocket full of Grammy's.
Carlos is such a tasteful player and his tone is immaculate.His whole sound is "Carlos"!As soon as you hear that first note you know it is Carlos.That says a lot for a player,your own style and sound.That is what we all strive for :-).Here is an article about Carlos and his future plans and ambitions...
Santana, 61, told Rolling Stone magazine he would eventually like to start a church in Maui, Hawaii.He is also about to release a two-disc album entitled Multi-Dimensional Warrior.It will be his 38th album and is made up of little-known songs from his previous releases. "I'm going to stop playing when I'm 67 and work on what I really want to do, which is to be a minister, like Little Richard," he said. ...
... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7652640.stm