SlyFoxx
Glossless
Re: Your Lessons to the Community: GUITAR Related
GIG TIP #1: Show up on time and say "please" & "thank you." Nobody wants to hire a group of jerks no matter how good they are. If your group is having an off night (especially on your first appearence at a venue) it might be the difference between getting asked back and not.
GIG TIP #2: Have a plan in case something breaks so you can keep the show going. Broken strings and drum heads happen. At times like this I grab an acoustic, make a joke about the difficulties and break into some old Jim Croce or whatever while somebody else handles the problem. Audiences actually enjoy unexpected mistakes if you play them off right. You can't do this all night but if you've been wowing them for the last hour they'll usually give you the benifit of the doubt.
TECH TIP: If you have a screw in wammy bar wrap a few winds of teflon tape around the threads. Makes for smooth action and keeps wobble from wear at bay. A single roll will last a VERY long time and only costs a few bucks.
MUSIC TIP #1: Learn a bit of piano. They are great for writing and arranging. The theory of music is SO easy to see on the keyboard compared to the fretboard. You don't have to be able to play anything complictated. Learn all the Major, Minor, Maj7, Min7, Dominant 7. Once you know these and can play them readily the rest of the chords will come pretty quickly. My chord vocabulary is actually larger on the piano than the guitar.
MUSIC TIP #2: Learn a bit of drums.
MUSIC TIP #3: Learn to sing on key. You don't have to have the greatest voice. You just need to be able to hit the right pitch and not be too flat or sharp. You carry that instrument with you everywhere...learn how to use it. Being well rounded could give you the nod over the other guy at your next audition.
GENERAL TIP: Buy a copy of Yamaha's "Sound Reinforcement Handbook." It's the closest thing I've seen to an electronic musicians bible. Understanding the scientific nature of sound and the gear we use to reproduce it can only be a good thing.
GIG TIP #1: Show up on time and say "please" & "thank you." Nobody wants to hire a group of jerks no matter how good they are. If your group is having an off night (especially on your first appearence at a venue) it might be the difference between getting asked back and not.
GIG TIP #2: Have a plan in case something breaks so you can keep the show going. Broken strings and drum heads happen. At times like this I grab an acoustic, make a joke about the difficulties and break into some old Jim Croce or whatever while somebody else handles the problem. Audiences actually enjoy unexpected mistakes if you play them off right. You can't do this all night but if you've been wowing them for the last hour they'll usually give you the benifit of the doubt.
TECH TIP: If you have a screw in wammy bar wrap a few winds of teflon tape around the threads. Makes for smooth action and keeps wobble from wear at bay. A single roll will last a VERY long time and only costs a few bucks.
MUSIC TIP #1: Learn a bit of piano. They are great for writing and arranging. The theory of music is SO easy to see on the keyboard compared to the fretboard. You don't have to be able to play anything complictated. Learn all the Major, Minor, Maj7, Min7, Dominant 7. Once you know these and can play them readily the rest of the chords will come pretty quickly. My chord vocabulary is actually larger on the piano than the guitar.
MUSIC TIP #2: Learn a bit of drums.
MUSIC TIP #3: Learn to sing on key. You don't have to have the greatest voice. You just need to be able to hit the right pitch and not be too flat or sharp. You carry that instrument with you everywhere...learn how to use it. Being well rounded could give you the nod over the other guy at your next audition.
GENERAL TIP: Buy a copy of Yamaha's "Sound Reinforcement Handbook." It's the closest thing I've seen to an electronic musicians bible. Understanding the scientific nature of sound and the gear we use to reproduce it can only be a good thing.
