Dad3353

Good evening, @invisiblewasp, and ... ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Definitely getting there; well done..! I see the thumb in its right place, and the strumming is quite a bit more relaxed, especially towards the end of the session. So much more to learn; all the 'great' masters say this, even after reaching virtuoso status, so you're in good company from that point of view. No specific advice, even less critique, this week; you'll be assimilating your achievements for the next few days, and it must be becoming apparent that it is, indeed, all coming together..! Oh, yes; one word of advice (if you're not already doing it...) : Go back over the totality of your lessons, from Day One, and do 'em all again, just as you did those first days. This will, firstly, encourage you to recognise your progress, and also 'fix' much of the notions gleaned back then. I think you'll be pleased with the result. Good Stuff. Douglas

The thumb on the back of the neck will help a lot with everything, I'm sure.

@ShawnE : OK, good. You're making very good progress, and you'll find, as we all do, that progress can be appreciated in steps, or plateaux. You'll think that nothing's happening, until suddenly it happens, and you realise that you've progressed. This is where the Patience part kicks in; one has to continue to do the mundane, daily routines, assiduously, in the certain knowledge that it all pays off, and handsomely, and faster than one thinks..! One little test to do every now and again (three months or so..?) is to turn the guitar round, and try to play the exercises left-handed (or right-handed, for lefties...). That's the level of control you had at the very beginning. Now turn it back to your normal playing fashion and appreciate the difference..! One more little thing (well, not so little, really...), concerning the right hand, or rather, the right arm. Swinging the arm up and down, strumming with a piston movement, is a technique that's useful for some styles of playing, but it's not really conducive to good right-hand technique. Can you try relaxing the right arm completely, and using a wrist movement instead..? A relaxed hand and wrist, too; just enough effort to have the pick brush the strings. Adjusting the force of this brushing is what gives life to the strumming, with only very slight effort, so it's not tiring. Light, measured strokes, with a relaxed arm, will bring much benefit. The swinging piston can come later, if context calls for it; a more delicate approach allows the music to come through for most playing, though. Worth trying..? In any case, keep it up; you're doing very well, and the videos are very useful, for us to see what you're doing, and certainly for others treading the same path. Good Stuff.

GET THAT THUMB TO THE BACK OF THE NECK..! It'll all become so much easier..!

It sounds interesting, and I'd like to give it a shot, but I'm wary of the term 'app'. I'm an old, retired, IT person, and am stuck in the 'PC' era. I have a 'smartphone' thing, but I only use it for replying to bank SMS messages for validating purchases (some new security thing...), and have no clue about 'apps' and stuff. If your 'app' runs on a PC, I'd give it a serious work-out; if it's for iPhones or Android stuff, I can't. Any use to you..? Douglas

Have a look at this explanation. Does it clarify things for you..? How does coil-splitting work...

The JC120 has an Fx Return Left and Right, so the o/p from a 'stereo' fx pedal could be fed into those to give a 'stereo', or 'bi-phonic' effect. Does that answer your needs..? Douglas

A Good Question, fuelled by a somewhat misleading name for amps of this sort. It's not really 'stereo' in the HiFi sense, as it doesn't have two separate channels. It's a bit more subtile than that; the 'stereo' aspect really only concerns the 'chorus' effect for which the Roland is famous. It's not designed to be truly stereo in the sense of having, itself, a wide sound spread, and the chorus effect is most effective in a more intimate environment than a festival stage (and doesn't really work that well if it's twin-mic'ed up to a stereo PA...). As it happens, it's one of my favourite solid-state amps, and excels in crystal clarity, even at high volume (and it's capable of very high volume..!). Don't think of it as 'stereo'; just enjoy the shimmering effect 'live' from the chorus. Yes, it can be recorded, but not by hard-panning it right/left. It's more subtile than that. Be warned : the JC has a built-in 'distortion'/gain/overdrive' effect wich is about as ugly as one could wish for. If anything like 'dirt' is required, use a suitable pedal. Just my tuppence-worth. If you want to have true 'stereo' (really 'bi-phonic', as a guitar is mono...) for splitting and treating two distinct amps, use a 'real' stereo amp and a pair of speakers. It's a quite different animal. Hope this helps. Douglas

You will surely get an answer from here... Taylor Guitars, Contact Us...

From the Roland site ... Performance-ready 60-watt combo guitar amplifier with authentic tube tone and touch response Roland’s comprehensive Tube Logic design delivers the interactive tonal behaviors of famous fine-tuned vintage tube amps, including preamp and output tube distortion characteristics, power supply compression, and much more Independent Clean and Crunch channels, plus unique Dual Tone mode for blending channels to expand tonal possibilities Master volume and three-band EQ, plus Boost and Tone switches on each channel Four-way Power Control (0.5 W, 15 W, 45 W, Max) allows for cranked-amp tones at any volume Onboard high-quality reverb Classic open-back design with custom 12-inch speaker and poplar cabinet for enhanced presence on stage Stylish, modern look with a vintage vibe Efficient, lightweight design provides easy portability without sacrificing tone quality USB output for high-quality direct recording to a computer Channel selection and Dual Tone can be controlled with optional footswitches

Do you only have a Samsung tablet..? If that's your only option, at least tell us which model. Over to you again...

I'm not quite sure what you're wanting to do, but, for most possibilities, I'd be very surprised if your Samsung doesn't already have all you'll need, at least for starters. Of course we don't know what model it is (given that, we could probably look up the doc and guide you more...), but I'll assume that it has basic video camera functions..? If so, choose a well-lit room, and place a chair before a neutral background (a closed curtain, or a plain wall..?). Set up the Samsung to be able to film the chair, then set it to 'Record', go to the chair with your guitar, and play. When you've finished, end the recording and see (and listen to...) what was captured. Would this be a good enough starting point..? If not, what else are you wanting to achieve..? Over to you... Douglas

Shawn... It's with great pleasure that I see you progressing so well. Once again, the video itself is excellent, and nicely balanced between your playing and your explanations. I approve, of course, of the new leather strap (although it could be shortened by an inch or so, so that the guitar is always suspended from it, freeing up the body for playing...). You have your routine of exercises, which are definitely producing results, so continue with the method that's working for you. I don't want to put spanners in the works, or distract you from your method. I would like to add a couple of ideas you may like to think about, and maybe try..? When you're 'sounding out' the chord ('D', 'A', 'E', whatever...) Try 'sounding out' the strings in a different order (highest note to lowest..? Or even alternating the strings, so 4,2,3,1 for the 'D' chord, or 1, 4, 2, 5, 3, 6 for the 'E' chord...). The idea is to get used to playing the strings individually, and not just a a routine 'low to high'. You'll get exactly the same need to finger cleanly, of course, as the notes must still ring out 'true'. I might also suggest thinking about your 'reward' strum (an excellent invention...), and try to stroke the strings with less tension, more gently, in a sweeping motion, as an alternative to the steam piston with which you're presently bashing out the reward. Just an idea; the end result of all this wonderful effort is, after all, music, and having a variety of strokes will be a part of that as you continue to progress. The Blues Bros riff is fine; you can play it through four times, then play it exactly the same but on the 'A' string, twice, then back to the 6th string for two more. Enough from me; you're doing very well indeed. Douglas

Any use..? Marshall JTM60 issues... Reading through, it sounds like quite a risk, unless you're prepared to put up with problems (usually when you want them least...). As several have mentioned, there are better amps out there.

Good evening, @Stoneham, and ... ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Let's deal with this one, then. An open string on a guitar gives a note; the same string fretted at the 12th fret should give the same note,exactly one octave higher. We can find the exact octave easily, by playing a harmonic at the 12th fret (pluck the string whilst touching the string very lightly above the 12th fret...). In an ideal world, the intonation is correct if the harmonic and the fretted 12th sound the same. It is not always so, due to many factors, such as the care with which the guitar was assembled, and the age, gauge and 'quality' of the string itself. On an acoustic guitar, the luthier has taken care to glue the neck in place, then the bridge, so that the intonation is correct (or, at least, as best as he/she can make it...). There is no provision for adjustment. For an electric guitar, mass production, and other factors, are such that this exact, permanent, intonation is rarely achieved. This is why there is scope for slight modification in the string length (by moving the saddles back or forth...), so as to have the 12th fret sounding exactly the same note as its harmonic. Different string thicknesses, and their windings, make it necessary to have a little variation in the correct position; typically the result is best obtained by having the heavier strings with their saddle further back from the nut. Each string will have its optimum position. Once set up, it's seldom necessary to alter this; if the intonation is 'off', it's often because the strings are too old and worn out. Changing for a different make or gauge of string does, however, require a new check and adjustment of the intonation. You can check this yourself, by sounding the harmonic at the 12th fret, then playing the same string at the 12th fret. Are they the same note..? If the fretted note is 'sharp', the saddle needs to be backed off from the nut a little. If the fretted note is 'flat', the saddle has to move towards the nut a little. Any use..?

Nice try, but I covered that in my original reply. Too far to travel, I'm afraid. The idea is good, but not in this case. Sorry. On the other hand, as you have the guitar to hand, you could try it for yourself and see. It won't hurt anything, and I would like to be proved wrong if you get it to work. Are you feeling lucky..?

Spring..? Late coming. Early Summer..? Far too hot; no rain. Late summer..? A couple of very wet weeks, then sunny spells, then thunderstorms. Hot for the season, and expected to continue thus for a few weeks more. Exceptional pollen count, I've learned, which explains my lingering hay-fever. T'will pass; all things do.

Your buddy is correct, the bridge on this model is, indeed, slanted, with not enough travel for the intonation to be adjusted for 'lefty' stringing. It can be corrected by a decent luthier, and it's not a particularly difficult job. It would imply, however, removing present bridge fixings, plugging the holes and re-drilling for the other angle before refitting the bridge. The nut, of course, is simple enough and would be done at the same time. The only 'downside' would be the visible plugs where the present fixings had been. Is it worth doing..? I can't give any recommendations for workshops that could do this (I'm in France...), but the first step would be to choose a tech and get a quote. I wouldn't expect it to be too onerous, and the result would be a guitar that you could be proud of, with the plugs as 'badges of honour'. A quick search shows well over a score of workshops in and around London; you have a wide choice before you. If the instrument 'speaks' to you, it would be a shame to sell it when it could be tailored for you. Your call; let us know how it goes, please..? Meanwhile... Have a splendid day. Douglas

OK, it's not all in the fingers. The Little Grey Cells play a part, too.

There's nothing to change on most guitars for stage use, except for one's personal satisfaction. They're almost all 'fit for purpose', in the right hands.

Progress has been made with colour televisions, telephones, computers and recording equipment, too. There's no reason why guitar manufacturing should not improve.

Don't forget that she has a capo on the guitar at he second fret, so what she plays sounds a whole tone above an 'open' guitar.

1 - It's all in the fingers. 2 - Have a look at Lace pick-ups, they have some original concepts with excellent tones (Our Eldest built his guitar with those; they delivered beyond expectations...). 3 - Idem Filtertron pick-ups, for another 'colour' (Gretsch, TV Jones..?). 4 - It's all in the fingers.