matonanjin

@costancr, I'm not Steve either but, like @John Wells, will add my $.02. How much time should you be spending on the chords? My answer, not Steve's, is: very little. The sessions in The Song Hits are designed to reflect where one is at in the same session of L&M. To stress this point in the introduction of "All I Have to Do Is Dream" Steve states, "If you are in Session 3 (of L&M) then you can play the Into and Verse because you know the notes. If you have moved on to 4 then you can also play the Bridge." So my opinion is that Steve is only expecting one to learn the melody, not chords. He does make some reference to the song having relatively easy open chords. Should that discourage you from learning the chords if you are that motivated? Of course not. But just memorizing the chord shapes should be even more than is expected at this point. And if any, such as those in Eye of the Tiger and Bye Bye Love "are giving me trouble", then don't let them frustrate you. Keep it fun! Especially in "All I Have to Do Is Dream", in the bridge, there is a Bminor barre chord. That is going to frustrate you plenty in Session 8! No sense doing it now!🤣 Should you come back later? Sure, if you want. But you are also going to soon be working sessions in The Song Hits that concentrate on the chords and barre chords of L&M sessions 5-8. And, if you are like most of us, you will probably be bringing outside materials and songs to learn into your practice regimen. Keep us posted on your progress!

Greg, the POD always works fine. The powered speakers are fed by it. The guitar goes into it and if I am just practicing without using the computer, without playing Video Surgeon as an example, I just use the POD. Thanks Blue Dog, the output is my Pod speakers. The only speakers I have. I no longer use the Real Tec card; there are no speakers connected to it. I'm not sure what you mean, Doug. The powered speakers and the POD are plugged in. Nothing draws power from USB

Calling all GG resident geeks! I need your help. I am running the Line 6 POD HD 500X Multi-effects system. It will work fine and then it crashes. Maybe "crashing" isn't the most descriptive word because it doesn't crash my system. It just quits working. Just all of a sudden no sound. I'm running the POD HD 500X on my Windows 10 system. It is set up as my audio device. It will work just fine, maybe for an hour or 2 or 3. Then it just quits working. I will reboot and then it will work fine again for some varying period of time. And then it will quit. And then I will reboot. Ad infinitum. It is really annoying. And, of course, when I am practicing something that I really want to work on is when it quits.🙄😡 The length time that it works for varies. Sometimes 30 minutes; sometimes several hours. And I really can't see any pattern to what I am playing to the length that it works. If I use my PD HD for anything the most it would be with Video Surgeon of I'm not sure what I am playing effects how long it works. I don't think so. I am running the POD into JBL monitors. And, yes, I have the newest POD HD 500X driver installed. And I have reinstalled the driver I have forgotten how many times. And my Window 10 automatically updates. Any help or suggestions are appreciated. My wife is tired of my screaming at this thing! My computer is an Intel Core2 running at 2.93 GHz with 4 Gig of RAM. I know; It's old. I have acres of hard disk space. My OS is on a 1 TB drive and about half or that (or more) is available. The POD HD 500X is set up as my audio system. The AMD which, I think, is my motherboard is disabled. The Realtek is disabled. Even when it "crashes", it shows as "working properly". Of course, it is setup as input and output device.

Diane, I expected more of a spirited response, certainly more than 7 responses. I'm surprised, almost disappointed.😉 @ChrisJ032, this is a video you may find helpful. It is titled "TOP 4 pedals for starters". I don't fully agree; he has two overdrives in four pedals for beginners. This is a concept called, I think it's called, overdrive stacking. Hardly for beginners, especially for the first four pedals. But consider the source (I mean me). These guys know far more than I do. But hopefully you will find it helpful.

Thanks @MGood1. (For responding both here and the other forum. You know which one😉). The Santana is on the "back burner" for now. When (If?) I go back to electric shopping I think it is going to be between a PRS Special Semi-Hollowbody or a PRS McCarty 594. I love the versatility , with the 3 pick-up system, of the SSH and love the tone of the 594. But that is a completely different thread. I am going to go back and play them both some more, if they're not sold, next week. Hopefully I can make a decision. Great catch @Mike Hoodenpyle! I need to go back and look at my photos and see what I did.🤔 There was also a Martin CEO that I somewhat considered. Maybe one of these images is of that. Going to do that next week

@papamark, shared a NGD post over in the News from the Gathering thread a few weeks ago, his new Martin Custom Shop. A gorgeous guitar and I told him that I was looking at something very similar and I still am. I had posted here about looking at a new PRS Santana but thought more about it and I am, for the present, fairly well set on electrics (don't tell my wife this!) and realize that my most pressing need is for a nice acoustic. So I am back to looking at that Martin 000 Custom shop. Here it is front and back. It is for sale at a local shop here in Omaha. But, I was looking at electics (PRS, of course) at the only PRS dealer here in town, actually across the river in Council Bluffs. I know. If I need an acoustic what am I doing looking at elecric guitars? I can't help myself. And saw this used Martin, a 000-18 EC. A signature Eric Clapton. A beautiful guitar as well and it plays beautifully. They both do. The used EC is about the same price as the new Custom Shop. The EC is "pre-owned" but you wouldn't know it. It is mint. I am torn. I am a huge Clapton fan and the first to admit I am possibly swayed by the name factor. But the couple reviews I've read about the guitar were glowing. And the burst, and especially the back, on the Custom Shop are so gorgeous! Gawd, I'm torn! So you Martin fans help me out! What do you think? I know I will be happy with either one. If anything, maybe the EC is speaking to me ever so slightly more 😉 But is there anything I am missing in the decision process?

Of course, no one would ever question or doubt your methodology, @DianeB😎

I was always somewhat under the impression, based on very unscientific data, that the Fishman amps were the "gold standard" for acoustic amps.

As Doug suggested, study theory if you don't have a guitar at hand. @Yggdrasilium, I don't show enough dedication to doing this and need to do so more.

@ChrisJ032, great advice above. I will 3rd Diane's recommendation for Steve's video. I have watched it and referred to it many times. It is just excellent. There is also a cheap book that I bought sometime ago which I found very helpful: "Guitar Tone and Effects" by David Brewster. I bought it before Steve came out with his video. If I had owned Steve's video first I'm not sure I would have purchased the book. But, as I said, it is cheap and it was helpful. There is also the Session on Electric Guitars in L&MG, S15? Steve talks at length about pedals if you want to sneak ahead. We won't tell! You had mentioned three pedals. Coincidentally, Steve talks about 3 basic groups of pedals you should have on your pedal board at first: a distortion, a chorus and a delay. The very addictive, expensive rabbit hole you are about to go down is deciding which one in each food group. But it will be a fun journey. BTW, my pedal board has the following for each of these groups, respectively: 1) Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (if it was good enough for Stevie..), 2) Boss DC-3, and 3) TC Electronics Flashback (way more functions than I will ever use. It also uses what they call "Tone Print" so I can download presets. And it has a built-in looper.) To further feed your impending obsession is this e-mag called Distortion LTD. it is dedicated to nothing but pedals and tone. Just a fun occasional read. Keep us posted as you add to your board!

I had never heard anything about this, Blue Dog. Staggering. The masters of so many great artists.

No sensible, logical store is going to refuse your bringing your own guitar in if they think they are going to get an amp sale.

So there!!!! For all you doubters! THIS IS REAL! Sheez. Photoshopped?!?

@papamark, congratulations on the new Martin. I am looking at something very similar right now at a local shop. Similar?!? Maybe identical! A 000 Custom shop Sunburst. I'm a little ways off so I hope you will post again after you have a little experience with it. Enjoy it a long time! Beautiful guitar.

David Gilmour's Guitar Auction