matonanjin

You all know I'm a PRS fanboy. Or you should know it from my very recent NGD post😉 Or failing that look at my signature.😮 I have also had the pleasure of meeting Paul Reed Smith himself in person once, totally by coincidence, when he held an event at the Chicago Music Exchange. I got the impression, based on this very brief conversation and selfie opportunity, that he is a classy guy. This message below, I feel, largely confirms that impression: "We believe music is a powerful force in the world, and we hope that, in some small way, the stories we are sharing now are a source of comfort, inspiration, or just good old distraction for you." Watch it through to the end for a link to PRS artists that are providing us lessons, free or paid, and concerts, or just reaching out to fans, during this quarantine or lock-down. What PRS calls "Music Unites". I have watched a couple of these and if not hugely educational they were each, at a minimum, a fun distraction.

@Randy120 Thank you! Can there be a better example of "Win/Win"? Something that will potentially give us that mental hygiene break so many of us desperately need right now and at the same time something that could improve our playing?! I say that second part because I have heard so often after we get to a certain point in our learning the process that is going to accelerate our progress more than anything else is "getting out" and playing with others. Of course, in our current environment we can't "get out" so this could possibly be the next best thing. My Wednesday night jam buddies and I keep saying we are going to do this but we haven't. We have to. For my buddies we have been talking about an app called Jamkazam. Please understand. I am not recommending this. I haven't used this yet and so can't recommend it. Theoretically, it seems like a great idea. But living in the country with a ridiculously slow connection my mind immediately goes to lagging and buffering and how could it work in a jamming environment. there is a discussion about this over at Blues Guitar Unleashed and it seems there are problems with connections speed and also something about finding your group and joining in. If anyone on here has any experience with Jamkazam let us know what that experience was. Or if you have done any quarantine jamming with other Guitar Gathering members or anyone! tell us about it!

Compressor Pedals may be the pedal one that is the most confusing to set up and use properly. At least it was for me and I still, from time to time, have to refresh my memory on what the different adjustments are for. This video from JHS pedals does one of the best jobs I have seen of explaining how to set one up. There is some fluff in the video. He takes quite a bit of time at the start describing the history of compressors. I found that interesting but you may want to fast forward to the actual "meat". He also spends some time describing his and competitor model examples. He is very candid about recommending his own, of course. And at the end is some time talking about albums that used compression and his playing guitar. But still, if you are new to compressor pedals, I think you can get a lot out of this.

@Tom M, I agree. That's why I enjoy them. "So much good stuff" in every issue and almost no advertising. And no articles about personalities or in-band fights, etc. Just lessons. I have multiple piles of them and I'll never get through them all. So it really is somewhat silly to resubscribe. But just as an example, in addition to working S16 that I'm on, I have decided to go back and revisit Pentatonic scales. (I'm also revisiting barre chords but that is another story😉) I went back and pulled out Guitar Techniques two part article called "Pentatonic Boot Camp". It ran in the December, 2015, and January, 2016, issues. I am using it each day as my warm-up. Guitar Techniques is expensive, especially for those of us on this side of the ocean. But I cancelled all my other subscriptions, Premier Guitar, Guitar World, Vintage Guitar, and others. I think I tried them all at one point. GT is the only one I read anymore.

Everybody, thanks for the comments/complements. As you would expect I just love playing it. And Henk, "Smooth"? I saw what you did there😎

Sometime ago I tried a PRS Santana at the Chicago Music Exchange and was shocked. I was devastated. The neck felt like a tree trunk. Until then I was sure that, at some point I was going to play a signature model of my guitar idol. So recently I went into our local PRS dealer to try a PRS Special Semi-hollowbody. And on the wall was this Santana. I thought why not at least try it again before trying in the other one? And I don't know why but the neck felt great! I don't know if my preferences have changed. Or has my playing progressed a little to where I am adapting? Or just this particular neck isn't quite as chunky? (Or, possibly most likely, I am rationalizing so I can have my Santana?) And it played and sounded amazing. Anyway, the PRS Special Semi-hollowbody never came off the wall😁😉 2014 PRS Santana 10-top Charcoal Burst!

Maybe you are. Maybe not. But this was at least an interesting discussion and the results somewhat surprising to me. It is not a scientific study and purely the opinion, based on listening, of these four guys. But I often watch Rick Beato's posts and also his posts with Rhett Shull and Dave Onorado. They are often educational and usually entertaining. I changed to 9's on several of my guitars a while ago when I started working on bending. But I did it with the attitude of "but I'll change back to thicker ones after I build up finger strength". I was almost apologetic when I posted anywhere about it. And certainly I was of the Stevie Ray Vaughan school of thought that thicker strings equate to greater tone. What was interesting about the video, among other things, was that pre-SRV most rockers were using 9's or even 8's. I never knew this. The results of this little mini-study at least has me rethinking my going back to thicker strings. 1) What strings do you all use? 2) What are your thoughts on the results of this? 3) Has it changed your opinion of what string gauge to use? Why or why not to all three questions.

This just adds a little to @Eracer_Team-DougH's post to include other musician's. 😁 Banjo players. Accordion players. It's just a joke! 😉

We know one person that will unquestionably come out the other side of this pandemic just fine!!! 😁😉😂

So will I! Barb, Dave see you there! Ron

Disgustingly cute😉😁

Really? No takers? Did I mention these are free?🤔😉

Neil, I just thought the "Easy Pop" series could possibly be of use to someone who has lots of time these days to practice. I think your idea of a "Resources Sharing Library" is a great one.

And who am I to judge what is a good home?😉 Are you at that point in your learning you're ready to start playing some songs? Maybe at about Session 6 or 7 or higher? The Hal Leonard Guitar Method "Easy Pop Melodies" series has been mentioned on here, and over at our previous digs, many times as a great way to start playing songs and keep the learning fun. If you go to the Amazon link and then look at the Table of Contents you will get a list of songs for each one of the three: Easy Pop Melodies More Easy Pop Melodies Even More Easy Pop Melodies These have been untouched by human hands. I bought them, fully intended to study and learn them, and they went in my pile of materials "I'm going to learn". And never picked them up again. Fortunately, I suppose, I've progressed enough that I'm a little advanced for these now. If you want these, they are yours. There are only 2 conditions: 1. You put them to better use than I did. That you actually use them. 2. They don't go to the land fill. When you are through with them you, in turn, pass them forward. If you feel so inclined, when you receive them, you can look at the postage amount and my return address and send me postage. Totally optional. I don't know how to do this other than FCFS. If you are the first to send me a pm requesting them, they are yours.

Doug, thanks for this reminder. Perfect timing!!!! I'm now, of course, not going to my weekly Wednesday night jam. I was trying to remember the name of the online jam software but could not remember it. I remembered us talking about it at the old forum. But what was the name of it?!?!?!?!? 😂🤔

@Karabo, good to hear from you. I think there are a lot of people are using music to help "cope through these difficult times." For some of us it's listening to it. For others of us, many of us on here, it's picking up that guitar and trying to create some. Please keep us up-to-date on how you are progressing.

I wish that I could say that I am making the most of this time. But I can't. Everyday I have great practice plans. I even print out my intended practice plan. "I'll get to it in just a little bit. " And everyday I hear a voice shouting, "Dinner is ready!" Where did the #$%^ day go to? Maybe today?

Thank you Randy! It confirms my purchase of my Ultimate Guitar Pro account. (Which @DianeB talked me into😉) And 1 gorgeous PRS 594 Desi is playing)

It's an indication of something. Although, I'm not sure of what. but every time I go to the TrueFire forum now, or try, I get a page that states "The Forum is Down for Maintenance". It's been down for maintenance ever since this discussion started.

@NeilES335, I have had, until now!, much better response from their tech support. I have spoken with a guy name Ren and a lady, whose name I can't remember, and received remarkable resolution every time. And they did overhaul their site and to me it is worse than before! They use to have a fun, active forum and now it is a ghost town. Certainly not as good as here.

Steve has in the past recommended the Ditto Looper and you just saw Neil recommend the 2X version. It is made by TC Electronics who is highly respected in the pedal industry. I have their Flashback delay and can't see myself ever needing a different one. I also have the Ditto Looper but have to confess I haven't worked with it as much as I should. Musician's Friend has a good description of it. I think, but I'm not sure, the main difference between the Looper and the 2X version is the latter allows you to import and export loops. There may be, and probably are, more differences. I'll let you study that😉 When you get ready to start using your looper Steve has a great instructional video for just $10.

And have a copy of the March issue? For no reason other than disorganization I let my subscription lapse. I have resubscribed but until it gets started again I have been swinging by Barnes and Noble and picking it up monthly. I just picked up the April issue and realized I missed the March one😡 The March issue has the article/blues lesson about Albert King which I wanted. I went to their website for back issues and they have the February and the April issues but no March!!! Apparently a lot of other people wanted the Albert King lesson!😎 Does anyone have the March issue that you have finished studying? And would be willing to send to me? I, of course, am willing to reimburse you for the magazine and shipping. If so, please pm me.

Congratulations on the new Tele, Dan! Enjoy it a long time. We are all looking forward to hearing something from it. @fray, do you know the rule? No pictures? It didn't happen😉