matonanjin

If it makes you feel any better, @Plantsman13, mine as well.

Sometimes things don't go as planned. Sometimes a wife calls up and says "Take me to dinner!" ?

I guess this answers my question. Even Django Reinhardt used a POD HD500 ???

Wow! All great tips. And great idea for a thread @colder. And since you took what I think is the best one, " the ultimate practice tip was that if I can't play something, go slower and slower until you can play it perfectly", I'll fall back to my second choice. Have a plan for the practice day. A written, documented, stare you in the face, "What Am I Going To Work On Today" plan. We have to work on what is fun and that should be part of the plan. But, as Randy said above, get stuff in the plan that makes you struggle and improve. Get it out of the way. Then reward yourself and have fun. I don't know how well you'll be able to see it. Here is a "screen scrape" of my plan today:

And Doug it goes on to read "as long as there is room". I've gotten in arguments with people on other forums that seem to think that the airlines, due to the new travel regulations, have to provide one with space for a guitar in the overhead or under the seat. They do but only so long as there is room. And it's up to the airline staff to determine "if there is room". If you are not in early boarding "always be prepared to have them check it under the plane". Any more, when I fly, I just always check my Strat in luggage. I have a TSA compliant locking hardcase. I lock it up, close my eyes, and check it. The first couple times, because I was afraid, I put my "starter guitar" Yamaha Pacifica in the case and checked it. But the last times (10?) that I have flown I checked the Strat. So far. So good.

This was exactly was I was thinking when I read @Dave White's post. It is damp humid in the summer here (and brutally dry in the winter). Even with the air conditioner running I still need a dehumidifier in my music room/office in the summer.

I can see where that speed trainer could be very useful. I just used it for the first time. But rather than having to keep stopping and resetting the speed, just set the incremental increases and go! I set it for 3x at each speed and increases of 5% and it worked fairly well. I can see my using this more.

Wim, I remember over at L&MG someone calling being close to finishing the course "in rarefied air". That's exactly where you are at, "in rarefied air". I can count on one hand the number of people that I know of that have finished L&M. Wim, you are an encouragement for all of us.

That's what I thought she probably did. A modeler into the house PA. (Although I've never heard the acronym FOH ?)

I'm sure that this is far more common than I realize. This is, after all, a 3 year old article. But when I read it it somewhat shocked me. How many gigging musicians are going sans amp? My wife and I first saw Joanne Shaw Taylor on the Keeping the Blues Alive cruise. A great guitarist and she put on a tremendous show. But I was sure that I saw her plugged into an amp. Going out the door a couple weeks ago for a trip to Chicago I randomly grabbed a handful of magazines for the 8 hour drive. One of them was this Guitar Techniques from January, 2015. Having become a fan of Joanne I naturally gravitated to this article. I was somewhat surprised to read the sentence that I have underlined in red, when referring to amps she said, "I don't use them too much live anymore...." So obviously she is using a modeler. What other musicians do you know, famous or otherwise, that are giving up amps? Perhaps I shouldn't be to surprised. I had posted over at L&MG the video about setting in with that blues band practice. I had gone back a couple times and the lead guitar player is using only a POD HD500X. But I reasoned that's just a local band and this is just practice. (I later saw them at a show and that is what he is using). I still vacillate between my pedal board and my POD HD500x. @Six String has been trying to drag me into the 21st century for months, probably longer. Right now I'm using the POD just for an OD, Chorus and a Delay into my Blues, Jr., amp. This is a silly waste of its potential. If I'm going to do that I should use my OD, Chorus and a Delay on my pedalboard and sell the POD! Or use the POD into my guitar interface and sell the amp and pedalboard! But again, what gigging musicians do you know that are ampless? What are you using?

@guitarben, I haven't had a chance to look at this yet. I'm sure this is close to what I want to do. Thank you.

A lot of great TV viewing on AXS TV Saturday (when we should be practicing. But you can't practice ALL the time!) From the AXS website: "The house will be rockin’ this Saturday! This week, our Saturday is dedicated to those who truly know how to shred the axe! This all-day lineup features performances from the best of the best including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, John Mayer and of course, Carlos Santana! We start our guitar gods lineup with the history of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s incredible influence and revitalization of Texas Blues. His impact on the genre is examined using rarely seen footage, interviews with historians & biographers, and commentary from musicians who performed with Vaughan. Then, we reveal the full, previously untold story of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s glory years from the period between the release of his debut album to his tragic death in a helicopter crash in 1989. Next, get ready for a few heavenly performances! Eric Clapton is up first, and his show features special guests J.J. Cale, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II and Robert Cray. This concert was a highlight of Clapton’s 2007 world tour and saw the late, great J.J. Cale perform alongside Clapton on five songs! Up next, we have the king of blues, B.B. King. This renowned blues master makes every note count while performing on stage with Terrance Howard, Solange, and Richie Sambora! But wait, there’s more! John Mayer captivates the crowd with soulful lyrics, convincing vocals, and of course his guitar mastery! It’s performances like this that have gained him worldwide fans and Grammy® Awards. Mayer serenades the audience with hits like “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Clarity.” Finally, we end the night with an epic Santana concert! Captured on stage together for the first time since 1973, this energy-packed show features classic Santana songs from the first four albums, including “Black Magic Woman,” “Oye Como Va,” “Evil Ways,” “Soul Sacrifice,” and many more." What really looks interesting to me is the documentary from 11 AM to 1:30 PM (Central Time) called "Stevie Ray Vaughan: Rise of a Texas Blues Man 1954-1983.", which is, obviously a biography. And it is followed at 1:30 PM -3:30 PM with "Stevie Ray Vaughan: LoneStar" which described as about his glory years. They should be interesting.

Welcome back and best of luck to you. You almost finished the course! It should come back to you fairly quickly but perhaps a little review would be in order? Certainly you don't need to review session 1 and probably you can sneak through the notes (sessions 2, 3,4) very quickly. But starting with Open chords, session 5, devote a week or two or so per session until you're caught up. Obviously any area that you are a little rusty on would get a little extra attention. Then you could finish up the last two sessions. Perhaps when you get caught up you could look at a specialization course in whatever genre you like to work concurrently while you finish. To keep it interesting and fun! You could look at Steve's Blues Course or Fingerstyle or any other one of interest to you. Again, Welcome Back!

Guys, Sorry for the delayed response thanking you for the suggestions. @Blue Dog, what I am looking for is a way to change the tempo as a percentage. Your way will certainly work. But I am working a lick which is at 140 bpm. I wanted to work it at 88%, 92%, 96%, then, if I ever get there!, 100% I can put the tempo in at 128, 132, 136 and 140 bpm, etc. But I was just wondering if there is an easy way to change it as a percentage. @Ken5035, I still have Version 6. I don't find anything resembling a "custom values" option. Maybe I should upgrade but, as I said in my op, I just rarely use GP. Thanks again.

This isn't about gear but about software. We'll throw it in here. Any Guitar Pro experts on here? I rarely use Guitar Pro. I typically slow down songs either by loading it in my Boss EBand JS-10 (most often) or occasionally with Song Surgeon. But I've come upon an occasion to use it and, it's been so long since I have, I've forgotten a lot about how to use it! I know that you can slow down songs or loops with the pop-up menu in the lower right corner. But that only gives one choices in 10% increments, 70%, 80%, 90%, etc. What if one wants to slow this down in different increments? Say, 95%? Is there a way to do that?

That had to be a great show, @UncleHammy. And I hope you and Laura have a fun long weekend get away. Should you hear the air date of the show please be sure and share that with us here.

@Randy120, it probably isn't "Lite" if you compare it to the most common picks we're used to. But it is lighter than V-Picks Screamers, etc. So I guess that is why Vinny calls it "Lite". And, no, it doesn't have a hole in it. All I use anymore all the blue or red picks no matter the brand. The clear ones walk off.

I saw that email with the title "Vinni is still here" but it didn't register and I didn't click on it. Wow. Not a quadruple but a quintuple bypass! btw, I am also really getting to like the Tradition Lite Sapphire Blue. I was just in a guitar store and bought another one. (the only thing I bought!). I am now perhaps playing it more than the Screamer.

@Blue Dog, those are fun. But this is the internet! This is a guitar forum! Don't you think some troll (me?) should start a flame war about them? My key has way better tone than your key! Oh yeah?!? Well your key is just a cheap knock off! Oh yeah?!? I'll bet your key won't even stay in tune?!?! Oh yeah?!? etc. etc.???

I didn't know whether to post this in this forum or in the Live Lesson forum, since she was a guest in February. I chose the former. A nice, interesting article about her in this month's Premier Guitar magazine.

I think Fender ships with 9's. At least they used to. I'm surprised you haven't broken a string. This is my second. I remember vividly breaking my first one. It was years ago not long after starting to learn. I was so thrilled and proud! ?

That's what I had on it. NYXL 9's. I'm using 9's while developing bending. In the not too distant future I'm sure I'll go back to 10's. I have 9's on my Strat and PRS Paul's. 10's on everything else.

Just broke my high E on my Strat so I'm having NYXL 9's put on it, again.

@Oldjock, Henk I've heard nothing but great things about the PRS SE Sanana's. And, yeah, I am loving the Hollow Body.

Another really nice one in the stable, Ben! Congratulations.