Fretless

I too am grateful for your kind words.

Here is a live song from a teacher's concert at my wife's music school. My wife played the piano, the other piano teacher played the drums and I was a guest that evening, playing a Burny jazz archtop guitar. The song is called Spirit Song.

Happy birthday, Steve, and a big thank you for all you have done and continue to do.

If you have a smartphone or tablet then a tuner app would be a cheaper option. I use an app called Fine Tuner.

Mandy, you make it look so simple. Well done!

I am pleased to heart you tried all three side by side and so your decision was based on experience and not just hearsay. All the best for a long relationship and yes, we are looking forward to photos of your new babe.

For that price you could have expected genuine Dunlop picks instead of imitation Dunlap!

Mandy, try holding your guitar more vertical - sitting down if it feels safer. Look at my forearm: it is pretty much vertical. One you have found how to hold your guitar so that your wrist is straight, then you can start to relax and lower the neck a bit. Barre chords down the end of the neck, including F and Bb, are by far the hardest. The way you are holding your guitar in the video looks fine for pretty much all your playing needs apart from those barre chords. If you don't find everything falls easily and comfortably into place, perhaps start a dedicated topic where we (the whole forum) can spend time with you on this. It is worth getting it right.

I will think of something and report back. In the meantime, thanks, Mandy, for reminding me of that great song.

It is worth checking that your wrist is always straight.

Okay, I hear you .. I will do.

Sadly, I have not picked up a guitar since March, not because of coronavirus but because I am working on preparing a properly sound-isolated (aka soundproof) music room for my wife and I. Living in a flat neighbours do not want to hear all sorts of instruments being practised and we are blessed to have been able to purchase a small commercal space in our building beneath the shops, so actually I have been self-isolating by choice! I will report back to playing guitar, flute, drums, bass and keyboard as soon as the room is ready.

Skip, I listened to your two entries for the last two recording challenges. The acoustic guitar sounded fine to me. With experience your recordings will get better but I would say you are in the right ball park there. Most beginners add too much reverb; I think you have exceptional taste and it has come out close to perfect. The jazz electric duet could do with a bit of tidying up (ie. mixing). If you would like, I would happily play around with the individual tracks you recorded and let you know what I think. If you are interested let me know and I can PM details of how to get the tracks to me - and then from me get my mix back to you.

Skip, are we talking acoustic or electric? Recording acoustic guitars some form of microphone and recorder is required, whether a smartphone, handheld (portable) recorder or a microphone, digital audio interface and a computer. The quality of the sound will depend on the sound of the guitar, the room, the quality of the mic and the recording process. Electro-acoustic guitars give the possibility of capturing the acoustic sound, the electric sound or a blend of the two. Recprding electric guitars can be done either by putting a mic in front of the speaker or by plgging in direct, bypassing amp and speaker. The photo above shows me 8 years ago. Spot the acoustic traps to dampen the unwanted reverb in the room that gives recordings a boxy sound. I use two mics, one to capture the crisper sound from the neck and the other the warmer sound emanating from the body. We are blessed with quite a few on the forum with plenty of experience of recording so you should be able to gauge what might be the right path for you to follow from the many different experiences and suggestions. In the meantime, perhaps you could tell us a bit more about your current guitar, room, how you record and describe what it is that you feel you are struggling with.

42°C should be alright, so long as the relative humidity is not too high - ideally 45% but up to 60% will be fine. When it gets to 70% here I lock all my guitars in their cases. Avoid letting the sun shine directly on your guitar and especially not through a window (a pane of glass).

I had the same last year on my 12-string. The repairer was busy and called me in 4 months to say he was available. I carried on playing. I am not sure of the wisdom of that and as no two guitars are the same, I would not not to say yours will be alright just because mine was. If it is your only guitar (and so you cannot play another), detuning it by a semitone would relieve the tension to some extent.

Hi Matt, 'tis good to see you again. That's a nice track.

I have just downloaded them. Tempo and key is in each song's filename.

My wife teaches piano and during the pandemic has moved to teaching online through Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp. Her experience is that there is a fraction of a second delay (I'd guess at 1/4 to 1/2 a second), enough that she cannot play along with a student. Internet speed will be one factor, as well as how fast the two computers are - and smartphones are just handheld computers.

Gotto, thanks very much, that is great and it is indeed good to hear you again.

I don't see many people play this way because most live performers stand up. Playing in the classical position has its advantages, one of which is that you more easily fall into good habits such as having your left wrist (if you are a right-handed player) straight, not cocked.

Mrs. Fretless is a piano teacher. I was invited to play at the teachers' concert and so teamed up with my wife and a colleague, another piano teacher, that loves jazz and has some drums. Here we are, then, in an impromptu jazz band just for the evening, although all three of us said we should do this more often.

Thank you for letting us listen to your song, Watson, it is a lovely rendition.

I have flown with guitars twice. The safest was, as you mention, when I booked an extra seat and it sat next to me and was handled by me. The worst was when it was checked in. PRS guitars have strong, heavy rectangular cases. My guitar was fine but the case was damaged when I could see that it had been thrown and landed on a corner. It reminded me of Dave Carroll's now famous experience, encapsulated in his clever and hilarious song United Breaks Guitars: What do I suggest? Be the person who handles your guitar, do not leave it to someone who may not love and care for guitars as if they are their own.

Nice one, Wim, I can see Cab Calloway in my mind!