Jump to content

Watch Here

Plantsman13

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    278

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    12

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Plantsman13

    ​ 🎼 ​June Recording Challenge 92 - OPEN MIC ​ 🎙️ ​​🎼 ​

    in Guitar Playing & Technique

    Posted · Edited by Plantsman13

    13 hours ago, Wim VD1 said:

    This one is based on a Tommy Emmanual Travis picking lesson on TrueFire. I brought back in a bit of The Animals for the intro and tried to make my guitar sound like a mandolin in the end :).

    It"s the first recording with my new Fender Paramount PM-2 Parlor Mahogany. It"s a nice small short scale fingerpicker with the neck joint at the 12th fret. Great guitar for fingerstyle blues.

    Wim.

     

     

     @Wlm Van Damme Great job, the mandolin at end was a nice touch.  My only suggestion would be a little more damping on the base line to separate the melody...but again, that's everyone's own taste.  Enjoyed listening.  

    The guitar sounds nice too.  😎

    Bryan

    • Like 1

    Dylan Turns 80

    in Guitar Open Talk

    Posted · Edited by Plantsman13

    @matonanjin  So true!  Steep Canyon Rangers did a wonderful rendition of his Let Me Die in my Footsteps; but Tangled Up in Blues is still one of my favorites.  I recall reading Dylan's quote on Neil Young, 'Why do I want to listen to someone who sings as bad as me (very loose translation)!  If I ever get courage to sing along with my guitar; I'll just announce it's a Dylan Phase I'm passing through.  🤣

    Steel Strings for Acoustic

    in Guitar Gear, Amps, Effects, Pedals

    Posted · Edited by Plantsman13

    Cautionary note:  Always check with the guitar manufacturer's recommended string gauge on your guitar.  I have heard of medium strings 'over powering' the guitar's design limits; especially, small-bodied guitars.  Bridge lifting can occur in some instances.

    Bryan

    Dave White - please let us know how your two new arrivals work out.  I've been interested in the XS D'Addario, but seeing some negative reviews on discoloration of fingers from the coating.  I tried SCGC Parabolic Tension lights on their H13 model and they were wonderful...I often regret selling that guitar.

    • Like 1

    Laminate vs Solid wood acoustic guitars

    in Guitar Gear, Amps, Effects, Pedals

    Posted

    Nairon,

    Randy makes some very good points in answering your question.  I have evolved to solid wood guitars; however, there are ' upper entry' level guitars being offered today that are very good as compared to a few years back.  Laminated quitars appear louder from the start, but they won't break-in with age.  I would look for playability, quality of construction,  presence of a truss rod, and any buyer reviews over time ( I have played some all wood guitars that should have served as kindling).   Does the guitar feel good in your hands, play smoothly, have good intonation, have a straight neck, and is adjustable for tweaking to maximize the quality of music the two of you can make?  And truth be told, there will always be a beautiful guitar on the horizon with its 'Sirens' Call'! 😎

    Bryan

    Learn and Master Blues Guitar

    in Learn & Master Blues Guitar

    Posted · Edited by Plantsman13

    @Cinco  I play mostly Acoustic finger style blues in standard tuning or Dropped D.  Wlm is correct with the Triad lessons of Steve for helping to open up the neck movement from open position to accent the melody.  A focus for me currently, is to 're-learn' my pentatonic boxes in terms of position name, rather than just the pattern.  I find it difficult to follow instruction when talk of lowering the 3rd, or flatting the 5th, etc are tossed around freely.  Starting to realize it makes changing keys far easier.

    Here's a screenshot from DH that has inspired me:  An easier way to group Major and Minor scales using them

     

    Enjoy,

    Bryan

    FF Pentatonic Theory.pdf

    Learn and Master Blues Guitar

    in Learn & Master Blues Guitar

    Posted

    Doug,

    I've done a number of DHamburger TF courses and feel they improved as I progressed further into them.  The degree of difficulty definitely increases.  Fretboardconfidential.com has some free lessons (and courses for pay) as well to get a taste of his style.  Even a Sweet Georgia Brown arrangement, tabbed out, I believe is available.  

    Bryan

     

    Learn and Master Blues Guitar

    in Learn & Master Blues Guitar

    Posted

    Mike,

    I personally felt the Blues Guitar course was the weakest link in the L&M offerings.  Four or five sessions into it, I abandoned it to try the Fingerstyle course with far happier results.  I have since migrated to Fingerstyle blues in steady bass and alternating base styles with other instructors on TruFire and membership in Fingerstlye Five.  I am far from mastering the technique, but have found far greater satisfaction in the process.  I can play something, without a band, and my spouse can actually recognize the song.  And I'm desperately trying to obtain the freedom of improvisation/arranging to break out of the entrapment of playing songs by memorizing someone else's arrangement...a bad childhood memory of piano and another John Thompson volume to overcome.

    I've probably said too much already, but I admire you sticking with it for 2 1/2 years.  If others would like to discuss fingerstlye blues I would be happy to follow suit.  The Travis picking has been wonderful.

    Regards,

    Bryan

    Learning songs with metronome

    in Guitar Open Talk

    Posted · Edited by Plantsman13

    Slow the metronome down to fit the hardest section/measure you’re working on; then you can bring the entire song along as you improve.  
    A great idea is to use the metronome to practice syncing your rhythm to the backbeat on beats 2 and 4.  Great for “losing” the monotone sound of beginning guitar students and taking a step towards sounding like a musician.  
    I also find counting out loud (or to myself) is a great technique for practice.  
    Hopefully I didn’t walk on too many previous posts; and yes, I’m not where I want to be yet in this regard.  

    • Thanks 1

    What's your favorite acoustic guitar brand?

    in Guitar Gear, Amps, Effects, Pedals

    Posted · Edited by Plantsman13

    Hmmm...this approaches the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks argument in rural coffee shops.  I have owned multiple Taylor models (814ce, 412ce, 512ce) and enjoyed each; my trial for shape and different tone woods with a single brand.  I have retained the 412ce Fall Ltd as my get out of the house guitar.  I should emphasize that all of my experience is "pre V-shape" bracing and one shop said they are different, but advised against selling my current Taylor to get one.

    I agree with the Bourgeois comments made above.  My high end guitar is a LE Soloist OM that is a marvel to play and hold.  The construction is superb.  I also splurged on a 12 fret OO recently because a cutaway can be added..and it is wonderful.

    Huss and Dalton build great guitars as well and tend to run under the price of many boutique guitars.  I love the the T-0014 I own.  I am migrating to 00 sizes, owing to rotator cuff surgery a few years back, because larger shapes are uncomfortable to play for times over an hour.

    Santa Cruz is a fantastic luthier as well.  I tried an H13, essentially a deeper bodied 00, and loved its volume and tone; but the deeper body proved uncomfortable for my shoulder.  I drool over the Skye 00 model, but its price tag always brings me back to earth.

    All this being said, a recent Acoustic Magazine article discussed five (5) entry level guitars that raise the bar and offer opportunities to keep a few dollars in your wallet.   

    Best of luck in your guitar search,

    Bryan

     

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Albums 50 Years Old in 2020!

    in Guitar Open Talk

    Posted

    @matonanjin  So that's where a lot of my earnings were spent that year (or the following year, as I played catch-up)!  Beer, cigarettes, food, and girls were waiting in the wings fifty years ago; so music ruled my expenses and my tastes ran as eclectic as one can imagine.  I still have almost all of those on vinyl in my LP archives.  

    Looking back, it just reminds me of how wonderful the musical experience was in our "younger" days.  One of my favorite movie scenes, is the panoramic vista in Easy Rider as "The Weight" is filling the room!

    Okay, time to get back to the pandemic at hand...😓

    • Like 1

About us

Guitar Gathering is a community of guitar lovers of all types and skill levels.  This is a place of learning, support and encouragement.  We are unapologetically positive.

If you've come here to gripe, demean others or talk politics then this isn't the place for you.

But if you've come to talk guitars, ask questions and learn from professionals and guitar learners from all over the world then come on in!

Get in touch

Follow us

facebook feed

Recent tweets

×
×
  • Create New...