NeilES335
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Posts posted by NeilES335
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8 hours ago, Eracer_Team-DougH said:
Probably the best journal you could keep is a recording of yourself over anything else.
You will hear your progress as the rest is just numbers on a page
A written journal would be a good tool to keep track of your progress, but I agree with Doug, that recording yourself is the best way to to judge how you actually sound to others. It quickly points to areas you do well, and those that need improvement. I wish I had done so earlier on in my learning process. Learning to use recording software like Reaper is well worth the effort, but even if it's just a recording on your cell phone, theres still a lot of value there.
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@Randy120 Thats really nice Randy; I haven't seen one quite like that before, with the sound hole grill (like an old lute) and cutaway. (mine is a non- cutaway) I think they are underrated really... Mine stays in tune forever too in the case... I forgot to de-tune it a couple of times and it was in the case for like a year... still played in tune. Amazingly stable.
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On 4/28/2021 at 6:40 PM, Randy120 said:
I use D'Addario most of the time.
My Ovation Standard Balladeer came with EXP.
D'Addario EXP Coated Acoustic Guitar 80/20 Bronze Light, .012 - .053, EXP11
My Taylor Grand Pacific came with Elixir Medium Gauge Phosphor Bronze NANOWEB (.013-.056)
The 13's are a beefy string. I am going to try a light set at some point.
Hi Randy; I see you have an Ovation Balladeer. I'm curious... how old is it? Is it a fully acoustic, deep body (some call it a bowl). Mine is a Standard, fully acoustic, deep body, Sitka spruce top, mahogany bridge, mahogany/maple/mahogany neck, ebony fretboard. It's one of the "original" models, made in 1968, in Hartford Connecticut. I'm told it was one of the first 100 guitars made, with a paper label. I've had it since 1969! It sounds better all the time. 🙂 I've played lots of high end acoustics, (Gibson, Martin, Taylor etc.) but I still like this one. I dont play it much these days, but I'll never sell it, while I can still play. Cheers; Neil
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2 hours ago, Strings said:
My only amp is a VOX Valvetronix VT20. I have a buddy who has two Blues Jr amps. He is willing to sell me one for $200. It is black tolex and made in the USA. I don’t need another amp but think $200 is too good to pass.
Grab it. You'll soon be playing it all the time.
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I liked Martin acoustic Lite strings on my Ovation Balladeer. I don't think it's a one-string-is best situation however. A little experimentation with different brands on Your guitar would probably reveal what string sound best to you.
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On 4/25/2021 at 11:13 PM, Nairon said:
Hey everyone, I did a cover of "All I have to do is dream" for this month (session four of the Song Hits). Had a lot of fun doing this song. It was my first time doing a backing track and using a DAW. Hope you enjoy.
Well Done!
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On 4/14/2021 at 11:18 AM, matonanjin said:
Craig, I know that you "pulled the trigger" but perhaps for anyone else looking this will be relevant. He starts off saying for home use it has to be less than 15 watts. Then demos some that are 22 watts or more. But those all have some form of attenuation.
Rhett Shull's Best Tube Guitar Amps for home Use:
Shull makes good videos. however I'd point out that several of the amps he recommends are ' boutique 'x amps, (some I've not heard of before) that you may have trouble finding at your local music store (certainly in Canada anyway).
The one I do agree with is the Fender Blues Jr. and of course I'd add the Princeton Reverb, which are both widely available.
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1 hour ago, InpulseArts said:
I imagine that the different roundback guitars have different body depths. If I am correct the depth corresponds to how a guitar sounds: deeper would be more of bassier tone while a shallow depth would be a lighter tone?
I have a " roundback" guitar, a 1968 Ovation Standard Balladeer, that I've owned since about 1970. It is the 'deep bowl' model. It has a solid spruce top. The back and sides are 'Lyracord' , similar to fiberglass. It's tone is actually quite bright and lively, yet also sweet and articulate, which has improved with age. I have played newer ones with a ' shallow bowl' and found the tone similar, although with less volume and projection. These rely more on a pickup. So to finally answer your question, I'd say no. The depth has more to do with volume than with tone. Think of say a big Gibson SJ200 vs a Parlor size guitar. The top of the guitar resonates to produce the most tone, vs. the back and sides which reflect the sound.
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On 4/8/2021 at 11:06 PM, SRV said:
I pulled the trigger on the same amp NeilES335 on the same amp. Really do like it. Unfortunately I am having to hold off until I have 2 possibly 3 surgeries now that i have had my Covid Vaccine.
Congrats...enjoy👍
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On 4/5/2021 at 7:03 AM, Eracer_Team-DougH said:
NeilES335 has a Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 bundled package, he'll tell you the headphones in it aren't that bad,
I haven't heard them myself.
One thing I have learned from recording with a mic,
Heating and AC kicks in , you'll get the whooshing sound in your mic.
I block the vent off with several large books, but the low rumble of the furnace can still be seen in the lower bars of the VU meter.
Have to time your live recording between heat/cool cycles
Right. I like the Focusright headphones. They're comfortable and sound very good to me. I use them for general listening and recording. Are there better ones? Probably. But very satisfactory for my use.
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@MGood1Your file indicates this is a Dangerous Link. Please repost to SoundCloud and post the link here instead.
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5 hours ago, Nairon said:
Hey everyone,
I was learning Tennesse Waltz recently from the L&M Song Hits Book and made the recording using my phone. Let me know what you think and where I can improve.
Nairon
@Nairon Very well done! Your notes are nice and clear, and accurate. You got the tricky 3/4 timing down spot on, and let the notes ring out. Good job!
ps maybe you should look into recording the rhythm track too, (chords). You could learn to use a D.A.W. (digital audio workstation) like Reaper (its free to download ) and record your melody over it. It's a great learning tool and satisfying to hear yourself play a full song too.
(you'll need a computer interface like a Focusrite Scarlet Solo or 2i2. they cost about $200 USD)
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11 hours ago, Wim VD1 said:
Hey Hey,
3 Chord song challenge? Well, that calls for a blues in E if you ask me 😀
This is my laid back version of the Big Bill Broonzy song that was made famous by Eric Clapton.
Wim.
Great rendition of this classic blues Wim ! I can hear Eric Clayton's recording in there... (Unplugged Album) Well done.
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Good job Doug. That was quite creative using the different guitar tones for the lead and rhythm tracks.
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3 hours ago, Oldjock said:
That was amazing , well played by all. It must have been difficult to put this video together, keeping everyone in sync. I am envious, hat’s off to all the players.
Henk
@Oldjock @Mike Hoodenpyle Hey thanks guys, it was fun and a treat to play with this really talented group, (albeit virtually) Yes, the production is amazing and I'm sure quite a job to put together.
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7 hours ago, Wim VD1 said:
Hi Neil,
I have difficulties to play your song on both my iPad and iPhone. Could you post a SoundCloud link?
Wim.
Done... thanks for advising me.
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To get things started, here's my recording of "Moon River" from "The Song Hits" .
I hope you enjoy it!
"Moon River" is a song composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was originally performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song.[1] The song also won the 1962 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.[2]
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Once again, it was my priveledge to participate with an "ensemble" of 17 other jazz guitarists from 7 countries, as a project with Frank Vignola's Jazz Studio. Some great players here, and a very enjoyable listen!
The song "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" is a song with music by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II has become a "jazz standard", covered by jazz greats like George Benson, Chet Baker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bing Crosby, Winton Kelly, and dozens more.
I hope you enjoy listening! Please give it a thumbs up for JP Cousineau, Canada (Video) and Ron Ballantyne, USA (Audio) for this very professional production.
(My part is about the 1 minute mark)
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If the crack is stable, there may not be much you can do with it. Best to consult a Luther I think before doing anything with it
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8 hours ago, SRV said:
I saw that FSR NeilES335 and looking to ordering one now but still need wheel Kit. Thanks for everyones input. Ya'll Rock
SRV
That's great... you won't be disappointed. I forgot to mention, another amp. IF you're in a band or gig setting and need something a bit more powerful, the Fender Twin Reverb is a very well respected amp, used by professionals world wide.
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3 hours ago, Dolph said:
Moving on to Session 2. Still not happy with fingering dexterity and the left pinky seems to have a mind of its own .. but time to move forward. Those things will come as I practice more on session 2. Really like this course .. tried different "books" over the years, but I need direction 🙂
@Dolph Some folks do have a "flying pinky" that has to be tamed. Try fingering each note slowly and deliberately, while just lifting your fingers ever so slightly moving to the next note. Gentle finger stretches help too. And yes, with practice, you will improve this, if you concentrate. Best do it now as later it becomes an issue. Slowly and deliberately, every day.
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4 hours ago, Nairon said:
Hi everyone,
I'm on Session 4 of the L&M series. Practising the Minuet in C. Anyway I recorded myself playing today (using my mobile phone) and one of the things I noticed is that when I make some transitions from one note to the next, there is a screech on the string. I'm assuming that its my fingers dragging over the strings as I transition. Is that something that is common for acoustic guitar or is it something i need to work on in my technique. Cant seem to stop the screeching when I'm playing at normal speed.
Nairon
@Nairon This is really common, especially while playing acoustic guitar. It's called "String Noise". Yes, it is your fingers dragging along the strings as you change chords or notes. Some find it acceptable to a degree; others like me don't really like it. If you wish to reduce or eliminate it, there are a couple of things you can do. 1) Work on your technique. Don't drag your fingers along the strings, but lift them just ever so slightly, while changing chords or notes. 2) Try some coated guitar strings like Elixir Nanoweb or Elixir Polyweb, which are meant to reduce this noise. 3) If you're playing an electric you could try Flatwound Strings, which virtually eliminate noise. They are a specialty item though, meant for Jazz or Blues.
Mostly, it's technique though. Just work on it.
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1 hour ago, gotto said:
Nice Neil, I really enjoy your jazz chops. I've spent too much time in the country and rock genres of late...need to pull out my jazz lessons and reboot some studies. Thanks for sharing.
Greg
Hey Greg; thanks a lot... I'm glad you enjoyed it! If this spurs you on to your jazz lessons, then all the better! I have a collaboratiion coming out later this week with about a dozen other players from around the world... It's in production and I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing it! Happy Tunes; Neil
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Hi @SRV I looked for a really nice tube amp to match up with my ES335 that gave me a clean clear and warm sound. I had to be good at lower "practice " volume and yet possibly loud enough for a small gig, should I go that way. After much consideration and many comparisons I settled on a Fender FSR '65 Princeton Reverb Reissue, with the 12" Cannabis Rex speaker... https://www.long-mcquade.com/71239/Guitars/Guitar-Amps/Fender-Musical-Instruments/FSR-65-Princeton-Rev-Tweed-w-12---Cannabis-Rex-Speaker.htm
It's amazing... all I wanted and more. And a perfect match for my ES335, as well as my other guitars. IF you can try one, or find one to buy, I wouldn't hesitate on it.
The other simpler smaller (and half the price) amp I liked was the Fender Pro Junior https://www.long-mcquade.com/98823/Guitars/Guitar-Amps/Fender-Musical-Instruments/Pro-Junior-IV-15W-1x10-Tube-Combo-Amp---Lacquered-Tweed.htm
The Princeton isn't the lightest amp if weight is a consideration for you... the Pro Junior may be the better and less expensive option. You could use Reverb pedals with it instead if you wished.
I hope this helps.
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🎶 May Recording Challenge 91 - OPEN MIC 🎙️ 🎶
in Guitar Playing & Technique
Posted
Well played Henk! I enjoyed listening... You played every note clearly, and accurately. Now you've done this, my suggestion would be to work on playing more smoothly, so the tune flows through each phrase.
Bravo on the recording, especially being your your first (or among the first) you've done. I know it's a leap, and learning Reaper is a pretty big challenge, as Wim points out. I've recorded about a dozen songs with it and the Scarlet 2i2 interface, and have only scratched the surface of what it can do. (I dont think you need to know it all to produce a good recording) You imported a nice backing track, and got your sound levels and timing just right, so well done on that too! Your guitar has a nice tone as well. Keep it up!