Newsletter Vol. 2 # 43 – June 29, 2003

Welcome to the latest issue of Guitar Noise News.

In This Issue

• News and Announcements
• New Lessons and Articles
• Email of the Week
• Guitar Tip
• Sunday Songwriters Sessions
• Thoughts and Feedback

News And Announcements

Greetings!

Welcome to Guitar Noise News!

You might have missed it in all the excitement, but sometime late last week we got our fifteen hundredth registered forum user. I guess the big questions now are (1) whether we’ll ever have more registered forum users than Nick has posts on the forum pages and (2) when will the number of Nick’s posts begin to seriously rival the “served” total of McDonald’s…

New Lessons And Articles

New articles/lessons from Chris and Peter this week. Here are two pieces that have gone online since we last chatted:

Ears
by Chris Juergensen

Great thoughts and some practical exercises in ear training from Chris in Tokyo. Rather than worry about perfect pitch, Chris teaches us about “relative pitch,” which many of us either already have or can develop with some time and practice.

Chord Melodies – “It’s Only A Paper Moon”
by Peter Simms

Here’s a nice easy arrangement on a classic standard, brought to you by the inimitable Peter Simms. Lots of fun to play and if you’re really in a “moony” mood, check out the lesson on “Blue Moon” at Peter’s website as well!!

Email Of The Week

Something a little different this week:

This is kind of a dumb question and, also, kind of proves my illiterateness on the guitar… but if I play an electric guitar WITHOUT an amp will I get any sounds whatsoever? I know an amp is necessary for performances and the like but could I practice without one? Would I get any kind of sound that I could hear?

Thanks for writing and this isn’t really a dumb question. As far as straight practicing (changing chords, working on scales, fingering, leads, etc.) is concerned, you don’t really need an amp. Many electric guitarists will practice without one. Provided that there’s not a lot of extraneous noise you should be able to hear yourself fine. Personally, I like to practice things like bending without an amp because I have to concentrate on listening to hear what I’m doing.

I’d like to add that there are “headphone” amps. These are headphones you plug into your guitar and they act as an amp. Some will even add distortion and a small array of effects. Don’t confuse these with regular headphones! They’re not as expensive as one might think – cheap sets go for less than $20 US.

I hope this helps.

Guitar Tip

There’s an interesting thread on the forum pages asking about people’s thoughts concerning notation and tablature. What are the pros and cons of each?

You know, of course, that I’m going to tell you that learning both can only help you. In addition to the articles here on reading notation, Dan Lasley was kind enough to send me this link.

As you can see, this is a pretty well thought out method as well. Always good to see what’s out there in this big, wonderful world.

Sunday Songwriters Group

The Sunday Songwriters Group is a Guitar Noise exclusive. Conceived by Ryan Spencer and Nick Torres, the idea is to give songwriters a weekly exercise in order to help develop their lyric-writing skills.

It’s open to everyone. Got an itch to write? Jump on in! Even if you don’t write, you should feel free to critique. After all, you probably have experience listening to songs, no?

For more info, visit the SSG FAQ.

And now that you all know what’s going on…

Sunday Songwriter’s Group Week 37

We have titles, first verse, the plot, sequence of events and the chorus. It’s time to finish these songs up.

All of the things listed above are important to a good song, but what makes a song really memorable is when it speaks to the listener. It needs to have a universal message. Something that just about everyone can relate to.

For the purposes of this exercise we are going to take any old saying:

Measure twice and cut once
The Early Bird gets the worm
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
A leopard cannot change its spots
A woman’s work is never done
Better late than never
Better safe than sorry
Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t
Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool that to speak and remove all doubt
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
Don’t burn your bridges behind you
Don’t change horses in midstream
Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched
Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it
Fish and guests smell after three days
Flattery will get you nowhere
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread
Forewarned is forearmed
Fortune favours the brave
Haste makes waste
He who hesitates is lost
He who laughs last laughs longest
He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword
He who pays the piper calls the tune
Hindsight is always twenty-twenty
History repeats itself
Home is where the heart is

…or pick one of your own, and make this saying the hidden, underlying meaning of your lyric.

Now universal is pretty broad, but we want to focus and concentrate on specific and real experiences and feelings that belong to you. Make this universal message personal; fill it with your own life experience while staying true to the plot, verse and chorus laid out last week.

You can use ANY set of title, verse, plot, sequence, even your own.

Good luck and good writing.

Thoughts and Feedback

Why do you play guitar? Now, there may be lots of reasons why we picked it up in the first place, but this question isn’t about that. Why do you continue?

I think it’s safe to say that most of us, being players, can’t imagine not playing. Think of a world where you weren’t able to create some music for yourself. Hard to do, isn’t it?

Aside from the “official mottos” of mine (which most of you already know!), I also believe that practically anyone can play music. Not because of any grand scheme of the cosmos but simply because I can do it. And if I can do it, most people should be able to.

Think about the joy you experience when you play. You should also being to experience a similar joy from listening, from experiencing some one else’s joy. I always enjoy a concert (or a performance at a coffee shop or even listening to my friends’ children play the piano at their homes) so much more when it is evident that the performer is enjoying his or herself as well. Again, I think this is true for most folks.

So I want you to make another deal with me. Don’t be selfish. Spread the joy around. It doesn’t take all that much and it’s not that hard. If someone asks about playing the guitar (or any musical instrument), be encouraging. Think of it as ensuring yourself of having someone to jam with later! Think of it as an incredibly easy way of making the world a nicer place.

Think of it as a pyramid scheme if you want to! But always, always, always share the music when you can.

I hope you all have a grand week. Stay safe.

And, as always,

Peace

David