Newsletter Vol. 2 # 7 – October 20, 2002

Welcome to the latest issue of Guitar Noise News.

In This Issue

  • News and Announcements
  • New Lessons and Articles
  • Things To Do People To See
  • Sunday Songwriters Group
  • Guitar Tip
  • Reviews
  • Thoughts and Feedback

News And Announcements

Greetings!

I mentioned to one reader this week that I feel a little like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When I asked last week if Guitar Noise News was too long (I seriously didn’t think anyone would say it was too short), I didn’t expect to get so many “No, it’s just right” answers. I will make an effort not to second guess things, but when something comes to mind, I usually ask. We might have to create a motto for the Guitar Noise News readers: “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it!” (Bonus points (or at least a Guitar Noise News mention) for whoever knows where that quote comes from.)

Welcome to Guitar Noise News! As always, there’s a lot to get to this week in terms of new things and I also want to discuss the CD project a little more (in Thoughts & Feedback). Refine some ideas, if you will.

But first – I’d like to get you all thinking again about one specific topic. November is just a week and a half away and, as it happens to do each year, December follows close behind. Last year, we on the staff of Guitar Noise had a great time with our topic “The Joy of Guitar.” This year, we’d like to both expand that topic and also throw open the door to all of you. As the year draws to a close and the various and sundry holidays start to take more and more of our lives, I’d like to offer you all a chance to reflect on the past year and share your feelings here on the website. Think of this as the flip side of the “Scary Stories” articles. If you have a story of how music (or the guitar) has made a difference in your life, or how you’ve used to make a difference in the lives of others, please feel free to send it to Dan Lasley, Darrin Koltow or myself. We’ll be putting together some wonderful pieces so that we can share with all of you the wonders of the power of music.

And yes, I am this sentimental in real life. Just ask any of my friends…

New Lessons And Articles

A potpourri of topics this week: recording, singing, soloing and a new Intermediate’s Lesson. Can you take the excitement? Here’s what’s gone online since we last chatted:

The “Live” Technique
by A-J Charron

Until (fairly) recently, many bands recorded their first albums (and almost all recorded their demos) this way. A-J takes us through a very busy weekend of recording. This is a great way for the band-on-a-budget to make a recording in a professional studio.

If I Only Had (Another) Brain
by Nick Torres

The first time out, Nick showed us how to treat our voice as we would an instrument, say a guitar. This time he makes us play two instruments at once! Well, not literally. But he offers some great tips on the eternal question, “How do I play the guitar and sing at the same time?”

More To Read On This Subject

If you want more to read on this subject, allow me to recommend the following:

5 Questions With LT – Solo & Improv
by David Hodge

Linda (“LT”) Taylor takes time out of her schedule to answer five questions on soloing and improvisation. Her thoughtful and thought provoking responses touch upon practicing, developing your soloing skills. She even offers insight on how the guitar should develop its own voice, like a singer.

Fields Of Gold
Intermediate Song Lesson #7
by David Hodge

I hope you’re ready for a work out! We’ll take this four chord song and make a breathtaking solo guitar arrangement for it. Lots of finger-style work and voice leading will teach us the importance of the guitar as an accompanying instrument. If you want to learn the secrets of finessing an arrangement, this is a great place to start.

Things To Do – People To See

HEY!!! Are YOU or YOUR BAND playing sometime in November? Well, let me know and I’ll be happy to pass the word along. Guitar Noise is read by people all over the world, so who knows? You might find yourself meeting someone and you’ll have something in common already.

This week:

If you’re reading this early and haven’t eaten yet and live in New York, then go catch the Sheryl Bailey 3 at the Blue Water Grill (Union Square West). They play for the Sunday brunch from 11:30AM to 3:30. If it’s too late to catch them today, then make yourself a note to see them next Sunday, the 27th, same time, same place.

You’ll find Lisa McCabe and Payday Daddy this upcoming Friday and Saturday night, October 25th and 26th at the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester, Washington.

And next Sunday you will also find Hans Fahling being the featured composer at “Jazz Composer’s Night” at Schlot (Kastanienallee 29, Berlin-Mitte). That should be a treat.

Sunday Songwriters Group

I have to say I am absolutely amazed at the turnout for our first Sunday Songwriters Group. As I write this (very early Thursday) there have been more than a dozen song lyrics submitted and lots of good advice being passed around. My thanks to everyone for making this forum such a friendly place for a writer to practice his or her craft.

This week’s subject:Take your favorite (or any) fairy tale or nursery rhyme and reset it in a real life setting. For instance, “Alice in Wonderland” might become “Alice in Los Angeles” or “Jack and the Bean” could turn into “Jack and the Corporate Ladder.” Be sure to use a lot of appropriate imagery from both worlds – the fun is in mixing them together!

Guitar Tip – How To Find Time

Sometimes there are simple, almost elegant answers to questions that appear almost overwhelming.

We received a lot of good advice during the week concerning how to find (or make) time to learn. One answer, from Dave Brunat, I’d really like to share with you as this week’s guitar tip:

Buy a guitar stand. When I first started playing, it seemed like a lot of work to take the guitar from the case, make sure it’s tuned then make bad sounds. Then I bought a guitar stand and placed the guitar in my living room. It serves as a monument to remind me that I am not playing the guitar with the 15 minutes I’m wasting on the couch. It catches my eye when I’m surfing the channels and says “play me instead”. The instant access of the guitar allows me to get that 10 or 15 minutes in (which often turns into an hour) while I’m waiting for something else. Also, you have to practice your chords and chord changes until you master the skill. However, learn some 2 chord songs (G7 and C) or simple 3 chord songs so that you can have some feeling of accomplishment while learning. You can make “music” with these simple sings and see your progress.

Reviews

Chick Corea’s Elektric Band Reunion Tour
– Reviewed by Bill Cozzo

We’re fortunate that Bill Cozzo made his way to another concert in the DC area. It sounds like it was a terrific time. I’ve decided that if there’s ever a show I can’t get to, it might be a good idea to see if I can’t talk Bill into going.

Sheryl Crow – No Fool To This Game
Written by Richard Buskin
– Reviewed by David Hodge

It’s unauthorized and it’s a fascinating look at Sheryl Crow’s rise to stardom and at the wheels within wheels of the music business. Even if you don’t know or care who Sheryl Crow is, if you are thinking about making a career as a big time musician, I advise you to give this a read.

Thoughts and Feedback

There appears to be a LOT of support for the Guitar Noise CD/book project. I’d like to thank everyone who took time out to send in some thoughts, ideas and concerns. There are some things that I’d like to ask for more of your opinions on.

First off, I think that it is important to realize that I cannot put ALL the suggestions I’ve gotten into one CD. In order to make this the best possible product, it is going to have to have a focus. Rightly or wrongly, the feedback you’ve given me is making me approach the CD like I approach my lessons – do you want to be shown something or do you want to learn how to do it? Unless I am totally off base, I think that the vast majority (if not all) of you prefer the latter.

Remember that this doesn’t have to be our only foray into this sort of thing.

Now, here’s a question about some of the song lessons. I spent a great deal of time this week on the “Fields of Gold” piece and I am fine with that. It’s a good lesson. Most times I try to pick a song so that I can show you a specific technique or idea (easy ideas in the Beginners’ songs, harder (or at least multiple) ideas in the Intermediates). This is how I teach in person.

But I’m getting a lot of requests for songs that either (a) I don’t think enough readers are familiar with or (b) aside from writing out a TAB for someone, I don’t see any reason to make a lesson out of. So I’m wondering if, in addition to the Beginners’ and Intermediate Lessons, I should come up with the occasional “TAB by Request.” Maybe one every other month or so.

I’m not really certain I’m keen on this yet. One thing that might make it more in keeping with the philosophy of Guitar Noise might be to work songs like this with the angle of “Arrangements for the Single Guitar,” or something like that. I think that you all know by now (at those of you who read the lessons – doesn’t that make us sound like Playboy magazine? “I only go to look at the TAB. Heh heh heh.”) that I am NOT the person to come to if all you want to do is to get some TAB and get out without learning anything.

And all this makes my worry, too, that I spend more time on the song lessons than I do on the columns. I am trying to work out a schedule so that you get at least one new Easy Song for Beginners, one new Intermediates’ Song Lesson and one new column each month. Is this reasonable? I guess we’ll see…

As I’ve mentioned in a number of articles and questions, part of taking on a teacher is taking on your teacher’s philosophy. I appreciate all the support you have all given me these past two months. I hope that my work lives up to your expectations.

I look forward to hearing from you this week.

As always,

Peace

David