Newsletter Vol. 2 # 2 – September 15, 2002

Welcome to the latest issue of Guitar Noise News.

In This Issue

  • News and Announcements
  • New Lessons and Articles
  • Email of the Week
  • Reviews
  • Hot Forum Topic
  • Affiliate Topics
  • Thoughts and Feedback
  • Subscribe/Unsubscribe information

News And Announcements

Hi there!

For those of you who came in late, or simply didn’t read last week’s newsletter, I’m David Hodge and I’ve been handed the reins of Guitar Noise News from Paul Hackett, our Executive Producer.

I’d like to start out by saying thanks to everyone who emailed me this week. This probably sounds silly, but I was more nervous about writing my first newsletter than I was about writing my first column waaayyy back when!

Speaking of emails, it was a busy summer. Okay, this isn’t an obvious leap of logic, but hang in there… all will be explained. Paul went on an extended holiday and I also took a great deal of time off from the computer. Things, for me anyway, are currently still a little backlogged in the email department, As much as I try to answer every one as quickly as possible, I know that there are some that I have missed or lost or put aside to answer later. If you haven’t gotten a reply from me, I appreciate your patience. And please, don’t hesitate to resend it!

For the record, emails, especially “Ask The Expert” questions, are easier to reply to when your return address is correct.One of the emails I got this week was from Mitch, who has been a long time reader. He and I have corresponded on numerous occasions. Mitch also has an interesting story in that he is blind. He has special software which “reads” the text of the site to him. What it doesn’t do, though, is translate any of the musical notation or TAB files from the lessons, so, as you might imagine, learning can be frustratingly slow at times.

I know that we have other people in Mitch’s situation as well and I’m afraid that I’ve long lost their email addresses. So if you are one of our other blind readers, or simply someone who might have some ideas for Mitch, would you be so kind to drop him a note? His email address is: [email protected]

I’m certain he’ll appreciate hearing from you.Finally, even though it’s just the middle of September, I want you to start thinking next month already! Throughout October, Guitar Noise will be posting “Scary Stories,” mostly brief anecdotes of horror and humor from the world of working bands that readers have sent us. If you’ve got a story you’d like to share, please send it to Dan Lasley or myself. If you can, please put “scary” in the subject header. I think we’ll have some very interesting tales to share with you in a few weeks.

New Lessons And Articles

We’ve got a lot of great stuff for you this week, including the start of a great new series of lessons for those totally new to the guitar. Here’s what’s new at Guitar Noise since our last newsletter:

Fame by Laura Lasley

What do you do when someone at the ice cream shop recognizes you as a guitarist??? Do you panic? Do you quit your day job and hit the road, knowing that greater fame awaits? Laura takes on the questions that inevitably follow when “fame” singles you out during the day to day life. And we find out her favorite flavor ice cream…

Busy Beginner On A Budget by Blue

“Blue” is Cathi Pearce, one of our readers in England. In this wonderfully inspirational piece, she helps beginners overcome the “gauntlet of criticism, confusion and plain bad advice” that many run into when starting out. Blue gives out good and thoughtful advice on many subjects from buying and instrument to finding the time and choosing a method of learning and gives the starting guitarist much needed encouragement. If you have a friend who’s always wanted to play and is still putting it off, please give this article to him or her to read.

Absolute Beginners – Part 1 by David Hodge

You’ve got a guitar but you haven’t got a clue? We’ve been getting a lot of email about this and before I go off on some rant about how it takes more brains to figure out how to use a computer than it does to play a guitar, let me introduce our new series: Absolute Beginners. Part One gives you a general introduction and teaches you how to play eight chords that will get you playing in no time flat. If you can turn on your computer and navigate the web, then playing the guitar should be just as easy!

Worth another Look

Another Approach by Lee Budar-Danoff

It’s no surprise, given last week’s “Hot Forum Topic,” that I found myself reading Lee’s piece several times this past week and enjoying the informal “survey” she made one night while visiting a local music store. Good food for thought here…

Email Of The Week

This week’s email is neither the usual “ask the expert” type question nor one of the many glowing testimonials we receive on a daily basis. Rather, it’s a question that we (I) get a lot and would like some of YOUR feedback on…

Mr. Hodge,

These lessons are great, but how about including some MP3’s of you playing the various riffs and strumming patterns. I think that would really bring it all together!

Thanks for the lessons!

I could go on about the various reasons why we, up until last week’s great lesson from Michael LaFountain that had MIDI samples, do not have sound files. Most of them deal with copyrights and equipment. And with my total lack of computer skills! I think, though, that if we all put our heads together on this one, we might be able to come up with ideas that will be able to help everyone.

Did the MIDI help? Would an MP3 be better? Would a small sample, just a riff or a rhythm segment, be enough to help? Or would you need the whole song done out?

I’m sure that there are even more aspects of this I am not taking into account, which is why I am asking for your thoughts on this subject. I look forward to hearing from you and to working with you all to help Guitar Noise “really bring it all together.”

CD Review

The Power of Three – The Sheryl Bailey Three

No, it’s not me trying to get you to read an old column! It’s a wonderful CD of joyfully intricate jazz by Sheryl Bailey on guitar, Ian Froman on drums and Gary Versace on the Hammond B-3 organ.

Hot Forum Topic

from Beginner’s Q & A Forum

Guitar String Poll – posted by Corbin

I have been reading at GN for several months now and have enjoyed the information. I emailed David Hodge this question which he answered and smartly directed me to the forum.

I’ve been running somewhat of an experiment with guitar strings (since I’ve already nailed down which pick to use with different songs/styles).

  1. What gauge/type/brand strings do you use?
  2. To put that in perspective, for what type of guitar (acoustic or electric)?
  3. Do you do lots of bending or barre chords?
  4. 4. Finally, what style(s) of guitar do you play?

Imagine if you could draw on the advice of dozens of guitarists to help you with questions and ideas. This is why our Forum pages were created. More often than not, any question you have has been faced by someone at some point in his or her guitar playing life. Here you get to ask questions and read suggestions from guitarists from all over the world.

I get a lot of comments on how friendly our Forums are at Guitar Noise. And this particular question is the sort of thing that I think helps a lot of beginners.Come join in the discussion on the forums.

Affiliate Links

Guitar Noise is a free Website. Some of the cost of running this site is covered by participating in a few carefully chosen affiliate programs. Using the products or services of the following sites can help you become a better musician and help keep this site running.

  • Guitar Secrets Revealed – GuitarAlliance.com is a comprehensive training program in the best and most effective popular guitar techniques, styles, fundamentals and progressive topics. Whether you’re interested in blues, rock or pop, you will find the most useful information on the Web right here.
  • Maximum Musician – Maximum Musician shows music makers of all types, abilities and instruments how to build their skills to the maximum. We give musicians methods for getting maximum satisfaction and enjoyment from their playing. We show musicians how to create and achieve their goals. We encourage, inspire and motivate all music makers to be the best they can be, and enjoy the journey to musical excellence.
  • Sheet Music Plus – Shop for sheet music and more at the Sheet Music Plus super store. Looking for a specific title? Click the SEARCH that matches your taste. Not sure? Curious what’s hot? BROWSE the best sellers, organized by style and instrument.

Thoughts and Feedback

When I talk of Guitar Noise with people who own and run websites, or with people with vested interests in the internet (those in advertising, for instance), they often comment on the amount of mail we get. Also they talk about Guitar Noise’s “stickiness.” We are, apparently, a “sticky” site – one where people tend to come around (and visit often) and hang about for a while, as opposed to one where you find your information and then zoom off to some new destination, never looking back and never returning.

I think that I probably discovered this site the same way most of you did – by looking for lessons or TAB via some search engine. Even way back then (and it really wasn’t all that long ago) there was something about Paul’s dedication to the site that kept me coming back. I know this sounds funny, but I visit the site as I would a good old friend – happy to be here and find out what’s new, but also happy to revisit past times.

What brings you back? Is it just to hunt for TAB? Do song lessons interest you more than columns? Do you enjoy and make a habit of visiting the forum? Just as I’d like your opinions about the sound file questions, I’d also like to hear what brings you to the site. The more we know about your wants as a guitarist, the more we will hopefully be able to help you.

As always, I look forward to hearing your input.

And, again as always,

Peace

David Hodge