Guitar Licks and Tips

The Acoustic Guitar magazine is celebrating 20 years of service to all those die hard acoustic guitarists out there everywhere!

I’ve always found some great topics and intriguing issues in this magazine. The way the articles are phrased makes them simple to understand and the writers don’t talk down to you. I find this magazine to be unmatched and highly recommend it to any level of guitarist.

I’ve picked up some real nice little riffs and chord progressions in it that I find myself using without even realizing it! The website is just fabulous! If you have an online subscription, the guitar videos will help you become not only a much better guitarist, but a well rounded musician as well. I can’t say enough about the guys and girls that work there.

Acoustic Guitar’s 20th anniversary issue has what they consider to be the top 240 essential albums from the past 20 years. Some are from albums/guitarist that are familiar and some musicians that are very obscure to most, but in the end will help you expand your playing styles in new and exciting directions.

The anniversary installment, January’s issue, covers some great guitar and gear innovations over the past 20 years. Products like the Trace acoustic TA-100, the Kyser Quick Change capo (I’ve got one and I NEVER leave home with out one in my case), the Fishman Acoustic Matrix piezo pickup, tons of guitars and pedals. It also has a real nice article about how guitar making technology has helped change the sound of modern instruments.

Acoustic Guitar 20th Anniversary collector’s edition is out and I highly recommend that you pick this one up for either yourself or a guitarist that you know.

Keep on Jammin’ Acoustic Guitar!

Related Reading:

Black Exercise Equipment Floor Mat 3' x 6.5' x 7 mm thick

Kayline Dryer & 3-irons Pedestal With Electric Outlet Pb5-e " Chrome Finish"

Guitar Effect Foot Pedal Logo Men's Tee Shirt XL-Navy

Hello Kitty 30" Acoustic Guitar Black with Hello Kitty Sign New

In A Safe Place

John Mayer is releasing his 9th album called Battle Studies. To some folks out there, the lyrics and musical approach to his new album is a little bit controversial them. To those who question my moral or musical tastes I say to them, hey I’m just there to listen to the guitar!

I got a sneak listen to some of the tunes on Battle Studies the other day and what I heard I liked or thought it was just plain amusing.

The song titled Heartbreak Warfare has a U2 feel to it. The song starts off with a classical orchestra tuning up for a piece that is followed up by the unmistakable guitar intro influence of the Edge. In All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye, John falls back on his trademark acoustic progressions with a hint of Beatles chords thrown in for good measure.

Half of my Heart has that country flare with a bit of classic John Cougar Mellencamp feel in it at the beginning of this one. It takes a bit of listening to to get use to it. Who Says is just a funny little piece. Just simple guitar, drums using a brush on the snare and some simple melodic bass phrasing to keep your feet tapping to it! The lyrics seem to be from another time that is long gone for today’s political correctness era.

Perfectly Lonely sound like the old guitar player from an old buddy of mines band called Needy Fingers. The raw guitar sound it fabulous with just the correct amount of vibrato to add a beautiful colour to it.

Crossroads is the one song the his new album that I like the most. It’s an old Cream standby cover tune that is precise, nice and crisp sounding. The funky sound that he adds to this classic keeps me interested and wanting to hear more of it!

I’m sure I’ll get the album at a later date and I will then have a better understanding of it to comment further. Has anyone else heard about his new album?

Here are my favorite John Mayer albums in order!

• Inside Wants Out
• Any Given Thursday
• Room for Squares
• The Village Sessions

Keep on Jammin’

Related Reading:

Julie's Victorian Style Wedding Band - 6

Say

The White Album (Remastered)

Room for Squares

Preservation: An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program (Deluxe Version)

Cinema Face is the best progressive art-rock band that I have ever seen play in Brantford. The band was playing in Brantford in a popular bar called Alexanders Tavern. This band stopped me dead in my tracks and left me, not to mention everyone else in the bar, screaming for more.

They had all these tv sets beside the stage that featured holographic images on them. They also had these black light effects that blew my mind, a first for me at a the local level as well as a phenomenal light show!

The band members of Cineman Face were Frank La Magna (guitar, vocals) Armin Hart (keyboards, vox) Randy Infuso (drums, vocals) Darryl Peterson (bass, vocals).

The band played at variable clubs throughout Ontario and started building a small fan base over their 13 years together. While the band faltered in Canada, they finally gained some ground in Europe and Japan. In Germany, the band gained near legendary status!

Even though they did not achieve overall commercial success they tried their utmost but came up short. Finally in 1983 Cinema Face recorded a self-titled album, which was released under the Red Sun Records label. Though the band had already called it quits by 1994, their debut was then re-released on the Pacemaker Records label. The album did well enough to bring Cinema Face back to life in 1996 to complete a sophomore offering, Face Card.

This is a video of the band playing at the old Gasworks in Toronto in 1983. For those who are not aware of this Toronto landmark, it was the bar that Wayne and Garth went to in Wayne’s World.

Below are some links to check out if you were a fan of the band and you want to pick up some of the bands CD’s for your collection!

• Cinema Face
• Face Card

Keep on Jammin’

Related Reading:

Pioneer Classic 3 Ring Photo Album with Assorted Colored and Designs Covers, Holds 504 4" x 6" Photos, 3 Per Page.

Canada - "BRANTFORD" Set of 4 Mini-Mousepad Coasters

Malden Baroque Photo Album

The Strat Pack: Live in Concert [Blu-ray]

The Capitol Albums Vol. 1