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:

Fender Starcaster 15-watt Electric Guitar Amplifier

Valeo HW3 3-Pound Neoprene Hand Weights

Abbey Road [Vinyl]

Ultimate Guitar Techniques-Effects Pedals

Tortuga Effects Standard Issue Phaser Effect Pedal

Here is the video of Dr. Lefkowitz and myself playing at my work. We did a 2nd take of this one because one of my favorite nurses of all time Bev and my favorite anesthesiologist Les missed the 1st one!

I now have a fonder respect for blues guitarist! I find the rhythms to play are difficult to master. The lossie goosie timing takes a bit of getting use to. The coming in and out of time signatures at unfamiliar times are something that I have not tried before. I am more accustomed to straight forward rhythms so I must appear to come off as a spastic rhythm guitarist, ha!

Just a question here for all you musicians out there, have you had certain challenges when you try to play the blues properly when your own style of playing is completely different for the blues? I just want to find out if it is just me who has the problem adapting to this unique genre or is it just me.

Like most guitar players I love attempting different forms of music to broaden my musical horizons and repertoire. It is also an advantage to having a number of tricks in my hand bag to pull out when needed.

This genre of music will take me a while to get a proper handle on it but I feel that I am up for the task. So a practicing I a go!

So sit back and have a laugh at my expense! Cheers!

Keep on Jammin’

Related Reading:

Cynara

It's Entertainment!

Heart: Alive in Seattle [Blu-ray]

Simon and Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park

Entertainment

Happy holidays everyone and I trust that you all had a great time off!

This year I had the chance to play in the Surgical Recovery Room that I work in with our legendary Singing Cardiologist doctor also known as D.R. Cardiac Rap! He played last year for us and also the patients that recuperating there right after their surgery. It was amazing to move patients through the area and having them say things like wasn’t that a doctor singing and playing guitar for us?

Last year he performed this reggae style song on his acoustic guitar with a drum machine running in the background. He had a few back up singers(nurses) which added to the show visually speaking. The tune was about life as a cardiologist and what goes on behind the scenes in the O.R. I must say it was fun to witness!

This year he asked me if I wanted to play with him so I jumped at the opportunity. He said that he was working on a song called How Long Blues. I’m not that big of a blues guitarist but I said why not. We both hoped to have jammed at least twice to get a handle on how each other plays but we only had a short practice right before playing in front of both staff and patients.

The song went well enough and a nurse was recording it on video. I haven’t seen it yet but when he sends me a copy I’ll post it up on this particular site!

Keep on Jammin’ in the New Year everybody!

Related Reading:

Poster: there is no way to peace, peace is the way

Sound of Music, The (1965) - 11 x 17 - Style A

The Drumset Musician (Percussion)

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood: Live from Madison Square Garden [Blu-ray]

Eureka 61110B R Style Belt