Guitar Licks and Tips

While on holidays at home this year, I’ve had a fair amount of time on my hands.

I read some fascinating books, did some odd jobs around the house, huge out with my loverly wife and puppy Midnight (she was 1 year old on the 25th) and looked for things to blog about. that is when I came across this guitarist called Dominic Frasca. This man is a monster on guitar!

He is around 41, from Ohio, lives in New York City and there is one more thing that I’m trying to remember about this guy … oh ya he’s a classically-trained guitar virtuoso.

He plays this 10 stringed guitar and has this very unique capo. For the life of me I cannot find out who makes this thing. If you look at this video below or at the 1:21 / 3:17 section of it, you will get a looksie at what I mean. Is it me or this a homemade capo that looks like a carpenter’s “C” clamp that has been modified? Can someone help me out here?

Yours “Sing”cerly, clueless in Canada!
Keep on Jammin’

Now we are getting to the end of my Tronical PowerTune segment. This revolutionary tuning system I’m sure will be the standard for years to come for very serious musicians and ones with deep pockets.

This revolutionary approach in tuning ones guitar seems to be a dream come true for most players. The most nerve wracking part of playing live is that, in your mind, you are taking way too long to tune your axe. While doing this many times through out a show, you feel the attention that you may of had from the crowd float away, right in front of your eyes!

Some of the main technology that is used for this system is embedded in bridge. The bridge is also known as the tail piece or saddle to some. This part is basically the ears of this process. Here with the help from piezo pick up technology, a well insulated bridge has been designed to the highest of spec’s. It here that the actual calibration for each string is generated.

This function is of the utmost importance to the tuning of the guitar. Each individual string gives off a sound or vibration when you hit it. Now this is where it gets crazy, each and every string has to be perfectly isolated from each other in order to focus the tuning controller on each and every string … at the same time no less. This is no small feat to have achieved!

If you don’t play guitar, the next time your around an acoustic guitar, strum down VERY HARD on all strings and place your pinky finger across the bridge (where the strings are attached to the body of the guitar, where you strum it in other words) of the guitar. Have your thumb pointing upwards to get the best results. You will now feel all the strings, going through this bridge and it vibrating like crazy! So imagine what it must take for a technology to baffle or insulate each vibration, which is each string, all at once. Now I hope that you are getting the overall picture.

Keep on Jammin’

The Gibson Robot guitar takes the hassle out of tuning your guitar. This new revolutionary technology seems like something right out a science fiction novel.

Imagine the freedom to have the ability to tune your guitar while playing live.This allows you to talk to the crowd without pauses. Now this is something that I just had to investigate further! This is what Gibson says!

The company that the license for this aspect of the Les Paul is called Tronical, a German company. This seems to be some very cool and yet, useful technology that can be used as a remedial tuning system that even my mom could use.

All you have to have are good eyes and know which tuning that you would need to be in to work. You simply have to turn the dial(TuneControl-MultiKnob) to the appropriate letter, indicating which tuning you need, and the the Powertune technology does the rest. It’s that easy. I’ve only heard of this lately and I’ve never seen or have used this, but to me it looks like a no-brainer!

The only drawback could be the price … about $2500.00 (Can).

If anyone out there has one of these beauty’s, can you please give us an insight into this new world of guitar innovation? We’re waiting to hear from you and your experiences very soon.

Keep on Jammin’

Another one of the greatest, most influential and under rated guitar players of all time is dead at the age of 79.

He was one of those players who everyone has heard of, but never really heard him actually play or realize that your favorite band was playing a tune made by the great one!

I know that I am part of that club and it is so sad that something like this has to happen to make us all wake up and realize the brilliance that, that person had. But isn’t that always the case.

He did catch the ear of everyone from the Rolling Stones all throughout the years to U2, thank heavens someone was paying attention to one of the god fathers of rock guitar!

From his unique approach to guitar (it’s interesting to note what he had to do to enhance his playing technique) all the way down to his own home made cigar box guitar, you can’t help but be amazed at how he started to play and the single handed determination that drove the great one to Rock and Roll immortality!

From his early days to todays music scene, the guy has driven through virgin snow for all of us to follow in his foot prints.

He really wanted to be a drummer? Well thank God for the rest of us that he choose the guitar! Honestly, that’s what he says in the begging of this one so listen carefully! It’s one of those things that make you go huummm, in the middle of the night! He also talks about how he got his name, I just about fell off my chair laughing at it, just ask my wife and dog Midnight.

May you get into heaven an hour before the devil knows your dead Mr Bo Diddley!

Keep on Jammin’ where ever you are Sir!

Wonder no more -

Heart break, pain and lost love … popular song themes. Could some of our favorite songs really be about quiting smoking or some other addictive substance?

I’ve never actually made a song by myself, truth be told. I’ve only created bits and pieces of songs but the only thing stopping me is … something to write about. Maybe I’ll try this guys technique.

Keep on Jammin’