Category: Techniques and Tips

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Steve R.

Which Guitar to Choose

A customer recently was trying to decide between a fan fret Ibis and a Falcon baritone and he asked us “whether a fan fret Ibis vs. a Falcon would be the best option for CGCGCE tuning”. So we turned to the expert – Michael Bashkin – for his perspective.

Michael’s response was “I would go with the Ibis and a med/heavy set of strings. The Falcon is really a different concept and unless he wants a baritone I would not get it. The baritone in designed to have the low E tuned to a B, so he would be tuning up which I don’t suggest, not to mention the longer scale.”

Posted on December 6, 2014December 6, 2014 by Steve R.

Strings on Your Bass Guitar

Here’s some great info on bass strings. Click here.

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Steve R.

The Soundboard

Here’s a good read on the acoustic soundboard, it’s characteristics, what to look for and what to avoid. Click here to view.

Posted on October 3, 2014October 26, 2014 by Steve R.

Don’t Give Up!

Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’re gonna be rewarded………Jimi Hendrix

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Steve R.

Playing Tips – Keeping Rythm

Here are some ways that you can learn to keep a steady, uninterrupted pulse.

1. Count: As you get the hang of keeping the beat, it’s a good idea to count along with the music as you play. You should count aloud at first, and eventually you’ll internalize the rhythm and can count quietly to yourself.

2. Clap: When you’re having trouble with the rhythm, put your instrument aside and count the beats aloud while clapping the rhythm. This gives you a chance to feel the rhythm in your body.

3. Tap your foot: This sounds easier than it is! Tap throughout the entire song, or tap just during the sections that are the most difficult. Also try to tap on beats two and four or even beats one and three—whichever feels best to you.

4. Sing: Don’t worry if the neighbors can hear you. If you know the lyrics of a song, singing will help you keep the rhythm going.

5. Slow it down: Play the melody once slowly and as perfectly as possible. Then gradually speed things up. Eventually the accuracy you have at the slower speed will stay with you at the faster tempo.

Excerpted from Music Basics for Guitarists