Musicians?

[lonasindi]

Do we have any musicians here?

I've been playing guitar for close to 2 years now and have started writing a lot of music, but it's tough to get much done since I don't have a bass or anyone to record bass parts, and I'd be interested in collaborating with other musicians to get the job done.

[gaia.plateau]

I throw handfuls of spoons into metal bowls.

[Geiseric]

Aye, I've been a musicain for quite some years, dabbling in a pretty wide range of instruments. I do recording sometimes for fun to jam against myself, but I'm really against the whole idea of recording editing, and releasing tracks, I think its lazy and sucks the life and skill out of music. I'm pretty big into bass right now, got a EB3 coming in (hell, yeah) in a few weeks. I'm not really playing with anyone right now, its too much to deal with the drama of a band and deal with work and school at the same time, so I've really just been jamming on my Ibanez Jem every once in a while, and keeping it to that for the most part.

[lonasindi]

Aye, I've been a musicain for quite some years, dabbling in a pretty wide range of instruments. I do recording sometimes for fun to jam against myself, but I'm really against the whole idea of recording editing, and releasing tracks, I think its lazy and sucks the life and skill out of music. I'm pretty big into bass right now, got a EB3 coming in (hell, yeah) in a few weeks. I'm not really playing with anyone right now, its too much to deal with the drama of a band and deal with work and school at the same time, so I've really just been jamming on my Ibanez Jem every once in a while, and keeping it to that for the most part.

Fair enough. I'm still very much in the developmental stage musically. This summer I played bass in a band and it was basically one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. We were playing with some dude's equipment in his tiny basement playing two or three times a week for like 40 minutes at at time. We banged out a song and played it a week and a half later. It was pretty badass.

I know that playing with other people helped me more than anything in the world, and I'm having trouble finding people around here to play with.

[Texico]

**slight thread-jack**



Hey guys, I'm thinking of learning to play guitar (once I get some more free time), and I was wondering if you could recommend a nice less expensive electric guitar as a starter? I don't really know anything about different brands, and I won't be purchasing anything until April or May at the earliest, but do you have any suggestions?

[Geiseric]

Its really a matter of personal preference, style of music you tend to play, and how you intend to tune the guitar. I always recomend going used for a starting up player, but do it in person where you can inspect the instrument for imperfections. Another thing I would say is to avoid re-licensed brands like Epiphone and Squire, which while having the Gibson and Fender name respectivly, are MUCH lower in build quality, and tend to be EXTREMELY fragile and short lived.

[KillZedKill]

I've been playing guitar for about 6 years now, As for a beginning guitar I would recommend an Epiphone SG or les paul, both great starter guitars, good sound quality for the price. Make sure you get something that does not have a tremolo on it, really a pain in the arse for beginners. All of my guitars now have Tremolos on them, Floyd Rose FTW.

I play Bass, Drums, hand drums (Djembes), Didgeridoo, anything I can get my hands on really.

I own a Dean ML, a Peavey predator, a B.C. Rich Warlock (in pieces), a flying V (not sure of the brand) and two fender acoustic guitars.

[Snoopy1966]

I have been playing drums since 7th grade and I am almost 42 now. I did it for a living also in the 80's....ahhh the memories. It is hard to play my drums in an apartment....so hopefully I will have a house or something where I can play. I sold my drums a while back, but I plan on getting a nice DW set at the music store here. It is only a five pc, but it is one sweet sounding kit.

[Cybersist]

I started playing trumpet in 5th grade and quit 2 years ago because of school scheduling conflicts. After that I dabbled a bit, but I really haven't sat down to play in over a year.

[camelflage]

i play bass, hand drums, and some piano (though not in a long time)

[JtowninAtown]

Guitar, Banjo (clawhammer), mandolin, fiddle, Standing Bass...

[JtowninAtown]

extra post by accident...please delete... Edited January 9, 2008 by JtowninAtown

[TheScotsman]

GHB, Uilleann, Northumbrian small pipe, and Violin. (what a screwed up mix, eh?)

[mathuv]

Its really a matter of personal preference, style of music you tend to play, and how you intend to tune the guitar. I always recomend going used for a starting up player, but do it in person where you can inspect the instrument for imperfections. Another thing I would say is to avoid re-licensed brands like Epiphone and Squire, which while having the Gibson and Fender name respectivly, are MUCH lower in build quality, and tend to be EXTREMELY fragile and short lived.

I play guitar, been playing around 4 years as a hobby (not planning on earning a living off it)

Geiseric, gonna have to disagree with you there. I have a squier and its good quality. not as good as a fender but it gets the job done. also its much better quality than some other no-name knockoff brands for the same price (Starfire,Stagg,etc) I would recommend going for a 2nd hand Fender Strat if you think you're going to get serious.

[Geiseric]

Well, whatever you like, but I think if you really spent some time with a real American made strat you might change your tune, the difference in playability and tone is phenomenal. I have just seen a lot of the necks snap on my friends squiers , I've seen a squier bass neck split while being played(I've never had one, my first guitar was the Danelectro remake with the bigsby tremolo, which I am a big fan of), they seem to be made very poorly, not durable at all. I can understand it as a beginner instrument, but.... I don't know. To each their own. I'm not really into the jazzy sound of fender anyways, although I do enjoy playing on my dads occasionally when I am at his place. I'm more into my hot pink japan made late 80s Ibanez Jem right now. Its a real mother-bitch to tune with the floating bridge and all, but nothing can match its playability when it comes to metal and punk. You can pull it into a more rich bluesy tone too, if you drop the tone and just use the top pickups. I'm not much of a blues guy though, I mainly play reggae, metal, and the occasional classic punk, mingled in with your odd genre defying song, and the Jem covers it all. Granted, I often get questions about my sexuality, but hey, can't have your cake and eat it too.

As to Epiphone.... I've played on the higher end models... and frankly.. even though the tone does begin to catch up with their Gibson overlords... It still doesn't shake that cheap, plasticy feel. I've heard some good things about the playability and tone of their basses, though, and my friend has a Epiphone Thunderbird, and its pretty nice, has a really clear authentic Gibson sound to it, but I still hear a lot about the cheap quality of the parts. Edited January 11, 2008 by Geiseric

[KillZedKill]

Geiseric, if you need any tips with tuning that floating bridge, just let me know. I've almost got these damn things down to a science! haha.

[Geiseric]

Oh, I have it down now, can usually bring it down to drop D in about 2 minutes, but the real bitch is when you switch the size of your string and you end up having to change the tension. Back when I first started playing the Jem I would spend an hour putting on new strings and tuning it. I can do it in about 5-10 now, depending on my luck with keeping the tension on all strings balanced as I bring it into tune.

[KillZedKill]

Oh, I have it down now, can usually bring it down to drop D in about 2 minutes, but the real bitch is when you switch the size of your string and you end up having to change the tension. Back when I first started playing the Jem I would spend an hour putting on new strings and tuning it. I can do it in about 5-10 now, depending on my luck with keeping the tension on all strings balanced as I bring it into tune.

Heres a trick for tuning to D.

If your using a Locking nut, which you most likely are. Unlock your strings, then lower the peg on your e string untill you can only turn it down just a little farther (Leaving some range below it is nice, incase the string stretches at all). Then tune the string back to standard E.

Now, when you want to be in drop D tuning, You can just turn the peg back up (releasing tension on that string) untill your in D again. Takes about 10 seconds.

[mathuv]

Well, whatever you like, but I think if you really spent some time with a real American made strat you might change your tune, the difference in playability and tone is phenomenal. I have just seen a lot of the necks snap on my friends squiers , I've seen a squier bass neck split while being played(I've never had one, my first guitar was the Danelectro remake with the bigsby tremolo, which I am a big fan of), they seem to be made very poorly, not durable at all. I can understand it as a beginner instrument, but.... I don't know. To each their own. I'm not really into the jazzy sound of fender anyways, although I do enjoy playing on my dads occasionally when I am at his place. I'm more into my hot pink japan made late 80s Ibanez Jem right now. Its a real mother-bitch to tune with the floating bridge and all, but nothing can match its playability when it comes to metal and punk. You can pull it into a more rich bluesy tone too, if you drop the tone and just use the top pickups. I'm not much of a blues guy though, I mainly play reggae, metal, and the occasional classic punk, mingled in with your odd genre defying song, and the Jem covers it all. Granted, I often get questions about my sexuality, but hey, can't have your cake and eat it too.

As to Epiphone.... I've played on the higher end models... and frankly.. even though the tone does begin to catch up with their Gibson overlords... It still doesn't shake that cheap, plasticy feel. I've heard some good things about the playability and tone of their basses, though, and my friend has a Epiphone Thunderbird, and its pretty nice, has a really clear authentic Gibson sound to it, but I still hear a lot about the cheap quality of the parts.

yeah i have spent some time with an american strat, MUCH better sound but im just saying, if you're on a budget, for the price I bought my squier, you'd only find knockoffs or bad makes, i spent less than $300 on it. My next purchase will probaly be a jackson though.

[Mandala]

Well, it is my experience that even Gibson and Fender are presently lacking in their quality roles as it is. Don't get me wrong, they're certainly iconic, and I own a couple of both... But pick up a Pre-CBS Fender and contrast with even a Custom Shop model of today. The newer models just don't have the feel. Furthermore, compared to a Suhr or Tom Anderson (boutique instruments), Gibson and Fender just aren't up to par. Forgive me if I'm stepping on any toes... I know that those brands are the two defining pedigrees of the trade, but there is life beyond them. One could buy a Squier, throw a set of DiMarzio/Duncan/Harmonic Designs etc. in it, then along with a few hardware modifications have a very decent guitar without committing economic seppuku. You'll find that much of what you're paying for with the "Big Names" is just that... The big name. Well, I'll end this little periodical. $.02 given

Cheers,

Matt

[mathuv]

Well, it is my experience that even Gibson and Fender are presently lacking in their quality roles as it is. Don't get me wrong, they're certainly iconic, and I own a couple of both... But pick up a Pre-CBS Fender and contrast with even a Custom Shop model of today. The newer models just don't have the feel. Furthermore, compared to a Suhr or Tom Anderson (boutique instruments), Gibson and Fender just aren't up to par. Forgive me if I'm stepping on any toes... I know that those brands are the two defining pedigrees of the trade, but there is life beyond them. One could buy a Squier, throw a set of DiMarzio/Duncan/Harmonic Designs etc. in it, then along with a few hardware modifications have a very decent guitar without committing economic seppuku. You'll find that much of what you're paying for with the "Big Names" is just that... The big name. Well, I'll end this little periodical. $.02 given

Cheers,

Matt

agreed. its not in instruments only, in most things you're just paying for the name. like you could get a noname egyptian hookah that smokes better than the best (for the sake of the argument) KM out there..

[staygone]

www.myspace.com/cigarettemuffin

The old band, check It's All On You for my leads. We're done now so I got a RC-2 Loop Station by BOSS so I can jam with something.

My $100 stratocopy plays better than some $4000+ PRS's, Gibsons, you name it. Get used to a guitar and it'll be your fave. I have an Ibanez RG with Dimarzios in it that's my go to guitar, never going to give it away. My name came from its top.

Always remember, it isn't the gear that makes or breaks your sound, tone comes from the HANDS/MOUTH/YOU.

-QM

[lonasindi]

as for the Squier/epiphone debate

My first guitar was a squier affinity strat, I still play it today. I replaced the bridge pickup with a cheap mini-humbucker I got off of ebay. The guitar sounds great, the stock pickups are a little noisy with high-gain obviously. It plays great, the neck's straight and all that.

My 'real' guitar is an ibanez RG that I'm looking to sell because I'm tired of keeping up with the floyd rose because I never use it.

[r1v3th3ad]

**slight thread-jack**



Hey guys, I'm thinking of learning to play guitar (once I get some more free time), and I was wondering if you could recommend a nice less expensive electric guitar as a starter? I don't really know anything about different brands, and I won't be purchasing anything until April or May at the earliest, but do you have any suggestions?

Do what most go with for a cheap starter...Fender, I would personally recommend a stratocaster, but don't know what they run at. If want my opinion of what you should start out with that you'll keep for a lifetime...an electric acoustic, they are amazing quality. If you want to change it up too and get a sort of metal sound, there's always pedals, they are mostly inexpensive. I got a pricey pedal, the amp factory, which has like 12 classic amps and 4 different headers for it it a dual pedal combo(its one unit). I think it cost me like 3 or 400 U.S. $

[r1v3th3ad]

I am a musician myself. I played trumpet since i was 8 or 9, up until college, I haven' t had the space for it. Played baritone in high school for a bit. Played electric, lost the taste, once in a while I pick one up and reminisce. Right now I am working with synthesizers on my comp, wanna get a futurepop/ebm/industrial band started eventually.


O ya, when I was three I could play a mean kazoo.