And now for something completely different

How Do You Make A Guitarist Turn Down?

My sister gave me a gift certificate. I am now considering my options.

One of the options I am considering is an aid to my guitar skills. I saw the books [Sight-Reading|Fretboard Knowledge|Ear Training] For The Contemporary Guitarist. I am always curious as to whether my knowledge of the fundamentals is sufficiently complete. I am sure I have a mess of music knowledge in my head but only a small amount has reached my hands.

So, my questions are twofold. First, for anyone with familiarity with that series, are they good? Are any of them particularly better than the others? Would you recommend them?

Second, which skill of the three — fretboard knowledge, sight reading, and ear training — would you say gives you the biggest bang for your Amazon buck?

Also, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Photos to be provided later

Today, as mentioned, was my birthday, and as a present, I have received what I asked for, a Samson DI box, which I have tested at the weekly-ish jam and know it works.

I had an acoustic, but it had no pickup. So I stood next to a mic, which sucked.

So I got a soundhole pickup which was spring-loaded to stay in the hole, but it tore up the edges, which sucked.

So I got an electro-acoustic guitar with a built-in piezo. And sometimes I played electric. Either way, I was underpowered, which sucked.

So I got myself a pedalboard, which juiced my signal and gave me access to chorus and vibrato and other effects. But still, occasionally the venue-supplied DI box crapped out on me, which sucked.

I have decent cables and decent electronics. But I won't be getting myself an XLR cable.

0x37AF Days Old

Which is 0x27.072F Years Old.

I feel so young!

And no, I'm not translating back into decimal. Let me live my delusions.

Have Yet To Try Them Live, But ...

When I play out, it's instrument into pedalboard into DI box into PA system into personal monitor system into headphones. I had wrap-around-the-ear headphones that just were not cutting it, so I've been looking at more in-the-ear solutions. I've looked longingly at $100 pluggers, but really, too much. The point of no real amps is to make it a singer-friendly, soundman-controlled situation.

The local Circuit City is closing, and the "get it out of the store" prices drew me in. Selection sucked and so did the customer service, so standard Circuit City. But I found some SkullCandy INKd headphones for under $10 that seem so far to work. I'll find out Wednesday.

Shoot the Hostage

So, I did some web work for my cousin. And he's sending me a check for $125.

I have a few ideas as to what I could do with this.

I might get a new big hard drive for one of my home machines.

I might get an inexpensive Strat from Rondo.

I could get a volume pedal.

I could get so many things!

So, I ask you, the reader: If $100 plus shipping landed on your lap, what would you do with it?

This Is Not Remotely Goodbye

During the "golden age" of this blog, I was driving an hour to work and an hour back. Work provided me a laptop, so I could compute in my practice area. And, to be honest, work was not taxing my skills. So, I had a lot of time to consider music and guitar, and a lot of time to write about it.

Now, I'm working much closer. I have no laptop. And I am coding my hindquarters off.

Once the new issue of Premier Guitar showed up, a few weeks ago, I thought about writing something about their article on picks. I really planned to write about it. But I never did.

I've been writing some on my other blog, /var/log/rant, but that's mostly ranting on computer-related-issues, and nothing nearly as much I wrote here.

Simply a status report. See you later.

There's Room To Move As A Fry Cook!

Remember Repo Man? If you weren't a fan of that movie in the 1980s, waiting for it to play again on Night Flight on the USA Network, I wouldn't have liked you.

Alex Cox, the director, followed it with Sid and Nancy, then his career went straight to hell.

"Let's make that wiener boy sing his song!"

And now, Alex Cox is making a sequel, called Repo Chick.

Repo Chick?

Alex Cox is not George Lucas. Alex could make three movies on just the catering budget for the second unit on Phantom Menace. But right now, he has the same capability to wipe his ass with my teenage years as George has shown glee (and compulsive cleanliness) exerting on my childhood.

It can't suck. It cannot be permitted to suck.

But even if it does, it will mean another paycheck for Sy Richardson, and that's nothing but good.