Brunch Report, Thursday March 18, 2010

[shawn500]

Alright gang..it's Thursday, one more day until the weekend!

So, from the poll yesterday it looks like most of us are self taught, a few have had formal lessons, and 1 uses guitars as fashion accessories.

Here's a topic to mull over. Do you think it's better to have formal training, or learn on your own? On one hand you'll get up to speed faster with an instructor, but I wonder if being self taught affords you a certain "creativity" with your instrument. What do ya'll think?

Also.....How's the music scene in your area? What type of music is predominate where you live?
For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

Obligatory G&L content.

We go on and on about what we love about the classic G&L's, but...
Is there anything you DON'T like about the classic G&L instruments??


For Lunch today, I think I'm going to make a run for chinese.
Along with Italian, Chinese is right up there with my favorite foods. There's no shortage of good Chinese restaurants near work. There's a really good buffet at a place called China One. I'll probalby hit there today.


I look forward to your responses gang!

[jazzrat]

I think your learning style has something to do with which method works best. I'm primarily self taught but I will admit the most rewarding times of growth have been
those rare opportunities with a teacher or master class. I recently had a private lesson with Corey Christiansen. Monster jazz player. In two minutes he analyzed why my descending runs were so much weaker than ascending runs.....my pick technique. He also gave me some targeting exercises that are helping me play it less safe and incorporate new notes in my lines. Really, really time and $ well spent.

The music scene around here is pretty dry. I have no interest in playing in bars per se, but there are a few venues to play around town. The gigs I have enjoyed the last few years have been small combo jazz affairs....reunions, wedding receptions, pig cuttings , etc. Most of those have dried up. The jazz program at the local junior college is very active and I have ties there so opportunities to play do come up from time to time.

G & L dislikes...that's a tough one. I'll stretch a little bit......I wish the headstock design was just 1/4" shorter. They always look like they are too long for the standard G & L case...looks like a bump on the case would damage the headstock. ummmm....that's all I got...

[Jim P]

Alright gang..it's Thursday, one more day until the weekend!

Here's a topic to mull over. Do you think it's better to have formal training, or learn on your own? On one hand you'll get up to speed faster with an instructor, but I wonder if being self taught affords you a certain "creativity" with your instrument. What do ya'll think?

Well, I'm one of those that have taught myself as well as having some formal educational training. I started playing the guitar at age 13 while being self-taught, but by around the age of 23 or 24 I found myself in college wanting to learn more about jazz and classical music while also considering the notion of playing and teaching music for a career. After two years of college, I had decided that teaching wasn't my thing, so that was the extent of my formal training. However, going to school taught me to read music very quickly as well as learning the value of modal scales in jazz, or, for that matter, any kind of music. While there's no doubt that I could've continued to play while being self-taught, I also have no doubt that having a formal education has not only broadened my vocabulary for playing the guitar, but it has also provided me with the tools to write and/or arrange musical compositions. I wouldn't ever venture to say that any method of learning is better one way than the other, but I will say that the college experience is certainly something I'll never regret.

Also.....How's the music scene in your area? What type of music is predominate where you live?

I sort of live in the sticks, but Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and the Twin Cities aren't all that terribly far away from me if I feel a need to take in a weekend's worth of entertainment. On strictly a local level, the music scene really isn't all that great. Although, there are a few good bands around the area, so I would suppose it could be worse.

For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

Most definitely! Nearly half of the clubs around here have either cut back the number of bands they usually run, or they're no longer running music at all. Plus, some won't even pay the kind of money they once did. One of the very best clubs closed their doors for good about a year ago.

We go on and on about what we love about the classic G&L's, but...
Is there anything you DON'T like about the classic G&L instruments??

Nope!

Great week, Shawn! I'll have to miss Friday, though.

Jim

[Randy]

Do you think it's better to have formal training, or learn on your own?

Also.....How's the music scene in your area?
What type of music is predominate where you live?
For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

We go on and on about what we love about the classic G&L's, but...
Is there anything you DON'T like about the classic G&L instruments

I had some very basic instruction when I first picked up the guitar at the age of 17 or so; basic chords, how to tune, etc. Then was on my own for about twenty years before taking some formal lessons. I REALLY wish I had stuck with the formal stuff in the very begging. What I was able to learn about the guitar & music theory in general over the span of eight lessons helped me more than 20 years trying to figure it out on my own.

The music scene in Dover DE? there isn't one.
I play each weekend in our chapel's Praise & Worship band- we dont get paid, but it's very rewarding; the economy really doesn't effect us. Deployments to the middle-east- thats another story!

The only thing I don't like about the "classic" G&Ls; skinny necks. I've got big hands, so the smaller necks on the old G&Ls were my only complaint. When I special ordered my guitar back in '99, I was able to choose a #3 "V" and asked for a "BIG" neck. That guitar remains my favorite. I've never come across one that comes close. Back then, Tim at Buffalo Brothers told me there was only one guy who shaped the V necks. I doubt thats still the case...

Ohh yeah- +1 with Jazzrat; my Legacy is also about 1/4 inch too long for the tolex case (not the molded plastic one)

Great lunch!

~Randy

[El Fug]

How's the music scene in your area? What type of music is predominate where you live?
For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

Not only is Los Angeles the best city in the world to live in, it's got a damn fine music scene going on. And when I say Los Angeles, I mean the east side. And when I say best, I mean better than New York City. And when I say music, I mean excellent indie rock artistry.

[darwinohm]

Shawn, thank you for the great lunch reports this week. You were really early the last couple of days. Also the Duane Eddy piece early in the week was really neat. You certainly seem to understand this new system.

I have formal music training from college. I have never read music with guitar and probably threw everything out that I should have used. I have only been serious about regular guitar the last four years as I was a bassist and still am in our band. I tend to get in a rut and practice things over and over for perfection. I like to jam with other musicians especially to learn new material. I could also do the lead work on one of our gigs if our lead player couldn't make it. Not as well as him but here is the difference. He has done this for years and can just roll with it, whatever he has to. I have to practice each song. I am not a true lead player. I can roll on the stuff I know but would not be an improviser and I could see myself getting the deer in the headlights look. I am a bassist. I am considering lessons, especially if I could find someone who could teach a good finger picking style. I like Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler styles and they are very different.

Good music scene in Minneapolis for the most part. However in the 60 s and early 70 s you could not beat it. Most anyone who was a hit artist was here. We had so many clubs and different entertainment centers to bring them in. Most of these clubs are long gone as the times have changed due to computers, internet and media changes. Instead of having to buy a whole album I can now download and prescreen what I buy.

I agree with others on the G&L case. I have always worried about the tip of the neck as the depression next to the aluminum strip gets closer and closer. I would also like to see the plastic string holder in the ASAT body changed to metal. I noticed that metals ones are available on the internet. But overall I have to comment that the workmanship on the G&L product is top shelf. I am a believer in CNC and plecking. I believe the mahogany Blues Boy that I have is one of G&L s first CNC builds but I could be wrong. It is a beauty but then I say that about every one of them. That is the crux of my problem. I should be selling some but cannot part with any. -- Darwin

[shawn500]

Shawn, thank you for the great lunch reports this week. You were really early the last couple of days.
Good music scene in Minneapolis for the most part. However in the 60 s and early 70 s you could not beat it.

No prob...I do what I can!

Well, the Replacements were from Minneapolis, so that scene is all right by me!
Also Prince is from there IIRC. There's a few other big acts that hailed from there that escape me right now...

[bassman]

Here's a topic to mull over. Do you think it's better to have formal training, or learn on your own? On one hand you'll get up to speed faster with an instructor, but I wonder if being self taught affords you a certain "creativity" with your instrument. What do ya'll think?

I am a fan of private lessons with a good teacher. The trick is to find a good teacher who knows not only your instrument but music and music theory that is useful and relevant and who knows how to teach.
Many great players are terrible teachers.
I started taking bass lessons when I was 15 from a professional musician who understood what a bass player was supposed to do. SInce I had a good teacher, I made very fast progress on bass and I formed my own band 6 months after starting lessons.

Also.....How's the music scene in your area? What type of music is predominate where you live?
For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

There are a fair number of clubs to play in but they don't want to pay and they want the band to bring its own crowd. IMHO there are just too many hungry musicians willing to play for free to get any kind of decent money for a band.
I am finding it a lot harder to get gigs as a result of the economy and the above reasons.

Obligatory G&L content.
We go on and on about what we love about the classic G&L's, but...
Is there anything you DON'T like about the classic G&L instruments??

I don't like the old truss rods. I find too many problems with them across all models of older G&L guitars and basses. I don't think the bi-cut neck is the problem, but I do think that the new neck design and the newer truss rods are steps in the right direction.

-bassman

[shawn500]

I think lessons are important. I had informal lessons from a friend of mine that is a jazz wiz. Mainly though, I am self taught. I think getting a good grounding from a teacher is important. There's so many bad habits that you develop when you are going it alone. That being said, I think you can come up with some great original stuff by stumbling around exploring the your instrument.

Well, the music scene here in Baton Rouge is weird.
Lots of indie rock both local, and touring bands. We are part of the indie rock circuit, and get a lot of flavor of the month Austin bands play here.
Most of the good clubs here use booking agents, so if you are in their stable you get gigs, if not, good luck. We play a fair amount here in town, but mainly we play in New Orleans and surrounding areas. There's a healthy blues scene here in town, and of course the blues and jazz scene in New Orleans. The clubs here still book music and most haven't converted over to hosting karaoke. The music scene here will never be what it was in the 80's and early 90's. We had a string of local bands making it big including Better Than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth.


The only thing I can point out about classic G&L's would be the big ole headstocks (the "Snoopy" one). It's definately not a deal breaker, but it just looks a bit weird. I used to think the old G&L bodies looked clunky, but I've since learned to appreciate them. The headstocks are still a bit weird to me for some reason.

[repoman]

Here's a topic to mull over. Do you think it's better to have formal training, or learn on your own? On one hand you'll get up to speed faster with an instructor, but I wonder if being self taught affords you a certain "creativity" with your instrument. What do ya'll think?

I had a smattering of formal lessons. As a very young kid I was kinda/sorta forced into guitar lessons for a few months. I barely knew how to hold a guitar. In high school I took a few more lessons. The little bit of theory lessons did help solidify and perhaps lead to better understanding. Probably the best "lessons" I ever got was playing in bands with better guitarists. After all these years I can now proudly report that I know how to hold a guitar.

Also.....How's the music scene in your area? What type of music is predominate where you live?
For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

I'm not gigging but the music scene around Atlanta is pretty good. But not as good as it used to be for local/small bands.

We go on and on about what we love about the classic G&L's, but...
Is there anything you DON'T like about the classic G&L instruments??

No real complaints. If I was forced to choose I guess I'd say the nuts coulda been better.

Jeff

[shawn500]

Also.....How's the music scene in your area? What type of music is predominate where you live?
For those that gig, do ya'll find it harder to find gigs due to the current economy?

I'm not gigging but the music scene around Atlanta is pretty good. But not as good as it used to be for local/small bands.

The Psycho Devilles are from Atlanta. Great psychobilly band. They play at the Star Bar a lot.

[MrRoundel]

I tried lessons for the first month that I started playing but the teacher and I just didn't gel. I need a teacher that has a lot of patience for those with thick heads and funky fingers like mine. He really didn't show me much other than tabbing out a few songs that I could have found tabbed on the internet. I've been considering trying lessons again from the guy who teaches my nephew. It sounds like he's pretty good. I need someone to help me put together all of the different things I've learned, and help fill obvious gaps in what I should know. Their shop also has an open mike night and I'd like to ease my way into getting up on stage and belting/picking a few tunes out. So, I guess the bottom line is that I see the hybrid approach as being worthwhile. Perhaps I'll know for sure in a few months?

I've got a few friends who are gigging musicians. They get some gigs at small clubs, restaurant lounges, etc. They have said that the gigs for them have been a bit harder to come by. The guys that get them, get them by having a manager/agent go after them. I guess there's not too much passive about getting gigs, for most folks anyway. El Fug sounds like he knows more about the real inside scene here in L.A. Perhaps he'll give me a heads up if he's playing somewhere around town. How about it, El Fug?

I like the 4-screw, flange-style, output jack that I had put in my new ASAT III. I have to give it a little more of a tug than I do with my other ASATs, but this is a good thing. Minor item, for sure, especially for a bedroom rocker.

[zapcosongs]

I had a few guitar lessons early on (played piano w/ lessons prior to that) but am mostly self-taught. That's probably a big reason why I suck.

As far as things I don't like about G&L guitars, there's only one little nit I can pick here - and my problem may just be that I'm a moron.
When stringing a saddle-lock equipped guitar (non string thru variety), I need to use a guitar pick to guide the strings up and over the bridge saddles after inserting the string through the rear of the bridge. Am I making any sense? - ed

[jazzrat]

I had a few guitar lessons early on (played piano w/ lessons prior to that) but am mostly self-taught. That's probably a big reason why I suck.

As far as things I don't like about G&L guitars, there's only one little nit I can pick here - and my problem may just be that I'm a moron.
When stringing a saddle-lock equipped guitar (non string thru variety), I need to use a guitar pick to guide the strings up and over the bridge saddles after inserting the string through the rear of the bridge. Am I making any sense? - ed

If you insert it just a little way, then bend the remaining string in your hand, up, it will put a short kink in the first 1" of the string so it will clear and ride over the saddles.

[zapcosongs]

Yep. I'm a moron. - ed

[MrRoundel]

Yep. I'm a moron. - ed

I resemble that remark.

I'd never thought about jazzrat's trick. Good one. I just end up using a set of fine tweezers to grab the string. It's easiest when you guide the string over one of phillip's heads that hold the bridge on. That way the tweezers grab around the string, with the tips down into the screw head. Unfortunately, that only works for 3 of the 6. The tweezers do work but, again, I like jazzrat's techique better. And, it works on all 6.

[zapcosongs]

Is that lovely greenburst Bluesboy new? - ed

[Jim P]

Good music scene in Minneapolis for the most part. However in the 60 s and early 70 s you could not beat it.

Well, the Replacements were from Minneapolis, so that scene is all right by me!
Also Prince is from there IIRC. There's a few other big acts that hailed from there that escape me right now...

I lived in Minneapolis for 10+ years, and if there's one thing I miss from living there, it's the music scene. It was and still is one of America's best kept secrets for some odd reason. Perhaps it's just too damn cold there?....haha!

And, don't forget about Crow, The Time, Jonny Lang, Lamont Cranston, Hoopsnakes, etc.......great bands from MPLS!

[El Fug]

Perhaps he'll give me a heads up if he's playing somewhere around town. How about it, El Fug?

I will indeed. In the process of putting the pieces together for the new project I'm doing. But I'll definitely let you know when we start gigging.