Surround Yourself With Better Musicians

Whaddya mean I suck?!?

   I’ve had a lot of guys tell me that they think they suck badly after they hear me play. I know, I’m stroking my ego quite a bit there but now that I’ve been playing for so many years I’m a pretty good guitar player. The thing is, I remember when I was just starting out playing in bands. I felt so far behind the others that I didn’t think there was any way I’d ever be as good as the guys I was playing with. It would have been very easy for me to say “That’s it, I suck so I’m hanging it up and quitting.” but I didn’t do that. I kept fighting to get better. When you play with other musicians that are better than you are then you can use the situation to your advantage.

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Korg Pandora PX5D Multi-Effect Processor For Bass And Guitar

Korg Pandora PX5D
Korg PX5D Pandora

   I previously reviewed the Korg ToneWorks PX4D and gave it my highest recommendation because of the many applications that it has in your gear arsenal. To read that review click here. The latest and greatest offering in the Korg Pandora line is the:
Korg Pandora PX5D Guitar Multi Effects Processor Silver.

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Fender American Standard Precision Bass

Fender American Standard Precision Bass

   This is my favorite bass guitar of all time. It’s such a simple instrument with a simple design and setup that it’s surprising how many things there are to love about it. Body and scale wise it’s the bass version of the Fender Stratocaster. When it originally came out in 1951 it didn’t have the excellent body contouring that it has now. They gave the Precision Bass the comfortable body contouring in 1953. The Precision Bass actually helped spawn the design of the Fender Stratocaster. The Precision Bass was the first Fender offering to have the double cutaway design and the body contouring, both of which went on to be incorporated into the design of the Fender Stratocaster. The P-Bass is still selling today, 57 years after its introduction. It has helped shape the sound of all modern music.

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The Best Guitar Picks – Clayton Acetal Standard Picks

Clayton Acetal Standard Guitar Picks

   I’ve used dozens of different types of guitar picks over the years in the quest to find a great guitar pick. I wanted a pick with the following qualities:

  • Non-slip, sweat resistant surface
  • Long lasting and break resistant
  • Good hardness for a sharp attack

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The Quest For Good Tone

Pink Floyd - Capturing Good Tone at Live 8

   What is good tone? Well, the dictionary defines it as “The distinctive property of a complex sound.” I define tone as “The sound that brings me the most pleasure to listen to.” As a guitarist, I’m especially tuned in to the tone of my guitar. My guitar’s tone is the result of my guitar, amp and player’s touch working together to create that “distinctive property” that is the most pleasurable for me to listen to.

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Practicing to a beat…not a metronome.

One thing that most musicians struggle with is playing accurately in a groove. It’s a huge necessity to be able to play things on the beat especially when you’re playing with other musicians. That rhythmic pulse is what keeps us all on the same page when we’re playing together in groups. I’ve played with bass players and guitar players that have a tough time even playing an eighth-note rhythm consistently. I myself struggle to play extremely fast guitar solos on the beat from time to time and it used to be a real struggle for me until I started practicing with a metronome. The metronome did me well but boy is it boring and irritating after a while.      Continue reading “Practicing to a beat…not a metronome.”

The Importance Of Strap Locks

I have to tell you the story of my beautiful Surf Green, Jeff Beck Signature Fender Stratocaster. My Jeff Beck Signature Strat was the perfect storm of all the right fender parts coming together in one guitar. I have the 1998 model with the double single coil lace sensor setup in the bridge position and the single lace sensors in the middle and the neck positions. I loved the Lace Sensor Pickups and the LSR roller nut. The neck was a little fat but I got used to it quickly and it’s very comfortable and comparable to my Les Paul Custom.    Continue reading “The Importance Of Strap Locks”

The Best Guitar Strings; Dean Markley Blue Steel Strings

The best guitar strings I have used with my collection of electric guitars are Dean Markley Blue Steel strings.

Regular Electric Guitar Strings
Dean Markley Blue Steel Strings

   I’m a Musician and can play a large variety of musical instruments. People always ask me “What instrument do you play?” and rather than explain how many instruments I can play and risk looking like a egotistical fool I just tell them “The Guitar”. The guitar really is my best instrument. I love it the most and I play it better than any other instrument I can play. Even though I’ve played in bands on keyboards, bass and various horns I am a guitar player.      Continue reading “The Best Guitar Strings; Dean Markley Blue Steel Strings”

Fun and Easy Practice

   As musicians, we’ve all heard the same word repeated over and over our entire carreer…Practice! I’ll tell you one thing I’ve learned, if you love to practice you’re probably not playing out very much. I personally don’t love to practice. I love it when I have a brand new instrument or when I’m learning a new instrument but that newness wears off quickly. Don’t get me wrong, I practice regularly and so should you. But don’t you like to practice when you’re having a lot of fun at the same time?      Continue reading “Fun and Easy Practice”

Welcome to Live Musician Central

  This Blog is dedicated to all the real world musicians out there who have made the leap from the garage to the stage. If you’re ready to play your first gig in front of an audience or if you’ve played hundreds of gigs in front of all kinds of audiences then this Blog is the home for you. Bookmark it now! I’ll be discussing the ins and outs of playing in front of an audience. I’ll discuss equipment, song selection, marketing, band chemistry and crazy stuff that happens at a gig and how to deal with it.

  If you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to post.

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