tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35980404615794684052024-02-06T22:23:51.933-07:00Pantomime HorseA blog about music, guitars, home recording, and the occasional miscellaneous post.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-56588080205108379932014-11-03T18:30:00.000-07:002014-11-03T18:30:00.208-07:00Review update: Flying Colors - Second NatureThis is the first time I've ever done this. I usually stand by my reviews as written, and I still do for Flying Colors' newest release, <i>Second Nature</i>, for the most part. But I've had time to listen to it, repeatedly, and I have to say that my initial assessment may have been a little off. Maybe I was feeling particularly jaded that day or something.<br />
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In my closing paragraph, I did say that it gets better with repeated listens. I just didn't realize how much better. I no longer mind the split personality of this album - the pop/prog mix works well, much better than I thought it would.<br />
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Although I still feel "The Fury of My Love" is a way too cheesy, this album has become one of my favorites of the year, and it can stand toe-to-toe with anything else these guys have done. While my first review ended with a 3.5 out of 5 rating, repeated listens ups that to a solid 4.5 (minus .5 for the cheese). This album is worth the purchase. Buy it. Go ahead. You know you want to.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-34381824788050881452014-10-06T09:00:00.000-06:002014-10-06T09:00:01.004-06:00Album Review - Second Nature by Flying Colors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A3xMelQwsJK7OmsC25si-fca5CivaEfAwmkg49HqcbYoUe8JQ54zheNGpL-HX6-ZKV9jhOv0bzgItRG1KQYrtm2iUb_DPqM82VoxOYSFfxN-3Xj84HDCWPkoPeAlXo9LecmEWUgohGs/s1600/flying-colors-sn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A3xMelQwsJK7OmsC25si-fca5CivaEfAwmkg49HqcbYoUe8JQ54zheNGpL-HX6-ZKV9jhOv0bzgItRG1KQYrtm2iUb_DPqM82VoxOYSFfxN-3Xj84HDCWPkoPeAlXo9LecmEWUgohGs/s1600/flying-colors-sn.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Second Nature</i>, the second album by supergroup Flying Colors, is an odd release. It's odd because whether or not the listener is new to the music of Neal Morse will profoundly influence their reactions.<br />
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Those new to the musings of Morse, and progressive rock as a whole, will be blown away by the technical histrionics, the catchy hooks, and the polished songwriting we've come to expect from anything he's involved with. For some, it may be one of the best albums they've ever heard, with them saying things like, "Why isn't all music like this?" And, "Why aren't these guys more famous?"<br />
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For the rest of us, however, the album will seem all too familiar, if not a bit formulaic. In fact, the first track, "Open Up Your Eyes," sounds like an extra track from Transatlantic's <i>Kaleidoscope, </i>which makes sense because these songs were probably written around the same time. The closing epic "Cosmic Symphony" is classic Morse-style prog, complete with the quasi-religious lyrics and bombastic closing crescendo that have become the hallmarks of his style.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The songs in between are mostly long-form songs as well, with only one, "Lost Without You," clocking in at under five minutes. The standout track is the first release, "Mask Machine." It's the only track that truly seems different than what the band members have done in the past with their other projects. The rest of the shorter songs are enjoyable, even if the power ballad "The Fury of My Love" is sprinkled with its fair share of cheese. "A Place in Your World" features three different lead vocalists and is a great short prog song. "One Love Forever," while being an obvious religious statement, has some of the most interesting instrumental passages, especially the neo-folk A-section. The gospel-tinged "Peaceful Harbor" evokes old Spock's Beard, and even Neal's latest solo album, with its full gospel choir section. It's a bit over the top, but hey, this is prog.<br />
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There are a few problems with this album. First, is has a more serious, somber tone. Their first self-titled release seemed like five guys having fun and branching out into a style of music that they normally don't play. I don't see that sense of fun in <i>Second Nature</i>. Also, while I understand that Morse has been born again for nearly 15 years, his efforts to inject religion into his secular projects are getting tired. The problem with Christian musicians in general is that, with limited subject matter, they end up writing the same songs over and over again. This is also an issue with Neal's solo work, as the same themes crop up again and again.<br />
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I don't want to ignore the other members of the group - Mike Portnoy is solid as ever on the drums, even though some of his fills are getting repetitive, and his vocals are ever improving; Casey McPherson's voice is soulful and interesting; and Steve Morse and Dave LaRue are both legends that need no introduction - but Neal dominates this album, and since he's always had good pop sensibilities to go along with his progressive nature, he is completely comfortable wading in this pool.<br />
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But it's that pop/prog mix that is the biggest problem with this album. It's not prog enough to satisfy die-hard progheads, and it's too prog for the casual pop/rock fan. Stood next to albums like Steven Wilson's excellent<i> The Raven that Refused to Sing (And Other Stories),</i> or even the aforementioned <i>Kaleidoscope</i>, it falls flat, and put up against other pop/rock albums, including Flying Colors' debut, it also falls flat. It's Prog Lite. It's the album that progheads will cue up when their wives are in the car (yes, I know it's a bit sexist, but let's face it - the progressive rock fanbase is a big sausage fest). But it's also a gateway drug for pop/rock fans who are interested in progressive rock, or perhaps it's even a compelling enough taste of prog that it may actually lure unsuspecting rock fans to the dark side.<br />
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It's a bit disappointing that, because of the more progressive leanings of <i>Second Nature</i>, Flying Colors is no longer the "something different" that these guys do away from their usual gigs. It's just another Morse/Portnoy project, and it's edging ever closer to Transatlantic and Neal Morse's solo work. Because of this, and because of the schizophrenic nature of the album (not quite pop, not quite prog), <i>Second Nature</i>, while still a fine record, only manages a score of 3.5 out of 5. Existing fans of the band members' other projects will love it and most prog fans will at least enjoy it, which will probably be enough to land it on many critics' top ten lists for 2014. The album does become better with repeated listens, and maybe their version of accessible prog will flourish to the point of actual radio play. Prog fans everywhere can only hope, because if any one band could do it, Flying Colors can.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-43397933368795481472014-08-26T07:00:00.000-06:002014-08-28T10:50:00.498-06:00Played five guitars at Guitar Center......and here's my quick take on them. I was surprised by a few.<br />
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<b>Guitar 1: Epiphone G-400 (SG) Worn Cherry -</b> This guitar was the biggest surprise for me. I thought I would love it, seeing as how I love my cheapo Epiphone SG Junior, but I really didn't like it. This was my first experience with a "real" set-neck SG, and I didn't like how the neck felt like it was so far out from the body. It wasn't comfortable. I'm sure I'd get used to it after a while, but I didn't like it. I was also thoroughly unimpressed with the quality of it. My Indonesia-made cheapy is much better finished than this Chinese-made not-so-cheapy. The switch felt cheap, the knobs were wobbly, and the pots didn't do much - the tone controls had very little taper. I was completely disappointed with this one. And at $349, it wasn't worth it at all.
I didn't like the sound of the pickups, but a lot of that could've been the amp.<br />
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The only one available was an Orange Crush 20-watter and it was easily the worst amp I've ever played through. The distortion was fizzy and it had no tone. I'd play it again through a better amp if I liked the way it played, but I didn't.<br />
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<b>Guitar 2: Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro -</b> This one was much better than the SG. I still didn't like the pickups, but they did sound better than the SG's, even through the shit Orange amp. Quality was substantially better, and it had a nice wine red flame top on it. Or course it was more expensive than the SG, too: $499, which is kind of a lot for a Chinese guitar. Even though it was better than the SG, it still didn't speak to me, so I put it down and went on to...<br />
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<b>Guitar 3: Fender Modern Player Telecaster HSS - </b>Another Chinese guitar, but this one was $399 and the quality was leaps ahead of both Epiphones. It felt and sounded good, too. It had a lacquered neck, which was a bit sticky, but the pickups sounded great. I just wish it had some kind of switching that would allow the bridge and neck to be played at the same time, so you can also get classic Tele sounds to go along with the very Stratty tone this thing put out. And I was still playing through the Orange. It was my favorite, so far...<br />
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<b>Guitar 4: Sterling Axis 40 -</b> I liked absolutely nothing about this guitar. I played and almost bought a Sterling JP50, so I know they can make good guitars, but this was terrible. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the design. The body shape made it uncomfortable to sit with. The non-recessed Floyd copy seemed like a waste (I'd prefer to be able to bend the pitch in both directions) and the neck felt cheap and narrow, yet it was too thick. The overall quality was OK, but I didn't like the guitar at all. The face that is was purple didn't help.<br />
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<b>Guitar 5: LTD EC-256 -</b> I almost didn't play this one. I was ready to leave after playing the Axis, but I took one more perusal around the store first. The LTD was hidden in a corner, and it was the only LTD in the store, so I had to play it. I never played an LTD before and I wanted to know what they were like. Well, as soon as I picked it up, I knew it was special. It just oozed quality. It had a beautiful sunburst finish and flame top with a natural back and sides. It was light but felt substantial. I played it a bit unplugged and I loved the neck - a nice D profile that wasn't too thick, but wasn't thin either.<br />
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Since this was in a different spot than the others, I plugged it into the nearest amp, a Line 6 Spider IV 75-watter, and I have to say it sounded very good. They must have made a lot of improvements from III to IV. Anyway, the guitar played like a dream. The pickups sounded great, both in humbucker and tapped single-coil mode. They had clarity and power, but more vintage power than screaming-at-the-amp power. I could've played it all day but I had to head home. Obviously, it was my favorite of all the guitars I played, and it was only $399, $100 cheaper than the Epiphone LP but worlds better.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-345235812509468712013-03-12T07:00:00.000-06:002013-03-12T07:00:07.173-06:00How a $93 guitar changed my life (the guitar part of it anyway)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5QsFizWGUglKVsEAbUYHLQuFTM113kkAl5VZrCte_0yOXoWpD36yAHTsHBQT1jPkd_k62xkXEhxJAX4JpLf3aaFtwnpzmOGn3qmH4PY2PRNsTbD3TK8kfoZRXYqhQ3FlQG2nb24swO0/s1600/DV016_Jpg_Large_H71863.002_worn_black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5QsFizWGUglKVsEAbUYHLQuFTM113kkAl5VZrCte_0yOXoWpD36yAHTsHBQT1jPkd_k62xkXEhxJAX4JpLf3aaFtwnpzmOGn3qmH4PY2PRNsTbD3TK8kfoZRXYqhQ3FlQG2nb24swO0/s400/DV016_Jpg_Large_H71863.002_worn_black.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best guitar you can buy for around $100.</td></tr>
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I've often said that the right guitar will find you, not the other way around, and if you don't recognize it when it happens, you'll forever regret it. Well, a few weekends ago, the right guitar found me, and I'm glad I was paying attention.<br />
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I have a big birthday coming up (one of the ones that end in zero) and my wife wanted me to get something special, so I was given a generous budget of $400 to get whatever I wanted. Since I'm not a professional gigging musician, I have no need for a $2,000 custom shop guitar, which means that $400 would buy a nice mid-level guitar that I would be perfectly happy with.<br />
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But what's better than buying one guitar? Buying two guitars, of course.<br />
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I'm nothing if not cheap, and I have an affinity (no foreshadowing pun intended) for cheap guitars, so I decided to look at the low end of the guitar spectrum and see if I could get two decent guitars for my $400. It's been a goal of mine to complete, in one form or another, the Holy Trinity of Guitars - Strat, Tele, and Les Paul. I already have the Strat, so I needed one of each of the other two to complete the trifecta. Could I do it on $400?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As it turns out, pretty easily. My local Guitar Center had a sunburst Squier Affinity Telecaster in stock, and to me that's the best looking Tele - sunburst finish, white pickguard, and maple neck. And at $180, it left me a lot of space to find a Les Paul-style guitar. I've always loved Juniors - I love the thin slab body and the simplicity of one pickup - and I've always been drawn to the uber-cheap Epiphone Les Paul Junior Special. Wouldn't you know it, they had a black one in stock and on sale for $99. So that's why, a few weekends ago, I was back at Guitar Center with hypothetical cash in hand - who uses real cash anymore?<br />
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I made a bee-line for the Tele and did a really quick check to make sure that it worked. I probably looked at it a little too quickly - I missed a few glaring issues that I'll get into at another time when I do a gear review - but I was a little sick and I was in a hurry to get home. I gave the Tele to my wife to hold while I searched for the Les Paul Junior, which I found on a stand above the amps. I pulled it down and tried to play it.<br />
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Try is the operative word here, because it was dead. The open strings wouldn't ring out. Obviously the truss rod wasn't adjusted right, but when I looked at the back of the neck I noticed the damage. I brought it up to the counter and the salesman said that yes, the neck got broken and it was repaired, but it wasn't really good enough to sell. He checked inventory and it was the only one he had. He pointed at the front of the store and said he had a few LP Specials with P90s for the same price, so I went to look at them instead, even though I really wanted one with a single humbucker.<br />
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That's when I saw the SG, or more accurately the Epiphone Limited Edition SG Junior. As you can see from the stock picture above, it looks fantastic. The finish is called worn black, but it looks more like a very dark brown, and it's matte finished all around, including the neck. It's absolutely stunning. I picked it up off the stand and noticed immediately how light it was. Then I looked on the back and noticed the "Made in Indonesia" sticker. I've played and owned many Indonesian-made guitars and they've always been well made, much better than Chinese guitars.<br />
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I plugged it into a random amp (an Orange Crush), and as soon as I started playing it I knew I had to bring it home. The neck was comfortable, a little chunky with a nice flat fretboard, and with the satin finish on the back it was quick. The fret work was perfect, the setup was good, the tuners were cheap but felt solid, and the intonation was good. It felt like twice the guitar that the Tele was, at about half the price. Yes, it was on sale for $93, less than the LP Junior. I looked at the salesman and said, "I'll take it."<br />
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So for less than $400, I got the Tele, the SG, two gig bags and GC's protection plan on both guitars. After bringing them home and playing them, I can't get enough of the SG. I love the way it feels, I love the way it plays, and I love the way it sounds. It has quickly become my favorite guitar to play, supplanting even my beloved Strat. It makes me a better player. It gets out of my way and just lets me play. Not bad for a $93 guitar. I'll do a full review, hopefully with video, in the near future.<br />
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The funny thing is, I've been searching for the perfect guitar for years, and it's ironic that I found it in a guitar that I didn't even set out to buy in the first place. I like it so much that I want to buy a spare just in case something happens to it. But that's what happens when the right guitar finds you, and why you should always be paying attention, because it can happen any time you walk into a guitar shop.<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-49842907595545901922012-07-30T09:00:00.000-06:002013-03-11T16:23:40.317-06:00Short takes: Airline Bighorn, Squier Affinity Tele, Fender Mustang III went to Guitar Center again this past weekend to waste time while my wife got her hair done, and I ended up trying out some gear. I played an Airline Bighorn and a Squier Affinity Tele through a Fender Mustang II amp. I'll share some quick first impressions of each one, starting with the amp.<br />
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<b>Fender Mustang II</b></div>
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Fender's Mustang range of solid-state modeling amps has been very well received in the music press, and I've been eager to try one out. I recently bought a Roland Cube 40XL that I love, but the 40-watt Mustang II was on my short list of amps to buy, and after playing it, I know that its place on that list was justified. It wasn't enough to make me regret my Cube purchase, but if I would've bought the Mustang instead, I wouldn't have been disappointed.<br />
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For each guitar, I used mostly the British 80s model, but I also used the American 90s model for heavier gain and the 65 Twin Reverb for clean. They all sounded very good, especially with the effects off (the orange/amber lights on the presets were mostly dry with a little reverb). Like the Cube, it has separate gain and volume knobs to control the amount of distortion on each model, and they worked well. I had the gain on about 7 and the volume on about 3 or 4. The tuner worked very well, too, and was more intuitive than the one on the Cube. Overall, this is an outstanding amplifier and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it alongside the Cube, especially as it's $50 cheaper.</div>
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<b>Airline Bighorn</b></div>
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I've been a fan of Eastwood Guitars for a while. I like how they take obscure (and sometimes very strange) guitars from the 60s that were found in catalogs from Sears and Montgomery Ward and reproduce them using modern electronics and techniques. Eastwood owns the Airline brand, and the guitars put out under that name have gained respect in the guitar community as well-built, affordable, eccentric guitars for those who want something different than the usual Strat/Tele/Les Paul.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqtNbKG8Kv6gXX8JcNLGSaBrpcPm76O-Z687h53x1_qZODIPFFJHMlM7Xlhd9uOZuPVXL4QqN6jZkWyMVzgRDjssnCzPKwopdXpbNlQRS0vUblm4ylHFKTlSoIJotoUG57MQKw5r0q1E/s1600/bighorn400x225.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqtNbKG8Kv6gXX8JcNLGSaBrpcPm76O-Z687h53x1_qZODIPFFJHMlM7Xlhd9uOZuPVXL4QqN6jZkWyMVzgRDjssnCzPKwopdXpbNlQRS0vUblm4ylHFKTlSoIJotoUG57MQKw5r0q1E/s1600/bighorn400x225.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It ain't easy being green, but it can be cool.</td></tr>
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One of their newest guitars is called the Bighorn, which is based on a student model that was sold under a few brands including Airline, Supro and Kay, as stated on their Web site. As soon as I saw this guitar I loved it, and I really wanted to play one. It's a strange looking guitar, kind of a cousin of a Gibson Explorer but more compact. I especially like it in green, so when I walked into Guitar Center and saw a used green Bighorn sitting on a stand I had to play it.</div>
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My first impression of the guitar is that it's a lot smaller than it looks in pictures. It fit very comfortably on my lap and was very easy to play. The bolt-on neck was painted the same color as the body, but it didn't feel sticky. I expected this guitar to have a thick neck, but I was surprised that it was a very comfortable C, very similar to a modern Fender Standard Stratocaster.</div>
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I plugged it into the Mustang and dialed in a nice overdriven tone using the British 80s model. This model sounds a lot like the Classic Stack model on my Cube, which is the one I use most of the time, so I really liked the tone. The metal-foil single coils had a very clear sound with tons of top end. I loved the bite coming from those pickups as I tend to be more of a fan of single coils. All three positions sounded great with the volume and tone maxed out, but I really liked the neck pickup. It's creamy and smooth and perfect for blues and blues rock. Moving to the higher gain model, the guitar still held its own, although it's not a metal guitar.</div>
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The controls were a bit of an issue, though. Although they felt very solid and had a nice taper on both volume and tone, the layout made it difficult to pull off volume swells. All four knobs are placed in a row and are volume-tone, volume-tone, first for the neck, then for the bridge. So the closest knob to your playing hand is the neck volume, which makes bridge pickup swells very difficult. The knobs are also quite small and close together. This is the kind of guitar where you set your controls and leave them alone, using the three-way switch to change tone.</div>
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The Achilles heel of this guitar, though, is the fingerboard. It's nice to play and the fret work was very good, but there are only 19 frets. This was probably done to keep it true to the original, but it's really a hindrance. Many players debate the need for 24 frets, and there is even a split between 21 and 22 frets, but 19 frets are just not enough. Because of this, the Bighorn is not a guitar you can use for all songs, and therefore is more of a specialty instrument. It's even more troubling that there is plenty of room between the neck and the neck pickup, so putting at least 21 frets wouldn't be difficult to do.</div>
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The good thing about this particular guitar is that it's used, but it's in like-new condition, and it's being sold for $199, a full $200 cheaper than a new one. Since this guitar just came out last year, it can't be more than a year or so old, so it's a steal. The bad thing is that, with the fret shortcoming, it is only justifiable as a second guitar for a specific purpose, so it would take a lot to justify the purchase. Still, if you like the way the guitar looks (like I do) and are OK with 19 frets, go to Guitar Center in Des Moines (or go online and have it shipped to your local GC) and pick it up. It's worth it. Just because it's a difficult purchase to justify doesn't mean I wouldn't buy it in a heartbeat if I had an extra 200 bucks lying around. It's that cool.</div>
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<b>Squier Affinity Tele</b></div>
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I really want to get a Telecaster at some point. I heard good things about this cheap Tele, and I've wanted to play one for a long time to see if those statements are true. In a word, they are. Wait, that's two words.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWyke5MQ1PUgdcVeR17D1N3-2aPShkfazhWQ_Q5tiowSAo5AI8rc_onlEGwrsZpM-eTP0qS3_pKbHwKM7mZtG-HuaPHKfS54sg9vRNvcNoeOjKzqaVEGd0qQIyeZlPxb1oaZPfsifTqQ/s1600/squieraffinitytele400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWyke5MQ1PUgdcVeR17D1N3-2aPShkfazhWQ_Q5tiowSAo5AI8rc_onlEGwrsZpM-eTP0qS3_pKbHwKM7mZtG-HuaPHKfS54sg9vRNvcNoeOjKzqaVEGd0qQIyeZlPxb1oaZPfsifTqQ/s1600/squieraffinitytele400.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cheapo Tele doesn't play cheap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Anyway, the guitar I played is the Affinity Tele special edition with a natural finish and black pickguard, meant to evoke the original Telecaster from the 50s. It's a Chinese-made (crafted, according to the headstock), entry-level guitar, so it's not going to compare with an American, Mexican, or even high-end Chinese Telecaster. But for what it is, it's impressive. The finish doesn't look as bad as I thought it would based on the picture. Whereas other natural finish Telecasters (including 50-year-old ones) have the same finish on the guitar body and neck, this one doesn't. It has the same very light maple neck that is put on the other Affinity series Telecasters, so the finish on the body is much darker. I didn't think I'd like it, but it actually looked pretty good.</div>
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Cost savings are evident on this guitar, though. The bridge is a top load, so the strings don't go through the body, which is cheaper to build. The body is thinner than a regular Telecaster, so in theory it won't transfer string vibrations as well, but I like the thin body. I think it's more comfortable to hold than a regular Telecaster as it doesn't dig into your body as much (there's no body contour). The neck also has a very narrow nut, which I'm guessing is to accommodate smaller hands, as this guitar is meant for beginners.</div>
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After playing the guitar, though, I completely forgot that it only cost $179. The smooth maple neck and narrow nut reminded me a lot of my DGW Contender, but with a standard 25.5" scale. It was really nice to play, very fast, with a comfortable C profile and nice frets. In fact, I was really impressed with the fit and finish on this guitar. The switch and controls were also surprising. I've read that the switches on the Affinity Teles are hit and miss, and if that's the case, this one was a hit. It worked fine and felt solid. The volume and tone controls also felt solid and had good taper. Many times on cheaper guitars, the knobs are more like on-off switches, where there isn't any noticeable difference as the knob is moved, only to suddenly change at the very end of the knob's range of motion. Not so on this Tele. Both the volume and tone responded to subtle changes and didn't feel like they were going to fall off.</div>
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The pickups are obviously cheap at this price point, but they still sounded great. Maybe part of it was the amp, but I didn't feel like the guitar was lacking at all. They sounded just as good as the ones in my old Mexican Telecaster that I sold a few years ago. They handled all the gain I gave it (within reason of course, as it's not a metal guitar) and still had good clarity. They didn't sound quite as good as the Airline's single coils but they were good enough, especially for an entry level guitar.</div>
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This guitar is a hard one not to justify, especially for a beginner or someone like me who wants a Telecaster but doesn't want to spend a lot of money. Since this guitar is so cheap, it's important to know that they can be hit or miss, but if you find one that's a hit, pick it up. It's more than worth the money.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-59226460171467928052012-07-05T09:30:00.000-06:002012-07-31T09:27:21.595-06:00Midlife re-evaluation and gear simplificationWhen people get to be my age, they go through what most people call a midlife crisis. I don't like to think of it that way. I view it more as a midlife re-evaluation. It's the stage of life where you finally realize that you no longer have all the time in the world to do everything you want to do, so you re-evaluate those goals and figure out which ones are viable and which ones have to be abandoned. It's a bittersweet time as it's sad to see some of your old goals and aspirations die, but it's good to be refocused on the things you really want to do. It doesn't happen at once and the plans often change until you finally figure out what you want.<br />
<br />
This re-evaluation happened to me recently. I'm fortunate in that I have a logical, analytical mind, and that I can do a lot of internal analysis without doing anything rash. Many people end up doing crazy stuff like quitting their jobs, divorcing their husbands/wives, and buying outrageous sports cars, boats, motorcycles, etc., only to realize they love their spouse, they liked their job, and the new bike hurts their back. I'm also fortunate because the only part of my life being re-evaluated is music - I enjoy my career, I love my wife, and although I'd love to learn to ride a motorcycle, it's not as important to me as it used to be, so I could take it or leave it.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I wrote a blog post recently about switching from guitar to drums. This was part of the re-evaluation process. I've always loved the drums and I played them for a few years, but I ended up selling my drum set because I didn't have enough time to focus on drums and guitar and I had already invested a lot of time on guitar. This was the pivotal moment where I could've been a drummer. I was much younger and I could have just kept my guitar stuff and used my limited practice time for drums instead of guitar. When I recently revisited the drums and thought I would rather be a drummer, what I was doing was regretting that decision, wondering if I hadn't made a mistake.<br />
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I know what many of you are thinking - why can't you just do both? Good question. I could, but there are two mitigating factors - money and time. I just don't have the money to spend on a ton of musical equipment, and I've already invested so much into guitars recently that I just can't justify spending more on drums and drum accessories.<br />
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Time is the biggest problem, though. I was watching a video recently of a Phil X guitar clinic, and he said that the only way to get better is to practice more. It's common sense, but you'd be surprised at how much common sense you can mask with denial. He said in this video that when students come to him and say that they're frustrated and they're stagnating, he says they have to play more. If they're playing for one hour a day, up that to two, or four. Whatever it takes. And that's the problem. I'm lucky if I get two hours a week to play, let alone two hours a day. But the truth is I don't want to play two hours a day. While I easily could, there are other things in my life I want to do, too. And even if I did want to play two hours a day, why? What's the ultimate goal? I don't want to join a band and play in night clubs and bars every weekend. I don't want to be a professional session player. I don't even want to write and record anymore, because again, the only way to learn how to record is to take more time. Then it'll take even more time to write the music and actually do the recording, and before you know it I'm working 6 hours a day to practice, write, rehearse and record. It's just not worth it.<br />
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That's when I realized that I will probably never be any better of a guitar player than I am right now, because I don't want to devote the time that it would take to become the player that I wanted to be when I was younger. And I also realized that I won't be able to put the time into becoming even a half decent drummer, because it's been 10 years or so since I last played and I'm not even as good as I was when I stopped. At least I've stayed consistent enough in my guitar playing that I haven't lost much over the years, but I've lost too much of my drumming to be able to play well enough to enjoy it, and using my limited time to play drums won't be enough to bring it back.<br />
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So in this midlife re-evaluation, the aspiration of being a drummer is one that will unfortunately be left to die off. So will the aspiration of writing and recording my own music. And the aspiration of being the guitar player I wanted to be when I was younger. And the aspiration of learning how to play bass. Maybe I can revisit some of these aspirations once I get to the age where I can retire from my full time job and thus have much more free time to devote to them, but for now, they will be put on a shelf, perhaps permanently.<br />
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This doesn't mean I'll never play guitar again. On the contrary, I plan on keeping my usual playing time and using that time to just enjoy playing. Sure, maybe I'll learn a thing or two here and there, but I'm not expecting big performance gains. I also took this time to simplify my gear and to finally get a good amplifier that can fill my needs for the rest of my life. The bass and bass amp are gone (as is the Basscapades series), the red Ibanez RG has also been sold, the DGW Contender has been given to my 11-year-old nephew, and the Line 6 amp and DigiTech RP90 are on the market.<br />
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I used the money from the gear sales to purchase a Roland Cube 40XL amplifier, which is absolutely amazing and is exactly what I will need for as long as I can keep playing. As for guitars, all I have left are my old Suzuki acoustic, my refurbished Hondo Strat (which has turned into a solid player), my Fender Strat, and my black Ibanez RG, which I originally had on the market but decided to keep after plugging it into the Cube and hearing how incredible it sounded. I also still have my Dunlop wah/volume pedal. I have some money left that I will probably spend on some footswitches for the Cube.<br />
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That's all the gear I need for now. I don't see a need for anything else. I may end up getting a Telecaster-style guitar at some point in the future, but right now I have no desire to buy another guitar. I've simplified the musical part of my life and while there's a twinge of sadness, I'm mostly feeling happy, excited, and relieved to know what I want out of music and that I have all I need now to achieve the modest but attainable goals I have as I move into the next stage of my life.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-29537024626642548712012-06-21T08:00:00.000-06:002013-03-11T16:24:05.472-06:00Gear Review: Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Pro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvWn2KQ5eyj1kj4zAFSBMXTrY_H7wY-G1n2MA6H9r1hyFGPkwcmET3jzSoTAmmoFv8FP4Xhcr9hK_xsMXzT-Ow1kZTjNQ9c8N0SdD4r-38pwkBKh63LFtOr5ywTmdrl53UW9KbISXSts/s1600/lputraprp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvWn2KQ5eyj1kj4zAFSBMXTrY_H7wY-G1n2MA6H9r1hyFGPkwcmET3jzSoTAmmoFv8FP4Xhcr9hK_xsMXzT-Ow1kZTjNQ9c8N0SdD4r-38pwkBKh63LFtOr5ywTmdrl53UW9KbISXSts/s400/lputraprp.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
In typical <a href="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/guitars/brand-epiphone">Epiphone</a> style, the <a href="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/epiphone-les-paul-ultra-pro-faded-cherry-sunburst">Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Pro</a> is another cheap and cheerful Les Paul rendition for the guitarist on a budget, but now is more versatile than ever! Despite its low price, the Epiphone Les Paul is well recognized as a renowned, respectable guitar. In fact it was used by Oasis' Noel Gallagher in the 90s and has
continued to be used by high-profile players in a variety of environments and
music styles. Les Pauls are famously versatile, which is one of the biggest
selling points, and the new Epiphone LP Ultra Pro gives even more without
sacrificing an affordable price tag.<br />
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The most impressive feature you’ll notice is the two ProBucker humbucker pickups, which are built around Alnico magnets with Elektrisola magnet wire. The ProBuckers are based upon the iconic BurstBucker pickups from the Gibson Les Paul Standard, which are designed to imitate the original PAF humbuckers. All this results in the classic, rich, powerful Les Paul tone that we all know and love. But it doesn’t stop there. The pickups can be coil-tapped through the push-pull switches on both volume controls so you get a totally different weapon added to your arsenal.</div>
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I play everything from classic rock to folk and everything in between, and when you play the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Pro you notice how amazingly adaptive it is, and it just sounds really full and clean. If I closed my eyes and played this guitar, unaware of the brand, I would honestly presume it was a top of the range Gibson Les Paul, for more than triple the price. It handled anything I could throw at it from ripping guitar solos to complicated riffs with ease. I was expecting the chambered body to have a slightly negative effect on the tone but other than making it noticeably lighter it was almost identical to a solid mahogany. </div>
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The construction of this Epi Les Paul Ultra is much more traditional but remains the quality that we've come to expect. It has a standard mahogany body, which is finished with a quilted maple top. The Mahogany neck is a treat behold with rosewood fingerboard and SlimTaper ‘D’ profile. It is then completed in typical Les Paul style with the ever-popular tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, and the classic Grover tuners give added stability. </div>
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I'm struggling to find any downfalls with this guitar other than the minor things that aren't really a big deal, like where it is made. the main difference between a Gibson and an Epiphone Les Paul is that Gibsons are made in America, which is a huge selling point for some reason. And lets not forget with a Gibson you're buying a badge as well. So my advice, get one of these beauties and put a sticker on it and it'll save you over a grand. </div>
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I'm a firm believer in getting the best you possibly can for your money, so if you're determined to get a Les Paul it has to be Epiphone and the Ultra Pro is probably the best you can buy. It is priced at around £500 ($599 US) and for what you’re getting it's an absolute bargain. It's a joy to play and obviously looks amazing. It's also a perfect gigging instrument as it's light, versatile and fairly cheap. It's the sort of guitar that if it was stolen or broken then you'd buy another, it's that impressive. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-45847241235299788872012-06-11T10:05:00.001-06:002013-03-11T16:24:25.896-06:00Gear Review: Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang signature guitarThe Fender <a href="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/fender-kurt-cobain-mustang-lake-placid-blue-with-stripe">Kurt
Cobain Mustang</a> was one of Fender's most exciting announcement over the last
few years. His previous signature models - the Jag-Stang and most noticeably the
very successful Jaguar - were Kurt’s preferred instruments although it is the
Mustang that we associate with him most. This is predominantly down to the
Mustang that he trashed in the "Smells like Teen Spirit" video from which he is
most famous. So the prospect of replicating Kurt’s guitar right down to his own
personal modifications was enough to have most guitarists salivating over
it.<br />
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Fender's original 60s model was designed as a student
instrument as it is smaller in scale, smaller in body, and slimmer but yet still
contains Fender's famous build quality. It was probably this compact size and
easy playability that persuaded Cobain to play it in the first place. It was
also the first Fender student guitar to incorporate a vibrato system,
apparently every time Kurt wobbled the arm the guitar kept going out of tune so
he modified it to a hardtail. </div>
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Fender have rightly kept all of these features in the Kurt
Cobain Mustang but have increased the output by introducing a high output
Seymour Duncan JB humbucker at the bridge, whereas the original only featured
two single coil pickups. This makes the sound smoother yet increases the output
and is capable of delivering the powerful tones that made Nirvana famous.</div>
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It would be fair to say the Mustangs don’t really excel when
it comes to tonal versatility. However the cool on/off pickup sliders produce
out of phase, sweet and spiky humbucker tones. As much as you try the JB
humbucker will never cross into metal territory, even on the highest gain
setting. As much as I like this personally it’s not very authentic and is quite
disappointing really.</div>
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A cool added bonus is that with the guitar you get a limited
edition 10-inch red vinyl edition of "Smells like teen spirit." It also comes in
three vintage Fender finishes: <a href="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/fender-kurt-cobain-mustang-lake-placid-blue-with-stripe">Lake
Placid Blue with racing stripe</a>, <a href="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/fender-kurt-cobain-mustang-fiest-red">Fiesta red</a>
and Sonic Blue. And if you're a lefty, they are all available in a <a href="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/fender-kurt-cobain-mustang-left-handed-lake-placid-blue-with-stripe">left-handed
equivalent</a>. </div>
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There’s no getting around it, it is a very expensive guitar
and in all honesty I do think it could be more versatile tonally. However
visually its stunning and it takes real time and effort to produce an
instrument that really does reflect a player’s attitude and tone. All in all I
really like the KC Mustang but I would highly recommend you try before you buy.</div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-73401415357175166612012-06-11T09:00:00.000-06:002012-07-31T09:28:05.936-06:00One more shotI've had another weekend revelation: I've decided to give the guitar one last shot, one more chance to see if I really want to be a guitarist, before I make a potential shift to drums as my main instrument.<br />
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This revelation came from my first trip to my new neighborhood Guitar Center. My wife was getting her hair done, which is usually an hour-long affair but in this case would last at least two, and fortunately for me the Guitar Center in Des Moines was on the same street as the hair salon, a quick 5-minute drive. So after a quick check-in with the wife, I headed out.<br />
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I gave the place a quick look-around and then averted my eyes from the guitars and headed straight for the drum room in the back. And I do mean this literally - I looked down at the floor and avoided looking at the wall of guitars on the left side. I was hoping they had some electronic drum sets set up, which they did. I had two goals on this trip - to check out some electronic drum sets and to see if I still enjoy playing.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>They had about five electronic drum sets set up. Most were of the freaking expensive variety, but they did have a Simmons SD7K, which interested me because it's an entry level set and that's the category my budget will allow. I borrowed a set of sticks and went to work.<br />
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The first thing I noticed is that I didn't totally lose it - my drumming was still there, if a bit rusty. That was good. The second thing I noticed is that the Simmons set really blew. That was bad. The sounds were horrible and the pads were not very responsive.<br />
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The second set I tried was a Yamaha DTX520K, which was a hell of a lot nicer but was also a hell of a lot more expensive - a cool grand, about twice as much as the Simmons. I spent most of my time on this set. The best thing about it was I could forget about the set and just play, which meant I could explore goal number two. I discovered that, yes, I did still enjoy playing the drums. I also discovered that the rust was pretty thick and it would take a while just to get back to where I was when I last played.<br />
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Further confusing the issue was what I did next. I took off the blinders and went to the guitar wall. I just can't resist a wall of guitars. I briefly played a few of them unplugged. I played a used Mexican HSS Strat which felt really nice. I played a Sterling JP6 that proved I made the wrong decision (I chose my red Ibanez over the JP6). I played a Blacktop Stratocaster that was incredible. I played three Telecasters - a Classic Player series Tele that had a painfully thick neck, a standard Mexican Tele in Alpine white that felt really good, and another Mexi-Tele that I saw as I was leaving that I just had to pick up because it was in one of my favorite configurations - brown sunburst with a white pickguard and a maple neck. Despite being severely out of tune, it was amazing, surprisingly better than the relatively identical white one.<br />
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All this guitar playing confused me, because although I enjoyed drumming, I didn't enjoy it any more than playing guitar. On the drive home, I talked about it with my wife and came to the relevation stated above. I'm going to try again to be a guitarist. I have a lot of frustrations with the instrument, and maybe by overcoming them I can enjoy it more and forget about being a drummer. If not, though, it's not like there won't be drum sets to buy in the future. Heck, maybe someone will even figure out how to make a good entry level electronic set by then.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-33310124253962972212012-04-24T08:34:00.000-06:002012-04-25T15:31:32.197-06:00A four-year revelation<br />
Four years ago, I decided to get serious about music again. I had a choice - I was either going to focus on guitar or drums. After a lot of thought and contemplation, I chose to become a serious guitar player.<br />
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Now that four years have passed, I have realized that I'm really no better at guitar than I was back then. I may have learned a few new songs (but probably forgot a lot more that I used to know when I was younger) but everything else has stayed relatively constant despite a concerted effort to improve.<br />
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I'm also still drawn to the drums. I tap out rhythms when I'm sitting at my desk at work. Or driving in the car. Or anywhere else, really. When I listen to new music, the first thing I notice is the drums. I feel like I have a mental block when it comes to learning the guitar, yet the drums just seem so natural.<br />
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You probably know where this is going. I've decided to stop denying it and embrace the fact that, despite all my best efforts to the contrary, I'm a drummer at heart. I still love the guitar and I'm sure I'll still play from time to time, but I won't be as serious about it as I was. Heck, maybe I'll even enjoy it more.<br />
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So I'm putting together a plan. I want to get a set of electronic drums (I'm really liking the Roland HD-3 V-Drums). I might thin my guitar collection down a little bit as I won't be playing them as much and there are already some guitars I rarely pick up anymore. I'll keep the bass, because I like the fact that I will have a complete power trio setup and I would still like to possibly do some basic home recording.<br />
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I'm excited about this. I feel like I'm finally going down the right musical path, albeit four years too late.<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-24723132206779777742011-12-08T09:00:00.000-07:002011-12-08T09:00:02.256-07:00Review: Rob Chapman - Bare Bones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been following Rob Chapman - a.k.a. Chappers, a.k.a. The Monkey Lord - on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RobChappers" target="_blank">YouTube</a> for a few years now, and while I continue to watch his videos for his humor and his personality, it doesn't hurt that he's also a world class guitarist and an equally good guitar instructor.<br />
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However, before he was Rob Chapman, YouTube celebrity, he was Rob Chapman, professional guitarist. After a few bands he was in disintegrated, he put out a solo EP called Red Dream and started his YouTube channel. While building his empire (he also has a guitar company called <a href="http://www.chapmanguitars.co.uk/" target="_blank">Chapman Guitars</a>) he recorded more songs and released another EP, but none of them had a wide release.<br />
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This year, to close the chapter on his early work and forge ahead to new horizons, he's released a compilation album called <i>Bare Bones</i>. In it are remastered versions of songs from his <i>Red Dream</i> EP along with songs recorded with his short-lived band Monkey Lord and his second EP <i>At Arms Reach</i>. While it's a good album on its own and features some of his best work, it's lacking enough to stop it from being the definitive Chappers collection.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><i>Red Dream</i> was already an excellent EP (I would give it five stars if I were reviewing it here), and the remastered versions of "Black Fly," "Tibetan Cloud Dream," and his signature song, "Bleed the Light" sound even better and give the songs new life. The same can be said for "Mantra of the Monkey Lord," a song released during his early YouTube days and still one of his best.<br />
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His songs from Monkey Lord are also great tunes. While the <i>Red Dream</i> songs were instrumentals, the songs from Monkey Lord and "Mantra" showcase Rob's vocal range. I prefer the calmer vocals on "Mantra" than the throaty, bluesy vocals on "Breath," although he does both very well. The surprise song for me, though, is "Phantom Power." I love the near-thrash-metal riffs, the powerful vocals, and the anthemic lyrics. The only problem is that it's too short - at 1:47, it's almost over before it starts. A second verse and a bridge section would have rounded it out nicely, both in content and running time.<br />
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In fact, that's probably the biggest problem with this collection of songs - some of them are just way too short. They sound like good ideas that weren't fully flushed out. Also, the song selection could have been better. The audio quality on "White Rose" is lacking, especially next to the remastered tracks. It should have been remastered or removed from the track list, or at least relegated to "bonus track" material. Also conspicuously absent are "Brothers" and "Cannon" from <i>Red Dream</i>. Even though that would recreate the entire <i>Red Dream</i> EP, they are all good songs and really belong on this retrospective collection, even as bonus tracks. The original "Breath" could easily be removed, as all it really does is show how much better the remaster sounds.<br />
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Even with its issues, <i>Bare Bones</i> is a strong collection of songs and is a must-own for Chappers' legion of fans (affectionately called "monkey minions"). For others in his target audience - i.e. those who would buy Joe Satriani records - <i>Red Dream</i> is a better option as it includes all of his excellent instrumentals. With a better song selection I would give it five stars, but as it stands now it gets a solid four-star rating. Not bad for an eclectic collection of songs from a musician who isn't very well known outside his YouTube circle, although I have a feeling that won't be the case very long.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-51556442643939852952011-11-15T09:00:00.000-07:002011-11-15T09:10:31.039-07:00Basscapades, ep. 2: InfluencesWith my pending foray into the world of bass, I've been thinking a lot about bass players and the ones that I most want to emulate. Just as my guitar playing is influenced by a mix of several guitar players to make my style, such as it is, my bass playing will most likely be the same. Everyone has influences, everyone takes bits and pieces of other players' styles and adds some of their own flavoring to make their individual style.<br />
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Here, in a particular order, are my top five bass influences. I'm not saying this is a list of the best bassists of all time (although each one deserves a place on such a list), but it's a list of the players I most want to emulate, starting with number five.<br />
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5. Steve Harris - Iron Maiden<br />
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Despite my progressive rock tendencies, there's more than a little bit of metal in me, and to me, Steve Harris is the quintessential metal bassist. His playing is authoritative and technical and he does it all on a P Bass, no need for fancy 5- or 6-string basses. Plus he writes most of the band's music.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>4. Jonas Reingold - The Flower Kings/Karmakanic<br />
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My first introduction to Jonas Reingold was The Flower Kings' epic live album <i>Meet the Flower Kings</i>. I saw the videos on YouTube before buying the CD and Jonas' playing blew me away. He is an extremely versatile player - he can do anything from picked grooves to jazzy fingerstyle to fretless, often in the same song.<br />
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3. Dave Meros - Spock's Beard<br />
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Throughout the Neal Morse-led Spock's Beard, Dave Meros did his best Chris Squire impersonation, picking his Rickenbacker while the band progged around him. And he did a fantastic job of it. So imagine my shock when I read in an interview him saying that he's really not that good with a pick and he's much more comfortable fingerstyle. He showed glimpses of it during the Morse era - in the bass solo in "Walking on the Wind" and the jazzy organ solo in "The Great Nothing" - but in Spock's Beard 2.0 he has really let his own style shine through, blending Squire-esque picking and fingerstyle playing.<br />
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2. Chris Squire - Yes<br />
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One of the pioneers of progressive rock bass, Chris Squire has an unmistakable sound, relying almost exclusively on frenetic picking, sounding like a cross between a bassist and a guitarist. His use of the trebly Rickenbacker bass became the definition of the progressive rock bass sound, bringing the instrument forward in the mix instead of thumping away in the background like most of his contemporaries.<br />
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1. Geddy Lee - Rush<br />
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Geddy Lee is to me the ultimate bassist. He took Chris Squire's lead of using trebly basses to bring his sound to the front - first on Rickenbackers then later on Jazz Basses - but eschewed the pick for a thumping, powerful fingerstyle attack that propels Rush's sound. Being in a power trio, Lee's bass needs to fill the role of bass and rhythm guitar, and many times his playing overshadows Alex Lifeson's guitar, relegating Lifeson to the rhythm while his bass takes the lead. Add to that the fact that he sings all the songs and plays keyboards and bass pedals and you simply have the most amazing bass player of our generation.<br />
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So that's the list. I know there are a lot of great bass players missing - guys like John Entwistle, Jaco Pastorius, Les Claypool, John Myung, Paul McCartney, and too many more to add. But if things work out well with my basscapades, the style I develop will be some combination of the five great bassists above, proportional to their place on the list.<br />
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At least I hope so.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-54945907899313904872011-11-08T09:00:00.000-07:002011-11-08T09:00:12.204-07:00Basscapades, episode 1: The bass comes home, goes away, comes home again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you can probably tell from the title of this blog, I decided to call my new bass series "Basscapades." This first installment will focus on the arrival of the new bass, which, as you can see from the picture on the right, kicks massive be-hind. Sure it's just your average Squier Affinity J Bass value package, but I love it. It has a beautiful deep blue finish and is surprisingly well made for something so cheap. It's also my third Indonesian-made instrument along with my two Ibanez RGs, and I have to say, Indonesians really know how to make stringed instruments.<br />
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I ordered my bass from Guitar Center on October 30 and it arrived in the mail this past Wednesday. Although there's a GC close by in Fort Collins, I got it online because they didn't have a blue J Bass pack in stock, just black, and despite the fact that Geddy Lee's signature bass is black I wanted a blue one.<br />
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The bass in the picture is not that bass.<br />
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On Saturday, I decided to open up the package just to make sure everything worked. Even though this is a Christmas present, I wanted to check it out now just in case anything was broken so I could return it if need be. I'm so glad I made that decision.<br />
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After unpacking the contents, I checked out the bass first. I tuned it up and played it a little and I was impressed. It had no blemishes and everything was bolted together quite well. Then I took out the amp, plugged it in, and turned it on.<br />
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Nothing.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>So I tried a different outlet.<br />
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Nothing.<br />
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Then I got another power cord (it takes the same kind of power cord as a desktop computer) and plugged it in.<br />
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Nothing.<br />
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Crap.<br />
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I called Guitar Center's customer service line and told them of the problem. Since it was well within the 30-day return window I could easily return it. I asked the representative if I could bring it down to the Fort Collins store and just swap out the amp because I was satisfied with the bass, and he said it should be no problem. I thanked him, hung up and called the store. They told me that they couldn't swap out the amp because it was considered part of a package but I could return or exchange the whole thing.<br />
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Double crap.<br />
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For the record, my wife never liked Guitar Center because she always thought the salesmen were rude. I had mixed feelings about them - some were nice, some weren't. We've been to Spotlight Music, an independent music store in Fort Collins, a few times and liked the people there. I called Spotlight and lo and behold they had a blue J Bass pack in stock. Our plan took shape - we would go to Guitar Center, return the bass pack I ordered online, then go to Spotlight and pick up the new bass pack.<br />
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We got to Guitar Center and lugged the bass pack inside. I have to admit, the salesman I dealt with wasn't entirely nice to us. When I informed him that I wanted to return it, he said in a not-so-friendly voice, "You know we have these in stock, right?" I told him that yes, I knew that you did, but you don't have any in blue. He then proceeded to take his dear sweet time getting us our refund, but in the end we got our receipt and headed to Spotlight.<br />
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When we got to Spotlight, I told one of the sales reps that I had called earlier and that they had put aside a bass pack for me. He yelled over to another rep who was at the tech station and he started getting the bass ready while I paid.<br />
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This is when the surprise happened.<br />
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The second rep actually took the bass out of the package and set it up for me. He adjusted the truss rod and tuned it up. He also let me take out the amp and make sure that it worked. The whole time he was friendly and talkative and I felt like they really appreciated my business. I never felt that way at Guitar Center. I don't remember them ever setting up any of the guitars I bought there, and I bought three of my five electrics there. Usually when I walk out of Guitar Center I feel moderately annoyed, even when I walk out with new gear. I didn't feel that way at Spotlight - in fact, it was the best guitar store experience I've had since I used to go to C & C Music back in my home town. I officially have a new guitar shop. Spotlight has earned my business and I'll always go there first for anything I need.<br />
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The new bass is every bit as good as the one I got online, and the amp works just fine. But it's back in the closet, waiting for December 25 to be taken out again. I want to play it so bad it hurts.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-31354697544975258392011-11-02T06:00:00.000-06:002011-11-02T06:48:53.101-06:00Happy birthday to my wonderful wife!Today is my beautiful wife's birthday. It's the best day of the year for me, better than Christmas, or New Year's Day, or any other day. It's the day when I celebrate the life of the person that means more to me than anything. She's been there for me through everything, and put up with all my musical escapades.<br />
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I love you sweets! Happy Birthday!<br />
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(This song always reminds me of her.)<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-60135045236201386402011-11-01T09:00:00.000-06:002011-11-01T09:00:03.931-06:00New incoming gear and a new seriesThis weekend, my wife and I completed our Christmas shopping for each other. We do things a little different than most people - we order our presents online, together. That means there are no surprises, but it also means there are no disappointments either. It works out quite well.<br />
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We usually get one big-ticket item, and this year, my big ticket item is a bass. Or more accurately, a Fender "Stop Dreaming, Start Playing" Bass Pack, complete with a Squier bass, a nice Fender Rumble 15 amp, and a wad of accessories like a gig bag, cord, strap, and tuner. I have to say, I haven't been this excited about a new gear purchase in a long time.<br />
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I decided to go with the Jazz Bass instead of the P-Bass, despite the fact that I think the P-Bass looks a lot better. There's just something about that shape that just looks right to me. Still, the Jazz Bass has the kind of tone that I prefer, plus Geddy Lee plays one, so what else do you need?<br />
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I'm also going to start a new series to coincide with the new bass that will chronicle my bass learning experience. I'm trying to think of a good name. I was going to go with something cheesy like "Bass Emotions" but I may just call it "John Learns the Bass." When I make my first post, you'll know what I picked.<br />
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Since buying the bass, I've also been listening to music differently. It's like a whole new world is opening up to me. I listened to my "guitar" playlist on my iPod - the one that has all the songs I can play on guitar - and the songs sounded different to me. I heard the bass, not the guitar. Sure the guitar was still there, but it moved to the background. I was locked into the bass lines and I heard things I've never heard before, even on songs that I've heard hundreds of times. I hope that my actual experience playing the bass is as good, because I feel like this may be My Thing. I feel like I may have missed my calling all these years. Perhaps that's why it has taken me so long to improve on the guitar. Perhaps I was meant to be a bassist. At least I'm a prog fan. I can't think of any other genre except maybe funk in which the bass is given such a prominent role.<br />
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The bass pack will arrive in the mail within the week, but I won't open it until Christmas. I really don't know if I'll be able to wait that long. Shortly after, I'll start the new bass series. I'm looking forward to re-learning the songs I already know on guitar, and beyond.<br />
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I was wrong. I <i>do</i> know that I won't be able to wait until Christmas. Help!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-36041833749923809782011-10-21T09:00:00.000-06:002011-10-21T10:45:10.431-06:00Gear upgrade report cardSince I've been filling up this blog with album reviews recently, I decided to change gears and talk about guitar stuff today. Over the past few years I've completely revamped my entire lineup of equipment - I have nothing that I had two years ago. Over this time I've bought and sold a host of gear for one reason or another. Now that the revamp is complete, I'm going to go through the list of things I've bought and sold and grade them, and at the end I'll tally them up and see if it was all worth it.<br />
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<b>Things I've sold</b><br />
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<b>Gear:</b> Charvel Model 2<br />
<b>Reason sold:</b> It sat in my closet for a long time collecting dust and deteriorating.<br />
<b>Proceeds used for:</b> I traded it at Guitar Center for my Stratocaster.<br />
<b>Regret selling it:</b> Yes. I had neglected it but I would have been better off taking it to a luthier and saying "fix it." The good thing is that I got my Strat for it, but I probably could have just bought the Strat outright because they didn't really give me that much on the trade anyway.<br />
<b>Grade: D.</b> Not a failure because of the Strat but pretty close.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Gear:</b> Fender Stage 112SE 1x12 160 watt SS combo amp<br />
<b>Reason sold:</b> It was too damn loud for home practice.<br />
<b>Proceeds used for:</b> I traded it at Guitar Center for a Line 6 Spider III 15. Yes I'm an idiot.<br />
<b>Regret selling it:</b> Yes. I got rid of it because it was too loud. I ended up getting the Spider III, which blows. Since getting my RP90 I've realized the benefits of a good modeling effects processor through a good clean amp, which the old Fender was. It would have made a great rig if I ever ended up jamming with other people.<br />
<b>Grade: F.</b> Even if I wanted a different amp, I could have got something much better than the Line 6. Epic fail.<br />
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<b>Gear</b>: 1995 Fender Telecaster Squier Series MIM<br />
<b>Reason sold:</b> I found a nicer Telecaster I wanted to buy and I had to get the money somewhere.<br />
<b>Proceeds used for:</b> I bought the American Tele listed below.<br />
<b>Regret selling it:</b> Yes. Even though the pickups and hardware were crap it played nicely. It had a neck profile like my Strat, which made it more comfortable than the American Tele I bought with the proceeds.<br />
<b>Grade: F.</b> I could have easily upgraded the pickups and hardware. I'm an idiot (again).<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> 2006 Fender Telecaster American Series HH<br />
<b>Reason sold:</b> I couldn't play the damn thing without serious wrist/thumb pain.<br />
<b>Proceeds used for:</b> I traded it at Guitar Center for an Ibanez RG4EXQM1.<br />
<b>Regret selling it:</b> No. The only regret was that I couldn't play it. It was a lovely guitar but the neck was too thick for my DeQuervain's-addled left wrist. And I tried, I really did. I put on lighter strings and dropped the action, but it didn't work. It hurt me too much. It was a real shame as it was my first and only American-made Fender.<br />
<b>Grade: A.</b> I should never have bought it, despite how nice it was.<br />
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<b>Gear: </b>1998 Gibson Les Paul Jr. Lite<br />
<b>Reason sold:</b> It was the least played of my guitars and it had some issues - the pickups were muddy and the intonation was off at the first four frets (it probably needed a better cut nut).<br />
<b>Proceeds used for:</b> I traded it at Guitar Center for an Ibanez RG3EXFM1.<br />
<b>Regret selling it:</b> No. I miss it sometimes but I didn't play it enough to justify keeping it. Besides, I traded it for my hardtail Ibanez RG and I can't imagine life without that guitar.<br />
<b>Grade: A.</b> It had some sentimental value but the benefits far outweigh the costs.<br />
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<b>Things I've bought</b><br />
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<b>Gear</b>: 2008 Fender Standard Stratocaster MIM<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> Hell no. Love this guitar.<br />
<b>Grade: A.</b> Even though I lost my Charvel to this, it's still one of the best gear purchases I've ever made. I probably should have bought it without the trade but the benefits are still worthy of the high grade.<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> Line 6 Spider III 15<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> Hell yes. I wish I would have done more research before making the purchase. I use it as a power amp now for my RP90 but even for that it kinda sucks.<br />
<b>Grade: F.</b> I could have either kept the Fender combo and just got an effects processor like the RP90 to use for headphone practice or got a better amp for the trade.<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> 2006 Fender Telecaster American Series HH<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> Yes. See above for more info. Great guitar, couldn't play it.<br />
<b>Grade: C.</b> It was definitely a nice enough guitar to give it a try, but in the end my DeQuervain's couldn't handle it. Anyone else probably would have loved the upgrade from a Mexican to an American Tele.<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> DigiTech RP90<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> No. It's a great little piece of gear. I don't know what I'd do without it.<br />
<b>Grade: A.</b> The only thing missing is an MP3/CD input. With one it would be a perfect practice tool that can also be used through an amp. It sounds fantastic - without it I'd still be stuck with the crappy amp models from my Line 6.<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> Ibanez RG4EXQM1<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> I'm starting to. I thought it would stay in tune with the locking tremolo but I've had nothing but problems with it. I hardly play it because of that. There are times I wish I would have bought the Sterling JP50 instead, or even an LTD with a Floyd Rose Special.<br />
<b>Grade: B.</b> It's still a great guitar to play but if I can't sort out the tuning issues it's going to be another closet dweller.<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> Ibanez RG3EXFM1<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> Hell no. Another desert island guitar, along with my Strat. If I were only allowed by law to have this guitar and my Strat I would be happy.<br />
<b>Grade: A.</b> It's the best guitar I own, really.<br />
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<b>Gear:</b> Durango Contender<br />
<b>Regret buying it:</b> Kinda. Don't get me wrong, it's a great little guitar and I play it regularly, but I could have bought something I needed more with the $300. I was overtaken by the excitement of a "new guitar day" when I got it sent to me for review and I bought it because of that. It was an impulse buy that should have been thought over more carefully.<br />
<b>Grade: B.</b> I love the guitar and I love playing it, which should be enough, but I can't help but think that I could have used the money for something better suited to my needs. At least it's something I use and it doesn't just sit in my closet.<br />
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<b>Results</b><br />
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Going by the standard grading system, my final grade is a 2.42, which is either a C+ or a B- depending on your perspective. Not too bad but it shows that I could have put a little more thought into some of my moves. My ideal rig, based on this list, would be my old Charvel (refurbished of course), my old Telecaster with some upgrades, my Strat, my hardtail Ibanez, my old Fender amp or equivalent, and my RP90. Three old, three new.<br />
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I noticed as I was writing this a lot of "shoulds" and "coulds." I understand that this exercise is speculative and that it's impossible to go back in time and change what's already happened. All I can do is take this information and learn from it and ensure that any changes I make to my guitar rig in the future are more carefully considered so I can better align them with my needs and my goals. I look at my current rig and the list above and realize that a lot of my needs could have been filled by things that I already had. I can't help but look at what could have been and wish I had it but I can use that wish to align any future purchases to my goals. This is an important lesson for anyone looking to make changes to their own equipment. It's OK to make changes but it's important to know why you want to make them and how to best make those changes to mitigate future regret.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-49905960930320392022011-10-18T09:00:00.000-06:002011-10-18T09:00:06.768-06:00Retro Review: Marillion - Misplaced Childhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I first discovered modern progressive rock, the first band I found was Spock's Beard. This led me to Transatlantic, then to all the members' bands, starting with The Flower Kings, then Dream Theater, and then finally Marillion. Although maybe not quite as progressive as the other bands (you'll find much fewer odd time signatures and fiddly self-indulgent instrumental solos), Marillion still have many elements of prog, including poetic lyrics, strong musicianship and songwriting, and concept albums like <i>Misplaced Childhood.</i><br />
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Not only is <i>Misplaced Childhood</i> the best of Marillion's concept albums, but it is, to me, the template from which all concept albums should be based. Many concept albums are buried under their own weight. They're just too long, too grand in scope. Many of the early ones span multiple LPs, and newer ones span multiple CDs, each one packed to their hour-and-twenty-minute max. It's just too much for one sitting, and the concept sometimes gets lost among the sheer magnitude of music. Not <i>Misplaced Childhood</i>. It was written as a concept album in two acts, each act fitting on one side of a traditional LP. The whole album clocks in at under 42 minutes, which can easily be digested in one sitting.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The concept of <i>Misplaced Childhood</i> is a happy childhood/young adulthood contrasting with a disappointing and unfulfilled adulthood replete with lost loves and alcohol abuse. The lyrics, written by singer Derrick Dick a.k.a. "Fish," are semi-autobiographical as he has fought the same battles with alcoholism and depression (he would leave the band for these very reasons after their next album, <i>Clutching at Straws</i>).<br />
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Act one starts out with the wistful "Pseudo Silk Kimono" before going into "Kayleigh" and "Lavender," two love songs that follow the theme of the album - "Kayleigh" is about an adult relationship while "Lavender" is about a childhood relationship. Although the two acts of <i>Misplaced Childhood</i> have no breaks (the songs transition smoothly from one to the next), both songs were broken out as singles and became Marillion's most popular songs of their career, elevating the band to super-stardom in the UK. "Lavender" is based on the children's song of the same name and shares some lyrics in the refrain, although the verses are original. The act then resumes with "Bitter Suite," one of the two long-form songs on the album (each act has one) before ending with the soaring, anthemic "Heart of Lothian," where Fish celebrates his proud Scottish roots.<br />
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The second act starts out with the heaviest songs on the album, "Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)" and the short "Lords of the Backstage," then goes into the second long-form song, "Blind Curve." While act one was all about the despair of a disappointing adulthood, act two is all about redemption and the reclaiming of happiness, which is what "Childhood's End?" and "White Feather" are all about. The protagonist reclaims the heart he lost from his childhood and defies anyone to try to take it away, as this lyric from "White Feather" illustrates: "I won't wear your white feather/I won't carry your white flag/I will swear I have no nation/But I'm proud to own my heart." It's a triumphant end to the story that will leave listeners emboldened about their own lives. I challenge anyone to listen to this album in its entirety and not come out feeling like you could take on the world.<br />
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The music is slightly anachronistic as its sound is firmly rooted in 1985 - Steve Rothery's Strat is drowned in layers of reverb and delay and is never too distorted as to offend, keyboardist Mark Kelly makes liberal use of period analog synths, Pete Trewavas' bass thumps quietly in the background, and Ian Mosely's drums are loud and booming. Despite this, the album holds up well and is still enjoyable in a modern context. The production is typical of its age but it strengthens the album, not weakens it. Fish's delivery is reminiscent of Genesis-era Peter Gabriel but is unique enough as not to sound derivative, especially as he sings through a thick Scottish brogue. In fact, one of the highlights of the album is the spoken word intro to "Bitter Suite." It's no wonder Fish became a popular radio DJ later in his career - he has a voice you could listen to all day.<br />
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<i>Misplaced Childhood</i> proves that a concept album doesn't have to be long to be great, and with a strong concept, well written lyrics, thoughtfully reused lyrical and musical passages and a quick pace it can be much more satisfying than a two-plus-hour-long double CD that struggles under its own weight. If it has a flaw, it is that it's almost too short. This can be seen with "Lavender" - the song is only 2:26 long on the album, but the single edit, which has an additional refrain and a guitar solo, clocks in at 3:40. The additions really improve the song and it's a shame the band couldn't find an extra 1:14 to include them on the album.<br />
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These are just minor issues with what is a classic prog album. <i>Misplaced Childhood</i> is one of the best concept albums of any era and should be part of any progressive rock fan's collection. I give it an easy 5 out of 5 stars. Do yourself a favor, go pick it up. You won't be sorry.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-6454720816851286652011-10-14T09:00:00.000-06:002011-10-14T09:07:42.210-06:00Coming soon: Retro ReviewsI'm sure many people are like me in that they discovered Progressive Rock fairly late in the game. Many of the great prog albums were made 20, 30, even 40 years ago. Sure, you can Google the album and maybe get a review from when it first came out (providing it's new enough), but you won't get a sense of what it's like to discover them now, long after their release date.<br />
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That's why I'm starting a new series called Retro Reviews. In this series, I will review some of the great prog albums that you may have missed along the way. I'm going to avoid some of the obvious ones - everyone knows albums like Yes' "Close to the Edge" or Genesis' "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" - and focus on ones that are perhaps a little more obscure but still worthwhile. And I'll do it from the perspective of someone discovering it today and seeing if it stood up to the ravages of time.<br />
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I'm also going to branch out in both my Retro Reviews and my standard reviews beyond my progressive rock comfort zone. Although it's my favorite genre, progressive rock isn't the only one I like. I'll branch out into rock, metal, blues, and even review some albums that may surprise you.<br />
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I have two Retro Reviews coming up - one of an album that I consider a template from which all concept albums should be based, and one surprising album suggested by my wife - and a regular review of a greatest hits album from a popular YouTube personality. Stay tuned!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-55941632912179455572011-10-11T09:00:00.000-06:002011-10-12T08:27:21.288-06:00Review: Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Perhaps one of the most anticipated new releases of the year, Dream Theater's <i>A Dramatic Turn of Events</i> marks their first effort without the services of drummer and co-founder Mike Portnoy, whose much publicized exit drew strong reactions from both sides - fans of Portnoy who resent the rest of the band for turning their backs on him, and fans of Dream Theater who resent Portnoy for turning their backs on them.<br />
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I won't breach that subject in this review. Instead, I'll focus on post-Portnoy Dream Theater and how this album stacks up against the rest of the band's catalog.<br />
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I have to admit I'm a big fan of Mike Portnoy. Not only is he a legendary drummer but he's also a genuinely nice guy, at least that's the vibe I got from him when I met him earlier this year after the Neal Morse show in Denver. It's a bit strange to hear a Dream Theater album without him in it. It's almost like being friends with your best friend's ex - you still like the person but you can't help but feel like you're betraying your friend.<br />
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That being said, Dream Theater is still made up of world class musicians who are at or near the top of the heap in their respective milieus - John Petrucci, John Myung and Jordan Rudess - plus you can't leave out James LaBrie, who has proven he can handle the task of carrying an entire album through his solo work. So there's no lack of talent in this band. And Portnoy's replacement, Mike Mangini, is a seasoned professional who has the technical chops to fit in with the rest of the band.<br />
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And what they came up with is unmistakably Dream Theater. It's melodic progressive metal performed by musicians who are masters at that genre. The album starts out strong. The first three tracks - "On the Backs of Angels," "Build Me Up, Break Me Down," and "Lost Not Forgotten" - are classic Dream Theater and hold up against anything else in the band's past. There are some noticeable differences from past albums, though. First off, John Myung's bass is much more prominent in the mix. For as good as he is, he was always drowned out among the swath of guitars, keyboards and drums, and it's nice to really hear him on this album. And while LaBrie's voice has mellowed with age, he still shows a good dynamic range despite not being able to hit the high notes like he has in the past.<br />
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The drums on the album are put much further back in the mix. Perhaps this was done on purpose so as not to bring too much attention to the fact that Portnoy isn't there anymore, but it's enough to affect the sound of the songs. Mangini is a fine player, but the drums lack the same punch as past Dream Theater albums and is something that's missing from <i>A Dramatic Turn of Events</i>. The songs were written before Mangini joned the band, so maybe the next record will see more of his influence, but on this record, the drums just aren't as good as they've been with Portnoy.<br />
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Portnoy's departure also means that the other band members had to step up with lyrics. Mostly, they work, although much of the subject matter deals with quasi-Christian spirituality, which has almost become a cliche in modern progressive rock. There are also a few songs whose lyrics are more strained, notably "This Is the Life," which sounds like it was written by a teenager and whose lyrical melody seems forced. The song itself isn't really memorable, and probably could've been left off without anyone missing it. The same can be said for "Far from Heaven." The lyrics are forgettable and the song doesn't really shine. I know it's commonplace among progressive bands to fill almost every second of an 80 minute CD, but it's a practice I don't agree with as it means songs that should remain on the cutting room floor end up making it on albums and sounding like the filler they are.<br />
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The rest of the songs, though, are gems. Along with the first three tracks, "Breaking All Illusions" is a standout. And "Beneath the Surface" is a great closing track with an analog synth solo that would make Keith Emerson proud. Throughout the album, Rudess brings out the classic prog sound, relying heavily on organ and analog synth sounds along with classical piano movements. Also missing from the album are Portnoy's guttural barks that, let's face it, he wasn't really good at anyway. Dream Theater are more progressive and less metal without him and this album is all the better for it.<br />
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Dream Theater have emerged from their own dramatic turn of events to put out a strong album that solidifies their position as the masters of progressive metal. The album is a statement that they're more than just Mike Portnoy and they will do just fine without him. Despite a few hiccups, they've put together one of the best prog metal albums of the year and one that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with anything else in there repertoire. <i>A Dramatic Turn of Events</i> gets 4 1/2 stars.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-81773648434376006402011-10-07T09:00:00.000-06:002011-10-12T08:26:57.344-06:00Review: Neal Morse - Lifeline<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After being relatively impressed with Neal Morse's latest effort, <i><a href="http://pantomimehorseblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-neal-morse-testimony-2.html">Testimony 2</a></i>, I decided to go backwards and check out his earlier work. This sent me back to his previous release, <i>Lifeline</i>, which was released in 2008.<br />
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I've been a big fan of Neal since his Spock's Beard days. For those of you who don't know, Neal founded Spock's Beard after failing to make it as a pop songwriter in Los Angeles, and after six albums together (and two more with his side project Transatlantic), he became a born-again Christian and embarked on a solo career where he could more freely express his religious views.<br />
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I'm also a big fan of what I call classic Progressive Rock, something I've also heard called "retrogressive" as it has its influences in the past and doesn't necessarily progress forward. Neal is arguably the modern master of classic Prog, and losing him to Christian music was a blow to secular fans like myself. Fortunately for us, Neal never abandoned his Prog roots and essentially followed dual career paths - one as a Christian artist making typical praise albums, and one as a Prog artist writing Christian-themed music. As long as the secular fan could get past the godly lyrics, they could still enjoy listening to one of the most talented people in the world do what he does best - Yes/Genesis inspired Prog with a hint of the Beatles.<br />
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This brings us to <i>Lifeline</i>, which marks the beginning of a very creative and very busy three-year period in which he not only wrote and recorded this album and the epic <i>Testimony 2</i>, but also Transatlantic's long-awaited reunion album, <i><a href="http://pantomimehorseblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-whirlwind-by-transatlantic.html">The Whirlwind</a></i>. The music on these albums are similar in their execution, which is no surprise as one half of Transatlantic appears on all three - Neal and Mike Portnoy, the legendary ex-Dream Theater drummer. Neal is really on top of his game at this point in his career. His music and his visions are much more fully realized than his work with Spock's Beard, which makes his departure from that band even more unfortunate as they never benefited from his inevitable songwriting maturity.<br />
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And the music on <i>Lifeline</i>, as it was with <i>Testimony 2</i>, is excellent. There is little to complain about for the Prog fan. There are two long-form epics on the album, the 13-plus minute title track and the nearly half-hour-long "So Many Roads," along with a handful of shorter tracks. The longer tracks are flush with Proggy goodness - odd time signatures, meter changes, fiddly keyboard solos, and high-level musicianship and songwriting. The shorter songs are a mixture of Prog tracks and more straightforward songs, and on the latter Neal has really developed his talent for lyrical hooks and melodies as they stick in your head in a not unpleasant way.<br />
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The lyrics, though, are <i>Lifeline's </i>undoing. Although they are all unabashed Christian albums, Neal's other Prog albums always had a central concept, which made the lyrical content more interesting. Not so with <i>Lifeline</i>. There is no concept to this album, and the lyrics are typical CCM drivel, especially the shorter songs. Despite clever hooks and strong songwriting, there's no getting past songs with titles like "God's Love" and "Children of the Chosen." Even the excellent "So Many Roads" essentially rehashes his life story again, as it's about someone trying to follow their dreams, having them crushed, and then getting redeemed through Jesus. It was the theme of Spock's Beard's <i>Snow</i>, his own <i>Testimony </i>and <i>Testimony 2</i> albums, and, albeit in a more secular and subtle way, Transatlantic's "Stranger in Your Soul." Thankfully the music is good enough to keep the secular listener interested, but it's still a bit tedious when you pay more attention to the lyrics than the music.<br />
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However, like "Seeds of Gold" on <i>Testimony 2</i>, there is a hidden gem on this album that nearly makes up for the rest of its shortcomings. This time it's "Leviathan," a song about the mythical Biblical creature of the same name. I first heard this song live when he played in Denver on his last tour and I knew then it was something special. Even though this is a song based on the Bible, it explores a topic that most Christians rarely if ever breach - Biblical demonology. And with good reason - nothing says "this is mythology" more than a giant, multi-headed sea monster. Because of this, it comes across as surprisingly secular, a mythology-based song much in the same vein as Rush's "Hemispheres." And it's not just the lyrical content that makes it so good - the music is outstanding. It is truly a progressive song as it blasts through the boundaries of what most people would call heavy metal, and it really highlights Neal's growth as a songwriter. It's one of the heaviest songs he has ever written, and it proves that, yes, a song with a horn section and xylophone solo can still be called "metal."<br />
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On the whole, though, the lyrics hold back what is otherwise an excellent album by one of modern Prog's greats. "Leviathan" helps the ratings a little, but all told <i>Lifeline</i> gets 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. Only Neal's biggest secular fans will want the whole thing - everyone else should just download "Leviathan" and be done with it.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-46997214036174892972011-08-07T12:54:00.000-06:002011-08-07T12:54:38.601-06:00Random Sunday post: Flight cases, plus I hate tremolos, reduxThought I'd post a quick update today as I laze around on a Sunday afternoon. I'm excited because I will soon get to experience an NGD (New Gear Day) - I picked up an <a href="http://www.guitarcenter.com/SKB-SKB-66-Deluxe-Universal-Electric-Guitar-Case-541664-i1177904.gc">SKB flight case</a> today for my upcoming trip to Vegas.<br />
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My wife is going to Photoshop World so I get to tag along. I'll also have a lot of time on my hands to do whatever I want. Last year I brought my Strat with me as a carry-on, but I got too many nasty looks and bitchy comments so I wanted to check it this time. Good thing we're not flying United:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just have to decide which guitar I'm going to take. I'm about 90% sure it'll be the hardtail RG, but I still may change my mind and bring the Strat again. I've been playing the RG a lot lately so unless things change it'll be making the trip with us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of RGs, I'm having issues again with the Edge III tremolo on my other RG. I absolutely love that guitar, but I just hate tremolos. The only one I've ever liked was the one on my old Charvel. That thing was a rock. I'd go weeks without having to tune it. I changed strings recently and after much frustration got it set up and working again. But one day, I picked it up, played it, made one dive bomb and the whole thing went out of tune. Badly. I just put it back on the stand and grabbed the hardtail RG. I know I could get it back to working condition with some effort but I just hate tremolos. I'm glad I have a guitar with a locking tremolo so I could play songs that need it but I will never own another. My own personal sound - whatever that is, I'm still working on it - will not feature anything that requires a tremolo. It's hardtails for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So that's it for today. Until next time, keep playing!</div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-89828608282348322292011-07-24T08:26:00.000-06:002011-07-24T08:26:18.255-06:00Another practice video: Me and YYZAfter I made this video Saturday morning, I have to admit I wasn't pleased. I really didn't like the way I played and I was rather bummed. But after watching it a few times, I've realized that it's not nearly as bad as I thought, and a lot of the problems are from the way it was put together.<br />
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I tried something new with this video. For my other practice videos, I played through my amp and let the built-in microphone pick everything up - that includes the backing track, which I played on my iPod through the amp's MP3 input. This time, I plugged my DigiTech RP90 right into the laptop input. Originally, I recorded the final prodct in GarageBand and planned on replacing the audio. But when I played the captured video in iMovie, my guitar sounded pretty good so I decided to add the backing track in and sync it with my playing.<br />
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That's the big issue with this video - I don't think I synced it perfectly so I'm a little off the whole time. It makes my playing sound much worse because it seems like I can't play in time with the music. The backing track, too, leaves a lot to be desired. I wanted to use a backing track so that I wouldn't be fighting with Alex's guitar playing - I wanted to hear how I sounded on my own. The free YYZ backing track I found on the 'Net is extraordinarily horrendous, but it does the job.<br />
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So now, for the good and the bad. The good: I nailed the solo, which I've had issues with in the past. The bad: I screwed up two parts of the song. I messed up one of the reggae-inspired chord progressions and I hit the wrong opening note in the post-solo bridge. In the end I didn't do a bad job, but you can be the judge!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HERfSGQAvBE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-51005494232820154842011-06-30T06:58:00.000-06:002011-06-30T06:58:12.659-06:00New lookI've decided to change the look of my blog. The original design was looking too dour in my opinion. I want this to be a happy place, but the vibe was quiet melancholy.<br />
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So I've changed the template colors to brighten it up. My lovely wife is working on a new graphic for me, so as soon as I get it I'll customize the colors to match. I'm ditching the tag line, too. It's just going to be called The Pantomime Horse Music Blog. I'm envisioning a sort of 60s-ish graphic, something lively and colorful.<br />
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I already think it's easier to read. There's something about white text on a dark background that makes your eyes water.<br />
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So stay tuned, soon this will be a happier corner of the Interwebz.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-47608764093536102262011-06-21T19:32:00.002-06:002011-10-12T08:32:35.020-06:00Review: Neal Morse - Testimony 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been nine years since Neal Morse embraced Christianity and left Spock's Beard and Transatlantic to pursue a solo career, and eight years since he tried to explain why with his prog epic <i>Testimony</i>. Now he's come back to finish the story with <i>Testimony 2</i>, which highlights his time in the Beard and delves deeper into his conversion.<br />
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In those nine years, Morse has dove headlong into his religion in both his personal life and his music. While still a purveyor of prog, his albums have become more and more religious with each offering. When Neal and the Transatlantic boys decided to get back together in 2009 and make an album, I approached the results with more than a little trepidation, as I said in my <a href="http://pantomimehorseblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-whirlwind-by-transatlantic.html">review</a>, and lo and behold the result was more than a little church-y. So I took an even healthier dose of skepticism with <i>Testimony 2</i>, as there was little need for Neal to even pretend to be secular.<br />
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The album is split into two discs. Disc one includes the <i>Testimony 2</i> suite broken up into three parts. It starts off with part six, much like the first Star Wars movie is actually part four. There's a second disc with three unrelated songs and a DVD chronicling the making of the disc, which I haven't watched yet.<br />
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Let's get this out of the way right now - the music on <i>Testimony 2</i> is first-rate. The usual players are back - Randy George on bass and the legendary Mike Portnoy on drums, with the usual complement of guest musicians - and they don't disappoint. You can't put these guys in a room and not get great music. The problem is the lyrics, both in content and in delivery.<br />
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There is little subtlety or nuance in the lyrics. They definitely tell, not show. It's an autobiography set to music, with all the good and bad that entails. It's kind of like setting the Sunday paper to music - you can do it, but it won't sound good. Many of the vocal melodies in <i>Testimony 2</i> seem forced, as if the words were written first and then Neal had to shove them all in somewhere. Sometimes it worked, most of the time it didn't.<br />
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By far the best part is the opener, part six, which has four sections. In a break from the Morse norm it doesn't start off with an overture - it starts off with the very catchy <i>Mercy Street</i>. From there, it kicks into <i>Overture No. 4</i> and what is the definitive highlight of the suite, <i>Time Changer</i>, which features the Spock's guys singing one of their patented syncopated Gentle Giant-esque vocal parts. It concludes with <i>Jayda</i>, which is a bit sappy but also honest and heartfelt. It's written about Neal's daughter of the same name who recovered from a hole in her heart and was the catalyst for his conversion. By this time the lyrics haven't gotten too heavy and the whole piece is enjoyable for what it is.<br />
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After that it goes downhill. Granted, there are some excellent musical pieces in the next two parts, and as usual he did a great job of integrating the <i>Mercy Street</i> opener into the conclusion, but many of the pieces are of him conversing with Jesus, and let me tell you that can get a bit trying. It also comes off as a bit narcissistic, like why would we want to know what was going on in is head? Seriously. We don't.<br />
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There is a hidden gem, though, on the second disc, and it's even more surprising as it comes out of nowhere and is preceded by two straightforward praise songs. <i>Seeds of Gold</i> is a prog masterpiece. The biggest shock, though, comes when Neal starts singing - the lyrics are amazingly secular! Here's all the nuance and subtlety that was missing from <i>Testimony 2</i>. The song opens with a piano interlude that only Neal could write, followed by three distinct song sections and a brilliant conclusion. The vocal melodies are intricate and interesting, not at all forced like in <i>Testimony 2</i>. It's musically brilliant - there's not too much or too little, just enough to fit the song. Another legend, Steve Morse (no relation), handles lead guitar work. This song wouldn't be out of place on a Spock's Beard or Transatlantic album - in fact, it's more secular than <i>The Whirlwind</i>. The bottom line is that <i>Seeds of Gold</i> is one of the best prog songs I've heard in a while, bar none.<br />
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So in the end, Testimony 2 is a flawed but technically superior album saved by one masterpiece. <i>Seeds of Gold</i> alone is worth the entry fee, and although the lyrics aren't the best, at least they serve as a documentary of sorts for Spock's Beard fans so they can finally get some closure on the Neal Morse era, even though the Beard's <a href="http://pantomimehorseblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-spocks-beard-x.html"><i>X</i></a> probably gave them that already.<br />
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I give this album 3 1/2 out of 5 stars - although without <i>Seeds of Gold</i> it would only get three.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3598040461579468405.post-18778921139897925922011-05-01T10:56:00.000-06:002011-05-01T10:56:46.528-06:00Gone but not forgottenIt's been over two months since my last blog post. I guess it's about time I write another one.<br />
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So why the long break? I got a new job. I'm not proud to admit that I composed a lot of my previous posts at my last job. Even though I wrote them during break times, I wrote them so I had something to do throughout the day that I actually liked doing. See, I hated my old job. I moved from administrative IT work to programming because I thought that was the next logical step after finishing my degree. I was wrong. I hated programming and longed to be back doing server administration, network administration, hell even help desk would've been better.<br />
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Fortunately I found another position with a great company as a systems administrator. It's work I love doing, and there's a lot of it to be done, so I haven't felt the need to spend my breaks writing blog posts. To be honest, I really haven't had a lot of break time at all.<br />
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So the blog has suffered. I still enjoy it, but since I would rather spend my free time playing guitar instead of writing about it, it's sat idle for some time. I have no intention of abandoning it, but the posts will be fewer and farther between.<br />
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Even though I've been neglecting my blog, I haven't been neglecting my guitar playing. In fact, just today, I accomplished one of the goals I set for myself last year - I can play the entire first side of Rush's Moving Pictures. I've known how to play Tom Sawyer forever, but now I can go right through Red Barchetta to YYZ to Limelight. There are some rough spots but the fact that I can just start the album and play along is a tremendous boost to my playing confidence. Sometimes you go along thinking you're not going anywhere with your playing, then one day, things just click and you know you've reached another level. Today was one of those days for me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjia247UhsCoU2Q8zuonTKT3CN0FlQXz7jHmmIS-pY3XKvO11sJEccSpobN-CR5oKNVpIZSN-5ktZ1cBKaU-OtsS0QSeIsuLnEYQEdgx0dR7BKOjhpfihqI0jRGBxuda7lKfxdwx26Cxyg/s1600/stand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjia247UhsCoU2Q8zuonTKT3CN0FlQXz7jHmmIS-pY3XKvO11sJEccSpobN-CR5oKNVpIZSN-5ktZ1cBKaU-OtsS0QSeIsuLnEYQEdgx0dR7BKOjhpfihqI0jRGBxuda7lKfxdwx26Cxyg/s320/stand.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I also got a new guitar stand. I know it seems like a simple purchase, but now I can have all five of my electric guitars out at the same time, so whatever guitar I'm in the mood to play is right there, ready for me to just grab, tune and play. It's important to match guitar with mood - anything to get you playing more is a good thing. Now I don't have to waste time putting one guitar away and taking another one out before I sit down to play. Sometimes I just didn't feel like going through the hassle and ended up either not playing or not putting my all into my playing time. Now I don't have to worry about that at all.<br />
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I also don't have the urge to buy new guitars anymore. Sure, there are tons of guitars I'd like to have, but none that I feel I need to have. There's a difference. With my current rig I feel like I have everything I need. The latest Ibanez purchase is going well. I don't miss my Gibson at all - in fact I never think about it. The only thing I need to do now is update my amp. I've outgrown the Line 6 and I want to finally have a good amplifier. I've always had nice guitars but I always had crap amps to go along with them. My wife and I talked about it and when my 40th birthday rolls around (it's a lot closer than I'd like it to be) I'm going to get a good amp. I have a few in mind that I'd like, plus something new might come out in the next few years. I definitely want a tube combo amp, nothing too powerful but not a lightweight, either. The ones I like now are the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and the Blackstar HT20.<br />
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I don't know how many watts of power I'd need - the Fender is a 40 watter and the Blackstar is a 20 watter (hence the name). Tube wattage is much different from solid state wattage - a 5 watt tube amp can blow away solid state amps up to about 60 watts depending on the amp. All you get with higher wattage tube amps is more headroom - the higher the wattage, the louder the amp can go and still sound clean. Who knows, maybe a 5-watter is all I'll need, in which case I'd be looking at either the Blackstar HT-5 or the Marshall Class 5. When the time comes, I'll have to just play as many as I can and see which one speaks to me.<br />
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Sounds like fun.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12751768638861292763noreply@blogger.com1