Hearty Thank You!

Yes, I'm back.

Thank you for all the emails and DMs on Twitter.  

It's quite a rough battle, emotionally, after the left wrist fracture.  I'm trying to ward off depression with a 4 - 5 mile walk every day.  I guess it's holding back the very worst of the blues, but my frame of mind and the reality that I will probably never get my chops back is proving a hard thing for me.  That being written, let me move on to what this blog was always intended to be: a source of good info for guitarists of all levels of interest and accomplishment.

I don't think I have looked at this blog since March.  I won't go into the details of my excruciating nerve pain while casted, nor the woefully short results of OT, at this point. I have been updating my web site month by month, and the  August update has a few new/changed pages.   I used to have a link that took you to RaptorPicksUSA.com, but now it takes you to an internal Raptor Picks pages.  And if you haven't yet tried Raptors, this is your lucky month!  I'm having a flash sale for  4 + 1 free and 8 + 2 free Raptors at over 30% off.  Now is the time to stock up, if you use them, or try them, if the price gave you pause.  They are genuine Raptor R Series picks, first quality, individually packaged and unused.  The link to the Flash Sale is here.  You'll also find a couple of other picks on that page, too.   All sales are safe and secure, through PayPal. 

My hand and wrist swell terribly when I "play," which is just a nice way of saying "guitar therapy."  I can't not play, so I'm having to play every other day, just to allow the excessive swelling to reduce before going back at it.  To say it's frustrating is a huge understatement.  I really have to put fresh DRs on all my guitars.  They sound so dead, which isn't helping my frame of mind at all.  If you haven't tried DRs, you really have to.  They are be finest string I've ever used, and I have tried just about all of them, including some European imports.

Maybe it's my imagination, but I don't ever recall the music over the speakers in the common areas of my apartment building being B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Al Di Meola, Carlos Santana, Steve Vai, Slash or any other guitar luminaries PRIOR to my fracture.  Now, it seems like that's all they play.  Maybe it's my perception, but I think it's true.

Have you been reading about NAMM?  It was a week or 2 ago.  Sounds like it was another very successful show. 

I will be foraging through  guitar company emails for my next post/s. There are a lot of great things emerging from the top companies.

Thanks, again, for all the DMs and emails.  I will be back in some regular fashion beginning next week.  This week is a brain melter, so I won't be back to blogging until the weekend, at the earliest.  After that, I hope to resume posting on my previous schedule.  

Hey, Joe

I had a question, a few weeks ago, from Joseph, by email.  He wrote:

I follow your podcast and I think they a great. Thank you so much for all the information. I wish I lived closer to have you as a teacher. 

My question is do you think the PRS SE Single Cut is a good guitar. I know you often said you love the PRS brand and most of the PRS guitars you have played are good. 

Partly based on that and other research I purchase the guitar used at Sam Ash but found it a little twangy or higher pitch than most guitars I played. I did not hear it to well at the store because they had a band playing. It looks beautiful. Maybe it needs new DR strings? Maybe it needs a setup? I paid about $265.00. I thought it was a good deal. What do you think? 

Thanks in advance. I really value your opinion. 

BTW, if you ever travel to Sparta NJ. Please let me know. I think you would be a great teacher. 

Thanks, Joseph.

I love. love, love, love love PRS guitars.  You've heard me say it on podcasts, and it's true.   You may or may not have also make reference to my affinity for warm, round sound.  I'm not a fan of "twangy" guitars, and I haven't ever heard a truly "twangy" PRS.  If the guitar you purchased sounds really tinny, of course, throw on a set of DR Strings. In my opinion. they make every guitar sound better.  But they may not hold the full answer.

I don't know how "used" the guitar is.  If you have a good luthier or guitar tech nearby, I'd check the pots and the rest of the electronics.  A loose wire or other faulty connection can radically alter the sound production,  While you're at it, set you amp for a clean sound, to hear the guitar's true quality.  

Another possibility is that you're hearing the result of your guitar being dehydrated, because it's winter in NJ.  If you listened to my podcast with any frequency, you know that I'm a proponent of humidifier usage.  Have you been humidifying?  If at some high fret, you just hear a squeaky screech, and you hear the same thing on the next higher fret without any difference in sound, you have either a high fret and/or a badly dehydrated neck.  Do the edges of the frets protrude a teeny bit out of the sides of the neck?  That's another sure sign of dehydration.  The neck may also need an adjustment.   I'd check all these things before I believed I had the only "twangy" PRS in existence.  

Do put fresh DRs on and, why don't you try Raptor Picks? The thickest edge will warm up a treble-heavy ax.

Still Alive (AKA The Walking Wounded)

It has been forever!! i have a few draft posts that are in various states of completion, but for now, I'm going to allow them to hibernate or percolate, depending upon my next few weeks.  Yes, I took a break, but had every intention of getting back to regular blogging in January.  There were quite a few distractions that prevented it.

Fast forward to last week, the 20th of February...  a day I will regret for a long, long, long time.  I had an appointment that I was looking forward to keeping, that Thursday morning.  The weather, here in the NY metro area, has been riddled with deep snowfall, mixed precipitation, some rain, re-freezes etc.  I was being attentive to the icy coating on the sidewalk, so I avoided it, by walking on what appeared to be a bone dry, pristine driveway.   Boy, was I wrong.   I slipped, fell and broke my LEFT WRIST in 3 places.   Of course I didn't know that, at the time.  All I knew was that it was deformed and my hand was in the shape of a weird claw that I couldn't open. The first thing I did was to pull my wedding ring off, because I've seen too many TV scenes in which the rings on swelling fingers have to be cut off and seriously endanger the health of the finger in question.  Ugh.

I wasn't the only one who fell that day.   The ER waiting room held no less than 25, but probably more than 30 people waiting to be seen. One did not have an obvious injury from falling on ice that morning but the rest were cradling arms, wrists, shoulder, had extended leg or head injuries.  

The ER glut resulted in a 4/4.5 hour visit.  When I left it, my wrist had been X-rayed, diagnosed as being triple fractured, numbed, reset, splint casted extremely tightly and  X-rayed  again after the resetting and  splint casting.  I was sent home with a sling, a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever and was told that if the bones shift, I will need surgery and if they remain aligned as they were in the post-compression X-ray, I would not need surgery.

This past Tuesday, I had a series of follow up X-rays and saw the orthopedic hand/wrist specialist on Wednesday.  So far, so good.  The bones are still aligned.  More X-rays will be taken Wednesday and I will see the orthopedist on  Friday.

My left arm is at a 45º angle because the splint cast goes over and around my elbow and covers everything to just short of where my fingers begin.  As uncomfortable as I am, I will gladly trade all this misery for the full use of my wrist and hand when this is all over.  That, remains to be seen.  Of late, I have taken to "fingering" scales in the air, just to keep my fingers moving (such as they can move) and "sight reading" fingering and playing by ear in my mind.  I don't know how far into occupational therapy, I will be able to tax the wrist to the extent that playing requires.  

I will follow this post with a reply to an email question I received.  I may not be blogging much more before I graduate to a short cast, which may be as soon as this or next Friday.

Sorry for the ultra-extended interruption.  Stay tuned for updates. 

Best Laid Plans

So, there I was, with all intention of blogging this week, since the podcast is suspended.  Great idea.  Then, the bottom fell out.

E-Rex has just gotten out of bed today, for the first time in a week, excluding when I was just barely able to get him to the Dr.  Those of you who have been listening to the podcast or reading show notes know that any kind of illness, after what he's already been through, is troubling.  

Last night was his first night without a high (over 103º) fever and multiple night sweats.  He needed a lot of attention, so I'll dispense with the medical report.  He's improving, but he's my excuse for not getting to the blog.

Summer is winding down, my students are returning from far flung parts and potential students are calling.  

If you're looking for a new axe or gear, at this point, you might just hold out for Labor Day sales, if you are reading this in the US.  All the big guitar sellers have sent a barrage of emails and USPS mail about their so-called, great deals.  I'd call them "sales."  Any discount is a discount if you're watching your budget, so comparative shop.

Yesterday I had a call from a guitarist, who I steered in another direction, for lessons.  We had an interesting conversation.  I'm not surprised when new, self-taught players tell me that they are teaching themselves from tab and YouTube. I am surprised when someone who sounds very serious, and is seeking to become an excellent jazz or classical guitarist, doesn't read or understand the nuances and meaning of the music because they can't or won't read music notation.  Clearly, the guy I chatted with was serious and he'd had a fabulous instructor, whose name you would recognize,  some time ago.  He's a jazz cat.  He said his strength is soloing.  He also said he was really fast.  What my brain heard was, "I can play it faster than anyone, but I have no idea what I'm saying or what I want to say."  That's not a slam or criticism.  He didn't say his strength was improvisation, because if he had, I'd suspect that he did know what he was saying and what he wanted to say. I also suspected that his lightning fast chops were owing to taking time to play speed studies from tab.  I asked if he realized that to excel, he needs to work with music notation and I asked if he reads music.  His answer was something like, "I can but I don't."  

The only reasons someone seriously pursuing jazz guitar would not use music notation would be either because they were told tab is just as good and they believed it, or they don't want to put in the effort, because it feels like they're going backwards to take the time and have the discipline to learn it or brush up their skills.  I tried to explain that you can learn to speak a language well enough to travel and get directions, order food, say hello and make small talk with Rosetta Stone, but you'd never be able to read a literary masterpiece in that language. Jazz music, done well, is a theoretical smorgasbord and although a good ear is a great asset, and speed is never a bad thing, provided you can control yourself and play at whatever tempo is appropriate, if you can't decipher  the nuances and beauty of detail nor actually understand what the work is saying, you'll never be better than mediocre.   He listened intently.  I don't know if he will heed my heartfelt counsel.  I may or may not hear from him again, but I left the door open.  

Yesterday was also the end Raptor Picks USA flash sale. I hope you got in on it.  Perhaps there will be another before the Labor Day drawing for a free Raptor.  To be eligible this time, you need to like the "Thanks to Joe Isaacs for the like"  post on the Raptor Picks USA FaceBook page during this month.  If you aren't using this revolutionary guitar pick, I don't know what's stopping you.  Those of you who have been with me for a while know that I abandoned the pick I used exclusively for decades after my first experience with a Genuine Raptor R Series pick.  It's amazing.

Hey, have you got an affinity for Monet or Degas?  If impressionist is your artistic sensibility, you should check out the beautiful new swirl finish on Fender guitars!

I love them!  I have only seen this finish available on a strat and tele, thus far. All I can say is, "Ooooooo."  

I'm hoping to post again very soon, provided that E-Rex continues to improve.   

"Until next time, I'm D A  Arlaus, doing my part to spread the excellence, one guitarist at a time."

The Transition

INTRO

This is the first show notes replacement post since i have decided to suspend podcasting, at least for the time being.  If you have listened for a long time, you can "hear" me, I'm sure. Going forward, the format of this blog will be more blog-gy than show note-y after this post.  Let's call this one the transition. 

So, how were your past few weeks? Mine were okay, but I did a lot of life and time analysis. That's when I concluded that I need to reclaim more time from my usual schedule. The podcast was the only "non-essential" from which I could grab some hours. That's how and why I made the decision. 

My DRs? Of course they're great. I have had a bit of email feedback from listeners to the last podcast, saying they were going to try DRs and get back to me. I have great expectations. I love, love, love them and think you will, too. If you try them as a result of my endless urging, please, let me know.

A few days ago, I was at a public venue where several singer/guitarists were playing. From the sampling I heard, I'd say they were professional musicians, but that they probably hadn't been for very long.  One dude in particular, stood out.  I'm not going to mention the venue nor the artist's name.  Here's the thing:  He wasn't very good.  I don't know if he was having an off day, or if he just doesn't play nor sing well.  I made a mental note to throw this out to you, to see where you come down on the question that begs to be asked: 

If you're trying to break into a career singing and playing, do you take every opportunity to play, whether your chops are where they need to be or not?  Or, do you hone your skills more before going public?  

It can be rationalized from both sides.  Let me know what you think.  I'll tell 

you what I think in my next post.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Congrats to Gary and Shira for making it into the Student Spotlight over the past few weeks.  They have not been frequent headliners in the Spotlight.  I was so impressed with both of their last guitar lessons before taking some time off.  Nice work.  I could see the result of your focus and diligence in working through your music.  This will be the last mention of the Student Spotlight  if/until I resume podcasting. 

QUESTION

I had a question by email from Dirk in Cheshire, England.  Thanks, Dirk.  His email was long, but his question boiled down to this: I've hit a wall with my speed and dexterity and I'm only an intermediate level player. What can I do?

It's a good question and what's even better than the question is that Dirk has realized that he's hit a wall. Most of the artists (of any description, not just musicians) I know, have an inflated view of their abilities.  It's rarely the other way.  Dirk recognizes that something needs to be modified for him to continue to grow technically.

The single most effective thing you can do, is stop what you're doing, in terms of studies and exercises.  If you're serious, I hope you're working on speed and dexterity studies.  If you're working from music notation,  (I realize, most of you who read this, aren't) my advice to you is: start somewhere else. 

Huh?  Are you playing a linear or horizontal exercise based on a scale or mode?   If it's 2 or 3 octaves, begin an octave higher than usual, play ascending, return,descending all the way to the lowest note in the study and then play back up to where you began.  That's one way to change your rut and your dependency on a predictably muscle memory and sound.   OR if you always begin studies ascending, descend first, then, ascend. OR if you play arpeggios ascending and then descending, reverse it. If you practice something in triplets, change it to sixteenths.  Do you play only major scales?  Learn minors or modes.

I know what some of you are thinking: If I do that, my speed and dexterity will decrease!  Well, yes and no.  It may, initially. If it does, what's revealed is that your muscle memory or trained reactions are imbalanced. The more your brain can participate, consciously, in your technical workout, the better player you will be.  If you can think it and hear it in your mind's ear, you should be able to play it, or be striving to be able to do it. If your exercises and studies are entirely by rote, and you zone out while you're doing them, you're better off not doing them.  Disengaging your brain will never move you forward. If your studies and exercises bore you, then modify them.

I must add, all of my remarks above are assuming that you have proper physical technique.

Dirk, I hope this is helpful.  A Guitar Technique Tutor Podcast pick is on its way to you.

If you have a question you'd like me to address here, send it along.  If I use it in this podcast, I'll be glad to send you a Guitar Technique Tutor pick. 

RAPTOR PICKS USA

No matter where I go, like my local guitar stores, whether national chains or privately owned shops, when I show guitarists the Genuine R Series Raptor Pick, the ones with vision immediately comprehend that it’s not just another novelty pick that’s going to end up somewhere with all the other weird picks they have tried or people have given them.  They try it, they utter a soft “hmmm” and they keep playing. And playing and playing.  Most of them tell me they expected it to feel weird but it’s comfortable and just feels different.   When I ask them what they think,  they say they want it and ask where they can get one.  

You may or may not be in the market for a new guitar, but I don’t know a guitarist alive that isn’t looking for fresh inspiration.  The 3 uniquely and specifically engineered picking tips on the Raptor entice you to think about and explore the full range of sound qualities you can create with it.  The unique  beveling of the molded acrylic pick offer amazingly silent attack.  

The Raptor R Series pick is destined to become a pivotal tool for creative guitarists.  Personally, I haven’t played with anything but a Raptor R Series since the very first time I touched one and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed when you try it.

Get yours today at RaptorPicksUSA.com   Free Raptors with a purchase of 4 or more is just another way of “spreading the excellence, one guitarist at a time.”

Raptor™ picks are a registered design. All rights are owned by Black Carbon.

NEWSNEWS

G 10 Series

G 20 Series

G 30 Series

G 50 Series

G 70 Series

G 90 Series

Have you seen the new Takamine G Series?

These are nice guitars at lower-than-usual prices for Takamines.  I'm detecting a trend, lately.  If you recall, in a July podcast and the show notes called Pushing Through, I mentioned an "affordable," PRS line of guitars, the S2 Series. Some high ticket guitar builders are introducing instrument lines that are more economical, that retain the best aspects of their more expensive predecessors. We saw it in PRS and now in Takamine.  I think it's a wise more.  In the line I'm highlighting here, the lowest price G10 is less than $300 MSRP and the highest price G90 is under $800 MSRP.  (I don't know if there will be a traditional "street" discount at the big guitar stores, or if, because this is an economy line, the MSRPs will hold.)  You can check out the specs for yourself.  If you're looking for  Takamine quality at an inviting price, this line may be just right for you.

TAKE NOTE

The Epiphone ProBucker Challenge.

Are you a pickup geek?  Do you love  early Les Pauls and the sound of PAF pickups?  Jonesing for that sound?  

The ProBucker pickups by Epiphone may be just what will float your boat. 

At the 140th Anniversary weekend, Epiphone offered guitarists the opportunity to play guitars outfitted with ProBuckers and other pickups.

They set up two sets of three Les Paul Standard PlusTop PROs--in Vintage Sunburst and Heritage Cherry Sunburst--and encouraged visitors to check them out. Both groups of Les Pauls were set up with new Epiphone ProBucker pickups as well as two other very fine boutique humbuckers.

Many guests participated in the "blind" challenge including pros, guitar magazine editors, and guitar collectors. While every pickup sounded fantastic and the differences were slight, Epiphone's ProBuckers were chosen as the preferred pickup by a majority (61%) of the players. 

These amazing pickups come stock on the Epiphone Les Paul Standard PRO and Custom PRO guitars, but that doesn't mean you can't tweak your arch top or other Les Paul and replace your current pick up with one of these.

You should play and listen to either of the PROs mentioned above AND watch the video. I know I mentioned pickups, at length, in a podcast, probably during 2013, but don't quote me on that.  Remember, humbucker is a term coined for the pickup's purpose, which was to buck the annoying hum that its predecessors had.  Read more about these fabulous PAF ProBuckers.

Epiphone ProBuckers feature 18% Nickel Silver unit bases and covers, the same alloy used by Gibson. The use of Nickel Silver reduces the occurrence of eddy currents due to low conductivity and provides a more transparent and crisp output. The size and shape of bobbins also has a great impact on tonal response. The bobbins used on the ProBucker pickups duplicate the size and shape of the gold standard in the industry, Gibson humbuckers. Epiphone ProBucker pickups also feature Sand cast Alnico II magnets, high quality 4 conductor lead wire and are vacuum wax potted to eliminate microphonics.

Check them out, if you're looking for the diversity of sounds these pickup deliver,

OUTRO

Don't forget that if you aren't comfortable, your guitar isn't either.  DO NOT leave it in a hot car or attic nor a cold car or basement.  Make sure its environment has at least 40% humidity - if not, use a humidifier.  Always use a humidifier if the A/C is on or if the heat is on.

Try DR strings. They're the best strings I've ever used.

Beautiful work Gary and Shira!

Mix up your studies and exercises if you have hit a technique, speed or dexterity wall.

The Takamine G series is reasonable for Takamine quality.  These instruments range from $280 to $795.

Epiphone's ProBucker pickup is a force to be reckoned with.  61% of guitarists who took the ProBucker challenge preferred it. (It's a subjective thing, but if you like the PAF sound, check it  out.)

This will be the last "show notes" style blog post.  From tonight forward, post will be more frequent and may not cover multiple topics.

Enter to win a Raptor pick at the Raptor Picks USA FaceBook page. You'll see the post you need to Like in order to be entered for the Labor Day Drawing.  

Until next time, I'm D A Arlaus, doing my part to spread the excellence, one guitarist at a time.

Pushing Through

[07/15/13 show notes from Guitar Technique Tutor Podcast Episode 108]

Intro

I meant to record Saturday, but there was an on again off again surprise birthday party that ended up being on, and on yesterday. The honoree was well and truly surprised and a fabulous time was had by all.


I’m loving my DRs. People, if you don’t use DR Strings on your acoustic, classical, electric or bass guitar, I just have one question. Why not? I think I mention DRs in 98% of my podcasts. I am not sponsored by them, but now that I think about it, I should be. All kidding aside, I have played guitar, literally, for decades. Since the first ad I saw about DRs in one of the guitar magazines, a long time ago, I tried them and I have never deviated - except in the case of my nylon strings. I’m a more recent new comer to DRs for nylon because I was so fixated on the combination of strings I used to use, I couldn’t open my mind enough to think DRs could compare. If your mind is totally closed about this, you better expand your thinking. What do I always say when I’m discussing your playing? It’s all about the sound. Well, strings are a huge factor, so try a set. These are the best strings I have used, and I have been sent strings by countless manufacturers. Try a traditional set or a coated set. I recommend the latter. Hey, a string change isn’t a big deal You should be changing your strings frequently. If you don’t like them (and I can’t image that could happen, but it’s possible) you can always just change your strings again. Your risk is the price of a set of strings. Your potential gain is a much better sound and longer string life if you decide to try a coated set. Live on the edge. Try them!

Au revoir, Arno. He and his family left for a few weeks in Paris. He’s French and will be seeing family as well as traveling while vacationing there. I doubt he’ll be doing any playing, unless one of his cousins has guitars and they jam.

Hey, did you hear that Jon Bon Jovi donated a million dollars to Super Storm Sandy relief at the NJ shore last week? He’s from Sayerville, and that’s where he presented Governor Chris Christie with a check for $1,000,000 for the relief effort. Thank you, Jon.

He said, “My being here is not political, it's emotional," then he said, "I grew up here. I went to school here. I met my wife here." He reminisced about his early days as a musician in Sayreville as well as his recent visits following the life changing storm.
"One thought came to me,” he said. "What can I do?” One of the residents who was affected responded, saying, 'Use your voice.’”

Well, Jon has more than put his money where his mouth is. He has performed at multiple fund raisers as well as making this extraordinary donation.

If you have contributed in any way to help restore lives and livelihoods at the Jersey shore, thank you ever so much. If you have not and would like to, there are several trustworthy organizations. I always link to Sandy NJ Relief . They are extremely efficient at directing donations to capable local groups, which can mobilize and get the necessary work done. Here in NJ we’re in clean up day 258 since the storm.


This week, there is one student debuting in the Student Spotlight, yay! The Question of the Week came from Paul in the UK and is about his callouses, News is about the result of the Les Paul 98th Birthday Bash auction guitars and Take Note is about the new affordable PRS S2 series of guitars. You know me, I never met a PRS guitar I didn’t love.

Don’t forget that if you don’t yet have the collector set called Thank You, Les, it’s available and belongs in your personal library.

We’re still thinking about our countrymen in Oklahoma, too. If you can volunteer, or contribute to the ongoing cleanup and recovery, I am sure it will be most appreciated.

Student Spotlight 

In the warm glow of the Student Spotlight is Luis. Nice going, dude. This is your first time in the spotlight. Drink in the accolades and let’s have a repeat performance.

Luis is a pretty busy student and businessman. He doesn’t miss practicing too often, but sometimes he’s unable to take his lessons. It’s always a challenge to keep a student motivated in that circumstance, but we have an arrangement, that when he thinks he’s mastered what I have asked him to work on, he contacts me and I give him some additional work to do. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s better than him hanging out to dry for a couple of weeks at a time. Luis has become even more dedicated to moving his playing forward and is exercising unusual diligence and profiting tremendously from it. The change is hard but it’s for the better. Excellent work.

Question of the Week

This week's question is from Paul in England. It’s about his callouses. Here’s what he wrote:

"Hi
I'm a 47 year old wannabe guitarist, I first picked up a guitar about 3 years ago, and have practised virtually every day since.

The tips of my fingers have got callouses on them,  but  I wouldn't say they were great. I still get very sore fingers every time I practice, along with angry red ridges where the strings have dug in. I still get patches of dry dead skin that peel off the end of the tips.

Should they of hardened off more than that, everything I read say that people have got great callouses after weeks of playing, should I moisturise the tips?

Any hints or tips to alleviate the pain, and improve my callouses.

Thanks, Paul. "

Disclaimer: I am not a physician. I assume no responsibility for your actions after reading or hearing this segment. Check with your physician before implementing any suggestion that follows.


Well, the first thing I would ask is are you diabetic?  Why?  Well, I understand some diabetics have much more sensitive nerve endings than those who are not.  If you are not, here are some other thoughts I have:

You have 2 different issues going on.  One is the soreness and the other is the dry dead skin that peels off.

The soreness should have subsided after a few weeks of playing daily unless you are doing what I call "pushing through the fingerboard" of strangling your guitar.  I find this to be somewhat common with some of my male students, and from time to time, a female student.  After a specific amount of fingertip pressure on the string, any more is useless and even counter productive.  If you don't have an instructor, you will have to be the judge of whether you are exerting way too much pressure or not.  Ideally, when you depress a string, you want to use the very tip of your finger as close as possible to the fret with out being on it AND using just as much force as is necessary to play cleanly (without any buzzing.)  Any pressure more than that causes tension in your fretting hand, which then hampers speed and agility.  If you have been "over playing" for a few years, this may be a hard habit to break, but with attention to what you are doing, it can be accomplished.

If you are "pushing through the fingerboard," you may have too much callous on each fingertip.  Think of this like a corn on someone's toe.  Basically it's a concentrated bit of callous, in a spot that is subjected to friction and produces pain.  Your callouses should be tough and leathery.  Hard is okay, but not thick and hard.

Do you have very dry skin on your hands?  Or is it just on your callouses?  If your hands are very dry, you should moisturize them, including your callouses.  Most men and lost of women, don't want the greasy residue that often accompanies hand moisturizers.  A two that are not greasy are Corn Husker's Lotion (it's kind of gelatinous) and Udder Cream.  There are some more pricey ones out there, but either of them will soften your dry skin without leaving grease.

If it's just your callouses that are dry and peeling, I imagine that they are too thick, so with a very fine grade emery board, file them smooth - this just takes a few well positioned swipes of the board. If you have a ceramic or glass file, they work very well for the purpose, too.  Buff the callouses down to smooth. Don't burn them by too much fast friction.  

If you find that your callouses are particularly jagged after you have showered or swum or had your hands in water for an extended period, you can dehydrate bloated callouses with a COOL AIR hair dryer. Do Not Use a Heat Setting.



Send Me a Question of the Week or suggest an additional segment topic.
If I use it, I'll send you a Guitar Technique Tutor pick.

News

In the news this week is an update on the Les Paul 98th Birthday Gala, held in June, who won the autographed guitars.

Although I attended the previous 2 Les Paul Birthday Gala’s at Ramapo College, which were an extension of the huge Les Paul in Mahwah: Tribute exhibit at the Mahwah Museum, this year, I couldn’t attend. If I had gone, I was going to bid in the auction because at the past 2 Galas, the auctioned guitars went for ridiculously low bids, in my opinion. The first auctioned guitar was a white, Epiphone Les Paul Royal Standard, signed by Bucky Pizzarelli, Lou Palo and others, with a Les Paul autographed pick guard. It was won by Clare Sheridan. She also had the winning bid on the second prize, which was an Epiphone mahogany Les Paul Studio model, autographed by Lou Pallo, Peter Frampton, Al Caiola and Peter Townsend. I wish I’d have been able to attend. I’d have out bid her for sure. Oh well, there’s always next year.

Take Note

My take note topic this week is the  PRS S2 Series. You who have listened to me for a while, know that I love PRS guitars. They are pricey and not in everyone’s budget, but they are masterpieces of guitar design.

Here’s what our friends at PRS have to say about this new, very welcome, affordable line of guitars:

The PRS S2 Series offers the fit, finish, feel, and attention to detail of PRS craftsmanship in a straightforward design. Standing for “Stevensville 2,” S2 Series instruments are made at our Maryland shop blending new design elements and manufacturing techniques with practiced quality control and workmanship to create reimagined, fresh guitars that reach a more affordable price for players.

The S2 Series is comprised of three models: the S2 Mira, S2 Starla, and S2 Custom 24. These models share several key features, including PRS S2 locking tuners, custom-wound pickups, PRS neck shapes, PRS S2 bridges as well as PRS fretwire, nuts, and double-action truss rods. The new asymmetrical, beveled body shape offers a vintage vibe, and the flatness of the top gives these guitars a big, resonant voice.

  

Whether the S2 Series means your first PRS or an addition to your arsenal, one thing is certain: each model in the PRS S2 Series is a solid American-made guitar that makes no sacrifice in playability or tone.

Wood is the foundation of a guitar’s tone. If you sacrifice the foundation, there is little hope of achieving an exceptional instrument. Believing this, we have chosen the same traditional tonewoods that are used on PRS Core guitars, such as maple tops, mahogany backs and bodies, mahogany necks, and rosewood fretboards. While some of the design and construction methods used in the S2 Series (the neck blank’s starting dimension across the Series and the S2 Custom’s wood grade, for example) allowed us to use less expensive and more readily available woods, no compromise has been made to the tone or integrity of S2 instruments.

Wood is the foundation of a guitar’s tone. If you sacrifice the foundation, there is little hope of achieving an exceptional instrument. Believing this, we have chosen the same traditional tonewoods that are used on PRS Core guitars, such as maple tops, mahogany backs and bodies, mahogany necks, and rosewood fretboards. While some of the design and construction methods used in the S2 Series (the neck blank’s starting dimension across the Series and the S2 Custom’s wood grade, for example) allowed us to use less expensive and more readily available woods, no compromise has been made to the tone or integrity of S2 instruments.


Finish should do three things: most importantly, it should enhance the tone of a guitar. It should also feel good to the player’s touch, and it should look good. The finish used on the PRS S2 Series accomplishes these goals by featuring a polyester basecoat and an acrylic topcoat (reminiscent of the finish system used on PRS Core guitars for twenty years (before the introduction of V12)). We have updated the process of this finish system to allow S2 guitars to move through the finish hall smoothly and quickly while also requiring a thinner topcoat for optimal tone. This old-but-new finish maintains a hi-gloss, attractive aesthetic, and the translucent and opaque color options offer vintage and modern flavors that allow players to choose the look that fits them best.

PRS S2 Series proprietary pickups are built to our exact specifications, including wire and coating materials, winds, and resistance. Whether harkening back to our original HFS and Vintage Bass pickups or designed to work with the unique tones of a Bigsby tailpiece, S2 pickups were designed to capture the distinct tonal character intended for each instrument in the series.

All of the models in the S2 Series feature a 3-way blade pickup switch with a master volume and a push/pull tone control. Coil-tap functionality adds versatility by allowing players to split the humbucking pickups into singlecoils, providing a vast array of tones. The jack assembly used on the S2 Series is the same jack as our Core line, providing a clean connection point to amplify your sound.

The tone of a guitar is influenced by several factors: wood choice, body style, pickups, scale length, metals and other materials used, etc. Some of the most impactful components are those that directly affect the vibration of the strings: the tuners, the nut, and the bridge. This is because it is the strings’ vibration that the pickups sense and that creates the sound wave the ear will ultimately hear.

The bridge is the anchor of the guitar. It is here that the vibration of the string is transferred into the body of the guitar, bringing out the inherent tone of the woods chosen. Each S2 instrument features a different bridge style. The S2 Mira features the same stoptail that is used on Core PRS instruments. We use an unplated bridge with brass studs. The S2 Starla features a time-tested Tune-o-matic bridge with a Bigsby B50 tailpiece. The S2 Custom features a PRS tremolo (the same bridge found on our SE line of guitars).


The nut also plays a critical part in the transfer of tone. The nut on S2 instruments is the same nut we use on our Core guitars. The nut is strong and long-lasting without “grabbing” the strings, and it is imbued with brass, a highly musical metal.

Our PRS S2 locking tuners are used across the S2 Series. These proprietary tuners are reminiscent of our “Phase II” tuners and follow many of Paul Smith’s “tweaks,” including a brass shaft and specially-configured internal construction. The locking mechanism itself is identical to the one used on our Core guitars, which helps the guitar stay in tune.

Whether using parts shared by our Core manufacturing line or newly-sourced proprietary parts, we always chose to use musical materials (such as brass) and avoid materials that deaden tone (like nylon washers), maximizing the guitars’ overall resonance, musicality, and tone.

When designing, sourcing, and building the S2 Series, we were encouraged and excited to build quality instruments that were both inspired by our Core line but also truly new for PRS. We believe this is evident in every detail. If there was a time that we could not share a component with our current Core lineup, we set out to design a new process for ourselves or source new, proprietary components from our partners.

That said, the nut, jack assembly, fret wire, electronics knobs, and strings are all shared between our Core and S2 instruments. It is long-lasting and is comfortable to play. The electronics’ knobs are made in our own proprietary mold, which results in a handsome and ergonomic design. As with all of our solidbody guitars, we use PRS 10-46 strings. S2 Series guitars come in a nylon gig bag to make heading out for your next show that much easier.

PRS’s starting price for these beauties is only $1179. Music to my ears.

•••Raptor Picks USA•••

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Get past the unusual feel of the Raptor™ guitar pick and the door to faster, cleaner and more creative playing swings wide open. Your grip will be sure. Your attack will be silent. Your projection will be enhanced. Add to that the technology that enables the pick to glide over your strings, rather than bluntly striking them and the genuine Raptor™ “R” Series pick stands alone as an asset to every guitarist who uses one.
Seasoned pro? This pick allows for more subtle differences of expression because of the variety of timbres it produces.

Intermediate recreational guitarist? Improve your sound by upgrading your pick.

Rank beginner? Prime your creativity right from the outset.

Genuine Raptor™ “R”Series guitar picks are available at RaptorPicksUSA.com. Free Raptors with a purchase of 4 or more is just another way of “spreading the excellence, one guitarist at a time.”

Raptor™ picks are a registered design. All rights are owned by Black Carbon.


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Outro

If you’d like to further assist SuperStorm Sandy victims, Sandy NJ Relief Fund will put 100% of your contribution to excellent use. The recovery here is going to take years.

Don’t forget marvelous tribute to Les Paul by Lou Pallo, the trio and other musical friends, called Thank You, Les.

Live on the edge and try a set of DR strings if you haven’t already. I think they’re the best string on the market.

Kudos to Jon Bon Jovi for putting his money where his mouth is and donating $1,000,000 to assist relief and rebuilding at the Jersey Shore after the devastation of Super Storm Sandy 258 days ago. You can help by volunteering to work or contributing something to Sandy NJ Relief.

Excellent work and dedication, Luis.

Paul, if you’re not diabetic, your callouses may hurt because you’re strangling your guitar neck or because your callouses are too thick.

Clare Sheridan won both auctioned guitars at the Les Paul 98th Birthday Gala in June. Rats! Had I gone, I’d have outbid her for at least one of them. Maybe next year.

Great News from PRS: an affordable line that begins at $1179. Check out the S2 Series.

If you’re not comfortable, your guitar isn’t either, so don’t leave your guitar in a cold car or basement, or a hot car or attic. Humidify if your guitar lives in an environment in which there is less than 40% humidity. If you’re going on a vacation - ask a friend to keep the guitar at their home until you return, if you can.

If you're seeking expert competent guitar instruction in the Bergen and Rockland County towns in which I teach, such as Airmont, Allendale, Cresskill, Fair Lawn, Franklin Lakes, Glen Rock, Hawthorne, HoHoKus, Hillburn, Mahwah, Midland Park, Montebello, Montvale, Oakland, Oradell, Paramus, Park Ridge, the hamlet of Ramapo, Ramsey, Ridgewood, River Edge, Saddle River, Suffern, Tallman, Teaneck, Tuxedo, Tuxedo Park, Upper Saddle River, Viola, Waldwick, Washington Township, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake or Wyckoff please contact me. For lesson inquires, calling is best and my number is on the web site. If we can coordinate our schedules and you're a good candidate to learn to play the guitar, perhaps we can work together.


Whether you are a beginner guitarist, a gigging professional or at any level in between, a genuine Raptor™ guitar pick will catapult your playing forward. Visit RaptorPicksUSA.Com to order yours today.


Practice, and until next time, which should be around the first week in August, I’m doing my part to spread the excellence, one guitarist at a time.

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It Resonates With Me

[06/28 /13 show notes from Guitar Technique Tutor Podcast Episode 107 ]

Intro

(I don't know what kind of brain drain attacked me, but I apologize for referring to this show as Episode 106 a few times in the recorded show.)

So how were your last couple of weeks? Mine were crazy busy, but okay. 

TTFN to Shira, Aviv and Lani. Have good summers and play whenever you can. If you have taken your axes with you, spend some quality time with them. 

This week, the Spotlight is dark - almost everyone is or has been away. Maybe there will be a student in it next time, which I’m targeting for the 3rd week in July, barring any surprises. The Question of the Week is What’s a Resonator? The News is about Gretsch’s G9210 Boxcar™ Square-Neck and the Take Note segment topic is, Don’t Take Anyone’s Word For It.

Over the past few weeks did you hear about the Arizona dude who carried a Strat with a lot of autographs, such as Alice Coopers, to the top of Mt. Everest? It’s being auctioned for charity.

The other night, I watched a Smithsonian production about the history of the electric guitar. I have to say, I had high hopes for it, but it was not well researched. I thought the Smithsonian would have done diligent research, but hey, these are the same people that were going to put all of Les Paul’s things in their basement, rather than display them. In this program on the history of the electric guitar, attribution for the Berlin Wall coming down was given to the electric guitar. Honest. 

Have you been reading and hearing about Fender’s binding-less necks? 

Completely unique to Fender guitars, the new channel-bound design encases the fingerboard into the neck, achieving longer-lasting construction, increased contact and amazing comfort.

Encasing the fingerboard also provides greater resonance. The Fender channel-bound neck and fingerboard design acts more like one-piece neck than a two-piece neck, with both greater resonance and unison between neck and fingerboard.

Instead of being laminated to the front of the neck, the channel-bound fingerboard fits precisely inside the neck, making the surface flush with the curve of the maple.

In addition to creating a stylish new look, it imparts an amazingly comfortable fretting-hand feel in which both edges are pleasingly rounded, with no side seam between neck and fingerboard.

And how about PRS Thank You Package and Experience PRS Experience sweepstakes! Get free strings for a year with the purchase of PRS and PRS SE gear and be entered to win a trip for two to Experience PRS 2013, in Maryland, in September. IF you purchase a PRS electric guitar or amp, US manufactured, your Thank You Package will consist of 24 sets of PRS Electric Strings in the standard gauge of your choice (the approximate valor of which is about $240.) If you purchase and SE Electric Guitar or Amplifier, your Thank You Package will consist of 12 sets of PRS Electric Strings in the standard gauge of your choice (the approximate value of which is $150.) So, if you’re making a qualifying purchase, good luck! 

Here in the States, we’re approaching our Independence day next Thursday. Because it falls mid week, some people are taking the whole week as a vacation week, others are taking the Wednesday through Sunday. Some are taking the 4th through Sunday or Monday. I will have very few students, so it will be a great week to chill. This past week was so unexpectedly crazy that a loose schedule will be a welcome opportunity to decompress.

Independence Day ushers in a lot of sales, and from what I read online, in my emails and in my snail mail, there are going to be good deals at Guitar Center and other guitar sellers. I’m not a coupon-ing freak, but if I can save 15 or 20 or 30% on something I want or need, I’ll time my purchase so I can take advantage of a sale. I just did that this morning at CVS. I was going to go pick up something yesterday, but I had a coupon for 25% off everything beginning today. Hey, money’s money.

Despite last week’s madness, all of my guitars have fresh DRs. Oooo I love them. 

The Smithsonian program about the history of the electric guitar that seemed so factually skewed, did mention Les Paul. If you haven’t picked up the great tribute to Les, done by Lou Pallo, the rest of the trio and an assortment of admiring artists, called Thank You, Les.

Here in NJ we’re in clean up day 242 and although there has been a lot of progress, recovery at our shore communities is nowhere near complete. Thank you for your continued participation, prayers and/or contributions to Sandy NJ Relief or any other trustworthy organization that will direct funds exactly where they need to go, QUICKLY. 

We’re still thinking about our countrymen in Oklahoma, too. If you can volunteer, or contribute to the ongoing cleanup and recovery, I am sure it will be most appreciated. 

Student Spotlight 

In the warm glow of the Student Spotlight is nobody! Lots of students are away.

I’m looking forward to a threesome in the Spotlight next time. Let's see what happens

Question of the Week

This week's question came from one of my younger students, who asked with the most squinched up face you’ve ever seen, “what’s a resonator guitar?” Of course, they could have lifted a finger to go online and find out for themselves, but they didn’t. Well, I didn’t answer them and told them to research it and tell me about it next week, but in case any of you listeners aren’t familiar with resonator guitars, I’ll elaborate a little. 

Have you ever seen a wooden guitar with what looks like a metal disc on the sound board? or an all metal looking guitar, again, usually with a patterned metal disc on its sound board? Well, that’s a resonator. It seems that acoustic guitars in dance bands and other informal orchestras were being drowned out by horns. I’m going back to the ’20’s. There are several pioneers in the field and I’m going to focus my comments on the instrument, rather than the luthiers - you can research that yourself. 

The guitars are called resonators because the modification made was to increase the volume or resonance of the acoustic guitar. The early and current models have either a single or 3 cone-shaped amplifiers under that metal disc. I’m over-simplifying

Many variations of all of these styles and designs have been produced under many brands. The body of a resonator guitar may be made of wood, metal, or occasionally other materials. Typically there are two main sound holes, positioned on either side of the fingerboard extension. In the case of single cone models, the sound holes are either both circular or both f-shaped, and symmetrical; The older "tricone" design has irregularly shaped sound holes. Cutaway body styles may truncate or omit the lower f-hole.

Write Me if you'd like to submit a Question of the Week or suggest an additional segment topic. 

If I use one you submit, I'll send you a Guitar Technique Tutor pick.

News 

Since the question of the week was about resonators, this week’s news is about the Gretsch G9210 Boxcar™ Square-Neck resonator, part of their Roots Collection. I have spoken broadly about this collection in a previous podcast, but I'm going to spotlight the Boxcar™. Here's what Gretsch has to say about it:

"More powerful than a locomotive! This square-neck version of the 1930s Gretsch classic has the tone and punch that pro players demand. The vital feature of all Gretsch resonator guitars is the all-new Gretsch "Ampli-Sonic" diaphragm (resonator cone), which is hand-spun in Eastern Europe from nearly 99 percent pure aluminium and yields an impressive quality and volume of tone."

This is a nice traditional wood resonator. It has rosewood neck and medium jumbo frets. They've done a smart thing on this instrument. The back and sides are laminate. Hey, if the amplification is coming from the aluminum, using laminate keeps cost down and doesn't have much of an effect on the sound. The desired sound resonator players are looking for is very tinny.

Don't forget that this model is a square neck, but it's available as a round neck, too. 

Some extras are Gretsch Ampli-Sonic™ Spider Resonator Cone and Bridge; Nickel-Plated Poinsettia Design Cover-Plate; 1930s Gretsch Headstock with Aged Pearloid Face. A gig bag is not included but is available.

This guitar's MSRP is $599, which isn't bad. I have found some advertised street prices as low as $359, which is a sweet deal for a resonator made by Gretsch. 

Here's a video demo link

Take Note

My take note topic this week is don’t take anybody’s word for it. I worked with a student a few days ago, who’s playing a pretty standard 60’s era song. If you heard the intro, you’d know exactly what song it is. So we were looking at and working this highly distinctive intro. It posed some challenge for the student because although he knew how it should sound, he needed to slow it down since he had to really think about the rhythm, rather than feeling it. We got through that.

Then, the body of the guitar part we were working on was a series of arpeggios of totally crazy chords. I shouldn’t call the chords crazy - their NAMES were crazy. I’ve had a gripe about the music publishing industry for a long time. I honestly don’t know if they’re completely uninformed or if they are computerized but don’t have any contextual equivalent of spell check when it comes to making up names for chords. If the chords were named theoretically correctly, although unfamiliar, they would be much easier to learn and remember. 

The given names of the chords in this progression were: 

D6 9, G6, D/F#, Asus2/E, Em7 and D. I don’t have any trouble with the Asus2/E or the D.

If you take a look at the image, look at what the music publisher has called D6 9. Really?? If you’re up on your music theory, and you examine the notes that are written for the first group of beamed eighth notes, you’d have no reasonable choice other than to call that arpeggio Em7/D, right? Definitely. 

Let’s examine the next kookie chord. Well, I know a lot of people call this a G6 because it is somewhat a G chord with an open E, which is the 6th note of the G scale. I have mentioned on more than one episode of this podcast that a 6 chord is never really what chord it its. For example, a C6 chord is really an Am7. When you see 6 in the name of a major chord, the correct name of the chord is its relative minor chord, minor 7. In this chord progressions, the G6 is really an Em7/G.

The D/F#, if we take an analytical look at it, we find that what we actually have is the same chord as the one before, except with an F# in the bass. So this chord should be namedEm7/F#.

No problem with the Asus2/E. That's right.

Now, it would seem like the Em7 is correct, but no way is it an Em7. What we have here is a Dsus2. The Asus2/E presents the high open E that is the suspended 2 in this D chord. And it typically and naturally resolves to D.

Now, isn't this chord progression more easy to remember and doesn't it imply the close relationships of the chords? Em7/D, Em7/G, Em7/F#, Asus2/E, Dsus2 and D. Of course it is. 

I've taken a bit of license because not every note in these chords were played notes, but theoretically, and logically, it makes the most sense. When you have crazy and exotic chord names, take a closer look. Don't believe anybody. 

•••Raptor Picks USA•••

Once in a great while, something comes along that's literally revolutionary. The Raptor™ R Series guitar pick is just such a creation. It affords its user a sublime quartet of sounds which can be summoned with a mere rotation of the brilliantly designed Raptor™ pick. Not only is it a beautifully executed, ingenious idea, but the first experience of playing with it is almost impossible to describe because it’s so different from anything you’ve ever employed.

Get past the unusual feel of the Raptor™ guitar pick and the door to faster, cleaner and more creative playing swings wide open. Your grip will be sure. Your attack will be silent. Your projection will be enhanced. Add to that the technology that enables the pick to glide over your strings, rather than bluntly striking them and the genuine Raptor™ “R” Series pick stands alone as an asset to every guitarist who uses one. 

Seasoned pro? This pick allows for more subtle differences of expression because of the variety of timbres it produces. 

Intermediate recreational guitarist? Improve your sound by upgrading your pick.

Rank beginner? Prime your creativity right from the outset.

Genuine Raptor™ “R”Series guitar picks are available at RaptorPicksUSA.com. Free Raptors with a purchase of 4 or more is just another way of “spreading the excellence, one guitarist at a time.”

Raptor™ picks are a registered design. All rights are owned by Black Carbon.

Follow Raptor Picks USA on Twitter

Raptor Picks USA FaceBook Page

Outro

Check out the PRS Thank You Package and Sweepstakes and the dude who took an Alice Cooper signed Strat to the top of Mt. Everest!

I hope the Student Spotlight will be occupied next time. I'd like this podcast to count for the first week of July, even though it is early. I hope to have the next show up at the beginning of the 3rd week of July. 

I'm loving my crisp new DRs and can't make up my mind about which guitar to play, so I play them all.

A resonator guitar is amplified by a spun aluminum cone or cones. The sound is most used in blues, bluegrass and Hawaiian music. They're cool. Check them out.

The Gretsch G9210 Boxcar™ Square-Neck Model: 2715020521 is a very affordable resonator.

When a chord progression looks bizarre but doesn't sound bizarre, check it out. You may have a much more simple progression than you think. Use your theoretical knowledge to make sense of it.

If you’d like to further assist SuperStorm Sandy victims, Sandy NJ Relief Fund will put 100% of your contribution to excellent use. The recovery here is going to take years and some communities still have condemned homes and unlivable conditions. 

Don’t forget the marvelous tribute to Les Paul by Lou Pallo, the trio and other musical friends, called Thank You, Les. 

If you’re not comfortable, your guitar isn’t either, so don’t leave your guitar in a cold car or basement, or a hot car or attic. Humidify if your guitar lives in an environment in which there is less than 40% humidity. If you’re going on a vacation - ask a friend to keep the guitar at their home until you return, if you can.

Follow Me on Twitter

GuitarTechniqueTutor.Com