Blogger weirdness

Keith left a random comment on my blog.

Farewell happy fields,
Where joy forever dwells: Hail horrors, hail
Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell
Receive thy new possessor

According to Google this appears to be a part of Satan's speech, from J.Milton's Paradise Lost .

Although Keith didn't continue on the verse continues with:

One who brings A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place,
and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell,
a Hell of Heaven

Thanks for the enlightneing comment Keith, I am not sure what it means. I am not even sure I can call it enlightening if I am not sure what it means, but WTF? It is my blog after all.

Jamming with Alan

I got to jam a little with my friend Alan this weekend. This is notable for a couple reasons.

1)Alan is famous for being the rhythm guitarist in the wildly popular, yet short lived Portland band called Netochka, and played at Satyricon which no longer exists.

2) When I began learning guitar in earnest Alan explaind that while open chords were cute and all, I would open a new world of playable music by learning barre chords. I essentially ignored this because barre chords are hard to learn and I felt that I was doing fine without them.

So continuing the "I learn something everytime I sit and play with other people" theme, Alan gave me a quick and dirty barre chord lesson, and explain in his "I'm an engineer so it makes more sense to me" way how practical they are. I beleive that this might have gotten me over the hump as long as I execute on that lesson in the next few days.

Thanks Alan.

Also Alan loaned me a Digitech RP6 DSp pedal to try out. I did a little quick research and the pedal appears to have been introduced in 1996. I am pretty sure that my RP80 is a newer better version of that pedal, but I am anxious to take it through it's paces. Added bonus is that it has a lot of leds, and is way more sturdy than the newer digitech pedals.

Again. Thanks Alan!


The Digitech RP6

Guitar Stringing technique on standard tuning keys

Standard keys - In order to reduce string slippage at the tuning key, we recommend that you use a tie technique. This is accomplished by pulling the string through the keyhole, and pulling the string clockwise underneath itself and bringing it back over the top of itself; creating a knot. You will need to leave a bit of slack for the 1st string, so you have at least 2 to 3 winds around the post. As you progress down the line to the 6th string you will reduce the amount of slack and the amount of winds around the keys.

Blogger Knowledge: Eats, Blogs & Leaves

Blogger Knowledge: Eats, Blogs & Leaves
See the previous post.

Spelling & Grammar

Apparently Blogger is so easy to use that I feel that I don't need to spell check, or use proper grammar. I suppose it would get in the way of the creative process.

Whatever. It is pissing me off that my stuff looks so crappy. So I am going to try and proof read and spell check BEFORE I hit the publish button in the future.

Please accept my apologies.

Thank you.

Me wailing on my guitar

Here is a link to an MP3 of me wailing on my guitar. It is just an experiement in improvisation, but it turned out nicely. I have learned some scales and am starting to use those tools to make music. Very fun.

chrisrocks.mp3

Depending on how you have your browser set up this link will either download and start playing the song, or ask you to save it.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Music | Stone Roses 'top British album'

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Music | Stone Roses 'top British album'

New and Radical Jamming Ideas

Being new to jamming and new to playing music I have introduced some new ideas to the whole jamming operation.

1) A white board. I use the whiteboard to write down chord progressions and scales so that I can remember where I am or where I am supposed to be while jamming. I found myself asking someone to lead me to where we were during songs because I couldn't tell a C from an F by ear or by sight. Now I just write the progression down and follow along. If I get lost I can pretty easily figure out where I need to be. Plus I use it to practice with when not jamming.

The Jammin' Whiteboard

The whiteboard is a pretty nerdy thing, but it makes good sense so it will be a fixture at my jams from now on.

2) A Yahoo group. I have created a Yahoo group for various reasons, but mostly because it kind of makes sense to use something for communicating to the group of guys that I jame with. The group is a website that has a bunch of cool stuff, like a calendar, a message board, a photo album, and a file area. Now we can post messages about songs we want to play, schedule the jams in a calendar, post the pictures from the jam, and post MP3 files of recordings of our jam.

It seems quite simple and useful, but still a little nerdy.

These are my jamming innovations. Feel free to use them at your jams.

My Guitar

Today's Guitar Hero

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson

I can't stop

I am finding myself using every spare minute to fiddle with my guitars, and look for new stuff to learn. It kind of reminds me of s sports analogy. There are many things that are hard at first . . . hitting a baseball, shooting a basketball or snowboarding for example.

I have personally encountered periods of time where it seems like I just can't get any better, and for a period of time it becomes frustrating trying to improve. Perhaps you take a short break (a few days/weeks/months) and when you come back something seems to have stuck. Then all of a sudden you arereaping the benefits of trying to improve and whatever mental or physical block was impeding progress is suddenly gone.

I am having that with guitar. I used to look at tabs with all the individual fingerings and see some unintelligible code. I could push the string in the frets but I couldn't make musical sense of it. Well recently I have had some serious progress with music and guitar. I now hear the music in the song. I can faintly visualize how something is played by listening to it (not really enough to play by ear, but getting there), and when I look at those tabs now I can get the flow, and start to pick up music, songs.

Now I find myself reaching for my guitar all the time. Learning is awesome. Learning to rock is even better.

Blues Chord Changes, Sweet Home Chicago, Blues MP3, Blues Guitar, Rock Guitar

Blues Chord Changes, Sweet Home Chicago, Blues MP3, Blues Guitar, Rock Guitar

The Blues . Blues Classroom . 12-Bar Blues | PBS

The Blues . Blues Classroom . 12-Bar Blues | PBS

Birthday Jammin

Had a 39th Birthday party/jam. It was much fun for all. Chuck, Ed, Johnny, Bryce and Landon all came to play. The special surprise guest was Dr. Sean who drove down from Tacoma to play a little blues harp.

There were many other party-goers enjoying the music including some dancing children. I figure if you can make the kids dance your doing ok. If the kids are just sitting around there might be a problem.

I really like jamming. I especially like the fact that I am getting the blues (figuratively) and really enjoy doing the handoff thing. I actually played a little lead which when viewed on video didn't sound half bad. Now to work on the guitar face.

Thanks to everyone who showed, it really made my 39th birthday special. Special thanks to Damien who worked the camera for us.

Chuck's Gibson Les Paul

Flat thumping the bongos

Johnny diggin on Bryce's bass

Chuck was sporting the sweet Les Paul

Ed jammin my new Telecaster

My friend Flat drove down from Tacoma and played a little harp.

CONCERT REVIEW - PEARL JAM, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, GOB ROBERTS AT THE DELTA PLEX, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.

• What Springsteen set out to accomplish with some degree of subtlety, Pearl Jam approached with the intention of knock one out of the park. "Here's to being a swing state! These are the rewards of being undecided," Eddie Vedder toasted the crowd before roaring out of the gate with an all-business 12-song sampling of the band's punkier catalog that endeavored to apply the band's disenfranchised-youth lyrics to disenfranchised voters.
• Pearl Jam's covers-heavy set included Dylan's "Masters of War," James Taylor's "Millworker," the Dead Kennedys' "Bleed for Me," the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" and X's "The New World," which featured a vocal assist from Tim Robbins. The actor's punk band, Gob Roberts (zing!), opened the show.
• In toasting the other bands on the tour Sunday, Vedder seemed taken aback by scattered booing to his mention of the Dixie Chicks. After a few songs, he shot back, "I was just thinking what kind of a sick f--- you'd have to be to boo the Dixie Chicks," to louder applause.
• Vote for Change T-shirts: $25. Pearl Jam date-specific posters: $20.
• Spotted in Cleveland: One guy wearing a Bush/Cheney '04 T-shirt (local press reported about a dozen protesters congregated outside the arena). Spotted in Grand Rapids: No Republican presence noted.

My friend Jimmy Z. was in attendance at this event and said that the venue was what amounted to a high school gymnasium. In addition to a killer concert not to forget it sounds like Eddie and the boys rallied a few folks into getting out to vote. Here's hoping it worked!

Weird.

Some time back in August I posted about a band that I knew in Austin, TX back in the mid-80's called Zeitgeist, later known as The Reivers. I just popped back to reivers.net to see what was up and prominently featured on the main page was a picture of John Croslin the former lead of The Reivers playing a nifty Sunburst Telecaster similar to the one I just bagged.

John Croslin sporting the sunburst Telecaster!

I Am A Patriot - Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul

Covered by Pearl Jam on the "VOTE FOR CHANGE" tour. **
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I am a patriot and I love my country
Because my country is all I know

And I ain't no communist, and I ain't no capitalist
And I ain't no socialist
and I sure ain't no imperialist
And I ain't no democrat
And I ain't no republican either
And I only know one party
and its name is freedom
I am a patriot

And the river opens for the righteous, someday
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You can find the guitar tab here .

Thanks to Jimmy Z for turning me on to this tune!

** There is an AWESOME video on the VFC site of a Bruce Springsteen public service announcement. Check it out!

guitargeek | the guitar rig database

How cool is this site? It lets you search artists by name/band/gear and see thier set up. guitargeek | the guitar rig database

For example to see how Kurt Cobain was set up go here. Note the killer diagrams. How wonderfully nerdy!

The Crybaby

Being the father of a 8 month old you would think that I would shy away from any product called the Crybaby, but much to my joy my new very used Dunlop Crybaby Wah pedal kicks serious ass. It gives my new Telecaster an even gnarlier raspy bluesy sound.

My new Crybaby

Guitar Hero Series (2)

Today's Random Guitar hero is actually a Heroine. Poison Ivy of the Cramps.

From a 1990 issue of Guitar Player Magazine:
“Poison Ivy, a golden harem sphinx, a sheen of perspiration over her alabaster body. Sweat streaks her guitar as she plays keen bloodnotes. The songs are of decapitations, transmogrifications, psycho frenzies, invading saucermen, voodoo, and pussy. Always pussy. It’s a smoking, fuzzy, wild sound, full of an intensity that lies halfway betweebn sexual stimulation and demonic possession.”
How's that?

Poison Ivy - Guitar Heroine

The current Guitar quiver. Sadly I think the Strat must go.

39 Years old today! Happy Birthday to me! A brand new Fender Highway 1 Telecaster. Thank you Andrea and VK!

Vintage Guitars Collector - Fender collecting vintage guitars fender, stratocaster, strat, telecaster, tele

Vintage Guitars Collector - Fender collecting vintage guitars fender, stratocaster, strat, telecaster, tele
If I am lucky I might get one of these for my birthday!

Guitar Amp Tone and Effects Placement

Guitar Amp Tone and Effects Placement
I found this site while looking for ways to get classic blues tone out of my setup. There is alot (perhaps too much) of detailed information here about how to get killer tone out of amps.

A trip to the Experience Music Project

My wife and I are planning a Halloween Seattle trip which includes a visit to the Experience Music Project, a visit with our friends Alan, Lisa, Zach and Lilly, and a Seattle Seahawks game.

I am very excitied (at least for the purposes of this blog) to visit the EMP. There are a few exhibits about the blues that I am anxious to see, and if it turns out to be as cool as I am expecting it to be I will go back in November for the Bob Dylan exhibit.

Johnny Jam

Johnny (see previous jam notes) hosted a jam at his house. Many people were unable to attend so it ended up being Johnny, Bryce and myself.

Johnny has a great old house in SE Portland, and has a studio over his garage. It was a cool place to jam on a warm night. I really enjoyed it and hope we can do it again.

One thing that was nice and different was the fact that the group was small (no offense to all you other fellas). It seemed to be more together and sound better.

There were a few songs that we were playing (for the life of my I cannot remember a couple of them) that would be nice to have a female vocalist on. Perhaps someone knows someone of that ilk for the next jam. The only problem is that we play a whole lot of non descript vocal-less songs. I imagine that a vocalist might get bored.

Anyway, Thanks for hosting Johnny!

Blues Lead

I finally recorded a 12-Bar blues and am playing lead with it. I only have the E blues scale figured out now, but am planning to do A, D, and G next.

I am also playing decent harp over the top of it as well. Perhaps I can figure out how to link an MP3 in my blog sometime soon.