bluestraveler

I have a young guitar student looking to do standard grade music, and wants to take up keyboard as a second instrument. He recently went for an initial lesson with a tutor which consisted of the tutor telling him he 'should' follow the associated board syllabus, and pointed out how 'wrong' his 'technique' was (only started playing and this was lesson one!)

Not to be totally put off, he's currently looking for someone with a less formal and more encouraging approach to tutoring. I've found him to be an excellent student, passing grade 2 with distinction after only a year (he's 12) and is now preparing for his grade 4 guitar exam - a lot quicker than average!

If you teach popular keyboard rather than classical piano and are looking for a student, please give me a shout on the forum or PM me.

Cheers Phil, but have had a change of heart - bought a Fulltone Fatboost, and am going to experiment at a couple of gigs with just the boost, and the overdrive channel on my Deville (which I've never bothered with). Thanks for the heads up anyway - and good to hear from you - hope you're well

A decent volume pedal (Dunlop, Ernie Ball, Boss etc) and an overdrive pedal (TS9, Fulltone etc)

Could exchange for Boss ME 70 or pay cash...

Very good condition, comes with box, manual and will throw in the appropriate psu - 125

I'm looking for a decent volume pedal and a decent overdrive so open to swapping...

Out of curiosity, what qualifications/experience do you have? As I'm sure you know, tampering with a truss rod is not a venture best undertaken unless you really know your stuff.

I only ask because I have a guitar collection I don't entrust to anyone else, but I'd rather someone else did it...

I can vouch for Keith - has done great jobs on my strats.

Simply screw off your 58's ball shaped grill. It will then basically be like a 57 which will enable you to get closer to your speaker cone.

Make sure you have the most up to date drivers from the Tascam website.

Product: US-122L | TASCAM

Hope this helps

Thanks for the tip. Yes, updated the drivers this week as the pc is new and it's Windows 7 64bit so had to install the latest/ appropriate drivers. Will try out the mic tomorrow without grill...

Have you tried the asio4all drivers to see if that helps the latency issue?

Also worth checking out this thread for recording discussion:

http://www.aberdeen-music.com/forums/musicians-corner/63494-whats-your-recording-setup-method.html

Thanks Chris - yes, tried that yesterday, but made no difference.

Thanks for the other suggestions. only have an SM58 in the house. What kind of mic would you recommend - a 57?

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Hi,

I'm looking for suggestions as to how to get a decent electric guitar sound at home. I'm using Cubase with a Tascam US-122L soundcard. PC-wise, I'm running a Sony Vaio all-in- one desktop with Windows 7, 4GB RAM, and Intel Core 2 Duo Processor.

I'm happy with the sound of my hollowbody going straight into the soundcard, but can't get decent strat sounds at all.

I have a Boss ME70, but the overdrive sounds are horrible when recorded and the cleans sound like I'm using a digital processor. I've also tried a Fender GDEC 3 which I use for tutoring - great sounds, but has no line out, so you have to connect via USB and can only do so with everything coming out through the amp, which is hopeless for monitoring.

This week I tried the Guitar Rig 4 demo, and the sound were great, but the latency makes it unusable (tried altering the latency settings on my soundcard, but still loads of latency).

To use Guitar Rig in Cubase, I've opened it in the effects bart of the audio track - is there any other way to use it that might sort out the latency?

Any other ideas for software (or hardware) that has decent sounds and that actually works?

I'm a blues based guitarist studying jazz guitar and would like to get together with another guitarist in the same musical boat to play standards, jam etc to help with the learning process. Particularly interested to hear from anyone living in Deeside (as I'm in Aboyne) but keen to hear from anyone anywhere.

PM If interested.

POD 2.0 with Line 6 adaptor, manual, and the POD Settings Bible book. 45.00

Reduced deal on the semi - now selling for 145 with deluxe heavy-weight padded gigbag!

Lefty Tanglewood Orleans (Gibson ES -175 copy) for sale. Nice guitar, comes with padded gig bag. Looking for 180. Video clips here: YouTube - Tanglewood

Guitar actually sounds better than clips, but did the Youtube vid quickly this morning and don't think it does justice to the guitar.

Also selling a Freshman FA 300D acoustic with hard case, and looking for 150 for it.

Will try to make Youtube demo If I have time in the next couple of days.

The following seminar is being run by the musicians union, but because there are currently only four members attending, they've opened it up to any non-members who want to attend.

details below...

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Venue: Aberdeen Foyer, Marywell Centre, Marywell Street, Aberdeen

The Musicians Union have asked Johnston and Carmichael Accountants to provide a specialised tax seminar for musicians working in Scotland. If you struggle with your tax return then this seminar is not to be missed. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn from the experts about tax returns, dispel any myths and meet other members. To reserve a space at this seminar please email: glasgow@theMU.org or phone 0141 341 2960

Thats not what he's saying. He isn't saying you need a qualification, just that its slightly more reassuring if you do, and that being able to play the instrument doesnt mean you can teach necessarily.

I can write short stories quite well, does that mean I can teach other people? I think I would struggle.

Your inability to read is quite frustrating.

Actually, Frosty Jack's argument has changed over a few threads. He began by seeming to suggest that a good teacher should have a professional qualification, then changed to saying that being a good musician does not mean you will be a good tutor.

Don't think I misunderstood you - you seem to be saying it makes no difference if someone is trained to teach or not. I say it does.

I am fucking brilliant at long division. Doesn't mean I can go teach in a primary school.

You're speaking about their ability. I'm not questioning that. I'm questioning their ability to pass on that ability to someone else. They could be the best hairdresser in the world, doesn't mean they could make me the best hairdresser in the world.

I've known some fantastically talented musicians, but when I ask them to show me how to play something, they're clueless.

Playing ability does not mean teaching ability.

Frosty Jack, you couldn't go and teach in a primary school because there is a legal requirement to have a teaching qualification. Nothing to do with ability or lack of.

I agree wholeheartedly with you though. I don't think being a fantastic musician means that someone is going to be a fantastic teacher - playing ability certainly doesn't mean teaching ability. But I know of music teachers who are qualified and whose entire approach to teaching sets the majority of people up to fail. Yes, they're qualified, and that's the only positive thing you can say about them. On the other hand I have met lots of genuine, enthusiastic, talented tutors who don't have a formal qualification, even some who (gasp) can't read music! My point is simply a piece of paper isn't the first thing I would look for in a tutor -I'm not against qualifications per se, they're just not the defining criteria for me.

Utter bollocks. That's a salesman, not a teacher.

And someone who I think can teach me, would be more likely to be someone who has earned a qualification proving that they can teach. Not 100% maybe, but surely it's a good guide? They key to teaching is not having the knowledge, it's having the ability to impart that knowledge, Very separate things.

Your first point - you've misunderstood me. I was describing the basis on which someone is free to offer a service - whether or not that person has the ability/ integrity/sincerity etc is a separate issue - the judgement call you make when you weigh up whether or not to employ that person services.

Your second point - fair enough, that's your call. For me it depends very much on the service I'm after. I've never asked a hairdresser If they have a qualification, and If so, what. Either they cut my hair in a way which I'm happy with, or they don't.

My point is simply that education has been overtaken by money and politics, qualifications in many fields are dumbed down so much, and colleges are keen to push as many students through the hoops as possible, that I tend not to as a my first yardstick of quality. Just my opinion though.

I have absolutely no idea who 'Bitches Brew' is (in an earlier post I suggested that there was no better example of effortless mastery than Bitches Brew - I was referring to the Miles Davis record, not the author of this thread).

I just find it slightly disappointing to read so many posts that have such little substance. I don't mind cynicism where there is at least some evidence of an open or enquiring mind. But to slate books or ideas without actually knowing the first thing about them is ignorant.

To react to words without bothering to find out what the author means by those words is ignorant. I personally am not at home with some of Warner's language, but this is a sincere, serious book, written by a sincere, serious musician - you can't know If you agree with him or not unless you take the time to find out what he's about - If you don't want to, fine, but If that's the case your comments about the book are worthless and frankly meaningless - so why bother?

With regard to teaching - the only qualification that is essential is having a product, and having people who are willing to pay you for that product - judgements about that process are a matter of opinion.

Who says who can or should teach who or what? What's it got to do with you anyway? If you want to be taught something, go to someone who you think can teach you. If you believe you have something to teach, find people who are willing to be taught by you.

Of course you'll find all manner of people teaching for all manner of reasons. If anyone thinks that the way to sort out the wheat from the chaff are formal qualifications, then they have far more faith in the education market ( and I use the term 'market' on purpose) than I do. With regard to the guy who started the thread, the proof will be in the pudding...

So...it isn't effortless then?

The effortlessness refers to the experience of improvising freely - Warner's not suggesting that there's no effort involved in learning an instrument. Read the book and you'll get a better idea of what he's about....

I've read the book and bought the T-shirt, though I never wear it... snarf...

the way to gain 'absolute mastery' is only after spending hours, days, weeks, months and years of practice and playing, it's all very well walking around with your 'thumb up your arse' Oming to yourself that every note you play is perfect, but everyone knows and hears the truth, guitarist's, spend your money on new guitar strings and drummers buy a practice pad and groove the rudiments, there are no magic panaceas in this, or indeed any life.

If you want to get better, work harder... oh! err! missus...

Great Thread though, I think it's done the trick... thanks Bitches Brew

Phil, my reading of the book isn't that Kenny Warner advocates some kind of pseudo-spiritual babble to replace the mechanics of learning an instrument and practising - he saying, and rightly so in my opinion, that learning the mechanics of playing an instrument and practising isn't enough!! The book simply tries to address some of the psychological hindrances that can detract from a musician realising and expressing their potential.

Nowhere in the book does he recommend not bothering practising or simply choosing to believe that you're better than you are - I don't think that's what he's about at all.

Bollocks.

Just bollocks, that is all. Complacency has never led to greatness.

Nobody would disagree with that, but I can't see where you're coming from. Who said complacency did lead to greatness? Kenny Warner is not just a good writer, he's a good musician - read the book, and then your opinions about it will be taken more seriously.

Good luck to you dude! I agree very much that Warner's ideas can be helpful, and I can't think offhand of a better example of 'effortless mastery' than Bitches Brew.

The books pretty good, although the cd's a bit cheesey....

Amazon.com: Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within (0635621500297): Kenny Werner: Books

Just curious -what exactly are you offering? I like Kenny Warner's book, but the meditations were a bit too American for me...

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Hmm, I did months ago, and you said you were working on it, and produced nothing, and failed to get back in touch. And here you are, looking for business????

I've recently bought a Fender G-Dec, which is a great practice amp - built in amp simulations, fx, drum loops, backing grooves, loop recorder, tuner, midi compatable...180.

Personally, when it comes to practice amps, at that volume and in a living room or bedroom, solid state is absolutely fine. I';d never gig with one, but in the house solid state amps sound absolutely fine to me.