I have been using Elixir Phosphor Bronze Extra-Light strings on my acoustics for at least a decade now. I like the gauges; they are comfortable, and easy to play. They do not stress my wrists, and left arm tendons too much, which as I get older, is becoming increasingly problematic. I like the feel of … Continue reading Speed Dating with Acoustic Strings

Blown loudspeakers can mean several different things; either: The coil is fried.The cardboard cone is torn.The edge ring has become brittle, and perished. In the first case, when the coil is fried, you generally have to replace the entire driver. If the cone is torn, you can tape it back together, or carefully glue coffee … Continue reading Blown Loudspeakers

There are many attributes of great musicianship. Knowledge of theory, technical skill, feel, or intuition to name a few. However, the attribute that I value the most from my musician friends has been kindness.  I share this openly, because I think every musician has had to deal with this at some point. For me,  the … Continue reading Kindness

I organize the effects pedals that I am currently using together on a small, portable pedal board for the purposes of convenience, and efficient setup, and tear-down. I recently learned that daisy chaining the 9v power to the effects pedals through the "1-spot" type power brick can cause ground loops (earth loops) that create electrical … Continue reading Pedal Boards and Power Isolation

According to String Theory, all objects in the universe are made up of hypothetical vibrating filaments (strings) and membranes of energy. Strings vibrate in a multi-dimensional spacetime. The vibration of the string in different dimensions determines whether it appears to be matter, light, or gravity to us in our 3 dimensional perception.  Let's consider another … Continue reading Journey to the Sixth Dimension

There is a continuum of philosophy on the subject of naming guitars. Some people have strict rules that guitars should only have blues era female names. Others have a more playful whimsical approach. Then there are those who loathe the idea of naming a replaceable inanimate object, typing this with the sort of boredom induced … Continue reading Naming Guitars: My Guitar Stories to Date

The famous double-slit experiment shows the duality of light which can behave as both a wave form and a particle. This experiment had the side effect of illustrating that observation can completely change the outcome of an event. When a camera films the experiment, the photons act as particles. However, when no observation takes place, … Continue reading Video as a Practice Tool

I am talking of the power conditioner. A power conditioner will correct problems with power supply that introduce noise into your sound equipment. Wiring in a building might be bad, motors, compressors, thermostat switches, fluorescent lights, some incandescent lights, even the activities of the power company as they load balance the grid; all of these … Continue reading The one Piece of Gear you Never Knew you needed

Is it viable to consider purchasing an affordable and very basic guitar, and then over time, modify this guitar to get an instrument that is as good as the higher end? Yes, it is possible to do this. But before embarking down this road, be prepared that at the end of the day, you will … Continue reading Electric Guitar Modification

The open mic format offers great opportunities to increase exposure, while rapidly developing your act. It is a quick way to measure the success and quality of your performances, while finding out what you still need to develop. Jostled between other performers of varying abilities, you typically play a small set of anywhere between 2 … Continue reading Handling the Open Mic