So Who Here Plays Guitar?

[PintoPlain]

I haven’t been really playing bass at all since COVID and my old bandmates are dragging me kicking and screaming back into it.

Man, new bass strings on my baby butt soft fingers are not fun!

It looks like I will be back into doing a couple gigs a month starting in April-ish. I whine and complain (just lazy and bored!), but it will be a blast once I get back into it.

New bass strings? What a novel concept. The strings on one of my basses are the original ones from the mid 90s, so 15ish years ago (or so it feels).

I'll have to start back with the bass soon. Had issues with my left shoulder and couldn't reach the fretboard. Even using the tenor uke was troublesome for a time.

 

[The Knize]

New bass striHangs? What a novel concept.

Ha! I thought the same thing. New strings seem to be somewhat of a controversal topic among bass players. James Jamerson famously never changed his strings. "The funk is in the funk" he is reported to have said. But Jamerson also played with very high action and a lot of bow (relief) in the neck, and none of us are James Jamerson, not that I am much of a bass player, although I truly love the instrument.

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

Being educated is a blast and lack of app need makes life easy. Thanks @Lockback, I picked up a beginner guitar, amp and microphone. It works really well and my daughter and I jammed late into the night with the amp opened up. I was rocking an ADE progression this morn and only the dogs were disturbed, headphone capability is so cool. My camping neighbors will be clueless over the next work cycle.
Cheers!

 

[Lockback]

Being educated is a blast and lack of app need makes life easy. Thanks @Lockback, I picked up a beginner guitar, amp and microphone. It works really well and my daughter and I jammed late into the night with the amp opened up. I was rocking an ADE progression this morn and only the dogs were disturbed, headphone capability is so cool. My camping neighbors will be clueless over the next work cycle.
Cheers!

That's the way you do it!

 

[BradWorld]

Catching up here.

Bass strings? Yeah. I change them about every five to ten years. I can feel when they are done. I like a slightly dead string for a better low end punch. Don’t need my bass sounding like a piano.

Congrats SharpieB on diving back in.

Best cheap modern amp in my opinion is the Katana 50. Had one. Loved it. Only sold it because I’m going through a huge downsizing and it was redundant. I would buy another one in a hot minute. My opinion is that it’s the best beginner amp too. You can jam and gig with it. Direct recording. And plays well quietly too.

I use the Ditto looper. Simple. Sounds great.

On another note, I played an acoustic guitar live in front of an audience for the first time since the early 90’s. It was fun. Ill do it again.

Enjoy the jamming fellas.

 

[Lockback]

Very cool, @BradWorld!

 

[HoşçakalBirtanem]

I've been strumming on my acoustic for about a decade now, nothing too fancy, just enough to sing along and enjoy. Mostly, I stick to folk and a bit of blues. There's something about the raw sound of an acoustic that just hits right, you know? Picked up an electric a couple of years back, and it’s a whole different kind of thrill, especially when cranking out some classic rock tunes.

 

[PolishDawg]

Far as I know Clapton is the only blues man in the business who opens his yapper about immigration problems, when he ironically stole all his licks from immigrants...

And Tommy, well he's like some sort savant, he just figures stuff out and puts on a great show. Working on classical guitar, not working much these days

The Yahmaha is a great choice for a starter axe. When the funds permit, its so worth it to get a nice little 15-25 watt tube amp...the crunchy tones are amazing.

 

[huck1680]

Far as I know Clapton is the only blues man in the business who opens his yapper about immigration problems, when he ironically stole all his licks from immigrants...

Oh that is funny and damn accurate

 

[slimshavy]

I trained as a violinist, and I knew a few guitar chords but never did anything with it. Then I moved back to Kalamazoo, and everyone who lives here is required to play guitar (or mandolin). They write it into the property deeds. So I've been playing a cheap acoustic guitar and writing songs, for no one so far.
It's amazing how much of a challenge it is just getting chords to ring, having the fingers put down hard enough in the right spots. The distance between good enough and actually good is really far, but it's been enjoyable trying to get there.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Then I moved back to Kalamazoo, and everyone who lives here is required to play guitar (or mandolin). They write it into the property deeds.

There's a lot if guitar history in Kalamazoo.

 

[PolishDawg]

Oh that is funny and damn accurate

I am largely interested in all genres of music to some degree from a historical and anthropological perspective...its so sad how much the R&B genre got ripped off, and not credited...

 

[huck1680]

I just picked up a "mini-amp" the Boss Katana. Really impressed with it and is helping me get back in to playing and practising.

 

[HoşçakalBirtanem]

Whenever I'm jamming and hit a snag or get curious about a new technique, I head over to FAQAudio. It's my go-to for clearing up confusions or learning something new, always in a way that doesn't feel like going back to school. They've got a knack for explaining things in a way that just makes sense.

 

[Lockback]

Whenever I'm jamming and hit a snag or get curious about a new technique, I head over to FAQAudio. It's my go-to for clearing up confusions or learning something new, always in a way that doesn't feel like going back to school. They've got a knack for explaining things in a way that just makes sense.

I'll have to check it out.

 

[Lockback]

I just picked up a "mini-amp" the Boss Katana. Really impressed with it and is helping me get back in to playing and practising.

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I have the Blackstar Fly. It's a terrific little package. So portable and yet it sounds pretty decent.

 

[Lockback]

Just out of curiosity here ...
How many of you fellow guitar players ...
1) Read music?
2) Took lessons?

I play strictly by ear and have never had lessons and can't read a note although I can read simple chord charts that I've picked up over the years.
So what say you?

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Just out of curiosity here ...
How many of you fellow guitar players ...
1) Read music?
2) Took lessons?

I play strictly by ear and have never had lessons and can't read a note although I can read simple chord charts that I've picked up over the years.
So what say you?

I learned by taking lessons and reading sheet music back when I was eight. I got out of playing by the time I was eleven or twelve. When I was eighteen, I started playing again, but never bothered relearning notation when it came to the guitar.

About ten or so years ago I somewhat honed my piano skills, and learned how to follow basic notation, and read some sheet music, but for the past few years I would probably need to play something by intuition, theory, and ear, opposed to being able to sight read.

 

[BradWorld]

Just out of curiosity here ...
How many of you fellow guitar players ...
1) Read music?
2) Took lessons?

I play strictly by ear and have never had lessons and can't read a note although I can read simple chord charts that I've picked up over the years.
So what say you?

Read music as a child and younger man. Haven’t used that muscle in many years, so it has atrophied to the point where I have to work out each note one at a time. I still read tabs every so often when I am having trouble working out a part by ear. But it’s rare.

I took proper guitar lessons for years in my younger life. Played woodwinds in marching band and concert band in school. Which gave me sight reading and further music theory knowledge. Had a music minor in college studying music theory and music history.

 

[Lockback]

Read music as a child and younger man. Haven’t used that muscle in many years, so it has atrophied to the point where I have to work out each note one at a time. I still read tabs every so often when I am having trouble working out a part by ear. But it’s rare.

I took proper guitar lessons for years in my younger life. Played woodwinds in marching band and concert band in school. Which gave me sight reading and further music theory knowledge. Had a music minor in college studying music theory and music history.

Your musical ability far exceeds mine.
I'm no trained musician but I do watch Rick Beato on YouTube.