Hey everyone, I have some exciting news to share. 29th Century Guitar is moving to a commercial studio in Sandy Spring, MD! Tentative move-in date is July 1, 2015 and I'm so stoked to expand. I will be offering the same intimate and customized approach to private lessons - just in a larger and cooler space.
This also gives me the opportunity to offer group lessons and classes, workshops, and the like. I'll post some pictures as soon as I make the move and get settled in.
In the meantime, I thought I would shoot a couple new video lessons for anyone interested. Below is a quick playthrough and lesson on the solo from "Say It Ain't So," by Weezer. As always, you can find the tab for the solo and more, on the Songs and Resources page here.
More to come! Take it easy.
That Time I Opened For Marilyn Manson
Wow, it's been quite a while since I posted here. The end of the year wrap up and holidays kept me pretty busy. Looking forward to a rad new year of guitar teaching, guitar playing, shows, new music, and gear nerding out.
Currently, I'm working on several new strumming lessons for Guitar World's Acoustic Nation as well as prepping for a new year with all of my students.
Finally, band stuff has been going rather well. We have a headlining show Friday, 1/23 at Rock & Roll Hotel and last night we got offered to open for the sold-out Marilyn Manson show at the Fillmore. Kinda surreal that it happened. Check out some of the photos below!
Holiday Gift Guide For Guitar Players
Check out this little gift guide I put together for my students. It contains some great products that I use on a day-to-day basis!
Holiday Gift Guide for Guitar Players:
Clip-On Tuner ($3.99)
There are several options available for clip-on tuners, but I've found this one from Reverb.com to be adequate and at this price, it can't be beat! Great for players of all levels. Check it out here.
Planet Waves Guitar Rest ($7)
I bought one of these recently and it's super helpful. It's not quite a guitar stand, but it allows you to stand your guitar up against a desk or other flat surface. Check it out here.
Planet Waves Guitar Headstand ($9)
An inexpensive solution for those who work on their own guitars. I use it for string changes, and other adjustments. It lets you lay your guitar on a flat surface and keeps it secure while you work. Check it out here.
*Note: When using something like this, I recommend placing a soft towel on the surface just so you don't scratch the body of the guitar on a table or desk.
Planet Waves Pro Winder and Cutter ($6.99)
A must-have tool for the guitar player who changes their own strings. This is a string winder and wire cutter combined. Makes string changes easier and more efficient. Check it out here.
Line 6 Sonic Port ($99)
I featured this interface in a prior newsletter. It lets you plug your guitar into your ipad or iphone to create realistic amp and effects sounds. This is suited to intermediate and advanced players, but it can act as a practice amp for beginners as well. Check it out here.
*Note there are other interfaces available at varying prices. The sonic port has more capabilities and greater sound quality than some of the less expensive ones. Feel free to check out some of those - I just haven't played them, so I can't personally recommend.
Pedaltrain Nano and Mini Pedalboards ($49.99 - $69.99)
The entry-level, smaller pedalboards offered by Pedaltrain. For those wanting to organize a few pedals, this is a great way to start. I've owned almost every model of Pedaltrain, and I highly recommend their products. Check out the Nano here and the Mini here.
TC Electronic Ditto Looper Pedals ($99 - $159)
These are simple pedals designed to let you jam along to yourself playing. The basic concept is that you can create a repeating guitar sound by recording a part and creating musical layers over top of that. This is great for the intermediate or advanced player that wants to start experimenting with improvising, soloing, or guitar textures. Check the two models out here.
Line 6 Spider Amps ($99 - $400)
These amps are more suited for the beginner or intermediate student who mainly practices at home. They have various models depending on how large or loud you need the amp. I think even the smallest 1x8 model is a good little inexpensive amp for practicing. It includes some cool built in effects and several amp channels to get you going. Check them out here.
Westone UM Pro In Ear Monitors ($149 - $399)
Noise-cancelling in-ear headphones for those wanting to take their listening to the next level. These are used at the professional level for live performance or in the studio, but intermediate and advanced players looking for a better listening experience than stock ipod earbuds may want to check them out. I use a pair of Westones in my band for live shows. Check them out here.
Mono Cases Guitar Sleeve ($149.99)
This is a brand new soft case from Mono. It is super minimal, yet rugged with some great features for protecting your guitar. I have it's more robust older brother the Vertigo and I love it. It's a bit on the pricey side (around the same price as a deluxe hard shell case). Suited for intermediate and advanced players who are a little more on the go. Check it out here.
Fender Modern Player Guitars ($299 - $499)
These are inexpensive entry-level Fender guitars made in China. I have owned several models, my favorite being the discontinued Jaguar which now has a sale price of $299. These guitars are pack some cool and non-traditional features into an intermediate level guitar. For those looking to upgrade from their first starter guitar, this may be a good pick. I play my jaguar in almost every lesson! Check out some of the models here.
29th Century Guitar Gift CertificatesFinally, to round out this gift guide, may I suggest guitar lessons?! If you know anyone who is thinking about starting up, a gift certificate would make a pretty rad gift. Contact me for more details!
DREAMCATION Out Now!
So, this was a big week for me. My band, Black Clouds, just released our second record, Dreamcation via Collect Records. It is now available in stores and online worldwide! To celebrate, we're playing a record release show at the Black Cat on Friday, November 21.
Check out the full stream on Alternative Press here.
To grab one of the limited preorder bundles while they are still in stock go here.
Radiohead's Ed O'Brien and the new Gig Rig 2
For Radiohead fans and gear nerds, this is a video of Ed O'Brien from Radiohead's new board. It is centered around using the Gig Rig 2 - for all switching and routing. I've used several systems like this in the past, and this new version of the Gig Rig is a super powerful tool for those serious about their pedals! Check it out below.
For more info on the Gig Rig go here: Gig Rig Site
Any questions or comments? Leave me something in the comments section below or send me a message here.
Quick Tips #4 - String Skipping
In my latest video, I go over a basic exercise to help with string skipping. Though it seems like this is a simple concept, it can prove to be quite a challenging technique to master.
Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel for more guitar videos!
Rig Rundown - Failure's Ken Andrews
I had the pleasure of seeing Failure play at the Fillmore in Silver Spring this past June. Their sound was incredible! No surprise there, since Failure is so rad and Ken Andrews has become quite well-known for his producing skills since the band's 16-year hiatus.
Anyway, they sounded huge and I was ecstatic when Premier Guitar released a rig rundown of their gear from the current tour. At the core of their rig is the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx which I use as well and I'm always stoked when I see awesome artists using it.
I hope you find the video as enjoyable as I did!
Quick Riffs #10 - "Appreciation," by Jimmy Eat World
Hey guys! Here's the newest Quick Riff video. This simple progression is super fun to play. Hope you enjoy!
I'm using Positive Grid's Bias and Jamup apps on my ipad for amplification. The goal of this video wasn't to feature them, but they are rad tools for guitar players so I thought I'd give you a head's up. If you like what you hear in the video, check out Positive Grid's site:
Positive Grid