Author Archive for Matthew James

The Band’s First Time

by Matthew James

So you have your first gig? After all the practicing your band has done, you finally landed the dream- a chance to play in front of a crowd. This, next to being signed, is one of the greatest experiences and thrills to happen to a knew band. You can show the world how great you are. Like Murphy's Law says "what can go wrong, will go wrong." Every musician in the world can remember the first time they performed on staged, so make it a good experience not a frightful mess.

First, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! No matter how many times you have performed your songs in the garage, when you get on stage it will all sound different, and, if you don't know your part 110%, you will get it wrong. In the garage, you are in one small room and quite close to your fellow band mates. On stage, you can be separated a lot and you may not be able to hear the other guys or what they are playing. If you know your songs very well, you will be able play no matter what sound problems you have.

Secondly, be confident. If you rehearse your songs well, you will do fine. If you are nervous, it will show and you will mess up and no one will wan to hire you again. This is your time to shine. You don't want a bad reputation. Rehearse the songs in order so you know how each one will sound when you play them in the place and you can keep going if there is a problem. This will let you know how you will do in real life and if any problems might happen.

Make sure your guitars have new strings (but put them on at least two hours before you play and stretch them in), your drums have at least a new snare skin, check the condition of the kick drum skin too. You don't want to have an equipment problems while you are playing and getting everything ready and fresh ahead of time can help prevent any issues.

Singers should use a "cheat sheet" and write down the first word of each line to jog their memory in case they get nervous. However, if you are well rehearsed your should not need it! Playing in front of a crowd is a lot different than playing in front of no one and it is normal for people to get nervous.

Enjoy your self and get the whole thing recorded on audio and visual mediums so you can show it to your family and friends and to your grand kids when your old! Either way you won't forget it! No matter what happens it will be a great time and if you just relax, you will be more comfortable and have a better time.

About the Author:
Matthew James knows a lot about sound and stereo and has been mixing music for over a decade. For further information about stereo and sound, visit his site about Axebay guitars and check our new guitar forum.
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My First Musical Gig

by Matthew James

So you have your first gig? After all the practicing your band has done, you finally landed the dream- a chance to play in front of a crowd. This, next to being signed, is one of the greatest experiences and thrills to happen to a knew band. You can show the world how great you are. Like Murphy's Law says "what can go wrong, will go wrong." Every musician in the world can remember the first time they performed on staged, so make it a good experience not a frightful mess.

First, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! No matter how many times you have performed your songs in the garage, when you get on stage it will all sound different, and, if you don't know your part 110%, you will get it wrong. In the garage, you are in one small room and quite close to your fellow band mates. On stage, you can be separated a lot and you may not be able to hear the other guys or what they are playing. If you know your songs very well, you will be able play no matter what sound problems you have.

Second, be confident in your ability. Rehearse your songs in the order you will perform them especially if you are doing a short set. If you are doing a whole night, rehearse your whole song list as if you are actually doing the gig. This will alert you to any problems such as guitar changes, pedal set up changes, singers needing a "breather" that may make you look disorganized on stage.

If you are doing a gig with a bunch of other bands, make sure your accessories such as leads, tuners , and microphones are clearly marked with your name or at least some special markings, it is strange how much gear goes "walking" at these gigs. Keep track of your stuff and maybe even invite a few friends to watch it.

Singers should use a "cheat sheet" and write down the first word of each line to jog their memory in case they get nervous. However, if you are well rehearsed your should not need it! Playing in front of a crowd is a lot different than playing in front of no one and it is normal for people to get nervous.

Your first music gig experience will be one you always remember and one you want to go right. Be sure to follow the tips above so everything goes smoothly and nothing bad happens. Even if problems occur, remember that this your first time- you're learning and that's ok. No matter what happens you'll have a great time and be telling your kids and grandkids about the time you rocked the house down.

About the Author:
Matt has been writing about the music industry for many years. He has been recording with various record companies and has been in many bands. For more information, tips, and advice, check out his website, my music loving adventure.
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Great Legends of Rock You Don’t Know!

by Matthew James

Classic rock is a term used loosely to describe albums released in the early to late 70's by artists that have become legendary and therefore "classics." Most of these artists were highly original and became influential on many bands in subsequent generations to come. No matter what era you were born in, almost any band you listen to has been influenced by artists and bands from the 1970s. Moreover, even if you are only in your teens and you think your favorite band is "totally original," chances are they were influenced by a musician or group from that era, even if they don't consciously know it.

Lesser known bands such as Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, Grand Funk Railroad, Scorpions (who became quite huge in the 80's), and Thin Lizzy are worthy of mentions but would not necessarily be known as legends, where as other acts such as Queen became absolutely huge and remain so to this day.

Rockers such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Free, Allman Brothers, Queen, Black Sabbath, Cream, David Bowie, Status Quo are all examples of acts who made their start in the 60's but found their sound and style in the 70's, and therefore gave rise to many other bands who then added their own flavor to these styles.

WISHBONE ASH: Guitarists: Andy Powell & Ted Turner. Choice albums: Argus and There's The Rub. Excellent melody and twin harmony lead breaks, copied by many acts since! Very complex arrangements.

UFO: Guitarist: Michael Schenker. Choice Albums: Phenomenon and Force It. Songs: Rock Bottom One of the most exciting and dynamic solos ever recorded, he was about 18 at the time!

This decade produced excellent music and it is not just the big name bands. Learn more about all the bands and expand your music tastes. You'll thank me when you did and you will be rocking out all night.

About the Author:
Matt has been writing about the music industry for many years. He has been recording with various record companies and has been in many bands. For more information, tips, and advice, check out his website, my music loving adventure.
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Seven Misconceptions About Learning The Guitar

by Matthew James

Learning the guitar is great and the dream of many people but there are many common misconceptions by people about learning the guitar. However, they are all incorrect. Here is why and what the reality really is:

Myth: You should learn on an acoustic guitar. Reality: It's better to start on an electric guitar because it's easier to play, has lighter strings, lower action, and a smaller neck. It's also more interesting for younger players as you can add distortion and effects and keep the learner more interested in the process.

Myth: The best way to 'get' a famous player's sound is buy a pedal that has player presets. Reality: Although some multi effects DO have some famous presets, it is far better to learn the correct technique to make the sound rather than trying to copy it. Generally, the sound made by famous players comes from their fingers, their talent, their choice of guitar, and their amp. Rarely do these guys use digital effects to create their sounds

Third: You have to have a huge amp to get a huge sound. Wrong!: Some of the most large sounds that have been recorded have been done with smaller 10 -20 watt amps with the tube increased to loud. Many infamous bands have stacks of amps on stage that are empty of speakers and a small amp hidden behind the stack that is connected into the PA system. Some guitarists are also using digital recreations of their amps in the studio.

Myth: You need to have a lot of string wraps. Reality: You only need about three 'turns' on the machine head and about 3-4 turns on the higher strings. But the best thing to do is buy a locking machine so that strings are locked into place and you don't need any turns or wraps.

Fifth: Single coil pickups are noisy. NO!: Yes depending on your opinion but there are many ways to avoid this problem. The best way is to use a hum canceling single coil pickups such as "fender noiseless" or any of the di marzio or Seymour Duncan hum canceling models that will sound JUST like a vintage strat but without the noise.

Myth: Cheap cables are just as good as expensive ones and I save money. Reality: It is way better to buy a good quality cable that has, quite often, a good guarantee. It will often last a long time and the difference in the quality has a huge bearing on the actual sound produced by your guitar and amp. It is no use having a great guitar and amp set up but use a low quality cable. Its like buying a Ferrari and putting re-tread tires on it. Buy the best cable you can. Quite often you end up buying one good cable instead of cheap ones every 6 months, making this a much cheaper long term investment.

Myth: You can't protect your guitar strings- they simply will go bad. Reality: Of course you can! There are many things you can do to make your guitar strings last longer. The best way is to simply keep the clean. Wipe them down after you use them. Another thing you can do is protect your strings with a protective chemical like Teflon.

About the Author:
Matt James has been writing about the music industry for many years. He has been recording with various record companies and has been in many bands. For more information, tips, and advice, check out his website, guitar legends to learn more about guitars, music, and the greatest rockers of all time.
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How to Change Your Guitar Strings

by Matthew James

Your guitar strings should be changed when they get rusty, start to break, or lose their tone. There are many factors that affect the life of a guitar string from climate to the amount of time you play them to the type of string. Guitar string generally last between 3 to 6 sets.

When changing strings leave enough slack to ensure that there is going to be 3 - 5 turns of string around the tuning head. Make sure you gently but firmly stretch the strings when they are new. While connected to your tuner keep pulling and stretching the string and re-tune as necessary. Remember to stretch your nylon strings so they stay in tune.

There are many good products out there that lock the string into the guitar head and require no turns or wraps. Make sure to do your research but two good ones are Spertzel or Grover locking machines.

Especially good on electric guitars with tremelo bridges or 'tune o matic' bridges is to change the strings individually. This stops the tremolo becoming unadjusted or from falling off the guitar and losing the whole set up.

Always keep your new strings as clean as possible by wiping them down after each playing and using string life products such as Fast Fret or Finger Ease before and after each playing session. It makes a HUGE difference on the life of your strings and length of a good string tone. You can greatly extend string life by also using strings brands such as Elixir strings, which add about 8 times to the life of strings. However, they are about 3 times more expensive than normal strings.

You don't want to pop a string during your great guitar solo so make sure you take good care of your strings. Clean them, change them, and buy good quality strings. It will help with the tone of your guitar and make for a better sound.

About the Author:
Matthew James knows a lot about sound and stereo and has been mixing music for over a decade. For further information about stereo and sound, visit his website about used guitars and check out the online guitar lessons.
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How to Last During Your First Gig

by Matthew James

After a many hours of practice, you have finally scored your first gig. That's awesome. This is an important step for a band. All those hours paid off and now you are going to get paid. However, a bands first time can be either heaven or hell depending on how this first gig goes. It can determine their music career.

You want to be prepared for your first gig. This is a make or break time for bands. Most band start off by playing a school dance, band competition, party or bar and you want to make sure this event leads to more gigs. Being prepared is very important. If this goes poorly, you might not play again.

The first thing you need to do to prepare for your act is rehearse and then rehearse some more. Like the boy scouts, you need to be fully prepared. When you play in the garage, you are in one small room and quite close to your fellow band mates. However, while on stage, you can be separated a lot and you might to be able to hear what they are playing or trying to say to you. If you know your music well, you will never miss a beat.

It's important to be confident in yourself. Rehearse your songs in the order you will perform them so you can make sure everything will be ok. You want to be as organized as possible and make it seem like you have been doing this for years and years. Playing the whole set before the show will let you know of any problems or issues that might arise that you didn't expect.

Write a song list/order for all the band members and a few spares if the gig is using a sound or lighting guy. Make notes if you want any special effects done for you by the sound man. Each member should write notes on his or her list if they need to remember certain things such as pedal adjustments or guitar changes. With your equipment, give it a full check before the show. If something is worn or breaking, replace it with a fresh set. This is your first gig so you want everything to be perfect.

Make sure you have new batteries for pedals and especially tuners, and for any wireless systems you may be using. And don't forget a guitar stand or two!! Have a spare lead close by even if you are using wireless system as it is a good back up. a lot of bands, label everything clearly with your name or at least some special markings. A lot of time things disappear at these shows.

The most important thing to do at the show is enjoy yourself. This is your first gig. If you are too nervous or anxious, you will end up psyching yourself out and not performing well. Just have fun and remember why you wanted to do this in the first place. Most times everything goes fine anyways.

About the Author:
For more information about the recording industry, meeting other guitars, and about used guitars, check out the website Axebay. You can learn everything you need to know about guitars there and find other good guitar articles too.
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Seven Myths about Guitars

by Matthew James

Everyone who loves to dream of playing the guitar, even if most never do. Guitars are a great way to express yourself and relax. However, there are many fallacies about learning how to play a guitar. Here are the myths about guitar playing and why they are incorrect:

Myth: You should learn on an acoustic guitar. Reality: It's better to start on an electric guitar because it's easier to play, has lighter strings, lower action, and a smaller neck. It's also more interesting for younger players as you can add distortion and effects and keep the learner more interested in the process.

Myth: The best way to 'get' a well known musician's sound is buy a pedal that has player presets. NO!: Although some multi-effects DO have some famous presets, it is far better to learn the correct technique rather than trying to copy the sound. Generally the sound of the best players comes from their fingers, their skill, and choice of axe and amp. (Rarely|Hardly|Almost never do these musicians use digital effects to create their music.

Myth: If you want a big sound, you need a big amp. Reality: Some of the biggest sounds ever recorded have been done with smaller amps, tube cranked up loud. Many famous bands have stacks of amps on stage that are empty of speakers just to give an appearance of huge sounds. A small amp connected to a PA system will get you a big sound.

Myth: You should use lots of string turns around the head to get stable tuning. NO!: Even though B.B. King does use this method, a better way is to use 3 'turns' of string on the machine head and about 3-4 turns for higher strings. However, the best way is to buy locking machine heads so the string is literally locked into place and you don't use any string wraps.

Myth: Single coil pick-ups may sound good but are just too noisy. Reality: This depends on your opinion but, if you agree, you can get around this problem a lot of different ways. The thing to do is to use a hum canceling pickup such as "fender noiseless." This will get rid of the noise you don't like while keeping the sound.

Myth: Cheap cables are just as good as more expensive cables. Reality: It is way better to buy a good quality cable because it will last a long time and help you produce a much better sound. Buy the best cable you can- remember you get what you pay for. It is better to pay for a good cable then keep buying cheap cables. Over time, the costs work out to be the same.

Myth: You can't protect your guitar strings- they simply will go bad. Reality: Of course you can! There are many things you can do to make your guitar strings last longer. The best way is to simply keep the clean. Wipe them down after you use them. Another thing you can do is protect your strings with a protective chemical like Teflon.

About the Author:
Matthew James knows a lot about sound and stereo and has been mixing music for over a decade. For further information about stereo and sound, visit his website about used guitars and check out the online guitar lessons.
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The Perils of Being Signed

by Matthew James

Most musicians often feel that getting signed by or being offered a recording deal should be their ultimate goal. While getting a record deal is a great achievement for a band, a contract can lead to many bad things the band never foresaw or wanted.

These days a recording contract is nothing more than a big advance of money to be recouped by the recording company through sales of your product. If it doesn't sell to expectation you still have to pay the money back somehow. Music companies are a business and they are there to make money not lose it. It is no different than going to a bank and getting a loan to market your music your self, except the recording companies have the methods to make the product sell, get airplay and distribute the product throughout the country or even the world. Recording companies loan you the money to make the music and get their money back by distributing it. Typically artists make a small fraction on CDs- most of the money comes through merchandise and tours.

Beware of recording companies who try to influence and change your sound, often to the point of rewriting your songs and even changing members of your band. They may even have you record music from other people.

Many times the band doesn't produce the sounds a company wants and the music get shelved. Since you signed with the company, they own you and you can't produce any music with any other company while under contract. You simply have to wait it out and this can take years. Just ask Billy Joel.

After you are ready to record your songs, you might find the recording company will bring in a co-writer that changes your lyrics beyond all recognition to fit in with labels style. You started to make a hard rock album and you end up with a rap album with all your instruments removed and samples and remixes replacing them.

Beware the big advance of money, to make and promote your music. If it doesn't sell you will have to pay the money back, with interest, just like the banks. How do you pay it back? Live gigs, touring, radio shows, shopping centres etc for the next ten years. How do all those artists who make millions of dollars end up bankrupt? All the bills they didn't know they had to pay. They had so much fun, they never watched where the money was going. Read the fine print so you don't end up like MC Hammer.

Quite often musical differences between band members and record companies are solved by the company getting rid of and replacing any member of the band who doesn't agree with them. They are always trying to get work for their own players and artists who have already been signed. Quite often you will find all your guitar players work re-recorded by the studio guy or producer to fit in with the labels sound or smooth over tensions within the band.

Remember that the music business is a business. If you can become successful yourself, you should try to do so. You can use the web to promote yourself. Many people become famous this way but at the end of the day, you may need a company. If you sign with a record company, make sure you read the fine print carefully. You don't want to waste your best years in a bad contract.

About the Author:
For more information about the recording industry, meeting other guitars, and about used guitars, check out the website Axebay. You can learn everything you need to know about guitars there.
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