Recent content by jvasey

Ok, I've been writing songs pretty much all my life. Problem is, they're mostly either sad or angry songs. Does anybody out there write optimistic songs? I don't mean spiritual, just personal but positive in feel. If so, where do you draw inspiration from? I'm great at writing songs...

Doesn't it have a swing setting? You can save yourself from having to do it in 12/8 by simply setting a swing percentage on most rhythm units. That way you can program in 4/4 and still have a blues swing/shuffle to it. Otherwise, your dotted quarters in 4/4 will have to compromised to a half...

"Written In My Soul", can't remember the author's name, but it's the guy that used to edit musician magazine. It's not really a how-to, but interviews with songwriting greats about the processes they use/used with alot of specifics.

Recording covers and trying to exactly duplicate the original sounds will help teach you a lot about your equipment, and help you realize how to duplicate what's in your head. You should check out an album called "Faithful' by Todd Rundgren. One side was originals, and the other was note for...

BBB Have you ever played a decent Kramer? EVH only endorsed them because he was allowed to walk in the factory, spend a day picking the best necks and bodies he could find, and get them fitted with hardware that wasn't even offered on any of the Kramer lines. I worked at a guitar store...

I put stickers of bands that open for us on my gear. They don't get paid much, so the leastt I can do is advertise them. My rule is. Sticker's of small/local/friends bands you want to help-Very Cool Sticker's of Bands that sell over a million records-Dumb Sticker's of slogans or...

My favourite way is to take the original track, send it out an aux, and re-EQ with a slight delay (20-50ms). Now the big question is "Why are you recording a cover?". If it's for an audition or something I can see it, but there's not much interest in the copy of Moby Dick I typed ;)

Jacob I too have encountered similar motivational problems, although mine are usually trying to finish the lyrics. The best way's I've found to get myself moving are 1) Set deadlines. Book studio time, rent equipment, book gigs, anything that gives you a finite amount of time to get...

You beat me to it DB. Doolittle is one of the greatest albums to come out of the US in the last twenty years. It's too bad that Cobain had to have the biggest hit of the 90's with a song he thought sounded too closely copied from the Pixies, thereby guaranteeing that countless mindless...

Guitar Amps are usually matched to the speaker because overdriving the speaker is desireable. With bass amps, it's better to have more speaker than amp because low frequencies overdrive easier than highs. When overdriving the speaker is wasting power so a 100% increase in wattage may only...

I've got two that are indispensable. A 71 Precission, and an early 90's Warwick Streamer. Jeff

Speaking as someone who uses at 4x10, a 1x15 Cab, and an 8x10, I can say that there are a couple points your missing here. A 4x10 will provide more volume than a 1x15 but not because of the surface area statement which would be about 300si vs 175si. 1) A 4x10 cabinet almost always will...

I've got one. It pretty much sucks. I bought it off a friend for $100 about 10 years ago. They were made in the late 70's. Jeff

Jeff Beck can make any guitar sound like a whoopee cushion. Jeff PS Wide Awake- I can't believe you don't like Knopflers tone. He's one of the few strat players whose tone I really enjoy. I think the bridge pickup is overused on strats. Robert Cray is the king of strat-tone.

I can't believe I forgot BRIAN SETZER!!!