Who are some really good contemporary singer-songwriters that perform often or mostly on guitar, but are not particularly better than average when it comes to technical skill at the instrument itself?
posted by threeants
on Apr 25, 2013 -
14 answers
I'm going to be in Los Angeles for a couple months for work, and I'm going to be staying with a friend. I'd like to be able to practice my acoustic guitar privately, but I'm having little success finding practice rooms.
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posted by averageamateur
on Apr 2, 2013 -
8 answers
I am seeking a truly excellent luthier/guitar tech in New York City, preferably Manhattan, specializing in acoustic instruments and capable of doing advanced woodwork.
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posted by spitbull
on Mar 31, 2013 -
5 answers
I'm thinking of a music video by a Japanese rock band that starts with a long tracking shot of a huge guitar effects pedal chain. I know it is an amazing song but I can't for the life of me recall the name.
posted by mhjb
on Mar 24, 2013 -
3 answers
So, lately I've been listening to the new Veronica Falls album. I'm drawn to songs like
this [
live version] and
this: pure, jangly, motorik fuzz-pop. I need more, many more, songs along the same lines. So, who's mining this
Black Tamourine-style vein of music at the moment aside from Veronica Falls?
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posted by Sonny Jim
on Mar 20, 2013 -
8 answers
I want to play bowed electric guitar on some recordings. How best to optimize the sound and technique? Best type and size of bow? Best strings?
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posted by critzer
on Mar 19, 2013 -
5 answers
My guitar pals and I have decades of playing time among us, though none professional. We're not entirely devoid of talent. We have a reasonable understanding of music and pretty good repertoires. And yet...
And yet our sessions are always meandering, improvised, "ok sounding" affairs. We have a fun time. We play a wide range of songs ... But the overall quality of sound produced leaves a lot of room for improvement. Not cacophonous, per se, but not fit for public consumption either.
I'm wondering what we can do (aside from practice, practice, practice) that might improve our musical output, to take it to the next level. What are the things real musicians would do - in approach or arrangement - that we should try?
posted by ecorrocio
on Mar 6, 2013 -
13 answers
I've played classical piano for years, but I'm just starting out with jazz and blues. A friends is learning bass guitar from scratch. Can anyone recommend some easy riffs or chord progressions we could play together?
posted by morninj
on Feb 5, 2013 -
6 answers
I play piano. Recently I got a keytar (!) because I wanted to have something more portable to play, and to experiment with other sounds. The keytar has lots of cool "lead guitar" sounds, which are cool, but I have some questions that a guitarist could best answer. In the end, I want to be able to describe the kind of guitar sound I'm looking for in ways a guitarist would understand.
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posted by mcav
on Jan 29, 2013 -
10 answers
How can I learn to play guitar when I need to travel constantly for work?
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posted by bargex
on Dec 29, 2012 -
7 answers
As a favor for a friend I'm trying to find contact information on Roger Edison, who has written or edited a number of guitar and music books for Alfred over the years. Most of his books are long out of print, unfortunately. Web searches have proven fruitless and I was unable to get anything useful from Alfred themselves. He has been producing books since at least the 70s but I've only actually been able to get my hands on one and there was no information on the author in it. Any pointers to either Edison himself or where I might want to look would be appreciated.
posted by tommasz
on Nov 13, 2012 -
4 answers
What is this new guitar effects device or pedal that has become popular in the past few years?
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posted by critzer
on Oct 22, 2012 -
16 answers
What are some suggestions for a nice acoustic bass guitar (not a stand-up bass fiddle; not an acoustic-electric) that I can purchase for my son at a VERY reasonable price?
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posted by DMelanogaster
on Oct 16, 2012 -
12 answers
I'm an huge Everlast fan. Finding others songs or artists that are like his rap-heavy songs is easy; please help me find more like his acoustic guitar-heavy songs.
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posted by Room 641-A
on Oct 7, 2012 -
9 answers
Which books did Jerry Garcia read that helped him learn to play? I'm not much of a deadhead, but I do have great respect for Jerry Garcia's playing, especially acoustically with David Grisman. In my own study of music generally and guitar specifically I've been venturing out of pentatonic scales into the major scale and associated modes, as well as trying to become a more knowledgable and lyrical improviser. I'm in a wormhole of reading tons of interviews with Jerry and he commonly refers to learning heaps about the guitar by "reading the books" that have come out since the last time he "read the books" about guitar/music. These interviews have been mid seventies to mid to late eighties. I'm wondering: What books was Jerry reading that were so valuable in helping him develop his playing? He never seems to reference them specifically. Anyone know what kind of literature was coming out and of good quality in that era? Thanks.
posted by idzyn
on Sep 28, 2012 -
4 answers
I'm looking for a Brazilian piece of (folk?) music to use with a short video I'm making on football/soccer.
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posted by brynnwood
on Aug 10, 2012 -
12 answers
I'm looking for new & modern country/alt-country artists along the lines of Uncle Tupelo, Richard Buckner, early Dylan as well as Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie, and so on. Masterfully played acoustic guitar and bluesy tendencies a big plus!
posted by allseeingabstract
on Jul 1, 2012 -
31 answers
I have a friend who's looking to learn (rock) guitar. Any firsthand recommendations for teachers in the Somerville/Cambridge area?
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posted by DoubleMark
on May 14, 2012 -
3 answers
I like playing the piano by following guitar chords. However I don't understand, and nor can I find any reference material, on what certain chords mean.
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posted by cdenman
on May 2, 2012 -
18 answers
I taught myself to "play guitar" (more or less) using tabs, but now I would very much like to ACTUALLY know how to play guitar. Whats the best way to go about this?
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posted by Senor Cardgage
on Apr 23, 2012 -
16 answers
Guitar players -- what are some good country/folk/blues songs for a couple of intermediate acoustic players, one strumming or picking, the other accompanying on slide?
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posted by stupidsexyFlanders
on Mar 24, 2012 -
6 answers
What are some nice relaxing songs I can play on the guitar for my son in the NICU ward?
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posted by Admira
on Feb 19, 2012 -
23 answers
I'm looking for songs that will help me incorporate fingerpicking into my guitar practice. What are some good songs to start out on?
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posted by quiet coyote
on Feb 18, 2012 -
14 answers
Song. Early to mid 1990s. On the UK radio all the time, especially Atlantic 252. Vaguely grunge sounding, with a "dun dun da dunna dun da dunna da da" guitar riff, followed by a pause, then a quiet/bored sounding "yeah". What was it?
posted by scruss
on Jan 5, 2012 -
5 answers
Any idea how to acquire the source music from the new Scorsese film
Hugo? The stuff the band is playing in the cafe and party scenes, in other words?
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posted by Shotgun Shakespeare
on Dec 30, 2011 -
5 answers
Is Tracy Chapman's guitar in
this video (best shots are in the first 10 seconds) a custom jobbie, or is an acoustic with electric pickups a thing that can be bought off the rack?
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posted by CKmtl
on Dec 27, 2011 -
17 answers
My band has a big gig tomorrow night and for the first time ever, I am a little anxious about performing. What are some simple ways to stay relaxed and have fun on stage?
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posted by anonymous
on Aug 19, 2011 -
15 answers
Music Filter: Trying to find composer and video for guitar ensemble which produced music 'that sounded like it came directly from hell"
I'm trying to track down the name of a composer who I read about a few years ago. He crowdsourced guitar players of all skill levels (via open audition calls, and newspaper adverts), and then created a guitar orchestra.
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posted by Faintdreams
on Aug 7, 2011 -
4 answers
How do American sound technicians make a folk/blues guitar sound really
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posted by Baldons
on Jul 23, 2011 -
5 answers
Help! What guitar-filled rock song has the lyrics "won't tell a soul" as the refrain, I think? It is a male singer - I couldn't tell if the song was old or new. My Goog-itsu is failing me.
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posted by rakim
on Jul 2, 2011 -
12 answers
My mum is learning to play guitar. I am trying to find some software that would help her. I think a program that plays MIDI files would be good, so I am wondering what is a good one? But other ideas would be good too.
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posted by cincinnatus c
on Jun 6, 2011 -
9 answers
Did you start learning to play an instrument in your 20s? I guess I have this feeling like it's Too Late for me!
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posted by showbiz_liz
on Jun 6, 2011 -
57 answers