I was on the Acoustic Guitar Magazine forum the other day, sharing my thoughts on the Guitar Tool Kit for the iPhone. One mentioned that this program was yet another reason to buy the new iPhone. I wouldn’t go that far but if you have an iPhone or iTouch, the Guitar Tool Kit is a handy program to have around.
Features and Thoughts:
Tuner: Has many different tuning modes from standard tuning to modal or open tuning. Initially, I tried the tuner on the 1st Gen iPhone and it didn’t work so well. The response was terrible and wouldn’t register the low E string and was rendered useless. I now own the 3G iPhone and the tuner is working much better. I’m thinking that the 3G has a better microphone. Any thoughts on this? As a test, I set my Korg tuner next to the iPhone to see how close they responded and the tool kit did very well. The tuner does not work on the iTouch because of the lack of a microphone. But you can use the “Tones” option which is a graphic representation of the six strings and you can run your finger over each string to act as a reference.
Metronome: My first impression of the metronome was annoyance. The tones for the beats sounded like a trash can and there was no way to change those tones to something more pleasant. After I installed the update, the option to to change the tone was there so now the metronome is usable and quite nice to have. The current version of the tool kit only offers 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and “no time signature” as options for time signatures. I would like to see a way to customize the time signatures and even an option on where you want the accents within the measures.
Chord Chart: Very handy little program with lots and lots of chords for you to reference. What is nice is that you can move up and down the fretboard to get your desired chords in different positions. I would like to see is an option to illustrate where the root of the chord is located on the chart. Even better, the 3rd, 5th, 7th etc… location as well.
So would I recommend this program? Definitely! It’s not going to replace your current equipment but at only $9.99, it’s nice to have when you’re on the go and need something in a pinch.
Haven’t had much time to play this past week because I decided to paint the room I practice in. I needed change. The nice thing about tooling around the house is that I turn on the iPod and jam on some tunes. I’ve had Colin Hay’s “Man at Work” CD on my mind a lot lately, so it’s my next in my “what’s in my CD collection” recommendation list.
If you are a fan of the 80’s, you are probably familiar with Colin Hay and his band Men at Work. With songs like “Overkill,” “Down Under” and “Who Could it be Now,” I remember watching them on MTV back in the day when MTV actually played music videos. The 80’s were over and Colin Hay seemed to have disappeared.
Maybe Not…
A couple of years ago, I was watching an episode of Scrubs and Hay played an acoustic version of “Overkill” and it was amazing and much better than the 80’s version. Which leads to the “Man at Work” release which such acoustic versions of some of the 80’s Men at Work classics like “Overkill” (my favorite) and “Down Under”. He also has some new stuff that is reflective and thought provoking like e “Waiting for My Real Life to Begin” and “Beautiful World.” If you don’t have this, you won’t be sorry if you get it. These are also great to learn to play and sing along. I’m working on “Overkill” and “Waiting for My Real Life to Begin” myself.
If you are like me, you probably own quite a few guitars. With all of those guitars in your arsenal, do you own your dream guitar yet? The one that you long for and would buy it if you had the money and the chance. My dream guitar is a made by Canadian Luthier, Linda Manzer and I’m afraid that it will remain just that…. a dream.
I first discovered Manzer guitars about five years ago I saw Bruce Cockburn in Boulder, Colorado. I have heard many times that when it comes to guitars, we listen with our eyes. Let’s just say that with a Manzer guitar your eyes won’t be disappointed. They are beautiful! The tone is exquisite and a joy to listen to. I also helps that Bruce really knows how to make it sing. Other notable Manzer lovers are Pat Methany and Carlos Santana. Methany owns the famous Pikasso(Pictured right), which is an intimidating instrument to look at it, let alone play it. As you can see, the craftsmanship on these guitars are first rate and with such high quality of guitars made, the popularity and demand increases.
When I first dreamt about owning a Manzer, there was about a 12 month waiting list because she only makes about 15 guitars a year. Next thing you know, it’s an eighteen months and today, the waiting list is closed so she can “catch up.” One day, I was tooling around on the Internet and stumbled on the Dream Guitars site. I noticed that they had a Manzer in the used list. For grins, I checked it out and see how much it would cost. $17,000! Now you know why it’s only a dream. Whether or not this is a ridiculous price or not is best left for a different post. You can bet that you will not see a post about my new Manzer unless I get the winning lotto numbers.
So what is your dream guitar? Is it attainable or will it always be a dream?
The Internet has become a wealth of information for any subject and I am so grateful for what I’ve learned from its contents. I have found gear, books, and lessons for a decent price, delivered right to my home. This convenience is wonderful but with budgets tightening a bit, buying a book or services on the Internet may not always be an option. It would also be nice to get out of the house every once in a while.
I would like to remind everyone of a resource that is free, full of information and is usually within minutes of your home. I’m talking about your local public library, a wonderful resource that many in the Internet age forget. I had the day off and found my way to our local branch that is only a few blocks away, with the goal of finding some books to help me with my playing and broaden my musical knowledge. When I arrived at my branch, I was pleasantly surprised by how many were waiting to get in. A scene that contradicts my earlier, “Internet age has forgotten libraries” statement. Lots of moms and their kids and people like me looking for little inspiration.
Our local branch is a bit small so the music section didn’t have too much but I did find a few books that peaked my interests.
“Bernstein, A Biography” - One of my favorite composers and not because of West Side Story, which is great, but because of his Mass. I was privileged enough to be part of a performance of The Mass when I was in College and it was an incredible experience.
“Written in my Soul” – I’m always looking for insight in songwriting and this book contains stories from some of the great songwriters like Paul Simon, Sting, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, to name a few
So if you got a couple hours spare time, give your local branch a try. You might find something there that you might have never thought about otherwise.
In 2001, I stumbled upon a CD that changed my musical life. The CD was called “Drum, Hat, Buddha” by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. My first experience was a 30 second clip, “Disappearing Man,” where the pure, piercing voice of Tracy Grammer captured my attention. I was instantly a fan and got the CD. Upon further listening, I began to take notice of the songwriting of Dave Carter and it truly moved me. His lyrics and honest voice will conjure images in your mind that are so vivid, it feels as if you are experiencing the story personally. I was excited with my new discovery and hoped for a day to experience their music live.
To my dismay, Dave Carter left this world six years ago today and only months after I was lucky enough to discover this treasure. I was disappointed and saddened that I would never see him live or hear any new music. Thankfully, Tracy and a strong community of Dave Carter fans have faithfully kept his music alive for all to hear. So today, like many Dave Carter fans, it is with a heavy heart that I will listen to all my Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer CD’s and celebrate the life of a true American treasure.
I was on the Acoustic Guitar Magazine forum the other day, sharing my thoughts on the Guitar Tool Kit for the iPhone. One mentioned that this program was yet another reason to buy the new iPhone. I wouldn’t go that far but if you have an iPhone or iTouch
modal or open tuning. Initially, I tried the tuner on the 1st Gen iPhone and it didn’t work so well. The response was terrible and wouldn’t register the low E string and was rendered useless. I now own the 3G iPhone and the tuner is working much better. I’m thinking that the 3G has a better microphone. Any thoughts on this? As a
test, I set my Korg tuner next to the iPhone to see how close they responded and the tool kit did very well. The tuner does not work on the iTouch
no way to change those tones to something more pleasant. After I installed the update, the option to to change the tone was there so now the metronome is usable and quite nice to have. The current version of the tool kit only offers 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and “no time signature” as options for time signatures. I would like to see a way to customize the time signatures and even an option on where you want the accents within the measures.
s for you to reference. What is nice is that you can move up and down the fretboard to get your desired chords in different positions. I would like to see is an option to illustrate where the root of the chord is located on the chart. Even better, the 3rd, 5th, 7th etc… location as well.
