6 Things That Guitar Players Should Bring on Gigs

Now I'm going show you most the important things to bring with you on gigs.

Compact LED Flashlight

Most stages are dark, especially in clubs, bars etc. It's good to bring a flashlight with you, just in case you need to get something in your bag that you thrown backstage or just in case you need to fix some cables, a powerful flashlight is very useful.

Spare Strings

This is very common to all guitar players, but this is for those who are not aware. It's advisable to put at-least a pair of strings on you gig bag every time you go out for gigs. Just in case you broke your string while tuning or playing in the gigs. You need to bring B and high E string, because this is prone to be broke.

Peg Winder

This one can really help you to save some time, when you broke your string and you need change it immediately, because the show is going to start in a minute. Using a peg winder is more easier, faster, and effortless, than turning the tuners manually using your hands.

Deep Socket

You should bring a specific socket for your guitar, because every guitar has a different sizes of knot. Deep Socket allows you to tighten the loose input jack of your guitar. Loose input jack may cause lost of signal from your guitar, this is common to guitars, especially on Stratocasters.

Screwdriver

You should bring a screwdriver, just in case your strap lock is loose and you need to tighten it up. You should bring a small size of it, that fits in your gig bag.

Wire Cutters

It's good to bring a pair of wire cutters, this is for cutting excess part of string after a string change. Excess string can bother you while you are playing.

    

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5 Tips on Learning a Guitar Solo

Guitar solo is the favorite part of a guitar player, because this is the part that they are able to impress others and this is the time to show their skills and techniques. But, some players are experiencing difficulties when they are trying to learn a guitar solo. Now I'm going to show you some tips to learn a guitar solo easily.

1. Familiarize. Listen to the solo, familiarize every note and try singing along with it. This helps you to internalize the melody and rhythm of the solo.You can also watch guitar cover of it and identify the finger positions.

2. Use Tabs or music sheets. This can help you in transcribing the solo. But, learning the solo with your ears is more recommended, because using your ears on learning a song can help you to improve your hearing, to have a good ears, which allows you to learn a song by simply listening to it. I didn't say that that using music sheets are bad, it's also good for those who have a short time.

3. Divide the solo. Divide the solo into pieces and learn it piece by piece by piece. Trying to learn to much is not effective. Learn the solo by piece, then connect the pieces to build a guitar solo.

4. Play Slowly First. Play slowly to train your fingers so that they know the correct way to play it. Playing the solo slowly can help your fingers to be familiar to the feels and patterns of the solo.Once you have done this, try to increase the speed.Yo can use a metronome for the tempo.

5. Clean sloppy parts. Once you already know how to play it, but not perfectly. Focus on the parts that are giving you trouble, try to master it. By playing it few times or identify the problem, why you are not able to play it correctly and try to make a techniques/strategy to play it perfectly.

5 Tips on Playing Guitar In Live Performances

"Practice makes perfect", that's really true. Some are really practicing very hard before their performances (such as band performances, guitar solo competition etc) but, they can't really show what they practice before. Some even realize that their rehearsals are way better than their performance and that's the worst feeling for a guitarist. Now I'm going tell you some tips that can help you to play better in your live performances.

1.Warm up. You warm up first, do some riffs and scales. And before tuning, warm up the strings by playing some riffs. Because metal extends when they are heated up and that can affect your tuning. Set your effects and volume properly. Make sure that you do a decent sound check - it'll save your life when you perform. It is essential that everyone can have good control over his personal instrument and can also hear the others around.

2.Put on your strap during your rehearsals. Play while standing, this is very effective, because it can simulate how are you going to play in your live performances. Some guitarists are experiencing difficulty especially in their guitar solos, because they practiced to play that solo while sitting. So when the time of their performances, they can't play that song perfect and the way it should be, because they are not trained to play like that (Play while standing).The stage is very different from your bedroom or practice place. 

3.Adjust the level of your guitar strap. Adjust the strap to the level that you are comfortable most. Don't adjust the strap level very low, just because you want to look like Slash and just because it looks cool. Adjust your strap to the comfortable level, even if that is really low or high, as long as you are comfortable, it's okay. 

4.Relax. Just relax and feel what you are playing. Just have a good time and it will show in the performance. Every time you perform, do your very best. Imagine that this is your last performance.

5.Stage presence. Move around, if you have stage space use it. Don't try to do anything too stupid that you're not comfortable with. Just have a good time and it will show in the performance. Maybe have some cool groove going while you introduce the band and after a member's name is announced, and do some cool riffs/ licks. That always seems to impress.

How to Fix Loose Whammy Bar

Having a loose whammy bar is really frustrating. You are not a able to do a perfect and clean vibrato, because of this loose whammy bar. Don't worry many guitar players are experiencing this kind of problem. You can't fix this problem by only tightening the whammy/ tremolo bar all the way down. Now I will going to show you the solution for this, which I've learned from Justin Sandercoe. 
You will need:

PTFE Tape/ Plumber's Tape

1.Take off the whammy bar on the guitar.

2. Simply wrap a little of amount Plumber's Tape around the end of the whammy bar at the thread part, like this.

3. Put back the whammy bar in place and your done! 

Here is a video from Justin Sandercoe:

 

How to Fix Fret Buzz

Fret Buzz

Fret Buzz - This happens when a string comes in contact with a fret and a buzzing sound occurs. This is the most frequent cause of annoying buzzes. Fret buzz is one of the common problems of guitars, if you are experiencing this, don't worry, because you are not alone. Fret buzz is also common to new guitars, because some new guitars did not undergo proper set up.

You can fix fret buzz, by setting the up the guitar or by simply increasing the action. Now I'm going show you the symptoms, possible cause, and the solution for it.

Symptom	Possible Cause	Remedy
Open String Buzz Buzzes when played open, stops when string is fretted.	Nut Worn or poorly cut nut slot is placing the strings too close to the frets near the nut.	Replace nut or shim to add height. Set up instrument properly.
One Spot Buzz Buzzes on one note, or one area but stops when moving away from that spot.	Frets Frets are not level, one or more is too high/low. Loose or sprung fret is rising out of the fingerboard. Hump in fingerboard. Wear or deep grooves in frets.	Secure all loose frets, level and dress. Fret leveling and/or replacement of worn frets.
Upper Fret Buzz Buzzes where the neck attaches to the body. Notes seem to fret out when playing near the body.	Fingerboard On acoustics, section of fingerboard that is glued to the top may rise/fall with temperature/moisture extremes due to changes in the top. Fingerboard is warped in a way to render the end too high (most common on archtop's).	Evaluate for dryness, humidify if necessary. Frets near f/b extension may need leveling. In rare cases the board must be planed to remove hump.
Buzzes When I Strum Hard Buzzing occurs when strumming or picking aggressively but can be silenced when playing lightly.	Set Up Insufficient relief in the neck. Poor set up. String gauge too light.	Adjust truss rod. Set up instrument properly. Use heavier strings.
Buzzes Everywhere Buzzes nearly everywhere even though it is set up properly, will often disappear if string is fretted hard or closer to the fret and plucked softly.	Frets Frets may be worn out or too low. Very small fret wire used.	Replace frets.
Frets Out Buzzes nearly everywhere all the time, strings are literally touching the frets in the center or other area of the fingerboard.	Neck Truss rod may be way too tight back bowing the neck. Neck could be a warped, or have excess back bow even after truss rod is loosened.	Set up instrument properly. Adjust truss rod for more relief. Use heavier strings if relief can not be created thru truss rod adjustment.

From: http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/repair/acoustic-guitar/buzzing.php

Ways to Improve Guitar Playing

 Ways to Improve Your Guitar Playing

1. Know what is your genre. Knowing the type of music you want can help you to focus and to have a direction to your goal. Know if you want to play jazz, rock, metal, reggae etc. Choose the type of music that you are comfortable with, the type of music that you think you are the best when it comes to it.

2. Set a time of practice. Because some of us have responsibilities in life, choose a time which is yours, the time that you are not thinking about your works, problems, or other things. Just focus in practicing and focus in achieving your goal.

3.Focus.When practicing, do not waste your time in playing non-sense. Try to develop new skills and techniques.  It's also great to play some piece that can help you to develop more techniques. Try "My Sharona" for alternate picking. You can choose songs that have a different techniques into it according to your genre. 

4. Make a practice routine daily. Divide your time in practicing, for example.Warm up - 10 mins. Chords - 10 mins. Legato - 40 mins. Sweep Picking - 1 hr. Scales - 1 hr.

5. Always feel what you are playing. It's better to play slow with soul, than playing so fast without feeling it. Remember, "Speed is not always a measure for the best". Don't use expensive gears as a substitute for skills. To copy the tone of one guitar player, you must copy first the feel, accent, etc. Because everyone has different tone in our fingers. So copy and study first the way he/she play before buying their signature gears. 

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How To Setup Truss Rod Without Feeler Gauges

Truss Rod Adjustment without Feeler Gauges

Do you experience a lot of fret buzz or are your struggling in playing your guitar, because of its very high action? If you are not comfortable with your guitar action and it does not sound and feel the way it was before. I think you need to adjust the truss rod the way it should be. But, what if you do not have tools to use? Like feeler gauges, which a lot of setup tutorials requires. Don't worry this post can solve your problem.

You will need:
Standard Capo
1/8" Allen Wrench
D'addario Packaging Card (You can use a business card for high action setup. It depends in your preference)

First, tune the guitar. Put the capo on the first fret and press the sixth string at the 17th fret (where the neck meets the body). Using the card, measure the gap between the bottom of the sixth string and the 7th fret, like this:

The card should fit between the sixth string and the 7th fret, without lifting the strings. If the card is lifting the string, you should loosen the truss rod and if there is a gap tighten the truss rod with the allen wrench. 

Adjust the truss rod in small turn at a time, and allow time for the wood to settle before adjusting again. Check the tuning, and measure the gap again. Until you achieve your desired action. 

If this post is helpful, please share.

Comment for any suggestions.

Setting Up a Multiple Effects

We all know that stompboxes are great. They sound better than multiple effects.
But, what if you can't afford them, even the amplifiers and cabinets? Using a multiple effects can be helpful for those who can't afford expensive amps and cabs, because most of multiple effects have a amp modeling and amp simulator, which allows you to tweak like a real amp and simulate the sounds of expensive amps and cabs that you can't afford.

Do you have a multiple effects unit? But, you can't create a patch that you are looking for? Here's some guides that may help you.

1.Effects List. If you're copying a tone from a song, listen to the that song and try to recognize the effects that were used in every part of the song. For example, the guitarist uses mild distortion, delay and reverb on the solo part. You need take that down, because it's not easy to copy, if you don't know what to copy.

2.Choose an amp and cabinet to use. Adjust the parameters or the knobs and make your clean tone. You should set the amp first, because this the foundation of your tone. You can't have a good tone, without setting your amp properly first.

3. Apply the Drive, such as overdrive, distortion, fuzz etc. Do not apply extreme amount of gain. Apply exact amount only, if you think that is not enough. Don't worry, that will sound heavier with bass and drums. I used to do it when I was starting, I always crank the gain in order to get good metal sound. Then I realized , I must focus in the frequencies.

You need to put drive before the other effects like modulations, delays, etc. Because it's hard to tweak the distortions when there is delay, flanger, phaser, etc. You need to hear the drive alone to set it to the way you want it to be.

4. Then apply the compressors, chorus, flanger, phaser etc.

5. Apply the delay and reverb. It's good to apply delay and reverb to solos to make it more colorful. Make sure that the volume of the feedback is lower than the normal notes you are playing.

You can make your tone in different ways, without following these steps. But, I think these method is easier and more effective.

Max Rufo's Custom Guitars and Basses

Some guitar players are not comfortable with their guitars even if they already have a guitar that is so expensive. If you are one of this, I think you should try to customize your own guitar, which you are the one to choose for the pickups, or you can just describe the tone you like and the luthier will do it for you or you can just choose pickups like dimarzio, seymour duncan, EMG etc to install to your guitar. You are the one to choose for the wood. Do you want a mahogany body, maple, basswood, alder or ash? Do you want a maple neck or mahogany, with rosewood, maple, ebony fingerboard? And customizing guitar is very expensive these days. I'd like you to meet the luthier can make these things posibble at very affordable price, Max Rufo!

Max Rufo a.k.a Mang Max is a luthier from Malabon City, Philippines who makes quality custom guitars and basses at very affordable price. He really had the knowledge about guitars. So if you want a quality guitar or bass and you have a low budget. I strongly suggest mang max for you.  He also do guitar restoration, repainting, setup, modification, repair and custom guitar pickups. If you want a customized guitar, mang max can give you that at ₱8000-10000 ( $195- 240) and guitar repainting only costs ₱2000 ($50).

Here's his exact address: 
#2 VICTONETA AVE, POTRERO, MALABON CITY
Facebook: Max Rufo Custom Guitars

Here are some Max Rufo's Custom Guitars and Basses:

Max Rufo's PRS Copy

Custom Flat Top Stratocaster

Custom Flying V

Max Rufo's Iceman Copy

Custom Les Paul

ESP LTD Deluxe EC-1000 Copy
For more pics:Facebook: Max Rufo Custom guitars

M.V Electronics Shredhead Review

Shredhead by: M.V. Electronics

M.V. Electronics is owned by Mark Virata from Manila, Philippines. At first, Mark designed the Shredhead for himself, because he couldn't find the tone he was looking for. After some exposure, it became popular and it's being used by some artist here in Manila. He has already sold hundreds of units

Shredhead is a Marshall 6100LM in a box. It was built in a durable metal enclosure.

It features a volume, gain, tone and presence knob which allows to go everything from light cruch to heavy rock sound. It is simple to use and has a great sound. It runs from 9v to 18v, the 18v capability gives the pedal more volume and dynamics. Mark is selling the shredhead at very reasonable price. You should give it a try, it's a great pedal. He also do great pedal mods at very affordable price.

Contact Markv:

Email: ibzmav@gmail.com

Facebook: Markv Tonescientist 

Here is a great demo from Brett Kingman:

How To Setup A Pedalboard

When Setting up a pedalboard, you must start with Tuner --Wah--Tone Shapers/ Compressors (acoustic simulator,equalizers, etc.) -- Drive Pedal (such as Overdrive, gain boosters, distortions, fuzz etc) -- and then your Modulation ( like tremolo, chorus,) -- Delay/Reverb. Your Setup should be look something like this: 

Note: This is only the Basic Pedalboard Setup. 

Tips on Buying Your First Electric Guitar

"Buying your very first guitar can be a thrilling experience. 
Because of excitement, some people don't even check the quality
of the guitar, sometimes they buy the first guitar they pick up in the music store or the first guitar suggested by the sales person."

Things you need to do before buying your first electric guitar:

1. Research. Internet helps a lot when you are not expert about guitars. Determine what is the genre you play to be able to pick the right model in your budget.

2.Determine which store offers the best price and has the widest selection of what you like. 

3.Specifications Check.Check the type of wood used for the body, the neck and fingerboard (ex. Fender uses Maple neck with either a Maple or Rosewood fingerboard); the shape or construction of the body (Strat, Les Paul, SG, Tele Shape, Solid body, semi-hollow etc.) Check the type of neck. (Bolt-on. glue-on, neck-through)

Check the type of  pickups used on the guitar.

     Single Coil pickups traditionally used on Fender Stratocasters,
     it is a thin and bright sounding pickups.
     Humbucker pickups is a hum cancellation used by Gibson
     and has a warm, muddy and deep sound.

4.Quality Check. Try to feel the guitar first and check on the craftmanship, check on the weight too. Don't plug the electric in an amp. Try to play with the guitar first with no amplification. Check if the resonance is ok. Check the action, the frets, neck relief, check each note when fretted. Chime the notes on possible frets, check if it's ok.

5.Test. Don't buy the first guitar you pick up. Play several different models. Remember, every instrument is different. Find one that not only looks and sounds good, but one that feels good in your hands. Make sure all strings ring out with no buzzing. If possible, bring an experienced guitarist along. Forget the word "not bad", because the guitar should be perfect for your hands and ear.Test and test bunch of guitars within your price range.

6.Don't buy all extras. All you need is spare strings (specially the high E string), clip-on tuner, guitar picks, strap, and a small practice amp. And you'll also be needing cable.

If possible, bring an experienced guitarist along. 

Multiple Effects or Analogue Pedals?

As a guitarist, it is very likely come to your mind "Should I use Multiple Effects or Multiple Analogue Pedals?"

In case you don't know what  multiple effects and single pedals are, here are the examples:

MULTIPLE EFFECTS

RP-1000

GT-100

Multiple effects is a floor-based multi-effects processor. From the word "Multiple" it has a built in effects like distortion, delay, reverb, chorus, compressor. Which you can add or edit to make your desired tone. 

ANALOGUE PEDAL:

Tube Screamer

Analouge Pedals feature only one effect like distortion, delay, reverb, chorus, compressor, which you can mix or chain to get your tone.

Now I'm going to tell you the Pro's and Con's of Multiple Effects and Analouge Pedals.

Let's start with MULTIPLE EFFECTS:

PRO'S:

CHEAP 

               This is so obvious isn't it? But I'll explain it anyways. 

                It's cheap, because you only have to buy one multiple effects 

                and that already features hundreds of  effects, that means you don't have to
                buy hundreds of single pedal. An average single pedal costs about $100
                and a multiple effects unit runs for about $400-600.                        

EASY TO CARRY

                It is more lightweight than the pedalboard. You don't have to carry a
                heavy flightcase for your pedals. All you have to do is to put it in the bag
                and you're ready to go. And you only need two cables for input and
                output, unlike with the single pedals which requires 10-20 patch cables
                to chain them all.

ENERGY EFFICIENT

                   You only need 1 plug in to power your entire unit.  

PATCHES

                   You can make a certain "patch" for your songs and you only have
                    to push down one button and you'll be able to use different tone in
                    just seconds. Unlike single pedals, you need to stomp

                    on 3-4 pedals in order to change your tone, which is really challenging
                    when you are soloing.

CON'S:

SOUNDS LIKE DIGITAL

       

                    We all know that multiple effects only simulate amplifier's tone and
                     analog's tone. Simulated tone will never be as good as the original.

DIFFICULT TO TWEAK

                    It's much easier to turn a knob on a single pedal in order to make
                    your tone than to enter patch settings and find what effects to change etc.

UNDEPENDABLE

                    Multiple effects are prone to fried ICs and overheating.
                    This is unreliable, because it might be problem for you when you are in the
                    middle of the show and it suddenly turned off and didn't work again.

               

                    I experienced this one year ago with my BOSS ME - 25, during my rehearsals
                    for a band contest, it suddenly turned off and when I tried to power it on it didn't
                    work anymore. I sent it to a repair shop and they said that it has an IC problem
                    and that the IC has to be replaced. The problem is, there is no replacement
                    for it. 

ANALOGUE PEDALS

PRO'S 

        

EASY TO TWEAK

                    It is easier to find your tone, because you only have 3-4 knobs to tweak it.

BETTER TONE

         

                    It has a better tone than the digital ones because it's analogue and it has an
                    authentic tone which is only simulated by the multiple effects.

DURABLE

           

                   It is durable, because mostly it is in metal cases. It does not have fragile LCD
                   or LED screen like the multiple effects. Even if you drop it occasionally,
                    it will not be broken easily.
                   

CON'S:

EXPENSIVE

                    You need to buy every effects you need and
                     every pedal costs an average of $100.

HEAVY

                   It is very difficult to carry a guitar plus a 20 pedals that weighs 1 pound each.
                   Especially when don't have a car when you go to gigs.

MORE CABLES NEEDED

                    You need a lot of cables to chain them all.
                    Unlike with the multiple effects, you only need two.