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Tricks of the trade

5/31/2018

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Thought I’d throw out a few little tricks and tweaks today that might make your playing experience easier or even more fun! No great revelations here, just some tidbits that I’ve learned over the years. If you have some of your own I’d love to hear them, too.
 
It’s just about required these days that all guitarists have and use digital tuners. Like most things in the world of electronics, these little wonders have become better and cheaper as the technology has evolved. There are many types available today but most players I know and see use the clip-on type and the Snark tuner is by far the most popular, and it’s what I use. But these things may be a bit temperamental at times. If yours is reluctant to settle in on the desired note the first thing to check is the battery. If the display is not as bright as it used to be, time to replace it. However, even with a brand-new tuner or battery the display can sometimes waver. The fault may not be with the tuner; it may be your guitar. Interestingly, this seems to happen most with very expensive or very cheap guitars. Why? Because the tuner is picking up notes other than the one you’re hoping it finds. A very expensive guitar may have those wonderful overtones that make it so special to our ears, but tuners get very confused by them. Conversely, a cheapie may have harsh and conflicting notes generated by the cheap wood of which it’s made. The solution is to lightly cover as many strings as possible with one hand while you tune the string you’re focusing on. This will eliminate sympathetic vibration and overtones coming from the other strings (on a fancy guitar) or decrease the volume enough to damp out the nasty sounds that may be coming from inside a cheaper guitar. Try it!
 
When you’re changing strings (assuming the ball ends are held in by bridge pins), use a pair of needle nose pliers to slightly bend the string as close to the ball as possible. This will ensure that the ball seats itself firmly against the interior bridge plate, which is essential for good transmission of the vibration of the string to the guitar. Gently pull the new string up until you feel it seat firmly. Do NOT pull hard and bend the string because in doing so you might diminish the overall vibration of the string and that new string won’t sound any better than your old, dead one.
 
One other little tip that is a source of debate among guitarists related to bridge pins. Some feel that slotted pins reduce the amount of vibrating surface in the relationship of string end and bridge plate so they turn the slot to the bottom of the guitar. This way the ball end is resting against a solid surface, not in the slot and string vibration is transmitted more efficiently. Or they will discard the slotted pins and go with unslotted ones. I’m kind of on the fence about this and haven’t heard any appreciable difference regardless of which way the slot it aimed, but some players swear there is a noticeable improvement when the pins are “reversed.” Worth a try, probably.
 
This one should be a no-brainer but very few players I know do it. Especially in the summer when our hands sweat more with the hot, humid weather, always take the time to wipe off your guitar after you play. Just keep a clean, dry washcloth in your guitar case and make it habit to wipe away any moisture on the strings, neck and body of the guitar before you put it away. If you keep your guitar on a stand, put that dry, clean rag on the yoke of the stand not just to remind yourself to do a wipe-down, but it also adds another padded contact point that will not react with sweat as the rubber used on some cheaper stands can do. Although not as common as it was years ago when guitar stand makers didn’t understand or care about rubber against guitar finishes, damp guitar necks against cheap stands have resulted in plenty of finish damage on some very fine guitars. It always breaks my heart when a student shows up with a well-played and well-loved old guitar that has nasty, bubbled finish on the back of the neck where it rested on rubber or even inside a cheap guitar case. And don’t forget to wipe down the body, especially the front of the guitar where your forearm rests. Body moisture will definitely cloud the finish over time if you don’t. This is often the case with guitars with mahogany tops. Cloudy finish on well-used guitars with a tobacco sunburst gloss finish is pretty common, both on the front and back. If you don’t care, OK. But it will definitely affect the value of such an instrument.
 
Worst of all, allowing a guitar to “bake” with sweat on it over a period of time will make that guitar take on some very unpleasant odors. Although undeniably cool in some ways, I’ve often wondered how Willie Nelson’s famous “Trigger” must smell! And by all means, avoid cigarette smoke around guitars. Before long they will smell like an old ashtray and that stink is just about impossible to eliminate, although many have tried. For me anyway, a smoky smelling guitar is a deal-breaker if I’m considering buying a vintage instrument.
 
Finally, a tip regarding playing. Even if you know a song pretty well chord-wise and are comfortable singing it, try to work out by ear the single notes of the melody. You probably won’t be playing them in performance but it is an excellent way to discover how melodies are related to and contained in chords. Good for your ears, good for your brain. In the long run this will also help you sing in tune, too, because your brain will be searching for the correct melody notes inside those chords even if you’re not conscious that it’s happening. It may also inspire you to learn more about music theory (chord structure, scales and intervals) and the relative relationships between notes on the neck. It’s also a vital step in learning to improvise because good improvisation is usually based to some degree in the melody. 
 
Peace & good music,
Gene
 
 

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There's one born every minute....

5/22/2018

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One of my students mentioned recently that a friend of his got an amazing deal on a Martin HD-28. He said his buddy only paid $800 for it and it was in perfect condition. I was skeptical, to say the least, but said to tell his buddy “congratulations” on his find. I asked if would be possible if he could borrow his buddy’s new guitar and bring it to the next lesson. He did.
 
I stifled my skepticism but kept my mouth shut for the first few minutes as I examined and played the guitar. From the get-go, I knew there was something amiss. The case it came in was definitely a cheap OEM hardshell, with cheap clasps and the top and sides even bent slightly when I pressed on them. Oh well, I thought, maybe the original owner chose to keep the original case and sold it in this cheaper one, which would be reflected in the price. But after only a minute or so of playing it was clear. Regardless of the perfect Martin logo on the headstock, this was no Martin. The sound was thin and slightly dissonant. The neck was the wrong shape and fret edges were rough. The inlay around the sound hole was wrong – and slightly off center upon close examination. Looking inside, I could see some drops of glue along a few of the braces, something Martin would never allow. And the “rosewood” sides and back had a strange color, more of a tan brown than the deep chocolate hues of a real Martin. I have no idea what the wood actually was. Yes, the top was solid spruce judging by the edge of the grain around the sound hole. But that was just about the best thing you could say about this “Martin.”
 
As gently as possible I instructed my student to tell his friend that he’d been had. I asked if he could get his money back and my student said it was probably doubtful as the thing was purchased at a flea market in another state. 
 
You can easily see how pervasive this influx of bogus instruments is by doing an internet search of “fake Martin guitars.” You will immediately find a number of web sites of companies in China who will gladly sell you not only a bogus Martin but also a fake Gibson or Taylor, and multiple models of each, too. Incidentally, the most recent price listed for bogus Martin HD-28 is $549. So not only was my student’s friend taken by the seller in terms of what he thought he was buying, but also in the price he paid!
 
I confess that I too have fallen for a guitar that was not what it was supposed to be, in that case a supposedly all-original early 1960s Gibson ES-225 hollow body electric. It turned out that this particular guitar, while in fact being a Gibson ES-225 body had all reproduction parts, making it worth about half what I had into it. I had traded perhaps the best sounding Martin HD-35 I’ve ever owned or played for it, and when I tried to get my Martin back the person who traded me the Gibson claimed he had already sold it and had no way of getting it back. Live and learn. That one still hurts. A lot.
 
But with acoustic guitars you usually don’t have to worry about something as basic as swapped-out parts. While the example of the fake Martin I saw was shoddy, at best, I have seen in recent years a couple other Chinese “Martins” that to the untrained eye would seem identical to the real thing. The sound wasn’t even close of course, but there is a larger issue here.
 
Both Martin and Gibson have gone to great lengths in recent years to shut down these Far East operations, with limited success. They have also alerted the border authorities of counterfeit imports and many Chinese fakes have been seized and destroyed. But with lax enforcement in China the practice of making and exporting fake high-end guitars to the U.S. will no doubt continue. 
 
What can the consumer do? First and foremost, buy from a legitimate dealer here in the U.S. While that may sound obvious, there will always be those who let their better judgement be suspended when confronted with a “bargain.” Places like flea markets, second hand stores, and even Craigslist should be shopped at your own risk. In the case of flea markets, it is even more insidious because criminals sometimes dump “hot” (stolen) guitars in these places and buying a real Martin, Gibson or Taylor in such a place can lead to that guitar being confiscated by the police if the true owner happens to get wind of it being sold or happens to spot it when you’re innocently playing it somewhere. 
 
Educate yourself to look for telltale signs that a guitar is not what it’s purported to be. There is an excellent video on You Tube that shows the difference between a real Martin D-45 and a fake one. The old adage about “if a deal seems to be too good to be true, it probably is!” certainly holds true. In this age of detailed information about prices of used guitars being almost instantly available online, you should assume that EVERYONE knows what a guitar is worth. 
 
But in spite of this, and perhaps because of shows like Storage Wars and even Antique Road Show, there are people who are convinced that an undiscovered and undervalued pre-war Martin is languishing out there somewhere, waiting for the savvy buyer to swoop in and grab it for pennies on the dollar. Who knows? Maybe there is. But also remember that famous adage from P.T. Barnum: “There’s sucker born every minute!”
 
Peace & good music,
Gene
 
 

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Long term possibilities?

5/7/2018

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A couple of months ago I noted my seventh year of playing regularly at the Daily Brew Café, a small but wonderful breakfast and lunch spot a short drive from my home. It’s been great on so many levels. I’m certain my playing has improved over that time period – having a regular gig to look forward to not only does great things for one’s confidence but also is inspirational when it comes to learning new material. In that time I’ve gotten to know the family of the owner and made new friends. The customers are often fascinating to talk with too. Living in one of the premier vacation areas of the country means there will always be new folks coming in during the summer. During the off season, locals make up the majority of the customer base and there is no doubt I never would have met so many interesting people without this gig.
 
So, how does a musician secure a long-term gig? Frankly, a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. This one came about for me because a close friend introduced me to the owner who is a fine singer in her own right and a music lover who understands how important it is to support live music. But the owner is also a no-nonsense business owner (which is why she is successful and her place is known and loved) and if I had not proven myself I’m sure she would have had no hesitation in telling me to pack it up.
 
You have to have some level of experience and talent, no doubt, but perhaps not as much of those things as you may think. I think that to a large degree it amounts to nothing more than paying attention!
 
Thinking back on the many decades I’ve played out, and the many times I’ve watched others doing the same one thing is abundantly clear. Interaction with the listeners is crucial. Making the effort to talk with people, even those who may not be demonstrating a lot of interest in what you’re playing is what it’s all about. Making the customer feel welcome, making them know that you appreciate the fact that they are spending good money on something that is NOT a necessity in their lives. 
 
There are other factors of course, some of which we have no control over like the overall viability of the business – sadly, if things aren’t going well live music is often the first thing to go. The things that the performer does have control over should be obvious but I’ve certainly seen musicians who either don’t care or haven’t considered those things. Here are a few.
 
Always, always be on time and be prepared to play when you’re supposed to. A few pros I’ve known take great pride in being able to show up at a gig 15 minutes before they’re scheduled to play, set up and jump right into the music. I am not one of those guys. I usually show up at least a half-hour before but often it’s an hour out from play time. This way I can get set up, do a brief (but QUIET, for god’s sake!) sound check, be sure all my equipment is operating as it should and then relax for a few minutes, collect my thoughts, talk to people who may have come to hear me play, review my set lists, whatever…. I always perform better when I don’t have to rush. 
 
Look around. Who’s there? I consider things like how many people are present of course but also the demographic. Is it a young audience or an older one? That will help me decide the order I’ll play my tunes and which ones are best suited. 
 
When it comes time for a break, be sure to make it reasonable time-wise. I try to break for no more than 15 minutes between sets, usually it’s shorter than that. The only time I’ll go longer is if I’m talking with people and I don’t realize how long it’s been since the last set. Owners of the places you’ll play are keenly aware of how long musicians go on break, believe me, and that will factor hugely in whether or not you’ll be asked back. However, they are also aware of how much interaction a musician has with the audience, whether while playing or on break. The savvy ones know that the interaction between sets is just as important as the attitude and involvement a performer shows while playing. It just makes people feel good. And who knows? You may connect with someone who is looking for a musician for a private party or other function.
 
A very important part of a gig that many musicians seem to overlook is what happens when it’s time to pack up and leave. This will most definitely affect your long term status at any venue. A band or single performer who rushes to pack up and get the hell out, leaving trash behind and the performing area in total disarray is making more work for the employees of that place, or worse yet, the owner him or herself. To you, the gig may be history, but to them all you’ve done is made it harder for them to get home themselves. I always make a point to restore the area I play to as close as possible to what it looked like when I arrived. Better, maybe. This WILL be noticed. And again, if you are packing up and someone wants to tell you about how they too are a guitar player, or their late uncle who loved a song you played, stop what you’re doing, smile, and make them feel good. Five minutes more isn’t going to ruin your day or night and that person will go away with a good feeling about you on a personal level. They may even tell their friends and the next week you may see them back again with more people, i.e., more customers for the place you’re playing. Everybody wins.
 
Peace & good music,
Gene

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It's movie time!

5/2/2018

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I love books about musicians and music making and read them whenever something catches my eye. I recently finished “This Wheel’s on Fire” by the late, great Levon Helm, which is Levon’s take on the history of The Band. Although in fairness I should read Robbie Robertson’s book for another side of the story (Robbie does NOT come out well in Levon’s book) I loved “This Wheel’s On Fire” and it further reinforced my opinion that today’s Americana/folk/indie musicians owe a huge debt to The Band.
 
But sometimes I just want to veg out in front of the TV and watch a music-related movie. The other night one of the cable stations broadcast one of the great ones in recent years, “Crazy Heart” starring Jeff Bridges. It’s the tale of a fading, hard-drinking and hard-living country star and his ultimate redemption. The music is nothing short of great, which is not surprising when you find that one of the producers was T-Bone Burnett. See it if you haven’t; enjoy it again if you have.
 
That got me to thinking of other movies about music and musicians that I’ve seen and always seem to watch again when available. Here’s a list of a few of my favorites. Some are specifically about individual musicians, some use music-making as a backdrop for a story, some are documentaries. Check them out if you haven’t. In no particular order…
 
“Almost Famous” (2000) starring Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson (!) and Patrick Fugit, whose character is closely based on Rolling Stone writer Cameron Crowe. While fictional in terms of the band (Stillwater), their lead singer (Crudup) and the groupie who loves him (Hudson) it closely parallels the adventures of the very young Cameron Crowe (Fugit’s character) on a writing assignment from Rolling Stone, covering a national tour by up-and-coming Stillwater. Crowe, when only in his late teens, went on tour with the Allman Brother’s Band and many of the incidents in the movie are very close to what happened on that tour. Supporting roles by Frances McDormand as Fugit’s character’s mom and the departed and truly great Philip Seymour Hoffman as the jaded and tough-as-nails publisher of a rival magazine are big highlights. Look closely and you’ll see cameos by other well-known actors such as Jimmy Fallon and Rainn Wilson. In short, the movie captures a unique moment in rock history in the early 70s when big money eclipsed the hippie mentality that drove many bands and musicians of the time. The music is terrific too, and the acting is first-rate.
 
“Bird” (1988), directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Forest Whitaker as the troubled genius, Charlie “Bird” Parker. This is not a great movie in my opinion, but a very good one. While I don’t agree with Eastwood on most things – like politics – his love of jazz was apparent when he made this movie and Whitaker does a great job of portraying this genius of jazz. How much of the content of the story is accurate is debatable but the music is fantastic. I do wish Eastwood had used better lighting in this movie but I’m sure the darkness that almost overwhelms it visually is meant to portray the darkness in Bird’s soul.
 
“Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” (2000) directed by the Coen brothers and starring George Clooney, John Turturro and John Blake Nelson. I positively love this movie and I’ll bet I’ve watched it ten times. The story is silly but all the actors seem to be having the times of their lives. But what it really comes down to is the music, old-timey, authentic country and mountain music, plus some fantastic blues by Chris Thomas King portraying a character loosely based on Robert Johnson. The cameos and supporting roles (and there are many) are also great and there are many, many memorable lines. Clooney and company singing “Man of Constant Sorrow” (voice overdubbed by Dan Tyminski of Union Station) cracks me up every single time. 
 
“Crazy” (2008) starring Waylon Payne as the legendary Nashville guitarist Hank Garland. I confess that I knew very little about Garland before I watched this movie but what a great and sad story it is. I won’t go into the plot details but while only average as a bio-pic I do think it accurately portrays what the music scene was like in Nashville in the 1950s, and just how great a player Garland was. Not easy to watch at some points but the music is absolutely first-rate.
 
“Woodstock” (1970). The granddaddy of all concert films in the rock era. Musical cast of hundreds; audience of hundreds of thousands. I did not go to Woodstock, although I could have. Many of my friends went but I opted for the 1969 Newport Folk Festival and I’m glad I did. My friends, to a person, reported having pretty much a miserable time at Woodstock. Rain, mud, no food and the impossibility of getting anywhere near the music were their complaints. Of course, their stories have changed somewhat over the years (!). In any case, some of the music in the film is great, some not so much, but viewed with the benefit of hindsight plus hearing stories after the event from the musicians themselves make the film worthwhile, to me anyway. 
 
“The Last Waltz” (1978). Many consider this to be the greatest concert film of all time in terms of the quality of performances. Interestingly, in “This Wheel’s on Fire” Levon Helm states categorically that he hated the event and only viewed the film once. His disgust comes from the fact that by that point Robbie Robertson had made his intentions known about quitting The Band; the others would have continued and did in fact try a few iterations without Robertson in the following years. But there is absolutely no question about the playing of the legendary performers that night. My favorite is Muddy Waters, whose pure, menacing, powerful and wonderful blues is on full display. Joni Mitchell was great too. But Neil Diamond???? What the heck was he even doing there?? I never miss an opportunity to watch “The Last Waltz” when it shows up on one of our cable stations.
 
“Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013) Although this may be the least known of all the Coen Brothers films I think it’s one of their best, although if you’re not a guitar geek or interested in the Greenwich Village scene in the early 1960s I can see how it might be boring. It won and was nominated for many awards when it was released but faded away quickly. Listed generally as a “black comedy” it is based on the autobiography of Dave Van Ronk, “The Mayor of MacDougal Street.” I highly, highly recommend that book by the way. The Llewyn Davis character is played by one of my favorite actors, Oscar Isaac as a struggling folk singer in the Village and is based on Van Ronk. As with all Coen Brothers “dark” comedies, various misfortunes befall Davis as he tries to build a career at the epicenter of the folk music world at that time and still remain true to himself and his music. And oh, the music. With T Bone Burnett as the musical producer and contributions from groups like the members of the Punch Brothers and Marcus Mumford it is sublime. Cameos are everywhere but my favorite is the great John Goodman as a very powerful manager/producer who many feel is a take-off on Albert Grossman. One of the most powerful scenes is at the very end, when Davis goes to a club in the Village to hear a new, young singer/poet who has begun to sweep the folk world. Davis’s reality and the larger world collide. It should also be noted that Oscar Isaac plays and sings all his own songs. See this movie! And read the book!
 
And finally, for now…
 
“A Mighty Wind” (2003). Written and directed by the wonderful Christopher Guest, this film is generally thought to be a take-off on a tribute concert that took place about that time for Harold Leventhal, who was a very influential folk music concert producer in the 50s and 60s. The cast will be familiar to anyone who knows and loves Guest’s gentle but often hilarious comedies (“Best in Show” “Wating for Guffman” “This is Spinal Tap” - oh God, how I love that one!). The characters are direct take-offs on people and groups like The Kingston Trio, New Christie Minstrels, and even Dylan and Joan Baez. Imagine Eugene Levy as a Dylan character!! A detail that I loved was the instruments used. Way down in the credits you will see that they were provided by the sadly gone and lamented Mandolin Brothers store in Statin Island, New York. Vintage Martins, vintage Gibsons, vintage Vega banjos, etc. Very cool indeed. And the songs (all written by Guest and all perfect in terms of period-correct folk whimsies) are terrific. Over the years I’ve tried to turn on a few of my older folkie students to this film, and while most “get it,” a couple who were heavily into the folk scene in the late 50s and 60s took offense at the way folk music and its players are portrayed. I tell them that they are missing the point. Guest is not mocking that time and that music, he’s only giving it a gently nudge with a smile. Over the decades I’ve been into folk music in various forms I’ve met more than a few oh-so-serious practitioners of that style who could do with a nudge from time to time! 
 
Peace & good music,
Gene

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