Collecting Vintage Electric Guitars

Beware of copies and frauds when looking for a vintage electric guitar, and check the serial numbers.  Especially when you are dealing with a guitar that has been in use for some time, there are always questions that should be raised.  Vintage electric guitars have many uses today.  Some are played on stage by big bands that can afford to travel with a guitar tech that can make sure their instrument is kept in the best shape it can be in.  Some are purchased because brand new instruments are too expensive so second hand guitars are the better choice.Collectors are realizing that vintage guitars can appreciate in value very quickly. 

There are many kinds of guitars out there.  Some of the more popular vintage guitar brands are Gibson, Fender, Epiphone and Rickenbacker.  A vintage Gibson electric guitar could cost anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 depending on the model and year it was manufactured.  The value of a guitar can be determined by its age, model number, and in some cases who played it.  For example, if you had a vintage Fender electric guitar that was played and maybe even signed by someone like Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton, it is highly likely that the guitar could be sold for thousands and thousands of dollars. 

When taking on collecting and displaying guitars, it is an investment that could cost you a lot of money.If you like guitars, investing in vintage electric guitars can be a lot of fun.  The main thing that you should consider when starting out as a collector of vintage electric guitars is that not all guitars are worth what you think.

Research your instrument before you purchase or you may be stuck with a guitar that is worth more in a junkyard than in your display case.  Ask around people that know about guitars and their values.  There are people who have been collecting for years and years and they would love to help you.

For more information about finding out the value of vintage electric guitars, try looking at http://vintageelectricguitarsite.com There you will find information about vintage Gibson electric guitars, as well as information about investing in the buying and selling of vintage electric guitars.

Vintage Electric Guitars Are Collectible

When going about purchasing a vintage electric guitar, one should be aware of some things to look for in the instrument.  Especially when you are dealing with a guitar that has been in use for some time, there are always questions that should be raised.  Vintage electric guitars have many uses today.Even guitars that have been knocked around a bit can be valuable.  Some are purchased because brand new instruments are too expensive so second hand guitars are the better choice.Many baby boomers are buying the now vintage electric guitars from their youth. 

Guitars can become famous when played by a popular music legend.  Some of the more popular vintage guitar brands are Gibson, Fender, Epiphone and Rickenbacker.Vintage electric guitars range wildly in price - depending on date of manufacture, the brand and model and it's rarity.  The value of a guitar can be determined by its age, model number, and in some cases who played it.  For example, if you had a vintage Fender electric guitar that was played and maybe even signed by someone like Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton, it is highly likely that the guitar could be sold for thousands and thousands of dollars. 

Investing in vintage electric guitars can take time and money - and considerable knowledge.Investing in vintage electric guitars can be a great hobby.  The main thing that you should consider when starting out as a collector of vintage electric guitars is that not all guitars are worth what you think.

Research your instrument before you purchase or you may be stuck with a guitar that is worth more in a junkyard than in your display case.  Ask around people that know about guitars and their values.  There are people who have been collecting for years and years and they would love to help you.

For more information about finding out the value of vintage electric guitars, try looking at http://vintageelectricguitarsite.com There you will find information about vintage Gibson electric guitars, as well as information about investing in the buying and selling of vintage electric guitars.

The Perils of Record Deals

Many bands feel that being signed to a label is the best thing that can happen. While in some cases this is true, generally it starts a bunch of new problems.

Recording contracts are nothing more than a money advance to be recouped from record sales. If it doesn’t sell to expectation you still have to pay the money back somehow. Music companies are a business and they are there to make money not lose it. It is no different than going to a bank and getting a loan to market your music your self, except the recording companies have the methods to make the product sell, get airplay and distribute the product throughout the country or even the world. Recording companies loan you the money to make the music and get their money back by distributing it.  Typically artists make a small fraction on CDs- most of the money comes through merchandise and tours.

If you get a label behind you music, then you are doing really good. But beware of recording companies who try to influence and change your sound, often to the point of rewriting your songs and even changing members of your band or, worse still forcing you to record songs made by other peoples.

Here are some horror stories that can happen to musicians who get signed and think they are on their way to fill stadiums around the world.

Getting shelved!
A band gets signed; get some money advanced for recording. The songs are recorded and completed but the record company ‘shelves’ your act and you never sees the light of day but you can’t take your product anywhere else because you are already signed. Often you can't do live shows without giving money to the record company. This happened to Billy Joel who waited his five year contract out playing in piano bars.

The song gets changed.
Often you will be all ready to record your songs and the record company will bring in a co-writer or producer who alters your music to “fit in with label’s style.” You started to make a hard rock album and you end up with a rap album with all your instruments removed and samples replacing them.  You thought you were Metallica only to end up like Jack Johnson. Then you have to go and promote something you really hate and your product is no longer recognizable.

Where did all the money go?
Beware the big advance of money, to make and promote your music. If it doesn’t sell you will have to pay the money back, with interest, just like the banks. How do you pay the record company back? Live gigs, touring, radio shows, shopping centres etc for the next ten years.  How do all those artists who make millions of dollars end up bankrupt? All the bills they didn’t know they had to pay. They had so much fun, they never saw where their money went.

Where did my band go?
Quite often musical differences between band members and record companies are solved by the company getting rid of and replacing any member of the band who doesn’t agree with them. They are always trying to get work for their own players and artists who have already been signed. Quite often you will find all your guitar player’s work re-recorded by the studio guy or producer to fit in with the label’s sound or smooth over tensions within the band.

I thought I was a musician not a pop star.
Increasingly recording companies are trying to “cross media” any act in anyway they can. They will market you anyway they can, and they will get you to do things to increase your and their exposure any way they can. You may end up on dog food commercial, on big brother or, god forbid, on Australian Idol. Most companies are just offshoots of large media groups who will use you to re-coup their investment. Most musicians have a short shelf life so companies want to maximize their profit now before the public listens to the next big thing. (We’ve all heard of the sophomore slump!)

Remember that the music business is 95% business and 5% music. Try to go independent if you can, market yourself on the web at sites like Axebay and build your own presence in the world by networking in its guitar forums. The more successful you are in the beginning the more bargaining power you have with the recording companies. If you do get an offer, get a good lawyer. You don't want to waste five years in small bars like Bruce Springsteen.

Guitar Strings

Guitar Strings should be changed whenever they start to look or feel rusty, start breaking, lose their tone and sound, or look dull. It is difficult to know how long strings will last as factors such as climate, how often (or not) you play your guitar, whether you are working in a band or just playing at home, all effect the longevity of your strings. In general, when playing a full night, guitar strings will only last about 6 gigs. After that, you risk the embarrassment of snapping a string during on of your amazing guitar solos.

When changing strings, make sure to leave enough lack to ensure there is going to be 3- 5 turns of string around the tuning head. Do no not use too many turns or wraps as this leads to tuning instability and constant string stretching. Make sure you gently but firmly stretch the strings when they are new. While connected to your guitar tuner, keep pulling the string and re-tuning as needed. Remember that nylon strings will always take a great deal of stretching to remain in tune.

There are many great products that can help you. Two good ones are the Spertzel or Grover locking machine heads. They don't require turns or wraps as they lock the string into the head.

A good idea on electric guitars with tremelo bridges such Floyd Rose types and also on Gibson style ‘tune o matic’ bridges is to change the strings one at a time. This stops the tremolo from going out of adjustment and ruing the whole set up.

Always keep your new strings as clean as possible by wiping them down after each playing and using string life products such as Fast Fret or Finger Ease before and after each playing session. It makes a HUGE difference on the life of your strings and length of a good string tone. You can greatly extend string life by also using strings brands such as Elixir strings, which add about 8 times to the life of strings. However, they are three times more expensive than regular guitar strings.

A essential tool to have is an all in one string crank or winder or string cutter and bridge pin remover such as those made by Planet Waves or similar.

Music Industry Scrambles for money

Eventually, the music industry has decided to embrace and accept illegal downloads of music from around the world. According to executives at the Midem conference in Cannes they have decided that illegal downloads of music is un-avoidable. Until very recently, the music industry was in a blind panic about illegal peer-to-peer downloading, they couldn’t stop it! And they still can’t! Millions of absolute millions of people from around the world seem to download music free of charge and it seems that the people who made it don’t seem to make a single penny.
An incredible 95% of all digital music in the music industry is downloaded directly off the internet and comes from un-licensed sources like Limewire and Imesh. However the blind panic regarding illegal downloaded music seems to have calmed down a lot. Regardless of how many hard hours he musician has put into playing his classic guitar or grand pianos. The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents US labels, has traditionally been the most aggressive and direct about chasing people who share music files over the net. However, the association has announced that it will no longer sue suspected offenders at it considers the crime as far too broad and generic to prosecute one person.
Digital rights management – the lock placed on a track to attempt to stop people from sharing it was once the central tool to stop piracy from happening. However Apple is now removing DRM from their leading music software, itunes and the leading download store. This move from Apple marks almost a complete defeat for DRM and the music industry as they have been trying to battle music piracy for an extremely long period of time.
The music industry seems to of reached a dramtic conclusion regarding the sharing of music and it looks as though people have prevailed in the battle. Although, I do feel slightly sorry for the people who were caught out in this rather pointless war. After all, I’m sure we could all say that we have downloaded material off the net and not thought about the consequences.

Teach Yourself How To Play The Violin

Trying to figure out how to play violin for beginners and on your own can be extremely difficult and frustrating. It can be an uphill struggle for anyone but your musical education on the instrument need not end before it has begun. You can turn things around and make them fun with disciplined commitment and dedicated learning. There are numerous musicians all around the world who have made the same commitment. Success has not eluded them as they claim a place for themselves as professional musicians. This can apply just as easily to anyone interested in learning the violin but wishing to do it on his own. It is not always necessary to have a personal violin teacher when trying to master the instrument, as long as one has the patience, understanding and determination to succeed by being self taught.

For anyone determined to teach himself how to play the violin, there is one thing that needs to be asked before taking the plunge. How serious are you about doing it? Is your passion for the instrument strong or just something that is on the spur of the moment? A natural love for music is also necessary. It helps to increase tenfold the enjoyment of pursuing your musical education. Dealing with any obstacles will be less difficult if your passion and love for what you do is strong as it pushes you on.

While it is admirable to be self taught, do not exempt the fact that some form of sharing and learning from others would be necessary during your journey. Seek out other violinists and exchange ideas. You could learn faster by understand what others have gone through. Inculcate their experiences in your own lessons and progression might result quicker. Do not neglect other resources such as picking up a learn violin dvd to gather more insight from other professionals.

Students with teachers often have an extra push or motivation from the latter. But for one who pursues the self teaching route, self discipline becomes increasingly important in achieving their goals. Be responsible when it comes to practicing your violin as it might require more effort than someone who is personally coached. Always check and look back on your progress so that mistakes and details can be ironed out to ensure future growth.

Many self taught musicians neglect classical musical theory. Not only is it difficult to do so on your own, but it takes many hours of work to understand and memorize them. But it helps to make you a better violinist. It is also really necessary to know musical theory in order to become a better violin player as there is no alternative theory system for the instrument. There are many violin lessons online that can provide help in this area and you should turn to them for extra knowledge.

At the end of the day, whether you are enrolled in a music school or choose the self taught path, becoming proficient in the violin requires all your attention to detail, dedication, passion and commitment. Understand that if you remain committed and stick to what you are best at, you can become a great violinist beyond your wildest imaginations. The journey will be long but fruitful till the end.

Devil Woman

In 1976 Cliff Richard recorded the song “Devil Woman”.  It made it up to #9 on the UK charts.  It made it to number six in the United States.  It was Richard's biggest US success.  Here's more information on the song.

Devil Woman

A man named Terry Britten penned it.  He was a well known song writer whose work was performed by people like Michael Jackson.  He had some other hits such as “What's Love Got to Do with It”.  When Cliff performed Devil Woman Terry played guitar.  They recorded it at Abbey Road, a studio made famous by the Beatles.

This song is a story.  A stray cat with evil eyes curses a man.  He becomes concerned and eventually seeks the help of a medium, a gypsy woman, to remove the curse.  But he's stunned when he learns that the curse didn't come from the cat.  It was the gypsy woman placed a curse on him to lure him into her clutches.

Devil Woman

Many songs like Devil Woman that have a story to tell are sparsely produced.  They aren't complex.  The tune is simple and not many instruments are used.  One of these simple songs is Devil Woman.  It was recorded with a guitar, some drums, an electric piano and miscellaneous percussion.  A singer was involved too.

The combination of major and minor chords in Devil Woman aren't usual for pop songs.  It's one of the earliest hit songs in the United States to encompass more than an octave of the musical range. 

The song has had other performers.  One of these is the Accused.  It's a Washington band founded in 1981.  Their music is splatter rock.  They incorporate sounds from horror movies in their songs.  This means sounds like chainsaw guitar riffs.

Cradle of Faith also performed Devil Woman.  This group performed extreme metal music.  The band said they played any kind of metal.  Given their reputation and style of music this song was perfect for them.

Devil Woman

No matter who plays it, Devil Woman is a devilish song.