Search options (Page 70 of 71)

"I bought a box of powdered water but I didn't know what to add."Steven Wright

"Whever you go, there you are."

"You done me wrong but at least you done me."

"I used to shave the whiskers off my horny hide. Now I just drive 'em in with a hammer and bite 'em off inside."

May you be in heaven a good half hour before the devil knows you're dead."

"You can always tell an Irishman but you can't tell him much."

Started tuba at 13, trumpet at 16, guitar at 26, lead singing at 28 and trombone at age 30.
My wife worked as a printer and allowed me to play in bar bands for over 20 years.
I'm 67 now and I play tuba with John Reno and the Half-Fast Creekers at our local beaches and on the road. Just finished a third C.D. with the Creekers. We fly to Seattle Sept. 3rd for a three concert series. My tuba is going Fedex (scary).
http://www.myspace.com/johnrenomusic
I am glad to still be able to play AC/DC rhythm guitar lines on my old Gibson for my 7 year old skateboarder grandson who is learning to drum and lead sing at the same time.

Most popular alternative tunings around here are open E chord (all strings open) and playing in D with the big E string, only, tuned down to D.

I get a accurate copy of the song lyrics in big print. I then write the chords in red ink over the sylable of the word where the chord hits.
Practice the song in parts - first. Do the intro over and over until you get it clean. Slow it down until you get everything you want clean and then bring it up to speed.
Then add the first verse and go until you screw up. Keep adding verses, bridges and choruses, cleaning them up until you get them right. Pay attention to endings. If the record fades out at the end, you may have to come up with something on your own.
The difference between an average performance and an outstanding one is attention to every detail. After you decide what you must do for a song, drill it until you can't screw up.
We never take any sheet music onstage. We rehearse a song until we are so sick of it we no longer enjoy hearing it. That is the point where we finally have it down - remembering all music and lyrics without hesitation - even if months pass without playing it.

I had an old Fender Twin Reverb. I gave it away. The darn thing sounded great but not until it was so loud it hurt people.
A Super Reverb (4 ten inch speakers) was better.
I loved my Fender Super Six amp (6 tens) until it burned up in a barroom fire.These were all tube amps.                                These days I run my old Gibson thru my 300 watt Peavey P.A. (solid state) with a Korg effects pedal.

After being forced to share my bunk on a sailing trip with my wife and my Yamaha dreadnought guitar in it's case, I started looking for a small travel axe.
I bought a Martin Backpacker. The thing sounds like a ukelele but it has a full neck and with extra light strings plays fairly easily.
A strap must be worn and I have to pin the backpacker down with my right wrist to keep the tiny sound chamber from rotating on me.
It is made of second grade wood but it will serve to play rhythm in a boat raft up or campfire setting. Guitar and case = 3 pounds.
My partner bought a Baby Taylor guitar and had it set up for him by a pro. The Taylor has a better sound (larger sound chamber)than my Backpacker, is made of better wood and plays sweet.

Go over your "D" and any other problems every practice session. If your fingers are late or you miss a chord change, don't stop or delay. Be on time for the next chord change.
Playing alone can mess you up if you lose the rhythm when you botch something. Playing with others or along with a recording will help you keep proper time and is very inspiring.

!960 Gibson 330
mid - 70's Yamaha six string dreadnought
Martin Backpacker (for travel)
Fender Squier bass

I am given to understand that the harmonica key is pitched up a fifth from the guitar key (five tones up the scale from C to G).
A G harmonica is used when the guitar is in C.
The harmonica guy in our group has gone back to the old, basic, Marine Band harmonicas.

I'll soon be 67. Started on tuba in high school. Played rhythm guitar, trumpet and trombone in bar bands for 24 years. Worked at the post office long enough to get a pension while playing a single guitar/vocal gig on weekends.
Now I play tuba in a beach music band. We sound like this: http://www.myspace.com/johnrenomusic

If you want to pack out a bar, name the band "Free Beer". The local police objected to that name on a sign outside a local bistro.
We named our trio "The Half-Fast Creekers"
We're all sailors with boats in Fly Creek. A bar patron asked me if I was half-fast or half-assed. I replied, "Both."
http://www.myspace.com/johnrenomusic