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Can you try out amplifiers on your own guitar in music stores?
I’m looking to buy a new guitar amplifier, but this is my first time shopping for one. My first amp came with the guitar (starter pack). I’ve been told to never buy an amplifier or guitar without trying it out first. With that said, would the store owner/employee have a problem if I brought my own guitar in to jam on the amplifiers?
Don’t give it a second thought. It’s very normal to use your axe while shopping for an amp. Just be considerate. Consider that the dude at the music store has to listen to lots of noise. Some worse then others. While becoming familiar with the amp, keep the vol low.When your ready to test gain or volume, let the clerk know your going to ramp it up for a few. Give yourself plenty of time at the store, You may wait until there are no other customers to check volume.
Lastly, consider a tube amp. You will appreciate the tone.
Do any sites that are selling cheap guitars?
I have been looking for a guitar for a while. Can’t find anything. Maybe sites, places, stores anything with guitars.
ebay sell cheap one i bought 2 years ago
Anybody Know Any Custom Guitar Shops?
I’m looking for shops that will custom paint or add a custom finish to my guitar. Are there any reasonable stores?
are you talking about an electric ( I hope so ). One of the best places to have this kind of work done is actually an auto body shop. They have the right equipment to put custom paint on your guitar and if you do all the prep work you can get a pretty good price on it too. Check with some local shops about prices and cool paint jobs. Most shops dig doing this kind of work!
How young can kids start playing a guitar?
My son is 5yrs old and we would like him to play guitar. Is he too young to start? He already plays rugby union.
Well my boyfriend plays rugby and when he was two his parents gave him a little guitar and ever since hes been playing and he is in his own band and getting a record deal as we speak. Go for it! and good luck!
Is it possible to find a new guitar that is less than $100 in music stores?
I’m 17 and I’d really like to own a guitar that is cheap and not too bad sounding. Please suggest some possible brands, if there are such cheap acoustic guitars in music stores.
anything under a hundred dollars and still sounding good is asking for alot. Over the internet wouldnt be so bad but in a music store you will not find anything that is good and cheap…
Fun and Creative Party Game Ideas for Kids
The date is set, the invitations are out, and now you’re preparing yourself for a house full of active, energetic children to entertain. Have no fear! With a few simple, well planned out innovative game ideas, you can not only throw a fun and memorable party, but actually sit back and enjoy the interaction and entertainment yourself. There are several great game ideas for kids of all ages that won’t break the bank, can encourage teamwork and bonding, are exciting, challenging, and educational, and are sure to put smiles on the faces of all of your party goers, whether it be at the next birthday party, slumber party, family get-together, class party, holiday party, or other event. To get you started on your way to hosting a great party, we have suggested just a few of our favorite easy-to-set-up and fun-to-play party games for kids.
Guess Who I Am: This is a simple but fun game that will have the children interrogating each other to discover each others’ identities. Make a list of identities – enough so that each of your guests can pick one. For example: Sponge Bob, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Scooby Doo, Batman, Jimmy Neutron, Power Ranger, etc. Make a master list of all of the possible identities for the kids to view. Then prepare slips of paper each with a single identity printed on it to be drawn from a central grab bag. Have each child draw an identity and keep it secret. Then let the questioning begin. Choose any child to begin. That child should choose another player to ask a yes or no question about their character, but they can’t ask directly, for example, “Are you Sponge Bob?” Once the other player has answered “Yes” or “No” to the question, any of the children can try to guess their identity. The asking of questions moves from child to child in a clockwise direction. When a child guesses correctly another’s identity, they win and collect their identify slip from them. If you like, you can put a prize or treat associated with each of the identities acquired. This is a great game to encourage interaction, memory skills, and lots of laughs. The best part is that its an easy game to play again and again simply by starting over with each child drawing a new identity, or change the topic for the next round and make each identity an animal, a job, a food, a toy, a super hero, etc. — use your imagination and have fun with it.
Plan a Treasure Hunt: All kids love the thrill of a hunt — solving clues and tracking down lost treasure. You can make a treasure hunt simply at home with a little time and creativity. First, look around your house (just the areas where the party will be gathering) and find some good hiding places. Then write clues on pieces of paper of a difficulty level appropriate to the group you will be entertaining that will lead them to those hiding spots one by one. For example, one clue might be “You’ll have to be nimble, you’ll have to be quick, to find the next clue hidden under this stick” The next clue of course would be found hidden under a candle or candlestick. Prepare at least ten different clues to lead the children on a hunt all about the party area, which can include outdoors, such as at a picnic or park. Hide the clues ahead of time before the children arrive. The first clue should be handed or read to the children, and the second hidden in the answer location, where the next clue can be found, and so on until, at the end when the last clue is solved, the final “winning treasure ticket” is found. You may want to provide a reward, such as goodie bags, party favors, sweets, presents, give certificates, or other treats both along the way or at the end. One variation is to attach a piece of gift wrap to each ticket, and the one who finds that ticket gets the gift that matches the wrapping paper. Of course, prizes are not necessary, and solving the final clue and knowing you won can be satisfaction enough. Just be prepared — this game often brings the “Can we do it again!?” request. If you lack the time or creativity to create clever clues and a treasure hunt on your own, there are great inexpensive pre-made custom printable treasure hunt games available online designed around common household or outdoor objects that come with hiding guides that you can purchase online, download, and print and play instantly, such as at Treasure-Adventure.com.
Truth or Do Balloon Stomp: This is the traditional truth or dare game with a new twist that will have children choosing their own fate one balloon at a time. Prepare a bundle of balloons filled with pre-made rolled Truth or Do questions or commands. Each child takes turn choosing a balloon, and stomping it open to reveal their Truth or Do hidden tab within. Be appropriate to your age group. Some Examples of “Do” tabs might say “Act like a dancing Monkey”, “Walk the length of the room with a book on your head”, “Sing the National Anthem”, etc. Some Examples of “Truth” questions might be “Tell your most embarrassing moment”, etc. You can print one “Truth” and one “Do” on each ticket to give children the choice of which they will do.
Double or Nothing: This is a fun, competitive game that kids love, that any number of players can play, and that all different ages can play together. Have the party guests form a circle. Place a pile of small, wrapped party favors or suitable gifts in the center of the circle, typically numbering at least double the number of players. The host decides on how many times around the circle play will go, but it should circle completely before ending a game so all players get an equal number of turns. If a birthday, start with the birthday child. Otherwise, the host may choose or start with the high roller of two dice. Put the two dice into a shallow metal pan or other container with a flat bottom. The first person rolls the two dice once in the pan. Each child that rolls doubles gets to choose a prize out of the center pile or steal one from someone else who already has one, but they must not open any presents they win until the end of the game, and must place all presents in front of them unopened during the game. If they roll doubles, they get to roll again immediately, and each time they get doubles, they get to choose another prize. If they do not roll doubles, they must pass the pan and dice to the next player to their left, and so on. There are two variations to this game. A less competitive option that ensures that all children get the same number of prizes follows the same rules as above, except that enough prizes are placed in the middle to allow all children to get the same number of prizes, and the first child that reaches that maximum number of gifts wins, take their gifts, and leaves the game. Play continues as each subsequent child reaches their maximum number of gifts and leaves the game. This is a great way to make sure everyone goes home happy!
Spoons. This is a fast-paced, hilariously fun party game similar to the game of “horse,” and the more the merrier! It is best for ages 8 and up (adults love it too!), but can be played by sharp younger players also. Have the kids again form a circle. Arrange metal spoons (numbering one less than the number of players) either in a close circular formation or in a pile so they make noise when they bump together in the center of the circle. Shuffle two decks of cards well, and have one of the players deal out four cards to each player face down. Leave them face down until the game is ready to start. All players must keep four cards in their hands at all times. The goal is to get four of the same cards (not same suits), such as all 4s, 10s, Jacks, etc., and when you get them, sneak one spoon. The dealer starts by putting the deck face down and drawing quickly one card from it at a time. He may keep the card if it matches ones in his hand and discard one of his own face down in a new pile for the next player to pick from, or pass on the card he just picked by placing it face down in the new pile of discards for the next player to pick from, again, one card at a time. The dealer keeps picking quickly and passing cards until all cards are gone, and may then pick from new cards passed to him when the cards have come full circle. All players should go as fast as possible, all the while keeping four cards in their hands, keeping count of the spoons, and watching carefully for anyone attempting to sneak a spoon while they are picking cards. Once the first spoon is taken by someone who has all four of the same cards, everyone else must try to grab a spoon before they are gone. The one left without a spoon gets a letter. The first person who spells “SPOONS,” is out of the game, and a spoon is removed from the center to ensure there is always one less spoon than the number of players. If the person who sneaks the spoon is not noticed by anyone else, he should sit the spoon in his lap, and keep passing cards until someone notices one is missing. Watch out for people pretending that they have four of a kind – they may reach out towards the spoons, but not touch them to fool someone else. If they touch a spoon accidentally on such an attempt and do not have four cards, they get a letter. If someone else is fooled and thinks they are going for a spoon, but they don’t, and touches a spoon when they don’t have four of the same cards, they get a letter. Only the first person who touches the spoon when they shouldn’t have gets the letter – the rest who follow do not. They simply put them back. Play continues until one person is left and wins the game.
Charades: This is a classic party favorite that is always good for a few laughs. Prepare ahead with some charades to act out that are appropriate for the group and age level. If you’ll be entertaining younger kids, give them simple words to act out, making it clear that they cannot speak. For example, sing, happy, monkey, dog, guitar, sick, hungry, bounce, flower, climb, draw, etc. For older children, prepare a couple of categories of clues and write the category on a piece of paper or white board. For Example: Movie Titles (The Lion King), Sayings (You win some you lose some), Songs (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star), etc. Prepare the charade tabs ahead of time. Divide the group into two teams. Team #1 will draw a random charade tab and try to act it out for their own team (give a set time limit). When time is up, if the first team hasn’t solved it, the other team can take a guess to try and steal the point. Then Team #2 takes their turn, and so on. Be sure to rotate the charade actor on each team each time. Decide on a set number of points to be reached, and the first player or team that reaches that number of points wins!
The Cotton Bowl: Another fun team party game for all ages that is hilarious to watch and play. Split your party goers into two even teams. Place two chairs back-to-back, with a player from each opposing team in each chair. Blindfold both players well and ensure that they cannot see. Hand them each a large spoon, and place a bowl containing equal numbers of well-separated cotton balls on their lap. The host stands between the two holding two paper plates on each of their heads. A timer is started. Each seated competing player has 30 seconds to scoop as many cotton balls out of their bowl using their spoon and carefully raise the cotton balls and place them on the plate over their head. When the buzzer is up, the number of cotton balls on each plate gets added to the respective team’s score. One point for each cotton ball successfully placed on the paper plate that does not fall off. Typically, the first team that collectively reaches 50 points wins, but you can set the goal to whatever you wish.
Pass it On: A great get-to-know-you game. Have the children gather in a circle to share their favorite things. Start with one child (the party boy or girl preferably) who should announce, for example, “My name is John and I like Football.” Then, the next child in line might say, “John likes football. My name is Matt, and I like candy,” and so on. Set a prize if the kids can make it all the way through without slipping up. If they get stuck, they can start again at the beginning with the child who got stuck going first, and then working their way back through the other children. This is a great memory game that will have children concentrating, interacting, and getting to know each other at the same time. It can easily be played over and over again by changing the fact to be shared, such as favorite candy, cartoons, books, foods, animals, games, etc.
Prize Balloon Stomp: This is not a game, but an innovative way to keep kids in anticipation, not knowing what is inside their balloons. Simply prepare a bundle of balloons with rolled prize tabs inside of each one that announces some special treat or reward. They may receive a balloon for finding a treasure clue, solving an identity, or guessing correctly in charades, etc. Or just place them at their assigned seats. Kids will have a blast stomping the balloons to retrieve their surprise reward.
For more treasure hunt and party game ideas, party supplies, and fun tips, visit Treasure-Adventure.com at http://www.treasure-adventure.com
kaydee Grant
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/fun-and-creative-party-game-ideas-for-kids-104358.html
Guitar Lessons for a Christmas Gift
So, the guitarist in your life already has a guitar (or a few guitars) that they are happy with. You want to get them something special, but can not think of anything. They really seem to have everything they need already. Well, why not give them guitar lessons for a Christmas gift?
Great for Any Level
Guitar lessons are a great gift for the guitar player in your life because you can take them no matter which level you are at. There is so much to learn about the instrument, there will always be room for improvement. You purchase lessons for to help them graduate to the next level or to help them learn a new genre. For example, if the guitarist already knows rock guitar, they may want to learn jazz guitar. Or, they can take rock guitar lessons that will help get them to the next level of playing.
Finding a Teacher
There are a few places you can look to find a teacher. If there is a college in your area with a music program, there may be a guitar student who is looking for extra cash. The rates the students charge are usually less expensive. Check on the bulletin boards or in the college newspaper. If you cant find anything, consider posting your own sign stating that you are looking for a guitar teacher.
You can also check local music stores, the classifieds, and the boards at local clubs. You may want to ask around, too. Sometimes it is best to talk to people to get their recommendations and critiques of particular teachers. You also may want to ask the person who will receive your gift if they know of anyone. Maybe they want to take lessons with a particular person but cant afford it.
In general, you will want to find a teacher who will fit the needs of the guitarist. Do not just go with the least expensive teacher. They may not have the skills to teach certain players.
Pay up Front
Instead of giving the guitar player in your life cash to go towards the lessons, you can contact the teacher and pay for the lessons up front, or have them give you a gift certificate. The problem with giving cash is that they may find other reasons to spend it and forget about the lessons.
Guitar Lessons as a Gift
Guitar lessons make a great gift. They help encourage and give feedback that the guitarist is making progress. This is also a good gift to accompany a guitar pack or starter kit.
William McRea
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/guitar-lessons-for-a-christmas-gift-64387.html
You Can Learn to Play the Guitar
In high school, did you ever dream about starting your own rock band? Want to duplicate the soothing sounds of folk tunes for family and friends? Does your favorite musician work magic with a Gibson ES 335? Is Jimi Hendrix your idol? It doesn’t matter the reason why you want to play the guitar – a seed has been planted and now it is time to nurture the desire.
Where to begin? Playing guitar (whether for fun or professionally) takes patience and determination. By following a few tips, you can harness your passion or interest for the instrument. You will also find that fueling your creativity and developing this new form of expression will take time. Great guitar players do not blossom overnight.
Purchasing a Guitar
Before you start learning the ropes of guitar playing, you’re going to need an instrument to carry out your lessons. The type of music you wish to play will determine the kind of guitar you require. For example, an acoustic guitar is used to generate the sounds of country, ragtime or folk. The body of the guitar is large and hollow, creating a sound that many deem “natural.” Rock music often utilizes an electric guitar, which offers a rather distinctive amplified sound. Additional guitars to look into include the steel, solid body, archtop, resonator, bass and twelve-string guitar.
With the purchase of a guitar, there are other necessary pieces of basic equipment. A guitar pick is required to help play the chords of your instrument. The size of guitar pick is quite small, prompting easy breakage and it can also be easily misplaced. This is why beginners should have a good number of guitar picks on hand. When purchasing picks, the medium gauge varieties are suggested because they are less apt to break. You should also invest in a comfortable chair.
Getting Lessons
While some guitar players are able to naturally experiment with chords by ear and strum along with less guidance, others require the assistance of structured lessons. There are numerous ways to learn how to play the guitar. If you are able to afford a private tutor, you can take advantage of one-on-one instruction, which may speed up the learning process. Sometimes, beginners benefit from group learning, which provides a wealth of constructive criticism. The Internet also offers a way for beginners to privately learn online. Some websites offer a computer keyboard lesson on learning scales, which some beginners find quite easy.
Whichever approach you take in learning to play guitar, you should know that setting goals for yourself makes the process more rewarding. Achieving personal milestones further motivates your desire to find a common ground with the instrument and who knows how far your lessons will take you.
Recognizing why you want to play guitar in the first place will also help you to better accomplish your goals. Some people want to learn to play for fun, peaking with a performance in front of family and friends. Others would like to share their talents with a slightly larger crowd, probably visiting a few coffee shops or open-mic nights. Then there are the masses of learners who have bigger dreams of taking to a stage in front of thousands. No matter what the goal is, you can’t get there without loads of practice.
What You Will Learn
Guitar lessons usually start with building a basic foundation, such as how to properly hold the guitar and establishing correct posture when playing. There is a wide range of techniques involved in playing the guitar and after a few lessons, you may start to find your niche.
One of the most important things to focus on when playing a guitar is understanding and mastering the chords. There are books and charts to help you along this important part of the process. There are many different chords to familiarize yourself with and taking them one at a time will lead to better results.
Additional areas of guitar instruction may include learning how to properly hold a pick, memorizing scales, tackling music theory and selecting a music style. Instrument maintenance, such as tuning and caring for your guitar is also of importance.
Sticking With It
Staying motivated is one of the best things you can do when learning to play the guitar. It is easy to become frustrated with a new project and abandon it before truly experiencing any benefits. On some days, you may have to dig deep to reclaim your passion and dedication. Other days, you could be composing the next pop hit. Give the process a chance and remember that it takes time to get the hang of this instrument. The best thing you can do is continue to practice and soon, you will reap the rewards of hard work and focus.
Kevin Sinclair
http://www.articlesbase.com/article-writing-articles/you-can-learn-to-play-the-guitar-76993.html
Finding Online Guitar Lessons
Since the early 80’s I have been searching for better guitar lessons. I was not one of those who could listen to a record once and repeat the licks note-for-note. I took a few lessons locally, but couldn’t find a teacher that clicked.
This frustration led me to order cassette-tape lessons by mail. Since this was well before online lessons, I often waited weeks for delivery. Little did I know that online lessons were coming our way.
Today, many types of guitar lessons are available online. These include beginner’s lessons in mp3 format, instruction videos, and tab transcriptions of your favorite licks. Tablature, or “tab”, is a transcription method that tells you exactly when and where to fret and pick. You don’t have to read music to read tablature.
Online guitar lessons are very convenient, and learning this way can also be cheaper and more effective. If you travel like I do, you can learn new songs on the road rather than watching TV!
Here is a roundup of some sites that I have used to find online guitar lessons:
Video Lessons: Guitar Tricks
Guitar Tricks features a library of lessons that you can access anytime and anywhere to improve your ability. They currently charge $5/month subscription fee, but offer free lessons (150) to start. Their roster includes 48 instructors from all over the world.
Mp3 Lessons: Fender Players Club
This excellent site is devoted to helping you get started on the guitar. Yes, barre chords are easier on an electric guitar! Sample beginner’s lessons include:
Chords in the open position – Learn the most basic chords and practice switching between them; practice tips, how to read the diagrams, and more.
Chords – Once you’re used to playing the basic chords, it’s time to start learning some other ones. Included is a chart with a whole bunch of chords.
Barre chords – When you have some strength in your fretting hand, tackle the barre chords. They’re tough, but don’t give up.
Tablature
If you like doing things the “old-fashioned” way, two news groups are sources for guitar tablature:
rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature
alt.guitar.tab
Tablature Web Sites: Guitar Notes
This site claims to be the largest collection of guitar music on the net. You can browse through their artist index or use their search engine to look through over 150,000 songs.
Unfortunately, the mother of all tablature sites, OLGA (On-line Guitar Archive)is currently offline while attempting to resolve legal issues with the archive. I hope they get this worked out shortly as this site is a valuable resource.
In closing, whether you’re just getting started or are looking to advance your ability, online guitar lessons can be a fun and effective way to take learn guitar.
Andrew Morris
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/finding-online-guitar-lessons-55333.html
Guitar Tips For Kids: “Guitar Tune: # 3″ Video Lesson.
Visit: www.guitartipsforkids.com.au for more online Guitar lessons. Learn how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on your Guitar.
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