Showing posts with label Product Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Product Review. Show all posts

April 28, 2015

Guitar Picks: Which One to Use

Guitar Picks, A major asset to all guitarists, come in many different styles, sizes, and materials. The basic guitar pick is made from various types of plastic. Some of the basic plastics used to manufacture picks are, Celluloid, Nylon, Acetal, Acrylic, Delrex, Lexan, and Ultem.

The Guitar Pick has evolved over the years, in thanks to many guitar players, who have molded or modified they guitars picks, for their unique style of playing.

Guitar picks today are now available in all sizes and styles.

Which guitar pick to use
Guitar Pick Infograph

May 14, 2011

How to Find Guitar Chords

Did you ever wanted to know what the exact guitar chord was, and how it sounded? This new guitar chords software lets you search and hear the exact chord. Bookmark this page now for future reference. This free chord finder is a great tool for all guitar players, from novice to professional players.

For anyone who is learning to play the guitar, this is an extremely helpful and free tool to use. The benefits for a beginner, is that you can hear the actual sound of the guitar chord. While you are hear, check out our other posts for blues scales and guitar chord charts.


If you need guitar strings, we recommend you buy them through the link to the left, you will save money, and don't forget to get your guitar picks as well.

Bookmark this page now.
Musicians resources always posts interesting content for all guitarists and musicians.

How to find guitar chords is easy to use, play and have fun.


Copyright (C)2011 Krule Music

May 06, 2011

Neumann U87 Microphone: Studio Classic

All top notch and well known recording studio's use the Neumann U87 studio condenser microphone. The high quality microphone has been used in most of the classic songs ever recorded, from all genres of music. Since 1967 the Neumann U87 microphone has become an industry standard for all recording studios, films, public broadcasting and television studios.

The unique design and characteristics of the condenser microphone, make it the preferred choice of recording equipment.

The Neumann U87 condenser microphone is designed with three polar patterns, omni directional, cardioid, and figure-8, which gives the microphone its unique tone and recording versatility. 

The microphone has a A 10 dB attenuation switch that is located at the back, and can also handle sound pressure levels up to 127 dB without distortion.

With its unique design quality and polar patterns, the microphone  can be used for many applications in studio and broadcasting. The ability to change polar patterns and microphone angles, gives producers a wide range of sound recording options, since frequencies and be recorded at different angles, levels, and with clarity. 

Its used widely as a instrument recording microphone, but also a vocal mic, since it has flexibility and sensitivity in the  dynamics of its omni directional reception.

The microphone has the ability to be used close to its sound source, and maintain crystal clear clarity in its reception of frequencies. 

The response frequency of the cardioid and figure-8 directional characteristics are very flat for direct frontal sound reception. 

The Neumann U87 Ai condenser microphone is a one of a kind industry standard for quality recording and broadcasting. 

Microphones are the key part of any recording process, Shure microphones are the next best microphone on the market after the Neumann U87 microphone. Like all products available, you pay for the quality, if you are recording with a $49 dollar mic, you will not have a great recorded sound. If you record with a $350 microphone you will notice the difference in sound. 


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By George Luker (C) Copyright 2011 Krule Music



May 02, 2011

Dunlop 535Q Crybaby Wah Pedal: The Leader in Quality

The Dunlop 535Q Muli-Wah Crybaby pedal, is one of latest crybaby pedals from Dunlop manufacturing. The 535Q is close in spec to the original Jim Dunlop Cry Baby pedal. The GCB-95 which is the original cry baby pedal is the best selling guitar pedal of all time.

The 535Q Multi-Wah Crybaby Benefits Versus the Original Wah Pedal:

The 535Q Multi-Wah Crybaby pedal is the same as the original pedal, the difference is the added flexibility of the pedal, which makes it customizable.

The main advantage is you can control the tone of the wah, that the pedal produces. You can also control the intensity of the pedal effect, this is done with the "Q" button.

Like the original cry baby pedal, the 535Q is durable and built to take the abuse of being on the road.

The picture to the left demonstrates some of the typical settings for the 535Q Multi-Wah pedal. 

Note: always plug the Wah pedal before all other effects pedals, this will give you the best sound and control. This is a basic tip for all wah pedals.




 

The Original Crybaby Wah Pedal: the GCB-95:
This is the exact model and pedal Jimi Hendrix used in the studio and when he played live. The GCB-95 is the wah pedal that put Dunlop on the map for guitar effects.


The Original Crybaby Wah pedal (GCB-95) that started the rock revolution. This is the pedal that Jimi Hendrix used at the historic Woodstock concert, and on many of his recordings including the all time classic "Voodoo Child".

The GCB-95 is still built to its original design spec, and is still manufactured in the USA by Dunlop Manufacturing Inc.

The pedal is one of the only products on the market, that has not changed since it was first introduced to the market. Dunlop is one of the only manufacturers for guitar effects and instruments, that has not changed or outsourced the production since day one.

No matter which crybaby wah pedal you choose from , you get a top quality guitar effects pedal, and that has never changed over time.

Who Uses Dunlop Crybaby Wah Pedals?
The following is an impressive list of guitarists who only use Dunlop Crybaby wah pedals, of course Jimi Hendrix is one of the first guitarists to use the wah pedal. Some of the other guitar hero's are Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Prince, Steve Lukather, Adrian Smith, Vivian Campbell, John Frusciante, Warren di Martini, Warren Haynes, Robin Finck, Steve Vai, and many other guitarists.

If you're looking for a wah pedal, the 535Q Crybaby Multi-Wah Pedal or the original from Dunlop is the only pedals you should even consider. Time tested, musician approved, and still manufactured to exact specs.

By George Luker (C) Copyright 2011 Krule Music

April 18, 2011

Tascam DR-05: Handheld Portable Recorder

Do you ever have a great idea for a song, like a melody, or guitar riff, and its in your head.? You want to record it, but your not near a studio, or takes too much time to go into your home studio, turn on the computer, set mics etc. You don't want to lose that idea, but it takes too much time just to record something real quick, before you forget it. This happens all the time to many musicians.

Mobile Recording Solution for Guitarists: Tascam DR-05
There is a solution to this problem, the Tascam DR-05 the most innovative mobile recording device on the market today. A Solid State recorder that lets you record in MP3 or WAV format to microSD or microSDHC media.


Simple and easy to use push button and menu, lets you record you're guitar parts or vocals on the spot within a minute.  Its as easy as plug in your guitar, turn it on, press record. That's it. The Tascam DR-05 is a handheld portable recorder, the perfect recording solution for musicians. Its battery operated, uses two AA batteries.

The fact that it is so small, it can go in your guitar case or nap sac is just simply amazing and brilliant. The cost of the unit is so affordable, versus what the handheld portable recorder can do, its just mind blowing.  A guitarist can record his parts in WAV format anywhere and then send it in a file to anyone or upload to a computer that has the actual recording software like Pro-Tools, Sonar and so on.  Do you see the true potential this handheld recorder has?

Benefits of a Mobile Handheld Recorder:
  • Quick set-up and recording on the spot.
  • Easy menu navigation.
  • Record guitar parts or vocals in WAV or MP3 formats.
  • Directly record to microSD or microSDHC media. 
  • Record complete tracks anywhere. 
  • Songwriting tool for guitarists and vocalists. 
  • Built-in Chromatic Tuner.
  • Variable Speed Audition (Slow down music without changing the pitch.)
  • Level Align Function
  • Built-in Speaker
  • Battery Operated
  • Compact Size 4.8 x 2.6 x 7.5 inches 
  • Lightweight under 3 pounds. 
The Tascam DR-05 has a great feature, such as the variable speed audition, which lets you slow down the track, without changing the pitch. This is a great songwriting tool for guitarists to write and record lead guitar parts. Another benefit of the variable speed is the ability to transcribe music for tabs.

A handheld portable recorder is a must have for all musicians, the benefits to a guitarist are endless. No more lost songs or melodies, decrease studio time, write and record your guitar parts anywhere.

Do you have a Tascam DR-05 in your guitar case?

By George Luker (C) 2011 Copyright Krule Music

March 04, 2011

Music Marketing Lesson: Be Pro-Active

Music marketing is the most fundamental part of a musician's survival.  If you're an undiscovered band gigging, you need to market yourself to the public. Awareness is key to potential fans discovering you, whether it is your live concert or your upcoming debut album release. You must be pro-active in your marketing.

Music Marketing Lesson: Be Pro-Active.

I am not a Clay Aiken fan, but there is a good post by Front Stage Music Blog: Commentary: Clay Aiken Album Sales the article is a very informative article, which discusses poor marketing, and raises questions on Clay's fan base. Go read the article, it is a music marketing lesson to be learned.

Basic music marketing starts with you. First is word of mouth, you tell your friends and family about your upcoming gig or album release. Then what?

Social media, which is a musician's best friend. Music is social, so marketing is a social affair. Just with websites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, you can cover a lot of ground, and get the word out about your record release, gig, new merchandise. This where you build up your fan base, and keep connected to your fans, with updates.

Bob Baker, as many might know is the Guerrilla of music marketing, actually he is the Guru of awareness. Bob is well known in music circles and the author of the popular book "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook"

Bob's book goes into thorough details and easy to understand how to, on effective marketing, and instant marketing that won't cost you a lot of money. The handbook gives over 200 examples of how to promote market your band and music.

The Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook is made up of four main sections.
  1. Section 1: Guerrilla Music Basic Training
  2. Section 2: Guerrilla Music Marketing Online
  3. Section 3: Guerrilla Music Publicity
  4. Section 4: Guerrilla Music Money & Sales  
The marketing handbook comes packed with many extra's and well worth the price of the book. This is an absolute must have book for every musician, guitarist, band, and anyone who is looking at getting into the music industry.

With basic marketing skills, any band or musician can effectively market themselves and be successful at it. Don't be a failed statistic, get yourself a copy of the Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook and be prepared and give yourself a fighting chance in the jungle.

By Musicians Resources (C) Copyright 2011 Krule Music

March 02, 2011

Guitar Effects Pedals: A Handbook for the Guitarist

Guitar effects pedal, have been around since the late 50's, through the years the guitar pedal has evolved into complete racks today, which are used by many guitarists, especially a touring guitarist. Guitar pedals come with many effects from distortion and chorus, to cry baby Wah's.

Some of the effects pedals today, do come with an all-in-one type of effect, which is beneficial and
economical to many guitarists. See our post on Mega-Wah Guitar Pedal: The Only Seven in One Pedal for a great review on this amazing Mega-Wah pedal.

Most guitar players do prefer some of the older stand alone effects pedals, which now can be bought second hand through, fellow musicians, pawn shops, and used music instrument stores.

A guitar pedal basically modifies the guitar signal and pitch, to give you a specific sound, like feedback for a distortion type of sound, a cry baby type of sound from a wah wah pedal, and so on.

Understanding the history, and evolution of the guitar effects pedal, is interesting to most guitarist, but can also give you an insight in how to modify and manipulate your effects pedal.

"Guitar Effects Pedals The Practical Handbook" written by author Dave Hunter is an absolute must read, and for most guitarists, it will be an enjoyable and informative read, the book also comes with a CD.

The handbook goes into details on the evolution of the guitar pedal, with a chapter dedicated to the history of guitar effects, also listing most of the "Vintage Models" and brands. This chapter alone is worth the money spent on the handbook. Another chapter goes into detail on current contemporary brands that are available on the market today.

The best part of "Guitar Effects Pedals The Practical Handbook" is chapter 5, which is exclusively dedicated to the guitarist, and a section that many guitarists need to know. This section is the Tips, Tricks, and Tone of guitar pedals. Using an effects pedal is one thing, knowing how to get the setting for that perfect tone, has always been a elusive knowledge of many a great guitar player.

Guitar Effects Pedals The Practical Handbook grab a copy of this book today, and learn how to use guitar effect pedals properly, and save yourself hours of settings.


By George Luker (C) Copyright 2011 Krule Music

January 18, 2011

Front Stage Music Blog: Amazon MP3 and Music Reviews

Front Stage music blog, is currently redesigning their blog and interface, to include more direct links to music. The blog will have Amazon MP3 player and links to purchase music at Amazon. Buying music through Front Stage links, supports your favorite artists, as well as music reviews.

 

Amazon MP3 has a promotion during the month of January, most full MP3 Albums are just $5, which is an amazing deal, but time limited to this month only.

Front-Stage-Amazon-MP3

 

This is a perfect time to upgrade your music collection at a cheap cost. Going digital with classic albums like The EaglesHotel California” is a great idea and now is the time to do it.

 

If you’re an Indie musician with a record released or and up coming release you can make a request to Front Stage to review your Album and post the review. Front Stage is a music blog, that posts information to all music fans, on concert listings, music reviews, and music releases.

 

Amazon MP3 lets you download your songs to any device, no restrictions, even iPOD. Front Stage music blog has an MP3 player, that plays previews from the top selling songs from Amazon.

 

Music Links:

Front Stage, A music blog, with concert listings, music reviews, and music news.

Amazon MP3, Over 5 million songs, and thousands of Albums.

 

By George Luker © Copyright 2011 Krule Music

July 19, 2010

Sonar 8 Drum Kits: Tips to Mix and Add to Tracks

Video on Cakewalk Sonar 8 music recording software. A Look at how to configure the Studio Instruments - drum kit and make general settings before adding the track to your song. The video is easy to follow, and you can quickly learn the tips and tricks for your music recordings.

Sonar 8 comes with free drum kit, which is easy to use to make your own beats and simply add the drums to your tracks. Studio Instruments – Drum Kit has an amazing real life sound, much like the other Studio instruments, that is included with Sonar 8

March 21, 2010

Mega-Wah Guitar Pedal: The only Seven-in-One Pedal

The new Mega-Wah guitar pedal from Gig-FX is an exciting new pedal for any guitarist. It is actually a 6-in-1 guitar pedal. It is like having six different wah wah pedals in one. To boast the Mega-Wah guitar pedal has the following six features in one, plus a foot volume pedal.

 

Classic Wah: The original analog wah sound, which is the original classic, mono and stereo in a lightweight robust compact design.

 

Mega-Wah: Is a supped up version of the original Wah sound. We deep clear sounding bass, and clear crisp upper tones.

 

Trig-Wah: The Mega-Wah sound triggered and activated by a single note, which provides an awesome funky sound.

 

Auto-Wah: No need to buy a Way pedal, auto-wah, and envelope filter. This pedal does it all, and all for one price.

 

Stereo-Wah: Two internal circuits provide twice the Wah power; can also be used in stereo effects train.

 

Stereo-Reverse-Wah: With a flick of the switch, reverse one channel for a neat melodic effect.

 

Foot-Volume Control: With a flick of another switch, the pedal becomes a foot volume control pedal.

 

The Mega-Wah is the world’s first stereo wah pedal, with two independent channels.

 Mega-Wah Musicians Resources

The Mega-Wah is built with two entirely independent circuits in one package, giving stereo in, stereo out capability. The effect pedal will also accept a mono input signal and automatically provide a stereo out. While in standby mode, if the pedal is stepped on and rocked all the way back; the linkage will automatically and noiselessly turn on the pedal, providing the classic wah or the wah you pre-selected sound. The resonance control allows adjustment of the peak value of the Wah determining how much Wah range the pedal provides. The gain control allows control over how much gain the pedal provides to allow soloing at higher levels, with a crisp clear and non intrusive peak.

 

The Mega-Wah Features:

· Easy to use. No programming or scrolling through menu’s

· All analog circuitry, crystal clear sound.

· Transparent bypass achieved by FET switch. Open frequency response.

· Stereo in, Stereo out, Mono in stereo out.

· 9 Volt operating voltage, 30mA to 40mA current consumption.

· Accepts standard 2.1mm power supply plug.

· Flashing Blue and Red LED’s to show modulation rates.

· Industry standard compact size 9” x 4” (228mm x 103mm)

· Lightweight , robust aircraft aluminum casing and rugged construction only 2.1 lb (1.1kg)

· Patented ergonomic design.

 

Overall view the Mega-Wah from Gig-FX is an amazing product, which brings the world’s first stereo wah. With easy of control, noiseless activation, it is simply the best guitar effects pedal on the market. If you need a volume pedal, you might as well buy the Mega-Wah, and get all the great Wah’s in one convenient pedal.

 

© Copyright 2010 Krule Music Group

March 14, 2010

Electro-harmonix: A Vocal Harmony Machine.

A great little effects gadget from Electro-harmonix, is their “Voice Box” pedal, which is a harmony machine and vocoder. The Voice Box is an absolute must have for every musician.

 

With the Voice Box, You can have back ground vocals, and in harmony along with your lead vocal. The harmony processor creates 2 to 4 part harmonies from your lead vocal.

This is a great tool, that can really increase the sound of your performance and sound at live shows.

 

The video below demonstrates how the Voice Box is used, but actually how easy it is to

use.  voicebox

The Voice Box also perfectly matches any electronic instrument harmonically. Another great option, above and beyond just the vocal capabilities of the Voice Box.

 

Another great feature of The Voice Box is a gender bender switch, so you can have a male of female vocal format and modification.

Last but not least is the XLR line output, which allows you to interface with any mixing board or A/D converter. The Voice Box from Electro-harmonix is available

at most popular music stores and various web stores online, the above is a direct link to Amazon, where you might get the best price, versus other online music stores.

 

By George Luker © Copyright 2010