Hey y'all - hope you're all enjoying the festive season. One quick thing before I launch into a blog post on every guitarists nightmare, Jim, Adam and I would all appreciate it if you could really quickly vote on The Tone King's awesome competition. Just click on where it says 'vote' in the previous sentence and vote for Jimstudios! Thanks a lot!
Now then... speed
The human race as an entity has always had a desire for speed. There is very little logic behind it admittedly as in many cases it increases danger - faster cars, faster planes, - but it appears we can't stop trying to quicken the pace of life. Forever we are searching for faster computers, quicker downloads, faster cures for diseases; apparently it would seem we are obsessed by it. And oh yes you guessed it, the pathogen that is speed has always been in music. Let me explain.
You see being able to do something quickly in many cases makes it more appealing. Hearing a drum fill made up of semiquavers (16th notes for all you across the pond) at about 80BPM is pretty dull. Hearing that same fill at 180BPM is much more impressive. Its the same on guitar, we want speed, and WE WANT IT NOW. Well I'm afraid to say there are no magical fixes and like I said earlier, here comes every guitarists worst nightmare - trying to get faster and faster.
The problem with speed is its rather scientific. Your muscles in your hand must be trained to move your fingers faster and faster (apologies if i've got my science wrong there, but my theory is correct). However the most crucial part of this is the movements must be clean and even. Try and follow me here - if you can move your first finger to your second finger very quickly, but your second to third is slow, then the pattern will be uneven and as a result you'll get an uneven sound *pause for breath*. There is a solution to this problem.
If anyone reading this takes music lessons you will have heard your teacher say more than once 'practice it slowly'. Trust me, they're not trying to annoy you. You're body must be forced to learn something new - its called muscle memory. You've already experienced this a lot learning chords and being able to change them quickly. Even an experienced guitarist will be constantly developing muscle memory. Once it is in place for a particular movement though you can start to speed it up.
Im not going to go into huge amounts of detail (at some point we might make a tutorial on speed but for now there's all sorts out there) but practice slowly. Its the key. If you're practicing a hammer on pull off pattern and want it to be really fast, practice on a clean tone on your amp and do it slow making sure everything sounds in time and nice and tidy. I hate to burst anyone's bubble at this point but you won't ever be able to play fast if you don't start slow.
Speed is a wonderful thing to have as a guitarist and it does distinguish you above the rest if you can play quickly. The likes of Mark Tremonti, Kirk Hammett, John Frusciante, Synyster Gates, Corey Beaulieu didn't learn to play fast, they learnt to play slow.
Peace, Linus
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Beginner Guitars - we all have to start somewhere don't we
Most people take up an instrument when they're kids right? And I can safety assume there aren't any pesky 8 year olds pulling at their parent's coat sleeves to get them an electric guitar. So right now I'm aiming at those parents I just mentioned and for those of you looking to take up guitar but aren't too sure where to start. I'm speaking from experience here. I started guitar when I was 10 and I'm now 16. So I've passed through the beginner phase. Anywho, here we go.
First things first DO NOT BUY ANYTHING TOO EXPENSIVE. Regardless of how much money you have there is absolutely no need. For a simple first guitar you want to be looking at something at around £150-250 max. The crucial thing isn't so cheap that it's going to give up on you as soon as you've played it for a week but not so expensive that you're constantly worried you're going to drop it.
Often you will be looking at brands who don't make expensive guitars (I.E. don't expect to find a £150 Gibson just because you've heard of Gibson) so Encore, Gear4Music - big company in the UK for those of you across the pond. However, there are two specifically i'd be directing my eyes towards...
Squire and Epiphone. These are side branches of Fender and Gibson respectively but they don't have the big price tags attached.
Lets start with Squire. I own a cheap starter Squire strat and I rather love it. I have no idea exactly how much my parents paid for it but no more than £150. It came equipped with a small practice amp, lead, strap and a few pics - enough to make you feel like a rockstar when you're 10. Despite all but the guitar breaking within a few months it was a great bit of kit to start on. ALWAYS bear in mind that this is only a starter guitar, you can upgrade if you get a bit better.
Epiphone are like I said a branch of Gibson. In my opinion they are slightly (very slightly) more up market than Squire but not significantly. You're likely to pay a little more but for a higher quality. In fact some Epiphones have been said to have equal build quality to Gibsons. You also have the added bonus of a far wider range of guitar shapes (this is pretty important when you're starting out, you wanna look the part right?) - Les Paul, SG, ES style etc.
There are plenty to out there to get started on. However remember what i've said - don't buy expensive - there really is no point. Personally I think starter packages aren't a bad idea but I suppose you might have inherited an amp from somewhere. Oh and one more quick pointer. If you're thinking you're an acoustic player more than an electric definately don't buy really cheap (I.E £50). The bridges have a tendency to be awful and the thing just simply won't stay in tune.
All that considered, get ready for some pain in those finger tips, its a tough ride for the first few months. Happy playing newbies!
Peace, Linus
First things first DO NOT BUY ANYTHING TOO EXPENSIVE. Regardless of how much money you have there is absolutely no need. For a simple first guitar you want to be looking at something at around £150-250 max. The crucial thing isn't so cheap that it's going to give up on you as soon as you've played it for a week but not so expensive that you're constantly worried you're going to drop it.
Often you will be looking at brands who don't make expensive guitars (I.E. don't expect to find a £150 Gibson just because you've heard of Gibson) so Encore, Gear4Music - big company in the UK for those of you across the pond. However, there are two specifically i'd be directing my eyes towards...
Squire and Epiphone. These are side branches of Fender and Gibson respectively but they don't have the big price tags attached.
Lets start with Squire. I own a cheap starter Squire strat and I rather love it. I have no idea exactly how much my parents paid for it but no more than £150. It came equipped with a small practice amp, lead, strap and a few pics - enough to make you feel like a rockstar when you're 10. Despite all but the guitar breaking within a few months it was a great bit of kit to start on. ALWAYS bear in mind that this is only a starter guitar, you can upgrade if you get a bit better.
Epiphone are like I said a branch of Gibson. In my opinion they are slightly (very slightly) more up market than Squire but not significantly. You're likely to pay a little more but for a higher quality. In fact some Epiphones have been said to have equal build quality to Gibsons. You also have the added bonus of a far wider range of guitar shapes (this is pretty important when you're starting out, you wanna look the part right?) - Les Paul, SG, ES style etc.
There are plenty to out there to get started on. However remember what i've said - don't buy expensive - there really is no point. Personally I think starter packages aren't a bad idea but I suppose you might have inherited an amp from somewhere. Oh and one more quick pointer. If you're thinking you're an acoustic player more than an electric definately don't buy really cheap (I.E £50). The bridges have a tendency to be awful and the thing just simply won't stay in tune.
All that considered, get ready for some pain in those finger tips, its a tough ride for the first few months. Happy playing newbies!
Peace, Linus
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Revolution...about time?
Not so long ago I wrote a blog (found here) on 'Techy Guitars' and prominently Gibson's Firebird X which I liked about as much as your average winter Cold. However, it did get me thinking. Gibson are trying something new with these very modern guitars and actually for all my criticism of them there is a reason. Its a revolution.
Could anyone then make another iconic guitar? It seems everything new now is just a variation of what we've already seen or just rather odd. Perhaps it is far too difficult a task to make one but I for one would love to see something that becomes timeless. Right now though you have to say that very little on the current market and that's been released in recent years is going to be timeless.
So, I, a humble guitarist, challenge the world's biggest guitar manufactures to build another timeless guitar. No? I suppose you're all busy making guitars we don't want to buy full of the latest gadgets...shame.
Peace, Linus
You see most guitarists would argue that there are 3 (maybe 4) big, BIG, guitars - the Strat, Tele,Les Paul and the possible fourth, SG. Now i've probably just annoyed a few people who will be saying "well what about Ibanez's and ESP's". The thing is though, they're all pretty much based on those big 4 and in my opinion that's a little worrying. Fender's Strat (1954) and Tele (1948) have been around for well over 50 years so it begs the question, why after this length of time, has no one produced another revolutionary guitar?
It would seem the obvious answer is that we really don't need one. Think about it, there's a reason why the percentage guitarists of play them, they're seen as the best guitars. They may not suit some but for most they're the answer. Its simplicity thats the beauty of them. They're is nothing to mess with your head (I'm diliberatley thinking of the Fender Jaguar here, which in my opinion is the greatest Fender but it's ridiculous controls somewhat let it down) or nothing too one sided. You see people playing Strats all over the place and the Les Paul is potentially the most used electric in rock music. These guitars are just SO iconic and that is the key.
Could anyone then make another iconic guitar? It seems everything new now is just a variation of what we've already seen or just rather odd. Perhaps it is far too difficult a task to make one but I for one would love to see something that becomes timeless. Right now though you have to say that very little on the current market and that's been released in recent years is going to be timeless.
So, I, a humble guitarist, challenge the world's biggest guitar manufactures to build another timeless guitar. No? I suppose you're all busy making guitars we don't want to buy full of the latest gadgets...shame.
Peace, Linus
Friday, 21 October 2011
'Baby' Heads
We all know things are pretty tight money wise right now. Most of us can't go out and spend on top quality high end gear and then go to bed knowing your bank balance is still comfortable. No sadly it seems that once again that most big new guitar gear (by this I mean amps, guitars - ya know the really expensive stuff...) is just too much for us commoners to afford. In saying that though, there's a new craze coming in during these rather tough economic times, however you might not see them coming. Check it out.
You see a big 75w+ valve head is going to set you back a fair bit. A Marshall JCM 900 will cost you the best part of £800. Worth it? Well, those who write a cheque out for that much can be the judges on that. For me though there's a far far better alternative. Sometimes size and power really isn't everything.
Amp manufactures are taking a step towards 'baby' heads and it would seem for many this is a step in the right direction. The key thing about an amp is tone - we all know that - and brands like Marshall and Orange are focusing on that as a priority for these amps. As a result what we end up with is something that sounds beautiful and is in comparison to the higher watt amps, pretty cheap.
So what we're looking at is something that is perfect for bedroom work. The beauty of them is that they're not too loud but also, they can be cranked but if you so desire it can really split your ear drums as well. Jim uses an Orange Tiny Terror and it gets a great range of volume.
There is a slight problem with it though and its one found in most of the 'baby' heads. The tiny terror (same with the dark terror) needs a better EQ range. You have one tone knob and as a result you can't dial in a really exact tone. But I suppose its all preference? If you can afford something a little more pricey I'd highly recommend this - the Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister.
As you can see (and my days it looks so fly this head) its pretty small. However the crucuial thing about this is has a banded EQ and as a bonus an FX loop which is something certainly the Tiny Terrors really lack. You can switch it between 18, 5, 1 and 0 watts so if you want something nice and quiet for the bedroom and something that can kick out at a gig this is perfect. Its around about £100 more expensive than the Tiny Terrors (which im using as a comparison) but its not the only pocket amp out there so have a look around.
I've gotta say these amps are really handy bits of kit. Its a common mistake that you need a huge 100w amphead and a 2 4x12's to be a 'guitarist' who has a killer rig. Let me tell you something, these baby heads can kill. Oh yes.
We should say on a side note APOLOGIES for a real lack of action with Jim Studios at the moment but things are kicking back into gear as we speak. Thanks for reading as ever!
Peace, Linus
So what we're looking at is something that is perfect for bedroom work. The beauty of them is that they're not too loud but also, they can be cranked but if you so desire it can really split your ear drums as well. Jim uses an Orange Tiny Terror and it gets a great range of volume.
There is a slight problem with it though and its one found in most of the 'baby' heads. The tiny terror (same with the dark terror) needs a better EQ range. You have one tone knob and as a result you can't dial in a really exact tone. But I suppose its all preference? If you can afford something a little more pricey I'd highly recommend this - the Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister.
As you can see (and my days it looks so fly this head) its pretty small. However the crucuial thing about this is has a banded EQ and as a bonus an FX loop which is something certainly the Tiny Terrors really lack. You can switch it between 18, 5, 1 and 0 watts so if you want something nice and quiet for the bedroom and something that can kick out at a gig this is perfect. Its around about £100 more expensive than the Tiny Terrors (which im using as a comparison) but its not the only pocket amp out there so have a look around.
I've gotta say these amps are really handy bits of kit. Its a common mistake that you need a huge 100w amphead and a 2 4x12's to be a 'guitarist' who has a killer rig. Let me tell you something, these baby heads can kill. Oh yes.
We should say on a side note APOLOGIES for a real lack of action with Jim Studios at the moment but things are kicking back into gear as we speak. Thanks for reading as ever!
Peace, Linus
Friday, 26 August 2011
*Update* 16/08/11
Hey all :)
Exciting times indeed at Jim Studios, I just added a new blog post about, ooo, 30 seconds ago? And now here comes a little update. We've added to our collection on the Youtube Channel and another of our videos is on the EHX blog. All of you wanting chorus or some pi then head over there!
In other news, check out James Kuhnel, he's got some really cool stuff up on Myspace. Follow him on twitter as well - really great guitarist. Jim also tells me they'll some new videos appearing in the next day or so. Other than that that's all from me.
Peace, Linus
Exciting times indeed at Jim Studios, I just added a new blog post about, ooo, 30 seconds ago? And now here comes a little update. We've added to our collection on the Youtube Channel and another of our videos is on the EHX blog. All of you wanting chorus or some pi then head over there!
In other news, check out James Kuhnel, he's got some really cool stuff up on Myspace. Follow him on twitter as well - really great guitarist. Jim also tells me they'll some new videos appearing in the next day or so. Other than that that's all from me.
Peace, Linus
Techy Guitars
We live in a world now that is totally dominated by technology. Music itself is now full of tech, not just in the recording process and listening to music but in the playing. Instruments have been invented these days that rely completely on technology and now, its leaking into the world of guitars.
Most of you will remember a few years ago, back in 2007, when Gibson released their 'Robot Guitar'. Originally based on a Les Paul, they then went on to release it as an Explorer and as an SG. It had features such as automatic tuning and a crazy control knob that could do things only Steven Hawking could understand. They followed all this up with the Dark Fire guitar and the Dusk Tiger - I feel Gibson need to work on the names. But that's besides the point because this has been taken to a whole new level with the Firebird x (anddddd cue the outrageous vomiting)
Now I'm a fan of technological advances, things that make you step back and go, oh wow. But this? This is just wrong. What this does is it takes the soul away from a guitar. Filling a guitar with technology is like trying to fill Blenheim Palace with 48 inch TVs in every room and a KFC drive-thru by the kitchen window - ridiculous. The thing is just too mind-boggling and what you'll find if you try one is that it detracts from the playing. All the knobs and switches are simply too much and you can't focus on what you're playing.
The appeal in this guitar could be enormous and on the face of it (to someone who doesn't know an awful lot about guitars) its a good buy. Lots of different tones, lots of different fx, lots of -and I quote- 'Revolutionary Features'. The pedals that come with this are linked to the guitar via bluetooth. It has 3 Piezo mini humbuckers that apparently can create 2,000 different pickup combinations using the guitar effects processing unit built into the back of the guitar.It even has a case that's been especially designed so it can be dropped from a six-story building. And there's a fantastic reason as to why that case has had to be developed because when you get home from your gig, you're going to head straight for the roof and hurl it as far as you can.
I'm not just having a pop at Gibson here. They are arguably the joint top greatest guitar makers in the world. And that my friends is a good note to leave you on. If they are so great, what possessed them to do this?
Peace, Linus
Most of you will remember a few years ago, back in 2007, when Gibson released their 'Robot Guitar'. Originally based on a Les Paul, they then went on to release it as an Explorer and as an SG. It had features such as automatic tuning and a crazy control knob that could do things only Steven Hawking could understand. They followed all this up with the Dark Fire guitar and the Dusk Tiger - I feel Gibson need to work on the names. But that's besides the point because this has been taken to a whole new level with the Firebird x (anddddd cue the outrageous vomiting)
The appeal in this guitar could be enormous and on the face of it (to someone who doesn't know an awful lot about guitars) its a good buy. Lots of different tones, lots of different fx, lots of -and I quote- 'Revolutionary Features'. The pedals that come with this are linked to the guitar via bluetooth. It has 3 Piezo mini humbuckers that apparently can create 2,000 different pickup combinations using the guitar effects processing unit built into the back of the guitar.It even has a case that's been especially designed so it can be dropped from a six-story building. And there's a fantastic reason as to why that case has had to be developed because when you get home from your gig, you're going to head straight for the roof and hurl it as far as you can.
I'm not just having a pop at Gibson here. They are arguably the joint top greatest guitar makers in the world. And that my friends is a good note to leave you on. If they are so great, what possessed them to do this?
Peace, Linus
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
*Update* 10/08/11
Hey all. Just a quick update and a proper blog post will appear sometime in the next few days. If you want to discuss anything or know anything or want more info on anything please let us know and we'll try and do a blog post on it. Comment on the youtube videos, twitter or on this blog!
The free pick giveaway is still going all you have to do is hit the subscribe button on our youtube channel. That'll also give you all the updates from youtube via email. There's a couple of new videos up on the channel. They can all be found here as well.
New videos will be filmed fairly soon hopefully and some other cool new stuff. In the mean time, keep an eye on here for my 'words of wisdom' (pfft) and try not to riot too much ;)
Peace, Linus
The free pick giveaway is still going all you have to do is hit the subscribe button on our youtube channel. That'll also give you all the updates from youtube via email. There's a couple of new videos up on the channel. They can all be found here as well.
New videos will be filmed fairly soon hopefully and some other cool new stuff. In the mean time, keep an eye on here for my 'words of wisdom' (pfft) and try not to riot too much ;)
Peace, Linus
Thursday, 4 August 2011
What the hell ever happened to a bit of rock and roll eh?
What up good people! You know after 3 months worth of revision and exams, I finally turned off the radio. Its my company whilst I'm revising when most of the time you feel like testing out the strength of your walls with either your head or knuckles (I prefer head generally although it can counteract all that revision you did). Anyway, I realized something horrific in those 3 months - what happened to the radio
Flash back a couple of decades. I wasn't alive then (sadly) but the radio and record stores were full of rock and roll. Led Zep, Queen, The Clash, Nirvana, Metallica. Need I go on? Alright they weren't on all at the same time but my days would they not have been the BEST thing that came on the radio? Can you imagine just hearing the chilling beginning of Enter Sandman or the power behind Bonham's drums as the intro to Rock and Roll makes every hair on your body stand on end?
You just don't get that anymore and I feel like we've been robbed or certainly people of my generation have. I didn't even really listen to the punk rock days of Blink, Sum 41, The Offspring because I was only about 8-9. The first band like that I heard was New Found Glory and by the time I'd really gotten into all that, it'd just faded out. And what are we left with? Dance, Hippidy Hop, Rap. Where is the soul? Where is the passion? Where is the drunken guitarist who despite being completely off his head still brings out the most blistering solo? I'm sorry, where is the music?
Call this a rant but it's just not the same listening to the records knowing these bands will never make them again. Today we're left with an incredibly sorry period in music where most look to people who in years to come will never go down as 'greats'. The Gaga's and Beiber's of this world will never be great musicians; merely over produced junk. It is left to the likes of Foo Fighters to wave the now lonely flag of Rock n Roll. Music like all good things in this world appears to be dying a little bit. Perhaps one day, one day the great times will return. Perhaps not.
A sad day for all.
Peace, Linus
Flash back a couple of decades. I wasn't alive then (sadly) but the radio and record stores were full of rock and roll. Led Zep, Queen, The Clash, Nirvana, Metallica. Need I go on? Alright they weren't on all at the same time but my days would they not have been the BEST thing that came on the radio? Can you imagine just hearing the chilling beginning of Enter Sandman or the power behind Bonham's drums as the intro to Rock and Roll makes every hair on your body stand on end?
You just don't get that anymore and I feel like we've been robbed or certainly people of my generation have. I didn't even really listen to the punk rock days of Blink, Sum 41, The Offspring because I was only about 8-9. The first band like that I heard was New Found Glory and by the time I'd really gotten into all that, it'd just faded out. And what are we left with? Dance, Hippidy Hop, Rap. Where is the soul? Where is the passion? Where is the drunken guitarist who despite being completely off his head still brings out the most blistering solo? I'm sorry, where is the music?
Call this a rant but it's just not the same listening to the records knowing these bands will never make them again. Today we're left with an incredibly sorry period in music where most look to people who in years to come will never go down as 'greats'. The Gaga's and Beiber's of this world will never be great musicians; merely over produced junk. It is left to the likes of Foo Fighters to wave the now lonely flag of Rock n Roll. Music like all good things in this world appears to be dying a little bit. Perhaps one day, one day the great times will return. Perhaps not.
A sad day for all.
Peace, Linus
Monday, 25 July 2011
A bit of home recording
Apologies that this is the first post for 3 weeks, I've been away, but here's a bit of info on home recording. Recording is every musicians best friend. The ability to record yourself playing and then listen to it back is one that is highly useful but also highly underrated. And to further this the ease and quality of which home recording can be done these days is fantastic. So how do you get started on it?
First things first you're going to need something to plug everything into. In a pro studio this would be the mixer but unless you've got a spare few thousand lying around we'll be talking about using something called an interface. These come in either a USB form or a firewire form. USB is slower than firewire and can cause problems when recording but should do you fine. However if you've got the money go for the firewire. You're looking at something between £180-£250. That'll be more than adequate and you can get them cheaper second hand and it'll be great quality (these things are pretty damn solid). In short terms, and interface is your controller. You plug XLR's and jack to jack's into the inputs (some will have preamps, some may not) and then use the outputs to send to your monitors.
So next you're going to need something to pick up your sound. At this point in time im talking about doing vocals, bass or guitar (or any other instrument that requires a single or two mics - in other words not drums). If you don't have mics already then you're probably best of buying a dynamic mic as oppose to any others simply because they're sturdy and versatile. Shure's SM-57 is a great buy for anyone. When micing up, be experimental with positioning and amp volume levels. You can get a very wide range of sounds in doing these things. Always record something and then listen back to it because it wont sound exactly the same as you listening to your amp (if that makes sense). You'll also need to purchase some XLR's (microphone cables) and probably a mic stand although you can work around this with some stacks of books etc if you're very short of money. You can also skip out the mic issue if you're a guitarist and go straight into the interface but BE CAREFUL with this because it sounds pretty poor in comparison to micing up. I'll be writing a post on microphones sometime soon so if you want more information then keep an eye here.
You'll be glad to hear the next bit requires no money at all so if your bank is broke then things are all good! You're gonna need something to record to, so with your computer (and you can't say you have to buy one because you're reading this) look into downloading FREE recording software. I've tried numerous ones. Audacity is a popular one but quite frankly its useless. Me, JC and Adam here at Jim Studios all use Reaper and its fantastic and the demo doesn't run out. You don't need to go around buying anything like Cubase or Pro Tools and if you have a Mac, garageband will do you brilliantly.
Finally, you need something so you can listen to all your wonderful work. Headphones and monitors are your two options. With headphones these are great to have whilst your playing so you can hear just what the mic is picking up but dreadful to mix on. Always go for noise canceling headphones as well, just so you get the extra clarity. Monitors are very different to stereo speakers, or an ipod dock or your bog standard computer speakers. They will all slightly skew the sound by adding some kind of EQ. Monitors are designed to keep the sound flat so you hear exactly what it sounds like. Position them at ear level if you can and do go around spending loads on them either.
With home recording, the key is to buy quality but not expensive products. You're going to be limited as we're only talking about a little set up in your bedroom. But it is so helpful to have. If you're in a band you can do demo tracks to send to your drummer or vocalist to work on their parts or if you want to hear what you sound like when you play. We use all this gear to record our videos so its worth buying as there's plenty you can use it for.
Thanks for reading as ever. Leave a comment if you want to ask anything, check out the new videos and tell your friends.
Peace, Linus
First things first you're going to need something to plug everything into. In a pro studio this would be the mixer but unless you've got a spare few thousand lying around we'll be talking about using something called an interface. These come in either a USB form or a firewire form. USB is slower than firewire and can cause problems when recording but should do you fine. However if you've got the money go for the firewire. You're looking at something between £180-£250. That'll be more than adequate and you can get them cheaper second hand and it'll be great quality (these things are pretty damn solid). In short terms, and interface is your controller. You plug XLR's and jack to jack's into the inputs (some will have preamps, some may not) and then use the outputs to send to your monitors.
So next you're going to need something to pick up your sound. At this point in time im talking about doing vocals, bass or guitar (or any other instrument that requires a single or two mics - in other words not drums). If you don't have mics already then you're probably best of buying a dynamic mic as oppose to any others simply because they're sturdy and versatile. Shure's SM-57 is a great buy for anyone. When micing up, be experimental with positioning and amp volume levels. You can get a very wide range of sounds in doing these things. Always record something and then listen back to it because it wont sound exactly the same as you listening to your amp (if that makes sense). You'll also need to purchase some XLR's (microphone cables) and probably a mic stand although you can work around this with some stacks of books etc if you're very short of money. You can also skip out the mic issue if you're a guitarist and go straight into the interface but BE CAREFUL with this because it sounds pretty poor in comparison to micing up. I'll be writing a post on microphones sometime soon so if you want more information then keep an eye here.
You'll be glad to hear the next bit requires no money at all so if your bank is broke then things are all good! You're gonna need something to record to, so with your computer (and you can't say you have to buy one because you're reading this) look into downloading FREE recording software. I've tried numerous ones. Audacity is a popular one but quite frankly its useless. Me, JC and Adam here at Jim Studios all use Reaper and its fantastic and the demo doesn't run out. You don't need to go around buying anything like Cubase or Pro Tools and if you have a Mac, garageband will do you brilliantly.
Finally, you need something so you can listen to all your wonderful work. Headphones and monitors are your two options. With headphones these are great to have whilst your playing so you can hear just what the mic is picking up but dreadful to mix on. Always go for noise canceling headphones as well, just so you get the extra clarity. Monitors are very different to stereo speakers, or an ipod dock or your bog standard computer speakers. They will all slightly skew the sound by adding some kind of EQ. Monitors are designed to keep the sound flat so you hear exactly what it sounds like. Position them at ear level if you can and do go around spending loads on them either.
With home recording, the key is to buy quality but not expensive products. You're going to be limited as we're only talking about a little set up in your bedroom. But it is so helpful to have. If you're in a band you can do demo tracks to send to your drummer or vocalist to work on their parts or if you want to hear what you sound like when you play. We use all this gear to record our videos so its worth buying as there's plenty you can use it for.
Thanks for reading as ever. Leave a comment if you want to ask anything, check out the new videos and tell your friends.
Peace, Linus
Monday, 4 July 2011
Signature Guitars - Part 2 (Building your own)
I doubt anyone reading this has a signature model and if they are then i'd say Jim Studios is going pretty damn well. Sadly, the chances of a guitar great following this blog are slim. All guitarists want a guitar tailored for them - the perfect neck, pickups, looks, EVERYTHING. Oh my. But you have to be realistic in life sometimes...or do you?
Alright its not actually going to be a signature as such but it is made exactly to your spec. What I'm talking about is 'modding' or 'customizing' or 'doing up' a guitar how you want it. I'm going to talk you through my experiences of doing all this (and believe you me it was an experience), tell you how to avoid a few pot holes and a few more tips.
Buying the guitar - 4 words. GO FOR SOMETHING CHEAP. You're going to end up throwing most of it away in the end. I bought my 'Tele' for £55-60 about 3 years ago. Brand new and it was just a starter electric. Unless you own a more expensive guitar that you want to modify DON'T go out buying an expensive one because if it goes wrong or you can't be bothered to finished it you haven't lost too much money.
Changing Appearance - Once you have the actual guitar you might well want to change how it looks. I'd strongly advice settling on something you want and then sticking with it. Also, something simple is a good idea don't go for any extravagant paint jobs unless you have the ability to pull it off - I speak from experience on this front as well. Altering the overall shape of the body is generally a bad idea as well. It can be done but can change the sound and the strength of the wood. Throughout the build try and be careful not damage the body. It's going to take a bit of abuse with sandings, resprays, possible routing etc etc.
Changing Parts (guitar geek time!!) - this is probably the reason you wanted to modify it. Lets start with the pickups. You have a wide variety of choices in brands and what they sell. The biggest choice is of course going to be humbuckers or single coils. For all parts of the guitar im not going to talk in huge depth because otherwise this post is going to be catastrophically long. The pickups are absolutely crucial. Listen to audio samples of the pickups before looking into actually buying them and check that they'll fit your guitar (if not you'll have to get holes routed - most guitar shops will do this). Do plenty of research into pickups and if you're not confident with wiring them in send them to a guitar shop or someone who trust who could do it. You then have the neck which you may already be satisfied with but if not they are rather expensive so again do lots of research. If you've got the money Warmoth necks are a great buy, if not you can pick up a decent one from between £30 - 80. However, be prepared for it needing a refret. Choose wisely, take into account the wood, the fretboard and how many frets it has. The bridge is the final big part. Again it is absolutely crucial because the bridge is at the heart of the guitar being in tune. There are a million and one bridges out there but some work best on certain guitar. I.E don't go wacking a tele bridge onto a Les Paul - bad idea. A few other little things like machineheads, (locking or standard - your choice but good machineheads are well worth the investment) electrics (you may want to upgrade to a higher quality of electrics. By this I mean better tone and volume pots etc) and possibly a new body (unlikely, and yes its not little, but if you're not satisfied with the one that then new ones will cost you a similar price to the neck)
Phew. Bare in mind that this will go wrong and its very very time consuming and you might not like it at the end. But this guitar will have your heart and sole in it and call me a romantic but thats the biggest part of an instrument. You have other options - guitar packs are also a possibility or if you're feeling very inventive building the neck and body yourself. Jim did this and it worked out quite nicely. If you're wanting to do this but want to know more leave a comment here and I'll get back to you on it right away. Its a great project and you learn an awful lot but it costs a lot as well. THINK IT THROUGH!!
Peace, Linus
Alright its not actually going to be a signature as such but it is made exactly to your spec. What I'm talking about is 'modding' or 'customizing' or 'doing up' a guitar how you want it. I'm going to talk you through my experiences of doing all this (and believe you me it was an experience), tell you how to avoid a few pot holes and a few more tips.
Buying the guitar - 4 words. GO FOR SOMETHING CHEAP. You're going to end up throwing most of it away in the end. I bought my 'Tele' for £55-60 about 3 years ago. Brand new and it was just a starter electric. Unless you own a more expensive guitar that you want to modify DON'T go out buying an expensive one because if it goes wrong or you can't be bothered to finished it you haven't lost too much money.
Changing Appearance - Once you have the actual guitar you might well want to change how it looks. I'd strongly advice settling on something you want and then sticking with it. Also, something simple is a good idea don't go for any extravagant paint jobs unless you have the ability to pull it off - I speak from experience on this front as well. Altering the overall shape of the body is generally a bad idea as well. It can be done but can change the sound and the strength of the wood. Throughout the build try and be careful not damage the body. It's going to take a bit of abuse with sandings, resprays, possible routing etc etc.
Changing Parts (guitar geek time!!) - this is probably the reason you wanted to modify it. Lets start with the pickups. You have a wide variety of choices in brands and what they sell. The biggest choice is of course going to be humbuckers or single coils. For all parts of the guitar im not going to talk in huge depth because otherwise this post is going to be catastrophically long. The pickups are absolutely crucial. Listen to audio samples of the pickups before looking into actually buying them and check that they'll fit your guitar (if not you'll have to get holes routed - most guitar shops will do this). Do plenty of research into pickups and if you're not confident with wiring them in send them to a guitar shop or someone who trust who could do it. You then have the neck which you may already be satisfied with but if not they are rather expensive so again do lots of research. If you've got the money Warmoth necks are a great buy, if not you can pick up a decent one from between £30 - 80. However, be prepared for it needing a refret. Choose wisely, take into account the wood, the fretboard and how many frets it has. The bridge is the final big part. Again it is absolutely crucial because the bridge is at the heart of the guitar being in tune. There are a million and one bridges out there but some work best on certain guitar. I.E don't go wacking a tele bridge onto a Les Paul - bad idea. A few other little things like machineheads, (locking or standard - your choice but good machineheads are well worth the investment) electrics (you may want to upgrade to a higher quality of electrics. By this I mean better tone and volume pots etc) and possibly a new body (unlikely, and yes its not little, but if you're not satisfied with the one that then new ones will cost you a similar price to the neck)
Phew. Bare in mind that this will go wrong and its very very time consuming and you might not like it at the end. But this guitar will have your heart and sole in it and call me a romantic but thats the biggest part of an instrument. You have other options - guitar packs are also a possibility or if you're feeling very inventive building the neck and body yourself. Jim did this and it worked out quite nicely. If you're wanting to do this but want to know more leave a comment here and I'll get back to you on it right away. Its a great project and you learn an awful lot but it costs a lot as well. THINK IT THROUGH!!
Peace, Linus
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Signature Guitars - Part 1
In the next few months Shecter Guitars will be releasing the brand new versions of Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance's signature series. These are certainly two of the biggest signature series around and they sell by the bucket load. So it makes me question - why, when you get up on stage to play a gig would you want a guitar made for someone else slung across your shoulders?
There's plenty of signature gear on the market. The Zack Wylde Wah, Slash's signature Marshall series, hundreds of signature guitars from ESP, Gibson, PRS etc. There is clearly a demand for all this gear then and with good reason. Companies who make these products get guidance by the artist in terms of what sound and feel they want (mainly so they can use it themselves) and bearing in mind that these are at the very top of music, they know what they're on about. As a result we are left with top quality, well produced and great sounding gear.
Go back to me mentioning Shecter's release of Synyster Gate's new custom model. His current models have sold like the Ford Model T. It features a Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan Invader pickups, a very fast neck and stunning looks. Perfect guitar? Maybe. It ticks all the boxes I look for in a guitar.
But if I walked into a guitar shop and saw one hanging from the wall I'd be pretty certain I would straight past it with only a passing glance and the idea that I would never be paying the asking price. Not because of the guitar itself or the price (which is actually quite reasonable). No, I wouldn't buy one simply because of the persona behind a signature. The thing is, these are guitars (like I said earlier) built for the artist and companies decide for some of them to be put into production. And I don't know about you but I'd hate to think It's a guitar that's not really mine. All guitars have a personality and a different feel to them. The beauty of this wonderful instrument is the fact that they have this 'persona' that I mentioned earlier. Even that £60 starter guitar you got -we've all been there- It will always have a personal feel to it even if it's dreadful. For those of you who have picked up a signature guitar or played on a signature amp you'll know it doesn't have that personal feeling. Its persona is sadly somewhat non existent.
Don't get me wrong here, signature gear sounds great, pedals especially can be worth looking into. Its all personal opinion really and for me and the rest of us here at Jim Studios It's something we actually all agree on. You're limited in variety of tone, you will constantly have people asking "Why did you buy a ____ signature??? It's a signature!!!" and that horrible feeling that it doesn't really belong to you. So what's the answer to it all? Ah I shall reveal all next week - stay tuned!
One quick thing as well (I'm sure you're all bored stiff by now but if not...) we filmed 5 new videos yesterday along with an update video to tell you all about this blog, twitter and the free pick give away - all you have to do is subscribe to the youtube channel! Simple as that. Anyway, thanks for reading if you did make it to the end.
Peace, Linus
There's plenty of signature gear on the market. The Zack Wylde Wah, Slash's signature Marshall series, hundreds of signature guitars from ESP, Gibson, PRS etc. There is clearly a demand for all this gear then and with good reason. Companies who make these products get guidance by the artist in terms of what sound and feel they want (mainly so they can use it themselves) and bearing in mind that these are at the very top of music, they know what they're on about. As a result we are left with top quality, well produced and great sounding gear.
Go back to me mentioning Shecter's release of Synyster Gate's new custom model. His current models have sold like the Ford Model T. It features a Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan Invader pickups, a very fast neck and stunning looks. Perfect guitar? Maybe. It ticks all the boxes I look for in a guitar.
But if I walked into a guitar shop and saw one hanging from the wall I'd be pretty certain I would straight past it with only a passing glance and the idea that I would never be paying the asking price. Not because of the guitar itself or the price (which is actually quite reasonable). No, I wouldn't buy one simply because of the persona behind a signature. The thing is, these are guitars (like I said earlier) built for the artist and companies decide for some of them to be put into production. And I don't know about you but I'd hate to think It's a guitar that's not really mine. All guitars have a personality and a different feel to them. The beauty of this wonderful instrument is the fact that they have this 'persona' that I mentioned earlier. Even that £60 starter guitar you got -we've all been there- It will always have a personal feel to it even if it's dreadful. For those of you who have picked up a signature guitar or played on a signature amp you'll know it doesn't have that personal feeling. Its persona is sadly somewhat non existent.
Don't get me wrong here, signature gear sounds great, pedals especially can be worth looking into. Its all personal opinion really and for me and the rest of us here at Jim Studios It's something we actually all agree on. You're limited in variety of tone, you will constantly have people asking "Why did you buy a ____ signature??? It's a signature!!!" and that horrible feeling that it doesn't really belong to you. So what's the answer to it all? Ah I shall reveal all next week - stay tuned!
One quick thing as well (I'm sure you're all bored stiff by now but if not...) we filmed 5 new videos yesterday along with an update video to tell you all about this blog, twitter and the free pick give away - all you have to do is subscribe to the youtube channel! Simple as that. Anyway, thanks for reading if you did make it to the end.
Peace, Linus
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Getting that great deal
Playing guitar is certainly one of the more expensive past times. There is no guitarist living who is ever totally satisfied with their tone and to change that tone, sadly, it involves buying something new. So what if your a little short of money? Well I'm not going to deny you will have to spend at least a bit of money but there are a few things you can do to save some.
Ebay and Auctions. Second hand gear is always a good move in my opinion. It's so much cheaper and the great thing is (and a point that is vastly overlooked) it generally doesn't loose its quality. Cosmetic damage will probably be in an issue, but do you really mind that when you've found that killer tone? Gear goes unbelievably cheap on Ebay. Head over to a local guitar shop and casually say to the owner 'may I try this?' and spend a good while testing a pedal. Then, if you like it, get onto Ebay and I can guarantee there will be one on there. You've just saved yourself a fortune!
Cheaper gear from the smaller brands. Everyones tone is different. If they weren't, there would only be one pedal, one guitar, one amp. Fortunately, every one likes things a little different. As a result there is a huge range of gear to get your teeth into. Something I highly recommend is buying cheaper and less well known brands. BOSS, Marshall, Fender, Gibson, - they're all the BIG BIG names and as a result they can wack up the prices and people will still buy them. You are paying for the name. Don't get me wrong, they make the highest quality of gear but you can always get a great compromise from the smaller names. Take the Belcat DLY - 503 Delay Pedal we reviewed. £30 for a great delay pedal when you could easily have paid far far more for a better known brand.
Don't over spend. This may seem very obvious but I can speak from experience (and I imagine we've all done the same) where you've seen something and thought 'I NEED THAT'. Well, the chances are you're going to get it home and cue the giant face palm because its awful and you really didn't need it. Especially when we're talking here about guitar gear which generally costs a fair bit. So, think it through properly before buying it. I highly recommend going to a local guitar shop (like I said earlier) and trying out gear before buying it. Even if that means getting a ride to a bigger store that stocks what you're after. When you don't have a huge amount of money to be throwing around buying sensibly is an important thing to keep in mind.
Buying what you need. Not always what you think would be 'awesome to have'. If you're a beginner who is just looking into getting past that starter guitar pack this is worth thinking about. Talk to some guys who know a lot about guitar rigs and gear. In other words, don't go heading straight for those ridiculous sounds you get from a flanger pedal or a harmonist pedal because you're only going to need it every so often. A decent combo amp, overdrive/distortion pedal, maybe some reverb or delay and thats it really (oh and a guitar). At some point I'm going to blog a list of the essentials for the basic guitar rig so keep an eye out for that if you're interested.
Its all about being sensible really and thinking a purchase through. It might well seem like common sense to the more experienced but as a beginner which we all were at some point, it can be easy to overspend on expensive and unnecessary gear.
Thanks for reading as ever! Please leave a comment or any questions and i'll be more than happy to answer. Peace, Linus
Ebay and Auctions. Second hand gear is always a good move in my opinion. It's so much cheaper and the great thing is (and a point that is vastly overlooked) it generally doesn't loose its quality. Cosmetic damage will probably be in an issue, but do you really mind that when you've found that killer tone? Gear goes unbelievably cheap on Ebay. Head over to a local guitar shop and casually say to the owner 'may I try this?' and spend a good while testing a pedal. Then, if you like it, get onto Ebay and I can guarantee there will be one on there. You've just saved yourself a fortune!
Cheaper gear from the smaller brands. Everyones tone is different. If they weren't, there would only be one pedal, one guitar, one amp. Fortunately, every one likes things a little different. As a result there is a huge range of gear to get your teeth into. Something I highly recommend is buying cheaper and less well known brands. BOSS, Marshall, Fender, Gibson, - they're all the BIG BIG names and as a result they can wack up the prices and people will still buy them. You are paying for the name. Don't get me wrong, they make the highest quality of gear but you can always get a great compromise from the smaller names. Take the Belcat DLY - 503 Delay Pedal we reviewed. £30 for a great delay pedal when you could easily have paid far far more for a better known brand.
Don't over spend. This may seem very obvious but I can speak from experience (and I imagine we've all done the same) where you've seen something and thought 'I NEED THAT'. Well, the chances are you're going to get it home and cue the giant face palm because its awful and you really didn't need it. Especially when we're talking here about guitar gear which generally costs a fair bit. So, think it through properly before buying it. I highly recommend going to a local guitar shop (like I said earlier) and trying out gear before buying it. Even if that means getting a ride to a bigger store that stocks what you're after. When you don't have a huge amount of money to be throwing around buying sensibly is an important thing to keep in mind.
Buying what you need. Not always what you think would be 'awesome to have'. If you're a beginner who is just looking into getting past that starter guitar pack this is worth thinking about. Talk to some guys who know a lot about guitar rigs and gear. In other words, don't go heading straight for those ridiculous sounds you get from a flanger pedal or a harmonist pedal because you're only going to need it every so often. A decent combo amp, overdrive/distortion pedal, maybe some reverb or delay and thats it really (oh and a guitar). At some point I'm going to blog a list of the essentials for the basic guitar rig so keep an eye out for that if you're interested.
Its all about being sensible really and thinking a purchase through. It might well seem like common sense to the more experienced but as a beginner which we all were at some point, it can be easy to overspend on expensive and unnecessary gear.
Thanks for reading as ever! Please leave a comment or any questions and i'll be more than happy to answer. Peace, Linus
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
So far...
Alright then, Jim Studio's hasn't been around for long but there's some reviews for you to have a look at here.
First off, the Belcat DLY 503 pedal. Cheap and cheerful for what it is. A great sounding delay pedal and well worth a look if you don't have much money but want a decent delay pedal.
Next, MXR's Distortion iii. I full on LOVE the sound of this pedal and Adam makes a wicked sound with it. Take a look and be the judge for yourself!
And our last video (for the time being) Boss' famous DS-1. This is in 90% of all pros rig's and is so worth having - I'd know, this used to be mine before I gave it to Jim. If you've ever been unsure about the huge variety of tones it can give you, watch and learn...
I'll update this blog everytime we get a new video on youtube. Until then, have a look at http://www.youtube.com/user/JimStudios and subscribe for all the latest. Cheers!
Peace. Linus
First off, the Belcat DLY 503 pedal. Cheap and cheerful for what it is. A great sounding delay pedal and well worth a look if you don't have much money but want a decent delay pedal.
Next, MXR's Distortion iii. I full on LOVE the sound of this pedal and Adam makes a wicked sound with it. Take a look and be the judge for yourself!
And our last video (for the time being) Boss' famous DS-1. This is in 90% of all pros rig's and is so worth having - I'd know, this used to be mine before I gave it to Jim. If you've ever been unsure about the huge variety of tones it can give you, watch and learn...
I'll update this blog everytime we get a new video on youtube. Until then, have a look at http://www.youtube.com/user/JimStudios and subscribe for all the latest. Cheers!
Peace. Linus
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Welcome!
Yes welcome to you (and me actually, this is totally new for me). I'm Linus, you've probably heard my name mentioned from time to time on the videos. What i'll be doing is keeping this written blog up to date sort of every week or so. It won't just be TOTALLY my awful ramblings but i'll be bringing you all of what we've got coming up in terms of reviews, a few things we can't really do in the videos and plenty of other interesting stuff to stimulate those brain cells! Please let us know ANY improvements we can make to our efforts be it on here with me or on the Youtube channel, but don't be too mean yeah? That's just plain not nice...
Anyywaayyy, more from me shortly where i'll be giving you some news on what's next in terms of reviews! Maybe some other stuff to, we shall see :-)
Peace. Linus.
Anyywaayyy, more from me shortly where i'll be giving you some news on what's next in terms of reviews! Maybe some other stuff to, we shall see :-)
Peace. Linus.
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