The guitar is an incredibly versatile instrument, filled with nearly limitless potential. To unlock the full breadth of your guitar’s capabilities, however, a few basic tools may be required. Perhaps no tool is more essential than the ubiquitous capo. These small but powerful gadgets allow you to transpose on the fly, discover new voicings to […]
Is there anything more intimate and moving than a live acoustic set? No frills. No gimmicks. Just pure musicianship and human connection. Magic! While no recording can ever truly embody the full live acoustic experience, there are a few tried and true techniques from seasoned artists that can, at the very least, help capture those […]
Tone — the guitarist’s ever-elusive obsession. While electric guitars utilize all kinds of gadgets and gizmos to shape their overall sound, acoustic guitars have far less to hide behind. Something as simple as strings, for example, can have a major impact on how your acoustic guitar sounds. With so many options available, which strings will […]
Electric guitarists constantly dream of building their ideal pedalboard. For most players, number one on that list is a solid overdrive. Seeing the price of legendary tone machines like Klon Centaur or the Analogman King of Tone, however, is enough to pull working guitarists right back down to earth. But excellent tone isn’t only for […]
There is something especially personal about choosing your first guitar. One pervasive myth, however, is that in order for a guitar to be good, it needs to be expensive. While certainly, the highest quality guitars will run you a pretty penny, price point alone is no definitive marker that a guitar is right for you, […]
Achieving the perfect acoustic tone in a live setting can be one of the most frustrating endeavors you’re likely to undertake. While micing presents the most natural-sounding tone, it also limits your performance and is prone to issues like feedback. Plugging directly in is usually the most practical option. To do so requires, at minimum, […]
Achieving quality acoustic tone live can be a major headache. The robust, angelic tone wafting through your bedroom suddenly falls flat in a crowded bar, washes out through the house sound system, or drowns beneath the swell of your backing band. The solution? Guitar pedals. Blasphemous though it may seem, pedals can not only help […]
The pursuit of the ideal guitar tone can be costly. Seasoned guitarists know, however, that quality gear doesn’t have to break the bank. Most live sound engineers will agree that the days of massive, towering amp stacks are long gone. The vast majority of today’s live music settings require little more than a small, low-watt […]
Is there any instrument more personal than an acoustic guitar? It comes home with you, creates songs with you, and becomes an intimate part of your life. You pour over every detail: body style, size, comfort, and especially tone. The last thing you would ever want to do is arrive at a gig, plug it […]