Using Bass Amps
Oct 29, 2009 Blue Grass Music, Cajun Music, Clasical Music, Country Music, Easy Listining, Jazz Music, Modern Music, Music, New Age Music, Oldies, Pop Music, R&B Music, Rap Music, Rock Music
In recent years, there has been a respectable surge in the popularity of “unplugged” performances. Such Exhibitions, As One Might Assume From The Name, Feature Artists In Small Venues Performing Acoustically For Small Audiences – The Story. One interesting aspect to these performances is that sometimes the artists perform on electric guitars without using amplifiers. The irony, of course, is that electric guitars were specifically designed to be able to use amplifiers so that the music could be heard.
We appear to have come full circle. An unplugged performance, I would hypothesize, is an attempt by both the artist and the audient to “get back to the music.” And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. But the reason both the venue and the audience are small is that if they were not, no one would be able to hear anything. The fact remains that electric guitars are designed to be used with amplifiers. If they’re not, it is very difficult to hear what is being played because (most) electric guitar bodies are solid, rather than hollow like that of an acoustic instrument. So while unplugged performances may have artistic merit, they fail to make use of one of the electric guitar’s most potent and important assets: the amplifier.
A guitar amplifier is simply an electronic amplifier designed for use with an electric guitar. An electronic amplifier, in turn, is a device designed to increase the power and amplitude of a signal. In this case, that signal is received from the guitar. Guitar amplifiers have been around since the early 1930s. At that time and through the 1940s, Hawaiian music was all the rage and amplifiers were used primarily with the lap steel guitar Hawaiian guitar. Then in the mid-1950s, thanks to the rock and roll revolution, the electric guitar took off and so did its amplifiers. Old black and white American Bandstand episodes show artists performing on stages that are subtly edged with the amplifiers attached to the electric guitars. But it didn’t stop there. During the next decade, the artists began to experiment with distortion that could be caused by deliberately overloading their amplifiers. This eventually led to the incorporation of preamplifier distortion controls, which almost qualify guitar amplifiers as musical instruments in their own rights. Certainly it has become impossible to imagine modern music without the use of these devices.
Today, most guitar amps come in two general types. The first is the combination, or “combo,” amplifier, which contains the amplifier head and guitar speakers in a single unit. The amplifier head contains the electronic circuitry constituting the preamp, built-in effects processing and power amplifier. The other type of amplifier is comprised of two separate speakers joined by cables. In this form, the amplifier head is housed in one unit while the guitar speakers are in the other. The unit with the head is commonly placed on top of one or more guitar speakers.
Among the two general types of amps, there are a number of different subcategories favored by different genres and instruments. Traditional amps, known for their clean, warm sound, are often used by rock, blues, country, indie and alternative bands. Hard rock-style amps, as the name intimates, are used by hard rock, metal and punk artists and often include a number of distortion effects and preamp controls. Bass amps boast extended bass response and tone controls that optimize a bass’s sound. Finally acoustics amps, an apparent contradiction in terms, are designed to be used with acoustic instruments that have built-in pickups or microphones.
Tags: bass amps, fender bass, fender guitar, gibson guitar, guitar accessories, guitars guitar
Martin Guitars Reviews & Tips
Oct 27, 2009 Blue Grass Music, Cajun Music, Clasical Music, Country Music, Easy Listining, Jazz Music, Modern Music, Music, New Age Music, Oldies, Pop Music, R&B Music, Rap Music, Rock Music
The C. F. Martin guitar company has been making guitars since 1833. Presently headquartered in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, the company is still run by a member of the Martin family. Chris Martin IV, who is the chairman and CEO, is the great-great-great-grandson of Christian Frederick Martin who started the company.
C. F. Martin was a member of the cabinet maker’s guild in Germany. In Europe during the 1800s the guilds were powerful trade unions that controlled the production of goods and services by controlling the entry of tradesmen and craftsmen into the guild. Each guild had their own trades or goods. But The Violin Maker's Guild Began To Assert Their Right To Control The Making Of Guitars, Which Martin, As A Member Of The Cabinet Maker's Guild, Had Learned To Make - Overview.
Whether this is the sole reason or not, Martin moved to the United States, eventually settling in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. There he began to make guitars.
Martin’s acoustic guitars quickly earned a reputation quality musical instruments. Martin’s innovative x-brace design which used scalloped bracing, improved the resonance. By strengthening the guitar it also protected the top of the guitar from warping. The Martin is still largely made by hand. Skilled artisans craft the instrument with techniques that transcend some aspects of automatic machines. Each Martin guitar is essentially a unique work of art.
Martin has made electric and bass guitars, but is primarily known for its acoustic guitars.
Martins made before World War II developed a reputation as a superior sounding instrument. These pre-war Martins typically fetch a high price from collectors and guitarists.
The list of artists who use or have used Martin guitars is extensive. One of Martin’s many contribution to guitar making enhances the desirability of the guitars which are especially prized by folk and bluegrass musicians. Martin made a guitar with a larger body, called the dreadnought. Acoustic musicians utilize this larger body effectively to project more sound.
Martin guitars continue to top wish lists of many guitarists today. And used Martins are still sought for their durability, high quality, and sound.
Tags: bass amps, fender guitar, gibson guitar, guitar accessories, guitars guitar, martin guitars
Guitar Amplifiers - The Story
Oct 27, 2009 Blue Grass Music, Cajun Music, Clasical Music, Country Music, Easy Listining, Jazz Music, Modern Music, Music, New Age Music, Oldies, Pop Music, R&B Music, Rap Music, Rock Music
Guitar amplifiers fall into two categories. First, the combination (combo) amplifier is a single unit containing both the amplifier head and audio speakers. The amplifier head, commonly referred to as the ‘amp head’ houses electronic circuitry for the preamp, installed effects processing and power amplifier.
The second category of guitar amplifier is called an amplifier stack or ‘amp stack’, for short. The amplifier head is a separate unit and connects to the audio speakers via a series of cables. The amplifier head is conveniently placed on top of the audio speaker cabinet.
In regards to engineering designs, there are a range of options.
Solid State. These types of guitar amplifier were engineered to improve on their predecessor, the vacuum tube amplifier. Solid stage guitar amplifiers are considered superior to the original tube amplifier design, as least in engineering and technical terms. However, many do not agree. Solid state guitar amplifiers use higher frequencies compared to tube amplifiers, deliver more audio range and produce more power and wattage. Solid state amplifiers are generally easier to repair, lighter, less expensive.
Vacuum tube amplifiers, on the other hand, are considered by many musicians to be the superior choice simply because of the perceived analogue audio quality. A sound reproduction that is termed rich and full. This analogue and human bias prevails among purist musicians despite tube amplifier limitations such as: lack of power, fragile and prone to tube failure, comparatively heavy and higher repair and servicing costs.
Hybrid Amplifiers are an attempt by some designers to capture and blend the qualities of both solid state and vacuum tube amplifiers.
Modeling amplifiers started to appear in the market in the late 1990s and incorporate microprocessors, digital signal processing and software. The objective of this engineering direction is to simulate the sound qualities of the analogue tube amplifier.
Tags: bass amps, fender guitar, gibson guitar, guitar amplifiers, guitars guitar, martin guitars
Classical Guitars Tips & Guide
Oct 27, 2009 Blue Grass Music, Cajun Music, Clasical Music, Country Music, Easy Listining, Jazz Music, Modern Music, Music, New Age Music, Oldies, Pop Music, R&B Music, Rap Music, Rock Music
You never really see a current billboard band with Classical Guitars on a poster, why? Honestly because they are boring, that’s right I did say BORING! At least that’s what the perception is among beginners all over the world, “Slash never used classical guitars on stage!”, which is true, I think. Anyway, its not the case that your favorite guitarists are never seen using them, its more along the lines of how they start learning the guitars altogether.
On The Fighting Side Of Classical Guitars
Classical guitars really are great guitars, when I first started learning guitar, my family did not have the money to buy me the latest feedback laden guitar and amp, so I had to settle for my old fathers guitar that was tucked away in his tool room, “No wonder he tucked this away I thought, if he had not, my mother would have probably used the fretboard as a table”, but still I took out the guitar, blew off the dust and took it into the land of the living, at that time I did not really know it, but that guitar was classical.
One night I was sitting down watching television, my father over the other side of the room, and a show came on about The Beatles, both of us immediately perked up, these were his boy hood super group(along with millions of others), and to me, they were also god-like people who I grew up listening too, anyway as that program unfolded, which was a brief history all about The Beatles, their was a part in it where Sir Paul McCartney was explaining a song he wrote, he sat on a stool, and into shot picked up a classical “>guitar, and started to play “And I Love Her”, and I thought to myself if he is using one, then so should I be!.
My Beginnings with Classical Guitars
Its only now I look back after many years of playing guitar, that I can take some pride in the fact that I started with classical guitars, It really did bring my playing along really well, those nylon stings were soft, nonabrasive, and easy to press down onto the neck, that huge fretboard was plenty of space to be able to play individual strings without hitting others, it was large enough to also help me stretch my smaller fingers out(which would come in handy in my later electric shredding years), it also has such a great sound to it, even though sometimes cheap, most classical guitars sound amazing, I can’t say the same for some cheaper electric brands.
Now sometimes when I play my classical guitar I wished I would have used them allot more over the years, sometimes its easy to turn up your amp, plug in your electric, and have your playing washed out by the huge fuzz behind you, and it still sounds great!, but really, its just masking your mistakes, so that even if you did hit a couple of the wrong strings, you meant it right?. I’ve seen so many good electric guitarists come away from that wall of sound, then just sit down with a classical guitar and just die, there playing really isn’t that good to be honest!.
My point
My point is that, even though you never see great bands today using classical guitars, It doesn’t mean they are pointless!, if you ever want to give up guitars because its too hard to play, give one a go, its allot easier to learn on than an electric or acoustic let me tell you, and maybe you favorite artist did use one, or does use one, that’s great, It makes you a better guitarist to be able to adapt to many different guitars, and what better way to start than a classical?.
A little word to finish off, watching television the other day, viewing one of my favorite bands Coldplay playing Viva La Vida’s “Violet Hill”, guess what singer Chris Martin was playing, that’s right one of his classical guitars, and very well I might add, see, there making a comeback, look out for posters.
Tags: bass amps, classical guitars, fender guitar, guitar amplifiers, guitars guitar, martin guitars
Behringer 450-Watt Bass Workstation Reviews & Tips
Oct 27, 2009 Blue Grass Music, Cajun Music, Clasical Music, Country Music, Easy Listining, Jazz Music, Modern Music, Music, New Age Music, Oldies, Pop Music, R&B Music, Rap Music, Rock Music
Powerful and packed with features, this truly affordable 450-Watt Bass Workstation with a front-ported bass cabinet has 2 original BUGERA 10″ Hard Attack aluminum-cone speakers and a custom-made 1″ horn tweeter for high-end punch. Powerful And Packed With Features, This Truly Affordable 450-Watt Bass Workstation With A Front-ported Bass Cabinet Has 2 Original BUGERA 10" Hard Attack Aluminum-cone Speakers And A Custom-made 1" Horn Tweeter For High-end Punch Guide! We’re talking big sound here, but not at the expense of definition. Remember, power is nothing without control. Our patented Dynamizer technology gives you the ultimate punch, and the switchable Ultrabass subharmonics processor delivers stunning low-end power. There is a dedicated 5-band EQ with Deep, Bright, and Shape functions for creative sound shaping. A musical opto-limiter assures problem-free high-volume levels without distortion, and you also get a vintage-style VU meter for precise signal level control. The connectivity options include 3 speaker outputs on 1/4″ jacks and a professional speaker connector (compatible with Neutrik & Speakon)A dual footswitch for Ultrabass and Shape functions is included. A classic bass foundation with mids that bring your music out loud and clear!
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Guitar Amp.
No matter how good the quality, no recording will make the amplifier sound the way it does in person. The first type is a solid state amplifier. More often than not these are the cheapest amps you’ll find. Some people even say they can’t listen to playing through a solid state amp for too long, otherwise they get a headache.
There is one solid state amp that I DO like; it’s the Randall RG100ES from the 80’s. It’s a pretty wicked amp for heavy metal or heavy rock tunes. You’ll hear it all over Pantera records (“Dimebag” Darrell was a huge fan of solid state Randall stuff), some Def Leppard and Michael Angelo Batio’s stuff. The second type of amp is all that digital modeling business… you have to be super careful when buying this stuff. Some of the digital products out there sound way too digital – Line 6’s Spider 1 through 3 are a good example. They just don’t sound natural.
On the practice side of things, it makes sense that it would be a better choice… you get multiple amp models and multiple effects for roughly the same price as a solid state amp. If you’re lookin’ into digital stuff I’d recommend checking out the Roland Cube – she’s a nice little practice guitar amp.
Tags: bass amplifiers, bass amps, classical guitars, guitar amplifiers, guitars guitar, martin guitars