I picked up a flyer at my local Guitar Center for the free workshops that they offer and found and advertisement for TC Helicon and then on the other side some person named Clara C.

I looked her up and was amazed by the talent. There’s something about her music where I can’t stop listening. Her music reminds me of a cross between Jewel, Tori Amos, Oassis, Cranberries, Fiona Apple, and Natalie Imbruglia. Yes, put the good stuff about those artists and out come Clara C.

Her music is catchy, hypnotizing, and makes me smile. The lyrics are probably what get me sucked in. In her song Heartstrings, there’s tease of new love with a hint of reservation and does nothing but put a smile on my face and make you believe in love.

Heartstrings
Hey baby, it’s easy
to believe in you and me
The smiling, the laughing
It’s comin’ so easily

It’s a funny thing, this love thing
It only falls into my arms
When I’m not looking for it at all

Hey baby, you’re doing
All the things that make me
Sing sing sing sing sing sing
Untying these heartstrings
That I’ve been triple knotting

I wanna take it slow and that’s okay with you
See I’m finished making the same old mistakes
I won’t let us fall

You put a smile
You put a smile on my heart
You put a smile
You put a smile on my heart
They’re coming all undone
My heartstrings

Hey darling, see these wings?
They’re not clipped anymore
I’m singing and shaking off
My silence with this voice

It’s a funny thing, this love thing
You’re always on the
Same page, same line, same letter
We’re gonna go far

Then there’s The Camel Song and the intro lines:

running through the forest hand in hand
jumping over streams talking bout our dreams
we laugh we smile we dance
would you give it one more chance
please don’t let me leave this place
i really really don’t want to wake up

There’s a cute sense of innocence in her lyrics that most mainstream artists neglect to use or have forgotten about. While simple, you can hear the emotion and start reminiscing about untainted love, joy, and happiness.

References:
http://claracmusic.com
http://www.youtube.com/claracmusic

Upcoming workshops in the Bay Area:
Friday, May 4, 2012 at 7PM
Guitar Center San Jose
3677 Stevens Creek BLVD
Santa Clara, CA 95051

Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 2PM
Guitar Center San Francisco
1645 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94109

I finally finished the setup on my Badtz Maru Pac-man guitar. My last update was finishing up painting and assembly. The original goal of this project was to make a “boutique” guitar that was more about the visuals than the sound. After finishing the setup and installing the electronics, I’m flabbergasted by the output of this guitar. So flabbergasted that I used the word flabbergasted.

Here’s why:
I did a little research on the kind of electronics I wanted to put in. There are a couple of brands to choose from: Fender, DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, Lace, and EMG. The sound of a Fender guitar is very specific. I thought I wanted to take the traditional approach and go with true Fender pickups but it didn’t make sense to only have Fender sound on a custom guitar with Badtz Maru and Pac-man on it.

Then I thought I wanted to go with DiMarzio and a set of Area ’58, ’61, and ’67 pickups. A guitar buddy of mine loves the sound of DiMarzio pickups and I thought about getting these pickups for a good 6 months.

In the end, I decided to go with EMG pickups. Part of the reason is because my PRS Paul Allender has a set of EMG 89 and EMG81TW and I love the sound it puts out. The other reason is because one of my favorite lead guitarists, Kirk Hammet, uses EMG pickups. Instead of trying to figure out a good combination of pickups, I decided to go with a prewired setup. Prewired means the company adds the pickups to the pick guard and all you do is add a battery and screw it in. If not, then I would have to unpack my soldering iron and make a few mistakes before getting it to work. EMG’s Solderless Install System is truly the way to go.

The set I got was the KH20. This prewired setup contains: the 81 (similar to my Paul Allender) and 2 single-coil pickups. The 81 has a great sustain and extremely high output. The pair of single-coils do not hum. One of my Fender friends tried it out and the first thing he said was that there wasn’t any hum. Usually, to get this done you’ll need a roll of copper tape to shield each pickup from the other. These single-coil pickups are very clean and give me the Fender sound when I want it.

The guitar is a Fender Bullet, the cheapest and lowest quality Fender guitar you can buy. In fact, I only bought it for $75. After artwork and putting in new electronics, I turned a $75 into a $1000+ beast for under $300.

I’m really happy and excited about this mod. Next mods to it? Change bridge, add a better nut, and better tuners.

References:
EMG
http://edelalon.com/blog/2011/07/pac-man-badtz-maru-guitar/

I see it every year – the mad Christmas rush of youngsters and their parents jamming up Guitar Center to make the first monumental purchasing step in their rockstar careers: buying their first axe.

There are usually pre-packed sets rigged up for just this occasion.  Ibanez, Fender, Dean, and a host of others bundle a low grade electric with a small amp and accessories, all for about $200.

Now there’s definitely nothing wrong with starter guitars–my wife has fiercely held on to her sunburst Fender Squire from the early 90s despite the pleadings of our sound tech—and it’s a great way for parents to test the waters with their excitable juveniles without breaking the bank. The problem begins when the 30-year-old is still riding with training wheels, so to speak.

While it is definitely true that the guitar does not make the guitarist, there are lessons to be learned about tone and sound quality that can only be learned on more advanced instruments.  And definitely a recording or performing artist needs good sound going into mix.  The problem is, that while there is no shortage of guitar “unicorns” out there, not many are willing to take the leap from $200 to $2000.

Everyone has their Dream Guitar (though if you acquire it, a new Dream Guitar will emerge).  It is usually hung up high somewhere, glistening on a guitar store Hercules wall-mount.  You take it down every once in awhile, hook it up, and are amazed at the fact that this beautiful beast can actually make your limited skills sound kind of impressive.

Then you put it back because your rockstar career has not taken off to the point where you can invest in such finery…in fact, on your salary, you probably shouldn’t even be in the store in the first place.

For a long time, the guitar world has hungered for a mid-range model series which delivered both quality and affordability.  Enter the Paul Reed Smith Custom SE Series.  The Custom SE Series is not exactly new, but it continues to make notable advances providing quality (and beautiful) instruments in a mid-level price range.  Rumor has it that Carlos Santana was behind this.  A longtime poster child for PRS, Santana wanted models that anyone could afford to play.  So they got them made in Korea and bang, $600 bucks off.

The PRS Custom SE Series runs between around $540 and $700.  The prices fluctuate throughout the year and depending on the model, but $650 is a good buy.  For example, my wife is the doting owner of a PRS Custom SE Semihollowbody (much to my sound tech’s delight).  She got it two years ago for $650 and it is a world of difference.  The quality of the instrument is nothing short of amazing and for under $1000, I have not seen anything else that can match it.

Since then, we have adopted a slightly cosmetically damaged PRS Custom SE Paul Allender–not used but marked down…steal!  We have also picked up a used PRS Custom SE 22 for about $300.  Best. Buy. Ever.  If you find a Custom SE on sale used, pick it up and give it a play.  They really are tremendous.  We may never be Santana-worthy, but for our moderate skills, the sound is just addicting.  Great construction, quality pickups, beautiful bodies, and PRS production make this series stand out as not only a cut above the rest, but really the only game in town for the semi-serious guitarist.

Resources:
PRS Guitars

Photo by Tim Griffith

What defines a community? For Richmond, California, the answer has long been poverty, violence, and gang warfare. Much like it’s nearby neighbor, Oakland, communities had been taken over by desperation. There are still places in Richmond and Oakland where I’ve been warned not to drive, and the police blotter never surprises me, but in the past five years there has been a definite shift. A shift towards taking back the community from the streets and investing in something that can make the city proud.

For some local institutions, this mission is not a new one. Community mainstays like the East Bay Center for Performing Arts, have been around for decades struggling to feed the soul of an impoverished people. But now, more people—and more donors—are on board, bringing much deserved attention to a very worthy cause.

The East Bay Center For Performing Arts now lives in the gutted and completely revitalized Winters Building in downtown Richmond. Its movement from the dilapidated one-story with crumbling floors and pasty walls to a glossy multi-million dollar concert and performance space, is a striking symbol for the community: Richmond is back. And the people of Richmond brought it back with force.

But embarking on an enormous capital gains project—as impressive as it is—is not enough. After all, the space would be empty without music to fill it. The people of Richmond have responded by claiming the space as their Center; their creative space to grow young musicians and artists, who might otherwise never have had a chance to blossom (at best). Why do they come? Well, the Center provides excellent programming, clear vision, a unique and beautiful atmosphere, and a nurturing environment…and best of all, because it’s the house that Richmond built.

And Richmond aches to show it off, plant saplings around it to bask in its glow, and show the world what their community really can do.

The Center’s current campaign, “Deep Roots Wide World” is a perfect name for its homecoming. It has facilitated the deepening of the community’s roots, growing down deep into a nurturing soil while simultaneously reaching out its branches into the vast possibilities where only few previously dared to dream.

It is my hope that this is only the beginning of the revitalization of Richmond, and that other blighted and downcast cities will begin to build new identities for their communities. Of course this all takes dollars, talent, hard work, and, more dollars, but it is amazing what the resources of a community can produce when gathered together in a positive direction.

Get involved with the Center and support our young artists. Truly they are ours—our pride and our product.

The East Bay Center for Performing Arts is located at:
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
339 11th Street
Richmond, CA 94801-3105
(intersection of 11th St and Macdonald Ave.)

See pretty great pictures of the Center’s design here: azlidesign.com
PHONE: (510) 234-5624
FAX: (510) 234-8206
http:/www.eastbaycenter.org

Photo by Tim Griffith

I take pride in visiting Guitar Center stores all over the nation starting from San Francisco to Hollywood to Las Vegas and all the way to New Hampshire. In fact, I frequent Guitar Center stores like they are national monuments.

Today marked the grand opening for Guitar Center – Emeryville

They closed their El Cerrito store a few days ago. That was a sad day for me because that store was only 2 miles away. Now I have to make a 6 mile journey. My family and I were able to attend their grand opening and we had a ton of fun. They had a great line up of fun and entertainment. In fact, the neighboring stores stayed open to feed off the crowd. Well, more that the crowd fed off of them.

Guitar Center – Emeryville is located at 5925 Shellmound St. in Emeryville. If you are familiar with the area, it is in the Public Market area next to the food courts.

I’ve been waiting for this opening for at least a year now and it turned out to be a lot more than what I expected.

First of all, it’s Guitar Center so they have their regular setups of guitars, basses, proaudio, and drums. However, this is the first Guitar Center to have a Studio aka “GC Studios”. “This is a state-of-the-art destination that offers music education, professional rehearsal studios and certified Pro Tools and Logic training. Here we will offer our customers the chance to learn guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, vocals and develop their recording skills in Pro Tools and Logic.”

I was reading about the studios a while ago but didn’t expect what I saw. These are fully equipped rooms where you can book at a really great rate and at the end of your session you’ll get a full recording of what you played while in session.

Believe me, you’ll find me booking these rooms daily.

I can’t rate the store just yet. When I left at 9PM there was still a line around the building to get in and some of the staff came from other stores in the Bay Area. For now, I can say:

1. There’s great parking.
2. The store is clean.
3. They have stations where you can test pedals in a sound proof room.
4. GC Studios!!!!

5925 Shellmound St.
Emeryville, CA94608
Phone:  (510) 559-1055

Resources:
http://www.guitarcenter.com
http://www.gcstudios.com
http://edelalon.com/blog/2010/10/bay-area-guitar-center-review

I found out that I was lacking a certain kind of sound on my guitar pedal board. I have a tuner, chorus, distortion, flanger, overdrive, and reverb pedal. I was looking into getting a digital delay and tremolo pedal next. Instead, I decided on getting the Line 6 M5 pedal. The two main reasons why I wanted to get this pedal was; my wife has the M13 and this pedal has over 100 built in effects.

Here are some specs:
Sound

• Over 100 stompbox effects
• Simple one-effect-at-a-time design
• Dedicated knobs control each effect parameter
• Tap Tempo syncs for time-based effects

• Built-in chromatic tuner
• Heavy-duty all-metal chassis and footswitches
• Included DC power adapter
• Dimensions: 6″W X 2.4″H x 6.5″D – 2.5 lbs.

Inputs/Outputs

• 5-pin MIDI in/out
• 1/4-inch mono or stereo inputs and outputs
• 1/4-inch expression pedal jack
• True Analog Bypass or DSP Bypass

Overall, this is a great pedal. The pros are that it has a lot of effects for a really great price. The only thing I don’t like about it is the size. I think it could be a little smaller.

References
Line 6

Someone Like You by Adele

I heard that you’re settled down.
That you found a girl and you’re married now.
I heard that your dreams came true.
Guess she gave you things I didn’t give to you.

Old friend why are you so shy?
It ain’t like you to hold back or hide from the lie.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited.
But I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it.
I’d hoped you’d see my face and that you’d be reminded
That for me it isn’t over.

Nevermind I’ll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don’t forget me I beg I remember you said:
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead yeah.

You’d know how the time flies.
Only yesterday was the time of our lives.
We were born and raised in a summery haze.
Bound by the surprise of our glory days.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I couldn’t stay away I couldn’t fight it.
I’d hoped you’d see my face and that you’d be reminded
That for me it isn’t over yet.

Nevermind I’ll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don’t forget me I beg I remember you said:
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead yeah.

Nothing compares no worries or cares.
Regret’s and mistakes they’re memories made.
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Nevermind I’ll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don’t forget me I beg I remembered you said:
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.

Nevermind I’ll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you too.
Don’t forget me I beg I remembered you said:
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead yay yeh yeah.

References:
Adele.tv

I’ve been looking around for voice duplicating, harmonizing, pitch correct, etc…I looked into TC Helicon, Digitech’s stuff, and computer based software. Out of all these I picked the TC Helicon device based on features and price. I got a deal (one that I couldn’t refuse) for the TC Helicon VoiceTone. The other option that I was considering was the Digitech Vocalist Live 3.

There are too many features on the VoiceTone. I think that was the main reason I got it other than that it was $50 less than the Vocalist Live 3. I also heard that the Digitech sounded a little bit more robotic than the TC Helicon (according to a sales rep). But here’s the kicker and probably the main reason why I like the VoiceTone, the ability to do firmware upgrades. What does this mean? It means that if TC Helicon has an update, you don’t have to buy a new device. All you have to do it update it using your computer.

After purchasing the VoiceTone, I quickly updated the firmware to also include pitch correct. Sweet stuff.

How does it sound live? The best feature is the voice doubling and harmonizer.

If you have one, let me know how you like it.

Everything Green (lyrics)

You gave me the first love
That I ever knew
And I folded open
Like wings on a warm day

No one ever tamed you
You made your own rules
When you ran beside me
Your freedom was mine too

I wish you everything peaceful and everything green
Growing lazy and tangled in your long hair
Everything joyful and everything blue
Water crashing around your waist laughing
When I give to you
Everything peaceful and everything green

When they tried to cage you
You ran even more wild
Dark tide water splashing
Bright snow at the tree line
I saw the aurora
Reflect in your eye
And fear melted in me
Like streams in the spring time

I wish you everything peaceful and everything green
Growing lazy and tangled in your long hair
Everything joyful and everything blue
Water crashing round your waist laughing
When I give to you
Everything peaceful and everything green

Everything peaceful and everything green
I want to bring you all the numberless summers and sunrises
I want sing you all the songs I heard from you
Stories I learned from you
Everything left in the world I can give back to you

You gave me the first love
That I ever knew
And I folded open
Like wings on a warm day

I wish you everything peaceful and everything green
Growing lazy and tangled in your long hair
Everything joyful and everything blue
Water crashing around your waist laughing

I wish you everything peaceful and everything green
Growing lazy and tangled in your long hair
Everything joyful and everything blue
Water crashing around your waist laughing

When I give to you
I’ll give to you
Everything peaceful and everything green

I’m prepping for NSSN (Not So Silent Night). My Chemical Romance is one of the highlighted bands next to Smashing Pumpkins. I might be getting old but I think the Smashing Pumpkins should try a new style of music.

I’ll admit I was not a fan of My Chemical Romance when they first started. It took two whole albums until I started paying attention: “The Black Parade”.

Not So Silent night is coming up on December 12, 2010 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.

See you there!