The Introductions Thread

[Wolfboy1]

Tangoman,

I tried one of those Ultra II's out at Guitar Center....that is a sweet player. I love the piezio pick-up sound, especially the way you can blend it with the regular humbuckers. I'm suprised more guitar makers haven't done this. I saw Wishbone Ash about a year ago and their lead guitarist Andy Powell, had a piezio system in his flying V, just a beautiful sound

It was either one of those or a Strat for me on my last buy, never having owned a Strat and wanting a maple neck I went that direction (I have owned a Les Paul in the past). Maybe the next one in a few years

[knittergeek]

Zomg! Now this (http://www.samash.com/webapp/wcs/sto...tegorySA-10001) looks perfect! And the price is great... thanks! I can see this baby coming home in the foreseeable future.

Thanks for letting me know about this!

Tonie

Hi Knittergeek,

Welcome,
You sure have come to the right place. Tev77 and others have already given you some good tips. Plenty of Fingerstyle in multiple genres to choose from.

What caught my eye about your post was...

"But my dreams have changed, and now what I'd really like is a Les Paul of some sort or other,"

Well, I could not afford an authentic Les Paul, but, Epiphone (by Gibson) makes a very nice Les Paul for a lot less $750 approx. and it have two plugs with different sound characteristics. Guitar Mag did a writeup on it and its awesome. There's also a youtube video done by Guitar Mag that you can see it's features and capabilities in action.

Of course, I HAVE ONE... It comes in two color schemes, the traditional color scheme and black. I chose the black model..

Take a look below,

http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?...CollectionID=6

Welcome aboard
Tangoman

Let me put a plug here --> in the search box you can pull up some lesson plans and other things I've put out if you search for: TLP.

[tangoman]

Knittergeek,

I bought mine thru Sam Ash, HOWEVER, make sure you know what you're buying

The link you provided was for a STANDARD ELECTRIC, NOT the ULTRA II,

BIG DIFFERENCE in Sounds. Just Check them out carefully.

Here's Guitar Mag Review of the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra II on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KfeqJ1pZJc

Tangoman

[knittergeek]

Tangoman,

Thanks for the clarification! And I looked at some of the reviews on Sam Ash, and it looks like a less than stellar operation. I'll do some careful shopping before I get anything.

Tonie

[larro]

Hi Larro! Nice to meet you. I have friends in Oslo, actually got to meet them face to face in Texas a couple of years ago. Imagine a half dozen Norwegians and Swedes sitting out on the front lawn, drunk off their heinies, singing Deep in the Heart of Texas

Yes, I can imagine. People from the nordic countries are known to party a little bit too much.
If you look at the map you will find my town Harstad, in the north of Norway, nearly 2 hours flying time with an airplaine ( what else can you fly with).
Here is a link to a map showing some of the participants of this forum.

http://platial.com/mapv/Truefire/563212#


Nice to meet you!

[Wolfboy1]

knittergeek,

I have been impressed with the customer service and attention to detail from Sweetwater Music. If you are thinking about online buying check them out. By all means try'em before you buy 'em if at all possible. I got my son an Epiphone Explorer for Christmas and he and I are very happy with it. I bought it from Dallas Guitars as a factory second (significantly cheaper and it was mint) They were very nice, quick shipping and good communications as well. I think they are on ebay as well.

Just some suggestions.....one of these days you are going to have to explain your nickname

[knittergeek]

knittergeek,

I have been impressed with the customer service and attention to detail from Sweetwater Music. If you are thinking about online buying check them out. By all means try'em before you buy 'em if at all possible. I got my son an Epiphone Explorer for Christmas and he and I are very happy with it. I bought it from Dallas Guitars as a factory second (significantly cheaper and it was mint) They were very nice, quick shipping and good communications as well. I think they are on ebay as well.

Just some suggestions.....one of these days you are going to have to explain your nickname

Thanks, I'll check those two companies out. As for the nickname, knitter = pretty obvious, I love to knit! and geek = I work as a website administrator/IT manager, and have been addicted to computers since the mid 80's. Back then, I'd just started really playing with PC's, and would've loved to have had one to plug my Bich into. I'm thinking about getting a soundhole pickup for the Ovation (saw a Fishman humbucker that looks like what I'd want) and a GarageBand cable I saw on Amazon so I can plug the thing into the Macbook). That would be a good start, I'm probably going to be laid off again this summer so the Les Paul may not happen until late in the year. The pickup/cable would keep me happy for now

[slasner]

I'm thinking about getting a soundhole pickup for the Ovation (saw a Fishman humbucker that looks like what I'd want) and a GarageBand cable I saw on Amazon so I can plug the thing into the Macbook). That would be a good start, I'm probably going to be laid off again this summer so the Les Paul may not happen until late in the year. The pickup/cable would keep me happy for now

The Fishman Rare Earth is a great pickup!

[knittergeek]

Sweet! I kindof figured it probably would be...

[slasner]

They have a blender system that incorporates a soundhole pickup with a piezo pickup and you can blend them! Great system!

[Goerman]

Thanks, I'll check those two companies out. As for the nickname, knitter = pretty obvious, I love to knit! and geek = I work as a website administrator/IT manager, and have been addicted to computers since the mid 80's. Back then, I'd just started really playing with PC's, and would've loved to have had one to plug my Bich into. I'm thinking about getting a soundhole pickup for the Ovation (saw a Fishman humbucker that looks like what I'd want) and a GarageBand cable I saw on Amazon so I can plug the thing into the Macbook). That would be a good start, I'm probably going to be laid off again this summer so the Les Paul may not happen until late in the year. The pickup/cable would keep me happy for now

Knittergeek,

Good luck on the employment front. I have a couple of comments on the whole issue of the cost of "premium" instruments and particularly Gibsons and specifically Les Pauls (how's that for drilling down!). Over the last 5 years or more we have all watched the cost of pretty much everything but particularly discretionary "luxury" items go through the roof. This is an issue on its own. However, when this upward spiral in pricing seems to be coupled with a downward trend in quality I (for one) get upset.

There is perhaps no single guitar more iconic in a Guitar God context than the Les Paul (hold yer horseys Strat guys, you know what I mean!). And as a mere mortal you walk into your local guitar store and there they are on display in all their glory and you MUST HAVE ONE! But wait. What's this? $3,000; $4,000; $5,000 or more. "I can't afford that" you tell yourself, "but maybe if I just can touch it and noodle for a while...."

Then you notice it. Simple little things at first like finishing blemishes, or fret issues, or, Gasp! Neck/body joints you could hide your stash in...simply NOT ACCEPTABLE Gibson. I haven't even bothered looking in the past year, so maybe they are pulling their socks up, but I definitely paid attention for the 2-3 years previous and was shocked at times with the flaws that made it past the factory to the retailer's showroom. Gibson hasn't been the only culprit however, Gretsch too has, IMO, gone way down hill quality wise over the past few years while its prices have sky rocketed as well (I may never get my White Falcon and Black Penquin matching bookends!).

So what's my point? First of all the market will hopefully take care of some of these inefficiencies particularly as the realities of our new economy sink in. Secondly, there are some great alternatives out there. Ironically (as per the previous posts), Epiphone is among them. Look around for the Epiphone Elitist line as well, more expensive but generally great quality (especially when compared to their more expensive cousins!).

And finally, I have touted this position before, DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF TO RETAIL! There are some great buys out there from others than are selling gear for whatever reason. Sure you need to have a certain comfort level with the gear side of things (or call in the services of a buddy who can help in this department) and yes it takes some time and effort, but Man Alive, the rewards can be OUTSTANDING. And the hunt itself can be a lot of fun. My guess is that a lot of folks (unfortunately) might find themselves having to part with some prized toys in the near future (and my heart does go out to them) but if I were in those shoes I would want to make sure my Les Paul (or whatever) was going to a loving, caring and appreciative home!

Just some food for thought with respect to your quest for your Holy Grail.

[knittergeek]

Goerman,

Thanks for the info/advice, it's much appreciated. And thanks for reminding me about the used gear, tho the remote, rural location may limit the selection somewhat. I just remembered the other day, the first guitar I ever owned that I really tried to play was a beat-up old used Ovation. And what am I playing now? A better quality, beat-up used Ovation :D My old Mesa Boogie amp was used as well. So used equipment is definitely a possibility. I think I can remember enough to make an educated decision on a guitar, but if I have any question, I have a friend in town who is very knowledgeable.

It's frustrating having to start over from the beginning, but the ol' fire is starting to burn and I have enough TrueFire materials to keep me going for the next couple of years.

I first learned how to play in the early 80's, hiding in the dark in the bedroom at my boyfriend's house, playing along with his band on Friday practice nights (so I wouldn't embarrass either of us!). This time, I'm out in the open with nothing to hide :thrasher:

[Goerman]

Good For You! Now I remember reading your first Introduction post. It brought back memories for me relating to Ovations! I can actually remember where I was (and that was in the 70's!) and what I played (a great tune called Fly at Night by an old Canadian band called Chilliwack). I have loved Ovations ever since. Congratulations as well on coming back to your instrument and best of luck on stoking the fire. I know you will find outstanding support, advice and just good ol' community on this forum.

[jsmidt]

Hi all, After ordering from TrueFire for a couple years, joining this year, and lurking at the forum for a month, I finally had the time to say hi.

I started playing in the 60's, played in gigging bands for a few years in my late teens, played acoustic in college (for the ladies), put it down for a decade, picked it back up and studied jazz for a year at our local conservatory, put it down for a decade, and started up again in '05. Played in a couple pick up bands and jams in the last few years.

I tried studying again with local instructors. But, my schedule goes from lots of spare time to not a minute of spare time from week to week. TrueFire allows me to pursue my goals with the flexibility to accomodate my schedule.

I've got some nice gear, better than my limited skills deserve. But that's the benefit of attaining a place in life that allows you to have a bit of spare cash to spend on toys. Now if I could just get a little more spare time........

I'm primarily a Gibson electric player. I do have Fenders and acoustics for when the sprit so moves. I've recently developed an interest in some of the "off brand" guitars.

So, hello. I've run in to a few of you on other forums. Looking forward to talking with you guys.

[Wolfboy1]

I caught you in the General forum. Glad you came by here. As Gadlaw would say after reading this line

"I've got some nice gear, better than my limited skills deserve. But that's the benefit of attaining a place in life that allows you to have a bit of spare cash to spend on toys."

It ain't true without the pictures

Welcome aboard

[gadlaw]

You sound like a lot of us here. I certainly agree with you on the gear - sure it's better than we are but darn it all, I think if we can afford it then no apologies are needed. After all - Great Guitar makers need to earn a dollar as well.
Glad you have some time to come out and hang out a bit, lots of folks here who have been here for years sometimes vanish for a while as life overtakes them and it's always cool to see those folks pop back in. Gibson electrics, I've got a Songbird and a Hummingbird on my someday list of guitars. Welcome aboard jsmidt.

[larro]

Hello and welcome to the forum jsmidt.
Nice to have you here.

Wolfboy wants pictures of your guitars, but I sure can se a nice collection of guitars on your avatar. I sure would like some of them. Especially that one on the right. Is that an Electric Spanish 335? Really good looking.

[Goerman]

Hi all, After ordering from TrueFire for a couple years, joining this year, and lurking at the forum for a month, I finally had the time to say hi.

I started playing in the 60's, played in gigging bands for a few years in my late teens, played acoustic in college (for the ladies), put it down for a decade, picked it back up and studied jazz for a year at our local conservatory, put it down for a decade, and started up again in '05. Played in a couple pick up bands and jams in the last few years.

I tried studying again with local instructors. But, my schedule goes from lots of spare time to not a minute of spare time from week to week. TrueFire allows me to pursue my goals with the flexibility to accomodate my schedule.

I've got some nice gear, better than my limited skills deserve. But that's the benefit of attaining a place in life that allows you to have a bit of spare cash to spend on toys. Now if I could just get a little more spare time........

I'm primarily a Gibson electric player. I do have Fenders and acoustics for when the sprit so moves. I've recently developed an interest in some of the "off brand" guitars.

So, hello. I've run in to a few of you on other forums. Looking forward to talking with you guys.

Welcome aboard. I look forward to talking "off brand guitars" with you (couldn't agree more).

[jsmidt]

Wolfboy - pics will be forthcoming. Good excuse for me to get the camera out again. Some of my gear pics are dated. Some have left the building, some have come home to roost.

Gadlaw - Thanks. Gibson acoustics have always been my faves.

Larro - Yup. It's an 03 Historic 59 335. That one is my #2 but probably my favorite to play.

Goerman - I've been looking at some of the copies of the old Airlines, Danos, etc.

Thanks for the welcome guys

[rdhartman]

Whats up. My names Ryan Hartman, I'm From Marion Indiana. I just picked up the guitar when I was 13 and put it down after only a few months of frustration. At the age of 21 I decided to get into computer music production so I could produce hip hop music, and somehow went from Beats to Keys, To studying Music theory on my own time, and then back to playing Guitar using what knowledge I had gained through theory.
My Big brother (Mike Hartman) is probably the main reason Im practicing and studying as hard as I am. I breathe music. I keep Theory related, Chord/Scale pattern laminated cards in my pocket at all times, and also a Ministar Electric with a small attachable amp in my car at all times.Hoping someday to be one of the best guitarists to come from Grant County, aside from my Bro Mike (RIP).

Heres an excerpt about my bro from roughedge magazine. for the full article

http://www.roughedge.com/features/mikehartman.htm

*As you listen to Mike Hartman's "Black Glue," you can't help but notice the vitality, the charisma, the determination of each tune. These aren't just rock'n'roll instrumentals featuring a genuine guitar shredder, these are musical pieces that celebrate life.

Mike has good reason to celebrate life: Diagnosed at an early age with cystic fibrosis - which doctors said would kill him before he reached the age of 10 - Mike has developed a sense of determination and drive that has propelled him to where he is today: A hell of a guitarist with his own solo CD.

Mike is quoted in the "Black Glue" press release: "My goal is to prove wrong and piss off every doctor and doubter I've ever had. Who are you to tell me I can't do this?"

Mike's doing pretty good at proving those doctors wrong. At the age of 15, in his hometown of Marion, Indiana, he produced and self-financed his own debut, "No Lyrics Required." At 18, he moved to California and attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. There, he sent out tapes and ended up working with Rudy Sarzo of WHITESNAKE, John Christ of DANZIG and many others.

In 1997, Mike scored the guitar position for David Lee Roth's new band and, in fact, recorded two of his own pieces, "Stomp" and "Southern Romp" with Roth (as "King of the Hill" and "Indeed I Do"). Unfortunately, before the tour, Mike and his wife Jeanie were hit by a drunk driver, both of them sustaining injuries. Jeanie broke her pelvis and leg and Mike suffered a concussion and bruised ribs. A bout with pneumonia and exhaustion put him back in the hospital shortly thereafter.

Roth's camp apparently were concerned with Mike's ability to continue and, in May, Mike was fired. "They didn't bother to pull me aside and say, 'What's going on? You said you were fine?' I would have said, 'Look, man, I can give you my two best hours of every day. Just give me the rest of the day to take care of myself and I can walk on any stage and play.' But they didn't give me that chance."

With time on his hands, Mike went into the studio and picked up where he'd left of with "Black Glue." He originally began the record prior to the Roth stint and now he had the time to finish it.

With a possible double lung transplant ahead of him, Mike still has no plans on slowing down. "I'm not going to let them stop me," he says, "I've got to make sure I keep going forward."

We caught up with Mike recently and asked him about his past, his present and his future.

[gadlaw]

Very sorry to hear about your brother, seems like he fought the good fight and lived life to it's fullest as long as he could. Seems like a good philosophy to follow as well and I can see why you've got the determination to be the best you can be. Thanks for sharing that and welcome to the forum Ryan.

[beboy]

Ryan: Welcome to the forums.

Thanks for sharing the story of your brother. It sounds like he had an amazing life. If I am not prying too much into your personal life - How old was your brother when he died?

I did a google search and listened to some excerpts from Black Glue and it sounds really good.

Let us know if you have any questions about TrueFire. Have you watched any of Brad Carlton's lessons yet?

[Wolfboy1]

Welcome Ryan, thanks for stopping in. Big brothers can leave big shoes to fill, sometimes it's best to make the best of the shoes you have and head off in your own direction.

Hope you find Truefire a welcome part of your guitar journeys and if you have time share some on your equipment, style, repitoire etc. Glad you shared that on your brother he must have been some kind of fighter and player

[rdhartman]

Sorry bout my typing i just have so much to say but so little time....

My brother passed away from a lung disease, Cystic Fibrosis in 2000 (he was 23). He lived way past the doctors expectations of 9 years old. He started playing guitar around 5-6 years old, but it didnt evolve into a passion of his until his teen years.
The Make a wish foundation sent him out to California and he got to meet Steve Vai and get to know Steve and his family. He ended up going to Musicians Institute in Calif. Signed with David Lee Roth and did the guitar tracks with John Lowery (John 5) on DLR bands "Lose the dress keep the shoes" album. He passed away shortly after DLR band was about to start touring.

It sucks I didnt get into music until after his passing. But My mom gave me his Musicians Institute Music Journal that had chord shapes,scales, and other notes.

On a different note, I love acoustic music. So my playing is mainly acoustic. Although.I do spend some time on the electric guitar. To take away some stress time to time. Start up the good ole Guitar Rig VST and my M-audio blackbox, and play away with my Ibanez AG (with GR-20 synth and pickup).

My Main guitar i use 85% of the time is an Ovation Applause AE148.
Im slap and frail (i love the truefire course) style playing. Dave mathews, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Newton Faulkner.

So far the courses Ive got from truefire that I absolutely HAVE TO RECOMMEND. Chord cookbook, Vamps and Improv, Guide to Great Guitar,Improv A la mode.

[Wolfboy1]

You've got a few of my favorites, just add "CAGED Cracked" and you will have a solid base of the best of Truefire :guitare2:

[rdhartman]

Right now im tryin to focus on lead guitar. Its difficult to find musicians to play with around town because everyone that plays pretty doesnt like the idea of music theory. So the only person besides my computer and jam track disks to play with is my teacher. I dont just want to know how to play by figuring it out without books and dvds. My buddies cant tell me the key theyre in or chord types. Just "im playin a D chord G chord A chord" and forget to mention major minor, aug, or dim. I could just figure it out but id feel better if someone could tell me that stuff and make me feel better at the fact I know these things.
I read ALOT aside from playing. Im hoping it will pay off.

[beboy]

Right now im tryin to focus on lead guitar. Its difficult to find musicians to play with around town because everyone that plays pretty doesnt like the idea of music theory. So the only person besides my computer and jam track disks to play with is my teacher. I dont just want to know how to play by figuring it out without books and dvds. My buddies cant tell me the key theyre in or chord types. Just "im playin a D chord G chord A chord" and forget to mention major minor, aug, or dim. I could just figure it out but id feel better if someone could tell me that stuff and make me feel better at the fact I know these things.
I read ALOT aside from playing. Im hoping it will pay off.

One course you may like is Vertical Soloing by Brad Carlton. It quickly takes you step by step how to solo using only the Root then slowly adding more of the "strong" notes and then how to use the "weak" notes. Then it teaches how to use those skills to play over a 2-chord progression. Then you learn several different 2-chord progressions. Then hook two of the 2-chord progressions into a single 4-chord progression. Then connect two of those and you'll be able to solo over a chord progression that changes chords 8 times.

This course is harder to find because it hasn't been released as a regular course yet (and may not ever be packaged that way - we don't know TrueFire's plan). It was released as the monthly CD-roms that level 3 members receive. Or if you have level 2 or 3 membership you can watch it on TrueFireTV (in the Mixed Bag Category - TFU 6.5 and TFU 6.6).

Check out these free samples to see what you think.
Part 1: Lessons 1, 2, 17 & 18 are free.
Part 2: Lessons 1, 5, 6, 7 & 17 are free.

You can read a description or purchase them here.
Part 1
Part 2
The course comes in two parts (ie. 2 discs) and each are sold seperately.

This group of lessons will focus on soloing over an eight bar progression that is in the key of C Major. You will learn how to play more melodically by using the arpeggios for each chord as well as the pentatonic scales and modes. I will also give you some insight into how to apply theory to increase your skills in rhythm guitar.

The progression is a IV, V, VI, IV, ii V vi in the key of C. C Major is the theoretical key but A minor is the street key. I will demonstrate using just the A minor pentatonic scale as a means of soloing over this progression and I will explain the strengths as well as the limitations of this approach.

We’ll cover the pitfalls of just playing the modes over the changes. The issue of "weak tones" becomes apparent so I’ll address the application of arpeggios. Let’s get started.

[rdhartman]

Thanks for the suggestion. This Vertical Soloing is exactly what i was needing to check out. thanks again. Brad Carlton is probably my personal favorite out of all the teachers.

[tommymccoy]

Hey Brad and Red & all at Truefire, Had a great time doing session. I look forward to doing more with you guys. Reds was a blast! Stay True, Tommy McCoy

[Wolfboy1]

Welcome Tommy McCoy,

Sounds like you've been jammin with Red....do tell more!

[Jestme]

Hey Brad and Red & all at Truefire, Had a great time doing session. I look forward to doing more with you guys. Reds was a blast! Stay True, Tommy McCoy

Tommy

Red told us you might stop by. He said you guys had a great session and we are all looking forward to watching it.

Welcome to the forum. Hope to see you around.

Thanks

[gadlaw]

Greetings sir, would you be this Tommy McCoy? The Tommy McCoy from St. Petersburg and who counts among his MySpace friends Wendy and the Soul Shakers? That Tommy McCoy? Hey dude whazzz up?
http://www.myspace.com/tommymccoyblues

Hey Brad and Red & all at Truefire, Had a great time doing session. I look forward to doing more with you guys. Reds was a blast! Stay True, Tommy McCoy

[tricyclist]

Howdy folks! I'm Chris from NC.

I'm not sure when I first discovered Truefire, but it was a long time ago, when it was mostly comprised of short, self-published lessons. Over the years, as my guitar time has waxed and waned, I have periodically "rediscovered" the site. It seems that each time I return there have been major enhancements. While I've lurked on the forums off and on in recent years, I guess I never registered. So, here's a little background on me...

I started playing around '80 or '81 when I was in the Marine Corps. After leaving the Corps in '82 I started a band with some friends and neighbors. I was the only one in the group willing to try to sing. It didn't take long for my bandmates to decide that I was a better singer than guitarist and that I should focus on nailing the vocals. And, as they say, the rest is history. ;) I eventually spent the next 20 or so years singing for various local groups, with a smattering of guitar or bass duties. My last band was by far the most talented group I ever played with (way over my head, they must have been desperate). But by the time we got together we all had careers and families, and never really pursued much work. We stayed together for about 10 years, but just kind of dissolved around '02.

Anyway, it seems that every couple of years I get re-motivated to get more serious about improving my guitar skills, and after a few months I get distracted and stop working at it until the next time I get inspired. During the last of my "on" periods, I bought the CAGED Cracked course and worked through most of it. Now I'm going to go back through it, as I'm quite rusty at the moment. I think it is the single most valuable piece of guitar instructional material I've ever come across. I had heard of the CAGED system for years, and I understood the basic premise, but could never quite grasp how it would really improve my playing. What a revelation when I saw and heard it demonstrated by a competent instructor. I'll echo what I've seen so many people on here say - Brad Carlton is by far the most effective guitar teacher I've ever come across.

Now, what you're all really interested in... ;)

I currently play a Jimmy Vaughn Strat (with a Seymour-Duncan humbucker in the bridge position). I used to be a Gibson man, and have owned a couple of Les Pauls that I really treasured, but I found that once I got the strat I hardly ever broke out the LP's due to what I'll term the ergonomic considerations. I'm not a frail guy, but toting an LP can wear you out. I mostly practice through a Line6 POD routed through a small mixer to some computer speakers. I have a Marshal 50 Watt 1x12 JCM800 combo, but it needs a good overhaul before I could use it to actually play with anyone else. I also have an old Ibanez Roadstar II that I set up to play with my Roland GR-1 synth. I don't actually break it out very often, but it is fun to goof around with.

Hopefully I will find time to participate more going forward, but even if you don't hear from me very often, I'll be here lurking and trying to keep up with what's happening at Truefire.

[Wolfboy1]

Hi Chris,

You have been around for awhile! Glad to see you leave lurker mode and come visit. This place is better now than ever and Truefire's friendliness and generosity continues to amaze me.

I for one am intimidated by singing so if you ever feel the need to start a "singers/singing" thread I' ll be watching closely. :guitare2:

[rjbasque]

Hey Chris welcome to the forum.
Glad you're back on one of your 'on' again periods.

CAGED is a great place to start. While any of the 'ology courses are a good follow on I personally think Rhythmology is a good base. After learning CAGED all the triads and chords just just right out at you. You might also take look at the 'Night Class' offerings @ TrueFireTV. More structured lessons at $100/year (Level 1 student)

Of course you can always drop a question here. BTW check out the current 'Ear Exam' ear training contest.

[Damo77]

Hi All, My name is Damian, I am all the way down in Australia but fortunatly for me in this day & age, the internet provides learning tool like TrueFire. I have been a member of TF since about November last year. I came accross internet guitar learning in August last year & then tried out a few sites until I found this one. I was in search of structure in courses rather than collections on various lessons, this I found with TF as well as a decent amount of material in Delta Blues & the likes. I love music & guitar - and not really confind to style, so now that there are these avenues to learn from I decided to revisit all my previous learning, in acoustic & electric, and go back & learn it all again.... properly. I am now in my mid 30's and don't have the need to try and become a Rock Star.... funny that but that was a big part of being drawn to the guitar as a teen. Anyway, The thing that I'm finding now is that I find so many things to learn that I have to structurely dicipline myself to stick to a course... or 8.. until I get through it, or that I don't have enough hours in the day to get through what I want to, too much choice .... bloody beautiful. With these tools I am experiencing the acsessabliity to my creativity.. which had sunk into a rut and settled there, and look forward to learning and understanding more & more...... nice.

Cheers

[Wolfboy1]

Welcome Damo77

Thanks for checking in...from Australia no less. That's one country I want to visit before I die, ever since I was a kid watching National Geographic specials and Jaques Cousteau I have wanted to Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef.
So what kind of gear are you playing on, who are your influences, what was your first Truefire course, have you met Olivia Newton John? (my second biggest reason to go to Australia)

Seriously, welcome..... hang out for awhile and share some questions and experiences....it can be a fun place. :guitare2:

[larro]

Hello Damo77 !

Welcome to the forum. This is a nice place for all of us who share a passion for guitar. Not because we play so well, some do, but we are all trying to get better. And thats where this site comes in handy. One of the best sites for guitar education. There are only one course missing. Thats the one that makes you a master player without practising.
As you said, in this internet world, things are becoming easyer, a lot of good products availebel to the whole world.

Hope to hear more from you.

[gadlaw]

See I was totally ready to go to the Sam Neill as Damien references here but Wolfboy goes right to the Olivia Newton John references. Glad to see you Damien and welcome. We're from all over the world here and as you mentioned - thanks to the Internet we are a far flung community and isn't that the coolest thing ever? And questions, any answers or any thoughts or ideas in between we'd be happy to hear them. Oh and pictures too! I think we still have some guys from Ohio (A very flat place in the US) who still think the world is flat. Bless their hearts.

[Hutch82]

[QUOTE=Wolfboy1 and Jaques Cousteau I have wanted to Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef.
[/QUOTE]

Sorry Jeff just picked up on that cos he was a big hero of mine when I was a kid then I come out here and a guy called Andre Laban a member of the Calypso team lives just down the road,when I first met him there was lot's of humbleness going on,I have one of his underwater paintings,very talented guy....

H

Oh Yeah Damo G'Day Dude

[torr71]

Welcome Damian ,
Glad you are here, also been a big fan of the land down under.
My first thought was have you seen Skippy the Bush Kangaroo ?
That was one of my favorite shows way back when…

Keep-a-Post-n

Skippy...Skippy King of the Bush Kangaroos...

[jimiclaptoncarl]

Hi all,

I see I haven't introduced myself yet; here it goes.

I'm from California, been playing 3 years(almost), I have 3 geetars,

Epi Les Paul Standard, Fender MIM Strat, Ibanez AEF30E Acoustic/electric.

Line 6 Spider 2 30wt, Digitech Rp300a, and that's about it.

I enjoy all styles of music but my favorites are:

Hot Country(Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, Johnny Hiland...etc..)

Blues(Hendrix, Clapton, SRV, B.B, Albert K, etc...)

New Age Acoustic/Jazz (Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Hedges, Chris Proctor, Alex De Grassi, Larry Carlton)

Also, all clasic rock.

Oh and by the way, I'm 17.

jimiclaptoncarl

[torr71]

Hi Jimi,
Sounds like you’re on the right road...Ahh to know what I know now and to be 17 again...
Practice practice PRATICE…
Welcome Jimi
And good luck with the long road ahead… :breaker1:
Peace

[Wolfboy1]

Hi Jimiclaptoncarl,

I think I welcomed you before but Welcome, Welcome , Welcome again. A great start in equipment and good choice for influences....you are wise beyond your years :guitare2:

...Ahh to know what I know now and to be 17 again...(torr77)
You wanna feel old and long for your youth....take your kids on a college visit. I took my son to Miami(Oxford, in Ohio) on a sunny early, warm, summer day. So many young pretty girls and I was just invisible

[Damo77]

Thanks for the intro guy's. This is my first time on a forum, another thing to get the knack of, but I'm looking foward to discussions about what I'm personaly passion about with others of the like minded. So it is great to meet you all... I'll give a go on some of these questions,, gear,,.. I have an asortment, some are left over from days of old (late 80's to late 90's) and some are more recent companions. Les Paul Custom re-issue92, Les Paul Sudio lite 92, Marshall jcm800 MkII. I haven't cranked up the Marshall for a few years and getting older I want to trade it off for something half the size, maybe a vox or fender... I have a few stomp boxes, but recently I bought one of these new boss me70, I'm getting back into live work & thought I'd give it a wirl for a while until I narrow down to what I actually use & like, & then source those pedals. Acoustic, Larriavee OM-05, Maton Em125C, through a Fender Acoustasonic amp with a bit of mod, vol, loop & wah. Maton 1956 galxy, Fender lapsteel, Sitar, as well as a bass & a couple of cheapies in alt tunings... I hate changing the tunings daily so that sorted that out. About 3 years ago I bought a computer for pro-tools this fired me up to get back in the swing of things, so now with the Truefire educational resource, the journey is a sweet ride.. About influences, well life has put foward many, in various forms.. I'd have to have a think on that, at the moment I'm focusing on the Fingerstyle blues/slide courses, vertical soloing and a few of the Teq/exercise courses. I am so chuffed that I can go back and re-structure my understanding of the guitar, so starting at the begining of my roots seems like a good plan...

So thats me,.. cheers.

P.s Skippy tastes great....

[gadlaw]

You've made a great start of it Damian. I hope you've checked out the ear exam contest going on http://truefire.com/tftv/index.html?...exam/ear_exam3
It's a ten week contest, you don't have to participate each and every week to win some chances at the very nice guitar for the eventual winner. And it's Brad Carlton - chords and up to you to figure out what the heck he's playing. Win win all around. And when you're tired out from that you can see all the guitar and guitar room picture threads or wax nostalgic over the dangerous lost games of our younger days. There's plenty here and we're glad you are here too.

[MidnightExpress]

Hello six stringers.

Just a tip of the hat to the community. Discovered site a few months back and decided to take the plunge. Been playing guitar for about 10 years on and off but nothing ever structured. Enjoy Blues and Blues Rock the most and look forward to the amazing courses offered. I'm like a kid in a candy store right now and think I'll wander off to the 10 week night classes to start. Well, happy pickin and grinnin ya'all.

Warren

[larro]

Hello six stringers.

Just a tip of the hat to the community. Discovered site a few months back and decided to take the plunge. Been playing guitar for about 10 years on and off but nothing ever structured. Enjoy Blues and Blues Rock the most and look forward to the amazing courses offered. I'm like a kid in a candy store right now and think I'll wander off to the 10 week night classes to start. Well, happy pickin and grinnin ya'all.

Warren

Hello MidnightExpress

and welcome to the forum. It sure is a candy store for us striving to learn to play the guitar. So many intresting courses, and for many of us so little time.
Playing for ten years, you have probobly collected som nice gear. We are very keen to hear about other peoples gear and their experiences with it.
Once again, welcome and we hope to hear from you again, we love pictures of guitars and other gear. And how do you like the night classes?
:thrasher:

[gadlaw]

We're glad you decided to jump on in and we certainly welcome your input over here at the Truefire forum. I can certainly relate to the 'kid in the candy store' feeling. After tooling all over the internet to finally find a place that can help you as you learn more deeply about guitar is very rewarding. And you as can read here in the forum we certainly appreciate all the artists and teachers all over the internet but we like here the best. From beginning to advanced there's stuff for every guitarist who's trying to become a better guitarist and here in the forum it's the same. You can feel comfortable in your level and push it to help you learn and also lend a hand to those struggling with concepts you have grasped and it could be your explanation expressed in a slightly different way that provides the 'aha' moment for the next guy. It's all great. Welcome to your forum and thanks for taking the plunge! They sure get up early in Canada.

[MidnightExpress]

Hello MidnightExpress

and welcome to the forum. It sure is a candy store for us striving to learn to play the guitar. So many intresting courses, and for many of us so little time.
Playing for ten years, you have probobly collected som nice gear. We are very keen to hear about other peoples gear and their experiences with it.
Once again, welcome and we hope to hear from you again, we love pictures of guitars and other gear. And how do you like the night classes?
:thrasher:

Hi Larro

Only signed up a couple of days ago and what I've seen of the courses are worth their weight in gold as far as a following a structured regiment goes. It's exactly what I need to keep me motivated and excited to play.

Current Setup is a Jimmy Vaughan Signature Srat w\Lollar pickups, An Ibenez Custom, Fender Blues Jr with Mods, Egnater Rebel 20 head driving an Avatar contemporary 212 cab with Celestion Alinco Blues. This Amp inspired me to start playing again after a couple years haitus. Other gear that rounds out my sound is a GNX4 Guitar workstation through a pair of Behringer B2031A studio monitors, Line 6 Podxt, Boss G6 multieffects board and a newly added Line 6
M13 stompbox modulator. Hope to purchase a Les Paul Standard in the next few months when I get some bread together. And that's about it. There's a great review of Bruce Egnater's Rebel 20 on the new Guitar Player magazine digital version and on UTube you might want to check out. The little ****er is a tone demon for sure.

Cheers