Overhead drum mics can be the hardest part of a typical ensemble to buy. You need a microphone that can handle the crisp attack of a snare as well as it can capture the boom of your kick drum, a versatile microphone that won’t get worn out by consistent high decibel levels. For most recording […]
Continue reading →Bluegrass music puts a special kind of demand on strings. Not only do you rely on them to give you the right bright twang to your sound, the quick tempos and aggressive picking can destroy a string not built strong enough to stand up to it. A heavier string can also help give you more […]
Continue reading →Pressure level meters—also called decibel meters—are devices that can quantify the volume and decibel level of the sound. They’re handy tools for sound engineers and venue owners, letting you gauge the crowd noise and adjust the balance accordingly. These unique devices look like a cross between a thermostat and a microphone, and are capable of […]
Continue reading →For most guitar players, playing guitar with gloves on sounds counter intuitive. With that said, there are those who must use gloves if they want to play stringed instruments at all. The reason for this is a number of medical conditions that makes playing guitar without gloves borderline impossible. However, this is not the only […]
Continue reading →The envelope filter is one of the most recognizable effects in the guitarist’s arsenal. If you’re looking for the funky, ’70s era sound popularized by such greats as Jerry Garcia, there’s no substitute for an envelope filter in your effects arsenal. Though it was popularized in the disco era, this unique effect has had a […]
Continue reading →Using a guitar wall hanger is the second best way to store your guitars (the first is to pack them in a good quality case and put them in a room that isn’t humid, but then you and others can’t see them!). So, if we take that a regular guitar owner’s room is dry, a […]
Continue reading →The discussions whether active pickups are better than passive ones and vice versa have been around for a while. The truth is that each of these offers a very different performance that is more suitable for certain genres of music and playing styles. In simple terms, active pickups use a dedicated preamp to push more […]
Continue reading →Upgrading the bridge on your Telecaster is a more involved process than changing out your strings or pickups, but it is still a relatively common way to customize your tone. The bridge has more impact on the sustain of your notes than other commonly-upgraded aspects like the nut and frets; changing the material used in […]
Continue reading →If you’re browsing the web typing “best 7 string pickups” into search boxes, we can only conclude you’re the proud owner of a 7-string guitar or looking to buy one. For the uninitiated, here are some advantages of 7-string guitars over 6-strings. Obviously, you get an extra low-pitch string, allowing you to play more notes […]
Continue reading →The violin generates enough volume to play acoustically in most classical settings, but for the gigging musician, amplification is often necessary, whether you’re playing solo at a function like a wedding or part of a larger bluegrass or jazz ensemble. The basic concept of violin amplification is the same as that for other acoustic string […]
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