Sep 02 2010

Pros and Cons of A Cajon Drum

Tag: MusicJanice @ 8:10 pm

Cajon drums are percussion instruments that are gaining popularity all over the world. It was first made popular in accompanying Peruvian and Cuban dances one of which is the popular Flamenco. In the contemporary times, it is widely used all over the world to create various beats.

The main advantage of the Cajon drum is that it can easily be transported anywhere and is a good alternative for a drum set. It is a lot less expensive and can easily be played. So if you are starting a band, and you would like to get more exposure and would love to travel around town to play, then using a Cajon drum is the best way to get your band going.

A Cajon box drum is simply a box. You can even make it on your own. There are a lot of guides and tips on how to make your own Cajon drum. It is typically made up of wood one side of the box having a thinner wood. This side is put up in front and this is the area where the player taps to create music. All the other side of the box is made up of wood that is about a half and three quarters of an inch thick. At the back side of the drum is a hole where the sound can come out. And to give your Cajon drums additional sounds, you can put up strings or bells underneath the front side.

When playing with the Cajon drum, you do not have to be a pro. Even kids can play the Cajon drums for fun. The simple taping with the hand and fingers at different areas of the Cajon drum will already create a good beat for your music. Although it may be a great alternative for drum sets, it cannot totally replace the sound produced from the snare and bass drums of a drum set for a total rock out concert.

Cajon drums are great for small gatherings, jamming sessions in bars and just plain stress relief. Since it is very easy to use and is less expensive, you can enjoy your own music anytime you want.


Sep 02 2010

Electric Drum Kits – What Makes Them A Better Alternative

Tag: MusicJanice @ 1:25 am

Electric drum kits are a great alternative to traditional kits. They will usually be comprised of the same elements as the traditional kit, but will take up significantly less space. Rather than having wooden casings and cymbals, an electric kit will have an easy-to-assemble frame made of metal or plastic, extending to rubber and plastic heads that take the place of traditional drums and cymbals.

Off the bat, the tapping of wooden sticks on rubber and plastic isn’t nearly as obtrusive as the drumming of a garage band, but isn’t the point of electronic drum kits to sound like a real drum set anyway? The beauty of the electric kit is that you are able to use headphones or speakers to amplify the sounds you are making. This is especially helpful in an apartment situation, where close neighbors may be bothered by excessive noise, or in a family home, where a young drummer may not yet be very pleasant to listen to. Being able to control the noise level at which you drum has endless benefits.

One of the most exciting features of the electric kit is the drummer’s ability to change the sounds of the the drums. In a push of a button, the electric kit can go from sounding crisp and clean, to sounding like it is being played in an open hall with echoes. Any electric kit will have several choices programmed in, but more expensive kits will have a wider selections with some interesting sounds to choose from. Some will even have the choice of purchasing or downloading even more choices so that the drummer can truly find the perfect sound for their kit.

For the professional drummer, an electric kit can really be beneficial in a studio setting. While the typical set will have to have microphones in place to record the drum track, an electric kit can plug directly into a computer with the correct hardware.
Drummers will always enjoy pounding on a traditional kit, but the electric kit can be a very practical alternative.


Aug 29 2010

The Perfect Yamaha Acoustic Guitars

Tag: MusicJanice @ 7:55 pm

Finding the right beginners acoustic can be difficult. There are many features inherent to many acoustic guitars which make them rather difficult for aspiring guitarists to start learning on. This article is going to talk about 2 Yamaha acoustic guitars which are perfect for anyone just learning the instrument, purchase any of the models mentioned in this article and I’m sure you’ll go far.

The Yamaha F310 is the first guitar I want to talk about. Yamaha’s reputation for producing incredible sounding cheap guitars has been solidified with this superb model. The F310 is one of the best and consistently selling acoustic guitars in the world mainly due to its low price tag and awesome craftsmanship. This model retails for £100 and is worth every penny.

The Yamaha F310 acoustic guitar has a spruce top and meranti back and sides, the neck is made out of NATO which features a rosewood fingerboard. The Rosewood fret board has a really low action compared to many other acoustics, this makes it easier for beginners to pick up and play because it’s easier to play clean notes. A suitable action is hugely important on a beginner’s guitar because it can literally make the difference between learning a song in days or weeks.

All of the Yamaha acoustic guitars within the F range have an excellent tone. These instruments are very responsive and produce a very warm and radiant tone. The F310 is not only a great practice guitar but also makes for a really great strummer for taking to beach parties and playing to your friends.

If you have a little bit more money to spend then perhaps the FX370C Yamaha electro acoustic will be more to your liking. This model will provide you with all you need to start gigging straight away, it comes with a built in preamp which allows you to plug the instruments into an amplifier and strum away. This particular model uses piezo pickups, these are rather common on acoustic guitars, their tone can be adjusted using the 3-band EQ located on the side of the guitar. Players who quite fancy an FX370C should expect to play around £190 for one, although you may be able to find them cheaper online.

If you’re serious about finding a great 6-string to start learning on then the Yamaha acoustic guitars mentioned above will not disappoint. Both the FX and F series Yamaha acoustics have received countless awards over the last several years to acknowledge their superb quality.


Aug 28 2010

Buying A Left-Handed Electric Guitar

Tag: MusicJanice @ 6:08 pm

Are you are left-handed guitarist who is looking for an electric guitar? If so, you can basically choose between playing a right-handed guitar in reverse, or you can get a special left-handed guitar. Fortunately, left-handed electric guitars are readily available these days (in contrast to previous years), so you’ll probably find it easier to go this route.

You can get left-hand electric guitars from just about all the major guitar manufacturers, and most popular right-handed models are available in southpaw versions as well. Whatever your budget, you’re sure to find a model to suit, although if you’re just starting to learn to play the guitar, you might want to look into electric guitar kits. These packages contain not only a beginner-level guitar, but also all the accessories you’ll need to get started, including a practice amp, picks, straps and other items. Just make sure you look for one from a reputable manufacturer, as you don’t want to skimp on quality.

It may be necessary to shop around a bit to find the best guitar for you, as the choice of left-handed guitar models is still not as large as the right-handed versions.

When looking for a left-hand guitar, remember that you’re not limited to the choice in your local music stores. While these are a great starting point, and it’s certainly good idea to try out the guitar in person if you can, remember that your local stores will necessarily have a limited selection of stock available, and left-handed guitars are only going to comprise a very small proportion of this – unless of course you’re lucky enough to live near a specialist lefty guitar store, although these are quite rare.

If a local search proves fruitless, you should try looking online. The internet offers just about everything you could want, and left-handed guitars are no exception to this. Online retailers have an advantage in that they lack the space restrictions of their physical counterparts, so you’ll typically find a wider selection to choose from here. They usually have lower overheads as well, which means that they can pass the savings on to you in the form of lower prices.

Remember that as well as music sites, you should also look at places like eBay and Amazon. eBay is great for finding bargains (especially those models which are more difficult to find) and Amazon will often offer lower prices than any other site, and has a very large range of music related items, guitars included.

It’s not difficult to find an excellent left-handed electric guitar at a price point that suits you – just be prepared to put in a bit of time looking, and don’t automatically go for the first one you come across.


Aug 03 2010

The Long History Of Gibson Guitars

Tag: MusicJanice @ 4:32 am

Gibson has been making guitars since the early 1900s and with a long history like that, no wonder they are such masters at the craft. They have blessed us with such models as the ES, Les Paul, SG, Hummingbird, Explorer and Flying V. Wow, what a collection of masterpiece guitars!

I have owned quite a few Gibson guitars in my life as a musician and I have yet to be disappointed with one yet. My first was a 1960s SG that I found in a pawnshop. This thin bodied, double cutaway was the workhorse of my early days in music. It was the standard model that came equipped with PAF humbuckers and man could those babies churn out the high gain. I had an 1980s Marshall JCM800 head with 2 4×12 stacks and all I can say is that these mahogany bodied guitars sounded perfect through a Marshall amp.

The Les Paul is my favorite for playing blues and southern classic rock. Again, played through a Marshall amp really matches perfectly with the Les Paul as well. My Les Paul has standard 490R and 490T pickups and are very high output. This guitar really cranks out the overdrive and never gets muddy sounding. The thick mahogany body with maple cap can get a little heavy during longer gigs but its this combo of wood that really gives the Les Paul its signature tone.

Another Gibson guitar I own is a 1984 style Explorer with a solid alder body. Alder is a common wood in fender guitars and not a normal choice for Gibson. The alder has a much more neutral to bright tone, which opened up many more tonal possibilities for me. The explorer had the classic tone of 1980s metal and was popular among British and German heavy metal bands.

Choosing your first few guitar instruments is usually a little bit of a tough choice. I have and still do own many different models from various guitar companies but I will always recommend going for a top quality USA made guitar, such as a Gibson, for you first one.


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