I can't resist grabbing item #200 for my own vanity item.
A couple of years back, mziemba had a good run with a miscellaneous
item:32 , so I'll start a new rambling one.

131 responses total.

I still seem to be mired in some sort of musical menopause.
Leslie has been gone for six weeks in Austria, and I would have expected
to have filled the house with six weeks' worth of roof-shaking 
rock music, at a volume which is bad for my ears and which Leslie 
won't tolerate.  There's been some of that, mostly after I went out 
to buy a copy of the album WHO ARE YOU, but I find that I have mostly
been keeping the house silent.  Today I've been listening to WUOM 
on the radio, as I mentioned in the Grateful Dead item.
 
This is part of why it's been hard to come up with little tidbits
to keep the discussions here rolling along.
I haven't been listening to much.

I thought there was a Negativland item in here somewhere, since we've got a
few fans of theirs, but I can't find it anywhere, so... I stopped by the New
Improved Larger Record Exchange the other day (where Disc-go-round used to
be, before I left town for a few weeks and alien being moved all the stores
around), and I ran across "A big 10-8 place".  Um.  Well.  Er....uh...

It's interesting....

I like the new Record Exchange. It always had a better selection that
Disc-Go-Round IMHO. Besides, where else can I find Altan and Hawkwind Cds for
a dollar?

Well, I'm going to meander in a totally different direction.  I can't 
keep up with the gourmet music recordings you all seem to find; I have 
but MTV, public radio, and college radio to sate my cravings, and I am a 
poor music student :>

My current frustration is not having a classical guitar teacher.  I miss 
lessons horribly.  I studied with a colleague of mine who is a guitar 
major and incidentally, is from my hometown.  We had to be all hush-hush 
about it since the Music Dept. charges students to give private lessons 
in the music building; we were therefore doing lessons under the table.

It is also a temptation not to 'upgrade' my guitar again.  Brazilian 
rosewood for the back and sides is preferred for its exquisite sound, 
however, mine is made simply of walnut.  You may recall if you read 
Spring Agora that I visited Herb David's and had a chance to play a 
Ramirez, a line of guitars named for one of the most fabled family of 
luthiers in Spain.  The 2A model I handled played very easily; I 
marveled at how they could get the action so low without the strings 
buzzing on the frets.

Of course, I have lovely resources where I can get high quality strings 
wholesale (much cheaper than retail), but it would be a better idea if I 
started practicing much more and started playing better.

Poverty sucks.

I've started thinking about getting an electric guitar, and I can't
even play my acoustic one yet.  I got it at Guitar World (who are
evil, underhanded jerks, but that's another story), and so I've
gotten on their mailing list, and they keep sending me guitar
catalogues, which are sort of like porn magazines for guitar players.
I really like the Danelectro with the vintage-y black and white
design, but I must resist, and spend the money on lessons instead.

Sorry, that should be Guitar Center, not Guitar World.  Same
difference - they're still assholes.

I am being directed by my nose to this conf by Krj, so here goes.  I love
listening to music, preferably alternative, but I love oldies as well.  I
am learning to play the 'lectric guitar, as my boyfriend taught himself and
thinks I might be somewhat good at it.  I am learning on a generic Yamaha
21 fret baby blue honey.  I drool over Flying V's, and I am puzled by two
strings.
        And just to add, I think almost every music store in my little burg
is sexist.  Just cause I'm a girl, I am also brainless...is this prevalent
in all places?

That's the factory where they make the sex chemicals.....
There's no other possibility!

*Girls* don't play *guitars*.  Duh!  Girls, like, sing and stuff.
Pr they play the piano and look pretty.

I wish that particular stereotype would end.

This whole bullshit notion that girls play the piano started back in the 
Classical and Romantic eras, when upper middle and high class women were 
expected to learn to play the piano as part of social and cultural 
training.  However, they were never expected to play really well; all 
the musical composers were men.  Thus, Mozart wrote fairly simple 
cadenzas that his younger, less experienced female students could 
handle, while he would improvise much flashier and technically brilliant 
ones.

But incidentally, this same social training of women bore out for the 
classical guitar as well.  Many of these same women could be taught to 
play it for social affairs, although this occured much earlier, in the 
Baroque period.  The Anna Magdelena handbook was arranged and compiled 
by J.S. Bach as a method book, a method book for his wife (Anna) to play 
the four-course guitar.  The works are considered masterpieces for the 
beginning guitarist.  (I can almost guarantee that most everyone has at 
least heard the Minuet in G; it's played by almost every piano student, 
and it was arranged as a pop song in the '60s.)  Piano students 
frequently play these pieces, but I have played them both for piano and 
guitar, and I can say confidently they are written more with the guitar 
in mind.

I think the idea of women playing these early guitars never held on for 
long-- I can't remember documentation indicating they played much past 
the Baroque era.  The piano was much more popular.  But, for that 
matter, the guitar was not considered a serious concert instrument until 
the 20th century, thanks to the tireless work of the late Spaniard 
Andres Segovia.

Guitars were considered for the longest time to be an instrument of the 
tavern musicians, and the heritage still plays true for the steel-string 
players, both acoustic and electric, although the acoustical player is 
more likely to be playing the coffee shops these days.  The flamenco 
version of the guitar was considered the most serious of the acoustics 
for the longest time, thanks to the long Inquisition in Spain =P (so the 
guitar was mainly a folk instrument played as accompaniment to folk 
dancing).

Anyway, I'm babbling.  I suppose you should just say that if you don't 
get better service, you're going to get Lita Ford to come over and kick 
their asses.  (Who knows.. she might do it or send them a nasty reply 
about how girls CAN play electrics).  By the by, Natalie, girls do play 
guitars-- they are just all assumed to be folkies playing steel-string 
acoustics.  Sheesh.  Where the hell did the girl rockers in the biz go?

Also, a lot of rocker and metal guys in the biz are sexist.  I think it 
was Lita Ford who said a member of Lynard Skynard or some other group 
said, "You play guitar pretty good..for a woman."  Her reply?  "Yeah, 
you play guitar pretty good too..for a chimpanzee."

  My advice is that rather than guitar, you take up the tuba. 

  It might not be the most socially impressive of instruments, but
  after marching around with one for a while you'll be in good shape.
  Then, when someone says something stupid really moronic, such as
  "girls aren't supposed to play the tuba" you can knock them down
  and empty your spit valves on them.  (tubas *do* have spit valves,
  don't they?)

I was being sarcastic... :)

I think that, since the era of the guitar hero was ushered in by
Hendrix et al., that electric guitars are associated with... er,
how shall I put this?  Male masturbatory-type activity.  The guitar
becomes an extension of the Rawk Gawd's sexuality, is used to attract
groupies, etc.  (Read "The Real Frank Zappa Book" for some of Frank's
commentary on this phenomenon.)

Also, technical prowess in general is associated with men.  Most
cooks are women, but most CHEFS (i.e., gourmet and professional)
are men.

Anyway, the first time I managed to get a strap onto my guitar,
strapped it on and gave myself the obligatory once-over in the mirror,
I thought, "God!  I look like a demure girl folk singer!"  Which
is kind of strange, since my entire repertoire consists of Robyn
Hitchcock and Neutral Milk Hotel songs.

I'm babbling, aren't I?

Mmmmmmm...Neutral Milk Hotel.

BTW, I also reccommend the Real Frank Zappa Book.  It's a quick, and highly
entertaining read.

I've actually decided to sell my guitar and take up the singing saw.
Then *nobody* will mess with me 'cos I'm a girl!

  Definitely.  You might threaten to play them a solo..

but damnit, girl rockers kick ass!

More realistically than buying an electric guitar, I'll probably get
a pick-up for my acoustic, so I can rawk on the cheap!

I'm thinking or girl-rockers and Nashville Pussy...there is a duo of grrls
that can really play.  Anyway, All my guitar playing friends are guys, and
while they are ready to help and assist, the shop guys snicker and laugh
until I bring my buddies in defense.  Then they promptly behave.
        My best frined plays acoustic.  She's a gilr.  She rawks amazingly
well,  as I get tingles from it.

  Geez..  Find another store if they're really that obnoxious, and make a
  point of telling the manager why you're leaving.  There's no reason to
  shop in a store where they "snicker and laugh" at you..

Or start your own grrl music store...

Yeah, the salesgrrls can all write "SLUT" on their bellies.

Actually, you could try to form a buying club or coop.  Round up the most
knowledgable, and get advice from them.  Go to the store en masse...

re:17  Keep in mind that an acoustic still sounds different electrified.

Yes, there is a difference in the way Stratocasters, Les Pauls, and Flying V's
sound in the way of solid bodies, not to mention the much different sound you
get when you play on an acoustic.



Besides the shape of the guitar, other features influence its sound.  I
mentioned the material of the body.  Solid body electrics are plastic, of
course.  There are steel body guitars.  Many acoustic and classical players
look to different woods for a particular sound, including spruce cedar tops,
and rosewood (classical players prefer this), walnut, or mahogany for the back
and sides.



An acoustic may have a cutaway, or it may not.  It may have a rosetta hole, two
f-holes, or one or two teardrop holes.  It may be a flattop, or it may have a
slightly raised bridge (more like one of the viols).  It may have nylon
strings, or it may have steel strings.  Steel strings even have a variety of
hardnesses that will influence the sound.  Nylon strings come in a variety of
qualities, too, which may be influenced by what is used to wrap the bass
strings (usually nickel-copper).  Classical guitarists may pay exorbitant
prices for high quality nylon strings.  And then..steel and nylons come in a
variety of tensions.



Some acoustics have specially modified frets (some are more at an angle) so
that the guitar can be tuned in 5ths instead of 4ths.  I listened to a
recording of some artists playing these sorts of guitars at Scott Helmke's
house.  I noted they had a sort of harpischord-like sound; this   special
tuning makes them sound much different.



Of course, mentioning that, some guitarists use alternate tunings other than
the standard E A D G B E..



Electrifying a guitar can greatly change its sound, but the same basic
qualities remain-- so your acoustic will still sound different than a solid
body.  Classical guitarists never use a pickup (you'll never see one
manufactured that way), and they tend to avoid miking the strings.  Even
amplifying the strings by a microphone may change the sound.  (It's not as
drastic as miking an unplugged electric.  That's an interesting sound). 
However, the Chet Atkins guitar is somewhat of an exception-- it's an acoustic
with a cutaway, nylon strings, and a pickup, usually with an equalizer.  The
strings are spaced at classical specifications, too.  It's a guitar for the
player who plays across genres, or a classical player who is less of a purist
(hmm, that might be a contradiction).  Chet Atkins is a jazz guitarist, by the
way.



Anyway, my original point was that you should be able to play like Lita Ford on
a solid body electric as well as like Ani DeFranco on an acoustic/electric.  To
hell with trends-- hard rock and metal grrls will eventually return to send the
folk rockers packing for at least a little while.  Look for something in a pawn
shop.  That's how a friend of mine found his Gibson Flying-V Epiphone.  It was
just a little over $100.  I also recommend that you watch for students selling
guitars at the universities.  I could have bought a steel-string acoustic AND a
flying V for $100 each about a year ago from a student selling them, and I've
been kicking myself ever since!  If you know where to look, you'll find
something relatively cheap, if you still desire an electric.

I will buy an electric someday.  But I need to learn to play my acoustic
first.

I have a beautiful guitar.  It's a Martin DM, with a solid spruce top and
mahogany laminate back and sides.  It sounds gorgeous, and even smells good,
because of the mahogany.  Someday I will master its intricacies.

OK, now, someone tell me about Neutral Milk Hotel.

RE#23 -- You're way wrong about solid body electrics being plastic.  Many
Les Pauls are mahogany, Strats are basswood, ash, or maple.  Cheap solid body
electrics are plywood.  there is one plastic body guitar I know of, (well two
really) the first is an Italian model from the 50's-60's.  Buddy Miller plays
one, the other is the Dan Armstron plexiglas guitar.

There is a new kind of special guitar body plastic called "luthite" that at
least 2 manufacturers are using.

Re: angled frets and odd tunings:  NO.  No connection.  The angled frets allow
longer bass strings, for a different tone.  Tuning to 5ths rather than 4ths
can be done on any guitar.

re:26 whoops, that's right-- I forgot.  Most electric players are very 
particular about the wood as well-- my understanding was that newer 
models were cheaply made in Japan with plastics..

re:27 I stand corrected..I should have written it down.

I *never* purport myself to be an expert..I just yap until someone 
corrects me.  Sometimes I find that the best way to learn, since people 
don't always give me as detailed of an explanation when I ask, or I 
forget and learn much better from my mistakes.  Problem is, it's so 
gauche and tactless.

  re #25:  did anyone ever start an item on the Elephant 6 cooperative?
  that'd probably be a better place to discuss Neutral Milk Hotel..

Someone asked me to start an E6 item, but nobody ever explained how.

 (( Assuming that you are direct-dialed or telnetted, the command
    to start a new item is:   "enter"  ))

We bought a copy of "Entertainment Weekly" this week; we used to subscribe
but gave it up because we found its cynical, snarky style entirely too 
addictive.  
 
After a summer with no new music releases I cared about, "EW" reports
three new ones from August 24:  Richard Thompson's MOCK TUDOR, 
a new one from Julie Miller (Twila note!), and the duo album from 
Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.    The Thompson album gets a B+
grade; the Julie Miller gets an A; the Harris and Ronstadt album is 
not reviewed but is the subject of a lengthy feature.
 
The Thompson album will be reviewed in RT's own item when I get a copy.
But it's a sign of how much times have changed for me when I realize 
that the new Thompson album doesn't even rank in the top 5 of 
"CDs I must buy now;" it'll probably be mid-September before I 
get around to that one.

re #2 & #8:  Definately the strangest item in my collection.  The CD 
came with a small package of bark.

Alright people, it's almost time for us to be 10-8.  In just a few 
moments we'll be 10-8 and I'm going to tell you the story of 180 and the 
letter G.

See, I bought my copy used, so I didn't get any bark.  Now I'm
dissappointed...

The bark is what sold me on it...  I really couldn't pass up a CD that 
included bark.  

<kevco wonders what ever happened to his negativeland bark>

It must've burned up along with the sex chemicals.

I still have my bark.  And I only bought the CD about a year ago from the
cutout bin at Borders.  $10 natch.

  The Julie Miller album that Ken mentioned got a big plug on "Fresh Air"
  last night..

        I did get the CD with a zipper; the Rolling Stones album.  Heck
I got the LP version with the zipper, first

I recently saw a CD case in the 'local' bin at Wazoo that was made out of
cardboard and held together with velcro.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss