Newsletter Home:  2006 | 2005
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2nd March, 2006

CONTENTS:

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Cumulative Trauma Disorders In Musicians

By Kee Fedak, DC
www.musiciansclinic.com
 

One of the most amusing things I have ever heard when talking to someone outside of the musical community is “I don’t understand, I thought playing music was relaxing, how could you possibly get hurt?” Almost ten years ago I was asking myself that same question “how could I have possibly hurt myself playing the piano, it’s not like playing football or hockey” but I did hurt myself and I had no answers.

 I don’t think there is anything more frightening to a musician than realizing that their body has failed them and they are no longer able to do what they love to do. The only way I can explain it to someone who is not a musician, is to ask them to imagine what it would be like to not be able to speak or communicate in any way when there mind is full of thoughts and ideas that need to come out. Even then I don’t think they understand. I have now come to realize that I was not alone and that musicians injuries are not a new phenomenon...

Here is one of the most well known examples in the past where an outstanding composer/pianist suffered from a performance disability

In 1838 Robert Schumann wrote:

“All the music is complete and alive within me, so that I wish to effortlessly breathe it out, but now I can hardly bring it forth; I trip over one finger with the other. This is truly frightening and has already caused me much pain.”

This quote epitomizes the emotion of every musician that suffers with a condition that impedes there ability to express their musical idea and their ability to earn a living. Even in the most recent past, the medical and public perception is that musicians are doing what they love to do and therefore should put up with their problems. Like athletes, musicians perform for the public; and like professional athletes, they can lose their jobs if they don’t perform. But only athletes work with physicians and trainers almost daily.

Until recently very few studies or surveys were performed to elucidate the widespread nature of injuries associated with musicians. Here are some examples of recent information discussing this problem that directly affects you. This well know study tells us that a survey of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians showed that 76% had at least one problem sufficiently severe to interfere with their ability to play and 36% had four such problems.

What is even more surprising than the fact that these injuries are so prevalent is that there is an incredible imbalance between what is known about the problem versus what is being done for musicians.

At the university and college level the statistics are just as shocking...

8.5 new cases of disability occurred per 100 musicians per year in a university music school setting.

Manchester RA, Med Probl Perform Art. 1988;3:15-18

This next study illustrates the breakdown of the major types of medical problems that musicians suffer from.

Four Major categories of medical problems in Musicians:

64% - Musculoskeletal
22.5% - Nerve Entrapments
7% - Dystonias (involuntary movements)
Psychological Stress
Lederman RJ. Muscle Nerve 1994;17:569

The most common has to do with musculoskeletal problems and this encompasses 64% of injuries; tendonitis falls into this category. The next most common area of complaint is nerve entrapments, and though Carpal tunnel syndrome is an excellent example of this, it is not the only one that exists in this category.

Robert Schumann had problems that would best fall into the next category; involuntary movements of the fingers or hands, also called dystonias. Although most performers suffer from various forms of nervousness when performing only the first three manifest themselves in symptoms of pain or disability.

Each instrument has it own unique set of problems. Injuries or disorders in musicians are not based simply on the instrument played or the technical level of the musician. Depending on the environmental stressors a unique pattern manifests itself. It is a combination of these complicating factors; for example education, form and size of instrument AND the particular instrument played by the musician that results in the physical manifestation of injury. In the literature a few eclectic examples of disorders include: Cymbal players shoulder, Harpists cramp, English horn players thumb and cellists dermatitis.

Keyboard instrument players typically experience symptoms or problems in these areas: The neck, back, the distant muscles of the wrist and hand, forearm extending muscle and fine muscles of the hands. Pianist usually find that they injure their right and more often that the left.

Violin and Violists commonly suffer from jaw problems, back, neck, shoulder arm and hand problems.

Conductors for example use the orchestra or choir as their instrument and their problems typically are caused by long hours of standing and the load placed on postural muscles cause problems with their upper and lower back, neck, shoulders, and feet.

Most instrumentalist tell me that conductors are their major source of stress.

There are Nine warning Signs of CTD, all of which indicate the need to take heed and either examine the way in which the musician is playing or to be examined by a specialist to rule out any likelihood that it will progress further towards a more serious injury. CTDs can be stealth-like; many of the warning signs go unnoticed or worse are considered just normal feelings associated with playing or practicing. This perpetuates a state in which the musician slowly but surely causes more and more damage to the affected tissue until pain brings the musician to a halt.

The nine warning signs are:

• Self Massage Fatigue or Lack of Endurance

• Weakness in shoulder, hand or forearm

• Stiffness

• Lack of Control or Coordination

• Cold Hands or Limbs

• Cramping Tingling

• Numbness or loss of sensation

• Pain
  
   

There is an important realization that must be made. Understand that any one of the 9 signs may or may not lead to a more serious condition. But it does indicate that your body is under a a state of abnormal stress and each one in itself will cause interference in the musicians ability to fully realize a musical idea through their instrument.

With this information in mind you have a very important tool to take responsibility for your own health and career. Remember when you body is unduly stressed it will tell you that something is wrong. Seek professional help immediately because people who try to diagnose themselves usually center the attention around pain and treating pain offers no prevention or rehabilitation. Panic leads to either denial or overreaction, this is not necessary because of the many treatment options available. When symptoms first appear it wise to seek the help of a specialist who can offer an accurate diagnosis and explain what is taking place.

An accurate diagnosis requires 2 things one, the injured tissue must be identified whether it is muscle, tendon, ligament, bone, cartilage, nerve, blood supply or lymph two, the stage of damage that this tissue is experiencing. An accurate diagnosis is the most important aspect in developing the best treatment plan because the best treatment plan facilitates the quickest recovery time and it will address the removal of the CAUSE not just the symptom.

Prevention: “Action of overtaking or anticipating.” “to anticipate by preparation or action: be in readiness for.”

By definition prevention implies that one has the ability to be ready for an injury before it occurs. Therefore good prevention techniques should be practiced.

One excellent prevention technique involves heeding the early warning signs. When your body is telling you that something is wrong the old advice of “Doctor it hurts when I do this, then don’t do it” is not good enough. Musicians don’t have the luxury of not playing their instrument, so they must learn to work through their problems with guidance. Seek the help of a performance coach / teacher, or health specialist.

Having someone tell you that repeating over and over again the same movement is the reason why you are injured is not entirely true. This cuts to the very essence of the musician and music. Musicians must practice passages countless times to master the mechanics, and crystallize the musical intent of the composer. Repetition is essential for this. It is not repetition in and of itself that causes injury but the existence of one of two factors in conjunction with repetition. A musician must be either repeating improper movements that the body cannot physically handle OR A musician is repeating a passage while abnormal body mechanics are present.

On the other end of the spectrum is the total lack of movement. When a muscle is held rigid, any movement of an opposing muscle will put enormous stress on the motionless area creating tissue injury in the rigid structure. For example: in a strong wind the rigid branches of a tree will snap first, where the more flexible branches bend with the wind and remain intact. Remember Tight muscles equal weak muscles; Weakness causes injury.

Forcing your body to perform a physical movement that is contrary to normal body mechanics will lead to injury. If you feel that you are experiencing any of the warning signs mentioned earlier, rework your approach to the piece of music or the passage. Usually a purely mechanical problem with a passage or piece of music stems from an unclear musical approach or the need to fine tune motor control and reflexes.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if you practice long and hard enough eventually you will solve a technical or musical problem. It helps to work with a teacher/coach to find the most efficient movement possible for the musical idea that you wish to intend. Remember: Efficiency of movement, not brute force, leads to musical clarity. We have discussed the warning signs, treatment options and prevention, so where do you go for help?

If you feel that you should seek help or advise from a health professional because you have noticed any of the warning sign, it is a good idea to look for someone who is

• Sensitive to musicians needs

• Understands the unique problems that are associated with each instrument.

• Knowledgeable in all treatment options.

• Treats the entire individual, not just the injured area.

 

Just as the sports community has a specialty devoted to sports medicine, musician now more that ever have the opportunity to seek a music specialist for their health related problems.

Musicians are in effect super-athletes but that does not mean that their problems should be approached in the same manner as a football player or a discus thrower.

“The comparison of dancers with athletes is probably reasonable, but to compare instrumentalists with athletes is not. Even though athletes and instrumentalists are both highly skilled performers and spend a great deal of time performing and practicing, many of the injuries in sports medicine result from high-impact movements and physical contact, neither of which is a part of performing music.”

Hoppmann RA, Textbook of Performing Arts Medicine, 1998, pg.. 213

How many concerts, recitals or performances have gone unperformed because a talented musician was unable to communicate the thoughts and ideas that were inside their mind? It is unacceptable to think that a performer must cease playing because of a physical problem and I believe that even one musician who must stop playing is a tragedy.

I am confident that the modern musician, when educated with the early warning signs and the knowledge of where to go for help, should never have to miss an opportunity to perform again. It is true that music is a labor of love and musicians always think about the music they play first.

But please keep in mind, that whatever instrument you play, all musicians share a common musical instrument that must be taken care of, and kept in tune. That instrument is your mind and body. Treat it like you treat your guitar, violin, piano or drums; as a valuable piece of equipment but one that cannot be replaced!

 

Kee Fedak, DC
Performing Artists' Health Center
1939 Stadium Oaks Court, Suite 101
Arlington, TX
76011
(817) 303-7770
www.musiciansclinic.com

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Bon Scott Love Letters To Be Sold

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Portuguese Man Of Shred: Goncalo Pereira

One of our readers, Daniel Kelly has written in to ask for some information and articles about Gonçalo Pereira. He has recently bought Pereira’s CD, Tricot No Pais Das Maravilhas, and reports it is “absolutely amazing, truly!”  So, thanks to Daniel, we’ve put together some background about the very talented Gonçalo Pereria which we hope you'll  enjoy reading.

Winning the accolade of 'Portugal's best guitarist' could have been a burden for Gonçalo Pereira. After all, awards such as this have been known to generate intense critical pressure from predatory guitar press types, driving the unfortunate guitarist into obscurity...not so for Gonçalo Pereira.  Gonçalo's latest release "goncalopereira@g_spot", contains 12 brilliant tracks and well over an hour of reasons as to why he is Portugal's number one guitarist.

Gonçalo started to play electric guitar, completely self taught, at the age of 14. His melodic and dedicated approach to guitar and music in general enabled him to achieve a fast and accentuated evolution. His musical influences range from Vivaldi, Bach, Paganini and Mozart to Pat Metheny, George Benson, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Paco De Lucia, Bryan Adams, The Police, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Extreme, Dream Theater and many more.

Gonçalo started his career as a professional guitar teacher at the age of 18, following several requests from lots of kids who wanted to learn those fantastic licks of today. This occupation is still his main job, not only in private, but also in workshops that he performs all over the country.

Throughout the early 90’s, he performed in the Lisbon club scene with several original/cover bands that he formed. He attended the International Relations course in college (Universidade Independente) but he didn’t complete his graduation, in order to work fulltime in his music career.

In 1995, Gonçalo was invited by Portugal’s major selling artist – Paulo Gonzo – to play in his two multiplatinum records, and also to tour Europe and the USA. Gonçalo did also participate in the composition and arrangement process of several of this project’s songs. Since 1990, he has played more than 500 live shows. As a solo artist, his first experience happened in 1998, as part of a compilation album, invited by an independent record company, which featured some of Portugal’s finest guitar players.

A few months later, relying on his talent, the same label granted him the opportunity to record and produce his own instrumental album entitled “Tricot no País das Maravilhas”. In this successful debut album he presents a special version of Mozart’s “Alla Turca”, played by four hands on one guitar, with the help of his bass player; it’s always one of the highlights of his live performance. In 1998, Gonçalo was voted “Best Portuguese Guitar Player” by the readers of the most important portuguese music newspaper.

In October of 1999, side by side with the creation of his own record company, Gonçalo Pereira released his second solo album, “Upgrade”. His eclectic musical background is perfectly showcased in all of the eleven original tracks, with a special cover track, a tribute to the master of portuguese guitar, Carlos Paredes, the impressive and overwhelming “Movimento Perpétuo”.

In the year 2000, Gonçalo produced the debut album for the band “Super Teen”, that reached a gold record and was considered the revelation band of the year in Portugal. Besides producing the album, he was the author and composer of not only the 1st single of the band, as well as more than half of the record’s songs. The building process of the G-Spot Studios, Gonçalo’s new recording studio located in Caneças, was started in 2001. These new facilities are the product of all the experience that was gathered throughout his career, provinding all the tools to achieve results of the highest quality.

As a result of an invitation from the major label EMI, Gonçalo produced Nuno Guerreiro’s solo album “Tento Saber”, having also been the musical director of the band. The last examples are just some from a growing list of many projects (with many being released by important labels in the country) in which he’s been involved as a composer and a producer, having also worked in many of the projects’s singles. Other work includes artists such as Sofia Gaspar, Célia Lawson, João Portugal, Duck, Sister Cloud, Str@in, Squad, and many more. His work also includes music for TV, raging from publicity jingles to soundtracks for shows.

Being a very active producer, his reputation his building up and he’s getting more and more demand. Regarding live concerts of recent years, Gonçalo participated on Nuno Guerreiro’s shows as a guitarist and musical director, and with Sofia Gaspar, opening for Rui Veloso. In 2003, with his new studio completely built, he recorded his new solo album “gonçalopereira@g_spot”, released in January of 2004. In that month he performed several shows in “Fnac” stores throughout the country; the attendance was beyond all expectations.
This album mixes Gonçalo’s eclectic approach to music with his new working conditions and all the experience gathered in his career as a producer.

In the present time, besides the scheduled shows, Gonçalo continues to give guitar lessons in his new studio, and composing for Shawn Lane’s tribute album, which is going to be released worldwide during this year’s first semester. His participation, side by side with other world renowned artists, happened due to an invitation from the finnish label “Lion Music”. The rock band Blister, in which he is the guitarist, is always in constant evolution. After the first demo, which got a good amount of airplay in the national radio stations “Mega FM” and “Rádio Comercial”, with the song “Day By Day”, Blister are now recording their first album at the G-Spot studios. They participated on the contest “Objectivo Rock In Rio”, having performed live on the TV show “Cabaret da Coxa” (from the station Sic Radical) and are now part of the 10 finalist bands that are competing for a place in the roster of the famous “Rock In Rio” festival.

Bio material taken from Goncalo's website: http://www.goncalopereira.pt
 

The following is an excerpt from an interview by Simon Badham at http://www.essentialguitarist.com/Features2/goncalo_feature.html

What's your approach when playing through chord changes?

Well, when I'm composing and there are a few chord changes, I give myself the liberty of experiment everything that I might be interested in achieving. I work a lot with intervals, which means that sometimes I'll use the sound of certain intervals to fit the next chord that might be in a different key.

I used to think about scales, arpeggios and stuff, and there are tons of suggested approaches that you might use, but be sure whatever you do, you let your ears be the judge, not your fingers or anything else. Nowadays when improvising, I just try to express myself through the guitar and that's a thing of the moment. I cannot say honestly that I think this or that. I basically try to go with the flow.

Your sound is very fluid, do use any unusual guitar techniques?

Well, if you consider five note per string unusual, oh yeah. I've been working for many years now to build up my own style of playing guitar, that includes: very unusual left hand stretches, the understanding of the fret board in one, two, three, four, five, six notes per string mixed with all sorts of right hand picking patterns, including alternate picking, sweep picking, a lot of string skipping, legato playing and an "always ready to join the party" right-hand tapping.

As I worked a lot on my style, I try to get all these ingredients working together, so it's quite natural for me to have a lick that incorporates a big left hand stretch that goes like four notes on a string plus a tapping (which makes five notes in a string) with a melodic repetition of four notes but a rhythmic pattern of six notes followed by string skipping to another string, and going all the way up in an ascending pattern and then I'll might finish with a two and a half tone bend, engage a sweep for just a few strings, slide left or right as the feel of the moment tells me, and maybe exit with an alternate picking pattern at three note per strings but never repeating the left hand fingering, for instance, to create a total improvisation... A bit like playing soccer, really.

Tapping makes up a big part of your style, can you expand a little on your ideas for this technique?

I really try to have the tapping fingers to flow the same way as the others, which means, a tapping finger as to able to bend, slide, play a whole scale, basically having the same dexterity as the fingers of the left hand. That's my goal. I've been developing some really cool techniques that really make me imagine I'm playing percussion and piano and more obviously sometimes, sax.
Goncalo kindly offered the following musical examples to clarify his blazing technique.

The following licks can be heard on the media and audio sections of his website http://www.goncalopereira.pt
 

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The Secret Of Speed: Finding The "Incredible Lightness"

By Jamie Andreas
www.guitarprinciples.com

Click here to read Jamie's wonderful article about the incredible feeling of lightness which makes fast, accurate playing possible..
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Learn to Play Guitar - Pinch Harmonics and Making Your Guitar Scream

By Todd A


In this article I'll explain how to make your guitar squeal with Pinch Harmonics.

A lot of guitarists have trouble learning how to do these, but it's really a simple technique.

I'm going to touch on all types of harmonics in an effort to explain how Pinch Harmonics work when your playing the guitar.

If your like me you like to add a little expression when playing your guitar, by adding some harmonics and pinch harmonics.

To get this started we're going to go into a little detail about how the guitar strings actually work. Now I'm not going to be all technical, as that's not who I am :o)

Basically the guitar string vibrates between the nut and the bridge. If you look closely you can see the string vibrating like a sine wave.

Natural harmonics happen at the spaces along the string where the "wave" stops and starts a new one. (Not technically correct but makes sense to me this way).

This normally happens just above the 5th fret, the 7th fret, and the 12th fret wires. If you take a minute in a well lit room you can see the spots where the vibration along the string actually seems to be stopped. When you lightly touch a ringing string on these points you will get a natural harmonic chime.

Tap harmonics are simply fretting a string and moving the natural harmonic spot up accordingly. For example: If you fret the Low E String at the 3rd fret and pluck the string, your "natural harmonics" would no longer be at the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets. You would Tap the string above the 8th, 10th, and 15th fret wire to sound the harmonic. Hence the name....Tap Harmonic.

Now..to the meat of this...the all powerful Pinch Harmonic!! I say all powerful just because I love the extra expression and sound you can get from them.

To do a Pinch Harmonic you basically "Pinch" the string between your Pick and the side of your thumb that's holding the pick.
This is the way I do them and have had excellent luck with this technique.

When you strike the string you let your thumb sound the harmonic you want. It takes a bit of trial and error to find the right areas above the pickups that sound the harmonics you want, but only a little.
The best way to learn the placement is to crank up your distortion (easier to sound them), and on put your fret hand on the Low E or A String on the 5th or 7th fret as if you were playing A note or D note.

Start with your pick in about the middle of the Neck and Bridge pickups and "Pinch" the string so that when your pick sounds it your thumb immediately touches the string. This should sound a Pinch Harmonic. The motion is similar to turning the ignition in a car, just not as drastic...it's a slight "Turn" or "Pinch" on the string.

You may have to move your hand slightly higher or lower on the string to find the "sweet spots". Keep trying different areas until you get it just right.

Once you've found the spots that give the sounds you want, make a mental note of where they are. When you move your fret hand higher or lower on the neck...the places you can hit the harmonics will move slightly. This falls in line with the way a Tap Harmonic works, so keep that in mind.

Keep practicing finding the "Sweet Spot" until you can do it each time you try. This part does take a little time and practice.

Just as a note: When you change to a different guitar, be prepared to relearn where the Pinch Harmonics sound. Every guitar I've played on has them in slightly different places. Differences in neck length, bridge placement, manufacturing tolerances all come into play.

So, that's all there is to it...Keep practicing till you get the feel for it, try adding bends and sound another one, you'll make that guitar scream like a wounded banshee in no time.

If you want to really increase your skill with Pinch harmonics after you get the feel for them, try practicing them with a clean sound. They can still be sounded and your accuracy will increase exponentially!!

About the Author: Todd has been playing guitar for over 20 years. You can find more tutorials and lessons on how to learn to play guitar at his website.
Todd is also heavily involved in Online Marketing and offers free information at his personal site.

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Guitar: Learn Guitar By Not Playing Guitar

By Peter Edvinsson
 

I suppose you think that you learn guitar by playing guitar. Well, do you learn to say the right things by talking all the time? Let's take a look at the art of not playing guitar...

How can you learn to play guitar by not playing? Is it really possible to develop as a guitarist without touching the instrument?

In weight training it is an established fact that muscle growth takes place during rest, for example when you sleep. It doesn’t mean that you will become a famous muscle builder by sleeping. Sleeping is just a part of the overall picture called muscle growth.

Don’t ever think that you will become a good guitarist by not playing guitar at all!

But I define a good guitarist as a good musician. A good musician can convey his musical emotions to somebody else and this ability takes more than just practicing moving the fingers among all those guitar strings.

What can you do to become a better guitarist and a musician when you don't play? Let me give you a few suggestions:

1. If you play classical guitar, get into the habit of often reading guitar sheet music without your guitar. This practice gives you training in the art of hearing the sheet music in your head and also gives you a better chance to really learn notational symbols in the music and rhythmic subtleties.

2. Take a week off from your guitar playing every now and then and use all your musical energy listening to good music or just being a good citizen. Learn to spot musical and artistic heights in the music. Listen to all types of instrumentalists. With concentration. My best listening position is laying flat on my bed with headphones on forgetting the rest of the world. Maybe you have another approach.

If you feel and enjoy musical and artistic expressions in the music these will probably be implemented in your own guitar playing sooner or later.

3. Be a good musical friend by helping somebody else to play. It will help you become more unselfish and like people more. Well, maybe you already like people sufficiently but to learn to like people is part of our development as musicians as we are supposed to give of ourselves to others when we play.

4. Prepare your body and mind for playing guitar by learning the art of relaxation and stretching your muscles. You can of course find articles on these subjects on the net. Performing in a relaxed manner will help you enjoy your own music more and will help your public to relax and enjoy your music too.

5. Take time to sit down, or stand up if you like, and ponder about what guitar playing means to you. Is there something that you would like to develop in your guitar playing that will give you more joy and happiness. Set a realistic goal and write down what you can do every week to accomplish that goal.

I believe in practicing on my guitar of course but I hope that these pieces of advice concerning not playing guitar will increase your love for your guitar and the art of playing and giving musical joy to others!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Edvinsson

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How To Mic An Electric Guitar  

by Brandon Drury

With modern music (especially pop/rock music) production demands are greater than ever. The average listener expects the recording quality of your music to be the equivalent of those amazing productions you often hear on the radio. Since this discussion could take weeks and weeks and page after page, I've decided to narrow the focus of this guide to recording the electric guitar.

With any recording, getting the source right is 99% of the ballgame. This means that a great singer with great tone will sound good through pretty much any microphone. This means that a great sounding violinist with a great sounding violin in a great sounding room will sound this way through any functional microphone. Granted, some microphones will impart their character onto the source (for better or worse), but with any operating microphone a great musician will still sound great.

So with the guitar (and anything else you intend to record), it's important to get the instrument doing exactly what you want before you even bother putting a mic in front of it. You should walk around the room the amp is setup in to hear exactly what is going on. You might find sweet spots in the room. You may try actually moving the amp in a few different places in the room.

In my first recording room (which happened to be very small and very unideal for recordings), I noticed that moving an amp just a few inches had a dramatic effect on the low end coming out of the amplifier. I later learned that this was quite normal for small rooms with no acoustic treatment. (Just a side note, if you are planning on doing treatments for your room, skip the foam stuff. It probably won't help. In many instances, it will make the problem worse. Try a search for "bass trap" or visiting http://www.recordingreview.com). So experiment greatly with the amp before you get serious about microphones.

In fact, I recommend that you mess with the tone quite a bit just to see. You could always settle for the tone already on the amp, or you could push the highs up too high to see where they end up. You could pull the highs down too far to see where the tone ends up. Eventually, you'll find a middle ground that keeps your perspective out of the way.

The type of guitar you use makes a big difference on how the amp will sound. This is no secret. However, many people get in a rush when recording and think that adding some sort of effect or plugin on the computer will get them what they are looking for. If you find that you are not happy with a given guitar, maybe you should try plugging in a different guitar just to see. Try doing something off the wall or downright wrong. You'd be amazed at what kind of recordings you could get with a Telecaster through a Mesa Boogie Rectifier. I've heard success stories of acoustic guitars running through cranked Rectifiers.

When you have a tone that you are pretty confident about, it's time to pull out the mics. There are a few methods to trying out mics. You could slap every mic you own on the amp to see it it's happening for you. The problem with this approach is mic placement. Did you take the time with each mic to make sure you found the best sounding spot on the amp? You could do this with each mic, but the spot that just sings for each microphone will probably be in a different spot for each mic. I tihnk your time could be spent better.

If you are just starting out and have no idea what mic would be best for a given job, start with an SM 57. They are cheap and everyone has one. If you don't have at least one, get one used off of Ebay or something. In the meantime, grab whatever dynamic you have and give it a try. There are a number of SM 57 clones that are essentially the same microphone. Even if they are not the same mic, try them. You never know.

One trick to help choose the best spot to place the mic I read in a forum years ago. It said to unplug the instrument cable from the guitar amp, crank the amp up to very high levels, and put the SM 57 (or whatever mic you are using) in front of the speaker. Next, run the mic through some loud headphones with good isolation. Then, with the headphones on, start moving the mic in front of the speaker. You will be amazed at what you are hearing. You will hear all sorts of changes in the tone simply from moving the mic around. The users of the forum recommended putting the mic on the brightest spot. I have not had much luck with putting a mic exactly at the brightest spot because it can get a little bit too fizzy at times, but feel free to try it and see what works. The brightest spot may be perfect with a darker sounding amp.

My favourite trick when recording guitar amps is to use two different microphones on one speaker. You have to be aware of phase cancellation. (If you are not familiar with phase cancellation, check out my website, http://www.recordingreview.com.) However, when you get the mics in phase, you will have much more control off your recordings. I find that what I'm looking for when mixing is much different when I'm tracking. Sometimes I wish I could go back and change something on a tone. One remedy for this is recording the two mics from one speaker to two separate tracks that will allow you to blend them differently to create different tones on the recording.

I start out by placing one SM 57 on the cone. This means I put the mic in the dead center of the speaker. This sound is almost always fizzy and thin. With very few exceptions, I've found it to be a crappy guitar sound. As crazy as it may sound, that's exactly what we want. We want a track in the mix that is bright, thin crap that we can use as much or as little as we feel the mood for.

The second mic should sound the opposite. We want it to be big, meaty, and full of chunky low end. This mic ends up in different places with every amp that I use, but most of the time it can be found 2"-3" from the first mic in any direction. Sometimes angling the mic towards the edge of the speaker helps, too. This mic should sound a little dull by itself.

Now record both mics and see what you get. Listen to each mic by itself first. Then listen to both of them together. Assuming you like the sound that each mic makes (Remember, you want one to be too bright and the other to be too dull) you will experience one of three things.

1) The sound will be extremely thin sounding as if you rolled off all the low end with a parametric equalizer. This means the mics are almost totally out of phase. The solution is to push the phase button on your preamp or mixing software. This is what you want. You want the combined sound of the mics to be so thin that it isn't usable. Then when you push the phase button on one track, the tone comes to life. This is what I always go for.

2) The sound will be big and full. This sound almost means good things. If you push the phase button, it should sound like what you may have experienced in #1. If the tone totally disappears and all you can hear is some fizz, you've got the tone down. Push the phase button back to your big guitars again.

3) The sound is weird. You are not sure what it sounds like. It's not bad, but it's not right either. Pushing the phase button only changes the tone in the mids and does not have make a big impact on the low end. In this case, some other frequency is out of phase and the low end is in tact. You need to use your ears on this one. I usually don't like to leave the mics like this. I go for #1 or #2. However, many great engineers use phase cancellation as a way of eq'ing the amps. This is highly advanced engineering, and not for the faint of heart However, if you stumble on a sound that you really like, by all means, go with it.

Well that gives you food for thought. You'll notice that we didn't talk about different microphones. The truth is if you master the techniques above, you won't have too much need for more mics. If you want to expand your mic collection, go ahead. There are a number of mics that work great for electric guitar amps. Check out my website for details.

About The Author:  Brandon Drury's site, www.recordingreview.com has links to all sorts of free recording software.

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^{In Three Notes, Can You Name That Band?}
 

^{By Kenny Love}

<sup>Okay, y'all...remember that old TV show called "Name That Tune?"

Well, I couldn't wait a full week to get this one out because, not only is it so important, but it is, in fact, vital and can get you involved *very* quickly in a lawsuit, which could be financially devastating to your career.

Plus, as I would have normally published this article on this coming Friday, I am otherwise headed to Houston this weekend to record my new single titled, "Vampire Love." :-)

But, getting back to the main point, if you have become a successful independent band, and just happen to have the same name as a band that had the name before you, you can be legally forced to pay back all those royalties and sales profits, in addition to an incredible amount of damages. This little pleasant process is known as a lawsuit.

Okay, Kenny, what are you hammering about NOW?

I'm very glad you asked because there is an increasingly big problem with successful bands being legally forced to change their names because they were *lazy* and did not bother to thoroughly check to see if another band had the name first. They have become victims of the "It can't happen to us" theory. In fact, not only can it happen to you, if you become successful, it *will* happen to you.

That's right...if you have managed to assess a small fortune in royalties, and have not conducted a trademark search on your band's name, look out! Because, the chances are great that a less than successful band is waiting on you, figuratively speaking, just around the corner. And, all this less than successful band has to do in order to turn your day trading into a nightmare, is simply prove that it had the name before you.

And, if you happen to reside in the Third Ward district of one of my beloved hometowns (Houston, Texas) and, particularly, near McGowen or Scott streets, one of these bands could be waiting on you, literally, and usually after dark wielding a Lone Star-studded machete.

But, I'm not here to discuss geography...I am here, however, to discuss topography...and, specifically, the topography of your music career.

Several years ago, during one of my stints as a broadcast radio host, my then business partner and I were considering starting a record label, and were interviewing a very nice vocal group whose music we had been playing on our station, for our label's first signing.

However, the group's name (perhaps as hindsight) simply seemed like a name that might already be in existence. Lo and behold, after searching the 'Net, I discovered a similar group with the same name, that had been in existence much longer, as well as had a couple of releases out.

The group that we were considering signing has now folded because they were so distraught and were so in love with the name, and simply could not move on to another. I guess that's why they call it the Blues.

Now, I'm betting that, as a result of reading this, a good number of you who are in bands will find tonight's sleep a bit of a disconcerting effort, and for that I am truly sorry. :-( But, it is my civic and patriotic duty to be the bearer of bad news if it helps protect your career.

Ever heard the phrase, "This is going to hurt me a lot more than it's going to hurt you?" Well, this ain't one of them times.

At the very least, if a trademark search is not within your budget at the moment (around $300-$400), at least, register your name at BandName.com or BandRegister.com.

And, much success to your getting "legalized."

Note: To see how far the lack of proper registration of your band's name can escalate, take a look at some popular name artists who found out the hard way, so to speak, and whom you may recognize below. ____________________________________________________

Black Sabbath - they were originally a cover band called EARTH. The band saw Boris Karloff's 1963 horror movie "Black Sabbath" one night and were inspired to call their first original song "Black Sabbath." They found out at a gig that there was another band called "Earth," so they changed their name to BLACK SABBATH.

____________________________________________________

Blink-182 - They were originally called BLINK, but were forced to change their name because a techno band from Ireland was already called that. 182 doesn't actually mean anything. The band has helped start rumors about 182 like: Al Pacino said "f--k" 182 times in Scarface, Al Pacino said "f--k" 182 times in "The Godfather", etc.

____________________________________________________

Testament is a North American thrash metal music group from California. Being one of the most influential American thrash metal bands, while recording their first album, the band was forced to change its name to Testament because another band held a copyright to the name, "The Legacy."</sup>
 

About The Author: Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a radio promotion, media publicity and multi-service firm for independent musicians andd recording artists. Get more extensive details at Kenny's MySpace.com page.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Love
 

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How to Create Backing Tracks If You Don't Play All the Instruments... or Any

By Seth Lutnick

Congratulations! Your singing has become amazing, and it's time the world knew. You've also written some songs that are just kick you-know-what. They need to be recorded, MP3ed and put on the net ASAP. But you've got two problems. First, you can't afford a studio, let alone a band for all this stuff. Second, you don't play all, or any, of the instruments.

Well there is good news. With a deft combination of the internet and today's software, you can do wonders. While it's never going to be the same as a true band in a real studio, which you had better hire for that big record company showcase, you can still create great backing tracks.

First, repeat after me. "I love MIDI." Thank you.

MIDI, to refresh your memory, is like sheet music for a pianist. The paper itself makes no noises, but the pianist gets all the information he needs from it to let us hear Beethoven (especially if the music is also Beethoven!). In your computer set up, the MIDI file is the sheet music, the MIDI sequencer or playback program is the pianist, and your computer's sound card and synthesizer are the piano. That's all you need!

Before we get started, I'll mention the ultimate cover song shortcut - the Internet! There are tons of great MIDI files of almost every piece of popular music out there. All you have to do is find them. If you can't, or you've got your own material, read on. Be legal, though!

If You Play Keyboard or Guitar Well

First, thank your parents for the lessons. Then, get your hands on a sequencer program and record your tracks. Using MIDI, you can choose the instrument sound for everything - all you need to do is input the notes. For drums, you can either record them from your keyboard or use a plug-in drum machine. If you choose to record them, a quick way to do it is to record a couple of measures and then copy/paste to fill out the song. But don't forget to put in some drum fills!

If Your Playing Is Limited to Little or Not at All

For you there are wonderful programs, like Band in a Box and Jammer, to create backing tracks. They are very stylish, meaning, they function in styles. You must, at the very least, know the chords for your song. You simply enter the chords, choose the appropriate musical style, and click a button called "compose" (or some reasonable facsimile). Before you can say "Holy guacamole, Batman," your music is playing. The drawback here is that your band will sound canned. And well it should, for it is! But, have no fear, there are ways to mitigate that quite well.

Making it Human

Best thing? Play what you can, at least the melody. That, in and of itself, will help tremendously, as it's no longer just a band style playing chord progressions.

Next up, record a counterpoint. Counterpoints make ordinary songs exciting. They are secondary melodies that complement the main melody. They usually have a slightly different rhythm, and fill in where the melody has breaks. A great example is in the song "The Winner Takes It All," by Abba. Listen to the theme that is always playing underneath the melody - it really drives the song.

Another thing you can do to put life into your tracks is to customize the style. Depending on how good you are with your software and its capabilities, you can create your own riffs and mix them into the song. Also, vary similar styles throughout the song to break the monotony. And, again, don't underestimate drum fills!

Creative use of layering is a very effective technique. When all the tracks play all the time, it can be very boring. Wait to bring in some instruments till later in the song. That creates a "building" feel. Then, at some point towards the end, take them out again briefly to create a "break" or "bridge". When you bring them back, it is very powerful.

Finally, don't allow any perfection. Yes, you read that correctly. If your music is perfectly aligned rhythmically, it will sound artificial. Live musicians are never precisely on the beat. Almost all programs have a "humanize" function which corrects this automatically. Otherwise, take the time and slide some notes in the piano roll editor window. If you need quantize (rhythm correction) on the recorded tracks, set it to less than 100%.

When you've got your MIDI file, there are two ways to convert it to audio (wav, mp3) for CD burning. The quicker way is with a dedicated program that renders wave files from MIDI files directly. Most software synthesizer programs that have a stand-alone playback feature can do this. Otherwise, open an audio recording program, play the MIDI file, and simultaneously record the output. Make sure your audio recorder is set to receive from the correct input.

If You Play Nothing, and Don't Know Chords or Theory or Anything

Guess what? You are the one who should hire a musician. Yes, I know that some programs will offer both a chord progression composer and even a melody composer. All you would need to do is choose the style. If you are considering going this route, I have one request for you.

PLEASE DON'T!

Sorry to yell, but think about this. The melody is composed by a computer, the chords are composed by a computer, the band is composed by a computer. It is music that is completely composed by a computer. Oh my gosh! How revolting is that?

No, my friend, hire a qualified musician. You sing the song to them, they create the magic. Do not sell yourself short. Your song is important -- it's part of you! Show it the greatest respect and make it as beautiful as you can.
 

About the author: Seth Lutnick is a singer, songwriter and arranger. Visit his website, http://www.getitdone.biz for more on creating and using a home recording studio, and personal action planning.

Vocal Release - Online Voice Instruction
Ever wished you could sing at the front of your band?  Or perhaps you'd like to sing karaoke or sing original material, and want to develop singing ability in the shortest time possible. Guess what, no matter what your voice sounds like now, it can be developed to astounding quality in a short amount of time!

We've found an excellent program called Vocal Release, which  was developed so people could learn how to sing or write songs the right way from the start. It also suits singers who are interested in singing at star quality, and those wanting to develop singing ability in the shortest time possible.  Perfect for guitar players who want to sing vocals at their gigs!

In this kit, you will learn techniques that will enable you to sing in a commercial voice that can be applied to Rock, Pop, Rap, R&B, and Country Music. A classical and or choir approach to singing will not develop a commercial voice! Vocal Release is specifically aimed at learning how to sing commercially.

Click here for more details about Vocal Release's Online Voice Instruction .  Don't delay!

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