Posts Tagged ‘guitar amplifiers’
Great bands are made up from people playing electric guitars, bass guitars, and one or more adding to the vocals. Usually one or two of the elements stand out, thus making the band stand out. It is from this that I say great bands are the sum of it’s whole.
Bass guitar packages and electric guitar packages are the same thing. While the main parts are made up from electric guitars and bass guitars along with guitar amplifiers and bass amplifiers, when you look at them there is much more there. Guitar tuners, stands, cases, and cleaning kits are things that are easily overlooked, but are really quite essential.
There is a lot to know when you are purchasing electric guitars, acoustic guitars, or bass guitars. Each guitar comes in several styles, and finishes range from natural, showing off the wood underneath to almost any color imaginable.
Guitar amplifiers come in a variety of wattage’s ranging from 5 watt with a 4 inch speaker on up to whatever watt and speaker size you can afford. The common and affordable sizes in electric guitar packages are 10w and 20w. While the choices are the same in bass guitar packages I would opt for the 20w bass amplifier.
For the majority of people who play electric guitars or bass guitars the 10w and 20w guitar amplifiers are the way to go. I say this because any larger is kind of a waste of money. A larger amp whether it be a bass amplifier or guitar amplifier can’t be enjoyed to its fullest capacity when you are confined to a house or an apartment. What I mean by that statement is it can’t be cranked up the way it is meant to be.
The electric guitars and bass guitars you hear on your favorite CD should sound the same if not better when you hear them in person. There have been a number of times in my life when just the opposite has been true.
There are some times when the electric guitars are good on the songs but just ordinary when they try and cover a song that belongs to someone else. When I think about all of us weekend musicians who play local bars and special occasions, and who has to be able to cover songs by many different artists on their cheap electric guitars and guitar amplifiers, I wonder how things would be if we got a break from a major recording studio. I think the majority of us could be, and possibly would be as good if not better that a lot of the bands that are out there today.
Have you ever been to a live concert, put on by your favorite band? Electric guitars, and bass guitars, the guitar amplifiers sound waves brings chills as it shakes the house.
The one that disturbs me with some bands is when they try to cover someone else’s songs. The guitar packages that made them what they are should stay true to their own music, or else it is like you or me covering the same song. You hear that a lot whenever you watch a concert for the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. The songs and sounds that made the group famous is just that, when they play someone else’s music it makes them just another ordinary band.
Besides the creativity of the individual artist playing the guitar solo you need exceptional electric guitar packages. By this I don’t mean you have to have state of the art equipment, cheap electric guitars and guitar amplifiers will do nicely.
Have you ever noticed Angus Young of AC/DC when he goes into one of his guitar solos, he is visibly only using his left hand to finger the notes. Why is this you ask, because his guitar amplifier is cranked up so high the strings are highly sensitized where all you have to do is do what he does and forger about your other hand with the pick.
The next time you are practicing try cranking up the volume of your amplifier, and if you practicing at home make sure you are all alone. Try being a little creative.
I grew up in Astoria, Queens, which is one of the five boroughs in New York City. When The Beatles hit the rock scene in the early 1960′s they brought an excitement and curiosity to rock that had been missing before.
Everybody wanted to see if they could bring that excitement to their own neighborhood, so we all learned one of the primary instruments needed to have a rock band, electric guitars, bass guitars, and drums. With great interest we all learned how to play in a hurry, and after a couple of years of lessons there were bands sprouting up all over the neighborhood.
Having so many bands around was a big plus. One plus was the knowledge that was passed around. By sharing each others little tidbits you found yourself learning some things that could possibly have taken years by trial and error. Another thing that was a big big plus was, it was like owning many different electric guitar packages. Everyone had different makes and models of electric guitars and guitar amplifiers and you were able to try each one without actually going out and buying it.
To many of the younger generation today, bands like The Beatles and Buddy Holly and The Crickets didn’t even exist. I have tried to educate my three daughters through the years as to the history behind the music that is behind what is listened to today.
Prior to Buddy Holly electric guitars were primarily known as back up instruments in dance bands. His idea of incorporating an electric guitar, with a bass, and a set of drums to create a three piece band was thought to be a crazy idea. It was thought that you couldn’t have a substantial sound with just three pieces, but he proved them wrong. His music is still heard today, especially on commercials to sell something. I just wish they would have credits on those commercials so you would know where the music came from.
When The Beatles went on their US tour in 1965 it was a historic event. If the artists of today went through what they went through I’m sure they wouldn’t have enjoyed themselves very much. Along with the so-so way they were treated by some, The Beatles performed with custom made electric guitar packages and bass guitar packages. Vox had manufactured 100 watt guitar amplifiers special for the tour, but even with them the crowd noise was so great the fans couldn’t hear the music. The noise from the crowd was so great John, Paul, George, and Ringo couldn’t hear themselves. At one point during the concert John Lennon was playing the organ with his elbows, mocking the fans.
Listening to your favorite electric guitar player or band have you ever wondered how they get that great sound. The answer lies in the very expensive electric guitar packages that they can afford.
Even if all you can afford are cheap electric guitars it’s easy to achieve some great sounds of you own with a little experimenting. The professionals play using what is called a pre-amp. A pre-amp is nothing more than what it sounds like, an amplified signal that is amplified again. Some expensive amplifiers have this built in to it, but you can achieve the same thing by using the two guitar amplifiers that you received with your electric guitar packages, and plug one into the other while plugging your electric guitar into only one of them. By doing this you are using one of your amplifiers as a pre-amp.
After looking around at electric guitar packages and then purchasing one you quickly arrive at one conclusion, especially if you are new to the world of electric guitars, and that is there is no instruction manuals. Whether for electric guitars or guitar amplifiers the sane thing applies, the manufacturers assume that you know how everything operates.
Most of is just trial and error anyway, there are several adjustments on the guitar besides the tuning knobs that have to be made. With the help of the Internet this task is a lot simpler than it used to be. Amplifiers are the same thing although some of the knobs can be a little confusing.
The volume knob on you amp is to make the sound louder. If you have a gain control it will create heavy distortion, likewise if you have an amp with overdrive it will raise the distortion level but not as much as the gain. The treble, middle, and bass knobs are equalizers, taking care of the highs, mids, and bass tones. The best way to here each of these is to turn down the gain and overdrive.
Don’t feel left out if you are interested in bass guitar packages, the same thing applies to them also.
The Master of the Telecaster is a name given to James Burton. He is self taught on the electric guitar from his teenage years and has played with some of the best artists of all time.
There is a song from 1957 called “Susie Q” that he created and played the guitar solo on. He has worked with Rick Nelson, John Denver, and a little known artist called Elvis Presley. When it comes to finger picking an electric guitar he is one of the best. Although he only plays telecaster electric guitars he uses many different electric guitar packages consisting of different guitar amplifiers, he does this to give himself a wide variety of sounds.