How to Make a Backing Track for Whole Lotta Love

I have written several posts on the value of backing tracks and how to make your own. I just finished making one for Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” and thought I would list the settings.

Making your own backing tracks is simply a matter of using guitar cancelling software to deemphasize the lead guitar on your favorite songs and recording the result. I use the guitar cancellation features in the TASCAM Guitar Trainer, a must have unit for anyone wanting to make maximum progress in minimal time. I have depicted the connection path above; line out from the CD-GT1MKII to the line in of the M-Audio soundcard to the recording software (Ableton Live in this case). The links included in this post will provide background for more details.

I’m using Led Zeppelin II Atlantic 82633-2 produced in 1994 for this example and Jimmy Page’s lead guitar work is panned left for the intro and verse sections of the piece and panned right for the solo. The cancellation settings on the CD-GT1MKII are as follows:

-Intro and Verse – CNCL:ON, PART:L 9, RNGE:ALL, MONO:OFF, SPLT:OFF.
-Solo – CNCL:ON, PART:R 9, RNGE:ALL, MONO:OFF, SPLT:OFF
-I turn cancellation off altogether for the Theremin section.

Keep in mind that while good, the cancellation software is not great and this is also a digital to analog conversion. This will not be a professional sounding backing track but it will be a great practice aid. It would be great and likely profitable if the recording industry issued backing tracks from their back catalogs.

The reason this is such a great practice aid is that if you do not cancel out the guitar parts you are trying to emulate, you can delude yourself into thinking your prowess is greater than it really is. For example, on "Whole Lotta Love", Jimmy will never miss a lick, no matter how many times you play along with him. But, your mileage may vary. It is a whole lot better if the guitar part is cancelled so you can hear all of your clams in their glory so you can continue to improve. Also, don't forget to record yourself when playing against the backing track you've made.

In my example I record backing tracks in Ableton Live. If I want to record myself along with the backing track it is simply a matter of arming another track for recording and playing along. Later on, I can apply some critical listening to the mix of my recorded track and the backing track. While not always pleasant it will always be illuminating for you.

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How to Tweak the Tone on Your Analog Delay

I added an analog delay (Ibanez AD9) as part of my ongoing project for building a pedal board. I haven’t used it much until recently because I didn’t feel it sounded good. Here’s where I went wrong in hopes it helps someone else out.

My main problem with this pedal was I misunderstood the use of the Delay Level control (right hand knob). This knob is simply a wet/dry control. If it is turned all the way up, the entire signal goes through the delay and is affected by the settings of the other knobs; Delay Time and Repeat. A totally dry signal bypasses the delay effects. Duh! Once I realized that, the AD9 has become my favorite effects pedal second only to the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer.

You set how long of a delay you are looking for using the Delay Time knob, set how many repeats using the Repeat knob, and then the Delay Level allows you to control how prevalent (wet) you want those settings to be in your signal chain.

I’m working on two songs right now that use slap back echo; Brian Setzer’s version of “Sleepwalk” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House”. I included an example of slap back echo for the AD9 in the diagram above. Given the slow tempo of these songs it is a fairly long delay with one repeat. Once I have that I just play with the Delay Level until the effect is prevalent enough but doesn’t overwhelm the signal chain and I’m off to the races.

One other point in closing is that the AD9 pedal has two outputs; Out and Dry Out. The “Out” output carries the delayed signal. The “Dry Out” is a totally dry signal that you can route to another amp. The labels are difficult to read because of glare on the surface, just be sure you use the correct one based on what you are trying to do!

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Meet The WannaBeatles

While bustling down the freeway flanked by eighteen wheelers I turned on our Pubic Radio station and ran across the Beatles. They actually turned out to be The WannaBeatles, a Beatles tribute band.

The Wannabeatles are Jim Hayden, Dennis Scott, Bryan Cumming and David Toledo, out of Nashville, Tennessee (Music City). Given my site is devoted to aging wannabe rockers needing to make up for lost time I feel it only appropriate I mention the WannaBeatles!

What I heard was a live program on the local public radio station WPLN, you can check it out here.

Influences: The Beatles
Sound Like: The Beatles

Check them out at thewannabeatles.com.

Guitar Magazines From the Rocking Eighties

A friend of mine from work loaned me one of his back issues of "Guitar for the Practicing Musician" from 1987. Before returning it I thought this would make for a good post. Welcome to the Rocking Eighties!

Jimi Hendrix is on the cover but he's on the cover of most guitar magazines today so that doesn't really date the issue. The hairdos of Night Ranger on the other hand is a dead giveaway that we're in the 80s!

I included some pages below that outline the hottest new gear, an example of an ad for amps (a lot like the amp ads today), and some readers choice awards.

If this piques your interest, you can find back issues for sale on the Internet. Also, Guitar World now has a viewer for back issues on their website including issue number 1 from 1980!

How Expensive is Guitar Gear Addiction?

One of my favorite sayings about guitar gear is “How many guitars does one guitarist need; just one more.” Unfortunately, my family members do not appreciate the expense associated with this adage. My counter to this has been that this hobby it is not that expensive because the value of the gear does not drop. Now that I’ve owned guitars for more than two years I thought I should see if this is true.

I researched three guitars on Gbase.com, Guitar Center, eBay, and Craigslist:
· 2004 Les Paul Special Ebony Faded
· 2004 Fender American Stratocaster Sunburst
· 2006 Les Paul Standard 1958 Vintage Original Spec

It turns out I am $150 to the good on my 2004 Les Paul Special. On the other hand, I’ve lost $250 on my 2004 Sunburst Fender American Stratocaster and at a break even on my 2006 Les Paul 1958 Custom Shop VOS model.

So, over two years of fun for a net cost of $100. Well, I should consider the sales tax too. And, there's the matter of the money expended not earning interest somewhere else.... Well, it still sounds good.

At least as far as hobbies go this is much better performance than gear for my past hobbies such as motorcycling, skiing, model railroading, etc, etc. That stuff plummets in value as soon as you plop down the cash.

I’ll take this kind of value any day!

Benefits of Music Making

I recently published a post regarding the side benefits of rocking in middle age. Then I ran across an article about NAMM ’08 on Music Ramble that introduced me to their Wanna Play Campaign. Little did I know I was only scratching the surface!

According to NAMM, music is healthy as well as fun! I guess when I wrote about the side benefits I focused more on the fun part. They claim music making is scientifically proven to:

· Exercise the brain
· Fight memory loss
· Reduce stress
· Lower blood pressure
· Stave off depression

This is all good stuff at any age. They cite other side benefits such as building confidence, enabling creation of social connections, and increases in creativity and productivity. Wow! I never knew I had it so good! I know their focus is sales of musical instruments but even taking the source into account, there is no bad news here.

I need to come up with some qualitative and quantitative measures to see if I’ve gained any of these benefits. I think I'm good on most of these measures but who knows, I could be lots worse off right now if I hadn’t started playing music….

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Guitar Technique: Remember the Fine Art of Down-Picking

I did a post awhile back extolling the virtues of alternate picking (striking the string with your pick both on the down stroke and upstroke) as a technique you can't do without. Then, I ran across an article by Dave Mustaine in the February Guitar World pointing out that many of today’s players overlook the art of down-picking. Hmmm.

I have focused almost solely on alternate picking in my practice routine. But, if anyone would know about picking technique, Dave Mustaine, one of the pioneers of thrash and speed metal would, so I decided to give it a try.

I used the intro for Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” as an experiment. I had been using alternate picking for it and though I had tweaked all the elements of my signal chain I was still not satisfied with how it sounded. It just did not have the authority I hear in the recorded version. With down-picking I found an immediate improvement both in punch as well as consistency, I’m into this! So, why did this work so well?

When it came to the improvement in punch I think it goes back to the adage that the most important part of your signal chain is the guitar itself. So, what would have more influence on the tone than the pick attack? Seems reasonable.

As to consistency, I think that improvement came simply because down-picking is the best pick technique for that particular intro. By attempting to emulate the tone using the wrong technique I ended up struggling at speed and running off the rails.

What this experience shows me is that while alternate picking is still an essential tool, I just need more tools for the toolbox! Continuing to add to the toolbox really helps us latecomers to the hobby make up for lost time.

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Aging Rockers: Listen to More Than The Old Masters

What got me to the point of taking up the guitar at age 50 was a love for vintage rock of the 60s and 70s and a burning curiosity around just how they did it. But, as good as that music continues to be, do not lose sight of the the great new music being made every day.

I did a survey of my own music purchases over the past year to see how well I follow my own advice. Here are my purchases by album, format, retail channel, and rationale (what prompted me to buy it).


Old Masters
The Beatles – The Capitol Albums VOL 1 & 2 – CD – Borders Books --> Includes Stereo as well as Mono Mixes
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – CD – Borders Books --> In honor of the 40th anniversary of the “Summer of Love”
The Eagles – Hotel California – DRM Free MP3 Downloads – Amazon --> Test driving DRM free downloads at Amazon
Joan Armatrading – Joan Armatrading – iTunes – Apple --> This was a big album for me during college and had not got around to transferring it from vinyl yet
The Allman Brothers Band – Live at Fillmore East – iTunes – Apple --> The South may have lost the war but they got the Allman Brothers; a good deal if you ask me. This is a must have for anyone regardless of musical taste.

Modern Times
Paul McCartney – Memory Almost Full – CD – Starbucks --> I felt his deal with Starbucks was noteworthy enough to support, luckily it is a good CD too
Nevertheless – Live Like We’re Alive – iTunes – Apple --> Ran across them on late night TV and used the immediacy of digital downloads to explore them further
White Stripes – Icky Thump – CD – Starbucks --> Got into the White Stripes starting with “Elephant” based on reviews in Rolling Stone and Guitar World magazines
Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – CD – Target --> Vaguely aware of the name but Rolling Stone reviews piqued my interest; I was hooked 15 seconds into the first track
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raising Sand – iTunes – Apple --> Was already an Alison Krauss fan and the seemingly bizarre match up was too interesting to avoid; they mesh amazingly well, definitely worth a listen
Bruce Springsteen – Magic – CD – Target --> Had to give it a listen given the raves in the music press
The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls In America – iTunes – Apple --> This was a download prompted by a mention in Rolling Stone magazine; digital downloads facilitate impulse purchase
Brand New Sin – Tequila – iTunes – Apple --> My neighbor recommended them based on their rendition (one of millions) of “House of the Rising Sun”
John Fogerty – Revival – iTunes – Apple --> Influenced by reviews in Rolling Stone and of course being a long time “Creedence” fan.

My brief survey shows I am following my own advice although I may be cheating a bit given much of the new material comes from the old masters. However, these albums are actually good rather than being afterthoughts seeking to generate cash based on past glory. "Raising Sand" and "Magic" especially.

Another interesting aspect is the variety of retail channels where you can purchase music these days. Amazon’s service is interesting given how many labels are now providing DRM free music for download, which will put pressure on Apple's iTunes service.

So, as good as vintage rock was and is (the attention around the Led Zeppelin reunion is a case in point), there are great new artists and new material out there to explore. Exploring is easier than ever before given all the retail outlets to choose from.

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Guitar Tone: Change Your Strings and Sound Better Right Now

I finally got around to changing the strings on my guitar last night. I did some playing and was blown away by how much better it sounded. If you want to sound better right now, change your strings!

While I’m sure professional players observe this, us hobbyists with busy schedules may not. Fact is, strings wear out both from the strain of your incredible shredding technique as well as corrosive effects of sweat and other aspects of your body chemistry. While I have not yet acquired incredible shredding techniques, the big improvement in sound shows I've been leaving strings on too long.

Take a look at your strings right now. If you see divots or signs of corrosion on them (you know, they look like they were retrieved from the Titanic), it’s time to change them. Changing more often doesn't have to mean expensive though.

You can usually find deals on strings and when you do, just stock up is all. And hey, with the money you are willing to spend on other get tone quick schemes, a set of strings is a bargain! Review your stringing method too while you are at it as that impacts tone and playability. The Internet has loads of references to stringing a guitar. You can also find tutorials at the D'Addario website.

Keep in mind that after changing them, you can extend their lifespan (how long they continue to sound bright with good sustain) by wiping them off after each playing session.

By investing 15 minutes or so and changing your strings, you end up with much better tone and playability, a great return on time investmed (the aging wannabe rocker mantra). Also, don’t forget to condition your fretboard at the same time.

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Guitar Maintenance: How to Take Care of Your Fretboard

I was routinely treating my guitars with fretboard conditioner the other night and realized I was doing another one of those fundamentals you take for granted once you know about it. I always make a point to mention these when I think about them.

My first instructor actually told me about fretboard conditioner after commenting how thirsty the rosewood looked on my guitar. One try was all I needed to make it a permanent part of my guitar maintenance routine.

The rosewood, ebony or other exotic wood used on your fretboard gets coated with oil and grime and will dry out, especially for those of us in more northerly climates. If you do not use a conditioner, just take a look at your fretboard and you’ll see what I mean.

Fretboard conditioners will cleanse and nourish the wood, which improves the feel. An added benefit is it looks a whole lot better! I’ve included pictures of products I have used (Guitar Honey and Lem-Oil) but all you need do is search “fretboard conditioner” to find a bevy of products at your disposal.

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All Les Paul Guitars Are Not Created Equal; or Are They?

My second ever guitar purchase was a Gibson Les Paul Special Faded Ebony. Sometime later I picked up a custom shop Vintage Original Spec based on the 1958 Les Paul Standard. After reading an article in the Blog Psychedelic Zen Guitar regarding choosing different capacitors I decided to look under the hood of these two guitars and discern what sets them apart.

Some obvious differences between the Special and the Custom shop version are price, faded ebony mahogany body vs. translucent sunburst cherry maple, alnico humbuckers in chrome vs. burstbuckers in nickel, and a 1960 slim neck vs. a 50s rounded neck profile. In addition, I’ve included photos of the pots.



Notice the CTS pots with bumble bee capacitors in the custom shop version at right as compared to the standard pots and ceramic disk capacitors in the Special at left. This all begs the question; is the custom shop version better?

In my view the best way to answer is to ask another question; “how many guitars does one guitarist need?” The answer of course is “just one more.”

While there is clearly a price differential between these two guitars, what sets them apart is their personality rather than one being better than the other. They both play and sound great; just different.

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Getting Brian Setzer's Sleepwalk Out of My Head

As I was wrapping up a lesson one day and talking shop with my instructor he indicated I needed to check out Brian Setzer's Grammy winning version of "Sleepwalk". I did and it became one of my favorites; and we added The Brian Setzer Orchestra to our cocktail hour repertoire.

Problem is, after listening to it a week or so ago I can't get the tune out of my head. I ran across several versions of him performing this on YouTube and this one is notable because you get good views of his technique. Hopefully, by posting it here I can clear it out of my head; at least until the next cocktail hour.

Also see: How to Replicate the Tone for Brian Setzer’s Sleepwalk

Guitar Tricks for Building Calluses

I see questions around building calluses come up a lot and remember my initial experiences trying out guitars. Some felt better to my finger tips and others not so much. In hindsight I know the differences were due to string gauge and action. To quickly build your calluses with less pain, make sure you start with lower gauge strings and action on your guitar.

String gauge represents the diameter of a string. You may hear an old salt say, “I use 10s”. What they’re saying is that they use strings where the high E string is .010 inches in diameter. In a set of 10s the low E string will have a diameter of .046 inches. There is more to this than just the gauge though.

Strings with higher gauge will have a higher tension when tuned. While there are many advantages to higher gauge such as tone and sustain (Stevie Ray Vaughn’s unique tone came in part from very high gauge strings), a beginner will not appreciate this due to the difficulty and pain associated with fretting these strings much less learning bending techniques. Frustration increases further if the action is high.

Action is just the term for the height of the strings above the frets. In one of my first posts I outlined how I had taken a run at the guitar back in high school without success. My first guitar was an acoustic of dubious quality with an action around an inch off the frets. If only we had affordable high quality import lines back then!

So, for your callus formation period, I would recommend D’Addario EXL120s or other brands with similar characteristics. These are a super light gauge string where the high E string starts at .009 inches in diameter. As far as action goes, lower the strings (your guitar user manual or a wealth of guides on the Internet will outline how) to the point it is comfortable but not so far you get excessive string buzzing. Action is more of a personal preference anyway so you are not violating any guitar laws by doing this :-).

Once you’ve built your calluses (two or three weeks) you can elect to make changes to your guitar setup from there based on your evolving technique. Most importantly, rock out!

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