On the shelf I didn't see any nylon/classicals that were interesting at all. It's not really that type of shop (yes, someone was playing the smoke on the water riff with heavy distortion as I walked in). I asked a guy if they had anything else, no, so I grabbed the most expensive guitar they had, a Yamaha CGX171. Which, of the three nylon guitars I have, that is actually one on them. I'm not sure why, but I'm sure it had a wider neck than my one. Hmmm...
Anyway, seeing as a CGX171 wasn't interesting, I asked to play through an amp. The guy set me up with a Fender amp I'd tried before, they are okay. He dug out the nice AER 60W acoustic which I had previously decided was the best amp and if I was to get another that would be it. It is still nice, but I think he could tell that I wasn't inspired. He said "How many people do you play to?" (Which was really nice to hear, I hadn't said anything about performing, he simply assumed that I played to audiences. Either I look/feel/sound like a performing guitarist or he's a really good salesman.) He told me "you need to be looking at a PA." "Have you got anything I can try?" "Yeah sure, come with me."
I then got quite a good lesson about PA systems from a sound engineer. There is an interesting system, very modular by a company that is trying to fill gap between cabinet amps and full PA systems. Imagine an amp/sub box, then a pole, then sets of speakers mounted on the pole. Except you want a few more speakers, so you click some more on the top. You want some facing you and some facing the crowd this way and that way, just rotate them. Basically a click together - no cables except the one to your guitar - modular PA system. Pull apart to get back on the road. It requires a mixing desk/box thing, they had a simple 4 channel one, because generally in a PA system you'd have a microphone and more than just a guitar.
Really interesting. I think that is what I'd need rather than just a cabinet amp on the floor. Pricey though - perhaps I should stockpile my earnings from gigging to purchase one, starting system is around $AUD2000 (in 2012).
The sound engineering side of it is interesting too. Because I sit behind the guitar I'm never quite sure what everyone is hearing. It has made me want to play a gig at a place where there is a sound engineer weaving their magic through the PA. I know a place - open mic style. I have avoided it thus far because I picture it as a pub generally full of drunken yobbos where most performers are bands playing loud rock. I'm not sure I'd fit in there, but perhaps I should give it a go just for the sound engineer PA side of things.
In other news, whilst wholely heartened by my previous gigging, I am disheartened at playing the guitar not gigging. Aside being busy at work (see disclaimer) I just haven't set aside any time to play. It is actually at a point where "why bother playing when nobody is listening and nobody is paying?" :) Okay, not quite that bad, but "gigging changes you". Over the past month I think I've played for maybe 4 hours on 4 separate occasions. Don't fear though, because...
I made Guitar Cam Version 2 last weekend. I worked out from Version 1 that the mounting bracket needs to be _very_ rigid, so I doubled the amount of clamping and welded together a very sturdy steel bracket. I adjusted the viewing angle too, and it worked out great! The rigidity is not quite there yet; what happened in version 2 is that to make it ultra rigid I made it too heavy, this time the weight causes it to move slightly when I'm digging into the song. It's only just noticeable, and it isn't detracting, but the weight means I can only play for maybe 15-20mins at a time before it is starting to be uncomfortable. I'm going to record a couple of Jawmunji Channel Youtube clips for it over the next week; I think you'll really like it and I'm quite excited about doing it.
Guitar Cam Version 3 needs to be made though and I think this time it needs to be aluminium. I don't have anything to weld aluminium, so that is going to be an interesting project.
JAW
Hi Mates!
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence. I also visited a local instrument store today, after a year or so. As usual, they didn't have any NNN (narrow-neck nylon, I just made it up :) ), so I played a steel string guitar. It was only good for me to make certain again that nylon is the best for me.
L3fty
Ps: How about attaching some helium-filled ballons to the heavy bracket? :D
Ha, the NNNs. Rare; then once I found one and played it for a year I realised that's not what I was thinking. Funny thing, life.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'd get enough lift even from a whole packet of helium filled balloons. You know in the movies, where somebody grabs hold of a bunch of helium balloons and floats off into the sky - sorry mate, but it's pretend :)
I have been mentally making an aluminium bracket since building the steel one. Ally these days is about the same price as steel; it used be more like three times the price. There's a metal supplier about a k down the road from me, I should pay him a visit and buy a pile of scraps. The problem is of course welding ally. I don't think they make ally sticks for my stick welder. My brother in law has a mig welder though, hmm. I wonder if you can get the right gas/flux/wire for ally...
JAW
hi guy really like yours tabs!!! i don´t speak english because i´m from mexico but you´re a rocker!!!!! we want the beatles!!!!
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