worksongs.net - Tomorrow is Already Here / G. Gengler

Give me an E, a bouncy E

garret — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:59:46 +0000

Here’s a little secret. Tune a guitar like this, and you will be happy. Remember that a guitar is equal-temperament… so it’s always a compromise. A tuning method has to respect the compromise, and not make major mistakes.. That is all you can hope for, and it is enough.

This method has worked magic for me on just about every guitar I’ve picked up…. even junkers with bad intonation can be made playable.

A digital tuner is helpful, but not required…

– start with the high E string. Tune the open string to pitch. That will be our reference note for the following. You’ll be working your way from “thin” to “thick” strings (opposite of many methods).

– fret the B string at the 5th fret, and tune that to play in unison with the reference E.
– fret the G string at the 9th fret, and tune it to the reference.
– fret the D string at the 14th fret, and tune to reference.
– tune the low E string by playing the 5th fret harmonic, and matching it to the reference pitch.
– fret the A string at the 7th fret, and tune it to match the 12th fret harmonic of the low E string.

I learned this method from an article by luthier Paul Guy many years ago, and it hasn’t failed me yet.

He has a good write-up about guitar tuning methods on his website… including a discussion of why tuning by matching 5th to 7th fret harmonics is such a nightmare.

Go forth, and play in tune.

-Garret

Nashville Summit Recap

garret — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:10:41 +0000

I just got back from attending a weekend conference of audio engineers and producers, in Nashville, TN, at Chris Mara’s studio Welcome to 1979. It was terrific fun… friendly and knowledgeable panelists, a welcoming environment, and good folks all around. And it was cheap and convenient… what’s not to like? The gathering looks to be an annual thing… hook up with Welcome to 1979 on Facebook so you don’t miss out.

Some of my favorite moments…
– bbq at a local place (Paradise Ridge) with my buddy Tony SanFilippo Friday eve…
– walking in while the New Belgravians were tracking sax + dueling toy pianos, in the unfinished factory space.. very cool first impression… (great band by the way!)
– a late night race across town to see Craig Alvin’s sweet mix studio.
– quality donuts. We only have dunkin and grocery store impostors up here. the donuts were fantastic.
– watching Mr. Randy Blevins making a champion entrance, complete with cowboy hat and western attire. confidence people, some people got it.
– the CLASP demo… the system worked flawlessly and sounded great.
– thai food and storytelling hour with Motown legend Bob Ohlsson. This alone would have been worth the trip.
– meeting Tommy Wiggins, and talking about what he’s doing in Cleveland with the Cuyahoga Community College music program and the Rock HOF.
– talking to so many audio folks, young and old, all stricken with the same magnificent obsession.

Thanks, Chris for a great weekend!

Small things

garret — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:28:10 +0000

A skyscraper in Hong Kong with scaffolding made of hand-tied bamboo. Simple things, with craftsmenship, can become something majestic.

Jay Bennett

garret — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:25:33 +0000

Jay Bennett, 1963-2009. Thank you for the music. Requiscat in Pacem.

Happiness

garret — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:08:46 +0000

“Happiness… is good work ongoing.”
—Mary Oliver

The mind of Brian

garret — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:24:41 +0000

Behold, the key change in the last verse of Girls on the Beach.

Eb Cm7 Fm7 Bb7 As the sun dips out of sight E C#7 F#m7 Am6 Couples on the beach at night

Erard Piano

garret — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 03:05:23 +0000

REDD.51 wiring

garret — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:31:41 +0000

The internal cabling of a REDD.51 mixing console. Looks as beautiful as it sounds.

Olympic Studios, RIP

garret — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:57:25 +0000

Olympic Studios has officially closed after 40+ years. Among the bands who recorded recording there: The Beatles, Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Ella Fitzgerald, The Rolling Stones, The Zombies, David Bowie, Queen, The Who… the list is endless.

The drum set on the balcony in the Congo gets me.

garret — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:59:04 +0000

The drum set on the balcony in the Congo gets me.