What a glorious and fantastic title for an album!
If there ever was the question asked why Anathema might be here, now we know it, the answer is simple and clear, they are here because they are here.
First I have to say, that this is the first album I heard from Anathema, I knew them a long time, but never listened to their work. So I discovered them by accident.
The Liverpudlians, who are headed by Vincent und Danny Cavanagh, required 7 years to release the next album after "A Natural Disaster" and it became a great Progressive Rock album. For all of you who think of Anathema as a Death Metal band, those times a over, this album has nothing to do with Death Metal and also nothing with Metal.
Surprisingly, this album should please fans of bands like Sigur Ros, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree whose mastermind was the producer of "We're here because we're here." It is a very spheric album that you have to hear more than a few times to listen to, but than it will occupy your ear canal.
As I'm not the best describer of sounds and music, here is an example from youtube
For me "We're here because we're here" definitely is one of the best albums of the last few month!
8/10 points
everything about guitars and music
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Review: Dunlop MXR M-117 Flanger
So, it was time for a new stompbox. First, I tried to build a flanger by myself, but all my attempts were in vain. So I decided to do a little research in my local music store to find a flanger which could fulfill my needs and wishes.
I tried Paul Gilbert's Ibanez Airplane Flanger, which I really liked in the taxi mode but wasn't able to find any reasonable way to implement the take-off mode into my playing.
The second flanger I tried was the MXR M-117 Flanger and this little stompbox broke my heart by storm. First this pedal very silent! I would not say that I'm a huge fan of Van Halen, but with this pedal you have a essential tool on your board to reach his sound. As I'm more the Blues to Hard Rock player, it was very important for that the MXR Flanger is able to produce a subtle flange tone, which the MXR is able to do. Also a chorus like Sound is possible.
But where there is light, there is always also a shadow. The pedal requires a separate power supply with 18V, of course you can use also two 9v battery packs, but who wants to change every two weeks the battery, just because he forgot to turn out the jack?
Me not!
8/10 points!
I tried Paul Gilbert's Ibanez Airplane Flanger, which I really liked in the taxi mode but wasn't able to find any reasonable way to implement the take-off mode into my playing.
The second flanger I tried was the MXR M-117 Flanger and this little stompbox broke my heart by storm. First this pedal very silent! I would not say that I'm a huge fan of Van Halen, but with this pedal you have a essential tool on your board to reach his sound. As I'm more the Blues to Hard Rock player, it was very important for that the MXR Flanger is able to produce a subtle flange tone, which the MXR is able to do. Also a chorus like Sound is possible.
But where there is light, there is always also a shadow. The pedal requires a separate power supply with 18V, of course you can use also two 9v battery packs, but who wants to change every two weeks the battery, just because he forgot to turn out the jack?
Me not!
8/10 points!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
How to Play Guitar - A Short Introduction of a Number of Great Books and Youtube Channels
I'm now playing the guitar for about fifteen or sixteen years. I started playing with a concert guitar and my teacher taught me to play stuff from various composers like Leo Brower.
He also introduced me into the basics of Jazz and Blues music and after about 5 years of playing the nylon guitar I decided that it's time to stop with his lessons and join a band.
Well, this was the beginning of my self-education career. I bought a number of books, read a lot of stuff and tried to learn as much as possible. For everybody who wants to play the blues I can recommend three books from John Ganapes:
Blues you can use
More Blues you can use
Jazzin' the Blues
I'm not really through with the last two books, but I learned so much concerning techniques and theory, because these books are not only written to be understood easily, they are also optimized for self-education.
Another great source for guitar players is like you can imagine youtube. Channels which I really recommend are:
He also introduced me into the basics of Jazz and Blues music and after about 5 years of playing the nylon guitar I decided that it's time to stop with his lessons and join a band.
Well, this was the beginning of my self-education career. I bought a number of books, read a lot of stuff and tried to learn as much as possible. For everybody who wants to play the blues I can recommend three books from John Ganapes:
Blues you can use
More Blues you can use
Jazzin' the Blues
I'm not really through with the last two books, but I learned so much concerning techniques and theory, because these books are not only written to be understood easily, they are also optimized for self-education.
Another great source for guitar players is like you can imagine youtube. Channels which I really recommend are:
- Dave Weiner A great musician and teacher, discussing different techniques and concepts
- JazzGuts Here you can learn how to combine and fusion Blues and Jazz
- Next Level Guitar teaching different techniques, sometimes very useful, sometimes very funny
- Gregor Hilden it seems like he only want to sell great guitars, but from his demonstrations you can learn a lot about phrasing and improvising, especially blues
- Berklee College you can find some interesting stuff there, not only about playing the guitar, but also about the business
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Review: 59-Buckers from leosounds
Today I want to introduce you to leosounds 59-Buckers which I installed in my PRS SE Tremonti.
Why did I changed my pickup setup?
Well, I wasn't satisfied with the stock pickups, as a huge fan of the classic blues and bluesrock/hardrock sound, these stock pickups had to much output, were to modern in their sound.
So I searched for replacement pickups and discovered leosounds.de, a small company in the heart of Baden-Württemberg/ Germany. Michael Pantleon the owner of leosounds manufactures the pickups by himself and they are completely handcrafted. Also the price was very acceptable and so I decided to give him a try.
After we exchanged some emails and discussed the specifications of the pickups and the wanted sound, I decided to take the 59-Bucker CreamGen for the neck position and a 59-Bucker Growldog for the bridge position.
The 59-Bucker CreamGen
The pickup is a mid fifties PAF replica with alnico 2 powering, uneven scatter winding and is not wax potted.
So the sound of the pickup is very creamy, but not to much, it is still possible to receive enough clarity for cleaner setups.
I would say the pickup is just perfect for me. He loves to play blues and jazz and he creates a well-defined tone.
The 59-Bucker GrowlDog
the pickup is also a mid fifties PAF replica, but with alnico 5 powering instead of the alnico 2 of the CreamGen. In opposite to the CreamGen, this pickup is really growly. A very open sounding pickup which gives you clarity even in high gain situations. But also if you play clean, this pickup gives you a nice and open, well-defined tone.
For me, this pickup is the optimal counterpart to the creamy CreamGen at neck position.
So as you could imagine, I highly recommend this pickups. They have a very good cost/performance ratio and are produced in very high quality. So if you are interested in very good custom pickups and the possibility of special customizing options, give leosounds a try.
A small sound sample
Why did I changed my pickup setup?
Well, I wasn't satisfied with the stock pickups, as a huge fan of the classic blues and bluesrock/hardrock sound, these stock pickups had to much output, were to modern in their sound.
So I searched for replacement pickups and discovered leosounds.de, a small company in the heart of Baden-Württemberg/ Germany. Michael Pantleon the owner of leosounds manufactures the pickups by himself and they are completely handcrafted. Also the price was very acceptable and so I decided to give him a try.
After we exchanged some emails and discussed the specifications of the pickups and the wanted sound, I decided to take the 59-Bucker CreamGen for the neck position and a 59-Bucker Growldog for the bridge position.
The 59-Bucker CreamGen
The pickup is a mid fifties PAF replica with alnico 2 powering, uneven scatter winding and is not wax potted.
So the sound of the pickup is very creamy, but not to much, it is still possible to receive enough clarity for cleaner setups.
I would say the pickup is just perfect for me. He loves to play blues and jazz and he creates a well-defined tone.
The 59-Bucker GrowlDog
the pickup is also a mid fifties PAF replica, but with alnico 5 powering instead of the alnico 2 of the CreamGen. In opposite to the CreamGen, this pickup is really growly. A very open sounding pickup which gives you clarity even in high gain situations. But also if you play clean, this pickup gives you a nice and open, well-defined tone.
For me, this pickup is the optimal counterpart to the creamy CreamGen at neck position.
So as you could imagine, I highly recommend this pickups. They have a very good cost/performance ratio and are produced in very high quality. So if you are interested in very good custom pickups and the possibility of special customizing options, give leosounds a try.
A small sound sample
How do I create my Sound?
Hello everybody
I might not be the best guitarist in the world, I'm sure I'm not, but I want to give something back to the community of all the stuff I learned about playing the guitar and creating a good Sound.
My favored music style during the last few years was the Blues. So after I learned the whole Blues-Pentatonic and studied the different styles of my favorite players, I was more and more interested in creating my own Sound. Not that I'm finished with this task today, but I think that I am on a good way.
At home and at small gigs in tiny bars and pups I play over a modified cheap GA5 copy from the German online retailer Thomann. This was a really great investment, because for about €89 you receive a great platform which can be modded into a acceptable amplifier. I used the instructions from historiclespauls.com.
For overdrive and distortion I only use stompboxes, the amp is set clean. As you maybe recognized, I only play with little amounts of distortion. I love to play with the volume pot on my guitar, I love the dynamics which I'm able to receive. Going from clean to overdrive only with the volume pot of the guitar, that is what I always try to reach.
The Overdrive Pedals I use are the standard ones I would say. I'm using clones of a Mi Audio Crunchbox, Tubescreamer TS9 and a Zendrive. Always set with as less distortion as possible, but as much distortion as needed.
Behind the overdrive stompboxes I have a compressor and a boost pedal. The compressor is set about 1/3 of the possible compression and the booster is about a quarter. So I don't want that the dynamics are to much reduced by compression and the booster just has to increase the volume to bring the amp to its optimal working levels.
So let me say, I am really convinced that good sound is not a matter of money. You have to know what you want to reach, than you have to try as much equipment as possible and after a long journey through guitarist wonderland, you will achieve a sound that you like.
Happy New Year
Toneburner
I might not be the best guitarist in the world, I'm sure I'm not, but I want to give something back to the community of all the stuff I learned about playing the guitar and creating a good Sound.
My favored music style during the last few years was the Blues. So after I learned the whole Blues-Pentatonic and studied the different styles of my favorite players, I was more and more interested in creating my own Sound. Not that I'm finished with this task today, but I think that I am on a good way.
At home and at small gigs in tiny bars and pups I play over a modified cheap GA5 copy from the German online retailer Thomann. This was a really great investment, because for about €89 you receive a great platform which can be modded into a acceptable amplifier. I used the instructions from historiclespauls.com.
For overdrive and distortion I only use stompboxes, the amp is set clean. As you maybe recognized, I only play with little amounts of distortion. I love to play with the volume pot on my guitar, I love the dynamics which I'm able to receive. Going from clean to overdrive only with the volume pot of the guitar, that is what I always try to reach.
The Overdrive Pedals I use are the standard ones I would say. I'm using clones of a Mi Audio Crunchbox, Tubescreamer TS9 and a Zendrive. Always set with as less distortion as possible, but as much distortion as needed.
Behind the overdrive stompboxes I have a compressor and a boost pedal. The compressor is set about 1/3 of the possible compression and the booster is about a quarter. So I don't want that the dynamics are to much reduced by compression and the booster just has to increase the volume to bring the amp to its optimal working levels.
So let me say, I am really convinced that good sound is not a matter of money. You have to know what you want to reach, than you have to try as much equipment as possible and after a long journey through guitarist wonderland, you will achieve a sound that you like.
Happy New Year
Toneburner
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