I found this sweet little tool today available for iPhone owners.
Play guitar on your iPhone
Portable guitar = … acoustic guitar? Nope. This is the virtual guitar tool/game for iPhone, Pocketguitar. The virtual iPhone instrument allows you to finger chords on the top of the screen while strumming on the bottom to play notes. Not only is this a blast in itself, but you may be happy to know that you can play along with music saved on your iPhone.
You can download Pocketguitar for the iPhone and iPod touch on ModMyiFone.com.
#--------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------#
# This file is the author's own work and represents their
# interpretation of the song. You may only use this file for
# private study, scholarship, or research.
#--------------------------------------------------------------#
Artist: The Decemberists
Album: Picaresque
Song: 16 Military Wives
Main contributor: Andy Bouwman (marpocky@hotmail.com)
(Intro:)
E
E G
Sixteen military wives
A E
Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes
G
Staring at the national ten
A E
Thirty-two gently clutching wrinkled little hands
A B
Seventeen company men
C#m D A
Out of which only twelve will make it back again
E G
Sergeant sends a letter to five
A E
Military wives as tears drip down from ten little eyes
B
Cheer them onto their rivals
A E
Cause America can
A E B
And America can't say no
A E
And America does
A E B
If America says it's so
It's so
F#m A
And the anchorperson on TV
E
Goes la de da de da
E G
Fifteen celebrity minds
A E
Leading their fifteen sordid wretched checkered lives
E G
Will they find the solution in time
A E
Using their fifteen pristine moderate liberal minds
A B
Eighteen academy chairs
C#m D A
Out of which only seven really even care
E G
Doling out a garland to five
A E
Celebrity minds, they're humbly taken by surprise
B
Cheer them onto their rivals
A E
Cause America can
A E B
And America can't say no
A E
And America does
A E B
If America says it's so
It's so
F#m A
And the anchorperson on TV
E
Goes la de da de da de dade dade da
La de da de da de dade dade da
(Interlude:)
E G A E
E G A E
A B
Fourteen cannibal kings
C#m D A
Wondering blithely what the dinner bell will bring
E G
Fifteen celebrity minds
A E
Served on a leafy bed of sixteen military wives
B
Cheer them onto their rivals
A E
Cause America can
A E B
And America can't say no
A E
And America does
A E B
If America says it's so
It's so
F#m A
And the anchorperson on TV
E
Goes la de da de da de dade dade da
La de da de da de dade dade da
La de da de da de dade dade
Da de da de da de dade dade
Da de da de da de dade dade da (Woo!)
(Outro:)
E G A E
E G A E
E G A E
The guitar mastercraft and founder of Dean Guitars has announced that he will be leaving the company, Dean Guitars.
Dean Zelinsky founded the company in 1976. Dean Guitars became known for their high-end stage-worthy instruments such as ZZ Top’s fur guitars and Dimebag Darrell’s ML design. Zelinsky sold the company in 1991, only to partner up with the company again in 2000.
Zelinsky commented, “I wanted to get back to what put Dean on the map originally — building high-quality instruments that shape both the image and tone of guitar players, from the beginner to world-class professionals.” … “I can no longer attach my name to the reputation, quality and direction of Dean Guitars or its current objectives.”
Other noteable bands that have relied on the Dean guitar brand include Pantera, Megadeth, Mountain, Nine Inch Nails, The Cars, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Sammy Hagar, Kansas, the Doobie Brothers, and Heart.
Last year I started exploring some different options in guitar amplifiers. As a personal fan of Orange Amps, I was very intrigued by their “Crush” amp line. So I picked up the Orange Micro Crush, the smallest of the Crush family (and one of the smallest amps that I have ever seen).
This tiny terror measures 14.5 x 14.5 x 8 cm, small enough to stash in your backpack or strap to your belt. The Orange Micro Crush looks just as cool as the rest of the Orange products, including the Orange basket weave tolex, woven speaker grille, and signature “picture frame” edging in the design.
I purchased mine for a little under $60, a reasonable price for a portable amp. The price is even more justified by the face that the Micro Crush doubles as a guitar tuner, with an easy-to-use LED tuning system. Unfortunately, the tuner is pretty lacking. The system only tells you A) what note you are playing and B) if you are flat, sharp, or in-tune. Alas, the flat/sharp LEDs are not very precise, so I still prefer to use my regular digital-needle tuner.
Another highlight of the Micro Crush amp is the Overdrive function. The overdrive is decent, and definitely offers some crunchy distortion. And for portability’s sake, it’s nice to have this built in. The overdrive switch was the biggest complaint that I heard about the amp before I bought it. But I can honestly say now, that I don’t have any problem with it. The overdrive isn’t amazing, but for portability’s sake, it’s a damn nice feature to have.
The amp also includes a volume nob, tone nob, headphone out, and uses 9 volt batteries. The amp also supports a DV power cord, which unfortunately is not included with the amp. I would either suggest investing in rechargeable 9v batteries or purchasing a power cord, because you WILL be burning through a lot of the disposables.
If you are looking for a decent tuner, you would be better off spending 15 bucks on a digital one. If you are looking for a plug in-in amp, you would be better off looking at the rest of Orange Amps’ line. But if you’re looking for something portable, that you can use to rock out in the park with, then this is a must buy.
So when a man loves his guitar… Well you see… there are birds… and there are frets… Ah! Screw it. You’ve been playing long enough, it’s time that you learn about guitar sex! This term refers to the process in which two guitarists face each other on stage, and have their own jam sess/duet.
To have guitar sex, you will need a partner. Gender does not matter. Nor does the size of your axe, regardless of what you hear on the TV. Step one in having guitar sex: stand facing your partner with your guitar approx. one foot away from the opposite guitar. Step two, rock until you and your partner achieve guitargasm. Enjoy!
Not only has this guy created the largest Flying V electric solid body guitar known to man, but it’s actually playable! Ralph Ciociano of Port Jefferson, New York’s Guitar Shack has created one big ass guitar.
The massive guitar is modeled after the 1950′s Gibson Flying V. The final product took six months to complete, and is credited as being the largest playable guitar in the world. Check out the video of Ciociano jamming below.
“Take me out the the ball game” on the giant Flying V guitar
In fact, if you’re ever in the New York City area, more specifically Times Square, you may even catch sight of this dude in person. Ciociano enjoys shredding on the giant hand-built replica among passing tourists.
Some philosophers have theorized that humans are subjected to a mask of ideology. Karl Marx believed that capitalist economics was masking our true, socialist nature. Sigmund Freud believed that society was masking our real, animalist motives. I have a new – and dare I say, more important – theory conclusion about human nature. The conclusion: everyone really just wants to be a rockstar. Everything else, is bullshit. Here’s how to unleash your inner rockstar psyche.
1. Get some gear
To be a rockstar, you need some gear. A guitar is the easiest choice. But honestly, anything will do, as long as you hook it up to an amp. Which brings me to the second item: an amp. You don’t need anything big or fancy. In fact, if you want to acoustic-it-up, that would be just as acceptable. But nonetheless, amps can do you some justice.
2. Walk the walk
If you want to unleash your inner rockstar, you need to start thinking one. Now, don’t get ahead of me here. No need to go poking needles in your arm and sleeping with mobs of young women. But as Keith Richards said, “if you’re going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use two feet.” Be a little reckless.
3. Look the smell
The rule of thumbs about dressing like a rockstar:
Be unique. And not like the kind of unique that teachers told you to aspire to be in school. I mean, full on, you-will-get-attention unique. If people aren’t offended by what you’re wearing, you’re doing it wrong. Goodwill is a great store to load up on rockstar attire.
4. Go out side
This is the MOST important step. If you stay locked up in your room with your guitar, you will never be a rockstar. The idolized status requires letting go of social anxiety. Play for the people. It doesn’t matter how horrible you think you are. Make people listen!
There you have it. Now go out and destroy that mask of conformity!
