Music

Music

3 Steps to Choosing the Ideal Guitar Pedal

September 2, 2024 — by Richard Dawson

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There’s no doubt the guitar is an instrument that provides you with a huge opportunity for creative expression. However, if you truly want to see what you can accomplish as a guitarist, following the footsteps of some of the greats, then you ought to give the pedal accessories a chance. Mind you, these are not just any accessories – think of them as tools that can assist you with shaping the sound of music your guitar produces.

Whether it’s crafting a range of interesting tones that aren’t your typical, or playing with textures and atmospheres, guitarists have used these essential tools to their advantage, which is one reason why you should give them a try too. Ideal for recordings as much as live performances, the premium quality pedals for guitars are exactly what you need to take your guitar music journey to the next level.

Sure, beginners may not require them to master the skill right away, but having one can certainly be of assistance in establishing one’s own style, and signature tone, offering the chance to experiment with adding some effects of distortion and modulation, depth and variety to an otherwise simpler result. Whether for recreating tones of the past, or creating your own modern music, the positive role pedals have is evident.

Music

Step Up Your Riff Game: Your Guide to All Things Guitar

April 30, 2024 — by Richard Dawson

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Whether you’re a seasoned musician with calloused fingertips or a complete beginner just strumming your first chords, venturing into the world of guitars is an exciting journey. This versatile instrument allows you to express yourself creatively and explore a vast musical landscape. But before you dive headfirst into power chords and solos, it’s crucial to understand the guitar’s anatomy and the essential components that bring your music to life.

Music

Kitchen Upgrade: Steps to Choosing the Right Cabinet Knobs

January 16, 2024 — by Valeriya Vimon

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As the saying goes, beauty is in the details. Often, we forget how true this statement can be. Take home décor as an example – it’s common for people to focus on the big details at the expense of the small ones. How often is it that you can remember doing this yourself? Perhaps more frequently than you’re willing to admit.

And that’s the beauty of small stuff – you don’t get to spend as much as with the big, yet they can still carry as much functionality and aesthetic appeal as the big counterparts. Something as small as sleek and easy-to-care-for cupboard knobs can be as significant as that gorgeous table set you’ve been eyeing or those brand-new kitchen appliances with all the right features.

Music

A Guide to Ibanez Bass Guitars: Where Precision Meets Perfection

May 15, 2023 — by Richard Dawson

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To a musician, the construction and design of a bass guitar can make or break its playability and sound quality. There’s nothing more disappointing than buying a guitar only to realise it doesn’t quite live up to your expectations or deliver the sound you had in mind.

Of course, this can be influenced by certain components – such as the electric strings, pickups and soundboard. But as a whole, the construction and design of a certain bass guitar can significantly affect the way it plays and sounds. This is why so many bassists turn to Ibanez guitars because each model is born from precision engineering to ensure each instrument delivers superior sound quality and playability.

Music

3 Steps to Perfecting Your Sound with a Compression Guitar Pedal

December 14, 2018 — by Richard Dawson

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If there’s one type of pedal that many guitar players are unsure how to use, it’s the compression pedal. This type of pedal is usually associated with snappy country licks, chicken picking, funk rhythms and clean, sustained leads. Although most guitar players might not use these sounds very often, it doesn’t mean that they can’t benefit from a compressor pedal.

In fact, producing unique sound effects isn’t the main purpose of compression guitar pedals. As the name suggests, these pedals compress the dynamic range of the guitar – making softer parts louder, and louder parts softer. As a result, the player can deliver a smoother sound with a consistent overall loudness and free of any distracting spikes or lows. With that being said, depending on your aim, there are a few ways you can use a compressor.

On All the Time

Some players prefer to have their compression guitar pedals on all the time in order to have a greater control over the tone. This way, even if you aren’t able to stay consistent with your pick strikes, the compressor can even out the dynamics for you. Because of this, keeping the compressor on is usually recommended when playing tight, highly rhythmic funk. If you want to try using the compressor this way, start with a low level of compression and turn it up gradually to discover which level works best for you.

On During Clean Sounds

Turning the compressor on when playing clean sounds helps to prevent any high spikes in volume that sound jarring during a live performance. A live guitar playing a compressed clean tone can fit better with the rest of the band. For a perfectly clean tone, a high compression will help you achieve it. On the other hand, if you want some smoothness in your clean tone, a more subtle compression will work better. Whenever you switch from a clean tone to a drive sound, you can turn the compressor off as the drive can somewhat compress the sound on its own.

As an Effect

Compression guitar pedals aren’t able to produce dramatic effects like some pedals do, however, they can still give your sound some variety. The idea is to use the compressor whenever you want to give your tone more sustain or thicken it up. This effect is best used for transitions, like for instance when you go into a harmony section with another guitarist, when you want to switch from a driven rhythm tone to a driven lead tone, or when you want to change the feel of a clean tone. Feel free to experiment on using the compressor in different times to see how it affects your performance.