music | Alt-Country.org

October 3, 2023September 29, 2023

Best Guitars to Play Country

Country music has a rich history that spans hundreds of years and heavily relies on guitar music. Deciding the appropriate guitar for this genre depends on a number of factors.

Fender Telecaster remains the go-to guitar for country songster songwriters today and was created by Leo Fender back in 1952. It remains one of the top choices amongst songwriters today.

Martin D-28

When it comes to guitars, there is no shortage of choices on the market. For country musicians specifically, however, an ideal instrument should fit with their style and personality perfectly – the easiest way to determine this is through playing several. Some guitars specifically tailored for country music players may help speed up this process considerably.

Are you searching for an acoustic guitar that will deliver classic country sounds? Look no further than the Martin D-28! This dreadnought-style instrument has long been considered the go-to standard among country guitarists, including Hank Williams Sr. The Martin D-28 boasts solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, Sitka spruce top, and mahogany neck for added durability and its balanced tonal response and excellent projection make it the ideal choice.

This instrument is an ideal option for beginner and intermediate country guitarists alike, while still meeting professional standards. Crafted with top-quality woods for durability and featuring multiple finishes to fit your unique aesthetic – you’re sure to find one that meets all of your musical needs at its affordable price point. Plus, with plenty of money leftover to add effects pedals for enhanced sound production!

Fender Stratocaster

The Fender Stratocaster (see price on Sweetwater or Amazon) is an ideal country guitar because of its versatile nature and ample tonal variation, easily plugging in with any amplifier and providing beginners with plenty of tonal variety at an extremely reasonable cost. Furthermore, its molded tremolo allows you to add expression into your playing.

The Gretsch Rancher Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (available on Sweetwater and Guitar Center) is another fantastic country guitar option due to its amazing wood combination and fantastic price point. Crafted with koa wood for an inimitable sound that stands out in live environments; plus its deep cutaway allows easy access to higher frets.

Those seeking something with more of a vintage vibe should check out the Gibson ES-175. Its sound makes it ideal for playing country music and its beautiful wood tone provides excellent durability.

Although not as versatile, the Fender Telecaster remains one of the top choices for playing country music due to its many tonal variations and ability to plug into any amp. Plus, it’s highly affordable and customizable easily according to individual preferences!

Squier Affinity

If you want to play country music, a great guitar option for this genre is the Squier Affinity. Designed with a large, dreadnought body to provide sound and depth essential for country, its spruce top adds another level of authenticity while its maple neck allows easy playability while remaining comfortable to hold.

The Affinity is an ideal guitar for beginners and experienced guitarists alike. Featuring an acoustic humbucking pickup that provides clear and bright tones suited for country music, its molded tremolo bridge adds versatility that makes this model suitable for multiple styles of music.

The Squier Affinity features an ergonomic C-shaped neck designed for all playing styles, with 21 medium jumbo frets on its Indian laurel fingerboard for chording and lead runs. Furthermore, this guitar is very affordable, making it a fantastic option for learning country music.

Gibson J-45

The Gibson J-45 is an outstanding workhorse acoustic guitar, boasting an exceptionally balanced tone suitable for fingerpicking or strumming, equally adept with fingerpicking as with strumming. Equally responsive to gentle touches or harsh attacks, its tone rings true whether played standard tuning or altered tunings like DADGAD and open G. At high volumes it remains in tune without bleeding into other instruments; making this guitar perfect for recording sessions or performing small venues with full bands.

Lightnin’ Hopkins and Woody Guthrie both used guitars extensively as country musicians; more recently it has also become increasingly popular with artists like Kacey Musgraves and Jeff Tweedy as well. Guitar is also an ideal choice for blues and folk music genres.

The J-45 has undergone many design modifications over time, yet its timeless combination of mahogany with spruce top and round shoulders remain unchanged. Gibson made major improvements during their turbulent ’60s production run when they introduced a belly bridge and altered its X-bracing pattern for increased sustain. Unfortunately sales began dwindling by 1982 until they eventually dropped it from their lineup completely – only recently did Gibson bring back this model, though sales began growing again by 2016. They revived it again in 2016 – their current production model boasts richer golden lower register performances compared with any other production models I’ve played before!

May 19, 2023May 19, 2023

The Best Guitars For Blues

person playing a guitar in the dark with a single spotlight

There are various guitars suitable for blues playing. These include Strats, Les Pauls and Telecasters; semi-hollow body guitars such as an Epiphone ES-335 may also prove effective; both BB King and Chuck Berry played this model of instrument regularly.

Selecting an instrument you feel most at ease playing will have a tremendous effect on the sound produced by your guitar! Choosing a suitable model will have a dramatic impact on its tone!

1. Fender Stratocaster

Ask non-musicians what comes to mind when they think of an electric guitar and most will answer with an image of a Fender Stratocaster. This iconic model has seen legendary guitarists like Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix use it, and artists from every genre since have found new sounds within its classic body shape.

A Stratocaster slices through band mixes like butter. Engineered for maximum playback over many hours of use, its precision engineering makes for an enjoyable playing experience and hours upon hours of fun!

The Player Strat features a solid alder body, with options to upgrade to Ash (which is often found on Telecasters). Furthermore, its rosewood neck and fretboard provide premium tonewood properties which help your strings resonate more clearly with clarity.

2. Gibson Les Paul

Gibson’s Les Paul has left an immense mark on music, and many consider it one of the greatest guitars ever crafted. Unfortunately, not all Les Paul models provide equal quality and tone.

Early Les Paul guitars typically featured a slab mahogany body with a carved maple top and two P-90 single coil pickups; modern models commonly feature humbuckers and come in an assortment of finishes.

Les Paul guitars generally feature maple necks with rosewood fingerboards. Some models feature fade-resistant “cherry” finishes while others boast traditional dark finishes. Although Les Pauls may be heavier than their counterparts, Gibson offers ultramodern weight relief models to combat this issue.

3. Fender Vintera

Fender’s Vintera series offers vintage vibes at significantly reduced costs. Each guitar is carefully designed to deliver period-correct tone with light nitrocellulose lacquer finishes, period-accurate neck profiles, fingerboard radiuses and controls as well as meticulously voiced pickups that deliver that twangy midrange and aggressive bass tones you expect from guitars from the 1950s, 1960s and ’70s.

Unplugged guitars boast bold projection and are a delight to play. While some players might object to its thicker Tele neck, its inherent stability provokes physical interaction among players as languid blues and rockabilly licks come pouring off like chicken on a fork.

4. Gibson S-200 T-Bird

The Guild S-200 T-Bird guitar is an ideal blues guitar as it offers an extensive variety of tones. Additionally, its narrow neck makes for comfortable play and its Ivorex II nuts and saddle ensure smooth intonation without issues; finally it features an automatic die-cast tuner so it stays tuned at all times.

The Epiphone Hummingbird takes its stylistic and tonal cues from its Gibson big brother. Featuring a solid flame maple body with Sitka spruce top for an earthy sound, and equipped with a Fishman pickup for simple tone control – its Lead/Rhythm switch also lets you toggle between single coil tone and standard humbucker configurations to play blues or rock music seamlessly.

5. Epiphone Les Paul

Epiphone guitars are widely favored among professional guitarists for their less stringent production processes and therefore more cost-effective price tag compared to Gibson Les Paul models.

Epiphone offers slightly cheaper maple bodies compared to Gibson’s more premium mahogany bodies; this small difference may have an indirect impact on tone.

Epiphone’s guitars employ polyurethane finishes instead of nitrocellulose finishes, which are more durable and easier to apply, making the instrument much more affordable for beginners and offering great value. Their new inspired by Gibson collection includes popular models such as the ES model, Flying V and Explorer for users to explore.

May 17, 2023January 4, 2024

A List of Great Tips for Better Singing

If you want to enhance your singing without straining your voice, try these easy strategies. For example, many singers tilt their chin forward or upward to sing with greater force; this may strain and distort their vowels’ sounds.

Additionally, drink plenty of water and herbal tea to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated will allow your vocal cords to remain lubricated so that you can sing long notes more clearly.

Stretch your mouth wide.

Singing can be a fantastic way to express yourself and connect with others, but singing well requires time, dedication, and practice.

One of the biggest mistakes singers make when singing is tightening their throat and shoulders, leading them to lose control of their vocal cords and, ultimately, their tone. For this reason, stretching is vital before beginning any singing session.

Start by humming or singing scales to warm up your voice, recording yourself, listening to the recording, and then reviewing it to hear how your voice sounds. This will allow you to identify any areas where tension exists and understand your range more clearly; this knowledge will enable you to perform higher notes without straining too much.

Breathe deeply.

You are breathing correctly when singing can give your performance more power and enable you to hit higher notes without strain.

Make sure that when breathing, you use your diaphragm (a muscle located between your lungs and stomach). This will give your singing the maximum amount of power!

Another effective exercise is doing a deep yawn; this will relax all of the muscles surrounding your throat and larynx, helping you quickly hit those higher notes. Singers tend to tighten these muscles quickly when reaching for higher notes. Stretch regularly and drink plenty of water, as this will keep them relaxed. Recording yourself can also provide insight into areas in need of improvement.

Keep your mouth open.

Maintaining an open jaw can assist a singer with everything from breath support to tone. Therefore, practising keeping it wide (think yawning) across all vowels and sounds will get the muscles used to the new movement, and soon it will become part of their singing technique.

Singers must listen to themselves. Doing this helps ensure that any bad habits are identified early and developed into healthy techniques. In addition, recording yourself can provide a clear view of what your singing sounds like. By paying attention and making changes accordingly, singers can improve their singing by spending less time on bad habits, which inevitably vanish over time and leave behind only strong and healthy vocal cords.

Keep your head up.

The voice is an incredible instrument, yet proper technique must be utilised. Unfortunately, singers frequently make mistakes that damage or restrict their range due to tension in their neck, shoulder, and jaw muscles.

Maintaining loose and relaxed muscles is the key to finding that sweet spot of singing without straining. To do this, engage in exercises targeting your tongue, throat, and larynx muscles.

Practice makes perfect, so set a schedule and stick to it! Be patient, as the process can take time. Every singer’s voice varies differently, and that’s completely fine; all voices can be beautiful in their ways!

Don’t push your voice.

Over-training your voice can cause it to fatigue and lose flexibility, becoming stiff and potentially causing pain to your vocal cords. Over time, this trend may even lead to permanent damage to the vocal lines.

Avoid this by being gentle with your vocal cords by only singing at an intensity you can sustain comfortably for short durations and practising gradually varying the volume of your voice so that it projects without straining.

Try a volume exercise to make an SS sound quiet before gradually increasing its volume. This will help you maintain an upright posture and deep breathing from your diaphragm and stay hydrated during rehearsals or performances. Be sure to drink plenty of water beforehand.

Stay hydrated.

Drinking water isn’t only good practice but an indispensable vocal singing weapon. Water helps thin mucus and lubricate vocal cords, which is essential to healthy vocal singing voices. Avoid carbonated beverages before singing, as these may cause bloating and throat irritation; opt for room temperature or slightly chilled water instead.

Staying hydrated is critical in all areas of life, but it is especially essential when performing. Singing puts immense strain on the vocal cords; being dehydrated could result in phlegm buildup, damaging your voice and making switching between chest and head voices difficult.

To avoid this, sigh on a descending note after every performance and allow yourself enough time to relax and wind down afterwards. In addition, a few simple warm-up exercises like these will ensure your voice performs at its optimal best!

Listen to yourself.

As a beginner singer, it can be challenging to know how your voice sounds when singing, so recording yourself and playing back your recordings will help identify strengths and weaknesses in your voice.

To do this, record yourself singing along to a familiar tune and analyse it later to pinpoint areas where improvement is needed.

After each of your singing lessons in Glasgow, after each practice session, or performance, taking some time out for self-care is wise. For example, hum some lower notes or slide from your highest to your most down message to relax the throat and avoid overexerting yourself vocally and risking injury; doing this will also prevent straining of the voice, which could result in strain and unpleasant-sounding singing.

October 21, 2022October 21, 2022

Popular Types of Music Played at an Edinburgh nightclub

You may be wondering which types of music are popularly played in an Edinburgh nightclub. These genres include House, Electronic dance music, and Hip Hop, to name a few. Fortunately, there are many choices in each of these genres, so you’re sure to find something that suits your taste, whether young or old.

A nightclub is where people can go dancing the night away. It’s also a place that caters to specific types of music and themes. If you love dancing or want to learn how working in a nightclub might be your dream job.

Popular types of music played at nightclubs

From bro house to trap, nightclubs have become more than just a place for people to go and dance. They’ve become an institution that caters to the diverse musical tastes of their patrons.
Since there are so many different types of music out there, it makes sense that there are also different genres of music played in nightclubs based on these genres. We’ll be focusing on some of the most popular types of music played at nightlife establishments around the world.
From R&B to EDM, the following article covers some of the most common types of music played in nightclubs.

Hip Hop

Hip Hop is a popular music genre developed initially in the Southern part of the United States. The genre has since made its way into the mainstream as part of electronic dance music.

The emergence of rapping marked the genre’s early evolution. In the 1970s, the New York Times dubbed Philadelphia the “Graffiti Capital of the World”. DJ Lady B was the first female solo hip-hop artist, recording her hit “To the Beat Y’All” in 1979. Another MC team, Schoolly D, introduced the gangsta rap style to the nightlife scene.

House

House music began as the music of the disco era. However, it became prominent in the 1970s when the Chicago nightclub “The Warehouse” opened in 1977. The Warehouse was the birthplace of house music, with DJ Frankie Knuckles as its first musical director. The club attracted a predominantly gay, black, and Latino crowd, who danced to house-influenced tunes.

House music grew in popularity in Chicago during the 1980s. It was pioneered by Black American DJs who had a passion for synthesizers, particularly those from Roland and Korg. Some of these pioneers were Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles. Screamin Rachael, another Chicago DJ, helped start the influential house label Trax Records. She was also involved in the burgeoning punk scene and helped create the sound of industrial music.

Electronic dance music

Electronic dance music (EDM) is a music genre primarily intended for dancing. A repetitive beat and synthesized backtrack characterize its sound. Different types of music have their origins and influences. Various cultural factors often influence their styles, including traditions, hustles, and musical instruments. These styles also have varying periods of popularity. Some types have a worldwide following, while others are only found in certain countries and societies.

The popularity of electronic dance music in the United States grew in the second half of the 2000s. The genre had previously carved out a small beachhead in the country. However, the growth of the Internet made it easier for people to listen to music that had previously been unheard of. In addition, dance-music production techniques were becoming increasingly common in mainstream genres such as hip-hop and pop.

Easy listening

The easy-listening genre is a popular choice for many nightclubs. It is characterized by its mellow tones and a retro or ’space age’ theme. Beautiful instrumentals often accompany this music. It may include chillout and downtempo influences, as well as modern electronica. The goal is to provide an experience that evokes a relaxing, nostalgic mood.

Rhythm and blues

Rhythm and blues are forms of popular music that originated in Africa and later spread to the United States. This genre was made famous by black musicians of African descent. It combines the sounds of jazz, blues, and pop. The term was coined in 1947 by Jerry Wexler, the editor of the trade journal Billboard. At the time, some record companies considered the term demeaning and changed the name. However, the term had already been used in articles and news for two years.

October 19, 2020February 23, 2022

Brass Band Instruments

A brass band instrument is an extremely versatile musical instrument that makes musical sounds by the vibration of air with a tubular resonant resonator, in accordance with the sound of the player’s lips. Brass band instruments are sometimes called Labrosones, labros and labrosos in Latin and Greek terms, alluding to the lip and mouth parts.

Brass bands, which are normally played in Latin America and Europe, are considered one of the oldest instruments ever used in music. There are three basic types of brass band instruments, all of which use a brass tube, a bell and a wind reed. These instruments are:

Different Types Of Brass Band Instruments

Bell Wind Reed – This brass band is most commonly used in flamenco music. The bell is fixed in the middle of a bell-shaped tube, and the bell ends are attached to the end of the tube. The bell will vibrate to produce a musical note when played by the player. It is a fairly common type of the brass band instruments.

Tubular Wind Reed – This is a type of brass band that is fixed on a large bell-shaped tube, that has a bell end mounted on it as well. The reeds or windings are fixed on either side of the bell, so when the bell is struck, the windings will vibrate to make a series of notes. It is used in many kinds of music ranging from classical to jazz. This particular type of brass is very popular and common. The downside of this particular type of brass is that it is extremely loud, so if you plan on playing in an enclosed area, it might not be a good choice.

Wind Reeds – This brass instrument includes a bell reed on its tube that has a wind coming from it which vibrates as the bell is struck. The reed will make notes as the bell is struck. Many brass wind instruments have a bell end mounted on them that makes different notes as they are struck.

Summary

Brass band instruments have been around for thousands of years and they were once mainly used as trumpets in marches, military bands and marching bands. But today they have come to be used in many other types of music and are found in many types of instruments such as saxophone, violin, piano, and even drums. They can be found in most styles of music. Brass instruments have a distinctive sound, and it is often very difficult to reproduce in other instruments due to their unique sound quality.

September 17, 2020September 17, 2020

Learning The Banjo

Learning the banjo can be a bit challenging at times, especially if you’re just getting started. Some of the most common errors that people make when learning to play the banjo include choosing the wrong type of guitar, picking up incorrect techniques and playing songs incorrectly. The first thing that you should do when trying to learn the banjo is choose a suitable guitar – one that suits your level of learning and that you like to play. It’s important that you pick a good quality guitar so that it doesn’t become too uncomfortable as you progress with your learning.

If you’re just starting out in your learning process there’s no need to buy a very expensive guitar (although you may want to for a few basic beginner’s lesson), but you can purchase a cheap guitar which is of a similar construction and sound to a more expensive one and still be able to learn to play the banjo. Other things that you should consider when learning the banjo are choosing a suitable banjo bridge and tuning the guitar correctly. These things can be done at home or with the aid of a learning aid such as a DVD or video.

It’s important that you practice all the different types of techniques that you learn from your learning material, such as picking and strumming methods. The learning materials will teach you how to play each technique and these will provide you with a base to build on. It’s also a great idea to learn some tunes on the guitar before you start to try and learn the more difficult songs. When you’ve picked up a few songs that you love to play you’ll be able to try and play some of these songs with your own version and have learnt something new when it comes to your playing techniques!

September 10, 2020

Learning an Instrument

The many benefits of learning to play an instrument are almost endless. While learning to play an instrument is a beneficial activity for everyone, there are certain learning styles that you may want to consider when it comes to the development of your musical skills. The best benefits of learning to play an instrument are usually obtained when you learn early on and playing a musical instrument can really improve the human brain at all stages of life. Brain scans show that a player who learns an instrument early in life actually has a different brain structure compared to a non-player.

Musical instruments are also helpful in the formation of musical memory, which is important to the musician’s memory. The human brain requires memory in order to perform tasks. A person who has the ability to remember something is also able to keep track of that thing, whether it is a song from a songbook, or the notes for a song. Playing an instrument can help you remember more and better, and it is a great way for developing your memory.

Finally, playing a good instrument can be a great way to improve your coordination and strength. Musicians often have a natural aptitude for rhythm, timing, and dexterity. This is why many people who are talented musicians often have to practice very hard to improve their craft. If you have ever played an instrument and found yourself having some trouble holding down a steady rhythm or were having trouble putting a note together, you may find that your coordination is improved greatly after a few sessions of learning to play an instrument.

May 6, 2020March 12, 2021

Basement Conversion Perfect For Bands

We get a lot of great emails from country fans all over the country showing us their jam sessions, telling us what they are up to, and giving us anything to do with music, country and the arts. We absolutely love everyone’s messages, pictures and videos, and we are hoping to put together a new show reel for our website, showcasing all the great country lovers out there. People are jamming out in their basements with a basement conversion, their garages, their bedroom, and even out in the streets. We love country music here, and we are so glad to have an amazing community of people that feel the same way. This post will talk about some of the great places that you can jam out with your friends and play great music all day long.

Option 1 – The Basement Conversion

A basement conversion may seem like the classic band environment, and that is because it is! For years bands have been playing in basements, and some of the best artists started out making noise in their parent basement, usually because this was the only place that they were allowed to do it. Basements are below ground so they insulate a lot of noise, and they also give you a good degree of privacy which can be good when you are starting out on your musical journey. Oh, and basements are cool, which is great when you are inviting friends (and girls) round to hang out.

Option 2 – The Garage

Some of the best bands were started in garages, there’s just something about them clearly nutures creativity. Many people have said that they used to live on the street as a famous musician, and could hear them perfecting their craft in the garage. Garages are a nice square place that perhaps don’t isolate sound quite as well as the basement, but they still keep noise levels down from the rest of the house since they are usually concreted. They bring privacy as well, and they are a good social space for having people round and banging out tunes.

Option 3 – The Bedroom Jam

Very popular amongst solo artists and smaller groups, since you don’t really have to worry as much about getting everyone in. Bedrooms are great space, however it might be a bit limiting at times. There is a reason why most people have a designated practise area, and that is because they can get into the creative zone. A bedroom is a place to relax, sleep and recharge your batteries, not exactly what an artist should be doing. But having said that, lots of people create music all the time in their bedroom, it simply depends on your work habits.

Option 4 – The Doorway

People might read this and think, what the heck? Playing out through an open doorway for the rest of the world to hear can really help you overcome stage fright and gauge people’s reactions. When you take your music out of the confines of your practise area and share it with others, it can really let you know how well it sounds and what others think.

March 19, 2020May 11, 2021

VHS to DVD Let Us Share Our Old Gigs

This is a special guest article written by country music veteran Dan Smith. Dan has played in the country band outfit ‘Leather Tone’ for over 30 years, touring all over America, and even a few locations in Europe and Australia. They rose up through the ranks during the golden era of country music during the early 90s, and toured successfully all through the 90s and early 2000s. The band still plays a few shows every year, however they are more casual these days. He reached out to us to share his story of how he converted his old bands footage from VHS to DVD, and was able to share this iconic footage with the world.

The VHS to DVD Story

I was in my mid 20s when the band started gaining a bit of traction. What started out as just me and my brother and our friend Steve Muska jamming away in the garage quite quickly snowballed into us being asked to play some of the biggest festivals of the year. My brother Tommy and I were always the driving force behind the band, and although at the time we were doing it purely out of the love for the music, none of us really expected it to turn into a music career. But that is exactly what happened, and along the way we encountered all manner of people looking to support the band. One of these such people was Billy Kelly, a complete eccentric who loved making films and documentaries. He asked if he could follow us on our tours, and we gladly accepted, so for the next 2 or 3 years Billy essentially became part of the band. He filmed everything, and little did we know that we would be looking for VHS to DVD conversion services years later.

Billy the Kid

Billy would get all up in our faces, get in the way of stage crews, even knock things over, all just to get that perfect shot that he was looking for. He shot on what was at the time a state of the art camera, that recorded onto little cassettes that he would take home after the shows and edit through to make into mini movies. My memory is certainly a little fuzzy, but he would turn up every now and then with a finished tape of a particular show or festival. We watched them at the time, and I think our promoter ended up with most of them sitting in a box in his office. They were given to my brother and I in the 2000s, and would not be resurrected for another 10-15 years.

Digitising the Tapes

When we got those digital copies of the tapes, it was like discovering a time capsule. ‘We all look so young!’ exclaimed my brother Tommy. We could now relive all these magical moments, but more importantly, we could share them with the community, and people were overjoyed to see all those great old concerts in action.

March 19, 2020March 19, 2020

The Country Music Revival

Country music is popular in many parts of the world. It is great for the summer, if you are visiting a tropical country, or even cooler climates.

There are many songs that have become classics. There are a few styles of country music, but the most famous is usually old fashioned country. Old-time Western style music has many fans. It also has some influenced rock & roll music, such as the “Rocky” movies and Jim Reeves.

Another popular genre is country style music that is traditional, as it was back in the early days of the United States. It is very traditional with different musical styles being used. It sounds different from the popular music styles of today.

Country music has merged with the digital age, and can now be downloaded from anywhere in the world, further increasing its popularity.

Download sites are common on the Internet. In some cases, these sites will allow you to “rent” these tracks for a certain amount of time. It depends on what sites you visit. This is common in any type of media streaming and is very inexpensive.

The best way to find and download sites is to do a search on Google. Click on the Internet “video” icon and choose “audio streaming sites.” Now you can find all the audio streaming sites in one place.

You might also try to find download sites that offer membership. It is similar to a magazine subscription. You sign up and use a credit card. The membership is like a monthly payment for music downloads.

Music can bring a person back to childhood. Many music lovers come back to this wonderful style of music. Try to come back to the early times of the old songs.