There’s really nothing quite like a vintage Gibson guitar, and of course, all the other makes too, but there is no question that the new ones being made have in a lot of ways finally re-captured the sensibility that made the old ones so great. It’s true that there is a great deal of consistency in the guitars that have been perfected for today, but one thing that cannot be built in is the kind of vibe and patina that only an old vintage instrument can possess!

I cannot stress enough just how important finger-style guitar is to developing your true overall approach to the guitar. If I didn’t play with my fingers in addition to using the pick, I would certainly feel like I only had a “half” ability on the instrument. More than that, finger-style is the only true way you can really “control” the 6 strings of your instrument. The blocking, dampening, muting and overall touch you get in this way totally helps define your tone in a much more complete way than just using a flatpick.

This seems to be a constant predicament for many guitar players over long stretches of time, and for many it can sometimes feel as if there is just nowhere left to go that is “new” on the fret board. Of course, there is nothing further from the truth, and of course, you know it! In fact, it’s the very fact that you do know there’s an answer but can’t find it that makes it doubly frustrating for the guitarist!

Above all, the most identifiable and memorable times within your playing are when you can truly use “taste and restraint” to your favor. Many of us learn to play, and want to play fast, but I tell many students to not also try to be all about speed. Speed is important of course, and any one of us who plays notes would also love the ability to play them at an impressive, lightning fast clip. The problem is, “what happens when we simply want to slow things down, and be more tasteful?”

Well, last week we all gathered to celebrate yet again, the 2nd release of the Les Paul Tribute album, only this time on VINYL! It was a star-studded event, and me and my daughter Lexie got to play and sing our tracks from the album, “Vaya Con Dios” and “Mr. Sandman.”

It really is true that each student one can have is a real blessing! I have found that not only have I made some of the greatest friends I’ve ever had through teaching them, but also the very act of teaching has done more to teach me than anyone else!

Sometimes we all end up doing some gigs that we may not necessarily really want to do, but we end up with a sense of “having” to do it! This occurs very often when friends or family ask us to do them certain gigs as “favors.” It is amazing how these gigs can come about, and sometimes for me there have been some really funny circumstances!

When you want to first get together with some friends and really start a band for yourselves, you’ll find this to be a very exciting time! The early and formative days of anyone’s life in music can be a time when great memories are made, and when anything is possible. The feeling you get is basically like you can “rule the world” and that nothing will stop you or slow you down!

As players, appreciators and as collectors, we all must admit that in many ways, every single guitar has a story to tell. In fact, the ones that don’t somehow seem far less interesting, and as we all know, the guitars that seem to acquire the most “mojo” are really the best ones anyway, and they seem to have more “soul”, in a guitar kind of way!

I’m sure many of you have already recorded albums, or at least have plans to eventually do so, and I hope this blog can offer you some tips and some help in achieving the best recording you can. These last few months I have been involved a great deal in recording my latest album, a “Slide Guitar Summit”, and there have been countless decisions made over the course of the recording to make improvements, and to affect its ultimate outcome.