No. 224, August 2011
On the Cover: Steve Earle. On the heels of a new album and book, the renegade songwriter ruminates on tenor guitars, rosewood necks, and why a sense of his own mortality has informed his latest work.
Songs:
- Lou Reed – "Pale Blue Eyes"
- Children's Classic – "Frog Went A Courtin'"
- Classic Fiddle Tune – "St. Anne’s Reel"
Features: Guitar Inlay. How master craftsmen turn guitars into visual art; All About Brazilian Rosewood. A look at Brazilian rosewood’s history in guitar making and the difficulties of traveling and building with it today; The Low Anthem. The Rhode Island quartet creates subtle acoustic music that mines folk, blues, and country; Digital Royalties. How to get paid when your music is played online; Sound Enhancers. How devices such as the tornavoz, Virzi Tone Producer, and O-Port are used to enrich an instrument’s acoustic tone.
Lessons:
- Blues in Dropped D Lesson. Tim Sparks demonstrates his approach to fingerstyle improvising and a variety of blues grooves.
- Practicing with a Metronome. Learn to tap, clap, strum, and pluck in time.
- Five-String Partial Capo Lesson. Experiment with the possibilities of playing with just one uncapoed string.
Gear Reviews:
- Gibson Jackson Browne Signature
- Wechter TO-8418
- Shadow Nanoflex 6/SH 4020
