5 Of the Best Movie Cameo Characters

Great movies need great characters but really great movies often end up with so many excellent characters that there isn't enough time to cram them all in. This ends up making the character who is only seen briefly seem even cooler than they are. Case in point.
Boba Fett:
Most movie goers got their first sight of Boba Fett when the Empire Strikes Back hit the cinemas. The movie was crammed full of fantastic characters including Darth Vader, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker and the Emperor to name a few. Boba Fett plays a crucial but short role in the movie. He is employed by Vader to track Han Solo for the Empire. The appeal of Boba Fett comes down to a couple of things. He looks incredibly cool, he doesn't say much and he has an air of mystery about him. It helps that he has one of the coolest spaceships ever seen too. Since then his popularity ensured that he featured in Attack of the Clones, the Clone Wars cartoon and many extended universe books.
Ravage:
In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen there are a lot of fan favourite Transformers added to the mix. One such is Ravage who is first seen been blasted onto Earth by Soundwave. No one seemed to notice how cool that and many other scenes in the film are and instead choose to focus on the twins instead. Ravage is a big robot cat with big guns on his back. What's not to like. He is later seen in the movie having an almighty fight with Bumblebee who sadly rips him apart.
Collosus:
The X-Men suffers from the too many great characters problems. In X2 there are a fair few more mutants added to the mix and we get a tantalising glimpse of Piotr Nicolivitch AKA Collosus. Collosus is an X-Man whos skin can turn into metal. He offers to help Wolverine in fighting the bad guys off. What does Logan do, tells him to take his help and shove it doing us out of an awesome action scene in the process.
Sauron:
Since Sauron in the Lord of the Rings is the main bad guy it's pretty odd that we only see him during the first ten minutes of the Fellowship of the Ring. When we do see him he's awesome, cutting through swathes of soldiers like a deranged Darth Vader. Sauron is such a threat to the rest of the characters in the Lord of the Rings that he can't be let near them.

Proper Clapboard Use

The clapboard is also known as a clapstick, sound stick or movie slate board. I've been on two television shoots recently for national, professional productions where the crew did not use the clapboard properly.
There are many types of clapboards. Some are made of blackboard material, some are wipe boards and some are digital. The iPad has a clapboard app that I don't like very much. Most boards have a place where you can write in information about the production or takes. It is common to see spaces that allow the user to add the name of the project, the take number, the scene name and some crew names. I particularly like the digital ones that allow you to jam sync time code to each camera.
By far, the most important role of the clapboard is to allow the footage from each camera on a multi-camera shoot to be easily synced up in the edit room. The loud "clap" sound that is made when the stick slams against the board creates a visual waveform on the audio line of the editing system. This allows the editor to easily line up all of the footage saving both time and money. In order for this to really work, ALL CAMERAS must simultaneously shoot the clapboard when it makes the "clap" sound. If you find yourself without a clapboard, you can just clap your hands together or slap a clipboard loudly. As long as it makes a loud, sharp noise and all of the cameras are rolling on it at the same time, it will work. If you need to "slate" the shot, in other words, share the written information on the clip board, you can verbally say whatever information needs to go with the take.
One common mistake is just showing one camera the clapboard. Although each camera can hear the "clap" sound, seeing the visual of the stick hit the board on each piece of footage can really speed things up in edit. Another mistake is clapping the board to each camera individually. I'm not sure what that is supposed to accomplish. I supposed if the clapboard has digital time code, it could help line up the footage with a little trial and error but you will still miss that synchronized "clap." Either way, you end up frustrating your editor more than anything. A frustrated editor is not creative nor very fun.
A word about the iPad clapboard app. It doesn't work very well for two reasons. One, to make the clap sound, you have to push a little button. By doing so, you cover up the iPad screen which takes away your visual. Two, the clap just isn't that loud. Sometimes there can be too much technology. An old-fashioned hand clap works much better.
In some instances when the cameras are in shooting position, they are unable to see the clapboard at the same time. For instance, one camera may be shooting an arrival from outside a house and one from inside the house. In that case, bring the cameras together, start rolling and "clap" the clapboard. Then move back into position while the cameras are still rolling. When all else fails, do the best you can.

4 Reasons Why The Karate Kid (1984) Tops The Karate Kid (2010)

I have to admit, Jaden Smith as Dre Parker is more charming than Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan is, well, Jackie Chan. I do not have the guts to compare Jackie Chan (who played Mr. Han) with Pat Norita (who played Mr. Miyagi). Both martial artists are great in their own ways. However, after watching the two movies I have the epiphany that the original version is better than the remake. Here is my top-four list to prove the finding.
1. Obviously: The title
The 1984 The Karate Kid shows karate, while the 2010 The Karate Kid shows: KUNG FU. Some said the word 'karate' in the 2010 version refers to Dre Parker's mother who mistook kung fu for karate in one scene. Other reference said it would be for Cheng (Dre Parker's archenemy) and his friends called Dre a Karate Kid as he performed a karate stance to confront them. However, if both or one of the references is true, then why bother to re-title the 2010 movie in China, Japan, and South Korea - the places where these martial arts come from? To avoid the fuss? The fact that the movie turns into The Kung Fu Dream in China and Best Kid in South Korea and Japan shows the gaffe of the movie. Even Jackie Chan once believed that the movie would only be called The Karate Kid in the US and known as The Kung Fu Kid in all Asian countries.
2. "Wax on wax off"
As Mr. Miyagi taught his first karate lesson to Daniel, he ordered Daniel to repeatedly wax his antique cars with certain circular hand movements. This is where the "wax on wax off" phrase came from. A catchphrase is what people always remember from a movie. Even after 27 years, people will automatically think of the 1984 The Karate Kid when the "wax on wax off" phrase is heard. How about its 2010 counterpart? As far as I can recall, there's no words in the movie scenes can surpass or even equal this Mr. Miyagi special.
3. Really, a kid can be that violent?
Cheng (portrayed by child actor Zhenwei Wang) in the 2010 movie is as brutal as Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) in the original, if not crueler. Difference: Johnny is closer to reach adulthood while Cheng hasn't even hit puberty yet. Watching Cheng with his mighty kung fu forces me to think, what's wrong with this child? His excellent yet violent kung fu is admirable and terrifying at the same time. Thank God Mr. Han finally made his eyes open.
4. Dre Parker and Mei Ying are loners
As Dre Parker and Daniel LaRusso got to a new place, they soon made friends. Too bad their archenemies prevented them from socializing too much (as other kids were too afraid to confront the 'bad guys'). Yet, their love interests are supposed to have lots of friends, considering that they were native to the school. The rule, however, only works for Ali, LaRusso's love interest. She is depicted as a cheerful girl who hangs out much with her girl friends. Scenes in beach, soccer field (where she trains cheerleading), and fairground show her socialization with her peers. What about Mei Ying? She has no close friends at all except for Dre Parker. No scenes in the 2010 The Karate Kids that shows her having strong bonds with any of her girl friends. I don't know whether Mei Ying is too serious or too lethargic to hang out with girls her age.
I actually still have a long list to note the 1984 The Karate Kid as the winner. Nevertheless, from above evidences, I hope I made my point that the 1984 version is more realistic and catchy than the 2010 version. Thus, better.

Using a Beat Maker to Make Trance Beats

Are you looking to make trance beats?
We are going to learn how to make trance beats the correct way!
Possibly the best way to begin writing dance music in a beat maker is to find the most popular tracks of today and break them down into their basic elements. Once this is done we can examine the similarities between each track and determine exactly what separates them from other music styles.
In the case of Trance it is said to have an up-tempo, uplifting feel that is what most clubbers like. The drums and bass usually are fairly unsophisticated and feature long snare rolls to signify the build up to the reprise or the breakdowns.
The usual tempo of trance is around 137-145 BPM, its important not to go over 150 BPM as it makes it almost impossible to dance to!
Almost all trance beats you make in a beat maker will have a four-to-the-floor pattern. This means the kick drum is placed on every beat bar, along with snares or claps laid on the second or forth beats. To advance this basic beat closed hi-hats are usually placed on every 16th division. Open hi-hats are also used on every 8th division, If you have a closed hi-hat that clashes with the open hi-hat it should be removed to prevent frequency clashes.
This is only a general guideline for the drum patterns used in trance and is open to your interpretation. Adding in a small roll of closed hi-hats at the end of every few bars for example will add some nice variation, also a double kick at the end of the forth bar could signify a change, like introducing a new instrument into the mix.
Although these techniques produce what is essentially an incredibly basic loop, this is exactly what most trance music relies on. Both the snare and kick in trance will often remain at a high velocity rather than following the strong-weak-medium-week that most other genres do. This is simply because the drums should pull very little attention away from the main melodic lead.
The closed hi-hats however, often employ different velocities throughout the bar to add some interest to the patterns. Of course this is just the conventional way of producing trance beats in a beat maker and should not always play apart in your beat creation. Make sure you experiment by placing accents at different divisions on the beat as this can change the piece quite severely so it is well worth experimenting.

Wedding Montage - Suggestions for Wedding Song Videos

At one of the weddings, the couple took time out of the party to present their lovely video to their loved ones. The photographic montage started-off with the bride; there were photos of her as a baby, with her family, and they went all the way up to this day and age. The second part consisted of the none other than the groom's photos; these photos were also fun and excellent to view. The final part of the short video had photos of the couple together since the beginning of their relationship. The real point I am trying to make is that with each section of the film, came another musical number to accompany the scrolling images.
Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride and groom showed-off their love for each other in the form of a presentation?
Not every couple getting married has to present a love montage at their ceremony, but it's certainly a smart idea and it definitely breaks up the time a bit more. If you were to choose to create a video, what kind of music would you use? Would you use generic songs that the video maker provided?
For the bride's section, choose a bubbly song that represents innocence and the bride's ultimate personality. Think light and airy! Such songs can be as follows:
1) Love Me Do - The Beatles
2) San Andreas Fault - Natalie Merchant
3) Firework - Katy Perry
4) Adia - Sarah McLachlan
5) Helena Beat - Foster the People
For the groom's section, choose a more serious song or perhaps something with a rock twist. Such songs can be a follows:
1) Float On - Modest Mouse
2) Can't Stop Partying - Weezer
3) Walk Like a Man - The Four Seasons
4) Crazy Life - Toad the Wet Sprocket
5) Rocket Man Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
For the relationship section, choose songs that have to do with... well, love! You can be as mushy or serious as you want in this section. I suggest picking a song together and coming up with a compromise as to what song best represents the culmination of the relationship. Such songs can be as follows:
1) Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2) Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas
3) Silver Screen Romance - Good Charlotte
4) Welcome to Mystery - Plain White T's
5) Spinning Around Over You - Lenny Kravitz
Whatever songs are chosen for the big debut of the video montage, it will be superbly perfect. The video is supposed to represent the bride, groom, and the overall couple, right? So add personal touches to each section, and it is sure to be loved by all who view it!
If you have made a video for your wedding, share what songs you used below. We'd love to hear from you and get some feedback.

Three Big Home Audio Formats From The Previous 150 Years

One of the initial reasonably priced home entertainment technologies were the fascinating vinyl records. Compact discs were yet another revolutionary disc medium that appeared almost 100 years later. The non-disc counterpoint to both, tape cassettes, were popular commencing in the later years of vinyl and concluding in the earlier years of CDs. The three distinct media enabled people all over to hear their favorite songs (or skip over or through them) anytime they wished, with each exhibiting strong and weak points.
The classic vinyl records were an outgrowth of the invention of the gramophone, which at last ensured that a broad range of Americans and those in other industrialized states would be able to afford to listen to various non-live songs whenever they so desired. Thomas Edison had earlier invented a contraption that made use of wax or tinfoil cylinders, but this appliance, devised by Emile Berliner, utilized space-saving vinyl discs instead. Little grooves in a vinyl record would emit sound via a vibrating stylus which moved over them, with the audio then being amplified by an attachment of some kind. As a positive, sounds from many frequencies could be replicated on a vinyl record, but as a drawback, records' surfaces were easily damaged and the discs were often warped under higher temperatures.
The gramophone was rather large, though, and tape players were supposed to be a smaller alternative. A long piece of tape wound over a pair of spools, all encased in plastic, composed an audio cassette, the medium read by these machines. The tape inside of a cassette, readable by playback components through a gap on the underside of the plastic case, had aural information magnetically written into it. A significant advantage of cassettes was their capacity to be taken places, with a number of portable players being popular for quite some time. Major drawbacks included the risk of the tape becoming snagged and possibly even damaged by a player, and playback pitch varying with the factory-set speeds of players.
The most popular purchasable audio format at present, aside from mp3s, is the compact disc. A spiral track with incredibly tiny pits of different lengths, which a player's laser picks up on and transmits to decoding firmware in the machine, is imprinted on each compact disc. The main drawback with CDs is their likelihood of being scratched on either of their surfaces, although this problem has been somewhat alleviated by the development of re-surfacing solutions for the clear side on the bottom.
Without needing to rely on radio, we had the option to hear our favorite songs anytime on Beatles vinyl records, Allman Brothers cassettes, Nirvana CDs, and tons of others. Thus, our lives were without a doubt more enriched by the availability of these three technologies.

The Chairman Of The Board: Defining The Music Of A Generation

To some collectors anything classic can only be defined as something that is antique. All you really have to be called classic vinyl is to just be a record because recording companies no longer make vinyl like they used to. Most of our music has gone high tech these days. However, before there was a CD or MP3 there was vinyl. And before there was American Idol there was the original Rat Pack leader himself, Frank Sinatra.
It's hard to imagine what kind of impact a singer can have before the age of MTV or YouTube.
As it turns out, Frank Sinatra created his own foundation of fan madness by just showing up to his venues. Lines of loyal female fans called "bobby-soxers" swooned at his every song. In the golden age of radio, Sinatra was one of the most regular performers.
It took a featured role in a popular film to put Frank on the charts once again. After an intense lobbying drive, Frank was hired to play a supporting part in From Here to Eternity. His work earned him an Academy Award and began his performing career all over again.
Frank Sinatra started creating music with Capitol Records in 1953 where he starred on a wide variety of classic vinyl albums. For these concept records, Frank worked with well-known arrangers Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins and Billy May.
Swing Easy (1954), In the Wee Small Hours (1955), Songs For Swingin' Lovers (1956) and Come Fly With Me (1957) were all featured in this classic Frank Sinatra vinyl collection. All of these albums were chart-topping successes for Sinatra.
As the turbulent 1960s began, Frank separated from Capitol Records and created his own music label, Reprise Records. His first album, Ring-A-Ding-Ding (1961), was an instant classic. The much beloved Rat Rack started at this same time. The other founding members of the Rat Pack were Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. The group played to sold out theatres in Vegas, Chicago and New York. A few of these Rat Pack shows were made into albums. Pretty much anything with the Rat Pack is considered a very cool collectible.
There are just a handful of recording artists who can make the declaration of having victories in several decades from Billboard album sales, to television specials to feature film box office champs.
Fans of popular music recognize that Frank Sinatra is one of those exceptional performers.

Adjustable Piano Benches - Information Regarding the Most Common Piano Benches Offered for Sale

The most common piano benches for sale that you will find are the adjustable models. Both professionals and amateurs enjoy using this type of piano bench due to the advantages that it offers. When looking for piano benches for sale, there are five primary reasons pianists choose the adjustable bench. These reasons are versatility, durability, comfort, music storage and variable height.
Variable Height - If you have comfort issues while sitting at your piano, that means that you known how important proper bench height is when choosing a bench. There exists pianists of different genders, ages and heights; as such, there is a great demand for benches that can conform to these varying heights.
Music Storage - Pianists who also compose or teach, are those who often times look for adjustable benches for sale that have music storage. The storage compartment is located under the seat, and can store study aids and music books.
Comfort - As a result of the structure and the design of adjustable benches for sale, the quality comfort that you will experience is unlike that of any other type of bench. The padded bench top is made from dense foam, and is either covered in leather of vinyl. The added comfort will increase your practice time, as you no longer have to hurry through practice because of the discomfort that you are experiencing.
Durability - When it comes to looking for a bench, finding a bench that is durable is very important. The adjustable piano bench stands out among the various types of benches, as it is well known for its agile support and heavy duty construction. It can be used at various venues, as it is made of hardwood legs and steel frame.
Versatility - Versatility is one of the primary reasons pianists look for adjustable benches for sale. There are a number of pianists of different ages, from all over the world, that use nothing but adjustable piano benches and this is because of the bench's versatility. Now you know why so many persons prefer to purchase adjustable models, rather than the other types. Adjustable benches are comfortable, versatile, they are very durable, and you can find one that will fit your budget.
It is important that you familiarize yourself with these five factors so that when you go to shop for adjustable benches for sale, you know what exactly to look for. Knowing these five factors will also prevent you from purchasing a bench that will not last for a long time, and that you will eventually regret purchasing.

Flamingo by Brandon Flowers

The Killers' first album, Hot Fuss, struck a special chord with me- and its success reminded us that modern rock radio isn't all about post-grunge jock-rockers like Nickelback and Godsmack (though it is mostly about that). The Killers' music was so infectious and rhythmic. Aesthetically, I was very fascinated by them because they managed to pull off that sort of androgynous, new wave sheen in a very modern setting. They came along in 2004, the year I graduated from high school, and their music and style made me feel like I was entering a new world in which I could really flourish, far from all of those jerks in high school who simply didn't understand me. Of course, beginning with their second album, Sam's Town, The Killers began to shed some of the sheen. There wasn't a huge dynamic shift in their sound, but it all felt a little dirtier. Flowers, as you may know, is from Las Vegas and his music, to me, has always sort of sounded like Las Vegas. Sure, he literally writes songs about Vegas on occasion, but it goes beyond that. It's more of a feeling. That city has a flashy surface, full of glitz and glamour and celebrity socialites throwing parties in nightclubs. If you're really looking for that kind of lifestyle, however, you'd be better off going to somewhere like Miami, 'cause it ain't really what Vegas is about. Below the surface it's a dusty, desert town full of alcoholics, gambling addicts and washed-up performers waiting to help you indulge every vice you've ever had.
Brandon Flowers is an expert at exploring every side of his hometown and setting it to music. This has never been more apparent than on his first solo album, Flamingo (named for the hotel and casino on the Vegas Strip). The same types of characters that appeared in Killers songs are back, only this time he's all but completely abandoned his old new wave sound in favor of one that's a lot more, well, 'Vegasy.' Every song is an anthem that's as big and flashy as a Lance Burton magic show but as heartbreaking as the middle-aged waitress at the diner who actually has to live in the giant tourist attraction that is Las Vegas. On "Hard Enough," a duet with Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, Flowers portrays a man trying to change in order to save his relationship with the woman he loves. It's the type of song that's been written a million times before, but when it's done this well you really don't mind hearing it again. Like a lot of the songs on the album, "Hard Enough" is a great piece of power-pop with a bit of an outlaw country twist and would sound right at home performed by Kenny Rogers and Linda Ronstadt. First single "Crossfire" is perhaps the highlight of the album. I'm a sucker for a good power ballad and this one is pitch-perfect. It's one of the best songs Flowers has ever written and certainly better than anything on The Killers' last album.
Flowers can be a little cheesy at times, especially when he makes the most blatant references to Vegas culture. In the 'gambling-as-a-metaphor-for-relationships' lyrics of "Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts," he sings, "Why did you roll your dice, show your cards?/Jilted lovers and broken hearts," in a manner that suggests even he thinks he should take it down a notch. Still, most of the time Flowers comes across as very sincere and heartfelt, a difficult task for someone whose rock and roll persona is close to reaching Bono levels of grandeur. The only really disappointing moment of the album comes with closing track "Swallow It." It's not a bad song, per se, but it's kind of quirky and mid-tempo and doesn't really go anywhere. It sounds out of place and would have been a poor choice for a closing song on any album, but particularly on one likethat is otherwise filled with arena-sized rock and roll anthems. Although, I suppose ending the album like this makes it feel like an actual trip to Vegas: You expect to go out with a bang, but end up going out with a hangover and a lot less money in your pocket. But either way, you had a good time!

Concert Sound for the Opening Act

I decided to write this series of articles, in response to years of listening to my musician friend's regale me with tails of woe, about "Bad Sound Experiences." BSE if you will. Most often, these BSE's had a common identifiable trait (New or inexperienced sound tech) and almost all were related to on stage monitor mixes. These unfortunate experiences made playing their music un-fun and un-inspiring. Since these are the two reasons most of my friends play music... I thought I'd try to help!
For this article, I added a caveat, to make a larger point... communication... So the first two articles are set in the scariest place in the music business... When YOU is the Opening Act!
This series is an effort to empower musicians on two levels: first with a basic knowledge of "Concert Sound" technology and second with a willingness to engage the concert sound engineers they encounter daily, as collaborators and co-conspirators and not as road blocks to success.
"In the this article, we'll talk about a point Bad Blake makes in the movie "Crazy Heart."
Blake to the sound mixer: "We're gonna stay here all day 'til we get this mix right!
Mixer: It is right....
Blake to his band: They always say that... but they're gonna make sure the opening act doesn't sound as good as the Headliner! "
You can see some of that exchange at the link on the bottom of the article.
It takes a minute to buffer, so be patient, at about 40 sec into the trailer you see part of this exchange between musician and sound engineer.
I've been in this exact situation many times myself at sound check, so it seems like a good place to start a discussion about several important points. One would be the obvious... communication between musician and sound engineer, another, the opening act and the headliners sound engineer... maybe one more... the opening act's sound engineer and the headliner's sound engineer. Let's sort through this potential mine field.
TRUST ISSUES:
In our previous example, the musician Bad Blake and the sound engineer Bear have some obvious trust issues. As the scene progresses we find out that Bear is the sound engineer for the headliner but is mixing the "Front of House" (FOH) for Blake's band (the dreaded Opening Act) at this concert. Everyone seems a little cranky, and time is most likely running out on sound check.
Let's go back to the "You don't know me" article for some help. Here are two passages that relate to this point.
"The next most important people you'll need to find are the sound technicians. I can't emphasize enough how important - this part of the process - is to the actual outcome of your bands performance. We'll discus this aspect (Sound) in great detail with a future article."
And
"One of my favorite IATSE sayings is "Chaos creates CASH." This is the exact nature of the relationship between the "Production" and the local IA crew. If the production is well planned and organized, the day will go exceedingly well. If the production has organizational issues, these issues will put pressure on the deadlines all day. Stuff happens... Trucks show up late, chain motors break and thunder storms blast in! None of that stuff is the IA's fault but because their work rules, such as, Meal penalties, will be enforced... the pressure mounts.
This pressure (even on a perfect day there can be pressure) impacts the amount of - production stage time - available to "Opening Act." The Opening Acts production representative needs to be aware of how the Headliners production is coming together. Show up early and pay attention to the workflow. Monitoring the progress of the production is critical! "
If nothing else, we've established that there are forces beyond the control of us mere mortals...
Let's look at some basic "Opening Act" scenarios from one of the previously mentioned perspectives: Headliners sound tech and Opening Act Musicians.
Let's take a quick tangential left and define what makes a "Top Notch" sound company? First, the gear has to be excellent and in good working order. They must also be very knowledgeable about the technical aspects of sound reinforcement. Those two sentences describe about 80% of the sound companies I've encountered over my 35 years in this business. So if the gear's good and the sound techs know what they're doing what's the problem?
Attitude... not Aptitude
The difference is in the people not the equipment. You can assume, if a sound company is out on a tour with a headliner or they are the Sound Company of choice at a major venue, that they understand the technical aspects of sound reinforcement. Ahhh.... Will they be advocates for your music? That's the question.
This is how to find the answer!
Some advocates a PAID not born! I'm serious! This is a business! The sound techs work a long hard day. To a sound tech... the most beautiful words in the entire Musical lexicon are, "An Evening With." This means: No support act, the headliner will go at 8:00PM play a 75 min set plus an encore or (2) 45 min sets with an intermission. The concert ends at 10:30PM at the latest.
The gear gets packed up and they're on the road HOME before midnight!
It also means, when sound check ends 6:00 -6:30 PM there's a break until 7:30 PM. Because there's NO STAGE CHANGE!
The next most beautiful words are, The Opening Act is a comedian... WE LOVE COMEDY... One microphone and one monitor. BEAUTIFUL!
When I was on tour with Ann Murray back in the 80"s Jerry Seinfeld - before he was SEINFELD - was her opening act... Comedians are always nice to the sound techs.... Except for Gallagher... he's never nice... but he's definitely the exception.
The ascending hierarchy of love is as follows: Solo Acoustic act, Duet... Trio... you get the picture.
So when YOU show up looking for 32 input channels and 10 monitors mixes for YOUR band.... Remember.... You're being compared to "An Evening with"
The saying..."To Insure Proper Service" T.I.P.S. is not a bad way to go here. $200 will get you a long way down the road of making "ADVOCATES." Get the stage manger away from stage, discretely and respectfully offer to "Sweeten the Pot" "donate a little something for the EFFORT." Without exception they will say, "You don't need to do that we'll take care of you" Your firm reply is "I'm not worried about that. I know what a pain in the butt this is for you guys, please accept it as our offer of appreciation for that effort." It may go back and forth a time or two, but it needs to end with you giving either him or the monitor engineer the $200.
Now there's a professional demeanor to your end of the production.
My previous article spoke at length about the organization of band gear (back line) and distributing the technical information to the proper channels. The $200 is NOT gonna do much for you if you haven't taken care of the technical organization and business before this point. It's the combination of all these things that will ensure your band has a good "Opening Act" experience.... On Stage.
Let's move on to the FOH (front of house) sound. This is where we started; remember the discussion from "Crazy Heart." The Headliner's FOH mixer or his system tech (the guy responsible for the technical aspects of the PA) will be mixing the opening act - assuming the band doesn't have an actual sound tech. These guy's have a reputation to uphold, and it's at stake too. They will make every effort to make the Opening Act sound as good as possible. There is one caveat here so we should talk about it now.
In the dialogue from "Crazy Heart"
Blake to the sound mixer: "We're gonna stay here all day 'til we get this mix right!
Mixer: It is right....
Blake to his band: They always say that... but they're gonna make sure the opening act doesn't sound as good as the Headliner! "
Here's what that means to you. The Headliners sound crew will compress the Opening Acts sound. They do this for a number of very good reasons. Here's the major reason.
COMPRESSION by this definition is the intentional limiting of the Dynamic Range. That means it lessens the difference of the volume between the softest and loudest sounds in the mix. Compression for this purpose is meant to protect the PA from any over modulated (distorted) audio signals. It is done to ensure that the PA system will be in complete working order for the Headliner.
Back in the previous article I spoke of the possible revenue generated by a single Sport Arena concert as being in the several million-dollar range. If the PA does not work and headliner can't play.... the money gets refunded. COMPRESSION will be used.
Bad Blake, has a point... and now we all know why. The amount of compression that is applied is the key to success. If the band can stay under control, meaning good consistent audio signals. It will serve to build confidence in the FOH people responsible for the safe keeping of the PA system and they will apply less compression. Understand this and you'll sound great!
The Band finally gets the stage. This is where communication is key, and where the pros excel. Work to ensure the band gets comfortable on stage this is where the music gets made so start... on stage.
All of the PRE-PRODUCTION work bears it's fruit at this point in time.
Placement of band gear (back line) on stage is critical, the placement of "AC" drops and DI boxes in the correct spots will get you up and running for line check quickly. Have the musicians nearby... don't let them on stage until line check has been completed. Nothing drives sound techs crazier than having the musicians on stage before the Microphone lines and Monitor mixes are correct and verified. Have a designated person - conduct the communication - between the band and the monitor engineer. Be nice and never blame the gear as the problem until your convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that it is in fact... the gear... that is the problem!
Time for a reality check, in '87 the Opening Act on Whitney Houston's "Moment of Truth" tour was "Kenny G"... yes before he was " KENNY G" on Hall & Oats' "Rock and Soul Review" tour the Opening Act was "INXS." Yes before they were... you know where I'm going with this... the point is EVERY Band starts as Opening Act... The sound/lighting companies understand that today's Opening Act is tomorrow's Headliner, the concert promoters understand that as well. The production personnel will be there to help for all of the reasons we've discussed. They are Professionals and they know what's at stake.

The Great Samson G Track USB Microphone

When it comes to the world of today, the technology has become more advanced at every minute of the day; people have so much imagination which really helps to create a better effect with new gadgets. That is where the Samson G Track USB microphone is going to come in use for; there have been many people that have seen this and thought it must be an old age microphone that won't do anything that you want it to do but you are wrong!
Now with this little microphone you are going to find that there is now no need to go out and use any other XRL devices to get this microphone to work. All that you are going to have to do will be to plug in your microphone and then you are ready to go.
This is the most portable microphone available today, you can put this into your computer or laptop or if not there, you could even put this into your drum machine or even your keyboard also. This helps you to record onto your computer so that is great, it means that there is now no need for an M-Box.
If you are actually someone that is more advanced when it comes to music then this is not the microphone for you, it might be another microphone which is going to be the best option for you. You are not going to want to keep on paying a few hundred dollars for this - some really are not going to want to do this so remember that before you buy the microphone you want. Professionals are not going to really want to use this, you are getting a high level of sound and quality with this but there are many other programs out there which might be more suited for those professionals out there. Remember this is only going to cost under one hundred and fifty dollars rather than some of the other microphones which are costing almost double that which shows a huge difference.
You might actually just be using this to record a few things here and there and not using this everyday then maybe the best option for you would be the Samson G; this is even better for those which are going to be working with a tighter budget. You might not want to put out a lot of money for this however so be very careful before you jump into this without really thinking about it first.
This is really going to be one of the best options available today, there is so much function ability with just one little device, it is truly amazing. This is really breaking the boundaries and putting this on the market will really help those that are looking for a little inexpensive option for their microphone.
The truth is with this little tool at hand, this is going to be the one tool that everyone will want to have and for those which are a little less willing to do all that hard work then you will love this gadget more so than ever before. You are really going to love this, it is something which many amateur musicians will love to get, it can do almost all that hard work for you.

Carolyn Arends - Seize the Day

This song is from Carolyn's first album and it was the first album that I listened to when I first heard her. She so very much is a prolific lyricist and songwriter. I believe this song in particular embodies these qualities. In storytelling fashion she talks about knowing a girl who 'reads dusty books and learns phrases in latin'... 'a genius it's just this world doesn't know it'. We then listen to the chorus that says to 'Seize the Day'.
Her verses cover several life stories. She goes on to talk about a doctor and his scenario. 'He works in an African clinic' and 'writes home to the cynics'. What wonderful lyricism and storytelling. She sings this fluidly with instruments weaving in and out almost unnoticeably. After the chorus she talks about somebody else who has gone 'bitter and cold' and who wishes somebody said to him such good words as the chorus expounds. Both stories are vivid and are good examples of what we see in everyday life.
The chorus itself wraps everything up. It has overall uplifting words and really just saying what we have is now, today, and make the best of it, for once a day is done it is done. Her overall musical intonation says to do it with joy and a positive attitude. This is a wonderful song from such a gifted songwriter. The chorus is full of meaning and is a very profound on a kind of outlook on life.Overall this song also embodies the style of the rest of the album.
On the rest of the album,the songs are encouraging, upbeat and they are stories taken out of everyday life. However one song that stands out in particular, is 'Father Thy Will be Done'. It starts out with an unusual percussion, very interesting guitar playing and almost whispering, thoughtful like background singing. There is wonderful instrumentation throughout the album, with none other than Phil Keaggy on guitar on the live songs. Rich Mullins plays the hammered dulcimer.
We hear a violin, viola, cello and accordion at different points throughout and background vocals wonderfully placed. The instrumentation is such that it simply adds to the prolific and creative song writing of Carolyn Arends and to the dynamics to the music. This is an alternative folk album."Seize the day" is a wonderful song to a great album, which is aptly called "Seize the Day and other Stories" and is a first in a long line of albums that Carolyn Arends has done. I look forward to hearing more.

Best Songs on Acoustic Guitar

When it comes to popular music, the acoustic guitar is the corner-stone. It is, in my opinion, the most honest of all the musical instruments.
What do I mean by that? It is a bare-bones instrument that does not allow the player to hide behind anything. It is unlike the electric guitar which can take advantage of effects and distortion. Those effects offer the guitar player some room for sloppy technique. The acoustic guitar, on the other hand, is what it is. If the musician misses a note or their technique is not clean, it is very noticeable.
With its softer tone, not only is the skill of the guitar player tested, but it is also crucial for the lyrics and vocals of the song to be great as well. These elements combined is what truly makes a great acoustic guitar song.
With that in mind I have come up with a small list of what I feel are some of the best acoustic guitar songs. Some simple, some a lot more difficult, but all deserve to be considered one of the best acoustic guitar songs.
1. Butterfly - By Weezer. Starting off the list is one of my favorite songs of all time. "Butterfly" by the geek rock group Weezer is simple, yet amazing. Off of their second album (and some would say their best) "Pinkerton", the band was able to take a simply chord transition, a beautiful melody, and heartbreaking lyrics to craft and melancholy breakup song about lost love. Again the music is simple, but it is well deserving to make this list.
2. Sweet Baby James - By James Taylor. I think most people would agree that "Sweet Baby James" is clearly one the best acoustic guitar songs of all times. Off of his second album of the same name, James Taylor, beloved singer/songwriter wrote this haunting tune while driving to meet his baby nephew for the first time. The finger picking technique used on this track is difficult and involved, yet flows so beautifully through out. With his amazing voice, amazing guitar playing, and his knack for writing hits, James Taylor hit the nail right on the head with this one.
3. St. Augustine - By Band of Horses. This song appears on the debut album of Band of Horses, an indie band that released the album in 2006. The acoustic guitar work is perfect for the song, a leveled mixture of strumming and plucking, and the lyrics are boarder-line mind-blowing. But what makes this song worthy to be mentioned on the list of best acoustic guitar songs is the harmony of the two vocalists. It is subtle, but it is there, and it was what really sets this song apart.
4. Tears in Heaven - By Eric Clapton. Not much needs to be said when the name Eric Clapton is mentioned. The man is a guitar and music legend. Most known for his blues and electric guitar, however his acoustic guitar skills are rarely paralleled. Sadly one of his best acoustic guitar songs was written after the tragic death of his young son. Clapton put his emotions not only in his heartfelt lyrics, but also into the acoustic guitar part of the song. It is masterfully finger picked by Clapton and the melody almost always brings a tear to the listeners eye. That is why it earned a spot on this list.
Though this list is short, mainly because it could go on forever, it really captures the depth of what can be done with an acoustic guitar when played properly.

Solo Jazz Guitar

There are several approaches to playing jazz on guitar without a rhythm section. The guitar is of course capable of being used as a solo instrument, as shown by the classical repertoire as well as jazz artists such as Joe Pass and Tuck Andress. The technical problem to solve is to how to play chords, bass line, and melody with only ten fingers?
There are two parts to solving this - conceptual and technical, and they are interrelated. A finger-style technique allow the player to keep a bass line going while playing chords and melody, much like classical pieces demand. Using a flatpick, on the other hand, causes the player to have to shift back and forth between playing bass and melody. A third, hybrid method, sometimes called "chicken picking" involves using the pick for bass and several fingers of the plucking hand to play melody and chords.
Conceptually, the choice is this: a consistent bass line while keeping a melody going involves pretty much working out the parts - there isn't much opportunity to improvise while you are doing all that. To have an improvising solo style, you need to switch back and forth - playing enough bass to give the listener the idea of a progression, and enough melody and chords to create good phrases. It's a little bit of smoke and mirrors, but it changes the focus of playing solo from a worked-out-in-advance piece to a looser somewhat on-the-fly version.
The key here is developing compositional ability within improvisation. For instance, using call-and-response is very effective when playing solo. You can state a motif as part of the bass line or on the treble strings, and then answer it in the other register. You can learn to vary the length of phrases, the interplay of single lines and chords, and the interplay of fast passages and simpler passages. However you put it together, solo guitar will challenge you to develop your compositional abilities, especially if you are a guitar player who tends to just 'shred". Good improvisation is just very fast composing - while you are playing a phrase, part of your brain learns to formulate what you are going to do next, and another part is shaping the solo as a whole. All of this is done intuitively - you don't have time to second-guess or revise. So practicing solo guitar is good practice for improvising in any situation. Remember improvising is not just about learning to run fast scales and arpeggios over chords. It's about creating meaning and melody.
Guitar Right-Hand Styles
There are a lot of choices here and it partly depends on the style of music one plays.
Flatpicking: using a flatpick, and learning to play with up and down strokes to develop speed when playing single lines. Variations include Chickenpicking - using the pick to hit bass notes while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers play single lines. Combination picking - like chicken picking, but the fingers pluck chords and the pick is used when single lines are played. Cross-picking - Playing fast arpeggios with a pick, such as imitating the typical banjo roll on the guitar (a 3-3-2 rhythm) Sweep picking - fast picking of arpeggios using all down strokes or up strokes
Classical style: using the fingers to play both chords and single lines.
Finger picking: Keeping a bass line and melody going, using one of the patterns usually called "Cotton picking" (after Elizabeth Cotton) or "Travis picking" (after Merle Travis, though his style was more complicated than a few patterns). Chet Atkins and Tommy Emanuel are examples of this style. Blues musicians often used a variation on this style in which the thumb didn't alternate bass note, but just stayed on the root (Lightnin' Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb, for example).

Listening to Jazz

Many Americans have difficulty listening to modern jazz (from bebop on). My experience playing in Europe is that audiences are typically more sophisticated, possibly because they are used to listening to complex music. A few pointers may help people get more acquainted with this music, which can be very enjoyable and rewarding.
First, rhythm is basic. Listen to the drums. Jazz is multi-dimensional, but the basis is still the syncopated swing and Latin feels that fuel the improv. Next, listen to how the bass and drums play together-the two instruments create the rhythm together.
There is usually a comping chord instrument-piano, guitar, or vibes. "Comping" is short for accompaniment. This is where the harmony is laid out, though usually without the roots of the chords on the bottom (leaving that to the bass). The accompaniment responds to the soloist as well as the rhythm section and fills in some of the spaces.
The lead instrument is whoever is improvising or playing the theme (the "head") at the time. This is what most people hear the most, since it's what is out front of the sound, and where the melodic invention is occurring. The improvisation is usually occurring over a repeating chord structure-in show tunes, often 32 bars, for example. This is how everyone can play together-they are all changing chords at the same time (or trying to!). So the typical solo is melodic variations on a set of chords.
As you become more adept at listening to this type of music, you probably will become a better critic also-after all it may be that if you are bored or lost or otherwise unmoved by a performance it may be the performers' fault. The greatness of Miles Davis, for example, lay partly in his ability to play less than most-the pauses were as important as the notes he chose. John Coltrane, on the other hand, created solos full of huge numbers of notes but also conveyed great emotion. Unfortunately, many jazz players try to play like Coltrane but don't scale the same emotional heights. Jazz is like any other music in that the goal of the performer is communication-not just admiration at the player's ability, but a combination of emotional and cerebral satisfaction.
What's great about jazz is that it reaches the more physical, rhythmic aspects of us, the emotional level, and the more cerebral level of appreciating the melodic inventions. Frequently for the price of a small cover charge and a few drinks!

The Great Bob Dylan Turns 70

Bob Dylan has now reached the milestone of his 70th birthday. Born on May 24th, 1941, in the scruffy city of Duluth, Minnesota, Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman) has gone on to spark new genres of music (folk-rock and country-rock) and revolutionise songwriting. He first came to prominence in 1963 with his second album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan which offered such epochal songs as Blowin' In The Wind, Masters Of War and A Hard Rain's a -Gonna Fall. Inspired by the likes of Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams, his lyrics in Freewheelin' were highly political and led to Dylan being dubbed as a protest singer by many. A surge of similarly styled songs soon hit the British charts and come October 1965 there was a scattering of protest songs in the national charts. Songs such as Too many people by The Hollies which addressed the problem of over-population and It's Good News Week by Hedgehoppers Anonymous which confronted issues on nuclear war and birth control. However, his influence on protest songs was relatively short-lived compared to the impact of his lyrical styles.
In early 1964, Dylan released The Times They Are A-Changin' which showcased the work of a matured songwriter greatly inspired by poets such as Keats and Rimbaud. It was more literate and evocative than his previous offerings and had a profound effect on popular music. In 1965 came Highway 61 Revisited and the single release of Like A Rolling Stone which is widely championed as one of the best singles in the history of popular music; breaking the barrier of the traditional three minute pop single and of course, we can't forget the innovative Blonde on Blonde in 1966 which cemented Dylan's reputation as a genius of the times.
From the mid 60′s onwards there was a sizeable shift from frivolous and superficial lyrics to more contemplative, introspective and poetic offerings and this was largely down to the splendour of Dylan's lyrics. His talent influenced copious numbers of artists including musical giants The Beatles who, in 1965, released the more insightful Rubber Soul which was lyrically more complex than their previous releases. John Lennon had even started mimicking Dylan's casual delivery in songs such as You've Got to Hide Your Love Away and Yes It Is.
'Vocally and poetically, Dylan was a huge influence' Paul McCartney
As the years progressed, Dylan's lyrics became slightly more surreal and enigmatic but they never lost their potent essence and such was his refusal to be pigeon holed, Dylan consistently re-invented himself. Having already given fresh breath to the protest movement, revived folk music, re-invented the singer songwriter genre and sparked folk-rock, in the 1970′s he helped give rise to country-folk and in the 80′s and 90′s (though he occasionally floundered), he still inspired and surprised his fans. In 1989 he was inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and in 1990 Dylan was named a Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Art et des Lettres, France's highest cultural honor.
His records still sell by the truck-load, he still inspires and moves people and his concert tickets still sell like hot cakes. Happy Birthday to a legend.

Why You Should Be Careful About Using Guitar Tutorials Online

There's a real danger with using guitar tutorials online. Don't get me wrong, there are some fantastic guitar video tutorials available, many of which have been produced by some of the leading guitarists within the music industry. The trouble is that there are also many guitar videos which have been produced by people who would like to become one of the leading guitarists in the industry, but who at the moment are only a few steps up from playing the air guitar.
The other problem is that for those people who are hoping to move on from learning a few basic guitar chords to being able to read and play guitar tabs and guitar sheet music, learning from poorly made guitar tutorials can easily result in bad habits forming. Guitarists can very easily pick up bad habits, and whilst for some people this isn't really much of a problem, for those people who are more serious about learning to play guitar these bad habits can become real obstacles later on.
If you were wanting to learn to play the piano then you would expect that right from the very first lesson you would be taught not only how to physically play the notes, hold your hands and move your fingers, but also how to read the musical notation correctly. The two would go hand in hand, and you would be expected to apply a certain degree of discipline, practising both the technique and the theory week by week.
The same is true for learning to play almost any instrument, except, that is, for the guitar. Strangely the guitar is an instrument set aside from most other instruments. It's one of the only popular musical instruments not to feature in a classic orchestra, and it is one of the only instruments which can be picked up and learned by almost anyone very quickly indeed, without any real professional help or training.
There are very few guitarist teachers compared to piano teachers, despite the popularity of the instrument. The reason for this is that demand is very low, because most people who want to learn to play guitar are self taught, or learn with or from their friends.
Today the internet has introduced the opportunity learn to play guitar by watching guitar tutorials, and with many hundreds of thousands of guitar video tutorials getting the information you need is just a matter of a couple of mouse clicks. But just because information is easy to access and readily available doesn't necessarily mean that it is advised or recommend. Or even right.
Many tutorials are likely to encourage you to apply bad habits or poor techniques, and very few will encourage you to be more disciplined or to learn the theory of playing as well as the physical technique. If you're happy continuing to just be a casual strummer then this isn't really a problem, but if you're hoping to take your guitar playing to a new level in the future, perhaps playing solo or playing in a band, then you will need to understand more about how professional, experienced and accomplished guitarists do what they do.
Even rock guitarists will need to have a sound understanding of how to read guitar tabs, and you can learn a very great deal about how to improve your playing by learning from people like this. Of course if you don't happen to have an address book stuffed full of rock guitarists then you could head over to one of the specialist guitar video tutorials sites where professional, high quality and recommended tutorials and training is available which will help you to learn the basics in a way that won't encourage bad habits, and will more easily enable you to move on with your playing when you feel the time is right.

Acrylic Designs and Their Many Uses

Acrylic on its own is not too flexible but there are many tasks that can be carried out only because of the special qualities of acrylic. There are growing advances in the technology sector and this has heightened the number of different functions performed by acrylics. Acrylic domes can be used for sculptures, aquariums, flower cover arrangements, safety covers for cameras and displays for window shops. These domes are quite simple in structure and shape. Because of their strength and durability, these domes can be used by a number of companies and in many ways.
Although, many companies are using these domes but there are little that fully comprehend the importance of using them for creative works. Acrylic domes can be modified and used for various purposes in an industry. Most businesses take advantage of the unique qualities of these domes for producing the displays for pharmaceutical products. These displays can be made even more impressive by combining them with light and striking colours.
The unique qualities of the domes make them great to use in aquariums. The clarity of their material makes them perfect to use as the display units that require a high level of visibility.
All the domes are custom made to the order and requirement of the customers. There are approximately twenty-five size differences in this case and are not made for normal purposes. After receiving the order and correct size from the specific client, the domes are produced for the specific purpose and need of the customer. Due to the innovative representation of these domes, people are able to see the rare acrylic beauty relating to the design specifications of the clients.
A number of different pharmaceutical dish sets can be produced with the assistance of larger dishes and acrylic domes. This can be beneficial for increasing the reputation of a pharmaceutical business without losing a lot of its assets.
Acrylic hose centrifuge can be used to bring into being the services of interactive hose centrifuge. Various pharmaceutical dish sets can be manufactured with the help of large scale dishes and acrylic domes. This can be beneficial for increasing the reputation of pharmaceutical company without losing much of its money. The theoretical conversion of impossible into possible can be accomplished with the help of an acrylic dome. However, the usage of acrylic may seem impracticable to a lot of people but they should know that it is mandatory to use acrylic domes as they signify rare beauty.

How To Get The Most Out Of Going To A Trade Show

If you sell on or offline you will need to be able to source new products on an ongoing basis. Yes you can buy from catalogues, and buy from online sites, but you need to attend at least one Trade Show a year. These Trade Shows allow you to meet suppliers face to face and see and touch the items you are thinking of buying. But you do need to know how to Get The Most Out Of Going To A Trade Show, because if you do not approach them in the right way you could loose money and waste a lot of time. The most important thing you need to do is to prepare yourself.
@ Step One - This may sound silly, but people do get this wrong time after time. You need to choose the right Trade Show to attend. There is a Trade Show for every niche out there, and at times you may need to attend shows that are outside of your main niche to find some cool products.
@ Once you have planned which show you are going to attend you need to go online and register for your entry passes. Most Trade Shows are free to attend, but some do charge, but all these details will be on the show website. When you register you will need to fill out some basic details about yourself and your business. This is to check that you are a real business.
@ The next step is to go and get some business cards printed up, you will need these to hand out to the business people you meet at the Trade Show. Buy these as soon as possible in case they take some time to arrive.
@ Once you have registered, you should get access to all the companies who will be at the trade show. These will be on the Trade Show website. Write down all the suppliers you want to meet and note down the stand numbers and the halls they are in. By doing this it will save time when you get to the show.
@ When you get to the Trade Show, try and get there early, have a good pair of shoes on as you will be walking some distance within the show, and wear cool clothing as the show halls can get quite hot.
@ As well as visiting the companies you had planned on seeing, pick up other catalogues and price lists of products you like the look and feel of.
@ One word of warning though, do not buy products just because the companies are offering you special rates. Yes they may sound good, but you need to do extra research at times to check they are selling as well as they say they are.
Above all have fun and as long as you have planned in advance you will have a great time at the show and will see some wonderful new products.

Improve the Tone and Appearance of Your Guitar: How to Clean Your Guitar

What's the easiest and cheapest way to improve your guitar's tone and appearance? Clean your guitar. Accumulated dirt, perspiration finger oils can mar the quality and resonance of your acoustic or electric guitar.
To Really Clean a Guitar, First Remove the Strings
Each time you change strings, it's a great opportunity to clean your guitar.

• You have clear access to the fretboard.
• You don't want to contaminate your strings with the oils, polishes, cleaners or cloths you're cleaning with.

If you have a guitar with a floating bridge, remove three strings and clean one half of the fretboard at a time. You only need to clean the guitar's fretboard once or twice a year. So if you change strings often, don't clean the fretboard at each string change. Start cleaning the guitar by wiping your fretboard with a soft, damp cloth. Take an old t-shirt or sock, wet it, and wring it out completely. Work the cloth down the fretboard, readjust the cloth so you're using a clean portion of cloth at all times. If your fretboard has accumulated grime, follow the rag cleaning with a very light brushing with some extra fine #000 or #0000 steel wool. However, before using steel wool, you must cover up your magnetic pickups. Else, tiny pieces of steel wool might stick to the pickups. For hard-to-reach spots use cotton swab, toothbrush, or credit card edge.
Don't want to be obsessive about cleaning your guitar's fretboard. The oils and moisture from your hands actually condition the wood. If your fretboard is dried out or has developed hairline cracks, rub a drop or two of mineral, almond or linseed oil into the fretboard to condition it. Make sure to wipe off excess oil with a soft, dry rag. All you need to clean a guitar's body and neck is a soft, dry cloth. If the dry cloth isn't enough, you can use a well-wrung out damp cloth. Clean the top, back, sides and the neck.
Really, Really Clean the Guitar: Polish the Finish
Several times a year, you may want polish up your guitar, but it's not necessary. Many guitar makers finish their guitars with several coats of a high-quality nitrocellulose lacquer. This finish ages nicely without polish. If you decide to polish your nitrocellulose-finished guitar, use a product designed for nitrocellulose finishes. Apply the polish onto a rag, not onto the surface of your guitar. Never use a furniture polish on your guitar, this could actually affect the resonance.
Clean the Guitar's Hardware
Spray a dry cloth with glass cleaner and polish your tuning keys. They'll sparkle.
Clean the Guitar's Bridge
Clean the guitar's bridge with a damp cloth. If there's grime, use a pipe cleaner or small toothbrush.
Polish the Guitar's Pickups
If your pickups look rusty, unscrew the faceplates with an Allen wrench. Without disturbing the wiring, remove the rust with a rust-dissolving agent. Otherwise, just polish your pickups with a soft cloth.