I have decided on a pickup set. I am going with the KH-20 pro series pickup combination that features an EMG 81/S/S configuration (Check the specs). I am very excited to get this. I just need a job to be lined up before I go ahead with the purchase. I also need the guitar body to be painted and passed on back to me. I am very excited about this as well.
There has been a lot of excitement around here lately. The show set up for mid-July has been a very large factor in that excitement. Getting back into the band swing of things has really got my blood rushing. I’ve been learning covers, attempting to write some originals, and preparing myself for the upcoming weeks of practicing.
Being in a band again has brought about a few things that are new for me this time around. None have taken very long to get used to and all have proven to be rather interesting.
1) I am no longer a frontman. Most of my previous band experience has had me doing a lot of leading vocally. I wasn’t always lead singer, but I took on a prominent role in the vocal portion of the band. This time around, I am just the guitarist. I may throw in a few backing vocals here and there, but for the most part, I am the guitarist. This hasn’t had too big of an impact on my though this time because it’s given me a chance to work on my stage presence and my recent outburst of love for guitar has not hindered me at all. Being out of the band scene for a while, the thought of going back on stage has my mind dancing already and when it comes time to perform, I won’t be stuck at the mic and will be able to “rock out hardcore”.
2) The lead singer is phenomenal. My past bands have always had mediocre singers, myself especially. Playing alongside an exceptional singer allows me to be extremely confident in the music we plan on playing.
3) I have been looking at music theory quite a bit lately. My friend Jesse has a guitar lessons blog on which he has posted multiple articles about theory (Check it out here). As I attempt to write down chord progressions, lead parts, and harmonies, I have found myself constantly referring to the notes he has posted. And it has helped greatly. I am confident in the fact that this is some of the best music I have ever written solely because I understand what I’m writing. It also has sparked more interest in learning more theory and digging deeper into the art of guitar playing.
4) I am challenging myself much more. Normally I practice and play music within my limits. If I get to a lead part that I believe I will never master, I play the rhythm section. I have found myself reaching out much more this summer. Sitting down and taking the time to slow down those hard riffs and learn them to perfection. I have found my guitar playing abilities have multiplied by countless amounts because of this.
Though this post has nothing really to do with my new guitar, I am not too worried. I was thinking about what would happen when I finished the guitar. What would become of this website? I will likely continue to use it as my general guitar blog. This is certainly not the last project I will undertake and so this site will continue running as long as I do.
Cheers,
-- Mike
RSS Feed