Maria asks…
How do you restring a Fender Stratocaster?
The Standard ones that cost $499.99.
Be specific.
NydiaMccartney answers:
John has the basics right except: You don’t need to remove the back plate because they already have an access slot cut into them to allow access to the string holes in the tremolo bridge.
I suggest doing this one string at a time but that is not absolutely necessary. If you wish to clean the fingerboard or change a pickup then you will need to remove a 6 strings.
You will need a couple of basic tools; a string winder, and some wire cutters. (string winder is available at most music stores, costs about $2)
Start by using the string winder to unwind the low E string until it has no tension.
Cut the string in half and remove the excess from the tuning machine.
Push the remaining end of the string back down through the bridge. Note where it comes out of the tremolo underneath the guitar. This large metal block that is the underside of the bridge is known as the torsion block.
Pull the string through the block until it is removed.
Take new string out of package and insert end into the block in the same hole.
Guide string up through the bridge being careful to make sure that it passes up through the saddle piece on the face of the guitar. (occasionally the string will get stuck on the underside of the saddle and not exit through the saddle. Just pull back down and try again. Kinda like threading a needle!)
Pull string all the way through.
Turn the tuning machine so that the hole is at a right angle to the neck. (parallel to nut)
Place end of string through the hole (insert from the treble side) and bend the string around the tuning peg to lightly kink the string on each side of the peg. MAKE sure to leave a couple of inches of slack.
While holding the string with one hand, use the string winder to wind the string around the tuning peg COUNTER clockwise. By holding the string with one hand while winding with the other, you will keep tension on the string. This helps to maintain tension on the string and keep the winds nice and uniform. The string will wind DOWNWARD.
When you have got the string installed correctly, give it a gentle tug to help seat it and remove the elasticity from it. Do this a couple of times and it will tune up much easier.
Once string is tuned up then cut the excess off close to the tuning peg.
To finish the procedure simply lather , rinse, and repeat!
Note* on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings you will need to place the string underneath the string trees. Those are the little “T” shaped objects between the tuners and the nut of the guitar headstock. Most strats have them for the top strings (1-4) but occasionally you will see some that are only on the top 2 strings. These help to apply downward force across the nut so that the string stays in the nut slot.
If you do not feel up to this then just take the guitar to your local music store. They will re-string it for about $5 plus the cost of strings
Mark asks…
The right way to become a pro musician?
Okay, from my own perspective I think I am doing well, but as I’m just 16 years old, I may be mistaken and I need a little advice.
So the deal is that I am a singer/songwriter and play guitar, bass, keyboards and a little of drums. I’ve been playing musical instruments since I was 7 years old, started writing music by 8 and lyrics by 10.
In december, I emailed an A&R Director/Rock-Pop producer from Universal Music Publishing Group with my full biography, one of my lyrics and a paragraph saying how much I wanted to be a professional musician. He replied to me and said he was interested, so he told me to record 3 or 4 songs and to bring them to him. So I recorded the songs and had an appointment with him on January at UMPG’s offices and when he finished listening to my music, he said he was expecting less of me and that he was impressed, but that I wasn’t ready yet for the worldwide market, but that with a little more preparation I could make it soon. And he offered himself to tutor me and guide me in order to become a musician, and that he’d stay in touch with me to see my progress and define when I am ready.
He told me that it’d be better if I could make a band, so I joined one who already had a little experience and we’ve been doing great so far. The A&R dude said that he wanted to assist one of our band’s rehearsals and if possible to see us in a show with crowd. He’ll be attending to one of our rehearsals in early September and to a show in early November.
He also asked us to work on our songs, so we could record them and register their copyrights, for him to send them to the record labels in USA for us to fit global market.
What do you think? I know it sounds good but who knows, maybe you know something I don’t or have an opinion that could come useful to me.
Take a look at our music:
Both are from the band. We make indie/alternative rock music similar to U2, coldplay and the killers
The music there was recorded with a guitar hero mic and edited with mixcraft6 and garage band, so don’t expect high quality production, they’re just previews!
NydiaMccartney answers:
I hate to sound cynical, since you seem to be on the right path in that you’re writing and playing regularly, but I don’t trust the A&R guy at all. He sounds like he’s looking for a band to exploit in the teen idol market, which would mean your career would be over by the time you’re of legal drinking age. As a rule, record labels are looking to sign bands who’ve already proven their marketability by building large and growing fan bases. And the exception to that rule is artists who will be marketed exclusively to teens, since they’re chosen not based on their musical offerings (and many of them are very talented), but because they can be effortlessly packaged and sold to kids who want to hear bands they can think of as peers. And it’s common for A&R reps to hitch their wagons to up-and-coming acts, gain their trust, and then leave their A&R jobs to serve as “managers” after they get the bands signed.
The guy may very well be legitimate, but I’ve witnesses so many horrible things in the music industry that my default position is suspicion — especially when the people making the music are very young and vulnerable to industry predators. My advice is to keep writing and rehearsing and book one or two shows a month to build your fan base. If you play more often than that, you’ll never be able to attract fans in the numbers record companies want because fans will know they can afford to miss shows, since they’ll be able to catch you next week. Also, playing live will put you in touch with other bands who might be inclined to have you be their opener in other cities (so you’ll be expanding your fan base). Like many jobs, being a musician is largely about networking.
I urge you not to be in too much of a hurry to reach your goal of a music career. Most musicians who find success before reaching adulthood find their careers have a very short shelf life. It’s largely because people in their twenties and thirties and forties don’t listen to music by teenagers (because the song material isn’t applicable to their lives), which means teen bands have limited market appeal. But once a person is in his/her twenties, the life experiences become more universal, which means the audience potential is huge.
Since you’ve been writing songs since you were practically in diapers, you’ll be leagues ahead of your peers by the time you’re old enough to play bars — and that’s where A&R people generally ply their trade. Just keep going and focus on the music, rather than the possibility of fame and fortune. If the A&R dude asks you to sign anything, talk to your parents about hiring an entertainment lawyer first. I could make you cry with stories about friends of mine who signed away their song rights and even their future opportunities for record contracts because they got too excited over the prospect of being rock stars.
Michael asks…
How do I string a pinless bridge acoustic guitar?
NydiaMccartney answers:
I am going to assume you are referring to a classical guitar, normally strung with a nylon/ silver wound set that does not have ball ends. I just finished stringing a classical guitar for a customer so I will describe how I did it. Take the string and feed it through its hole from the saddle side ( the saddle is the white part of the bridge) until the end of string sticks out about two and a half to three inches from the back edge of the bridge. Take the string end and bring it around the long part of the string counter clock wise and then wrap under itself two times (three times for the D and high E or as needed). Now pull the string tight as you guide the very end of the string over the top of the bridge to the back edge where it should be pinned down by the loop as it is pulled tight. The excess string should be cut off so it does not touch the top. Alternately it can be held in place by the loop of the adjacent string. This requires the high E string be tied in reverse so that its end can be held by the B string loop. At the tuner end pull the string through the hole in the roller and pull the string through. Now wrap the string end around the string and back under itself. This will pin down the string end with the wraps of string around the roller which will prevent it from slipping. Try to wind the wraps on the roller so they don’t bind against the peghead.
There are some steel stringed acoustics that used pinless bridges, most notably acoustics made by Ovation. They are meant to use normal ball end strings simply feed through the holes in the back edge, and over the saddle ( it helps to bend the string end into a slight curve to help guide it over the saddle). A classical style guitar can be strung the same way if you can find a set of nylon strings with ball ends. They used to make them but I haven’t seen any lately. If you still have questions let me know.
David asks…
how am I supposed to know which job to go for?
I have just finished my last year at school, all my friends are going to uni in september, i am not as i could not decide what i wanted to study. i basically have no idea. my interests are skiing, horse riding, playing my guitar but none of these would be a good career path for me as i do not excel in any of them. I feel deprressed as i feel i will never no what i want to do. What can i do?
NydiaMccartney answers:
It sounds like you might be suited to an outdoor type of life and there are loads of career options that would give you that. This free career guide will enable you to find a job which suits your interests
http://www.tonygoddardconsulting.com/career-coaching/help-me-find-a-career/
Carol asks…
Can anybody give me any idea what a Yamaha Clavinova PVC 7 might be worth?
NydiaMccartney answers:
I can not find anything on a Yamaha Clavinova PVC 7, but I did find this on the CVP seriers. Good luck! I hope this helps.
CVP Series: Overview
A Clavinova® CVP Digital Piano has the sound and feel of an acoustic piano and an amazing range of features that give musicians more options when composing and performing.
The Clavinova CVP series has a rich, subtle sound and exceptional dynamics, from the gentlest pianissimo to the brashest fortissimo. Models range from 10 voices (including harpsichord and organ) to hundreds of MIDI instruments, and many include multiple effects, large, full-color display screens, and even built-in karaoke. View All Products
Manufacturer’s Description
88-key Graded Hammer effect (GH) keyboard
Three-step Dynamic Stereo Sampling AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) tone generation with stereo sustain samples, key-off samples, soundboard reverb, and string resonance
640 x 480 VGA screen with lyric and score display
Guide Function with Karao-Key and Vocal CueTIME
192-note polyphony
The CVP-207 is an 88-key Graded Hammer keyboard with a woodgrain cabinet in dark rosewood finish. It features 888 different voices including a high-quality Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) piano voice. Three-step sampling faithfully reproduces key-off sounds, stereo sustain sounds, string resonance, and soundboard reverb. The Sound Creator tool makes customized instruments. 192-note polyphony allows for incredibly layered, textured multi-instrumental passages. Natural!, Sweet!, Cool!, and Live! Voices recreate piano, woodwinds, brass, and guitars with accuracy. Organ Flutes! Give adjustable organ tone bars. Karaoke and Vocal Processing functionality makes it fun to sing along with the music. A 16-track sequencer with extensive editing controls can be used to create advanced compositions. A PC/MAC interface connects the Clavinova easily to a personal computer, or the built-in 3.5″ floppy drive can be used for educational software or to store recordings. The CVP-207 is designed for the musician who is looking for a wide variety of voices, a huge number of features, and a large, easy-to-read display.
This keyboard retailed for over $6000 ! Selling now on Ebay for over $2,025.00 (current bid) Auction still has 3 days left on it.
Laura asks…
I’m a teenage musician about to go pro with UMG and need a little advice?
Okay, from my own perspective I think I am doing well, but as I’m just 16 years old, I may be mistaken and I need a little advice.
So the deal is that I am a singer/songwriter and play guitar, bass, keyboards and a little of drums. I’ve been playing musical instruments since I was 7 years old, started writing music by 8 and lyrics by 10.
In december, I emailed an A&R Director/Rock-Pop producer from Universal Music Publishing Group with my full biography, one of my lyrics and a paragraph saying how much I wanted to be a professional musician. He replied to me and said he was interested, so he told me to record 3 or 4 songs and to bring them to him. So I recorded the songs and had an appointment with him on January at UMPG’s offices and when he finished listening to my music, he said he was expecting less of me and that he was impressed, but that I wasn’t ready yet for the worldwide market, but that with a little more preparation I could make it soon. And he offered himself to tutor me and guide me in order to become a musician, and that he’d stay in touch with me to see my progress and define when I am ready.
He told me that it’d be better if I could make a band, so I joined one who already had a little experience and we’ve been doing great so far. The A&R dude said that he wanted to assist one of our band’s rehearsals and if possible to see us in a show with crowd. He’ll be attending to one of our rehearsals in early September and to a show in early November.
He also asked us to work on our songs, so we could record them and register their copyrights, for him to send them to the record labels in USA for us to fit global market.
What do you think? I know it sounds good but who knows, maybe you know something I don’t or have an opinion that could come useful to me.
Take a look at our music:
Both are from the band. We make indie/alternative rock music similar to U2, coldplay and the killers
NydiaMccartney answers:
You’re sixteen? You are fantastic bro! I would say you are blessed… And awesome! I dunno what others will say, but according to me, you have it all, man! I heard your songs, they’re great, and would sound great on an album/record. Just one little tip, work on your diction… Your words sometimes sound a bit muddled… Other than that, don’t forget to send me an autographed photo/tee/mug/etc. When you make it big!
Cheers! :D
Mary asks…
is it safe to paint a bass guitar?
well, i want to know if it is safe to paint my bass. If so, what type of paint? I wouldn’t be touching the neck or the strings (obviously). Now, so you think im not crazy, My ex- gf took a magic marker and drew shit all over it after a show i did. Now, after she cheated on me, i dont want any remains of her (spiritually, physically etc)….sooooooooooooo, is this possible to paint a bass without ruining it?
NydiaMccartney answers:
Not a problem. It’s as well to sand down the body as Magic Marker has the nasty ability to rise up through new paint. If it has a bolt on neck thenr remove it and also take out the scratch plate. When you remove the scratch plate most of the electronics will come with it, all of them if the output jack and the controls are in the plate rather than at the bottom edge otherwise you’ll have to remove the back plate if there is one and do a bit of surgery with a small adjustable spanner. Car aerosol paint works well on guitars. A coat of primer, a couple or three coats of colour then at least three coats of varnish. Make sure you don’t go too thick with the layers of paint otherwise they’ll run or take forever to dry. Make sure that each layer is completely dry before applying the next one. Check the side of the aerosol can for drying times and use the longest time quoted as a guide. As for custom designs then it’s break out the masking tape when you are applying the colour(s) layer or if you have the skill then you can go all “air brush” arty. You can paint the neck in the same manner you just have to remove more bits (machine heads etc.) and be extra careful masking off the fret board with masking tape. Take your time and when you have finished you should have an amazing custom bass axe which is an ex-g/f free zone.
Ken asks…
Where can I dowload a good recorder for my pc mic for recording my guitar music?
NydiaMccartney answers:
AUDACITY will do this.
Download for free from:
http://www.cassette2cd.co.uk/downloads.php
I would recommend you think about a pro mic. Though, Dynamic for recording from your Combo, or condenser for recording acoustic.
I am almost finished my on-line guide for recording using a mic in AUDACITY (pro. Mic NOT PC), take a look and let me know if you think it was useful. (you could use the same method for an acoustic – or stick with your PC mic, the principles are the same)
http://www.cassette2cd.co.uk/DIY/vocal.php
Donna asks…
What country rock bands have similar styles to The Eagles?
Sorry, this is going to be long, but please read it all.
So, my name is Adam, and I am 15. I currently an intermediate acoustic guitar play, and I am very uninterested with electric guitar. I am obsessed with a classic rock band, known as The Eagles. You have probably heard of them. I have mastered every one of their songs that I can on acoustic guitar, such as Best of My Love and New Kid in Town. Now that I have finished mastering the Eagles, I find myself lost for where to go from here. My instructor has attempted to guide me towards The Band. I looked The Band up and only liked one song, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. The Band has the guitar I like, yet I feel that their voices are not heavenly, like I found in Glenn Frey and Don Henley. So, I put The Band away. I am still, at this moment, unaware of where to go from here. I enjoy Neil Young’s music, if that helps. If you all could help me out, what bands have similar, if not identical, sytle to the Eagles? I need a band that puts their voices together, like The Eagles do. It has to be a band that heads more toward the direction of acoustic struming, rather than electic plucking. For those of you who want to help, yet are unaware of what I am looking for, listen to Best of My Love and Lyin’ Eyes, both by the Eagles. That you guys so much.
NydiaMccartney answers:
Poco
new riders of the purple sage
the flying burrito brothers
gram parsons
emmylou harris
mason proffit
commander cody
rick nelson
pure prairie league
maybe not all exactly like the eagles, but that’s a good thing.
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