962,

A pleasure to listen to your tunes.

Isn't it great for us all to be able to join in one place & share our thoughts, music & common interest in Joe....

cuth / kev88 - I wrote "me - I use Ernie Ball "Skinny Tops, Heavy Bottoms" this is a hybrid set... the plain strings follow the guages from a set of 9's, the wrapped strings follow the guages from a set of 10's"

ha... a lil' mistake there....

Ernie Ball 'Skinny Tops, Heavy Bottoms' are:
plain strings from a set of 10's
wrapped strings from a set of 11's
I used to use these on my Strat.. I got on very well with them, but when I started playing RG's they just weren't doing it for me... so I needed to drop a guage...

noe I use Ernie Ball ' Hybrids' which are:
plain strings from a set of 9's
wrapped strings from a set of 10's

and I loves 'em I tells yer... I loves 'em

But to be sure, guitars do sound/work better with strings!! By the way, nylon strings sound like shite on an electric guitar...

zen - yes I'd agree... string choice is about the style of music you play, your roll [rhythm, lead or both], your own personal playing approach
guys like SRV / Rory Gallager use huge strings but the have a hard 'attacking' style...
guys like me, Vinnie Moore, Jan Cyrka [possibly Malmsteen] have a surprisingly gentle approach [dispite what is sounds like.. lol].. so skinny strings are best for us...
someone once told me that Malmsteen uses 8's... ad on a scaloped fingerboard too..??.. I don't know if there is any truth in this.... but if this is true, he must have an amazingly soft style... ultra light strings, tnued to Eb?? very little tension.. you'd expect him to be 'squeezing them sharp' due to the scallops... IMHO it sounds like shit to me... but this is what I was once told...

You're also right about the Rape and Our Blood... those two tracks show me playing as I do in a 'band' setting... the rest of the IUMA stuff is me having a little fun.. all completely improvisational [which is still valuable to work on].. however, those two tracks are more composed and structured...
if I learned anything from Malmsteen it was "do not hold back.." 100% passion, even at the cost of accuracy [to a limited degree] is the only way.....
I would much prefer to hear something exciting and passionate that is a little rough around the edges, then something that is technically perfect but bland and lacking any passion...
and sometimes that means I have to play right on the limits of my technique.... but if the delivery makes someone's hair stand on end the I feel that I met my objective...
which is:
capture my own passion and transfer it to the listener

if anything, the tracks on Shredz are even more neo-class than The Rape.. think of The Rape as the 'entrée'... from then on things get more intense and much more compositional...
today I played The Baptist to a pal at work on the CD player in my car..... and When the guitar representing Salome was singing "bring me the head of the Baptist" is made my hair stand on end.....
for me it is very very cool that my own music did that to me....

so have you played my music to any of your friends??
if so, I'd be interested in what they had to say...

it's a shame that you can't just try them all out easily first and then decide..

if you want a chrome scratch plate go to a custom builder and have one made.... I bet it's not as costly as you'd expect..

Clarky and I am surprised that we never heard about more finger tendon probs with guys like SRV, KWS, Gallagher, Gary Moore et al with their hard attack wide bends high action and taut gauge... At my age my fingers get "bent out of shape" carrying grocery bags for cripes sakes!!!

It was once reported that during his heyday, Alvin Lee used banjo strings say 6 or 7's on his guitars!! Don't think I could even see that!!!

Another guy who epitomizes your "gentle" approach and sounds vicious is of course Tony Mac, possibly the most "economical" shredder out there!!!

.....

...One of the friends of my family who was at my brother's baptism, cheated on his wife... so she left him... he got pissed of...he couldn't take it... he killed her, their two youngest children, one a toddler, the other i don't know, and then killed himself. The only ones left are the older sons, one 23 and the other, i dont know either... my God... i just don't understand how people can bear to kill their own flesh and blood......

Chaos, nothing to add but prayers for the older sons and all others affected by this senseless tragedy.....

**Get well music for Joe**

Song Of The Day ~

PRIMAL CONCRETE SLEDGE by PANTERA

crank it UP!!

Chaos, some people are just effed up beyong belief! I'm so sorry this had to happen. My heart goes out to the family and friends. May God hold the two remaining boys in his light and help them through this nightmare. The father will pay in the afterlife. How can people kill their children? I just can't comprehend that.

I am years behind on t2j, folks. I think I have close to 60 pages left to read. But today I found out that one of ex-gf's mother died in a the Tsunami. They were working for the ELCA is Sri Lanka and were travelling in a train when a 30 foot wave knocked the train off the rails. My ex (jenna) escaped but was unable to pull her mother out. She then walked to the nearest village with the rest of the surviors...10 miles! This news is very shocking to me. Really sucks.

well, on a brighter note, I finally got my 'random' password for my new college email. And you wouldnt believe what the password is.............jz7770

Cuthbert Maybe I have generalised too much. My situation is that way because I work in a specialist field. For me to take off means upheaval and moving but at the same time the company would struggle to find a replacement so there is a bit of a stand-off situation.................... kind of an unpleasant poker game - lol. It doesn't help that the work I do in the company and the way that me and my buddy work it goes against the tradition. Traditionally the company would pay more based on the chargeable hours that you acheive. We felt that the company expectation of our chargeable rate was out of line with the market place so we kept it low to ensure that we get work in. The difference is that we sub-contract engineers for the site work and produce a sizeable profit from it. So although our 'personal' contribution to the company is not in line with our salary (alledegelly!!!) the profit from the work that we manage is far greater.

Maybe I should have being making the point that if you don't ask for it very few companies will voluntarily pay more than they have too. Good business sense ? Not too me, look after the people who are key to the success of your company and keep them happy and they work harder and have a greater loyalty to you.

DELFINO- That's good Man! Hey, Ya' need that sleep Time! The weekend is coming up! But I'll Bet You have a lot of paper's and test's! How are You finding the programming? It is pretty challenging No? I was playing A video game the other day, And really noticed how intricate the detail, and the representaion was! What A fun field! the whole ITC, Path! Your going to know so Much!..............................CLARKY- That Midi, Is very intimiadting! It appers, I will have enough for My Midi, Processer, and Cubase. But, Wow, It is really difficult to understand all those megabit's-or whatever they are? And how to splice them into a song! But The Boundries, seem endless! -Loop, synth's, and Keyboard effect's, all can be patched on one channel, to record. and the loop librayies they have now are just marvelous! It seem's that if i learn it well enough, It will make recording, AS A WHOLE more effecient. For Me. Hmmmm! BUT, I also hear that You can lose precious work to!..................................BADAHUH- Hi, There, My fine Freind! It is alway's great to hear your Kind word's! The guitar is and it's music persona. Has become My Life. I concentrate on the vocal beuty, and emotional sound, i get when playing it! And convey that into My song's. Thank You for Liking My Music! It sure mean's A lot! Your Alway's very positive, and a Nice Freind!...............................DCK- Mark, How's it going? I am so happy For you! You More that desrve to play with the best! Keep om Being an inspiration to Me! And I'll try not to let You down with My guitar playing. I will work very hard at trying to become the best, I can! I am so blessed to have such a kind And Talented freind, Such as You! I hope, one day! I will be "Good".....................................OVATION1- That's very really cool, That You pop in from time to time to make sure were behahvin'! Alway's My best with You and Your's, and Prayer's to Your co. that has gone to help!, And Mike, You take it easy, Where your at!..............................ZENFISH- You can do a lot with a good bass, Player like that, One that has experiance in many style's! That is really something! That's Like A Studio musican!. One that can play anything! and all band, situation's! Didn't You tell Mr before You had worked without drummer for awhile before? It wasn't fun, But it worked! And I know Drum machines, just don't cut it for Live performances! Well, Your Lil' Freind Steven, Over here in the USA Will be hoping for a ZENFISH drummer, real soon! And Thank You for the encouragment, On not losing the passion! I hope to keep the torch going!..........................................ALEXANDRE- How Goe's it in the new year? I hope thing's are very well! Very exiting to be on the road a lot! Alway's wishing You, and Your's My best regard's! and good Fouturne! BTW, I am trying to dabble in flamingo! It's cool! :-) Talke care, see ya' ;ater!, have a nice day!...............................SteveeT- How is the brand new album coming along? Keep me informed!.................JOE- Heres' wishing You well, And some hot chicken alphebet soup, And the word's are spelling- GET WELL REAL SOON!

Joe,

Hope that you are feeling better. Any news on the rescheduling for Las Vegas and Ventura?

Satchheads...Anyone have any news?

I'm really sorry for your Pneumonia Joe... praying for you!

The Human Condition....whoa!

Peace!