What are your [musical] New Year’s Resolutions?
Saying that 2020 has been a hell of a year would be an understatement. With live music on hold for the foreseeable future, venues, studios, and clubs struggling to stay afloat, and with artists having to find new ways to connect with their fans; it truly has been a difficult year for all of us who adore music.
That, of course, didn’t stop us from taking over an empty venue and inviting some talented guitarists to jam on an empty stage (but more on that in 2021). For now, we’re stuck thinking about how epic those refunded concerts would have been, wondering if our favorite band’s upcoming livestream will be the same as a real show, and pondering when we’ll be able to walk into our favorite venues to feel the rush of live music again.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great ways to stay occupied and keep the music flowing! For some of us, the holidays may mean an onslaught of G.A.S. as we buy that shiny new axe that’s been tempting us all year, and for others it may mean some time off work to enjoy jamming, writing, learning, and building new skills! No matter where your skills are at, whether you're picking up a guitar for the very first time or finally getting around to learn how to hybrid pick, there’s no better time than now to play!
Here are a few things to check out at FRET12 for guitarists of all backgrounds, whether they’re a part of your musical resolutions or not, we think you’ll dig it!
CHORD CHARTS
We've launched our own take on the venerable guitar chord chart that has plastered dorm room walls for decades, but with a fresh new (and of course, dark) twist. Think of it as a guitar chord chart for the 21st century.
We’re sharing all of those ‘must-know’ chords with a full explanation that is easy to understand for even the newest of noobs. And seeing that we’re the anti-label, we fully encourage you to share this around with all your guitar brethren!
SE GUITARS
Didn’t know what G.A.S. was when we mentioned it above? Feast your eyes on a few of these sparkly new axes and it will surely cause your own "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" to flare up.
The SE guitar lineup from Paul Reed Smith Guitars are their ‘student edition’ models, but these aren’t your father’s ‘starter guitars.’ These road-ready axes are built to the fit, finish, and spec of most pro models and can easily go toe-to-toe with just about any guitar at twice the price. We can confidently say that any one of these SE guitars is fully equipped for the studio, stage, or wherever your music may take you when you demand an instrument that is both reliable and professional. While these guitars are a great place to start, they’re also a great addition to your fleet of instruments when you’re in need of another instrument to handle an alternate tuning, new string gauges, or perhaps a new pickup combination. Most are priced at below $1k, which makes them a great gift for yourself or any passionate musician in your life.
THE SOUND AND THE STORY
It’s 2021 and social distancing means no in-person guitar lessons, so why not have a virtual set with someone famous? If you’re looking for a new twist on the classic guitar instructional DVD, then you should definitely spend some of your time at home learning the sounds and hearing the stories of some of today’s most influential guitar players - now available for digital download!
Do you want to work on your vibrato and phrasing? Look no further than the iconic Lesley West - the master of soul and feel, the king of ‘Mississippi Queen.’ (R.I.P. to the legend.)
Do you want to boost your knowledge of modes? Our documentary with Stone Sour’s Josh Rand will teach you all about how to play, write, and shred in every single mode, including some exotic ones that are certain to liven up your leads.
Do you play fast, and wish to play even faster? Let Jacky Vincent take your guitar shredder soul to entirely new, supercharged levels. When you watch this, you might think we sped up the footage. We promise you, we didn’t.
And of course, any of our guitar documentary features all make for great watches for non-guitarists as well, as our entire ‘The Sound & The Story’ family of musicians have some truly unbelievable stories to tell.
No matter what guitar resolutions you make, we hope to continue rocking with you well beyond 2021!
