guitar

Guitar String Oscillations!

Submitted by chris.kuklis on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 00:01

This intrepid guitarist put an iPhone inside his acoustic guitar to capture the string oscillations with amazing results. Below, I'll explain a little about what's happening, and also dig into some of the physical aspects of sound creation on the guitar.

Pretty cool, right?

What's happening in the video is the result of an effect called rolling shutter. Basically, the sensor in the iPhone doesn't capture each frame of the video instantaneously, but rather scans in a "right to left" pattern. The strings are moving faster than the camera's image sensor can scan, so different sections of each string are captured at different points in motion, resulting in a waveform shape. (Whew! Still with me?)

While the waveforms in the video don't exactly represent what we might see on an oscilloscope, they do create an opportunity for us to explore some fundamental aspects of sound production. First, a few definitions:

  1. Frequency - The rate at which a vibration occurs that constitutes a wave, either in a material (as in sound waves), or in an electromagnetic field (as in radio waves and light), usually measured per second (Hz).
  2. Amplitude - The maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium

In the video above, each string takes on a particular moving shape after being plucked. The shape (sequences of alternating hills and valleys) can be seen as a representation of both frequency and amplitude. Frequency is represented by the number of times a particular hill/valley pair appears on a string, and amplitude by the size of the hill valley pair.

Lower pitches have a lower frequency (rate of hill/valley repeat), while higher pitches have a greater frequency, and these rates of repeat are measured in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). On a guitar in standard EADGBE tuning, the strings vibrate at the following frequencies:

  • Low E: 82.41 Hz
  • A: 110.00 Hz
  • D: 146.83 Hz
  • G: 196.00 Hz
  • B: 246.94 Hz
  • High E: 329.63 Hz

This means that when you play the high E string open, it completes 329.63 hill/valley pairs every second! Pretty cool.

In the video, you can see frequency in the spacing bewteen the hills. Lower pitched notes, vibrating at lower frequencies, have lots of space between the peak of each hill. Higher pitched notes have very little space, and look much 'pointier' as a result.

The frequency of octaves has an interesting mathematical relationship. To get to the next highest octave, you simply double the frequency of your starting note. In the list above you'll see that the Low E string vibrates at a frequency of 82.41 Hz. To get to the next octave (ex. fret 12 on the low E), we'll double the frequency to 164.82. What happens if we double that number again? We get 329.63, the vibrating frequency of the High E!

If you skip to 2:02 in the video you can see the frequency difference quite clearly. First, the guitarist strums each string open, then plays each as a 12th fret harmonic (which is one octave higher than each open string). The harmonics have a visibly faster rate of motion, while retaining a similar shape to the open string.

[Sidenote: To play a harmonic, place your left hand index finger on a string, directly over the 12th fret. Don't push down, just touch the string lightly. Now pluck the string with your pick and you should hear a clear bell-like note one octave higher than the open string.]

Okay, so we have this whole frequency thing figured out, but what about amplitude? In the video, amplitude can be seen as the size of the hills/valleys. When the guitarist first strikes a string the hills are large, gradually decreasing in size as the note fades out. As you might already be guessing, amplitude is the volume of a sound. The taller the hills the louder a particular note sounds to us, and vice-versa. Combine this with frequency, and you get something like the shapes in the video.

So that's it! With a simple but ingenious YouTube video as our guide, and a little know-how, we've (either totally blown up our brains or) gained greater insight into what happens when we play the guitar. If you'd like to learn more about how physics applies to the guitar, keep an eye out for future blog posts!

Good luck, and happy shredding!

ck

Chris Kuklis teaches guitar and all sorts of fun stuff. To learn more about the science behind sound, check out Chris's BML page and schedule a lesson.

The Key Is In The Window // Aaron Shragge & Ben Monder // CD release

Submitted by aaron.shragge on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 00:01

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Mesopelagic Drift by Aaron Shragge

...the sounds created by these two world-class musicians takes the listener to varying celestial moments of clarity and depth that one would not expect. Shragge and Monder manage to paint musical imagery that transcends genre and style...The Key is in the Window is definitely a recording to check out for those who want to expand their ears musically and want to find something truly new in the realm of improvised music.

- Guitar International

When my beloved friend Brandon Bernstein a guitarist/educator now living in Pasedena suggested that I should do some playing with Ben Monder (whom he had been in touch with since hosting him at a workshop) my reaction was simply "yeah...right". But in a way that a only a good friend can, his belief in me was not at all overshadowed by my own doubt. Almost two years later, The Key Is In The Window is proof that my doubt (though maybe useful at times) was simply an illusion.

My experience in collaborating with Ben Monder has been life-changing. I don't say that in any grandiose way, but simply and honestly. The reason being that Ben Monder is an inspiration to work with and to live up to. After our first performance together at the Village Zendo, when talking about the tradition in Indian classical music to practice for 24 hours straight, Ben mentioned that he had tried several times and usually lasted about 22 hours before falling asleep. I thought that if someone as skilled as Ben Monder still took his music practice that seriously then what was my excuse not to do the same. I had always been a heavy practicer but had rationalized that a marathon was just obsessive. In the next year I did three 24-hour solo practice marathons, each separated by about a month. The third time I knew I had actually understood its real purpose since I felt very little self-satisfaction, only gratitude for the experience. I would have never thought of pushing myself in this way if it had not been for working with Ben.

The music on The Key Is In The Window is inspired by my practice of North Indian Vocals and of the Japanese Flute the Shakuhachi. Though Indian and Japanese music do not appear in their traditional form, I have done my best to portray their influence in the most genuine way I can. Two pieces "Kyorei" and "Choshi" are from the Shakuhachi Zen Buddhist Shakuhachi repertoire called Honkyoku (pieces of origin). They are supported by Ben's amazing finger-style guitar and lush atmospheric harmony. "Mesopelagic Drift" and "A Trodden Way" are based on the North Indian raga Puriya Kalyan. The melodies of "Trust" and "Irate In Sight" were composed using an analytic music therapy technique in which I improvised melodies on psychodynamic issues. The melodies where then harmonized and arranged with Ben's guitar playing in mind.

The tracking for this record was completed in half a day, though the post production took much longer. Tariq Khan, producer/engineer has done an outstanding and meticulous job in the mixing/editing process to bring out the unique qualities of each song and still have them fit together in the record as a whole. Finally a big thanks to Justin Shturtz at Sterling Sound for an amazing mastering job; adding great depth and power to the mixes.

Bringing it all back to BML, one of my students, Isaac Mann, recently pointed out to me that "The Key Is In The Window" were actually some of Allen Ginsberg's mother's last words to her son. I had read these words in Kaddish when I was around Isaac's age (15) and had totally forgotten them - or at least on a conscious level, as this statement on the universality of perception is truly what inspired the making of this record. I am very grateful to my student Isaac for completing the circle of understanding in the process of making this album.

- Aaron Shragge

The Key is in the Window - New York CD release

June 24 @ 8:30 pm - $10 suggested donation

Aaron Shragge - dragon mouth trumpet, shakuhachi, composition
Ben Monder - guitar

iBeam
168 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215

With an opening set by Turtle Boy Trio

Jon Lindhorst - Tenor Sax
Adam Miller - Drums
Ryan Butler - Guitar

Aaron Shragge teaches Trumpet with Brooklyn Music Lessons.

The Africanization of the Guitar

Submitted by sam.dickey on Tue, 05/31/2011 - 11:12

The guitar is quite possibly the world’s most popular instrument, and as a result, almost every part of the world has developed its own way of playing. The guitar has been integrated to varying degrees into the traditional music of Brazil, India, the Middle East, and many other countries and regions. However, no part of the world has adopted, integrated, and transformed the guitar like West Africa.

Since the guitar arrived in West Africa in the 60s, the guitar styles that have developed are based on the melodies and music of traditional instruments, which are translated onto the guitar. In Mali, where the traditional lute called the ngoni holds a special cultural significance, the core of the guitar style draws from ngoni music.

To show this connection, I've recorded two videos of me playing the same song, first on ngoni then on guitar.

'Kaira' played on ngoni

'Kaira' played on guitar

As you can see (and hear), I play the same variations and melody in both versions, it's only the accompaniments that are different. This demonstrates how the melodies and articulations of traditional instruments are moved onto the guitar. I experienced this process firsthand when I was in Mali. While playing and studying with kora players, ngoni players, balafonists, and guitarists, I would encounter a variety of melodies, variations, and accompaniments. Sometimes it was difficult to recognize the same song played on a different instrument! However, I would always try to find ways to translate this material to both the guitar and the ngoni.

This process of moving traditional music onto the guitar shows how the guitar has been Africanized. In this process, completely unique styles of guitar playing have been created, and the musical traditions of West Africa have been brought face-to-face with the music of America and Europe.

Photo credit: Jack Hirschorn

Sam Dickey teaches Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, West African Guitar and Ngoni with BML.

Brooklyn Guitar Festival 2010

Submitted by Chris Conly on Tue, 08/31/2010 - 22:51

Celebrating 2 years of bringing the new, and under-appreciated gems of the Brooklyn music scene into the light, the Brooklyn Experiments Groove Series announces the 1st Annual BROOKLYN GUITAR FESTIVAL 2010! Every Sunday night this September, October and November will feature a different member of the local guitar family from in and around Brooklyn.

In the spirit of the great festivals, Woodstock, Bonaroo, Crossroads, comes a new and exciting festival celebrating the impact of the guitar in all its incarnations, as well as the geographically unique talent bringing it to life. Purposefully spread out across 3 months, this weekly gathering will more than justify it's need to grow in the coming years.

SUNDAY NIGHTS THIS FALL // SEPT, OCT & NOV
Rose Live Music
345 Grand Street Brooklyn, NY 11211 // 718.599.0069

FULL SCHEDULE & FREE DOWNLOADS

This week, Sunday, September 5th
featuring BML's own Curtis MacDonald Group + The Adam Rogers Trio!

9pm - Curtis MacDonlad Group (Feat. Travis Reuter)

Along with developing a sizable repertoire for the modern jazzensemble, Curtis' music has taken form in many a medium.  In the past 3 years he has composed music and sound for film, dance, games and chamber ensembles.  His production savvy can be heard on numerous new music and modern jazz recordings where he incorporates improvisation, sound art and digital technology.

Curtis Macdonald - Alto Sax
Jeremy Viner - Tenor Sax
Travis Retuer - Guitar
David Miralles - Keys
Chris Tordini - Bass
Cody Brown - Drums

10pm & 11pm - Adam Rogers Trio (w/Fima Ephron & Nate Smith)

"Unlike many musicians who ply their trade in New York, Adam Rogers has been doing it all his life, being, as he is, a lifelong resident of Manhattan. Since 1990, he has appeared a on over fifty recordings so diverse, that many fans know him as an expert player in different genres. For example, his gigging and recordings with Lost Tribe, saxman Bill Evans, and recently, Matt Garrison, have built his renown as a great player in the electric jazz idiom, whereas work with John Zorn, David Binney or Uri Caine make him identifiable as a downtown mainstay. Working with Cassandra Wilson, Regina Carter or either Brecker shows his straight ahead talents, and he has recorded and performed klezmer and middle eastern classical music with Giora Feidman and David Krakauer and Simon Shaheen. He is also an accomplished pop player, as recordings with Elvis Costello, Vitamin C and Alana Davis will confirm, and he brings real classical credentials to table as well, having studied and performed the idiom intensively at Mannes College in the eighties. The above is not intended to indicate that he is a jack-of-all trades, but truly, a modern-day, master multi-stylist."

~ Phil DiPietro (All About Jazz)

Adam brings his Funk/Rock trio to Rose to celebrate the kick-off of the Brooklyn Guitar Festival!

Adam Rogers - Guitar
Fima Ephron - Bass
Nate Smith - Drums

Pocketknife - Feels

Submitted by jordan.brooks on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 17:57

Here is a video filmed with fellow BML teachers Colin Killalea and Robby Sinclair. It was conceived and wonderfully shot and edited by my brother, Travis Brooks. The music was written by Colin Killalea and performed by Pocketknife.

“With great power…” [a guitar effects primer]

Submitted by chris.kuklis on Wed, 06/24/2009 - 17:02


My name is Chris.
I am a guitarist.
I am a scientist.
I am a seeker of sounds.
I am an explorer of tone colors.
I am a dedicated enthusiast of guitar effects.

Much as it pains me to say, guitar effects are often grossly misused.

This is not the fault of the player, for how can you blame someone for something they don’t realize is wrong, but it is the sad truth. They pick up the latest guitar mag or check out their favorite player’s setup and think “Wow, what a great shortcut! All I have to do is buy the same pedals and I’ll sound just like Johnny Greenwood!”

This is not the case.

Effects are instruments.
Each pedal must be seriously studied and practiced and combined with every possible pickup and amp setting, every possible picking technique, throughout every string and octave of your instrument and beyond.
You must spend dedicated hours learning the ins and outs of every feature.
You must test and re-test every combination.
You must become intimately connected to the feel of each knob and know, without thinking, exactly how it will respond.

You must become a scientist of sound.

This is what Johnny Greenwood did.
This is what Animal Collective did.
This is what The Flaming Lips did.
This is what so many other greats have done.

and this, my friends, is precisely why their use of effects stands as a glorious monolith of inspiration to us all…

Now, take everything you’ve just read and throw it out the window!!! Quick!!

Effects are about FREEDOM and the pure joy of exploration!
Effects are about the search for something new in the great unknown!
Effects are about taking what you do with the guitar, an instrument with one of the most diverse tonal palettes available, and expanding the possibilities to infinity!
Effects are another way to find your distinct and original voice and show it to the world!

There are no answers!
There is no right or wrong!
There is only sound!

This is what Johnny Greenwood discovered.
This is what Animal Collective discovered.
This is what The Flaming Lips discovered.
This is what so many other greats have discovered.

and this, my friends, is precisely why their use of effects stands as a glorious monolith of inspiration to us all.

Now, take what you threw out the window earlier (it’s ok, I’ll wait while you find it), combine with what you just read, and you have the answer.

Using effects in a meaningful way is no simple task, for you must be BOTH the great scientist and the wild creative rebel. But with time and effort and wondering and exploring, you can create sounds that no one has ever heard and in doing so, you’ll be one step closer to your true voice as a musician.

This can be an arduous journey, as all truly rewarding paths tend to be, and many are lost along the way… But you are a BML student. You are different. The very fact that you’re reading this article means that you care enough about finding your voice and bettering yourself that you’re taking the necessary steps to make it a reality. With this mindset, and the words above, there is no pedal you cannot conquer.

As Peter’s Uncle Ben said: “With great power, comes great responsibility..."

ck

5 Essentials for the Beginner Guitarist

Submitted by BML on Mon, 03/16/2009 - 22:21

The following is a list of essentials for the beginner guitarist. My goal in assembling this package is to keep costs low and quality high. The package includes links to a guitar that is easy to play, an amp that even the pros use and other important accessories. Let me first take a moment to discuss the most important factor in choosing a beginner guitar: playability.

MAKING A SOUND

Most people would agree that the act of playing a single note on a guitar is more difficult than playing that same note on a piano. Guitarists have to use one hand to press and hold a string at one end of the instrument and another hand to pluck that same string at the other end of the instrument. Pianists however, need only drop their hand to the keyboard, using gravity to help depress a key.

WHAT TYPE OF GUITAR IS THE EASIEST TO PLAY?

STEEL STRING acoustic guitars tend to require a lot of hand-strength to play. Many people assume that acoustic guitars are great for beginners (and they can be) but its good to know that even the most expensive steel strings require more effort to play than other types of guitars while some inexpensive steel string guitars can make it nearly impossible to get a good sound. Stringing a steel string guitar with Folk strings made from Silk & Steel can help to soften the touch a bit. Many of our students enjoy the ease of playing these strings provide:

Martin M130 Silk & Steel Folk Acoustic Guitar Strings (11-47)

NYLON STRING acoustic guitars tend to be MUCH easier to play than their steel string counterparts. The reduced string tension with nylon strings makes for a much more playable instrument, however the wider fingerboard width can make the instrument difficult for small hands.

ELECTRIC guitars tend to be the most playable of all three types because:

  • they can be set up with light gauge strings - easy on the hands!
  • they are easily adjustable in their action and intonation - easy to fix!
  • they are available in smaller sizes - mini guitars for kids!

1. GUITAR

This guitar is one of the best buys at $99. It's a mini-guitar that's sized for kids, but still looks just like the same Fender Strat played by Hendrix, Clapton, et al.

 

Squier Affinity Mini Strat Electric GuitarSquier Mini Strat Electric Guitar (Rosewood)

 

If a mini-guitar is not needed, here's the FULL-SIZED version of the same guitar:

 

Squier Affinity Strat Electric Guitar Squier Affinity Strat Electric Guitar (Maple)

 

2. AMP

The amp is a classic. It can run on batteries or an adaptor. It might have been the first portable amp and in my opinion it is still the best. You open it like a book to change the tone.

Pignose Legendary 7100 Portable Battery-Powered Guitar Combo Amplifier Pignose Legendary 7100 Portable Battery-Powered Guitar Combo Amplifier

 

3. INSTRUMENT CABLE

You'll need a cable to plug the guitar into the amp. Monster makes great cables with a lifetime, no questions asked warranty. ALL of my cables are Monster. I tend to use the next step (or two or three) up from this particular one but we're cutting costs while maximizing value here.

Be sure to choose a 12 FT cable. The others will either be too long or too short to go from a guitar to an amp.

Monster Cable Monster Standard 100 Instrument CableMonster Cable Standard 100 Instrument Cable

 

4. TUNER

I also use this tuner. It is important to have a chromatic tuner to help train the ear to hear what an 'in-tune' guitar actually sounds like. It's under $20 and it's the best thing out there for this price. I also own a $180 Peterson tuner, and it's amazing, but for the price you can't beat the Korg.

Korg CA1 Chromatic TunerKorg CA1 Chromatic Tuner

 

5. GIG BAG

Lastly, if the little rocker needs to travel to his or her teacher's studio, you might want a bag to protect the MINI-GUITAR.

Fender Deluxe Gig Bag for Mini StratFender Deluxe Gig Bag for Mini Strat

 

Here's a bag to fit the FULL-SIZED guitar. It doesn't provide much protection, but it gets the job done and is less than $20. I have one of these bags for my Fender Mustang guitar.

 

Fender Standard Electric Guitar Gig BagFender Standard Electric Guitar Gig Bag

 

CONCLUSION

All tallied, the mini-guitar package weighs in under $275 - $20 less if you don't need a gig bag. Fortunately, the amp, cable and tuner will prove to be useful after the child's hands have outgrown the mini-guitar. Unlike other beginner guitar packages I've seen, the quality of these indiviidual pieces insures their value over time. If the full-sized guitar is chosen the price is $75 higher, but then nothing can really be 'outgrown'.

Hopefully you've found this article helpful. Feel free to ask us any questions!

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