Acoustic Guitar Notes, No. 48

From the publishers of Acoustic Guitar magazine
www.acousticguitar.com

THE EVENING FOR GUITAR AND STRINGS NEW AT ACOUSTICGUITAR.COM SPONSOR: WORKSHOP LIVE ENTER TO WIN A NEW ALVAREZ YAIRI GUITAR! WHAT'S HAPPENING SPONSOR: MiBlueBook.com GUITAR TALK UPCOMING IN ACOUSTIC GUITAR SPONSOR: ACOUSTIC PRO MUSICIAN SUBSCRIBE TO ACOUSTIC GUITAR: FREE TRIAL ISSUE! PLAY GUITAR! STRINGLETTER.COM GUITAR MAKER DIRECTORY BACK ISSUES OF ACOUSTIC GUITAR ADVERTISE IN ACOUSTIC GUITAR SEND US YOUR COMMENTS AG NOTES: SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, ARCHIVES

THE EVENING FOR GUITAR AND STRINGS Bread & Roses and String Letter Publishing Present The Evening for Guitar and Strings May 2, 2006 Herbst Theater, San Francisco, California, 7:30 to 10:00 pm THIS GALA CONCERT benefits Guitars in the Classroom and The String Projects, and celebrates the 20th anniversary of String Letter Publishing. The performers are guitarist Alex De Grassi, Quartet San Francisco, the San Domenico Orchestra da Camera under the direction of George Thomson, and special guest, guitarist Sharon Isbin. The program includes the World Premiere of 3 Movements for Steel-String Guitar, String Quartet, and String Orchestra by Alex de Grassi and Jeremy Cohen. For ticket information, please visit the website: www.guitarandstrings.org Return to Top

NEW AT ACOUSTICGUITAR.COM The May issue of Acoustic Guitar is on newsstands now. Access these features, articles, and lessons online: (To access special reader/subscriber features, including audio files and lessons, enter mayflowers when prompted.) BLUES BARD: His soulful songs have been covered by Bonnie Raitt and Diana Krall, among others, but Chris Smither is also one of the most respected roots performers on the folk circuit, delivering his well-crafted compositions with a groove-oriented fingerpicking style rooted in the playing of Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Here he demonstrates some of the techniques that make his performances so dynamic. By David Hamburger NEW GEAR: Teja Gerken reviews the new Johnson JD-26 Dreadnought, An all-solid-wood dreadnought that delivers vintage tone and feel—without breaking the bank. Check out the sounds online. LUTHIER'S WORKBENCH: Read Teja Gerken’s profile of Kent Hamblin, a graduate of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery who builds high-end fingerstyle guitars in his Telluride, Colorado, shop. READER'S RIG: Michael Petty enlists his prized Seagull dreadnought to lead his church congregation in singing praises. Each month we feature one of our readers’ rigs in the magazine. To be considered, send a description of your setup to editors.ag@stringletter.com LESSONS AND MUSIC TO PLAY: (To access special reader/subscriber features, including audio files and lessons, enter mayflowers when prompted.) THE BASICS: David Hamburger helps you learn to swing with just six simple, movable chords. With words and music to the standard “Look for the Silver Lining.” WOODSHED: Pete Madsen unlocks the secrets to Fingerstyle Blues-Rag Licks, teaching you to contrast the bass patterns in your fingerstyle rags by adding single-note runs organized around open-string drones, partial chords, and barre-chord shapes. LICK OF THE MONTH: This month’s Private Lesson is with rhythmic fingerstyle songwriter Peter Mulvey, and this excerpt from “Lila Blue” uses syncopated rhythms and open strings to produce an African kora–type effect. HERE'S HOW: It’s about time you 'Learn to Read Standard Notation,' and Scott Nygaard shows you how to break through the limitations of tablature and open up a whole new world of musical communication. It’s easier than you might think. Also in the May issue: “Make Your Own Saddle: A Do-It-Yourself Guide,” by Frank Ford; a feature interview with politically charged English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg; interviews with the Greencards and funky folk singer-songwriter Toshi Reagon; tips on playing open mics; plus reviews of the new L. Benito 234 Grand Auditorium guitar, the Zoom A2 Acoustic Effects Pedal, and new CDs by Richard Thompson, Willie Nelson, Bob Brozman, Ken Hatfield, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, and more. Plus music to Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” Chris Smither’s “Link of Chain,” and the Bobby Hebb classic “Sunny.” Subscribers gain access to even more online features, including audio files and lessons, via the password included in each issue of Acoustic Guitar. www.acousticguitar.com Return to Top

SPONSOR: WORKSHOP LIVE Where do acoustic guitarists learn to play online? Unlock your full guitar playing potential now! http://discover.workshoplive.com/search/acoustic_guitar_lessons.html Return to Top

ENTER TO WIN A NEW ALVAREZ YAIRI GUITAR! Enter by August 31, 2006, and you could be the lucky winner of an Alvarez Yairi DYM96, with a solid, distressed Canadian spruce top and nicely figured, solid ovangkol back and sides (retail value $2,349). The runner-up will receive an Alvarez PJ85SC DVS and a Crate CA30DG amp. Enter the giveaway by clicking here or by clicking on the “Win” button in the left-hand menu bar at www.acousticguitar.com. Return to Top

WHAT'S HAPPENING For the 18th year in a row, the Guild of American Luthiers Convention will be held at Pacific Lutheran University, which is located in Parkland, Washington, just south of Tacoma. The four-day event, June 21–25, will attract approximately 400 luthiers and, in addition to the vast array of handmade instruments (including a special harp-guitar exhibit), will feature a variety of workshops (French polish, binding and purfling, specialized elements of archtop guitar construction), lectures, panel discussions, and concerts (David Franzen, Fred Carlson, Gregg Miner, John Doan, and others).Workshop leaders and speakers include Frank Ford, Michael Gurian, Harry Fleishman, Tim Shaw, Charles Fox, and Gary Southwell, among others. May 27 is the deadline for registration by mail, June 3 for online registration. For more information, go to the convention website. Return to Top

SPONSOR: MiBlueBook.com MiBlueBook.com is the only database driven, used musical instrument price guide. eBay marketplace data drives the financial and market analysis, creating current and historical market statistics through our proprietary software. Return to Top

GUITAR TALK Join the conversations about guitars, acoustic players, playing techniques, gigs, and workshops in the online forums at Guitar Talk. www.acousticguitar.com/ubbcgi/ultimate.cgi Return to Top

UPCOMING IN ACOUSTIC GUITAR June: A feature interview with BEN HARPER; a private lesson with bluegrass great BRYAN SUTTON; tons of NEW GEAR from the Winter NAMM show; the secrets of hammer-ons and pull-offs; tips on how to make the most of out of your practice sessions and how to accompany a singer effectively; profiles of indie-pop band Calexico and blues veteran Ernie Hawkins; music to “Love Me Tender,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “I’m a Believer,” and more. July: An exclusive feature lesson with former Police guitarist ANDY SUMMERS; a roundtable discussion convened by AG at the Winter 2006 NAMM show with representatives from some of the most respected “boutique” guitar maker in the world; ROSANNE CASH on transforming grief into songs for her latest album; plus an appreciation of the late great country songwriter Cindy Walker, by Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, and music to “Pinball Wizard,” “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic,” “God Is in the Roses,” and more. Return to Top

SPONSOR: ACOUSTIC PRO MUSICIAN Largest Goodall dealer in the South! Goodall, Collings, McPherson, Everett, Petros, Sheppard, Charis, McCollum, Eggle, Renaissance, Schwartz, Vines, and many more. LOTS OF BRAZILIAN AND OTHER EXOTIC-WOOD ACOUSTIC GUITARS! Free accessories with each guitar. Like having your own music store! Thanks for letting me serve you. Playing for an audience of One, Danny Brevard Acoustic Pro Musician P.O. Box 3289 Lufkin, Texas 75903 Corporate Office: (800) 658-1167 danny@acousticpromusician.com www.acousticpromusician.com Return to Top

SUBSCRIBE TO ACOUSTIC GUITAR: FREE TRIAL ISSUE! For a complimentary issue of Acoustic Guitar, click the link below. If you like it and decide to continue, pay just $32.95 for 12 issues and save 45% off the cover price. If for any reason you decide not to continue, simply write 'Cancel' on the invoice and owe nothing. The FREE TRIAL ISSUE is yours to keep, no matter what. Click here for your free trial issue! Current subscribers, take care of all your subscription needs online: pay your bill, renew, give a gift, or change your address. Click here for Subscription Services Return to Top

PLAY GUITAR! The only magazine for beginning and developing guitarists. Subscribe at the Play Guitar! website www.playguitarmagazine.com Subscribe to Play Guitar! Return to Top

STRINGLETTER.COM A full catalog of titles from Acoustic Guitar Books; instruction and repertoire books, DVDs, and videos from other publishers and your favorite artists. Click here. Return to Top

GUITAR MAKER DIRECTORY With links to more than 165 guitar makers. Click here to go to the Guitar Maker Directory Return to Top

BACK ISSUES OF ACOUSTIC GUITAR We have issues going back to 1990 when Acoustic Guitar first hit the stands. Get them while they last! Click here for back issues Return to Top

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Copyright © 2006 String Letter Publishing. All Rights Reserved. You are welcome to forward this email to your friends. Other reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of String Letter Publishing is prohibited. Acoustic Guitar Notes and the respective logos are trademarks of String Letter Publishing. Return to Top

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Got a question for Acoustic Guitar's editors? Please send us an email at editors.ag@stringletter.com or snail-mail Acoustic Guitar Editorial, PO Box 767, San Anselmo, CA 94979. We regularly print reader letters in our Mail column and reader questions and tips in Q&A.

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