Table of Contents

Pages, Articles etc

• SD Index by: StringDancer

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  • Adventures In Music by: L5Larry

    Reflections on the life of a professional guitar player by Larry Gregory.

    • Hangin' With Les Paul and Bucky Pizzarelli by: L5Larry

      Larry describes his brush with greatness.

    • Manufactured Musical Success by: L5Larry

      Say it's 1965 and there is a movie studio that wants to be in the rock & roll business.

    • Working With a Bluesman 1 - Show Preparations  by: L5Larry

      The story of Piano Slim and Blues Inquisition, part 1.

    • Working With a Bluesman 2 - The Show  by: L5Larry

      The story of Piano Slim and Blues Inquisition, part 2.

  • Jeff's Guitar Corner by: StringDancer

    Observations and opinions on music, guitars, life and philosophy by StringDancer webmaster Jeff Foster.

    • A Night In The Life by: StringDancer

      This is a piece I wrote about a New Year's Eve gig in 1998. I was ensconced in Dutch Harbor, Alaska at the time, doing a duo gig 6 nights a week at…

    • All About Soundholes  by: StringDancer

      In a message dated 10/14/98 1:37:19 AM, a dear reader wrote: I was wondering if you could help me find out if the guitar's sound hole must be in…

    • Disability Doesn't Mean Disabled  by: StringDancer

      Dear Jeff, I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar. Unfortunately, when I was younger, I never took the time. Now, because of Multiple…

    • First Guitars and Teachers  by: StringDancer

      I occasionally get email inquiring about how to get started on the guitar. Questions asked include: What should one look for in a first guitar? How…

    • Flamenco! The Guitar and the Music by: StringDancer

      Revised Preface May 23, 2002 This article was written for a grad class in Ethnomusicology I had the pleasure of taking under Dr. Anthony Seegar…

    • Nail Care for Guitarists  by: StringDancer

      Strangers look at my hands funny. It's not that my digits are deformed or anything. My left hand looks pretty normal, in fact. But they stare at my…

    • NAMM Summer Show 2005 Review  by: StringDancer

      We went, we saw, we drank lots of Starbucks. The NAMM Summer Show 2005 at the Indianapolis Convention Center, while not as large and…

    • Parsons' Improbable Processional by: StringDancer

      During my California years, I spent a good deal of time hanging out in the Mojave Desert whenever I had the chance. The California desert (as anyone…

    • Southpaw Solutions by: StringDancer

      What's a left-handed person to do when it comes to buying and learning how to play a guitar? Should one force adaptation to right-handed instruments,…

    • The First Song by: StringDancer

      When I was a youngster, and my burgeoning interest in music began to blossom, my parents gave me my first stereo, and I soon had begun to have music…

    • The Guitar Paintings of Liona Boyd by: StringDancer

      It often happens that gifted musicians possess additional (and often quite divergent) talents. The artistic wellspring overflows in such folks, and…

    • The Guitar: A Miniature Orchestra by: StringDancer

      In a way, the guitar is like a matrix of six keyboards, in the sense that each string is a linear, ascending arrangement of half-steps—essentially…

  • Music Instruction by: StringDancer

    This collection of articles by Jeff Foster deals specifically with music instruction, and how to play the guitar, bass and/or 5-string banjo.

    • Bass Arpeggios and Patterns by: StringDancer

      Bassists have it made in one sense—they can typically do their gig playing no more than 8 notes to the bar. The bass lays the cornerstone and pours…

    • Foggy Mountain Breakdown (banjo tab) by: StringDancer

      Basic 5-string banjo TAB for the classic Earl Scruggs banjo tune, Foggy Mountain Breakdown.

    • Introduction To Modes by: StringDancer

      This article is an overview of the modes of the major scale, a fundamental body of knowledge which any guitarist aspiring to improvisational…

    • Melodic Banjo Basics by: StringDancer

      The Melodic Style of banjo playing takes a different approach than Scruggs Style, which is based on rolling chords with melody notes intermittently…

    • On the Student-Teacher Dynamic by: StringDancer

      It has often been said that "those who can, do, and those who cannot, teach". I've often suspected that this dubious assertion was first uttered by…

    • Primary Keys for Guitar by: StringDancer

      A key is a range of notes used to construct melodies and chords. Any song can be performed in any key, as the relative construction of the tune stays…

    • The Importance of Good Practice Habits by: StringDancer

      When learning to play any musical instrument, the importance of good practice habits cannot be over-emphasized. Your success with what is hopefully a…

    • The Minor Pentatonic & Blues Scales by: StringDancer

      The Minor Pentatonic can be considered essential for all blues, folk, rock and many other styles of music. If you have not learned it already, you…

  • Musicians Doctor by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

    Dr. Timothy Jameson specializes in the treatment of injuries suffered by musicians.

    • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a nemesis prevailing throughout the musical professions. It has threatened and has ended careers of many promising…

    • Cubital Tunnel Syndrome by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      A common problem among both acoustic and electric guitar players is the development of left forearm pain. This column will expand upon a specific…

    • Health-Related Websites  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      The Internet is a powerful tool for the professional or amateur musician to learn more about health issues. There are web sites entirely devoted to…

    • Musicians & Weight Training  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      I recently received e-mail from a guitarist asking about the safety of weight training. He was told by many of his instructors and friends that…

    • Non-medical Treatments  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      Over the past 10 years there has been an increased interest in the diagnosis and treatment of repetitive strain injuries (RSI) suffered by musicians.…

    • Repetitive Injuries Plague Pickers  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      Many musicians have heard of repetitive injuries, but are not really sure what they are, how they are caused, or if they should worry about them or…

    • Repetitive Strain Case Study  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      Here is another article that is guitar-related. It's not written by me, but it is used by permission by the author. Mr. Marxhausen hosts the…

    • RSI Prevention Guidelines  by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      RSI Prevention Guidelines 1. Drink plenty of spring water or filtered water. Attempt to drink one 8 oz. glass of water per hour. The tissues of…

    • Trigger Finger by: Dr. Timothy Jameson

      Finger movement is facilitated by spaghetti like tendons that extend from the muscles in the forearms to various attachment points along the front…

  • Rolling Your Own by: tomteriffic

    A collection of articles written by Tom Armbruster (aka tomteriffic), guitarist, raconteur and official StringDancer Midwest Jam Master.

    • Sow's Purse to a Silk Ear by: tomteriffic

      How to take a lowly Peavey amplifier and turn it into a near-boutique sounding amp.

    • The Tube Screamer Rises Again!  by: tomteriffic

      Tweaking a Tube Screamer so that it REALLY screams.

  • Zee Odds & Ends by: StringDancer

    A place where we stick various and sundry articles we don't know what to do with otherwise.

    • Date Your Guitar: Fender, Gibson, Gretsch & Martin by: StringDancer

      Date Your Guitar: Fender Fender Serial Numbers Serial # / Circa / Comment * Up to 6,000 / 1950-54 * Up to 10,000 / 1954-56 / 4…

    • How to Adjust a Guitar Neck  by: StringDancer

      Adjusting a guitar neck is one of the most common tweaks performed on a guitar. Wood being sensitive to atmospheric fluctuations (temperature,…

    • How To Adjust Intonation by: StringDancer

      A fundamental adjustment most guitars need occasionally is the intonation, which can be described as the precise placement of the bridge saddle(s)…

    • How to Reglue a Guitar Bridge  by: StringDancer

      The bridge will sometimes pull up from the top of your acoustic or classic guitar. Causes can include a poor job of gluing at the factory; letting…

    • Installing A Golpeador On a Nylon-String Guitar by: StringDancer

      How to install a flamenco tap plate (golpeador) on a guitar.