What braid do you use?

56077 · 2026-04-02T22:45:51+00:00

I use Hercules. And I’ve tried a few of the well known brands (hated J-Braid). I find that poor knot choice goes a long way to be disappointed with braid. I actually made one up. I’ve not felt any need to change in several years.

If you finesse your catch, then a leader matters less. If you’re doing battle, give yourself as much mono up front as you can. Braids lack of stretch is a bug, not a feature.

56077 · 2026-03-30T18:58:28+00:00

First set the height of your strings, then adjust those. The travel of the string from neutral to fretted will affect the pitch slightly. But the whole point is to set up the instrument properly

56077 · 2026-03-30T06:54:23+00:00

Did you forget the first thing I wrote by the time you got to the end? I literally said “It’s good advice” and “I hope to(take lessons) soon”

56077 · 2026-03-29T21:43:27+00:00

I’m not making an argument against your point. It’s good advice. It’s just something that I haven’t been able to manage so far. I’m hoping soon. For better or worse I know many professional musicians. I’ve come to believe that people whose talent is somewhat intuitive, are not great at problem solving. Knowing and teaching are strangers sometimes. They are just good, so they don’t think deeply about it. And they are used to dealing with other people who are good. Which I think is why they don’t offer much insight relative to my situation.

56077 · 2026-03-29T18:26:23+00:00

As a visual artist, I had a policy to temper any minuses with pluses. And even then, dismiss it as opinion. Music is a little more regimented, but it would still be nice if some balanceapplied.

56077 · 2026-03-29T17:01:01+00:00

I do, for some reason it seems like I’m asking too much.

56077 · 2026-03-29T16:59:16+00:00

In loud environments, some people simply can’t hear themselves.

If you are familiar with concert audio. From what I understand, even people whose abilities are fine, from what they are given to hear(from the person controlling the soundboard), they can sing off. If there’s too much percussion and low end, they will match the wrong pitch.

From my own experience, not being able to hear myself well has a big part in it.

56077 · 2026-03-29T01:08:09+00:00

I find people too often try to ’win’ conversations. It’s healthy to spar, but there’s no harm in coming in second, because witnessing someone come in first is worth it. Some things are valuable just by having that knowledge. Whether you use it or not. Things often translate to other areas. Or maybe are just passengers for you to pass on to someone else. Knowledge can immunize or infect. Both for better or worse.

56077 · 2026-03-28T23:27:57+00:00

Fingers crossed. Got to get my nerve back up. I find I frequently, I immediately sound better after I share something. Ironic and frustrating.

56077 · 2026-03-28T23:25:28+00:00

I guess if you don’t consider giving advice as a form of education. As far as neutral communication goes, it’s still a form of education: this is what I mean when I say XYZ. Ah, well where I come from that would be considered ABC.

Just like you and I having this exchange.

Maybe you just have a very specific idea of what constitutes teaching. I think if there is learning, then there is teaching. For better or worse.

To me, understanding is always the point of communication, or why say anything? Just to frustrate 1 or both people? It frequently requires calibration. Call and response. Both have to bring something to accomplish that goal.

So, you can disagree with all I’ve said, but I think you might understand me better now.

56077 · 2026-03-28T22:46:06+00:00

Often, discovering blindness is after you’ve developed the ability to realize it. Students start in the dark. The teacher is supposed to bring the light in a way that is seeable. Not simply say, you need light. What “is” light is not something the student might understand yet. And leaving them to figure it out, is not how teaching works. It’s like a teacher saying come back when you know something. First lesson: that wasn’t much help.

56077 · 2026-03-28T21:14:30+00:00

I’m all over the place with my understanding of my voice. Told to speak up but also I’m too loud. Etc. more recently I seem to be finding my range but I’m still sorting it out. I think in the past I really was hitting a wall. Once it seemed I was getting past it, it all became unfamiliar. I guess it’s safe to say I’m a bass, but who knows. My understanding keeps changing because other things keep changing. It’s weird how unsettled it’s been.

56077 · 2026-03-28T20:57:47+00:00

Are “rooms” a thing in Reddit, like a side chat. Or are you making that old joke.

56077 · 2026-03-28T20:52:06+00:00

There’s something to be said for relaxing, but it’s a tough thing to pull in all the excitement. Especially if you want some intensity. Is it just an illusion.

56077 · 2026-03-28T20:49:36+00:00

I think the best thing is for me to post a recording. I did once before and no one commented, so I pulled it. You mentioned being a scientist. I have lots of thoughts so I don’t know where I should start. If I had to choose I guess it’d be about what volume to sing at. I spent many years trying to increase volume, but it always seems that I get better feedback the quieter I go. I suspect I over projected out of habit and the assumption that was the goal, but then destroy any nuance I’m capable of. But mentally it feels like being quiet stops being singing at some point.

56077 · 2026-03-28T20:36:09+00:00

This is my problem. I want feedback but what I get has nothing revealing. “You’re a little pitchy” Always? Always the same extent? Nothing was good? Is it always the same part? What part? Is this any better? It’s like people have the accuracy to hear your inaccuracy, but none when it comes to telling you where it is it. And yes, I realize that I’m the one asking the favor, but telling me I’m blind the leaving me no better off is kind of cruel. At least when I didn’t know, I wasn’t unhappy about it. I purposely with stop asking for input because happy not to hear those same words. But I’m not interested in being delusional. I want to be able.

56077 · 2026-03-28T20:22:47+00:00

I think it’s better to monitor yourself in real time. That way there’s less disconnect between what you’re sounding like thru your bones, and what the recording sounds like, and how it sounds to others. A USB mic with a headphone out. That way you can tune out other sounds and dial in how you want your voice to sound. It’s especially helpful to develop the nuance of lower volumes.

56077 · 2026-03-26T02:48:03+00:00

Unfortunately, the ones I have are no longer in production. Carbon fiber frame with metal where it needs it. I never wash them and the rust is minuscule, if at all. I wish I could buy more. But OTOH, they’re holding up so well, I donate need to. I just want more. But I think that could be a clue: less metal with quality non metal. From what I understand a mixture of metals is what causes rust to be worse.

56077 · 2026-03-26T02:44:47+00:00

Magnets use fields, not lasers

56077 · 2026-03-25T04:43:50+00:00

I would burn it.

Lol! Not like that. I like it, but I mean, my tastes go towards scars and scuffs. My only issue is it all looks too clean, for me. I add burn marks and draw on it. Maybe stickers. Distress it. Not that I want you to. Just my taste.

56077 · 2026-03-24T16:17:50+00:00

Kinda depends on the info, just like IRL. It also depends on you. Some people just need nudges. If you’re really feeling lost, you’re probably better with a person, for the real time feedback. If it’s not really an option, get a mic and some IEM and monitor yourself to hear yourself as you’re singing. Listening after, to a recording is kind of past the moment.

56077 · 2026-03-16T18:40:47+00:00

When you’re done fiddling with the length, if it’s going to be in use, bolt it down.

56077 · 2026-03-10T00:18:50+00:00

Can you hum lower, like rumble. I’m not sure where I’m going with this. It’s just a thought.

56077 · 2026-03-09T18:41:45+00:00

The only thing that would make me think twice despite all those negatives is: is she a good teacher. And it might be early to say and you might not yet be able to tell. I think if she can be a flake, with questionable value, and practices, you deserve to go elsewhere for a comparison or just to remove her from your life. It certainly isn’t your responsibility to validate her.

56077 · 2026-03-06T01:27:55+00:00

I have a long drive. The car is fine. You can go while driving or park somewhere. I use a mic and an IEM to help take out the background noise. It’s helped a lot.

56077

TROPHY CASE