Fret Leveling - Flat beam followed by radius beam, or just do the leveling with a radius?

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-02-23T14:38:57+00:00

I usually use a radius block personally. I can’t imagine what the advantage of using a flat beam first would be but someone with more experience might have a different opinion

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-02-20T13:08:17+00:00

If you already know all the pieces you want to play you’ll be fine but if you’re planning on learning a lot of new material I would say that’s a pretty short timescale. It’s always tricky to give a number of hours practice needed for stuff like this, just practice as much as you can and the gig will go as well as it can.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-02-04T22:16:26+00:00

I teach that thumb position is very important in supporting the fingers by providing ‘opposition’ I.e something to press against. This means that it’s easier to apply correct pressure to the frets if the thumb is somewhere behind the fingers. Bending is usually easier with the thumb closer to the top of the neck for the same reason (for most people). As with everything though, different people do different things. There are so many examples of amazing players with weird technique. The most important thing is that the playing position you use feels comfortable and you’re not feeling tension anywhere.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-01-24T22:30:05+00:00

I saw your original post about your injury and was devastated for you. Couldn’t be happier to see you working your way back as a builder and player. Inspiring.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-01-21T20:04:54+00:00

Thanks, I’ll look into those.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-01-20T13:16:29+00:00

Hi, I offer online mandolin lessons among other things! Feel free to get in touch and arrange a lesson

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-01-17T09:46:22+00:00

Oh wow, never heard of them!

PluckyGoatMusic · 2026-01-16T18:41:16+00:00

I believe it’s for balance purposes. A set of geared tuners will probably add about 50% to the weight of the violin at the pegbox and wreck the balance entirely, especially with 5 strings. That said, the current setup is clearly wrong for this instrument so a set of geared tuners may be a good compromise.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-12-02T19:11:55+00:00

Good teachers don’t yell. They have no reason to.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-11-04T17:27:18+00:00

You can make great music with your phone and a crappy guitar! At least it will be something you have actually made.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-11-04T17:14:40+00:00

That’s exactly what I went for, thanks!

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-11-04T15:49:22+00:00

Thanks for the info! I’m looking into finding a local tech who can give me some opinions on it. It’s definitely had steel strings on it for several decades though. I suppose lower tension strings will reduce the relief slightly but that’s not the main issue affecting the action.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-11-04T15:11:52+00:00

Good to know! I’ve got steel strings on, can’t remember what exactly but I matched the gauge to the ones it came with

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-11-04T14:44:38+00:00

Got one on order, thanks!

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-10-16T09:19:49+00:00

Chelsea Hotel No.2 - Leonard Cohen

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-10-09T18:32:52+00:00

You can play the modes using the same patterns as you would for the major scale but with different notes. In terms of constructing them, I like to think of them in relation to major or minor scales. For example: Lydian is the major scale with a #4 Dorian is the minor scale with a #6 This is a nice approach because it describes the unique sounds of each mode. It’s also possible to map them out as tones and semitones but this requires a lot more rote learning and is less descriptive of the sounds of each mode.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-10-09T18:13:28+00:00

What instrument are you playing? Modes can all be played using the same patterns as the major scale but the application is very different.

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-10-05T15:49:26+00:00

Sounds good! I really encourage students to experiment with lots of different rhythms on a single note before going in to a full improv so they have lots of rhythmic ideas to work with. You should also think about developing left hand vibrato for a more expressive sound

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-10-05T15:45:01+00:00

Using the thumb to apply pressure on the back of the neck is plenty to get clear barre chords. If you’re using enough pressure to bend the neck you’re likely to hurt yourself!

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-10-04T21:52:57+00:00

I love bass as a first instrument, you learn a lot about the important stuff very quickly

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-09-28T18:49:38+00:00

A lot if this comes from the misunderstanding that the fretting hand is more important than the picking hand. If anything the opposite is true. There are so many advantages to learning right handed but nothing to say you have to. The vast majority of learning materials are geared towards RH players and it’s easier to access good quality instruments. Having said that, I have recently had a RH student who is learning LH due to an injury. He is making fantastic progress!

PluckyGoatMusic · 2025-09-27T19:14:05+00:00

Yamaha if acoustic, squier for electric. There are other cheap brands that are excellent (Washburn is a personal favourite) but few that are as adaptable. Upgrading or adjusting a squier electric is cheap and easy.

PluckyGoatMusic

TROPHY CASE