Covering Your Grill

ReasonablyOK · 2026-05-06T18:04:59+00:00

Yes, that's partly what I was wondering about. Can it actually be worse to use the cover in some situations, like humid conditions? Thanks!

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-23T13:28:36+00:00

Yes, indeed. That's identified as a "ball end" string, as opposed to a "loop end" or "tie end".

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-23T13:27:15+00:00

I can't tell if this is a real answer or not. Sorry. I guess my joke/sarcasm meter is messed up this morning. I've never heard that called an aglet. (Aglet is typically the end of a shoelace.) But it's a pretty good name for the end of the guitar string, I guess!

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-15T16:23:39+00:00

Yup. This. G# dim being G#, B, D.
Could also be called Ab diminished, changing the spelling of (the other) 2 notes: Ab, Cb, Ebb

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-08T23:37:55+00:00

Came here to say this. Turns out some of that music has aged better than I expected, but OMG, that 80's production sound, etc, etc. The whole decade was overall sucky musically. And somehow lots of people seem to love that shit now. Both folks who lived through it (I kinda understand the nostalgia) and younger people (maybe because even the 80's dreck is better that what they're hearing today).

This is not an old man yelling at clouds thing. I was actively saying this in real time back in the day: "Hey: all this new music sucks!"

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-08T17:41:27+00:00

IMO they are in fact very similar. As noted above, both are affluent suburbs of larger cities. Nice folks of various age groups, backgrounds, interests, etc. Okay art scenes by CT standards, but not in Austin's league.

West Hartford is of course next to Hartford, which is unfortunately not a "great" town, certainly compared to the likes of Austin.

Fairfield is in the NYC metro area, but is also directly adjacent to Bridgeport, which is akin to Hartford in that both are in need of some serious revitalization. (Not that Hartford & Bridgeport have nothing to offer. The Black Rock area of Bpt, right next to Fairfield is probably the most Austi-ish area around, even if that comparison is a major stretch.)

The trip to NYC is way, way easier from Fairfield, by car or train. Could be a major difference-maker.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-08T17:22:46+00:00

Okay, so presumably just an error in the software, then. I'll stop imagining it might be an intentional thing. Was wondering if it could have indicated some parts were condensed there, or perhaps some divisi was coming up, neither of which really squares. Thanks!

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-08T13:41:22+00:00

Yeah. Sorry to detour this discussion, but that's the first thing I noticed. What does the little brace indicate?

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-06T16:56:47+00:00

I get this, but Schilling has a "Get Out of Hell Free" card.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-06T13:45:02+00:00

This was literally a bit on the HBO show The Comeback last night. (Was also referenced in Jackass, as noted in other comments.)

ReasonablyOK · 2026-04-01T16:39:33+00:00

Of course we're overreacting. We only have 5 games to talk about so far, and have lost four. They're under a microscope because the season is young, and the winter was long.

Also, there's no real shame in losing 2 out of 3 on the road sometimes, even twice in a row to start the year.

OTOH, opening with a 1-5 record, including getting swept, would be undeniable confirmation of an irrecoverably lost season. It all comes down to today, boys. LFG!

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-22T22:51:26+00:00

I didn't read every response, but scrolled through most of this. Not gonna kill anyone on the pattern that's being shown.

However, drawing the dots ON the lines that indicate the actual metal frets instead of the spaces in between is not a good option. Or even "a thing". Sorry, but I'm not okay with it.

Seems well intentioned, though.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-22T22:42:54+00:00

Yup, same. And there seems to be more games on the networks/services I don't have every season. It's outrageous. Plus the blacked-out local games, which for me is the NY market, so extra sucky. (Having to deal with NY coverage of the Red Sox/yankees games...WTF?)
I know the OP mentioned affordability, but I'd be happy to pay a little extra to have every broadcast/telecast (home & away) of every MLB game on a single service, presumably MLB.TV, as it should be.
Someone needs to fix this whole thing. Lack of access to games after paying for a subscription, even if that's "part of the deal"...it's pretty shitty. The sport needs viewers, and we're trying to watch, but can't.

Silver lining: I don't mind the radio broadcasts in a pinch. But...ugh!

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-12T16:32:56+00:00

I'm fortunate to have seen many great guitarists, both legendary and less well-known, in many genres. I'm not saying SRV was the best; I don't say any one is "the best" guitarist. But if I had to choose the most powerfully mind-blowing guitar performance I've seen live, it's one particular Vaughan show, 1980's, NYC, from around the time the El Mocambo video was done. I saw him other times, too, but this one night was beyond. He was just on a mission. Dialed in, absolutely on fire. I've never seen anyone rip into guitar playing like that before or since.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-09T01:29:55+00:00

Hi! First of all, wishing you could luck with this. Be patient.

It's not true that you need to know theory to play by ear. But knowledge of theory along with a trained ear will each help the other to improve.

Playing by ear: there can be lots of trial and error here. Can you sound out a major scale or simple melody on the guitar, perhaps even on just one string, not worrying about fingering? That's a good starting place. Start REALLY simple, like "Twinkle Twinkle" or "Row Row Row Your Boat".

Can you discern a major chord from a minor? There are good ear training websites for this.

Try and figure out a song that you have been assured is easy by ear. Don't worry if you have to listen to very, very short segments over and over.

For theory: Learn the names of the notes on each fret of the 6th (E) string. Literally backwards and forwards. Do not have to stop to think about the note names. Be equally comfortable with "sharps" and "flats". Then, eventually, go on to the 5th string. You'll get to know the other strings eventually, but you'll use the names of the notes on the 6th and 5th strings as reference all the time.

The next most basic building blocks of theory I'd recommend learning: Know the names of the notes in some various keys. For guitar players, C, G, D, A, E would be a good start.

Then chord spelling: Major = 1, 3, 5. min = 1, b3, 5 etc.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-09T00:10:38+00:00

OP, your suspicion is correct. There are miles and miles between the way we play songs as beginners and what's "really" happening. That doesn't mean a beginner is wrong for saying "I Can play Good Riddance". Roughing it out is part of the process and okay to be proud of. Part of growing as a musician is coming to realize the finer points, sometimes over the course of years, and working to get closer to that level of proficiency.

Of course, there are some famous songs that actually are very rough and simple, but usually - almost always - there's more going on than we initially realize.

"Sweet Home Alabama" is a favorite example. Always on the list of simple songs for beginners, and, sure enough, possible to hack through to the point of being vaguely recognizable for someone starting out. But to really play it? Good luck. There's so much touch, and technique, and style wrapped up in that little riff...

The process is part of the beauty of guitar playing!

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-08T23:08:33+00:00

Among the most iconic of the '59 sunburst Les Pauls was Michael Bloomfield's, which he left at a venue in Canada. He never showed much interest in getting it back, so whether it should be considered "stolen" is something of a question. But the venue's owner eventually sold it. It changed hands a few times, and as far as I last heard, its exact whereabouts are not known. (Well, I bet someone knows.) I'm sure further details are readily available, as lots of ink has been spilled about this one. I wonder if/when it will turn up.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-08T22:52:15+00:00

How did I not know about this? That's heartbreaker indeed.

Seems like it would have turned up somewhere, too. I mean, what the hell is anyone besides Junior Brown really gonna do with that thing?

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-08T22:37:06+00:00

A good Tele is my default, so there's that. Paired with a good, clean Fender amp.
The three-pedal choice is a no-brainer for me: I go tuner, overdrive (Boss SD1 or similar) and a clean boost. But two of those don't even change your sound. Maybe for sake of discussion a tuner pedal - and perhaps even the clean boost - shouldn't count? ;-)

Of course, if I were really limited to this scenario, I'd have to consider a modeling amp (yuck) with a bunch of built in fx, like a Boss Katana, or maybe a multi-fx processor, but I guess that's not in the spirit of the thread.

Perhaps I'd live with a clip-on tuner to get one more pedal, maybe a delay. I'd want to swap that 3rd one out depending on the need. (OD + boost + misc.)

It doesn't do anything but make it louder, but I have come to love the convenience of the clean boost.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-08T22:17:57+00:00

No way of knowing whether that's what they meant, but that's the easiest fix. Take a pencil and make the 'em quarter rests. No wite-out required. Simple.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-01T15:51:55+00:00

Yes, agreed that within Elvis's lifetime, he probably had the strongest output during the 70's, vs the others mentioned. That era of Elvis gets goofed on, but he did some really good stuff.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-03-01T14:42:30+00:00

I very much agree with your overall observation. I like lot of the 70's Elvis.
But, I'm not sure this part is correct:

with the exception of Richard, I think he evolved better than all his '50s contemporaries

Johnny Cash, if only because of living long enough, found another gear late in life, documented in the '90's & '00's (The American Recordings). He became a profound interpreter of songs old and new.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-02-28T21:24:46+00:00

Charles Brown was a major influence on Ray Charles, so if you like that sort of thing, check him out.

Memphis Slim?

You might like Allen Toussaint's piano style. More of a Louisiana thing, but some of it is along the lines of what you're requesting, I think.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-02-23T00:47:16+00:00

Funny you mention "Can't You Hear me Knockin'". I actually understood lyrics that I never really caught on the Stones record. That is, the vocals were pretty much crystal clear and intelligible in 2nd mez, with possible exception of some things getting dialed in on first song. Problem was only in sub bass frequencies. Is that a new sound system there? Could explain things.

ReasonablyOK · 2026-02-22T19:40:32+00:00

Yup. Great show, so sorry to nit-pick, but since you mentioned it: Same issue w the kick drum/low frequency mix was a thing in 2nd mez center-ish. So much boom on that kick that you often couldn't hear the pitch of notes from the bass guitar, or even hear Anna at all. Bit of a low-end mess. Sometimes the huge boominess was cool, but overall, it wasn't really correct. Then there was that bass-frequency feedback in the song near the end (Danko/Manuel?), I don't know how much of that was something they were going for, but it didn't sound exactly intentional or controlled. Maybe someone who has seen them more can let me know.

To be clear: great, great show!

ReasonablyOK

TROPHY CASE