Woods & Strings

This question keeps coming up over and over and over again on Quora. So, in the interest of getting traffic from these multiple requests, I'm going to just link here to the blog. Here's the question: How can I tell if it is a bass clef or a question mark on a music staff? A bass clef and a question mark are the same thing. Wow. Not only is this person frustratingly ignorant about what either of those symbols look like, they go the extra mile to assert that there is in fact no difference. You tell me: Obviously and unambiguously "the same thing," are they not?

Quora Q: Hi, not gonna say my name. I'm a minor, and I write music. I wanna post my songs and signing be my career. My voice could be better, but I can't go to a recording studio or a vocal coach. Any ideas, tips, help. This is my dream and I'm not sure what to do. First of all, if it’s your dream you need to be resourceful. “Can’t go to a recording studio or vocal coach” doesn’t explain why you can’t, so my first suggestion is that you explain to YOURSELF why you “can’t,” and then really think hard about whether that statement is true or not. Second, if you’re really not able to get to a coach (always get a coach before spending money on studio time), look into joining a choir. A school or church choir is a great place to start. You’ll get the skills and training you need for the basics. Singing isn’t like playing an instrument. On an instrument, you touch a thing or pluck a string and the sound comes out. With singing, you have to use your ear to direct your voice, an...

Quora Q: As a guitarist, what is something you wish you knew sooner about playing guitar? Kit guitars are every bit as playable and sound just as good (sometimes with minor modifications) as major brand guitars, for 1/10 of the price. Here’s a “Strat” I built from a kit last summer: The kit cost less that $130. I replaced the pickups with Fishmans, the tuners and nut with Graphtechs, and the bridge with a special GFS bridge (the only short-block Strat bridge with a full-sized block). In total, about $1,100. But out of the box, this guitar was 100% gig-ready with the usual minimal setup. It’s currently the main go-to guitar for everything I do in the studio. Had I known this 30 years ago when I started, I would have had a full wall of guitars by the time I was out of high school.