Barre chords using your thumb

I was just recording something new, using my new toy. The EMU Shortboard 49 (if that has anything to do with the record). The sounds are from HalionOne. But, the shortboard is what gave me motivation to play. I did some nifty chords on the keys and I wanted to know how you would play them on the guitar. Especially the F#m/A.

So I grabbed my Ovation and went for it. Not wanting to hurt my wrist I figured out the most safe way to play. Using my thumb for the top two strings! Playing the chords like this I'm able to keep my wrist as straight as possible. What am I saying.. I'm bending it the other way! First thing I did was look on google, and well, it's nothing new. But it is.. new.. to me.. and I like it. So here you go, a video which is also featuring part of my new recording. I hope this will be a song I can finish. So many times it happens that I start something but can't finish it.

EMU Shortboard User Review

I was looking for a small midi controller. On my search for a controller I met the EMU Shortboard. I think this controller looks great. Warm white. Slick and stylish.
It's a controller with a little extra because it also has it's own soundbank with the most commonly used Proteus sounds. Seeing the $300 $120 price tag I felt a nice vibe and went for it. Did this shortboard meet my expectations? Find out in this post!

Jack Johnson Rhythmic Strum Tutorial

I tried to play a new song on my left-handed guitar. I had some troubles doing that JJ Rhythm were I used to be so fond of. It was time to take a good look at my right-playing technique.

One Room to Two Rooms

The attic that before belonged just to my brother, separated in two rooms by this soundproofed wall. Two frames, one wood, the other metal (don't ask why, long story..).
They are pressed in felt. Flying walls so to say. Extra thick drywall too. So now I can retreat to my own room and chill in silence.

Soundproofing, Insulation and Acoustics [Part 2]

Actual soundproofing is a whole different story from acoustics. Remember the egg-carton we talked about? The stuff that doesn't even work well for reducing sound reflection? Well some people even try to use that for soundproofing! Here in The Netherlands new buildings often have 25 cm thick concrete cavity walls and that doesn't even stop the sound of a neighbor's party. Compare that to the 5 mm carbon.

If you want a quite room (or a soundproofed room) there are two kinds of sounds you want to reduce. Sounds moving through the air and sounds moving through mass.
You see, if you build one solid wall to separate one room from another that wall will conduct the sound and transmit it right to the next room.

The reduce the conduction sound we build two walls next to eachother and instead of anchoring them to the floor/ ceiling you have to press them in felt.

To reduce low frequency sounds you have to add mass to the wall. Multiple layers of drywall will work. Drywall has a high resonance (own frequency) and if you make the drywall to thick the resonance will drop and might get just in the freq. of the sound you want to block. If this happens the wall will amplify that frequency. Applying viscous material between drywall will keep its on freq. high.