The Led Zeppelin Bathroom Sound
When I do listen to Zep, Bathroom Sound is one of my favorite riffs to play personally.
What is Bathroom Sound? It's the song Out On The Tiles from the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III as a rough mix without vocals. I actually prefer this over the finished studio track because you can hear all the instruments so much better.
Side note: Bathroom Sound as far as I know is not available as a digital download. You gotta get the CD Deluxe Edition. It's on disc 2, track 5.
The song, and what I think about it
There are some songs by Zep that are nothing but riffs with Robert Plant belching out vocals over that do not fit at all. Out On The Tiles is one of those songs. When you hear it without vocals as Bathroom Sound, things start to sound a lot better.
What I like best about the song is the guitar is only using a mild overdrive. There's no fuzz box that I can hear and no wildly overdriven hot tube tone. It's just a simple midrange-tuned sound that's even and clear.
I suspect there was probably going to be a lead guitar track on this song originally, but instead there is no solo to be found. That's a good thing, because if one of Page's screechy guitar solos were present, it would have wrecked the song completely.
Is the guitar heard a Fender Telecaster or Gibson Les Paul? I have no idea. It could be a Tele played on the treble pickup with the tone rolled down, or it could be the Les Paul played on treble pickup with everything full-up to 10. I don't know. But I'm sure someone probably does.
This song is the Zep riff I play most. Once learned it's actually easy to play and fun to run through the riffs every so often. And because there's no solo, it's also easy to play it the whole way through...
...by yourself. Don't try to play this with a band. The timing on this song is not easy to get working with a full group. Bonham's drumming on this song is kinda bonkers, and I wouldn't dare go up to a drummer and say, "play this, thanks."
It's best to just practice this one at home to avoid an argument with a drummer.
How to use a looper pedal for playback of backing tracks
Recently, I've received a few questions on YouTube concerning how to do this with a looper pedal.
There are, surprisingly, a lot of guitar players out there who want to use a looper pedal as a simple music player. And by that I mean put backing tracks into the pedal, then select the song you want and play it back whenever needed.
When I was asked how to do this, I replied and said that doing so was a bit of a waste, and that it would be cheaper and easier to use a phone for song playback, fed out to an inexpensive mixer with Bluetooth wireless capability.
The reply I got back to that basically said, "Yeah, I know I can do that, but I really want to do this with a pedal."
All righty then.
Is this possible?
Yes.
How do you do it?
The DigiTech JamMan Solo XT has an AUX IN port. This is a smaller headphone style port where you can feed audio from your phone or other music player to it. It acts the same way the larger 1/4" ports do in that you can record from it.
Basically speaking, you feed in an entire backing track song as a recorded phrase. The only limitation is that the JamMan has a maximum record time of 10 minutes per memory location. You can stuff in a bunch of songs to the JamMan as long as no one song exceeds 10 minutes in length.
When saving each song, the only thing you really have to remember is to set each to Single Phrase (equivalent of "one shot") so the song doesn't auto-repeat when it ends.
That's basically it.
No, you can't import MP3 files
The JamMan records all songs as WAV files.
Yes, it is possible to import WAVs into the JamMan, but I don't recommend doing so because then your audio levels between songs will be all messed up.
I strongly suggest recording each backing track song you want to use in the JamMan manually. Yes, this will take time, but you can test the audio level of each to make sure each is the same. This will save you a ton of time in the long run because otherwise you will be constantly adjusting the Loop Level knob every time you switch between songs. That is an annoyance you don't need.
For an easier time when using this on stage...
...get the FS3X foot switch. This connects directly to the JamMan (see photo above, note the FOOTSWITCH port) and will allow you to go back and forth between memory locations without having to physically bend down to the floor every time you want to switch to a different song.
Why would anyone want to play backing tracks this way?
As noted above, I really thought this to be a waste since there are cheaper ways to do it.
But then I thought why someone would specifically want to do this through a pedal, and then it dawned on me...
...it's actually easier and more convenient for performing guitar players to play backing tracks this way.
When "it's all on the floor", the hands don't have to come off the guitar. Just find the backing track you want with a few taps of the footswitch, start playback and away you go. This is decidedly more convenient than dealing with a phone and a separate mixer.
So in other words, I didn't get it at first. But I do now. Using a looper for backing track playback is actually a good idea for the performing guitar player.
Electric guitar neck relief, truss rod and string height info
It's a fact that most guitar players have absolutely no idea how much relief to set when it comes to adjusting guitar neck bow with the truss rod. This is some quick info on what Fender recommends you use for measurements, along with some of my own thoughts on whether I feel they're correct or not.
I'm going to concentrate on Fender info here, but if you have an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale length, you can follow this and it should work.
For Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars with 7.25" neck radius (vintage style):
- Relief: 0.012" (0.3mm)
- String height bass side (wound strings): 5/64" (2mm)
- String height treble side (plain strings): 4/64" (1.6mm)
For Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars with 9.5" to 12" neck radius (modern style, what most guitarists have):
- Relief: 0.010" (0.25mm)
- String height: All strings set to 4/64" (1.6mm)
For Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars with 15" to 17" neck radius (super flat modern style):
- Relief: 0.008" (0.2mm)
- String height bass side (wound strings): 4/64" (1.6mm)
- String height treble side (plain strings): 3/64" (1.2mm)
The tool needed to be accurate about this stuff
A 26 blade master feeler gauge set.
This sounds like an expensive thing. It's not.
There are some people out there who say you can check string height measurements using certain American coins.
No American coin has the proper measurement you need.
- American quarter has a thickness of 1.75mm. This is 0.15mm too tall.
- American dime has a thickness of 1.35mm. This is 0.25mm too short.
- American nickel has a thickness of 1.95mm. This is 0.35mm too tall.
- American penny has a thickness of 1.52mm. This is very close to 1.6mm but still 0.08mm too short.
Get the feeler gauge set instead. Don't do the coin thing.
Relief height
This is the height of the string when you have a capo on the first fret and you're holding down the string on the last fret.
You obviously can't use coins of any kind to measure this because they're all too tall.
Again, get the feeler gauge set.
Fender's assumption
Fender makes a very brief mention that all their recommendations go on the assumption you're using the strings that came from the factory.
On modern Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars, that means the Fender 250L set in 9-42 size. Or to be more specific, the string sizes are .009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042.
My experience with Fender's recommendations
They work for the most part, but don't take into account humidity shifts or if you use a different string size.
I live in Tampa Bay Florida, and at the time I write this it's summer, a rainy season. Humidity levels have a wacky way of working in The Sunshine State because of quick torrential rainfall on any given summer day. I've learned over the years to deal with this concerning how it affects my guitars with wood shifting and whatnot.
I use the second lightest string gauge available, 8-38. The only string lighter I'm aware of is 7 gauge. Dunlop makes them in 7-38 size. I can't use 7 because that's too light even for me.
Do Fender's recommendations work? If you stick with 9-42 strings, yes. If you don't, slight adjustments must be made.
For me personally, my strings are very close to the board. So close that if my 8-38 set was switched out with 10-46, I'd have to readjust both the relief and string heights to my preference - and this is totally normal whenever you switch around with string size.
Where humidity changes are concerned, dealing with neck wood shifting for guitars in Florida is just a fact of life, and again, I've learned to deal with it.
I have never had a good experience with a tech setting up a guitar to proper Fender spec
My complaint about guitar techs is the same complaint other guitarists have. For whatever ridiculous reason, they always set up the neck where the strings are high off the board. Sometimes way high. It's never set to proper Fender spec.
Why does this happen? Usually because no testing is ever done with the guitar in the seated position.
When a tech gets a guitar, most of the work has to be done with the guitar on a bench. However, the final test is supposed to be with the guitar being played in the seated position. If not, what was "perfect setup" on the bench ends up being awful when the guitar is actually played.
To avoid this crapola, learn how to set up your own guitar. It is time well spent. Only you can set up your guitar right.
In the end, Fender's recommendations mostly work as said above - if you set up your own guitar.
Getting a lightweight electric guitar the easy way
Many guitars bust over 8lbs (3.6kg) in weight. Can we go lighter and still get something good? Yes, we can.
A lot of guitarists pass on certain guitars simply because they're too heavy. A heavy guitar feels bad both seated and standing. When seated, the leg the guitar rests on hurts. When standing, the guitar strap pull hurts one or both shoulders and possibly the back too. That's no good.
Smaller does not automatically mean lighter
The Fender American Original '60s Jaguar is a smaller guitar. But it's not lighter. Some (possibly many) of them come dangerously close to 9lbs (4kg).
This isn't to say all smaller electric guitars are heavy. The Fender Duo-Sonic for example is usually under 7lbs (3.2kg).
"Usually"
Even though the Duo-Sonic I just mentioned is usually under 7lbs, it's not always under 7. Sometimes you will come across one that for whatever reason has some undesirable chunk to it.
In the world of mass produced solid-body electric guitars, that's just the way things are. This even happens with the Fender American Professional Stratocaster. Some have a very desirable weight of 6.8lbs (3kg) while others chunk out to 8.4lbs (3.8kg). And I'm certain there are some that even bust over 9lbs.
When you want light, go semi-hollow with vintage style tuners and fixed bridge
An example of this is a guitar I already own, the Squier Vintage Modified '72 Telecaster Thinline. Most of these guitars are just 6.5lbs (2.9kg), and mine is definitely one of the lighter ones, which I very much appreciate.
A semi-hollow guitar body is good for weight savings, but not the only thing to pay attention to. You would be surprised at how much weight tuners add to a guitar. The Thinline uses the lighter vintage style instead of modern sealed, and that shaves off a few ounces. The fixed bridge with no vibrato (which in this case means no Bigsby system) also keeps the weight down significantly.
Some examples of semi-hollow electrics with these specs
Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Thinline
This is the lightest Squier electric one can buy. I'm also pretty sure it's the lightest Telecaster you can buy. I owned one of these briefly before and can confirm that yes, this is a super-lightweight.
Some places list this guitar as being just 5.4lbs (2.4kg) and yes, I believe it.
Fender's highfalutin model, the Fender American Elite Telecaster Thinline, doesn't even get this light. Oh, believe me, that guitar is also a super-lightweight at about 5.8lbs (2.6kg), but when every ounce counts, the Squier is actually the lightest of the lot.
This guitar typically has a weight of under 7lbs (3.2kg).
You can basically consider this a Les Paul sized ES-335. I've handled this guitar personally and yes, she's a lightweight for sure.
And as I've mentioned before, photos do not do this guitar justice. This looks so, so nice in real life.
I've not handled this one personally, but that's only for one reason. I can't find one to try out.
This guitar is reported to be 6.2lbs (2.8kg), and I'd love to get my hands on this thing because it has the Gibson VariTone knob with 6 positions on it. That knob "colors" the sound in a way that's subtle, unique and cool.
The Blueshawk is one of the best guitars Epiphone has ever made, and is another one of those "if I had the cash I'd buy it right now" axes for sure.
A shameful electric guitar technique
I was recently asked in email if I could write some articles on guitar technique. In my reply I said that's a somewhat complicated request because describing technique in words isn't exactly easy.
However, I thought about what kind of technique I could describe, and of the most "shameful" electric guitar techniques came to mind, the use of a capo.
Why shameful?
Many guitarists consider the addition of anything to a guitar neck or strings to be "cheating". Such examples are fret wraps, Finger-Ease, and of course, the capo.
What really rustles the jimmies of guitarists something awful is when you use a capo on an electric guitar. It's supposedly heresy or some such.
Do I care what other guitar players think? No. I use a capo when I feel like it because it brings about new and interesting sounds that you couldn't otherwise get without one.
Does a capo damage an electric guitar neck?
Short answer:
No.
Long answer:
A capo will not bust through a modern urethane finish on a guitar neck no matter what anyone tells you.
A capo will not damage frets unless you do wild bend notes like a shredder idiot while the capo is on.
A capo will not damage the nut unless, once again, you bend notes wildly like a shredder idiot while the capo is on.
Where I find a capo most useful
Alternate open string chording is where the capo really makes things sound good.
In the video above I have the capo on the 2nd fret, which changes the tuning from E A D B G E to F# B E A C# F#. I start on what is normally an open D which is now an open E, and to me it sounds cool.
Even though what I play is a pick/pluck style, you can take any any cowboy chord riff and change it to something that sounds entirely different when you stick a capo on the neck.
How far up the neck can you use a capo?
In my experience, the highest you can go before things start sounding weird is the 7th fret. And by sounding weird I mean a tone that just doesn't work because the strings won't be ringing out as they should. The fret hand also has to get into rather uncomfortable positions to chord because the frets are closer together up there.
More often than not, you will find the best capo use on frets 1, 2 and 3. And your fret hand won't have a problem chording with a capo in those locations.
Does a capo open up new ways of playing?
Yes. You will get sounds out of your guitar you'd never get without one. Simple things like those cowboy chords I mentioned above take on a whole new tone, so it's totally worth it to get yourself a capo.
The best part about the capo is that you don't have to relearn the guitar to use one. In fact, you don't have to relearn anything. Take the open chords you already know, play them in a different location with the capo, and ta-da, totally new sound.