Technology and music addictions

THE BLOG ABOUT technology prompted interesting response. Yes, change and technology can be intimidating.

But if you don't adapt, you get left in the dust.

Teaching is a great example. I used to rely on a lot of charts and graphs and books. Stuff still gets written out, but more and more I rely on the iPad and play songs from YouTube and other sources to bring home the lesson.

If this baby comes in today .... you won't see much of me.

The other thing used a lot is the Ultimate Guitar Tab app. It brings up the song and the chords, even scrolls it like a teleprompter. It will also play the song and show you the notes step by step. It's amazing. And I haven't even used all the stuff on it.

It can be scary getting into new things like iPads and software and such. The next step might just be inner-ear monitors, but that's another story.

You can have all the technology you want, but in the end it still comes down to playing.

I have a student, and I won't use his name, but his initials are Tom. He's played for many years. He is already very good. But he had no idea how to navigate up and down on guitar fretboard, how to properly play certain chords, how to recognize simple things like a 1-4-5 blues pattern.

Tom's mind has been blown and he's so excited. Armed with all this new and previously intimidating information, he's already better and is taking his guitar playing to new heights. He's even buying a new Fender Mexican Telecaster and Roland Katana amp.

"That's it. I can't buy anything else. If I start talking to you about more new stuff, stop me. Please," he said.

Huh? I have no idea what you are talking about. And just because we are expecting a Fender shipment today, and it might have a new Princeton amp I'm thinking about getting, and a new Telecaster, well, I still have no idea what you are talking about.

It's a healthy addiction, Tom.

*Big NEWS - We placed an order with Fender to get Mexican and a few USA electric Fender guitars and bass. Spread the word!