And they're off!

Finally the Elixir's are off my guitar and back on are D'addario EJ16s.
I would sum up the Elixir Nanowebs 80/20s as follows :

Likes
- Lasts really long, sounds bright even when I took them off
- Doesn't corrode easily with my acidic hands
- Fret noise reduced, good for recording
- Smoother feel

Dislike
- Feels stiff and less dynamically responsive for first 3-4 days or so, maybe due to the new coating

The left hand finger nuances that I felt were missing, were perhaps a figment of my imagination. Maybe when I used the D'addarios before I was in a drop tuning, and the vibrato came more easily.
In any case, I'm really impressed with the Elixir strings in the way it keeps its tone and longevity.
Next I'm gonna try the Elixir Phosphor Bronze Nanowebs - perhaps this will give me the advantages of the Elixir plus the tone of the EJ16s that I've always liked.

Going back to Singapore next week so probably I will be able to get the Elixir Phosphor Bronze Nanowebs for a good price.

Elixir Strings

Just got these Elixir 80/20s Nanowebs. Ran out of D'addario EJ16s - the strings that I have always used since getting an acoustic.
Well, people refer to these as "condom" strings and I think I know why. There is more protection against my acidic hands (I wear out D'addarios in 2 weeks) but not as much pleasure. Seems like it is not very sensitive to naunces in the fretting hand. For example, I am pretty sure I don't hear as much vibrato when I do the B.B King thing compared to D'addarios. But these Elixir strings are really bright! Think if D'addario is 5 on the treble knob, these strings are like 7.5. The tone is alright, but kinda plasticky if you wanted to compare with the D'addarios. Bending these strings gives a weird feeling also.

Guess I'll use these until the end of my days here. :/

Don't ask how much I paid for them here in Israel. Thank god for Davis guitar in Singapore.

The Future of Music?

Free music seems to be a god-given right for people nowadays. All you have to do is to fire up BitTorrent, surf to Mininova.org, search for the album you want and download it. If you have a fast connection, the entire "transaction" takes place in virtually minutes. The music industry has tried several deterrent methods, like suing the people who share and download the music. However it has been largely unsuccessful. Seems like downloading music is an unstoppable phenomenon of the Internet age.

I remember I used to use cassette players with two cassette slots to "copy" cassettes when I young. This was tedious and probably considered the most primitive form of piracy. However, there was still a feeling that the "copy" was inferior to the actual product, and eventually if I loved the songs I would get the actual tape.

Nowadays it is so much easier to pirate that some people don't even realise that they are doing it. Virtually anything that comes out of the computer speakers can be pirated, and it is close to cd quality. (Not many can hear the difference between say, 192kbps Mp3 vs Music straight from the cd) And even less care about the difference. What I'm saying is that basically recorded music, as long as you can play it on your computer, is doomed as a commercial product.

What I feel is that recorded music will go the way of advertisements and promotions for the artiste. This music will be used to spread awareness and the live shows will probably make up the bulk of the artiste's income.

Just like the past. Where people paid to go to theatres to see artistes perform.

And now, if artistes are going to make serious money out of their careers they will have to travel.

It's funny how we've gone one complete round with music distribution.

Be Thankful

I used to say that Singapore is a boring place, and now I am in a part of the world where it is really exciting hah - news is updated by the hour.
There is a on-going sense of impending danger, people can carry carbines into restaurants, parking lots. It's starting to all get a bit too much for me. I've realised that there are people here who mask themselves from all the bad news around them, delving into their hobbies, interests to escape from the cruel news of war. While I do not feel that this is the best way, I can understand why they do so.

I miss the times when I can go into a shopping mall, sit there for hours on end and not worry about things like suicide bombers or even that army boy with a M16. I can understand why the people here are allowed to carry guns around with them but it still makes me uneasy.

The women here serve NS too. Be thankful, Singapore girls!

Makes you not take what we have in Singapore for granted - security. Sure, we bitch about the erp, and all the other wonderful policies our government dishes out from time to time. The fact that is anyone can walk in the street and not worry about being the next headliner on the news.

Give me boring.

Okay - this has absolutely nothing to do with guitar, but just had to say it.

Major GAS Attack!!!

Martin 000-28EC

Martin OM-21

Martin 000-28

Want to be BFF (Best Friends Forever)?
Get me one of these!

Stefano Barone - Batman - Alexander Supertramp

Interesting music from this guy. Michael Hedges + Technology!

Staying Focused..

I have realised that I have been trying to do too many things all by myself. Melody, lyrics, playing, singing, arrangment, mixing, heck even "mastering". I have decided to stay focused on one path, that I recognise myself to be good at (definitely not singing) and go all the way based on that.
Otherwise I'll probably be just so-so at everything in the end.

Here's my latest GAS. Haha. Realised that I will lust for something, and after some time I would forget about it. Being here has stopped me from buying many things!