Elevate Your Musical Journey with NAMS Jam Series

Dear NAMS Community,

We’re thrilled to announce an exciting addition to our musical calendar – the NAMS Jam Series! As we gear up for an incredible fall semester, we’re determined to provide an unparalleled music education experience. Through the NAMS Jam Series, we’re set to infuse more creativity, collaboration, and energy into our community. Let’s dive into the details that are bound to get you excited!

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Tone Talks: Using The Pickup Selector

Source Tones

If you play electric guitar, knowing how to use your pickup selector is key to nailing the right guitar tone. In conjunction with the strings and technique, the pickup is a SOURCE of your sound.

In general, a bridge pickup position is brighter with a more forward midrange. A neck pickup position has more bass and less aggressive high end.

Which one you select is dependent on taste and artistic expression. Having awareness of your tone is essential to delivering a convincing performance. 

Through experience and acute awareness, you can manipulate your sound by flipping to the neck pickup to fatten up the signal; or flip to the bridge to bring some bite to the strum.

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The Art of Practice: Using a Timer

 

Maintaining a consistent and focused practice routine can be a challenge. You have to actively schedule time for practice. It is difficult to “find” one hour, 7 days in a row in the hustle of life. Every moment counts, so maintaining focus keeps you moving forward. A good mechanism for keeping yourself in check is using a timer. (and a checklist)

 

Using a timer allows you to give undivided attention to specific elements of your routine in small bursts. It is too easy for the mind to wander and fall into aimless “noodling” territory. 

 

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TONE TALKS: Audio Signal Chain & FX Pedals

What is signal chain?

In the audio world, it’s the path that a sound wave travels through. Let’s look at some examples!

Electric Guitar:

Ex 1. Basic E. Guitar

Guitar(strings>pickups)>cable> amp/speaker

Ex 2. E.Gtr in Live Sound or Studio

Guitar>cable>Tuner>VolumePedal>Boost>amp/speaker>Microphone & placement>Preamp>Mixer>PA system

These are basic SERIAL chains. That means the sound has no option but to travel through the volume pedal before the boost. Then through the boost before the amp. The sound can be altered and the next piece of gear only hears the altered sound(even if subtle). It is a series of sound events happening one after the other. 

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Is focus on technique integral to CREATIVITY?

Technique allows you to achieve a goal from the sense feeling vs the sense of thinking.

What is technique? Simply put, it is how you do something.

 

The mix engineer feels that a frequency adjustment is needed. Without having to pull the ol’ technical brain into the situation(which disrupts flow), the engineer’s technical ability is connected to the feeling. 

 

 

The only way to achieve this is to experience the practice wholeheartedly, and to develop an intense ability to focus the mind.

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Is DELAY the Best Effect?

Is delay the best effect?! Short answer is YES! Yes it is!

It’s an echo or copy.

 

Besides the fun and musical sounds it can make, delay is a great tool you can use to improve your musicianship!

It gives you instant feedback on what you just played. A clean digital delay will highlight nuances of your pick attack, your release of notes(when you mute), general dynamics, and timing. You will likely adjust your playing dynamic due to what you hear.

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What is Guitar Bootcamp?

 

NAMS Guitar Bootcamp is the ultimate AGILITY & STRENGTH training for guitarists and bassists of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, this workshop will help you focus your practice routine and master the fundamental motions and techniques present in all genres of guitar.

Guitar Bootcamp features a series of group exercises that will help you develop your AGILITY & STRENGTH in the following areas:

  • Muting technique
  • Picking/strumming and rhythm
  • Finger independence
  • Note/chord switching
  • Flow state
  • Timing of breath

The exercises are adaptable per individual and allow for simplification in the case that the exercises are too advanced to play with a group.

If you’re having trouble changing chords, coordinating your hands, memorizing new information, or being creative, our Guitar Bootcamp is the perfect opportunity to develop your muscle memory and unlock your hidden potential.

Join us this summer and learn to digest new motions with effortlessness and patience. We’ll provide personalized guidance and feedback to help you achieve your guitar-playing goals. All ages and levels are welcome, so don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to take your guitar skills to the next level!

We’ll be hosting more camps in our Frisco facility June 12-15 and July 10-13. Give us a call or email to register!

214-436-4000

admin@namsfrisco.com

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Cody

The Art of Practice: 3 Fundamental Habits

A small core of productive habits can heavily alter your trajectory of improvement and natural growth towards your true uniquity.

 

  • Focus attention on your breathing.
  • Look away from your instrument to develop good posture, listening skills, and your sense of touch
  • Consistently follow through with every new concept you learn until fluent.

 

These three ideas allow for an in depth connection to the sound and flow of the instrument!

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