BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?

Subject: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: dwditty
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 07:25 AM

If your anything like me, you have that one song you always play when you pick up an instrument at the music shop...you know the one you hope others will hear. Mine is a little instrumental called Sruttin' Rag. What's yours? dw

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 07:35 AM

Jimmie Roger's "Waitin' For A Train"

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: John Hardly
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 08:09 AM

dw,
A few years back someone wrote an hilarious bit published in Acoustic Guitar Magazine about the songs people always play-----and the store workers cringe having heard 100+ times a day. Topping the list was "Stairway To Heaven".

For me I usually play "Back Home Again (In Indiana)" though it's funny-----if people ever turn their heads in an obvious attempt to listen to me it's always when I play the opening bars of a James Taylor song (or an identifiable riff from one) Like "Sweet Baby James" , or "Secret O' Life, or "Shower the People".

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: mooman
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 09:05 AM

No particular song for me...normally an assorted and completely random and spontaneous collection of riffs and patterns. Sometimes (but not usually) they fit together surprisingly well but on those occasions I never have anything to hand to capture the result and generally the idea has gone by the time I get home!

mooman

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 09:21 AM

The first couple of bars from a Pat Sky song named "Love Will Endure" .... an E Chord .... The last few bars of a blues riff.... a bit of a pickin' version of "Hard Times".....

CLICK HERE for a related previous thread.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 09:40 AM

The first thing I do in a music store when I pick up a guitar, is tune it, and then check the intonation of all strings, using harmonics on the 12th fret. If it passes this quick check, I play it. If it doesn't I put it back on the shelf, and grab other guitars, and repeat this process till it does. Then it's a round of several first position chords strummed like E, C, D, G, to see if the guitar remains in tune with itself. Then, a Liz Cotten tune, followed by Deep River Blues, and then some Travis things. If the instrument doesn't capture my interest within 4-5 minutes, I put it back. Usually with these things, I know instinctively within the first couple of minutes, by the feel of the neck and the tone. Only after it's captured my interest, do I start looking at it cosmetically for cracks, overspray, binding chips, neck angle, bridge, height of the saddle, height of strings in the nut, flatness of the top, etc.etc.

(But because I am a recovering G.A.S.-oholic, I don't go to stores anymore just to play guitars. I only set foot in one if I've come on a purchasing mission looking for something specific.)

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 09:42 AM

Hmmm...just re-read my post above. Maybe it would make for an interesting separate thread, called "Evaluating a Guitar?"

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 09:50 AM

Same as Justa. If the axe ain't set up well, what's the point.

The most resonant chord (to my ear) is a six string D9th, so I can hear the sustain, then usually I'll go into something "Travis like" to see how the neck feels. Then I contemplate how difficult it will be to sneak it past Heather, and I go home.

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 12:33 PM

Hardi could tell you what it is, but at our shop, there is one thing the proprietor plays on every instruemnt in the shop, to demonstrate them to potential buyers and to show how "easy" it is to play an instrument. I used to think he was quite the musician, being able to play so many instruments... till I realized, he just knows that one song on each of them, and that's it, except for being a fine bluegrass mandolin player who can also-- I dunno why-- play great slide guitar!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: 53
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 01:02 PM

i'll just usually play a couple of chords or maybe a pattern based off the key of G but mostly i just mess around with it and get the feel for it up and down the neck, with some barre chords and other riffs. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 01:42 PM

When I tune a guitar, normal tuning, I always end with a full first-position Em chord. If it's in tune, that sounds wonderful! If it doesn't, it needs further tuning.

As to what I play, if it's a guitar it will probably be Frankie and Johnnie. If it's a banjo, it will be a tune I "wrote" myself and named for my wife, "Little Dorrie".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: 53
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 10:55 PM

have you ever been in a music store and didn't know what to play? BOB

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 09:30 AM

John Hardy.

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: Mooh
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 12:28 PM

Sweet Home Stairway to Iron Man.

Actually, lately it's been Rights of Man 'cause I do the chords and melody in various fingerboard positions. Long Black Veil if'n I wants to hear the geetar with my voice. Bach's Bourree for standard tuned fingerstyle. Original stuff for open G and dadgad. Etc. Whatever comes to my mind.

Stores are rarely, at least in my neck of the woods, great places to test guitars. Usually makes me wish I could open my own store.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Song You Play at the Music Shop?
From: GUEST,J.Page
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 12:54 PM

Me? I play "Stairway To Heaven".