February 2011 Archives

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February 27, 2011

The Marvel Of Modern Media Collections

In the past few years, we’ve seen collections of popular serial media collected all in one place at one time — and it is a treasure trove for the consumer (fan).

For example, I bought a multi-CD-Rom set of every MAD magazine published from the very first issue up to about the year 2000. It not only included all the pages from the magazines, but all the extras that came in those mags over the years — sound files from the flexi records and other great stuff.

I also bought the collection of the entire history of National Lampoon.

In both cases, I bought or subscribed to these magazines at one time, and of course I read them. However, the originals are long gone.

I’m not a collector. I don’t care if I have the physical specimen in mint condition. I’m just that kid who enjoyed funny magazines — all growed up — and I’m able to look at, cross rerference and enjoy them all in so many ways.

Movies are also terrific — all the sequals and originals (Godfather, Star Wars, whatever) and TV series are great to watch a whole season at one time. I’m several years behind on some of them, but I’m catching up (now on season 3 of “House, MD” and just starting “Weeds.”)

As I often tell my wife, “Ain’t it wonderful to live in the future?”

Wade

Tags: Collections, consumer, fan, media, media collections, Modern, national lampoon, physical specimen, serial media, treasure trove.

Filed under Media by WadeB on Feb 27th, 2011. Comment.

The CAGED System For Guitar

The CAGED system is a handy way of helping you to get to know the guitar and guitar music. Many guitarists have found this way of seeing the notes and chords an easy way to begin to understand guitar music and improvisation. The CAGED system is not for raw beginners. You need to know the location on the fretboard of the root notes of the chords C A G E and D.

Here is a video explaining the simplicity of using the CAGED system:

Tags: CAGED, fretboard, Guitar, guitar music, guitarists, location, Music, raw beginners, root notes, simplicity.

Filed under Uncategorized by WadeB on Feb 27th, 2011. Comment.

February 28, 2011

Pretentious Stan (Lee, of course)

Here’s a fun blog — thanks to Joyville.

Someone seems to think Stan Lee gets a little over the top sometimes. Especially during his (drug assisted?) era 1965-67.

I always thought the Submariner talked like a wannabe Shakespearan ham, but here are some scans of covers and some snarky commentary on Stan’s writing prowess.

Read it and … uh … grin.

WADE

Joyville —

This is the craziest blog related to comics I hit myself against lately.
You know Stan? I’m sure you do! No man can serve two masters: Lee… Stan Lee, The Pretentious. Tittle in comics were never the same after his break in the world. Lo and behold the result, hosted by two of the nicest people you can find in the blogosphere: …LO! And they shall call him… STAN…?

Tags: era, fun, ham, masters lee, snarky commentary, Someone, stan lee, submariner, tittle, writing.

Filed under Vintage Comics by WadeB on Feb 28th, 2011. Comment.

CAGED System for Guitar (Part 2 of 2)

Although I’ve played the guitar for more than 40 years now, I’m always trying to learn new things to make it fresh and exciting.

I only stumbled upon the CAGED system about a year ago — although I may have heard of it in passing.

It fit in with some other things I was doing and I had enough music theory to make sense of it.

There are a lot of good resources on the ‘net for CAGED, so if you want to follow up, just use your favorite search engine.

Here’s the 2nd part of the intro I started yesterday.

Tags: good resources, music theory, search engine.

Filed under Guitar by WadeB on Feb 28th, 2011. Comment.

The Wonder of Wondermark

So, you like comic strips? You like ’em retro? You like Steam Punk. You like absurd and just plain crazy?

I stumbled across Wondermark, by David Malki, a stupendous effort of gas-lamp era weirdness with a suspicious trace of LSD. The art is impeccable — perhaps scanned etchings of Victorian England, and the sense of humor works on so many levels.

“The Revolution Will Not Be Telegraphed!”

All very proper and tidy, y’know.

Check it out and be prepared to spend a little time there.

WADE

Tags: art, effort, gas lamp, humor works, retro, Revolution, Steam, steam punk, victorian england, Wondermark.

Filed under Illustration by WadeB on Feb 28th, 2011. Comment.

Play Guitar In YOUR Singing Key

I learned to play guitar to accompany myself while singing.

It took me a while to work up proficiency to play in any key, but some songs sound better in one key than another. An “E” chord has a distinctive sound and a “G” chord has a different sound. If you like the key of E but sing in the key of G — what will you do?

Well, there is this little gizmo called a capo (KAY-poe) that adjusts the guitar strings so that you can play with your fingers on familiar chords, but be in a whole different key.

It also works great if you are jamming and the other folks play a song you know in a key different than what you’ve practiced.

Details and pictures after the jump —

Tags: distinctive sound, g chord, Guitar, kay poe, Key, long long time, planet waves, Play, proficiency, Song.

Filed under Guitar by WadeB on Feb 28th, 2011. Comment.

My Kind Of Nerd

I’m always taking notes — when I read a book, talk on the phone — or I often record a workshope or seminar and pay to have it transcribed.

I find it keeps things in my mind more firmly — almost memorized — and I can refer back to my notes on computer with the SEARCH function to find whatever I’m trying to look up.

That’s why I’m so pumped up about this Note-Taking Nerd. He’s a marketing wonk and he is interested in the same people I am — Dan Kenned, Frank Kern, Gary Halbert and that gang. He’s got lots of his notes on his web site and is very generous about sending things out to subscribers of his blog.

Oh, yeah, he also posts videos.

Check out the Nerd — and you may become a nerd yourself.

WADE