Fender FCT-12

Description and review

The Fender FCT-12 is a clip-on chromatic tuner produced by Fender. It has a number of functions which range from Bass guitar, Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo, and even simply chromatic so that you may tune the instrument as you require. It is an invaluable piece of equipment for any stringed-instrument musician and is particularly exceptional in that it is clip-on and thus doesn't require silence in the area whilst it is being tuned as it works on vibrations. Furthermore, you can adjust the key of the desired tuning by adjusting the hertz with the Pitch button located on the back. This particular version of Fender's tuners runs on one CR2032 battery and said battery will last possibly months due to the short period of time that the tuner is required to be switched on per usage. There are only two buttons on the device and they are clearly labelled as to what they do. The clip-on hinge can be adjusted 360 degrees and also in and out so that it is easy to see when being used on any instrument. This is another of my personal musical arsenal and another device I would highly recommend to any beginner guitarist or indeed more advanced musicians simply due to its ease of use and assistance in achieving perfection in terms of the tuning of your instrument. If bought in a store as opposed to online, this will usually cost you around £10 more or less.

Foo Fighters "Sonic Highways"

Sonic Highways

The newest album to hit the world from the ever-popular Foo Fighters was "Sonic Highways" which featured songs such as"Something from nothing", "Feast and the famine" and "Congregation". This album was long anticipated by many Foo fans including me. However, much like my opinion on the Arctic Monkeys' album "AM", I believe it was much hyped and did not deliver in the same way that I had hoped.



Style

 I felt that the majority of songs from the album were aimed at a much wider audience than their current loyal fans and as a result were lacking originality. I would point out on that, I did like most of the songs on the album; I just felt that they all had a similar vibe and that there was less virtuosity like there had been on older albums such as "In your Honour" and "There is nothing left to lose". I felt that the opening riff and vocals on "Something from nothing" sounded almost identical to "Skin and Bones" from their old discography but it remains a decent song due to the raw screams that Grohl employs later into the song and the heavily distorted guitar breakdown three minutes in. As I say however, I did like the album (probably because I am a loyal Foo Fighters fan) and would recommend it to everyone.

Success

The album reached number one in the albums chart in Australia, the US top alternative billboard chart, the US top hard rock albums, and the US top rock albums. The album also reached number two in the albums chart here in the UK with "Something from nothing" making it to number one in the UK singles chart too.


 In conclusion, the album was very successful and did well in the US and the UK and particularly in the Australian charts. I personally did enjoy the album and would happily listen to every song. My only complaints are that it had too few songs on the track list and the songs seemed to lack a certain originality that was evident in the Foo's earlier albums such as "There is nothing left to lose" and "In your Honour". Thus the album was successful and popular and therefore a good album and good work from the band.

Arctic Monkeys "AM"

Though the album is no longer new, it remains the newest album to be released by the Arctic Monkeys. I would like to give you all my personal review on the album and opinions on individual tracks taken from the album.

Style

"AM" saw a change of style for the Monkeys, particularly for the vocals of Alex Turner. It is particularly evident in certain tracks such as "No.1 Party Anthem" and "Vacuum cleaner" that Alex Turner wants his Indie-rock trademark style to be replaced with the crooning tenor style most commonly found in soft jazz. However, Turner's distinctive Northern accent remains and is a big part of what gives the Arctic Monkeys their signature sound. Furthermore, Matt Helders, the drummer, became a key part of each track of said album; providing falsetto harmonised vocals with those of Turner's new tenor crooner style. In addition, in my opinion, many of the songs on the new album sound very alike. As a guitarist myself, I can tell that this is because they are based around the same chords and notes. For example, "R U Mine?" and "Why'd you only call me when you're high?" are almost identical in their chord progression. Though much of a review is an opinion, that is a fact that cannot be denied.


Success

Despite my own and many other old fans slight disappointment in the album after all the hype, I believe It was one of the Monkeys' most popular and well-received albums. This is because there were a few high chart numbers from the album including "One for the Road" and "Do I wanna know?". In my opinion, the reason for the album being a top seller was that many new people were being introduced to the slightly softer on the ear and, though I loathe the word, "mainstream" tracks. So even if they hadn't previously listened to the Arctic Monkeys, they could still enjoy this new album which barely represents the Arctic Monkeys of old.

To summarise, "AM" was an incredibly successful and chart topping album but personally I don't think it really reflects the usual sound of the Arctic Monkeys. My personal favourite era of the Monkeys was the "Favourite worst nightmare" days and my favourite song was possible "Fluorescent adolescent"...or maybe "Teddy Picker". I did like a few of the songs on the album but I expected more on hearing the album for the first time.

*All images sourced from google images, I do not claim to own any rights

Zoom G1Next Guitar effects pedal

The Zoom G1Next is a combination effects pedal for the electric guitar. Zoom is a Japanese company but this particular model version was manufactured in China. In contrast to many traditional effects pedals that are devoted to one kind of effect such as phaser, overdrive, wah-wah, or reverb, the Zoom G1Next can replicate and imitate many kinds of sounds. The Zoom comes with two options in terms of power sources, a mains power cable or the use of four batteries for more portable ease. It does not come with any short quarter inch jack leads to connect it to your amplifier and so you will need to buy these separately. The Zoom also comes with an on-board tuner which is an invaluable addition.

Ease of use

The Zoom is very simple to use. Though there are hundreds of variations that can be made to sounds and effects, it has as few controls as possible. There are two dials, four buttons, and two pedals. This helps it keep its pretty classic look and also prevents it from appearing too technical and thus intimidating to slightly less experienced guitarists. Furthermore, If you are intimidated by the controls, you can simply twist the left dial to "play" and then you get the sounds labelled A, B, C, D 1-9.

Rhythm Machine

The Zoom has an on-board drum machine. This can be accessed and cycled by twisting the left dial to "Rhythm" and then using the left and right pedals to cycle through them. The tempo of any one of these beats can be adjusted and personalised by clicking the "bank up" button and then turning the right hand dial as desired. All beats are default set on 2.0 and the right dial allows for an almost unlimited adjustment of the tempo allowing the display to go down in decimal places, then, once you hit zero, from 100 down, and then into the negative minus numbers. Of course you are also able to speed up the tempo by turning the right hand dial the other way. You are also able to program the pedal to store the newly created rhythm beats and place them under their own patch name so that you may easily use them again.

Quality of sounds and Patches

The sounds produced from the Zoom G1Next are very high quality. There is a wide range of sounds that are available to use. These are all based on the sounds of famous artists but there is also the relatively easy option of creating your own patch through the use of the left dial and the two pedals. The available sounds range from heavy metal, to heavy reverb, to wah wah effect, to classic Brian May sounds, to Hendrix fuzz and so many more. The patches are all clean (respective to their effect) and the grounding static hum is minimal with a decent guitar.

Verdict
Overall, the Zoom is a smart investment and will allow you to replicate and imitate the sounds of particular artists or genres. It is relatively reasonable in price, ranging anywhere from £55-£85+ depending where you source it from. I have one of these and would recommend it to anyone considering getting a combination effects pedal.

Tanglewood TW460 SN (Hand crafted semi-acoustic guitar)

The Tanglewood TW460 SN is a hand crafted mid range semi-acoustic guitar model which is a cedar-top version of the TW400m. Tanglewood are known almost exclusively for their work with acoustic and folk style guitars and their best selling models are acoustics as well. Therefore, a lot of time is put into their individual construction in order to reach the level of perfection that is desired by manufacturers and consumers alike.

Sound

The TW460 is a beautifully crafted instrument. The design allows for the unique light and ringing tone that it produces. In addition, the neck alignment, largely due to the truss rod, means that every fret gives you a crystal clear note. Furthermore, it is an excellent choice for anybody that intends to use the harp harmonics technique due to the very same point. Once amplified, the instrument loses none of its acoustic resonance nor its clean tone and works well for all genres but most notably for acoustic rock, blues, folk and jazz.

Design

The TW460 SN sticks to a simple but satisfying design. The neck is relatively thin so that it is more comfortable to formulate barre chords. This makes it easier for the guitarist to play. In contrast however, the lack of a cutaway on the body makes it rather difficult for the player to get much higher than the fifteenth fret, particularly whilst standing but this is probably due to the fact that the TW460 was made for acoustic music and therefore was not built to be used as a lead instrument.

Overall, the TW460 SN is a clean and lightly toned guitar and it would suit any style. I have this exact model and I am constantly complimented by friends who try it on how nice it sounds and feels. I agree with them as I believe it is one of the best semi-acoustic guitars I have ever played.

Fender Stratocaster classic model review

Introduction to the Stratocaster

 There are many guitars that are considered to be "performers" guitars; meaning that they are thought to be among the best and most known models from their respective companies. There are none more so than the famous Fender Stratocaster, Even just the name Fender is a highly recognisable term in the music industry and is often the company that a non-musician would say first if asked to name one. There are a vast array of musicians from past and present that have used the Fender Stratocaster almost exclusively. The list includes names such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, John Frusciante (RHCP), Rory Gallagher and the list goes on. As I shall explain, there is good reason for this as the Strat has many unique and sought after qualities, particularly in the world of blues rock.

Clean tone

 The Stratocaster uses Fender's single coil pickups, which allow the user to choose between the five settings depending on how they want the tone to sound. The standard and traditional Stratocaster models have three pickups and so depending on how you want your piece to sound you can employ the use of each one or a combination of them at a time. Using only the bottom pickup will give the electrified sound a more treble-like and "twangy" feel. Moving to the middle or the top pickups
will give the guitar a fuller sound and a higher bass-treble ratio. Furthermore, there are two dials on the body that also control the tone and the pickup distribution and these also work alongside the pickup settings to create a more perfected and individual sound. It is for these reasons that the Stratocaster is such a versatile instrument and has been used in so many genres throughout its history.

Shape design practicality

The design of the Stratocaster is iconic and unique yet quite simple in essence. It was designed in this way for the benefit of the user. Firstly, the shape is aesthetic and due to its clean curves and non-symmetrical structure it looks good while the guitarist is performing. Secondly,  the cutaway on the playing side of the neck is deliberate. It allows the user to get higher up the neck with more ease and thus is very popular in the world of blues and with a certain Mr. Clapton. In addition, the reason that the two "horns" protrude from the top of the body in the way that they do is so that a strap may be added (one side clipping to the peg on the base of the body and the other to the longer "horn"). This is extremely practical as there is little to no chance of the strap slipping off due to the way the weight of the guitar is distributed. Finally, the socket for the lead that would connect the guitar to an amplifier is in a slowly declining slot on the face of the body which means that the lead takes less wear and tear than in the traditional slot where the jack plug would poke straight out and then the lead would trail at a ninety degree angle. This also looked better as the guitar and lead seemed to fit together more naturally and therefore gave the appearance of professionalism.
Summary

In conclusion, the Stratocaster is a well rounded and versatile instrument and is such documented with its continual usage throughout the history of electrified music. It is likely that it will be used for many years to come and although there have been many limited editions of the Strat and adjustments, the overall look and design has barely changed. I myself have a cheap Strat and I feel that it is a beautiful instrument. The ability to change its sound down to such a small difference gives me my personal sound and makes everybody's Strat its own unique sound.

*Disclaimer:All images sourced from Google Images

Muse "Drones"

Muse have long been a personal favourite of mine, It was Muse that got me into rock and alternative music at the age of 13, before which I only really listened to chart music that I heard through my sister or over the radio. On hearing the progressive and politically motivated "Uprising" from their album "The Resistance", Muse gained a new fan. Furthermore, as a guitarist I enjoy finding songs that I can learn and that are also complex and iconic and Muse are almost 100% successful in providing at least one such song per album. In most cases there are many.
 The  album "Drones" was Muse's most recent release, being released in June of this year. Of all the songs on the album, my personal favourite was "Psycho". I am a fan of heavy metal, hard rock and other derivatives of the rock scene and this was the song from the album which most adhered to my taste. I like the distortion heavy intro/guitar break that plays all through the song and I like the theatrical style of Matt Bellamy's vocals over the top. In addition, possibly my favourite song ever by Muse was either "Hysteria" or "Plug in Baby" with many others coming close ("Supermassive black hole" and "bliss", and "feeling good" to mention a few) revealing that my favourite Muse tracks are the heavy and distorted, fast paced songs from various albums. "Psycho" has many traits of songs like those mentioned above and therefore stands as my personal favourite from the album "Drones".
 The title song of the album was a typical demonstration of the artistic virtuosity of Matt, Chris and Dom with harmonised and operatic vocals throughout the song. In my opinion, Muse can sound a lot like Queen on occassion and this is exactly the kind of musical expertise and stylistic/genre fusion that Queen utilised in the song "Bohemium Rhapsody". Any style that Muse tackle is almost guaranteed to come out as a success due to the superior musicianship of all three members of the band. As well as having an incredibly gifted guitarist and vocalist/frontman in Matt Bellamy, Muse has an equally talented and unique drummer in Dominic Howard and an amazingly talented multi-instrumentalist and bassist in Chris Wolstenholme. The heavy driven basslines in songs such as "Hysteria" and "Plug in Baby" and "Psycho" from the new album are what give Muse their unique and recognisable sound along with the screeching and emotional vocals of Matt Bellamy and the experimental mixed genre drum beats from Dom Howard. Overall, "Drones" is an accurate and brilliant representation of the artistic perfectionism of Muse and is an album that has a mixture of tracks to please heavier rock fans along with those who prefer progressive rock and softer versions of the genre.

Welcome to my blog

Hello everyone, My name is Sean and I am from Dagenham, Essex, and I am studying Media Studies BA (Hons) at the University of Winchester from 2014 to 2017. I am currently in the first semester of my second year. As a Guitarist myself and an appreciator of music of many genres I intend to blog my reviews on a range of subjects including the equipment and tools that a musician, specifically a guitarist and bassist such as myself, may use and consider their effectiveness. I will also give my own opinions on albums by selected musicians and bands in comparison to past work and my own interests. I hope my views will be appreciated as they will be my own opinions based on my own preferences but I will ,of course, be professional in my analysis and hopefully constructively critical. I hope you enjoy the content of my blog and thank you for visiting my page.Should you wish, Please feel free to check out my old blogs which are my As and A level course-specific blogs about film and music videos and the theory surrounding them.

Enjoy the Blog!