Speed Kills

MICHAEL ANGELO (Buonarotti), who in an age when Christian art had reached its zenith, stood almost unrivalled as a painter, sculptor, and architect, was born in 1474 at Chiusi, in Italy. He was of noble origin, having descended on his mother's side from the ancient family of Canossa, in Tuscany, while the Buonarotti had long been associated with places of trust in the Florentine Republic. Michael Angelo learned the rudiments of painting from Bertoldo, pupil of Domenico Ghirlandaio; and later was received into the palace of the Medici, where he spent several years. His earliest original works were a Kneeling Angel, executed for the grave of St. Dominic, at Bologna; the Statues of Bacchus and David at Florence, and a magnificent group representing the Mater Doloroso, which was placed in St. Peter's at Rome. Read More

Kate Nash Announces Short Stack of '08 Tour Dates

Rolling Stone Artist to Watch Kate Nash — who we memorably described as Lily Allen mixed with Regina Spektor and a granny dress — is hitting the road for a short trek in the new year (tickets go on sale December 7th). If you live in Toronto, New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles you can experience Nash's boyfriend-bashing tunes set to piano and acoustic guitar in person on these dates:

Fender American Vintage ‘62 Stratocaster

Model Fender American Vintage ‘62 Stratocaster

Intro First introduced in 1998, and in constant production ever since, the American Vintage ‘62 Stratocaster is a reissue of Fender’s now classic and highly sought after ‘62 Strat––one of the true watershed instruments in Fender’s illustrious arsenal of six-strings.

Comfort-contoured, with a traditional Alder body, and Maple neck––not to mention an old-school nitro finish––the ‘62 Stratocaster reissue really feels and looks the part of a true vintage instrument, albeit without the incredibly comfy “worn-in” vibe of the real thing… and without the aged wood.

With vintage Strats circa the 1960s running in the tens of thousands of dollars, it’s no wonder that the American Vintage ‘62 Stratocaster remains so popular. For about $1400 you get a very reasonable facsimile of a guitar from Fender’s glory years, minus the heart-stopping price tag.

Playing Techniques

The proper way to hold a pick is shown in the picture below along with examples of other techniques described later in this lesson. The most basic way to produce a sound on the guitar is to pluck a string that is open, or not being touched. Playing an open string or note is when you pluck a string without fretting it. To play a note you need to know how to "fret" a note. To "fret a note," place your finger behind the fret that you wish to play, push down, and then pluck the string.

The following examples have videos in avi format at the bottom of the page to help clarify how to use these techniques. To "hammer-on" a string, pluck a note then, while holding it down, fret a note on a higher fret of the same string. It should give you a smooth transition to the new tone. Now try to "pull-off" the note you just hammered on by letting go of the fret that you just fretted. Next, try sliding up by plucking a note then holding it down, and sliding your finger up the fretboard. Next we will try the bend. To do this, pluck a note, then push the string towards your face or away from your face all while staying behind the same fret. To make a vibrato sound, all you have to do is wiggle your finger up and down to produce a vibrating type effect.

Guitar Skill

Concert features Austin's classical guitar skills

LOWER LAKE –Listeners enjoyed another perfect Friday evening at the Tuscan Village in Lower Lake as Travis Austin played classical guitar.

Austin is only 22 years old and has been playing since high school. He also teaches guitar and has at least one CD at his credit which he was selling at the concert.

Austin produces his own CDs in his recording studio and has a Web site,read more, which lists his upcoming performances.

He has played many venues around Lake County including some charity events. His next big gig is the California State Fair.

A visitor from San Francisco, who happened to see the concert sign on the highway, stopped in, not knowing what to expect and was very impressed with the venue and the entertainment. She said she will definitely be coming back.