Dave Bold | Guitar

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Ascape Band Gigs

More Ascape Quartet gigs coming up at Zizzi's in Chislehurst. Dates now confirmed:

~ Friday 17 May - from 8pm
~ Friday 21 June - from 8pm
~ Friday 19 July - from 8pm

Please note: If you are coming along I strongly suggest booking in advance... on the recent April date they were full and turning people away!

New guitar for Christmas? Grab a free lesson from me!

5/12/12 - this was popular last year, so the same offer is going out again :-)

I meet a lot people who say "Ah, the guitar: I bought one but couldn't get started on it..." Well the short answer is they probably would have, if they'd had a few pointers on how to get started; i.e. what to practice in those early stages so they could make good progress, how to get over those new beginners' 'humps' and how to start sounding musical as soon as possible.

So, getting new guitar for Christmas? Grab a free lesson from me!

To take up this offer simply email me (dave@davebold.com) giving the name of the person receiving the guitar, I'll send you a personalised electronic copy of the flyer below. After that just contact me to arrange a time to come over. Job done.

This could also be a major help if you're making a New Year's resolution to play a few songs on your new guitar by Easter; what a great start this would be!

It also makes the best of your Christmas present and sorts out your fledgling guitarist's New Year resolution and, if your own resolution was to get them started on a musical instrument, that's two NYR's sorted in one hit! Simple!

Live Music Kit for Venues

20 / 11 / 12

The MU has launched a ‘Live Music Kit’ containing practical and creative advice for venues to coincide with the implementation of the Live Music Act on 1 Oct. (see previous post below)

One thing for sure live music makes money for venues (and certainly true in the case of the places I play at... that's why we get asked back!). The kit is really useful and contains a lot of ideas, plans and advice on how venues can attract more people, market themselves etc etc. You can find it at:

http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/news-events/2012/09/26/mu-launches-live-music-kit/

See you at the gig!

Sunken Condos - Don's New Album

(26/10/12)

Donald Fagen's new solo album Sunken Condos is out.. and I have to say it's pretty damn good!

A new album by one of the best song writers America has ever produced in the last 42 years is always of interest and there's always going to be some debate on how it measures up to the rest of the Steely Dan / Donald Fagen / Walter Becker catalogue, and especially Fagen's legendary The Nightfly album.

What strikes me about this collection of tunes is that while the similarity in feel, tone, quirkiness they have to all of Fagen's solo output, it's instantly placeable stuff, it just couldn't be anyone else.. but it's different too.

As you might expect there is a fair dose of cool jazzy funk grooves, great extended chord harmonies, understated horns, laconic vocals, funky keys, great guitar playing, plus a great mix.. a slightly softer, more sympathetic bass & drum sound than previous Fagen / Steely Dan albums of recent years. It certainly makes more of the funky grooves... think more The Nightfly, Gaucho, Aja than say Kamakiriad or Two Against Nature.

Following The Nightfly model all songs, bar one, are by Fagen. That outsider is Isaac Hayes' Out Of The Ghetto. Fagen gives the original 70s funk an update and a brand new arranged middle section which partly filters back towards the end of the song forming a sort of overlaid coda.

Like most guitarists I always look forward to the players' contributions to Becker & Fagen albums, and Sunken Condos doesn't disappoint. There are is some nice offerings on most cuts courtesy of (fast becoming) Steely Dan stalwart Jon Herington and a lovely Kurt Rosenwinkel solo on Planet D'Rhonda.

Herington's playing perfectly compliments the mood of the songs with chameleon-like colour shifts sitting right inside each song's style. Check the altered blues Weather In My Head and The Good Stuff for melodic lines uniquely their own while tilting a hat towards the legacy of previous great contributions to Becker & Fagen recordings. The lazy funk of Planet D'Rhonda provides Kurt Rosenwinkel with a great platform to echo the mood of Fagen's cynical wit with some great jazzy outside playing.

Great album, recommended listening. Available at all good record shops ... as they used to say.. : -)

Live Music Bill - Good News

(9/10/12)

Good news indeed... the much heralded Live Music Bill has just become proper legislation, meaning that small venues in England and Wales, with a capacity of under 200 people, will no longer need local authority permission to host performances of live amplified music between the hours of 8am-11pm.

Will it make a difference? Recent research suggests that 13,000 additional venues in the UK could now stage gigs for the first time, with over 20,000 venues now able to increase their provision for live music.

More information and further links at: http://www.generator.org.uk/blog/live-music-fits-bill

London Acoustic Guitar Show Cardboard Cut-Out Guitar Thing

(28/9/12)

Well the London Acoustic Guitar Show Cardboard Cut-Out Guitar Thing with Phil went pretty well, with lots of people picking up DaveBold.com picks, having their photo taking and generally messing about.. Interesting that the ladies were more keen on taking photos, and having their photo taken, than the lads were... probably some psychology in there somewhere!

The Brief

" Beckenham based musician, Dave Bold asked us to help promote his guitar lessons. We created a set of plectrums with his details on (davebold.com). These were stuck onto the neck of a fake guitars that we rigged up on bicycle locks outside the London Acoustic Guitar Show. These were designed to draw visitors in to interact with the display and take a plectrum. " - Phil Bold, Graphic Designer - Bold&Bold

Find out more
Inside Croydon: http://insidecroydon.com/2012/10/06/take-your-pick-guitar-teacher-makes-bold-move/#more-8888

The event has also appeared on a few design blogs. You can find them, along with more details at:

Kastormag.com: http://www.kastormag.com/2012/09/advertising-guitar-lessons-dave-bold/

The Drum: http://www.thedrum.com/news/2012/09/25/boldbold-design-promotional-campaign-london-based-musician-dave-bold

Bitique: http://blog.bitique.co.uk/2012/09/dave-bold-picks/

Happy Picking :-)

Dave

London Acoustic Guitar Show

(21 /9 /12)

If you are attending the London Acoustic Guitar Show at Olympia Conference Centre this Saturday morning, why not say hello, collect a free pick and have your picture taken with a large cardboard cut-out guitar! My nephew Phil (a graphic designer) and I will be outside the venue near Kensington Olympia tube station.

It's a double promo, for guitar lessons with me at Dave Bold | Guitar and design services from Phil at Bold & Bold, so drop by and say hello, it's free and it's always good to meet other guitarists :-)

Dave

Ceilidh At Blackheath Halls - 28 September 2012

Happy to report Bold's Band are back at Blackheath Concert Halls on Friday 28 September at 7.30pm, for another Barn Dance evening of crazy country dancing and frivolity... :-)

Have a great evening dancing to jigs, reels, polkas, hornpipes and a few Breton tunes. There is a bar and food is included in the ticket price.

This annual event is in aid of the charity supporting the Halls. Tickets are £20, £5 for under 14s, and this includes a 2 course meal. If you'd like to attend, please email organiser Ann Glynn at Dermot.annglynn@btinternet.com.

Clock House Soul Collective

(16 July 2012)

A couple of weeks back I pulled a bunch of musician friends together for the Clock House Jubilee Street Party. In spite of having a couple of republican oriented communists amongst them they all agreed to do it (free beer, sausage rolls and strawberries does it every time!) and so we played... in the rain!

It was a great day, people danced despite the weather. You can see the some of the results on my YouTube clips; the sound was a bit ropey (recorded with and iPhone!) but it looks OK and the music (mostly) sounds together!

I mention this last point as the guys were from several different bands I'm currently involved with, but none of us had played together as a band before, though it helped massively that the drums, bass and keyboards all came from the Road Runners. I guess this makes Rule #1 on forming a musical collective.. get your rhythm section sorted!

New Jazz Guitar Programme!

(21/6/12)

Hi all, I'm really pleased to announce the syllabus for my new Jazz Guitar course is almost done and I'll be releasing further details about it over the next few days.

Learning to play jazz is often seen as complicated and difficult, but it needn't be. While there may be a lot to learn, once you get a few basic principles nailed down, with regular practice you can progress quickly. This course sets out to get you blowing (improvising) great lines and chords as soon as possible.

The programme has been designed to make a step change in your playing, and will be individually tailored to meet your needs and development. It's really aimed at serious players wanting to make rapid improvement, and get the best from the tons of self study materials available these days. (Though I reckon the best self study materials are often two things you have already: your record collection and your ears... It's really just learning how to use them!)

The programme is aimed at intermediate to advanced ability players, and you will need at least a basic understanding of chords, scales and rhythm as a foundation. The programme will last for 12 weeks of regular lessons over a total period of 16 weeks with personal tutor support over the period from me.

Building and working a repertoire is a large part of the process, you will learn many jazz 'standards' plus bebop, blues and contemporary tunes. There will also be detailed study of the masters of jazz guitar e.g: Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Pat Martino, George Benson, Pat Metheny, John Schofield and Larry Carlton.

I'm really looking forward to delivering this programme, more to follow soon!

Dave

Three Gigs In 15 Hours - Review

Along with several of my colleagues I completed 3 gigs in 15 hours at the weekend. A jazz and two soul gigs to be precise with the mighty Gordon Webber's Road Runners. Was a bit of a marathon.. in fact one was at Greenwich for the London Marathon... !

Tiring? Yep, especially when the middle one finished at 2am and we were all up early to be at Greenwich for the next one by 8am... The petrol was definitely running out on the last half a dozen tunes we played!

Still all good fun :-)

Ceilidh Blackheath Halls 11th May

Hi all, I'm pleased to report Bold's Band will be playing Blackheath Concert Halls on Friday 11th May.

Have a great evening dancing to jigs, reels, polkas, hornpipes and a (probably!) few Breton tunes. There is a bar and food is included in the ticket price.

This annual event is in aid of the charity supporting the Halls. Details and tickets available at: Blackheath Concert Halls

To book tickets directly and for further information, please contact Ann Glyn at dermot.annglyn@btinternet.com

Daily Mail MusicTeacher.co.uk Promotion

(7/2/12)

Hi everyone, Re Daily Mail promotion for free 30 minute lesson

We are taking part in a promotion the Daily Mail newspaper are running on Wednesday 8th February for free musical instrument tuition. The promotion is run through MusicTeachers.co.uk, and entitles readers to a free half hour guitar lesson.

Please note, as intro lessons are free at Dave Bold - Guitar anyway, and usually last an hour (!) any guitar lessons claimed under this promotion will be treated the same way and last for about an hour... so stop fretting and start picking! :-)

Guitar Lessons - Price Adjustments

(31/1/12)

Hi All, Just to let you know that from the end of February the prices for individual one-off guitar lessons will go up to £25ph. However block booking of 6 or more lessons will not change from the current rate of £20ph - so booking in advance saves money / keeps lessons at the same rates.

The prices for children's lessons (£11 for 30 minutes, £10 for block bookings) are not affected by this change. The offer of a free introductory lesson also remains free!

As is currently the case, if I travel to you for a lesson, and I need to get in the car or public transport to reach you (i.e. it's more than walking distance!) then a travel cost will apply, this is currently a minimum of £5 additional to each lesson, and increases depending up distance travelled.

Register of Guitar Tutors (RGT)

(13/1/12)

You may have seen 'RGT' around the site and be wondering what on earth it is...

The Register of Guitar Tutors is an organisation that organises music grade exams for popular music styles ie: rock, jazz, country etc. It's a great way to measure your progress and gives you targets to work towards. Grades run from beginners right up to advanced level.

RGT grades are accredited by Ofqual, and awarded by the London College of Music and the University of West London. If you are applying for university courses, the higher RGT grades contribute to UCAS points, along with your A Levels and/or BTEC qualifications.

Check the Register of Guitar Tutors website for more details, or call me if you need to check if this is for you.

Blackstar Blues Test on YouTube

(10/1/12)

New videos uploaded, testing out the Blackstar Studio HT20 out for 'blues-ability'! I'm pleased to report it does the job, and very nicely too.

e.g: Blackstar Studio HT20 Blues Test - 2

Or the selection on the right might also have one or two of these examples :-)

Blackstar Amp

(updated 22/10/11)

Just been trying out a new Blackstar HT 20 Studio amp. It has two channels both with really good quality sounds, ranging from classy 'chimey' tones on the clean channel through to bluesy Larry Carlton/Robben Ford type of tone when it's slightly over driven (both channels), right on to high gain rock/metal tone on the overdrive channel, but with picking articulation always clear. Plus it all cleans up pretty well when the guitar volume is rolled back even on the most overdriven sound (always a pleasing factor on guitar amps!)

Interestingly the clean channel has just a single tone control to brighten/darken the sound, but it's never harsh or muddy, giving a full sparkly jangle right through to a cool jazz tone. In common with many valve amps the other factor controlling the tone is how high the master volume is set, the higher settings giving the tone more sparkle and definition.

The overdrive channel has the usual treble, middle, bass controls and an Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) control which seems to appear on all the Blackstar amps. This control works with the mid range and essentially darkens and lightens the sound. It's fairly subtle with the mid control set at halfway, but switch the middle all the way off to see how it really influences the sound.

For starters try setting all the tone controls at 12.00 o'clock with the master volume low and work from there, just adding and reducing whatever you need to tweak.

For the Larry Carlton / Robben Ford 'Dumble amp' type of sound you'll need to turn up the mid and treble to about 6-7 and back off the bass to about 3-4; set the Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) control to about 3-4 and volume at a similar level. Using a Gibson 335 type guitar helps a lot if you are trying to get close to Larry Carlton's signature sound too...! I use a Godin Flat Five X for this kind of stuff and this also seems to work very well. For a Robben Ford type sound, use a single coil pickup guitar (Strat/Tele type instrument); I use a Godin Artisan TC2 with single coil replacement pickups. You may also need to darken the sound using the ISF control.

I haven't gigged with it yet but it'll be interesting to see how it goes! In the meantime I'll try and get some sample sounds/videos up for a listen. Keep it steady!

Dave

As I was saying...

(6/10/11)

I was asked the other day, what I thought about the changes that have been made in the music industry since digital technology, and particularly the internet, has developed as both a provider of music and a marketing tool for musicians. When I first started work as careers adviser at the BRIT School, way back in 1991, the process for bands and artists getting signed was pretty much the same way as it always had been in the previous 30 years. However, the last 6-7 years has seen huge changes in the way we all make and promote (and listen to) music; making things almost unrecognizable to what had gone before.

Perhaps the most telling aspect is that musicians now have so much more control, potentially, over their own futures and how they market their music. With that comes the need to use another set of skills, and a lot of hours of work deploying those skills, especially in marketing and promotion.. In most cases this is not what musicians see themselves as being good at doing (whether they are or not!). Perhaps the roles of manager and A&R are not quite finished yet, though they too need to be pretty interested, not to mention pro-active at, social networking... or know someone else who is.

Dave

Stuff I am really interested in....

(29/9/11)

Anything musical! For example: harmonically interesting tunes, tunes with tasty chords, great locked-in rhythms, loose rhythmic feels, interesting (foxy) melodies, soaring melodies, hook lines, groovy riffs, chord-melody styles.

And above all, improvisation. One of the most under rated skills in contemporary music making, (perhaps the only true 'music making'). A lot of people think this is just about taking solos but in reality improvisation is used on so many different levels and forms in both shaping music ready to play i.e working through chord voicings, lines and rhythms that work for the arrangements, and in the adjustments that take place between performers during live performance, e.g building the rhythm guitar part by changing chord voicings, textures and rhythm to support the singer or soloist.

Example: the chords for a tune may run: C, Am, F, G, which position do you play these chords in? - first position, open string or at 7th-5th fret? On the lower strings or higher string? Part chords or full chords? Full block chords or broken? Embellished or straight? Are there any colour tones added? - eg: added 9ths on I & IV chords? Would it work better with other chords substituted? - EG: Em for C, Dm for F. The choices are all yours to make as the song develops, on the fly, using your ear and experience to play what's going to happen next, often just a beat or two before it happens!

Dave