In the following video, (titled; Paul Gilbert's Public Service Announcement), guitarist Paul Gilbert has produced what more or less amounts to an advertisement for DiMarzio guitar straps...

 However, the additional message in the video is that guitar players "should"  keep their guitar strung low, (around pant pocket height).

As the video is obviously an outright ad for the DiMarzio brand of guitar straps, it has left many viewers scratching their heads regarding the overall 'message' he seemed to be relating in the video. His message, or lecture rather, is all about setting your guitar strap height as to what he considers as 'properly.' Which is probably much too low for many guitarists out there.


While there's no doubt that Paul Gilbert is a great guitarist, as well as, a great instructor... and add to that his education at Hollywood's world renown "Guitar Institute of Technology" (G.I.T.)... many viewers are curious as to what exactly, and why exactly, he is going on about firmly promoting such a low strap height.

Some of his reasons for using a low strung guitar are quite odd. He discusses how the lower slung guitar height helps players create better vibrato. The example that he relates, as to why this is, has to do (evidently - according to Paul), with how we open locks on doors and how that height is the best /most ideal height for guitar vibrato, (???).

Guitar players are left wondering whether the video is "for real" or if it is simply a joke. Gilbert is well know for his goofy jokes... Watch it for yourself and you decide... 

Watch:

During a recent Riot Fest performance in Chicago, GWAR have presented their latest addition to the fold - Vulvatron on vocals.

Much like with anything GWAR-related, the appearance is the singer's most striking feature. And being a spiky purple Amazon shooting loads of blood out of her massive breasts, it's hard to avoid the public attention.

"Vulvatron commanded a central role, stepping away from her mic only long enough to battle her monstrous bandmates or spray the audience with goo," stated a Wondering Sound reporter.


"Vulvatron's costume is skimpy, but so are those of her bandmates; it's not a GWAR show unless everyone's a-se is out. She occupies a powerful role. She's nobody's girlfriend, or groupie or background dancer; Vulvatron is in charge. She gets to be a monster instead of a princess, and that is immensely important for younger girls who are just starting to explore heavy metal."

The vocalist has already established an online presence, make sure to check her out on Facebook or Twitter.

Vulvatron obviously has a big role on her shoulders, replacing the group's late frontman Dave Brockie, a.k.a. Oderus Urungus, who passed away this March due to heroin overdose.

This gadget makes acoustic guitars sound electrifying without using an external amp.

A forthcoming device allows acoustic guitar players to easily add effects to their sound, with no external speaker, using just the body of the instrument itself.

For the acoustic guitar player, plugging in to an external amp and effects processor can be quite fun, and can add a lot of 'spice' to your playing, just by virtue of having access to a wider range of sounds. But whereas hauling an acoustic guitar with you isn't a big deal, hauling an amp and accessories with you (and finding a place to plug in) can be challenging.


What if you could get a wide variety of sounds from your acoustic guitar, including complex effects and virtual (MIDI) instruments, without having to use an external amp? That would certainly be a game-changer, as it could essentially turn your guitar into an all new instrument, and by adding to your available 'soundscapes' without needing to be tethered to a plug, it could also convert acoustic performances into rockin' ones.

Acoustic guitar players, are always looking for some advantages, that will make them sound better, not necessarily play better. So imagine a device that can add distortion, or reverb, or echo effects to an acoustic instrument, without needing to plug in to an external amp!

Watched the below video, You won't believe how this acoustic guitar sounds!:




The ToneWood-Amp is a unique digital signal processor that uses a driver to generate sound waves from the back of the guitar, which interact with the natural sound of the acoustic guitar body, producing the effects as seen above, which come only from the sound hole of the instrument, with no speaker involved.

"The ToneWood-Amp was created from one simple thought. I have always envied the electric guitar players that get all those awesome effects and tones, I wanted to have this awesomeness but I also wanted to be able to maintain my acoustic guitar's natural sound and it's mobility." - Ofer Webman, creator of the ToneWood-Amp

The device can be mounted on and removed quickly from almost any flat-backed acoustic guitar, using a system of magnetic rails. The ToneWood-Amp is designed for guitars with either a magnetic or piezo pickup (bridge or soundhole), but the team behind the device say they're also putting together a “Technician-Free” pickup bundle for those guitars without a pickup.


Not only does the ToneWood-Amp enable a variety of effects on its own, but it can also connect to other iOS devices running guitar effect apps, virtual MIDI apps, or recording apps, allowing for a wide variety of sounds, tones, and textures from any acoustic guitar.

If you're interested in getting a ToneWood-Amp when it's launched, sign up at their website to register for pre-ordering. There is no commitment to buy one for signing up, but if you sign up now, you can then order one at half-price ($90) when the pre-order campaign goes live (mid-October).

A nice forest retreat turned into a Rambo-esque hunt for vengeance after a rabid bat bit a guitar-strumming Dude...

Oregon man Derrick Skou was jamming out with his bros last weekend at a campsite in Clackamas County when the attack occurred...

Skou told the local TV station he wanted to record the music session on video because he was really grooving when the rabid bat finally had enough and went in for the bite.

Video shows the terrifying moment when the bat circles Skou and then clutches onto his shirt, climbing up to his neck, and biting him like a vampire reject.




"It was like a cold dog nose,” Skou told 'KATU TV News'. “It was a cold bat nose, mouth, whatever. It didn't sting. I wasn't injected with anything. It was just a cold bite.”

Skou said the bat camped out in a tree before swooping down at least two other times to finish off his prey. Thankfully, it was no match for a BB gun, which quickly took the creature down.

"[We wondered] whether we would get in trouble for shooting it, and I said well, it drew first blood. We need to take care of this thing,” he said.


Multnomah County health officials took the bat and confirmed that it had rabies.

Skou will now have to get several painful shots to prevent him from contracting the disease. Maybe he should write a song about getting those needles.

Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick says he never finds himself in a creative rut as he can always find something to inspire him, Classic Rock reports.

And he reveals taking an interest in a wide variety of subjects away from music helps spark his imagination.

Skolnick tells Music Radar: "I honestly don't remember what it's like to get in a rut. It's always possible to find something inspiring to work on as long as you recognize that what inspires you may change over the years."

"When I was younger, in order to be inspired by a live music recording, I required the energy and excitement of a huge rock concert. UFO's 'Strangers in the Night,' Deep Purple's 'Made in Japan' and the Jimi Hendrix concerts were all favorites."


"Nowadays, I gain insight from talks, articles and pod-casts by creative folk in other fields: writing, visual art, comedy, cooking, science and technology. Just find a topic that interests you and you'll never walk away without feeling stimulated creatively and that always carries over into guitar. No Jedi mind tricks necessary."

Skolnick is set to launch "Planetary Coalition" on November 10, an album he describes as a "global music and cultural project."

On the record he's teamed up with more than two dozen artists from different musical backgrounds, including Cuban drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez and Mexican classical guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela - and Skolnick says it's a good idea to take risks musically as it's always a learning experience.


He continues: "Fruitful periods on guitar may come and go but I've always found that development as a player has been boosted by some form of professional incentive - a gig, a recording, a tour or any other obligation that requires preparation."

"There is nothing like taking the risk of putting yourself out there, even if you make mistakes."

Testament continue to work on the follow-up to 2012's "Dark Roots of Earth" and will play Motorhead's Motorboat cruise, which sets sail from Miami on September 22.

Woman beats partner to death with guitar stand... Callous Samantha Adeokun smoked cannabis and chatted to her daughter on the phone while Peter Davegun lay dead on the floor.

A woman has been jailed for life after she murdered her musician boyfriend - by battering him to death with a guitar stand.

Samantha Adeokun, 41, killed partner Peter Davegun, 42, in a brutal attack on December 23 last year.


Callous Adeokun then smoked cannabis and chatted to her daughter on the phone while Mr Davegun lay dead on the floor.

When she called an ambulance 40 minutes later she told the operator Mr Davegun had accidentally struck his head.


Stafford Crown Court heard she flew into a rage and beat her boyfriend by kicking and punching him as he curled up in a ball to protect himself.

She denied murder but was convicted following a trial. Yesterday she was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars.

Judge Simon Tonking said: "I am satisfied that you, and you alone, were the aggressor, and you beat him mercilessly and brutally so he was dead or close to death. As a result of what you did that man was deprived of his life.


"His family and friends have had their lives devastated by what you did. Every Christmas will be sullied by the memory of his needless death at this time."

The court heard he suffered multiple injuries to his head and body after being bludgeoned with a metal guitar stand which left the room resembling 'a bloodbath'.

Emergency services rushed to his home in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, after told the operator Mr Davegun smashed his head after tripping over a mat.

Paramedics arrived just before 2.45pm and found Mr Davegun's body lying in the foetal position on his bedroom floor.


The court heard he had extensive bruising and bite marks on his body and had suffered severe internal injuries and seven fractured ribs.

Rigor mortis had already started to set in before he was pronounced dead at the property at around 3.20pm.

Prosecutor Deborah Gould said: "The defendant literally beat him to death using her fists, feet and part of a guitar stand. At least part of the time she was doing this, she was bleeding and standing above him.

"She struck him repeatedly, causing significant internal bruising and bleeding. She struck him from behind and from the front. You will hear from the pathologist that there's evidence he was struck while on the ground in the foetal position."

The jury also heard a recording of the 999 call Adeokun made during which she described the scene as a 'bloodbath'.

She told the operator: "We had a big argument earlier on and he's just fell. I cut my finger and it looks bad. I cut my finger and it looks like I've killed him."

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Glyn Pattinson, Senior Investigating Officer for Staffordshire Police, said: "Samantha Adeokun had tried to portray herself as a victim of domestic abuse in this case.

"However, her story unravelled as she tried to lie her way out of things and she has been caught out and shown for the violent person she really is."

A family statement released by Staffordshire Police said: "Pete was a close friend to many and they are proud to refer to him as 'Brother'.

"He was a kind gentle man, who cared deeply about his family and his music. He is a great loss to us all."

Kanye West comes across like a lunatic yet again - in his ongoing quest to perform his three public miracles, required for sainthood... 

Self-proclaimed philosopher, designer and inventor Kanye West continues to be misunderstood (acting more like a crazy person) as his latest scandal spreads across the world over his severe insults to his Australian wheelchair-bound fans.

Australian disabled rights groups are calling for the rapper's head after two incidents in which West demanded that all concert-goers "stand up" during his live show.

In both Sydney and Melbourne, apparently oblivious to those in wheelchairs, West said the music would stop until everyone in the audience was standing; sensitive to the end, he said nobody would be excused, "Unless you got a handicap pass and you got special parking and all that s#!t.”

In an absurd display of authority, West demanded all concert goers stand before him, and then apparently had his lackeys actually go through the audience to make sure that those still seated were actually disabled.


One audience member held up a prosthetic limb and was pronounced "okay to remain sitting," by King Kanye... Seeing another concert-goer still seated, West petulantly complained, “This is the longest I’ve had to wait to do a song, this is unbelievable,” until his worker bees made sure the Sydney fan was actually disabled and in a wheelchair.

The temptation to believe West is some kind of supremely ignorant, pig-headed, ego-maniacal blowhard tool is to have missed the point.

Do we have to spell it out for you? This is an ongoing attempt by the rapper to perform the three public miracles required for sainthood.

Having already raised the dead by elevating Kim Kardashian from reality TV sex-tape trailer trash to Vogue cover-girl, West now intends to cure the lame, blind, dumb, maimed and all the others mentioned in the Bible as having had the special restorative attention of Jesus Christ. Doth he not call his tour Yeezus?


Despite his failure to get disabled Australian fans to cast off their affliction, stand up and walk, perhaps West should at least be commended for trying.... maybe...

Other "Kanye West miracles" that have also been attempted.... During West's marriage to Kim Kardashian, for example, eyewitnesses reported that the hip hop hero attempted to turn Evian water into Cristal for his wedding guests. Unfortunately, that one didn't work either...