For those of you regulars on the blog and any of your new comers, please be aware that I also vlog as well! So below is a play list of recently Spencer Bruce Media VLOG’s. Similar to the blog in someways, what you get is an insight in to the work I am doing, a few rants here and there and some background behind the sense video of what it is like to be a working musician.I would love to hear your thoughts on the vlog (and the blog!).Thanks for your continued support everyone!EnjoyPeaceNeil
Setting objectives will a BIG difference to your guitar playing.
How setting objectives will a BIG difference to your guitar playing and other areas of life. In this video I examine the importance of setting yourself objectives and goals in your guitar development as as SURE fire way to develop on the instrument. The ideas in the video are not only suitable for guitar playing but can be transferred to all aspects of life.Many of these kinds of ideas are explored in my Guitar Creativity book, which opens up the guitarist to new ways of thinking about their practice, the instrument and creativity on the instrument.What are your current objectives?EnjoyPeaceNeil
Flare Audio Snoozers thoughts and ISOLATE review
Those of you who follow my Youtube channel, may be aware that I have done a series of videos on the Flare Audio Isolate ear plugs. I have been surprised at how much anger there seems to be towards this company and product. To give you a bit of background......
Flare Audio ISOLATE
I recently was made aware of a crowd funding campaign for these little ear plugs and I have to say it got me hooked. As some of you know I have a background in academic acoustics and psychoacoustic and thus the ear are something very important to me. I also an a huge advocate of protecting one's hearing from hearing loss in musician circle (as they can be the most immune and the least caring....until it's gone!).As you can see I always reviewed these ear plugs in the context at which they were marketed to me, as a musician. Most the anger on my videos seems to come from people who were using them to sleep in. Wow, I would never consider sleeping in these, that just seems SO uncomfortable indeed!!!But it seems that Flare Audio have taken a lot of the criticism onboard and released the Snoozers for those of you who like to sleep with ear plugs. So I thought I would put together a little video for you with my thoughts....and here it isEnjoyPeaceNeil
Top 5 tips for working from home
Home is where the work is
Home working (thankfully) is becoming more and more common and we all know that it makes SO much more sense. That is not to say that going into the office (or in my case rehearsal/gig) on occasions is not crucial to maintain relationships and have human and work interaction.
But, in this day and age, working from home really is possible and can serve to cure many of today’s pressing issues, such as combating congestion, helping to reduce co2 and climate change; helping employee’s with health issues such as stress and over working; helping employee’s to achieve a much better work life balance.
I am fortunate as a guitarist and composer that I get to work in my home studio....in my home!
But that doesn’t mean that it is all swings and roundabouts, there are some problems, just as there are going to work in an office.
But even with a few cons, the pro certainly outweigh them!!!
As they say, “we have the technology”, and so much more at our fingers tips,
So, WHY in this day and age are we forcing millions of people into (usually) very small city centre areas, all at the same times of day, to sit in over priced offices and (if we are honest) just think about and wish it to be home time so they can escape again (with the other millions).
There are SO many alternatives to the antiquated Victorian industrial era habit, and enabling employees to work either from home or hub offices and in their own time would do go part of the way to achieving this, and I am sure making the world a much better place!!
If you would like to hear more then please check out there There is another way podcast.
The Lucky Ones??
Yes, so of us are fortunately to already be able to do this, either because we decided to work for ourselves (I am sure this is the future!) or have actual liberated, open minded and most importantly trusting employers, who have embraced home working. BUT, what find is that when we cross this divide and finally get to work from home (or those of us who run our own businesses, there are a new set of issues to contend with.
Hopefully, this article serves to help overcome some of the common problems of isolation, new stresses, inactivity, procrastination and more.Sit back and enjoy the tips.
Top 5 tips for working from home
1) Make your bed.
According to a podcast from the ultimate home worker Tim Ferriss, when he interviewed a military general, his top piece of advice to avoid procrastination and giving your sense of habit forming and achievement is to make your bed and make your bed every day.
As you do this, it starts to form a habit, and when habits form they are hard to break. With the bed made and the formulation of this habit stuck in your head, you can then set to create the next habit task which starts directly after you have started your first task of the day, such as checking emails, corresponding to clients, or going to the gym.
To beat procrastination your need a routine and you need to form habits. Making the bed also gives you a sense of achievement that you have already completed a task at the start at the day. Therefore your are already on your road to success! Try it, your will be surprised.
2) Put your shoes on.
The act of putting your shoes on to me help signal to my brain that I am in work mode. I am ready for action, should I need to go out, go to a meeting, I am ready. Working in Pj's and slippers might sound like a great enticement to home working, but it can easily lead to you confusing work with being at home, and whilst this is fine, it can also (if you are that way inclined) cause you to start stressing as there is no delineation between your work and home life.
Bonus tip - Take your shoes offThis is a biggy to help relief and home working stress anxiety , the very act of removing your shoes signals that you are no longer at work, but at home and it is your time. It really does help you to relax and triggers your brain to start switching off from work life and moving from home life. Try it! It is just another trigger!
3) Put the radio on
I personally recommend some form of news talk show type program, as this chatter in the background at a low level is very similar to being in a work place environment, where you no longer feel isolated, and can switch in and switch out of the conversation. Just like in an office, when you are in the zone, you focus out the conversation, but thanks to the cocktail party effect, if something of interest is mentioned, you can zone back in again.
This tip really helps if you are feeling isolated working from home and alone. The constant hubbub really can help focus the mind on your task as you aren't thinking about being isolated. You should use the radio and not the TV as the visual elements of the TV will serve to distract you and the way that TV is edited is to draw you in and not allow you to switch off, because you just have to know what is coming next.....
4) GO out
This is very very important. You have escaped the office, and the sedentary life that goes along with sitting at a desk all day....to sit at a desk all day. Yes we are all guilty of it. But unfortunately this is actually worse for your fitness because you aren't even walking to the bus or the car or up the office stairs.
You need to keep yourself active, so make sure you go out for a walk, to the gym, whatever takes your fancy. This will also help clear your mind and for me helps my creative mind come up with new ideas and projects.
5) Find the place you work well
This could be a spare room, the sofa, for me it is a coffee shop. I became my own boss so I could work where I like and when. I have discovered after years of doing this, that I work SO much better in short very concentrated bursts in coffee shops.
I manage to kill two birds with one stone. I pick a coffee shop that is a mile or two away, and count that as part of my exercise (See above).
I walk to the coffee shop (most have WIFI these days....in fact I am writing this now in a coffeeshop) sit there and enjoy the atmosphere, which for me is very conducive for concentrated work (I know that this might not be for everyone) and sit and work very intensely for a few hours and then walk home with a sense of achievement.
I jokingly call the coffee shop my office, and I am so lucky as I have a huge range of “offices" to go to depending on my mood. For you it might be different, it might be a bean bag in your kitchen, or a shed.
Where ever that space where you find you can do your best work is, go there, and DON'T worry about what or where it is at the end of the day your client or boss want to see results....Do they REALLY care that you did it at 2am in a late night service station? Nope!
NOTE : This article was written before the enforced home working of the Covid-19 Pandemic for many people around the world. For additional advice about homeworking and homeschooling do check out this article on Mindgenius.
I’d would love to hear your home working tips and tricks, please leave them in the comments below!
Enjoy
Peace
Neil
Fender Blues Junior III Tweed Review : Five years later
Fender Blues Junior III Tweed Review : Five years later
Recently, I have started producing a series of YouTube video reviews of gear I have had for a long period of time. I am calling this series ‘Retrospective Reviews’.The first of these was the review of my TC Electronic Nova System. Those who have been reading my blog for a number of years, will realise that this is a pivotal part of my set up, and while things come and go, the Nova has been the bedrock of my set up (yes I am still hoping for a new version, please please please TC the cash is ready!!). Anyway, I digress. Another bedrock of my set up has been my Fender Blues Junior III Tweed NOS.
Gigs, recordings and so much more.
I have no idea how many gigs, rehearsals and recordings this amp has done over the last 5 years since I have owned it....it is a lot! I have has spells of using other amps such as my Fender 68 Deluxe Reverb, Cornford 50W Roadhouse and Marshall JMP-1 being the main contenders, but I keep coming back to the Blues Junior.
Why?
Simply because it meets so many of the criteria that I need in my gigging life. It is light, it sounds great, it is 'loud' enough, in fact that is probably one of the biggest reasons I keep rolling it out. With modern PA's, sound limiters, constantly being told a band is too loud (remember most of my work is funtion work where the client is always right!), using higher wattage amps is just a waste, you can never really open them up and hit their sweet spot.So it is easier to use a smaller (and lighter) amplifier that cuts the mustard and on bigger stages mix it up and get the signal through a monitor.
Video
So here is everything I have to say about my Blues Junior III after 5 years of hammering it and long may it continue!!In short, I love this amp. It does have some failings, but for function work and most gigs it is the perfect compromise. I have convinced myself that I am going to get another one (Normal one this time not with the Jensen).EnjoyPeaceNeil
The Problem with learning licks
Guitar licks
Learning guitar licks is a not only a major part of developing as a guitar player, it is also a fundamental part of the learning experience. Learning licks is very much like learning phrases in another language. With the internet awash with videos and tutorials telling you about the 30 licks you must know, in the following video I highlight some of the problems with the approach and MOST importantly how to overcome them.For more in-depth information on maximising your practice time and finding your own voice on the instrument, check out my book Guitar Creativity - A new way of thinking https://gumroad.com/l/zCAXyEnjoy!PeaceNeil
XVIVE U2 Wireless System - Unboxing
I did a short unboxing video of the fantastic XVIVE U2 Wireless system, with an explanation of how reviews work. Hope you find it interesting.EnjoyPeaceNeil
Hans Zimmer Masterclass Review (and a short rant about education!)
A little while ago, I wrote a blog post entitled "The expectations of education and online learning.”, about my experiences of both taking the Hans Zimmer masterclass and then the online commenting in forums and Facebook from other students. I really felt that there was a big gap between some students expectation of what they would be getting and I think this is reflected by the nature of the modern student and instant gratification.So, I put together video on my thoughts on the Masterclass and Hans’ content, you can simply click the video below and enjoy (there is also a little rant in there as well!) Personally, as you can see in the video. I though this was an excellent course and would certainly sign up to others. I feel it offers excellent value for money and has certainly inspired me (which surely is the main aim of any education?)EnjoyPeaceNeil
Understanding Amp Modelling - REMEMBER It’s the sound of a mic'd amp in a (another!) room!!
I know I am preaching to the converted here, but I feel that this is something that comes up a lot with folks who are thinking of switching to modelling and then don’t ‘get’ what they are hearing. I thought I would do a video explaining all about amp modelling and what you are actually meant to be hearing!! Remember people, it is the sound of a mic’d up amp in a room, which is VERY different that the sound of an am in a room.As I come from a recording back ground, so I have made an assumption here. The sound of a mic’d amp in a room I always consider to be a live room in a studio (or the room next door. :) Yes if you have an amp in the room ‘with you’ and put a mic on it, you are still hearing the sound of the amp. I also agree partially with you about the live situation (again showing my age!) but you would get a mix of the mix signal from the amp and the amp itself but nowadays that has changed somewhat where amps are offstage or in ISO boxes, so yes in that situation the helix represents the same thing.EnjoyPeaceNeil