Memorial Day is rapidly approaching. With summer, I think surf. So let's take this as an opportunity to revisit the ultimate summer genre. That's right, folks, it's surf rock time! Grab a board and a transistor radio and read on!
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Yamaha FGDP-50 Finger Drum Pad Review
In this post, DIYRockAndRoll.com reviews the Yamaha FGDP-50 finger drum machine. Could this rechargeable, battery-powered, textbook-sized gadget be the perfect tool for DIY rock recording? We break it down in detail with video demos and audio samples, gathered from eight months of using the product. Spoiler alert: the Yamaha FGDP-50 has cowbell!
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Review: Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster
There are probably tons of reviews of the Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster, but you may not find too many written by someone who has owned and played one for two years. II have used it with at least five different amps and a bunch of different pedals. I've fiddled with the settings. I've changed the strings. I've posed with it and probably looked very silly. So what do I think of the American Ultra Luxe Telecaster after two years? Short answer: don't be put off by the "American Ultra Luxe" branding, which is wordy and sounds like an old timey soap. I think this is an excellent telecaster with relatively few drawbacks. And to the extent there are drawbacks, they likely are more a matter of subjective taste than objective quality. For the longer answer: read on!
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I Hit the Brakes (She Hit the Beer)
Every songwriter should be entitled to at least one tell-off song. "I Hit the Brakes (She Hit the Beer)" is mine--a fanciful piece of comeuppance set to a rowdy, roadhouse shuffle. Stylistically, it's a blend of Texas blues and honky-tonk country that resides somewhere on the metaphorical, musical highway between Lightnin' Hopkins and Lefty Frizzell. (With apologies to both, of course!). Listen to the song here, and read about the equipment used in creating it!
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What is The First Rock and Roll Song?
Since the beginning of time, humans have grappled with three existential questions, what: (1) is the meaning of life; (2) happens after death; and (3) was the first rock and roll song. In this post, DIYRockAndRoll.com will answer definitively all three questions. Just kidding. We're not going to answer any of them, but we will shed some light on the third.
1966 Fender Coronado II Review
Why review a current production guitar when you can give the people what they really want? That is, a review of a relatively-obscure electric guitar that has been largely out-of-production for over a half-century. Here DIYRockAndRoll.com fulfills that important duty with a historical profile and review of the infamous Fender Coronado.
Do it Yourself Blues Rock
DIYRockAndRoll.com is excited to announce the release of "Lonesome Valentine." This is our third DIY experiment, and the hardest rocking to date. Read on for a brief history of blues rock and the creative process of converting an acoustic blues song into a raucous electric guitar workout.
DIY Surf Rock: Crafting Your Sound
Or, My Adventure Hitting the Waves with a 1966 Fender Coronado II Memorial Day is in the rear-view mirror and the hottest days of summer are rapidly approaching. It seems like the perfect time to try my hand at one of the most quintessentially summer of all of rock’s sub-genres. That’s right: hang ten and … Continue reading DIY Surf Rock: Crafting Your Sound
Album of 2023: Nat Myers “Yellow Peril”
Dog Hill Music awards its album of the year superlative for 2023 to "Yellow Peril" by Nat Myers. The acoustic blues album demonstrates Myers' thoughtful songwriting, superb fingerpicking, and weathered voice. Myers demonstrates mastery of a variety of pre-war blues idioms, which he reworks in a way that feels personal and fresh.