Archive for Tools
Webcam Max Review
Posted by: | CommentsI’m always looking for ways to use technology to help me improve how I teach guitar students to play guitar, especially on the Internet. So I was really excited to come across a webcam software product called Webcam Max, thanks to a fellow guitar teacher Storm. Storm is using it in his video guitar lessons, but he also did a live streaming video group guitar lesson where he added diagrams and videos on the fly right into the video stream.
This is great because I can now put diagrams, software or other videos up on the screen as I teach via my webcam or do YouTube videos. In fact I just did a lesson where I had myself on webcam video along with a fretboard diagram of the fretboard that was changing on the fly as the chord changed. This was by using a screen view of my desktop combined with the webcam video stream.
This is better than having the student looking at separate diagrams, or having to download and print out a diagram. Not only that you can have the diagram relate to what it being taught at the time so it’s right there on the screen. I’ve seen Storm scrolling tab along with someone playing guitar so you can see both on the screen at the same time. Now that is awesome! Using the picture in picture feature of Webcam Max, I can have my desktop or software program with fretboard diagrams showing at the same time as the students see me on webcam video, for a picture in picture effect.
You can feed videos, pictures or your desktop into the video feed. So you could replay previous videos, or have a live show on ustream.tv that is actually a pre-recorded! You can also write text on the screen. I’m also thinking about using two webcams in the future, where one is zoomed out showing me and another that would zoom in on the guitar. That would be pretty cool as well.
If you want to have a bit of fun you can add a moustache, hat, glasses and many other effects to your face. Webcam Max will actually track your movements so that it stays in place. You can also set the background behind you to a nice scene instead of your bedroom!
Go here to get Webcam Max. I downloaded a free 30 day trial. You can see my first new YouTube video guitar lesson below for an example of what it can do.
I’m super pumped about the possibilities. Thanks Webcam Max!
Listening to Pandora.com outside of US
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As you know Pandora doesn’t work outside of US due to crazy copyright restrictions. While I don’t advocate breaking any laws, if you were to want to listen to Pandora.com outside of the US you need to use a US proxy server (requests to Pandora.com come from that server instead of directly from your local machine). Some of the solutions involved downloading software or tunneling but I didn’t want to go there.
You need to tell your browser to use the proxy server instead of going directly to the Pandora website. In Firefox go to the menu item Tools-Options-Advanced-Network-Settings then type in the URL and port of the proxy server. Don’t be afraid to type this in as you can easily remove it later. An example that currently works (as of this writing) is HTTP Proxy of 209-193-24-216.static.acsalaska.net and port 8080. Enter this and then open a new tab in your browser and go to pandora.com. That’s all you have to do!
To find a list of possible US proxy servers (like the one I showed above) you can go to http://tools.rosinstrument.com/proxy/. Apparently you may have to try different proxies to find one that works for you. Using a proxy may affect your ability to surf other websites (that the proxy blocks). The one I used above blocks Facebook for example. So use IE, Chrome, Safari while you listen to Pandora or find another proxy that doesn’t block the other sites you want to view.
You can even login to your original Pandora account as they don’t currently check to see if it’s outside of US.
Enjoy!
Cool guitar loop pedal DL4 used in live streaming show
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I was watching guitarist Matt Stevens live on ustream.tv the other day and I was so pumped and inspired by his playing. Not from any major technical ability but the fact that he completely accompanied himself! He used a looper pedal to record a riff in real time then he started to play melodies and improvise over his recorded chords. He uses a Line 6 DL4 pedal for this. Check it out here:
Here you can pick up the Line 6 DL4.
I’m thinking not only could you use this for live performances but for jamming and making up new tunes. It’s such a pain to crank up the sequencer software and get bogged down in the technical details of recording. That’s mostly why I don’t record songs that much!
I’m planning to pick one up myself! Go get a DL4 too and we’ll see you on tube! –
Free Online Service – Extract Audio From YouTube
Posted by: | CommentsThis is great service for extracting audio from YouTube videos and can be use for transcribing tunes/performances you like on YouTube. You just cut and paste the URL of the YouTube video into a text field and press Go and you get a download link to the file after it’s processed.
Transcribing is a great way to find melodic ideas for you to use in your solos – it allows you to speak the language better than knowing scales and modes alone. After transcribing you need to understand why the notes work and how to use and tweak them for your own sound. Along with transcribing I teach the CAGED system and using chord tones as a basis for mastering the fretboard and creating melodic solos.