You can be the life of the party by adding your guitar, keyboard or vocal skills to the mix! The Holidays are much more memorable when you bring the LIVE music. Hal Leonard's Real Christmas Book in B Flatgives you some very cool jazz infused arrangements of holiday favorites. Their Christmas Songs for Beginning Guitar provides easy, uncluttered notation in first position. Perfect for singing along with! Lots of old favorites and a few surprises. Check them both out and order now in the banner ad section to your left or the links here!
Be sure to check out our video preview of 2011's BEST Guitar Gear plus a look at Martin's Performing Artist Series Acoustic Electric OMC with American Idol finalist, Tyler Grady and Travis Hobbie!
Cozy Comforts are part of our 2010 Holiday Gift Guide! C.F. Martin and Audio- Technica Sweatshirt Hoodies and Thermal Tee Shirts, Cotton Rich and Made in the USA. Brown Suede Moccasins by Minnetonka. Weather Meter by Kestrel.
Check out the C.F. Martin 1833 Shop for the BEST Holiday Gifts for the Guitarist in your life.
C.F. Martin Logo Hoodies shown here and in the video come in Small through 3X so snuggle up baby!
Eclectic Sound's 2010 Christmas Holiday Guitar Gear Give-Away is CLOSED! Thank you to all who submitted entries. Congratulations to Jack R. of Indiana, USA who won:
Kiss Collections Leather Guitar Strap from Planet Waves
Kiss Collections Matching Guitar Pick Set (x10) from Planet Waves
Two Sets of Martin Acoustic SP Strings, (Light & Medium Gauge)
Planet Waves Custom Pro -10 ft Guitar Cable
D'Addario Signal 1/4 Male Stereo to XLR Female Adapter
PLUS The NEWLY Released Planet Waves Dual Action Capo - Tuner! This Capo -Tuner won BEST IN SHOW at the 2010 Summer NAMM!
Enter by telling us "What is your favorite style of music and why?" Simply post your entry in the COMMENTS section of this article. This contest is open to U.S. Residents ONLY. You need to provide a valid email and U.S. shipping address to be eligible.Sorry, Fender Guitar is NOT part of the Give-Away. One WINNER will be chosen on December 15th, 2010, (just in time to place under your tree)! Deadline for entries is MIDNIGHT December 14th, 2010.
Art Baron& The Dukes Men celebrate Jazz Month in style with an Ellington standard, "The Jeep is Jumpin'". Collaborating with the creative genius of Strayhorn, and Hodges, "Take the A-Train", "Mood Indigo" and "Sophisticated Lady" are some of Ellington's most enduring works.
Baron has a vast knowledge of this truly American art form and offers music from the Big Band Jazz Era in a fresh way to a new audience of younger listeners. Through Baron, upcoming generations are being introduced to the persuasive allure of Jazz.
Baron's tight horn section includes Chicago native Mark Hynesof the Mark Hynes Quintet on tenor sax and versatile baritone sax - clarinet and coronet player, Howard Johnson.
Click on the links above to contact Baron or Hynes regarding booking engagements and upcoming concerts!
Don't forget! Enter our 2010 Holiday Guitar Gear Give-Away before MIDNIGHT December 14th 2010! 1 US Winner will receive a BOX LOAD of super guitar accessories from Planet Waves and C.F. Martin Guitar!
Vinni Smith, inventor of the V-Pick compares the tone of his hand made plectrums to "Brand X". We think his picks are amazing for fatter fuller tone but you be the judge!
V-Picks are unique for their thicker un-bending shape and beveled edges. V-Picks offer monster tone but if you are not quite up to the thickness, we recommend starting out with their Traditional Lite Picks. These are most like the Fender or Martin MEDIUMS but sound a LOT better. As you are able to move up and accustom yourself to the thicker varieties, you'll find your fingers slowly being able to adapt to different thicknesses quite easily. Once you hear how good you sound with a thicker pick, you'll definitely be motivated to move up! Check out all of the cool V-Picks and see our HD VIDEO featuring them by clicking the YouTube icon on the floating toolbar here below.
Coming up: Fall Recording Studio Gear, how to get it, how to use it. Autumn is a great time to finally burn that CD so let's get started with BOSS, Audio-Technica, T.C. Helicon and Hercules Mic Stands in the studio. QUIET...recording!!!!
Tricia Brock & Matt Dally rip it up on stage at RevGen 2010 this past Labor Day Weekend! Eclectic Sound TV gets up close and personal with this HD video, shots of the crowd and a ripping guitar solo ending by Dave Ghazarian! Check out the Video of TobyMac at RevGen 2010 and watch Skillet rockin' the crowd in the video posted in the banner ad section on your left. Too GOOD to miss any of these!
Labor Day Weekend surely ROCKED! Eclectic Sound TV caught TobyMac back on stage Sunday night for Revelation Generation (RevGen) 2010! Just off of his tour with Skillet who played the same venue Saturday night. Best concert to date!
TobyMac & the E.R.A.C.E All Star Jam closed another fantastic RevGen with Phil Keaggy, Natalie Grant, Bernard Harris, Mark Broussard, Lou Gramm, (front man for Foreigner), Mary Mary and more fantastic artists. 60 + bands plus other events such as a skateboarding / freestyle demonstrations, volleyball, hot food and face painting made this a true end-of-summer festival.
Grammy Award winner TobyMac has sold 2 million albums in his solo career with a fusion of R & B, Rock and Hip Hop. His shows are always fresh with non-stop B-boying, acrobatics and jumps. Showcasing top notch vocals, dance and rapping, his set is NOT to be missed.
PHOTO: John Cooper of Skillet closing down Saturday night's performances on the New York Stage! See the Skillet LIVE Video on the left in the banner ad section. Stand out vocals, staging and the first pyrotechnics show done on a RevGen stage made this a memorable performance. Coming off of the Alive & Awake Tour with TobyMac, Skillet nailed "Monster" and "Those Nights". Check out their latest CD.
PHOTOS ABOVE: Click the link here for Matt Dally and Tricia Brock of Superchick doing "Rock What You've Got" during their Sunday afternoon set at RevGen 2010. Stand out performance of the day was Matt's high energy lead vocals and dancing on "Let it Roll". ULTRA Sweet while getting the audience totally involved!
A band to watch on the rise is Nothing More who played the Philadelphia Stage on Sunday. We caught their exciting set and thought Johnny Hawkins' moving a drum kit out front to be very fresh and innovative! RevGen as always was clean, well organized with everyone being so courteous making this a concert you can bring the whole family to. Want more information on how you can attend next year? Visit RevGen online!
New guitar eye candy from Planet Waves! Genuine Leather Guitar Straps saluting the iconic rock bands that MADE rock 'n roll history. Classic Kiss Collections Exclusive Line of Straps & Picks, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Motley Crue embellish these North American made guitar straps. Click the YouTube Channel icon on the floating tool bar below to see our new videos featuring even more new guitar gear from Planet Waves!
"Wish You Were Here!" says the back of this postcard from Nazareth, PA! Dr. M & Magda with her VIP Backstage Pass, enjoying musical fun & picnicking at the Martin Guitar Factory and Nazfest all in the same weekend!
C.F. Martin & Co. Visitor's Center - A Warm Welcome
C.F. Martin IV and Dr. M hanging out in the Visitor's Center during Martin Owner's Club Day this weekend. Over 2,000 members and guests came to the event for tours of the Martin Guitar Factory and Museum, workshops as well as great food and musical entertainment. The latest Martin Guitars were on display to see and play. Each member received a schwag bag of gift shop goodies such as Martin's new Lifespan SP treated acoustic strings, a backpack and MOC tee shirt. Club members also get many more gifts and guitar clinic invitations throughout the year. Want to join? It's easy! Register online for Martin Owners Club
Main Tent Talent
One of the highlights of this event is the musical talent. This year Martin shows their support of young pop artists who are shining with the new Performing Artist Series guitars! These include Suite Caroline and Tyler Grady, American Idol semi-finalist and Travis Hobbie both of Wailing Waters. You can see Hobbie backing Grady on stage with one of Martin's OMC Performing Artist Series guitars. Eclectic Sound TV has a video of some of their afternoon performance and a brief interview of this team and their thoughts on Martin's exciting new line acoustic / electric guitars. In fact you can now access ALL of Eclectic Sound TV's videos right from the home page by looking below for the YouTube icon on the floating green tool bar! Be sure to check out Tyler Grady's Facebook Page !
The Wrap
I've attended four Martin Owners Club Day events and I have to say each year they get better and better! However one high point of the whole event for me is this:
Each year at the end of his Member Address, Chris Martin graciously signs guitars and other memorabilia for the members. He kindly signed my Martin D-16GT, the first Martin Guitar I ever purchased! He signs it on the wood so in case the paper label falls off, you still have his signature. Pretty cool, eh? This is Martin's 177th year in continuous operation. I wish them many hundreds more! Check out other Martin Owner's Club event photos in the banner ad section to your left. Visit Martin Guitar Online to see the new Performing Artist Series electric / acoustics and the HD-28 which we have featured on Eclectic Sound TV's Summer Series with Tonerite.
Coming up next: More sizzling summer guitar gear vids with the hottest new stuff from Hercules Stands, Planet Waves, V-Pick and C.F. Martin Guitar! Access ALL of Eclectic Sound TV's videos by clicking the YouTube icon on the floating toolbar below!
Now Playing! The Hercules Auto Grip Guitar Stand. Lift up your guitar and these levers automatically open. Place your guitar on the stand and they securely lock, holding your guitar.
The only stand I would trust my Martin Dreads on! List Price $59.95
The Hercules GS415B Guitar Stand with Auto Grip is what you see top performers such as Brad Paisley and Huey Lewis and the News using on stage. In the guitar industry, fine instrument makers like Guild only use Hercules Stands in the factory. One look at the ultra-sturdy construction and you will quickly see why. In the studio or on the road, you will appreciate a guitar stand that can accommodate all types of guitars, (solid body electrics, acoustics, semi-hollow body) and neck widths with ease.
One of the best features is the Auto Grip. No worries here about the guitar getting knocked off the stand. The tripod legs and tilt back position balances your guitar perfectly for a secure stance. The padded legs allow the guitar to hang straight without worrying about scratches from the stand itself. In fact, with this stand I am able to leave my leather strap on the guitar as it hangs free. When I'm ready to play, I just lift it up by the neck and the levers automatically open. Really it is the best guitar stand in features and quality that I have ever seen. I've even used it for jamming in the park on uneven, sandy ground. No problem! It set up quickly due to the folding neck and was sure footed even on a soft, shifting surface.
Shot at the Thompson Mansion & Horse Farm, the Hercules GS415B Guitar Stand fits right in for style and quality! Guitar, C.F. Martin HD-28 with Fishman Ellipse Matrix Blend pick up.
Eclectic Sound TV is celebrating it's 7th year on YouTube! Our High Definition TV Channel has gotten THOUSANDS of views, subscribers and friends! We are looking forward to an even MORE successful year in 2017!
Levy's Tour Bag
600 denier polyester tour bag for microphones, cables, etc. Inner dimensions: 9 x 9 x 12
NEW AT2022
Record in STEREO with two unidirectional condensers in one! No phantom power needed. NEW from Audio-Technica
NEW! Mini Headstock Tuner
Planet Waves NS Mini, small but mighty-accurate.
Capo-Tuner & O-Port
Holy Fire!
The Holy Fire overdrive/distortion pedal. Made in America by Creation Audio Labs.
Handmade Straps!
Sully's New Leather Guitar Straps make the perfect gift for any guitarist!
NEW DJ Ear-Wear
NEW with 53 mm drivers designed especially for the ATH-PRO700MK2 DJ Headphones. 50°/90° earpiece swiveling capability for maximum comfort and use from Audio-Technica!
A-T 4081 Ribbon Mic
NEW to our studio, Audio-Technica's AT 4081 ribbon condenser mic! Voiced for instruments read our review!
Do Your Own Pedalboard
We show you how to do it best but NOW adding the Sanyo Pedal Juice to the mix. Less wires, more freedom & eliminates annoying ground loops.
NEW Create XT for Vocals
The Create XT takes studio style vocals on the road! Add some polish to your next gig and hear it in action in the studio by clicking the photo.
Fender Standard Strat
Here's my Fender Stratocaster in Chrome Red. Modified with the N-Tune onboard tuner and Ernie Ball Super Slinky coated strings. Yes, its made in North America!
N-Tune Onboard Tuner
NEW! Install a lighted, onboard tuner for your Fender Stratocaster or other guitar models. Looks like it was custom made for my Strat. Leave your other tuners at home when you gig! Click the photo for details or to buy.
NEW Fender Passport
In this case, old school must rule! I'm keeping the original Passport PD-500. Read the serious differences between the PD-500 & the NEW Fender 500 Pro.
BOSS GT-10
Gig this rig! Their flagship floor guitar multi-effector. Killer tones with E Z Compose. Solid built and really bright for dark stages. Dozens of COSM amp models and serious effects PLUS a sound-on-sound phrase looper. Blend 2 simultaneous signal chains. 200 user / 200 factory presets. Really sick. Hear us tear it up on our live Eclectic Sound TV Channel! Click the photo for a SUPER low price!
DigiTech's RP90
DigiTech's RP90 uses AudioDNA2, 20 Tone & Effect Library, 100 presets, 12 amp/ 8 cabinet models, 32 Effects, 5 Second Delay, 40 Drum Patterns, Tuner + Expression Pedal! Use the search to see our review. Click the photo to buy!
BOSS DR-880
We've recorded and gigged the DR-3 but the DR-880 is amazing! Plug in your guitar and use their onboard effect along with a fully programmable drum & bass machine. WOW!
Tech21's Trademark 60
Read our REVIEW of The Trademark 60 coupled with a BOSS GT-10 Guitar Multi Effects Processor!
Tarcase Co.
Tarcase, from Nashville, TN. Made in the good ol' USA!!! A very tough, custom road case for the BOSS GT-10. Even has a rise for a volume or expression pedal!
Pedals to Go...
Flip the lid on the Tarcase and start jammin'! Custom made to order for YOUR pedal board. Read our REVIEW!
DigiTech's VL4
The Vocalist Live 4 gives you guitar and vocal effects PLUS harmonies! I use it with the ATM710 condenser mic as it supplies phantom power. Hear it on our upcoming Live Radio Show Podcasts! Too low to quote with Free Shipping by clicking here!
Bob Taylor on Humidity
Air O Swiss Travel
The AOS 7146 Ultrasonic Humidifier is PERFECT to take on the road. Set it up in the hotel room and keep both your instrument AND voice in tune!
BOSS BR1200CD
12 track digital recording studio that records & burns your CD's onboard. Has a mic and guitar jack for direct tracking.
Studio Side, the AT4050
New to our recording studio, Audio-Technica's elite 40 Series Multi-pattern condenser microphone! Dubbed the "studio workhorse" as it performs with amazing transparency on vocals as well as instruments. Listen to it on our new Live Radio Show Podcasts!
Audio-Technica's AE5400
This Artist Elite Series condenser mic was used on stage for The Country Music Awards live broadcast! Now it's my concert mic. Purchase it right here!
A-T's AT4047/SV
Audio-Technica's flagship large diaphram, side address condenser mic completes your recording studio! We are using this mic with the newly released Voice Box Harmonizer - Vocoder. The sound is incredibe!
Audio-Technica's ATM710
A-T's Artist Series condenser mic brings recording studio polish to your live performances! Sounds amazing with the Vocalist Live 4 above which was used to record our Live CD. Available in a wireless system, (ATW-T371). Click here for details and a super deal!
Audio-Technica's "Cans"
Audio-Technica's quality headphones are THE choice for recording artists and DJ's alike! Photo: ATH-M50 Pro Studio Monitor Headphones-Click the picture, read the review.
Roadside...Roland SA-300
Hitting the road this spring! Our Roland SA-300 has four channels, studio effects, feedback killer and is super lightweight. 350 watts of umph with extra bottom end. We plan to couple this system with At's 3000 Wireless System. "On the Road Again"!
Roland SA-300 Stage Amp
The amp head of the Roland SA-300 can be used apart from the subwoofer for smaller venues but still packs a full 150 watts o' power. We're using a tripod stand like this to throw the sound from the back of the stage.
Planet Waves Custom Pro
Hooked up in the studio we have our elite Audio-Technica AT4050 with PW's Custom Pro Mic Cable. Unreal clarity!
Planet Waves Cable
Planet Waves Custom Pro Mic Cable is on the road with our Audio-Technica AE5400 mic! Crystal clear transparency for studio recording too! Available in 10ft & 25ft lengths. Surely rocks.
Nothing More
Johnny Hawkins & Mark V. pose with camerawoman Magda after the band's interview at the Press Tent!
Hercules Music Stand
Hercules' Tilting Base, swivel legs & EZ Clutch features carry over from their mic stand to this beautiful #BS311B Orchestra Music Stand!
Dr. M's Acoustic Set
Playing with the Church Street Ramblers for a charity concert. Guitar: Martin SWDGT in Sustainable Cherry
Harp Hymns
Magda & Dr. "M" doing a music ministry concert at Pinebrook Ctr. Autoharp: Limited Ed. Oscar-Schmidt with Audio-Technica's Wireless System.
Volunteer Your Talents!
You can volunteer your talents as a musician to those less fortunate in your community. Read about Bread & Roses and get involved!
Dr. M & Dick Boak
PR & Artist Relations Director, Dick Boak seranades Dr. M with this vintage Martin mando!
Willie Nelson's Guitar
Willies Martin Axe on display at the Martin Guitar Museum! Looks better than the one he plays now!
Stephen Stills 045S
Magda joins in the fun in the Pickin' Parlor on Martin's Limited Edition Stephen Stills 045S which by the way, retails for over $16,000.00. A rare treat!
Special Edition Martin
My Special Edition SWDGT, 175th Anniversary Year, Martin Gloss Top in Sustainable Cherry-wood! All solid construction. Quieter than my mahogany Martin D-16GT but found its voice with the O-Port installed! Click the photo & see the VIDEO!
Electrified 'Harp
This is my LTD Edition OS150FCE Autoharp by Oscar Schmidt. As you can see in the photo below, it's what I play in concert & on my recordings.
OS150FCE Ltd. Ed.
The OS150FCE has an active pick-up and EQ.
Acoustic Autoharp
This is the Oscar-Schmidt OS100. My "Centurion" has 21 chords, a solid spruce top and fine tuners.
Holiday Gifts for the Guitarist in your life.
ding / freestyle demonstrations, volleyball, hot food and face painting made this a true end-of-summer festival.
New guitar eye candy from Planet Waves! Genuine Leather Guitar Straps saluting the iconic rock bands that MADE rock 'n roll history. Classic Kiss Collections Exclusive Line of Straps & Picks, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Motley Crue embellish these North American made guitar straps.
"Wish You Were Here!" says the back of this postcard from Nazareth, PA! Dr. M & Magda with her VIP Backstage Pass, enjoying musical fun & picnicking at the Martin Guitar Factory and Nazfest all in the same weekend!
C.F. Martin & Co. Visitor's Center - A Warm Welcome
Main Tent Talent
The Wrap
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