OT: The Avalounge: No Politics in the Lounge

[Balthazar]

Did you take that picture? You should be a food blogger.

No I didn't...(I don't eat directly on the table nor do I drink Mountain Dew!)

 

[sethro109]

No I didn't...(I don't eat directly on the table nor do I drink Mountain Dew!)

 

[Bonzai12]

This thread needs more food.

I don't have a fancy photo, but fellas - nothing beats homemade crab rangoons.....they're really good, and actually have crab in them lol...my new favorite recipe

 

[The Abusement Park]

Considering the political climate since 2016, I no longer wonder how people could possibly find Amy Schumer funny.

I find it impressive that she consistently steals other comics bits and makes them unfunny. A skill that ironically should not give her any sort of platform.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

I wanted to ask in case there are guitarists here, are there any good tips for a beginner? Regarding what to get and what not to get, or how to approach learning and stuff. I'm itching to learn the guitar, and the technical side I'd be starting at zero, but I do have background on the drums so I can handle the basic musical side of things, and I can read tablature and stuff.

I’d recommend getting an electric guitar. They’re much easier to play because they have lighter strings and can get lower action to make fretting notes a breeze. There are plenty of budget electric guitars that are actually pretty nice.

Secondly the best website ever for learning guitar and is 100% free is: Justinguitar.com
total game changer.

the last bit of advice I can give you is to learn as many songs and licks as you possibly can. Don’t just cram as many techniques and scales down your throat as you can. Apply what you learn to playing new songs and licks.

a logical progression would be to learn your cowboy chords (open position chords) then power chords and then the pentatonic scale. That should keep you busy for the better part of a year.

enjoy the journey man. I’m about 3 years in and it’s been great

 

[UncleRisto]

I’d recommend getting an electric guitar. They’re much easier to play because they have lighter strings and can get lower action to make fretting notes a breeze. There are plenty of budget electric guitars that are actually pretty nice.

Secondly the best website ever for learning guitar and is 100% free is: Justinguitar.com
total game changer.

the last bit of advice I can give you is to learn as many songs and licks as you possibly can. Don’t just cram as many techniques and scales down your throat as you can. Apply what you learn to playing new songs and licks.

a logical progression would be to learn your cowboy chords (open position chords) then power chords and then the pentatonic scale. That should keep you busy for the better part of a year.

enjoy the journey man. I’m about 3 years in and it’s been great

Sounds good. Yeah, I'm getting an electric. Just gotta decide on if I wanna go for the true low-mid range, or go straight for one that's better than I need...

I started playing the drums when I was in the "starting an instrument" age, and that background helps somewhat, but it does feel a little "intimidating" going for a new instrument in my mid twenties.

But I do have positive experiences with taking up hobbies that require brainwork/learning, so I like that aspect of it, too.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

Just finished a stupid 10-day cleanse so I can enter the Avalounge again.

 

[Bonzai12]

Just finished a stupid 10-day cleanse so I can enter the Avalounge again.

I always make it to like day 3 on those things and then get a horrible flu

 

[Avsboy]

Watching Narcos: Mexico. These real life stories are meant for TV.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Sounds good. Yeah, I'm getting an electric. Just gotta decide on if I wanna go for the true low-mid range, or go straight for one that's better than I need...

I started playing the drums when I was in the "starting an instrument" age, and that background helps somewhat, but it does feel a little "intimidating" going for a new instrument in my mid twenties.

But I do have positive experiences with taking up hobbies that require brainwork/learning, so I like that aspect of it, too.

the sweet spot is that 500-800 dollar range guitars. Above that there’s diminishing returns on investment, and below about 400 retail you’re getting an instrument that’d cost a bit of money to get playing right. Buying used is a good idea too. You can get a great guitar amp setup to get rolling on for less than 1k for sure. The boss katana amps are awesome for staring out and beyond.
The hard part is figuring out what kind of guitar you want to get. There’s guitars with tremolos, Floyd roses, hard tails, humbuckers, single coils, p90’s. Etc etc. a lot of options.

what kind of music are you interested in playing?

 

[UncleRisto]

the sweet spot is that 500-800 dollar range guitars. Above that there’s diminishing returns on investment, and below about 400 retail you’re getting an instrument that’d cost a bit of money to get playing right. Buying used is a good idea too. You can get a great guitar amp setup to get rolling on for less than 1k for sure. The boss katana amps are awesome for staring out and beyond.
The hard part is figuring out what kind of guitar you want to get. There’s guitars with tremolos, Floyd roses, hard tails, humbuckers, single coils, p90’s. Etc etc. a lot of options.

what kind of music are you interested in playing?

Yeah, that sounds about what I've been looking at. Yup, it definitely gets a bit hairy with the parts. I'd be playing rock/metal so humbuckers, and I guess ideally a Floyd but we'll see.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Yeah, that sounds about what I've been looking at. Yup, it definitely gets a bit hairy with the parts. I'd be playing rock/metal so humbuckers, and I guess ideally a Floyd but we'll see.

I’d lean you away from a Floyd to begin with because they are kind of a nightmare to deal with restringing and such. Neck profile and fret size is also very important variables. Best thing to do is get to a music shop and try out as many as you can to see what’s most comfortable to you. Good luck on your hunt and rock on. It’s never ending. GAS (Gear acquisition syndrome) is real once you’ve really committed to being a guitarist.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I’d recommend getting an electric guitar. They’re much easier to play because they have lighter strings and can get lower action to make fretting notes a breeze. There are plenty of budget electric guitars that are actually pretty nice.

Secondly the best website ever for learning guitar and is 100% free is: Justinguitar.com
total game changer.

the last bit of advice I can give you is to learn as many songs and licks as you possibly can. Don’t just cram as many techniques and scales down your throat as you can. Apply what you learn to playing new songs and licks.

a logical progression would be to learn your cowboy chords (open position chords) then power chords and then the pentatonic scale. That should keep you busy for the better part of a year.

enjoy the journey man. I’m about 3 years in and it’s been great

I bought an acoustic (Ovation shallow body with nylon strings - sounds great playing Willie Nelson tunes) and have managed to beat the hell out of over the last 30 years and have become a beginner who knows a few songs. Just checked out that website and it's amazing. Thanks!

 

[UncleRisto]

I’d lean you away from a Floyd to begin with because they are kind of a nightmare to deal with restringing and such. Neck profile and fret size is also very important variables. Best thing to do is get to a music shop and try out as many as you can to see what’s most comfortable to you. Good luck on your hunt and rock on. It’s never ending. GAS (Gear acquisition syndrome) is real once you’ve really committed to being a guitarist.

Good to know. I'm a bit scared of the whole string maintenance thing.

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Good to know. I'm a bit scared of the whole string maintenance thing.

Hard tail bridge guitars are the easiest to work with for what it’s worth. I’ve started doing all standard guitar maintenance myself and it’s actually become a process that i really enjoy. There are plenty of videos on YouTube teaching you how to restring and clean your fretboard then right way.
In the vein of rock/metal Schecter guitars seem to be really popular and reliable. I can’t get along with their necks as they are very thin and my mitts are pretty large. Epiphones seem to be pretty solid lately too. I’m more of a strat guy these days and just bought a $3000 dollar Suhr guitar this winter. But for my first few years playing I got along just fine on a Michael Kelly Patriot guitar which is basically a modern style les Paul

 

[Avsboy]

Good to know. I'm a bit scared of the whole string maintenance thing.

You can pay a shop to do it for cheap. Buy Elixir strings, those are considered the gold standard.

As for gear buying, I started playing guitar 15 years ago and have mostly stopped by now. I had spent upwards of $10000 for gear: guitars, bases, amps, microphones, keyboards, recording studio equipment. It's an obsession, but I warn you to avoid it. Money is better spent elsewhere. Instead buy a few guitars (2 or 3) and make sure to buy decent ones right off the bat so you don't have to lose value by selling them on Kijiji.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

 

[LieutenantDangle]

^^ I second using elixir strings. There’s a big shortage of them right now so daddario’s are fine too just gotta replace em more often

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Eating a Donair sounds like a good idea, until you actually do it.

 

[Metallo]

Guys, tell me that I’m not losing my mind.

I’m having a discussion with a friend that is working in finance (of all places).

I can’t make him understand that through fractional reserve banking, commercial banks are creating money out of thin air each time they make a loan.

He thinks that the Federal Reserve is the sole source of the monetary mass and that commercial banks don’t create money.

Who is right?

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Guys, tell me that I’m not losing my mind.

I’m having a discussion with a friend that is working in finance (of all places).

I can’t make him understand that through fractional reserve banking, commercial banks are creating money out of thin air each time they make a loan.

He thinks that the Federal Reserve is the sole source of the monetary mass and that commercial banks don’t create money.

Who is right?

Well, they make money...do they really create it though? I'm not convinced on that. The Fed Res. has the sole authority over the amount of greenbacks are floating about.

 

[Tweaky]

They are lending more than they have. It is creating dollars, but not ones that are backed by anything even remotely solid (not even the full faith and credit of a nation...which is what backs fiat dollars).

It is bubble economics at its worst, IMHO.

 

[Freudian]

By that logic, every time someone makes an amortization money disappears.

At least here, there are strict rules around capital adequacy and interbank lending. Financial institutions aren't allowed to loan out money without having capital, deposits or lending from other banks.

 

[Metallo]

This explains what I’m talking about to a 5 yr old.

Fractional reserve banking

 

[Bonzai12]

I like that video but it’s leaving out a lot of details between the relationship of the federal reserve and the central bank. I’m not sure about your question above but I definitely think the federal reserve ensures the money supply is backed and insured. Otherwise we wouldn’t have huge gold stashes or government securities in place. I’m not a financial whiz but I’m 90% sure the federal reserve doesn’t just turn a blind eye and let the central bank print as much money as they want. The central bank does print money but not without the federal reserve having oversight.