Indie Rock Vocal Warm Ups with Ryan Smith

Indie Rock Vocal Warm Ups with Ryan Smith

Warming up your voice and practicing drills that develop skill and agility are important no matter what kind of music you play. Vocal warm ups are unfortunately often neglected in the world of indie, punk, alternative, and rock music. This series of exercises will help get your voice in top form so you can sing your best. Use this video to help you get ready for a show, rehearsal, or recording session.
Six Advantages of a Fender Bass VI

Six Advantages of a Fender Bass VI

The Bass VI makes for an easy transition for guitar players to pick up the bass and immediately be able to put their guitar knowledge to use. It doesn't lend itself to playing chords but players can add in bass lines in the way that they would normally play guitar leads and scales.
March 28, 2022 — Webteam Member
PLEK Machine Process at Twin Town Guitars in Minneapolis

What is a PLEK and do I need one?

A PLEK machine isn't an automatic device where you can leave your guitar for a couple of hours and wait while it is serviced to your satisfaction. It's more like an incredible set of eyes and hands that can see and help make adjustments with a preciseness that is simply not possible with human eyes and hands. The process is made possible by talented and seasoned luthiers who know how to operate the machine and more importantly, know how to work with specific instruments.
March 15, 2022 — Webteam Member
Why You Should Try a Baritone Guitar

Why You Should Try a Baritone Guitar

The standard tuning for a baritone guitar is a perfect fourth lower than a typical guitar. So your low E is tuned down four steps to B. Your low A is tuned down to E and so forth with standard tuning being B E A D F# B. On a regular guitar, tuning this low would render your strings too loose to play but baritone guitars have a longer scale length which allows it to maintain a comfortable tension while keeping the tuning low.
This means that all the chord shapes and scales you already know are still usable on a baritone. 
February 14, 2022 — Webteam Member
It's Time to Humidify Your Instrument

It's Time to Humidify Your Instrument

With colder weather comes drier air. Every year we fill up the humidifiers and keep lip balm in our pockets, but do we pay attention to our guitars? Dry conditions may spell ruin for an acoustic guitar. Bad string action and buzzing, protruding fret ends, wood cracking, top sinking, bridge lifting, and other damage to your instrument can occur. These types of repairs often require hours of labor, and in some cases, the repair cost may dwarf the cost of the instrument. However, the solution to keeping your guitar healthy is not complex or costly. Enter the humidifier.
February 04, 2022 — Webteam Member
A Shot at Something New: The DAWning of Creativity

A Shot at Something New: The DAWning of Creativity

By Lila Karash, Local Musician and Teacher at Twin Town Guitars

Here's what I've been up to lately: experimenting with a DAW (Digital Audio Workshop). If you own a Mac and you've played around with Garage Band, then you already know what a DAW is. But for those of you who aren't familiar with a DAW, it's a program that lets you record music on multiple tracks.

June 14, 2021 — Webteam Member
Why We Play Music

Why We Play Music

By Hayley Nelson, Local Musician and Violin, Viola, Cello Teacher at Twin Town Guitars

Even though practicing can feel lonely and difficult sometimes, it's important to remember that the music we create makes the world a nicer place to live, not just for us, but for everyone else too!

Why do I SUCK as soon as people START WATCHING ME PLAY?!

Why do I SUCK as soon as people START WATCHING ME PLAY?!

By Ryan Smith, of Soul Asylum, Melismatics, Ryan and Pony & Teacher at Twin Town Guitars

Have you ever felt like you can play a song really well, but as soon as other people start paying attention and listening to you it becomes infinitely more difficult? You are not alone! 

Korg Volca Series Synthesizers Kick and FM

Synthesize the Masses: Korg Volca

By Jeb Silburn, Twin Town Guitars Staff Writer

Empowering creatives who may be yet-unacquainted with the world of synths and drum programming, Korg’s Volca series offers a variety of intuitive platforms for first time users to begin their journey. 

Vintage Harmony and Kay Guitars

How to: Vintage Without Breaking The Bank

 By Jeb Silburn, Twin Town Guitars Staff Writer

Tapping into the territory of time aged vintage guitars often brings to mind models that carry price tags well into the multi-thousand dollar range. A word of encouragement; Despite the high-dollar associations with the infamous V word, a vintage guitar doesn’t have to empty your piggy bank.

Strymon Iridium and Walrus Audio ACS1 Amp and Cab Simulation Pedals

Simulated Sound

By Jeb Silburn, Twin Town Guitars Staff Writer

Few things feel as good as standing in front of a 100watt full stack, turned up to ten, with fuzz blasting out of it at full throttle. For the longest time, big and loud have been the go to solution for many performing artists.

A Harmonious Pair - A dynamic duo from the freshly revitalized Harmony Guitars

A Harmonious Pair - A dynamic duo from the freshly revitalized Harmony Guitars

By Jeb Silburn, Twin Town Guitars Staff Writer

Once upon a time, Harmony stood as the largest producer of musical instruments in the United States. Crafting everything from banjos and ukuleles, to violins and- most notably, guitars. 

March 27, 2021 — Carrie Bell