May 31st, 2008
A Pop Up is an ad that displays in a new browser window.
Pop up windows come in many different shapes and sizes, typically in a scaled-down browser window with only the Close, Minimize and Maximize commands.
There are two major types of pop up windows.
Entrance pops - these appear when a visitor arrives at your site.
Exit Pops - these appear when a visitor leaves your site.
There is a huge controversy over the use of pop ups on the internet. While some people feel they are an unwanted marketing ploy, the statistics show that they are effective at generating interest. And in a recent report, 72% of internet users surveyed said they accepted limited use of pop ups.
Pop ups are best used to generate sign ups for a mailing or newsletter list. You can also use them as a way to promote a mini course you offer that will teach your prospects more about your product or service.
Either positively or negatively, the fact remains that pop ups are effective at gaining a person’s attention.
To get the true picture of how well your pop up is doing, make sure you pay close attention to conversion rates and return on your investment. Also, experiment with entrance vs. exit pop’s to see which is most effective on your site.
By: Anne Ahira
Editor The BEST Affiliate Newsletter
http://www.thebestaffiliate.com
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May 30th, 2008
Just launched your website? Now what?
You are finally ready with your excellent product, killer salescopy, eye-catching graphics and tiny robots working for you tirelessly.
Now you have to get those hungry ‘visitors’ and ‘leads’ waiting to grab your product.
I will introduce you to 4 amazingly simple, proven and ‘effective’ ways to drive surges of ‘red-hot’ lazer-targeted traffic to your site instantly.
You can apply all these steps right NOW for FREE and watch your traffic counter explode.
Here YOU Go…
STEP 1 - Search Engines.
Optimizing your site for search engines and creating killer content can get you tons of traffic to your site absolutely free.
Include your keywords in your title, meta tags, headers, top and bottom portion of your website content.
Focus on your keyword density and make sure you optimize 1 page with 1 or 2 keywords max.
Increase content of your site by adding articles and make sure you keep your content fresh and ‘ever changing’.
Apply this system with 1000s of pages on your site using the power of RSS and Blogs and you will see free traffic crawling all over your site.
STEP 2 - Newsletters.
This is one of the most effective ways to get instant repeat traffic to your site.
Write down a weekly newsletter or ezine and publish them to your list regularly.
You can write articles, weekly tips and tricks with quality content and blast it to your list.
Make sure you do this consistently. This will improve your credibility and relationship with your subscribers and you will get repeat traffic to your site.
STEP 3 - Discussion Forums.
Discussion forums will get you instant traffic to your site right NOW.
Visit discussion forums in your niche every day and share your knowledge by answering questions out there.
Include your resource box with your website link right below your post. Your resource box will get you instant traffic to your site all day long.
This will improve your credibility and people will visit your site with an open-mindset, which will improve your website conversion.
Make sure you don’t spam the board with blatant advertisement. This will damage your name, reputation and credibility and get your site banned from the board.
STEP 4 - Article Writing.
This is one of the best ways to get traffic to your site. Write killer articles in your niche and blast them to…
1. Article Directories.
2. Ezine Publishers.
3. Your subscriber and customer list.
4. Your blog.
5. Announcement lists.
6. Your website.
Once you have done this you will see your articles spread like a ‘non-stop’ VIRUS.
You will get traffic from…
1. Search engines.
2. Websites that post your articles.
3. Your own newsletter.
4. Newsletters of ezine publishers.
5. Incoming links to your site.
6. Your blog.
Each article builds upon the others to create perpetual free advertising virally and permanently.
These 4 steps when applied consistently will get you ‘Non-Stop’ free traffic, leads and sales no matter what product you are selling.
You will see instant as well as continuous increase in your traffic, all for FREE.
So make sure you pull up your sleeves and get started TODAY.
Murtuza Abbas specializes in creating simple ‘Profit Pulling Minisites’.
Churn out simple, effective Profit Pulling Minisites in 3 Hours or Less. Grab your FREE $147 ‘Minisite Creation Pack’ & learn how to start an internet business today.
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May 30th, 2008
Making money using direct mail isn’t easy. And anyone who tells you it is, is lying.
To run a successful direct mail campaign, you must have a compelling offer… amazing copy… and most important… the right list to mail to.
And even if you have each of these things running at their peak, there are many other subtle “little” tricks you can use to increase the responsiveness of your mailings, which is what it’s all about, right?
Because this means…
You’ll Be Increasing Your Cash-Flow As Well!
And remember, in whatever you’re doing: All you need is 5-or-6 little steps that each increase your response rates 1 or 2 %, and before you know it, you’ve got a lot more money pouring in than you did before.
So don’t start neglecting the subtle differences — this is usually what separates the people who are marginally successful, from the people who are wildly successful.
First, always hand-address your envelopes. Why? As my mentor Gary Halbert taught me from “Day 1″, you’ll always open a hand-addressed letter because you think its “personal” mail — as opposed to a sales letter or a bill.
Make sense?
Remember, if your letter never gets opened, I promise you… you’ll never make the sale.
Second, in your corner card (which is the upper left-hand corner of the front of your envelope, where your name and address goes), DON’T put your company’s name!
Put your name and then your address.
See, your prospects are programmed into thinking as soon as they see the name of a company, even yours… your letter’s either trying to sell them something, or collect their money — neither of which is good for you if you want that envelope to get opened. And,
Third, use “live” postage stamps and NOT a “bulk” rate indicia. Again, when your prospects see a “bulk” rate, or even a metered stamp, they know right-away… you’re trying to sell them something.
Also, try to use the “decorative” postage stamps the post office has and not the “standard” stamps with a U.S. Flag. I always tell my clients to use the ones that say “Happy Birthday” on them.
After all, who doesn’t like opening a personal letter that says “Happy Birthday” on it?
P.S. I know having your letters hand-addressed is a pain. Honestly, I do.
And I have seen some software out there that is “almost” close to human handwriting, but the amount of variation from letter-to-letter isn’t quite there yet.
If you see software that can simulate “real” handwriting, I’d sure appreciate you letting me know so I can tell the rest of my subscribers.
Thanks!
Craig Garber is America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You’ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Unconventional and Irreverent Daily Direct-Response Marketing Tips, on his website, http://www.KingOfCopy.com
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May 30th, 2008
In a classic movie from The Golden Age of Hollywood, “The Best Years of Our Lives,” Myrna Loy tells her daughter, Teresa Wright, that during the course of a long marriage, you have to make yourself fall back in love with your mate, over and again.
It’s a poignant moment, to be sure, and the message is an unusual, but insightful one.
Affection takes energy and focus, and positive feelings generally don’t burn brightly unless we’re willing to periodically increase the wattage or fix the wiring.
What applies to loving someone also applies to the less intense emotion of liking someone.
Sometimes it takes effort, but generally, it’s worth it.
When we show we like someone else, it comes back to us. They find a way to like us, because they like being liked.
This is one of the great insights into growing your personal popularity, whether you’re a high school sophomore or a candidate for political office.
Simply put, if you want to be liked, like them first.
This also applies to being a popular speaker before seminars or groups of any kind. If you want their approval and positive word of mouth advertising, find ways to send them the signal that you like them.
Here are five ways of doing it:
(1) Smile, especially at the beginning of your talk. This can be difficult if you’re nervous, but it’s necessary, even if you have to crank up those lips, mechanically!
(2) Tell pertinent, but fun stories, and position them as “gifts.” By saying, “I think you’re going to like this one,” you’re saying that you’re customizing your talk to them and that they stand out in your mind as a unique group.
(3) Compliment them, directly. Some of the groups I train are very, very sharp, and I tell them. “You know, it’s a pleasure working with a group this smart because we can cover so much ground, so quickly!”
(4) Before a break, say, “I hate to cut off this great discussion but let’s take our break and get back to this in 15 minutes.” This gives them ownership of the session and they’re going to like what they build more than something that’s built entirely for them.
(5) Tell them they’ve been a great group (if you believe it!) before the evaluations are done. Remind them of all of the material that you covered together, and the special insights THEY GAVE YOU.
While you’re at it you can say YOU had a great time, again, if it’s sincere.
I qualify this because if it’s apparent that the class was rough on you, or markedly difficult, you don’t want to say it was fun.
You might point out that the material was challenging, the discussions stimulating and at times pointed, but in the long run everyone benefited.
And you can commend them for their perseverance, if nothing else.
Whatever you do, find a silver lining and end on the most positive note possible.
The message they should get is: Tough or easy as a group, you still liked them.
For having said that, they just may fall in love with you again!
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books, over 600 articles, and the creator of numerous audio and video training programs, including “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant-a favorite among salespeople and entrepreneurs. For information about booking Gary to speak at your next sales, customer service or management meeting, conference or convention, please address your inquiry to: gary@customersatisfaction.com.
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May 30th, 2008
If you are looking for effective spyware and adware protection, you can always look online to check out some of the most effective anti-spyware and adware tools available for you. There are a number of software companies who have dedicated their resources to develop more effective and more sophisticated programs to provide you with the best anti-spyware and adware protection for your PC. So what is the solution? More and more parents realize they shouldn’t impose any direct control over their child’s online activity thus trying to find out what their children are doing online.
Cyber criminals are online waiting for you and will take advantage of you and your unawareness of them. Don’t be a victim. Find and use the information that you have as a resource to stop criminals from taking your security blanket away from you. Find the right malware now and if you are having issues doing this then I have some quick and easy listed information below for you to find what you need. Data loggers, key loggers are just a few programs which harvest info from your computer. Winclear is the only program created specially to auto remove such spywares. If your account was compromised while AccSent was enabled there is a high probability that you either have a security hole in your computer which allowed hackers to take control of your computer or you have a Trojan virus spyware or keylogger software installed on your computer because someone not only had access to your e-gold passphrase they also had access to your email address password. That is why every computer owner needs winclear.
Protect With Winclear :Online Privacy Act Protection
However, because of Spector’s ease of use, it enables almost anyone to become a cyber criminal. According to Robert Graham, security executive at Atlanta based Errata Security, 99% of the people who download programs like Spector do not use it for legitimate reasons. Winclear is the only software which is capable of removing keylogger programs. Because they can be installed without your knowledge cookies can be installed by a third party from a website that is less than desirable. Winclear has been the industry leader in fighting keyloggers for the last 8 years.
Winclear:
In the field of free antispyware the choice is limited and there are antispyware tools which are actually bundled with commercial adware and spying modules. That is the reason why you need Winclear installed onto your computer. This is how spyware gathers details on a user’s behavior. Protect your computer security by using Winclear! More about Winclear here: http://www.winclear.info.
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May 30th, 2008
Ah yes, I want a laptop but I am not going to spend a couple of thousand dollars for one. Well guess what you don’t have to. Laptop prices have come down dramatically over the past year alone and they will continue to do so as technology advances. But the trick here is to find good quality laptops that fit your needs at the cheapest prices available today.
I would say that there probably is a store near you right now that has cheap laptop computers. In fact, many stores already have them. The reason being, like any other new product, laptops were once considered the cream of the crop in the computer world which made them very expensive. However, all that has changed now. Laptops are a dime a dozen! The hand held digital assistants, Bluetooth cell phones and tablet pads are the new rage making laptop computers cheap.
Now, don’t get me wrong, this does not mean that they are cheaply made. Thanks to the wonders of the technological cycle, laptop computers are decreasing in price as their capabilities rise. Of course, there are the latest and greatest monsters out there that are made for gaming or high powered multimedia applications and these babies still cost a pretty penny.
But for the average user, you can find cheap laptop computers that provide all the power you need and then some. Every major manufacturer out there, like Dell, HP, Compaq, Gateway, and IBM have their lower end and intermediate models that come with more than enough speed and usability.
Now here is the key to finding the right cheap computer laptop for you, and that is to figure out exactly what you need it for.
Are you going to use it mainly for surfing the web or word processing? Do you need it to work from home or mainly to save your MP3s and digital pictures?
Ok, so now you have an idea of what you want to use your laptop for. Now lets go out shopping and compare. You can visit any of the top manufacturers websites or visit your local store and find their low end or intermediate models that may suit your needs. The three top components of a computer you want to look for is the hard drive size, memory, and processor speeds and take notes of each model you find on each component and model.
The hard drive, you can consider this the brain of your computer, this is where all your files, applications and folders are stored. If you plan on using your computer for MP3s and digital pictures your hard drive should be large since these files are usually very large. I personally would look at 80gb as minimum.
Next would be the memory, memory can be considered the thought processes of your computer. As a minimum I would look at 512mb but if you plan on using your laptop for gaming of course this should be much larger, in the area of 1 to 2gb. Now memory is used whenever a program or application is running. So the more memory you have the faster your computer can process the program.
And finally your processor, now your processor is just that it processes all the inner workings of how each program runs. The faster the processor is, the faster the program instructions are processed. Again if your looking for a laptop for gaming uses you want your processor with high speeds 2ghz or more. For other uses you can go less.
Other parts of the computer to also consider are the ports involved that can connect your computer to your digital camera or your mp3 player for example. You also want to check that your laptop has wireless and broadband connectivity. Many cheap computer laptops today already come with this but you want to make sure or you will have to pay additional, for example, a wireless card to install in your laptop to have this capability.
For more free computer and laptop news, tips and reviews visit www.best-rated-laptops-and-computers.info
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May 29th, 2008
Are you ready to Stop Smoking?
There are many different ways to stop smoking, and hypnosis is one of them.
If you want to quit, a hypnotherapist can usually help you in a single session - with one and a half hour’s hypnotherapy, and a Stop Smoking CD.
There are no miracle cures, but making a commitment is a big step forward.
Why do you want to Stop Smoking?
. Improve your health
. Smoking is too expensive
. Stop smelling so foul
. Frightened of getting cancer
. Want to see your children grow up
So, why do you Smoke?
Smoking is a way of dealing with tension, and it is sometimes of way of rewarding ourselves, a habit, pleasurable relaxation or psychological addiction - However, There are two important provisos to stop:
1. You must have a strong motivation for stopping the habit, its not enough that you have been told you must stop - you must want to stop of your own free will.
2. You must be prepared to stop smoking altogether - unfortunately very few people are prepared to stop completely - they only want to cut down. However, once you put a cigarette in your mouth, you will have to start again from the beginning.
What are the Dangers of Smoking?
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in many countries. Smokers under the age of 65 are about twice as likely to die of coronary heart disease as non-smokers, and heavy smokers are roughly three times more likely to die.
Disease of the arteries of the legs, is even more closely associated with smoking -95% of the people with this disease are smokers, it often results in thrombosis of the leg, leading to gangrene through poor circulation and can end with amputation of the leg being necessary.
Respiratory Problems
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are responsible for thousands of deaths each year in the United Kingdom - they are a big cause of illness, absence from work and disability. Severe emphysema is very rarely found in non-smokers.
The Heart
Nicotine causes a rise in blood pressure and an increase in the heartbeat - this happens because the blood vessels become narrower because of the action of the nicotine - the heart is required to beat faster and work harder to pump the blood around the body, putting the heart under strain.
Smoking effects physical fitness - carbon monoxide impairs the functions of the heart, lungs and blood - however, when you stop smoking, you prevent the damage becoming worse.
Ulcers
Gastric or duodenal ulcers are twice as common amongst smokers compared to non-smokers - it is believed that smoking delays healing of the ulcers.
Pregnancy
Nicotine and carbon monoxide in the blood of pregnant woman can enter the unborn baby’s circulation and interfere with its development. Stillbirth and death in the first week of life is 30% more common in babies of mothers who smoke during pregnancy.
Surely, these are enough reasons to stop smoking immediately.
Don’t wait until it’s too late - if you stop smoking before you get cancer, bronchitis or heart disease you are likely to remain healthy. The danger from smoking builds up, so the sooner you stop the better it is.
To learn more about stop smoking hypnotherapy please visit the HypnoSpot web site: http://www.HypnoSpot.co.uk
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May 28th, 2008
Being a man and a gear head I love mechanical marvels and innovation. New tools, new kitchen gadgets, new electronics and new high tech appliances - with that in mind you shouldn’t be surprised when I tell you that I am in love with the new Dyson Vacuum.
I love it for what it is, what it looks like, what it promises and I love the marketing.
Let’s talk about the marketing. Let’s talk about it because the marketing is all the things I just mentioned.
This company is smart. They build marketing into the product at ground zero. They vacuum is scendsational to look at. It’s a cool and innovative thing of beauty and I’m sure to some it’s a hideous yellow beast, which from a marketing perspective is the right place to be.
They are following our rule of thirds principle here which is one I suggest you all strive to follow. Not being afraid to piss off, turn off and not be for at least a third of the population.
The Dyson also has a completely innovative design that moves completely based on a ball concept for revolutionary mobility - that’s worth looking at and talking about. They have built in buzz right in the product design.
See how that’s marketing at ground zero. You can do that too…
Next, I want to talk about the claims they make. Their irresistible offer is short and simple - “The first vacuum cleaner that doesn’t lose suction.” Let’s analyze this.
1. What are we selling?
A vacuum
2. What’s in it for me - the customer?
It doesn’t lose suction
3. How much does it cost?
Not mentioned (more on this later)
4. Why should I believe what you say?
The first vacuum to not lose suction.
A short and simple statement that answers 3 out of the four power questions of an irresistible offer. That is a Gravitational Proposition that pulls people to them like crazy. What is the most frustrating thing about a vacuum? Losing Suction!!!
So smart and it gets even better.
The company has made several models all that cater to very specific sub-niches.
1. Base model
2. Low Reach - for people who are frustrated with not being able to get under things
3. The Animal - The most powerful upright for pet hair - for pet owners.
4. Full Gear - for all the floor cleaning gadgets - for the people who always buy the top of the line.
This is a great marketing strategy.
The Website:
The front page of the web site uses an education based marketing approach that discusses the four things you need to know before you buy a vacuum.
The website is the best. They are a bit too caught up in fancy flash and they are losing some of the effectiveness as a result. They could make the site simpler and easy to navigate and ultimately make more sales.
The Advertising:
The advertising spokes person is the inventor of the vacuum and the owner of the UK based company, James Dyson. In 1970, Dyson graduated from Royal College of Art where he studied furniture design, then interior design.
In the advertising, Dyson is very persuasive and passionate about his product. He exudes believability and credibility by doing very little other than demonstrating the product and being confident in its ability.
Unwavering confidence is a key and often overlooked corner-stone of marketing. You must be confident in your personal ability and the ability of your product or service to deliver on its claims.
Many small business owners and independent sales professionals lack that level of confidence. It’s only when you have that level of confidence can you back up your products with solid, no-nonsense guarantees.
Price:
Wouldn’t you think that a vacuum is a commodity product? One vacuum sucks, they all suck - figuratively and literally. You’re looking for the cheapest thing to get the job done, right?
Wrong…With the identification of the pain of the target, an irresistible offer, an overwhelming benefit, education based marketing, social proof and a buzz-worthy, spread-able design this product rips itself from the commodity market and commands more money then all it’s competitors.
And the thing is selling like hotcakes.
Heck, I’m considering it even though is like $500.00. Plus I have pets, so I’m thinking I’m gonna pay even more for the pet vacuum because its niche marketed just for me.
Here’s them using a special offer and action incentive too…great stuff.
Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller are the authors of “The Ten Tall Tales Of Traditional Advertising That Cost You Tons” and their newest release, “The Small Business Owner’s Guide To The Galaxy: Jim & Travis’s Super-Stellar, Out Of This World, Step-By-Step Guide To Generating Leads, Attracting Customers and Making Sales.” Get FREE small business marketing tips, shortcuts and secrets - RIGHT NOW - at http://www.GravitationalMarketing.com
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May 28th, 2008
Teeth become discolored for a number of reasons. A few normal reasons for teeth discoloration include staining, aging and chemical damage. Coffee, tea, soda and cigarettes are a few of the leading contributors to discolored teeth. Besides from staining, genetics and disease can also play a role in changing the color of one’s teeth. Everyone has different genes, and it is sometimes impossible to determine why someone’s teeth are discolored. We do however know that a teeth whitening procedure can always help restore one’s teeth back to their original, white color.
Many people want to know how white their teeth are going to get after undergoing a teeth whitening procedure. While this question has a very subjective answer, many procedures can whiten your teeth up to nine shades lighter. Two or three shades can usually make a very significant difference in just about anyone’s smile.
Bleaching of the teeth is a chemical process used to lighten the shade of one’s teeth. This procedure is usually performed at the dentist’s office and sometimes can be done in the comfort of one’s home, using the materials provided by their dentist. Before the procedure begins, a custom tray is sculpted to match the patient’s mouth. This ensures a correct amount of whitening solution is used and that it is spread evenly throughout all of the teeth. At home, this procedure can last for two to three hours in which you will have the tray and solution in your mouth. Depending on your desired results, sometimes the tray is required to sit overnight.
To learn more about Dr. Ashley Mann, North Carolina cosmetic dentistry, and teeth whitening, please visit our website. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks
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May 28th, 2008
So you want to pick up the guitar? If you have an instrument already, good. But if not, you’re going to have to get one. There are a lot of choices out there. This article will help you with what you need to know.
If there’s a cherry red axe you’ve been lusting after lately or if you’re picking one out as a gift, it’s time to learn about what you’re buying. I know people who’ve spent thousands of dollars on instruments and it didn’t help play one lick better. Guitars can make nice trophy items, but you’ve got some decisions to make before you can become a real guitar-playing badass.
Now it’s time to start searching for your special guitar. First check out a trading post or the local classifieds. Don’t go to Ebay! A guitar is something you must play before you buy. Especially when you’re looking for that first guitar, there can be a wide variation in the quality out there. How will you know if a guitar is really for you unless you play it first?
Another good place to find guitars is at your local guitar shop. There are rows of them just hanging from the walls begging to be played. Most places don’t mind if you try one out, though it’s always nice to ask first. Some of these instruments are very expensive and delicate items. A tiny nick in the finish or scratch in the chrome can ruin a guitar in some people’s eyes! As for what kind of shop you want to go to, most small shops specializing in guitars have very knowledgeable and skilled staff. While instruments and equipment are often more expensive at these places, there really isn’t a better place to find advice or get lessons.
In any case, you should be able to find a good starter guitar for somewhere around $100 to $200. If you decide on an electric guitar, then you’ll want to purchase a practice amp too. 15 watt practice amps usually retail around $50 and sometimes you can save money on package deals.
How Do I Know If It’s a Good Guitar?
The most important thing when buying your guitar is to listen. When you strum the strings do you hear weird noises? Well, other than your playing… Seriously though, if the action on the guitar is too low, it can cause the strings to vibrate against the metal frets. Other times, cheap tuning pegs cause problems. Let’s take a look at these next. Do they turn smoothly or are they kind of jerky? You don’t want pegs that turn too easily or ones that require serious muscle. Good tuning pegs will have a bit of resistance at first and then turn smoothly and steadily once moving. Now be careful and don’t tune it too much! Those tiny E and B strings like to break.
Next up, take a look down the neck of the guitar. Make sure the neck is straight, otherwise funny things will happen when you play further up the neck. Do you see the enameled dots on the fret board? We need to find the fret that has two of those dots. That fret is what we call an octave. When you press down at that fret, the string will play the same note as when it’s played open or unfretted. You can test your ear here and also listen for the quality of the guitar. Play the string open, then play it at the octave mark. Do they sound like the same note or do you hear discordance between the two? If they sound like the same note that means the intonation on your guitar is in good shape. You can take a guitar to a repair shop, but if it doesn’t start out with good intonation then there’s not a lot that can be done.
Play It Already!
Once we’re done the snooping out the hardware, we’re down to the moment of truth. Let’s hear how it sounds! Plug it in or if it’s an acoustic just start playing.
With guitars it can be tricky knowing what you want in the beginning. Generally, you’re listening for a nice thick low end that you can really feel. On the high range we want a clear and present sound that can pierce through walls. All guitars vary widely in their sounds, pickups, and EQ’s. Some guitars will sound awesome through a certain distortion pedal while others are meant to be played with a certain style amp. A lot of your choice depends on whether you want to play rhythm or lead. A good way to figure it all out is by listening to your favorite musician and finding out what equipment they use. I can’t offer much advice here other than make sure it sounds cool!
Be aware that no guitar will ever sound right if it’s out of tune. Unfortunately for us, a lot of guitars aren’t already tuned. This is when it definitely helps to have absolute pitch or, at least, a guitar tuner. If you have no idea what you’re doing, then you can always ask an employee to help you out. If they think you’re interested, they won’t mind tuning it up for you.
While you’re doing all this is the time to buy a couple picks for a buck or two. Everyone seems to have their own preference with picks. Generally, you want one that is pliable yet sturdy. That way you can strum chords and pick out notes with the same pick.
Now once you’ve got a pick in hand and that beautiful guitar is in tune, let’s play some chords. If you don’t know any, then just try picking the strings. It can be hard to tell without strumming, but what we’re looking for is a well-balanced, rich tone. The high notes and the low notes should have an even balance and it should create a nice sonorous sensation to your ears. If the high notes sound “plinky” or the low notes sound dull that’s a bad sign. Old strings can badly degrade the sound, so watch out for those. Otherwise, with acoustic guitars the sound you hear is a pretty straightforward indicator whether it’s a worthy specimen.
What About The Electric Guitar?
It can be a little harder to test electric guitars. EQ settings and pickups play a larger role with electric instruments. If the tone knob on the guitar is turned down or if the amp’s treble/bass settings are wrong, then you’ll get a false indication of what the guitar can do. Also beware, most sales people will hook you into one of their best amps. I would recommend playing on the kind of amp you’re looking to buy. This way you’ll get a good idea of it will sound like at home.
As far as basic guitar EQ’s, turn the tone knob on the guitar most of the way up and adjust the amp settings; for treble around 7 o’clock and for the bass control around 3 or 4 is good. Obviously there will be a lot of variation on these settings depending on the style of music you play. For now though, the basic settings suffice.
Conclusions Are For Winners
Once you’ve decided on the guitar that sounds best to you, it’s time to check out the accessories. The essential items you’ll need include a pitch tuner, a case, an extra set of strings, a comfortable strap, and most importantly, a whole bunch of picks. I can’t count the number of picks I’ve lost in my lifetime. No matter what you do, you will lose them!
Now if you decided on an electric guitar then you’ll need another group of accessories. Start out with a little practice amp and a couple of 1/4″ cables. Unless you’re going to be playing in a massive room, short cables are better. They take up less room and are much easier to store and untangle. Ten foot cables are usually optimal. Eventually, you might consider picking up some effects pedals. The basic ones include distortion, delay, reverb, chorus, phaser and tremolo. Personally, I like overdrive pedals because they give a nice fuzzy edge to your sound for rock’n roll. Another route to go is the ubiquitous multifunction effects box. The quality of each effect tends to be substandard on these, but it can be cool to try out different effects and see which ones you might want to purchase individually later on.
My last word advice is something most wanna-be rockers don’t like to hear. I recommend starting out with an acoustic guitar. They force you to have better technique and that makes you better in the long run. Also, I find acoustic guitars are better for learning chords and writing songs. The great thing about them is they can go practically anywhere you can. And there aren’t many better ways to attract people than by playing a guitar.
So yes, be cool and get yourself a guitar. Inevitably, you will suck at first, but you don’t have to be that way for long. If you find someone who can explain and show you, you’ll be playing soon enough. Above all, don’t be discouraged! If you try hard enough, you will get better.
This article is authored by Daniel Crenshaw. He is a musician and writer from Richmond, Virginia. He runs the website Freedommedium.com
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