Of all the many musical genres, I think metal is by far the most misunderstood.  I will be the first to admit that metal isn't for everybody, and that to some degree, is intentional.  Metal will forever be a fringe genre, occasionally finding a brief spotlight of popularity with some of the more radio friendly bands, but the majority of its diversity remains unknown.  Diversity in metal is one of the things that most non-metal listeners don't appreciate.  There are as many or more sub-genres within metal as there are sub-genres within the amorphous blob of folk/bluegrass/pop/americana.
            One of the most commonly heard fallacies about metal is that it's 'angry' music.  While it's true some metal can be called angry, I would say the majority of metal isn't.  Metal topics run the gamut of emotions just like any other genre, just maybe a little more intensely felt.  Metal genres often embrace the darker parts of humanity, choosing to contemplate rather than ignore.  
           In the end metal is just like every other music genre; it can be complex or simple, dark and scary or light and joyful.  So whether you love it or hate it, next time you here metal blasting out of someones car window, try to hear it with ears unclouded by misconceptions.

-Kevin

Here's a couple of examples of different kinds of metal that I've been really into lately.

There's been a lot of hubbub over balanced tension string sets lately. What the hell are they? Can you even tell the difference?? I'm going to attempt to give a simple explanation of balanced tension sets and offer a bit of insight into their growing popularity and what makes them such a hot topic in the string world. 

There are two basic components that make up a steel string: a core and a wrap. When you look at the two smallest strings on an acoustic guitar, you are basically looking at an unwound core string. Wild, huh? Those naked little B and high E strings look just like their four bigger brothers minus that shiny bronze wrapping. Now, when we talk about tension on a guitar we are pretty much talking about lateral tension -- that is, the force that the individual strings exert laterally across the neck and soundboard of the instrument. [Note: this differs from instruments with floating bridges (mandolins, banjos, arch top guitars, etc.) where downward, or vertical tension becomes more important -- for more on this check out Siminoff Strings]. Now given the two basic components of a steel string, what would you say determines lateral tension? Well, if you guessed the wrapping, I'm happy to say you are absolutely wrong...It's the core, of course! A string's core determines its lateral tension -- remember that!

D'addario Balanced Tension sets are developed with this in mind: each core string is made to expend an equal amount of lateral tension, thus creating a more "balanced" feel and sound across the strings when they are strummed or plucked. In theory, this should make for a better playing experience. But who am I to say? Pick up a set and see for yourself! 


-McCoy

This is a question that comes up  at least every other time that I set up an acoustic guitar. 

WHAT IS INTONATION? 

I made a little sketch of a compensated saddle and now I will explain the physics. Lets assume your scale length is 25," the vibrating string on the high 'E' should measure at 25 and 3/32". The additional length is added because when you push down on the string, it's no longer a straight line, so we compensate for that by moving the saddle back 3/32".  The 'B' string diameter increases by .004 to .005 of an inch (depending on the chosen string gauge). This string has less elasticity, so when it's pressed it needs more length to achieve the desired pitch. The 'G' string diameter moves up .007 to .008" but it's a wound string so it's tension is only determined by it's core which is similar to the high 'E' string. The remaining strings are also wound and the compensated saddle slowly moves back to accommodate the thicker strings. Playing in tune becomes paramount as your ear develops and intonation will become more important on your way to perfect pitch. I hope this helps, till next time. Al

Musicians are notoriously "picky" about gear--what gauge strings they use, which effects pedals, capos, tuners, slides...right on down to how many thousandths of an inch they prefer their flat picks! Over the years I've grown to prefer thicker picks for acoustic guitar, anywhere from 1 to 1.5mm. For electric, anywhere from .88 to 1mm tends to work well. But that's just me. Every customer has a very specific pick preference, and I'd like to think that we stock something for everyone here at Sylvan. 

With all that demand for specialized thickness and feel, there are now companies making boutique and customized picks. Would you believe that?! Who knew that their would be a demand for $40, $50, $75 picks! Crazy, I know. Companies like Blue Chip and Red Bear picks are just a couple of the brands slangin' high dollar plastic. But luckily, you don't have to spend the big bucks to get great tone out of your instrument. Here at Sylvan, we stock a wide variety of picks by companies like Wegen, Dunlop, Clayton, Golden Gate, and many more. One line that I am currently a big fan of is the Primetone by Dunlop. I will forego an explanation of what makes these picks so great and direct you to a description from their website: 

Primetone Sculpted Plectra will glide off your strings and bring out the true voice and clarity of your instrument. With hand-burnished sculpted edges, these picks allow for fast, articulate runs and effortless strumming. Made from Ultex for maximum durability and superior tonal definition. Available in three different shapes with a low-profile grip or a smooth traditional surface.

There you have it! These work for me. How picky are you going to be the next time you stock up on plastic??

McCoy Tyler is a salesman at Sylvan Music with an aptitude towards acoustic guitars, amps, and pickup systems.  When he's not spouting musical knowledge on the sales floor, he can be found doing some hot picking and sweet singing with his group The McCoy Tyler Band.