mriehle

Most of the short-scale guitars I've found so far are on the level of the stuff they sell at Toys-R-Us. They aren't as bad as you'd expect, but they certainly aren't great guitars. My son has started lessons and he finds my strat and his older brother's SG copy to be too big, so he needs a shorter scale.

Obviously, I wouldn't mind some recommendations on guitars themselves, as well as sources.

FWIW: Local guitar stores have a great selection of guitars, just not short-scale guitars.

Playing in a band which does bars or casual gigs, there are songs we all think of as standards. But I contend that there are a few standards we should think of as mandatory because you *will* be expected to play them.

Two I think of are Mustang Sally and Play That Funky Music.

So, the question is: if you were to pick five songs you would consider mandatory standards, what would they be?

I don't want a bunch of pop singing over the music. Good, strong rhythms with a positiive feel to them.

Some examples of stuff I already use: Gabrielle Roth, Professor Trance & The Energizers, Nomad.

Both Amazon and Napster provide recommendations based on searches on stuff I already have, but I still feel like I'm jumping blindly if I buy any of the ideas that result.

There are, of course, some special songs:

- First dance.

- Father/daugher dance.

- Money dance (is it just me, or has this custom become a bit crass?)

But there is also the music to be played during dinner.

There there is the "party" music for dancing during the reception.

In some cases, there is a special song for the bride to walk up the aisle instead of the traditional wedding march.

I'm less interested in the perspective of other musicians than that of people who go to the bar to dance, drink, listen and hang out.

What songs just make your night?

What songs do you wish more bands would play?

What songs do you love, but feel like the bands never quite get it right?

Not so much big name concerts as visiting a local venue to check out a local band - originals or covers - and dance or just listen and hang out.

If you do, how often and what about it appeals to you?

If you don't, why not? Is there a specific reason or are you just not interested? Or maybe just don't get around to it?

No, not literally. When "ki"/"qi"/"chi" is mentioned in MA, it conjures up a lot of different ideas for different practitioners.

What does it mean to you and how does it applie to your training.

Whenever this question comes up on MA forums it gets a wide variety of weird, wacky, intelligent or mystical answers.

What I really want to know is your personal perspective on kokyu and how it apllies to your training.