CDs Still Significant In A Digital World

Availability And Quality Of Downloadable Music Still An Issue

April-May 2008

Visit the Instrumental Guitar Showcase to browse and listen to all of these dynamic recordings, or check out our recommendations page. If you`ve released an instrumental project, get all the details about merchandising through Guitar Nine Records, and decide if it`s right for your music (if you`ve released a guitar-oriented CD with vocals, click here).

Be sure to visit the Guitar Nine SoundCheck page, which allows you to 'peek in' to the order system to find out the latest CDs bought online through Guitar Nine Records. You'll also find a list of the eighty-five (85!) newest releases and additions available from our extensive list of instrumental guitar CDs. Also browse the comprehensive style-specific SoundChecks, special category SoundChecks, state and country SoundChecks, and guitarist nationality SoundChecks.

Last edition's survey results are in! We asked respondents whether you think the CD will become a collector's item, and over 60% said they anticipate them becoming a collectible in some form or another. We've put together a new, very simple, anonymous survey that you can answer in about five seconds to let us know what you think the best way to experience music will be in 20 years.

April's guest columnists bring technical tips, practical concepts, and general advice to the table, and cover topics on guitar technique, new media, and blogging. We've got eight fresh articles altogether - all penned by returning columnists. Canadian guitarist David Martone is back with another in his series entitled "Zone Recording: Satch". German Schauss returns with another technique article called "Picking Sequences". Guitarist Mike Campese is here with "Scales Beginning With Each Finger". Nick Kellie has got some great ideas in his article "ii V I Madness". Scott Allen contributes the next article in his arpeggios series, "Touring the Arps, Part 4". Lance Trebesch shines a light on the blogesphere with the second part of his column entitled "20 Steps to Creating a Successful Blog For Your Band, Part 2". Kole is back with his column, "Horizontal And Vertical Thinking, Part 1". Finally, indie marketing and promotions expert Tim Sweeney returns with "The Reality Of New Media Sites".

April updates include a new interviews with guitarists Ciro Manna, Andy Timmons and Stef Burns.

This edition we're shining the spotlight on four of the most outstanding artists from the eleven years of the Undiscovered series profiles - we're calling it, The Rediscovered. Think of it as the best of the best of The Undiscovered artists - another chance to check in with guitar oriented musicians and bands you may have missed the first time around.

Our April edition also features new books recently published and new editions of classic books on our resource pages -- Label Resources, Recording Resources, MIDI Resources and Guitar Tabulature Resources. Be sure to stop in and check out some of these excellent books.

We return, as always, with promotional material, audio clips and ordering information for Guitar Nine Records releases. Our overall mission continues to be to help you to achieve your musical goals, whatever they may be.

Guitar Nine Records is a guitar-oriented record label located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Our lastest CD for 2000 is the compilation "Handz Of Danz", fourteen tracks of hard rock, fusion, metal and blues from six guitarists named Dan. Our first CD, 'Guitar Haus', was released in 1997 by guitarist-composer Dan McAvinchey. McAvinchey also has written the "The Power To Release" columns in our on-line magazine that can help you to understand the steps that must be taken to release your own record. McAvinchey is currently working on his second solo CD for Guitar Nine Records.

Guitar Nine Records is dedicated to the idea that the guitar is probably one of the most expressive instruments ever invented, and with the use of effects and recording techniques, has an unlimited sonic palette. As much as we admit that there are only twelve notes, and all twelve have been played at sometime or another on a guitar, we firmly believe that the surface has only been scratched in terms of the creative uses for guitar and of the sounds that have yet to be discovered. We want to make sure that the quest for new uses for the guitar continues, and is celebrated and encouraged. This on-line magazine is our way of spreading the wealth of creative ideas around the globe and of keeping the guitar as an essential instrument in recordings well into the next century.

We believe there is so much you can do with your guitar playing besides learning riffs however. There are numerous sites on the internet that offer guitar lessons, techniques, licks, etc., but you may wish to explore the possibility of using your abilities on the guitar as a springboard into other areas. You may have a desire to write music, record songs, build a studio, or even release your own CD. We hope that this web site will, over time, inspire you to set greater goals for yourself than you may have ever thought possible.

We would appreciate hearing from you via e-mail if you have any comments or ideas on how to make this web site even better.