Archive for January, 2007

What Makes Something Art? What is an Artist?

Wednesday, January 31st, 2007

Recently, my friend and fellow Emergence Practitioner, Austin, asked me two very thought provoking questions: “What makes something art?”, and “What makes someone an artist?” My first thoughts? Holy cow! These are no small questions he’s asking here. Especially since he is one of the fastest rising graphics artists in New York City.

So what is “art,” and what is an “artist?” My first thoughts. “Art” is something which registers in the mind of the beholder as being exemplary of beauty, truth, and reality. Something which communicates some particular quality, or qualities, of “reality,” in the truest sense of the word “reality.”

By this definition, Monet’s impressions and Pollack’s dribblings both easily qualify, even though neither attempts to offer photo graphic realities. As do Twain’s description of Huck’s father in an alcoholic blackout, and Hemingway’s metaphor of the hill in war torn Spain shaped like a young girl’s breast.

Okay. Something which embodies a quality or qualities of reality. Yes. This, in part, defines art. Yet clearly, this definition is not enough. The psychologist’s diagnostic manual, the DSM4R, describes alcoholic blackouts pretty well. Yet it’s not art. Not even close. And web porn often describes young girl’s breasts, often in more graphic detail than anyone would ever wish for. Yet clearly, this does not qualify as art either.

My next thoughts lead me back to my three defining qualities, and specifically to the word, “beauty.” Real art captures some aspect of beauty, even when this aspect evokes horror. The photo of the Vietnamese man kneeling in the road being shot in the head. The May 6, 1937 news film, wherein a German dirigible explodes into flame and burns in 34 seconds while the news reporter cries, “Oh, the humanity!”

Horrific? Yes. Reality? Yes. Art? Almost more than we can bear to witness. Yet here, within a single photo, and a few brief moments of film, we are forced, almost brutally, to face life itself. Our world. Our life. Our painfully impotent humanity.

So yes. That something portrays a quality or qualities of reality is not enough to make it art. These qualities of reality must convey, in some way, the beauty in life. Even when this beauty shocks and saddens the heart.

With this in mind, then perhaps, we might add to our definition that art reaches into the heart and soul of the beholder. Which leads me to my next thought, that “art” is something which embodies living qualities within a non organic form. In other words, “art” creates in the beholder a literal bridge between Emergence Personality Theory’s, Layers 9 and 10. In doing so, art connects us, as human beings, to each other. It also connects us to the world in which we humans live. As well as connecting our world to us.

For example, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni’s David connects marble (Layer 10) to human beings (Layer 9), both within the sculpture, stone to man, and outside the sculpture, stone to witness. Thus, although we all are, as the Quantum physicists teach us, literally connected in the details, perhaps for us to feel this connection consciously, we need art as a bridge.

Finally I would add that true “art” is timeless in the deepest physical and spiritual senses of this word. Thus, to put this into one of Emergence Personality Theory’s, Formulas for Human Consciousness (M=IT), while the value of the M and I variables (meaning and information) in art may vary widely, the value of the T variable (time) would have to be at or close to a 10.

Thus, when the Tajikistani thirteenth century mystical poet, Rumi, writes, “the eye goes blind when it only wants to see why,” he manages to capture the essence of blamelessness and the core belief of Emergence all within eleven words. Moreover, he did this eight hundred years ago, and his words ring just as true today. Timelessness to be sure.

So now. Let me try to put what I’ve said together. “Art” is:

* Something which registers in the mind of the beholder as being exemplary of beauty, truth, and reality.

* Something which captures some aspect of beauty, even when this aspect evokes horror.

* Something which literally creates a bridge within us between the world in which we live and ourselves as humans; a Layer 10 to Layer 9 connection.

* Something which does all this timelessly, as in the value of T in M=I(T) is at or approaching 10.

All this said, I openly admit, these words, as meaningful as they may be to some, still fall dreadfully short of defining “art” itself. Why? Because “The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.” In other words, only “art” can describe “art.” Anything less is mere Layer 2, “from-a-distance,” words about art, and not art itself. This said, then perhaps I should add that “art” is:

* Something which cannot be put into words. It must be visible to be art. At least, in the mind of the beholder.

Oh, and one more thing. The other question. “What is an artist?” My answer? A human being who builds bridges between us and our world. Beautiful bridges. Timeless bridges. Real bridges. Beyond words bridges.

And for anyone not now recognizing what this means, it means that artists and shamans are brothers and sisters at heart. You see, shamans are also builders of bridges. In their case, of course, rather than focusing on bridging us to each other’s beauty, shamans build these bridges as the means to heal our relationships; between people and themselves, between people and people, between people and their world, and between people and God. Which means they focus on a special kind of beauty.

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Why Can’t We Open Our Borders

Wednesday, January 31st, 2007

During the intense debates over illegal immigration in the media, on the streets and in our homes one has to eventually ask the question; what if we simply open our borders, then what would happen? Well essentially in a way that is what we have done. Some say any problems in Mexico causing people to flee to the United States are indeed our problems here too.

The United States has attempted to help Mexico and they have come a long way thanks to us in the last 18 years after previously having a pretty severe economic crisis. For those who would like to see the eventual long-term goal of an open border, I applaud you. But also the current reality; created reality or not is the one we must live in, the present, so until we can build the Utopia of the human race, heaven on Earth so to speak, I guess you could call it, we must lay down some ground rules in order to get it done.

Sure we have fallen down previously our immigration backlog, courts jammed and such. But also allowing a continuation of an unsustainable situation here; well the means will not justify the ends you see? And if we do everything fair and wonderful, but fail to create the Utopia, we are still back to square one and sacrificed our civilization in the process and never actually achieved your very noble dream of one-world peaceful human race you see? Perhaps we should consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/

The Storm

Wednesday, January 31st, 2007

Winds whip the trees – into submission.
The raging storm – is an object of fear.
This fury of nature – brings forth the admission
That man – is not the Master here.

Ligntning rents - the ominous sky
The moaning wind - freezes our soul
We brace - against the hurricane’s eye
Survival - is our only goal.

The pounding rain – seems unending.
Fierce Ocean waves- crash onto the shore.
The Message – which the earth is sending
chills us – to our very core.

Noonday’s sun – breaks through the clouds.
The angry storm – has finally passed.
This reprieve of nature – now allows
us to calm our fears – at last.

Having lived in Florida for several years, I have weathered many hurricanes. I wrote “The Storm” when my children were younger. It was their first hurricane. I simply wrote what i saw in their eyes.
They have since become use to them - that is - if anyone can get use to living through a cat 4 hurricane.

We were lucky. People on the Gulf side did not fair as well. Many still have the ‘blue roofs’ (tarp covering the damage which insurance comanies have not, as yet resolved to fix.) Every one has heard about New Orlaeans, and the damage caused. What they have not heard of are the other places which still have damage. The hurricanes - especially Ivan and Katrina - did the most damage. The homes that were destroyed have not been replaced. There is a tremendous shortage of housing. Business have gone under which means jobs were lost. I am writing this because if anyone wishes to contribute to disaster relief - just know other areas aside from New Orleans and Louisiana which also need help.

athenalouise.com athenalouise.com

Monk (DVD) Review

Wednesday, January 31st, 2007

One of the more clever television creations of the new millennium, Monk combines the high-grade suspense of a traditional TV drama with the quirky humor of a big screen comedy. Originally developed for ABC, the show became an instant prime-time lynchpin for the USA network, proving itself one of the more successful shows on cable TV…

In Monk, Tony Shalhoub stars in the title role of Adrian Monk, a former San Francisco detective placed on psychiatric leave. A true legend in the community, Monk solves unsolvable crimes via his towering intellect, photographic memory, and meticulous observations. But the one case that alludes Monk is the 1997 murder of his wife Trudy, which forever altered Monk’s capacity to perform his job.

Suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and a number of odd phobias, Monk requires a personal assistant, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), for even his most basic daily activities. Yet Monk remains a police consultant on difficult cases, and he hopes to persuade Capt. Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) to give him his old job back. But Stottlemeyer and colleague Lt. Randall Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), harbor doubts about Monk’s mental faculties. As Monk solves cases though, those doubts dissipate and Stottlemeyer and Disher learn to appreciate Monk’s special talents - despite his inability to cope with the day-to-day activities of a normal detective… Nevertheless, he remains a de facto investigator as he and Sharona aid the San Francisco police department in solving numerous high profile cases…

The Monk DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “Mr. Monk and the Candidate” in which the audience first learns the background of Adrian Monk, a modern day Sherlock Holmes beset by mental problems. After Monk solves a mysterious murder simply by looking at the crime scene, Capt. Stottlemeyer enlists him to help in the investigation of a failed assassination attempt of mayoral candidate Warren St. Claire…Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Mr. Monk and the Billionaire Mugger” in which Monk investigates the death of a billionaire shot while trying to mug a police officer, and “Mr. Monk and the Earthquake” in which Monk investigates the murder of a wealthy businessman (which occurred during an earthquake) while suffering verbal difficulties as a result of the earthquake’s numerous aftershocks…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Monk (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Mr. Monk and the Candidate: Part 1) Air Date: 07-12-2002
Episode 2 (Mr. Monk and the Candidate: Part 2) Air Date: 07-12-2002
Episode 3 (Mr. Monk and the Psychic) Air Date: 07-19-2002
Episode 4 (Mr. Monk Meets Dale the Whale) Air Date: 07-26-2002
Episode 5 (Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival) Air Date: 08-02-2002
Episode 6 (Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum) Air Date: 08-09-2002
Episode 7 (Mr. Monk and the Billionaire Mugger) Air Date: 08-16-2002
Episode 8 (Mr. Monk and the Other Woman) Air Date: 08-23-2002
Episode 9 (Mr. Monk and the Marathon Man) Air Date: 09-13-2002
Episode 10 (Mr. Monk Takes a Vacation) Air Date: 09-20-2002
Episode 11 (Mr. Monk and the Earthquake) Air Date: 10-04-2002
Episode 12 (Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger) Air Date: 10-11-2002
Episode 13 (Mr. Monk and the Airplane) Air Date: 10-18-2002

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a thedvdreport.blogspot.com movie review site where you can find more reviews like this one of the thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/monk-dvd.html Monk (DVD) Review.

Play Bingo Online For Unlimited Virtual Fun And Some Extra Bucks

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

Internet has another lure now. And that goes by the name of Bingo. Online Bingo is the latest craze amongst the gaming fraternity who have decided to give the cars and bikes and the guns and tanks a miss and settle for something as sensationally sedate as Bingo.

Bingo is an indoor game, quite similar to Lotto. It is a game of chance, wherein you have Bingo cards with numbers with you. Numbers are called out at random and you have to tick off the corresponding numbers in your card. The first person to complete ticking off the numbers in a particular order wins the game. Isn’t it a wonder, how something as simple has fired the imagination of countless millions across the world.

The Internet abounds in Bingo web sites, both free and paid, for you to engage in some wholesome fun with players from around the world.

At the online Bingo stops that are free, you do not need to tender any monetary deposit to register and be eligible for a round of Bingo. Besides being free, these sites sometimes give you a chance to try your jackpot luck. However, there are generally terms and conditions attached with these contests. But don′t fret! At the free Bingo online sites, you might just be required to promote the particular site to the most number of people to be able to take part in the jackpot contest.

In fact, you can also expect to bag some cash bonus if you can rope in more members to the site.

Online Bingo is at its best at these sites. Not only do you get to indulge in some heady Bingo blitz for free, but you are also given a chance to earn some extra buck.

The paid Bingo sites are good stopovers too. There are many sites that offer regular jackpot contests but you need to pay to be able to take part in these contests.

Playing Bingo online is not much different than the traditional paper and pen mode. The computer will call the numbers and they will be shown on the top left corner of the screen. But there’s no room for cheating here, for the computer has a record of the numbers on your Bingo card.

Playing Bingo online won’t entail overhauling your entire PC setup. A computer and Internet connectivity are all you need. Most Bingo games are Macromedia Flash based, while there are some that require you to download some software from the site. Not much considering the oodles of fun that await you.

Another lure of playing Bingo online is the chance you get to mingle with players from all around the globe. Most of the Bingo sites house chat groups so that you can strike up some associations while at play. Gives you that feeling of belonging to a community too.

Online Bingo has caught on and is spreading like wild fire.

Gordon Jacobs is a successful writer and publisher of bingo related issues,
for more informative articles go to freeonlinebingogames.ballreport.com freeonlinebingogames.ballreport.com

Let Us Break the Barriers of Our Small little Worlds

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

As most frogs do, this frog of ours too lives in a well. It has lived there for a long time. It was born there and brought up there, and yet was a little, small frog. Of course the evolutionists were not there to tell us whether the frog lost its eyes or not, but for our story’s sake, we must take it for granted that it had eyes, and that everyday it cleaned the waters of all the worms and bacilli that lived in it with such zestful energy, that it would give our modern bacteriologists a run for their money to do the same. In this way it went on and the frog fattened both in the body and the skull.

Well, one day another frog that lived in the sea, came and fell into the well.

“Whence you come from?”

“ ‘I am from the sea.’

“ ‘The sea? How big is that? Is it as big as my well?’ and he took a leap from one side of the well to the other.

“ ‘My friend,’ says the frog of the sea, ‘how do you compare the sea with your little well?’

“Then the frog took another leap and asked: ‘is your sea so big?’

“ ‘What nonsense you speak to compare the sea with your well.’

“ ‘Well, then, said the frog of the well, ‘nothing can be bigger than my well; there is nothing bigger than this; this fellow is a liar, so turn him out.’ ”

That has been the difficulty all the while.

I am a Hindu. I am sitting in my own little well, and thinking that the world is my well, and croak, “Turn him out.” The Christian sits in his little well and the world is his well. “Turn him out.” The Mohammedan sits in his well and thinks the world like that. “Turn him out.”

We all talk of those aspects that are characteristic of the goodness in Man, for example - love Love hate Hate espouse Spouse give Forgive and the like - to advance our understanding and concern for furthering the cause of mankind. I wonder how many amongst us, stop for a while to reflect on the word as to why our whole wide world is called the Universe and not Multiverse when there is such a variety galore on earth!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bhaskar Banerjee is deeply involved in the quest in unraveling that fountain of strength contained within us all. His diverse inspirational awareness programs, talks, sharing of various articles, newsletters, have helped many take a glimpse into the joy of their being. Currently associated with an affiliate website 24-7 for high demand products, you may like to click below to have a look that could be of interest and value for you.

Online Casinos

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

Online Casinos are a multibillion-dollar industry. Recognized as one of the most flourishing industries today, casinos have become a preferred source of entertainment for many people. The evolution of the Internet and the subsequent technological development has put gambling at a casino within everybody’s reach.

An Online Casino gives you complete liberty to choose what to play, when to play, how long to play and how much money to wager. Unlike traditional casinos, there is no pressure or pull from the spectators. There is no embarrassment of losing in front of the crowd. The best thing is the presence of free Online Casinos, which give you the opportunity to play, learn and understand the ins and outs of the game without paying anything at all. Newcomers can learn and experience the thrill of the game through free Online Casinos, while others can play just for the fun.

The popularity of the Online Casino has made it a very highly competitive business. Competitiveness means great offers and bonuses. Online Casinos strive to provide better services, great gaming facilities and more fun to draw and retain the customers to their site. They have 24/7-customer service either by email, live chat or toll-free telephone.

Online Casinos transact business with real money. So a safe and secured playing source is what every player looks for. Online Casinos are rated by marketing portals and independent authorities with respect to the gaming facilities and security provided to the players. Reputable Online Casinos use the latest encryption technologies to guard the privacy and secrecy of transactions between the player and the casinos.

Reputable casinos provide a multitude of choices to the customer with respect to payment and withdrawal of money. Some of the accepted sources of money transfer are Western Union, Firepay, NeTeller and Credit cards.

In order to play online, a computer installed with a Pentium chip, 128 MB RAM, 20 MB of memory, 56 kbps modem and a 256-color VGA monitor is required. The player can either use Java, Flash plug-ins or downloadable software offered free by the casinos, to play the game.

There is total ease in playing online. Choose a casino that provides you with the best customer service and the games of your choice. Enter it with a click and win money without leaving the comfort of your home.

Some states and countries have passed laws making Online Casino Gambling illegal. Therefore, before you gamble at an Online Casino, it is important that you check your local laws.

OnlineCasinos-Web.com Online Casinos provides detailed information about online casinos, best online casinos, free online casinos, online blackjack casinos and more. Online Casinos is the sister site of Mahjong-Source.com Mahjong Tiles.

The Princess Bride (Movie Review)

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, The Princess Bride should’ve been awarded the designation of best comedy of the year. Having built a large cult following since its 1987 release, The Princess Bride continues to entertain whole new generations of fans. Its enduring tale and timeless humor are certain to cement its place among the hallowed halls of the movie classic elites. The Princess Bride is one of the few movies that every person absolutely should see - if you miss it, then you’ll miss out on an entire world of fun…

When a kindly old grandfather (Peter Falk) reads a story to his grandson (Fred Savage), his grandson is in for the story of a lifetime… The Princess Bride follows the story of the beautiful maiden, Buttercup (Robin Wright), who falls in love with a poor stable boy named Westley (Cary Elwes). But the two are torn apart when Westley is captured by a band of pirates, and Buttercup is kidnapped by the evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon) who intends to make her his wife.

But when the Dread Pirate Roberts (who just might be Westley) arrives on the scene, he’s intent on rescuing Buttercup from the clutches of the evil prince. To do so, he must overcome a series of obstacles, and he must take on the skills and strength of a master swordsman, Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and a massive giant, Fezzik (Andre the Giant). When the two men find out that the Dread Pirate Roberts is more than a match for their combined skills, they join him in his noble effort to rescue the princess bride, Buttercup. But Prince Humperdinck and his evil henchman (including a six-fingered man who may have killed Inigo Montoya’s father) stand in their way…

The Princess Bride plays host to a number of hilarious scenes, but among the best is a sword fight which takes place between Westley and Inigo Montoya atop a large cliff. The two men trash talk to each other in rested voices while a well-choreographed fencing match takes place. It simply needs to be seen in order to enjoy the level of hilarity. In addition, the late Andre the Giant shows off his abilities as a likeable and loveable big guy with a big heart. All the various characters and their conflicts are drawn together with an original score featuring organ music that highlights the climax of each struggle. It fits nicely with the overall fantasy theme and makes The Princess Bride a better film from every perspective…

Non-stop fun and laughter from beginning to end, The Princess Bride is one of the most memorable movies you’ll ever see. It’s easy to become involved in the plight of the lead characters, and the exotic Middle-Age fairy tale locale makes for an always interesting setting. The Princess Bride is the perfect family movie for parents to enjoy along with their children. It’s one of those rare films that’s more than able to walk the thin line between adult and child humor. Because of its brilliant screenplay and unrivaled comic value, The Princess Bride is a definite must-see film…

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a thedvdreport.blogspot.com movie review site where you can find more articles like this one of thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/princess-bride-dvd.html The Princess Bride (DVD) Review.

A Hiatus From Poker

Monday, January 29th, 2007

Do you feel burned out from playing poker day and night? Do you think about poker everyday? If you’re a recreational player, you may need to take a break. Why would you need a hiatus from poker? The reasons are endless.

First of all, the game can be mentally draining. If you are really a student of the game, you read books, articles and converse with fellow players about the game. You know your game can be fine tuned if you put in the time, yet at some point, you feel spent and need to recharge your poker battery. Being mentally sharp is an essential part of your game. Whether your in a hand or not, you should be taking mental notes about your play and your opponents. This constant flow of information can be demanding if you take your game seriously.

If your frustration level starts to impact your playing style, this is definitely a time to stop and walk away from the table. If your decision making is impaired it will impact the outcome of your game. Take some time off and do something completely removed from poker. The casino floor should not be your first choice. So let’s eliminate gambling all together. This would include watching poker on television. Poker is an indoor sport so I would recommend something that takes you outside and away from the people associated with poker. This is only a temporary hiatus.

You have to distance yourself from your poker friends and associates because you can talk endlessly about the game without playing an actual hand, and this is the cycle you want to break if only for a short time. This break in playing won’t hurt your game. It will help you in the long run. Even marathon runners don’t keep the same training schedule 365 days a year. Neither should poker players. If you run that poker marathon, you will hit the wall.

Another issue is the time spent playing poker. As a recreational player, this is not what you do for a living. Your time playing is an investment just like any professional player, but its not what pays the bills. Poker is a social game that provides entertainment and hopefully financial gain. Poker does not define you. You have family and friends outside the poker circle. You are involved in community service projects. You participate in sports or attend sporting events. Remember that person?

Last but not least is the physical aspect of the game. If you’re in a tournament, you can expect to sit for long periods of time. Yes, there is a break here and there, but it can be a long day in one position. Even government employees don’t spend that much time sitting in an average day. This is just a fact of the game. A hiatus will give you an opportunity to break from this cycle.

Obviously if your on a hot streak, your hiatus will be on hold, but at some point take a break. You deserve it. Poker is not going away. They thought it was a passing fad, but look around, were still here.

M Scandle is a regular contributer to a number of poker websites, including

Turn It Up: Plugging Into The Perfect Guitar And Amp Settings

Monday, January 29th, 2007

Yowza! Did you hear that hideous noise? It sounded like a combination of nails on a chalkboard, a cat in a dryer, and a baby wailing at the top of his lungs. Do you have any idea of what made that awful sound? As a long-time musician, I think I may have the answer for you. It’s a guitarist fiddling for the first time with his new amp.

Before I bought my first amp, I wouldn′t have thought that a human could produce such a horribly wretched sound. But, now I know better. In the process of finding the perfect settings for your guitar and amp, you are sure to discover all kinds of disagreeable screeches and squeals, shrieks and screams. And, believe it or not, these unpleasant and often other-worldly sounds are all part of the learning experience.

I’ve often been asked to give beginners online advice on how to dial in their amps and guitar settings. For a number of reasons, this is no easy task. As you know, the experience of sound is totally subjective. What I may like, you may not. This said, it’s hard to give definitive advice about guitar and amp settings.

So much is involved in getting the sound just right for your tastes-including the room you’re playing in, the gauge of your strings, the guitar you’re jamming on, and the type of amp itself. All of these come together to create a playground for experimentation: a place where you can twist this knob here and turn that knob there and, before you know it, you’re a musical stylist, an expert in designing the perfect sound.

I can, however, offer a few general tips that might help out as you begin playing with your amp.

Always start with your dials pointing to 12 o’clock and twist and turn from there. 12 o’clock will give you the baseline to work from and you can let your ears tell you what does and doesn′t work from there.

No matter how many other bells and whistles your amp has, you’re almost always looking at a four basic areas you’ll be most interested in learning how to manipulate:

Treble
Adjusting this setting will affect the amount of high end in your sound. If you go big with treble, you’ll end up with a very sharp and crisp sound. However, if you go too big, you’ll likely end up with a harsh sound.

Middle
The mids can be the most important setting to your overall sound. Adjusting these settings can really impact the overall character of your sound. Low settings can give you the classic rock-n-roll sound, while higher mids will take you down the honky-tonk, bluesy path. Play around with the mids to really see how much change you can create in your sound with the simple twist of a knob!

Bass
If you like that deep, booming sound, you’ll definitely want to go fat on your bass. On smaller amps, however, you might not be able to get the full effect of the bass simply because of their size. But, no matter how you like it, be sure to see how the bass and treble can work with one another to create your ideal sound.

EQ / Filter / Tone/ Contour
They’re called by different names on various amps, but they all do the basically the same thing: adjust all of your basic settings (e.g., treble, mids, and bass) with one knob. If you want to find out what the maker of your amp considers “correct” settings, play with these knobs to hear how your treble, mids, and bass all can work together for radically differing results.

If you’ve got a valve (tube) amp, be sure to:

always replace the whole set when even just one tube blows

never move your amp while it’s still hot

be extra careful that you line up he pins in each tube perfectly with their corresponding holes on the amp

To make sure you keep your amp in top condition, be sure to:

keep your amp in a dry location

always use the best quality leads (guitar, speaker, microphone, and effects)

always have your amp serviced by a capable technician

In the end, you have to know this one rule of amps: there is no right or wrong way to set it up. If you like what you hear, you’ve done a great job. If you don’t like what you hear, remember the settings and the sound and don’t dial those in again. Experiment, experiment, experiment and have fun!

Jon Butt is the publisher of the-musical-instruments-guide.com Musical Instruments Guide , a free resource dedicated to all things musical. From electric guitars to drum sets, tubas to bagpipes, and every musical accessory in-between, the the-musical-instruments-guide.com/guitars.html the-musical-instruments-guide.com/guitars.html Musical Instruments Guide is packed full of informative articles, find top-rated musical instruments and online merchants