Mobius MegaBlog

Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo! Check it out!

Oh, no wait. That’s not my style. I’m way too distinguished to be talking that way.

That’s right. Pirate talk is better for Traktor.

Yo, ho, ho, ho, ho! Arrrgh! Matey, be sharp and keep a sea-eye out. Rumor be that-

Oh, never mind.

New Megatar Touchstyle Podcast

Let’s just say that we have a new Podcast Channel on the Mobius Megatar website. You should see the little blue button on the upper right on the main website.

The Podcast Channel will have more and more songs and videos, including –

• Performance Videos from two-handed Mega-Tappers around the world
• How-To Videos on subjects of interest to touchstyle players
• Songs showing off two-handed touchstyle play
• Interviews with touchstyle musicians

Please join us on the Megatar Touchstyle Podcast.

Also available through the Apple iTunes system.

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Those who receive the free MegaTapper Newsletter know that we’ve been working on video systems for a couple of months now — specifically videos about guitars and tapping instruments — and it’s starting to pay off.

IF YOU WANT MORE TAPPING VIDEOS …

Then we need to see your comments, votes, and ideas below in a comment you add to this post, if you please, thank you very much!

We did a little survey, and folks taking the survey said that generally they find getting new music info, two-handed tapping info, and general guitar info in the form of VIDEO to be the easiest to use.

Good enough.

Video it is.

A LIST FOR NEW VIDEOS. PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT

Here is a small (and incomplete) list of subjects that might be useful, taken from the list of questions that people frequently ask when they call us …

• • Where can I test-play a tapping instrument?
  • What amps work best for two-handed touchstyle?
  • Twelve strings versus 8 strings?
  • Bassbottom versus inverted fifths
  • Mirror fourths versus parallel fourths
  • Crossed and uncrossed
  • Strengths and Weaknesses of BassBottom and Inverted-Fifths tunings?
  • How does the differing construction of tapping instruments affect the sound?
  • Can you make a left handed tapping instrument?
  • Can you make a straight tuning across all twelve strings?

And here are some questions that people don’t ask (but they should!) …

• • Can a MIDI pickup track bass strings?
  • How easy/difficult is it to play MIDI on a tapping instrument?
  • How is a Roland modeller different from MIDI gear?
  • What does the Screaming-Ghost piezo system sound like?
  • What’s the difference in sound of active-circuits? Why?
  • How does posture and positioning affect your music and the health of your hands and wrists?
  • What’s the easiest way to begin learning?
  • What is the simplest Basic Hand Orientation?
  • Fretboard Mapping – Where are the notes?
  • What’s with big dots on Stick, or double-dots on Megatar?
  • Best Way to tune up?
  • How does Buzz Feiten Intonation System work?
  • How do fanned frets work to give better tone?
  • How to do setup and adjust intonation?
  • How is the sound and tone changed by picking versus tapping, the wood, the type of pickup?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

Surely we can never do *all* of these, and maybe some are of little interest, and maybe others are of GREAT interest to people. You can help guide us.

Please add a comment below and tell us which ones you’d most like to see explained and demonstrated in a video.

Then add any additional ideas that you may have.

Just to make sure we’re not wasting our time making these videos, we’d like to see some activity and participation in the comments, please.

Thank you very much for adding your comments below!

It’s surprising how often people ask, “Where are you?”

Perhaps a tapping-guitar factory on the slopes of a volcano way up in Northern California is somehow unusual … and to answer that question more fully, here’s a view of the local scenery …

Mobius Megatar announces … the “Holiday Cheer Touchstyle Club“.

This promotional offer gives hundreds of dollars of discounts on Mobius instruments, between November 15, and December 31 of 2008.

All Mobius Megatar instruments have huge savings available, from the simple Eclipse to the astounding Hammer of Thor.

MaxTappers, ToneWeavers, Storms, Dragons, MidiTappers, PiezoTappers, and customizing to your hearts content, huge discounts available on all instruments and configurations … if you act quickly.

Very probably, you will also find the Holiday Cheer page entertaining, and informative. The posted information shows you how to save money three ways, plus free gifts just for signing up. No obligation, no cost. It’s like free money.

LIMITED TIME

>>> This limited time offer ends New Years Eve at Midnight.  <<<

HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN DISCOUNTS

Hundreds of dollars of discounts are available on all Mobius instruments, free $90 factory-installed edgedots will be given to the first ten who claim these prizes, and there are also free gifts just for signing up in the club.

FREE GIFTS JUST FOR SIGNING UP …

http://megatar.com/promo/holiday-cheer/

But please remember, limited offer ends Midnight December 31, 2008.

———-

PS: For a bit of fun, go over to Tappistry.Org, and describe what the page looks like when it first appears in your browser … To see the Tappistry.Org discussion thread, please CLICK HERE.

After a few people have looked and then posted there, you’ll see what I mean …

We’ve got the walls complete, and painted!

Now it’s time to start putting Megatar-Building stuff in the new shop …

(1) The Big Room — Where Megatars will get built:

(2) Beginning to set things up — the Shipping Station:

(3) Spray Booth, with Exhaust Filters:

(4) The Computer Cutting Room — It’s Alive!

(5) Computer-Cutting Machine #1:

(6) Megatars emerge from the wood …

(7) Mission Control (the Communications Office):

The Communications Office is functional, computers and network online.

The spray booth is tested and working, and giving us better finishes than ever before, and we’ve been able to use an environmentally-friendly finish with less toxic fumes (for us and for you!).

The first computer cutting machine is installed and making new Megatars already.

We’ve got lots of work yet to do installing more lighting, building more shelving, and tweaking the workspace. But first …

Next week, tons of tools and parts and assembly benches show up.

Stay tuned. More to follow.

We’ve been wanting more walls, and so …

(1) Creating the Computer-Cutting Room:

(2) The Communications Office, down there at the far end …

(3) Glenn and Jesse measure twice, cut once:

(4) The Big Room — Where the Megatars get built.

(5) Peeking into the Communications Office from the Big Room:

(6) Jesse builds a Spray Booth …

(7) Jesse measuring and cutting:

(8) and still … watching out for cats:

It’s got rooms now, so painting them will be next.

Stay tuned. More to follow.

After a successful event last year, the German Tap-Event continues —

The “Ars TapGuitar 2007″ is an international Tap-Guitar-Festival in Germany, organized by the Neue Akademie Braunschweig, and taking place on October 20th, 2007 in Braunschweig, Germany.

On the preceeding Thursday, October 18th, there will be on Introductory Event, a lecture with the topic: “The Musical Possibilities of the Tapguitar”

Executive tapartists of the Concert Event on 20. October will be Adam Fulara solo, André Pelat Trio, Jim Lampi-Duo and Mathias Sorof Projects. One goal of this event is to bring the music ,created with tapping, to a broad audience.

The event is supported by the following organizations:Kulturinstitut der Stadt Braunschweig,
the Stiftung (Donation) Braunschweigischer Kulturbesitz, and the Niedersächsische Lottostiftung (Lottodonation).

A DVD of last year’s event, “Ars TapGuitar 2006,” is available now.

For details please visit the festival homepage, at http://www.ars-tapguitar.de

The walls have been begging for attention, and so …

(1) Insulation guys check the work order:

(2) Insulation installation … all tidy!

(3) Shiny stuff to keep the roof real cool, man:

(4) Whoah! Mongo insulation!

(5) Walls covered, Jesse Senior and Bob put stuff away:

(6) A toast to the new walls:

(7) And watching out for cats:

It begins to resemble a shop.

Stay tuned. More to follow.

The Painting Team has arrived –

(1) Glenn and Jesse on the job:

(2) Jesse sprays low:

(3) Jesse sprays high:

(4) Ann paints the trim:

(5) Pretty in the front:

(6) Pretty at the back:

(7) Pretty big loading dock:

(8) Here comes power!

(9) Mongo-big new panel:

(10) Old soldier, cast aside:

The outside nears completion.

The inside comes next.

And, soon, Megatars come rolling out!

Stay tuned. More to follow.

The roof and walls are done, so now we make it functional –

(1) The Loading Dock door, from outside:

(2) And from inside:

(3) Finding the pipes:

(4) Pipes around the corner!

(5) Bernadette will help!

(6) Pipes marching toward the shop:

(7) Glenn’s little shovel:

(8) Glenn’s big shovel:

(9) The artist at work:

It’s fun watching Glenn finesse that big yellow fellow around!

Next week: Electricity.

Stay tuned. More to follow.