As part of the PCC’s efforts on human trafficking, we’re talking with advocates and lawmakers about what is being done to address the issue. Today I’m sharing a series of sound bites from an interview I did with Christine Commerce from the Alliance to End Human Trafficking. https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1736783868848492574?s=20   https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1736796871337599054?s=20   https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1736818153110307184?s=20              

We talked with PA Senator Maria Collett about two bills to combat human trafficking. The PCC supports these measures. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Kt42YCggWSg8cSfu/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/81hHpExotYkCzhXr/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/pwQ7FQ6FNsH9toZA/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/drx1X9Wqukp77EwZ/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

Sarah Bowen of the Promise of Life Network crisis pregnancy center near Pittsburgh talked with me about the motivation behind the campaign by abortion advocates against the work these centers do, which is to provide women with support during an unplanned pregnancy. https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1703790777099235616?s=20   https://fb.watch/nccvJtmh6p/?mibextid=cr9u03  

Catholic adoption agencies across the state have been curtailing or stopping their work altogether as a result of a policy by the Wolf Administration that would take away a lot of their power to decide who would be the best parents for adoption. PA Rep. Dave Zimmerman (R-Lancaster) says there is still hope that a religious exemption will be granted by lawmakers for organizations. “A number of us in the House actually held up the budget because of a religious exemption, related to the Foster care and adoption,” Zimmerman told me in his Lancaster district office. Despite their determined efforts the Governor held firm and it was kept out. “They took the religious exemption out, which means an adoption agency would have to work with any type of family arrangements, whether it’s a man and wife, or an LGBT couple. They would have to work with all of those.” Zimmerman and several of his colleagues would like to see the exemption established. They have an agreement from House and Senate leadership to run bills in the fall to make that happen. “This is just one area. So the question is ‘what’s next?’” Zimmerman said. “I believe that our country and our state were established on religious liberty, religious freedom. We need to have these religious exemptions available to business and family throughout our state. It’s very important.” Zimmerman said another issue that drew debate in the last session was the compulsory age for education. The current law requires children between the ages of eight and 17 to be in school. But new regulations installed in one of the budget codes would expand that from six to 18. Zimmerman was one of the lawmakers who opposed the change. “There are a lot of issues with that,” he said. “Some children are just not ready at six. What about someone who graduates early? What about—in our district—the Plain community that gets work permits at 15?  None of that has been really addressed at this point, so there are some real concerns about the compulsory age.” The age change was something that was being pushed by the Governor, Zimmerman said. Even though it was placed in the budget, he says there will be an effort in the fall to get the change modified. ‘I also look at it as a liberties issue,” Zimmerman added. “The parents can probably make a better decision on their children than government.” Zimmerman remains very committed to pro-life issues. He voted for the Down Syndrome Protection Act and has signed on as a co-sponsor to Rep. Stephanie Borowicz’s (R-Centre, Clinton) “heartbeat” abortion bill, which he hopes to see introduced in the fall.

Time for an update on doulas, a topic we addressed last year in our 9-month long series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues. Today we talk again with our doula expert Amy Wilt and check on legislation that has been proposed in Harrisburg to have insurance cover doula services. pic.twitter.com/Cbmwbnb9FG — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) August 8, 2023

Professor Zhu Feida The global personal data economy is growing faster than anyone could have imagined. The current business model for data is broken – for individual users and businesses alike. On one hand, users don not have enough control over their own data, such as what data is collected and how the data is used. That challenges their privacy. Users are also not fairly rewarded for their data. On the other hand, while most businesses see the value of customer data, the data they have is fragmented and incomplete. That results in blurry customer profiles, inaccurate insights and poor recommendations. Furthermore, it is difficult for businesses to connect with their customers in a personalised way and track the effectiveness of the connection. In this podcast, Associate Professor Zhu Feida from SMU School of Information Systems shares his research on a next-generation, blockchain-based platform named Symphony. The platform seeks to empower a personal data economy by democratising and personalising data intelligence, with privacy by design.

On 30 July, AGU and its coalition partners in Friends of NOAA sent a letter to Senator Ed Markey’s office (D-MA) endorsing the Forecasting Optimization for Robust Earth Climate Analysis and Subseasonal to Seasonal (FORECASTS) Tracking Act of 2024. This legislation continues to progress the work done by Congress in the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 by providing funding for essential activities at the National Oceanic and …

The post AGU endorses the FORECASTS Tracking Act appeared first on The Bridge: Connecting Science and Policy.

To date, that program has kept over 500,000 coffee pods and capsules out of landfills, and more than $10,000 has been raised for charities. 

The new UV offset litho metal decoration coating from DataLase is designed for use on offset litho presses equipped with UV curing units.

Bag-in-box applications may have had a negative association to them some years back but that just isn’t the case anymore. More wines (and premium ones at that) are rolling out in this classic format for many reasons.

At 10 a.m. do you wander into the kitchen or break room, or reach into your desk drawer for snack?

In the newly created position, King is responsible for overseeing and leading the brand’s sales efforts.

In this episode with Chirag Sheth, Global Business Unit Manager at Videojet, we discuss coding and marking options for cannabis packaging.

Brand continues sustainability mission with specialty bottle timed to release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated motion picture.

In this interview, Marian Leitner-Waldman of Archer Roose explains the many advantages of canned packaging for wine.

It’s no secret that 2020 has been a year like no other. As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe, Americans had to adjust to a new reality: wearing masks, social distancing and staying home as much as possible. 

Restel, a Finnish restaurant and catering company, kicks off a pilot with reusable cups made of biobased and recyclable Sulapac® material in selected restaurants, including two Burger King outlets.

Catena Solutions helped a global snack food company render its repack operations less costly and more efficient.

Upon completion of the transaction, Kellanova will become part of Mars Snacking, led by Global President Andrew Clarke and headquartered in Chicago, allowing Mars to bring even more beloved brands to more consumers globally.

Robotics and automation are changing the cartoning and case-packing landscape by providing faster packaging, taking up less space, improving workplace safety, and freeing up employees for other tasks.

The ACP-722 RRP offers one of the smallest footprints currently available, being up to 50% smaller than equivalent casepacker models.

Prior to purchasing the pair of SOMIC case packing systems, Once Upon a Farm’s co-packers used manual labor to handle the products.

Working with an expert fabricator and integrator flexible enough to customize can help meet requirements while expediting completion.

Thanks to a modular machine system, a complex classic dessert is packaged with accuracy and speed.

In a recent video, Domino, a leading manufacturer and distributor of digital printing and product identification solutions, caught up with Label King to learn more about the company, their vetting process for adding digital printing, and the impact digital has had on their business. 

We know from talking to hundreds of music teachers over the years that students' practicing habits are always a point of discussion. We've seen parents fall into a whole range of attitudes. Here are a few that we've seen.

The USDCAD moved higher in the Asian session and extended above the highs over the last few weeks between 1.3945 and 1.3958. The high price extended to 1.39664 but fell short of the 2022 high which came in at 1.3977.

The inability to move higher turn the buyers to sellers, and the price has rotated back down toward the close from yesterday's trade where buyers have stalled the fall.

On the downside, the next major target comes against the rising 100 and 200 hour moving averages between 1.3908 and 1.3911. It would take a move below that area to increase the bearish bias with the 100 bar moving average on a four hour chart the next downside target at 1.38868.

On the top side, getting back above 1.3945 and 1.3958 would have traders looking again toward the 2022 high at 1.3977. Get above that level opens the door for further upside potential.

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

USDCAD Summary

The USDCAD rose in the Asian session, approaching 2022 highs.

Key Points:

1. Broke above recent highs (1.3945-1.3958).

2. Reached 1.39664, shy of 2022 high (1.3977).

3. Buyers turned sellers, and the price fell.

Outlook:

Bullish Scenario

Move above 1.3945, 1.3958, and 1.3977 confirms further upside.

Bearish Scenario

Break below 1.3908-1.3911 (100/200-hour MA) and 1.38868 (100-bar MA) increases bearish bias.

Levels to Watch:

• Resistance: 1.3945, 1.3958, 1.3977

• Support: 1.3908, 1.3911, 1.38868

Midnight Evergreen Technologies, Inc. (Midnight) dares to reimagine the role of an AA game publisher, with a mission to fundamentally reshape how we play together. Midnight is building The Evergreen, the first (of-its-kind) publishing platform designed as a deconstructed, composable MMORPG, delivering immersive, cross-genre experiences that seamlessly span across various platforms, pushing the boundaries of how games are played and enjoyed.

The Evergreen fuses enduring player progression with constantly evolving gameplay, creating an interconnected arcade of games that offer the reach, engagement, and monetization of a traditional MMO—without the risks of a single theme, game narrative, or prolonged production cycles.

Midnight proudly announces the launch of the first of its 26 planned core games in this Deconstructed MMO: The Evergreen: Midnight Market. Set to release on Web, Mobile, and Telegram, and built in partnership with Aptos Foundation, Midnight Market is a daring game of risk and reward where every spin teeters between fortune and mischief. Combining the thrill of crypto gaming with the reliability and scalability of Aptos' Layer 1 blockchain, Midnight Market sets a new standard for decentralized gaming.

Players will find themselves in a high-stakes world of chance, crafting items, earning tokens, and navigating encounters with the elusive Night Pig. How far will you push your luck in pursuit of the ultimate prize?

“Our partnership with Aptos Foundation marks a significant tipping point,” said Steve Wade, Founder & CEO of Midnight. “Aptos’ innovative Web3 infrastructure aligns perfectly with our strategy to focus on player participation in the ecosystems they engage with. Specifically, we’ve solved for interoperability between games, and Aptos makes that solution a reality.” Wade further explained, “We believe in the creator economy and see Web3 as the next logical step—empowering individuals and communities to shape the ecosystems they interact with. With Aptos, we envision a world where players’ stories matter and endure long after the game is over.”

Key Features of The Evergreen: Midnight Market

• Engaging, Unpredictable Gameplay: Players experience unpredictable rewards or unexpected encounters, with every spin holding the potential for either fortune or a surprise interaction with the Night Pig. This element of suspense enhances the gameplay experience with an entertaining, high-stakes twist.
• Decisive Risk-Reward Mechanics: With each turn, players must choose between pushing their luck for higher rewards or banking their earnings. This gameplay design adds strategic depth, enhancing engagement through meaningful player choices.
• Aptos Powered Player Economy: Midnight Market features a blockchain-powered economy, enabling players to craft items known as Keys and earn tickets that can be redeemed for the native ecosystem token or other exclusive merchandise. This player-driven system ensures that every reward has tangible value, heightening the stakes and making the game’s risk-reward mechanics even more impactful.

The game is the first major title to utilize the Aptos high-throughput blockchain, which boasts low latency and high transaction speeds, creating a seamless gaming environment for thousands of players worldwide.

“Powered by the speed and security of the Aptos blockchain, we’re excited to see Midnight’s ambitious vision for The Evergreen brought to life,” said Bashar Lazaar, Head of Grants and Ecosystem at Aptos Foundation. “Players can expect an immersive, genre-spanning experience where every move shapes their unique journey, and the time they spend leaves lasting echoes within the game’s universe and control over the assets they acquire. This isn’t just a step into the future of Web3 gaming—it’s a bold leap forward, placing players at the heart of a dynamic ecosystem, where every moment they choose to spend has a meaningful impact on the worlds they explore".

The Evergreen: Midnight Market is in closed beta now and available to players globally November 13th.

About Aptos Foundation

Aptos Foundation is dedicated to supporting the development of the Aptos protocol, decentralized network and ecosystem and driving engagement with the Aptos ecosystem. By unlocking a blockchain with seamless usability, Aptos Foundation aims to bring the benefits of decentralization to the masses.

About Aptos Network

Aptos is a next-generation Layer 1 blockchain. Aptos’ breakthrough technology and programming language, Move, are designed to evolve, improve performance and strengthen user safeguards.

About Midnight

Midnight (https://www.midnight.io/) is at the forefront of innovation with The Evergreen, the first-ever publishing platform that operates as a deconstructed, composable MMORPG. Players engage with and explore diverse, interconnected game worlds, all linked by The Evergreen, a dynamic nexus that binds these unique experiences together. Each game is its own universe, offering new adventures while feeding into a broader progression system. By combining immersive gameplay with a shared economy and evolving narratives, Midnight is reshaping how players discover and interact with new worlds across genres and platforms.

Since its founding in 2004, Dukascopy has grown into a trusted, innovative leader in the fintech and online trading space, providing clients with advanced tools and a stable platform for smart financial decisions.

Over the past 20 years, Dukascopy has reached major milestones that reflect its core values of stability, innovation, and putting clients first. From its proprietary JForex platform to the popular MT4 and MT5, Dukascopy offers a variety of trading platforms along with modern neo-banking services for both individuals, businesses, and institutions. The bank has also led the way in technology upgrades with White Label and banking-as-a-platform solutions.

As Dr.Andre Duka, Dukascopy’s founder, says, "Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do. We aim to continue delivering these high standards into the future. Thank you, our clients, for choosing us for these 20 years."

Currently, Dukascopy (https://dukascopy.click/agw) proudly serves over 400,000 clients across both trading and banking services. This commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions, backed by Swiss-grade stability, has allowed the company to maintain long-term relationships with clients, many of whom have been trading and banking with Dukascopy for decades.

As the company looks toward the future, Dukascopy remains focused on empowering traders and banking clients, expecting significant growth of its client base across all segments, from trading to neo-banking, corporate to white-label services.

0945 GMT / 0445 US Eastern time - Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann is a panellist on the Female Central Bankers panel organised by BNP Paribas’ Global Markets

*

The Bank of England cut last week

• Forexlive Americas FX news wrap 7 Nov: FOMC/BOE cuts by 25 basis points

Expectations are for slower cuts ahead:

• More gradual Bank of England rate cuts = support for GBP

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Given broadcasters' integral role in educating the public on COVID-19 and vaccine deployment, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has joined the COVID Collaborative, a national assembly of experts and organizations working on unified action against the COVID-19 pandemic. NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith will serve on the Collaborative’s National Advisory Council.

Washington, D.C. -- The 2022 NAB Show, April 23–27, will feature distinct destinations focused on three main pillars associated with the content lifecycle. Designated “Create,” “Connect” and “Capitalize,” and situated throughout the North Hall, Central Hall and new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, each area offers renewed opportunities for learning, discovery and engagement.

Washington, D.C. – Leadership changes were announced today for two key working groups of the National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC), a technical standards-setting body co-sponsored by National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). 

Washington, D.C. – Stephen J. Dubner and Dr. Steven Levitt, co-authors of the “Freakonomics” book series and podcast hosts on the Freakonomics Radio Network, will keynote NAB Show’s closing session, “Why the Media & Entertainment Industry Should Think Like a Freak” on Wednesday, April 27 on the NAB Main Stage. NAB Show will be held April 23-27 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Washington, D.C. – The 2022 NAB Show will feature NABiQ, a new networking series focused on innovation. Taking place April 23 – 27, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nev., each NABiQ challenge will relate to NAB Show’s content pillars: Create, Connect and Capitalize.

Washington, D.C. – A strong lineup of keynote sessions, insightful conversations and award ceremonies is confirmed for NAB Show New York’s Content Theater. Located within the Experiential Zone on the show floor, the Content Theater will serve as the event’s main hub for collaboration and education October 19-20, 2022 at the Javits Center.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- NAB filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today supporting the challenge by Standard General, TEGNA and CMB Media Group to the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to designate their transaction for an administrative hearing. This decision was made by career FCC staff nearly a year after the applications were filed and on bases entirely outside the Commission’s jurisdiction. The decision unlawfully threatens future investment in local broadcast stations and harms the public.

Washington, D.C. – In response to Meta blocking news on Facebook and Instagram for Canadian users after the passage of Canada’s Online News Act, the following joint statement can be attributed to NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt and CAB President Kevin Desjardins:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – NAB Show New York is proud to introduce the new Broadcast Content Summit, offering customized tracks for television and radio. Produced by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), this exclusive conference scheduled for Thursday, October 26, is tailored for content creators, programmers, talent and station managers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – NAB Show New York will shine a spotlight on creativity, innovation and collaboration, announcing the winner and full contest review of “Empire State of Mind presented by Bamboo.” This first-of-its-kind photo contest is seeking the next great photographer for a chance to direct a photoshoot on the streets of New York City with social media influencer and expert strategist Avori Henderson, shoot her next merch drop, speak at NAB Show New York and win $4000.

Washington, D.C.— The future of the film industry is more democratic. That’s the idea behind a Main Stage panel discussion at the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The team behind “Holy Smokes,” the winner of the Decentralized Pictures Kevin Smith Comedy Short Film Screenplay Award, will dive into the challenges aspiring filmmakers face and explore the groundbreaking shift towards audience-driven filmmaking. The panel features Decentralized Pictures (DCP) Co-founder Roman Coppola (“Moonrise Kingdom,” “The French Dispatch,” and “Darjeeling Limited”), and Actor Mena Suvari (“American Beauty,” “American Pie,” HBO’s “Six Feet Under”), followed by a screening of “Holy Smokes.”

Washington – NAB Show launches exciting new content open to all attendees that pulls back the curtain on Hollywood. This series includes insightful presentations, interviews and discussions led by industry veterans, providing valuable knowledge on various aspects of filmmaking for a deeper understanding of the content creation process.

Washington, D.C.— From creative collaboration to game-changing AI technology in sports, media and entertainment and sustainability to delivering premium experiences on the smallest to largest screens, thought leaders in the broadcast, media and entertainment industries will lead deep-dive conversations into the future of content, connection and monetization strategies.

Washington, DC — From early-stage startups and edge-of-the-art media technologies to industry powerhouses debuting boundary-pushing products and technologies, a dynamic roster of nearly 1,300 exhibitors will present the forefront of innovation at the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 13-17 (Exhibits April 14-17). With 65,000-70,000 attendees from 160 countries and 575 international exhibitors from 41 countries, NAB Show is the world’s largest marketplace featuring advanced technologies and solutions from the latest gear to generative AI to ATSC 3.0 and beyond, exploring the impact of the newest tech on storytelling, business models and society as a whole.

Can you believe that the most unlikely of heroes actually saved that day? I should add this guy to my ongoing series of personal guitar heroes. So who is the mystery man? Well, he's not that big of a mystery!


Chris Llewellyn who is the guitarist for the hip hop artist Asher Roth was on a plane Wednesday that was headed for Los Angeles, when a bit of a ruckus broke out. Apparently a very disgruntled man had all he could take, and shoved a stewardess to the ground. It didn't stop their, as the man claimed to have a bomb, and rushed to the exit door, making an attempt to open it in mid flight. Llewellyn heard the commotion, saw what was going on, and acted.

The 26 year old guitar player tackled the disturbed Delta passenger, and with the help of several other passengers, restrained the man until the plane could safely land. Soon after the man was taken into custody, and no bomb was found on the plane, but thanks to the efforts of Chris and other passengers aboard the Delta plane, any other troubles were quickly avoided. However, the man was not restrained in a perfect scenario. Chris told the Los Angeles Times that everyone was struggling to keep the man pinned, because he was acting insane.

Talk about a hero!

Its almost like there are two worlds in guitar playing. You have the guitarists
who like to use a flat pick, and then you've got the guitar maestros who use
a strict finger picking technique.

Getting the dexterity down for acoustic guitar finger picking can be a bit
of a hassle, and it almost seems as though the fingers don't want to budge.
With some simple exercises, the obstacle can be removed from the road.

Before we continue to explore finger picking, we first need to establish something. In the classical guitar world, where plucking the strings with the fingers is quite common, there is a labeling of the fingers. The labeling is simple, and knowing it will help you to guide yourself when you start working with these passages.

P = Thumb
I = Index finger
M = Middle finger
A = Ring finger



The abbreviations come from the Spanish words of Pulgar, Indicio, Medio, and Anular, and its a very easy system to work with.

By the way, one of the best beginning guitar books has always been
Frederick Noad's First book for the guitar

I even have it in my collection, and it helped me get started with classical technique.

Now that we know that the fingers are labeled as P,I,M, and A, we can apply this identification tool to simple guitar tab.

For this lesson we're going to simply focus on getting our fingers warmed up
with some simple plucking, using P and M for the chords and I for the single
notes. This is also a similar approach to the Beatles song Black Bird.



A word of advice. The key thing here is to take your time, because you want to
put your focus on syncing up the chord changes with the picking. I know that
seems obvious, but the plucking helps to keep a really good rhythm.

Stay tuned, because in the next lesson I'll show you how to put a little more "pep" in it ;)

So in the last guitar finger picking lesson, we learned about the finger labeling system of PIMA. Remember, it was P = thumb, I = index finger, M = middle finger, and A = Ring finger. If you need to, you might want to check out the last finger picking lesson, because this lesson will be an expansion of the piece that we were working on previously.

In the last lesson we were making use of the thumb and middle finger to pluck simple two note chords with, while using the index finger to insert some single note action, which helped to keep a good rhythm and produce a nice melody.

In this lesson we're taking it a step further, by not really doing much more with
the piece.

We're going to divide our chords up a little differently, and add more single note finger picking. By doing this, it will sound a little fancier and have a better rhythm structure. This produces a more interesting appeal, because the arrangement gives us a bass line as well, creating the effect that there are two different guitar layers happening at once, and yet - oh my gosh! its only one guitar player!!

Oh yeah, notice the last note where I goofed and had to erase it later and replace it with the correct note - sorry about that guys. Enjoy.

When I first started getting into recording my own music, I tried every way to find the best free solutions in recording software. I can remember like yesterday, scouring the internet for the most mediocre of recording programs. I would download and use them, but still the results were always limited, and probably because of the times. Now why did I choose to do this? well the reason back then was because I didn't know anything about recording my music, and especially not by way of direct, digital methods, so I didn't want to waste any money at this time.

I can now honestly say that I am a proud owner of Ableton Live, which I use religiously, and would recommend to absolutely anyone. However, the program is a little pricey AND it requires months of experimentation just to get the basics down. Is this recording program worth all the money and effort? yes it is, but a lot of people want something that they can use immediately, without having to spend hundreds of hours devoting their time to reading through training manuals, and investing just as much time by way of trial and error.

I recently found a great solution to this problem. Though this is a guitar
instructional blog, I have no problem talking about recording software or anything related, because recording your own music also benefits the expansion of learning and recording musical art, well....duh!

There is a beat creation program that is now available called Sonic Producer. This beats program, mainly assists a musician in creating music of a hip hop or rap flavor, which you would think would only benefit those who are interested in hip hop music or similar styles. I beg to differ.

I have a drum set, yet I do not have the space, amount of mics, equipment, nor acoustic set up to facilitate the process of recording live drums. This is great if you have a drummer to work with, but if you are an independent guitar player such as myself, and you want an easy solution, then a recording program like Sonic Producer is the way to go.

I do have Ableton Live which is in my opinion the most phenomenal recording program ever to grace the face of the planet, and is pretty much the cream of the crop for beats, but I know that it isn't the cheapest solution. With the release of Sonic Producer, I can seriously say that this is the cheapest solution for creating backing tracks to compose to or jam over that I have ever seen. Sonic Producer contains thousands of samples to work off of, and if you are more traditional, you don't just have to work with new age hip hop beat sounds. Yes, it can deliver exactly what you want, no matter what your style is. Its 30 bucks!!! my God!!

I can't believe this, because anything of this high caliber is always in the multi-hundred dollar price range. I'm really thrilled, because though it can't do what a program such as Reason or Ableton can do, it isn't that far away from the quality of these programs.

I look at it this way, and from the perspective of a mainly lead guitar player - the drums and bass are the bones of the song, and the rhythm guitar is the meat. What's the candy of this operation? lead guitar of course! It doesn't matter what your deal is, you gotta have the bones to make this music thing work. Sure, you can turn the bones into the candy of your masterpiece, but you still gotta have 'em!

There is nothing tastier than creating raw beats to either practice guitar over, or to recording with. How do you think I practice or find inspiration? I gotta have beats and bass!! with my recording program, it takes me five minutes to get a good, basic backing track down. Sometimes I just practice over a set of drum beats, but a lot of times it amounts to a complete song.

I also like the fact that Sonic Producer is so easy to use, and it the necessity of it easily fits in with other plugins or bits of recording software.

If you feel that rhythmic backing tracks are what is lacking in your arsenal, then definitely check out Sonic Producer.

Its typical for any guitar player to want to isolate techniques and work on each one separate from another. For instance, we tend to work on sweep picking, and then when we're finished doing that we'll move on to something like alternate picking. Here's the rub - most professional sounding guitar players will combine such techniques. There are two strong reasons for this. One, it makes playing the advanced stuff on the guitar easier, and two, it gives a guitar player more room for expression.

So in this lesson we're going to work with an outstanding exercise that I use to warm up with personally, that combines two techniques. What are they? alternate picking and economy picking, but with more focus on alternate picking.

One more thing before we get started - I truly believe in the power of limiting yourself to working with just two exercises per technique. One big and one small, and I'll show you exactly how we're going to do that. We're going to build a small exercise, and then gradually turn it into our larger exercise.

Watch the video, then consult the tab.