Product Review: Marshall Headphones Minor

This product review is on a name most associated with legendary guitar amps, Marshall. Everyone in music knows the name and every guitar player has wanted an amp that was a Marshall. Nothing has more balls than a Marshall stack! This is not a stack I am reviewing, it is headphones. Headphones?????? I did a double take too when I saw them come in at Rock Bottom Music. I got a pair and have tried them out for 2 weeks now and I have to say I love them. They have uses that go past just a musicians use. They are good for the average person for alot of their uses. Lets get into what they are and what I discovered over these past two weeks.

There are two kinds of Marshall headphones. The first kind are kinda big like old school 70's headphones. They are called "Major". The next kind, the kind I had, are called the "Minor." The first thing you notice when you get the box they come in and open it , they are set in there and pop up like your are getting some expensive jewelry from Windsor jeweler or something. The box is sturdy as can be too and can be used for storage after removing the headphones for guitar slides or picks. The minors are more like the ear buds you see today. These ones look like amp knobs from a Marshall amp on the outside. They also have an "ear click" system that secures the in ear piece to your ear. These things click in your ear in the direct part above your sound hole are. These ear click thingys come in small, medium, large and extra large sizes to fit any size ear and provide maximum comfort. They come loaded with mediums right out the box and are easily changed by just pulling off and putting what ever size you want on. These things make the in ear system feel really good in your ears. Most in ear or ear buds make my ear raw and make my ear hurt. These don't. I can wear them for hours on end and have them feel awesome. The box also has this thing called neutral stereo plug adapter. You hook it to you headphone end when using the headphones on an older listening device that is not compatible with today's technology. Example: an old cassette walkman.
These things are very good to use with amps like the new marshall and fender's that have that headphone jack so that you can play and not disturb anyone. I used these headphones with the Fender Mustang and they sounded great! I actually experienced alot of the effects the amp has to offer better with the headphones. The delays and reverb sounded huge and you could hear the delay go on longer and better than with just the speaker. I also used the headphones on my cell phone to listen to music. I tried these out on every type of music. Marilyn Manson sounded mean and in your face. Dr Dre and Snoop Dog had the bass and hi hat boomin on "still d.r.e.". I listened to Korn and when that low end came in my head shook from the bass. I had never had an in ear system make my head feel like i could feel the bass (granted i had it cranked!!!!). Listening to some jazz, Joe Pass, every note was clear and articulate. These things make music sound great. Listening to Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon.....forget about it. That album was meant for headphones like these. Headphones where it sounds like the music surrounds you. Like you are inside the music player. Every effect that is super psychedelic shines. The lows , mids and highs, they all come through like you would want in a set of ear phones. What is cool about these is by the clip to attach the phones to you there is a "remote" thing. This thing lets you stop , play, fast forward or rewind the tracks you are listening too. While i was listening on a Black Berry Curve I could get the stop and play feature to work I could not get the rewind/fast forward to work. I am sure it will work on a Driod, Ipod, Iphone or any other listening device, Black berrys just suck. This headphone also lets you use it on your cell phone to take and make calls. I was happy with how it sounded making calls. Clear as a bell. Makes driving and talking on the phone safer too. It is also as clear as any blue tooth device I have used too. The button that let you play/stop/ff/rewind when listening to music lets you mute your sound receiver when talking. The person cant hear you but you can hear them. It also shows up on your phone with a "muted" sign so that you can see that it is muted. The last thing I used these head phones with, it is also what got the most use for, was listening to talk radio. I listen to Howard Stern hours and hours a day. It made listening awesome. Howard's voice, Robin's voice, they both sounded like they were right next to me. When Fred hit a sound effect it was like he was sitting right beside me. Killer.

These Marshall Minor Headphones have a ton of uses. If it's making a call on your cell phone, listening to your Ipod, jammin on your amp or listening to your favorite talk show these things rule. Marshall is a name made of quality and so is this product. I am sold on them now. While they cost around $59.99 they are worth every single penny. The sound quality is second to none and they are incredibly comfortable. They sound like a $300 set of headphones. They have that cool timeless always in style Marshall look too. Do your self a major favor and get yourself a set of Marshall Minor in ear phones.

What Cha Doing? With Will Setzke

This is a new on going section of the blog called "What Cha Doing?" It will focus on a student, past or present, and show off some of their skills or just what they have been up to. This first piece is on long time student, former student spotlight and Davidson Fine Arts student Alex Cooke, A.K.A. Will Stezke. He has been a song writing machine for a while now and if you remember back to the first article I wrote for the new year I challenged students to set a goal for themselves in the new year to push themselves and get better. Alex or Will Setzke, got a challenge from me to write a song a week for a month. He upped it to a song a week for a year. This has been done by a few people i know and have read about. Most notably former local musician Will McCranie. I challenged Alex/Will Setzke after he came into lessons last week with two songs he blew me away with. I really liked the 2 new songs so much I wanted to hear more. So here he is . Mr. Will Setzke. Here is what he has been doing....................

here is a link to see mr will setzke in action. make sure you watch the video. he kills it!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05C9WbabxXg&feature=youtu.be

Student Spotlight: Taylor Temples

This "Student Spotlight" is another one of the amazing jammers coming from North Augusta Middle School. He is 13 year old 8th grader Taylor Temples. He started playing guitar around 4 years ago, quit for 3 years and started back up. He started his lessons with me 9 months ago. He has been hooked and a daily guitar player ever since! Taylor wanted to play guitar because of his love for rock music and he thought it would be cool to hear a song and go " I can play that!" He doesn't come from too much of a musical family. He has a cousin and an uncle who have dabbled in guitar and a little cousin who has started singing. Taylor's favorite guitar player is Jimi Hendrix. The reason why? He told me " Really????? It's Hendrix. Do you really need a reason why he is awesome? Come On." I laughed my butt off when he said that and could do nothing but agree with him! If he could play guitar in any band in history it would be a tough choice between two bands, Motley Crue or Guns and Roses. I asked Taylor if he could play anywhere in the world, where would it be? He said at the top of the Empire State Building. He would take speaker cabinets and line all the outside walls with them with the speakers pointing out and just sit there on the top of it jammin. Very, Very cool. Taylor would like to possibly go to school for music when he graduates high school. Where does he see himself in 5 years musically? He hopes that the band him and Carter Kight have started is out there playing gigs around the CSRA just getting their names out there and playing their butts off. He hopes to someday be ina band that makes a living playing but at the same time never sold out. His dream guitar is a U.S.A. sunburst Fender Stratocaster. Taylor has 3 big pointers for someone who is just starting out playing. #1- Practice. #2- Practice. And #3- PRACTICE!!!!!!!! What is the thing he feels has been the most important that he has got from lesson so far? Doing finger exercises. He says they have gave him the ability to get down everything that he needs to get down. What song is getting the most play on his IPod right now? All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix. Taylor is a student that has caught the musical bug hard. He plays everyday and really works hard on his playing. he takes it serious and has showed a huge improvement and love for music. I have been very proud of the player he has become and am really looking forward to the player he is gonna turn into. He is to you Taylor Temples........Keep Rockin'........Keep Playing.........and Keep Having fun!!!!!!!!

New Year= New Goals

It is the first post of 2012. I am starting out the year with some words of encouragement. Get a new goal set for your self and kick it in the butt! I think every student ( and reader ) should pick a new thing and go for it. I have set a challenge to my student Alex Cooke to write a new song every week for a month. He came into his last lesson with two of the best songs I have ever heard him write. Some goals you can set for your self would be to learn a second instrument, learn a song or two from a style of music you don't normally play, get a band started or even play your first open mic or gig. Make sure once you set your goal think about what you have to do to achieve it. Example- Say your goal is to learn the song "One" by MetallicA. You know that the song is played at a speed that is out of your range of playing at the moment. What you will have to do is buckle down, get a metronome and do exercises until you get faster. It won't happen over night. You will have to do exercises everyday to get there. Another example- You want to start a band. With a band you are going to have to spend time finding people to play with, time for practice. You will also have to find the time to learn the songs you are going to play together. It takes discipline to get what you want out of your goal. When something takes skill to do it takes time to master it. It does not happen overnight. Everyone who has been playing for any time knows this, has accepted it and has worked for what they want. I urge all of you to think of a goal and let me know what it is this week at your lesson. We will get to working on it. Hope you set your goal and make 2012 your break out year for playing!