If I learned anything at Summer NAMM this year, it’s that there are more types of picks in this world than I ever imagined. The expo offered a plethora of picks, ranging from your standard flat pick to intensely designed 3-D picks. I’m sure some people will always prefer the classic simplicity of a standard […]
Concert promoter Live Nation announced it will offer concert fans “$20 all-in tickets to nearly 1,000 shows this year” as part of its Return to Live promotion. In a press release, the company said, “As Live Nation’s outdoor venues across the U.S. begin to open, the time is here to get outside and catch live […]
Remember the “P-words” It can seem to be the ultimate conundrum for the musician who wants to perform – how can I promote myself if I can’t get gigs? Yet, how do I get gigs if I’m unable to promote myself? Music gigs are not going to appear out of nowhere and just fall into […]
It all started with a pair of drum sticks and a catalogue and Tom Finn was hooked on Ludwig drums. These days he not only plays them in a number of different bands, but also has a basement full of drums of all sizes in various stages of repair. “My neighbor had a drum kit […]
The sitar is a member of the lute family of stringed instruments; it is popular in northern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, and is used to play classical music in the Hindustani tradition. The word sitar is derived from the Persian word sehtar, meaning “three strings.” Origin and Construction The precise origin of the sitar is […]
As we musicians surely know, playing your instrument – in my case the acoustic guitar – is often a source of great joy and happiness. To be sure, mastering a certain technique or learning a difficult piece of music can be frustrating, aggravating, or annoying if your progress isn’t what you desire. But the sense […]
James Carney is an award-winning improvisational pianist and composer who has recorded for some of the leading “record” labels and has performed with several of today’s top jazz musicians. He is also a highly sought-after piano technician who restores and sells older instruments from his workshop in Brooklyn, NY. He is, indeed, a “rare bird” […]
It was almost by accident that Tom Hosmer got into the violin repair business. Almost five decades later, he’s still at work. Hosmer Violins in Fayetteville, NY, will be 50 years old in November; his shop is Central New York’s go-to place for the repair and restoration of violins, violas, and cellos. After studying photography in […]
A serious, dedicated musician often possesses a passion for music which a non-musician may not fully comprehend. Indeed, this enthusiasm can continue to drive said musician, even though he or she may be forced to turn to non-musical endeavors simply to earn a living. The rare musician who can live a fully musical life, at […]
The oud is one of the oldest stringed instruments still in play today. Arabic tradition traces the oud back to Lamech, a descendant of the Biblical figures Adam and Cain. Indeed, oud-like instruments have been discovered at archaeological sites in Egypt and Mesopotamia (located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is today Iraq). […]