“Hearing protection is for sissies,” says my guitar playing friend Pete. He casually signs the internationally understood words for “earplug” and “feather weight” in my direction. Years of thunderous nights in tiny clubs have left him aurally impotent. It’s sad to see. With proper ear protection, his life may have turned out differently.
I don’t know about you, but just listening to the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams makes me want to smile, sing and dance. Even after hearing it so many times! Well, guess what? It’s not hard to play on the piano and this video will teach you how to do it.
Guitar maintenance should be a simple thing, right? But there are so many products and opinions out there that perhaps you might put it off for another few months. Then a crack appears on your beloved cedar top acoustic, or your fretboard is feeling sticky, or maybe you just think it could be better now that you have gotten familiar with all its little quirks. Here are some simple tips for guitar owners that can make a big difference.
In our latest “How-To” Guide, Todd Hobin demonstrates how you can mic a drum kit for a home recording studio in order to receive the best sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBx9JucBPwk
Bill Abernathy, 56, has been writing songs and playing guitar for most of his life, though it’s rarely been his focus. Today, with two grown children and a well-established career as a logistics expert for a large multi-national company, Abernathy has reached the top of Reverbnation’s Americana chart with his very first album, Changes.
Google and Converse challenged the UK company Technology Will Save Us, which specializes in supplying DIY kits, to modify a pair of Converse sneakers with its DIY Speakers Kit. Technology Will Save Us rose to the challenge creating what may be the world’s first guitar shoe, using the laces for strings, then creating a microphone, contrabass, and feedback synth, and using the kit’s box to create an amp. They then brought the challenge to a set of London workshops where participants created everything from a sneaker that “walked” when bass-heavy music played to a sneaker ukulele.
“Singing and making music have been my passion since I can remember,” says Sabrina Duke, who says she grew up singing all the time to whoever would listen.
Rich Ridenour has had an impressive career. After studying music at the University of Michigan and Juilliard, he went on to perform around the country. But his greatest passion—spreading his enthusiasm for piano and music—is what drives his career. To perform around the country. He also arranges, tackling music ranging from classical to ragtime to rock ‘n’ roll. But his greatest passion—spreading his enthusiasm for piano and music—is what drives his career.
Blisters are small, raised lesions in which fluid collects under the skin. They are frequently caused by friction, so it is no surprise that musicians, from drummers to guitarists to clarinet players get blisters on their hands. Though they are relatively minor injuries, blisters can cause enough discomfort to curb your playing.
Never underestimate the value of performing, whether at home for family and friends, or in a ‘proper’ concert venue on a special grand piano. Performing for others, and the ability to get up and do it, is an important life skill as it builds confidence and self-reliance – and not just in the sphere of music.