Take advantage of modern technology and transform your practice or solo performances into a one-man band. There is a cycle involved in every art form–inspiration, creation, and sharing. What many musicians enjoy the most about making music is the last phase of the cycle–the performance. The satisfaction of involving an audience in the music making […]
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Make Your Own Percussion Instruments
A few years back, while giving a presentation on homemade musical instruments at the University of Washington, Dr. Craig Woodson created a masenqo—a single stringed violin from Ethiopia—out of dental floss, a Styrofoam box, a plastic tube, and some chopsticks. “There was an Ethiopian woman in the audience, and she got up and walked out of the room,” he remembers. “I thought, oh my gosh, I’ve insulted this woman! But then she came back in and her eyes were wet with tears, and she said to me, ‘I had no idea when you started to play that very simple instrument, that it would take me home.’”
Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
It’s not “the summer of ’69” anymore and playing ’til your fingers bleed isn’t the greatest idea, no matter how sentimental it sounds. Taking care of your hands and wrists is important to get the most out of your music. Any musician who practices regularly can attest that overuse of the hand muscles can cause […]
Actor Greg Grunberg Drums for Charity
Not many people can say portraying a superhero is their full-time job. Greg Grunberg, an actor on the critically acclaimed NBC series Heroes, spends his days playing likable cop Matt Parkman, an average Joe who wakes up one day to find he has the ability to read minds.
Musical Family Getaway at Country Dance and Song Society Camps
Family time is a precious commodity, and it’s hard to find something the whole family can do together. For music lovers both young and old, traveling to music camp often means leaving loved ones behind. Wouldn’t it be great to, instead, bring them along for the adventure?
Former Governer Mike Huckabee Says for Him, Music Is More Than Just a Hobby
Since announcing his intention to run for President of the United States this past January, the former Arkansas governor’s life has been a whirlwind of interviews, debates, speaking engagements, and fundraising events. But no matter where the campaign trail takes him, one thing is always sure to follow—his beloved bass guitar.
Talk Show Host Montel Williams Plays Bass and Piano as Therapy for Body and Soul
It’s hard to believe a high achiever such as Montel Williams would ever need to follow his own advice, but when he contemplates music making and the role it once played—and could still play—in his life, it occurs to him that he could use a little inspiration and impetus, to start playing bass and piano […]
Bacon Brothers Talk Musical Side
“Kevin definitely had stage fright when we played our first shows,” recalls Michael Bacon, 57, the other half of the Bacon Brothers band. “Despite all his film work, he still had nerves.” “I was just shaking,” says Kevin, who is nine years younger than his brother, recalling that at their first performance he turned to […]