From the hyper-local coffeeshop bard to international stars on intimate stages, it’s always a pleasure for me to waste a handful of lunchtime minutes watching today’s most compelling musicians and songwriters performing in alternative spaces. This is made possible by so many truly passionate music blogs on the web right now, reimagining the live concert as…
I should preface this by admitting that I started piano lessons while in preschool, so learning to read phrases on a staff and learning to read phrases in a picture book were parallel processes. Now, while that may sound like a rather nerdy humblebrag, it isn’t meant to be. The fact is that notes were…
Welcome to the Fundamentals of Guitar Anatomy. This is a four-part lecture, so take your seats, bust out your axe and grab a magnifying glass, because we’re going to examine all the ways your guitar’s sound can take shape through design and hardware (if you’re ready for next-level sound sculpting, try adding some pedals). First, I’d…
+ Bridge the worlds of theory, improvisation, and jazzy hip-hop, and improve your piano chops with Grammy-winner Kiefer in his course, Kiefer: Keys, Chords, & Beats. As a piano player, I used to detest the idea of digital pianos replacing the need for acoustic craftsmanship. While I still think that there will never be an equal…
By Sammy Wags Making a power trio, rock quartet, or any standard instrumental formation stand out in an ever growing crowd of great bands can be tough. Adding some subtle flavors and outside influences into the mix can be a great way to spice things up and give listeners something else to latch on to throughout…
By Briana Marela In many big cities, it can be hard to find someone who actually grew up there. As someone born and raised in Seattle I have seen it change quite a lot over the years, growing and morphing into the tech metropolis it is today. Though I will get nostalgic from time to time, and…
Hanukkah occurs over eight nights in December, and sadly, this year’s Festival of Lights has just ended. But do not fret, for you can let the party continue on forever with these eight amazing hip-hop tracks, bound to get your tukhus grooving! So pour some Manischewitz out, light up a fat menorah, and pump these…
There isn’t a single guitarist who can possibly keep track of all the different pedals that are on the market today. With hundreds of boutique companies surfacing just in the last ten years, we know that the challenge isn’t finding cool pedals, but figuring out which ones are right for us, so let’s break down…
We usually think of “twang” as a quintessentially southern quality in country singing. But it’s a vocal technique for all kinds of singers.
When we first started talking to Joe Marson about offering songwriting advice, he was very wary. Joe rose to prominence last year as one of the finalists of the Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter Competition, where his bluesy, soul-infused performance caught people’s attention in a serious way. Since then, he’s toured constantly and released an acclaimed EP…
