3 Simple Yoga Poses That Work Wonders for Musicians
Strengthen the connection between mind and body while easing your aches and pains through these musician-friendly yoga poses.
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4 Other Uses for Your Favorite Guitar Pedals
By Casey van Wensem Every guitarist has that one effects pedal (or two, or three, or 12) they just can’t live without. Maybe it’s a boutique overdrive pedal that gives you just the right amount of gain and saturation for crunchy leads or a vintage analog delay pedal perfect for lush, dreamy soundscapes and gigantic swells.…
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How Successful Musicians Practice: The Horn Section
This is the fourth instalment in our series on How Successful Musicians Practice. If you’re just joining us now, this series asks professional and semi-professional musicians performing and recording with all kinds of groups how they practice and what helps them stay organized. We’re getting to the heart of what it takes to grow your musical…
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What Is “Prepared Piano” and How Do You Notate It?
American composer John Cage was arguably the most prolific composer of prepared-piano music and is often credited as having invented the prepared piano, so to speak. While there were earlier instances of composers placing objects on the piano strings, or bypassing the keyboard in order to directly manipulate the strings in performance (most notably Henry…
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The Rhythm Section’s Role? Supporting the Lead and One Another
If an artist has just given the best, most effortless and inspired performance of their life, they’re not going to want to change much when the next gig rolls around. Few things will keep musicians working more consistently than the ability to support and flatter a vocalist or soloist — particularly if they’re a joy for the rest…
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5 Essential Alternate Tunings for Acoustic Guitar
Go beyond your standard stable of chords and explore a whole new world of alternate tunings to make your songs stand out.
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The Importance of Vocal Warmups and How to Do Them Correctly
Exercise your voice and get ready to sing by developing a warmup routine. You’ll be able to sing longer, better, and stronger in the long run!
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9 of the Most Ripping Country Guitarists Who Advanced the Language of Their Instrument
It’s unlikely you’ll find any rip-roaring country instrumentals making waves in these modern times. But in the 1950s and ’60s, fast-picking country guitar players were all over television and influenced guitarists of all genres. Though rooted in blues, jazz, and swing, country guitar is mysteriously singular in many of its techniques and approaches. It’s difficult to…
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Using Synth Bass as an Expressive and Supportive Tool for Bass Players
As you move from your electric or upright to synth bass, you may start to wonder how to support your group or artist while still expressing the arc of the piece. In many situations, we bass players rely on dynamics, feel, and attack to inform our navigation through a piece of music. When I’m building a…
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What’s the Key to Creating the Tightest Rhythm Section Imaginable? Listen to the Greats.
Many techniques and resources help you deepen your rhythmic skill set, and there’s no better classroom in which to learn the art of groove than on stages in front of audiences (and beside experienced rhythm section masters). But the second-best classroom might be inside your own headphones! Take a listen to some of these classic…
