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Music and the Brain
What do Bela Fleck, Phil Collins, Billy Corgan, Noel Gallagher, Paul Simon, Tony Iommi, Glenn Frey, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Seal, Joe Perry, Jimi Hendrix, Cole Porter and Kurt Cobain have in common? Besides the fact that they are all left-handed, they all have amazing ‘feel’ on their respective instruments and I would venture to suggest that there is a direct correlation between these traits. While one cannot draw... -
How To Unleash Your Creativity On The Guitar
Most guitar players are content to learn the classics on guitar as well as testing their strings mettle on the songs of their favourite contemporary acts. The amount of requests I’ve had from my students to learn Hotel California, Stairway to Heaven and Nothing Else Matters is a testament to the fact that there are certain essential songs one should include in their repertoire to get a better melodic... -
Playing Bass Guitar With A Plectrum
Playing Bass Guitar With A Plectrum: Getting Started The plectrum, or “pick” as it more commonly known, is a small flat plastic object that is usually no more than two to three centimetres in diameter and available in various thicknesses measured by the millimetre, that has been aiding guitarists for decades in playing our favourite songs. There is some confusion as to where the pick originates from, the most... -
Finger Style Bass
There are many different styles of playing the bass guitar; most prominent among rock bassists is the use of a pick, or plectrum, to get a more clearly defined sound out of each note. Jazz, Blues and funk styles favour the use of plucking the four (or five) strings of the bass guitar with one’s fingers to create the sound of each note known as finger style bass. All... -
The Role of the Bassist in a Band
The role of the bassist in a band is the sonic link between the rhythmical and melodic elements of any band. With drums, it provides the backbone. In addition, the traditional function of the bass guitar is to flesh out any bands’ sound. By being played in such a way that the percussive elements of the instrument reinforce and supplies power and groove. This can apply to a busy...