Holistic      Musician

Throughout human history, music has been an ever changing and evolving art form. It has embraced and expressed the views of many tribes and nations, and the beliefs that make them unique. From Creation, music and sound have played an important role in molding and shaping the voices and expression of basic human communication. Sound is one of the first senses that helped us develop our conception of the world around us. We distinguish different vibrational impulses from the

Growing up on the music of the 80's I spent a fair amount of time watching Headbanger's Ball on MTV (a show dedicated to hard rock and metal videos) and at the time every band of that era seemed to be all about sex, partying and being image concious, which often meant more hairspray, tighter spandex, and wilder makeup. But one day while watching a video by Vinnie Vincent Invasion, I was taken back when I saw how fit and strong the drummer was and could clearly intuite that th

When it comes to being creative we often think of the need to "get in the creative mindset" which could take on many forms or ritual practices in the efforts to conjure up thy inner mojo. But there are many opportunities where the juices are flowing and a great idea comes a knockin' and yet we choose not to open the door. Some of the BEST music was created in a moments time and started with a simple idea or melody that just seems to spring up from out of nowhere. These are th

Whether you're getting ready for your first gig at the local coffee house jam session or preparing for a huge tour, one thing is for certain, it takes a lot of preparatory work to make sure the gig goes off without a hitch. There are several things that factor in to each and every gig and by taking the time to prepare for the desired outcome you will build insight, or "MILEAGE" as we musicians often call it, that will help you in every aspect of your journey as a player or pe

A young shredding Dimebag (Diamond) Darrell Abbott Applying scientific laws to the art of shredding involves some physiological factors. Although a higher tension with regards to tonality raises a frequency, tension inside the physical body while attempting to play with speed and accuracy has an opposing effect and slows down the muscles. To perform with speed and agility one must be calm and relaxed so that the muscles and tendons used to physically play out the music are no

Guitar-God in action, Joe Satriani shreddin' away on another perfect solo! Songwriting is a process that comes easily for some and takes much more effort and preparation for others. Although a great melody and strong chorus is often a songwriters focal point, this is not always the case from a guitar players perspective. For us axe-wielding God's of guitar, the SOLO section is where we tend to set our focus in an attempt to wow the universe with our acumen. So where do you st

There are three basic components that make up the one all-pervading sound that we hear as music. For the sake of creating a visual concept of three ideas that make up one connective musical force, think of a wheel of a car. To make a wheel complete requires the tire to ride on the surface of the road, air to inflate and fill the tire with sustainable pressure, and a wheel to seal in the air and attach it all to the car. To make sound become complete enough to be deemed as mus

Identify Your Weaknesses It is very true that sometimes our greatest strengths rise out of our biggest weaknesses. When we can identify anything that is holding us back in any way from achieving success, be it a small thing or our life’s purpose, we have already begun the process of becoming stronger. As musicians it is quite often that we are faced with the challenge of overcoming a weakness and persistence is the key to making it happen. Don't Give Up When Things Get Tough

As a touring musician, I spend a good amount of time flying the friendly skies. But the reality is that the skies (along with airport security & baggage handlers) aren't always so friendly to your $2,000 axe and expensive pedals! On a domestic flight last year while touring the US, upon landing and arriving at our gate, everyone on our plane stood in awe as I was SCREAMING through the giant glass window at the baggage handler who was throwing our gear on the conveyor belt wit

Over the past three or four decades, heavy music has seen many different levels of evolution. In the mid 1960s, there was a big influx of blues-based rock bands hailing from the U.K., many of which were developing stylistic elements like loud distorted guitars, power chords and up-tempo rhythms that would later become the hallmarks of heavy metal music. Artists such as The Kinks and The Who started experimenting with feedback and created the now infamous wall of amps that pav