How can you really make it in the music industry?
XIMXIA is a Top 20 Billboard charting singer/songwriter/instrumentalist. She stopped by the Fret Zealot studio to talk about all things music, including how to make Spotify work for you, and balance music and a day job.
Q.) What genre is your music project?
A.) My music project spans a lot of genres. Genre is such a hard question to answer because these days, like, what is a genre and does it even matter in so many ways? But right now, I write a lot of pop music, I start on the piano with something acoustic and then I turn it into something electronic. At first, it was more EDM and more pop EDM, and now it’s a little bit more indie electronic and exploring and seeing where the different sounds are taking me. I love that.
Q.) How did you get your solo project going?
A.) It’s taken me a minute to get my actual pop project started. I’ve played in indie rock bands a lot of my life and loved it, and been working with a lot of other people. And then, just different things happened that made me want to do my own thing because I had total creative control over my own project. And so when that happened, I started finding producers that I could work with because I didn’t know how to produce back then. I’m still learning how to produce, but I try to do more of it myself.
Q.) How long have you been playing keys?
A.) I started playing piano when I was like three years old and loved playing classical piano. I think classical piano is translated into my pop music a few different ways. I think one way is just in the way I hear melody. I’m so used to listening to Chopin or Mozart, these incredible melodic artists.And so I think I’m able to write melodies that really draw on all of that. And so they sound kind of familiar, actually, but they’re different. I also think it’s made me so comfortable with the piano. It’s just something that I can sit and just things come out of me at the piano, and I don’t have to worry about what it is or how it’s happening. And it’s just enabled me to really express myself because I have that really strong background.
Q.) What is your songwriting process like?
A.) If I’m doing something on my own, I usually have either a topic or something that I know I want to write about, something that’s happening in my life, and then I sit down at the piano, play out some chords, think about some different melodies, and think about this theme that I have, and how can I make it into a chorus. I always start with the chorus. When I’m writing with other people, because sometimes I’ll top line for other people, meaning they’ll give me the track, and then I’ll write on top of that. I always start with that theme or the topic, because at the end of the day, me as an artist is about what I want to say to people and what I want to communicate.
Q.) How were you able to crack the Billboard Top 20?
A.) It was my very first track that I put out. It was called “Don’t Follow Me”, and I did it with this amazing producer out of LA. His name is Ted Currie, and he had some connections to a bunch of remixers, and so those remixers, they work with different DJs so they can get things played through clubs. We got the song remixed by Dave Audet, who’s this very famous remixer who’s remixed everything – Leanne Rimes and I think Celine Dion, all these amazing people – and Chris Cox, who’s this also amazing DJ out of Las Vegas, and we got these remixes together, and because of their connections, we were able to get it basically played in the clubs, and I guess people liked it enough that they kept playing it, so it was very, very cool. It was very exciting to get that.
Q.) How has social media changed the way artists put out music?
A.) Social media obviously has been a huge game changer, including TikTok, right? You see people all of a sudden get big on TikTok, and then people really rely on their TikTok numbers for their streaming numbers, which has been amazing. It’s so amazing to watch artists who just really flourish from TikTok. But then also I think it’s the genre. I think it’s the lack of genre that we have because people are so open to hearing different things and are so open to hearing new things on social media that now genre is really—those lines are erasing, and we’re able to see a lot more crossover, which I think is really fun.
Q.) What are your tips for being successful on Spotify?
A.) How to make Spotify work is a big question. I think there’s so many people out there that will tell you, too, how they can make it work or how you can make it work. The thing I’ve learned is that no one actually knows what is going to work for you. I think the thing I tell absolutely everyone is before you spend money on someone telling you how to make your Spotify work, really question whether they’ve done it recently and whether they’ve done it with an artist like you, because it changes a lot. It used to be all about play listing, and you would pay to get on playlists or do different things to get onto playlists. And now the play listing matters on some level, but not the same. I think the biggest thing to do that I’ve seen works for most people I know is to release consistently. If you release consistently, then the algorithm can pick you up. And if you keep doing things like sharing your music, I know so many people who release music, but then they don’t share it with their friends or ask their friends to stream it. And if you ask your friends to stream your song, it slowly, you start the momentum, and then the more songs you put out, the more you can get your stuff heard.
Q.) What are your tips for dealing with stage fright?
A.) Stage fright, I think, first of all, it’s very normal. I think a lot of people have it, and everyone gets it at some point, I really think. The best advice I got was from a friend of mine who’s a neuroscientist who explained that the same chemicals that produce excitement are the same chemicals that produce nerves. So it’s really about the story that you’re telling yourself. So when I’ve been very nervous or what I perceive as nervous, I tell myself, wow, Lauren, I’m really excited. I’m really excited for this performance, and then I imagine how I want to feel, especially how I want to feel at the end of the performance and how I want to make people feel. And so that way, if I keep focusing on, okay, for me, it’s always like I want people to feel love. I want people to feel really connected. I want people to feel really open, and like they’ve just witnessed something that is really honest and made them more connected to themselves.
Q.) What’s next for you, musically?
A.) I think the biggest thing I’m focusing on is trying to get more performances and figuring out how to connect with audiences more. I used to get so worried about, oh, I want to perform what I want to perform, and my music, I want it to sound like the way I want it to sound. And yes, of course I do want it to sound like the way I want it to sound. I’m not saying that. But I also want to know what affects people. I’m not saying like, also, what do people like to hear? Because I’ve fallen into that trap, too, of like, well, people are going to like it if I sound more commercial, so I should sound more commercial. That is like an empty feeling and really, at the end of the day, left me feeling really empty. So instead, right now, I’m just trying to think about what will connect with people and what will bring people that love and that honesty feeling that I want people to get from my shows.
A brief history of the guitar
/by Kaley LynchHow old is the guitar, exactly?
Stringed instruments, played with two hands, pre-date written history. Two of the main forebears of the guitars we know today are the oud and the lute.
The oud dates back to ancient Persia (originally called the barbat), and was used throughout the Middle East. The oud has a pear-shaped body, a fretless fingerboard, and a short neck. Its name in Arabic, ūd (“wood”), refers to its body, made of aloe wood.
“Oud (Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris)” by dalbera is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The lute is descended from the Middle Eastern oud, brought to Europe through Spain in the 8th and 9th centuries. During the Medieval Period, the lute usually had five strings that were played with a quill as a plectrum. In the late 15th century, lutists mostly abandoned the quill and plucked with their fingers, as sixth (sometimes more) strings were added.
“File:A Woman Playing the Theorbo-Lute and a Cavalier MET DP145907.jpg” by Gerard ter Borch is marked with CC0 1.0.
By the 16th century, Spanish musicians started to use string instruments that more closely match the curved guitars we recognize today. They were known as baroque guitars and featured five “courses” (strings) and movable frets.
These guitars, known as Baroque guitars, effectively replaced the lute as the go-to stringed instrument for musicians from about 1600 to 1750. Further refinements, such as five courses of gut strings and moveable frets, made these instruments easier to play.
“Tielke baroque guitar” by Jo Dusepo is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
By the 1790s, a sixth course was added to Spanish guitars, and a standard body type was established (although it was smaller than modern guitars).
In the mid-1800s, Spanish musician and luthier Antonio de Torres Jurado created the guitar design that resembles the modern classical guitar. It featured a wider body, a thinned belly, and had machined heads instead of wooden tuning pegs. The strings were split evenly between gut (now plastic or nylon) and metal-spun silk.
In the United States, the guitar continued to develop. Christian Frederick Martin, who was born in Germany, created the flat top acoustic guitar in the U.S. in the 1830s, which was designed to handle the extra tension caused by modern steel strings.
The harder, tighter steel strings required musicians to change up their playing style from the delicate, plucked melodies of a classical guitar. Many started using picks, which helped to popularize chord-driven music.
Despite the popularity of picking, early guitars still often got drowned out in the mix during the big band jazz era. Innovative musicians tried to use attached microphones or telephone transmitters to increase the volume of the guitar. The first commercially available electric guitar – as we know it today – was released in 1931.
The Rickenbacher A-22 Electro Hawaiian – also known as the “Frying Pan” was created by George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker. The guitar included an electromagnetic device that changed the strings’ into a clear resonant sound. Although Rickenbacher and Beauchamp won the first patent for the electric guitar, there were plenty other inventors who worked on electrifying guitars – including , who designed the solidbody design for Gibson Guitars, Leo Fender, who created the Fender Telecaster in 1951.
“File:Rickenbacher Frying Pan (clone), short scale, 22 fret – 2011 TSGA Jamboree.jpg” by brad_bechtel is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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Sources:
Musicians Institute: Guitar History: How the Guitar has Evolved
Britannica – Guitar
Metropolitan Museum of Art – HEILBRUNN TIMELINE OF ART HISTORY – ESSAYS
Yamaha Corp – The birth of the classical guitar
Level up your guitar skills with these unique courses
/by Kaley LynchAre you feeling stuck in a rut playing guitar? Try something completely different to get your creativity flowing! You may even find a new technique that you can apply to your own music.
Flamenco Guitar
Flamenco instrumental music is a culturally significant art form from Andalucía (Southern Spain). It includes free flowing styles that rely heavily on improvisation. Try out this course – designed for the absolute flamenco newbie – and take flamenco guitar for a spin!
Flamenco Ukulele
Flamenco isn’t just for guitar – try it out for ukulele too!
The Guitar of Chuck Berry – Fifties Rock & Roll Guitar Styles
Chuck Berry was one of rock and roll’s original pioneers! Learn his signature style and memorable licks and riffs that embody 1950s rock and roll with this course.
Funk Essentials – Level 1
It’s time to get funky. If your usual playing has been feeling lackluster lately, let this comprehensive course take you from a funk novice to confidently playing through James Brown-style grooves!
Ultimate Guitar Tone School
If you’re sick of basic guitar tones, attend Guitar Tone School for a crash course on all things tone – including how guitar tone is created, understanding how sound waves work, pickup demonstrations, and how to make amps, pedals, and effects work for you.
Rockabilly Guitar for Beginners
If you want to play 1950s Rockabilly and Rock ‘n’ Roll the right way, then this course is perfect for you. It will take you through the Nashville Number System, teach you to recognize the key of a song, and help you through chord progressions.
Musical Meditations
Need to relax? This course uses beginner guitar techniques to help you reach a space of meditative peace. It’s a well known fact that music is good for you. Embrace that give these “meditations” a try!
Songs about eclipses to learn for the 2024 total solar eclipse
/by Kaley LynchThe Great American Eclipse is happening over much of North America on April 8, 2024! Fret Zealot’s headquarters are in Buffalo, New York, so we have the best seats in the house to celebrate this rare celestial event. Check out these eclipse-centric songs to stream – or learn on guitar!
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” – Bonnie Tyler
“Total Eclipse” is Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler’s biggest career hit, and she’s made the most of power ballad’s astronomical themes. In 2017, Tyler performed the song live onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship during the solar eclipse of Aug. 21.
“Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bill Withers
What better song to play when the moon blocks the sun for around four minutes on April 8? Check out this website for exact times.
“You’re so Vain” – Carly Simon
Simon’s 1971 hit includes the lines “you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia/To see a total eclipse of the sun” referring to the March 7, 1970 total solar eclipse. “You’re So Vain” is one of the very few recorded songs to mention a specific eclipse.
“Black Hole Sun” – Soundgarden
Depending on where you’re located, the eclipse may look like a “black hole sun” at the point of totality. Just be sure to wear the correct protective glasses when looking at it!
“Eclipse” – Pink Floyd
This song from 1973’s Dark Side of the Moon contains the line “… and everything under the sun is in tune/but the sun is eclipsed by the moon.” Want to play it just like David Gilmour? Check out this player study.
“Back in Black” – AC/DC
Black never goes out of style – but it’s certainly the color du jour with the “blackout” of the sky being imminent. What better song to learn for the occasion?
Check out these new 2024 guitars in the Fret Zealot store
/by Kaley LynchApril is International Guitar Month, and we’ve got some great new axes to pick from in the Fret Zealot store.
ESP LTD EC-256 | Candy Apple Red Satin
RED HOT. Grab the ESP LTD Eclipse EC-256 solidbody electric guitar for a huge value in a rock-ready instrument. You’ll get rich, snappy tone from the mahogany body, and the set-neck design gives you sustain for days. A pair of ESP humbucking pickups onboard the ESP LTD Eclipse EC-256 solidbody electric guitar gives you a great foundation for a wide variety of styles, plus the extra versatility of push-pull coil tapping. Check out how it sounds in this review.
ESP LTD EC-256QM | Black Cherry Sunburst
It comes in Black Cherry Sunburst, too!
ESP LTD Viper-256 | See-Thru Black Cherry
There are no sonic limits with the ESP LTD Viper-256 solidbody electric guitar! Whether you play rock, metal, blues, or punk, the LTD Viper-256 has the tone you’re after. That’s because ESP loaded this super-versatile double-cutaway guitar with a set of dual-mode ESP-designed LH-150 humbucking pickups with onboard coil splitting. These fire-breathing pickups are perfectly paired with the naturally warm and harmonically rich sound of a mahogany body and neck, with a stunning quilted maple top adding more brightness and bite to your tone.
ESP LTD TE-200 | Snow White
The LTD TE-200 delivers the essence of ESP — a company founded on taking existing guitar designs and supercharging them. The TE-200’s single-cut body shape and bolt-on neck borrow from the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitar. Outfitted with aggressive high-output humbuckers, the TE-200 is a hot rod that serves up huge helpings of fat, snarling tone.
Traveler Ultra-Light Acoustic Electric Travel Guitar
On the go? The Ultra-Light is a portable and travel-friendly version of your favorite at-home guitar that you can take anywhere and everywhere you go. Weighing 2 lbs 14 oz and measuring 28”, this will be your steadfast road companion. Forget lugging around your full-sized acoustic electric guitar and worrying about it getting damaged. The detachable lap rest allows this to fit perfectly into the carry-on friendly gig bag and provides protection in an overhead bin.
Our proprietary In-Body Tuning System eliminates the need for a headstock by relocating standard tuning machines into the body. Even though it’s small, it’s still crafted with a full 24 3/4″ scale experience with 22 frets.
Want to learn how to play guitar like Ed Sheeran?
/by Kaley LynchWant to learn how to play guitar like British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran? Check out this Ed Sheeran Player Study to learn his groove-based acoustic style, seen in his hits like “Shape of You”, “Photograph”, “Bad Habits”, and “Thinking Out Loud”.
Background
Ed Sheeran was born in 1991 to two art gallery employees in West Yorkshire, England. Sheeran grew up singing in a church choir and started playing guitar at age eleven, and started to write songs while attending high school. He began recording music in 2004. Sheeran was involved in theater as a teen, joining the National Youth Theater in London and Youth Music Theatre UK. In 2009, he began studying music at the Academy of Contemporary Music, but left that same year to support hip-hop musician Just Jack on tour. In 2010, he released his EP Loose Change, which contained “The A-Team”, which would become his debut single.
Style
Ed Sheeran has said that his influences include Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison – saying that Clapton was the “reason he started playing guitar”. He also cites Eminem as an inspiration. Sheeran has said that he had a stutter when he was younger, and that rapping along to the Marshall Mathers LP helped him to overcome it. Sheeran often incorporates rapping into his songs. His guitar style utilizes slap technique, chug technique, flowing fingerstyle, and embellishing simple chord shapes.
Awards
Sheeran has earned many accolades during his career, including being appointed as a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 2017. At one point, he had the highest-grossing tour (for his “Divide” Tour), dethroning U2. He’s one of the best-selling artists in the world with over 150 million records sold. He has received multiple GRAMMY awards.
Once you have Sheeran’s signature style down, try out this song lesson for “Photograph”! It includes the lesson and play-along version.
Photograph
Learn how to play these Nirvana songs with Fret Zealot
/by Kaley LynchWant to learn how to play Nirvana songs?
Nirvana, one of the best-selling bands of all time, was instrumental in bringing the grunge movement to mainstream music. They formed in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington, by lead singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic. With songs like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are”, they pioneered a genre that welded pop with noise, featuring lyrics that contained themes of nihilism and alienation. Nirvana disbanded after Cobain’s death in 1994. Drummer Dave Grohl formed the Foo Fighters and Novoselic devoted himself to activism.
Here are some Nirvana songs you can learn with Fret Zealot.
Smells Like Teen Spirit
The lead single from Nevermind, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is considered the “anthem for apathetic kids” from Generation X.
Come As You Are
Cobain originally was reluctant to release “Come As You Are” as Nevermind’s second single due to its similarities to “Eighties” by Killing Joke, but when it was down to “Come As You Are” or “In Bloom”, they eventually went with “Come As You Are”.
About a Girl
Featured on Nirvana’s debut album Bleach, “About A Girl” was reportedly written after Cobain spent an afternoon listening to Meet the Beatles! on repeat. It debuted at an Evergreen State College dorm party in Feb. 1989.
The Man Who Sold the World
What did David Bowie think of Nirvana’s cover of his 1970 song?
“I was simply blown away when I found that Kurt Cobain liked my work, and have always wanted to talk to him about his reasons for covering ‘The Man Who Sold the World'” and that “it was a good straight forward rendition and sounded somehow very honest,” Bowie said. “It would have been nice to have worked with him, but just talking with him would have been real cool.”
All Apologies
The Fab Four played a role in the composition of this Nirvana song. According to Cobain’s manager Danny Goldberg, Cobain played “Norwegian Wood” over and over again for hours while writing the song.
Guitar Hero songs to learn with Fret Zealot
/by Kaley LynchWere you a big Guitar Hero? The rhythm video game sent shockwaves through the gaming community when it was first released in 2005, introducing a generation of players to the guitar – albeit, a five-button version.
“Guitar Hero!!!” by JoshBerglund19 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
You can learn some of the classic Guitar Hero hits with Fret Zealot!
Guitar Hero
Crossroads – Cream
More Than a Feeling – Boston
Sharp-Dressed Man – ZZ Top
Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple
Guitar Hero II
Carry On, Wayward Son – Kansas
Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Crazy on You – Heart
Message in a Bottle – The Police
Sweet Child O Mine – Guns ‘n Roses
Them Bones – Alice in Chains
The Trooper – Iron Maiden
Guitar Hero III
Barracuda – Heart
La Grange – ZZ Top
Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan
School’s Out – Alice Cooper
Sunshine of Your Love – Cream
Welcome to the Jungle – Guns n’ Roses
Guitar Hero World Tour
About a Girl – Nirvana
Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz
Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
Hot for Teacher – Van Halen
Hotel California – Eagles
La Bamba – Los Lobos
Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
The One I Love – R.E.M.
Purple Haze – Jimi Hendrix
Rebel Yell – Billy Idol
Santeria – Sublime
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Guitar Hero 5
American Girl – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Brianstorm – Arctic Monkeys
Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz
Kryptonite – 3 Doors Down
Lonely is the Night – Billy Squier
Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
What I Got – Sublime
You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Aqualung – Jethro Tull
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top
Talking music with XIMXIA
/by Kaley LynchHow can you really make it in the music industry?
XIMXIA is a Top 20 Billboard charting singer/songwriter/instrumentalist. She stopped by the Fret Zealot studio to talk about all things music, including how to make Spotify work for you, and balance music and a day job.
Q.) What genre is your music project?
A.) My music project spans a lot of genres. Genre is such a hard question to answer because these days, like, what is a genre and does it even matter in so many ways? But right now, I write a lot of pop music, I start on the piano with something acoustic and then I turn it into something electronic. At first, it was more EDM and more pop EDM, and now it’s a little bit more indie electronic and exploring and seeing where the different sounds are taking me. I love that.
Q.) How did you get your solo project going?
A.) It’s taken me a minute to get my actual pop project started. I’ve played in indie rock bands a lot of my life and loved it, and been working with a lot of other people. And then, just different things happened that made me want to do my own thing because I had total creative control over my own project. And so when that happened, I started finding producers that I could work with because I didn’t know how to produce back then. I’m still learning how to produce, but I try to do more of it myself.
Q.) How long have you been playing keys?
A.) I started playing piano when I was like three years old and loved playing classical piano. I think classical piano is translated into my pop music a few different ways. I think one way is just in the way I hear melody. I’m so used to listening to Chopin or Mozart, these incredible melodic artists.And so I think I’m able to write melodies that really draw on all of that. And so they sound kind of familiar, actually, but they’re different. I also think it’s made me so comfortable with the piano. It’s just something that I can sit and just things come out of me at the piano, and I don’t have to worry about what it is or how it’s happening. And it’s just enabled me to really express myself because I have that really strong background.
Q.) What is your songwriting process like?
A.) If I’m doing something on my own, I usually have either a topic or something that I know I want to write about, something that’s happening in my life, and then I sit down at the piano, play out some chords, think about some different melodies, and think about this theme that I have, and how can I make it into a chorus. I always start with the chorus. When I’m writing with other people, because sometimes I’ll top line for other people, meaning they’ll give me the track, and then I’ll write on top of that. I always start with that theme or the topic, because at the end of the day, me as an artist is about what I want to say to people and what I want to communicate.
Q.) How were you able to crack the Billboard Top 20?
A.) It was my very first track that I put out. It was called “Don’t Follow Me”, and I did it with this amazing producer out of LA. His name is Ted Currie, and he had some connections to a bunch of remixers, and so those remixers, they work with different DJs so they can get things played through clubs. We got the song remixed by Dave Audet, who’s this very famous remixer who’s remixed everything – Leanne Rimes and I think Celine Dion, all these amazing people – and Chris Cox, who’s this also amazing DJ out of Las Vegas, and we got these remixes together, and because of their connections, we were able to get it basically played in the clubs, and I guess people liked it enough that they kept playing it, so it was very, very cool. It was very exciting to get that.
Q.) How has social media changed the way artists put out music?
A.) Social media obviously has been a huge game changer, including TikTok, right? You see people all of a sudden get big on TikTok, and then people really rely on their TikTok numbers for their streaming numbers, which has been amazing. It’s so amazing to watch artists who just really flourish from TikTok. But then also I think it’s the genre. I think it’s the lack of genre that we have because people are so open to hearing different things and are so open to hearing new things on social media that now genre is really—those lines are erasing, and we’re able to see a lot more crossover, which I think is really fun.
Q.) What are your tips for being successful on Spotify?
A.) How to make Spotify work is a big question. I think there’s so many people out there that will tell you, too, how they can make it work or how you can make it work. The thing I’ve learned is that no one actually knows what is going to work for you. I think the thing I tell absolutely everyone is before you spend money on someone telling you how to make your Spotify work, really question whether they’ve done it recently and whether they’ve done it with an artist like you, because it changes a lot. It used to be all about play listing, and you would pay to get on playlists or do different things to get onto playlists. And now the play listing matters on some level, but not the same. I think the biggest thing to do that I’ve seen works for most people I know is to release consistently. If you release consistently, then the algorithm can pick you up. And if you keep doing things like sharing your music, I know so many people who release music, but then they don’t share it with their friends or ask their friends to stream it. And if you ask your friends to stream your song, it slowly, you start the momentum, and then the more songs you put out, the more you can get your stuff heard.
Q.) What are your tips for dealing with stage fright?
A.) Stage fright, I think, first of all, it’s very normal. I think a lot of people have it, and everyone gets it at some point, I really think. The best advice I got was from a friend of mine who’s a neuroscientist who explained that the same chemicals that produce excitement are the same chemicals that produce nerves. So it’s really about the story that you’re telling yourself. So when I’ve been very nervous or what I perceive as nervous, I tell myself, wow, Lauren, I’m really excited. I’m really excited for this performance, and then I imagine how I want to feel, especially how I want to feel at the end of the performance and how I want to make people feel. And so that way, if I keep focusing on, okay, for me, it’s always like I want people to feel love. I want people to feel really connected. I want people to feel really open, and like they’ve just witnessed something that is really honest and made them more connected to themselves.
Q.) What’s next for you, musically?
A.) I think the biggest thing I’m focusing on is trying to get more performances and figuring out how to connect with audiences more. I used to get so worried about, oh, I want to perform what I want to perform, and my music, I want it to sound like the way I want it to sound. And yes, of course I do want it to sound like the way I want it to sound. I’m not saying that. But I also want to know what affects people. I’m not saying like, also, what do people like to hear? Because I’ve fallen into that trap, too, of like, well, people are going to like it if I sound more commercial, so I should sound more commercial. That is like an empty feeling and really, at the end of the day, left me feeling really empty. So instead, right now, I’m just trying to think about what will connect with people and what will bring people that love and that honesty feeling that I want people to get from my shows.
Iconic guitars of famous guitarists
/by Kaley LynchFamous guitarists often have many guitars – and some even have their own signature guitars made for mass production. However, some guitars are so famous (or infamous) that they have a legacy of their own.
Here are some famous guitars and the musicians who wield them:
Prince – ‘Cloud’
A true innovator, Prince played a number of unusual looking guitars, including his “Symbol” guitar. His most iconic instrument was the “Cloud” guitar, which was custom-built for him by a Minneapolis luthier, Dave Rusan, who had owned a guitar shop that Prince frequented as a teen. Prince commissioned a guitar from him for his film Purple Rain, but didn’t give him much to work with for parameters, besides using a bass guitar the musician owned as inspiration. “He said to take the bass as a starting point,” Rusan recalls. “It’s got to be white, it has to have gold parts, he already knew he liked EMG pickups, so it had to have those, he said it had to have spades on the fingerboard. A lot of people think they’re dots, but they’re actually little spades. He wanted one on the truss rod cover.”
Jimmy Page – double-neck Gibson EDS-1275
“Jimmy Page with Robert Plant 2 – Led Zeppelin – 1977” by Jim Summaria, http://www.jimsummariaphoto.com/ is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
The double-neck Gibson EDS-1275 (created in 1963) was no longer in production when Jimmy Page wanted one, according to a 2007 biography – so he had one custom-made in the color cherry. Page popularized the guitar, especially during live performances of “Stairway to Heaven”. He would use the bottom six-string neck for the intro and first verse before switching to the 12-string top neck, and back and forth throughout the song.
George Harrison – Rickenbacker 12-string
George Harrison got his first Rickenbacker 12-string during The Beatles’ first U.S. tour in 1964. The guitar’s unique sound can be heard on most of A Hard Day’s Night and several other songs, including “Ticket to Ride” and “I Call Your Name”.
BB King – “Lucille”
The King of Blues famously named all of his guitars – usually Gibson ES-355 or variants – Lucille. King said the name originated in the late 1940s, when he was playing a show in Arkansas. A fight broke out in the venue, causing a fire and forcing King and the crowd to evacuate. King returned to rescue his guitar and found out that the men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. As a reminder not to fight over women or tempt fate by entering any more burning buildings, he named the guitar (and all the subsequent guitars) Lucille.
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Fender Stratocaster
Stevie Ray Vaughan nicknamed his favorite guitar, a Fender Stratocaster, “Number One” (also “First Wife”). He originally acquired the guitar at an Austin music store in 1974 and it was featured on almost every recording he did with Double Trouble. In 1992, Vaughan released a signature guitar model based on the guitar called the Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster.
Eddie Van Halen – “Frankenstrat”
“Frankenstrat” by Jared W. Smith is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Hoping to get the sound of a classic Gibson guitar with the tremolo bar of a Fender Stratocaster, Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen put his mad scientist cap on to create the “Frankenstrat”. Kramer Guitars – the first company to be endorsed by Van Halen – built a “Frankenstrat” replica, and at that time, Van Halen replaced the original neck with a Kramer Pacer neck.
Brian May – “Red Special”
“File:Brian-May with red special.jpg” by Eddie Mallin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Queen guitarist Brian May also took a DIY approach with his most iconic instrument. Most of his guitar work, both live and in the studio, is done on a guitar he built with his electronics engineer father at age 16. The guitar, called the “Red Special” was made out of wood from an 18th century fireplace, as well as items like buttons, shelf edging, and motorcycle valve springs.
Slash – Gibson Les Paul
“Slash en Vivo!” by Edvill is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Slash is a prolific guitar collector, but he prefers the Gibson Les Paul – he called it “the best all-around guitar for me” in a 2008 interview. His main studio guitar is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard replica and his main live guitar for many years was a 1988 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Slash has also collaborated with Gibson on 17 signature Les Paul models since 1997, including the Epiphone Slash “AFD” Les Paul Special-II.
Kurt Cobain – “Jag-Stang”
Left-handed Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain pitched the idea of a combination Jaguar and Mustang guitar to Fender by taking Polaroid pictures of both guitars and pasting them together. He received two prototypes from the company, one of which he used, and only for a handful of performances.
Learn these songs by Irish bands on guitar with Fret Zealot
/by Kaley LynchFor St. Patrick’s Day, try learning these songs by Irish bands and artists with Fret Zealot!
Thin Lizzy – The Boys are Back in Town
“The Boys Are Back in Town” is Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy’s most popular song, but the hit wasn’t even among the ten songs chosen by the band for their “Jailbreak” album. Guitarist Scott Gorham said that two radio DJs in Louisville, Kentucky played the song constantly, until other local radio stations began to pick it up.
Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday
“Sunday Bloody Sunday” is one of iconic Irish rock band U2’s signature songs, and it’s one of their most political songs. The lyrics are from the point of view of “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland, focusing on the “Bloody Sunday” event of 1972 when British military shot and killed unarmed protesters in Derry.
U2 – With or Without You
With or Without You” was featured in NBC’s sitcom “Friends” as the theme song for Ross and Rachel’s relationship.
U2 – All I Want is You
U2 released this song as a moderately-performing single in 1989. It was featured in the soundtrack for 1994’s Reality Bites, which made it popular enough to re-release as a single, cracking the U.S. Top 40 charts.
Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
A huge hit for Northern Irish singer Van Morrison, “Brown-Eyed Girl” is the most downloaded and played song from the 1960s as of 2015.
These are just the video lessons available on Fret Zealot – check out the app, which has 250,000 song tracks available including Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and more!