The post NS Artist Jamaaladeen Tacuma “This Room of Love” Solo Free Jazz Performance at moers Festival appeared first on NS Design.

ARKAI features violinist Jonathan Miron on the CR Violin with cellist Philip Sheegog. Check out their passionate musical performance ‘Letters from COVID’ “our reflection on the unprecedented times we’re living through – full of both difficulty and loss as well beauty and hope.”

Violinist Johnathon Miron plays the CR Violin.

www.arkaimusic.com

The post ARKAI’s TED Institute Performance “Letters from COVID” appeared first on NS Design.

The Electric Strings Extravaganza from The American String Teachers Association 2021 National Conference is Wednesday, March 3rd from noon to 3PM, EST. with live Q&A and guest appearances from several acclaimed electric violin, viola and cello artists. Are you a music instructor? Make your plan this week to recharge, learn, connect, and make music together at the American String Teachers Association⁠ annual conference.⁠

You are invited to join NS Artist Educator Julie Lyonn Lieberman and friends to enroll early and participate in the The Electric Strings Extravaganza. A special cameo appearance by NS Cello Artist Educator Greg Byers is sure to be inventive and full of the joy and dynamism that he brings to all of his performances!

Byers is an award winning performer, educator and producer. Check out his NS artist page for more information and a selection of video performances.

Register directly https://www.astastrings.org/

The post NS Artist Greg Byers Featured during ASTA’s 2021 Electric Strings Extravaganza appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design recently showcased an online series of informative and entertaining events including special performances, demonstrations, and live roundtable discussions among NS Artists, and NS founder Ned Steinberger, hosted by NS Artist Relations Manager Corey Redonnett. You can see a collection of videos and demonstrations at thinkNS.com/connect.

A message from NS Design founder Ned Steinberger⁠

I would like to express my special thanks to all the wonderful musicians who helped to make our NS Connect 2021 a success. Your knowledge, insight, and creative spirit, so freely shared for everyone’s benefit, was inspirational for me and I’m sure for all who participated in the event. I believe this is the beginning of a new level of connectivity for our growing and vibrant NS family. Thank you for making all this possible. I hope you have a great year! Ned⁠
⁠
Violinists and Violists⁠
Anna Blanton
Eliza James⁠
Ernest Bisong
Dr. Gregory Walker
Ion Zanca
Jason Yang⁠
Jonas Peterson
Jozef Nadj
Julie Lyon Lieberman
Ken Ford⁠
Matt Bell
Luis Montilla
Rebecca Schlappisch-Charles⁠
Rudof Haken
Scott Laird
⁠
Cellists⁠
Brian Webb
Calum Ingram⁠
Daniel Achebes
Greg Byers
Guy Michel⁠
Katie Larson
Kirsten Jones
Maddy Herdeman
Zack Clark⁠
⁠
Bassists⁠
Bakithi Kumalo
Brittany Frompovich  ⁠
Chance Onody  ⁠
Chris Wyse
Daniell Escortell
Derek Menchan
Donald Waugh  ⁠
Jake Moore
James “Hutch” Hutchinson
Lucas Steinberger ⁠
Marcos Varela
Michael Micucci
Nick Cañas
Nick Villalobos
Noor Che’ree
Pepe Hernandez
Yorgis Gioricelaya
Zach Rudulph

The post CONNECT2021 with NS Design – A Virtual Gathering appeared first on NS Design.

In the most recent For Bass Players Only interview, NS Artist Michael Micucci talks about his childhood challenges of being homeless, how buying a bass guitar from a friend on a whim changed his life, apprenticeship with Berkelee’s Bruce Gertz while in Boston, the discipline his band The Company Stores brings to his bass playing abilities, and the promising future work he has ahead with NS Artist Bakithi Kumalo.

Read the full interview on the For Bass Players Only website here.

For more information on the CR Upright Bass that Michael plays visit this link: https://thinkns.com/instrument/ns-design-electric-upright-bass/ns-design-electric-upright-bass-cr/

The post NS Artist Michael Micucci Interview with For Bass Players Only appeared first on NS Design.

In his recent For Bass Players Only interview, NS Artist Noor Che’ree tells the story of his journey as a musician, how important his family has been on his path as a creative artist, and how his ongoing collaborative project with violinist and producer Jonas Petersen, called Symphonic Planet, has transformed his time in Los Angeles into the work of his dreams, traveling the world to create and search for music in it’s myriad forms.

Che’ree’s journey through music has made many stops around the world with many different genres of artists and organizations. A former US Marine Musician for the 1st Marine Division Band, award winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and international touring artist, Noor strives to explore new territories in his eclectic taste of world sounds and cultures, while marrying his jazz influences to the creative process of all music.

Find the full FBPO article here:

https://forbassplayersonly.com/noor-cheree/

Che’ree plays the CR Radius Bass, the NXTa Upright Bass and the NXTa Cello.

https://thinkns.com/artists/ns-design-artist-noor-cheree/

#thinkNS #NSDesign #NedSteinberger #ElectricUpright #upright #nsartist #FBPO #ForBassPlayersOnly

The post NS Artist Noor Che’ree’s Interview with For Bass Players Only appeared first on NS Design.

Pushing the boundaries sonically, ergonomically and aesthetically for over 40 years, Ned’s instruments continue to be played and revered by extraordinary players worldwide.

Steinberger: A Story of Creativity and Design is available now from publisher Rowman & Littlefield.

The first instrument Ned ever created, the Spector NS-1 bass guitar in 1977, is still Spector’s best-selling instrument design. With his next instruments, the Steinberger basses and guitars, Ned literally cut the head off the world of guitar and bass and redefined what the electric bass and guitar could be. Steinberger instruments defined a generation of musicians both sonically and visually and were played by the biggest artists of the day, including Sting, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, and Eddie Van Halen. Never one to slow down, Ned moved from electric guitars and basses to bowed electric instruments. His NS Design instruments once again set the industry standards.

”The first Steinberger bass was a marriage of design innovation and classic sound. The Steinberger and NS Design instruments that followed often surprised us with their innovations but, more than that, they gratified our need to have a distinctive and satisfying sound – they are instruments to help us on our musical journeys. When considering the modern masters of form and function, Ned Steinberger’s name belongs at the head of the list.“

— Tony Levin January 28, 2018

From the foreward to Steinberger: A Story of Creativity and Design

Sources include: Laurie Anderson, Jeff Babicz, Dick Boak, Emmett Chapman, Jim D’Addario, Buck Dharma, Vinny Fodera, David Gage, Hap Kuffner, Bakithi Kumalo, Tony Levin, Steve Miller, Stuart Spector, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Rob Turner, Rob Wasserman, and Andy West

About the Author

Writer and musician, Jim Reilly, studied both jazz guitar and journalism in college and has spent the past 20 years or so combining those two loves. “I see music and writing as different expressions of the same creative impulse,” he says. “Music lives in the moment – writing captures that moment and gives it form and shape.” Currently living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, as a musician, Jim is equally at home on guitar, bass, or Chapman Stick. As a writer, he has done promotional work for other artists and music companies, written for CBC Radio One, and had features published in many music magazines. For more information, please see www.jimreilly.ca.

Visit the Rowman & Littlefield website linked here for more information and to purchase the book.

The book is also available for purchase on Amazon.com linked here.

For International Purchase from Rowman & Littlefield: We are informed that, because of the Coronavirus situation, international deliveries are still experiencing severe delays, so other options may also be helpful for purchase. If you have further questions, you can contact the publisher’s customer service directly at (800) 462-6420, or orders@rowman.com

The post Steinberger: A Story of Creativity and Design by Jim Reilly appeared first on NS Design.

Here is Bakithi’s NS NXTa Upright Bass groove in “Wristband”, a song performed during Paul Simon’s debut at performance at SXSW:

For more information about Bakithi Kumalo, visit his NS Artist Page linked here.

The post NS Artist Bakithi Kumalo’s NAMM Show 2020 Interview with For Bass Players Only appeared first on NS Design.

The latest For Bass Players Only interview is with jazz bassist and NS Artist Marcos Varela, who sat down with Jon Leibman at the NS Design booth during the Winter NAMM Show 2020. Among the topics, they talk bass technique, Mingus Big Band in NYC, a new debut record release planned with the Illumination Quartet on Spanish label Fresh Sound New Talent, and Varela’s rock jazz projects in the works with the NS CR Radius bass guitar.

For more information about Marcos Varela, visit his website: http://www.marcosvarelamusic.com/

The post NS Artist Marcos Varela’s 2020 Interview with For Bass Players Only appeared first on NS Design.

NS Artist Laurie Anderson visited San Francisco last week as Resident Artistic Director at SF JAZZ Center for a four-night performance series. Anderson, who plays the NS CR electric violin, shared the stage on night one with her NYC Improvisations Series collaborators – virtuoso bassist Christian McBride and cellist (NS Artist) Rubin Kodheli; night two included the strings duet of Kodheli again, with Anderson; the third evening also included Kodheli with the addition of avant-garde vocalist Mike Patton, of Mr. Bungle and Faith No More; night four featured Anderson’s solo performance with her NS violin, keyboards, and filters.

Visit Laurie Anderson’s NS Artist page for more information about the artist, reviews of these remarkable SF Jazz Center performances, and video links to a variety of her performances throughout the years:
https://thinkns.com/artists/ns-design-artist-laurie-anderson/

Photo credit: Geoffrey Smith II

The post Laurie Anderson Resident Artistic Director SF Jazz Center appeared first on NS Design.

Congratulations to Josh Cohen, taking top prize! He played a 6-string bass with his original composition “Frostbite”. He chose the NS Omni Bass and the Phil Jones Double Four portable practice amp as his prizes!  Well done Josh!

The post Solo Bass Competition during The NAMM Show week 2020! appeared first on NS Design.

The NAMM Show 2020 Ultimate Jam Night is a concert that brings all the legendary and top musicians of the world to play music together on one stage. This year’s stellar performances included NS Artists Quartet405 with violinists Eliza James and Rebecca Schlappich Charles, violist Jayna Chou, and cellist Danica Pinner rockin’ their NXTa’s! Check out the amazing photographs of the show taken by NS Artist Noor Che’ree of Cookie Monstah Media.

The post NAMM Show 2020 Ultimate Jam Night appeared first on NS Design.

We have a number of great players at the Winter NAMM 2020 booth performing and demonstrating NS, including: legendary bassist Bakithi Kumalo (Paul Simon), violinist Daneille Turano, Marcos Varela – Grammy nominated Jazz artist and composer, Los Angeles’s favorite electric ensemble Quartet 405 with a special demonstration including Symphonic Planet, solo bassists Noor Che’ree, Chance Wilder Onody, Donald Waugh and much more!

The post NS Design Booth at Winter NAMM 2020 appeared first on NS Design.

Here’s For Bass Players Only Interview with NS Artist Donald Waugh at the NS Design booth during Winter NAMM 2020.

Donald chats with FBPO’s Jon Liebman about a new album in the works for 2020, and advice about learning to play bass, among other topics.

For more information about For Bass Players Only visit: https://forbassplayersonly.com/

For more info about Donald Waugh check out his artist page:

https://thinkns.com/artists/ns-design-artist-donald-waugh/

The post Donald Waugh FBPO Interview NAMM 2020 appeared first on NS Design.

Check out the new interview with Bass Musician Magazine with NS Design Artist Carolyn Routh of Nu-Blu. She talks about her role in Nu-Blu, her recent podcast and VJing with The Bluegrass Ridge TV, among many other projects.

“I’ve been searching for a long time to find the perfect bass guitar to fit my needs and add a new dynamic to our stage show. The NS CR4 RADIUS is that bass.” – Carolyn Routh of Nu-Blu

Learn more about Carolyn and Nu-Blu . . .

The post Carolyn Routh – Bass Musician Magazine Interview appeared first on NS Design.

Ned Steinberger (center) meeting with Tommy Maloney (left) and V.J. Manzo (right) in the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab at WPI.

NS Design Founder and award-winning instrument designer, Ned Steinberger recently spent some time in collaboration on confidential research regarding electric guitar technology, with Tommy Maloney and V.J. Manzo of the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worchester, MA.

The Guitar Innovation Lab explores opportunities for research, innovation, and education related to the electric guitar and the various components associated with the electric guitar including instrument design and modification, amplifiers, pickups, effects processors, and more. Check out the Lab’s website here: http://electricguitarinnovationlab.org/

The post Ned Steinberger Visits the Worchester Poly Technical Institute Guitar Innovation Lab appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design has launched an NS Instrument Registration Form on our website. Registering your NS instrument helps us serve you better if you need to request technical support from us in the future. When you complete your registration, we will issue you an NS ID number for your instrument that you can refer to in future communications with us.

If you need technical support for an NS product, please use the Technical Support Form. If you have an informational request, please visit our FAQ page, or write to info@nedsteinberger.com.

We hope you will take a few minutes and register your instrument today. Visit the website home page or follow this directly to the registration form linked here: https://thinkns.com/register-your-ns-instrument/⁠

The post NS Design Instrument Registration Form appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design attended and exhibited at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass Expo, Booth #315. Many NS Artists, friends and fans stopped in to say hello to NS National Sales Manager Tommy Wilson and NS Artist Relations Manager Corey Redonnett, who showcased a variety of NS instruments for attendees to plug in and pick, pluck, bow and strum! The Expo ran from Wednesday, September 24 through Saturday, September 28, 2019.

The NS Booth at IBMA 2019 was lively with visitors all week.

__________

IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year Award & Collaborative Recording of the Year Award

IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award 2019 recipient Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers

NS Design congratulates NS Artist Randy Barnes bassist with Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers who took home top prize, earning the Entertainer of the Year Award, along with the Collaborative Recording of the Year Award for “The Guitar Song”, at the 30th Annual International Bluegrass Music Association. Randy Barnes plays the NXT4a Electric Upright Bass and CR4M Electric Upright Bass.

NS Design Artist Randy Barnes plays the NXTa EUB.

More about Randy Barnes . . .

__________

IBMA’s Momentum Award for Band of the Year

More great news out of Raleigh, NC where NS Design Bassist Dylan Lawrence with Cane Mill Road just won International Bluegrass Music Association’s Momentum Award for Band of the Year! Congratulations guys! Dylan plays the NXT5a Electric Upright Bass.

NS Design Bassist Dylan Lawrence plays the NXTa EUB.

__________

Grammy nomination for The Moore Brothers Band

Big news from the NS booth at International Bluegrass Music Association attendees when Jake Moore showed up to share with our Artist Relations Manager, Corey Redonnett, that the Moore Brothers Band are now in the running for a few Grammy nods this year. Jake plays the NS CR4 Omni Bass with The Moore Brothers Band, Jubilee and Cane Mill Road. Congratulations!

NS Artist Relations Manager Corey Redonnett at the NS Booth at IBMA 2019 with Jake Moore.

We love seeing NS instruments represented so well in the wide world of Bluegrass! Congratulations to all the NS players on a great turn out in Raleigh this year.

The post NS Design at IBMA and World of Bluegrass 2019 appeared first on NS Design.

NS Artist and esteemed bassist Tony Levin and his long-time band mates in King Crimson are embarking on their 2019 50th Anniversary Celebration American Tour.   With his CR5M Upright Bass, Tony and the rest of the KC camp will be ploughing through their extensive history of fan favorites.

Tour dates at:   https://www.dgmlive.com/tours?liveshow=on

Tony will also be doing a run of December dates with The Levin Brothers.  Featuring tinges of mid-century Afro-Cuban Jazz, Tony on his CR5 Cello and CR5M Upright Bass along with keyboardist brother Pete Levin, carve out fiery improvisations and groovy compositions rooted in classic Jazz of their childhood.

Tour dates at:  https://tonylevin.com/tour

Tony Levin plays the CR5M Upright Bass and CR5 Cello.

more about Tony . . . 

The post Tony Levin – King Crimson’s 2019 50th Anniversary Celebration American Tour appeared first on NS Design.

Benny Rietveld bassist for Santana, playing the NS CRM Upright. Photo by Alan Poulin

NS Design Artist Benny Rietveld, longtime bassist and music director for Santana, sat down for an exclusive interview with Jon Liebman of For Bass Players Only. Benny shares his history and the power of the bass.

“If they’re not at least moving and tapping… then you’re not doing a good job.” – Benny Rietveld

Watch the interview here:

https://youtu.be/BJfjEuPkU6U

Rietveld plays the CRM Electric Upright Bass and CR RADIUS Bass Guitar

More about Benny . . .

The post NS Artist Benny Rietveld – For Bass Players Only Interview appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design Artist Jamaaladeen Tacuma speaks with Premier Guitar in the August, 2019 issue about producing The Last Poets 2019 release Transcending Toxic Times, and his Steinberger and NS Design Basses.

Read the full article linked here: Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Grooving Hard, Embracing Risk – Premiere Guitar Magazine

Tacuma plays the NS WAV Electric Upright Basses and WAV RADIUS Bass Guitars.

Read more about Jamaaladeen Tacuma and The Outsiders Festival. . .

The post NS Artist Jamaaladeen Tacuma speaks with Premier Guitar Magazine appeared first on NS Design.

Scott Laird, nationally recognized string pedagogue and conductor (and NS Design Artist and Educator), has received The University of North Carolina Board of Governors 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Established by the Board in 1993 to highlight the importance of teaching, the award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of faculty members System wide, honoring 17 outstanding faculty members this year.

“We take great pride in honoring these recipients. They all bring a high standard of excellence in the classroom through creative teaching methods that impact our students,” said UNC Board of Governors Chair Harry Smith.

Laird, who has served on the faculty of The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics is currently the Fine Arts Coordinator and Instructor of Music.

Beginning in 2001, Laird’s milestone achievements include promoting and developing a high standard of musicianship and pride in the Orchestra and initiating popular electives Classical Piano and Guitar, Audio/Digital Music Production, and History of Western Music. Taking on the new role of Fine Arts Coordinator in 2008, Laird has played an integral role in recruiting, hiring, and supporting all of NCSSM’s Fine Arts instructors with an eye toward developing a team that exemplifies excellence in teaching, scholarship, impeccable musicianship, care for students, and collegiality.

In his 18 years as NCSSM’s orchestra conductor, the string section has grown from only 12 members in 2001 to over 60 players this year. They have performed major works every year including symphonies by Beethoven, Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Haydn, and this year, Brahms and have featured over 70 student soloists over the years as part of an annual Concerto Concert. He sponsors and supports students who are selected for the NCMEA Eastern Regional Orchestra, NC Honors Orchestra, and NAfME National Honor Orchestra.

“This award is an opportunity to acknowledge the great work that’s being done by some of the finest instructors in all of higher education,” said UNC System Interim President Bill Roper. “It represents the talent we have in the UNC System and the high-quality education our students receive.”

Noted for his innovative approach to ensemble development and musicianship, Laird is a frequent conductor of honor orchestras and is a sought-after conference presenter. He has developed relationships with the Durham community by promoting the Fine Arts Series events to the community on area list-serves and our programs are now well known for their high quality, free admission, and family-friendly atmosphere.

He regularly performs on acoustic and electric violin and is known for his abilities in both the classical and improvisatory arena. We’re proud to add that his electric of choice is the NS Design CR Violin.

His blog: “Thoughts of a String Educator,” enjoys broad readership in the music education community.

More on Scott and the other esteemed recipients of this prestigious award:  https://www.northcarolina.edu/Board-Governors-Awards/Teaching-Awards-2019

The post 2019 The University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award winner Scott Laird appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design’s founder and leading innovator of electric stringed instruments, Ned Steinberger, was the Keynote Speaker in the 2nd Annual Maine Luthiers Exhibition and Music Showcase this past November, at the City Hall Auditorium in Hallowell, Maine.

Speaking candidly about his unique and serendipitous path to instrument design, Ned traced his story from his early days in a Brooklyn, New York in a furniture-making cooperative, to meeting luthier Stuart Spector, and the breakthrough headless bass concepts that followed. He also chatted with the audience about his design aesthetics and the challenges and opportunities that new technology creates for instrument design. He showed samples of his formative designs, experimentation, and prototype concepts.

Watch Ned Steinberger’s full keynote speech here:

The Expo week included The Luthiers’ Craft, a Maine-made stringed instrument exhibition at The Harlow Gallery on Water Street in the downtown. The elaborate installation of instruments both contemporary and traditional design, included a of variety of NS Design’s trademark electric bowed, stringed instruments, the NS RADIUS Bass Guitar and Steinberger’s iconic original headless bass made in the early days of the Steinberger Sound Company.

Example of a working prototype design concept for the body of a guitar.

During the evening’s events, Ned was joined by local bassist and NS Artist Adam Frederick, who demonstrated the NXTa Upright Bass, CR RADIUS Bass Guitar and newly released NXTa RADIUS Bass Guitar. The event also featured a special performance by The Katie Matzell Band, featuring Frederick on bass.

NS Artist Adam Frederick with the Fretless NXT5a RADIUS Bass.

For more information about Ned Steinberger and all of the NS Design family of instruments please visit ThinkNS.com.

The post Ned Steinberger’s Keynote at Maine Luthiers Association appeared first on NS Design.

Friday night’s reception at City Hall includes a meet and greet with Ned Steinberger, our keynote speaker and an internationally recognized innovator in musical instrument design and construction.  He is an incredible example of innovative intellectual property producer who lives and works in Maine, and is part of an international manufacturing network.

The 2nd Annual Maine Luthiers Exhibition and Music Showcase is brought to you by the City of Hallowell, in partnership with The Harlow Gallery and Maine Craft Weekend, and funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Friday Night Welcoming at Hallowell City Hall

• Keynote Speaker: Ned Steinberger, internationally recognized stringed instrument design innovator, City Hall Auditorium, 6:30 PM, with VIP reception at 5:30.  General seating starts at 6 PM.
• Featured Performers: Adam Frederick, bassist, NS Design Featured Endorser, City Hall Auditorium, 7:30 PM; The Katie Matzell Band, City Hall Auditorium, 8:00 PM

NS Artist Adam Frederick with the Fretless Sunburst NXT5a RADIUS

Music and woodworking vendors and demonstrations including:

• Bourgeois Guitars, Hallowell City Hall
• Kennebec Instrument and Amplifier, Hallowell City Hall
• Carter Ruff, Luthier, Hallowell City Hall
• Shelter Tool, Hallowell Bandstand (next to The Harlow)

All days Featuring:

• Maine-Made Stringed Instrument Exhibition at The Harlow
• Raffle drawings for great stringed instruments including a NS Design WAV4 Radius electric bass guitar and a Yamaha Revstar RS502 electric guitar
• Music Performances in Downtown Venues throughout the weekend

Visit http://hallowell.org/luthiers/ for more details and to reserve your tickets!

The post Ned Steinberger, NS Design Founder, Keynote Speaker at 2nd Annual Maine Luthiers Exhibition & Music Showcase appeared first on NS Design.

Those who have been following his career know that Bakithi Kumalo joined Paul Simon’s band in 1985 and has performed with him ever since. His playing on Simon’s album Graceland became one of the iconic bass performances of all time. In February, Simon announced Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, the final phase of his fifty-year performance career. Kumalo will accompany him on this tour, as he has for the last thirty years. He plays an array of NS instruments, including the CR5 RADIUS bass guitar and the NXT4 electric upright bass.

Last October we had the pleasure of capturing highlights of time spent between Bakithi and Ned Steinberger at Ned’s studio and workshop in Maine. In the course of their conversation, Ned shared his thoughts on instrument design and the relationship between designer and musician. Bakithi played and shared his own thoughts on Ned’s instruments, including some of his experimental creations.

This is a must-watch video for any fan of Bakithi or Ned, and fascinating for anyone who thinks deeply about music.

For additional footage of their day together at Ned’s workshop and studio, please visit the NS Design YouTube Channel.

The post A Conversation with Bakithi Kumalo and Ned Steinberger appeared first on NS Design.