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.
Experiences
NS Artist Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Presenting the Outsiders Festival
NS Design is proud to co-sponsor the Outsiders Improvised & Creative Music Festival in Philadelphia, PA, with events taking place throughout the month of April and a Grand Finale concert April 29th at the Ibrahim Theater. The festival is curated by renowned bassist and NS endorser Jamaaladeen Tacuma and produced by Jam-All productions.
NS Artist Noor Che’ree Joins the Spring 2018 “I Believe You” Tour and Clinic Featuring Emiko
NS Design Bassist Noor Che’ree is embarking on the “I Believe You 2018 Tour” with Rock-Pop musician Emiko. The National Tour begins on March 21, 2018.
How Ned Steinberger redesigned the bass world. In-depth with bass’s headless horseman -By Jim Reilly
A generation of musicians has come of age since NS Design founder Ned Steinberger revolutionized the electric bass in the early 1980s. In this in-depth article, MusicRadar.com’s Jim Reilly explores the history of the original “headless” Steinberger basses and guitars, and traces Ned’s journey from those early instruments to NS Design’s innovative product line of […]
The Lyonn’s Roar by Julie Lyonn Lieberman – Edition Five – “Rhythmize Your Bow with Chop”
Welcome to the fifth edition of The Lyonn’s Roar, “Rhythmize Your Bow with Chop” by NS Violinist and Educator Julie Lyonn Lieberman.
Odyssey Boldly with NS Cellist Katie Larson of The Accidentals on tour with a new album release as Sony Masterworks Artists
With much anticipation from fans and followers, NS Cellist Katie Larson and her Indie Folk-Rock band The Accidentals are celebrating their recent signing as Sony Materworks Artists and the release of a new album, Odyssey.
The Lyonn’s Roar by Julie Lyonn Lieberman – Edition Four – “Electric Technique: The Same . . .or?”
Welcome to the fourth edition of THE LYONN’S ROAR, “Electric Technique: The Same . . .or?” by NS Violinist and Educator Julie Lyonn Lieberman.
James “Hutch” Hutchinson – Groove Royalty
James “Hutch” Hutchinson is respected far and wide for his musical versatility and long experience playing with top-tier acts.
The Lyonn’s Roar by Julie Lyonn Lieberman – Edition Three -“Get The Best Tone On Your Electric”
By Julie Lyonn Lieberman Welcome to the third edition of THE LYONN’S ROAR, “Get The Best Tone On Your Electric,” with highlighting iNSights into Choosing an Electric Instrument, Amplification and Effects, and Strings and things by Julie Lyonn Lieberman.
NS iNSight – Chats With Champions – Ned Steinberger
NS Design’s founder and instrument designer Ned Steinberger was invited as a featured speaker at the Skidompha Library “Chats With Champions” series this past month in co-sponsorship with Sherman’s Bookstore in Damariscotta, Maine.
The Levin Brothers Band on tour!
The Levin Brothers Band are on tour now. With bassist Tony Levin and his brother Pete Levin on keyboard along with fellow bandmates sax player Erik Lawrence and drummer Jeff “Siege” Siegel, the band have select dates on the U.S. East Coast and in South America this Spring.
The Lyonn’s Roar by Julie Lyonn Lieberman – Edition Two – “String Drumming”
Welcome to the second edition of THE LYONN’S ROAR – “String Drumming” filled with iNSights into how to inject fire into your bow by Julie Lyonn Lieberman. While many bowed string players focus on traditional techniques, Julie will show you how to be iNSpired to take flight, how to move and groove. There’s a world […]
The Lyonn’s Roar by Julie Lyonn Lieberman – Edition One – “Special Effects”
Welcome to the first edition of THE LYONN’S ROAR – “Special Effects” by Julie Lyonn Lieberman. Julie focuses on using effects with electric bowed instruments, including multi-effects processors, and how they can add “spice” to your playing and sound. To see a video demonstration of some of the sounds you can achieve, visit Strings Without […]
Introducing Julie Lyonn Lieberman’s “The Lyonn’s Roar!”
NS Design is pleased to announce that NS Artist and String Educator JULIE LYONN LIEBERMAN will be featured in a new series that we affectionately call the “Lyonn’s Roar!” Every month readers can look forward to education and advice on how to improve as a player, performer and musician and get the most out of your electric stringed instruments.
Bass Musician Magazine’s Year of the Luthier: Ned Steinberger – NS Design.
by Raul Amador AS WE WRAP UP THE YEAR OF THE LUTHIER CELEBRATIONS, I THINK IT IS ONLY FITTING TO HEAR FROM NED STEINBERGER! Ned worked closely with Stuart Spector (Our January cover) in designing the first Spector bass and has been a pioneer in innovative instrument design. The entire line of stringed instruments, including […]
Confessions of an NS Design-Loving Traditionalist
Convenience is an idol, and I have no desire to worship at its altar. I don’t own an iPod, I prefer my 78 RPM records played on my vintage tube phonograph. I don’t own a coffee maker, I would rather use my french press, or better yet, I would rather make a cup of […]
NS iNSight – A Perfect Fit
Music instrument aesthetics are rarely, if ever, considered from a scientific point of view. Yet for industrial designers and architects, form must meet function. And there is a lot of science and technology to apply in this way. While technique for playing bass is often the subject of passionate discussion, and there are varying […]
NS iNSight – Perfecting the tuner.
Pulleys and levers. Remember them? Yes, those concepts you learned in high school physics are the heart of the NS Design patented tuning system found on all the NS Design headless instruments. In particular, US Patent 6,528,710. Ned has been perfecting tuning systems for guitars and stringed instruments going all the way back to […]
On the set of NBC’s Hollywood Game Night with Claire Courchene and Ric Markmann.
As a two-year-old growing up in the UK and listening to her older sister practicing, Claire Courchene was determined and inspired to pick up the cello. That determination continued unabated, and eventually attending The University of Miami as a double major on both cello and trombone, she crafted her performance and technique, ultimately leading […]
Benny Rietveld Shares Tales Of Musical Adventure
Santana bassist talks to FBPO about working with Carlos, Miles, Sheila E. and his expanding roll as music director. By David Sands Top photo: Alan Poulin Photography June 3, 2015 Listening to Benny Rietveld, it’s hard not to be a little amazed at the places his bass has taken him. To start with, he plays with Carlos […]
NS Insight: Highs & Lows
NS Insight: Highs & Lows There’s a reason why professional bass players love the big, punchy low end and the glistening highs & harmonics of an NS Bass. Here’s what’s going on: Human hearing is naturally strong in the mids (roughly between 1 and 5 kHz, the vocal frequency range), but drops off at higher […]
Good Times at Merlefest
Honoring the memory of Eddy Merle Watson, son of the legendary Doc Watson, Merlefest is a four-day outdoor festival that features the best of old and new in Country, Bluegrass, Americana and Folk music. Music lovers from all over the country flock to the hills of North Carolina to attend this event for four days every […]
Scenes from Musikmesse 2015
NS Design exhibits every year at this international gathering of musical instrument manufacturers and distributors in Frankfurt, Germany. This year, visitors to our booth were excited to try our RADIUS bass guitars, and expressed great enthusiasm for the electric guitar prototypes we had on display.
James “Hutch” Hutchinson – Bridging Musical Worlds
Iconic bassist talks to FBPO about his three decades with Bonnie Raitt, plus a whole lot more you may not have known By David Sands April 8, 2015 James “Hutch” Hutchinson has been cooking up music with blues-rock legend Bonnie Raitt for over three decades. It’s a relationship the bassist cherishes, but his musical hunger […]