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Katie Larson

Cellist/vocalist/bassist/guitarist Katie Larson with her band The Accidentals are embarking on a Fall tour supporting their fourth record release Vessel.  Katie plays the NS NXT5a Electric Cello, adding both bowed melodies and plucked bass lines to her lead vocal along with vocalist/guitarist/violinist Savannah Buist and percussionist Michael Dause.   “If I had a young musician, […]

Eyvind Axelson

Eyvind Axelson and Norwegian Death Metal outfit Diskord release their newest album Degenerations. Bassist and vocalist Eyvind Axelson handles the low end with his NS CR5F Omni Bass, combining complex picked passages along with ominous bowing techniques.  Check out Diskord’s newest single The Endless Spiral from the album Degenerations on Transcending Obscurity Records. This play-through […]

NS Artist Michael Micucci Interview with For Bass Players Only

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 […]

NS Design welcomes Pascal Roggen to the NS Artist roster

NS Design welcomes New Zealander violinist extraordinaire Pascal Roggen. Currently performing and touring with bass virtuoso Shez Raja Collective, including inspiring musicians, percussionist Trilok Gurtu and guitarist Wayne Krantz, Pascal fits in perfectly with his super-charged and electric improvisations. Pascal started his formal musical education in Auckland, NZ and soon became a staple by his […]

Featured Artist: Katie Larson

Katie Larson and her Indie Folk-Rock band The Accidentals are celebrating their signing as Sony Materworks Artists and the release of a new album, Odyssey. Katie plays CR and NXTa Series cellos Read more about Katie…

NS Artist Jacob Collier recieves two Grammy Awards.

Congratulations to NS Artist Jacob Collier on his 2017 Grammy Awards. Jacob was awarded 2017 Grammy Awards in the Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella category for “You And I” — Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier) and Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for “Flintstones”  — Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier).

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 […]

Students and NS Design at Interlochen

“Mr Laird!! It arrived! It arrived today!” These are the words I was greeted with on a Tuesday morning during my last week of the summer at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp.  Cello student, Luis Enriquez, from Belgium, has been a student at Interlochen for the past 3 summers and has been part of numerous performances where […]

Interlochen 2014

Hey all – I had a blast on Tuesday, July 8, performing with the Intermediate Jazz Ensemble up here at Interlochen in Northern Michigan.  We did the old David Sanborn/Bob James tune, Maputo from the mid 1980’s.  I have my CR4 violin up here and have been giving it a work-out, performing with various groups […]

Les Claypool and Primus select East Coast USA dates:

  Enigmatic and possibly the “world’s most interesting bass player” Les Claypool will be joining his band Primus, playing select East Coast US dates in June with dates following in September. You can also catch his storytelling Americana narrative group Duo De Twang on tour throughout the Summer. Always a showman with his unfettered and […]

Brittany Frompovich’s “Rock for Strings”

In case you haven’t heard of it, the “Rock For Strings” course by solo artist Brittany Frompovich is perfect for any classically trained bassist planning to “get electrified.” We’re proud to say that, teaching or performing, the NS upright bass and the new NS Radius bass guitar have become Brittany’s go-to instruments. This summer, her […]

The NS Radius Bass – A New Approach to Bass Ergonomics  by Todd Urban

Bass Musician Magazine features a wonderful review of the NS RADIUS Bass Guitars by bassist Todd Urban featuring insights by designer Ned Steinberger. The NS Radius Bass – A New Approach to Bass Ergonomics http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2014/05/ns-radius-bass-new-approach-bass-ergonomics-todd-urban/

Play Nice With Others – Jonathan Moody

Whether on big stages, orchestral settings, theater pits, jazz clubs, composing or writing product reviews, bassist Jonathan Moody’s unique perspective and observation on the professional setting is always a joy to hear about. He reflects on his jamming experience at NAMM 2014 in this uplifting article for Seymour Duncan online “Play Nice with Others” http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-players-room/play-nice-with-others/

Summer at Interlochen with NS Design

Hi all. I am in my last day of my summer of conducting orchestras again this year at Interlochen Summer Arts Academy. It has been a great summer with lots of performing on my NS Design CR Series violin. I played for a fantastic art exhibit opening on July 24, using my looping technology, acoustic […]

The NS WAV Violin at Marshall Music Co. in Traverse City, MI

Hi all – I am conducting again this summer in Michigan at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Interlochen, Michigan.  It has been a great start to the summer and we are looking forward to lots of good times and music this summer.  I had a chance to play my CR Violin for an art exhibit […]

NS Bass Guitar Debuts at NAMM, Wins Awards

The 2012 NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) trade show in Anaheim, California, is one of the largest international events in the industry, and it’s a great preview of what each company in the music business is doing for the coming year. This year’s show was a particularly successful and exciting one for NS Design.  […]

Kazhargan World

Sean O’Bryan Smith (NXT4 double bass) sent us this new video of his jazz group Kazhargan World.  We absolutely love the tone Sean gets with the bass in this recording.  Kazhargan World is a virtual collaboration, created by musicians recording in Russia, Europe, and across the U.S. Through the open gestures of talented artists from […]

Happy New Year from NS Design!

2011 was a terrific year, and Ned Steinberger and the entire NS Design team want to say thank you, and give a shout out, to all the great artists who inspired us along the way. This includes big thanks to Tony Levin, Les Claypool, Sean O’Bryan Smith, Eric Mingus, Tony Cimorosi, Laurie Anderson, Charles Yang, […]

NS holds down the low end at the 2011 IBMA Conference

NS Design’s double basses have become popular with many bluegrass bassists for their terrific sound, comfort, and portability.  The International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee brings together some of the most talented Bluegrass players in the world, and we’re pleased that many of these folks have chosen our instruments.   Reed Jones […]

Thom Sharp’s Nanigo with Solo Electric Violin

                    Hey all – For you string teachers out there:  How about trying the tune based on West African rhythms called Nanigo, by Thom Sharp (Latham Music)  with percussion section and electric violin?  I did this piece at Interlochen last week and it was a huge […]