“If I had a young musician, I would get them to an Accidentals show. They set the bar for inspiration and their concerts are vaxxed and masked. Three women all playing multiple instruments insanely well, energy off the hook, and a killer drummer holding it down, this is the show to see.” – NPR

Be sure to catch these amazing women who’s compositions and performances tie together the spirit of their journey during the past two years.  Tour Dates.

Captured in April 2021, at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival their poignant and touching tune Might As Well Be Gold brings together beautiful folk harmonies with rolling changes and rhythms.

“We wrote Might As Well Be Gold as a reminder of what we have in the midst of what we have lost… there is so much to be thankful for even in the darkest hour, finding gratitude every day keeps the depression at bay and gives us a sense of hope and purpose. It’s part of our mental health improvement program over Covid. It’s one of those things that we will carry forward as we exit this space and continually adjust to new situations.” – The Accidentals

Check out the reviews from The Accidentals latest release Vessel in Localspins and Northern Express publications.

More on Katie . . .

The post Katie Larson appeared first on NS Design.

Combining beautifully be-bop lines with his melodic lyrical style, composer and bassist Selim has created a poignant and introspective composition with his CR5 RADIUS Bass Guitar. Set in Izmir Turkey, the first video In Quarantine from My Music Box is available here.

More on Selim . . .

The post Selim Gürcan  appeared first on NS Design.

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 video features Eyvind performing progressive technical passages with amazing bowing and percussive techniques on his NS CR5 Fretted Omni Bass.

“The Endless Spiral is a song about the unfathomable abyss of time that we all travel through. It deals with the seemingly endless, meaningless, cycles of matter, contrasted with our own meager existences. – Metal Injection

more on Eyvind . . 

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NS Design’s WAV Series Violins are fully equipped for studio performance and the plugged in world of amplifiers and sound reinforcement. Versatile, traditional in tone and character but able to range into any sonic landscape. Lightweight with widely adjustable chin and shoulder rests, this electric violin frees you to discover new musical ideas.

Learn what makes the WAV Violin amazing.

Here is what NS Artists are saying:

“Great clean warm sound and it looks super sexy!” —Chihsuan Yang

https://youtu.be/WyJrJq3xtU8?list=PLBAA042B1B8E67A51

18th century Chinese Folk Song “Muolihua” featuring the NS Design WAV5 violin and Erhu. Chihsuan Yang | Arrangement by Stone Damon

“It pairs well with my pedal board, ranging from crunchy guitar distortions to shimmery chorus sounds. Its stunning white finish provides a blank canvas for projection art and stage lighting, taking on a life of its own.” — Annabelle Freedman

“I love the response and the result I can get with different pedals and effects. It is very comfortable to use on stage and I especially love the design.” — Rosario Vásquez

Learn more about the full range of NS Violins

(CR, NXTa & WAV Series)

The post Artist Voices: The WAV Series Electric Violin appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design recently hosted another ConnectLIVE event with NS Design Founder and award winning instrument designer Ned Steinberger in a “Coffee with Ned” Zoom chat. Ned was joined by several fans, friends and NS Artists on the call in a lively and informative discussion. Check it out here!

The post CONNECTLIVE “Coffee with Ned” ZOOM Chat appeared first on NS Design.

Congratulations to NS Artist Brittany Frompovich who is a finalist in two categories in the 2021 Virtual Washington Area Music Awards, also known as “The Wammies.” Bassist and strings educator, Frompovich is nominated for Educator, and Best Blues Artist/Group,  as a part of The Ashleigh Chevalier Band.

The Wammies is a 32-year-old music award show that celebrates DC area artists and musicians, and is sponsored by The MusicianShip, whose work provides free music and educational programming to young people in the community. The event takes place Sunday, March 28 from 6-9:30PM at www.WammiesDC.org and tickets are available and provide full access to a range of interactive features, including Pre-Show, Red Carpet, finalist interviews, performances, Virtual Vendor Expo, networking, and after-party. With a VIP ticket, 50% of the proceeds go to supporting The MusicianShip’s work providing free music education programming.

For more information about Frompovich, her educator programs and the NS basses she plays, please visit her NS Artist page

https://thinkns.com/artists/ns-design-artist-brittany-frompovich/

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A concept born of the fun and informative CONNECT2021 Virtual Gathering January event hosted by NS Founder Ned Steinberger, with NS Artist Relations Manager Corey Redonnett, this was the first of its kind CONNECTLIVE event. This hour long chat and performance highlights included additional NS Artist Educators Brittany Frompovich, and Scott Laird, along with friends Matt Laird, Matt Bell of Electric Violin Shop, Mark Gollihur, founder of Gollihur Music, and Barry Moorehouse, founder of The Bass Centre, House Music, and Brian May Guitars.  It was a great hour of music and discussion.

We welcome you to watch this virtual gathering and learn a bit about how the artists use their NS instruments to get the variety of sounds in performance.

The instruments featured in this event were the CR6 RADIUS Bass Guitar and the NXTa Electric Violin, and WAV Electric Violin.

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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.

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.

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Be sure to check out his fun looping improvisation on his NXT Cello for the Berklee World Strings Department.

More on Eugene . . .

The post Eugen Friesen – Creative Cello Workshop 2020 appeared first on NS Design.

“Having first played an NS bass well over 25 years ago, while window-shopping and dreaming, I will never forget the amazing feel—the action of the strings—and, man, I fell in love. Now, I am rather ecstatic to own two of them, a CR5M Upright Bass and EU6 Upright Bass.”

It’s really like Nietzsche says: “Without music, life would be a mistake.”

More on Derek . . .

The post Derek Menchan appeared first on NS Design.

Check out his high-energy metal outfit Nautilus vs. Pangolin who are currently recording their upcoming release.

Cañas is also a content creator who makes covers, playthroughs, instructional videos, and reviews which all highlight his interpretation of the bass guitar.

“The NS Design WAV RADIUS bass is beautifully made, with some of my favorite features including the di-radial body shape, the custom EMG pickup, the bridge system, and the action I am able to achieve with this bass. I have never been able to achieve my personal “perfect action” on another bass, which makes my RADIUS bass my favorite bass of all time! I truly love my NS Design WAV RADIUS 5 string bass so much that I modified my personal bass with a beautiful hand-designed custom aged pearl pickguard.” – Nick Cañas

More on Nick . . .

The post Nick Cañas appeared first on NS Design.

On behalf of our worldwide community of NS Artists, Ned and the NS Design team take this moment to recognize all musicians for their power to sustain, transport and heal in tumultuous times. Your music is vital to our well-being, and we are profoundly grateful.

Please enjoy, share, and find inspiration in these videos. We’ll endeavor to share more with you in the weeks to come.

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DSQ Electric (Dallas String Quartet)

DSQ Electric is an international ensemble based in Dallas, Texas. They play a fusion of classical and contemporary music on electric and traditional stringed instruments. Here is their recent performance together with Irving Symphony Orchestra playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto mixed with Kashmir, by Led Zeppelin.

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Jamaaladeen Tacuma

Grammy-nominated bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma is celebrated internationally for his creatively free, avant-garde and funky approach to the electric bass. Celebrated as one of the most distinctive bassists of his generation, he is credited for redefining the potential of the instrument. Here he is performing in a series of highlights from the Outsiders Improvised & Creative Music Festival 2019.

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Reignite Music

Reignite Music is a percussive string quartet hailing from Nashville, Tennessee. This group of young artists create music that illustrates an original cinematic story line where the music inspires the visuals. The group’s mission is to reignite people by feeding their creativity through music so that they will have the drive to pursue a passion that impacts the world positively. Check out their latest release Paradigm Shift.

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Pepe Hernández

Pepe Hernández “Mr. Groove” is a prolific composer and bassist from Mexico. He is celebrated as an influential voice in the Mexican jazz scene and a popular touring musician with full orchestra and big band. Hernández’s musical versatility in Latin, jazz, funk and pop have excited audiences for decades. Here he is, live in concert at the Chapala International Jazz Show.

The post Remember the Power of Music in Turbulent Times 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.

Dean recently sat down with Raul Amandor from Bass Musician Magazine for an in-depth interview.

Catch Dean on tour with Alessia Cara in 2020 and beyond.

More on Dean . . .

The post Lionel Dean Jarvis appeared first on NS Design.

Laurie Anderson – Resident Artistic Director at SFJAZZ Center in 2020 has made landmarked performances with cellist Rubin Kodheli and famed-bassist Christian McBride.
The concert is part of The L.A. Philharmonic’s annual jazz series.

https://www.laweekly.com/laurie-anderson-christian-mcbride-rubin-kodheli-trip-the-light-fantastic-in-a-convulsive-set/

Laurie Anderson Lands Year-Long New York City Residency – Rolling Stone
Laurie Anderson will spend most of 2020 performing a Sunday music series starting February 3rd at Joe’s Pub in NYC as part of their 2020 Vanguard Award and Residency.  “The Public is a nonprofit theater that presents plays and musical performances almost every night of the year, and aims to support New York artists by encouraging exchange across generations and mediums.” – New York Times – Giovanni Russonello

Her 2019 release of “Songs from the Bardo,” based on settings of the Tibetan Book of the Dead has garnered rave reviews in Rolling Stone and Pitchfork magazine.

Anderson received her first Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music / Small Ensemble Performance at the 2019 61st Annual Award show.  Her collaboration with the heralded Kronos Quartet on the introspectively titled “Landfall” recounts her experiences with Hurricane Sandy.
https://www.nonesuch.com/journal/punch-brothers-laurie-anderson-kronos-quartet-win-grammy-awards-2019-02-10

First performed in 2015, this evening is a unique musical collaboration. Laurie is one of America’s most renowned – and daring – creative pioneers. She is best known for her multimedia presentations and musical recordings.

Laurie Anderson and Philip Glass will perform in conjunction at the Tibet House US 33rd Annual Benefit Concert on February 26, 2020.
Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
57th Street & 7th Avenue
New York (NYC), NY 10019 US
(212) 247-7800
www.carnegiehall.org/
Curated by Philip Glass, the 33rd Annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert features Laurie Anderson, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and more. Tickets on sale now.

More About Laurie . . . .

The post Laurie Anderson 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.

NS Artist Noah Sierota, bassist/singer/songwriter for Echosmith, started out with 2013’s Top-40 charting debut Talking Dreams with the single “Cool Kids” followed by 2017’s Inside a Dream and their latest 2020’s Lonely Generation.  Echosmith exemplifies the generational voice of contemporary youth through catchy songs of isolation and coming of age, in the midst of the ever-evolving world of technology and social media.

Check out this great live video of Echosmith’s newest releases Lonely Generation and Diamonds, as well as their seasoned favorite Cool Kids, featuring Sierota on the NXTa Upright Bass:

Their Lonely Generation Tour is happening now! For more info on Echosmith visit their website: https://echosmith.com/home/

https://thinkns.com/artists/ns-design-artist-noah-sierota/

The post Noah Sierota – Echosmith new album 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 Artist Lionel Dean Jarvis sat down with Bass Musician Magazine for an intimate interview about his start in music, to his current tour as bassist and Music Director with 2018 Grammy Award winner Alessia Cara.

Check out Lionel and his CR5M Upright Bass on Alessia Cara’s North American tour!

learn more about Lionel Dean Jarvis…

The post Lionel Dean Jarvis – Bass Musician Magazine Interview appeared first on NS Design.

NS Design Educator Julie Lyonn Lieberman releases her new tutorial A FESTIVAL of VIOLIN & FIDDLE STYLES available for Violin, Viola and Cello. Julie is Artistic Director of the exciting Strings Without Boundaries seminars and is a storied author and teacher with of 12 Books and 6 DVDs distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation and 24+ String orchestra scores published by Alfred, Kendor, and Carl Fischer.

Available at: https://julielyonnmusic.ecwid.com/

Julie plays and performs with her NXTa Violin and uses  NXTa Violas and NXTa Cellos in her seminars, clinics and performances.

more about Julie . . .

The post Julie Lyonn Lieberman releases her new tutorial A FESTIVAL of VIOLIN & FIDDLE STYLES appeared first on NS Design.