http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/news_archive en-us news@modernguitars.com 2009-06-17T07:17:48-06:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004958.html 4958@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-17T07:17:48-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004952.html Have you ever wanted to study with one of the best guitarists in the world but couldn't afford to take the time to travel across the country, let alone the cost of the lessons themselves? The Mike's Master Classes website aims to alleviate these problems by bringing your favorite players to you through live video streaming and downloadable archived master classes taught by some of the biggest names in the business. While most of us will never be able to study with our favorite jazz or blues guitarists in person, Mike's Master Classes delivers the next best thing: streaming, interactive guitar classes with world-class players and teachers. For the price of a method book, or a one-off private lesson with a local teacher, you can take part in a master class with players such as Paul Bollenback, Sid Jacobs and Vic Juris. Classes are offered almost every week and cover a wide variety of guitar related topics in the jazz, classical and blues genres. Mike's Master Classes offers everyone the chance to study and interact with some of the best players on the planet at an affordable price from the comfort of home. More » 4952@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-15T17:13:09-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004940.html Founded in 1983 by Dave Smolover, the National Guitar Workshop has since grown from its humble roots in South Kent, Connecticut, to become one of the top guitar workshops in the world. The NGW has built its strong reputation by providing guitarists the chance to study with some of the top names in the guitar world in an educational, though relaxed, environment. Students who attend any of the Workshop's week-long sessions can expect to spend time everyday in clinics with big-name players, jamming alongside fellow musicians of similar levels and musical tastes, getting one-on-one instruction from a private teacher and basically eating and sleeping guitar the whole time they are there. Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, the National Guitar Workshop is moving forward into its second quarter century by adding a new campus, bringing in legendary artists and adding several new courses that are sure to be hits with students and faculty alike. More » 4940@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-09T09:54:27-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004935.html On May 12, 2009, country music artist Big Kenny of Big & Rich fame, presented 20 Guild acoustic guitars to students at Mt. View Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of the Little Kids Rock program, which will see Big Kenny's donation of 140 Guild acoustics distributed to five schools in Nashville. During the event, students performed songs for Big Kenny, engaged him in a question and answer session, and presented the performer with an award for his generosity and support. Little Kids Rock is a nationally-recognized nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in the nation’s public schools. Over 3,000 students at 36 schools in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools receive free instruments and lessons from the organization. More » 4935@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-05T06:31:57-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004931.html 4931@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-03T06:30:28-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004927.html Christopher Parkening and Pepperdine University have announced the winner of the second triennial Parkening International Guitar Competition. Emanuele Buono, 21, of Italy won the prestigious competition through his performance of "Concerto No. 1 in D Major" by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre during the final round on Saturday, May 30. He received the $30,000 Stotsenberg Prize and Gold Medal from benefactor Dorothy Stotsenberg of Malibu, California. "It feels like a dream. I can't believe it," said Buono. When asked about the pressure in the final round, he replied, "I was less tense after the performance because I felt I played very well." More » 4927@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-02T04:30:30-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004926.html Guitarist Steve Vai will release a five-CD boxset this week titled Naked Tracks that consists of play-along recordings of tunes from seven of his albums. The tracks are designed for guitarists that would like to learn and practice some classic Vai. “Through the years, whenever I would mix my records I would usually do a mix of specific songs without the lead guitar. This allowed me to play along with the track or make loops to jam to, and because I figured perhaps someday maybe others would like to do the same,” explains Vai. “Voila! We have arrived at someday!” The five-CD boxset will be sold exclusively at the Guitar Center chain, with liner notes, transcripts, TABs, lead sheets and scores available soon at www.vai.com/nakedtracks, where Vai will also provide information regarding the key, scale, time signature and more of each track as well as guitar solo transcripts and TABs. More » 4926@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-06-01T09:32:01-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004924.html Modern Guitars columnist Dr. Matthew Warnock reviews a concert by the Allan Holdsworth Trio that took place on May 14, 2009. From the review: "It was a warm and windy evening in the quiet little Chicago suburb of Palatine, Illinois. Several hours before the concert started there was already a line of people outside Durty Nellie's Bar and Restaurant who had come to see one of the most respected, and often underexposed, guitarists of the past half-century, Allan Holdsworth. As they waited to enter the club, conversations popped up about their favorite Holdsworth song or album and anecdotes from previous concerts dating all the way back to the early '70s when the young guitarist first stunned jazz-fusion fans all over the globe. While many people in attendance were long-time fans of the British guitarist, there was a surprising number of teenagers and people who were talking to their friends about how excited they were to see Holdsworth perform for the first time. The mixture of fans, old and new, is a testament to Holdsworth's appeal as a composer and guitarist." More » 4924@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-29T11:25:31-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004913.html 4913@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-22T13:46:18-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004908.html Modern Guitars has three copies of the the new Days Before Tomorrow CD The Sky is Falling to giveaway to lucky readers on June 25, 2009. Days Before Tomorrow is a New Jersey progressive melodic rock group that delivers on all fronts: music that appeals to serious music lovers tired of the same old boring radio fare, and music with catchy melodies and strong hooks that casual listeners and rock lovers alike can latch onto. The Sky Is Falling was produced by industry legend Ron Nevison (Led Zeppelin, The Who, Heart) and mixed by Grammy-award winning engineer Earl Cohen (Usher, Christina Aguilera, Will Smith, Pink, Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, and more). The CD is a full hour concept story capped by amazing illustrations by artist Steven Bentley in a collectible 20-page full-color CD booklet. More » 4908@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-21T05:49:17-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004907.html While visiting Paul Reed Smith Guitars last year, Joe Knaggs, Director of R&D and Private Stock, took us on a tour of the new PRS operations building and spent time showing us some of the company's new models, including a sweet little custom-made mandolin. Joe has been an integral member of the PRS Guitars team for a few decades now and his legacy as the Director of Research and Development, coupled with his oversight of the Private Stock line, give him some impressive credentials and offered him opportunities most guitarists can only dream about. We were impressed with the stunning acoustics that not only were visually appealing, but had the feel and sound to meet the needs of guitarists, whether they like to flail or caress music out of their guitars. Our first impressions were confirmed when the new PRS acoustics won the Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA), known as the "Grammy" of the Musical Instrument/ProAudio industry, for Best Acoustic Guitar. More » 4907@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-20T09:19:39-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004903.html 4903@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-19T05:20:46-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004896.html Adopting the nickname Seasick Steve is a relatively recent development for the 60-something guitar-playing, blues-singing, Steven Gene Wold. So are: winning the 2007 Mojo Award for Best Breakthough Act; appearing at major blues and music festivals around the world; performing at Royal Albert Hall (October 1, 2008); and having his third studio album, I Started Out With Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left (2008), released by major label Warner International (the vinyl edition is from Bronzerat Records). Technically though, I Started Out With Nothin' is his third studio album only if you consider his kitchen a studio since that's where he recorded his second album, Dog House Music, in 2006 after suffering a massive heartattack following the release of his first album with the Level Devils, Cheap (2004, Deadskunk Records). More » 4896@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-15T17:22:19-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004892.html Modern Guitars has three copies of the the new Vinnie Moore CD, To The Core, to giveaway to lucky readers on July 15, 2009. As a performer, Vinnie Moore's resumé is impressive. In addition to his tenure with UFO, as a member of Alice Cooper's band he toured the U.S. on the Operation Rock 'N' Roll Tour and performed on Alice’s album Hey Stoopid. Vinnie’s own band has toured extensively as a headliner and was chosen as the opening act for legendary rockers Rush on the Northeast leg of their Roll The Bones Tour. As well as songwriting and playing, Vinnie is dedicated to teaching. He's conducted guitar clinics around the world, and has released two instructional videos on the HotLicks label. Vinnie joins his fans at clinics worldwide for Engl Amplification and Dean Guitars. Moore will be touring Europe in June 2009, landing in Germany, England, Italy, Scotland and other spots to give his fans a bit of shred, as well as offer up highlights from his To the Core CD. More » 4892@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-14T03:19:57-06:00 http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004891.html The Night of the Living Shred Tour arrived at Jammin’ Java, Vienna, Virginia, on May 10, 2009, featuring Joe “Shred Lord” Stump, Matthew Mills and Mike Orlando, all neo-classical guitar shred masters who fueled up and launched a triple threat show of high velocity guitar pyrotechnics. Stump’s been recognized as one of the world’s top neo-classical guitarists since his 1993 debut album, Guitar Dominance!, arrived in record shop bins. Guitar One ranked him as one of the top 10 fastest guitarists of all time. His latest CD, Virtuostic Vendetta, was released in April 2009 and fuses enough speed and melody to satisfy all of his fans. More » 4891@http://www.modernguitars.com/ News Archive 2009-05-13T10:19:26-06:00