Musician

Experiencing and conveying the lyrics is essential for a strong vocal performance. The basic principles are fairly quick to explain, but in practice it can be very labour-intensive. You can also look at lyric delivery in a broader context—think performance and the way you, as a singer, position yourself in ‘artistic life’. Singer Ellen Evers has a very clear vision on that.

Buddy Rich (1917-1987) is regarded by many as the greatest drummer of all time. Either way, he’s a true drum legend and is often seen as one of the key pioneers of technical drumming. Buddy’s roots are in jazz, but his drum techniques have made their way into every genre.

Managers: are they even still a thing in the music industry? And what exactly is their role? But just as important: what is the artist’s role? A lot of artists and bands don’t know when the right time is to start working with a manager. Usually, they still need to practise much harder and gig more often before it makes sense to bring in management. On top of that, musicians often jump in far too quickly when they’re approached. Manager and lecturer Martijn Crama shares his advice!

Noise gate pedals are especially popular with metal guitarists. A noise gate is really handy for removing that typical buzz, unwanted noise and other background sounds from your signal chain, while still playing with high gain. Guest blogger Alexousky explains exactly what a noise gate does and how to set one up.

As long as musical instruments have existed, sound has been used to influence our state of mind. Guest blogger Viënna explains how she uses sound herself in her Sharana practice. Her clients report a wide range of remarkable effects.

You’ve decided to learn a big, low-sounding bowed string instrument and you’re torn between the cello and the double bass. Both instruments are so large that you need to place them on the floor to play. And with both, you can feel those deep notes resonating through your body. But… they’re used differently. Read on and listen.

A melodica looks like a mini piano, but you have to blow into it to get any sound. It’s easy to take with you, simple to learn, yet versatile enough to earn a place in all sorts of styles — from reggae to jazz. Let’s take a closer look at this unusual instrument, where it came from, and how it’s used today.

What do others think of me? What if I sing out of tune? With performance-focused hobbies like singing, we tend to put all our focus on how well we’re doing, says guest blogger and VocalFeedback coach Nandy Mannaert. But fixating on perfection leads to tension. And it holds back your progress and your enjoyment of singing, says Nandy.

“It’s completely human to feel nervous before a performance,” says guest blogger and VocalFeedback coach Nandy Mannaert. She works with many singers who feel insecure about their voice. They struggle with nerves, self-criticism and the fear of failing in front of an audience. In the Bax Music blog series ‘Singing with Confidence’, Nandy explains this time how creating an alter ego helps you sing with confidence.

Having written two blogs about her favourite instrument, the bass guitar: one covering the top 10 bass intros and one about the top 10 bass solos, guest blogger Marlies has noticed that female bassists have been overlooked. In this blog, she seeks to level things off by presenting a list of top 10 songs driven by bass lines penned by some of the most iconic bassists of all time – who also happen to be female.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could generate a predictable monthly income with your music? With a subscription-based business model where fans support you in exchange for special perks, you could do just that. Guest-blogger and musician Mirjam Sieben is here to tell you how it works.

Struggling to reach potential fans or need a new way to guarantee income because you can’t play gigs for a while? Whether you’re a musician, DJ or producer, you can use what’s known as a marketing funnel to gain fans and make more money. Guest-blogger and musician Mirjam Sieben from Onlightning is here to explain the 5-step process.